the Rift


[PRIVATE] Should I Believe In The World Momma?

Ampere The Mother of Companions Posts: 719
Dragon's Throat Sultana atk: 9 | def: 11 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14 hh :: 6 years HP: 73 | Buff: DANCE
Kygo :: Green Cheek Conure :: None Blu
#1
AMPERE
the Mother of Companions


[If you would like to join this thread please ask first :)]

Wings shifted the air around. It was stale, despite the winds. This place echoed with its emptiness, one born out of the nostalgia for what it had once been.

She hadn't known it then, but the ground told the tales with its worn pattern of hoof marks; both crescents and dual indents. She had been here once before though, when the world had been plunged in a different kind of darkness and a flaming beast had marred her legs. She had come in desperate frustration and slew empty prayers and swollen curses at any god she could name.

"That seems a lifetime ago," she thought with a frail smile - she was nervous. It had only been a year past in truth, but so much had changed, as evidence by her renewed faith in coming here. She hoped to lend her thoughts, or rather her questions, to the heavens in the hopes of enlightenment... or anything akin to it.

The air stirred again, though wings lay across a black back; the passing of a pent up breath. She was anxious. The feeling came in part because she feared silence, as she had been granted last time. She feared rejection, her devout nature certainly questionable. Above all else, she feared a response.

What she might discover here had the potential to change everything and nothing all at once. The weight of that alone bore down on her with an ominous intensity that she could not shake. A wiser horse might have turned back, muttering the age old mantra that ignorance is bliss and we all have an equal right to pursuit of happiness. "I'm not interested in joy," Ampere thought with a hardening resolve. "I'm here for truth."

The unknown was scary, and the known was oppressive, but the purposefully ignored was just cowardly. She had to learn or else she would hate herself for it.

"Gods," she began, her voice wavering. She grit her teeth, hating the sound of that tremor. "Hear me....please" Steadily her words strengthened, though she was reduced to a whisper. She shook her head. The movement felt good, as if chasing away the numbness that had begun to seep up through her bones. It mussied her wind-tossed mane, sending it wildly across her neck, which matched rather well with the wildness in her features. They had grown stern, her gaze hardening alongside her heart. She cast it upon each shrine, letting the piercing blue wash over each monument in turn, unsure who might be able to answer her best.

"Truth," she chanted to herself, taking strength in the word, in her deed. "I wish to know of companions," it came out stronger, louder. "Of their purpose, of their origin. Everything."

Just like that, Ampere reached to take a bite of apple from the tree of knowledge.


Edit: sorry for the re-tag, forgot to mention I am using a VoTG pass off my prize list. Posting it in the records updates board right now.
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Credits: Image by eagle-cry-designs @ DA

Tag me only if starting a new thread.
Magic or force permitted any time, aside from death.

Tandavi The Fire Dancer Posts: 245
World's Edge Nurse atk: 6.5 | def: 9 | dam: 4
Mare :: Equine :: 16.1 :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Natraj :: Plain Kitsune :: Fire Charks
#2

TANDAVI & NATRAJ</style>
we walked a lonely road
beneath the fire of a thousand suns
</style>

She doesn't mean to lurk, to sit in shadow away from prying eyes. Indeed, it is the opposite of her intent- firechild wants only to glow, to warm those around her with the strength of her flame and incendiary heart. Yet in the days following the return of dawn, she finds herself faced with a new conundrum, one less abstract and more tangible than the miserable and mysterious darkness had presented: who is there to have her?

She tries not to think about it often. Since her reunion with Natraj the loneliness has ebbed, dissipating from a full-frontal attack down to the drone of distant gunfire, a buzz of bees ignored until they come too close for comfort, as the knowledge of her isolation does now. In a crashing wave it overtakes her mind, melodramatically washing away her happy glow, her contented banter with brother and friend. Friend- does she have any, really, outside of Natraj? Amaris is gone, and Semira, childhood playfellows cast into the abyss. In fact, as time passes the filly is coming to realize that her family has fled in full, leaving none but Natraj and herself behind.

The thought blazes hot through her dark despair, a cold, brittle anger surging up in her mind. Did they not think to wait for her? Was no headcount done, no tally of Mirage, Rishima, Twins One, Twins Two... hmm, where is the seventh?

Or perhaps they were glad to be rid of her. Perhaps her sins were so great, she deserved to be alone. After all, she still has not rescued Lace. After all, she had yet to gain a friend, no matter what she might tell herself about Hototo and Sacre.

It is the appearance of the black-blue pegasus that brings about this surge of shame. Wind-tossed and beautiful, the mare alights on the hallowed ground, just as the girl retreats behind the shrine of the sun. At her feet Natraj purrs a questioning note, gold eyes shifting to glance her way, but the girl is trained upon the electric queen. Twice before has gold met blue, and the girl remembers the last time with a sickening vibrance, remembers her resolve to follow her home, once she had something to show for herself. Now the mare is here, in her haven of gods, and Tandavi has nothing but the skin on her back, nothing to make Ampere take her as one of her own. No wonder I'm friendless, she waxes morose. I have nothing to offer, no exchange to make.

Natraj snorts his laughter at this melancholy turn, unimpressed by his sister's poetic descent, but pauses as the wind whispers into his ear. The blue mare is close now, and large ears pick up the now-stronger words. He throws them like darts in the path of her mind, disrupting the filly's spiral of doom with blithe disregard for her requiem's grace; before she can be angry the kitsune's gone, dipping out from around the shrine to approach the mare on dancing feet. He pauses some paces in front of Ampere, gold eyes gazing bright at her face, as if to say Hi, Companion right here!

Behind him a sharp inhalation is heard, as Tandavi struggles to choose a second step. Part of her wants to flee from the passionate mare, but the other, smarter part pushes her forward, moving her legs and steering her gaze. Besides, she is curious now to know the reply, see if the Gods won't answer a question she never thought to ask: what is a companion, and why is the bond formed so close to her soul?

And who knows. Perhaps, in their shared curiosity, the mares will find in each other a peer. A partner. A compatriot. A friend. Braver, the girl swallows her fear, letting the shadow of a smile stain her crescent face.


credit | credit

o. pixel pony credit to tamme
o. permission granted to use force and magic on Tavi
o. only tag me in opening posts, please!


God of the Earth Posts: 287
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: 22.0hh :: Ageless
Admin
#3

The GOD of the EARTH

earth god like quote here~



Curiosity killed the cat, they used to say, in a land far away and a time distantly past. The God of the Earth had never liked the saying. It bred complacency, and he had never been able to understand that. Wasn't it better to always be seeking answers than to accept the world as it was? Wasn't it better to look for more, rather than to assume there was nothing else to learn? And so when Ampere alights on the hallowed ground near the shrines that had been so magnificent, once, and voices her plea for knowledge, he cannot help but take pity on her. After all, her life's work has gotten her nowhere, and while he cannot help but think it is good for her character, he wants her to understand all the same.

The earth grumbles beneath her feet, the slightest tremor of an earthquake; the ground splits open before her, and from the earth, the god rises. Wings unfurl, their great expanse hovering over the cracked soil, healing the split without so much as a blink of the eye. Only then does he flap his wings, once, twice, and then fold them at his sides, looking for all the world as though he climbed from the earth every day. He peered at the blue-streaked mare before him, considering her and her request. There was another present, as well, and he offered a gentle, welcoming smile to the young Tandavi before returning to his scrutiny.

"Are you certain you would have your answers, Ampere?" he asks her finally, his voice like the rolling, green hills of Birdsong. "Are you certain you are ready for truth? If you are, you may ask me of companions. If you are not, you may leave."

Speech speech speech
CREDITS

Ampere The Mother of Companions Posts: 719
Dragon's Throat Sultana atk: 9 | def: 11 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14 hh :: 6 years HP: 73 | Buff: DANCE
Kygo :: Green Cheek Conure :: None Blu
#4
AMPERE
the Mother of Companions


The sound of movement near her feet drew Ampere's gaze from the heavens back to the earth. The blue wash of her eyes fell like shooting stars, bright, and burning. In them her fear, her worry, her anger danced, spinning 'round and 'round the stains of black that were her pupils - students of emotions left unchecked.

Her gaze was expectant as it settled upon the fox; she thought her query had been answered, and that hopeful sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying. So much so Ampere wasn't entirely sure how to handle the flood of contradictory sensations whipping through her, but nothing felt as awful as having that moment, that hope and all it meant, and then having it ripped away from her. She felt a small part of her crumble in the space left behind. Her body had already built itself around the newfound feeling, solidifying and preparing for whatever may come, preparing for everything except a fox to be standing before her.

There was a moment of silence where Ampere did nothing but stare at the fox before her. In this moment was the fall of her fortitude, a defeat that echoed in her gaze as the fires that had been there cooled and hardened into electric ice.

Ampere gasped. It was loud and harsh, as though she had not had a breath for centuries and finally let her lungs drink. Her feathers were instantly twice their normal size and all around her the dust and the dirt popped to life with an energized hum and a blue glow. Ampere stumbled back, her wings spreading across her face the way hands might guard across a raging fire, blocking out the damn fox that taunted her in this pivotal moment. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream.

Of course she would be delivered a bonded fox as an answer, its owner a golden girl she'd met in the past and thought to call friend. How utterly foolish she was to think the gods would explain their crimes to her. They'd much rather shove the abundance of their enslaved lives down her throat and alienate her from any potential allies by shackling them int he chains that run through souls.

Ampere bit of the apple and found it full of bruises and worms.


Just then the earth began to quiver, a power beyond Ampere's control regardless of her emotional state. She stopped, her wings spreading at her sides to offer her balance, pricks of moisture exposed in the corners of her eyes as they worriedly glanced around the ground which grew increasingly active. Her focus shifted and with it the blue sparks dancing int he vicinity fell quiet and dark.

From a split that cut the terrain a beast of a horse took birth, bewildering Ampere who had thought the gods to dwell in the skies. His sheer size impressed her, but his presence held something she could only recall feeling beside the God of the Sun. It was enough to distract Ampere from the fox and the hate she had conjured in her heart, though the mold of the apple remained on her tongue.

He looked at her, kind in a way she had not known gods to be. It reminded her of his son, whom she had met in the darkness and never thought to believe as telling the truth. That hardly mattered now though... such a lifetime ago that it seemed a different place, a different horse.

He was cruel in one way though, this god, for he offered her a choice just one more time. It was a simple set of options, stay or go, but for all of Ampere's resolve she was afraid to ask and more afraid to know. That he, this god of the land, would let her leave without the burden of the knowledge only suggested further to Ampere how much she would dislike the truth she sought.

She glanced at the fox and his horse. He was no joke of the gods after all, but his presence her burned her all the same, and for that reason she knew she could not turn back now. Not now.

Ampere's gaze turned slowly back to the king of the mountain. Her feathers had sleeked back to normal size, her wings hanging loos on her sides, almost defeated like, but her head held tall and strong. She took one precarious step forward, and somehow dug out the voice that had run and hid inside her.

"Tell me," she said, her tone wavering, but her intent solid. "Please, tell me," she tried again, stronger now, more insistent.

"Tell me why," she whispered.
Credits: Image by eagle-cry-designs @ DA



@[Official]

-bump- I don't believe we're waiting on Tandavi, as she was in AA when I replied back to this. I know she's back now, but I think Charks is doing her own stuff :)

Tag me only if starting a new thread.
Magic or force permitted any time, aside from death.

Tandavi The Fire Dancer Posts: 245
World's Edge Nurse atk: 6.5 | def: 9 | dam: 4
Mare :: Equine :: 16.1 :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Natraj :: Plain Kitsune :: Fire Charks
#5

TANDAVI & NATRAJ</style>
we walked a lonely road
beneath the fire of a thousand suns
</style>

The blue mare is not happy to see them. The girl watches the silence, and takes heart from it; watches as Ampere gazes at Natraj, penetrating worry and fear and doubt. She hesitates, hopeful, and for a quivering moment she knows herself to be a fool, with the echo of a smile pulling at inky lips. Bravely she prepares to engage in comradarie, happily the draws out the words in her head, and then harshly, painfully, her delight is cut short by the sharp, jagged blade of the blue mare's gasp. Muscles freeze, heart shudders, nose flares. On minuscule feet the boy runs back, yipping reassurance; but it is too late. The girl smells magic, tastes white, and feels electricity burn at her eyes.

She is not wanted here. They are not friends, and she has made another mistake.

Whatever she may have done then, it is prevented by the earth. Beneath the girl's hooves the ground begins to roll, boiling in uncertainty and catching her off guard. Softer than the pegasus escapes from her a gasp, stretching through the empty space, crashing into her two-toned ears. The scent of magic is appallingly strong, overwhelming her mind and filling her nostrils; she can see it, can taste it, even before the god appears. She has never seen the Earth before, and though she does not find him as glorious as the Sun, she cannot help her awe.

She fresh grass beneath her hooves and realizes that it is his smile. Hesitantly the girl smiles back; but his attention is not long fixed on her, and her face fades fast in the absence of his warmth. He speaks to Ampere, and Ampere speaks back, and the girl thinks she may have stumbled onto something far, far bigger than she. Something personal and deep, with meaning she cannot begin to comprehend: she wants to run, but needs to hear, curiosity waging war with discontent and winning out, as it ever does. Shifting her weight and flicking her tail, the girl waits silent for the words of the God, black eyes shining and heart beating wild.

@[Official]

credit | credit

o. pixel pony credit to tamme
o. permission granted to use force and magic on Tavi
o. only tag me in opening posts, please!


God of the Earth Posts: 287
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: 22.0hh :: Ageless
Admin
#6

The GOD of the EARTH

earth god like quote here~



From within the irate feathers, black tinged with blue, the God of the Earth can see the swirling, twisting, writhing emotions of the pegasus mare. He watches her with a gaze older than time itself, eyes filled to the brim with a blank sort of wisdom, devoid of the fervor of the mortal before him but entrenched in a deeper understanding of her fears, her worries, her anger - for though he does not empathize with her cause, he allows for all of Their mortal children to sway from the path they were set upon. She does not understand, and it places her on the defensive; it is only fair, therefore, that she is allowed at least some of the answers that she desires so vehemently.

The second mortal and her companion are silent and stoic nearby, and the God of the Earth wonders if they have been called here by his more chaotic siblings, sent to taunt and prick and prod at the pegasus, to wave her opinions and the gods' indifference before her as though to show how little they care. He does not approve of this method, for he does care for the mortals, silly though they may be, but his siblings do not often share his appreciation for and gentility toward Helovia's inhabitants.

"In the beginning, there was nothing; and then, we created the world and a few of those inside. In the beginning, all was peaceful; and then there was war, and famine, and death. Many were alone in this world, having lost their friends, their family, and their homes. So, too, were some of those creatures you now call companions. These orphans, these young creatures that would die without care, were paired with Helovia's inhabitants so that they might live." He pauses for a moment, watches her with those emotionless orbs. "The great mothers of the companion species bartered with the equid natives so that their offspring would flourish, for without the bond, these orphans in darkness had perished. Some species mothers wanted peace with the equids, so the combination of minds was a way to ensure that peace - as two warring kinds became bonded. Each have a different story, but the outcome is the same; when orphaned and without a bond, the child will die."

"You may ask me three questions, Ampere. Choose wisely."

CREDITS

Ampere The Mother of Companions Posts: 719
Dragon's Throat Sultana atk: 9 | def: 11 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14 hh :: 6 years HP: 73 | Buff: DANCE
Kygo :: Green Cheek Conure :: None Blu
#7
AMPERE
the Mother of Companions


He spoke, and his answer was not what she had expected, but then again she hadn't expected an answer at all. Ampere, as with most things in life, had arrived in a whirlwind of rippling emotions being led on one strand of thought. Now that she had reached the end of that thread, she wasn't sure how to continue, and the hallway of her mind was dark with that uncertainty. Luckily her inner fire usually appeared to lead the way, burning all her bridges as she crossed them.

The Mother of Companions was quiet for a moment; a rare thing to behold.

She glanced over to the orange girl and the fox, her look blank as it passed over them. For the most part Ampere was ignoring them, still rattled by their appearance in this place, at this time, though she did find it curious that they remained to listen. I hope they learn something Ampere thought, her attention settling back on the mountain that stood before her. His presence certainly commanded attention, and it reminded Ampere of the way being close to the God of the Sun had felt. There was something innately powerful about them, and it chilled Ampere far worse than any hard winter ever had. It was a wonder she had ever thought they were myths, though could she be blamed after the myriad of tales, descriptions, and names "gods" bore in other lands?

Then again maybe those were all true too. Maybe each star was a god, filling the universe with magic and might, but little kindness. If that was so, then these gods were not masters of anything, not really, and they certainly weren't free to dictate the life of anyone or anything, be it horse or insect. That's what bothered Ampere the most - is that they felt like they could.

"You did not fix any of that," she began slowly, a newfound thoughtfulness to her tone, although it also came across as accusing. She was finding more and more reasons not to like the gods now that she had accepted they were real. First one gets her pregnant, unforgivable enough, and the rest (or all) enslave an entire span of species, and for what? "The wars, the famines, the deaths... they continue. Only now those innocent creatures which you say this bond exists to save are pitted against horses many times their size, against one another, even against their own kind."

Ampere's voice wavered and she fell quiet, fighting against the pricking sensation that gathered behind her eyes. Damnit, I mustn't appear weak. She glanced into the distance.

It was difficult for her, and not just because of her passion for the subject. Ampere understood the intentions behind the history of the bond, but the Earth God did not speak with any tinge of regret or concern when he told her of it. He spoke directly, almost as though he were a patient teacher trying to explain a simple rule to his thick-headed student. How can he not see? Ampere wondered to herself, dismayed that the gods and so many others continued to think the bonds a blessing.

"The bonds were meant to save lives... but greed has stained this cause. Horses covet the unborn companions, crawling over one another just for a chance at the bond, but not because of any damn altruism or honor. They do not see the creature as a life, but as thing, an advantage, a solution." How many horses had she met that cherished the bond of their companion if only because it was something else to obtain, something else to help them win, something that could cure their loneliness? What selfish excuses, she thought bitterly, wondering why it was they needed their status boosted by another's life, why they were too weak to strengthen themselves and instead relied on a small animal, or why their hearts craved an endlessly attached soul - was it just too hard to find a nice mate to settle down with?

Ampere shook her head. Despite everything, she was actually enjoying this conversation, in as much as one can take happiness from that which rattles their very being to its core. The topic crumbled like ash in her mouth as they spoke, but it was the only fodder she could take nourishment from, so she swallowed it all the same. "The bodies exist, but the soul does not. They have no freedom - the bond has killed them. After all of this, why does the bonding remain?" Nothing had been helped by it, didn't he recognize that?

Ampere tried to hold herself steady, her gaze finally lifting back to meet that of the God's. It rose like a peal of lightning cutting across the night's sky - bold, and bright, but most especially, dangerous.

[1/3 questions]
Credits: Image by eagle-cry-designs @ DA

Tag me only if starting a new thread.
Magic or force permitted any time, aside from death.

God of the Earth Posts: 287
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: 22.0hh :: Ageless
Admin
#8

The GOD of the EARTH

earth god like quote here~



The God of the Earth listened, not reacting. He was calm and unwavering, a bulwark of peace and serenity. When emotion claimed her eyes, he did not try to dry her tears, but instead, let her collect herself to ask her question. The compassion she held was commendable, and her cause was just. He could not and would not try to argue against her beliefs, only explain the truth as best as he could. Some of her questions predated he and his siblings, since they were young gods and Helovia was a relatively young land. The majority of inhabitants originated from elsewhere, making Helovia a melting pot of clashing and hugging cultures.

He expected that in this culture clash, some of the practices would appear barbaric to some. War, which was common here, was not common in lands with a single god-like entity. But Helovia would always be just a little different. The nature of the land and of his siblings was not to get directly involved, but to let the natural way of these inhabitants free. Unfortunately, they interfered too often and this caused problems, but the God of the Earth tried his hardest to keep the laws of natural constant. The laws were not emotional, not loving or compassionate - they simply were. The unkindness was kind in a way. A disfigured newborn died, but in this way, there would be no children of that new born to perpetuate the painful and harmful disfigurement.

Companion bonds were not so different.

"Our law as gods is not to fix the nature of mortal kind. We govern the natural laws, the darkness, the light and time, not the heart of horse-kind. Famine is caused by natural law, spreading to heal through destruction. Death is only the other side of living, and war is borne of the short-comings of any creature with a beating heart. There is no fix to these problems, not unless we wanted to remove your free will entirely," he explained, his tone as resolute and unyielding as a mountain.

"I see you have not been bonded to a companion and thus make premature judgment about the state of the creature's soul. They retain their own individuality and free will. Should they wish to take their own life, they may. Should they wish to leave, they may. However, the bond works in two ways. The equine and the creature are combined equally, their souls intertwined. If you make the assumption that the creature lost their soul, then you also make the equal assumption that the equine did as well. Regardless of their ability to do something, neither party wants to anymore - they are a team.".

"The nobility and purpose of the bond seems lost on this generation, I agree. The clamoring taints the beauty of the bond, but that does not make the resultant bond any less special. The bonding remains because of laws put in place long ago, some predating even myself and my brethren. Dragons have been the soul-beings of the equines before we had even finished shaping this land or time itself. Once, in some lands, dragons hunted the equines to near extinction while in others equines had forced them into hiding. By combining their souls for future generations, the possibility of a reoccurring war diminishes, and it was not a god who negotiated this pact, but a noble mare more ordinary than yourself."

The God of the Earth shift his weight, tree bark falling from his shoulders. "The bond remains to honor the traditions of old, to keep alive the spirit of peace between species, to ensure life to the orphans who cannot live without the bond, and to bring love and companionship to both the equid and the creature in equal resonance of the soul."


CREDITS

Tandavi The Fire Dancer Posts: 245
World's Edge Nurse atk: 6.5 | def: 9 | dam: 4
Mare :: Equine :: 16.1 :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Natraj :: Plain Kitsune :: Fire Charks
#9

TANDAVI & NATRAJ</style>
we walked a lonely road
beneath the fire of a thousand suns
</style>

They feel isolated, as though they exist in a world separate from the mare and the god, invisible yet encroaching, unable to stay or leave. Torn between fascination and agitation, the girl and her brother listen attentively as the winged beings speak, wilting beneath the rising emotion and taking heart in the Earth God's calm. They have never encountered him before, though they thought once that his son might be their friend; they find him different, soothing, a stark contrast to the power of the Sun God and the mystery of the Moon, a father, perhaps. She can see why Hototo loved him, and even as he ignores her in favor of Ampere, she is not discontent.

The God speaks of wars, of chaos, and the pair listen closely, Natraj pressed against his sister's gold leg, Tandavi's black eyes flickering between Ampere and the Earth. When the blue mare speaks, it is in a voice more still than she has come to expect, weighted with levity and consideration- and yet her words are wrong, so wrong, and the girl balks in the face of them, shocked. Greed, war, death, enslavement: black eyes meet gold, and the girl knows that her brother is stunned, appalled at the idea that companions might be so misused. A horrible thought creeps into her head. Does Ampere think these things of her, that she would so mistreat her best friend, her kin? Is that why she was greeted with such hostility, rather than the camaraderie they had formerly shared? She can't, the boy assures her, fierce. I love you. She can feel his anger, so rarely kindled, as well as his affront: does the blue mare believe he to be so weak, that he and his kind might let horses simply use them?

Caught by her surprise, the girl does not speak: a for once a fortunate occurrence, for in her anger she could only sputter rage. Instead, the Earth God fills the silence, the stability of his deep voice keeping her mind in check. She listens again, though less impassively now, wondering how this deity will explain to Ampere the error of her ways, and wondering, though she dares not admit it, if Ampere is right. Are she and Natraj really such a rare case? Is the norm for abuse and advantage, cruelty and control? She thinks to those she has met with companions, and knows this cannot be true: Sacre and Inari, Fajira and Lace, Mirage and Aikath. Even Kali and her mother, who would call the gryphon "brat" yet still, the girl knew, loved her fiercely and with all her heart. In the light of all this affection, how could what Ampere said be true?

The Earth God speaks and the boy nods, his fierce gold gaze glaring up at the mare. Flames flicker dangerously at the end of his tails, as if daring her to doubt him, to think him weak (to the outsider's amusement, no doubt, for the short blue mare is still easily large enough to crush the kitsune in a misplaced step). In the boy's anger the girl listens attentively, fascinated by the history that the God lays before them. She did not know that dragons were the first to bond, or that it was created to give orphans life. She thinks of Natraj and the day he hatched: barely a babe, her mother had told her she must care for the cub, for he was her brother and had nobody else. She has never dwelled long on from whence he came. I came with you, he tells her matter-of-factly. That's all that matters.

The pair wait for the mare's next question, boy and his sister watching in silence, one eager for the mare to be schooled and the other simply wanting to learn more, to understand.

credit | credit

o. pixel pony credit to tamme
o. permission granted to use force and magic on Tavi
o. only tag me in opening posts, please!


Ampere The Mother of Companions Posts: 719
Dragon's Throat Sultana atk: 9 | def: 11 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14 hh :: 6 years HP: 73 | Buff: DANCE
Kygo :: Green Cheek Conure :: None Blu
#10
AMPERE
the Mother of Companions


"Bonding is not natural law, you said yourself it was created to fix the orphans left behind as the outcomes of this natural law!" Ampere roared, her feathers bristling on their ends as she let herself get swept up in her anger. How could this deity stand before her and say he would not intrude, when bonding was just that?

She snorted heavily and shifted her body weight multiple times. It was a way for the energy pent up inside of her to find some form of release. All the while he continued to speak, and like most things under his care, it was a steady rhythm. It helped to settle Ampere, who had a very reactive nature ever since her foalhood. It was not that Ampere lacked the ability to remain calm or articulate intelligent discussions, it was that those she was around were reactive to her obtrusive emotions, feeding into her and leading her into the outbursts she had such a reputation for. Only her grandsire had ever remained steady in her company, and for that he had always been her favorite, even if she never understood why. The chaos that was Ampere craved an anchor.

Her blue gaze flicked towards the duo that lingered on the edge of the meeting. It was a brief stare, lasting only a few blinks before her gaze was traveling back to the commanding presence of the god. Yet in that moment Ampere saw all she needed. It was what she had seen countless times already - a bonded horse and companion keeping their ears full of noise and their eyes shut to anything new. He was fierce, she was confused, Ampere was somber. They were probably evaluating their bond, as others have, as being only a single thing full of love. They did not consider what the bond lacks, what it means, what it does. They only feel, as the bond was made to do. Wrapped up in each other, forever, they need to believe their bond is whole and just and kind, otherwise how else could they live with themselves, or rather, each other?

Ampere glances away.
She is failing again, failing them. The louder she shouts the more they fail to listen. It is utterly aggravating.

She is grateful then as she looks back to the bay stallion. A mountain such as the God of the Earth was one such anchor that she needed. The levelness of his voice made Ampere feel foolish for the rise of her own. He was the rain pelting the dirt, the leaves turning on the trees, the dust settling on the rocks... and most importantly he was the one willing to tell her the truth.

She pursed her lips, but said nothing, letting her ears turn and drink in his tones

It is a while before Ampere picks up her voice once again, but once she does it is thoughtful full of a quiet consideration. "You're right," she admits slowly, as one is apt to do when letting themselves stand bare and exposed. He said exactly what Evangeline had - one of the few bonded to actually leave a lasting impact on the Mother of Companions. There was weight to the fact Ampere spoke so much about that which she could never fully understand, but she felt that it gave her a different point of view. "I have never shared a bond, but I'm sure the same could be said of you," she finished softly and curiously. She was careful not to make it a question, though she itched to know if the gods had bonded before, or even could. If not, did it make him any less capable to argue on the topic than she?

The answer, Ampere thought rather confidently, was no.

"It does not mean that your or I have not seen affects of the bonds. Though if I may say as much... I think you speak with considerably less knowledge than I." Ampere was careful as she phrased this, not wishing to cast a stone into a pool merely to make it ripple. Still, there was a touch of annoyance when next her tongue picked up. "You speak so freely of the companion's will, and though nothing you say is a lie, neither is it honest." Ampere flicked her tail, trying to unwind her irritation before it colored her completely. "It is natural law to avoid pain, so suicide is a rare feat, bonded or not." That was not a complete statement on its own, because Ampere knew plenty of warriors dove into battle willingly, if not gleefully, and that some even drew their own blood on a regular basis. Yet a foal, from birth, knows to avoid that which harms it. The body purposefully protects itself in this way, and to some degree, the mind. Only through some traumatic shift can such be altered, such as the diligent training and purpose of soldiers or the deluded thoughts of the insane. "Considering the fact that two lives may be at stake when dealing with a bonded, then it wouldn't be surprising that it happens even less often, as one interferes to save the other/each other." Ampere snorted, but did not let silence dwell long before continuing.

"As for companions choosing to leave and standing as equal... once again that is a half-truth." Ampere's gaze hung on the god's, the irises as full as the depths of the sea and just as heavy. "Horses tend to bond when they're adults, and choose to do so (more often than not anyway). The companions however, have no say in the matter, being UNBORN! They know only the bond, as it shapes them, from birth until demise. They know nothing but the chain that seals their fate - so of course they would not be willing to leave all that they know, they would not kill that which has always been their home, they are not EQUAL!" Around them the dust had begun to crackle and pop with blue life as Ampere's words became a heated rush. She was anchored still, but the seas were rising and tossing amid a storm.

"They are young innocents caught in this unfortunate tradition wrought by the blood of a past wound which has never healed. All of which, is for nothing... Orphans meant to be protected you said, yet these companions are thrown into battle by the single soul they know. They're meant to sustain their species you said, yet they never have the chance to mate and raise a family. They live and die in the name of a love which is hollow and wrong!" Tears had leapt into Ampere's eyes and her volume rose alongside her magic, but she did not stop, just as the sea rages ever on.

"If it is as you say, god, if being bonded is so great, then any creature, of any age, should be willing to join souls. If it were equal, if it were so wonderful, then WE should be bonding with OTHERS!" Ampere's teeth clicked together, her head lashing after her words and setting her mane into a mess across her vibrant features.

She seemed drained after that though. Her feathers laid flat on her sides and the dust ceased to hum with electricity. The storm had passed and in its wake there were ruins, but there was also calm. Ampere stared at the ground for a while, unwilling to meet the eyes of not just one who shackled others with chains, but one who forged them. "A bond should not be needed if partnership is all that is desired and intended. Plenty of species cooperate without it. Bonds never should have been created. It would have been better to break the barriers between species by creating a language which all know and share." She was quiet, but not without a tenor of resistance. The outburst had worn her down, having lost herself to the tumults of her emotions, each once carved into her with the nonsense he brandished.

Energy never dies though, it is merely transferred.

"If the bond could be made, then could it be broken... or silenced?" she asks of him, thinking of the night she met his son. That long and lonely night when all across Helovia bonds fell into the dark.


[2/3 questions asked]
Credits: Image by eagle-cry-designs @ DA

Tag me only if starting a new thread.
Magic or force permitted any time, aside from death.

God of the Earth Posts: 287
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: 22.0hh :: Ageless
Admin
#11

The GOD of the EARTH

earth god like quote here~



The God of the Earth only patiently smiled. His body was like that of a stone, unmoving and unyielding, holding power not in show but in quiet. While her questions were accusatory and pointed, the God took no personal offense. Even if she wanted to cry and beat her wings against his body, he would not be offended. The plight of a few mortals was always to struggle against the gods and the way of things, and a few even made changes. He could not blame or judge her for following her heart - even if it was misguiding.

He did not respond to her outbursts. "I am bonded to every living creature who chooses to reside in Helovia, Ampere," he said quietly. "When any species speaks, I listen. My presence is not only here to serve the equines, but to serve all, from the minerals beneath your hooves to the lowliest snail. Should my physical manifestation disappear, you will not see many changes, for my soul is a part of all living things."

The God was interested in how she thought that she was more qualified than he to judge the state of the bonds. He had lived here for many centuries, had seen the affects of the world shifting. Just because she did not see him walking among her kind did not mean that he was not there, observing. And, when he did not have eyes and ears to lend, his good, good friend, the turtle, would often inform him of the comings and goings. So why then was she so confident in herself?

"Many do not choose to be bonded and do not know what it is when it happens. The product of many of these bonds still live today, if you know where to look. Even your friend here and her loyal companion was too young to know what it meant," he explained quietly. The God pauses. "The companion chooses who it is bonded to," he said. "The bond must be solidified with acts of kindness and caring, otherwise, the creature dies naturally. The bond is not there to chain the helpless to the souls of the horses but to create a unique and special channel with which to connect different species."

Even as the air sparked around them, dust rising, he remained steadfast. Then, he raised a brow. "The companions do mate with each other and have children..." he trailed, wondering where she had gotten the idea that they do not. "They can raise their own and have families, just as the equines do."

"You make an excellent point, that two, willing souls should be able to bond with each other," he said quietly, nodding. "However, that is not the way of adult souls. The creatures who are the companions and even the souls of the equines are too different past a developmental age to experience love that is unconditional. In a way, the companions can reteach this to the older equines in their infant stage because the equid species has a unique and beautiful depth of compassion."

"Should you find a soul mate in this world and you and he or her desire to have your souls bonded, magic can do so. Twins have been born with the ability to be connected, mind and soul, but few mortals are willing to suspend their individuality to tie onto another. The mortals have a difficult time trusting each other, even in love, but the companion, the innocent as you say, do not." The God paused. "But all of this is rather philosophic, since the nature of each bond is unique. Circumstances, history and a spark decide the soul, so all of these determine the nature of the bond. Do you not think that some creatures are warring?"

The God smiled. "Dragons, for example, are amazingly territorial creatures, prepared to fight first and think later. Some break the genetic mold, but most, when they come into their own, are natural fighters. They need not be dragged into battle or told to fight - they defend naturally. Is it not natural to fight for those you love? Would you not step into an argument to defend your friend?"

As her anger subsided and she seemed tired, the God nodded. "Language is as much a part of the soul as it is a technical method of communication. To understand the meaning of the words, how to form them, the truth behind them, takes a certain kind of mind. The creatures speak their own language, a language you would struggle with and perhaps create more problems. However, there are a few who have mastered the art of speaking to a single species. That does not, however, create the bond between soul and mind. Partnership, loyalty, agreement are all words that can be just as easily broken as they are created. A bond, a true soul bond, cannot and there is beauty in this constant when so few things are constant in this world."

The God of the Earth's eyes darkened, wondering if she knew the gravity of what she asked. He frowned, thinking of the violence that would ensue, the tragedy of having one's soul torn apart, the death that would follow... He shook his head, leaves and dirt falling from his rough mane. "Death is the only way to break a bond, and doing so would be the most excruciating and painful experience both of them would face. Magic, can, however, silence the communication between the two, but they will still remain bonded," he said.

"Why not let one speak for himself." Then, he turned to Tandavi and Natraj, giving the creature a voice. "How would you feel if you could no longer communicate with Tandavi?" he asked. "Did you choose her?"



[Natraj can speak for the time being, but he would find it very difficult to make the sounds needed for speech!]


CREDITS

Tandavi The Fire Dancer Posts: 245
World's Edge Nurse atk: 6.5 | def: 9 | dam: 4
Mare :: Equine :: 16.1 :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Natraj :: Plain Kitsune :: Fire Charks
#12

TANDAVI & NATRAJ</style>
we walked a lonely road
beneath the fire of a thousand suns
</style>

They cannot help but be impressed as Ampere challenges the words of a God, admiring the spirit of the older mare, even as they disagree passionately with her beliefs. She cannot be swayed, it is growing clear; she is caught in the web of her own crusade, and from it she cares not to escape. It is almost a dance, the storm of electricity beating against a mountain of calm. It is almost as captivating as the subject at hand, to watch the mare and follow her thoughts, taste her passion on the wind. One set of words sticks out to the boy- I have kits? he asks her, and she shrugs, unwilling to dwell on the idea of romance for too long. Besides, she reminds him, they do not know any female foxes.

"What..."

Dark frail voice breaks into the fray, unbidden and quiet. A look of surprise crosses the filly's gold face: she did not mean to speak, it just seemed to happen. But the talk of bonds, of unborn indecision, has stirred an argument she cannot ignore. Of all Ampere has said this is silliest of all, and the girl glances from mare to God before swallowing hard, quavering voice growing stronger as she speaks to Ampere's stormy eyes, her own fire growing bright in the weight of the sea.

"What about parents?" the girl suggests. "What about family? We do not choose to bond to them, but that doesn't mean the bonds are bad." Perhaps it isn't the same sort of bond, but still the girl knows she is bound to her kin. She did not choose an indifferent mother, did not opt for cousins she would never be able to match in beauty and strength. Yet she loves what she has, would fight and die for them- is not a companion bond much the same?

I'd die for you, Natraj informs her, and she smiles down at him, happy to be out of the spotlight and back in the shade. It is the first time she has spoken through this encounter, and she is not sure her choice was right. I know. Me too.

They return to watchful silence, weighing word and responses and listening, learning, though they grow discontent with Ampere's inability to shift her mind. It is not until she asks of breaking bonds that they perk up, alarmed; fire flicks from Natraj's tails at the thought of the emptiness and isolation they had faced being apart. Would the blue mare do that? Does she actually wish to separate companions from those they love? I'd kill her first, the minuscule fox states with confident aplomb, making the filly smile despite her alarm. Maybe if it was abusive, like she said... maybe then it would be right? But they cannot conceive of it, cannot dream of a reality where being split would not drive them both to a state of living death.

She doesn't notice when the God trains his thoughts on her; she has grown comfortable being ignored, a near-silent observer in the shadow of the shrines. But Natraj is eager for his share of the spotlight, and at the Earth God's behest he leaps closer to the pair, sitting up straight, huge ears held erect. He thinks for a second, struggling slightly with the Earth God's request: speech is not familiar to him, at least not with horses. He can hold conversations with Inari, but for others he is accustomed to translation of thoughts. "Srrraaaad...." he attempts, and relatively happy with this he turns to the blue mare and adds, "Brrrrrokerrrrn." He can remember being alone, feeling incomplete. It nearly destroyed them both.

Gold eyes blink at the God of the Earth as the tiny black form considers his words. Behind him, the girl has taken a tentative step forward, ready to sweep in and rescue the boy. "Nrrrro," the kitsune half-purrs at last, looking back to the copper-toned girl. "Crrran't chrrrose srrristrrrrr... famirry" He smiles then, sharp teeth giliting in the vulpine grin, eyes shining bright with mirth and love. Unfortunately, he adds just for her, and it is all she can do to resist the urge to reach out and punt him with one gold fore. Affectionately, of course.


credit | credit

o. pixel pony credit to tamme
o. permission granted to use force and magic on Tavi
o. only tag me in opening posts, please!


Ampere The Mother of Companions Posts: 719
Dragon's Throat Sultana atk: 9 | def: 11 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14 hh :: 6 years HP: 73 | Buff: DANCE
Kygo :: Green Cheek Conure :: None Blu
#13
AMPERE
the Mother of Companions


He answers her unvoiced question, which brings a smile, however brief, to her tightened lips. It is a unique idea that he explains; being bonded to everything. She can't quite comprehend it. The limitations of her mortality, so accustomed to walls and limits, struggles with the infinity that is the gods. Even so, she finds some comfort in the fact that the Earth God is always present, existing alongside each and everything.

She wonders shyly if he is in her, or if because she is from another place that she is absent of his bonds.

It is at this moment, as the calm has begun to gather in Ampere like the wind under her wings, that Tandavi's voice cuts through. Ampere's head naturally turns towards the sound, ears tilting forward with intent to listen. She has to commend the golden girl for at least choosing to listen and learn, regardless of whose lesson she is most attending, and yet Ampere cannot help but feel that she is just as unwilling to budge in her opinions as Ampere is.

Gently she shakes her head and murmurs, "Families may not be chosen, but they can be broken, because they are forged only with blood and body, memory and mind, not with soul. Even so... not all families are good together." Ampere thinks of her absent father, once a prized figure in her childhood for all his daring tales. As she aged however, she saw him for who he was - a vagabond that knocked up her playful mother and nothing more.

Ampere sighed gently, tearing her gaze away once more, for in Tandavi's face there was nothing but her failure. It was not that Ampere was against creatures and horses working together, it was that she loathed the manner in which it was done, in the sense that the souls were paired eternally and irreversibly (perhaps not?). That the mind was invaded and the emotions melted into one. That the creature was never itself, because since birth there was always another presence lingering inside them. It was disturbing to her the more she thought about it, but even more so with the commonplace acceptance of it in this realm. It was the only thing keeping her tethered here.

Someone had to do something about it!

As Ampere's gaze settled back on the God of the Earth, whom continued to speak evenly, Ampere felt the weight of sorrow tugging in her chest. As her anger dispersed, she was left with despair.

Luckily she was not left to drift in her own seas for long. What the mountain of a horse had to say was something Ampere had never before considered. She perked up considerably, though her gaze remained hard and suspicious. Companions choose? she asked herself. If that was the case, then why were there those that seemed unhappy? She thought of Hespera and their battle in this very location. It was one of her first serious encounters with a selfish bonded and one that had given Ampere faith that she was on the right path. Her chest tightened with confusion, how can it be? Torleik's? Oxy's...?

Ampere glanced away, her feathers bristling around her body as she tried to untangle all the disjointed thoughts tumbling around in her mind, and her heart.

Yet the disbelief did not end there. What next the God of the Earth told her stunned her from her train of thought, causing her head to whip back around. She stared at him long and hard, no longer sure if she trusted all that he said if only because so much of it was new. "Wha-" she cut herself off before she wasted her final question on something so ridiculous. The contained inquiry seemed to implode inside her, causing an outward rippled of fluffed and then flattened feathers.
"It can't happen very often then," she snapped at last, diverting her gaze from him once more. "I've never heard of it."

She continued to pout as he carried on, too wrapped up in trying to figure out why if the companions chose, none had picked her and the freedom she offered. Was it truly as the God of the Earth said? Did the companions want these lives? Did they, enjoy them? Like trying to imagine all the stars in the universe or all the bonds this god existed within, Ampere simply could not understand this abstract idea; that one would be willing to substitute their freedom for a voice in their head.

Ampere was brought back to the present by the sharpened voice of the god. Petulantly she tilted her nose back towards him, gaze peering bright and blue from a chaotic facade. He answered and she smiled, "Good."

She was about to speak, to ask her third thing, but the Earth God continued on, seemingly not content to let that answer permeate the discussion, though it had already settled within Ampere. Curious, Ampere listened, her gaze drifting towards the fennec fox to whom he addressed, though with a certain disbelief. If companions could be made to talk so freely, then Ampere didn't understand why wouldn't they have already.

Yet she stood there with her mouth agape all the same, doing her best to impersonate a fish instead of a pegasus.

Natraj's words, as broken and scattered as they were, overwhelmed Ampere with emotions so raw she couldn't handle them. In response Ampere began to weep. Not the controlled, lady-like weeping or the joyful prick of tears in the corners of your eyes, but gut-wrenching sobs that choked her into silence. She could only manage an occasional wheeze of fresh air, which sounded unappealingly like a water buffalo in heat.

All around her the dust began to sizzle and pop, but there was no anger here. The sparks were brought into existence by the outpour of energy that gushed from the Mother of Companions like a new wound. She was a mother finally given the chance to speak to her son, a gift she thought impossible.

This only proved to her that nothing was.

She wept all through his words and then after, wiping away the dewdrops of salt with her feathers and her mane. Around them her sparks had transformed into his liking before finally dispersing as she gathered herself. In another time she might feel embarrassed for this moment, but in the now she could only be enthralled.

"I know," she began in response to him, her breath hitched and heavy. She shook her head, trying to clear it. "I know that's how you feel," she whispered, steadying, though she melted as she looked at him. "Yet what other life do you know? What other love?" She glanced at Tandavi, believing the mare to be good, but disagreeing with the basis of the relationship that she shared with the fox, no matter the intentions of it. "I have a story that may help."

"I knew a stallion once that found an injured hawk. He took the hawk in. He sheltered it, cared for it, even loved it, until it healed. The process was long, and in that time the stallion had to hunt for the raptor. He was not very good at first," she simpered, "but he tried hard all the same, because he wanted the bird to get better. Eventually the hawk was able to help, and with that it grew stronger each day... yet the days grew more and more, the pair remaining together. At some point they both most have known that the hawk was healed, but together they stayed." Ampere paused for a moment, her gaze distant as she remembered. It had been a beautiful hawk. "They got separated a few times during hunting, but the stallion would search and search, calling for the hawk from the Sun's rise to its set. Always they came back together in the end... until one day. The stallion looked up into the sky on that day and he saw wild hawks spinning on their wings, dancing together. He thought it looked liked mates, getting ready for their future nest and chicks. The stallion realized in that moment how he had been selfish, keeping the hawk all this time. So one day, when they went out hunting together, the stallion got lost on purpose."

Ampere fell quiet for a moment, blinking at all of them in turn before carrying on. She breathed in, "Several days later the hawk found his way back, and though the stallion was overjoyed to see his friend again, to know that the hawk cared for him in return, he did not let the hawk roost in the same nest, and would fly off whenever the hawk came near. The hawk was surely confused at first, because he loved the stallion, or at least he thought he did. The hawk was use to the way of life it'd been living with the stallion after all those years, and he was scared of the unknown that a different life would be. Eventually though, after nearly a season, the hawk started to follow the stallion less and less. The hawk hunted on its own, brave and resourceful as all of its kind are. The hawk rode on the air thermals of its own accord and screamed out its own territory to any that came near."

"Finally the hawk was free, and it lived its life happily. The stallion cried to see such a sight, knowing he had helped the hawk achieve it, knowing he had let him go, despite his love. The two still flew together from time to time, once that the hawk understood. They are friends, but they go their separate ways when they choose. They think and act on their own right, their own thought, their own feeling, and they are happier for it. Because what is love, if not tested, if not given a chance to grow?"

Ampere fell quiet for a moment, letting her story close respectfully. Although she had only known the stallion in the latter half of this tale, she did not doubt its honesty all throughout. She did not tell it simply to reminisce however. She hoped that they would find purpose in the experience of the other, that they would understand why the bond limited the connection between a companion and its horse, rather than helped it develop. It's easy to think you're close to someone when you live with them day in and day out, but it is the absences and the spaces between souls that are able to bring them together as one, balanced with different perspectives and experiences. Two souls that come together willingly surpass the half souls created by magical bonds.

"Love needs to be tested. It needs to be given a chance to grow."

With that Ampere turned back to the God of the Earth. She was composed, her gaze, as brilliant as ever, fixing itself wholly upon him. It was full of something new, something far worse than before. Gone was her rage, her sadness, her awe, and her confusion. Gone was her uncertainty.

Ampere was full of resolve.

"For that reason, I ask my final question." Her tail flicked casually between her legs, as if all this while they had done nothing but hold a normal conversation, as if her worlds had not shifted and collided in a matter of minutes. She was drained of everything. She had thrown it all at him, but he had remained, unmovable. Now that the the dust had settled and the rain had dried up, Ampere was left with one residual feeling.

"I offer my magic. Strip it from my soul and leave me barren. My blade is yours for the keeping, and all the amulets I have ever found in the names of the gods. The sensations my body was born with, the color of my flanks, the wings at my sides." She was eerily calm about this as she spoke, which only proved to accentuate how serious she was. The raging filly that had arrived here had withered in the shadow of this mother. "I am willing to sacrifice anything, everything, if it means I am one day able to break companion bonds." She wanted a way to silence the connection, to force the bonded pair to reforge themselves anew. If they were strong enough to stand together when alone, as bonds never allowed, then they deserved their partnership.

Steadily Ampere's wings spread at her sides, reaching their full span. The wind whipped around her, sending her mane and tail astray and casting her feathers into anxious whispers. "Take from me whatever you will, won't you?"
In the name of justice, Ampere bared her soul to the god.


[3/3] questions asked!

I am only asking for something to be taken from Ampere, as I figure she won't be getting a quest for here and now since this pass was used on conversation (though I would not be opposed to a quest ;D ).
Ideally her second magic ability, the one that allows her to direct the natural current of objects, is what I want to give up. That way it open up a magic slot for me to gain the magic I need for her bond related ability. However, I am up for a variety of plots and ideas for her if admin want to do more/other than take that magic, which is the easiest path for me. :)


The tale about the stallion and the bird is a real life event. My horse trainer's father did falconry for a long time, but after one of his hawks passed away he felt absolutely torn about keeping his other captive and depriving it of a full, free life in the wild. He was an excellent birdkeeper, works at a zoo and everything, and is a genuinely nice and kind person.
So, after much thought he let the current bird go. Mind you, he actually did hunt for this bird for days on several occasions if it would fly off or get lost when they were hunting. I mean hacking through brushes and brambles and god knows what in the backwoods.
The bird, named Bullet, followed him around the ranch for months after that. It'd follow him whenever he'd walk out of the house, it'd fly from tree to tree as he'd drive around in a tractor feeding the horses, until eventually you saw the hawk less and less...

I thought it was fitting :)
Credits: Image by eagle-cry-designs @ DA

Tag me only if starting a new thread.
Magic or force permitted any time, aside from death.

God of the Earth Posts: 287
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: 22.0hh :: Ageless
Admin
#14

The GOD of the EARTH

earth god like quote here~



The God of the Earth sighed. "You are not as old as you may feel, Ampere," he replied sternly. "Just because you have never seen it does not mean that it does not happen. You are a single drop in the ocean of time, able to only see what is in front of your own two hooves. Are you going to assume that just because you cannot see it, it does not exist?"

When Tandavi's companion spoke, he smiled, chest blooming with pride. He leaned down and breathed a mark of healing upon the creature's forehead. A bronze marking appeared on his head in the shape of an oak leaf, the symbol of the Earth God's blessing. Perhaps the marking would fade over time, but for now, it glowed strongly. "Thank you, Natraj," he said clearly before listening again to Ampere's stubbornness.

The story she told was apt and accurate, but not quite the same. A bond was entirely different from a friendship, and such bonds are not so easily broken. Only death could claim and severe such a strong tie. "Your story would apply to this situation if you assumed the two were bonded, but they are not." His expression darkened with the sky at her final request.

A thunder cloud rolled over head as his fur turned to roughened bark. Rarely was the God of the Earth ever angry or rattled, but now, he trembled the ground beneath his hooves. Green eyes turned sharp, and he ground his teeth, looking to Natraj and Tandavi, seeing the beauty of the bond they shared in their eyes. He shook his head, loosing thick clouds of dirt and dust from his black, musty mane.

"A bond ends in death," he said coolly. "To sever a bond is to condemn the companion to the end of its life. I will not give you the power over life and death, Ampere. I will not give you the ability to control the lives of others, to choose for the companions who choose for themselves at birth, and I will not give you the power to kill companions simply out of your vendetta against a bond you have never experienced," he rumbled.

"Find another god to give you the ability to murder life. I will not."



Ampere cannot have magic to permanently destroy a companion bond, since the companion would die if the bond was severed. We would have to restrict the magic and then the character whose bond was severed would not be able to bond again or would rarely be able to bond again.

She can, however, silence the bond temporarily like during the darkness plot if you want that magic.

Or, she can try to speak to another god!

CREDITS

Tandavi The Fire Dancer Posts: 245
World's Edge Nurse atk: 6.5 | def: 9 | dam: 4
Mare :: Equine :: 16.1 :: 5 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Natraj :: Plain Kitsune :: Fire Charks
#15

TANDAVI & NATRAJ</style>
we walked a lonely road
beneath the fire of a thousand suns
</style>
She weeps, and all the girl can do is watch.

Even as Natraj employs his new vocal skills, the crimson girl cannot draw herself to speak again, to interrupt the flow of tears and step into the stream of pain. She shifts her weight, thinking hard, gazing at the electric mare; her gold-slashed face is thoughtful, and her braided tail flicking anxiously as she dwells on a new idea, touched and appalled by the outcry of emotion brought on by a simple truth. With the attention on her brother's voice, the girl is free to think of Ampere, looking at her as a fractured crystal, a stone which may have another side. Perhaps it is not so bad, what the blue mare thinks- misplaced concern, but concern nonetheless, a righteous desire to help which mirrors the filly's own. For the thought of abuse chills the girl, and she thinks that if she were to see it she, too, would feel the rage, question the world, would seek to liberate as her counterpart does. Tandavi swells with the weight of the thought, and suddenly thinks she understands. Perhaps, indeed, the pair can help; perhaps there is method to Ampere's madness.

And perhaps they would have been allies, friends, had events unfolded in a different way.

Natraj is not swayed by the mare's sobbing, too deep is his anger, too bright is his scorn. The fennec gasps his delight at the mark, swelling with pride as magic buzzes over his face. What is? he demands, running from the Earth God to return to his sister, three tails flailing in exuberant delight. A blessing. A leaf, the girl replies, turning her gaze to face the Earth. She feels gratitude on behalf of her kin, an affirmation that they are not what Ampere fears, that theirs is a bond a God has blessed. Three-tailed shadow flits between her and his hooves, coming to a stop beneath the massive brown chest, sitting with pride and staring at Ampere, gold eyes wide as if to say, Do you understand? You cannot be right. His sister meets the mare's gaze, black eyes thoughtful, caring, fierce. She wonders what Ampere will say.

The answer is not what she expects.

For a moment she is confused, and then confusion gives way to incredulous anger. Never before has she seen such stubbornness, such staunch denial of inherent truth. Even in the wake of her brother's words the mare doubts, questions, denies, affirms that she knows better, that they, all of them, are wrong. She listens to the tale with a fierce discontent, catching the eye of her three-tailed brother, sharing a thought of bemusement and doubt. By the time the tale concludes she is smoldering, rage, and the potential for camaraderie is gone with her temper. It is all she can do to avoid crying out, to declare that they have been apart, have been tested, and that the pain of it was nearly too much to bear. And when at last the mare makes the demand, all strings of control vanish into the past, leaving in their wake a passionate "NO!"

The girl has never screamed before, and for a moment she is frightened by the sound. Words tumble out, faster than she can think, sputtering and furious and hateful and cruel. "You selfish, blind, horrible- you can't do that, you don't know anything, anything, you- you- you monster!" The girl steps forward on golden limbs, and around her sparks dance a vibrant red, magic reflected in her hate, violence and fury all turned to Ampere. Beside her Natraj has appeared, all three tails whipping angry, lashing fire, a dangerous growl rising deep in his throat. "Do you know how awful you are? You would give up your soul to take away... to destroy..."

It is her turn to cry, great sobs of rage, a heaving and heavy anger which steals her breath and replaces it with fire. No no no! she screams in her mind, turning beseeching eyes to the Lord of the Earth. Don't let her, you can't let her, we don't want to be alone....! But the gods have not forsaken her, and the danger of his fury is enough to render her still, to quell the girl's passion for a moment, a thought. She lowers her head to reach Natraj, and the kitsune covers a soft nose with kisses, holds and hugs and won't let go. For a moment it is only them and their fear, the cruel memory of isolation, the knowledge that they would die before going through that again. Never again, they silently vow, hot tears rolling rivers down narrow copper cheeks. Never again, no matter what.

Male tones finish speaking, and Tandavi looks up, and there is something deadly and cold in the black eyes of the youth. "I thought-" she begins, pausing to clear her throat. Her voice is empty, in inferno, a void. "I thought you were good, but you're not. You're the most evil person I have ever met."

Steel in her eyes and blood in her voice. She fixes the mare with a last, searing stare.

"We will never let you separate us. Not again. We will stop you if you try to hurt anyone else. We will kill you." It is the first time she has used the word, and known just what it meant.


credit | credit

o. pixel pony credit to tamme
o. permission granted to use force and magic on Tavi
o. only tag me in opening posts, please!


Ampere The Mother of Companions Posts: 719
Dragon's Throat Sultana atk: 9 | def: 11 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Pegasus :: 14 hh :: 6 years HP: 73 | Buff: DANCE
Kygo :: Green Cheek Conure :: None Blu
#16
AMPERE
the Mother of Companions


They do not understand. They listen to her story with their ears buried in their manes, unwilling to recognize the purpose of it.
She has lost them.


"NO!"

The single word shakes Ampere with its ferocity. With its simplicity it demands and controls, piercing through the storm of words Ampere had conjured. The Mother cannot help but instantly turn her gaze upon the girl of gold, startled by the sudden outburst from someone which had remained so quiet for this length of time. Ampere is not left to wonder for long though, because Tandavi comes on with full force, her tenacity unyielding both in tongue and toe. She presses forward, red sparks dancing brilliantly beside her.

Ampere instinctively takes a step back.

Then Natraj joins in, his tails as aflame as the hatred in his eyes, and Ampere is suddenly emboldened. His hatred, or Tandavi's? That is the issue. Their bond is strong, Ampere can't deny that. However, despite the fact that their bond is built on 'love', something Ampere is grateful for, it forever stands amid misery. If they could only be willing to take even half of their energy and direct it towards thinking beyond what they know... to consider, even for a moment, that what Ampere has to say is correct, she knows they could do great things. Tandavi is intelligent, but like everyone else that is bonded, she is restrained by greed and willful ignorance.

Ampere snorts, "You are the blind one, refusing to even THINK about what I have said. You are the selfish one, choosing to keep your crippling bond. YOU are the horrible one, resisting only that which would impede your lifestyle." There is not anger, Ampere has none of it left for this argument. There is only frustration, for in Tandavi there is the face of so many others that refuse to seek knowledge. Maybe Ampere doesn't know everything about companions, but at least she is willing to ask, while everyone else sits so conveniently on their bonds acting as lords over the companions.

The earth speaks then, silencing the both of them with the weight of his tone. Ampere's feathers bristle at it, the way clouds do when electricity gathers inside them. He is the thunder, pealing across the dreary grey sky, but she is the lightning, intent to light the way where he would shudder in the darkness.

"I do not seek that ability," she said quietly, although whether due to weariness or hesitation beneath his tremendous rage, it's not certain. "Even I recognize that choosing life or death is in itself a loss of freedom... despite my personal thoughts on the matter. I only seek to silence the bond, which is in its own way, a tear in the links." Her feathers settled, although they pressed more tightly than before. Ampere stood, quietly wound up, which could arguably be worse than her usual showy display of emotions.

"I am surprised to learn the companions choose to bond, or so you say. Yet even when we are given the chance to choose, we do not always do so correctly, else there'd be no mistakes... how many have switched homes, duties, lovers... after learning their initial choice was wrong? Don't you think companions are just as likely to be at fault for that, especially considering their age when given such a life-altering choice." That had to be why her egg had chosen Oxy, why the other one had chosen Torleik, why horrible bonds existed at all. Tandavi and Natraj shared one of love, however misguided, but not all were so lucky. Couldn't they see that?

No? Then she would help them, she would help everyone, understand.

"Are you willing to see alongside myself, the true worth of these bonds? The true nature of the bonded?" She spoke with measured caution, each word like a well placed hoof among a rocky mountainside. She would normally fly up the cliff, but the winds had proven too strong this time, she had no choice but to haul herself up, step by step. "After all, if they're as grand as you say, then none should fail my tests."

Cold words cut across the conversation. Gone was the fire that Ampere had seen previously. Now the golden girl stood not as a blazing sun, but a gilded blade, one angled to her throat. The delicate organ moved, "Will you grant me the ability to silence bonds?" All the while the electric gaze of blue sat upon the glittering knife, silently daring her to try.


Sorry if I was unclear before, went for dramatic wording :P I didn't go into deep explanation about the magic since I wasn't expecting to receiver it int his thread, but yes Ampere wants the ability which is on her wishlist.
Grandfathered :: [Magic: Dark x Light | ability to block the bond between companion and character temporarily]

However as she's maxed out on magic it's why I was trying to get the Earth God to take her magic away, opening up a slot. That or a third magic slot, which is a little bit harder to get. Again if none of that occurs here that's fine, I just thought it couldn't hurt to ask :3 Either way this has been an awesome thread and I really appreciate it <3


Also, would it be possible to make this thread present time rather than playing it off as the past? There isn't much, if anything, within the posts themselves that set a time frame, and after talking with Charky, I think present time makes the most sense for our characters. For instance, Tandavi arrived at the Throat not too long ago still in the mindset of being on good terms with Ampere, when obviously that isn't the case in this thread which was supposed to happen before that one. Now that is the risk you take with liquid time, but none of us were really expecting this outcome from this thread.

I think it would also fit in better IC that Ampere ran from Helovia after abandoning her Sun God baby egg (afraid of failure, rejection, parenting, etc.), but ended up returning because of guilt over the companions - hence coming here to ask about them first thing, whether to put her mind at ease (that things aren't so bad) or to figure out better how she can help them.

I can understand if it's preferred that this thread stay within the time frame that it started at, I just don't think it will really impact anyone negatively if it doesn't and I thought I may as well ask ^^


edit:
@[God of the Earth] no pressure at all, just wanted to know if you were still planning on posting, since it could kinda go either way, and if this thread could be considered present day rather than past liquid timeified. :3
Credits: Image by eagle-cry-designs @ DA

Tag me only if starting a new thread.
Magic or force permitted any time, aside from death.

God of the Earth Posts: 287
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: 22.0hh :: Ageless
Admin
#17

The GOD of the EARTH

earth god like quote here~



The God of the Earth listened to the impassioned threats of the girl and her fox-creature, and he nodded slowly, hoping that Ampere would see through the fog of her own vendetta at the truth her friend was desperately trying to relay. He took a deep breath, the sound like a bubbling brook. The more she tried to argue her point, the more his body began to turn into the bark of a tree, rough and unmoving.

"You should not be testing the world, Amepere. The world should be testing you and your theories," he said quietly. "Love is neither right nor wrong, for true love transcends the petty idea of a mistake. True love is not just an emotion, it is a commitment. To leave, to say it was a mistake, to abandon... that is not love, for love is as much an action as a feeling."

Branches and leaves began to sprout from his tail, rooting deeply into the ground. "You are already too powerful, Ampere, to come demanding more. Perhaps you should have thought ahead in your own greed?" he said, trying to point out her own hypocrisy. She wanted more magic and more power to kill other's greed for companions. "Your magic is not mine to take away. Seek the God of the Spark. If he will remove your magic, then I may help you or a may not."

Now, the God of the Earth was merely a mouth in bark and branches. "Now leave me, before I turn you into a tree." Then, emerald gems for eyes moved to Tandavi. "Stay strong and steadfast."



Hello!

After much deliberation, the admin have decided that you first must quest for Ampere's current magic to be removed. In order to do this, she has to seek out the God of the Spark by either going to the Basin to visit the haruspex there, or she can try to summon him on Caela Insula.

In order to get the new magic, you will either have to use a prize or come take your chances on visiting the God of the Earth again. You can use a prize, or, since you saw him first, we can roll to see if he will answer the first time.



Also, you can put this wherever you want in your timeline!

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