Ohayo Tokyo! Konban wa New York! Konniciwa London! CJzilla here, slamming out the final chapter to "La Lune". Sad? Don't be. You might see another one of my fics floating around the WITCH archive...
As I tear buildings off their foundations with but a flick of my tail, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: Hate on me and/or love on me... I don't care.
Darkness again surrounded her. It wasn't a choking darkness as before but none the more inviting. The Water Guardian was familiar with this darkness though; it was the blackness of unconsciousness. All Irma had to do was open her eyes and she'd be out of this soulless, inactive blackness. Like reaching out and touching the warmth of light, the Water Guardian knew she'd be rescued from the darkness.
Irma awoke to a warm feeling over her body. She heard footfalls and flickering candles as a breeze tickled her face. The Water Guardian's head was on something soft and warm.
Irma's eyes fluttered open but shut just as quickly in this inviting lull. Though her eyes were shut, Irma's senses began to adjust to the conscious world. The air was cool and damp as it hung on her face, encouraging her to rouse like a puppy's supporting lick. The Water Guardian also heard the comforting sound of running water, delicately trickling over stones. Perhaps the ambience of a fountain?
She brought her hand up to cover a yawn. Her fingers laced around soft material that smelt musty and wonderful. Irma felt a heartbeat on her face, but it wasn't hers. Then she realized that she was being carried bridal-style by someone else. The Water Guardian's eyes flew open but reality had yet to sharpen. She looked up and saw a man she didn't recognize, both arms wrapped around her.
Irma gasped and accidentally startled the man. His head jerked back in surprise as the Water Guardian summoned a discharge of water. Panicking, Irma shut her eyes and let the concentrated blast of water go into the man's face.
Irma was dropped as the man was blasted off of his feet and a ways away. The Water Guardian floundered on the floor as her body was weak and heavy. Irma's voice was soft and unresponsive as she tried to stand. She couldn't cry for help. There was a moan of pain from the man as he peeled himself off of the stone floor. Then she heard more footfalls, fast ones this time. In than same second she remembered the trickling water that she'd heard. Flustered and confused Irma called out to the water. With a thought the Water Guardian created a ribbon of liquid to protect her from any more attackers. Then she heard her defense land, splashing and then bodies falling in a heap without time for a sound.
Opening her eyes, Irma still held her whip of water protectively in her grip as she glanced around. Her blue eyes came to the familiar faces of her friends: Will, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin, Eylon, Caleb and a very, very sore looking Raythor whom she blasted in the face with a water burst. The relief was indescribable.
She stood amongst the puddles her ribbon of water created as she saw something that cut her to the core. There was a fearful distrust on everyone's faces. The other Guardians jumped up from the ground and took a fighting stance, their clothes and hair soaking wet.
"Take your positions," Will ordered, her normally calm and comforting amber eyes narrowed with suspicion.
At the Heart Guardian's command, Eylon's guards drew their swords and turned their shields toward Irma as they protected their queen. Even Caleb and Raythor drew their swords.
"Easy Irma," Taranee voiced as the rest of the Guardians began to encircle Irma. "You've had a long night. We just want to take you home."
Tears stung the Water Guardian's eyes.
"I want to go home," she hung her head. "But don't treat me like a monster."
"We have no choice Irma," Caleb voiced pointing the sharp edge of his sword to her. "You're out of control."
The Water Guardian was growing distressed.
"I couldn't help it!" Irma took a pleading step forward, unbeknownst that the water was mimicking her despair. "It's the stupid moon!"
"That's why we have to get you out from underneath this full moon and get you out of Meridian before you level something," Will stated carefully. "You might hurt someone."
"I'm sorry!" Irma threw her hands in the air, her sight becoming fuzzy through unshed tears. "I didn't mean to!"
"We know you didn't mean to, Irmy," Hay Lin quivered, eyes flowing with frightened tears. "Just listen to Will and we'll get you back home, then we can just forget about this."
At seeing her best friend scared of her, Irma's face twisted with a held-in sob.
With a grunt of frustration and anger, Irma called out to the fountains of water that lines Eylon's inner courtyard. Water obeyed her command and flowed like a torrent funnel coming between her and her friends. Though water flowed all around her, Irma's own tears wet her face as she ordered a ribbon of water to wrap around her. With another thought the pillar of water picked the Water Guardian off of the ground and propelled her over the castle's wall.
Irma landed onto the road right before the draw bridge. Once her feet met solid ground Irma turned toward the forest and ran. Meridian's blue moon lit her way as the forest engulfed her.
Tears poured from the Water Guardian's eyes as the word "monster" echoed in her ears.
Will, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin stood in a stupor at what had just happened. Will's face fell with gloom as Hay Lin began to cry again. Due to their carelessness, Irma wasn't coming back home to earth tonight.
"I shouldn't have cried!" the Wind Guardian growled at herself. "I shouldn't have shown Irma I was scared!"
But Will knew that no ONE person was to blame for what had just happened. Taranee wrapped her arms around Hay Lin in an effort to comfort the Wind Guardian.
"You should have kept your mouth shut Caleb," Cornelia hissed, narrowing her eyes at her boyfriend. "Irma is not a monster."
Caleb snorted as he sheathed his sword.
"She is tonight Cornelia!" the boy soldier replied. "We can't take any chances. You saw what she was able to do. What was to stop her from liquefying all of us?"
The Guardian of the Heart turned her eyes toward Eylon, Caleb and the rest of her friends.
"I agree with your reasoning Caleb," Will voiced. "But Cornelia's right. Irma isn't a monster and we all should have handled that better."
"We have to find her!" Cornelia rushed, her slender blue eyes filling with tears.
Again, Will's face fell with gloom. As Guardian of the Heart and leader of the Guardians of Meridian, she would not let any of her friends get hurt. Irma was unstable and would be for the rest of the night.
"No," Will replied with a firm voice.
Her retort made everyone's eyes widen.
""No"?" Cornelia turned and glared at the Heart Guardian. "Will! Irma's our friend and she's out there!"
The ground began to suddenly shake as anger built up in the Earth Guardian.
"She's alone, scared and sad!" Hay Lin stomped up to Will. "We can't just desert her!"
The soft breeze of the night momentarily reacted with the Wind Guardian's intense feelings and blew hard. Will's firm demeanor cracked as frustration showed on her face.
"I don't like it anymore than the rest of you do!" she exclaimed. "Not one bit more!"
That was enough to silence any anger in her friends.
"… But I will not risk Meridian's Guardians tonight," Will paused. "As long as the moon is in the air, Irma will remain easily volatile and dangerous. Once it sets, at first light… I'll search like I've lost my mind but not one second before."
Faces fell.
"We all have a lot of apologizing to do," the Guardian of the Heart continued, tears interfering with her voice. "Irma saved our lives and captured Nerissa single-handedly. I think that more than makes up for her little temper tantrum and getting us wet…….. Don't….. make this any harder for me….. please."
With that Will turned on her heel, used her sleeve to wipe her cheeks clean of tears and walked deeper into Eylon's castle.
Irma could still feel the power she received from Meridian's full moon tingling in her fingertips. Everything became like some horrible movie after Nerissa had gotten a hold of her that first time. Her anger was real but not her own, but that power…
The blackness of night was obscured, because of the welcoming glow of Meridian's blue faerie moon. It was so bright and beautiful it almost seemed impossible to think that it was the root of Irma's problems tonight. The moon showed the Water Guardian the way through the dense forest and led her to a pond twinkling with blue moonlight. Cattails and reeds swayed gently with the night's breeze. It seemed like when the moon's rays touched the water, it created ripples that shimmered with its beauty.
Irma sat on the grassy bank of the pond basking in the moon's matchless beauty. Her short, wavy hair danced with the breeze as tears streamed down her face. She felt like such a monster. Under the moon's influence, she'd became so evilly violent, so angry, so callused to the damage she was inflicting. Irma wished she was back home, where she knew she'd never be like that again. The Water Guardian sighed as she manipulated a the pond in front of her.
Water rose out of the pond and, in the moon's light, moved like liquid radiance. Following her commands, the liquid moved gracefully, bending and stretching that only water can do. Doing this lifted Irma's gloom slightly because she was using the water in the way she was supposed to. She stood and began to move her arms, guiding the water with her movements.
Opening her hands and extending her arms Irma moved the water, churning it and a massing it into one great mass. Moving her hands upwards the water burst up into the sky in an controlled fountain. A slight mist dampened Irma's hair as she continued to play with the water. As water rained down, Irma caught it with a thought before it touched the ground. The water shimmered with the moon as she brought it nearer to her. Extending one arm toward the night sky and the other to the ground, Irma created a wall of moonlit water. Bringing it closer to her, Irma could see her reflection… and that of someone else.
Gasping, Irma's concentration was broken and the water fell lifeless at her feet.
There, standing behind her and under the shadow of a Weeping Willow, was a tall, strange yet familiar figure. Irma blinked and squinted trying to see who it was.
"Cedric?" she asked.
She thought for sure she was seeing things, but then the figure of Lord Cedric stepped out into the moonlight.
"You ran far, Irma," he finally said. "But I'm glad I found you."
Irma watched him walk to her. Cedric stood next to her and with the rays of the moon shining off of the water, she could see his face. Irma was happy to have some company, since she saw nothing but darkness and sad images for what seemed like an eternity.
Cedric smelt of forest and musk, like he'd been in the woods for quite some time. He smiled at the Water Guardian and ran his finger over her cheek. Cedric held soft, concerned blue eyes to Irma's ocean blue ones. And for a moment she felt her heart wrap around him.
"I'm glad you are feeling better," Cedric voiced. "I thought for sure we'd lost you."
Irma smiled at him. She decided to be bold and run her fingers through his hair. Cedric smiled at her gesture. Then Irma's face fell. Turning her eyes away from his, she avoided his stare by glancing at the pond.
"My friends are terrified of me, Cedric," the Water Guardian sighed. "And I'm surprised you're not the same."
Irma returned her eyes to his.
"I nearly killed Nerissa," she added. "Granted, the witch is evil and probably wouldn't hesitate to kill me… but I'd never touch a life like that, ever."
She sighed again as she rubbed her tired eyes.
"It was like an uncontrollable nightmare," Irma stated. "I couldn't stop and now my friends think I'm a monster."
Cedric took a deep breath when he saw Irma drop her head for the second time. He reached down and pulled her chin up.
"This horrible night's almost over and the sun will soon come up," Cedric told her. "And until it does, I'll be here with you."
Irma gave a grin as the moonlight revealed that she was blushing.
"Your friends would have done the same," he added, "had they known what you were going through."
"Yeah," Irma voiced. "I was never that close to Eylon so for all she knows, I could be a lunar psycho all days of the month."
Cedric nodded.
"She would be foolish to hold that against you, Irma," he replied. "How many times have you saved her life? Just let this night blow over and in the morning, you can have a clear head once more."
Irma then gave him a sad stare.
"This is Meridian's last night with a full moon and the next one won't be for nearly a month," the Water Guardian paused. "I suppose that once morning comes, we go our own way."
The shape-shifter let a small cocky smirk onto his face.
"Do I prick enough interest in you, Water Guardian, to make you want me?" he questioned.
"Yes," Irma giggled. "And don't let that go to your pretty little head Cedric. I hope we meet like this again, but I'm sure the next time we see each other, it'll be in a fight."
"Perhaps," Cedric voiced. "But I know that I'll see you before you see me. Earth has become like a second home to me and I spend a lot of time in different forms there."
Irma smiled.
"It'll be a challenge picking you out from the crowd Cedric," her eyes dropped to the collar of his shirt. "But I'm sure I'll spot you."
The Water Guardian's hand moved to the shape-shifter's chest. He was still soft and warm, something that Irma had to constantly remind herself of since she'd never had him this close before. Cedric caught her hand in his. Bringing her hand to his face, he planted a soft peck on her palm. Irma grinned at the gesture and without another word she lunged at him, taking his lips into a kiss.
This kiss wasn't as awkward as the first. Before Irma was as stiff as a board, freezing like ice under Cedric's lips, though now it seemed to be second nature.
One of Cedric's arms wrapped around the Water Guardian's waist and the other arm cradled her back. She couldn't get away now, not that Irma had somewhere to be. The Water Guardian snaked her arms around his neck. The two lovers simply held each other as they kissed.
Cedric felt her lips push back on his, asking for more. He held off a smile as he reached for the nape of her neck with his fingertips. Irma's short, soft hair felt like velvet on his hardened, callused hands. Everything about the Water Guardian reminded the shape-shifter of life and good. She was innocent, loved life, had unconditional love for her friends and was happy. The shape-shifter knew that the Water Guardian could bring him to his knees with just a flash of her ocean blue eyes.
Irma ran her fingers through his hair. Now Cedric pulled her closer to him. She couldn't help but comply because he was much stronger than her. His hand on her back held Irma tight. Since the shape-shifter was taller than Irma, she had to look up a full ninety degrees. That caused a cramp in her neck.
The Water Guardian had to break the kiss. She dropped her head, taking a breath of air Irma leaned her head on Cedric's chest, hoping the cramp in her neck would let go. Then she heard his heart beat through his shirt. The organ that pumped life through the body, something too, that Irma had to remind herself that Cedric possessed.
Then she felt Cedric's lips on her bare arm. He was kissing her arm! His lips traveled from her upper arm to her shoulder. Then on her neck. That sent shivers down Irma's body. Not bad shivers, but not entirely good shivers.
Cedric captured her lips with his kiss, much to Irma's surprise. Cedric's lips were warm and loving as he held Irma's head in his hand.
What a weird order of things! Irma wondered what her friends would think if they were here to see her kiss Cedric. They'd tear Cedric apart before they'd do the same to her. They had it in their head that she somehow liked Raythor, whom she never gave a second glance.
For just one last night, under the light of la Lune, both Water Guardian and shape-shifter could savor each other's company.
The next day, before the sun came over Meridian's farmland and another awkward day of earth school and no home work, Irma was starring down Eylon's castle gates. With its gates shut, it looked more like a fortress than something familiar to the Water Guardian. Irma had it set in her mind that the first thing she'd do was apologize to her friends. Both on earth and in Meridian.
The morning had a bright sunrise as Irma stood at the front gates of the castle. She hesitated, wondering if she'd be taken in chains back to earth. The Water Guardian would be grateful to get back on earth since Irma was reminded last night how different Meridian was from home. Meridian was an alien planet with strange manipulations that made it feel all the more different. At least on earth Irma knew precisely what was going on so she would never be caught off guard. Her friends must be terrified of her right now.
Just then she heard a chorus of shouts from the castle's lookout spires.
"Water Guardian before front gates! Drop drawbridge!" the guards called to each other.
A moment after that, the castle's drawbridge dropped with a loud roar of chains and creaking wood. A blast of wind from the felled gates kicked up dirt from the roadway, Irma shielded her eyes from the debris. Then footfalls from varying high-heels and sneakers. Looking up Irma saw Cornelia, Will, Taranee and Hay Lin running over the draw bridge. The Guardians rushed off of the drawbridge and ran up to Irma. The first to throw her arms around her, much to Irma's surprise was Cornelia. The Earth Guardian held the Water Guardian like she'd just returned from an impossible place, even whimpering a little in Irma's collar. Hay Lin hugged Irma, crying into her shirt.
"Hi guys," Irma fought off tears.
Will and Taranee joined Cornelia and Hay Lin for a group hug. All the hardened teenagers broke down into tears, now feeling reunited from an uncontrollable nightmare.
"I'm so sorry guys," Irma whispered hoarsely from a tight throat. "I'm so sorry."
"It's all right Irma," Will told her friend. "You're all right and that's all that matters to us."
"We thought we lost you," Hay Lin whimpered. "Twice."
"You gave us a terrible scare, Irma," Cornelia cried.
Irma held in a sob.
"I'm so sorry," was all she could say.
The five Guardians and friends shared a warm moment in the comforting rays of the rising sun. Their friendship was tested and it had come through the fire shining more brilliantly than before.
The Guardians then found their way back into Eylon's castle to find the teenage queen, set things right and finally go home. Irma could not stop talking about the power Meridian's moon gave her and how she'd accomplished thing she'd would never be able to do in normal circumstances.
"It was amazing," Irma went on as they walked through the halls to Eylon's throne room. "It was like my best days multiplied by one thousand. I could make that water do whatever I wanted it to!"
Passing a fountain, Taranee glanced down at the water only to see it being pulled as Irma walked by it.
"Oh yeah," the Fire Guardian agreed. "And it looks like you still got a little of the moon's power still in you."
Irma stopped and glanced down at the water in the fountain. She was inadvertently manipulating the liquid without thinking about it.
"That is so cool!" the Water Guardian voiced as she consciously pulled a little ribbon of water from the fountain. "It's like part of the full moon is still with me."
As she played with the water Will spoke up.
"There was nothing cool about last night Irma," the Guardian of the Heart voiced. "You were uncontrollable and unreasonable. Had Lord Cedric not stepped in, you would have killed Nerissa and probably turned your wrath on us."
It brought slight warmth to Irma's face when she thought of Cedric saving her from herself. Sure, she was the monster, but it didn't make it any less romantic. The Water Guardian weaved the small ribbon of water through her fingers.
"But one thing was certain," Cornelia twirled a lock of her blond hair around her finger, "that dress you were wearing was hideous."
Funny to think that Cornelia, minuets ago, was a blubbering mess crying on Irma's shoulder, telling her how frightened she was and now she was as cold hearted as normal.
"A tapered cut? Are you still in last century's fad, Irma?" the Earth Guardian huffed. "Please. And a sleeveless tapered cut? Excuse me! It's like you just got away from a paper shredder! Going sleeveless didn't help that dress out in the slightest! It's like business up top but Freddie the Shredder down below!"
Irma smiled and passed a glance back at Cornelia.
"Great to have you back Corny," Irma called the Earth Guardian by her pet name. "You almost had be back there when you were sobbing incoherently about how you were so scared and that I should never leave you!"
A blush lit the Earth Guardian's face.
"Yeah? Well, I say things sometimes because I get caught up in the moment," Cornelia explained running her fingers vainly through her hair.
"And what a moment it was!" Hay Lin chimed throwing the back of her hand dramatically to her forehead. "Irma! The Water Guardian that nearly killed us all! And I thought I cried a lot Cornelia. You practically beat me at a sobbing contest!"
"Like I said," Cornelia flicked her hair. "I got caught up in the moment. It's not like I'd miss the water retaining, dateless Water Guardian."
"Low blow Corny!" Taranee laughed. "You know Irma can get a date if she wanted to!"
"Yeah! The school dweeb is practically beating down her door," the Earth Guardian remarked, trying to get a rise outta Irma.
The Water Guardian had it covered. With a flick of her wrist Irma sent the small ribbon of water she was playing with and dropped it on Cornelia's head. The Earth Guardian gave a shriek at the cold water and that her hair was totaled!
"Irma! You drip!" Cornelia gasped at the cold water. "You know that my hair gets frizzy just at a hint of moisture!"
Irma stopped and gave her wayward supermodel-friend a smirk.
"I know," she answered. "My hair gets frizzy when someone gives me fashion advice."
That was a lame joke but Irma laughed at it just the same.
"That was a lame joke Irma," they all heard Eylon call to them from down the hall.
The Guardians turned to see Eylon, Caleb and Raythor walking to them. Irma felt a warm smile come to her face as soon as she saw Eylon's beaming smile. The teenage queen ran ahead of her two guards and dove into Irma's arms. Through the tears on the Water Guardian's face, she heard Eylon laugh.
"You were incredible, Irma!" she cheered. "That was just amazing! But all the same, remind me never to make you mad when the moon's full."
"Thanks Eylon," Irma whispered. "And I'm sorry."
"Whaddya gotta be sorry for?!" Eylon asked, forgetting to annunciate and pronounce properly. "You defeated Frost and Nerissa, and got that scaly witch in her much deserved cell in my dungeon! It's perfect!"
Irma smiled a little.
"And as far as giving me a scare, sheesh," she swatted the air. "I'll just add it to my list of things that scare Eylon. I add a new item every day!"
Then the teenage queen paused.
"But seriously Irma, thank you," she beamed seriously. "I don't think I can thank you enough for capturing Nerissa. Meridian owes you a lot."
Irma blushed and swatted the air in front of her.
"I'm a Guardian, it's my job," she returned bashfully.
Caleb gave the Water Guardian a nod of respect and then he grinned at her.
"Sorry for… calling you a monster Irmy," the teen soldier looked to the ground. "You never were. But you were outta control."
Eylon brought her heel down on Caleb's foot. The teenage solider yelped.
"I mean…" he fought off tears in his eyes. "Thanks."
Caleb held in a scream of pain as Irma laughed at him.
"You made Meridian all the more safer ma'am," Raythor spoke up after an eternity of being silent. "I… uh… I-… For you."
The elfin captain of the guards handed Irma a single rose. Irma's insides did a flip of nausea as she took the flower. That was doubtlessly Eylon's doing. She probably told Raythor something that made him do this.
"Oh… thank you, Raythor," she nearly lost her lunch as seeing the much, much, much older man blush at her. "I'll… treasure it always."
The Water Guardian twirled it in her fingers as she turned to the other Guardians.
"Can we go home now?" Irma complained. "My parents are gonna bury me alive and dance on my grave."
Will stopped laughing at Cornelia enough to nod. Eylon was more than happy to conjure up a portal to earth with a wave of her hand. In a flash of light and a gust of strong wind, the air in front of Hay Lin shredded. A porthole to earth was opened. One by one the Guardians of Meridian hopped through the porthole and back home. Irma was the last to walk through it, but just before she went, Raythor was at her side one last time.
"I'll be seeing you," he told her. "My little water nymph."
When those words left Raythor's mouth, Irma craned her head around. For a moment, "Raythor's" eyes changed to a soft blue. A moment was all it took for Irma. She knew the person in front of her was Cedric, who'd come to say his last goodbye.
"See you later," the Water Guardian grinned. "Lord Migraine."
End
R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK! WOO!