Team JAPO: Part One Rosy Renewal

🎂 Chapter Twelve: Jasper's Birthday 🎂

Jasper strolled through the chilling sunlit morning. Her mind remembered the warmth of the dance that was a few weeks ago, how she was laughing with her friends and how sore her muscles had felt the next day. But her spirit was still fresh and cheerful, despite the information she had received beforehand.

Not only was her head and heart still questioning what to do, but also Aurelia kept messaging her asking about the new team formation and had Jasper given it more thought. The consistent messages would ping on Jasper's scroll, and she tried her best to hide it from her teammates.

Speaking of her teammates, they had been suspicious the last few days, sneaking around. Jasper once entered the dorm room to Peridot and Auburn whispering, and they stopped when she entered the room and started talking about a book in class.

Which only raised Jasper's suspicions even more as Auburn rarely talked about his homework or classroom books.

Jasper let out a sigh. When it comes to someone's birthday, Jasper always loves celebrating the other person's birthdays. She kept them all in her scroll, setting up reminders so that she could wish them happy birthday on that day. She enjoyed her birthday, or rather, the day she woke up from her robotic sleep and saw two figures, one red and black and the other green and black, staring at her in adoration and care.

Which was today.

Another sigh escaped in a white cloud, and Jasper shook her head, bringing her focus back to the task at hand.

Headmaster Oscar Pines had sent Jasper out on a mission. Located near one of the mountains helping to protect Sanctuary Academy, she was on the hunt for a brown bag.

"A bag of what?" She had inquired.

"Something far more precious that needs to be kept secret."

Jasper pouted, "I thought we were done with keeping secrets after all that happened before the War?"

Headmaster Pines moved a thumb over the top of his cane, "We were. Yet, we now face a predicament where this secret needs to be kept under lock and key. We can not have the people in the city to be in a panic, when we are all attempting to rebuild and regrow."

Jasper had given a nod to indicate she had understood.

Jasper continued climbing up the mountain's edge. The path beneath her boots was hard from long years and the cold. Frosty winds nipped her cheeks and nose, yet she managed to keep her aura at a level where she could stay warm.

She walked past a bend, and saw the cave's entrance. Above the dark entrance were three stars. The first one seemed like the right size, the second one was large, and the third one was small, she almost mistaken it for an odd scuff mark.

Jasper took a deep breath. Entering the cave, she heard the drip of liquid falling from the stalactites. She tried to quiet her breathing, keeping a close look out for any monsters that could be nearby.

The cave passage was long, but it was slightly warmer than the outside of the mountain. Jasper fingered the edge of her scarf nervously, until she saw a light up ahead.

She arrived at a large cavern area. The light from the sun poured in from a hole at the side of the cave.

Jasper noticed a large brown bag sitting at the center of the cave, on a worn wooden table. As she took a step forward, a noise was heard, echoing in the chamber.

The light went out and a familiar shriek was heard. Jasper gasped as shadows began to pass through the opening to the cave.

Without a second thought, Jasper rushed over to where the bag stood, drawing her weapon at the same time.