Title: The Sound of the Ocean
Claim: Auel & Sting friendship
Theme: Set #2, Theme # 45. Seashell
Genres: General
Word Count: 644
Rating: G
Summary: It wasn't often that the three of them were let outside the watchful eyes of the scientists and Neo; but the few times they were- Sting reasoned they could almost always be found at a beach somewhere in the world.
Note: This was also an entrant at seed(underscore)fic(underscore)contest on LJ.
Sting had grown to dislike summer. It was hot, which made the training exercises all the more unbearable. It was stuffy, something that didn't make being in spacesuits or in enclosed cockpits and areas any fun. And most of all, it meant that what little "free time" their group of chosen ones was allotted would be spent doing the same thing every time.
"Look Sting- Ocean!" Stellar's voice cut into his thoughts, the eager girl excitedly pointing out towards the shoreline.
It wasn't often that the three of them were let outside the watchful eyes of the scientists and Neo; but the few times they were- Sting reasoned they could almost always be found at a beach somewhere in the world.
He wasn't sure what it was about Stellar and the ocean; maybe something in her past. Perhaps there was a memory she'd had erased or something that had given her an absolute adoration for the ocean shores. Auel, while he often scoffed about how stupid these detours to the beach were, also seemed to enjoy lounging about on the warm sands.
Sting sighed, once again watching as his summer day became Stellar and Auel's outing.
"Sting! Sting look!" Stellar came rushing over, yanking him up from where he sat on the stairs leading down to this remote section of shoreline.
Pulling him along, she finally stopped when Sting was standing alongside Auel. The blue-haired young man seemed to be pulling something out of the sands, and whatever it was- Stellar was very interested in it.
"Whatcha got there, Auel?"
He looked up at his name, a wry smirk on his face.
"Oh, so it's actually good enough to get you off your ass and out over here? I'm amazed."
"Auel…"
"I thought you hated this beach stuff."
Sting shrugged, "If you two enjoy it, why not?"
"Well, since you love the ocean so much- here."
A cold object pressed against Sting's ear and Stellar looked on in anticipation.
"Can you hear it, Sting?" She asked, the child-like wonder never leaving her face.
"What am I supposed to be hearing?" He questioned after a moment, glancing over at Auel for clarification.
"It's a seashell," He replied with a smug smirk, "If you're lucky you can hear the sound of the ocean in it."
The green-haired man paused, listening intently to the cold innards of the shell. Sure enough, after a moment of silence- the soft roar of the surf echoed in his ear.
Blinking, he let his mind quickly recount all their training; all the knowledge that had been crammed into their minds. But still- he couldn't find the answer to his question at that moment.
"How…does it do that?"
Auel shrugged, "Hell if I know."
"It's magic, Sting! Just like the Ocean, it calls to Stellar."
The girl smiled, and giggled to herself as she playfully skipped about the waves.
Sting looked down as he felt the weight of the shell pressed into his hand.
"Keep it. Maybe you'll figure it out," Auel offered, his teal eyes glancing out at the waves.
Putting the shell into his pocket, Sting followed Auel's gaze.
"This ocean thing, it actually makes summer not so bad."
Auel laughed, "Hey Stellar, Sting finally decided he likes the ocean."
"Really?" She asked, running towards them. As she drew closer, she joyfully pulled her two comrades into a hug. "I'm happy you like it now, Sting. Now we can all come and have fun, together. All of us."
"All of us," Sting echoed. He ruffled Auel's hair, earning him a disgruntled glare and then patted Stellar on the head. "We'll have to come to the ocean more during the summer then, Stellar. All three of us."
And as the sun slowly began to set on the horizon far away- the shadows of three people playfully danced across the beach together.