Chapter Twenty Two:

The Nectar of a Flower

"That was extremely dangerous going there on your own like that!" Cornelia's voice rang out in the condominium. She was livid that her son had gone to Phobos' castle without telling anyone what he was doing.

Cornelia wasn't the only one there. Caleb, Mimiru, Ingrid, Tress, Cerella, Matt, Will, HuiLing, Lilian, and Napoleon were all gathered there.

"Hey, Napoleon said that we had to keep reminding Wanda about who she is, and so on and so forth." Derek looked completely shameless as he crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, having been cornered by his mother, father, sister and friends upon his return.

"Ugh... why do men have to be so idiotic?" Ingrid sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Really... like barging up to Phobos' castle is going to achieve anything but proving to her you're a brash idiot who doesn't know how to stay alive?" HuiLing shook her head.

"At least it's better than sitting around waiting for you guys to come up with the cure for the poison Rhea made. I'm surprised you haven't found it with all of Earth's flowers that have medical benefits and such-" He was suddenly cut short.

"Wait a sec!" HuiLing jumped on the spot suddenly. "That's it! Derek, you're a genius! You don't show it much... But you are!" She pulled out the Heart of Kandrikar.

"What? What are you doing?" HayLin asked.

"EARTH FLOWERS!" HuiLing looked almost as exited as she had when she first became a Guardian. "Mom, there's gotta be a flower from Earth with some kind of medicinal property that we've yet looked at. I mean, if Lilian's a witch- no offense or anything-" She added at Lilian, who smiled as if to say 'none taken', "- Then there's got to be some kind of magical flower that's got the cure for Rhea's poison." She said all of this very fast without stopping for breath.

The group looked at each other.

"It's worth a shot." Matt nodded. "It's been days and the Oracle still hasn't found anything among their books."

"Then it's decided!" HuiLing said before anyone else could speak.

The next second, an explosion rocked the condominium building.

"What the-?" Tress ran to the window.

It was Wanda. She was flying in the air above the building.

"HuiLing-!" Tress looked over, and HuiLing nodded as though preparing herself for the worst.

"Guardians Unite!" HuiLing held up the crystal.

The five girls went up to the balcony, then lifted off in to the air.

"Wanda! What are you doing here?" Mimiru was the first to speak.

"What else? I came for the Heart of Kandrikar- QUINTESSENCE!" She called out, holding up the Crystal of Cepheus.

Mimiru flew in front of the group, her eyes narrowed in anger and stubbornness that she rarely showed. She balled her hands in to a fist as the violet lightning was aimed at the group. She brought her fists up, and directed them at the lightning. A blast that sounded like a canon went off, and what looked like the faintest of curved blades erupted from the fists. This attack blocked the violet lightning and went straight at Wanda, who used her Crystal to generate the transparent violet sphere-like shield around her.

HuiLing had had enough.

"Listen up, Wanda, it's ok for Phobos to use his magic to give you a hot outfit and souped up powers, but it's very rude for you to use that magic to try and kill us!" She screeched.

"Pardon?" Wanda blinked, tilting her head casually to one side when the protective barrier vanished.

"You heard me!" HuiLing snapped.

Wanda smirked.

"Quintessence." Wanda muttered.

The lamp post on the street was ripped from its foundation and rose up in to the air in front of her, violet lightning crackling all around it.

"I think she's serious..." Blinked Ingrid, eyes wide.

"Quick, Napoleon, Matt, we need you guys to make a huge glamor zone!" Lilian said at once. "That way no one can see what's happening."

"Already on it, toots." Napoleon said as he was transforming in to his humanoid form.

"Glamor zone, hm?" Blinked Wanda. It didn't matter to her. She wasn't after the citizens. "Pointless act."

She sent the post at HuiLing, who raised her own hands- palms facing towards the post.

"Quintessence!" Shouted HuiLing.

The post halted in mid air between the two. Cerella landed on the ground, a single hand flat on a block of cement, the other arm bent back as though she were lifting something heavy. Seconds later, a pillar of rock topped with a block of cement shot towards the sky, engulfing the post, forcing it to veer off course, crashing in to a tree. Cerella's eyes were narrowed in what was unmistakable anger.

Tress sent twelve fire arrows through the pillar from her spot in the air. The twelve arrows shot at Wanda, who frowned.

Wanda raised her crystal, this time not to generate the shield around herself, but to use it to counterattack. What looked like twelve bolts of lightning shot at the fire arrows. Explosions of fire erupted all around them.

From behind, without any sign that they had been there, came a wave of water. Fusagu stood there. He looked like he'd grown about five feet in the last week. He no longer looked like a child, though he still had his short white hair and blazing blue eyes.

"Fusagu!" Ingrid said with a bright smile as the water crashed in to Wanda.

"Wow... talk about growth spurts." Blinked Tress.

"The Oracle helped me figure out who I was and where I came from." Fusagu smiled. "I'll explain later." He added to the group as Wanda fell to the ground.

Wanda slowly got up to her feet just as HuiLing ran over to her. She shot a powerful blast of violet lightning at HuiLing, who let out a yell and barely managed to dodge the attack. She got to her feet.

"You think you can take advantage of me while I'm down?" She growled.

"No... We're trying to help you, you've gotta believe us!" HuiLing looked alarmed at the face Wanda had.

"Right... You and the tooth fairy." Snarled Wanda, raising her crystal.

Derek blinked at the crystal. That was the source of Wanda's current powers. He unsheathed his sword, resigned to the fact that he had to fight her, and ran forward

"You..." Wanda glared.

"NOW!" Derek shouted at Matt, who by now had transformed in to Shegon.

Shegon took to the air, sending a blast of energy from his eyes at her, and at that moment Derek threw his sword at her wrist.

Wanda let out a yell when the bolts reached her, before she had time to generate the shield. At that moment, Derek's sword reached her wrist, cutting it as it flew just above it. She was forced to let go as blood started flowing. The sword was lodged in to the tree that currently had a street light post sticking out of it at a weird angle. She held her wrist, the side that had the cut in it, as the Crystal fell to the ground.

Everyone who was present watched tensely. It seemed like time was going slowly as the Crystal of Cepheus hit the ground. The Crystal flashed violently when it was separated from Wanda, who stared. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then she looked up.

"Dad?" She blinked at Shegon.

The Crystal flashed as it raised from the ground. She looked back at it, her own eyes wide.

"Wanda!" HuiLing shouted as the Crystal generated a sphere around her once more, and vanished in a brilliant white light.

"So long as Phobos has control over that Crystal, he's got control over her." Napoleon walked over to the group with a solemn expression on his face.

"But the fact that she recognized her Dad means that there still is hope." HuiLing looked up. For a split second, she looked like she'd been on the verge of tears. "So let's get to Kandrikar, already!" She added as Napoleon reverted back to his cat form.

"I suppose it is possible that Earth could have a remedy for Rhea's poison." The Oracle said thoughtfully, his chin resting in his hand as he heard HuiLing's idea. "There are thousands of mystical plants and flowers on your world, just like any other. But Earth's flowers have more... powerful properties to them than other worlds."

"So it might work?" HuiLing looked hopeful.

"It might. But if we do find the plant with the cure, getting it will be the next big step." The Oracle warned, looking at them. "We'll need Lilian's help, as well as Cerella's once we figure out if there are indeed any flowers with the proper healing properties."

"Yeah, then all we have to do is get near enough to administer the antidote... No problems with that considering the last few attempts we've tried getting at her." Ingrid rolled her eyes, her voice full of sarcasm.

"In the meantime, Fusagu, care to tell us how come you're not a squirt anymore?" Asked Cerella.

Fusagu smiled at the comment.

"Well, technically, I'm not from Earth or Meridian." He said. It was strange to Ingrid to be looking at Fusagu as a teenager just like they were now, when before he barely went up to their waist. "I'm from the same planet that the Crystal of Cepheus came from..."

"You mean-" HuiLing stared.

"Yeah, looking at the last Heir to Eridanus." He shrugged as though this meant nothing.

"So... where's your mom and dad? They aren't..." Ingrid blinked.

"Dead? Not sure yet. Still got loads of work to do in that category. But at least I know who I am for sure." Shrugged Fusagu. He gave Ingrid a strange look. "My people apparently grew with their maturity levels. Before I met you, I was a selfish ignorant brat working for Phobos. But then you and Wanda gave me a second chance. I've learned so much since then. And when the Oracle found the information reguarding Eridanus, I changed. I owe you and Wanda more than my life for what you've done for me."

"Well, glad to have you on board as an honorary guardian then!" HuiLing piped up cheerfully.

"Good thing Earthlings grow according to age, not maturity. Otherwise HuiLing would still be as short as you were." Napoleon's voice came from the door.

"What was that you talking cat?" HuiLing snapped.

"Nothing, nothing." Napoleon stretched his back.

"So... how old are you, really?" Asked Ingrid out of curiosity.

"The Oracle reckons I'm about eighteen since Eridanus went poof around my first birthday." Blinked Fusagu in surprise at the question.

"Older indeed." Ingrid said with a grin.

"Shameless flirt." Tress commented, knowing that look in Ingrid's eyes only too well.

Ingrid's face went bright red and she laughed, scratching the back of her head.

"Watch it, I think HuiLing's stubbornly cheerful attitude might be contagious." Will commented.

Cybelle was helping to mend Wanda's wrist that had been cut during the battle.

"It's a good thing the Crystal brought you back when it did." Cybelle smiled at Wanda.

The two were in Phobos' throne room, with Phobos sitting on his throne overlooking what was going on.

"They nearly got you this time." Sighed Cybelle. She had Wanda's hand in her left, while the right hovered over the wounded wrist. A faint blue light was coming from her palm, engulfing the wound in a warm light as the cut slowly faded away.

"Tell me about Fusagu's transformation, Wanda." Phobos instructed in a tone of forced calm.

"Well... he was taller... more like that son of the traitor, Derek. Compared to your descriptions of how short he was before." She replied. "He said something about the Oracle helping him figure out who he really was, where he was from. But didn't go in to much detail apart from that."

"So the heir to Eridanus has been found..." Phobos muttered thoughtfully.

"Eridanus, majesty?" Blinked Wanda.

"Never mind that... Cybelle, if you are all done now, the Lady should go rest. She has had a busy day." Phobos waved his hand, a clear dismissal.

Cybelle nodded at Wanda, who bowed to Phobos, waved at Cybelle, and left. The Crystal of Cepheus was still around her neck, and her hand felt much better. Before it was healed, it stung fiercely and she lost rather a lot of blood. She was thinking about what happened during the fight. She'd gone there to catch the Guardians off guard, in order to steal the Heart of Kandrikar. It had not worked, instead it backfired. She was also confused. Derek claimed to love her, so why had he attacked her during that battle? She had not told anyone of his visit to the castle the previous day, but she was wondering if she should.

She changed in to a light violet night gown that trailed to the floor, and had a v-neck line. Sitting next to the edge of her balcony, she looked out over the swamplands of Meridian, bathed in moonlight and having an eerie blue-green glow. It had been a crazy day to say the least. Finally things were calming down for her to get a breather in.

It had been many hours while the group waited for Will, Lillian, HuiLing and the Oracle to come out of the library, but finally HuiLing came bursting out.

"Found it!" She said before the adults could say anything. "The cure is a rare, magical Lily." She looked over at the Oracle who held a giant, ancient-looking book in his hands. "The Lily is called the MoonStone Water Lily and it's only found in Hawaii."

The Oracle showed them what it looked like in the book. The Lily was the size of a large saucer with three rows of small petals that had an eerie electric blue glow, and the nectar stems in the center were a bright white color with a hint of yellow. The leaves of it seemed to reflect the blue glow of the flower petals as it floated in the lake water.

"So this means we get a trip to Hawaii?" Cerella looked thrilled at the prospect. "Great! I can finally try on the outfit I've had in mind for a beach trip!"

"This isn't going to be for fun, you know." Matt sighed at how oblivious Cerella could be to a situation.

"I know, but that still doesn't mean we can't look our best for it, right?" Cerella flipped her hair with her right hand.

"Well... Now that you mention it, I do have a beach-side outfit to wear for the trip." Ingrid started in as well on the subject.

"We could really let loose." Tress nodded fervently.

"And spend some time on the sandy beaches AFTER we get the Lily flower!" HuiLing raised her hand as though she were in class suggesting something for a festival.

"Then it's settled! We'll get the Lily, then have some fun on Hawaii's beaches!" Will nodded, she would let them have some fun so long as they got their work done first. After all, she'd never been to Hawaii herself, and the girls were still just kids.

"I'll have to go through some of Cerella's magazines to find the perfect outfit." Mimiru smiled. She hadn't seen much of the Earth except for Heatherfield. So she couldn't pass up the chance for more exploration of her new home world.

"Well, we should head back now, one way or another." Caleb noted Matt's irritation at all the girls' excitement over a trip to Hawaii.

"Remember to return here when you have the Lily." The Oracle said before the group vanished from Kandrikar.

"So, how are we going to get there?" Asked Ingrid.

"We fly. It would be too risky to fold there. I'm going to get plane tickets when we get back to the house." Cornelia smiled.

"We'll head there this weekend. It's only a few days away. That way you won't have to miss any school." Matt suggested, and Cornelia and Will nodded.

"Sweet. I'm going to get packing." Ingrid smirked.

"Should I tell Stevie?" HuiLing wondered out loud.

"Probably, I mean, he's practically your boyfriend." Smiled Tress.

HuiLing's face went pink.

The next day, the group was gathered at the school next to their lockers.

"So you're going to Hawaii for the weekend?" Stevie blinked in wonderment at the five- HuiLing, Cerella, Tress, Ingrid and Derek. HuiLing nodded.

"Yeah. We're getting the key ingredient for the cure for the poison that's controlling Wanda." HuiLing spoke as though she couldn't have been more exited about a Sailor Moon movie release.

Cerella blinked when a boy walked by their group.

"Odin!" She called out, and he stopped, turning. Today Odin was wearing a blue shirt with white trimming on the sleeves, with a v-neck line. His pants were black slacks, and his shoes were white tennis-shoes.

"What's up?" He asked her, a look of surprise on his face that she was willing to talk to him again.

"I'm going to Hawaii this weekend and will have some free time when I get back. It's going to be spring break the week after next, so what say we go to a movie or something?" Cerella suggested.

"You mean, like a date or whatever?" Blinked Odin, his dark eyes looking at her as though he'd never seen her properly.

"Sure!" She smiled, flipping her hair around. "I mean, if you want to."

Odin's face broke in to a smile, and Cerella blinked, her cheeks going a light shade of pink.

"Talk about fast." Ingrid commented as the two discussed details of the time and place they were going to.

"Well, she's always inherited her Mother's way with words." Derek looked like he couldn't care less. Especially since the person he'd like to take out was currently being controlled by the enemy, and hated him right now. And he'd known her since he was a small boy first getting used to going back and forth between Earth and Meridian. He would make sure that she knew she was still loved, and wanted by her friends and family. He shook his head, grabbing his books and going to his first class of the day, even if he was hardly attentive in the lesson.

HuiLing sustained herself from skipping out of class by keeping in mind that it was only a few days until they were going to Hawaii to find the Lily that had the cure for Rhea's poison, and then they would be able to get her best friend back. And the fact that her mother would ground her for life if she even tried skipping out. Though she couldn't help but smile at the possibilities if she did.

Finally, early Saturday morning arrived, and Cerella was woken rather rudely by her alarm clock at three A.M. She glared at it for a long time, her normally long straight golden hair was sticking up at odd ends, as if she'd slept on it wrong. Her pink nightdress- which had a v neck line, and straps for the shoulders- looked ruffled as well. She managed to reach over and shut off the annoying thing, before getting out of bed to walk over to her dresser with an arched mirror, that had gold trim along the edges. After staring a long time in the mirror, she grabbed her brush and started straightening out the long tangles.

By the time her hair was in order,she being rushed by her parents who were yelling at her and Derek to get moving or they will miss the air plane. Because it was chilly outside, she chose to wear a simple long sleeved blue shirt, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. Underneath the shirt was a pink tank top for when they got to Hawaii. She had her cases with her clothes for the trip in hand as she went in to the living room, where she saw a very groggy and tired looking Derek leaning against the wall.

Derek was wearing a black t-shirt with a u-neck, dark blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. Around his waist was the jacket he normally wore when out and about in Meridian. Derek looked at Cerella with a raised eyebrow.

"We're only going for a couple of days, you know." He commented. He only had two cases himself.

"A girl's gotta look her best in Hawaii." Cerella flipped her hair around imperiously as Caleb and Cornelia walked to the door.

HuiLing was staring around at the drowsy, clouded looks on the faces of her friends. She herself was bright and cheerful this morning with the thought of what they were about to do. Standing outside the Heatherfield International Airport, she spun around, enjoying the lights from all the traffic and how they lit up the night sky.

"Come on! Why so tired and gloomy, everyone?" She asked.

"Do us a favor, HuiLing-" Ingrid yawned, HuiLing blinked. "And shut up." Ingrid had her hair up in a small ocean blue knot, wore a strapless and sleeveless ocean blue shirt, a blue skirt, and blue dress shoes.

"Cranky, cranky." HuiLing waggled her index finger at her friend. "This won't do for a trip to Hawaii and getting our best friend back." HuiLing wore a bright teal blue Chinese style t-shirt with golden dragons all over in a seemingly random pattern. She had on black mini-shorts, and a pair of teal blue tennis shoes with white socks.

Tress failed to stifle a huge yawn as they walked to the check in line, where Will, Matt, Cornelia, HayLin, Irma, and Taranee were going through the sign in processes. Most of the fathers were staying behind- except for Matt and Caleb- due to work complications.

Tress wore her own hair back in an orange head band, which showed her own black hair was nearly waist length when it hung loose. She wore a white t-shirt with a v-neck, and over that an orange tank-top with a v-neck line. She also wore black mini-shorts and dark brown sandals so that she was prepared for the weather in Hawaii later that morning.

HuiLing got a lot of stares and smiles from the clerks that morning, as many wondered how she could be so energetic at three a.m.

At one point, HuiLing paused. She saw a girl looking out the window at the air plane traffic who looked just like Wanda. But it couldn't have been.

"What's up?" Asked HayLin, spotting the look on her daughter's face.

HuiLing blinked, and the girl had gone the moment she tried to get a better look at her.

"Nothing, just thought I saw someone." She smiled back at her mother.

Wanda had been following the group on Phobos' orders, since early that morning. She was told to stop them from getting a certain flower from Hawaii, because that would mean major setbacks in his plans. She dressed herself in a purple sweater, blue jean pants, and white tennis shoes, with the strands of hair that usually hung over her right shoulder in a braid with the ribbon the boy Derek had given her. No one had asked about it in Meridian, so she saw no problem wearing it. The rest of her hair hung loose behind her back.

She glanced over at the group on occasion. But she tried avoiding it. The more she watched them, the more confused and angry she became. She didn't understand the longing to go running up to those people, or the need to restrain herself from getting any closer than she was. She managed to avoid being seen for the most part, but there had been near sightings. And when she looked at HuiLing, she felt a strange ache inside her, as if something wanted to laugh, run around with her like they once did. She blinked at that thought. Once did? Did she ever play with these girls before now? She didn't think so, Phobos had told her once she came around that it was all part of his plan to send her, but things went awry and she ended up loosing her memories because of those girls.

She agreed to tail them and stop them from getting to that flower because she needed to know the truth about them, and this was the only way to do it. That boy, Derek, had risked everything just to come up to see her. She went through the check in and security process for the air plane without difficulties, and got on, sitting nearby the group, looking out the window in silence while she thought about everything that had been going on in her head.

Derek glanced back, having a strange feeling there were eyes on him, and he blinked rapidly several times. Wanda was sitting behind them staring out the window. There was no mistaking that ribbon in her hair, or the way she acted like she wasn't following them. He poked Matt's shoulder, and Matt glanced in the direction Derek was looking.

"I know. She's been following us all morning. Probably sent by Phobos to try and stop us." He sighed in an undertone.

"What if she manages to succeed?" Derek asked, glancing back again.

"I'll keep her busy. You guys just have to worry about getting that flower, and getting it back to the Oracle." Matt replied quietly, keeping his voice low so Wanda wouldn't hear them. He hated having to act like this around his own daughter, but right now he had no choice. It was this, or have Wanda stop them entirely mid-flight and take a bunch of innocent lives with them. He didn't want that on her conscience when she came back to their side. He knew that would be too much for her to realize and comprehend.

Derek nodded, before pulling out his iPod Touch to listen to his music during the long flight to Hawaii.

HuiLing had her own iPod out, with headphones plugged in, and was watching videos on YouTube, finding that more entertaining than just listening to music. Ingrid had a thick novel out that she was halfway through, and Tress was on her laptop computer with her mother leaning over to see the things her daughter was working on- a design for a pot she was making. Will was leaning back in her chair, her music up to maximum in her headphones, and pretending she didn't notice her daughter behind the group. Irma had a magazine out with knitting patterns that she was looking at with Cornelia, and Cerella was on her laptop looking at the latest in fashion designs to wear in Hawaii. HayLin sat on her daughter's right side, with an iPod plugged in to her ears, and a book on Chinese painting techniques that she had her nose buried in. Matt pulled out his own laptop, with headphones, and started messing around on his computer, spending the long hours putting together a tune for a song he'd been working on with Wanda before she'd been kidnapped by Phobos. Every now and then, he would take a glance at his daughter, then went back to work.

Finally, the pilot came on to the intercom.

"If you look out your windows in five minutes we will be approaching Hawaii International Airport." He said.

Nearly everyone looked up from what they were doing at that time, to stare out of their windows and see the islands as they were approaching them.

The islands looked like various gems in a blue ocean that stretched out for miles around them. As the plane got closer, they could make out the rain-forests, the towns and cities, as well as the National parks and some of the wealthier looking homes on the mountains.

Wanda followed the group off the airplane, through the ramp and in to the building. Around her neck hung the Crystal of Cepheus, underneath the collar of her shirt.

Later, after the families were all settled in to their hotels, Cerella had changed herself in to her tank-top, a pink flared mini skirt, and white dress shoes. Ingrid didn't need to change herself, since she dressed before hand in to the outfit she wanted to wear, and HuiLing now wore a teal blue tank-top, a simple blue mini skirt, and her dark brown sandals. Tress had her hair held back in an orange head band, with a carnation pinned to it, but other than that she didn't need to change.

Lillian was already in Hawaii, waiting for them to meet at the National Park entrance to help them find the Moon Flower Lilly.

"Just wait... after we get that flower, we're going to spend some time on those beaches!" Cerella said excitedly as she put on a pair of pink shades. Ingrid's sunglasses were tinted blue, Tress' were orange, and HuiLing's were sky blue. Derek's shades were black with a simple silver half-frame.

"So beautiful here!" Ingrid commented as they got in to their rental van. It wasn't hard to see that the girls were enjoying the ride- Matt was driving- on the way to the National Park entrance.

"Look, there's Lillian!" Cornelia pointed to a girl with short golden yellow hair, wearing a flowery pink summer dress, with a white and pink streaked Lilly flower in her hair.

"We have until nightfall, so for now, let's just have fun. I want to show you around to some of the hotspots on this island." She smiled when the group reached her. "Nightfall is the best time to harvest the Lilly. It's in full bloom, and if you pick it at a precise time, it will not close. The nectar will be easiest to retrieve then." Lillian explained at the quizzical look on HuiLing's face. "Now come on." She smiled.

She led the way in to the National Park area of Killowea island. She spent most of the day showing them why it was one of the best islands to study Volcanoes in the United States currently, and Tress was the most interested, having her camera phone out and taking pictures of various steam vents, exposed magma tubes, or spots of cooling lava on the surface without getting too close because on many occasions, her camera phone threatened to melt in her hands.

"That's why Volcanologists go through so much equipment when on the field." Giggled Lillian.

"Ugh...my feet are killing me!" Cerella complained, having been walking along the barren rock that was still hot in random places in only her sandals. "If I'd have known we were going to be volcano tromping, I'd worn something more suitable."

"Quit your whining. This is fun!" Tress said excitedly, bending over and looking in to an open underground magma tube. She didn't feel the heat like the others did, they kept their distance while she was able to go right up. She figured that was part of her Guardian powers, since Magma was the molten liquid version of fire. She'd never felt more at home than right now, walking along the volcano surface.

"Can't we go somewhere where the surface isn't nearly two thousand degrees Fahrenheit?" Asked Ingrid, who had sweat coming down her face.

"It's not the surface that's so hot, it's the magma below us." Tress said in a matter of fact tone of voice that earned her a few glares from her friends. Lillian stood to one side, a small smile on her face.

"I have a surprise for you guys. If you'll follow me, it should be ready." Lillian spoke up, and the girls all nodded eagerly.

The parents watched as Lillian took charge.

"So nice to have a free babysitter handy sometimes." Smiled Cornelia.

"Parents are coming too." Lillian said in a 'that is final' way.

Cornelia glared at Lillian, and how quickly she caught on.

Lillian led the way back to the cars, then took the drivers' seat normally occupied by Matt. She drove the family and their friends around the island, then in to the rain forested areas. At the head of a trail, she stopped.

"We walk from here, but it will be worth it." Lillian explained as they were grabbing their things out of the cars- backpacks with water bottles.

The trail was surrounded on either side by tropical trees and plants, and slowly but steadily sloped upward. After an hour of walking- and enduring Cerella's complaints about her feet aching- there was a collective gasp from the five teenage girls.

They had walked in to an oasis that Lillian had found, with a lilly pond, gazebo, and a black sand bank that wrapped around the edge of the pond. The lilies in the pond weren't in a blooming stage, and very well closed up, looking like soft-ball sized green egg-shaped pods sitting on green lilly pads on the water.

"We can hang out here for the rest of the day. I've already taken the liberty of getting dinner going in the pit." Lillian pointed at what looked like a whole hog roasting in a giant fire pit.

"Sweet! I'm glad we brought our things from the cars then!" Ingrid said excitedly.

The group whiled away the hours quietly. Matt took off his shirt and laid himself in the sun, with a pair of black sunglasses over his eyes as he napped, arms folded behind his back. While Caleb leaned against a tree. Cerella had her newest magazine out, with Mimiru leaning over her shoulders reading what was in the magazines as well. Ingrid was busy with her book and headphones, HuiLing was admiring the Gazebo with her mother. Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Lillian were all next to the water gossiping.

Derek was keeping to himself for the most part, sitting next to his father with a thick novel that he'd been reading for a least a month and was only halfway through it because lately whenever he tried reading, nothing seemed to stick. He knew what the problem was, though. It wasn't hard to figure out. It was also why this scene seemed to be lacking something that would make it perfect. He felt a pang of guilt when he thought about Wanda, and how he could imagine HuiLing literally dragging the girl over to the gazebo, or to the water edge to admire the flowers even though they weren't in bloom. In a few short hours, they were going to be able to get a couple of those flowers and take them back to the Oracle.

Nightfall slowly approached, as did supper time. When Matt didn't wake up after Will tried shaking him at the shoulders, Ingrid sent a small splash of water over his face. He shot up, coughing and spluttering as Ingrid, Tress, Cerella, Mimiru and HuiLing rolled with laughter.

"Next time just prod me or something." Matt wiped his forehead.

"I tried that, dear." Will was smiling rather broadly, herself.

"At least he doesn't wake the dead when he sleeps like Captain Snores-a-lot." Cornelia commented, jabbing her thumb behind her at Caleb, who looked up at the comment.

Ingrid doubled over in a fit of snorts and giggles at Cornelia's comment.

Evening came rather fast that day, it felt like. And after everyone was full from the roasted hog, and the other aspects of the traditional Hawaiian meal- the Poi remained untouched by the group- they turned to the pond. The moon was steadily rising in to the skies, and the lilies were slowly starting to bloom, revealing their etherial blue petals with each step.

"Well, it's about time." HuiLing looked up at the skies as stars started twinkling in to existence.

"Finally... this wait is about over..." Cerella flipped her hair around as she set her magazine down.

"Ready?" HuiLing looked around, and Cerella, Tress, Ingrid and Mimiru all nodded.

"QUINTESSENCE!" A voice roared from above, as a shower of black lightning shot from its source.

Wanda was up in the air, above the oasis, already transformed with the Crystal of Cepheus in her hands.

Shrieks filled the air as the lightning was charged by the pond water, becoming even more powerful than before.

"HuiLing! Guardian us up now!" Mimiru shouted.

"Right!" HuiLing nodded. The second the attack faded away, she pulled out the Heart of Kandrikar. "Guardians Unite!" She cried, holding it up.

There were five multicolored flashes of light, that turned in to spheres which engulfed HuiLing, Cerella, Ingrid, Tress and Mimiru.

"Cerella, Ingrid, you two go get a couple of flowers. Tress, Mimiru, Derek, we will take care of Wanda." HuiLing said with a conviction, like she was preparing for the worst in this fight this time.

A smile appeared over Wanda's face when HuiLing flew up in to the air above the rest.

"HuiLing!" HayLin shouted in alarm.

"I know my best friend is in there somewhere. And I'm going to fight until she's found again." HuiLing frowned at Wanda.

"Quite the speech, but can you really live up to your big words?" Asked Wanda, raising her Crystal.

"You'll see just how strong we really are." HuiLing's black eyes were alight with a fire that was rarely there. Her plan was to keep Wanda distracted from the pond with the Moonflower Lilies.

Mimiru and Tress looked at each other, shrugged, and flew up to meet HuiLing on either side of their friend. Who right now looked ready to kill. It was odd seeing HuiLing behaving like this, as if she had come to the conclusion that talking would do no good at this stage.

Matt nodded over at Derek, who returned the gesture. Matt then clenched his fists, transforming in to Shegon in an instant. No doubt there was more than just Wanda here, and they needed to be careful. It wasn't like Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia or HayLin could fight anymore. At least he still had his Regent of Earth powers. He walked over to Ingrid and Cerella, who were preparing themselves for whatever the lake had to offer them.

Wanda looked out of her balcony window, being nursed to health by her friend.