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Third Glyph: Birds of Abydos
Like usual, the apprentices got up early and prepared for the day. They could sense that today they would be assigned something by the smell of the air and the weather...
"I think this will take us more than a few days...and perhaps somewhere else," Bast theorized, walking down the hall with Sphinx.
He nodded in agreement.
Once they reached the main chamber, they found a pretty distraught looking Imhotep.
His appearance was neat as always, but his eyes darted about with worry.
"Sphinx! Bast!" he called, his arms open.
Bast seemed so much keener to emotions and she ran forward to hug the old master. Sphinx looked and saw a flash of him and Horus hugging Imhotep when they were younger.
Oh gods...
He went and hugged his master and Bast too.
Even small hopping sounds were heard and their old friend Bas-Ket leaned as to give a hug.
"What is troubling you, Master?" Bast asked, looking up.
He could only send her a reassuring smile.
And at that moment Sphinx realized why she was left in his charge and why she was so important to Imhotep.
No, it wasn't for her magic or because she was just another apprentice.
It was because she filled a gap.
She understood him.
And Sphinx was protecting her because she was precious.
But what about himself? How was she important to him? She was with him to train… Perhaps to also fill some gap that Sphinx had forgotten a long time ago when Horus left them.
"I must request you two return to Abydos," he nodded more seriously.
"Of course!" Bast nodded excitedly, eager to return to her place of birth.
"Will we retrieve something?" the girl asked.
"I heard there has been a string of robberies there. Please investigate."
A string of robberies?
"Yes!" accepted Bast.
"Oh, erm, yes!" Sphinx followed, snapping out of his daze.
Bast started to leave.
"Hurry Sphinx! There is something I would like to show you when we arrive!"
"Hold on!" he called, able to get her to stay this time (however her arms were now crossed).
"Master, are you okay?"
"Yes," he replied calmly, eyes still worried.
"Watch her, Sphinx."
"Yes, of course!"
"And Bast?" Imhotep called to her.
"Yes, Master?" she answered, tail flickering.
"Listen to Sphinx and stay together!"
"Yes, Master!" Bast nodded, "Hurry Sphinx! Or it will be too late!"
The demigod started to leave before turning one last time.
Imhotep waved at him and he continued.
"Master Imhotep!" Bast called, Sphinx already with her, "We should go to Abydos together one day!"
Imhotep smiled and waved as they left.
His heart wrenched and he wept.
"Perhaps you can tell me the rest of your story!" the demi-cat suggested, her tail waving in eagerness.
Sphinx smiled, "When we get to the ship."
"Oh..." she pouted while she crossed her arms and stood still.
Her tail stopped and she watched Sphinx go into the water.
"Hurry Bast! Or it will be too late!" he called like she had once did.
She uncrossed her arms, gave a small smile and swam with Sphinx.
"To Abydos!" Khonsu, the ship's captain, called. While Bast was looking at the ship, he winked at Sphinx who looked a little startled.
I knew he'd finally get a girl.
"Could you please tell me more of your adventures, Sphinx?" Bast asked immediately.
"Of course," he laughed, recounting the time when Khonsu had to save him from trouble.
Heroes always get the girl, but at least he made me sound good.
"Have a good day you two!" Khonsu winked, waving to the couple.
He watched the, leave on the zip lines and run across the bridge together.
"Ah, so cute..."
"Why did that man think that I was yours?" Bast asked, puzzled and upset she couldn't figure it out.
"You are my responsibility," her guardian replied.
"No, it was something like I belonged to you. You do not own me!" Bast said, crossing her arms.
"I, oh...no. He was wrong," Sphinx waved. He already figured out that when Bast crossed her arms, she was very mad, and he already got her to cross her arms about 3 times that day.
How does she not know what that means?
"What does it mean?" she demanded.
"Ah...it, uh..."
Damn.
"Means?" she asked expectantly.
"That we are, uh, going out," he attempted.
"We are going out, are we not? We got here together."
"No, I meant he thought we were a-" Sphinx scratched his head, "Erm..."
She stared at him with green eyes, waiting impatiently.
"Lovers," he finally said, embarrassed.
"Oh! We most certainly are not! That way of speaking always confuses me!" she nodded.
"Well, the master asked if we could investigate a string of robberies, should we check the museum first?" Sphinx said, trying to drive her attention away from people's comments, or rather: thoughts.
"Of course!" Bast agreed, remembering the museum.
They rounded the bridge and made their way until an old friend stopped them.
"Sphinx!"
"Adjo!" they cried happily, recognizing their friend.
"Ah? What's this? Bast! Dear, how are you?" the bird-man asked, sitting up in his pile of dirty blankets and carpets, "How long has it been?"
"Well!" she replied, "I believe it has been very long since I have last seen you!"
"I was wondering when you would return, of course, not together in the least! You two are not-" Adjo began, eyeing them.
"No, we are on a mission for our master," Sphinx said, trying not to be mistaken for lovers again.
"Of course," Adjo nodded, they did seem in a hurry to do something important.
"Could you then perhaps tell us who has been robbing Abydos lately?" Bast asked.
"Robberies...Yes! Just last night! From what I hear it was some demi-boy. He stole something like, um, food and something else. Not much to worry about. If he's lucky he could get away with 40 lashings or so," Adjo answered, giving all the information he could remember.
"I see...thank you then, Adjo!" Bast waved, leaving with Sphinx.
"Come visit soon!" he called.
"Ah...kids..." he sighed, lying back down, "So cute..."
Sphinx and Bast finally arrived at the museum to see if anyone there knew anything, after all, it wasn't the first time important artifacts were stolen.
The place seemed more crowded than usual, but it didn't look like anything from here was stolen.
"I'm going to look at the jewels!" Bast called, jogging to leave.
Sphinx groaned and went after her.
Curse that cat.
"Sphinx! Look! I am wearing a jewel!" she laughed.
Bast was standing behind the glass and was appearing like she was wearing it.
"Bast, come," Sphinx beckoned like to a real cat.
She pursed her lips, upset that she was being treated like this and crossed her arms but did not move.
"Bast," Sphinx threatened.
"Fine," she huffed, throwing her hands down in frustration.
She followed him downstairs to where even more people were.
There, they spotted the mayor and approached him.
"Ah! Our hero returns!" exclaimed the large bird.
"Hello, Mayor," they greeted.
"Ah? Is she your girlfriend? Oh! My blessings!" the mayor chirped too fast for either to stop it.
Bast crossed her arms again and Sphinx nervously scratched the back of his head.
The only thing they could do next was smile.
Grin and bear it.
"We were sent here to see about a string of robberies?"
"Ah, yes," the mayor nodded, "especially last night."
"Could you please tell us what happened?"
"Of course," he replied, "It started only as small things, scraps and so, about a lashing or two. But then when it was food from the marker, it caused some irritation... Then they moved to something even more! More food! Right off of people's table! That's at least 40 lashes there you know, but anyways the thief stole something again! A trifle of a thing, but a possession none the less," the mayor explained, not done yet.
"Wait, how do you know it was just one thief?" Bast asked, paying attention to the whole thing.
"Because the thief, my dear, would leave a stone engraved with the word 'hero.' I disagree; he's caused enough trouble already!"
"Hero..." Sphinx mumbled. Thinking...
"What did he steal besides food?"
"Besides food...only a scroll from the city's library. We attempted to chase him, but he fell into the water."
"What was on this...scroll?"
"Just old legends. Nothing we haven't heard as children before. Of course it was in the vaults because it was a very rare find," the mayor shrugged.
"What did he look like?" Sphinx called, trying to piece together what he had heard so far.
"Mm, much like any Abydosian street child: demi-bird...about your height and maybe even your age."
"Alright, thank you, Mayor," Sphinx nodded and had Bast follow him out.
"Agh! Why does everyone think that we are lovers? It is infuriating!" the demi-cat fumed.
"Perhaps..." Sphinx threw away the thought and remembered what Bast told him.
"Bast, is it too late to see that thing you told me about?"
"Of course not! If we go now we might arrive in time," she replied, dropping her anger.
This time Sphinx allowed her to lead.
He found himself at the statue bridge and saw Bast climbing the monument.
"Come on!" she called, on top of the shoulder now.
Sphinx could have refused, but not to Bast, and climbed up to her.
He watched her skillfully walk to one point and call to him, "Do not be afraid! It is stable!"
Sphinx tiptoed carefully to her and sat when she did.
They were in perfect view of Abydos' great entrance.
"Oh! Just in time!" Bast clapped, looking at her partner
She looked so...genuine...she was happy, laughing and beautiful.
I meant-
"Watch, Sphinx!" she pointed.
Sunset.
Sphinx smiled, watching the sun sink slowly below the gate statues and before it ended he turned to her.
Bast's eyes were filled with awe and a smile graced her.
Sphinx stared at her most of the time they were there and when the sun finally disappeared Bast gave a little frown.
"Wasn't that wonderful?" Bast asked with big eyes.
"Of course," he grinned while thinking of her face.