Chapter 2
The Birthday Gift

A gift can be many things,
The thing you should think of is the thought behind it

Five days later, the calendar read June 4th and Hay Lin felt a wave of joy engulf her when she read it. She had forgotten that it was her birthday today. She was happy that she was going to get a lot of presents today but a little cloud of sadness shrouded her joy because she knew that the one thing she wanted the most was the only thing she wouldn't get. Or would she?

Ω

Taranee had been very busy during the last four days. She had pumped her parents for every dollar, cent and penny she could get her hands on and she called in a few favours from her brother, Peter, too. She had even asked her Guardian colleague and friend, Cornelia for a bit of help. Namely to draw some gold and silver out of the ground. Taranee then had the metals forged into a ring of pure gold with a silver wind patter and a winged heart of silver on it. Cornelia had of course asked to whom the ring was for but Taranee had just smiled at her mischievously and looked dreamingly on the ring.

"Only Time will tell, my friend, only Time will tell" was all that Taranee had said before she disappeared.

Cornelia had just shrugged and shaken her head at Taranee with a giggling smile.

Ω

Later that day at 'The Silver Dragon' Hay Lin sat in the empty dinning hall and waited for her friends. She was dressed in a red sleeveless top and a blue skirt. She had gotten rid of her pigtails and had her hair in a braid instead. She looked down into her right palm were she had painted the Chinese sign for Luck.

If I'm lucky then maybe, just maybe I'll get my wish she thought and sighed.

Her parents had closed up early and were busy cooking the meal that was going to be served for the evening. There was a knock on the door and before Hay Lin's parents told her to see who it was and before the hand had left the wood, Hay Lin had silently flown across the room and opened the door.

"I can see her- GAH!" Irma shrieked.

She had looked into the restaurant via the window and been frightened by Hay Lin's sudden appearance at the front door.

"How did you do that?" Irma questioned, looking from the spot Hay Lin had been a second ago inside the restaurant to the front door where she was now.

Hay Lin just giggled at her friend's confused face and embraced her friends. With a little tingle she embraced Taranee. She wasn't sure but she thought she felt Taranee tighten the embrace, but just a little. She felt Taranee's breathe in her ear for just a second but in that second she shivered with pleasure. She struggled to keep her thoughts in check so that they wouldn't betray her to Taranee who gave her a sly little smile that none of the others noticed.

'This is going just according to plan' Taranee thought for herself, proud of the accomplishment of her exquisite little mind.

Hay Lin then invited her friends into the restaurant were Hay Lin's parents had set the table with all sorts of Chinese culinary masteries. There were spring rolls, fish of different kinds, noodles, fortune cookies, the mandatory rice of course and a multitude of sweet, bitter and pure fiery hot sauces. The smells of the heat and steam blended with spices from the Far East floated around the room like wisps. Irma's eyes grew wide when she saw the well stocked table and her belly grunted with happiness.

"Sigh Don't you ever stop being hungry, you little food ogre?" Cornelia said as she rolled her eyes.

"What!" exclaimed Irma in defence, "I can't help that I like food"

"You like food as the ocean likes fish" said Taranee with a wink.

The girls laughed at Irma's red angered face from Taranee's burn.

"I'm sorry" said Taranee laughing, "I couldn't let that one slip"

"Now, now it's my birthday and I don't want a fight" said Hay Lin with a snicker filled sigh.

Taranee and Irma blushed in shame but soon forgot it when the feast began. Both food and drink diminished to near nil when finally even Irma was full and leaned back onto the wooden floor with her over stuffed stomach.

"I will not be able to eat for the rest of the weak" Irma groaned.

"Don't blame us, it was you who stuffed yourself like a turkey" Cornelia poked.

"Time to open your presents, Hay Lin" said Will quickly to defuse the situation before it blew up in their faces.

Hay Lin smiled and carefully picked up a present (Making sure beforehand that it wasn't Taranee's gift) and looked at the label which showed that it was from Cornelia. The package was flat and broad. Hay Lin ripped of the paper and to her joy it contained a big expensive box with several magic marker pens in a variety of colours. She had been eyeing out that kind of box for months.

"Thank you, Cornelia" said Hay Lin as she leaned forward to hug her friend, then she grabbed another present.

It was Irma's gift who stood in line for unwrapping. It was yet another thing she had been eyeing on. A set of aquarelle colours to paint with and seeing Irma as the Water Guardian, she snickered a bit before she hugged her and thanked her for the gift. Irma smiled to her happy friend. Taranee was more than a little impatient for Hay Lin to open her own gift but she didn't show it. Hay Lin picked out Wills present next. She was surprised that it was the biggest present of them all. It was about two foot wide and three foot high and an inch thick. She tore of the paper wrapper and looked stunned at the square object. It was a painting of the five guardians in full transformation outfits. Will in the painting sat down in the lower left corner with her back against the frame. The heart was floating above her right hand. Her right leg was lying along the frame and her left was drawn up against herself. Irma stood down in the opposite corner with her back half turned against the paintings viewer. She looked over her shoulder and winked with her right eye and on her fingertips danced bubbles of water. Directly above Irma was Taranee who stood up like a big 'Y'. Behind her fire burned like a furnace in red and orange. Cornelia sat up in the upper right corner under a tree. Her golden blond hair flowed down her shoulders. Her left arm was embracing her legs and in her right hand, a red rose bloomed. In the middle was a great (compared to the others) Hay Lin. She stood on the frame and her head touched the top frame. The hands were extended and touched the side frames. Dividing the painting into those four sections. Her eyes were closed and thick, half transparent, cyan strains of air twirled around Hay Lin's legs and out around her arms. What struck her most was how alive the painting was. She had never seen anything like it. Hay Lin was unable to speak and just sat and looked at the painting. The other three girls were beginning to wonder what it was on the painting. Will just sat there with a pleased smile. Hay Lin returned to reality and turned the painting around. The three girls gasped and Will couldn't help but admire the painting.

'No matter how many times I see that painting, I'll always be amazed how it feels so... alive' Will thought to herself.

"It's so alive" said Irma and touched the painting to see if it was just a painting.

"Where did you get this painting, Will?" Hay Lin asked, still breath taken by the painting.

"Remember that guy who we saved from Phobos? The one who painted him for the family gallery? Well, I called in a favour a few months ago and dropped a coin or two" Will said, 'More like 100$ in gold' she added in her mind.

"Thank you" was all Hay Lin said as she looked at the painting again.

Hay Lin carefully placed the painting by the wall so that it wouldn't be accidentally damaged.

"Mine left" said Taranee and handed Hay Lin a small box.

Hay Lin took the box and opened it with growing curiosity. The box held a brass necklace with a capital 'H' on it. Hay Lin noticed that there was a card upside-down in the box to. She picked it up and read it. It said:

'To my most beloved friend, T. C.'

She was going to put the card down when she noticed a small key that lay underneath the card in a small 'secret' compartment. She laid the card down and shut the box.

'I'll ask her later what the key is about' Hay Lin thought as she hugged her friend and thanked her for the necklace.

"Your welcome" Taranee said and just innocently she blew softly on Hay Lin's ears as they hugged, just enough to make her react but not too much to arouse suspicions.

Hay Lin froze and fought the urge to kiss Taranee right there in front of her friends.

'I can't take much more of this' she thought desperately forgetting that Taranee could read her mind.

The time passed and the clock struck 20:00 and Hay Lin's parents said that it was time for her friends to leave. It was with reluctance that they left and Hay Lin asked if they couldn't stay a bit longer. But her parents told her that they had to open the restaurant early tomorrow and needed the sleep and they had to clean up from Hay Lin's party. Hay Lin said goodbye to her friends and looked after Taranee until she was out of view before she went inside to help clean up the mess.

Ω

The four girls walked home and after a few blocks they parted. Irma went her way as did Cornelia. Taranee accompanied Will home and half way she stopped. Will stopped and looked at her African friend.

"Taranee? What's wrong?" Will asked.

"Will, I need you to do me a huge über favour" Taranee said as she hung her head down, "I have been planning this for four days and I have to say that it is only one thing left and that I need from you, Will" she continued as she looked at Will with desperation and a small glint of hope in her eyes.

"I was wondering when you would ask" Will snickered.

Taranee looked confused.

"You had Cornelia draw out gold and silver out of the ground to make a ring. You borrowed money from Irma and since this is like one and one is three I was wondering when you'd ask me for a favour so what is it?" Will said with a smile.

"It is not a small favour I'm asking of you, Will" Taranee said low.

"Let's hear it" Will urged.

"Could-I-borrow-the-Heart-of-Kandrakar?" Taranee said so fast that Will almost didn't hear it.

Will just looked silently on her friend trying to figure out what she said. When it dawned on her she her eyes grew a bit but she didn't say anything. Taranee waited a full minute before her heart sank in her chest. Will then saw how much Taranee really needed the Heart. Taranee slowly turned around and began to walk home. She stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Then she saw a pink glow emanating from behind her.

"Here, just bring it by tomorrow" she heard Will's voice.

Taranee's brain processed the words a long time before she shrieked of joy and tackled Will over in a great bear hug.

"Let… go… can't… breathe…" Will gasped and Taranee backed of with a blush as she helped her red haired friend off of the ground.

"Sorry" Taranee mumbled.

"No worries" Will said as she caught her breath.

Will handed over the Heart to Taranee. Taranee looked first at the glowing Heart then Will. Will nodded and Taranee grabbed the chain which the heart was linked to.

"Heart, you are to serve Taranee tonight and don't cause any trouble for her" Will said to the Heart.

The Heart turned deep red then yellow and deep blue before it returned to its normal pink colour. Taranee looked amazed at the whole conversation before she put the chain over her head and put it inside her shirt. Taranee closed her eyes and she was then enclosed in an orange orb and mere seconds later she stood there in her full guardian uniform.

"Thank you, Will" said Taranee with a tear of joy in her eye as she hugged her friend, gently this time.

"Have fun" Will said as she waved as Taranee flew up in the air and towards Hay Lin's house.

From the darkness of the alley between two nearby buildings, a shade watched them.

"It has begun" he said with a grinning smile as a passing car's headlights flashed in the metal mask on his left side face.

VI