Important information is in bold, everything else is apart of Kate and Thomas's storyline and if you don't want to read that then look for the bold.

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The black medallion hung around my neck, disrupting the beauty of my maroon red and black lace dress. But I had to wear it, it signified my position and power in the face of the United States Hybrid Ambassabor; the only human attending the Apprentices Banquet.

A small sliver of pain vibrates through my skull as someone - Thomas, I'm sure - presses in on my consciousness; letting me know he was waiting for me in the hall. I take a breath and check my hair bun once more before opening my office door.

"Hey T." I say, inviting him into my messy inner sactum. I'd been spending the last few days in here, interviewing apprentices and hating who I was. I'd never understood the sadness that had always haunted Garrett's eyes when he roamed through these silent white halls. Now I did, he hated it; knowing how these girls and boys felt about him and the Exams. They despised him, and they despised me.

I didn't know how to show them who I was, what I really wanted. I wasn't cruel or mean and I didn't want to make them feel so used by us. We weren't here to hurt them, we were here to help them with their Gifts and make them great. They were the backbone if the Hybrid community, we existed because they protected us and they couldn't see that. None of them understood how important they were to us and how frustrated I felt because I didn't know how to show them that.

"Hey Kate, what happened in here?" Thomas questions, walking inside the office. He wore a maroon red tux with a white dress shirt and a black tie, he was my escort to the banquet. I shrug and hug my arms around myself.

"Just the result of one of my hissy fits, I spent the entirety of the last few days interviewing apprentices and really wanting to throw things because of how out of place most of them feel here. That wasn't how I felt, I was happy to be here because I felt special. They hate it and I can't figure out how to show them they're important." Thomas frowns and crosses his arms, leaning his hip against the corner of my paper covered desk.

"I think you've forgotten the point of the banquet, Kate. This is how we show them, through the hundreds of Hybrids that show up each year and shake their hands and offer words of encouragement. It's not your job to show them they're special, it's the Hyrbid society's job and they'll do that tonight. So stop worrying and just have fun, we're only alive until the end of these Exams. We don't have much more time to celebrate the work we did as Keeper and Guarde." Thomas reasons with a smile and runs his left hand through his brown hair and the glittering piece of silver on his finger catches my eye. I gasp and duck my head, mentally beating myself up for forgetting to put that on before he got here. "It's in the safe, yeah?" Thomas asks, pressing his palm against the wall. I nod and roll my eyes at myself.

"They're all coming, right?" Thomas nods his head as he reaches into the safe and draws out two silver rings.

"Yeah, Kalina and Lucas are anyway. I don't know about Nathan and Desiree." A swirl of contradicting emotions well up inside me; Kalina was coming but maybe not Nathan.

"Here, put them on." Thomas says, placing the silver rings in my hand. I stare down at them in wonder, having forgotten the last time I wore either of the two. I didn't wear them while I was Keeper becuase I didn't like showing myself as a person instead of the leader of the Hybrids; and I was Keeper most of the time. Thomas didn't wear his either, of course he would've liked too, but I demanded he not.

"I don't know if we should-"

"Kate," Thomas snaps, abruptly cutting me off. I glance up at his determined brown eyes and stern expression. "we never wear them. What's the point of it if we pretend it's not real? You're not working tonight, the Keeper is celebrating the end of her life and my only job is protecting you. The Guarde is on duty, they're watching everything."

"Every Psychic is watching the future, every Dreamer is roaming the subconscious world for threats. And every Protectionist - me included - is enacting spell after spell after spell to make sure nothing and no one get into that Banquet hall. And the apprentices abilities will be temporarily shut down so they won't cause any trouble either. Just be Kate tonight, the Keeper's taking a day off." Thomas pleads, taking the rings back from me and slipping them onto my left ring finger.

"Okay." I respond, not bothering with trying to fight him on the issue. Thomas wasn't going to give in or let up. Tonight I would be Kate, not Keeper. Well mostly, I would still be the Keeper but maybe I could try to act a bit more Kate-ish. I take Thomas's arm and breathe in a heavy breath. "Well I suppose we should get going, we need to show the apprentices to the transport dock."

"I know, let's go." Thomas says too cheerfully. I pull the door to my office shut as we exit the room and start down the long corridor and as we did, apprentices began to stick their heads out of their own rooms and join us as we walked to the transport dock. They all looked amazing, each girl wore a long dress and each boy wore a tux, they were paired with an escort of their choosing and most of them looked happy and excited.

It made me smile, perhaps this was the beginning of each apprentice understanding who they were to us and to the Hybrids. They weren't our experiements or prisoners, they were the future Guarde and the only thing that stood between our safe existance and no existance.

It's not long before the transport dock comes into the view, three members of the Guarde stood waiting outside the door. When they saw me, however, they jumped into action. The doors were opened and we were herded into the all metal room.

Once everyone was safely inside, the three Guarde members included, the doors slammed shut and darkness come over us. But the medallion around my neck burst forth with light, illuminating everything in a white glow. Streaks of red erupted the surface of the medallion and gasps went through the array of apprentices.

They stumble back from Thomas and I, suddenly afraid of the sights before them. A silver bracelet suddenly appears around the wrists of each one of the apprentices - each bracelet was infused with Keeper magick that kept their Gifts from working without my direct consent. They would figure that out soon enough.

But that wasn't all the medallion was doing, it also how we were going to get from the underground base to the banquet. The Keeper magick could do a lot of things and transporting mass amounts of people was one of them. The transport dock was the only place someone could transport to and from and no apprentice knew that until the day of the banquet, it was just safer that way.

One moment, we're all standing in a huge metal room and the next we're all standing in the large foyer of the banquet hall. This wasn't a human building, it was in a remote location on one of our Hybrid campuses for Hybrids who didn't want to live among humans. Most felt safer living within the lesser race, but some didn't like that feeling of loneliness and being outnumbered so we had Hybrid campuses that were dedicated to providing for Hybrids who wanted to live among their own people.

The United States government protected us, it was the only country that was friendly with Hybrids. All the others felt the need to crush us and Hybrids who lived in those places were in danger, many of them came to these campuses that were spread out among the fifty states.

Each campus was protected by twenty-five foot brick walls and completely surrounded by trees. They were no fly zones for airplanes so there was no chance humans could've found us, and the Guarde monitored all of them with security checks and round the clock cameras. We had more protection than the United States President, and we were a lot better at taking care of our people too.

"Hey, where are we?" Gwen asks, pushing her way through the crowd of apprentices. Aaron was her escort and she was wearing red, like me.

"The Hybrid campus of Arizona, this is the banquet hall and through those doors is the Apprentices Banquet." I pointed to a set of double doors and every eye turns toward it. It wasn't until they'd stopped mumbling about themselves that we could all finally hear the music playing in that room and a wave of excitement passed over everyone. A series of trumpets sounded and I shared a glance with Thomas.

"Alright, you'll be introduced in order of the Gifts. Starting with Dream and ending with Wraith. You'll wait to be announced before entering and you'll be guided to a long table where you will all sit and dine together. Thomas and I will be annouonced first, don't make a scene. There are Guarde members roaming the building and if you try to run you'll be caught, I promise."

"Don't make a fool of yourself, the people in that room are here to support you and show you why you're special. By the end of tonight, maybe you all will understand why the apprentices are so important to the Hybrid society. And you'll stop complaining about being one of the chosen." I snap, having lost my patience with the apprentices after the last few days and their constant complaining. Thomas clears his throat.

"Also dance, eat, be merry, and have fun. The Exams start in a few days, this is your night. Every Hybrid important to you is here, so don't waste it feeling sorry for yourself." He adds, Gwen snorts and crosses her arms over her chest, along with half of the other apprentices.

The doors to the banquet hall open and music floods the area, but one voice rises about all the others as it begins the introductions. "Kate, our cherished Keeper, and her escort, Thomas, a gifted member of the Guarde. Otherwise known as Mr. and Mrs. Latimer." A flurry of applause echo throughout the room with the thousands of Hybrids who cheer, clap, and holler as Thomas and I enter the room.

It was huge, nothing could compare to the enormity of the banquet hall. Thousands of Hybrids could sit at round tables comfortably while a band of Hybrids played music on a stage to the right of the doors. Opposite to the tables was a dance floor where groups of Hybrids stood mid-step, having paused to clap as the apprentices were introduced to the society for the first time. This was the moment when every Hybrid got to see who their future was and every apprentice got to see how much we appreciated them. An overhanging balcony circled the room, many more Hybrids stared down at us from the ceiling.

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and an array of lights glittered through the glass shards, dancing along the walls, ceiling, and floor. The crystalline flooring gave the room a classy feel, every table was decorated with a white cloth and flower centerpieces. In the very center of the room was the Apprentices table, it was rectangular and long enough to fit every apprentice and their escorts. Thomas and I, however, had our own table adjacent to the apprentices.

Thomas, myself, and the thirty-nine individuals behind me were the most important Hybrids here - the honored guests. The point of the banquet was to celebrate the end of my life and term as Keeper, the end of my Guarde, and the beginning of a new era. It recognized everything we had done for the society and brought about a hope for the new Keeper and their Guarde. It was the only time that Hybrids truly came together in celebration as a nation of superior beings. Not one human was in attendance, save for the ambassador, his presence was required.

Thomas pulls my chair away from the table before seating himself, the spotlight leaves us the moment we do and reverts back to the doors where the first Dream apprentice walks in with their escort. And the cycle restarts, the cheering resumes and the celebrations get stronger. Thomas and I join in, welcoming the apprentices to our world. The mirroring looks of awe on all their faces was mesmerizing to watch because I remembered being like them.

When the last Wraith apprentice is introduced into the room, the ceremonous rituals of the Hybrids finally begin. A loud boom resounds through the room as the band begins a song meant only for apprentices and the Keeper. Spotlights shimmer from the sky, raining down on the apprentice table and mine. Prompting us all to dance. Thomas is the first to offer his hand to me and then every other male escort or apprentice follow his lead.

The dance is ritualistic in our society and it was a series of complicated twists and turns and spins and steps and no one in their right mind could've been able to follow along. But that was the beauty of the Keeper magick - it swarmed the apprentices senses and told them exactly what to do. We were synconized through the magick.

When the song ends, we're all released from the magickal effects and left to visit with friends and family. Hybrids took this chance to shake hands and gush over the apprentices. They encouraged, congratulated them, asked them to dance, took pictures with them, and so many other things. This was the heart of the Apprentices Banquet; for the Hybrids to show the apprentices how much they cared about them.

For me - it meant seeing Kalina and Nathan for the first time in years. "Thomas, are they here?" I ask, the music having become a simple background tune. Thomas looks at me and then over at a table of people and my heart stutters. I give an involuntary squeal and practically pull Thomas over to the table. The first to see us is Kalina.

"Mom!" She shrieks, jumping to her feet and hugging me.

"Hi!" I respond stunned, Kalina pulls away and steps back.

"Lucas meet my mom and my dad, guys meet Lucas. My husband." Lucas reaches out his hand to Thomas and then me.

"Nice to meet you two, also slightly weird since you look so much younger." He comments with a smile and a frown. Thomas laughs while I just nod and smile. I'm good at being the Keeper, I'm okay at being Kate, and I'm horrible at being Kalina, Nathan, and Gwen's mother. It just wasn't something I'd ever had experience with, not really. They were always ripped away at young ages.

"And Aaron's your son, right?" I question, referring to the boy who I'd seen with Gwen as her escort. Kalina nods and gestures to two younger kids sitting at the table.

"And Lily and Nathaniel is the youngest."

"Hey Kalina!" A voice shouts behind us, Thomas and I whirl around as Gwen dashes over, her eyes swinging from one face to another in a desperate frenzy until she sees a little boy sitting at the table. She squeals and breaks out into a run. "Connor!" The little boy looks up and smiles broadly, he giggles and climbs down from his seat.

"Momma!" He announces, falling into Gwen's arms. I watch the exchange silently, fighting back the range of emotions that well up inside me.

"Where's Nathan?" I question, turning my gaze away from Gwen and Connor. Thomas puts his arm around my shoulders as a comfort.

"Him and Desiree are dancing, look." Kalina points to an older couple, they were maybe in their late fifties and they were swaying out of tune to the music. The sight was so cute, they were too old to move like the younger Hybrids but they weren't so old that they were afraid of dancing. Desiree had been with Nathan for almost thirty-seven years, it was good to still see them together after all this time.

"Zeke and Mandy, did they come with their parents?" I ask, Kalina isn't given the chance to answer.

"Kate and Thomas in the flesh, I believe it's been too long." Thomas is dragged away from me as a girl looking to be a bit younger than Kalina hugs him. Arms slip around my waist and twirl me around, I yelp in surprise and demand they put me down. The person obliges, laughing heartily. When my feet touch the ground I spin around, ready to smack the giggles right out of them but the face that greets me is full of joy.

"Zeke!"

"Grandma!" He shouts sarcastically, my jaw drops and I smack the back of his head.

"Call me that again and I'll kill you." I threaten, pointing my finger at him. He laughs and nods, backing away with a smile.

"Just kill him, I'll love you forever." A girlish voice sing songs, Many comes into view. Her eyes twinkling happily.

"Hi!" I say, attacking her with a hug. Over her shoulder I see Thomas and Zeke engaged in a conversation and it only brightens my mood. As crazy as it was, this was my family and for one night, we were all together.

Over the course of the next hour or so Thomas and I were forced into conversations with various Hybrids about various topics concerning forms of protection, govermental matters in our society, and so many more issues I didn't know where to begin. But we were also praised for all of our contributions.

The best part was visiting with Nathan and Desiree and their kids, Zeke and Mandy, who also had families of their own. Kalina and Lucas and their family joined in all the fun and at one point, so did Gwen and Connor, but not for long. However, all too soon the time came for my speech and I was forced to abandon everyone and resume my role as Keeper.

I climb up onto the stage with the band at my back and tap on the microphone. It's crackles, dragging the attention of the room. The lights darken and that old familiar spotlight falls on me again. Every head turns and every eye takes me in. I take a breath, searching out Thomas in the crowd before finding the courage to continue.

"Welcome Hybrids, it's great to see so many faces, young and old, here to support our new apprentices before they enter the Exams. It took us a while, but we found them all, we've trained them and protected them for as long as we could. I'm hoping tonight they'll realize how important they are to the Hybrid society. I have no qualms that they will feel welcomed here, I'm just not so sure it'll last until tomorrow." I pause and glance around the room.

"I've enjoyed my time as Keeper, it's been long - eighty-three years to be exact - and it hasn't been without troubles. But that's my job, right? To deal with the issues and now it's time for a new Keeper. It's time to turn over the medallion and all it's power to a fresh mind and for the Hybrids to experience something new. So, apprentices," I make eye contact with each of them, "may the best of you overcome and may the rest of you become greater." I step away from the microphone, exiting the stage as a frenzy of applause erupt around me.

The rest of the night was filled with activities and festivities and the apprentices were praised relentlessly. When the banquet ended, it was well past any decent hour. The apprentices, Thomas, and I were the first to be escorted out and the medallion transported us back to the base. Now the only thing left was to prepare for the beginning of the Exams themselves.