Well, I deleted my other world, so my stories are going on here for now. Put up with me please!!
Bios and pics soon.......
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Poppy Moon observed the sky for a moment, before stepping out of the shop. She clicked up her umbrella and headed towards her bus stop.
It was a grim day - raining constantly, with a chill wind. Around Poppy, figures stayed mysterious, faces hidden under hoods or umbrellas.
Sniffing the air at the crossing, she caught the musk of exhaust fumes mingling with the tang of fresh, falling rain. Wrinkling her nose, she thought, How odd. We find our way into all the best things.
She was, however, interrupted from her reverie by a figure who brushed against her, slid their fingers through hers and peered under the umbrella at her.
It was a boy, she noticed, not much older than her, and quite good-looking. Dark brown eyes, straight, pale blonde hair much lighter than her own, and a charming model's smile. However, as she scrambled for her composure, she remembered how deceptive appearances could be.
"Excuse me!" she cried, dragging her hand out of his. "Please, let go of me!"
Poppy watched his features change from quiet confidence to worried and apologetic. He bent underneath her umbrella, to whisper into her ear. To anyone watching, however, it must have seemed like he was bending to kiss her cheek.
"Please," he breathed. "I'm being chased by two men who want to kill me."
He drew away, and Poppy stared at him, horrified. "What do you want me to do about it?" she hissed.
"Just walk with me?" the good-looking boy suggested. "They're looking for a lone boy, not a couple."
Poppy gulped. This is bad. she thought. Really, really bad. This will get me into so much trouble. "Ok," she said out loud. She looked up into his eyes, filled with sudden confidence. "But, I have to get on my bus soon, if that's ok?"
The boy smiled and they continued walking. After a few awkward moments he took her hand again.
"So, what's my saviour's name?" he asked, grinning, all confidence returned.
"Poppy," she smiled back, slightly breathless. "Poppy Moon, but just Poppy."
"And I'm Jasp Howler." he replied, looking down almost shyly. Poppy saw his long brown eyelashes brushing against his pale cheekbones.
They had reached her stop. Poppy shook out the umbrella and looped the velcro fastening around it whilst looking up at the electronic display. Pushing her glasses up her nose with two fingers, she noted her bus was almost due. She fumbled in her purse, finally retrieving a crumpled DayRider. Glancing over at Jasp, she saw he was watching her, a pass between two long, thin fingers.
The bus whined in on time, and the pair joined the horde of harassed shoppers clamouring for a space. Taking Jasp's arm, more out of concern than anything else, Poppy pushed them to the front of the queue. The bus driver glanced at each pass and waved them on. As they headed up the stairs, Poppy noted how much easier it was for Jasp, with his long legs, than it was for tiny 5 foot her.
Taking two seats on the left, near the back, Poppy wedged herself in with her back to the window, knees up to her chest. Jasp slid neatly in next to her.
He grinned at her, but slid low in his seat. Poppy watches as he mussed his hair absentmindedly, and then he turned to her, scrutinizing her with a strong gaze.
Poppy didn't flinch. She looked back at him calmly, before asking, "Why were those men chasing you? And who were they?"
He smiled and stretched his arms upwards, sleeves falling back past his wrists.
"I can't really-" he started, but he was interrupted by Poppy snatching his left wrist, and staring at it, mouth agape.
On top of his wrist, between two jutting bones was a black symbol, about 3cm across. The design was well defined with thick black lines, and was strangely familiar to Poppy.
Poppy was still gaping at it when Jasp yanked it out of her grasp, pulling his sleeve back down again to cover the strange mark.
"Poppy, leave it." Jasp said firmly, as she started to protest. "I'm not involving anyone else in this. It's my problem, not yours."
A breeze blew through the open window, rustling their hair. Poppy still looked defiantly at Jasp, but she couldn't think how to phrase what she needed to say. Jasp looked away from her.
"Please, Jasp. I can help. Please, let me help!"
"Poppy, you shouldn't...I shouldn't let you stay with me for too long. I'm sorry." He raised his eyes to hers for a fleeting moment, and they were burning with deep regret.
Poppy stood, then and nudged Jasp's legs with her own.
"Where are you going?" he asked looking up at her from under his hair.
"This is my stop." Poppy muttered from between gritted teeth. "If you want my help, follow me. I promise to leave if you think you don't, but I think-" She stopped, and looked away. "I think I need your help as much as you need mine." she finished, colour flooding her cheeks.
Jasp stood and let Poppy out, watching her curiously. Poppy herself stomped down and off the bus grumpily. She heard it screech away, and had gone only a few more resentful steps before she realized someone was walking next to her, easily keeping pace with her angry march.
"Please, Poppy." Jasp's voice cracked on her name. "Please. Help me."
Poppy looked up at him, but he was determinedly not meeting her eyes. She squeezed his hand, back in hers again, in acknowledgement.
They ducked down an alley, a narrow crack between two buildings. Ever-cocky, Jasp raised an eyebrow and gave her a look filled with meanings as he asked, "Just what are you planning to do to me?"
Poppy shot him a look as she pulled off her jacket and started unpopping the buttons on her cardigan hurriedly. "Oh, shut up." she muttered, pulling her cardigan too. "Look."
Poppy turned around, so that her back was to Jasp. She carefully hitched up her top, so that her lower back was visible to him.
He gasped. Looking over her shoulder, Poppy watched his expression flicker from shock, through astonishment, and finally land on curiosity.
"Can I?" Jasp asked, wiggling his long fingers at her.
"Knock yourself out." Poppy replied with a half-smile.
He crouched, and Poppy's back arched as he lightly traced the black mark on her back.
It was almost the same as Jasp's - same black lines, same definition, same size. But a completely different symbol.
Jasp whispered something to himself, entranced. "Pardon?" Poppy asked, Pulling her top down as Jasp stood up.
"Mizu." he smiled. "Kanji for water. Kanji is the name for the Chinese symbols that are used in Japanese."
"I know what they are, thanks." Poppy muttered. "But if I have one on my back, and you have a different one on your wrist, what does that mean?"
Jasp just satred at her, so Poppy asked, "What's yours, then. If I'm "mizu", and water, what are you?"
"Kaze." Calm spread across his face as he spoke the word. "It means "wind"."
"Wind." she echoed. "Come on, Mr. Man-with-all-the-answers. It still doesn't explain why. Why we've been marked, or chosen, whichever."
Jasp paused, biting is lower lip. Then he looked her dead in the eye, suddenly serious.
"Poppy, I can tell you, but if I do, it will have serious, irreversible consequences for you and your life. Are you ready to accept that?"
Poppy could only nod.
"Then, Poppy Moon, would you be willing to travel with me, leave your family, friends and life here to gather the others and eventually save our world?"
"Me?" she asked. "Why me? I'm so normal! The only way I'm special are my grades! Someone who saves the world should be tall, skinny, beautiful. Not me!"
"You don't see yourself clearly, do you? You are chosen, you have been chosen by one of the 6 elements as a sacred carrier. Awed, inspiring, deeply worshipped and revered. Foretold by the prophets since ancient times back in our world, as messiahs, the last saviours of their culture, race and planet."
