Kit, the Magician - a Tale Spin fan fiction

[KitCloudkicker5285]

Title: Kit, the Magician

Authors: KitCloudkicker52885 and Kit_Lee

Disclaimer: We do NOT own Tale Spin, Disney does.

Chapter One, Introducing: Chris Cloudkicker

Chris Cloudkicker was sitting on his bed, looking nervous. He was a twelve-year-old bear cub, his fur was a golden shade of light brown and his eyes were blue and he wore a light blue woolen sweater with a navy blue neck collar. He was usually a cheerful bear cub despite his upbringing in the orphanage, but today he was very nervous.

He had just been told that he has a brother—a twin brother— and that he was going to meet that brother today. At first, he was excited, whooping for joy but now that the excitement have worn off a bit, he begin to feel anxious and slightly apprehensive.

What if he doesn’t like me? What if he’s big and mean and will push me around? All the negative questions that goes through a young boy’s head when under such anxiety.

“Chris dear, they’re here,” said his caretaker, Miss Vanessa Applebarn, a motherly-looking fox with a kind, good-natured face.

Chris begins to panic, he was half-tempted to dive under his bed but he stayed where he was, trembling.

Miss Applebarn sensed the tension and stress Chris was under and walked over to his side, bent down and wrapped her arms around Chris.

“Don’t worry, Chris,” she whispered, knowing exactly what was bothering him. “I’ve spoken with them, they’re really nice people and your brother is really very kind, he’ll love you, I think he already does. He practically demanded to see you; he’s very much looking forward to meeting you.”

“Really?” Chris asked as his face lit up with a bright and joyous smile.

“Yes,” Miss Applebarn replied, smiling gently. “You better hurry, don’t want to keep them waiting, do you?”

To respond to that question, Chris leapt out of Miss Applebarn’s embrace and dashed out the door.

Entering Simba’s office, Chris saw four bears standing around the lion’s desk. One of them looks exactly like him, except for the lime green woolen sweater and his fur was brown. Compare to Chris’ golden light brown fur, this bear was darker than him. He knew this had to be his brother, there was no mistaking it. Apart from their fur, eyes and clothes colors, they looked exactly the same. His twin also wore a blue baseball cap with a red brim.

His brother stepped forward, grinning and holding out his hand for Chris to shake.

“Hey, I’m Kit, Kit Cloudkicker. And you’re Chris, right?”

“Yeah,” Chris replied, accepting the handshake. When the handshake was broken, Kit flung his arms around Chris’ shoulders and hugged him very tightly. When the embrace ended, Kit took Chris by the hand and led him over to the big fat gray bear in a yellow flight shirt and a red pilot cap.

“Chris, this is my adoptive Dad, Baloo von Bruinwald.” Kit said, gesturing to the pilot.

“Hi, sir.” Chris said timidly, looking down at his feet so to avoid eye contact. He couldn’t help it, he has always been a bit intimidated by people bigger than him and Baloo was like a giant to him.

Baloo smiled gently, bending down to Chris’ level, he reached under Chris’ chin and lifted it up a bit.

“Hey there, Chris,” he said, patting Chris gently on the head. “The name’s Baloo, best pilot in the skies—if it got wings, I can fly it, sometimes if it doesn’t.”

“Wow, really?!” Chris asked excitedly, forgetting his shyness. “Can you really fly anything, even if doesn’t have wings?”
“Uh, well… sometimes, yeah.” Baloo said hesitantly.

Chris grinned and chuckles. “I’d like to see you try to fly a refrigerator.”

“Well I—HEY! Are you sayin’ I’m fat?” Baloo asked indignantly.

The female bear laughed. “He got you there, Baloo,” she said, lightly punching Baloo’s stomach. Baloo just grumbled as he massages his stomach. “Hi, Chris, my name’s Rebecca Cunningham, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Miss Cunningham.” Chris said politely, taking her hand and kissing it.

“Oh, my, what a nice little gentleman you are…” Rebecca said, smiling down at Chris. “…unlike someone I know,” she added with bored expression, her narrowed eyes seems to be directed at Baloo.

“Well, Chris.” Simba said, speaking for the first time since Chris’ arrival. “These two are interested in adopting you, as they’ve already adopted your brother. Would you like that?”

Chris looked shocked and surprised, he stared up at Baloo and Rebecca and then he glanced at Kit and the little yellow she-bear, who was looking up at him hopefully.

“No, I wouldn’t like it…” Chris replied in a hushed voice. Baloo and Rebecca hung their heads, looking disappointed and Kit was staring at him with wide disbelieving eyes, his mouth hanging open. Then Chris put on a big grin. “…I would LOVE it!” he shouted, and then he fell backward onto the floor in a fit of laugher, pointing at their priceless stupefied faces. “Your faces! Ha, ha, ha, ha! PRICELESS!”

They stood there with stunned looks on their faces. Kit recovered first; he marched over to Chris’ side and lightly bonked him on top of the head with a fist.

“Ow!”

“Don’t scare me like that again!” Kit said, trying to sound stern but his mouth kept twisting into a grin, ruining the desired effect. Then he flung an arm around Chris’ neck, bringing him under a headlock. “I mean it, Chris, if you ever scare me like that again…” he left the rest of the threat unsaid as he proceeds to give his brother a light nuggie on the head, so not to hurt him…much. Action speaks louder than words, after all…

“Okay, okay!” Chris said, laughing despite his slight discomfort. “Sorry, Kit, I just couldn’t resist. You can understand that, right?’

Kit laughed and gave Chris another good nuggie on the head for good measure, saying: “Ah, I joke sometimes too, but don’t do that to me again! Twelve years I didn’t know you existed and you scared me like that! Heh, you’re quite a kidder, bro, but I still love ya.”

Kit then released Chris and pulled him into a big bear hug.

“I love you too, Kit.” Chris said, enjoying the brotherly embrace, it felt so good to be with his brother.

“Chris,” Kit said as they ended the embrace, gesturing to the little yellow she-bear. “I’d like you to meet my adoptive sister, Molly.”

Chris approached Molly with a warm smile. “Hey there, kiddo,” he said, patting Molly on top of the head. “You’re a real ray of sunshine, aren’t you?”

Molly stared at him for a moment and then she giggled. “I like you, Chris.”

“I like you too, Molly,” Chris bent down and hugged her. “So far, you haven’t kicked me in the shin yet.”

That comment was met with laugher from the adults and Kit.

“Well,” Simba said, addressing Baloo and Rebecca. “Since Chris has no objections in being adopted, you need only sign these forms and then be on your way.”

Baloo and Rebecca signed the forms, since they were not married, they would be sharing joint custody of Chris, as they do with Kit.

“How did you guys get here?” Chris asked as they were walking down the front steps of the orphanage, looking around for a car or some form of transportation

“Flew.” Kit said with a grin.

“Flew?”

“We came by plane.” Kit explained to his brother.

Chris froze in mid-walk down the steps, a look of terror on his face.

“Chris, are you okay, son?” Baloo asked in concern, placing a hand on Chris’ shoulder from behind.

“You c-c-came by…p-p-plane?” Chris asked, stuttering from apparent fear.

“Yeah. What’s the matter, Lil’ Buddy?” Baloo asked, scooping Chris up in his arms, afraid he might fall down the rest of the stone steps in his near-petrified state, carrying him down the rest of the way. “Don’t ya like planes?”

Chris looked at Baloo’s face, still looking scared. “Y-y-yes, I love p-p-planes.”

“Then what’s the problem?” asked Baloo, looking confused.

“Yeah, Chris, what’s wrong?” Kit asked through a look of concern. He reached up and patted his brother consolingly on the back.

Chris moaned, he didn’t want to make his brother think that he was a little baby who was scared of high places, but he couldn’t see a way out of this without admitting his fear.

“I’mafriadofheights.” Chris blurted out in a rush.

“What did you say, sweetie?” asked Rebecca, she too looked concerned as she place a comforting hand on Chris’ cheek, giving it a gentle rub.

Chris closed his eyes lazily, feeling himself relaxing to Rebecca’s touch. Rebecca smiled as she lifted Chris out of Baloo’s arms to hold him herself.

Chris wrapped his arms around her neck as she massaged the back of his head. It felt nice to be held, comforted and loved, as though by a mother.

“It’s okay, Chris,” Rebecca said soothingly, “Now, can you say that again? – More slowly this time?”

“I’m afraid of heights,” he whimpered in her ear.

“Oh, you mean you’re acrophobic?”

Chris nodded his head against her shoulder in reply.

Rebecca glanced at Baloo for help. Baloo thought for a moment before giving his opinion on the matter.

“Well, we could blindfold him, if that doesn’t work, I could fly low…”

Rebecca shifted Chris so that she was holding him with her right arm, looking at her watch on her left wrist.

“It’s two-thirty, Baloo,” she said. “Why don’t we wait a little while before we coax Chris into flying home with us?

“Sure Becky,” Baloo agreed. “But what’re we gonna do in the meantime? We can’t just stand out here all day.”

Rebecca gently set Chris down on his feet before looking thoughtfully at Baloo.

“I’ve heard this town has a magic show that starts at three this afternoon,” she said. “We could go to that…”

Molly suddenly got excited. “Yeah, Mommy, let’s go!”

“Sure, sweetie. Rebecca said gently. Oh wait, I forgot to ask what the boys think. “Kit, Chris, what do you think, wanna go?” she asked.

“Sure, that sounds great.” Kit replied.

“YEAH!” Chris shouted, looking so excited. “That sounds so neat! I’ve never seen a magic show before. Oh, I’m so excited!”

Later that afternoon, in the town square, there was in fact a show being set up by a local magician and his lovely assistant.

Rebecca bought the tickets AND the popcorn and soda for five, as if she had a choice… Baloo was nearly always broke, so it was up to her to pay for the snacks and drinks as well.

Ooh, sometimes I just want to strangle that bear… she thought darkly as she paid for HIS large soda and bucket of popcorn and a hotdog.

Chris was looking so overexcited like his new sister, Molly was.

“Kit?” Chris asked.

“Yeah?” Kit responded as he found his seat and sat down, his soda and small box of popcorn in his hands.

“Have you ever seen a magic show before?” Chris asked, sitting down next to his brother and cramming a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

Kit paused and thought for a moment, trying to think whether he had or not.

“No…I don’t think so…” Kit replied. “If I had, I was really young and don’t remember. But I hear they’re really neat.”

Rebecca then interrupted the boys, saying. “Chris, I think you will have great time being part of the family. I already feel that in my heart.”

She sat down next to Chris with Baloo sitting on her other side and Molly sat on her lap.

Chris slightly blushes, giving Rebecca a hug over the armrest of his seat.

“They’re about to start,” Baloo said before cramming a whole hotdog into his mouth. Rebecca glared daggers at Baloo for his lack of manners, which went on unnoticed by the large pilot.

Just then, the magician, a medium suture panda bear dressed in a black and green suit with a white undershirt came on stage.

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to my show! I'm glad you all came out to this very exciting magic show!” yelled the panda magician to the crowd. “My name is Ping, the Great! And this is my lovely assistant… Grace!” Ping pulled out his magic wand, making it appear as if came from thin air into his hand.

Chris, who was watching very intensely, exclaimed: “Wow! Did you see that, Kit? Wow! That’s so neat! I wonder how he did that?” he asked, still overexcited.

“I don’t know Chris,” Kit replied, “but that sure was neat! But, there has to be a catch...” But what, Kit thought.

Chris claps loudly in amazement as the panda wave a starry sheet in front of his assistant, making her disappear and then reappear with another wave of the sheet.

“WOW!” Chris shouted, clapping wildly. “That’s the most amazing thing I ever seen in my life! Kit, can you do anything like that?”

“Of course he can!” Molly said before her brother could speak.

“Uh yeah, sure bro.” Kit laughed.

“That’s cool,” Chris said as they watch the magician on stage pulled a rabbit out of his top hat.

“Aww, cute rabbit!” cooed Molly, watching the bunny more than the magician. Rebecca and Baloo look at her and smile.

“Now Molly,” Rebecca said. “You can’t have the bunny, but yes, he is cute.”

Chris was on the edge of his seat, looking over at the magician, wondering what trick he had in mind next.

The panda magician, Ping said: “I have a special one for you now, ladies and gentlemen. As you can see, there is nothing up my sleeves and nothing in my hands... Now, watch closely.” He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a long rainbow colored scarf, it was so long that it took him a full minute to reach the end of it and pull it out of his sleeve.

He then took out his wand, pointed it high over the audience and said the magic word: “Abracadabra!” There was a bang and a shower of confetti burst out from the wand’s tip and flew over the audience.

In the audience, Molly laughed cutely at the words with a giggle and a smile, even as she and her brothers were being showered with the confetti.

Ping gave his wand a flick and it transformed itself into a bouquet of flowers, saying: “Ta-da, a set of beautiful flowers for a pretty lady.” Bending down, he gave the flowers to Molly for her cute laugh.

Molly giggles and thanked him. Chris was totally awestruck by all this.

“Kit!” he shouted, “This is so neat! Thank you Mom and Dad, for bringing me! If you really can do magic, please show me some! I want to know how it all works, like how did he do that flower trick, how did he pull the rabbit from his hat? And all the other tricks.”

Chris overly excited, asked his brother over and over, how did he do this, how did he do that, it was almost like he was hyper from too much sugar or something.

Kit was at a loss, he really didn’t know how it was done. Some of ‘em looks like simple stuff I’ve done. I guess I can show Chris a few of ‘em … he thought.

“Now for my final trick, I will make my lovely assistant levitate!” Ping said.

He lays his assistant (also a panda bear) on a table and covered her with a magic sheet. Chris looks on carefully to see how it was done, but he could not see anything out of the ordinary.

Ping waved his wand over his assistant, using a rising motion with his hand and his assistance rose a foot from the table and hovered there.

“As you can see, ladies and gentlemen, she is actually floating above the table.” Ping the magician said. “Now watch carefully!

Now Chris was practically on the edge of his seat in excitement.

Ping then passes a hoop around and over his assistant, completely passing around her.

Chris grinned broadly and clapped wildly, whistling in his appreciation of the trick and the show he had just enjoyed so much.

Kit and Molly look at their brother in amazement, seeing he wasn’t as timed as they thought.

“Chris, you okay bro?” Kit asked, “It’s just a trick. And I think you’ve had a little too much soda…” he added, gently taking the soda bottle out of Chris’ hand.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Chris replied smiling, not caring that his brother just took away his root beer. “I just love this show so much.”

Ping the magician was saying his good-byes and thanking the crowd, saying:

“You’re too kind, you’re too kind!” he said, bowing with his assistant and then. He bent down to face Chris, who was sitting in the front row, and said: “Hey kid, I think you got something in your ear.”

“I do?” Chris said, looking surprised and confused.

“Yes, you do.” Ping said. He reached behind Chris’ ear and withdrew a quarter. “See?” and he gave it to Chris to keep. “Buy yourself a gumball, kid.”
This little gesture put Chris’ excitement for magic into full swing.

“Wow, thank you, Ping.” Chris said in awe, accepting the quarter and gazing at it as if it were some fabulous treasure. Turning to his brother, he said: “Kit, you have to show me some tricks sometime, I want to do magic too!”

“Well now, that sounds like a great idea.” said Baloo, watching his two sons having fun and talking as if they had never been apart.

“How cute, Chris,” Rebecca said, smiling in amusement. “I’m sure you and your brother would be great at magic.” She said encouragingly.

“Kit, whaddya say, bro, can you teach me, please?” Chris asked insistently with a cute puppy-dog look. “And yes, I loved the show, Mom, thanks for asking.”

“Sure,” Kit replied. “I’ll do what I can.”

“That is so sweet, Kit, for you to teach your brother magic.” Rebecca said, giving both her boys a hug. Compare to Chris, Kit acts a little more mature, she thought, observing the two bear cubs. Chris seems a little more childish than his brother. Maybe it’s because Chris wasn’t forced to grow up so fast and toughen up for street survival, Kit acts like an adult sometimes and Chris is acting a little younger than his actual age. He gets so excited over little things. But he does seem happy.

As they left the town in the Sea Duck, Rebecca held Chris in her arms the whole way back home, just to be sure he didn’t feel unsafe flying back home. She sat in Kit’s usual seat, with two of the children on her laps - Chris and Molly

Baloo flew low as he said he would, though Chris and Molly talked about the show more than anything else.

Kit was thinking to himself the whole way home, wondering: Do I really have a talent for magic to teach Chris? I don’t want to let my brother down.

As Chris reached out from his new Mom to hug his brother, he said: “Kit, you're the greatest brother ever!’

“Aww…” cooed Rebecca and Baloo as Chris took Kit’s cap off and pretended to pull a rabbit out of it.

Back at home, Kit was thinking of some simple tricks to show Chris, he thought: I can show him a few tricks… but which ones?

When they entered the upstairs’ bedroom of Higher for Hire, Chris took over Baloo’s bed while Baloo set up a hammock downstairs in the corner of the office, like Kit did on his first night there when the place was still called Baloo’s Air Service.

Kit spent the rest of the night trying to think of what to teach Chris as his brother slept in Baloo’s bed, sleeping with a peaceful smile on his face.

Authors' Note:

We, KitCloudkicker52885 and Kit_Lee, are working together on this story, we really hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Your reviews will be most welcomed and appreciated.

[Kit_Lee]

Thank You, Kc5.

as I said it looks great:D, and thank you for asking me to help in writing it:D I know we have a bit more to go But I as you Hope ever one likes our story.

I think its really cute, and has that great Talespin feel that I before writing with you tried to do for years.

Friends Kc5 and I Hope you enjoy the story. and a special thanks to Jymn Magon for the Idea.

Me and Kc5 put or heads together here to write a storywe hope evey one will like, and we Hope you enjoy.


Sincerely
Your friend

Kit Lee
Christopher

:0)

[muttley1234]

Wow great story so far!!!

[Kit_Lee]

Aug 19, 2009 9:48:31 GMT -5 muttley1234 said:

Wow great story so far!!!

Thank You, Muttley!


I, and Kc5 really appreciate the feed back. were Both Happy you like it so far. Thank you and very much appreciated.


Were currently working On chapter 2 at the moment its going to be a bit longer then chapter one.

But again we both really appreciate the great feed back.

Sincerely


Kit Lee
Christopher

:0)

[chrisno51]

Hey, you two. Just read Chapter 1. Wonderful story so far, keep it up.

One question:

Where did you come up with the names Ping and Grace for the magic show. Anything in particular, or just some names you happened to think up?

[Kit_Lee]

Aug 19, 2009 21:02:49 GMT -5 chrisno51 said:

Hey, you two. Just read Chapter 1. Wonderful story so far, keep it up.

One question:

Where did you come up with the names Ping and Grace for the magic show. Anything in particular, or just some names you happened to think up?

Thanks, Chris!

Ping and Grace was My idea actually me,and kc5 worked that in as the boys first magic show experacnce.

the names were purlly made up on the spot we did the final half of this chapter together so most of that is my writing and his combined actually

But we share the idea, and story equally.

Thank you! for the great feed back Chris much appreciated by both of us Kc5 and and, me.

Thanks!

Sincerely,
Your friend


Kit Lee
Christopher

:0)

[KitCloudkicker5285]

Title: Kit, the Magician
Authors: KitCloudkicker52885 and Kit_Lee
Disclaimer: We do not own Tale Spin, Disney does.

Chapter Two
Meeting Aunt Melissa and Cousin Jeffery

As the following day was Sunday, the crews of Higher for Hire were relaxing, enjoying a nice day off, but none more so than Baloo, who was currently asleep in his hammock under the wing of the Sea Duck with his cap over his eyes.

The Cloudkicker brothers were inside, up in their room, spending some time together by wrestling around on the floor, both laughing playfully. Kit had Chris pinned down upon his back on the floor, sitting on Chris’ stomach.

“Okay, okay, I give up!” laughed Chris as Kit was tickling his ribs.

Kit grinned as he got up from his sitting position on Chris’ stomach and held out a hand, offering to help him up, which Chris accepted and was pulled to his feet. He took a moment to catch his breath, sitting down on his bed.

“Hey, Chris, what was it like in the orphanage?” asked Kit, sitting down on the bed beside his brother. “I mean, I’ve never been to one, except for yours. Did they treat you alright?”

“Not really,” said Chris, shrugging, suddenly looking a bit depressed. “Well, Miss Applebarn and Simba cared for me but nobody else did. Miss Applebarn was sort of like a Mom to me, I’ve loved her like a Mom.”

“Sounds like you two were really close.” Kit said sympathetically, placing a comforting arm around Chris’ shoulders and pulling him close, giving him a one-arm hug. Chris snuggles up against Kit’s side, feeling comforted in the presence of his brother, his head resting on Kit’s shoulder.

“We were,” Chris affirmed. “She wouldn’t stand for the other workers being mean to me, neither would Simba. There was this woman, Mrs. Cole, she was very mean to me. When she would punish me, she’d locked me in a closet.”

Kit gasped. “What?!” he couldn’t believe anyone would be so cruel to Chris, a cute and lovable bear cub. He wrapped both arms around Chris and hugged him tightly.

Chris sniffed as he continued: “It was dark and scary in there, I yelled to be let out, but all I heard were the other kids laughing at me and taunting me through the door. I got down on the floor and cried until Miss Applebarn let me out and held me. She rescued me, and I’ve been under her loving care ever since, until I was adopted. She made sure I was happy.”

Kit felt a rush of fury toward Mrs. Cole as he held his brother in his arms. If I ever meet that horrible woman, I’ll make her pay for what she did to Chris, by the sound of it, she traumatized him!

“What happened to Mrs. Cole?” asked Kit.

Chris suddenly grinned. “Simba gave her the axe, but not before she got a black eye from Miss Applebarn. Since that day, she’d been protective of me. I nicknamed Mrs. Cole ‘Evil Woman’.”

“That’s good,” Kit smiled. “That nickname’s more fitting for her anyway.”

“Yeah, I thought so too.” Chris said with a sly grin. “So, Kit, can you do magic?” he asked eagerly, deliberately changing the subject, talking about his past was making him feel depressed and he didn’t want to feel that way.

Kit shook his head. “No, I can’t, and neither can Ping.”

“But, what about all those amazing things he did? He pulled a quarter out of my ear!”

Chris got up from the bed and went to the bedside table, pulled the drawer open and took out the quarter he got from Ping and held it up for Kit to see.

“Chris, that was just a trick, anyone can do it.” Kit said, slightly exasperated, stepping forward toward Chris and taking the quarter from him. “Watch.”

He closed his hand over the quarter and when he opened his hand, palm up, Chris gasped. The quarter was gone! Then Kit reached behind Chris’ ear and withdrew the quarter.

Chris stared at it for a moment before exclaiming: “WOW, how did you do that?”

“Like I said, it’s a trick, anyone can do it.” Kit said. “I’ll show you how to do it.” He held out his hand, palm up with the quarter sitting in the center. “When you closed your hand around it…” he made a fist over the quarter. “You simply hide the quarter between your fingers.” He opened his hand, the quarter was gone.

Chris looked closely at Kit’s palm; it was then that he noticed something silver between Kit’s middle and index fingers.

“Oh, now I get it!” he exclaimed in delight, which surprised Kit, he was expecting disappointment rather than delight.

“And then, I reach behind your ear, and it has to be behind your ear, otherwise you would see it and wouldn’t be impressed.” Kit explained. “I reach behind your ear, like this and flip the quarter over in my hand and then draw my hand back, making the illusion that I pulled a quarter out of your ear.”

“Wow,” Chris said in awe. “It’s amazing how a trick like that can look like real magic! What else can you do?”

“Well,” said Kit, walking over to the bedside table and taking an old fashion key out the drawer. “I can make this key disappear…”

“Oh, cool, let’s see it!” Chris said excitedly.

Kit put both hands behind his back for a second then he held them out in front of him, the key was gone.

Chris stared in awe at Kit’s key-free hands and then he clapped loudly.

“Wow, how did you do that?” he asked.

Kit smirked as he lifted his right foot. There, between his toes, was the key! Kit’s smirk vanished to be replaced with a depressed look, remembering the last time he did this trick, it brought back painful memories.

“Kit?” Chris said, noticing Kit’s expression. “What’s wrong?”

Kit hung his head, what should he tell him?

The truth, Kit thought. He was open with me about his past; it’s only fair that I do the same, no matter how painful the memory is. With a sad, defeated sigh, he sat down on his bed and motion for Chris to sit beside him, Chris obeyed and sat down, looking sideway at his brother with concern.

“Chris, the last time I did this trick, I was pretending to betray my friends.” Kit said sadly. “I’m not happy with everything I did in the past,” he continued. “I never went to an orphanage like you did, I was out on the streets my whole life and I had to…do things to survive, like—like stealing…” he turned his face the other way, unable to look at Chris or let Chris see his shame. “I learned those tricks from petty thieves and I… I used them to steal food undetected…”

“Oh, Kit, you didn’t have to steal, you’re better than that,” said Chris, sounding disappointed.

Kit still wouldn’t look at him as he continued his tale.

“When I was ten, life on the streets was becoming unbearable to me, until that time, I’ve been living with a bunch of Air Hobos. And then there was this man… I stole money from him and he threatened my life and had the cops on the lookout for me, I had to get away, I had to escape from Freeport.”

“But what about your Air Hobo buddies, didn’t they try to help you?” Chris asked.

Kit shook his head, looking ever so ashamed.

“They won’t do anything when the cops are involved…” he said bitterly. “And things were getting dangerous enough for me without the cops on my tail. There were bad people on the streets, at first they seem nice but once they get what they want from you, they never give you another thought. They took what they want after I helped them get in to steal stuff and then they abandoned me, leaving me to fend for myself against street thugs and cops.”

Chris wrapped his arms around Kit, who was close to tears and hugged him tightly. Just the story alone was enough to give Chris nightmares. So his brother had it very bad growing up and by the sound of it, he had been used and betrayed more than once or even twice. Chris was astounded by how great Kit turned out after all the harsh hardships he had endured.

“…I stowed away on a cargo plane, taking a ride out of Freeport. The plane was half way to Greenport when we were attacked by Air Pirates.”

“That must have been scary.” Chris said, with a hand on Kit’s head, pushing it to his shoulder, inviting Kit to rest his head there. Kit nodded and laid his head on Chris’s shoulder, allowing himself to be comforted while Chris massaged the back of Kit’s head and his ear.

“It was,” Kit affirmed. “Gunfire and bullets were flying everywhere; I took refuge in one of the cargo crates. The pirates got onboard and they took everything that was valuable. Then, I was discovered by Dumptruck as he grabbed the back of my sweater and lifted me up out of the crate. I thought I was a goner… and then, their captain, Don Karnage took an instant liking to me and said that I had the potentials to be a great pirate. He took me from Dumptruck and carried me off to his plane and flew me to the Iron Vulture.”

“You—you didn’t join the Air Pirates, did—?” Chris fell silence; the glum expression on Kit’s face was answer enough.

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” Kit said miserably. “It was either I join them or be thrown off the Vulture way out at sea… At least they gave me some food and a cabin to myself. I spent one year with them before I finally got sick of ‘em and escaped. That’s when I met Baloo, I sort of…crashed into him during a cloudsurfing landing and then I hitched a ride in the Sea Duck. Baloo and I became fast buddies; he hired me as his navigator on the spot when we landed here.”

Kit took a moment to gather his thoughts before continuing.

“I’m not telling you everything, sorry, I missed a little detail. Before I escaped from the Air Pirates, I took what I thought was a ruby from Karnage. Well, Baloo was broke and he was behind on payments for the business and the plane, so I told him about the ruby and offered to split it between us so he could buy back his plane.”

Chris chuckled. “I bet he didn’t believe you when you told him about the ruby.”

Kit stared, wide-eyes at Chris. “Are you kidding me? He thought I was talking about a bottle cap collection before I told him it was a big glowing jewel! Even then, he didn’t believe me. I had to remind him that the pirates couldn’t have come after me for nothing…that convinced him… oh yeah, Baloo and I were chased by pirates a few times,” he added. “Sorry, I forgot to mention that.”

“It’s okay, Kit, but what happens next?” Chris asked intensely.

“Well, before we got to the place where I hid the Stone, it was too late.” Kit said. “Papa Bear lost the business and the plane to Mom. He pretended to go along with being the staff pilot so he could fly us to the place where I hid the Stone. It all went well, even if Molly did stowed away with us…we got the Stone but the pirates came after us, we managed to evade them with a mixture of Papa Bear’s genius flying skills and my cloudsurfing…”

“What is cloudsurfing, exactly?” asked Chris curiously.

“I’ll have to show you sometime, but you won’t be able to do it, not as long as you’re acrophobic. What you do is you skim on the clouds on an airfoil while holding on to the towrope attached to a plane. The Sea Duck is equipped with a towrope line. “

“Oh, kind of like waterskiing behind a boat, except it’s with the clouds and a plane, right?” Chris said. “No wonder they call you Cloudkicker, it’s beyond me why I’m even a Cloudkicker.”

“Chris, you can’t help which family you were born to.” Kit said gently. “I bet that if our birth parents were here, they would be just as proud of you as they would be of me, and they would love you no more or less than they would love me. Being acrophobic is something you can’t help, but you’re still my brother… you’ll always be my brother and I love you.”

Kit pulled Chris into a comforting embrace.

“Th-thanks.” Chris sobbed, a single tear sliding down his furry cheek before he snuggled himself against Kit in the embrace. “I love you too.”

“You’re welcome,” Kit said, massaging Chris’ head. It seems that they were taking turns comforting each other. “Back to my story then. We managed to evade the pirates, but the next day while Papa Bear and I went to see Shere Khan about the Stone, the pirates came and kidnapped Mom and Molly.”

“What?” gasped Chris, looking scared for his new Mom and sister. “How did you get them back?”

“We went to Pirate Island and rescued them…” Kit said, he pushed Chris away and turned his back on Chris, hugging his knees. “But the rescue mission came with a price. Papa Bear and Mom were about to take the heat from the pirates for me and Molly, but I couldn’t let them, I didn’t want them to get hurt because of me. So, I pretended to rejoin the pirates and betray Papa Bear and Mom…Last time I did that trick where I make a key vanish behind my back…I did it while I was acting like a betrayer!”

Chris hugged Kit from behind, trying to comfort Kit, who was on the verge of tears. Now Chris could tell that Kit didn’t like to do that trick anymore, it reminded him of how he had to act like a betrayer.

“They ran for it, leaving me behind. Baloo…he thought I really did betrayed him.”

“Oh, Kit,” Chris whispered, hugging his brother tightly. “There was nothing else you could’ve done. But don’t you see? Because of you, Dad, Mom and Molly are safe, you saved them.”

“I know,” Kit said, wiping his eyes on his sleeves. “But I’m still reminded of that day every time I do that trick.”

“Well the way I see it, it was because of that trick that they’re still here.” Chris said gently. “Have you ever thought of that?”

“No…”

“Then you should,” Chris said firmly. “You saved three lives with that trick; the trick should serve as a reminder of how brave you were to risk your freedom from the Pirates and your friendship with Baloo to save him, Mom and Molly. Don’t think of your act of betrayal when you do the trick, think about how things turned out because of that trick.”

“Yeah…” Kit smiled weakly, and then his face brightened. “Yeah! You’re right, Chris, I never thought of it that way. Thanks.”

“Heh, heh, you’re welcome.” Chris said, smiling broadly.

Just then, Rebecca appeared at the doorway to their room.

“Hey, Kit, I just got off the phone with Aunt Melissa.” Rebecca said, and Kit’s face brightened at the mention of his favorite aunt. “She wants you and Chris to come downtown, she’s dying to meet Chris and she got a surprise for you both.”

“What is it, Mom?” Kit asked.

Rebecca chuckles. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Now hurry up and get Baloo’s lazy bum out of that hammock so we can go."

Kit grinned mischievously. “Okay, Mom. C’mon, Chris.” He grabbed his brother’s hand pulled him outside. They reached the beach, under the wooden dock. “Keep an eye open for a crab, I want it to prank Baloo with.” He said, scanning the water until he saw one, he grabbed it and stood up.

Suddenly, he heard several yelps and cries of pain, he turned on spot to see that Chris was covered with crabs, hanging onto his ears, nose, arms and legs.

“Ow, ow, ow! Get ‘em off me, get ‘em off me!” Chris yelled, stomping his feet in the water and swinging his arms around as though hoping to throw them off.

“Chris, hold on!” Kit shouted, and rushing to Chris’ side, he batted the crabs off of Chris. When that ordeal with over, Chris stood glaring at Kit, no longer cheery.

“This prank has better be worth it,” he growled, poking Kit in the chest. “I don’t want to have been attacked by crabs for nothing.”

“It will, it will be worth it.” Kit assured him. "Trust me."

Back on the dock, Kit and Chris moved silently and stealthily toward Baloo. When they reached the hammock, Kit started to hold the crab beneath hammock, its’ pinchers snapping toward Baloo’s behind.

“Don’t even think about it, Kit…”

Kit was so startled; he dropped the crab and leapt backward in shock, the back of his heel landed on Chris’ toes.

“Ow! My foot.” Chris cried, clutching his foot and hopping up and down on one foot. They both look at Baloo, he was grinning with his eyes still closed.

“How did you—?” Kit began but Baloo cut him off.

“I heard the crab attack on Chris.”

“Oh great, attacked by an army of crabs for nothing!” Chris groaned despairingly, reminding Baloo of the way Kit had said ‘Oh, no, not gorilla birds!’ “Life is so cruel...”

“Well, what do ya want?” asked Baloo, opening his eyes and turning his head to look at them. “Lemme guess: Becky told ya ta get me up outta’ this hammock and you two couldn’t resist prankin’ me by setting a crab loose on me.”

“Uh, that was Kit’s idea…” Chris said nervously, backing away. “I was just going to watch…” And then, he turned on his heels and dashed back to the building, which told Baloo that Chris was not fond of getting in trouble.

“Well, Kit…” Baloo said, sitting up and stretching. “What’s Becky wants me up for?”

“Aunt Melissa called, she got a surprise for me and Chris and we wanted to go, so Mon told us to get you up.” Kit said.

“Oh, well, ya didn’t have ta set a crab on me fer that.” Baloo said, frowning. “I’d be glad to take ya.”

“Thanks Papa Bear.” Kit smiled as he took hold of Baloo’s arm and heaved him out of the hammock.

They walked up the dock toward the tall wooden building before them, Kit tugging on Baloo’s arm the whole way.

Rebecca’s car was out in front of the building and she, Chris and Molly were standing around it, waiting for them.

“Finally, what kept you, Baloo?” Rebecca said, climbing into the passenger’s seat.

“Well, I dunno, Becky…” Baloo said; a sarcastic edge to his voice. “Maybe I was doin’ what I’m supposed ta do on a day off—takin’ it easy!”

“Just get in, Baloo; we’re going to be late.” Rebecca said in her no-nonsense voice.

Grumbling about being ordered around on his day off, Baloo climbed into the driver’s seat while the kids got into the back seat.

Kit, trying to lighten the mood between him and Chris, was being silly with Chris, teasing him about the crab attack. Chris wasn’t totally mad at his brother, he in turn teased Kit on his failed attempt to prank Baloo. After a few a minutes, Kit, Chris and Molly were chatting and laughing, Chris returning to his cheery self again.

“Kit?” Chris said. “I wonder what Aunt Melissa has as a surprise to show us.”

“Hmm?” Kit thought for a moment before saying: “That’s a good question, bro, I only know Aunt Melissa some from our last meeting, she didn’t say much about herself, just that she loved me and had something to show me one day.” I wonder if this is that something? he thought eagerly.

“Oh, I know what it is, Kit!” Molly cutely chimes in with a smile.

“Oh no you don’t, young lady.” Rebecca said gently and firmly at the same time. “Want me to tell Aunt Melissa that you ruined her surprise for the boys?”

“No, Mommy.” Molly said, imagining her aunt’s disappointed look.

“Let’s let Kit and Chris see for themselves when we get there.” Rebecca said gently “Speaking of which, we're nearly there.”

“Whoa”! Kit shouted, noticing his surrounding, looking at the beautiful building passing by his window. “Hey, this isn't the way to Aunt Melissa’s house,” he stated, looking confused. “This is the way to the theater downtown, right?”

“That’s right, kiddo.” Baloo replied, answering Kits confusion,

“But if were going to see Aunt Melissa, we need to go the other way.” Kit said

Chris was staring at his brother amazement, seeing that Kit had good navigational skills.

“Wow.” Chris said in awe. “Where did you learned to read maps? I wish I could do that.”

“I learned it when I was younger, I’ll teach you if you’d like.” Kit said with a smile.

Rebecca interrupted them, saying: “I can’t say boys, but we’re going to meet Melissa there and then you’ll get your surprise. She asked me not to reveal anything at any time till we got there.”

Kit and Chris both sighed and said: “Okay,” looking disappointed.

“Oh don’t be like that, boys.” Rebecca said gently, “you’ll have a great time today, I promise. Until then, turn those frowns upside down.”

They gave her a weak smile and said: “Okay, Mom.”

Later, after arriving at the Cape Suzette Theater of the Performing Arts, they all walked inside, meeting Melissa backstage.

“Kit!” Melissa shouted, running forward and engulfing him in a big ‘Aunt Melissa’ version of the bear hug. “Ohh, how’s my favorite nephew? I missed seeing you, sweetie.”

“I missed you too, Aunt Melissa.” Kit said, snuggling up in Melissa’s embrace and hugging her back. “Oh, and you can’t say I’m your favorite anymore, Chris might get jealous,” he said, gesturing toward Chris.

Melissa looked over at Chris. “Aw, you both can be my favorite! Come over here, Chris and give your Aunt Melissa a hug.”

Chris walked slowly up to Melissa before she scooped him up in her other arm and hugged both him and his brother. They hugged for a moment before Melissa released them and was now looking Chris up and down.

“Aw, Chris, you’re so cute, I could just eat you up!” Melissa exclaimed, pinching Chris’ cheek. “And you have such adorable, pretty blue eyes!”

“Thanks, ma’am.” Chris muttered, looking down to hide the fact that he was blushing scarlet at her complements.

“What’s the outfit for, Aunt Melissa?” Kit asked, noticing her magician costume for the first time. “I didn’t know you were a magician.”

“Oh sorry, Kit, I wanted that to be a surprise, sweetie,” she said, looking at Kit while ruffling Chris’ hair affectionately. “Yes, I am, in fact, a magician and here I have something for you and the family.”

Melissa conjured five tickets with backstage passage, sparkling with a firework effect, out of thin air. She handed Kit and Chris two special ones.

Kit noticed that his and Chris’ tickets were gold while Baloo, Rebecca and Molly’s were silver.

“Wow, you really are a magician!” Chris exclaimed, overjoyed. “That’s a neat trick! I love magic! Kit’s been teaching me a few tricks.”

“He has?” Melissa said, acting surprised. “Well, that’s just wonderful. You’re such a sweet little gentleman, aren’t you?”

Chris nodded, blushing again as Melissa tussles his hair. He’s such a modest bear cub.

“Heh, heh, heh, heh.” Chris laughed, almost giggling at the kindness of his new aunt.

“Aww…” the rest of the adults cooed,

Just then, another bear cub came walking backstage from his dressing room. His fur was chocolaty brown and his eyes were hazel blue. He was dressed in his junior magician’s assistance costume. Kit knew him as Jeffery, a friend from school.

“What’s all this awwing for, Mom?” he demanded, “Are you embarrassing Kit?”

“Who, me?” Melissa asked innocently, gesturing to herself. “Oh no, son, I would never do such a thing! I was just having fun with your other cousin.”

“COUSINS?!” Kit and Chris shouted together, looking confused.

“Oh yes!” Melissa exclaimed in delight. “Kit, Chris, this boy here in the ruby red and gold assistants outfit, is my twelve—almost thirteen— year-old son, Jeffery.”

“What?” Kit exclaimed, his jaw dropping. “B-b-but how? I though you were just my friend from school, Jeffery! No way your m-m-my cousin.” Kit was so shocked by this revelation that he couldn’t help stuttering a little.

Jeffery laughed at Kit’s shocked and stupefied expression

“Yeah, sorry bout that, Kit. Mom told me not to tell you yet.” Jeffery explained with a grin, both hands behind his head, trying to keep his composer.

“Wow!” Chris said in awe, gazing at Jeffery with admiration. “You’re my cousin and you work with you Mom doing magic?”

“Yep” Jeffery said, moving over to Chris and ruffling his hair like Melissa did. “It’s pretty neat too, gives me something to do with my Mom. My hobbies have been magic for a few years now, so Mom added me here as her assistant. You’ll see me in every trick tonight, except one.”

Jeffery leans over and whispered in Chris’s ear that he and his brother are going to be helping in a trick at the end of the show.

“Wow,” Chris exclaimed, excitedly. “Hey, can we tell Kit?” he asked in a voice so low that Kit could not hear, he wouldn’t be able to any way, as he was getting yet another hug from his Aunt Melissa.

“Not yet,” Jeffery said, pointing his finger to his head. “Keep it in here, Chris, till later.”

“Okay, Jeffery.” Chris said with a slight laugh.

“Kit, Chris, I hear that you two are working on doing magic together, like me and Jeffery.” Melissa said, ruffling Jeffery’s hair.

“Mom…!” Jeffery whined, batting her hand away from his hair. “You’re messing my hair up and I had it nice and neat for the show tonight.”

“Oh sorry, dear, I guess old habits are hard to break.” Melissa said, pinching Jeffery’s cheek, which caused him to blush, before turning her attention back to her nephews. “How bout you read your tickets? Go on, there’s a nice surprise on them.”

“You never run out of surprises, do you?” Kit remarked, grinning.

Melissa laughed and said: “No, I guess not. But then again, a magician is rarely out of surprises. Now hurry up and read your tickets!” she urged them.

Both Kit and Chris did so and it said in Melissa’s handwriting:

This ticket permits you, Kit and Chris, my nephews
To be honorary assistant in my show tonight.
So be listening for me to call you up.
And as a special gift, you will be dressed-up as assistant
In the trick. See Jeffery after I call you on stage for you outfits.

“Wow!” Chris yelled, jumping for joy like he had too much sugar again, saying: "Thank you, thank you Aunt Melissa! That’s so awesome!”

“I though you would like that, Chris.” Melissa said with smile, massaging Chris’ ear gently. “Oh Kit, what’s wrong?” she asked, noticing the nervous look on Kit’s face. “Don’t you want to help out too?” she finished putting on her tux and top hat.

“Nothing, Aunt Melissa, I love it!” Kit said earnestly. “But what are you going to do to me? I see I’m listed as main assistant, right?”

“Oh yes, Kit,” smiled Melissa. “Don't worry, you’ll love it. But it’s still a surprise.”

“Okay,” Kit said as Jeffery was jumping up and down with Chris, both happy to be working together and having met each other. Kit observed his brother and cousin for a moment, even though they were not blood relatives, he still couldn’t help but wondering if being hyperactive due to even a small amount of excitement runs in the family…

“Hey, hey, attention please.” Rebecca called out, interrupting the happy meeting. “That’s better, sorry,” she laughs happy to see her sons happy. “Hey, I have an idea, let’s get a picture of everyone together for a family picture,” she suggested. “So we can remember this moment.”

“Sure!” everyone agreed as they got together, from the tallest to the shortest.

As the stage manger came bustling over, he stopped and offered to take picture for Rebecca. She agreed and handed him her camera before going to stand next to Melissa.

“Say ‘abracadabra!” Melissa said, and as they did all so, she made a shower of confetti rain over them like Ping had done the day before, but Melissa did it so differently, it was like a different trick.

Just a second away from the camera flash, Jeffery grinned mischievously as he held up two fingers behind Chris’ head.

“Still think it’s all a trick now, Kit?” asked Chris, clapping wildly, oblivious to what Jeffery had done in the picture-taking.

“Hmm…” Kit was stumped this time. It was a trick, wasn’t? He didn't know because this was his aunt, a pro magician, not some amateur like Ping was.

Kit smiled and nodded as he tried to think of a prosper response for his brother’s question.

“Heh, okay, you got me bro. I don’t know this time.” Kit said. “Aunt Melissa, can you tell us how you did that?”

“Nope! Sorry Kit, a true magician never reveals his or her secrets.” she smiled, knowing the one she had planed for him would be one he would never figure out.

“Miss Melissa, they’re ready for you and your son,” said the stage manger who took their family picture.

“Aww, do you have to leave already, Aunt Melissa?” Chris and Kit asked in unison. “How did you do that?” they asked each other. “Do what?—Say what I say.”

Melissa laughed; they look so funny and cute asking each other the same question at exactly the same time. Jeffery was watching them with an awed look on his face.

“Sorry boys, I’ll see you on stage at the end of the show, I promise.” Melissa said, giving her favorite nephews a big hug and a kiss on their forehead.

“We’ll be watching, sis.” Rebecca said, placing a hand on Melissa’s shoulder. “Front row right?”

“Yes sis, you’ll be right in front of me for the whole show.” Melissa said before turning her attention back to her nephews. “Oh, and Rebecca?”

“Yes?” Rebecca acknowledged her.

“Just be sure to have Kit and Chris ready for me to call them on stage,” Melissa said, “so they can go change into the costume outfits I have for them backstage behind the curtain. Jeffery will help them out, so no worries there.” She then gave Kit and Chris a hug. “Also Kit?” Kit looked up at his aunt as she addressed him. “I can’t reveal the trick I'm doing on you just yet, but I hope you’ll like it."

“Gee, thanks Aunt Melissa! I’ll try, I promise.” Kit replied.

Silently, Chris was laughing behind his hand, thinking: Oh yes, this is going to be great! I can’t wait to see his face and watch him squirm…that’ll be priceless! For he knew the trick that his brother was going to be involved in…

Melissa smiled at the two bear cubs before saying: “Well, I gotta go, hope you’ll enjoy the show.”

“We will!” Kit and Chris replied in unison, there voices mixing.

As she left, Jeffery came over and hugged them both as he walked by before taking sip of water from his water bottle to stay hydrated in his assistant’s costume, but he didn’t mind it, the jump suit was his design after all.

“And don’t worry, my cousins.” Jeffery said, hugging Kit and Chris. “You have a great time, we heard you’ve seen Ping and Grace, they’re good but you’ll find that me and Mom are as well,” Jeffery said with a wink before he walked out to the stage after his mother as Kit and Chris went to take their seats.

A few minutes later, they had taken their seats and Rebecca had got refreshments (again, since Baloo’s payday was a few days away.) and sat down as the light over the audience faded and went out and a spotlight appeared on the center of the red and gold curtains. And then music and a drum roll begin to play.

“Ladies and gentleman,” said a male voice over the PA system. “please put your hands together and welcome Cape Suzette’s own, the amazing Melissa and her assistant, the equally amazing Jeffery!”

“There they are!” shouted Chris, whooping, hollering and cheering for his aunt and cousin, as did Kit.

Rebecca and Baloo looked over at the children and say to each other: “This is the best idea ever,” as they watch the kid having the time of their life.

“Thank you! thank you!” Melissa said waving her pink and lavender silver stared cape around the back of her tux and shoulders, making her wand appear with a bang in her hand as she had Jeffery bring out their first trick…

[Kit_Lee]

Thanks, Kc5!


we did another great Job On this Chapter as i said on my pm just a momment ago we really out did our self this time espely with Kit and chris opeing up as boters to ther self's


and to any one reading Jeffery and melissa are the two charcters I created along with my cousion Static bear 76.

Jeffery is actually a younger version of my own self.

To Kc5 my friend your welcoem to write me ands meliss in any story you do my freind.


Everyone Kc5 and I hope you enjoy chapter 2 of our story.

commets and feed back welcome.


Thank you all for reading our story so far.


Sincerely
Your friend

Kit Lee
Christopher

:0)

[KitCloudkicker5285]

Title: Kit, the Magician
Authors: KitCloudkicker52885 and Kit_Lee
Disclaimer: We do not own Tale Spin, Disney does.

Chapter Three
Do You Believe in Magic?

Jeffery was pushing a trolley cart bearing the equipments for the first couple of magic acts toward his Mom in the center of the stage as the she was starting her introduction speech.

“Hello and welcome, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, young and old! Welcome to the show! I am the amazing Melissa, and this is my a$$istant. My pride and joy, my son, Jeffery! Jeffery, give the crowd a little wave.” Melissa said, looking fondly at her son.

Jeffery parked the trolley in the center of the stage and then he waved merrily at the crowd.

“Hello everybody!” he shouted happily, as if he was full of positive energy. “I’m Jeffery, the equally amazing assistant. Me and my Mom hope you enjoy our show. We really appreciate your attendance!” Jeffery said, bowing before he took a small table from the trolley and set it up, and then he lay out some magic items for the tricks on top of it.

“Ah, thank you, Jeffery dear, we can now begin.” Melissa said eagerly, picking up a tin pot with a cover over it.

In the audience, Chris looked sideways at his brother.

“Kit?” he asked.

“Yes, Chris?” Kit replied, turning his head slightly toward Chris, so that one eye was still on the stage, watching his aunt and cousin.

“I wonder what Aunt Melissa’s first trick will be? It looks neat, whatever it is.” Chris said excitedly.

“I’m not sure, Chris?” Kit replied with a smile. “I’m just as curious as you are.”

Just then, Melissa started the trick.

“Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls! You see in my hand, an ordinary pot with a cover on it, think of it as the cookie pot.” Melissa joked.

“Wow, cookies!” Molly shouted ecstatically.

“Now, Molly,” Rebecca said gently but firmly at the same time. “You already had a cookie today, so don’t even think of asking Aunt Melissa for one.”


“Aww…” Molly pouted cutely, trying not to sound too disappointed.

Back on stage, Melissa was finishing the details of the trick.

“As I was saying,” Melissa said, smiling down at Molly and her nephews, who were eagerly awaiting the trick. “This is just like any normal pot; as you can see, there is nothing inside the pot, correct?” Melissa asked, turning to Jeffery and lifting the cover slightly, so that Jeffery could peer inside at the apparently empty pot.

“Nope, there’s nothing in there that I can see.” Jeffery replied, shaking his head. “So, what’s on the menu to make appear tonight, Mom?” Jeffery asked, comically trying to make the trick seem funny and comical at the same time.

“Well honey, I don’t really know, you know how this trick works on me here lately, it could be anything.” said Melissa with an air of mystery.

At that moment, Baloo, who had been lying back in his seat, snoring since the start of the show, jerked bolt upright and was now staring at Melissa with a hungry expression.

“Anything?” he gasped, his mouth watering, “did she say ‘anything’?” then he greedily rubbed his hands together. “Ooh, baby! I hope it’s pot roast.”

“We’re not being served dinner here, Baloo,” hissed Rebecca, scowling at him. “Now be quiet!”

Kit, Chris and Molly get a laugh out of there aunt and cousin’s comical speeches as well as Baloo’s reaction.

“Let’s find out, shall we?” Melissa asked the crowd.

“Yeah, sister!” Baloo yelled out to her, cheering. “Show me the pot roast!”

Covering the pot with the lid, Melissa said the magic words: “Abracadabra!” and tapped the steal pot with her wand. With a bang, the pot lid flew off the pot and the pot started sprouting rainbow colored scarves everywhere. And then they started coming out of all the unlikely places, including the sleeves of her tux and Jeffery's costume as well as their pockets.

“Whoa! Heh, heh, heh…oops! I guess I overdid it again.” Melissa laughed as she and Jeffery were trying to finish pulling the remaining scarves out from their outfits.
“Wow!” Kit and Chris both shouted in unison, their voices copying each other again, they glanced at each other, surprised that they both were speaking in unison. They smiled at each other before turning their attention back onto the show.

Baloo, however, slumped lower in his seat, looking disappointed that he didn’t get his pot roast. Kit and Chris noticed this and had to stifle their laugher behind their hands. Poor Baloo…

“Sorry dear,” Melissa laughed as she then dumped the scarves on Jeffery's head “I’ll watch it better next time.”

“Yeah, you slightly overdid it again, Mom.” Jeffery replied, laughing, popping up from beneath all the scarves. “No worries though.” He smiled. “I still believe in you, Mom.” Jeffery added, walking up to his Mom and hugging her around the middle.

“Aww…” cooed the crowd.

Jeffery then gathered up all the scarves and carried them off stage, where he could bring out the next illusion.

“Wow! Did you—?” Chris started to say.

“—just see that?” Kit finished the sentence for him. Both of them sitting in their seats, awe-struck, their mouths hanging open and their eyes bulging slightly.

“Kit, that was amazing! I want you and me to be as good magicians as Aunt Melissa and Jeffery!” Chris said excitedly, cheering and waving his arms in the air along with his brother for the appreciation of their aunt and cousin’s trick.

“We can try, Chris.” Kit replied, scratching his head in a puzzling way. “But, I’ll say this: I cannot explain that one at all! That was truly amazing!” And I can’t see how that one was done at all, he thought. Could it be real magic, or maybe the answer’s right in front of my eyes, I’m just not seeing the trick behind the magic? How did they do that? Kit now realized that he was now thinking like a real magician.

“I don’t know either,” Chris said, looking straight ahead at his aunt and cousin for fear of missing anything.

“Hold on, they’re about to do their next trick” Kit said eagerly, now watching every movement of his cousin and aunt made like a hawk.

“Now for my next trick, I’ll make my son disappear before your very eyes.” Melissa announced with a slight grin, for she always loved doing this trick with her son. “Jeffery, my brave young man, would you please take you place inside the magic box for me, I promise I won’t sent you to Thembria this time.” She laughed at her own joke as she lightly shoved Jeffery into the box

“Oh very funny, Mom.” Jeffery said sarcastically, remembering the last time being misplaced in his Mom’s disappearing and reappearing performance during the last show “Okay, Mom, okay!” he said, laughing as his Mom was pushing him in the box, as if he was fighting it. “I’m going, I’m going.” Finally, he willingly steps in the box without his Mon pushing him now.

“Bye-bye son, send me a post card from Thembria,” Melissa said as she closed and locks the door, shutting Jeffery inside.

“WHAT?! But Mom! You promised you weren’t sending me there!” Jeffery protested from within the box and the audience laughed at his exclamation and panic. “Not funny, Mom! Mooooooommmmm!” he shouted as the box was being turned around and around. “Aaahhhh!” he screamed as he fell through the trap door inside the box, vanishing completely.

“Sorry dear, I didn’t catch that,” she jokingly replied as she opened the door, showing Jeffery had indeed disappeared to Thembria.

“Kit! Kit! Did you see that? Did you see that?” Chris was so excited, amazed by the magic act that he hadn’t noticed that he repeated himself twice. “That’s amazing! Aunt Melissa is the best magician ever. I hope she vanished him with a coat on, it’s freezing in Thembria. Thank you for bringing us here, Mom!” Chris was overjoyed and still hyper, but Kit was slowly getting used to that.

“You’re welcome, Chris,” Rebecca said smiling with Molly in total shock on her lap.

“Hey, what about me?” Baloo said in mocked indignation. “I was the one who drove us here.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes and Chris laughed at Baloo’s reaction.

“Yeah, thanks Daddy Bear.” Chris said with a grateful smile, creating his own little nickname for Baloo.

Baloo smiled at the young bear cub, reaching over, he gently patted the boy on top of the head. “You’re welcome, Lil Buddy.” He said, giving Chris his own nickname so that Kit could still be called ‘Lil Britches.’

Chris looked up at Baloo with affection as he leaned over the armrest of his seat and hugged Baloo.

“I love you, Daddy Bear.” Chris said, resting his head on Baloo’s chest.

Baloo chuckled as he massaged Chris’ head. “Back at ya, kiddo…back at ya.”

“Now bring Jeffery back!” Molly said cutely to her Aunt Melissa.

Kit snaps out of his trance to finally answer his brother’s question.

“I did, I did see that.” Kit said, his amazement making him repeat himself as well. “Now I just wonder how she going to bring Jeffery back.”

Chris sat back down in his seat, eagerly watching the show.

“Watch this,” Melissa smiled, leaning down to Molly and her nephews, her cape draping in front of her slightly which got a laugh from Molly and the boys.

“Hello? A-anybody?” said Jeffery’s distanced voice. “I’m freezing out here and I’m ready to come back now!”

Everyone was looking around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but saw nothing.

“Coming son.” replied Melissa, sounding forgetful. With a few quick spins of the box. Melissa tapped the door a few times and said. “You were gone for not very long, but very far. Now it’s time for you to reappear!” Melissa unlocked the door and opened the box slowly.

The opened box was showing that Jeffery had reappeared. He emerged from the box with a few flakes of Thembrian snow on top of his head. He was also wearing a Hawaiian flower necklace.

“Miss me?” asked Jeffery smiling, taking off the flower necklace and placing it around his Mom’s neck. “Aloha Mom,” he said laughing with a sly grin, adding in a slight kiss on his Mom’s furry cheek.

“Did you escaped from Thembria?” asked Melissa, gesturing to the Hawaiian flower necklace around her neck.

“Of course I did, you sent me to Thembria with my wand, you see.” Jeffery explained, holding up his junior assistance wand. “I simply teleported myself to someplace warmer before you decided to bring me back.”

The audience laughed at the boy’s cleaver way of outwitting his own Mom.

As they both took a bow with the crowd cheering and laughing madly.

The stage lights faded for a slight moment as the stage was being prepared for the next trick.

Kit and Chris were sitting on the edge of their seats, both totally amazed by Melissa and Jeffery’s trick

“You’re the best magician ever, Aunt Melissa! And you’re the best assistant ever Jeffery!” both Kit and Chris shout in unison and then they laughed at each other for copying each other again.

Rebecca and Baloo both staring at Kit and Chris, couldn't resist a slight smile at their cheerful sons.

“Do it again!” shouted Molly cutely.

“Thank you, thank you,” Melissa said as the light come back up, the spotlight shining on her and Jeffery, both standing in the center of the stage with a small trunk.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, as the last trick was me disappearing to Thembria, this time, Mom’s the assistance!” Jeffery said in a sly, mischievous voice with a grin to match.

Just then, two ape goons, not unlike the ones Louie sometimes used as security guards at his place, came onstage. They grabbed Melissa and started to bind her with ropes, a straitjacket and handcuffs.

“As you can see, Mom’s being put in this straitjacket and handcuffs for a reason as I’m going to make her try and escape this trunk with me standing on it, holding this special sheet,” Jeffery said. “But that not all,”

Their job done, the two goons walked toward the backstage behind the curtains, but one of them tripped over his feet and fell against the other and they both went crashing to the floor. Then they started arguing over whose fault it was that they fell, which led to a physical fight that was blocked from view by a cloud of dust.

“Oy…” Jeffery muttered, smacking a palm to his forehead with a mixture of frustration and embarrassment. “I’ve gotta get me some better goons…” with a flick of his wand, the two goons vanished off the stage in a cloud of blue smoke and then he turned smiling to the crowd. “Now it’s time to have some fun!” he laughed mischievously with a wink as the stage manager came out after the disappearance of the goons and helped Melissa into the trunk and Jeffery closed the lid, locking it in place.

“Now let’s see you escape that!” Jeffery said, banging on the side of the trunk getting a low groan from his Mom.

“You have no idea, son.” Melissa whispered so low that her son couldn’t hear her.

Jeffery stood on top of the trunk holding the sheet over himself and the trunk. As he started to say: “You can’t escape now, Mom, not with me—” Jeffery was cut off as the sheet fell away to reveal Melissa standing on top of the trunk instead of Jeffery! She was out of the straitjacket and the ropes and the handcuffs were gone, earning a wild round of applause from her niece and nephews, as well as from the crowd.

“Ha-ha,” she laughed. “What was that, son? I can’t escape what now?" Melissa asked teasingly, poking fun at her son’s jokes as she opened the trunk to reveal Jeffery, now bound with ropes, straitjacket and handcuffs.

“Very funny, Mom…” Jeffery said with a bored expression, clearly giving the audience the impression that he did not like being bound like this. “Get me out of this mess, would you please?” he asked, giving his mother a puppy dog pout while struggling a little against his bonds.

“Well, I don’t know…” Melissa said slyly, putting up a thoughtful posture.

“MOM!” Jeffery whined with an expression that seems to do the begging for him.

“Oh alright! Sure, I’ll be glad to.” Melissa replied with a comical laugh.

She cut Jeffery loose from the ropes, straitjacket and handcuffs, setting Jeffery free. He hugs his Mom and then they both take another bow

“It’s all a trick, I tell you, it has to be.” Kit kept insisting to Chris. “That’s impossible…” Or is it? he thought.

“A bit confused, are we?” Chris asked, grinning at his brother's stupefied expression. “Let’s just hope we can be as good as our aunt and cousin. I hope we can be, at least.” Chris added, still laughing at his brother’s looks of shock and amazement.

“Uh sure,” Kit replied, still shocked at what he was seeing. This looked more like real magic to him. Not that he wasn’t a believer in magic, he and Baloo had once switched bodies through a magical idol, but it still was rather impressive the way people can fake magic through illusions.

“Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, we have one more trick for you before a short break,” said Melissa, pointing to center stage where another cabinet was sitting in the spot light with a table, bearing ten sharp swords nearby. “My brave son, Jeffery will now assist me in the famous sword cabinet illusion.” Melissa said; looking hopeful that Jeffery would not fight this one like he did his first time...

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’m over that, I’m heading inside right now.” Jeffery said; putting on a brave smile, slightly laughing, and then he turned to face the cabinet and stepped inside, mumbling under his breath: “Yeah, if you like being a bear pin cushion…” He stuck out his tongue at his Mom playful-like as Melissa closed and locked the door.

Kit and Chris were sitting on the edge of their seats with worried expressions on their faces, concerned for their cousin as Melissa stuck the first sword in and Jeffery let out a groan from inside the cabinet, as if the sword went right through him.

Melissa continued to place all the swords in various places as Jeffery still groaned a bit louder and louder each time.

“Oh c’mon, son, it’s not that bad,” Melissa said; adopting an impatient tone of voice as she playfully placed the last two swords in place.

“YOOOUUUCH!” Jeffery screamed as the last sword was being placed right through the front of the box. “Hey, watch where you’re sticking those things! They’re worst than the doctor’s needles!”

Kit and Chris both covered their eyes, hoping that the worst didn’t happen to their cousin while everyone else laughed at Jeffery’s statement.

“K-K-Kit,” Chris gulped, stuttering a bit from the shock of seeing the neat but scary trick. “I h-h-hope Jeffery is o-o-okay. That does looks scary but fun, I want to do it too,” he added, trying to joke and to sound brave while hiding his already revealed fear.

“I’m sure he’s fine.” Kit said, while trying to convince himself of that. “It’s just a trick. And you sure you wanna do that?” he added, responding to Chris' joke. “I’m not sure on that yet, but we’ll see.”

Melissa started pulling the swords out very slowly one by one, so not to cause any more problems if there really was one.

“Jeffery honey, are you okay in there? I didn’t really hurt you, did I?” Melissa asked with concerned, pulling the last sword out for the front of the cabinet, unlocking and opening the door slowly

Jeffery pushed opened the door and jump out, saying: “I’m just fine, couldn't be better.” He beamed around at the audience with a huge smile on his face.

Kit and Chris breathed a sigh of relief, seeing their cousin was fine

“Jeffery, honey, are you sure you’re—” Melissa started to say but Jeffery cut her off.

“Look, Mom, I’m fine,” he said firmly. “Like I said, couldn’t be better. Where’s my water bottle? I’m thirsty.” he searched his pockets and pulled out a water bottle. “Oh, never mind, here it is.”

He took the cap off and drank deeply. As he drank, Kit and Chris’ mouths fell open in shock; water was sprouting out of Jeffery’s body, as though it was leaking out from the holes in his chest, stomach and back.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Melissa asked, sounding skeptical.

“Yeah, Mom, why?” Jeffery asked, and as he stopped drinking, so did the water leak in his body.

“Oh, no reason, sweetie,” Melissa said, pinching Jeffery’s cheek. “You know how paranoid Moms get.”

“Mom…” groaned Jeffery, blushing from embarrassment and stepping back out of his Mom’s clutches. “Not in front of the audience.”

Maybe it was just a trick; Kit thought, but that was ultra real-looking. I hope Chris was joking, even if he does want to do that trick, I’m not sure Mom will let me even try it. Or would she? he wondered, witnessing Chris and Rebecca talking about how the show had been so far.

Melissa and Jeffery bowed before the audience as they went backstage for a short intermission.

As they came back onstage ten minutes later, Melissa and Jeffery stood in front of the crowd, beaming at the audience

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,” Melissa spoke to the audience; her arms open wide as if to embrace the whole room. “Tonight will be a special treat, for I will call two volunteers from the audience to come up here and assist me in my Grand Finale. But first…” she took off her top hat and put her hand down in it. She appeared to be searching in a very deep dept within the hat until finally, she withdrew from the hat, a snowy white rabbit. “Oh!” she chuckled, acting surprised. “How did that get in there?”

The audience laughed loudly at this unexpected magic act.

“Kit, did you see that?!” Chris asked excitedly. “How did she do that?”

Kit, however was completely lost. If the top hat had been sitting on a table when Melissa pulled the rabbit out, it would have been easily explained, like there was a hole in the table that she can put her arm through and pull out the rabbit from inside the table. But since Melissa had done it holding the top hat up in front of her with nothing underneath the top hat, Kit could only think of one explanation: Magic.

“Kit...? Kit…?” Chris nudged him on the arm, recalling him back to earth.

“Wha—huh? Oh, uh, I don’t know…” Kit said distractedly. “Maybe it was real magic.”

“Real magic?” Chris said, his eyes widening in surprise. “You mean, you don’t think this is a trick anymore?”

“After what Aunt Melissa just did, I don’t know what to think anymore…” Kit admitted.

Meanwhile Melissa put her hand back into the top hat and this time, she withdrew a piece of paper.

“Ah, here we are... Now when I call out a name, that person will come up here and assist me in my Grand Finale.” Melissa said, opening the folded piece of paper. “And the winner is...” she paused for dramatic effect while Jeffery with his set of drums, did the drum roll in the background. “Kit and Chris Cloudkicker, come on down!” she shouted and the crowd exploded with cheer and applause as the Cloudkicker brothers sat there, numb with the expression of shock before getting up and moving toward the stage.

As they got up onstage, Chris ducked behind Kit, being very shy with a lot people watching.

Jeffery stepped forward and handed them two identical uniforms. They put them on over their sweaters and Jeffery stepped behind them to help them with the back zipper.

“There!” Jeffery said, giving Kit a slap on the back after he zipped him up. “Whaddya think?”

Kit looked down at himself and then at Chris. These uniforms were exactly like the one Kit wore at Daring Dan’s Air Circus, except that there was a yellow star on the chest instead of a yellow lightning bolt.

“I think they’re great.” Kit and Chris said, slightly off-unison, Kit started speaking a mere second before Chris.

“Okay, Chris, come over here, don’t be shy.” Melissa said gently, beckoning Chris to her side. “Chris will break something for me to mend,” she told the crowd.

Chris’ shoulders were tensed and tight and he was staring down at his feet. Melissa sensed it and knew that Chris was suffering from first-time stage fright. So she bent down and hugged Chris, whispering in his ear.

“Don’t pay attention to the crowd, sweetie.” Melissa said, kissing Chris on the cheek. “Just look at your Mama and Papa and your sister, Molly, focus on them instead of the crowd.”

Chris raised his head slightly and looked out at Rebecca, Baloo and Molly and focused on them, and then he felt considerably better and his shoulders relaxed as he found the sudden desire to impress his new family and do them proud.

“All better?” Melissa asked with a warm smile as she stood up.

“Yeah.” Chris said, feeling a lot better.

“Good, now come over here,” she led Chris to a table bearing a glass bowl. “Now, I want you to break this bowl for me—and do be careful and try not to cut yourself.” She handed him a mallet

“But, that’s a pretty bowl,” Chris protested, but accepting the mallet anyway. “Are you sure you want me to break it?”

“Yes, Chris, it’s all for a magic trick.” Melissa told him, smiling.

“Okay…” Chris said uncertainly. He held the mallet high over his head and was about to bring down upon the glass bowl when someone grabbed hold of it from behind and held it in the middle of a backswing, preventing Chris smashing the glass bowl. Chris looked over his shoulder to see Jeffery standing there.

“Mom, aren’t you forgetting something, like some protective gears?” Jeffery asked.

“Oh!” Melissa gasped; her hand over her mouth. “I forgot, sorry sweetie.” She said to Chris

“Here, Chris, put these on first.” Jeffery said, handing his cousin a pair of protective gloves and goggles, along with a chest pad.

“Okay, thanks Jeffery.” Chris said with a grateful smile, glad that his cousin cares about him as much as he cares about Jeffery. He set the mallet down, took the protective gears from Jeffery and put them on. “Okay, all set, I’m ready,” he said, once the protective gears were on.

He picked up the mallet, raised it high in the air and brought it swishing down on the glass bowl, reducing it to powdered glass.

“Thank you, Chris, now watch this:” Melissa covered the powdered glass with a cloth, tapped it with her wand and said: “Abracadabra!”

There was a bang and a puff of pink smoke and when the smoke cleared, Chris’ jaw dropped. There on the table, stood the glass bowl, completely mended as if it has never received so much as a crack from the mallet!

“Wow…” Chris said in awe and then he clapped loudly, the crowd followed his lead and applause too.

“Thank you,” Melissa said, taking a bow to the crowd. “Now for the Grand Finale, Jeffery, fetch me the box.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jeffery said politely as he dashed to the side of the stage and went out of sight behind the curtains.

“Kit, come over here, sweetie.” Melissa said, beckoning Kit to her side while Chris was taking off the protective gears. She held out a fan of cards to him. “Pick a card, any card.”

Kit picked a card and looked at it; an image of a box was on the front of the card.

“Looks like you picked the disappearing act.” Melissa announced.

Kit sighed with relief as the stage manager came out onstage, pushing a box on wheels toward Melissa. The box was on its’ side, held up several feet off the ground by six legs with wheels attached to them. At least a disappearing trick wouldn’t be so bad.

Melissa opened the box and gestured Kit inside. Kit climbed into the box and Melissa closed the lid of the box on top of him. It was a few seconds before Kit realized that his head was poking out of the end of the box and his feet were sticking out of the other end.

“W-w-what is this?” he asked, the fear in his voice was apparent.

“Let’s see,” Melissa said, holding up the card Kit had picked, she pealed off the fake front to reveal an image of a box with saw cutting through it. “Oh, sorry Kit, my mistake, you picked the sawing in half illusion.”

“WHAT?!” Kit yelled, the panic evident on his face. “No…no…I thought this was a disappearing trick—LET ME OUTTA’ HERE!!!”

“Oh come now, Kit, what ever happens to ‘it’s just a trick, Chris’?” Chris asked slyly; he couldn’t resist teasing his brother, it was just too good of a chance to pass up.

“THAT WAS BEFORE I’M ABOUT TO BE SAWED IN HALF!” Kit yelled in exasperation, his head swinging around, indicating that he was struggling inside the box to get loose. “LET ME OUTTTA HERE NOW!”

Chris was wishing he had a camera, the expression on Kit’s face was priceless and he was having fun watching his brother squirm inside the box. He started laughing at his brother’s expense.

“Kit, calm down.” Melissa said gently, stroking Kit’s head. “It’ll be alright, now relax.”

Kit calmed down but still felt uneasy

“It doesn’t…hurt, does it?” Kit asked, his voice squeaking like a mouse.

“Of course not, I’ve done this to Jeffery a hundred times, not to worry, Kit.” Melissa assured him. “Besides, I wouldn’t hurt one of my favorite nephews, would I?”

“I guess not…” Kit said reluctantly.

Melissa took out her saw and begin cutting through the middle of the box. Kit watched her with frightened eyes, and she stopped and strokes his head again, brushing his hair smoothly.

“Relax Kit,” she gently. “If it helps, maybe you should close your eyes till I finish.”

“O-okay,” he squeaked and he closed his eyes as his Aunt Melissa resumed cutting him in half.

In the audience, Baloo started to rise from his seat, looking furious but Rebecca grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

“Let me go, Becky.” Baloo snarled, pulling his arm out of Rebecca’s grasp. “I ain’t gonna sit here and watch my navigator become sliced cheese!”

“Baloo, Kit is fine, it’s just a trick.” Rebecca told him firmly. “Now sit back down, buster, before you embarrass yourself, not to mention me!” and she forced Baloo to sit back down.

Baloo just grumbled and drummed his fingers on the armrest.

Back onstage, the saw has cut clear through the box and yet, Kit felt nothing, he didn’t even feel the saw cutting through his midsection, to his great relief.

The stage manger handed Melissa two mirror-like boards, she took one and slid in between the two halves of the box, and then she added the second board before she separated the two halves of the box.

Kit nearly fainted. There, in the other half of the box, were his feet sticking out of the end. It was so bizarre to see his own legs separated from his body in the other half of the box.

Chris took the box with Kit’s head poking out of the end, while Melissa took the one containing his legs.

Chris look down at Kit’s head, stroking Kit’s chin and throat gently, all the while there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“If you’re as ticklish as I am, ooh, I’m gonna have fun…” Chris said with a devilish grin. And he begins tickling Kit’s chin and Kit started laughing loudly.

“No, Chris—Ha, ha, ha, ha! Stop it, I can’t—Heh, heh, heh—stand being tickled! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Please stop—ha, ha, ha, ha—I’d rather do the algebra!”

“Sorry, Kit,” Chris said slyly. “But this is my revenge for the crab attack.”

“Ooh, that looks like fun.” Melissa said, and she started tickling the feet sticking out of her half of the box and Kit started laughing some more, despite the fact that his legs were currently disconnected with his body.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha—stop it!” Kit yelled out. “I’m gonna—ha, ha, ha, ha—crack a rib!”

Chris and Melissa tickle tortured poor Kit for at least thirty seconds before they quit and begin pushing the box around the stage

Melissa and Chris pushed both boxes in opposite directions, circled each other before putting them back together.

“And now I will put Kit back together.” Melissa announced, and she started pulling out the boards that separated Kit from his legs.

Thanks goodness! Kit sighed in relief

Melissa pulled the two mirror-like boards out, opened the lid of the box and Kit climbed out, completely whole.

In the audience, Baloo sighed deeply, looking relieved that Kit was okay.

“See? I told you he’d be fine.” Rebecca said slyly, looking sideway at Baloo, who was sitting there, slightly dumbfounded at the trick he just saw. It all seems so real to Baloo.

“Yeah, yeah,” Baloo grumbled. “Sorry Beckers, I guess you sister does know what she’s doing after all.”

“Heh-heh.” Rebecca laughed. “Don’t worry, Baloo. Of course she does, and besides, I had the privilege of seeing Jeffery go through his first time at that trick, so I knew what was in store for Kit. It was partly my idea.” She added slyly.


“Huh? Wha—?” Baloo asked distractedly, “Sawing my best friend, son and navigator in half was partly your idea?!” he asked, looking slightly mad. “Well gee, thanks for the near heart attack ya gave me with another one of yer crazy ideas, Becky.” He added sarcastically.

“Ha-ha, yes.” Rebecca replied, laughing behind her hand and ignoring Baloo’s insult to her brilliant ideas. “I wanted to test to see if you were still able to help the boys in a bad situation.”

“Oh, ha-ha, very funny, boss lady.” Baloo said sarcastically. “Ya know, you and that mad doctor of a sister over there could have told me it was a trick before I got worked up. I thought my son had just become sliced cheese under that saw.” He looked toward the stage at Melissa. “Nice trick Melissa! Sorry I doubted you!”

“Oh Baloo!” Rebecca hissed, tugging on his arm. “You’re embarrassing us again!”

“Good,” Baloo said slyly with a gain. “Maybe a little embarrassment will teach ya not to give ol’ Baloo a heart attack like that again. HEY MELISSA, DON’T FORGET TO SAW BECKY IN HALF TOO!” he yelled loud and clear toward the stage. “OR BETTER YET, MAKE HER DISAPPEAR!”

Now everyone was staring at them, Rebecca glanced around at the staring crowd and blushing a deep shade of red at all the attention.

“I hate you…” Rebecca said in a low voice, glowering at Baloo.

Melissa ended the show with a spectacular display of fireworks exploding from the end of her wand, and then there was a loud BANG and a flock of doves came flying out from the wand’s tip.

Everyone in the audience stood up and applauded loudly while Melissa and the Cloudkicker twins joined hands and bowed before the crowd together just as Jeffery came walking back on stage from behind the curtains.

“Aww,” he said, sounding disappointed but looking sly. “I missed all the fun.”

“Yeah,” Chris said, turning to Jeffery as the curtains lowered down to hide them from view of the crowd. “I was going to take turns with you tickling Kit while he was in the box.”

“Oh, no worries, Chris.” Jeffery said with a grin. “I can tickle him any old time, but… ” He suddenly pounced on Chris, knocking him backward onto his back and then Jeffery sat on his stomach. “…I wonder how ticklish you are.” And he begins to attack Chris’ ribs and armpits while Chris howled and screamed with laugher.

“Mind if I join you?”

Jeffery looked over his shoulder to see Kit standing behind him with a vengeful smirk on his face.

“Not at all, cuz, help yourself.” Jeffery said before he resumed tickle torturing poor Chris.

“NO! Please stop, don’t tickle me anymore!” Chris screamed, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as Jeffery kept on tickling him.

Kit positioned himself on top of Chris’ legs, grasped his brother’s ankle and begins tickling the bottom of Chris’ foot. Chris shirked with laugher as Kit added to his tickle torture.

“Alright you two, that’s enough.” Rebecca appeared onstage; behind her was Baloo, who was watching the three bear cubs with an amused expression. “Let him breathe before he burst.”’

“Yes ma’am.” Jeffery said as he stopped tickling Chris and got up off of him, as did Kit.

Chris lay there, curled up, gasping and panting for breaths. Baloo went over and scooped Chris up off the floor and into his arms.

“You alright, Chris?” Baloo asked, pressing the young bear cub to his chest, massaging the back of Chris’ head.

“Yes!” Chris gasped, still panting. “Give me a minute to catch my breath.”

Baloo held Chris in his arms as Chris was taking several deep breaths, until finally his breathing became steady. Even then, Baloo didn’t put him down, he seems to like holding Chris in his arms and Chris seems to like being held by the large pilot. Chris rested his head on Baloo’s chest and snuggled up in his arms.

“You two gotta careful with him,” Baloo said to Jeffery and Kit. “Don’t tickle him so much at a time; it might hurt his lungs and his ribs.”

Both Jeffery and Kit looked down at their feet. “Sorry,” they said together.

A few minutes passed and Chris showed no sign in wanting to be let down. Melissa walked up to Baloo and Chris, cupping Chris’ furry cheek.

“Are you going to be alright, Chris?” she asked in concern.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Chris said with a smile, leaning slightly forward in Baloo’s arms, he hugged his Aunt around the neck.


“That’s good, Chris,” Melissa said happily with a smile, hugging her new nephew back.

“I’m sorry, Chris,” Jeffery apologized. “I should have been easier on you; I didn't realize you and Kit were as ticklish as I am…” He froze, having just realized what he had said.
Oops! Jeffery thought in despair. Why did I just go and say that for?! Oh man, now they’ll get back at me and I’ll get it one hundred percent worse! I guess it is as the old saying goes: ‘what goes around, comes around.’

“Okay kids, gather ‘round.” Rebecca said playfully. “Your Aunt Melissa has another surprise for you.”

Baloo put Chris down to stand between Kit and Jeffery as they looked at Rebecca with the expression of awe on their faces.

“Another surprise?!” exclaimed Jeffery, Kit and Chris in unison.

Although Jeffery already knew what the surprise is, he pretend otherwise so to make surprising his two cousins more fun.

“Yes!” Melissa exclaimed, this time talking more to Kit and Chris, who were standing there awestruck at the mention of another surprise from their aunt. “Boys, me and your Mom talked on the phone, and me and Jeffery would like to add our assistance in teaching you the ins and outs of magic. So from this day forth, we’re both your personal teachers. But as a second surprise, I asked if I could do one more thing special for you two, my favorite nephews.” Melissa said but stated to act forgetful. “Now what was it?” she paused thinking a minute.

Rebecca whispered in her ear reminding her of the second surprise as Kit and Chris started taking their assistant’s outfits off.

“Lemme help you with that.” Jeffery said, stepping behind them and pulling their zippers down.

“I guess we should return these to you, Aunt Melissa?” Kit asked as he stepped out his outfit and held it out to give it back to her.

Chris was being a bit more reluctant, he likes these uniforms and thought they’d make comfortable pajamas.

“Aww, do we have to, Kit?” Chris pouted as he asked “I kinda like mine.”

“Chris, it’s okay.” Kit said, comforting Chris. “We’re not Aunt Melissa’s assistants normally, but I’m sure she’d want us to be.”

“Aww man!” Chris pouted, but hugging his uniform to his chest and looking like he was not about to give up on keeping it.

“Oh! That was it!” Melissa shouted, slamming a fist to her palm as the memory came back to her. “No, no, boys, those junior assistant outfits are yours, and there’s a reason for that.” she said with a smile. “My favorite nephews, my second surprise is this: Not only are me and Jeffery going to teach you magic, but also you get to be my official second and third assistants, starting tonight. But since school is in session for a few months, I won’t be doing anymore shows till this summer. Till then, boys, welcome to the Amazing Melissa’s Magic Show, you are now official performers of my show, starting with your performance tonight. But you’ll be working more with me and your cousin, learning tricks and all till summer!”

“But there’re two conditions.” Melissa and Rebecca said in unison. They both glanced at each other before they laughed, seeing as they did the old talking in unison deal again.

“The first condition is this: You have to finish all your work for me and your Dad at Higher for Hire first, your chores, cleaning your rooms and such.” Rebecca said, speaking directly to Kit before turning to his brother. “Chris, I’ll have to add some duties for you later when you get more adjusted,” she added, smiling, knowing she was going to have Chris help with paper work, answering the phone for her and taking messages when she’s not there and normal chores most at first.

“The next one…” Melissa cut in. “Is that you two have to give me a hug at each practice and I want a twin hug, not one at a time.”

“Sis!” Rebecca giggled. “Don’t you mean just have fun?” she inquired, laughing behind her hand.

Giggling, Melissa replied. “Yes, but you can’t blame me for wanting to hug my loveable nephews, I love them both so much that I could just eat them up.”

Jeffery was getting red faced at the moment, though he loved his Mom as much as she loved him, Jeffery was such a modest bear cub like his cousins and couldn’t help feeling embarrassed whenever his Mom goes overboard with all this mushy stuff – hugs and kisses and all.

Kit and Chris stood there awestruck, also slightly red faced for a moment before both said in unison: “Do you really mean it, Aunt Melissa? And do you, Mom?”

“Yes!” replied both Rebecca and Melissa, this time slightly off timing. Melissa spoke a split second before Rebecca did.

“Now, boys,” Melissa said, bending down to their levels. “You are to go with Jeffery to our house everyday after school, so you can practice and learn magic trick with us. We’ll have a two-hour session, and then I’ll drive you home. Would you two like that?”

“Yes, Aunt Melissa!” shouted the Cloudkicker twins in unison, punching the air joyfully.

“Alright kids,” Baloo said, grinning. “Come on, it’s time ta go.”

“Aww, do we have to, Daddy Bear?” whined Chris cutely, giving Baloo the puppy dog face.

Baloo chuckled at his new nickname, and he liked it coming from Chris. He walked over to Chris, scooped him up, tossed him high in the air and caught him again in a one-arm hug.

“Heh, heh, heh, of course we have to, Chris.” Baloo said, tickling Chris’ armpit. Chris squirmed and laughed in Baloo’s arm before Baloo stopped. “You got yer first day of school tomorrow and you’ll have to get up early if ya want a big breakfast before school. Now say goodnight to Melissa.”

Suddenly, Chris felt sleepy; he let out a big yawn before saying sleepily: “Goodnight Aunt Melissa.” And he snuggled himself up in Baloo’s arms, rested his head on Baloo’s chest and fell asleep.

“Heh, he had a long, exciting day,” Baloo said, chuckling a little bit. “So he should be tired.”

“Aww, he’s so cute when he’s asleep.” Melissa cooed, walking up to Baloo and kissing the now sleeping bear cub on the cheek.

“Yeah,” Rebecca agreed, smiling as she watched Chris sleep in Baloo’s arms. “Like an angle sleeping, he looks so innocent and peaceful.”

Kit and Jeffery were watching the adults cooing over Chris.

“One thing for sure,” Jeffery said, chuckling. “He won’t have any trouble attracting the ladies’ attention unto himself—he practically does that in his sleep!”

“Yeah,” chuckled Kit, looking amused while nodding in agreement. “Well, it’s looks like we’re leaving. I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”

“Yeah, hey maybe we could eat together at lunch.” Jeffery suggested, looking excited at the idea, it would mean seeing his cousins a bit more.

“Yeah, we can do that.” Kit said, smiling. “Chris and I will meet you at lunch tomorrow and eat with you.”

“Kit, come on, we’re leaving.” Baloo’s voice called out to him from the nearest exit.

“Coming, Papa Bear.” Kit called back, then he turned back to Jeffery. “I gotta go, see ya tomorrow!” And with a wave of his hand in farewell, Kit dashed out the door after his Papa Bear and brother.

---

Authors’ Note: Whoo! It took us a week to write this chapter! We hope you’ve enjoyed this chapter. Chapter four will be up a bit later, but it will be up, don’t worry. Until next time, stay safe and well as we write the next chapter. God bless you all!

[Kit_Lee]

Hello, everyone!

Kc5 and I as he said when he posted chapter 3. both hope you enjoy reading chapter 3. feed back and comments are welcome.

Please enjoy, . ;D

From me and Kc5 Both.

Sincerely
Your friend

Kit Lee
Christopher

:0)

[eclipse]

Hi there. I read this story on FF.net. I liked it alot! I'm Janro there btw. However as for chapter 3 I only read it now, right here I didn't know it was up already!

Probably the only thing I saw that could be edited rather would be this line:
Chris was wishing he had a camera, the expression on Kit’s face was priceless and he was having fun watching his brother squirm inside the box. He started laughing at his brother’s suspense.

Probably the last sentence should be: ...started laughing at his brother's expense.
I think that'd be a more suitable word than suspense.

But otherwise I liked the way the magic show went, the relationships betweent the Aunt and Jeffrey was nice, and the descriptions made me feel like I was watching the real deal. The way Kit reacted to them was so like him. Chris was also unbearingly cute especially towards the end. XD Good job! looking forward to more.

[Kit_Lee]

Sept 14, 2009 5:07:25 GMT -5 eclipse said:

Hi there. I read this story on FF.net. I liked it alot! I'm Janro there btw. However as for chapter 3 I only read it now, right here I didn't know it was up already!

Probably the only thing I saw that could be edited rather would be this line:
Chris was wishing he had a camera, the expression on Kit’s face was priceless and he was having fun watching his brother squirm inside the box. He started laughing at his brother’s suspense.

Probably the last sentence should be: ...started laughing at his brother's expense.
I think that'd be a more suitable word than suspense.

But otherwise I liked the way the magic show went, the relationships betweent the Aunt and Jeffrey was nice, and the descriptions made me feel like I was watching the real deal. The way Kit reacted to them was so like him. Chris was also unbearingly cute especially towards the end. XD Good job! looking forward to more.

Thank You! Eclipse,

Kc5 and I really appreciate the feed back, and were both glad you like the story. that is very much apprectated.

Also thank you from me for liking Jeffery and Melissa thoes two were my Fan created Characters, Kit,and Chris' Cousion Jeffery, and there aunt Melissa Rebecca's sister and nephew.

Kc5 and I are both glad you like them as well as Chris. which is Kc5's charatcer as you know.

Thanks again for the great feedback,and comments. if you feel inspired to draw any of this Kc5 and I would have no problem with that.

And that comment you said that it felt like your were watcing the real thing thats what the two of us were going for

Thanks again, and Much appreciated.

Sincerely

Kit Lee
Christopher

Aka. Jeffery

:0)

[KitCloudkicker5285]

Title: Kit, the Magician
Authors: KitCloudkicker52885 and Kit_Lee
Disclaimer: We do not own Tale Spin, Disney does. But we do own Chris Cloudkicker, Jeffery and Melissa.

Chapter Four
Broken Wand, Skinny Cub

The next morning, Chris bounded down the stairs from his and Kit’s bedroom for breakfast, still in his white night shirt. Kit followed shortly after, dragging his feet and looking as though he’d like nothing better than to go back to bed and sleep for a few more hours, even though he was usually an early riser.
Chris skidded into the kitchen, stopping in front of the small, icebox-size refrigerator. Opening the refrigerator door, he withdrew the milk bottle.

“G’morning, Daddy Bear!” Chris said brightly to Baloo, who was at the stove, cooking breakfast, the smell in the kitchen was wonderful. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Wow, yer up bright ‘n early, kiddo.” Baloo chuckled, turning around and placing a tall tower of pancakes onto the table. “We’re having pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuit with white breakfast gravy. How do ya like yer eggs, Lil Buddy?”

Chris’ mouth watered at Baloo’s description of a delicious breakfast before he forced his drooling mouth shut.

“Um, scrambled,” Chris replied as he sat down at the table and setting the milk bottle down in front of him. “Can I have glass, please Daddy Bear?” he asked, gesturing to the milk bottle.

“Sure, kid.” Baloo said, handing him a clean glass before turning his attention onto Kit, who had just sat down at the table next to Chris. “’Morning Lil Britches, the usual?”

“Yeah, Papa Bear.” Kit said groggily. “And some coffee, please.”

Chris made a disgusted face. “You drink coffee? Yuck!”

Kit rolled his eyes at Chris. “I like it, Chris,” he said, shrugging. “And just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean I’ll dislike it too.”

“Okay…” Chris said, not wanting to argue with his brother. He then poured himself a glass of milk and took a sip.

Baloo chuckled as he poured Kit a cup of coffee; it was very interesting comparing the differences between the twins on not only their outward appearance, but also their likes and dislikes as well as their individual personalities.

“Thanks Papa Bear.” Kit said, accepting the cup of coffee Baloo handed him.

“You’re welcome, Lil Britches.” Baloo said.

Just then, the front door opened and in came Rebecca.

“Good morning,” she said brightly. “My, it smells wonderful in here. Baloo, I didn’t know you cook.”

“Of course he cooks, Mom,” Kit said, grinning slyly. “He didn’t just get so big by eating at Louie’s alone, you know.”

“Hey!” Baloo said indigently. “Is that the thanks I get for cookin’ up a good breakfast?”

With breakfast all ready to eat, Baloo loaded Chris’ plate with scrambled eggs, two buttered pancakes, two strip of bacon, one piece of sausage, a biscuit smothered in gravy and a piece of toast with strawberry jam.

Chris stared at his plate with wide eyes and his mouth was drooling again.

“Wow, this looks delicious!” Chris said, he picked up his fork, scooped up a little bit of scrambled egg and begin to eat. “Mmm-mmn! Boy, this is good! A lot better than the orphanage’s food!”

Baloo chuckled as he handed Kit and Rebecca their plates. “Glad you like it, kiddo,” he said, ruffling Chris’ hair affectionately. Then he fixed himself a plate and sat down at the table, enjoying a nice big breakfast with his two sons and his boss for the first time.

As Rebecca finished eating, she wiped her mouth on a napkin before speaking.

“That was delicious, Baloo, I didn’t know you had it in you to cook so well,” she said, sounding pleasantly surprised. “Where did you learned to cook like that?”

“Well,” said Baloo, blushing slightly at her compliment. “I was a pilot in the navy at one time—worst three years of my entire life, it was like my commanders didn’t even know the meaning of relaxation! Anyway, I was put on cooking duty fer….slacking off, as Commander Hathi said.”

Kit was gazing at Baloo with newfound admiration. “Wow, Baloo, you’ve never told us that! Is that’s where you learned to fly like you do?”

“Partly, yeah,” Baloo replied, finishing the last of his bacon. “I was naturally gifted at flying. In fact, my flying skills were the only thing that made ol’ Commander Hathi happy. He assigned me to take advanced aviation classes and I passed with flying colors. So, from then on until I left the navy, Commander Hathi gave me flying assignments, as those were the only assignments I could do without messing up.”

“That sounds like you alright.” Rebecca said with a sly grin

“Wow, Daddy Bear, you must be the best pilot in the world.” Chris exclaimed with the same level of admiration Kit was showing.

“Well that’s true.” Baloo said braggingly, holding himself up in a heroic pose.

“Alright, Chris, I got you a couple of things this morning before coming here.” Rebecca began.

“How’d ya managed that?” Baloo interrupted her. “The shops don’t open till seven-thirty, and it’s only seven fifteen.

“There’s a new store in town, called Khan-Mart and it’s open twenty-four hours a day.” Rebecca explained. “And thanks goodness for that, or poor Chris would’ve gone to school without a backpack, textbooks or supplies,” she turned to Chris and handed him a navy blue backpack. “Everything you need is all in there.”

“Wow, that’s a neat backpack!” Chris exclaimed in delight, accepting his new backpack and swinging it onto his back. “I love it, thanks Mommy!” He rushed forward and hugged Rebecca tightly around the waist.

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” Rebecca said, kissing Chris on top of the head.

Later… in the schoolyard, Kit and Chris stood in front of the school building, their backpacks strapped to their backs and they were holding a brown paper bag containing their lunch in their hand.

Chris was gazing up at the school building with admiration. “Wow, this is a neat school, Kit, I like it.”

Kit grinned. “Yeah, it is, but it does have its downsides sometimes.”

They entered the school building and Kit led his brother down the hallway toward his locker. He opened the door of his locker after turning the combination dial left and right repeatedly and placed his backpack and lunch bag inside it.

“Kit?” Chris said, looking slightly confused. “Where’s my locker?”

“You don’t have one yet, you’ve only just enrolled today, remember?” Kit said, gently taking Chris’ lunch bag from him and placing it next to his in the locker. “But we can share my locker between us until you decide to get your own.” He then slid the straps of the backpack off of Chris’ shoulders and placing it into his locker before shutting it and locking it.

“Oh, I don’t want my own locker,” Chris said, smiling. “Why would I when I can share one with the best big brother in the world?” And with that, he hugged Kit.

“Okay, we’ll share lockers from now on.” Kit smiled at his little brother as he hugged him back. Even though they were the same age, they still go by big brother-little brother terms with each other, despite Kit being just a couple of minutes older. “I’ll teach you the combinations later so that you can open it yourself. Right now, I gotta give you the grand tour.”

They walked up and down the hallway, passing by other kids and teachers, with Kit pointing out different rooms to Chris, showing him where the library is, where all the different classrooms were and then the cafeteria, the school office, the nurse’s office, the principal’s office, the gym and finally, the janitor’s closet.

“Wow, this place is neat!” Chris said, gazing around.

“And here are the bulletin boards.” Kit said, pointing at three big bulletin boards on the wall. “They mostly have school notices pinned to them, but they also have a list of banned items, the lunch menu for this week and future or current school events, school activities—oh and there’s a student notice, requesting the return of his lost gold watch.”

Kit suddenly frowned. Someone lost a gold watch; I wonder if it belonged to Oscar?

Oscar Vandersnoot was a shy and wealthy bear cub with very low self-esteem, very small for his age, smaller than even Kit and Chris. Oscar was consciously picked on by other kids, until Kit stood up to for him. Bullies of this school had learned the hard way not to mess with Kit Cloudkicker, who was short but strong for his age. Kit was a very good friend to Oscar, always trying to help him out, even got him into the Jungle Aces’ Secret Midnight Club.

“Hey Kit, there’s Jeffery over there!” Chris said excitedly, snapping Kit out of his thoughts. Chris was obviously delighted to see his cousin. “Who are they, Kit? Are they his friends? I doubt it, they don’t look too friendly,” he observed

Kit looked over to see where Chris was pointing to and saw Jeffery surrounded in front of his locker by a group of mean-looking kids.

“Oh, no,” Kit groaned, recognizing them as bullies. “No, you’re right, Chris. They’re not his friends.” He opened a nearby classroom door and steered Chris inside. He couldn’t have the bullies seeing Chris and then marking him as their next target. Chris really didn’t need bullies onto him on his first day, or at all. Chris has had enough of that at the orphanage. “Stay in here, Chris and don’t come out till I come back for you, okay?”

“Okay Kit.” Chris said; he could tell by Kit’s tone that he was serious.

Kit closed the door, leaving Chris alone in the classroom as he set out to confront the bullies.

Meanwhile, Jeffery was sitting on the floor with his back against the door of his locker. One of the big wolf kids, who seems to be a miniature Don Karnage, had taken his backpack and was going through it and tossing Jeffery’s stuff to his fellows.

“Oh, look at this,” said the wolf kid, pulling out a black stick. “It’s a magic wand! What were you going to do with it, little Jeffery, hmm? Put a spell on us and turn us into frogs?”

“Give that back!” Jeffery cried in panic, making a grab for his wand but the wolf kid held it high out of his reach and his fellows grabbed Jeffery and pushed him back down in a sitting position on the floor again.

“Break it, Gorgon!” yelled a fellow bully, a rat kid.

“Yeah, break it!” chorused the others.

“NO! Give it back!” Jeffery yelled in even more panic than before, he started to rise from the floor but the bullies pushed him back down again.

“Stay put, stupid little Jeffery.” They said, calling him ‘little’ to make him feel inferior.

“Give me back my wand, please.” Jeffery cried, tears flowing from his hazel blue eyes. He never could handle bullies very well; it was Kit who was good with bullies, not him. He just wasn’t tough and streetwise like his cousin.

“Oh look, he’s crying, like a baby!” They laughed. “We should call him baby Jeffery now.”

“Please, just give me back my wand.” Jeffery pleaded desperately.

“Okay, baby Jeffery; you can have it back…” Gorgon held the wand out in front of him with both hands, brought his knee up and slammed the wand upon it. With a snap, the wand broke clean in two. “Oops, looks like I broke it,” he said with mocked remorse, strongly reminding Jeffery of one of Kit’s stories when Don Karnage broke his airfoil.

Jeffery froze, numbed with shock as Gorgon dropped the two pieces of the broken wand to the floor in front of him. He stared at it with emotions welling up inside him, tears now flowing freely from his eyes.

“N-no…My…my w-w-wand…” Jeffery said in a hushed voice, feeling as if his insides had vanished and his brain turning icy cold.

“Hey, leave him alone!” yelled an angry voice.

“Oh snap! It’s Cloudkicker!” One of them shouted in panic. “Run for it!”

The group of bullies scattered in panic and ran away like scared little chickens

Jeffery continued to stare at his broken wand lying on the floor, and then he felt a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders. He glanced sideways to see Kit’s face inches from his own. And then he begin to cry in earnest, sobbing into Kit’s shoulder with Kit muttering soothing and comforting words to him as he rocked Jeffery back and forward.

“Shh, Jeff, it’s alright now, you’re gonna be okay.” Kit was saying gently.

“No, it’s not alright!” Jeffery shouted, while sobbing hysterically. “T-t-that was my favorite wand, g-g-given to me by my g-g-granddaddy before he—” Jeffery stopped, he couldn’t bring himself to say it, but Kit understood.

This wand was the last thing Jeffery’s grandfather gave him before his tragic death involving a car accident and Jeffery kept the wand to feel connected to him, to keep the memory of him alive and fresh When his grandfather was alive, he and Jeffery were really close, he was one of the few people Jeffery looked up to as a father figure since his real father abandoned him and his Mom when he was very young, too young to even remember him.

Jeffery continued to cry on Kit’s shoulder for several long moments before he finally got a grip on himself and stood up but still looked upset.

“Jeff, it’ll be okay, trust me.” Kit said; his sweater now wet on the shoulder from Jeffery’s tears. “Couldn’t you just fix the wand?” he asked trying to comfort his cousin.

“S-sadly n-no.” Jeffery whimpered. “I-it had s-s-special features in it that even if you c-c-could put it back together, it would n-n-never work r-r-right again.” Jeffery continued to sob, but this time he sobbed into his own hands, rather than on Kit’s shoulder. “I-it was m-mine! And t-t-they had no right to take it! That was the last thing I had to remember my g-g-granddaddy by! He, well you know,” he stopped to take a deep breath in an attempt to stand the flow of his crying and wiped his eyes. “After my twelfth birthday, he told me that I should keep this wand safe for him, as if his spirit was within it… and they took it away f-f-from me!” Jeffery started crying again with renewed tears that were once again overflowing his hazel blue eyes.

“Jeffery, calm down,” Kit said gently, wrapping his arms around Jeffery and hugging him again. “Don’t be sad, I’m sure your granddad would understand. Like with me, all I know of my real father is that he left his airfoil to me, but as you remember, it’s been broken twice itself, but it’s just an item. The memory of your granddad is in your heart, Jeff.” He took Jeffery by the hand and led him down the hall. “C’mon, I left Chris by himself in a classroom, he’ll be wondering where we are.”

Kit walked down toward the place where he left Chris, Jeffery gloomily followed behind him.

“Y-y-you mean it, Kit, do you really mean that?” Jeffery asked, still sniffing from crying so much.

Kit stopped and turned to look him straight in the eyes.

“Jeff, of course I do. Come on now, cheer up, you know your granddad’s always with you. He’s right here.” Kit said, placing a hand on Jeffery’s chest, over his heart.

“Yeah, you’re right, Kit. Thanks!” Jeffery exclaimed, suddenly feeing better. “You’re the best cousin in the world, Kit!” he said, hugging Kit tightly, while holding the broken wand in his right hand. “But they still had no right to break my wand! Ohh, I’ll get them back for this one day, I swear!” he proclaimed.

“There’s no need, Jeff.” Kit said with a smile, pointing to some distance down the hall. “Look, they’ve been caught this time...”
Kit pointed out the principal, Mr. Pomeroy, who was holding the gang of bullies up from running completely away by standing in front of them, blocking their path.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Mr. Pomeroy asked, glaring at them, as if daring them to lie to his face.

“Uh, to class?” Gorgon offered hopefully.

“Yeah, to class!” the others murmured in agreement. “Yep, that’s where we’re going.”

Mr. Pomeroy smiled in a way that told the bullies that they were in very deep trouble. “Ah, nice try, boys, but I saw what you were doing to young Cunningham over there. And as you know, we don’t tolerate the destruction of a student’s property. All of you will serve detention.”

They all hung their heads and moved toward to the Detention classroom, but then Mr. Pomeroy grabbed Gorgon’s shoulder.

“Not you, Cornmat, you come with me.” Mr. Pomeroy told him, he led Gorgon Cornmat to the place where Jeffery and Kit stood.
“Cunningham, would you like to press charges for your damaged property?”

“Yes,” Jeffery said, looking a little angry. “This wand was worth twenty-five dollars, so I’ll press a twenty-five dollar charge.”

“Hear that, Cornmat? Either pay now or get the money from your parents.” Mr. Pomeroy said. “Now let’s head on down to my office. Oh, and Cunningham?” he added, turning to Jeffery. “In the future, retain from bringing sentimental items to school, that way, idiots like Cornmat here, can’t break them,” he said, giving Gorgon a look of deep disgust before the pair of them walked on, heading for Mr. Pomeroy’s office.

“Hey, you know the old saying Jeff, about fair play?” Kit said; when Mr. Pomeroy and Gorgon were out of earshot. “You reap what you sow?”

“You’re right Kit, thanks for standing up for me again.” Jeffery said, trying to smile a bit.

“Any time, Jeff.” Kit said with a smile.

“I wish I could turn bullies into frogs though, that’s a funny idea.” Jeffery said, suddenly smiling in amusement. “Or if they keep it up, I may bring my goons with me next time, that’ll teach them!”

“Heh-heh, glad you’re feeling better, Jeff.” Kit said, chuckling. And then he froze as a realization hit him. “Hey!! I thought I was the one to protect you, you nutty bear!” he swung an arm around Jeffery’s neck and gave him a light nuggie, and then he just hugged Jeffery’s neck for a moment. “You are a nutty bear, Jeff, but I love you anyway.” He laughed as he let Jeffery go.

Jeffery put the two halves of his wand back into his backpack and didn’t worry about it anymore, he would continue keeping it as a reminder that his granddad was still in his heart, not in the wand.
As they neared the classroom where Chris was, the door to classroom opened and Chris peered out into the hallway. When he saw Kit and Jeffery coming his way, he stepped out of the classroom and greeted them.

“Hey Jeffery!” Chris said brightly, and then his face fell to a look of concern. “Are you okay, Jeffery?” he asked, noticing Jeffery’s tear-stained face. “What’s wrong?” He then gave Jeffery a comforting hug.

It was then that Jeffery noticed something about Chris as he was being hugged by the blue-eyes bear cub. Chris’ body was a smaller build than Kit’s, like his torso and stomach were thinner than Kit’s. His sweater masked his smaller build fairly well; one couldn’t tell that he was skinnier than Kit just by looking at him, unless they’ve been in physical contact with both twins and are able to tell the differences between their body builds.

Oh my gosh! He’s so skinny! I can almost feel his ribs! Jeffery thought in shock. I wonder how light he is… He then wrapped his arms tightly around Chris’ midsection and lifted him up a few inches above the ground. He held him up for a moment, testing to see how long he can hold him. Oh man, he’s not very heavy either, since I’m able to lift him a foot off the ground and hold him in a hug! He could do with gaining a few pounds...

He glanced at Kit. Kit was still a little thin but fattening slightly due Baloo’s insistence on beefing the boy up a bit, but Chris was skinnier than Kit and a lot lighter in weight. Jeffery made a mental note to put Chris on a weighing scale later. He gently put Chris down, who appeared not have noticed being picked up as he was enjoying the embrace with his cousin.

Jeffery smiled and wrapped an arm around Chris’ shoulders while he wiped the remaining tears from his face

“Oh, I was upset because Gorgon Cornmat broke my wand.” Jeffery told him as they broke apart. “But I’m okay now.”

“That was mean!” Chris declared, looking angry for Jeffery’s sake. “If I ever see him, I’ll kick him in the shin, and trust me, I kick hard!”

Kit chuckled at his brother’s statement. “I’m sure that’ll teach him, Chris, but he’s already been taken care of, he’s in the principal’s office right now.”

“And I’m getting twenty-five bucks off of him for breaking my wand.” Jeffery said, smirking in satisfaction.
As they were passing by the principal’s office on the way to their homeroom, they stopped to listen when they heard a commotion going on inside.

“Please, Mr. Pomeroy!” said Gorgon Cornmat’s voice, in a tone that suggests that he was begging for mercy. “Gimme another chance, please … I’ll behave, honest!”

“No!” Mr. Pomeroy said very firmly. “You’re expelled and that’s final! Now go get your things, clear out your locker and get out of my sight!”

The door opened and Gorgon came out with a depressed and defeated expression. He walked down the hall, not even noticing the Cloudkicker twins and Jeffery as he passed them, looking so gloomy, it was as if a raincloud was hanging over his head.

Mr. Pomeroy stepped out of his office, and unlike Gorgon, he noticed the three of them standing there.

“Ah, you must be the new Cloudkicker boy,” he said, smiling at Chris.

“Yes sir.” Chris said shyly, he was rarely comfortable around people in authority but he still respects them. “Chris Cloudkicker,” he said, holding out a hand to his new principal.

Mr. Pomeroy smiled and nodded in approval as he shook Chris’ hand, he liked this boy already, and he could already tell that there would be no troubles from Chris.

“Nice to meet you, Chris.” Mr. Pomeroy said. “Welcome to Cape Suzette Middle School. Just stay out of trouble, stay in school and we’ll get along just fine.”

“Yes sir.” Chris said, more shyly still, and then he ducked behind Kit and Jeffery.

“He’s a little shy, and it’s his first time in a public school.” Kit explained, for Mr. Pomeroy had raised an eyebrow questioningly at him.

“Right,” Mr. Pomeroy cleared his throat. “I trust you’ll be keeping an eye on him?”

“Of course!” Kit declared, wrapping an arm around Chris’ shoulder.
“I’m not letting him out of my sights.”

Chris smiled at the protectiveness Kit was showing toward him; he only hopes Kit wouldn’t be overprotective.

“Good.” Mr. Pomeroy said in satisfaction. “Cloudkicker, since Cornmat has been expelled, we now have a spare locker, if your brother would be interested in having his own…”

“Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Pomeroy.” Kit said respectfully. “Chris and I already decided that we would share my locker.”

“Hmm, very well.” Mr. Pomeroy said dismissively, and the Cloudkicker brothers walked on in the direction of their homeroom. “Just a moment, Cunningham,” he said, standing in front of Jeffery. “Cornmat was unable to pay his debt, so here,” he handed Jeffery twenty-five dollars. “His parents would have to pay me back for this later, but at least you won’t have to see them or Gorgon Cornmat again.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jeffery said respectfully, glad for a reason not to see Gorgon again. He accepted the money before following after his two cousins to their homeroom.

Later, during a five minute break between first and second period, Kit, Chris and Jeffery were out in the hall, showing Chris around a bit more.

“Hey guys, look!” Chris exclaimed, pointing at a notice on the bulletin board. “The school’s having a talent show soon. Hey, maybe you and Jeffery should enter, big brother.”

“I dunno, Chris—” Kit started to say, but he was cut off by Jeffery swinging an arm around his shoulders.

“Of course we’ll enter, cuz!” Jeffery declared to Chris. “But we won’t do it unless you do it with us.”

“Okay! I’ll join too!” said Chris excitedly, delighted to be included in something with his brother and cousin.

“But, Jeff, I don’t know what I should do for a talent show and I doubt they’ll allow cloudsurfing.” Kit said.

“Kit, you’ve got more talents than just cloudsurfing.” Jeffery told him firmly. “Remember, you’ll be learning magic from me and my Mom, and maybe you’ll be ready to do a few tricks before the talent show starts. You can be the magician with Chris and me as your assistants.”

“I dunno, Jeff, magic is more of your thing…” Kit said doubtfully.

“Oh come on, Kit! I know you have what it takes, trust me on this one, cuz.” Jeffery said, looking hopeful.

“Yeah Kit, our cousin is right, you’ve already shown me you had the talent to be a wonderful magician!” Chris said, smiling encouragingly at his brother. “Remember the coin trick you taught me? And the key trick?”

“Chris is right, cuz, you do have many more talents than just cloudsurfing. Look at how well you acted out the sawing in half trick last night.” Jeffery said, smiling slyly.

“Acted? ... ACTED?” Kit exclaimed in exasperation and indignation. “I wasn’t acting! I really was scared for my life! I thought I was goner there!” he glared indignantly at Jeffery for a moment and then said: “Jeff, Chris, I’m not sure, I just really don’t know yet…” Kit added, scratching his head in confusion, unsure of what he wanted to do.

“PLEEEEEEEEEASE!!” Chris and Jeffery begged in unison with the puppy dog look.

Kit couldn’t stand it; they’ve struck gold with their puppy-dog faces. Blue and hazel blue eyes in a puppy-dog pout wins just about every time!

“Aww, okay, okay! Stop it you two, before you embarrass us.” Kit said as a girl he knew and has a crush on walk by. He watched her go with a dreamy expression.

She walked past them without even looking at them,

“Hey Kit, earth to Kit! Hello, are you in there?” Jeffery and Chris yelled in unison, waving a hand in Kit’s face, each trying to get his attention.

Kit shook his head, snapping out of his trance.

“Huh? Oh sorry guys… Okay, I’ll do it, but you two have to be willing to do any trick I want.” Kit said.

“Deal!” Jeffery and Chris said together. “We would both be happy to, Kit.”

“We should call you the Amazing Cloudkicker, or Kit the Great.” Chris said excitedly. “Oh! Oh! I got it!—the Great, Amazing and Wonderful Kit Cloudkicker, the Magician!!”

“That one’s too long, cuz,” Jeffery said to Chris, shaking his head. “Kit, the Magician sounds good though.”

“Besides, I’m not exactly amazing, great or wonderful,” Kit said. “Not yet anyway, I’m only a beginner magician.”

“Kit, the Magician…” Chris repeated, trying the name out for size and ignoring Kit. “I like it, it’s got a nice sound to it.”

“I knew you’d agree with me, cuz!” Jeffery shouted joyfully.
Chris and Jeffery then started bouncing up and down in excitement.

“Heh, heh, you two… what am I going to do with you?” Kit said, laughing and placing a hand to his face, smiling but thinking: I really hope Aunt Melissa can teach me what to do; I’d hate to let my brother and cousin down.

“Yay!!!” Jeffery and Chris shouted joyfully as the bell ringed, singling the start of second period,

“We’ll talk more during lunch.” Jeffery said, “Oh and Kit…” he said, leaning close to Kit so to whisper in his ear, so that Chris wouldn’t hear. “Don’t worry, you’re not on cafeteria duty today, it’s me and Oscar.”

“Okay, sounds good,” Kit whispered back. “Just tell the lunch lady who hired us that I’ll be back later, after I help Chris feel more comfortable around this school and get more adjusted.” Kit then spoke in his normal voice. “Oh and Jeff? Ask Oscar if he lost a gold watch for me, it’s here on the board that someone lost one and I think he’s the one who lost it, so if you don’t mind to ask, that would be a good help.”

“Sure Kit, anything for my cousin.” Jeffery said. “We better head to class or our history teacher will be madder than a hornet at us and neither one of us needs a tardy on us.”

“Agreed,” Kit and Chris nodded in unison as the headed to second period history class.

After a long morning, it was finally lunchtime and the hungry Cloudkicker brothers made their way into the cafeteria with Chris staring around in awe.

Then as he and Kit sat down with their lunch bags on the table in front of them, he asked: “Where’s Jeffery?” Chris has just now noticed the absence of Jeffery and was looking around for him.

“He’ll turn up,” Kit assured his brother as he took out his sandwich from the paper bag. “Don’t worry, Chris, he’ll be here soon, but for now, let’s eat." And with that, he took a big bite out of his sandwich.

“Hey, there you two are!” Jeffery shouted out, walking over toward his cousin. “Sorry I’m late, we had a major backup of trays in the dishwashing room today, so I was kinda stuck.” He said in explanation of his tardiness. “Took forever to wash most of ‘em, and then Oscar—poor thing—lost his balance on his stool again and broke a few trays.”

“No problem Jeff, we’re just glad you got a break so you can come eat with us.” Kit replied. “Is Oscar alright?”

“Yeah, he’s fine.” Jeffery assured him. “He cried over breaking those trays, but I managed to calm him down and comfort him. But anyway, I thought I was never gonna get outta’ there, the way all the trays kept piling up!” Jeffery laughed as he sat down next to Kit and taking his peanut butter and honey sandwich and milk out of his lunch bag and begin to eat. “Man, I’m starving! And I kinda figured out what Uncle Baloo meant about re-lax-station.” He added, trying to keep his cafeteria apron out of the way of his eating. “Not that I’m allergic to work or anything, but it’s good to get a little R and R every once in a while.”

“R and R?” asked Chris, looking puzzled.

“Rest and relaxation.” Kit explained.

“Oh…” then Chris raised his head up enough to notice his cousin was dressed slightly different. “Hey Jeffery?” he asked, looking puzzled. “What’s up with your outfit, Jeffery, are you the chef or something? And I thought you were wearing your sweater earlier…”

“What, this old thing?” Jeffery said, smiling and tugging at the front of his uniform, “Nah, I’m not a chef, Chris, though I do help with the cooking sometimes. No Chris, I’m a cafeteria volunteer helper, hired by the school lunch staff. Kit and I both do it as part of our extra curricular school activities, though he got off the hook toady.” Jeffery laughed.

“Hey!” Kit said indignantly. “I had to show Chris around and all! It couldn't be helped, Jeff.” He slightly laughed, happy to see his cousin back to normal after the incident with Gorgon Cornmat earlier that day and Kit was happy he could stick up for his cousin and he always would.

“Wow! That’s neat, Jeffery, so what all do you do as a volunteer cafeteria helper?” Chris asked excitedly. “Is it fun?”

“Oh yes, it is,” Jeffery replied “but it can get tedious at times, especially like today, the dishwasher broke down and me and Oscar had to wash trays by hand. So that was pretty tedious.” Jeffery sighed, looking tired.

“What’s ‘tedious’?” Chris asked, puzzled.

“It means boring, Chris.” Kit answered gently so not to make his brother feel stupid. “And it does get pretty boring sometimes.”

“As far as my duties…” Jeffery said, as though there has been no interruption. “I wash trays and help hand out food to all the students and such. They gave me this uniform to show that I work here.” He stood up to display his white chef’s apron over the black and orange colored t-shirt with a picture of the school mascot, Growly the Tiger on it.

“That’s neat, Jeffery!” Chris exclaimed “I wonder if I could help out?”

“Sure, I can talk to the lunch ladies, and then me and Kit can get you on with us,” replied Jeffery, smiling and throwing an arm around Chris to hug him. “You’re just like me and your brother, Chris. You always want to help out others as well. I like that about you, cuz!”

“Aww, thanks cousin!” Chris replied shyly, blushing slightly to Jeffery’s compliment. “There’s one problem though, sadly I can’t cook, not yet any way.” Chris hung head, looking a bit ashamed.

“Oh, don’t worry about that, little brother.” Kit said, comforting Chris. “They won’t let you help with the cooking until they show you what to do first.”

Chris’ head shot back up in excitement. “Hey!” he exclaimed, his blue eyes ablaze with eagerness. “Maybe Daddy Bear can teach me, he made us a real good breakfast this morning!”

Jeffery suddenly spat out a mouthful of chocolate milk he has been drinking, accidentally spraying Kit in the face.

Chris burst out laughing at the expression on Kit’s face as he got a blasted in the face with chocolate milk

“Sorry—Uncle Baloo cooked breakfast?” Jeffery asked, shocked. “Are we talking about the same Uncle Baloo, whose idea of cooking pizzas was to fly through a volcano? The same Uncle Baloo who sliced bread, meat and cheese for a sandwich with the Sea Duck’s propeller?”

“He did WHAT?” Chris exclaimed in surprise.

“Heh, yeah,” Kit chuckled, wiping his furry face clean with a napkin. “Papa Bear and I did some pretty crazy stuff, and we’ll probably do some more later on. Heh, with Papa Bear, I don’t doubt that one bit.” He then turned to Jeffery. “Yeah, Papa Bear surprised us all, even Mom, with a big delicious country-style breakfast, he said he learned it from the navy.”

“Wow…” Jeffery said in awe.

“Anyway, Chris, there’s no reason to worry, we’ll work on getting you on the cafeteria helping team later on.” Kit promised, smiling and hugging his brother with one arm.

“Thanks you two, you both are the best.” Chris said as the three of them hugged.

“Okay, before they call me back to work and before I have to run again.”Jeffery said. “We need to get our act sorted out. Kit, do you have any ideas of what tricks you want to do yet?” he asked, looking hopeful

“I’m still not sure, Jeff, this seems all sudden for me.” Kit said with an expression that suggests that he was thinking and rapping his brain. “I think I would like to do at least five tricks, it’s a thirty-minute performance, according to the flyer on the bulletin board, so we could do a few small ones but with a big finish, like the wand trick your Mom did last night, that was pretty awesome.”

“Sure, that would be great, Kit.” Jeffery said. “So here’s what I was thinking now that you have a few things in mind. Me, you and Chris walk out onstage and introduce ourselves and then proceed to do a few small tricks, you can do so many in a small amount of time if you’re really good, like one after the other.”

“Onstage?” Chris gulped, feeling his stomach do a back flip at the thought of being up onstage in front of the whole school. “Is it too late to back out?” he asked nervously.

“Yes, it is,” Jeffery said firmly but slyly at the same time. “Don’t worry, cuz, we’ll be there with you to help you out, and I think you did great at the show last night.”

“Really?” Chris asked, giving Jeffery a hopeful look. “You really think I can do this?”

“No, I don’t think, cuz…” Jeffery said, giving Chris another hug. “I know you can do this.”

“But Jeff,” Kit interrupted them. “I’m not good at this yet, there’s no way I can do it that fast. Maybe with a months’ practice but a week? You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“No worries, Kit, Mom and me will have you sawing me and Chris in half and doing any other tricks you have in mind in no time.” Jeffery assured him with a smile.

“Now let’s not get carried the way…” Chris muttered, looking slightly nervous at the idea of being sawed in half by his own brother.

“Just trust me like I trust in your talents and see it in your heart, cuz. I know you can do it. We’re cousin, buddies, pals and a great magic team!” Jeffery added, placing his hand in the center of the table, followed by Chris

“We’ll be the best there is and you will make a wonderful magician, big brother!” Chris said comfortingly

“Heh Heh…yeah…thanks Jeff, Chris.” Kit laughed lightly, placing his hand on his brothers and cousin’s. Kit’s laugh was much like the one he did after Baloo said: ‘We’re buddies, pals, a team.’

“Jeffery Lee Cunningham, there you are! Your break is over, sweetie.” the Cafeteria manager called out to Jeffery, who wanted nothing more than to stay with his cousins. But duties calls, of course.

“I’m sorry, cousins, I have to get back to work.” Jeffery said, placing his blue dishwashing gloves back on his hands. “I’ll talk to you more during our thirty-minute free period after sixth period before we head home for practice.” Jeffery added before departing from the table. “Kit, Chris, you keep out of trouble and just to let you know, I’m not done with surprises yet but I’ll wait to tell you about them on the way home for practice today.” Jeffery smiled

“We will!!” Kit and Chris exclaimed in unison. “And you as well,” they added

“I will guys, thanks.” Jeffery said as he ran around the corner back to the dishwashing room, where he immediately got sprayed with water by Oscar as a joke. He may be a shy kid, but he will prank his friends when he gets the chance. “Oscar!” Jeffery laughed “I’m soaked, thanks a lot.” Jeffery stuck out his tongue mischievously.

“Sorry Jeffery!” Oscar said, looking a bit ashamed, but he was joking to cheer Jeffery up after he had heard about what happened earlier as the two cubs went back to the work.

Kit and Chris finished their lunch as the bell rang, signaling the start fifth period, ending the lunch break.

Later that period Kit and Chris met back up with Jeffery for free period to discuss the magic show plans a bit more as Jeffery told them a bit more of his extra curricular activities he mentioned. He was also Growly, the school mascot and in the school band as the lead drummer when he’s not playing Growly.

[KitCloudkicker5285]

As school ended in the mid afternoon, they headed to Jeffery’s home for their first magician training session, but Jeffery stopped by the local magic shop on the way home and bought a new wand.

“Well,” said Jeffery, looking slightly disappointed as he came out of the shop, holding a new wand. “It’s not like the one Granddaddy gave me, but it’ll have to do. Alright, let’s go to my house, cousins.”

“Okay, Jeff, lead the way.” Kit said, grinning.

They walked a few blocks down the street and then Jeffery turned right and walked up to his house. Chris stared up at Jeffery’s house for the first time.

Jeffery’s house was really a rundown boarding house building between the flower shop and the bakery. Though the building has recently been painted and the windows looked brand new.

“He lives in this old building?” Chris whispered to Kit.

“You should’ve seen it when they first moved in.” Kit said. “Since then, they repainted it—I helped—and replaced the broken windows with new ones. And then Wildcat mowed the lawn—Aunt Melissa wasn’t too happy about her flower bed being destroyed by his crazy mower.”

Chris laughed as they followed Jeffery into the house where the delicious smell of freshly baked cookies reached their nasals.

“Mom! We’re home!” Jeffery shouted, throwing his backpack into an armchair.

“Oh good, did you get that special order I asked you to pick up after school?” Melissa asked, coming out of the kitchen with a tray of cookies.

“D’oh!” Jeffery exclaimed, clapping a hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry, Mom, I forgot when I went to the magic shop to buy a new wand.”

Melissa set the tray down on the carpet table and looked up, frowning in puzzlement.

“Why would you need to buy a new wand, Jeffery dear?” she asked curiously.

Kit and Chris noticed that Jeffery looked suddenly nervous and sweaty as he pulled his broken wand out of his pocket and showed it to his Mom.

Melissa gasped; her mouth fell open and her eyes were wide with shock.

“Oh, Jeffery…” she groaned despairingly, taking the two halves of what used to be one whole wand from him and examining it, “What happened? It looks like someone clipped it in half with a tree limb clipper.”

“I-I’m sorry, Mom,” Jeffery whimpered, feeling the sudden urge to cry because of her reaction. He hated to disappoint his Mom in any way, shape or form. “I took Granddaddy’s wand to school with me…” he sniffed and tears started leaking out his eyes. “And some kid took from me and broke it!”

“Oh, Jeffery,” Melissa said sympathetically, striding over and giving him a comforting embrace. “It’s okay, baby, I know you didn’t mean to get your Grandfather’s wand broken. But honey, you really shouldn’t have taken it to school with you in the first place.”

“I-I know Mommy.” Jeffery whimpered, hugging his Mom tightly. He doesn’t mind her calling him ‘baby’, only she is allowed to do so, anyone else calling him that can feel his wrath! (Mostly a murderous glare.) And when he’s upset, he reverses back to calling her ‘Mommy’. “I-I just wanted to show it to Kit and Chris, but Gorgon—he’s a bully—and his buddies broke it before I had a chance to fight back. M-m-Mommy, I’m so sorry. I just wanted to do something nice for my cousins,” he added, still sniffling.

“Ohh… It’s okay, baby. Shh…” Melissa cooed, hugging Jeffery even tighter, trying to console him. “Calm down, sweetie, I know your Granddaddy would understand. It’s okay, I’m not mad at you. I love you too much for that. Here,” she said, handing Jeffery a handkerchief to blow his stuffy noses.

“T-t-thanks, Mommy.” Jeffery said softly, still crying a little as he blew his nose.

Kit and Chris couldn’t help but hug their cousin too, so that three people were hugging Jeffery at once.

“So what happened to Gorgon?” Melissa asked curiously.
Kit spoke up for Jeffery, who was feeling more than comfortable in the embrace of his loved ones.

“He was expelled and had to pay Jeffery back for the wand he broke.” Kit explained, still hugging Jeffery.

“But he was unable to pay,” Chris chimed in. “So Mr. Pomeroy paid Jeffery. He said he’ll have Gorgon’s parents pay him back.”

Melissa frowned in confusion. “He was expelled just for breaking a wand?”

“No, he had done more than that in the past.” Kit said. “He’s been through detentions, suspensions and all other forms of punishments, but nothing seemed to be working, he kept on bullying people. Breaking Jeffery’s wand was just one crime too many, as far as Mr. Pomeroy was concerned.”

“Good!” Melissa said, looking coldly satisfied. “If this Gorgon kid had remained in that school for much longer, I would have filed an official complaint and Mr. Pomeroy would’ve had to face a mother’s stormy wrath!”

Kit and Chris mentally shuddered at the thought of an angry, protective mother bear form of Melissa loose on them and decided that they’d never want to get on the wrong side of their aunt.

“Jeffery, honey, you are blessed to have a family like this,” Melissa said in a comforting tone, smiling pleasantly. “We’re all here for you and this Gorgon kid…” she scowled at the mention of the bully. “Well, he got what he had coming to him, just like God said, sweetie.”

There was a pause, in which all four of them looked at each other and said together: “You reap what you sow!”

They all begin to laugh as Melissa handed them star shaped cookies with red, white and blue sprinkles and a glass of milk.

“Jeffery, honey,” Melissa said, smiling warmly at her son. “Since you forgot to pick up my special order, I’ll go pick it up myself, you can show your cousins around the house till I get back, only don’t show them the laundry room or my bedroom.”

“Okay, Mom.” Jeffery said, stuffing a cookie into his mouth, earning himself a laugh from his Mom.

“You don't have to cram the whole thing in you mouth,” she told him. “I wouldn’t want you to choke on my cookies.”

“I know Mom, it’s just your cookies are so good, I just can’t resist.” Jeffery said, taking a swig of white milk and giving himself a milky white mustache on his furry upper lip in the progress.

Kit and Chris chuckled at Jeffery as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“Jeffery, how many times do I have to tell you to use a napkin, not your sleeves?” Melissa said, sounding stern but smiling with her eyes twinkling.

Jeffery grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, Mom.”

“Well, I got to go, I’ll be right back, boys. Be good while I’m away.” Melissa said, putting on her car coat, kissing Jeffery, Kit and Chris on their foreheads and walking out the door.

“Hey guys, let’s go up to my room.” Jeffery said. “Wait till you see it, it’s the best bedroom in the world!”

Even Kit, who has been here a few times before, hasn’t seen Jeffery’s room and was looking forward to seeing it.

“Okay, Jeff, lead the way.” Kit said.

“I bet it’s an awesome room.” Chris said as they follow Jeffery up to the first floor. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“Either can I,” Kit said, smiling gently.

It wasn’t until they reached the fourth and top floor did Jeffery called the halt. They had reached the very end of fourth floor hallway, where there was nothing in front of them but a blank wooden wall. They appeared to have encountered a dead end.

“Err… Jeffery?” Chris said, looking around. “Did you forget where your own room is?”

Jeffery turned to look slyly at Chris. “No, this is it,” he said. “Stand back and watch this.”

Kit and Chris stood back a little as Jeffery reached up and grasped a rope protruding from the ceiling and pulled. A trapdoor in the ceiling was lowered down to reveal a flight of wooden steps, leading up to a seemingly normal bedroom door with a golden star-shape plat hanging on it with the words ‘Jeffery’s Room’ on in the center of the plat.

“Come on, it’s up here.” Jeffery said, climbing the steps toward his bedroom and beckoning his cousins to follow.
Kit and Chris followed Jeffery up the steps to his bedroom as Jeffery opened the door.

The bedroom was rather nice, contrast to Kit’s idea of an attic bedroom.

The carpeted floor was navy blue; the wallpapers were light blue with dark blue airplane shapes all over them. There was a desk on one side of the room and a triple decker bunk bed on the other side.

The dresser drawers were next to the desk, while the closet was near the beds. And in the center of the room was a tall shelf bearing all the collections of a typical twelve-year-old.

There were different things on each line of shelf. The top shelf displayed a collection of airplane models; the model of the Sea Duck was at the very center of the collection and stood out against all the other planes, having been raised up slightly higher than the others. The second line of shelf contains action figures of fighter pilots and army guys. All the other lines of shelves contain books of all different kinds, mostly exciting and spellbinding fictional stories.

The room was brightly lit, despite the fact that no one turned on any lights. Looking up, Kit and Chris saw the reason for that. There was a skylight window in the ceiling above the bunk beds.

“Yeah,” Jeffery said, noticing his cousins looking up at his skylight window. “That’s the reason I picked this room, I like looking up at sky at nights and at the moon. Sadly there’s too much light in this city to see any stars, so I had to stick some glow-in-the-dark stars to the glass so that I could see stars when I look up at the night’s sky, even if they’re not real.”

“Yeah, but the real stars are beautiful though.” Kit said; who had seen a lot of stars from the darkest allies during his street days. “You have an awesome room, Jeff, I’m slightly jealous. Maybe me and Chris should move in with you.”

“It would be great if you did,” Jeffery said, looking very excited at the idea of his cousins living with him. “Mom got me this triple bunks because she thought you two might like to spend the night a lot during the summer.”

“Really?” Chris exclaimed delightedly. “Oh, we’ll definitely spend the night with you! I get the bottom bunk!” He ran over to the beds and dived onto the bottom bunk. “Wow, this is so comfy,” he said, rolling to his side with his head on the pillow, closing his eyes lazily. “I think I’ll take a little cat nap.”

And within minutes, he was asleep with a cute peaceful look on his face.

“Let him sleep,” Kit advised Jeffery, who showed signs of wanting to wake him up. “He had a long and exciting first day, you remember how tiring your first day was, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but he wasn’t bullied on the first day, was he?” Jeffery muttered as Kit went and pulled the covers over Chris.

“No,” Kit admitted. “No, he wasn’t, but that was only because he was with me the whole day. But the first day is still tiring, even without the bullies picking on him.”

“Wish I had you to protect me on my first day,” Jeffery said. “Where were you back then anyway?”

“I, um…” Kit said hesitantly. “I was with the Air Pirates, I think, during the time Karnage was making his way over here with the Lightning Gun, I guess.”

“Oh Kit,” Jeffery said, hugging Kit. “It’s okay, cuz, I’m glad your here with me now though. Thanks goodness Uncle Baloo saved your from that fall. How did that happened anyway? Did you slip?” he asked, looking confused.

“Jeffery, I thought I told you that story.” Kit said uncertainly, as though unsure if Jeffery seem like the forgetful type. “Heh, your memories’ must be getting as bad as your Mom’s.” He said teasingly, to which Jeffery frowned indignantly. “After Karnage broke my airfoil, I threw it at him and he ordered Dumptruck to drop me off the Iron Vulture.”

“Heh, heh, yeah…sorry Kit, I apologize.” Jeffery said sheepishly, holding a hand behind his head “And hey, I’m not that forgetful! I did however remember some of it. And yeah, heh-heh, Mom’s getting bad at times, huh?” he laughed. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

“My lips are sealed.” Kit said, waving a hand over his mouth and making a zipping motion over his lips with his hand.

Jeffery chuckles a little bit before putting up a serious face.

“Kit, have you noticed that Chris is a bit…skinny?” he asked, watching Kit’s expression. “It’s like he weighs a lot less than we do.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that he’s a bit bony and skinny, but I haven’t tested his weight yet.” Kit said, frowning. “I don’t think he was actually starved at his orphanage, but he obviously didn’t get enough to eat either.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious.” Jeffery said in agreement, glancing at the bed where Chris was sleeping peacefully. “I mean, I could barely lift you, but I can lift Chris up about a foot off the ground just fine. That sweater of his hides how skinny he is really well. How much do you weigh?”

“About seventy-two pounds, thanks to Baloo trying to beef me up, before then, I was fifty-four pounds.”

“That sounds about right, you weigh about the same as me.” Jeffery said, smiling. “But Uncle Baloo should focus more on getting Chris beefed up right now.”

About an hour later, Kit had decided that Chris had slept long enough and went over to the bed and gently shook him awake.

“W-what is it?” Chris asked groggily, letting out a huge yawn and rubbing his eyes.

“Time to get up, Chris.” Kit said, “you’ve slept for an hour.”

Jeffery came over to Chris, wearing a blue nurse’s uniform and he was looking him up and down, as though trying to determine whither Chris was the right size or not.

“Chris, I need to check you over, you don’t mind, do you?” Jeffery asked.

“No…” Chris said uncertainly as he got up out of bed and stood up. “Are we playing doctors?” he asked, gesturing to Jeffery’s nurse’s outfit

“Uh, yeah that’s it,” Jeffery said with a sideways glance at Kit. “And you’re the patience.”

“Okay.” Chris said, looking between Kit and Jeffery as though trying to see where this was going.

“Okay, Chris, I need you to take off your sweater.” Jeffery said.
Chris hesitated before doing as he was told. He took off his blue sweater and laid it on the bed. He stood there, wearing only his white turtleneck undershirt. Chris’s body appeared strangely small without his sweater, he looked very skinny indeed; his build didn’t quite match his height.

“Good gracious, Chris,” Jeffery yelped in stunned surprise, while Kit looks a little shocked. “What had they been feeding you, a slice of bread a day?”

“No…” Chris replied in a low voice, looking down at his feet. “We get by with three bowls of soup a day and one roll.”

“Well evidentially those soups weren’t very filling at all,” Jeffery said indignantly. He then stood directly in front of Chris, slid his hands under Chris’ armpits and lifted him up so that Chris’ feet dangled a foot and a half from the floor. “See Chris? You’re not very heavy.” He put Chris back down, took hold of his hand and pulled him toward the bedroom door. “C’mon, Chris, Mom’s got a height and weight scale in her nurse’s office.”

The three of them went down from Jeffery’s attic bedroom and down a few floors before Jeffery led them into a room that appeared to be the nurse’s office.

“This is the nurse’s office, for once we get other people living here.” Jeffery explained. “My Mom used to be a nurse, you know.”

And speaking of Jeffery’s Mom, Melissa chose that moment to walk in on them.

“Jeffery dear, what are you three doing in here?” she asked, looking suspiciously at her son.

“Chris needs a checkup, Nurse Mom, could you give him one?”

“I don’t see why not…” Melissa said, grabbing her white lab coat from the coat rack and putting it on. “Chris, hop onto the bed, please.”

Chris went and climbed up onto the bed and sat down upon it.

“What happened to your sweater, sweetie?” she asked as she checked his blood pressure, she, like Jeffery, had noticed how skinny Chris appeared and was a bit concerned about it too.

“He must’ve left it in Jeffery’s room,” Kit said, standing next to Chris and looking a little worried for his brother. “Jeffery told him to take it off.”

“Well, blood pressure’s normal, now let’s check your reflexes.” Melissa said, and she took a very small rubber hammer and tapped Chris’ kneecap with it, which reacted instantly, causing Chris to kick out his foot under a nearby tray and sent it flying up to the ceiling.

“Whoa,” Jeffery exclaimed in shock as the tray came back down to the floor with a loud clatter! “You weren’t kidding about your kicks.”

“Hmm, reflexes are very sensitive and very reactive…” Melissa said, marking something on her clipboard. She did a number of other checkups on her nephew, including checking his pulse and listening to his heartbeats with a stethoscope before saying: “Okay, all perfectly normal. Now to check your height and weight.”

She lifted Chris from the bed and carried him over to the height and weight scale. She was surprise at how little Chris seem to weigh, it was like carrying a sack of potatoes, really. She set Chris down upon the scale and told him to stand straight and still.

“Yes, Aunt Melissa.” Chris said, and he stood up straight and still.
Melissa adjusted the scale until it was well balanced, she frowned at the results.

“No way…” she muttered. She then measured him before letting him off the scale. “I can’t believe it, he’s underweight…” she muttered, scribbling on her clipboard.

“Underweight?” Jeffery asked, looking nervous.

“Yes, Jeffery dear,” Melissa said, frowning at her clipboard. “Chris is three foot, eight inches and weighs forty-five pounds. That’s way below average; he weighs less than a cub his size is supposed to weigh.”

“What?!” Kit exclaimed. “That’s about ten pounds less than what I weighed before Baloo started beefing me up!”

“Is that bad?” Jeffery asked, looking downright alarmed by this time, for he knew that he and Kit were three foot, nine inches and weighed seventy-two pounds. Chris’s weight compared to that was very worrying.

“It is very unhealthy but not life-threatening yet, as long as he gets plenty to eat.” Melissa replied “And we won’t have to worry about that, your Uncle Baloo and Aunt Rebecca will make sure he gets plenty to eat.” and then she turned to Chris. “Did you get plenty to eat at the orphanage?” she asked him.

“Um…well…no…” Chris admitted, “I used to get through three bowls of soup a day…”

“What kind of soup? Did it have beef and vegetables in it?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“No, it tasted like Thembrian gruel, but on some days we’d have a slice of bread to go with it,” said Chris, now wondering where all these questions were leading to.

EWWWWWW, Thembrian gruel? That’s nasty! Jeffery thought with a disgusted look on his face.

“Oh dear… Man does not live on bread alone…or gruel for that matter.” Melissa muttered. “Chris, the reason you’re so skinny and a bit underweight is because your body wasn’t getting enough portions from all the food groups …or even the right amount of it. You’ll need to start eating more, with a little snack between meals. Make sure one of those snacks is a big red, juicy apple.”

“Okay Aunt Melissa, I will.” Chris promised. “Can I have one now, please?”

Melissa smile gently as she nodded. “Of course, dear.” Then she looked over at Jeffery. “Jeffery, show Chris to the kitchen, please.”

“Okay, Mom. Come on, Chris.” Jeffery said, and he grabbed Chris’s hand and led him to the kitchen, very keen to get some food in Chris’ belly.

Kit however, remained behind with his aunt.

“How bad off is he?” Kit asked her, feeling very concerned for his little brother.

“Oh, not bad,” Melissa said reassuringly, putting a hand on Kit’s furry cheek and giving it a gentle massage, as though trying to ease his troubled mind. “The weight is his only flaw in the health department, but other than that, he’s quite healthy. He just needs to put on a bit of weight and then he’ll be perfectly healthy. Now, don’t force him to eat more when he says he’s full, his stomach is smaller than average right now, he won’t be able to eat as much as you and Jeffery do, and it won’t do to overfeed him. It will make him sick.”

“Well, he did fairly well with breakfast this morning, so I’m not worried.” Kit said, he turned and was about to leave the room to join his brother with his snack.

“Oh, and Kit?” Melissa called after him. “Tell the boys to meet me in the rehearsal studio in ten minutes. Today I’m just going to see how many tricks you already know and can do before I teach you anything new, okay?”

“Okay, Aunt Melissa.” Kit strode back to his aunt and gave her a hug. “Thank you for teaching me, I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, you’re welcome, sweetie!” Melissa exclaimed happily and she kissed Kit on top of the head before he took off to find his brother and cousin.

Kit went downstairs to the living area and walked into the kitchen and saw Jeffery, who was now out of his nurse’s outfit and was wearing his chef’s outfit, cooking a pizza for Chris. He was setting a pizza into the oven while Chris sat at the bar, munching happily on an apple. Jeffery, knowing how well Kit likes pizza, started fixing another one for them to share in case there weren’t any leftovers from the other pizza he was cooking for Chris.

Melissa walked in on them, (this is becoming a bad habit of hers…) took one look and a sniff around the kitchen and then she started telling Jeffery off.

“Jeffery Lee Cunningham, how many times have I told you not to cook in my kitchen without me! I want some of the fun too, you know!"

“Oops, sorry.” Jeffery said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to leave you out on the fun, Mom; you know I love cooking, right?” he gave his Mom a wink.

“Sorry son, but you’re not winking your way out of this one,” Melissa said, sounding stern. “You’re doing the dishes tonight, Mr. Chef.”

“Oh no…” Jeffery groaned. “Not that, anything but that…”

“Okay then, you can massage my feet tonight.” Melissa said, smiling slyly at her son.

“Eww! No thank you!” exclaimed Jeffery, looking revolted. “I’d rather do the dishes!”

“Oh, come now, Jeffery, my feet are not that bad....”

“Speak for yourself,” Jeffery muttered. “You have this crooked toe that creeps me out!” He gave a shudder at the very thought of his Mom’s creepy toe .

“Jeffery,” Chris said, interrupting them. “I really don’t need that picture in my head while I’m eating!”

“Oh, sorry Chris,” Jeffery said, wishing he hasn’t said anything about his Mom’s creepy toe.

“Aunt Melissa, do you still want me to deliver your message?” Kit asked from the bar, sitting next to Chris. “Or are you gonna tell them, since you’re already here.”

“Oh, I supposed I can tell them myself, Kit dear.” Melissa said kindly. “Meet me in the rehearsal studio in…” she consulted her watch. “five minutes for magic practice.”

“But Mom,” Jeffery protested. “My pizza’s not going to be ready in five minutes, the timer’s on twelve minutes right now and then we’ll need time to eat it.”

“Oh, alright,” Melissa sighed but smiling at the same time, she knew that feeding an underweight Chris was more important right now. “Meet me for practice after you’ve finished eating.” And with that, she turned her heels and walked out of the kitchen, calling to Jeffery from the hallway. “And save a slice for me!”

Jeffery grinned slyly as he called back. “Okay Mom, we’ll try, but I make no promises, we’re all growing boys, you know.”

They heard Melissa laughing from the hallway, but more distance this time.

“Alright, I’ll remember that when I’m fixing your favorite for dinner tonight, we’re having lasagna.” She called back.

That wiped the sly smile off of Jeffery’s face, and when the pizza was ready twelve minutes later, the first thing he did was cut out a slice and shoved it in the refrigerator.’

“What?” he said defensively as he turned to see his cousins watching him. “I want that lasagna.”

Kit and Chris smirked but said nothing as they started eating their pizza.

Jeffery took off his chef outfit and they ate quickly, wanting to get to Melissa’s magic lessons as soon as possible. And then when they were finished and the pizza was gone, they walked upstairs to the rehearsal studio, where Melissa was waiting….

Authors’ Note:
We hope you have enjoyed this chapter and don’t worry, we already have plans for chapter five.

Rest the sure that Simba, who is in charge of the orphanage, had no idea what the children were eating and if he did…well we’d have a very angry lion, so no flames on Simba and hands/paws off the lion!

Anyway, special thanks to all our fans and readers for reading this story and for believing in us. Keep an eye out for the next chapter, till next time!

PS:
Melissa's character is based on Aggie Cromwell from Halloween Town with a little bit of Rebecca in the mix. She appeared to be the twin sister of Rebeca with her hair already graying (that's Jeffery's fault, you know.) And her voice is exactly the same as Aggie Cromwell, so Aggie's actress, Debbie Reynolds would be the perfect voice for Melissa if this story ever becomes part of the Tale Spin series.

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Very nice! I like the way the relationships between characters are presented. Almost like in real life.

Oh and I would help Simba get at whoever was feeding those orphans Gruel *pulls out keyblade* ... eh? *looks at keyblade*

Keep it up! I eagerly await what happens next.