27 Moonlight's Ascension
Gertrude smiled as he mimicked her very words from the last competition when she was awed by his prize-winning Cantaloupe. This was an appreciation within the art when even your rivals marvelled and sought to learn.
She could have refused on grounds of patenting her method, but within their remote region, there wasn't usually a big fuss about such matters. So while the judges took their time taking in the Orange Passion Fruit she took Jamie to the side.
Gertrude: "It was perplexing at first when I thought about recreating the harsh ecosystem. Decades before the theme was even known I aimed to grow the tree having tasted it once and desired its sweet nectar once more. So many different methods were contrived but all failed.
From burning tree barks, placing hot coal and using ash, but nothing worked. Coincidentally, It was ten years ago when I saw one of my boys welding with a torch that an idea struck me. Fire is one of nature's best creators, its mother earth's perfect reset button. I tried to burn everything but what desired the flames the most, the passion seed".
She once more continued fully garnering Jamie's attention, "It was then that I planted the seed upside down, borrowed the torch and burned the seed to a crisp while in the soil. Many would call this madness but my gut told me I was right. Surprisingly it still somehow sprouted. So I persisted and scorched the surrounding topsoil each day with that torch for two more months.
That was not the end. Realizing the plant was not developing as I had hoped, I knew there was a need to recreate the molten lava effect. So I made the boys melt an assortment of metals before pouring it around the maturing sprout periodically. Leading to our final result".
Gertrude then ended proudly, what she had accomplished was some feat. But what made it even nicer was seeing her greatest rival in thirty years stunned.
"Well done, I would have never thought of that. If you win, I wouldn't be aggrieved at all", Jamie stated, causing Gertrude to look at him suspiciously. "What do you mean if I win, Sinclair?" She questioned, surely he did not think there was a chance in hell for victory.
Jamie simply smiled looking at the judges who had finally finished deliberating. They once more handed the scorecard to the announcer. Everyone anxiously waited, no one had surpassed 98.8 in the last twenty years, but if there was ever an item to beat the mark it was this.
They looked at the monitors. DING!- It went off and what they saw stunned everyone into silence. 99.8/100 was there in bright lights, this was unbelievable. It was simply perfection. What a pity it had not ended the show. Jamie had no chance, at least this was what they all thought. Perhaps in the future, since he was so young and had the ability, but even this was too much.
Hearing the result the confident smirk returned to Gertrude's face, it was done and dusted. She had regained the title that was stolen and the 24th blue ribbon would be her most prized possession. Everything was now just formality as they waited for Jamie to make his presentation.
Jamie made his way over to his covered plant. He then swiftly flung its covering off. When everyone saw what was underneath they were stunned once more into silence. This was not for a good reason as presented before them was a tree that though was beautiful with its multicoloured leaves, was nothing special. Worse, it had no fruit but an ugly pod rested on its peak. Even Gertrude wasn't expecting this, honestly, she was disappointed. Did Jamie all along plan to throw the competition? But then she dismissed this thought, he was a fighter just like her.
Jamie sensed their bewilderment but was by no means perplexed, "Ancient Aztec history speaks of a small island so beautiful, the Sun God sank it fearing its beauty outshine its own brilliance. He hated the island and claimed it was created by the moon spirit to spite him. The first ancestors to have visited the island before its destruction spoke of a plant divine in nature and beauty, each leaf a treasure with its fruit giving the ultimate prize, the divine ascension of one's soul by the Moon Spirit. Its name, Moonlight's Ascension".
The crowds were mesmerized by the tale, this was the first they had ever heard this myth. However the judges weren't impressed, in fact, they were truly disappointed, this was unbecoming of the champion. The tale was fascinating but there was no proof this plant even existed and most importantly there was no fruit. Jamie had failed miserably.
"Where is the fruit?" One of the judges asked what everyone else was thinking. They all looked at Jamie but he looked up at the cloudy skies and simply replied, "It's waiting on its moment, in two minutes and 32 seconds you will have your answer".
The judges were infuriated by his response. It seemed that having won three blue ribbons in a row, the young champion's ego had outgrown its bounds. "No, what will happen in 2 minutes and 32 seconds is that you will be disqualified, then barred from any future competitions. This is a mockery and total betrayal of what we stand for", the eldest of the judges berated Jamie actions. Of course, this would never be Jamie's intention, that was the last thing he would want. But he knew no matter what he said it would only further upset the older folks.
Yet his silence was seen as further insult causing the seething judging to gather. As for Gertrude, she didn't quite know what to make of the situation. Give her a million guesses as to what Jamie was planning and she would give a million and one wrong answers.
A minute later the judges had arrived at their verdict. The eldest did the honours, "Jamie Sinclair, you are hereby disqualified and barred from future competition. You have ended a night that saw such promise in a dreary manner".
Unexpectedly it was a fuming Gertrude who came to Jamie's aid, "Bullshit! Would it kill you old farts to wait a mere three minutes? Your willingness to turn your backs on such young talent is what's disappointing. Who will carry on the mantle when we are all dust if we don't give the young chances."
She was truly upset, if everyone didn't know otherwise they would think she was defending her beloved grandson and not her bitter rival. But she was struck out of her rant when the cloudy skies parted and the full moon appeared, with it the moonlight's ascension came to life.
They all looked at it in awe as every leaf began to illuminate. It was truly heavenly, this should not be possible. It was the most beautiful thing that they had ever seen. That was until the pod on its peak began to open and its husk wilted away into pink lighting.
"This, this is a dream?" One judge thought she was hallucinating. How could something be so beautiful and feel so pure? They saw a glowing pink fruit with the most intoxicating smell. Everyone grabbed their cellphones to record. Bzzzz- but only saw them break in their hands.
Noone could take their eyes off it, but soon the skies once more became overcast.
"NO! - An almost simultaneous gasp was heard as the Moonlight's Ascension began to wilt before their very eyes. It was like everyone felt as though their souls had lost something so dear.
"As I feared, the process was incomplete", Jamie had a wry smile when looking at the now crumbling plant. With the plant's wilting he now had nothing to show. But he was not disappointed, he had lost to the Orange passion. Gertrude had given him a battle he truly desired. Before a speechless audience, he covered what remained, pushing it off stage.
Before departing he looked to his rival Gertrude saying, "Well done Miss Gertrude, competing with you one final time has been a pleasure". His words truly crushed her, the Moonlight's Ascension was something that only the mind could imagine. Not only she, but everyone could just imagine the otherworldly taste of its fruit. Was the tale true? Could eat that mere fruit granted the ascension of one's soul?
Those questions would be unanswered as that was the last time Jamie participated at the fair as a contestant. The judges had rescinded his disqualification but he decided on his own to retire. The organizers begged him to come back as his popularity soared through the roof. Many came from thousands of miles when hearing the rumour of Moonlight's Ascension but he never did nor did Gertrude. It was never out of spite but another reason entirely.
