Episode 8: The Earth Stone

"That was the worst assignment ever," Cassandra said, half weeping to Daniela. "I was sick the whole time and... and..." she simply held up her hand.

"Oh," Daniela said, spotting Cassandra's nails. "What did you do?"

"It was," Cassandra began, then hiccuped. "It was..."

Cicada chuckled to her friends over-hearing Cassandra's wails. "That was actually me," she said.

"Why'd you do that?" Trend asked, bringing a hand to her chest, then curled her fingers toward her, as if to protect her own nails.

"She wasn't helping at all," Cicada said. "And her excuse was 'manicure' every time." Cicada perfectly imitated Cassandra when she said 'manicure.'. "So, I had to do something."

"I basically did everything," Emma said. She leaned against a pillar that she was next to. "It was the only way I could ensure I would pass."

"This was supposed to be a partner project," Kaida said. "You could report her for not doing anything."

"No I can't," Emma said with a shrug. "I told her not to do anything, I was pretty sure she'd mess up anything she tried."

"Well, Trend and I got along great," Kaida said. "We'd have no fire if it weren't for her."

Emma lifted a green eyebrow and turned to Trend. "Oh, really."

Trend looked away. "I wonder what's keeping Angel," she said. She smiled. "Maybe she and Brandon decided to pull over for a few minutes."

"What, and allow Trine and Avery to just look on?" Emma asked.

Then they heard a scream rip through the air. A scream that they quickly recognized.

"Trine! I am so gonna kill you," Angel's yells carried through the air. A second later, the Wind Rider came into the courtyard and skidded to a stop. Angel fell off, staggered a few steps, pulled off the helmet, then turned deadly eyes on the other Eraklyon. "You are sooo gonna regret that."

Trine just smiled and laughed. "Yeah, like I believe that," he said.

"You're not with Brandon?" Trend asked. "But that means..."

A moment later a second Wind Rider came in at a much more reasonable speed. After it stopped, Brandon and Avery climbed off.

Trend rushed up to Angel's side. "What's she doing on Brandon's Wind Rider? Why weren't you with him?"

"She refused to go a second ride with Trine," Angel said. She smiled. "Better ride?" she asked Avery.

"Much," she said. She handed Brandon back the second helmet. "Thanks for the lift."

"Well, I very well couldn't have left you out there," Brandon said.

"Do I even want to know?" Cicada asked her brown eyes shifting from looking at Angel to Avery several times.

"Look, I'll explain everything later," Angel said turning back to the Vixen girls. "But first, are you four okay? Like, Gaea didn't attack you at all?"

"No," the four answered in unison. Then Kaida gasped. "Were you attacked?"

"Yeah, but we drove her off," Avery said. The four Vixen that hadn't just spent the weekend with her turned to stare at her.

Cicada sidled up next to Angel. "Are we friends now or something?"

"Yes," Angel said. She smiled at Avery, and Avery nodded. "She's just been misunderstood."

"Misunderstood?" Emma questioned. "She's been actively obnoxious to most everyone in the school."

Avery turned her eyes down. It was clear that she knew exactly what Emma was talking about. "I'm really sorry about that," she said, her voice quiet. "There were some issues that I've been dealing with."

"Wait, can we go back to you two being attacked?" Kaida asked. She looked at them. "How did you drive her off?"

"Oh, that was actually kind of easy," Angel said. She smiled and nodded toward Avery. "At least, it was once Avery blocked her access to the ground."

"You what?" Trend asked. "How did you do that?"

"I used my magic," Avery said. "It's pure magical energy." She knelt down and placed a hand on the ground, demonstrating.

"Anyway, now that we have a way to defeat her," Trine said with a smirk, "we think it's about time we brought the fight to her."

"Who's we?" Emma asked. "Because we don't need your help."

"Oh, wait, I could have sworn that you needed our help last time," Trine said with a cheeky smile.

"Well, now we know how to fight her," Emma said, hand on her hips.

"But do you know how and where to find her?" Trine asked. "Because Brandon and I have it figured out."

The girls turned to Brandon. "It could be far off," he said. "You might need someone to pilot a ship there for you."

It was a few minutes later that Charm, Marvel, and Mech arrived with a ship. The six girls and five boys made their way into a computer lab. Mech sat down and began typing.

"What are we looking on a computer for?" Trend asked. "Gaea's not into technomagic."

"That's your mother, Mech," Trine said.

"No, Gaea's not," Mech said, typing the same time as he spoke. He simply ignored Trine's statement. "But a computer can tell us where there has been a lot of seismic activity recently."

They all crowded around the computer as Mech brought up maps. "There," Mech said after surveying the maps. He zoomed in on one and then again to a mountain. "That's not a volcano, Chaltain's Peak is just a mountain. It shouldn't have much seismic activity."

"Great," Cicada said. "We have a destination. Now let's go."

"Shouldn't we tell someone," Kaida asked. "Like, Faragonda?"

"What's the point?" Trine asked backing out into the hall. "We'll be back before anyone knows we've gone."

"Oh, really?" Griselda was next to him. She coughed and pointed towards Faragonda's office.

The six fairies stood nervously in front of Faragonda's desk. The five boys were in the back of the office. "You do understand my concern," Faragonda asked. "This could be dangerous."

"But, Faragonda," Angel said. "We know how to defeat her."

"She nearly destroyed you last time you fought her," Griselda said, crossing her arms. "What makes you so sure that you can defeat her now?"

The five Vixen turned to look at Avery. She looked at them, then coughed a bit. "Because, I can block her access to the ground," she said.

"No ground, now powers," Cicada said.

"She draws all her magic from the ground," Kaida said. "The dirt, the rocks... it's her only form of fighting."

"So, blocking it, she will be easily apprehended," Emma said.

"Still, it sounds like a risk," Faragonda.

"It's a risk we have to take," Angel said. "What if she comes after someone else? What if next time, she finds a fairy that can't fight her? Like Cassandra or Daniela?"

"They are both capable," Griselda said.

"Yes, but so are we all," Angel said. "And she defeated all five of us. With Avery, we have the advantage." She stared at Faragonda. "Please, let us do this."

Faragonda took a deep breath and turned to Griselda. "Oh, you're not actually going to let them do this," Griselda gasped. "They could be seriously hurt."

"We'll be there to ensure they don't," Charm said, stepping forward.

"This is what we train our girls to do, Griselda," Faragonda said. "One day they will all be Guardian fairies of their home realms. And if they believe they are able to do this, then I do believe it is our duty to trust them."

"All right, Faragonda!" Cicada cheered.

"We're going to make you proud," Angel said.

"Oh, girls, you already do," Faragonda said. "Now, go. Make sure this Gaea doesn't attack any more fairies."

"So here's the plan," Charm said once the fairies and Specialists were all in the ship. "Let us guys survey the mountain first. We'll locate Gaea before we go in for a sneak attack."

"Good luck locating her on a giant rock," Emma said. "It's too big for you five to survey quickly enough."

Charm chuckled. "How many successful missions have you ever been on, Green?" he asked.

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Plenty, on Isis," Emma said. "And we never needed any Specialists to pull them off." She pushed his shoulder. "You're just here for transport. Once we're in range, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride."

However, when they approached, they saw a bigger problem.

"That is a huge mountain," Trend said.

"That's Chaltian's Peak for you," Trine said, sliding in next to her.

"Well, size doesn't matter," Angel said. She was ready.

"Maybe not to you," Avery said. Her blue eyes were wide, staring at the mountain. "But it does to me. I can't spread my energy over the whole mountain."

"Oh, look who does need us," Charm said before laughing. He abruptly stop laughing when Emma elbowed him hard in the stomach.

"So it's back to plan A," Marvel said. He began switching a few controls. "We survey the mountain until we can pinpoint her exact location."

"That'll take too long," Cicada said. She turned to the hatch. "Open up, I've got friends that can help."

Marvel turned to look. "You might want to transform," he said, pressing the button that opened the ship.

"I've got the whole way down to do that," she said, jumping out. She laughed as she fell, and halfway down, transformed into her Winx before disappearing among some trees.

"Should we follow?" Emma asked.

"Probably," Angel said and nodded. "Let's go Vixen!"

The fairies all flew off after Cicada, all except Avery.

"You're not going?" Marvel asked her.

"I don't think I'm part of Vixen," she said, watching them fly off. "They don't even seem to realize I'm not there."

"Avery, they wouldn't have invited you if they didn't consider you as part of them," Marvel said.

"Yeah, they're pretty thick-headed, but they're loyal friends," Charm said. He nodded his head out the hatch. "So, after you."

Avery took a deep breath, before she transformed and jumped out, following the rest of the Vixen out. Charm smirked. "See you four on the ground," he said before following the girls.

"Anything?" Emma asked, looking at Cicada. Avery was a little shocked to see a Cicada's antennae wiggle back and forth while the Insectus fairy concentrated.

"She's definitely living here," Cicada said. "But, they don't know where. She lives deep underground, deeper than the ant caves even."

Angel nodded. "Think we can draw her out?"

"Are you sure that's the best course of action?" Kaida asked. "I mean, actively looking for a fight?"

"As compared to sitting around and waiting for her to strike again?" Emma asked. "What if the next fairies aren't able to defend themselves?"

"I do believe you mean have boys to defend them," Trend said. "We royally lost when we faced her last."

"Are you afraid to fight?" Emma said.

"We have to think before we act," Kaida said.

"We're so close right now." Angel said.

The five girls kept going in circles, only hearing their own words and not the others. Avery couldn't take it.

"Get ready," she yelled, then jumped down from the tree, landing on the ground, and with a glowing fist, punched the hard earth beneath her. The five Vixen watched on as Gaea was forced out of the ground. Flung up a foot before she landed on the ground now cut off from her from Avery's energy.

"How'd you know?" Kaida asked as Emma and Angel jumped, racing after the earth controller, Angel in flight and Emma on foot.

"The noise you five were making who wouldn't," Avery said. "She's getting out of my range, better send her back this way."

"On it," Trend said and long shimmering ribbons shot past the two pursuing fairies and wrapped around Gaea. She strugged as she was pulled back, but managed to get close enough to some rocks which she flung at Avery.

"Dont' move," Cicada said, closing her shell up and jumping in front of Avery. The rocks hit, pushing Cicada forward, but she effectively stopped Avery from being hit.

"Gotcha," Charm said, landing behind the earth controller and locking her in a Morfix ball.

Avery took a breath, before standing up, harnessing in her energy.

"We're taking you in," Angel said, stepping up to the Morfix bubble.

"On what crimes," Gaea questioned, crossing her arms.

"On attacking us, duh," Trend said with a flip of her hair. The hair distracted Charm, for just a moment, and the next thing Avery knew, Gaea had broken the Morfix bubble and was about to touch down.

"Oh no you don't," Trine yelled, sliding in and kicking Gaea. She went flying and Mech dodged under her, while keeping light on his feet as Gaea still was close enough to the ground to move it.

"Avery, catch," Mech yelled, knocking higher into the air with his shield.

Gaea was falling and coming at her, so Avery threw up her hands, an energy bubble forming around Gaea. The others all let out a sigh of relief. Breaking from Avery's bubble would be a lot more difficult than Charm's Morfix bubble.

Avery, however, began to cringe. She wasn't used to using her magic so much, especially not the raw energy form. Gaea laughed. "How long is this going to hold?" She tapped on the bubble and laughed again as Avery closed her eyes, concentrating.

"Angel, what does that mean?" Kaida asked.

"We need to help her," Angel said, grabbing Kaida's hand and dragging her closer to Avery.

"What, more protective bubbles?" Emma asked.

"No," Angel said, noticing how Avery's hands were beginning to glow. She released Kaida's hand, not about to force her friend to help with the overflow, before she took Avery's hand. She felt the power flow into her. It was strong, as Avery still was keeping Gaea in the bubble.

"Oh, I get it," Kaida said, taking Avery's other hand. She gasped, but then wove her fingers with Avery's signifying that she wasn't going to let go.

One by one, the other three Vixen girls took hands, spreading Avery's power through them. Trend took Angel's hand. Cicada took Kaida's free hand. Finally, Emma finished the circle, connenting with Trend and Cicada. Avery's power circled through them all, strengthing the bubble until Gaea screamed.

And then, inside the circle was not the Gaea they knew. She had the same face, but her hair was a cotton candy pink and her skin pale and dotted with freckles.

"What happened?" Trend asked. The girl in the bubble was passed out.

Avery pulled her hands free and the bubble popped. Emma caught the girl before she could hit the ground. But, it was Kaida that noticed the stone that dropped. She went to pick it up, but stopped. She grabbed a leaf, then gently picked it up. "Trend, if you could..."

Trend nodded and made a small pouch which Kaida dropped the stone in.

"We should get back," Charm said. "I'm sure Faragonda is eagerly awainging your return."

"As if Saladin isn't waiting for us," Brandon added.

"What do we do about her?" Emma asked, indicating to the passed out girl in her arms..

"Bring her with us," Angel said with a shrug.

"And if she goes berserk and attacks us again?" Cicada asked.

"We'll be in a ship," Trine said. "Not much dirt in there to attack us with."

"I think her attacking days are done," Kaida said, looking at the pouch that had the stone in it. "But you're right," she added. "We need to get back and bring her with us."

Suddenly, Avery fell to her knees, breathing deeply.

"Avery," Angel knelt next to her. "Are you okay?"

Avery nodded. "Yeah," she said quietly. "Just a little tired."

Marvel knelt down next to her as well, and frowned at what he saw. Avery was pale and had a small sweat along her brow. He swept her into his arms as he stood up. "Let's get back," he said. "Avery needs to rest."

At Alfea, the courtyard was crowded waiting for the group to return. Somehow, everyone from both Alfea and Red Fountain had found out about the mission and were eager to find out what happened. As the ship appeared, the crowd moved away from the middle to make room for it to land.

When the hatch opened, Trend was the first out, waving as she walked. "No autographs, please."

"It seems they won," one girl said, watching as Cicada, Emma, Kaida, and Angel all came out, unscathed. Marvel walked out after them, carrying Avery. At that, Professor Palladium gasped.

"It's alright, Professor," Marvel said. "She's just exhausted."

"Who is that?" Daniela asked when Charm came out, carrying the passed out mystery girl.

"This is... or was Gaea," Angel said.

"And she had this in her," Kaida said, holding up the bag for Faragonda.

"Hm," Faragonda said, peering into the bag. She looked at Saladin and nodded, turning to into the building where he followed.

"What was that about?" Trine questioned.

"I don't know," Angel said. "But, I'm not sure I like it."

"What do I do with this girl?" Charm questioned.

"Oh, take her to the infirmary," Griselda said. "Come on, follow me, this way."


"It has been a long time since an Elemental stone was used," Faragonda said, placing the lightly glowing green stone into a steel box. "We are going to need to be very careful in the coming future."

"I will make sure my boys are up for the challenge should another elemental come this way," Saladin said.

"As will I with my girls," Griffin added, though she was a hologram. "We cannot allow this to get out of hand. Those stones in the wrong hands could do a lot of damage."


Changes, as I do every chapter.

The over all premise stayed the same, but I added Mech to the mission, and I added the meeting between the school heads at the end.