Requiem For The Beast

The ocean waves crashed along the rock face of Shamouti Island, producing a haunting but calming rhythm. The shrine was now all but abandoned for the year, the festivities surrounding it long since passed for the season. The shrine was bathed in shadow as the sun set behind the large mountain that dominated the island.

The dried dead leaves crunched under her feet as she walked up the steps, memories flooding back to her like a tsunami rushing towards the shore. Even though she came here year after year, playing her song, it just didn't feel the same. There was no rush of power, no magic, behind the notes. It was just, pretty notes. There was nothing.

She sighed as she flopped down on the cobbled stones that ringed the shrine, gazing around at her surroundings. The three islands, Fire, Ice, and Lightning, all looked the same as the did last year, and the year before that. She looked out to the ocean, watching as the colors of the sunset scintillate on the ripples and waves. It was quite beautiful, she had to admit, but so boring.

Her side bag slipped and something tumbled out the satchel with ceramic 'tink'. Her eyes glanced over and she groaned to herself. Great. Another reminder of her boring life. She picked the instrument up checking it over for any chips or cracks. Despite the appearance of a conch shell. It was actually constructed of ceramic, for no shell would have the intricacies of her instrument.

Her hands ran over the keyholes, reminiscing. If only she could get out of this place. Her sister was lucky, she started up a delivery service that caters to the region. She was rarely home now. Occasionally she went with her, but she was otherwise trapped here, on the small lump of rock called 'home'.

She experimentally blew into the mouth piece, mildly surprised at the melodic note it produced. She rarely brought it out anymore, only for the Ceremony every year. Otherwise, it was jammed at the bottom of her bag, hidden under her make up and other 'girly supplies', as her father called them.

She bit her lip, wondering for that split moment if she should just toss the instrument out to sea, her last gift to the sea beast, Lugia. As she started to stand though to fling the instrument, she hesitated, wondering if throwing away her heritage is the key to being free. She looked at the conch shelled piece instrument, and sat back down, feeling even more dejected than before.

If only she were a trainer, like that kid Ash. To travel around the world, to see things and be a part of the real world, rather then to be so, provincial. She wanted to be free, like the Three Birds, like the great Sea Beast, Lugia. If only...

She looked up the sky, which was now turning into a dark violet shade, reminding her of a ripened plum. Normally, she would be back by now, but tonight, she wanted to stay here, to be free of everything even though she was still here. Her hand clenched around the instrument, the ocarina that was passed down from her by her deceased mother. Maybe there was a way.

She sat back down on the cobbled stones, ocarina in hand, her eyes with hope for the first time. She summoned him before, why not again. She placed one hand on the gear mounted on the side while her other hand went to the finger holes. She was surprised at how instinctual the gesture was, but she shoved it aside and started to play, Lugia's melody coming so easily to her.

Her fingers danced along the ocarina, as if she had just played it the other day, the other hand turning the gear, allowing her to jump octaves. Without the gear, the ocarina would have only played from Low C to a Middle G; with the turning device, she could create three octaves with little trouble.

She soon lost herself in the melody, as ancient as the sea beast itself. The notes echoed off the pillars of the shrine, creating haunting chords that weaved into the base song. There was never a name for the song, but it was only known as the melody of Lugia. Now, she felt it was more fitting for it to be called the 'Requiem of the Beast'. Her past was dead, the beast was 'dead', unless the Birds rose again, everything she once held dear was gone, or if it wasn't, she would make it so.

The requiem finally faded, leaving noting but the echos in the shrine, but they too faded, just like everything else. She played the last lingering note and smiled, at last at peace with herself. Even though she had deemed the piece a 'requiem', maybe it had no become a new start for her, a new way of seeing things. She stood back up, brushing the dust off her clothing, feeling victorious. She started to walk away from the shrine, knowing that her life was going to change soon very soon.

Tomorrow she would leave Shamouti. Tomorrow she would begin a new life in Kanto, Johto, she didn't know which one, but it was going to be one of them. Tomorrow would begin anew for her.

And as she walked away from the Shrine, something stirred underneath the water. If she had taken a good look, she would have seen a flash of white and silver.

Ta-Dah! Something different for a change! Care to take a stab at who the main character is? XD