I DON'T OWN W.I.T.C.H! I SKIPPED OVER EPISODE 3, AND AM NOW ON EPISODE 4.

HEART OF EARTH

CHAPTER TWO: FINDING THE PRINCESS

Queen Eris rose from the water. "The waters don't refresh my powers as they once did. The life force of this city won't last forever. The need to find my daughter has never been greater! 15 years...when they took her she hadn't even been named!" Her servant, Lady Iquen, knelt before her. "I can find where they keep the birth records of the Earth city."

"Good. If we know all who were born there, we can narrow our search to those who were not."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Excellent. Send her ahead of you. She will let you through the portal. Once we find my daughter, she will...persuade her to join us."

Phobos was discussing the same matter with Cedric. "If we don't find my sister before Eris does, there will be no hope for Meridian. Cedric, I want you to go find the records of families who have moved to Heatherfield in the past 17 or 18 years. That should narrow our search."

Will stepped out of the car, and her mother spoke. "Honey, are you sure you don't want to invite 25 or 30 of your closest friends over?" Will winced. "No, mom. Not even just 25 or 30."

"Okay, birthday girl. But remember, no matter how old you get, you'll always be my pink purpy poopy pumpkin!" Irma walked down the hall with Will. "So, it's your birthday!"

"Friday. Promise you won't do anything dumb like throw me a surprise party."

"I love surprise parties!" Will glared at her. "By that, of course, I mean, I hate and despise them."

Taranee examined her carrot. "Does this look cooked to you?" Cornelia rolled her eyes. "Taranee, it's a carrot! The only way it can harm you is if you're mugged by rabbits." Irma slammed her tray down on the table. "Guess who's birthday it is Friday?" Hay Lin gasped. "I know! I know! Uh...I don't know." Taranee held up a pea, and Cornelia groaned. "For crying out loud, it's a pea! Eat it!"

"It's Will's birthday Friday!"

"Are you gonna throw her a party?"

"No. She made me promise not to." She gasped. "Oh! I've gotta warn her about the fish, 'cause I think this was breaded when they caught it! Hey, Will! Pink purpy poopy pumpkin!" The entire cafeteria exploded with laughter, and Irma stood, running off. The other three began talking. "We have to throw Will a party."

"Weren't you listening? Irma promised she wouldn't."

"Okay. Then Irma won't. But we will."

They strode through the hallways. "See, this way, we're giving Irma what she wants, a party for Will. And she doesn't have to break her promise."

"But Will didn't want a party!"

"Believe me, when she sees the party I throw, she'll be too jazzed to remember what she said. Hay Lin, you pick a theme and do the decorations. Now we just need a place to hold it!"

"Why not your place?"

"Uh, problem. My last party was so unbelievably great, my parents say I can't have another one until after I leave home." A voice spoke from behind them. "Yeah, your parties are just so awesome." Cornelia whirled around, and her nose wrinkled upon seeing her younger sister. "Oh. It's you. Well, at least I didn't set fire to anything at my parties, or have the cops called! Now go hang out with your delinquent friends!"

She stalked off, and Hay Lin and Taranee followed. Taranee frowned. "Did she actually set fire to something?"

"Yeah. One time, she got hold of some firecrackers, and set them off in the living room. And the cops were called a lot. I'm just surprised she hasn't been arrested or sent to a crazy hospital yet. She's insane."

"So, Caleb. You are gonna learn all about parties."

"We have parties on Meridian! To celebrate the end of Klunderfeast, we cook and eat an ox!"

"We won't be doing that. Hey, girls!" Cornelia and Hay Lin walked over to Elyon and Alchemy. "Party Friday, 5 o'clock, Irma's house. It's Will's birthday."

"It's a surprise, so don't tell Will. Or Irma." Elyon frowned. "But, isn't the party at Irma's house?" Alchemy heard a smash, and saw Caleb slamming the phone against its holder.

"Well, that's why it's a surprise."

"They're not even roasting an ox." They all turned to look at him.

Uriah, Kurt and Clubber sped through the mall on their skateboards, stopping in front of them. "Hey, how come Kurt, Clubber and me didn't get invited to this party of yours?"

"Because I'm not inviting creeps! Oh, I'm sorry. Creeps, Caleb. Caleb, creeps." Caleb smiled. "Pleased to meet you. Are you related?"

At that moment, a shadow fell over them. "YEAH!" They looked up, seeing that Lillian had cleared the fountain on her skateboard, and slid to a stop in front of them. "They aren't. Unfortunately, I am." Cornelia wrinkled her nose, and Uriah scowled. "What are you doing here?" She turned to Cornelia. "Just came to check on how sister dearest was doing." She glared over at Uriah. "Look, if you don't back off, I'll make you pay. Remember last time you tried to crash my party?" Uriah's eyes widened, and he whimpered. Cornelia, Caleb and Hay Lin left, and Lillian took off in another direction.

"I say we teach them a lesson. Remember that horror movie where the kids are terrified by guys in masks?"

"Where are we gonna find scary guys in masks?"

Caleb scoffed. "Those are your tough guys? I'd like to see them last one second in a Skuldorian Scream Cage. Then again, the blond might make it about 30 seconds-"

"Caleb, you're a guest in this dimension. You can't go all military leader on us. Promise me." He sulked, and Hay Lin giggled. "He's so cute when he sulks!"

A 15-year-old girl wearing a cloak strode through the park, pulling her hood around her. Her black hair whipped about her face in the wind, getting in her blue eyes. She paused, focused, and a portal opened.

Cornelia grinned. "Guess what the theme is!" Lillian smirked from where she lay on the couch. "The color you turn when you throw up?" Cornelia glared at her, then turned to Taranee. "Haven't you ever looked at Will's backpack? Her pencil case and that dangly thing on her hat?"

"I guess not attentively enough."

"She's got frogs on them! She likes frogs! So, frog party! Are you loving it?" Lillian continued smirking. "Does that mean you're going to invite Kermit the Frog?" Cornelia ignored her. "And, voila! The snack pond! Okay, you're making floating lilypad cupcakes with flys made out of raisins. And you've gotta meet both girls at the school and make sure they're not dressed like total pigs. But without them figuring out why."

"How do I do that?"

"You're smart, you'll figure it out!"

"Uh, Grandma, you had something to show me?" Yan Lin held out a scroll. "Uh...what is it, the world's oldest placemat?"

"No, Hay Lin. This was once part of a great map hanging on Prince Phobos' wall. Years ago, a soldier, tired of serving the evil prince, tore off a crucial piece of Phobos' map, the part showing our world, and escaped. He gave the map to a passling, one who moves between worlds. And thus, it came to me." Hay Lin studied the map. "In our world, the map is blank, unless activated by the Heart of Candracar, currently held by our friend Will."

"Why wait until now to give me this? Is it 'cause my powers are finally mature enough that I'm worthy?"

"Nah. It was in the attic. I couldn't find it. Found my old tennis racket too."

Blunk watched Caleb pacing back and forth. "I've got to get Will something for her birthday! In Meridian, I'd give her the customary chicken skin hat. Well, Earth girls do like to buy the stuff that smells in tiny bottles."

"Blunk have smelly in bottle! Gargoyle sweat!"

Taranee took a deep breath, then ran over to Will and Irma. "Hey, girls! Irma, Will, guess what? Boyzilla is playing a free concert at the mall."

"You're kidding! Let's go!"

"But they're only letting in the hundredth best dressed girls. I got us these outfits so you don't look like pigs." They glared at her. "Come on, let's change!"

Mr. Lair opened the door to see Cornelia and Hay Lin standing there. "Hi, Mr. Lair! Irma isn't home, right? Great! Come on in, guys!" He watched as a group of teens with boxes of decorations filed through the door.

"Let's stop at Irma's house. I have to use the bathroom."

"My place is closer."

"Yeah, but I can't use your bathroom...because it's not on the ground floor! I have a rare fear of high toilets."

"Um, could you two go to the kitchen through the living room and get me a glass of water?" They stepped up to the door, and opened it, when they saw a bunch of teens there. "You promised!" Cornelia ran over, throwing her arms over their shoulders. "Can you believe Irma didn't want to throw you a party just because you told her not to? Gimme 15 hugs, birthday girl!"

Lady Iquen stepped through the portal, followed by Queen Eris, who looked around her in distaste. "So this is Earth." Lady Iquen and the girl in the cloak knelt before Queen Eris. "You know what you have to do."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Good. Do not fail me." With that, she stepped back into the portal, and the two rose. Lady Iquen pulled her hood over her face. "Come. Let us go."

"Yes...Mother."

Cedric came through another portal, reverting to his human form.

"I can't believe you did this!"

"I had nothing to do with this!" Martin came over. "Hey, thanks for inviting me, sweety-lips."

"I didn't invite you, Martin! I didn't invite anyone! And don't you EVER call me sweety-lips!"

"I didn't want to say anything in front of the other guests, but there were flies on your cupcakes. Don't worry, though. I pulled them off." He put one in his mouth. "Oh, they're just raisins. I'll put 'em back. They're in my pocket."

The girl lept up to a windowsill, opening it, then let Lady Iquen in through the back door, disabling the alarm. Cedric, meanwhile, had knocked down the front door by transforming, and went inside.

Lillian was skateboarding home when she saw a light on in City Hall, and a large snake-like thing flit across the window. "Huh?" Even though she knew it was probably a stupid idea, she began to walk towards City Hall, and went inside.

"Blunk help with gift! Blunk go inside!"

"No, you can't! They've got enough frogs in there as it is! They have strange customs here. A guy's putting flies on little cakes." Blunk licked his lips. "That sound good!"

Caleb strode in, and Alchemy and Elyon giggled as he passed by. "Hi. Remember me, from the mall? Alchemy?"

"Remember me too? I'm Elyon!"

"Caleb, from the mall." Irma walked over. "Girls, back off! Stick with me, or they'll tear you to pieces."

Irma looked up as her father began going downstairs. "Dad, no!"

"I just wanna get the remote!" She pushed him back up the stairs. "I don't throw parties while you and Mom are out of town, and you do not embarrass me when you are in town."

Will looked down at the picture of her in her Guardian form that Caleb had made of her on a piece of wood. "Look, it's Will! As a kind of fairy or something!"

"You're so talented!"

"It's carved from driftwood. The wings are dragon scales." Will laughed nervously. "He doesn't mean real dragon scales!"

"Sure I do!"

Hay Lin looked up from her place on the couch, seeing Blunk hopping up and down outside the window. "Oh, poor Blunky." She opened the window and threw her food out just as Martin threw himself down on the couch beside her. "What are you doing, Hay Lin?"

"It-It's just an old family custom. You, uh, throw some food out the window and make a wish."

"Really?" He stood up, grabbing a ton of food, and threw it out the window, crossing his fingers.

Elyon started hitting on Caleb. "So, are you going to ask me to dance?"

"Actually, I'm pretty good at the Mandurian Gavotte. I'll go find us a bucket."

"O-Okay."

Hay Lin groaned, listening to Martin explain her 'family custom' to the others. "And the more food you throw out, the bigger the wish."

Uriah, Kurt and Clubber watched the Lair's house from across the street. "When do we do it?"

"We do it when I say we do it!"

Irma and Hay Lin were scraping food off plates into the trash, when Mr. Lair's radio went off. "Hey, Tom, it's probably just a prank, but we got a call about a lizard monster at City Hall. Can you pop over there and check it out?" They looked at each other. "Lizard? If it's that thing from Meridian, my dad could get hurt! Get the girls!" She ran up to her parent's room as Hay Lin went to get the others.

"I remember when we got to go to all of her little parties."

"Mom, Dad, some of us are going for pizza. Could you keep the party going until we get back?" Their eyes lit up. "Are you kidding? I'm a party animal! Hey, remember when I gave donkey rides for your fourth birthday?" Irma winced. "Dad, please don't talk me out of this."

Caleb began talking about dragon scales to Elyon and Alchemy. "Yeah, dragon scales are pretty sharp." Irma groaned. "I've got to be crazy, leaving Caleb alone with them."

Caleb looked up. "Where are Will and Irma going?"

"Pizza."

"Where's that?" Alchemy and Elyon giggled. "Oh, he's so cute!"

"Uh, you ladies will have to excuse me." He lept out the window, and lept out the window. Elyon sighed. "Wrap him up. I'll take him."

"Blunk!"

Uriah poked his head out. "Oh, man, the five of them together? Too perfect! Let's go!"

Caleb frowned, seeing them. "What's the Creep family up to? Come on, Blunk! You can make yourself useful!"

Irma frowned. "What good is a map that doesn't show anything?"

"She said it was activated by the Heart of Candracar!" Will pulled the Heart out, and the map appeared. "Hey, that's our school! And the alley behind the mall!"

"The first two portals!"

"Uh-oh. There's a third one. Where's this?" Hay Lin pointed at the blue X. "We're standing in it. It's City Hall Park."

They stood outside the door Cedric had broken down. "Maybe we should call the police."

"For this kind of problem, we ARE the police." Taranee groaned. "I was afraid you'd say that." They strode inside, looking around.

Uriah signaled to the others, and they ran inside. Caleb looked down at Blunk. "Come on! I promised Cornelia I wouldn't do anything to the Creep brothers. You didn't."

"GUARDIANS, UNITE!" They landed on the floor, transformed, and Irma crossed her arms. "All right! Anyone want lizard on their pizza?"

Lady Iquen rifled through the birth records, and threw one aside. "These are ancient! The girl's only in her teens! I need more recent records!" She slammed the door behind her.

Cornelia opened the elevator with her plants, and Will kicked a table over to hold it in place. "Why don't we just take the elevator?" Taranee glanced up at the elevator shaft above them.

"You mean the elevator with the 'ding' like a microwave, telling him we're inside, ready to eat?"

"You're right. Let's fly up."

They peeked around the corner of the room Lady Iquen had previously been in, their elements ready, to find nobody there, but papers were strewn all over the place. "What does a big nasty lizard want with birth records?"

Meanwhile, on the first floor, Cedric was taking a different approach, going through the records of those who had moved to Heatherfield sometime in the last 17 or 18 years, still transformed. He heard footsteps, and whirled around, seeing Lillian standing there, frozen in shock. He started towards her, roaring, and she screamed, falling backwards. Cedric was about to strike, when he was thrown backwards by a shimmering green barrier. He stared at Lillian, and she stared at the barrier, then stood and fled, Cedric still staring after her.

Taranee rifled through the papers. "The only thing missing is old birth records from about 17 years ago." At that moment, they heard an inhuman roar, and then a loud scream, followed by a crash. "The lobby!"

Caleb and Blunk watched Uriah, Kurt and Clubber from behind a statue. "Maybe Blunk too pretty to scare boys."

"I'll risk it." The three boys put on their masks, and turned to see Blunk standing there. "Dude, is that like a big green monkey?" Blunk made a growling noise, and they ran off. "And don't come back!" Blunk turned, seeing the real reason they had run off. Cedric stood behind him, in his full snake-like glory.

"What are you doing on this side of the Veil? Smuggler!" Blunk shrieked as Cedric destroyed the statue he'd been hiding behind, and climbed up the curtains. "Hey, Scaleface!" Caleb lept, wrapping his arms about Cedric's neck, as Cedric tried to shake him off.

The girls lept down the elevator shaft, and Irma yelled. "Caleb!" Cornelia bit her lip. "I hope this works better than it did in practice!" She sent some of the floor flying at Cedric just as Caleb lept off.

"Time the Guardians learned a lesson in humility!" He whirled around, using his tail as a whip, sending Will flying. Hay Lin blew the carpet into his face. Taranee hovered overhead. "A little this way?" Irma sent a blast of water at Cedric, landing him underneath the chandelier, Taranee severed the chain, and it landed on Cedric. He got up again, and knocked Hay Lin aside with his tail. Cornelia blocked his attack meant for her. Will and Caleb threw a table at him, and he sent them flying, brushing Taranee's fireball aside. Caleb grabbed Will's arm and ran just as he smashed the statue they had been leaning against.

He picked up a large chair, about to throw it at them, when-"OI! CEDRIC! REMEMBER ME?" They all looked up to see a 15-year-old girl with tanned skin, long black hair tied in a braid and blue eyes jump off the balcony of the floor above, shooting an arrow into Cedric's arm, another into his tail, and he howled in pain as she landed smoothly.

"No matter. I have what I've come for. We shall meet again...Guardians!" He swept off, and the girl turned to Caleb, who was staring at her. Finally he spoke. "L-Limda?" She started, brushing her hair behind her ears. "Hello, cousin." At that moment, Lady Iquen swept downstairs. "Come, Limda. We must be off."

"Yes, Mother." Lady Iquen turned to the girls and Caleb. "I see you have met Lord Cedric. He is a dangerous foe, and will bring nothing but harm to Meridian. Limda, come." Limda bowed to the Guardians. "It was an honor to meet you, Guardians." She bowed to Caleb. "Cousin." Then she hurried after her mother into the night.

Irma turned to survey the damage they'd done. "Wow. Looks like my room."

Will closed the portal. "And take your slimy portal with you!"

Lady Iquen knelt before Queen Eris. "I have located the Earth papers to find your daughter, and have turned the Guardians against Cedric." Queen Eris smirked. "Good. Time to start planning a family reunion."

Cedric limped into the series of caves the rebellion called home, the arrows in his leg and arm still sticking out, bleeding. Miranda gasped, seeing him. "CEDRIC!" She dropped the laundry she'd been doing, and ran over. "What happened?"

"Lady Iquen." Miranda spat on the floor. "We need to get you healed."

"No."

"Cedric, you're bleeding!"

"I have to talk to Prince Phobos first. This cannot wait."

Phobos looked up as Cedric walked into his chamber, supported by Miranda, and his eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Lady Iquen." His eyes narrowed. "Queen Eris."

"Yes. I have found the Earth papers to locate your sister. On another note, I met a girl with strange powers while searching."

"Oh?"

"Yes. A human Earth girl in her early teens. When I attempted to attack her, she threw up a magical green barrier." Phobos leaned back, frowning. "And?"

"She seemed just as surprised as I did. Then she ran."

"Hmm...this girl may be of help to us. Miranda, Cedric, I have a mission for you. Go undercover to Earth, and try to convince my sister and this girl to join our cause." He looked over at Cedric. "Would you recognize her if you saw her again?" Cedric nodded. "Good."

The cops strode through City Hall, and yanked open a locker to find Uriah, Clubber and Kurt inside. "Don't eat us, giant snake-guy!"

Will and the others walked back to Irma's house, pizza boxes in their hands. "Birth certificates."

"Of girls our age. Is Phobos looking for us?"

"Who wouldn't? I mean, we are kick-butt cute!" Irma groaned. "My parents have been ruining my party for an hour. I hope you guys like pizza, because there isn't gonna be anyone left in my house to eat it." Hay Lin stopped dead. "Well, you're right. They're not in your house." Irma stared at her parents, who were leading a conga line out of the house. She quickly got over this horrific sight, and threw her arm around Will's shoulder. "Well, happy birthday, pink purpy poopy pumpkin."

"You know what would be a great gift? For you to never say that again!"

"What's that, purpy pumpkin?" Hay Lin joined the line, followed by the others, leaving Will standing alone just as Matt walked up. He took the pizza boxes out of her hands, and she blushed.

Lillian flopped down on the couch. "Oh my God." She closed her eyes, seeing the snake, the green barrier, and the snake's expression. She sighed. "What's happening to me?"