Koku gripped the bottom of the window, knuckles right against the smooth oak frame. Below, the rich green gardens of the hidden sanctuary shimmered in the afternoon's sunlight. He felt like a caged bird, yearning for the freedom he couldn't quite grasp for some reason, regardless of it being that he could leave, or that he felt as if himself was missing.
Celestia entered the room, with her usual stern demeanor softened with concern. "Still troubled, Koku?" she asked genuinely caring about his health or mental stability.
He turned, forcing a smile. "Just… uneasy." Uneasy and confused. His memories remained fractured, the missing crucial pieces of his memories for some reason either gone, sealed or simply left to time to fetch. He remembered the power, the output of a certain power that coursed through him. But the events leading up to it, the reasons behind his actions, were lost in a swirling mist which seemed to bother him a lot.
"It's alright to feel lost or confused," Celestia said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But trust me, the darkness you wielded wasn't who you are. Everything's better this way, if it's okay with you, I'd like to take you under my wing. For certain reasons, I'm sure you'll eventually hear about it, people will most likely try to harm you. Judging by how you are right now as well, I worry about simple things like others interacting with you on your own."
When saying this, Koku felt a weird feeling in his chest. Not a fuzzy lighthearted one, but instead, a feeling that could be described as nothing more than security and honesty. He knew she meant well, but a part of him told him to blindly trust her, as his soul seemed to tell him she was trustworthy. "Okay~" Accepting her request for himself to be under her wing, she smiled and gave Koku a head pat, which felt weird for him, as if that's something he wouldn't have ever allowed in the past.
"Did something happen to me in the academy?" Upon hearing this, Celestia could now tell how far back his memories seemed to rewind, and due to the weird nature of this situation, it seemed he's forgotten every bad thing to have ever happened in the academy too. "N-nothing has happened. It's just you're no longer a part of the academy anymore, Koku. Would you like to have a walk outside of this stale room?" Celestia seemed genuine about making sure he was content and in her head she was hoping for something… something big.
"I hope this means you can start all over again. Re-start with a role model who will guide you. Maybe even~ a friend…" After this Celestia's thoughts seemed to scatter all over the place when Koku accepted her offer to go for a walk outside.
"Oh, of course, umm lets go right away, but you should put these on before we go ahead and go outside," Celestia murmured as she placed a set of clothes which were similar to Koku's own clothing, but instead of purple, grey and black with some white. They had been primarily white, gold and some silver… the color of his hair.
"Are you sure? These look a little expensive," hearing this made Celestia's nervousness fade and turn into a slight chuckle. "Of course, Koku, these were made for you in mind." After this Celestia left the room.
Koku stared at the clothes, a strange sense of unease washing over him. He didn't remember ordering them, nor did the colors feel quite right. Yet, a strange pull urged him to wear them. Maybe it was the lingering trust he felt for Celestia, or perhaps a subconscious desire to shed his old identity and embrace this new beginning. Whatever the reason, he slipped on the clothes, the cool silk a stark contrast to the worn leather he was accustomed to.
He emerged from the room to find Celestia waiting, her golden eyes gleaming with an unreadable emotion. "You look… different," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Koku shrugged, unsure how to respond. He felt different, too. Lighter somehow, unburdened by the darkness that clouded his past. But the hollowness remained, a constant reminder of the missing pieces.
They walked through the serene gardens, the scent of blooming flowers filling the air. Koku took in the beauty around him, a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed his recent life. Yet, amidst the tranquility, a nagging question gnawed at him.
"Where am I?" he finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Celestia stopped, a flicker of sadness crossing her face. "You are in the hidden sanctuary of the Order of Paladins, Koku. A place of refuge for those who seek redemption.
Celestia hesitated, her gaze fixed on a distant horizon. "From the… you embraced, Koku. The thing sought to control when being desperate."
Koku's confusion flickered with vague bits of his memory – a surge of power, an all-consuming power that resonated with an endless echo. But the context, the reason for wielding such an ominous force, wasn't still back in his head.
"Why? What else happened?" he asked Celestia, yearning for answers.
Celestia sighed, her shoulders slumping. "That, Koku, is a story for another time. You are still healing, both in body and mind. Remembering those… too soon might be bad for you."
They continued their walk in a tense silence after that and the peace of the sanctuary shattered by the noise of Celestia almost tripping over but catching herself. And as this happened, the sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the gardens, they reached a secluded clearing. In the center stood a towering oak tree, its super old branches reaching towards the sky like gnarled fingers.
Celestia gestured towards the oak. "This is where the healers train and practice their craft. Perhaps spending time with them will help you find some solace."
Koku nodded, unsure if solace was what he truly needed. He approached the oak, its rough bark a stark contrast to the smooth silk of his new clothes. As he placed a hand on the tree, a warmth pulsed beneath his fingertips, a comforting energy that resonated with a forgotten knowledge. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation, hoping it would unlock a forgotten memory, a fragment of his past.
But all he saw was darkness, an endless void swirling with whispers and fragmented images. He flinched, pulling back his hand as if burned. The frustration clawed at him, a desperate need to break free from this mental prison.
Suddenly, a gentle voice broke the silence. "Lost, young one?"
Koku opened his eyes to see an old woman with eyes as wrinkled as the bark of the oak, yet filled with a warmth that soothed his simmering anger. She wore simple robes of brown and carried a staff adorned with glowing crystals.
"I… I'm trying to remember," Koku stammered, the words tumbling out in a rush.
The woman smiled gently. "Remembering can be a blessing and a curse, child. Sometimes, the past is best left buried. But there are ways to coax forgotten memories to the surface."
Koku's curiosity to know what was missing in his memories made him ask the lady. "How?"
The woman chuckled, a low, melodic sound. "Through meditation, reflection, and perhaps a little nudge from the ancient magic of this tree."
Intrigued, Koku followed the woman's instructions, settling himself beneath the shade of the oak. He closed his eyes, focusing on the pulsing energy that emanated from the tree. Slowly, he cleared his mind, pushing away the frustration and fear.
Taking the lady's words to heart, Koku meditated for about a week, and nothing happened really, apart from his thinking clarity becoming better, Koku continued his meditation under the ancient oak. One night, as he sat beneath the starlit sky, the echoes in his mind grew louder. First a burning village, then screams of terror, and finally, a figure wearing a black cloak, wielding an unholy power… his power seemed to be fighting someone.
The next morning, he found Celestia waiting for him beneath the oak. Her expression held a mixture of sadness and understanding as she saw the newfound awareness in his eyes.
"You remembered something didn't you?" she asked concerned yet, noting that he wasn't yet gone or doing anything bad. "I just saw a negative power, and myself in it… whatever it was, or whoever it was, i don't think i want to become that. Celestia, can you train me? and guid me?", Koku asked with a determined look in his eyes.
"So he hasn't remembered enough. Just an image of his power, what a relief." Celestia sighed followed up with a smile, "Of course Koku, i'd be delighted to train, you. Though, i'm not gonna go easy on you, and i am quite busy all the time. So i'll be struggling with my time management, so make it up to me by showing me good progress." She told Koku with a faint smile on her face.
After this, a week would pass by, and in this time, Koku felt worse by the passing days. Every time he fell asleep, he'd receive these short fragments of memories which seemed to bond with him naturally, but not enough to influence him all that much. Though some useful things came of it, like the fighting forms/styles he could use in the past, how to wield the sword and how to fight hand to hand.
To celestia it seemed he was stronger in the past, but he had quickly been regaining his skills, though to her, it had seemed like he was gaining skill quickly, but something good came from this training with Celestia. The Iron Maiden's fighting style was the thing Celestia had been teaching Koku. This was related to the sword and was an amazing sword fighting style for defense while being insane at counter attacking.