A Stormy Arrival (Closed)

[Alexander Siphon]

Alexander had learnt from his prior ascent and had taken a torch with him for this ascent of the mounatin. He'd also left earlier and it was still dark even when he made the summit of one of the smaller mounatins around the area. It was strange, he'd never liked hiking before the academy but now that he was here he found he actually enjoyed it. It helped him remember the times he and his mother had taken the hike up Mt. Barney in Queensland or Bald rock in New South Wales... in short it made his feel at home... which was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

He'd always admired duel spirits but had never been a partner to one himself. For years he'd waited for the spirit festival in eager anticipation of meeting that monster who would be his link to the realms, by the time he turned 14 however he'd given up. His mother had convinced him it was almost definite if he hadn't met one by now then he wouldn't for the rest of his life. He'd shied away from the festival most of the time because from what he saw he was the only student on the island without his own duel spirit.

On the horizon one would normally see a bright orange sun rising above the ocean line, it's ascent only in it's primary stages. But that wouldn't be seen today, the sky was overcast with thick grey clouds that blocked out what was normally a mervelous view. It was strange though, it certainly wasn't the season for storms and the day had been forecast for strange skies. It was probably something to do with all the duel spirits about though, strange things happened when the realms merged.

As the light was such that he no longer need to use the torch in his hand he turned it off and placed it inside his bag. As he looked up once again to return his eyes to the view however, he found himself incased in a thick white fog that blanketed his vision beyond a metre or so. He froze, even in absurd weather conditons this sort of thing would never have happened. Something else was going on here. He looked around nervously and wondered if it was some remenent of the demon's magics, or a duel spirit playing tricks on him.

"Leave him be Cirrus! You're scaring him half to death!"

"Oh! Woops! Sorry Nimbus..."

The mist surronding him quickly dissapeared and suddenly where they're had been an overcast sky the sun shone brightly over the academy and where there had been nothing but rock and dirt hovered four shapes that Alexander immediately recognised as the Cloudians Nimbusman, Cirrostratus, Turbulence and Smoke Ball, the latter two of hich hung almost neck and neck with eachother.

"Cloudians?"

The three looked at him strangely, as though he should have known exactly what was going on here. Smoke Ball managed to stifle a laugh and Turbulence sent him a stare as Nimbusman took a step forward to greet Alexander.

"You're mother sent a message saying it was time we meet with you..."

His mother... here he was still trying to figure out the letter and now she sends a bunch of Duel Spirits to meet him? He really didn't understand what was going on here and it showed, quite blatantly.

"My mother?"

Turbulence took the chance to respond, moving forward next to Nimbusman as he replied.

"Yes, she was very firm in her stance that we musn't meet with you until she said so. And you don't want to mess with Susannah... Otherwise Typh gets real angry...

Smoke Ball shivered at the mention of Typh and Alexander wondered if he was reffering to Cloudian - Eye of the Typhoon... This was just moving to fast for him to really keep up.

"Wait...what do you mean meet me? What, do you have something to tell me about where the hell my mother has gone off to?"

Nimbus took to reply once more, he seemed to be the leader of this little group that had stumbled across Alexander.

"Meet you Alexander... We're you're duel spirits... we are you're connection to our realm and vice versa. You're mother just made us promise that we wouldn't meet with you until she said so. Anyway, perhaps it is time for formal introductions? As you may have already guessed we are the Cloudians, I am more formally known as Nimbusman but you and many others may call me Nimbus."

Turbulence made a sound that seemed like he was clearing his... throat.. or the Cloudian equivalent.

"Turbulence, more commonly known as Turbo...

Smoke Ball let out a giggle at Turbulence's nickname and the larger spirit turned to him and frowned.

"This is Smoke Ball, just call him Smokey."

The tiny Cloudian nodded and for a moment even managed to look serious before returning to his normal, erratic manner. Before the last Cloudian could begin to introduce himseld Alexander had already gone through a process of elimination.

"So you must be Cirrus then? Unless there's a fivth one of you somewhere..."

He turned his attention back to Nimbusman, he'd managed to gain some wort of understanding about what was going on here. But why it was was happening was a whole other matter. He looked over his new companions and before he'd even really thought about what he was going to ask he did it.

"So can you tell me exactly whats going on here? Why my mother has just dissapeared."

Nimbus looked over the other Cloudians before turning his face to Alexander with a strained expression on his face. When he spoke his tone was apologetic but he made no signs of diverting from his chosen path.

I apologise Alexander, but for know the knoweldge you seek is best left unknown. We cannot help you in that regard yet. In fact, we must be departing now anyway. We will meet again before the Spirit Festival ends though, have no doubt in that."

"Wait! What abo-"

But the spirits have already dissapated into vapours that blew off into the air and once again Alexander found himself alone, on the top of a mountain he was quite sure no one else intended to climb today. He sighed, no matter how hard he tried he'd never managed to make something stick. No one stayed around him forever...

As the sun rose higher in the sky and the festivities continued on below Alexander came to the conclusion that he might as well try to enjoy himself. It was better than sitting all alone pondering his thoughts, that was just plain deppresing. He packed up whatever belongings he had andmade his way back down the path he'd taken up not so long ago, all the while wondering what the hell was going on...

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