Shadow Of A Doubt
The last thing the Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions needed right now was Will being upset over something like this. They didn't know who rigged her coffee this morning, but they had to talk about it. Once the steel door to the engineering room shut and Will was gone, Irma sighed and decided to ease the tension. She turned to the others and soothed, "Will just needs some time to herself right now. She'll understand that we have bigger things to worry about. Like the fact that an all powerful enemy is growing somewhere."
Taranee nodded in agreement. "I'm surprised Hay-Lin has a powerful Guardian ancestor." The others turned to Hay-Lin who had donned the Heart of kandracar around her neck and tucked it into her shirt. "I'm a little confused as to why Himerish told us that though if it's just about a prophecy," she added.
Cornelia shrugged and made her way for the doors. "I'm more confused as to why Caleb was there. Did you see that beard? No wonder Blunk wasn't around, he probably ran away from it." She and the other girls laughed while they filed out of the room. Leaving the issues in the back for now and focused on the present.
W~I~T~C~H
Will's thoughts were jumbled. Tumbling around in her mind like a bag of marbles. She could barely focus on where she was going and nearly bumped into another student on the way to class. The bell for the end of lunch was about to ring anyway. She didn't even hear Uriah and his cronies taunt her when she walked past, leaning against the wall and eating an apple. "Hey, Wilma," he greeted. She continued walking, a single word refusing to hit her ear. "Hey!…" When she didn't respond, Uriah rolled his eyes and threw the apple he was eating, landing a successful shot on the back of her head.
"Ow!" She yelped. Then swiveled around to glare at Uriah and the other two, laughing and congratulating each other at her reaction. At that moment, Will's blood began to boil. Fists curled. She was irked. Will looked down at the Granny Smith Apple he threw lying on the glossy tiled hallway, half eaten and rolling at her feet. She reached down and picked it up, eyeing it in anger. Then pulled her arm back and let it fly. Her control over air decided to kick in, adding way more momentum that actually caused the apple to burst on the side of his head upon impact.
"Ow!" He yelled. His hand shot up and held the spot the apple burst at. His head must be harder than I thought, Will thought before turning around and walking away, continuing with more important matters. Like the fact that her powers switched. The biggest problem of the year. She had no idea how to use air. Only Quintessence. And she bet her money that Hay-Lin had no idea how to use Quintessence. How were they supposed to fight this enemy if they had no idea how to manage these new abilities? Wil shivered when the thought that Hay-Lin would ask for her help crossed her mind. Out of everyone here, Will was the only one that knew how to use it and control it. They both needed each other to utilize these new powers. They depended on each other. Yeah, right.
Will rolled her eyes and walked into her classroom right when the bell for lunch ended. She could figure out how to use Air herself. With just the right amount of alone time and study, she could master it just as fast as she could flying. And she mastered that on the first day. Or was it the second?
W~I~T~C~H
When Elyon was told that powers were switching in Kandracar, she was startled. And when Caleb backed it up and said that Will seemed off about it, she was… Troubled. Walking through the high stone halls in the Castle of Meridian with her staff, donned in a long grayish-blue gown with her signature ponytails bearing rings on the end. Grayish-blue eyes on the stone floor she walked down with Caleb by her side, discussing what happened in Kandracar. "So how did she react?" She asked once more.
Caleb answered, "Will seemed… A little upset. If you don't count the fact she walked out of the Congregation after the Oracle asked if everyone was alright with it."
"She walked out? That's unlike her," Elyon whispered. They turned down a corridor and stopped to face each other. "I need to speak with the others about this. I'm sure she's not taking this very well right now. Not sure why, but she's obviously not."
"Yeah, good luck. Knowing Will she probably just wants to be by herself for awhile."
"That's never a good idea. She may be a Guardian, but she's still a teenager. Being by yourself causes trouble." Elyon lifted her staff and created a fold. "If anyone asks, I'm on Earth at the moment." Caleb nodded before she jumped into the fold and into the basement of The Silver Dragon. A little while back, they set this place up to look like a hangout spot, just for all of them. There was a small carpet, TV, table for homework. All of it. Including a clock on the far wall at the very top. Elyon looked at it and assessed the time. Three-thirteen. They should be on their way back by now. Hopefully they could clarify a few things. Right on time, the door above opened up and light brightened up the basement after Irma flipped a switch.
"So she didn't show up after school," Cornelia counted off her fingers. "She's obviously upset about her powers. And she didn't show up to fourth period. Oh boy, tomorrow's going to be fun."
Elyone watched them throw their bags in the corner then flop down in the bean bags and couches. Taranee sighed with her head to the ceiling and said, "Well at least we know why she's upset."
"So what are you going to do about it?" The girls all jumped and yelped before focusing in the corner where Elyon was standing, smiling. "Caleb told me Will was a little upset?"
Cornelia waved at her and answered, "Yeah, she was upset. Not like angry, but still upset. You could tell. I'm waiting for her to hold an unknown grudge against Hay-Lin for some reason."
"So a new mission?" Elyon placed her staff in a corner then got into a running start to jump on top of Cornelia.
She grunted underneath her and answered, "Yeah, something about—you're getting heavy, stop eating so much." Elyon scoffed and slapped her shoulder. Then rolled off into the empty space between her and Taranee, pulling the former into a hug. "Something about a person falling into darkness and being extremely powerful. Thing is, we won't know anything until it does happen. Which could be days, or weeks from now on average."
Taranee grabbed her phone to text Will one more time. "So the only problem we have right now is Will. Who is upset about maybe three things: Losing her Quintessence powers to Hay-Lin, being Air now, or… Feeling replaced."
Intrigued, Hay-Lin turned to her and repeated, "Replaced?"
"Yeah. The one who has Quintessence is the leader. They join the aurameres, they create the Guardians, they bark the orders. That's Will's thing. Ever since we met her, she's been the take charge kind of girl. So for her title to be suddenly passed over to you without any warning whatsoever, I understand it would make her upset. I see it happening actually."
Irma sat up from the carpet and argued, "Yeah, but I would be sad about it. Will seemed… Mad. Not Upset as in sad, but upset as in mad. Angry."
"So is that why she's not texting me back?" Cornelia opened her phone and checked her messages. Same with the other girls. No response.
Taranee huffed and answered, "Maybe. Or it could be something else. Hopefully tomorrow will be better."
W~I~T~C~H
Everything in the Vandom house was set. Cake in the center of the decorated kitchen table donned with fifteen lit candles. A present next to it. And her family waiting for her to walk in. Susan raised her hand and counted down from three. At one, the door jiggled. And at zero, it flew open and Will strode in.
"Surprise! Happy Birthday!" Susan and Dean cheered. William only cheered and banged his little hands on the table. But instead of a jump, scream, or even a scolding, Will walked past the kitchen doorway and straight up the stairs. Susan glanced at Dean who glanced right back. Then called, "Will?"
The only response she received was a thud and the door slamming shut. Then a bunch of silence. After she walked in the room, Will turned around and flopped onto the bed by her back, nonchalant expression to the ceiling. Those thoughts just won't leave. They never do. She was a good leader. A great leader. Right? Then why'd they give the position to Hay-Lin? "Because she was… Chosen," Will answered aloud. "But am I not good enough?" No. They wanted a Descendant of the Greatest Guardian. You were just a temp.
Will grabbed one of the many green frogs on her bed and pulled it to her chest. "Like they used me," she whispered. "I'm the one that did a majority of organizing efforts to save Kandracar, Meridian, The Fast World, all of them. Yet… At a moment's notice, I'm replaced." After a moment of silence, Will narrowed her eyes and whispered, "This isn't like Fadden Hills. This is worse!" She shouted suddenly. At the same time, the air around her pulsed like a small bomb, sending pillows, her bag, shoes, anything in a five foot radius flying out and hitting the walls. Susan and Dean downstairs jumped from the sudden shaking of the home.
After a few seconds, Will slowly sat up and looked around. Pretty much everything was trashed. Thankfully the window stayed intact. But there was a slight crack in the corner of it from a textbook. It gave her an idea. Humming for a moment, Will stood up from her bed and raised her palm to the ceiling, away from her body. Then, just like when she had Quintessence before it was taken, focused. The air in the room shifted. Soon picking up papers, pencils and even a shoe around her, creating a very small tornado. Using her other hand she raised it high overhead and began to lower it, compressing the air.
The end result was a small ball spinning over her right hand, gray from the dust it gathered. It was good. It was fun. But it wasn't Quintessence. The smile Will held dropped, along with what she was doing, calming the room once more. Air was good, but Quintessence was better. She needed Quintessence. She needed the Heart of Kandracar.
A knock on the door knocked her back into the real world. It startled her enought to make her jump. Susan was leaning on the door from the other side, listening. She was pretty sure Will was trashing things in there. "Will?" She asked. "Are you okay? Should I come in?" Will blinked then looked at the room around her. She really shouldn't. Like, ever. Again. "I'm coming in." Before Will could protest, Susan opened the door and walked into her daughter's room. Sure enough like she expected, everything was everywhere. Even the posters of frogs on the wall were ripped off and on the floor. And her books were out and about, some ripped open.
Susan sighed loudly and shut the door behind her, focusing on the one person responsible. Will was standing in the middle of if with her back towards the door, arms crossed with her eyes to the floor. Unlike in the past, there were no tears. Just raw anger. Susan could just feel the heat of it simmering off of her. "Wanna talk about it?"
"No!" Will yelled. Then took her foot and kicked a random textbook to the wall. "I'm tired of 'talking about it.' There's nothing wrong to talk about." Susan glanced around the room awkwardly. It sure looked like there was at least something to talk about. Groaning loudly, Will flopped down on her bed and buried her face in her hands. But she didn't cry. She always tried to be the strongest.
Susan could tell that whatever happened, it hurt her. But she wasn't letting it show. She walked towards the bed and sat down next to her. Then calmly laid her hand on her back to rub it, providing a soothing sensation. "You know I'm not going to leave unless you at least give me a clue about whatever happened today," she whispered.
Will sighed and clasped her hands together in her lap. Then turned her head to face the window. After a few moments of silence, Will asked almost inaudibly, "Am I… Not enough? Like I try so hard to do what I'm supposed to do, but… I feel like I'm underappreciated. Like… I… No matter what I do, I feel like I messed up somehow. Some people make me feel like I messed up."
Susan reached down and grabbed Will's hand tightly. Answering honestly, "As long as you do your hardest, and you know you did it, then it's okay. It may not look good now, but I assure you when someone hears how much work and effort you put into it they will be amazed. That's enough to raise your character. You're a good girl, Will. Don't let those thoughts tell you otherwise, okay? Promise me you won't do anything drastic."
"I…" Will glanced at her mother and told her the truth. "I… Can't promise that, mom. I'm sorry but I can't—"
"Shhh…" Susan grabbed her arm and lightly pulled her into a hug, letting her cry in her shoulder. Whatever happened was definitely small. But it was enough to bring back old wounds. From Fadden Hills.