"What are you trying to pull, Kay-Kay?" Amethyst teased. "April 1st isn't for another few months!"
"Damnit you guys!" Kayley huffed. "I'm being serious!"
Lunchtime rolled around once more at Lakewood. The girls had naturally escaped the lunchtime rush by eating theirs behind the bike sheds, once again. Kayley had insisted and all were too tired to protest.
After sleeping on it for the night, Kayley's mind had digested all the information Miss Cook gave to her the previous day and through hours of rest, it had managed to all fit nicely into place inside her head.
Therefore, she had relayed her conversation to the others. And once again, they laughed in her face. This time, she wasn't about to give in so easily.
"Just here me out here," Kayley urged. Sensing the silence as her canvas to continue she said, "Look, I don't know what all of this is, but this is no joke. The fainting, the symbols, getting Miss Cook in on the gag; even you Amy couldn't dream of something like that."
Amethyst shrugged, half smiling.
"Think about it. This Oracle said I was the Guardian of… something to do with electricity. I don't know… it begins with a Q. Anyway, that explains why electrical appliances have been talking to me recently, doesn't it?"
Opal tried in vain to stifle her laughter. "Come again?" she requested.
Kayley's shoulders sank. "It's not funny," she grumbled.
"I beg to differ," Ash began, but she noted how serious Kayley's tone was. Clearing her throat, she insisted, "Go on Kayley."
Kayley nodded, gratefully. "Opal, the Oracle said you're the Guardian of fire. Does that mean anything to you?"
Ash shot her head around to Opal at lightning speed. Opal caught her gaze and gulped, shuffling in place. Soon enough, Ash convinced her to spill out what she knew, leaving the girls in a flabbergasted wake.
Kayley smiled triumphantly. "Anyone still want to call me crazy?" she dared, gleefully.
"Question-" Ash interjected, "I was keeping quiet, but…" Ash scratched the back of her head, stalling for time. "Does this sound familiar to anyone else but me? Kandrakar, Guardians, magic… I've been having these reoccurring dreams for weeks now. I just thought it was a freaky coincidence…"
Amethyst and Opal's gaze met and they regarded one another knowingly. Amethyst spoke up, "We have too, come to think of it. For about three, four weeks now?" she checked. Opal nodded and added, "I assumed it was related to that fantasy film you forced me to suffer through last month. I stand corrected."
Amethyst lowered her head, hiding then small grains of confused panic in her eyes. "What else did this Oracle say?" she mumbled.
Kayley divulged all that she was told about the Guardians, only savouring one piece of information to last. After a while, that moment came.
Humour had seemed to have been last in the translation of their conversation with even Amethyst being beyond jokes. Seriously, Opal asked, "Who is the fifth Guardian?"
"I was hoping you'd ask," Kayley groaned, enthusiastically unenthusiastic, if that makes any sense.
"Lorelai Clove," she declared.
Amethyst sighed. "Of course…"
Matter-of-factly, Ash shrugged and added, "Could have been worse. Could have been Trish."
The pair shuddered at the thought.
"Well I refuse to tell her," Opal announced. Amethyst quickly concurred.
Ash gave Kayley a half smile and said, "I guess it's up to you, champ."
"Wait, I'm not doing it!" Kayley tried, but Ash halted her in her tracks, stating, "You've been told the most about this. You know more than all of us. You have to tell her."
Kayley caved in, saying, "Fine, but you're coming with me."
Kayley picked up her bag and began walking back towards civilization.
"What, right now?" Ash checked.
Opal pulled up her sleeve and examined her wrist watch. "Lorelai will still be in her music detention, but it lets out in four minutes precisely. You must hurry if you wish to 'ambush' her."
Lorelai strutted down the hall holding yet another can of diet soda. The girl was obsessed with the stuff. She was on her way to meet Sandra and Trisha for lunch when two pairs of hands forcefully pulled her into the nearest bathroom and threw her on the floor.
"What'up, BITCH!?" Kayley exclaimed, mockingly.
Lorelai looked up at her from the floor coldly. She resisted the urge to scream and shout, as that would only be a win in their books. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction. Instead, she brushed off the dust from her skirt and straightened out her hair before returning her attention to Kayley, sneering, "Take advantage of this moment, shortcake. This might be the only time you can tower over someone."
Kayley's face flushed. She smiled, almost maliciously, and said through gritted teeth, "You take this one Ash. She's no use to us if I kill her now."
Ash agreed, and held out a hand to help Lorelai off the floor.
"Don't touch me," Lorelai hissed, shaking her off and picking herself up.
Ash glared at her, loathing the moment she was told Lorelai would be one of these Guardian's too.
"Listen, I need you to hear me out here because what I'm about to tell you will sound a little far-fetched," Ash stated, calmly.
"I don't have time for your little performance, carny girl," Lorelai interjected, walking towards the door. As she was about to reach for the handle, Kayley blurted, "You and Jacob Taylor, making out behind the bike sheds in Rose Pelt Park."
Lorelai halted. "How do you know about that?" she demanded, trying to remain level-headed.
"It's not a private park, you know? Next time you cheat on your boyfriend, do try to hide it better. But never mind that. We're the only ones who know and it's going to stay that way if you hear me out."
"Isn't blackmail against some sort of law?" Lorelai observed.
"Well I think adultery is more than frowned upon, don't you?" Kayley countered.
Lorelai retraced her steps back in.
"That's what I thought," Kayley smiled, slyly.
"Just make it quick," Lorelai yawned, attempting to act nonchalant. They both saw right through it but didn't comment.
"We know what you can do, Lorelai. These past few weeks have had some strange things happening. Stuff to do with flowers, maybe?" Ash guessed. She took Lorelai's reaction to be a conformation and so continued, "Maybe some reoccurring dreams about magic? Guardians? Does the name Kandrakar mean anything to you?"
"How? How?!" Lorelai thought. She began to panic. No-one, not even Trisha and Sandra knew about that. How did they know? Aloud, she declared, "I have no idea what you're talking about," she hastened for the door, but Kayley blocked her escape. "Move out of the way, dweeb. I have no time for your-"
Kayley's eyes flashed a vibrant blue before she yelled, "OH WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN!"
Her voice boomed thought the bathroom and shook the walls before all the lights in the restroom turned off.
"Oh, my gosh," Lorelai breathed before the lights came back on. Kayley's eyes had turned back to their regular shade but her anger was still there.
Lorelai backed into the wall, eyes fixed on Kayley. "How-how did you do that?" she asked, voice quivering.
Kayley looked to Ash with almost fear of herself in her eyes. Ash tensed up at Kayley's glare and shrugged, helplessly.
Kayley swallowed hard but decided to make the most out of the situation. Kayley turned back to Lorelai with an almost malicious smile and said, "Never you mind, but I'll do it again if you don't shut up."
Lorelai pressed her lips tightly shut and nodded rapidly.
Ash tried to relax her defensive stance and continued, "Do you remember anything out-of-the-ordinary over these past couple of weeks? I'm talking unusual experiences?"
Lorelai looked at her blankly.
Ash looked back to Kayley. "She is earth, right?"
Kayley nodded.
"Okay, then I'm talking vines randomly appearing out of nowhere. Trees… I don't know, talking! Anything like-"
"Wait, wait, wait-" Lorelai raised her hands to halt Amethyst, though hoping this would be an acceptation to the 'shut up and listen' rule. When the lights didn't nearly explode she relaxed and found it fit to say, "Y-You mentioned something about Kandrakar?"
Kayley and Amethyst smiled victoriously to one another, knowing they'd found familiar territory.
The day was Friday and Lakewood's weekly free period had rolled around again.
"Sorry we're late," Kayley panted, bursting through the door of Miss Cook's classroom. Ash and Amethyst collided into her from behind and launched the pack inside.
Opal watched them pick themselves off the floor and nodded. "A stylish entrance, might I add? I assume you have an excuse for being tardy?"
Amethyst tried to calm her coughing fit. "Mr Wilson- *cough*… Mr Wilson caught- *cough* cough*"
"Mr Wilson caught us sneaking away from class and ordered Mr Kayne to chase us half way around the school," Kayley finished, trying desperately to keep herself from falling back on the floor again. She also made a mental note to start exercising again - no short run like that should leave ANYONE in such a state.
"Who knew that a teacher with a build that big could run that damn fast?!" Ash panted, taking a seat next to Opal. The others clustered around them.
"Where's Lorelai?" Amethyst asked.
"Aw, don't tell me she's going to skip out on us?" Kayley moaned, grabbing her water bottle out of her bag and gulping down the remains.
"I wouldn't put it past her…" Ash agreed. Opal quickly countered by saying, "Hush the lot of you. She will be here, I know it."
"Oh what have you suddenly gone psychic now?" Kayley chuckled, but I few seconds after reading all their expressions she contradicted herself by mumbling, "Good point…"
And sure enough…
"Lorelai can't even be fashionable when she's late…" Amethyst taunted, motioning for Lorelai to take a seat behind her.
"More fashionable than you'll ever be, drama freak," Lorelai grumbled, dumping her bag beside the seat closest to the door.