CHAPTER TEN

Practicing Pt.1

"Well, I'm thinking we should get started now." Noah stated as he got his feet and brushed off his clothes. He turned to his brothers and sisters. "We should start practicing, yeah?"

"Good idea." Patrick agreed as he smiled mischievously.

"Practice?" James asked as he wrinkled his nose. "What do we need practice for? Will my face get damaged?"

"It's possible," Riley replied as she pulled off her shoes and socks. "But what we're going to do is teach your guys how to use your element at will and how to call upon the power of your guardian." She added and stood up, rolling up her pants leg. "Your guardian is there to protect you, but typically only help you when you're in extreme danger."

"I don't know you guys," Kendall suddenly sounded very wary. "I don't think this is a good idea, I mean, if what they're saying is true, that means that my mom and my sister are going to be in trouble and I don't want to bring this around them."

"Well," Rhuben looked apologetic. "It's kind of too late for that. As soon as you met us your life wasn't going to be normal anymore," she frowned. "And since you awakened you're never going to have a normal life again." She brushed her hair off of her face. "Anyway, Riley since you and Carlos almost have the same element you're going to work with him."

"Your element is fire?" Carlos asked as he looked at her eagerly.

"DarkFire actually," Riley replied with a wave of her hand. "There's a difference but I don't want to go into it."

"Sydney will help Kendall as Kendall's element is water and Sydney can use water spirits." Rhuben continued as she looked around. "Noah you'll help James as his element is air and yours is silver wind, there's a different there too." She turned to Patrick and gave a half smile. "You're going to have more of a challenge with helping Logan," she explained and then thought for a second. "But if you take what you know about getting your element from the air and change it to the ground, it shouldn't be that hard."

"I'll think of something." Patrick replied as he scratched his forehead.

"Later, we'll help you with your guys' fighting." Riley added and then motioned Carlos over to the side. "I don't want you to accidentally set your friends on fire when you're starting to work on controlling your element." She explained when he looked at her curiously. She then paused and squinted towards his head. "What's with the helmet?"

"My helmet is my helmet," Carlos replied as he patted it with a grin. "I haven't been without it for years."

"Ok," Riley replied, phrasing it as a question instead of a statement and then tied her long hair up into a ponytail. "Ok, what you need to do is concentrate on the energy of fire." She explained. "Have you ever seen fire up close before?"

"Yeah, sometimes," Carlos shrugged in reply. "Like when my papi tries to cook and he sets everything on fire." He grinned. "That was kind of cool. We had to use the fire extinguisher and call the fire department and-"

"I'm sorry I asked." Riley replied putting up a hand to get him to stop talking and then turned it into a fist. "Now, what you have to do is concentrate on the look of the fire. If you ever watched it, you'll notice how it can look serene as if it is dancing, and then be evil and powerful as it destroys things." She scowled a little bit as she clenched her hand harder and her hand burst into flames. "It doesn't hurt, because you're the one that's igniting it and controlling it."

"Whoa, cool!" Carlos' mouth dropped open in wonder. "I bet it's easy for you to lit candles, huh?"

"What are you talking about?" Riley looked confused and annoyed.

"I mean, with holding the element of fire, it should be easy to-"

"Focus!" Riley snapped as she clapped her hands in front of Carlos' face. "You see your friends over there?" she motioned to the side and Carlos looked over at his friends, who were each using their element and trying to control it. He laughed a little bit as Kendall, who was standing in the middle of the pond, moved his arms up, trying to make a little fountain of water, like Sydney was doing, but ended up making a geyser that soaked in. "If you don't get that down, you will die."

"Sorry." Carlos apologized. "This just…still seems like a dream to me."

"Well, it's real." Riley replied and then thought of a different way to try and make him understand how important the practice was. "Ok, how about this, Carlos, when was the last time that you've been really mad?"

"Well, when my helmet got stolen." Carlos replied. "I was mad about that because my dad gave me my helmet and I don't really get to see my dad much, so-"

"Just shut up," Riley replied hastily. "And focus on the anger that you felt then. Unfortunately, most of the time the only way that you can tap into fire power, no pun intended, is if you're mad about something." She moved closer to Carlos. "Think hard, Carlos. Think about how mad you felt." She smiled when she saw Carlos' eyes squeeze shut and his hands start to shake. "Think of the frustration and annoyance you felt when you were looking for it." She took a breath. "Think hard and hold out your hand, palm up."

Carlos did as he was told, his eyes still squeezed shut. Smiling with satisfaction, she watched as a flame, albeit small, started to float above his palm.

"Now, open your eyes."

Carlos did as he was told and smiled when he saw the flame. "I did it!" he cried happily.

"Nice job," Riley did the same thing, the flame easily appearing over her hand. "Now to work on making it bigger."

A/N: I decided to make this filler chapter focus on Carlos and fire because I figured that he'd be the one that would have the most trouble with it as sometimes it seems to me that he either has ADD or ADHD. So I thought it would be funny if Riley got mad at him for it. ^-^ Anyway, next chapter is going to be up soon and in that one, BTR's friends and family are going to start to notice that something is up with the four of them. Sorry this chapter was kind of short. The action picks up next chapter.

-Riley