Visions of your pretty face send me into hyper space
Caught up in a palentary world
There was a subtle hum of energy.
It wrapped itself around her, promising her a grand adventure if she would just follow along with the whispers and desires.
So she sought out the one she knew would go with her. So the little star spread her wings, painting the sky with her colors. Pink eyes were searching for the dappled form she knew would be dressed like a queen greeting her citizens. Bells that chime with each step as fabric ruffles and shimmers around her. An ethereal goddess that she'd eagerly dance beside.
She soon spots the antlered dame, and she descends, ignoring the disgruntled push for her to keep flying. Landing in a swell of stardust the galactic mare beams, Tori!" The name is spoken with boundless affection by the mare who has yet to learn social cues, much less proper space and ettitque. She smiles warmly, Come? With me?" She pauses, thinking of the right way to explain. Her gaze turns to the mountain, her smile bright. Gods. I go, you come. Must go." It's the best way to explain it, her very magic egging her to go, to see what's waiting for her, soft whispers in the back of her mind.
She turns to the peak, smiling back at Tori, Come?" She asks, motioning for Tori to follow, so together they could see what hummed for her attention.
FROM THE MOUTH INSIDE THE MIND
@Torielle Notes:: So, here's my sweet Veil. The land-bound star haha.
Breathin' in you give me air, I'm living on your solar flare
Could you be my super nova girl?
Spring invited new growth, it was all around them. Shoots of plants thought to be long dead over the harsh winter were proven merely dormant as they stretched towards the sky and delicious sunlight. Critters that had spent their time hibernating came out in droves to bask in the fresh air, the warmth of the new season a signal to all who lived in Novus that the earth was renewing herself.
Growth was not limited only to the flora and fauna, however. Spring was perhaps the best time for those who had been carrying harsh burdens to cast them off, to find freedom in the newness and to forge uncharted paths. Torielle was indulging in this sense for adventure, traveling for the first time to the farthest edge of the Viride.
She had come to know the forest as her home, but there was still much of Novus to be explored. The mare thought becoming more familiar with her nearest surroundings would be a good place to start. As the trees thinned out along the boundary of Delumine, she had begun to see glimpses of a looming mountain in the distance. While she had been deep within the shelter of the woods of the Dawn Court, the interwoven branches had prevented her from acknowledging the landmark, and now that she could make out it’s vast shape, she wondered how she could have missed it at all.
As her pistons slowed to admire the peak, a shadow passed overhead, and for a brief moment the mare was certain it was some large eagle come to take her away. The shower of stardust and ecstatic vocals dismissed this fear quickly.
Veil Nebula had yet to really learn about personal space, or how to approach her fellows from above, but her presence delighted Torielle all the same. The star woman exuded energy, some kind of excitement that was of unknown origin to the scholar. She was asking the mare to accompany her on some kind of journey to the very mountain she had been observing only moments ago.
The Sages of her home temple had always taught her to never dismiss synchronicities, as they were the quiet ways of Gaia guiding lost souls to the right path. Though she had struggled with that very logic not too long ago, the exuberant invitation from her friend could not be turned down.
Her audits flicked at the mention of gods, and she figured that Veil had some kind of calling, some vision that told her she must ascend. And the star woman had felt compelled to seek out the dappled mare and request her company. It filled Tori to bursting, joy lighting up her features as she eagerly accepted.
“Yes, Of course!” She nodded for Veil to lead the way, hoping that she would be able to keep up and that in the winged woman’s excitement the mare wouldn’t be left in her glittering dust.
Visions of your pretty face send me into hyper space
Caught up in a palentary world
The star was eager for her friend to tag along.
Finding Tori hadn't been the issue, having grown familiar her appearance through study lessons - and because she though Tori was just so unforgettable. Spotting her had been easy, quickly followed with her pitch to the ground. She didn't waste time. Her energy demanding she aim to achieve her goal quickly, continue to where the hum demanded her attention.
And while she was being heralded to the mountain top of the gods, the star wanted Tori to join her in selfish desire of her friends companionship. She wanted her her company, to share this moment. It was an odd feeling that wrapp3ed around her heart and tugged, an emotion she didn't know, or understand, but willingly gave into. To stay close to Tori, to keep learning about her.
The joy on her friend's face filled her heart, and she smiled back, immediately adjusting her gatebtonthe familiar beat that allowed her and Torielle to travel with out too much of a strain by either. The little star determined to walk alongside. Not just lead. She easily lead Torielle to the trail that would lead up the mountain, gently pouting up, we follow. To top." She explains, smiling in reassurance, Not hard travel." She adds to reassurance before starting the climb, the hum louder now in the back of her mind.
FROM THE MOUTH INSIDE THE MIND
@Torielle Notes:: Adventure time adventure time.
Breathin' in you give me air, I'm living on your solar flare
Could you be my super nova girl?
As the galaxy mare lead them to the trailhead, she indicated the mountain’s peak, assuring the dappled doe that it was not as intimidating as it seemed. In their time together, Torielle had learned to trust Veil. Her heart was good, and she would not intentionally lead her friends astray. If she said they needed to ascend to the summit, and if she told her companion that the road would not be harsh, then her word was as good as any tome written as law.
“Do you know why?” The question was an obvious one, though the antlered dame was unsure if either of them would receive an answer. Something had called to the star fallen woman, that much was clear. Though she kept a pace that was accommodating to a leisurely walk, there was some kind of pressing. Torielle aimed to keep up, adjusting her gait as the excitement bounded through her friend.
The mare hadn’t intended to go exploring up any mountains today, but the prospect of doing so in good company filled her with determination and a bit of giddy wonder. Veil had mentioned gods, and though curiosity tugged at her, she would wait to see what the summit held for them.
The star’s excitement was contagious, and Torielle found that a spring found its way into her step, and she had to keep herself from dancing right off the edge of the trail. She could barely recall the last time she had explored a new land with a friend; her initiation with Lorelei had been ages ago, an entire lifetime.
As deep blue pools looked to the star dusted lady at her side, she summoned up the same bubbling personality, the kind that warmed those around her and encouraged lightheartedness. If the scholarly mare was to continue in this world with any friend, she was glad that it was Veil Nebula. She would follow the woman to the ends of the earth.
Visions of your pretty face send me into hyper space
Caught up in a palentary world
She was excited, but only in part for the adventure.
Friendship, company, individuals she could share her thoughts with where important- and so while the adventure and what may wait for her was thrilling . . . The company was priceless. The trek to the trailhead was easy, but the star smiled at the willing trust Torielle was showing her before she began to lead the way.
She was silent at the question, her gaze thoughtful.
Why the call. What for? What was leading her? And to what. The hum was familiar though, and her gaze turns back to Tori, feels . . . Like home." She points to the sky, beyond the clouds, But smaller. Gift from home?" She offers with a shrug, but a smile nonetheless.
She continues to the peak, before stopping at entrance to the temples, this holy place. She smiles reassuringly, even as she picks small feathers from her wint, telekinetically laying each one at the base of the court gods as she approached Tempus's temple. She lowered herself in reverence before him. Plucking two smaller feathers and primary to lay at his feet in greeting before return to Tori's side.
She looks around. Feeling the hum.
Not sure why here." She admits, trying to express her uncertainty of what next. But then an array of colors opened above them, Veil immediately recognizing the colors. They dust and vibrant hues floated around them, small pinpoints in space of other stars, the nearby ones bright. As large as her head. Tears fell from the eyes of the star, as she looked around from the center of the array, her colors wafting around her in a more nebulatic fashion. The now star turned her gaze towards Tori. Home." She whispers, eyes closing as the projection faded into her glowing necklace.
But the whisper was still there. Urgent. Desperate.
The hum was gone. But? Veil's eyes flung open wide as the whispers became louder, encroaching upon her mind. Spirited greetings, "Welcome Home!" And "We missed you sister." And the sudden righteous flooding her. Her vision blurred as that old connection sunk in, reattached as she realized home wasn't her stationary place in the stars. She was more than that. Bigger than that. She blinked the tears.
I had forgotten . . ."
The sentence structure had shifted, though her voice that was typically filled with wonder and wisdom remained, How stars work . . . How we function on a plane bigger than ourselves. I'd cut myself off, from the knowledge we possess, the wonders we know." The words fell from her lips, her eyes still glassy with the tears that hadn't fallen to join the others. I hear them now. The others. I remember now. Everything I'd forgotten while separated from the Universe."
Her smile turns shy, embarrassed.
Though your lessons will still be beneficial. Knowledge and communication skills aside. I'm not a horse. And there is still a lot for me to learn about how to become one."
FROM THE MOUTH INSIDE THE MIND
@Torielle Notes:: Finally my star is whole!!!
Breathin' in you give me air, I'm living on your solar flare
Could you be my super nova girl?
A gift from home? Torielle tilted her head slightly, watching as her friend so willingly accepted the idea. Whatever the call was, it was strong enough to cause the stardusted woman to seek it without question. The scholarly mare could not remember the last time she had done so herself. Had it been when she last walked among the astral plane? The pull that had brought her to Novus, walking through the eternal darkness into the crisp winter morning. Her arrival in this land was the closest she could recall. The joy with which her friend followed this spiritual pull, the complete trust in the path, was something the dappled mare had missed. Seeing it so plainly in her companion reminded her that the same light still lived within herself, somewhere.
They continued their ascent in companionable silence, the antlered woman eager to see what would await them at the peak. Veil’s excitement was palpable, and it was impossible not to mirror. As they came around the final corners, crested the final hills of their journey, the mortal mare suddenly understood the pull that her friend had felt.
When one set foot to any holy site, it was unmistakable. Regardless of time, or space, or intent, the spiritual essence of a place reserved for worship bent the very fabric of reality surrounding it. Take one step across the invisible boundary and even the most staunch skeptic could feel the shift within the atmosphere. Those who claimed to be more sensitive, more in tune with the cosmic, could feel the pulse from yards or even miles away. Structures that had been erected for the purpose of reverence held the aura of the gods to which they were devoted, and the energy from all those who had come before.
A small area could be made holy for a short time, provided the right conditions. That space could be made to contain the magic of the world for the briefest glimpse of time, though it would fade into the earth and the soil would be indistinguishable from what it had been before one it was gone. To create sacred ground, consecrated ground, it took the effort of ages, of thousands of souls all harmonizing. This mountain hummed with the generations of Novians who sought counsel, who made pilgrimage to commune with their gods.
Tingling like spiderwebs drifted across the mare’s coat as she approached the holy site. To say that she was awestruck would be a disservice. Though it was only just the beginning of spring, the flora thrived. Moss covered brick and woven ivy spiraled up the columns of the temple, built by equines long forgotten by any who held a mortal lifespan. To set hoof to ground was a heady experience, though it was impossible to tell if it was purely from the altitude or the strength of all the worship that came before.
Torielle watched quietly as Veil plucked feathers from her wings, laying each magnificent galaxy before stone effigies, five to represent each of the deities belonging to Novus. The reverence in which the star woman conducted herself brought the doe to weep. It had been so long since her heart had been full.
Living among the Sage’s Temple in her home she had been surrounded by similar energy at all hours of day and night. It had never occurred to the mare that she would one day no longer feel the thread of her goddess running through the fabric of her being. That aching hole that she had been avoiding these past two years was suddenly filled and it took all of her strength not to buckle at the knees.
Though Veil was still unsure of their purpose here, it did not trouble the star, and so it did not trouble the mare. It seemed the offering of feathers answered the call that the cosmic woman had been feeling. The weave of reality separated and for a single eternity the colours that danced before the two stole the dappled mare’s breath away.
Home, Veil had said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Torielle watched as the nebula that formed around her friend flowed into the jewel at her throat. They stood in silence for what could have been an age; time always seemed to be irrelevant in sacred places, and the antlered maiden found this to be no different.
The way in which the star woman spoke had taken some getting used to. She always seemed to have more knowledge, more feeling than her limited vocabulary could express. It had become almost a point of pride for Torielle to be able to understand the things that Veil had tried to impart. It had been clear through the handful of lessons they completed that the star was only lacking in the functional word, and once she had the tools to describe her thoughts and feelings, her speech would improve. The mare’s first impressions had been somewhat correct, in that the star knew how to communicate, understood the complexities of emotion, she had just not spoken in the same way as those with a mortal birth.
To hear her now speak in fully articulated sentences was jarring, but not unpleasant. The puzzling over words was an unexpected weight lifted. Veil spoke with clarity, and the wonders which she described were beautiful.
“I had thought,” Torielle whispered, the sparkle in her blue orbs searching her friend for something unknown. “When you had said you came from the stars…. I had wondered… had believed…”
As the words trailed from her lips the mare stepped forward, closing the short distance between the two women. An embarrassed chuckle bubbled up from her dappled chest as she tipped her head to avert her gaze. “I had thought you to be a goddess,” she said, her audits flicking.
“I understand now that you…” The woman looked up through the dark fringe of lashes to gaze upon Veil, her friend. “You are not just from the stars, but of them. Of the universe itself.” She shook her head.
“You need not become anything more than you are, Veil.” Like the magnetic pull that brought the star to these holy grounds, Torielle felt compelled. She extended her sooty muzzle, reaching for the rich purple of tear stained cheeks.
“Beautiful Veil,” she whispered. “My friend. You are perfect.”
Visions of your pretty face send me into hyper space
Caught up in a palentary world
The mountain top was a refuge.
The way it filled her with energy, with acceptance and a sense of rightness. The energy of the temples never failed to flood her. The first steps up that trail had her steps lightening. She practically danced, the star dust wafting as she approached each temple step to layout a feather.
She moved slowly, back to Torielle.
But it didn't explain the calling. Not until the colors swept alive between the two. Veil's star of a heart pulsed quickly in her chest, eyes wide as as she recognized the setting, each star that glimmered in the distance of the projection. Silence swept over them as slowly the colors sunk into her glowing gem, but for Veil, as the voice swept her mind, it wasn't a total silence.
The tears flowed freely, but a smile touched her muzzle.
The knowledge flooded with those voices, a snapping of her soul back into the thread of the very universe. She stayed quiet for a moment before her voice flowed, no longer struggling to make sense of words she couldn't comprehend, or noises that seemed at odds with the thoughts that flooded her mind. The knowledge locked away, the memories and emotions that could flood her mind with no way to be expressed. But now ...
She turned to Torielle, a smile touching her muzzle.
The whispers of the dappled mare returned her gaze to the veiled woman. Veil met the treasured gaze, curious of what Tori had to say. What had she wondered, had she believed? Veil tilted her head, looking up at the slightly taller woman as she stepped closer, her gaze averting at the admittance of wondering if Veil had been a Goddess.
The star has to laugh in surprise.
The surprise visible, and a playful shake of her head the understanding though was gentle, of the stars, of the universe, and she nods gently in agreement, I am, yes. She agrees softly, before looking surprised at the thought that she not become anything else. Tori's soft touch wad unexpected, but not unwelcome. Her gaze softened to the dappled lady lifting her own muzzle up to return the gesture, brushing her lips against the soft fur of the lady's cheek, I am but a humble star, perfection are those of you who live upon this rock. Full of a such wonder, and amazing existences. Stars in nature are chaotic and wild, burning bright. But Torielle, in my eyes . . . You are the perfect one. Pure and soft, gentle and warm. Her muzzle lifts as she pulls away, Everything about you, my dearest friend; is wonderful. From the melodic chimes as you move so gracefully, to the softness you handle everyone with . . . You're intoxicating and unforgettable, and I cannot be more thankfully that the stars guided me to you. That fate allowed you into my life. I couldn't have asked for a better friend, a brighter light to my life, who can outshine the stars.
She couldn't name the swell of emotions.
Why Tori's appearance always brightened her mood. How that delicate visage made the star in her chest pulse faster, brighter. How Tori's presence muted the homesickness for the stars. How Tori soothed every lonely ache, every painful thought of missing home. One day she'd understand why Tori felt like home. One day, she'd realize what these emotions meant.
What Torielle meant to her.
One day, but for now, her friend was more than enough.
FROM THE MOUTH INSIDE THE MIND
@Torielle Notes:: <3
Breathin' in you give me air, I'm living on your solar flare
Could you be my super nova girl?
The returned gesture gave birth to an explosion of butterflies in Torielle’s stomach as she melted into Veil’s touch. The dappled mare was familiar with the sensation; the fluttering of childhood crushes was nearly unmistakable. She would contain herself, though. Her upbringing had taught her that all love was sacred, but her tutelage among the Sages had spoken against any earthly attachments, any deep rooted connections with anyone outside of their devotion to Gaia. She’d never agreed with such notions to begin with, and that had always been something her teachers found troublesome. However, with the mare's preferences for those of her own ilk, The Council had seen it to be of overall little consequence. She wouldn’t have any reason to forsake her vows of celibacy if her lust and love was for another woman after all.
Though her own heart was a flurry, she would not be able to tell for certain if the affections would be mirrored, and she valued her budding friendship far too much to press her luck. So the mare enjoyed the gentle touch of the star’s muzzle pressed to her cheek, and basked in the glow of her beautiful words, but she wouldn’t allow herself to read too much into it. No, not too much.
Veil made it difficult, the praise she spoke of showering the antlered mare like a thousand glittering lights, electrifying her skin. Torielle had to remind herself that Veil was not of this mortal coil- she could not possibly know what kind of intensity those words would bring, what such things could appear to be.
And to say them in the halls of worship no less! For a brief moment it felt as close to veneration as any other goddess could achieve. She quickly stomped out the thought- if the scholar allowed that feeling to bloom, it would consume her ego, and truly, she reasoned, Veil couldn’t know that the way she spoke was almost akin to lovers more than friends. The star woman had said as much just moments ago, that she had no understanding of how to be equine.
Instead, Torielle gave her a soft smile, dipping her head in both gratitude and a touch of embarrassment. “I could say the very same,” she said. “You came to me in a time where I felt very lost and gave me purpose again.” She made careful eye contact beneath a thick fringe of lashes, calming blue pools to dazzling pink hues. “Taught me joy again. I don’t think I could ever thank you enough for that.”
A stiff wind wove through the pillars that surrounded them and shivered down the mare’s spine. Though the season had changed, the two of them had climbed a great height, and at this altitude it certainly did not feel like a fresh spring breeze so much as a biting winter chill. She cast her gaze back to the path that led from the mountain peak, her bells chiming as the wind continued to pull at them.
“Though I imagine that’s our cue to leave,” she chuckled. “Perhaps we can celebrate your gift with a warm cup of tea and something delicious for lunch. It should be about time for that, I think, once we reach the bottom.”
Visions of your pretty face send me into hyper space
Caught up in a palentary world
With the rightness once more settled, the hum that had demanded her presence gone and replaced with the jolly whispers of the stars, the celestial woman felt herself relax. Of course, it could also be Torielle who lessened her edges, allowed her to find peace. Her smile was gentle when Torielle spoke of a time when she had felt lost, felt as thought she'd been gifted purpose again. You don't need to thank me. The star responds gently, unable to pull her rose tinted gaze from the clear blue of the other mare. The wind that rustled had both women shivering, and it was with a laugh that Veil followed Tori's gaze to the path.
I couldn't agree more. Let's head back, I could use for a snack, and some tea. The star agreed, turning towards the path, and playfully nudging her friend with a wing as she made her way down the trail, heading back to the court Torielle called home, and Veil was beginning to see as the same.
FROM THE MOUTH INSIDE THE MIND
@Torielle Notes:: Just a quick IC Departure.
Breathin' in you give me air, I'm living on your solar flare
Could you be my super nova girl?
Torielle could have floated down the mountain on the woman’s laughter, leaning into Veil as the stardust from her wing cascaded down the mare’s dappled side. The nudge had been playful, friendly, though electrifying, at least for her. The woman was grateful to the dark points on her features that hid the flush she felt rising to her cheeks.
She pulled herself to walk step-in-step with her companion, buzzing with questions, now that Veil had full use of her voice again, was connected with the universe. The doe left the peek a bit saddened, though. Seeing the starwoman reunite with her highest self, the stars and the cosmos, reminded Torielle of the void in her own life where Gaia was supposed to be. How it had been years since she had heard from her goddess. How after her time in Novus she had stopped praying with the hope for an answer. There was a deep ache in her chest as they descended, though she would not allow the sorrow to last long. This was supposed to be a celebration for her friend.
Torielle bottled up those thoughts, put them under lock and key. She could wallow in her uncertainty another day. She could ponder the fate of herself on a less joyous occasion. After all, she could at least conclude with some level of certainty that she had not been thrown into some hellscape. What hellscape would have blessed her with Veil?
The mare looked to her companion as they walked, and she wondered, briefly, if Veil might be the key to filling the void in her heart. If, perhaps, she might lead the scholar to love and accept the deities of Novus as willingly and wholly as the star herself. Perhaps, one day. The thought soothed her and quieted the void in her chest. It was all but forgotten by the time they had reached the bottom of the mountain, replaced with hunger and a desire for delicious tea and cakes.
"Speech." | @Veil Nebula
IC departure and Closer for Thread
