Next Generation ~ a kotlc story

Operation Ask Ellie to the Galla Part 4 - Ellie

We are so so so so so sorry about the long wait! Things got sup[er crazy with school and we had zero free time to write. Hopefully we'll be back to updating regularly now!

I stormed up to the Leapmaster, ignoring the concerned look on Biana's face as I passed. I couldn't believe Willa. Maybe I was being too hard on her, but we always told each other everything. But for some reason Kenric knew she had a date before I did.

I just wanted to go out with Tiergan and forget all of this. Or at least vent to him about it. But of course I couldn't. If I did he'd realize I wanted him to ask me to the galla, and then feel bad, and the date would be ruined. I'd just have to pretend it never happened. Who wanted to go to some stupid galla anyways?

I glittered into the fields of Foxfire, but instead of seeing Tiergan there waiting for me, the campus was empty. I frowned and felt my eyebrows furrow. He was never late. Early because he was so scared of being late and me thinking he stood me up? Yes. But late? Never.

I scanned the grounds again, but still saw nothing. That is, nothing except for a piece of paper and something shiny that had been tied to a nearby tree. I walked over to see what it was.

Dangling from the tree by a shiny ribbon was a charm bracelet with a single charm and a note scribbled in Tiergan's handwriting. I let myself squeal a bit before reading it. I loved it when he did something special like this.

Ellie,

Congratulations! You have been chosen to go on an exciting scavenger hunt across the Lost Cities! Just use the charms to get to your next location and follow the clue on the card to find the next charm and clue card! Wondrous surprises await you at the end!

Love you,

Tiergan

P.S. The first clue is to dive deep, then ask for a diving helmet. Trust me.

I grinned and looked at the charm that had been clipped onto the silver bracelet. It was a purple flower with a blue jewel for the center. It was beautiful, but I didn't understand how I was supposed to get somewhere with it.

Then I remembered what my mom had told me about temporary light leaping crystals. She made me and Kenric always carry a tiny one in our pocket that led to home in case of an emergency. I held the charm up to the light, and sure enough, I was whisked away.

When I reopened my eyes, I was standing on a rocky island in the middle of nowhere, I recognized it instantly as the entrance to Atlantis. So now how would I find the next charm? Atlantis was a giant city, I didn't have to time search all of it. I pulled the clue card out of my pocket. Dive deep, then ask for a diving helmet. Trust me. I did, but I wasn't sure what he meant. Was I supposed to go down to Atlantis, or dive into the ocean?

After some thought, I decided on going to the city. Once I had fallen safely down, I looked around. Who was I supposed to ask for a diving helmet? Then I noticed two figures wearing hats, oversized trench coats, sunglasses, and fake mustaches. One had fiery red hair tucked into a not so neat bun, and the other was making finger guns at the passing people as they stared at the oddly dressed people. Yep, it was Kenric and Willa.

I still wanted to be mad at them, but if they were here they were obviously playing some part in Tiergan's surprise, so I decided to be civil.

As I approached, Kenric stepped forward. "Password?"

"Um, can I have a diving helmet?" I asked, hoping that was what he meant.

I was rewarded for my efforts with a grin and a "Correct!" as he reached into his pocket and handed me a slip of paper with a tiny charm attached. This one was an elephant with a purple jeweled bow. The next crystal.

Willa and Kenric walked away, fake mustaches and all, and I exited Atlantis, letting the tiny gem whisk me away.

After traveling all over the Lost Cities and following insane instructions to get the notes and charms, I found one that said:

Congrats Ellie! You're almost done! Now just follow this crystal and go up to somewhere you can see the sun, the sky, the grass, and stone. Oh, and lots of purple. And possibly your amazingly hot and thoughtful boyfriend.

I crinkled my nose and laughed, not having any idea what he meant, but I pulled out the last crystal and let it carry me off to somewhere I assumed Tiergan was waiting.

When I opened my eyes, I was in front of... my house? Weird. Now I just had to figure out where he wanted to meet. You can see the outside, but also stone and purple.... I'd got it! My bedroom had a balcony that overlooked the field around our house. That had to be what he meant.

I ran into the house and up the stairs, into my room. It was a bit of a mess, and by that I meant it was pretty much a disaster zone. Kenric, Willa, Tiergan, and I all had different variations of messy. Kenric's room was just covered in dirty clothes and random stuff, while mine was a mess of paints and canvases, some with half-finished paintings on them. That wasn't even mentioning the hundreds of purple elephants Tiergan had gotten me in the forbidden cities that were every few feet on the floor.

Willa had a generally clean room, sometimes a few clothes or projects here and there, but the main thing occupying the floor space were her plants. She had about nine potted plants aside from the tiny succulents in little pots hanging from her windows. Then there was Tiergan. I actually had never been in his room, but he told me it was pretty simple and neat.

As I hopped over canvases to my balcony, I could see Tiergan already there, grinning as he watched me coming.

"Hey Ellie! Fancy meeting you here,"

"Mmm, yes, it's not like this is my balcony in my room, and it's definitely not like you told me to come here," I smirked. "So what's this big surprise?"

"Weeeellllll," he blushed. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the galla with me."

The galla. Everything clicked into place. Why he hadn't asked me yet, why Willa wouldn't go with me as friends. Why she and Kenric had been so busy lately. They were helping with this.

"So? Yes or no?" He asked, and I realized I'd left him standing there.

"Of course!" I had to bite my lip to stop from squealing out loud. I grabbed his hand to pull him in for a kiss. When we finally pulled away, I could see something out of the corner of my eyes. Out the balcony, on the edge of the meadow, Kenric and Willa were standing together. I could see even from here that they were both blushing hard. "Tiergan! Get my binoculars!"

"What???"

"My binoculars!!! It's finally happening!"