Gem Creatures

OutBREAK

As the bell rang, Andrea gently lifted Vincent. She hurridly moved to make it to her next class. It had been a week now that Andrea has had her Vincent. She smiled down at him, when she heard a scream. She turned her head towards the Performing Arts Center of the school. There were students hurrying to their next classes, only to turn around by the sudden scream. By the back door of the P. A. C., lay the unmoving body of the theatre teacher, Mr. Parrish.

Over his unmoving body, was his trustful Naga, Metier. She hissed and lashed out at the running students. Some foolishly went close to her, only to be thrown back by her tail. She hissed and screamed as she escaped the officers of the school and their creatures. She squirmed her way through them and quickly dashed away, towards any free space.

Andrea stood horrified close by, near the cafeteria, screaming of the other students filled her ears. When she saw Metier going her way, she tried to turn away to run. Instead she was pushed back by the brute force of a scurrying football player. She fell on her butt and grunted as she felt Vincent's blanket become lighter. She sat up quickly to gather her baby naga. As she reached over her little bundle of scales, she was stopped shortly.

A great shadow covered her laughing Vincent. Andrea's gaze went up the thin old naga, until she met her gaze. Her eyes a shiny light blue, filled with rage. Andrea held her breath, staring at the cold gaze of the aging creature.

As Metier sneered at the scared girl, she wrapped her grand tail around Vincent. Vincent not understanding the situation and seeing another Naga, giggled and played with the decorative accessories around Metier's waist. Metier hissed at Andrea, she grabbed ahold of Vincent, and quickly dashed off with Vincent in her arms.

Andrea's screams for Vincent filled the air making the watching students look in shame. Her tears blurring her vision, as she fell to the ground. Her thoughts of losing her Naga so soon made everything a blur. She fell and shivered on the floor as her sobs replaced the screaming. Darkness surrounded her vision, watching the body of the former theatre teacher being carried out.

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"Hey! Stop that! I was in the middle of my selfie! I look great and you're making me stop?" Whined Jesse.

Jesse was the one in Parrish's class known to be extremely great at acting and singing. He glared at Parrish as he commanded Jesse to put his phone away.

"Oh stop! I'm WAY better looking anyways," He said with his warm smile, "and don't make me kick you and your Celine out!" He said glaring at Jesse and his creature.

The small Kitsune sitting on Jesse's shoulders, blankly staring at the old man. It dug it's small nose into Jesse's crook of his neck, trying to avoid eye contact with Parrish. The pup fox curled it's five white tails around Jesse's neck to further hide its face. This process made it look like a scarf now. Parrish laughed at the pup's retreat.

"Whatever Parrish!" Jesse said sassingly, "You're just jealous my little Celine is cuter than Metier."

Metier's head popped up from the stacks of paper Parrish had on his desk. She scowled at Jesse, but soon went back to her work.

"You nerd." Parrish remarked his signature nickname for each of his students.

The old man laughed sweetly at Jesse and moved along to his desk. As his Theatre Production class circled up he felt like teasing them a bit before announcing the next play.

As he laughed and had short funny arguements with his students, he noticed someone was in his office. He told everyone to go into the theater since he had an excersize in mind anyways. He glanced towards Metier, his naga, and smiled. She nodded and continued her work.

Parrish walked calmly into the small hallway and into his office. No one was there. He looked around in his office, then in the small hallway maybe for a lost creature, but nothing. He thought nothing of it when he saw Mr. Carcich's Phoenix, Comely. It had stood so still, Parrish hadn't seen it before. He saw a message tied on its leg and grabbed for it. The bird sat still as she watched Parrish read.

Parrish groaned as he read the note. It asked if he would be kind enough to answer some questions for the school newspaper. He laughed and groaned as he realized how popular he had gotten over the 40 years of staying on campus of Bphs.

He shook his head and began to write a note back to Carcich. He saw his work space, and it was a total wreck. He moved papers, bowls, and gently placed his keys to the side. The keys held the jewel of the bond between his Metier.

After writing the small note, he placed it on Comely. She flew off with flames bursting with every flap of her wings.

Parrish looked around his room and decided to clean up later. He grabbed a textbook that had been left on the floor by a student or himself. He threw it on his desk carelessly and made his way back to the class. He was about to go into the theater when he noticed Metier passed out on his other desk. Her hand twitched violently, her gray hair covering the wrinkled up hand. She slowly sat up and met Parrish's gaze. He felt his stance stiffen as he saw the thrist for blood in the old naga's eyes.

Parrish knew then, that he had accidently broken the jewel with the tattered textbook that had been left on his office floor. He knew his long life, was about to be stopped.

His old life-long companion, slowly slithered away from the desk and striked towards the old theatre teacher.