Story The community was starting to retreat for the evening like many other occasions. Parents and guardians were in the midst of tidying up as the young parras played. Then suddenly, there was a scream. Shouting followed and all could clearly hear. It seemed one of the orphans was dead. A crowd gathered and everyone stood around the body. It was the different looking one. They all knew and were fond of the boy. He was kind, very spirited, but liked his pranks as well. Yet there he laid, with blue bruising and bleeding cuts. Anyone looking would say he had suffered a vicious beating. The ground even bore evidence of the struggle.
One by one, they all looked at a group of young parras, standing away from the crowd, with sorrow and judgement in their eyes. He had reported the teasing. They had done nothing. He had reported that it soon turned into bullying. The adults had only gathered the lot of children for a general talk and did nothing else beyond that. None of the adults thought that the young ones would do something like this only because one parra seemed so different. What would they do now? They couldn't do nothing this time. Something had to be done. But how? They were their children. How could the young ones have done this? What could they do about it?
The children stood silently. They knew they had done something. They knew they had gone too far. However, they were stunned by the scream and shouting.
Just then, a voice spoke. One that they thought they would never hear again. It was inquisitive, intelligent, and to the point, belonging to a natural investigator. "Now do you understand how out of control it can get if not taken seriously?"
The group turned back to look at Nobilis. He was sitting up and looking around, into the eyes of each and every one of them their. They were shocked, and some were quickly becoming angry. One shouted, "His apparent death was nothing but a prank! You little.." The adult parra trailed off, snapping his beak.
The youngster with horns that looked like red coral with a nearly matching colored mane, that went all the way down to the tip of his tail; two long feathers of the same color hanging from the sides of his beak, and splotchy odd coloring that reminded everyone of a koi fish, spoke up again. "The bruises and cuts are real. I am hurt, but not that badly hurt. Yet, I could have been and I could be if it continuous." Nobilis' gaze seemed to strike through each of them.
They looked down, at eachother, at the other young parras, or into the surrounding night. They looked anywhere, but at him. They felt ashamed. One elder stepped up and faced the others. "This youngin is right. There is no reason why the other youngsters find him so much of a threat. We should have taught them to be more understanding and accepting of the different. We will now though."
The elder made a few low hums, and then turned to Nobilis. "Youngin, you scared us. This is not the first time you've acted as such. I know it was for a good cause. However, this has been one too many. As this is your third strike here, you must leave our community." With watery eyes, the elder ushered the other young parras to the meeting room, to await the other adults. He did not wish to send Nobilis away, but he wouldn't turn his back on the community rules.
The next to leave where the angry ones. They had always disliked and scolded at his pranks and other little quirks. Again, they looked at him and shook their heads disapprovingly before joining the elder and children.
The most of the rest left, one by one, and a few each said something to him. They had loved him in their own why. While he was orphaned, many considered him to be adopted by the whole community. Each adult have loved one of his many traits, and each had sought to teach him more than he knew.
One adult loved exploring and mysteries; he would readily invite Nobilis to join him on trips. "When you find a place, write me. That way I know where to send invitations for more adventuresn, son." Then the adult turned and left.
Another loved innocent pranks and it would help keep the mood in the community light and fun. "I'm awfully sorry kiddo. Write me too, will you? I still have a ton of things I could teach you. Heh, I hadn't taught you the Endless Tunnel yet." He looked at Nobilis with sorrow, but offered a little smile before leaving.
A female stooped, and broke off some leaves from a plant, and then began to rub the young parras' bruises and cuts with it. "I can still teach you a lot too, even if only by paper. I know a lot more than the natural plants around here. So write me too? Please?" She was well versed in plant life, but knew a lot more about many things that she let on. She had often pushed Nobilis to do research on things he wanted to know. Her library was well stocked. She gave him a quick pat on the back, and then rushed away.
One last adult stopped to talk to him. He was the one who taught Nobilis the most about other parras. "Son, keep your chin up and keep it clean. You would have been out of the orphanage soon anyways. Don't you worry. You have enough sense about you more than you ever did before. You'll be able to make your own home somewhere. Keep in touch with us though. Even though the elder says you have to leave, we're still your friends." He nodded to the young parra, and watched Nobilis walk off into the night. He yelled after the kid. "Since you like water so much, go find your paradise near it!"
That was what he had just done. Nobilis explored the world and met many different parras and humans. Some became good friends and some weren't worth an apple. He finally found his paradise. It was a vacated castle that stood on bluffs along a coastline of an island. The island was mostly barren. However, within the castles' walls were fertile soils and the sea within the ring of coral and stone formations surrounding the island made it live-able. He lived off the bounty from the sea for a year, since he knew that the climate of the area would affect what he could and couldn't grow. Nobilis soon found out that the island suffered many storms throughout a nearly constant warm weather year round. After noting the climate, he would go away for a short while, and each time come back with new plants to grow within the grounds. There were trees, shrubs, bushes, vines, and more. All had a purpose, be it food, medicine, or drink.
During the time away, he took advantage of his friends asking him to write him. He would tell them of his adventures, the island and castle he found, what he had discovered on the island since his last letter, ask how the community was doing, ask any other questions he might have had, talk about his doings, comment on his friends wrote, ask them questions about their lives, and in every letter sent invite them to come for a visit. Which they did a few times. Every parts was sad, yet they had to leave. Nobilis would look forward to each new visit though.
He uses everything of what he has learned and continues to learn, to help him on the island. Like when he fell into a underground cave system through a covered hole, to grow his lush garden, to upkeep the castle, and help protect the reef. Nothing seemes like work though, and always has fun. Like how he mischievously plays with the fish. In fact, one of his favorite past times is to lay on the bottom of the ocean floor and settle down until the fish forget he is there. Then when they start swimming around him, since he blends in so well with the coral and sand, he will suddenly dart up and chase the fish around before having to surface. Sometimes he takes advantage of this trick to catch him some meat for his dinner as well. Nobilis continues to make expeditions, bring things back to add to his garden or collections, and readily invites any friends to come visit him. He is happy and finds life a gift without holding anyone against anything. Occasionally he meets up with old friends elsewhere or at home, but is always happy to meet new ones as well.
ArtTook so much time trying to work on getting the markings just right, I've substituted fish from wallpapers instead of doing them myself (not like they'd look that great anyways XD). If I have time, I'll continue to work on it till the deadline.
Coral =
http://darkadathea.deviantart.com/
His songOutside the Box, by ObsidianFun FactsThe name I chose, Nobilis, was the original specific name for red coral's scientific name. It also means "noble" in latin.
His name is actually pronounced differently than the word. In character, Nobilis actually likes to take advantage of any situation of when he can say "No, Bill is." He is actually saying his name, but making it sound like he's talking about someone named Bill. He finds great amusement in any confused looks he gets.