|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:32 pm
Word Count: 1511 Peter Gallo loved outer space. He had always wanted to be an astronaut, although now that he was a senshi, he didn't really need to get on a spaceship to go to the moon. And yet, he also had never ventured to his own world. Was it because he was afraid of being disappointed? He'd been to other worlds, of course, but not to his own. Part of him wondered if maybe he was avoiding it because he was afraid of would mean he really was committing himself to being a senshi, to being Sailor Oberon, but he'd been doing this for four years now, so if he hadn't committed himself to being a senshi, would he ever? Was that even the issue? He didn’t run away from fights and he did his best to help out with the youma control. He patrolled to make sure the city was safe, so what was it?
He sighed as he looked up at the stars and powered up. Michael was gone that night, probably out at a bar or working late at the school or even out on patrol himself. Or even with a special friend of some kind. He knew his parents trusted him to make his own choices, but something was calling him and he couldn't just continue to ignore it.
Oberon pulled out his phone and stared at the buttons on the face. He hesitated for a few moments before pressing his finger against the home button. He disappeared from where he stood just outside his brother's house on Earth and was teleported to a world he'd never been to before. The world from which he got his name.
While he wasn't sure what to expect, he wasn't sure if he quite expected to find himself in the middle of what seemed to be a jungle. Everything was overgrown, but there were no noises of creatures in the trees or rustling in the brush. There were no animals or bugs... just plants... It was bright enough, but the world seemed to be cast in shadow. And sure enough, as Oberon looked up into the sky, the large orb of Uranus blocked out part of the sun. That would definitely explain the shadow, but what of the greenery? Ganymede's world hadn't been this lush, and he was farther away from the sun. He was just glad he could breathe and the temperature was on the warm side.
Slowly, Oberon made his way through the trees and undergrowth, unsure of which direction to go, but not wanting to just stand there. He knew he shouldn't stay too long because his brother might be back at any time, but since he was there now, he couldn't just turn away without looking around. He didn't know when he would get another chance to come back, but when he did he would have to bring Perdita with him and see what she thought.
No that wasn't true. He always had a chance to come back, so what was he trying to avoid?
He found himself following the sound of water. He couldn't see it just yet, but it sounded like a waterfall somewhere up ahead. It was difficult not to be distracted by the strange and wondrous forest he seemed to find himself in. Almost as if he’d been spirited away into a world beyond human comprehension. There were leaves and flowers he’d never seen before, of all different colors and shapes. Pushing through some more undergrowth revealed just that, and a towering waterfall came into view.
But it wasn't just the waterfall that made his eyes widen in surprise. Instead of just the water pouring over the edge of a cliff, the water came pouring out of openings from a large structure made of rock and overgrown with plant life. It was some kind of ruins that, at one point, must have been a jewel to see. From where he was standing, there were intricate designs all over the outside of the structure, and it towered high above the falls. Did they build the structure over the water on purpose, or did the river alter course over the thousand years it spent dormant?
It took him a while to make his way to the top of the falls. The stairs leading up to it were crumbling and overgrown from disuse, and slick from the spray of the waterfall, so he had to be exceptionally careful. He'd already slipped and skinned some of his knee on his way up, but that only made him even more determined to make it to the top.
Finally, he stood on the parapet, looking out over the falls and seeing just why they choose this location for the temple or building or whatever it was. From up as high as he was, he could easily see other structures in the distance, rising up over the trees. This world had once been lived on, and the evidence was clear. It was almost sad that everything was crumbling the way it was. If he were to compare it to anything he’d seen on Earth, he might have thought about the Mayan ruins, but there was something very different with the construction.
Now that he had a clearer view of the sky, it was a very strange sight. there was light, of course, but the sky wasn’t like the sky he saw on Earth. Instead of blue on a clear day, or grey on an overcast day, it was simply… clear… As if there was no atmosphere, even though he knew that was not the case. He could see the stars and moons and Uranus very clearly from where he stood. The dark of space was overwhelming, but mesmerizing as well. It was as though it could swallow him whole without a second thought.
Turning away from the edge of the falls, Oberon then started looking for a way to get into the temple. There seemed to be an opening at the top of some more stairs, so he figured that was his chance at getting inside. It was rather exhausting trying to get up all the stairs, but once he arrived at the opening, he could see that it had once been filled with rugs and artwork and furniture that were now overtaken with plant life. It was almost as if the furniture seemed out of place being in a structure as old as this place seemed, almost as if it was set up to be something of a museum setting for people to visit, but not necessarily use it as it was originally intended.
A strange wind seemed to be drawing him further inside, but with it being so dark he didn't know how much he'd be able to see. Luckily for him, he always carried some extra supplies. Pulling out a match from his pouch, he gathered up one of the lanterns (another strange thing, seeing as they were set in places that seemed to have originally held torches), and lit it. There was still plenty of fuel inside the lantern, so it gave off enough light to allow him to continue exploring.
Now that he was up so high, the only place he could go was down into the depths of the temple. The walls were lined with carvings. Strange birds and animals. And there were wolves. Lots of wolves or dogs of some kind carved into the stone as he continued on. The image of a small monkey-like creature with a tufted tail caught his attention as well. These were obviously not creatures of Earth, despite some resemblance.
At the bottom of the first set of stairs, he noticed how much drier it was. The plant life seemed to stay up where the water was spraying on everything, so inside the temple was dry and a little less humid. Again, there were pieces of furniture that seemed out of place for how old the temple must be. Tables and chairs, bookcases filled with books that, upon inspecting one, were not in good condition and fell apart at a touch. More and more this place was staring to look like a museum rather than a functioning temple. Or maybe that was the point. Maybe that was how the people of this world were able to preserve their history.
Did that mean that elsewhere there were more modern structures? Somewhere that the furniture inside the temple didn't seem as out of place? Oberon knew he'd have to come back to see, but for now he was still curious about the temple itself. He suddenly wished he had started long ago with the exploration of his own world.
And something seemed to be drawing him in. He wasn’t sure why, or how, or what it meant, but he couldn’t resist the pull. Maybe he really was meant to be there? Maybe his hesitation was only preparing him for this moment? He shook his head, realizing that it sounded rather ridiculous, took a deep breath, and made his way farther down.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:34 pm
Word Count: 509 A baby cried, left alone in the dark, the mother dead from too much blood loss, unable to get help by the time the sudden delivery was complete. Normally she was not alone, as was evident of her fine garments, a sash of rich reds, golds, and blues, and her black hair adorned with jewels. She had cuts around her wrists as if she had been bound at some point, but managed to get free. Someone had kept her hostage it seemed, but she was able to escape. She had to, because her child needed to be saved.
With the last of her strength, she swaddled the baby in one of the layers of her own clothing. A rich gold and blue shawl, just thick enough to keep out the cold, but thin enough to be soft and gentle. Even with her arms now limp, she had tried holding onto her beloved child for as long as she could to keep him warm.
But now, unless someone found him soon, all of her efforts would be for naught. He would die and the world would not know the balance it needed.
The cries alerted the animals close by. Birds and beasts alike drew curiously closer, including a small pack of wolves hunting in the area. The opportunity for an easy meal was appealing, and if a human child was left defenseless, it would be easy to pick off. Cautiously, the wolves made their way closer to the temple and to the child crying inside. They could smell blood and growled lowly as they approached, slowly making their way up the stairs. The baby continued to cry: hungry and cold and exhausted from the effort.
But then, as the wolves approached just close enough to attack and end its misery, a strange blue light glowed from the baby’s forehead. A couple of the wolves let out yelps of surprise and darted away, having not expected the light in such a shadowed place, but the alpha stood firm. She was no longer snarling, but staring at the tiny creature with wonder and awe.
Even beasts of that world were able to recognize the one who was supposed to harbor peace and goodwill, the symbol of their world glowing bright on the child’s forehead. It should be with its own kind, of course. Protected and cared for. And yet it seemed as though its mother had perished. Drawing cautiously closer, almost as if she wasn’t sure if she had the right, she sniffed at the child, and when it wouldn’t stop crying, gently nudged it with her nose.
Tears still rolled down the baby’s chubby cheeks, but upon seeing the wolf, it stopped crying and instead showed her a toothless smile, little arms flailing helplessly in its weakness. Overcome by her sense of duty, the wolf slowly lowered herself down, surrounding the baby with warmth and the offer of milk for him to drink. Her own cubs would just have to learn how to share with this new child, their new sibling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:35 pm
Word Count: 514 As the child grew, it became more and more intelligent, creating tools to help with catching prey and preparing shelters. The pack was cautious about allowing the boy, now only seven years old, to go close to the human territory, so they kept him secluded deep in the woods where humans still feared to go. He was smart, but that was to be expected of a human, and even more so of Oberon. They knew him for what he was, and protected him above all other things. And yet, his sense of adventure was unparalleled, and he used his gangly human limbs to climb trees and swing on vines. He cared for them as they did him, using his intuition to catch prey that was otherwise difficult for them as wolves. His black hair grew long, and when it was too long for him to climb trees without getting caught in the branches, he used a sharp rock to cut it short again. He clothed himself with the shawl he was found in, the colors never ceasing to amaze him. The bright purple and blue stood out against the green of the trees and undergrowth, but as long as he was with his pack, there was no need to worry about danger.
One day, nearing his eighth year, the Alpha decided now was the time to show him what he was. They lead him back to where they found him, although the boy was confused as to the significance. There was no evidence of the woman who had given birth to him eight years prior, but the temple remained untouched. It was ironic, or perhaps fate, that he was born in that particular temple; the temple of the stars, for that temple was dedicated to Oberon himself, and the worlds around them.
Having never seen the temple before, the boy was more than eager to explore, although his adoptive mother remained close by his side. He pulled out small glowing gems that he’d found in a cave, letting the soft light illuminate the darkened rooms of the temple. Deep inside, there was a large carving onto the back of one of the walls. It was strangely familiar in shape, as though the boy had seen it before. He approached it and reached out to touch it. As he did, the light of the stones he carried seemed to jump from his palm to the wall, following the cracks in the stones up and around the symbol, before reaching to the ceiling, faintly lighting it up with what looked like the night sky. From his forehead another light glowed bright and he turned to the wolves that were with him in concern.
They were already lowered to the ground on all fours, their heads resting on their paws, as if to show that they knew exactly what was happening. There was a small pool in the room, and the boy, always full of wonder and curiosity, approached it to look at his own reflection. The symbol on the wall was mimicked on his own forehead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:36 pm
Word Count: 1521 The wind still seemed to be calling to him as Oberon went further into the temple. Maybe this place was used for ceremonies of some kind? Or just viewed for its art and history? But there had to be more to it than that. He could feel it in his bones, or in his very soul.
There was a point where Oberon found himself at a dead end. Nothing was in the room and it seemed to be blocked off with a barrier that did not look original to the place, almost as if it was warning about possible danger ahead. About to turn around, Oberon suddenly found the light of the lantern being blown out.
“Seriously??” he sputtered in surprise, reaching into his pouch to try and pull out another match to relight it, but the lantern went out again, the mysterious wind blowing out the match with it.
Now he was standing in the dark, inside a temple with no lantern. He let out a sigh and pulled his phone from his pocket. The phone itself still seemed to be working, but for one reason or another… neither the glow from the main screen nor the flashlight application seemed to be working properly. Oberon let out a groan and was tempted to just give up and hit the button to go home, but suddenly a light from the blocked off room caught his attention.
He had to be seeing things, because it looked like a small animal of some kind. It bounced up and down with a long tail, tufted at the end, its whole body glowing a soft blue. A ghost? A spirit? Maybe he was just imagining things. Oberon frowned as it seemed to be beckoning him closer. Curiously, he stepped over the barrier and followed the creature into the room. But before he was able to catch up to it, it seemed to fade into the wall.
“What? You’re just going to leave me here?” he groaned, frowning at the wall that had a residual glow on it. He approached it and reached out to touch it, surprised by how warm it felt. Should stone usually feel this warm? It was rather chilly in the temple, and when he pressed his hands against the stone to warm them up, it shifted and slid open.
Inside was a crawlspace that was only large enough for a child to squeeze through. Or maybe someone Ganymede’s size could fit through, but the average adult would have no luck. Weighing his options, Oberon slowly lowered himself onto his knees, wincing at the pain from where he’d scraped it earlier. The tunnel itself seemed warm, and he, despite thinking that this might be a bad idea, began to squeeze his way through the tunnel.
Just when he thought he was going to start developing claustrophobia, the tunnel opened up into a large cavern. Not just a cavern, but what looked like an underground lake, and in the middle, bathed in starlight, was an island with a huge tree. The water seemed to be steaming, and he couldn’t see anything living inside, but across the water he could see that small glowing creature again, climbing up into the branches of the tree.
Did it want him to follow?
There was no bridge to get across the water. There was nothing to try and use as a boat, either. Oberon searched the edge of the water for anything that might allow him to get across without having to get into the water, but it didn’t seem as though there was another option. He let out a small sigh and pulled off one of his gloves and knelt down to reach his hand out to touch the water and see how it felt. It was probably the temperature of a hot spring. Not too unbearable, at least.
Kicking off his shoes and pulling off his socks, Oberon stood at the edge of the water and dipped his toes in. It was still tolerable, so he stepped in a little further. It wasn’t until the water hit the bottom of his pants did he realize just how hot the water actually was. He let out a yelp and jumped back out of the water. With his pants still burning the skin where it touched, he quickly unbuckled his belt, and pulled off his shorts.
Although his feet were wet, too, it was only where the shorts had gotten wet and touched his skin that burned, leaving a red welt. He winced in pain as he rubbed his leg dry with his hand, and stared at the water in confusion. How was it that the water was fine when it touched his skin, but not when it touched his clothes?
Was it really worth seeing what the small bouncing creature wanted of him?
Drawing in a deep breath to build up his confidence, Oberon reached up to pull off his sash, and then his shirt, and the rest of his clothing. Part of him wondered if removing all of his clothes would cause him to power down, but he could still feel the energy of being a senshi surging through him. Lastly, he dismissed his phone back into subspace. Swallowing thickly, he dipped his toe into the water once more, and one step at a time, carefully sunk into the water until it was up to his neck.
Not too thrilled about being butt naked in the middle of a strange lake, following a creature that could disappear through walls, Oberon hurried to swim across. The little island was covered in soft moss and the roots of the tree shone with glittering gems. And sitting at the base of the tree, broken into pieces, seemed to be a replica of the small bouncing creature that now peered curiously down at him from the tree above.
“What? You want me to fix this?” he wondered out loud, but the creature just continued to stare at him. Oberon let out a small sigh and plopped himself down on the moss. At least it was warm in the cavern, and at least the ground was soft. Carefully, Oberon started to sort through the pieces of the statue, trying to figure out which piece went where.
It was a little more difficult than he expected it to be, since the pieces were really broken up, and unless he put at least three pieces together at a time, it would just fall back apart. “Someone really did a number on this, didn’t they?” he said out loud, looking up at the tree where the creature remained watching, its head tilted curiously at him. “You wouldn’t happen to have a manual with you? You know, a hint?” Unfortunately, it did not appear to have any kind of help for him, and continued to watch from its place in the branches.
Finally, after almost an hour of working, he began to see the resemblance to the creature, and lifting it carefully onto the pedestal, he saw the glimmering statue was almost complete. There was one piece missing. There was a small oval opening on its forehead. Frowning, Oberon glanced around the ground for the last piece. The creature seemed to get a little more excited now that the statue was almost complete, but for the life of him, Oberon couldn’t find the last piece anywhere on the ground.
And then he paused, realizing he’d actually forgotten to take off all his clothing. There was still one piece he wore, completely forgotten for reasons beyond him. Slowly, he lifted his hand to his forehead to remove the tiara with its glistening stone in the center. He didn’t think he was going to be able to remove the stone, but… it certainly looked like the same shape. Carefully, Oberon lined the tiara up against the statue, pressing the red stone against its forehead.
It suddenly glowed so bright that Oberon nearly dropped his tiara, but that wasn’t the only thing glowing. He could vaguely see something blue glowing from his own forehead. After a few moments, the statue’s light faded to something more tolerable to look at, and he removed the tiara without it fading completely. The creature made its way down from the tree and it bounced around in excitement as it headed towards the water, and Oberon, curious as ever, followed it.
In the water, he could see the reflection of his own face, the blue symbol shining bright. The same symbol sported on the statue he’d just rebuilt. He turned to look back at it, just as the small creature jumped up onto the pedestal and seemed to settle into the reconstructed stone figure.
Something inside him seemed to shift and change, as if he’d completed a metamorphosis without even realizing it. His outward appearance never changed, but something inside him seemed different, stronger even. Oberon was no longer a chibi senshi, weak and powerless at best, useless at worst. He could feel the magic coursing through his veins, giving him the strength he needed to continue his duty as a senshi.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
