Welcome to Gaia! ::

Target practice was a pastime that suited Paxton. The Mist Hunter’s weapon was always craving some action, so sometimes this had to suffice. Her aim seemed off today. Dammit… I’m better than this. What’s with me?

Then her mind seemed to twist and reform. Memories that seemed both new and old flooded her head. She remembered she was simply Sanjiva of the Conquest Clan. She needed to sit down. She dropped down an looked at her hands and belly. They looked similar, but they were different. They felt weak and fragile. Her hands moved up to her head and she discovered that her horns were gone. “How did this happen? Who did this?! What is this?!” Even her voice sounded weaker to her.

This isn’t my body… I want my body back! Immediately! What is this body? The frantic Conquest mare in a Hunter’s body grasped at her head. Someone has done this. SOMEONE WILL PAY! Was it a human? Surely they aren’t intelligent enough to conceive some sort of spell or device that could do… whatever this is. Oh, but those humans… they are crafty little things. They somehow managed to send away the Old Gods… I wanted to reconnect with my fellow Clans. I wanted to learn something new, not be something new. I wanted to be inspired, but all this inspires is HATE!

Sanjiva took several steps and hated each one. She wanted to find someone, anyone who could help. Was it just me? Did they do this to all of us? They’ll pay. Her breathing became heavy as she started to panic. She put her hand on her chest and felt her heart racing. I need out of this body! But this island is full of hunter humans. I’ll find one and demand an explanation!

Her eyes twitched.

THEY WEREN’T HERS

Her hands shook.

THEY WEREN’T HERS

Her weapon tried to communicate to her.
Paxton? What’s wrong? We need to go kill something already. How about we go find something? Maybe some HORRRRSSSSEEEEEMMMMMMEEEENNN.

IT WAS NOT HERS

The horseman trapped in a pathetic human body shook with fury. She grabbed the weapon and banged it on the wall before she ran from it. Get away from me! You’re not my weapon! I’m not a disgusting human! What do I do? Who do I strangle the information I need out of? How can I tell which of these beings is a human or another clansmen trapped in a horrible human body? I’ve never been so beyond myself. How can I come up with a plan with this pathetic human brain slowly rotting away?

Sanjiva darted around building as she tried to get a hold of herself. Suddenly, a mighty scream ripped through the walls. That scream… The fury in that was far too strong to be human. It sounds familiar. I must help them or maybe they can help me! Sanjiva ran with all of the strength she could wring out of her human legs. Her pale hair flailed madly as she ran in desperation.

She bolted into a room and saw the disturbed embodiment of rage called Iyari. Her eyes glazed over at the sight of her friend. “Iyari? The War Chieftain? No… It happened to you too. You’re beautiful wings are… The last thing I remember for real is being in your tree dwelling. I can’t remember what happened between then and these horrible lie memories. I’m not a hunter! I swear upon it!" She proceeded to prove herself by ripping off her Hunter coat and stomping on it. She panted and tried her best to get a grip.

Sanjiva felt the power and rage in Iyari as she grabbed her arms. She felt more of it as she was shoved away. Sanjiva looked at Iyari’s blood now on her arms. It was an alien feeling for her. The blood of another horseman rested on her, but it wasn’t as it should be. She cringed as she snarled, “They need… to be punished. But if we die in these bodies, will we return to normal forms? Or will we just die and stay dead… like a human?”

An awkward smile took over her face as her eyes went blank, “We will not die like this. I will help you. The fury of our clans will show through these false bodies and we will break those responsible.”

The Conquest mare in a human form reached deep into her mind as she tried to plot. “I can’t be certain how long our true memories will be intact. The false human consciousness could return without warning. We should be prepared for it, but still do as much as possible while we are still ourselves. I’ll quickly write a note to myself.” She ripped off a piece of her coat from the ground and used the little bit of human-tainted War blood to write a short note to herself.

Iyari is your friend.

Sanjiva stuffed the note into her pants pocket and looked at Iyari. “Lead the way, proud Chieftain of War. At the moment, you are all I have.” She tried to hold up her composure but she couldn’t stop herself from trembling. Her eyes started to water and she looked away from Iyari in shame. She softly whispered, “Damn this human body. I think… I’m generating fear.”

The War mare’s mighty spirit seemed to be resonating from her hated human body. Feeling her hands on her own made Sanjiva feel a little more secure. Even in her Conquest Clan body, she had seldom felt the touch of another’s skin on her own. She could feel the strength in Iyari’s hand and it gave her some hope. She nodded as Iyari spoke and held back a tear.

“Your words run true Iyari. We are eternal and we will prevail. Keep that fire in you blazing and I will do the same. We are War and Conquest and they are less than flies. Let’s find a way sink this abomination.” Sanjiva breathed in deeply as they moved out of the room. She wanted to destroy every human creation she saw.

A sound gripped her as she walked. A familiar sound that once haunted her. The sound of crashing waves. They brought horrible memories from the time destruction of their island home. She stopped and stared at the ocean. She had missed seeing it. Small glimpses of her youth slipped into her mind. Memories of simpler times brought her soul a little solace. “That was home… If only this could be it… But it’s not. It will never be!”

Sanjiva sighed, “You’re right, you know. We have all the time in the universe, maybe more. So, we’ll have our home back some day, one way or another.” She breathed in the ocean breeze and sat behind Iyari on a rock. Time started to slip away from as she stared at sea.

The Conquest mare smiled a little as Iyari spoke. “I’m proud to be friends with one like you. You are the epitome of a War Chieftain. But, you are also unique. So far, in my search for inspiration, you have inspired me the most. I look forward to seeing your glorious wings again.”

Her thoughts started to churn. Words and memories started to escape her grasp. “Someday, we might not need the humans’ FEAR. Then what will they be good for? Right Iyari… Kairis…” She was once again Paxton Sanjiva, a Trainee from the Mist Division. “What’s the matter? Lose your gum, big shot?” Paxton shouted as she thew a small hermit crab at the Sun Hunter’s back. “Where’s your coat? Too cool even for the Hunter’s now?” She looked down at herself and saw that her long scarf wraparound scarf was the only thing covering her torso. Damn. Come to think of it, mine’s missing too. Where the hell did I leave it?

Paxton shrugged and put her hands in her pocket. She felt the note and pulled it out. What’s this? Iyari’s your friend? Pfft, sure. As much as anyone else I guess. Kinda creepy how this came out of nowhere. Is this… blood? Eww. The Mist Hunter threw the note and shouted at Iyari again. “Don’t put weird s**t in my pocket, freak.” She rubbed her eyes a little. Dammit. Why are my eyes all watery? Must be a grain of sand.