Welcome to Gaia! ::

Mibu, for once, was having one of his better days. The forest was thriving and well. Nothing was being hurt, though there was a slight twinge as a woodpecker drilled holes into a still alive tree, something that was actually fairly uncommon, as woodpeckers would usually only drill on dead wood and trees.

In any case, Mibu's mind was clear today. Or it was now. He had received a small vision of rainbow like wings, and a large azrein coming to him. Someone important. He had the feeling it was soon, though it was likely it could have already happened, what with his shattered memory. It was hard remembering your own life, when the images and thoughts and ideas of others decided to intrude upon your mind.

So Mibu waited.

He did not hold court with the foxes and deer today, instead he waited and watched the river, for the two hours he remembered that something was coming. Then, just as fast as the vision came, the knowledge that something was coming faded, and Mibu could not remember what it was he was waiting for. "A diddly dee, a dibbly dop. A skippity thee, a skippidy bob." He sang lightly, cackling maniacally as he finished.

His head rocked back and forth and side to side as his eyes roamed around the trees, finally stopping on a tinkling, and brightly colored winged beast came his way. It stopped in front of him, the tinkling music stopping as well.

Mibu tilted his head and stood still, his antlers and the branches of the tree giving him just enough leeway to move in that direction. Mibu was quiet, his mind blank of silly idiocies that usually filled the idle space, as he regarded the other being. Suddenly a warm feeling passed over him as images flickered through his mind. A strong, virile stallion.. falling.. hurt.. pain.

Mibu winced.

Then the sound of a Calling.. that's what it was called, though Mibu had never heard of the idea before, never knew what it meant to be Bonded to a human, let alone that something like that existed.

Suddenly, Mibu's brown eyes flashed open and he fell to his knees, pain wracking his head as the images left and he was faced with the reality, reeling from the expenses it had taken from his body. He gasped, hardly hearing the stallion's introduction.

"Please... just a bit... let me rest..." he gasped out, lowering himself into a laying position so he could sleep off the effects of the visions for a few moments. "Just... a bit."

He was slow to blink and fully rouse from his sleep, but when he died, his round, brown doe eyes focused on the other stallion. Mibu dipped his head in respect and thanks before he stood up cautiously. Pain still reverberated through his body, but it wasn't as bad as before; he could atleast handle it now. "You have done well, Lord Varian, Son of Valdien, the Fallen Leader." He said softly, formally.

He waited a moment. "I am Mibu, of no one. This forest is my being, this body my vessel. What brings you to my home?" He asked after a moment of giving Varian enough time to rise to his hooves.

He studied the other, his brown eyes roaming over the stockier one. He was a Higher Deity, and born of his father's sacrifice. It was a lot to have to bear, certainly something that was constantly on his mind, but, although he was like of body and duty, was he alike in mind, or was he easily corrupted, and did he seek Mibu for evil purposes as many had done before, when tails of the Foolish Stallion were spread far and wide, and many young azrein journeyed to find him, to see if the legends were true.

"If it is knowledge you seek, then I, perhaps, can assist you. Otherwise, I am rather... tied up..." He grinned widely as he shook his antlers, the tree rattling and loose leaves falling to the ground as he did so. His laughter continued to shake the tree, further upsetting a family of cardinals that lived upon its branch, and the mother was swift to come down and give Mibu a swift peck on the head, to which the stallion only continued to cackle.

It took him several moments before he calmed down and regarded Varian seriously. After a breath he leaned foward conspiratorially and whispered; "How do you catch a unique rabbit?" He waited, his face very serious.

"Unique up on it!" He cackled again and began his swaying motion of his head, back and forth, back and forth. ""A diddly dee, a dibbly dop. A skippity thee, a skippidy bob.""

Mibu's facial features fell into something more serious as he considered the other's words carefully. It took him a moment to dredge up the story from the memories in his head, but once he did, they flowed out like a waterfall.

"Once upon a time, when the Isle itself was alive and growing, there lived a young Stallion who was as careless as a spring storm. He was free as a bird and gallivanted about with no worries that plagued him, nor responsibilities to bear. He would spend his days as he liked, running, climbing, exploring, and doing things that young stallions are apt to do.

However, this stallion was foolish, for he made a terrible mistake one night. Disobeying what his mother taught him from a young age, he ventured out in the midst of a raging storm, gleeful and happy as could be. But it was all for naught, because in the middle of a wet and grassy field, he was struck by a blast of lightening which landed him on the forest floor where he fell into a deep, dark slumber.

It was in this sleep that the God's cursed the foolish stallion for hurting the trees and forest animals in the midst of his gallivanting, and caused him to see everything from the creation of the world to the end. This knowledge pained him so, and caused him to remain asleep for many many years.

When the foolish stallion finally awoke, he realized he was not alone and that something was different. When he stood, his antlers felt heavy and thick, and when he looked up...! He was attached to the tree! His antlers and the limbs of a tree that had grown while he was sleeping had merged, both in material, and in nerve systems. He could feel the heartbeat of the forest around him. He could feel what they felt, from their joy, to their sorrows, to their pain. His curse was completed.

When he tried to remember what had happened he found he couldn't remember anything past when he woke up and found that he was part of the tree. Not the visions that the gods sent him, nor his own birth, if he was even born, that is.

And that, is how the Foolish Stallion came to be, and also why you should respect all life, regardless of what kind it is."

He was silent for a moment, the story bringing back his more serious side and with it, some memories and realizations in his head. "I am the God of Visions and Knowledge. My curse is to be bound to this tree and all the life connected to it, while suffering their pain and fate." He clenched his eyes shut, the images of what he used to do hurting him both physically and mentally. It was hard for him, in the state and condition he was in now, to realize that he really used to be that way.

"Unlike you, I was not born of a parent's sacrifice... I instead was born of my own bigotry and abuse of the world around me. The Gods Above Us saw fit to, not only punish me for my actions, but also use me as a tool for their benefit. They attached me to this tree, and gave me the feelings of the forest, and also showed me the world, from beginning to end of time, and even though I cannot remember any of it, my mind is too full to stay itself for long..." He trailed off, his eyes going distant and getting their bit of loony back. It was clear that he was half gone again, his brain coping with his loneliness and all the knowledge in the only way it could, but partially shutting down.

Mibu listened and watched Varian, feeling the warm tingles on his back as the other wrapped him in a friendly, winged hug that warmed him to his heart, letting a bit of clarity in.

"My previous life has made me what I am now. I am both blessed and cursed, living, yet stationary. I am nothing more than the forest I am connected to, yet I am so much a more advanced organism than these Trees, yet I am as stationary, and maybe even more stationary than they are. I shall do what needs to be done, whatever is asked of me, from whoever asks me. I will not deny someone information, because I cannot. If they ask me something, I have not control over my mind or mouth. However, I would like to meet this "Chosen" of yours should you ever visit me again..." He trailed off, his eyes going cloudy at his last words.

"I never get visitors anymore... The world has forgotten me... and so I have forgotten the world... I used to remember what plains were... but now.. the word is just a distant memory..." He fell silent again, as if trying to remember the things he had once forgotten.

Mibu's brown eyes then went up to look at Varian with almost amusement and he chuckled to himself for a moment. "I almost forgot.. What is a Chosen?"

Tears began to stream easily down Mibu's face as his eyes glossed over before he covered them, the sights of the plains making their way into his head, visions of a life he had had so long ago and would never have again. Truly it was the greatest gift any could give him, and he would cherish it as long as he could remember it.

He was still and silent for several moments afterwards, his mind and body taking it all in. It was as if he could smell the fresh sweet grass and feel the open air over his body, though he knew it was Varian's memories that he was now cherishing.

Finally, the moment passed and Mibu returned to himself, happy and content, the pain of the forest ceasing around him for the most part, enough so that he could stay in his blissful state for a few more moments.

"I miss those days of peace, Mibu." And like that, Mibu's eyes went vacant and his mind spun him to a different place, a place later, several years later. He could see the plains again, changing through the years from peace, to war, to finally peace again. He could see new families springing up, the easiness of life... everything that Varian desired to come about again, he saw.

"Those days will come again. The war will end in Victory and peace will roam the Isle again. Children will play with no worries of being too far from their parents, and parents will only worry about the mischief their foals are getting into. And you..." He trailed off as the vision focused on Varian.

Varian stood, his beautiful wings outstretched as he laughed joyously, a boy king on his back, a beautiful female with a shaggy white female, and several others around him, two-leggers and azrein alike. All were of different shapes sizes, colors, patterns, it was almost too much to take in, but the overall atmosphere of the meeting was joy, happiness, and love.

"You will be happy again." Mibu finally replied as he opened his eyes to look at Varian again.