The next day was Sunday, but nobody did much. 

I decided that we shouldn’t go to the BUSH every day, that might attract unwanted attention. Monday, however, was complete and absolute chaos. (See title above) The day started out pretty early, with Cliff banging on our doors and yelling, “Time to go! Get up, get dressed, Crystal Tower, here we come!” 

“I find it extremely unfair that we have to get up at the crack of dawn to go on a field trip,” I grumbled to Willow as I headed to my bathroom. 

“No complaining!” Came Cliff’s voice from the cozy room, as though he had heard me.

About an hour later, and after a hasty breakfast, all the first years were gathered in front of the school with small bags with their lunches in them.

“Alright, everyone!” bellowed Cliff. The other activities teachers obviously let Cliff be their speakerphone when addressing the entire crowd.   

“We will be using a worm tunnel to reach the famed Crystal Tower! If you don’t know what a worm tunnel is, well, you’re about to find out! So follow us and DON’T FALL BEHIND!!!” Cliff shouted the last so loud, everyone flinched back. 

Cliff and the others turned and started to walk away. We followed and before long we came to a small hill. The teachers walked around it and on the other side, where there was an entrance to a dirt tunnel. A few of the students hung back, casting nervous glances at the hole. Their friends quietly talked to them and they reluctantly surged forward with the rest of us. The tunnel was dark and we all walked forever.  It took so very long. When I finally saw light ahead, I felt about ready to collapse. But Cliff urged us on with pleasant shouts of, “Last one there is a rotten egg!” 

That caused everyone to begin shoving and pushing through the crowd. I started to sprint, with Willow and Thistle at my heels. We were one of the first to come out on a hill and I got my first glimpse of Crystal Tower. It was HUGE. At least three times as tall as any of the Warrior towers at the school. It was clear, and you could see the staircase winding up inside the walls. There was an observation deck that circled around the office at the top. The tall structure sparkled in the sun, and I was just standing there. You probably are thinking, did you say wow? Well, no. I thought, how many stairs will I be able to climb before I faint with exhaustion? There had to be at least 1,000 steps. I shared my thoughts with Willow, and I thought she would faint right then. 

“We will split up!” Cliff was being a speaker again. “Earth and WaterWarrior’s will go up Crystal tower first, while the rest explore down low. Or just rest.”

The Air and FireWarrior’s looked like somebody had just told them Christmas was coming early, while the rest of us, including me, looked like somebody said Christmas had just been canceled.

“C’mon, let's get this over with,” I told Willow. 

She wrinkled her nose but started forward with me. Thistle followed. We three were the first to reach the base of the gigantic tower. We found the door, and Willow pushed the button that opened the door… and started the escalator! The stairs were right in front of the door, but they were an escalator. 

“Hey, everyone!” Thistle shouted at the crowd. “There’s an escalator!”

Instantly, the rest of the Earth and WaterWarrior’s perked up and crowded forward. Me and my friends quickly stepped on, and started to spiral upward. It took a good five minutes, and it was interesting seeing the tree tops coming close to eye level and then becoming bushes below. When we finally stepped out onto the clear platform, I had a wave of vertigo. The ground was so far below me, and I remembered that I wasn’t terribly fond of heights. Thistle looked a bit nervous himself, but Willow must’ve seen my face, because she guided me over to the office.

“No, no, I want to see the view,” I protested. “Got to face my fears someday.” 

“Yep, me too,” Thistle agreed, and without further ado, we crossed the platform getting crowded to an edge. 

On the way, I got separated from my friends and bumped into Arctic. He glowered at me, and I felt a jolt of annoyance. 

“Look, I’m sorry that I knocked you down, I didn’t mean to. Can you please stop being all grouchy at me and everyone else? What did everyone do to you?”

Arctic, on the contrary, glared even harder at me and then spun around on his heel and stalked off toward the office, and I turned and went over to Willow and Thistle. They were arguing, again. I squeezed in between them and caught my breath. My hands gripped the clear railing that came up to my stomach. 

“Gosh, this is great,” I say to Willow. She was focused on the view now, and she nodded.

I could see for miles, I swear. I could see mountains and far off trees.

“They look so small,” said Thistle, diverting my attention downward. 

The FireWarrior’s did look small. Most of the AirWarriors were using the wind to fly wobbly a few feet off the ground, though some were daring and flew extremely wobbly halfway up the tower. I lean over the rail a bit farther, looking at the people below. Then, all at once, I felt strong hands shove me from behind! I flipped head over heels, managing to grab the rail as I fell. My arm jerked painfully, but I clung on as I dangled. Thistle and Willow peered at me, their eyes wide, and they each grabbed my arm and tried to pull me up. I was slipping, and they were leaning too far over.

“Let go,” I gasp, fear overrunning my thoughts. “If we all fall-”

“No!”said Willow. 

“You nuts?” grunted Thistle. 

“No,” I say.

“We can pull you up,” Willow insisted. 

“Heave,” Thistle instructed.

But I was slipping way too much, they were barely holding on.

“Just let go,” I begged.

They both shook their heads.

“No,” says Willow again.

They were leaning so far, they were sure to fall. Why was nobody noticing this?

“Wish me luck,” I say, and then let go.

I fall fast, and I see my friends' horrified faces look at me, then they vanish. 

Suddenly, hands grab my shirt, and at the corner of my eye I see Notus. I was floating for a moment, but then we both began to fall. Typhoon appears on my other side, and tries to help, but they are both forced to let go, and I flip and start to fall again, now facing the ground. I see two FireWarrior girls looking up at me, and one turns and runs out of my eyesight. But before she goes, I see the colorful beads in her hair that marked her as Spark.  I was falling so fast, and I was terrified. The other girl, Ember, seemed frozen in place and she got closer and closer.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!” I finally manage to scream. “Heeeeelp meeee!!!”

I could now see Ember’s eyes, and boy, were they wide! I was seconds away from landing on top of her when strong arms wrapped around me and the AirWarrior activities teacher plucked me out of the sky and landed safely. She looks at me over, concerned. 

“What were you thinking?” she scolded, setting me down. 

I collapse on the ground, and gasp, “Somebody push me.”

I heard an intake of breath. “No,” exclaimed several voices.

My eyesight is getting blurry, and the last thing I saw was Willow and Thistle's concerned and out of breath faces hovering over mine. 

The last thing I heard was Cliff saying to my AirWarrior savior, “If it’s true, we have an infiltrator. If not, well it doesn’t matter. She needs the Infirmary. Ahana, can you take her?” 

After that, I heroically fainted.

I WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON THIS THREAD, YOU ARE TOO FUN TO TALK TO

I'll post my blip seperate, it's actually a chapter, but it's pretty short. hope it's okay! it is chapter 8 sooo

ooooh *sends a billion four leaf clovers* good luck!!!! I sincerly hope it is amazing

You didn't tell me about Japan, if there was any highlights, please do!! and I'm doing pretty good, I'm on vaction in Kentucky right now. It's so pretty and GREEN here-

I do history, science (mostly taking notes) ASL, writing, and herb studies. and some math here and there. What I have to do is do everything at least once in a week, which isn't too hard. and I have to do at least 2 hours a day. But I don't start school until September

Your picture didn't make it on your post T_T could you try again?

I was wondering how many AEs do you have now? I have SEVEN (so manyyyyy) and I have two (maybe three) shipped! it's so great :D