Character Profile and Analysis: North Star

Name: A(a). Polaris

North Star: Prologue - Bad Start

Prologue: Bad Start

Truth be told, Rain wasn't fond of winter. The breezy weather was pleasant, certainly, but she always had to bundle up. Moreover, it was wet and damp everywhere, they couldn't sit on the grass or play games on the field during the cooler seasons with all the water and mud. Not that she minded the dirt, it was the cleaning up part that bothered her.

She hugged herself, leaning into and bracing against the strong winds that shrieked around her. By and by the school disappeared behind her and the roads gradually grew wider.

 The skies were already darkening by the time she had reached home, and the beginning of stars twinkling in the sky. They winked at her and she giggled, waving back. It was around then that she noticed a single light growing larger.

It was a falling star.

How odd. There were no recent forecasts of Starfell, and for a single star alone to fall.

She chased after the falling star into the woods. The encroaching darkness of dusk bothered her little, for she knew the woods well, following the paths she knew by Heart.

She ran until reaching a clearing, set aglow with a brilliant light as the star descended. Its sheer radiance blinded her before she sought shelter behind a tree, covering her eyes with a sleeve. Despite seeing stars mere moments before, the light didn't feel harsh, and soon enough she peeked out from behind the trunk.

There stood the Northstar, though she was too young to recognized the constellation that surrounded him. His body emitted a gentle light, a radiance that was somehow frosty and somber in its pallor. Bathed in its glow, she stepped closer, mesmerized.

The Northstar turned to her, and his eyes were as cold as the light emanating from him. As she padded over, he straightened up, shoulders back and head held high with the dignity that was entailed of his ancient kind, witnesses to the dawn of Time.

 The child smiled up at him, "Are you a star?"

"Do you not know who I am?" his brow furrowed, and he felt a small tickle of irritation as the child shook her head, eyes large and peering up at him in wonder.

Ignorant little thing, to understand so little of the gravity and immensity that his presence meant.

He withheld a sigh. Impatience was unbecoming.

A tug at his robe and the urge to leave was quick becoming stronger, he peered down at the girl and she smiled up at him again, "Mister, what's your name?"

"I am Northstar, Polaris A. who presides over the righteous path, and guide to those who have lost sight of it." as he spoke the all too familiar words, his voice carried with it an odd mix of apathy and pride.

By the child's lost look he felt himself deflate a little. The girl was clearly too young to understand his presiding prerogative nor his jurisdiction over the Heavens. Oh well, all with due time he supposed.

To his surprise, the child giggled, "I'm Rain, what are you doing here Mr. Northstar?"

Choosing to ignore the prefix, he instead thought of her question. The smile that crossed his face was closer to a grimace, but any ill will seemed to have escaped the child's notice, "My reasons for descending are beyond your comprehension, child. You need not concern yourself with them."

Rain just stared up at him, confusion clear on her visage, "Will you be here for long?"

"No, child."

"Rain."

"Pardon?" the stellar being raised a brow.

"I'm called Rain." she supplied.

At first he thought her quip bold, impertinent even. Demanding that a constellation such as himself address her by name, but staring down at the child, could see no conceit. It seemed doubtful that she even understood the implications of respect in her request for him to call her by name.

Sure enough, he gleamed her thoughts, revealing nothing but the childish understanding of the world, that just as the white wisps of moisture in the sky were clouds, she was Rain and he was Northstar.

"Are you now?"

A nod.

Northstar glanced around. The Earth of now, held little resemblance to the one of memories, whence he'd last seen it. It wasn't a pleasure trip that had taken him to this quaint speck of inert celestial dust, yet he was in no rush. It had been eons after all, and Time held a very different significance for the celestial lord. Besides, such was but a speck in eternity. Perhaps there was something to be gleamed from--he glanced down at the child staring at him--a different perspective, and entertaining a child was a small price to pay for it.

Settling himself down on a fallen tree, he beckoned to her, "And what of yourself? Twilight is upon us and you've yet to cross the threshold of home."

"I was with some friends, we were playing!" Rain grinned at the memory.

She sat there with the odd stranger, blathering on about her friends, school, the friendly old ratty tabby on her street, and so on.

Northstar was nice, weird, but nice. And his vernacular was strange to her, but she understood the geist of what he was saying, even if he used some pretty big and funny sounding words. That he listened so attentively was a huge plus in her book! He asked her about the town, what she did, and so on. His questions were as strange as he was. Northstar wanted to know the most mundane things.

The star chuckled as the conversation again went back to this odd game that the child seemed so fond of. Hide and seek? Tag?

"Mhmm! Do you wanna try? I'm really good at it!"

And as amusing as it all was, the darkness was soon encroaching. It would soon be Time for his departure.

It was then that a thought came to North, and he made a show of consideration, peeking down at the child from the corner of his eyes in amusement as she watched him with bated breath, at last answering, "Alright, but only one game, for the hour grows late. Pray explain to me once more how it is played."

Rain let out a happy cry and nodded enthusiastically, clamoring that North would count to 10 while she hid, once he found her and tagged her, she would be "it", and it would be the star's turn to hide.

North nodded and closed his eyes, counting down. It was all for show really, he needn't eyes to see the child as she squealed, unprepared, and darted off.

Upon reaching one, he stood, and stepped lightly over the litterfall. Had he been a mere mortal, her hiding spot would have been a good one indeed. But he was a celestial body and as it was, brushed aside the thicket to reveal the small white haired child hiding in the hollow of an old stump.

There was a frantic cry as she scrambled to run, but he was a step ahead, and tapped her on the head.

Rain crossed her arms, sulking up at him and he tutted at her lightly, twirling his finger in a motion that she took to mean it was her turn to turn around and play seeker.

She did so, pouting still, and closed her eyes. But even as she counted, behind her lids she saw a brightening light. Hurriedly, she counted to one and swiveled around, a small anxious pang rushing through her.

But the clearing was oddly dark, void of the cool blue light of the Northstar.

She searched high and low, and confused, looked up to search the sky for the star that had descended.

As she did, she saw a prominent glow fading into the sky. With a cry she called after him, but there was no reciprocating voice, and Rain could only watch as the glow grew weaker still, light diminishing as the distance grew.

Just before it faded back into the nightscape, she heard his voice chuckle, "Catch me if you can, seeker."

With a grin, she hollered back, "I will, I'll find you North!"

North Star: Chapter 2 - The Bluff (1 of ?)

Rain grit her teeth and hoisted herself up onto the ledge.

"What a climb..." her breath came in harsh pants. Oxygen was terrifyingly thin at this altitude, but even with her lungs burning, deprived as they were of precious breath and drawing more in wracking heaves, she found herself breathless. 

It was a sight to behold.

Peering over the bluff she could see even farther into the steep sloping walls of the ravine.

If one looked carefully enough, they could glimpse the thin, sparse, and sinuous paths that wound huge loops in their ascent and descent both.

Paths, she had called them. But really, it was just the flats of animal trails amongst the rocky outcrop. Imperceptible except to the trained eye. The crude rocky terrain and Nature's reclaim left little of the mark of the Hou-Ahkka Sherpas.

Howa•hkah.

She chided herself for the mental slip in enunciation. Her Aurtrine accent still somewhat outlandish.

The ravine extended deep into the Earth, a stygian trench of endless night, impenetrable to the meek sunlight that filtered through the clouds.

A particularly strong gust nearly sent her of the ledge she had just climbed and she grimaced, crouching low and putting a wary distance between the edge and her person.

Not even the seasoned Sherpas dared venture into the Kukuli Mahn, or "Gaping Maw". Certainly, the experienced vagabonds could. Even the children were far better mountaineers with more experience than Rain could hope for in the little Time she had spent in these arid lands.

Nay, it wasn't the perils that kept them afar. It was a holy ground. A sanctuary.

The only Time the Sherpas would tread upon and ascend the ridge of the "Stone Dragon" was to lay the remains of their deceased.

Brown eyes scanned the sharp jutting stone. It was all quite fascinating really. 

Long ago it was said that a colossal dragon had fallen asleep here, and had awoken to life on his back. So fond of them was he, that the dragon stayed, that he may watch over them until the end of their Time. So long in fact, that his body perished, and through patrifaction, became the stone itself.

Closing her eyes she recalled the lively lore the storyteller had regaled her with while around the campfire. Even now she could smell the smoke, feel the flickers of heat as the wind changed. 

How it became the dragon's breath, the heat his exhalation.

Millenniums passed as he slumbered, and when he finally awoke, it was to life, thriving not around him, but on him. 

Thought he yearned to spread his wings, he dared not take to the skies, lest harm come to the quaint life that had so grown on his back. 

He stayed and watched over the diminutive creatures that flourished on his scales. Small and finite lives that were but a flicker in eternity. 

So long did he watch over them that his body became stone, for there was no water nearby that he could partake of, and slowly too did the life shrivel on his back. Where before they thrived on the perspiration of his form, and the mist of his expelled breath, did they now too dry up.

But never once did the dragon move, for fear of disturbing the small creatures. 

There were many stories of the dragon and his kin. How they taught man to make fire, or how the rolling waves of heat were their breaths.

Rain stretched her body, strength returning to her, having finally caught her breath.

Tucking a stray strand that had come loose in her climb, she hefted her pack on, careful to keep the weight evenly spread and on her waist rather than shoulders. 

She squinted at the scant clouds.

It was almost Time.

There was a glimmer somewhere deep in the darkness of the ravine.

She trudged back, giving her as much distance between the edge and herself.

Now.

And then she went off at a sprint and leapt.

North Star: En-Raptored (1 of ?)

The multitude of colors and throng of people bustling to and fro certainly painted a lively atmosphere.

Rain hummed to herself as she meandered by the vivid stalls, admiring the scenery as she pushed her bike along. It was a lot of fun seeing all the games she had enjoyed at the occasional carnival that passed by her town.

But it wasn't the passing festivities that brought here there. She had come, chasing after what would be at best, a questionable source. It was purely coincidental that the fair happened to be in town.

She sighed, glancing around and humming a nostalgic lullaby. 

"First is Poor Will, that sends the Night aJar, in echo the Harbinger. Of songs by and by, will the mockingbird cry, that sings a prelude to starlight true."

There were a lot of people. Perhaos another day.

But as she turned to leave, was there a panicked shout, "Lookout!"

It hadn't yet registered as she turned around, to see a thick band from the bungee attaction hurling in her direction.

She threw herself at the ground, and the loop whistled past--around the seat of her bike.

All too suddenly the whole world lurches as the metal frame slams into her side, and both are hurled bodily into the air.

The rush of air and blur of colors she couldn't see made her eyes water, and she closed them in the vertigo, teeth grit against the sickening lurch in her stomach.

This was going to hurt.

North Star: Lore Anlalysis - The Plague

Prior to the beginnings of North Star, her rural home was swept up in a terrifying unknown outbreak which would result in the light of many being snuffed before their time.

The quiet and small town she called home was promptly put under quarantine as the epidemic spread. The disease discriminated little and children, adults, and elderly alike took ill and succumbed to its fatal grip, and while those who lost grieved, many more were overtaken by its virulence.

Yet as swiftly as it had come, did it subside, and with it all traces concerning the origin and source. The cause would never be identified and the unresolved case closed as the years passed.

The plague took both her parents, but oddly enough had left their child untouched.

To the surprise of the surveillance team upon reentry, they found the child beside her parents's bed, severely dehydrated and famished, but alive.

How the pestilence that had purged so many, passed over her alone is unknown, and despite a thorough examination, was never uncovered.

Rain was then taken in by a relative in the suburbs hence where the story starts.

Drabbles: (NS) Some Author's Note

This post is mostly intended for those who sought for the creator's input on the meaning behind the story North Star and to set a straight canon.

Simply put, there is no theme, motif, symbolism, nor allegory intended.

The story is simply about the adventures of a carefree girl who met, befriended, and finally lost, a dear friend. And who, to bring about closure to their decade long game, again plays seeker to pursue them to the far reaches of time and existence, glimpsing and at times very nearly caught up, but never quite catching them. It is uncertain if her friend is intentionally leaving her a trail to follow, nor their motive for doing so.

Snippets and Stories: (NS) Winter Solstice

Snippets and Stories
North Star: Winter Solstice

Truth be told, Rain wasn't fond of winter. The breezy weather was pleasant, certainly, but she always had to bundle up. Moreover, it was wet and damp everywhere, they couldn't sit on the grass or play games on the field during the cooler seasons with all the water and mud. Not that she minded the dirt, it was the cleaning up part that bothered her.

She hugged herself, leaning into and bracing against the strong winds that shrieked around her. By and by the school disappeared behind her and the roads gradually grew wider.

The skies were already darkening by the time she had reached home, and the beginning of stars twinkling in the sky. They winked at her and she giggled, waving back. It was around then that she noticed a single light growing larger.

It was a falling star.