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Username: LydaLynn
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Name: Želimir
Temper: Hopeful
Domain: Peace
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His story:
Želimir knew he was different. He knew it, and that was all there was, all there ever had been for him. His parents loved him. His brothers and sisters loved him. But none of them understood him.

And that was okay, most of the time he didn't understand himself.

He wasn't driven, like most of those he knew. Not towards anything, nor against anything. He just saw what was around him and accepted. And loved.

Not passionate romantic love. Not because his love was forbidden, just because . . . he didn't feel it, the pressure for it, with anyone. But still, it was love, care, belonging. And because of that love, he could see, could understand.

He saw what drove those he loved, what things pressed against them, moving them in this direction or that. He saw how they found joy. And he saw what brought them fear. And he understood, in his own way. For his way was from the outside, always outside. And it wasn't an understanding he could share, but it was understanding just the same. And in understanding, his love deepened. For to understand another, was to have them in your heart so deeply you knew them on a level that allowed no judgement or reservation.

But understanding brought pain. Because it means understanding the hate with the love. Seeing it's spark and it's flame and watching as it burns the one who holds it more painfully that it can ever burn a target. Because hate is a wound on the soul that no magic Želimir holds could heal.

But he tried. He moved to find those who hurt most deeply with hate. Those he understood hated themselves so much they had to turn that hate on others to survive inside their own skins. And he tried, tried to reach out to them, to help them, to bring them understanding, love, and peace. But their hate turned on him. And for love, he accepted it. He wanted for them what was best for them, choosing always their needs over his own.

And he was hurt, their hate seeping into him, giving him cause for doubt and fear. And he was hurt by their words, by their actions. And he suffered, starved, and walked to the brink, trying to touch them, to give them a path back to love and hope and peace.

But still those who clung to hate brought war and violence and death.

And Želimir wept. Wept bitter tears that seemed to have no end. For those who sewed hate seemed to reap hate in return. And hate festered and fed on itself and spread like a fire in a dry field. And the answer to hate was violence and the answer to violence was hate and the cycle turned, eating it's own tail.

And the world looked dark and grim and Želimir stood up, seizing the night and the violence, the death and the hate. And he did not back down from the darkness.

And if he never felt that deep romantic love, it didn't matter. Because he loved them all. Those hurt and suffering, those mired in darkness and confusion, and those who still moved with innocence untainted. And he offered Hope.

Hope that the night would end. Hope from one who understood. Who saw the pain and offered balm. Who knew the wounds that were deeper than could be seen. Who understood the fears that lurked behind the pain. Maybe he would never be one of them, never be part of what others were. But he could be there for them, the light against the darkness, the hand held out in friendship and warmth.

How did he feel? He felt hope and love and understanding.

For this was who he was. And no one could tell him it wasn't who he was supposed to be. Because he knew it was what he was supposed to do.

Username: Dea and #Teddy#
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Name: Chunya
Temper: Understanding
Domain: Empathy
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His story: Chunya knew from a young age that he was not like some of the Soquili that surrounded him. He tried to have empathy for every living being, from the smallest birb to the biggest Soquili. It didn't matter to him where they came from or what they liked, as long as they were kind-hearted. This included one of his dearest friends, even though she was known to like other mares. Yes, Chunya was straight, but he didn't see any problem with being friends with those who were different than he was. Rama had always been there for him, including when he lost his grandmother to a horrid disease. In his eyes, she was a wonderful mare and he enjoyed her company.

One day, Chunya and Rama had been out for one of their normal strolls, when they were surrounded by a pack of stallions he knew. The pair of friends tried to move around them, but this gang did not seem to be budging at all. Chunya was trying to think of what to say, not even sure what these stallions wanted.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the lezbo and the sympathizer! Boys, we should teach these two a lesson about being different. Chunya, you really should pick your friends better,"the leader smirked.

"Rama is my friend, she is always there for me. That is more than I can say about any of you. Just because she likes other girls, that doesn't mean you have to be rude to her. If you got to know her, you would see how wonderful she is,"Chunya defended.

"You would say that, Rainbow Barf. She is a freak and she doesn't belong in this world,"the leader snarled. The stallions surrounded the pair and Chunya stood defensively in front of his friend. He was not going to let these bullies hurt his friend, not if he could help it.

He doesn't remember much after that, since he was knocked out and when he came to, he was with a healer. The uni told him that Rama had been badly hurt and she wasn't sure if she would make it. Chunya stayed by her side, hoping that she would pull through. Every day for a month, he would come to visit her and tell her about his day. She still hadn't regained consciousness, but he believed she could hear him. The Angeni stallion felt so lost, what was he going to do if one of his closest friends died? He couldn't believe there could be such hatred in the world, just because people were different. It wasn't right, people should learn to understand each other better, not spew hatred or violence.

Fortunately, Rama finally woke up and Chunya was right there, helping her to recover. Despite what some others said, he found himself becoming even closer friends with Rama after that incident. No matter what, he was going to be by her side, just as she was his.

Chunya found out just how much of a problem this hate was when Rama's lovemate and her friends were having a party. A few stallions had viciously attacked the group, leaving many of them dead. Chunya was devastated, because he had known many of the group that hung out with Rama and her lovemate. Even though Rama's lovemate had survived the attack, Chunya felt sick to his stomach because so many lives have been lost. If people could just learn to understand one another, maybe there wouldn't be so many lives lost to such hate. That day, Chunya decided that he would try to bring empathy to those whose hearts were filled with such disgust for their fellow Soquili. He would get them to understand that all life is precious and that they were all part of the colors of the rainbow, which he gladly showed on his beautiful coat.

Username: Fatal Irony
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Name: Nicolai
Temper: Open-minded
Domain: Independence
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His story:

He hadn't always known his path. Truth be told he still doesn't feel like he knows it. When he was a foal he'd looked at the adults around him and marveled that they all knew what they were doing. As he grew he saw his friends pursue their passions and he was jealous that they all seemed so certain of what their life would hold.

He longed for that certainty, even today.

Nicolai had spent his life feeling an impossible void in his heart, a lack of something he couldn't quite name, though he has his suspicions as to what it might be.

For a long time he thought it was family. He desperately wanted to have a close and supportive family, such as ones he sees around him. On the outside his seems that way, but it is all a lie. His mother is a narcissist who manipulates and controls everyone around her. His father is barely present, always off on some trip or other. Nic suspects it's because his father can't take how broken their family is. All while growing up and even into his adulthood Nic tried to mend his broken family, serving as the mediator and trying desperately to get his family to become closer. His older brother drifted away anyway, leaving the family before he was truly grown up. Nic's younger brother became nothing better than a puppet for their parents. Nic was alone, used and emotionally abused. There were times he felt like he was nothing. A shell. Empty and numb.

((Spoilering with a warning - self harm info here))



He realized this wasn't ok. This was no way to live. He moved away on his own, alone and many miles from his family. It was here he found clarity. It was here he realized what his parents were - and that they did not deserve his help. Their family was broken and for the first time Nic realized it was not on him to fix it. He was not responsible. He was free.

He began to feel again, slowly. He pulled himself out of the darkness he hadn't even realized he'd been stuck in his entire life. The road was not easy. He was alone and unable to connect with anyone, and often couldn't see the point in living. He still feels that way sometimes. He shakes it off, reaches out to his new friends, and soldiers on.

He's managed to get out of the darkness, but he still feels lost. He's spent a lifetime in battle for his sanity, a lifetime spent being put down and told he was worthless. He knew that couldn't be true - but what worth DID he have? What was his purpose? He was no longer a shell but he didn't know where life was taking him.

He thought about it and realized he could try to make it as an artist. He couldn't recall a time he hadn't been making art, so perhaps that was his calling? He wasn't sure, but it was as good a place as any to start. So with little other fuss about it, he gave up the life he HAD made for himself and started out to learn better art techniques and see if he couldn't find happiness out there... somewhere.

Username:
xxxxx techabyte
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Name:
xxxxx Kitanao
Temper:
xxxxx Compassionate
Domain:
xxxxx Encouragement
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His story:
xxxxx We are taught from a young age how to act. What to do, what not to do. Who to like and who to dislike. That person over there looks odd, shun them. They over there are ideal, fawn over them. You are being a good boy, here is a reward. How dare you do such things, punishment. Every day of our life, someone is teaching us something, if we are to be so bold as to look for that lesson. But not all lessons are good. Not all lessons are there to guide us. Some push us back several paces in our steps toward life. Some shove us and push us to the dirt where they think we belong. They want us there; in the dirt where they can walk all over us. Where they can use you as a means to get farther in their own lives.
xxxxx I was like that once. I was there, waiting to be stepped on. There waiting to be taken advantage of and to be pushed down so others could keep going. And every day of my life I regretted it. I hated who I was. I hated what I was. No one accepted me or loved me for who I was. I was a shell of myself, hiding in the darkness of my own heart and never wanted to come out. Who was going too listed to someone like me? Who was going to accept me for who I was? I was taught that no one would. No one would accept my bubbly nature. No one would accept how hyper and excitable I got. No one would accept that I loved men, or that there were days that I just wanted to snuggle up by a river and sleep with a group of close friends. I was beaten down and shoved into a small space, left there to suffer. Left there to die.
xxxxx But one day… One day I said no more.
xxxxx I wasn’t going to be bullied any more. I wasn’t going to be shoved to the dirt any more. I wasn’t going to be beaten down. I was done; done hiding in my darkened heart where only pain resided. I didn’t care what people thought of me anymore. When I fell, I fell hard. But I picked myself up. I kept moving. When people tried to get me down, I stood up for myself or ignored them, wandering away from the pain. Broken bones healed. Water bogged me down, but didn’t keep me grounded. I fell in love, and got a broken heart. But I accepted it as a way of my growing. I took the pain and turned it into something that would drive me forward in my life, not bog me down and ruin the world around me.
xxxxx I tried to help others in the same situation, or in different ones for that matter. I tried to listen to those around me, and help them in any way I could. Though it was probably inevitable. Death was something that I had learned to accept, and not fear. And when he came for me that night in the image of four others, I didn’t fight. I couldn’t. It wouldn’t have mattered.
xxxxx My story doesn’t end there, though. I don’t know how, or where, but I wasn’t dead. Instead, I was reborn. Reborn into something that could actually help. Reborn into a being that their whole purpose in life was to help those that needed it; to encourage others to be themselves and go for their goals. I became an Angeni… An angel sent down to help all those around them. And that is exactly what I plan to do. There will be people around you who aim to hurt you, or others. And I am here to tell you, that I will do everything in my power to stop them. I will do everything to ensure that when your time on this planet is up, they add up to what you wanted them to be. To help you become who you are on the inside. And if that means putting myself at risk, I will do so. It is my solemn vow as one of the most powerful beings on this planet.

xxxxx I cannot witness all your pain, or all that you have done. But I will be here to help you be the you who I know is inside. I will be there to pick you up when you fall down, and to help you stand up to everyone who challenges you. I will be there to help you live.

Username: ~Masamune~
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Name: Rain Beau
Temper: Effervescent
Domain: Freedom
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His story: Rain was one of the lucky ones. Born into a family who loved him, and accepted him for who he is. It was only when he reached maturity that he found out that not everyone was as lucky as him. Many were persecuted, not just for their sexuality, but for how they looked, and what they believed in. Some could go their whole lives not knowing true freedom, to live how they wanted to live.

It was for this reason that Rain decided to set up his own Herd. Anyone was welcome to join; gay or straight, young or old, male or female. His Herd offered a level of tolerance and understanding that some could only dream of.

As time went on, the Herd got bigger and bigger, and the message of compassion that went along with them began to spread. Sure, there were those who disagreed with what the Herd stood for. Those who would try and put them down or deride them. What did that matter though? For every naysayer, there was someone who would stamp their hooves in support.

It was Rain's hope that someday, all Soquilis would know what it was like to be loved for just being themselves.