StarryNight
Filed under: — shootingstar @ 1755
Chapter 1
(())
It was Wishingstar’s first day to the isles and she was already late. To make the whole thing worse, she happened to arrive at the time when the station was busiest. Standing in the midst of busy group of people, she stared in wonder with her large green eyes. The structure itself already held her breathless. People coming from and going to various locations would have to go through OCRA for transfer (unless the business was ‘out-worldly’). Even though Wishingstar has been to many places, this was her first time entering OCRA or a station of this magnitude. And, already she was overwhelmed by the busy crowd shuffling through each other, passing by each other as she made an attempt to cross to her departure-terminal. Her unsuccessful attempt caused her only to be dragged suddenly into a wave with a loss of direction. Like inside a busy current in a river, she found herself immersed, caught between eddies and rocks, causing bumps and bruises and confusion.
(())
What also astonished her was the way that the travelers seemed to know where they were doing. It was as if everything in their travels was planned to the details of the right and number of footsteps taken at the station. Everyone was walking on and about, making their way to wherever the destination was; turning, twisting, side-stepping, twirling, speeding up, slowing down, without bumping into anything or anyone. From time to time, there would be several people who seemed to be walking into each other, but at the last second, they would turn into 8 different directions, crisscrossing and more. And somewhere in between these busy swarms of travelers, the less noticeable workers of the station also had their day planned out. These employees were, however, not as dramatic. In fact, their actions were almost the opposite. Stamp-slide-stamp-slide the documents and paperwork, the workers, like an endless assembly line, mindlessly served their customers in one but no more than a few repetitive actions. Frantically, Wishingstar tried to fight the waves of the crowd which seemed to be pushing her back and forth; and she also found that the longer she stayed in one place, the more trouble she was causing. Step step stop. Step stop, turn left, no right… slide.
BUMP
“Oops, sorry, sorry” she called out apologetically, but only got some angry glare in return. Wishingstar frowned and managed to cower back into the small corner, and considered herself lucky that the wrong step she had made did not cause a chain reaction. Once again, she stood among the sea of people, planning her next move.
“C’mon ….think…use some imagination!” she mused to herself. Whatever happened next, seemed to be a bluer to her (it seemed that she had some sort of gift of getting past something without having any idea how she did it). She could only vaguely remember herself closing her eyes and letting herself be immersed in the flow of the crowd. Less like being in a current than in a ballroom dance, she waltzed herself behind the rushing individual, switching when necessary, following their steps – their lead – and finally she reached the stairs down to the various terminals.
OCRA’s OWN. Destination: StarryNight Isles.
Out the window of the ride-box, all the objects became fused into a bluish hue. The gradient of blue expanded in the vast volume of the ocean and receded into a thin, black infinite line. The terminals were actually not too far down, thus, the rays from the sun penetrated into the water allowed a fairly clear view of the upper half of the water world. The busy and rapid waves on the surface caused the rays to alternate and flicker which further animated the life down below.
Under the busy lights, schools of different aquatic creatures swam swiftly through the empty space. The animals were as lively as it could be; they zigzagged and danced in their own little groups like an orchestrated show for the travelers. Few of the passengers, in fact, were mesmerized by the dances let out an occasional gasp for the creature’s sensational performance. Shortly after, the schools began to disburse into various directions; as many knows that it is to clean the way for OCRA to begin its journey.
(())
Wishingstar turned her attention downwards and tried to see as far below as the window allowed her to. Further down the ocean was less animated than the top. Many of the creatures, away from the light source illuminated their own small glows. Smaller in size, also, these creatures – a glowing peck of fur, flat oval-like fishes with sparkling dots, long eel with glowing eyes, squid-like creatures with illuminating tentacles – drifted about where the current carried them to. They too, were being disubrsted and perhaps were having their own light show just minutes before as the life above them were. Since it was fairly dark below without the sunlight, the bodies of the creature were not as visible except to be identified by their glow. The view might be not as visible had it not been the aid of the artificial lighting.
(())
Across from the ride-box, was the viewing window of OCRA’s OWN where Wishingstar just ran from. The giant structure stood tall and motionless underwater along with the rest of the building on land. The structure illuminated a soft glow generated from the bright white lights within as it radiated past the window and dissolved into with the bluish water. The artificial construction seemed out of place from the whole natural-made environment. Even further down from the structure, the light was strong enough to give a brief glimpse of the uneven terrains down under. Wishingstar knew, however, that what she saw was merely refraction, as they were still far from reaching the bottom of the ocean.
Exploration of the bottom of the ocean has not been fully done since it was deemed too dangerous to do so. There had been guesses and rough studies of the terrains below and many believed that they were mountain-like ranges. Water was not exactly Wishingstar’s forte, even though she knew how to swim, she had a tramutic experience and tried not to be any part of it if she can help it.
As OCRA began its preparation for its departure, a shadow caught the corner of Wishingstar’s eye at the direction of the OCRA’s OWN. She placed her face closer to the ride-box window as she tried to take a closer look. She knew that something happened, since it inadvertently alerted the passengers which caused slight unrest. Soft mummers began to rise and disrupted the original quiet atmosphere with questions, speculations, confusions and frustrations. Suddenly, OCRA came to an abrupt stop with an enough force to shook some of the passengers. Poor Wishingstar bumped her head loudly at the thick, glass window. Tears streamed down her eyes as she whimpered lightly from the pain. She sat back straight and shook off the, yet another, embarrassment as well as the sound of some muffled snickers in the background.
OCRA re-docked with the station. As soon as the door opened, another girl rushed in as if she was pushed violently from behind. Such a grand entrance she made; and grand was actually Wishingstar’s first thought of the girl even though the more corrected term might be clumsy suggested by the mess from her hair to her clothes. She stood by the gate knees bent together and her lower legs splayed as if she was about to fall over, yet, she was still able to maintain some elegance.
Elegance can be materialistic or individualistic. Wishingstar had a chance to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds when she was younger; and, although she was not as mature enough to grasp some of the dark-political and pseudo-mannerisms, she had a basic idea of the difference between a snobbish noble and a graceful individual. Many of the higher-class families crave objects to showoff their prestige and wealth. From grand-dukes to barons the men chewed their pipes and argue about politics and their business while the women gossiped about the unjust that they have to live among the common. Wishingstar detested the prejudice. The girl in front of her, however, did not show any of these faults. The sweet, classy temperament filled around her aristocratic looks. She is a noble alright, although well off but she has been educated. They are the other smaller portion of the upper class that actually did contribute to the general public and ask nothing in return. Often despised upon by their own, but greatly respected and loved by the public.
(())
“Yea, she’s like that…right?” Wishingstar pondered.
She admits that she did not put much thought on the girl at first -other than that jumbled thought and the assumption that she’s from a rich family; after all, right now, she was just another passenger. The girl panted as she placed her hand on the door while she ignored the still stunned look from the passengers, she then straightened her clothes and hair and walked down the aisle and slumped down on the empty chair by Wishingstar. She felt a slight annoyance because of the delay; but, it soon disappeared because she was also late herself. The thought returned and lingered for a while, however, and she figured that she might be more angry to herself for an unknown reason – could it be just the fact that the girl has made a better entrance scene? Or just not knowing why she is angry at? She tried to ignore the girl’s exaggerated actions as if she was trying to get some attention to wave off the initial embarrassment and for a brief period of time, the girl, spoke loudly half to herself and half, perhaps, addressing to Wishingstar at times about how she almost missed the ride, etc. She then realized the silence around her and immediately shut up.
(())
Wishingtar looked at the girl from the corner of her eyes and studied her. Afraid to look up, Wishingstar found herself unconsciously staring at this girl’s body for a long time. She was thin but fairly endowed girl for her age. Pretty facial features: large sparkly green eyes that is not as piercing , ideal-sized nose and cherry-cloured lips.
(())
.. Her medium length hair fell softly down to her shoulders with a big bow on the back of her head but does not seemed to be tying any hair up.
“They do not tie the hair up.” the girl said, “It’s just for looks.” Wishingstar then realized that she was staring and was embarrassed by it. She can only make force a smile as reply. The girl smiled back- it was a warm smile, a welcomed smile.
(())
An announcement broadcasted within the ride-box and apologized for the delay.
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