The One who Brought us the bean

The guy with the bean

I am sitting around the fire, eating my warm bowl of soup as the three around me analyze the bean that I had let them see. Sure, I had just met these people, but they seemed to be expecting me and I had been looking for a group called them. This just seemed like I found them....I hope.  

"We have deducted that this is in fact the bean that Coco had. Did you meet her? Do you know where she went?" Al finally asked me having still not explained who they were or why they wanted the bean.

"Who? Coco? The mysterious girl with red eyes that gave me the bean?"

"That sounds like her alright." the young girl chirped in.

"We wouldn't really say we met...she more so gave me the bean and told me to leave...told me to go...South and to find them and Oliver..."

"Oliver! Well, it really was her then. Well boy, did you find him?" Al asked as the other two looked over expectantly.

"Well no...I was going South when I stumbled upon your abode. I just accidentally found your place."

"Accidentally? Stumbled? Oh it's worse than we thought Pa!" the girl explained to Al and immediately I tensed up. What was happening? It's worse than we thought? WHAT?!

"So...I don't wanna dilly dally and waste y'alls time, but you still haven't explained who you are...or whats going on? Why did this Coco break into my house, tell me to go South, and give me this bean?"

"Ah, we have a lot of explaining to do and all of it will come in due time, but let's start with our names. I've told you already I'm Al, but most people call me Pa." Al explained and then gestured to the other two.

"I'm Joe and this is my sister River." Joe explained as River smiled politely, "And you are..." River began, but then a door that I had just noticed opened and a girl walked out followed closely behind by what appeared to be an injured boy. River jumped up and went over to hug the girl, Joe offered a seat to the two, and Al extended his hand to the boy.

"Oh good, it's nice for you two to finally join us Julianna. Hello there Winston, I'm Al." Al reached his hand out to shake Winston's. Winston half smiles and accepts it.

"You know who I am?"  

"Of course we do, Winston. We've had Julianna watching over you for the past few years...well give or take that one year where she went missing." River explained in a dance-like manner as she seemed to hover around them.

"Watch over me? What?"

"Before we get too much into the story it's time for you to meet our other guest Winston...this is the one who brought us the bean!" Winston and I shook hands and I felt oddly ashamed that they were expecting me, but didn't seem to know my name, but had someone watching Winston and seemed to know his name. Was bringing this bean to them all I am worth? As I contemplated all I had heard, I retook a seat next to Winston and Julianna.

"I'm sure you boys are wondering why you are here and what's going on. Did you explain anything to Winston, Jules?" River asked bringing soup over to Winston.

"Not yet, but he knows what coffee tastes like for sure. You were right Pa, Coco had found him too."  Julianna looked admirably at Al.

"Coffee? Yes! That amazing taste...but it almost cost me. Why is it illegal?" Winston asked and my eyes went wide. Coffee? An illegal drink? I had been carrying an illegal bean? What is this? Apparently the others could sense my alarm and River walked over to sit next to me, resting her hand on mine to comfort me.

"It will all be explained soon. Pa I think it's time to tell the Coffee Story. Tell them what happened to the Kingdom. Tell them what Coco is trying to do, how we can help, and what part they have to play." River said and as she said this Julianna looked up.

"Did he find Oliver? Is that not what the first step is?" 

"No...he did not Jules. But, that is okay. They must know. Within time we'll find Oliver and Coco. Tomorrow we will send the messengers to Box Manor to see if they have heard from Oliver. If he's managed to find them then he'll be safe there until Coco finds him. Once she finds him they'll know what to do. Once we are reunited with them then we can plan our next move." Al explained, "Now where to begin our tale? ...Oh yes. It all started ten years prior during at the climax of the Great War."  

Box Manor

Oliver:

"Hey Oli, can you grab extra bread I think we'll have visitors today?" Jimmy asked Oliver as he headed out of our makeshift box hut. Oliver had been living with this motley crew that had welcomed him in for about three weeks now. He felt pretty accepted and part of this little family since that first bite of bread he took. Bread. That was the extent of their meals. Jimmy was the only one out of the five boys of Box Manor--a small "house" literally composed of boxes that different restaurants in the area had thrown out...it was big enough for ten people and so had plenty of space only housing five--who had a job. Jimmy worked for a bread company and was always able to bring home any stale and left over bread items. They mostly drank water, but occasionally Peppers could get some nice, quality bottles of grape juice from the cute gas station clerk he would flirt with. Everyone had a way they could contribute to this little society. Jimmy and Peppers with the bread and juice, Jack collected boxes whenever they needed more, Dan always made sure to have wood for the fire pit, and Oliver now was called the waiter. Since he was the newest to the group until he could find what he was most useful with he was the one would collect things for people. This is why Oliver found himself gathering extra bread for these mysterious visitors.

In the three weeks that Oliver had been a part of Box Manor they had never had visitors. No one had phones and so Oliver had wondered how Jimmy could know that they were getting visitors. Jimmy was like that: He always knew when something new was going to happen. No one knew how he did, but he did. There was something else about this motley crew worth noting. Not only did they all contribute to their community through providing goods, but they all had gifts and skills like Jimmy's. Peppers was a very charismatic speaker and loved to teach the crew new concepts. Jack cared for the group, by that I mean that, he made sure everyone had what they needed and was always there to provide council if needed. Dan liked to start new things. Whenever Jimmy would tell him something new was happening then Dan would start making sure everything was ready for that new event. Oliver was still trying to figure out his place in all of this, but above all else he knew he was accepted here and that was good enough for now.

"Here they come!" Jimmy whispered to the group as Oliver had found his seat around the fire pit. All five boys looked over to see a couple walking towards them. They looked exhausted and confused. What was most surprising to see was that one of the two people approaching was a girl. They never had girls come find them and yet here she was. Dan naturally stood up to welcome them.

"Hi there...is this Box Manor?" The girl asked and Dan nodded his head while asking them if they'd like to sit and have some bread.

"And who might y'all be?" Jack asked most likely preparing ways to make them feel most welcomed, just like he did the first time that Oliver had joined the group.

"I'm Coco and this is my brother Trevor." the girl calmly explained and Jimmy's ears perked up.

"Coco? You're Coco?" Jimmy asked surprised, "We certainly have been waiting for you...have you brought news?"

"That depends...is Oliver among you?" Coco asked and very hesitantly Oliver stood up.

"That's me." and before he could say anything else, Trevor burst out, "Oh Good! We thought we'd never find you. It was hard ya know. Luckily Br...Coco insisted we keep looking." Oliver looked at the other boys and this new couple with a quizzical look.

"Me? You were looking for me? Why me?"

"Of course we were Oliver. You are very important to all of us." This mysterious girl named Coco replied.

Two Teams

Winston:

"Do you have the bean?" I heard a muffled voice ask as I began to reach consciousness. Before opening my eyes I could smell a fire coming from nearby. I opened my eyes hesitantly and found myself looking at my Julianna, my dearest friend who I had escaped from the Monastery with. What happened? I know we escaped but, I don't remember what happened afterwards...did somebody knock me out? I looked around and saw candles lit all around me, I was laying down on a makeshift bed that felt like it was composed of logs and we appeared to be in a cave. I went to sit up, but could barely move.

"Oh good you're awake!" Julianna exclaimed as she reached over to me and rubbed my face with a damp cloth. I tried to speak to her and my lips moved, but nothing came out. What's wrong with me? 

"What's wrong? Can't speak or move yet?" She asked, but I could tell she already knew the answer.

"I'll have you nursed back to help in no time...I bet you're wondering what happened, huh?" She smiled, walked out of sight for a few brief seconds, and returned with a hot cup of something that smelled delicious. That smell...what is it...I have smelled it before...coffee! The forbidden bean. As I realized what this amazing smell was, Julianna began to help me drink it. As the coffee slowly dripped down my throat I began to feel more energized. I felt the caffeine within me. I managed a smile.

"The moment I saw you out of your room at the Monastery I knew that Coco had found you too..." Coco...the mysterious girl in the market place that sold that coffee to me and introduced me to it right before everything else happened...the blood that was on the floor and my forehead...I still don't seem to remember what had happened. "I had heard rumors about you, ya know. While I was locked up I had overheard the Higher Ups talking about you, They kept saying that Ole' Winston was acting up, they were worried about you..." Ole' Winston? Higher Ups? Who the Masters of the Monastery? While she was locked up? Is that where she was? Why?

"Oh, I suppose you didn't know I was locked up...well that's a long story for when you are fully recovered." Julianna smiled at me as she answered the quizzical look in my eyes. She winked at me, "But, you should be recovered soon and then you can meet everyone else on our team. We are so glad we found you. We just need to find Oliver and Coco and we can make our next move." Move? What? Oliver? Team? I wondered again where I was and what was happening, but yet I knew I could trust Julianna. I always had.

************************************

Trevor:

I awoke to find myself strapped to a chair with two men in lab coats staring at me. Where's Stelle? I thought anxiously, but quickly noticed she was in the same predicament right next to me. 

"What do you know? Who are you? How'd you find us?" The taller man asked us.

"We discovered these mysterious doors on our college campus and they led us here...We don't know where we are or anything about this place..." I explained always truthful, I looked over to see Stelle glaring at me. What? Did she want me to lie to these strangers who held us captive...

"Doors? College campus? How? That doesn't make any sense...We aren't connected to any colleges. Are you lying?" The second, shorter, lab coat said. The two men exchange looks.

"This must be something that Director knows about." The taller one suggested and they both left the room without anymore comment. 

"What is happening right now?" I looked anxiously at Stelle.

"Way to tell them all we know! We could've used it as leverage to get more information out of them."

"Leverage? What? Stelle, we have been captured by who knows what and they can do who knows what to us and you want to leverage them?" 

"I don't know Trev it was an idea...better then nothing. What do we do?"

"Anything to get out of here I suppose..." As I was finishing my sentence a tall, stout, professional looking woman walked in. She was wearing a pantsuit and had her brown hair pulled back. This woman must be the Director.

"I hear you two have found the doors to get to our Monastery. I have gone through great lengths to keep those hidden, but clearly I was not good enough. Who sent you?" She addressed us directly. 

"No one, we found it ourselves." I answered truthfully again, "honestly, we just accidentally stumbled upon it." The Director looked us up and down. 

"Interesting...so you're new faces and know nothing about this place..." She said as if she was talking to herself more than us, "Well then I have a proposition for you two...one that may just save your lives."

I looked anxiously at Stelle who gave me a look back that seemed to suggest that whatever it was we were going to be offered, if it seemed to let us go free we should take it...