Bucky and Phoenix were up in Maine for a change of scenery. New York City was starting to take a toll on Phoenix herself but she didn't want to go home to recover. So Bucky suggested the Northeast. Maine had plenty of forests. They had been there for several weeks, roughing it out at Acadia National Park. Bucky could see an improvement in Phoenix's mood and overall health. The city had caused a slight decline in her mood, making her more melancholy. Her health hadn't declined to a noticeable degree but there had been times where she had seemed a bit weak. The White Wolf knew beyond a doubt it was because of the differences between All World and Earth. In her words, All World was Earth if it never underwent the Industrial Revolution. It was, in literary terms, a Medieval Stasis-Locked planet. As such, the air was worlds cleaner than Earth was.
One morning, fog had rolled in. Bucky came out of the cabin he and Phoenix were staying in (mostly him since she slept outside most nights). The chimera in question was standing stock-still in front of the cabin. Her ears were pointed forward in an alert position. Her tail was relaxed so he knew she was sensing something but it wasn't dangerous. "What is it, Nix?" he asked, coming down and setting a hand on her back. "This fog…it's not natural," she stated, eyes still forward. Bucky frowned. Maine was known for fog. How was this not normal? This wasn't even the first time on their sabbatical that fog had rolled in. But he knew Phoenix long enough to know that if something didn't feel right to her, he could trust her instincts.
The chimera suddenly snorted and started to trot off. Bucky was caught off-guard by the sudden move but he quickly jogged to catch up. The fog was growing thicker and he didn't want to lose her in it. It was no good. He quickly lost sight of her and he came to a stop. The fog was so thick and their cabin was near one of the lakes. Bucky didn't want to walk into it by accident. "Nix!" he called into the fog. No reply. The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up. He wasn't alone. His fear became palpable. "Don't be afraid," came a feminine voice he didn't recognize. "Who's there?" Bucky responded, turning in place and trying to figure out which direction the voice was in. "I'm a friend. I won't hurt you. Look to your left," the voice responded. Bucky looked to his left and the fog pulled back. His eyes widened and his voice failed. Standing there was a white unicorn with a violet mane and tail. Her golden horn tightly twisted and her matching hooves gleamed. Her mane was down to her fetlocks and her tail dragged on the ground, though no dirt or leaves muddled it. Her eyes were the same color as Phoenix's.
Her overall beauty was indescribable. "So you're the human who has become first in my daughter's heart," she said, gently smiling. The word 'daughter' immediately revealed her identity to the White Wolf. "You're Phoenix's mother," Bucky choked out. The mare nodded with a smile. "Allianna, Queen of the Unicorn Nation, at your service, James Barnes. Phoenix has told me so much about you," she responded. Bucky fell to his knees, unable to stay standing. "Oh god. This isn't happening," he muttered. "Bucky?" came Phoenix's voice. She trotted out the mist and shifted, kneeling down by him. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Hello, darling," Allianna said. Phoenix looked over and her jaw dropped. "Mother?" she whispered, standing up to face her. "How…How did you get here?" she asked. Allianna's serene smile remained in place. "Same way as you. I wanted to see your human for myself so I came. Though perhaps I'm causing him undue distress?" the Queen said, concern slipping into her voice. Phoenix looked down at Bucky and noticed he was stiff as a board and his face belied his terror. "Hey, hey, you're okay, Bucky. She won't hurt you," she said, kneeling down and taking his face in her hands. Bucky met her eyes and swallowed. "I know what she is…but I can't comprehend it," he choked out.
He slowly looked up at the Queen, his eyes flooding. Allianna's expression changed to one of understanding. "I see. So it is true that your past haunts you and seeing something like me brings up feelings of shame. You feel unworthy to be in my presence," she said. Bucky bit his lower lip and gripped Phoenix's arms as she held him steady. "Sorry," he said. "No, I'm sorry. Perhaps I shouldn't have come. It's just that my curiosity got the best of me," Allianna said. Bucky just shook his head. Phoenix looked up at her mother. "Um…," she ventured. The Queen just smiled serenely. "It's okay. His Majesty is strong and I trust your judgments. Besides, I have no say in anything. I must say your human has a kind face," she said.
Bucky watched as the mare bent her head down to his level. "I would like to thank you for caring about my daughter. It puts me at ease to know she's okay," she said. The White Wolf looked between them and took a deep breath. "Can I ask you a few questions, Your Majesty?" he asked. Allianna and Phoenix's eyes met, both already knowing where he was going with this. "It's the least I can do. Hold nothing back," the Queen responded. She dropped to her knees and lay down in front of him. Phoenix helped Bucky sit back, rubbing his back as he was still a bit shaken at the surprise visit from a unicorn. He looked at Phoenix who just nodded and shifted back to her true form. "You're really her mother?" he asked. Allianna hummed before looking to her daughter who nodded again. "Depending on how much she's told you, it's…complicated," the Queen replied. "She told me she was created by an alchemist but was birthed by you after a traumatic experience. I don't know anymore beyond that," Bucky responded.
The mare hummed again, eyes closing. Her face got a shadow of trauma on it but she resolutely opened her eyes and met his. Her horn started to glow and magic started to flow from the sharp point. Bucky and Phoenix watched as the magic formed an illusion. The White Wolf felt his hands close into fists as he beheld what appeared to be a monstrosity in the form of a decaying horse. Sickly green skin stretched across bone. The head was pure skull except where the mandible, ears, and eyes were. What really caught Bucky's attention were the hind legs. They had an extra joint in them, giving the monster a bizarre profile. "Phoenix…this is…Thanatos, the kelpie who…," Allianna trailed off. Bucky watched as Phoenix studied the illusion. "The chiefest and greatest of his kind…and the closest thing to a father that I have," she said, her voice flat but with a hint of sorrow.
"Your creator is closer but yes, by all metrics, Thanatos serves the role as well. If he hadn't assaulted me, your creator never would've gotten his hands on me," Allianna sighed as she looked at the illusion of her tormentor. Bucky looked to the Queen. "How did something like this get that close to you?" he asked, genuinely curious about that. "Because he came to me in this form," Allianna responded with a wave of her horn. A second illusion overlapped the one of Thanatos, this time showing a winged buckskin dun unicorn with a transparent horn. "An alicorn?" the White Wolf inquired. "A cerapter, actually. This particular stallion was my first love…Skychaser. A kelpie's illusion ability is powerful but imperfect if seen by more than one witness. Thanatos took the form of Chase to seduce me and I was too weak to resist. By that point in history, kelpies were long thought extinct but Thanatos had somehow slipped through the cracks," Allianna explained.
Her violet eyes looked far away and Bucky saw her bring her tail closer to her body. "You don't have to go into further detail. I get it," he said. That brought Allianna back to the present and she smiled gently. "You're kind. But yes. In the end, I was assaulted, kidnapped, and experimented on. But I will tell you one thing, James," Allianna said before smiling at Phoenix. "I've gained so much good in my life despite the evils done to me. I know Phoenix and I are different species but she's my daughter because she has my blood and was born from me. Her creator doesn't matter. Thanatos doesn't matter. Indeed, her creator spared me the unimaginable guilt of being the vessel Thanatos used to bring his species back," she explained. Bucky watched as the mares touched noses affectionately. "Would he?" he asked.
Allianna hummed, taking a deep breath. "Well, if he had succeeded, I would've been the start of it all. But no, I wouldn't have become his broodmare. My position as Queen aside, kelpies can only victimize someone once. After that, victims are sterilized. It takes longer for mares because we're the carriers of a kelpie's spawn. But the end result is the same. If we're not eaten by the spawn, we're denied a chance to have foals of our own. There's no way to heal that. I was fortunate that I was able to have a foal at all, even if she's a chimera," she responded. Phoenix smiled and rested her head on Bucky's shoulder. He just chuckled and ran his hand along her face.
"Did he know who you were?" he then asked. Allianna just shook her head. "Doubtful. It's likely that Thanatos saw me at a distance and decided I was perfect. Kelpies were opportunistic hunters, both for breeding and predation purposes," she responded, waving her horn. The illusion of Thanatos dropped the disguise and opened its jaws. Bucky's eyes widened when they opened wider than was natural for a horse and he was met with the sight of sharp teeth. "So yeah. His grand plan had less to do with who I was. He just needed a mare and a chance. Well…he got his mare and he got his chance. It was luck of the draw that Phoenix's creator was in the area and took me after," she responded.
Allianna looked at her daughter. "Phoenix, would it be okay if I spoke to James in private?" she asked. The chimera tilted her head, a bit curious as to the why but figured she wasn't needed for whatever the Queen had in mind. "It's fine with me. I'll just wait by the cabin," she responded. She got to her hooves but before she could raise her head, Bucky's hand closed on a curled horn. She met his gaze and noticed he looked downright terrified. He then let go so she could straighten up. "Calm down, Bucky. She won't bite," she chuckled. "Sorry that I wasn't expecting to meet your mother and then be left alone with her," he muttered mutinously. The mares exchanged playful looks. "I supposed this is…how do the humans say…meeting the parent? Be at ease, James. Put aside the fact that I'm a Queen for a moment. I just want to talk one-on-one," Allianna said.
She got to her golden hooves and shook her head, her mane catching whatever light filtered through the fog that hovered around the area. Phoenix crossed horns with her before she smiled encouragingly at Bucky. She turned and headed off, leaving him alone with the Queen. Bucky watched her go helplessly. He then looked awkwardly at the white mare next to him. Allianna smiled and motioned for him to follow. "So, how did you two ever meet? Phoenix doesn't visit the West often due to the distance so I know little about the history between you," she then opened. Bucky smiled, looking down. "It's a long story but the gist is I fell from a train in the mountains. I don't know how long I lay in the snow but she appeared to me. Apparently, she had seen me fall and felt this compulsion to find me," he explained.
"The blood of a unicorn flows strongly in her. It's in my kind's nature to protect and help those who need it. We're considered the most hospitable race for that reason. As such, our culture revolves around it," Allianna agreed. Bucky went on to tell the entire story of their interactions. The Queen listened quietly, humming here and there. All the while, a smile was on her face. They came to the lakeshore and Bucky sighed, crossing his arms. "I didn't mean to come between Nix and Seiryu, Your Majesty. I got what I wanted in the end but at a cost," he admitted. Allianna looked over at him. "From what I understand, it was a mutual arrangement. His Majesty was always meant to rule alone but the Weaver never said they had to be alone. All of them are free to take pair-bonds. Aside from Seiryu, none of them have for their own reasons. The biggest is that they outlive everyone they know," she responded.
"I'm not good enough for her," the White Wolf said, looking down. "And she doesn't think she's good enough for the world. Phoenix's reality is forever tainted by what she is. Chimeras are rejected by our world on the basis they're not an Original Creation. They're creatures of Man. Some species simply can't look past that to see that chimeras are equally worthy of acceptance and care. The Weaver looks on them with favor despite their origins," the Queen countered. Bucky met her violet eyes and saw the determination in them. "I love my daughter, James, but nothing kills me more knowing I can't change the hearts of my own people. They have already judged her the way they judge Tempest. They tolerate her because of my circumstances and they tolerate him because I refuse to bend to expectation. He didn't ask to be the current era's Abhorred One but here we are. Phoenix isn't one of us and has no place in my herd. She knows and accepts this because she had never known life that way. Ever since she was stolen from me, surviving on her own is all she's ever known. We only reconnected forty years ago," she explained.
Bucky's soulful eyes remained locked with the beautiful mare's. "How did you know it was her?" he asked. "I was very present of mind when I gave birth. Phoenix is hard to forget. But even if I hadn't, her eyes are the clearest link to me. No unicorn outside my bloodline has this color. It ties us to our most ancient ancestor and founder of my Nation. With our deaths comes the end of her bloodline," came the response. The White Wolf took a deep breath and crossed his arms. Allianna watched him expectantly. "Do you think I'm good enough for her?" he inquired, a sad tone to his voice. The Queen looked out over the lake. "That's up to you. The fact of the matter remains that while I'm Phoenix's mother, I wasn't able to raise her as my own. The choices you make are up to you. She's an adult mare and you're a grown man. You don't need my permission. Let me pose a question to you," she responded.
The two looked at each other. "Do you love her?" Allianna asked. "More than anything," Bucky responded without hesitation. "And does she love you in return?" came the follow-up question. The former Winter Soldier had to think about that for a second since the question made some doubts resurface. "I have to believe she does. It's nothing she is or isn't doing that makes me question things at times. Make no mistake. I know her feelings are genuine. However, my past has lasting consequences, and being prone to doubts is part of it," he then replied. Allianna hummed. "Understandable. It's also natural, given your circumstances. I wish I had some wisdom to impart but I'm afraid I'm an outsider to whatever goes on in her life. I wish I was able to raise her. I know you're wondering why I never tried to fight to get her back from her creator. In simple terms, I was young and overwhelmed by my trauma. That's why I never went back for her," she said, her voice colored with sorrow.
Bucky met her gaze again. "I meant what I said when I wouldn't ask for details. I understand and I don't blame you. I bet being a Queen would've made getting Nix back even harder," he said. The mare nodded in silence before she took a deep breath. "I really am blessed. We lost a lot of time but we have each other now," she agreed. Bucky reached over to pat her neck out of habit before remembering who he was with and let it drop to his side again. "From what you've shared, her creator was able to slow down the sterilization that Thanatos brought on long enough for you to gestate and give birth. Phoenix has a good name," he said to cover for his near-social faux pas. "To be honest, I'm curious about why she named herself that," Allianna mused. Bucky looked at her surprised.
The Queen then laughed, a musical sound to the White Wolf's ears. "Forgive me. I'll admit that it's a fair assumption that I had the time to name her myself before she was stolen from me and I was abandoned back in my forest. But no, I didn't get that honor," she explained. Bucky grinned and crossed his arms. "Say you did have that opportunity. What would you have named her?" he asked. The mare looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging. "To be honest, I never thought about it before. I was young by my kind's standards when things went down. After I was booted from the lab where I gave birth, I returned home assuming I lost everything." she responded. She met Bucky's gaze. "Let's head back. I've done what I came here to do. You're a good soul, despite your past. I know my daughter will be okay. And don't worry about His Majesty. Dragons are hardy beings and he's going to be just fine," she said.
Bucky sighed as they headed back. "Just so you know…Nix and I know what we have isn't forever. I would love to have her for my wife but there's too much against us for that to be possible. All this to say, we know what we're getting into and all we can hope for is whatever time we have," he said. A hand to his shoulder made him pause. Bucky's eyes widened when he saw that Allianna had shifted into a human form. She was breathtaking. Then he noticed the black surface-level veins spider-webbing across her body. The Queen just smiled. "A good soul and wise. I don't think I have anything to worry about," she said. Bucky swallowed, his eyes dropping to the veins. Allianna brought her hand up to look at it. She gave a mirthful smile. "I generally don't shift in front of others because of this but you're one of those I feel I can trust," she said. She seemed to be hit with physical weakness because her knees buckled. Bucky took hold of her elbows. "You okay? What is this?" he asked as she regained her footing.
"This is the Taint. It marks the victim of a kelpie attack. We're not sure how it works but somehow a kelpie knows if a mark is Tainted or not. For humanshifters, it's only visible in this form since it's hidden by our coats. I get bursts of physical weakness from time to time. Phoenix knows," Allianna explained. Bucky made sure she was able to stand alone before dropping his hands. The Queen smoothed her dress out and they continued to head back to the cabin. The White Wolf would see her look at her skin from time to time. "You can shift back if you're uncomfortable, Your Majesty," he said after a moment. Allianna smiled at him and looked towards the cabin coming into view. Phoenix was grazing out front and she looked up when she saw them coming. The Queen reached out to take her daughter's horned head in hand. "I'm about to return home, love," she said. Phoenix shifted to take her hands. "Thank you," she said. Allianna squeezed her hands before she got a serious look on her face.
"Phoenix, what I'm about to say isn't meant to discourage things between you two but I feel it should be said. Be careful about becoming too human. While it's not uncommon for those like us to fall for humans, there's a reason why such pairings are rare. Never forget what it means to be a chimera. Understand?" she asked. Phoenix and Bucky looked at each other. The former Winter Soldier just smiled and nodded. He knew what the Queen was trying to say. "I will be mindful. Thank you for giving us your blessing," Phoenix then said. Allianna set her hand on her face and smiled. "It's the least I can do. I will forever wonder how life would've been different if I had been able to raise you but as long as I'm able to impart what wisdom I can, it's enough," the mare-turned-woman said before looking up at Bucky. She set a hand on his face in kind. "Goodbye, James. We're not likely to meet again in this life. I hope life is kind to you both for however long this lasts," she said.
Bucky bent at the waist when the Queen dropped her hand. "I will do my best to make Nix happy," he said. Allianna smiled at him before placing her forehead to the chimera's. She turned and started to walk off. "Oh, one more thing," she said, turning back to the pair. Phoenix and Bucky had twin looks of curiosity. "How about you share the story of your name with James, dear. And when you visit Byakko's West next, you tell me the story then. He and I are curious," the Queen said. She gave them a playful wink before turning forward and heading into the worsening fog. After a moment, the fog started lifting completely and the beautiful Queen was nowhere to be seen. The White Wolf promptly dropped to the ground, causing Phoenix to give him a look of alarm. "Whoa, Bucky, what's wrong?" she asked, dropping to her knees next to him. "Nothing, Nix. It's just that…that was your mother. Up until now, she had been this mythic figure in the back of my mind. But she's real," he responded.
Phoenix chuckled a bit before planting her lips to his. Bucky responded and sighed when they broke apart. Phoenix pulled him to his feet with a laugh. The White Wolf pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "Your mom does bring up a good point. Where did you get your name?" he asked, looking down at her. The woman in his arms just smiled as her arms wrapped around his waist. "It's nothing special but the first animal that gave me a kind word was a phoenix. I was about a year old when I escaped the lab. I wasn't given much sympathy by the animals I came across. At best, they avoided me. At worst, they drove me off. That's rough on a foal. But one morning, I was found by a phoenix who showed me kindness. He helped me find food and gave me hope for the future. I can't be sure but I suspect it was Suzaku High King. The only reason I can't be sure is that, while phoenixes can choose what bird they can be reborn as, Suzaku favors the look of a harpy eagle. He rarely deviates from that form. The phoenix who helped me came in the form of a cardinal. Either way, the phoenix raised me for a time before I was able to survive on my own. One day, before I woke up, he was gone and I haven't seen him since to my knowledge. So I named myself Phoenix to remind myself that an eternal bird decided this orphaned chimeric foal was worth helping," she explained.
Bucky didn't think it was possible but he fell even harder in love with her right then. The fact she named herself after the bird who helped her was so heartwarming. It proved that she was found early enough in her life that the negativity of the world was offset by an act of kindness. Even better if it had been the High King of the South. His hands dropped to her hips and he set his forehead to hers. Phoenix swallowed a bit, feeling the rising tension. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. "Don't worry about anything, Nix. I know that step is not an option for us but don't hold back if it feels right to a point," Bucky said in a low voice. The woman in his arms bit her lip a little. She met his eyes when he pulled her hips to his. Bucky smirked in response and brought his head down. "Nix…," he whispered.
Phoenix swallowed before taking a deep breath. "Just do something, Bucky," she whispered. Bucky planted his lips to hers before reaching down to snag her legs. Once she had her legs around his waist, he carried her into the cabin to the bedroom. He dropped them to the bed with Phoenix on top. They started to make out a bit, Phoenix undoing his shirt with one hand to rest it on his bare chest. In the back of her mind, she knew her mother was right about warning her about losing too much of herself to the part of her that was human. But for now…she wanted to be. "Can you sleep with me tonight, Nix?" Bucky asked after a few moments. "Sure. And I'm glad you got to meet my mother," she responded. The White Wolf smiled before kissing her again.
All World
Allianna reappeared in the Glade, the Nation's capital forest. She walked into view of her herd and smiled when Tempest approached. The powerful solid black stallion with red garnet eyes was always the first to greet her when she came to hold court. This was part of his role as her advisor but Tempest never failed to be genuinely happy to see her. It wasn't so much how it appeared on his face. The stallion was usually stony in terms of expression but his eyes had a unique way of lighting up when he saw her that she had picked up on as his way of showing his affection for her. As usual, the two crossed their horns with no mind or care to the herd. Crossing horns in their culture was a sign of closeness and was generally used to greet family or close friends. Tempest being the Abhorred One was a mark against him but the herd had been sufficiently schooled by Allianna that she wasn't going to let old superstition compromise her spirit of compassion. He was a bit more tolerated since her assault because he proved his loyalty and depth of his feelings for her.
"And you've returned to me safely," Tempest said. "Thank you for lending me some of your power. It was a good talk. I think Phoenix is in good hands," Allianna responded. Tempest sighed, bringing his nose to rest against hers. "I still can't believe she walked away for a human of all things," he said. Allianna just giggled. "Plenty say the same of me. Personally, I think the reason the herd puts up with the level of affection I give you is that they know I can't carry on royal traditions. They may never accept you as King in an official capacity but I've failed as Queen because I can't give the Nation an heir. But still, even if things hadn't happened, I know in my heart that you would be my choice," she said, giving him a soft look. The Abhorred One cracked a small smile. "Still…a human. I'll never understand what she sees in such a creature," he sighed. "It was her choice and they're both mindful of how fleeting this will be. All the same, this is a form of healing for them both," the Queen said, sagely. Tempest stepped back and met her eyes. "I trust your judgment, Your Majesty," he said.
Allianna smiled at him before heading for the dais. The black stallion followed to stand on ground level to her right. He looked back at her and her violets met his garnets. His eyes told her he loved her and she smiled in response. He would never say it aloud near others but it was plain all the same. Allianna prepared to hold court and thought with a chuckle to herself how alike she and her daughter were. Phoenix had given her heart to a dragon for sixty years and eventually decided to give it to a human. The Queen herself took comfort in Tempest's love for her and she knew there was a part of her that loved him in return. Her own trauma made it difficult for her to verbally express it but he knew. Part of the Queen wished she were able to take him as her King and give him a foal. He deserved it after everything he had gone through and endured. But what they had was enough. What Phoenix and James had was enough.