“Epiwiths School of Light Magic!” The man-made drumming stopped and a mix of cheers and complaints could be heard.

“Yes!” Evelyn exclaimed quietly. She didn’t exactly want anyone from Bosany to see that she would rather go to Epiwiths. Everyone in the Epiwiths box was cheering, high-fiving, chest bumping, all etiquette gone. Even President Woodside did a fist-pump in victory. Everyone from Bosany was grumbling and sending death glares to the revelers.

“This is outrageous!” demanded President Mazikeen, her fist slamming down loudly on the wooden lip of the box. “Why is she not attending Bosany?”

The Leader smiled obnoxiously and tittered at her. “Now, now Mazikeen, keep a hold of your temper! We don’t need another object coming to life! Remember how much of the campus that chair destroyed? Oh, and all the students it ate? It cost us thousands. I mean a hundred-foot man-eating swivel chair was pretty cool, but–”

“I get it! I’m sorry! It was an accident, ok?” Her face was flushed. This killer office chair was obviously a sensitive subject. “I can’t help that my instinct is Chaos magic!”

“No kidding!” President Woodside joined in. “Remember that evil apple that you gave your teacher in 9th grade? It tried to burn down the school!” he laughed at all the crazy stories he had about her from their childhood.

Mazikeen crossed her arms. “Well, do you remember the time when you were testing out your telekinesis and ended up dumping the pot of spaghetti sauce on Mom? She was so mad, you were grounded for a year!” she laughed, the image of their livid mother still fresh in her mind.

Amenadiel looked furious. “You know I was trying to pour it on you!”

Mazikeen just cackled. “Doesn’t matter! You still missed! And it’s not like you’ve improved!”

Amenadiel’s eyes flared teal, a flame appearing in his hand. “Are you sure about that?” He gritted his teeth and smirked, knowing she couldn’t resist conflict.

Mazikeen’s eyes glowed copper, a swirling mass of blood hovering in her palm. “Do you want a fight, Amy? Or are you afraid that your little sister will kick your butt?” Amenadiel chuckled darkly.

“Nah Maze. I’m just looking to make you eat dirt.”

Mazikeen’s grin was as deadly as a dagger. “Just like old times, eh?” she sneered.

“Just like old times,” he affirmed.

She turned toward Leader Vodur. “Mind if we go outside and settle this?” she asked.

“Gladly,” he agreed. “I’ll make sure you get the paperwork and the details of the proceedings.” He turned toward Hillary.

“Valerie?” she nodded her head. Her eyes flared dark blue, and she made a quick series of hand motions. The two Presidents disappeared, leaving nothing but two columns of blue smoke in their wake.

“Siblings,” laughed Leader Vordur, shaking his head.

Evelyn looked up at Hillary. “Where’d they go?” she questioned.

Hillary shrugged. “Somewhere outside the dome. I think. Oh well,” she said nonchalantly.

“I’m sure it will be fine,” assured Leader Vodur. In the distance, Evelyn heard cries of terror and an explosion go off. It made the walls shudder in the courtroom and the lights flicked briefly.

“Uhhhhh…” Evelyn started.

“See? What did I tell you? Perfectly fine,” attested The Leader.

“If you say so,” Evelyn murmured.

“Anyway, where was I?” inquired Leader Vodur.

“I believe you were about to tell us why Evelyn will be attending Epiwiths instead of Bosany,” dictated a member of Bosany.

“Oh yes! Well, since Evelyn’s instinct seemed to be to use Light Magic, I thought it would be better to send her to Epiwiths. She can learn how to use it properly. Also, President Woodside did bring up a valid point. It would be safer for society and for herself if she learns Light Magic. There’s less of a chance of her becoming malicious. Who knows how learning Dark Magic will affect her? Being a Dark Magician, I can say that Dark Magic doesn’t actually affect you, but because we have never come across this before, I think it’s best to play it safe.” The representative grumbled in agreement. “Also, since her eyes glowed white, I thought ‘Hey, that must be a sign to send her to the School of Light Magic!” Nobody but he seemed to think that it was a good idea or a valid piece of evidence, but they nodded their heads anyway.

“If it’s any consolation, if it turns out that Dark Magic is her strong suit, or something bad happens, she will be transferred over to Bosany. So don’t fret! You still may get to teach her!” The representatives from Epiwiths looked concerned by that last statement, whereas the representatives from Bosany seemed to perk up.

“I think that’s it!” announced Leader Vodur. He paused and glanced around, waiting to see if someone would contradict him. “It looks like no one objects! Alrighty then! I hereby disband this court session! Have a wonderful day!” Everyone exited their boxes and Evelyn followed Hillary out the door.

“Buh Bye!” he called out to each guest, waving his hand excitedly like a child.

“Bye!” Evelyn yelled back to him and gave him a quick wave. Evelyn saw his smile broaden before the heavy wooden doors shut behind her.

“What now?” asked Evelyn, popping a french fry into her mouth. Hillary and her were sitting in one of the coolest restaurants she’d ever seen. Neon lights lined the place in shades of blue and purple, and the patrons sat in low-backed plastic chairs. Small circular lights were embedded into the ceiling and you could see their reflection in the black marble bar. Currently, she and Hillary sat in seats next to the bar, and though the hard white plastic was uncomfortable to sit on, she liked this place anyway. It felt futuristic.

“Your trial went well. You’re going to Epiwiths which was the plan, so that’s good. I guess tomorrow we get you enrolled and get you into a dorm,” she listed, “then you start your amazing new life and spend four years learning random spells you’ll hardly ever use,” Hillary stated dryly, taking a bite of her ‘Gazorpazorp’ burger. Her nose wrinkled at the taste and she set it back down on her plate.

“I forgot how gamey this stuff is,” she muttered to herself.

“Why do you make it sound like going to Epiwiths is a bad thing?” Evelyn questioned. She was really looking forward to starting this new chapter in her life, but Hillary made it sound like she shouldn’t be.

“Don’t take it personally Ev. I’m sure you’ll have a great time. I just despised school. That’s my personal opinion. You’ll make lots of friends, and spend the rest of your life on Ma’taut,” she sighed, saying the last part bitterly.

“Are you regretting not staying here?” Evelyn was better at reading her than Hillary initially thought.

“I guess. When I graduated, I got a job here in Loitsu. I worked here for a year or two before I met Anexis,” her expression softened as she thought about when they first met, all those years ago. Her job had been close to the outskirts of the Bosany campus, in a clothing store called “The Gracious Flower.” Everything somehow related to the lotus flower if the citizens of Loitsu had anything to say about it, even if it made for names that didn’t make sense.

She had been folding a bright emerald green robe with a high collar and wide cuffs when he walked in. After browsing what they had and not finding what he was looking for, he went to Hillary for help. Once he realized they didn’t have what he wanted, he just flirted with her and asked her out. She said yes, and he ended up buying that robe for fun. While he was buying it, he mentioned to the cashier that “The service is great here,” and turned around to give Hillary a wink. It was the same robe that he had chosen to wear today. It was a mystery to Hillary as to how he still managed to fit it, but if she was honest with herself he probably just had it tailored.

“At first, we didn’t know that we were from different sides of magic. When we found out...we didn’t really care. We knew we were breaking the rules, but it was for love, so it was worth it. Then things started to get dangerous, people found out, and we almost got ourselves killed. That’s when I decided I needed to go to Earth and get away from magic. And the only way is to become a magic guardian. I thought I was getting a lucky break when I got assigned to you. You have the two most powerful Light and Dark Magic bloodlines. They both had been dead for 2,000 years. Not churning out a single magician – until you.” Evelyn finally understood why she possessed Light and Dark Magic.

“So that’s why…” She trailed off.

“Yep. At least that’s what we assume. It’s the only logical answer. Other than magic randomness. That’s what happened with the two Presidents. It’s odd for one sibling to possess Light Magic, and for another to possess Dark Magic. Especially for one to be a Renaissancian and the other a Demon. Boy is that rare. But it happens.”

“Wait? A Demon? A Renaissancian? What?” Hillary huffed, done explaining for the day.

“There’s different branches of magic within Light and Dark Magic. And people can’t perform magic that’s outside of their branch.” Evelyn tilted her head to one side.

“Huh?” she questioned, not understanding what Hillary meant. Hillary sighed through her nose. All she wanted was some peace and quiet. It had been a long day. Was that too much to ask?

“You’ve seen “Harry Potter” right?” Hillary asked. Evelyn nodded. “Thank goodness. Ok, so you know how Harry and his friends mix potions, and fight bad guys and can do all sorts of things?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, in real magic, you can only mix potions if you’re a Chemist, a branch of Light Magic. And you can only make glowing swords appear if you’re a Combatant, a branch of Light Magic. It’s the same with Dark Magic. You can only raise the dead if you’re a Necromancer. You can only make inanimate objects come to life if you’re a Chaotic. And there’s two branches of magic that allow you to cast any spell in either Light or Dark Magic. A Renaissancian can perform any spell as long as it’s in a branch of Light Magic. A Demon can cast any spell as long as it’s in a branch of Dark Magic. They were the most powerful magicians until you came along. So that’s why it’s so rare for a brother and sister to possess that kind of magic. Got it?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Evelyn’s blue milkshake finally showed up. It looked like it had the consistency of a normal shake, but it had the same color as a blueberry slushy. She didn’t know what it would taste like, but decided, why not? The waitress slid it towards her plate and Evelyn thanked her. She took a sip, and it tasted like blueberries. It was pretty good.

She had already finished her chicken slices, and Hillary didn’t look like she was going to eat her burger anytime soon, so she slid her plate of fries over to her as an offer to share.

“Thanks kid.” Hillary swiped one and dipped it into the shake. Evelyn tried her next fry like that, and found that it tasted oddly good. Her french fries quickly disappeared, and then they were waiting for the check to come.

“How can you remember all of this stuff about magic?” Evelyn asked, head resting on the table, ready to sleep, like her mother always told her not to do.

“There’s a guide,” Hillary responded, slurping the last of Evelyn’s shake, the straw making noises indicating that it was empty. “You get one if you go to Epiwiths or Bosany. They each publish their own version, but it’s essentially the same thing. Tells you about Ma’taut, general stuff about magic, and all the different branches. It’s kinda short in my opinion, but you learn everything else you need to know in your classes.”

“Will I get one once I enroll tomorrow?” Evelyn wanted answers as soon as she could get them.

“You should, unless something has changed, but it never does. So, yes,” Hillary pushed the empty glass away and said her thanks when a waiter whisked them away. Hillary drummed her nails on the black marble, the red painted tips making little clicking sounds.

“Wait...what are we gonna do about my parents? Aren’t I gonna stay here for at least a year? What are we gonna tell them?”

Hillary sighed. “We’ll send a telekinetic to warp their memories. They’ll think that they’ve sent you off to boarding school,” she explained tiredly.

“Oh,” replied Evelyn, “I’ll really miss them. Will I get to go home and visit?”

“Sure, why not? You can return for holidays and the summer if you wish,” responded Hillary. She propped her elbows up on the bar and held up her chin with her fists. Her eyes started to droop, but they fluttered open once a sever presented her with a check.

“Thank you!” she exclaimed. She patted her back pants pockets, searching for her wallet. When she didn’t find it, she stood up and checked her robe. Nothing there either. She hailed a server over to their seats.

“Yes, ma’am?” he politely questioned, a small smile on his face.

“I forgot my wallet.” His smile became strained. “Is there anything we can do in exchange to pay?”

He nodded curtly. “Follow me please.” Hillary followed without hesitation, and Evelyn trailed after her. They entered the kitchen and weaved around cooks in the busy and cramped workspace. He stopped in front of a large sink overflowing with dirty silverware and dinner plates.

“You may do the dishes until closing.”

Hillary glanced at her watch. “How much longer till closing?”

The server smirked.

“Three hours.” Evelyn’s face fell but Hillary just rolled up her sleeves.

“Thank you,” she told the waiter as he exited the noisy kitchen. She grabbed a sponge, dipped it in soapy water and started scrubbing the first cup she saw.

Evelyn stood there, watching Hillary as she rinsed the now clean glass.

“Are you going to help me out and load these into the sanitizer, or what?” she asked, though it was a demand, not a question.

“Fine,” griped Evelyn, snatching the cup out of Hillary’s hand and putting it into the machine.

“Thank you,” Hillary said.

“Welcome,” grumbled Evelyn.