Easily Missed
A Mars fan fiction
By T.C.
"Mineyo."
Clunk.
"Mineyo, you know you're not supposed to throw rocks in the pond."
Clunk.
"Mineyo."
Clunk.
"But I like the sound."
"Of what?"
"The rocks hitting the water."
Clunk.
"But they'll yell at you."
"Yelling is loud and annoying."
"Then why don't you stop?"
"Because I like it."
There are two kinds of true silences. There's the warm, buzzing, heavy silence of the track star as he crosses the finish line before everyone else - the half second of silence before the crowd bursts into cheers. That half-second of warm excitement filled silence, in which one can't wait or doesn't seem to believe what has just happened. The other kind of silence is an empty, dead silence - a kind in which you experience when you truly believe and know what has happened. The kind you hear before death - crisp, clean and quiet - empty of all sound, of all emotion, but yet, so full of all your reflections on life. Any other kinds of silence fall between these two, like a falling leaf in autumn.
The silence between the two kids was one of those in between silences. It was a dull, plain silence. Silence that made both feel very uncomfortable. A silence that needed to be filled with sound, the sooner, the better. A silence that proved how much the two never really understood the other.
It was broken by another rock hitting the surface of the water, splattering droplets of the crystal clear liquid all around the two children. "That was a big one."
"Cool, ne?"
"Yeah."
The silence resumed. This time it was broken quite quickly.
"Dang."
"What?"
"I'm out of rocks."
"So?"
"Now I have nothing to do. Ori-chan, do you know where I can find more rocks?"
"Rocks are everywhere. Go and look for them."
No movement. The young ones stood, one along the bank of the pond in the mud, crouched down in the dirt, the other a few feet from it, on a small hill.
"Mineyo, why not go inside with me?"
"Inside is boring. I like being out here."
"Is dad giving you motorcycle lessons again today?"
"I think so."
"Are you excited?"
"Of course, I love the lessons."
The grass blew in a small breeze.
The blonde haired boy slowly walked over to where his sister had now started digging around in the mud. He watched as she dug through grass and dirt to find rocks. Then he bent down as well, to her level. But he didn't touch the dirt or grass.
"What are you doing, Ori? If you're not going to help me dig, then why are you just sitting there?"
"There's one. You missed it."
He pointed to a small, perfectly smooth rock a few feet from where she had been digging.
"Wow, I didn't see that one. You have good eyes."
"It was in a shadow, and it's a dark shaded color - it blended right in with the grass. Easily missed."
"You're so good with colors.just like mom."
She picked up the smooth rock and stared at it for a while. It was a lovely thing, easily could have been a gem to any child's rock collection.
Standing up, Mineyo chucked it into the pond with the hardest throw she could master.
Clunk.clunk.clunk.
"Cool, Mineyo! You made it skip."
"Of course I did, it *was* a perfect rock for skipping. It was only natural, you know?"
Her blonde braided pigtails blew fiercely in the wind. The small breeze had become a wind in a matter of minutes. The girl smiled as the cool air washed over her face.
"It's going to storm tonight," she said. "I can feel it." "You're right."
"Dad likes storms, maybe he'll let us sit out on the balcony with him and watch it."
"That would be cool."
The wind blew some more. The kids spotted dark clouds building up far away beyond the city. The actual storm wouldn't hit until later that day, after dinner. But the arm was becoming cool with the feeling of rain, and the wind made it clear that the clouds would be blowing their way soon enough.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
The boy stared intently at his twin.
"What now?"
"Well, do you want to walk around the park or something? I feel like running!"
Mineyo got up off the dirt and immediately started sprinting off into the grassy fields of the open park area. She skipped and ran through the fields like a butterfly let loose without a care in the world.
The wind was blowing just slightly harder now.
"Come on, Kaori, run with me!"
The boy shivered slightly. It was getting slightly colder now, courtesy of the wind.
"Please, Ori, come on!"
The boy reluctantly joined his sister in the field, watching as she skipped around him.
"Let's go to the swings now, you like the swings, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do. I like them better than this open field." The girl ran off in the direction of the playground jungle gym. Kaori followed slowly behind, keeping a steady pace. At least she wasn't throwing rocks anymore.
They reached the swings together, despite the fact that Mineyo had been running. She had taken many side turns and detours before she came to the playground. She loved running out in the open like that.
They sat on the swings in a new silence. One that wasn't really silence, as the wind was roaring around them. The clouds were slightly closer than they had been. The smell of rain was much more apparent than before, as well.
"Hey Ori, do you think there will be lightning?"
"Honestly, I don't know. You can never tell with storms."
"Very true, but I like lightning. I hope there is some. Maybe the storm will come sooner than dinner time."
"If it does, then we're in trouble. We should go home."
"A little longer, please."
She began to swing up and down; going higher than anyone else Kaori had ever seen swinging on a swing before. He stayed still and silent, sitting comfortably on his own swing without having to reach such heights as his sister.
"Storm there is a coming, storm that is so frightening, storm if you can hear me, im asking for some lightning!" Mineyo had begun to sing loudly as she was swinging.
There was a soft, far off roll of thunder as she sang, barely heard above those loud lyrics. Kaori heard it, though, and looked up at his sister with a new found confusion. Had she really called upon the lightning with her song?
"Come on, Mineyo, ley's go home."
"Mama is a painting, and papa's playing pool, and I'm on the swing, singing like a -"
" - Fool. Now come on, I heard thunder." Mineyo's swing stopped slowly, and her feet touched the ground with two loud thuds. Another rumble of far off thunder could be heard. Her eyes lit up excitedly.
"Maybe dad's home! We can all watch the storm before dinner this way!"
"But then you wont get your motorcycle lessons today."
She didn't hear him; she was too busy dancing around like some kind of crazy child. Kaori sighed. He too got up off his swing and followed her in the direction of the park entrance.
"Look! The clouds are approaching far faster than I thought they would! How cool!"
"Now we'll really have to hurry, or we'll be soaked if the rain starts."
The two kids hurried out of the park and into the streets of Tokyo. Their apartment lay to the west of where they were standing. If they got home in time, they would have a perfect view of the storm.
"I heard more thunder! This one is going to be a real big storm, I just know it!"
"You think so?"
"I do!"
They reached the apartment complex in no time, the clouds reaching a good position over the city, very close now.
The two kids rushed up the steps to their home, on one of the higher levels. A flash of lighting could be seen in the distance. Mineyo stopped right outside their door, staring off at the clouds with a happy, glazed look.
"Mineyo."
"I saw lightning! My song must have really worked!"
"Come on, come on. We can't sit and watch it all day."
Kaori turned to open the door. It was locked.
"Oh no.the front door is locked.we'll have to go around back."
"I think I'm gunna sit right here."
"Why? You'll be cold and besides, the storm -"
The girl had all ready sat down on the stairs and leaned against the front door of her apartment home. She stared off into the sky at the storm. The balcony over them would keep her dry; she just waited in watch as the storm approached even closer.
"Mineyo! You can't sit there! Come on - you're being so stubborn today! First the rocks, then the running, you won't listen to me at all, will you?"
"Kaori."
"No! You listen to me! You never do anything right, you're stubborn and reckless, like dad, and I don't see why I put up with you all the time, the silence between us is always an unpleasant one and -"
"Kaori."
Thunder sounded, much louder and closer.
"And now, we're all gunna get soaked and it's all because you won't walk around back with me!"
"Kaori, you know you're not supposed to throw rocks in the pond."
Thunder, and then some silence.
The boy blinked. His sister didn't look like she had heard anything he had just said. Yet, she must have been, for she had realized far before him that the silence between them was never pleasant. And now all she wanted to do was watch a storm. Locked doors, rocks, ponds, life, all she wanted to do was watch a storm. She was so much like her father. Caught up in the moment. Never caring what her brother thought of her, only caring about the moment she was in and nothing else.
Kaori sat down beside her. He sighed and rested his head on the railing of the steps. Lightning flashed again.
"It's a beautiful storm, ne?" "Yeah, it is."
"Kaori, I think we should stay out and watch the whole thing, like two birds in a tree, high above the city."
"I don't think we have a choice. Besides, it's hardly something you can miss."
He sighed to himself.
Just like our silence, he thought, Mineyo, just like our silence, it's hardly something you can miss.
**
A Mars fan fiction
By T.C.
"Mineyo."
Clunk.
"Mineyo, you know you're not supposed to throw rocks in the pond."
Clunk.
"Mineyo."
Clunk.
"But I like the sound."
"Of what?"
"The rocks hitting the water."
Clunk.
"But they'll yell at you."
"Yelling is loud and annoying."
"Then why don't you stop?"
"Because I like it."
There are two kinds of true silences. There's the warm, buzzing, heavy silence of the track star as he crosses the finish line before everyone else - the half second of silence before the crowd bursts into cheers. That half-second of warm excitement filled silence, in which one can't wait or doesn't seem to believe what has just happened. The other kind of silence is an empty, dead silence - a kind in which you experience when you truly believe and know what has happened. The kind you hear before death - crisp, clean and quiet - empty of all sound, of all emotion, but yet, so full of all your reflections on life. Any other kinds of silence fall between these two, like a falling leaf in autumn.
The silence between the two kids was one of those in between silences. It was a dull, plain silence. Silence that made both feel very uncomfortable. A silence that needed to be filled with sound, the sooner, the better. A silence that proved how much the two never really understood the other.
It was broken by another rock hitting the surface of the water, splattering droplets of the crystal clear liquid all around the two children. "That was a big one."
"Cool, ne?"
"Yeah."
The silence resumed. This time it was broken quite quickly.
"Dang."
"What?"
"I'm out of rocks."
"So?"
"Now I have nothing to do. Ori-chan, do you know where I can find more rocks?"
"Rocks are everywhere. Go and look for them."
No movement. The young ones stood, one along the bank of the pond in the mud, crouched down in the dirt, the other a few feet from it, on a small hill.
"Mineyo, why not go inside with me?"
"Inside is boring. I like being out here."
"Is dad giving you motorcycle lessons again today?"
"I think so."
"Are you excited?"
"Of course, I love the lessons."
The grass blew in a small breeze.
The blonde haired boy slowly walked over to where his sister had now started digging around in the mud. He watched as she dug through grass and dirt to find rocks. Then he bent down as well, to her level. But he didn't touch the dirt or grass.
"What are you doing, Ori? If you're not going to help me dig, then why are you just sitting there?"
"There's one. You missed it."
He pointed to a small, perfectly smooth rock a few feet from where she had been digging.
"Wow, I didn't see that one. You have good eyes."
"It was in a shadow, and it's a dark shaded color - it blended right in with the grass. Easily missed."
"You're so good with colors.just like mom."
She picked up the smooth rock and stared at it for a while. It was a lovely thing, easily could have been a gem to any child's rock collection.
Standing up, Mineyo chucked it into the pond with the hardest throw she could master.
Clunk.clunk.clunk.
"Cool, Mineyo! You made it skip."
"Of course I did, it *was* a perfect rock for skipping. It was only natural, you know?"
Her blonde braided pigtails blew fiercely in the wind. The small breeze had become a wind in a matter of minutes. The girl smiled as the cool air washed over her face.
"It's going to storm tonight," she said. "I can feel it." "You're right."
"Dad likes storms, maybe he'll let us sit out on the balcony with him and watch it."
"That would be cool."
The wind blew some more. The kids spotted dark clouds building up far away beyond the city. The actual storm wouldn't hit until later that day, after dinner. But the arm was becoming cool with the feeling of rain, and the wind made it clear that the clouds would be blowing their way soon enough.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
The boy stared intently at his twin.
"What now?"
"Well, do you want to walk around the park or something? I feel like running!"
Mineyo got up off the dirt and immediately started sprinting off into the grassy fields of the open park area. She skipped and ran through the fields like a butterfly let loose without a care in the world.
The wind was blowing just slightly harder now.
"Come on, Kaori, run with me!"
The boy shivered slightly. It was getting slightly colder now, courtesy of the wind.
"Please, Ori, come on!"
The boy reluctantly joined his sister in the field, watching as she skipped around him.
"Let's go to the swings now, you like the swings, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do. I like them better than this open field." The girl ran off in the direction of the playground jungle gym. Kaori followed slowly behind, keeping a steady pace. At least she wasn't throwing rocks anymore.
They reached the swings together, despite the fact that Mineyo had been running. She had taken many side turns and detours before she came to the playground. She loved running out in the open like that.
They sat on the swings in a new silence. One that wasn't really silence, as the wind was roaring around them. The clouds were slightly closer than they had been. The smell of rain was much more apparent than before, as well.
"Hey Ori, do you think there will be lightning?"
"Honestly, I don't know. You can never tell with storms."
"Very true, but I like lightning. I hope there is some. Maybe the storm will come sooner than dinner time."
"If it does, then we're in trouble. We should go home."
"A little longer, please."
She began to swing up and down; going higher than anyone else Kaori had ever seen swinging on a swing before. He stayed still and silent, sitting comfortably on his own swing without having to reach such heights as his sister.
"Storm there is a coming, storm that is so frightening, storm if you can hear me, im asking for some lightning!" Mineyo had begun to sing loudly as she was swinging.
There was a soft, far off roll of thunder as she sang, barely heard above those loud lyrics. Kaori heard it, though, and looked up at his sister with a new found confusion. Had she really called upon the lightning with her song?
"Come on, Mineyo, ley's go home."
"Mama is a painting, and papa's playing pool, and I'm on the swing, singing like a -"
" - Fool. Now come on, I heard thunder." Mineyo's swing stopped slowly, and her feet touched the ground with two loud thuds. Another rumble of far off thunder could be heard. Her eyes lit up excitedly.
"Maybe dad's home! We can all watch the storm before dinner this way!"
"But then you wont get your motorcycle lessons today."
She didn't hear him; she was too busy dancing around like some kind of crazy child. Kaori sighed. He too got up off his swing and followed her in the direction of the park entrance.
"Look! The clouds are approaching far faster than I thought they would! How cool!"
"Now we'll really have to hurry, or we'll be soaked if the rain starts."
The two kids hurried out of the park and into the streets of Tokyo. Their apartment lay to the west of where they were standing. If they got home in time, they would have a perfect view of the storm.
"I heard more thunder! This one is going to be a real big storm, I just know it!"
"You think so?"
"I do!"
They reached the apartment complex in no time, the clouds reaching a good position over the city, very close now.
The two kids rushed up the steps to their home, on one of the higher levels. A flash of lighting could be seen in the distance. Mineyo stopped right outside their door, staring off at the clouds with a happy, glazed look.
"Mineyo."
"I saw lightning! My song must have really worked!"
"Come on, come on. We can't sit and watch it all day."
Kaori turned to open the door. It was locked.
"Oh no.the front door is locked.we'll have to go around back."
"I think I'm gunna sit right here."
"Why? You'll be cold and besides, the storm -"
The girl had all ready sat down on the stairs and leaned against the front door of her apartment home. She stared off into the sky at the storm. The balcony over them would keep her dry; she just waited in watch as the storm approached even closer.
"Mineyo! You can't sit there! Come on - you're being so stubborn today! First the rocks, then the running, you won't listen to me at all, will you?"
"Kaori."
"No! You listen to me! You never do anything right, you're stubborn and reckless, like dad, and I don't see why I put up with you all the time, the silence between us is always an unpleasant one and -"
"Kaori."
Thunder sounded, much louder and closer.
"And now, we're all gunna get soaked and it's all because you won't walk around back with me!"
"Kaori, you know you're not supposed to throw rocks in the pond."
Thunder, and then some silence.
The boy blinked. His sister didn't look like she had heard anything he had just said. Yet, she must have been, for she had realized far before him that the silence between them was never pleasant. And now all she wanted to do was watch a storm. Locked doors, rocks, ponds, life, all she wanted to do was watch a storm. She was so much like her father. Caught up in the moment. Never caring what her brother thought of her, only caring about the moment she was in and nothing else.
Kaori sat down beside her. He sighed and rested his head on the railing of the steps. Lightning flashed again.
"It's a beautiful storm, ne?" "Yeah, it is."
"Kaori, I think we should stay out and watch the whole thing, like two birds in a tree, high above the city."
"I don't think we have a choice. Besides, it's hardly something you can miss."
He sighed to himself.
Just like our silence, he thought, Mineyo, just like our silence, it's hardly something you can miss.
**
