Time For Rewards

It sounded too much like a cliché to say it out loud, but the rest of the day really did pass in a blur for Trixie. By the time they’d finished their breakfast, most of the more outlandish rumours had given way to something resembling the truth. Trixie had defeated the pishtaco, but the monster had turned out to be the strange caretaker, so nobody seemed quite sure how much of a hero she really was. Trixie didn’t mind at all. She didn’t want any extra attention, especially if it meant the other monsters realising that she wasn’t, in fact, a monster, either.

Colin and Xavier, on the other hand, had taken on several unimaginable monsters all on their own, and they spent the next few hours telling increasingly taller tales to the younger monsters. Trixie let them have their moment, though she did consider dropping in the fact that Xavier had literally fallen to bits during the fight. 

Gloria had gone for a lie-down. After paling at the sight of all of the breakfast meat, she’d been delighted to discover a new dish called tamales. She was so hungry that she’d eaten a dozen of the corn snacks and ended up looking even paler than before.

With nothing else to do, Maria led Trixie back down to the citadel to see the ancient Inca ruins once more before they left.

“They really are stunning,” Trixie said as they took a leisurely stroll towards the curved wall of the Temple of the Sun.

“We are blessed to live in this place,” Maria said. She took Trixie’s hand and led her up the stone ramp into a small, open room. “Only the most important people were allowed in this room when the Inca ruled. They would offer sacrifices to please the gods.” The centaur looked serious for a moment and glared at Trixie. “It is customary to still do that today.”

Trixie started to panic, and back away towards the open.

“I’m only kidding!” Maria said gleefully punching Trixie in the arm. “You should have seen your face, though!”

“That was mean!” Trixie said, but laughed along with her friend.

The sun was standing proud over the mountains by the time Trixie and Maria made it back to the school. Trixie cursed herself for not wearing sunscreen and could already feel her nose beginning to blister. Gloria had made it back down from her room, although she refused to eat anything for lunch. Colin and Xavier were nowhere to be seen.

In fact, it was dinner-time before they were all together again, gathered around the enormous tables in the hall and tucking into a farewell feast that the cook had put together in honour of the departing heroes.

Trixie was slumped back in her chair, lost in a contented, food-induced reverie, when Madam Garcia flew up to the podium and coughed politely. Murmurs of conversation petered out, and the hall fell quiet, except for somebody at the back who barked like a dog. They were quickly shushed into silence. There’s always one.

“We owe a great debt of gratitude to our visitors,” Madam Garcia began, her voice filling the hall. “If it wasn’t for Trixie, Gloria, Colin and our own Maria and Xavier, we would still be here doubting whether there really was a problem. Instead, they took it upon themselves to rescue many of our friends and relatives who had disappeared over the last year or so.”

The fairy looked around the room, her gaze lingering on each monster in turn. “Unfortunately, one of our own members of staff was behind this fiendish scheme. And what’s worse is that we can’t overlook the fact that the behaviour of some of you,” at this point, she raised her voice and her glared, “may have driven him some way towards this unfortunate end. Let that sink in, and reflect on who you wish to be moving forward.”

Madam Garcia seemed to shake herself and a cheerful smile once again took centre stage on her face. “We would like to say thank you to those who saved us with a little token of our appreciation. Trixie, Gloria and Colin, would you come and join me.”

The hall erupted into applause as the three sheepishly made their way to the podium. Trixie glanced over at their own deputy-headmistress and saw that Miss Brimstone had an unusual look on her face. It suddenly dawned on Trixie that it was a look of pride. She’d never seen Miss Brimstone look like that before. It was slightly unnerving.

Gloria reached the podium first, and Madam Garcia presented her with a gold necklace. A polished emerald had been set in the centre of a bronze sun and hung delicately around her neck when she placed it over her head. “This is said to be a magical amulet, worn by one of the first Inca priests,” Madam Garcia said. “But then again, everything anybody finds has some sort of story behind it. I thought it was pretty, and you would enjoy it,” she finished with a giggle. Gloria blushed and mumbled an awkward “thank you,” before stepping aside for Colin.

For Colin, the fairy reached into a small satin sack and took out a stone circle. A crude wolf’s head had been carved into one face. “A badge worn by the first werewolves in these mountains,” Madam Garcia said. “Or so they say! I am sure they would be honoured to consider you one of their own.”

Colin’s eyes widened. “Just you wait until I show those losers at the Lycanthrope Hunting Club this. That’ll teach them!”

“And for Trixie, the most difficult of all. Of course, Miss Brimstone told me your secret,” she said in a whisper so that only Trixie could hear. “I respect your decision to keep it hidden a little bit longer, even if I think it is a shame.” The fairy reached behind her for something. When she turned back around, she was holding half of a bronze circle. “This was made when the Inca first welcomed the monsters of the mountains into Machu Picchu. The Inca took one half and gave the other to the monsters as a symbol of their lasting bond. Alas, the half that the Inca took has been lost over time, but let this be a reminder to all of us. It doesn’t matter who or what we are, but how we are.”

Once the meal was over and everybody had said their goodbyes, Trixie, Gloria and Colin led the monsters of Monstacademy on the long walk back to the foot of the mountain.

Trixie allowed herself to drift towards the back of the crowd where she fell into step with Miss Brimstone. “It was you who left the note, wasn’t it?” she said.

“I have no idea what you mean,” the banshee said. Trixie was certain she saw the corner of her teacher’s mouth almost break into a smile.

“Well, I need to remember to say thank you to whoever it was,” Trixie said to nobody in particular. “Without it, we wouldn’t have had any chance of finding Maria or the others.”

They continued in silence for a while, before Miss Brimstone said, cautiously, “While I must commend your effort in this particular case, I do hope that you and your friends won’t consider this an invitation to continue your amateur detective career once we get back to school.”

Trixie smiled. “It hasn’t stopped us yet,” she said with a laugh.

Miss Brimstone smiled fully this time, and placed an arm around Trixie’s shoulder. “Very true indeed,” she said.

Their broomsticks had been well-hidden at the foot of the mountain and, after a brief round of tearful goodbyes, it didn’t take the monsters of Monstacademy long before they were beginning the long and very cold journey home.