W.I.T.C.H

Chapter 1

Here we go again

DISCALIMER: I do not own the rights to any of these characters. I am merely a fan who is hoping to have some fun writing W.I.T.C.H stories of my own. Please enjoy without suing :)

Note: These events follow the end of season 2.

"Of all the low down, dirty, no good, rotten…"

"Nice to see you too, Will."

Will threw her knapsack down on the floor and sat on a stool with her arms crossed. Irma, Taranee and Hay Lin looked at her, vainly trying to hide smiles.

"Tough day?" asked Hay Lin.

"Dean gave me detention. Me!"

"Why Will," said Irma, with a trademark smile, "surely you don't expect better treatment just because he's dating your mom!"

The girls were enjoying one of their first breaks since defeating Cedric yesterday. Although the mood was good (other then Will's), the energy was not. It was clear that the last month of battles had taken their toll on all of them. The fact that it was Monday was not helping matters. They had agreed to meet in the Silver Dragons basement after school, which is where they were now.

"Shut up Irma." Growled Will, while giving her friend a look that would melt steel, "he knows how tired I am from defeating Nerissa, Phobos and Cedric."

"No he doesn't." added Taranee before she could help herself.

"Well," said Will as she gritted her teeth, "he should at least know about my date with Matt tonight."

"Let me get this straight, you're in a bad mood because we saved the universe and you have a date?"

Hay Lin laughed a little at Irma's comments. She was glad for the opportunity to sit and talk with her friends, without planning strategy. Even Will smiled.

"I'm not in a bad mood Irma. I'm guess I'm just tired. Cornelia and I spent the entire day sleeping in class."

"Hence the detention." said Taranee, getting a little laugh from everyone. Will suddenly looked up.

"Hey, did you get the heart?"

"Sure did." said Hay Lin, handing the glowing talisman back to its rightful owner. "Sure was nice of Cornelia to give the Meridianites a hand putting their world back together."

"Phhhht!" snorted Irma, "I think she was more worried about one Meridianite in particular."

Meridian

Elyon stood on her balcony, overlooking the various construction problems underway in the once beautiful city. All and all, things could be worse she thought. After all, she was free, the world was safe and she had her best friends beside her. And yet for the second time in a many years, Meridian was rebuilding itself from the ashes. Cornelia stood beside her, Caleb's arm around her shoulder. She caught Elyon's glance and smiled.

"The people of Meridian seem to be recovering very well. A lot of the houses are half re-built already." Cornelia said, turning her gaze on the city. Caleb frowned.

"They're getting pretty used to it by now." he said.

"Maybe if they had a ruler who wasn't getting imprisoned in jewels every couple of months they would have to." said Elyon. Caleb walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault Elyon, you must believe that."

"I wonder how long it will take before people get sick of saying that." Elyon muttered. Before Caleb could respond,

"Elyon?"

"Yes mother, we're out here."

Miradel walked out onto the balcony and gave Caleb and Cornelia a smile. She had been through so much through the years, especially the last couple, but still managed a confident air. Elyon hoped she had inherited her mothers' strength, until she remembered Miradel wasn't her real mother.

"Elyon, the council would like to talk to you about the prisoners. Can you spare a minute?"

Elyon cast a sideways glance at her friends who both smiled and nodded.

"Of course mother. Tell them I'll be there in shortly."

Miradel nodded and left. Elyon turned to her best friend.

"I'm sorry Cornelia, we'll have to talk some other time."

"Sure thing Elyon. I'll see if I can come this weekend." Cornelia replied. The two of them hugged. Caleb saluted her as she sighed. She hated when he did that and he knew it.

"I feel bad for her." Caleb said after Elyon had left. "She feels like she let everyone down again. I wish she knew how the people of Meridian felt about her, how much they trusted her…"

"She's just going though a tough time. The important thing is she's safe." Cornelia replied. Caleb just stared into the distance.

"She is safe, right Caleb?"

"I wish I knew. Meridian's a big place. Who knows what else is out there?"

Cornelia gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You'll protect her honey. It's what you do best." Caleb gave a sly little smile as he looked at her.

"You have a plan already, don't you." Cornelia said. Caleb looked back at the city.

"Well, maybe just a little one."

Heatherfield

Somewhere in Heatherfield, in one of the tallest buildings in the city, gears are turning. An old man sits in a dark room, staring at five pictures. Beside him, a computer hums and keeps its own beat with a series of flashing lights. The man takes a sip of his coffee and continues to study the pictures. Soon, he thinks to himself, very soon, there will be justice. And the gears keep turning.

Meanwhile

In a familiar restaurant, a familiar couple is having their meal. Normally Will and Matt would go somewhere other then the Silver Dragon for their dates, but today they were both thankful for the familiar surroundings. Matt was studying his date, who was in turn studying her meal.

"Tough first day back at school, huh." Matt said.

"Yep." Will replied.

"Yan Lin makes a great dinner, doesn't she."

"Yep."

"You don't like the fact that I have powers again, do you."

"Nope."

Will looked up from her plate, realizing she had been tricked.

"Guess I should have thought for a second before answering that." she said.

"Yep."

"We've been through this already!" they both said at the same time.

"Look, I just don't think it's a good idea for you to put yourself in danger all the time." Will said, putting down a forkful of noodles.

"But it's perfectly okay for you to do it?" Matt replied with a skeptical look.

Will thought about this for a moment. She knew this conversation was coming, and knew what she wanted to say, but for some reason it didn't seem as good an argument now as it once did.

"It's… different for me. I was chosen…" she said at last.

"I was chosen too!" Matt said, "maybe it's destiny." Will raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend.

"She also chose a mouse and a cat." she said. Matt gave her a sheepish grin.

"Cats can't have destinies?" Will laughed at the silliness of the argument.

"Look, maybe this isn't the best time for this. Let's just enjoy our meal."

"Maybe that's my destiny."

"Stop it." Will smiled again. It was good to be back.

"It's something about his glasses, that's what it is."

All five of the girls were sitting and eating what passed for lunch at Sheffield. Today featured Mystery Meat and Tuna Surprise.

"Martin has glasses, but you don't like him." Hay Lin told Irma.

"Please" Irma laughed, "Martin has the lame glasses of a nerd. My beloved has the sophisticated glasses of a true professional." Taranee rolled her eyes as Hay Lin sighed at Irma's stubbornness. Cornelia took a deep breath and said,

"I know I'm going to regret this but, who are you talking about?"

"Mr. Silla." said Irma in a dreamy voice.

"Now you've done it." said Taranee, "She hasn't stop talking about him all day."

"What happened to Andrew Hornby?" asked Will.

"Andrew who?" replied Irma, snapping out of her stupor.

"Mr. Silla… oh, you mean the new computer teacher!" said Cornelia. Irma sighed,

"Yes Corny, the computer teacher. Isn't he dreamy?" The girls looked at each other.

"We already have boyfriends." they said as one. Irma just glared at them.

In downtown Heatherfield, there is a building known only as The Institute. It was bought for a large sum of money about two years ago. In fact, it was bought only two weeks after Yan Lin gave Will Vandom the Heart of Kandrakar. Since then, very little is known about it. Rarely has anyone ever seen anyone go in or out of it, and the few people who have always describe the same man. That man is currently sitting at his desk, surrounded by humming computers, beeping lights and moving gears. He is talking on the phone, and he is happy for the first time in a very long time.

"Excellent. All five? Excellent work. What? Use it to your advantage. Have they shown any signs of magic? We need conformation. Well keep working then. You know your orders. Do not report back until you have conformation. I am very busy. Goodbye."

He hung up the phone and returned to his work. Time is running out girls, he thought to himself. Soon, everything will be set right. Soon. But for now, there is work to be done.

And that is chapter 1. More to come shortly; please give me feedback so I can make the story better. Thanks for reading!