&&The [[ocean]] still haunts m.e.// (open)

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany rubbed the heart shaped birth mark on her right wrist, something she always did when she was nervous. She had taken extra time to style her hair perfectly before she looked at which clothes to put on. When her plane had a delay in Dallas she decided to do some shopping, courtesy of her adoptive parents’ money they had kindly put in her suitcase last minute. She supposed they had put it there in case there was an emergency, but Melany decided to waste their money as a sort of revenge (not that it was hurting them directly, but she was indirectly disobeying orders, which is the least they deserved after lying to her for almost her entire life). She had had a four hour delay in Dallas, so she went shopping at a nearby mall.

She wanted to get a new look, new clothes to impress new people at Shifter Academy, but mainly she wanted to stick out (since she usually blended in); she wanted a new image, something that said I’m exciting!. And that’s exactly what she did; among other things she bought a rainbow zebra-striped bikini, hot-pink shorts, a peace sign hat, and a black t-shirt with the words “In Rock and Love We Trust”. The black shirt was a bit baggy, which made it even more not Melany’s style, she usually wore clothes that fit properly and were more unnoticeable.

That was the outfit she chose to wear to the beach, along with that she wore her silver turtle necklace her old nanny Marissa had given to her right before she left.

She rubbed her birth mark again as she stepped out into the light. The sun’s golden rays hit her hair, illuminating her lowlights and highlights as she walked to the beach.

Not soon enough, she heard the waves crash against the shore, it was like a beautiful song she hadn’t heard in years. Each foam filled wave that hit the sandy beach was like a chord played perfectly, each small creature in the water was a beautifully hit note.

She ran as fast as she could in her bare feet onto the sand. The moment she hit it, she let her toes dig in, feeling each grain that passed her toes, each miniscule rock that formed the sand slipping on her skin. She closed her eyes and took it all in.

She remembered the last time she had been at the beach, the first time she shifted. She missed her previous life; she wished that they had been her real family. Even though her (adoptive) parents had begun to ignore her more and more, she missed E.T., the only person who had ever really cared about her. She thought of his chocolate brown hair and deep green eyes, of the way he smiled when he was about to beat her at a game of basketball, the way his eyes lit up when he would get excited. Melany missed E.T. the most, and she wished she would have gotten to say goodbye in person, and not just left him a note.

She opened her eyes, ready to swim. She looked at the ocean, and it seemed to welcome her back, like an old friend. Her eyes changed to a blue-green that resembled the water, as they always did when she thought of fond memories or got excited.

Melany slowly slipped off her hat, necklace, shirt, and shorts. She let her bright colored bikini see the light of day, no longer self-conscious about her clothes; all she cared about was swimming, and feeling the water slide past her sun-kissed skin.

Finally, water hit her feet, then her knees, and finally her entire body was underwater. She was swimming in the ocean for the first time in a week, which felt like an eternity to Melany. Her body screamed with happiness, glad to be back in the water.

She resurfaced, getting a breath of air and looking to see how far out she had gotten. Melany brushed her hair out of her face, and started to float in the water. She truly loved the feeling of the ocean moving under her, teaming with life.

[[Clothes: www.polyvore.com/letme_lany_bebold/set?id=20219202
Words: 698
Notes: not bad for writing it at 2 in the morning]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

It was a perfect day to go to the beach, that much anyone could tell, but to Calista, it felt more right to go today, than any other day.

She was walking there, and wondering if that was the best idea, lugging her easel and paints with her, as well as thinking that she should have worn different shoes. It probably wasn't the smartest idea to wear Japanese wooden sandals to the beach, but Calista liked feeling closer to her heritage, something she felt she was missing, now that she was at Shifter Academy.

Not that Shifter Academy was terrible, of course, Calista just felt...distant from it. There was nothing that truly felt like home yet, nothing except for the beach.

She had always loved the beach, for not only did it connect all parts of her heritage, but it was amazing in general, and not just because she was an octopus shift.

Her Greek fisherman's hat fit loosely on her head, and she smiled at it, loving being Greek, as would any Greek person.

She wished she had thought to wear a swimsuit though, and immediately wondered if it was too late to go back and grab one. Deciding that she would just paint today, after all, that was the reason she had come to the beach in the first place, she continued her trek towards Beluga Beach, feeling more excited than she had in a while.

After a while of walking, she finally reached the beach, and was immediately hit by that oh so unique ocean smell. Breathing it in, she walked closer to the shore, watching each perfect little wave hit the shore, and then ebb back, like pulling off a blanket in the summer.

She cursed not bringing a swimsuit, and immediately stepped back before the water could ruin her shoes.

Setting down her easel, she got out her paint set, and water cup. Biting her lip, she hesitated to use some of the ocean water for her paints, but scooped some up anyway.

"Sorry," she whispered to it.

Her paints called to her, and she immediately got to work painting the sky. Something else caught her interest, though, and she began to paint the girl she saw in the water as well.

"Stay right there!" Calista yelled to her, hoping she could hear.

A comforting sea breeze blew across the sand, taking Calista's hat with it as well.

Cursing, she tried to chase after it, but to no avail. It was going further and further away from her, closer to the girl, and closer to the water, so she yelled, "Hey! I lied! Don't stay there -- can you help me get that?"
[/color]

{Clothes.
Words: 447
Notes: Should have typed something longer, but what's done is done...I need to get my muse back.}

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany was floating on top of the water. She absolutely loved water, especially the ocean. Her eyes were closed and her back was just under the surface of the water, but sometimes she would float so that her feet were the farthest into the water. She felt the tide pull her toward shore and away, as if she was part of the ocean itself. As if she belonged there. Often she would find herself wondering why her shift was a turtle, and then she would go for a swim and remember. She couldn’t be kept out of the water for more the twenty four hours or she would go insane.

Melany was enjoying the sun’s rays soaking into her skin when she heard a voice.

"Stay right there!"[/i] Yelled someone from the shore.

Melany immediately opened her eyes, and looked to the shore. A girl with dark hair was by the water, an easel in front of her. Melany didn’t like people’s eyes on her, it made her feel like she was being judged.

But then the wind grabbed the girls hat right off her head, and started to carry it toward the water. ”Hey! I lied! Don't stay there -- can you help me get that?"[/i]

The hat seemed to be running away from the girl, teasing her as it got closer and closer to the water. Reluctantly Melany dove under the water and swam as fast as she could to shore. She felt the water move past her, once or twice she would slip past a fish. She really did love the ocean. Soon enough, she was on the shore. She grabbed the girls hat, right before the waves swallowed it. Melany analyzed the hat, like she would with a fish she was dissecting.

It was grey with a twisted looking rope right before the bill of the hat. It looked like it was foreign. The hat complimented the girl’s outfit well, it didn’t match match, since there wasn’t any other grey clothing in her outfit. But it looked good with her white tank and pink skirt.

Now that Melany was closer to the girl, she was able to see her features more clearly. The girl looked more Asian than anything, but Melany knew she wasn’t full Asian. No, this girl had a hint of another culture, but she wasn’t sure what that other culture was.

[/color] “Is this your hat?” Melany walked toward the girl, and handed her the grey hat.

She was still analyzing the girl, when she realized that she wasn’t exactly analyzing her, she was judging. And if there was one thing Melany couldn’t stand, it was people who judged others. Melany had always been judged, had always tried to be perfect so there was nothing negative people could judge about her. And she absolutely hated being judged, and judging others.

Melany ringed out her hair to get rid of the thoughts, and she started to feel the need she often felt after she stopped swimming, she felt the need to get back to the water. But, she didn’t want to be rude. Melany waited for the girl to take her hat, and tried to ignore her desire to continue swimming.



[[Clothes: www.polyvore.com/letme_lany_bebold/set?id=20219202
Words: 536
Notes: Sorry it took so long, I have my nephews over and, also sorry it’s not very good, my muse is dead at the moment XD]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

Calista sighed in relief as she saw the girl catch her hat before it hit the water. Thank goodness, because it was her favorite hat.

The girl looked like a strong swimmer, and she reached the shore quickly (and somewhat regretfully?), and Calista wondered what her shift was, as she noticed the way the water seemed to move for her

Probably an aquatic animal of some kind, like me, she thought, and instantly regretted the assumption.

"Is this your hat?" the girl asked, holding it out, and looking Calista up and down.

Reaching for the hat, Calista thanked the girl, and added, "I really mean it. I'd hate to have to explain to my Aunt Aphrodite what happened to it," with a laugh.

The girl's eyes on her, Calista felt a little self-conscience, but pushed that aside. She wasn't the type to normally be self-conscience, though this girl seemed different than most. Maybe it was her eyes, Calista envied them, for they seemed like the ocean was alive in them. Most people liked Calista’s eyes, for apparently they were warm, but secretly she wished she had inherited her father’s green eyes; she had always loved those eyes, and that made her miss her father more than ever.

Looking impatient, the girl had on a rainbow colored zebra bikini, something that Calista thought was kind of cool, but not exactly her style, though Calista wasn't exactly sure what her style was, because it seemed to vary quite often, like today.

Today, Calista was wearing the tank top that her Grandfather Perseus had got her in Greece, the skirt that Grandmother Kai-lan had got for her in China, and the ear rings and shoes that Grandfather Shinji had gotten her in Japan. She was a mix of cultures alright, and Calista wondered how much of her heritage showed.

With her tan skin, dark hair, and dark eyes, anyone could tell that Calista was Asian, it was obvious. But she loved the Greek in her more, and unfortunately, people had a hard time seeing that. All people saw as an Asian girl, and they stereotyped her because of that, that and the fact that she usually had paint on her clothes, so they often thought that she was some kind of freaky emo artist or something.

There seemed to be an awkward silence between them, as the water lapped up on the shore like a stroke of paint on an easel…that reminded her…

“Sorry if my painting you was annoying you,” she said, wanting to fill the silence, or say something at least, for the girl ringing her hair out was getting old. “You just seemed so at home in the water…the ocean’s so amazing, you know?” That last part was more of a conversation starter than anything else, because, Calista was able to tell, people probably had a really hard time getting this girl out of the water.

But who could blame the girl? Like Calista had said, the ocean was such an amazing thing, and people often had a hard time getting Calista out of the water as well, that and the kitchen.

Brushing her hair out of her face, Calista put her hat back on her head and added, “I like your swimsuit. I‘m Calista, by the way.”

{Clothes.
Word count: 548.
Notes: Ugh….horrible post, I know. Hope you have/had fun with your nephews!}

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany listened to the girl, with out actually hearing her. She tried to pay attention, but it was so hard with the ocean right next to them. It was begging her to jump in and take a swim. But, she refrained. She started to listen, just in time too. The girl was saying something that she had to answer.

“Sorry if my painting you was annoying you, You just seemed so at home in the water…the ocean’s so amazing, you know? I like your swimsuit. I’m Calista, by the way.”[/i]

Melany stopped ringing out her hair, she had been doing it so long and hadn’t even noticed she was still doing it.[/color] “Oh, you were painting me? I didn’t know why you told me to stay,” Melany laughed after me and before I, which in her mind was the exact right place to laugh, “And thanks for noticing,” Melany couldn’t control the small blush that hit her slightly freckled cheeks, “I really love the ocean. It’s just so…homey, ya know? The way you fit in perfectly no matter who you are or what you’ve done.” Melany couldn’t help but ramble a bit when she started to talk about the ocean. But she quickly stopped herself so she wouldn’t seem like a too talkative person, since she was barely even a talkative person. “Oh, and my name is Melany. Melany Elizabeth Matth-…er…just call me Melany.” She had forgotten that she didn’t even know her biological last name anymore. She internally hit herself on the head for not just introducing herself as Melany and leaving out her middle and last name. “It is a pleasure to meet you Calista. And, by the way, I totally love your name,” Melany always thought giving compliments would make everyone like her more…but usually it just made her look like an idiot.

Melany corrected her posture, so that she looked confident…though really she was more nervous that a turkey at Thanksgiving. She wasn’t good around people, usually she tried to avoid them, the better to avoid being judged by people. But, when she had finally arrived at Shifter Academy, she had vowed to be different. She had promised herself she wouldn’t be the awkward obey the rules, do what everyone else is doing Melany she had always been. She wanted to stick out and be heard, for once in her life. She didn’t have her (adoptive) parents to ignore her or pressure her anymore. She just had herself to please…and anyone and everyone else at the school.

She felt butterflies in her stomach as she thought about what she was wearing. What Calista must be thinking about her outfit. This girl must think I’m a weirdo or nut or something, Melany thought as she flipped her hair and smiled at Calista.

Though, Calista seemed like a nice enough person. Melany didn’t think Calista would judge anyone. But then again, first impressions were what people went by. And a common human failure is the need to judge others.

But, Melany was only freaking out because it was a new school and no one knew her. Plus, she didn’t even have E.T. to comfort her. Melany began to think of E.T. again, his eyes, his hair, everything. She missed her brother/friend more than anything…and she knew she would probably never see him again.

Melany had begun to slouch as she thought of E.T., but she caught herself and stood up straight with her head up, meeting Calista’s eyes firmly waiting for her reply.



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[[Clothes: www.polyvore.com/letme_lany_bebold/set?id=20219202
Words: 580 (ish)
Notes: Not my best post, but I guess it’ll have to do and yeah, I am, thanks for saying that/asking ]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

“Oh, you were painting me? I didn’t know why you told me to stay. And thanks for noticing. I really love the ocean. It’s just so…homey, ya know? The way you fit in perfectly no matter who you are or what you’ve done. Oh, and my name is Melany. Melany Elizabeth Matth-…er…just call me Melany. It is a pleasure to meet you, Calista. And, by the way, I totally love your name," Melany said, slightly blushing.

Calista laughed a little and replied, "Thanks. I love it too, most of the time at least. The thing I hate about it is that it means "the most beautiful" in Greek, and I don't agree with that, even though I'm Greek.

Walking towards her easel, she continued with, "I totally get what you're saying about the ocean. I mean, I'm an octopus shift, but even if I wasn't, I'd still think it was amazing. Not only does it make you feel like you're fitting in like you said, it also connects countries everywhere. On every continent, there is at least one beach. At least. Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, Antarctica...there's a beach in every single one of them."

She grabbed her easel, and moved it over to Melany, showing her.

There wasn't much on the canvas, because she had just started working on it, of course, but Calista was happy with the way it was going. The sky was finished, and had mostly just been a matter of mixing the blue and white together in the right ratio to get the perfect color.

Melany was in it, alone in the water, but not alone. She was surrounded by the waves, darker than the sky, but still light with a green tint. Melany looked like a speck though, compared to the water, and that's kind of how Calista had wanted it; where the ocean was shown as the powerful force it was, and how it could make you feel so insignificant, but yet so alive when you were in the water.

Calista still had a lot left to do, and she frowned at that, but she felt content as she ran her thoughts by Melany.

"What do you think? I know it's not the greatest, but I'm always up for opinions, good or bad. But don't you dare lie to me. About any of it. Tell me if it's horrible and I promise I won't get mad," Calista said with a smile.

Calista had always been very opinionated, and she felt like it was obvious. As obvious as the waves crashing against the shore. She chuckled internally at that, and waited for Melany's response, taking off her shoes and sticking her feet in the sand.

{Clothes.
Word count: 452.
Notes: Ugh xp...I didn't think it would be this short. Oh yeah, the italics are the thoughts she ran by Melany.}

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany listened to Calista talk about her painting, it seemed as though she really loved what she had done. Melany had never been very good at drawing or painting…actually most of the left side of her brain didn’t seem to work. She wasn’t creative, to say the least. She was more analytical, and being creative and being analytical didn’t really go hand in hand.

"What do you think? I know it's not the greatest, but I'm always up for opinions, good or bad. But don't you dare lie to me. About any of it. Tell me if it's horrible and I promise I won't get mad.”[/i]

Calista seemed to down play herself a lot. First she had said how she didn’t agree with the meaning of her name, and now she had said how she didn’t think her painting was good.

Melany shook her head, finding something in common with this girl she had just met. Melany took a deep breath and reminded herself she had wanted to be different at this school. [/color] “I think this painting of yours,” Melany paused to push her hair behind her ear, “is fantastic. You got the sky color right, the water looks…more beautiful than in real life. And you caught the feel the ocean gives people incredibly. You are a very talented artist,” Melany smiled, trying to make sure what she had said sounded okay and not awkward like she usually was around people. “And why don’t you agree with what your name means?” Melany was pretty sure she knew what Calista had meant, but asking made it seem better.

Melany looked at Calista, then at her painting, then at the ocean. Calista had stuck her feet in the sand, and Melany bent down to join her. The sand trickled over her feet, the feeling of a thousand old miniscule rocks running down her skin. She wished that nature could talk, that way she could learn all her ancestral turtles knew. Calista’s painting had made Melany seem so small, and that’s exactly how Melany felt. Whether it was when she was actually in the ocean, or just anywhere. Melany always felt insignificant, there was a rare occasion every now and again when she felt like she belonged. Like when she hit just the right spot in the ocean when it was just her, the fish, and the water. That was when she felt like she belonged.

She used to feel like she belonged when she would be with E.T., whether they were just talking or swimming or if he was beating her at basketball…E.T. always made her feel at home, made her feel like she was in the right instead of the wrong. Man, she missed E.T., but she couldn’t think about that, she didn’t want to be homesick. Mainly because what she had thought of as home for so long wasn’t really a home. It was just a house. Suddenly something dawned on Melany, home was where E.T. was. She felt like a sap. She was thinking about her brother…well friend, technically, since they weren’t really related.

Melany stood up, and walked to get her clothes. She put on her shirt and shorts, picked up her hat, and walked back over to where Calista was sitting. She sat her hat next to her and put her feet in the water.

Melany looked out at the ocean. It looked so serene, so peaceful. But she knew better. The ocean was strong, and powerful, it was not to be played with. Melany sighed, and wished the ocean in her eyes could persuade the rest of her to be like them. So serene, so peaceful…but they could unleash a devastating storm.


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[[Clothes: www.polyvore.com/letme_lany_bebold/set?id=20219202
Words: 615sh)
Notes: Eh…it’s an alright post…not my worst ha-ha. ]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

“I think this painting of yours is fantastic. You got the sky color right, the water looks…more beautiful than in real life. And you caught the feel the ocean gives people incredibly. You are a very talented artist. And why don’t you agree with what your name means?” Melany said, causing Calista to blush, and then pause her reply.

Why didn't she agree with what her name meant? To many people, they thought she was just setting herself up for compliments, but that wasn't it. What was it then?

Calista's eyebrows furrowed and she replied, "Thanks...and, in response to that, I guess it would be because I wish I looked Greek instead of Asian. My dad was Greek, and I love his side of my family more, I guess." She shrugged on the last part, trying to seem nonchalant, though she wondered if that was really the reason.

Could it just be her sub-conscience saying that she missed her dad? Probably. Most likely.

Yes! her insides screamed, startling her, but making her feel surprisingly better.

She was swept with the feeling of being complete, like she had been holding her breath for years, and she was finally letting it all out, taking in the air, and chiding herself for holding her breath in the first place.

"Thanks," Calista added, smiling, and thinking that Melany would probably think she was crazy.

Pulling her feet out of the sand, she put her sandals back on, trying not to grimace at the feeling of gritty sand on wood shoes.

She brushed her hair out of her face again, so she pulled a hair tie off of her wrist, putting her hair into a bun and tucking it up into her hat.

Her hands lingered a little on the hat, and she missed her Aunt Aphrodite, as well as her dad.

Exhale. Inhale, she told herself, trying not to cry from homesickness. Desperate to distract herself, she looked towards the ocean, still holding her easel, and she gasped.

The waves were coming in stronger. Much stronger. Stronger than they would have on a normal day. It was scary, for that day had just been absolutely perfect.

You can never trust the ocean, she thought. It'll switch in the blink of an eye, scaring you to wits end, and calming you the next minute.

Calista had seen this before, but only once, though once was enough to make her afraid.

"Do you believe in Poseidon, Melany?" she asked, her voice shaking, not confident like it usually was. "Because if you do, I'm pretty sure that he's really, really angry."

She felt like she was losing her voice, she was becoming choked up. Her throat felt like it was closing, but she pushed on and said, "I'm pretty sure that this is the beginning of a hurricane."[/color]

{Clothes.
Tag: Melany.
Word count: 470ish.
Notes: STORM!!! FEAR THE WRATH OF POSEIDON! ;D}

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany looked at the ocean again, the sky. It turned that weird yellow-ish color it always did right before a hurricane. The wind picked up, the waves grew. And Melany’s eyes almost popped out of her head.

Calista had been right, Poseidon was totally pissed off. Though, Melany didn’t believe in the Greek gods…not many people did anymore. Melany was so shocked at how rough the waters had turned that she forgot what she was going to say to Calista. Though, it probably wasn’t important anymore anyway.

If it wasn’t the beginning of a hurricane, it would have to be a cyclone. The waves started to get bigger, and Melany relentlessly got up, grabbed her stuff, and walked quickly away from the water, which had begun to drag her in. Even though the ocean was being extremely fierce and deadly then, Melany didn’t want to leave it. Her turtle self was stronger than the rest of her…at least that’s what she thought. It was the only way she could explain why she wanted to be near the ocean all the time.

Melany rubbed her birthmark as she yelled to Calista, “We should probably head inland!” But then Melany had an idea. “Wait!” she yelled over the now extremely loud waves and wind.

Melany looked around the beach, and hoped that she would be right. “Yes!” Melany cheered quietly as she ran as fast as she could against the wind to where a surf board was rudely left leaning against a tree. She had hoped someone would be careless with their board and leave it. There may have been a hurricane coming, but all Melany saw were the giant waves.

She grabbed the board, and headed toward the ocean. As she was running she quickly threw off the shirt and shorts, her hat and necklace she had left back by the tree where the surfboard had been left. This board wasn’t Melany’s surfboard, so she wasn’t used to the feel of it. She ran into the water, fighting the current and wind the entire way. She didn’t know where Calista was, and, frankly, she didn’t care. Something had taken over Melany, made her keep going until she had surfed. Maybe it was the fact that she had never gotten to compete in that surf competition, maybe she just wanted to surf again.

She kept running in the water until it was deep enough she could get on the board and paddled toward the wave. She didn’t realize how stupid she was being until she was right up on the wave and it was time to stand on the board.



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[[Clothes: www.polyvore.com/letme_lany_bebold/set?id=20219202
Words: 410 ((ish))
Notes: w00t! hurricane . ]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

Either Melany was certifiably crazy, or she loved the ocean more than Calista knew.

Calista thought it was a mix of both, but she wasn't one to judge. The water was calling to her too, she just didn't like to surf. Swimming was her domain, but there was no way she was going to swim in water that strong. Not unless she was suicidal...oh, gosh! Melany wasn't trying to kill herself, was she?

Her thoughts were out of control. It was probably her second idea, that Melany loved the ocean more than her own life.

Which made Calista wonder what her shift was...she was obviously an aquatic animal, but--Snap out of it, girl! This storm's messing with your head! You and Melany need to get inland before this storm gets out of hand! her conscience screamed at her, jarring her other thoughts.

The wind was increasingly louder and fiercer. If Calista hadn't had her hat on, her hair would have been blowing all over the place.

She thought too soon. Calista's hat was quickly taken by the gusts, and she would probably never see it again. It flew faster than the first time she had lost it, and soon after that, her hair tie was taken from her, too, scattering her hair in a million directions and blowing it in front of her eyes.

From what she could see through her hair, it looked like Melany was an amazing surfer, or at least she was staying on the board. It was hard to tell thanks to the wind.

"C'mon, Melany! We really need to head inland!" Calista yelled, trying to hold on to her painting. The easel had already flown away, and Calista was not going to lose the painting as well.

Calista backed away from the shore, for the water was coming in stronger and stronger. She was losing her grip on her painting, so she ran as fast as she could, cursing that she hadn't worn different shoes, and stowed it in a tiny cave in the rocks, perfect for storing it. She pushed it in so that she could still see it, but to wear it'd be safe.

"Stay," she whispered to it, then turned her attention back to Melany.

Hoping her new acquaintance would be okay, Calista pulled her hair back in her hands, glad that she could finally see, even though it wasn't perfect thanks to the wind causing her to squint and the rain blurring her vision.

Tag: Melany
Word count: 414
Notes: Sorry my reply took so long, my muse has been dead lately....and is still dead, based on my horrible post.

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany stood up on the board, no longer worried about the storm. As soon as she put her feet on the correct spots on the board, nothing else mattered to her. She was in her surfing zone. She hadn’t surfed since right before she shifted, and, to Melany, that was way too long. To her, this was the competition she had never got to compete in (because she had shifted the day before).

She knew she would have won that contest by a long shot, but Stacey and Jonathan (adoptive parents) didn’t let her since she was leaving and “needed to be ready emotionally and physically”/ When they told her she wasn’t competing she withdrew from them ever more (not that they actually noticed).

Melany shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. She needed to focus on the board. Even though what she was doing was incredibly stupid, Melany couldn’t help but smile as the surf board cut through the wave. She looked at the water as it curled over her. It wasn’t the beautiful, calm blue or blue-green she was used to, it was a weird dirty grey color. She didn’t like this wave, or this water, or even the board she was using. She looked toward the shore and saw Calista watching her.

Melany had decided to not look at the wave (and the motion of the wave) at the wrong time. When she looked back at the water, after seeing Calista on shore, the wave was changing quickly, too fast for Melany to react in time, especially since she wasn’t used to the board she was on.

The wave consumed Melany, but released the board and let it ride a wave to shore on its own.

Under the water she was trying her best not to panic. She wasn’t sure which way was up or which was down. She had no idea if she was as far away from shore as she had been when she was on her board, or if the water had drifted her farther out to sea. She hadn’t shifted after the last time (which was her first time shifting) and had no idea how she had done it in the first place. Plus, she was scared out of her mind (of drowning AND shifting).

Melany’s lungs began to scream for air, and ached as she let another precious breath escape. She knew the only was she was going to stay alive, or just stay conscious at this point, would be to shift.

She closed her eyes, the salt water beginning to sting, and tried to float to the surface. But just as she tried to focus enough to float, she hit an underwater current. She was like a rag doll against the water, weak and seemingly life-less.

Her last breath left her lungs as she searched for air, for light, for the surface…for anything.



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[[Clothes: www.polyvore.com/letme_lany_bebold/set?id=20219202
Words: 484
Notes: Sorry, it would be longer and better, but my muse is currently dead DX . ]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

Calista was scared. She hated to admit it to herself, but she was terrified. The sheer force of the wind blowing her hair was enough to make her close off her body posture, make her feel like she wanted to roll into a ball. But she couldn't do that, she just couldn't.

When Calista lost sight of Melany, she became determined instead. She wasn't sure if Melany knew how to control her shifting any better than she did, but she knew she had to do something. If you could only use one word to describe Calista, loyal would be it, even to people she had just met.

Her feet took her forward into the waves, and she didn't care about her clothes being ruined, or her shoes either. Clothes were replaceable, people weren't. The water was soaking her, and although it was a horrible grey color, not the beautiful green-blue it should have been, it still felt amazing to Calista to be back in it. She felt like it had been too long, far too long.

When Calsita was up to her shoulders, she held her breath and submerged herself, ready to shift. She was losing her spine, her soaked clothes were gone, now her skin was the orange she prefered, her legs became arms, eight of them to be precise. She felt pain, but she didn't let it bother her. She couldn't afford to in a time like this.

She was a creature of the deep, the water couldn't hurt her now, and she swam forward faster than she ever had before. Her eyes scanned, looking for Melany. She wished she were more comfortable with her shift, it would have made things so much easier. She saw something, a hint of blonde hair, looking like seaweed in a current by the way it was waving. Darting forward, she got underneath her, wondering how strong she was. At least Melany weighed less underwater, maybe she could do this.

She started to swim, her head pushing on Melany's back, bringing her upwards. The smart idea would have been to shift back, but she didn't know how at the moment, and didn't trust herself to do it underwater. The pressure on her head lightened the further she went, knowing that she was closer to the surface. Calista saw when Melany broke the surface, and when she saw the sky, she shifted back, proud when she managed it, though she had no idea how she did it. Her lungs gasped for air as her human body automatically started treading water. She reached forward and grabbed Melany, keeping her from drifting away.

Her eyes were automatically scanning their surroundings. They were far from the shore, but not too far. Calista felt something hit her arm, something that felt like...driftwood?

Her free hand automatically grabbed the familiar wood before it was swept away, and she used it like a life raft, draping Melany on it as well as the waves rocked them up and down, and back and forth with their entire might.

"Come on, girlie," she urged her. "You gotta wake up."[/size]

{Clothes...uh, none right now considering that she shifted.
Word count: 518.
Notes: Ugh, horrible post...seems like we always think our own posts are horrible!}

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

“Come on, girlie, You gotta wake up.”

Melany heard a voice say…but she didn’t know whose voice it was, and she didn’t really care. She felt her eyelids flutter open, and her lungs gasp for air as she realized she was above the surface. She felt someone’s arm around her and she looked to see who it was.

“Calista?” Melany coughed as she willed her eyes to focus.

She struggled free of Calista’s grasp, and grabbed onto the drift wood Calista was holding onto. The waves were still extremely strong and hard and fast as they swarmed all around the two girls. Melany wasn’t sure how Calista had found her in the dark water, she knew she had sunk since she had lost consciousness, and she hadn’t been that close to the surface to begin with. She guessed Calista was an aquatic shift, how else would she have been able to find Melany and be fine.

Melany looked over at Calista, and noticed she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Melany immediately felt awkward, but, she realized, it was because Calista had shifted to save her. And Melany, still feeling awkward, felt gratitude to this girl she had just met. She began to think if she would have done the same for Calista. Would she have risked herself, for this…stranger? Melany was an extremely strong swimmer, but this current and these waves weren’t soft and gentle…no, they were out to harm or kill. And Melany realized how stupid it was of them to be out in the ocean, in human form, at this time.

Melany looked up at the sky and saw the clouds moving fast with the wind, she looked around herself and Calista, at the water. It was rough, and rude, it wasn’t the ocean she knew and loved. This ocean was more like a monster, aiming to kill, or harm. She knew they wouldn’t be walking away from this ocean, not unharmed anyway.

“Maybe…we should swim faster,” Melany said as her eyes grew as big as the wave coming at them. “Or, maybe we should get under the water!” . Melany’s voice got higher and louder as the wave got closer and closer until the drift wood they were holding onto was more like a surf board and they were just barely hanging on. At least, Melany was barely hanging on. The drift wood rose up and up on the wave. Melany could feel her fingers slipping, trying to stay with the board. But this wave was HUGE. Bigger than Melany had ever surfed…and she couldn’t resist. The surfer inside of her kept saying Dude, you HAVE to ride this one!. And so, she did. Well, she wanted to. But she couldn’t with Calista hanging on the board.

Melany pulled herself up onto the drift wood, and, surprisingly, it was hard and wide enough to support her and one other person. She hit the board with the heel of her foot, to make sure it wasn’t rotted through, and smiled when it didn’t crunch or even dent. She reached down for Calista, “Get on,” Melany practically ordered as the wave grew bigger as it got closer to the shore.



[/size]
[[Clothes: Click
Words: 520
Music: Brick by Boring brick by Paramore && Pressure by Paramore
Notes: You totally sucked all my dramatic-ness with your last post but it’s all good…I have something else to add dramatic-ness MWAHAHAHAHAHA(just don’t wreck it, please )….and sorry for the short post, my muse is still dead.]]

[Calista Miyamoto]

x x x x

I hate you, Poseidon! Calista thought, though she didn't really believe in the Greek gods of old. She usually mentioned them only to make people realize that she was Greek, but there had to be something controlling the ocean, there was no way this storm was just a freak nature thing. But Calista knew it was, the ocean was scary powerful, it made people think it could do anything, made people think it was alive with it's sheer might.

Calista took deep breaths, trying to keep calm, something she she hardly ever had to do when she was in the water. The water was like her home! The one place where she felt she belonged, but the waves were getting worse and worse, and then Melany practically ordered her onto the makeshift life raft, but it wasn't even that anymore, it was now a surfboard.

No time to doubt the driftwood's strength, Calista got on, but was immediately a little wary. Melany was obviously a great surfer, but Calista had no knowledge of it whatsoever, and these waves didn't look forgiving. She was placed a little at ease though when the wood didn't break underneath their weight, it didn't even bend to the waves.

But before Calista could get her two cents in, the wave picked them up, and Calista struggled to keep her balance. It was probably the scariest thing she'd ever done, scarier than shifting, and she clenched her teeth in an effort to be brave. Now, Calista probably would have liked surfing if she had a lesson, or knew how to do it, but surfing in the middle of a hurricane? Definitely not very appealing.

Ocean waves were amazing, Calista had always thought so, but she was starting to wish they were weaker, that and she was wishing that the hurricane would just end.

And then Calista couldn't see anything, well, couldn't see anything but bubbles around her, couldn't feel anything but the water around her. Her fear got to her, and she shifted, an octopus yet again, and she was swimming off from the danger as fast as she could. She was going towards the shore, and then she thought of Melany. What was she going to do? Calista doubted she would have enough strength to help again, she was just a common octopus after all, not a huge giant squid or anything too intimidating or strong.

The water moved around her, and Calista propelled herself through it yet again, desperate to try and find someplace safe, but how safe could she be in a hurricane?

[/size][/blockquote]

{Tag: Melany.
Word count: 430
Clothes: Same as before.
Notes: Worst post ever...sorry I put off posting for so long!}

[Melany Elizabeth Smith]

- -

Melany helped the still naked Calista up on to the drift wood that had become her make shift surf board. She tried to steady Calista as the wave grew bigger and bigger. It was stupid and completely dangerous to be surfing during a hurricane, Melany knew that. She also knew she was putting herself, as well as Calista, at danger by being that stupid. But, it was the only way they wouldn’t get dragged under by the wave. It was the only way to get to shore fast enough.

Melany was surfing against a hurricane…and she couldn’t help but smile. She could almost feel her eyes light up as the wave got bigger and bigger. She felt completely at home riding that wave, and it was the first real fun she’d had since she got to that stupid school. And then she felt the weight on the board lighten, and she heard a splash.

She saw Calista go under, but she couldn’t get off the board without almost drowning herself. Melany wanted to make sure Calista was alright, but if she did that she knew she would risk putting herself in danger. As she contemplated on what to do, the wave got bigger and the wind grew stronger.

And before she could actually decide the hurricane did it for her. The wave was too strong; it was like nothing she’d ever surfed before. And so, it threw her off the drift wood and into the waiting ocean.

She felt the water surround her and at once she was at ease. She knew that the current under water was too strong for her to swim against, and she knew she was probable drowning…but something about the way the waves moved around her body made her feel the most comfortable she had in years.

She felt like she was finally good enough. She felt like something finally loved her. And so she closed her eyes…and drifted, underwater. The waves pushed and pulled her. They threw her higher in the water, then dragged her back down. She kept her eyes closed, and tried not to focus on the ache in her lungs. She was running out of air, and she couldn’t go above the surface for it.

That’s when she felt her skin begin to change. She had only felt like this once before…and she knew what was about to happen. Immediately she made her eyes fly open, but it was too late. The pain had come and then gone. She was a turtle. She had shifted. She looked with her new eyes at her arms and legs flippers and…bottom flippers?

Melany was terrified. She had only shifted once so she didn’t know how she could shift back…she was confused and scared. But then she remembered something she had looked up after she had shifted for the first time. Green sea turtles hardly had to get out of the water; they only chose to go up as often as they did. She rejoiced, knowing she could stay under the water for, basically, as long as she wanted.

She did her own little turtle dance and dove deeper and deeper into the water, not bothering to fight the current and try to get up for air. She closed her turtle eyes and let her instincts take over. She didn’t have to think about where she was going, she was just…going. She laughed internally; glad she found a way to get away from the storm.

She was glad she had found a way to stay safe…that is, until she opened her eyes and saw row after row after row of giant white teeth.



[/size]
[[Clothes: Click
Words: 608
Music: None :’( well…unless a song that’s stuck in my head counts
Notes: Sorry for the sucky post…my muse is dead again, and I have no music to shock it back to life at the moment ]]