The Adventure Begins [Open]
Jan 10, 2017 0:04:58 GMT
Post by Erys Aranea on Jan 10, 2017 0:04:58 GMT
Only this very morning, she had told herself in her mirror on her bedroom door. 'I will make a friend today.'
This had turned out to be false, a lie. Erys had failed that task completely, all through the day she had several chances to talk with her classmates but had turned chicken at the thought.
Now, she was left to slowly walk home with her tail between her legs, alone as usual. Keeping her head down, she was left to sadly wander down the path she followed every day to and from school. Half way down the road, however, something stopped Erys and most other people in their tracks. A strange old man sat in a deck chair at the side of the road reading his newspaper and simultaneously blocking half the street.
He wore a frayed, brimmed straw hat perched and tilted low on his face, which left most of his appearance concealed in shadow. He chose to wear the hat tied under his chin on the off chance it tried to escape as the traffic passed at speed, she assumed. The only other part of his face which was visible was a bright, white toothy smile which beamed at her and kept her rooted to the spot. “So, what’s wrong there. Eh, lil’ lady?” he repeated.
Erys didn’t answer right away. After a moment of though, she shook her head from side to side, indicating nothing was wrong. Assuming that was the end of that, she made to move on down the road – but with speed that she had never seen in someone of such advanced age – his arm shot down blocking the path. “Now, now. I can see something is troublin’ you, lass. Tell me what's eating you?” he asked in an oddly reassuring voice. Although, she could help but notice that just for a second, that the thin lips had curled up into a smile, but not a friendly smile. It was more of a devious smile of someone with nasty motives.
Maybe, it was just her imagination though, as she looked at the old man again he had returned to his kindly smile. “I’m s-sorry. I better get home, my mother will be waiting for me,” she replied timidly. Politely, bowing him goodbye, Erys made to move on again and this time he made no move to stop her or block her path.
It wasn’t till she made it a few steps down the street, he spoke again. “My, oh my. Is that a fishin’ pole? Don’t see many fisherman around here any more. Not with the river so polluted an’ all.” Hearing this made Erys stop in her tracks and even to turn back to look at him.
“Yes, actually. My mother and I run a boat rental and fishing business. So, I’m quite used to fishing and everything to do with the sport,” she said quickly. Albeit shy and passive, talking about fishing was something that actually brought her out of her shell and made her converse.
“Ah, I see. The Aranea Boat Rentals?” She looked back rather stunned, he had correctly named the exact business in which she worked. Japan was known for its vast fishing enterprises, which was the reason they had chosen to come to the country in the first place. Before she could ask how he knew the name so easily, the old man asked another question. “So, how are you with that pole of yours. Any good? I mean, you should be.”
“You see, I heard there is a rare breed’a ’fish in those waters. Even if it is polluted, the fish still hang around – at least for now. I can’t say if they will forever. The problem is getting worse’n’ worse,” he continued, nodding at the murky waters behind her. “I’m a bit of a fish connoisseur myself, y'know.”
A rare breed of fish? In that water? It didn’t seem likely. Much too polluted and disgusting to even harbor any kind of life. But, then again – why lie about it. Erys looked back at him, her head slightly tilted in a mix of confusion and interest.
“Well, now. I better go gettin’ gone,” he said, bowing slightly. As he did, for a split second, Erys saw his eyes. Strangely shiny green eyes. With one swooping arm movement, he scooped up his newspaper and deck chair, held them both under his arms and marched away with Erys looking on in amusement.
She watched him off for a moment, marching merrily down the road before turning back to stare into the dirty water. I mean it couldn’t hurt too look, right? With some difficulty, she made it over the barrier and slid quickly down the grassy knoll onto the bank. It was pretty darn disgusting if she said so herself. Old cans, black bin liners, discarded shoes, broken glass bottles and rusting shopping carts were some of the things that stuck out from the water.
It seemed fairly improbable, maybe even impossible that fish would even be able to stay alive in that water without mutating or something. Although, as she looked closer something, it did seem like something was stirring in the depths, leaving tiny ripples on the surface of the grime… or was it just her imagination.
What was it though. Curiosity? Something was making her reach over her shoulder to release the fishing rod of her backpack. The long metal rod unfolded into its full length with a quick flick of her arm. Without much more thought, she found herself pulling back and then shooting the line forward right into the depths.
Nothing happened. Not a single pull, movement, ripple or splash.
“What a waste of… a waste of,” she stuttered and came to a complete halt as something made a light tug on the line. She pulled back on the line, double checking, she had felt what she had felt.
It pulled hard on the line, not once but twice. A double pull? That wasn’t usual fish behavior. What came next was the biggest shock of all. Whatever had her line gave an almighty tugs, so much so she had trouble keeping hold of the rod.
She wouldn’t let herself lose the rod though. If she lost it now, she’d never find it in all that grime and litter. It was her fathers, it was priceless. It was hers. With all her might, Erys pulled back on the rod.
“Come on...y-you...” she muttered to herself. She’d have to cut the line. It wasn’t budging she’d lose the line but she’d keep the rod which was a better solution after all. But, without anymore hesitation whatever had her line lost patience and pulled with even more vigor. Erys lost her footing completely and was pulled face first into the grime of the water.
The weirdest feeling came over her. She expected to feel a rush of cold as she fell deep into the malodorous water. But none came, she opened her eyes slightly and found that she wasn’t on that bank, any longer...
This had turned out to be false, a lie. Erys had failed that task completely, all through the day she had several chances to talk with her classmates but had turned chicken at the thought.
Now, she was left to slowly walk home with her tail between her legs, alone as usual. Keeping her head down, she was left to sadly wander down the path she followed every day to and from school. Half way down the road, however, something stopped Erys and most other people in their tracks. A strange old man sat in a deck chair at the side of the road reading his newspaper and simultaneously blocking half the street.
He wore a frayed, brimmed straw hat perched and tilted low on his face, which left most of his appearance concealed in shadow. He chose to wear the hat tied under his chin on the off chance it tried to escape as the traffic passed at speed, she assumed. The only other part of his face which was visible was a bright, white toothy smile which beamed at her and kept her rooted to the spot. “So, what’s wrong there. Eh, lil’ lady?” he repeated.
Erys didn’t answer right away. After a moment of though, she shook her head from side to side, indicating nothing was wrong. Assuming that was the end of that, she made to move on down the road – but with speed that she had never seen in someone of such advanced age – his arm shot down blocking the path. “Now, now. I can see something is troublin’ you, lass. Tell me what's eating you?” he asked in an oddly reassuring voice. Although, she could help but notice that just for a second, that the thin lips had curled up into a smile, but not a friendly smile. It was more of a devious smile of someone with nasty motives.
Maybe, it was just her imagination though, as she looked at the old man again he had returned to his kindly smile. “I’m s-sorry. I better get home, my mother will be waiting for me,” she replied timidly. Politely, bowing him goodbye, Erys made to move on again and this time he made no move to stop her or block her path.
It wasn’t till she made it a few steps down the street, he spoke again. “My, oh my. Is that a fishin’ pole? Don’t see many fisherman around here any more. Not with the river so polluted an’ all.” Hearing this made Erys stop in her tracks and even to turn back to look at him.
“Yes, actually. My mother and I run a boat rental and fishing business. So, I’m quite used to fishing and everything to do with the sport,” she said quickly. Albeit shy and passive, talking about fishing was something that actually brought her out of her shell and made her converse.
“Ah, I see. The Aranea Boat Rentals?” She looked back rather stunned, he had correctly named the exact business in which she worked. Japan was known for its vast fishing enterprises, which was the reason they had chosen to come to the country in the first place. Before she could ask how he knew the name so easily, the old man asked another question. “So, how are you with that pole of yours. Any good? I mean, you should be.”
“You see, I heard there is a rare breed’a ’fish in those waters. Even if it is polluted, the fish still hang around – at least for now. I can’t say if they will forever. The problem is getting worse’n’ worse,” he continued, nodding at the murky waters behind her. “I’m a bit of a fish connoisseur myself, y'know.”
A rare breed of fish? In that water? It didn’t seem likely. Much too polluted and disgusting to even harbor any kind of life. But, then again – why lie about it. Erys looked back at him, her head slightly tilted in a mix of confusion and interest.
“Well, now. I better go gettin’ gone,” he said, bowing slightly. As he did, for a split second, Erys saw his eyes. Strangely shiny green eyes. With one swooping arm movement, he scooped up his newspaper and deck chair, held them both under his arms and marched away with Erys looking on in amusement.
She watched him off for a moment, marching merrily down the road before turning back to stare into the dirty water. I mean it couldn’t hurt too look, right? With some difficulty, she made it over the barrier and slid quickly down the grassy knoll onto the bank. It was pretty darn disgusting if she said so herself. Old cans, black bin liners, discarded shoes, broken glass bottles and rusting shopping carts were some of the things that stuck out from the water.
It seemed fairly improbable, maybe even impossible that fish would even be able to stay alive in that water without mutating or something. Although, as she looked closer something, it did seem like something was stirring in the depths, leaving tiny ripples on the surface of the grime… or was it just her imagination.
What was it though. Curiosity? Something was making her reach over her shoulder to release the fishing rod of her backpack. The long metal rod unfolded into its full length with a quick flick of her arm. Without much more thought, she found herself pulling back and then shooting the line forward right into the depths.
Nothing happened. Not a single pull, movement, ripple or splash.
“What a waste of… a waste of,” she stuttered and came to a complete halt as something made a light tug on the line. She pulled back on the line, double checking, she had felt what she had felt.
It pulled hard on the line, not once but twice. A double pull? That wasn’t usual fish behavior. What came next was the biggest shock of all. Whatever had her line gave an almighty tugs, so much so she had trouble keeping hold of the rod.
She wouldn’t let herself lose the rod though. If she lost it now, she’d never find it in all that grime and litter. It was her fathers, it was priceless. It was hers. With all her might, Erys pulled back on the rod.
“Come on...y-you...” she muttered to herself. She’d have to cut the line. It wasn’t budging she’d lose the line but she’d keep the rod which was a better solution after all. But, without anymore hesitation whatever had her line lost patience and pulled with even more vigor. Erys lost her footing completely and was pulled face first into the grime of the water.
The weirdest feeling came over her. She expected to feel a rush of cold as she fell deep into the malodorous water. But none came, she opened her eyes slightly and found that she wasn’t on that bank, any longer...
