Marine

The girl felt like she had taken a step back in time and three more in the future.

The house was small, warm and crowded with dresses and equipment from every age. Marine saw a dress hanging over the kitchen hobs which looked like it belonged to the Victorian Age, a typewriting machine from the end of the nineteenth century and some togas from the Roman times.

There were three desks lined back to back that went from the entrance to the kitchen, forming a sort of corridor. They were full of maps and notes on recent murders. She recognised her face on an Italian newspaper dated 1948, three years before.

Isaac was tidying up his desk, trying to make some space for the food that Andre had made.

-So what's the plan? - she asked.

Andre looked at her as if she was crazy. -The plan? - he repeated.

-Yeah, the plan. - she put her hands over her waist. -You know, the next move, the next lead to find the mist people. Now that we know that iron can block magic, surely we just need to capture one. -

Jane covered her laugh with a cough. No one else said anything for several seconds.

-We have nothing - Andre admitted finally. -The world has changed while you were locked in the prison, sweetheart. Police and regulations are harsher, getting new identities is complex. -

-And worst yet - Isaac continued smoothly. -The path-changers are untraceable.-

Marine couldn't believe what she was hearing. -So you guys just ... gave up? -

Andre avoided her gaze. -We wait. We learn what we can on the world. We act when we are sure we can win. -

-But we cannot wait forever! - she argued, realising she was wrong. Technically, they could wait forever. She stumped her foot on the ground in anger. -We should wait until we are back at the top of our strength and then go back to civilisation, back to the search. -

To her surprise, it was Jane who nodded first. -If path-changers can hide, so can we. -

They ate in silence, but Marine was so glad to be out of the cell that she didn't mind a bit of tension in their eyes. She helped to clean up and then went out to look at the night sky.

The stars were so bright and beautiful, she wished she could be up there with them. So high up, surely they could see everything. Maybe they knew where the mist people where, what they looked like, why they had picked death over choice.

A strong hand held her shoulder and Isaac went to sit next to her.

-You scared the hell out of all of us. - he said softly. -We thought we could never get you back. -

A sob grew in her chest. -I thought I would never be able to leave that place - she admitted finally. - But it wasn't because I missed the forest or I wanted revenge on the mist people. I just wanted to be back with you guys. -

Isaac smiled, his handsome face lighted by all sorts of emotions. - I think I know what you mean. - he said. - For the longest time I thought ... I thought I could never belong. I wanted to go back to my life before, because I knew I was so happy, but I was thinking ... if the mist people can take our emotions, maybe they can create them too? -

Marine looked away from the stars to stare at his sad brown eyes. -Are you saying our home was an illusion? -

He lifted his shoulders. -I don't think it was, I remember too much of it. - he replied quickly. - But the feeling of being safe, warm, loved ... that makes no sense. I can see it now that I have those emotions for real. - he blushed at his own words, the implication in them.

-So I gather that in three years you haven't told Andre anything? - she laughed.

-Some stuff has happened. - he justified. -And as I said before ... it's complicated. -

It didn't seem very complicated from her perspective, but she avoided to say anything else on the matter.

-it's complicated only if you make it so- she objected.

Isaac's shoulders fell. -Last year ... I told Andre I knew him from before ... during out path-changer training. - he revealed. Marine widened her eyes at the meaning of his words. -But before you ask any questions ... I don't remember everything. But I recognised his face and I had a few memories of him calling me Isaac. -

Marine kept her gaze on the sky. -That's why you picked the name. -

He nodded. -Andre was furious about it. He said I only felt attracted to him because the mist people wanted me to, but I don't think that was true. I think ... I think they kept testing me because I had those feelings. -

Marine would talk some sense into her friend. Yet, she could see his point. She decided not to push anything more out of her friend. Isaac's sad expression told her enough about his current mood.

-I want you to teach me more magic - she blurted out. Isaac didn't disagree, so she continued. -You have more of your memories, Andre can shift his appearance completely, Jane can charm-speak people to her will ... I want to be able to do more than simple circus tricks -

Isaac raised an eyebrow. -I can try, but magic isn't really something you can teach. You feel it inside you, like a fire burning everything else. -

-Well that's good then - she replied, her eyes on the stars. -Because that's what I want to do most of the time -

Isaac held her callous hand with his soft ones. -Close your eyes. -

She obeyed.

-Search inside you, look for the spark -

Marine went deep inside her, down to her very core. She saw her empty shell, the masks she left behind, waiting for her to be collected again.

There, where there was only darkness, she saw a spark of fire. She pushed her mind forward, but she had no hands to grab the spark. Anger burned in her heart, the rage that fueled her every move and she was pushed further away.

-No!- she tried to scream, but she had no voice.

She opened her eyes and she saw the stars again.

-It didn't work. - Marine muttered. Maybe the mist people just hadn't given her the tools to achieve that much magic.

Isaac, to her disbelief, laughed. -You cannot expect it to be this easy. Life and magic are very much alike when it comes to success, you need to fight to get it. -

Marine snorted. -Not sure I like this version of you, all high and philosophical. - she said. - But I get it, I will keep trying. -

And trying she will. 

....

Author's note: Jane is a character yet to be unravelled. But for now ... here's a little rendering I did of her not too long ago 🥰