Chapter 17:
Later that day, at Lunch...
While the students were in the Lunch Hall eating their lunches, Kadma and Nerissa were in the basement of the school ready to do what they were there to do.
"First we turn the power off.", Nerissa said as she touched the power box and sent a current of electricity through it.
Once she did that, the power all over the school went out!
"And now for the pipes!", Kadma said as she used her powers to bust a few pipes.
She then put up a telekinetic shiled to keep her and Nerissa dry as they walked towards the door.
"That should keep the school closed for a day or two.", Kadma said.
"Which will give us enough time to do and get what we need.", Nerissa said with a smirk before they teletransported out of the school's basement.
Meanwhile, the students of the school were wondering what was going on when the lights went out.
"Wonder what happened to the lights.", Caleb said.
"I think I have a good idea what happened.", Taranee said as she and the others saw Nerissa and Kadma walk up to the other Dark Guardians that were sitting at a table in the corner of the Lunch Hall.
"I wouldn't put it past them.", Elyon said.
As some of them weere keeping their eyes on the Dark Guardians, Will had pulled Matt aside to talk.
"About yesterday, Matt.", Will said. "I didn't mean to make you look bad in front of the others. It's just that..."
"Don't worry about it.", Matt said with a small smile. "If I went after them, I might not of gotten them."
"Or maybe you could of.", Will said. "It's just that I'm use to leading the girls. But you lead the Regents. And I need to respect that."
Matt was about to say something when suddenly, the intercoms turned on getting the attention of the students.
"Attention students!", came Knickerbocler's voice. "Due to the sudden black out, all further classes are canceled for the day! Students are to leave the school in orderly fashion."
Student were cheering as they left the Lunch Hall, happy to be leaving school early. The Guardians watched as the Dark Guardians left the Lunch Hall with the other students.
"We better follow them.", Will said as she and the others headed out of the Lunch Hall.
Once that girls got to their lockers, Irma decided to talk to Hay Lin.
"Can we talk, Hay Lin?", Irma asked her best friend.
"There's nothing to talk about, Irma.", Hay Lin said as she closed her locker door after taking her back pack and purse out of it.
"Really?", Irma questioned.
"Nope.", Hay Lin said with a smile.
"Well, that's good!", Irma said smiling.
"Wait for it.", Cornelia said to Will who also knew what was about to happen.
"All you have to do is apologize to Eric for what you said.", Hay Lin said calmly as she walked off to find Eric.
"Thought so.", Will said with a smirk.
"So saw it coming.", Taranee said with a grin.
"Say what?", Irma yelled as she looked at Hay Lin as she walked off. "Me apologize?"
"Yes, Irma!", Hay Lin said as she stopped and turned around looking at Irma. "You apologize! You were wrong in what you said about how much Eric cared about me!"
"But I...", Irma began to say.
"And before that there was when you went after my Grandma.", Hay Lin said low enough so only Irma and the girls could hear as she walked up to Irma. "Yeah! I was upset when I saw her and Angelo... making out. And when she kissed Angelo on the cheek, I was a bit hurt. But you didn't have to lose your temper and do what you did! And now, because of your actions, we'll be short one Guardian after school of the next four days!"
"Hay Lin has a point, Irma.", Elyon said. "Sometimes, your temper does get the better of you."
"Sometimes?", Cornelia said with a grin. "Try almost everytime."
"And this morning wasn't the time to go off and lose your temper.", Taranee said.
"Now what happened to 'just us girls'?", Irma asked trying to get the girls on her side again as she wrapped an arm around Hay Lin's shoulder. "Don't you know that if I apologize to Eric, it'll be a blow to womankind? We can't let the boys have one up on us! We women must always be right and stick together!"
The girls looked at Irma, giving her the "Who are you kidding look?".
"Nice try, Irma.", Hay Lin said in a stern voice as she moved away from Irma. "But Eric had every right to be upset about what you said about him. So, you should apologize to him. And mean it."
"That will never happen!", Irma said as she turned from Hay Lin with as huff while crossing her arms.
"If that's how you feel.", Hay Lin said. "Then I guess you won't be getting meals half-off when you come to the resturant."
"What?", Irma questioned in surprise. "No more half-off?"
"None.", Hay Lin said.
"Fine.", Irma said. "I'm still not apologizing!"
"Have it your way.", Hay Lin said calmly as she walked off. "No apology, no half-off meals. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to meet up with my boyfriend. I shall see you all outside the school."
The girls watched as Hay Lin walked off to meet up with Eric.
"Wow!", Taranee said. "Go, Hay Lin!"
"So, what are you going to do now, Irma?", Cornelia questioned with a smirk.
"I don't have to do anything!", Irma said. "For I did nothing wrong."
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that.", Cornelia said. "You just might believe it one day."
"Why don't you just go and apologize to Eric.", Will said."
"Never!", Irma said as she walked off to meet up with Peter.
"Well, this should be fun.", Cornelia said. as they followed behind Irma.
"Hello, Ms. Lair."
Irma stopped in her tracks to see Mrs. Knickerbocker walking towards her.
'Crap!', Irma thought to herself. 'I forgot about detention!'
"If I were you, Ms. Lair, I'd be counting my lucky stars.", Knickerbocker said.
"I should?", Irma asked.
"Yes, you should.", Knickerbocker said. "Becasue of what's happening, you don't have to serve detention."
"YES!", Irma said happily.
"But when the pipes and electricity is fixed, you will be serving your four days of detention.", Knickerbocker said.
"Swell." Irma said dully as she walked off.
"This just isn't her day.", Taranee said with a grin getting a giggle out of Will and Cornelia.
Once the girls met up with their boyfriends, they all headed for the Silver Dragon for something to eat.
"Okay. As glad as I am for a sudden half-day, we all know that the Dark Guardians are behind all of this.", Matt said.
"My guess is that Nerissa shorted out the power and Cassidy busted the pipes.", Will suggested.
"Kadma could of done the pipes as well.", Caleb replied.
"He has a point.", Cornelia said as they walked through the park.
"So! You've figured out what we did, hih?"
Everyone looked to see Halinor sitting on a park bench, a few feet away from them.
"Halinor?", Taranee questioned.
"In the flesh.", Halinor said with a smirk as she sat there dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a teal shirt with white sneakers.
"Why shut the school down?", Taranee questioned.
"We have our reasons.", Halinor said as she got up and walked away from them.
Suddenly, Matt and Caleb jumped in front of Halinor, blocking her path.
"And where do you think you're going?", Caleb questioned as he and Matt walked towards her.
"Oh, please.", Halinor said as she rolled her eyes.
Halinor then teletransported away before anyone could grab her.
"Where did she go?", Eric asked.
"Better question.", Matt said. "Why show up on her own?"
"Who knows.", Cornelia said. "She's gone now so let's get going!"
"And who says I'm gone?"
Everyone turned around to see Halinor standing behind them. But before they could do anything, the other Dark Guardians appeared next to her.
"And who says she's alone?", Nerissa questioned as the seven of then stood there untransformed.
"Do you all really want to take us on after the beating we gave you last time?", Irma bragged.
"Always the cocky one huh, Lair", Kadme questioned with a smirk.
"Well, she's not lying.", Peter said.
"Then it's a good thing we're not here to fight.", Joe said.
"You're not, huh?", Cornelia questioned. "Then why are you here?"
"This is why!", Nerissa said as she, Cassidy, Halinor, Yan Lin, Kadma, and Joe teletransported away, leaving Angelo standing there alone.
"Where did they go?", Eric questioned as they all looked around the area.
"Wait for it.", Angelo said with a cocky smile.
"Wait for what?", Will questioned.
Suddenly, the six Dark Guardians appeared within the group, surprising them!
"That!", Angelo said with a smirk as he watched his fellow Dark Guardians go to work.
Joe grabbed Matt and Caleb and teletransported away with them!
"Cakeb!", Cornelia cried.
"Matt!", Will cried.
But they had little time to act as Kadma grabbed Cornelia and Elyon and teletransported away with them, while Nerissa grabbed Will teletransported away with her. Before the others could act, Cassidy grabbed Irma, Halinor grabbed Taranee, and Yan Lin grabbed Hay Lin and teletransported away with them!
"Where did they take them?", Peter demanded as he glared at Angelo.
"Now, now fellas.", Angelo said. "You'll see them again. They just took them away so we can talk."
"Talk?", Nigel questioned.
"Yes. Talk.", Angelo said.
"And what's to stop us from taking you down?", Peter questioned.
"The fact that I can take you three with the little powers I have now.", Angelo stated with a cocky grin.
"I hate to say it, but he's right.", Eric said as he, Nigel, and Peter stood there. "We couldn't take him on his worse day."
"Smart thinking.", Angelo said. "Now listen up boys! Cause when we're done talking, you'll see things in a whole new light!"
Meanwhile inside the cave, at Shell Beach, Cassidy, Halinor, Yan Lin, and Kadma had just teletransported with Irma, Taranee, Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Elyon in tow.
"And now that we're alone, we can talk.", Halinor said.
"Talk?", Irma questioned. "You brought us here to talk?"
"Yes, Irma. Talk.", Cassidy said. "It's something that people do to communitcate."
"Well, we've got nothing to say to...", Irma began to say before Cornelia stepped forward.
"What do you want to talk about?", Cornelia asked.
"Are you nuts?", Irma questioned.
"Are you?", Cornelia questioned looking at Irma. "They brought us here for a reason!"
"And what reason is that?", Irma questioned.
"Because they had this planned.", Taranee said. "Even if we do have Elyon here, they still have the advantage."
"They can contact the other Dark Guardians to get here before we can contact Will to get here.", Cornelia said. "So, of you don't mind, Irma, I'd like to avoid a fight we might not win."
"Cornelia's right, Irma.", Hay Lin said. "We have to be smart about this."
"Well excuse me for not backing down.", Irma said as she turned away with a huff.
"As Cornelia said earlier.", Elyon said standing beside her best friend Cornelia. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Well, it seems that four of you have some sense.", Kadma said with a smirk as she looked at Irma who was fuming but stayed where she was standing.
She may not admit it, but Cornelia was right. It would be best to avoid a fight they might not win.
"Now listen up, kiddies!", Yan Lin said. "You may start thinking about things a bit differently after this."
As that was going on, Joe had just teletransported to Heatherfield Forest with Matt and Caleb in tow. Once he let them go, Matt transformed into his Regent form and took to the sky as Caleb ran at Joe ready to fight.
"Oh please!", Joe said as he grew fifteen feet tall and grabbed Matt and slammed him to the ground and held him there as he also grabbed Caleb and held him at bay.
"I didn't bring you two here to fight!", Joe said. "I just want to talk!"
Caleb and Matt stopped struggling and looked at Joe as he let them go and shrunk back down to his normal. Caleb looked at Joe and saw that he was telling the truth.
"Change back, Matt.", Caleb said to his friend.
"What?", Matt questioned. "You actually believe him?"
"Yes.", Caleb said. "If he wanted to, he could of fought us a while ago."
"I guess you're right.", Matt said as he changed back to normal.
"So, what do you want to talk about?", Caleb asked Joe.
"You won't like what I have to say.", Joe said. "But, it'll be for the better."
And finally, Nerissa had teletransported to the other side of Heatherfield Forest with Will in tow.
"Why did you bring me here?", Will questioned as she had electricity flowing around her.
"No reason.", Nerissa said as she sat on a tree stump. "I just wanted to talk to the one who replaced me."
"Replaced you?", Will questioned before she remembered that Nerissa had a major case of amnesia.
'That's right!', Will thought to herself. 'Her memories were wiped back to when she was sixteen! I better not tell her anything unless I want the old Nerissa to come out.'
"Yes. Replaced me.", Nerissa said. "I'm here to tell you that you and your friends may have a few problems after this."
"What are you talking about?", Will asked not liking what she was hearing.
"Simply put, your fellow Guardians and allies might not like the way you're running things from now on.", Nerissa said with a smirk suprising Will, who had a look of worry on her face.
A/N: Well, it looks like the Dark Guardians have not only seperated our heroes, but are setting a plan in motion! Will it work, and break the bond everyone has? Looks like you'll have to read on and find out!
Please review.
