A Trickster's Daughter

Chapter 9: Like Father Like Daughter

August-ish 2000, Rutland, Georgia, United States

It had been about 3 years since that day in Harrisburg, and right now Gabriel was at a loss. Maya was curled up on her motel bed, under the blankets, facing the window and ignoring him. He tried to make what happened earlier today a good thing, a way to introduce her to the line she'll eventually cross when she's older and a fully trained Trickster. Or half-Trickster as he explained to her what happened 3 years ago when he woke her up at his safe house in North Dakota. He wanted her to get used to it now when she's young, than be too hesitant when she's older and facing against a Hunter or other dangerous beings.

After all, a Trickster has to be able to take the trick all the way if the jerk they were tricking doesn't learn their lesson, or, more likely than not, justly deserves it. In other words, Maya needed to be able to take a life. Gabriel doesn't like it, but with the way Maya was and the way the world was heading she couldn't afford to be as merciful and as kind hearted as she actually was. Not if she wanted to survive.

"C'mon pumpkin, don't be like this," Gabriel tried to cajole, placing a hand on her shoulder. "The guy injured and killed multiple people in a horrible hit and run and didn't even bat an eye in guilt. So what if your trick didn't go as you planned it? The guy deserved what he got. So lets celebrate! Your first fatal trick! C'mon sunshine!" Apparently those weren't the words Maya really wanted to hear. She just curled herself up tighter and roughly shrugged off his hand.

"Celebrate?" Maya let a disbelieving snort. "I just got someone killed, practically murdered them, and you want me to celebrate?"

Gabriel let out a weary sigh. "Maya it's what we do. We're Tricksters! We play tricks on the high and mighty types, the assholes and the jerks, and give them their just desserts, teach 'em a lesson—"

"That has to include killing them?!" Maya interrupted as she abruptly sat up and whirled around to stare at her father, a face full of desperate questioning and distress. "What do they learn then? Who decided we are judge, jury and executioner?" she questioned, voice filled emotion and uncertainty. "My mark, that hit-and-run driver, was making his way to the police station to turn himself in! I was able to use my illusions to make him face what he did and for him to feel guilty, remorseful! He learned his lesson! He was ready to make up for it anyway he could! HE DIDN'T DERSERVE TO DIE!" Maya exploded. Her undeveloped chest rising and falling with her pants as she stared at her Dad beseechingly with wide gold eyes now on the verge of angry and anxious tears.

Gabriel stared at his daughter wide-eyed. Other than normal little kid tantrums she'd throw when she was smaller, filled with petulant childish whines, she'd never yelled at him like this before.

Don't get him wrong, he loved his daughter's kind, compassionate, and merciful heart. It's what made her so much better than what he could ever hope to be; and in a perfect world he'd leave it be. However, this was not a perfect world. It was cruel, ugly, and dangerous; and Gabriel wanted to make sure that if anything happened to him Maya would be able to make it on her own. He'd have to not break it, but crack it. Put enough pressure on it that if push came to shove Maya would be able to do what she needed to do to stay alive. Tricksters were powerful and dangerous beings. Not all Hunters, or most other supernatural beings, had the balls to go after them. That being said if any got wind of a half-Trickster that's not willing to kill? Maya wouldn't have a very long life being constantly hunted.

Gabriel couldn't allow that. As much as he wanted to hold his daughter and tell her she could be whatever kind of Trickster she wanted to be, he couldn't.

"Listen here, and listen good." Gabriel said sternly point a finger at her, his body tense and gold eyes dark with threat of retribution. Maya cowed a little, but held his gaze unwavering with her own molten eyes. "I don't give a damn that you're half-human. You aren't one of them. So stow whatever emotions or conflict of morals you got for them. Whether you like it or not you're a Trickster, and that's what you're going to be. A full fledge mischief-maker that rains judgment on the human assholes and human monsters of the world giving them their just desserts, which will include killing them from time to time."