Okay, so Will is angry. She always seems a little angered by Caleb, but I do hope you see it as the remarkably cute 'ooh they don't even realize they like each other' way I, and my version of Aldarn do.

Also, just jotting down some ideas and I think that Aldarn is coming up (at least how I am planning to/have been portraying him in this and Thin line between..) as my new second favourite male character. Sorry Matt! Even comic 'you' isn't enough to hold down second! {he already instantly slipped down to 2 as Caleb came up top when the cartoon came out - Caleb wasn't even originally above Phobos in my fave list!}


Rebel: (re·bel)

intr.v. re·belled, re·bel·ling, re·bels

1. To refuse allegiance to and oppose by force an established government or ruling authority.

2. To resist or defy an authority or a generally accepted convention.

3. To feel or express strong unwillingness or repugnance: She rebelled at the unwelcome suggestion.

...Nearby, in the shadows of a Meridian street...

Caleb jumped as he heard a splash behind him. He turned, just as his friend Aldarn joined him in the shadows. "Aldarn, you gave me a heck of a scare."

"Sorry Caleb. The Keeper was right; their out lookin' for ya everywhere." Aldarn glanced out as a beastly bird searched above them. He glanced at his friend, and curiousity took over. "You went through the veil then. What's it like there?"

"Everything is huge and bright and shiny. The children travel on boards with little wheels and do 3 60 fakie ollies. Oh, yeah, and, and they say 'like' in the middle of sentences for no reason!" Caleb excitedly waved his arms as he talked and Aldarn could not help, but smile.

"That.. Sounds.. Good." Caleb's smile ceased as he thought about Earth.

"I've hardly seen any of it, and yet there is so much.."

...In the castle dungeons...

"In two hours, if the key's not found, I'll have your job." Vathek ignored Rathor, successfully hiding his fear and looking blankly at the wall. The guard left Vathek there; cackling as he did so.

...The streets of Meridian...

"No money; no cloaks." The salesman looked at the five young girls before him. It was no wonder they wanted cloaks. They were barely dressed.

"Candy on string." Blunk showed the man a used teabag. "Trade?"

The salesman scowled and Blunk shrugged, throwing the teabag into his mouth. "No trades! I already got stuck today with a cartload of wet fire wood I can't burn."

Will walked over to the soaking logs of wood and then to Taranee. "Hmm.. Will you give us the cloaks if we dry it out for you?" This made the salesman snort.

"What are you? The sun!" Taranee steped forward at Will's motion and rested her hand above the logs. She concentrated on making her hand as warm as possible as the man gawked at the steam coming off the wood. He picked up two logs and tested their dryness; banging them together a few times. "I-I- I also have some wet laundry!"

...

"Aldarn. There is something I need to return to the castle." The pair walked the dark streets confidently, but Aldarn did not look at Caleb when he said that.

"Uh, uh. Impossible." Aldarn shook his head at the ridiculous idea of going back now that the guard was up. "We'd need the guardians of the Veil to get inside there." Aldarn said, rolling his eyes.

At the moment they turned a corner, a cloaked figure slammed into Caleb; causing both of them to fall over, and a female voice release a pained, "Ugh." Then came four other cloaks who stopped behind the first and Caleb's entangled bodies.

Caleb looked up to whatever attacked him to see a pair of large brown eyes looking from within the shadows the hood created on her head. "What are you doing here!"

Hay Lin looked down to the familiar voice, "Nevermind that! Why aren't you wearing these clothes!"

"Hey, Cornelia right? Do you, like, want to, like, do a 3 60 ollie with me sometime?"

Cornelia looked blankly at Aldarn. "What?"

Caleb had had enough. He leaned forward and stood up; pushing Will back to standing aswell. "I don't want you here! I can take care of myself! I wouldn't even be her if he hadn't stolen this key!" Caleb held up the shakle key while Blunk hid behind Will's cloak.

"Wait. You're telling me that this is all the stink-monkey's fault!" Blunk realized he had no chance and ran.

"Well, duh."

"'Duh'? Your speech has like changed, Caleb."

"And why were you running?" Caleb opened his mouth to continue on about reasons not to draw attention to one's self, when he noticed the guard approaching.

"We were kind of running from.. Him!" Taranee looked behind her and gasped as the guard had caught up.

"Hey! Get back here!" The guard shouted.

Aldarn's eyes widened. "Caleb! Run!" But Caleb only grinned. Aldarn did a double at the familiar cocky smile. This usually meant trouble.

"Um.. Officer? What size shoe do you wear?" Caleb asked in a comical fashion.

"YOU! Where are your papers!" Aldarn held his breath as the guard approached, but at that moment the girls began removing their cloaks; revealing their bright outfits. The guard stopped, and breathed in realization, "Guardians!"

Taranee was the first to move. She threw a large flame at the weapon the guard had been carrying and heated it until it became molten, after the guard had dropped it. Hay Lin blew him in circles and made him seriously dizzy, while Cornelia caused a plant pot to crash onto his head. Finishing the job, Will confidently walked over to the guard and gave a light push to the ground. It had been all about the show really.

...The castle...

Caleb stepped forward, fully clad in armor; directing a horse and cart to the castle gates. The cart appeared to be full of hay. "Hay for Prince Phobos' horses!" The guard thought for a moment, before allowing them to pass.

...

Raythor pushed Vathek onto his knees and sneered. "The key has not been found. But you knew that, didn't you? It's time, traitor!"