Amongst the foaming froth and sea foam that ravenously lapped at the shores which had for so long remained tranquil there seemed to be a rather awkward form skittering back and forth pacing in a distressed and panicked manner. Pink feathers were already ruffled in a flurry of disarray while gangly legs knocked together and wings fluttered with up-most apprehension. Of all things to be seen along the expansive stretch of white sand beach it seemed that its current resident seemed somewhat estrange from the normal entourage that consisted of ‘beach-goers’. And yet here was a flamingo, of all creatures, whose very appearance not only stuck out like a sore thumb but whose demeanor was something that was far from normal, so to speak.
Fluke wasn’t your typical flamingo as his personality was something on the outside that was calculating, awkward and rather animated. His very mentality was one that seemed to believe, truly, that life itself was a battlefield, a game of strategy and wit. In short, Fluke often seemed to be what some had often referred to as a 'gamer'. What exactly was a ‘gamer’? A gamer was someone whose very mentality seemed almost trapped with the irrational, surreal logic that life itself was a game- that everyday life was full of scenarios and events which were not only life threatening but where caused by some mysterious foe or opponent whose only motive in life was to kill the individual. Hence the name 'gamer', Fluke believed without a shadow of a doubt that life itself was more than just a struggle to survive, it was a power struggle between good and evil and evil must be dismantled and dismembered by those who opposed it! Like in most games, Fluke considered himself the underdog, the wayward hero who stood up to the challenge and attempting to establish an entourage of sorts and unmask the evil-doers and their plans remained an ever vigilant goal. Yet underneath that vivacious stand it would seem that even heroes battled insecurities and a feat of nervousness as courage didn't simply become bestowed upon a hero, it had to be gained. And be it fate or even by chance, it would seem that the great hero was attempting to debunk the dilemma that just so happened to be lying in a heap of fur an limbs barely two feet away from him.
Deep breaths heaved from out of the birds nostrils as his beak clapped together nervously. “Oh no, oh no, oh nooooo,” he whined, fretting as he paced. “Thiscan’tbegoodthiscan’tbegood!” No, certainly things didn't look good especially when a strange creature was lying so close to him!
Already a deepened trail had been paved within the sands as the brilliantly pink bird continued shaking his head from side to side while his wings became more animated with its feathers, some acting almost like fingers, wrapped around the sides of his skull. Awkward legs stumbled about the sands in the same repetitive motion. In between his mumbling and incoherent babbling amber eyes often stared down the foreign beast with a stone cold stare before his gaze fleeted away toward the side, if only to give a sideways glance and a continuation of a silent observation. What was it? By size estimation and its characteristics Fluke could only assume that whatever it was it was young, only the age of a cub. But was this thing even a cub? It seemed to look more like a monster than anything; its sharp fangs that protruded from its upper jaws, those claws and those wings- they looked worn perhaps from authentic battle damage! This small, fluffy lion-like creature could very well be some sort of monster in disguise, perhaps a beast so voracious that it wouldn't quite have so much as a problem as eating a bird like himself whole for a delightful afternoon snack. This could very well be a monster, some rogue creature that had to be vanquished for the good of humanity but the more he looked upon the mass of fluffy, blue it would seem that such a task wouldn't be easy. Besides, look how cute he looked! Well, it was a boy, right? Strange creatures, especially the unknown ones, were rather hard to identify and sometimes the most misleading features upon an individual could actually portray something, someone, to be something far from what they were once believed to be.
Swallowing, Fluke girded up his loins and feathers with courage as he stepped forward, inhaling a deep breath as his chest filled with air and puffed outwards if only to cast a fierce illusion of one whose stature was large and rugged. Lowering his head to hover above that of the monsters, the flamingo pecked at it once, softly at first, before he gave a heavy tap.
There was no movement.
"Hmmm," he mused. "Quite peculiaaaaaar, yes, yes. It’s as almost there’s some type of force field or shield that’s making him immune to anything. Maybe his deep sleep is rejuvenating his health or powers."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, the flamingo took yet another step forward before suddenly leaping upwards with a flap and landing upon the back of the monster. Without so much as a muscle being moved or a groan from the beast beneath, Fluke seemed to bounce slightly up and down if only to attempt to break whatever spell this rather peculiar thing had cast upon itself. Little did Fluke know that the spell which it was under was a spell that was so deep that the creature itself had chosen to fall under its spell. That spell was sleep.
Even with the poking and prodding the young Godling was immune to feeling anything and was rendered asunder by sleeps hold. After breaking free from the God’s Haven and free falling down to the realm of the mortals, Juuku had been lured to the big blue once again and the reunion between God and domain had brought about a sensation which couldn’t be accurately described other than it feeling warm and fuzzy- that missing piece of him had not only restored the God but the return of Surf had, in its own ways, restored a balance to the sea. Its mourning and silent stillness had finally been broken and once again the waves rejoiced with their thunderous roars and spewing sea of foam which seized the shoreline. But for now it seemed as if the push and pull of the surf was gently rocking the rather exhausted Juuku, lulling him into a tranquil slumber which after such an intense adventure it seemed that a nap was the perfect remedy for a total wipe out of body and mind.
Unconsciously the Godling gave a great yawn, his forepaws stretching outward as tiny claws unsheathed from out of his paws as they kneaded the sands. A small, lopsided grin curled lazily upon his maw as Surf gave another stretch of his body and began to roll onto his side. Even as he slept he could feel the warm sands beneath him and cool, gentle caressing touch of the water that lapped against his fur. There was a salty scent that lathered the air quickly yet while others found it an almost rancid aroma Juuku found it intoxicating. It registered a familiar, soothing scent which triggered a feeling of safety, an attachment to a place which had had been gone from for so long. Just as his rather large body was beginning to twist with a roll, the Godling cracked open an eye and glanced around.
This was home. Juuku belonged here.
Something was happening and Fluke could feel his senses tingling. Almost without warning he could feel the form beneath his toes moving, and a rather alarming squawk escaped from his maw with a gasp. As the creature began to roll the flamingo was only left to believe that he had fallen for a trap! How could he have been so stupid to not see it all along? Because of his blunder he was going to be smashed, pinned down and perhaps eaten. Panicking, Fluke attempted to walk and balance with the motion and momentum which the winged creature seemed to roll. He braced himself, swallowing as his wings flapped and attempted to stabilize himself and surprisingly it seemed to be working. Just as the creature stopped and laid on his side Fluke stared wide eyed and exhaled deeply from out of his nostrils. By the skin of his beak he barely escaped and yet here he was, Fluke the flamingo, outsmarting an enormous competitor and now lived to tell the tale.
But this battle was far from over.
It only seemed appropriate that Fluke would suddenly feel the need to celebrate such a monumental event and in doing so he just had to dance. Pumping his wings and moving them around in front of him in a circuar motion, Fluke jabbed them out in front of him, pulling them back and repeating the motion as his body swayed side to side, rocking with a peculiar momentum If only to get stranger, the flamingo kept on wing outstretched before him as the other outstretched behind him, slapping the air while his legs seemed to run, if not gallop, in place. "Go Fluuuke, go Fluuuke," the flamingo chanted, creating a chorus and cheer for himself due to the success and triumph.
But such a celebration seemed short lived as, without warning, the Godling suddenly rolled backwards catching the flamingo off guard and dethroned to flop onto the sands. Fluke's luck seemed short lived as not only was he lying in sand but it was only a moment later that the great, fluffy form of the creature suddenly toppled over him.
"Pluck my luck," Fluke mumbled, squished underneath the Godling.
Strange enough it seemed that the slumber that had held Surf asunder had lost its power as the Godling yawned while bleary eyes stared outwards as his head swiveled side to side. It seems that the sands had totally lost their comfy factor and something oddly squishy was beneath him. Surf arched a small brow upwards, his maw hanging ajar with a very confused, quizzical looking, expression tiredly hanging on his maw. There were few thing he could think of that were squishy and some of those things weren't things that were, well, pleasant. The mere idea of such things caused his smal muzzle to scrunch slightly and his otter-like tail to thump onto the sands. That would be a serious bummer, 'cha? The only solid idea which could decipher what the swell was underneath him was to roll again- just a little that was. Perhaps that could easily debunk and uncover what exactly was underneath him and already he was ruling out that it was simply just sand. Thus, with a little rolling motion, Juuku perked his ears upwards attentively.
"Aweh?" Juuku called out, a small greeting as his voice carried a lazy, laid back tone.
Beneath him the Flamingo squirmed, wriggling as the added pressure and weight shifted. That's it- he was going to be crushed to death by the blue behemoth, wasn't he? Nervously his beak clapped together, chattering while few panicked memories filtered through his shaken mind. Unfortunately it would seem that the memories and recollections shown within his minds eye were those that perhaps he would have rather forgotten and such memories wouldn't ease the realization of soon-to-be-death. Was this defeat? Had he fallen victim to a foe that was all too powerful? Was this game over? Did he have an extra life or even an option to continue?
But what was this? Was that- was that a voice he just heard? Was this creature speaking? Perhaps Fluke had once last chance to escape from the jaws, or even the weight, of death. A hero, a fighter even, had to be brave and find a wise resolution or petition for life and fervently the cogs of Flukes mind were preparing to make a pact that would sway the decision which seemed so imminent and so bleak.
"...Pleasedon'tkillmepleasedon'tkillme!"
Well, it was at least a very clear petition although it was a bit wimpy. Really wimpy.
Squawking? Surf tilted his head slightly before he looked down towards the sands where, of al places, it would seem that he was lying atop of some pink, feathered object. For a moment he stared, concentrating on the object before it wriggled about. Oh! This thing was totally alive? Ace! His tail behind him wagged much like an estatic puppies before he simply helped himself off- which perhaps rolling off the brightly pink-hued dude or dudette hadn't been the brightest idea.
Fluke gasped, as the weight seemed to level off. This was a second chance at life. He was spared. But just as the flamingo was attempting to pull himself out from under the blue mass it seemed that the weight rolled over him unexpectedly and rather quickly. He sputtered, his beak burying deeper into the sands as his legs kicked upwards and wings flapped about. But before he realized it he was free and the panicked and frantic gestures that nearly seized his body in a fit continued as his body, not realizing that the weight was removed from off of him, flailed about until a voice broke the silence.
"Alohaaaaaa, bro'ha!" The Godling perked up, a lazy grin stretching across his maw while his bangs swayed into his eyes. BUt if only to make a more impact on the introduction, Juuku walked closer to Fluke and suddenly collided heads with the Flamingo as a broader grin and a chuckle escaped from the Godling.
Fluke stopped in his tracks and froze. Slowly, he turned around and faced the large, strange creature as his eyes widened. What should he say? What should he do? Praise the beast that spared him or attack the creature, maybe even learn to control it and become its master? He had to think of something quick. "Greetings-" but even before he could continue with some nerdy, long winded introduction it seemed that the greeting was preferred more physical than a meticulous, wordy construction of words. That sudden impact of skull against skull was enough to cause the flamingo to stumble and jar his thoughts. "OW! I command you to cease, Beast!" Puffing out his chest slightly it seemed to deflate quickly before word vomit spewed from his mouth. "Please don't eat me, please, please, pleaaaase!"
"Eat you?" Juuku pursed his lips together while his detached wings fluttered slightly. "Aw, dude! I wouldn't eat you! I mean- I don't even know what 'm suppose to eat," Surf blinked, tilting his head again.
Fluke listened as he brushed himself off with his wings. "B-But don't you have a parental unit that would eat me, capture me and use me as your first target practice so that you can become the instinctual killer of raw, ferocious power that you harbooor?"
Juuku stared.
"Parental ... units? I toooootally don't think I have any. It ws like.. one moment I was up there and then I broke free and now I'm like- totally down here!" A non-chalant chuckle escaped from the God. "It's sweeeeeeet."
"No parents? That's not good!" The flamingo began to fret, flapping his wings about. Oh he knew the mortality rate, alright, even the likelihood of a cub, or even a beastly cub, surviving all alone out here. One way or another that gamer mind of his was quite in tune with the life and health points of the creatures which called these lands 'home'. "Its not 'sweet'. You could die out here or something could hurt you. You need protection!" Protection- wait a minute. The cogs of Flukes mind were turning, tumbling about the start of an idea that just might work to his advantage. His amber eyes widened as his beak fell ajar- staring towards the Godling. If he didn't have anyone to protect him then maybe he could. This was exactly what he was hoping for! For a moment he glanced around, looking to see that this wasn't some crafty, coy, set up before he looked up towards the creature. "I can protect you- I... I will be your father. No- I AM your father."
Tears seemed to well up within Surf's eyes as his bottom lip quivered. "Fer real? You'd so totally look out for me... and be my faaaather?" This concept of father was strange, unknown to the little Godling of what it was or even what it was suppose to be. But it sounded nice- something that he was suppose to have, didn't it? "I never knew my father," he wept, sniffling as his large paws wrapped around the flamingo with a great grip as he pulled the pink bird closer.
It was sudden when the large creature had taken him into what felt like a choke hold except for the fact that certainly it wasn't intentional. It seemed that his newfound 'son' simply didn't know his own strength. Sputtering, Fluke attempted to take a breath. "Can't. Breathe."
That sputtering breathe jarred the Godling quickly as his withdrew his grasp and dropped his new found parental unit onto the ground. Juuku stared a bit sadly as his tail curled around his body. He almost hurt his father! That certainly would be a bummer start, 'cha? It seemed strange enough that the flamingo was a little bit older than the Godling himself yet Juuku, being pleasantly oblivious, didn't question it. His rather dense and happy go lucky outlook saw this as an actual, and factual, encounter. He believed it although was lost in translation of what it was or meant. Blinking for a moment, the Godling sighed. "Sooooorry, dude," he commented.
"That's- that's okay... dude?" The flamingo replied, inhaling a deep breath before giving a slight cough. Now that he had actually harnessed this creature for himself and found a loyal mount, even a secret weapon, Fluke was missing one piece of vital information. A name. "So what do they call you?"
"Juuku," The Godling grinned as it seemed that his interest drew him towards the ocean, luring him into the sea as its waves lapped against his stubby legs.
"Hmm. Sounds familiar." Why he didn't know but it did have a nice ring to it. "My name is Fluke or Flukus but I'd rather perfer Fluke." Yes, there was much less hassle with a name of 'Fluke' rather than 'Flukus'. Even still he blamed his mother for his name- a name of which had led to torment and bullying. Although secretly he had always believed his name was to be something revered and great- well, at least when he had become a great warrior and vanquished the evil foes and creatures whose darkness consumed these war ravaged lands. All those that opposed justice would tremble at the very mention of his name. But he was getting ahead of himself in that gamer-mentality of his, wasn't he? As Juuku lumbered towards the shore Fluke watched carefully, skittering behind.
"Juuku. Is that short for anything?"
"Uh- I think its short for God of Surf? 'M not quite sure Fluke-dude-father-man," he replied.
The more that Juuku stood within the ocean the more he felt as whispers filled his ears. They were pleasant, comforting and showered him with praise, love and endearment. For the sea never had been a stagnant and quiet thing- the sea was very much alive and it had always been a part of the God and never would cease to be apart from him. Something swelled inside of him and although Juuku himself couldn't quite describe it it only brought about the feeling that he wanted to immerse himself within it, to wrap himself around it and be part of it. He breathed deeply, staring out towards the ocean mistress of whom he had forever been tied to; the one who had given him life and who brought life to his domain, even to what he was. Rather than resisting that pulling. longing sensation, Juuku dove down into the water.
"Juuku, God of Surf?" Moments passed before it seemed that something finally registered within his brain and a sudden blank expression swept over Flukes body and rendered him still. Juuku. God of Surf. This was- this was a- "You're a God?!?!" Fluke exclaimed, heaving heavy, panicked breaths. But before the young Godling could answer it seemed that Fluke helplessly watched as Juuku immersed himself within the water.
And so there Fluke sat, standing alone as he looked out toward the ocean. Juuku- Juuku was a God? This had just become a bit frightening and awesome all at once. Although Fluke was both apprehensive and a bit nervous he knew he had to be brave- and the mere idea of leaving the Godling on his own simply didn't sit well with him. He had made a promise and he was keeping it. Even if Fluke truly wasn't Juuku's father he wasn't going to abandon him. As far as he was concerned Juuku was going to be stuck with him. But for now it seemed that when the Godling would return was... well, a good question. Sighing, the Flamingo resorted to doing the one thing he knew how to do rather well; standing on one leg and tucking his head into his feathers.
It would seem like one of those cliche moments where it would be a while, perhaps hours until the Godling would return and vigilantly the Flamingo would await the return- perhaps that's what Fluke was hoping for but the moment he seemed to situate himself a paw poked at his gangly frame.
"'M like staaaarving!" Juuku prodded. "Can we ... go eat?"
That longing, almost bonding moment was broken and Fluke was not only confused but at a loss. Didn't Juuku just dive down into the water and now he was here? It didn't make sense! Pulling his head up, Fluke blinked.
"Uh- I guess we can but I don't even know what you-"
"EXCELLENT!" Juuku exclaimed. Like a blur, the Godling suddenly leapt towards the flamingo, his head lowered down as momentum drove him forward and his body motion nearly flipped the flamingo from its stationary pose and onto the back of a voracious, grind-needing Godling. Blindly, and with no sense of direction, Juuku simply followed his nose into the thickets of the jungle leaving Fluke to cling for dear life.
"JUUKUUUUUUU!"
This was going to be a good friendship.
