Welcome to Gaia! ::

And the Guardian DOES have a backbone!

After training, Megan had been physically exhausted, but other than a few bruises and scratches, she was fine. Physically. The medics were trying to insist on keeping her on observation for the mental shock of it all.

After Megan had fallen asleep and didn't seem anywhere near being calmer, AriyaLauna began to pitch a fit.

"Don't TELL me how to raise that child! Give her to me NOW!" it was the secretary AriyaLauna was demanding action from.

"I know this has to be a difficult situation for you, but Dr. C---"

"Where is he?"

"He's with Megan, but... Ma'am! Ma'am! You can't go... MA'AM!"

AriyaLauna ignored her and rather took off running to the room where Megan was. She'd been told that apparently her presense upset Megan even more, but she was tired of waiting, and furious. She banged into Megan's room, "Come on, we're leaving."

"You can't leave without permission. You'll get lost without it."

"It'd be better than being stuck in these pathetic white-washed rooms with people we don't know and are too politically correct and professional to do a freaking thing to REALLY help Megan! Don't get closer to me, I'll kick you..." while speaking AriyaLauna had back to the bed and pulled Megan out of it, then proceded to drag her out of the room. Indeed, when one of the nurses got close enough to her, she swung her rather large and heavy purse to try to connect with their face. Megan suddenly seemed to perk up, sensing the excitement in her guardian, she more or less willing went with the lady.

What resulted was the two indeed getting cornered, but AriyaLauna hollered and argued and guarded Megan like a soldier so much and for so long that someone apparently decided it'd be for the better if they were just let go. Really, maybe the medics saw that Megan was rather interested and amused by this outburst and figured she was coming alive enough that she needn't be worried with any longer. And so they went.

THE DAY AFTER TRAINING: Let's meet Raleigh! Part one of three

"You can't throw!" Megan squealed in protest as the frisbee swung far left.

"I tol' you!" AriyaLauna yelled back, laughing, "Sorry!"

"Like THIS," as Megan picked it up, she threw it straight toward, but far over, her guardian's head.

"I'll get iiiiit!" AriyaLauna was running half forward and half backwards to get the frisbee, in the end coming just too short to get it, "Close!" She turned around and took a moment before throwing it back, this time a little shorter, but short of it's target. Megan ran forward to get it and ended up with it bouncing off her hand.

"You're pathetic!"

"Just need practice," Ariya let that one roll, but this little girl was going to have to learn some postitivity.

"Bonding time Raleigh!"

Hands on hips Ruriska surveyed the garden like area, nodding occasionally as if seeing something that agreed to her. In fact she was just trying to put on a positive air. She was currently missing her favourite show because somebody was bored inside the apartment. She'd just bought him three Playstation 2 games, how on earth could he be bored?

"I didn't say I wanted to come here." Raleigh replied moodily, his light brown eyes straying to the other two who were currently enjoying themselves.

Ruriska shrugged. "There weren't many options. They want you in a structured and monitored environment. If I took you to some public park they would probably freak out. After all, you pretty much destroyed the agency. Charles wasn't all that happy about it."

"Well let's get this fresh air stuff over and done with.' Ruriska stretched. She probably needed some exercise anyway; sitting on your but all day wasn't a good way to keep fit. Lucky for her, her metabolism was working at an incredibly fast rate. "Let's go climb a tree, and remember no-" "-creating funny creatures unless we know how to get rid of them." Raleigh finished. "I know."

"It's a boy!" Megan suddenly yelled, letting the frisbee fall past her. AriyaLauna paused and stared at her with the most confused look, "LOOK, Miss. Ariya!" Where Megan had left off of calling her Miss Diedre and switched to Miss. Ariya wasn't certain, but that too AriyaLauna let slide. It was a fair compromise. She looked around, "Isn't he cute?"

"You're ten. He looks to be about nine..."

"I meant in a kid-sort of way," Megan gave a disgusted look, "You wouldn't think I actually like-liked him, would you?"

"I would hope you wouldn't without meeting someone!" AriyaLauna's eyes had fallen to the woman, "Wanna?"

"Yes!" Megan jumped at that, scooped up her frisbee, and rushed over toward Ruriska and her charge, "Hi-hi!" she ignored Ruriska, but grinned at the blonde-haired kid, "I'm Megan. I'm new here. Wanna play?"

AriyaLauna half-ran up as well, making it to the three just as Megan stopped talking. She smiled a bit shyly at them all, with a nod to the strangers.

"Those people are coming towards us." Raleigh mentioned, shuffling a bit in what could have been nervous-ness. He wasn't used to meeting others and having them run up wasn't something he enjoyed.

Ruriska only raised an eyebrow. "Well... there goes the bonding session I guess. Where are my-" "-You promised you'd quit!" "I am, I am! I'm weaning myself off them." Raleigh snorted and was about to reply when Megan ran up and interupted with her enthusiatic greeting.

Raleigh was shocked and he replied with his first response to her question. "No!" Ruriska burst out laughing and gave Raleigh a small push forward. "Don't be difficult kid. Go play tag or something." The boy certainly wasn't too enthusiatic.

Looking up Ruriska let her gaze move over Ariya. She looked alright, although a bit too young to be a mom. One of those teenage pregnancies maybe?

Well, I don't wanna play nothing if you're gonna be all mean," Megan started off by trying to sound defiant, her voice teetering later to sadness, and then hardening again, "Ain't very nice, are you?" She folded her arms.

"You aren't very nice, are you, _Megan_?"

"HE started it. I don't wanna play nothing anyhow," she turned around sharply, sounding rude, and AriyaLauna looked about to protest until she saw the girl's face.

"Maybe he's shy," AriyaLauna said gently, she turned Megan around, "Why not be less...loud...?"

Megan huffed disbelievingly, but after a moment took a step forward, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I havea frisbee... or we could go swing. Or something?"

"Please."

"Awh," Megan scoffed up at AriyaLauna. She wouldn't repeat that.

AriyaLauna kept her focus on Megan. Once she'd seen the critical look of Ruriska, she'd looked away. Focusing on the children ment she wouldn't have to look at the lady.

Raleigh frowned as he watched them talking about him as if he wasn't there. Shy? He glared at the girl steadily. There was nothing else to do but he didn't like the way she acted. She was so loud. The boy glanced up at his guardian but she studying her fingernails, seemingly uninterested. She obviously expected him to deal with his own problems.

"Fine. I'll throw the frisbee." He replied gruffly as boredom decided for him. Upon hearing her charges affirmation Ruriska clapped her hands together. "Great, now both of you bugger off but don't go too far. And you'd better not get too dirty Raleigh."

With a sigh Raleigh stepped forward while Ruriska began to wish she had a phone. A sudden possibilty had made itself known to her. Was getting a maid a possibility? She made up her mind to ring Charles about that the next chance she got.

"Yay!" Megan cheered, and skipped backwards, "Come on, s'a good place right over there to throw frisbee. Y'know how? I can teach you. What's your name? Do you got any sisters?" She prattled on now. Someone her age! Yay, yay!

AriyaLauna waved to Megan, and then sidled over to sit on the ground where they could be watched. She only half-glanced toward the woman, not wanting to be _rude_, but was feeling shy herself at the moment. She looked back down and pulled her backpack-purse around to her lap, then started to pick at the grass.

"Bloody kid wanting me to quit smoking." Ruriska groaned and resigned herself to the fact that she now had to go cold turkey. Oh well, it wouldn't be too hard. She hoped. Darn, she hoped a lot these days.

Raleigh followed Megan at a more sedate pace, already riled over the fact that she seemed to think he needed be taught how to catch a frisbee. "I don't need you to teach me anything." Annoyed he still replied to all her questions. "I don't have any sisters and my name is Raleigh."

That kid had better not get dirty. Ruriska still wasn't all that sure how to use a washing machine.

Ariya grinned a bit as she overheard Ruriska's comment. Good, then the boy was a smart one. Hopefully his mom would listen. She looked up suddenly, considering Ruriska. Or was that his mother?

"Oooh, good, I'm glad you don't. Miss. Ariya can't throw it, 'nd I was havin' to teach her. She's not very good," she grinned, "'Nd she's old!" she backed up to a place, "Ready?"

Ruriska noticed the other woman looking at her and turned to meet her gaze. After a few seconds of blatant staring she smiled and remarked. "You look pretty young to be a mum. You're either a sister or got knocked up at thirteen." Ruriska chuckled and sat down. "Of course I look pretty young as well. Pretty good for my age huh?" She'd decided to go by the guise of Raleigh's mum.

"I'm ready." Raleigh's expression lightened, as he got ready to catch.

"Oh, Megan's not mine. Well, she's my fosterchild," Ariya answered lightly, not explaining any further now that she figured Ruriska wasn't actually a guardian like she was. Unless they didn't kidnap her son. She smiled and shook her head, "I'm terrible with guessing ages. Anyway, hi. I'm AriyaLauna," she held out a hand.

"Ok!" Megan called back, throwing the frisbee toward him.

"Fosterchild? Who the hell fosters a child?" Ruri snorted. She'd already ruled Ariya out as another guardian. She didn't seem the type. Looking over to where the kids were playing she smiled. Watching Raleigh was always a delight. It was funny to think how attached she'd already become to him. "My name is Ruriska." She didn't return the shake, she was too busy watching her child.

Megan/Raleigh Part 3

Megan had been showing Raleigh how to do flips on the monkey bars, and when Ruriska shouted out, she flipped over so she was hanging by her knees, "Awh, your mom's a sissy. Ain't gonna get hurt."

Ariya had been quietly listening to the conversation, frowning a bit as it went on, though maybe a little amusement lit her eyes, "Do you often call your husband up just to pick on him?" She tilted her head and held her hand out for the cellphone, she wasn't all too sure she wanted Ruriska with that much longer.

At Ruriska's shout Raleigh slid down of the monkey bars to a lower rung. If it made her happy then he'd do it. But then Megan's words put him in a bit of a huff. "She is not!" If anyone was going to insult Ruri it would be him, not this... this... girl!

Husband? Ruriska nearly laughed but retrained herself for the moment. This was prceless. "Oh yeah, we both get a real kick out of it. Keeps the relationship interesting." Then she did laugh, handing over the cellphone while she cackled a little insanely.

Megan shrugged, "Acts like it." She pulled herself up and jumped down, "'Course Ariya is too." Megan cast a distainful glance to the adults, "Surprised she don't yell about gettin' dirty.... Wanna built stuff in the sand?"

AriyaLauna took the cellphone and put it back in her purse, smiling a little, but not understanding Ruriska at all, "So you just recently adopted your son? I haven't been taking care of Megan very long either."

"Hmph." Jumping down to the ground Raleigh watched Megan with a scorful glare. He wasn't happy but he still nodded when she asked about the sand. Shrugging his shoulders he stalked over to the sandpit and began stabbing at it with a stick. "Ruri said not to play in the sand because cats s**t in it." Raleigh muttered to himself, nose wrinkling in distaste.

"What? Oh, you where listening to the conversation were you." Ruriska sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Yeah, couple of weeks or go or something." A light shrug of her shoulders as she turned to glance sideways at Ariya. "So... you didn't get pregnant at thirteen?"

Megan grinned, "You cussed!" then nodded, completely ignoring Raleigh's discontent, "And they do, and ants make nests in it. And big, evil snakes are in it, but I don'care!" She grinned at Raleigh, "Wanna make a big, evil snake? I can bring water over 'n' make it easier."

Ariya looked at the ground, avoiding Ruriska's look, "Impossible. I STILL think boys have cooties... No, Megan's an unearned blessing," she shook her head, "Or pain, depending. Is yours having a hard time adjusting? How do handle it?"

"Okay." His voice was dull and unenthusiastic, especially because the thought of cat s**t kept popping up in his mind. Gingerly he knelt down and touched the sand, molding it into a dome like shape to get the hang of it. "Where are you going to get the water?" He asked while making a line in the sand with his index finger.

"What!?" How old was this woman? "I'm going to hope you were joking about that." She watched Ariya with an incredulous look on her face. "Geez, cooties. You're missing out on a hell of a lot of fun." Ruriska coughed and laughed. "Well anyway, me and Raleigh fight heaps but he knows I care. Its not like I have anything to compete against, from what I know his last mother was a b***h." A frown marred her features. "What I'd give to be able to spend one day in a room with that woman." A moment later a smile replaced her scowl. "Fancy meeting another woman with an adopted kid huh? Fun."

"There's a fountain over there, 'n' I can put the water in my shoes to bring it over," Megan looked at Raleigh, registering his distaste, "Well, we ain't GOTTA if you don't wanna... YOU have somethin' better to do?"

AriyaLauna was blushing a little at Ruriska's statements, "Well-it's just that...Eh... It's not like..." she shook her head, clearing her thoughts, "I'm one of those people who believe it's not right until after marriage. Cooties makes a nice defense line, and it works."

She looked out to where the kids were, "I suppose there's more adoption going on than it seems like. Megan is always crying for her mother or father. Always comparing me to something else... It feels like a losing battle, I don't know... Well, anyway..." she shook her head. She'd just met this woman, and wasn't particularly sure it'd be wise to confide in someone like Ruriska, so she cut it off, pulling some grass out of the ground.

"I don't want to put water in my shoes!" Raleigh complained loudly. "Let's just go climb a tree or something, this sand sucks." He'd been trying not to act childish but he just couldn't manage it anymore, so he stood up and stomped towards the nearest tree. "Are you coming?" He was going to be led around like a dog on a leash anymore.

"Oh, you're one of those." Ruriska quirked an eyebrow. "I never could understand that chastity stuff. After all, what guy likes a virgin? They haven't got a clue about anything." In the matter of sex Ruri happened to be more blunt than usually, which made most people uncomfortable. She could only imagine the effect if would have on this girl.

Following Ariya gaze Ruriska chuckled as she watched Raleigh. Such a funny kid. "I wouldn't expect much. At this age they wont accept anyone except their real parents and anyone who tries to take that role gets the backlash of their all over the place emotions." Shrugging Ruriska began to tear at the grass out of boredom. "The way I see it, scream right back and wait for the peace of older years. Eventually they'll settle down and realize you did what was best for them." Speaking in a rare moment of insight Ruri could admit to herself that she truly relished the fights she had with her 'son'. After all, it mean she acknowledged her presence.

"Ok!" Megan bounced up happily, then frowned down at the skirt she was wearing. Snorting, she went to the other side of the tree where the guardians wouldn't be able to see her and pulled it up so she could climb the tree properly, "Bet I can go faster than you! Ready?"

AriyaLauna blushed even more, "If that's all they care about, I don't want them." She fidgeted, shifting her weight from one side to another and then back again, putting her writing supplies back in her purse, and brushing sand off her skirt, "World shouldn't go 'round on that."

"She's only ten," and there was some despair in AriyaLauna's voice, "Not even a teenager. I can't fight back with her. I won't teach her how to fight." She pulled up a clump of weeds, squishing them in one hand in silent frustration.

"No you can't. I'll beat you." Raleigh was never one to back down from a challenge. After walking around the tree to find the perfect place to climb he took a grip on one of the branches. "Ready, set..." He waited for her to say the final word that would send him hurtling up the tree.

"Have you watched the tv lately? From those adds I'd say sex does make the world go round." With a snort Ruriska stopped tearing at the grass. "A relationship doesn't have to revolve around it but it is an added bonus. You're a 'love comes first' person, I'm a 'no strings attached' person. It's just for fun really. Although I'm not as bad as you're obviously thinking I am. I haven't been in any type of relationship at all for the past year... haven't had a job either." Ruriska blinked and then laughed, immediately correcting her mistakes. "Besides being married of course. Hehe. Jeez, the bastards always working. Rarely at home. No fun for me."

Feeling a little bit more skittish and stupid Ruriska addressed the next issue. "Ten? Looks to me like she's already learnt how to fight. Being meek is just going to teach her that she can push people around. But I'll leave that for you to figure out."

"GO!" Megan trilled happily, and jumped to shimmy up the tree. It hurt more, on bare legs, and she was definitely slower than usual, "Stupid skirts," she grumbled as she reached for a branch and pulled herself up, "S'a nice tree!"

AriyaLauna gave Ruriska a searching look, suddenly beginning to wonder if the woman was even married to this Charles-fellow. She wondered if... Well, no... That was silly. She shrugged as she did so though, feeling as if the woman was trying simply to shock her, "I don't own a television." she answered back evenly, really to get back and try getting a surprised reaction out of her.

AriyaLauna sighed, and when she spoke in response to the children, she'd lowered her voice to a barely audible level, "I know... but I also just don't know..." Maybe at the end of the month she'd just tell Charles she couldn't handle this.

Unhampered by skirts or loose clothing Raleigh pulled himself into the tree with ease. His eyes shone with fervour. There was nothing like a challenge to prove himself worthy to get him going. This boy was the type that, without a type of purpose or challenge, he would be lost and confused. It was a nice tree but he could agree with her later, there was no time to speak when you were busy winning.

"YOU WHAT!?" Ruriska had been sure Ariya had been about to stumble over her deception but any thought of that was put aside by this sudden revelation. "Are you living in the stone age? Ok, ok. Forget it. Jeez, you are one weird lady." She was still shaking her head minutes later. "No tv. Weird. Yeah..." Getting a grip on herself Ruri looked sideways at Ariya, a grin forming. "Well you're going to have to know at some point. You walking along like a blindman right now."

"L'go!" Megan began fighting with a tree branch at one point over her skirt. Eventually a rip was heard, and a huff, then she was climbing back up the tree, "Pants I need my pants." she mumbled, looking up to where Raleigh was. He really was a good climber, and would certainly be getting to the top before she did this time around. She gritted her teeth, hating to lose, but it wasn't HER fault...

AriyaLauna was grinning at Ruriska's reaction, that enough to lift her spirits out of the pits they'd run to. She let that part of the conversation drop, "Not blind. Just figuring things out. It'll turn out alright. I know it will.... It has to...."

"Yeah well, good luck with that." Ruriska said, clearly disinterested. She stood up and brushed all the grass that she'd collected during their talk off, then stretched and looked for where her son was. This conversation was obviously at an end for her now. Ariya wasn't exactly the most interesting person to talk too and if she hurried she might be able to catch the end of her movie. That would take her mind off the lack of cigarettes for a little while. "Raleigh! Hurry up, let's go."


Raleigh was pretty much at the top but then. "Raleigh!" With a hiss of annoyance he stopped in his climb, turning abruptly and nearly slipping from the branch. He cursed and clung onto another branch until he got his footing. A sour look was on his face as he began to climb down. "I have to go." He told Megan as he passed her. Hurrying up to Raleigh the two then left with haste.

Thomas a.k.a. Flashcharge, was currently flying through the air, on his way to Megan's hiding place. He stifled a yawn and shivered a bit in the morning air. It was chilly. This wasn't doing him so much good, especially not after last night.

Finally reaching the area Megan was living in, he slowed down and lowered his altitude a bit. "Hmm, lets see.." he pressed a few buttons on his watch, which promptly displayed a map with two dots. A red and a blue one. "Right... almost there." He peered around him intently to try and see where Megan's hiding place would be.

"AHA!" He had already seen the park and it didn't take him all too long to spot a little figure.

He smirked, the kid had her back turned to him. So he slowly let himself lower from the air, until he was hovering right behind her. "Running away, are we?" He sounded slightly dissapointed.

Megan let out a shriek when she heard Thomas' voice, and immediately started to run.

Thomas sniggered and pushed off, making sure to fly right next to Megan. He was grinnning. "You think you can outrun a Super?" he sniggered again as he turned around and pretended to be laying on his arms while flying next to Megan.

Megan, quite suddenly, turned on Thomas and jumped to scratch, bite, hit, and kick on him. Of course, he was much strong than her and far more experienced. She wouldn't get anywhere with that.

Thomas kept on sniggering as he played along a bit by dodging her hits and kicks until he got enough of it. Sure, he could let the kid vent a bit, but this was enough. He blurred out until right behind Megan where he took a hold of her by swinging one arm around her waist and used another to hold her wrists. "Now, how about you explain to me what the hell you were doing, running away like this?" For the first time, his voice had a tone of anger in it.

"I hate you!" Megan screamed loudly in response, as she continued struggling as much as her little might would let her, "Leave me alone! L'GO! OW!"

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Oho? And particular reason?" He huffed. "No way, I'm going to release you. You're acting like a baby, with the kicking, flailing and screaming. Ever heard of talking things over?" He didn't let Megan go. No way.

Megan took to screaming. They were in a public place, right? Maybe someone would come to help her, "L'GO! OW, OW! HELP! Someone help! KIDNAP! Eeeeeeeeee!!!"

Flashcharge rolled his eyes. "Good lord, try to act a bit civilised, will ya?" He momentarily released his hold on Megan until he scooped her up and swung her over his shoulder. He pushed off from the ground, and suddenly they were high up in the air, the ground getting smaller by the second.

Megan continued shrieking, this time fear edging in her voice, but apparently not of the height, as she continued to try to flip out of Flashcharge's hands.

Flashcharge rolled his eyes. "Hey, would ya knock it off? If you don't, I swear I'm going to drop you." He sounded slightly annoyed.

"Fine," Megan answered defiantly, her voice was beginning to go raw from screeching, but she was still doing her level best to struggle out from Flashcharge's grasp.

"Fine," Flashcharge replied simply. He vanished, causing Megan to just be hanging in thin air for a second before she started falling.

Naturally, Megan began to start hollering again and flailing wildly at the air around her. "Mommy! MOM!!"

Flashcharge was looking at Megan fall, feeling a bit uneasy with himself for doing this. Yeah. He probably shouldn't have done that. But damn, did that kid need a lesson. He really shouldn't have done that. He mentally kicked himself as he vanished and blurred right under Megan, catching her. "Alright then. Lesson number 2. Bluffing will work in some cases, but don't do it when you're haning a hundred feet up in the air when you can't fly yourself." He rolled his eyes. "And now you're going to tell me exactly what you're doing, running away like this."

"I hate you," Megan gulped harshly at Flashcharge in between long sobs, "I'd rather drop." Instead of clinging to the man, as one would think, she was trying to push away from him still.

Flashcharge felt a guilty pang shoot through him. "I'm sorry, kid, but you need to learn some respect. Acting the way you do, you won't last even a second in battle. You're reckless. You could have been killed, Solarduct could have picked up your signal."
All the way, he was flying, he knew the perfect place for him and Megan to have a little talk. "Stop struggling, kid. I don't wanna drop you again." he let out a

There would be no respite from Megan's struggling, and what he said didn't even seem to register to her, "Him better'n you." Megan grumbled at some point.

Having finally reached their destination, Flashcharge landed smoothly and let go of Megan. She would probably run, but it's not as if she could go anywhere. They were standing on the flat top of a steep cliff. There was no way one could reach this place by foot. If one would try to climb down the walls, he'd slip and fall straight down into the rocky cliffs at the foot of it. The top of the cliff 's approximately 3 square meters, with no shelter, just rock.

After awhile, though, Megan made a wrong judgement. And a squeak would defintely be heard from her. She still wasn't going to yell for help, though, even if she was now kind of in holding on desparately to a none too stable boulder and trying to find footing underneath her.

Flashcharge had, of course, noticed Megan climbing down. And since he hadn't heard a scream or any kind of noise for several minutes now he started to wonder.
He peeked his head over the edge and looked at Megan. "Ah. You're going to try to kill yourself again?" He laid down on his stomach and leaned his head in his hands.

"Better'n bein' w'you." Megan gritted, looking down and finally finding footing, she gently began to let go of boulder, though as she did it moved, though not over. She panicked a bit, flailing one arm off, but catching aside to another rock. She eased herself downward, panting. Much further, and she'd have to start proving that she was somehow a vertical-mountain climber, something highly doubtful.

Flashcharge looked on, quite amused. "I do admire your spirit, I really do. But there's no way you're getting of this cliff." He pointed downards. "Look there, see how the walls are vertical and smooth? No footing for you there. And if you fall, you'll fall onto those spikes and get pierced by them. If you're very unlucky, you won't die right away but suffer for a moment."

"Good." Megan's statement was solid, and she wouldn't heed to Flashcharge. She was going to find her own way down whether he liked it or not, but after a moment, she looked up, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Flashcharge looked at her, peering into her eyes and for the first time they had met, his voice sounded hurt. "You think so, eh?" He shook his head sadly.

Megan nodded, and then continued to try going down. After a moment, though, she did seriously loose footing, and began sliding down where she very likely wasn't going to be able to recover. She still wouldn't cry out, but she was cursing as some of the rock scratched at her hands and she bumped her head.

ARIYALAUNA'S WORRY:

It had, amazingly enough, been nearly two hours since AriyaLauna had last called. And she did so again, because it was getting late, and that girl should be home, at least for supper. She tapped her foot worriedly against the floor. She half-expected Charles not to answer, he had sounded so annoyed with her earlier.

Charles sighed as his cell rang again. "NO Ariya, I have had no word from Flashcharge yet. I TOLD you, I would call you if he made any contact with us." He sighed.

"I want her home as soon as she gets in, Charles," AriyaLauna's voice had ranged from worried to in tears to pure angry all day, and now it was calm, "I don't think she should be alone with him all day. This isn't right. You HAVE to speak to him..."

Charles clenched his fist to attempt to control himself. "I told you before, and so I will tell you again. I have attempted to establish contact with Flashcharge numerous times, but he has not answered. I know you are concerned, but you don't have to worry. Flashcharge is very capable of taking care of Megan."

"He doesn't seem to be!" she hadn't yet accused him, or Charles, but now sure burst. Anger before had been directed at herself or at the lack of communication, but now she turned her attention to Flashcharge and the agency itself, "Nor do you! All the contact I've HAD with you has been insufficient! How dare you start something messing with people's and children's life and have such disorganizion?"

"Hey look, I have given you as much information as you need. I know that you're worried and upset, but this behaviour is out of line." He wouldn't go as low as to push the blame onto the woman. He knew how much trouble she had with Megan, so he wouldn't remind her of how she couldn't control the child. "Just calm down, it'll be- Hold on, I got a different call."

Charles pressed a button on his phone and the second line opened. "Yo Charles, Flash here." Charles let out a deep relieved sigh. "Oh, thank goodness! I've got Ariya on the phone and she's so worried." His voice suddenly sounded strict. "You should have contacted me hours ago." Flashcharge chuckled "What are you gonna do? Fire me?" His voice was sarcastic, "Anyway, Megan and I are in the hospital now, I'm letting the doctors look over her. Yeah. Don't tell the guardian, I'll take her home later."

"Fine, I'll just go," AriyaLauna's answer was calmer right as Charles switched the line, and hung up she did. Honestly, she shouldn't give the man such a hard time, should she? Or shouldn't she? Or.. She sighed, confused and upset, deeply offended, but not even sure of what. Why? She wasn't a teenager anymore! She should... She shook her head. Well, she would try waiting a bit longer.

Charles's phone rang again and he snatched it up. "No Ariya, I don't have any- Oh, Thomas! And?" Flashcharge coughed and sounded uncomfortable. "Um... well, the kid's not so fine as I thought. Heh. Err... you see. She's... um... dehydrated and sunburned aaand the doctors want to keep her here over night." He held his breath, waiting for Charles' outburst. Charles took in a shocked breath. He was toast. He had just been reassuring the guardian how capable Megan was and now this. He let out a long moan. "No, Thomas, no, no, no, NO. NO." He buried his head in his hands and tried to compose himself. "How's she doing? How serious is it?"
Flashcharge cleared his throat. "They want to keep her here for a few days for observation. Er.. should I go get the guardian?"Charles let out another moan. "You're going to be the end of me." He perked up. "Wait a minute. Where did she sustain injuries like that?" His voice sounded very suspicious now.

Flashcharge shuddered a bit. He knew it had been wrong to treat Megan the way he had, but... well... nothing that he could do to change it now. "Err... nothing that important, listen, I'll go pick up the guardian then, okay? Okay! See you later!" He hung up and threw away his phone.

"Thomas? THOMAS!" Charles cursed and threw his phone down. It shattered completely. Frustrated, Charles kicked his desk, which only resulted in a hurt toe. He let out even more curses as he snatched up his phone and dialed Ariya's number. "Flascharge is going to pick you up now to take you to Megan. I'll meet you later." He hung up and moved to the exit, towards his ride.

AriyaLauna took a breath, feeling as if Charles was kicking at a wound. Call like that, and Flashcharge was going to PICK HER UP? And he wasn't even going to... She threw her phone into her purse and stalked to the front door, pacing angrily. Even if Charles wouldn't, SHE was going to give him a piece of her mind.

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