|Hear The Sea Cry|, Rukario

[Hidden]

It is dawn. I am already awake. I would set off at a faster pace, but am resricted to a walk. I am frightened to go slower than I am, which is as fast as possible. Afraid my hunters will find me. I had never felt this before, but before I had sheilded myself from everything, taking pain willingly. Letting them do what they wished to me.

When this happened I left them. I left, wandering, having no where to go or stay. I could rest no more than an hour until I got farther away. Even then, I risked capture. So I kept moving. I had come to this place. I have journeyed far, and learned much.

During this journey I have learned who 'Rukario' is. She is a scared young mare. One that has never felt love nor given it. One that knows nothing of this world, it's emotions, it's regrets and hopes. One that has been suffocated by the dark of her heritage. One who is travelling far. One who needs peace within herself. 'Rukario' is me.

Before now, I wasn't 'Rukario', though that was still my name. I had been cold-hearted and mean, beating others, ready to put into action battle plans. Battle plans I have purposely forgotten. I am sure they still linger on the fringes off my imagination. And that, for me, is dangerous.

I still wonder what my life would have been like, had I not left. Had I not changed. Would I still be back there, fighting for evil? Or would I have, somehow, stopped fighting all together? Maybe I would've killed myself. No one knows. No one will ever know. Not even me.

I walk into a place, hearing and smelling all who lingered here. I feel old presences, presences of those who found home, acceptance, and a tinge of love, if not more. These are the things I now hope for. But, the questions is, will my past cloud another's judgement? I hope not. The chance of my hopes being true are highly unlikely, I know. They may think I am still bad within. But I'm not. I never was. Just on the outside.

[Rider]

THe fired-hued brute gave a snort as a new scent wafted into his paper thins as he grazed. He lifted his dial, his strings falling randomly on his forehead. He breathed deeply, the scent unrecognizable, but he fully knew it was another Equine like himself.

His long pillars moved him foward in a beat of two. His daggers landed lightly on the earth, barely audible, leaving his trail on the terrain. He went through long grasses which grazed his underside, and soon came to a small pack of woods. As he made it to the other edge, where light shone clearly, he spotted the one he searchd for.

A lone fae stood in the clearing, belly bulging obviously with a foal. He wondered why she was in the dreadful claiming grounds since she was in foal. It was rare for a mare not to already have a protector in this state.

He took a few steps foward, clearing himself from the shadey hiding place from where he stood. He gave a bow to her, in respect and in question for him to appraoch her. As he brought his crown back up, a light breeze picked up, cooling his frame from the rays of the globe in the sky. His whipcord tossed slightly, playing with the wind as he waited.

[Hidden]

Sound the bugle now...

I turn to face the sound and scent of another of my race. I see him through my veil, draped as it is over my eyes. I throw my head to clear it to one side, so as to see better. I look over him. No, he is not one that I have met before. As I realize this I relax.

Tell them I don't care...

The look of my facial all alone would let him know I do not care, even if the rest of my bodice, large as the middle part was, showed the same. And of course, my hulk did just that. Showing my vunribility. I could only wish he would not think it a sign of weakness. It wasn't my fault. Well, ok, in a way, it was. But that's besides the matter.

There's not a road I know...

Soft whuffle comes rom me, the only sound in the awkwardly silent clearing. Though most would figure it a non-expressive sound, in this case I would prove them wrong. It alone sounded distress, loneliness, pain. Above all, it told him he could come forward if he wanted. I had no care in the world, an arrival wouldn't change that. Being here had changed me. My journey had changed me. Actually, nothing had really changed, it'd just been revealed.

That leads to anywhere...

[Rider]

His ears flicked foward as he heard the sound emit from her velveteen. He appraoched her, staying a few feet away so as not to invade her space. He gave her a small smile and then he spoke.

I am known as Etalon. May I know of your dubbance? he asked, his vocals soft but clear. His head lowered slightly, and a small arc formed in his boa, his usual relaxed position. His opticals scanned her form more clearly, noting everything from the feminine curve of her dial to the long, loose strings of her whipcord.

As he stood, familiar sounds approached his auds. He heard a couple birds from over head, their high chatter easily heard. He also picked up the softer sounds, like the rustles of leaves as the blowing air touched them.

[Hidden]

Without a light I fear...

I let out pent up air as the silence is broken by his words and the sounds of nature that have decided to join us. Only one ear follows the path to hearing him better, though it, in the end, wasn't needed, really. I hear him. I comprehend what he has said. I will respond. But my mind is wandering.

That I will stumble in the dark...

Rukario. My timid voice reachs the air around us. I try to pull back from the present, forget the past. But the past is drawing me in, tempting me to turn away, to go back where I came from, to live as I had before. I fought it within myself with a passion I had never felt before.

Lay right down...

I know now the differences in life and fake life. A faked life is a mere cover, to conceal who you are from evryone, including yourself. Eventually it will swallow you up, rid you of everything, and leave you hanging, waiting or someone to help you. Once you get to that point, though, there is no help. I fight to stop that from happening to me. And I am losing.

Decide not to go on...

[Rider]

Are you alright? he asked the vixen, his tone concerned.. She seemed upset. He looked at her, his orbs gentle.

His tail flicked over his redened pelt, scaring the pesky biters away for the moment. His muscles twitched as a small shiver went over him as they landed again on his hide. His whipcord flicked again, keeping them away.


-ran out of things to say, your not helping-

[Hidden]

-sorry. i'm being Ruka -

Then from on high, somewhere in the distance...

I blink twice in surprise at his concern. I had figured one would hate me so/ Maybe it was because he did not yet know. That must be it. There's no other logical explaination. Though, I guess, not everything has to be logical.

There's a voice that calls remember who you are...

Quiet, happy laughter rocketed inside me as I started to win over the temptation. My glee rose high, until a moment later it was shattered. Now though, after the sweet--though short-- taste of triumph, I had resolve. No way would I back down, even if this interior fight killed me.

If you lose yourself, your courage soon will follow...

I am shaken out of a reverie of this as he speaks again. I am finely tuning my hearing to hings now, paying full attention. I'm fine. It's nothing, really. My voice is still but a whisper as inside Rukario triupmhs again, holding the winning position until the quickly come end. I have won.

Be strong tonight...

No longer will temptation drive me overboard. I have won, not only myself, but control over what I want and don't want now. I am satisfied now. All trouble have left me. I forget for now that there are still equines persuing me. I hear every sound, smell every smell. And, in a way, am reborn.

Remember who you are...

[Rider]

Okay. he resonded. He gave her a light smile. His frame stood relaxed, but alert. I know we are still only acquaintances, but I would like to extend an invite to you to join me in my lands. he said calmly.

Though his outside form seemed calm and relaxed inside, he was actually nervous. What if he asked to soon? Why he had became nervous was unknown to him but the feeling was still there. He made sure it did not penetrate to the surface, breaking his calm stature.

[Hidden]

I let a ghost of a smile appear. This was the first time I'd truly been happy, let alone happy enough to smile. No, I'm not a freak. I'm simply me. That's all there is to it. You can deal if you don't like it.

I hear his request and think it over fully. I feel as if I have thought only a minute or so, though my mind tells me it's been longer. Longer by about a couple minutes. So I wasn't that far off. I guess.

Sir Etalon, I start in respectively. I always had, though now it was for properness, not the teasing it used to be for. Very soon it may be, but many things have happened fast over the course of a few months. Nothing seems abrupt to me anymore. I shall be glad to accept your offer.

I was surprised at how smoothly the transition from rebel to lady had been. I know it might have the fact that I was being asked about by every horse my chasers met, but I was starting to look on a better side. As long as I no longer did the evil things taught to me, I could fool them. Or so I hoped. My coat is fairly different though. That could present a problem.

[Rider]

His smile grew slightly as she accepted his offer. I am glad. Follow me to Regal Asylum. he responded to her. He turned towards where home was and began walking, making sure she was following.