Post by Kiernan on Nov 22, 2012 4:12:34 GMT -5
[46th of summer. I'm running alone, here.]
There was something comforting about the forest. No matter what time of day, it was always dark and secluded. Ivy grew up the sides of trees, providing cover for all manner of dangerous creatures. Mists swirled everywhere, keeping anypony from seeing too far ahead. One had to watch where they stepped, lest they cause harm to themselves.
It was in the midst of this ordered chaos that Akaitora found himself, walking slowly through the dense morning fog. He breathed deeply, taking in the ambiance. It was this scent he missed every morning: the forest awakening. It was here, and only here, that he was still comfortable walking.
His cape, trimmed so as not to drag through the mud, kept in more than enough heat to keep him from freezing, and, more importantly, kept his hooves from becoming too wet. It had been three months since he had been home, he didn't want the first thing he did to be tracking mud and dead grass all over the stone floor.
After what felt like mere moments, but had really been half an hour, he found himself smiling from the nostalgia. There, before him, was his only real home anymore: the ancient castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. A single tear rolled gently down his cheek, and dropped off his chin. "Welcome home," he said aloud, to himself.
After his moment of sheer joy, he shook his head. He had a reason for returning, and he had best get to it. Into the main court he cantered, past the pedestal of harmony, and down the stairs to the left.
He chuckled to himself, remembering back to when he first arrived, and five of the Elements of Harmony stood atop the pedestal. The day before they disappeared, he remembered feeling nauseous, and lying down in his study. the next day, he had heard voices, hoofbeats, and all other manner of noises. He had felt a disturbing churning in his stomach, one that was now all too familiar, though, at the time, he had contributed it to his illness. He would have investigated, had he not been shivering, sore, and unable to breathe normally. The next day, he had felt fine, and took note that the elements were no longer on their pedestals. More importantly, he remembered wishing that whoever took them wouldn't come back. Now he wished for them to return, and remember him.
He shook his head again. "They don't remember you, Kai. They may never again. And don't you ever forget that you did that to protect them from you." He paused for a moment, then continued on his path, noting to himself, "You've got tot stop talking to yourself, Kai. Everypony's going to think you crazy."
He finally arrived at the wall. His wall. The wall he had created specifically to keep everypony out. He doubted that anypony would actually come all the way out here, but, he liked the added security of a door that couldn't be perceived without his own mind being near enough to touch it.
As he approached, as he expected, the stonework vanished, leaving only a door in its place. He grinned, and opened the door. as he stepped in, torches lining the walls lit up at his approach. He shut off his critical factor for only a moment, allowing himself to believe that his home was as happy to see him as he was to see it.
As son as his mind returned to a perfectly sane state, he cantered down the hall, lighting and extinguishing torches as he went, each of them set to only be lit when somepony was near. A spell of his own design, albeit primitive compared to his recent work.
At the midpoint of the hallway, he turned left, into his favorite room, where he had spent month after month, toiling and tinkering, designing machine and magic alike. Papers liked the walls, desktops, and floor, each of them a study in his everlasting search for what he eventually became. It was in this room that he had changed, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. It was here that he had attached those large chunks of metal to his back to allow flight. It was here that he devised a plan to save somepony who had willingly assisted him, and in doing so, had been kidnapped. It was here that he was invited to help protect both knowledge and magic through divine will. And it was here, in this very room, that he had fallen in love.
He glanced across the room, where she used to sit when she wanted to talk to him, and where she used to sleep when the hours ran late, before he carried her to bed. This time, a multitude of tears ran down his face. "What's with you these past few days?" he asked himself, burying his face in his hoof. "You really need to move on. She doesn't remember any of that!"
When his face was finally dried, he gathered up a small stack of papers, bound by a spiraling wire. The top page had, in large, bold lettering, TERRAMORPHIC EXPANSION. He also picked up a larger stack, bound by thread, entitled, SUBTERRANEAN STABILIZATION. Both of these would be necessary for his next big project. He tucked them safely into the pocket of his cape, and started for the door. He hesitated, his heart aching, then turned left into the hallway, taking the stairs down a level.
At the second basement, he turned left again. He noticed that he was turning left more often than usual today, but reassured himself that the next time he turned, it would be to the right.He was in his bedroom, which he seldom ever used. It was only when he was sick, or wanted to take a break that he ever found himself in here. There's one more instance when you would come in here, he reminded himself. Once more, his heart pounded in his chest, as memories of days past clawed at it. It was times like this when he wished he could forget the time they had spent together, with him falling so desperately in love with her, but keeping it hidden as best he could.
Before he did any more harm to himself, he collected what he needed, reduced it's size so it would fit in his cape pockets, and left the room, turning right, climbing the spiral stair up to the top, down the hallway, torches flickering on and off, through the door that materialized, and back up the stairs the the court of Harmony. Once there, he threw his wings open, broke into a gallop, and soared into the air, back into town, for an early lunch.
There was something comforting about the forest. No matter what time of day, it was always dark and secluded. Ivy grew up the sides of trees, providing cover for all manner of dangerous creatures. Mists swirled everywhere, keeping anypony from seeing too far ahead. One had to watch where they stepped, lest they cause harm to themselves.
It was in the midst of this ordered chaos that Akaitora found himself, walking slowly through the dense morning fog. He breathed deeply, taking in the ambiance. It was this scent he missed every morning: the forest awakening. It was here, and only here, that he was still comfortable walking.
His cape, trimmed so as not to drag through the mud, kept in more than enough heat to keep him from freezing, and, more importantly, kept his hooves from becoming too wet. It had been three months since he had been home, he didn't want the first thing he did to be tracking mud and dead grass all over the stone floor.
After what felt like mere moments, but had really been half an hour, he found himself smiling from the nostalgia. There, before him, was his only real home anymore: the ancient castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. A single tear rolled gently down his cheek, and dropped off his chin. "Welcome home," he said aloud, to himself.
After his moment of sheer joy, he shook his head. He had a reason for returning, and he had best get to it. Into the main court he cantered, past the pedestal of harmony, and down the stairs to the left.
He chuckled to himself, remembering back to when he first arrived, and five of the Elements of Harmony stood atop the pedestal. The day before they disappeared, he remembered feeling nauseous, and lying down in his study. the next day, he had heard voices, hoofbeats, and all other manner of noises. He had felt a disturbing churning in his stomach, one that was now all too familiar, though, at the time, he had contributed it to his illness. He would have investigated, had he not been shivering, sore, and unable to breathe normally. The next day, he had felt fine, and took note that the elements were no longer on their pedestals. More importantly, he remembered wishing that whoever took them wouldn't come back. Now he wished for them to return, and remember him.
He shook his head again. "They don't remember you, Kai. They may never again. And don't you ever forget that you did that to protect them from you." He paused for a moment, then continued on his path, noting to himself, "You've got tot stop talking to yourself, Kai. Everypony's going to think you crazy."
He finally arrived at the wall. His wall. The wall he had created specifically to keep everypony out. He doubted that anypony would actually come all the way out here, but, he liked the added security of a door that couldn't be perceived without his own mind being near enough to touch it.
As he approached, as he expected, the stonework vanished, leaving only a door in its place. He grinned, and opened the door. as he stepped in, torches lining the walls lit up at his approach. He shut off his critical factor for only a moment, allowing himself to believe that his home was as happy to see him as he was to see it.
As son as his mind returned to a perfectly sane state, he cantered down the hall, lighting and extinguishing torches as he went, each of them set to only be lit when somepony was near. A spell of his own design, albeit primitive compared to his recent work.
At the midpoint of the hallway, he turned left, into his favorite room, where he had spent month after month, toiling and tinkering, designing machine and magic alike. Papers liked the walls, desktops, and floor, each of them a study in his everlasting search for what he eventually became. It was in this room that he had changed, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. It was here that he had attached those large chunks of metal to his back to allow flight. It was here that he devised a plan to save somepony who had willingly assisted him, and in doing so, had been kidnapped. It was here that he was invited to help protect both knowledge and magic through divine will. And it was here, in this very room, that he had fallen in love.
He glanced across the room, where she used to sit when she wanted to talk to him, and where she used to sleep when the hours ran late, before he carried her to bed. This time, a multitude of tears ran down his face. "What's with you these past few days?" he asked himself, burying his face in his hoof. "You really need to move on. She doesn't remember any of that!"
When his face was finally dried, he gathered up a small stack of papers, bound by a spiraling wire. The top page had, in large, bold lettering, TERRAMORPHIC EXPANSION. He also picked up a larger stack, bound by thread, entitled, SUBTERRANEAN STABILIZATION. Both of these would be necessary for his next big project. He tucked them safely into the pocket of his cape, and started for the door. He hesitated, his heart aching, then turned left into the hallway, taking the stairs down a level.
At the second basement, he turned left again. He noticed that he was turning left more often than usual today, but reassured himself that the next time he turned, it would be to the right.He was in his bedroom, which he seldom ever used. It was only when he was sick, or wanted to take a break that he ever found himself in here. There's one more instance when you would come in here, he reminded himself. Once more, his heart pounded in his chest, as memories of days past clawed at it. It was times like this when he wished he could forget the time they had spent together, with him falling so desperately in love with her, but keeping it hidden as best he could.
Before he did any more harm to himself, he collected what he needed, reduced it's size so it would fit in his cape pockets, and left the room, turning right, climbing the spiral stair up to the top, down the hallway, torches flickering on and off, through the door that materialized, and back up the stairs the the court of Harmony. Once there, he threw his wings open, broke into a gallop, and soared into the air, back into town, for an early lunch.