The Book Of Ebios

4.It Stopped

It has been a month now and things around here haven't changes much. My relationships with the others have grown a lot. Rio and Javier feel like big brothers to me. We are always messing around with each other, playing video games, and having movie nights. Sometimes Dallas, Axel, and Ryne join in on the fun of movie night with buttery popcorn and kettle corn that melts in your mouth. We tell goofy stories, Rio makes sarcastic comments while Javier shares a story he claims is better, but his stories aren't all that good. Javier likes to think they are the best stories anyone can tell, but they are far from it.

Axel and I have become quite close, best friend close. We still have out reading time together, that hasn't changed. But we have found a show we like that comes on late evening. After dinner, we sit and watch the episode of the week. We find ourselves laughing so hard to the point Dallas or Ryne run into the entertainment room concerned. You would never think a television show would make you laugh so hard you could pee yourself. We have out best friend talks, too. Axel Usually talks about his little sister and how close they were. He repeats stories a lot, but I can tell he just needs to talk about her.

Ryne and Dallas seem to have become parental figures for me. They teach me all sorts of interesting things, things that will help me as a guardian and things that are random knowledge. Dallas has taught me some recipes for cooking and a little but of baking. I still have training with Ryne, but I finished my tech training a couple of days ago. I have to do special combat training... we learned that the hard way with a trip to the medical center. Ryne's nose looks a lot less purple now. Ryne made it clear that out intentions weren't to kill unless we were going to be killed in a fight. Taking a life is our last resort.

After I finish my combat training with Ryne in a few weeks, I get sworn in with a ceremony. We all gather around the book with candles and the Miraculous symbol painted on my head. Ryne will give some speech and that will be it. Dallas gave me the rundown while we were putting away laundry. She said that we will all have to get dressed up in dresses and suits. I thought getting dressed up in nice fancy clothes was a bit odd for standing around a book in a cave, but I didn't say anything. Odd was the new normal after all.

I went down for lunch with the rest of the guardians. Dallas made cheddar broccoli soup, creamy with soft broccoli chunks, and garlic knots. I was the last to sit, my hair still wet after my shower. My muscles were still a bit sore after my combat training. I grabbed a garlic knot to munch on while I waiting for my soup to cool down a but. Ryne announced the next outing day, which I still couldn't go on. Like the weeks before, I slipped on my snowshoes and sat outside of the cave entrance, reading. According to the news, the search for me cooled down a bit, but not tot the point the case was forgotten. For me to leave the cave, the case must be forgotten. I must be forgotten. I know that my parents would never forget me, but they will probably move in the next few month as there is not need to stay anymore. The town and house will bring them agony, a feeling I wished they never would feel. "You're protecting them," I always tell myself. "You can't go back and leave an innocent soul to perish," "They all seem so happy here, don't take it away." I knocked the thoughts of my return home out of my mind and continued to eat my lunch. I sipped on my soup as Rio and Javier continued to joke and kid around.

"You would never believe in a million years that Axel would ask to play a video game," Rio announced, followed by a smile.

"Well, Trinity makes it seem fun, so I thought I would give it a try later," Axel said as he wiped his hands clean of garlic.

"Well, what video game would you like to try? We have Puzzle Escape or Fall Flat Man. They are puzzle fames, so they might be up your alley," Javier joked.

"Har har. So very funny," Axel rolled his eyes with a grin.

I chuckled as I stood to collect bowls and spoons to wash. I walked over to the sink and placed the dishes in one half of the sink as the other filled with soapy water. Ryne had already wiped down the dining room table and placed everything where it needed to be, a job we took turns doing. Everyone went their separate ways, leaving me to my peace and relaxation as I washed the few dishes I had left.

...

"Everyone to the living room," Ryne called loudly , even those in the entertainment room were able to hear. I scurried into the room as everyone lined up, I stood in line with no clue what was going on.

Javier turned to whisper in my ear, "It is just a test, or a drill if you will, in case there is an emergency. We do one at some point every month."

I relaxed knowing there wasn't an emergency. Ryne thanked everyone for being prepared and arriving in an orderly fashion. He turned away from the group, everyone relaxed their bodies as he went over the standard emergency procedures. He pointed out the emergency latch and ladder in the kitchen ceiling and the one in the long corridor, taking us on and adventure through the base. We followed him downstairs. Ryne pointed out a latch at the end of one of the halls. A long tunnel that led outside was hidden behind it. We walked back into the living room. Ryne walked over to the wall and lifted a small latch. I had never noticed the latch before. Its camouflage made it almost impossible to notice.

"As you all know, there is an emergency button in the surveillance room similar to the on here," Ryne said as he moved out of the way to give us all a chance to see. A medium-sized, red button sat inside the latched hole. A label above it read "emergency".

"Other than those two, there aren't any others, unfortunately. Please no one ask why because just like the times before, I have no answer." Ryne dismissed us after stating that there would be group training tomorrow morning.

We all walked off. It was a normal routine for the others, but the sudden yelling would take some time to get used to. I walked to my room to grab my book before sitting on the living room couch to read. I had always enjoyed reading, but now that was all that I was doing. After my chores and training are done, I sit and read either alone or with Axel till dinner. I spend hours reading, and I was sorta getting tired of it. This place is massive, but I am tired of being cooped up. I know I will get used to this sheltered living life eventually, I just hope it is soon.

Before I knew it, the morning came. I was excused from one on one combat training for the day to participate in group training. I walked into the gym, being the first to arrive besides Ryne. He asked me to put on some boxing gloves for a warm-up, then pointed me to an open boxing bag. It wasn't a normal boxing bag. The vinyl exterior was replaced with a silver metal plate that wrapped around it. I looked around to see that none of the others had a metal plate, but I knew why.

"Try to keep it on the chain this time," Rio teased while Javier grinned. I rolled my eyes and smiled. I turned towards the bag and began my warm-up. It was the standard warm-up, a few punched and some stretches before the real fun. Dallas and Axel arrived together. They were silent as they slipped on their gloves and went over to a bag. Most of us were quiet, still not fully awake. The clock ticked five when Ryne called us back after taking off his gloves. I slipped mine off as I looked up to see a few dents in the metal plate.

"We will start with a rally. Two of you will face off, the winner stays the loser will sit. Whoever is left standing at the end will face Trinity," Ryne explained. I perked up once I heard my name called. I don't think I am ready to fight someone, certainly not someone who beats everyone else. I have super strength, but my body is still just as penetrable as before. What about the book? If we are connected, wouldn't it feel my pain?

I raised my hand, "If someone is to hurt me, wouldn't the book feel the pain too?" I asked.

Everyone sat quietly, trying to come up with a reasonable response. Dallas said it would be alright, neither of us will endure that much pain if any at all. The other nodded and smiled in agreement. I relaxed as Ryne called up the first pair, Axel and Rio.

Before I knew it, the rally was over and my fight against Javier ended in a victory. I thought of myself as the boss in a difficult video game, but without my ego getting the best of me. It felt nice to be undefeated, even if it was only my first time. Ryne announced another group training in a month before dismissing us to clean up before breakfast. I felt untouched, not a single bruise. No one fought as if they were up against a real threat. I took some mental notes on how to improve my fighting techniques in ways that suited my ability. I have to keep in mind that, unlike everyone else's powers, I could kill someone by accident. Although my ability is cool and powerful, I sometimes wish I could have been given one that wasn't so hard to control, one that wasn't so dangerous and noticeable, one that I could hide from the world and my parents. If that was the case, I wouldn't need to hide here all the time. I could at least sneak out and leave notes for my parents or something. I just want them to know that I am okay, that I am safe, that I am warm and full. But they will never get that reassurance. They won't ever know there their baby girl is and whether or not I am still alive. I just have to hope they will be okay.

I sat down for breakfast last. The table was already filled with laughter and cheer. Thoughts about my parents were still racing through my head. I must have been unusually quiet because the attention was shifted from Rio and Javier's jokes and stories to me. The laughter had fallen quiet as Ryne asked if I was alright.

"Yeah, I am fine," I lied.

"You know you can tell us anything right? We are a family after all." For some reason, Ryne's words stung a little. I do agree, we are family, but the thought of replacing my parents with them was too much.

"I just miss my parents, that's all," I answered as I played with the scrambled eggs on my plate.

"That's all? Trinity, that isn't something to keep to yourself. We all went through the same thing. Some of us even tried to run away," Ryne said as he glared at Axel.

"Yeah I tried to run, but when your little sister is sick and you disappear when you family needs you, it is hard to not go back," Axel said as he dropped his fork to the plate.

"I understand but we all have a responsibility to keep that book safe," Ryne stated.

"I know. It is just that it was hard to leave her like that, and it is hard to stay away," Axel said before turning to me. "I understand, probably more than anyone else here, what you are going through. We are all here to lend an ear when you need it.

I looked around at the agreeing faces that sat around the table. I felt a little better knowing something about what Axel went through when he joined. I couldn't imagine leaving someone I love when they needed me most, especially when we are as close as Axel and his sister were. After Axel shared his experience, I noticed how no one talked about theirs. No one mentioned their family or friends before they joined, or any part of their life beforehand. Even Axel only talked about his sister, never mentioning his parents or other relatives. Even I never talked much about my parents to the others. It almost seemed forbidden to talk about their family and friends, an unwritten rule. I am sure Ryne had it the hardest, leaving his family at such a young age to live and learn on his own, not having anyone to help him. He was the first to join after thoes before us. Ryne said they had all passed away before he joined, which is why a new group formed. Being told by a magical base and book that the people who had the same job you now possess, died on duty must be a frightful conversation for a ten-year-old. Everyone else was around my age then they joined, maybe a few years older or younger. Just like mine, their futures were ripped away from them. They have all been living in this base for more than seven years.

Once everyone had finished eating, I gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink. I scrubbed, rinsed, and dried them before putting them back in the right spots. Rio was cleaning the table and setting it up for the next meal. After I was done, I went to the garden. It was the closest I could get to fresh air. I entered the room empty-handed, only the thoughts in my head to keep me busy. I sat down on one of the benches that were placed at the end of the long aisle. I looked at the door that stood far away. Before I knew it, I found myself placing my hands on my head. Pain similar to a headache erupted out of nowhere. It felt like a rock and roll band playing their biggest hit on repeat. Humming, the same humming I heard when I first entered the cave a month ago, rang through my head growing louder and louder. It stopped. I looked around, then that's when I realized my connection to the book grew stronger.