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Post by Kei on Jan 13, 2007 21:28:53 GMT 1
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. .......
"'There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroads. Afraid. Confused. Without a roadmap. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days.
Of course, when faced with the unknown, most of us would rather turn around and go back. But once in awhile people push on to something better- something found just beyond the pain of going it alone and just beyond the bravery and courage it takes to let someone in. Or to give someone a second chance. Something beyond the quiet persistence of a dream. Because it's only when you're tested that you discover who you truly are. And it's only when you're tested that you discover who you can be. The person you want to be does exist, somewhere on the other side of hard work, faith and belief, and beyond heartache and fear of what lies ahead of you... and you're darkness'."
~Is that right, Leon..~
"And does this darkness have a name? This cruelty, this hatred, how did it find us? Did it steal into our lives or did we seek it out and embrace it? When did we lose our way? Consumed by the shadows. Swallowed whole by the darkness. Does this darkness have a name? Is it your name?" Keisuke mumbled to himself... in response to what his brother told him long ago.. remembering exactly what his older brother had said to him before his untimely death. Feeling the soft warm wind blowing toward his face, his hair bounced up a little, acknowledging the presence of something so dear. Wearing a black wife-beater, with a white long-sleeve button-up shirt over with the buttons undone (the sleeve buttons were undone as well, the ones close to the wrist, and, he rolled his sleeves up only a little), he looked toward the setting sun over the Pacific ocean. He sitting down with his knees in the hair, his shoes resting gently on the sand. The excess of his (slightly darkened) khaki-colored dress pants hang down low to the sand, enjoying the soft breeze coming by as well. He lay his arms over his knees, with his hands meeting in in front toward the middle. Slightly hunching his back forward a bit, he thought of the last thing his brother said to him..
"'You can't run away from weakness; you must fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand'?"
Keisuke... he never answered that question. This conversation he just mumbled to himself.. as finally found it's end. Foolishly enough... the reason why he never answered it, was because.. he didn't know what his weaknesses were. Grabbing his black thread necklace, he started pulling on it, hurting his neck immensely. He had this necklace for years now, and it was getting tight. This worn out memento... it started to weigh more than the world. He begged to get rid of it, he became desperate.. and thought about his weaknesses. ~Just another day... right?~
Staring into the orange sky, a small smile crept on his face. What was this thing called life? Was he born into it, or was it born into him? Whatever it the answer is... he knew there was something more powerful out there, that gave him right to be alive.
OOC: Just in case, it's Sunset.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Jan 14, 2007 4:02:48 GMT 1
((OOC: As promised~))
It was a warm day and it was still warm when the sun began to set. Valencia didn’t have anything to do in particular that day, so she decided to go to the beach and take this opportunity to be more lively with the friends she’ve made over the years. From noon ‘til near-evening, she was kite-flying with a group of kids like she usually did whenever she paid them a visit and even when it was time for them to go home… She was still flying her kite against the backdrop of a setting sun. Sailing high up in the sky was a kite in the shape of a white bird and down below was Valencia in a loose-fitting white shirt and black shorts, seemingly mimicking its movements with each dip and glide it made.
She ran barefoot along the sandy beach, smiling as she steered the contraption all over the place while her arms were spread out like wings… Seemingly as if she wanted to fly herself. A one-handed cartwheel and the kite followed suit, tumbling in the air. A spin and the kite did the same, scaring off some seagulls. Valencia tightened her grip on the string when she stopped to walk into the shallow waters and have her kite wheel to follow the wind as it changed direction. Here, she was right across from the contemplating man, but paid little mind to him, assuming that he was just someone enjoying the sunset. She stood there as the sand beneath her began to wash away with the receding tide and laughed when she felt a tiny tickling sensation, which belonged to the tiny hermit crabs that wanted to burrow deeper into the earth. By now, the water surrounded her ankles and she stepped deeper into the ocean so that she’d feel that wondrous feeling again. She wasn’t disappointed when the waves once again carried the sand beneath her feet away. Then, she began to sing to herself, imagining the music of the orchestra along with it…
“How they play,
Finding treasure in the sand.
They're forever hand in hand,
Our children.
How they laugh,
She has never laughed like this.
Every waking moment, bliss.
Our children.
See them running down the beach.
Children run so fast...
Toward the future...
From the past.
How they dance,
Unembarrassed and alone.
Hearing msuic of their own,
Our children.
One so fair,
And the other, lithe and dark.
Solemn joy and sudden spark,
Our children.
See them running down the beach.
Children run so fast
Toward the future
From the past.
There they stand,
Making footprints in the sand,
And forever hand in hand,
Our children.
Two small lives,
Silhouetted by the blue,
One like me
And one like you.
Our children.
Our children.~♪”
A beautiful duet… Sung by the Mother and Tateh in “Ragtime”… My aunt and uncle sound lovely each time they sing it when they’re bored enough…
Valencia by then began to reel in her kite in the shape of a white bird. Once she was done, she began to walk back to the shore, appreciating each and every step she took.
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Post by Kei on Jan 14, 2007 8:58:12 GMT 1
~'Our children'? We haven't even met yet.~
Kei joked to himself. He had on a decent sized smile now, holding almost nothing back. But, even then, he still thought about his brother. This wasn't the time for it, not anymore. To Keisuke, even by thinking around other people, he considered to be the same as talking out loud. They don't want to hear things you want to say, and therefore don't need to see one in such contemplation. Despite that... the words to the song made his heart jump... he wanted to cry. He wanted to scream. How he loved being a child... he was invincible, without a care in the world. He loved, and was loved. He never would've expected for his perfect world to change. And in the end... these lyrics made him happy. He'll never abandon his memories. Aside from that, this happy-go lucky-girl just brightened his whole atmosphere. It was finally time for a change in pace.
"Hey! That was a really nice song there." He yelled, waving his right hand gently in the air, trying to catch her attention. In a way, he was surprised he said this out loud. The first time some stranger came up to him with a handshake he was getting out of his older brother's brand new sports car, asking if it was stock and he became nervous. No one in his school at the time would just walk up to somebody looking for a conversation.. It wasn't common. But, people change, and so do the times. He took off his glasses with his right hand, and laid them (with the glasses legs open) on the sand close to his fingers. Afterwards, turning his eyes towards the clouds, he then focused on the girl walking back toward shore.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Jan 14, 2007 10:41:09 GMT 1
Valencia. If she recalled correctly, her name meant strength. She sometimes considered about what kind of strength her name implied, but always settled upon some sort of prowess whenever she set her mind to something. Right now, she felt like the strongest person in the world and not because of the adamant aura she typically gave off, but rather the feeling of freedom she was exhibiting. A breeze flowed by and carried her long “blonde” hair in the wind, some covering up on her face, but she didn’t bother with it. Valencia carried her kite over her shoulder when she heard a voice complimenting her. She turned her head slightly to show that she heard him, nodded, yet didn’t look completely into his direction.
Walking barefooted on the beach was dangerous sometimes because tourists often left trash, but she was careful with each step she took. All Valencia did to make sure that she didn’t hurt herself while walking and keeping her gaze forward was to look ahead. It interested her how at times people walk looking down, especially at their feet. The smile on her face faded, but the vibrant glow in her eyes remained. Once she reached her destination, she sat down by the individual’s side so that her ankles would dry.
“Gratitude. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to witness the musical the song came from, but I watched a movie based off of it. No singing though.”
Not enough warm days in San Francisco, particularly during the winter… The cold always seems to make me want to sleep…
“So… I believe I’d be rude if this isn’t done eventually, so I will introduce myself. I am Valencia Donahue. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
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Post by Kei on Jan 15, 2007 8:35:11 GMT 1
~Valencia. It's pretty.~ Keisuke thought to himself. Of course, that wasn't the only thing he realized when she spoke to him. She was formal, perhaps way too formal. Who was she? And where did she come from? Questions that will be hopefully answered in the nearby future. The problem is that, Kei is unfortunately, excessively observant. Even the little things that aren't important he comes to notice, something that his brother explained to him to always keep track of just in case anything happens.
Noticing her about to sit down next to him, he picked up his glasses and put them under his right leg. Giving her space, and making sure his glasses dont break this time. Finding it disrespectful looking toward a girl about to sit down (afterall, he isn't a 'curious' boy anymore), he turned toward baby waves crashing upon the shore, only to be overcome by slightly larger waves, leading into constant recession of stroke after stroke. He stared toward the ocean, looking toward the horizon... looking for when the Sky merged with the Earth. He wanted to take a picture of this... where he was from, he never had a chance to go to the beach so easily like this. He wanted to take a picture... but his phone's camera is broken, and he doesnt carry around a camera yet. Battery's still charging at the house. He always planned on taking Photography jobs if all his other goals were for some reason unable to be completed. Remaining mentally focused on what was in front of him, he turned his head toward Valencia as she introduced herself. From there, he grew nervous. He didnt know whether to look at her and introduce himself, or not even turn at all. It really has been awhile since he met someone.
"Yeah, Nice to meet you." He said, looking down slightly toward his hands. "My name's Keisuke Varial, but, you may call me Kei if you wish." Keisuke stated, turning his head towards her for his last sentence.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Jan 16, 2007 7:41:44 GMT 1
With her white bird-shaped kite slung over her back, Valencia used her free hands to wrap them around her legs as she peered at the horizon. She wasn’t looking directly at the sun, but instead at the ocean beneath the sun before it got swallowed up by the sea. That wasn’t going to happen in a while though. Sunsets are relatively quick, but not finished in a blink of an eye. It always fascinated her how the sun, like the moon, looks massive when it meet the distance. She turned her head only a smidge when Kei introduced himself and nodded.
“Keisuke…”
Keisuke… Kei… Kei… Kei-Kei… Kei-Kei-Kei… KKK? Huh…?
For split second, a confused look appeared on her face after thinking those odd thoughts. But once the confusion cleared up, she felt more at ease as a gentle salty breeze wafted through the air and through her locks. It felt refreshing and it wasn’t an extremely windy day where sand got into your eye. Valencia resumed watching the ocean as a flock of pelicans landed on its surface.
“So… What brings you out here this… Sundown?”
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Post by Kei on Jan 18, 2007 0:27:33 GMT 1
"Heh."
It was a good question. For the most part, he didn't know himself. He enjoyed the scenery, and on impulse he parked his car to go into the beach as he almost passed it. He sought for personal reflection, going to where he almost never went before. Should he tell her the truth? Should he tell her how he feels? Supposedly, he shouldn't, since she's a stranger, but, because she's a stranger it wouldnt matter if he told her even anything at all. However, for the sake of conversation, and respect, Keisuke will just have to rely on his ability to let go of his decaying mind.
"Well, I was driving by, and I managed to take a glimpse of the beach during rush hour. After finding my way to toward town. I took the road leading here." Keisuke said. Looking toward the ocean for when he was talking, he decided to tell her that of which he wished to stay in beach for. "I was... uh... thinking about my family back home. You see, I just moved here last week; me and my younger brother." Kei's tone deepened only a little, only to compensate for his voice growing only a tad-bit quieter. Now looking toward her, he sought to conclude his response. "When I was much younger, me, my older brother, my cousins, and basically the grownups always went to the beach when we all had time. Especially in the summer, during Fourth of July, we always ran off to a decently empty spot to have our soccer game. Needless to say, it hurt a lot." He ended up having a small chuckle, remembering kicking the sandy ball with his small bare-feet.
"And yourself?"
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Jan 18, 2007 4:24:31 GMT 1
Judging by the changing volume of Keisuke’s voice, Valencia believed that the answer given more than sufficed and to further burrow into another’s painful affairs was not only impolite… But unnecessary. To her, someone is a stranger until you get to know him or her. She was a stranger and so was he, and now the two of them were at least vague acquaintances by now due to their somewhat growing relationship. It wasn’t a deep one, but it was one nonetheless. She closed her eyes and respectfully nodded after hearing his story. In a way, she envied that he had a sibling and as far as she was concerned, she had none, cannot recall if she had any cousins, and lived a life of strange solitude. Not an entirely lonesome solitude, but one that would’ve been a bit less painful at some parts of she had someone she could at relate to by blood. The most she had of that was her aunt that raised her.
I had no one to lose except for my mother, who was killed by my birth… And my father who wanted to witness it. I can’t completely relate to your grief, but I still know what pain is when I feel it…
In spite of that lapse of sadness instilled into her heart by Keisuke’s anecdote, Valencia still smiled quietly and calmly. She didn’t let go of all the moments where she had to suffer alone. However, she didn’t let it smother her fire either. She moved on and she kept a steady grip on her identity, letting her resilience be the testament of her weird and wonderful past. And… To be honest, even to this day she didn’t understand how she did it. When he asked why she herself was at the beach, she answered with eyes still closed…
“It was a warm day and I took the opportunity to go kite-flying with my friends. I was playing with them since noon and you can say that I can be entertained for a long while when given the chance to.”
Valencia motioned to the kite that hung on her back.
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Post by Kei on Jan 21, 2007 10:27:25 GMT 1
OOC: SORRY! I've been busy these past few days, and whenever I was on the computer I was either TOO tired or my brother was doing some research.
IC: "Really? Cool. Last time I tried flying a kite I was seven.. and failed miserably. Then I cried." Keisuke said, ending up laughing a little since he remembered the amusing experience. Though, he knew it was something he should be at least slightly embarrassed about. "It was right after a soccer game too. I remember since it was the first time I made a goal during a real game." Kei felt weird saying 'real' to describe the game it was- it was a league game, yes, but to him, all games were real. Whether it was with friends or official matches, he put his heart and soul into winning, and that, nothing could ever take away.
"You know, you make it seem like you don't have fun very often.. any reason as to why?" He asked her, referring to the last words she said.. 'when given the chance to.' Kei thought about these words carefully. Yeah, she seems like a formal girl, but, could she be serious to the extent where she doesn't seek out ways of entertainment? He himself is "mentally screwed" one might say, but he loves to smile. Kei has his pains and burdens.. perhaps too many, but he's optimistic about living, about there being a brighter day... and especially about not only him, but everyone finding happiness at some point in life.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Jan 21, 2007 21:16:28 GMT 1
((OOC: No worries~))
“Aww~”
…Valencia said with a small laugh. It kinda cute and she had to admit, everyone must have had memories of the similar sort if they dug deep enough for them. She remembered a couple of times where she got hurt somehow or another when she was learning acrobatics. She was so determined to reach the goal her aunt and uncle set up before she was allowed to get some circus training. Looking back, she had to smile at some of the nutsy things she did and considered it “training”… Like running and jumping from couch to couch, furniture to furniture before her guardians got a figurative heart attack stopping her. Look at her now. Now she’s doing even more dangerous things. Valencia sighed when Keisuke made a keen observation and asked a pretty good question. It wasn’t a bad one, but one out of thought.
“Hmm… Well, I do have fun and compared to a good few, I have fun all the time. It’s just a matter of opportunity, so to speak. Nowadays, you can say that I’m at that time of age where I’m looking back and looking forward, assessing my progression of self. I think everyone gets there eventually…”
She opened her silvery eyes and witnessed the sun the beginning to make its hasty plunge, and smiled as it became a colossal sphere crashing into the horizon. It was an amazing sight and Valencia just couldn’t help but be reminded of the Little Prince who adored sunsets on his planet.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking… I’m a senior getting ready for college and life beyond that, even though I think I’m already generally set. The thing is, I feel like something is missing and I’ve been drifting about ever since, looking for it. A bit like how if you play an RPG, you want to go back and find that rare treasure chest in a room of some dungeon you overlooked. I have almost everything I need… I’m just having trouble knowing where to go with life.”
Valencia shifted her weight so that she’d get into a more comfortable position.
“Huh… Other than that, I wish I knew why as well.”
Heheh… There I go again… Rambling on, not making any sense… Silly me…
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Post by Kei on Jan 22, 2007 22:06:30 GMT 1
Keisuke followed Valencia's sun-lit eyes toward their sun. This was his perfect ending. This was how he wanted to die. All of his most emotional moments in life were witnessed by this glorious orange sun. Probably one of the things that has influenced his life til now, something that he will never forget, was when his friend took his spot during a soccer game. Kei was laughing too much, and was a little tired. When he turned to sit down, he saw his friend's book opened to what was just written before the substitution... 'You know, say what you will about the ravages of sports in this corporate age where overpaid athletes expect prima donna treatment, but there's still something so unifying about sporting in its purest form -- when athletes rise above themselves and touch greatness, and in doing so remind us all that we all have greatness inside of us.' He remembered... feeling such pride inside of him, some supernatural force in him that made him happy to be alive, happy to be the person he was. Soccer wasn't his way to greatness... his friends were.
"Maybe..." Keisuke lowered his head slightly, looking toward the shore. "Maybe it's just motivation." He mentioned, moving his eyes even lower to his shirt. Kei felt a little awkward saying this. He was motivation's enemy, and he learned that inspiration is quite a powerful thing. "You say you're ready... but do you really believe that? Academics... ignore that. That's the last thing you have to worry about." Shifting his eyes toward the sky, he admired the purple taking over the blue, only to end up orange as one looked down. Amazing really. "I think... you have to take a look at you're self-progression, and just how much you progressed from when you started. I think that when you find yourself that calm, you'll be truly happy." As he finished his last words, he looked toward her briefly.
"Forgive me." He was apologizing for how he spoke. He wasn't expecting to get on a level so quick, and hopefully she wouldn't take offense. But, that was how he felt.
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Post by Valencia Donahue on Jan 24, 2007 1:29:48 GMT 1
Valencia then stood up and took a few steps forward after Keisuke spoke. A breeze began to pick up as her golden hair hovered in the wind. The light of the setting sun silhouetted her form as she took in his words, letting them sink into her mind. There were many things in the world that intrigued her, like the sounds of foreign languages and exotic dishes, but if there was one thing that she loved above all else, it was insight. Looking through someone else’s eyes and seeing something new always made her feel happy deep down inside. Each time she learned something new, it was like gaining another level of perception, if not sensation as well, and an understanding of the world around her too. The kite on her back fluttered like a pair of white wings as the shine of her hair flashed a corona-like halo for a second when she looked over her shoulder at Keisuke.
“No worries… And I believe I understand what you mean…”
…You can say that Valencia looked like an angel for a split-second with the wings and whatnot as the sun finally completed its chariot race across the sky and into the depths of the ocean. It was like a crescendo and the crashing of waves celebrated the glorious wonder that just happened, while the sky was still illuminated by the rays of the sun before fading into a peaceful darkness. It wasn’t pitch-black darkness though, but either way…
“Thank you for your confidence… I shall keep it… Here…”
Smiling, she began to head off elsewhere before speaking to Keisuke one last time.
“I must be going now. It’s getting late-ish and my roommate is cooking tonight. It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Keisuke. I hope we meet again.”
((OOC: Gotta study for finals this week… Wish me luck!))
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