Chapter 20-What they don't know will hurt them...
Crystal smiled brightly at Eli. "Well, I don't need to know, so I should just forget it!" Eli still looked suspicious, and Crystal giggled, nervous.
You had a vision, didn't you?
*Yes, and it wasn't a pleasant one.*
How much do you know now?
*Much more than you or mother ever wanted me to.*
I assume you don't want Eli to know?
*Not yet.*
You think he'll be patient?
*Patient? No, I can't expect that from him.*
Eli smiled at her. "That's right, you wanted Anomalous to become a guardian." Eli held out his hand. Crystal reluctantly undid the clasp about her neck.
*You don't mind?*
As long as he doesn't set me against you, no. Besides...
Crystal smiled. *This wouldn't have anything to do with Yue would it?*
You're cruel!
*No, but I am strong enough to read your thoughts.*
I suppose that's a good thing?
*Well, if Sakura was judged, I suppose I will be as well?*
The group of classmates were heard walking down the street.
Anomalous sighed a breath of relief. Later. Hand Eli the cord. I'll be all right.
Crystal sighed, handed Eli her necklace, and released her hair, and deftly covered her neck with her white blonde hair.
Zachary smiled. "As soon as Sakura and the others catch up, I have something to tell you about your home country."
*And Alyson will have something to tell you about your story, I'm sure. She's much more of a history expert than you!*
Crystal smiled. "I'm sure it will be...interesting." Zachary sighed. "I thought you would believe me." Crystal kept her smile. "I know much more since Alyson started teaching me history."
Alyson smiled, crossed her arms, and waited to trip the boy up. "Did you know that native north American Indians are actually Chinese people who wanted to worship nature, and since they couldn't, they sailed halfway around the world for it?"
Alyson's smile broadened. "Actually, the Native Americans were not the Chinese. They are more likely related to the Polynesian culture, than the Chinese, and I didn't know Chinese tanned."
Li glared. "No Chinese movement went to America for religious freedom!" Crystal smiled as Alex corrected, "Zach, it was the English who went for freedom to worship God, and the Native Americans had settled there many centuries ago."
Chelsea smiled. "No more stories on America, Zachary! There are natives to China and America now!" Zachary hung his head.
A small purple bird came diving out of the night sky. Crystal raised her arm, about to point, and the bird flew under her arm, and cuddled there, shivering. Crystal smiled, and cradled the bird more comfortably, like a baby.
Meilin squealed, and came for a closer look. "Oh, how cute! Let me hold it!" The bird saw Meilin, and opened it's beak wide, and screeched much too loud for a normal bird, "CHEEEP!" Meilin fell backwards, holding her ears. Li caught her, and everyone looked curiously at the bird. Crystal sighed. "Cute, but a little too loud."
~*~*~*~ Time seemed to pause. Crystal, Eli, Li, and Sakura remained alert. The purple bird morphed, stretched, and took on a human appearance. A white girl dressed in black leather, with dark purple hair. She stared at Crystal, closed her eyes, and holding her left hand up, she placed two fingers together, and an odd echo spoke for her.
///Accepted/Eli/Moon//Meilin/Rae//Rejected/Li/Showron//Sakura/Avalon///
The girl opened her eyes, smiled, and replaced her hand by her side. She shrank, turned purple, and morphed back into a bird. ~*~*~*~
Time returned, and Anomalous was slightly blue.
That wretch! Didn't let me come out to protect you! Kero and Austin are in Sakura's bag, and they couldn't get out, either!
Crystal smiled. "That necklace doesn't suit you, Eli." Eli smiled. "I know, it won't be around for long."
Sakura and Li exchanged glances.
*What just happened?*
-------------
That night, Crystal felt for the pendant that had hung around her neck for the past two weeks.
*Anomalous!*
A solitary tear rolled down her cheek. No longer would the gentle woman guide her. Eli would create a guardian for her, and she must be satisfied with it.
The mysterious purple bird had made it's nest in the eaves outside the house, above Crystal's bed. It had not made a sound, suspicious or not, since it had frozen time. Even Li hadn't been able to explain it. ~~~~~~ Crystal had smiled, and was searching for a name when one popped into her head. "Robyn! Her name is Robyn!" Li laughed. "That bird's nothing like a Robin!" The bird seemed to glare at Li until the boy had become silent. Sakura eyed the bird warily. They could understand Eli being chosen, and even Crystal, but why was Meilin chosen? Sakura eyed Crystal. "Why?" Crystal smiled brightly. "I have no idea. For all it means, we three are to die. I wouldn't worry, Sakura."
Sakura had shivered, and Eli had glared. But Meilin was proud she'd made it when Sakura hadn't, and that almost made up for the fact that Li couldn't go. Almost? Well...
"What do you mean, it chose Eli over Li!" Meilin glared at the bird, her fear had evaporated in her anger. "Stupid bird can't see that Li can't cope without me! Look what happened when he came to Reedington alone! He fell for the first blonde he saw!" Both the accused parties blushed. The bird glared back at Meilin. Meilin lost that contest, and she dragged Li home in a fit, still raving as she dragged her ex-fiancé.
"How long has their engagement been over?" Sakura smiled. "Li ended it two months ago, shortly before Eli started giving us hints that he had a new test coming." Crystal smiled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Austin was sleeping in the garden, in a large apple tree, his blanket a leaf, his nightcap, an apple blossom. Crystal smiled, remembering tucking him in. She suppressed the memory, and thought about Eli.
*I thought he'd be my judge. But the judge doesn't help. And Eli definitely helped me today. So, he's my tester, but not my judge. So who's my judge?*
After turning the thought over a few times, the disturbed girl fell into a troubled sleep. The bird flew out of it's nest, and landed on a stone beside Crystal's head.
(Little girl, you don't even realize what Eli was thinking when he created the cards, do you? I'm sorry, but the cards are not your mission. Your mission is much more difficult. I've given you your team. Just because Sakura and Li will force their way in, you will have your second mission undisturbed.)
The bird, using her own method of thinking, satisfied it would not have to relay this went back to sleep.
In the garden, an icy breeze cut by Austin and a shadowed figure. The judge had awakened another card.
Crystal smiled brightly at Eli. "Well, I don't need to know, so I should just forget it!" Eli still looked suspicious, and Crystal giggled, nervous.
You had a vision, didn't you?
*Yes, and it wasn't a pleasant one.*
How much do you know now?
*Much more than you or mother ever wanted me to.*
I assume you don't want Eli to know?
*Not yet.*
You think he'll be patient?
*Patient? No, I can't expect that from him.*
Eli smiled at her. "That's right, you wanted Anomalous to become a guardian." Eli held out his hand. Crystal reluctantly undid the clasp about her neck.
*You don't mind?*
As long as he doesn't set me against you, no. Besides...
Crystal smiled. *This wouldn't have anything to do with Yue would it?*
You're cruel!
*No, but I am strong enough to read your thoughts.*
I suppose that's a good thing?
*Well, if Sakura was judged, I suppose I will be as well?*
The group of classmates were heard walking down the street.
Anomalous sighed a breath of relief. Later. Hand Eli the cord. I'll be all right.
Crystal sighed, handed Eli her necklace, and released her hair, and deftly covered her neck with her white blonde hair.
Zachary smiled. "As soon as Sakura and the others catch up, I have something to tell you about your home country."
*And Alyson will have something to tell you about your story, I'm sure. She's much more of a history expert than you!*
Crystal smiled. "I'm sure it will be...interesting." Zachary sighed. "I thought you would believe me." Crystal kept her smile. "I know much more since Alyson started teaching me history."
Alyson smiled, crossed her arms, and waited to trip the boy up. "Did you know that native north American Indians are actually Chinese people who wanted to worship nature, and since they couldn't, they sailed halfway around the world for it?"
Alyson's smile broadened. "Actually, the Native Americans were not the Chinese. They are more likely related to the Polynesian culture, than the Chinese, and I didn't know Chinese tanned."
Li glared. "No Chinese movement went to America for religious freedom!" Crystal smiled as Alex corrected, "Zach, it was the English who went for freedom to worship God, and the Native Americans had settled there many centuries ago."
Chelsea smiled. "No more stories on America, Zachary! There are natives to China and America now!" Zachary hung his head.
A small purple bird came diving out of the night sky. Crystal raised her arm, about to point, and the bird flew under her arm, and cuddled there, shivering. Crystal smiled, and cradled the bird more comfortably, like a baby.
Meilin squealed, and came for a closer look. "Oh, how cute! Let me hold it!" The bird saw Meilin, and opened it's beak wide, and screeched much too loud for a normal bird, "CHEEEP!" Meilin fell backwards, holding her ears. Li caught her, and everyone looked curiously at the bird. Crystal sighed. "Cute, but a little too loud."
~*~*~*~ Time seemed to pause. Crystal, Eli, Li, and Sakura remained alert. The purple bird morphed, stretched, and took on a human appearance. A white girl dressed in black leather, with dark purple hair. She stared at Crystal, closed her eyes, and holding her left hand up, she placed two fingers together, and an odd echo spoke for her.
///Accepted/Eli/Moon//Meilin/Rae//Rejected/Li/Showron//Sakura/Avalon///
The girl opened her eyes, smiled, and replaced her hand by her side. She shrank, turned purple, and morphed back into a bird. ~*~*~*~
Time returned, and Anomalous was slightly blue.
That wretch! Didn't let me come out to protect you! Kero and Austin are in Sakura's bag, and they couldn't get out, either!
Crystal smiled. "That necklace doesn't suit you, Eli." Eli smiled. "I know, it won't be around for long."
Sakura and Li exchanged glances.
*What just happened?*
-------------
That night, Crystal felt for the pendant that had hung around her neck for the past two weeks.
*Anomalous!*
A solitary tear rolled down her cheek. No longer would the gentle woman guide her. Eli would create a guardian for her, and she must be satisfied with it.
The mysterious purple bird had made it's nest in the eaves outside the house, above Crystal's bed. It had not made a sound, suspicious or not, since it had frozen time. Even Li hadn't been able to explain it. ~~~~~~ Crystal had smiled, and was searching for a name when one popped into her head. "Robyn! Her name is Robyn!" Li laughed. "That bird's nothing like a Robin!" The bird seemed to glare at Li until the boy had become silent. Sakura eyed the bird warily. They could understand Eli being chosen, and even Crystal, but why was Meilin chosen? Sakura eyed Crystal. "Why?" Crystal smiled brightly. "I have no idea. For all it means, we three are to die. I wouldn't worry, Sakura."
Sakura had shivered, and Eli had glared. But Meilin was proud she'd made it when Sakura hadn't, and that almost made up for the fact that Li couldn't go. Almost? Well...
"What do you mean, it chose Eli over Li!" Meilin glared at the bird, her fear had evaporated in her anger. "Stupid bird can't see that Li can't cope without me! Look what happened when he came to Reedington alone! He fell for the first blonde he saw!" Both the accused parties blushed. The bird glared back at Meilin. Meilin lost that contest, and she dragged Li home in a fit, still raving as she dragged her ex-fiancé.
"How long has their engagement been over?" Sakura smiled. "Li ended it two months ago, shortly before Eli started giving us hints that he had a new test coming." Crystal smiled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Austin was sleeping in the garden, in a large apple tree, his blanket a leaf, his nightcap, an apple blossom. Crystal smiled, remembering tucking him in. She suppressed the memory, and thought about Eli.
*I thought he'd be my judge. But the judge doesn't help. And Eli definitely helped me today. So, he's my tester, but not my judge. So who's my judge?*
After turning the thought over a few times, the disturbed girl fell into a troubled sleep. The bird flew out of it's nest, and landed on a stone beside Crystal's head.
(Little girl, you don't even realize what Eli was thinking when he created the cards, do you? I'm sorry, but the cards are not your mission. Your mission is much more difficult. I've given you your team. Just because Sakura and Li will force their way in, you will have your second mission undisturbed.)
The bird, using her own method of thinking, satisfied it would not have to relay this went back to sleep.
In the garden, an icy breeze cut by Austin and a shadowed figure. The judge had awakened another card.