W.I.T.C.H

Chapter 17

Short Fuse

Meridian

"ENOUGH!"

Caleb and Balken stopped their battle as Elyon's voice rang through the sky. They looked up to see the Guardians flying towards them. Balsilide's military leader, Wilder, as well as Elyon were with them, supported by a flying stone platform created by Cornelia.

"Balken! What are you doing?" Wilder said as the group touched down.

"What do you mean?" Balken said.

"The Meridianites are our allies." Wilder said, fearlessly striding up to the big warrior, "Why are you attacking them? Why did you provoke them into a meaningless fight?"

"We are determining Vathek's fate like the warriors we are." Balken replied. "As we were taught."

"You were never taught to create an interplanetary incident!" Wilder shouted back. "You are acting like a fool, Balken!"

Caleb smiled as his Balsilidian rival was chewed out. His smile quickly faded when he saw Elyon looking his way.

"And you, Caleb!" Elyon said. "What were you thinking? Balken issues a challenge and you just go along with it? Of all the stupid, immature things…"

"Well," Will whispered as Elyon continued to berate Caleb, "remind me not to make Elyon mad."

"That's just great." Cornelia said, crossing her arms, "My best friend is going to kill my boyfriend. That's just what I need."

"We had to defend Vathek." Caleb said. "We had to protect him."

"So you take him into battle against the people who are trying to kill him?" Elyon yelled. "Are you insane? I don't even…"

Elyon took a deep breathed, calmed her self, and faced Wilder.

"I apologize for any damage Meridian has caused today, and hope we can make up for it in the future." She said.

"Apology accepted, but unnecessary." Wilder replied. "This is Balsilide's fault if anyone's. Rest assured that the appropriate punishment will be given to those responsible for this fight."

"Oh, you can count on it." Elyon said, glaring at Caleb.

Caleb was about to attempt to defend himself when he noticed something.

"Wait a second, the Guardians are here?" He said. "Then that means our plan worked!"

Elyon gave Caleb a looked that would have melted steel. Cornelia just sighed. Caleb quickly realized what he had done.

"Oops. Uh, I mean, what plan? We didn't have any plan."

"Well, you're having quite the day, aren't you Caleb?" Elyon said. "First you pick a schoolyard fight, now you go and tell Balsilide…"

"Nothing we didn't already know." Wilder said. "We are not ignorant of the relationship between the Guardians and Meridian. When we found it was the Guardians who had proved Vathek's innocence, there was no doubt of who sent them."

"Wait, Vathek's innocent? But…" Balken said, shocked.

"Silence!" Wilder said. "Vathek is innocent. A mercenary named Jovi was responsible for the murder. He has confessed."

Wilder sighed.

"And for now, that's all that matters." Wilder continued reluctantly. "Which means that for now, I thank the Guardians for their service. For now."

"Um, you're welcome." Will said, both relieved at Wilder's gratitude, and terrified of her.

"Now," Wilder said, turning back to Balken, "gather your team and prepare to head back to Balsilide. And hurry up. We have much to discuss."

Balken mumbled a 'yes ma'am', and then went off in search of his team.

"Caleb," Elyon began

"I'm going, I'm going." Caleb said, hurrying off to gather up his team.

Elyon took a deep breath and turned to the Guardians.

"Good job, girls." She said. "And thanks. I owe you."

"We'll just put it on your tab." Irma said.

"Don't worry about it." Cornelia said, elbowing Irma. "Just do me a favor, Elyon. Go easy on Caleb. He's the only boyfriend I've got."

"This week." Elyon replied with a smile. "And no guarantees."

They said goodbye, Will opened a fold, and the Guardians headed back to Earth.

Heatherfield

Ten minutes after the girls had arrived back on Earth, Hay Lin found herself in the biggest clothing store in the city, following Irma from rack to rack. It was nearly 9:00, but Irma had found one store that was still open.

"Irma, what am I doing here?" Hay Lin said. "I want to sleep."

"You're helping me pick out new clothes." Irma said. "I would have gone earlier, but someone big and blue had to get framed for murder and mess up my plans."

"And what exactly is stopping me from turning invisible and walking home?" Hay Lin said.

"Remember that time you forgot your calculator for your math test, and I let you borrow mine?" Irma said.

"Yeah." Hay Lin said.

"Well, this is you paying me back." Irma said.

"What?" Hay Lin shouted, causing a few customers to glance her direction, "That was five years ago!"

"A favor's a favor."

"I was ten!"

"Nevertheless." Irma said. "You still owed me."

"Fine. Just one more question." Hay Lin said, holding up Irma's latest choice. "Why are we looking for suits?"

"Because," Irma said, snatching back the outfit. "I need a job. And to get a job I need to look professional."

Hay Lin stared at her friend.

"Just so you know, this favor is worth, like, fifteen calculators. Now you owe me."

"Duly noted." Irma said, taking her picks into the changing room. "Now sit there and tell me I look good."

Hay Lin laughed.

"O.K., now it's twenty calculators."

"Quiet you." Irma said from beyond the wall.

After a few minutes, Irma reemerged in her first outfit.

"Well?"

Hay Lin said nothing.

"Well?"

"Hold on, I'm trying not to laugh." Hay Lin said.

Irma rolled her eyes and went back into the changing room.

"You think you're so special just 'cause your grandma gets to be Oracle." She said.

"Don't bet on it." Hay Lin said. "She's got some pretty stiff competition."

"You mean what's-his-name? Embargo, or Embryo, or whatever. He's a pushover." Irma said, stepping out of the change room. "What do you think? Business casual?"

"More like business ridiculous." Hay Lin said. "And his name's Endarno. You should take him more seriously. Grandma says he's the smartest person in Kandrakar. Not to mention he scares me."

"Aw, come on, it's Kandrakar." Irma said. "The only scary person they've got is that weird cat lady that protects the aurameres. Luka, or Lisa. How about this one?"

"Too blue. And it's Luba." Hay Lin said. "You mark my words, we haven't seen the last of Endarno."

"Whatever." Irma said. "I know what I have seen the last of today though. Myself in the mirror. Besides, the store closes in 5 minutes. I'm getting this one and going. You've got money, right?"

Hay Lin stared at Irma.

"Kidding, kidding." Irma said.

"Good."

"Mostly."

"Irma…"

Will's House

Will very quietly opened the door. She then very quietly crept through the house, very quietly got a glass of water, and very quietly began walking to her room. He plan was to sneak past her mother, and go to bed without having to explain where she had gone.

"Hello Will."

Will froze at the sound of her mom's voice. Susan Vandom was sitting in the dining room, arms crossed. In front of her were two empty plates, and one that still contained a complete, if not cold, dinner.

"Well, so much for that plan." Will mumbled to herself.

"Will, where were you?" Susan asked.

"Um, I had to do something, um, really important. You know, fate of the world stuff." Will said, hiding the truth behind a joke.

Will told herself that she wasn't lying. She told herself that it was fate of the world stuff, just not this world. Her conscience wasn't buying her own story, and based on the look on her Susan's face, neither was her mom.

"Didn't you have a nice evening with Dean?" Will added quickly.

"I did." Susan said, looking at the two empty plates. "But that's not the point. I wanted to have a nice evening with you, my daughter."

"Trust me, I wanted that too." Will said.

"Then why didn't it happen?" Susan said. "Why did you leave?"

Will felt her stomach clench.

"I, I can't." she stammered. "I wish I could but I can't. You just have to trust that, that I know what I'm doing."

Susan looked at her daughter. Will couldn't bear to look her mother in the eye, and studied the floor instead. Mother and daughter stayed like that for what seemed to Will like hours.

"You know what would have been a really nice birthday present?" Susan said finally. "My daughter back."

Susan stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Will standing alone in the dark. Will slowly headed to her room. She crawled into bed, pulled the covers up and turned her radio on, hoping for her favorite song. She stayed like this for minutes, slowly allowing sleep to take her away.

She tried to turn her mind off completely. She didn't want to think about the stress, the hassle or the sacrifices of the day. Safe within her room, she could pretend she was a normal girl with normal problems.

Her illusion was shattered by a blinding light overhead. When her eyes had adjusted to the glare, she was able to make out the source of the light as a giant, floating head, a head that she quickly recognized.

"Minnio." She said, lying back down. "What do you want?"

"Excuse me?" Minnio said. "That is no way to greet a messenger of Kandrakar!"

Will sat up.

"You pop into my room, at this time of night, probably about to force me to do something I don't want to do, and you're giving me an etiquette lesson?" She snapped.

Minnio looked shocked for a moment.

"Minnio is sorry, Will." Minnio said. "If there was any way Minnio could have done this without inconveniencing Will, Minnio would have."

Will was taken aback. There was genuine shame in Minnio's voice, as well as compassion. He had never shown the Guardians any respect before, and yet he was now truly concerned that he had bothered Will.

"Minnio also regrets what he must say next." Minnio continued. "The Guardians must report to Kandrakar immediately."

Will sighed and flopped back into her bed.

"Of course we must." She said. "What else is new?"

"Minnio is sorry,"

"So you've said."

Will sat up again.

"Can you at least tell me why Kandrakar needs us this time?"

"Of course." Minnio said. "A new Oracle has been chosen and the Guardians presence is required."

With that, Minnio's head disappeared from Will's room as quickly as it came, leaving Will with only the knowledge that she wouldn't be getting any sleep any time soon.