Witch Clan: Warriors! by John Stormm (good book club books txt) 📕

come here for anything but your friendship,” Johnny growled, “and for that you try to rob me. If you’re the leader here then it’s high time you wise up.”

“Easy Sparky,” the red haired girl said in her best consoling manner. “Nobody here wants to rob you. You have your money back. We just wanted to know who you are and how you factor. I think introductions are in order and we all get to know each other like civilized sorts, eh?”

“It works for me,” Johnny said, the storm brewing in his eyes quickly disappearing as the sun came back out in the skies overhead. “I’m Johnny and I’m here with my grandmother and our bodyguard from Atlantis.”

“Well if you’re to be a genuine Witch Kid, you’re going to need a craft name here buddy,” The redheaded boy insisted with a very genuine smile. “I’m Hector Noggins, but here I’m called Hex.”

“I’m Jennifer Noggins, but here I’m called Jinx,” the red haired girl said.

“You know me as Foggy Frankie Fogherty,” Frankie said with a nod.

“Katie Katz,” Cat said leaping her way down to the alley.

“Dodgin’ Dan Dolby,” the Dodger responded in turn.

“You’re missing a few others like Charm, Jolt and Sylph,” Jinx said. “But you’ll no doubt get to meet them later on. I’m thinking we’ll call you Stormy because of that temper of yours and maybe you can tell us how you ran up that wall if you’re feeling really friendly. Or is that just your talent?”

“The storm thing is a talent. I think.” Johnny replied. “The wall thing is a combination of things I’m not sure of where to begin at.”

“Don’t puzzle too hard about it,” Hex said. “Most of us here have odd talents that we were just born with and not too much formal schooling about. Getting registered as a witch in this world offers more chains than perks so it’s always wiser to just keep such things to yourself and maybe a close circle of friends and try to get by the best way we can. Since none of us were born rich and the government decided to wage war on poverty we try to pool our talents and make do on our own. They’d rather we were all in nice safe institutions, doing and believing everything we are told, but we have our own ideas.”

“If your grandmother’s a rich Matriarch,” Jinx cut in, “why would you want to be friends with us. We’re nobodies here and you can rub elbows with the best wizards and warlocks of the land.”

“Look at me,” Johnny said, holding his arms out. “I’m a witch kid. Like any of you. My Grandma and Little Fox are the best people I know here, but so far, you are all the kids I’ve met. I came out because I was bored with all the old blowhards I’ve met at the Capitol. I wanted to explore Ivory City and meet real folks and I found them. You. Keep my secrets and I’ll keep yours. Deal?”

“Denizens of the alleys of the Ivory City,” Hex and Jinx crowed to the heavens, “We proudly present your hallowed pathways with our newest Witch Kid, Stormy!”

“Which kid is that?” the troops replied in unison, pointing at him.

“Exactly.” Hex and Jinx responded in finality.

“This calls for a celebration,” Foggy declared. “I’m hungry.”

“Did you steal enough sandwiches for all of us?” Hex asked.

“I, uh… ate them all,” Foggy admitted sheepishly.

“How about I buy us all lunch?” Johnny volunteered, taking out his wallet.

“Put that away,” Jinx insisted. “We said we wouldn’t rob you of your cash and we meant it.”

“Just a little bit maybe,” Cat purred. “The sandwich he gave me whet my appetite and I’m so hungry.”

“Hey,” Johnny said, indicating the group. “We’re like family now and it’s only fair if one of us who has, shares with those of us who don’t. Think of it as my portion of the membership dues.”

“All in favor?” Hex inquired.

The vote was unanimous as the gang ushered its newest member to the nearest backstreet eatery with much gusto. The conversation and questions went both ways among the celebrants and for the first time in his short life, Johnny felt less like an outsider than he ever had before. Each of these new friends were as oddball as he was and each accepted the others differences equally. The redheaded, green eyed Hector and Jennifer were the oldest, sixteen and the leaders and strategists of the group. Apparently the twins had their own unique form of communication and information gathering between them. Next in line was dark haired, blue eyed Dodger, who was a lifelong street thief and could slip in and out of trouble as if he was born into it. Foggy Frankie Fogherty could fog people’s minds and make them forget details of what was going on around them, when he wasn’t fogging his pants and making people want to quickly find someplace less fragrant to be. Asiatic china doll, Charming Charlene Chang could enter a room and become the sole center of attention, which made for excellent distractions for the rest of the group’s activities. Katie Katz, the Cat had a nearly feline sense of balance and agility. She often prowled the rooftops gathering information and entering buildings through the upper story windows without leaving a trace of her passing. Blond and gray eyed, Jolting Joey Vallan looked a lot like Johnny and had fashioned a broken force lash into a pair of wristbands that allowed him to send a stunning jolt of electricity up to forty feet away with the same effect as the Yellow Jackets ’stingers’, but not the deadly amperage of the force lash. Sally Gwynn, a.k.a. Sylph had light brown, curly hair and soft features as well as a talent for calling up dust devils and whirlwinds when she needed a hand. It was her father that owned the eatery they were all currently patronizing. Most of these were a couple years older than Johnny, but nobody seemed to be counting. Together, they provided the mutual security they needed to live on the streets of Ivory City and out of government run institutions normally reserved for such children. Witch Kids. Exactly.
Friends In Low Places

Emma and Johnny sat across from each other in the living room, gazing quietly into a china bowl filled with water. Emma, the picture of studiousness while Johnny couldn’t repress a crooked smile as he imaged his thoughts into the waters of the make shift scrying bowl. It was certain there was no kind of technology that would pick up on this particular wavelength. As Johnny communed his findings with his grandmother, John Little Fox was also busy trying to image everything they had so far in graphic detail to a tiny globe of purple light that had materialized out of nowhere. He then had to still himself to see what information the indigo pixie had to share with them. This was not the kind of thing he was used to, but much of his life had been spent outside of his own comfort zone and adapting well to the demands his surroundings put upon him without complaint. Always, ever the penultimate warrior.

“It’s not too late,” Emma observed as she stood and stretched. “It would be nice to stretch the legs and get some fresh air before bed tonight. Is anyone up for a little walk? We could stop for pie and coffee along the way if you like.”

“Allow me to gather a few things and milady’s cloak,” Little Fox said, rising from where he was sitting cross legged on the carpet.

“I’m certainly ready for pie,” Johnny added. “I’ll get my coat.”

It was a beautiful, cool night for a stroll and the park like quality of the urban neighborhood they were quartered in was easy on the eyes as they strolled on through towards downtown and a favorite café, known for its homemade pies and excellent coffee. Yellow Jacketed cops nodded and greeted them as they passed, enquiring about their well being. Emma played the regal matriarch to the hilt and nodded graciously while her trusted valet ran interference.

“Scylla sends that the Rift Wand is in the Capitol building itself and not the Ivory Tower section,” Little Fox spoke under his breath when they were alone. “It’s in a research section in the southern wing on the other side of the same building you’ll be leading the Solstice Celebration in. I’ll need to find some way to slip away to find it and destroy it. It may be my only chance to get anywhere’s near it.”

“Every eye in Logres will be on us that night,” Emma whispered. “All play acting aside, I doubt that I’m talented enough to run that Celebration the way we intend to and cast a believable illusion that you are still guarding me in plain sight of the cameras.”

“It will be all formal, won’t it?” Johnny asked.

“Yes, why do you ask?” Emma replied.

“John’s gold helmet covers most of his face,” Johnny said. “As long as he’s not required to speak, I might know someone who could dress as him and keep up our charade. He has to get naked anyway to do the thing with the beans, so he won’t be needing