In the suburbs of a small town, in the hills of a small state, there stood a small statue. It was nestled betwixt three classic brick walls (about the height of your average joe) covered with ivy tendrils that reached out as if trying to touch the statue's worn face. The statue itself didn't seem very special, made of ordinary gray, weather washed stone. Its craft was ordinary as well, though no one knew the artist. The figure was of a young woman of poetic grace, wrapped in a flowing dress that flowed around her legs like stone silk. Her hands were clasped together and lay limp at her waist, but what made the statue special was her face. It was tilted slightly to the side, eyes open with an expression of sadness, hope and determination, while dirty streaks left from years of rain streaked her cheeks like generations of tears. At the feet of the statue were inscribed in rough carving the words "Our Lady of Tears".
In the park which the stone lady stood, a small figure made her way to the statue past the screaming children, and kneeled in the grass by its feet. Inquisitive blue eyes examined each and every inch, as if in search of something, and then...
"Ah ha! I knew I'd find you! You were here all along; do you know how much trouble I went through to find you?"
The lady brushed an unruly wisp of raven hair behind her ear as she rummaged through the brown bag at her feet, finally bringing out a camera. Setting the camera sight on the statue, she began to slowly back up waiting for the perfect shot, the statue was just about in the perfect spot, she just had to-
WHAM!!! Girl and camera flew forwards into the grass with a small "oomph!" The girl lay there for a moment until she rolled onto her back with an annoyed expression. "Well that was great." She muttered as she opened her eyes. Purple.
Kenshin sighed as he walked along a paved path through the park. It was nice to have some time to himself after running all over town trying to find something to report back to h.q. about. 'Maybe a scoop on bird watchers?' he mused while passing by an old couple with binoculars carefully spying into a tree's leafy boughs at a small yellow bird. Kenshin was just about to stop and ask their opinion about a local issue when he suddenly saw a young woman with a camera excitedly trotting over to a bit of ivy a little ways away. He decided that whatever was exciting enough for her had to be exciting enough for the paper he wrote for, and brushed a bit of scarlet red hair out of his eyes as he quickened his pace to catch up.
As he jogged his brown trench coat flapped over his jeans and black sweater, a bit hot out, but he just wasn't a shorts and Hawaiian tee-shirt type of guy. He neared the girl and whatever she was looking at and was about to speak when he was cut off by the girl talking.
"Ah ha! I knew I'd find you! You were here all along, do you know how much trouble I went through to find you?"
"Excuse m-" Kenshin made his way closer so as to get her attention when he slipped in a patch of hidden mud from yesterdays rain shower (spastic spring weather)....and fell right towards the girl who had been slowly backing in his direction. They both hit the dirt while Kenshin managed to do a half flip in the air, landing on his feet, and made an attempt to catch her and her camera but it was too late.
He looked down on her, and for a moment was worried as she lay face down not moving. He was relieved when she muttered some sort of curse he supposed and rolled over opening her eyes.
"Excuse me, but are you all right miss?" he questioned and was greeted by a pair of squinting blue eyes.
"I'm fine, but what in the world happened?" she asked as he helped her to her feet.
"Well, I was coming over to talk to you when I slipped in a puddle, hit you, and the rest is history," he said, a little embarrassed.
"That's okay then," she replied as she dusted off her clothes and checked her hair for any sticks. Kenshin was reminded of his jacked and looked mournfully at the long streak of mud left from the fall. "Why did you want to talk to me anyway?" she asked.
"'Name's Kenshin Himura, I'm a reporter for the local newspaper and you seemed to be a good story. A girl from out of town excited about something over here... I decided to have a look." 'not that I was having a look at you...' he decided not to say the last, although he knew that part of why he came over was to see the pretty new girl, 'very cute' he noted as he watched her look back at him.
"Kaoru Kamiya, I'm an art historian. I specialize in finding and restoring statues, hopefully I'm going to write a book on them someday." She said happily, turning to pick up her camera. Looking it over she decided it was all right and turned back to the statue aiming for another shot at the "lady of tears".
"That's the statue you're studying?" Kenshin asked, doubtful. "I've never noticed it there before."
"Probably why it was so hard for me to track down. I have reason to believe that this statue may be well over three hundred years old, and rare." She never strayed from her task as she talked. 'Maybe that's why she was so dead to the world when I tried to speak to her.' Kenshin mused to himself with a slight smile.
"So it may be quite the find... mind if I tag along why you do your research? This looks like just the story I need. A real front pager." He commented.
"Sure." She said. She straightened up, taking the camera from her eyes and walking towards the old statue. "See here, this is what has me puzzled." She pointed to the inscription at the figure's feet. "According to my research, that," she paused to snap a picture, "shouldn't be here." Satisfied with her photos, she turned to Kenshin at last. "What did you know about it before?" Kenshin looked up from the notes he had been scribbling. Once a reporter, always a reporter.
"That there was an Italian sculptor who made a magnificent portrait of his beloved. Rumor has it that his works burned down in a fire. Of course this is made of stone, so it wouldn't burn. The man who bought the old lot I assume found it, and shipped to the U.S. It vanished a few years later, and I've taken up the job of looking for it. There's rumors and tales about a mysterious stone lady everywhere I go, but I never did find it up until now. At least I hope... Yup!" she pointed to a small mark shaped like a vine winding into a soft curl, faint from erosion. "This can only be the work of Guilano, that's his signature."
"An odd signature." Kenshin bent down next to her to sketch the markings.
"I suppose." She looked over to him and laughed.
The sky rumbled above and clouds the two had somehow not noticed before let loose big, fat raindrops on the park and its occupants.
"Well looks like my day's work is declared over." Kaoru remarked almost annoyed looking from the clouds back to Kenshin. Kaoru shoved her camera into her jacket to shield it from the rain. All the kids in the field made their way to their parents laughing while making their ways to the parking lot.
"Do you need a ride?" he asked as they made their way to beneath a tree.
Kaoru opened her mouth to say no, when a lightning suddenly struck above, a little too close for comfort. Kaoru decided on a somewhat strained smile. "That would be great, thanks." Kenshin smiled back as they dashed for the car.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY OF DOOM!!
(cue evil giggles)
Well how do you like it? I promise it will get funny and romantic and include all those fun characters and plot twists later, but I just needed a little intro chapter. This is actually sort of a proto type right now, not really sure if I should keep it or ditch it, and I have a notorious habit of ditching stories. Though, this is the only one I've thought through so far. I thought that I'd go for a newer plot that I haven't seen anyone use yet, I think, and I wondering how people will respond to my writing style... Any who, tell me whatcha think. And hey, does anyone have a nifty piece of something in their town? Mine has a small chunk of Plymouth rock. Just wondering. Buh-bye!
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