Chapter 13:
It didn't take Will and Irma long to find the downstairs Bathroom seeing as they needed to cover up. Thankfully, the downstairs Bathroom had the towels they needed to cover up. Once they wrapped the towels around themselves, they had to get out the Bathroom seeing as there were some people who needed to use it. And to make matters worse for them, whenever someone came out from using the Bathroom, they snapped a quick picture of the two girls as they were sitting in some chairs with their boyfriends standing next to them.
"Well, this was a fun party.", Irma said sarcastically. "So glad my parents made me come here!"
"Well, Angelo did tell everyone not to go down the slide head first with your arms forward.", Matt said getting a scowl from Irma. "Well he did!"
"He has a point.", Caleb said.
"Who's side are you guys on? And why didn't you guys grab our clothes?", Irma questioned glaring at Matt and Caleb before she saw Angelo walking up to them. "Don't look now, Will, but your best friend is coming."
"What do you want?", Caleb snapped.
"I come baring gifts.", Angelo replied. "And I don't like your attitude, buddy!"
"What could you have that we want?", Irma questioned in a snappy tone.
"How about these?", Angelo questioned holding out Will and Irma's bikinis.
"I'll take that gift, thank you!", Will said as Angelo handed them their swimsuits.
Will and Irma quickly went into the Bathroom and got dressed. A minute later, both girls came out of the Bathroom dressed in their bikinis.
"I hope you two have learned a lesson from this.", Angelo said. "Next time someone gives you a warning, listen to them!"
"Okay. Okay. We get it!", Will said. "No more going down your slide head first with our arms forward. Sheesh!"
"Don't start.", Angelo said to Will. "And if I were you two, I'd be prepared for some teasing."
"Well, DUH!", Irma said as they made their way outside.
"Plus, I think I saw a few people out there with camcorders.", Angelo said surprising both girls.
"And with that, we're on YouTube.", Irma said. "Not the kind of world fame I wanted."
"I told you how to go down the slide, but you didn't listen.", Angelo said.
Will then noticed how Caleb had his fist belled up and gave him a nice nudge letting him know to keep his cool.
"You know, if you'd like, you guys can stay in here.", Angelo offered. "I know I wouldn't want to go out there after what happened."
"Thanks, Angelo.", Will said with a smile that Angelo returned.
"Don't sweat it.", Angelo said. "You all can watch some TV until your parents come pick you up. I'll go get your clothes and bring them in here.", he said before heading outside.
A few minutes later, Taranee along with Hay Lin, Cassidy, and Alchemy came inside and sat in the Living Room with Will, Irma, Caleb, and Matt.
"What are you guys doing here?", Irma questioned as Hay Lin handed her clothes.
"Excuse us, Matt, but can you go join the others at the party?", Cassidy asked the young Regent.
"Ummmmmm... Sure.", Matt said knowing that this was a going to be a talk between Guardians. "Later, Babe.", he said before giving Irma a quick kiss and leaving to hang with the others.
"So what's this about?", Will asked as Taranee handed her clothes.
"First, we came to see if you two were okay.", Taranee said as the two girls got dressed.
"We're okay.", Will said.
"Like you all care.", Caleb said under his breath which got him popped up side the head by Hay Lin who gave him a look telling him to watch his mouth.
Will couldn't help but giggle at seeing that. But she knew that there was more to the girls coming to talk to them.
"I know there's more to this then checking on me and Irma.", Will said. "Why isn't Elyon here with you?"
"We decided that this is a talk between us.", Alchemy said.
"And Cornelia?", Caleb questioned.
"We're here about her.", Cassidy said. "We don't want her to quit being a Guardian."
"Figures.", Irma said.
"But the only way for her to stay is for you three to say so.", Hay Lin said ignoring Irma.
"Well, that's not going to happen.", Caleb said. "She quitting and we're happy about it!"
"You guys know what the Oracle said!", Alchemy replied.
"Hey, she's the one quitting.", Irma said. "Who are we to stop her?"
"There are lives at stake and you three are acting like a bunch of little brats!", Cassidy snapped. "Grow up!"
"Oh yeah? What if the Oracle said that we needed Nerissa's help to fight this new threat, huh?", Will questioned. "What would YOU think about that Cassidy?", she asked thinking she got to Cassidy.
"Do you really want to know?", Cassidy asked. "I'm not going to lie to you, Will. I wouldn't like it. Not one bit."
"Ha! New it!", Irma said with a smirk.
"Cassidy?", Alchemy questioned.
"But!", she said getting everyone's attention. "I'd still work with her if it meant saving even just one life. Cause when I became a Guardian and saw the good I was capable of doing with the other girls, I made a promise to use my powers to doing what was right. Even if I had to work with someone I wasn't to fond of. That's something you three forgot as Guardians!", she said to Will, Irma, and Caleb. "But I hope you remember it soon before it's to late!", she said as she headed back out to the party with the others leaving Will, Irma, and Caleb sitting in the Living Room to think about things.
"I can't believe she tried to pull that trick on us!", Irma said.
"But she's right.", Will said surprising Caleb and Irma. "Lives are at stake and we're acting like this. What kind of Guardian am I?"
"Don't talk like that!", Caleb said as he sat next to Will. "You've done a lot of good things as a Guardian."
"Yeah!", Irma said. "Cornelia is the problem!"
"And because of what we did to her, we may not be able to arrive to a battle on time because of you and me being grounded.", Will said to Irma.
"That's what Astral Drops are for.", Irma replied.
"Irma's right.", Caleb said as he placed a comforting hand on Will's shoulder. "Once she's no longer a Guardian, things will be alright."
"No they won't!", Will said as she got to her feet and began to pace back and forth. "I'm beginning to see what the Oracle meant by all of us needing to work together now. We need Cornelia to stay a Guardian!"
"What?", Irma and Caleb questioned.
"Have you lost it?", Irma questioned. "We finally got her to quit and now you want her stay?"
"No, I haven't lost it.", Will said giving Irma a serious look. "And yes, I want her to stay a Guardian. I know I sound nuts, but it's for the best."
"Yeah you're right.", Irma said. "You sound nuts!", causing Will to let out a tiring sigh. "We tried this when we worked with Phobos, Cedric, and Miranda to stop Nerissa. And look how that almost turned out."
"I know. We almost lost everything. But think about it, guys.", Will said. "If Cornelia quits, then the Oracle will have to go and find a new Earth Guardian along with the new Air and Quintessence Guardians."
"Good!", Caleb said. "At least we know we don't have to worry about us getting betrayed!"
"Wrong!", Will said. "We'll have three new Guardians that need time to train with their powers. And who knows when there will be another attack on Meridian? I may not like having Cornelia as a Guardian, but at least she knows how to use her powers. And that's something we need now. And deep down, you guys know this."
Irma and Caleb didn't say anything for they both knew Will was right. Granted they still wanted to be rid of Cornelia, but with so much at stake, they needed her to stay a Guardian.
"I don't like it, but you're right.", Caleb said. "So for my people, I'll tolerate her for you."
"Thank you.", Will said as they shared a hug before she turned her attention towards Irma. "What about you, Irma?"
"Okay, fine!", Irma said. "But I'll be keeping an eye on her!"
"Same here.", Caleb said. "I still don't trust her. Whatever mind control my mother did to her could relaps at anytime."
"Fair enough.", Will said.
"So when do we give her the good news?", Caleb asked.
"When she goes to Kandrakar to quit.", Will said. "For now, let's just relax."
"Fine by me.", Irma said as she began to do some channel surfing. "But you know something? I say that if the Oracle were to say that we needed Nerissa to help stop this threat, Cassidy would flip out and be against it."
"To bad we'll never know.", Caleb said. "I'd love to see that and let her see how much of a hypocrite she turned out to be."
"Let it go guys.", Will said. "Let's just kick back and chill."
Taking her advice, Caleb and Irma relaxed while watching TV avoiding the people outside at the party. But watching what Will was talking about with Caleb and Irma was the Oracle, Halinor, and Endarno through the Viewing Pool.
"I agree with Caleb and Irma.", Endarno said. "Cassidy may of said what she said, but I believe she would be against working with Nerissa if they had to."
"I don't think so, Endarno.", Halinor said. "She may not like the idea of working with Nerissa, but I believe she would if it was for the greater good."
"You only say that because of your friendship with the girl, Halinor.", Endarno replied. "I say different."
"Then perhaps we should put your theories to the test.", the Oracle said getting their attention. "Tomorrow, we shall see which of you two is right."
"It seems tomorrow is going to be a big day.", Endarno said as he left the room. "A big day indeed."
"He really needs to lighten up.", Halinor said.
"He will come around.", the Oracle said. "I only hope that young Cornelia will change her mind after Will, Irma, and Caleb ask her to stay. To much is at stake for her to end her days as a Guardian."
"Only time will tell, Oracle.", Halinor said with a kind smile. "Only time will tell."
"Indeed, Halinor.", the Oracle said. "Indeed."
Later that evening, on Earth, Will and Irma's parents had found out what happened to their daughters. Needless to say that they found it hilarious after the prank their daughters pulled to humiliate Cornelia.
"It's not that funny, Mom and Dad!", Irma shouted as her parents were busting out laughing.
"Well, now you know how Cornelia felt when you pulled your prank on her.", Tom laughed.
"Only you didn't end up in the hospital like she did.", Anna replied with a giggle.
"Okay. I get it. What I did was wrong.", Irma said.
"And what happened to you and Will was the good Lord's way of showing you that.", Anna said with a kind smile that Irma returned. "But you're still grounded.", she said making Irma frown.
"Aw, man!", Irma said.
"Sorry, Irma. But if we were to go back on grounding you, what kind of message would that send?", Tom questioned.
"That you're very loving and understanding parents that I love very, very much.", Irma answered with her innocent look.
"Nice try, Kiddo.", Tom said with a smirk. "But the look doesn't work on us anymore.", he said as he ruffled his daughter's hair. "Now off to bed with you. We have church tomorrow."
"Yeah, Sir.", Irma said as she headed for the stairs. "Goodnight.", she said to her parents as she headed upstairs.
"Goodnight.", Anna and Tom said before they sat on the couch to watch some TV before they looked at each other and broke into laughter thinking about what happened to their daughter and Will.
Meanwhile at the Vandom's apartment...
"Would you stop laughing!", Will said to her mother. "It's not that funny!"
"Oh yes it is!", Susan said through the laughter as she was sitting on the couch while Will sat in a recliner chair. "Angelo told you and Irma not to go down the way you did and you two did it any way! You both got what you deserve!"
"You know, most parents would be giving their children some comfort after something like what I've been through.", Will replied.
"And I would.", Susan said. "If you didn't have it coming after what you and Irma did to Cornelia."
"Of course.", Will said knowing her mother would say something like what she said.
"Sorry, Sweetie. But what goes around comes around.", Susan said with a kind smile. "Now you know we have church tomorrow, so off to bed with you."
"Yeah, yeah.", Will said as she stood up and headed for her bedroom.
"Goodnight, WIll.", Susan said to her daughter.
"Goodnight.", Will said before going into her bedroom.
Susan then took an apple from her a bowl that was sitting on a coffee table and was about o bite into it, when she thought back to what Will told her about what happened to her and Irma. She couldn't help but giggle a bit about it before she began to laugh softly.
"I've heard about getting what's coming to you, but that was priceless!", Susan said before biting into the apple.
The next day while most families were in church or at work, there were three men in a certain penthouse apartment. They were Hollens, Riddle, and Sylla. The three of them were going over what they knew and coming up with a new game plan to deal with the Guardians and their allies.
"Eight?", Sylla questioned in surprise. "There are eight Guardians? And they going to add two more to their roster?"
"Yes, Sylla.", Hollens said without worry before turning to Riddle. "Did you find anything else out at the housewarming parties, Riddle?"
"Not much.", Riddle answered. "I could only read so much from them."
"Them?", Sylla questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Yan Lin and her daughter, Jun Lin, along with her fiancé, John Vanders and his parents, Joe and Kadma Vanders.", Riddle listed off. "And it seems that young Angelo Vanders, along with John Vanders, knows a thing or two about what his grandmother's days as a Guardian. He even knows one of the current Guardians. But that is all the information I was able to get from them. If they know anything else, they're hidding it well in their minds."
"You've done well, Riddle.", Hollens said. "We now know that there will soon be ten Guardians to content with."
"Add that with the powers of Earth's Heart along with the Heart of that Metamoor place and her army, and we've got our work cut out for us.", Sylla said.
"Which is why I've decided to have our robots redone.", Hollens replied.
"Won't that set us back time wise?", Sylla questioned.
"Not at all, Sylla.", Hollens said. "You see, I only have the robots I need assembled for whatever task I need them for. Like right now, as we speak, I have a small spy robot flying around the world of Metamoor."
"And why would you have it doing that?", Riddle asked.
"As we speak, it is scanning every living creäture on that world. Even the skeletons of dead animals. And once it has scanned them all, it will return to where I programmed it to return to wait for me to reappear.", Hollens explained. "And the lovely part about it all is that the robot looks like a simple bird.", he said with a smirk.
"You plan on making the robots based off of the nature predators of that world.", Riddle said figuring out Hollens' plan of attack.
"Indeed.", Hollens said. "For the next few months, I plan on attacking the Meridian Kingdom with different kinds of robots modeled after tha world's most dangerous predators."
"And when you find out which ones give them the hardest time to defeat, you'll make you army based off of those predators.", Sylla figured. "It is a sound plan. But I have to ask, how did you find out about Metamoor in the first place? And how did you even find a way to open these fold there in the first place?"
"I'd like to know the same thing, Hollens.", Riddle said. "Trust is a two-way street, my friend. We trusted you when you came to me and Sylla for help. Shouldn't you trust us with more than what you've told us so far?"
"All will be answered in time, my friends.", Hollens replied. "I keep certain things from you for your own safety. For if the Guardians were to find out about who you two really are, the two Water Guardians can use their mind control powers to make you tell them what you know. Not to mention the two Fire Guardians using their telepathy to read your minds, if they're strong enough to."
"So you're keeping us in the dark about somethings, for our own good.", Sylla said.
"Yes.", Hollens said. "Trust me when I say that we should not take the threat these children pose to our plans lightly. Just when you think you have them beat, they come back even stronger than ever. You Riddle should know this from what you've read of the minds of those that came before them."
"True.", Riddle said. "They have a knack for finding a way out of situations where they should have been done for."
"So, we wait until we're sure we can take care of them.", Sylla figured.
"Exactly.", Hollens said with a smirk. "And when all is said and done, Earth will be known among the others worlds as a place not to be reckoned with.", he said with determination in his heart.
Later that afternoon, Cornelia had met up with Alchemy, Cassidy, Elyon, Drake, and Aldern at Shell Beach. Everyone tried to put on a happy face but...
"Are you sure about this, Cornelia?", Elyon asked one of her best friends. "You don't have to do this."
"Elyon's right!", Alchemy said. "You're a great Guardian! We need you to be with us!"
"What do you think, Cassidy?", Cornelia asked.
"I can say the same thing that Elyon and Alchemy have just said.", Cassidy said. "But in the end, it's all up to you. I just hope that whatever you decided makes you happy.", she said with a kind smile.
"Thank you.", Cornelia said returning the smile. "I'm ready."
"Then let's go.", Cassidy said as she used her Heart to open a fold for Kandrakar.
'I just hope things work out in the end.', Cassidy said as they went through the fold.
Once through the fold, they all saw that they were in the room where the Viewing Pool was. And in that room was the Oracle along with Halinor, Alfor, Tibor, Luba, Endarno, Yan Lin Kadma, and Joe Vanders. But also there were Will, Irma, Taranee, Caleb, and Hay Lin.
"Of course they'd be here.", Alchemy said under her breath not happy to see Will, Irma, and Caleb after all that has happened.
"I take it that everyone knows why we are all here?", Alfor said.
"You mean that because of the actions of two people here, Cornelia has decided to relinquish her title of Guardian?", Cassidy said. "Yeah. We know why.", she said making Will and Irma feel a bit guilty.
"Well, because Cornelia will no longer be a Guardian, we may have to turn to someone to aid us to battle this new threat that threatens not only Metamoor but quite possibly the other Known Worlds.", Tibor explained.
"And who may that be?", Elyon asked.
"The one you all know as Nerissa.", Endarno said surprising all of the young heroes there.
A/N: Looks like Hollens and company have plans for our heroes. And it's a good one! How far will they push our young heroes? And speaking of which, how will they react to having to work with Nerissa? And is it really a test by the Oracle for Cassidy due to what she said to Will, Irma, and Caleb? You'll have to what and see.
Please review.