[ComicGuy89]

Chapter 7: One Mouth and Two Ears

"I have two hands, just like you
With them I accuse, and tell you your cue
and also when your tasks are due."

A stupid riddle. Nadia could hardly believe that her life hinged on a stupid riddle. And she never liked riddles; she used to shut her ears, screaming “la la la” every time her second grade teacher Ms Honey attempted to make her guess one. Nobody bothered playing riddles with her ever again.

Yet here she was, witnessing the energy ball charging up in the Sphinx’s open mouth, seconds from death and unable to do anything about it. All because she hated riddles. Fantastic.

Pain from her trapped legs shot up through her entire body when she tried tugging them free from the debris. Why was she still in pain? Whatever happened to her healing powers?

No, she couldn’t die like this. It was way too stupid. Defeated by a blasted riddle!

The Sphinx’s energy ball continued building up -

“A clock! The answer’s a clock!”

Rose had recovered from the Sphinx’s attack. Upon hearing Rose’s answer, the Sphinx tensed up, arms spread apart, suddenly still as the rock its body was made from. Both Gardes stared curiously at the odd sight for a moment, before Rose landed a mighty kick on the monster’s chest.

The feline creature fell backwards and crashed with a loud thump. It screamed in a shrill voice, a sharp piercing noise completely the opposite of its usual thundering tone. Writhing and twisting in agony, it trembled and shook as if bolts of electricity were coursing through it.

“Garde Tea, what - what did you do?” muttered Nadia.

Rose said nothing in reply, she merely gaped, open-mouthed, at the creature. Her sword-needle weapon was hanging limp from her hand.

“Uh … Tea, don’t suppose you want to finish him off?” asked Nadia.

Rose paused for a moment and then she gripped her sword tight. As she drew that familiar triangle, it began to radiate the tale-tell golden glow. Perhaps sensing this threat to its life, the Sphinx stopped struggling immediately. It jumped to its feet with a mighty push and ran. Rose threw her sword-needle at it in a desperate attempt to stop it but it was ultimately futile; the beast managed to retreat out the alleyway.

A brief jolt of pain from her legs reminded Nadia that she was still trapped. “Tea, could you give me a hand, please?”

Rose walked over, and with two powerful slashes, destroyed the rocks that were holding Nadia down. She was perhaps a little bit more forceful than necessary, delivering each deliberate strike with her hand clenched firmly on the hilt of her sword. When she grabbed Nadia’s hand to pull her up, it was a painful grasp, squeezing as if meaning to suffocate her fingers.

Nadia got to her feet and yanked her hand away from Rose. She turned away from her, looking down the alleyway instead. “Don’t suppose we should chase after him?”

“No point, his trace is gone,” said Mittens, emerging from his hiding spot. “The only option now is to play the waiting game.”

“Ah well, let’s get out of these duds,” said Nadia.

In a flash of light, she untransformed and Rose followed suit. The tension in the air was palpable. Nobody was saying anything, not even Mittens, who could sense that something was wrong.

“Soooo …” said Nadia, grinning at nobody in particular. “Who’s up for some coffee?”

Despite her stretched smile, the spark was gone from her eyes, and her ears felt uncomfortably warm.

From behind her, Rose spoke up, “Listen Nadia, I just wanted to say I’m sor -”

“Nobody?” said Nadia, refusing to meet Rose’s eyes. “That’s too bad. Goodness, I’m tired! Could use a nap. Catch ya later, Rose.”

Without waiting for a reply, she left. She knew Rose was standing back there, unmoving, but that was none of her business anymore. All she wanted to do now was to get as far away from her friend as she could.

The pitter-patter of Mittens’ footsteps grew louder as he caught up with her. “What’s wrong, kiddo?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“You can’t fool me. Something snapped back there. What was all that about? You want to talk about it?”

“Everything’s fine,” lied Nadia. She continued trotting, doing her best to appear as casual as she could. But the unease was like a great force choking her insides, making her want to throw up.

“Mittens,” she finally blurted out. “Do you think I’m judgmental?”

“Can’t make that call, kiddo,” said Mittens, shrugging. “It’s not fair to you. You worried about what Rose said?”

Nadia nodded slowly. “Worst thing is it’s not the first time she’s said this too. I mean, me not listening and stuff. Last time she said I actually couldn’t be bothered.”

Mittens said nothing.

“You think so too, don’t you?” asked Nadia.

“I told you, I’m not going to say anything about that.”

“Hmm …”

They continued walking, both lost in their own thoughts. Then, Nadia said, “About what Rose said, you know, about our teacher. You think Matthew George really needs help?”

Mittens chuckled. “You kidding? Have you seen the sorry state of the guy? Anyone that looks like that definitely needs a shoulder. The Nihil are no light affairs, kiddo.”

“I mean I get the Nihil business,” said Nadia. “I know it’s no joke. But his case … it’s so … petty! He’s just refusing to see his mistakes, don’t you think? If he realised his mistakes, there wouldn’t be anything for the Nihil to feed on. I mean, if it was me, I’d have it fixed, pronto.”

“You’re assuming he’s you,” said Mittens. “He’s not.”

He then got in front of Nadia and stopped, staring straight at her. “Listen, Nadia. As a Garde, it is your duty to learn to understand people around you, the people you protect. Share their burden, walk with them. Only then can you give hope to them. It’s just simple empathy.”

“Now you’re sounding like Rose,” said Nadia, rolling her eyes.

“Well then, harsh as she may be, maybe she has a point.”


*


Like fine, silky paint, the milk spilled over the edge of the steel spout, diving into the centre of the rich, brown crema. As the milk swirled within the espresso, it broke its dark brown consistency, creating a pleasant caramel. Sally brought the jug close to the surface of the steadily rising mixture and rocked it side-to-side, coaxing the foamy milk to form a pattern.

Nadia stared, transfixed, as the foam rose and expanded into lovely circles of white. With one final stroke, Sally cut through the middle of the circles to form a heart.

Truly, it was magnificent.

“Go send this to table 6,” said Sally, placing the cup on a saucer. “And after this, your shift is done. But before you go, please meet me behind the kitchen.”

Not good, Sally seldom had anything good to say in these “private meetings”. What could she possibly want? Nadia decided there was no point in wondering just yet, so she did as she was told, said goodbye to Sharon and waited for Sally just outside the door to the kitchen. She arrived not long after.

“Nadia, I noticed you were not quite yourself today,” said Sally. “Mind telling me what’s wrong?”

A whole bunch of things were wrong. But again, it was none of Sally’s business.

“Nothing,” she said.

“Fine, be that way,” said Sally. “I just wanted to remind you that your private affairs are to be left outside this door when you step foot into the cafe. You have a responsibility to this cafe and to your coworkers.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Nadia dismissively. If her own affairs really were so private then Sally should have no reason to ask about them either.

“Just remember that. I’ll see you on Friday.”

An hour later at the beach, Nadia pondered the events of the last few days in her mind as she affixed her tamper to her Filter. Rose was still a bit distant when talking to her. Matthew George was still at large and his class had been suspended for the time being.

“SCALDING SHOT!” she screamed, firing at a large rock. The deafening bang was followed by hundreds of plops as bits of scattered rock fell into the sea.

“Huh, Ms Tea would have called that highly irresponsible,” said Nadia, snorting. “Messing up the environment. But is it such a big deal? Why does everything have to be a big deal?”

She twisted her tamper again. “So you want private affairs, huh, Sally? I’ll show you private affairs!”

Aiming, she shot again, obliterating another rock.

“IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A BIG DEAL!” yelled Nadia at the top of her lungs. “NOTHING DOES!”

“Garde Espresso? Is that you?”

Nadia whipped around. “Speak of the devil!”

“Sorry, who?” asked Matthew George, staring at her quizzically.

“Oh nothing, nothing at all Mr George.”

“How do you know my name?”

Drat. “You know what, I’m not even going to answer that,” said Nadia, sighing. “But hey, let’s talk about you instead. You don’t look so hot.”

Indeed, he was even more dishevelled than he was when they last saw him. Up close, she could see that his jacket, normally pressed and wrinkle-free, was torn and ripped in numerous places. His hair actually seemed to have gone a few shades greyer.

Well, she supposed now was the best opportunity to show Rose that she wasn’t judgmental. The best listening ear, that’s who she was, and now she’ll prove that by listening to poor Matthew George.

“Anything I can do to help?” she asked.

“I don’t suppose there’s anything for me to say that will be worth your time, Garde Espresso,” said Matthew George, shoulders slumped. “Shouldn’t you be fighting monsters, young lady?”

“Never mind those monsters. Like I said, let’s talk about you. Anything on your mind?”

“I don’t know … I’m not sure I want to talk about it.”

This was taking too long. “Look, Mr George sir. Let’s cut to the chase. I know all about your problems.”

“You do?” exclaimed Matthew George, clearly taken aback.

“Yep, everything!” said Nadia triumphantly. “That angry girl Palmer, the complete mess-up, you walking out -”

“Enough!” shouted Mr George, turning red. “None of that is your business!”

“Au contraire, monsieur, but as Garde of the city, it is my business. After all, you were possessed by a Nihil, you know, one of those monster things. And being a Garde,” she punched per palm with her fist, “I need to knock the living daylights out of all these Nihil.”

“Wait, wait,” said Mr George, wiping sweat from his brow. “I don’t - this is too much to take in. I don’t understand. You’re saying I was possessed?”

“Yep.”

“But I don’t remember that! All I remember is darkness. A total sense of darkness. And a void -”

“Yes, yes, that's it! That’s all the victims remember. Take my word for it, you were possessed. Now we need to fix this, and to do that, we need to help you. Got it?”

Mr George said nothing, in fact, he looked like he wasn’t listening at all. Completely pale, he was staring into the distance, unfocused.

“Hello!” said Nadia, waving her hand in front of his face. “Come in, Mr George. We gotta talk your problems. Problems have solutions, and my job is to help you find them. So, what’s bothering you?”

Nadia’s incessant waving finally shocked Mr George back into reality. “You’re saying I was like one of the monsters on TV? How is that possible?”

Taking way too long. “Come on, we’ll deal with the questions later. But for now, anything got you down, recently?” asked Nadia.

“Anything got me down ...” repeated Mr George slowly. “All I’ve been thinking about lately is ... well, if you really knew what happened to me, you’d know how pathetic a teacher I am. Like you said, it was a complete mess-up ...”

Mr George’s face fell as he recalled the unfortunate incident, but Nadia failed to notice this. “Finally, we’re going somewhere!” she said. “Why do you think you’re pathetic?”

“Because I am! All I really wanted to do was be a good teacher. Teach the students useful skills and get them to like me. Is that so hard to ask? But I’ve never been very confident.”

Tears started welling in his eyes. “I’m just so afraid of being a failure, and but because of that I fell to the self-fulfilling prophecy. Tell me, Garde Espresso,” he looked up at Nadia, “how do you not be a failure? How does one get confidence?”

Nadia shrugged. “Just be confident?”

Her teacher’s face was red all over again. “That’s what they all say,” scoffed Matthew George. “Believe me, that’s not new at all.”

He started to leave. No, this was bad. She had to stop him or her efforts would be in vain.

“Wait, wait!” she called after him.

He stopped in his footsteps, and turned to stare at her, face in a scowl and arms crossed. He said nothing.

“Look, I really do think you can overcome whatever issue you have, Mr George,” said Nadia. “You really can. Just think of what you could do to help you be happier. Maybe sleep more, study some teaching books, anything? Have you tried talking to the dean?”

“I suppose I could try that,” he said flatly. “Thank you. Goodbye, Garde Espresso.”

Yes, she found a fix! Problem solved. “Glad I could help! See you, Mr George! Be happy now!”

Skipping excitedly away, she could not have noticed Mr George’s downcast face, full of frustration and hopelessness.


*


“Coming, coming, give me a sec!”

Rose McKenna opened the door to see Nadia grinning at her. “Heya! Anyone else home?”

Although Nadia had been to Rose’s apartment before, she was still surprised at how small it was. There was barely enough standing room, and the ceiling was so low down that a light jump would have caused her head to bump painfully against it.

“No, the other girls have gone out.”

“Great!” said Nadia. “Listen, Rose, I just wanted to say …. I’m sorry. I’ve been a bit of a jerk. Will you forgive me? I brought over apology cake!”

She thrust a box into Rose’s hands and looked at her with puppy dog eyes. Rose hesitated, but said, “It’s alright, I’m sorry too. I said things I shouldn’t have, and I’m sorry I shouted at you.”

“Besties!” exclaimed Nadia gleefully, as she ran and hugged her friend with a bone-cracking hug.

“Eas- easy there, Nadia,” croaked Rose, gasping for breath. “Y-you’re going to squash this … this cake. W-why don’t - why don’t you come inside?”

“Don’t mind if I do!” said Nadia, releasing her grip and marching inside. “So, where’s Claude?”

The canine Messenger was nowhere to be found. Rose set the cake down on the coffee table, doing her best to straighten out the corners of its crumpled box.

“Pets aren’t allowed by the tenant, so he lives somewhere else,” said Rose. “He visits sometimes, though. Let me get some plates.”

“Rose, you won’t believe who I just met! Matthew George!”

“Mr George?” said Rose, as she opened the cabinet to pull out two plates. “That’s great! Is he alright?”

“He’s better than alright! I thought about what you said, and I listened to him. I think we came to a pretty cool compromise. Not bad, if I do say so myself.”

Rose was now laying forks and napkins on the coffee table. “What did you tell him?”

“I told him he could really overcome his issues if he needed to and that I believed in him. I even gave him a couple of suggestions!”

“Hmm …” said Rose, pondering as turned on the kettle. “Want some Earl Grey?”

Nadia looked at her friend skeptically. She knew that she disapproved, and Rose was too bad of a liar to conceal it. “You’re not sure about this, are you?”

“Well … I think you did a decent job, or at least, a kind one.”


“Come on, spit it out. Let’s hear it.”

Rose sighed. “It’s just, I don’t know. I don’t think it’s that simple.”

Again, there was that flash of annoyance, but Nadia forced it down this time. “We’ll just have to see, I guess. Let’s see if my suggestions help him or not.”

The electronic kettle let out a soft beep. Rose lifted it up and poured the boiling water into a large teapot, already filled with a few teabags of Earl Grey. “Hmm … there’s a need to have empathy, Nadia. You need to listen.”

“But haven’t I been listening? I told you I had a talk with him.”

“Well, when you listen you need to really spend some time with the other person. It’s no quick affair. You have to feel for the other person, let him or her pour their heart out. Listen to the aching heart within.”

“I tried to listen. But you know his current state, right? He needs solutions, not more time wasted on listening. I mean how does listening solve problems? It just makes me feel useless, because nothing is accomplished. All I want to do is help, if the results don’t show, it’s pointless.”

“Ah, but listening is a form of helping, don’t you think?” said Rose, pouring some tea into her own cup. “When you listen, you provide an escape for the person, and the tools he or she needs to work things out on their own.”

“I just can’t accept that idea,” said Nadia. “I can’t see how listening and doing nothing helps at all. I don’t know, maybe one day I’ll get it, but right now I can’t grasp it.”

Rose took a sip from her cup. “Your heart’s in the right place, Nadia.”

There was a soft, continuous buzz. Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out her mobile phone and tapped on the screen. “Message from Claude. ‘Turn on the TV.’”

“Claude has a phone?” asked Nadia, astonished.

“Beats me how he’s sending these texts,” said Rose, shrugging. “Anyway, we better do what he says.”

She reached for the remote on the coffee table and turned on the television. It was already on the news channel, which was now reporting live, breaking news.

“... Beacon Port University students have been told to evacuate as the creature continues its assault on the library.”

Without saying anything, Nadia materialised her Garde Filter. She glanced over and saw that Rose was already standing and holding her Garde Teapot.

They exchanged knowing smiles, and Nadia knew what Rose was thinking. “It’s go time, bestie.”


*


Nadia grunted in pain as she collided with a flight of stairs. “Stupid … creature … hard as rock …”

“Crumpled and dirty, I am weightless,
Yet I am varied, in colour and faces,
Though I am common, I spin the world around,
For when I talk, humanity is bound.”

“How should I know?” shouted Nadia, struggling to pull herself up on the stair rails.

In response, the Sphinx opened its feline mouth and began charging an energy shot. With a tremendous, energetic kick against the steps, Nadia jumped out of the way by a split second. The loud bang was followed by the piercing sound of glass shattering: the Sphinx had obliterated both the library doors and the stairs leading to them.

Dodging was no use, not when it resulted in collateral damage of that magnitude. And there was no blocking the shot either. The Sphinx had thus far been unable to catch Nadia with its shots, but it sure as heck was going to destroy Beacon Port trying.

It began reciting its accursed riddle again:

“Crumpled and dirty, I am weightless -”

“SHUT UP!” shouted Nadia as she hammered away at the creature with her Spoon of Doom. Each strike clanged like mortar against pestle. If it felt any pain at all, it wasn’t showing it, and the Sphinx, undeterred, continued its riddle.

“... Yet I am varied, in colour and faces,
Though I am common, I spin the world around,
For when I talk, humanity is -”

“Money! It’s money!” cried Rose.

Like the last time, the Sphinx froze, arms spread wide. Nadia moved in and gave a sideways kick and it fell flat on its face. But like a roly-poly toy, it bounced back up, unscathed. And in seconds, it regained its mobility, accompanied by a fresh riddle:

“My siblings and I are countless in number,
One of our brothers awakes you from slumber,
But he’s the odd one, he’s very much younger,
The rest of us, by day we’re quite duller.”

“Oh no, this one’s really familiar, it’s just at the tip of my tongue!” said Rose. “Espresso, quick, any idea?”

But Nadia was not paying attention. She just couldn’t figure out what was so different from their last fight, when the Sphinx was sent away, scampering and whimpering. Why did her kick just bounce it back up again?

“Espresso, please!”

Nadia was shaken awake long enough to see the energy shot reach its maximum size. There was no time. She couldn’t get out of its path.

She felt a force push her aside and saw, horrified, as her friend caught the full brunt of the blast. Rose shrieked and fell to the ground.

“Tea, Tea, are you alright?!”

Rose was battered, and shivering. “... Stars ...”

“What, what do you mean?”

“The answer …” said Rose, and she went limp.

Nadia fought back tears and turned to glare at the Sphinx. “You blasted idiot! The answer is stars!”

On cue, the Sphinx went completely still again. But Nadia had no time to go on the offensive. She had to make sure her friend was alright. “Don’t you die on me, you silly thing ...”

She put her finger near Rose’s nose and felt the hot air of her breath. Good, Rose was still alive, just unconscious.

However, by this time, the Sphinx was back to normal again. He was about to open his mouth when -

“Stop!” cried Nadia, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. “Stop! Mr George, I know you’re in there. Please stop hurting us!”

The Sphinx stopped midway, mouth agape. For a few moments, it remained this way, and then tears started falling from its own eyes. It moaned and cried like a wounded animal.

Nadia knew her teacher was still in there. She had to try to reach him.

“Mr George, please, stop. This isn’t you. You wouldn’t hurt anybody.”

The Sphinx paused, then said:

“I see you in a hole: let me climb in,
I’ll listen to the aching heart within,
I’ll cry alongside you, I’ll wipe your tears,
I can’t banish them, but I’ll take on your fears,
Some people deride me, and say I fix nothing,
That my ideas will leave people wanting,
But ask yourself, what do you need?
Empty rhetoric, so often hackneyed?
Now take my hand, and share your burden,
We’ll walk together, and find that eden.”

Another riddle. Perhaps there was no fighting it after all. She slumped onto the ground in resignation. Rose couldn’t help her now, there was no way out of it. Might as well accept defeat. Finally, defeated by a stupid riddle; maybe it really was meant to be.

Then, at that moment, the words of her friends came back to her.

“Share their burden, walk with them. Only then can you give hope to them.”

“Feel for the other person, let him or her pour their heart out. Listen to the aching heart within.”

A grin stretched across Nadia’s face. “Thank you, guys,” she whispered to herself. “Mittens, Rose, you’re the best friends anyone could ever ask for.”

Standing up triumphantly and pointing to the Sphinx, she said, “You’re lucky I have such brilliant friends to make up for my stupidity!”

“The answer,” she breathed in deeply. “Is empathy!”

Nadia was already charging towards the Sphinx when it froze. Deftly, she drew a triangle in the air and made her Spoon glow. Now to find a spot to land a strike with this shimmering, golden Spoon. But where?

The seconds counted down in her head. Her perfect answer would soon be wasted. Any time now …

Then she remembered. The Sphinx fell backwards.

Nadia rushed around the Sphinx and surveyed its back. As she suspected, there was a giant ruby affixed to the back of its neck. Why didn’t she notice that before?

“And you don’t even need to paint a target on it!” she exclaimed gleefully.

With a mighty swing, Nadia struck the ruby hard. It shattered on impact, and the Sphinx roared in agony. Its entire body started to smoke and glow, as it continued screaming and screaming. Then, almost spontaneously, it caught fire and burst into flames. The flames licked and enveloped the monster, engulfing it for a while, and then they left was suddenly as they formed. There, lying on the floor, was the unconscious, very human form of Matthew George.

Nadia stood over her teacher, regretful. “I’m sorry it came to this, and I’m sorry I didn’t even try to listen. I thought I was better, but it turned out that I know nothing.”

Police sirens blared and several cars pulled up. From one of them came a furious Officer Azra Aydin.

“Look at this mess!” she shouted at Nadia. “Just look at it!”

She swung her arm at the direction of the ruin of the library. Her face was red and livid, demanding answers.

“You have some nerve to talk, Officer,” said Nadia. “Where were you during this mess?”

“Don’t you dare tell me how to do my job!”

“Maybe I’m only telling you because you’re blaming me for helping you do it! You think you could have done better?”

Nostrils fuming, Officer Aydin marched right up to Nadia until their faces were barely inches from each other. “Listen here, Garde Espresso,” she said, prodding Nadia’s shoulder. “I allow you to prance around tackling these Nihil. But if you step one toe out of line, we’re taking you down.”

Nadia slapped Officer Aydin’s hand away. “I’d like to see you try, Officer. In the meantime, I need to get my friend here to safety. If you’ll just excuse me.”

There was no more to be said, even if Aydin was not about done. Nadia didn’t care. She picked Rose up and carried her away from the wreckage.


*


After hours, he finally stirred. “Garde Espresso?”

“That’s me,” said Nadia. “The hospital was unsure about letting me in, but they finally relented. How are you?”

Mr George pushed himself up against the rails of his bed. Saying nothing, he surveyed the white, sterile room he was in. There was a bedside table and on top of it was a bouquet of flowers and some get-well cards.

“Those are from Comm 101,” said Nadia. “Some students came to see you. You want a drink of water?”

“My students … came to see me?” asked Mr George, picking up a card from Karen Palmer.

“Of course they did!” said Nadia, chuckling. “We - I mean, they - they all love you, you know?”

“I’m not sure I believe that, Garde Espresso,” said Mr George, smiling slightly.

“We can talk about that,” said Nadia, smiling back. “I’ve got all day. Unless you want to do something else of course.”

“Talk? About what?”

“Anything you want to. But before that!” She extended her arm, with her palm facing Mr George. “I need to apologise. The last time we met I was horrible.”

“Apologise? There is no need, dear. What you did … it’s what most people would do, anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean that I should do it,” said Nadia, bringing her arm back to her side. “I was insensitive and a poor listener. In fact, you taught me a valuable lesson in listening. In trusting people, and sharing their burden, instead of trying to force it away.”

Mr George laughed weakly. “Maybe I’m not so bad a teacher after all.”

“Pretty sure you aren’t,” said Nadia, laughing. “So, want to talk?”


*


“Do you require anything, master?”

John Smith sat up in his throne, leaning his elbow on an armrest. “Fetch me dinner, Herald.”

“May I remind you, master, that you don’t have to eat?” asked the Herald, twitching slightly. “As a Nihil you do not require nourishment.”

“Let’s just say I fancy it,” said John Smith, waving dismissively. “And tonight I fancy roast pork. Off you go Herald.”

The Herald pulled his hood up and turned to leave.

“Herald, I know what you’ve been doing.”

The hooded boy stopped in his tracks. “What do you mean, master?”

“The Shades. Not a bad idea. I’m rather impressed. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

For a second, he hesitated. Then he merely said, “Thank you, master” and went on his way.

As the doors clanged shut behind the Herald, John Smith took out two purple gemstones and, rotating them like Chinese exercise balls, examined them. Then, he squeezed them tight, coaxing them to emit dark purplish plumes of smoke. The smoke coalesced and from it emerged two humanoid forms.

The feathered, avian Siren and the stiff, feline Sphinx stood silently before him.

John Smith smiled at his creations. “It appears the experiment was a remarkable success.”