Chapter 4: Decision

Along with Mr. Alarmclock, the two girls flew lowly to the west side of the barrier; at the back of Calla Town. And for the first time Penelope used her broom. The sparks on her eyes were wonderful. "I never thought flying is so terrific!" She giggled as she fly higher and higher that Anna could no longer see her. She was so thrilled and amazed. She looked down and saw the whole Calla Town, where she and her siblings grew. It was too late when she noticed that she was about to hit the barrier. She tried her best to stop her broom but it's too late. She already hit the barrier. She accidentally bumped her head on the wall; fainted. Her hands slipped out of the broom and she fell. As fast as the lightning, Jayco came out of nowhere with his broom and save her.

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Sarah saw something from afar. A green light from a broom she never saw before. It's not that clear but she is certain that it wasn't her friend.  Because Penelope's broom still can't produce that kind of light. 

"Clock, who's that?" she asked Mr. Alarmclock who were very busy chasing a blue butterfly.

No answer.

"CLOCK!!!"

"WHAT!!!"

"Quit chasing that little butterfly! You stupid alarm clock! Come here!"

"Be careful on your words, little one. You are not my master." He snapped.

"Yeah, whatever. Look there, someone's coming." Mr. Alarmclock looked up but he just ignores what he saw.

"Clock, let me borrow your mirror."

"Hey! Don't push it! Just because I'm being nice to you doesn't mean you can command me like Penelope does."

Sarah can't hold her temper anymore. She had no choice but to bully Mr. Alarmclock so he would let her use its magical mirror. Then, with an intense dark atmosphere coming from her brown eyes, Sarah on her knees faces the already terrified Mr. Alarmclock. And with a husky voice she said. "You wanna drown?

Mr. Alarmclock in his fear quickly rubbed his tiny wood hands together. In less than a minute his palms turned into tiny mirrors. "Mirror, mirror on my hands show me that green creature in the sky!" he chanted.

On a brief moment the mirrors glows. Then Sarah saw a picture of her best friend unconscious in the arms of their teacher, Jayco. She was shocked but somehow she felt so happy.

"They looked perfect, right? " Mr. Alarmclock said mischievously.

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Sarah runs unto where Jayco landed.

"Umh…sir…what…what a happened up there? Is she going to be okay? Tell me, is she okay?" Sarah tried to asked calmly though she was nothing but.

"She's fine. So tell me, what are doing here? You both supposed to be at school helping the others prepared for the upcoming tournament. Everyone was looking for both of you." He asked. " Besides this fainted fella here had a big responsibility to take." His voice suddenly became so sad.

"Don't worry that's not really new. That girl takes a big responsibility every day."

"No, it's bigger than that. I'll explain everything when she wakes up."

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Penelope woke up in the shining place again. She can feel her head aching. "Am I in that place again?" she thought. Then she heard a voice, a thick but gentle voice speaks to her; saying.

"You're in a middle of a crisis Penelope. You have to accept my power sooner or later, or your life will be in a great danger. Wake up, wake up!"   

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WAKE UP!!!!! It's Mr. Alarmclock, doing his job; to wake Penelope.

"AHHH…!" Penelope brings out a deep gasp. "Who was that?! What happened?! Am I dead already?!"

Everyone took a sigh of relief. In exasperation, Sarah pinched Penelope's nose.

After seeing his master awake, Mr. Alarmclock felt his head nodding off to sleep. "Oh gosh, thanks for using my mirror. Now, I'm exhausted. I'll sleep for a while. Good night." Mr. Alarmclock said; half asleep.

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 "Yup! It's the annoying clock who wakes you. You hit the barrier. AND YOU ARE SO DEAD!!! What were you thinking flying so high like that? Have you forgotten that your broom still wasn't stable? You're not yet eighteen you dummy!" Sarah was about to pinched harder which scared Penelope. She can't stand against Sarah. She was about to say sorry when Sarah loosen fingers and whisper to her. "Hey, what's with you and Jayco?"

"HUH?!" she answered.

AHEM! Jayco cleared his throat which gets their attention. "Please let me train you." He said.

"What?" the two girls both said. "Oh yeah, what were you saying earlier? About Penelope?" Sarah said.

"Me? Why me?" she asked confusedly.

"Okay. Here goes, the CC (Central Circle) change the rule in the tournament. They said that for almost 30 years since the priestess approved this kind of entertainment. But these past few years it had been so boring to watch a tournament without a fighting. So they change the rules to make it a real battle. But the worst part is they choose a participant on each university. And for Calla University, they choose Penelope. They want to see if Penelope is really the Elemental Masters' elder daughter.

"Or maybe they just want eliminate her from this world." Sarah interfered.

"Hey!" Penelope snapped. "Don't think of him like that! I know he hates me but I don't think he would not go that far.

"Who wants to kill you?" Jayco asked.

"No one." She answered facing the ground.

"Her father, who else could it be? His been nice to all but Penelope. Last year at the university contest, he's the one who poisoned Penelope. The reason why she lost against Anna in front of all Celestial Witches and Wizards, especially in front of her own mother. He's holding a grudge on her ever since she was born. But now, he finally got a chance to get rid of her."

Penelope ignored all her friend said. She can't believe it. It's not that she didn't know what her father Pasha felt about her. But the point that Pasha wants her dead, won't sink into her mind. "I'm going home."

"Ah, so you're gonna put this topic away, huh? Yeah I know, you're always like that every time we talked about him. For once in your life Pen please don't ignore this.

"I'm not ignoring it Sarah. I'm dropping it! If that's what they want, fine I'm gonna fight." She said angrily.

"You don't have to do it. Please just run away. I see no chance of you winning this one. Ask your mother to drop this tournament, please." Jayco begged.

"No! I'M DOING IT! I'm so sick of running away!" She shouted.

Sarah can't hold herself anymore. She was so furious at what her were acting. With her hands, she slapped Penelope. "IDIOT!!!" She shouted. Sarah throw her hands on her forehead and took a deep sigh to ease her worrying. She knew Penelope, and she meant every word she said. She had no choice but to smile and cheer her best friend. She hugged Penelope tightly, saying. "Well, if you insist on dying."

"Wait, hold on Sarah! So you're letting her do it now? Damn. Can't you see? She no chance on winning! I've already tried it before and I never even leave them a scratched. Especially, those from Fiery Wizard  University. You won't stand a chance!"

 "All my life I've been ignoring all the people had said to me. I don't know why they're like that. Mom said I was a princess but the people never treated me one. But I believe my mother more so I ignored all of it though it hurts. But now I realized that ignoring is worse than running away. I want to this for myself, I wanna grew up. I don't want to be scared anymore." She said while brushing her hair with her hands. She hold her head up high. Her eyes are close to tears but she let it flow like a river.