Next Generation ~ a kotlc story

Part 3 - Girls ~ Chapter 22 - Willa

I screamed as Ellie fell over, only barely caught by Tiergan. Her face had turned a deathly pale.

"We have to get her to the healing center!" I ordered Tiergan, whose face was almost as white as Ellie's. He quickly picked her up, cradling her like a baby, and started running. I dashed after him, channeling energy into my legs. As we raced through the halls, prodigies pointed and whispered.

"Is that Ellie Foster?"

"What happened?"

"Is she dead?"

I had to stop myself from yelling at the last comment, focusing only on making it to the healing center. We were gaining on the crystal walls and door when Kenric ran up to us.

"Ellie!? What happened?!" He asked, his face going pale. Tiergan kept running, Ellie still in his arms, but I slowed my pace to let Kenric catch up.

"She..." I gulped up air, completely out of breath. "She passed out. Had a... headache."

"Let's go." It only took us seconds to catch up to Tiergan, who had just arrived in the healing center. Elwin had stood up from his desk, his face wrinkling with concern.

"What happened?"

"She passed out! I don't know what happened! You have to help her!" Tiergan said, his eyes wild.

"Calm down. Bullhorn's calm, so she's not too bad. Let's put her on a cot and we can check her out," said Elwin in a level voice.

"How are you so calm?!" Tiergan asked.

"Ellie's mom got into much worse trouble than she ever did. This is hardly a two on the Sophie scale." Elwin laughed, but then saw Tiergan's concerned expression. "Don't worry."

He had laid Ellie down on a cot and was now pacing next to it. Kenric had moved closer to Ellie, sitting by her head. I sat next to him, realizing how tired I was. I'd just sprinted across Foxfire in three minutes. It was a miracle my legs still worked.

Kenric seemed to notice my panting and scooched closer to me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Worry about your sister." I gestured to the cot, then regretted it when his face paled.

There wasn't much we could do. Elwin said that he had to get some equipment to get a better reading of her cells, so for now we had to wait. I took Tiergan's job of pacing the room as he sat down next to her, clutching her hand like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Kenric stayed on the cot, staring at Ellie.

After what seemed like decades of waiting, but what was probably actually just minutes, Elwin came back and started hooking up his equipment. Just as he finished, Ellie rolled over and groaned, making Bullhorn look up and jump over to a new spot. I tried to calm myself. He was just moving because she'd startled him. She was not dying. I refused to let her die.

Tiergan was not doing as good a job at keeping his nerves under control. "Elwin! Bullhorn moved! What's going to happen to her?! You have to help her! Come on!" He was standing up now, practically yelling at Elwin. His silver-blue eyes were full of fear.

"Listen Tiergan, she's not getting any worse. She's not getting better yet, because I haven't been able to treat her with you freaking out, but she's okay for now. You have to let me do my thing."

"But what if she's not okay?!"

"Okay, you're going to have to wait in the hall."

"What?! No! I am not waiting in a hall while my girlfriend's unconscious!" He exclaimed.

"Ahhhh, so that explains it. Kenric, Willa, you didn't tell me they'd finally gotten together! I asked you guys to keep me updated!" Elwin complained.

"Oops..." Kenric laughed nervously.

"You've been shipping us too?!" Tiergan asked. "Has anyone not been shipping us?!"

"Of course I have! You two are adorable! And as for your other question, you got a 59 out of 60 vote in the mentors cafeteria." Kenric and I laughed as Tiergan's face turned bright red. "Anyways, it's time for you to go into the hall." Despite his protests, Elwin finally was able to push Tiergan into the hall and lock the door.

He started looking over Ellie, flashing different colors of light over her body and making little 'hmmm' noises. Tiergan was banging on the door outside, and Elwin started humming a tune to match his beat.

"Seriously?" I asked him.

Elwin shrugged. "Humming helps me work."

"So... is she okay?" Kenric asked when he had finished his examination.

"Hmm?" He asked, looking up from the paper he was scribbling on. "Oh, yes. Ellie should wake up any moment."

"What happened to her?" I said, moving closer to the cot.

"She's- you know what, I think I'll let her tell you herself." Ellie started turning, and then let out a little groan as her eyes fluttered open.

"Ellie!" Kenric and I yelled in unison. Apparently Tiergan had heard us, because out of nowhere, the crystal door to the healing center broke down and Tiergan ran into the room, shadows curled around his fingers.

"You... you manifested!" I said, looking at the shadows in disbelief.

"He's not the only one." Ellie grinned, now sitting up.

"Ellie!" Tiergan gasped, running to her side.

"I'm fine." She smiled at Tiergan's concerned look.

"So.... what did you get?" Elwin asked like a giddy child.

See for yourself said a tiny voice in my mind. I must have jumped out of my skin. Kenric screamed. Tiergan eyes widened. Even Elwin let out a yelp.

"Yes!" He pumped his fist.

"Huh?"

"Oh, I had a bet going with Ro and Keefe about what the twins would manifest as. None of us got you, Kenric, but I got Ellie! Ro and Keefe owe me big time," He grinned, and then pulled out his imparter to call them.

"Well, I still manifested first." Kenric said, smirking.

"So? I got the cooler ability!" Ellie insisted.

"Yeah right! As if reading minds is cooler than teleporting!" Kenric shot back. Tiergan and I laughed, letting the two of them argue to their heart's content. It was just good to have Ellie back.