Somewhere in another room, a small tear shaped jewel shook side to side, until finally, it fell down, hitting the ground with a loud crack!
A ray of light shot out of the stone, and a woman with long jet black hair stood in the room. She smiled to herself and disappeared in a flash of green light.
Cassidy, in her monster form, lied in her energy cage, very quiet.
"At least she's calm on," Hay Lin commented, looking at the beast.
"I can't believe sweet Cassidy is that big ugly beast," Elyon baffled.
"Believe me. I still haven't fully gotten over the shock," Cornelia admitted.
"And I need to get home," Hay Lin said, looking at the sun. "My parents are gonna freak if I don't get home!"
"My parents are out of town with my little brother," Irma stated. Suddenly everyone was looking at her. "What?" she asked.
"It just dawned onto me that Cassidy needs to go home too," Will said. She pointed at Cassidy. "But she obviously can't return home."
"Her mom's probably wondering where she went off to," Taranee stated.
Suddenly Irma knew where this was going. "Uh no! I am not posing as Cassidy! Forget it!"
"Please Irma?" Hay Lin begged.
"We'll keep Martin away from you for a month," Cornelia added.
Irma arched an eyebrow. Finally, she sighed and said, "O-kay! Fine! Glamour me up!"
A few moments later, Cassidy now stood where Irma had been standing moments ago.
"You look great!" Will said, giving 'Cassidy' a thumbs up. "If I hadn't seen you glamour yourself, I would have swore you were Cassidy."
"Thanks, I guess," 'Cassidy' or rather Irma said. "But it feels weird being glamoured like this. Like I'm a fraud or something."
"Just don't let the guilt kick in, okay?" Cornelia teased, smirking at Irma's discomfort.
Irma rolled her, no, Cassidy's eyes. "Whatever," she said, or rather Cassidy said. "Just figure out whatever Cassidy meant by 'Laughter is the key.'"
"Maybe we have to make her laugh?" Hay Lin suggested.
Will shook her head. "No, I think it's a metaphor. She means something about joy and happiness."
"Now that's going to be difficult," Taranee sighed.
Tell me about it, Irma thought.
Once everyone, including Elyon, had left the room, a woman suddenly appeared and loomed over the cage.
Cassidy looked up and growled hatefully, baring her teeth.
"My, my," the woman said with a sneer, "you have really let yourself go, my old friend. How many times did we tell you not to mess with the forces of nature? Oh well, I guess I'll use this to my advantage."
Suddenly both she and Cassidy disappeared in a flash of green light.
Irma gulped as she looked up at Cassidy's house. Okay, Irma, you can do this. Just one small step at a time, she thought cautiously.
Irma opened the door and peeked in. "Uh, hello?" she asked, half hoping someone would answer; half hoping no one would answer. "Mom? I'm home."
"Cassidy, is that you?" an elderly voice asked from the living room. Irma sucked up a gulp of air and answered slowly, "Yes. I, uh, went out of a bit."
"Can you come in here for a moment?" Emily asked.
Irma gulped and trend in. Emily was sitting on the easy chair, her cane next to her leg. "Cassidy," Cassidy's mother began, "do you know who broke your bedroom window."
Panic entered Irma's heart. What could she say? That she did it? Lie? She was at lost. Finally, regaining her voice, Irma said as calmly as she possibly could, "I don't know. I left before it shattered."
"I see," Emily said, nodding. She got up and walked over to a window. "You'll guess what I saw, Cassidy."
"W-what's that, Mom?" Irma asked, trying to keep a steady voice.
"I saw this huge, hideous eight foot tall monster with russet fur all over. Right here in Heatherfield."
"Really?" Irma asked, her voice growing calmer. "I saw it too. What do you think it was?"
"I don't know," Emily said quietly. "I just pray that it will never return to Heatherfield."
Nerissa towered over Cassidy, smirking as the beast snarled and growled. "I always did think of you as some sort of beastly little pest. Now I see I was right."
She frowned and made a circle. "Haven't Halinor and I warned you not to mess with the creature inside of you? Both of us had some sort of monster inside of us, mine being released with the Heart of Candracar, Halinor's being released during our time as Guardians. Neither however, would have imagined your monster would come the way it came. Immature, mindless, just like the Hulk."
She held out her palm and it began to spark. "Well, there's only one way to fix it. You must be released from this creature. And I will do everything I can to help."
Lightning flashed out of her palm. Then something peculiar happened. The beast did nothing to avoid, nor dodge the lightning. She didn't even scream. Instead, the lightning hit her chest, and her form illuminated.
The shape and size slowly began to morph back into the shape of a young woman. Nerissa lowered her palm, and the lightning disappeared.
Cassidy, in human form, now stood in front of Nerissa. But something was different about her. Something . . . sinister.
Her usually bright blue eyes were now a burning red. Her russet hair was now ruby, the color of blood. Her pink lips were put into a dark scowl and her colors were totally altered, everything black. She wore a heavy dark cloak, black boots, dark gray long sleeve shirt, black pants, and a lock of her hair bond in a black ribbon.
"Nerissa," Cassidy said, her red eyes burrowing into Nerissa's flesh. The former Keeper took a step back, surprised by her friend's tone. What happened? Did she do something wrong?
Cassidy chuckled darkly seeing Nerissa tremble. Cold hatred plagued the former water Guardian's eyes as she cooed sarcastically, "I must say Nerissa, for once you did something useful and right."
"Right?" Nerissa repeated, laughing nervously. "I don't see anything 'right' about this. What happened to you?!"
"What happened to me?" Cassidy repeated, turning around. "Well, it really very simple." She brushed her finger over the icy walls, sneering as she went. "You see, you were right about my inner monster. It was too weak, too mindless to be controlled. You saw it rampaged around like a buffoon. No plan, no goal, not even a reason for attacking."
Cassidy turned back to Nerissa, her red eyes mocking and deadly. "But, then, stupid Nerissa comes along with yet another one of her ranking on how to create a better world! Ha, what a joke!"
Nerissa narrowed her eyes and frowned. But Cassidy wasn't done yet. "Rissy, let's be reasonable. We both know that no matter how much effort we put into it, the earth and all other worlds are doomed to destruction. Why not have a little fun while we're still alive and breathing?" She laughed and twirled a bit.
Nerissa watched Cassidy, thoughts dancing through her head. Cassidy was right, as much as she hated to admit it. Trying to take over the universe was impossible.
Cassidy have sensed the rising doubt in Nerissa. She smirked as she continued her internal assault. "You know, I don't even think Candracar knows half of what's goes on. In fact, everything is going down the drain because of Candracar." She arched an eyebrow at Nerissa. "Wouldn't you agree, old friend?"
"You're right!" Nerissa said. "Candracar has brought more pain rather than less!"
"And what's the whole deal with the Guardians?" Cassidy asked. "I mean, every world now depends on them rather than themselves. I think a change of ?? is in old. The strong shall survive but the weak shall perish."
Nerissa wasn't thinking. Having an inner hatred towards Candracar, she would agree with any one who opposed it. But still, Cassidy's last line made her think. That's not how Cassidy usually thought. "But, aren't we suppose to help those in need?"
"Aah, but don't you think people are getting lazy? Look at Earth. There are penalty of strong people here, but the environment makes them weak. We need to challenge them or they'll be weak. And it's like we'll kill any one. Just force the strong back into shape and the weak in their place."
And Nerissa agreed. "You're right. It's our duty to fulfill this. The Oracle is holding us back!"
Cassidy sneered and held out a charm. It was the very jewel that Nerissa was imprisoned in. Only now it was repaired and glowing. "And that's all I need to make you mine."
And just like that, Nerissa was enthralled.
Blunk jumped through the portal like a speeding bullet. He had to warn the Guardians what was happening.
But he was too late.
Hay Lin stared at the torn up room that had once been her grandmother's. "What could have done this?" she asked.
"Blunk know!" Blunk shouted, running up behind Hay Lin.
"Blunk!" Hay Lin shrieked. "What are you doing here?"
"Big bad thing! Important!" Blunk said, jumping up and down as if on a hot foot.
"What?" Hay Lin asked.
"Blunk saw! Cassidy have Nerissa under mind control. She evil!"
"What?!" Hay Lin shrieked again.
"It true. Then she go to Candracar, then to Heatherfield, now here!"
"Blunk, why would Cassidy enthrall her own friends?"
"Blunk don't know! Blunk only messenger! But Blunk did see Cassidy. She wear all black, have red eyes and darker hair!"
Hay Lin didn't respond. She was too busy looking at the broken mirror in her grandmother's room. In its shattered reflection, she saw Cassidy sneered at her from behind. Blunk squealed.
Hay Lin whirled around at see Cassidy in the flesh and blood holding onto Blunk's neck. Blunk gasped for air.
"I should get rid of you, passling, for squealing, but that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" Cassidy said sinisterly, glaring at the green little critter.
Blunk whimpered and covered his face. "No, no! It not be fun! No fun at all!"
Cassidy chuckled darkly and dropped Blunk. He landed on the floor with a grunt and rushed off, finding a place to hide. The dark Guardian turned then towards Hay Lin and sneered. "If you're looking for your granny, kid, she's not here. She's now with me."
"No!" Hay Lin snapped. "Grandma resisted Nerissa, and she'd resist you too!"
Cassidy cocked her head to the side curiously. "Really? Well she has no idea on the events that had played out after my little . . . temper tantrum. Her weakness was easy to expose since I have her trust." She laughed cruelly and spread her arms. "What a fool she was! I'll admit Halinor was a little resistant, but I eventually worked up a compromise. Now all of the former guardians are mine to control. And there's nothing you can do to stop me." She laughed again and disappeared in a flash of green light.
Hay Lin dropped to her knees, tears falling down her cheeks. If Mira is here, then Yan Lin must have been corrupted.
"Grandma," Hay Lin whispered before breaking down into a sob.
