Insomnia Wake #Wattys2016

Chapter 5 - Being Bored Is Better Than Being Bored Through

"Hmmm... That's strange. Another presence disappeared in Selenium City." A girl was hunched over in a chair, long, grey hair hanging over closed eyes. The only light in the room came from a glowing sphere on a desk in front of her. "I feel like that dark presence killed him. It's probably the work of that Passing Wind again." She looked over her shoulder, revealing big hazel eyes.

"How troubling. Considering how this is the 9th time, should I contact Juno? It's getting to be a problem worth her attention."

The girl took a moment to consider the worth of getting her attention. "Yes, bring her in." She closed her eyes again. "I'm worried that this particular person might prove difficult to find, even for her though." It's like nobody realises he's there until it's too late. She started biting her fingernails.

"Alright then. I'll get her in ASAP, Ms. Helen."

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"Looks like he's late," I said looking at the angle of the sun.

Buddy scoffed at the idea. "Yeah right, I'm sure he just got lost or something."

Several more minutes passed, with still no sign of Berk.

"I'm bored!" complained Ariel, as she plopped down on the ground with a face full of disappointment.

I sat down as well, not because my legs got tired, as they physically can't get tired, but because it was more comfortable. I looked at Ariel as she pouted, and decided to talk to get her to stop. "So Ariel, it occurs to me that I don't know a thing about you. Kind of funny since I've been traveling with you huh?"

She didn't seem to notice the bait dangling in front of her face. "Hm. Guess so."

An awkward silence pursued for a moment.

"Hey Ariel, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"Because you don't ask."

She really can't read in between the lines... "What were you like on Earth?" Ha, she can't possibly screw this one up!

"I'm pretty much the same, just a little bit more extreme here."

She screwed it up!

Another awkward pause before her LED light lit up. "Oh, you were asking me what my life was like on Earth!" She looked proud of herself for finally figuring it out. "I was just a poor farm girl, nothing much to talk about there. Subsistence farming is so booooring! I lived in Medieval France though, so that might interest you." She sat there for a few seconds, then resolved to keep the conversation going. "I probably get my power from my bubbly personality, not my aspirations, because I wanted to be a princess."

Trust me, everyone knows how you got that power.

Buddy interrupted. "Ooooh, that makes sense. I was thinking you wanted to pose for the painting of 'The Birth of Venus' or something."

Ariel had no idea what we were talking about.

"It's a painting of Venus, the Roman god of beauty, being born of sea foam."

Ariel blushed. "Then you were calling me pretty? Oh you."

"Why would I think you'd be pret--?" Buddy now found his head enclosed in a bubble, but he quickly managed to pop it, gasping for air after he had done so.

I couldn't help laughing. "You walked into that one, Buddy."

"Quiet! I'm going to go look at the board again." He resolutely walked over to the board and tried to make himself appear interested in what he had to see.