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erizawayumako888 · 3 years ago

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It's been a while, how many years have passed? 5? 10? maybe even more? we both lay side by side on top of the hill, green fields and village by the mountain. The place we call home, or for me, used to be one.

We may not have been the closest of friends, but your company is quite enjoyable. Especially back then, when I was a child, young and free, naive and innocent. I would run around the village, play with other kids, other times hanging out with older friends like you. I've been looking up to you, we don't talk much, but you're an admirable figure, as a kid I thought about how cool you are, I talked a lot about you although I didn't have the guts to really tell you how I feel.

Kids would cringe at the idea of the idea of a girl and boy kissing or holding hands, including me. I kept on denying how I feel, I was so young I felt that it was disgusting although it felt good. As I grow up we grew further apart, just like every other kids growing out of their interests or old friends. I forgotten that you even existed for years.

All those years as I grew up, a lot of terrible things happened. I looked at you, assuming that you are smiling back at me underneath that mask. You were quite pleased to see an old friend, a little girl you used to spend time with, gone for quite a while and returned a grown up woman. You sat comfortably beside me, thinking that I'm still the same old bright young woman. How unfortunate, my friend. You couldn't have been more wrong...

I didn't grow up to be the lady society expects me to be, I run, jump and play like boys, I prefer dinosaurs and superheroes over dressing up and dolls. Other kids think I am weird, I got bullied and rejected. I learnes how to just keep things by myself, since I am a bother for others. But it didn't stop there, now that I am being quiet, the grown ups hated me just for speaking too little. I still listen to and reply to them, I just don't talk much to other kids or when not needed.

They tried to shackle and chain my freedom, telling me that just because I am a girl I am not allowed to do this or that. I am forced to wear complicated clothings, constantly how a woman's only goal in life is to bow down to her husband. I am sick of being tossed and controlled around up to 14 years of my life, only to be told that it is the right thing to carry on beibg tossed and controlled around by a man until the day I die.

This place I grew up in, what I once see as a peaceful village... I hate everyone in there. All of them, judgemental hypocrites, feeling that they're always right when they condemn people for being themselves. I'm sick of it, I can't take it any longer. My guardian angel held me tight, telling me that everythings going to be okay.

Hell no, I am no longer enduring that while faking a smile. I ran away from her, from the village, into the forest depth. And that's when I came face to face with the devil herself. And attractive woman with red, glistening hair. Her sharp glare accompanied with curled horbs decorating her head, standing proud with her bat-like wings stretched over and her devilish tail swaying around. She stood proud, loud and clear she declared ,"My child, I can help you avenge those who have wronged you!".

My guardian angel grabbed my arm whimpering ,"Don't listen to her" I looked back at her feeling bad... But you are my guardian angel, yet you don't protect me from the hell I have been through. But still, you are my friend, but what kind of friend sees you suffering and does nothing about it, only telling me to be patient and take it all?

I closed my eyes, under my eyelids it's pitch black as expected. However everything soon turns to be red, bright red, visions of flames of hell is getting clearer. But I felt very excited, not realizing I grinned wider as the estacy grew. I opened my eyes feeling euphoric, for the first time in a while my laugh echoes out of excitement. I can't tell where and what I am looking, I only know that I can't stop laughing, my arms have to keep moving slashing through the air, I feltike I'm hit something, at a glance I might have seen a terrified face but the adrenaline rush makes me ignorant of it. My vision grows blurry and redder, as the screams from hell grew louder and pierces my ears.

Finally I'm exhausted. My head feels very heavy, as if heavy weights are being attach to its left and right, I fell forward to the ground. That is when I realized I literaly have weights on my head... that demon lady's horns, they are on my head now. I could feel some wind, some moving attached to my back, those are her wings... and my hands, red.

I saw my guardian angel there, her once white gown is now stained in red. She is no longer movinh or breathing. I cried when I realized what happened. Slowly I carried her lifeless body on top of a hill far away from the village, under a huge, old tree surrounded by the flower beds we used to play at. It was where we would laugh and make flower crowns, where we would frolic and run with the animals. But now, this is her final resting place.

I kept replaying those memories as I walked with my old friend. He didn't say a word and follwed behind me, until I stopped in front of the nameless tombstone. I picked up a few flowers and poured them on top of it, before I fall on my knees. Had hadn't a clue of what happened that day, in attempt of consoling me he held my shoulder ,"Friend of yours?" I didn't say a word.

After my first murder, I finally realizes that I no longer have a guardian angel, instead I have a demon by my side. She promised me that shw would be much more helpful, and she seems to be telling the truth. With my new found power I walked back to the village in the middle of the night, fpr one last time. I flew from home to home, looking for the faces of those who had wronged me to rip them off. A glint of satisfication when they all run and scream in fear before finally, they all drop dead in silence.

By the time the sun goes up, I looked into a mirror, seeing myself as a beat decorated in red. The light shines on the blood covering me, it was an amazing kind of feeling I never had before. I flew away far into the darkest depths of forest, looking for a new place to live.

I travlled the lands into other villages and towns, there are times I do try to make friends and hide my past, I may not be hated anymore but I always fear how if I would. So I keep myself away from others, no one can be trusted, except for myself and the demon inside of me.

It is quite frustrating as a loner when I had feelings for a man, yet I remember how I was treated, by their kind especially. I don't want to let my feelings of attachment to bribg down my ego. I am not the one who will submit, I will be the one to dominate them.

And thus my journey began, I trained to grow stronger. When I see a man I found to my liking I would take them away and trest them like a toy. I will toss and turn them aroubd to my heart's content, although I do love and care for them it is a pleasureable way to avenge those men who wronged me. You say that girls can't be strong? You say that girls have to obey their husbands with a leash around her neck? Then this time my love, you are the one with the leash around your neck.

Two, three pets were not enough. I always needed more, and I have lost counted after all these years. Perhaps 30 or 40, and it won't stop anytime soon. At times I cry for nights knowijg how much I hurt my loved obes, but the voices of my relatives, telling me to kneel down and be a 'good girl', especoally my grandma...

She was not a nice old lady who makes cookies for you, she would always tell me it is wrong to be myself, she would always say that my nice face and body is jist a great asset to find me a good man. I am sick of it, and even after I've left my family behind their taunting voicr still taunts me. Aslong as the voices goes on, my torturous games will cobtinue. I do hesitate and feel guilty, but at the same time I enjoy it when I watch my boys cry in the dungeon after what I do to them.

I finally fibished plucking the weeds around the graveyard, I stared at the weed I grasp in my hands thinking... Maybe I should stop afterall, I cannot forever keep on hurting people especially those who I cared about. But just as I smiled in relief her voice echoes again ,"My dear, why don't you have a man yet? Relax, and kneel down. Be. A. Good. Girl."

I stood up yelling and tossed the weed aside, I screamed loudly towards the sky as my old friebd backed off. Both of my fists tightens as I stared into the horizon, I clenched my teeth and tears began flowing down my face.

My old friend slowly walked towards me ,"Is everything alright?" He asked. I turned my head slowly, now face to face to the so familiar face. But I noticed a difference, slowly my vision turns red. Not just his masked face, but the sky and grass, everything turns red. I began to smirk and laugh as tears continue to rush like waterfall ,"I'm sorry my love, she is coming back."

I laughed harder than ever as the demon's horns sprout out of my scalp, bat like wings spread on my back blocking the sun and drops a shadow covering my old friend. He stared at me as he drew his sword, I can tell that he hesitates just like I do. But I can't stop now, I need him in my collection, as long as that old witches words burns in my ears I need new toys to take my anger and grudge on.

I laughed harder and harder as I clawed my way through, my claws clashing against his sword under the setting sun. His skill impressive as ever, in a blink of an eye as I tried to hold back my demond I could feel my head lighter, and I notuced both of my horns were severed laying on the ground. Well played, my dear. This gets more interesting.

I growled and shoots lightning from my finger, I am not trying to attack him however I just want to play around for now. He leaps aroubd dodging my attacks, at times deflecting them with his sword which celarly backfires me, I took my own hit but I am not done yet.

Now, a huge orb forms in my palms, I run to him swinging it to his direction. He was ready to slocr the orb but just at the moment my other claw slaps his sword away. Checkmate. You are unarmed now. I growled like a beast as I grabbed him by force, he was fighting back kicking and punchibg but I am not backing down, not especially when I am a demon at least 10 times his size for now.

I grasped him in my claws and flew away from the spot. Finally another collection, another victim for my grudge and hatred, mixed with my love and obsession. I do love you dear, but your kind has to pay what they have done to me. The fun has just started, pet.

#rant #vent #trauma #fiction #fic #writing #hatred #anger #misogynism

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sasorikigai · 4 years ago

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“ no outrunning the ghosts of my past, i learn to live with them. “ ( @ Shinjiro )

EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN by ionnalee sentence starters. || @sonxflight || accepting

🗒️ || Once upon a midnight dreary, while the obsidian darkness swiftly flew, bleak and teary, even the morose death and pain sank with its burdensome weight as the fall of downpour would drown the world in expanding, fantastic wrath. How Shinjiro envies the mind who is not rattled with fear; envies the heart who is not home to malice, envies the soul who is not bound by darkness, and envies the one who has no need for envy. Those that see green as a symbol of growth and prosperity, as opposed to poison and greed. Even when he refuses to see himself as toxic, putrescent green and mutate into somebody he doesn’t want to meet. Despite the riddled optimism and frolic, eased composure of a confident psychiatrist, Doctor Ishikawa will always find a way to destroy himself; in times like these, he’d always hit the rock bottom as he would construct the hell of his own making. Despite being in the quiet dark, yet never alone and cold, he would always choose to be in company with his former coworker, now their fates realigned in liaison to work together once again.

“Have you also learned that secret from the river; that there is no such thing as time? That the river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the current, in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past nor the shadow of the future? If I could literally take Siddhartha’s wise words and wake my weary soul from being ceased to exist utterly and wholly, I would want to just drift off somewhere less trafficked and never wake up again to deal with such disturbance of guilt,” Shinjiro could never continuously indulge in building a home in a fantasy world, for he will eventually lose the connection to reality and once the fantasy crumbles, the reality would simply become a prison; a captivity as he futilely longs for a world that is both ideal and livable, not one that is only filled with dreams. Maybe he was too fearful to make it work, or maybe, too much of everything swirls together, his sentiments manifested into bright paint mixing with less bright paint. It’s like a fallen sky; his world, like an angel sent to kill, not quite a fallen angel.

“I wish I could silence the incessant fireworks in my subconscious and become more brave; I do not want my life to become invisible tethers sprouting from his hearts and joining me and my subconscious back together.” He would often wonder if he was deemed exceptional enough to fight his tidepools of his own universe, as there are sections of space where life thrives and things breath and move and colors exist. He could acknowledge the fact that even the shallows of deep crevasses hold wonders, and the deep, unexplored sea holds things that do not speak and do not dream and cannot see, but lurk in the depths to still define him. He supposes that’s the wonder of human mind itself; for it is huge beyond imagination and strange beyond relief. 🗒️ ||

#✗ unwavering wind of celestial might (fujin)#✗ bitter inertia of mind's flow (modern au)#sonxflight

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crusherthedoctor · 6 years ago

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Sonic & Tails: Beyond the Stars - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Mountains and Molehills

"Sorry for the mess..." Amy apologised while she rubbed the back of her head, in reference to the state of slight disarray in Lutrudis' castle. Some of the curtains in the hallway had been pulled off by well-meaning Chao, while others had somehow gotten paint all over the walls.

"Don't sweat it," the horse casually dismissed with a hand and a smile. "There's a lot of these little guys to keep track of. As long as they're safe, I can live with a bit of mess. Where's Cream?"

"Oh, she's in the library. I figured you wouldn't mind if she looked around in there...?" The pink hedgehog put her hands behind her back, and she paced her leg to and fro ever so slightly. "She wanted to read the Chao a story."

Lutrudis didn't say anything to that. Her smile simply grew warmer.

"So uh, what's next?" asked Sonic, as he tapped his foot. "Where's our next destination?"

They all went silent. They contemplated where Eggman could possibly be targeting next, or at the very least where there could be heavy robot activity. They still hadn't seen that mysterious monster since their initial encounter either...

"I just thought of something," Tails spoke up, as a lightbulb metaphorically lit up in his head. "When I read the brochure for Viridonia, there was mention of a mountain that contained crystals. Could those crystals be connected to the ones Lutrudis showed us...?"

"The mountain in Zephyr Valley?" Lutrudis questioned. "I've never been up there myself, cause... you know..." She sheepishly motioned towards her fragile body. "But the idea's certainly worth pursuing. And come to think of it, I should have a book about that mountain somewhere in the library..."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sonic rubbed his hands excitedly, with a grin on his face. Evidently, he couldn't wait to get back to the adventure, and teach that Eggman a thing or two.

"Yes, of course, right away." With that, everyone followed Lutrudis as she directed the way to her library. Despite the mess caused by the Chao, they couldn't help but be charmed by the crude paintings they discovered along some of the walls, even if they couldn't necessarily understand what they were supposed to represent half the time.

"It's just in here," Lutrudis held the fancy door out of courtesy. As her three friends made their way in, Sonic and Tails took a moment to take in the scene, while Amy went to check on Cream. Lutrudis' library was quite possibly the biggest they had ever seen. They were sure they had seen public libraries less sizable than the one they were in right this moment. Tall rows to the left, tall rows to the right, and there was no slacking in the decoration department either. The maroon walls created a fitting atmosphere, and the potted plants dotted along the perimeters added an extra bit of colour to the surroundings.

"Now, where could it be..." Lutrudis muttered to herself as they slowly analysed each row one by one. Books of all kinds could be spotted, fiction or otherwise, though it seemed the horse had a particular preference for bold tales of exciting adventure. Having a fondness for reading himself, Sonic was suitably impressed by the vast selection, though he kept a watchful eye on one book in particular that involved a king named Arthur...

Tails was even more dazzled. He said nothing, but his frantic head turning and wide smile said it all for him.

"This is the one where I store all my info about this place," Lutrudis pointed to the row in question, with her other hand on her hip. She was about to bring out that intriguing gold whip once again as she walked up to the row, but Tails was two steps ahead and used his namesake to help her reach what she was looking for.

"Heh, thanks," she said sweetly, before she turned her attention to the books in front of her. Her eyes slowly moved from left to right, observing a bunch of info logs about the many areas in Viridonia. The deserts, the beaches, the north...

"Ah, here's the one," her eyes lit up as she pulled out the appropriate book, before Tails gently lowered her down. Sonic, upon noticing they were ready, quickly hid the book he had already started reading while they were doing all that behind a cushion.

"Well?" he asked.

"Going through it riiiiiight now." Lutrudis put the book on the nearby table and opened it up, breezing through the different pages involving Zephyr Valley's climate and points of interest. She was almost as quick at turning pages as Sonic was at running, much to his and Tails' bemusement. After a few seconds of quick page turning, she suddenly stopped at a certain page.

"Here we are. Zephyr Mountain." Her finger trailed along the text she was reading aloud. "Known as one of the tallest mountains in the world, Zephyr Mountain has gained public interest over the years for not only its impressive scale, but also its materials. Though few have been daring enough to climb the peaks, those who have, and lived to tell the tale, have reported sightings of crystals within the mountain's deep caverns. Of these stories across the decades, one description shared among them is that the crystals radiate an aura of power should one be in close contact of them..."

"That's it then," Sonic stood up. "They must be the same kind of crystals as the ones Trudy has. And there's no way Eggman doesn't know about them."

"At least we know for sure now," Tails added. "Guess that's the next place for us, huh?"

Lutrudis walked past them and around the corner, and discovered that Cream was reading a book to a small group of fascinated Chao. Cheese was resting on her shoulder, and another Chao was inexplicably resting on her left ear... not that she seemed to mind. Amy was quietly leaning against the wall beside her, smiling at her friend's narration. The girls caught sight of Lutrudis raising her hand slightly, as if to gain permission to interrupt the story. The Chao all glanced at her in near perfect unison. Some of them looked rather annoyed at having their story interrupted.

"We've planned our next course of action, and we're headed to Zephyr Valley." She paused out of what appeared to be slight frustration with herself. "I hate to ask you two to stay with the Chao again, but if Eggman or one of his robots ends up coming here while we're away..."

"Oh, it's okay Lutrudis!" Cream smiled politely. "We understand."

"Yeah, Eggman's not getting his hands on a single one of these cuties." Amy stroked the head of the Chao beside her. "Not on our watch."

"Thanks, girls," Lutrudis replied, and clasped her hands and held them close to her chest as she began to walk backwards. She eventually turned direction. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Well yeah," Sonic interjected with some sass. He pointed at himself with palpable pride. "Fastest thing alive, remember?"

Lutrudis simply rolled her eyes with a charmed smile as she and Sonic made their way out of the library, followed by Tails. After they were gone, Cream went back to reading her story to the Chao... but not before showing a bit of confusion on her face upon reading a certain page, which was then followed by her turning to Amy with that same look of confusion.

"What's a Darkspine...?"

---

Zephyr Valley Zone

ZV Act 1: Alpine Campgrounds

Lutrudis' Badnik Logs: Madmole - “Out from small holes come these metallic moles, to throw rocks and give you a... not so much a bad time, but rather a mildly odious one.”

Iwrecks - “Don’t let the superficial innocence of these goats fool you. They may frolic along, but they’re every bit as likely to make a shish kebab out of you with those horns.”

Scaramander - “Those lizards have awfully long tongues! Better swerve with caution if you want to avoid a saliva-dripped swipe... ugh.”

The sun is still setting, and stars are beginning to twinkle in the sky. The perfect backdrop for a relaxing spot of camping... if it weren't for all the deadly traps, and the killer robots, and the urgent need to stop a madman from doing unspeakable evil. That'll probably lower it to three stars in the tourist reviews.

Still, you've gotta admire the setting. The green hills are teeming with glittering lakes, and deep woodlands. Tents of all shapes and sizes can be found throughout, some of which you can actually enter (and get shouted at for invading the owners' privacy). Though it's far from winter, you can spot a bit of snow on the faraway peaks... Too bad none of those are the peak we're after. Be careful not to get too distracted by the view, or else you might find yourself legless after walking straight into one of Eggman's cleverly placed bear traps... for hedgehogs... and foxes... and horses... they're all the same species, apparently.

Of the enemies here, Scaramanders are the worst, as it's very easy to underestimate just how far their tongues can reach, let alone how quick they are. That said, don't be too careless with the Iwrecks either, as they're fast in their own right too. They tend to hide behind beautiful waterfalls as well, the sneaky devils.

Halfway through, you'll discover a huge concert that's pretty bangin'. Inconvenient as it may be, you'll have to make your way through the crowds upon crowds of ambiguously inebriated individuals. Watch out for flying beer bottles, and the sneaky Madmoles hiding amongst the crowds. Hope your eardrums aren't too sensitive, cause the music's pretty loud in this concert. Music sounds familiar though... something about living life...?

Sonic: Pretty neat concert, eh?

Tails: If it weren't for Eggman, I wouldn't mind listening to a few tunes!

Lutrudis: Could do without the stench of alcohol though...

Hilariously enough, no one actually notices that Sonic the Hedgehog himself is in the audience, as these excitable music enthusiasts are much too focused on partying till the day is over... and questioning themselves on their knowledge of the band currently playing.

"Did these guys do His World, or was that another band...?"

Little do the heroes know however, that one member of the crowd is actually the disguised form of a certain eccentric nemesis, who is keeping watch on their progress. If it weren't for everyone else's intoxication, they might have noticed their fellow mate transforming into a top hat-donning robot...

You'll know you're nearing the end of the stage when you reach a small town boasting impressively-sized windmills. Far from the bustling hijinks of the concert, this town is perfectly tranquil, though you have to wonder if anyone in town complained about the noise. You can use the windmills as additional platforms, but be sure to keep watch of your footing, lest their slow turning forces you to fall off.

And voila, you've made it to the base of the gargantuan Zephyr Mountain. Now it's a matter of scaling it... which will prove to be easier said than done...

---

ZV Act 2: Zephyr Mountain

Lutrudis' Badnik Logs: Grounder - "A miniature titan of pointy proportions, these deadly drillers love to use the element of surprise for a quick ambush."

Ack - “If I didn’t already know the answer, I’d wonder who names these beasts... In any case, these yaks are fond of headbutting particularly fragile walls, which in turn results in an onslaught of debris from above.”

Returning Enemies: Madmole Iwrecks Scaramander

Get ready for a climb. This mountain ain't regarded as one of the biggest in the world for no reason, and many have sadly perished in their own attempts to scale the structure. Sonic may like the thrill of adventure, but could this be too much even for him?

...No, probably not. But it's still perilous all the same.

The terrain alters a little depending on how high up you are. In the lowest parts of the mountain, there's still grass and trees, which those accursed Scaramanders have a tendency to hide behind. As you go further up however, the grass starts to disappear in favor of hard blue rock, and rickety bridges that look as though they could give way at any moment. Not to say it isn't nice to look at though, as proven false by the crystal clear waterfalls you see near some of the bridges.

You'll also explore inside a few airy caverns here and there. Don't get your hopes up though, there are no crystals in these caves. But there are waves upon waves of Grounders to make your day miserable, as well as heart-pumping boulder traps. (Though if you're cunning enough, you can just make it over oncoming boulders with Tails' flight.)

Sonic: Ha ha! Isn't this great?

Tails: ...No?

But the worst obstacle comes when you're suitably high up. One of the most notorious video game gimmicks makes its presence here... wind physics.

You might think this should be no trouble at all for someone who can run at the speed of sound, and in some cases, it's not. But that doesn't mean you can afford to be careless, because the wind has a tendency to be at its strongest exactly when you're near the edge of a cliff. Failure to keep caution will result in you falling down, bumping your head, and Jill tumbling after. And you still need to deal with the other dangers on top of all that. Acks in particular can be a nightmare during sections with heavy wind, as the rocky debris they summon can distract you from keeping your footing.

When you're roughly halfway up the mountain, you'll suddenly be ambushed by a huge metal boulder busting its way out of a stone wall. Upon closer inspection however, it's not a boulder... it's a mecha armadillo.

BOSS: Killerdillo

Name says it all. It wants to kill you. Don't let it. You've got so much to live for.

Like the Paindozer, you're the one being chased rather than the one giving chase. The Killerdillo will spend most of its time spinning, not unlike your very own spin dash. It's pretty fast for a big bot too, and when put together with the narrow cliffsides and the weak bridges it's chasing you along, the odds do not appear to be stacked in your favor. And if that wasn't bad enough, it has a pair of laser cannons on its sides that can not only sweep the ground near you, but also strike the walls and cause an avalanche of rocks. And it doesn't stop in place while using its lasers mind you, it keeps rolling.

The best course of action? The trail occasionally has bombs for you to contend with. Evidently, they were put there to get rid of you, and you can get hurt by them, but you can also use them against your enemy. When you're far away enough to have time to do so, quickly spin dash a bomb to send it flying towards Killerdillo. The bomb will explode, and Killerdillo will stop and get dizzy, because Eggman decided dizziness was necessary to program into his creations. Give its confused little head a whack, and it'll howl like a metallic banshee.

You're not expected to do much more than that in this fight, due to its already hectic nature. But of course, the difficulty ramps up with each hit. Bombs become less frequent, avalanches and lasers become more frequent, and more sections of the ground start to give way and crumble into nothing. On the other hand, you'll also notice that Killerdillo's shell gets more cracked with each bomb. Keep up the bomb and whack routine, and eventualy its shell will fall apart completely. It'll valiantly try to roll at you one last time anyway, but at this point, you can easily deflect it with your own spin dash, and it'll get sent flying off the cliff and into the tree-filled depths below. It would almost be tragic, but luckily for us, robots don't have souls... right...?

---

"Man, this mountain really is as big as they said," Sonic remarked as Tails carried him over the dangerous gaps. "You'd think we'd be at the top by now, sheesh... You okay there, Trudy?"

"Yeah," she answered as she used her whip to pull herself up a couple of ledges. After the incident with the giant crab, she was getting better at using it creatively for life-or-death situations.

"You know we can pull you up too, right?" The hedgehog pointed up at Tails.

"I know. But I like... doing." She used the whip on another ledge. "I don't want to inconvenience you when it's not necessary."

"It wouldn't be an inconvenience..." Tails mentioned out of concern.

"Yeah, you're not in our way or anything," Sonic added in a friendly tone.

"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, since we're here now..." They had reached a large section of flat ground, which Tails set Sonic down on. The wind was getting more chilly, and appropriately enough, they could see a few mounds of snow in the vicinity due to how high up they were.

"Eggman's definitely doing something up here," Tails pointed to the metal structures from a distance away. Up above, higher up the peak, more structures could be seen, and giant drills were burrowing through the white blankets. There appeared to be a mining operation at work.

"As if that's a surprise, he's always trying to mess up Mother Nature," Sonic muttered with a clenched fist... His ears suddenly pointed upward, and he paused for a moment, as if he realised something he'd rather not.

"You know..." he started, sounding slightly embarrassed. "We could have made it up here in no time with the Tornado."

An awkward silence briefly ensued between the three of them.

"Yeah..." Tails rubbed his ear sheepishly, clearly having never thought of that idea either.

"Where did you leave the Tornado?" Lutrudis questioned as they walked along the increasingly snowy ground. "Is it still in the shore?"

"Yes," Sonic and Tails bluntly answered in unison.

"But what if it's not there when we return?" She tugged on her ponytail a little. "What if some ruffian tries to make off with it?"

Tails simply smirked to himself.

---

Meanwhile, the Tornado remained parked in the same spot in Lime Shores. A chimp wearing black and white stripes walked up to the plane whilst he let out an innocent whistle. He looked to his left, and to his right, to make sure the coast was clear... He rubbed his hands in glee, and put his hand on the vehicle.

BZZZT

"Oooh, aah!" The chimp waved his hand frantically after experiencing the unexpected jolt. He gave it another bold attempt.

BZZZT

"Oooooh, aaaah!" he shouted again, waving the other arm in a frenzy. Frustrated, he kicked the plane in anger.

BZZZT

"Oooooooh, aaaaaah!"

---

"I wouldn't worry about that," Tails confirmed, trying his best not to look too pleased with himself. "Let's just say I took some precautions."

"Well, we've already made it this high up, so let's keep going!" Sonic motivated his friends with a thumbs up. Tails nodded in approval, and gave a thumbs up in turn.

"Yes, let's," Lutrudis beamed, and sighed happily as she wrapped her hands around the back of her neck. "I know it's silly, with all this danger and urgency, but I like being out here. I never dreamed I'd actually climb this place in my life!"

"Scared of the height?" Sonic nudged her playfully.

"Well, maybe a little bit... But it feels good! No, great even! it comes with feeling so... alive, right?" She turned to Sonic, her smile still there.

Sonic looked at Lutrudis for a few moments. Despite all her differences, it seemed as time went on that she was more like himself than he initially realised. Perhaps it was her isolation that made her craving go stronger. Or maybe she would have expressed this sentiment one way or the other. Whatever the case may be, he took notice of her own apparent love for exploring the unknown.

"Yeah," he answered with a gentle smile. "That's the spirit."

Unbeknownest to them, the top hatted robot was still watching them from not too far away. Their hands continued to shake rhythmically.

---

ZV Act 3: Zephyr Peak

Lutrudis' Badnik Logs: Heaveman - “Careful with these ones... One foot on their flipper is all it takes for them to flip you off a cliff. They're fast, too... but not as fast as you, of course.”

Yodel Pawn - “Well they certainly look the part, and they sound the part, but these white Pawns would much rather make short work of you with their pickaxes... Is that better or worse...?”

Returning Enemies: Madmole Scaramander Grounder Ack

No, this is not the snow level. That zone will come in due time. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

You do nonetheless have some frosty aesthetics to work with on the final stretch of the mountain. The cliffs are still blue, but now they're partially coated with snow. Surprisingly, you can still see a little bit of grass here and there among the snow. The lowering sun is reflecting beautifully off the peaks, and the clouds don't seem to be that far from your position either. If they were solid, you'd almost want to try and touch them. The stars above the sunset continue to shine proudly.

But it's not just visual smoke and mirrors. With the presence of snow and ice comes the expected gimmicks. Mercifully, you don't have to deal with wind physics anymore, but you do have to deal with something even worse, something that makes many a grown man weep out of fear... ice physics. Since Sonic and Co aren't your typical platforming heroes however, you can deal with it a little easier than most of your kind. Just keep control of your speed, and you'll be golden.

The operations found all over the peak are predictably a major hazard. Drills can be found everywhere, as can the Yodel Pawns and their dreadful singing.

Sonic: Pfft, talk about a swan song, am I right?

Tails and Lutrudis: *No reaction at all because they can't hear him over the drills.*

During the instances where you climb along the metal towers, sawblades will come back and forth. But by far, the most worrisome of the threats are the Heavemen. Do you want to get chucked off the mountain, and be forced to climb the same sections all over again if you're not already dead? Then don't fool around with these guys. Deal with them swiftly and efficiently.

Towards the end, you start to see... lava? Not a huge amount granted, but somewhat troubling to be sure. Don't ask me how the lava doesn't immediately melt the snow right beside it, I'm not a video game geologist. At least the lava is fairly calm for the moment, but it does indicate the increase of volcanic activity due to Eggman's operations. In any case, as another famous hedgehog would say, don't touch it.

Congratulations! You made it to the top of Zephyr Mountain! Not many people have done that, so be sure to give yourself a gold star when you get home. But we're not done quite yet...

---

ZV Act 4: Mountain Minery

Lutrudis' Badnik Logs: Bat Brain - “Beware the bats emerging from the shadows, for when they awaken from their slumber, they waste no time in fiendishly... flying around for a bit. I suppose they're annoying if you're in a tight area.”

Toasty - "Heaven knows why the doctor saw fit to give welding torches the gift of life, but they're all very willing to roast you all the same."

Returning Enemies: Grounder Heaveman

It's kinda dark, but there's more than enough bulbs and torches for you to see the way. Inside the mine are your trickiest challenges yet. A few lone mushrooms decorate the entrance, as do a bunch of wooden gates that you can easily slice through. The mine looks as though it were abandoned a long time ago... but it can't be abandoned because Eggman's robots are right here, doing their thing... Something doesn't seem right...

Conveyor belts have piles upon piles of crates stacked on them, delivering who knows what to who knows where. The crates are adorned with the famous Eggman insignia...

Sonic: Good thing he signed them. We wouldn't have possibly known otherwise...

Stationary crates can also be found all over, some of which you can knock over onto unsuspecting robots if you're feeling school bully levels of vindictive. The fans that are used to clear the thick air can push you into bottomless pits if you're not careful, and since the volcanic activity has increased, that means there's lava indoors as well, albeit still not enough for it to be a full-on fire stage.

Along the brown and purple walls are markings, not unlike the ones you saw in the Gleaming Meadows. One marking in particular is hard to make out due to the dark environment, but you can see what looks like several people gathering round... and a huge round object floating above them... Are they worshipping something...? Are they in fear of something...?

Mine carts can also be found, and yes, you get to have a go on them. You can switch to different rails with the simple push of left or right, and you can jump over sawblades, wooden blockades, and oncoming Egg Pawns riding their own mine carts. If you're lucky, you can slam into them from the side and send them flying out of their carts, complete with flailing arms and comedic hollering.

After a lengthy trek through the tunnels of flickering lights, dusty crates, and evil welding torches, you'll start to notice the very crystals you were looking for. Sure enough, they look just like the ones in the cave below Lutrudis' home... only they're all completely grey, with no other colour to speak of. Also, are those fossils on those walls...?

Before you can think more about what you're processing, you suddenly hear a cry. A very happy, very excited, very loud cry.

"YAAAAAAAAYYYY!"

Lutrudis: What was that-

Sonic: I know that-!

Right on cue, the ground starts to give way. Do your best to escape the growing abyss, lest you never see the light again. As you run through another tunnel, you can see a reflection of a purple robot wielding a mace that looks twice as large. They're also riding a certain type of ladybug...

Rider: HURRAAAAYYYY!

BOSS: Heavy Rider

Uh oh, the adrenaline junkie's here, and I don't mean Sonic. This is gonna be a crazy one, not just because of who you're fighting, but also due to the haywire surroundings. Rider, with the help of Jimmy the Motobug, will stop at nothing to get a thrill, and that largely involves making things very inconvenient and fatal for you. It's nothing personal, she doesn't hate you... she just gets very into the action. Like when you're in a cowboy movie, but you use an actual gun and risk a prison sentence to make it more authentic. That's her. That's Rider.

You and Rider are breezing through the shadowy tunnels, and the rock formations are shaped for the benefit of you and her. With slopes, you can gain momentum, and she can attack you from above. With steep declines, you can build up speed, and she can drag her mace along the ground, creating massive fissures in the process. Her mace may be a single tool, but it's a very versatile one.

If you're behind, she'll swing her mace round and round, each swing further than the last. If you're in front, Jimmy will leave behind trails of fire with his engine. And all the while, rocks are falling everywhere, and everyone's bouncing and tumbling over... just the way Rider likes it.

What's the strategy? Well, you're older now. And what can you do now that you're older?

That's right.

Grind.

See that chain connecting the mace?

...Yeah. I think you get my drift.

When Rider swings her mace directly at you, quickly jump onto the chain and grind along it, and top it off with a ball of blue fur (or orange fur) to the face. This will knock her off Jimmy and send her plummeting... but don't think it's a one hit kill, for the brave and loyal Jimmy will use its new rockets to fly down and pick her back up.

Rider: HA!

Rider favors excitement over sound battle plans, so her actual methods barely change throughout the fight. It's the environment that will throw curveballs your way, with different slopes, pits of lava, and some mine cart manning Egg Pawns for good measure. That said, Jimmy's flame trails will gradually get bigger with every two hits. Nothing too unavoidable though. Not with your speed.

With eight hits, and one last scream of robo-ecstasy, both Rider and Jimmy will crash through a wall, and they won't come back out. Heavies have proven to be persistent and resilient though, and I'm sure we'll be seeing them again soon enough...

---

"Everyone alright?" Sonic took a moment to stop as he checked his pulse. Amazingly, the fastest thing alive sounded as though he was nearly out of breath.

"Yeah..." Tails barely let out after huffing and puffing. Lutrudis wasn't even able to catch her breath, as she was looking straight at the ground with her hands on her knees in complete exhaustion. She was at least able to muster a thumbs up.

"Now Sonic, I don't quite appreciate you stopping this operation!"

"Eggman...?"

The doctor floated down in his Egg Mobile, along with Orbot and Cubot. Despite seemingly not being pleased about Sonic's actions, his spirits were still remarkably high. "You've always been quick to catch on to my activities, haven't you? Can't even take a bunch of lovely little crystals without your interference."

"So you WERE planning to take the crystals!" Tails accused with a pointed finger.

"Well duh, I just said that." Eggman glanced at Orbot and pointed his thumb at the fox while shaking his head sarcastically.

"What are you using them for?" Lutrudis inquired, hoping that the doctor would fall for the trap and blurt it out. Her tail flicked a little aggressively.

"Don't fall for it, boss," Orbot whispered in his master's ear.

"I wasn't going to," Eggman muttered out of annoyance, and crossed his arms. "Find out for yourselves if you're so curious... If you survive, that is."

"Huh?"

Sonic's ears spiked up, as he noticed a strange mist. Black mist. Very familiar black mist. It emerged from the shadows of the mine, and swirled around Eggman slowly. Eggman himself showed no fear, and was in fact grinning widely. A head began to form above the defended scientist, and it took on a reptilian appearance... just like last time. Only this time, it looked different. It now had black spikes poking out from the sides of its head, which were connected together with dark green liquid of some sort, creating the illusion that it had frills. Its horns were also larger, and longer.

"I trust you've met my newest associate..." Eggman commented gleefully.

"Yeah, we have. And we'd like to know what its deal is." Sonic stretched his arms out, ready to fight. "Another monster you freed? Like THAT'S ever gone well for you."

Eggman simply laughed. It was a quiet, dark laugh, not at all like his usual diabolical cackle. His opposition all felt uneasy by this. So did Cubot.

"I've learned my lesson this time," he explained, still grinning all the while. "More than you know..."

"What do you mean-"

"Now then!" Eggman clapped his hands merrily, like a kid getting ready for Christmas. "Let's see how you fools do against... the Wraith!"

"The Wraith...?"

With a mighty roar, the dark beast lunged at all three of the heroes, and crashed into them so hard against the wall that it broke apart completely, sending them falling out of the mountain's caverns entirely.

"And this... is only the beginning..." Eggman muttered to himself, staring at the hole in the wall where his enemies once were, with a demented display of his perfect white teeth.

"Beginning of what...?" Cubot asked absentmindedly.

"Big adult matters," Orbot helpfully explained as he pat Cubot on the head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Oh... okay!"

---

Sonic, Tails and Lutrudis were all plummeting towards the ground, where rocky cliffs and metallic pipes were waiting for them. They tried to control their fall, but to no avail. Even Tails couldn't control his fall enough to start flying, for he was tumbling over and over so aggressively.

"Can you fly, Tails?" Sonic called out.

"I'm trying...!"

"Don't panic! We'll make it out of this!"

"Guys!" Lutrudis called, having spotted a narrow piece of rock below. "Grab onto me!"

With a little effort to fight against the wind, they grabbed onto her, and she unleashed her whip on the thin strand of rock. It latched onto the rock with no problem, and it caught them just fine... but the sudden jolt of movement caused Tails to slide down and catch Sonic's leg, who in turn caught the unfortunate Lutrudis' ponytail, resulting in her facing upside down. Despite the obvious pain and slight embarrassment she was currently in, the horse kept her iron grip on her whip, and gripped it even further with her boots. After a brief moment of them collecting themselves, Sonic chuckled out of relief.

"Heh," he said lightheartedly. "Can't get any worse than that, right?"

Cracks immediately began to form on the rock.

Everyone's faces went very sour.

"This is gonna stink," Lutrudis muttered with resignation.

And with that, the rock broke apart, and the three friends fell once again. This time however, Sonic was the one who was quick to react, and pulled himself to one of the fractured pieces of rock. He planted his feet on it, and used his momentum to land with it on top of the snowy cliffs. Tails took notice, pointed at this turn of events for Lutrudis' sake, and she got the message. With some struggle, they eventually grabbed their own pieces of rock, and used them accordingly. The three of them were now snowboarding.

"Ha! Great job, guys!" Sonic gave another friendly thumbs up to them, along with a wink.

"We're not out of the woods yet!" Lutrudis pointed ahead fearfully. "Look!"

Sonic turned back around, and to his horror, the monster was emerging from the cliffs. Its dark colours contrasted strikingly with the blanket of snow it came out of.

---

BOSS: The Wraith

Well, this is different from your usual snowboarding section, isn't it? Luckily for you, the controls for snowboarding are the same as they've always been... when they've been at their best, that is.

Anyway, despite being considered a boss, it's really more of an endurance test. You simply have to reach the bottom of the mountain without getting kiled by the Wraith. But obviously, it won't make that objective easy for you. Among the usual obstacles like pits, trees, and rocky structures, you also have to deal with the Wraith's own attacks, which include unleashing pillars of dark energy, firing giant lasers from its mouth, and causing terrifying shockwaves. It can also lunge straight for you, because it just wants a big hug (of death).

Despite this, it may seem fairly simple at first. But halfway through, you remember something... the mountain is only covered with snow at the top. It's about to run out on your way down.

Sonic: It's gonna get bumpy from here...!

The snow is exchanged for uneven rock, and unfortunately for you, this presents a problem. Your controls remain the same, but now you're going all over the place because there's no even slopes. The Wraith also decides now would be an opportune time to bring more attacks to the table, like firing two lasers at the same time, launching an onslaught of dark fireballs, and summoning thorny strands of energy that emerge from the ground out of nowhere. Keep a cool head, and you'll make it. Towards the end, things get a little better as the rock is in turn exchanged for grass. But the increased amount of trees make it difficult to avoid them, and some of the Wraith's attacks now have the side-effect of sending them crashing down on you.

But make it till the end, and one of the trees will crash down on the Wraith itself, to which it turns back into mist and flees the scene out of - presumably - rage. Bit of an anticlimactic end, eh? At least we've escaped its clutches for today.

---

The three comrades continued to slide down the base of the mountain, until they finally reached the very bottom. They used their body weight to stop themselves in their tracks. Sonic checked to make sure the other two were okay, to which they both nodded.

"Well..." he stated, as he rubbed some sweat from his forehead. "That was something."

"Eggman must have took some of those crystals already," Tails acknowledged with worry. "Who knows what he plans on doing with them. And we may know that... thing's name now, but we still don't know where it came from, or why it’s working for Eggman... AND we don't know why he wanted to destroy the town by the meadow, or poison the jungle, or cause a flood..." His ears drooped out of frustration. "There's so many questions about all this... I'm not used to Eggman being this coy..."

"Hey," Sonic put his arm around Tails, with a comforting smile. "Baby steps are still steps, right? We're making progress. Eggman will fail miserably and hilariously, like he always does."

"Yeah, you're right," Tails smiled in return. His ears slowly rose again.

"I guess we should head back to check on Amy and Cre-"

Sonic cut himself off in alarm, as he noticed that Lutrudis was holding her hips with an expression that implied she was in great pain. She was gritting her teeth to fight off the pain she was experiencing.

"Trudy...?"

"First time snowboarding... not compatible with it..." she said through pained breathing.

Sonic immediately felt guilty, and he glanced at Tails, who could only shrug out of sympathy. He turned back to Lutrudis while he rubbed his arm.

"I'm sorry, I should have known-"

"No, it's... it's fine," she collected herself as the pain began to die down slightly. She smiled weakly at Sonic. "We didn't have much of a choice up there."

Sonic's concern did not leave his face, but he decided not to argue with her reasoning. He turned to Tails again, and he simply shrugged again. Even after being told by the horse herself about her condition, there was clearly still a lot for them to learn.

"So are we heading back then?" Lutrudis asked, though she still sounded fatigued.

"Let's wait for you to feel a little better first," Sonic put his hand on her shoulder. "You did a lot today."

Lutrudis blinked, and turned to Tais, who nodded approvingly with a gentle smile. Her gaze went back to Sonic's. She looked troubled.

"Listen, if I'm slowing you guys down-"

"No," Sonic cut her off firmly. He was staring straight into her eyes. "We're not going anywhere without you. That condition you have... it's just a condition. It's not you. You're our friend, and I've never left a friend in the dust before. Why start with you?" He gave her a cheeky smile. "You don't think going fast is all I care about, do you...?"

Lutrudis stared some more into Sonic's green eyes, and a smile slowly formed on her own face. After what seemed to be a hint of hesitance on her part, she gently embraced the hedgehog. Sonic was slightly taken aback by her hug, as evidenced by his puzzled expression.

"Thanks, Sonic," Lutrudis muttered with contentment. She turned her head to the fox. "You too, Tails," she added happily.

Tails gave her a joking salute with one of his namesake. He tried to hide his own amusement upon noticing the look of bashfulness on Sonic's face.

---

Back to Chapter 3...

To Chapter 4-5 Interlude...

#Sonic & Tails: Beyond the Stars #Crusher's Fanfiction #Sonic the Hedgehog #Fanfiction

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diamantinamountains-blog · 6 years ago

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Greetings from the Paradise of Chapada Diamantina!

With sprawling area of 152 thousand hectares, Chapada Diamantina’s beauty is indeed to behold. Situated in the state of Bahia, Chapada Diamantina has got an abundance of flora and fauna which truly makes this place a “Seventh Heaven”! Once you step into Chapada Diamantina, you will get to see enormous waterfalls, caves and stunning rivers. If you are an avid explorer of mystic places then it is the right destination for you. If you want to soak yourself in the majestic beauty of Chapada Diamantina, then there are a number of tour operators who allow you to book Chapada Diamantina trekking at exciting deals and offers. The prominent tour operator offers full information about trekking and hiking which will eventually raise your excitement to know more about the magnificence of Chapada Diamantina. Why to dream of hiking when you have an excellent tour operator by your side offering top-notch hiking and accommodation services to you? Hiking is the best option when it comes to exploring nook and corner of this place. With multiple of rivers and mountains, orchids and caves to ridges and valleys, Chapada Diamantina welcomes you to embrace you in its arms. The Diamantina National Park is one the enchanting national parks across the globe which is located at 400 km away from Salvador. The spectacular beauty of Chapada Diamantina lies in high plains and shady canyons, tall isolated peaks and amazing waterfalls. With the help of a tour operator, you can avail exciting packages of Chapada Diamantina National Park at the best possible rates. If you are searching for the credible platform that allows you to book exciting tour packages for Chapada Diamantina, look no further than Diamantina Mountains. It is the one-stop travel agency which provides astonishing packages of Chapada Diamantina at transparent prices. From mass tourism to small groups, Diamantina Mountains offers customized packages that can cater your needs and requirements. It has a team of the finest multilingual guides which assures that you do not feel any kind of discomfort while visiting Chapada Diamantina. You can also read a lot of blogs on trekking at their website. Get in touch with Diamantina Mountains and fill your life with adventures and fun-frolic moments. About Diamantina Mountains: Diamantina Mountains is the reliable tour operator that you can trust for booking your tour to Vale Do Pati for 4 Days/3 nights. For more details, visit https://diamantinamountains.com/

#Diamantina National Park

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aspencamp · 3 years ago

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List of 10 Escapade Sports To Try In Rishikesh In Your Next Outing!

Introduction: There is some mysterious secret behind the calm waters and the sturdy terrains of Rishikesh that ever so quickly pulls tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. The sights and experiences it offers are unflinchingly unparalleled.

If you're planning a trip to Rishikesh anytime soon, get ready to put your adventure caps on because here is a list of 10 things you must try while you're there. From setting up Camp in Rishikesh to toying with its waters to exploring its heights, the city has got you all covered!

The Action-Packed Adventures That Rishikesh Offers Here is a list of some of the frolics that make Rishikesh what it is:

River Rafting Rishikesh is arguably one of the best spots in India for this highly energetic water sport. It's always better to be packed up with a lot of energy and vigor for this one because those waters don't like to give in easily!

Rappelling The challenging and rocky mountains of Rishikesh make up for an excellent rappelling experience. All that you need to keep in mind while making your great descent is not to look down!

Bungee Jumping Dive down into the great abyss surrounded by the mesmerizing beauty of Rishikesh and feel your heartbeat right out of your chest as you soar down with an unmatchable adrenaline rush and views that you will get nowhere else.

Flying Fox Zipline your way through the hills and trees of Rishikesh and enjoy the greenery all around as you fly through! This action-packed, bird-view ride will leave you wanting more.

Mountain Biking Take on the great heights of Rishikesh on your own two wheels and get lost in the rugged terrains and the quiet hills as you explore beauty and aesthetics that are seldom seen anywhere else. Such a biking experience is sure to amaze you never like before.

Giant Swing You've played on swings your entire childhood, yes, but imagine the same thing while hanging from a mountain peak with nothing but a cool breeze beneath the soles of your feet for hundreds of meters. Rishikesh does take simple activities to a whole different level!

Cliff Jumping Let go of all of your stress and worries as you take a deep plunge into the relaxing waters of Rishikesh with a height of your choosing. Remember to savor every moment of your jump and try to relax while you're at it!

Waterfall Trekking Find yourself again in this relaxing and calming trek to the waterfall and breathe in all of the peace of the ubiquitous lush green flora of Rishikesh.

Valley Crossing There is nothing more beautiful than crossing a valley in Rishikesh at sunrise. Find yourself open-mouthed and convinced you’re in heaven in this enthralling zipline activity!

Kayaking This is one of the classics of Rishikesh. The enticing impatient currents will not be able to keep you away from them for long! Canoe your way into the frothy river and conquer it as you go! This water sport is a must.

Conclusion:

A trip to Rishikesh is one you would never be able to get out of your head forever. The soaring mountains, the green cover, and the depths will leave you feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the perils of the world again.

The waterfall trek, setting up Camp in Rishikesh, and the various adventure escapade sports will surely leave a mark on your soul.

So what are you waiting for? Rishikesh is calling out to you!

#campsinrishikesh

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tabthewriter-blog · 5 years ago

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Mighty Ursus

Once, there was a bear in the forest.

He had no memory of a mother, nor father, but he could recall the very place he was born, and when.

In the Fall of all times, where the larch trees had turned golden and the mountainsides splintered into moss covered claws. Where the ice and snow hugged the mountaintops at sky.

Perhaps the mountains and forest had made him. His fur was thick with the red of Autumn, the browns of grub soil, and the golden pins of larch needle yellow. His teeth and claws were hard as rock, and moss grew in the folds of his brow. His eyes, like tarns, were dark and mysterious but for when sunlight lit their gray blue depths.

The bear was a giant, built of stone, undergrowth, the forest floor and timber.

And he was alone.

The first time he wondered what it was that had made him he had already been for many years. Had he not slept uncountable winters, denned in the bosom of the highest mountain, slept in the caverns where the earth warmed his floor? He could not count, and the lack of numbers did not bother him… except for one.

For he was alone.

The bear swallowed creeks, lumbered to and fro as a hillside might, his shaggy, shambling wanders taking him up and down his valley, to mountain tops and lake-bottom depths, through bogs and meadows few eyes have ever seen.

Sturgeons were plentiful. To the bear they were like minnows, and in those days the huckleberries grew as big as melons. But the bear was not greedy. He took only what he needed, and would always give back; a brook through a meadow, some shade in the summer, a resting place of cedar boughs concealed from the rain.

True, the bear was a giant, but he was no brute.

Possessed of a shy and elusive nature, embarrassed by his imposing stature and the enormity of his carriage, the bear, for all his size, kept hidden and away from most other creatures.

In spite of his mass, he could move swiftly and with nary a whisper, disappear in the blink of an eye. Those who encountered him, whether moose or wolf, might never know he had passed so near, a storm cloud or gust that blurred past them, overhead. He was a parting of the branches, or when startled, a gale that roared through the woods.

The bear left no scent, and few tracks, for his essence itself was spirit.

One day, while he fished at an elbow of the shining Slocan, the bear was approached by a man on a log. Or a man in a log, really, a tree that had been hollowed out as if dug in by termites.

The bear pretended to be a boulder rolled off of the mountain, a giant stone that had come to rest in the shallows and was now home to saplings, bird nests and soil. He stayed perfectly still in the hopes this man would pass.

The man paddled his canoe (for that is what it was) around the bear, all the while staring up at the giant creature.

“Bear, I see you,” said the man. “I see you and I know what it is you are.”

The bear had been holding his breath, and now, discovered, he exhaled. It smelled of moss and fern, dew and starlight. With his great exhalation, ripples formed on the water, and small waves lapped at the man in his boat.

“What do you want?” asked the towering bear.

The man did not answer. He circled the mighty bear again, considered its enormity. He sucked his cheeks in as if calculating his approaching winter’s meals.

The bear had seen only a very few men before, and never had one approached him. The man blinked in the afternoon sun, and returned the bear’s gaze as if they might be equals. It was unsettling. Men caused fires, fought with one another, and had grown in numbers within the valley.

The bear watched the man in the boat. The boat resembled an elder sturgeon, and the bear, for a moment, was impressed. He should like to know what it would feel like to float enveloped, on a lake within his valley. And as he observed the unwelcome visitor, he softened his pose and thought:

“This man is a color not unlike some of the stones polished at river’s edge or river bottom. Stones that have weathered the river for as long as I have roamed this valley. Perhaps, then, I might have cause enough not to eat him.”

“Have you ever devoured a man, mighty bear?” the man asked.

The bear was surprised. He had not spoken his thoughts aloud.

“I have not,” the bear retorted. And he had not.

“Very well then,” the man smiled. “That is all the questions I have.”

And with that the man paddled away.

For an instant, and just an instant, the bear was sorry to see him go, such an unusual, curious creature.

But the bear was solitary and unlike any other being, even those that resembled him closely. While he loved to watch cubs at play, to see them grow, explore, and to become large themselves, they always remained smaller, more fragile visions of what he was. While they bore a passing resemblance to him, they were not the same, skin, blood and bone to his stone, earth, rock and timber.

And as soft creatures, they were only shortly for the world; it saddened him that while he seemed invincible, those little creatures’ spirits eventually abandoned their fragile forms, spirits scattered, lost, leaving shells and bones behind in their wake, remains left strewn to the world.

The bear was not proud of his habit, but when he knew of an abandoned form, especially that of another bear, he would consume it whole. He took no joy in it, felt ashamed even, but for some brief period of time it had him feel less alone, a part of the world.

One day, the bear traced his way along some mountaintops. At a favorite waterfall, he paused to take his fill and cool himself under the melt.

Scratching his back against the granite surround, loose rocks and matted foliage released from his coat. He closed his eyes, ecstatic, the detritus an itch that had long needed scratching.

“Bear, I see you.”

The bear gave a start, his massive skull crashing into the lip of the waterfall above, the flow thence redirected into several smaller cascades.

A man stood below, where the waterfall pooled before finding its way down the mountainside to the rivers and lakes of the valley.

The bear, seldom angered, jutted his head down to the level of the man and huffed his displeasure. The man’s clothing wrinkled with the snorts from the bear’s nose.

“What do you want?” the bear demanded. Men, new, different men from the people before, had been blighting the valley, dug tunnels into the mountains like ants at a hill, like bees at a hive but with no lick of honey.

Unafraid, the man held a stick to his face and lit a small fire in one end of it. The bear wrinkled his nose in disgust, smoke, fire, paths, trails and roads sullying his range.

“Bear- do you fear darkness?”

“I do not.”

“What of fire?”

“I do not!”

“And of men?”

The bear snorted and abruptly took his leave. The mountains surrounding were pockmarked with holes, and he scowled to hear the booms from within, the rot of man that bore deep into hilltops, a disease that gnawed like a glacier within.

Did he fear men? The audacity, the impertinence of the question provoked anger, but fear? He thought not.

The bear moved further from the din of these men, but the inklings and proclivities of settlement, industry, soon proved relentless.

One morning, the bear loped towards a grove of trees that, like him, were giants of the forest. As he neared it, he squinted in the dawn light. As if in a dream, the woodland was no more, stumps and discarded trees all that remained. Stacked heaps of wood smoldered in the mist, or smoke, or tears that welled in the bear’s eyes.

“Bear,” a voice called out.

The bear ran his gravelly forelimb over his face. It would not do to shed a tear, not in front of a man. The bear sighed and promised himself he would recall these old woods later, would spend time with the memory of them from seedlings to giants.

“What do you want?” the bear murmured.

A man with a metal hat and a sharp-toothed metal box sat at center of the largest stump. The stump was so enormous it was but a hair shy of matching the bear’s massive paw-print in girth.

The man grinned, and shrugged, “Will you do nothing?”

The bear imagined squishing the man flat, grinding him into the remains of the stump, his woods and his sanctuary. But he did not.

“What can I do, but be?”

“That’s a fine answer,” laughed the man.

The bear sat back on his haunches and surveyed the valley walls across the lake. Men and their machines gnawed at the canopy, chewed roads along shoreline, poured rock of their own design in uninspired, ribboned tracks. He sat a long time, long enough that caterpillars in the thick of his coat turned butterfly, lupines and fireweed ran their course for the season. And soon enough a thin layer of frost began to collect on his muzzle.

The bear turned to reply to the tin-head, but the man, of course, was long departed.

There was a hollow forming within him, and it ached to be alone and without the old woods. Even if the man had remained, what could he possibly have said? The bear had no counsel to give.

Snow threatened to overtake the valley wind. The bear had not fattened properly for winter, and now had to gorge on whatever he might find. He rose to all fours, looked back over the mighty hump of his shoulders to the losses laid waste behind. The bear left that place, alone once more.

He walked a long time, cold creeping through the roots of his joints. He stopped and sniffed the air by a blackened ring of rocks. A familiar scent.

Nearby, he found the remains of some others, bears who had been stripped of their fur and their claws. Skinned, it surprised him how much they resembled a man, made naked and left to waste under the Autumnal sun.

Had he known them? Were these bears he had seen frolic as cubs, bears he had seen splashing amongst the trout and the salmon? He did not know.

This time he wept unabashedly. The bear lashed out, pulled down the mountainside and released a torrent of tears, mud and land. He buried those abandoned forms, those humiliated remains deep beneath a layer of his own, tore strips from his back to blanket them whole.

At the end of his grief, the bear emerged more diminished, thinner and more sorrowful than before. His coat had begun to pull away in great clumps, and he shivered against the cold.

For the first time he felt fear, though not for himself.

Weak as he was, the bear limped down to the valley in search of food. His belly ached and he stung with upset as he lost his way on the maze of roads, pathways he once would have straddled or leapt.

Where had his power gone? Would it return? And if he couldn’t be as he was before, what then? What would become of his home?

The bear arrived at the valley floor. It was not as he remembered, the creeks dried up or diverted, the forests once fringed by streams now cropped-short grasses bordered by gravel beds where men and their machines tore to and fro through the mountains.

Dusk, glaring lights on a rain wetted road had him fearful, this in spite of the fact he was still much larger than any of these bothersome machines.

The bear shivered, sleet collecting in his coat.

His nose was cold.

He was starving.

On the ground, near a den lit by man’s devise, fruit lay rotting in softening piles. The bear cautiously scooped the apples into his maw. And then another scoop. And soon he was gorging. Where once he would have concealed himself, been discrete, he forgot himself and feasted on these easy pickings. Leaves, soil, gravel intermingled with the discarded and neglected orchard fruit, his hunger so fearsome that he did not care what it was he swallowed.

Until he heard, “Bear!”

A woman stood at the edge of the orchard, a bowl of firelight hung from one hand. She was angry, and despite the darkness the bear could not conceal himself.

“This is how you repay my kindness?” she shouted over the snowfall. “You don’t belong here, and you cannot remain.”

The bear was confused. What kindness? What payment? What debt did he owe?

Apple mush dropped from his jaws to the lawn.

“I,” he began.

“You do not belong here, and you cannot remain,” the woman repeated, hands on her hips.

The bear considered her words. The woman glanced furtively over her shoulder as if concerned they’d both be discovered. The bear stood up to his full height, shifted his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other.

“But I,” he started.

“You are a thief,” the woman shouted, “A common thief!”

The bear surveyed the orchard, this patch of land that had once been a forest.

Perhaps she was right. It was no longer his to roam, as he had done nothing to make this strange, new place thus. He had not contributed to their world, and these people did not want or need him. These trees were not familiar, and the light filled, wooden den of these people was only an echo of the forest. The dead wood was bleached an unnatural white, the cedar lid like a thousand wooden scales.

Everything was unrecognizable, darkened, but for the bear and his perceived transgression.

“Go, now!” the woman yelled pointing to the hills.

Guilt-ridden, he ran from that place, escaped from the glare of the man-made lights, the glare of the woman that guarded her orchard.

He went to the mountains.

To shelter.

To home.

He was exhausted when he arrived, gasped at the mountain air. Had the trudge ever been more difficult? His ears had burned with shame as he fled the valley bottom, the woman in the orchard that had stamped her foot.

“Thief,” the bear whispered.

He could see man’s lights twinkling far below. Would they begrudge him this mere glance, this curiosity, too? Once he had been welcome to wander and witness all things in the valley. No longer.

The bear pushed the curtain of roots and boulders away from his door, dug the entry into his den, slow and ceremonious, carefully and dutifully, calmly and quietly. The bats that shared his cavern did not seem to notice his cautious, considerate entry.

But bats, as we know, do not see much of anything.

The bear paused in his excavation. He had performed this task a hundred thousand times, but never had his thoughts been so unquiet. He was restless. He stared out of his den and regarded the sky, moonlight illuminating specks of snow, and stars like snowflakes pinned to the darkness.

Was it no longer enough to simply be? While he had always been alone, was he destined to now be made the outcast, too? Why had these people seen through his hiddenness, seen through his camouflage and spoken his tongue? Why, when they all looked so different, did their words and behaviors seem so much the same?

Riddles and mysteries. The bear regarded the winter night sky and muttered to himself, eyes fixed on a star pinned opposite his den.

“I do not wish to be bothered further. I prefer to be alone, and… unknowable,” the bear said.

Closing the curtains to his den, snow and winter were barred entry to his sanctuary. Curling up beneath the tree roots, the blanket of mountains and rocks above, the bear closed his eyes and hoped he would dream. He wished for dreams where the forests grew back in full, where the rivers flowed freely and the fish would return.

He wished for berries and beetles, forage and long-grass. And he wished for the people to leave with the winter.

Not all of these wishes came true, though the bear did dream, did slumber and sleep so deeply.

He slept ages, a generation, and dreamed every tale he had been witness to once more. It seemed to him he dreamed his life over.

The bear awoke in the darkness. A gnat, a mosquito or hornet droned and whined its way around the den. Louder, and louder, its volume rose until the bear thought it might have alighted in his ear.

The bats above him shifted uneasily. The bear swatted at the sound, but there was nothing there.

The high-pitched whine of the insect ceased. It was replaced by a new sound, a lower, grumbling growl, and the bear wondered now if a mad wolf had come to his door.

The sound stopped. The bear listened intently, could hear something tramping in the snow outside of his den.

(“Bear,”) a muffled voice could be heard through the curtains.

The bear scowled. He did not like to be roused while sleeping.

(“Bear, I know you, and know what it is you are.”)

“Go away,” grumbled the bear. He did not wish to speak to humans.

(“Ha! You still think me a man, old friend?”)

The bear was angered, forced his paws the size of boulders through the gap, claws extended, a hundred years of growth torn asunder to reveal-

A man. It was a man standing knee deep in virgin snow, a flaming red branch spitting sparks and smoke, hissing at the bear’s winter door. The man smiled.

The bear did not smile.

“Liar! You are a man, and you have disturbed me!”

“Is that not what men do?” the unwelcome guest chuckled.

“Yes, and I have grown tired of it,” fumed the bear.

“Will you devour me then?”

The bear squinted against the smoldering flare. The man and his question were familiar.

“I will not,” replied the bear.

“Do you yet fear darkness?”

“Still, I do not.”

The bear sat back on his haunches. The man stepped forth into the den, seemed taken with the arrangement the bear had made for his rest. Sparkling red light lit the walls and made the rocky interior dance, flicker in the dim.

“What of fire?” the man asked.

He locked eyes with the bear. The bear snorted at the stick of fire.

“Fire does not frighten me, even when held by men.”

The man nodded.

“And bear, will you still continue to sit by and do nothing?”

“I have slept a long time.”

“That was not my question.”

“I do not know what you want in answer… is it not enough to simply be?”

“No longer,” the man frowned.

The bear and the man observed one another for some time. Droplets of water fell from the ceiling of the den, stalactites formed like teeth sharpened on darkness.

Finally, the bear asked, “Then what shall I become?”

“Ah,” the man brightened, “Will you let me show you?”

The bear considered this invitation. He thought of the roads, the fires, the mines and the forest. The tortured bears he had found in the woods.

“That was an ugly business,” the man nodded sadly. “I don’t propose to understand them.”

“Them? You belong to them,” the bear accused. “You belong amongst them.”

“A little,” the man conceded, “but not much. The question is where you belong, bear. Will you come?”

“I will not. Why and what are you, if not a man?”

The man set his torch between two rocks. Its glow intensified.

“I have been your protector and friend. Even in the orchard, my goal was to save you.”

“I do not require protection. And I do not desire friendship.”

“I did not mean to offend. They cannot know you. You are one of the loneliest beings I have ever known. Perhaps that is why I care for you.”

“What are you?” demanded the bear.

The light from the fire brightened again, sparks and smoke and flame leapt out. The bear’s eyes, ears and nose all stung as he recoiled from the light.

And then that light began to fade.

The bear blinked against the fire, the darkness and the man. What had been a man was now undone. The shape of a man, yes, but freed of its skin, muscle and blood.

The bones of a man stood before the bear, hands on hips, and at last the bear understood.

“I see. I will follow you,” said the bear.

“We will walk together,” said Death, “And we will see what remains of you scattered and spread. You will become something they and all other creatures will treasure. They will love you.”

“I would like that very much,” spoke the wilderness.

And the bear stood up to walk with his friend.

#mightyursus kootenayfables shortstories tabthewriter

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hotelkingcastle-blog · 6 years ago

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Enjoy Your Holiday Staying At The Best Hotels In Mcleodganj For Family

If you want to get away from busy city life, then you must visit Mcleodganj for your holiday. This destination has everything for the visitors, from snow-capped mountains to lush green hills, and cascading waterfalls, to have a gala time with your kinfolk. To make the trip successful, you must book the Best Hotels in Mcleodganj for Family. You can concentrate on the natural offerings the place has to offer.

Food and lodging

Are you certain about visiting a hill station where you can enjoy all the beautiful scenery nature has to offer? Do you want to bask in the soft rays of the sun while the younger members of your family frolic around in the vast expanse of hills? Then you must look out for one of the best 3-star hotels in Mcleodganj to enjoy a unique stay in these parts. During vacation, you should indulge in something different than usual. The most sought-after hotel in this destination shall provide every possible amenity available to ensure your stay a cherished memory.

You can enjoy hot and cold baths in your bathroom. There are air-conditioned rooms for hot weather as well as room heaters for the chill of the hills. The high-speed internet service, free cosmetic products for your use, a TV set with hundreds of channels, and other services are available at your beck and call. You can enjoy delicious dishes of local cuisine with a lot of options at the restaurant. Or you can also get the food in your room if you feel like through room service.

Choosing the best hotels

The hotel you should choose must offer the best services for your family so that your stay becomes issue-free. They must provide all possible services needed for you and your family. Therefore you should choose a hotel that that provides safe boarding, comfortable stay, and luxurious services. However, the charges must not burn a hole in your pocket. If you select Hotel King Castle as your place of boarding, then you will be making a great choice. All the popular tourist destinations are nearby and public transports are available to enjoy the flavor of local life.

The verdict

Are you still confused about the best choice? Then dispel any doubt as Mcleodganj is one of the best scenic and beautiful holiday destinations in the country. Just book your room at one of the best hotels. You can be sure to return home with lots of beautiful memories. Resources:- https://www.hotelkingcastle.com/enjoy-your-holiday-staying-at-the-best-hotels-in-mcleodganj-for-family/

#Mcleodganj Hotels #Hotels in Mcleodganj #3 Star Hotels in Mcleodganj #Best Place to stay in Mcleodganj

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hundredbillionbottles · 8 years ago

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100 Days Away

Send them home! Send them home! Send them home!

Truth be told, I have found the last few weeks rather tough. I am fast approaching my one hundredth day in Colombia, and I still have just under another hundred to go before I touch down back at Bristol airport. Most of the time, I am in a conflict between the person I want to be and the person my brain permits me to be. For long while the focus and productivity of my days has kept the latter at bay, but recently this daunting hundred-day statistic, and the homesickness that it has amplified, has distracted me while negative and anxious thoughts have snuck in. And so suddenly everything feels muddied and uncomfortable, like a long rickety train ride with limited leg-room, though the logical side of myself is perfectly aware that nothing has changed at all. Aware of my irrationality, I have tried to return myself to the positive, happy person I was under a month ago, but in doing so have felt more like an actor playing myself, and at that trying either too hard or not nearly hard enough.

I am disappointed with myself for allowing this gloomy infiltration to linger through our two weeks on Colombia’s northern Caribbean coast, which in every other way was truly incredible in the most unforgettable way. Touching down in the historic coastal city of Cartagena at 2am, 12 hours before we could check in at our hostel, I could have happily stood by the sea until dawn. Only upon hearing the waves against the rocks and the trickle and wobble of the water did I realise how long it had been since I’d seen the ocean, and for a while I just stood and looked out into the blackened sludge in the glow of the streetlight and let the wind whistle through the humid air. When morning broke I fell in love with what the town had to offer. For two days I carelessly ambled over the quaint cobbled streets, veiled with great bushes of flowers that spilled over from the rooftops. I drank amazing coffee in infinite establishments ranging from cutesy, neat library cafes to bars covered head to toe in soviet propaganda. With sleeves up to my shoulders, we strolled around the walls of the old city while the vultures danced in the sun. I knew that it was blissful, but I also knew that it wasn’t the gristly, pigeon-riddled precinct of Nailsea.

Costeño Beach, a surf hostel located a few minutes’ bus ride past Tayrona, was also almost too much like a dream to be real. We spent almost all our time there surfing off this small beach, which was effectively a strip of sand separating the riotous sea from the still Amazon-like river on the other side. One morning we hired stand-up boards and paddled down the river, shallow enough to walk down, taking in the beauty of the surrounding trees and wildlife as we drifted along lazily and I desecrated the ambience with my impeccable Louis Armstrong impression. As the sun began to set behind the silhouetted palm trees, the surfers congregated in the same spot in the water where catchable waves were the least sparse, and everyone sat about on their boards in a completely comfortable silence before all going for the same wave at once. After the delicious dinner the hostel provided each night we sat out on the beach and talked nonsense about Garfield 2 allegedly being set in Carlisle, the stars slowly peaking out above us like light through keyholes and the sea still raging against the shore. It was majestic, but it wasn’t Layde Bay in Clevedon with a burnt-out disposable barbecue on a rock.

Santa Marta was great for entirely different reasons. After three days of getting beaten up by Poseidon, I welcomed some time to vegetate by the hostel’s pool with a book, paddling in waters I could control. I also warmly greeted the opportunity to do some haggling in the markets and buy some exceedingly wavey shirts. Other than that there wasn’t really much to do in the city, but its ridiculously straightforward bus system made it a great base for making day trips to surrounding places, including Tayrona, the colossal national park which, neglecting the extortionate 25,000 peso bus ride across the park, we attempted to walk across. We didn’t get very far, in fact I’m not sure we actually made it into the park at any point, but we had the whole jungled road to ourselves, which led us to a stunning, deserted beach and also the unexpected sighting of a monkey. Another day, venturing in the other direction, we took a jeep to Minca, a small mountainous coffee town which we spent the day hiking around, seeing all kinds of bizarre insects and birds of outrageous colours before arriving at ‘poso azul’, a waterfall in which to cool our sweaty selves and frolic about in for so long that we had to pay some men to take us back to town on their motorbikes in order to make it back in time for the final batch of jeeps back to Santa Marta.

The best aspect of Santa Marta, though, was the night life. For Stephen’s 20th birthday, we ventured out on a pub/bar crawl around the happening district, and it was popping off. The streets were live with people; every bar was full and every alley buzzing with street performers. As the night went on, our cocktail-induced merriment faded to sleepiness in the corner of a highly-recommended bar entitled ‘La Puerta’ (The Door). Just as we were about to call the night quits, I caught a glimpse of the dancefloor and suggested “just a quick 3 or 4 minute dance”. We danced for about an hour and a half, such was the energy of the music and the people dancing to it. The DJ was slinging out the better side of Colombian music, shying away from the repetitive regaetton and indulging in rampant Latin percussion-based music which occasionally, out of nowhere, mixed into Grease or Usher. We then returned to the hostel rooftop for Stephen’s traditional birthday cigar. It was a night I definitely won’t forget any time soon, and I loved it, but it wasn’t the sticky floors, the filth of the Fleece or Thekla.

I suppose this all makes me sound ungrateful, but that’s not what I feel at all. I am thankful every day for the opportunities I have had here, the people I’ve met. What I feel is an inexplicable, simultaneous feeling of belonging and isolation, of knowing that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be but feeling cut off from the places and people that got me here. However, I do know that this muddled feeling is only part of a phase. There is rationality in me yet. I know that I will stick this patch out and quickly rediscover the enthusiasm and excitement that enriched my first 80 or so days in this breath-taking country. Besides, I would not feel I had achieved anything if I came home in a hundred days and realised I didn’t leave my comfort zone once; one can only do really great things when out of their comfort zone. Staying above water is only an achievement if thrown in the deep end. So I’m just gonna keep swimming, carry on trying new things, build on the relationships I’ve formed, make more of an effort at work, better myself in any way I can.

Now, spread out on my bed, coming up to two-and-a-half-hours writing time, I reflect on the final lines of Swans’ ‘Song For A Warrior’, and how I can shift the power back towards my positive self and crush my negative self in the process.

Use your sword. Use your voice. And destroy. And destroy. Then begin again.

#travel #colombia #santa marta #cartagena #costeno beach #tayrona #minca #caribbean #south america #bolivar #magdalena #swans #positivity

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skydivekauai-blog · 8 years ago

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16 Unforgettable Things to Do in Kauai

Each of Hawaii’s islands offers something beautiful and majestic to its visitors. Kauai features tropical rainforests that cover most of the island, dramatic cliffs, and expansive canyons. These geological masterpieces draw in tons of visitors every year, and usually adventurous ones. Kauai is known for having many adrenaline-pumping activities available on the island, and many people come to this pristine location to enjoy just that. Along with tours for the adventure seekers, there are activities for the more causal guests that would like to take in the beauty and culture of the island. Whatever you enjoy, there is something for you on this amazing island. So you don’t miss out on anything, this list covers the top 16 things you should do when visiting the island of Kauai.

1. Take an Air Tour of Kauai

Enjoy everything that Kauai has to offer with an air tour from Air Tour Kauai. You’ll experience a 60-70-minute air tour of Kauai in a Cessna 206, with huge windows and no middle seats. Some of the sights you’ll see include Salt Pond Beach Park’s pristine white sand beaches, Poipu’s tree tunnel, the “Jurassic Park Falls”, Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali Coast, and Hanalei Bay. This one tour gives you a complete view of this amazing island and all the spectacular spots it offers.

2. Tour a Coffee Farm

The Kauai Coffee Estate is the largest coffee farm in the U.S. On the Kauai Coffee Walking Tour you’ll get to see the beautiful grounds, and learn how the coffee is grown, harvested, and roasted right on the island; and the tour wouldn’t be complete without some coffee sampling. Did we mention that this walking tour is completely free? This is one activity you won’t want to miss.

3. Hike the Kalalau Trail

The Kalalau Trail winds along the rugged Kauai coast, offering breathtaking views and spectacular sights. This 11-mile trail is graded, but almost never level because it crosses above towering sea cliffs and through lush valleys. For experienced backpackers, this 11-mile hike will take a full day. However, there are smaller sections of the trail that can be done in less time. With the promise of sprawling views, vibrant topical plants, and rambunctious wild goats, the Kalalau Trail is an adventure you’re sure to love.

4. Zipline through Kauai

With Outfitters Kauai you can zipline through canopies and over the treetops of beautiful Kauai. This thrilling experience is fun for the whole family, while you zipline from platform to platform, crossing rivers and waterfalls, and jumping out of tree houses. Outfitters Kauai offers a few different packages to choose from, all of which include fun and adventure.

5. Kayak on the Wailua River

The Wailua River is Kauai's only navigable river, and Kauai Kayak Adventures offers guided kayak tours of this scenic location. The tour begins with a light 2-mile paddle along smooth waters and past beautiful, towering mountains. Then you will journey into the rainforest, exploring ancient Hawaiian sights and learning about the local flora and fauna. The grand finale is swimming under the 125ft “Secret Falls”, something that is truly unforgettable.

6. Chow Down at some Food Trucks

The Kauai Food Truck serves traditional island comfort food. We recommend trying the garlic shrimp plate, the fish taco trio, or the fish sandwich. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong with this food truck. Another one of our favorites is the Chef George Of Da Jungle truck. This quirky food truck serves some seriously delicious food. The Greek Gyro Burger and the OooONOoo Fish Burger are some of the most popular dishes. And finally, we love the Shave Ice Tege Tege truck for some amazing dessert. This is not your traditional shave ice, topped with artificial syrups. These shave ices are topped with organic local fruit, local cane juice, and condensed milk. Trust us, you don’t want to miss out on these food trucks.

7. Go Tubing through Kauai’s Mountains

Backcountry's Mountain Tubing Adventure takes you through open canals and tunnels, all while floating on an inner tube. You also go off-roading through the lush, green Lihue Plantation to get to your launch site. Headlamps will guide your tour through these spectacular tunnel systems. At the end of your tour, enjoy a cool dip in a natural swimming hole.

8. Catch a Catamaran and Go Dolphin Watching

On Blue Dolphin Charters, they guarantee that you will see dolphins on every morning tour. Their 65’ deluxe catamarans allow you to tour the majestic Na Pali coast, while learning about Hawaiian legends and landmarks, and watching dolphins, whales, and turtles frolic in the sea around you. They also offer snorkeling, swimming, and scuba diving. For some fun on the Na Pali coast, look no further than Blue Dolphin Charters.

9. Stop by a Farmers’ Market for Amazing Produce

Farmers’ Markets in Hawaii can’t be beat. The conditions are perfect for growing fruits and vegetables, and Kauai’s markets have a diverse selection from local farms. Soak in the culture and some amazing food with a trip to one of several locations around the island, open seven days a week.

10. Take a Bike Ride Along the Wai Koa Loop Trail

The Wai Koa Loop Trail is a must-see in Kauai. Ride through canopies of Albizia trees and Cook Pines, through the largest Mahogany plantation in the U.S and out into open, expansive fields with views of Namahana Mountain on your way to the historic Stone Dam. The trail is 4.5 miles round trip and mountain bikes can be rented at Anaina Hou Community Park. It is an intermediate trail, but less experienced bikers can simply walk their bikes over the first two hills.

11. Skydive in Kauai

Have you ever dreamt of flying like a bird? If you’re a true thrill seeker or just looking to check off one more adventure on your bucket list, nothing is more exhilarating than skydiving over beautiful Kauai. At Skydive Kauai, go on a tandem skydive and experience the breathtaking views of the entire island. Open seven days a week.

12. Visit One of Kauai’s Botanical Gardens

The National Tropical Botanical Garden has 3 gardens throughout Kauai and 2 others in Hana (Maui) and Miami (Florida). These stunning gardens have a unique combination of plant collections, climate, natural features, and cultural history. You can choose from guided, self-guided, or specialty tours. These tours are a great way to soak up the culture and natural beauty of this magnificent island.

13. Attend a Luau

The Luau Kalamaku has everything you would ever want in a luau, including fire dancers and Hula dancers. Enjoy a delicious, traditional Hawaiian meal with dancing, music, games, and of course lots of aloha. The luaus operate every Tuesday and Friday. Plan so you don’t miss out on this beautiful cultural experience.

14. Surf in Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay is stunning, and features calm waters that allow even novice surfers to stand up and ride the waves. Whether you’re a beginner or not, Hanalei Bay is one of the most iconic places in Kauai to do some surfing. Hawaiian Surfing Adventures offers lessons and equipment for surfing or stand-up-paddle boarding. Embrace some adventure and try your hand at surfing in Kauai.

15. Tour the Lawai International Center

The Lawai International Center is a non-profit community project that protects and restores 88 Buddhist shrines. This Buddhist temple is one of the oldest sites in the country and is known to be a healing sanctuary. Walking through this historic cultural site is sure to bring healing and gratitude to your trip. Tours are offered on the last Sunday of the month and donations are accepted.

16. Go Off-Roading with an ATV Tour

Kipu Ranch is one of the highest-rated ATV eco-tour companies in Kauai. Located in Lihue, they offer a few different tour options. The waterfall tour takes you to rope swings and waterfalls; the ranch tour guides you through green pastures and tropical valleys; and the jungle tour directs you through the lush jungle trail system. Whatever tour you choose, the entire family is sure to enjoy this Kauai excursion.

This list has a little bit of everything, from jumping out of planes to visiting the local botanical gardens. Kauai has so much to offer, and while you might not be able to do everything in one trip, you can always return!

#skydive #skydivekauai #kauai #kauai life #skydive kauai #hawaii #vacation #travel tips

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micaramel · 4 years ago

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Artists: Pacita Abad, Liu Chuang, Mae Clark, Mary Dhapalany, Izmail Efimov, Chang En-Man, Charles Gaines, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Julia Mage’au Gray, Bibhusan Basnet & Pooja Gurung, Korakrit Arunanondchai & Alex Gvojic, Sheroanawe Hakihiiwe, Andrew Thomas Huang, Sudhira Karna, Vvzela Kook, Emma Kunz, Liu Kuo-Sung, Hao Liang, Rebati Mandal, Madhumala Mandal, Britta Marakatt-Labba, Patrizio Di Massimo, Ana Mendieta, Pavel Mikushev, J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere, Uriel Orlow, Lam Tung Pang, Antonio Pichilla, So Wing Po, John Pule, Komal Purbe, Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa, Ashmina Ranjit, Citra Sasmita, Ekaram Singh, Katerina Teaiwa, Batsa Gopal Vaidya, Pan Lu & Bo Wang, Brittney Leeanne Williams, Trevor Yeung, Hung Fai & Wai Pong Yu

Venue: Para Site, Hong Kong

Exhibition Title: Garden of Six Seasons

Date: May 16 – August 30, 2020

Curated By: Hit Man Gurung, Sheelasha Rajbhandari

Artistic Director: Cosmin Costinas

Selected By: Christina Li

Click here to view slideshow

Full gallery of images, press release and link available after the jump.

Images:

Images courtesy of Para Site, Hong Kong

Press Release:

Little by little and then all of a sudden, in the two months between the original opening date of this exhibition and the actual date, all events merged into one event, familiar in its conjuring of sickness, death, and our fear of others, and yet awesomely new in its might, effortlessly stopping the unstoppable wheels of our world. There are many things that will change against our will and many things that we must change ourselves. Changes that were already on the way, in how we work, pay, and value each other, our being together, and the presence, the signs, the gestures, and the touching in the art world will find perhaps a chance in the ruins of any certainty to arrive faster. Others, we will have to summon and midwife ourselves, working together for the ruin of the old and ruinous. How we will succeed in this, and thrive in the impoverishment that looms over our future, in the severed and narrow parishes we have been forced into, for months, maybe more, we are yet to see.

This exhibition was made with a certain desire and privilege of embracing the world. Without melancholy, from the fortunate gaze of Hong Kong, where we can open to the public with a certain sense of safety, we can now perhaps reflect on what became obsolete about this exhibition, in the two months that have passed. The art world of the past allowed many artists without much privilege the conversations, mobility, knowledge, and transcontinental intimacy often reserved for oligarchs. This exhibition was a product of that, conceived with the help of our artist colleagues in Kathmandu, as a precursor to the Kathmandu Triennale, which we symbolically removed from the ill-fated Gregorian calendar year of 2020 and restored in the ancestral indigenous Nepali system of counting the time. This system registers the 7 months from now (seemingly an eternity from our vantage point), when at the time of this writing we are still planning to open the Triennale, as 2077. In the exhibition, we wanted to talk about the world as it stood until this recent season, with its struggles, visions, and passions. A world that was, perhaps for the first time, beginning to truly admit that it is seen, dreamt, and described from hundreds of different angles, each inhabited by communities with histories, rules, idiosyncrasies, and visual languages, and almost all of them lumped together as ‘indigenous cultures’. This plurality was creeping into the way we were representing the world through art and this was one of the leading thoughts that organized the exhibition we were putting together. Alongside that nagging and perhaps obnoxious pretense of affecting change through our practice, which, until the end of last season, had been a central part of how so many of us saw our role in the world, even when such change seemed a monumental task. In this new season, change is happening above us, with frightening ease.

Like the whole exhibition, its title is obsolete in many ways. It is the name of a real garden in Kathmandu, better known by its other name, Garden of Dreams, built by a dynastic prime minister in Nepal, exactly 100 years ago. It was designed as an Edwardian English Neo-Classical Garden amidst Kathmandu’s urban fabric. The waves of change in the last century brought its six pavilions down to three. Climate change merged Kathmandu Valley’s famed six seasons into four. The Rana dynasty of the garden’s patron is long gone. So is the monarchy, swept away more recently by the revolution of this generation, the source of Nepal’s abundant critical energy that can teach us all so much.

As you enter the exhibition, you might feel and see things differently than you would have in the previous seasons. At Para Site’s top floor, you will be drawn into an (almost) symmetrical architecture, with a darkened perimeter corridor enclosing a brighter space, a patio that hides perhaps an austere garden. Along this corridor, with an ease that might make more sense to you now, the artworks connect our bodies, their insides, the networked maps of our social worlds, and the cosmos with its frightening designs. You will encounter artists who have worked in different traditions, gongbi and xieyi, braidings of hair and pandanus, yet all of them of our time, on the cusp of seasons. Many of them harness the power of women to think about our world. The patio extends these axes, the (gendered) body, its microscopic interiors, its laterals in the social crust of the Earth and its higher place in the universe, each level populated by strangers and dangers, as seen through different traditions of healing and art. The very core of the exhibition is thus occupied by medical thinking, with its different cultural histories and understandings of where the disease nests, what is to be healed, what can be left untouched, and when to let go.

Downstairs at Para Site, the secrets in the back room might be more hidden than they appear at first. Even more, at the exhibition’s temporary station in Sheung Wan, you will enter a secret garden, artificial like any other, but perhaps more cold. Like the way medicine sees more than the inside of our bodies, and mapping the world draws both more and less than what really exists in the terrain, unseen by humans, gardens are themselves small visions of both a human organism and of the entire universe. Tending to a garden is akin to healing a body and to keeping a cosmic balance. But gardens were seen very differently across continents: implausible symmetric rows of calming but petty harmony, serene surfaces of water dividing the world in unreal halves, mountains and waterfalls and oceans no bigger than a gravesite, savagery hidden in a manor’s lawn, or gardens built by runaway slaves, summoning the landscapes of the home continent, its crops, knowledge, and beauty.

As you face the tall wall of mirrors on the longest side of the exhibition, you see that the world there closes in on itself, quite uncomfortably. Gardens are also set apart by how we live and move in them. There are gardens where empires organize their entire universe with millions of us lost amongst the weeds, and others where lovers frolic about carefree, or lovers-to-be cruise each other, aroused among secret succulent leaves, fondling and fucking under the damp dark canopies. Other gardens however, are solitary rooms, where scholars painstakingly stage their knowledge of everything alive and dead, weeding and pruning around the stones with their tired hands. And then there are the gardens of our darkest nightmares, the gardens of loneliness in our own inner world, bereft of any human touch, beneath our burning, febrile thorax.

Garden of Six Seasons is a precursor to the Kathmandu Triennale 2077 (Artistic Director: Cosmin Costinas, Curators: Sheelasha Rajbhandari and Hit Man Gurung).

The works of Izmail Efimov, Britta Marakatt-Labba, and Pavel Mikushev have been included with the crucial curatorial advice and support of Anders Kreuger. Alongside artist fees to all participating artists, Para Site is offering medical and dental insurance coverage for Hong Kong artists in the exhibition, generously made possible by the following supporters: Katie De Tilly, Dave Chapman, Chantal Wong, Yuk King Tan, Crystal Chen, and those who wish to remain anonymous.

Para Site Art Space is financially supported by the Art Development Matching Grants Scheme of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The content of these activities does not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Link: “Garden of Six Seasons” at Para Site

from Contemporary Art Daily https://bit.ly/3jYPJ5q

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