Hey everybird! What's up!?
So first update of not only a new year, but a new decade!
However, the end of the last year and the start of the new year was rather stressful and hard for me, like giving up on fimfiction and the fact that no one seemed interested in the teaser I posted for a new story I plan to do this year, which has been deleted and I guess I wouldn't do…
But I'm still looking froward to trying to make this a good year for me, with plenty of content being pushed out!
Anyway, moving on to today's question…
What are you most excited for this year?
Me: At the moment, I would say I'm most excited for the return of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, to see the epic finale to the series finally and of course most excited to see Ashoka, aka, one of the best characters in Star Wars and to see how she ended up… (Spoilers!) Fighting Darth Maud of all people!
And now moving on to your questions…
From Stormknight089, he asks, "What type of lightsaber is your favorite?"
Me: I would say a single bladed saber, but to have two of them like Ashoka or Asajj Ventress has, using one mostly for attacking while using the other one mostly for defense.
Little Adventurer Part 4
With Jewel crawling through the tight passageway, making it to the end, which was only a few yards away, Jewel carefully climbed down, setting her talons on the ground as she first checked on Emma, who was standing next to the exit.
"You okay Emma?" Jewel asked as she got down to the little girl's level.
"I'm okay, but where are we?" Emma asked in return as she turned her head to look up ahead, well more down below…
The area was a deep well, with a winding wooden, rotting staircase going down and down and much to Jewel's surprise, there were still lit torches here to light the way, the light burning for hundreds of years. Jewel was amazed that this area, which was mostly undisturbed since the treasure was buried underneath, could still remain in such a state as Hondo entered the area from behind Jewel, followed by the majority of his gang.
"So, where do we go from here?" Hondo asked Jewel.
"The only way is down…" Jewel answered. "But this place has been here for hundreds of years now, termite damage in the wood has certainly weakened the structure, it's foolish to go down."
"We're going down, and if you want you and this girl to survive, I suggest you listen to me…" Hondo saying as his gang didn't need an order for that… The ones behind Hondo pointing their guns at Jewel and Emma, which of course frightened Emma as she hid behind Jewel.
"Fine…" Jewel listening as she laid a wing on Emma, calming her down. "But we're not going first, that job is up to your gang members…"
"Very well…" Hondo reluctantly agreeing as he signaled to two of his minions to take the lead.
With the two minions taking the lead, taking the first steps downward on the winding wooden staircase, which was rotting away, Hondo got Jewel and Emma to go next as the hawk leader then went, followed up by the rest of his gang. Carefully taking their steps down, the wood creaked as pressure was applied to the steps, sounding like it would give way to the weight suddenly pushed on them.
"Auntie Jewel, I don't feel safe with this…" Emma said with fright as she felt the next step she would take would be her last, even while holding onto Jewel's wing she didn't feel safe.
"I know, but we'll make it, and don't worry, you're much lighter, so you have less of a chance to fall through." Jewel tried to reassure the little girl.
Suddenly a rumbling could be heard as it got louder and started to shake the well, pebbles breaking free from the rocky walls and falling down into the darkness below. It went on for a few seconds, seeming to not stop as Emma held onto Jewel as the whole group stopped, waiting for the shaking to subside.
"What was that…" One of Hondo's minions asked.
"Must be the Subway, one of the lines must be right next to this well." Hondo answered. "Come on, lets keep moving." Hondo instructed as the subway train seemed to pass, the rumbling coming to a stop.
However while that little trouble was over, the real danger was still present as a few seconds later, one of the two minions leading the way stepped on a rather weak wooden step, which gave way, breaking as the hawk fell right through. Luckily since the hawk had wings of course, he managed to get right back up, helped up by the other minion as the wooden steps fell down and down, disappearing into the darkness. This of course was a last straw for Jewel as she turned to face Hondo.
"This isn't worth it, and plus the treasure is also to be said to be a myth, even I don't know if it's real or not, my grandfather never said he actually found it." Jewel daring to speak to Hondo, who wasn't having any of it.
"This place exists, which means there is a possibility, a possibility I will not pass up on." Hondo replying as he made the clear known… "Unless you want this to be your very last adventure, I suggest you keep moving." Hondo making it clear he wasn't turning back.
Again, not having much choice, Jewel had to keep moving downward, holding Emma with her wing, she continued on, carefully stepping over the open space created by the weak wooden steps giving way. Moving onto the next intact steps, which held in place luckily, Jewel breathed a sigh of relief.
To the Past…
Coming out of the kitchen, Jewel went upstairs in her house to where her parents' bedroom was, of course since her parents were out for most of the day at work, they were not there, thus it was free for Jewel's grandfather to come and place the next clue and for Jewel to find it. And Jewel knew where the next clue was as she went to the bedside drawers, opening it and finding her mother's bible there, laying in there, undisturbed.
Jewel picked it up and began flipping through the pages, looking for the next clue, eventually finding it in the section which detailed Jesus Christ's birth. Seeing the slip of paper, Jewel took it out and unfolded the next clue, which read…
"This final clue to where the final treasure is, is hidden down below where people in the past had to stay close to, to stay warm, be careful, only the most bravest of all little adventurers can go down to such a place." The final clue read as Jewel knew right away where the final clue was located…
To where most little girls would be afraid to go down into without holding onto one of their parents to guide them… The basement where the boilers for heating the house were located… However that was no problem for Jewel as she went straight for the door which led downstairs into the bottom of the house and the dark insides of that area.
Back to the Present…
Continuing on down the creaking steps, which were barely able to hang on and stay in place, the group eventually arrived at their destination, a door which had a numbered puzzle to open it. Both Jewel and Hondo looked at it, trying to think about what combination it could be to open it.
"Could be an important year, like 1776…" Hondo suggested and started to reach for the combination of what he thought it was, but Jewel stopped him before he could begin.
"No, I don't think so, it's too obvious…" Jewel said as she thought about what the combination could be and thought about the building above, the church. "I bet it's the year the church was built…" Jewel remembered seeing the year the building was built, engraved in the stone walls of the church while entering it.
Pressing the combination in, Jewel hoped she was right and she was as the door made an unlocking sound as the stone door in the wall slid open. However what Hondo was expecting didn't show as his expression fell seeing what the inside of the hidden room revealed…
"Where's the treasure?" One of Hondo's minions asked as there was nothing in the room, no shiny gold or rare artifacts stored, just a tiny, empty room with nothing but gathering dust to show for the effort.
"Yes, where is the treasure, it should be here…" Hondo beginning to get angry as his disappointment showed.
"I told you, the treasure is a myth, there was never any real confirmation that it's real." Jewel reminding Hondo as he of course wasn't having any of it and took a gun from one of his minions, pointing it at Jewel and Emma.
"You're going to tell me the next clue or else…" Hondo told Jewel, not needing to state what he was going to do.
Jewel knew Hondo was being serious and thought about what to say, even if it was going to be a lie…
"Fine… All I know is that the next clue is connected to the Old North Church in Boston, where the Colonists alarmed the Minutemen of the British movements before the battles of Lexington and Concord." Jewel told Hondo.
"Okay, well thank you for the hint." Hondo lowering his gun as behind him, his minions were bringing down an old style elevator, which would allow them to easily go back up. "Now I think I'll take my leave…" Hondo going on the platform as his minions followed.
"Wait, you can't just leave us…" Jewel said as she walked up, but was stopped as Hondo's minions pointed their guns at Jewel.
"Why can't I?" Hondo replied. "With you out of the way now, it will be easier to get the treasure, plus I wouldn't have any law enforcement agencies after me if you're out and can identify me." Hondo pointing out as he and his minions started to raise the elevator upwards, taking them out of the deep well and leaving behind Jewel and Emma to their fates.
"We're stuck here auntie…" Emma started to breathe in and out rapidly, losing faith as she was now completely scared, like she was never going to be able to get out of here.
"Calm down Emma, we'll get out of here, we just need to stay calm." Jewel getting down to the girl's level. "I promised your mothers I'll bring you back and that's what I'm going to do." Jewel reassured Emma as Jewel went back inside the empty room which she opened.
" I believe you auntie, but how exactly are we going to get out of here, the only way back is where we came from and those hawks will be up there before we can." Emma pointed out.
"Well if I'm thinking right…" Jewel thought as she looked around the empty room, brushing the dust away with her wing. "The first thing the diggers would have to do while down here is to dig a second tunnel for air and in case the well collapsed…" Jewel thinking as she found something promising.
"So what does that mean exactly?" Emma asked as Jewel found something to press, which would open up a new entrance.
"It means we get out through the treasure room…" Jewel replied as she pushed the way to the new opening which would guarantee their exit…
And I'll leave it off on there!
The next part will most likely be the last, so I'm going to start thinking about what the next short story in this series will be, I'm thinking I'm going to make it Valentine's Day themed, since that day is coming up next month. And I'm thinking that maybe Blu will do something special for Jewel, but finds out that Jewel isn't one to celebrate the day…
But until than…
See everybird later!