Magic Broom



Hello.
My name is Kozmo.
I am a Siamese cat and your storyteller.


      Luna awoke with the sensation having of something very cold run down her back.
Crash, bang, thud.
"Ow!" (I really wish Luna had cleaned off her dresser.)
"Who's there?!" She yelped trying to sound threatening, although the slight shake in her voice made her fear obvious.
"Sorry! Opening your window was not easy." I said brushing myself off.
"Oh, just Kozzy." Luna mumbled sleepily.
"Luna, wake up!" I said biting her toe.
"Hey! Stupid quadruped, what’s wrong with you?" She said glaring at me and massaging her toe, as she sat up.
"My name is, Kozmo, not Kozzy." I reminded her.
"What are you doing here at four in the morning, and could you lower the volume, please?!" She whispered for getting that no one else could hear me. (I'm telepathic.)

      "In one month the fourth guardian will be revealed." I said, in a deep, whispery, slow, haughty, and unplaceably accented voice -- mocking TV psychic Madam Isadora.
"Not bad. Are you certain it will be Pluto?" She asked laughing.
"Yes, her powers are starting to show." I said with too little hesitation.
"She doesn't believe in ‘magic’. She'll think this is some crazy-stupid joke! Then she'll get mad at me for planning it. She declared firmly. Making air quotes as she said magic.
"Do you have another possibility?" I asked, rolling on my back.
“Chuck, Tammy, someone at school, you.” She said sounding miffed.
"It will be a girl and she will not know about the magic. I already am a guardian, Tammy can’t be one, her brother wouldn't understand, and, unfortunately, I have never been to your school." I said in a slightly defeated tone.
“Why can’t she know -- fourth guardian, who’s the third – why no boys?” She asked.
"Think Luna, think. If you tell Pluto now she will call you ‘crazy-stupid’, I explained before, the powers over spirit were sealed to prevent their future use, zephyr, and I didn't say no boys; but girls are more in tune with reality.” I answered getting frustrated.
“I'll take you to school, it’s” She posed to check the clock, “four thirty! I have to get moving!” She exclaimed scrambling out of bed -- calling as she left the room, “We will discuss this later.”


      “Pluto! It's time to get up!” Pluto's mom, Marie shouted somewhat angrily from the kitchen. She was still wearing curlers in her hair, a cyan nightgown, and fury sparkly cyan bedroom slippers. (Why are they called slippers, their purpose is to prevent you from slipping?)
“I'm in the living room.” Pluto hollered as if anyone else could hear the TV. (We have wireless headphones for it.)
“Oh! Sorry.” Marie said nearly dropping her coffee mug.
“What are you doing up at five in the morning mom?” Pluto asked.
“Your brother is in the play at school, remember?” Marie said.
“That’s today. Pluto choked yanking the headphones off.
“Yes.” Marie said raising an eyebrow.
“Oh my god I'm gonna be late! Again!” Pluto cried jumping off the couch and turning off the TV and the headphones.

      Chuck, Pluto’s dumb jock of an older brother, said sarcastically as he came stumbling down the stairs, “Yo sis! Nice hair.” He was wearing what he called a fishing hat over a long sunbleached blond ponytail. A football jacket with the Viking's logo over a white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and muddy high tops two sizes too big.
“Be quiet. Listen ‘Romeo’, you can insult me when you quit failing everything.” Pluto said.
“You said you’d teach me, remember?” Chuck asked.
“Yea, yea, I will. Don't worry.” Pluto said distractedly as she dough through the closet for her coat. “Oooh. Stupid good-for-nothing brother.” She growled, after not finding it, yanking her skateboard out from under a pile of cluttersome junk, most likely belonging to Chuck.
“Hey, you'd better get going or you'll miss your friend. Ya know, you should really take the bus.” Chuck said as he spilled cereal and milk onto himself, the counter, the floor, and into the sink.
“Whatever. Good luck, try not to fall off the balcony this time -- one more thing, if you get this wrong you will loose the scholarship” Pluto said as she walked out the door, swinging her book bag over her shoulder, and hopping on the skateboard. She was wearing white high heel platform sandals, plaid shorts, a puffly-sleeved floral printed peasant stile crop-top, and a big old-fashioned khaki book bag.

      “High heels on a skateboard. Only you would attempt something so foolish.” Much like picking at an open wound Luna had to raise the never-ending, morning ruining non-discussion, “Why do you refuse to take the bus?” Luna’s attire consisted of a red backless version of Pluto’s shirt with bubble gum pink sleeves, reverse cuff denim shorts, high heel cork sole platform sandals, a giant leather drawstring backpack, and a straw hat with an enormous brim over her moon silver hair.
”Do you have to ask that every morning? Because, Loony, it's noisy, stinky, cramped, doesn't have seat belts, and frequently makes wrong turns. Anything would be quicker!” Pluto said .
“Don’t call me Loony -- why don't you have Marie drive you; why do you insist on walking?” Luna asked.
“I don’t walk I board, mom doesn’t drive, and the car belongs to Chuck.” Pluto said.
“Pluto, you live two-and-a-half miles from school.” Luna said in a slightly irritated voice.
“That’s why I get up at five every morning – does a quarter mile make that much difference?” Pluto demanded.
“5:03 babe; Start driving! Yes, it does.” Luna jokingly insisted.
"Would I have to pick you up?” Pluto asked frowning at Luna.
“Of course. Why should I have to walk?” Luna said as she placed her hands on the back of her head.

      “What happened to your hair? It looks like a big, blue porcupine! Luna changed the subject with a laugh.
“I attempted to spike it.” Pluto informed her ruefully.
“Oh, do ya wanna borrow a hat?” Luna asked trying to sound funny.
“Yea! Then we might even look like twins.” Pluto said with false enthusiasm.
“I thought you were going to stop that.” Luna said tartly.
“Sorry. Yes I would love to borrow one of your hats.” She answered.
“Yea, right, here.” Luna said -- sounding annoyed again -- giving Pluto a large, red, velvet hat.

      “My sister is a cosmic pain in the butt!” Luna blurted out.
“Why, what’s wrong, what happened to your hair, did Tammy do something, why are you talking like you've eaten something sour? Pluto asked -- in a concerned tone -- noticing her best friend's normally floor-sweeping hair several inches shorter than usual -- as she crammed the hat onto her stiff, sharp, and abundant aqua-blue hair. (Luna never cuts her hair.)
“My oh-so-sweet older sis stuck a huge wad of gum in it; I had to cut it out, and I am totally frustrated.” Luna answered.
“Whoa, what older sis?” Pluto said with a bit too much surprise.
"Oh come on! You know I have three sisters." Luna said sounding annoyed and embarrassed.
"So what, more information please." Pluto said.
"OK, fine…"Whoa! Look at frizz head--Hi Lou, wuzzup?"


      Luna froze, pluto spun around as if something hit her hard on the back.
"What on-earth are you?" Pluto asked rhetorically.
"It's who. My name's Ariel, like the sprite. I'm Moon Girl's older sister." She answered. She has a voice similar to shattering glass, speaks at ninety miles per hour, and looks as much like this sprite as possible, wearing a florescent green shoulder length wig, neon violet contacts, a leather fringed, short sleeve electric rainbow paisley T-shirt, low-rise tie-die bell bottoms, and firecracker-red combat boots.
"Moon Girl's older sister huh? i've seen you before right? Your hair's black?" Pluto asked almost as briskly as Ariel.
"Yes you've met. No, her hair is blonde. She's the one who put the gum in my hair. I'll clarify later. Can we keep moving please?" Luna answered, whispering the last sentence into Pluto's ear.
"Are you going to introduce us or not?" Ariel asked.
"Pluto Ariel, Ariel Pluto. Are we finished?" Luna asked.
"Cool. Well, Lou, Toto, seee ya!" Ariel said.
"Toto? She's weird." Pluto said rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"You are preaching to the choir my friend." Luna said nearly stumbling off the curb.
"Whoa, be careful." Pluto said as she grabbed Luna's shoulder.

      "Do you think I can get Chuck to wear the costume?" Pluto asked, stuffing the skateboard in her locker.
"Yes, the tights are the problem. You didn't know that. Wow, you are oblivious." Luna said with amusement and surprise.
"No. I thought he decided he doesn't like green or some other stupid thing." Pluto said scowling at Luna.
"He'll wear it as-is, but getting him to kiss what's her name will be difficult." Luna said.
"He'll kiss her, he needs the credit." Pluto said as she opened the door to the gym, "Besides, he likes her, he's just shy."
"Well, that's one thing in our favor." Luna said.
"What do you mean 'one thing'? Except for Aqua Girl being in charge we have everything in our favor." Pluto said, looking for the drama teacher. (Marina's called Aqua Girl because of how well she swims.)

      "Ms. Eden is a big nut!" Luna said spotting her.
"Yea. What makes you believe I was thinking about her?" Pluto asked suspiciously.
"The question you just asked and the fact that I've been able to read your mind since the beginning of time." Luna said with calm defensiveness.
"Ms. Eden, where are we supposed to go?" Pluto asked.
"To the teachers lounge. Where do you think you're supposed to go?" She snapped sarcastically.
"Yes ma'am." Pluto said as she and Luna hurried to the back of the gym.

      "What's her problem?" Luna asked.
"Love is against her religion." Came a high-pitched voice from the right.
"Hey Jess the mess." Pluto asked imitating some rap moron.
"Why are you so funny?" Jessica asked.
"Hey! We'd better set up." Bellowed Jessica's best friend Raven.
"Yo Rai, How's it hangin'?" Jesse asked.
"How is what hanging?" Raven asked.

      "OK, calm down. Actors back stage, prop people centerstage right, visual effects people upstage left, certain people downstage right and downstage left, music people come with me, and Foley people centercenter please. Everybody else, go to class. Now!" The head drama student said half-jokingly.
"Ave, ave, ave MariIina! Who put you in charge?" Raven asked the order-giving Barbie look-alike with braces.
"Just pass out the costumes and get lost little freak." Marina barked as she led a large group of people carrying microphones, instruments, music sheets, and stools behind the stage. (I am beginning understand why she is persona non grata.)
"Calm down. It's my job to give you a heat attack. Wow. That girl is going to bark herself into an early grave." Raven shook her head in concerned frustration.

      "I'm so glad we're doing costumes. It would be pure agony if we were stuck with one of Barbie-Girl's friends." Jessica said disdainfully as she dug the nurse's costume out of a large two-by-four and chipboard crate.
"Hmmm. She's head of the Chess and Latin clubs, junior lifeguard at the community center, anti cheerleader, anti jock, and the reason you get to do any thing other than bible stuff. She must be evil." Grendel, Raven's equally obnoxious, not-quite identical, always-sarcastic, almost-always-scowling, bickergirl-to-be twin sister, proclaimed.
"How did you into drama?" Raven asked as if this was difficult.
"Big sis." Grendel said, not paying attention.
"Whoa. Pluto, what happened to your hair? I didn't know you guys were that close." Jesse asked showing as much innocent surprise as ever.
"Long story." Pluto said fallowing Grendel's gaze.


      Maxine, the school cynic, was dressed as Romeo. "Why are you wearing that?" Pluto asked.
"What's his name couldn't make it so I decided to fill in." Max said, grouchy as ever.
"You had better not let Marina catch you in that." Jesse said.
"Speaking of which, here comes the witch." Luna said as she set her backpack on the floor to let me out. Marina was back on the stage and barking orders,
"OK costume people, the following alterations have been requested; to the costume of Juliet, raise the hem and lower the neck, to the costume of Romeo - Max! Take that off, now!"
"What's your problem? You think I can't cut it 'cause I'm a girl? Or do you think people will have a problem with it?" Max asked.
"No. I think you'd be better than Chuck but everyone must be selected a minimum of two months in advance. I also think Ms. Eden would try to have you expelled, so take it off. Ohy! Back to the alterations, Romeo omit the tights, to the costume of the nurse take in the waist, to the costume of the priest let out the side seems…

      Sensing a lull in the conversation, I decided to begin my search for a possible forth and, since I was there, fifth guardian. My plan was to stay out of site.

      So what did you find?" Luna asked me five hours later, as I dragged myself back to the gym.
"Not much. There aren't any other people that could be the forth guardian, I couldn't find a fifth ether." I replied wearily.
"How do you tell if someone has powers?" She asked me.
"Unfortunately it's very difficult. The powers are nearly undetectable unless active." I informed her.
"Is there any way I can help?" Luna asked.



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