Gem Creatures

Travel Time

They all stopped just outside another room. Mr. Briseno opened the door to a stocked up room. It held bags, fighting equipment, water bottles, anything for a good hike; or in this case, a hunt.

"Why are we here?" Jackie asked, not inpressed by all the items.

"Yeah. Why did you bring them here? This is our stuff. For EMERGENCIES." Daniel scolded at his dad.

Mr. B took a step into the room shaking his head, "You two are so alike. I no longer have to wonder why my son used to like you."

He visibly giggled, as Daniel's face lit up and turned to leave. As he left, his dad had picked up four bags for them, and handed them to the friends. They all grabbed at the packs and slowly said thank you.

Andrew paused and said, "We already have packs, sir."

Mr. B smiled and said, "Yes but you don't have everything you'll need in your old one. NOW," he said pointing at the ones in their hands, "you do!"

"What do we do with these ones then?" Andrew questioned.

"Just hand them over. I'll keep them safe til' your return. Well, I believe now this is goodbye." He said smiling weakly at them.

The four kids walked out solemnly and said their goodbyes. Before they left however, Andrea's curiousity got the better of her.

"Mr. Briseno?" She asked.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Why do you wear goggles, if you're already blind?"

Mr. B chuckled and smiled at her, "I don't want to hurt myself is why."

Mr. Briseno lost his vision because of his creature. Anyone who was anyone knew that. His creature, a Carbuncle, had blinded him the second he recieved him. It's a sad way of losing vision but it never slowed him down. Not even for his job. The Carbuncle grew to love him and helped Mr. Briseno throughout his life as an apology.

As the kids walked away, Mr. B petted his Carbuncle's head. The small creature nudged his head, making sure the kind man made his way safely to his work room.

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The four travelers walked steadily out of their small hometown, gripping onto their new packs. All except Andrea, were more than ready to head on and stop the beast.

"We have to be careful now." Jackie noted, "Do any of you have a map?"

"I do," John waved a piece of roled up paper, "I know where we're going. Besides, it's not too far."

"Jackie's right. We still have to be careful. Even if our parents let us go, the cops won't like us being out here messing with their case." Andrew added.

Jackie scoffed making everyone turn their attention to her. "If they haven't even gone to the blind man for help yet, they don't even deserve the case."

She had a point. Everyone knew the police force was never the greatest. Last time a gem shattered, they hadn't done anything to even try to stop it. The only reason they even took on this case, was for the fact a still stable Naga was taken with her.

"Even if that's true, they'll still be upset."

They all trudged forward.

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On the edge of the Taiga. The tree's long branches swung in the wind as the four of them looked stupidly beyond the trunks. The willow trees whistled gently in the wind.

"Well, we're not going to find Vincent standing here. Let's go!" Jackie commanded, eagerness traced in her voice.

She was always the one of them who loved nature. This sort of nature however, had it's own agenda humans didn't fully understand, since the land was controlled by the creatures that lived there. Only a few hundred of humans managed to go in and out. The very first human to have the courage to go in was the very one to find the crystal's that somehow got the blood-hungry animals to listen. That man had the power to control only one, however. He ended up being paired up with an albino dragon. Singe Cavern, the man with the great dragon, went down in history for uniting the creatures with humans.

As the tiny character of Jackie dissappeared into the forest, they raced after her. Outside of the forest, it seemed dark and sinister. Once inside, their breaths were cuaght in awe from the sight.

Sunlight streamed into the forest. A trail of flowers and pebbles and soft grass traced the forest floor. Jackie stood frozen in the field of flowers. They heard her squeal quietly as a herd of Jackalope's ran by them.

John's bunny Jackalope perked up and sat watching. John made sure Olive didn't scurry off, but she did sit curiously watching the group of them.

Andrew's Hydra lifted it's heads and watched the herd as well. The herd had stopped by a bush to hide, from seeing the humans. One however eyed them and sat waiting for them to do somethig. The hydra sat around Andrew's shoulders and waited just as patiently as the head Jackalope.

The Jackalope stood on it's hind legs and spoke.

"Leave humans! Be warned! Leave!" The Jackalope said.

It's booming voice surely taken from a dragon or some sort of threatening source. The tiny thing galloped into the bush with it's family and it went quiet again. The silence was overwhelming for the four of the friends.

They stood awkwardly from the warning of the elderly Jack, until Andrea spoke up.

"Well...let's go. I want my Vicent back."