Hello my wonderful readers! I'm so happy because, yes it has finally snowed thus giving me a snow day! Christmas isn't that far either and I can't wait to see my family again! I missed them so much and I'm excited about the gifts of course so this chapter and many more will be my gift to you.

VV

Chapter Nineteen: Earth: Princess

"Haruka!? Matsuko!? Myako!? Anybody!?" May called into the cloudy light that was the spirit realm. She looked around hoping that one of her past lives would show up or a voice would return her calls but she got nothing in return. She had been in the spirit realm for a while now, however she lost track of time since there was no way to tell time in the spirit realm. It was always daylight when she crossed over. "Can't anybody help me!?"

"Ah, May, you're back so soon?" Haruka said as she appeared before the fourteen year old girl. May jumped because of the sudden appearance and Haruka laughed lightly. "I apologize. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Uh…yea. Well I came here because I need some help understanding something." May said bashfully. She wasn't afraid or too stubborn to ask for help like Drew was but she still felt rather unqualified for her destiny if she couldn't even figure out a few visions she had been recently obtaining.

"Don't worry May. I understand you need help. That is why me and your other past lives are here." Haruka reassured as if to read May's mind. It was a great possibility that she had done so, since May's mind and Haruka's mind were connected through unexplained circumstances. Haruka was May's most current and helpful past life; she felt like this woman could be a sister to her. "You are here to interpret the visions you have recently been receiving?"

"Y-Yes. I don't understand them at all. I keep seeing this girl dressed in elegant robes…l-like a princess and she is standing before a wall that is crumbling. I went into Beng today and I saw a girl identical to the girl in my visions, but someone told me that the girl I saw in real life was just a street rat named the Rock Princess." May explained. Haruka nodded in understanding and smiled softly at May.

"I know all this. Those visions you have been getting, like some past ones, are visions of the future. The girl in your visions is your earth master. She is the one you are looking for. You just have to figure out her mystery to find out who she is…" Haruka interpreted. May furrowed her brow in confusion.

"But this girl was dressed like a royal and the only royal girl in the earth region is the Princess and she doesn't earth manipulate. The girl I saw was a commoner and could never obtain clothing such as that." May said coming up with no answer. A sudden thought came to mind and she suddenly remembered something. "But Brock said that the Rock Princess and the Beng Princess look alike so it could be possible…" She trailed off. Haruka smiled knowingly and nodded.

"You're smarter then you give yourself credit for." Haruka commented. May nodded and lunged at the spirit to give her a hug. Haruka accepted the hug before May quickly pulled away.

"Thank you! I understand now!" May said as she began to fade. She was coming out of her meditation now that she had the information she needed. Haruka waved before disappearing right before May's eyes.

"I got it!" May exclaimed as the glowing of her markings faded and she returned back to the physical world. Ash and Dawn jumped since they were nearest to May at the time of her sudden 'arrival' back. May blinked in confusion because she did not recognize her surroundings. Ash was on her left and Dawn was on her right and sitting next to Dawn was Drew and sitting next to Ash was Misty.

Sitting across from them on the other side of a table was Brock and sitting next to him was a man that nearly looked exactly like Brock but a bit older. May cocked her head to the side as she tried to understand the situation.

"Um…hello?" May said as her face flushed in her awkward position. She had just come out of meditation with a yell which wasn't the most polite way to come out of meditation. The man sitting next to Brock cocked an eyebrow and May laughed awkwardly.

"May, this is the Captain of the Beng troops." Misty introduced gesturing to what would appear to be Brock's father. May bowed her head in respect to the army official and he imitated her action.

"It is a pleasure meeting the Balancer of this world." The Captain said. May smiled bashfully as the captain stood to his feet. "My son tells me you are in search of an earth master."

"Yes!" May said enthusiastically as she stood to her feet as well. "I am very grateful to have met a master such as yourself but destiny is not calling you to be my master. There is another one out there. I hope it would not be much if I could meet your Princess" May said with a bright smile. The Captain's face fell and he furrowed his brow while shaking his head denying her the request.

"Why would you need to meet the Princess? She comes from a family of non-manipulating royalty." The Captain informed her taking a seat again. "Nobody is allowed to see the Queen, better yet her fragile daughter."

"But…"

"I cannot agree to such a request. I do not understand why destiny would matter in anything but if you wish to go near the palace, I'm sorry to say that's highly impossible." Brock inserted. May's mouth twisted into a pout as she stood to her feet and bowed respectfully. Drew snorted and a small puff of steam came out that was only noticed by the Captain and May.

"Drew be careful, you are a fire manipulator, thus the enemy to them." May warned quietly so only Drew could hear her. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest in his agitation. He believed if the Ping Heng needed to see the Princess they should drag the girl to meet May.

"I am sorry but I must meet the princess." May sighed before leaving. Drew quickly stood to his feet as well, throwing a glare the captain's way before quickly going after May. The Captain stared at Drew carefully as he left and leaned towards his son as Ash, Misty and Dawn stood to leave as well.

"Get more guards to surround the perimeter of the Palace. That girl and her friends cannot be trusted." Brock looked at his father a bit shocked, but he knew that he had to follow the orders of not only the captain but his father as well. He lowered his head before nodding in agreement before leaving the room as well.

"May, why would you need to meet the princess?" Drew asked as he caught up with May outside the Official Guard building. May glanced at him and pulled him towards her by his upper arm. She got close to his ear and his face flushed.

"The Princess was that girl we saw today." May whispered as they stood in the center of the road. "The Princess of Beng and the Rock Princess is the exact same person."

"How do you know?" Drew questioned cocking an eyebrow in curiosity. May rolled her eyes and pulled him in again so that she could whisper in his ear once again.

"Haruka, my past life, told me." May explained shrugging in an unsure manner. "Well she didn't tell me directly but in some weird spiritual way she told me. Isn't it weird that the Rock Princess has a striking resemblance to the Princess and nobody has been able to see the Princess?"

"Then how do you know they're the same person for sure?" Drew asked once again crossing his arms over his chest. May mimicked his actions and craned her neck back in exasperation.

"I just know! It's a Ping Heng thing!" May exclaimed.

"What's a Ping Heng thing!?" Dawn said coming up behind them with Ash and Misty quickly following her. May jumped because of the blue haired girl's sudden appearance and Drew rolled his eyes as he turned his attention elsewhere.

"Guys, we need to get into the palace weather the Captain gives us permission or not." May said in a hushed tone in case anybody was listening.

"Why? What's the big deal about this Princess?" Ash questioned shrugging his shoulder and rolling his eyes. May stared at him blankly not wanting to explain herself again. Misty noticed this and slapped Ash upside the head making him yelp and glare at her harshly.

"If May says we need to do it then we need to!" The ginger haired girl snapped. May smiled at her thankfully.

"Ok then…if we need to get to the princess we need to get to the palace and we have no idea where the heck that is." Dawn inserted. May pouted knowing this was true. Drew smirked in knowing manner as he stepped up next to May.

"I know where it is. As the former heir to the fire region throne and the world wide empire that my father is out to create, I have to know the territory, especially the head of each region. I can take us to the palace easily." Drew said. May gasped and grabbed him in a tight hug in her excitement. He blinked in shock before hesitantly wrapping his arms around her. Misty and Dawn exchanged knowing looks while Ash rolled his eyes.

"Thank you so much Drew! You are a simply amazing!" She exclaimed. Drew smiled lightly as he gently pushed her off not wanting his façade to be melted away by one simple hug from the girl he was sent out to kill and was secretly falling for. Sometimes he couldn't believe that he was standing next to her without the urge to snap.

"Don't thank me yet…there's still the issue of getting beyond the Palace wall." Drew commented. May's head tilted to the side in confusion.

"What Palace wall?"

"Oh….this Palace wall." May said as she stared at the wall that seemed even taller than the wall that surrounded the main city itself. It was late at night and the entire area was completely dark. Drew thought it would be better to try and sneak in at night. The route that he had led them on had them walking through the thick forests that seemed to surround most of the Palace wall.

"Beyond this wall is the southern courtyard of the Palace," Drew began as he crouched next to the wall. The others surrounded him with a half-circle, taking in the vital information that Drew had. He was very skilled in breaking into high security environments; he had been trained in the art since he was able to walk.

"So this is the south wall?" Misty asked. Drew nodded confirming her question. She nodded in understand.

"The Palace is at most one or two hundred yards in once you get over the wall. The rest from there is unknown because my father has no idea how the palace is situated, but once we're in we should be able to figure everything out." Drew explained. Everyone stared at him a bit shocked. He sounded like he was planning the invasion of the water region with other fire manipulators not a simple breaking and entering mission.

"Um, so how exactly are we supposed to get over a wall this tall? I can't even see the top." Ash said looking up. Drew looked towards Dawn and she smirked as she stood to her feet and went towards the largest tree. She cracked her knuckles and quickly made a chopping motion, sending her hands in out in opposite directions.

The tree cracked before slowly falling and before it could crash onto the ground May pushed her arms out creating a large gust of wind cushioning the fall of the tree so that it fell gently. Dawn stood by the tree and rubbed her hands together.

"One curved drill coming up!" She said as she positioned her hands accordingly on the trunk of the tree. She began to move her hands like she was untwisting something and bits of the tree began to fall off. Soon enough the tree began to take on the form of a drill that was very similar to the one Dawn and her mom made together when they were looking for May and Drew underground.

"I get it! We're going under the wall!" May exclaimed in realization. Drew slapped a hand over her mouth and put a finger to his mouth, gesturing for May to be quiet. She nodded as he removed his hand.

"Misty, can you get as much water from the surroundings and dampen the earth so that this will be a bit easier?" Drew asked. Misty smiled and nodded. She went towards the nearest plant and pulled back her hands. Water drops from that plant floated in mid air and she created a small water ball with what she had. She repeated this process and the water ball she had began to increase in size.

"What can I do?" Ash asked. Drew stared at him blankly.

"Nothing."

"I'm good at that!"

May couldn't help but laugh at Ash. He seemed like the perfect way to get a laugh, especially when Misty and Drew were involved. May glanced at Dawn who was removing any excess wood shavings off of her newly formed wooden drill. Misty was now shooting water into a specific spot next to the wall. She stopped every moment to push her hands down forcing the water deep into the earth.

"Okay. We're set to go." Misty said as she stepped away from her work. Dawn lifted her arms over her head and the drill lifted as well without her even touching it. Dawn aimed at the spot where Misty had been feeding the water into the earth and drove her drill right on the dot. She began to manipulate the wood if necessary to create the tunnel that went under the wall correctly. Soon enough dirt began to pour into the tunnel signaling they made it to the other side.

Dawn retracted the drill and Drew was the first to crawl through followed by May, Ash, Dawn and Misty. Once they were on the other side of the wall they were standing in the gardens of the palace right near a fish pond that was dimly lit by candles. Drew stood close to the wall and instructed the others to do the same so that they were hidden by the shadows.

"Okay, Ash, you stay and guard the tunnel. Misty stay close to the pond because it's your ammunition source. Dawn, May and I will head towards the palace." Drew said as he pointed to the tall building in the distance. Misty and Ash nodded before Dawn and May took off, followed by Drew.

They ran quickly across the court yard with May out in front due to her element enhancement on her running. Suddenly Dawn sunk into the ground neck deep with a yelp. May looked behind her to see Drew slowing down as they both saw Dawn struggling to get free.

"What the…" Drew muttered before he suddenly sunk into the ground as well. He grunted as he tried to get free and in quick thinking May opened her glider which was strapped to her back and flew above the ground in fear of getting sucked into the ground.

"Hmm, you must be that girl that all the other regions are talking about." A voice said. May looked in the direction of the voice to see a girl her age standing before the trapped Drew and Dawn in an emerald green night gown with her arms crossed over her chest. She was also wearing a pair of glasses which reminded May of the only other person she knew with glasses: Max. May immediately recognized her and landed in front of her.

"You're the Princess!" May exclaimed. She smiled brightly and the girl quirked an eyebrow as May quickly bowed to the royal. "I've wanted to meet you, Princess of Beng or should I say Rock Princess." The Princess' eyes narrowed into a glare as she turned her head away.

"You mean that street rat? She's a nuisance to the region. How dare you mistake me for her." The Princess muttered. May shook her head as she closed her glider.

"I know you're the Rock Princess! You look exactly like her and who could have sunken my friends into the earth?" May questioned placing her hands on her hips. The Princess still denied any eye contact which frustrated May to some extent. Dawn lowered her head and tried to fall asleep since it was obvious she had been forgotten and Drew continued to struggle although his efforts were all for nothing.

The Princess lowered her head and turned away from May to hide her flushed face. She had horrible lying skills. She had managed to keep her identity hidden long enough, but mainly because no one had ever seen the Princess of Beng. This was the first time anyone has been able to get passed the wall.

"Princess, I've been drawn to you by a destiny that you are involved in. You are a great earth manipulator and you must teach me, the Ping Heng, how to control earth before the end of the year or Giovanni will be able to take over the entire world." May explained. The Princess spun around with an incredulous look on her face. May smiled sheepishly.

"Why should I help you, or anybody else for that matter? I'm a Royal and my mother said we can get through this. What has the world ever done for me?" The Princess snapped.

"Do you have any idea what you're saying!? The only hope for the world is asking for your help and you simply turn your back!? What about your people or your friends!?" Drew retorted. The Princess' eyes lowered and her expression fell. May noticed this and took a step towards the dark haired girl.

"You don't have any friends…do you Princess?" May questioned hesitantly. The Princess kicked up a small hill with her bare foot which caused a small quake within the earth. "If you let my friends go we would be glad to be your friends." Drew snorted and Dawn was still dosing off a bit.

"G-Get out of my face! I don't need you or anybody else!" The Princess said as she released Drew and Dawn from their earth trap and turned to leave. "Get out of here before I call the guards!"

"But Princess! Everybody needs someone! I don't know what I would have done if I had to save the world on my own. I need my friends and now I'm saying that we need you too." May said going after her. The Princess spun around and kicked up a large piece of earth before spin kicking it in May's direction. May jumped high into the air over the attack and Drew and Dawn had to dive out the way.

"The world is great danger! May's home was attacked and all her people were killed. The water region was attacked but she managed to keep the fire region from gaining control. The wood region was attacked and we lost all the talismans which is why she's here begging for you to help us…" Drew inserted. The Princess stopped but didn't turn around.

"I need you…I need you to help me end all of this. It is your destiny to help me." May begged as she fell to her knees. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she thought about the loss she would be dealing with if she failed. Memories of the destruction of her temples in the skies made her feel as though there was absolutely no hope. "Please…"

"I-I'm sorry but…I can't help you." The Princess said as her arms went limp at her sides. She shook her head and avoided all eye contact. "I can't leave the Palace better yet this region. I was born sick and without the ability to see but eventually I developed my eyesight but I still need to wear glasses. Over the time period that my eyesight kicked in so did my ability to control the earth. I've been sneaking in and out of the palace for years…but I can't leave.

"My mother would never let me leave. She believes that my sickness has weakened me. She keeps me locked behind that great wall and the only way I get out is by sneaking out but only for about an hour or so. I wish I could help you…b-but I just can't. You have to leave! Before my guards come looking for me after they notice I'm gone. I'm so sorry." The Princess said. May let out an exasperated sigh as she lowered her head in defeat and stood to her feet. She bowed to the Princess in respect and took a step away.

"It's alright your highness…I understand." May muttered as she began to retreat. Drew narrowed his eyes at the Princess and stepped up to her.

"Do you understand how much other people have sacrificed? I'm the Prince of the Fire region but I chose treason and possibly the death penalty from my own father just to stay with May and help her…but you're too scared to leave you Palace for more than an hour." He snapped harshly before turning to leave. The Princess sighed before turning to go back to her Palace.

She walked slowly as Drew's words sunk in. It didn't even matter to her that Drew had just admitted to being the Prince of the rival region. He had given up everything to help her and she really was afraid to leave her home for more than an hour. Although she always wanted to leave this world beyond the walls she had never had the courage to…

May, Drew and Dawn made their way back to where Ash and Misty were and May simply went back under the wall without a single word. The others followed and Ash covered the hole as Misty went to interrogate May on what had gone on.

"Did you speak to the Princess? Is she the Rock girl we saw today?" Misty asked standing in front of May to stop her from going anywhere. May simply nodded.

"Yea…they're the same girl…but she can't help us." May muttered as she lowered her head. Misty came aware of her dampened spirits and grabbed May by the shoulders.

"May…what's the matter…" Before May could respond Ash and Dawn were soon encased in rock and laying on the ground. May gasped as Drew suddenly suffered the same fate. Misty streamed some water from her pouch and was ready to attack but she was soon encased in rock in a matter of seconds and May was as well.

"W-What's going on!?" May exclaimed as she struggled to get free from her rock restraint. Five guards led by Brock and his father came from the shadows of the forests. May's eyes widened in shock.

"By the order of the Queen, you are under arrest for breaching the royal security wall and entering the royal grounds." The Captain said. A guard picked each of them up and May stared at Brock feeling a bit betrayed.

Oh yes, they got arrested and the Princess denied to help that but there is much action and drama to come. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter…it was rather long…I think. Well Pweez Review!

V i V a V e N d E t T a . . .

Preview…

"Whether you are the Ping Heng or not, you will pay for you iniquities…"

"I can't believe Brock would sell us out to his father like this…"

"C'mon! I'm bustin you outta here!"

"This wall is coming down…"