the Rift


[PRIVATE] bring back the sun

Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#1
-

(set after the crowd disperses from the Throat meeting/after “Sunshart” talks to Mesec. Keeping it vague on their location so you can pick where Jiji was <3)



He had intended to seek her out directly after the meeting but he had been delayed by their Sultana, and to refuse her would have been foolish. They needed to speak, his former murderer-hunting partner and him, to clear the air but now he was searching for someone else. The girl that had spoken up for Ampere during the meeting, who his last memory was of before he blacked out back in the Labyrinth. He remembered her shouting, shouting about Hototo and that was it. Was there some connection to the fallen earth demigod and his sudden ability to shape-shift? It didn’t seem likely but it was worth checking out. Worth finding out why another one of the members of the Throat had such a tie - this herd seemed wound around the demigods more so than any of the others.

Eventually, he found her - luckily she had not left the herdland after the meeting. Lucius, unwilling to be within earshot of another one of Mesec’s thrilling conversations, took off with a powerful flap of his four wings and went to soar somewhere, anywhere else. He could monitor his bonded's mental state from across the Throat, ensure that the change that had occured before did not happen again, but that did not mean that the zephyr wanted to be close for this.

He didn’t even know this mare’s name but Mesec approached without hesitation. He didn’t yet know that this was Roskuld’s best friend, this was Hototo’s sister, this was Cera’s sister that he had mentioned when they had first met - the one with a dark coat that could have tips. He already had so many connections to this mare beyond the herd they called home.

There was a small smile in his silver eyes when he stopped nearby, dipping his head in time with the greeting. “Hey. My name’s Mesec. I…” Okay so he had not thought about what he was going to open with past an introduction and realized it suddenly. He got this far but what was the plan now? ‘I remember hearing you scream and then I blacked out!’ Definitely not. There was a small pause, quickly sorting out his thoughts, before finally finishing with: “... I think I remember you being in the Labyrinth, right?” Maybe she wouldn’t want to talk about it, but it was all he could think about. That day raged in his head now that Ampere’s hatred no longer did, one guilt-obsessed drive being replaced by another.


Mesec & Lucius

original bird shape by lukeroberts at deviantart


for @Ranjiri
please tag Mesec in replies
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Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#2

give me hope in the darkness
so that I will see the light


"Hey. My name's Mesec. I..."

I turned when I heard the greeting and when I saw him standing there my eyes widened a bit in surprise. "I know who you are." I murmured. How could I not? He had called the Moon Goddess mother. He was her flesh and blood and that same godly blood had once flowed through Hototo's veins. I realized shortly after I spoke that my words might come across in a way that I had not intended, and I certainly didn't want him to think that I didn't like him, (it wasn't his fault that his mother was the reason my brother was dead) so I smiled to show that I didn't have any hard feelings toward him.

When he brought up the labyrinth my smile faded then disappeared altogether. Just thinking about that place, the fight, the way my family attacked the Goddess, the way she flung them around like twigs ... it made me upset. It reignited the cooling embers of my anger toward them for the carelessness. "Yes, I was there." I said, my voice monotone. "I remember you ... your mother is the Moon Goddess." Had I known that he was the one I had shouted at to stay away from the small white filly I'd ran to protect I might have pointed that out, too, but I'd been distracted by trying to keep Cera from kicking the Goddess. Sigh.

"I'm Ranjiri." I finally said because as I sighed it occurred to me that I hadn't introduced myself. "Its uhm ... its nice to meet you. Finally."

"."

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@Mesec

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Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#3
-

Although she had spoken in a murmur, her initial words were a slap to the face. He did not want to be recognized, but it would seem that for all those that had been present in the Labyrinth he had no choice. Luckily, a smile followed up that statement and he realized that he was not (yet) about to hear more accusations.

Had he made a mistake by standing with his mother? There hadn’t been anyone else there when he had arrived, and though he may feel a wave of shame upon thinking of her methods she was still his mother. And a maternal goddess was not easily ignored or shunned. “She is.” The two words were apologetic, quiet. It still made him uncomfortable for the truth to be so freely acknowledged. Once, he had not wanted the attention that being a demigod might bring him. Now, upon seeing the havoc that his mother had caused to families across Helovia, he did not want to be associated with it. He wasn’t his mother.

And then genuine concern caused a crinkle in his face as he looked at her. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?” Najya had not filled him on every last detail of the battle that had occurred while he had blacked out, it would be exhausting and impossible for her to do so, but he would not be surprised if his mother got in a few punches.

Well, the mystery of why this gold and black mare had triggered his transformation into a wolf-monster was put on ice for a moment as soon as she introduced herself. He knew that name. “Ranjiri.” He repeated the name with a incredulous smile and a couple seconds later it clicked. He had heard stories with that name in there, long ago now, but the yarns that his little sister spun weren’t easily forgotten. “Aren’t you Ros’s friend?”


Mesec & Lucius

original bird shape by lukeroberts at deviantart
please tag Mesec in replies
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Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#4

give me hope in the darkness
so that I will see the light


If he tried to hide the apologetic tone of his voice when he admitted that the Moon Goddess was his mother he didn't do a very good job of it. It made me frown and it made me wonder how many in Helovia blamed him for what she had done or if he blamed himself. "Its not your fault." I found myself saying and I was unable to stop myself from continuing. "You can't choose your parents." I wondered for a split second if I had the ability to choose my parents if I would still pick Midas and Ktulu or if I would pick someone else, but then I shook the thought off. The best part of being Ktulu's daughter was that my best friend was my cousin.

"She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"Uh..." I hesitated then shook my head. "No, not in the Labyrinth." She hurt me long before that "I didn't attack her." But my family did. "I pushed her ... but that was only because I was trying to keep Cera from hitting her... I didn't want her to hurt him." I wondered if he had heard me screaming about Hototo and that was why he had come looking for me. Didn't the demigods all know one another? "Is... this about Hototo?" As I asked I tilted my head, but then Mesec was asking if I was Ros's friend.

I blinked and didn't bother to hide the surprise on my face, but my surprise didn't last long. My expression warmed and I smiled as I nodded my head. "Ros is my best friend." I said. "Ever since I was born. How do you know her?"

"."

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@Mesec

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Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#5
-

Mesec did blame himself for all that had occurred, but he appreciated Ranjiri’s comments all the same - giving her a small smile in response. Logically, he knew she was right - but there were far too many emotions getting in the way of accepting that fact wholeheartedly. Was it common to feel such a heavy weight at the mention of a parent? Or was that a special award for being half-god?

Upon mention of Cera, Mesec thought of the crafter, how he had gone after the Goddess, and hoped that he was alright too. Hopefully Ranjiri’s intervention had limited any harm that had come. He could certainly understand the reasons for attacking his mother and sympathized with those that did, but her revenge would be swift.

And just like that, with a single question, she brought up exactly the reason why Mesec had sought her out. He may not have had the courage to bring it up, at least not for a little while (and then, undoubtedly, it would have made little sense to just drop into conversation. “Yes… I… you were yelling something with his name was the last thing I heard before I…. before I blacked out during the battle.” Before he transformed - but he couldn’t speak that word just yet, couldn’t bring up the fog that still surrounded what may have happened in the time that he had lost. He continued in a soft voice, eyes shifting away from her and to the horizon, to anywhere else.  “It distracted me from what else was going on, that’s why I remember you… You knew Hototo too?” It was not surprising how many showed love for the fallen earth demigod.

As her expression warmed with the mention of Ros, so did his. “She’s my sister. Well, not by blood but her mom took me in when I was a foal and we grew up together for a time.” He remembered being there when she was born, a pain right from day one. But he wouldn’t trade those memories for anything - Ros was a pain but in the way he imagined all little sisters should be. Just the thought of her made his grin grow. “I remember her mentioning your name before.”


Mesec & Lucius

original bird shape by lukeroberts at deviantart
please tag Mesec in replies
non-life threatening force is allowed at all times

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#6

give me hope in the darkness
so that I will see the light


"I was yelling at Cera that Hototo wouldn't have wanted him to attack her." I clarified. "I was trying to protect him, to keep him from attacking because my mother was already attacking her." I was frowning as I spoke. "I didn't ..." want him to die because I assumed my mother would die for attacking yours. But I kept myself from saying it because I didn't want to make Mesec feel even guiltier when it wasn't his fault.

"You knew Hototo, too?"

I stared blankly at Mesec when he asked if I knew Hototo, too. Numbly, I nodded my head and I diverted my gaze away so he wouldn't see the pain in my eyes, or the way they went glassy with unshed tears. No matter how long it was it was still painful to think about Hototo and I figured it always would be, just like it would always be painful to think about my dad. "Hototo was my brother." I finally murmured my answer to his question and I hoped that would be the end of it because I really didn't want to talk about it.

When Mesec said that Ros was his sister I looked at him, confused because there was no way that my aunt was his mother and I knew that he and Roskuld didn't have the same dad. So my Aunt had to have adopted him and he said as much as I stared dumbstruck. "So ... you grew up in the Foothills?" I asked because he had to be there if he grew up with Ros. "How come I didn't see you there?"

"."

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@Mesec

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Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#7
-

Hototo was her brother. How had he never met Ranjiri before when they knew so many of the same faces? She was well acquainted with the other demigods, he wondered if Aithniel was her cousin or aunt or something. Or perhaps Israfel had been. “Oh.” Mesec couldn’t say that there was any direct resemblance, at least externally, that could have hinted at Ranjiri’s confession about how she was related to Hototo. But, then, he had met another of Hototo’s sisters before, on the paternal side, and there hadn’t been much resemblance there either. Nor did Mesec think that he looked much like his siblings… was it always that way with families?

Recognizing the signs of distress in his bonded, Lucius circled lower in the sky - keeping a closer watch on the conversation. If Mesec started to get too upset... he did not want this mare causing trouble like her gender usually did.

His voice was a whisper, pained and cracking. “My sister, Aviya, she… she didn’t survive the Labyrinth.” He did not know why he was saying it - some twisted sense of comradery? Letting her know that she wasn’t alone? “I’m so sorry.” Mesec had guilt over Hototo’s death, yes, some of it with more ground than anyone probably realized, but he was also sorry that she had to experience the pain that she was. He hadn’t been close with Aviya - she had hated him, a fight with her had driven her from the Basin and their reunion, while on better terms, had been very brief. He could not imagine what it must feel like to have a deeper connection to a sibling, only to lose them. He had fond memories of the fallen earth child and was still saddened by the thought that he was not around.

Mesec was always sorry for something. And now he understood why Ranjiri’s mother was attacking his.

He eagerly latched onto the next topic, a previously shared home. “Yeah, Ophelia brought me there a little before Ros was born and I was there mostly until they weren’t the Foothills anymore.” Until darkness drove them underground, until he left to spend time with his mother. “You grew up there too? Strange how we didn’t run into each other if we were both living there. Must’ve kept just missing each other - it’s too bad. And now we’ve both ended up in the Throat!”


Mesec & Lucius

original bird shape by lukeroberts at deviantart
please tag Mesec in replies
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Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#8

give me hope in the darkness
so that I will see the light


It kind of knocked the breath out of me when Mesec said that his sister hadn't made it out of the Labyrinth. I had seen her. I had been right there, had smelled her blood, heard her cries, saw everyone rushing to help her when it was too late. I had wished, right then, that I could do something to help her, but I'd only been in the way of those that had magic or some kind of knowledge of healing so I had stepped aside and eventually I had left. Uncle Archi had distracted me only a few minutes later and I had forgotten all about the girl that had been hurt.

"Its hard." I murmured. "But somehow you have to find the strength to pick yourself up and keep moving forward." I hoped, so sincerely, that he wouldn't suffer the same one-two punch that I had with losing my brother then my dad. "It easy, y'know..." I mused, "To just ... give up on everything and let it consume you. To let it take up every minute of your day, keep you from sleeping..." It was depressing to think about because I had gone so far down that path that it had taken me attacking my own brother to shake myself out of it. "You just gotta think about good things, find something else, someone else, like Ophelia or Roskuld." I couldn't help it, as I said Ros' name I smiled a little because she was my best friend and my strength. "Or... maybe a lady in the Throat." I teased a little to lighten the mood and because I had noticed that Mesec often had a mare hanging around him.

“You grew up there too? Strange how we didn’t run into each other if we were both living there. Must’ve kept just missing each other - it’s too bad."

I nodded. "My momma was Chieftess with Aunt Phi." I said. "You probably saw her around. She's dark like me, white legs and hair, red eyes, her horn has a red tip. And she's got a bear marking on her shoulder... her name is Ktulu" It felt so weird saying my mother's name instead of just calling her 'momma'. "Me and Ros used to go everywhere together when we lived in the Foothills. One time she got her head stuck in a tree." And I grinned because even after all the time that passed it was still one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. 

"."

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@Mesec

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Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#9
-

Quickly Mesec was seeing how wise Ranjiri was. Though it was easier said than done, as she would well know, he knew that she was right. He could not allow himself to spiral downward, allow his grief to consume him. The loss of a sister and a father weighed on him - although d’Artagnan was just literally lost, leaving Helovia after they had lost Aviya. He was quickly growing fond of the black and gold mare - he could see why Roskuld was so fond of her. She spoke to him with experience, giving advice on a subject that she knew well.

And then, as much as he appreciated her advice he was thankful all the more when she made a jest to lighten the mood. He indeed may be more likely to be in the company of a mare - most of his friends were female when he really thought about it - but his mind only pulled up one face, one figure that he’d follow into any storm. He had to wonder if everyone felt the constant turmoil of emotions that he did - sadness over Aviya, fear over his transformation, concern for his father, love for Ampere and for his friends. It was a lot to be thinking about all at once, certainly. “I’m not quite that lucky.” Was all he said, though it came with a smile. Although he did not have a lady, he did have friends - and he still had this herd.

The ease that he felt with her made him bold and he asked with a teasing grin "Did you have someone in the Throat reminding you of the good things?"

As Ranjiri began describing her mother, Mesec nodded along - recalling exactly who she was speaking about. Memories from the Foothills and from the battle with the Moon Goddess sprung to mind. “Ktulu! I remember her.” How funny was it that it was likely that he and Ranjiri could have stood near each other at a herd meeting or passed one another throughout Helovia, and yet he was only getting to know her now. His smile grew into a hearty laugh at the description of Ros getting her horn stuck in a tree. He could picture it so well. “That sounds like Ros alright. You know, one of the first things she did when she was born was try to skewer me right then and there.” She always did know just how to demonstrate her affection, right from day one. “Have you seen her lately?” It always felt like too much time passed between his reunions with Ros, though he imagined he would feel that way even if they saw each other every day.


Mesec & Lucius

original bird shape by lukeroberts at deviantart
please tag Mesec in replies
non-life threatening force is allowed at all times

Ranjiri the GoldenShade Posts: 372
World's Edge Mare atk: 4.5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 :: 5 HP: 62 | Buff: NOVICE
Mara :: Common Rougarou :: Shadow ali
#10

give me hope in the darkness
so that I will see the light



"Did you have someone in the Throat reminding you of the good things?"

I could have lied. I could have told him that I had all the support in the entire world in the fallout after my brother and my father's deaths, but if I'm anything at all I'm honest. So I shook my head and looked down at my hooves. "No... not at first." I murmured. "I mean ... Gaucho found me in the Basin after my dad died. He let me cry on his shoulder and shielded me from everyone, was with me when they buried him in the Falls, but I couldn't keep him with me forever, y'know. He has the herd to take care of." I shrugged a little then continued on. "I stayed alone for a long time. I isolated myself from the herd and my brother because I didn't want to tell him that dad had died. I didn't want to make him hurt like I was, but I hurt him anyway by avoiding him... then again when he forced me to tell him." after I attacked him when I was trying to get away.

"But... uhm... it kind of all turned around when Ros came to see me." And I couldn't hide the smile that curled the corners of my mouth upward. She had acted so quickly after I told her what had happened, she was able to ground me, hold me together and make me feel like I wasn't falling apart anymore. And, probably the most important, was that I was finally able to sleep without being woken up by nightmares. (I guess she scared my nightmares away.) "Ros being so close made me think about how much I love her and my mom and my brother. It just made me better, it was what I needed."

I was thankful when the conversation turned away from our losses and to Roskuld, because she certainly was entertaining. I grinned when Mesec told me that she'd tried to skewer him. "That definitely sounds like her." And I laughed because I could imagine tiny little Ros trying to stab big Mesec. "When Ros got her horn stuck in the tree she tried to get it out herself but she couldn't 'cause she got it stuck good. So I tried to help her get free by pulling on her tail." I laughed because it was, honestly, one of the funniest memories I had. "I wonder if that's why her tail never really grew long." Because I had yanked more than just a few hairs out in my attempt at helping her get free.

"Have you seen her lately?"

"No... not since the Spark God's fight." And I hadn't even been able to talk to her after. She'd been too busy yelling at another girl and my wing had hurt so bad that I'd wandered off. "If you see her before I do can you tell her that I miss her? And can you tell her to remember her promise?"


"."

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@Mesec

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Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#11
-

With sad eyes, Mesec listened as Ranjiri answered his question - quietly watching her even as she dropped her eyes and looked away. The picture she painted of Gaucho fit with what he knew of the Sultan - so drastically different from the first impression he had formed. Who he had first worried was a hot-headed leader had quickly turned out to be someone with incredible compassion for those in his family and in his herd. And when she spoke of isolating herself… that was an instinct that Mesec understood all too well. But her story turned around, and it turned around because of someone he knew well. “I’m glad you had her to help you.” Mesec replied sincerely, his own smile growing. Ros could be a little brat sometimes, and he suspected that he and Ranjiri were among those that knew that better than anyone, but she had a heart of gold too.

As much as Mesec was inclined to think that he was on his own he knew that there were friends he could go to if he needed to, friends that could help him through the loss of his sister and father. He just needed to remember that, remember that it was okay to go to them.

Their mutual bond with the spunky Roskuld drew them together, his smile growing in reaction to that of Ranjiri’s. It was easy to join in the laughter at the memory - thinking of the short little tail that Roskuld had and picturing Ranjiri using it to tug her out of where she got herself stuck. She would have had to tug hard in order to get her free. “Oh gods that would explain her tail alright!” He managed to get the words out as his laughter subsided, shaking his head.

The favour she asked, of course, was hardly a favour at all. “Of course. Can you do the same if you see her first? I mean… minus the promise part.” It didn’t occur to him to ask about what the promise was, he knew it was none of his business. He didn’t even feel curious about it - it wasn’t his nature to question after something so personal.

It troubled him that there had been a fight with the Spark God too, he hadn’t known that. Would there be some with the others as well? With the same results? But he didn’t want to bring it up, didn’t want to let the smiles or the high of this conversation die - didn’t want to keep being the one to drag conversations back into the shadows.

He’d rather get to know Ranjiri, if she’ll let him. They share so much history already, what else was there? “So what do you do here in the Throat?”


Mesec & Lucius

original bird shape by lukeroberts at deviantart


@Ranjiri
please tag Mesec in replies
non-life threatening force is allowed at all times


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