lilbluecorsola
Binky-boo! <3
~¤World upon World¤~
All my life, I’ve held the belief that someday I shall fly. Leave behind the waters that nurtured me in my infancy, soar off into the infinite blue sea that exists just above my own. Ocean upon ocean, world upon world. That other world… called Sky.
How I yearned to swim, if only briefly, in that other sea! I wondered what sort of creatures might live there. Would they have fins and tails, as my fellow fish possess? Would their fins be like mine? Widespread, flat and thick, with the consistency of rubber? I had only caught glimpses of the tiny shadows against the Sky, circling slowly overhead in intricate patterns, like graceful dancers skimming across the surface of their sea. Only I assumed that they were, in actuality, swimming, for they were high above the plane where our two worlds meet. I always thought it odd that I could see clearly and far into the Sky, whereas I could barely distinguish what was below me. I knew though, that the ocean had a bottom. Did the Sky ever end? So many questions I longed to have answered!
And the Birds… I’d heard they were things with pointed mouths and long, soft scales, that they only came down to meet our world when they choose to gorge themselves on our kind. Was it true? I thought the others must be wrong. How could they know, when they themselves have never met a Bird? And those who were supposedly carried off, how would they ever be able to recount the tale of their own experience?
I chose not to believe their words. Instead I listened to the cries of the Birds, and tried to interpret the meanings for myself. I could not learn their language, but I grew to recognize the various tones and pitches, and could match the calls with the shapes high above me, though vague they often were. I heard many different passions and moods when I listened to the Birds. Some were sharp, others soft. They crooned to one another in such ways that I could never understand, especially as they often overlapped one another, creating an endless chorus that I never ceased loving.
I wondered what were to happen should I appear amongst them one day, and strike up a casual conversation. What might they say in answer to my greeting? Would they comprehend my words? Or would they be as lost to my speech as I am to theirs?
I ask myself these questions time and time again, and find I never have the answers. The only direction I know to look for them is Up.
So that is where I shall go.
-------------------------------------------
The Sea is calm today. I hear the lapping of the waves by my sides, whispering incomprehensibly in my ear. I drift serenely on the surf, bobbing closer to shore. It is summer, and my back is warm. Today is the day.
I open my eyes and blink in the harsh light that greets me. I find I am resting in the shallows, half submerged in water, my flat belly lying on the soft dunes of sand near the beach. The tide is going out. I lift myself off the mound to follow it. The water filling the space between my body and the floor begins to grow until I can no longer see the fine sand. I am in open waters now.
I look to the Sky. It is a dazzling cerulean. A few white puffs swim inside, advancing slowly across the skywaters. I wonder if they are some sort of foreign plant life. It is puzzling indeed that they do not seem to be attached to anything like the kelp is to the ocean floor, so that they will not drift away with the tides. I hear the Birds above me. Their cries are peaceful, welcoming. I close my eyes and listen to them.
I’ve floated out to the middle of the ocean. I know that the bottom is far below me, the Sky high above. There is nothing but an endless blue expanse in any direction, as far as the eye can see. Here, I feel I am alone at the center point of two worlds. Here, they meet, and Sky presses upon Sea. Sea surrenders to Sky’s will, and Earth yields to Sea’s waters, which bow to receive the pressure, carving out a bowl in the Earth’s bed. Yet Sea does not resist Sky’s advances. Instead, she sighs softly and allows his breath to kiss her surface, and she ripples gleefully in response. That is how I often imagine things. The others say my ideas are romantic and folly, but I pay them no mind.
My eyes open once again. I am ready to begin. I dive down below the surface, and continue swimming at a relaxed pace. I try to conserve my energy. I know that I will have need of it later. I pass schools of shining silver Remoraid. They accompany me on my journey for some time, vying for the privilege of hitching a ride under my huge fin, hoping to feed on the scraps of food I may have left over after meals. I ignore them, and eventually they leave, having no desire to be eaten by some other large fish that may lurk in the depths of the ocean.
At last, the bottom rises up to meet me, and I descend elegantly. All is dark, and I cannot see much further than a foot in front of me. I brush past a clump of seaweed, and for a moment I fear that I have run into an Octillery and its many slippery arms. I am relieved when I realize the truth, and decide to remain still and not move far from my position. I look up, though it is difficult to tell direction in deep darkness. I see only shadows hovering by, and when they do pass, it is still impossible to see the surface. I rest for a minute, preparing myself for flight. I was nervous. I had been training day by day, but never before have I gone this far deep.
At last, I feel I am ready. I push off the ocean bottom, and begin to rise; steadily at first, then gaining speed. My long fins slice through the waters, and I propel myself forward with all my might. The waters stream by me, and in a whirl of vibrant colors, fish panic and hasten to swim out of the way. I close my eyes so that they will not distract me from my purpose. Faster…
I open my eyes. The surface is approaching. I can see light from the Sky dancing and sparkling above me. I put on an extra burst of speed, and exert all my strength in thrusting myself forward. Break through the waves, let me fly, oh mistress Sea and mighty Sky please let me fly.
I do. I burst through the surface with a spray of foam. I let out a triumphant shout as I soar up and into the Sky, the spumes falling far below me as Sea is restored to her normal, tranquil state. I glide over the waves, and watch them glisten below me, encrusted with myriad diamonds. I am certain I feel waves in the Sky as well, but they are nothing like those of the Sea. As they rush past my form, I find they are cold and exhilarating. But the Birds are still above me. I want to meet them. Higher…
I climb through the Sky, ascending higher and higher. I can see a group of Birds just before me, and soon I am bringing up the rear as if I were one of them. I am in awe of their light, compact bodies, and their long fins, which they beat in steady rhythm. I imitate their movements, and am amazed when I feel myself rise in level slightly, and the skywaters are pushed away by my fins. The birds squawk in surprise to see me, flapping like the rest of them, but they do not flee. Curiosity overtakes them, and they move in closer to inspect their odd new traveling companion.
“What are you? Fish or fowl?” they exclaim. I can understand them! They speak in a tongue similar to mine, though I sense it is not their true language.
“Both, or neither!” I joyfully respond. “I come from the Sea, but I too am capable of flight! Where did you learn to speak the language of the deep?”
They tell me that they have traveled the world many times, and picked up strange and useful information from all over. I learn of wondrous places beyond my scope of imagination. They answer all the questions I have ever sought to know the answers to. Why are your fins and scales that way? They are wings and feathers, silly! Does the Sky have a limit? No, never! Do you eat fish? Only if we are hungry!
Time passes swiftly. Sky becomes amethyst, and then black, and tiny pinpricks of light appear. “Are we very deep now?” I ask, reminded of the gloom of the ocean’s depths. The darkness here does not seem so bad though, with so many lights to lead the way.
“Very,” they reply, laughing.
“What are those lights?”
“They are Stars. They help to guide those who are lost.”
“What is that very large one over there?”
“That is the Moon.”
I gaze at the round disc, marveling at it as it glows, lighting up the Sky with the Stars. I recall the one resembling it when the Sky was blue. “It looks like the thing that shined before.”
“Ah, but that was the Sun.”
“And what were those white things in the Sky earlier?”
“They were Clouds.”
I look down, and see the ocean still beneath me. I had not realized how large my home was. And the Birds, they insisted that there were other worlds like mine beyond the land. The planet is beginning to seem even larger. I yearn to continue journeying with my newfound friends, but my wings are beginning to tire. They notice my fatigue, and they encourage me to return to my place of origin.
“But come again,” they chirp. “Perhaps then you will bring us tales of your world. We should like to hear them.”
I smile, and agree. Bidding goodbye, I carefully sink closer to the waters. Gently, I land on the still surface, and the waters greet me with coolness. Above me, I can hear the Birds shouting to each other as they change direction and head towards the shore. As I pass from one world into another, I feel a peculiar sensation as my wings make the adjustments to being underwater again. Once again they are but fins on a fish, practical only for swimming around in the ocean. But I am aware now of their hidden function, and I smile, poking my head up from the water again to stare up into the Sky. There are no Birds now, but I know that they will be back again the next day.
With a splash, I plunge once again into the Sea. As I grow accustomed to being back at home again, I reflect on what I have discovered while being in another world. My mind has opened up to thousands of new possibilities, and I cannot wait to explore them all. My new friends are no longer a mystery to me, though I realize I am still unknown to them. Tomorrow, I resolve to tell them all about my world and those who inhabit it.
Perhaps… This is what my wings were meant for all along. I am the link between two worlds, and I have broken a barrier. Though invisible, it has been recognized by all to this date. I wonder if perhaps it is the beginning of a transformation. Our worlds might merge together, and we will no longer be strangers to each other. It seems an impossible idea, but so was the thought of ever being able to fly.
The first step to Unity has been taken. When the next will follow, I cannot say. But I hope with all my heart that it will one day. Until then, I shall do my best to bring our worlds closer to one another.
Perhaps, someday, our two worlds will truly be as one.
Someday…
All my life, I’ve held the belief that someday I shall fly. Leave behind the waters that nurtured me in my infancy, soar off into the infinite blue sea that exists just above my own. Ocean upon ocean, world upon world. That other world… called Sky.
How I yearned to swim, if only briefly, in that other sea! I wondered what sort of creatures might live there. Would they have fins and tails, as my fellow fish possess? Would their fins be like mine? Widespread, flat and thick, with the consistency of rubber? I had only caught glimpses of the tiny shadows against the Sky, circling slowly overhead in intricate patterns, like graceful dancers skimming across the surface of their sea. Only I assumed that they were, in actuality, swimming, for they were high above the plane where our two worlds meet. I always thought it odd that I could see clearly and far into the Sky, whereas I could barely distinguish what was below me. I knew though, that the ocean had a bottom. Did the Sky ever end? So many questions I longed to have answered!
And the Birds… I’d heard they were things with pointed mouths and long, soft scales, that they only came down to meet our world when they choose to gorge themselves on our kind. Was it true? I thought the others must be wrong. How could they know, when they themselves have never met a Bird? And those who were supposedly carried off, how would they ever be able to recount the tale of their own experience?
I chose not to believe their words. Instead I listened to the cries of the Birds, and tried to interpret the meanings for myself. I could not learn their language, but I grew to recognize the various tones and pitches, and could match the calls with the shapes high above me, though vague they often were. I heard many different passions and moods when I listened to the Birds. Some were sharp, others soft. They crooned to one another in such ways that I could never understand, especially as they often overlapped one another, creating an endless chorus that I never ceased loving.
I wondered what were to happen should I appear amongst them one day, and strike up a casual conversation. What might they say in answer to my greeting? Would they comprehend my words? Or would they be as lost to my speech as I am to theirs?
I ask myself these questions time and time again, and find I never have the answers. The only direction I know to look for them is Up.
So that is where I shall go.
-------------------------------------------
The Sea is calm today. I hear the lapping of the waves by my sides, whispering incomprehensibly in my ear. I drift serenely on the surf, bobbing closer to shore. It is summer, and my back is warm. Today is the day.
I open my eyes and blink in the harsh light that greets me. I find I am resting in the shallows, half submerged in water, my flat belly lying on the soft dunes of sand near the beach. The tide is going out. I lift myself off the mound to follow it. The water filling the space between my body and the floor begins to grow until I can no longer see the fine sand. I am in open waters now.
I look to the Sky. It is a dazzling cerulean. A few white puffs swim inside, advancing slowly across the skywaters. I wonder if they are some sort of foreign plant life. It is puzzling indeed that they do not seem to be attached to anything like the kelp is to the ocean floor, so that they will not drift away with the tides. I hear the Birds above me. Their cries are peaceful, welcoming. I close my eyes and listen to them.
I’ve floated out to the middle of the ocean. I know that the bottom is far below me, the Sky high above. There is nothing but an endless blue expanse in any direction, as far as the eye can see. Here, I feel I am alone at the center point of two worlds. Here, they meet, and Sky presses upon Sea. Sea surrenders to Sky’s will, and Earth yields to Sea’s waters, which bow to receive the pressure, carving out a bowl in the Earth’s bed. Yet Sea does not resist Sky’s advances. Instead, she sighs softly and allows his breath to kiss her surface, and she ripples gleefully in response. That is how I often imagine things. The others say my ideas are romantic and folly, but I pay them no mind.
My eyes open once again. I am ready to begin. I dive down below the surface, and continue swimming at a relaxed pace. I try to conserve my energy. I know that I will have need of it later. I pass schools of shining silver Remoraid. They accompany me on my journey for some time, vying for the privilege of hitching a ride under my huge fin, hoping to feed on the scraps of food I may have left over after meals. I ignore them, and eventually they leave, having no desire to be eaten by some other large fish that may lurk in the depths of the ocean.
At last, the bottom rises up to meet me, and I descend elegantly. All is dark, and I cannot see much further than a foot in front of me. I brush past a clump of seaweed, and for a moment I fear that I have run into an Octillery and its many slippery arms. I am relieved when I realize the truth, and decide to remain still and not move far from my position. I look up, though it is difficult to tell direction in deep darkness. I see only shadows hovering by, and when they do pass, it is still impossible to see the surface. I rest for a minute, preparing myself for flight. I was nervous. I had been training day by day, but never before have I gone this far deep.
At last, I feel I am ready. I push off the ocean bottom, and begin to rise; steadily at first, then gaining speed. My long fins slice through the waters, and I propel myself forward with all my might. The waters stream by me, and in a whirl of vibrant colors, fish panic and hasten to swim out of the way. I close my eyes so that they will not distract me from my purpose. Faster…
I open my eyes. The surface is approaching. I can see light from the Sky dancing and sparkling above me. I put on an extra burst of speed, and exert all my strength in thrusting myself forward. Break through the waves, let me fly, oh mistress Sea and mighty Sky please let me fly.
I do. I burst through the surface with a spray of foam. I let out a triumphant shout as I soar up and into the Sky, the spumes falling far below me as Sea is restored to her normal, tranquil state. I glide over the waves, and watch them glisten below me, encrusted with myriad diamonds. I am certain I feel waves in the Sky as well, but they are nothing like those of the Sea. As they rush past my form, I find they are cold and exhilarating. But the Birds are still above me. I want to meet them. Higher…
I climb through the Sky, ascending higher and higher. I can see a group of Birds just before me, and soon I am bringing up the rear as if I were one of them. I am in awe of their light, compact bodies, and their long fins, which they beat in steady rhythm. I imitate their movements, and am amazed when I feel myself rise in level slightly, and the skywaters are pushed away by my fins. The birds squawk in surprise to see me, flapping like the rest of them, but they do not flee. Curiosity overtakes them, and they move in closer to inspect their odd new traveling companion.
“What are you? Fish or fowl?” they exclaim. I can understand them! They speak in a tongue similar to mine, though I sense it is not their true language.
“Both, or neither!” I joyfully respond. “I come from the Sea, but I too am capable of flight! Where did you learn to speak the language of the deep?”
They tell me that they have traveled the world many times, and picked up strange and useful information from all over. I learn of wondrous places beyond my scope of imagination. They answer all the questions I have ever sought to know the answers to. Why are your fins and scales that way? They are wings and feathers, silly! Does the Sky have a limit? No, never! Do you eat fish? Only if we are hungry!
Time passes swiftly. Sky becomes amethyst, and then black, and tiny pinpricks of light appear. “Are we very deep now?” I ask, reminded of the gloom of the ocean’s depths. The darkness here does not seem so bad though, with so many lights to lead the way.
“Very,” they reply, laughing.
“What are those lights?”
“They are Stars. They help to guide those who are lost.”
“What is that very large one over there?”
“That is the Moon.”
I gaze at the round disc, marveling at it as it glows, lighting up the Sky with the Stars. I recall the one resembling it when the Sky was blue. “It looks like the thing that shined before.”
“Ah, but that was the Sun.”
“And what were those white things in the Sky earlier?”
“They were Clouds.”
I look down, and see the ocean still beneath me. I had not realized how large my home was. And the Birds, they insisted that there were other worlds like mine beyond the land. The planet is beginning to seem even larger. I yearn to continue journeying with my newfound friends, but my wings are beginning to tire. They notice my fatigue, and they encourage me to return to my place of origin.
“But come again,” they chirp. “Perhaps then you will bring us tales of your world. We should like to hear them.”
I smile, and agree. Bidding goodbye, I carefully sink closer to the waters. Gently, I land on the still surface, and the waters greet me with coolness. Above me, I can hear the Birds shouting to each other as they change direction and head towards the shore. As I pass from one world into another, I feel a peculiar sensation as my wings make the adjustments to being underwater again. Once again they are but fins on a fish, practical only for swimming around in the ocean. But I am aware now of their hidden function, and I smile, poking my head up from the water again to stare up into the Sky. There are no Birds now, but I know that they will be back again the next day.
With a splash, I plunge once again into the Sea. As I grow accustomed to being back at home again, I reflect on what I have discovered while being in another world. My mind has opened up to thousands of new possibilities, and I cannot wait to explore them all. My new friends are no longer a mystery to me, though I realize I am still unknown to them. Tomorrow, I resolve to tell them all about my world and those who inhabit it.
Perhaps… This is what my wings were meant for all along. I am the link between two worlds, and I have broken a barrier. Though invisible, it has been recognized by all to this date. I wonder if perhaps it is the beginning of a transformation. Our worlds might merge together, and we will no longer be strangers to each other. It seems an impossible idea, but so was the thought of ever being able to fly.
The first step to Unity has been taken. When the next will follow, I cannot say. But I hope with all my heart that it will one day. Until then, I shall do my best to bring our worlds closer to one another.
Perhaps, someday, our two worlds will truly be as one.
Someday…
;