Chapter 2:
Back on Earth, the girls were in the mall doing some shopping, while also beating the heat. They were having a great time shopping, but part of them was worried about Miranda and Angelo on Metamoor.
"I still think we should of gone with them.", Taranee said as they entered the food court area of the mall.
"Same here.", Hay Lin said. "What if Miranda isn't welcomed back in her village, after all that's happened?"
"Don't sweat it.", Cornelia said. "If push comes to shove, then Angelo can use his fold crystal to open a fold back to Earth for him and Miranda to escape."
"You have a point there.", Hay Lin said. "I'm just worried about them."
"They'll be okay, Hay-Hay.", Irma said. "They're only going back to Miranda's village. The worst that can happen is they get kicked out."
"I hope you right, Irma.", Will said worrying about Angelo and Miranda.
Later that evening, on Metamoor, Mirnada and Angelo were sitting together on one of the bed of their cell. They had just been served their dinner, which wasn't much. Now they were sitting together giving each other some comfort.
"I still can't believe this is happening.", Miranda said. "I never thought that I'd be locked up in my own village. And to make matters worse, I got you trapped in here, too!"
"This isn't your fault, Miranda.", Angelo said as he held her close. "How were you to know this would happen?"
"After all the things I've done, I should of known.", Miranda said sadly.
"Yes. You should have.", came a male voice.
Hearing that voice surprised Miranda as she looked towards the bars of the cell. She and Angelo saw a male, that was in his early twenties, that had green eyes and black hair that was in a ponytail that went down past his shoulders. He was dressed in armour with a sword at his side. Once Miranda got a good look at him, she smiled at him.
"Zorlen?", Miranda questioned.
"You know him?", Angelo asked.
"He's my brother.", Miranda said happy to see her older brother after all this time.
"Open the cell.", Zorlen said to the soldiers who did as he ordered.
Zorlen walked into the cell and approached Miranda. Waisting no time, Miranda ran towards her big brother, who welcomed her with open arms.
"Oh, Zorlen!", Miranda said as tears ran down her face. "I missed you so much!"
"As did I, little sister.", Zorlen said as he held his sister close. "As did I. But what are you doing here? You should know that you would be arrested."
"I had to see you all again.", Miranda said. "I missed you all so much."
"I missed you too. But you should of found a better way of doing this.", Zorlen said. "Now you risk being banished to the Frostlands."
"The Frostlands?", Angelo questioned. "Where's that?"
"It's a land of snow, ice, and extreme cold.", Miranda explained. "If a Shape-shifter doesn't have the right creature to turn into, they won't survive long there."
"So, it's like Antartica, on Earth.", Angelo said getting a nod from Miranda. "Well, that's just dandy."
"So, you are from Earth?", Zorlen asked Angelo.
"Oh yeah.", Miranda said. "Angelo. This is my brother, Zorlen.", she said introducing the two to each other as they shook hands. "Zorlen. This is, Angelo. My... boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?", Zorlen questioned not understanding the term.
"He's... courting me.", Miranda said with a smile as she blushed a little.
"Aaaah! I see.", Zorlen said with a smirk. "My little sister is all grown up."
"Zorlen!", Miranda said with a grin as she playfully punched her brother in his arm.
"And scrappy as well!", Zorlen laughed.
"Well, at least there's one member of your family that still loves you.", Angelo said.
"Yeah.", Miranda said thinking back to what her father said to her.
"I'm sorry about what father said to you, sister.", Zorlen said as he placed his hands on Miranda's shoulder causing her to look up at her. "He's letting his anger cloud his mind."
"And mother?", Miranda said.
"Why don't you ask me yourself."
Everyone looked to see woman in her fourties with black hair and green eyes dress in a yellow gown with a headband on her head. She was Varla. Miranda's mother.
"Mother?", Miranda said hoping her mother still loved her.
"Why did you come back here?", Varla questioned. "You should of known that you were no longer welcome here after the deeds you've done!"
"Mother please!", Zorlen said. "You and father both know that Miranda had no choice but to do what she had to do to survive!"
"And yet when she had the chance, she worked with those Knights of Vengance instead of coming back home.", Varla said. "You could of been safe here, but you choose a different path! And now, you shall have to pay for your choice!
"Mother.", Miranda said sadly as tears ran down her face.
"I just came to see you before you face the council.", Varla said. "And now that I have, goodbye Miranda. May you take this time to reflect on your actions.", she said before walking off.
"I can't believe your mother turned on you, too.", Angelo said.
"I am surprised as well.", Zorlen said.
"Visiting time is over, sir", one of the guards said as he opened the cell doors.
"Very well.", Zorlen said before turning to Miranda. "Do not lose faith, sister. All hope is not lost. But you have to have faith."
"I will.", Miranda said with a small smile that Zorlen returned before he kissed her on the forehead.
"One more thing.", Zorlen said as he pulled out a necklace with a purple gem on it.
Zorlen then touched Miranda's forehead with the gem. Once he did that, the gem began to glow. Once thew glow faded, Zorlen put the gem in his pocket.
"What the heck was that?", Angelo asked.
"It's memory gem.", Miranda explained. "It copies my memories so others can see what I've been through. But why would you want to see the things I've done, brother?"
"Good or bad, I want to know what you've been through so I can better understand your struggles.", Zorlen said. "You are my sister, Miranda. And I will always love you."
The two siblings shared a loving hug. Zorlen then left the cell to take care of his duties. Once he was out of sight, Miranda dropped to her knees and began to cry as she brought her hands up to her face. Angelo knelt down to her side and held her close as she cried.
"Let it out, Miranda.", Angelo said. "Just let it all out."
Back on Earth, the girls had just finished eating a meal at the Silver Dragon when Caleb and Matt entered the place.
"Hey, girls.", Matt said as he and Caleb walked up to them.
"Hey, Matt.", Will said before giving him a kiss.
"What were you two doing today?", Cornelia asked Caleb after giving him a kiss.
"Matt and his bandmates were teaching me how to play their instruments.", Caleb said.
"He's not so bad with the drums.", Matt said. "And he's real good on the guitar. The keyboard is another story."
"Oh! I wish I was there to see that.", Irma said with a grin.
"So, where are Angelo and Miranda?", Matt asked.
"On Metamoor.", Taranee said.
"Yeah.", Hay Lin said with a cheery smile. "Angelo went with Miranda to her home village to see her family."
"They what?", Caleb questioned in shock surprising the girls and Matt.
"What's wrong, Caleb?", Cornelia asked.
"After the defeat of Phobos, word spread of it throughout Metamoor.", Caleb began to explain. "But we also got word of how Cedric and Miranda were seen by their kind."
"Let me guess.", Matt said. "It wasn't good."
"No. It wasn't.", Caleb said. "Both were seen as outcast among their kind. And if they were to return to their villages, they'd be punished for their crimes. And there's only so many ways they do that."
"How?", Will asked.
"Well, from what I've heard, they'd have all of the beings they can turn into taken from them.", Caleb said. "Then, they'll either be banished from their village or..."
"Or what?", Taranee asked.
"Banished to the Frostlands.", Caleb said with dread.
"Why does that sound bad?", Irma questioned.
"Because it is.", Caleb said. "It's a land of snow, ice, and extreme cold. Not many creatures can survive there."
"And without any creatures to shape-shift into, Miranda won't last long there.", Cornelia said.
"We have to find her village and do a rescue!", Will said.
"That's the other problem.", Caleb said. "Most of the Shape-shifter villages are hidden well. Very well. But we do have time."
"What do you mean?", Cornelia asked.
"Well, before anything is done to Miranda, she has to meet with the Shape-shifters' Council.", Caleb explained. "Only thing about that is, they'll be in the village within a day."
"I'm guessing that with all the creatures they can turn into, getting to where they need to be is easy.", Taranee said.
"Then tomorrow morning, we go searching for Miranda's village.", Will said. "Maybe we can talk this council into setting her free."
"Then I say we get some rest.", Caleb said. "Cause we're going to need it."
Nodding in agreement, everyone headed to their homes to get some rest for what they had to do the next day. Will opened a fold to Metamoor, for Caleb to gather what he needed for their search. As for Angelo and Miranda, they were getting the rest they were going to need for when they met the council. They were laying together on one of the beds of the cell. Both were hoping for the best when they faced the council of Shape-shifters. As Angelo slept, Miranda was awake, worrying about tomorrow.
'Out of my whole family, only Zorlen cares about me.', she thought to herself. 'And now, I risk being banished to the Frostlands! Maybe I can convince the council to let Angelo go.', she thought as she touched Angelo's face gently. 'He doesn't deserve to suffer for my sins.'
With that thought in mind, Miranda slowly fell a sleep. knowing what she had to do in the morning. The next morning, the girls along with Matt gathered together at Shell Beach, transformed and headed for Metamoor where Caleb was waiting for them, at the palace with Blunk, Elyon, and a horse.
"You coming with us too, Elyon?", Cornelia asked after they all greeted each other.
"Sorry, guys.", Elyon said. "But I can't. I have some peace talks, between two villages to referee."
"That sounds like fun.", Irma said sarcasticlly.
"Tell me about it.", Elyon said. "I wish I could go with you guys, but I have my duties to the people of Meridian."
"Don't sweat it, Elyon.", Taranee said. "We understand."
"Not to be rude, but we have some friends to find.", Hay Lin said.
"Hay Lin's right.", Will said. "We need to find Miranda's village."
"That's why Blunk is here.", Caleb said. "If anyone can find them, it'll be him."
"Blunk sniff them out good!", the little Passling said proudly with a salute.
"Then sniff away, little guy!", Irma said with a salute and a wink.
"Let's go to the spot where I last saw Angelo and Miranda.", Will said as she began to focus her power to teleport herself and the others away.
"Good luck, guys!", Elyon said before they teleported away. "And now off to do my royal duties.", the young queen said as she headed back into the palace. "Oh the joy.", she said sarcasticlly. "I've really got to cut the sarcasim. I've been hanging around Irma to long."
As for the others, they had just arrived at the spot where Will last saw Miranda and Angelo.
"This is it.", Will said. "This is where I last saw them."
"Can you pick up their scent, Blunk?", Caleb asked the Passling as he began to sniff around.
Blunk sniffed around trying to find the scent he needd to track down Miranda and Angelo. He almost gave up when he caught a faint scent of Miranda.
"Blunk smell Spider-Girl!", he said as he got more of the scent. "She go in forest!"
"Lead the way, Blunk!", Caleb said as he got on the horse he had with him.
Blunk to off running into the forest with Caleb right behind him on his horse. The girls and Matt took to the air behind them. All were hoping the same thing, as they followed Blunk. That they'd find Miranda and Angelo before it was to late. Meanwhile, in Dargen Village, Miranda and Angelo were being lead to what looked like a large building built into a very large tree.
"What is this place?", Angelo asked.
"It is Dargen Village's Main Hall.", Miranda explained. "Think of it as my village's City Hall.", she said as they were lead inside the building. "It's also known as the Hall of Elders.
"Oh.", Angelo said. "So, is this where we're going to meet this Council of Shape-shifters, you told me about?"
"Silence!", one of the three officers said as they stopped at a set of doors. "You are about to meet the elders! So, show some respect if you know what's good for you!"
The officer then opened the doors and lead Miranda and Angelo into the room. Once in the room, Angelo and Miranda saw that there were three people sitting behind a large table. All three were dressed in regal-like clothing. Sitting in the middle of the three was Elder Unin, with his white beard and hair, with blue eyes. On his left was an elderly woman, who looked Asian. She had gray eyes and long black hair with a few white streaks. She was dressed in a blue kimono with a yellow ribbon. On Unin's right was another elderly man with dark skin, brown eyes, and black hair with some gray in it as well as his moustache and goatee. He, like Unin, was dressed in regal-like clothing.
"Who are these guys?", Angelo asked Miranda in a whisper.
"The one in the middle is, Elder Unin.", Mirnada whispered back. "The woman is, Elder Micha and the other guy is Elder Gorm. They make up the Council of Shape-shifters. And they will decide my fate."
A/N: Well, as Miranda and Angelo face the Council, the others are searching for them. Will they find them in time, or will Miranda's fate be sealed?
Please review.