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 Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:17 pm
 Welcome to Life Dust's spring event, SPRING FEVER!
Here, you'll find three delightful Dusts in need of a loving home:
the lovely but tricky Cherry Blossom, one of the originals of
the shop, Mist, and the enigmatic Seashell! These Dusts will
be handed off in prompt response style, so make sure you read
the information provided and post accordingly.
Thanks for stopping by and have fun!
We are accepting entries from April 7th to April 28th, 11:59pm EST.~✿~❝ It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is.
And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't
quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly
makes your heart ache, you want it so! ❞
______________~Mark Twain▃▃▃▃▃▃ ▃▃▃▃▃▃ ▃▃▃▃▃▃ ▃▃▃▃▃▃ ▃▃▃▃▃▃#FBB117 & #52D017
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:20 pm
 1. Introduction_ _ _
2. Index & Rules_ _
3. Cherry Blossom.
4. Mist________ __
5. Seashell__ ____
6. Entries Received
7. Judging Panel_ _
~✿~
❀ 1. Follow Shop Rules.____________
✿ 2. Stay Active, Stick Around. __ __
_____________Owning a Dust is a responsibility. If you don't
__________have time, please wait for another event!
❀ 3. Anyone Can Enter.____________
_____________If you own a Dust and you really want one of
____ ____the ones being offered, you may enter.
✿ 4. You May Enter For All Three.___
____________But you can only win one, of course! Please
_______________keep each entry separate for coding purposes.
❀ 5. Your Entries Must Be Your Own..
_______________No plagiarism, and if we find someone else has
______________written any part of your entry for you, we will
___ ____blacklist you from the shop. Play fair!
✿ 6. Post All Entries In This Thread..
_____________Any entries PM'd to the staff or posted in the
main thread will be ignored._
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:21 pm
  Though sakura blossoms themselves have no magical properties, they've
always been the source of old wive's tales and fantastic stories, filled with
awe, mystery and romance. These blossoms, however, may be different.
THIS IS A SPECIAL BOTTLE.
Dusts are known to have potent powers relevant to their essence, varying
depending on myth and history. However...we're at a bit of a loss on how
to proceed with the Cherry Blossom Dust! As such, we will be asking for
you to supply two to three powers that are specific to the Dust and can't
be made generic (IE, no Petal Spin, Sap, Healing Bloom, etc). These skills
can be anything from offensive to defensive, from healing to support, but
they MUST be relevant to Cherry Blossoms and to Cherry Blossoms only!
This will require some research on your part, so show us that the Dust
can be saved and given a good, loving home!
If we don't see any powers that we think we can apply to the upcoming
Super Secret Interaction System*, then we will retire Cherry Blossom
entirely and put up a replacement, extending the event. And no, we
aren't going to tell you what the replacement is (we'll use it at a later
date if we keep the Cherry Blossoms though, no one will miss out!).* Staff Note: It's not a secret but it sure sounds nifty to say.~✿~Prompt 1_________________________________________________
Child's Point of View_________________________________________
_____Winter has been harsh; ice crystals draw down even the sturdiest of boughs,
___ __streets are swallowed by blankets of white, and even the horizon is obscured
___ __in frigid snow flurries and skies of frosty, diluted blue. On such a stark day as
_____this, what do you do? Do you have hobbies to keep you busy inside, or does
_____your particular brand of Cherry Blossom thrive even outside in the icy cold?
Tell us how your Dust feels about the season, and what they might do.
Prompt 2_________________________________________________
Teen's Point of View_________________________________________
____ _Ah, being a teenager! A time of independence, a time of change, maturity --
_____and love. Yes, love! You've discovered that special person that makes your
_____heart beat just slightly off-kilter, the one that your gaze seems to linger on
_____discretely -- or maybe not do discretely. Tell us how you deal with this new
_ __found sensation! Do you pursue the apple of your eye, or do you admire
_______from the sidelines? Do you offer gifts? Poetry? Tell us how you win over your
_____special one's affections...or how you watch them from bushes, whichever!
Prompt 3 *_______________________________________________
Child or Teen's Point of View__________________________________
__ __It's happened: not in the dark of night like one might suspect, not even by
_____yourself or in some lonely alley. The demon staring at you from across the
_ __crowded street amidst screams of terror and stampeding humans has no
______qualms with being found in the middle of the day, in the midst of lunch hour
___ __in Aimes no less. You know you can't win this battle, but you know you can
_____do something, which you better do -- and fast! You have its attention, now
show the nasty bugger what you can do!______________________* This is a prompt for you to expand on your powers and show us how you'd use
them if you feel we might need some convincing or explanation. You can't win
this proverbial battle, but you can show us your ingenuity on how you might
handle the situation, keeping in mind you're in the middle of a human city![size=24][color=pink][b]ALWAYS FEELING ABOUT BLINDLY FOR THE BLUE SKY[/b][/color][/size]
[size=11][b]Dust's Name:[/b] Self Explanatory
[b]Dust's Gender:[/b] Male/Female
[b]Dust's Personality:[/b] [3-5 Keywords - you can expand on it in paragraph form if you'd like but it is not necessary.]
[b]Theme Suggestions:[/b] Here, you may provide colors, images or references that you'd like to see implemented on the Dust for eye color, hair color, skin color, or any important/sentimental items (IE, markings, a treasured accessory, scars, etc). Note this is not a custom, and these are just suggestions that may or may not be used!
[b]Powers:[/b] List 2-3 powers SPECIFIC to the Cherry Blossom. Powers can be offensive (attack), defensive (defense), healing (self and/or group) and/or support (buffs, debuffs, ailments, movement impairing, etc).
[b]Prompt Response:[/b] Please denote which prompt you're answering and put your response here. You MUST answer one, but you MAY answer more - just keep them in the same post, please![/size]
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:22 pm
  It builds in the early mornings and lingers through the chill of days, only
the sun able to disperse it. Against ships, over the sea, blanketing fields,
whispering amongst window panes, the mist has always seemed to hold
a life unto itself. Captured in the thick walls of the bottle, the mist never
ceases its movement, yearning to spill and disappear beneath the sun.~✿~Prompt 1_________________________________________________
Child's Point of View_________________________________________
_____Mist is known to 'burn off' when it gets warm enough out and the sun's rays
____do their job. Of course, that doesn't mean you'd disappear in the sunlight,
_ __but it does bring up the question: how does it affect you, if at all? Do you
_____have any other weaknesses or strengths that are unique to your make up?
_____Tell us what a day on the beach would be like for you; include any activities
__ __you might do, if your Guardian inflicts any special rules or conditions -- tell
_____us about your glorious or horrid day so we don't miss embarrassing details!
Prompt 2_________________________________________________
Teen's Point of View_________________________________________
_______Your life is anything but typical: with a Dust's unique frame of growth and ever
_______evolving powers, it's not like you can just go to school like a normal teenager.
____That being said, what do you do with your time? Do you fill it with hobbies,
_____jobs, exploring? Do you explore what it is you really are, and test out your
_____capabilities? Tell us about a typical day in the life of your Dust, from sunrise
___ ___to sunset or a particularly enjoyable moment at any time of day. Be creative,
__ ___and show us that this Dust, as one of the originals, will be the best Dust yet!
Prompt 3 *_______________________________________________
Child or Teen's Point of View__________________________________
__ __It's happened: not in the dark of night like one might suspect, not even by
_____yourself or in some lonely alley. The demon staring at you from across the
_ __crowded street amidst screams of terror and stampeding humans has no
______qualms with being found in the middle of the day, in the midst of lunch hour
___ __in Aimes no less. You know you can't win this battle, but you know you can
_____do something, which you better do -- and fast! You have its attention, now
show the nasty bugger what you can do!______________________* This is a prompt for you to expand on your powers and show us how you'd use
them if you feel we might need some convincing or explanation. You can't win
this proverbial battle, but you can show us your ingenuity on how you might
handle the situation, keeping in mind you're in the middle of a human city![size=24][color=powderblue][b]OUT FROM THE NEW DAY'S MIST I HAVE COME[/b][/color][/size]
[size=11][b]Dust's Name:[/b] Self Explanatory
[b]Dust's Gender:[/b] Male/Female
[b]Dust's Personality:[/b] [3-5 Keywords - you can expand on it in paragraph form if you'd like but it is not necessary.]
[b]Theme Suggestions:[/b] Here, you may provide colors, images or references that you'd like to see implemented on the Dust for eye color, hair color, skin color, or any important/sentimental items (IE, markings, a treasured accessory, scars, etc). Note this is not a custom, and these are just suggestions that may or may not be used!
[b]Powers:[/b] List 2-3 powers. Powers can be offensive (attack), defensive (defense), healing (self and/or group) and/or support (buffs, debuffs, ailments, movement impairing, etc).
[b]Prompt Response:[/b] Please denote which prompt you're answering and put your response here.[/size]
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:23 pm
  Cradled in the sand, these oceanic treasures are both relics of the sea and
home to many critters that share the watery depths. Bearers of all manner
of shapes, sizes, patterns and colors, these bountiful baubles can often be
found as adornments and decorations, an expression of rare exotic beauty.~✿~Prompt 1_________________________________________________
Child's Point of View_________________________________________
___What started out as an innocent day of gathering seashells at your leisure
___took a turn for the worse as a sudden storm sweeps over the beach. With
_ _harsh winds and driving rain, it's easy to take shelter in a small alcove of
_____sturdy rocks, the likes of which barely spare you the onslaught of the angry
__ __waves. As you catch your breath, you realize three things: first, the alcove
_ _has a shallow pool that you can see more seashells in, one that possibly
_leads to the shore; second, there's a sizable chunk of sky visible from
___where you are; and third, it seems the seashells on the beach have been
_______swept in with you, or maybe followed your lead: in short, you can't stay there
______if the storm will continue, as the tide will rise and the area will fill with water.
_____What do you do? (Staff note: remember your powers as a child are limited;
___ __we're look for a creative solution or an endearing entry of what your Dust is
thinking and going through at the time!)________________________
Prompt 2_________________________________________________
Teen's Point of View_________________________________________
____ _You're a beautiful/handsome teen, all remarkable colors of your essence and
___ __the wild turmoil of teenager youth. Someone - either by genuine intent or by
____mocking means - has gifted you a piece of jewelry crafted from a seashell.
___Yes, it's your essence, but...isn't that obvious? Tell us, as a teenager, how
_____do you feel about the prospect of being stereotyped just because your Dust
____seems to be a little more obvious than most? Do you have a strong affinity
_____to your essence, or are you indifferent, more immersed in the seashell's old
histories and purposes? More over, what do you think of the gift?____
Prompt 3 *_______________________________________________
Child or Teen's Point of View__________________________________
__ __It's happened: not in the dark of night like one might suspect, not even by
_____yourself or in some lonely alley. The demon staring at you from across the
_ __crowded street amidst screams of terror and stampeding humans has no
______qualms with being found in the middle of the day, in the midst of lunch hour
___ __in Aimes no less. You know you can't win this battle, but you know you can
_____do something, which you better do -- and fast! You have its attention, now
show the nasty bugger what you can do!______________________* This is a prompt for you to expand on your powers and show us how you'd use
them if you feel we might need some convincing or explanation. You can't win
this proverbial battle, but you can show us your ingenuity on how you might
handle the situation, keeping in mind you're in the middle of a human city![size=24][color=burlywood][b]WATCH THE WIND BLOW SCULPTING SAND[/b][/color][/size]
[size=11][b]Dust's Name:[/b] Self Explanatory
[b]Dust's Gender:[/b] Male/Female
[b]Dust's Personality:[/b] [3-5 Keywords - you can expand on it in paragraph form if you'd like but it is not necessary.]
[b]Theme Suggestions:[/b] Here, you may provide colors, images or references that you'd like to see implemented on the Dust for eye color, hair color, skin color, or any important/sentimental items (IE, markings, a treasured accessory, scars, etc). Note this is not a custom, and these are just suggestions that may or may not be used!
[b]Powers:[/b] List 2-3 powers. Powers can be offensive (attack), defensive (defense), healing (self and/or group) and/or support (buffs, debuffs, ailments, movement impairing, etc).
[b]Prompt Response:[/b] Please denote which prompt you're answering and put your response here. You MUST answer one, but you MAY answer more - just keep them in the same post, please![/size]
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:24 pm
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:25 pm
  xxx Chrys x x x x x x x x BP
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:26 pm
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Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:27 pm
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:30 pm
OUT FROM THE NEW DAY'S MIST I HAVE COME Dust's Name: Fakir
Dust's Gender: Male
Dust's Personality: Stubborn, Guarded, Articulate
Theme Suggestions: Eyes and such are completely your choice. But I do love these colors: First Set and Second Set
Also, I love love love long hair on men. Really long hair, such as waist length or even longer. I picture Fakir with extremely long hair as I write him.
Powers: Frozen Breath - Naturally, his breath seems to always be a light mist. Provoked, he can freeze his breath briefly, allowing anything wet nearby that it touches to freeze. This is often used to cause his opponent, if wet, to slide into something or stop their movement while he considers other actions. It cannot hurt them directly just by freezing them, as his ability isn't that strong.
Frozen Mist - Similar to Frozen Breath, if attacked directly he can freeze the mist that seems to constantly leave him and hurl it at his opponent. It causes minimal damage, but he usually throws it straight at the others eyes to stop them long enough to flee.
Mist Form - Usually, Fakir changes form into a strange, slightly cold mist like being when direct sunlight touches him for over twenty seconds. In this state, Fakir can spread mist around a small area not directly covered in sunlight and slow down movement. He is intangible in this form, but it only lasts for a few minutes, slowly forcing him to become solid when the time runs out. Sunlight can still harm him in this form, as well as areas of intense heat.
Prompt Response: 2 and 3
"Amei." The first thing he said every morning was his Guardians name, pale eyes flicking open from under cold covers as pale skin shifted under the thin cloth. Quickly he was met with warm hands that slipped under the covers, tan fingers tapping his shoulders in reassurance. That was all Fakir needed, throwing the covers off and sitting up, allowing a long stretch as his Guardian slipped past him and into the depths of the house.
Every morning was the same, and Fakir was beginning to feel a flicker of guilt. It hadn't been his choice to be taken into the home of a fisher, nor his choice to be cared for by the tan man, yet it was his choice to stay. In the dead of the night he could slip away, leave Amei and return to him the quiet life he once had. Yet, everyday that this thought crossed his mind it was eradicated by warm green eyes that would view him as if he was a jewel. It was that warmth, that comfort, that feeling of home that made him stay, and even if Fakir found the multiple reasons to leave they were always pushed aside for the more favorable choice of staying where he was accepted.
The curtains were closed, blocking out any sunlight that threatened to leak into the room. Amei would close them when he heard Fakir speak, rousing from the chair that was placed in the corner just for Amei. He was a dedicated man, waking up just as the sun rose to slip into the room. The bed was positioned right out of the lights way, however the light would prevent passage to the door. Fakir had liked to keep the curtains pulled back at night, letting him view the moon and stars until he was lulled to sleep. Fakir had offered several times to simply never open the curtains, but Amei wanted Fakir to be comfortable. While Fakir was grateful, he still worried over the young fishers new life.
Pale feet touched the ground, directing him to the door and into the hallway. All the curtains were closed, except in the room that Fakir had never been in except once. Amei's room. Every time he passed that room and saw the light under the door it reminded him that Amei was not like him. While Amei adapted so Fakir could be comfortable, he still loved the sun. He needed it, and when he woke he woke to a morning warmer than Fakir's.
Cold feet crossed the old wooden floors, passing a few small rooms meant for books, or guests, or even holding fishing poles. Fakir's favorite room was still the miniature library, built just for him when he was only a small child, freshly emerged from his bottle. Amei had realized fairly quickly that Fakir could not go to school for various reasons, spending most of his hard earned money for Fakir to be able to teach himself when he went out to work.
"Good morning." Amei's voice floated from the kitchen, the sound of pans and smell of food enticing Fakir. However, he knew he would be eating the warm food. It wouldn't kill him, but they had discovered when he was small that it would greatly harm him, making him ill and transparent. As he slipped into the kitchen he was greeted with a bowl of fruit passed to him from tan hands, the blonde Amei busily cooking away from where he was. Even if Fakir couldn't eat most warm things this didn't stop him from cooking. Often, he'd let it cool off considerably for Fakir to eat. Fakir could eat food that had cooled off, mostly losing most of its warmth. This was another habit of Amei's that added to Fakir's guilt.
"Thank you, and good morning. Are you fishing today?" Taking a seat in a small, dark wooden seat, Fakir drew the chair close to the table once he had sat down, setting his bowl down in-front of him. Amei withdrew from the stove, apparently done with cooking, and prepared two plates for Fakir and Amei.
"You're welcome. Yea, tomorrow I'll go to the market, so while I'm out you should write up some things you need." Amei offered a warm smile to the other, rewarded with a small smile from Fakir. The pale male didn't touch his fruit as Amei sat down, slipping eggs towards Fakir despite how the cold teenager seemed uninterested in food.
Fakir rarely left the house, and only at night when he did. If he wore sunblock and various sun blocking clothes.... if he provided himself plenty of cool water... could he slip out in the day? Heavy lashes cast shadows on his cheek as the male stared at the table intently, lost in thought. Perhaps. Then again, he may become sick...
Sunlight drove Fakir mad. It would send shocks of pain up his spine until his body became a transparent, mist-like form. Then, if he stayed in the sunlight he'd grow ill, his body refusing to move much unless he found a way out of the sunlight. In extreme cases, Fakir would collapse, his mist-like form slowly fading. Amei had once saved him from a fate he didn't want to think about, in the very room now closed off to him. As a child, he had ran to Amei's room, captured in the sunlight that poured in the room. He had been perplexed, shocked when his body changed, and then frightened when he felt his body growing ill. He was lucky Amei was smart and calm, not panicking and instead closing the curtains. It was then the two had discovered that Fakir was best kept away from the sunlight. Light from lamps and ceiling fans didn't seem to bother him much, only causing slight discomfort at times if they were particularly bright. Heat seemed to make Fakir ill as well, though moderate temperatures seemed just fine for the male.
This made everyday life difficult for Amei, Fakir was sure. However, he never complained. Fakir tried not too, as well. Though, his life was becoming dull. The days of reading, drawing, waiting... they were growing weary. How long could he allow this life to continue? What of when he grew up completely? What then?
.... Was his life always like this? Would he always be like this? Forever? A creature that was strange, able to freeze mist and become it... never allowed outside? Never allowed in the sun? No. There had to be another way. There had to be a way to survive outside. He just hadn't discovered it.
"Fakir?" His eyes flashed, head raising to see a worried Amei. It took him a few seconds to realize he had dazed out, eyes narrowing gently.
"Forgive me.... I merely was thinking. Did you say something, Amei?" His voice drifted coldly from his mouth, mist following. He had a feeling his tone did not reassure Amei, green eyes lined with worry as they focused on Fakir's own pale eyes. To reassure the other, Fakir took a bite of fruit, though Amei did not smile. Sighing, Fakir shook his head, glancing down at his food. "The fruit is good."
Amei sighed, his voice falling to a lower, more defeated sound then Fakir's. Standing, he nodded, pushing his seat back. "I just asked if you'd like me to bring you back a fish, that's all. The fruit came from Gilly, she was worried about you." Gilly? Fakir raised his head, frowning. An older woman by the name of Gilly often came to visit when he was a child. Amei had needed her help with figuring out how to raise a child, and she had assisted, having raised a few kids of her own. Smiling, Fakir gave the fruit a more favorable approach, slipping a few more into his mouth.
"They are very good. Send her my thanks." Amei seemed happier now, thankfully, giving Fakir a smile in return before heading off to get dressed. It took only a few minutes, and then Amei returned, dressed and carrying a box and fishing poles.
"Come home safely." Fakir whispered as Amei left the door, lips drawing a tight line as he listened to the faint footsteps of Amei, until finally he was alone again.
- - - - -
Another book was set carefully down. Fakir the entire day, as usual, reading. Today was about the ocean, yet it did not calm him as books often did. He would never touch the ocean, would he? He would forever be in this house, until Amei grew tired of him, and then perhaps he'd be sent to another house. He loved being with Amei, yet this life... It was not natural. Perhaps he wasn't supposed to be born. Perhaps he was never supposed to touch this world. Was he a mistake? A being that fell apart in the sun, living in a world where the sun was the meaning of life for so many creatures. Even he couldn't truly live without the sun, for without it the world would be inhabitable. Yet here he was, a being that was broken and a burden.
No. Life wasn't worth it if he could not be a part of it. There was no life inside a house, never leaving, only reading and greeting Amei. What if Amei found someone he loved and left? What if he grew tired of caring for a mist being? What then? What would the Dust do? Rot here? Or...
His eyes glanced over to view the window, standing and retreating to his room. The afternoon sun was still up, perhaps he should test it. Searching throughout his room, he spotted a straw hat, nodding as he slipped it onto his head. Amei brought him plenty of clothes and accessories, Fakir always favored dressing up and wearing several types of jewels. Throwing on a kimono (which now that he thought about it must have been highly expensive for Amei) he headed for the window in his room, pausing.
If this didn't work, he'd always rot. Yet, the familiar fear touched his heart. He always viewed the sunlight as a demon wanting to devour him, it frightened him despite the protection he believed he had. Yet, pale arms threw open the curtains, wincing as sunlight showered down, quickly lowering his head so the hat protected his face.
One...
Two...
Three...
No pain, only the familiar tightness his skin felt when it felt warmth. This was enough for him to let out a cry of joy, an unfamiliar noise from his often calm mouth. He regretted it when he looked up and sun rushed into his eyes, his cry of joy becoming one of sharp pain, but as he closed the curtains the pain was quickly forgotten.
He wouldn't rot.
- - - - -
Amei had returned home. He had been surprised when he hadn't caught Fakir reading or drawing, for that was all Fakir ever did, and even more surprised when he gave Fakir a pair of glass earrings and the male only smiled and quickly slipped them into his room. Fakir had noticed Amei staring at him the entire night, and when he noticed Fakir was barely touching dinner, well, that staring had become intense.
"Today.... Today we saw a shadow in the woods." Fakir raised his head at Amei's words, his fingers impatiently drumming against the wood. Every night they took turns exchanging the events of the day. Fakir's always was about what he had read, Amei about what he had fished or bought, however this was new. Frowning, Fakir glanced down at his food.
"Did you catch it?"
"It was to big, and fast. We didn't even go after it. It was going in the direction of the town, I'm sure someone will either catch it or it'll be frightened of the noise. When I traded some fish for the earrings I heard someone's chickens were eaten, so it might be a large predator."
Nodding, Fakir went back to poking at his food. Amei set his silverware down, frowning at Fakir.
"Did you write the list of what you want from the market?"
"I forgot."
That stare. Fakir rarely forgot things, he didn't really have much to lure him away from the things Amei asked of him. Pale eyes raised, meeting green. Quietly, the two watched one another, and then Amei opened his mouth.
"What is goi-"
"Take me to the market tomorrow. Please."
Fakir burst out into laughter when he was rewarded with a perplexed, dumbfounded expression from Amei, both nearly choking on their food for different reasons.
- - - - -
"Amei." Once again, fingers touched his shoulders, Fakir rose, and their familiar routine followed. Greetings, small talk over breakfast, getting dressed. However, today Fakir dressed in a kimono, straw hat, and grabbed an umbrella to block the sun. Amei fetched canteens of water, and they met at the door. Amei had that familiar worried expression on his face, Fakir had his own pleased expression on his face.
"Are you sure?" Amei whispered, cut off by a gloved hand touching the door knob. Fakir gave a firm nod and opened the door. The blinding world caused a flinch through his thin body, yet hungry, eager eyes opened and sought out the world in-front of him.
His heart stopped briefly, mouth letting out a soft gasp. The world he had only seen at night was beautiful in the morning. All the colors, all the people... his heart hammered as he instinctively stepped closer to Amei, a thing he hadn't done since he was a child. Amei seemed relieved Fakir hadn't just fallen apart, smiling warmly as Fakir stepped from his side and began to walk forward.
The smells were the same, yet.... not. In this sunlight, even while protected, Fakir felt the warmth it radiated, and it didn't hurt. Humans seemed startled to see another body exit Amei's home, however not many commented on it. Amei began to head towards a dirt path and quickly, almost desperate, Fakir chased after him.
As they walked Fakir was greeted with the sight of different homes, plants, stalls, everything. However, as they reached a spot of the town that seemed suited for heavier population the air grew quiet, almost a frightening silence. The entire time Fakir was outside he had heard noise, and now not even a bird chirped. Not a bug, not a voice, nothing. As they rounded the corner Fakir didn't even have the chance to look up, instead shoved into the shade of a roof overhanging a house, and violently.
"Ame-"
"Be quiet!"
His voice had never been so loud, or so demanding. As Fakir managed to pull himself up he heard a loud, frightened, female scream. A sound of terror mingled with defeat, and the voice sounded familiar. The smaller male managed to peek over Amei's shoulder and quickly regretted it, for what he saw he would never forget, it would haunt him for every night to come.
A large beast stood in the middle of the street of the market, darker than the night itself and distorted in it's appearance. A revolting stench hit Fakir's nose as the creature shifted, long, almost spider-like limbs stabbing into the ground under it, breaking the stone ground. He couldn't make out it's form, despite how the light hit it, all he could make out was it's size and a long limb that looked as if it was broken in several places, and what hung from the tip.
Gilly.
The beast seemed to split open, and yet when Fakir further inspected it the creature was simply opening it's massive maw, and quickly the older woman was thrown into it's fangs, swallowed, and gone. The sight had broken the silence as humans screamed and began to run. The beast did not allow many to leave, smashing stalls and violently stabbing it's legs into bodies, crushing bones and tossing blood in every direction.
His heart fluttered, panicked, and he felt as if right then and there it'd give way. Warm hands hurried him backwards, an urgent, frightened voice attempting to collect him from his frozen state. Once, he thought he felt himself being lifted, but his mind was to far gone to truly comprehend it. His eyes never left the beasts, and the beast slowly seemed to turn it's massive, almost shapeless form until frightening, soul shattering yellow eyes rested on him, their pupils shadowed with a bright orange. It was those eyes that broke Fakir from his state, desperate hands clawing at tan shoulders that carried him.
"Amei! Put me down! Please! Put me down! Let me down! AMEI!" His voice was inhuman, as if he was a bird trying to mimic that of a human. Terror destroyed any reasonable sense in his body, and all he wanted to do was flee. All he wanted was to escape, with or without Amei. Amei had stopped existing at a point, the name he was screaming suddenly foreign to him. This beast, with a simple stare, had broken the state of the boy.
Amei tossed him to the side, shoving him against a barrel, hand whipping out to cover Fakir's mouth. The boy would not stop, would not cease his screaming and terror, even when the beast seemed to loom above the two and Amei's head raised, familiar green eyes wild with fear.
Suddenly, the world went dark, sound died, and all he could hear was a ringing as his body screamed in agony. The world shook, and light cut into his line of eyesight. Around him was rubble, stalls on fire and ground indented, cracked. The beast had stepped back a few steps, yet the damage was clearly from it. It must have lashed out and hit something explosive in another stall, for the most damage was behind it. Fakir couldn't hear anything, only a ringing, however his eyes had been spared. Enough for him to watch as the beast raised a limb and thrusted towards him.
Blood hit his face, warm and dripping down pale skin, staining his kimono. His eyes had shut, yet when they opened he felt no pain. They had locked onto the tall, broad figure before him, standing while Fakir was splayed out on the ground. Arms were extended, protecting the being that had just tried to escape the tan man, and a monstrous claw has found it's way through the man.
Amei fell the second the creature released him, collapsing at Fakir's feet, returning Fakir's senses to him. This was the man that had raised him, and he had tried to abandon him. If he had been thinking properly he would never had tried... yet... here he laid. Bleeding out before him. This beast was bored with Amei, having focused on something rarer, something it knew was special, and young. As those frightening eyes focused on Fakir he was rendered still once more.
Amei. He would die if he didn't do something. Quickly, too. Amei was dying. He could hear his chokes as the ringing slowly stopped. He could see his twitches, his gasps, his mouth opening and closing. There would no longer be his laughter, his warm smile, or tan hands gently telling him he was alright. Amei would fade away, and Fakir would never see him again.
The cold male stood slowly, leaving the shade in favor of the sunlight, heading straight to a stall, and quickly. The beast left Amei in favor of him, and Fakir smiled. Hands touched barrels, seeking liquid, until finally he located a heavy barrel, perfect for what he needed. Slipping behind the barrel, he waited, fear in his heart as the beast approached and raised a limb, and then slashed downwards.
He was lucky he was quick, barely dodging the attack. The barrel split, liquid pouring rapidly down the hill. The beast made a move for Fakir, and the boy let out a shaky breath. His heart hammered, mind wild, and yet he had enough focus to allow his cold mist to touch the water, allowing it to freeze. The beast had raised a limb, moving until the liquid was frozen. It would have been funny how it fell if Fakir wasn't so frightened, watching the beast slid downwards, away from Amei and Fakir. The sound of it crashing into a building didn't settle Fakir's pounding heart as he chased after the beast.
He wouldn't win this battle, he knew this. But, he had seen humans grabbing Amei just as the creature fell. That was all he needed. He needed the beast to be distracted while the humans gathered the injured. The sunlight was growing harsh, and threatening Fakir, yet Fakir knew he would need to welcome it soon.
The beast had managed to flip back up from the rubble of the building. Fakir silently hoped their was no one inside as he halted in the shade, watching the beast teeter. Ah. It must be hurt. It wasn't hurt enough, Fakir noted, for it began to ascend the hill once more. Fakir didn't waste time, running out into the sunlight, stripping himself free of the protective gear he wore and embracing the sunlight.
Agony ripped through him, a feral screech escaping his lips as his spine felt as if it was on fire. His body wavered, and the beast turned just as his skin became the mist he had begun to hate. Without thinking, or moving out of the sunlight, Fakir allowed his mist to spread, watching as it slipped under the beast where the sunlight refused to touch, and halt the beasts movements. It struggled to walk, however this was not the usual mist one would naturally see. No. As it struggled it's eyes landed onto Fakir's almost transparent form, watching him silently. The agony was becoming to much, it was eating away at his insides, ripping apart anything it could reach as he slowly became solid once more. The sunlight was unrelenting, and it tried to devour him whole. His body gave in, and his eyes began to close, the last thing he saw was his mist vanishing and the beast rushing towards him, claws raised.
- - - - -
Voices. He could hear them whispering around him, forcing him from the quiet, dreamless state he had been in. Was this death? Had the beast ripped him apart, devouring what was left of him? Death was fairly noisy, he wasn't sure if he liked it much.
"Hush. He's moving."
Hushed voices followed, then stopped completely. Fakir did not know that voice, he didn't want to know it, either. He didn't want to open his eyes, he was comfortable where he was.
"Open the curtains!"
"Don't you dare! Amei told us not to, he has a skin condition!"
Amei? The name was enough, eyes flashing open as the boy sat up roughly, regretting it immediately as pain screamed through him. His back hit the soft cloth again, collapsing into himself as Fakir let out a screech. Unfamiliar, rough hands grasped his shoulders, fright rushing through him as he lashed out violently.
"Don't touch me!" These people were not Amei. They were not tan, not blonde, and their eyes were not warm. Calculating eyes watched him, a man with dark hair and thin lines on his forehead was holding him still. He smelled of mothballs, not of earth like Amei. They were strangers, and Fakir did not like them.
"Amei!"
"He is resting two rooms down. He is alive, do not worry. Are you Fakir?"
The words barely registered, but when they did he sighed in relief. He hadn't realized how fast his heart was beating, either. Wait... he was... alive? "Where am I?"
"Just a small doctors house, mine, actually. My name is Zalut, pleasure to meet you. We brought you here shortly after the local hunters managed to scare the beast out of the town."
The beast. That was enough to make Fakir shudder in fright, yet anger rushed through him at the memory of a fallen Amei. It was still alive, wasn't it? It was still alive...
"We took Amei in, and he seems like he'll be fine. It'll take awhile to recover. A hunter scooped you up after his party went after the beast. Apparently it doesn't like fire all that much. He brought you here."
Zalut watched the boy, sighing gently. Fakir flinched as he moved slightly, watching him with narrow, unforgiving eyes. Where was Amei? Why was he not here? They had mentioned him several times, yet he was not here. He was no where around. The windows were closed in this room, Amei must have told them about his.... issues. So where was he?
Rough hands gripped his shoulders, rewarded with a slap from Fakir. Zalut held his cheek, shocked and amused by the fiery boys reaction. "I take it you don't get out much, do you, boy? You can't go smacking people, they might smack back, or worse, bite." His smile widened, tongue flicking across his lips. Fakir shuddered in disgust, glancing away quickly.
"You'll be sent back to Amei's home tomorrow evening. Amei will be sent back to you soon." As he stood and headed for the door the others rushed out like little birds until Zalut was the only one at the door, his head turning to view Fakir. A low smirk crossed his lips, tapping his fingers against the frame of the door.
"If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were a woman. You're an awfully pretty little thing, aren't you?" A bright laugh escaped him when Fakir grabbed the first thing he saw, a cup, and tossed it at the man, slipping out and closing the door behind it.
Fakir had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time he saw the b*****d.
- - - - -
"Amei." Tan fingers touched pale skin, a pale boy walked down the hall, and the scent of food filled the house. Months had passed, and nothing changed. Nothing except two left the house instead of one, one dressed in clothes you normally wouldn't see a local wear, another wearing a warm smile and sporting a faint limp.
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Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:42 pm
ALWAYS FEELING ABOUT BLINDLY FOR THE BLUE SKY
Dust's Name: Inara
Dust's Gender: Female
Dust's Personality:
Deceptively Fragile: Everything about Inara is delicate, breakable and fragile seeming. Her movements and mannerisms are dainty, her voice is soft and melodic. She seems as if she was born to be a damsel in distress.In truth, she will not break at the slightest touch.In fact, the phrase "That which yields is not always weak" applies to her quite well. She has an inner resolve and strength that she uses her frail build to disguise very effectively.
Patient: Inara could sit for hours without moving, she could preform the most tedious jobs without ever seeming to lost her temper or need a break. Her patience extends to the people she comes in contact with, often coming across as so serene and unflappable that it frustrates people.
Passionate: Underneath her mild, obedient exterior beats the heart of a romantic. She is shy about showing any outward signs of excitement or exuberance but she writes love-poems and reads horrible romance novels in secret. She loves stories of strong, heroic women and dreams alternatively of being rescued and playing the role of rescuer. While initially this trait is well hidden, as she grows so will her dreams and her ability to express excitement and passion outwardly.
Theme Suggestions: Frail, lol. Fragile, delicate, fine-boned... however you want to interpret it, Inara looks like the kind of girl who might be blown over by a puff of wind. Other than that, I'd love to see a lot of soft pastel pinks and whites in fitting with the cherry blossom imagery. Eyes, hair and wardrobe can all be left up to artist's discretion.
Powers:
Transience: The Japanese believe that the Sakura blossom symbolizes the fragile and transient nature of life. Inara has the ability to call upon that fleeting nature, summoning it out of her opponent's very body and severely weakening them. The drawback is that Inara also suffers extreme weakness when she uses this power. As she calls to an opponent's life-source her own material body begins to fade and dissapear. If she were to ever draw out the whole life of another, leaving them dead, it is highly possible she herself would perish.
Innocent Beauty: For both the Japanese and the Chinese, cherry blossoms represent beauty. For the Chinese this beauty is wrapped in a powerful and sexually dynamic female package while for the Japanese the beauty is frail, delicate and fleeting. Inara combines these two elements into one perfect package. There is something about her fragile appearance that makes people automatically overlook her as a threat. In fact, her enemies often fail to realize that she is their foe and are sometimes compelled to protect her. This allows Inara to infiltrate almost any group and puts her into the perfect position to strike powerfully and unexpectedly.
What doesn't bend breaks: Inara is inhumanly graceful and unexpectedly strong in battle. Her body, like the trunk and branches of the cherry tree, bends and gives easily. She is able to use an opponent's mass against them, turning their headlong rush into a plunge or a stumble. She jumps and spins weightlessly as if she were a flower falling to the ground.This is probably the only time when people get a glimpse of the inner steel that is hidden inside her fragile body.
Prompt Response: Prompt 3
She hadn't expected it to happen so suddenly. She had only just begun her training and she was fairly certain that her trainers, like everyone else, underestimated her. But the terrified screams and crowd of people rushing in her general direction as if they were pursued by a Demon could only mean one thing... They were being pursued by a Demon. Nobody seemed to notice the delicate girl as she gently set down the basket that contained the fruits of her labors. Bread and cheese, a couple little trinkets, and one package at the bottom that was carefully rolled in canvas. Kneeling, Inara unrolled the canvas and looked at the three round objects within. They were throwing stars, cleverly designed in the shape of open cherry blossoms, beautiful and deadly. She had thought long and hard about what weapon she would carry and after much consideration and discussion, the stars had been agreed upon. They looked delicate and ladylike and were not too heavy to wield. But they required skill. Skill that Inara did not yet posess. She touched a sharp bladed petal wistfully before making the decision to leave them. Standing straight, she glanced towards where the outcry originated from. The Demon was a large one, lumbering on four great feet like some kind of vile beast of burden. As soon as she spotted it, Inara knew she could not best it. She was not ready. But perhaps... Perhaps she could frighten it away long enough for the people to get clear of it's slavering jaws and for real help to come.
She began to run, straight towards the beast. No sound escaped her throat but her feet were quick and light on the ground and by the time she reached the creature she had built up enough speed to make a high, spinning leap which landed her right in front of the beast's snout. Her feminine wiles would be no help against this creature, she would not convince it that she was harmless and innocent now that she stood in front of it in obvious challenge. But there was one thing... One ability that she was only just learning to control. It was powerful and she had been cautious in it's use up to this point. But she knew, with every fiber of her being, that this was her purpose. And with that knowledge came fierce pride. She raised her hands into the air and stared into the beast's abyssal gaze. And she heard it... quietly at first. The thing's life-force was made up of the combined energies of the hundreds of people it had fed on. The cacophony that made up the Demon's core made it almost impossible to isolate that thread of sound, that special frequency. It seemed to Inara like hours had passed, though in reality it had been mere seconds. She found the thread and reached out for it and began to call it towards her.
The Demon could clearly sense that something was wrong and it began thrashing angrily about. But by this point most of the people had managed to back away and it found only one possible victim in it's path. It made to lunge and then paused, it's wide mouth open. The thing in front of it was so little. So inconsequencial. Surely it was not what was causing the Demon's distress. The creature whined in confusion and that brief moment was just long enough for Inara's will to get a good grip on it's life-force. The Demon could feel itself growing weaker and shook it's head violently. Somehow, it managed to sever the weak tie the tiny girl had created. Unsuprising, as she was hardly trained and have never really attempted to draw the life from another creature before.
It was a small blessing, then, that the Demon decided that enough was enough and turned tail, lumbering slowly and awkwardly away, shaking it's great head in confusion as it did. Inara watched it go through hazy vision as she felt her legs buckle from under her. As she fell to the street she tried to reach for help, and discovered that her hand had become translucent. It couldn't seem to grasp anything. "This is unexpected." She mouthed as she lost consciousness. She had not won the battle, but she didn't quite think she had lost it either.
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:37 am
ALWAYS FEELING ABOUT BLINDLY FOR THE BLUE SKY
Dust's Name: Daia (Everlasting Morning Joy)
Dust's Gender: Female
Dust's Personality: Daia takes joy from the small things, is quick to forgive, and loves with her whole heart. In battle, she prefers to support as opposed to directly confronting the enemy, simply because she’s really not made for attacking. That said, she can pack quite a wallop given the right reasons, and will fight like a tiger if she cannot escape.
Theme Suggestions: Average skin tone, maybe a little on the pale side, with a pink mark on her face, possibly one shaped like a cherry blossom. Long hair, straightish hair with just a teensy bit of curl on the ends. Other than that go nuts XD
Powers:
[Healing] Spirit's Warmth
Unlike that of a fire elemental, the warmth of the Cherry Blossom Dust emanates from her soul, just as the trees call upon their inner strength to push back Winter’s hold and burst forth with life; the energy from her spirit and love combine to reach deeply into an icy body, breaking the grip of Winter and gently warming it from the inside out. With this, she can give one dying of hypothermia just enough heat to allow his heart to continue to beat slowly until medical help can be found - or until the Dust succumbs to her own exhaustion.
[Defensive] Blossom Blizzard
Cherry Blossom petals fall like snow, and are often likened to them. Daia can whip up a veritable storm of them, making her much harder to hit; enemies aren’t always sure exactly where she is, and those with larger mouths or noses are often choked by the sheer volume of flying flowers.
[Support] Graceful Passing
Fallen warriors were sometimes compared to the Cherry Blossoms, beautiful lives all too soon cut short. The blooms, however, pass without pain, and one of Daia’s chosen missions is to extend that to others.
If she can make physical contact with a suffering creature, she can release it from its pain. The benefit of this is threefold. One, a creature who does not feel its pain usually will not panic and inflict the terrible wounds desperation brings forth. Two, it can move to the next world with grace; even if it must be killed, it should not have to deal with the agony of its wounds as it passes, and Daia wishes to allow them the Cherry Blossom's serenity in death. The third benefit is that if a comrade is injured she can use this ability to kill the pain, giving the victim the ability to either rest easily or keep fighting with a clear head.
Prompt Response:
Prompts 1 and 3 (child):
"Oh, all right, you can go out for a little while."
Daia squealed with delight. She'd been bugging her adoptive father all winter to let her go play, and now - finally - he had decided the weather was permissible. It was all he could do to contain the squirming and bouncing six-year-old while he got her bundled up; as soon as the door was open, she was gone. Roger chuckled. He loved the spirit in his 'daughter,' even if it occasionally left him scrambling to get her out of some mess when her little body gave out. That thought firmly in his mind, he set out to follow her, knowing that she would not come in by herself.
And Daia did get lost in her own little world. The falling snow captured her imagination and she waddled through it as if in a fairytale of ages past. Yes, waddled; she was wearing so many layers of clothes that was the only way she could walk. Touching the few trees she encountered, enjoying the feel of their bark...tasting the snowflakes...feeling the sting of the cold on her nose. The sensory experience awed her. Usually the girl would be inside, playing with blocks of wood or other such things to pass the time, and this was therefore all very new.
Suddenly, her dreamlike state was shattered by screams and an unusual stench that made her gag. The demon turned to look at her and she screeched in horror. Daia had been told about them, but she had never seen one before, and this beast was beyond her nightmares. Sensing a small, vulnerable target, it charged. She threw her arms up in defensive reflex and something else merged with the falling snow around her. She wasn't sure what was happening, and had no time to think about it, but she didn't have to. This power was purely instinctual. Whipping themselves into a fury, the Cherry Blossom petals obscured the Dust and the beast missed its intended mark, growling and spitting flower bits every which way. Another voice rose above the screams. "Daia!! Daia!! Come on!!" Roger bravely scooped her up, out of the beast's way. It recovered and charged him, but another Dust appeared on the scene and quickly dispatched the demon. Daia cried all the way home, riding safely in her Daddy's arms. The terror, for now, was over.
Prompt 2:
Several winters had passed since that terrible moment as a child. There was still fear when she met a demon, but nothing like it had been before.
Now Daia had a new fear. Approaching guys. "I can't do it!" she told Roger one afternoon after the latest round of encouragement from him. She was in tears. "I just can't!" Roger hugged her; he knew she would have to work this one out herself. Daia wandered outside, sitting down quietly on the front step. She buried her head in her hands in the cold of early spring and attempted to compose herself. Surely there was someone who would accept her! It didn't help that she was a Dust among humans. They stuck to their own kind.
It wasn't too long before something caught her eye. A bedraggled figure walked by, looking very thin by the moonlight. And cold. "Hey," she called out to him, nervous but fairly sure that he shouldn't be out so underdressed on a day like this, in only a t-shirt and jeans! He glanced at her and she was shocked at the emptiness, the pain in his eyes. but what eyes they were! A blue like the cleanest sky, like no eyes she'd ever seen. He turned away and took off, like he wanted nothing to do with anyone. At first Daia gave up. If he didn't want anything to do with her she would respect his wishes. As the night drew closer, however, he began to change her mind. He just...he looked so weak. And it's so cold. He could die if he's left out there, she thought. I should at least take him some nice hot food if I can find him. Enlisting Roger's help (he was a kind man and rather used to Daia's requests by now), she quickly packed up something that would surely help the blue-eyed boy face the night.
It would be dark soon, though. She needed to find him - NOW. Bringing along her little white dog, she soon tracked him to a railroad bridge, crawling with icky bugs also looking for shelter. When the boy saw her, he cringed, but did not move, as though he was resigned to whatever ill she might do him. He was supremely startled when she laid the food bundle in his lap. It was still warm. His expression said that he didn't know how to react, so she left him to enjoy it in peace. It was his first good meal in months.
It came too late to stop the temperature's terrible toll. Daia returned in the morning to try to talk to him, only to find him freezing, barely alive. She sent her dog to find her father, and slipped her hands under his dirty shirt that afforded no protection. Laying them gently on his chest, she summoned her strength to warm his frozen heart. It worked; his heartbeat and breathing began to strengthen. She wrapped her arms around him, a new love stirring in her heart, offering its power. Daia kept him alive until her father came and picked them both up, taking them home and carefully reviving the young man. He'd been severely abused, they found out, and had not been sure what to make of the friendly Dust, but they eventually won him over. He lives with them now, learning what it really means to be loved.
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:03 pm
ALWAYS FEELING ABOUT BLINDLY FOR THE BLUE SKY
Dust's Name: Naoki
Dust's Gender: Male
Dust's Personality: Philosopher: Quiet contemplation and introspection are characteristic of Naoki's behavior. He is endlessly fascinated by both life and death, and can spend much of his time observing such phenomena in the natural world. While normally he speaks very little, if discussing something that verges into his interests, he can become quite engaged in conversations on those topics.
Serene: Very little fazes him. Naoki strives to maintain a calm persona at all times; he sees any excessive emotion as a detriment to one's judgment. Whether it is happiness or anger, he seeks to smooth out his emotions to a tranquil state, allowing himself to maintain focus on whatever he deems important.
Warrior: At one point in Japanese history, there was a belief that fallen warriors would be reborn as cherry blossoms. While he may not look like a fierce warrior, Naoki's dedication to studying and training for battle means that underestimating him would be a mistake. That isn't to say that he loves fighting for the sake of fighting - but rather, that he maintains a fierce determination to protect. Naoki prefers an honorable battle, but will use any methods in order to succeed if he feels winning is necessary. He has his own sort of honor, but it is not an honor maintained by straightforward, honest battles: instead, it is an honor found in never betraying his ideals.
Theme Suggestions: While Naoki is a warrior, he relies on speed more than strength, and so has a slender, wiry build. I would suggest either white, or pale pink hair similar to that of cherry blossoms; I also picture him with long hair, probably drawn out of his face by a hair tie. Perhaps drawn with a sword.
Powers:
Sacrificial Healing: Falling cherry blossom petals have come to represent sacrifice, and it is in that is the vein from which all of Naoki's abilities are derived. At weddings and other festive events in Japan, a drink is often served that was made from steeping salted cherry blossom petals in hot water. When drops of his blood land in hot water, they become cherry blossoms; drinking the resulting liquid, or pouring it over an injury will heal. The more blossoms in it, the more effective it is at healing.
Impermanence: Cherry blossoms have been associated with the concept of mono no aware, which is an understanding and quiet wistfulness of the impermanence of everything. By spilling his own blood on the ground, he can create a carpet of cherry blossoms across the ground. The moment someone steps on and crushes any of those blossoms, they will be overwhelmed by a recognition of the impermanence of existence. How long they are overwhelmed would depend upon the willpower of the person in question, but it would allow Naoki a few extra moments in which to act.
Growth: Life is fleeting, and Naoki is quite aware of this. By a sacrifice of his own blood, as he does to work any of his powers, he can dramatically speed up the growth of any tree and direct it to grow in whatever direction he wished. However, the more quickly he speeds up growth, it also dies that much more quickly. A battle could be assisted by the sudden growth of a tree that creates a new obstacle, but it would also swiftly die. This ability is most effective in battles in smaller spaces, as he can create effective barriers. If there is no plant or tree already there, his blood can cause the growth of a new cherry tree. As with his other abilities, a larger amount of blood will result in swifter growth - and the spawning and growth of an entirely new cherry tree requires more blood than the growth of an already existing tree.
Prompt Response:
Prompt 1
It was snowing again.
Naoki felt himself come to a stop after he had taken only a few steps outside, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he felt the frigid air greet him. Perhaps it wasn't really snowing - just the remains of the last snow blowing from the roofs. It had been snowing frequently enough that even he had begun to grow frustrated with it, yearning to see greenery start poking up out of the ground. Feeling his hopes rise, he opened his eyes and tilted his head back to see.
No, it was definitely snowing.
His arms, folded around the bags containing food for that night's dinner, clenched the bag a bit closer. Everything ends, he thought, I just have to remember that. Even this winter has to end eventually. He would just have to hope it ended before they were all snowed in. Naoki started moving again, turning down a walkway where the previous snow had been crunched down by walking and larger piles rested against the buildings.
Winter had seemed unusually long that year, and while not horribly cold, there had been a ridiculous amount of snow. Naoki had greeted the first snowfall with fascination - it had been not only the first snowfall of the year, but his first snowfall as well. By this point the snow had ceased to be so fascinating, especially on a day like this when he still had to walk home in it.
Turning around another corner, his only warning was a single peal of laughter before he was met with a face of snow, sputtering at the coldness that had gotten into his mouth and was sliding down his neck.
"Got you!" A neighbor girl, Prudence stood in front of him with a grin stretching across her face, some snow still on her mitten. She was his age, but felt younger - although if he was honest, it sometimes felt like even the kids who were technically older were actually younger than him. Come to think of it, he even felt that way about his guardian sometimes.
"Very sneaky," briefly, he wondered how long she'd been waiting for him to come around that corner, "better look out, though - you never know when I'll strike back."
She just laughed at him, and he felt a grin slip onto his face as he thrust his shoulder against the wooden post of the awning next to them. That grin grew even wider when Prudence's laughter turned into a surprised squawk, as snow was dumped on her. Naoki may have had snow stuck to the collar of his coat, and falling snow in his hair, but Prudence looked like she'd taken a dive into a snowdrift.
Before she could recover, he took off and darted around her, making for his house. Running on the snow with his arms full of groceries may not have been his best idea, as he felt himself slip and very nearly fall for a moment, but he managed to keep his balance.
They'd been playing this game all winter, ever since that first snowfall: each trying to surprise the other with a snow-attack, and get away before the other could retaliate; she'd probably thought him an easy target this time, with his hands full. If he could get home before she got him again he'd win this round - he doubted she would be so kind as to stand under another convenient awning, so it wouldn't be likely for him to get her again. If he got inside, however, he'd be safe: they'd decided on a strict no-snow-indoors policy after the unfortunate incident with the basket of snow, alley cat, and the tailor.
Sparing a glance for the falling snow, he thought that perhaps more snow wasn't such a bad thing. It would eventually come to an end, after all, and provided some entertainment until then. Nothing lasts, but in the meantime it wasn't too bad.
Prompt 3
It felt like a dream. Most of the people who'd been sitting at the tables just outside the café were fleeing, screaming loudly enough that it felt like the only sound there was. Naoki knew there were other sounds - he'd seen people knock over a table, and surely things were crashing down - but all he could hear were echoing screams. The teenager got to his feet, his tea left steaming on the table, as he stared at the creature on the other side of the street. It didn't seem to be doing anything at first - just demonstrating a smile with crooked, vicious teeth bared as it watched the fleeing people as if it were simply choosing what to have for lunch that day.
A demon. In the middle of town, in the middle of the day, with the sun shining brilliantly down, and a demon was there. He didn't even know where it'd come from - he'd been enjoying his tea, and then suddenly, it was there.
Calm. he thought to himself, even as people ran around him, and it seemed like the demon and himself were frozen in place, Be calm. You know what you have to do, and you must be calm.
Naoki's heart was pounding, but as he focused, he came to a decision. He didn't even have his sword with him, and while he'd been training with his abilities, they weren't going to defeat a beast such as this. Yet he still could do something, still had to do something. And as the beast finally started to move, following the flow of people as it decided upon it's first prey - impossible to tell who, in that crush - Naoki snatched up a knife from the nearby remnants of someone's lunch and ran across the street, darting into the alleyway there.
A direct attack would accomplish nothing except getting himself killed. So he would just have to be creative.
Now that he knew what direction the beast was heading - and the screams of fleeing people helped with that - he ran through the little alleyways, running through a courtyard and making note of what was there. Naoki didn’t stop, however; he kept running until the alley he was in circled back around to the main street. One quick glance out into the street showed him that he hadn't managed to get ahead - the demon had it's back to him, but it was only a few yards away.
The scene that met him made it clear that he really had no choice, even as he felt his gut clench as he realized just what it was that the beast was tearing into; he hadn't even recognized it as human at first.
Just get it's attention - give people time to get away.
His hand clenched around the blade of the knife, feeling the sharpness of it as it cut into his hand, and blood began to drip out. Before Naoki could give himself anymore time to think about what he was doing, he thrust his bloody hand against the young tree on the sidewalk, keeping hold of the knife as he focused.
"Grow. Come now, grow…" and grow it did - and a single branch grew out directly sideways. The branch grew with a swiftness that made it seem as if the tree was stretching, and then it hit the demon in the back with enough force to knock it aside, before the growth came to an end. The leaves of the tree began dying in the next instant, but his attention was on the demon. The demon had spun itself around with a snarl, and in the moment that their eyes met, Naoki turned and ran down the alleyway. He didn't have to look to know it was chasing him; the huffing and snarling sounds made it clear he had succeeded in getting it's attention.
He clenched his fist tighter around the blade for a brief moment, feeling the blood drip down and concentrated - and in his wake, cherry blossom petals littered the ground. He knew the moment the demon stepped on them, as he heard the footsteps falter and briefly - so briefly - come to a stop before picking back up again.
With his lungs burning, he burst into the courtyard, grabbing a hold of the tree planted at it's entrance. This courtyard would have to be where Naoki would have to make his stand, as he knew the beast was only a moment behind him.
In the instant that he grabbed a hold of that tree with his bloody hand, he focused desperately on it's growth before releasing it and continuing in; he caught a glimpse of it stretching across the entrance to the courtyard, and could only be grateful that it had grown as he wanted it to in that brief time. Not that it would do much to slow down the demon, but it would grant him a bit more time.
If I survive this, he thought, I am never going anywhere - anywhere - without my sword again.
The courtyard was truly a garden, with trees and shrubs planted around it at various points. He only had moments to put together a plan, as he lunged towards one of the trees, gripping it with his hands as he worked. This wasn't a neat, directed growth like the others - rather, it was a growth that simply focused on exploding outwards. The tree's branches extended at odd angles, and the roots burst out of the ground. Naoki threw himself to the next tree to do the same thing, drawing more blood with the knife as he hurriedly worked on the garden, and the demon broke through the branches and entered.
By this point what had originally been a neatly arranged garden with simple, trimmed trees had exploded into a small jungle of branches extending out at odd angles and heights, creating odd gaps and no way of walking upright for Naoki, much less for the demon, with it's large body. Roots had broken through the ground, in some cases just covering the ground, and it others extending above and leaving large gaps. Such unnatural growth and shapes for these plants would not last long, but hopefully long enough for people to escape.
The demon seemed confused by what it had found, but quickly caught sight of Naoki in the mess of the courtyard, and began to force it's way through. The branches were thick and it had trouble breaking them, but it couldn't simply move around them either, due to their odd spacing. While the demon struggled to make a path through to get at him, Naoki much more easily slid through the gaps and stepped over the roots: he felt the placement of them all as if they were a part of him, the locations being almost an instinctive knowledge to him.
Naoki worked around the edge of the courtyard, reaching the one tree he had yet to grow. As he worked on it, exploding the growth outwards in the same way that he had the others, he quickly directed it to grow towards one of the alleyway entrances - perhaps he could block the demon in, trap it for a time -
He had to throw himself down as he caught sight of the demon, realizing almost too late that the growth the demon had been working on had already begun to die and turn brittle; he hadn't had enough time to make certain it would grow strong, had to be sparing with his blood. Claws caught at his shoulder as he rolled and threw himself under a large root system in the corner, although he barely felt the pain of it, focused as he was at simply getting away.
Naoki realized in that instant that he had dropped the knife, his only weapon, even as he was scrambling away while the demon tore at the roots to get to him. His back hit against a tree trunk, and he realized that he had trapped himself, even as the pain from his shoulder injury finally made itself known.
Despite not having the knife, perhaps he could delay the demon further - he couldn't tell how much his shoulder was bleeding, only that it hurt and he could feel wetness around it. So Naoki focused, closing his eyes as he worked and hoped the blood from his injury would be enough.While he was pressed against a tree trunk, it was a tree that was already dying from the unnatural growth he had forced upon it; so his abilities found another expression, as a cherry tree sprouted up right in front of him, effectively trapping him even more as his movements were restricted, but also creating another barrier between the demon and himself.
Naoki could hear the demon snarling as it clawed away at the roots and branches, but it felt distant; the cherry tree that had sprung up grew large quickly, winding through the roots that surrounded him in a way that could not have occurred naturally. It wouldn't hold the demon back forever, though, even if it did give him more time.
He felt an odd calm descend upon him, as he realized he was probably going to die; at the very least he had bought other people time to get away. The battle had not been what he would ever have expected for his first - and now, probably, his last - battle. No real weapon, and not much of any damage even done to the demon...yet, Naoki found that he couldn't regret it.
Then he heard the demon stop clawing - still snarling, but the clawing was no longer there - and other sounds, other people. The city guard? He could hear bellowing and clanging, sounds of fighting, but couldn't tell what was going on. Trapped as he was by his own creations, not able to see what was going on or even hear it clearly, blood covering both his hands and his shoulder, he found it hard to focus on anything at all.
After a moment of simply breathing, realizing that there was, in fact, a fight of some kind going on and that he wasn't dead, Naoki began to struggle to slide out of the meshing of branches and roots he had created. He was helped along by the swift death of the root system he had grown, and managed to stagger out of it in time to see guards chasing down an alleyway - apparently after the demon.
Staggering out of the courtyard, he knew that he wouldn't be of any further assistance with the demon. He knew he might still be able to help with other people, however, and worked his way down a path back towards the café he had been at. If he could find some hot water, then perhaps there were people whom he could help heal - that first victim he had seen had been beyond any help he could provide, but there had to be some who were not so far gone.
It's not like I don't have blood freely-flowing right now anyway he thought as he glanced down at his hands, covered with scratches from branches, gouges from the knife, blood and dirt. Naoki was sure his shoulder was worse. He would have to make use of some of his potion himself; even if it wouldn't be nearly so effective on himself as others, he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to do much of anything if he didn't heal up at least a little bit.
Despite knowing that the demon was still alive, possibly still causing havoc even if it was being chased by guards, Naoki felt a smile flicker onto his face. He'd slowed it down, kept it from hurting too many people before guards had shown up; he hadn't even had his sword, but he'd survived. He couldn't help but feel that, despite the state he was in, that it was a success.
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:19 pm
WATCH THE WIND BLOW SCULPTING SANDDust's Name: Sigmund
Dust's Gender: Male
Dust's Personality: Calm - Curious - Stubborn
Theme Suggestions: Seashells brings to mind warm palettes: browns, reds and yellow-golds with the occasional teal thrown in for good measure. Windswept hair and scant clothing come to mind. His dust reminds me of a tide pool so I'd love to see bits and pieces of the seafloor used as simple decor.
Powers:
THERMOREGULATION | innate - Sigmund retains perfect homeostasis in cold weather, despite his surroundings. This is best demonstrated in water. Sigmund can remain in the ocean for hours at a time while maintaining his core temperature.
BARBED SKIN | offensive/defensive - Pointed, retractable spines rise from Sigmund's skin when he is threatened. Like his 'cousin' the sea urchin, these spines inflict a painful wound when they penetrate skin, but are not known to be lethal.
Prompt Response:
What started out as an innocent day of gathering seashells at your leisure took a turn for the worse as a sudden storm sweeps over the beach...
⊱ 〄 ⊰
The cold wind of early spring spurned countless waves toward the shore, a distinctive perfume trailing close behind. The banner of airs was an undeniable flavor. One that rested on Sigmund's tongue, heavy with salt and algae, then refused to part. The taste was a wild blue-green, not unlike the water itself, whose waves ravaged in folding rows like kneaded dough. He watched as the water crested higher and higher, dragged a line of white along it's highest point, peaked and fell. A clear contradiction to the might of their birth, the waves then fizzled into nothing before being dragged by the ankles back to sea. Such was the endless cycle of tides, as dictated by the moon. To Sigmund she seemed flawless in her craft.
He glanced up and mimicked her sickle grin.
While the day moon wasn't nearly as bright as the Sun she was undoubtedly the more artistic of the two. At her command tides carried colorful bounties to shore like flecks of paint over canvas. Without that first push he wouldn't be gazing up at her now. The pieces that made him might have never found the shore and he'd be nothing more than a silly idea.
Sigmund was forced back to the ground as cold water lapped his toes, herding him away from his assumed home and back into the arms of a dry, foreign bay. He longed for every slow retreat and watched with pursed lips as the sea reclaimed countless shells in streams that raked the sand with desperate fingers. He considered himself lucky if his own fingers could snatch up a few treasures before the greedy hand of the moon wiped the earth clean. He leaned close to the surface, tossing aside smooth pebble and prickly carapace in search of that perfect piece. Sand crabs, unearthed by the pull of the surf, burrowed frantically back into bubbling sands at his touch. It was a mystery the way the sea refused to take them back, as if it somehow knew swimming from floating. He often lost himself in the fantasy of it all.
Sigmund followed the steadily rising tide, ever searching. The darkness on the horizon whispered 'abandon', but he was no bird. He belonged to the beach, in this very alcove, and he'd braved harsh winds before. Shells buried themselves in the sand if they had to.
"Speak of the devil." Sigmund breathed, spying a familiar mound half submerged in a nearby pool. He knew already it couldn't be a starfish or an urchin. It was much too round for that. He hugged his knees to his chest with gritty hands as sheets of salt water played around him, revealing their departed. A pristine conch lay buried in the waning tide. It was trapped outside of time, terribly still against the chaos of wind and wave. It was rare to see one within reach. The sea liked to tempt collectors by rolling the prettiest shells just beneath the surface of the water. How strange it must have felt to be separated from the sea.
Oh well.
Sigmund did what anyone in possession of a sound and practiced curiosity might. A sun-kissed hand outstretched, fingers poised for grabbing and arms eager to heave. With feet firmly planted Sigmund attempted to pry the conch from it's resting place. The sand slowly released it's grip...
PAT!
A pinprick stalled the tiny hand. It would seem this excavation had been interrupted by a rogue drop of rain. A sudden cascade fell over the boy and his discovery. Sigmund's arms snaked back and both hands met over his head, forming a makeshift canopy. Peeking through his fingers at the wanton moon, he found her terribly distant. She flirted with that crooked smile, dragged a dark cloud across her face and disappeared.
Tricky thing.
Waves snapped at Sigmund's ankles, defending the honor of their pale maiden. He tip-toed for drier ground but there was no comfort behind him, only wet sand hungrily sucking his feet. Turning about like a sleepy dog, the boy found himself on a different shore altogether. Ocean overtook the red rocks whose flat, severe edges had led him astray in the first place. Such was their punishment. Rain broke against the ruddy stones, forming a thick haze over the water. Gulls dove and circled just overhead, mimicking their unsavory cousins with the exception of their whining 'caw'.
"It's a little late for a warning." Sigmund mused, creeping along what little edge of the alcove remained untouched by the ocean. The surf was insulted by his calm demeanor, lashing out in a rain-driven uproar that easily stole his balance.
Deafening silence.
A mouthful of salt left Sigmund speechless against the very waves that stole him. His body tumbled, bending and stretching in a darkness that pulled him far from shore. He'd never been knocked from his feet before, especially not by the ocean. Clumsy, tentacle-like movements did little to convince the tide of his allegiance but they forced him to shore in an act of pity. Pawing helplessly for dry land but grabbing only fistfuls of sea, Sigmund nearly panicked.
"Help!" Cried the wind, stealing away with his voice. Should anyone manage to hear the winging plea they would be lucky to guess where it came from. Sigmund wasn't the type to cry, not daring to waste more energy than he should. Think. The ocean was a swirling mess, blood red and blinding from the setting sun. Any eyes remaining were surely fixed away from the storm and back toward the safety of their dry homes. Wave after wave reminded him of his fate in a humor that could only be described as cruel, but Sigmund was understanding. Braving the spray with open eyes, he aimed for the sky. The moon lay sleeping and he was alone.
Nearly.
Sigmund reached thoughtlessly into the churning blue-green, all too aware of it's efforts to reclaim him. While every stroke against the current was fruitless, he wasn't exactly empty handed. The feeling of a hard, smooth object rose a lump of panic in Sigmund's throat, but he swallowed it away in favor of good news. The stranger bobbed in and out of view, much like himself, spinning to reveal raised horns and a soft, white underside. It was the conch, riding effortlessly on the rising current.
"I thought you were dead..." What a strange thing to say to a shell, even Sigmund thought so. It lingered, eager to keep him company. While the waves insisted the pair struggle backward and grow too tired to float, the conch lead by example. Lilting on the water's surface like a feather on the breeze, it's instinctual voice murmured 'be still'. Not one to fight his human nature so easily, Sigmund resisted. He was alive, after all. Living things didn't give up so easily. As if they had overheard the boy's internal monologue and thought it funny to prove him wrong, elegant tendrils of seaweed slithered past, begging he reconsider. Like the conch, the weeds were disarming. Everyone but him thought it smarter to float than fight.
Four tired appendages craved a similar strategy.
Admitting defeat, Sigmund rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. At first he hid from the rain. Night had fallen and the wind pulled him wherever it pleased, the least he could do was avoid the stinging in his eyes. When the grey sky settled and clouds thinned to reveal small patches of stars, he chose to hide from his submission. He had questioned himself and it was a subtle though powerful blow to his pride. When the moon finally returned he could do little more than hide from his embarrassment. As if the ocean was ruled by anyone but her.
The current did it best to capsize the boy, furious at the lack of attention, but there was little the ocean could do to save face. All storms end in time. Shells are pulled from the shore, dizzied, thrown about and returned in a strange and sometimes violent cycle... the same held true for people. Even now the boy felt sand beneath the shallows and nosy weeds wrapping around his ankles, desperate to keep him.
He was back to square one.
Sigmund combed the sand nearby for what seemed like hours with only the light of the moon to guide him, but the conch was nowhere to be found. It had grown too dark to bother digging. Home meant warm dinner and hell to pay from a worried-sick Guardian, but all things returned home with time, even if home could mean a trying time. By instinct, his eyes returned to the sea.
He couldn't help but smile; it was terribly still out there.
⊱ 〄 ⊰
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Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:28 pm
ALWAYS FEELING ABOUT BLINDLY FOR THE BLUE SKY Dust's Name: Haruka
Dust's Gender: Female
Dust's Personality: Devoted, Finicky, Envious, Sensitive, Refined
Theme Suggestions: ❀❧❧❧❧Since cherry blossoms have popular symbolism with Japanese culture, I would love to see Haruka with some sort of a geisha/Japanese theme. Along with a simple patterned kimono style for her clothes (maybe something with some "flower-tattered" ends for her sleeves or bottom of her kimono, with something like this for style), a matching hair accessory and possibly a cherry blossom fan held in her hand, Haruka's face could have the signature pale makeup along with soft contrasting lipstick and blush (which can be a pink color instead of red). I would imagine her with long and flowing hair (possibly with a “Hime Cut”), but instead of a dark black, it can be a light color, (whether light pink or white, etc, your choice). Eye and clothing color as well as the amount of Japanese style present is completely up to the artist.
Powers:
Intoxicating Perfume // The scent of cherry blossoms alone are fragrant and mesmerizing alone, and Haruka takes advantage of this. With a handful of cherry blossom petals, she blows the petals into her opponent's face and they become stunned and slowed down from the strong aroma of the flower. The larger the amount Haruka chooses to use, the stronger the affects may be—possibly causing the target to be physically paralysed for a short period of time.
Delicate Drift // From a gust of wind, naturally or from a swift swipe of her fan, Haruka becomes weightless like a cherry blossom petal as it floats in the air, and is able to move with the wind and drift about with ease. This can be used as a form of quick escape or an evasive strategy to avoid an attack. But without her fan, which helps her alter the direction of the gusts, Haruka is helpless with controlling where she drifts to—only able to go with the flow.
Flower Viewing // The hobby of cherry blossom viewing is popular in Japan, leading people to even hold picnics under its captivating flowers. Haruka is able to create the growth of many cherry blossom flowers over an inanimate object of choice which can be used as a diversion. But usually, she uses this to line her kimono with dozens flowers to distract or direct all of her opponent's attention to herself instead of others. This enables her teammates to hit the targets with more ease or lets Haruka lure the monsters to a different location.
Prompt Response: Prompt 1 & 2
"Winter has been harsh...your particular brand of Cherry Blossom thrives even outside in the icy cold...and...you've discovered that special person that makes your heart beat just slightly off-kilter, the one that your gaze seems to linger on discretely—or maybe not so discretely.." ☸ ❀ ☸The morning sky was void of any color today. Thick white and grey clouds smothered the sky, refusing to let the hints of baby blue peek out from underneath as it concealed the sun, and only letting few of its rays shine down with a monochromatic light. Chilling winds kept the clouds floating across the sky, but as one cloud moved away from the sun; another moved into its place almost instantly. It was an endless cycle as the clouds swirled, giving no hope to seeing a blue sky today, but possibly, a storm brewing instead. Snow from the day before dusted everything from the leafless trees to the rooftops of homes with a soft blinding white. And no one was outside, not yet at least. The snow had an odd muting effect on its surroundings, not a sound was heard. Has no soul truly woken up from their slumber yet, or was it because the numerous layers of snow had swallowed everything, stopping the sounds from reaching Haruka's ears..?
All remained quiet, that was, until she stepped out from the house and onto the vast white with a gentle, but satisfying crunch. It was the perfect time for Haruka to venture outdoors...no one was present, and no one could disturb her. It was just what she needed. A moment like this could not be missed. Even though nature was at its standstill, lifeless, all was tranquil and Haruka found it soothing. She could have chosen to stay indoors, but no. Today, she just had to go outside. Alone.
Tucking her pale arms beneath her kimono's long sleeves, the female proceeded onto the snow-carpeted floor, exhaling briefly, her breath evaporating into the chilly morning air. She lived on the outskirts of the bustling capital of Aimes with her Guardian and it was rare to catch such a relaxing moment in such an environment during the day. But there was no time to waste, if she wanted to get back home before the city's inhabitants woke up to a new day and opened up shop—she had to be efficient and make the most of her time out here. Hopefully, she wouldn't see anyone she didn't want to see along the way... Her heart fluttered slightly at the thought.
“But what are the chances of...seeing him..?” she muttered to herself in both curiosity and self reassurance.
Passing through the rows of barren trees near the city at a leisurely pace, Haruka inhaled the sharp and crisp morning air, which left a cool but slight pain within her throat. Despite this, the girl loved to fill up her lungs with the natural, fresh air of the outside world, no matter the weather outside. It was just in her nature. Besides the air, the female loved to be outside to observe her surroundings in person. Being shut in the house all day was pointless with the glass windows caging her inside, not letting her see everything. So she found herself gazing upon the limp trees, the ones she saw through her windows. They were covered in billows of snow, giving them copious amounts of a likeness to fluffy, white “leaves” on their branches. It was only a matter of time that spring should arrive.
“Soon enough,” she thought, touching the cold bark of the tree with a delicate hand, "Will you be able to grow leaves of your own...”
But suddenly another distant crunch of snow echoed through the cool air. That only meant one thing. Another presence. Who could it be? Who would wake up so early..? It didn't matter, Haruka had to hide herself first. Taking shelter behind nearby collection of shrubs, Haruka silently observed the newcomer. It was him. The boy that lived not too far away from her own house. The one she unusually became interested in.. He was walking, alone. Down the same path she was going to take. Why was he here, of all days? And where was he going? Waiting for the male to walk ahead further, Haruka slowly stepped away from the spot in which she subsided, and trailed after him—gingerly stepping in the footprints he had left earlier. It had been an entire week since she hadn't seen the boy beyond her window, and his unexpected presence here only made her more curious to find out why.
Throughout the span of that week, Haruka only spent her days lazing about the house, watching the world outside carry on without her from the inside. Constantly, she kept her eyes set on the house of that one boy, hoping to see him return—but to no avail. For the times he was present however, Haruka watched his actions from afar, admiring his outgoing behaviour and charming smile with each passing day. Her days just seemed to be more livelier when he was around. It was like he made her skies blue almost..
Cautiously and gently tiptoeing after her target, Haruka kept behind the male at a safe distance, one where she could still keep track of him. Then an odd and cool sensation fell on the tip of her nose. Blinking, she wiped it off with a long sleeve and continued to pursue her goal. That is, until she felt another tingle on her head. Then another, and another. By now, flurries of frosted snowflakes fell at an alarming rate, covering up the tracks that the boy had left behind. She had to hurry! If the snow covers up his path—there's no telling where he went!
Lowering her head and pulling up the hems of her kimono, Haruka raced forward, taking long strides in the growing piles of snow. She had to find him in time before—
"Oof!” A misplaced step left her knee-deep in the wretched snowfall, but it didn't stop the female there.
Grabbing onto a nearby tree trunk, Haruka pulls her feet out one by one and drags herself forward, stopping under a larger tree. To her surprise, she found herself standing on the hill before the great city. There she could see all the citizens rushing inside their homes and shops, like ants in a rainstorm, yelling to each other to get indoors.
And then she saw him. He stood underneath a shop stall but wait... There was another figure next to him. A...a girl.
“...i-it can't be...” Now she had to get a better look. Hastening down towards Amies, Haruka was able to get in without trouble. The people were busy focusing on getting all of their goods inside, and the female only scowled at them for blocking her way. But finally, with great determination, Haruka was able to get closer to her target without being sighted and took shelter under another nearby shop stall. From there, she was able to see the two and hear their voices, and for the first time, heard the boy's voice first;
“...sorry, if I had known it would've snowed so heavily, I wouldn't have called you here...”
“No no, it's quite alright! You couldn't have known, besides, at least we're here, together, right..~?” the girl replied, before shyly taking the male's hand and gesturing to the restaurant behind them,
“Shall we go inside now..?”
“Yes, we should, before you catch a cold,” he agreed with a prompt nod, keeping her hand in his and opening the restaurant's wooden door for the lady and hurrying inside after her.
She couldn't believe it. Haruka's heart already sank when the other female spoke those very words, and more so when she took his hand. The light-haired female watched from the outside with a frozen and neutral face as the two entered with a faint chime of the door's bell. The two took a seat together at a table and were already conversing and laughing before they requested any food. By now, all was quiet once more, as the snow fell down more heavily than before. Only faintly coherent chatter could be heard from the surrounding buildings, since everyone had gone inside together. The wind itself picked up, whipping up a little blizzard now, buffeting Haruka as she stood alone in the cold, watching. Eyes still glued to the eatery's window, the lights inside gave off a toasty and warm scene from within. She didn't take her eyes off the duo, not even for a moment, and continued to look through the glass despite the growing weather conditions.
For a moment or two, the boy and the girl seemed calm and relaxed toward one another as they settled down, nonchalantly moving their lips in reply to the other's words. Haruka had no idea what they were saying, noises were being muted out by the howling wind now. At last, their food had arrived and together the two picked up their tableware and dug into their meal. Her eyes focused onto the boy now. He seemed so calm and content when he spoke to...that girl. Eyes shifting over to the female, Haruka narrowed her eyes skeptically.
“What's so great about her?”
She stared at the female now. No, she studied her. What exactly makes her so special? She was just an ordinary, plain and boring girl...how could someone so sweet, someone Haruka cared about, possibly like a person like that? If he knew Haruka...if he did, would he like her in the same way? But then...she was different, wasn't she?
“Huh..?”
He was laughing now. Had she missed something? The girl also giggled along too and after that, they both smiled at each other. Oddly enough, the boy was smiling—but not in a normal, casual way either. It was nothing Haruka had ever seen before during those days of observing, it was far too cheerful. Her stomach kept twisting and churning, turning into painful knots. Her eyes couldn't pry off of the people in that window. She only watched the two enjoy each other's company in the brightly lit restaurant, while she remained on the outside, just standing in the dark blizzard with her hands balled into fists and her eyes becoming blurry...
Wiping her eyes hesitantly, Haruka forced herself to watch. They were simply talking now. But in that one calm scene, something made her chest suddenly feel heavy. That girl was resting her chin in her palm, smiling a rather strange smile towards the boy. It seemed like it was adoring in a way.. She couldn't understand and it frustrated her, what were they talking about?! It was just then that Haruka felt her stomach drop when he saw the look on the his face. His lips were tugged upwards in an equally positive smile as he spoke in return. Why...why was he smiling like that...?
It wasn't fair. Why could that girl see him smile like that, and not her? Why, why, WHY? But oh yeah—they've never spoken to each other before. That was a logical explanation, he would only show such a smile to someone he knew. But hopelessly...Haruka wanted to see it for herself. See it before anyone else. She wished she was in the lucky girl's position right now! Why did it have to be her? Why was she so goddamn lucky..!?
Haruka brought her hands up to cover her face, she could feel her lips quiver in a way that they hadn't in a long time. A part of her wondered why she felt so desperate to see this boy and his smile. What was so special about this individual? Why did she feel so...envious? Remembering back to those days of her just watching him contentedly, with her face slightly reddened, giggling at each silly thing he did and that—that weird happy and light feeling.. One that made her heart beat faster than normal.. Haruka just wanted to have that happy feeling right now, even if it was unusual. Instead of this horrible and wretched feeling she had right now.
"Anything but this..!"
Finally, she turned away. Haruka's eyes broke away from the ridiculously happy couple scene at last, her body turning away from it all with a strange tiredness. She regrets ever following the boy in the first place, shaking her head this way and that in disappointment, long hair flying with the gusts of wind. What exactly was she trying to do anyways..? Not like she could ever get that stupid boy to like someone like her in the first place...
Stepping out of her hiding spot, Haruka digs into her kimono's sleeve and pulls out her ornate fan. She could feel the tears coming out strong now and with one quick swipe of her fan she was gone—gone with the wind and she was never going back to that place again...☸ ❀ ☸
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