Chapter 25:
"You should be with your teams.", Will said to Caleb and Irma as she stood up.
"But, Will..."
"No buts!", Will shouted cutting Caleb off. "You should be with your teams right now!"
"But we saw you get shot!", Irma said.
"So!", Will said surprising Caleb and Irma. "Cornelia can heal me! Something you two didn't bother to learn from Kadma and Cassidy."
"Yeah but..."
"What!?", they heard Taranee suddenly say.
"What is it, T?", Will asked.
"I just got contacted by Alchemy and Angelo.", Taranee said. "When these two left their teams hanging, Alchemy and Hay Lin got shot.", she said glaring at Caleb and Irma. "Thankfully, Cassidy was able to heal Alchemy, while Angelo took Hay Lin to Xolley who is healing her right now."
"See what you two caused!?", Will asked Caleb and Irma. "Go back to your teams."
"But..."
"NOW!", Will shouted cutting Irma off.
Not saying another word, Caleb and Irma flew back to the trains they were stationed on. As for Will, she dropped to one knee from the pain in her arm.
"Easy there.", Cornelia said as she began to heal Will's arm. "Better?", she asked once it was healed.
"Yeah.", Will said as she stood up while flexing her arm a bit. "Thanks, Cornelia."
"Glad to be of help.", Cornelia said with a smile that Will returned. "So what now?"
"We head back inside and complete our mission.", Will said. "We're not going to make the same mistake Caleb and Irma did."
Nodding in agreement, the three of them headed back inside the train glad things didn't get any worse.
'What were they thinking!? Leaving their post like that!', Will thought to herself as she, Taranee, and Cornelia walked into the compartment the glamoured soldier was with Blizzy sitting next to him. 'Alchemy and Hay Lin got hurt because of what they did! Even if they were able to get healed, they shouldn't of gotten hurt in the first place! Something has to be done before things get worse.', she thought to herself with a sigh.
It was then that Will felt something furry rub against her leg. She looked down to see Blizzy looking up at her.
"Trying to cheer me up, huh?", Will asked the white lion as she scratched BLizzy behind his ear getting a happy purr from him which made Will smile. "Mission accomplished.", she said as she continued to scratch behind Blizzy's ear.
Now as for Caleb, once he got back to the train he was suppose to be protecting with Cassidy, Selece, and Alchemy, he entered the compartment they were in and got a not so welcoming greeting.
"Well, look who finally decided to join us?", Cassidy said with a bit of sarcasm.
"Back off.", Caleb said in a tone that said he didn't want to be bothered.
"Make me!", Cassidy snapped. "Because of you leaving us hanging, Alchemy got hurt and almost fell in the ocean!"
"She's alive isn't she?", Caleb said in a way that said he could care less. "So quit whining about it.", she said as he sat in one fo the empty seats.
It was then that someone walked up to Caleb. He looked to see Selece standing before him giving him a glare. Caleb simply scoffed at her with a smirk thinking very little of what she could do.
"Are you going to tell me how wrong I was for what I did?", Caleb said not caring what Selece had to say. "Cause of you are, then save your breath. Cause you don't really..."
*SMACK!*
Cassidy and Alchemy both let out gasp surprised by what Selece just did. As for Caleb, he felt the side of his face where Selece just slapped him hard. He then looked up at the Air Guardian to see her giving him a glare as she had her right arm still in post slap position.
"That was for leaving us hanging!", Selece said in a voice that told Caleb she was mad.
'Bad enough that Will had just slapped me earlier. Now this wanna be goes and does it thinking she can get away with it! Oh! I don't think so!', he thought to himself as he stood up glaring down at Selece who kept glaring at Caleb.
"Who do you think you are you little... Ooof!", Caleb moaned as he felt Selece's right knee in his stomach.
"And that was for getting Alchemy shot!", Selece said before she pushed Caleb back into his seat. "You call Alchemy, Angelo, and myself wanna be Guardians because you think we're weak. We guess what, pal!? We're a lot stronger than you think! And I don't like the disrespect you give Cassidy either. She was a Guardian before any of us, so some respect is in order. And you'll be treating Cornelia a whole lot nicer as well. Or I'll give you a taste of what I just gave you!"
Selece then turned on her heel and walked away from Caleb who was still holding his stomach from Selece's strike. As for Selece, she sat with Cassidy and Alchemy, who were way impressed with what she did and how she stood up for them, Angelo, and Cornelia.
"Way to go, girl!", Alchemy said as she wrapped an arm around Selece making her smile. "Maybe that knocked some sense into him."
"I doubt it.", Selece said with a frown. "If anything I may of just made him mad."
"Either way, you've showed him that you're just as tough as he is and that he can't push you around.", Cassidy said. "And that's a good thing.", she said with a smile that Selece returned.
As the three of them were talking, Caleb sat in his seat glaring at them. But he knew he couldn't do anything seeing as he was already in trouble with Will. So he just sat there and sulked. Meanwhile, Irma had just gotten in the train she was supposed to guard and made her way to where she knew Hay Lin would be. Once there, she saw that Xolley was indeed healing Hay Lin's damaged wing while Angelo was standing there.
"Well look who decided to come back?", Angelo said in a sarcastic tone.
"Bite me!", Irma said as she walked passed Angelo and towards Hay Lin. "Are you okay, Hay Lin?", Irma asked her friend as she was about to place a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't touch me!", Hay Lin said as she smacked Irma hand away.
"Hay Lin, I'm sorry!", Irma said. "When I saw Will get shot, I part of me had to go see if she was safe."
"I saw her get shot as well.", Hay Lin said as Xolley was still healing her wing. "But I kept to my post knowing that she would be alright with Taranee and Cornelia.", she said giving Irma a glare that made her back up a bit.
"But... But we can't just trust her around..."
"Stop it!", Hay Lin said cutting Irma off. "I'm tired of you bad mouthing Cornelia! So knock it off! She's been nothing but a good Guardian since she became one again. But you and Caleb have been giving her nothing but grief trying drive her away!"
"You are a bad person!", Xolley said to Irma as she continued to heal Hay Lin's wing.
"Yes, she is.", Angelo said to which Irma turned to Angelo with a glare and was about to say something. "Don't even talk!", he said in a tone that kept Irma quite. "Because of you, Hay Lin got hurt! And Xolley could have gotten kidnapped! Thankfully, Xolley knows how to heal. You need to be thankful that the shot Hay Lin took wasn't fatal!", Angelo said as Irma suddenly had a look that told him that she actually realised that Hay Lin, her best friend, could have gotten killed. "Now if I were you, I'd go sit down, shut up, and think really hard about what could have happened and who we could have lost!", he said while pointing to a seat at the end of the compartment.
Irma said nothing as she walked back to the end of the compartment slowly and took a seat. While she was sitting their, she actually began to think about what Angelo said and started to see that she almost lost her best friend because of her actions. As she did this, a lone tear ran down her face being thankful that Hay Lin was okay. Soon, all three trains had arrived at the island that the school was on. Once they did, the Guardians came off the trains with Xolley, Blizzy, and Xolley's luggage. Two of the trains had left leaving one for the Guardians to use to return to the palace. Noe it was needless to say that Will said nothing to Caleb and Hay Lin said nothing to Irma. But Will also noticed how Caleb kept his distance from Selece.
"Did something happen between Caleb and Selece?", Will asked Alchemy.
"Oh! You've got to see this!", Alchemy said as she showed what Selece did to Caleb.
Will couldn't help but laugh as she wrapped an arm around Selece who was walking next to her.
"Didn't know about that knee of yours, huh?", Will asked with a laugh getting a laugh out of Selece.
"Sorry about that.", Selece said. "It's just that he was acting like it didn't matter that Alchemy got hurt."
"Don't be sorry.", Will said. "He and Irma need to respect you and the others. We're all a team. And they need to remember that."
"Thanks.", Selece said as they came to the gate of the school
"Whoa!", Cornelia said as she and the others looked up at the tall gates. "Now those are some tall gates."
"I'll say.", Taranee said.
"You ready?", Angelo said looking down at Xolley.
"I... I don't know.", Xolley said as she backed away a little. "What if they don't like me?"
"It'll be okay.", Cornelia said as she knelt down to Xolley. "I was the same way when I first went to school."
"Really?", Xolley asked.
"Yep. All of us were.", she said to which the other Guardians nodded.
"So... What did you do?", Xolley asked.
"I did what my father told me.", Cornelia said with a kind smile. "I took a deep breath and walked inside. After that, I saw that school wasn't all that scary. I made some good friends and that made it better, too. So take a deep breath."
Xolley then took a deep breath and let it out.
"You ready?", Cornelia asked getting a nod from Xolley. "Good. Now let's introduce this school to their newest student."
"Okay!", Xolley said with a smile that Cornelia returned before Xolley turned and pressed the button next to the gates.
"Who goes there?", came a voices from the loudspeaker there.
"We're the Guardians her with Princess Xolley of the Yollen Kingdom.", Angelo said. "We request entry into your school."
"Request granted.", the voice said as the gates opened slowly top show two guards in armor and weapons.
"Welcome to the Florana School for Gifted Ones.", one of the guards said as he and the other guard bowed. "We have been expecting the princess for quite a while now."
"Please. Come this way.", the other guard sadi with a kind smile.
"Well, it's time.", Angelo said as he picked up some of Xolley's luggage while Caleb got the rest.
All of them walked past the gates and onto the school grounds where they saw a large school that looked almost like a palace. In front of the school was a large water fountain with students walkign around the school grounds that had trees and bushes around it along with some benches to sit on.
"Wow!", Taranee said. "This kind of puts Sheffield to shame. I wonder how big their library is."
Suddenly, a girl around Xolley's age with blue eyes and red hair that went down to her shoulders came running past them only to trip and fall. She was wearing a black skirt with a green blouse and white socks and black shoes.
"Ow!", the girls said as she began to get to her feet as another girl around Xollye's age that had a skin tone like Angelo and Selece came up to her to help her to her feet.
She had brown eyes and black hair that she had in a long braid that went down to her rear. She was dressed in a pair of blue shorts and a red shirt and brown boots.
"You okay, Jemma?", the dark-skinned girl said to her friend.
"Yeah.", the red-headed girl said. "Thanks, Marla.", she said as she brushed some dirt off of her clothes.
Seeing the two friends made Xolley smile a little hoping that she could make some friends like that.
"Must you be so clumsy, Jemma!", another girl around Xolley's age said as she came walking up to them. "You're going to make a bad impression to the princess when she gets here!"
This girl had green eyes and black hair that went down to the small of her back. She was dressed in a blue skirt with a matching blazer jacket with a white blouse under it, with white socks and black shoes.
"Back off, Zella!", Marla said. "You may be one of the most skilled ones here, but that doesn't put you in charge!"
"And yet the dean put me in charged of welcoming the princess.", Zella said with a cosky smile. "So what do you have to say about that?"
"Why you little...", Marla began to say when...
"I think that you need to stop being so full of yourself!", Xolley said as she walked up to Zella.
"Whoa!", Jemma said. "Who's she?"
"Beats me.", Marla said.
"Is that so?", Zella questioned looking Xolley up and down.
"Yes it is!", Xolley said not liking how Zella was treating her fellow students. "You are a student just like everyone else is! So you're no better than they are!"
"Why don't you go and pester someone else.", Zella said as she and Xolley were face to face.
But Xolley wasn't going to back down from Zella. Seeing this, Zella went and hit Xolley with a telekinetic wave that sent her flying back towards the Guardians.
"Ow!", Xolley said as she fell on her rear.
"Let that be a lesson to you.", Zella said with a smirk. "Don't mess with those are better than you!"
"Kid. You have no idea who you just attacked.", Angelo said with a smirk of his own.
"And who are you weirdos?", Zella asked not caring for what Angelo just said.
"We, little girl, are the Guardians of Kandrakar.", Will said.
"And this is Princess Xolley, of the Yollen Kingdom.", Cassidy added.
"And Heart of Florana.", Angelo said surprising Zella, Jemma, and Marla.
"W-W-W-What!?", Zella questioned in shock.
"Boy did you make a bad impression.", Marla said to Zella.
"I... I... I...", Zella said trying to find her words.
"I think she needs a little cooling off.", Angelo said to Xolley with a wink.
With a smile on her face, Xolley used her powers to make a beach ball size thing of water come out of the fountain and float above Zella. She then let it drop soaking the girl getting laughs out of the other students that were out there. Fuming, Zella turned on her heel and stormed off feeling humiliated.
"I didn't go to far did I?", Xolley asked Angelo.
"Well she did attack you first.", Angelo said. "But I would try and resolve things with her."
"Okay.", Xolley said when she noticed that the ones known as Jemma and Marla were staring at her. "Ummmm... Hi!", she said with a small wave and a smile.
"Hi.", Jemma and Marla said.
"Jemma and Marla. Right?", Xolley asked getting nods from the two girls. "Can you tell me where my room is?"
"Yeah. Sure.", Jemma said. "It's right this way, Your Majesty."
"Call me Xolley.", the princess said with a smile that Jemma and Marla returned as they showed Xolley to her quarters with the Guardians and Blizzy behind her.
"Okay.", Marla said. "Oh! And don't worry about Zella. She can be a pain sometimes but she is a good person at heart."
"That's good to hear.", Xolley said glad that she may be able to make three instead of just two friends.
A while later, after meeting the dean and finding her quarters, Xolley and Blizzy were back at the gates of the school with the Guardians to say goodbye.
"Do you have to go now?", Xolley asked Angelo.
"Sorry, Xolley.", Angelo said. "But there are still a few things that we have to take care of before we leave."
"Like find out who sent those troopers to kidnap you.", Will said getting a nod from Angelo.
"And they not just sitting in their rafts doing nothing.", Cassidy said. "Ten to one, they're regrouping and trying to put some distance between us and them."
"So we better get going.", Taranee said.
"Yeah.", Angelo said as he turned to face Xolley. "Well, Princess... It's time to go.", he said as he knelt down to face her. "Be good and listen to your teachers. And don't let any of the other students push you around."
"It's going to suck without you around.", Xolley said with a pout.
"I have other things to take care of with my Guardian duties.", Angelo said. "Besides. I think you be okay. I think you may have made at least two friends here already.", he said as he motioned towards Jemma and Marla who were sitting by the water fountain.
Seeing them made Xolley smile a bit. Seeing this, Angelo knew that Xolley would be okay.
"You'll be okay, Xolley.", Angelo said as he was about to stand up when Xolley gave him a hug.
"Promise me that you'll write.", Xolley said as she held onto Angelo.
"I will.", Angelo said returning the hug.
Once they ended their hug, Xolley gave Angelo quick kiss on the cheek blushing a bit getting a small laugh out of Angelo who kissed Xolley on the forehead getting a smile out of her as he stood up.
"Watch out for her, you big furball.", Angelo said as he petted Blizzy who let out a happy purr.
"Thank you, Guardians, for escorting me her.", Xolley said with a curtsy.
"It was our pleasure, Princess Xolley.", Angelo said as he and the other Guardians bowed to her. "May you make good friends here while you grow and become stronger."
With that said, Xolley watched as the Guardians headed for the train and got on it. As the train left the island, the gates to the school slowly closed. Xolley let out a sad sigh knowing that she was now in a whole new place with a lot of new people she didn't know al to well. Suddenly, Blizzy rubbed his mane against her getting a giggle out of the princess.
"At least I have you here with me, Blizzy.", Xolley said as she ran her fingers through Blizzy's mane.
"Yeah... Ummmmmm... Xolley?", came Jemma's voice getting Xolley's attention. "Do you... want to see me and Marla's Guardian Animals?"
"Sure!", Xolley said with a smile. "Where are they?"
"In the park that school has made for them and other Guardian animals.", Marla said as they led the way. "You can even leave your lion there while you're in class."
"Hmmmm... Sounds nice.", Xolley said as she followed the two girls with Blizzy next to her.
"After we show you the park, we can show you the fun spot here.", Marla said with a smile.
"I'd like that.", Xolley said returning the smile.
'This may not be so bad after all.', Xolley thought to herself with a smile.
Now as for the Guardians, once they found the troopers and their commander, they rounded them all up and put them on the train and had the conductor return back to the palace.
"Now let's talk.", Alchemy said to the Commander of the troopers.
"I have nothing to say!", the commander said. "I am ordered to say nothing!"
"Oh really?", Cassidy questioned. "We'll see about that!", she said as she was ready to use some mind-control on the commander.
"Hold up, Cass!", Angelo said as he got a good look at the uniform of the commander and saw the emblem on the arm of the uniform. "That's the royal crest of the Yollen Kingdom!", he said getting a gasp from his fellow Guardians.
"So someone in the royal family wanted Xolley?", Will questioned.
"Probably to steal her powers for themselves!", Caleb said as he grabbed the commander by his uniform. "Talk, traitor! Who are you working for!"
"I'll say nothing!", the commander said with a determined look.
"Would you stop!", Angelo said to Caleb as he pulled him away from the commander. "There's a better way to handle this, you know."
"Oh really!?", Caleb questioned glaring at Angelo.
"Yes, there is.", Angelo said. "And I'm not talking about using mind-control either."
"Then show us, oh mighty, Sir Angelo.", Caleb said with a cocky smirk.
"Yeah, big shot!", Irma said. "Let's see what you can do!"
"Oh brother.", Selece said while rolling her eyes as Angelo turned the face the commander.
"Okay, buddy. You heard what he called me.", Angelo said. "I am Sir Angelo of the Yollen Kingdom. I demand that you explain the actions of yourself and your troopers here. And you know the law here. You have to do as I tell you."
"I do.", the commander said while bowing his head to Angelo.
"Say what!?", Irma questioned.
"Shhh!", Will said to Irma.
"Now who are you? What was your mission? And who sent you to do it?", Angelo asked.
"I am Commander Treylan of the Rocket Troopers.", the commander said. "Me and my troopers were given the mission to capture Princess Xolley and bring her to Duke Taylan, son of Duke Xallen and Duchess Valla."
"Taylan!?", Angelo questioned. "He planned all of this!?"
"Yes, sir.", Treylan said. "With some help from myself, of course. He made promise to keep it to myself and my troops."
"And of course you all were honor-bound to keep it to yourselves.", Will figured.
"Yes, ma'am.", Treylan said. "Taylan isn't bad. He just wanted to make the princess happy."
"Explain.", Angelo said.
"See, Duke Taylan and Princess Xolley are close. Like brother and sister close.", Treylan began to explain. "So when Xolley first found out about her going to the school, Taylan was the first she went and complained about not wanting to go there with."
"So Taylan goes and decides to have Xolley kidnapped and brought to him where he thought that he could keep her hidden. Thus making sure she didn't have to go to the school.", Taranee figured getting a nod from Treylan. "Hmmm... Clever."
"Really clever.", Alchemy said.
"I beg of you, Sir Angelo. Please don't punish young Taylan.", Treylan said. "If anything, punish me instead."
"No one is getting punished.", Angelo said to which Treylan breathed a sigh of relief. "But... We have to tell the king and queen as well as Taylan's parents. If we don't, Terren and Kalla will remain worried about Xolley's safety."
"Very well.", Treylan said as the train continued to travel down the tracks.
Sometime later, in the palace, three figures walk into the Throne Room. One is a man with black hair and blue eyes the other was a woman who was a brunette with blue eyes. And the third was a eleven-year-old boy with black hair and blue eyes. The two adults were Duke Xallen and Duchess Valla. And the third was their sone young Duke Taylan. Once in the Throne Room, they saw that not only was King Terren and Queen Kalla in there, but also the Guardians of Kandrakar and another familiar face. Commander Treylan.
"Uh-oh.", Taylan said knowing he was in trouble.
Moment later, the Guardians were back on Earth standing on the beaches of Shell Beach as their normal selves.
"Well, that was fun.", Cassidy said.
"I'm just glad that things worked out for Xolley and her cousin Taylan.", Alchemy replied.
"Yeah. His parents as well as the king and queen were very understanding about why Taylan did what he did.", Hay Lin said smiling.
"And now he's getting special training so he'll be about to fight by Xolley's side when they get older.", Taranee said.
"And I know that he'll work hard and be a great fighter.", Angelo said.
"Speaking of working with others, I know two of us that need a few lessons in that subject.", Selece said referring to Caleb and Irma who were trying to sneak off.
"And where do you two think you're going?", Will questioned. "We still have to discuss your punishment for your actions."
"But... But...", Irma said not finding the proper words.
"Look. I get that me and Irma screwed up.", Caleb said. "But when we saw you get shot, we just reacted. Besides. Alchemy and Hay Lin are okay. So everything worked out in the end."
"Y-Y-Yeah.", Irma said. "It's all good."
"Did you already forget what Angelo said?", Hay Lin questioned. "What if that shot I took was a fatal one?"
"Don't say that.", Irma said in a sad tone with her head down.
"Why?", Hay Lin questioned. "You don't like hearing that I could have died?"
"NO!", Irma snapped looking at Hay Lin who was face to face with her.
"Tough!", Hay Lin shouted. "Cause I could have died! All because my best friend ditched us when it counted!", she said as she poked Irma in the chest. "I counted on you, my best friend, to be there when it counted! But instead, you left me and Angelo hanging. I'm just glad that Angelo was able to use your screw up to keep Xolley safe! And all because of your mistrust of Cornelia, who was able to heal Will when she got shot! I was counting on you, Irma! And you let me down!", she said as tears ran down her face feeling betrayed by her best friend.
"Hay Lin... I...", Irma said as she tried to place a hand on her best friend's shoulder only for Hay Lin to back away from her and walk over to Selece who gave her fellow Air Guardian the hug she needed as she began to cry.
Seeing this Caleb couldn't help feel for both Irma and Hay Lin. It was then he looked at Cornelia and got angry. For in his mind it was her fault that things were going the way they were.
"This is all your fault!", Caleb said to Cornelia with a glare.
"M-My fault!?", Cornelia questioned.
"Yes! Your fault!", Caleb snapped as he walked towards Cornelia only for Will to jump in his way.
"Back off, Caleb!", Will said with a determined look. "You're out of line!"
"No! I'm not!", Caleb said. "Don't you see, Will!? This is all a part of her little plan! She places nice trying to get everyone on her side. Not to mention play the good Guardian to show that you're on the level. And if any of us are against you, like me and Irma, you turn the others against us!"
"Are you nuts!?", Taranee questioned.
"NO! But she has all of you fooled!", Caleb said. "Mark my words! She's going to show her true colors and betray us all! And none of you will see it coming! She nothing but another Nerissa!"
"THAT'S IT!", Cornelia snapped as some of the earth around them began to shake.
"Uh-oh!", Angelo said knowing that this moment was coming sooner or later.
A/N: Well, Xolley is at the school and things are looking up for the little princess. And it turns out that it was a family member behind the attempted kidnapping. Granted, his intentions were good. But right now, Cornelia has had it with Caleb and Irma's crap! It was bound to happen folks. Find out what happens in the next chapter!
Please review.