Hopeless
Cezille07
The final day!
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Le Trésor du Garde
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What...was that annoying sound? A piece of cardboard singing? Clak Ritak's terrible violin?
"Elena!" The voice called. It was faraway and unreal. Ignore it. But "Elena!" it called again. For the sake of looking! Look, she told herself. But her eyes wouldn't even open. What time had she slept? Had she slept at all? Grudgingly, her body coordinated a straight sit-up—and her question was answered.
It was Jeremy.
"Elena! Get up! We need you for a mission!"
Now those were the words she needed to hear! On her feet all of a sudden, she saluted him and yelled, "Elena Potato, Assistant Tamer, reporting for duty!"
The Tutor shrugged and continued, "We don't really need a Tamer. What we've got today is a very special case that possibly only you and Greta can solve. It was actually the Tamers' fault this time."
"What's it about?" And her face lit. "Greta and me? A Keepers' mission?"
"Yes, yes," answered Jeremy, rolling his eyes. "Come along. The situation awaits near the Armory. You can watch me reprimand those reckless Tamers. They're already waiting for me there," he added proudly, with a wink as if his job's crowning glory was exactly this: to get mad at Zick and the monsters.
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The Armory had seen better days. Elena was torn between gasping and laughing at its pathetic state: Bim-Bombak's disgusting soups bathing the walls, bits and pieces of Snyakutzes and popped Bursties scattered everywhere, and three young Tamers sitting in this midst, awaiting their judgment.
"Thank you for the wait, Tamers, but you already know we're not in for a party today," Jeremy began, and Elena grinned at their unified scowls.
Zick waved a shy, almost apologetic hello at her. Lay had her arms crossed, and at her feet Teddy was counting down to his moment of doom with a dazed look on his face.
Again winking, Jeremy asked, "Shall I start with the mission or my long speech?"
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"We have been trusting enough to let you kids do what you wish with your powers, provided it is for Bibbu-si's safety. However, I doubt any of you consulted with your resident Tutors about your newest undertaking; I doubt you gave a thought to any consequences a simple mistake can cause you. Tell me, have you any idea what a Trésor du Garde is, Ms. Mamery?"
"Birds of prey, colorful, bodies made of diamond-like crystal," snapped Lay. "Listen, Jeremy, we only tried to catch a few! They only ever come around once every thousand years."
"They are a rare specimen of birds, and as you might know, they're also a very old species of monsters, just like the Flyvans! What I think you don't know is that it's also not possible to use any Dom Power on it. Did you know that, Mr. Thaur?"
Teddy looked up, shrugged, and said nothing.
"Really?" Elena piped in. "How come?"
"These special monsters originate from France. Their name 'Trésor du Garde' means, 'Treasure of the Keeper'. The Keeper's Treasure!" Their eyes widened. Jeremy went on, "It is a Keeper's Treasure because it follows those who see but do not impose their wills on them! The Trésor du Garde makes this worldwide trip once every thousand years to show off its rare beauty, but otherwise, it is never seen, even in its own country, even by Keepers. But Keepers are special to them, because unlike Tamers, they don't command, they care; they don't assert, they suggest. The very nature of these birds is hard to predict, but for sure, I wouldn't assign this job to foolish Tamers like these three," he finished, indicating Zick, Teddy, and Lay. "I don't even know how they could disrupt the cycle. One moment there they are, passing by as they always did; next thing we know, they've been in Big Burg for a few days now. Their routine has been broken and I might not know why, but I know who did it."
"So, what do I do?" asked Elena, a large grin taking over her face. They all watched her thoughtfully. Maybe enviously. And that grin became bigger at the thought that finally, it was their turn to wait by the sidelines.
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Greta met them outside, and for sure, a flock of glass-like creatures were flying in desperate circles overhead. She put a finger to her lips, hushing Lay's irritated outbursts.
"That's them," she pointed. "But look over there." She directed their eyes towards a clump of low trees, where a group of men with binoculars were trying to seek the birds.
"But those...those guys are...." Elena gulped, a harsh recognition ready to slap her. "They're from the supermarket! I don't understand. What're they doing here?"
Lay answered, "What else? We've been studying them for days, and it seems we weren't the only ones who realized how much their crystal bodies would cost!"
"My dad said his supermarket was hosting something big! He was talking about this! They're planning to sell them!"
"Not like everyone can see the birds at all—"
"Lay, will you stop being rude? Especially to Elena!" Zick warned. They turned to look at him, except Lay. "I don't like what you did to her the other day," he said, "And all this...is your fault anyway. You found the Keeper's Treasure birds and wanted to capture them."
"It's not my fault some ordinary human with 'special' powers happened to see them too!" yelled Lay. "Geez, Zick! Standing up for a Keeper is so degrading of a Tamer."
"That's enough!" Zick created a ball of Dom Energy and prepared to blast Lay off the face of Big Burg. Had Elena not given him this approving grin, even Greta's presence wouldn't hold him back.
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