[PRP] Heartache and Heartbreak (Casimir & Tiramisu)

[Summer Raaven]

This is a private roleplay between Tiramisu (Summer Raaven) and Casimir (Uta). Please do not post without permission.

One, two, three...

Tick, tick, tick.

One, two, three, four. Tick, tick, tick, tick...

The mare's emotions were running high as she counted the passing seconds, daring herself to do it once she got to ten. She had toyed with this idea for quite some time, but was never quite brave enough to follow through; standing there, now, however, she couldn't help but want to. The sun was hot against her soft, golden coat and it, too, dared her to make her move. If there was ever a time to find her inner bravery, it was now - life had led her up to this point after all - hadn't it? After years of mental abuse from her mother, abandonment from both her beloved brother and father, and now the disappearance of her older sister, it was time Tiramisu took life by the horns! Fear had driven her into the metaphorical ground, and now, as she stood there - in front of her fate - the fear subsided. Something within her awoke and she couldn't help but want more. Finally - years of suffering - leading up to this - finally - taking control of her decisions and doing what she wanted! Yes! Oh! The feeling was exhilarating.

...three, four, five.

...four, five, six.

Admittedly, she had counted to ten by now - repeating the numbers over and over again in preparation for that final number. Although the new-found confidence had taken over, the demons that she carried still held her back, for the momentary time being - she couldn't quite let herself whisper that final number out loud - not yet - because it would mean she did indeed let go. Was she ready? A new start - a new beginning? Although such a small act, it would mean so much more - wouldn't it? Oh! Tiramisu smiled to herself, hooves inching their way toward their destiny with the few remaining seconds.

...six, seven, eight. Tick, tick, tick....

This was stupid! Stupid! The young mare immediately frowned once her demons took over, staring into the abyss of what could have been. Oh! How stupid she could be! Never - never would she be allowed to to be free of her demons! Oh! This wasn't a new beginning, stupid, stupid girl. This was just an act of defiance against the truth. She wasn't anything or anyone special, and she would always, always be afraid. Tiramisu lifted up her hooves, taking a step back, back into her sadness. How could she think that this was anything more than just a thought? She'd never be brave enough to do it - she'd never be brave enough to amount to anything! Her mother's words rang in her ears, taunting her.

...nine. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. She was so close to that final, important number. She said she'd do it on ten, and she had to, didn't she? All her life had been in preparation for her to make one giant step in the right direction, and this could possibly be it! So she counted, after hitting nine, back from one. One, two, three...again, one, two, three. Her heart pounded as the seconds passed, both her demons and her free will at odds. Tick, tick, tick, tick....

Ten.

Standing on the rock overlooking one of the forest's lakes, she jumped in, holding nothing but happiness the whole way down.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Summer Raaven

Sorry for my slowness. I think she jumped into the lake -- I'm tired and brain-dead so if I misinterpreted your last post, just poke me. xD

Unfortunately for Tiramisu, something lurked within the nearby forest. Something large, and green, and made of a mix of flesh and tree; something was skulking about the shadows, pausing now and then to better blend into his surroundings. His pupiless blue eyes emitted a soft glow, but he let the long, greasy strands of hair, and a few leaves, dimt the brightness. Casimir didn't want to be seen, nor did he want to give away his hiding place; while the woods were not his usual abode, he was on his way back from the ocean, and preferred to take the short cut through the woods. Never the plains, never the open fields or welcoming meadows, no. If there was one golden rule the stallion had learned, it was this -- unless he was around family, the world was and would always be cruel.

So he hid.

He was a freak, no matter what his parents said. His mother had a dragon for a mane, and his father was covered in spikes, but somehow Casimir couldn't help but feel as if he were somehow separate from his siblings. His brother had a beast for a tail -- similar to his Uncle. And his sister had spikes like their mother, and strange glowing bits from her mane. But Cas . ..Cas was a tree, with a sewn jaw, and leaves that browned and fell out during the autumn months. He changed with the seasons, and never knew whether or not he was more plant than animal. But it didn't matter, really, did it? At the end of the day, he was nothing but a monster.

So, Casimir hid from the world, and did his best to avoid the condenscending looks of others. He hid away, and did his best not to be seen. Today was not different -- the sooner he was back to his beloved swamp the better. Part of Cas had hoped to run into some fallen prey -- insects and lizards weren't easy to catch and the fanged stallion needed meat -- but alas, he was out of look. The scent of water wasn't far, and that in itself was a bit comforting -- he had grown up by the ocean, though he much preferred fresh water to salt. So it was, when he heard a nearby splash, the stallion had a sudden urge to run.

For just a moment, he almost did that. Splashing wasn't good. Splashing meant something was out there -- or worse someone. Splashing meant company, and company meant judgment, and the green tree-stallion just couldn't handle that. On the other hoof, what if it was some monster like him? Or what if someone had fallen in and needed help? Coming from a long line of knights, princes, princesses, and generally good-hearted sorts, the good couldn't help but win.

So, despite a part of him shrieking to turn around for his own good, the stallion hurried forward. All he'd need was one peek, one look, to make sure that whoever or whtever was there wasn't drowning. To make sure everything was all right, before he had to scuttle back to the darkness. Surprisingly swift for a tree-beast, the green coated stallion did his best to blend into the surroundings and not make much noise.

Just one look, and then he could be away.

 

[Summer Raaven]

The splash had been larger than she expected, and a shiver ran through her body as it entered the water; the noise, along with the wave of the cold, fresh feeling, the mare felt exhilarated. Jumping into the lake was simple enough, and didn't seem like a cause to celebrate, but to her it was so much more. It could be - it could be a step in the right direction, no? Her demons still dominated a rather large portion of her decisions and her actions, so it felt incredible to be able to make one of her own. She dipped her head under water, opening her eyes as she faced the bottom of the lake, taking it all in. What would her mother say now, if she could see her? She had always been so afraid of disappointing her mother when she was a small foal, but growing up had taught her one thing - everything she did was a disappointment to that mare. There was no hope in redeeming herself in Vanilla Swirl's eyes - simply because of her gender. Which then, in turn, caused Tiramisu to hate herself - if her mother hated her, then what was the point? But no - now she was alone, and better for it. She wanted - no, needed - to start new.

A smile. This felt good.

And then, something changed.

It was like a the switch in her brain clicked on, and she was very much aware of another body someplace in the vicinity. There was hardly a sound, nor a visual - but there was definitely something - or someone - there. Tiramisu bobbled her head a little bit underwater, unsure of what her next move could be. All of the Soquili she had met since the day she left her mother's side for the last time (as few as there were) hadn't caused too much alarm, but one can never be too safe. She was, after all, completely defenseless, and, for all intents and purposes, unable to run.

Her mind clicked again,what would her sister do in a situation like this? The crazy little mare would probably retreat back into the wild wilderness that was her imagination, and pretend that whatever out there was a foe, and she the knight-in-shining-armor that could protect these lands. But Tiramisu? Her imagination did not allow for those types of dreams. Her imagination was well, rather cruel to her; she was never nothing but unworthy of a good life. She could hardly even get a word out when she met others, how could she possibly think herself a savoir of the lands? So the mare, unable to think of another possibility, raised her head above the water. "Hello?" She called out stupidly, hoping whatever or whomever it was that was out there would respond. If it was danger, it wouldn't surely - would it? Most dangerous creatures like to keep hidden until the prey was unaware, right? Perhaps if she played smart, whomever was out there would go away.

Tiramisu tensed up, her body still swimming in the water, as she called out again, "hello?"

Uta

Nope, you're right. Sometimes when I'm trying to be poetic, I fail. xP

 

[Uta]

Summer Raaven

Not at all! It was a great post -- I had just been tired. xD

Casimir had approached the water in time to see the waves and ripples of the splash; someone, or something, was definitely in its depths! In fact, the sunlight didn't just glint off water, but showed something very vibrant,very bright, within it. There were nearby cliffs on opposite shore, and whatever golden thing was just beneath the surface, may have come from them. A sliver of fear gripped the stallion -- had the stranger fallen in? Had they been pushed? Could they swim? Were they drowning?

A million possibilities entered the others head, and his instinct was quick to want to rescue. For as much as he was just a tree beast, the inclinations of his family line were strong in him. He came from a great line of epicness -- from his mother who saved the damned, to his grandfather who saved everyone else. Princes, knights, do-gooders -- that was the blood of Casimir, whether or not he had an opportunity to embrace it himself.

Was this his chance? Was this his moment? Would they even want to be rescued?

How long had they been under the water anyway? Casimir almost stepped forward, when a head popped up above the surface. And he froze. It was the face of what appeared to be a mare. A white nose, golden cheeks, and a peculiar shade of hair -- not quite white, not quite blue, not quite cream (or was it pink?). Whoever they were, they were . . . still very a live, and not very much in danger.

Why was it always gold mares? Would this one be like that red-head that bullied her way into his swamp? Would she laugh at him? Would she drive him away? The stallion simply didn't know, and couldn't figure out what the best course of action would be. He could just walk away, could leave her to her bath or swim, and call it a day. On the other hand . . . it was obvious she knew of his presence, or was at least peripherally aware. What if him not answering caused her to panic? Caused her to leave a relatively safe area just because of him?

Ugh.

This was why he didn't like to leave his swamp. Things were too complicated.

So it was, Casimir was forced to say something, instead of standing there like an idiot. Maybe she thought him just part of the scenery -- his tree often helped to hide, but also made him stand out once noticed. ". . . Hello." He cleared his throat a bit, and tried to navigate the complicated world of effective communication. It was not always his strong suit. "Er. . I'm here, but . . am leaving. I just . . . wanted to make sure you weren't in . . trouble or drowning or . . something." Oi, that sounded like the excuse of a peeping tom. "I'm leaving now! Honest!" Already the green stallion was shrinking back, hoping that the mare didn't spot him.

He'd let her alone to his swim, and make it back to his swamp.
 

[Summer Raaven]

That was the most ridiculous thing she could have ever done, wasn't it? Hadn't experience taught her NOT to make notice of herself when in a situation where she hadn't the upper hand? She was basically a sitting duck! Silence filled the air for a few moments, and her thoughts had swam so quickly it was making her head hurt. Everything that could go wrong was going to go wrong, wasn't it? Until...

It was talking! It was talking! Oh dear, oh dear! What! Oh! Did that meant it meant her no harm? Right? That made sense! Oh! She panicked under the water's surface, her body squirming as it kept her head halfway above. The words that were spoken by it's owner had seemed...nice enough, right? Maybe panicking wasn't the smartest idea in the world.

So she calmed herself, as quickly as she could, and mumbled,"oh. I'm fine. Thank you." Her head was completely above the water now, and she was able to take in the sight before her, in it's entirety. Or rather, a pretty decent glimpse of something large and very much alive and Soquili-ish, before it backed into the trees.This....stallion, was it? Looked like something completely unlike anything she had ever seen before, but honestly that wasn't saying much. Tiramisu was aware that the world was full of weird, scary and strange things and made it a point to avoid all possible. But this male, he was...different than just different, if that made any sense. Tiramisu couldn't quite place what it was that made him 'different' than anything her imagination could have thought up, but he was.

Perhaps it was because he did not attack her? Normally that's what happened, was it not? In her sister's crazy fantasy-world stories, the bad-guy always looked weird and creepy, so as to stand out against the 'good' guy. Yes! Tiramisu remembered very well that Rainbow Sherbert's villains were always monsters. But was this stallion a monster? She couldn't see him that well anymore, as he had hid successfully within the trees; her view distorted from where she swam, but was he a monster? She replayed the scenario she was in within her head before she thought up a response, and then...

And then it hit her. He was like her. He had sounded frightened, or uncomfortable at the very least, and his reason for hiding was...because of her? Was he really hiding from her? Or, was there something here that she did not know? He was higher-up above sea level than she, so he could see more of their surroundings - had something else given him a scare? Oh! Oh dear! No! She couldn't think that way, she couldn't think that way, she was crazy - she was absolutely crazy.

Be normal. Be normal and make this situation a normal one. Ugh, this was difficult. She stared in his direction, body still floating in the water. To any other onlooker, the pair probably looked like complete maniacs, but it was just a typical day for her. After a few passing moments, she eyed the area, saying louder than she had anticipated, "you can stay, if you'd like."

Oh yes, Tira. That'll definitely convince him to stay. Oh! But what if he did? Why did she say that!

Uta

 

[Uta]

Summer Raaven

The stallion fond himself in quite the predicament. While he had lumbered back into the woods, ready to make a full retreat, he heard the mare mention that he could stay. The idea that someone would invite him to linger was absolutely mind-boggling to him. Had she hit her head on a rock during her swim? Was she dense? Did she not see what he looked like?

Oh, perhaps that was it. Maybe the dripping water had caused her not to fully see what sort of creature he happened to be. Perhaps she hadn't gotten a good enough look, and didn't realize what she was asking to linger.

So it was, the stallion allowed his long tail to snake behind him, uncertain of what to say. He hadn't meant to interrupt her, and his embarrassment at making a scene out of her water games had made him shy. She had claimed to be all right, in the small little voice of hers, and now he was stuck looking like a fool. Of course, she had also invited him to stay, or at least given him the option. So it was, the green coated beast shifted on his hooves, his blue eyes watching Tiramisu as he considered her request.

Whether he wanted to admit or not, it wasn't often Casimir had company. He hadn't gone out of his way to look for others, but here he was, faced with another possibility. He knew he should turn away, should run fast back to the safety of his swamp. There he would be safe, and no risk the judgment, or sneering of others. And yet, the quiet voice of the mare, the way she spoke so softly, so unsurely. . . He didn't necessarily want to leave. She sounded about as unsure as himself. Afraid? Maybe. He was a stranger, and a beast at that.

"I don't think you really want me to linger," he finally confessed with a sigh. His words were low, almost like a growl, but it wasn't out of intimidation. No, Casimir simply wasn't accustomed to speaking. Still, a drink would be nice; he was thirsty and his poor tree was getting a bit dry. While he had water in the swamp, it was often acidic, or undrinkable; but the pool of water before him was inviting.

"Maybe just for a quick drink. I . . I won't hurt you." His last words were almost pleading. He wanted the mare to know that he meant no harm. He only ate bugs and insects, and even if he could feast on larger game, his sewn mouth couldn't open particularly wide. So it was, with a small shake of his mane -- which sent a few dead leaves drifting down his sides -- the green coated stallion slowly, carefully, stepped back out and made his way to the edge of the water.

He kept his gaze averted, and looped his tail around his back leg in a nervous habit. He was waiting for the mare to scream, or shriek, or panic, or run, or d something to scare him away again. Surely, this would be no different.