What kind of creature are you in the Unicorn Forest? Come play with me - please

[EchelonHunt]

The adult walked through the CIS-city, strangers bumped into them along the way. The crowded footpaths, the busy intersections, many people on their phones or chatting to their friends. The adult felt out of place but did not have a care in the world. They skipped, ignoring the stares of others and kept walking along the border of the CIS-city.

Temptation came in waves. Dresses in the windows of shops, beautiful lingerie donned on almost too-perfect mannequins. The adult looked on in excitement, walking into a store to purchase a new corset and matching set of panties/bra... another piece of outfit they wouldn't be able to wear just yet but they could not resist. One day, they will be able to wear their dozen of outfits at home.

Speaking of home... the adult pondered as they left the store with their shopping bag, where was home? That strange place they woke up in? It didn't have much warmth aside from the clothes. It felt cold, dead, lifeless, a place where things just go through the motions.

The adult sighed and kept walking, their knee-high canvas boots gently stepping down the pavement. They reached the end of the CIS-city and saw a trail leading to the forest. They walked the trail and entered the forest...

... to find it was an ordinary forest. No laugther or smiles anywhere to be seen. Nothing. Not even any birds.

The adult was shocked ... had it all been a dream...? Surely, it wasn't. It felt real, more than real. It transcended everything... right?

They closed their eyes, desperately trying to remember the excited chatter and joy that was shared among the forest creatures. They breathed in the fresh air, letting themselves go as they envisioned water collecting at their feet, entering a state of meditation.

They opened their eyes, seeing flicks of silver hair in front of their face and a dormouse, snail and few other forest creatures glancing over him. He blinked, looking up and realizing he had fallen from where he fell in the sky. Which was real? Which was a dream?

He grasped his hands and noticed a shopping bag in his hand, he peeked into it and saw the items he had previously purchased. He started laughing and the forest creatures began to look wary, maybe the child accidentally hit his head harder than they thought from the fall?

Neither reality was a dream. Both worlds were very real.

With a snicker, he got up, reassuring the creatures that he is okay, thank you for your worries. All is well! He flew into the sky, taking his shopping bag with him. He flew to where the Vampire was and pulled out a Sharpie, drawing a smile on the Vampire's sleeping face, "Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face!" He cheekily grinned, placing a delicate black dahlia flower behind the sleeping Vampire's ear and flew off to the Fairy's treehouse, curling up on the front porch with their bag, their long slender tail curling around their body instinctively.

[Mark3]

When the snail felt the silvery hair whoosh past, and knew the adult creature had returned to the forest from the CIS cities, he was glad he was not lost and wandering the cold city streets..

So the snail took his own picture using a magical device he had saved for a long time, and cast his magic stick over it, and it suddenly made a brilliant flash of light, and a strange sound made the picture fly out onto the floor.. 1-2-3-4 they kept flying out of the device, until there was one for every creature...

The snail looked at his pictures, thinking he looked bad in every way, but also knew that the love and acceptance the forest creatures all felt for each other would overcome that, so he spent the rest of the day giving his picture to every creature,
Saving this last one for himself...

[Umiko]

wakimg up groggy, the vampire noticesntha flower. "so that fairy did this. i'll pay them a visit later." the vampire had that same dream. a hazy dream but it all seemed familar. she shifted into her  child form than flew off. "i said iwasnt going to do this but i'm hungry and animal blood wont sate my hunger." she flew to a near by field. there were 2 campers gettimg ready for bed. the vampire turned invisible and hid in the brush. her heart was ponding so loudly, she could her it in her ear. "i'll make this quick." when the campers went to bed, the vampire snuck in and took a bite. after she finished, she sealed the wound, checked the campers' breathing to make sure they stayed alive and applied a cream to keep them from turning. she than flew off serching for that trickster of a fairy.

[suzifrommd]

The flower watches the creatures of the forest with awe and sadness.

She doesn't understand why they're doing what they do. She's just a flower, after all, and knows nothing about the ways of mobile beings. She's fascinated by them, curious as to the meaning of their movements, but nothing in her flower life gives her any experience to figure them out. She knows she loves them. All of them, the snail, the boy, the phoenix, the fairy, the fox, the doormouse, and even the Vampire, whose darkness terrifies her. She loves them and knows without them she'd just be alone in the forest. She wishes she were one of them, one whose movements could speak to the others, but she knows it will never be. Many will try, but nothing in the world can make her other than she is - a flower rooted to solid ground. So she is content to watch and be amazed, though understanding little. She hopes the other creatures will be patient with the fact that she is just a simple plant.

[kelly_aus]

Kel the dormouse scampers around the forest collecting berries and lays them on the ground around the flower, hoping to nourish the flower..

[Umiko]

landing in a field will a full stomach, the vampire decides its time for a little magic training. " haven't use my magic in awhile, so now is a good of enough time." before she starts, she notices a strange looking flower. "hello there" the vampire says. " reaching down  the vampire goes to pick the flower up but stops. "I see." the vampire sits down staring at the flower. "what are you doing out here?" the vampire asks

[suzifrommd]

The flower is warmed by the doormouse's generous gesture. She eyes the vampire with fear. She longs to tell her story, but doesn't want to say something that will drive the vampire away in disgust. Slowly her confidence builds, and tells her tale.

"On this spot stood a tree," she says. "Not a tall tree, not particularly strong of wood. But something about its leaves enticed a beautiful kind bird to nest among its branches. The tree talked to the bird and told her of its trials. It's growth as a young sapling realizing it would never tower like the mighty evergreens or bear delicious fruit like those in the colorful mango grove. The bird didn't care. 'You have an honest heart, and an interesting shape. I will be glad to nest amongst your branches to the end of my days.'"

"In that nest, eggs were laid, and two magnificent baby birds were born. Together the bird and the tree watched the baby birds grow and learn to fly, all the while sharing their lives and what lived within their hearts. But alas, as time wore on, the tree began to realize what was missing. The tree had seen the beautiful flowers that always blossomed about and realized that its deepest desire was to become one of them. It was not until a magic pod landed on the tree, granting it one wish, that the tree realized that actually being a flower, was within its ability."

"As always, it told the bird what was in its heart. It expected the bird to accept this as it had accepted so many other confidences, but the bird was horrified. 'I can no longer nest with you if you are no longer a tree.' 'Surely the bird can find a way to stay with me, if I become a flower,' the tree reasoned, knowing little about birds. It thought long and hard about this decision, but realized that a life as a flower, visited by bees, bringing and carrying away pollen, was its destiny.  The tree found itself wishing as hard as it could to become a flower, and little by little it changed."

"But then the flower looked around and realized the birds were gone. She had imagined that other flowers would speak to her of their flower lives, and that bees would come and exchange pollen. But as time went on, she realized she was wrong. The three wonderful birds were gone, even the one who had spoken of nesting to the end of her days, and there was no one who wanted to plant themselves next to her. Seeds would flutter by, bees would buzz about and quickly move on to more attractive blossoms. When the flower saw herself in the smooth puddle, she realized that her dream of being a dazzling flower had been foolish - of course - and she'd grown into a respectable, but quite plain looking, flower. No bee would come, not when elsewhere in world, especially in the two great binary cities, bloomed vast gardens of amazing blossoms. She learned that bees rarely came into the forest at all, and when they did, they stayed far above the trees, thinking, perhaps rightly, that nothing of interest lay beneath."

"The flower is happy to have her forest friends. She does not understand them, but their presence is a comfort to her as the faces the truth that she may be destined for a solitary existence. She's not totally alone, since every once in a while the wonderful birds come to chirp about their exploits in the Wide World before flying off again. But she no longer expects bees to pollenate her and other flowers to sprout around her."

[Umiko]

the vampire chuckles. "i see." she than goes into her bag and pulls out what looks like pixie dust. "tell me something, if had a chance to become a dryad, would you take it? a dryad is a tree spirit much like treants but rarer due to their shy but are often hunted because of their caring nature. how ever rare they are, wherever a dryad is, the forest is certain to be healthy and strong." the vampire holds the flask of dust up. "i can grant you that wish if you like. think of it as a gesture. i may no longer be able to do things, but at least i can help. this powder is pure moon dust. it cares very powerful properties. i was saving it but i can tell you would like to join the mobile creatures. so, what do you say?" 

[Rainbow Brite]

<--- I am an A'renian Wolf, a warrior, born and raised.  I don't play well with others and I am alone.

[Satinjoy]

The fairy watches from her tree house.   The snail had gotten her going, now, after a bit of h'er time, sh'e was feeling much better.....

Ahhhh, afternoon delight......


Sh'e made a note not to get too close to that one, or maybe not, but sh'e would surely have fun with them.... wondered why....

Then sh'e realized that the snail was kind of lower to the ground than sh'e was, as was the dormouse and the sootball...

and h'er skirt was

oh my

oh no

[Umiko]

the vampire decides to play a little prank on the fairy. she grabs a twig. with a black flame, the twig becomes powder. "this is going to be fun" she said. she flies up to the fairy's tree how's and blows the powder on the house. all the fairy's clothes shrink, she than turns invisible and hides in a nearby tree top out of sight."now that my magic is back, might as well test. " she waits for the fairy's reaction.

[Satinjoy]

Ahhh, but the poor vamp does not know the Fairy's protectors, poor thing, there was a time for h'er, sh'e knows many things sh'e does not reveal, a tale of days of h'er youth.....

Her clothes slowly and quietly began to return to their full size, but the poor vamp began to shrink, and shrink, and shrink....

The fairy gently flies down and picks up the now harmless little vamp, and flies them high over the forest, whispering, " find your path, little one, it is here in the forest, one specially for you, find it, through the darkness to the dawn my dear, a dawn beyond your dreams...."

Ever so gently, sh'e deposits the vamp in front of the flower, and the sootball, and the snail, and the dormouse, winking at Wishton, sh'e asks them to grant the next wish of the vamp, to undo the rebounding of their innocent magic.

A kiss on the top of the little vamps head, and sh'e soars, for she must go to the cisworld, and return to the forest in a few days time.  Or use her smart phone that changes her words into meaningless foolishness.....

I see your child, little vamp, I see the spirits around you, and the chains that bind, and I am compassionate, and deeply hope you find your truth, your dreams, and your happiness.  They are strong, little one, they have attacked me thrice, and I became silent, deleting responses in fear,  but they are not the King, and I will be silent no more.  They will be mad now, they are exposed.

Sh'e kisses the top of the vamps head, and flies on, praying for protection once again as sh'e goes, for once, sh'e too was bound, and found the dawn.  Sh'e has seen much, it will not be revealed, it was left behind, when sh'e was freed.

Blessings little one.  Be loved in this forest, you belong with us dear, your child inside is precious to us.  Prayers for me will be appreciated, for protection.

The little vamp looked up at the snail and the other playmates, totally startled at having touched the magic of the fairy, the great powers that protect h'er, never having expected this at all.  Sh'e hopes they are not mad.... if they are, this message will vanish at h'er hand, sh'e does not wish to offend.

Accept my kiss, little vamp, and stay with us here.

[suzifrommd]

the vampire chuckles. "i see." she than goes into her bag and pulls out what looks like pixie dust. "tell me something, if had a chance to become a dryad, would you take it? a dryad is a tree spirit much like treants but rarer due to their shy but are often hunted because of their caring nature. how ever rare they are, wherever a dryad is, the forest is certain to be healthy and strong." the vampire holds the flask of dust up. "i can grant you that wish if you like. think of it as a gesture. i may no longer be able to do things, but at least i can help. this powder is pure moon dust. it cares very powerful properties. i was saving it but i can tell you would like to join the mobile creatures. so, what do you say?"

The flower is amused. It's a fun game, and fun to think she could be mobile and understand mobile creatures. But deep down, she knows it would just be an appearance. She'll always be a flower and magic dust will not make her understand what she does not understand now.

<--- I am an A'renian Wolf, a warrior, born and raised.  I don't play well with others and I am alone.

This, the flower understands. She knows a lot about the ambiguity of being alone. She hopes the wolf feels welcome in our forest.

[Umiko]

with a half smile, the vampire looks at the flower. "its not about understanding. mobile creatures will never understand what is like to be motionless nor will motionless creatures understand what its like to move. however I do understand." she picks up the bottle and pours the dust on the flower's roots. "when you decide to want to move, the dust will take affect. as the queen of all magic creatures, its my job do at least this much." the vampire places hrr hand on a tree. "I think I finally understand but yet I don't. immortality is really kicking my butt." she than looks at the fairy with a fanged smile "I'm a creature who can rival even the gods, but I will give you this win for now" the vampire said a word and grew back to regular size. however she than has a gloom look. "idk about that. the campers I bit, well it seems like they're turning. accordance to my law, I have to destroy them before they become part of the undead." she flies to the campsite and see the campers. a tear rolls down her face. "a monster is always a monster no matter what they do." she summons a spear and ignites it in black flames. "it's unfortunate but it has to be done." she walks up to them. they looked surprise as they say hello. "I'm sorry. I can grant you one last moment. please say your farewells." the looked shocked but somehow understood. they said their goodbyes. the vampire with a face full of bloody tears threw he spear, turning the campers into ashes. she looked at the fairy and the other creatures watching. "I tried to save them, but I couldnt"." she gathers the ashes and places them in bottles. she than gives the bottles to the fairy. "take care of them." than she flies away crying.

[Satinjoy]

Don't cry my dear, said the fairy.  Sh'e flew to the fountain in the forest, birthplace of creatures and threads, and poured the ashes in, for if they were in our forest, they must be ours...

When the time comes, they will soar from the fountain, newwcreatures among us, seeking their paths.

[Umiko]

the vampire flew back to the campsite. she touched the ground. it was still hot. "I never gave them the chance. they could of been great vampires. great enough that I could pass my power on to them and I could finally live a normal life." she cries even more. "it's not to late still. the flames I used only burned away their bodies. I can still revive them, but at what cost." the vampire summoned flames and slammed her hand on the charred area. "this is breaking my rules and nature's law but I must give them a shot or else I'll be consumed with guilt." a circle of flames forms and 2 ghost like creatures appeared. "I've summoned you to say I'm sorry. I want to hear it from you. do you wish to live? I can bring you back but you won't be human. you'll be something that is feared, something that must feed on the living to live." though the ghosts couldn't speak, the vampire understood them. "very well than. I just hope I'm doing the right thing. now that I have children I must care for, I won't be leaving anything soon." the vampire travelled to the fountain and collected the ashes. she than breathed on the ashes. they suddenly began to reform into 2 bodies. well a kiss on each cheek, she place 2 chains around both necks. "it's time to awake my children." the 2 bodies opened their eyes, and looked at the vampire. they both got up and ran to the vampire. she broke the law and not only saved 2 humans which goes against her race's law, but broke the circle of life's laws by reviving them. the 2 campers climbed under the vampires wings. the vampire chuckled "I saved 2 souls. I must be going soft."

[♥︎ SarahD ♥︎]

Melody's eyes flutter open, realising that she had fallen asleep - curled up in the branches of the tree.  She yawns and stretches in the beautiful dawn light of the forrest as she awakens, noticing too late a piece of paper that she had dislodged in the process, and now fluttering to the ground.  Harmony swoops down, catching the errant object with her tiny hands, and bringing it back up to the Archangel.  Melody gently takes it from Harmony with one hand, still rubbing her eyes sleepily with the other, and looks at the image printed on it.  She squints at it, still feeling the effects of sleep inertia and not fully capable of understanding the arrangement of colours and shapes in front of her.  She's never been good with mornings - much preferring to be a night owl than an early bird - but she's been trying really hard lately because she knows the sun is good for her.  She eventually manages to focus her eyes on the strange object, and suddenly the shapes and colours make complete sense - it's a picture of one of the forrest creatures!



Melody smiles lovingly and can't help letting out a chuckle at the innocence of the gesture.  "The snail must have left this for us while we were sleeping," she tells her her two companions, "I can't explain why, but it brings great joy to my heart. In the darkest of nights, when the minions of the Dark Angel close in around us, when the pits of hell burn beneath our feet, and when the stars fall from the sky, this memory shall help protect us".  Melody yells her gratitude to the snail for such a lovely gift, but she's unsure if they are nearby or can even hear her.

The Archangel places the image into one of her infinity pockets for safe keeping, and jumps down from the branch.  As she hits the ground, a pain shoots up, radiating from her chest.  After bracing the pain for a moment, she looks down at her chest - she sees what looks like a knife wound which has penetrated the armour near her heart and sliced a short distance into her body, although not too deep.  It's mostly healed already, but it still stings a bit.  "This wound bears all the hallmarks of the great demon - Phobia," Melody laments, "A gift from a friend, and a warning from an enemy, all while we were sleeping.. A beautiful nightmare, or a horrible dream?  I still find it strange how the darkness can bring such hybrid moments."  Rhapsody and Harmony proceed to heal up what's left of the wound, and the trio set off into the forrest - practically in defiance of the great demon's clear message.  It has always been Melody's folly - whenever she is forced to do something by another, her immediate instinct is to go in exactly the opposite direction just to spite them, such is her headstrong and rebellious spirit.

The celestials wander through the forrest, greeting and chatting with the creatures they meet for a time, before moving on.  They admire the many beautiful sights and vistas of the forrest, looking for a place they can call their own - at least for a while.  The hours go by, and the sun begins to set.  They practically give up hope of finding anything today, and sit on the forrest floor to rest.  Melody sits quietly, a look of disappointment on her face.  Rhapsody and Harmony discuss what to do to cheer up their big celestial sister, when Rhapsody gives Harmony a gentle shove as if to tell her "don't be so silly" to one of her suggestions.  Harmony shoves Rhapsody back, and Rhapsody moves to retaliate, but Harmony dodges - spinning up into the air and causing her sister to face-plant into the mud.  Harmony hovers in the air above her sister, laughing at slapstick comedy that had befallen Rhapsody.  The small red and black sprite lifts her now mud-covered face up from the mud, causing Harmony to laugh even more uncontrollably.  A mischievous smile spreads across Rhapsody's face, as she covertly gathers some of the mud in her hands, and slings it straight at Harmony - who is too busy laughing to notice - and hits her square in the chest.  Harmony's laughter abruptly stops with a gasp, her face turning to a look of shock and indigence at the cold, wet sensation of the mud splattering all over her upper body.  Melody looks up and smiles at the comedic scene unfolding before her from the two celestial sprites, as Rhapsody hovers up level with her sister, clutching a second ball of mud in her hand and still smiling mischievously at Harmony.  Harmony points at her, as if to warn her "Don't you dare..!", but Rhapsody ignores her with a laugh and slings the ball of mud straight at her anyway.  Harmony dodges deftly, causing the mud ball to sail past her, and slams straight into Melody!  "Oi!" Melody exclaims, the two sprites spinning around and covering their mouths as if to say "Whoops!" at the mistake.  Melody laughs, and motions to get up.  Rhapsody tags Harmony playfully, and flies off into the forrest.  Harmony speeds off into the forrest too, giving chase.  "Hay!  Come back here you little sods!" Melody shouts with laughter in her voice, before taking wing herself to pursue her miscreant sisters.

[Satinjoy]

The fairy at the fountain sees the inner paths, and moves onto them.  The forest is the place of gender,,where we explore who we are, growing and interacting, revealing parts of this place and of ourselves that are hard to.say in other places, the power of images and feelings.

Sh'e walks and finds the statue of the unicorn, where the book stands with the quill pen ready, waiting for neros story to be told.  Sh'e sees where tears had stained the statue, an old friend had cried here one, cheek to cheek with their brother.

Sadly, the fairy looked, and went to the book. .

In it, a line, a note...simply it said, turn back the pages of time, and see.

Sh'e turns it back....

An outpouring from the book, wisdom, pain, warriors forgotten, a war in the forest, found identities, the growth of this place, the losses of many.

Sh'e read enthralled, finding the shadow Ativans brilliance, and others that have moved on.

Sh'e reads, and discovers pages yet to be found.

Behind the statue lies the path less taken, a journey into our history, our heritage, the wisdom of gender, the deep things of the forest.

Outside there is commotion, but this is the heart of the unicorns, cherish it, and find the deep things of trans.  No game is this, it is life and death, passion and freedom, the very core of trans, preserved and freely given to those who seek there truth.

Walk the forest my dears, reveal your gender here, and be free.

[Umiko]

"I have again violated the laws." the vampire flew up than driver into the earth. "wake me up when world stops moving." saddened, the 2 newborns vampires shouted "it wasn't her fault. she did it because she thought much of us that she broke the rules just to save us. she thought humans should have a chance no matter what the circumstances. she thought maybe giving us a chance, she'll find some humanity left and finally be able to move on. we mean no disrespect or harm." it was indeed true. the vampire lost hope in humanity and hid herself away in the earth, far away from what is real and what is not. that is the vampire's truth. maybe she really just doesn't belong.

[Dread_Faery]

Cerys hangs in the dark void, shadow against shadow and it is impossible to know where one ends and the other begins. The nature of this place is such that it is a vast and hungry emptiness, yet at the same time is no bigger than a pin head and as insubstantial as the memory of a long forgotten kiss. It has been with her a long time, and while it waxes and wanes it never leaves her. It is her core of darkness and one day she knows it will consume her utterly.

This is the dragon's truth and while she had made a kind of peace with it, she still hates it.