[Soq PRP] The OTHER Son - Cricket, Ethan, and Diogenes

[Sabin Duvert]

Ethan's ears plastered backwards as the stallion - who it was now very obvious to him just how big he was, bared his teeth and virtually roared at him. Swallowing, he found himself pressing against Cricket even more, trying to interpose himself between the two of them.

What had he said? The name seemed to strike deep and hit a nerve - for better or for worse. He had heard of him! He had to have... but the name seemed to have flipped a switch in the stallion, and he could feel the aggression.

"That.... that's what I'm tryin' to find out." Ethan answered defensively. "I... I think he's muh Father." He swallowed, muscles tense and kept his eyes on the blue stallion.

[Sosiqui]

I think he knows something- The words went utterly unspoken as Cricket quailed, pressing against Ethan just as eagerly even as she tried to put on a brave face. And yet, at the same time, there was an odd thrill mixed into her own fear - he's... protecting me...?

Yet that strange blink of pleasure was eclipsed after only a moment. Maybe this was Dyson Graves... and if that was true, then... Maybe he really is Kalona after all, maybe Tkoli was right... Cricket's ears tipped back even further, and she held her breath, waiting for the other stallion's answer.

[Kamiki]

The stallion's lip curled into a scowl as he seemed to inspect Ethan derisively. He was a smaller than him, colored in a friendly beige and freckled. His eyes were bright. his features less delicate than his own, but heavier than those of, say, his sisters. Like a pony's. He snorted. One of his sister's was small and delicate - but she was a conniving and manipulative mare - something an astute Soquili could tell by looking into her eyes. His other sister was distant, cold... a strong silent girl.

But this... this eager and clueless colt... could he really? Certainly his father would have better discretion than to just spread his seed on any willing fwo-legger lovin' cart pony that looked his way.

Sure, he had horns like him, and a cleft hoof, and a tail... but his carriage and his demeanor was all wrong.

"Your father? I would be surprised..."

But as his eyes lingered on Ethan's long, curved horns, the doubt was obvious on his face.

[Sabin Duvert]

Ethan's tail flicked indignantly. "You know him, don'tcha?" He swallowed, glancing at the scowl on the brutish stallion's face and noting Cricket's subtle quiver that he could feel as she pressed against him.

He planted his hooves solidly in the ground and kept his stance, his tail subconsciously wrapping possessively around one of Cricket's hindlegs.

He met the patronizing look of the larger stallion, steeling his jaw and straightening, trying to make himself look and feel bigger. "Why is that so surprisin?" And then, Ethan made himself ask directly. "Are you him?"

[Sosiqui]

((Cricket really has nothing new to say here other than continuing to be all o_o so go ahead and skip her this time XD))

[Kamiki]

Diogenes broke his gaze with a snort, pacing around and tossing his mane. "No," he said dismissively. His jaw clenched as he made another glance at Ethan over his shoulder, the gears in his head turning...and a strange, heavy feeling in his stomach. "Dyson Graves is a magnificent, powerful, and frightening kalona." Well, that what his mother had told him at least. "He is my father." His shoulders flexed, as if billowing wings that weren't there...causing the long, curved blades on his back to sway in the moonlight.

[Sabin Duvert]

Ethan felt as if he had just been whacked with a heavy club with one blow after another. The first, a whallop to the stomach as every anxiety he had been carrying with him on this quest was confirmed. Dyson graves, the features that "marred" Ethan's features were from nothing else but a real Kalona. It was just as the others had said - Tkoli and Maharet were right. A frightening, powerful Kalona. Not an angeni, not some other sort of soquili had given Ethan his features. The horns, the tail... they WERE traits of the demons. He looked back to Cricket, ears lowered, almost apologetically.

But then, the second blow of the azure stallion's words came to his knees, nearly making them buckle. His father as well...? Ethan blinked, looking upon him with new eyes. So the familiar traits were far more than just characteritics of that race... the twisted horns, the hairless tail... the sharp spurs and spikes... this was... his brother?

Ethan swallowed, feeling a tumultous mixture of bile and wonder tumbling through his stomach.

While the stallion before him was not the one he had sought... he was very, VERY close. "I... never knew I had a brother." Ethan breathed hopefully. Maybe he was more like him than he feared. Maybe this gruff posturing was a way he had dealt with the fear of others? "What is your name? Is Dyson close by? Do you live with him?"

[Sosiqui]

Kalona...

Well. That was that. After everything they'd done, every exploration...

But it doesn't matter, does it? He's still Ethan... still my best friend... and he's as much not-Kalona as Kalona...

She leaned on him, just a little, so he'd know she wasn't going to run away just because his father's identity had been confirmed... and because the other stallion was starting to worry her even more. Ethan was kind, but if what the other stallion said was true, that kindness couldn't have come from the father they shared. Frightening and powerful...

I'm not going to run away!

[Kamiki]

“Do not call me brother,” the stallion bellowed defensively. “I do not know you!” He snorted and shook his head, obviously trying to cool his temper. There were many strange and unfamiliar feelings boiling up inside him. While he had never thought his father had any sort of loyalty to his mother, nor had he fooled himself in believing that he had probably not sired other foals by different mares: having one of them here, in front of him, speaking to him as if he were family...

It just didn’t feel right.

“My name is Diogenes,” he finally said, muffled through clenched jaw muscles. “Dyson is not here.” He snorted again, rolling his eyes at his obvious ignorance. “Dyson is not concerned with the goings-ons of his conquests.”

[Sabin Duvert]

He couldn't help but fall back a few paces as the Kalona bellowed at him. He was getting angry. What had he done? Nothing but try to connect with him. He was his brother! All this time...

Ethan swallowed. He shouldn't be frightened. They were family! He... couldn't be as bad as he seemed. He just couldn't. Ethan refused to believe that Kalonas were as bad as other soquili seemed to think they were. Maybe they were just nervous about the horns and spikes... Maybe some of them were defensive about the fear that they encountered.

"Diogenes." Ethan repeated, risking a small smile. "And... I may not know ye... but... mebbe we could change that?"

That smile, however, was quickly wiped from his face at the derisive comment that this Diogenes made. "Conquests?" He frowned. He didn't like the implications. "Mah Mum... she's a smart, strong mare." But... she never spoke about Dyson. Something had to have gone wrong - even if it was nothing more than his disappearence after the fact.

[Sosiqui]

((Go ahead and skip Cricket again. XD I'll respond after the next go-round, she's just still standing by Ethan being intimidated but not leaving his side.))

[Kamiki]

Diogenes looked distinctly uncomfortable with the situation, and had no qualms about taking it out on Ethan. A twisted smile played over his face as he turned towards Ethan again, stepping close enough their muzzles nearly were touching. "Not smart enough to know not to cross a great kalona," he said lowly, "Or strong enough to ... well..." his eyes passed over Ethan , before locking eyes with him again, "Well you know. You're here, aren't you?"

[Sabin Duvert]

Ethan swallowed, but held his ground, trying to keep his muscles from quivering. Especially close up, it was obvious how much bigger than he Diogenes was. His muscles were thicker, heavier. And Ethan had to look up to meet his eyes.

"I ain't tryin' to cross no one." Ethan responded. "And ... 'parently I'm as much Kalona as you are?" The words felt heavy in his mouth. He wasn't thinking through his responses. What was he trying to do? Befriend or incite the already surly stallion?

[Sosiqui]

"So - he left you too?" Cricket said, suddenly, her eyes widening at the sudden insight. "You're just like Ethan, aren't you?"

The realization made her relax a little bit - which was potentially foolish, but there was only so much tension she could take!

[Kamiki]

Diogenes snorted into Ethan's face, letting is sour breath burn his nostrils as he sneered, letting the moonlite illuminate the sharp curved canines in his mouth. He opened his mouth to say something, but seemed a loss as to what to say. But thankfully's Cricket's sweet voice broke the momentary lag in conversation and he whipped his head towards. "He didn't leave," he barked, "My mother didn't ask him or expect him to stay."

He looked back over to Ethan with a dark chuckle, regarding the small curly-haired mare. "I am hardly like Ethan at all, little girl," he said lowly, taking a few steps towards her like a predatory cat, letting his large shadow fall across her face. "Perhaps I can show just how different we can be."