What a rambled short. But, I hope you enjoy.
The familiar rhythm of waves crashing on the shore. A soft salt scented breeze. Transformation in the ground from hard, durable concrete to a shifting substance that picked up due to the smallest of gusts. Even with her eyes closed, MOMO knew exactly where she was.
"You can open them now."
The small realian girl let her eyes flutter for a second, quite unlike a child in her patience – waiting for the view to come to her rather than rushing towards the view. There was a tickling in her cheeks and she didn't resist the tug that beckoned her lips into a smile.
"Wow." And the word wasn't fake; the beautiful ocean view never failed to surprise her, although she had already known Jr. had taken her to the Kukai Foundation Beach.
"I guess it's not really a surprise, huh? I always take you here." The words tumbled out of Jr.'s mouth in a bout of sudden embarrassment. Of course she knew. But then again, he reasoned, maybe he'd take her to a real beach one day and then she'd really be surprised.
"Well, I did cheat a little bit." MOMO turned away from the lapping waves of the sea and tapped one of her bright red sensors.
MOMO turned once more and headed toward the dock. When Jr. decided to surprise her with a trip to the ocean, she wasn't given the chance to bring her bathing suite. However, they'd become accustomed to simply talking while sitting on the dock and watching the mock sunset. Sometimes they didn't even talk, and it seemed there was this sort of understanding between them.
They understood – understood what it was to simply be. Exist. Acknowledge. Accept.
Their sitting position revealed much about the both – seemingly – children. MOMO sat with her legs hanging over the end of the dock. The slender limbs kicked back and forth in a childish manner. She leaned on her hands, which were placed a little behind her hips, so that her shoulders scrunched up to her ears – a perfect rest for her tilted head. Jr. sat cross legged, elbows propped on his knees to enable his hands to support his chin. He stared at the sun with an intent gaze similar to the one on his face when watching an old western.
There was a long, but comfortable silence. However, Jr. soon noticed that MOMO's kicking legs changed tempo, from an easy swing to an uncomfortable, nervous swish. He took this as his cue to talk, understanding that that was what she wanted. Who was observant now?
But what to say?
"Someday I'll take you to a real one." So much for surprise. Jr. chuckled at himself, hoping that he hadn't completely ruined his future chance to amaze her with a real beach. MOMO, however, didn't notice.
"Is the real thing better?"
She chose her words carefully; they had to be calm, neutral, normal – but not too much. She controlled her tone with an accuracy that she had never known to be an ability of hers. But, of course, she wasn't going to get emotional and childish now. Her curiosity overwhelmed her in such a way that she knew she needed a real answer, not just words of comfort. No, the real question couldn't work.
Are real people better?
And from that…
Is she better?
Still, Jr. picked it up. However, he too did not let on. Perhaps this would be the best chance for clarification. But…
"Of course real things are better." At this, he flashed his trademark confident grin.
MOMO's breath caught at these words, but before there was any other reaction, Jr. continued.
"But you know, the thing that gets me most about imitations…Well, there's less than a one in a billion chance of getting two things exactly alike simply by chance. But when you got something trying to be something else – well – that'll just never work."
Jr. had tried to express his feelings in an indirect but understandable manner. However, he knew he needed to articulate his point further. He looked directly in MOMO's eyes, as if his gaze could drive in the point.
"What I'm trying to say is that – in trying to be something else, that something else will never be truly imitated."
Not quite it. Jr looked towards the sun once more, as if its radiant glow would bestow upon him the precise words he was currently struggling for.
"Things can only just…be."
Jr. smiled to himself, noting that he had finally rambled to his true point. He had it now.
"Like me. Like you. Like right now. No lies, no masks, no fakes. Just being here. This is the truth. And…
"Things like this are the only things that can exist."
Like you.
After letting his message sink in, Jr. stood up and turned to go to the beach house.
MOMO felt like crying then. But she didn't. She laughed instead, because that action was such a more freeing thing. The laughter choked in her throat, and she coughed, but the scratching pain felt as if she was simply scrubbing herself free from dark and dirty thing. Then, she noticed that she had, indeed, cried a little bit. Instead of feeling childish, she simply wiped away the wetness that had gathered in her bottom lashes, but had never quite fallen from hat point.
After a bit, MOMO too stood up and headed towards the beach house. It was where she knew she needed to go now. Where she knew she would find Jr. waiting for her with a welcoming smile. Where she knew they would both laugh and have fun.
And it would all be real.
Errrrr, reviews…please? They would make me really happy.