[PRP] We Are Family [Gypsy Winter x Gypsy Phantom x Daytona]

[Novablu]

Private RP Between Novablu's Gypsy Phantom and Gypsy Winter and Faux Affliction's Daytona.

 

[Novablu]

Winter was never one you could consider “normal” not by any standards, and it was kind of sad. His family was a happy one -- Mum was a sweet natured angeni who met his father as a foal and then, somehow by fate, was reunited as adults and it all went uphill from there. Dad loved Mum and Mum loved Dad and while they both adventured plenty, they’d settled down in a quaint, happy little valley to live quaint, happy little lives. Happily ever after. For them, at least. And when it came time to start their own family, Mum and Dad were oh, so pleased.

They goddess above granted them with three little foals, tenderly tucked inside baskets made with love and when the time came, the baskets opened and their children were born into the world they’d so carefully crafter. Phantom and Daytona raised their children the only way they knew how, with love and compassion and knowledge.

It wasn’t their fault he was faulty. It was just how he was. The twisted black sheep of a family of angels, undeserving of the angeni wings that graced his back. Unlike his sisters, who were perfect shining stars. Royale a pure and gentle soul and Whisper shy but sweet. He loved them, in his own way, but he’d never really connected. So it made sense when he was a yearling, to strike out on his own. To leave his perfect family behind, where he couldn’t hurt them, where he couldn’t break their hearts, and go about his life, torn on who and what he was.

He found beauty in simple things. The sleek smoothness of bleached skulls. The uniqueness of snowflakes, the powerful flex of a kalona’s leathery wings, the splash of blood on the ground as a doe writhed, still alive, beneath the jaws of a monster. Blood was beautiful, in droplets, in smears…and in time, he succumbed to the fact that he reveled in the bite of pain. No one understood--how could they? He seeked refuge among the “monsters” of the world, but he was never accepted, he wasn’t one of them. He was an angel’s son…

A fallen angel, beautiful and untouchable. He withdrew into himself, taking to the sky to head into the cold, bitter expanse of mountains. He slept during the day hours, dancing and singing by moonlight, self-indulging. He met a few others on his journey, but it was never a connection. He yearned for something deeper, a world that accepted him, that didn’t judge. A companion but not a mate--because mates expected little brats and Winter knew he’d be a failure of a father. Or…at least that’s what he thought.

By accident, he met Gypsy Nightshade, a goofy yet sensitive little flutter that happened to be his cousin. Shade claimed to see the good in everyone, even Winter, and Winter wanted more than anything to hate him. Yet another perfect little dot on the map of his family. Shade, of course, didn’t take no for an answer and along the course of a year, an unlikely friendship was formed.

Then Shade’s son was born, so tiny and so fragile, sickly and Winter got attached. His first real attachment, a flutter colt who saw no evil in Winter’s eyes, and like the Grinch, Winter’s heart grew two sizes. All of a sudden, he was accepted--he was wanted for the first time in his life.

And that was the day that Gypsy Winter began to change.  

[Novablu]

Phantom was an unusually happy stallion. Somewhere along the lines, the gene for depression and sadness had disappeared, a blip in the radar of his genetic coding. He’d only ever been sad once in his life, upon thinking of his foalhood friend, Daytona. God, no mares compared to that delicate little filly. The world was a vast, huge thing and he was sure that he’d never again run across Daytona’s path. But fate could be a powerful thing and hitting a patch of good luck, he found himself looking into eyes as blue as the oceans, the little filly all grown up and sweet as pie. He knew, right then and there, that she was his future.

They struck off on an adventure and never looked back; they never had to. They had everything they’d ever need in each other. Maybe that was sappy, but hey, it was the truth. Together they raised three beautiful foals, each one unique but all of them theirs, and he was proud of them. They eventually struck out on their own…but Whisper and Royale, their two daughters, always found their way home.

Winter was just…gone. Phantom set it aside as ‘boys will be boys’ and hoped he’d found a life of his own, found a pretty lady (or gent, if that’s what his son preferred, who was he to judge?) and that maybe he’d come back with a few tagalongs of his own. Though the idea of becoming a grandfather at his age was baffling and amusing at the same time.

But as the months stretched on, turning into years, Phantom grew worried. Winter had always been a little odd, but surely he was safe… Surely he was making his own life, happy and proud of himself, and if Phantom could’ve looked into a scrying ball…well let’s just say that he would’ve been worried for his only son’s life.

It was winter again, blistery cold with blowing snow, gathering in drifts around the little vale Phantom and Daytona called home. His dappled gray coat had grown shaggy, his thick mane keeping his neck warm, but the cold didn’t bother him much. He was of Gypsy lines and he was accustomed to winters. After all, they never lasted for more than a few months.

Phantom loped out to the opening of the vale, hooves thudding through snow, kicking up white behind him. He came out here every morning before the sun would grace the sky, watching, waiting. Hoping. He couldn’t bear the thought that his son had passed away, alone and forgotten somewhere, so he clung onto hope that one day, Winter would come home. And when that day came, he would be waiting.

Night fell and once more, Phantom stood at the edge of the vale, snow and wind blowing his mane away from his face, giving him perfect sight of…a figure? He stiffened, tossing his head. Winter? Phantom let out a shrill whinny, then stood perfectly still.

The responding call was soft, but it was enough to bring a grin to Phantom’s face and without a second thought, he ran to greet his long lost son.

Winter was home.  

[Novablu]

He was nervous--why? Why would he be nervous, it was his family, people that loved and cared and probably worried sick about him. He knew his mom would’ve and the guilt came crashing down, his heart thundering with each and every step through the snow, the cold white stuff balling into his fetlocks, making his feet heavy. He kept his wings pressed tight against his sides, making them as small as possible as they were sensitive to the bitter windchill that bit his nose and ears. He tossed his head, silver bangs flopping, but he stopped as the first whinny shrilled out. Dad… He lifted his muzzle to the sky and let loose a cry of his own, picking up the pace. Soon his hoofbeats grew hurried as he ran to meet his sire.

And there he was, thick and cobby, his grey mottled coat a bundle of fluff from winter and a small smile appeared on Winter’s face. “Dad!” he called, his soft voice barely carrying over the wind. As Phantom drew near, Winter turned, dropping his head to butt the length of his nose against his father’s neck, whickering low. “Hey…” he said softly, suddenly unsure of WHAT to say. He’d been gone for months upon months without warning and now he expected to traipse back into his parents’ lives just like that? He shook his head, standing still against the blow of the wind. “Hey…I’m sorry, Dad…but I’m home now.” Maybe not for good, but for awhile. To wait out the weather, to join his family.

Home again.  

[Novablu]

Phantom met him halfway, hooves thudding against the hardened earth with each step, and as his son neared and came into view--unharmed, perfectly whole, not mangled and damaged like he and Daytona had fretted about, though that was a silly thing to worry about, looking back--and he greeted Winter like he’d greet either of his daughters from a romp away from the vale. With love, with compassion.

“We knew you’d come back someday, but Winter…you drove your mother crazy. She’s been worried sick…” He didn’t want to lecture, didn’t want to be the father that told his adult children what to do and when, so he didn’t. He smiled, lips curving at the corners, and outstretched a wing to encompass Winter in a wind-family hug. “Good to have you home. I’m assuming you found what you went off in search of?”

Winter said nothing, but he’d expected it. He’d always been the strong, silent type, even as a colt. So Phantom just nudged his shoulder, motioning for Winter to follow him, and they began to walk in a slow, leisurely gait back towards the vale, where their family was awaiting their return with bated breath. Because for the first time since Phantom had gone to wait for his son, today was the day he would bring Winter back. “Are you alright, though? Nothing too terrible happened to you?” He meant it jokingly, followed by a snap of his braided tail. Winter didn’t flinch nor did he smile and Phantom’s heart sunk. Maybe something had happened…

“Win?”  

[Novablu]

Winter watched his father, a sort of sadness pinging around in his heart. Was he alright? Well it really depended on your definition of alright. Yeah, he was safe and he was sound and he was changing, and that’s what scared him--the amount of changes he saw in himself. The way it seemed to crack through the icy shell he’d always obstructed around his wary heart. They didn’t call him the frost prince for no reason. And now, thanks to a certain little colt, Winter’s whole world had been cracked open like an egg and the mushy part, however small it was inside of him, was seeping out.

“Yeah, I…think so,” he told his father, wearing a rueful smile. “Just lost in thought. How’s Mom? Roy? Whisper?” God he’d left them all, so selfish. But the past was the past and what he had now was the future and maybe now, with a little wider outlook on life, maybe now he’d be able to enjoy his family’s happy innocence.

Or maybe he’d find himself fleeing into the sky at the end of the week. The thought made him grin; who knows. He sidled up next to Phantom, surprised by how much a difference there was between them. Where his father was stocky and thick and rather robust, Winter was short…but slender, elegant, with a dancer’s build. He took after Mom with her ethereal femininity, and that was okay with him. He wasn’t a fearsome, testosterone-ridden stallion; he preferred the simplicity of dancing under the midnight moon.

“I missed you guys.”  

[Novablu]

Phantom grinned and nuzzled his son back. Something inside of him had worried all this time that his son wouldn’t come back the same, that maybe he’d come back even moodier, even colder than he’d been before he left. He’d been a…difficult colt to raise, indifferent to them and compared to his sisters, who were little dolls, Winter didn’t seem to be affectionate in the least so when his son reached out and touched him, it went deeper than skin deep. It touched Phantom’s heart, lit it up like a mini burning sun and then he was beaming, puffed up like a very proud peacock. Winter gave him a look, followed by the rolling of his eyes--typical Winter, he hadn’t changed TOO much--but Phantom’s grin was never ending.

“Glad to have you back, boyo,” he replied easily, and that was the truth. “Your mom’s gonna be beyond ecstatic. C’mon, let’s go.” He nudged Winter and flicked his tail, shaking off the snowflakes that were beginning to fall again, white angel’s feathers fluttering down around them. Then, giving his son a teasing look, he snaked his head out, nipped Winter’s shoulder, and bolted. His hooves thundered across the ground as he surged forwards, racing back to the vale. He let loose a whinny, high and excited--god he couldn’t wait to see Day’s face when he came home with their son in tow. She’d flip her lid…in a good way.

Then he felt a touch on his side and glanced to the side to see Winter grinning broadly, their hoofbeats pounding the hard earth in beat with one another, and all Phantom knew was happiness.