Jace threw open the door and let it slam behind him. He ignored Ral and Lilianna and stalked up the stairs.
Lilianna looked at Jace and then at Ral, "Um..."
"I'm going to go find Beautiful," Ral got to his feet.
Lilianna nodded and followed Jace up the stairs.
Ral found her sitting by a creek throwing rocks into large patches of algae, "Beautiful."
"What?" Chandra asked. Her voice was even but emotionless.
Ral's eyes widened, "Well...Jace doesn't seem to be in a good mood."
"I'm not surprised," Chandra shrugged.
"You should probably come home before Elspeth and Gideon get back."
"They still aren't back?"
"They said they were getting dinner," Ral explained.
"Oh," Chandra got to her feet. She followed Ral silently back to the house they were living in.
Lilianna was standing in front of the door with her hands on her hips and a harsh look on her face. The minute Chandra walked in she stalked up to her. "You scared the hell out of him," her tone matched her face.
"Oh really?" Chandra hissed, "I'm sorry I'm human."
"That doesn't give you the right to scare him!"
"Oh so now you're on his side?!" Chandra snarled.
"You know why something like what you did would scare him! You shouldn't have done it!"
"Oh so he told you that did he?" Chandra rolled her eyes, "Good for you."
"He just told me you knew," Lilianna snapped.
"Well I'm sorry but last I checked you didn't give a damn what happened to him!"
"Just because I remained distant doesn't mean I didn't care!" Lilianna hissed. Her eyes narrowed, "You said so yourself. We're essentially siblings and we have to look for out each other."
"I don't see you so keen to defend me or Ral!"
"Don't drag me into this!" Ral's protest was ignored.
"You're always looking out for you and Ral. Someone has to look out for Jace!" Lilianna snarled.
Ral glanced from Chandra to Lilianna and back again. This is getting out of hand. Elspeth and Gidoen aren't here. Oh boy.
"Well sorry but in case you hadn't noticed none of us are very good at controlling our tempers anymore!" Chandra's voice rose to an angered yell.
"You were never good at it to begin with!" Lilianna's voice rose as well.
"Guys," Ral said uncertainly.
"Sorry I'm a stereotypical fire mage, Zombie-lover!"
"We always have to take your anger because you just can't keep it to yourself can you? You're a hypocrite!"
"I'm sorry that you can't handle it and so are you so I don't wanna hear it!"
"GUYS!" Ral rose his voice to be heard over the two of them. Both of them glared at him. He swallowed nervously but his gaze remained steady, "As eldest of us four and because Elspeth and Gideon are gone it's my job to make sure we get along and the house doesn't burn down. How about we all take some time to calm down and return to this when everyone's a little more level headed."
Chandra growled. She turned and stalked out of the house, letting the door slam shut behind her. Lilianna glared after her and darted up the stairs.
Ral took a deep breath and flopped onto the couch, "That was terrifying! I can't believe I actually did that!" He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He noticed Kallist standing in the hallway. Even though he couldn't use mana to read people's emotions he was still very good at sensing how other people felt. He looked startled and impressed. Ral sighed. He got to his feet, "Kallist I need ten dollars."
"Why?"
"Because I need to go get something for Jace. Help him feel better. If Elspeth and Gideon come back will you fill them in?" Ral asked.
Kallist sighed, "Alright." He handed Ral a ten dollar bill and sat on the couch.
Elspeth Gideon and Kaechia walked in. Elspeth's eyes narrowed in concern instantly, "The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife." She looked at Kallist, "What happened?"
"I don't know the exact details," Kallist shrugged. He filled them in on what he knew.
Chandra stalked into the Black Lotus Hotel, "Shadow, I'm sleeping here tonight."
"Why? What's wrong?" Shadow was instantly worried.
"I'll tell you later," Chandra promised. She sighed, "After I get some sleep." She hurried up the stairs into an empty room and flopped onto the bed, "That fell apart extremely fast." Maybe I should've just left him to read that book. But there is something deeper. I know that for certain. I can guess what it is but that could be completely inaccurate. She sighed, "Whatever. I need to sleep." Besides. I still...never mind. I don't need her permission. I'll do it anyway. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Chandra blinked open her eyes to bright sunlight coming in through the window. She yawned and sat up. She got to her feet, dryly realizing that she hadn't bothered to change into any pajamas before falling asleep. She left the room.
"What happened last night?" Shadow asked.
Chandra explained what had happened, "Anyway, I have to talk to Echo."
"Alright," Shadow nodded.
Chandra hurried to Echo's room/laboratory. She knocked on the door.
"Huh?"
I swear she doesn't sleep. "It's Phoenix."
"Alright."
She opened the door and walked into the room. The lights were on and the room was filled with technology with very little room for anything else. "Hey I wanted to talk to you about getting an emblem."
Echo raised an eyebrow, "Of course you do. It would be a relatively simple procedure. It would be placed in your arm and you can only do one. It would extend to cover your entire arm from the shoulder to your fingertips when it was in use and retract again when it wasn't."
"Will that hurt?"
"No," Echo shook her head, "No it won't. You won't be able to feel it."
"Oh," Chandra nodded, "Alright. And I'll be able to manipulate fire in any way I choose?"
"Yes but only manipulate it and only around that one arm. You can't use both arms to manipulate the fire and that arm has to be in contact with the flames."
"Okay."
Echo looked her over, "You still want to do this?"
Chandra nodded, "Yes."
Echo sighed, "Alright. Two days okay? That'll give me the time to get the emblem."
Chandra nodded, "Two days. I'll hold you to that." She wandered into the main hall of the hotel, "Hey Shadow, mind if I wash dishes?"
"You really don't wanna go home do you?"
"Not particularly. Would you after that?"
"No." Shadow shook her head, "You can do dishes then. Just don't break anything."
Chandra smiled, "Of course not."
Lilianna sighed, "Jace's been gone since this morning."
"He's fine," Ral insisted, "He's perfectly able to protect himself and he obviously just wants to be left alone."
"Yeah," Lilianna felt anger boil up inside her again when she thought of Chandra, "She's so...ugh."
"I don't think there's any point in dwelling on the past Princess," Ral said sullenly, "Besides. Beautiful is obviously keeping her distance too."
"I'm glad," Lilianna snapped, "Anyway, I'm hungry. Do you want anything?"
"Not really," Ral shook his head.
She walked out of the room and disappeared down the stairs.
"It's so quiet now," Ral whispered. It's like the only reason none of us get along is because of Beautiful and Cat Ears. It's ghostlike without them. He sighed, "They'll get lonely and come back eventually."
Chandra returned four days later.
"Beautiful!" Ral smiled.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Nothing really. It's been quiet. You and Cat Ears haven't been here since...yeah," Ral shrugged.
Lilianna turned her back on Chandra and started to walk away.
Chandra grabbed her arm and turned her around, "Sorry, Lili. Where's Jace? I wanted to apologize to him too."
Lilianna sighed, "He's in the library last I knew. He might have run off though."
Chandra nodded, "Thanks." She grabbed a box of crackers before heading towards the door. She smirked, "I've got plans so you two better be home when Jace and I come back."
Ral looked at her curiously but before he could ask her anything the door slammed shut as she left.
Chandra darted down an alley and along three rooftops. She dropped down and followed a fence along the creek. She stopped and scaled the fence. She dropped down on the other side, darted out of the alley and across the street.
"Hello," the woman in front of the gate smiled in warm welcome.
"Hey," Chandra smiled. She showed her the ID card, "Is-"
"He's here. He hasn't left in four days but he's here," she nodded.
"Alright. Thanks." Chandra darted through the gate and the school. The students were out for summer now so it was eerily quiet.
"Jace!" Jace looked up at the sound of his name. Standing in the doorway, smirking at him, was Chandra. He rolled his eyes and looked away from her, "I'm busy."
"And you're tired and hungry."
"No I'm not," Jace's stomach contradicted him instantly with a loud growl. He gritted his teeth, "I'll eat later."
"C'mon. I got money yesterday and I want to spend it!" Chandra whined.
"I don't care," Jace muttered, "I don't want to talk to you. Go away."
"You're still pissy huh?" Chandra sighed. "Look, think of this as my apology. I will buy you two things that you want."
"You can't bribe me with-"
"Even with apple pie? Gourmet gooey apple pie?"
Jace's eyes widened and it was a moment before he responded through gritted teeth, "No. Go away."
Chandra burst out laughing, "I'm sorry for scaring you. Friends?"
"No. Go away! You can't bribe me into forgiving you," Jace snapped.
"Alright. Alright. I'm not bribing you anymore. I'm really sorry," Chandra forced her voice to be serious though she was somewhat lying about not bribing him. "I'll try my best not to scare you again alright? I honestly can't make promises because I'm fifteen now. Keeping a lid on my temper is more difficult than it used to be." She rolled her eyes, "Look, I'm sure you get that part. I'm sorry."
"Fine. Apology accepted. Leave me alone," Jace growled.
"I have plans for today and you are not skipping out on them just so you can read."
"I'm looking for the stupid-"
"You're looking for a way around the mana problem which I can tell you about if you come along."
Jace stared at her, "You-"
"More like Echo. I'll tell you more but only if you come along so I can tell Ral and Lili too," Chandra said evenly.
"Just bring them here," Jace snapped.
"They want ice cream and I promised them ice cream when I got back with you," Chandra said, "So they're back at the house."
"Fine," Jace got to his feet and followed her out of the library. He was slightly unsteady on his feet and lightheaded.
"This is what I meant when I said you didn't have the same limits as before," Chandra said. She handed him the box of crackers.
He took the crackers and ate quite a few, "Shut up."
Chandra rolled her eyes, "Alright." She led the way back to the house, "Okay."
"So you actually succeeded," Lilianna gritted her teeth and handed Ral a five dollar bill.
"You made a bet?" Jace asked.
"I didn't think she'd actually be able to convince you to leave the library," Lilianna admitted.
"Anyway, let's go," Chandra pulled Ral and then Lilianna to their feet, "I have something really important to talk to you guys about."
"You promised me apple pie," Jace said.
"You said-"
"You promised," Jace insisted.
Chandra sighed, "Fine. Fine. Anybody else want something?"
"Ice cream!" Ral said instantly.
"I want iced tea," Lilianna said.
Chandra nodded, "So we'll stop by the store on the way." At least Eclipse really did pay me yesterday.