I (Don't) Remember You

The gates were imposing, and the fence surrounding the property was solid. Too high for an Equillion to jump, but easy enough to climb if you were a good climber. Just inside would be a large yard, leading up to a cottage-style house. Fences stretched behind the house, with a barn, a river, a forest, and a much larger building a ways back. While most creatures were contained in enclosures, there were some free roamers, most of which would remain hidden unless there was a threat of some sort. Perched on the main pillars of the gate were two gargoyles; one a shimmery pink and one onyx black. They would stare at visitors and intruders alike, with cold empty gazes, unmoving unless provoked.

In the sky, there seemed to be something moving, soaring amongst the clouds. It looked tiny from the distance, a speck with lines jutting out like wings. It banked and spiraled lower, ducking in and out of sight in the misty cover up high. There were unspeakably familiar things all over, yet everything was different. The property had been leveled once, and then since tripled in size if not more. If the visitor happened to look, they might see familiar faces in the Equillion grazing in the pasture, or in the Akui Malii lounging on the doorstep. Perhaps in the two Mortlings scampering around, playing tag.

The air was silent and still, save for the sounds of bugs and basic birds, and rushing water heard even at the front gate.

The shimmery, pastel Gargoyle turned her head slowly to watch the intruder. It wasn't everyday someone braved the fence to try and climb onto the property, so the Gargoyle wasn't quite sure what to do about it. Surely the other creatures inside the place would rip the person to shreds, if they were indeed a threat. But just in case... Silver's back to her and the fence, she lifted a clawed hand and cast a quick spell; a feeling of bliss and contentment would settle over the intruder, making them ill-inclined to attack anything inside. It wasn't much, and it wouldn't keep them from continuing their mission, but casting Bliss would ensure they didn't cause damage to the property or the creatures themselves. The black gargoyle without wings simply watched on.

The Equillion in the pasture was all dark and all bright, at the same time. Thin, black body. Wispy flame-like mane dancing in the breeze, seeming to crackle yellow, orange, red in succession. But when he turned; the Equillion had a horn and a dainty face. Vlad was the closest to the fence, the first to notice, when the newcomer approached. His head raised. Not in the quick fashion of fright, but in the slow, deliberate 'I'm watching you' stance of confidence.

Vlad snorted, still eyeing the newcomer with a degree of disgruntlement. He was being disturbed, and for what? What did this stranger want? Perhaps not stranger, they seemed familiar... But it had been a while and both had changed since they'd lived together with Ashe, so the metaphorical hackles were still raised. He seemed to hover just above the grass, such was his grace as he moved, sweeping to the side and turning to face Silver. He snorted again, and this time sparks of flame sizzled from the muzzle. Misty mane and tail rolled and floated around him, like flaming stormclouds, crackling with the aggression of the Equillion. Pure though he might be, he had his father's temper - perhaps worse, because he had no ribbon with which to grow human like bonds through shared thoughts.

Poised, the stallion lowered his head, aiming his horn in a threatening manner, ready to strike if the person came any closer. It wasn't that he felt threatened, but that he enjoyed threatening others, getting his way whenever he felt like it. He only listened to a handful of living creatures, one of them being his father, another Ashe, and then...

There was a swoop, swoop sound of leathery wings as another creature joined them. This stallion was huge, built like a tainted- that is to say, muscular but slim, too brawny for the Pure body, not thick enough for the Common. Bones showed; ribs, femurs and humorus. Black flame crackled across his body and large bat wings folded at his side. Vlad whipped around to face him, paused for a moment as he debated challenging him, then he bowed his head, and horn, to Maverick.

The black stallion had a pair of eerie robotic eyes jammed into the otherwise empty sockets; these stared at Vlad until the Pure retreated, flicking his tail as he trotted away, then they turned and fixed on Silver and his companion. If this wasn't a familiar face, perhaps none were, and though Maverick had been around Silv, Maverick hadn't had eyes of his own back then.

"You smell familiar..." Came the deep, rumbling voice. Who spoke? No one here besides the Equillion and the boy! The quick observer would notice the collar of speech as well as the charm of brilliance, but it would be easy to miss if you weren't looking. "You look familiar, too." From mind-images years ago, Maverick had picked up a few sights, but minds' eye was a different perspective for sure. "Who are you?"

"Silver. You were close with Ashe, once." Maverick remembered him, remembered the smell, remembered Ashe and Silv living close together for a long time. Going from being inseparable to the point they smelled similar, to not being around for a very long time. And now here he was, trespassing and for some reason unafraid of being gored to death by an aggressive Equillion. Maverick, too, had a horn- a long, boney growth coming from the center of his forehead, though he was much more careful with it and tended to keep it pointed upward, which changed his posture to something more regal than a typical Tainted would stand. He gazed at the newcomers; the person, with their little fox spirit. He recognized Zii for what she was, because Ashe had three Shijin of his own, little animal spirits that floated around and tried to help out. She seemed familiar with him, though he didn't recognize her, and he figured she had been present the whole time Silver had lived with Ashe.

With the newcomers sized up and memories centered, Maverick snorted at Silver's response. "Love." That was ridiculous. He was not some silly human that would go around hugging and kissing and cuddling out of love, nor was he a creature who required it to function like some others. He was sure Ashe felt a certain way about him, and he reciprocated, but pronouncements of love were the last thing he expected from an intruder.

"You were gone, for a long time. Now you are here, unexpectedly. What are you here, for?" Maverick asked, robot eyes focusing on Silver, glowing green. True, he was less aggressive than Vlad had been, but he held more capabilities than the lowly Pure, if the intent caused displeasure.

Maverick thought it was odd, this reaction of unease. He didn't quite understand the complexity and nonsense of human emotions, aside from what he'd felt from Ashe over the years through the ribbon and their bond. Ashe's emotions had gone up and down and all around, sometimes for things that made sense and sometimes for things that Maverick couldn't comprehend, even with the gifts bestowed upon him. He couldn't frown like a human, though he continued to look intently at the pair, trying to think this over. He didn't like not knowing. Pieces of a puzzle that just didn't fit together...

He almost wished he could talk to the floating fox. She would probably know what was going on and could explain. Alas, not every creature that stepped onto this estate could talk like he could. And she wasn't one of them. Maverick was mastering powers of the mind, but even he could not speak with the mind.

"You do not remember?" He asked, ears perking forward in interest. This was a puzzle piece. He could use this. "You do not remember Ashe? You do not remember me?" He wasn't offended at the memory loss, more so checking off boxes on a list of details. What did this boy remember, what did he not remember. "I do not care if you stay or leave." As long as Ashe didn't give the order; then he would care. "I can bring you to Ashe. Perhaps he will have an answer."

Maverick did not laugh. "Nyx is my daughter," He said, assuming the person before him was referring to that specific Equillion. If he reminded him of her, then it was probably because of appearance. Styxx and Nyx were his children with the lovely Pure, Mercy. Though they were hardly friends, they had a respect for each other; and though they had not coupled like wild things, there was a shared bond between them, however slight, with Styxx in the herd. They had shared parenting the foal, and he had known his filly during the time Ashe and Silver lived together. He was slightly amused to hear that she was chatty. That was different from the atmosphere here with the other walking skeletons, though his 'legitimate' son, Damiel, was chatty and cheery too. He'd assumed Lux's genes had caused the humor, yet Maverick was the common factor here.

Called to action, Maverick realized he might have lied to the little human. He hadn't meant bring him to Ashe so much as he could get them together. He was quiet for a moment, though he looked preoccupied with a thought, then his robotic eyes swiveled and his features relaxed.

"Ashe is coming."

If one looked to the sky, they would notice the black speck from earlier was getting bigger, the shape forming into a large black dragon creature, four legs and two wings. The large appendages were audible as they stroked the air, and even more when they began their descent and landing. The wings buffeted the air around them, generating a large gust of wind, before the large clawed limbs touched down with a thump and the wings stopped, poised above, then rolling like parchment and tucking close to the body. On the back of the beast was a man, seated in a saddle. He slid off of Fafnir and patted the Sarane's shoulder, then turned a beaming face onto the guest. "Silver!" He gasped, hurrying over to hug his former lover.

Ashe had been practicing flight patterns and tricks on Fafnir's back. It was a beautiful day for this, sun shining and clear and the air wasn't too cold as it lashed at Ashe's face and clothes. They were far above the ground, where the air was more crisp and cold by default, and everything was brilliant in color and design. Ashe loved to fly; but he also loved the feeling of racing across the ground on the back of an Equillion, or surfing on a Pliathor. He wasn't really picky, but he did really enjoy flying on a Sarane! They cut through a cloud, zooming toward the ground at rapid speed, banking and spiraling, just to angle back upward and try it again. Ashe moved with the great body shifting beneath him, braced in his stirrups, hanging on to fight gravity, shifting his weight for better turns.

He was in the next downfall when he felt Maverick's voice in his head. [You have a visitor. At the house. Silver has returned.]

That was nearly enough to throw him to the side of the saddle, which nearly threw Fafnir off balance. He quickly caught himself before he caused a preemptive barrel roll, apologized to his Sarane, then leaned back in the saddle to slow their flight and redirect it. Fafnir grumbled a bit at having their flying lesson interrupted, but obeyed nonetheless. They swooped over the estate and zeroed in on Ashe's cottage home. Two loops in a spiral, then they landed.

Ashe was in mid hug, his arms around Silver already but right before they tightened in the well deserved bear hug, when he realized Silver was not only refraining from reciprocating, but he was giving off all of the warning signs of a terrified puppy Vulticus. Ashe frowned and took a step back, looking him over. It was his Silver, of course... Changed in the way of time, but he didn't see much outward change that couldn't be explained naturally. The same Shijin... "Hello, Zii," He said, greeting that one too.

"Hey..." He responded to Silver, concerned. "Are you...alright?" Suddenly, he was sure Silver was mad. He hadn't treated him the best in the past, running off with everything that had a pair of legs. And now word surely got out that he'd settled with someone, and it hadn't been Silver... But this looked like fear, more than anger or hurt at betrayal.