K A H L U A

The childish mare was galloping through the woods, dodging trees with a grace that was befitting her pretty frame. Today, however, she did not run with the thought of being pretty. Today, she ran with urgency and determination. Despite the oppressive heat she ran, and she let the sweat form onto her body. The black of her coat deepened as the moisture gathered, but she did not care. It had come to her, finally. She had been gifted with the magic of the goddess of the moon, and finally the lady had spoken to her. Not literally, of course. The childish mare was quite certain the gods had more pressing matters to attend to than her own lack of direction. But in a dream, while she had slumbered in the woods, it had come to her. She knew exactly what she was going to make.

Kahlua covered the distance across the Edge in record time, slowing herself through her gaits to a walk as she came upon the little grove of trees that she called her own. Nearby, she could see the little garden that Resplendence had been tending to as her own. Kahlua had chosen her own spot because of its proximity to the garden space. She found comfort in the fallen angel, despite her world-weary attitude. Perhaps it was because they were such polar opposites that Kahlua found the mare such a delight. Regardless of the reason, Kahlua felt drawn to the mare like a moth to the flame. She could not help but settle in nearby.

It would have been smart to give herself some time to rest, but the mare was too excited. The visions in her dreams demanded to be brought to life. They would not wait. Now, Kahlua did not know the exact mechanics of what she was supposed to do. Lace had never managed to give her a proper lesson as she had arrived only days before the gods had left the land; nevertheless, the magic flowed through her blood and she could feel that all she had to do was ask it to obey and it would. So she settled herself comfortably in her trees and began.

Closing her eyes, the mare imagined a dragon. In her mind, she could see the beast. It stood with all four legs on a slanted rock, wings spread and head held up proudly. Behind it, it's tail followed down the rock. There was something majestic about the way it stood there and, though the image was truthfully almost frightening to the simple mare, she could not help but be awed by the raw strength of the creature. Then she opened her eyes and asked. The mists obeyed. Ever so slowly, the fogs consolidated before her and began to create the image she had seen in her mind. First the rock, then the feet and the body and the wings. It seemed to take ages, and perhaps it did. When the thing was nearly complete, Kahlua looked to the small pile of gems that she had gathered throughout the endless night. Her eyes settled on two plum colored stones. They were small, but of high quality. As the mists formed the eyes of the dragon, the gems settled right into place. At its completion, the statue would just touch her belly if she stood over it. The effect was both terrifying and stunning.

Kahlua felt a weariness settle into her bones, but she was not done. Her vision had not been of one creature, a symbol of the Edge and their loving queen. It had been a vision of four. Four creations, one for each herd, a gift of peace and an offer of friendship. Yes, she was far from done. Next, the mare began to imagine an Eagle- it was to be for the Throat. She did not understand the symbolism of her vision, but she connection between the wings of the pegasi and the wings of the bird were obvious enough to her. The bird stood on a rock, crouching its knees and lifting its wings, ready to take flight. Once again, she called upon the mists, and once again they obeyed without question, bending and shaping as she willed them. For the eyes of the bird, she chose two golden-orange stones and settled them into place so they bird might see through glassy orbs. His height matched the dragon. She was pleased with him.

Third was to be for the Foothills, which she had visited only once but had found pleasant enough. A bear had been her vision, so she thought of all the bears she had seen and decided on the grizzly. A large creature, standing with three feet on the ground and the fourth striding forward with determination. He seemed to be on a mission in her mind, and the foggy surroundings were on a mission to make her vision reality. The sun had passed across much of the sky by the time the mare picked two dark green stones to make the creature's eyes but she still could not rest.

Her body ached for reprieve, but the mare was determined to finish before the sunset. She was admittedly less than excited to make a gift for the monsters whom had so cruelly invaded her home, but creating the creature was a compulsion she could not deny. Perhaps some of her own feelings had clouded her judgment, but for the Basin she had a special animal. A scorpion. While the other three creations had been made of glass as clear as the stillest pond, the fogs seemed to take almost a mind of their own as they mixed and mingled with some of the blue stones that Kahlua had found on her travels. The end result was a creature that almost seemed black in the darkening sky, blue stone eyes matching the color of the rest of the sculpture.

When the feat was finally finished, the mare found that she could stand no longer. It seemed so easy, to just ask the mists to do as she bid them, but it had sapped more energy and life out of herself than she had imagined it would. As she sank into the mossy ground beneath hooves, Kahlua fell into a deep slumber. The moon rose and fall, the nocturnal creatures awoke and fell back to sleep, but still Kahlua did not awaken. It was not until the sun was high in the sky the next day that she finally fluttered her eyes open and looked to see what she had done in the full glory of the sunlight. She was both pleased and astounded and could not help but gasp at the beauty of the scene.

Giving herself some time to wake up and eat, Kahlua found that her strength was reasonably restored, though she still looked wearied. Of course, now that she had the things made, she would need a way to deliver them. She conjured up the imagine of a basket in her mind and set to work, the mists seemingly unfatigued by the work they had done the day prior. Perhaps the nighttime slumber had restored them as well. When the basket was done, a large and reasonably flat basket with a handle that would come up and settle into the toothless part of her mouth for carrying, Kahlua once again looked across the way at the herb garden. With her necessary work done, Kahlua felt a compulsion to return a small portion of the favor that the fallen angel had done for her.

Leaving the basket and the statues behind, Kahlua gathered up some pink stones and walked to the edge of the herb garden and looked around. For a while she did not know what she could make the fallen angel, or what she would even want. But ideas seemed to come to her the way that moths came to light, at least for these days. Finding a suitable place at the head of the garden, nestled in between two trees, Kahlua dropped the stones and began to work once again. She knew that once the object was created she would not be able to move it, so she prayed silently as she worked that Resplendence would like the location. Ever so slowly, a shallow box began to form. It was about three feet by three feet, and a foot deep made of gently frosted glass. On the lid was a delicate pattern of swirls, accented by several of the pink stones. The lid attached to the box on the far side with hinges, and a chain (also made of glass) went from lid to base on the left front corner. It would open just past 90 degrees, but no farther, to prevent the lid from falling back and shattering.

It seemed to Kahlua that the day had hardly begun, but already the sun was well past halfway across the sky and Kahlua's body ached for reprieve. Allowing herself the luxury of once again laying on the ground, Kahlua nickered softly. She wondered if Resplendence was nearby, if she was in the shadows watching her work, or if her call was for naught. Regardless, for once in her life, Kahlua thought she might be just as happy with company as without. Still, her blue eyes searched hopefully in the dark for signs of company. Old habits die hard.


@[Resplendence] first, then open if you want
These were my inspirations for the sculptures. All made of glass, of course: Dragon, Eagle, Bear, Scorpion

Where was she walking? Why was she heading back toward the Edge? She had got her sign, that was what she needed. But, didn't she still want to spend her time and wallow in her own misery? No. Now was not the time. She had felt protected, comforted from the winds. She had felt as though she had a place as its fingers combed through her long tendrils of pale hair and had precariously placed them all on the same side. She had felt the humidity seem to die out for a few minutes. It had been a sense of belonging and it was with that sense that she hoped it meant everything might actually start to go right again.

And, if it wasn't going to, maybe the Mother of the Moon only meant to say that she would be stronger - that her security net would be there for her, that she wasn't going to have to go through the troubles alone. Perhaps she meant that Res didn't have to carry the burden all by herself any longer.

A gentle breath escaped her maw as she allowed her hooves to pick their way through the foliage back toward where her garden was. It was time to see what had decided to begin to grow in this time period. How many days had she been hiding from the Edge? A week, maybe more? That sounded about right. Would she be welcomed back with open arms, or would she be asked if she had done something against them? She was not a traitor, she never could be - but she had seen many the leaders hound their members for non-traitorous actions just because they hadn't informed them of their travels.

She shook the thought from her brain. Mirage seemed far from that type. Not after having comforted her right after the invasion, when she was running around trying to find people to help. No. Mirage wouldn't do that to her. So, feeling better about crossing back over the border her body combined with the mists, hiding her lithe frame as she cantered her way back toward her garden.

As she edged in closer and closer, though, she heard a sound. Was it a nicker? It sure sounded like one. Instantly, her audit perked up and she began to move at a faster gallop toward where the noise was emanating. Was someone hurt? Please don't let someone have tried to eat anything poisonous that might have sprouted in the month and a half since she started the garden. But, no. When she arrived the garden was barely past sprouting - good no one could have gotten sick. And, it seemed as though the sound was coming from a very tired Kahlua. Night had fallen over the Edge since she had first started to the see the mists as the pulled out across the lands, and now it seemed as though the painted mare was looking in the dark for her.

"Kahlua? You alright?" she inquired, dropping her maw down and bumping the mare's shoulder and then resting it against her barrel, right behind her elbow, feeling for the heartbeat. Calm, normal. Good. She was just tired. "What brings you here?" she asks, not having fully inspected the garden or having had noticed the new, frosted glass box with the pink swirling designs and gems that rested at the head of the garden, or the bear, eagle, dragon, and scorpion glass sculptures that were also not located too far away. No, she was too intent on ensuring that Kahlua was not hurt to pay much attention to anything else...

K A H L U A

For a moment Kahlua had time to herself, if only for a moment, but her mind did not work. She did not think very often when she was not tired, but today she did not think at all. She heard the winds whisper through the trees, she saw the mists dance and play along the ground, she heard the crashing of ocean waves against the base of the cliff, but she did not think of any of these things. Her mind was empty as her lids began to trickle down to close her eyes. She was so very close to sleep, the darkness of her surroundings lulling her like a babe in a cradle, when the sound of galloping hooves shook her back awake.

For a moment Kahlua was frightened- was it more invaders come to attack? But no. Given a moment to awaken and take note of her surroundings, Kahlua found that it was the fallen angel she counted as friend and savior. Kahlua? You Alright? Kahlua smiled. The sound of Resplendence's voice made her happy. As the mare dropped her head and began her medical exam, Kahlua laughed and spoke. “Resplendence,” was her only response to the questions, her voice warm and kindly despite her weariness.

What brings you here? The question caused Kahlua to shift. She was so excited to give her gift to her friend but she needed rest too. She tried for a moment to stand, but the protest in her legs kept her settled onto the ground. Instead, she contented herself to stay there and look up to her pink friend. The view was not an altogether unpleasant one. Looking up into the mare and her excess hair was akin to sitting under a waterfall and watching the droplets splash down upon you, though Kahlua did not think the words so eloquently.

“I was promoted to Glazier,” she smiled again, wondering if the fallen angel would remember their conversation after the invasion. She was quite pleased with herself about it, both for the selfish reason of wanting to have power over others and for the more personal reason of loving her trade. The way a tired mind often does, her thoughts flitted to a different train and she started again. “I made my home near yours, I hope you don't mind,” she said with a toss of her head off towards the copse that she called her own. In the moonlight, the glass statues were becoming harder to see, but every so often the moon glinted off them in a way that made them shine. Kahlua thought them as perfect as anything.

“But I have something more exciting to tell you,” she started again after looking for confirmation that the fallen angel was content with the location of her own little slice of heaven. This time she shifted her body and after a few moments she forced herself to rise. Although her rest on the ground had been short, she found that her excitement gave her energy to stand up. Besides, she wanted to be at eye level with the pink girl to watch her response to the next thing she would reveal. Without saying anything for the time being, Kahlua simply walked to the head of the garden, careful to avoid the growing plants.

“Do you love it?” she asked as she reached the box, lowering her head to lift the lid. It stopped just past 90 degrees, as she had designed it to, held in place by the glass chain that stopped it from falling back. Inside, it was divided into several compartments that could house various herbs. Eagerly, she looked back to the fallen angel, waiting to see her response. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight and if she had been able to find the energy she probably would have been bouncing about like a child. There was no way this repaid the fallen angel for saving her life, but it was a slow beginning.

A smile. At the sound of her voice there was a smile upon the startled, painted mare’s crown. A laugh shook her ribs as Res brushed her maw against them, ensuring that there was nothing medically wrong with the mare she had met not long after the invasion. She spoke the one-eared fea’s name as Res lifted her cranium away from the mare and tilted her head to the side. This time, she asked a non-health related question. The painted mare shifted, but couldn’t seem to stand.

She shifted her weight a little, still peering down at the black and white puzzle to be certain that she hadn’t been hurt. The painted fae spoke, she had been promoted to Glazier. ”Oh, darling that’s wonderful! I'm so happy for you!” Res spoke, a smile upon her face as she perked her audit up. Kahlua had made her home next to Res’s garden and she couldn’t help but to smile a little as she glanced in the direction of the painted mare’s head toss. Faintly, she could make out the glint of moonlight on the glass figures that were positioned in the distance. ”Perfectly fine, my dear. I wouldn’t mind the company on occasion,” she confirmed with another smile on her face.

More exciting, she said. How was that possible? Res tilted her head to the side and backed up a step, allowing the mare room to clamber to her feet. She didn’t say anything, only followed the painted mare as she moved toward the head of Res’s garden, careful of where her hooves fell so as not to crush any of they arrived at her location. Does Res love it? What befell on her eyes was a box, decorated with swirls of pink very close to her own markings, frosted in a light tan colour. A glass chain falling against the back of it, which Res grasped delicately in her maw and tugged it lightly open. There were several compartments inside of it.

Res peered over toward Kahlua, ”Oh, it’s gorgeous!” Res said, a smile on her face. Gently, she bumped her muzzle against her shoulder in a friendly nudge. ”Thank you so much dear!” She pauses a little, gazing over the gorgeous creation that was a present for her. How nice of her to give her something when she didn’t deserve it at all. ”What else can you make? Like, perhaps a bracelet, or a necklace, something to honour the moon goddess and the Edge? It’s not necessary, I’ve just had this idea lurking in my head since I went to talk to Mother Moon. She’s given me some of my old self back, and I think it would be fitting to honour her in some way…” Res spoke, her mind not filtering anything as the ideas spewed. A way to honour the one who had given her a piece of her life back… it was only fitting, wasn’t it?

K A H L U A

I'm so happy for you, the fallen angel smiled and Kahlua felt drawn into her. Kahlua could not help the feeling, Resplendence was charismatic and charming despite her lack of confidence. And even if she was uncertain of herself, Kahlua was hardly astute enough to notice. Bobbing her head at Resplendence's acceptance of the place she had chosen as home, Kahlua nickered softly. She took pleasure in the fact that Resplendence was so accepting of the friendship she was trying to forge here. After all, Kahlua only wanted everyone to like her. A simple enough goal, she hoped.

Oh, it's gorgeous! The words might as well have been a Nobel Prize. Kahlua beamed. “You're welcome,” she offered in return, rather pleased with herself. Her hard work had not been in vain after all! The gentle nudge on her shoulder only reaffirmed her self-satisfaction and she arched her neck and shook out her mane just a little bit. There was nobody around that she needed to look especially good for at the moment but she felt pretty and so she wanted to look pretty. What else can you make? the fallen angel inquired, and Kahlua blurted out over her just a little too quickly, “Anything!” but she quickly quieted herself to listen to what else Resplendence had to say.

“Of course, of course!” she picked up as soon as the fallen angel left off, already imagining swirling designs in her head. A necklace? No, it was too simple for the pink beauty before her. A bracelet would do much better. And to honor the Edge, what else where there but Dragons? The place practically screamed scaled beast when you walked up to it. She had the idea in her head before she even had time to fully understand what it was. Eying the mare's forelimb for size, Kahlua started to call upon the mists and then stopped short. “First, you have to tell me what makes you happy!” The words were reminiscent of one of their first conversations. But even in her tired state, she did not wait for Resplendence's response. She was certain the mare would honor her only request. “And hold still,” she added at the end.

Closing her eyes to clarify her picture, Kahlua then opened them and began to call upon the mists around her. Slowly but steadily they accumulated, piling into one another and condensing until they were solid. The thing formed directly around the mare's leg, if she did not move. It was best she didn't, Kahlua could not imagine the thing would be easy to slip on off over her hoof. The glass was as clear as could be hoped for, the dragon's tail forming a spiral that went from low to high. At the top, the dragons body, smoke puffing from it's nostrils. And with two of the left over stones that were still in the area, the eyes were formed. It did not take very long, no more than an hour or so, but the entire time was worked in silence. Kahlua found she was afraid to talk while working, should the speech somehow ruin the glass. With a satisfied nod, she then looked to the fallen angel. Did it fit her standards?

Kahlua had noticed Res’s bob of her head for the acceptance of her new position. It was obvious to Res by the nicker and the light that flew up in her eyes. And, when Res had said that the box was gorgeous she was beaming with pride. As Res bumped her shoulder she watched the mare shake her mane out just a little bit. Upon being asked what else she could make, the mare said Anything! before quieting herself down in order to listen to the rest of the words that had flown from her mouth.

It wasn’t long after her explanation that Kahlua was saying she could create such a design for the mare. She could see the painted mare eyeing her forelimbs for the size that she would be creating. Res didn’t even ask for an explanation, she trusted the mare to make something gorgeous, and so she stuck out her right foreleg and kept it still while she thought about what would make her happy. The mare didn’t wait. The mists were spilling around her limb and forming glass as she stood there.

Res was afraid to talk, uncertain that if she did she might break the painted one’s concentration and cause problems. After all, a glass leg would not be one of the best things in the world to have obtained. Once she was certain that the painted one was done – perhaps an hour or so – she got to see the finished product. A dragon, twirling all along her canon, with its mouth just below her knee as glass smoke trailed up to her foreleg, just barely grazing it at the top. The bottom of the dragon in black and turning to purple come the top and two golden jewels resting to act as the eyes. ”Oh! Kahlua! It’s gorgeous. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!” Res breathed, awe radiating in her orbs as she looked at the exhausted painted mare. ”As for what makes me happy… I suppose… it would have to be other’s happiness… As long as everyone around me is happy, I am good. Otherwise… well… nothing on the side really makes me happy…” She shrugged, not quite certain of how good of an answer that was. But, in all honesty, she had not found anything that could make her happy in these past years. Nothing could truly get rid of the sorrow that was in her system forever radiating around. But, she knew that she felt calmer than before and she had Mirage, the Edge, and the Moon Goddess to thank for that…

K A H L U A

Oh! Kahlua! The cry was all the thanks she needed and if her smile had ever left it was back again. If she had not been so tired she certainly would have jumped for joy. As it was, all she could manage was a gentle nicker. She had not realized how much the bracelet, on top of everything else she had created in the last few days, had taken out of her. She was ready for rest, if nothing else. However, before she could have sleep, she wanted her answer. Luckily, she did not have to wait long. Other's happiness. Kahlua's blue eyes sparkled with understanding. For once, she knew the feeling.

She had been a selfish mare when she had arrived here in the land. In some respects she still was, but the more she lived here the more she was finding that making others happy was her own happiness. There was still a motive behind making everyone else happy. It made her happy. And if it was selfish of her or not, she desired happiness for herself. Who didn't? If she had spent more time thinking of it, she would certainly wonder if Resplendence really wanted to be happy or if she was someone that wanted to live and breath her depression. But no, it made no sense. Resplendence would not try so hard to make herself useful to others if she did not want to be happy herself. Perhaps her and the fallen angel were not so very different at all.

Finally, with a smile and a soft sigh, Kahlua spoke. “Oh, my friend,” she began with a hint of sadness in her voice. Her face was the epitome of exhaustion, but there was regret hiding behind the wearied features. Torn as she was over sleep or spending more time with this mare that she was becoming better friends with, she could not fight biology. Mother Nature demanded that she give in, that she close her eyes and rest. “I'm afraid I must sleep now! My eyes can hardly stay open. I hope you will forgive me.” For a moment she waited, hoping that she would be free to go, and when she was certain it was so she turned to walk back to own chosen plot of land. A final glance back to the pink lady with her box and bracelet gave Kahlua's heart a lift and she walked into her own copse of trees with a heart that was easy and worry-free. It did not take long for her eyes to fall closed. Sleep came easy as she dreamed of swirling mists and glassy figures.