Rain Inspiration {SMMCT #60b (01MAR06)}
Well, since we don't have a theme yet today, guess I'll write this little snippet that Rain inspired. I doubt it would count towards the challenge since neither character is an acting villain, and only one of them even remembers being corrupted. ^_~
Title: Lost and Found: Homesick
Author: Raya
Theme: Rain
Genre: General / Drama
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo)
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. Paper dolls, however, can be used by anyone.
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Please let me know if you see something that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Lost and Found
Homesick
Ami clenched her coat more tightly around her and shivered as she climbed up the rocky trail towards her hotel. Freezing mist from the ocean made it quite treacherous in spots, and so she had to watch her step. It seemed unnatural to her for it to be so cold in the middle of July, but for southern Australia the weather was quite normal.
'Why? Why did Harry have to pick July to show me his new rehabilitation clinic?' she thought miserably as she climbed. As much as she loved mist, it made the cold feel as if it were seeping into her very bones. 'And why ever did I agree? I knew that it's the middle of winter here! I suppose I can blame it on the three long days of lectures and workshops. That is enough to numb anybody's mind.' She shivered again as she paused to see how much further she had left to go.
She caught her breath in amazement. Harry had been right. The view of the old hotel from below was incredible. It looked as if were perching right on the very edge of the cliff, ready to tumble into the ocean at any moment. And yet, it looked reassuringly sturdy at the same time. From this angle, its weathered stone made it seem almost a part of the mountain although Ami knew it sat in a large clearing well back from the edge of the cliff.
As she drew her attention away from the view and back to the trail in front of her, a flash of something pale against the dark, wet stone caught her eye. She looked towards it instinctively, and then drew in a sharp breath.
A young girl perched precariously on an outcrop not far from her holding a sketch pad in her lap. It had been either her bouncing, pale blue hair or her white, fluttering scarf that had caught Ami's attention. Her sturdy brown coat, dark blue pants, and boots seemed to blend into the stone around her. From her size, Ami judged her to be no more than about ten years of age.
Frowning in concern, Ami quickly made her way towards the girl. As she climbed, she suddenly realized that the child's unique hairstyle seemed somewhat familiar. It wasn't until she was almost upon the girl and opening her mouth to call out, however, that she finally remembered it. The greeting died out in her throat, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Ami hesitated a long moment, and then slowly made her way over to sit beside the girl. Another fluttering movement drew her eyes down to the sketch pad in the child's hands. The paper curled and whipped a bit in the ocean breeze making it impossible for Ami to see what was drawn on it.
"I know," the girl said in English, her gaze never straying from the vast ocean in front of them. Her soft voice was just barely audible over the ocean waves. "I know, it's time to go in to the wedding. Mother is probably missing me. And I'm not even dressed." She sighed. "Another wedding, another step-father. Another new home." Her face grew sad at that thought, and a tear began to trace its way down her cheek. "I want to go home," she whispered as her hands tightened on the sketch pad.
Ami bit her lip uncertainly. She didn't know what to say to ease the girl's pain. She could not remember much of their time together so long ago, but she was sure she had never see the girl look quite so sad.
"I want to be warm again, to see the sun," she continued as the tears began to flow faster. "I want to hear the waves crash on the sandy beach, not this rocky mountainside or a river bank. I want to feel the rain, smell the flowers and trees. Alexandria wasn't too bad. It really wasn't. At least it had the library. But this... This is nothing like home. I want to go to Athína. I want to go home..." Her voice choked off as she began to sob.
Unable to sit by idly any longer, Ami quickly reached out and put a reassuring arm around the girl's shoulders. "I want to go home, too," she replied in English. "It's too cold here for July, isn't it? And I miss them. I've only been gone a week, but I miss them so much."
The girl nodded, and then stiffened. Quickly, rubbing a hand over her face to erase her tears, she turned to look at Ami. "Wh-Who are you?" she asked tremulously.
Ami smiled into the blue aquamarine eyes. "My name is Ami. And you are Pallas."
Pallas' eyes grew wide. "How... How did you...?"
"I know many things," Ami replied as her eyes grew more solemn. "I know that you are lonely. I know that you are homesick. I know that when you say home, you do not mean Athens." She watched as Pallas' eyes grew wider. And then, the girl shook her head, her balled blue hair bouncing around her head.
"I do mean Athens. Athens is home!" she exclaimed. "You don't know anything!" Clutching her sketch pad to her chest with one hand, she scrambled up to her feet.
"I do know," Ami said gently, not moving from her cold perch. "It's not enough, is it? Even in Athens, something is missing." Pallas froze, and then slowly turned to look at the older woman. "But I know where home is," Ami continued.
Acting on instinct, she held her hand out into the ocean mist. Somehow, she knew that rain would have been better, but that the mist would work. Pallas watched wide eyed as a dark aqua light began to glow around Ami's hand. Slowly, it condensed into what looked like a pen. Ami drew her hand in, and then turned her cobalt gaze to Pallas once more. Pallas' eyes never left the transformation pen.
"Home isn't a place," Ami said seriously. "It is, as the English say, where your heart is. Home is where you are at peace. For us, that is within the gentle light of the moon."
"The moon?" Pallas whispered softly. She frowned, as if something about that did not sound right. Her aquamarine eyes tore themselves away from the transformation pen, and met Ami's solemn gaze.
Ami nodded, and then held up the transformation pen. "This will guide you there. But, it comes with a price."
Pallas gave her a sudden, wry smile. "All things have a price," she replied. "It's written in every song and legend. So what is the price for this?"
Ami tilted her head curiously, mentally added a few years to Pallas' apparent age, and then brought her mind back to the task at hand. "Everything," she answered simply.
"Everything?" Pallas' expression became confused.
Ami nodded. "Everything. Every dream, every desire... every breath ceases to be for you alone. Should the need arise, your very life would be forfeit."
Pallas' eyes widened with shock. "My... My life? In exchange for a guide to some mysterious unknown thing? No. No thanks." She backed away, clutching her sketch pad to her chest.
Ami smiled as she shook her head. "Mysterious, yes, and unknown as of yet. But a thing? Oh no. Not a thing. A person. A warm and loving person. You exchange everything, and she will give you everything in return. Her dreams will become yours, and yours will become hers. She is waiting, longing to give you her heart and hoping that you will give her yours."
"Who?" Pallas asked, intrigued in spite of herself.
"Moon." Ami's smile grew a little when Pallas gave her an exasperated look, but she did not say more.
"The moon. Right." Pallas studied Ami and realized that that was the only answer she was going to get for now. "And what is this 'Moon' like?"
"Terrifying," Ami answered instantly, her face softening. "She is young, like you, yet she willingly embraces so many risks. She's stubborn, loving, rash, frustrating, independent, emotional, and egotistical." A wide, loving smile grew on her face. "Just like her mother. Most often, you will find yourself trying to save her from her own rash actions." Her smile softened again. "But she will trust you completely, and for every tear you cry she will cry at least two. She will do her best to protect you from everything, even as you try to protect her."
Ami stopped speaking, and let Pallas digest her words for a few moments. "I will not lie to you," she continued. "If you accept this charge, you will become a warrior like her. That is why I said terrifying. Your job and overwhelming desire will be to protect her, but she will constantly put herself at risk. For you, for her parents, and for this world."
The silence stretched out again, broken only by the waves far below. Ami watched as the young girl tried to assimilate all of her answers. She could see the warrior returning to life in her light blue eyes, yearning for the promise she subconsciously remembered. She could also see the very natural fear.
Ami felt a spurt of thankfulness that she had never had to go through this process. When her turn had come, it had been accept the power or die. She knew that she would have agonized even more than Pallas over this decision, if indeed she could have made one.
"You do not have to, you know," Ami said at last as she lowered the transformation pen to her lap. "The choice is entirely yours. Choose to take up this pen and release the warrior within you, or leave it be and live your life as a normal person. You do not even have to choose now."
"Give it to me," Pallas said hurriedly as Ami moved to put the transformation pen in her coat pocket. The older woman gave her a surprised look. Pallas' eyes were almost anxious as they stared at her pen. "Please...," she asked as she held out her hand.
Ami's eyes widened when she felt the transformation pen tug its way free of her grasp. She watched in surprise as it flew to Pallas' open hand, and then smiled.
"Pallas Power, Make-up," she said gently as the younger girl stared at the pen in disbelief. When Pallas looked up at her, she nodded. "Those are the words you are looking for."
Slowly, Pallas nodded back. "Pallas Power... Make-UP!"
Title: Lost and Found: Homesick
Author: Raya
Theme: Rain
Genre: General / Drama
Version: Manga (Crystal Tokyo)
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All of the characters used below were created by Takeuchi Naoko. Paper dolls, however, can be used by anyone.
Canon, spelling, grammar, and punctuation corrections are appreciated. So is constructive criticism. Please let me know if you see something that should be corrected. Thanks! - Raya
Lost and Found
Homesick
Ami clenched her coat more tightly around her and shivered as she climbed up the rocky trail towards her hotel. Freezing mist from the ocean made it quite treacherous in spots, and so she had to watch her step. It seemed unnatural to her for it to be so cold in the middle of July, but for southern Australia the weather was quite normal.
'Why? Why did Harry have to pick July to show me his new rehabilitation clinic?' she thought miserably as she climbed. As much as she loved mist, it made the cold feel as if it were seeping into her very bones. 'And why ever did I agree? I knew that it's the middle of winter here! I suppose I can blame it on the three long days of lectures and workshops. That is enough to numb anybody's mind.' She shivered again as she paused to see how much further she had left to go.
She caught her breath in amazement. Harry had been right. The view of the old hotel from below was incredible. It looked as if were perching right on the very edge of the cliff, ready to tumble into the ocean at any moment. And yet, it looked reassuringly sturdy at the same time. From this angle, its weathered stone made it seem almost a part of the mountain although Ami knew it sat in a large clearing well back from the edge of the cliff.
As she drew her attention away from the view and back to the trail in front of her, a flash of something pale against the dark, wet stone caught her eye. She looked towards it instinctively, and then drew in a sharp breath.
A young girl perched precariously on an outcrop not far from her holding a sketch pad in her lap. It had been either her bouncing, pale blue hair or her white, fluttering scarf that had caught Ami's attention. Her sturdy brown coat, dark blue pants, and boots seemed to blend into the stone around her. From her size, Ami judged her to be no more than about ten years of age.
Frowning in concern, Ami quickly made her way towards the girl. As she climbed, she suddenly realized that the child's unique hairstyle seemed somewhat familiar. It wasn't until she was almost upon the girl and opening her mouth to call out, however, that she finally remembered it. The greeting died out in her throat, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Ami hesitated a long moment, and then slowly made her way over to sit beside the girl. Another fluttering movement drew her eyes down to the sketch pad in the child's hands. The paper curled and whipped a bit in the ocean breeze making it impossible for Ami to see what was drawn on it.
"I know," the girl said in English, her gaze never straying from the vast ocean in front of them. Her soft voice was just barely audible over the ocean waves. "I know, it's time to go in to the wedding. Mother is probably missing me. And I'm not even dressed." She sighed. "Another wedding, another step-father. Another new home." Her face grew sad at that thought, and a tear began to trace its way down her cheek. "I want to go home," she whispered as her hands tightened on the sketch pad.
Ami bit her lip uncertainly. She didn't know what to say to ease the girl's pain. She could not remember much of their time together so long ago, but she was sure she had never see the girl look quite so sad.
"I want to be warm again, to see the sun," she continued as the tears began to flow faster. "I want to hear the waves crash on the sandy beach, not this rocky mountainside or a river bank. I want to feel the rain, smell the flowers and trees. Alexandria wasn't too bad. It really wasn't. At least it had the library. But this... This is nothing like home. I want to go to Athína. I want to go home..." Her voice choked off as she began to sob.
Unable to sit by idly any longer, Ami quickly reached out and put a reassuring arm around the girl's shoulders. "I want to go home, too," she replied in English. "It's too cold here for July, isn't it? And I miss them. I've only been gone a week, but I miss them so much."
The girl nodded, and then stiffened. Quickly, rubbing a hand over her face to erase her tears, she turned to look at Ami. "Wh-Who are you?" she asked tremulously.
Ami smiled into the blue aquamarine eyes. "My name is Ami. And you are Pallas."
Pallas' eyes grew wide. "How... How did you...?"
"I know many things," Ami replied as her eyes grew more solemn. "I know that you are lonely. I know that you are homesick. I know that when you say home, you do not mean Athens." She watched as Pallas' eyes grew wider. And then, the girl shook her head, her balled blue hair bouncing around her head.
"I do mean Athens. Athens is home!" she exclaimed. "You don't know anything!" Clutching her sketch pad to her chest with one hand, she scrambled up to her feet.
"I do know," Ami said gently, not moving from her cold perch. "It's not enough, is it? Even in Athens, something is missing." Pallas froze, and then slowly turned to look at the older woman. "But I know where home is," Ami continued.
Acting on instinct, she held her hand out into the ocean mist. Somehow, she knew that rain would have been better, but that the mist would work. Pallas watched wide eyed as a dark aqua light began to glow around Ami's hand. Slowly, it condensed into what looked like a pen. Ami drew her hand in, and then turned her cobalt gaze to Pallas once more. Pallas' eyes never left the transformation pen.
"Home isn't a place," Ami said seriously. "It is, as the English say, where your heart is. Home is where you are at peace. For us, that is within the gentle light of the moon."
"The moon?" Pallas whispered softly. She frowned, as if something about that did not sound right. Her aquamarine eyes tore themselves away from the transformation pen, and met Ami's solemn gaze.
Ami nodded, and then held up the transformation pen. "This will guide you there. But, it comes with a price."
Pallas gave her a sudden, wry smile. "All things have a price," she replied. "It's written in every song and legend. So what is the price for this?"
Ami tilted her head curiously, mentally added a few years to Pallas' apparent age, and then brought her mind back to the task at hand. "Everything," she answered simply.
"Everything?" Pallas' expression became confused.
Ami nodded. "Everything. Every dream, every desire... every breath ceases to be for you alone. Should the need arise, your very life would be forfeit."
Pallas' eyes widened with shock. "My... My life? In exchange for a guide to some mysterious unknown thing? No. No thanks." She backed away, clutching her sketch pad to her chest.
Ami smiled as she shook her head. "Mysterious, yes, and unknown as of yet. But a thing? Oh no. Not a thing. A person. A warm and loving person. You exchange everything, and she will give you everything in return. Her dreams will become yours, and yours will become hers. She is waiting, longing to give you her heart and hoping that you will give her yours."
"Who?" Pallas asked, intrigued in spite of herself.
"Moon." Ami's smile grew a little when Pallas gave her an exasperated look, but she did not say more.
"The moon. Right." Pallas studied Ami and realized that that was the only answer she was going to get for now. "And what is this 'Moon' like?"
"Terrifying," Ami answered instantly, her face softening. "She is young, like you, yet she willingly embraces so many risks. She's stubborn, loving, rash, frustrating, independent, emotional, and egotistical." A wide, loving smile grew on her face. "Just like her mother. Most often, you will find yourself trying to save her from her own rash actions." Her smile softened again. "But she will trust you completely, and for every tear you cry she will cry at least two. She will do her best to protect you from everything, even as you try to protect her."
Ami stopped speaking, and let Pallas digest her words for a few moments. "I will not lie to you," she continued. "If you accept this charge, you will become a warrior like her. That is why I said terrifying. Your job and overwhelming desire will be to protect her, but she will constantly put herself at risk. For you, for her parents, and for this world."
The silence stretched out again, broken only by the waves far below. Ami watched as the young girl tried to assimilate all of her answers. She could see the warrior returning to life in her light blue eyes, yearning for the promise she subconsciously remembered. She could also see the very natural fear.
Ami felt a spurt of thankfulness that she had never had to go through this process. When her turn had come, it had been accept the power or die. She knew that she would have agonized even more than Pallas over this decision, if indeed she could have made one.
"You do not have to, you know," Ami said at last as she lowered the transformation pen to her lap. "The choice is entirely yours. Choose to take up this pen and release the warrior within you, or leave it be and live your life as a normal person. You do not even have to choose now."
"Give it to me," Pallas said hurriedly as Ami moved to put the transformation pen in her coat pocket. The older woman gave her a surprised look. Pallas' eyes were almost anxious as they stared at her pen. "Please...," she asked as she held out her hand.
Ami's eyes widened when she felt the transformation pen tug its way free of her grasp. She watched in surprise as it flew to Pallas' open hand, and then smiled.
"Pallas Power, Make-up," she said gently as the younger girl stared at the pen in disbelief. When Pallas looked up at her, she nodded. "Those are the words you are looking for."
Slowly, Pallas nodded back. "Pallas Power... Make-UP!"