The Book Of Ebios

3. Enjoying My New One

It had been a week since my disappearance. I can't imagine how my parents feel. I know they are looking for me, desperately trying to find their baby girl. I want to return home, leave a note saying I love, or do so in person. But I can't.

Life here in the base isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Ryne and Dallas take their roles seriously, but are still kind and loving. Everyone can be a huge jokester, well except for Axel. He does try, but telling jokes and making a fool out of himself isn't his cup of tea. He just gets an awkward chuckle before someone else jumps in. They have been treating me like I am their little sister. Ryne and Dallas, maybe more like a daughter. Axel often goes to the library with me. We read books there are more than one of and talk about the book in a book club style. Rio and Javier have been treating me to a losing streak on many games on the PlayStation Nine and on the VR set they have. When the commercial says "reality", they mean reality. I may have broken the controllers a few times due to a fight in a zombie game. I have done some cooking with Dallas. We made a delicious stew with fresh baked cookies for dessert last night. I could tell this was her passion, but it was sadly cut short when she was drafted into The Guardians of the Miraculous. Ryne has been the most supportive, surprisingly. He gives off a tough, don't mess with me, exterior, but he really isn't as tough and scary as he seems. Yes, he could toss you to the ground like a pencil, maybe even snap you in half like one, but really is a big teddy beat. He has been training me for the last week. I can lift everyone if they sit on the couch and no one is very light. Due to non stop training, everyone is decently or extremely muscular.

I went out on my first outing yesterday. I didn't go anywhere. I sat outside the cave entrance and read some of my book while everyone went into town. They looked like they were going to rob a store in the north pole with their scarves over their mouths and hats almost to their eyes.

"So no one knows our identity," Ryne explained as we all left.

I wanted to go into town too, but I was currently a missing teen. If anyone saw me, they would call the cops and there would go my life. Literally. Everyone had to wear snowshoes until they were on concrete. I wore them too, even though I sat just behind the tree branches to get some fresh air. Rio and Ryne already covered up my footprints with dirt. Dallas wore my shoes and walked away from the cave to set the cops off the trail. I thought that the cops would have already found the footprints and would know if they magically disappeared, but Dallas reassured me that they didn't because they would have already found the book if they did.

Everyone came back with a few new clothes, food, and other essentials like toilet paper. Dallas held up three bags that held clothes. A new wardrobe. I took the bags from her as we all made our way back to the base. Ryne did a quick inspection of the book before following us inside. I helped Dallas unpack boxed foods, bags of chips, and meat she had picked out at the grocery store. The guys went to unpack their clothes, Axel brought the toilet paper and cleaning supplies with him to put away. Dallas went to her room to put her stuff away before coming into mine to help me unpack.

"Here you go," Dallas handed me a bottle of shampoo and conditioner. "I don't know what kind you like. I went off my best judgement and your hair type."

"It's alright. This will be just fine," I responded as I put the bottles on my desk.

Dallas opened one of the bags and handed it to me giving me an I will let you do that bag look. I looked inside and nodded thank you with a smile. I hung the shirts and leggings Dallas had picked out. The plaid shirts were not really my style, but I had a dress belt from the outfit I was wearing when I first got here. I could figure out something.

"Sorry if it isn't your style. They only had so much at the thrift and dollar stores," Dallas said in an apologetic tone.

"No, no, it's okay. I have a few things I had with me and that you gave me to make it more my style. Plus, I have never seen myself in plaid. I may like it," I smiled.

Dallas smiled back as she put a newish pair of sneakers on the floor in front of my bed. I thanked her as she walked out, closing the door behind her. I continued to unpack the last few things that were left in the bag. A pair of ripped jeans and a pair of leggings lay on the bottom of the bag. I pulled them out and placed them neatly folded into the drawers in the closet. I wish I has asked for something to decorate my bland room with. The walls were still bare, clean of posters and picture frames. Two picture frames, one on each side of my bed, held pictures I had in my small backpack I had used as a purse. One was of my parents and I on my high school graduation day and the other was a picture of my dog Bella, who passed away just over three years ago, and I at my twelfth birthday party with my parents cheering behind us. They sat in white picture frames with little rose vines painted on them. I had a few other pictures, but I was only able to pick two and those were my favorites. I went over to my book bag and pulled out a journal. Since the move, I haven't used it. I called it my high school drama log, but I stashed a few printed memories I had with friends and family in it. I meant to take it out, but I never did. I am glad I hadn't tossed it as it now serves as a reminder of how simple my life used to be and how I took advantage of it, even if I did so in the smallest of ways. My pictures and journal were the only things I had to remember about my life before I was drafted into the G.M.

Now I wasn't complaining about being part of the G.M. I only wished I was allowed to explain to my parents what was going on. I know the would understand, they would have to after seeing my unique strength. They would let me go and live my life protecting a book that determined whether I lived or died. But I knew not telling them would protect them from myself and anyone who wanted the book.

A knock at the door broke the focus I had on scanning through my journal. I called for them to come in. Javier opened the door wide with a smile of relief.

"You look happy," I grinned. "What's up?"

"We would like to see you outside of the Mission Control room in a minute," Javier smiled.

"Uh, okay. For what?" I asked. I wasn't allowed to go into the Mission Control room, I wasn't even allowed to step in front of the door, especially when Ryne called a meeting. So why was now different? Did I unknowingly do something wrong?

I walked up the stairs a few moments after Javier left my room. I turned the corner to find everyone gathered in a cluster outside the door. They were whispering amongst each other until Rio announced my presence as I slowly mad my way toward them.

"Hello Trinity," Ryne said in a boss tone that wasn't at all aggressive.

"Hello," I said, slurring my response.

"You are probably confused right now, maybe even a little wary. It is completely understandable. At some point, we all felt how you may feel right now," Ryne said as he gestured for me to come closer. "As I said, this room is Mission Control. Although that is true, there is a bit more to it than that."

I walked towards the door as he opened it for me to enter. I wasn't sure of what was going on. I know I should trust them, I needed to trust them, I do trust them, but I have never been able to enter this room before. Now they are making my first time entering the room a big ceremonial thing. But why? I entered room. A large table that sat eight was placed in the center of the room. Three chairs on each side and one at each end. The chairs were large, black leather chairs with a symbol identical to the one on the book on them. A holographic projector sat in the middle of the table. I was shocked to see on considering only millionaires were owners of a single projector. Along the wall behind the three chairs were costumes. They reminded me of superhero costumes, like the ones in the movies, but they were... different. There were no masks or capes. No spandex outfits with boots. None of that. They looked like normal clothes. There were jackets that looked like they were made of cotton and the same symbol was stitched in white on the front. There were no hoods, just zippers to close up the black jackets. Black leggings were placed under two of the jackets, the others had what looked like black sweatpants with no strings or pockets . A pair of white and black sneakers sat on the bottom of the case, a pair of black and white gloves resting on a stand beneath them. The stand on which the clothes rested started to turn when Dallas pressed a button on the same wall that held the costumes, revealing handles to open the cases.

"It is part of our job to take down anyone who finds out about The Book of Miraculous. If they know the location, we take them down; if they know the book exists, we take them down," Ryne explained. "These suits keep us safe while doing so. They are made of cotton and leather, but they have been infused with let us just say magic, which gives us protection as long as every part of the suit is on. It makes it very hard for someone to stab us without breaking their knife, shoot us without the bullet shattering, or punch us without breaking their hand. Thankfully we haven't needed to use them in a few years."

"But wouldn't they see our faces?" I asked questionably.

"Well, yeah, but they won't remember us after we erase their memory of us and anything to do with the book," Javier said excitedly.

Dallas picked up a round, metal sphere with a red light that glowed brightly. She lifted it to a viewable position, turning it to show a button that was hidden in the metal. You wouldn't know it was there unless you paid close attention. She explained that it was a piece of technology that hasn't been invented yet in our modern world, but only in the world of the Book of Miraculous.

"When you erase someone's memory, you tap the button and throw it to their feet," Dallas explained as she handed me the metal sphere.

"That's when you run," Rio semi-whispered in my ear. "Or stay for the thrill, your choice." I let out a slight giggle while Dallas smirked and rolled her eyes.

"What is it called?" I asked as I handed it back to Dallas.

"The Repressor. Yeah, I know, it isn't much of a fancy name, but we didn't name them. The guardians before us did," Dallas explained.

"What do you mean the guardians before us? How many groups were there before us?" I asked.

"We are the second generation of guardians. The first were chosen within ten years of the book falling to earth," Ryne explained as he showed me to another area of the room.

The next room wasn't nearly as big as the first. A few monitors and two chairs were the only few things taking up much room. The monitors showed camera footage of each room besides the bedrooms and the bathrooms. Two of the monitors showed the book inside the cave, safely resting on its pedestal. On the far wall, a large monitor surveilled different groups of people. Some seemed nice, going about their day, but having private meetings mentioning caves and magic. Others were aggressive, going through and raiding places for information, but got nowhere. Rio and Javier stepped out of the room to allow Axel in. Axel showed me a book that sat underneath the large monitor. A list of names and dates was filed onto each page.

"Whenever we take a person or a group down, we write the name of the group or person into this book along with the date," Axel explained. "When you look at it, it reminds you of your accomplishments."

"It really is rewarding to see," Ryne added as we exited the small room.

Everyone was about to go their separate ways, but I just had to know why they decided to show me this now. I have already been here for a week, I know my way around the base, I know and follow the rules. Why would they keep part of something I already know a secret?

"It is just protocol," Ryne answered when I asked, he walked away with relief.

Why was it protocol? Did they show someone their secrets and were backstabbed by them? Why was he so relieved of my question? I has so many questions. I shrugged them off and wiped them clean from my mind. They trust me and I trust them. That's all that matters at this point.

...

My alarm clock rang loud and clear, waking me up. The early morning sun hid above layers of dirt and stone that sat on the other side of the cement walls as I got up for breakfast. Today was my first day of combat training with Ryne and tech training with Dallas. I would spend an hour each morning after breakfast training in each skill for the next few months, or till I can train on my own. Ryne proposed we stop weight training as he saw no point in doing it anymore. I wasn't disappointed about it, in fact, I was glad. After the first two days, it wasn't fun anymore. I proved my strength, showed off a bit, and that was all I needed. Axel was teaching me some history behind the Book of Miraculous and it was certainly fascinating. An alien book crashed to earth seeking protection, from what? No one knows. All we know is that it crashed, sought us for help, and gave us unique abilities. No one knows why.

Dallas called out to everyone that breakfast was ready. I was a Friday morning, the last morning of the week we had to listen to our alarm clocks. Similar to school, we woke up and followed a schedule Monday through Friday. Everyone was a bit different. It all depended on what your ability was really. Dallas did her ability training in the late evening, taught me how to use the tech in the morning, and did her combat training after we ate lunch. I wasn't too sure about everyone else. I only knew Dallas's schedule because she was my aid for the first few days, helping me get settled in and find my way around. We all put chores into our schedule along with camera surveillance time. I was in charge of washing dishes after each meal, which I find relaxing. We all shift between camera surveillance, well everyone but me. Ryne explained that because I was still new, I wasn't properly trained on how to handle a situation if one were to come up. Dallas later added the Ryne and herself will go over how to in the next few days. I was okay with that, I mean I was still settling in. My camera surveillance time was replaces with "me" time and I am more than okay with that. I'll spend that time teaching myself CPR, the Heimlich, and basic first aid. It will come in handy in my new life.

Every now and then I think about if there is a way I could still fulfill my duty as a guardian, but live my life with my family and friends. I had a life waiting for me. I was going to get married, raise a family, become a nurse or even a doctor. I feel kinda selfish for leaving everyone to keep myself alive, but at the same time, I would feel guilty knowing that I let a living being, even if it is an alien book, die. No matter what I do I will end up leaving my family one way or another. At least this way doesn't involve death. I know it is going to become harder and harder to stay hidden and away from my loved ones. I can't even imagine how the others had done so for as along as they have. Five-plus years? I am finding it hard to stay away from those I love and I have only been here for a week.

I walked into the dining room, still in my pajamas, comfy and warm. The plates were placed nicely on the table. Two to three pancakes sat on each plate, butter and syrup drizzled nicely on top. A plate of bacon and eggs sat next to each one. The sweet scents drifted past my face, giving me a chance to smell them. Everything was fresh because the others had just gone shopping. They had gotten snacks at the supermarket, but with a large breakfast like this, no one will be hungry for one. I sat down, the first to be seated. The guys walked in and sat down soon after. We had our morning chats. Rio and Javier told silly jokes and made sarcastic comments as usual. We all laughed before Ryne settled us down to tell us the plan for the day, just as usual. The plan was the same most days; do chores, watch surveillance cameras, train. The same old same old. The weekends had no plan unless there was an emergency, which according to Rio, there hasn't been one for a few months. Once everyone was done, I gathered the dishes to wash and dry them before putting them away. Axel left to do the guy's laundry when Rio and Javier went to train. Dallas took on the first surveillance shift.

"Once you're done there, go change and I will meet you in the gym for combat training," Ryne ordered in a calm town.

"Okay, I will," I looked back at the pan in my hand and continued to wash off the crusted bacon grease. I may miss my old, life, but I am surely enjoying my new one.