Three days after their return saw Bucky resting on the shore of the lake near the Tree of History. He heard footsteps and tilted his head back to see Katania, the alchemist, coming his way. "Hello, James," she greeted, coming up to him. "Hello," he replied, sitting up. "Where's Phoenix? I haven't seen her all day," the alchemist then inquired. "She's in there. The Queen is letting her read the First Queen's journals. She had to bend the rules a bit since apparently, only blood relations are permitted to read them," Bucky responded, pointing to the dead redwood. Kat hummed, looking out over the lake as she sat with him. "The artwork in there is amazing. Kestrel showed me once," she mused. Bucky could tell she really wanted to ask about the elephant in the room. "Honestly, if you ask her, I'm sure the Queen would tell you exactly who she is to Nix. It's not my place to say," he said. Kat laughed. "That obvious, huh?" she inquired. "Very," he agreed.

"It's not a big deal if I know or not. If anything, Her Majesty having any kind of bond with an animal that isn't seen in the best light is inspiring. It…humanizes her, for lack of a better term, and makes her seem more approachable," Kat said, leaning back on her hands. Her metal leg whirred a bit as she crossed her ankles. Bucky looked at it before he looked at his vibranium hand. "So, uh…how did you feel when you woke up to that?" Kat asked when she noticed. Bucky curled his fingers a few times. "I tried tearing it off," he said, simply. In truth, he tried that with his HYDRA arm but Kat didn't need to know that he had been the longest-serving POW in history and that his current arm was his second one. To prove his point, Bucky unbuttoned the shirt he was wearing and pulled the left side off a bit. Kat saw the scarring around the anchor. "Did it hurt?" she asked, quietly. "A lot. But over time, I accepted the arm and now, it's as natural to me as my flesh arm. What about yourself?" Bucky inquired.

Kat mimicked what he did and curled her own mechanical fingers. "I don't remember the explosion. It all happened so fast. One moment, I was writing my notes and the next, I was on the ground. My arm was blown off and my leg was severely injured. The doctors tried to save it but it started going necrotic. It had to be amputated before it infected the rest of me. Because it happened on Academy grounds, the Syndicate paid for a technician to come and get me set up with my metal limbs. The Syndicate takes care of its own. Some alchemists work in dangerous fields so the organization does what it can to take care of them. I'm forever grateful because there's no way my parents or I could've paid for these. Father is a farmer and Mother works with textiles. I had to repeat the term because of my injuries and needing to learn how to work with this hardware," she explained.

Silence fell as each of them thought about the experiences that landed them with fake limbs. "You said Phoenix found you. Must've been a shock," Kat then ventured. Bucky chuckled before looking up at the sky. "Yeah. Scared the hell out of me, truth be told. I didn't know what I was looking at. I'd never seen anything like her before. I was afraid of what she was going to do. But she was kind to me. She stayed with me, trying to heal the internal injuries I sustained in the fall, and that's when I fell into a coma. But…I never forgot her. We met again years later and we've been inseparable ever since," he replied with a smile. Kat noticed the soft look on his face. "She's special to you," she stated. "More than you can imagine," Bucky agreed.

Their conversation was cut short when Tempest appeared with Kestrel. "Back to work with me. My experiment isn't going as well as I'd hoped but that's the nature of alchemy," Kat chuckled, getting to her feet. "See you around," Bucky said in farewell. She left with the unicorn healer but Tempest remained. He came to stand next to Bucky's right, his eyes staring across the lake. "Her Majesty suggested I talk to you. I was against it at first but honestly, I have nothing to lose," he said by way of preamble. "Be my guest," the White Wolf shrugged. "How far are you willing to go for Phoenix?" Tempest dove right in. Bucky cocked an eyebrow. "I'd die for her. Even if my feelings only went as far as friendship, this wouldn't change," he responded.

Tempest looked up at the sky, frowning. 'You and Lord Genbu…are too kind when it comes to chimeras. Phoenix is one of the most stable chimeras we know about but the truth of the matter is this world wasn't made for them. They were never meant to exist. This is why they're regarded so negatively. I'll admit this is rich coming from me. The world doesn't want me, either. At least as far as my kind is concerned. I was saddled with the curse that makes me look like this. Red eyes and fur so black, the light dies around me. There are other black unicorns in the world but this is something unique to me and my three predecessors. Same will be true of my successor. I know all about how I look and sound exactly as the Enemy did when he tried to subjugate the First Queen. My only male predecessor, Austro, was said to be a bit shorter and stockier. Allianna has never admitted it to me but I knew exactly why Lord Byakko visited this forest that one time. She wanted to make sure I wasn't the Enemy returned," he mused.

Bucky looked up at him. "All she had to go on was my appearance. Unicorn art shows things exactly as they are. There was no mistaking it when she compared me to that painting. It was as if he walked off the canvas and was calling himself Tempest. Byakko confirming my voice was identical didn't help matters much, at least until he said my aura is pure unicorn. The Enemy can take any form he chooses but his aura is unique. He can't aura-match at all," the stallion carried on. He looked down at his reflection, his massive burn scar the only flaw he had. "How did that happen?" Bucky asked, indicating the scar.

Tempest closed his eyes and actually chuckled. "My fault, really. I was born in the Elder Forest and was thrown out when I came of age. For obvious reasons, I was rejected at birth by my birth mother and was given to a blind mare to raise. That's probably the only good thing the herd ever did for me. They gave me to another reject. Because she was blind, color meant nothing to her and she had no problems raising me as her own, knowing what was coming when I came of age. The Elder herd has a sour reputation in and out of the Nation. If they had their way, Allianna would've been dethroned the moment it came out she was assaulted. But they're the exception, not the rule. The herd leaders across the Continent have varying opinions on the matter but their loyalty to the First Queen's family is stronger than their doubts. The Elder Forest herd are a bunch of fools but they're wise enough to know that if they attempted a coup, they would stand alone and it would result in them calling attention to themselves from the High Kings," he explained.

He looked at his reflection again. He then explained he got too close to those woods and he was chased off. His face was hit by a fire spell close to the Glade and it was only through Allianna's personal guard that he was still breathing. He was left with the scar on his face and it was only through unicorn medicine that he still had his sight on that side. "I owe my life to her," Tempest trailed off. Bucky looked up at him before he shrugged. "It's pretty obvious you both feel the same for each other. I wonder what's really stopping you from just being together," he said. The stallion gave him a look and scoffed.

"You've never lived in a monarchy and it shows. It's not as simple as you think. The Nation is united in her right to rule but they're also united in their dislike of me. We remain apart by choice because this is a critical time for the Nation. Herds across the lands are preparing for the day when a new House rises to lead them. The time of the First Queen's bloodline is over. Once Allianna is gone, Phoenix will be the last one standing and the Nation will never accept her as they haven't accepted me," he stated.

"You're old enough to know politics, James. Not all of us are as free as you would think. For me, it's enough to simply love and support her in the only way I can. The Nation isn't ready for an Abhorred One to rule. I have no wish to rule either. I had a long time to think about it," the stallion ended. Bucky rubbed his face as he looked out over the water. "Do you think your kind will ever accept black ones?" he asked. "It is her hope they will. My only desire is that my successor is born into a kinder Nation. I'll never live to see that, however. The nature of the curse means only one of me can exist at a time and it appears at random. My successor can be born any time the moment I die. The Nation had hoped Desdemona was the last but four hundred years later, here I am. The Weaver has a sense of humor. He had me be born into the most conceited herd in the world. But if that hadn't happened…I never would've met her. Never would've had the chance to fall in love with her. It's enough to simply grow old with her," Tempest said, his tone softening.

Bucky let a small smile cross his lips. "That's something we have in common," he noted. Tempest looked down at him. "I love Nix with everything in me. I spent decades as a prisoner of war, being the glorified attack dog for the organization that used me. I used to curse the day I fell off that train. But now, I'm glad that all happened. There was a silver lining to all that suffering," the White Wolf said before bringing his vibranium hand up to look at it. "But unlike you and the Queen, I sometimes wonder if I'm causing Nix to suffer because I can't imagine my life without her now. And because I'm human…we won't grow old together. I'll grow old without her. She didn't attempt form expulsion for the hell of it. The thought of a life after me scared her to death. I just…wonder if this is really the right thing to do," he trailed off.

Tempest was privately surprised at Bucky's candid nature. He scraped his hoof on the ground as he shifted his weight. "It takes a human of good character to know he's being selfish," he said, finally. Bucky looked up at him but Tempest kept his red garnet eyes on the lake. "For good or ill, love is the most powerful magic of all. I can see now why she chose you," he mused. He then looked down at Bucky. "Whatever this is between you and Phoenix is purely in your power to do as you will for however long it lasts. That's all I will say on the matter," Tempest finished. His horn started to glow an eerie black and his eyes followed suit with a beautiful red.

It was at that moment that Phoenix came out of the Tree. She saw Tempest with Bucky and flicked an ear before she approached, head held low as she looked at the powerful black stallion. "The weather is about to turn. I can feel rain coming this way. You should get back to your den soon so you're not caught in it," the stallion then said as the glow faded. Phoenix merely nodded and Tempest took his leave. Bucky got to his feet and the two watched him go. "I hope he wasn't harassing you," the chimera spoke up. "Nah. We just had a conversation is all. How can he tell there's rain coming?" Bucky then asked.

"Tempest has an affinity for lightning magic. I guess that comes with the ability to know when rain is in the area. It doesn't necessarily have to be a thunderstorm either. Mother told me when he first came here that the thing that impressed her the most was when he stood out all night in a thunderstorm to make sure the audience clearing was protected from weather damage. It wasn't until the following morning that it was discovered a large limb over the dais was in danger of breaking off and damaging it. Tempest had his shields up to make sure it didn't fall. I believe Mother when she said he has the spirit of protection within him. He shows it through his very deeds. A worthy Guardian-Protector," she explained.

The two made their way back to the audience clearing. Bucky was starting to feel the weather begin to turn. He spotted Kat with Kestral and he waved. The two acknowledged him and he took note that Kat's gaze lingered on him a bit longer. He and Phoenix entered the den and she shifted into her false form. Bucky decided to get into something a bit more comfortable. He sat down on the various blankets and cushions before he noticed the sky was getting darker. The rain started to fall and he took a deep breath, "I love how clean this world is," he said, lying down parallel to the entrance so he could watch the rain. "The difference between Earth and All World is so noticeable," Phoenix agreed, laying with him. Silence fell as they listened to the rainfall. "What did Tempest talk to you about?" she then asked.

Bucky gave her a general rundown. Phoenix hummed when he finished. "You and he are pretty similar. I've watched him interact with Mother many times. Warms my heart to know she's loved and cared for," she said with a smile. "Your mom is kind and beautiful. I don't blame him at all," Bucky agreed. The shifter just smiled before sitting up and crawling around behind him. She then rested her head on his arm. "Pity about the rain. And imagine the winter here. Pixie fire spells, the forest covered in a blanket of snow…," she mused. "Sounds cold," the White Wolf said. "True. Herds living in colder regions or in places where winter happens get winter coats. I'd only bring you here for the winter festival," came the response.

Bucky moved so he was on his back. Phoenix had sat up when he did. They looked at each other. A hand reached up to rest on her face. "Promise me that you'll tell me when things get to be too much. Tempest is right that I'm being selfish when it comes to us," he said. The shifter held his hand to her face. "Authentic love is never selfish, Bucky. That's something I've forgotten and I've failed us both there," she said, her other hand subconsciously going to her shoulder. The scar on her back twinged from the weather but the only indication she gave was a slight grimace. "The two of us have to trust our inner feelings. I'm going to follow your lead here. You said you're not going to worry about our future. You want to focus on the here and now. I want that for myself," she said. The White Wolf smiled before he arranged the pillows and blankets around so they could watch the rain together. "Does your back hurt?" he asked.

"A little. This hasn't happened before since the incident but this is also the first time it's rained since that went down. If a little shower like this is making it twinge a bit…I'd hate to see what a storm would do," Phoenix sighed. The White Wolf gave her a kiss on the temple. "Let me know if it gets worse. Maybe Kestrel can help," he said, remembering the unicorn in question was the herd's medicine mare. The shifter nodded before shifting onto her side to wrap an arm around his middle. Bucky responded by wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He watched her rest her eyes and he tucked some of her hair behind her ear. He thought about what led them to this moment. He never imagined meeting a creature straight out of a fairytale in the mountains of Europe during a war, much less everything that happened after. The fact that Phoenix was almost fifty years older didn't bother him at all and he figured it was because she physically didn't look like she was.

Phoenix had told him once that her age was consistent with a human in their twenties. She aged so slowly. There were times when she made him, a grown man, feel like a child by comparison but those were few and far between. It was a strange situation. Purely from a chronological standpoint, Nix was old but as far as other areas regarding age, she was younger than him. Up until they were interacting regularly, there were times when Phoenix was like a child. She had lived the majority of her life in relative isolation because she was a chimera. There was nowhere in All World she could truly belong. Bucky had experiences she didn't have for those reasons.

"By the way, did you find anything in the First Queen's journals regarding Byakko?" Bucky spoke up. "Nothing. Either she knew and kept it in her innermost thoughts or she didn't. It's a mystery doomed to remain so unless I broach the topic with him. I probably won't because I don't want to cause him undue pain. Like Seiryu, Byakko never forgets anything," came the response. Silence fell again as they listened to the rain. Phoenix still had her eyes closed, her hand moving from his waist to just under his chest. Bucky watched the rain fall, thinking about what she said. It was true that authentic love wasn't selfish. He wasn't sure if that's what they had or if Tempest was giving a backhanded compliment when it came to him. Still, the White Wolf decided Phoenix was right and they had to trust their own guts. Tempest was extremely jaded and Bucky felt for the stallion. He wasn't malicious in anything he said. He was speaking as someone who got the short end of the stick as well. But like Bucky and Phoenix, the Abhorred One wasn't so lost in his own trauma he couldn't feel positive emotions.

Phoenix opened her eyes to look outside at the rain. "I wonder what living here would be like," she heard Bucky wonder to himself. Sitting up, Phoenix looked at him. He returned her gaze and gave her a small smile. "We could stay, you know. Here in my homeworld, away from it all. We could go back, get Alpine, and come back here. Live out our days in peace," she suggested. The White Wolf blinked for a moment. He then took a deep breath and let it out. He sat up and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "That sounds amazing, Nix. But you and I know I still have things to take care of at home. Sam still needs my support as he finds his footing as Captain America. I can't just leave all that. I never asked you to give up this place for me. You decided to stay with me on your own and I would never stop you from going back and forth," he explained.

Phoenix felt ashamed for even suggesting it. Bucky was right. She was free to come and go from Earth as she pleased. She actively chose not to because she found a home with him. Bucky was adaptable. He could live on All World with minimal issues. It depended on how much of a learning curve he had to navigate living in a world where time more or less stopped in the Iron Age. Even the time period Bucky had grown up in was more advanced than All World was right now. "I'm sorry," she said. His forehead met hers. "Don't be. In fact…if I can finally stop fighting…I wouldn't mind retiring here. I haven't felt this peaceful in a very long time. I grew up during the 1920s. That was the easiest time in my life, growing up when things were going well. But then the Great Depression happened. Times got very hard. Then World War 2 broke out and off I went to fight because they pulled my draft card. We all know what happened after that," he explained.

Their eyes met and Bucky's thumb stroked her cheek again. "I want to live here, Nix. It's just not time yet. Let's table this for later, okay? We're here for you, after all," he smiled. Phoenix nodded quietly but she smiled back and let him kiss her. They broke it and kept their foreheads together. "I'm sorry for being so insecure, Bucky. It was never like this for me before. I don't blame you at all, though. We knew what we were getting into," she said. "We'll be okay. This is why we're here," he said. Phoenix laid a kiss on his forehead. "Why do you love me, Bucky? With our many differences and my big mistakes, why did you choose me?" she asked, in a small voice.

The White Wolf met her eyes and just smiled. "I'd ask the same of you. Why choose me?" he responded. Phoenix blinked before she took a deep breath. She lay back down on him and they continued to watch the rain. Bucky started kissing her hand that was on his chest. His vibranium hand came up to rest on her temple, holding her head to him. He enjoyed the quiet with only the rain providing ambience. "I can see Tempest out there," Phoenix said randomly. Indeed, the black stallion was out in the rain. His eyes were glowing an eerie red and his black fur looked even blacker. He looked like a mass of darkness when combined with the rain. "What happened to you when you were young, Nix?" Bucky then asked. "That's a random question," Phoenix said, looking up at him. The White Wolf kept his eyes focused on the unicorn outside. "I want to know it all. You always have this haunted look in your eyes whenever you're mentally not here," he responded.

Phoenix placed a hand on Bucky's face, making him look at her. "You don't want to know, love. Trust me," she said. Bucky saw the telltale haunting and he gripped the back of her neck. "I want to know it all. It's been weighing on me for a while that the level of support I'm giving you isn't enough," he insisted. At Phoenix's unsure look, Bucky pulled her over until she was straddling him. "We have this unspoken agreement that we don't discuss my HYDRA days. But honestly, this gives us a weaker foundation for our relationship. I want to know it all so I can better support you. In exchange…you can ask me anything at all. I'll hold nothing back," he promised. Phoenix was quiet as she mulled over what he was saying. She took a deep breath before lying on him and rubbing the shirt he was wearing between her fingers.

"There…there is a way for us to share our pasts without speaking," she said after a while. Bucky rubbed a bit of her hair between his fingers. "Somehow I knew there was probably some magic that would allow that," he chuckled. Phoenix sighed and closed her eyes. "There are many spells and forms of magic here. Memory-sharing is one of the rarer ones. It takes a lot of energy for the caster…as well as taking some of the life force from the sharers," she explained. She felt Bucky freeze at that and she sat up to look him in the eye.

"I'm strong enough for the both of us to do it. It would only take about three hours off my total lifespan and only fifteen minutes off yours. In the grand scheme of things, it's a negligible amount of time to lose. The only thing we have to worry about is making sure this doesn't become a habit. I've heard stories of other magical beings getting hooked on memory-sharing and dwindling their life force over time until they die," she explained. Bucky mulled it over a bit. "Think about it. If it doesn't feel right, we can just talk it out," Phoenix spoke up. He looked at her and smiled a little. "I'll let you know. Get some rest, Nix. I can tell your back is hurting," he suggested. Phoenix closed her eyes and sighed a little morosely.