Something about this place felt even more familiar than the dry plains she had recently been to. Persephone stood in the lush field, head high as she took in the sweet scent of the summer breeze. The setting sun cast saturated yellows and oranges over everything, lighting up the grass in a spectacular show that made the mare pause simply to enjoy the sight. This land was truly beautiful, she couldn't deny that. Though she knew very little about this place and its inhabitants, it did pose a lot of fascinating opportunities that she was excited to try. She just wish she didn't feel so...lost and confused all the time.
The opal mare watched the horizon for a while as the colors changed rapidly with the descent of the sun. The clouds made for a enjoyable cluster of colors, though they were only wisps in an otherwise clear sky. The colors reflected and refracted off her jewel antlers, creating their own sunset show of flashing colors. Only when the sun finally dipped below the horizon did Persephone shake herself back to reality, thoughts scattering like the wind itself blew them away. As dusk fell, she finally moved forward. Her steps, careful and quiet, still disturbed some insects. To her delight, fireflies began blinking in and out around her, rising from the dark grass and into the air around her.
At last, Persephone smiled slightly, a change from her usual concerned or absent appearance. The sight of the little bugs filled her with an absurd amount of joy and peace and it even put a bit of a perk into her step. She picked up a springy trot, disturbing more fireflies and sending them out in a cloud of blinking lights. Slowly, the sounds of other nocturnal insects and animals also began to fill the dusky air, comforting and warm. She spotted birds taking flight as she bounded like a young filly, disturbed from their night time feast. Usually she would feel embarrassed, but for now she allowed herself to relish in the natural beauty of the world around her.
dancing in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and bright
it's such a fine and natural sight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Bel's eyes were closed, peacefully so as she breathed in.
Atop her back, Yuki was chuckling, an amused sound aided by the soft tinkling of ice against ice. Bel opened one set of eyes, turning her head to boop her bonded on the nose. "Hush, it's a lovely dusk." She retorted playfully. Yuki merely gave a fang filled grin before she lay her head back against the mare's side. Bel smiled all the more at her bonded as the sun sank below, and the pair's own shift to their night pelts came into affect.
As the light left the world, it seemed to collect them.
It was typical of their origin planet, everything their glowed in the dark, at night. And it was no different for them here. As the world zapped color away for night fall, the stripes all down Bel's body seemed to slowly light up, brighten, come alive in a cyan glow. That same transition was happening to her bonded, as the Ice Carved Serpent's own striping began to shine deep navy. Bel blinked, one set of eyes after the other before she began to walk.
Where are we going?
The soft words were sun through her mind, and Bel smiled with a soft shrug, "On a walk. It's a lovely night." Her bonded snorted, but Bel ignored Yuki as she made her way out of the swamp, her fluke swinging slightly side to side with each step she took. They travelled slowly, enjoying the night air, the relative stillness of no one else being aw- Bel paused, a distant figure standing in the fields. Curiously, the mare picked up space, approaching with a kind smile, kind eyes. A warmth that she naturally possessed, "Oh, hello there! Lovely night, isn't it?" She called out in greeting, slowing down as she approached the unfamiliar mare, "I don't believe we've met, or rather not proper, either way. My name is Below Zero, but you can call me Bel. I'm a battle mage here with Terrastella. Who might you be?" She asked, stopping a respectable distance away, as she added, "Oh, and this is Yukime, my bonded. I promise she's friendly, she only eats fish and bugs."
So absorbed was she in her play that she didn't even notice the approach of the stranger behind her. Normally she was cautious in these new places, but perhaps she was letting her guard down a bit more often now. So many here had supernatural senses and abilities-- she was but a small fish in an ocean of talent, after all. It was hard to get used to but she didn't have much of a choice.
The sudden voice made Persephone skid to a halt, tense and looking very much like a deer in front of bright lights. She stared at the stranger, ready to flee on pure instinct, but the kindness behind their words was enough to make her visibly relax. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and allowed herself to face the stranger, now curious.
Maybe it was rude but she couldn't help but stare. If she had pupils, they'd be wide with awe. Was this an equine? They had fins! And a tail like a fish--and horns? And four eyes! Not to mention they were glowing in a way that even put the fireflies around them to shame. Persephone stared mutely, examining every inch that she could without moving from her spot. Was that a snake on her back? Well...not quite. It resembled one but only partially.
It was a long moment before she realized she had been addressed. With a start, she pulled her gaze back to meet Bel's, somewhat sheepish at her own rudeness. "O-oh! Hello, er, I'm Persephone," she responded, awkward and somewhat nervous. "Ah, hello Yukime. It's a pleasure to meet you both." She bowed her head respectfully to them, opal antlers casting faint scattered light on the grass as it caught fleeting bits of light from the fireflies around. Bonded? She had heard the term before during her first days here...something about a spiritual companion? How delightful to meet one finally! And such a strange looking one, too.
"I'm a dancer here now. I've just arrived from...somewhere else, I guess," she explained, glancing away for a moment. "I don't know much about this land. Do many others look like you? You look like you're from the ocean!" She paused, glancing back at Bel. "If that was rude I'm sorry..." It wouldn't be good to offend such a nice person on accident!
dancing in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and bright
it's such a fine and natural sight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Yukime flapped her finned tail against her hip.
It was a motion of impatience, but Bel was amused, allowing the other to collect themselves, to get over her appearance - which she knew was a bit odd. When the other did speak, meeting Bel's gaze, her awkward response had Bel laughing sincerely, smiling reassuringly, as both she and her bonded dipped their heads when each were addressed. This girl herself was unique, as Bel followed the bits of light that reflected from the stranger, no; Persephone's antlers. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Persephone!" She greeted brightly.
The other spoke of herself now.
A dancer, so an entertainer. Bel had been that before coming into her own. Before she found herself wielding water as a powerful weapon of her own manufacture. Bel smiled, "Well, welcome. An Entertainer then? I played in those shallows before my magic came in." The aquatic mare admitted, "Now I have more fun wielding water." When the other spoke again, she had to laugh, shaking her head, "No, not really. There is only a small clan of my people on this planet. But in Novus, there is only my sister and I, and my sister - Polar North, lives in Denocte, the Night Court. Although, she her friend, who looks like us, but more shark like wanders in and out at times." She explained.
Looks like she's from the ocean, indeed.
"No need to apologize! It's true though, my species comes from the deep sea, the arctic waters to be specific, though we're dual natured. Gills, and Lungs; I mean. But we aren't exactly from around her. Vapor Treaders, my species, comes from another planet. Yukime does too, but . . . she's the only one of her kind to make it off of our home world." Bel added, a shrug, showing no sign of upset over a dead world she had neer seen, much less lived in.
The poor mare didn't even hide her relief over the fact that her question wasn't rude. Persephone really didn't want to make any enemies--especially because of customs she didn't know. She didn't want to use her ignorance as an excuse but it was quite the hindrance sometimes. Bel merely laughed though and it put her at ease. She even allowed herself a small smile back to the strange aquatic mare, though she couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy by her bonded companion. Maybe it was because she had no idea what kind of creature it was, or perhaps because it didn't speak, but she thought it would be best to not get too close to Yukime just in case.
Her ears perked as Bel mentioned her past as an entertainer. Persephone had stumbled upon the role, one of the few things she remembered how to do was to dance with her ribbon. It was merely luck that such a thing was of use here in Novus. "Magic..." she echoed, more to herself than as a response. Yes, another strange thing about this land. Sometimes she had the sense that she had also once possessed magic--something far more powerful than the odd luck she had finding things. It was like a hole in her soul, missing for some unknown reason. Another puzzling piece of her former identity.
She listened to the rest of Bel's explanation with an increasing sense of bewilderment. "Another planet? Like...in space?" she asked, surprised. The mare looked up reflexively at the darkening sky where stars were beginning to appear. Gods above, what other surprises did this strange mare hold? "How...? I'm sorry, I've never quite heard such a thing before. This place is so strange and everyone seems to have come here from unfathomable places." It was hard to tell if she was enchanted or distressed from her voice alone as she was still staring, dumbfounded, at the glimmering stars. Another world? Was her world still out there?
Could she go back?
At the question, she lowered her head to look at Bel once more. It took a moment of thinking before she could come up with a comprehensible response instead of the torrent of confused thoughts she was constantly plagued with. "It's a beautiful place. I am not sure I should call it home yet. I've only seen a few places here," she explained.
dancing in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and bright
it's such a fine and natural sight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Bel couldn't help but smile at the slightly younger mare.
She seemed so considerate, kind, gentle. A dear, for sure, and Bel was happy to have met her thus far. Only time would tell if this was but an act to deploy, but Bel was fairly certain that this was just the way the entertainer was. She smiled warmly at the mare when she had smiled back, even as Yukime seemed to huff slightly, "You'll have to forgive my bonded, she's a little uncomfortable around others still . . ." She added, ignoring the indignant response she received through their telepathic communication, even as she playfully nuzzled her companions' cheek, watching the serpent get flustered and hide her face. "See, all huff and no bite."
The girl's echo about magic had Bel smile.
It was a brief thought before she grinned, and the vapors rolling down her spine solidified, picked up as a stream of water that she wove around herself, altering the properties enough to let it catch light, refract it the way she wanted to allow rainbow gradients. She let the stream of water lift to the sky before she pushed mentally and allowed it to explode in a flurry of soft snowflakes, "Yes. Magic." Much tamer of an example of magic than a lot of the battle-orientated stuff she was learning to do with it.
Of course, the alien part stumped the other.
Was Bel surprised, not at all, "Yes, like in space. Very far away from space." The mare than asked how, and Bel paused, thoughtful, "Well, that's a bit of a long story really . . . i'd be happy to share it of course, but only if you have time to listen." Bel offered, her eyes kind, before she found a soft area in the fields to lay down. Immediately Yuki was sliding off her spine, chasing after bugs and fireflies a little awkwardly with only her forelimbs and a serpentine tail. She was finally getting the side-by-side motion needed for her travel by land, but it hadn't been easy for the serpent, really.
She glanced back to the mare, motioning for her to join.
"Terrastella is lovely. I'm partial to the swamp, with it's density of water . . . but, there is also something so peaceful, so wonderful about the cliffs, overlooking the sea, feeling the breeze, tasting the salt on the air . . . But there are a number of equally lovely places in Novus. I'm a bit of an explorer, love to see new things. So, if you ever want to look around, see more stuff, don't hesitate to come find me, I'd be happy to keep you company." And perhaps safe, if the mare's gentle nature was anything to go by.
Despite her earlier cautiousness she was finally beginning to warm up to the aquatic mare. As she watched, Bel seemed to work some of her peculiar magic, making water vapor steam upwards and refract rainbows in the dim light. Persephone's eyes grew wide with childlike wonder as the vapor turned to snow cold enough to make her nose twitch. "Wow..." she murmured, watching the snow fall until it was all gone, watering the grass beneath them now. Maybe she was easily impressed but she couldn't help it-- magic was definitely special and fascinating. She wondered what it felt like to control the forces of nature so easily like that. Something told her she had known the feeling once.
Bel offered to tell her the story of her arrival and Persephone felt flattered that she would give a stranger like her such information. She still hesitated as the other mare found a spot to rest, uncertain if she should get so close. It only took a moment for her to decide she was being silly and to just buck up. The opal mare took the few steps needed to close the distance and then laid by her, still with respectable space between them but now at least they wouldn't need to talk loud. "I have plenty of time if you're willing to tell," she said. Who wouldn't want to hear such a fascinating tale?
She could understand why Bel might prefer the areas near the sea and the water. No doubt she could swim with the fish easily since she had gills. Persephone was almost envious-- Bel could see more of this world than she could, being confined to land as she was. "I always want to see more," she said, her eagerness showing at the mention of her new friend being a fellow explorer. But, she caught herself, and glanced off towards the odd snake creature as it chased something. "But I won't take you from your duties. I don't know what a battle mage does but it's surely important." The responsibilities of court citizens were very unknown and new to her--she wasn't even sure what her own role meant.
dancing in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and bright
it's such a fine and natural sight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
The reaction to magic was warming.
Bel couldn't help but smile at the child-like wonder, the way the mare's eyes were so wide, her soft murmur as she followed the snow until it fell into the grass and disappeared. Bel smiled gently, kindly. Her magic could do so much more, so much more frightening things, but with little Jiri in her life, she was having to explore more illusionary, and lovely magic. Things to awe and admire, rather than to cause pain, suffering, to win wars, to fight off those who would dare to threaten her people, her home, her life.
She couldn't deny a chance to tell a story.
The other hesitated, and so Bel waited, allowing her to choose before finally, the mare laid down, a respectable face, but allowing the conversation to be so much more comfortable. She relaxed for a moment, breathing a moment to allow the mare to settle in, nodding when she spoke of having plenty of time, "I suppose I should start by saying, I did not come from our home planet. My generation, and about two generations before mine where born on this planet. But the oldest of our elders remember. As pups, the pod teaches us that they are just stories. So I never took much stock in them, but oh how I loved them.
"My people came from a dying planet.
"We were the protectors, blessed by the Sea Empress herself to protect, to defend, to maintain balance on the planet. Eventually strangers came, wanting to use the planet as an area to conduct experiments, we allowed it so long as they ensured that the residents to the planet would be safe. Then something happened, went wrong, and a disease they were working on got out. Oh, it was bad, so bad, absolutely terrible, taking or the planet. Yukime remembers, she was there for it all. My people tried to stop it, to save it, but eventually there was little that could be done.
"They say we had to evacuate.
"But we were forced to check ourselves for the virus too. Many of the pods got left behind, infected, not safe for travel. When they did get to this planet, there were new dangers, new struggles. And slowly, as time grew, my people forgot who we are, what we were meant to accomplish. I'm luckier. I know. I practice my magic, I defend with the aid of the seas. But . . . my pod dwindles in the deep artic environments of this land . . . . I'm . . . glad I left."
She looked at the mare, ears flicking.
She could always understand wanting to see more, do more, and Bel laughed, "Oh, you wouldn't take me from my duties. I'm like a stand out for real war. And by going out, seeing more, I'm also more prepared to take on anything I come across later on. So any time you want to adventure, you just let me know. Okay?" She assured with a warm smile.
Maybe it was a little too soon, or she was a little too trusting, but Persephone was warming up to Bel. She still had hints of wariness, of course, but she was enjoying having someone to talk to. She'd spent so long by herself, mulling in her own thoughts, it was nice to break free of her own self reflection. Sometimes thinking too much, reflecting inwardly for hours, was pure torture. For now she could forget her own worries and let herself be immersed in the other's presence and her strange tale.
Persephone's ears pricked forward, eyes wide as Bel began her story. It made somewhat more sense to her that Bel was born here, but she was still curious as to how her ancestors came here. How did they travel through space? More magic? Well that was certainly feasible given what little of it she'd seen of it so far. It was certainly an incredible tale, more fable with the moral of don't trust strangers. The opal mare could understand such a lesson though she couldn't quite empathize with the loss of a whole culture. Still, it was sad, and she tilted her head slightly out of sympathy. To have a whole history that she'd never know-- Persephone could definitely understand that.
She envied Bel's clear purpose, something the aquatic mare knew even now after generations. A protector of the seas, a guardian all her own. No wonder she could use magic. Persephone glanced away thoughtfully, thinking it over as she listened. "Do you miss them?" she asked when the story had ended, her gaze once again returning to Bel. "Your pod?" If she had family, she'd miss them, too. She certainly missed someone, though who she couldn't tell.
As she laughed, Persephone perked up once more, the sympathetic look melting away to something a little happier. "Well...if you're sure! I want to see all of Novus and...I don't know. I want to figure out where I'm from," she said, almost bashful as she lowered her head a little bit. "I think, maybe, if I see enough places, I'll find something familiar."
dancing in the moonlight
everybody's feeling warm and bright
it's such a fine and natural sight
everybody's dancing in the moonlight
There was a relief to telling the story.
It was like admitting something, even she herself hadn't shared too much to anyone. Her be-, er, fri-, uhm. Sol, not even Sol had heard the full story yet. WHich almost made it all the more abnormal that she had told it to another. That someone else knew just a little more about her than Sol. It sat wrong in her mind, disturbed. She might have to rectify that as soon as she had the chance, sit down and tell him more. Just to set it right.
Or was she being silly, worrying about that.
She didn't even have an answer for him yet! She dove her thoughts back into the situation, talking as the mare listened, laughing gently at the reactions, but at her words, her questions, Bel paused, tilting her head to the side, "To be honest . . . I used to, but it's easier now. I have my little sister here, she lives in Denocte . . . And I . . ." She paused, slightly embarrassed, slightly uncertain, she had Sol, that made it better, so much better, less lonely. Sol and Jiri were filling the emptiness, "And I have Sol."
But what did she have with him?
She shook her head, needing to think about that at a later time, not right now, not when she should be focusing on the here and now, this conversation, "Oh, well if it's all of Novus you want to see, I will be happy to assist." Her expression softened, and she smiled reassuringly, "And perhaps, we'll find something familiar for you as well. Have you see much of Terrastella itself?" The glowing aquatic mare asked cheerfully, "We can always start there!"
![[Image: i-jTNwWx8.png]](https://photos.smugmug.com/BelowZeroNovus/n-X9d9fZ/i-jTNwWx8/1/e09fb6c3/O/i-jTNwWx8.png)
