The Adventures of RJ and Jupiter

Prologue - An encounter with Fate

Was it Summer? He supposed so. Well, there was really no suppose about it. He knew it was Summer because his head felt hot, as it always would when the Sun shone down on a bald head. But he could stand a little sunshine, this was pure burning heat, and he was just glad he'd rubbed some sun cream on top or he would have probably been in utter agony.

He was sat on a wooden bench. It didn't feel as worn as any other bench he had ever sat on, so he came to the conclusion that it was quite new. He had no idea where the bench was situated, well he had a vague idea. A woman had walked by. Well at least, it sounded like a woman.Talking to someone about a place called 'Rosemary Park', and she had mentioned 'here' a few times. He'd never heard of Rosemary Park, he'd just been drawn here, and he always knew why, he just had to wait till he found what he was looking for.

Neither old nor young, something in the middle, that's what he described himself as, and blind. More so than any creature. All his life he'd been unable to see the world in all its beauty, and he had got used to it, so the fear of the dark world around him and what lay beyond the haze grey of the suns light, had diminished over the years. He believed that fearing things that you cannot see was foolish. Just because one precious sense was gone, did not mean he should shut the others out for good.

In his absence of sight, his remaining senses had become much more heightened, particularly his hearing, and with his trusted cane to guide his step, he felt confident, as any man should. The space in front of him was empty, usually he could see tiny little faded patches of coloured light where a person stood, but there was no one, not today seemingly.

The wind suddenly crept up, and a number of leaves were launched into his face. He spluttered and choked, batting the things away from his mouth and nose. A few crunched between his fingers in his frenzy to tear them away, and he leant his cane against his leg, and dusted the little pieces of crusted leaf on his palms. As the breeze finally settled, a little grey-yellow light appeared into view before him, and he heard the distinct roar of a mower. Within five minutes, he smiled and took a deep breath, the delicious scent of freshly cut grass permeating the air around him, it was his favourite smell in the world.

Placing one hand back on his cane, he rested the other on the bench next to him, and his finger brushed his hat. A bead of sweat dropped from his brow onto his cheek, and he mopped it with his hand, and placed the hat on his head.

"That's better," he sighed, in a low and smooth voice, and as he breathed in, he began to cough. The man choked hard, and then there was a hand roughly clapping his back. He peered up through the nothing, expecting to see the tiny haze of a barely recognisable figure, and abruptly stopped choking.

There was a girl looking at him with fearful blue eyes, and another girl behind her, eyes flashing green with short shots of electric pink hair. There was a scowl on her face, that looked entirely adamant to shift, and his eyes rested on the girl in front of him again.

"Are you alright there, sir?" the blue-eyed girl asked, pushing a curl of brown hair, tinged with purple, off of her face. Her face was the shape of a heart, pale, with a few blemishes across her nose and forehead. The girl behind her had a much more oval face and sharper features, but despite her scowl, her eyes were very knowing and understanding, eyes that did not suit her youth, wise eyes.

"Fine, thank you," he replied in a slight croak. He could see these two girls in the darkness of the world, and this meant one thing. They were Potentials.

"Is he alright RJ?" the pink-haired girl asked, a tinge of concern in her tone, but the scowl wouldn't lift.

"Yeah he seems to be fine now, he was just choking."

"Great! Now, we need to get going. Mum and Dad'll kill me if I'm late."

"Okay Jupiter! Sorry mister, I have to go now, you going to be okay now?"