[PRP] The Collection (Amai Shi x Jessemine)

[StrawberryRoseTea]

This is a private role play for these two soquilil.
StrawberryRoseTea's 甘い死 (Amai Shi)
and Ryghann's Jessemine.
Shared teepee
 

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Shi hummed to himself as he walked through the late summer woods. His furry fox ears twitches in contentment as the leaves that the trees had already begun to drop crunched underfoot. It had always been pleasing to him when the trees first began showing the traces of death that signaled autumn would be upon the world in a short time.

He knew that soon he would have to start thinking in terms of stocking up preservable food for the winter but for right now he was just going to enjoy the cool evening. The relief from the heat was a pleasant change from the past scorching summer days.

His hoof struck something that wasn't a stone or stick and he paused to investigate. His tail swishing with interest he dropped his head and nosed some dried leaves aside to reveal a small clean bleached bone. "Kind of an odd place to find one" he mumbled out loud. After Nosing around a bit more he determined it was the only one and decided that it had probably been dropped by some sort of natural predator just making its way by. With a shrug he picked the one up in his mouth and made to continue on his way.

WC:208

Ryghann

 

[Ryghann]

Jessemine was having a terrible day. It all started with a lack of sleep. .. strange nightmares and odd things messing with her mind. She decided it was going to pretty much ruin the rest of what could be a perfectly fine day. Jess decided that maybe taking a walk would be nice, it was her idea after all. But she wasnt going to be happy about it. She snorted and got herself out of her little shelter she had made and set down a lovely trail. Birds were chirping and getting things ready for the changing season and a variety of little critters were fighting over nuts and seeds to stock up their stores. Jess already had a plan formulated and food set-up. Thankfully she was crafty in the aspect of self preservation. She clomped a hoof down to startle nearby creatures and to make a point not too mess with an angry lady. To her mild satisfaction it worked as she observed the lay of the forest until she spotted something dark with pointed ears in the distance. She froze, which was odd for her but froze she did. The mare peered intil she could make out what it was. A stallion? -hmmm looks a little out of place in these woods- she thought to herself. Pondering the possibilities she gave up trying to understand and went right up to him.

"What are you doing here?" She managed to sass out with an authentic curious undertone. She took in all of his details as she looked him over.....he was quite a handsome fellow, that softened her hard expression slightly.
WC:271  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Shi had heard a large body approaching but had paid it no mind. It wasn't uncommon to pass large animals or even occasionally other Soqs. Usually if he left them alone they left him alone. It had kind of sounded like a grumpy moose so he had been quietly making his way away. However, when he found himself with a mare in his face demanding the why of his existence in these woods near his home he was so startled he nearly dropped his new found prize. However, luckily for him he thought, the time spent learning with his mother had taught him to suppress any of the visible quest of having been startled. So aside from his mouth nearly falling open at having been acknowledged while trying to quietly go his way, Shi appeared unruffled.

Shi didn't really think of himself as anti-social but it always seemed that he found himself with a lack of things to say in the presence of new acquaintances. He never went out of his way to befriend others and so really didn't talk to anyone. Shy was the term most would use. He had to stop himself from fidgeting as the mare's eyes swept over him, weighing and measuring what she saw. After a moment of staring at her blankly it dawned on him that he should probably answer her question and that he could hardly do that with a mouthful of bone.

Keeping a sideways eye on the mare he contemplated his options for putting the bone down he thought it would be a shame to just dump it back down on the grind where it might run the risk of being stepped on in whatever exchange was about to happen so he settled for leaning it against the closest tree. He took half a second to admire the way it looked standing up so unnaturally straight amongst the leaves. A piece of death purposely placed among other scattered examples of death. Satisfied he finally faced the mare.

"My home is nearby." Was his soft response. "What are you doing here?" His ears twitched. It wasn't so much that he cared what she was done no but rather how long she was going to be around and therefore how long he would have to try to stay out of her path. In his mind it would be more for her sake than his own. He knew that he sometimes made others uncomfortable with his wispy auras and bone collecting ways.

WC:418  

[Ryghann]

Jess was doing her darndest to be patient as she observed this male contemplating things and deciding things. Usually if responses werent given to her quickly she would either leave or ask something else, instead she decided that she was going to at least give the lad a minute, especially with a BONE in his mouth. Whatever. His quirk.
Listening to his voice caught her by surprise, it was so kind.....like....sweet and genuine, it caused her to lose track of what he had asked of her. Did he ask something? What was it? She shook her head. Maybe today just wasnt her day at all! She stamped a hoof down again to shake herself out of her distracted daze and cleared her throat, "I am exploring. Finding what I can here and there, trading things with other soqs and creatures who wish...you surprised me is all.."She didnt really wish to admit it but didnt think it would really be such a big deal to be a little honest with this one. "Ive just not seen one like you in scenery like this before...figured there was something interesting about it." She let her gaze fall idly around the immediate area before lash-ily locking back on the pretty male. "Im not on...your land am I?" she managed to throw his a small impish smile.
WC:223  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Shi waited for Jess to collect herself. He wasn't put off by her stamping and abrupt nature. After living with his mother's temper and moods not much bothered him in the way of other's mannerisms. As she explained herself he nodded along agreeably. It made sense for her to be wandering by if she was an explorer. It also meant she might not stay too long. Especially if she was looking for others to trade with. There was no one else really in this area aside from him. Maybe because of him. Who knew? He wasn't all that concerned. As for him surprising her, well that wasn't really a surprise for him.

He let the comment about him being interesting slide past. He wasn't really all that interested in discussing how he came to be there or what he was doing. He wasn't exactly hiding but he did tend to avoid others. It took him a beat to realize she had asked him a question meant to engage him in conversation. He returned her smile with a small serene one of his own.
"Oh, no. I make no claims to this land. Explore around it as you please." He nodded to emphasize his statement and then reached for where he had leaned his bone preparing to continue on his way, sure he had satisfied any need for conversation between them. He wouldn't want to be keeping her from any more exciting hings she may have been doing.

WC: 247  

[Ryghann]

She couldnt quite shake it but something about this Stallion had interested the mare. She rolled through the details in her mind but couldnt find a reason, he was just plain interesting. She didnt feel as bitter or sassy, being around him made her more calm. Before she even realised it she was introducing herself, "My name is Jessemine.....you may call me Jess if you wish. Is there anything super interesting around here? since you live near i figured i would ask." What is WRONG with me?? She thought to herself. This was Definitely unlike herself, maybe she needed to rest or eat or something? She shook herself and preened here and there, waiting patiently for answers.
WC:117  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

He had just managed to get his mouth around his bone and started to lift it when she introduced herself. This perplexed Shi a bit as he had thought their conversation had been thorough enough for strangers passing by each other. He stifled a mild sigh and set his bone back down. If she was interested enough in his company to spend a little more time with him, who was he to deny her? It never hurt to be polite anyway he supposed. He looked at her, really looked at her, his eyes taking in all the details of her shape and markings. He wanted to be able to remember this mare who sought the company of one such as himself. She was rather pretty with her bright mane and roses this mare.

"Shi." He told her quietly. "My name is Amai Shi." Sweet Death. He normally wasn't fond of offering his name to others but she had given him hers and it was a fair trade. A name for a name. His mother had named him with great hopes for his future. That he would be the bearer of that which he was named for. While he himself didn't find pleasure in bringing it he was never one to shy away from being near it. Death was beautiful in its own way. The peace and quiet it brought to those it visited itself on. He came back to himself, unaware that he had been spacing out and staring off blankly. "It is my pleasure to meet you Jessemine."

He went quiet again to ponder over her question. "Interesting things?" he finally mused aloud. "I . . I think everything around here is interesting." he finally said. "Like the bark of this tree." He turned to look at the tree his bone was leaning against. To the casual observer it was a tree like any other. Even on closer inspection it would still look like just a tree. But what Shi was referring to was the swirls and eddies of color that played in the shape of the bark of every tree. He looked at everything with the eyes of an artist, not that he was aware of that, and couldn't fathom that others might see things differently. He was, however, aware that other might not appreciate what was there. His mother for example had had a fondness for destroying the things he found lovely or interesting. Except for his bone collection that was. Which was how he had gotten into the habit of collecting bones. It was one thing he had been allowed to have. That was it! Perhaps if this . . Jessemine . . .wasn't pleased with the tree perhaps she would like to see his bone collection? He gave voice to this thought.

WC: 461  

[Ryghann]

Jess was watching the unique stud with his fluffy wisp swirled ears and macabre markings. His eyes tell a story...she thought to herself as she noticed him truly looking at her, that made her blush slightly, so she turned her face away swiftly to hide it making it look like she was flipping her mane pretending nothing was going on. She knew she was pretty, yes, but she never really had someone look at her this much before, it was nice but made her slightly uncomfortable so she adjusted and shifted her hooves.

Sweet Death eh? Quite a sinisterly sweet name. She was familiar with his names language origin. His staring off made her think that maybe he was inwardly conflicted or possibly just in his own world but she didn't want to bother him. He was very unique in his own way and she kind of appreciated that there were people like that out here. At his pleasure of meeting her she bowed her head slightly in response and gave him a small smile, he was polite too! She wondered what else this stallion could have in store for her.

When Jess was in a good mood she generally found things interesting, if it met her standards anyway! She was picky, she would admit. But the world was good for the most part she thought. She herself just wanted to succeed,
she was very determined in her ways.

The bark of the tree? She looked at it and at first thought it was just a tree,
but taking his words to heart she looked at it and observed that it had millions of details that she wouldn't have cared about before, until he had said something. Jess gave a small gasp as her mind was opened a little more to the world, she looked around and saw the world in its dying splendor. The autumnal hues of the leaves in their orange, yellow, red and brown hues.
She was in awe as she saw the harmony of the area around them, she spun where she stood to take it all in. "Oh my goodness....." She said breathily.

She realized in the middle of her small awakening that Shi had asked something of her. Oh bone collection? Jess wasn't sure if it was necessarily a good idea to go look at his bone pile, but it was something very personal to him she thought. Before their meeting she may have totally blown him off, thinking that a bone collection would have been weird or gross, maybe even just and invitation to some dark plot where she could have been endangered! But after speaking with this sweet male she rethought everything, Besides he gave her a new outlook on life, she might as well try to understand this Stallion a little more. It seemed quite worth her time.

"Yes please..."She said kindly.
WC:481  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Shi patiently watched Jess spin and look around the forest as if seeing it for the first time. He tilted his head at her. How could she walk through such a rich world and not really see it? Others tended to confuse him with how narrow their gaze of the world was. He shrugged. Other's saw what they needed to see when they needed to see it he guessed. When she finally stopped and politely accepted his offer to see his collection his eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't often that others were interested in it. Usually the were repulsed. Perhaps having this mare in the area wouldn't be that bad. He inclined his head in an invitation to follow him before reaching down to pick his bone back up.

Without looking back to see if she was following he continued making his way through the forest back to where he had currently taken up residence. It wasn't far before he stopped outside of a thorny thicket. At first it looked like just an ordinary grouping of brush to the casual observer. But on closer inspection right in front of the stallion's hooves there started a pathway. Lined with bones. The bones of the path drew the eye, slowly revealing whorls of laid out bones all throughout the area. Every single one had been carefully placed according to its shape, size and color to create a kind of visual poetry that wouldn't have been noticed by the casual observer hidden by the grasses leaves and undergrowth as they were.

Shi gazed over his collection thoughtfully before stepping off to the side and meticulously placing his new bone in a spot that would add to the flow of the pattern. He then turned to where his ears told him Jess was.
"This is my collection. Is it interesting?" He asked hopefully.

WC: 310  

[Ryghann]

With Jess new outlook on the world around her she followed him with a bit of excitement in her veins. She noticed the hidden pathway right away and was intrigued by its assemblage. It lead her eyes to all the other carefully layed facets and details. This had to have taken alot of time and care to plan and place so many, and with it all in plain sight if one knew to look!

Her jaw dropped at the massive amount of beautifully arranged death about her.
She wasnt scared, no. Just in plain awe of its complexity and just how much was put into such a piece of art and decay.
He was asking her a question this time,coming back to her mind she nodded,
"Its more that just interesting. Its extremely impressive......I mean, all the dead things you had to either haul back or bones one at a time. How long has this taken you?" She wasnt really looking for an answer since she had a feeling that it was quite a while.

She carefully walked around to inspect all of it, every detail she could take in and observe. Jess was completely impressed by it and a little disappointed in herself. Had she ever put that much caring and thought and drive into something? Even once? Furrowing her brow she snorted at herself, unable to come up with an answer to her own questions. Maybe it was time she did something with all of her being for once. Achieving what she wanted has always been a goal, maybe she should actually succeed in her goals for herself.
WC:271  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Shi bowed his head shyly under her praise. It was extremely rarely that he had experienced praise before. He wasn't quite sure what to do with it so he settled with a quiet "I'm glad it's interesting." His mother had never been one to praise him. She had, however, always been full of corrections and very liberal with her words of disapproval and disappointment. He figured that maybe that could be turned to being a good thing. It allowed him to not be disheartened by others having a poor opinion of him.

He watched her as she looked over his work with her newly opened eyes. The way she seemed in awe was a new thing for him. Most, not all, but most recoiled with either fear or disgust upon viewing his collection. The fact that she even went on to consider just how much work he had had to do, how much death he had had to handle to create it thrilled him. Which was also kind of a new experience for him. Not much elicited strong emotional responses from the otherwise mellow Stallion. But having someone regard his work with appreciation caused a tingling to run over his skin.

Others tended to shy away from the massive amount not of death. Their fear of him and the dead things palpable. This was something Shi had never understood. What was the point of fearing something that had entered the peaceful final slumber. There was nothing left anymore but an empty shell. How could that be harmful. Though maybe it was the emptiness itself that unsettled others. Like those that always felt the need to fill the silence rather than letting it be. Shi enjoyed the silence. Just like Shi enjoyed the peacefulness that death brought. With silence and death there was no judging. No opinions to be forced on another being.

A soft breeze blew through the forest making the leaves in the trees rattle and fall. The brush and grass danced around the bone pattern giving it the illusion of swirling movement. Shi took a deep breath of the crisp forest air and turned his attention to finding how far the mare had wandered among his collection. Since she seemed to be able to accept him without judgement he may as well be polite while she was in his home.

He trotted over to where she was and after regarding her silently for a moment he offered, "If you see one you like . . . You may take it." He held his breath waiting for her answer. He had never offered a piece of his collection before and wasn't quite sure what to expect as a response. He would, of course, not be offended if she refused his offer but he figured it was worth a try.

WC: 467

Ryghann

 

[Ryghann]

Jess glanced over at the mysteriously interesting stallion and his slightly adorable responses. He was very quirky and different in his way but not in a bad kind of tense.Amai was quite a polite fellow and Jess didnt really know what to do about that, shes met all kinds but his. He was sweet in his own way so his politeness and gentlemanly ways were very new to her.

Jess decided she Would do something worth wile in her life, no matter what it was! She would figure it out, do it, and succeed with great promise and prosperity! The mare nodded to herself triumphantly and managed to stifle striking a stoic pose.

This collection was truly amazing, really it was she thought to herself. Maybe she would create something to show Amai in the future, or perhaps show him something eye opening and new? Maybe return the favor to the wonderfully strange male.

She had lost herself in the swirling beauty of collected death that she almost didnt realize that he had asked something of her. Taking a moment to actually register what he had said she managed a cute little smile. "Really? I can.....have one?" She asked him more out of amazement since she could tell this took so long. She giggled and gave a short toss to her mane as she wandered with a quicker pace, still remaining careful around the art while whistling out a small tune of epic proportions to accompany the passing time of her bone choosing.

It didnt take her much time to decide on one as she stood before it. The bone was recently placed in its new home and she gave a little smirk. "I like this one the best! Wanna know why?" She raised an eyebrow hoping hed ask but would be fine if he didnt. She gave him a good while before finishing,"This bone..."She traced it fondly with a careful hoof,"Is the one you had when we met." Jess liked the idea of taking the one he had, but wasnt sure if he was ok with it. "You see, it commemorates the day of our meeting....and....if I take it,
when you look at the space you might think of me when im not here. And when you get another to replace its missing spot you will think of me then too.So..." The mare dissolved into a faint blush. Swiftly shaking it off. Silly Woman! What are you thinking? "I mean I hope it doesnt put you out too badly...After all you did just go through the effort of bringing it all the way home! I almost feel like im stealing it haha! Silly me! Well I hope you will let me take it, after all it is my favorite one!"

Jess hoped she didnt come off too front about it. He was a sweet fellow and didnt want to scare him away or anything. However she did secretly hope he did let her keep it and thought of it the same way she did!
WC:507  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Shi waited patiently, watching her as she was lost in thought. He didn't mind that it was taking her a moment to realize he had spoken. As he waited his ears flicked about catching all of the fall sounds of the woods. Noticing the way the breeze had a bite to it. Herald to the colder weather to come. He watched as it played through both of their manes, causing the mini skulls in his to rattle gently against each other.

Once she did mentally come back from her wanderings he greeted her with a serene smile. Her surprise at his offer pleased him. His smile brightened and he nodded. "Any you choose." he nodded, expressing his excitement with the airy movement. As she wandered among his collection he followed with almost a spring in his step. Looking over the bones with her, mentally noting their texture and colors, wondering which she would pick.

When she stopped before his most recent acquisition it surprised him. It wasn't the most pale nor the smoothest. It was rather more intact than most. He was pondering why she would choose it when she asked if he knew. There was no thought that came to his mind on the matter so he just smiled and nodded.
"I would be pleased to know why." He noted and appreciated that she had given him time to think through and form his response. This was rare from others when it came to him. He could be quick witted, of course, if the situation called for it. But . . .he would much rather take his time and enjoy the thought process.

As she explained he nodded along with her reasoning thoughtfully. It put him off a bit to see her confidence in her choice ebb and flow as she spoke. He wondered what perhaps she had been through to make her question herself so. He made a not to perhaps ask once they were through with this important exchange.
"You have very sound logic." He told her. "It would be my pleasure to let you have this one. I will indeed think you you when I see its resting place." He smiled whimsically, reached down delicately pulled the bone from its spot with his muzzle and offered it to her.

Once his mouth was clear again he had to ask. "Did you think I would be upset by your choice? I offered any bone . . ." He noted her fading blush and was a bit confused by it. He hadn't ever met anyone who cared for his opinion this much. Was this . . . friendship? Like in the fairy stories he had heard snippets of throughout his life? He had never heard a full one, just bits and pieces but his mind had created colorful tapestries of stories from those pieces. Much like, he chuckled aloud, much like how he created landscapes of peace from the bits and pieces of bones he collected. He liked to think he created a story of the things that had once possessed the bones. A way for them to leave a legacy of peace and harmony.

He came out of his thoughts to give his attention back to her and her responses.

:535

Ryghann