{ELEMENTISTS OF WILLOW FOREST BOOK II} The Pain of Earth

TARDIS

11:  TARDIS

Ash and Eve Jenkins lead Sasha out of the main room with all the beds, and through a network of corridors.  How the Tech Elementists could remember where each room was, she had no idea.  Eventually, they reached a metal garage Sasha hadn’t been in before.

“Et viola.”  Eve opened two layers of doors.  “The TARDIS.”

Sasha stepped inside the TARDIS.  Ash and Eve followed her.  They’d decorated it to look exactly like the actual thing, but with screens all the way around the walls, like the HC253.  Instantly, the screens lit up.  It showed the message; 'Please Select an Episode'.  Displayed was a list of every single episode of Doctor Who.

"Very funny."  Sasha commented.  "You've created a haven for all Doctor Who obsessives."

"That's not all..."  Ash gestured to two knobs.  "Mustard and Ketchup.  As seen on whatever episode it was mentioned."

"That's not all that amazing."  Normally Sasha would have tried to sound enthusiastic about the twins' new invention, but not today, with Rock and Pebble being kidnapped and all.

Eve flicked a switch and the screen changed.  It read...

Input Destination.

"Hopefully it can work as an actual vehicle as well, soon.  And we've installed a giant virtual encyclopaedia."

Another button was punched, and up came a volume on each screen.

"Volume three.  The Arts."  Eve demanded.

The computer responded, and an image came up.

"Did I mention that each thing in there there's a video about?"

"Nope."  Sasha responded.  "Now, I missed lunch.  Can your TARDIS deal with that?"

Ash twinkled.  "Doctor Who's TARDIS is a machine that makes other machines.  This is a machine that, among other things, makes food!  One hot dog, please!"

A fresh hot dog was spat out of a drawer.

"Hence the instalment of the mustard and ketchup."

"Okay," Sasha admitted.  "That's pretty cool."

She wolfed down the hot dog, thanked Ash and Eve, and left for the House of All.

2:31

Luke didn’t only find it weird without Rock and Pebble at the meeting, he was secretly crushed inside.  He’d known Rock and Pebble for over two years, now, since Josie had sort of run into Rock (literally).  He was one of the few people who knew them as Emily and Ella, and their lack of presence made him feel like more than just two people were gone.

The others were still there, though.  Josie from the House of Air,  Sasha from the House of Fire, Olivia from the House of Nature, Rachael from Death and Ethan from Tech.

Olivia started the meeting.  "Hi, guys."

The sofa normally occupied by Rock and Pebble felt painfully empty.

"Well, Rock and Pebble have gone missing.  No prizes for guessing who took them."

The unspoken word echoed through the lounge.  Felix.

"Why did he take them?”  Olivia continued.  “I've come up with a few possible answers.

"A)..."

"Liv," Rachael interrupted.  "Don't.  Just tell us which is the most relevant to us."

Olivia looked slightly miffed.  “Either Felix wanted them for a specific reason we don’t know about, or he’s targeting the Councillors in general.  If so, it’s fairly illogical to start with the Miners, unless Felix is taking the Councillors' to Echo Valley in order of Element.  Earth first.  In which case, Air is second.  Josie, that means you."

Silence.

"I don't know how long it will be before Felix makes his next move.  Regardless, Josie, be on your watch.  Make sure someone is with you at all times."

"Err, what about when I go to the toilet?"  Josie ventured.

Olivia smiled.  "Exception.

"The best thing to do is to send someone to Echo Valley.  Someone who can pretend to change sides.  That person will need to come back with Rock and Pebble, and hopefully give us an insight to what life is like at Echo Valley.  We need to know how the enemy works."

She paused, probably waiting for Pebble's usual comment along the lines of 'Life is just a game of chess to you, isn't it?'  But of course, none came.

Luke watched Olivia scan her eyes around the room in the search of volunteers.  "The obvious choice is..."

"Me."  Sasha finished.  "I'm his sister.  I've been to Echo Valley before.  He's more likely to believe it if it's me."

"He'll want to believe it."  Ethan ventured.

"You'll have to walk."  Olivia continued.  "Make it look like you ran away.  The Death Wolves will probably detect you, which is why you can't take the helicopter.  Claim we dragged you back to Willow Forest.  You'd happily stay at Echo Valley.  Actually, you'd rather.  You escaped.  Have been on the run for weeks.  Got drastically lost.  Hopefully you'll catch Felix and/or his minions with Rock and Pebble on their way back to Felix's camp.  You can lie.  We all know that."

Sasha thought that was a little harsh.  She hadn’t lied specifically to any of them.  (Last Wednesday didn’t count)  "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow."  Olivia replied firmly.  “The sooner the better.”