lilbluecorsola
~¤Sea Priestess¤~
- 140
- Posts
- 19
- Years
- ~Under the Sea~
- Seen Aug 16, 2016
"Bye Ash! Take care!" a young woman called from the foot of the hill, waving a hand vigorously in the air to her ten-year-old son. The crowd around her joined in the farewell with enthusiastic cheers.
"Don't worry! I will Mom!" the boy cried back, allowing one hand to release the rope he was pulling in order to make a swift gesture in return. Hastily he grasped the line taut again, for in that brief moment, the tiny golden furred rodent he held prisoner by the string had already made an attempt to escape.
Its plan foiled, the creature tried another tactic, unwilling to admit defeat. Sparks gathering around its scarlet cheeks, it emitted an indignant shriek as it released a powerful jolt of electricity, the shock traveling up the line like an electrical current. Fortunately, the pink rubber gloves slipped over the boy's hands protected him from any damage, and the two eyed each other for a moment with distaste. Clearly neither was pleased with the arrangement.
"Come on, Pikachu. Let's get going," the young boy sighed at last, turning towards the road again and literally dragging the yellow creature along.
"Don't forget to change your underwear everyday!" the woman reminded him cheerfully, oblivious to the events that had just occurred.
The boy lowered his head and reached up to pull his red and white cap over his eyes. As he did so, he rapidly quickened his pace, and was soon out of his mother's sight. Left with no other purpose for staying, the congregation of neighbors around her slowly dispersed, until she remained the only figure left standing at the bottom of the hill.
She at last lowered her hand, ebony eyes shimmering brightly in the morning sunlight, as she watched the vague figure of her son vanish into the hazy distance. For a long time, her gaze remained fixed on that very spot, budging not an inch from where she stood.
She was a fair figured woman, garbed simply in a bright carnation blouse and a lavender skirt, and her long auburn hair was pulled together to form a practical bunch in the back. One might consider her pretty, though there was a much more prominent atmosphere of childishness that got in the way somehow, shining brightly through her sparkling, obsidian eyes and facial features. Perhaps it was an effect of her rare youth, perhaps not. It was difficult for one to tell.
An elderly man adorned in a white lab coat slowly traversed the path down the hill, dust swirling and settling about his feet as he walked. He halted at the bottom, standing solemnly beside the woman at the gate. In appearance alone, he was her complete opposite, his face weathered and wrinkled from the many years of exposure, and his head was crowned with hairs of alabaster and silver. Neither spoke for a good minute and a half, while they both watched the misty horizon in silence.
"They grow up so fast, don't they professor?" the woman sighed at last.
The man nodded. "Indeed. It seems like only yesterday that boy of yours was running around my laboratory, knocking over all the equipment while trying to capture the Pidgey he let out 'just for a look'," he remarked. He wrinkled his nose, but the faint traces of a grin were forming at the corners of his mouth.
The woman laughed. Her laugh was pleasant, a high, somewhat childish laugh filled with energy, yet elegant, like a tiny bell. The man chuckled too, although this resulted in an uncomfortable coughing fit.
After the laughter and hacking had subsided, she gazed off once again, a far off look in her eyes.
"Professor... Do you think he will be alright?" she asked, the expression of a worried mother creeping onto her face.
The man peered at her sternly for a moment, and then he smiled and shook his head.
"I believe you and I both know the answer to that, Delia."
She gazed back at him dumbly, perplexed.
The aged man turned in the direction of the road again. "That boy... There's something special about him, no doubt," he explained. Turning to face her, his wrinkled face cracked into a broad smile. "I expect your son will turn out to be a fine trainer, Mrs. Ketchum. He might even make it to the Master level, and that would be a brilliant achievement for any young boy."
He paused, his expression growing quite peculiar. He leaned forward and studied the woman intently for a moment, but her blissful expression did not waver.
"Although, my dear lady, I suspect that's not the only reason you allowed him to go on this journey," he muttered at last after receiving no response, eyeing her with suspicion.
The woman simply smiled politely in response and nodded slightly. "Perhaps you are right, professor," she murmured evasively.
The man sighed and resumed a lax position, submitting to the fact that she refused reveal any more information. After an awkward minute, during which no one ventured to break the silence, the woman turned to face the path that would lead her home.
"Delia," he called softly to her, and the woman swerved her head back round to return her attention to him.
"Are you certain you'll be alright?" he questioned, a concerned expression growing on his face.
She hesitated, then nodded tentatively. "Of course. Thank you for asking professor."
And before the man had a chance to protest, she had turned again and started off towards home. He opened his mouth as if to say something further, but seemed to decide against it and allowed her to walk off into the distance. He gazed after her ruefully for a moment, then slowly turned and began ascending the pathway to his own house atop the hill.
As she strolled leisurely along the road, the woman's mind wandered, reminiscing about the past. Ten years. How that time had flown by. Like Professor Oak had said, it seemed like only yesterday that Ash was only a young boy, filled with wonder and exceedingly curious about the world around him. Granted, that curiosity had gotten him into quite a bit of trouble during his youth, but it was part of what made her love him so much.
She emitted a soft sigh through her rosy lips, pausing in her walk to gaze momentarily at the bright cobalt sky stretched out above her. She smiled as she recalled the day she had first met that boy with the jet-black hair, the one she had raised all this time, without him ever knowing the truth about his mother...
The beating of wings resounded throughout the air, caused by the gargantuan masses of emerald feathers emanating from an awesome form of bright orange and scarlet. Sweeping effortlessly across the dark, amethyst skies, two great, auburn eyes encircled in rings of charcoal surveyed the land below, disapproval clearly carved beneath the pair of crimson orbs. They roved about in their sockets as they watched the scenes of chaos and turmoil erupting below, and the head to which they were attached shook slightly in disgust.
Banking, the creature soared higher, a trail of glittering golden dust particles exuding from a fan of similarly hued feathers projecting from the being's tail. From below, all that could be seen by the rare spectator was a bright downy chest of pure snowy white, contrasting against the murk of the night sky.
Rising further into obscurity, the being broke past the layers of pearly silver cloud, climbing towards cosmic skies. There appeared to be a new destination in mind, as the phoenix effigy swiftly flew towards the black, void-like dome, scattered with scintillating points of light.
There was already a solitary figure waiting for the bird's arrival, apparently, for she stood silently on the invisible floor, gazing off into deep space. The sound of wingbeats alerted her, and she turned with a smile to face the colossal bird. She watched patiently as the massive form of orange feathers drew towards her, two ebony claws detaching to alight delicately upon the glassy surface on which she stood. The colossal mass lowered gently afterwards, settling comfortably in a perch. Once situated, the bird's elongated neck swerved about to study the woman's form. Again, that disapproving expression returned, but when the being spoke in a deep, chiming voice, no mention of it was made.
"You wished to see me?" the phoenix asked, the voice resembling the tones of bells.
She nodded, and took a step forward. "Yes, Ho-Oh. I wanted to ask a favor of you," she replied in a soft, sweet voice, like a child.
The auburn orbs eyed her suspiciously. "If it's about those people down there, I've already done what you asked. Most of the light has been concentrated into one being, who I sent down there to help..."
The sentence trailed off as the creature's gaze fell upon a tiny bundle wrapped in blankets, securely cradled in the woman's arms. There began an awkward silence, which was suddenly pierced by the wailing of a human infant.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the phoenix abruptly held up a wing, silencing her. Craning forward, the bird lifted a giant wing and prodded the bundle gingerly with a single chartreuse feather. The response was immediate. The shrieking started up again, even louder than before, and a tiny leg shot out, kicking away the lower half of the blanket. Startled, the bird withdrew, but quickly recovered. Frowning, the head advanced again, and the sharp golden beak plucked at a corner, carefully unraveling the folds to reveal the form of a tiny baby, humanoid in form.
The auburn eyes stared at the struggling creature, and the woman hastily made an attempt as if to shield the baby's appearance with her own body. "Ho-Oh, I can explain-" she began, but halted immediately, immobilized by the furious glare in the phoenix's eyes.
"YOU DARE TO DEFY MY ORDERS AND BRING A HUMAN CHILD INTO THIS PLACE?" the bird bellowed, the enormous phoenix form beginning to glow a raging scarlet in fury.
The woman confronted the bird's hostility bravely, making another attempt to defend herself. "Ho-Oh, you should recognize your very own creation. This is the very being you conjured to guard the Light."
The bird seemed to calm down a bit and the head craned forward again, peering oddly at the creature. "I see. So why did you not leave it on Earth, where you requested it to be sent?" The tone was now more puzzled than angry.
"Because, Ho-Oh," the woman replied, "A human this young can not survive alone in such a hostile world. He needs protection, someone to care for him, to support him until he is old enough to fare on his own."
"Besides," she continued, glancing down at the squirming critter in her arms, "You and I both know that his power is immense. If we allow him to grow up on his own, he won't know how to handle his own strength once it reaches its full potential. He'll need a mentor, someone to help his power to grow and develop, yet at the same time, teach him how to control it."
She gazed boldly up at the phoenix. "Ho-Oh, this is the favor I wanted to ask of you. I wish to be the one to nurture him during his youth. All I ask is for some time to do so."
The phoenix, during this time, had been listening intently to her speech, and now shifted position slightly, as if contemplating her request.
"Please, Ho-Oh," the woman pleaded again, gazing up at the bird with imploring, bright blue eyes.
Unexpectedly, the bird erupted into a loud chuckle, the laughter ringing throughout the dome like bells. "Very well, you may do so."
The woman's face instantly lit up with joy at the answer. "You mean it?"
The bells rang again. "Of course. I gave you the chance to help those people down there, and I plan to live up to my promise. You have ten years to sustain this child, and during that time, I hope you will help him grow to his optimum. Go to Earth, woman, and live among them if you wish. Do whatever you think it will take in order to restore harmony to their dark world."
The woman's brilliant sapphire eyes sparkled with grateful tears. "Oh, thank you Ho-Oh! I promise I will. I'll do my best." Turning her elated face to the boy in her arms, she continued, "And you'll help me, won't you?"
However, she saw that the infant was now blissfully asleep, and she smiled lovingly at his tiny form. "Let's see now," she murmured to herself in a quieter tone, "You need a name, don't you little guy?" Glancing up at the phoenix, the mammoth wings on either side simply rose and fell in unison, a gesture similar to a shrug. However, the great golden beak attached to the bird's head curled upwards in a smile.
She nodded in return, and, holding the warm bundle close against her own body, the woman whispered softly to the slumbering baby.
"I will call you Ash."
The woman stood idly in the doorway to her home, leaning against the wooden frame as she gazed out across the rural landscape, the roofs of townhouses basked in a myriad of quiet colors. Ten years. One decade. Had it been enough time? Enough for him to grow enough so that he would be able to live on his own? Enough for him to be able to cope with his destined fate?
Even if it was enough for him, she thought to herself, smiling sadly at the earth, she was sure it wasn't enough time for her. All these years, she had slowly grown so attached to that little boy. She had wondered the night before, if she would be able to let go.
But it had to be done. Her time was up. And besides, he no longer needed her help to sustain him. He was on his own now, and he would have to face the darkness of the world alone.
But, she knew he would be all right. This was his destiny, and he needed to go out into the world. To show them the Light he had held for them all this time. And she had always hoped he would be able to do that. It was the very reason why she had agreed to the task in the first place.
Smiling, she stood erect and gazed out again at the pastoral scene before her. A soft summer breeze blew by, carrying her whispering voice out into the distance.
"Good luck, Ash."
Turning to head inside, she cast one last look back at the outdoors, her gaze lingering on the small city known as Pallet Town. In the twilight darkness, a fading bit of golden sunlight reached the doorway, illuminating her face in dappled spots of color. Through the shadows of dusk, if one looked closely, they would see her face in an entirely different shade, her complexion a rosy sunset pink for a flickering instant.
And her eyes were blue.
"Don't worry! I will Mom!" the boy cried back, allowing one hand to release the rope he was pulling in order to make a swift gesture in return. Hastily he grasped the line taut again, for in that brief moment, the tiny golden furred rodent he held prisoner by the string had already made an attempt to escape.
Its plan foiled, the creature tried another tactic, unwilling to admit defeat. Sparks gathering around its scarlet cheeks, it emitted an indignant shriek as it released a powerful jolt of electricity, the shock traveling up the line like an electrical current. Fortunately, the pink rubber gloves slipped over the boy's hands protected him from any damage, and the two eyed each other for a moment with distaste. Clearly neither was pleased with the arrangement.
"Come on, Pikachu. Let's get going," the young boy sighed at last, turning towards the road again and literally dragging the yellow creature along.
"Don't forget to change your underwear everyday!" the woman reminded him cheerfully, oblivious to the events that had just occurred.
The boy lowered his head and reached up to pull his red and white cap over his eyes. As he did so, he rapidly quickened his pace, and was soon out of his mother's sight. Left with no other purpose for staying, the congregation of neighbors around her slowly dispersed, until she remained the only figure left standing at the bottom of the hill.
She at last lowered her hand, ebony eyes shimmering brightly in the morning sunlight, as she watched the vague figure of her son vanish into the hazy distance. For a long time, her gaze remained fixed on that very spot, budging not an inch from where she stood.
She was a fair figured woman, garbed simply in a bright carnation blouse and a lavender skirt, and her long auburn hair was pulled together to form a practical bunch in the back. One might consider her pretty, though there was a much more prominent atmosphere of childishness that got in the way somehow, shining brightly through her sparkling, obsidian eyes and facial features. Perhaps it was an effect of her rare youth, perhaps not. It was difficult for one to tell.
An elderly man adorned in a white lab coat slowly traversed the path down the hill, dust swirling and settling about his feet as he walked. He halted at the bottom, standing solemnly beside the woman at the gate. In appearance alone, he was her complete opposite, his face weathered and wrinkled from the many years of exposure, and his head was crowned with hairs of alabaster and silver. Neither spoke for a good minute and a half, while they both watched the misty horizon in silence.
"They grow up so fast, don't they professor?" the woman sighed at last.
The man nodded. "Indeed. It seems like only yesterday that boy of yours was running around my laboratory, knocking over all the equipment while trying to capture the Pidgey he let out 'just for a look'," he remarked. He wrinkled his nose, but the faint traces of a grin were forming at the corners of his mouth.
The woman laughed. Her laugh was pleasant, a high, somewhat childish laugh filled with energy, yet elegant, like a tiny bell. The man chuckled too, although this resulted in an uncomfortable coughing fit.
After the laughter and hacking had subsided, she gazed off once again, a far off look in her eyes.
"Professor... Do you think he will be alright?" she asked, the expression of a worried mother creeping onto her face.
The man peered at her sternly for a moment, and then he smiled and shook his head.
"I believe you and I both know the answer to that, Delia."
She gazed back at him dumbly, perplexed.
The aged man turned in the direction of the road again. "That boy... There's something special about him, no doubt," he explained. Turning to face her, his wrinkled face cracked into a broad smile. "I expect your son will turn out to be a fine trainer, Mrs. Ketchum. He might even make it to the Master level, and that would be a brilliant achievement for any young boy."
He paused, his expression growing quite peculiar. He leaned forward and studied the woman intently for a moment, but her blissful expression did not waver.
"Although, my dear lady, I suspect that's not the only reason you allowed him to go on this journey," he muttered at last after receiving no response, eyeing her with suspicion.
The woman simply smiled politely in response and nodded slightly. "Perhaps you are right, professor," she murmured evasively.
The man sighed and resumed a lax position, submitting to the fact that she refused reveal any more information. After an awkward minute, during which no one ventured to break the silence, the woman turned to face the path that would lead her home.
"Delia," he called softly to her, and the woman swerved her head back round to return her attention to him.
"Are you certain you'll be alright?" he questioned, a concerned expression growing on his face.
She hesitated, then nodded tentatively. "Of course. Thank you for asking professor."
And before the man had a chance to protest, she had turned again and started off towards home. He opened his mouth as if to say something further, but seemed to decide against it and allowed her to walk off into the distance. He gazed after her ruefully for a moment, then slowly turned and began ascending the pathway to his own house atop the hill.
As she strolled leisurely along the road, the woman's mind wandered, reminiscing about the past. Ten years. How that time had flown by. Like Professor Oak had said, it seemed like only yesterday that Ash was only a young boy, filled with wonder and exceedingly curious about the world around him. Granted, that curiosity had gotten him into quite a bit of trouble during his youth, but it was part of what made her love him so much.
She emitted a soft sigh through her rosy lips, pausing in her walk to gaze momentarily at the bright cobalt sky stretched out above her. She smiled as she recalled the day she had first met that boy with the jet-black hair, the one she had raised all this time, without him ever knowing the truth about his mother...
The beating of wings resounded throughout the air, caused by the gargantuan masses of emerald feathers emanating from an awesome form of bright orange and scarlet. Sweeping effortlessly across the dark, amethyst skies, two great, auburn eyes encircled in rings of charcoal surveyed the land below, disapproval clearly carved beneath the pair of crimson orbs. They roved about in their sockets as they watched the scenes of chaos and turmoil erupting below, and the head to which they were attached shook slightly in disgust.
Banking, the creature soared higher, a trail of glittering golden dust particles exuding from a fan of similarly hued feathers projecting from the being's tail. From below, all that could be seen by the rare spectator was a bright downy chest of pure snowy white, contrasting against the murk of the night sky.
Rising further into obscurity, the being broke past the layers of pearly silver cloud, climbing towards cosmic skies. There appeared to be a new destination in mind, as the phoenix effigy swiftly flew towards the black, void-like dome, scattered with scintillating points of light.
There was already a solitary figure waiting for the bird's arrival, apparently, for she stood silently on the invisible floor, gazing off into deep space. The sound of wingbeats alerted her, and she turned with a smile to face the colossal bird. She watched patiently as the massive form of orange feathers drew towards her, two ebony claws detaching to alight delicately upon the glassy surface on which she stood. The colossal mass lowered gently afterwards, settling comfortably in a perch. Once situated, the bird's elongated neck swerved about to study the woman's form. Again, that disapproving expression returned, but when the being spoke in a deep, chiming voice, no mention of it was made.
"You wished to see me?" the phoenix asked, the voice resembling the tones of bells.
She nodded, and took a step forward. "Yes, Ho-Oh. I wanted to ask a favor of you," she replied in a soft, sweet voice, like a child.
The auburn orbs eyed her suspiciously. "If it's about those people down there, I've already done what you asked. Most of the light has been concentrated into one being, who I sent down there to help..."
The sentence trailed off as the creature's gaze fell upon a tiny bundle wrapped in blankets, securely cradled in the woman's arms. There began an awkward silence, which was suddenly pierced by the wailing of a human infant.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the phoenix abruptly held up a wing, silencing her. Craning forward, the bird lifted a giant wing and prodded the bundle gingerly with a single chartreuse feather. The response was immediate. The shrieking started up again, even louder than before, and a tiny leg shot out, kicking away the lower half of the blanket. Startled, the bird withdrew, but quickly recovered. Frowning, the head advanced again, and the sharp golden beak plucked at a corner, carefully unraveling the folds to reveal the form of a tiny baby, humanoid in form.
The auburn eyes stared at the struggling creature, and the woman hastily made an attempt as if to shield the baby's appearance with her own body. "Ho-Oh, I can explain-" she began, but halted immediately, immobilized by the furious glare in the phoenix's eyes.
"YOU DARE TO DEFY MY ORDERS AND BRING A HUMAN CHILD INTO THIS PLACE?" the bird bellowed, the enormous phoenix form beginning to glow a raging scarlet in fury.
The woman confronted the bird's hostility bravely, making another attempt to defend herself. "Ho-Oh, you should recognize your very own creation. This is the very being you conjured to guard the Light."
The bird seemed to calm down a bit and the head craned forward again, peering oddly at the creature. "I see. So why did you not leave it on Earth, where you requested it to be sent?" The tone was now more puzzled than angry.
"Because, Ho-Oh," the woman replied, "A human this young can not survive alone in such a hostile world. He needs protection, someone to care for him, to support him until he is old enough to fare on his own."
"Besides," she continued, glancing down at the squirming critter in her arms, "You and I both know that his power is immense. If we allow him to grow up on his own, he won't know how to handle his own strength once it reaches its full potential. He'll need a mentor, someone to help his power to grow and develop, yet at the same time, teach him how to control it."
She gazed boldly up at the phoenix. "Ho-Oh, this is the favor I wanted to ask of you. I wish to be the one to nurture him during his youth. All I ask is for some time to do so."
The phoenix, during this time, had been listening intently to her speech, and now shifted position slightly, as if contemplating her request.
"Please, Ho-Oh," the woman pleaded again, gazing up at the bird with imploring, bright blue eyes.
Unexpectedly, the bird erupted into a loud chuckle, the laughter ringing throughout the dome like bells. "Very well, you may do so."
The woman's face instantly lit up with joy at the answer. "You mean it?"
The bells rang again. "Of course. I gave you the chance to help those people down there, and I plan to live up to my promise. You have ten years to sustain this child, and during that time, I hope you will help him grow to his optimum. Go to Earth, woman, and live among them if you wish. Do whatever you think it will take in order to restore harmony to their dark world."
The woman's brilliant sapphire eyes sparkled with grateful tears. "Oh, thank you Ho-Oh! I promise I will. I'll do my best." Turning her elated face to the boy in her arms, she continued, "And you'll help me, won't you?"
However, she saw that the infant was now blissfully asleep, and she smiled lovingly at his tiny form. "Let's see now," she murmured to herself in a quieter tone, "You need a name, don't you little guy?" Glancing up at the phoenix, the mammoth wings on either side simply rose and fell in unison, a gesture similar to a shrug. However, the great golden beak attached to the bird's head curled upwards in a smile.
She nodded in return, and, holding the warm bundle close against her own body, the woman whispered softly to the slumbering baby.
"I will call you Ash."
The woman stood idly in the doorway to her home, leaning against the wooden frame as she gazed out across the rural landscape, the roofs of townhouses basked in a myriad of quiet colors. Ten years. One decade. Had it been enough time? Enough for him to grow enough so that he would be able to live on his own? Enough for him to be able to cope with his destined fate?
Even if it was enough for him, she thought to herself, smiling sadly at the earth, she was sure it wasn't enough time for her. All these years, she had slowly grown so attached to that little boy. She had wondered the night before, if she would be able to let go.
But it had to be done. Her time was up. And besides, he no longer needed her help to sustain him. He was on his own now, and he would have to face the darkness of the world alone.
But, she knew he would be all right. This was his destiny, and he needed to go out into the world. To show them the Light he had held for them all this time. And she had always hoped he would be able to do that. It was the very reason why she had agreed to the task in the first place.
Smiling, she stood erect and gazed out again at the pastoral scene before her. A soft summer breeze blew by, carrying her whispering voice out into the distance.
"Good luck, Ash."
Turning to head inside, she cast one last look back at the outdoors, her gaze lingering on the small city known as Pallet Town. In the twilight darkness, a fading bit of golden sunlight reached the doorway, illuminating her face in dappled spots of color. Through the shadows of dusk, if one looked closely, they would see her face in an entirely different shade, her complexion a rosy sunset pink for a flickering instant.
And her eyes were blue.
