Chapter Nine
Several days went by, and the lives of the new Guardians returned to normal, as did the lives of everyone else in the Tri-City. Vigilance was maintained, but when nothing happened at Mt. Middleton, the national reporters slowly left the area after interviewing Kim. The other four were also approached, but not as often.
The ski lodge remained closed, which made sense not only because of the danger, but because the snow was gone as well.
Tara Matthews, the new Guardian of Air, stood and stretched, having just finished her shift at the area's biggest animal shelter. She had started as a volunteer years earlier, and had earned a reputation for being helpful. When she finally turned eighteen she was offered a paid position, which fit in perfectly with her plans. She was going to go to college and become a vet. She loved animals, and after having seen the things she had, it was the only career choice she could make and be happy.
She filed a last few papers, and went outside. It was a brilliant, beautiful afternoon, with high fluffy clouds scattered here and there. She smiled to herself and thought it was too beautiful to take the bus home. She took her mePod out of her purse and put in on the ground beside her, so it wouldn't go wherever her clothes and other things went when she changed form.
"Hey, Tara, are you going to change?" came a voice behind her.
She turned to find several other employees standing there, including Kathy, her supervisor.
"Yep! It's too nice to ride the bus," she answered.
"Can we watch?" asked Neil.
"Sure!" Tara spread her arms and threw her head back. "AIR!" And in a flash of pale light the blue-eyed blond changed to Guardian form.
"That is sooo cool," said Marina with a grin.
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Kim and Monique ended the early shift at Club Banana and were heading to the food court for lunch. Their new lives and responsibilities had been explained to Debra, the manager, so she changed the scheduling so that Kim and Monique always shared the same shift, and lined up substitutes for when they couldn't be there.
Suddenly Kim stopped walking, and took on a peculiar expression. "Tara just transformed," she said, "But I don't think there's any danger."
"Then we'll go if she calls us," replied Monique, "In the meantime, let's get something to eat. I'm really hungry!"
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Tara picked up the mePod and looked at her co-workers. "See you tomorrow!" she said and lifted easily into the air. She gained altitude until she was hovering well above the trees. She wrapped the mePod's band around her arm, then put in her ear buds and tapped the button to start the song she had stumbled over just yesterday.
"Swifter" fit her perfectly as the Air Guardian. As the intro started, she turned to a specific direction and flew over the trees.
I just wanna go, Wanna get away
Free as the wind through trees.
Take my place up high,
Wind beneath my wings,
To be who I wanna be.
Looking down, she saw the trees sway as she passed. It was the edge of Middleton Park, and people on the ground, alerted by the sudden breeze, looked up, pointing at her. She grinned and waved.
(Ohh, ohh)
Let's fly away now.
(Ohh, ohh)
Give-it a-try-now.
(Ohh, ohh)
Cause I just wanna shoot up
Through the clouds and be free.
Swifter than the wind, cooler than a breeze,
Livin' life as free as the wind that can carry me.
Floating on a cloud, air is all I need,
Its up, up, and away with this breeze as the swift can be.
There was a pond in the middle of the park, where ducks and other waterfowl lived. A couple of people were using radio-controlled boats on one end. It was too perfect, and she couldn't resist. She rolled a few times, the air holding and caressing her.
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
She flew down to just above the water and dipped a hand in, leaving a spray of water behind that soaked the ducks. The animals merely shook themselves and looked annoyed.
Troubles of the world tried to weigh me down,
I blow them all away.
Gentle as a breeze, sometimes as I can be
A storm like a hurricane.
A child on the other side of the pond was crying because his model sailboat was dead in the water and the batteries in the motor aboard in case that happened were apparently dead as well. She hovered and sent a breeze at the boat, turning it and sending it back to the boy and his father.
"Thank you!" they called.
she grinned and waved back. "You're welcome!"
(Ohh, Ohh)
Lets fly away now.
(Ohh, Ohh)
Give-it a-try-now.
(Ohh, Ohh)
Cause I just wanna shoot up
Through the clouds and be free.
Swifter than the wind, cooler than a breeze,
Livin' life as free as the wind that can carry me.
Floating on a cloud, air is all I need,
Its up, up, and away with this breeze as the swift can be.
Struck by the lyrics, she gained altitude and headed for a cloud right above. It was higher than she thought, but eventually she passed through it and came out into the sun again. Hovering, she looked around. She had never flown this high before, and the sight was quite impressive. Everything below looked tiny, and was quickly lost in the distance. Even Lake Middleton and the mountain where danger still waited were small to her.
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
(Ohh, Ohh)
Lets fly away now.
(Ohh, Ohh)
Give-it a-try-now.
(Ohh, Oh)
Cause I just wanna shoot up
Through the clouds and be free.
Swifter than the wind, cooler than a breeze,
Livin life as free as the wind that can carry me.
Floating on a cloud, air is all I need,
Its up, up, and away with this breeze as the swift can be.
Tara flew back down toward the ground, enjoying the sensation of free flight without any mechanical aids. She felt like some part of her that had been asleep and empty was now awake and filled with a new purpose. She was LIVING!
Swifter than the wind, cooler than a breeze,
Livin' life as free as the wind that can carry me.
Floating on a cloud, air is all I need,
Its up, up, and away with this breeze as the swift can be.
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
Ohh, Ohh, Ohh, Oh Oh Oh,
Ohh, Oh Oh Oh-
"I have just fallen in love with that song," Tara thought. The smell of smoke caught her attention, and she looked down to see a house on fire. The fire engines were on the way, but still several blocks away and stopped by a traffic accident. She turned off the mePod and took a longer look.
The house was slowly succumbing to the flames, and she could see people outside. Taking out the buds and cupping her ears, she could easily hear them.
"Pete! Where's Wendy? Did you get her?" asked the woman.
"No! I thought you were getting her!" was the reply.
The boy standing by his parents started crying. The parents started for the house, but the porch roof suddenly fell before they could get to the door. They started yelling for their daughter.
Tara immediately flew toward the emergency, wishing Bonnie was with her. Wait a sec! She could CALL Bonnie!
-Bonnie, can you hear me?-
-Uh, yeah, T. Something wrong?-
-I'm at a house fire, and the fire trucks are being delayed by an accident. Can you come help?-
Tara felt a mental huff. -I'm painting my nails. Can't you handle it?-
-I don't think my air powers will do any good. If I start a wind it will make the fire spread, and I heard a child is in the house, so I can't make a vacuum either. I need you to control the fire.-
-(Sigh.) Fine. Be there in a minute.-
-Yori? Can you hear me?-
-Hai, Tara-chan. What is wrong?-
-House fire. Can the Guardian of Water help out?-
-Of course. I shall be there shortly.-
At Middleton Mall Kim and Monique were eating lunch. Kim was chewing and about to swallow when the sensation of another transformation hit her. "Bonnie just transformed," she informed Monique. "And now Yori."
The girls sat back and linked their minds.
-Bonnie? Tara? Yori? What's going on? Why have you transformed?- Kim asked.
-There's a house fire, with a child inside, I asked them to come help.- said Tara.
Monique and Kim looked at each other, then Monique looked down at her unfinished burger regretfully. "Let's go."
-Be right there.-
They quickly dumped their food and almost ran out of the mall.
"EARTH!" shouted Monique. "ENERGY!" shouted Kim, and with a flash of green and fuchsia light the fashion maven and the teen hero were gone and the Guardians stood in their place.
They were surprised when people around them applauded and shouted encouragement. A bit embarrassed, they waved and took off into the sky.
"Over there!" said Monique, pointing where smoke was rising. They headed that way as quickly as their wings could take them.
Tara flew down to where she was almost touching the ground, catching the parent's attention and that of neighbors who had come over to help.
"Our little girl is inside!" shouted the man, pointing.
"I-I'll see what I can do..." said Tara, looking toward the house. "What's her name?"
"Wendy!" said the father, "Hurry, please!"
She pushed a strong blast of air against a partially open window, yanking it out of the wall where it tumbled into the room. She gathered air around her like a shield and flew inside.
This room wasn't on fire yet, but it was also empty of any little girl. She opened the door to find flames blocking her way. Steeling her nerve she stepped out into them, and the wall of air surrounding her pushed them back. The heat was still intense, but she kept the air around her cool by circulating it.
"WENDY!" she called, "Where are you? WENDY!"
"*cough* *cough* Here!" came a young female voice.
She ran toward the location, the flames moving away from her as she passed. Throwing open a door, the room proved to be a bathroom, and a girl of about ten sat in the tub, huddled up and lying down to try and escape the smoke.
With the wave of a hand Tara pulled the smoke out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Wendy sat up, gazing with wonder at the blond woman wearing green, blue, and purple clothes, and sporting WINGS. "Who are you? An angel coming to take me to heaven?" She took a deep breath of the suddenly clear air.
"No, I'm Tara," said the Guardian. "I'm here to rescue you. Don't worry, your parents and brother are outside. Will you trust me?" she asked.
The girl nodded without hesitation.
"Then come here," said the Air Guardian, holding out her arms.
As the girl stood up, a message came in, and Tara gestured to her to stay where she was. "Hang on."
-Tara, we're here. Where are you?-
-Inside. I've found the girl. We're in the upstairs bathroom.-
-Okay, stay where you are. We'll put out the fire.-
"I'm going to join you in the bathtub. My friends are putting out the fire, and we'll leave when they say it's safe, okay?" she asked.
Wendy held out her hand, and Tara took it, stepping into the tub and putting her other arm around the girl's shoulders.
A tongue of fire suddenly licked under the door, then disappeared. There were some odd sounds, along with the noise of wood crackling and splintering. Wendy turned and put her arms around Tara's waist, and the Air Guardian tightened her grip slightly in reassurance.
-I've put out the fire.- sent Bonnie.
Water suddenly seeped in under the door and through the bathroom window, and slowly rose to a depth of a couple of inches. Then it withdrew the same way it came in.
-Tara, the fire's out. The house probably isn't safe, so I'm coming in to get you.- sent Kim.
"Okay, Kim's coming to get us, and we can leave," said Tara.
Wendy let go and took her hand. "Okay."
A minute later the door opened and Kim stepped in, surrounded by a field of fuchsia energy. Thick smoke followed her. "Hi, you two. Everything okay?"
"Yes, thanks. Wendy, this is Kim. Kim, Wendy," said Tara.
"Hi!" said Kim, looking at the window.
"You're Kim Possible!" said Wendy. "I was in the hospital when you and Rufus and that other guy came to visit and that green lady blew out the wall."
"Oh, glad you're better," said Kim, "I'm going to blow out that window. It's not safe to go back through the house."
She held out her hands and a beam of energy struck the window, pushing it out and taking some of the wall with it. She turned to Tara, who picked up Wendy, and flew through the hole. Wendy had a look that was a cross between delight and fear.
Kim took a last look around and followed. She landed in time to witness a tearful reunion and the arrival of the fire trucks.
The fire captain was grateful for the Guardian's help, since they had been delayed by the accident. Kim and Tara told him what they had observed inside, to help with the investigation of the fire's cause.
The family was grateful as well, and it took some doing to get away from them and the reporters and the neighbors. They took off into the evening sky, while every camera was on them.
"Good job, everybody," said Kim. "Tara, you were really brave, and you saved that girl's life. I'm proud of you."
"Yeah, T, we all are," put in Bonnie with a grin.
Tara looked embarrassed. "I'm just glad I could do something. I'm really loving being a Guardian."
"Let's go to Bueno Nacho, I'm still hungry," said Monique, and they all agreed that was a good idea.
