09-08-2017, 06:27 AM
The sound of splashing water, light and faintly audible, settled over the mountain side. Summer stared blankly over the vast hellscape the mountain overlooked, his eyes darting from one useless pool of lava to another, paying close attention to the sounds coming from the hot spring. At Ebony’s request, he hid behind a nearby rock, his bare back pressing against the warm stone as he waited. And also as per her request, there was no peaking being done whatsoever.
A small frown crossed the spirit’s face. He didn’t really understand it, being shy like that. Well, humans were weird in that way, he guessed. There was no point in pushing back against the girl’s demands anyway. While there was that part of him, a growing storm in the back of his mind telling him to disobey everyone and everything, he pushed it down for now. It just wouldn’t be worth the anger, arguments, and alienation which lied down that path.
The idle noises from the hot spring died down, and the quiet voice of his companion replaced them. He had her permission to take a dip, and that’s just what he’d do. Without wasting a moment, he pushed off the stone and stepped around the corner. His eyes focused on the gravelly ground beneath his feet, giving him just enough leeway to see where he was walking without drawing the mage’s ire. He silently slipped into the artificial spring, an almost inaudible splashing signifying his presence as the pleasantly warm water engulfed him.
A contented sigh escaped the spirit of storms, and he closed his eyes, tilting his head back and resting it against the ground behind him. From the neck down, all his muscles relaxed as he made no effort to fight the subtle, shifting currents in the water. His mouth turned up in a slight grin as he half-floated, just enjoying the little respite.
Friend, huh?
That was a thought. He couldn’t exactly say he saw it coming. It was strange to think that a timid little girl like her actually wanted to be friends with an ageless spirit of the weather. Certainly, had they met anywhere besides the Omniverse, such a thing probably wouldn’t have come to pass. Getting along with humans just wasn’t his thing. He was supposed to terrify them, devour them, not befriend them. And yet here he was, soaking in a hot spring with one, and enjoying it at that. He sunk deeper into the water, head tilting back to normal as he submerged up to just below his nose. An unexpected twist of fate, to be sure. But he wouldn’t dare say unwelcome.
Somewhere vaguely on the other side of the spring came a yawn, followed by the quiet lapping of water. Right, Ebony’s still tired. That little thought rose to the forefront of his mind, quickly followed by the realization that sleeping in a water probably wasn’t the best thing. Summer opened his mouth, ready to ask her if she was fine, but hesitated. She needed rest, so perhaps he should just let her be? Letting her drown was also out of the question though.... He turned over several different thoughts in his head, mulling it over, before hopping back onto his initial decision. At least that’d also help pass the time.
“So, Ebony....” the storm spirit lifted just far enough out of the water to speak.
“Y-yes?” A surprised squeak escaped the girl soaking across from him.
“Back when we first met I told you to call me Sonny, right?”
“U-um, y-yes?”
“Well, that really only applies to Sonny,” Summer said unhelpfully.
“O-okay?” Ebony stuttered out a nervous response, sounding almost overwhelmed.
“Sonny is a nickname only for Sonny.” The monster spoke something that couldn't even be considered an elaboration, though he phrased it as one.
“Black hair is Summer, blonde hair is Sonny, is what he means.” The sun spirit interjected after a painful moment of silence. “Makes it easier to keep track of who you’re referring to.”
“G-got it. S-so r-r-right now y-you’re....” By now, she was almost a nervous wreck. All that stammering was making the youkai feel bad about bugging her.
“Summer,” he answered plainly, and fell silent.
“B-but w-why is Sonny t-t-talking i-if it’s S-Summer’s b-b-body?”
“Iunno,” Summer admitted. “I assume it’s a fail-safe by Omni or something. We used to be two separate bodies, but we got shoved into the one upon arrival, and with telepathy’s rather... lethal... downsides, just having us talk through each other was probably the safer option.”
“I-I s-s-see...” the young mage mumbled after a moment. A lull passed over the two, neither of them quite ready to talk more just yet. Summer really didn’t want to keep her talking. To say she was nervous was an understatement, and forcing her to keep going in spite of that just felt cruel. He slumped down slightly deeper into the hot spring.
A small frown crossed the spirit’s face. He didn’t really understand it, being shy like that. Well, humans were weird in that way, he guessed. There was no point in pushing back against the girl’s demands anyway. While there was that part of him, a growing storm in the back of his mind telling him to disobey everyone and everything, he pushed it down for now. It just wouldn’t be worth the anger, arguments, and alienation which lied down that path.
The idle noises from the hot spring died down, and the quiet voice of his companion replaced them. He had her permission to take a dip, and that’s just what he’d do. Without wasting a moment, he pushed off the stone and stepped around the corner. His eyes focused on the gravelly ground beneath his feet, giving him just enough leeway to see where he was walking without drawing the mage’s ire. He silently slipped into the artificial spring, an almost inaudible splashing signifying his presence as the pleasantly warm water engulfed him.
A contented sigh escaped the spirit of storms, and he closed his eyes, tilting his head back and resting it against the ground behind him. From the neck down, all his muscles relaxed as he made no effort to fight the subtle, shifting currents in the water. His mouth turned up in a slight grin as he half-floated, just enjoying the little respite.
Friend, huh?
That was a thought. He couldn’t exactly say he saw it coming. It was strange to think that a timid little girl like her actually wanted to be friends with an ageless spirit of the weather. Certainly, had they met anywhere besides the Omniverse, such a thing probably wouldn’t have come to pass. Getting along with humans just wasn’t his thing. He was supposed to terrify them, devour them, not befriend them. And yet here he was, soaking in a hot spring with one, and enjoying it at that. He sunk deeper into the water, head tilting back to normal as he submerged up to just below his nose. An unexpected twist of fate, to be sure. But he wouldn’t dare say unwelcome.
Somewhere vaguely on the other side of the spring came a yawn, followed by the quiet lapping of water. Right, Ebony’s still tired. That little thought rose to the forefront of his mind, quickly followed by the realization that sleeping in a water probably wasn’t the best thing. Summer opened his mouth, ready to ask her if she was fine, but hesitated. She needed rest, so perhaps he should just let her be? Letting her drown was also out of the question though.... He turned over several different thoughts in his head, mulling it over, before hopping back onto his initial decision. At least that’d also help pass the time.
“So, Ebony....” the storm spirit lifted just far enough out of the water to speak.
“Y-yes?” A surprised squeak escaped the girl soaking across from him.
“Back when we first met I told you to call me Sonny, right?”
“U-um, y-yes?”
“Well, that really only applies to Sonny,” Summer said unhelpfully.
“O-okay?” Ebony stuttered out a nervous response, sounding almost overwhelmed.
“Sonny is a nickname only for Sonny.” The monster spoke something that couldn't even be considered an elaboration, though he phrased it as one.
“Black hair is Summer, blonde hair is Sonny, is what he means.” The sun spirit interjected after a painful moment of silence. “Makes it easier to keep track of who you’re referring to.”
“G-got it. S-so r-r-right now y-you’re....” By now, she was almost a nervous wreck. All that stammering was making the youkai feel bad about bugging her.
“Summer,” he answered plainly, and fell silent.
“B-but w-why is Sonny t-t-talking i-if it’s S-Summer’s b-b-body?”
“Iunno,” Summer admitted. “I assume it’s a fail-safe by Omni or something. We used to be two separate bodies, but we got shoved into the one upon arrival, and with telepathy’s rather... lethal... downsides, just having us talk through each other was probably the safer option.”
“I-I s-s-see...” the young mage mumbled after a moment. A lull passed over the two, neither of them quite ready to talk more just yet. Summer really didn’t want to keep her talking. To say she was nervous was an understatement, and forcing her to keep going in spite of that just felt cruel. He slumped down slightly deeper into the hot spring.
Quote:820 words
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