Of Fire, of Water, of Wind, and of Earth: Holders-In-Training

Chapter Two

GEORGE'S POV

The weeks go by quickly. Well, really it's only two weeks. But they still go by quickly. They pass in a flurry of cookies and lemonade and swimming a lot. Phoenix Arizona is still super warm, even if you're a Fire, like Monica, James and I. But James doesn't mind, he's used to it by now.

Emerald and James' parents are taking us all to the Elemental Alley today to get all our things. We need:

~Hiking boots

~weapon (which depends on your Element)

~familiar

~training clothes

~swim suits

~casual clothes

~"What Are Winter Elementals REALLY Like?" by Jim Isaiah

~"Magical Theorem" by Barry Par

~"Magic Recharge" by Helda Nini

~"So You Want to be an Elemental" by Rose Lee

~"Honing Your Power: Ages 16-19" by Agatha and Jacob Lime

~camping gear

~tracking device

~school supplies

~binoculars

Our parents sent over money so the Greens and the Flames wouldn't have to spend all that money on all of us. But I think they might be confused about this list. "We never needed camping gear when I went!" Emerald's mom says.

"And 'Magic Recharge.' I've never heard of it!" James' dad says.

"Or the author!" replies Emerald's dad.

James' mom says, "Oh, she used to write articles for the Fire Daily." Seeing everyone looking at her, she also adds, "But she was a fierce liar. Either she cleaned up her act or we have to have a talk with the people making these lists."

We go into the bookstore. We all gather the books we need, and I see Emerald and James are looking in the funny section. I go over. "Wotcha lookin' at?"

James looks up. "There's a series that wasn't here last time. We're checking it out."

I look over his shoulder. The series is called, "Authors: Word Geniuses or People Falling Asleep on the Keyboard?" I wonder how someone could write a whole series on whether or not authors are actually good with words, but it looks interesting, so James, Emerald and I each grab a copy. We head to the counter where Emerald's parents are waiting to pay for our books.

EMERALD'S POV

We head on over to a store called "The Wild Outdoors." I suppose our binoculars, new hiking boots, tracking device and camping gear will be from here.

The binoculars are so freaking cool! The outside is made of a ton of little polished stones, and comes with a card saying what each one is, with a picture next to each one and describing how they're made. Not all the binoculars are like this, so these are obviously made for Earths. I grab one, then another just in case I break this one.

The tracking devices look like normal tracking devices, so I won't tell you what they look like. I also take a pair of brown hiking boots. I hate hiking boots. "Camping gear" comes in packages, all together, so I don't know what they look like yet. Supposedly the one I'm taking is all green, brown and black. That's what the package says, at least.

We all buy our "camping gear" and head out of the store. Victor and Suma decided to come with us, so when we go into the pet store, just to look, they go crazy. Victor uncurls himself from James' arm with such speed that he may be time-warping, and and zings over to the snakes. He rubs his head against a snake who looks just like him. He or she rubs his or her head back on his. I bet it's Victor's mom or dad.

Suma hurls herself at the turtle table and is met by tons of little turtles just like her. They all seem to be talking and exchanging news with great gusto. We all stand around, waiting for them. Finally Suma pulls away from her family and friends and returns to my pocket and Victor uncurls himself from his parents and friends and slithers back onto James' shoulder.

***

Happy first day of school! I just arrived with my friends and the whole place is a-buzz with people, mingling, walking around, giggling, and talking together. Immediately James and George are surrounded by a crowd of girls who lead them away. Droplet, Monica, Veronica, and I stand there laughing, as James yells back, "HELLLLLLPPPPP MEEEEEE!!!!"

Eventually Veronica elbows me. "Better go save them from the fandom of giggly girls. You're the only one they'll be afraid of." I sigh. "Guess so. Be right back."

I march over to the growing crowd of girls, cooing over the boys. "Ok, ladies. Break it up." I add, as an afterthought, "Or else." They all stare at me. I bring out my dagger and smack it repeatedly into my palm, like a thug beating his bat against his hand as a threat. "I mean it. I'm not afraid to use my daggers and sword to dice you into pieces so small, you'll need a microscope to see you people. Scarper, all of you." They scatter before I'm even finished with my sentence.

"Took you long enough," James says grudgingly, whipping his hands along his jeans as if to brush imaginary dust away.

"You enjoy the attention. Besides, it was funny." I tell him.

"Was not, so!" George and James say immediately.

"Was too. You both very well could have gotten rid of them yourselves, and you know it, too." I reply. "But you didn't. I bet you were just basking in the golden glow of the girls' attention and just asked for help to cover up. You can't deny it."

"Wish someone nicer would have helped." James mutters.

"Droplet, Monica, and Veronica would have said the same thing. Now shush and scarper yourselves before I use this dagger on YOU." James and George hurry off to the Fire Common Room.

"What'd ya say to the girls?" Droplet asks, walking over with Veronica and Monica.

"Basically, 'leave them alone or I chop you with this dagger'," I say, slipping my dagger back down in the back of my shirt. That, by the way, is my preferred place to keep my two daggers. No one can tell that they're there, so they come a s a surprise.

"Nice," Monica says. "Have you noticed? Everyone seems to be dating."

"Oh, I looked that up," Veronica replies. "Apparently, every other year, there's a dating frenzy here. This year is one. Really stupid."

"I'll say!" I agree.

Mr Darkmin walks past. "Good summer girls?"

"Mornin' Mr Darkmin! Yep."

"You probably had a better summer than I did."

"Really? Why?" we ask.

"You don't have to pack EVERYTHING up and then one week later UNPACK it all and get ready for the next year of annoying students."

We laugh. "You have a point."

Something beeps and Veronica takes her phone from her back pocket and looks at the screen. "Crappity crappity crappity! Shit shit shit shit! YARRRG!!!"

"What?" I ask her.

"I forgot my little brother back in Arizona! Remember I said my parents were going to drop him off and I would show him how to get to school? I completely forgot to find him and bring him! Now my parents have to show him how to get her!" She blushes. "He's really shy and stuff, so that's why we'd have to help him. I can't BELIEVE me!"

"I can!" Droplet says. We look at her. She shrugs. "You ARE pretty forgetful at times, Roni."

"Yeah... They'll be here any minute now, my parents and bro. His name is Alexander. Try not to embarrass him or something, please, he has a stutter that only comes out when he's super nervous or embarrassed, and that makes him more humiliated."

"Kk." we reply.

"Is that them?" Monica points at three people who just glimmered into sight.