Chapter Six

Some hours later, the four girls made their way out of the school. Soon as they arrived outside, three of them looked around for a sign of Will. Not seeing her, Cornelia commented. "Looks like you was able to fix your mistake after all, Taranee. I don't see Will anywhere."

Taranee sighed. "I would like to take credit for Will not being here, but I never got in touch with her."

Cornelia then asked. "Do you think something happened to her?"

Irma was the one to answer. "Will is probably back at home." The others looked at her, and asked how she knew that. "All I know is that she ran into Calab. Calab showed up here, and told me that Will had acted very weird before saying she was going to be in trouble if her mom found out she wasn't home. Will then ran off. I am only assuming this, but I guess she went back home."

"That does take care of that problem." said Cornelia. "But sooner or later Will is going to have to leave her house., since I doubt Nerissa will sit idly by."

"We can only deal with that if and when it happens." said Irma. As the girls reached the gate of the school, they started to separate. Irma then told them, that she had told Calab to meet them at the Silver Dragon, and that they would explain what happened with Will.

"I don't know if I should." said Taranee. "Mrs. Mikachi gave us six pages of math homework. I also have homework for history, science, and a stupid essay for English." Once she was finished, she groaned and added. "It is going to take me all night."

"I have the same assignments, Taranee." said Irma. "And not all of them are due tomorrow."

"I know." said Taranee. "But I don't like having homework to worry about later. I try to do it all, the day I get it."

"You are way to serious about school and your grades, Taranee." said Cornelia. "You need to be more like Will."

"You mean suspended and grounded?" asked Taranee. "No thanks. I would never catch up."

"That's not exactly what I meant." said Cornelia. "I was meaning that you need to be more carefree, and not worry about school so much."

Taranee seemed to think about this. However before she could voice her thoughts concerning it, someone or something hit the girls from behind. Taranee being most effected by the blow, pivoted to try and keep from falling. However, she felt something pop in her ankle, and fell to the ground in pain when he leg couldn't support her. Before she could cry out though, the other girls had ran off after the one who ran into them, with Irma shouting. "Get back here, Uriah!"

Taranee tried to get to her feet to follow, but when she put weight on her ankle, she cried out in pain and had to sit back down. As she reached out her hand to check her ankle, a male voice asked. "Are you alright, Taranee?"

Looking up, Taranee found one of Uriah's goons standing in front of her. "Not like you would care." she said irritably. It was here that the other girls returned, looking for her.

Seeing Taranee down on the ground the girls quickly rushed to her side, with Irma and Hay Lin kneeling down beside her, while Cornelia stood in between Taranee and the boy. "What did you do to her?!" shouted Cornelia.

"I didn't do anything." said the boy. "I saw her down on the ground, and asked if she was alright." Cornelia gave him a glare that clearly said she didn't believe him. The boy sighed. "I take it you don't believe me."

"What gave you that idea?" asked Cornelia sarcastically. "Considering it was your supposed leader that apparently knocked Taranee down, why should we believe you?"

It was here that Irma and Hay Lin, helped Taranee to stand. Cornelia looking back over her shoulder, asked Taranee if she was alright. Taranee currently standing on one foot, asked Irma and Hay Lin to step away for a moment. Doing as Taranee asked, Irma and Hay Lin let her go, and stepped back a couple of steps. Taking a deep breath, Taranee placed her other leg down on the ground, then put her weight on it. Soon as she did so, pain once again shoot through her ankle, which caused her to cry out in pain. Irma and Hay Lin were quickly back at her side, supporting her.

"Looks like we need to help Taranee home." said Irma. Taranee however, told them that she was fine. "You're not fine. Not stop being stubborn and let us help you."

Taranee sighed at this, but gave in. "Alright. But we still need to meet with Calab, so I will go with you to the Silver Dragon. I can then call my parents to come pick me up." The others started to protest, but Taranee was firm in her decision.

With Irma and Hay Lin supporting Taranee, they headed off towards the Silver Dragon. Cornelia gave the boy a warning, before turning away in a huff. She then took off after the others, pausing for only a moment to pick up Taranee's backpack.
-

A short time later, the girls were all sitting around the basement of The Silver Dragon, with Yan Lin checking over Taranee's ankle. Taranee tried to tell the older woman that she was fine, but Yan Lin ignored her. A few minutes later, Yan Lin got to her feet with a sigh. "Is Taranee okay, Grandma?" asked Hay Lin coming over to sit next to her friend.

"As I am sure you can now tell Taranee, your ankle is very swollen and painful." said Yan Lin. "While I can't find anything broken, it is possible that you need to go see a doctor. Which you probably should have already done." Taranee looked down at her lap, and apologized. "I know the fall wasn't your fault, Taranee. However, I took you to be smarter then this." She sighed again and asked. "Does your parents know you here?"

Taranee shook her head no. "I was going to call them after our meeting with Calab, concerning what had happened with Will." It was here that Yan Lin noticed Will's absence, and asked what had happened.

Since it was Irma who had told Calab to meet them, the other girls allowed her to tell Calab and Yan Lin what had transpired earlier in the week, concerning Will's suspension from school as well as what Mrs. Vandom had done following Will's suspension.

Once Irma had finished explaining everything, Yan Lin let out another sigh. "This is really bad news. You girls being down two members, and Nerissa continuing to get stronger, I shudder to think what would happen if she were to find out about this."

"How are we down two members, Grandma?" asked Hay Lin. "For even if she is grounded, I don't think Will would sit by if we needed her."

"That is true, Hay Lin." said Yan Lin. "But what about Taranee? If what I fear is true, she may be unable to help you girls for some time." This caused Hay Lin to look over at Taranee, in concern. Hay Lin then asked, if Taranee was going to die? Yan Lin sighed at the naivety of her grand-daughter. "No Hay Lin, Taranee isn't going to die. But if what I think has happened is true, Taranee is going to be out of action for awhile." She then turned away from the girls, and headed towards the stairs. As she reached them, she turned back to look at Taranee, and told her that she would call her parents and let them know what had happened.

Taranee nodded to her, and said "Thanks, Mrs. Lin." Mrs Lin nodded, then turned back towards the stairs. As Mrs. Lin made her way upstairs to call Taranee's parents, she heard Irma shout. "This is all Uriah's fault!"
-(1)

A few minutes later, Yan Lin returned and informed Taranee that her mother was on her way to pick her up. Taranee sighed at this bit of news, but didn't say anything about it, outloud. 'This is great. Not only am I hurt, I get to listen to mom fret over me.'

A sudden crashing sound from upstairs, had everyone looking behind Yan Lin. Wondering what the racket was, Yan Lin started to head back upstairs to find out what had happened. Before she could do so however, Blunk tumbled down the stairs and landed on the floor. Everyone except Taranee, quickly got to their feet and rushed to his side. As they reached him, Blunk sat up.

"Blunk, what happened to you?" asked Calab.

"Blunk on way to tell Calab about important rebel meeting, when he get attacked by scary bird man." said Blunk. No one had to ask Blunk, what he meant by a scary bird man. They knew of only one person who fit that description, and that was Shagon. "Girls go teach bird man, lesson, yes?"

When no one said anything or moved for some time, Cornelia broke the silence by asking what they was going to do.

"The only thing we can do." said Irma taking charge. "We can't allow Shagon to roam free, so we go and fight him."

"Without Will and Taranee?" asked Cornelia. "We won't stand a chance."

Taranee got their attention, by saying that she could help. She then tried to get to her feet, but was quickly stopped by Yan Lin. "Taranee you are in no condition to confront, Shagon." Taranee protested, saying that the others needed her.

"Mrs. Lin is right, Taranee." said Irma coming over to her friends side. "You are in no condition to be going anywhere. And we can handle this." With this said, Irma looked over at the other two girls and Calab. "Let's go!"

The others nodded, and headed towards the stairs quickly disappearing up them, with Blunk right behind them. Taranee meanwhile once again tried to get to her feet. But once again, she was stopped by Yan Lin. Almost in tears, Taranee begged, Mrs. Lin to let her go. Yan Lin sadly shook her head. "I am sorry Taranee, but I can not allow you to go in the condition you are in. Shagon could kill you."

"And what about the others, Mrs. Lin? Without Will... Wait, I can contact Will, and tell her what is going on. She can help the others." Before Yan Lin could say anything, Taranee closed her eyes and focused. Lucky for her, Will had woken up sometime ago, and was currently in the kitchen looking for a snack. "Will, can you hear me? The others need your help."

Will answered Taranee, by asking her what was wrong. "Shagon is in the city, and Irma, Cornelia, Hay Lin, and Calab have gone off to deal with him." Will sighed at this. She then asked Taranee why she wasn't with them. "I am not sure what is fully wrong, but I am unable to walk without someone supporting me." After saying this, Taranee told Will what had transpired at school with Uriah crashing into them, and her feeling something pop in her ankle. "Will, you have to help them."

Will sighed again, then asked. "Do you know where they are?" Unfortunately, Blunk hadn't said where he had been attacked at, and he had gone with the others. Taranee told this to Will, and received another sigh from the red head. "Guess I will have to fly around until I find them." She then added. "Don't worry Taranee, I won't let anything happen to them."

Taranee told Will thanks, then cancelled her powers, when she heard her mother call out her name from upstairs. Taranee told Yan Lin, that Will was going to go help the others. Yan Lin nodded to this, then headed towards the stairs so she could retrieve Taranee's mother and show her where her daughter was.
-(2)

After Taranee had ended her connection with her, Will remained where she was for sometime as she mentally cursed her friends stupidity, as well as complaining about them causing her to break the promise she made to her mother. Reason for the last part, was because of what had happened with her last Astral Drop, she wasn't about to chance making another one. With a heavy sigh, she reached down the front of her shirt, and a few moments later held up the Heart of Kandrakar. 'The things I do, for my friends.' "Guardians Unite!"

A short time later, Will now in her guardian form left her house. Once outside, she quickly fly up to a pretty high distance so as to not be seen, then took off in search of the others.

Unaware that Taranee had contacted Will, and that Will was now searching for them, the rest of the guardians along with Calab and Blunk was nearing the edge of the city. Irma realizing this, asked Blunk how much further. Blunk sniffed the air, then replied not much further.

"You all realize that we are leaving the city, don't you?" asked Cornelia as Blunk hurried off. When no one answered her, Cornelia huffed to herself, and took off after the others.

A short distance later, Blunk stopped again. "Scary bird man, attack Blunk right here." Finding themselves in a wide open area, except for a few trees scattered here and there behind them, the girls and Calab saw nothing. Calab then asked Blunk if he was sure this was the right place. "Of course Blunk sure!" Blunk said a bit offended that Calab was doubting him.

"Where is he then?" asked Calab taking a few steps away from the girls and out into the open. Before Blunk could reply to Calab's question, a beam of green energy hit the ground directly in front of Calab.

"I knew you Guardian's would come if I attacked that thief friend of yours." As Blunk shouted that he wasn't a thief but a discount salesman, the girls looked up to find Shagon floating several feet above them. Shagon noticing that two of the guardians was missing, asked where they were.

Irma shouted at him, that they where somewhere where he couldn't get to them. She then shouted at the others to spread out, while shooting a blast of water towards Shagon. Shagon easily dogged the water blast. Irma fired off another blast of water, and this time it was followed by an attack of air from Hay Lin. The two attacks combined, to form a large ice ball. Shagon allowed this attack to him, but easily brushed it off. "Guess what I heard is true after all. Without Will here to hold your hands, you guardians are nothing but weak little girls."

Looking over at Irma, Hay Lin said. "Maybe he's right. Without Will to transform us, what can we do against him?" Irma looked over towards Cornelia, to find her tending to Calab who had been knocked to the ground due to Shagon's first attack.

She then looked back up at Shagon. "You are wrong, Shagon! And I am going to prove it to you!"

Shagon seemed to smile at this. "Then give me your best shot, Water Guardian."

End of Chapter Six

(A/N: Sorry this chapter is shorter then the last one, but I decided to end it there. I will go ahead and tell everyone, that I am terrible at writing any kind of fight scene, so you probably shouldn't expect to much for the coming fight. Also I found out that I had been spelling Conelia's name wrong, I was spelling it Cornilia, when it is spelled Cornelia. I changed to the right spelling in this chapter, and will continue to do so, with following chapters.)

Bold Numbers:

1. Forgot what this number was for. :) Maybe I will remember later, and can make a side note in the next chapter.

2. This one deals with the fight between Shagon and the guardians. Main thing I can say for this, is see the A/N.