۞ The Cintamani Stone ۞ ( fletch and qwill. )

[qwill.]

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Stories and legends are what bring a culture to life, and what keep it alive in minds centuries after destruction. They are what bind people together across nations, and what inspire children to learn and do good in the world. Everyone knows that the search for magic is found through art, and art is the last remaining form of magic, if it ever truly existed. And many believe it did, so much so that they built shrines and relics dedicated to the pursuit of magic and power. I never believed that such a thing existed. If I had written this paper ten years ago today, it would be a study on the minds of people who spend their life looking for such idols. But now...I don't know what to believe.

This was centuries ago. These artifacts are lost to time, but as mentioned before, their legends still remain. Remarkable though it may seem, these legends can drive even the greatest of minds crazy. And so it was with the Cintamani Stone. I had heard about it maybe once in my high school history class. A passing mention, not much to go on, but enough to spark the interest of a young writer, for a while at least. I myself was not much into that kind of thing; I was all about the boys in high school. But this story isn't necessarily about me.

So the Cintamani Stone. It was a Buddhist legend; a green stone sent from the heavens to grant wishes. Codswallop, I'd say. Just a pretty jewel worth a lot of money. I didn't think anyone really put any stock into those kind of things. But believe me, they did. A few of them almost did Chloe and me in back in the day! I say them warily; I don't really want to catch anyone's attention by sharing our story with you, but I just need to get it off my chest.

Enough about me. I say we get on with the story! It all started in June of 2014. I had just graduated with a degree in creative writing and journalism from Stanford University with my best friend, Chloe North. I'm pretty sure the doctor and his odd little friend were in Asia already, but I'll let them tell their half in a bit.

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[qwill.]

۞ Introduction ۞

Sorry for the lame title! Not my most inspired work, but we can work with it.

Two old high school friends are looking for the story that will get them into the journaling game. One is a bookish, clumsy-yet-charming librarian, the other an aspiring, outgoing and annoying journalist. Travel has always been a wish for both of them, but the opportunity has never arisen.

When an archaeologist site in southeast Asia comes across a major breakthrough in an ancient story, the girls jump at the chance to learn some more about the case, and the people involved. Little did they know that some others were also very interested in what the dig uncovered.

Off on a roller coaster adventure, the girls must learn to get along with an ornery archaeologist and his intern. Not only are they new to the adventuring game, but they also must face real-world dangers. But the prize at the end...well, the story of a lifetime might not be the only thing at stake here.

discussion + form

[qwill.]

۞ Characters ۞

xxxxxxxxxxx

xxxx The Bookworm
xxxxA modern princess Belle,
xxxxher nose stuck in a book.
xxxxClosed to adventure,
xxxxshe needs to get out more.
xxxxThe clumsy librarian,
xxxxin for a wild ride.
xxxxfc - emma watson
xxxxfull name: Chloe Elizabeth North
xxxxroleplayer: fletch
xxxx
xxxx

xxxxxxxxxxx

xxxx The Reporter
xxxxAlways open to a good story,
xxxxshe longs to have her name in the paper.
xxxxOutgoing and creative,
xxxxshe is the definition of nosy.
xxxxThe stubborn journalist
xxxxwith the story of a lifetime.
xxxxfc - karen allen
xxxxfull name: Felicity Paris Beringer
xxxxroleplayer: {msgranger
xxxx
xxxx

xxxxxxxxxxx

xxxx The Intern
xxxxClassically clumsy,
xxxxhe is the lowly intern.
xxxxAspiring to be just like his employer,
xxxxhe works hard, but often fails.
xxxxThe young student,
xxxxabout to get in some real field work.
xxxxfc - drew roy
xxxxfull name: Blair Thomas Caverhill
xxxxroleplayer: fletch
xxxx
xxxx

xxxxxxxxxxx

xxxx The Archaeologist
xxxxA great scientist,
xxxxbut also an impertinent charmer.
xxxxHe knows how to get things done,
xxxxall while speaking over a dozen languages.
xxxxAction packed thrill seeker,
xxxxready find the museum worthy piece.
xxxxfc - harrison ford
xxxxfull name: William "Axel" Cook III
xxxxroleplayer: {msgranger

[qwill.]

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[fletch]

The Charles V. Library was a quaint library, even as most libraries go. Perhaps this was due to the slow moving pace of business nowadays, but perhaps it was just the sheer tranquil aura that the old library gave off. It was nice to some people. Homy, maybe. It was spacious; the floors made from a fine rosewood that had a sort of deep mahogany feel to it. The strip of carpet that led up from the entrance doors was a bold red that gave the library a very nice proper feel to it, which one might say was quite pleasant.The book shelves were lined properly on either side of the library and the books, stacked with care upon their shelves, had been organized fastidiously in an alphabetical manner (the author's last name, of course) upon their seating places. Each bookshelf was designated to a particular genre: fantasy, adventure, horror, mystery...the list went on. The occasional chair had been set out here and there, but they were frequently unused.

It was closing time and, outside, the sun had long dipped below the horizon and a rather cool and frigid air had started up. Despite the days being moderately warm, one could see their breath that would hang in the foggy air. The library closed at precisely six pm and, on Sundays, five. Every other day a custodian would stop by for a brief hour or two to sweep the place up but for the majority of the time, it was empty at this time of night.

That was, except for one: Chloe North. She was one of the current librarians of the Charles V. Library, and she worked typically on the weekends. This, of course, being one of those days: Saturday. It was not unusual for Chloe to hang around the library after hours, for this was usually the time she would go through the rows upon rows of shelves and assure that each were in their alphabetical order. Unfortunately, Chloe was slightly 'obsessive compulsive' like that and had an urge to frequently check whether there was a certain page torn, or if 'The Body' was in the section where 'Tom Sawyer' should be. It was a simple mistake, after all. Chloe had read almost all of the books present in the library, and more would be coming in every week or so. This was a great hobby of her's: reading. Chloe was simply a fanatic over literature whether it be fantasy Lord of the Rings to fiction To Kill a Mockingbird. It was not all fiction, as well. She had explored the depths of the library and almost the entirety of the options they had to offer, which led to a rather surprising knowledge and knowhow of completely useless facts that Chloe liked to think as 'interesting'. Who knew that the Pacific Ocean hagfish secreted a suffocating slime from its many pores? Interestingly enough, the creature could occasionally fall victim to its own defensive mechanisms and would often be forced to twist itself in an attempt to avoid the gelatinous goop. This particular fact was probably one of the main reasons Chloe found it hard to be interesting at social gatherings...

Even now, Chloe stood perched upon the spare ladder that they had especially for the case of reaching the topmost shelves. She was already wearing her black trenchcoat with the brass buttons and her dark brown hair swept behind her left ear.The edges of the ladder were perched upon the top of the oaken shelf and Chloe herself was balanced on the second-to-the-top rung. In her hand she gripped the green leather binding of a book with the gold cursive across it 'Treehouses and Backyard Structures'. The ladder seemed to be in its proper position and quite stable, so it did not prove the slightest bit of an issue when Chloe slipped the book back between the others. Her hand shook in the slightest and, satisfied, she withdrew it. She had barely just begun to clamber back down the rungs of the ladder when the entire structure tilted ever so slightly and, with a jolt, Chloe half slid and half jumped the remaining three rungs and back down to the floor. She managed to grab the ladder on both sides in the nick of time before the entire structure spilled down, narrowly saving the shelves from a domino-effect.

[qwill.]

The little office of the side of the press room was quiet. The second hand on the clock ticked ever around the face of the clock, breaking the monotonous silence with a predicable click. Rain clicked against the roof of the office, starting slowly, then building to a roar. Though the days were warm, the colder air was moving across Santa Barbara from the north, bringing with it some of Washington's moisture. A flash lit the room, followed by the boom of thunder.

Usually, the manager's office was busy because of the constant stream of news flooding in from all over California and the rest of the world, but today, the action was outside. Only one person sat, waiting unusually quietly for her employer, in the chair across from the desk. Felicity Beringer wasn't one to get nervous, per se, but she was...antsy. She had received the call to come to Mr. Jones' office earlier that day, but she couldn't really remember doing anything wrong.

Was it the story about the police scandal? she thought, playing with a thread on her red overcoat. The police department in Santa Barbara had recently had a high-profile criminal escape during transport, and the rumor was that it was an inside job. Felix was usually all over those types of stories, but she had been denied the release of her headline for safety issues. However, being the impertinent and nosy writer she was, Felicity had found a way. The manager had been furious when he opened the News Press' web page the next morning. Felicity couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous shade of beet-red he had turned. But that was a few weeks ago, and Felicity had received her punishment. She couldn't fathom a guess as to what had her sitting, fidgety and annoyed in the uncomfortable chair.

The office door flew open, causing the young woman to jump. A portly man waddled inside, his mustache brushing his top lip and whistling as he spoke. "Miss Beringer, I'm glad you're here," he exclaimed, shutting the door and settling down across from her. He lit a cigar, causing Felicity's eyes to water. She really hated the smell of people smoking right in front of her, but she didn't point that out to the man who could make or break her career. "We've had somewhat of a development in--"

"In the police case? Because I can cover that, Sir," she said excitedly, standing up. Her camera bounced against her hip as she leaned in to face him. "I'll do whatever it takes to get the truth, I'll--"

"You'll shut your yap and listen to me, is what you'll do." He gestured to the chair and Felicity sat, narrowing her eyes. So it definitely wasn't about the police case, but her bringing it up seemed to have cause him some momentary confusion. "As I was saying, you've been wanting a big story, yes?"

Felicity's jaw dropped. "Yes, Sir, I, uh...what kind of story were you thinking?" She twirled her hands back and forth, rubbing them against her coat. A big story could get me enough to start my own business!

"I'll be outright with you; I'm in a tough predicament here, Felix. I need someone to take a feature that the Mayor himself has requested in homage to the local natural history museum in coordination with UCLA."

Natural history?

***

The rain pounded against the street as Felicity skidded to a halt in front of the Charles V library. The street itself was lit by lamps, but Felicity wasn't even slightly worried at the prospect of walking in downtown Santa Barbara at night. She was on a mission, and she had pepper spray. Walking up to the doors, Felicity tugged on the handle, cursing as she found them locked. Closing time, she thought. Felicity knew Chloe hadn't left yet; that girl lived in the library. But she also read, and when Chloe read, she literally went into another world. Felicity was going to have to let herself in.

Shading her eyes against the driving rain, Felicity jogged around to the side of the building to the small office window. It was only a few feet off the ground, easily accessible from the outside and with a moderately simple lock. Libraries weren't the top security priority in the city. Tugging a pin out of her sodden brown hair, Felicity easily picked the lock. It was a trick she had learned back in high school when she and half of the cheer squad had broken into the boys' locker room on a dare. Ah, those were the days.

Clambering into the tiny office, Felicity smoothed down her ruffled coat and slid the window shut. Chloe would be furious, but that was a chance Felicity was willing to take. Hearing a crash from the other room, the journalist headed towards the noise. "Chloechloechloechloe!" she yelled,running her words together out of excitement. "Big news! I--hey, you alright?" Stopping to catch her breath, Felicity saw Chloe holding the shelf ladder, her gaze frantic. Not wanting to break her train of thought, Felicity plowed forward, barely able to contain herself. "We're going to Mumbai!"

[fletch]

Though it was long past closing time at this point of night Chloe had gotten the very peculiar feeling that there might just be someone else outside the library...it was a strange and impossible thought, of course, for it was too late at night for that. Perhaps it was just some poor sap who had tried to return a book but had come a little too late to do so. That was no issue of Chloe's, of course, for she was rather a punctual person in this manner and, if someone were to be late, they would just have to wait until morning. Aside from being rather punctual and introverted Chloe was also a bit of a rule follower. Rules were made to be followed, of course, and not broken. Why else would they be there? She liked rules, in all actuality. They kept things in order. Besides, what would society be without rules? Or, perhaps, Chloe was just trying to give reason behind the fact that she was a complete and utter bore sometimes.

Had that been a noise from the office? Chloe tensed, her fingers tightening around the sides of the ladder. Perhaps not...her nerves always got to her, of course. No one with good sense would try to rob a library, of all places. There was a jewelry store down the street and, a few blocks away, a bank. Besides, it was dark and Chloe was alone...she knew that her mind was playing tricks on her at this point. It was silly to think that there was a robber in a library. But Chloe remained on guard, despite the obvious fact that she was most likely being extremely paranoid.

No, Chloe had a habit for being a nervous wimp at times. She'd started staying home alone when she was twelve and, around that age, she'd constantly call her parents at even the slightest noise. She'd kept a kitchen knife on the dining table and usually stayed in one room, either reading silently or doing another easy activity. Coincidentally, Chloe had not once had a situation with a robber for her entire life...the closest to that had been the time that her extra pair of boots had gone missing during gym time in high school. But now that Chloe thought about it, maybe she'd just taken them home the day before to air them out...

Bump. There was the sound of a window shutting, and Chloe's fingertips ran cold. That had most certainly not been her imagination...the librarian whirled about just in the nick of time to see a figure bolting towards her, crying out her name as the figure did so. Chloe recognized the voice, the way the person ran, the excitement...oh, god. It was Felicity. The librarian clamped her mouth shut in surprise as her friend began to speak in the usual excitable manner. Chloe would not expect any less, of course, but how had she gotten in the library after closing time? Chloe had a nagging suspicion at the back of her mind, but Felicity's last words startled her right out of the thought.

"Mumbai?" Chloe repeated, her brown eyes rounding in absolute bewilderment. She released her hold on the ladder, which was safely perched against the top of the bookshelf and turned to face her friend, casually crossing her arms across her chest. "Felix, what are you going on about...? And how did you..." Chloe trailed off, her brown gaze temporarily averting itself from Felicity and over to the library office.

[qwill.]

Felicity looked sheepishly back at the office, still rather shaky from her adrenaline. Yes, she did dumb things when she was excited. Climbing through a window happened to be one of those things. This was not the first time she had done something of the sort, and it probably wouldn't be the last. "I promise no damage was done," she said, stepping to the left to regain Chloe's attention. "Just hear me out before you freak out about the window."

Fishing around in her jacket pocket, Felicity pulled out the photograph Jones had given her. It was sodden around the edges, and the colors were running, but the picture was still intact and that was what counted. The background was a lush green, and a team of what looked like college students were gathered in a group around stone blocks and statues. Each one wore goggles and had dirt smeared on their faces, but each face was smiling broadly. In the center stood a tall man with unruly brown hair and a smug smile. He was definitely the leader and the point of the whole picture. "Well, we're flying to Mumbai. The actual dig site is on Sri Lanka." Felix pointed to the monkeys in the background. The picture was so vibrant and tropical, who wouldn't want to jump right in? And, Felix couldn't help thinking, that archaeologist was hot! Not just temperature wise, either.

"Jones just gave me the case. Apparently they've uncovered something big, and I'm the one they've chosen to write the feature!" What Felicity didn't tell her friend was that this was the last straw. If she didn't succeed, her whole career went up in flames. She's have to resort to teaching or editing to get use of her degree, and that was, although possible, something she really didn't desire. "His name is William Cook. He's from California, but apparently he's this prestigious archaeologist and his team just came up with something really worth talking about. So what do you say? Felicity and Chloe, off on the next greatest adventure! We could be like superheroes or something! I don't exactly know what we could be saving, but it's worth a shot, right?"

At this point, Felix knew her friend would be wary. She read about all of these amazing places, but she never seemed to have the courage to pursue them. But no matter what it took, Felicity would get Chloe on the next plane to India. She'd get her to have a crazy fling with a stranger, and she'd get her to take risks. It was what best friends did for each other, right? Plus, Felix really didn't want to go it alone. Stories were boring if they didn't have memories attached, and the best way to make memories was to set yourself up to have memories. Felix danced around the library, waving the photograph of the archaeology team. "It's all-expense paid," she sang, batting her eyes. "Please, don't be mad at me." This was Felix's one big shot. If she didn't make this, it was over, and she desperately wanted Chloe to see that.

[fletch]

Chloe's hazel brown gaze momentarily lingered on the office for just the moment. It was a known fact that Felicity could often come off as doing some rather impulsive or dumb things, and this certainly proved that. But Felicity then stepped to the left to refocus the librarian's attention, and Chloe looked to her with a slightly peeved expression. Luckily for Felicity, Chloe was not one to grow angry over the slightest things. It was, however, a little odd that Felicity would have literally clambered through the window in an attempt to get her attentions. Could this not have waited until the next day? Furthermore, it had grown quite late. Rain pattered pleasantly against the clear glass door on the outside of the Charles V. Library--most likely why the photo from Felicity's pocket was sodden surrounding the edges. Chloe peered a bit closer, noting the 'team' of what seemed to be students. They looked as though they'd been digging about in some sort of filth, for their faces were smudged with dirt and goggles were strapped to each of their heads. In the very center of the photograph there stood a man who, admittedly, was probably pretty attractive. But Chloe managed to avert her gaze; no sense looking at it for longer than Chloe already had. The librarian managed to drag her attention away and refocus upon the bubbly reporter.

Immediately, Chloe was slightly on edge at Felicity's next words. As a reporter, it was understandable that Felicity would be excitable about such a trip. It would most likely be a skyrocket for her career, by the way that Felicity seemed to be hyping this. Chloe knew bits and pieces here and there about archaeology, but it had never been too much of an interest on Chloe's side. She far preferred staying in Santa Barbara, where no 'adventures' occurred. Things were quaint and quiet here, and the worst anxiety that Chloe would have would be concerning the latest shipments of the newest novel by an upcoming author. Chloe had no interest in being a superhero. Being a librarian was a choice career, in Chloe's perspective. Why should be wanting to drop everything for an 'adventure'?

Despite Chloe's initial concerns, Felicity certainly was quite passionate and enthusiastic about whatever was so interesting about this trip. Chloe liked Felicity; of course she did. She was her best friend, yet Felicity seemed to...be impulsive? In a sense, the two were total opposites. Chloe liked her books and the quaintness of the Charles V. and Felicity seemed more attached to the rush of things and the buzz of society's fast-paced rhythm.

"I...I don't know," The librarian admitted at last, turning her look from Felicity and back to the book shelf she'd been 'front-facing' not moments ago. Distractedly, Chloe reached forth and gripped the binding of the first book closest to her and slid the book back from where it was seated so carefully upon the shelf. She nonchalantly turned the book over so that the cover was facing her and, there, she could see the title. The book had a white cover with the massive orange block letters that wrote 'Go For It!' scrawled across the cover of the book. Chloe faltered in the slightest at how convenient a book title could be... Chloe returned the book to the shelf in a hurried manner and fixated her look back upon Felicity.

"India?" Chloe inquired hesitantly. "I guess I haven't...gone anywhere in a while, but who would look after the library? I mean, there's books due, shipments coming in, the shelf in the fiction sections needs fixing because of that loose screw, the door makes a squeaky noise when you open it, the--" Abruptly, the librarian broke off. A nagging suspicion had begun to occur to her: was she boring? Chloe swept her gaze briefly over the entirety of the library as the thought passed over her. It was true, wasn't it? Chloe hesitated once, but once was all it took. She looked over to Felicity and gave a small huff: "When do you plan to leave?"

[qwill.]

The Mumbai airport was hot and humid, and, worst of all, it was packed with people. Packed! The archaeologist paced back and forth, restless and agitated in the heat. "Remind me again, Caverhill, why we were volunteered to come get the reporter? Aren't there others who could have easily skipped out on a day of work to do this?" He stopped pacing for a moment to look at his intern. For some reason, the project supervisor had called him from all the way back stateside to say that he was sending a reporter to do a feature on his dig. William had reluctantly agreed; he had never thought that history was something to be publicized by the mass media, but more discovered through a new and crazy adventure. Surely a reporter and her...William checked the paper he had been faxed...librarian friend? William cursed silently to himself. These two were not going to be able to handle Mumbai, let alone a humid, rural dig site in Sri Lanka. He really had his hands full with this one.

"Damn it all, Caverhill, where are they?" he said, his eyes narrowed in the humid air. People rushed past him with bags and totes and even the occasional chicken. Over the course of his travels in Asia, William had discovered that chickens in baskets on bicycles were not an uncommon sight on the streets. William was anxious to get back to the sight. He had already had some locals warn him against pursuing the Cintamani Stone. They had said that disturbing it would cause animosity with groups of people that even the locals were afraid of. They said that they had been to the island before, with weapons and nice clothes. They, too, had searched for the stone, but they had not found it. William had been reluctant leaving the sight to only college students, and needed to get back as soon as possible.

William had always respected local tradition. If they felt that something should be left untouched, he usually let it be. Some cultures deserved their secrecy, and that's what made their secrets great and mysterious. William understood that. But he was afraid that if he didn't find the fabled Cintamani stone, the men with guns would come back and not only destroy wonderful pieces of history, but they would destroy the innocent locals trying only to guard their heritage. William could not let that happen.

But apparently some late reporter and her little friend could. William continued to pace. "When's their flight supposed to be in?" he growled to his intern, checking his watch. Each moment they spent in this damn airport was another moment he could be searching for the wishing stone.