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 Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:38 am
Perhaps. It is just a lake, after all. I'm sure they all seem familiar. She doubted he was remembering anything from Christmas Town, but she also doubted this particular lake was calling to him the way it called to her.
She stared up at the sky, and her eyes thinned to slits.
Do you think, Jericho, that our bodies retain memories even when our minds have been wiped out? It was a theory borderlining on sacreligious, for her kind. I used to think that once we forgot something, it was gone. But lately, I've felt like.. there's always something lingering, just on the edges of my understanding. Something there that my hand touches, and my hand remembers. Or my eyes see, and.. Her head turned to look out at the lake. And it's there, a memory that I can't seem to get to.
She was having a deep, philosophical conversation.. with a Christmas elf.
What was she thinking.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:08 am
Stepping back, Jericho soon sat down at the edge of the lake, thinking hard about Riley's question. It was a pretty deep one. Tilting his head, he considered it for a few moments before smiling to the mindflayer.
"I think it's because some things are locked away inside our hearts. Things so special that your mind can't fully contain it.. so your heart stores it away."
It was a pretty sentimental thought. But this was a Christmas Elf talking.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:44 pm
Despite his words, Riley's eyes remained focused and trained on the lake, her hands folding up on top of her stomach and rested there. You always had such a big, warm heart, Jericho. Strong, brave, fierce. I have no doubt the words you say are true. Everything you need to know is locked away, there within, waiting to be rediscovered.
Her head turned away from the lake, finally, until she was facing him. A blank slated expression regarded him. What about the people who don't have a heart?
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:51 pm
Smiling warmly for awhile, Jericho soon blinked and tilted his head at the mindflayer.
"Everyone has a heart, silly! It might not be as obvious for the naughty ones but they still have one deep within."
He placed his own hand over his chest as he said this. What secrets did his own heart hold, he had to wonder?
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:57 pm
You seem awfully sure of that. She murmured back, very carefully. Have you ever seen inside the soul of a naughty boil or ghoul? I wonder what lies there.
Her head turned back to the lake, and she watched the light glitter off the tiny little waves the wind made. Would you like me to tell you more of what I know about yourself? Perhaps it will help jog your memory - and if not, at least you'll know a bit about the time that has passed.
Her eyes slit for a moment as a thought crossed her mind. What.. exactly.. do you remember? He obviously never thought he was a dragon, which meant he remembered none of his childhood, or his family. It was a total loss, for him.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:02 pm
"I don't need to be able to see inside their souls to know that! Every Christmas Elf knows it," Jericho said before sticking his tongue out at the Mindflayer. Settling back down, he considered her question for a moment or so.
"You keep saying that I used to be different. I know you said I had wings, but... what else?" he decided to ask. Though at the second question, he just shrugged.
"I know my name is Jericho and I'm an elf. I don't remember anything else. Well. I did have one crazy dream before I woke up! It was really foggy though. But.. I think there was a lot of fighting."
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:33 pm
This was a good time to tell him everything, she decided. She only hoped he took it well.
All right. Come and sit beside me, I'll tell you everything. It will take some time, and a lot of understanding. You won't believe a lot of it, but that is okay. Just listen, and trust that I would never lie to you.
She patted the spot beside her, and turned her head to look at the sky. She could imagine him, soaring there.
To begin with, that dream you had was real. But that is the end of the story, so we shall start at the beginning. She took a deep breath. A very long time ago, you were born - a red dragon. Not an elf. She hurried forward so as not to give him time to argue. You grew into a great and majestic beast, and you came to Amityville, that school I took you to, where you live. There is where you learn to be a better creature of Halloween. There is where you met me, and Malodore, and all of the other friends you have made. We all love you, very much. And you deserved that love, because you were a wonderful creature.
Here she paused, just for a moment, to try and simplify the next part. It was, after all, a little horrifying.
There are.. times when we are put in danger. One such time, you were exposed to something. I was as well. It's called Insanity.. and it changes you. It turns you into a monster - it makes you forget who you are. It steals away everything until there's nothing left of the person you once were. That dream that you had, where there was fighting - that was when we fought to bring you back from the terrible fate Insanity placed upon you when it stole you from us.
She flickered her eyes at him. And we succeeded. Somewhat. We used the power of Joy, in Christmastown, to give you.. something to latch your core on to, I suppose. And here you are, a creature of Joy, with the core and the soul of a creature of Halloween. She watched him very carefully. I cannot imagine what that must feel like.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:46 pm
Yay! Story time. Plopping himself down next to her, he brought his knees up and got ready to hear what she was going to say. Even if he didn't believe it, the story could be very interesting to hear nonetheless. And one thing was for certain, what she had to say was nothing he really expected. With a look of confusion, he looked over his hands.
But then, he crawled closer to the lake to peer at his watery reflection.
He was a dragon? This was all very far fetched. But quite frankly, he didn't remember anything that could potentially disprove this story.
Or prove it for that matter.
In any case, as he was right now, he was having trouble believing this. Granted, it probably didn't help that this was still the first day since his awakening. It was a bit much to take in.
"I... don't know what to say to that."
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:46 pm
You don't need to say anything. She responded quickly. I just felt you deserved to know.
He was taking it better than she'd expected. Though she couldn't tell for sure, she guessed he didn't believe any of it - but he wasn't railing against it with anger or frustration. He was just accepting it - even if just as a story. That was more than enough, for now.
Interesting, though. Isn't it? The idea that once upon a time, you soared the skies as a great big beautiful beast. Her eyes, still focused up, crinkled in content. I wouldn't have minded a past like that.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:52 pm
"Well it's a nice little flight of fancy at least. Thank you for the story!"
Indeed, Jericho didn't really believe it all too much. Though he had to give it to her. Riley had been keeping this up for some time, starting with that dormitory. The more the thought about it, he wondered if there was a red dragon by the name of Jericho that had lived there. Someone not him. Someone that was still close to the Mindflayer.
Could she be imposing that dragon onto him in grief?
That was an incredibly depressing thought. Well.. maybe he can help her achieve happiness once more.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:24 pm
A story. She nodded as the elf confirmed her thoughts, and let it be. It wasn't time to try and convince him of the truth - he needed only to hear it, now. It was at his discretion whether he would start to believe it as time passed, or not. The only thing that mattered to Riley was that he stayed with her. Elf, or not.
It's a nice one. I sort of wish it was mine. She chuckled quietly to herself. I think I would have made a fine dragon. Stubborn, bold, and utterly incapable of keeping out of danger. Actually, that sounded like half of Amityville.
Riley pushed herself up onto her elbows. Are you hungry? Do you wish to return for the food Malodore has procured for us? Or would you rather explore some more?
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:30 pm
"Who's to say you can't be a dragon in your dreams?" he smiled. Dreams were lovely things. You could be anything, be anywhere. It was pretty awesome, he felt. The description she gave was pretty nice too. That wouldn't be a bad thing to dream about really.
Though, his attention shifted rather quickly.
"Food sounds really good right now actually!"
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:19 pm
To be a dragon in her dreams. Riley's eyes slit in mirth. Dreams are complicated things for me. She admitted. They are controlled, they are as unimaginative as being conscious. My mind does not allow me to truly dream, very often.
He'd chosen, and she stood up, bending to open her arms out to him. Come then, we will return for dinner.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:38 pm
"Oh! All the better for you to take such flights of fancy."
She might have said they're unimaginative, but if she could control them, there was no reason to say that they couldn't be grand! Though Jericho didn't press it any further as he moved on back into Riley's arms.
"Let's go then."
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:23 pm
Riley did not bother to explain further, she just gathered the elf carefully in her arms, brought him closer into her embrace, and held him there for a moment. Just a moment, where she could imagine that she had the power to imagine. That was enough.
Then her wings glowed brightly behind her, and they floated up into the air, hovering until they were the correct altitude for flight before surging forward.
She had one thing to thank the elf for. Jericho had given her the courage to fly. It seemed, that was one thing she was sorely lacking.
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