Chernobyl

Downy feathers were extended around him as he lie carelessly upon the snowy grounds, obviously tonguing some foreign language to something unknown and otherwise unseen beneath his extensive wingspan. Chernobyl stood along the tree line, merely watching the stallion as he whispered. It was an odd thing to see and while she hadn’t much care for his species, she was still interested in the thing he had hidden beneath himself. Birdsong was slowly approaching and the warmth that accompanied it was something grand, though she was certainly an admirer of the winter’s cold. Something about the way it made her feel numb and safe kept her longing for the season every year, though she hoped this year was to be different. But only time would tell.

Stepping tentatively from the trees, she drew closer, her body languid and drawn together like a feral cat. However, no predatory moans or hungry utterance of word seemed to be necessary as she closed in on the foolish stallion, still wallowing in the muddy snow. Instead she merely glared at him, black eyes trying to find meaning in his childish display before realizing it was only a small plant that he protected. In his face was an innocence that bewildered her, as if between the two beings a connection existed. She pondered the idea and thought that maybe the plant was sacred or powerful, but upon closer inspection, she realized that it was but a mere weed. At this, she cackled, her leathery voice cracking and rasping with the effort before finally breaking into silence once more.

“Have you any reason to infatuate over this small weed or are you truly as daft as I think you are?” Though he words rung heavy with derision, laughter spilled from her stomach like bile before once again falling quiet to listen to whatever delirious babble this stallion would surely speak of. It was this moment of weakness that made her realize just how lonely she had become since her mother’s death, despite the heinous appreciation that came with the closing of the old mare’s eyes. Perhaps these two would make a fine pair anyhow; he agonizing over the welfare of a small plant and she ranting about her mother’s supposedly deserved passing.

After all, what else had the world come to before committing entirely to the insanity of life?

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Chernobyl

His body trembled in the breeze, like a small scared dog and she could not help but wonder how he would feel if they could trade places, trade bodies that were really not all that different. She was no Unicorn Supremacist, though the Basin required her to be. Whatever rules and regulations were asked of her, she would abide by, but she felt no need to inflict pain of either the mental or physical state upon this strange stallion. As queer as he seemed, there were no ill-wishes passed between them, at least not from her perspective. Blackened eyes found those of sparkling light jade and all former notions of insult were abandoned. She wasn’t sure if this was because he was so child-like or if it was because he seemed to be so opposite of her. He longed to save those things dying, despite the fact that all things, actually do die. The tender weed swayed beneath his breath and she glared at it, once again envious of the simple life it would lead. It would sprout and grow and then eventually wither back into the earth from hence it came. What would become of it next spring? Would it grow again, under the warm, comforting rays of the sun? She hoped not, for the simple fact that it would be too easy… it would be as if the thing never froze and expired once again, deemed to forever stare into the spiraling flames of hell just like the rest of them.

The frigid wind began again, blowing against her hide like a wall of ice, seeping into her core and stilling there, corrupting her heart with the cold. Once again, she was transfixed in this state of early disgrace in which silence ensued, despite the stallion’s rather redundant questioning. It was all so unreal, this black titan shielding the small plant. It made her want to scream, to understand how such a creature could care for the useless existence of some disgusting small weed and yet she had never been cared for in her entire life. Abuse and sadness had been dear friends to her in her childhood and she had promised not to look back. But this small reminder of love, no matter how miniscule it was, made her cringe.

Looking away, thoughts began to roil inside her head, as if soundless images from a black and white film had taken over detailed memories that haunted her past. She had replaced voices and faces with a darkness that was ever pressing upon her mind and at times it seemed to consume her. Once again, the leathery tones erupted, only this time they had softened with but a mere sense of dread. “Your… plant shall not be harmed.” Even in the midst of allowing this foolish confession, she smiled, shocked at how strange the words sounded coming from her devilish lips.

“I only come to enjoy the cold as winter is my favorite season.” A lie of course. She had come to escape the threatening grasp of the Basin so that she might be able to think about where she had ended up in life and where she now planned to go.

Again she laced her blackened stare upon the stallion, almost hoping that he would admit there was no real care in his heart for this simplistic thing, this dying existence that would not survive the winter chill. And if it did, there was no way it would survive the summer storms that came and drown out all of the impurity in the land. The thought comforted her, for why should this singular sprout deserve more love and devotion than she had been bidden by her own mother?

[ooc: If it’s crappy, I’m so sorry. I’m trying to spit out one last post for the night.]

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Chernobyl

It was this suspended moment of bliss that brought her comfort, tracing outlines of shadows along the walls of a small cliff edge a few yards away. She was neither restrained by her oath to the Basin nor bound by whispered promises from her mother’s grave. It was merely the two of them, fussing uselessly over the tender life of one early spring sprig. The thought made her chuckle, her sides quivering from the action, though it was stopped abruptly as the sound was so foreign upon her tongue. She stared down at him now, the naïve Pegasus colored in charcoal, and she wondered about him. She wondered what had brought him here in the midst of some winter storm that was altogether out of place in the new spring warmth; what drove him to snowy ground to protect some innocent plant that he could not guard forever? Was it love or devotion? Insanity?

She couldn’t force herself to ask, so instead she waited mercilessly above him, like some predator gazing down at her prey. But he was not prey to her, he was… A friend? Surely not. He was still but a stranger to her conscious. Whatever existed between them, she knew she could not dwell on simply because she could not return home and speak of their encounter to anyone, or perhaps anything. She never knew what enchanted relics were hidden within the trees and stones of the Basin and she was not about to put that theory to the test, especially after meeting the all-powerful Psyche.

“Chernobyl, Aurora Basin Scholar… and does such a wholehearted soul wear a name? Or do you simply come upon whatever the breeze may call you that day…?” The smile was evident at the corners of her lips, finding solace in the futile banter exchanged. If only for a moment, she would indulge him, indulge herself- why not? Was this not a land of freedom? She’d met others who would say otherwise, but they were not in attendance and for once, she could be herself… tend to the curious wonderment that caused her to seek the company of a breed that her new home so passionately despised.

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Chernobyl

The air was shifting suddenly, mulling over them like a hurricane before becoming utterly still. In his presence she felt calm, relaxed even, despite her sense of weariness. Perhaps it was the way that he spoke to her, carefree and timely as if he grew ever younger, fully confident in the ways of the world and how they seemed to involve him. She was envious of this confidence, always finding that she felt lost and unsure of nearly everything around her. Perhaps it was time she started taking notes from loose souls such as his. Looking down at him, she smiled, an ugly expression upon her own face, though it would appear that she was at least trying to make an effort. He was so childish, so naïve, and yet seemingly breath of fresh air. It felt so against her nature, against her oath to the Basin to be here, but perhaps it wouldn’t kill her to enjoy herself for a time. Would it?

She nodded; a scholar she was. Though, she was still learning what exactly such a title meant. Myrddin was trying to teach her the meaning of utilizing her rank, but it was still lost on her as many things seemed to be lately. She was hopeful that Psyche would take her under her figurative wing, teach her how to heal herself in a sense. She longed for power, longed for the confidence to rule, to empower. Could it be something that would destroy her? Would such power bring her to her knees in spite of her fervent desire for glory?

Though, once again, this Murdock came crashing through her fragile walls, forcing her lips to crack in a smile… or perhaps a grimace as it were upon her foul face. "So, Explorer of new frontiers, tell me… what do you value in life? Where would you like to find yourself three or four years down the road? Still exploring, I assume?" The soft chuckle that followed betrayed her feminine side, remaindering even her that she was in fact, still female in all aspects of the term. It seemed that at times she forgot how she was supposed to live, as twisted as she was. There was something always lurking in the shadowy depths of her heart that kept her from living and induced the cruel devils within to come out and play.

"I study everything- I study life, death, war, peace, everything- even you." It was true that she found this stallion to be peculiar, if comforting in such a way that made her feel weak and hugely inappropriate. She pondered exactly what Psyche would say to her if she found her here in his presence. Surely she would be banned from the Basin and that was something that could not happen. She felt as if she belonged there- or would soon belong there in any case.

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Chernobyl

An unconscious stirring in her stomach alerted the shadow to a foreign emotion, something akin to friendship perhaps? She was unsure of how to cope with the feeling and instead turned her frail head away to fix her loose gaze on a small blossom that had somehow escaped winter’s kiss. It was tinged in brown against the pallid white of its petal. It was a strange thing to see and perhaps it helped her to gain a better understanding of Murdock’s incessant anxiety about his own tender weed. Though, it was hard to avoid him, smooth words of confidence stringing her along, despite her sense of unease in his company. Was it Psyche that had embedded this small seed of worry in the pit of her stomach? Or was it the small thread that kept the shadow in the Pegasus’ presence? Whatever her hesitance, it was quickly overthrown in the male’s final decision to stand against the frozen breeze. He was slightly taller than she and when he stretched his large appendages to encase his slender sides, she was slightly amazed. There was just something about him, something that kept her wanting to know more.

“Where is home to you then, oh just and righteous king?” The chuckle that followed seemed a bit more natural this time, as she had grown somewhat fond of his antics. It was in that moment that her thoughts began to churn, twisting and spiraling against the frame of her mind before trying to settle once again in their rightful place. But it would not be so. Instead she remained frazzled, taken aback by the mere image of him. Whatever strange emotions seemed to be broiling beneath the surface were no so easily quelled; despite her desperate attempts to tame them, they simply would not lie still. She stood before him now, clearly exposed and mildly uncomfortable, being that he now stood aloft above her.

On her lips, the words were quick, a mere slip of the tongue that seemed to pass so naturally that she felt at a loss with herself. Her black lips, satin against her yellowed teeth, parted into a playful smirk as condescending as it were upon such languid features. “Fascinating you are…” However, she did not regret this playful nature, this childish part of her that seemed to emerge in his presence. Whatever the cause, she didn’t take much time to delve into its definition, though it seemed that she had taken a liking to this self-proclaimed explorer.

Surprises were now becoming frequent as their banter continued and the minutes seem to spread into hours as smiles and laughter were exchanged. Though, it was not her intention to leave just yet, she was inspired to stay, inspired to learn. “Oh me? I see myself seeking out an explorer to help me investigate new frontiers some years down the road. You wouldn’t happen to know of any… would you?”

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Chernobyl

Home would have been something that she admired, had it not been for the sickly graces of her mother, so sick in her damnation. It was like a fleeting comfort across his face and she watched it appear and fade. It was the thought of missing something long lost or the pain of death. On his face, home looked natural, as if it were meant to be there. But she could not empathize, could not pretend to understand. She did not long to return home and in fact considered Helovia to be a new home of sorts. At time she would remember how her mother (on a good day) would tell her stories about how she had grown up. It was nothing like the twisted fairytale she had provided for her own daughter, but it was something that Chernobyl had insisted she live by… at least at the time. Now it seemed that happily-ever-after’s didn’t exist, at least not in her world.

She often wondered how others could pretend otherwise and sometimes the fantasies made her mad, pushed her to insanity to believe that anyone could be so fooled into thinking that somewhere over the rainbow prince or princess charming would be waiting to take them to some far off kingdom where they would live in happiness and peace. Bu alas, this was never the case. Perhaps she had encountered some dry version of Romeo and Juliet. Though she possessed no love or the capacity for such an emotion, she and Murdock had been split by racial difference… Was this some kind of dictatorship? She had aligned herself closely with the Basin for obvious reasons, such as their dark power and arrogant desire to reign, but at times she felt as if those creatures like Murdock had never seen the face of their empire. If just one of them, those supremacists could spend just a bit of time with her explorer, would they see him in a new light?

She was certain they wouldn’t. They had been bred and born of hate and now they were paying for their flaws. However, that didn’t exclude her. She was just as greedy, just as insolent as those she had decided to call family. And she did! She called them family because they were just as lost and demented as she, but a breath of fresh air wouldn’t kill them. After all, she had found a friend in this Pegasus, as wrong or misleading as it might be. “You could never bore me with your fairytales… you’ve painted such a pretty picture in my head that I would be disappointed if you didn’t finish.”

She smiled, lost in the lands of his native youth. Bitter as she was, she thought it okay to dream, okay to desire more than was given. On some level, perhaps one higher than the clouds, she found refuge in this dreamer and his ideas. They inspired her and allowed her to collect a part of her whole that had been left behind. One day she would be able to retrieve all the pieces… and maybe he could help. “In that case, I would be more than delighted to acquire his company. I have many places that I would like to see, many places that have treasures hidden in which we could revel. I suppose all we would need were each other and the desire to find something far greater than this.” She seemed to glance around now, gesturing to the frozen planes of the Arch. There were so many things that she was curious about, including him… he seemed to stir up a part of her mind that was not easily shaken.

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Chernobyl

Whatever caused her to move into his touch was something altogether cosmic. His slow approach was so subtle that it was as if she hadn’t cared to notice, but perhaps it was the notion of feeling that encouraged her to brush her muzzle against his own. The blast of uncertainty that followed was grueling and she was quick to retreat, though just as reluctant to make mention of it afterwards. It had been a short thing that probably shocked them both, but something that would not be brought to light despite the queerness of such an event. Whatever friendship existed between them now, she only hoped would exist in the days to come. It wasn’t as if she had come to tell him secrets of her past, but she felt as if one day she could. It was a revelation of sorts that seemed to knock her off her feet and by creating distance between them, she felt safe again, as if she could breath and understand her thoughts and roiling emotions.

That’s not to say, she had fallen head over heels for the lad, just that she had opened herself up to him, allowed him to see her own true colors, as bright as the ones he wore so proudly. However, the sun was warming her skin now and she felt as if she could almost feel the passing of the hours spent by his side. She was afraid to return to the Basin and reveal this new shine to her eyes- a hopeful gleam that was inspired by his naïve carelessness. What would Psyche say, should she find out about this meeting between two opposites? Surely she would retract her earlier offer to promote her through the ranks of power. This seemed to take hold of her heart and clamp down in such a sickening manner that she almost had to gasp for air.

She looked back to Murdock, so kind and unassuming. It was almost a pain for her to turn away from him, utter words that she felt were wrong. But it was part of her duty to the Basin and she would have to oblige or otherwise face the consequences. “I’ve never done any exploring myself my… friend. But I only hope that one day you will be able to teach me how. But, as you know… I must return to The Basin before I’ve damaged any positive relations I’ve made in my short stay. I only hope that I find you again one day, perhaps saving some dying life as you’ve done now.”

Little did he know that she hadn’t been talking about the tiny plant beneath his shadow, but her own life as it stood revealed before him.

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away