|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:39 am
Aiko winced at the question, she already see the train of thought the mare was on.... trying to find some sort of justification for the tradegy that had fallen upon her. That was why Aiko simply said one word; "Yes." She had always believed that spirits guarded the world, not so much control the actions of the living but guiding them in a silent and subtle way.
In an effort to distract the mare, and try and bring her back to the reality.... she said, "What is your name?" She smiled before adding, "I am Aiko. But you may call me Ko."
What more could AIko do?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:38 am
At the mares blunt 'Yes' Memory found herself wondering what the other mare was hiding. Especially as she changed the subject... or... was it possible the other mare was simply trying to cheer her up? She didn't know.... but what she did know what that she didn't care who this mare was... Aiko... Ko.... whatever!
Memory couldn't bare the idea of getting to know anyone ever again, of accepting someone else into her heart and life.... only to risk losing them again! Most people say you shouldn't worry about that, shouldn't think about losing everything as it rarely happens... but Memory was a living walking testiment about how it COULD and DID happen! She had lost everything.... her herd... her traditions... her safety.... her mind! It was all gone... and she knew she could do nothing to bring it back.
Tears started to fall once more.
Still, she had slightly more dignity than that! Her family would have frowned at her for being rude when someone was being nice to her... even if it was a stranger to the herd. "Memory. My name is Memory." The words were uneven and dripped with the tears that ran down her face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:43 am
Aiko could still feel the pain flooding from the tearful mare beside her, she just wanted to cacoon her in her wings, protect her from the rest of the world and let her cry... but crying didn't help, you could never bring them back and no matter how many tears you spilled you still felt empty on the inside. And that was how she had felt just losing her brother... she couldn't imagine the agony at losing EVERYONE! This poor beautiful mare.
Aiko's heart continued to break for her, but in an effort to try and make her think about the here and now she found herself saying; "Memory is a beautiful name." She looked at Memory, "It suits you." The name reminded her of a festival, "Do you know that once a year the birds travel to a spot near here...." Her eyes scanned the ground below them until she found a small lake, "...there I think. It is said to be lucky to see them. They do it in Memory of the place they were born. You see they always return to the same spot to have their own children... again and again." She smiled, wondering if she would ever return to the place she had been placed into a basket? Probably not... too many bad memories.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:20 am
Despite her determination to melt towards this mare she found herself saying, "Really?" To the information about the birds... just as her eyes turned to look at the spot near the river... she hadn't known about anything like that. Was it true? Or just words designed to distract her? She supposed she had to give Aiko credit... because it had distracted her, for a moment at least.
That was until she wondered if her family and herd had known that? Had she simply been so stuck in her own happy little world that she hadn't ever paid attention to the one around her? Or was it possible that she had simply been sheltered from it?
Slowly her mind began to wonder.... what else didn't she know? She frowned, she had planned to continue living, after all, it was against her herds traditions to take your own life.... but now was the first time she had actually fully considered... what would she actually do? She knew nothing of this world..... she was as bad as a young filly new to the world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:37 am
Aiko turned and looked wide eyes at the mare... her distraction had... worked? Well, she hadn't expected that to happen, but she was glad it had. With a soft smile she nodded, "Yes." She turned to look at the spot of interest, "My people used to call them the river doves. Or sometimes, river guardians." She smiled at the memory even as it brought a slice of sadness shattering her fragile heart. Her brother had taught her so much about the world around them.
Eyes wide, she had to blink to decide if what she was seeing was real or not... but yes.... it did seem that there where three birds flying towards the spot they had been discussing. Her own words echoed in her mind.... 'it is lucky to see them'. Did this mean that they both needed the luck? For Aiko believed that Luck only came to those that truely needed it. Still, she didn't betray her inner thoughts as she spoke again; "Look! They return." With a cheerful chirp she turned to Memory, "Things will start looking up now... you will see."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:43 am
Unable to resist she said, "Tell me something else." She rather liked the sound of the 'River doves' or the 'River guardians' or whatever they were called, and if there was one thing she hadn't known she was sure there would be many more. Memory knew everything you would ever need to know to survive and thrive in her old community, but that was gone now... forgotten and never to be born again. It would die with her, of that she was sure.
She looked to the spot that Aiko had told her about, her eyes unable to look away from it, even as words she had never thought to say were dragged from her lips; "Have you ever wanted to die?" She didn't dare look at Aiko, didn't want to see whatever emotion flashed upon her features... surprise... or hatred... or maybe even pity... pity.... that was the one she wouldn't be able to stand the most. "Have you ever saw the world as nothing but completely hopeless?"
Her heart was still crying, her body still tender after having all the Memory tags etched into her flesh as a constant reminder and memory of those she had lost. Of those she never got to say Good bye to.... and now, never would.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:53 am
Aiko smiled softly at the mare, whose attention was clearly on other things than the spot and the birds they had been talking about. She was considering something else to tell Memory when she heard the next few questions.
Her heart broke. So much pain. So much agony! How could anyone bare to keep so much locked within them... no wonder she had been crying and contemplating such acts. It was not Aiko's place to judge, and so she wouldn't.... though she had to admit that she was glad Memory wasn't looking at her in that moment, the mixture of emotions that plaqued her were not fit for viewing.
She was silent for a moment, contemplating the answer... she wanted to be honest.... believing that honesty was the hardest thing to say most of the time, but always the most rewarding. It took her a moment longer but eventually she said; "Yes. When my brother was taken from me." She frowned and looked at her hooves, the way the hair hung and flowers, the slightly black and white pattern that marked her legs. Anything but look up at Memory and lose her courage to continue. "I didn't have anyone else, most laughed at me, pushed me away.... and I really didn't see how I could survive without him." Silence loomed between them again. Until finally Aiko broke it by saying, "But I did survive... the easy option would have been to die, it's far harder to live knowing what you lost, knowing what you had to give up. Knowing what happiness is but feeling as if you can never reach it." She hoped that Memory would appreciate her telling these things... but...
...Unable to think about them any more she once again changed the subject. "Did you know, that it is believed Apollo, a Fire horse, rises across the skies pulling the Sun with him."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:57 am
Memory understood what Aiko was trying to tell her, she didn't interupt, didn't dare incase she shattered whatever remained of Aiko's memories in regards to her brother. It was clear he had meant as much to Aiko as her herd had to him... and in many ways it had been worst for Aiko, not everyone had died but they may as well should have given how they treated her after he brother passed away. The thought sickened Memory.
Even as Memory allowed Aiko to change the subject she found herself whispering; "Does it ever get any better? Any easier?" She feared the answer would be no, and that was why she had only really whispered the answer to herself.
Looking up at the sky, wondering when the sun would rise and if you could see this 'Apollo' she wondered if the new day would bring her any peace, and stability. One hoof in front of the other. One day at a time. "Why does Apollo do that?" She asked, distracting herself from her desperation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:02 am
Aiko was sure she had heared quietly whispered words, but hadn't been able to make them out; it was for that reason that she ignored them... believing that if Memory wanted the near silent question answered she would ask it again in her own time.
She looked to the sky to, her head parrallel to the mare beside her. "Some say it is because his sister Artemis, cursed him to do it after he killed several of the pregnant ladies under protections... others say that his only real power is that over night and day, and that without him the whole world would end." She had always enjoyed listening to stories, even when they were always as simple as black and white. Good and evil.
But then again, life itself was not as simple as black and white, good and evil. There were forms of grey that lingered and flickered in between. You never knew what was truely happening.... until it was too late.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
