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

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Bishop continued holding the little filly in his arms his arms like a figurative shield to hide away the little princess.

With an affirmative comfort he brought out the oat bag, he hoped slightly she would eat it.

"I've got you something." he says taking out a small handful of grained oats and offering it to her. Whilst necessary, this felt demeaning to her once royal.stature. Not that royalty had a place anymore, but to him he knew she was the last and newest treasure of royalty.

"It'll keep you fed." He says

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Celestia looked up suddenly at the food. Her eyes widened-- She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she saw it, and her stomach gave a loud rumble. The princess began eating immediately, and Bishop's hand was empty in no time. She looked up at him expectantly.

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Quickly he grabs another handful of oats allowing her again to eat up. Looking about, he takes a sheet of paper placing it onto the ground and piling it with more oats. He then retrieved his bottled water.

"Now if you get thirsty, just let me know." He says as he sits back allowing her to feast for her hearts content. He smiled as she ate with much glee, the princess should have as much till she was full for this one meal.

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Celestia ate absent-mindedly at a feverish pace, anxious to rid herself of this terrible pain in her stomach. Hunger was very unfamiliar to her, strangely, and she was no fan of it. Once she was finished, she took a weary step back, too stuffed to move any more than that. She saw the water bottle on the table above her, and tried to reach for it.

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Bishop smiled, happy to tell she was indeed full. He took the canteen bottle and opened it allowing her to take some drinks. All the while continuing his smile he searched about for the Childrens books and found the exact book he needed, the alphabet.

 

The colorful bright picture book contained all the letters and adding colorful imagery to follow. Ushering Celestia over he began his review.

 

He pointed his finger at the first letter A. A bright red color with an accompanying red apple.

"Can you say, 'A'?" He asked looking down to her and again repeated the letter hoping she was able to follow.

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Celesia looked up at Bishop, wondering. What was he trying to do? What was this? She looked at the book, then back up at Bishop. He seemed to be pointing at a strange mark, and repeating something. The filly furrowed her brow in frustration. Why do you keep saying that? She looked once more at the book, then Bishop again. Celestia opened her mouth hesitantly.

"Ei?" She said. Is that what youre saying? What about it? "Eei", she repeated, looking back down at the letter. Is that...what this is? She wondered.

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"That's it." He says encouragingly.

"It's a letter. From the alphabet." He says. He flips the picture to the next one with the letter B accompanied by a picture of a cute little bear.

"Can you say, B? B." He says again in same format as the first letter.

 

This was exhilarating deep within his heart, having that lack of an innocent child there was about a rare treasure. Even if she wasn't a human child it was just as par, it is princess Celestia after all.

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Celestia looked up at Bishop, starting to understand. You want me to say these things? These...symbols? She looked at the bear on the page, and the accompanying letter.

 

"Beey?"

 

Bishop seemed happy with this answer, and he turned the page. Letter after letter, Celestia would repeat what Bishop asked, and it seemed to be cheering him up dramatically. Celestia giggled gleefully as she recited the letters. She had trouble with a few, but once she got them, it would only make Bishop grin wider. She looked up at him and smiled.

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That once lost feeling of... How could he describe it. A completion? A sense of goal? A life commitment. That mental aching that he and quite frankly everyone has felt ever since the end had come. That aching no longer came, there was just joy. Even it was not everlasting just the fact that Bishop had this longing, he knew he had a define chance of happiness.

 

Bishop smiled happily and nuzzled the little filly.

"That's a good girl." He says encouragingly. He was amazed at how quickly she had caught onto each word and within the hour already saying each letter perfectly. Like a prodigy child who near nearly everything.

 

They had moved on to another book, a small childrens story.

"... And the crane said to the parrot. ' With wings like that you make the blue sky look like a flying painting. ' " he said as the picture accompanies a crane bird with a parrot showing off its vibrant feather colors.

"Can you say, Parrot? " he asks of her.

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"Parret!" Celestia said, beaming.

She looked down at the colourful drawings, then up at Bishop, and smiled. She loved all the encouragement and affection she was getting, and was trying her best to impress him and earn herself some more. She tried her best to turn the page with her hooves, eager to hear more, but the page wouldn't move. She tapped her hooves on the book and looked up at Bishop. Celestia's face scrunched up as she tried to remember the right word.

"Turn," she said.

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Bishop nearly let out an ecstatic chuckle.

"Sure." He said and them turned the page.

"And the parrot flew to the Quetzal. Who sang a beautiful song." Bishops eyes widened as he remembered the Quetzal call. And with that he gave a few high noted single noted whistles.

"The parrot said, Quetzal with a song like that, you make everything sounds beautiful." He said and looked down at her.

"Can you say, Quetzal?" He asks

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Celestia stared up at Bishop, eyes wide agape. Se was so fascinated by his whistling that she hardly paid attention to any of the words after it. She lifted her hoof to Bishop's mouth, then tried to imitate whistling, to no avail. Suddenly, she remembered the book. Looking back down at it, she tried to remember what Bishop had asked her to say. Celestia looked up at him in confusion.

"Can you say Quetzel?" He asked again. "Maybe that's too hard..."

Celestia scrunched up her face once again.

"Ket-sell!" She announced.

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Bishop again gave her his joyful.smile and petted.

"That's it." He says encouragingly. He.looked around and looked at the smeary window. Still daylight, probably 11 o'clock.

"It's time to go Tia." He says to her. With the new items organized, he packed in along his pack the childrens books, the crayons and other coloring books for Tia.

 

He looked about at the stuffed animals.

"Tia, Pick one of the small toys to take with you." He says as he continues with his rat packing.

Edited January 23, 2015 by IllusivePony

[AmberDust 1,118]

(11am?)

Celestia looked out the foggy window at the brilliant sun. She closed her eyes and let its warmth surround her. She heard Bishop's voice. Opening her eyes, she saw he was pointing at the basket of stuffed animals.

"Pick one," he had said.

Celestia looked over the stuffed animals with scrutinizing eyes. After a moment, she dove her head in and resurfaced again, holding a smiling plush star. She looked up to Bishop, ready to go.

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Bishop petted her gently and taking the stuffed plush star into the bag as best he can.

Satisfied with his packing , he finishes by rolling up the blanket into a roll, tieing it and finally securing it onto the outside of the backpack.

 

"Come on Tia. Let's get going." He says as he heads his way down to the entrance hall opening up the door.

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Celestia followed Bishop into the sunlight. The barren city looked so different during the day--Sunlit dust floated lazily through the air, crisp winds rustled in the dead grass, and the broken buildings cast long shadows on the dirt below. The little filly took a deep breath of the stale air, then looked up to Bishop expectantly.

Where now? she thought.

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Empty. The streets have remained empty. Bishop.let out a fatigued breath. How long has he been traveling? All he knows is south was the goal.

 

But what then? Would there be something? Would it be warmer?

 

Bishop.almost wanted to stop just let those anxious feelings creep in. But he couldn't Celestia see him like that.

He had to be the role model.

 

There was suddenly a long creaking moan. Bishop immediately froze drawing out his revolver.

 

"Tia." He whispered as he signaled her over taking cover behind an overturned car.

 

He looked about frantically looking for the source. Wet sloppy footsteps echoing in the empty air. From the complex across the street a long fleshy figure steps out. Similar as, the same charred man in the first encounter this hobbling mass of burnt man slumbered out letting out an agonized moan.

 

Bishop observed it holding Celestia close to him.

"Don't make a noise dear." He whispers to her

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Celestia's eyes widened as the walking horror stumbled into view.

What is that thing?!? She felt Bishop's hand cover her mouth. She sunk shakily into his chest, trembling with fear. Here eyes stayed locked on the foul-smelling beast. A terrible thought emerged in her brain.

Was that...a human?

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Bishop peaked up over the debris they hid behind keeping a close eye as it simply stood there the heavy rapsy breathes visible in the cold air.

 

It let's out another agonized moan, it twisted it's head looking in both directions, Bishop ducked back but the creature cried out having spot him.

 

"Arughhguhhb... Help..." It cried.

Bishop had to do something! It would draw far too much attention! Not to mention it could behave violently if it got ahold of them.

He placed Tia down and held out his pocket blade and followed forward, unable to defend itself he easily kicked down the creature and with multiple jabs he plunges the blade to it's chest over and over.

 

Until finally it stopped. Bishop kneeled over breathing heavily his hand clutching his head as if he is ill.

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Celestia shrieked in horror, unable to contain herself after what she had just saw. The bloody creature lay twitching on the ground with Bishop squatting overtop of it, as if he was ready to devour his prey. The filly stood, terrified and trembling. She tried not to look at the monster, and began to search for Bishop's eyes. He covered them with his hands and remained motionless.

Celestia slowly backed away into the shadow of the tiny shelter.

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Bishop finally composing himself stood up and catches his breathe. He turned around seeing Tia backing away from him.

"Tia. It's okay..I won't hurt you.." He says gently as he kneels down holding out his hand carefully walking forward.

 

Oh Christ, he hope repeatedly he didn't scare.It would be too much enough Tia becoming.afraid of her care taker.

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Celestia looked up at Bishop, who was slowly advancing on her. Her eyes caught the stains on his shirt, and she couldn't help but be afraid. Heart racing, her gaze zipped from his shirt, to his outstretched hand, the. Finally, his eyes. She looked into them deeply...he was back. The look of crazed adrenaline was gone. She stopped backing away and let the man's hand touch her head. He smiled, and Celestie let out a relieved sigh.

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Bishop had to hold back his emotions, this wasn't exactly the most secure place for them. His eyes were a bit watery.

"I would never do anything to hurt you." He says before scooping her into his arms.

"We gotta get going ." He.says holding her in one hand returning to their luggage to retrieve their bag.

---

Back out from the city limits now they enter into the wilderness once again. The trees lumbering over them in immense height but their branches held nothing. A soft mist has rolled in blanketing their vision by a few feet.

 

Bishop was again breathing heavy.. Stopping momentarily he say Tia down onto the ground and sat himself against a tree trying to catch his breathe... That attack took alot out of him.

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Celestia nuzzled Bishop briefly before he put her down, then looked about at the mist that surrounded the two of them. She was no longer scared, and she scanned her surroundings with renewed curiosity. Celestia had never seen clouds on the ground before.

Hearing Bishop's strangled breaths, the little princess trotted up to where and sat and nestled in next to him, nudging him slightly and staring at him as he struggled to breathe. She cocked her head to one side, as if asking, what's wrong?

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Bishop held his hand in a raised palm manner trying to signal he's okay.

"Ha..." He sighed.

"I'm.. I'm okay just.. Old." He sputtered., he was actually in his late 30s but still with the lack medications new forming ailments began to wreck at his aging body. Malnutrition wasn't helping him.

There was a distant howling , unlike the growls and roars of monsters it had a smooth and majestic tone.

"Wolves." He whispered and staggered to his feet.