Chapter 23:
The next day, after school, the Guardians met up at the Vanders' home to plan out what who was going to do for the transport mission for Princess Xolley.
"So you guys are putting a cosplay convention together?", Will asked Selece as they were sitting at the Dining Room table with the others.
"If we get the okay from Mrs. Knickerbocker, yes.", Selece said. "It'll be like one big costume party for everyone."
"Sounds a bit childish to me.", Caleb said with a scoff.
"You really need to lighten up, man.", Angelo said.
"Seriously.", Cassidy agreed. "It's a carnival! You're suppose to have fun."
"Can we go through the plan before we end up getting into an argument?", Taranee asked hoping everyone would calm down.
"That's what I came here for.", Angelo said.
"Then let's get started.", Will said.
"So what's the plan, Will?", Irma asked ignoring the fact that Angelo was in charge of the mission.
"Now you know that Angelo is in charge of the mission, Irma.", Hay Lin said.
"That doesn't mean he gets to plan on what goes down.", Irma replied.
"Actually, it does.", Will said.
"So let's hear the plan.", Cassidy said.
"Okay then.", Angelo said as he pulled out a small one inch thick disc that was two inches wide with a small green ball in the center. "As we all know, there will be three trains going to the school to throw off whoever is trying to take Xolley. ", he began to explain as a holographic image of three trains appeared from the disc. "The plan is for Xolley to not be on the middle train. Hopefully this will throw off whoever is after her."
"Where did you get that?", Taranee asked pointing at the disc that was showing the image.
"From King Terren.", Angelo answered. "Their world has some great tech. I'll tell you about it later. Now as for the plan, Xolley will be on either the train that on the left or the right of the center train. Each train will have three compartments in between the front compartment and the caboose. We have no idea about how many people this person has with them, so each train will have the same amount of soldiers on each train."
"How many soldiers?", Will asked.
"From what the king and queen have planned so far, fifty-four.", Angelo said. "Eighteen on each train. Two in the front compartment and four in each of the other ones."
"That should do it.", Cassidy said. "Now when it comes to us, who's going to be on which train? Cause if you're going to split us up the way I think you will, I don't think that there should be four us on the train Xolley is on."
"I was thinking the same thing.", Angelo said.
"Why not?", Irma questioned. "I thought we were trying to keep the princess safe."
"And having only three of us on the train she's on will do that.", Will said agreeing with Angelo and Cassidy.
"Bingo.", Angelo said. "The train with four of us on it, will be the main decoy train. Hopefully, our would be kidnapper will send most of his forces after that one. But in case if he doesn't, that's why there will be teams of three on the other trains."
"And what of the train that gets attacked by more of the kidnapper's forces?", Caleb questioned.
"I was just getting to that.", Angelo said. "When that happens, the rest of us or not, I repeat, NOT to go and help that train. Unless Will, Cassidy, or myself say so."
"And why not?", Caleb questioned. "Whoever is on that train will be in need of help!"
"Because that will leave the other two trains vulnerable to attack.", Alchemy figured. "One of which may have the princess on it."
"And that's something we can't afford to let happen.", Cornelia said.
"Exactly.", Angelo said. "So no one leaves their post. Taranee and Alchemy will be in charge of keeping us all in contact with each other telepathiclly. If anything, the kidnapper will try and attack from outside the train wither by high-speed boat or by air. Which will give us the advantage seeing as we can fly. As for who will be in charge on each train, Will is going to be on one of the trains, while Cassidy will be another one, and I will be on another one as well."
"That sounds fair.", Will said. "The three of us will be in charge of each team."
"Smart thinking.", Cassidy said. "I'm guessing each team will have those that can work together well with their powers."
"Yep.", Angelo said. "As for said teams, Hay Lin and Irma will be with me on the train that Xolley will be on."
"Is that a wise idea?", Caleb questioned. "Wouldn't that be what the kidnappers be expecting?"
"Yes.", Angelo said. "Which is why the other two teams will have a soldier glamoured as Xolley on their train. Blizzy will be on the train with the glamoured soldier that has three of you on it to help throw them off some more. It was something that Xolley's parent and I thought up after you left us there the other day."
"Wow! Didn't think about that.", Taranee said. "That'll throw the kidnappers off."
"That's what I'm hoping.", Angelo said. "Now as for the other two teams, Taranee and Cornelia will be with Will while Caleb, Alchemy, and Selece will be with Cassidy."
"No way!", Caleb snapped. "Let me and Cornelia switch teams!"
"No.", Angelo said.
"I don't care if you're in charge of this mission!", Caleb snapped. "I refuse to let HER be anywhere near..."
"Oh shut up!", Angelo yelled cutting Caleb off. "Do you hear Will complaining about the teams I set up?"
"Nope.", Will said. "Cause I'm okay with it."
"Thank you, Will.", Angelo said. "I set up the teams based off of how well those on said teams compliment each other with their powers. Take Hay Lin and Irma. I've seen them work well together. So I got them on a team with me. The three of us can creat a powerful tempest attack if the need should arrive."
"Tempest, huh?", Hay Lin questioned. "I like it!"
"Eh. It's okay.", Irma said to which Hay Lin rolled her eyes while shaking her head.
"As for Will's team, fire and energy can be a powerful combo.", Angelo said getting a nod from Will and Taranee. As for why I have Cornelia apart of that team. Well she, unlike you Caleb, knows how to use her telekinesis well. Which is why she's on a team of three. And with the last team, well fire and air can make a powerful combo as well as water and air, like Hay Lin and Irma. As for you, well you can do well with earth but we'll be traveling over water. The only earth there is way underwater. And I haven't seen you do squat with metal. But you are good with your sword."
"So in other words, Cassidy, Selece, and I are there to pick up the slack for Caleb,", Alchemy figured.
"In a word... yes.", Angelo said.
"What!?", Caleb questioned. "I can handle myself in a fight!"
"And what will you do if you need to use your power?", Cassidy asked. "You suck at using your telekinesis unless you're angry. And there won't be any earth for you to use."
"Face it, Caleb. It's best for you to be on Cassidy's team.", Will said. "Angelo isn't doing this to be mean to you. I'd of done the same thing in his place.", she said surprising Caleb. "Well I would have. This is someone's life we're trying to protect here. That goes above any of our personal feelings."
"Here's a question.", Irma said. "Why can't the little princess just teleport to the school?", she asked in somewhat a smug tone
"One, she doesn't know where the school is. Two, Xolley has only learned to teleport short distances.", Angelo explained. "And three, I caught that smug tone in your question. So watch it."
"Whatever.", Irma said not caring what Angelo said. "Is this meeting over with? I have to be home and get things set up for me to watch my brother while my parents go out for dinner this evening."
"Yeah.", Angelo said getting tired of Irma's attitude. "You all know what teams you're on for the mission. Try not to forget them. And do your best to work together."
"And with that, I'm out.", Irma said as she headed for the front door. "Later!"
"Hold up, Irma.", Will said as she grabbed Caleb's hand. "We need to talk.", she said as she pulled Caleb along with her.
"Did we miss something?", Alchemy asked as Will exited the house with Irma and Caleb.
"I was trying to contact Irma yesterday through the telepathic link we have and heard what she and Caleb said to you, Selece, and Micheal.", Taranee explained. "I then contacted and told Will and Cassidy who had me contact and tell the others."
"Oh.", Alchemy said before she turned to Cassidy. "You and Will aren't mad that we didn't tell you about what happened, are you?"
"Nah.", Cassidy said. "But we do wish that you told us."
"We didn't think it was that important.", Selece replied.
"But it is important.", Hay Lin said. "They can't just go and try and bully you and think they can get away with it."
"She's right.", Angelo said. "They got a taste of what they've given Cornelia, from you and Micheal, and they get all mad and gave you guys the whole 'know your place' bit. Who do they think they are!?"
"Well, they're about to get a good talking to from Will and Elyon.", Taranee said.
"Wow!", Cornelia said. "That won't be pretty."
"You don't see me shedding any tears.", Selece said.
"Any chance that we can see and hear what's going on?", Hay Lin asked Taranee.
"Yep.", Taranee said. "Will told me to be ready to link up so we all can see and hear what's going on."
"Cool.", Angelo said waiting for the show. "This is going to be good!", he said getting nods from the others.
As for Will, she had brought Caleb and Irma to the park where Elyon was waiting with Drake, Aldern, and Micheal. Caleb and Irma then realised that it was the same spot they confronted Micheal, Selece, and Alchemy yesterday.
"So what's going on?", Caleb asked as they stood before Elyon and the others.
"We know about yesterday.", Elyon said not looking to happy.
"Awwww! Did little Micheal go and tell on us.", Irma teased smirking at Micheal.
"Actually, Taranee was trying to contact you yesterday and heard what you and Caleb were saying to Micheal, Selece, and Alchemy.", Will said surprising Caleb and Irma. "They should know their place? They should consider themselves lucky that things aren't going your way? Are you two for real!? Get over yourselves!"
"We were just joking with them, Will.", Irma said hoping she would believe her.
"No, you weren't.", Will said. "You meant every word of it. You two keep talking about how Cornelia is messing things up with the Guardians, but it's really the both of you that's doing it."
"What!?", Caleb and Irma questioned.
"You heard me!", Will said. "Ever since the Oracle put our teams together and brought Angelo and Selece aboard, you two have been giving them a hard time. Well, I'm tired of it! And it ends now! I will not let you two break up the Guardians! No way, no how!"
"And how dare you question who I put in my Honor Guard?", Elyon asked Caleb as she walked up to him with an upset look on her face. "It was the Oracle who said that a friend would be of help to the Honor Guard. So when Micheal came and said that the Oracle told him that he was needed in Meridian, I put two and two together and made him part of my Honor Guard!", she said as he poked Caleb in the chest.
"Micheal has proven himself in battle, Caleb.", Drake said. "He is quite skilled with the sword."
"We in the Honor Guard have accepted him.", Aldern said. "Why can't you?"
"He is an outsider!", Caleb said. "He doesn't know the ways of our people or the suffering we have went through to get to where we are today!"
"Well, in a way, nor have I!", Elyon said. "I've been raised on Earth since I was a baby. And now I not only have powers, but I'm the queen of a kingdom on another world? Do you know what that does to a teenage girl? Oh! And newsflash! You're an outsider here! But you don't see the others trying to make you go back to Metamoor! Now do you?"
"But..."
"No buts!", Elyon said cutting Caleb off. "You will not only show Micheal the respect he is due, but you will do the same with Alchemy, Cassidy, Selece, Angelo, and Cornelia! Do I make myself clear, Caleb Hart!?"
"Yes, Your Majesty.", Caleb said feeling embarrassed at the moment.
"The same goes for you too, Irma.", Will said. "I'm asking you as me friend to work with the others like Taranee, Hay Lin, and I are doing.", she pleaded with Irma. "We need to work together as a team. And as friends."
Irma said nothing knowing that Will had made up her mind about it all. Seeing this, Will knew that Irma was still going to be stubborn until she saw how dumb she's been acting. She only hoped that Irma's stubbornness wouldn't screw up the upcoming mission. So with a tiring sigh, Will rubbed her forehead and...
"I'm heading home before my mom gets worried about me.", Will said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"I'll walk you home.", Caleb said.
"No thank you.", Will said. "I can walk home by myself."
"But Will..."
"I need to be alone right now, Caleb.", Will said. "I have to think about a few things.", she said before she gave him a quick kiss and walked off from the group. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay.", Caleb said wishing he was walking her home.
"A word of advice, Caleb.", Elyon said getting the warrior's attention. "Watch yourself. If you don't change your ways and how you're treating Cornelia and the others, you may end up losing Will. The same goes for you when it comes to Matt, Irma.", she said with concern. "I'll leave you two to think about that.", she said as she walked off with Drake, Aldern, and Micheal leaving Caleb and Irma in the park.
"How can this be happening?", Caleb questioned as he looked down at his hands.
"Hello!? It's Corny, that's how!", Irma said. "Her 'Little Ms. Innocent Act' is making us look bad and turning Will to her side! So I say that we play nice and beat her at her own game."
"You mean actually be nice to her?", Caleb questioned.
"If you don't want to lose Will, then yes.", Irma said. "Sooner or later we'll expose Corny for the fake she is and then BAM! She's out as a Guardian and all will be well again."
"And Cassidy and the wannabes?", Caleb questioned.
"No idea.", Irma said. "Right now, let's focus on Corny. She's the main problem."
"Right.", Caleb said. "And the transport mission is a good place to start. We'll see how good she does if any fighting goes down."
"Now you're talking.", Irma said as she checked her watch. "Well, I better get going. My folks are expecting me home soon. Later, Rebel-boy!", she said as she ran off.
"Later.", Caleb said as he headed back to the Vanders' home. "I just hope that our plan works."
"You're going down, you spoiled little brat!", Irma said to herself with a smirk as she made her way home.
As for Will, she could only hope and pray that things would work out in the end before it was too late.
'Please let things work out.', she prayed as she made her way home.
Soon it was Saturday, and the Guardians had all met up at Shell Beach ready to go to Florana.
"Everyone ready?", Will asked getting nods from everyone. "Then let's do it!", she said as she and Cassidy pulled out their Hearts and...
"Guardians, Unite!", Will and Cassidy said transforming themselves and their fellow Guardians.
"Water!", Cassidy and Irma said as they transformed into their Guardian forms.
"Fire!", Taranee and Alchemy said as they transformed into their Guardian forms.
"Earth!", Cornelia and Caleb said as they transformed into their Guardian forms.
"Air!", Hay Lin and Selece said as they transformed into their Guardian forms.
"Quintessence!", Will and Angelo said as they transformed into their Guardian forms.
Once transformed, Will opened a fold to Florana in which they all went through to find themselves standing in the Throne Room of the palace of King Terren and Queen Kalla, who were standing with their daughter, Princess Xolley and her white lion, Blizzy. The king and queen were dressed in the same type of outfits they had when the Guardians first met them while Xolley was dressed in a blue gown with yellow sleeves and slippers and the crown of her kingdom upon her brow.
"Sir Angelo!", Xolley cheered as she ran up to Angelo and hugged him.
"Hello, princess.", Angelo said returning the hug. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah.", Xolley said in a tone that said she didn't want to go yet.
"Still don't want to go, huh?", he asked to which Xolley shook her head. "Trust me when I say that going to some place new can be a bit scary. But if you give it time, you'll make some good friends."
"I guess so.", Xolley said with a small smile.
"I know so.", Angelo said with a smile that made Xolley smile some more just as two soldiers came into the Throne Room.
"The trains are ready, Your Majesties.", one of the soldiers said as the both of them bowed to the king and queen.
"Very well.", King Terren said as he held up his staff that had a blue gem on it. "And now for the first part of the plan.", he said as a beam of light shot out from the gem of the staff.
The light hit the two soldiers and a glamour of Xolley covered each of them making three of the princess.
"I have got to lean that trick!", Xolley said amazed by what her father had done.
"We leave the rest to you, Guardians.", Queen Kalla said as she walked up to her daughter and knelt down to her. "Be safe, my dear daughter.", she said as she kissed Xolley on the forehead.
"I will, mother.", Xolley said before she kissed her mother on the forehead and they shared a loving hug.
Xolley then walked up to her father who picked her up and gave her a hug that she returned.
"Know that we will always love you, Xolley.", Terren said. "Be sure to write us at least once a week."
"Okay, father.", Xolley said before she kissed her father on the cheek.
Terren then set his daughter down allowing her to leave with the Guardians, Blizzy, and the two soldiers glamoured as her. As the Throne Room doors closed behind them, Queen Kalla let out a sad sigh knowing that it would be a long time before she would see her daughter again. She ten felt a comforting hand on her shoulder knowing it was her husband. She turned to him in which he gave her a smile that she returned before they shared a hug giving each other comfort.
"Here we are.", Angelo said as he and the others stood before one of the trains that would take them to the school Xolley was going to.
"Whoa.", Cornelia said looking at the train.
The train in question, like the other two was a bullet train that was sleek and silver-colored and looked like it could go pretty fast on the track it was on.
"It's a bullet train!", Taranee said. "How do they have bullet trains?"
"You can thank my family for that.", Angelo said. "When my parents were alive, they came here and talked to the king and queen, of that time, about the tech Earth has."
"And one of those things was train.", Alchemy figured.
"Yeah. The king and queen liked them so much that they had some built along with a railroad.", Angelo explained. "And the rest is history. With the technology this world has, they were able to build something close to a global railroad. As for when they need to go over water, the tracks are done the same way they're done on Earth."
"Metamoor could use something like this.", Caleb replied.
"Actually, Kadma and I have been talking to Elyon about having a railroad system built.", Taranee said. "Kadma's husband even offered to buy some old trains for Elyon to use for the tracks if she gives it the okay."
"That would be pretty cool.", Irma said.
"But right now we have a mission to complete.", Cassidy said.
"Cass is right.", Angelo said. "Let's move, people."
"Yes, sir!", Will said with a salute and wink getting a laugh out of Angelo as they all split up into the teams they would be in for the mission. "Be careful.", she said to Caleb before they shared a kiss.
"You, too.", Caleb said as he and the team they were on headed for the train they would be on with the glamoured soldier.
The other two teams got on their trains and were ready to go. Watching them from a great distance was a young man with a large group of men and women. He watched the three trains begin to take off from the station as a smirk grew on his face.
"So they think that having decoys will throw me off, do they?", the young man questioned. "I don't think so!", he said as he turned to face those that were with him. "Prepare yourselves! We will be striking soon!", he said getting war cries from those with him.
'I only hope that we can pull this off.', the young man thought to himself. 'I made a promise to give this my best. And I shall not fail!'
As for our heroes, they were each on the trains they were suppose to be on and enjoying the ride yet were ready for anything to go down.
'How are things with you guys?', Taranee asked Cassidy's team through their telepathic link.
'So far, so good.', Cassidy replied. 'So far, that is.'
'Yeah.', Alchemy said. 'Maybe we'll get lucky and no one will try anything.'
'If we're lucky.', Selece said. 'But we're ready if anything happens.'
'Let's just hope nothing goes down.', Caleb replied. 'I'd hate to see some of us fold under pressure.', he said looking over at Selece thinking that she didn't have what it took to be a Guardian.
'Caleb.', came Will's voice that told Caleb to watch it.
'Just saying.', Caleb said.
'Well it's not helping.', came Angelo's voice. 'All of us are on edge a bit and we don't need you making it worse.'
'How are you guys doing?', Cornelia asked Angelo's team.
'We're doing okay.', Angelo said. 'Hay Lin is teaching Xolley how to play Pattycake believe it or not.', he said with a grin.
'It's a fun game.', Hay Lin said as she and Xolley were playing said game. 'Besides. It's keeping her calm.'
'Ummmm... Guys!', Irma said as she was looking out the window of the train, she was on. 'I believe we have company!'
Everyone looked out the windows of the train, they were on to see what looked like at least thirty-one men and women that were flying through the air with rocket packs.
'Well, Guardians. So much for a smooth mission.', Angelo said knowing that it woud soon be time to fight. 'Get ready to throw down!'
'Right!', they all said ready to fight.
As for the thirty-one men and women coming at them on with rocket packs, their leader had a smirk on his face thinking victory was his.
'Soon, Princess Xolley will be ours!', he thought to himself as his smirk grew. 'And not even the Guardians will be able to stop me!'
A/N: Well, it seems the fight is on! Can the Guardians go along with the plan and keep Xolley safe? Let me rephrase that. Will Caleb and Irma follow orders and not screw up the mission to keep Princess Xolley safe? Let's hope so. Or there will be trouble ahead.
Please review.