The Cure; [insanity]

[Meg]

cigarette
in the depths of a mind insane...

[Meet Cigarette.]
The trees bent down to breath upon her, their withered limbs reaching out to grab her flesh. On she ran, he white rimmed orbs wide in terror, he talons drumming into the path of dead leaves. She flew down the faded path, not sure of where she ran, only needing to get away. Leaves flew up behind her, only to float back down to the ground that they had previously lain. The trees creaked and groaned, bending down before her. The grey sky behind their black limbs seemed to swirl with black and white; and a few raindrops began to drip down. Imagination whirled before the mare's crazed eyes, as she thundered recklessly through the trees. Her silver body turning grey with sweat, her redish mane becoming plastered to her foaming neck. On she raced, like a freight train. Muscles whithered under her dappled coat, and her banner whipped out behind her.

An unearthy sound left her lips as a tree before her stretched out infront of the path and opened it's limbs to scoop her up; waiting for her to run right into it's branches. She slammed back on her hind talons, digging into the ground until she was almost sitting. Muscles sprang up once she was done skidding and she jumped to race the oppisite direction. On the left and the right, trees reached for this beautiful creature that was frightened by her own insanity. She could hear the creaks and groans of the trees that reached out for her legs, to trip her so they could grab her. Vines swung down before her, reaching for her neck; she whipped to the right and continued racing. She was looking for anywhere there was a clearing. Anywhere save. Eyes wide in terror, they reflected the sight of a large willow tree with all of it's vines whipping out to grab her, she dodged; and then it was over.

She spilled out of the trees on her face, skidding a few feet before she bounded back up like a rabbit from a fox and continued to race on the cold grey ground of what seemed to be a prairie once forgotten. She could hear the wails, and splitting of trees behind her that screamed out their anger, and she flew faster away from the wretched forest. Before long, her heart beat in her auds, drumming her back to a small reality. She began to slow to a small gallop, which lowered to a trot. Finally she stood in the middle of a land she had never seen before. There was no color; no sweet grass to graze, and no beautiful flowers to admire. It was empty and grey. The dirt wasn't red like the dirt at the meadows, it was dark grey with a few black leaves here and there that had been plastered to the ground by the rain. The sky was dark and evil looking, like it was ready to open up and swallow the mare that stood in the empty, strange land that she could take no cover from the rain in. Rocks were spread here and there in different areas in an unusual pattern. She took interest in their shape and patterns. She took note of a few hoofprints in front of these rocks, where a horse seemed to have stood looking down at these boulders.

Insanity. She shook her head, not really ready to find out what this strange land was; but it was safe. That is all of what she knew of. She closed her white rimmed brown eyes, the world spinning in confusion. All she could hear was the heartbeat of the world. That is what she thought of it as, she wasn't quite sure of it. She knew if she listened hard enough, she could even hear the world take a breath. There, she heard the earth sigh and start to breath again. She smiled softly. What was to come of this pretty mare? Once a theif of the children, and the seed of insanity that was planted in her mind.

...fantasy and reality are the same.

[occ; crow...maybe zoal could stumble upon her again?

[Crow'sia]

WINTER.one

Zoal had never really been in this region of the territory, he tended to avoid it for its morbid reminder of death and the seldom-mourning fool. Leaves crackled beneath him for snow had yet to fall, and he walked calm and confident despite the actual lulling sickness which was plaguing him. Zoal tried to remember where he last was. Oh yes, the cliffs was it? Or perhaps the beach? He could not recall. And frankly he did not care. Under the eerie sky of the ravine he continued to walk and something struck him as odd for a deep pounding reverberating beneath his feet so strong was pulsing in his mind. Zoal could not trace it as it slithered up his dark furred legs like the sickest techno beat. Not that he would no what techno was. Quietly he hummed a tune to himself, a lullaby, it soothed him for the time.

Weaving in and out of each tree branch was a lovely challenge. He felt unbelievably refreshed in the cool winter air, revived again as though he were a phoenix. The only thing he was still bothered by remained to be that feeling, that thumping, and then the most unworldly of sounds tore his peace apart, like a banshee being slaughtered or a siren resisting a creature with such similar powers. He shuddered and was suddenly drawn to follow it, his whole body and every muscle moving in that direction. It was funny really, for if he had known whom had made such a noise, he might have laughed at him own equation that it were a siren’s demise.

Soon the scrawny excuse for a stallion was coming upon a break in the forest, or so he assumed for the trees were thinning. The sound had stopped so very long ago but came from this area he was certain. Curiosity may kill the cat. Thank goodness he was not a cat. And so it was, quite confident that the forest was indeed going to break Zoal broke into a run, quick yet erratic, and his assumption was confirmed but not without self injury. He came through the trees with a bare limb digging then into his cheek and running up tearing at his eye. Zoal screamed. And then cursed, closing his perhaps bleeding eyelid. Hopefully he jus scraped it.

With his poor eyesight compromised further and no sense of focus he stumbled a moment into the rocky clearing. It was an odd place and he did not recall it at all. The sky had darkened and it looked as though it might tear open with such a vigorous anger he nearly backed right into the forest again. As the wind changed though a familiar scent came to him, so familiar that Zoal cracked open his injured eye in an attempt to focus. The body of something huge was standing in the distance, and as he walked closer his feet slid into the hoof prints of much smaller animals than what that might be.

He could have laughed indeed. The siren was an angel. Zoal said nothing, though he was not stunned.

[Meg]

cigarette
in the depths of a mind insane...

The world continued to breathe around her, it soothed her for a while. She shuddered with the tension that was in the air before a storm. Any normal horse would have sensed the air was full of electricy and would have hiden, but not this creature. She was blinded to her natural instincts. All she knew of at the moment was of the darkness behind her eyelids and the thought of a breathing earth. A sound broke her trance, that of an injuried animal and her eyelids slid open. White-rimmed eyes blinked to accoustom to the swirling dizziness that took over mind. The world spun around her, the blackened sky spinning faster above her, and the surrounding forest crackled and creaked; calling for her to return to their grips. She tried to listen to what made the sound, for surely it was in pain; but the world spun faster, and she closed her eyes again.

She sank to her knees, the cool grey earth feeling comforting as she huddled down to it. She opened her eyes again, the spinning not so fast. She took a glance at the cruel sky above her, and the few droplets of rain splattered on her sweaty body. A creature, nearby stumbled and moved over the surface of this strange land. As she was crouched to the ground, she turned her crown slowly to face the creature that seemed to crawl like a spider towards her. Nares flared, and her talons dug into the ground as fear gripped through her again. This creature came from the woods, it came for her. As it continued to slide of the earth towards her, she pushed her bulk away from it, still crouched to the earth; farther away from the darkened sky. The world was spinning again, and she closed her eyes. Fear reached the blood in her veins. She wasn't sure what this creature was that came from the trees, her senses told her nothing.

Opening her eyes again, she turned her cheek to the sky. It seemed ready to swallow her. The darkness swirled above her, and then a jagged flash of light passed over the clouds; causing her to clutch the ground with her body, cowering down. Soon after a rumble in the distance told to be thunder. The storm was moving in. She looked to where the creature was, the shape became clearer to her as she soon reconized the shape of a horse. But her mind didn't register it as a horse, merely a demon out to take her soul. Her eyes fearful, her voice cracked out, "Creature of the trees, what brings you upon me?"

...fantasy and reality are the same.

[Crow'sia]

The pain that surged through the side of his cheek had now become only a dull throbbing, it had lasted mere seconds. Now he was slowly making his way over to an animal that one might say haunted him, when really it was the other way around. Angel. She had a different name of course, one that sometimes floated on his mind, as if he knew. And he remembered how he loved to torment her, how powerful she really was but how week at the same time. The paradox of the mare enthralled him. Zoal looked down at his feet lifting the earth and stone carefully as no to trip. He thought it very different, very dead? Strange place. When he lifted his head at last but metres away Zoal watched from a single eyes as she dropped to the ground as though sickly.

She was covered with sweat. Clearly something was wrong, it was the first thing that he had noticed. The Angel was unnaturally laboured. When he came closer, and she must have heard him, her head whipped around to stare at him. Zoal was taken aback, he had never seen such feverish eyes, she gripped the earth like it could be her savoir, and this distressed him. The closest memory of such desperation was of the fire. Thunder cried through the skies, and he felt sure that he felt a drop of water had just pelted him one on the head. He thought she was afraid of the storm, but coming closer and closer it was evident she was afraid of him. Crazy as she may be, this satisfied Zoal like nothing else. Except perhaps Italus jumping off that cliff… (haha, goodtimes!)

When she did at last speak to him her language was the most peculiar sort but despite this difference in her language pattern Zoal did not realize her brain was not corresponding him with the species of ‘horse’. He smiled amused, and flicked his ears with brief disdain, trotting around to her front and bowing his head for a better look. It was certainly the mare he remembered, and regarding this Zoal’s muscles tensed for a quick escape. He thought it better to give a less-than-specific answer. And to lie. It was all to perfect for as he spoke a very light rain began while the sky lit like fireworks. “The need to hide and seek shelter, ” he said, trying to be casual. His eyes traced over the rest of her and he grinned. Zoal had picked those words quite carefully, like a silly riddle from a king. She’d clue in eventually.

[Meg]

cigarette
in the depths of a mind insane...

She blinked as the creature came before her, and bowed it's head down to look at her better. The face of a horse came to view; was this a trick that the trees sent her? He had a cut on his cheek to his eye, the cry she had heard. Surely it had came from him? She pulled away from his staring eyes, lowering her mug to her chest and tucking her legs beneth her. Showers opened up from the sky and the rain fell down on her. She shivered, closing her eyes and wishing for it all to end. It was kind of pitiful to see this once powerful mare, lowered down to the earth like she was strickened with a disease. Auds turned, catching all sounds; and she could still feel the creature's eyes upon her. His words soothed over her, “The need to hide and seek shelter." His words couldn't have been better chosen, but where would there be to seek shelter. She refused to go back into the trees. She felt him near her, almost hear the beating of the creatures heart, and a surge of power lashed through her.

With an angry grunt, she whipped her head from her chest and plunged forward to her feet. She stood before the creature that came from the trees, and she reconized him as a horse. A mere horse. Nares quivered and a scent seeped into her mind. Rememberance is a funny thing. A night very much so like this one by a cave in the woodlands. The children, gone. Her white rimmed eyes flashed with angry as she looked upon this steed. Was he the one? She snorted, tossing it to the back of her mind. Muscles quivered as she stamped a dangerous talon in the mud, and the rain continued to shower down upon her. Her voice crackled with a venomous tone, "The need to hide and seek shelter, eh?" She questioned. Looking around, all she could see was the trees all around her, the swayed forward, trying to reach out for her. Fear lashed in her eyes again, and she pressed back to the ground.

She stayed on her feet, but cowered down. She glanced at the steed again, and the fear vanished as she remembered he was standing there. Standing tall, her voice cracked out again, "Only fools hide from what they fear. Where is this so called 'shelter' you seek?" She responded. Still, at the back of her mind she questioned if she had met this steed before. She shook her dappled coat, foam from her sweat mixing with mud and rain. The world continued to swirl around her, only the ground beneth her feet and the stallion before her seemed to stand still, so she keep her white rimmed eyes on him for a while. The air crackled with electricty around them, as the sky boomed out again. Another flash of lightning darted into the trees where she heard a tree crack, and then a few moments later she heard the crash of one fall. Her eyes glowed for a moment, at the thought of something dieing that had tried to hurt her. Glancing back at him with the glow in her eye still she studied him. Tossing her elegant head, she seemed more innocent for a while. Fear still pulsed through her veins, but she hid it from her mind. Subconsiously, she was shivering from her fears; but one could take that from the cold.

...fantasy and reality are the same.

[occ; yuckie post.]

[Crow'sia]

Finally the skies unleashed their burden of rain, the small light drops grew steadily quicker and more; the second wet season had begun. Zoal was about to pull his head away when the mare acted first and he flinched back hard at the moment. Up close at this moment, if he had not recognized her, the stallion would have been sure that his was some other mare. Something sad and broken. It was pathetic really, but he would not allow himself to be disappointed yet, not allow himself to let his guard down. Sirens were tricksters after all, like coyotes, and it was a pity all her victims had not taken this seriously before. Zoal relaxed his body for only a moment then so that it could remember how poised for action it was.

It was in only seconds again, that he was proven right to be so wary and not so paranoid. Nearly knocked over by her sudden movement, Zoal’s spindly legs through his body backwards and out of her way. Every sound, every look that came off her was anger and ducking his head down he looked up at her (how redundant of him… :C) a smile spread across his face. The weather was perfect, the timing was perfect, and he swore her had seen her mind flicker with a familiar memory, but it faded so quickly just as the thunder crashed down on them again. And then she disappointed him. His words were not so effective as he had hoped. Well, better luck next time. "The need to hide and seek shelter, eh?" He nodded.

She had suddenly ducked down, and not seeing where her eyes may have roamed, Zoal had no idea that it was the trees. He only knew that something must have frightened her. Or she was preparing for something. Really now, must we torment a cripple with these kinds of details!? So he remained blissfully unaware, except from the change of pace in her heart, and her breathing, subtle changes his ears could pick up. Oh blissful, reliable ears! But as soon as it had come it had practically vanished. How could she possibly control herself like that? The Angel spoke again, and Zoal, his smile wavering on and off with dangerous distractions flicked his head to the sky in guesture, and to the rain, longing to bend down his ears and protect them. Of course, then he would not be able to hear. “Only fools equate survival with fear,” he told her darkly. He narrowed his one open eye towards her. “Where is this so called 'shelter' you seek?” “Well I would not know if I were looking for it, would I?”

He shook his head and closed both eyes as the sky shook again. The water that brushed against his cheek was refreshed and he was certain he had been bleeding. The taste of his own blood had slid down his face and into his mouth. Zoal ignored his nose now. Apart from the fact it was water logged and the mare was absolutely filthy, it was only another distraction, he opened a single eye and noticed she was looking right at him like she possessed a drill. It was a little disturbing really. So he decided to push her further. “What is your real name. Angel,” he asked her in a very direct manner, it was probably one of the most cruel phrases to come from his mouth, he could never recall his tone so empty of all emotion.

[Meg]

cigarette
in the depths of a mind insane...

Nares flared out; her eyes still on him. There was something aoubt him, she couldn't quite put her hoof upon it. (ah! the irony!) Something just reminded her of a past she had that was misty and faded in the fog. Rain poured down on her quivering muscles, rinsing the mud from her pearly dappled coat. She was turning into somewhat of a civil creature, well, at least in looks. Cocking her pretty face to the side, she tried to figure out what was going through his head. She knew something was there, she could see his gears turning. He was intelligent; she could tell this. She had intelligence, but in a differnet way; not like a normal creature's way of perception and thinking. No, Cigarette had a way of twisting everything up to find out what she needed, or to prove it truth that everyone and everything was out to get her.

Paranoia, it kept her from trusting anyone. Even ol' Duna, she didn't trust. That old mare was her worshiper, but god know's who could have easily tricked that mare's mind. Duna was a weakling, a mere creature that Cigarette had taken advantage of when she needed a slave. She began to calm to her surroundings, since now she had something to put her mind on. Her eyes never wandered from his eyes, you could read someone through their eyes. Her own, were hooded and gaurded. She looked down at him now, for he had lowered his head down; a smile placed on his face. Her eyes alit with meaning, he was happy to see her stand and be powerful? Most creatures would strink away from her. A smirk played at her own kissers.

Her actions seemed to confuse him, she could understand that with the small sanity she did have. Her eyes followed his head movements; as he pointed out the obvious reason why he wanted to seek shelter. She looked up at the dark sky and the pouring rain that looked like spears sailing down to her. It was then she took on full reality that there was a storm raging around her. She closed her eyes for a moment, lifting her head up to feel the rain on her face before lowering her face down to his and looking at him; listening to his words. He had just then told her that only fools would let survival and fear be mixed together. Her mind swirled, what was the point in living if you didn't push survival into fear and get the sweet power and adrinaline pounding through you? Those precious moments where she could breathe; like taking a babe from it's mother's breast. She smiled and ignored his comment; he was smart in the common ways.

Ah, yes. She had asked a question subconiously; 'Where is this shelter you seek?' She nearly laughed at his response, her words curving out of her mouth to flow gently to his ears, "True; but most know where to go for shelter from a storm. But you are still here." She paused, eyeing him; then she twisted it up like she always did. "Therefor you could be seeking a differnet type of shelter." She gazed at him for a moment before turning her cheek to the sky again to feel the icy droplets of rain falling on her face. A shiver quaked over her strong body and she remained with her white rimmed eyes closed.

Then she heard his chilling voice that sent sparks down her cold veins. "What is your real name. Angel." Everything froze in time besides her and that familar stallion. It was then she knew she had reconized him from somewhere. She whipped her head around to stare at him with fury and confusion. No one had ever ran into her twice unless she had wanted them to. The storm ceased in her mind, she no longer noticed it. The shiver was gone from her muscles. Her kissers snarled, as well as her voice. "It was you, that night. I knew I reconized you." Her eyes were ablaze as she seemed the rage war with his own eyes. Nares flared in a fury, how dare he ask her for her true name? She twitched her lips, and right then she knew he would be the first to hear her name. "Cigarette."

...fantasy and reality are the same.

[Crow'sia]

It would have been interesting that day in the clearing if Zoal had been able to read her mind. Certainly interesting for he had not just crossed behind her path once, but successfully followed her and watched her steal the life from a pathetic filly and as it were, the mother of said filly. Did the Angel remember that? She must be certifiably insane, and unfortunately, although her eyes still dug into his own ever-dark pair as if he could see inside, the stallion remained blind. And when she looked at him like that, though he could not see the full intensity of her gaze it was as though an elastic band was constricting around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, and forever remorseless. Time stood still and yet all the same the very essence of his life seemed to be hanging in the air, a frightfully sinister nature seemed to surface in the elitist chasm of Zoal’s mind.

Angel raised her head into the sky for a minute much in the way he had just lowered it. As soon as she had broken eye contact the feeling from before began to fade and change. She glanced at him, still different, glanced to the sky, different still. He contemplated what she was saying, it did not seem to make sense at first, in fact it was so infuriating that Zoal could have developed a headache. He just was not focusing. No no, he was distracting himself with future thoughts. But then he had it, yes, the gods had struck down and awoken him, just as the thunder struck that there tree. Struck that there tree! No, never mind, it was far away; or maybe his imagination. Her eyes were closed. “There was no storm when I came,” Zoal growled slowly. The deep pitch of his voice was still quite casual though, and did not break, it flowed in a surprisingly perfect manner from his lips. This fluke would not last long however. Actually, it seemed to crack when he tried to continue speaking to her. She had just told him he was looking for another kind of shelter. Ridiculous.

But still, his vocals chords squeaked like a human boy in puberty, good-bye, voice box! “Like from my mind?” he asked, and since his voice was in such a state, Zoal snarled dangerously in his head. But in the short time of this, as soon as their conversation continued she seemed to suddenly change. Her focus became more direct. Zoal raised his head straight, although his throat and chest might be exposed, and as he did this she swung around to face him. "It was you, that night. I knew I reconized you." And he smiled. "Cigarette." He nodded. “Good. Zoal.” He looked at her. “Cigarette.”

[Meg]

cigarette
in the depths of a mind insane...

Flashes from the past spread through her mind; glimpses of what was and what had happened. Warm summer nights, she danced and sang; children flocking around her and following her to a cave where she hid them away like the Pied Piper. She was an angel to their eyes when they first saw her, but soon they saw her nothing more then a devil. Followers were that way, they see something they like and after a while it gets old and soon they don't want to be followers anymore. But minds were so easy to twist and mould into evilness. Cigarette didn't have exactly what you would call an 'evil' mind though. She had times were she was gentle and good, but darkness swirled like a virus in her mind. All it took was something small to set her off. Another peice of her past threw itself at her. A dark cold night in a flooded land with a dead mother and a frightened filly. Cigarette shivered a reality and she closed her mind for any further memories. He had been there too, she'd felt him there but had been too confused that night to put two and two together. And then he had been there the night the children had gotten away. Who was he?

'Like from my mind?' His voice seemed broken for a moment, but she didn't even notice. Seeking shelter from his mind? Cigarette knew what it felt to be like that, for she had spent many afternoon running from things that her mind had made up in fantasy and made it into reality. She nodded her crown at his question, her eyes lost now in thought of differnet things. The main one; who was this stallion, and what did he want from her? She sneezed, the strom growing worse over her head. She was in a state of calm confusion, her madness at ease making her seem almost completely sane. She searched his empty, dark eyes for answers to the questions she had in her mind. There were no other equines that dared to follow her, she was too much of a wanderer anyway, always going from once place to another. And if she stayed in one spot too long, there was that chance she was plotting something.

Her ears pricked forward, listening to his next words; 'Good. Zoal.' Zoal? His name was interesting to her, and there was something about it that made her write it down in her mind and store it away so she could remember it. She twitched when he said her name and turned her eyes on him with a glare. Peeling her kissers back, she finally asked him what she wanted to know. "What do you want from me?" It was obvious that there was some reason that he followed her that night, and there was some reason that he stood before her tonight. Why? What were the answers? Something drew her curiousity out to him, and all she wanted to know was what did fate have written for him in her book. She shook water from her dappled coat, looking into the dark trees wanting shelter know that she had calmed. The memory of the trees trying to get her was now long gone.

...fantasy and reality are the same.

[Crow'sia]

The storm by now was becoming to heavy for Zoal’s comfort zone and he shuttered to think he would stay here much longer. Cold and wet was just not something he was keen on. He too shook the rain from his head and glanced towards the forest, it would have been much better, even with the threat of falling trees, than this horrid barren place. As his dark eyes trailed back across Cigarette however thoughts of shelter began to evaporate. The stallion shuddered, he couldn’t see her face, but he swore he could feel her remembering, hear the way her body moving and her heart changed. "What do you want from me?"

He thought for a while here. Not long enough to seem like he were mentally disabled, but awhile. Why had he followed her? Why he hardly knew himself! Zoal shifted, glancing at the trees again. “An interest,” he began. One might suppose and anyone could follow her for that reason, why she was stalking foals for goodness sakes! “And a challenge, perhaps. I enjoy conflict,” he finished sharply, breathing in. Zoal remembered how he had felt when he followed her, the strange sadism, how he felt the very need to mock the filly which had been killed. The trees again. Yes, it had been a very strange night.

OOC; Bleh, not so grand. But I wanted to get in a reply before I left. x.x