""I wonder how old Nodd is.

I mean, I'd guess that it's older than home? There are more races of people, and their technological advancements are far and away more complex than our own. Back home life was a lot simpler, sure, but we were always clinging to life in the desert, never thriving like they do here. It sure would be interesting to bring my people here.

That's a thing I ponder a often on my long walks along the Border. If my people all came here Today, would they take as long to adapt as I did, or would they be more efficient at it because they'd have each other? Would my Sisters have lost as much of their Magic as I lost mine? If we brought all of my people, would there be more than the few other tribes I knew of? Were there people back home living on the whole planet, like there are here in Nodd, or just in one small part of it, like it seemed like when I was there?

There's an observatory in the North that has a telescope that will let you look at every planet and body in this solar system. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to see back home from there. But what would I see?

I eat my popkin, turning these issues over in my mind again. I would give just about anything to bring just two more of my people here, my Sisters. Gods and Spirits, how much Gold would love all of the food here. The difference in the flat, seedy bread there and the fluffy buttery bread wrapped around my popkin really was the difference between two worlds. And Glitter would cry just to see the ruins I find on my patrol, let alone the intact buildings the Furred lived in in their cities and towns. Would I give my life to split my large meal with my always hungry youngest sibling? Would I volunteer my worldly possessions to feel my eldest sister's paws echoing the mine as I tread up yonder stairs to nowhere?

My life, certainly not. How would I enjoy their company if I was in the spirit world and they were in this one still? All my possessions?

Sure, I think, shrugging and taking another bite of my meal. Most of them are on loan or were gifts anyway. I'm not one to become very attached to things, just to people.

If you told me right now that I could give up everything I own just to see my Sisters again, I'd give it to you.

My pocket heats up and I jump, luckily not dropping my food. I fish in the folds of fabric and draw out the Rifter that I had when I arrived, my only real worldly possession. The metal has grown almost to warm to touch so I hold it by the ribbon strung through the loop at the top for that purpose. It wants to open, I can hear it thinking about it, the same way one hears other people talking at a Cafe. You're not going to understand unless you really concentrate, and it's usually rude to do so.

The last time I opened the damn thing I ended up here. If I opened it again, would it take me back? Or to another planet, even further from home?

I ask it aloud what it wants and it goes quiet and cold, so I snort and put it away. I finish my meal, distracted from thoughts of home with a list of people I know who know things about powerful Magic. The list is short. I could visit them all in half a year.

I'd ask the King the next time if I saw him if I could have leave of my patrol for six months. He can't grant me that, but he can talk to the 'man' that does, since that worthy worn't acknowledge me when I try. Worth a try."


World: Knights of Nodd.
Characters: Garish.
Media: Easy Paint Tool SAI and Microsoft Paint.
Art, ideas, partial design, and character © me, Psilocs are ©  MadDogEleven.

-Topknot