AN: An assignment from school. Ironically, I'm farily sure that this is going to be one of my best papers. It almost wrote itself. That makes me EXTREMELY happy. ^.^
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Wind pouted as it whistled across the side of the mountain. It was just so lonely! There was only one who could understand it, and Wind sensed that he would not live for much longer. It sighed, sending little eddies of air to brush the treetops. Why did all the good listeners have to leave so soon? It turned away from the mountaintop, rushing down to the forest at the base. Perhaps it could find another listener? It had heard from its small cousin, Cloud, that there was a human settlement nearby. Maybe someone would be able to hear it there. It would be nice to have some company after Ikki was gone.
Wind rolled though the trees, keeping alert for any humans. There was one, but he felt like River, the smug little annoyance. The flighty element passed him by, ignoring River's laughter. Another, but no, he is unable to hear the wind's whispers. It shifted around, trying to find someone that could hear it. It slumped a little when the search turned up nothing, the breeze dying down a bit. It went back up the mountain. Wind would search another day.
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Gale howled in sorrow. Its listener, its only friend had passed into the realm of its lady, End. Why- WHY does she always take its listeners? It raged its grief to Earth and to River and to Cloud, and even to Moon and Sun above. The winds of its anguish lashed out at the trees and the sides of its mountaintop home, causing debris to be tossed around and pummel the human town.
Why?
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Breeze dejectedly glided through the forest, whispering to all those who passed through. No one answered back. A presence stumbled into its range, and it halfheartedly whispered again. Can you hear me? Will I still be alone? No answer was given.
Breeze swirled around to bother River. River always had company, even if for just a few moments at a time. Lately, a person had been listening to River and answering. Breeze huffed in annoyance and jealousy. Few ever came up to its home to live and be friends. Breeze shook itself, this was no time to be wallowing in self-pity! End would always look on Wind with love- what else did it need? Breeze drooped. Who was it kidding? Not River, for sure. River was laughing at it. It had always been lonely.
It gave up whispering to individuals as a bad job, and started adding whispers of its own to those that it always carries. A faint cry was heard next to River, and Breeze gusted over. A human was sitting by the river, the same one that had stumbled into the forest not very long ago. He seemed lonely, too.
Hello. Who are you? Can you hear me?
Breeze looked on in amusement as the human whipped around, startled. It had found a listener! Good Fortune must like it today, as, had it whispered any later, River probably would have babbled at the human, because that is all River ever really does, and caught his attention. The human was speaking to it. Saying his name and asking who it was.
I am Breeze, and Wind, and Gale. I am Lady End's favored one and closest to Cloud, Moon, and Sun.
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This new listener, Siddhartha, was immensely amusing. Apparently, his whole life has been one big search for Truth. Silly little human, Truth is even more flighty than Wind itself. Truth is not easily caught, and even less easily retained. Wind chuckled to itself. This little human, on the hunt for the many-faceted jewel that is Truth.
For some reason unknown to Wind, this particular little human thought that he could find Truth in the whispers that are carried by it, or perhaps even Wind itself. Wind chuckled a little, sending tiny gusts to play with the human's hair. The little one has no idea. What fun!
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Wind settled down and started to instruct its human listener. It described the achievements of empires far away, the greatest masterpieces of some of the most respected humans on Earth. Its human questioned the point; how does this help his search for Truth? Wind gently chided him- it was not quite finished. Wind then told the other side of the story. It told of the chaos and destruction those seemingly great things caused, how they made people suffer and eventually rise up against them. It told him of how Wind itself could be a blessing or a curse.
Wind sighed, the human did not yet understand. Wind told the human to listen to the whispers it carries. Listen carefully. Perhaps he could find Truth, and the wisdom that came with it, on his own.
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Gale stormed angrily around the mountaintop. Stupid, bothersome humans! Gale sighed, rather peeved. It missed Ikki! Ikki, the 'Storm Lord'! The one who listened, never pestering Gale incessantly, never asking constant questions, and never asked for wisdom!
Gale growled, causing Cloud to come over and ask what was wrong- and unintentionally rain on the humans and forests in its path. Gale snickered a little at this. Cloud does tend to be a little careless. This caused Cloud to let out a huff of its own, briefly waking Lightning. Lightning said hello in its thunderous voice, waking the human.
Gale glared at Cloud, who returned the favor. Eventually, they gave up and broke down, laughing. Cloud moved off, leaving the human standing there, confused as to what just happened. He asked. Gale only guffawed.
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One day, the human asked who this 'Ikki' is. Wind wilted a bit, disheartened. Apparently, the human had overheard some of Winds mutterings. Wind woefully began the tale.
Itsuki 'Ikki' Minami was my last listener. He followed a way of life called 'Hurricane Path', a path that led to him finding me. He was... my friend.
Siddhartha closed his eyes in contemplation. When he opened them, he said only one thing.
"I would like to be your friend as well."
Wind stopped suddenly, the air going still, deathlike. Wind remained this way for several minutes. Siddhartha waited, patiently, silently. Wind started chuckling, then laughing, then downright whooping with joy. A friend! Wind is not alone any longer! While Wind may only have some time before End comes to take him, it has a friend!
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Wind danced across Earth, singing its joy to World. Cloud beamed at it, and River babbled happily. Sun blew a congratulatory wave of heat that Wind basked in. Wind even felt Moon send its little signal of shared joy. Earth just chuckled a little, causing grasses to stand a little taller and trees to lift their branches slightly. Lady End just smiled a soft, small smile.
Wind acknowledged the presence of its Lady with a loving gust toward her home in Abyss. She giggled a little at its antics. The rest of World shared a smile at them.
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Breeze sighed, how frustrating! Ikki was never this troublesome. Ikki understood. Siddhartha does not. How can one instruct another in wisdom? Breeze shook itself. Siddhartha was asking again. It got an idea. It asked Siddhartha to listen while it told him what Truth is. Siddhartha sat down and listened, obligingly. Breeze remained silent. The human grew irked at this, but held his peace. Breeze softly, gently let the whispering of the winds return with whispers of beings all around the world. The hum was too indistinct to make out what was being said, or even what was making the noise. Siddhartha's eyes widened.
"Om."
Breeze laughed, he had it, that first step!
Deeper, always deeper! Listen with your heart!
Siddhartha smiled. World followed suit.