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 Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:36 pm
In the underground maze of the new Sereitei High Command, there is one training room that is labelled as specifically not being for training. Only one program runs in this room, a program that Ryan had found while digging through the computer archives for new training scenarios. The program was labelled as "Crystal Forest".
Inside is a forest unlike any on Earth. Instead of being a mix of green and brown, the forest is mostly blue, with everything seeming as if it is made of crystal. It is usually cool in the forest, not too cold, but not too warm either, and the atmosphere is perfect for a quiet walk, or just taking time to sit and think. Sometimes one can catch a glimpse of butterflies in the forest, and high in the trees are actual crystals that reflect light shades of orange and yellow, but mostly it is just a peaceful place, yet full of sounds. It is as if the air pulses with magic, and one can almost hear the crystals shimmering with light.
One spot in particular is Ryan's favorite. Deep in the forest is a place that only Ryan can access or allow access to, as the trees will move as he wishes them to. This place is a fairly large clearing with a pool in the center, a pool that reflects the moonlight (it is always night here, but always a clear night) from above. If one looks into the pool long enough, though, they will see their memories and thoughts take shape as pictures in the pool rather than simply seeing the reflection of the moonlight, which is a further indication that this may be more than just a computer program.
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 12:15 am
Ryan always liked being here. Here was where he could sit and think, or reflect...just spend a moment with himself. Even though he'd only been in the Crystal Forest a few times, it had given him that sort of feeling ever since he'd first uttered the words "Run program: Crystal Forest."
Today, though, it was different...
Ryan sat at the edge of the Reflecting Pool, as he called it - it reflected one's face, and one's thoughts, so was it not a true mirror of oneself? Either way, it was his spot...though, he'd made sure that the forest had a path for Envy to follow as well.
There was a small stone next to him...or was that a lump of crystal. Ryan picked it up and tossed it lightly into the water. The ripples spread out slowly...and as they passed, Ryan suddenly saw something glitter in the shallow end of the lake closest to him. Ryan came to his feet, but crouched, reaching into the water and taking the object. "What..."
It was a ring. While one would have expected it to be gold, it seemed to change as Ryan turned it, from gold to silver, then as Ryan turned it over again it became a bright, polished copper. Another turn, and it became white as ivory, and then a pale...
Opal? Aquamarine?
...blue. Another turn...and back to gold. The stone set in it never changed, though - it was a dark green emerald. A natural one, not manufactured. Emerald...the stone of Ireland. "Glorious Ireland...the Emerald Isle." As Ryan said, some of his Celtic inflection returned as he remembered his lineage. And then...
Green like my eyes. Emerald green. That's what my uncle always said...my eyes made him think of when he went to Ireland. Ryan was sitting again, and he clutched the ring in his hand for a moment before putting it in his pocket. This is it...this is perfect.
As Ryan looked into the pool again, he saw his uncle's face looking back at him, smiling. With his left hand, Ryan reached out...and his uncle reached back. Ryan's fingers touched the surface, but, for just an instant, it was like he'd touched his uncle's hand again.
"...Thank you, Uncle Tim."
Then his uncle's face disappeared, and Ryan sat again, waiting for Envy to come. Only now...now he could be sure of himself.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:36 am
Envy walked down the trail confused. This place was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen with the trees being made of crystal and the random butterflies flying around here and there. But surely such a place couldn't be real, right? Because crystal forests were just everywhere underground Canada....not. But the fact that the forest was so beautiful wasn't the main reason she was confused, no, it was that Ryan wanted to come here to ask her a question, that confused her.
Finally, the trail ended and Envy found Ryan. She ran up and gave him a hug. "Hey"
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:01 pm
Ryan stood up, almost catching Envy as she hugged him. "Sorry for pulling you away like that...I just felt that I should ask what I was going to ask here."
Ryan then gestured towards the pool. "It's a literal reflecting pool - it will reflect the thoughts and memories of anyone who looks in it. I found this program buried deep in the archives, though I doubt it's just a simple computer program..."
Ryan reached into his pocket, touching the ring. "The way it works, I bet there's something bigger in this. Some sort of magic or something...either way..."
He drew out the ring, holding it out towards Envy and dropping to one knee as he did so. "Envy...will you marry me?"
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