Rain Trailer
"No matter how strong the soul's facade is, a slight rain of tears is all it takes to wash away the mask of it."
"And the world renowned swimmer, Szandra Ocean, is now stepping onto the stage of awesomeness for her first attempt today, here at the 35th Vytal Festival!"
The loud and energetic announcement was echoing through the area, unhindered, as it tore through the crowds and ruffled the mind of everyone who has heard. The people rose up in an instant, applauding, cheering and shouting, sent wild by the appearance of their Number One. It was torture waiting for this long, but right here, right now, she is going to make a splash!
With graceful movements, the woman climbed the ladder to heaven. Not a second wasted; not a thought misaimed. Clear skies, clear weather, and clear destination. Reaching the top of the diving board, she took a moment for herself in order to recollect her thoughts. To take in this wonderful atmosphere. Everyone was here for her, everyone was seeking to watch and congratulate her. As she stood there, silently breathing and listening to the noise of the crowd, she knew that her life's purpose has been fulfilled. She has reached the top!
Her glamorous, well-endowed figure was sparkling under the sun's warmth; a pleasant sight. Her heart was racing, as she took a single step forward. The neverending waves below had long been waiting for her come. She jumped. Seconds worth of minutes to climb up, hours worth of seconds to reach back down. One final cheer, one final snapshot, and the fading voice of a mother's shout.
Splash.
"Szandra?"
Summoned, the girl has emerged from the pool's cold water, a guarding spirit of the seas, spitting out water like a fountain, amused. Her mother was standing there in the doorway, curiously noticing how her little daughter had built a tall diving tower out of the many chairs she had found around their spa. It was a daring construction, one that many firms would never allow - purely out of safety reasons - and just by looking at the tall monstrosity, from which she had jumped off, one would assume that it could come crashing down into the pool by even the slightest of aggravations.
"Here, Mom!" Szandra shouted, waving from the water to signal her position. She then swiftly swam to the edge of the swimming pool. Crawling out onto the tiled floor, she felt like she was leaving behind native homeland, hard to move on the ground. Her chocolate brown hair seemed pitch back from being soaked, and this gave a huge contrast to her frilly, once-piece swimsuit, that was brimming with colorful patterns all around. "How would you rate my dive, Miss Judge?"
Her mother laughed, sweet and resonant.
"No one in Vale can compare to your magnificent skills!" she answered, playing along the girl's game without hesitation.
"In the world!" Szandra proudly corrected her, to which the woman gave a kind nod of approval.
"That may be so. Now come on, Missy, we've got to dry you up for your next performance!"
Szandra was surprised by this sudden development. She tilted her head, looking confused, as this move was nowhere in her schedule. Nevertheless, she waved off her dear crowd, and then took a graceful bow before their generosity, promising them that she will return soon to entertain again. Leaving the pool with her mother at her side, the specious room was left empty and without light; silent and devoid of imagination and life.
"Happy tenth birthday!" her parents had welcomed her to the dining room.
Szandra's face shone up with an expression of bright eagerness and bliss. Cake! Beautifully tied present boxes with cute and shiny ribbons! Balloons! Cake, again! It was 'that' day, her favorite, how could she even forget? The day when the world's most renowned swimmer gets celebrated! It was raining outside, grey skies, so the garden could not be the host of this close-knit party, but even so, her father, her mother, and her loyal plush army, they were all here for her to congratulate.
She took a deep breath, made a wish in her mind, and blew out the candles, letting the smoke to rise up and carry her request to the heavens.
'I do not want anything to change, ever!'
I-I
An angelic voice rang through the night, energetic and full of life. Colorful lights cut into the darkness of the club, banishing the shadows and not allowing them to come and harass. The honest beats of the heart, and the lyrics of the soul, these are what made Szandra's super-hit songs all that powerful. She was, after all, the world's most renowned singer, and the undeniable queen of the stage, never letting down her fans and their families. Countless, no, infinite number of people have come to support her, as her performance tonight marked the official opening of the 36th Vytal Festival.
There were no missteps, no missed chords; everything was perfect, and nothing less was acceptable. Not for her own sake, but because she couldn't possibly disappoint all of those who have put their faith in her. She needs to be flawless, and she 'is' flawless! Her words sung the story of a princess, stuck alone in the need of a dashing hero. To break her out of the cage, save her from the horrible fate. A song that she herself wrote, just like all the rest of her albums.
Encore! The crowd was restless to hear more. A warm smile has appeared on her face, thankful of the life that was given to her. It's due to the fans that she had reached such heights, so let them have their deserving reward! She raised her mic to shout out a happy, thankful cry, but suddenly there was no one to hear it, the music went out. Szandra has found herself in the brown everydays, without the arena, without the lights, standing on the theatric podium in their spa, in front of rows and rows of empty chairs, lacking an applause. This was the room where their guests were treated to announcements and plays, but this time, there were no sounds, no cheers. She was alone, with a rolled up newspaper in hand, acting as her loyal microphone.
"Huh...?"
Where did her reality go?
"Szandra!" A familiar voice called to her from the outside. "Are you in there?" it asked, presumably catching a brief demo of the girl's vocals.
The woman walked into the theater room and found her daughter standing on the stage oddly perplexed and seemingly without a purpose.
"Sorry sweetie, are you having another one of your performances today?" she asked, taking active part in the girl's lively imagination, as always.
"I... I don't know..." Szandra replied. She was struck; a strange being in a seemingly unfamiliar universe, unable to make anything of the situation. She was looking around like a little bird, as if she was new to this odd world and just recently hatched from the egg. Why is her dream gone? Why did the dream leave her? "Yeah... I was..."
"Happy eleventh birthday!"
A year has passed. Same chairs, same room, same loneliness. The cake was brought before the girl who was still lost in thought. She quietly sat at the table, staring at the outside rain with conflicting emotions. What is happening around her? Why are the colors disappearing? Everything feels so dull, unimaginative. Unreal. Intimidating.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" her mother asked, worried by how those ocean blue eyes' sparkle had suddenly faded.
"Nothing!" Szandra replied, obviously pulling a facade. "Just thinking about my next great adventure!" she said, striking a heroic battle pose. She then took a fleeting glance outside, driven by a thought, and her improvised cheerfulness quickly broke apart. "As... soon as the rain stops."
"It sure does rain every year like this..." her father sighed, taking curious steps towards the window.
"Mom?" Szandra then asked slowly, lifting her head. Though, she was unsure whether or not she wants an answer. "Is the world changing?"
The woman, standing beside her, knelt down next to the chair to meet her daughter at eye level.
"All of change over time," she kindly said, caressing those soft, reddened cheeks. Whatever troubles the girl, she will be here to aid her soul. "It is part of growing up."
'Then I do not want to grow up!'
I-I
"Everyone, please welcome the world's most renowned huntress, Szandra Ocean, representing Beacon Academy, here, at the 37th Vytal Festival Tournament!" the girl shouted, trying to impersonate an echoing masculine voice in front of the mirror.
The girl was ready for combat, fitted with the outmost best battle armor she could just scrap from the depths of her wardrobe, and teacup as her mighty weapon. Combat dress, large and puffy shoulders, blue stockings and high-heels she could barely walk in. Rule of cool! She took spins in front of the mirror, sound effects of all kinds, but none of these felt real, she was still in her room, surrounded by her usual plush army. She tried so hard to summon the dreams, but they were just that, mere fantasies.
The smile on her face has evaporated, just as her enthusiasm, as the world broke her spirit apart under its weight. She's not a swimmer. She's not a singer. She's not a huntress. Never was, isn't it? Just a girl, trapped in this colorless reality.
"Happy twelfth birthday." she said to herself. This year she did not forget. She will never forget... the day her reality disappeared.
And speaking of birthdays... Szandra threw the teacup safely onto her large bed, and made way to her window, which, upon opening, allowed the storms to burst into the house.
"Why are you raining!?" she screamed out in a sudden burst of rage, desperately seeking an answer from the grey clouds. "Are you crying for me?" Grey clouds... That gave her a thought. "Are you the one taking my colors away!?"
Silly questions... made even sillier waiting for an actual response. But what could she do... cornered, one can not throw away any options. Raindrops hit her face, rolling down on her cheeks like tears, and in but a few seconds, they have washed away the last of her defenses.
"I don't want to change," she cried softly, giving in to the emotions. "I don't wanna change. I don't wanna change!"
Her world. Her being. Her body. Her life. It is all changing, it is all falling apart! The colors are fading, the lights are dimming, and the dreams are dying. What is happening!? She doesn't want these changes. She is scared. She wants to stay who she is; that blissful existence when she was still ten.
"I do not want to change..."
She fell to her knees, still grasping hold into the window's railing. The wind blew the rain into her room, soaking her hair, but this was the least of her concerns. It may be a too early yet, but amidst these tears, a wish had formed within her self. It can not wait for candles, it can not wait for a party with three people. It has to be said right now, open to the world from the bottom of her heart, here at this very window!
"Someone... save me..."