As Akumi is beckoned to go with Lord Rikyn to the mirror for her quest, she steps forward without hesitation. She was excited to step into a new place and see new things and meet new horses. As she began to follow a rather large stallion seemed to walk between her and the group that stayed behind. Akumi noticed him in the corner of her eye and saw his quick footwork giving her the impression he didn’t want to be seen. To not make things awkward for him she continued to keep her head straight towards the path she was going, as to seem like she wasn’t watching.

    Akumi’s eyes watched his mane rock back and fourth in the wind and followed the structure of muscles to his back where she was stopped by the discovery of brilliant golden wings. She watched as the station lowered them further to the ground due to distraction until they were mere inches from the dirt that would taint the golden shimmer.

    As his feet walked quickly and, momentarily, quietly his back feet were becoming dangerously close to his wings. Akumi wondered if she should shout out that he was close to trampling his own wings or save him from the embarrassment by pretending she didn’t see anything. Before she could make the decision a white back hoof caught the tip of a feather and pulled it clean from him. He turned to see one of his own feathers behind him and then retreated to the north, his large hooves sounding the way no longer quiet.

    Akumi turned and the golden feather met her eyes shimmering in the sun but before she could look up to find its owner he was already far off and out of sight. Akumi wanted to bring it back to him and offer a kind word and friendship. She turned quietly and walked to the feather without the other two noticing and grabbed the end gently between her teeth. Deciding the feather was too long to put in her mane, she turned to her backside and nestled it into her crimson tail. Waving from side to side before walking, the golden shimmer highlighted the occasional orange and yellow hairs that snuck their way through, hardly noticed.

    What a beautiful little thing it was.

    By afternoon she fulfilled her purpose of coming to the Basin and started to leave before the shimmer caught her eye.

    She wanted to find him again.

    Politely asking Lord if she may stay as guest to acquire more knowledge hopeful for the future position as Seer in her homeland, it was granted. She bid the others goodbye and marched her way to the North where the stallion had gone before. Not finding him anywhere she decided to go down where all the other horses gathered about hoping that they wouldn’t be offended by an Edger’s presence. Weaving her way around the others, she notices a large painted pegasus not too far off grazing in solitude. Gracefully she cantered over to him letting her light weight hooves make soft heart-beat sounds into the Earth. Bom-bom-bom, bom-bom-bom, bom-bom-bom.

    Akumi stopped just short of 10 feet from him and let a friendly greeting sound escape her lungs. Walking closer now she stopped and before he could neigh back in greeting she spoke, “I believe this is yours? My name is Akumi.” she said, turning her body sideways to him so he could see the shimmering gold from her tail that perfectly matched his wings and the section where it was missing from.

    Being honest, she wanted to keep it but she knew that was wrong for her to keep what is not her own. But then again, how could you put a plucked feather back in its bed?

    Regardless, she offered it back to the handsome stallion who’s eyes mirrored hers. Her eyes traced down his silky creamy white and palomino back. His beautiful coloring almost made her stare a little too long.