I do not own Di-Gata Defenders. Just the story plot.
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The closing credits to Di-Gata appeared, and I shut off the TV. Sigh, another episode over. But it was 7:00, it'd be back on at 9:30, and I'd watch it again. Jumping over the back of the couch, I had one foot on the stairs, when I heard a wierd sound behind me.

A green rectangle with bright green flames was sitting horizontally in the middle of my basement. My first instinct was to rush up the stairs and grab the fire extinguisher at the top. But then something even wierder happened: six people, four my age and two a few years younger fell out onto the cement floor, landing in a pile, the green rectangle disappearing.

I froze up, watching as the five untangled themselves, getting to their feet. A girl with silver-blue hair was the first to notice me. Her eyes widened, and she nudged the dark-haired boy next to her.

My eyes were the next to widen. I knew these people. "Oh my gosh . . . are you kidding me?" I muttered. I vaulted back over the couch, landing in front of the girl.

The boy she'd nudged stepped forward. "Hi. Can you help us? We're -"

"The Di-Gata Defenders. Yeah. I know," I answered. He blinked at me. "You're Seth," I turned to the girl beside me. "Mel, Kara, Erik, Rion and Adam." I said, looking at each in turn.

All of them looked at me like I'd grown an extra head.

"You know who we are?" Mel said incredulously. I nodded solemnly.

"Uh-huh. Most of the people I talk to know you too."

"Where are we anyway?" Kara asked, looking around.

"My basement," I answered. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

They all exchanged glances. "It's . . . a little complicated," Erik said evasively.

"Hello, of course it's complicated!" I said. "You guys just poofed out of nowhere into my basement. What's not wierd about that? Now do you mind telling me what's going on before I really start getting freaked out?"

"Long story short," Seth said, "We've got major trouble on our end. Seems that word of our trying to re-cast the Spell of Binding got out, and there are some pretty ticked-off people back in RaDos. Alnar told us he'd send us somewhere to lie low for a while." He looked around once. "And apparently, this is it."

Adam spoke for the first time since landing on my basement floor. "You said that people here know us. How?"

I walked over to the TV, turned it on, the pushed the 'Power' button on the VCR. "Watch," I said. I hit 'Play.'

An image appeared of Seth, a carapace of rock across his chest, his right arm encased in stone. Several tanks rolled past him, seeming not to notice he was standing there. After they had passed, he turned to watch them, a rather puzzled look on his face. I pressed 'Stop' and turned the VCR off, turning back to the Defenders.

Seth was standing perfectly still, the others all obviously trying not to laugh. He looked at Mel, who was standing beside him, her mouth covered with her left hand.

"What?"

"S-sorry, it's just . . . " she paused, fighting back a giggle. "The look on your face . . . ."

Seth looked back at me. I shrugged.

¤

Erik was staring over my shoulder at the computer screen, fascinated. I looked up as a knock sounded at the computer room door, while his eyes remained glued to the screen. Seth and Mel were watching the redheaded boy with concern.

"Is he okay?" Mel asked, stepping inside the room.

Erik straightened up, grinning. "Have you seen this thing? It's like a miniature knowledge pillar!"

Seth glanced at the computer screen. The window that was currently open was one of the Di-Gata Defenders Forums, someplace I lost myself in every day after school. He leaned on the back of the computer chair.

"This is how people know about us?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yep. As I said before, you're pretty popular."

Mel glanced at the top of the screen. "Melosa16?" she asked. "Who's that?"

I looked up at her, a little sheepish. "That's me," I said. "I hope it's okay that I used your name."

She grinned. "Are you kidding? It's really cool!" Her eyes widened as she saw her name repeated other places. "Melosa55, 100Melosa001, melosa77, melosatay . . . whoa."

Seth was similarly reading all those who had used his name on the site. "Wow . . . ."

I looked out the window as a purple car pulled into the driveway. (Yes, I drive a purple car!) "Oh no."

"What is it?" Erik said, following my gaze.

"That's my mom! She's home early!" My parents had driven separate to a meeting in town, leaving me home alone, but now mom was pulling in, and dad wouldn't be far behind.

"Where are the others?" I said, turning to Seth.

"Downstairs," he said, confused.

"Come on, we've got to go!" I led the way out of the room and through the hallway, then down the stairs. I heard the door open just as Mel's foot disappeared around the corner.

"Hi Mom!" I hollered. Mom said something back but I was already turning back to the others.

"Okay, whatever you do, don't let my parents see you," I said quietly.

"Uh, aren't they going to start wondering if they hear yout alking to yourself?" Rion pionted out. I shook my head.

"They're used to it." My eyes widened as I remembered something.

"What is it?" Kara said, looking at me curiously.

"I just realized: How the heck am I going to explain this to people at school tomorrow?"

¤

Luckily, I was able to secure the car for the next morning. I made sure Mom wasn't watching as I strapped myself in. The Defenders had set off west on foot along the road twenty minutes ago. I'd meet them at the corner.

I pulled out of my driveway, and headed for the highway. That's the nice thing about living in the country. No neighbours to question what on earth six people dressed strangely were doing walking along the street at ten after seven in the morning.

I stopped at the corner, and everyone piled in. Adam claimed front seat, Seth, Mel, and Erik getting in the back. Rion and Kara, being the smallest, squeezed down onto the back seat's floor.

"Sorry I couldn't have taken the other car," I said as we started off again. "It seats seven, but I'm not insured on it."

"Never mind that," Kara said, "Just get us there fast."

¤

I pulled into the school parking lot, and parked right outside the Drama room door. Clipping my keys to my belt loop, I got out and knocked. The door was opened by my friend Evan.

"Evan, thanks goodness. Listen, can you hold the door for a sec?"

"Sure," she answered. "What's up? You look all stressed."

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder toward my car. Evan's eyes widened as she watched the Defenders climb out.

"Are those -?"

"Uh-huh," I nodded.

She grinned at me uncertainly as they walked over. "Okay, nice one. That's hilarious, really."

I looked back at her solemnly. "Evan. I'm serious. I'll prove it." Turning around, I stepped over to Mel, whispered something to her.

She raised her left hand, and a blue ball of energy formed around it. I hadn't thought Evan's eyes could widen any further. They did, her mouth dropping open for good measure.

"Wow . . . "

"Yeah, I know," I said impatiently. "Do you mind letting us get inside?