12 Feb 2018, 21:30
Blue Skies
The soft, cool glass tickled Adriel's small form as she lay on the ground, head resting on her balled-up robes and shoes kicked off and discarded. It was a warm day; the cold bite of autumn had not yet championed the warm caress of summer. The sky was the perfect blue, and the fluffy cumulus clouds floated through the sky like lazy bumblebees. She hummed a tuneless song as she stared at the clouds, watching them take the shapes of pirate ships, spacecrafts, mountains, and polar bears all before her eyes. It was the perfect canvas for a story-teller like Adriel.
She lived to tell stories. Rarely true, but, fantastically immersive adventures all the same. She had spent endless summers creating characters and expeditions with her muggle friends back in Cork. To be able to tell them that their stories, or, at least the magic they imagined in them was real- that was all she really wanted. Yet, here she was instead. The three friends had created what might very well be their last story. And then Adriel had boarded the train. She wasn't regretting coming to Hogwarts. It was quite the opposite, really. She loved the school. She loved all the new faces and friends she had seen and made. She loved learning how to use her powers to their extent. Yet, still, the reality that created the partition between her and her muggle friends hurt. She would never be able to share her adventures with the children she had always shared everything with.
No, to them, Adriel's new life would simply remain a tale created on a sticky summer night.
She sighed and let the thoughts drift by like the clouds above.
She lived to tell stories. Rarely true, but, fantastically immersive adventures all the same. She had spent endless summers creating characters and expeditions with her muggle friends back in Cork. To be able to tell them that their stories, or, at least the magic they imagined in them was real- that was all she really wanted. Yet, here she was instead. The three friends had created what might very well be their last story. And then Adriel had boarded the train. She wasn't regretting coming to Hogwarts. It was quite the opposite, really. She loved the school. She loved all the new faces and friends she had seen and made. She loved learning how to use her powers to their extent. Yet, still, the reality that created the partition between her and her muggle friends hurt. She would never be able to share her adventures with the children she had always shared everything with.
No, to them, Adriel's new life would simply remain a tale created on a sticky summer night.
She sighed and let the thoughts drift by like the clouds above.
Last edited by Adriel Lovage on 15 Feb 2018, 01:23, edited 1 time in total.
We were born with the capacity and the determination to be utterly happy all the time. Perhaps even in this we were freaks.
13 Feb 2018, 02:36
Blue Skies
Stephen decided he wanted to get some fresh air. The first few days of the school year were a lot to take in. His mind was in a hundred different places at once. What he really needed was some time out in the open, away from the stress of the castle. 'I should go outside and explore the grounds' he thought to himself, as he made his way past the Great Hall. Stephen headed towards the massive castle doors and stepped out into the courtyard. 'I need to get further away for a bit' he said to himself. He saw the rolling green grass off in the distance down the hill and decided he would go for a walk over there.
His first few days were pretty good, all things considered. Stephen was muggle-born and had no idea of 'magic' until he received his letter. Even then, he was skeptical. It wasn't until he got to Diagon Alley that he began to believe that this was real. Stephen had been working overtime, in whatever quiet place he could find, reading and trying to learn the basics of this world. He needed a break. He thought back to the pleasant conversation he had with his fellow Hufflepuff, Selena. 'I need to stop worrying so much about trying to learn everything all at once and just enjoy myself here' he figured, as he made his way onto the grass.
A few yards away, he noticed another student who seemed to be laying on the ground looking up to the sky. She was by herself and looked rather comfortable. Stephen wasn't sure if he should disturb her, but his goal of meeting new people overtook this thought. He was not the type of person who would typically go out of their way to strike up conversation, however since she was alone, he felt a little more confidence.
He walked up from the side so that she could see him approaching. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. "Hello there, beautiful day huh? What are you doing?" he asked in a kind voice. He hoped she wouldn't mind his intrusion.
His first few days were pretty good, all things considered. Stephen was muggle-born and had no idea of 'magic' until he received his letter. Even then, he was skeptical. It wasn't until he got to Diagon Alley that he began to believe that this was real. Stephen had been working overtime, in whatever quiet place he could find, reading and trying to learn the basics of this world. He needed a break. He thought back to the pleasant conversation he had with his fellow Hufflepuff, Selena. 'I need to stop worrying so much about trying to learn everything all at once and just enjoy myself here' he figured, as he made his way onto the grass.
A few yards away, he noticed another student who seemed to be laying on the ground looking up to the sky. She was by herself and looked rather comfortable. Stephen wasn't sure if he should disturb her, but his goal of meeting new people overtook this thought. He was not the type of person who would typically go out of their way to strike up conversation, however since she was alone, he felt a little more confidence.
He walked up from the side so that she could see him approaching. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. "Hello there, beautiful day huh? What are you doing?" he asked in a kind voice. He hoped she wouldn't mind his intrusion.
~S.Flux
13 Feb 2018, 03:29
Blue Skies
Though she noticed him the boy approaching, Adriel did not acknowledge him until he began to speak.
"Hello there, beautiful day, huh? What are you doing?"
At this, she turned her head towards him and smiled a warm, welcoming smile. Despite her thoughts, she really couldn't deny that it was a beautiful day. The sky was the perfect shade of blue, the clouds were fluffier than cotton candy, and sun was as warm and soft as a blanket in the winter.
"It's a perfect day," she replied, both her voice and face pleasantly relaxed. She studied him for a moment with her inquisitive blue eyes before panning them back to the cornflower blue sky above.
"As for what I'm doing," she continued, eyes following a lazy cloud as a drifted slowly by, "I'm imagining myself as captain of a sleek pirate ship and as a magical lion tamer in a muggle zoo and as a little man who lives on the clouds and watches the Earth from afar."
After a moment more of staring at the clouds, she turned back to the boy, her face covered in a solemn satisfaction.
"You can pretend you're anywhere if you just look at the clouds. It's all the same sky," she added. She smiled at the boy, secretly hoping that she wasn't sounding too crazy.
"Would you like to pretend with me?"
"Hello there, beautiful day, huh? What are you doing?"
At this, she turned her head towards him and smiled a warm, welcoming smile. Despite her thoughts, she really couldn't deny that it was a beautiful day. The sky was the perfect shade of blue, the clouds were fluffier than cotton candy, and sun was as warm and soft as a blanket in the winter.
"It's a perfect day," she replied, both her voice and face pleasantly relaxed. She studied him for a moment with her inquisitive blue eyes before panning them back to the cornflower blue sky above.
"As for what I'm doing," she continued, eyes following a lazy cloud as a drifted slowly by, "I'm imagining myself as captain of a sleek pirate ship and as a magical lion tamer in a muggle zoo and as a little man who lives on the clouds and watches the Earth from afar."
After a moment more of staring at the clouds, she turned back to the boy, her face covered in a solemn satisfaction.
"You can pretend you're anywhere if you just look at the clouds. It's all the same sky," she added. She smiled at the boy, secretly hoping that she wasn't sounding too crazy.
"Would you like to pretend with me?"
We were born with the capacity and the determination to be utterly happy all the time. Perhaps even in this we were freaks.
13 Feb 2018, 03:58
Blue Skies
Stephen listened as the girl described what she was doing before he arrived. ‘Wow,’ he thought to himself, ‘she has a great imagination’. Stephen also tended to have a wild imagination at times. This mostly occurred when he was going for walks in the woods as a child and when he was bored in class. Just yesterday, in fact, he got lost in his imagination during one of his classes and almost got caught by the teacher. That being said, Stephen never had paid too much attention to clouds.
He glanced up to the sky and saw some clouds drifting by. ‘Now that I think about it, that one does kind of look like a train... and that one over there looks like a giant horse. Hmm maybe this will be fun after all!’
“Sure!” He said as he sat down next to her and gazed up to the sky. He was happy that she was not annoyed that he disturbed her. “My name is Stephen by the way, nice to meet you” he stated, as he held his hand out to the girl. “You see that one over there by the lake? I think that one kind of looks like an old willow tree.” Stephen smiled as a soft cool breeze brushed up against him. The grass was lazily flowing in the warm air and it gave him a very peaceful feeling inside. He would have to remember to come back out here more often. The stress of the castle was beginning to fade away from his mind and the sounds of the birds and wind were deeply relaxing.
He glanced up to the sky and saw some clouds drifting by. ‘Now that I think about it, that one does kind of look like a train... and that one over there looks like a giant horse. Hmm maybe this will be fun after all!’
“Sure!” He said as he sat down next to her and gazed up to the sky. He was happy that she was not annoyed that he disturbed her. “My name is Stephen by the way, nice to meet you” he stated, as he held his hand out to the girl. “You see that one over there by the lake? I think that one kind of looks like an old willow tree.” Stephen smiled as a soft cool breeze brushed up against him. The grass was lazily flowing in the warm air and it gave him a very peaceful feeling inside. He would have to remember to come back out here more often. The stress of the castle was beginning to fade away from his mind and the sounds of the birds and wind were deeply relaxing.
~S.Flux
13 Feb 2018, 21:42
Blue Skies
Adriel shook his hand and smiled softly.
"Adriel. It's nice to meet you as well," she replied. As he mentioned the willow tree cloud above the lake, she gazed out across the glass-like water and found the willow tree on both the surface of the smooth lake and in the sky. The boy was right; it did look like a willow tree, but, Adriel found that something else fit the bill as well as the fluffy shapeshifter moved silently on its way.
"A willow tree, or a long-haired woman weeping over lost time?" she said with a smile. "That's what I like about the clouds. They show a different secret to every eye."
Adriel was pleasantly surprised with the company. She had never spent the day imagining with anyone else besides her friends back home, especially not a stranger. But, sitting on the hill with this stranger, she did feel like she was home with a friend on a quiet summer day.
"You know, I'm happy to have someone to imagine with," she said after a few moments of comfortable silence. "I didn't know if anyone would want to share clouds and stories with me away from home. Some of the children back home liked to tell me I was too childish. The adults told me to get my head out of the clouds, literally."
She laughed pleasantly, then sighed.
"I don't see why they want me to be all adult-like and reality-obsessed. What's the fun in that?"
"Adriel. It's nice to meet you as well," she replied. As he mentioned the willow tree cloud above the lake, she gazed out across the glass-like water and found the willow tree on both the surface of the smooth lake and in the sky. The boy was right; it did look like a willow tree, but, Adriel found that something else fit the bill as well as the fluffy shapeshifter moved silently on its way.
"A willow tree, or a long-haired woman weeping over lost time?" she said with a smile. "That's what I like about the clouds. They show a different secret to every eye."
Adriel was pleasantly surprised with the company. She had never spent the day imagining with anyone else besides her friends back home, especially not a stranger. But, sitting on the hill with this stranger, she did feel like she was home with a friend on a quiet summer day.
"You know, I'm happy to have someone to imagine with," she said after a few moments of comfortable silence. "I didn't know if anyone would want to share clouds and stories with me away from home. Some of the children back home liked to tell me I was too childish. The adults told me to get my head out of the clouds, literally."
She laughed pleasantly, then sighed.
"I don't see why they want me to be all adult-like and reality-obsessed. What's the fun in that?"
We were born with the capacity and the determination to be utterly happy all the time. Perhaps even in this we were freaks.
14 Feb 2018, 00:22
Blue Skies
Stephen kindly smiled as Adriel shook his hand and introduced herself. Turning their attention back to the cloud, he listened as she described what she saw. Stephen was surprised at how detailed her description was of the cloud. It did indeed look like a woman with long hair weeping. 'Lost time' he thought to himself. Stephen imagined what this would look like in real life and then looked back at the cloud. Now he knew what made this so special... he suddenly felt slightly emotional looking at the cloud. He felt bad for the weeping cloud woman. "Yes, I can see it now" he replied, "Who knew such a simple thing like a cloud could tell such amazing stories."
Stephen felt another small breeze roll by as he scanned the sky for more clouds. At this point, he had completely separated himself from, well, everything. It was a moment of clarity he needed more than anything after the first few days and he was very happy to be sharing it with someone. "Same here, it is definitely nice to imagine with someone else! My brothers used to tell me I was childish all the time so you're not alone there." Stephen replied kindly. His brothers were a lot older than he was, so, naturally, they thought he acted childish sometimes too. However, he thought, now is the time to be childish and imaginative. We are, after all, children and we won't be for much longer. "I couldn't agree with you more, Adriel. Besides, what do they know about being childish? Adults are just grown-up kids who forget the simple things we are enjoying now. I hope I never get like that!" Stephen replied. He sighed contently, as he put his arms behind his head and laid back onto the soft green grass, staring up into the clouds.
"You're much better at this than I am... I need some practice!" said Stephen, "What else can you see?" Stephen excitedly waited to hear what she had to say about the next cloud.
Stephen felt another small breeze roll by as he scanned the sky for more clouds. At this point, he had completely separated himself from, well, everything. It was a moment of clarity he needed more than anything after the first few days and he was very happy to be sharing it with someone. "Same here, it is definitely nice to imagine with someone else! My brothers used to tell me I was childish all the time so you're not alone there." Stephen replied kindly. His brothers were a lot older than he was, so, naturally, they thought he acted childish sometimes too. However, he thought, now is the time to be childish and imaginative. We are, after all, children and we won't be for much longer. "I couldn't agree with you more, Adriel. Besides, what do they know about being childish? Adults are just grown-up kids who forget the simple things we are enjoying now. I hope I never get like that!" Stephen replied. He sighed contently, as he put his arms behind his head and laid back onto the soft green grass, staring up into the clouds.
"You're much better at this than I am... I need some practice!" said Stephen, "What else can you see?" Stephen excitedly waited to hear what she had to say about the next cloud.
~S.Flux
14 Feb 2018, 03:32
Blue Skies
Adriel watched Stephen as he spoke, listening intently. Grown-up kids who forgot the simple things. Yes, she’d heard that one before in some of the Muggle stories she had read when she was young. Yet, it was nonetheless true and wise. She was incredibly glad that someone else shared her troubles, though, she supposed they were common ones. The only difference was that many of the other children seemed too eager to grow up. They wanted to be old and mature and simply boring. Adriel wanted to remain young and not tied up in work and responsibility. Stephen’s opinions were as though she herself were talking.
Stephen’s eagerness to look at the clouds excited her. She could finally share her passion and expertise! She, too, laid back, lacing her fingers over her stomach.
“Well, it’s not too hard, if you have the right imagination. Every cloud has a shape. You just have to get creative with the name,” she said. Her eyes searched the sky like the wide searchlight of a lighthouse. After a moment, she caught sight of her stranded ship in the searchlights.
“That cloud, straight above. It looks like a vicious and strong Roman warrior whose a bit reluctant to fight. Maybe this is his first real fight, or, no, maybe he just realized that this fight... is a fight to the death,” she finished dramatically, before laughing. She turned her head to look at Stephen through the grass.
“Now, you try,” she encouraged.
Stephen’s eagerness to look at the clouds excited her. She could finally share her passion and expertise! She, too, laid back, lacing her fingers over her stomach.
“Well, it’s not too hard, if you have the right imagination. Every cloud has a shape. You just have to get creative with the name,” she said. Her eyes searched the sky like the wide searchlight of a lighthouse. After a moment, she caught sight of her stranded ship in the searchlights.
“That cloud, straight above. It looks like a vicious and strong Roman warrior whose a bit reluctant to fight. Maybe this is his first real fight, or, no, maybe he just realized that this fight... is a fight to the death,” she finished dramatically, before laughing. She turned her head to look at Stephen through the grass.
“Now, you try,” she encouraged.
We were born with the capacity and the determination to be utterly happy all the time. Perhaps even in this we were freaks.
14 Feb 2018, 14:32
Blue Skies
Stephen laughed with Adriel about the roman soldier. He found it very funny how she really made it seem so dramatic. "Wow," he said, through his laughter, "fight to the death...that would scare anyone! Maybe he just looked down and realized he's hundreds of feet in the air and is freaking out!" Stephen finished with a chuckle.
Now it was his turn and he didn't want to disappoint, so Stephen scanned the sky above looking for an interesting cloud. After a few moments he said, "Okay, how about that one over there," he pointed slightly to the left, "Okay...so, to me, that one kinda looks like a little kid, walking with an adult. Maybe it's one of his parents? But look...they are being slowly separated by the wind..." Stephen watched as the one cloud became two. They slowly drifted away from each other. 'That's sad' he thought to himself, "Maybe the boy is growing up and it's time for him to go out on his own. Or maybe it's a boy saying goodbye for the last time to a lost loved one, before they venture on to whatever lies ahead," he finished. His imagination began to flow through his mind like water flowing over rocks in a stream. Is this what Adriel felt like when she looked up to the clouds? Suddenly, every fluffy cloud painted in the vibrant blue sky told a story to Stephen. "And look over there to the right...that one is like a running bear... what could it be running from though? Bears are strong beasts, they don't run from much, so I wonder what sort of thing would make him run...unless he's running towards something!" he exclaimed, but then paused. Stephen realized he just rifled off a lot of words in his excitement. Hopefully he didn't overwhelm Adriel, but this new found part of his imagination was a lot to take in. "This is incredible," he stated, as he started to calm down again.
Now it was his turn and he didn't want to disappoint, so Stephen scanned the sky above looking for an interesting cloud. After a few moments he said, "Okay, how about that one over there," he pointed slightly to the left, "Okay...so, to me, that one kinda looks like a little kid, walking with an adult. Maybe it's one of his parents? But look...they are being slowly separated by the wind..." Stephen watched as the one cloud became two. They slowly drifted away from each other. 'That's sad' he thought to himself, "Maybe the boy is growing up and it's time for him to go out on his own. Or maybe it's a boy saying goodbye for the last time to a lost loved one, before they venture on to whatever lies ahead," he finished. His imagination began to flow through his mind like water flowing over rocks in a stream. Is this what Adriel felt like when she looked up to the clouds? Suddenly, every fluffy cloud painted in the vibrant blue sky told a story to Stephen. "And look over there to the right...that one is like a running bear... what could it be running from though? Bears are strong beasts, they don't run from much, so I wonder what sort of thing would make him run...unless he's running towards something!" he exclaimed, but then paused. Stephen realized he just rifled off a lot of words in his excitement. Hopefully he didn't overwhelm Adriel, but this new found part of his imagination was a lot to take in. "This is incredible," he stated, as he started to calm down again.
~S.Flux
14 Feb 2018, 23:50
Blue Skies
Adriel couldn't help but giggle as Stephen mentioned that the soldier may simply be scared of heights.
Her eyes followed his extended arm to the cloud in question, and she listened thoughtfully to his description of the two people walking. Sad, but comforting at the same time, she thought, her eyes drifting over to him as he explained so perfectly his thoughts of the cloud child growing up or saying goodbye to a lost loved one. She could see the imagination bursting through his open mind like watercolour paints spreading with spiderlike fingers through a cup of water. She smiled at him before turning her eyes back to the sky to witness the running bear.
"Well, look, that cloud beside above his back looks like a small sparrow. Perhaps the bear and the sparrow are having a race? It seems they don't mind that they're so different," she said with a thoughtful tone.
"It really is incredible," she added after a moment. "Anything you could want to see is here in the sky, but just far enough that we cannot see its flaws. We can just appreciate the clouds for the magic they hold, a magic not even you or I can have."
She was silent only a moment, letting the warmth of the sun and her thoughts wash through her.
"You really don't need practice, Stephen. You're a natural!" she exclaimed, her voice and face genuine and sincere.
Her eyes followed his extended arm to the cloud in question, and she listened thoughtfully to his description of the two people walking. Sad, but comforting at the same time, she thought, her eyes drifting over to him as he explained so perfectly his thoughts of the cloud child growing up or saying goodbye to a lost loved one. She could see the imagination bursting through his open mind like watercolour paints spreading with spiderlike fingers through a cup of water. She smiled at him before turning her eyes back to the sky to witness the running bear.
"Well, look, that cloud beside above his back looks like a small sparrow. Perhaps the bear and the sparrow are having a race? It seems they don't mind that they're so different," she said with a thoughtful tone.
"It really is incredible," she added after a moment. "Anything you could want to see is here in the sky, but just far enough that we cannot see its flaws. We can just appreciate the clouds for the magic they hold, a magic not even you or I can have."
She was silent only a moment, letting the warmth of the sun and her thoughts wash through her.
"You really don't need practice, Stephen. You're a natural!" she exclaimed, her voice and face genuine and sincere.
We were born with the capacity and the determination to be utterly happy all the time. Perhaps even in this we were freaks.
15 Feb 2018, 03:08
Blue Skies
Stephen listened intently as Adriel explained the sparrow. "Yep," he replied, "the sparrow and the bear are having a friendly race!" The friendship between the sparrow and the bear had a, somewhat, beautiful aspect to it. Two animals, so drastically contrasting from one another, bonding as if they were family. It proved no matter how different one is from another, they can always find friendship. Stephen softly smiled at this thought, then realized that all these thoughts were brought on by some clouds. It sill amazed him and he made a mental note that he wanted to come out and do this again, especially if times ever get tough for him.
Stephen was so caught off guard when Adriel stated, "Anything you could want to see is here in the sky, but just far enough that we cannot see its flaws. We can just appreciate the clouds for the magic they hold, a magic not even you or I can have." Stephen struggled to formulate words. "Wow..." he replied. This was the only thing he could say. He was lost for words. He said it again in his head, trying to force it into his memory. Maybe it was the serenity of the moment, the gentle calming of the soft wind brushing up against his robes, or the golden sun beaming down on him, either way, that was truly a beautiful sentiment she provided. It was one that he did not want to forget.
Stephen was glad to hear she approved of his depiction of the cloud. "Thanks Adriel!" he said with a smile on his face. "I feel like I've missed out on a part of my childhood by not doing this sooner, but I'm happy you were here to introduce me to it!" Stephen thought about bringing his muggle friends to the hill clearing, in the forest behind his parents home, when he's home for break. It would be the perfect place. When he was younger, his dad would take him out there late at night to look at the stars. Now he has a reason to go there during the day. This excited him and he realized even if his friends thought it was weird, that wouldn't bother him because he knew the effect it had on him.
Stephen was so caught off guard when Adriel stated, "Anything you could want to see is here in the sky, but just far enough that we cannot see its flaws. We can just appreciate the clouds for the magic they hold, a magic not even you or I can have." Stephen struggled to formulate words. "Wow..." he replied. This was the only thing he could say. He was lost for words. He said it again in his head, trying to force it into his memory. Maybe it was the serenity of the moment, the gentle calming of the soft wind brushing up against his robes, or the golden sun beaming down on him, either way, that was truly a beautiful sentiment she provided. It was one that he did not want to forget.
Stephen was glad to hear she approved of his depiction of the cloud. "Thanks Adriel!" he said with a smile on his face. "I feel like I've missed out on a part of my childhood by not doing this sooner, but I'm happy you were here to introduce me to it!" Stephen thought about bringing his muggle friends to the hill clearing, in the forest behind his parents home, when he's home for break. It would be the perfect place. When he was younger, his dad would take him out there late at night to look at the stars. Now he has a reason to go there during the day. This excited him and he realized even if his friends thought it was weird, that wouldn't bother him because he knew the effect it had on him.
~S.Flux