Nerobell told me we could find you here.

Sage ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me. I held her in my arms until Amaryllis grabbed her books and left. I didn't want to let go of my little girl, I had missed her so much. Serena stepped forward and placed her hand on my shoulder causing me to open my eyes and look up at her.

I understand why you needed her to be here. Ashba tried while we were going to retrieve her. Miranda and Hadassa put up a fight and managed to get her before he could.

Tell them thank you, and thank you for allowing her to come here.

Mommy! Miranda is a mermaid, she was so pretty! I thought you said they didn't exist?

I'll let you both talk, there is a lot that needs to be said. Although, Mandii, I think it might be time to start Sage's training.

Training? What training?

I looked down at Sage's confused face. The time had come that she needed to know what she was, what I was. I nodded to Serena and she took her leave. I took Sage back to my room and let her sit on the bed. She was still confused, after all, she was only eight and didn't understand much at this point.

Mommy, what did she mean by training? Like school work?

No baby.

I knelt down in front of her and put my hands on her legs. I had to be her mother, I had to do what I could to protect her and now I knew that meant I couldn't put her in the hands of other people. She was the diamond in the middle of all this dirt and I had to protect her.

There's something mommy needs to tell you...

I tried to explain the best way I could, how do you explain to a little girl that she would one day be a Siren? How do you explain that you are a Siren? There was no guarantee that she would be the same as I am, she could be like Amaryllis, instead of taking on the attributes of a bird she could take on the evolution of the mermaid. She was excited but I knew she didn't really understand. She was smart for her age, almost to smart. I knew it wouldn't take her long to understand her place here and I almost welcomed it.

After I talked to her about the Siren she told me about school and asked about Jason. She cried, she didn't want to believe he was gone. He had his way of showing love and to Sage he showed it the best. I watched her break down as I did and tried to help the best way I could. Denial was apart of the grieving process and I knew that. Once she knew about Nerobell and what happened with her I knew she would ask me to bring Jason back. Until then, I had to deal with her emotions with her.

A knock at the door broke Sage's tears. She looked up at the door then over to me. I hung my head and stood up before walking to the door. Teakin stood and didn't say a word before shoving me to the side and dropping books and maps onto my desk. She was about to say something when she noticed Sage.

Is that?

My daughter, what did you need Teakin?

Oh, well hello there, I just wanted to let you know I can point you in a direction. I think I might have found out where Blair is.

I walked over to the desk and Sage jumped off the bed. She walked over next to me as I pulled a map off the desk with scribbles on it.

There's three marks here?

No mommy look.

She pointed to a small red dot in the corner of the map.

She's here mommy.

I looked over at Teakin. She was in shock.

How do you know?

You're looking for a women with red hair right? She's here. She's scared.

I looked over at Teakin and she just shrugged. Sage then took our hands in hers and I was able to see what Teakin saw of Blair. She was crying, dirt and blood covering her face. She was in a dark room of some sort chained to the ground with what I assumed was the same restrains as Helen had been in. When I was done seeing, Sage smiled and continued to hold my hand while she left go of Teakins.

Your daughter is a Trader?

Why would you say that?!

No, not like she's against us. She can trade powers.

What do you mean?

I mean she is able to shift my powers to you while she was holding our hands Mandii. She was able to take my powers into herself and convert them. Mandii, your daughter-

No...

But she-

No, she isn't fighting she is going to learn to protect herself, that's all.

But Mandii.

I said no.

Teakin grunted before looking over at Sage.

Can you do me a favor?

Sage looked up at me and I rolled my eyes before nodding.

Ok, I need you to hold your mom's hand and think about protecting her. I'm going to try to get in her mind but I need you to keep me out. Think you can do that?

I guess.

Good, ok ready?

Sage nodded and gripped my hand tighter. Her palm cooled my hand as she closed her eyes. Teakin looked at me, smiling. She placed her hand on my head and closed her eyes. She seemed to be struggling for a moment but the struggle stopped as soon as she opened her eyes.

I didn't fall asleep? I didn't even feel you?

Because Sage protected you. She might not be Siren at all.

How does that work?

I don't know but it's pretty freaking cool. I've only read about traders, I've never actually met one.

Sage opened her eyes and looked up at me.

Mommy, did I do it?

I was speechless. It was truly amazing but I also knew this meant Serena would want to use her to protect people. She was in danger...

Yes, you did it.

Mandii, we could use her.

We aren't using my daughter.

I turned back to the maps but Teakin had other ideas other than sending me out to get Blair. She leaned on the desk and in a whisper spoke words I wished I never would have heard.

We aren't listening to you anymore Mandii. I'm going to tell Serena. You've done a lot of damage just by keeping things to yourself. Sage could help and you know it. It's not your choice anymore.

She's my daughter it's my fucking choice if she is used as your telekinetic shield!

My voice caused the room to go silent. Teakin clenched her jaw trying to bite back her words. Sage looked up at me confused then looked over at Teakin.

I can help?

Yes.

No. You are going to learn to protect yourself but you are not going to join this battle.

I want to help.

No!

Sage lowered her head as Teakin pulled me by my wrist out into the hallway and closed the door. I leaned on the wall, furious that Teakin would ask such a thing let alone threaten to tell Serena.

Let her.

No.

Mandii, she's like you I can already tell. She's going to do anything to protect you, just let her.

She's eight and has a lot to live for. You put her out on the battlefield and she might not make it out.

She's eight?

Teakin!

I'm just saying she looks like she's fourteen. Ok, I understand you are scared but what if we protect her?

I can't focus with the worry she'll get killed or worse.

Please, Mandii, she could do a lot of help. You have everyone stacked against you. One of the court members daughters already has formed an uprise against us. Your daughter could be the one to save us.

The girl who had stabbed me with the dagger was one of the court members daughters. It explain how she knew so much like the fact there was a secret court meeting being held the same day I was going to further training. I sighed and looked away from Teakin.

It doesn't matter, does it really? You are going to tell Serena either way and at that point it doesn't matter that it's my daughter. Serena will do what is best for the rest of the Sirens.

Mandii, Sage will be safe. I swear on my own life that no harm will come to her. If I can teach her how to use her powers I can guarantee that He will never even know she's there.

My hands were tied. I had no choice and I hated the feeling. I had protected everyone but now that I needed to keep Sage safe I couldn't. I could run, I could leave this war in the hands of Serena but what would Ashba do after he had his revenge? He would no doubt hunt me down with the other Sirens to kill me. He wasn't going to leave loose ends, it would only leave a chance to have himself killed. I looked over at Teakin, tears burning my eyes because I would not allow them to leave.

I just got her back...

And when all this is over, when Ashba is dead, when things go back to normal you can have her back again. This isn't a death sentence for anyone, this is a way to save more lives. She wants to Mandii, you can't treat her like she is a fragile child anymore. You see her as human but there is the possibility she is a Siren and we know for a fact now that she isn't just a human.

I guess I have no choice.

I shoved Teakin to the side causing her back to hit the wall and walked back into the room. Sage sat at the desk reading the books Teakin had brought and looking over the maps.

Sage...

She turned around and smiled.

Yes mom?

She sounded different, she looked different. She had matured beyond her years and I had been fooling myself. I tricked my mind into only seeing the eight year old girl I had given birth to. She wasn't just that eight year old girl, she was so much more. She had changed so much and I wasn't there for any of it.

You're going to go with Teakin and learn how to better use your powers.

Powers?

Do you still want to help?

Of course.

I walked over to her and got done on one knee before wrapping my arms around her. She returned the embrace and lowered her head into my shoulder. My head rested on her shoulder and the tears I tried to fight back streamed down my cheeks.

I've always known you were different than anyone else. You were so special, so caring, so understanding. There is so much I have to tell you but I don't have the time. One day I will tell you everything you want to know and even things you never thought were real. For now, I have to go again and you are going to stay here with Teakin. I promise, I will not leave you again. I love you.

I love you too mom.

Sage pulled her head away from my shoulder. She smiled at me and pushed my hair out of my face.

I never blamed you mom, you did what you could. I didn't understand a lot of things like why I was so different but now I do understand. You can explain more to me when this is over. Don't worry about me, I want to help anyway I can. All I've wanted was to be with you and now I'm going to do what I can to prove to you that you don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself...Just don't leave anymore mom....

I shook my head and placed my hand on Sage's cheek.

I won't, I promise.




--------




In just a matter of hours once again I will step in the ring with Jenny Myst. Once again, even though the championship is not on the line, I will prove myself a champion in the middle of the XWF ring. This time there will be no distractions, no easy pins. There will only be me and Jenny and even with it only being a few weeks this has been a long time coming. I know this will not be the last I see of Jenny in the ring. Like she has said she has the opportunity to cash in for another chance at the bombshell championship, even thought she had her chance to regain it back already and lost it. This match, this week, at Warfare I will take control of my career once again and prove just why I belong here.

The XWF has seen a lot of talent come and go over the years. It has even seen me come and concore to later leave. To put minds to rest, like Jennys, it doesn't matter if I am on my last leg and can only fight half as well as I can now, I will not leave. I will not take a bow until I have accomplished everything I set out to do here in XWF. I have done so much with my career over the past few years and some of it has lived while some of it has been forgotten. It is time I show my worth once again and I can't think of a better company than XWF to do it in. This isn't a pep talk, this isn't me trying to talk higher of myself, this is me telling everyone here that no one and no championship is safe. I have been beaten and bruised in and outside of the ring. I have been thrown in the fire but I have also thrown others into the same fire. I can be loved, or you can hate me if it helps you sleep at night, just know that Mandii Rider is going nowhere. Beat me, cause me to lose, attack me, I will not back down.

Now with that being said, allow me to tell you what Jenny got wrong this week. First and foremost, this is not her division. For all intents and purposes it is my division and I plan build it up. Second, just because you kill a division does not make you someone with respect or worth my time. Keep being happy you are a toxic person Jenny, see how far that takes you in life. Third, his name is Jason and he's not the one who chained me to a wall. That would be fucking weird. Forth, I never used a spoon because I never stick anything in my arms. You can check them if you don't believe me, I mostly smoked pills but I guess I'm still a druggie for it, oh well can't take it back now. Fith, a pat on the back and pep talk isn't what keeps me going, determination and perseverance does that. Last, Jenny can't get under my sink even though she wishes she could so she might stand a chance against me. Truth of the matter is I know who I am, sure if you want to think I was the girl in highschool that slept around so I wouldn't get made fun of, cool. If you want to call me out about being the kind of girl that Jenny would have picked on in high school, yup probably since I don't have to fake it. I was and still am real. I bleed, I break down, I did drugs, I had people abuse me, and I know I'm not perfect. I don't have to keep up a persona of who I am so when I enter the ring each week I enter refreshed and ready to go. Jenny has to keep up this facade and that's probably why she's losing lately, must be so tiring to have to pretend to be something you're not. I'd much rather be picked up every week because I am real than be constantly tired and paranoid that someone will find out I'm a fake. At the end of the day Jenny, you proved how little you actually know me. Go you.

Now let's talk about why Jenny is still useless. She says I say the same thing and so does she. Hipitrictal? Yup, but I've said that before. Jenny has made it perfectly clear she is fine with not improving and staying where she is. Is that really what a champion is all about? She's said she is toxic and the reason she held the championship was only because that was the best she could do in this company, hold a championship for a dying division. Actually, if it was already dying why do I give you so much credit Jenny? It’s not hard to shoot a dog in between the eyes when he’s on death's doorstep anyway. She's already said she's never going to amount to anything more than the women's division, guess I can't call you a liar anymore can I? She's already said it herself, she's useless and won't amount to much so why is she wrestling? Oh right, she doesn't think she's deserves the right to buy nice things with Chris's money, gotcha. She brings up Chaos's accomplishments because she has none of her own. I mean, not only did you kill a division you killed your boyfriends career by making him leave. Chris Chaos is holding a up and comer championship and Jenny can't even get her hands on a championship that was as useless as she is now. She knocks my past but oh wait! Chris was top 50 when he was actually good! Awesome because he sucks now. Oh but wait, didn't I ghost for two years? Yup, but I still came back and kicked your ass didn't I Jen Jen. Oh, but I didn't pin you. Alright, fair enough, guess I'll pin you twice at Warfare just to prove a point. Let's not forget she killed the division for...Wait..Why? Because she didn't want enemies? She jumps back and forth on this one so I don't even think she knows why she killed a whole division. Actually, like I said before, she didn’t single handedly kill the division, oops. Oh! Best part, she can't bash my skill in the ring because I won the championship so she goes into my past. Low blows for days right Jenny? You're cute. Not to mention when she knows I’m right she digs into my past and can’t even get it right. Score zero for the blondes!

Did I recap everything? Everyone caught up? Oh wait! What is this? Jenny just repeated herself again over and over in another promo? Oh, cool. How sweet is it that she’s going to be thinking of me while on Savage? Guess I got what I wanted in the end, you will never get me out of your head Jenny. When you go into a match you will be picturing my face on your opponent. I’ve already won knowing that the name Mandii Rider will forever be on your lips. You will forever talk me up while still trying to bring me down. How does the envy feel? How does the heat in your blood feel when it boils at the sound of my name? What you hate, me, will be with you until the day you die. What an impact I must have left on you.

I gave it to you Jenny, I told you how well we did at Turning Point. I told you you were a competitor and I respected you for that. You are the one who sat on your pretty little ass and tried to hurl everything at me that you could. You are the one who tried to make me run because I was the new enemy, the new threat, and by doing so you lost my respect. You lost, YOU didn't have what it takes to keep going and you lost. I didn't have to pin you, I didn't have to Crackhead you three times in a row to beat you. All I had to do was make you give up and I did. That is more satisfying than pinning you in my opinion. You didn't get back in the ring, you GAVE UP. The loss, the fact you don't have this championship, all of that is your fault. Hart barely did anything in our match, and you still couldn't knock me off her. YOU GAVE IT UP. You can blame me all you want for the fact you couldn't keep up but everyone saw you give up. But tell yourself whatever you need to in order to not kill yourself or sleep at night. Bottom line is I did win and I will win at Warfare again.

Let's bring up the past one more time though shall we Jenny? Yes, I said I didn't give my all in my returning match and I said I would try harder. Guess what? I did, I did try harder and got my championship. Did I mention Robbie was the one who was pinned? Yes, but I didn't claim I lost the match. I took my loss and honestly, if I had done my part and his we would have won. But that's why you are stuck in the women's division while I plan to do more with my career here Jenny, because I have respect for myself as I’ve said it before. I shouldn't have to make up for a dead beat used-to-be and if Robbie wants to get pissed at me for it, good then I can kick his ass for doing worse than not showing up. You on the other hand Jenny, you still lost the match and you still haven't gotten over it.

Obviously I really am getting under your skin if you have to show me a bright pink middle finger under an X-ray machine. The middle finger? Fuck you? Oh you poor stupid fool you. You are the one who made this thing between us personal, not me. You are the one who wanted to bring pasts up and you further proved you aren't over your past and the fact someone took you for themselves. The fact I took this championship away from you was the same thing as being raped in your eyes. Oh no, does that mean you are going to have bad flashbacks? Are we going to have to deal with a PTSD Jenny Myst now? Once again this week on Warfare I will take you down and make you lose again. Once again I will prove how much better I actually am Jenny so prepare for the mental hell you are going to go through when you find out you lost against me once again.

At the end of the day Jenny you suck just as bad at being an investigator as you do in beating me on your own. Warfare might, probably won’t, but might just get you to shut up about things you don’t know. Either way, whether you want to run your mouth or shut it, doesn’t matter. What matters is when I get that 1...2...3 and you are left wondering who the hell you are. Don’t worry, I’ll be here to remind you you aren’t shit.