Creek-Shots! | Craig of the Creek one shots

Q&A - The Elders & Reader

The Elders are an enigma, both to you and the other children of the Creek. Despite being the oldest of anyone there, they still play in the Creek, although they have and will curse you out for calling what they do "playing". To the residents of the Creek, they are a bridge from the child to adult world, having information that the former doesn't know and the latter won't tell you. They answer the questions they are asked, and in exchange everyone lets them play their games and watch their shows under Elder Rock without judgement. You've heard some kids talking about taking the Rock over through "Dibs" or brute force, but these plans never go through. The Elders are much too valuable to the Creek for them to leave.

So it's very weird that they're not here.

"What the heck?" You say to yourself after peeking under Elder Rock and not seeing anyone, or anything. The place looks like any normal cave, not the geek hideout that it used to be.

You crawl between the gap to get a closer look. The area has been completely cleared out, save for dirt and crumbs and a little multi-sided die you found in the corner. Other than that, there's no evidence of anyone having been there. It used to be filled to the brim with show memorabilia, maps of fictional worlds, foreign snacks, and a lot more dice with a lot more sides than the one you picked up, and now it's empty. It's uncanny.

What happened? Did the Elders finally decide they're too cool for the Creek? Did Scooter Girl actually scooter them to death, like she said she would? Did they get Thanos snapped, and that's why it's so dusty under here?

Now you have two questions you need to ask. Luckily, you know where to get the newer one answered.

You find your way to the Stump, and ask the kids that play there where the Elders went. These kids go all over the Creek, because the one boy in their group likes to map it out, and they know more things about the Creek than the Secret Keeper.

"Oh, I guess Mark moved out of Elder Rock," says the mapmaker, Craig.

"What do you mean, they moved out?" you say.

"The Elders got in a huge fight, and Barry and David left. Mark has been around the Creek since then, but maybe he got bored." He shrugs. "It's not like he has anyone to play with here now. At least, anyone his age."

"Do they do this a lot?" The boy with the green coat and box braids says. He's been hanging around these kids more often since the Capture The Flag war. You don't actually know his name, but you have more important things to find out right now. "They seem really dramatic in general."

"No," replies Craig. "I mean, they are dramatic, sometimes, but this was a really big fight for them. I'm kind of worried."

"They can't just leave!" You exclaim. "What if we need to ask them questions about anime?"

"The Ninja Kids know a lot about that," says the warrior, Kelsey. She's swinging her sword around her head, and you're afraid she might hit someone. "You can ask one of them."

"Uh... well..." You kick the dirt, looking at the ground. "I... cantexactlyaskthem."

"Why not?"

The truth is, you wanted to ask the Elders where you can watch Mariner Mars, because one of the Ninja Kids told you that was her favorite anime, and now you need to watch it before you see her again so you can talk to her about it. But that's kind of, sort of, really embarrassing to say out loud, so you need a different reason.

"I am enemies with them," you make up on the spot. "Yeah! I'm trying to start my own ninja club at school, and they're not invited. Especially Yustice, she's the worst out of all of them, with her stupid ninja stars, and smoke bombs, and bun, and glasses, and-"