Two kids were lying down on their house floor one hot morning. With nothing to do, and little motivation due to the weather, they were sweating from the intense heat that wafted in from the open windows. Even their parents noticed how drastically the temperature rose in the past few days. It was close to noon now, less than an hour away or so.
No one had breakfast yet, mostly fearing that heating something would worsen the day. Limera, one of the children lying down, groaned and threw a small tantrum. "Stupid weather, stupid weather!" she shouted to no one in particular, pounding her small fists against the tiles on the floor. She had hoped that they would bring her some sort of relief from the heat, but the results had stayed the same. Her cries of annoyance had turned into sad whimpers. All the little girl wanted was to cool down, but no one knew what to do.
The child next to her, Rouche, brought a hand up to his forehead to wipe the sweat away. "So hot…" he muttered, feeling the warmth of his skin making him uncomfortable. Turning his head face his younger sister, he brought a finger up to his face, and called for her attention. "...Do you want…..me...to cool you down?" .
Grunting with what sounded like a "yes" Rouche conjured up a gentle gust of icy wind. Thanks to his actions, Limera grew a small, satisfied smile on her face.
For the girl, it was relieving, but for the boy, his energy was slowly being sapped by the constant emission of the spell. "Sweetie, don't use magic on your sister." his mother warned him, making him immediately stop what he was doing.
"But mommy, he wasn't hurting me!" Limera argued, trying to cover up for her brother. Walking over to them, Lucana picked her son up. His body was limp as he was on the verge of falling asleep. "That may be true, but he's been doing this since the moment you've woken up. Thanks to that, you've nearly drained him of his strength." Helping her daughter stand up, she continued. "Need I remind you that magic strains both the body and mind. Do you like hurting your brother?" she asked.
Frowning, the girl looked down at the ground. Shaking her head, she spoke in a quivering voice. "I-I don't like hurting brother…" One would think that's where a parent would stop reprimanding their child, but she didn't. "If you knew just how exhausted he was, then why did you let him go on?"
A few sniffles left the little girl as she fought back tears. She didn't know any better. For one, he was doing this of his own free will. Still…..it was thanks to her that he was in this state. "Honey, don't you think you're being a bit too hard on her?" a familiar voice chimed, revealing himself to be the father of the two, Reed. "They're just kids. Let them off. She'll learn eventually that she can't force her own selfish needs on him." he added.
Apologizing to him, she then knelt down, with her boy in her arms. "Limera, I'm sorry for making you sad. It's just that I'm afraid you're using your brother." Looking up slowly, the girl nervously kneaded a clump of her skirt together. "T-There's no way I would use him! I-I mean it!" she stammered. Giggling from her daughter's words, Lucana placed the palm of her hand against Rouche's neck. Revitalizing him. Letting out a yawn, the boy rubbed his eyes from sleep.
Setting him down, their mother gave them both kisses on their cheeks, before promptly leaving to her room.
Thirty or so minutes have passed since then, and the siblings were just sitting at the kitchen table. Their stomachs growled, making them wonder why Lucana hadn't cooked anything. Hearing a door open up, they saw their mother appear in a teal sundress, and sandals; with a bag slung over her shoulder. "Mommy's so pretty!" Limera said.
Tilting his head in confusion, the boy wondered why she was dressed like this. "Mommy, why're wearing that? Are you and daddy going out?" Thinking for a moment, the mother looked at the two. "You can say that. It's more like we will all be going out."
Hearing this, both children shot up from their chairs and ran up to her. Tugging at her dress, Lucana smiled. "Now now. I know neither of you have eaten anything. That's why-"
"Your mother and I have decided on taking you kids out. To eat at a restaurant." their father said, cutting her off mid sentence.
Cheering in delight, both kids jumped around, ignoring the blasting heat. They were so excited to go out! Seeing other people and going to new places was always fun. Being told to go shower beforehand, the kids ran into the bathroom and hurriedly took one after one another.
While walking down the path to said restaurant, the kids chased one another around in a game of tag. To the parents, it was a surprise that they could have this much fun while in this type of heat.
It did seem a bit strange to the little girl. This wasn't the regular path they usually took. The trees looked different, and there were fewer of them. To her, the air felt a bit cooler, and she didn't see the local birds nesting. Instead, they were replaced by white birds with bright yellow beaks. She stopped and looked as it soar passed them. It even behaved differently than the other birds she was familiar with. Instead of a continuous flapping of its wings, it just soared through the air. Shrugging, the girl happily went back to chasing her brother around.
The soft whisper of waves could be heard in the distance. The scent of the ocean water was clearly present. The air felt much more fresh, and the soft breeze pressed against their faces. The seagull greeted them again, and perched on a sign. That's when they knew that they had arrived to their destination.
The restaurant that they had arrived it looked strange. It's rooftop was made out of some strange display of leaves. They were brown, and bushy when bunched up together. The breeze made them sway gently as it passed through.
Running into the building, there were no doors or walls to block it off or disrupt the natural view; blending into the environment. A white railing signaled the end of the restaurant, but what she saw was worth it, The breathtaking sight of the white, sandy beach, and waves rolling onto the shore was spectacular. Never in her life had she witnessed something so serene. Spotting kids playing in the sand, she was about to rush over and join the fun until she felt a tug on her collar.
It was her mother who had stopped her right before she had run off. "Can I go play? Can I, can I?! I promise to be back quick!" she begged, pointing over to the beach where the other children were enjoying themselves. Placing a hand on her head, Lucana stroked her daughter's hair. "Not now sweetie. I want us all to eat as a family." Pouting at what her mother said, Limera nodded and followed her back to the table where her brother and father were waiting at. Sitting down next to Rouche, the little girl scanned the menu that was placed on their table. It was entirely filled with various fish and meat products. Not that she minded. She loved eating both.
Although with these many options came a troubling question. What would she eat? There were so many things, too many to choose from. The shrimp? No, maybe something that'll last. A steak? Could she eat an entire one all by herself? Maybe some sort of fillet? That sounded like the simplest of choices, but didn't take too much. Her mind boggled with all of her choices. Her quizzical expression caught the attention of her parents. Chuckling, her mother reassured her that if she couldn't finish it all, then they wouldn't force her to eat.
"Really? You mean it?" Limera asked. Telling her it was, the child settled on getting a steak. Medium rare that is. Glancing up from his menu, it was Rouche's turn to tell them what he wanted. "Hmmm….I guess I'll just get the shrimp cocktail." The girl, curious to know what it was, tugged on his sleeve. "What's that brother?"
Just as he was about to tell her, their mother interrupted, calling for her daughter's attention. "Once you're done eating, you can head out to the beach, but please don't go into the ocean." she said. Smiling widely, the girl swung her hanging feet. Reaching for her brother's hand, she held it tightly underneath the table. While waiting for their meals, the siblings paid attention to how their parents were treated by the locals. Given many thanks and handshakes, followed by them hovering around their children; telling them how cute they were and giving each a pinch on the cheek. The boy was more shy about all the attention he was receiving, while the girl seemed to be more comfortable and cheerful.
Saying their farewells, the waiter had finally arrived with their meals. Limera's plate of steak was much bigger than she imagined. It nearly took up the entire plate! Mouthwatering at her meal, Limera began to dig in. She was starving ever since the morning, and she wouldn't let a bite escape her! Her mother and father ordered nothing extravagant. Only an order of fish with a salad. This girl has never known what a shrimp cocktail was, or looked like until this very moment. Presenting him with a bowl of shrimp with ice underneath that looked like it was freshly cooked, surrounding a small glass of red dipping sauce. On the side of the glass, was a lemon stuck to it.
Observing him carefully, the small smile on his face as he tasted this delectable food made her happy. Catching her looking at him, the elder sibling scooted closer to her and brought his bowl of food. Dipping one of the many shrimps into the sauce, he put a hand to stop the sauce from dripping onto them and held it out to her. "Want to try it, Limera?" he offered.
Happily accepting it, Limera took a bite out of the delicious, soft shrimp. The sauce made her tongue melt in a multitude of flavors. It was tangy, but had a strong aftertaste similar to that of marinara sauce. This was one of the many things her brother did for her, which always made her feel special for a person like him to care so much about her. Their parents found the scene sweet, and let out a few "awes."
Throughout the entirety of the meal, the two siblings shared each of their own food items. Taking turns getting bites. Unlike him, Limera quickly devoured everything on her plate, before shooting out for her chair and making a mad dash for the exit. Stepping onto the beach, Limera had forgotten about what she was wearing. Her boots sunk into the sand, and filled them. Sitting down, the sand started ruining the pattern of her skirt, making her mother rush over to her. "Let's get you changed sweetie." She motioned over to one of the changing stalls; with a bag in hand.
Wondering what they were doing, Rouche approached the door to the stall, and called out timidly. "M-Mommy, what're you doing with Limera?" The sound of clothes dropping and rifling through a bag were his only response as he waited. Watching the door creak open, the boy was presented with the view of his sister in a frilly blue one piece.
Blushing brightly, he averted his eyes from her gaze, and stared at the ground. A hand combed itself through his hair, making him look up.. "So, how does it look brother?" Limera asked, her sapphire blue eyes perfectly complementing the swimsuit. Her hair, instead of it being in the usual style, was put in a small ponytail. "You….look very cute, sis." he mumbled. The girl gave him a hug, thanking him for his compliment, and then ran off towards the beach.
The feeling of the smooth, silken like white sand felt nice on her bare feet. Walking towards the water's edge, the girl grabbed a small branch that had somehow managed to be brought in by the tide. Marking the ground, the girl spelled her name. "Limera...was...here-" just as she finished, water washed up on shore, filling the etchings with gloopy, wet sediments. Knowing there was no point in crying over spilled milk, the girl sat down, and let the water tickle her toes. With a handful of the wet sand, she threw some onto her feet, which was then again, washed away by the water. Finding some sort of entertainment in this, the girl then began a little contest with herself.
She would find out how high she could pile the sand before the next tide came in. Using both her hands to gather larges amounts of the gloopy sediment, she got off to a good start. Though the sand always kept running down the sides, making the small pile slouch over. But like a light switch, it soon dawned on her as how stupid this was, and let the water wash away the mess.
Getting back on her feet, Limera played with the frills of her bathing suit. Spotting a small protrusion on the ground, the girl knelt down to pick up whatever it was. The object's surface was white, smooth, with a few bumps riding along it. It curved into a kind of funnel shape, and had an opening on it's side. Placing her ear against it, she faintly heard the sound of an ocean inside it.
What was inside of it? And how did it make these sounds? Holding up a dimly made flame against it, she peeked inside and found nothing, "Empty….but how can something made for nothing make this noise?" she pondered.
Along the shore, she found many more of these strange shell like objects. Many differed in size and shapes. Some even looked like stars, but did they have names? Collecting as many as her hands could carry, the girl tried finding something to lighten the load. Amidst her spree, she noticed a large shadow loom over. It wasn't a person, but a… "Ship?" There was nothing behind her when she turned around. So that just begged the question; where was it coming from?
With nowhere to look but up, she saw an airship hovering over the beach. The haul of the ship was made of some type of metal, but aside from that, the rest was mostly wood. There were no sails, so she guessed it ran on some other forms of energy.
Then, a figure waved down at her. She noticed a few of their facial features before deeming it a boy. He had sleek black, spiky hair, and a pair of...glasses? No, that wasn't it. Thinking that it would be rude to not return the gesture, she waved back up at him. Moving out of her line of sight, he returned with something in his hands before dropping it down. A small parachute opened up, making it land softly by her side. Setting down her collection of seashells, Limera picked the package up, and opened it up. A small gasp escaped the girl as the contents surprised her.
Inside, there was a bag of candy ranging from soft red licorice, all the way to hard toffee. Looking back up, she saw the ship starting on it's path. Waving goodbye, she cupped her hands around her mouth so he could hear her. "THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!" Limera then heard him respond. "YOU'RE WELCOMED! CAN WE BE FRIENDS?"
Hesitating for a moment, Limera nodded. Summoning a few flames, she then sent them towards the ship. They maneuvered around and about it, before burning themselves onto the deck. Approaching where the fire rested, he noticed the word "yes" burned into the wood.
Down back at the beach, the girl was seen munching on the candy. Her shells on either side of resting in a small pit she had made. Telling from the condition of the treats, she could tell that they were well preserved. As to how they were, she still didn't know that part. "Limera!" a boy shouted, running towards to her. Recognizing the voice that belonged to her brother, she saw him running her way. Making a halt as soon as he was three feet away, he loomed over her.
"What'cha got there?" he asked, trying to get a better view of what was inside the package. Hogging it all to herself, Limera shot him a glare, before realizing that he wasn't trying to take it away from her. Handing it over to him, the boy got a chance to peek at its contents. Inside was a stash of candy even he was impressed by. Slowly picking one out, the girl got on the defensive and tackled him. Slapping his face, she tried making it so his grip would loosen up on the treat.
The elder sibling didn't let out a cry, as he grew annoyed and pinned her down on the ground. "What was that for?!" he yelled. Whimpering, the girl closed her eyes and trembled in fear. In a hurry, the boy got off of her and sat her down on his lap. "N-Now that's enough of that! It's okay, big brother is here." he cooed, in an attempt to soothe her nerves. She let out a few sniffles, and then rested her head against his chest. It was amazing how fast he could calm her down.
Lightly resting his chin on her head, he laughed under his breath. "What's so funny, brother? Did you see something silly?" Thinking for a moment, he guessed he might as well tell her. "Well, you do have a big head. And your hair's really soft. It's like I'm resting on a mattress." he teased. Pouting, the girl picked up a handful of sand and threw it at his face.
Then they spent the next good half of an hour trying to wipe the sand particles in his eyes and blow his nose free of it.
Once they've finished, the two decided on going on a little swim; that is until Rouche remembered what it was that his mother reminded him about. Pulling on her arm, the girl stopped and turned to face him. "Mommy said you can't swim." Sticking her tongue out at him, she went into the water regardless, before finding it difficult to stay up, much less float. Dragging her back to shore, the elder sibling tapped her on the head as a form of punishment.
As she rubbed the part of her head that was bonked by his hand, she was scolded by the boy. "Didn't you hear what I just said? You can't swim! That means you can't go out into the water!" he lectured. Frowning, the girl sat down on the ground and began to draw small circles.
"Sis?" he mumbled, seeing that she wouldn't respond to anything he said. "Are you mad? We could always play a game together." he offered, but she wouldn't budge. Even if it would look like he was an irresponsible brother for one moment, he left the girl by herself. She remained alone for what seemed like hours. Her mood had gotten worse, and her senses began to dull.
Footsteps made her turn her attention to the sound. Her brother had returned. Now, he was dressed in his blue swimming trunks that matched the color of her bathing suit. In his arms, he held two things; a pair of floaties and a small water tube fit for Limera. "...Brother…" she whispered, as he helped her into the floaties. The fit was perfect for the girl, making her wonder where her brother got them. Placing the tube on the water's surface, the elder sibling held it in place.
Unsure on what to do about her shells and candy, the girl lugged a few of them inside the box; shaking any remnants of sand out. Placing the box in the pit, she casted a small barrier around said package.
Reaching her destination, the girl sit down on the opening; grabbing on to the handles to steady her body out from the waves. Wading through the water, Rouche felt his body gradually slow down, making it apparent that he was going into the "deep" end. At least for his height. Soon, he couldn't touch the bottom, forcing him to swim; whilst guiding Limera.
Thinking that they were at a safe enough distance, the two children relaxed. In reality, they were only 10-15 feet from shore. Luckily, the waves weren't violent. Limera's tube rocked rhythmically to the sounds of the ocean, lulling her into a relaxed state. Rouche stayed near her, praying that nothing would knock her over. After a few moments, he too, grew relaxed, and started swimming around.
Tiring from the physical exercise, he turned onto his back, and floated. Water lapped up against his ears, while he looked up into the bright, sunny day. Feeling something brush up against his feet, Rouche passed it off as possible seaweed. Not wanting to scare his sister.
In this case, it was much more as he heard her scream. "SHARK!" Panicking, Limera became unbalanced, falling off the tube. She splashed around frantically, trying to stay up and called for help. Instantaneously, her brother came to aid her. Lifting the tube up, he held it over her, and told the girl to hold her breath. Trusting in his decision, she felt her head forcefully being pushed into the water. With her arms out straight, the boy swiftly put the tube over them. When she resurfaced, the girl held the inflatable object for dear life.
An invisible fin poked out from the surface, nearing them each second. Limera was busy freaking out while her brother tried to find an escape from the problem; but it was too late. Stopping right in front of them, they awaited for their ends to be quick.
Bubbles forming at the top of where the shark was, their father popped up. He chuckled as he saw their horrified expressions. The girl was close to tears while the boy was hyperventilating from the situation altogether. Having his bit of fun, the father shook his hair free of the water. "Now, be safe you two." he said, before diving back down and terrorizing the other children.
Since then, the two siblings spent the next couple of hours playing together. Building sand castles, tossing a beach ball that their parents bought them, and collecting numerous amounts of shells. Before they knew it, the sun was setting on the horizon.
Streaks of yellow, and orange were radiating from the orb in the sky. The kids sat down next to each other, looking at the dimly lit object. She was stupefied by the beauty of the natural scene. Simplicity at its best, you can say. Glancing down at the shallow end of the water, the reflection of the shine showed on its surface; making her gasp. Aside from all the antics today, she had a boat load of fun.
"Today was amazing." she said. Her brother merely nodded, needing no words to describe how great the day turned out to be. With the last dying rays of light, the moon and stars now took over the sky; claiming that part as its night. "Aww…. left…" the disappointment in her voice audible, made him frown. Clasping her hand tightly, the boy gave it a squeeze.
Turning her head to face him, she saw his amber eyes glow with the moon. It was as beautiful as the sun. "Everything is different….that's why everything is special." she marveled. A small smile formed on her face, and she gazed at the stars. "Brother?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think these moments will always last?"
Silence was his only response. He'd want to give her the perfect answer, and not rush blindly into this. "As long as you remember who you spent them with, then yes. They will always be in your heart."