Author's note: This chapter is a bit longer. We get to know the basics, aka what happened in those six years since the girls first met, but believe me, it's only the tip of an iceberg. The real trip begins in the next chapter, and don't worry, it's not merely a retelling of the first arc in the comic/cartoon :)

Chapter 2

Just like six years ago, ashen clouds hovered low over the flower-spattered hills of Heatherfield. And just like back then, a red car stood stuck in a traffic jam at the beginning of the bridge.

The school grounds at Sheffield Institute were empty and peaceful. The preparations for Halloween were all wheezing and buzzing throughout the town, taking people's minds far away from day-to-day chores. Well, not everyone was interested in buying candy. Some – six young girls, in particular – have chosen this day for a very special reunion.

"So you're getting a degree in law, after all?", a petite blonde girl asked her friend eagerly.

"Well, it's the only way to stop them from fussing over Nigel and his job at the pizzeria", said the other in an attempt to shrug it off.

"And that's also why you cut your hair, changed your glasses and emptied your wardrobe of red-coloured clothes, huh?", she pried, evidently dissatisfied with the changes her friend had undergone.

"That's not a great sacrifice if you ask me and in exchange I can be fully, well, mostly certain they don't try and go interfere with my way of doing things. Unlike you", she made a retort. "Do your parents still check up on you at least twice a week, Elly?"

"Well, mine kind of have to, you know I've been asthmatic since birth and they're just plain worried!", exclaimed Elyon in what was a failed attempt to defend her parents' nosy habits. "But it's really getting on my nerves sometimes. I wish they'd just stop."

Taranee sighed.

"And remind me, please, when did you have your last seizure?"

"They say I was too small to remember anything, but it was really scary. I could have died. And they really don't want that to happen… Well, me neither."

"Maybe you just got better", Taranee wondered, glanced at her watch and suddenly changed the subject. "I'm curious as to Cornelia's whereabouts. She said she'd be early, but now I'm starting to think she wanted to say she'd be early to her beautician."

Will parked in front of the school. Before heading for the grounds, she let herself wonder for a while.

It's just a meeting with old friends. It may just suck, be average, or turn out incredibly awesome, though I doubt the latter.

The school didn't change at all. It brought back memories and not without bewilderment, Will noticed that most of them were nice. Heatherfield certainly had a positive influence both on her memories and imagination. Maybe it was because she didn't know it like the back of her hand. Fadden Hills wasn't that bad of a hometown, it was well kept and had real potential when it came to work and schooling matters, but it just lacked… something. Perhaps it was too bland for her taste.

"Hey", she said quietly and smiled at the girls.

"Hi! You got a license already? Geez, it seems I'm the only one left… I'll never pass the exam", mused Elyon with a distraught look on her face.

"Well, your chances might increase if you stop mistaking the brake for… well, um… for the other… Forget it", Taranee ended abruptly and blushed. The three of them burst out laughing. It was just like the old times, though a slight change crept in, waiting for its chance to grow.

"So, you're teaching children to swim now?", asked Will, as Irma dried her still damp hair with a purple, fluffy towel Hay Lin lent her.

"You know, it's not the most prestigious job there is, and in winter I'm almost permanently bedridden, but I kind of enjoy it. Sure it's not enough to make a living, though, and if I ever want to move out, I'd better think of something else..."

"Hey! Just finished my work, we can get going", exclaimed Hay Lin as she took of her apron and took a seat next to Irma.

"It's really busy in there", Taranee observed. The Silver Dragon indeed has changed. It no longer resembled the quaint family business it was six years ago. Back then the interior somehow had a touch of a "greasy spoon" bar (though no one would have the guts to admit it to the owners), which gave the restaurant a homely notion.

Nowadays, it seemed, the Silver Dragon adapted not only the policy "the shinier, the better", but also threw in some futuristic themes, such as the neon lights surrounding the aquarium. To sum up, the place resembled a Chinese sky rocket.

"Yeah, that's why I'm helping out my parents here. I still want to go to art school, though."

"Art school would be just round the corner from my university!", exclaimed Elyon.

"Yeah, and miles away from MINE", said Cornelia with a sour expression gracing her features.

"Studying economics can't be that bad. At least you'll never have trouble finding a job", Taranee tried to lift her spirits, but seemingly it didn't work.

"Economics? That sure is the most tedious course to take. Oh, and they don't teach you to wash the dishes, which, if you ask me, is an essential ability for graduates", said a short woman in her mid-twenties. She had an apron tied around her waist and dark brown hair cut in the most haphazard way imaginable. She was struggling to balance some empty bottles on a small tray, and failed miserably. Luckily, Hay Ling managed to catch them just in time before they hit the wooden floor.

"You must be the new waitress my dad told me about", guessed Hay Lin. Suddenly, there was a glimmer of realization in her eyes. She slapped her hand against her forehead, leaving a black outline of some illegible word. "And he asked me to show you around! Your name must be Claire, right?"

"That's right." She smiled timidly and set the tray onto the table. All of sudden, a phone rang. Elyon fished it out of her handbag and stared at the screen with disbelief.

"It's Matt. Something bad happened at his grandpa's pet shop", Elyon said. "I guess I'll leave you for a while. Text me if you go somewhere else, I'll catch up with you later!"

She gathered her belongings and ran for the entrance, as if a pack of wild wolves chased her.

The girls stared at the empty seat she left, eyes wide.

"That must be important. She'll come back eventually." Cornelia seemed upset, but also keen on not showing it.

"She's still dating Matt?", Will asked, and in spite of her strenuous attempts at indifference, her voice trembled a bit. She liked Matt since she first saw him at a concert exactly six years ago; back then he's just ended his relationship with Elyon. Will fell for him just like that, and looking back she wasn't sure why. They had their up and downs, even dated for half a year that she still considered the best six months of her life. In the end it didn't work out. He went on a tour with Karmilla and it changed him. He wasn't a big shot in the music industry, just a small fry in the pan, but in a small town like Heatherfield, he shined like a star. Far, distant and cold. After they broke up, not for a moment did she ponder whether he would stay single, but she believed he'd find himself someone vain and shallow. Not go back to Elyon. She didn't like the surprise.

"It's more complicated than you think. It's become his habit to call her anytime it strikes his fancy, and she's always there for him. I'm not sure if it's the right thing for her…", Cornelia mused.

"And here I thought we'd be getting some quality time, since we're all grown-ups and stuff, but no! There's still the relationship drama!" Irma groaned. "Why don't we stop talking about boys for just one night and have FUN?"

"Hey, Claire, listen, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but could I give you your tour around the place another time? I'm sure you'll do well tonight, and it's kind of a special day for me…" said Hay Lin with the most apologetic grin on her face, since the woman just stood there motionlessly in awkwardness since Elyon left.

Claire smiled down at her tiredly.

"I wish I could leave you like that. I'm really sorry about what I'm going to tell you, but you have to listen. I only have like, ten minutes or so, and I better get started." She cleared her throat and sat down on the edge of Elyon's chair. "You'll probably think I'm out of my mind, but… It's time you start believing in magic."

"What do you mean?" Taranee inquired, raising and eyebrow. "I'm quite sure we're not interested in donating to anything."

"I'm not asking you for money. It's much more than that."

Five pairs of eyes focused on Claire and she shifted uncomfortably under their gaze.

"Have you ever noticed how strange things happen when you're around? How some broken things seem to work only for you," she looked expectantly at Will, "how you cannot burn yourself when taking a cake out of an oven, how you can outlast anybody underwater, how flowers seem to blossom in spite of draught and cold, how wind never blows your way?" It all sounded rehearsed and serious at the same time. The girls stared at her in silence, waiting for some kind of conclusion.

"Yeah, freaky stuff happens to me all the time, like my brother trying to hook up with Cornelia's little sister, but what's the big news?", asked Irma.

"Christopher tried to WHAT?" Taranee had to grab Cornelia's arm to hold her in place.

"Shh, let her finish", whispered Hay Lin, who listened to Claire as if she's heard her favourite fairytale after a very long time. Claire, who seemed to be simply terrified of carrying on, looked up at them uneasily.

"Well, the point is, everything comes with a price, and those talents of yours come with a duty."

"We're supposed to bake cakes for the entire humanity so nobody gets burned taking them out of the oven?" Irma joked, but the others remained silent. "Sorry, that was a lame one."

"You don't know your true limits. You can do much more than that. And this is when THIS comes to play", she said, pulling something out of her pocket. It was a small, crystal amulet on a simple silver chain. "Will, it's yours."

As soon as Claire handed the amulet to the redhead, soft, purple light started to pour down from the pendant, engulfing them in a soft haze, that seemed to exclude everyone except the girls. Even though no one seemed to notice it, Claire looked around uncomfortably and murmured:

"Enough of this for now, you can have your fun with it where no one sees you."

"And what exactly is that thing, what are we meant to do with it, and why should it bother us?", Cornelia inquired, raising one eyebrow. Claire shot her an aggravated, I-knew-it-would-happen look.

"It's the Heart of Kandrakar and it's not to be taken lightly. You're the Guardians of the Veil now and you get no say in that matter. Don't try to make it more difficult for me, I'm not the one supposed to be giving you the news, I'm just a substitute", she spat, and the covered her mouth.

"What is this Kandrakar you're talking about? And the Veil? And who should be telling us all of this?", asked Hay Lin with fascination in her eyes.

"And why does it sound like such utter nonsense?", Cornelia murmured.

"You know, most of you people tend to think there's an omnipotent entity that's up there, watches you silently and keeps you safe. And it's kind of true, except it isn't. There's a fortress called Kandrakar, somewhere in the depths of infinity, and there's the Oracle. He's good with words, very… knowledgeable, and usually he knows what has to be done. But he doesn't do it. Instead, he just seals the dangers and lets them brew, until they're so powerful they can't be overlooked. And that's when he says… 'Let there be the Guardians'. The Veil is something that's been created ages ago to protect your world, and know it's so thin and frail, you need to protect it. Some parts of it were damaged, and it's possible for evil things, otherworldly things, to come through them. And those rips are called the portals. You're supposed to find them and seal them. End of story."

"It doesn't make any sense", admitted Taranee.

"It's spacious!", Hay Lin exclaimed.

Claire smiled at her.

"But…" started Irma, raising her finger.

"I'm not here to answer your questions. I'm sorry, but you've got to figure it all out on your own. I'm no good for training, I'd be more of a hindrance than anything else. But if you really, really need my aid, you can visit me at the old bookstore. It's not far from here, and I'll be starting my job here in a few days."

"So you're not going to stay here? We could use some help at the restaurant", said Hay Lin hopefully. It was not that she thoughtlessly believed everything Claire said, but she wanted to. She already painted a bright future ahead of them.

"You saw me manhandling those glasses." Claire smiled wryly. "I would wreck the place in no time, but thanks for your invitation!"

And like that, she was gone. The girls sat in silence for a few seconds.

"I get a feeling we should give this a shot", said Will quietly. "She sounded sincere… And, well, didn't you feel something?"

"I'm scared, Will. Whatever you felt I did too." Taranee seemed shaken. She always tried to reason her way out of any situation, but this one was beyond her means.

"Count me in. It could be fun", said Irma.

"Fun? It would be like a dream come true! Like in my grandma's tales!"

"Well, then don't count on me. It's all fairytales, and I've got better things to do. Carry on if you like, I thought we'd just… have fun together, the old-fashioned way. I have to look for my friend. They may need some help at the pet shop."

"Wait, Cornelia! We'll try it just once and then we'll go and help Elyon, I promise." Will steeled herself for the upcoming outburst of reasonable arguments, which Cornelia surely must have prepared. But those didn't come. Instead, Cornelia pointed at something outside the window.

"I take my words back. Have you looked at the clouds recently? Are they… Kind of weird? Or is it just me?" Her voice was trembling a bit. They all looked out. The sky wasn't that much different, though just behind the heavy clouds, the sky was all tattered and torn, like worn cloth, and behind the tears and holes there was only darkness.

"It must be the Veil," Will whispered. "It's actually made of fabric. Enchanted fabric. And it can break anytime."

"Why does nobody notice this?" Irma was positively freaked out. The happy people on the streets – some of them already in their Halloween costumes – strolled leisurely, as if the skies weren't actually falling on their heads.

"Maybe we're the only ones who are meant to see this. Perhaps it's a message of sorts", wondered Taranee.

They got up from their seats and walked out of the restaurant in dreadful silence.

Next chapter: Cedric finally makes an appearance. We find out something about old deals and promises - and it'll have a great influence on what future holds for the girls - while we get to know what happened to Elyon when she left in the middle of their meeting.

Reviews are always welcome!