Crystalline emerald orbs flickered around, scanning the environment. Tiny fawn hooves needed to only give the ground the smallest pat and it would guide the fawn's whole body smoothly forward. A circle of purple flowers was set atop her little head. This was what differed her from most other fawns - she preferred to stand out, for her pelt matched that of every other fawn's. Orange-chestnut with white dappling, underbelly, and face. How awfully boring, compared to the variety of pelts, masks, and antlers of the adult deer! She needed a little originality, so she did what she could.

Apparanza's trotting came to a halt, and she moved slowly to the edge of the pond. She was taught by her deceased foster mother Siiya that if a deer fell in, they would lose their spell-casted appearance! The idea was horrible, and so Ranza had never stepped in deep enough to fall in. She watched a fish swim under a patch of lily pads, then her gaze switched to a frog hopping from lily pad to lily pad.

Suddenly something else caught her attention.

A raindrop pelted into the pond, and left a circular ripple. Then another, and another.
Soon a full-out storm brewed, and Apparanza ran off to find shelter. Where was the Oak when you needed it?!
With the rain striking at her eyes leaving her practically blind through the darkness and storm, it was too late when Ranza caught sight of another fawn in front of her. She slid and stumbled, trying to stop, but the ground was muddy and she couldn't gain a hoofhold. She tumbled forward, bracing herself for impact, but none came.

She could've sworn that she was going to hit the fawn's side.

Apparanza scrabbled to her hooves and approached the fawn, who was staring at her. As Ranza neared, she noticed that the fawn had pupiless blue orbs, but they were clearly cataractless and not blind. Ranza tilted her head, but said nothing about it.

"Hello! I'm sorry about the fall... I guess I missed you, but that's a good thing. I wouldn't want to have hurt you."
The fawn blinked slowly, and said nothing.
One of Ranza's audda twitched. "Well, my name's Apparanza, but you can call me Ranza for short. What's yours?"
Still no response. The fawn simply stared.
Apparanza blinked, and then turned away slightly. She looked over her shoulder at the other fawn. Maybe she's deaf, Ranza thought, and asked, "Can you hear me?"
The fawn nodded.
Okay, she's not deaf. Maybe she's just shy. Ranza smiled at her. "There's no point standing here in the rain... come on, we can find some shelter." She set off at a trot.

Ranza was about to look back behind her to see if the other fawn was following, but she didn't need to. The fawn had a strange aura about her that Ranza had never experienced on any other deer before, and she couldn't explain it. Apparanza felt the aura draw near until she saw the fawn trot beside her and then ahead of her, taking the lead. Hopefully she knows where she's going - I can't see a thing in this rain.

Soon enough, Ranza could just see the large, dark outline of the Oak. How the fawn had known where it was from where they were moments ago was something Ranza couldn't comprehend, but she didn't mind. The fawn had found shelter from the relentless tears from the sky.

She followed the other inside, and folded her legs. The fawn lied down beside Ranza, still wordless.
Ranza looked at the other, and just noticed that there were poppies on her head. "Oh! You like flowers too! Those poppies," Ranza murmured, leaning forward to smell them, "smell nice."

The fawn's mouth curved, for the first time that Ranza had seen, into a smile. "Thank you."
Words! Finally spoken by the stranger.

But her voice.

Detached, low in an almost-whisper. Echoing. Haunting. But lovely at the same time.

"Why were you all alone? Where's your mother or father?" Ranza asked her.
"I don't know where they are."
"Me neither. My parents abandoned me when I was born... that's what my foster mother Siiya had told me."

The fawn's pupilless gaze became sorrowful and nuzzled Apparanza.
Ranza felt nothing. She didn't know why, but she didn't feel anything. She didn't think about it though, she was thinking too much about who her real parents were.

"Was Siiya nice?"
Apparanza tilted her head slightly at the fawn.

Was?
How did she know that Siiya was dead?

"...Yes," Ranza replied slowly, eyeing the fawn curiously. "But that's a long story. Siiya is gone now." She paused, tilting her head at the fawn. She wondered why the other didn't say her name. Maybe she didn't have one! "Can I call you... Flower?" she asked with a grin.

The fawn smiled in return. "Sure," she responded softly, her voice having its slight echo.

Apparanza knew she was different, but didn't know exactly what it was. That's okay. Flower is nice.
"Where do you like to play?" Ranza wondered aloud to Flower.
"I like being in many places... the Ruins and the Crying Idol... and flower patches are fun. I like poppies the most..." Her pupilless gaze focused on Ranza. "Where do you like to play?"
Ranza pondered on Flower's question. "Well I don't really have any place I go to specifically to play. I listen for my friends, and if I can tell they're around I'll go wherever they are and travel with them." Her gaze saddened at Flower. "But... wait, do you have any friends? Why are you all alone?"

Flower's tail twitched.
"I have friends. I have three. I have Ephra, Virgil, and you."

Apparanza's sad expression exploded into joy. "I know them! I travel mostly with Ephra and Virgil also!" Her emerald gaze shimmered with glee. "You're my friend too, Flower." She leaned forward to nuzzle the other fawn, but in surprise she didn't feel anything. She drew her head back and her happiness faded to confusion and curiosity.

"Why can't I touch you?"

Flower turned her head away, pupilless gaze looking down at the ground. "Ranza, have you heard of ghosts?"

The word chilled her, but Ranza knew not the meaning. "No."

"Ghosts, Ranza, are dead deer. Dead deer that have come back from the dead. They are, for numerous reasons, not able to rest in peace with the gods and stay in the Forest."

Ranza lowered her head to the ground, tilting it up to look at Flower. She was trembling. Dead deer?
"B-But why do the d-dead deer come back?"

"Each ghost has its own reason. The most common being that they have... unfinished business. They were going to or supposed to do something, but died before it was complete. They have come back as ghosts to finish what they did not."

Apparanza's felt her heart rate quicken. "L-Like what?"

"Ghosts often return to the living realm because they were killed. They want to either have revenge on their murderer... or forgive their murderer."

Ranza wanted to give a little whimper of fear, but didn't want to appear weak in front of Flower. Thoughts whirled in her mind, and settled. A new emotion flitted across her emerald gaze, and she sat up.

"Are you back for revenge, or to give forgiveness?"

Flower's pupilless gaze flickered back to meet Ranza's emerald one.

"Both."

"Who... who killed you?"

"Baal."

Ranza widened her eyes. "Baal? The orange stag with the big sharp ram horns and the mask that has crying--" she shuddered, "--blood?"
Flower nodded.
"I saw him. Vir was fighting him." She lowered her tone to a whisper. "He was really scary."

"I know."

Flower looked away again, and was silent for a moment. "So you know now that I am... dead, but you still--"
She stopped when Apparanza nuzzled her, despite the fact that she went through Flower.
"You're a ghost, Flower. Baal... he killed you, but you returned. That doesn't mean we can't still be friends. I still want to be your friend."

Flower stared at Ranza. A grin slowly spread across her haunted face, erasing the sadness, and hopped to her hooves. "I want to bring you somewhere."

Ranza stood, shaking off any dirt from her speckled pelt. She noticed that nothing had clung to Flower besides mud, which was there since Ranza first saw her. In fact, Flower didn't even seem to be wet from the rain either! It goes through her, I guess.
"But what about the rain?"

"It's a drizzle now. A light drizzle. You won't get soaked, I promise."

Ranza dipped her head and stepped out of the Oak with the dead fawn. She followed, trotting up beside Flower and nuzzling her. Flower looked at Ranza and nuzzled her back, smiling. The haunting aura remained, but its melancholy seemed temporarily lifted and replaced with happiness.

Soon the two fawns came to the Ruins. "It's around here," Flower murmured, trotting around the decayed building and weaving through the graves. Apparanza caught sight of Siiya's mound with the cross and flinched, hurrying to catch up to Flower.

It was a patch of crimson poppies, matching those strewn around atop Flower's head. The ghost laughed out loud and leapt into the flowers, half-rearing playfully at Ranza to join her.
Apparanza grinned and raced forward, leaping over Flower and tumbling into the sweet aroma.

The two played for a long time, hours passing by. The storm clouds lightened and sunlight began peeking through with thin rays; one fell upon Flower and the fawn became transparent.
Apparanza stopped playing and stared at her deceased friend curiously.
Flower turned her head and looked at her pelt. "The rain is stopping," she said softly. "I have to go now."

Ranza frowned. "But... but why?"

"I come only in the rain."

Ranza tilted her head quizzically.

"...I was killed in the rain."

"...Oh." Ranza looked down at her small hooves. "Will you come back, next time it rains?" she asked hopefully, emerald gaze rising to meet Flower's pupilless blues.
The dead fawn smiled. "Mhm. When you feel the first raindrop that lands on your pelt, know that it's me telling you that I'm in the Forest."

Apparanza danced on the tips of her hooves. She suddenly gasped. "WAIT!"
Flower looked startled. "What?"
"Dance! We need to dance! I LOVE dancing, and I say you are not allowed to go until we dance together!" Ranza laughed, her legs moving in the pattern. Faint music echoed from her hooves.
Flower grinned. She mimicked Apparanza's movements, moving in sync. The music raised in volume, echoing, haunting - a tune Ranza had never heard before, even more eerie than the music in the fog and more beautiful than the music played on normal sunny Forest days. It was Flower's Tune.

Slowly but surely, Flower began fading away. When Ranza could barely see her anymore, she felt a nuzzle.

"Goodbye Flower," Apparanza whispered, continuing to dance.

Flower's Tune continued to echo from the little fawn's hooves.

If an adult deer happened to pass by and gaze at her ring of flowers, they would notice that among the purple, there was one red poppy.


-x-

It's finally completed!! I hope you guys who read it like it! :3
CM, your Dead Fawn idea was captivating for me and I just absolutely had to make a story between her and Apparanza. In a way most of the stories I've read are not - Apparanza befriending the little haunting ghoul! :3