Post by Ayu on Dec 20, 2023 16:11:29 GMT -5
Sometimes life takes you to strange places. Yet, would a new home be a strange place? Ayu still had mixed feelings about it. Ever since Calot just... Kind of... Took her and brought her to his mansion, she wasn't sure what to do. Part of her was uneasy. Maybe even a little scared. She was wondering how could she get back to Grandpa and her little room in this small house near the forest... And still, this other side was feeling weirdly relieved by what had happened. She missed Zhang, she surely did... But Calot never raised his voice, unlike Grandpa who often yelled at her. The older, bearded man often said that children shouldn't be heard so Ayu tried her best to stay quiet, afraid that even a murmur would irk him. Unlike him, Calot was often nearby and she could come to him anytime, even if her voice was still lost and soundless. They ate meals together! He remembered that she likes fruit jams more than chocolate spread over her toast for breakfast, and got her new shoes because the old ones were getting too tight lately. It made her feel... Seen, what was even more amazing because Calot's eyes were not working properly.
Things weren't yet so settled and there were times when she wasn't so sure why she was even here... Though less and less she was thinking about going back to Grandpa Zhang. Every day Ayu could peek outside a bit further, and today Calot told her that he was leaving. For some time only, in an urgent matter, he'd be certainly back soon - and he said that she shouldn't stray away from the mansion. Yes, the mansion... Ayu still wasn't able to call this place home, especially when she was suddenly told that she was going to live there. With Calot, nonetheless. But it has been a couple of days now and when she heard his words, the little girl nodded solemnly.
And then she decided to take a walk in the garden. And then a bit behind the garden... And even further than that.
She snuck out of the garden, to explore the nearby area. Just for a moment, Ayu knew her way back to the mansion. She really knew it! She'd be back soon enough. And this time she had a proper breakfast so she wouldn't get hungry or lost on her adventures. Simply, she wanted her own eyes to catch a glimpse of everything new and tropical out there. This place was so different from Korin Forest... Papaya Island was a truly beautiful reserve of nature, and she wanted to see more. The air was pleasantly warm and a bit humid, making her bangs and hair near the ends of the braids a bit puffy. She could feel the scent of soil, water, and sun that was warming up enormous leaves. Thick, green ferns, as tall as she, were growing all around, massive oil palms bent over so she could see them better, and the bushes were so colorful rainbows paled in comparison. And the lianas and, fruits, and, oh, blossoms! Flowers in all shapes and sizes were whispering to her happily, while Ayu leaned closer to feel their sweet scent. Pollen dyed her nose yellow but it seemed she didn't notice that. The little girl giggled softly and walked deeper into the jungle, admiring everything with honest, delighted eyes.
Near the biggest palms she had ever seen, she spotted a stream - wide enough to prove challenging to get through and quite deep too. But it got a convenient pathway made out of the rocks poking out of the surface of the water. That was perfect. Making sure to be careful, Ayu stood by the edge of the stream, leaning forward and preparing herself for a jump. Hop! She landed on the nearest rock, stretching her arms to make sure her balance was right. Good! Now, the next step... The second and third jumps were as good as those done by a national gymnast. Ayu happily was about to leap onto another rock...
Then she felt something. A presence of some kind... No, two people - o-or one? S-Someone was here too? Somewhere? But where they were, she couldn't say, too concerned by the idea of an approaching stranger/s. The mere fact that the little girl wasn't here alone surprised her so much that she flinched. Genuinely startled, her step missed the landing on the next rock and Ayu felt herself being pulled by gravity to the side.
Without as much as a squeak, with her mouth and eyes shut tight, she was about to fall into a stream.
PL - 1,500
WC - 778