Chapter Three: Family Secrets [Pt.1]

Flashback (A Few Years Ago)

After Malia's death, Maliza had a hard time coping with the loss of her sister. She had nightmares about her every night, which made her almost not want to go to sleep again. One evening after waking up from having another terrifying nightmare, she goes to rinse off only to then be greeted by Shin who came to check up on her after a long time of not seeing each other. As they sat on the roof to watch the sunset, Maliza couldn't help but think about her sister again.

"My apologies for not coming to visit you, everything has been under pressure since…" Shin stops, not wanting to upset Maliza until she then sighs, "I know… My sister."

There was a moment of silence for a minute until Shin then showed Maliza the amulet. "Wait, isn't this…"

"I… would like you to have it…" He said. Maliza was surprised at first, not really knowing why Shin was giving her such a gift but accepted it anyway since it was her sister's amulet. "Thanks… for giving this to me, Shin." She holds it for a moment and puts it in one of her pockets.

Shin looks at Maliza's clothing, "I see you've changed your style recently…"

"Oh, this?... I've had it for two weeks. Bulma was worried that my outfits would wear out because of my weight so she decided to just blow up my whole wardrobe with new dresses and stuff." Maliza shyly admits.

"You've changed your style too?" Maliza asked as she pointed out Shin's new clothing. "Heh, well… It's been a while since I've worn these. To be honest, I miss wearing my Supreme Kai clothes…"

Even though Shin admitted that he missed wearing his Supreme Kai outfit, Maliza thought it was adorable. "How is everyone?... You know, Shaina and Kai…" She asked. At first Shin was hesitant to answer but then sighs, "To tell you the truth… I don't think I can do this on my own… now that Malia…"

Maliza felt sad for him when he said this. Not just the fact that Malia is gone but the fact that she isn't around to raise and protect her kids was eating her up inside. Shin was really sad that he couldn't do anything to prevent the only person that truly cared about from dying and the only person who understood how he felt was Maliza.

She warmly smiles, "You know… I can come visit and spend some time with you guys since I haven't seen my niece and nephew in a while… and the baby…"

Shin blushes, "Speaking of the baby… I… I could really use your help with…" He stops.

"With diapers?" Maliza finishes and he nods. She chuckles, "I know… I've been there. Diapers are gross… Malia told me the one time when Trunks was a baby, Bulma asked her to change his diaper and she freaked out when she opened it."

Shin was surprised by what Maliza stated. "Wait, she told you that?" he asked, and she nodded. At that moment, Shin couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Malia freaked out the first time she actually changed a baby's undergarments and deep down, Maliza knew her more than he did. They both chuckle and laugh until Shin suddenly feels something warm and soft on his hand. He looks beside him and sees Maliza's hand on top of his. When Maliza looks at her hand, she looks at Shin and blushes heavily…

At that moment, they both started blushing except Maliza's face was so red, almost like a red apple. They both stare at each other for a moment until Maliza removes her hand and holds it near her chest. "I'm… sorry. I didn't…" Maliza stutters, embarrassed by what she did.

"No, it's… it's alright. I just…"

There was a moment of silence until Maliza started clenched her hands on her lap. Shin notices this and worries, "Hey, Maliza… is there something you want to-Mmh!?"

Suddenly Maliza moves in and kisses Shin. This lasted for a minute until she then removes her lips from his and starts to tear up. "Maliza?... Wha-?"

"I'm… I'm sorry, I… I just miss you. Shin, please… don't leave me… Please…" Maliza broke into tears. Shin couldn't believe what was happening, seeing her cry like this while begging him to not leave made him sad.

"Maliza, maybe we should… go inside. It's getting dark." He said when he saw the sun was now out of sight and the sky started to turn dark.

"Shin… I don't wanna be alone here. Please…" Maliza begged. Shin couldn't bear to see her like this. When he starts to comfort her, Maliza kisses him again, but Shin moves away from her lips. "Maliza… we shouldn't… It's not ri-Mmh!"

Shin tries to push away but when Maliza pulls him in with another kiss, he's defenceless and gives in.

This was Maliza's secret. Maliza had strong feelings towards Shin but became heartbroken when he married Malia. Over the years of them being together, Maliza pretended to be okay and happy around her sister and others but deep down, she was hurting and became depressed. The day Malia died was her breaking point, the only reason why she didn't stop her from marrying the one she had feelings for was because she loved her sister and didn't want to get in the way of her sister's happiness. But now her sister was gone, the only person she had was Shin. Losing him too would be a death sentence to her.

Maliza was scared to be alone again, that she couldn't hold back her emotions and just be okay all the time… She wanted to be with Shin and wanted her sister's children to have a better life. But little did she realise; this was only the beginning…

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Present Day

Malisha

I woke up with a cold sensation on the side of my face. When I got up the sunlight through my window felt warm, but my skin still felt cold as ice. I looked at the walls and saw the walls were frozen and my bed was soaked.

Not only that… my hands were covered in ice particles and my fingers were frozen. When I got out of bed my knees felt weak.

I slowly walked out of my room and saw the thermostat was at 75 F. "Sh*t, … Shaina, why is the heater on high!?... Shaina?"

I called out but there was no answer. I went to her room which was next to mine, but she wasn't in her room. "Shaina!?... Kai!? Where are you guys!?"

I went to Kai's room which was next to Shaina's, but he wasn't there. I went downstairs to look but they weren't there either. At that point, I was starting to worry.

"Okay guys, very funny… Nice prank you're pulling on me! You can come out now!..." I called out but still no response came through the house. I put my frozen hand on the counter, "Guys… seriously, this isn't-Huh!" I looked at my iced hand and saw the counter was now frozen and ice started to form. I quickly removed my hand away and looked at my hand…

"Sh*t… Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" I panicked. Suddenly someone knocks at the door. I quickly take a blanket from the couch and cover the counter, trying to hide the ice.

"I'm coming, just hold on!" I said as I quickly tried to adjust the blanket but ended up freezing the blanket as well. "Ugh, damn it!" I yelled in frustration.

"Malisha, it's me… Ava." I was then relieved when I heard Ava's voice at the front door. I walked towards the door but then felt the blanket sticking onto my frozen hand. I try to pull it off but then with a few yanks, the blanket rips apart.

Suddenly the front door opens, and Ava sees me with the blanket still frozen into my hand.

"Malisha, are you okay?" She asks worryingly and I sigh, "Barely…"

Ava looks at the frozen counter and then at the walls of the house which was frozen. Ava then walks over to me and yanks the blanket off my hand with a small piece of it stuck to my hand. It wasn't long before I noticed Ava wearing a thick jacket. It was hot outside during the day.

"Why are you wearing a jacket? Isn't it hot outside?" I asked.

"You're not gonna believe what's outside…" Ava said as she placed the ripped blanket on the couch.

"What do you mean?" I was confused at first but then Ava opens the door wide and snow is shown down the path.

We walked outside and the streets were covered in snow and the houses had ice hanging from the rooftops.

"Did… did I do all of this?" I thought. Ava looks at me concerned, "Are you okay?" She asked and put my head down.

"Honestly… I don't know." I said.

I stayed quiet for a moment until Ava then placed her hand on my shoulder, "Hey, this isn't that bad… I mean, look." Ava then points at a house nearby where there were three kids making a snowman and laughing.

Even though it harmed my heart a bit, I still felt scared about the whole situation. "You wanna go inside and have some tea?" Ava asked.

I sighed, "...I guess I cou- Wait, you know how to make tea?" I was surprised when she said this.

"My maid taught me how." She said as she smiled warmly. "Well, alright…"

A Few Minutes Later…

"I honestly didn't know how I did all of this…" I kept telling Ava that I didn't know how I did all of the stuff that was frozen. I just got these powers last night and now I'm scared about what's gonna happen if I mess up again.

Ava then pours a glass of water and puts it in front of me. "Do you at least know how to undo it…?" She asked. I took the glass but then the water in the glass froze into ice.

I sigh in frustration and put the glass down. "No… I just got these powers last night."

Ava looks at the frozen walls of the house and sips her tea, "Does your sister and brother know about this?"

"I don't know what happened to them last night… they were here one night and then today they just disappeared." I said.

I then grunted and slammed my hands on the table, "Ugh! I don't get it! I thought I was a normal Supreme Kai! Why are these powers acting up now!?"

"Are you the only one with powers?" Ava asked. "No... my mom had powers except it wasn't like mine… My mom had the ability to heal people who are sick or injured. My sister has the ability to break anything with the power of her voice. My brother…" I paused.

"Your brother?... What's his power?" Ava asked. "My brother… he never talks about his power. He doesn't really spend time with me or my sister like he used to. Every day he walks in, he is like a complete stranger to us. Every time he comes home it's like… it's like he's not my brother anymore. He's changed so much since… since his girlfriend passed away."

The room went silent for a moment. "How was he before high school?" Ava asked.

"He was… normal as a kid. I was about 5 or 6 years old. My aunt moved in to look after all of us, everything was getting better with her around and we were happy again until… My dad and my aunt got into an argument and my aunt left a few days later. When my sister and brother started high school, my dad disappeared. My sister dropped out 3 years ago and took a job as a waitress. My brother decided to stay and finish school. He met Talia two years before he finished, it was the first time I've ever seen him happy with anyone before. Kai was finally getting along with us and spending time with us until Talia died from getting crushed under a truck that crashed into that diner she loved going to. He… completely changed after that." Looking back at the past and remembering it ate me up inside. Seeing my brother change from a caring and loving person to a complete lone wolf, it bothered me and my sister for a long time.

"Do you know what happened to your dad?" Ava asked. "What are you, a psychiatrist or something?" I teased.

Ava chuckled, "Well, I actually wanna be one someday. But since you're my bestie, I really wanna know more…"

Seeing Ava so curious to know more about me really cheered me up. "Let's just say that ever since my aunt left… My brother held a grudge and then when my dad disappeared, he started blaming her for my dad's disappearance."

"Do you know where your aunt lives?" Ava asks as she finishes her tea. "She lives near the mountains. Aunt Maliza and my mom used to live together until my dad and mom got married and moved out to live here."

"Well, maybe you should go visit and see what's up with your aunt. Maybe she might know something…" said Ava. She then gets up from the table and puts her empty cup in the zink. "Do you think I should go? I mean, the last time I ever saw Maliza was when I was 7 years old." I asked.

Ava smiled, "Heh, c'mon. I bet she'll be thrilled to see you after so many years."

Thinking about my aunt again brought me back to that memory… The memory of when she and dad were fighting one day.

Flashback

"I'm sorry, Maliza! But we just can't keep going on like this!"

I leaned against the wall trying to hear better as my dad and aunt Maliza started to argue.

Maliza: "You can't be serious… I did everything for you. Why are you still so anxious about me being around-"

Shin: "It's not that, it's us, Maliza. I can't keep doing this and pretend that everything is okay. I just can't."

There was a moment of silence until I vividly heard Aunt Maliza's voice saddens. "What… What do you mean? You mean… I'm not good enough for you?"

"No, I just don't think this is going to work between us. I like being with you and I honestly appreciate you helping me with all this, but I don't think my son, or my daughter would accept the fact that you're replacing their mother…" My dad sounded frustrated and sad. I never understood why he was so worried about my sister and brother judging Maliza for raising me and them until I heard him say "replacing our mom".

Maliza: "Is that what you think? Replacing my sister? Are you serious!? I had to give up my own happiness for you, my sister and her kids because you guys are all that matter to me! My sister is dead, and I feel like I'm alone in this! I'm scared my niece and nephew are gonna grow up doing bad things that they'll live to regret and that's the last thing I want to see them go through!"

Shin: "Except their lives and their choices are not yours to make, Maliza!"

Maliza: "Then why are you making me raise them if it's not my responsibility!?"

Shin: "I did not! It was your choice!"

Maliza: "My choice!! My choice to keep your kids and you happy! So why are you making it seem as if I'm not good enough for them!? Why am I not… Why am I not good enough for you?"

The sounds of Aunt Maliza sobbing started to echo through the house. "Maliza… I just… I just don't th-"

"You know what, forget it! I'm leaving! If you really think I'm not good enough for you then don't ever come, see me again!" Maliza then interjected. "No, wait! Maliza…"

When the sound of the front door slammed shut, everything went quiet.

End Of Flashback

After looking back on all the stuff that's happened, I eventually decided to go visit my aunt up the mountains which was outside West City. When I got there, something didn't feel right.

I knocked on the door but there was no response. I knocked again but then the door slowly creaked open. "Wait, the doors open?" I pushed the door open and saw the place was a mess, like someone or something trashed the place.

"Aunt Maliza!... Hello? Are you home!?" I called out but she didn't respond. I walked around the house to find her, but my aunt was nowhere to be found. I looked in her room which was trashed and there was even a whole in the wall. I then went to the bedroom next to hers which was completely untouched. I was confused at first because everything in the house was a mess except the room I was in. "This must be my mom's room." I thought as I searched around the room.

I kept looking around the room for clues but there was nothing. I left my mother's room and went back to my aunts to look for more clues. I looked under the bed and found a small journal which looked almost like a personal diary.

Out of curiosity, I looked through it and found things that hurt me emotionally…

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Dear Diary:

"I can't believe my sister is getting married to him. I was planning on confessing my feelings to him that day he visited, only for him to tell me that he was getting married to Malia. My own sister… I can't believe I wasted so much just so that my so-perfect sister could take the one I love so much. It broke my heart…"

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Dear Diary:

"I guess I'm just never meant to be happy. Everyone expects me to be an innocent, defenceless girl that can't fight back. I've been training with my sensei for years and they still see me this way. I'm tired of people's perception of me, I just want to be me."

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Dear Diary:

They got married and my sister moved out. Now I'm alone at home… If only I said something to Shin soon…

If only I told how much I felt about him but it's too late…

He was long gone before I even said anything.

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Honestly, I couldn't read any further because it was too sad to keep reading.

"Wait, if there's a dairy in my aunt's room then my mom might have an old one in her room too." I thought.

I went back to my mom's room and looked under the bed. I found what I thought was my mom's journal but it was a book that had a sun symbol on it.

"What the… what kind of book is this?" I thought as I examined it.

I opened it and I was surprised to find a load of spells and magic related things inside.

"I should probably take this home and show Ava…" I close the book and take it with me as I leave my aunt's home.

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When Malisha goes back home, she immediately shows Ava the strange spell book she found.

"Where did you find this?" she asked. "It was in my mom's old room." Malisha said as she sat down with Ava to read the strange book. As they look through the pages of endless spells, they then come across a note they find at the back of the final pages. Malisha opens it and it reads: "Remember to keep all the books stocked in the storage room where no one can find it, along with our old tapes." - Love you, my dear husband.

"The storage room? Do you guys have a storage room?" Ava asked. "Yeah… Behind the stairs, there's a door that leads to our downstairs storage room." said Malisha.

When Malisha went to the storage room, the space looked crowded with shelves that were stacked with boxes and other stuff. "My god, it's dusty down here…" Malisha thought.

Malisha looks around the storage room and finds a box labelled "Mother's Stuff". She takes the box off the shelves but is overwhelmed by how heavy the box was. "Sh*t! This box is heavy…" Malisha groaned.

She picks it up with all of her strength but ends up freezing the side of the box. Malisha then grunts, "Are you freaking kidding me!?"

After trying her hardest to get the heavy box upstairs, she finally manages to get the box out of the storage room without accidentally freezing it. "Finally!" Malisha sighs.

"Well that took a while…" Ava chuckles. Malisha and Ava look into the box and begin reading and examining every book that was found inside the box.

As they were reading, Ava started to fiddle with a glass of water and the water began to float around her hand. Malisha then sees this and begins to stare at her hand as the water floats and moves around her hand.

When Ava notices her staring, she blushes, "What?..."

"You know… last night… you never told me how you got your powers. Were you born with them?" Malisha said. At first Ava was hesitant but then places her hand down, making the water go back into the glass.

Ava then said, "No… a woman gave them to me."

"...A woman?... A woman gave you your powers?" Malisha asked.

"She said her name was… Empress Lillith." Ava looked as if she was unsettled when she said the stranger's name, the stranger who gifted her with powers.

"Empress Lillith?..." Malisha asked.

"Yeah, she came to me a year ago. She told me she knew that my mom was jealous of me and that we were leaving the country. I never told her any of the stuff that my family was going through… When I asked her how she knew about my life, she told me that she knew what it was like being in my shoes and that she also used to be mistreated by someone that she once loved." The confusion on Ava's face worried her.

"She told you that? But… why did she give you powers?" Malisha asked.

"She said it was to defend myself. I never really used my power until last night, the only reason why I showed you was because… you were the only person I had to go to." Said Ava.

The fact that a strange woman was stalking her friend and just gave her powers without question made Malisha upset but she was willing to help Ava, no matter what the case was since her friend was doing the same for her.

"... Well at least I know I'm not alone in this… By the way, did… Empress Lillith said anything else before she gave you your powers?" Malisha asked.

"... She warned me that someone called the Magenta Witch is coming to destroy everything and that good people like me have to prepare for the New World that is to come. To tell you the truth, I thought she was crazy at first until she gave me her gift. Or at least, that's what she called it." Said Ava as she then reaches in the box and takes out another book which was labeled "The Book of Fables."

"Gosh, that one is bigger and heavier than the other books." Malisha said when Ava gave it to her.

As they both open the book, they see stories that had very detailed history, along with very strange illustrations that fit every description in each story.

The first story they started reading was titled "The Tale of the Banshee" which was a story about a woman who heard screams at night and thought it was the dogs barking, only to realize it was the screams of a humanoid spirit called the Banshee. It said that the fable's voice was so powerful that anything made out of glass would break or crack from its powerful cries.

They read it for 2 hours until Ava's phone suddenly began to buzz. She checks her phone and sees that her maid sent her a text, saying that her dad was at the hospital.

"... Damn it… Malisha, I have…" Ava pauses but Malisha shakes her head. "No, it's okay. I'll be alright, your dad needs you."

Even though Ava wanted to stay with her, her father was injured badly last night from what her mother did to him, so she had no choice but to go and see if he was okay. Ava gets up from the table and heads out to the front door but then looks back at Malisha, "Are you sure you're gonna be okay all by yourself? Because it's school tomorrow and you don't have full control over your powers yet…" Ava asked.

Despite her concern, Malisha was fine as long as Ava was there for her. "I'll manage. After school, we can come back and find out more…" Malisha said.

Ava then jokes, "Okay then… be careful and don't end up accidentally freezing any books when I'm gone."

Malisha rolls her eyes, "Pff! Yeah, right… like that's ever gonna happen."

Ava leaves and Malisha is now by herself in her own home. "Guess this means I'm all by myself then." She sighed.

Before going to her room, Malisha packs the books away back into the box and places it on the table.

When she sees her bed all wet from the ice which melted into the fabric, she decides to go sleep in her parents bedroom which had been empty since her father's disappearance.

Malisha takes a warm bath, which causes her frozen hands to thaw from the steam of the warm water. "Heh, guess this really isn't all that bad… once you get used to it." Malisha said to herself as she moved her fingers freely.

When she's done and dries herself off, she changes into her pajamas and goes to her parents room.

After she examines the room, she then sees a photo frame of her mom holding her brother Kai when he was just a baby. This really made Malisha feel sad, not about the fact that her mom was gone but the fact that no one was there for her brother when he was at his lowest.

"Mom… I really wish you were here… And dad." Malisha said as she stared at the photo.

She puts it back on the nightstand and gets into bed. As Malisha looks up at the ceiling, her mind goes back on her siblings. The fact that they were at home last night and then disappeared the next day really bothered her…

"I wonder… What happened last night?... Where did they go?" Malisha thought as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

To Be Continued…