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Tales of the Heart :: Selphie (ch.1) |
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Clear, blue waves glided through, over, and throughout the white sands. Over the lapping waters, there was a cool breeze pushing the heat from the young bodies of several children, leaving them to feel refreshed and renewed. The large yellow sun warmed the beach in from its station in the sky, following its indifferent manner, burning some while benefiting others from a tan. Beside the carefree air which swept across the glorious land, there truly were no worries among the inhabitants of this land. Life on Destiny Islands was simple, yet beautiful. The islands were paradise, and beyond the paradise of the area, the children had formed their own paradise, via a coalition which refined an untouched island; an island which was their own. This island never received a name, however, it was referred to as “game island”. With all territories there is a governmental system, “Game Island” was no exception, as it was arguably run by those who were older, or of greater physical strength. Sure the governmental system required some work, but all in all the teenagers passing their days on Destiny Island had little to worry over. Day in and day out, the story was always the same.
The sun always rose at the same early hour, breaking over the marvelous ocean and bringing the light back to the land, as it belonged. With the first signs of light, the sound of voices could be heard throughout the homes as lights also ignited for parents to prepare for what work they had and minors to spend days with their friends. And, as the sun beams danced over the habitually calm waters, children would brave the burning rays, swim to the “game island”, or just enjoy the regular beach. Regardless of where they intended to spend their day, the days were always spent in peace, in absolute lightheartedness.
Night always melted into morning, morning into the afternoon and soon the day had returned to night. Everyday had the same story; everyday held the same limited potential as the day before. The monotony begging the question “Is this paradise?” Still, there are those who could remain in this blissful paradise forever. Selphie was not one of these content persons. Destiny Islands was not all she would ever need, it was merely all she had ever known. As she lay in the sand, one arm raised over her face to shield the painfully bright rays of the sun, she did, however, feel this contentment burning through her, a much different sensation than the burning which was occurring on her raised arm.
“Wowee, it sure is a hot one!”, the chipper fourteen year-old cheered, turning her face to the girl laying beside her. The brunette who had spoken shifted her body slightly in the sand so she could better see the girl beside her. The day had only just begun and the two girls had snuck over to the game island early, in order to do some tanning before the boys began playing their war games, games that Selphie always felt obligated to join.
“Yepp”, the pale, strawberry-blonde beside Selphie giggled, “Good thing we came out here so early!” Selphie nodded, her shoulder neck length brown hair running through the grains of sand she was laying on. Kairi had a good point. The boys’ war games would not only involve Selphie joining in, but sand would be flying everywhere.
Turning back over and tightening her eye lids, Selphie allowed her left arm to rest back down onto the sand, which was yet to receive enough sun rays to be considered “scorching”. Selphie started to drift off with the sound of the waves, collapsing on and pulling the sand. The sound was a melody, a melody augmented by the cool cawing of the tropical birds, undoubtedly spiraling through the cool air above, bringing with them the sort of joy only an animal could portray through song. Lips tightening into a slight smile, Selphie’s fingers pushed into the dirt at her sides. She hadn’t been quiet for longer than a minute and she was already moving incessantly. Kairi was good at ignoring it and Selphie never noticed her little quirks, in fact, her complete ignorance to the fact that this was annoying was typical for Selphie. She had her shining moments, but for the most part, her intelligence was far from her most developed qualities. In place of a strong mind, Selphie had an amazing optimism and an ever greater sense of philanthropy. At the same time, her high energy made her more apt to choose and adventure over a conversation on the beach side; hence she often chose to spend time with the boys.
Kairi’s sigh brought Selphie back to attention, her hands sliding up her tanned sides and interlacing her fingers, her index fingers tapping against the backs of her hands. Another reason the girls had chosen to go to the beach so early was so they could wear their bathing suits, only their bathing suits. They brought a change of clothes for later and if the boys were to show up, but still, modesty was a virtue that Kairi had stressed and Selphie had shrugged submission. Currently, Selphie was wearing her favorite color, yellow, and Kairi was wearing some blend of white, purple, and pink, with blue undertones.
“Time for backs?”, Selphie asked, growing impatient with the need to remain still without any conversation, in fact her eyes hadn’t been burning earlier… and Kairi had originally shown interest in silence over whatever communication might have occurred. Selphie had only saw it as an opportunity to get out of the house; she had no problem wasting time, especially since she never considered time with another person as wasted time. There was no audible sound made by Kairi, a sign Selphie had unfortunately learned indicated annoyance. Selphie slowly sat up and move to turn onto her belly, however, as she did she thought she heard something coming across the sands. “Hmmm?”, Selphie hummed, looking through her spotted vision to try and see what was approaching them.
From the gentle breeze across the beach some sand was kicked up, causing Selphie to groan in discomfort, blocking her eyes. When the breeze had calmed, she looked up to see a red-haired figure pushing through the thick, green leaves of what little forest existed on their island. It was the boys, or at least Wakka. “Hey Wakka!”, Selphie waved, thankful he had saved her from Kairi’s growing annoyance.
Suddenly, the sand beside Selphie shifted, Kairi getting up quite quickly and running off with her towel in hand. “Huh?”, Selphie mumbled as Wakka waved in return offering her a warm morning welcome. Selphie slowly realized what she was wearing, and pulled her towel over herself. It was clear why Kairi had left. Selphie struggled to slid her brown sandals on as Wakka drew nearer, the tension rising as he approached. She too needed to flee, get inside, and change into regular clothing.
“How’s about you and I have a go at it today, wadda ya say?”, Wakka asked, his Blitz ball tucked under his finely defined arm. Selphie turned away, trying not to blush at his suggestion, he intended to fight Selphie but she couldn’t help but blush when the first thing she did when she saw him was admire his physique. “I was thinking…”, Selphie stood up in the middle of Wakka’s sentence, her sandals on and her towel wrapped around her.
“Hold that thought”, Selphie said with a warm smile and a raised index finger. With those words spoken, she ran across the sand toward the small wooden shack built into the side of the island’s rock. Kairi would be inside, as she had just entered. Turning to check, Selphie observed Wakka standing nearly dumbfounded in the sand, surprised she had run off. Usually Selphie asked Wakka to fight, as she was desperately trying to beat him, trying to impress him. With each passing day she was improving, but so was he. Worst of all, she didn’t know if there was a way to show her interest besides constantly asking him to battle. Knocking lightly on the door, Selphie slipped in with Kairi’s permission, mentally kicking herself for so sheepishly ditching Wakka on the beach.
“Sorry about Wakka…”, Selphie lied convincingly, however, she was mainly glad to have the opportunity to direct the annoyance away from herself, onto someone Kairi wouldn’t stay mad at for long. Selphie struggled out of her bathing suit and into normal clothes as Kairi spoke,
“They were bound to wake up sooner or later”. Kairi had forgiven Selphie, despite how trickily Selphie had offered her apology. Such is the female world; words unspoken mean volumes and meanings suggested can change the course of an entire day. Luckily for Selphie, Kairi was just as forgiving as she was tender-hearted.
It wasn’t like Selphie had only just begun her anxious movements, the path to the beach was full of skips and cheers, Selphie was merely a happy, high-energy person—not to be confused with a “hyper” person, though it would be easy to see her act as such in certain circumstances. Still, Kairi had known the girl for the past nine years of her life, ample time to not only overlook Selphie’s energy but to appreciate it. Selphie seemed to hold an excitement, an understanding of joy, an optimism that no one else could equal. This was a quality Kairi wished Selphie would never lose, regardless of how she failed to verbalize. She had so much time to do so. Besides, what could possibly change life on Destiny Islands?
Now fully dressed, the two teenage girls slipped back out into the bright sun, Kairi taking the time to remove whatever marker signified someone was changing. Selphie was a little delayed in exiting the building, for she was retrieving her “weapon of choice”, a jump rope she received when she was younger. “Okay Wakka!”, Selphie cried, the tanned, redhead turning with a bright, white grin meeting Selphie’s cool brown eyes. “I’ve gotchu this time!”, she bragged, bouncing a bit, her legs apart with her knees slightly bent. Her thin hands clutched the ends of her jump rope tightly, Wakka didn’t play games in battle, and he wasn’t scared to hit Selphie, if they were having a play fight of course.
As Wakka stepped out far with one leg, rolling his Blitz ball into a position of function, his eyes blazed with a bestial passion. He was a fighter alright, and he was good with that Blitz ball, making him one of the tougher members of “Game Island”. Selphie bounced, hiding her nervousness, the cord of her jump rope swaying between the handles before her. She had been practicing her parrying skills; hopefully that time would pay off and allow her to fend off a few of Wakka’s more powerful attacks. Behind Selphie, Kairi walked out, crossing her arms and smiling to herself. Just as soon as Kairi began to pay attention to the approaching conflict, there was sight of a gray-haired male, Riku, and she was off to greet him. Selphie relaxed a bit, though her feelings for Wakka were definitely causing her to be slightly distracted.
“Let’s do this!”, Wakka cried darting forward only to follow it with a leap, hurling his Blitz ball in a violent manner down onto Selphie. Selphie’s eyes widened as the ball whizzed right for her face.
 Reality in Tatters · Wed Jun 03, 2009 @ 04:42am · 0 Comments |
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