Chapter 2: Talent and Background

“Thank you for showing interest, Garett,” Raul responded and he immediately took up his prism and his cellphone. He repeated the experiment which he had done successfully earlier, this time without Lexi observing.

“Wow, that’s a good start,” Garett said as he applauded Raul’s breakthrough.

“Now, if you focus really well, perhaps you can one day beat Percival and become the local champion at transforming things from one shape to another,” Garett commented speculatively as he rubbed his chin.

“I want to just learn how to move actual objects around first,” Raul stated.

“Then I suggest that you start with something small, by using your prism and your imagination only,” Garett suggested.

“How would you know, since you don’t perform any magic tricks,” Raul said doubtfully.

“It’s all in the mind, at the end of the day. As long as you try hard, it should work because I can see how determined you are and how hardworking you are,” Garett responded.

He then went to sit on one end of Raul’s king size bed. “Now, simply pick up the prism and try to feel its power,” Garett said. “I’m prepared to wait here all night until you manage to shift at least that chess set from one place to another, using only the prism.”

Raul first looked at Garett to see whether he was serious, before he began to focus all his attention on the prism, then the chess set. He then lifted the prism, levelling it with the chess set and stared at the prism like he had done earlier.

“Is it moving, or is it only my imagination?” he asked Garett hesitantly after what felt like an hour.

“It’s lifting alright,” Garett answered. Raul saw evidence of this himself, but just as he was watching the chess set actually begin to lift convincingly off the desk, a gust of wind blew in at the window, scattering the chest set and its contents all over the wooden floor.

“Oh, sorry,” Lexi said after landing on Raul’s dressing table on the other side of the room. “Did I disturb anything?”

“Don’t worry, Lexi,” Garett responded as he promptly bent down to start picking up the chess set. “Raul has had his second breakthrough tonight. So, I think it is time for me to go home for some much needed rest.”

“Oh, do you have to go so quickly?” Raul asked in disappointment.

“Oh yes, because I sense that my mother needs me and I am rather tired,” Garett responded wisely. “You need to take a break yourself. Look how you’re sweating, so good night then,” he added, before changing into eagle form and flying out the open window.

“So, it’s only the two of us again,” Lexi commented.

“Oh yes it is,” Raul responded in a tired tone of voice. He went to sit on the couch at the foot of the bed. “Tell me again about how you learned to talk,” he said, as he leaned back into the couch and closed his eyes.

*

Lexi had been a gift from Raul’s uncle Junaid, when Raul was six years old. He was surprised when he discovered that his bird could talk though.

“How do you do it? Where did you learn to talk?” the six year old boy exclaimed in surprise.

“Well, I lived in a house with an old lady and I gradually learned to copy her speech. When she died I was handed over to a travelling circus by her daughter and that is where your uncle Junaid discovered me,” Lexi had explained to Raul. “Your uncle taught me how to express my own opinions, however.”

“So, that’s why you’re so clever,” little Raul had commented.

“Raul’s uncle Junaid had confirmed Lexi’s story. Junaid was the younger brother of Raul’s father.

*

On a visit to his uncle, Raul had once confidentially asked him about how his parents Reese and Margaret met and fell in love, because Raul did not feel bold enough to ask them himself.

He and his uncle liked to perform magic tricks with card games. His uncle could make pets vanish and reappear as well, so Raul enjoyed visiting him. Junaid was quite good with magic.

“Uncle Junaid, how did my parents fall in love?” he had asked. This was actually a question which Percival had asked him about. He needed help with making a certain girl fall in love with him by using a charm.

“Well, your parents had known each other for years before marriage,” Junaid had explained. “But their marriage had actually been arranged by their parents as a business deal, because your mother’s family was on the brink of bankruptcy and they were about to lose their mansion, which had been their home for decades. They fell in love during the course of their marriage.

“Wow, that’s very interesting,” Raul had commented contemplatively. Since then he had seen his parents through different eyes. He now had a new kind of respect for them both.

“So, there’s no magic trick to make a girl fall in love with you?” Raul had asked his uncle.

“Oh, I thought your girlfriend was in love with you?” his uncle had responded.

“No, uncle Junaid, I am not asking on my own behalf,” Raul had explained quickly. “A friend of mine asked.”

“Tell him that I have not yet discovered that trick,” Junaid had commented with an amused smile.

*

Raul visited Percival after this and challenged him to a game of basketball. They loved to challenge one another in sports as well as magic tricks sometimes.

“Alright, you’re on,” Percival had agreed, after a moments’ thought.

So they ventured out to the courtyard at the back of Percival’s home.

“So, I suppose you want to know what my uncle said about the ‘girl’ thing?” Raul asked, as he dribbled the ball quickly in front of Percival.

“What ‘girl’ thing?” Percival had responded, while he tried frantically to gain control of the ball.

“Oh, common, remember you wanted to charm some girl into falling head-over-heels in love with you?” Raul replied, as he dribbled away from Percival.

“So, did you talk to your uncle?” Percival asked excitedly as he gained control of the ball.

“Yes, I did, but he says he cannot do anything about that Bro,” Raul answered, before getting the ball back from Percival.

Raul was just about to score when Percival’s magic cat appeared from out of nowhere and shot the ball into the hoop.

“Now, see,” Raul said in despair. “When are you going to play fair?” he asked with his hand on his hip while he tried to regain his breath.

“They say all is fair in love and war,” Percival responded.

“And what does basketball have to do with either?” Raul asked, confused.

“Haven’t you just informed me that your uncle can’t help me in my romantic quest?” Percival asked with a challenging grin on his face.

“Oh, so then it’s about revenge?” Raul asked. “Well wait until I find out how to make your real cat disappear.”

“Well, I’m always ready for a challenge,” Percival responded with a bright smile.

“Shoot!” Raul shouted at the magic cat, which then ran into the shrubs at the end of the courtyard.

“I suppose I made that one disappear at least?” he asked with a challenging grin at Percival.

“I just want my girl,” Percival answered.

“Why don’t you tell me who the girl is?” Raul asked. “I might be able to help by just talking to her about you?”

“Don’t worry,” Percival responded, as he resumed the game, by dribbling the ball vigorously. “I will just have to ask my teacher at magic school. I had just assumed that your uncle was more of an expert.”

“Well, he can’t be an expert at everything,” Raul commented as he swiftly dribbled the ball away from Percival and scored a goal.

Later on, Raul wondered whether there was a way for him to help Percival to pay attention to some other girls, besides Melinda, because Percival and Melinda were always at each other, arguing about everything under the sun. Raul wondered whether Melinda could perhaps be Percival’s elusive love interest.

“There must be a way that I can find out,” he said to himself.

“What are you contemplating now?” a voice said right next to him.