ORIGIN - There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be.

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James trotted out of the wooden house, the sloped roof thatched with grasses and leaves and waterproofed by various tree saps and plant saps. So far it had held up nicely, and was sturdy, with the walls packed in with clay and stones to keep the wind out. It was a lovely little house, and James adored it very much.

"Coooomet~!", he sang, "I've got an adventure planned for us!"

Flying, of course! His favorite activity and one he hoped Comet would agree to join him on. Right now she was still plenty light enough to ferry around, so he had to get such events in quickly before she wasn't.

"We're going flying!", he shouted after a moment.

Kaimana was watching Pegasus while he had taken Comet over here, and he was rather eager to get back home and bring the child here, since he had the sling and everything from their house already packed up and moved here. It was a home, now!

@Comet

The new house in Pegasus was very nice, much better than the one in Orion which was basically an inhabited ruin. It also held a distinct earthy smell to it, made of natural materials. It smelled like the forest. Home. Or at least her new one. But this was her favorite by far, partially because it was made by them, from bottom to top.

Comet perked up her ear and James's call. She was still working on digging a stream that led to the house from the river. Endless water source! With her paws and tail all muddy, she ran over to the horse. "Flying?" She knew that James could fly, he had wings! But um, he said 'we'. "How are we going to go flying?"

@James

James pushed her over to the river to clean off, "You're going to ride on my back! You're plenty old enough to know how to hang on, and you're still light enough for me to carry comfortably."

He nosed water over her paws and shook his head, snorting gently, "I thought it would be a good way to connect, is all."

The pegasus spread his wings and flapped them, showing off glorious feathers as he breathed in the clear air. He exhaled slowly and jumped the river easily, using his wings to give him a boost as he stood in the meadow on the other side.

"Once you're clean, we'll go," he said happily.

@Comet

Comet hadn't minded the mud, but she knew it would be best if her paws were clean so as to not stain James's beautiful feathers. Stepping into the river, she watched as the water rushed around her paws, which obstructed its natural flow. The water flowed in a v shape around the obstacles of her legs, mesmerizing her for only a second. Her muddy brown paws were gradually reverted back to their usual snowy white, and she stretched out her toes, making sure the water swept away every piece of grit. The river was tainted brown, but only for a second, as the fast moving current swept away the last of it. She stepped out and shook her fur, something she did upon instinct, even though only her paws were wet.

The fact that she would be riding on his back, in the comfortable space between his wings, brought back memories. Of the first time that she had met him, when he had reemerged from his chrysalis after the accident of falling off a cliff. With wings. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't even imagine James without his wings. But that was probably because she hadn't met him before then. And that brought her to Aristotle. No, she couldn't think about that right now, this was going to be a happy outing with James. But she needed to tell him what had happened. No. Yes. Don't make it worse. He has a right to know!

Pushing away those thoughts, she forced a smile onto her face, something she was doing far too often these days. "Ready!"

@James

James squealed in excitement and lifted his hind legs in a teeny little buck, trotting around and over to Comet, lowering himself to his knees and spreading his wings to get them out of the way.

"Alright!!", he said, so excited he could sing, "I'll see if I can get myself higher than usual, but no promises."

Comet, of course, didn't know why he rarely flew above the tree line. The fear of falling like he had before kept him close to the ground. He was terrified of falling, of hitting the ground and breaking again. He shuddered thinking about it, and pushed it down. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts!

This was an outing of excitement, an outing that would help him and his daughter bond! Daddy-daughter time! The most precious time in the world, in James' humble opinion.

And he didn't have long before Comet was all grown up.

"We'll stay in Pegasus," he said, "And then tomorrow... we're off to get Peggy!"

@Comet

Comet felt incredibly guilty that James was so happy. Should she... tell him about Aristotle? That lion? Murderer, or savior? The whole situation was just so conflicting, but it all boiled down to if she should tell James. Ruin his happiness. They deserved to have a happy trip for once together, didn't they? Why should she ruin it for both of them? Because he needed to know. Maybe.

Her smiled faltered for a moment, but she quickly caught herself, "Yes! Let's go!" Genuinely excited about the whole outing, Comet decided to see how things went, to decide if she should tell James or not. She should allow them some time of happiness at least. Although she herself probably didn't deserve it.

The pup clambered onto his back, settling herself into the curve between his wings. She fit perfectly, although she worried a bit about her growing older, and not being able to fit anymore. That's why they had to do this now! Lolling out her tongue and folding back her ears, she prepared herself for flight. What it must feel like to be a bird, soaring high and free.

@James

James stood as Comet got herself situated, shaking his head out and snapping his wings to either side. He tossed his head and took off at a dead gallop, legs carrying him across the meadow. He jumped up, flapped, and suddenly they were airborne.

He soared up into the sky, a breathless laugh breaking free as he flew up and up, anxiety clutching his chest as he flew too high.

But you'll never fall again. Why be afraid?
And so he flew, higher and higher, faster and faster, tapering his feathers and raising his hooves as if they were the landing gear of a plane, his tail feathers and tail and mane streaming behind him. It was fantastic to be up here, and he was so glad, so grateful to share this with Comet.

And soon, he'd share it with Peggy, too.

@Comet

It started out as a gallop, burum, burum, burum, the steady rhythm carrying them across the meadow. Comet's body bounced up and down, and she looked down, watching the ground pass rapidly below his hooves. Then suddenly, James's hooves which were once touching the grass were now in the air. A new rhythm replaced the old, sharp jolts turned to graceful flaps of his wings, they were flying.

"Whooooo!" Higher and higher they went, the trees were blades of grass, and the river was a blue ribbon cutting across the blurred green of the meadow. Comet could hear, feel the joy in this moment. A treasured memory, just the two of them, father and daughter, soaring high in the cave of Pegasus. They were free. She wished it could be like this forever, and eventually Peggy could join them too!

But unfortunately life was full of things that weighed her down. Confusing, like the problem with Aristotle. She waited for his flight to even out, before taking a deep breath. "Renny, I have to tell you something. It's about--" Aristotle? Monster? Daddy? Who was he really to her? "Aristotle." Neutral. When in reality her feelings kept switching between two words, opposites. But she would have to let James decide for himself what he thought about her new discovery into the matter.

@James

James closed his eyes and let the wind carry them, breathing in the air as he soared over the trees, brushing the tops of the trees with his hooves and laughing gently as he did. He leveled out and turned back towards the meadow, circling the entirety of Pegasus, wanting to keep them in the air for as long as possible.

He hummed as Comet said his title, turning her head to peer at her with curious eyes, his ears perked forward. They flattened as he frowned, concerned.

"What about him? Did you talk to him? Is it about Sun?", he asked, anguish flashing in his eyes.

Sun had been his child. But Aristotle had forced the boy to choose, and he'd chosen the lion. There was no shortage of betrayal in his heart, from both his child and his ex-boyfriend. The liar.

@Comet

James turned to look at her with his chocolate brown eyes, betraying emotions of... anguish? anger? Or perhaps both? She wasn't able to tell, the situation too deep, too complicated, and the accompanying emotions even more so.

"It's about them both." Comet forced herself to take a deep breath before beginning, "I decided to visit Sun, see how he was doing with Aristotle and if he wanted to do something. But when I arrived at the new tree house that they were living in, I smelled-- blood." The strong smell of blood filled her nose again, metallic, the smell of death.

There was a tight suffocating feeling in her chest, and Comet started to feel a bit light headed. She needed just a moment-- to breathe.

@James

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