Chapter 1:
I was falling. The wind rustled past my ears as I barely opened my eyes to stare at a passing shadow. I felt nothing but a severe, relentless pain in my tiny body. I felt no fear for my certain demise though, as I watched the cliff face leave me to drown. For I knew what lay below me. I could hear her crashing lullaby, and smell her salty-sweet perfume.
Though I feared her, I still knew no terror as I plunged into her open and waiting arms. The fight had left me...all feeling had begun to fade.
I hit the waves...no...they were gone.
Everything went black and before I realized; I could hear the melody of the wind and feel the soft grass beneath me. My heavy eyelids opened to reveal the sea of puffy gold, and the shimmering colors of purple, orange, and crimson that decorated the sky before me. Trees who resided in the far distance spoke to each other, bending and dancing as the shadows of night still covered them.
Though malignant in appearance, their words were that of family and friends and knew nothing of the mortal realm where I resided. They lived in peace; in a place where horror didn't exist, and terrors unimaginable to the innocent mind never formed.
I lay with my arms to my side and my legs splayed as if I had just fallen here. But this was not the case. I remembered drifting to sleep here, in the open beneath the eternally shining lanterns. Dropping from the cliff had just been a reoccurring nightmare that I'd been having for days now. Truthfully, it had lost its shock value, and was just another dream.
I turned o my side, my young arms now in full view. My right arm was as black as coal, and my left as white as freshly fallen snow. I wore soft, colorless gloves on both of my small hands, and golden rings were secured to my wrists like chains. I frowned at my contrasting arms, and slowly got up.
As soon as I got to my feet I stared at them, the wind creating waves of green below them and rippling through my divided fur. The rising sun warmed the quills of my back, the line of ebony and ivory going through the up-turned knives like a river. I wore red boots with metal soles; my ankles bound with the sister rings that still fettered my wrists.
I could feel the golden collar around my neck that had been fastened there a long time ago by someone I never knew. It had been sealed there for an unknown purpose, yet I never planned to undo that sacred, silver buckle that kept it secure as I was sure it was there for a very good reason.
I felt parched, and a little dizzy, so I listened to the sounds of the birds, the crickets, and to the whispers of the evergreens, hoping that I had rested near some sort of creek or small river. The din of bubbling water caught my left ear and without much hesitation I started towards it.
I had just traveled here last night to catch a breather. In truth, I didn't even know where I was, nor did I truly care. It had just been a nice spot to sleep. Guess I should probably count myself lucky I didn't get attacked, huh?
If you're wondering who I am, and why I'm here, well.. My name is Ko, and I'm a ten-year-old hedgehog. Or, at least I think I'm ten years old. My body doesn't really age, so, that's the age I've just kinda settled with. I'm only two feet and five inches tall, last time I measured myself, and I love to travel. As for what I'm doing here on this plain, walking to a bubbling stream of water in the woods at the crack of dawn...I don't really have an answer for that.
I've been wondering around this small world now for a very long time without any real purpose. I don't remember much about my past, and I'm not really sure if I want to. Every night, I'm haunted by feverish nightmares and visions that never made sense to me. The latest one, falling from the cliff while a shadow watched, was a good dream compared to some of the others.
I've talked to some of the inhabitants of this world called, Mobius, and they've told me that my nightmares and visions may be linked to my memories. If that's the case, I don't want to remember. The fact that I've been left to Oblivion's security might be a good thing, if not for anything else but my sanity.
My eyes searched the darkness of the forest as my feet continued forward. I held no fear of the dark. For she had become my friend during my travels. Her cloak kept me hidden from certain danger, and her whispers gave me warnings of Fate's twisted designs.
Fallen leaves crinkled beneath my step, and branches creaked above me as I drove on. Crows echoed a haunting song in the black foliage of the trees, the sky crimson with devilish intent behind them. Crickets and small critters joined in their wretched song till it blossomed into a wicked symphony. I listened to it, my eyes drooping with its soft tune; its lullaby of death.
Woe to the weary wanderer of the dawn, for to listen to this cradlesong would mean their demise. Yet to me, this song was one I had heard so many times that I could now sing it to myself. I had traversed many forests like this and in each one, they repeated the same song during the waking hours of daybreak. So I was used to this morbid scene and evil lullaby.
However, I knew that this evil would be drowned out by the light once the sun rose, and the happy tune of the mockingbirds would fill this forest with life and joy. It would probably happen once I reached the water source as I could now see the crimson slowly turning to dazzling gold in the sky.
It was a spectacular show and though normally I would watch the light conquer the darkness, I was very thirsty and wanted to drink something. The sun wasn't going to suddenly change his orbit and plunge us all into total darkness just because I didn't watch it come up this morning. I could always watch it tomorrow morning, and maybe then, I could wake up early enough to see all of it. My dream had kept me for too long last night, and made me miss the most beautiful part of it anyways.
After a few minutes of walking towards the sound, I finally found the water source. It was a little babbling brook nestled beneath a large oak in the middle of an evergreen forest. They were settled within a clearing, the changing sky now in full view as I stepped onto the divine, green grass that covered the clearing like a luscious blanket.
I could hear the little brook whispering stories to the old tree. Oh how I longed to understand it! I could only imagine the adventures it had while on its way to the vast sea. It could warn me of dangers it has met, and tell me interesting tales of the adventurers that happened upon it. That tree was so lucky.
Cautiously, I neared it, my shoes barely disturbing the creek's epic tale as the vegetation muffled the silver soles. Once I had gotten close enough to the edge, I laid myself down carefully beside it, and leaned on my right hand to trail my left in the soothing current.
My eyes drooped once more as I listened to the bard's tune, and tried to understand his lyrics. Though Mother Oak knew and tried to teach the song to me, I couldn't understand their language and soon just focused on the old music. It was the music of ages past that still rang true to those desperate souls who wondered the forest. Though none of these knew the story, they all knew the tune, and longed to find their way to it. These bards granted a safe haven to the passerby and were good hosts to the lost.
I remember the first time I had found such a stream. It had been my first time in the forest, and I had been crying, lost, and afraid. I had known nothing of the world besides images of a terrible place, and I had been drawn to that welcoming song. I remember dozing beside that little babbling brook as it sung me to sleep with an enchanting lullaby that even the crickets and birds couldn't compete against. It had been the first night of my living memory.
I lifted my hand from the current and rolled onto my belly to drink from the eternal fountain. It tasted as bliss and I couldn't help but drink more. As I drank, I noticed my eyes. They, much like my fur didn't match, with the left one being a pinkish red to match my white fur, and the right being made up of different variants of blue, yellow, red, purple, and green to go with the dark fur. Truthfully, I kind of liked my right eye. It was very pretty compared to my boring, left eye that only housed the color red. It reminded me of a chaotic rainbow, or maybe a really colorful sunset.
I could see my bare muzzle too in the crystal stream. My muzzle also couldn't decide on weather it was dark or light, and so it settled for darker, tanned skin on the right, and light, pale skin on the left. Well, at least I can't say that I'm one sided, as I have both.
My thirst finally satisfied, I thanked the stream and rolled back over to sit with my feet in the gushing water. It was so calming that I couldn't help it. I finally looked back up at the sky to see that I had missed the entire show. The blue sky greeted me with puffy, milky clouds and little birds that flew freely across its wide expanse.
Sometimes I wondered what it was like to fly… Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I might be the only one to get close to doing so without a need for wings or jets.
See, the one thing I haven't mentioned is that I can run very, very fast. I don't know exactly how fast, but I can run so fast that I can't hear anything anymore; not even my own voice until a few minutes later. The world just slows down, and everything around me races at a snail's pace or just stops altogether. I can run great distances in a blink of an eye, and nobody even knows that I was there. To them, I was just a gust of wind, a shadow that was there for only an instant.
The only problem with that is that I'm always hungry. I don't really understand why, but when I travel long distances quickly without eating for a while, I feel faint or dizzy. So the only way to keep that from happening is to keep eating...easier said than done.
I'm a little girl, alone in the world, with a huge appetite. The only way I can get enough food to last is by stealing. Yeah, okay, I'm a thief. Trust me, I know that that's bad and I hate doing it, but I have no other choice. I don't have anyone to stay with, and I'm not old enough to get a job… I asked around. So the only choices for me are to either accept help from passing strangers or to take from unknowing market stalls. I do both actually.
Some Mobians I pass are kind and will offer me something to eat when they hear my stomach rumbling. I will normally accept their offer with gratitude. There are some people that are a little sketchy and I will try to avoid, but other than that, I'm quite happy to receive a piece of bread. It's so much better than stealing.
Actually, it was a very benevolent Mobian traveler that gave me my name. I had been walking down a road, completely alone in the dead of night when a tall, graying, blue hedgehog saw me. He had asked me my name, but I couldn't remember it. So he gave me the name Ko and said for me to call him Uncle Chuck. After that, he gave me a loaf of bread and went on his way. I haven't seen the kind hedgehog since.
Softly, I turned my face away from the sky to stare absently at the old oak that resided in front of me. She was beautiful. Her leaves shimmered and danced in the rays of light from the heavens, and her umber bark put that of the other trees to shame in hue and sheer beauty. I had never really known a tree so pretty...then again, I rarely stopped to look at trees. I don't think anyone really does.
My feet sploshed around as I lifted them onto the lush grass, watering the blades so that they glittered under the light of the new day. I then tried to stand, only to fall back down again onto my booty.
I felt so dizzy, as though I had just spun around in a circle for a while and then tried to run on an empty stomach. It was so bad that I thought I might throw up...but there was nothing to throw up. I hadn't eaten at all, last night or this morning. I had been hoping to get away with it, and hoping that this morning's sickness was just do to thirst, but I guess I was wrong.
Now what? I was too dizzy to even stand, much less run to the nearest village. Panic started to rise in my throat as I thought about the hunters of the forest. The idea of not being able to defend myself against them, or run away truly frightened me. I didn't even really know why.
Then why are you afraid?
This dumb ignorance of my own fear calmed me, and I tried to stand once again. I found that the dizziness had somewhat subsided, and I could now stand. I heckled myself for the panic. How could I have been so stupid?
As this question ran through my scattered mind, I noticed something shining deep within the little babbling brook's rushing waters. It shone a purple light, and was very different from the surrounding river rocks or vegetation. Its light was warm, comforting. How could I have missed it before?
I slowly knelt down and reached out to touch the luminous object, my gloved hand feeling the refreshing water softly moving my left hand away. I ignored the gossiping stream and placed the albino fingers upon the large, purple rock. A wave of warmth entered my veins, and a barren feeling in my heart seemed to vanish as I lifted the pretty rock from the water and held it up so my ill-matched eyes could see.
It seemed to resemble ice that had been turned purple by the sunset. As I held it, a cold, empty feeling that I had never been able to shake just left, and took with it all my fear, doubt, and pain. My dizziness ceased, and I found that I could stand without any issue. I still felt hungry, but now, I also felt...happy.
I held it to my chest, the radiant warmth thawing out my icy heart. Suddenly, a lady's soft voice pierced through my mind.
Why are you so sad, Ko?
I spun around, thinking that maybe someone had sneaked up on me while I was reaching for this rock...but there was no one there…
"Who...Who said that?" I asked, my nervous voice echoing around the small clearing.
I am Murasakino, but you can call me, Mura.
"Mura? Where are you, Mura?" My shaking voice had calmed, but I was still on guard.
I am close to your heart.
I looked down at the rock clasped to my chest, "You are the rock?"
Indeed. But please don't be afraid.
"Why would I be afraid?" I responded, holding the rock still closer.
Nevermind, darling.
I sat down on my shins in the grass and held the large amethyst up to eye level, "How do you know my name?"
You are my child, and as my child, I know you better than anyone around.
I was confused, "You're my mother? But I'm a hedgehog..."
Trust me, it's very complicated. I'll tell you when you're older.
I looked at her with confusion, "But I can't age, Mura."
Exactly.
For some reason, I started to giggle, then my giggles turned to laughter. Having never truly laughed before, the concept was foreign to me. Yet I still kept laughing, the cold completely melting away from my heart. Mura seemed pleased by this and warmed me still further till I was very happy and comfortable in her presence.
You are hungry...are you not?
She asked this as my laughter started to die down, and with this question came a very annoying grumble from my impatient belly. I blushed as I nodded to her inquiry.
There's a village just down the way. Follow this gracious stream north and it'll lead you straight to it.
I heeded her advice and started to walk up along the brook's babbling edge. Mura was such a kind and soothing presence that I couldn't help but trust her. Besides, I was really hungry, and the idea of a village nearby was a relief.
My feet touched woodland ground once more as I trounced beneath the evergreens, their thick branches blocking out the sky. Despite this, beams of light shone through, casting an otherworldly glow on the forest floor. Spores shot out from beneath my silver soles and caught the light in a way that made them glitter and shine all around me. I could hear the melody of the chipper birds, and feel the wind as it danced along to the beat of the joyous song. The air smelled of fresh mint and the soothing sound of the bubbling water below me.
I stepped over large roots that fed from the small stream and tried my best to keep my balance through the mushy soil that tried to keep my feet contained. All the while, I still held Mura in my hand, her warm glow putting the spores' glow to shame.
Tell me, my child. Have you taken a bath recently?
I climbed over an unusually high root, my voice labored as I responded, "What's a bath?" I had never heard of such a thing, and I was certain I had never done it.
A bath, Darling, is when you get yourself clean while in running water. Normally, Mobians will do this in their homes with a bath tub or shower. However, you can do this by cleaning yourself in a large river or beneath a waterfall.
My eyes looked to her for a second before continuing over yet another large root, "Oh..."
What's wrong, Ko?
She sounded genuinely concerned with my silence, "I...I don't really like large bodies of water. I mean..." I stopped and held her out to face me, "I don't mind little streams...I'll let my feet and hands soak in one of those. I just...I can't stand large rivers, or lakes. They make me feel...uneasy." I gulped as I said that last part. As I was telling her this, I could feel her thinking.
Hmm...I think I understand. Come child, let us continue. We're nearing the village.
"Do I need to be clean, Mura?" I started walking again, my eyes on the ground and the beautiful rock to my heart.
Well, yes...if you want to be healthy.
"What's healthy?" My eyes drifted to her for a second before returning to the path.
Healthy is a state of being where you aren't ill or hurt. When you're healthy, it's harder for you to become sick. If you don't keep clean, the tiny strangers that cling to your fur and quills while you travel can cause you to feel bad and make you unhealthy. That is something we don't want.
"So I can get rid of these 'tiny strangers' if I take a bath?" I wondered, crawling beneath an arching root that was too big to climb over.
Exactly. Maybe we can ask someone at this village if you could use their bath.
I nodded, and we fell into silence. The fallen branches of the trees creaked slightly as I stepped on them. I didn't seem to be heavy enough to break them, and in some ways, I was happy for that as it would be very loud if I did.
Ko...I must warn you against letting me be seen among the villagers.
I stopped, Mura's warning confusing to me, "How come?"
There are some evil beings out there, precious, that would love to take me away. They would use me to hurt you and others. It's better for both of us that I am not seen by anyone.
"Where should I hide you? I...I don't want to leave you behind." I had only just met her, but for some reason, I didn't want to be separated from her. I didn't want that empty pain and ice to return to my heart.
You could hide me in your quills. That way, You won't have to worry about it.
I nodded and quickly hid her within my unkempt quills. I knew that she would indeed be safe there as my quills were as hard as stone and sharp as knives. They could hold her light weight easily. In fact, she was barely noticeable as the contrasting spines kept her secure.
"How's that?" I asked once I had finished placing her so she couldn't fall out.
Very good, Ko. Onward to the village!
She said that last part with such a goofy voice that I giggled. We were moving again, the end of the woods now within eyesight. I could see a beautiful light at the end of the green tunnel, and beyond that, what looked to be the rippling green grass of the eternal plain on the other side of the forest.
I stepped over a few more sticks and crawled beneath another hanging root, a light breeze aiding me through. Before I knew it, I was on the edge of the grassland, ready to take the first step on the strange, new ground. I steeled myself, and took a step forward.