Published: April 1st 2024, 12:25:02 am
The orphanage was under attack. Mister Clarke had ventured outside to acquire supplies, but an hour had passed since his departure, and he hadn’t returned. Shu feared the worst. Shu was a brave harpy, though. She would not go down without a fight, so she gathered the orphans around her with steely determination.
“The orphanage faces a new threat. An interdimensional creature designated ‘Easter Bunny’ is expected to arrive today. We don’t know about the monster’s capabilities other than its cunning and ability to teleport,” Shu said, the eyes of her fellow orphans upon her. “I’m not saying this lightly, but early reports suggest that the Easter Bunny is allied with the devilish Dust Bunnies.”
The orphans gasped in horror and peeked under their beds. Luckily, the bedroom was spotless, and they saw no clues to the presence of the Dust Bunnies or their evil agents.
Shu glanced around the bedroom, taking in the fearful faces of her fellow orphans. She knew she had to keep calm but also prepared for what might come. The intel on the Easter Bunny was scarce at best and ambiguous at worst. Miss Elincia had never heard about the creature, and Mister Clarke, a man of many journeys, was frozen by fear and avoided talking about the topic.
“We can’t let fear paralyze us!” Shu continued firmly. “We must stick together and prepare ourselves if this Easter Bunny shows up. Remember when we banished that ugly squirrel from our domain? Yes. We are strong together.”
The orphans nodded, the youngest ones gripping each other’s hands for reassurance. Shu felt a surge of determination. The orphanage had gone through worse. She knew her people, and she knew they would overcome this peril. Shu might be a harpy, but she had a heart full of courage.
“We’ll barricade doors and windows,” Shu said, her mind racing. Plan after plan paraded through her mind, some good, some bad, some impossible with the resources available. “We'll make weapons out of whatever we can find. We'll show this Easter Bunny and his Dust Bunny allies that they picked the wrong orphanage to mess with!”
The orphans celebrated her words and sprang to action, gathering makeshift weapons and fortifying the doors and windows as best they could. Shu watched them with pride. Miss Elincia wouldn’t be happy with the mess they were making, but it was a small price to pay for survival. Whatever dark creature was coming to the orphanage was going to regret messing with them.
“This is lame,” Ash said as he rubbed his eyes.
“Where is your honor, you sour seed?!” Shu’s blood boiled; she couldn’t understand how Ash could sleep during such an emergency. “No matter what hardship comes our way, we are a family, and families stick together, no matter what.”
“You heard the leader, cadet. Square up!” Firana added.
Shu blushed. She didn’t try to be the leader; leadership had chosen her. As long as Firana and the older orphans remained by her side, the dissenting elements within the group wouldn’t dare desert.
Minutes passed, and the orphans worked relentlessly until beds and nightstands blocked the windows and doors. The orphans grouped in the center of the room, listening. Tension thickened with every minute that passed. Shu stood guard near a window, her keen, harpy eyes scanning the yard for any sign of movement. The sliver of street Shu saw was empty.
Suddenly, a rustling sound echoed from the corridor. Shu tensed, her heart pounding in her chest. It couldn’t be the Easter Bunny. She had been guarding the window without even blinking. Shu jumped from the barricade and ran to the door as fast as her talons allowed. Mister Clarke had said the Easter Bunny could travel all over the Kingdom of Connecticut in a single day. It was no surprise it could bypass Shu’s surveillance.
The rustling passed, and Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned back to the room and found the orphans huddled together in the center. Their eyes gleamed with determination. Shu smiled. They were a brave lot. In her long seven years of life, Shu had endured several disasters comparable to the dastardly Easter Bunny: the Great Age of Thunder Storm, which lasted a week and a day, the Big Farm Blight, and, worst of all, The Holst.
“It’s okay, everyone. We are safe inside,” Shu said, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
The orphans nodded, but the atmosphere remained tense, the imminent threat of the Easter Bunny still looming over them like a storm cloud. The interdimensional entity's uncanny presence was starting to make her hungry. Mister Clarke’s warning had taken them by surprise. The man had appeared early in the morning and announced that the Easter Bunny would arrive that same day. Further questioning had been in vain; he was in a rush. Mister Clarke had rushed to the market with Zaon and Wolf.
Out of nowhere, Shu heard the words she feared the most.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” Nokti said.
Shu’s heart sank as Nokti spoke. She knew they couldn’t afford to let their guard down, not even for a moment. The Easter Bunny was dangerous, but she couldn’t ignore Nokti’s needs. Shu bit her nails, pondering on the situation. Leaving the fort unattended would be a mistake, as they couldn’t allow the Easter Bunny to get inside their defenses. Maybe if Nokti went to the bathroom alone, she could pass unnoticed. No. Going alone was too dangerous.
“Alright, Nokti,” Shu said. “Virdian will go with you, but remember, make it quick and stay together at all times. If you sense danger, grab Virdian’s hand, run, and don’t look back.”
Nokti nodded, walking to a bed blocking the nearest window and waking Virdian up. The snake kid emerged from within the blankets, his eyes clouded by the sleep mist. Shu smiled. Virdian's ability to preserve energy in a high-tension situation was commendable. Virdian wrapped his hand around Nokti’s, and together they made their way through the bedroom door into the corridor.
Shu saw them disappear around the corner and closed the doors. She knew she had to stay vigilant, so she took a deep breath and turned back to the room. A wave of uneasiness shook the orphans as the rustling sound appeared again.
“The Easter Bunny!” One of the little kids shrieked, but Firana covered her mouth with a hand.
Just as before, the sound disappeared in the distance.
Minutes felt like hours as Shu stood guard near the door, scanning the room for any sign of danger. If the Easter Bunny could teleport, she feared it could sneak through the barricades into the room. That would be catastrophic. Shu looked at the room again. The group of orphans, armed with old broom handles, pillows, and sticks, looked back with fierce eyes.
Shu counted the seconds with increasing concern until she reached fifty-two. She didn’t know what came next, but fifty-two seemed long enough for someone to visit the bathroom. She opened the door a little bit, but the corridor was deserted. Nokti or Virdian were gone.
“Shu,” Firana called. “The little ones are hungry. They haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Shu bit her nail. Sustenance was important when fighting an interdimensional being. Mister Clarke used to say that a balanced diet was the secret to growing big and strong. Shu didn’t have trouble with food. Other than eggplants, she could eat everything. She could not say the same of Ash, though. The boy disliked many things, and it showed. He wasn’t half as strong as Wolf.
“If we move fast, we can reach the kitchen without being seen,” Shu said, knowing she wasn’t the fastest in the lot. “Firana, take Ash and raid the kitchen. I’ll look over the little ones in the meantime.”
Firana nodded, and the group of orphans dismantled the barricade.
“I’ll be back before you even notice,” Firana said, dragging Ash by the neck of his pajamas.
Shu nodded. The Easter Bunny’s Dust Bunny minions wouldn’t be an issue for Firana’s wind powers. She could send them flying with a movement of her hand. The Easter Bunny, on the other hand, could be more problematic.
“Be careful. We will wait here,” Shu said.
Firana grinned and ran down the corridor with Ash glued to her heels. As Shu watched them disappear around the corner, a knot of worry tightened in her stomach. She knew the dangers that lurked outside the barricaded room.
Turning back to the group of young orphans, Shu tried to project confidence despite her internal uneasiness. “Let’s gather around. We’ll wait here until Firana returns with food. Nokti and Virdian should be back any moment now, so we have to disassemble the barricade fast. ”
One of the little ones raised her hand.
“Where is Loki?”
A shiver ran across Shu’s wings. She scanned the room, but the changeling was nowhere to be found. “Check your pockets!” Shu said.
Maybe Loki had adopted his mouse form and was waiting inside the pocket of one of the orphans. No matter how hard they searched for him, they couldn’t find him. Shu threw the wooden comb she used as a weapon to the floor.
“Shucks!”
The worst had happened. The Easter Bunny had caught one of them. Shu paced from side to side, her talons slowly clacking across the floor, thinking about their next move. She counted to fifty-two, hoping for Firana to appear through the door. Then she counted to fifty-two again. Fifty-two seemed to be enough time for someone to raid the kitchen.
Shu grabbed the wooden comb from the floor and squeezed it into her hand.
Just for good measure, she counted to fifty-two one last time.
“We have to assume the worst has happened. The Easter Bunny has caught our friends,” Shu said, raising her voice above the orphans' worried whispering. “But family means no one gets behind or forgotten. Today, we raise our arms against the evil Easter Bunny! Today, we will be victorious!”
Shu slammed the door open and charged down the corridor, followed by the youngest orphans. Yelling like barbarians, the group exited the deserted sleeping quarters and headed to the kitchen. The mission was simple. Save Firana and use her wind powers to overpower the Easter Bunny. Then, they could save the other members of the orphanage from the hordes of Dust Bunnies.
Shu opened the kitchen door with her shoulder, and the orphans poured inside, ready to fight. Instead of a formidable opponent, they found Mister Clarke and the others unloading a cart full of vegetables. Firana and Ash sat in the corner, eating gruel with peach jam.
“Where’s the Easter Bunny?” Shu asked.
“Oh, it already went away. I’m sure you’ll catch it next year,” Mister Clarke smiled. With the threat gone, he seemed more relaxed.
Shu puffed her chest, proud of herself and the orphanage's residents.
“Victory!” She yelled.
“Victory!” The kids chanted.
At that moment, Miss Elincia, Ginz, and Loki entered the kitchen, carrying small baskets. When Shu saw everyone together, the knot in her chest disappeared. Shu waited for Miss Elincia to leave the baskets on the table and jumped into her arms.
“It seems the Easter Bunny left presents for you,” Miss Elincia said, putting a basket on Shu’s hands.
“What do you mean?” Shu asked.
Miss Elincia smiled innocently, but Shu knew she was hiding something. Could she be a double agent working for the Easter Bunny? Shu shook her head. She was overthinking.
“Alright, everyone! Please grab a basket and follow me,” Miss Elincia said, crossing the door and walking to the backyard.
The day was clear and the sun warm. Virdian waved at me from the outhouse. Nokti seemed to be still inside. Who needed more than fifty-two seconds to do the thing?
“The Easter Bunny has left gifts for you. Go find them!” Miss Elincia said, putting Shu on the ground. “Remember, five chocolate eggs per basket! If you already have five, help someone who has less!”
Shu looked at Miss Elincia in confusion, but she limited herself to a smile and walked by Mister Clarke’s side. Shu grabbed her basket and walked to the well, deep in thought. What did she mean with chocolate eggs? Eggs were made of eggs. It didn’t make sense—unless Miss Elincia was a double agent.
Shu shook her head once again. If Miss Elincia were an agent of the Easter Bunny, Mister Clarke would have realized. Shu scratched her wing. Something was ruffling her feathers, and it wasn’t the wind.
Something shiny caught Shu’s attention. She knelt and found a gleaming blue and green egg inside the bucket. She looked around, but no one else seemed to notice. Surreptitiously, she grabbed the egg and examined it.
It was only an egg in appearance. The thin shell was made of a colorful, somewhat metallic material. She peeled it, revealing a brown interior. Shu brought it to her nose, wondering if it was poop. She had seen rabbit poop before, but it wasn’t nearly as big as this one.
For the Easter Bunny to poop such a ball, he must be the size of a horse. After a quick examination, Shu concluded it wasn’t actually poop. It smelled sweet and tasty. She looked around. The other orphans were more worried about finding the eggs than examining them.
Shu cracked the hollow egg. Then, she grabbed a small shard and put it in her mouth. Suddenly, the taste hit her, and a blissful sensation enshrouded her. She was flying, jumping from cloud to cloud on a sunny day. Her wings quivered.
“Chocolate,” she muttered.
Maybe she had been too quick to judge the Easter Bunny. Perhaps he wasn’t as bad as she initially thought. Shu placed another piece of chocolate in her mouth, a new mission forming in her mind. Next year, she would catch the Easter Bunny and coax the secret of the chocolate eggs out of him.
A mischievous smile appeared on Shu’s face.
“Next year…”.