private Raising the Sun, Carry the Fire. [1 & 1]

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia was curious about where her human companion was headed, but she stayed where she was. The little foal felt comfortable in the cozy nook full of colour and light, and knew she was safe.

As the tiny light that Bishop held disappeared around a corner, Celestia turned her attention towards her surroundings. Propping herself up on a chair, she looked curiously to the mysterious objects Bishop had fiddled with mements earlier. White leaves with black veins and a few short sticks of colour. She thought to herself: what could these be for?

Celestia put he hooves on the table, leaning in to look closer. Slowly but surely, the black lines became clearer and formed distinctive shapes. Celestia squinted. A person? And...a tree! The filly giggled at her discovery. ...But something still wasn't right. She shifted her gaze to a green stick that lay in the table. Picking it up in her teeth, she began to scribble, and eventually had filled in most of the leaves by the time the crayon snapped. Pleased with her work, Celestia continued to colour, completely ignorant to the ruin that surrounded her. She sat silently, alone in her bubble of joy and light, waiting for Bishop to return and see what she'd made.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

In the local geography section he pulled open cabinet upon cabinet sorting through the files and folders picking out the various maps.

It had been too long getting proper maps and such. His current one was near destroyed. And he needed all atlases he could acquire for detail travel.

Looking over about briefly he looked upon the librarian door, noting the note on the door. Bishop simply frowned only repeating the first phrase.

"For the way of sin is death." Remembering verses from his young days in a Bible.school at the age of 12.

He shook his head and carried the files back to Celestia.

"I'm.back, oh. What's that you did?" He sits down onto the pillows and blankets looking at the green colored page. He smiles, again the rare smiles.

"It's wonderful." He congratulates

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia smiled greatly as Bishop patted her head. She felt rather accomplished, and began colouring another sheet, looking up occasionally to see what the human was doing. 

 

 

((Sorry, I don't know how in-depth I can discuss her colouring skills lol. So I pass the baton to you))

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

With.maps aside he sits and watches the filly draw about on her color book, carefully staying in the lines best she can control. His rough worn hands gently petting her back as if an encouragement.

"It's a daisy." He says as he analysis the picture shape,

"They use to be everywhere." He says, again petting her back

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia looked up at Bishop happily. She appreciated his encouragement, and continued to colour furiously. She searched around for a pink crayon, and, after a moment, spotted one at the other end of the table, near Bishop's maps. After staring for a moment at the crayon, Celestia looked up quickly at Bishop, to make sure sure she had his attention. Flattening her hooves on the table, she leaned her head forward, trying once again to use her magic. Golden sparks sputtered at the end of her horn, and after a moment, the crayon began to shift and float. Celestia squealed happily, but she lost her concentration and the crayon fell back onto the table and rolled off. Smiling uncontrollably, she stared at Bishop, eyes wide. Did you see what I did, they said.

 

((She didn't actually speak, it was just implied through her look))

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

He smiled happily at her effort. His face expression showing.astonishment never having seen real magic before.

"Good job." He says in an optimistic tone before leaning over to pick up the crayon for her. With it in hand he hands it over to her and gently patted her. He stands.

"I'll be right back Tia. " he.states.

Departing he heads to the entrance doors and shutting them and engaging the rusty locks on them. Looking about, he searches for every possible entry and barricading or locking it in some way.

Soon he returns back to the little princess. Unloading from his backpack he unravels the large blanket draping it between two book aisles to create a tent like structure before carrying.some pillows over.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia gazed up at the makeshift canopy, looking impressed. She thought of the night sky, and suddenly began to yawn, not having realized how taxing her day had been. Climbing down from her chair, Celestia dragged a pillow over to the basket of stuffed animals and curled herself into a ball. She looked up at Bishop sleepily, yawning once again.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

With the little princess curled up he cranks up the lantern again back to full power. He gently reaches over and pets her head in a comforting manner.

Sitting back against the shelf he looks back into his pack taking out the revolver handgun he opens the cylinder looking at the four spare ammunition rounds. He shook his head dismissing the extreme negative thoughts.

"It should never come to that." He whispers, he had to hold to the joyus moments. He sat back hiding away the gun and looked upon the holy being that is the little princess.

[AmberDust 1,118]

The princess lay quietly, without stirring or making a sound. She was happy where she was, in the warm lantern's light, by Bishop's side. She smiled softly. Oblivious to the thoughts of worry and fear racing through her companion's mind, she drifted softly to sleep, thinking of the moon.

The moon, she thought. An unexplained loneliness began to stir in her subconscious. The moon. The moon...

Without realizing it, Celestia let out a small cry.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

The sudden cry nearly, made Bishop jolt in surprise. Her looks down at the filly and gently picks her cradling her in his arms trying to comfort her.

"Shhhshhh, it's okay girl." He whispers, he was unsure what was causing this sudden sadness.

"I'm right here, shhhhh." He whispers

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia sobbed silently. She had no idea what had come over her, but an emptiness grew within her. She nuzzled into Bishop's chest, and her cries ceased. She looked up at him, her amethyst eyes brimmed with tears. Smiling, she hugged him (as best as she could with hooves), and made herself comfortable in his arms. Celestia closed her eyes calmly, and decided to think about something else.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

With his arms supporting her gently Bishop continued with his embrace to her continuing with a soft whisper.

"Ain't nothing gonna get you. I promise.." He says gently petting her ahead, again accounting how her mane still remains so plush like soft. He didn't care if his arms grew tired he felt relaxed knowing he was comforting the little filly.

He had always, perhaps every man has, this fantasy about being a father like.figure...

This perhaps the closest to that role. He to commit, and commit he would.

"You just rest easy sunshine." He whispers

[AmberDust 1,118]

Sunshine...

There was something sweet about that word. Sweet and familiar. Celestia smiled serenely, unmoving in Bishop's arms. Forgetting her troubles, she lay her head against Bishop, and slowly fell asleep.

 

In her dreams, Celestia heard a familiar melody.

Concentrating hard to remember the words, she smiled, and allowed the memory to fill her senses. She would no longer try to block them out, whether they were sad or happy--the filly clung to these fleeting memories, taking comfort in them.

The lullaby resounded in her mind.

 

Lullay, dear Princess, goodnight daughter mine...

Rest now in Starlight's embrace...

Bear up my lullaby, wings of the earth,

Through clouds and through sky and through space...

 

Slowly, the memory drifted away, but Celestia clung to the mare's voice, repeating the words in her head as the image slowly faded behind a cloud of smoke.

Edited January 8, 2015 by AmberDust

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

Still within the realm of dreams Celestia found herself along a grassy hill. The bright warm sunshine hanging high in the cloud less sky.

Laughter could be heard as the expanding white field of view shown the image of a tree.

A small blonde female child runs around as she is being chased by a smaller male child.

The young girl holds about on her arms crutch like devices as she pushes her crippled body with ease as she is pursued. The children laugh happily.

 

A tall man walls forward which Celestia easily recognized as Bishop, even without his beard.

"You better run run!" He says before entering into a small run joining the children.

"I gonna getcha!" He says giving a playful grin as he joins on the chase.

After much playful runabout, Bishop stops on another pass around the tree turning in the opposite direction easily catching the crippled child off guard and picking her up in an embrace.

 

Under the shade of the tree the trio giggle and laugh happily, everything seeming to go in sudden slow motion. Still in their unrealistic speed, Bishop looks up toward Celestia.giving her a smile and waving.

 

A siren suddenly blared in the background... And again. From the corner of her eye the sun seemed to expand as light and heat began to arise. The siren blasted once more before suddenly she is jolted awake.

 

Bishop gasped and jolted awake breathing heavily after his sudden dream.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Jolted awake, Celestia stared, wide-eyed at her human companion, who had just been woken up as well. The siren blared in the filly's mind and she was too shocked to move or even cry. She simply stared at Bishop, who wasn't moving either, other than the violent heaving of his chest as he tried to breathe. He looked over to her, equally shocked, and covered in cold sweat. Had they shared a dream? Celestia could hardly think about it, with the sound of the siren still pounding in her ear drums. It blocked out any thoughts. She tried to shut her eyes.

 

 

((I don't want to make Bishop act because I don't know what the siren is, so I pass the baton to you))

((I edited it a bit.))

Edited January 9, 2015 by AmberDust

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

((No no the siren was in the dream lol))

Bishop looked down at the little filly gently petting her head.

"It's okay... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." He apologizes continuing to pet her. The two remain silence, Bishop hopping that sleep would come back to him. More so to Celestia as he had this slight uneasiness when waking. The only sound that could be heard was Bishops deep breaths.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia sat in silence, still staring at Bishop. The siren in her head was gone now, and everything was silent. She looked at him, curious, thinking back on the dream she just had. Who were those children? Surely she had never seen them before. This memory didn't feel like any of the others.

Celestia nudged Bishop slightly, so she could look into his eyes directly.

Those children, she thought. They looked like you...

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

Bishop looked back down at the filly smiling at her.

"Hehe, what big eyes you got." He smiles noting the lovely shade of amethyst color. He continues looking upon the sweet filly. Someold youthful minded questions filled his mind.

Was she really from Equestria? Did they know she's missing, or is this just some hallucination? Removing his glove he caresses her soft plush cheek as he places his rough hands.

"No... You're very much real." He whispers still watching her.

"A message of hope."

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia nuzzled Bishop's hand. She looked sadly into his dark eyes. Something is missing, she thought, thinking back to her dream. She shifted uncomfortably under her jacket and yawned. Her energy was entirely drained, and she hasn't figured anything out regarding her flashbacks. She bowed her head down, exhausted.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

With the continued silence they awaited again. And soon Celestia drifted back to sleep. Bishop sat in silence again. With the little princess now fully asleep he carefully sits her down amongst the stuffed animals and covering her up.

 

"I'll be back. Just gonna take a look around." He says and Equipping his handgun.

 

Maneuvering through the library he exits carefully through the main entrance and back out into the town. He had search for something. As of now their food was nonexsistant and he had to get her something if even just the tiniest meal. Under the cover of the rising dawn he carefully set out.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia rested quietly, unaware that Bishop had left on a perilous quest for food.

The library remained silent and dark, allowing for deep sleep--but this time, Celestia did not dream. Her mind was worn out, and no memories attempted to breach her subconscious. She lay silently in the dark, alone once more.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

Bishop carefully opened up the grocery door. He wasn't expecting much, or anything at all. Just the first start.

He.walked along the aisles. It was just the same sights as before. The ash covered shelves and trays, all devoid of any nutrition. As he gazed upon the dust a hand to his. A golden haired, crippled girl looks up to him holding a little horse figurine.

"I always liked this one bruwther." She says.

Bishop looked at her... Tears held back.

"I know you do..." He whispers and continues walking.

Standing in the back room doorway was a smaller younger male child.

"Hey! Come here." He says before running.

"Mason. Don't run." He responds quickly running in after.

The warehouse section was similar to the grocery, but more clutter. Useless furniture and various other items scatter about. The storage racks creak quietly as the empty shelves rot. A forklift sits by overturned, its propane tank damaged and dislodged from its canister hold.

Amongst the abandonment be peered over, smelling a familiar stench. Approaching to a pallet crate he examines the contents. Another sniff and his memory jogged. Oats, mainly horse feed.

"Thank you brother." He whispers. The first bag was.obviously too damaged and so, unuseable.

A second cylinder bag laid next to untouched.

"It'll be stale. But it'll keep her fed... Not exactly a meal for a princess." He again says and picking it up.

Finished with the task he quickly makes his way across the empty dark street back toward the library.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Celestia was jolted awake. A chill ran down her spine as she looked fearfully around the empty room. She wasn't sure what had woken her, but her eyes were wide and her heart was racing. Celestia noticed Bishop's absence immediately, and began to panic, staring into the dark library. It was dank, dusty, dark, and most eerily of all, quiet. She scrunched up as much as she could, suddenly petrified by the thought of being alone. She let out a soft sob and hoped that Bishop would soon return.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

@@AmberDust

Her sob echoed in the hall, and as if by immediate reply the library door opened with a faint light entering in. Footsteps approaching, a light shined onto her.

Bishop seeing the tears in her eyes he gently reached down and scooped her into his arms embracing her.

"Shhhh..." He whispers gently as he sits back down under the tent. Their cold breathe visible in bluish white glow of the LED.

"I'm right here Tia."

[AmberDust 1,118]

The little princess opened her eyes, surprised. She was suddenly in the arms of her guardian angel. Bishop hadn't abandoned her, after all! She sniffled a few times, but her spirits recovered instantly out of sheer relief. Where did you go this time, Celestia thought.