Chapter Ten
Close to an hour after they had entered the ice cream parlor, Susan looked over at her daughter and let out a deep sigh. "I told you that it wasn't a good idea too order another parfait, Will." said Susan. "But you chose not to listen to me, and now look what happened." Will only groaned, causing Susan to sigh once again. She then asked in a sympathetic voice. "Do you want to return home?"
Will looked over at her mother, and managed to ask. "Did you have any other places, planed for us to go to, mom?"
"I thought about a walk through the park." said Susan. "But if you are not up to it, we can do that another time."
"A walk does sound like a good idea." said Will. "And who knows, it might help settle my stomach." Susan asked her if she was sure? Will nodded and told her that she was. "I will admit Mom, that I am enjoying this time together." Susan smiled at this and told Will that she did as well.
Susan then got to her feet, and turning back to her daughter she held out her hand to help her up. Will took her mother's hand, and was gently pulled up onto her feet. Once Will was on her feet, Susan placed her arm across Will's shoulders. The of them together then headed towards the shop's door so they could leave, both hoping that nothing ever split them apart.
-
As Will and Susan were on their way to the park, at the school the bell had just rung ending the first class. As Taranee was putting her things away, she didn't notice as Misao made her way towards her. As she reached Taranee's desk, Misao asked Taranee about how she had hurt her ankle.
Taranee looking up at Misao, told her about how Uriah had crashed into her and the others. "I took the worst of him running into us, and tried to stop myself from falling by pivoting on my ankle. Next thing I knew, I felt something pop and fell to the ground." As she finished speaking, Taranee noticed a deep look of worry appear upon Misao's face. "Mrs. Mikachi, this isn't going to interfere with me coming to school. So you don't have to worry about me falling behind."
The look of worry upon Misao's face did lesson a bit, but Taranee noticed that it was still there, as Misao told her not to push herself to hard. As Misao then turned away from her, and headed back towards the front of the class, Taranee noticed Hay Lin entering the room. She let out a deep sigh, as her friend made her way towards her. Once Hay Lin had reached her, Taranee said. "Hay Lin, while I do appreciate your help, isn't your next class at the other end of the school?"
Hay Lin told her that it was. Taranee mentally sighed at this. "Couldn't Irma have come and helped me? After all, we have the same class now."
Hay Lin told Taranee, that Irma wasn't in history when she arrived, after helping her. "Do you think she and Cornelia are still looking for Uriah?" asked Hay Lin as Taranee picked up her crutches, then got to her feet.
As Hay Lin knelt down and picked up Taranee's backpack, Taranee said that she didn't know. "Think I should try contacting them?"
"That may not be a good idea, Taranee." said Hay Lin. Taranee gave her friend a confused look, and asked her why. Hay Lin sighed, and looked around to be sure no one was close to them. "Will no longer has the Heart of Kandrakar, so using our powers without it might not be a very good idea."
"What do you mean, Will doesn't have the heart?" asked Taranee raising her voice slightly "When and how did that happen?"
Hay Lin told her that it had happened last night, after their battle with Shagon. "And speaking of Shagon, Taranee, their is something that you need to know about him."
Taranee asked her what it was, but before Hay Lin could say anything, Misao had called out to them. "You are going to be late, girls, if you don't hurry!" As Hay Lin sighed at the interruption, Taranee placed her crutches up under her arms, then started to make her way towards the door with Hay Lin.
Arriving out in the hallway a few minutes later just as the late bell rung, the two girls simply ignored it and made their way slowly towards Taranee's next class. As they walked Taranee asked Hay Lin what she needed to say, involving Shagon. Hay Lin told her, that Shagon had mentioned Matt's name as he was taunting Will. "Shagon, asked Will to show him the reason, for why Matt called her a hot-head."
Taranee thought about that for a few minutes, then told Hay Lin that Matt had called Will a hot-head, when he had asked her about why Will hadn't been in class. "Jason overheard us, and made his way up to us. He then told Matt what had happened between him and Will, and on how Will getting suspended was his fault."
"Could Will be right, and Shagon really is Jason?" asked Hay Lin as they reached the gym and made their way inside. Taranee said that she didn't know, but it did seem that way.
A short time later, Taranee made her way out into the gym for class, while Hay Lin after receiving a note from Miss Matthews, headed back out of the gym and to her own class.
-
Unaware of the problems her friends were discussing, Will was currently enjoying herself as she and her mother walked along on of the several trails that ran through Heatherfield Park. As they arrived at a small lake, Will ran off towards it leaving her mother behind unaware of the thoughts currently running through Susan's head. 'Do I really want to ruin her happy mood, and have Will talk about her nightmare?'
Susan was snapped out of those thoughts, when a yell came from Will followed by a low splash. Quickly looking towards her daughter, Susan found Will down on the ground for only a moment, before she got back to her feet. "Will, are you alright?"
Will turned back to face her mother. "I'm okay mom. The ground was damp, and I slipped." Seeing that her daughters shoes were wet, as well as the lower half of her pants legs, Susan let out a sigh and told her daughter to be more careful. "I'll Be careful, Mom."
As Will turned back towards the lake, Susan let out another sigh and decided that Will needed to talk about her nightmare. After making her way over to her daughters side, Susan asked Will if they could talk? Will looked over at her mother, and asked her what she wanted to talk about? "I think we need to discuss the nightmare you had."
The happy look upon Will's face quickly vanished, and she looked back out over the lake. She then told her mother, that there wasn't anything to talk about. "It was just a stupid nightmare, Mom."
"That may be true, Will." said Susan. "But you haven't had a nightmare since..." Susan trailed off, since she didn't want to say when the last time Will had had nightmares, was.
Will knew what her mother was referring too, but couldn't bring herself to say. With a sigh, she said. "While you are correct Mom, that I haven't had a nightmare since that incident, you are also correct when you said that I have been really stressed this week. But truthfully, with everything that has happened, can you really expect for something not to happen?"
Susan nodded her head at Will's words. "You're right Will, you have been under a lot of stress this week, and most of it is my doing." Will started to say that it wasn't her fault, but Susan stopped her. "You don't need to deny it, Will, for it is the truth. I have been putting so much pressure on you to improve, that I didn't realize what it was doing to you. In a way your nightmare, was a wake-up call for me."Will gave her a confused look, and asked her how so. Susan took a deep breath, then turned so she was facing Will. "Will, I have come to realize that I am pushing you to hard, to be the person that I had been taught to be."
"Mom, don't blame yourself." said Will interrupting her mother. "I will be the first to admit, that I'm not perfect."
Susan interrupted her daughter, by saying that she was wrong. "Will, you are perfect, but it is in your own special way. Therefore I have decided that I am no longer going to push you to be like me. You deserve to be your own person, and not someone that I am trying to turn you into."
Will her guilt building, interrupted her Mother once again. "Mom, please stop. I don't deserve to hear this, since I... I broke my promise to you, and left the house yesterday!"
-(1)
As she was sitting on the sidelines watching her fellow classmates play a game of basketball, a very sudden feeling of dread fell over Taranee. One of her friends was in some kind of danger, but she wasn't able to determine which one. She was about to activate her powers and find out, but before she did so she remember what Hay Lin had said, about Will no longer having the Heart of Kandrakar, and that using their powers might prove dangerous. 'Dangerous or not, I need to find out what is going on.'
Taking a deep breath, Taranee closed her eyes and focused upon her friends, as she activated her powers. Taranee had just felt a feeling of deep alarm come from Hay Lin, when a sudden and terrible pain ran through her head and she screamed.
Miss Mathews who was on the side lines watching the other girls play, heard Taranee's scream and turning towards the young girl, found her down on her back holding her head as she continued to scream. Quickly rushing to the young girls side, Miss Mathews got down on her knees a short time later. "Miss Cook, what's wrong?" Taranee continued to scream, and hold her head. The other girls having heard Taranee's screams, stopped what they were doing and looked over towards Taranee and Miss Matthews in sudden alarm. Miss Matthews tried once again to get Taranee's attention, but didn't seem to be having any luck. Looking back over her shoulder at the other girls, she shouted. "Someone go get the nurse!" Three of the girls quickly ran off towards the gym doors, and upon reaching them quickly ran out of the gym.
-(2)
Once out in the hallway, the three girls quickly took off towards the school nurses office. As they reached it a short time later, they ran into Hay Lin who was heading towards the gym. Coming to a sudden stop, the girls started to tell her what had happened, but Hay Lin ran straight past them, followed by a gust of wind that knocked the three girls off of their feet.
Unaware of what she had done, and reaching the gym Hay Lin ran inside and shouted Taranee's name. Seeing Taranee down on the floor with Miss Matthews kneeling next to her, Hay Lin was quickly across the room and at her friends side. Seeing Taranee lying there like she was asleep, Hay Lin turned to Miss Matthews, and asked her what had happened.
"I don't know, Miss Lin." said Miss Matthews. "Miss Cook was sitting here quietly, then all a sudden she started screaming while holding the side of her head. She passed out a few moments ago."
Hearing the gym doors open behind them, and expecting it to be the school nurse, Miss Matthews got to her feet and turned to face the nurse, so she could tell her what had happened. However, the person making their way across the room wasn't the school nurse. It was Misao.
Making her way up to stand before Miss Matthews, Misa said in a tone that clearly said not to argue. "I need all of you to clear the room, now!" Miss Matthews started to protest, but Misao sent her another glare. "I am not going to say it again!"
Clearly getting the hidden threat, Miss Matthews nodded. "You heard her girls. Everyone clear the room, and get changed for your next class." She then turned to Hay Lin, and started to speak to her. Misao however, told her that Hay Lin could stay. Shacking her head at the woman before her, Miss Matthews thought better about the saying what she wanted to say, and took off after the rest of her class. As the dressing room door closed behind the last of the students, Misao quickly made her way over to Taranee and Hay Lin.
As Misao knelt down next to them, Hay Lin asked her why she had cleared the room. "Best to not have a lot of people here, to ask questions concerning things they don't need to know about." said Misao. As Hay Lin gave her teacher a confused look, Misao reached up her hand and took a hold of a thin rope that was hanging around her neck.
As Misao lifted the rope up over her head, a purple colored gem was raised up out from under her shirt. Hay Lin seeing the gem, shouted. "That's the Heart of Kandrakar!" Misao told Hay Lin not to be so loud, then leaned towards Taranee. In a much lower voice, Hay Lin asked. "Why do you have the heart, Mrs. Mikachi?"
Misao simply told her that it was a very long story, and that now was not the time for it. As Hay Lin nodded, Misao reaching out her arm let the gem touch Taranee on the forehead. She then said something that Hay Lin wasn't able to hear.
A few moments later Taranee groaned, and opened her eyes. "Taranee!" shouted Hay Lin as Misao pulled the heart away from Taranee.
"What happened?" asked Taranee.
"You were foolish and tried to use your powers." said Misao in a very stern voice. This caused Taranee to look over towards her teacher. Misao however stopped the questions she knew was coming, by holding up her hand. "You are out of danger right now Miss Cook, but there is another much more important problem taking place." Misao then turned to Hay Lin. "Miss Lin, I need you to find Miss Lair and Miss Hale as quickly as possible."
"What is happening, Mrs. Mikachi?" asked Hay Lin. Misao simply told her that Will was in danger, and that they needed to get to her as soon as possible. Seeing the deep look of worry in her teachers eyes, Hay Lin nodded and quickly got to her feet. She then ran off towards the gym doors, so she could do as Misao asked.
Taranee meanwhile, asked. "What is wrong with Will, Mrs. Mikachi?"
"I am sure you felt it, Miss Cook." said Misao. "That very deep feeling of dread, that something had happened to one of your friends."
"How do you know that?" asked Taranee.
"I don't know the specifics on what has happened, Miss Cook, but I know that Miss Vandom is very upset about something that has happened to her. And unless someone is there to help her, she is very susceptible to accept the help of another."
Taranee's eyes widened at what Misao had said. "Will, would never do that!" shouted Taranee.
Misao sadly sighed. "Miss Cook, if a person is put under enough emotional distress, and then given the right reasons, you would be surprised on what a person would or would not do. Miss Vandom is no exception to this."
At the sound of the doors opening behind her, Misao quickly hid the Heart of Kandrakar in her hand. She then stood up, and turned to face the one of had entered the room. But it was only Hay Lin. "I'm sorry Mrs. Mikachi, but Irma and Cornelia wasn't in their classes."
At Hay Lin's words, Misao swore under her breath. "Then we have no choice. You and I will have to go help, Miss Vandom."
"Where do we need to go?" asked Hay Lin as Misao held out her hand. Misao letting the Heart of Kandrakar dangle from her hand, suddenly slashed it downward in a diagonal motion creating what looked like a torn portal.
"Step inside, Miss Lin." said Misao. As Hay Lin made her way over to the tear, Taranee called out for them to wait, and started to sit up. "I am sorry Miss Cook, but you are not coming with us." Taranee started to protest, but before she could do so Misao had grabbed Hay Lin by the arm, and pulled her into the portal. Just as the portal closed behind them, the gym doors opened again and the school nurse made her way into the room.
-(3)
A few minutes after being dragged into the portal by Misao, Hay Lin looked around and found herself in some part of Heatherfield Park. She started to ask why they was there, but Misao was already hurrying off down the nearby trail. "No time to explain, Miss Lin!" Misao called back as she disappeared around a corner.
As Misao and Hay Lin made their way along in search of Will, Will was currently still at the small lake down on her knees crying her eyes out. Reason for this, was due to what had happened after she had told her mother about breaking her promise to her, and leaving the house.
Flashback
Susan just stood there for several minutes, after Will had told her that she had broken her promise and left the house the day before. Will knowing that her mother was really angry with her, said. "Mom I am really sorry." It happened in a instance, Susan slapped her daughter.
As Will fell to the ground in total surprise that her mother had slapped her, Susan shouted. "I gave up my job for you Will! And all you can say is sorry?" With her eyes filled with tears, Will looked up at her mother and managed to ask, if she could explain why she left. Susan laughed at her. "And what makes you think I care to hear what you have to say, after everything else you have told me is nothing but a lie." With this, Susan turned away from her daughter and started to walk off.
Will getting shakedly to her feet rushed after her. Hearing her daughters approaching footsteps, Susan quickly stopped, timed Will's footsteps, and just as Will reached her, she whirled around and once again slapped her daughter. "I never want to see you again, Will! " shouted Susan "As of right now, you are no longer my daughter!" Susan then turned away and walked off, leaving Will heavily sobbing down on the ground.
End Flashback
After spending an unknown amount of time crying, Will sadly got to her feet, and made her way back over to the edge of the lake. Once there she sank to her knees, and looked down at her reflection on top of the water. Seeing the bruise that was coloring her left check, she began to cry a new. 'Why did you hit me, Mom? I know I did wrong by breaking my promise, but I didn't deserve this.'
Hearing the sound of footsteps behind her, Will hoping that her mother had came back for her got to her feet, and turned around. She let out a gasp, and stepped back into the water when she saw who the person was. "Hello Will."
"Nerissa?" spat Will. "I am never going to give you the Heart of Kandrakar, so why don't you leave me alone?!"
"You may find this hard to believe young Will, but I am not here for the heart right now." said Nerissa having not moved at all, since Will had first seen her. "I am here for you and you alone, my dear."
"You really think I am going to believe that?" asked Will.
"I am really here to help you Will." said Nerissa. "But I can see that a show of trust is needed." Nerissa then did the unexpected. She tossed the staff she was holding down at Will's feet. "There now, I am unarmed. Will you now listen to me and allow me to help you, Will?"
Still a bit weary of a trap, Will watched Nerissa closely as she walked closer to Nerissa's staff. Once she had reached it, she knelt down and wrapping her hand around the staff, picked it up. Standing up straight, Will looked back over at Nerissa, and found her still in the same spot she had been in. "I guess since I now have this, I can at least listen to you." said Will.
-(4)
"Now then young Will." said Nerissa holding out her hand. "I promise to take away all of your pain, but only if you take my hand."
Will hesitated for several minutes, before her mind flashed back to the last words her mother had said to her. ("As of right now, you are no longer my daughter!") Focusing upon Nerissa's offered hand, Will slowly began to make her way towards the older woman. A few moments later, Will stood in front of Nerissa. She then reached out her hand, towards Nerissa. "Please help me to forge..." started Will only to stop as someone shouted her name.
"Will!"
Looking towards the person who had shouted her name, Will found Hay Lin rushing towards her. "Hay Lin?" Will started to ask her why she was there, but before she could do so, Hay Lin having reached her friend quickly embraced her. Hearing a the sound of approaching footsteps, Will looked over Hay Lin's shoulder, and her face became one of confusion as she saw Misao making her way towards them.
Will wasn't the only one, who had been drawn to the sound of the approaching footsteps. Nerissa had turned to look as well. However, instead of the look of confusion Will had on her face, Nerissa had one of surprise mixed with shock. Reason for this, was she was seeing her younger self making her way towards them.
As Misao reached them, Hay Lin released Will then started to lead her away, since she knew Misao had the Heart of Kandrakar. However, she didn't get very far, before she heard Misao say. "Hello Mother!"
End of Chapter Ten
Bold Numbers:
1. This one has to do with what happened to Taranee. Basically what happened, is that since Will no longer has the Heart of Kandrakar, the girls powers are dwindling. When Taranee tried to use her powers to find out what was wrong with one of her friends, she pretty much suffered a backlash from using her powers, and it overwhelmed her. (Or that is the best that I can come up with, for this number.)
2. While this number was explained at the end of the chapter, a lot of it will be explained in a later chapter.
3. I know Susan would never do this, and the real reason for this will be explained next chapter.
4. First off, this number is more a skip marker. I was unable to think of a conversation between Will and Nerissa, so I skipped it. The rest of this number goes along with number two, and will be explained in a following chapter.