Chapter Text
It was high noon in the Town of Cirque and the town's folk were bustling with the festival of the season. In the town square at the center of the market- a petite jester with a harlequin hat and attire of royal blue and burgundy stood in the center of the plaza and was performing magic tricks to the children and passersby who watched in awe. Performing simple disappearing acts, coins from behind the ears, doves flying from her cape and conjuring treats for the children. All in all, the plaza was filled with laughter and joy, and the towns folk showed their support to the jester by tossing coins into her jester hat she laid out for the patrons with a small sew pattern with the name Pomni etched inside.
The jester gave a deep bow and walked off from the plaza into the outer forest surrounding the town. She hastily scurried to the nearest tree on top of the hill and slumped underneath the arbor.
“Siggggggggh- another day, another coin for the jester” pomni opened up her scrunched-up hat full of coins and transferred them into another sack underneath her cape. She didn't bother counting the coins but from the weight of it- knew it may be enough to last her another week or so before heading to the next town. Pomni placed her hat beside her and leaned her head back into the hard wood. She lifted up her right hand and placed it on her forehead. There was a diamond shaped mark in the center of her forehead in between her bangs. Her head felt hot so she got up to go down by the stream just downhill from where she sat.
Pomni reached the stream and immediately began washing her face and took a few sips of water. She looked down at her tired reflection and lifted her wet bangs up to have a clearer view of her diamond.
“I don’t know how long I can keep doing this- this… FORM.” Pomni exhaled and looked around her surroundings. It was quiet- the sun was setting and twilight had emerged. Pomni closed her eyes and felt a sweet release. Her hair grew longer and lighter from black to grey, her nose grew out into a soft muzzle and her hands and feel became cloven hooves and finally a horn appeared in the center of her diamond mark.
A Unicorn
A Unicorn is who she truly was, but she took the form of a traveling jester.
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It's been exactly “one year” since Pomni left her lilac forest because she overheard a hunter claim that she may be the only unicorn left in the world. For days she could not believe it nor come to terms with it until she reflected a bit. When was the last time she saw another unicorn? Many seasons ago? Years humans would call it- but time did not matter to her because she was alone and did not mind it. Immortality does not concern itself with the concept of time. But… it did bother her- with the thought that she may truly and actually be ALONE. After a month she came to the decision that she would at least head to the neighboring woods that bordered her forest just to make sure that maybe one had neighbored her. If they didn’t, she would continue on until the next, and then the next and the next and so on.
Forest after forest she found no one- each forest had become dark, eerie and lifeless. The animals had either abandoned their home or stayed and wasted away- it was like it was winter- cold and dark- even in the day- and all the light from the world had vanished. Pomni grew more anxious but moved forward. She then reached a little farmhouse near the outskirts of the village in the distance. Before she could walk forward- A butterfly flew into her face.
“Hello there! How do you do?!” the butterfly happily exclaimed. Pomni's eyes widened but quickly smiled.
“Hello butterfly! I am well thank you, - tell me, have you traveled very far?” Pomni questioned
The butterfly then broke out into a little song that indirectly answered her question
“How far would I travel
To be where you are?
Clay lies still,
but Blood's a rover.
Red Rover, Red Rover,
let Charlie come over.
Won't you come home,
Bill Bailey
Won't you come home
My wild Irish rose”
The butterfly landed on Pomni’s horn and slid down as he ended his verse.
“Be a little respectful butterfly- do you know who I am?”
“A fish monger! - My pickled face consumptive Mary Jane!” Sung the butterfly
“Say my name then- If you know what I am - tell it to me” Pomni demanded with a furrowed brow
“ Rumplstilken!- GOTCHA”
Pomni ears pinned back and exhaled in defeat and looked away from the butterfly.
“I should of known to expect a silly butterfly to know what I am” pomni looked back to the butterfly
“Butterfly- in all of your wonders- have you seen others like me? Maybe even one?”
The butterfly began to sing “Have you seen the muffin man?”
“I guess it serves me right to even be asking you- all you butterflies know is songs, jokes and poetry you regurgitate from your travels…. I guess you mean well” Pomni continued to walk forward, and the butterfly landed on her horn once more. Pomni looked up and shook her head
“Fly away butterfly-”
“ Unicorn wait-”
Pomni stopped in her tracks and turned her head back to look at the butterfly. “You do know me!”
The butterfly answered her in a more serious tone- no song- no poem.
“Listen- don’t listen to me - listen. You can find the others if you are brave. They went down the roads long ago and the red bull followed close behind and covered their footprints in shadow.”
Pomni had a quizzical look “The Red Bull? What is the Red Bull?”
The butterfly gave her a solemn look and did not answer but gave her advice “ My dear the world is ever changing- our time in this world is coming to an end but we can still find beauty and magic. Adapt to the world of man- they may not be able to see your true form but there are those who can see and will exploit you”
Pomni looked stunned as the butterfly was speaking straight words of wisdom to her and not in song. She pondered a bit
“What do you mean to adapt? I know men mistake me for a horse, but I see no reason to change who I am?”
“Not change but disguise- camouflage. To answer your question- in my mortal life full of travels- I have not seen anyone like you in my lifetime and have only heard legends on what has happened to your kind. You- are the only one and may be the last unicorn I will ever lay my eyes upon.”
Pomni eyes widened and gave a forlorn look
“Be careful my dear unicorn- please heed my warning and take my advice. Observe and adapt, it will help you tremendously in your journey- farewell”. And with that, the butterfly flew off into the open field.
Pomi took a second to watch the butterfly then move forward toward the farmhouse up ahead to the village.
As Pomni walked in front of the farmhouse - there was a wooden fence separating the acre from the main dirt road- behind it were two children, a boy and a girl were playing with small marbles while the parents were on the side of the farmhouse doing their gardening. One of the children, the little girl, looked up and saw the unicorn behind the fence. Pomni made eye contact with the little girl. The little boy then noticed his sister looking elsewhere and turned to face where she was looking.
“WHOA- A WHITE MA-” shouted the boy as his sister put her hand over his mouth and told him to shush.
The little girl walked toward the fence and opened the front gate to where Pomni was standing outside. The unicorn stepped back a little skittish but kept eye contact with the girl. The little girl smiled and whispered, “A unicorn...”
Pomni's ears perked up and felt a sense of relief-
“so humans can see me- well at least the children still can”- Pomni thought to herself.
Pomni took a step forward as the little girl did the same and reached out her hand. This wasn't the first time Pomni has approached a human and spent time with them - it was something about the children that warmed her heart and felt more at ease. The little girl's small hands touched the unicorn's muzzle and began to pet her. The girl might not see it but the unicorn smiled - for it felt nice to finally be seen and known for what she was- pomni then thought about how wrong the butterflies advice was about having to change herself until-
“LOOK PA- A WHITE MARE! LOOK!” yelled the little boy with his father right behind him
Pomni was startled from the shouting and the little girl turned around to look at her brother and father.
“SHE IS NOT A WHITE MARE- SHE'S A UNICORN” the little girl yelled annoyingly to her brother
“Elizabeth! Get away from that horse right now!” - the mother yelled from the other side of the fence
The little girl huffed - "SHE'S NOT A HORSE! SHE'S A UNICORN!”
The father then leaned down to his son and whispered into his ear.
“Yes- of course of course she is Elizabeth- pretty little thing like that is too pretty to be a horse” the father said sarcastically walk slowly toward the girl and the unicorn
Pomni looked down at his hand and saw the rope, and she took a step back.
“ Shh shhh come now- good bessie-heh- we’ll clean you off and you’ll be the prettiest “unicorn” at the fair”- the father inched closer preparing the rope to lasso her
Before Pomni knew it she turned her right ear backward as she heard the little boy approaching from behind.
The Unicorn reared up and let out a whinny - frightening the little girl before her mother yanked her from her spot. The father and son both got spooked and fell backwards. Once the unicorn found her footing - she galloped away.
“Damn”
After covering some distance from the farmhouse- Pomni stopped and laid under a tree off the main road to settle her nerves.
“Heh- can’t believe the butterfly was right…. Men will take something pretty and exploit it .... hmmm…. observe and adapt….” as pomni was pondering on the butterflies' words- something was approaching from the main road. She looked up and saw horses, carts, cages with animals and a group of humans walking beside or driving the carts. Some of the people were dressed in brightly colored attire and behind them a large cart with the word “CIRCUS” was painted on the side
“Cir-cus.. Huh” (pomni learned how to read because women and children she would approach would read her stories and show her the books they read so she caught on the language)
Pomni kept staring at the brightly colored red and blue woman who was walking beside one of the animal carts.
“OI! JESTER! Come help me calm these animals down in the second cart!”
“Yes sir!”- replied the woman
“Jester….” Pomni whispered to herself