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Whole loved the sea.
On days out, he liked to visit the great waters. There was no particular reason, yet it always seemed to do him wonders. Perhaps it was the salt in the air he breathed? Or was it the unforgettable sight of the sun rising? Or even the sound of the seabirds that flocked around his snack of choice.
Whatever it was, it lay deep within his being, close to what kept him alive. And after hours of listening to waves lap the shore, he would be satisfied, and set himself back on the road to the place he called home.
Heart loved the sea. There was every reason to love it, and it always ensured he kept Whole happy for the day. Everything from the salt in the air, and the sight of the sun rising, and the winged company that chattered endlessly around him.
The sea was a great force, a beautiful expanse of reflections and tranquil unseens. Though Heart could only ever see it through Whole’s eyes, those glimpses were precious to him. To Artemis, home was any place by the sea.
Well, for the most part, home had been the little place the trio stayed in - a fine house, well crafted for a place inside a person’s head. It was a dainty piece of work, with some strange ability to retain itself through the loops. More of a large cottage, within a forest of thick trees. There was an infinite expanse of scenery in the headspace, yet no true land's end.
One Winter, in twilight, once the grudged Sun set, and the Moon was vibrant, the nightbirds of the forest became restless. Heart, too, roamed the halls of the house, searching for the kitchen. He was to return a cocoa mug to the sink, and it was as easily done as said.
A brisk walk back to his room, there was Mind and Soul waiting for them. He knew they were tired, by the way Mind's jaw clicked in a yawn, and how Soul was already buried deep under Heart's duvet. There was brief silence, then a soft spoken voice.
"(You know, the one thing I’d love for our little place to have is a coast. With the sea and the sand and the shells,)” Heart's wings were flapping excitedly whilst he described further. “(And the sand is soft and white, and there’s bits of coral in the sand which could be collected, and given to you as gifts.)"
"[It's a nice thought, Juno. Maybe one day we could find a way out of these mountains,]" Mind replied, closing its tired eyes and sighing. "[It's a nice thought, to find an end to this infinite place.]"
"{Ah, we don't need to think about it now. It's a better thing to dream of, don't you think?}" Soul stared at the ceiling, feeling comfortable from the covers. "{Enjoy your dreams, they're a nice way to make it through the night. Goodnight you two..}" He mumbled before turning to the wall in her cosy pile.
Mind said a brisk goodnight too, and his fans promptly stopped their gentle whirring. This meant its lights were off, perfect.
The following dimness accompanied the removal of his blindfold, and he glimpsed out the gap in his curtains. The stars were so beautiful, the faint blurs of light danced around as he thought again of the beauty of the sea. Oh, to sit in the sand at dusk or dawn when the sky is so kind as to not cause ache.
That night, the dragon dreamed of the starry sea, the small waves crashing against his ankles. The reflection on the surface was like glitter dancing in immense natural beauty. Each grain of sand was so fine to the point of lushness, derived from coral that could be found in bigger pieces for decoration, or gifts for Mind and Soul.
Such a dream was everything Heart wanted.
When the morning came around, the other two had long gone. He stirred, and dragged himself towards the kitchen for breakfast. He heard Mind and Soul talking over something, presumably bacon by the smell, cooking on the stovetop. The Moon sat on the couch and hummed as he waited.
…There was a crash. A gentle one, a faint, faint one. So quiet that Mind and Soul did not move at the noise. A sound that only the Moon’s patient ears were attuned to from such a distance. Their wings shook with excitement and he ran to fetch his shoes. "[Heart, where are you going? You haven't eaten.]"
"(I will be back soon Apollo, Atlas.)" They took their blindfold off, thanking the early hours for the lack of light out. With a brief pat down of their hoodie, he passed through the door and took off into the air, flying as fast as they could.
Such is the way of an amphithere: streamlined soaring with feathered wings, and a colourful trail of feathers left behind. With those patient ears he listened out for the land's-end, and heard those crashes growing louder and louder with roarings of the morning tides. The pale sands were in sight, and the star strewn sea reflected those brilliant beings in the sky. Although everything was still blurred, Heart landed gracefully and was delighted at the crunch beneath his feet.
The sand, the sea and the sky were astounding, the smell of saltwater filled his lungs in the crisp Winter air. There was barely any trace of cold through the excitement as they removed his shoes and socks, rushing through the sand to immerse himself into the sea.
They laughed, smiled and let the cold sink into their skin. He didn't care for the water leaking into his blackened eyes, he didn't care for the biting feeling at their fingertips: he didn't care, all the excitement set his passions aflame in a warmth enough to keep him awake. Those numbing fingers grabbed onto the sand and held tightly onto the conical shells that tried to slip away with the waves.
The sea was home, it was all Heart ever wanted to know.