Author Topic: Remembrance  (Read 654 times)

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Clairvoyance

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Remembrance
« on: October 24, 2015, 09:06:00 pm »
The air is especially chill this Autumn day, the wind more biting than usual despite the brightness of the sun.  An early and stiff reminder of what the next season would bring, it's enough to keep some ponies inside and encourage others to wear at least one layer more than usual for extended outings.  Not that most would need a reason to stay away from this place at most times.  A cemetery isn't most ponies' idea of a place to go voluntarily anyway.  Not that this stops all of them, of course.  Even today there is the occasional mourner, bringing bouquets, individual flowers, or nothing but their tears to the final resting place of a loved one come and passed away.  Today even the trees weep leaves for the ended lives they preside over, a more or less constant cascade of oranges, reds, yellows, and browns as the season progresses towards a time when the bark will be completely bare, lifeless husks until Spring comes to breathe green into the world again.

Clairvoyance takes no notice of any of it as he walks the cobbled walk along the aisles.  The cold of the air matters to him naught on his ponderous trek to his destination, his hooves making no sound to mark his progress.  A mourner, having delivered her burden already, nods to him as she passes him going the other way, a tear falling from her face to make a soft plip where it lands.  He takes no note of it either, nor the contrast of her black garb versus the pristine whiteness of his robe.  His pace is slow but constant as it draws him inexorably farther and farther from his house.

After the better part of an hour from when he began, he turns down the last turning in the last lot and walks down it to the very end.  At the terminus of that walkway is a single headstone.  It's possible that it was once elaborately carved and might have even been larger, but the years have worn it down, smoothing the stone until it looks rather unremarkable, the letters that once marred its surface indecipherable.  The earth in front of the headstone is so long settled that if it wasn't for the grave marker there would be no way to tell it had ever been disturbed.  It's in front of this grave that Clairvoyance turns, lays his rump down on the cold cobbles, and sits silently, motionless aside from the sway of his mane in the chill wind.

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Insta Form

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2015, 02:24:21 am »
If there is ever one thing fitting about the coolness of Autumn, it's being in a cemetery during the season's freezing temperature. Leaves fell from their branches, covering headstones to the point where it'd make finding loved ones a game of needle in the haystack. But for Insta Form, the needle she seeked was as clear as day.

She stood behind a stallion who sat in front of a headstone. The unicorn was glad she wasn't alone in the cemetery. Less chances of being stuck by herself during a sudden zombie outbreak, she imagined. Aside from that thought, Insta looked down at the name of the grave she stood by: "Welderhoof." The name brought a beautiful sense of nostalgia, which was soon overshadowed by dread. The kind one would get when recalling an unfortunate memory. Breathing in and out in a slow manner, she forced a grin. "Hey, sis," Insta spoke. "Been a while, huh? Maybe a year?" Insta giggled, "Of course, I'd lose track of time. But so much has been happening, I just gotta tell you!"

Insta sat on the cold cobblestone path. "The boutique's doing fine; making a lot o' dough, and seeing a bunch of hot dudes you'd really love." With the glow of her horn, a quick flash of orange light appeared over the stone, and out came a red and orange scarf. "And check it out! I found your old winter scarf. It's super cold here, so I figured you'd like it." Insta adjusted the scarf so it wrapped around the stone, "I really miss you, dude. Even after a year, things still don't feel the same without you. But it's great talking to you again. Really... great." Letting out a sigh, Insta stayed sat in front of the grave, and gave a moment of silence, her head facing downward.

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2015, 02:08:42 pm »
A stray leaf falls from a nearby tree, drifting gracefully in a gentle spiral until it passes Clair's head, his ear moving to make way for it.  As it settles on the cold cobbled path he does as well, lowering from a sitting position to lie down, his chin settled on his forehooves bare inches from the edge of the grave.  Another long moment passes before a slow, low rumble escapes his throat.  "Happy birthday, Clarity."

His horn glows a dim white and from the sleeve of his robe emerges a black-stemmed yellow rose, which he places on the center of the grave.  "I brought you a present.  Your favorite."  A gust of wind comes up and rolls the flower to the edge, and Clair rolls it back.  "I'll put it with the rest later, but I knew you'd want to see it.  You know I have trouble with colors."

Clair rolls over onto his back, his hooves curling up above him, mane falling from his face.  "...I miss you."

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2015, 01:39:37 am »
After her moment of silence had passed, Insta let out a short breath. Feeling the need of not getting a cold as a result of freezing weather, she sits up from the ground, and prepares to head out. Turning to the main path leading to the exit, she notices an odd sight to her right. It's the stallion who was also speaking to his loved one's grave lying down with his hooves covering his face. Insta takes a couple steps closer to him, her hooves lightly stepping on the ground, ensuring she doesn't make too much noise. "Uhh... You alright, buddy?" She asks him calmly.

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2015, 12:10:39 am »
Clair's ears flick when the approaching mare asks her question, then he stays still for a long moment, his mane and tail not even moving in the slight breeze.  The rose rolls again, and his horn glows, steadying it and putting it back in its place, smoothing the grass to the sides to form a little groove which helps keep it in place.

"Perfectly alright," he intones slowly.

Insta Form

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2015, 02:05:43 am »
"Sounds like a... No?" Insta guessed, rubbing the back of her head as she watches him change his posture. Taking a short moment to read the text on the grave, she then takes a seat next to him. "This Clarity gal here. I bet she was pretty cool, huh?" Insta asks, hoping to make some conversation.

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2015, 08:50:42 pm »
Clair gradually rolls back right-side up, moving a leaf out of the way before he does so.  "The best sister a colt could ask for," he says after another long pause, setting a forehoof down at the edge of the grave.

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2015, 01:05:32 am »
Insta sighs, feeling the same way about Welderhoof. "I feel ya, pal. Really sucks having to lose someone you look up to." She takes a seat next to Clair, "But hey, you're doing the right thing visiting her once in a while."

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2015, 03:12:38 pm »
Clair's head moves left and right in a slow shake.  "No, she hasn't been here in...some time.  Visiting her is quite beyond me at this point."  He slowly unfolds his legs and raises himself up onto his hooves, scooping up the rose with his magic and depositing it in a fold in his robe.  "This isn't the proper place for a gift for her either, but it seems appropriate, this being the last spot she was before leaving."  It takes an eternity for him to get it out in his glacial pace of speech, but he does finish the sentence eventually.

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2015, 02:10:36 am »
"Whatever works, dude, whatever works." Insta gave the scarf she dropped onto her sister's grave a quick glance behind. "Knowing my sis, she would've been yelling for her scarf by now." She chuckled, but a raised brow and frown soon replaced her smile at the thought of Welderhoof yelling at her from the grave. "I'm Insta, by the way. Sorry for butting into your moment with your sis, here. I couldn't help to check if you were doing alright."

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2015, 02:04:43 am »
Clair gradually turns back toward the main walkway from the branch.  "And did you believe yourself to be intruding, Miss Insta?"  Slow as molasses, he begins walking, his hoofsteps inaudible.  A gust of wind sends a pile of leaves into the path in front of him.  His horn glows and they part, leaving the cobbles clear once more.  "If you had," he continues, speech a bit faster than his pace but not by much, "I would question your decision to stay as long as you had."

His ear twitches and he flicks his ears in the direction of the grave Insta had left her scarf at.  "I think somepony is trying to get your attention.  She sounds rather irate."
« Last Edit: December 10, 2015, 01:11:13 pm by Clairvoyance »

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2015, 03:09:20 am »
Insta raised a brow at what Clair had said. "I'm sorry, what?" She turns around to look behind her, "But we're the only ones here-" Upon looking behind her, she notices a familiar individual standing over her sister's grave. A tan unicorn with dark-brown ponytail styled mane, and the scarf around her neck. She stared at Insta with tired eyes, causing her to shiver due to how unsettled she felt. But at the same time, Insta couldn't help but give a satisfied smile.

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2015, 02:01:52 pm »
Clair sighs and his horn glows, the glow enveloping Insta's ears as well.  "You're now able to hear her for a time.  Go and speak with her, if you wish to," he says as he resumes his glacial pace down the path, "though I'd understand if you did not.  Most of the living do not consider the dead to be the best of company."

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2015, 12:41:04 am »
"Uhh..." Insta found it difficult to greet Welderhoof. This was all too weird for her. Looking back and noticing Clair walking off, Insta turned back to her sister, who had kept the same agitated look. "I'll be right back, sis!"

With that, Insta followed Clair behind. "You are so right about your last point. I don't even know what to say!"

Clairvoyance

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Re: Remembrance
« Reply #14 on: December 24, 2015, 12:14:54 am »
"Perhaps you shouldn't say anything.  Perhaps you don't have anything to say," Clair replies.  He hadn't made it very far before Insta caught up with him.  "Or perhaps you've already said it.  Many who lose a loved one feel they left things unsaid in life, then pour their hearts out at their graves, unaware that oftentimes the one to whom they direct their messages can indeed hear them."  He stops in his tracks.  "Of course, the dead commonly have the same problem.  Many have words they wish they could speak, words left unsaid when alive, and have none to hear them but others who have already shared their fate and are similarly restricted from speech.  Perhaps you should try listening first.  'Tis calming for them to be able to talk with the living.  Usually the only one they have opportunity to vent to is me."