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 Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:54 am
 Nuriko soared to the ground. The mare looked at the clearing with a critical eye. This place was familiar, she could feel it itching in her bones. Ever since she woke up, her memory was fuzzy. She remembered faces - one in particular - and others were blurry and incomprehensible. The mare had dreams, but most of the time they only skittered away and faded before she could grasp them once again.
It didn't help that she couldn't remember. Nuriko didn't even know what it was that had created a memory lapse. To wake up one sunny day and only remember a name - and haunted other days by another face.
Oh well, she loved to be alive. And this was her favorite season - or so she was sure it was. It was spring, and creatures were having babies and spending time with their families. Had she a family once? She couldn't remember that either.
A bunny rabbit hopped nearby, and as Nuriko turned she could see five little youngin's following her. With a nicker of greeting, the mare walked to them and blessed the babies. Yes, this was her favorite time of the year.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 10:14 am
Life hadn't always favoured him, fate had turned a cruel eye upon him more than once...However, this didn't cause him to become bitter, he simply looked at life in a very peculiar manner and savoured the rare qualities that those around him possessed. He'd experienced far too much to truly care about the drama and emotional 'traumas' that seemed to litter the lives of those around him.
He drifted through life lost in thought, musing over that which he had misplaced, that which he had lost and that which had fallen through foul means. Yes, life hadn't always been the best to him and this afternoon was no different. He hadn't hurt himself and nothing had actually happened to put him in a bad mood but what had thrust him into a rather grim state was what day it was.
It was spring.
Pausing, he examined the budding leaves in silence and allowed himself a wistful smile. Ah yes...it was spring and she had always enjoyed this season. Whether or not he had cared to admit it to his friends, to his advisers, he had always taken note of her and admired her for her exotic beauty... Or perhaps it was in the way she smiled and laughed.
He didn't know, unfortunately he had come to the conclusion that he never would know given that the mare in question had fallen on foul times and had mysteriously vanished in the night. She had left no trace, no indication of why she had disappeared, she had just vanished.
A shame really, but there was nothing he could have done about it due to the fact that reacting over an otherwise unknown female would have seemed unbecoming for someone of his stature.
"Mmm, it will be a good year," he mused, admiring the healthy glow the plant life contain as he turned his head to examine another piece of foliage.
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Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:55 pm
Nuriko's ears twitched with the breeze, something had drifted her way as if it was meant to be. The mare lifted her head from the bunny family and turned her face into the breeze. Maybe is she exposed both ears she might have more success. There it was again.... but... what was it?
If she hadn't known any better she would have thought the wind was actually speaking to her. Did it do that?
Intrigued, the slightly dazed mare followed the breeze. She wove around the trees, pulled forward by the soft words of encouragement. Maybe she was just hearing things, but she could not ignore this feeling.
Weaving around the trees, Nuriko could tell she was getting closer. Her breath was held, heart started to beat faster, and her eyes twitched side to side - determined to miss nothing.
She rounded another tree and ducked below a low branch, tucking her wings in close to keep them from getting snagged.
The sight she saw before her made her stop. Nuriko's brown-pink eyes gazed upon the creature from her dreams. A word tickled her lips. "H...Hotohori?" she spoke as she released the breath she was holding so intently. The mare blinked, if this was just an illusion it was a cruel one indeed.
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:42 am
Often when an individual was left to inspect the things around them, they became lost in their own thoughts and their own world. Hotohori was no exception to this as he continued to examine the plant life around him. It was rare that anything or anyone chose to interrupt him and thus it took him quite a few moments to realise that a voice had chosen to invade his reverie.
...Not only that, but it was a voice he recognised.
He hadn't heard it since...
Frowning, the stallion lifted his head and allowed his ears to flick in the direction the voice had came from. The faint ruffle of another individual behind him, or slightly off to the side alerted him to the fact that he wasn't alone. Rather, there had been another to invade his privacy and thus he slowly but surely turned round to fix his eyes on the one who had called his name - to say he got more than he bargained for would be an understatement.
His eyes widened somewhat as they were exposed to the sight of the very female that had fled from their homeland. Well, she had gone missing but he had always expected the worst given how brutal the lands were between his homeland and this place itself. However, she seemed completely unharmed and just as surprised to see him as he was to see her.
"Nuriko...?" he enquired uncertainly.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 2:52 pm
Yes, it was just like out of a story, without the gushy immediate reunion of love sonnets and squeals of joy. All Nuriko could do was stand and stare. That this stallion knew her name as well only cemented the fact that, yes, this was Hotohori - the name and face having haunted her in her dreams. The only scattered memories she retained of a past that was hidden in shadows and confusion.
The mare continued to stand quiet, only watching this historic figure as the wind caught his mane to make it dance, and the sunlight sparkled off his glittering horn. She was memorizing his face all over again - she had never forgotten it, but it had changed over... time. But how long? She couldn't recall. Her memory ended only a short time ago - who was she? where did she come from? They were never-ending questions.
He might hold the answers, but she was afraid what that might entail. Did she want to know? So Nuriko tried a discussion that was safe - talk about him. "So...." she stumbled over her words - which didn't happen so often, "What are you doing here?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:38 am
Ah but of course, he should have known. Conversation between the stallion and the mare would be somewhat awkward for a variety of reasons. The first of these was her unannounced disappearance but the more accurate one would be his upbringing...Their upbringing. He had been raised an emperor after all, a leader of his herd and consequently he was of a much higher stature to the beauty that now stood before him - they may not have been in the presence of others but etiquette still existed.
Arguably, it wasn't the best time for it to emerge though.
Remaining still, he could do nothing more than continue to observe the mare as she stumbled about her words in an unlikely fashion. He had never once heard her stumble, she had always been outspoken amongst the other consorts and yet... Here she was, very much resembling a deer caught in the headlights. His heart went out to her, he could empathise with the ridiculously awkward situation they now found themselves in.
"A change of scenary," he offered at last failing to realise that her discomfort would be due to amnesia. For all he knew, she could simply be astonished that anything from her former 'life' had managed to find her - she could be terrified!
"And...you?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:13 pm
Nuriko gave a slow, small smile. "A change of scenery indeed!" But the mare flinched, where had those words come from? She visibly shook out her wings.
When the conversation turned to her, the mare froze. Her eyes got wide and water started to well up. "I.... I don't know!"
Nuriko took a deep breath and each word was forced out with more and more emotion. "I woke up awhile ago - along and lost! I had no name, no past, nothing! Oh, Hotohori... it was just aweful! It took so long just to remember my name and... well... you've been in my dreams, and I don't why."
The mare lept forward to crowd the stallion, her head pressed into the side of his neck to seek comfort there. He was the only thing she knew of her past... him... and her name. "I am at such a loss!"
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:58 am
Oh christ, had he said something wrong?
He had never been good when an individual burst into tears, he didn't necessarily assume it was his fault but it was uncomfortable. The moment her expression contorted into one of such pain was enough to make him wince. To say he was astonished that such a simple question could have resulted in such a thing was a bloody under statement!
"Nuriko I -" he wasn't even given the opportunity to respond as the mare rushed forward. Her words were nearly a complete blur to him as he struggled to maintain his composure. He was accustomed to soquili keeping a reserved distance, respecting his station and yet the mare had literally launched herself at him. Perhaps he wouldn't have minded quite so much if she had been in better spirits but...
In her dreams...?
Shaking his head the stallion could do nothing more than to allow the mare to cuddle into his neck. Remaining at a loss for words for another few moments, his attempts to remains composed were otherwise failing miserably. He just wasn't trained for these things! It was only after he had calmed himself down sufficiently that he was able to release a sigh and draw himself away.
"What do you mean 'dreams'?"
Had she hit her head?
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:47 pm
Nuriko was allowed to seek comfort in Hotohori's smooth neck, so remained where she was to continue to solace. The mare was mumbling into his fur, but her words could be made out - they were strong but uncertain, as if she doubted the very validity.
"I dunno.... When I sleep, I've dreamt of your face, your name.... and only recently have such things been able to stay in the waking of day." She took a deep breath. "I don't know what happened, why I cannot remember... or if I want to remember..."
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:01 am
She was doubting their validity - he was beginning to feel as though he was in the same boat. He was an emperor, a leader of his herd and most certainly not a doctor. Her mutterings, her assumptions and her guesses - blurred and fragmented memories that presented her with quite the puzzle were even more confusing to him. She had vanished years ago and woken up here with no recollection of anything? Honestly he was struggling to figure out how she had even found herself so far from home anyway.
Was it fundamentally possible to lose your memory in such a manner?
It was at times like these when he wanted nothing more than to summon one of his advisors so that they could figure the puzzle out for him. It wasn't that he didn't like puzzles but this was not an area of expertise for him - particularly when she wasn't adverse to invading his personal space! He was pleased to see that she was alive of course, given that she had always been a source of interest to him but good grief...
"Amnesia?" He offered tentatively, clearing his throat at the circumstances he now found himself in. She referred to him by his 'star' name as opposed to birth name which was terribly bizarre but he would grow used to it. "If you had suffered such loss then...how did you arrive here?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:43 pm
Nuriko's breathing had been fast, sharp gulps. She was hyperventilating, but as time passed, she was able to control it once more. When his new questions were asked, the mare was quiet as she searched her memories.
She remember her most furthest memory. She had awoken to the feel of autumn leaves landing softly on her face. Name, face, history - none were known. All she had known was that the nature of the leaves meant it was the fall season, and it would get cold soon. Finding a place to stay was another matter.
But she had found a place to stay, and had lived through that winter. She had dreams, she knew that, but they escaped her every morning. Her name was the first thing she remembered, and that came around spring time.
More dreams, and with the sun they were always forgotten. She remembered nothing else for almost another year. And then it was a face she remembered fondly, but no other name. This face haunted her dreams more, along with others.... but only the face was remembered.
Yet again, it was another year and then she remembered a name for the face.
Which lead them to now.
Nuriko sighed and shook her mane as she stepped back to appraise the stallion. She remembered the face, but the body was as if she saw for the very first time - and it was a nice body.... The mare blushed and then looked back up to his face. "Maybe - it must be amnesia." Nuriko frowned and rolled her eyes in frustration, "I don't remember how I got here. It's taken years just to remember the bits and pieces of the past, including just my name and yours. The gods only know how long it would take before I remembered anything else; including how I got here and what happened to make me forget."
She chewed her lip while she paused for awhile. "There is more, I can feel my memories, I just cannot access them." Nuriko grumbled, she would continue fighting for them - she knew she would.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:02 am
There were times when he needed to regather his composure and there were times when he needed to think. Both required a certain amount of privacy but in the given circumstances, such a thing could not be permitted. The mare was already panicking and her breaths had shortened considerably - if he were to leave her now, it would be through foul luck that he would found she had colapsed. Given that he had been raised in a manner that stressed honour and etiquette he was forced to set his desire for solace aside and instead, he remained by the side of the mare. Ah, he was well aware who she was but there was a part of him that questioned whether or not it was appropriate for him to provide her with such revelations.
...If she was recovering her memories at such a slow rate, yet still recovering them then it appeared that another had intentions for her. He was not one to meddle in the affairs of a higher power and though he found it irritating - he would have to endure it. He could have informed her of her name, her family... He could have ensured that she knew everything that he did. However, as fate would have it he wasn't permitted to do so. He could only hope that in time her memories would return and that there wouldn't be too many unsettling nightmares in the process.
Eh, the gods knew that she panicked now - he would hate to see the damage she could cause while asleep.
That being said, as he watched the mare struggle to explain herself and what had occured in the course of a few years it was evident that it was a hinderance even to her. To have such memories just out of reach, it was as though the fates chose to tease and prod until the very last moment. Argh! It was a cruel game and he could do nothing more than give an abrupt snort and shift his gaze away from the mare. He was beyond disgruntled and a little let down by his own competencies in such situations.
Shaking his head, he released a sigh and returned his gaze to the mare who appeared to have changed her tone and expression. It was with a certain amount of amusement that he took note of the blush and afforded just a slight smile. Now he knew that expression well, it had been a long time ago but he could still recall their meetings and the faint pink on her nose.
Ah...
He soon turned his head away again and furrowed a brow, a slight bitterness raising in his chest. He may remember that look, but she couldn't remember his.
"They will come, we are sure of it." He murmured quietly.
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Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:06 pm
The recognition did not go unnoticed. Nuriko looked at Hotohori squarely. For just a moment, her own frustration was lost as it was taken over by another emotion: exasperation.
"Hotohori!" The mare's brown-pink eyes sparked in good-natured 'anger' at his amused expression. "What does that look mean?" Her a deeper pink rose to her peachy cheeks. "Am I missing something?" Other than her memory, that was.
Nuriko was settling back into the way she had survived so long. Self-pity and depression just was not her style, and the mare had not gotten so far because all she did was mourn her lost past. She had learned awhile ago to take what came, even if she dwelled on such losses like she had done so recently.
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:38 am
Ouch.
Her 'sharp' words felt as though he had been chastised. Regardless of how good natured and jesting the tone might have been, the fact that his expression had been noted made him feel a little sheepish. She had caught him off guard, his contemplative expressions replaced by something more odd. It wasn't often that another took note of this and as a consequence, it made him feel a little out of sorts and he lost a little of his composure. Such was the sudden nature of her outburst that it took him quite a bit of time to reply. Had this been a sword fight he would most certainly have been bested...and dead.
"What, does what look mean?" Seishuku replied in an almost oblivious manner. Incapable of seeing his own face, he was unable to determine exactly which expression she referred to. For all he was aware of, she could have been making reference to his frown, his smile or even another expression that appeared between the two. He was most certainly not a mind reader and could be excused his confusion (or so he would argue).
"We do not understand the question," he confessed slowly and shook his head. He wasn't going to state the obvious (in that he couldn't see his face) but he would try to avoid any misunderstandings. "I do not suppose you could be more specific?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:57 am
Nuriko tried to mimic the look that he had given her ever so recently. Her lip curled in an amused smile, which was easy. His deep eyes were more difficult to mirror. The mare wrinkled her face and eyebrows. It was meant to be a look of fond memory.
With visible effort, her face relaxed into a more natural look. "Something like that...... that look! I haven't met much more than animals around here, and they don't talk all that much...." Nuriko had a bright smile on her face, "I am glad to see you here, even if the past is still forgotten."
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