Outside in the backyard, the seven members of the Frewin household gathered together. The five children were nervous yet excited as Mr. Frewin began to talk.
"As I've already told you, spirit is already in each and every one of your bodies right now. It's the manifestation of the human experience, the byproduct of not only your body's natural processes but also the emotion you feel on a day to day basis. But your emotions are the best fuel for your spirit, as the saying goes." Mr. Frewin looked satisfied in his clever reference.
Mrs. Frewin gave him a sly smirk as she began to pick up where he left off.
"That's why spirit users choose to use their spirit through something called modes."
Mrs. Frewin was interrupted by Chase, who had one finger on his bottom lip while his eyes spaced out.
"Wait… Wait… Spirit… Emotion… Modes… Umm…"
"Will you shut the fuck up for once?" Akilah buried her notepad into the top of Chase's messy mop of hair. Mrs. Frewin continued with a laugh.
"Alright kids. Well, these modes that I was talking about. Modes are the ways you choose to manifest your spirit. These modes are things that you love. It can be something simple of something more abstract, which puts modes into two categories. Material, or conceptual."
Mrs. Frewin turned over to Mr. Frewin.
"That's right. A material mode would be something like mine or Mrs. Frewin. Growing up, I loved fire, because it was the mode that was carried down and taught through my family. It was also the thing that simultaneously gave life and took it away."
"And for me, It was ice, for about the same reason, haha." Mrs. Frewin continued to talk as her hand began to freeze over, growing icicles at the bottom of it.
"Woah!" Amora said as she gently poked at the icicles. Mr. Frewin started up again.
"But a mode can also be conceptual. Something like pain, happiness, or perfection. These modes can be the most powerful, but at the cost of taking more spirit. It's harder to materialize something that you don't have any visual representation of, and since there are so many ways that mode can go, it eats up your spirit while making an amalgamation of all the forms that idea can take."
Hendrix, Vida, Chase, and Amora stared at the two talking as they tried to soak up all the information they were being given. Akilah took notes calmly on her notepad.
"What we want you all to do today, is just come up with something you love. It can be material or conceptual, but remember what we said about the difference between the two. Once you choose a mode, it will be difficult and timely to change it, so make sure you are confident in your decision."
Mrs. Frewin turned from a serious face to her signature, cheery smile.
"Alright kids! I'll be inside baking a new recipe i found yesterday, so let me and Mr. Frewin know when the five of you have all come to your decisions."
The two adults went inside, leaving the five children pondering this tough decision. The quiet only lasted for a couple seconds, naturally.
"Oh ok, if it's something I love, I'll just use Amora." Chase said as he put an arm around her shoulder.
Amora began to blush.
"What, are you gonna make clones of her or something? Doesn't seem like the best idea to send mini girlfriends into battle." Akilah laughed as she continued to write something in her notebook
"Oh yeah, then let me see what you're writing." Chase snatched the notebook away from Akilah and took a peak.
"Intelligence? what the fuck are you gonna do give me fun facts until I die?"
"It's just a rough idea idiot." Akilah snatched her notebook back and pushed up her thick glasses.
"You could do strength then, your already enough of a tomboy!"
"Alright that's enough of you!" Akilah began to chase, well, Chase, around the backyard as the other three continued to ponder.
Vida scanned the backyard for any ideas.
"What are you thinking about, Hendrix?" She asked.
"I already know mine."
"What?!?" The four others exclaimed. It was enough shock to stop the now wrestling duo in their tracks.
"Yeah, I kind of had an idea from the get go."
"Well, then what is it? Spit it out!" Vida tugged at Hendrix's long sleeved shirt until he started talking.
"My mode is gonna be guitars."
Akilah bursted into laughter as she slapped Hendrix on the back.
"This guy. Singing kumbaya hoping for peace does work sometimes." Akilah continued to laugh.
Hendrix felt his blood boil as Akilah continued to laugh.
"Well at least I'm not trying to think them onto the floor, dumbass."
After Hendrix laid eyes on Akilah's reaction to his statement, he joined Chase in running from her with maximum efficiency.
Amora and Vida giggled from the sidelines, but Vida couldn't get her mind off her mode, what was it going to be?
Her eyes began to hover onto the garden that she cared for everyday. She certainly loved every bush, flower and shrub in that garden. Maybe she could do plants? Maybe that's too specific.
She's loved animals to a certain degree growing up too. Now that she thinks about it, she's loved all forms of life.. Life.. that's it.
Later on that day, Mr. and Mrs. Frewin came out to check on the five children, with a loaf of freshly cooked banana bread in hand. The children rushed over to Mrs. Frewin to get a slice.
"Were you guys able to think of your modes?" Mrs. Frewin asked.
"Let's start with you, Chase. I'm sure yours is interesting." Mr. Frewin gave Chase a slice.
Chase began to talk with a mouth full of warm banana bread.
"Well.. chew..I was thinking about it.. chew..And I'm gonna do guns."
"Haha. Well, that's useful, but remember you have to have an emotional connection to your mode." Mr. Frewin assured.
"I do, pinky promise. I've watched all the action movies known to man a million times. Guns are like the great equalizer, at least that's the word Akilah said to use. They bring everyone down to whoever is holding it. It doesn't matter who you are, you're the same person as if two people are holding a gun."
Mr. and Mrs. Frewin nodded in surprising agreement.
"Alright, then what about you Akilah? You helped Chase with his, so I'm sure you were able to come up with your own in time." Mrs. Frewin asked
"Mine is intelligence. I love to know more. I haven't figured out how I'm gonna put that to work just yet, but I'll get there.
"Hmm. I'm sure you will. You're our smart girl after all, you'll figure it out in no time." Mrs. Frewin gave her signature smile.
Mr. Frewin softly pointed to Amora.
"Amora! You look somewhat unsure, let me know what you're thinking."
"Um.. I was thinking mine could be love? I know you guys said abstract things are harder but I'm willing to go through that if it's possible."
Chase took her hand.
"Anything's possible with you, babe. You're stronger than you know."
"He's right, and the rest of us will be with you every step of the way." Mrs. Frewin smiled.
Mr. Frewin turned to Hendrix, who was lost in his own thoughts by this point in the conversation.
"Hendrix. I know you haven't been staring off into space this whole day. What's on your mind?"
"Mine is guitar."
"I told you that wouldn't work, idiot!" Akilah hit him upside the head.
"Now, now. That could work, believe it or not. I know how much love Hendrix has for not only guitar, but the art of music. Let's see this through, okay Hendrix?" Mr. Frewin reassured Hendrix.
Hendrix nodded back.
"What's yours, Vida?" Hendrix turned to Vida before Mr. and Mrs. Frewin could ask her.
"Mine's gonna be life.." Vida sounded unsure. She looked at Hendrix, waiting for his reaction.
"That sounds great. You'll do great." Hendrix smiled back.
Mr. Frewin clapped his hands together as he began to speak.
"Alright kids, are you ready for some training?"
"What? chew.. Like right now?" Chase asked with another mouth-full of banana bread.
"Sure, why not? I'm ready!" Vida responded, positively.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Mrs. Frewin said with her smile on once again.
"First things first. We'll have to get you five used to channeling spirit. Are you guys ready?"