[PRP] Trials for Lessons (JacixTaylor)

[Kaefaux]

The cheery little laughter from the small tributary as it sparkled over the down the embankment as a waterfall made Jaci's ears twitch almost constantly. Even as the stallion lay there in sleep beneath the newly leafed oaks that grew alongside one bank of the mini-river, he seemed in a state of full awareness with his tail swatting at nearly invisible insects now and then, and those ears a constant flutter atop his head. But no, in Dreamland he indeed was. If you could call the empty black of sleep "dreaming" that is.

Not that he minded such a setting, seeing as his still grumbling mood was lingering around him like a storm cloud. He'd begun to avoid others much like the plague, not at all appreciating his new tendency to snap and snarl at those that might approach him out of kindness. One might even say he was showing his Kalona blood as of late, a little fact that made his stomach roll in self-loathing. Which, all in all, was rather pathetic -not his anger towards his blood, that was another story; rather, his inability to cheer himself back up and simply move on.

So what if she said they'd meet again, it wasn't like she gave him a timeline or something, so really she hadn't lied to him. He had no logical reason to be like this! Or so his reasonable mind told him, but other, more depressing forces muffled its voice and kept him in his dark demeanor, despite the almost summer-like quality of the temperatures and beautiful skies.

 

[Rev311]

The sun was shinning and the breeze was warm as it blew through Taylor's braids. The brown mare gave a large yawn as she continued to walk. She had woken up not too long ago and found that yet again the ones at the teepee were Settia and Israfel, neither of which she was too keen on spending time with.

It had been quite sometime since she had seen anyone worth talking to and the last Soquili she had met had been that jaci character. She had ment that they would see each other again. He was a good source of entertainment, but she just hadn't put that much effort into finding him again. She figured they would bump into each other when they bumped into each other again.  

[Kaefaux]

Dreams twisted and twirled and melted and merged with the hesitant sounds the echoed through his mind from the outside world and never ending darkness that contained his thoughts and emotions. The small waterfall's tinkling tendrils made bells and the sound of beads form twilight imagery as he slept. Birds were mirrored and reborn to him, his own breath making ill-formed shapes as a sort of winterscape froze the world around him.

A yawn faintly crept into the dream, making his other self look around in vague shock. There was no other being to cause this sound, only himself -and he wasn't tired in the slightest. How strange, how peculiar, how-

He blinked, grunting in protest against the wisps of sunlight that managed to barge past the growing leaves above him. Slowly Jaci lifted his head, frowning as to what awoke him from a still-forming dream of simple pleasantries. A snort, and spring air filled his longs seconds later. Another blink, a few really, as a rather familiar scent drifted into his sensors and clicked happily into place amongst his memories.

"Taylor..?" The name crept from his vocals slowly as if the stallion was afraid it was only a trick of the senses. Standing, he shook himself of clinging grasses and dirt, hooves padding lightly against the fresh earth as he made his way towards the source of the scent.

Oh the joy of a foal he felt, a flicker of blue and brown against the green and earthen tones of the soil alighting a swift neigh of delight and greeting towards her. Almost instantly the light and laughter he'd seemingly lost since their departure flooded into his system once more, a gallop rocketing him in her direction. Then beyond, in a playful banter as he rounded and faced her with a large grin on his face and body huffing from the sudden burst.

"It is you!" he laughed, eyes bright and wide in shock and happiness. "I'd been afraid- afraid it was just a dream and you wouldn't be here." He didn't even seem to register how odd it might sound, especially to suggest he might dream of the mare before him. But his laughter kept all such logical thoughts from mind as he reared up slightly in exuberance. "But it is you!"

 

[Rev311]

Taylor still wasn't all that awake when suddenly Jaci was bounding in and right there infront of her, wide awake and clearly happy to see her. The brown mare jumped and about screamed in his face in fright at his sudden appearance. At this she was wide awake and alert as her mind registered who it was in front of her.

She blinked a few times before huffing in annoyance. "What the heck?! Don't you know its not nice to scare someone like it! I could of had a heart attack or something!" she said angrily. It wasn't that she was not happy to see him or anything, she just didn't like it when someone snuck up on her without her knowing it.

She rolled her eyes at his exuberance and then decided she shouldn't really be grumpy with him. It wasn't all that nice and it wasn't his fault. "In any case, yes it is me. I'm not a dream or any other image from your mind." she replied and then had a rather curious thought that brought a mischievious smile to her face and made her c**k her head to the side. "Have you been dreaming of me?" she asked innocently still smiling and she batted her eyes a bit at him hope to stir him up a bit and eager to flirt.  

[Kaefaux]

He took a quick step back at her sudden anger, throwing his head to the side in confusion. Her words did make sense to him, head lowering as he faced her again. "I apologize, I-didn't mean to be so abrupt." The previous exuberance faded drastically as her shock and rage threw him back to reality and realization. How childish of him...

He chuckled slightly at her mention of perhaps being a figment of her imagination, noting mentally he'd already had a few of those in random states of half-awareness as he'd drifted off to sleep. Not that he'd say that aloud tho-

Whoa. What now?

He blinked a few good times, flushing at her misuse of his words along with that damnable, contagious flirtation of hers. Raising his head in order to gaze at her sidelong and downward, appraising almost, he let the silence linger before raising a brow. "Dream? Of you...?" He tilted his head to the side then, expression fading into one of mildly interested thought. "Hmm... I think there's been a few nights where you've come to me in dreamscape."

Straightening again, he took a step towards her and lowered his head as if to nudge her forehead with his own -not doing so of course, as no gentleman would cross that line this soon. "Perhaps more might been blessed with images of you, had I had more sights of you than just our previous meeting." His voice was softer, almost sad, as he aimed to lock gazes with her.

"I wonder though... have I at all been on your mind since then...?"

 

[Rev311]

She watched as the exubrance left him instantly from the sting of her words and she slightly felt bad for overreacting but only slightly. She hated being scared or snuck up on...even if 99% of the time it was due to her not paying attention to her surroundings.

Then she caught his flushing at her flirting and she smiled and gave him a wink. Though she was slightly disheartend that he only thought he had dreamed of her a few times and he didn't seemed all the interested in the idea of it. But she did not let this get to her too much. "So you only thought you dreamed of me?" she questioned and watched as he came ever so close to her, bowing his head to hers but not touching. This only provoked her and made her little mischievious mind work even more.

She smiled once more and leaned forward, putting her forehead against his own, with thier noses touching. "As for you being in my mind...All I will say is maybe and maybe not." she said provocatively wondering what his next move would be. Wondering if he would move away and flush at her boldness.  

[Kaefaux]

He smirked at her continued questioning of his dreams. He'd admit, the fact she didn't seem to catch his flirting was a bit disheartening, but it also accrued to him his acting skills might have... been a bit overdosed right then.

"Isn't that all that dreams are? Thoughts? Wishes you secretly hold, but won't dare speak aloud? Just simple little thoughts you wish would come true..?" Her head nudging against his own only made his words stronger, eyes dancing in laughter and willing her to catch that playful edge. It wasn't much fun when your partner didn't play along, after all.

Jaci chuckled when she spoke, closing his eyes as he allowed himself to take a version of the bait, upping his own level of boldness. In his defense, she started it. He nuzzled her gently and refused to move away, opening his eyes in order to bluntly see her reaction. If this was considered too bold, he might just go into shock.

"Well it couldn't be both, now could it? So..? Am I just a vague thought, or... am I a wish?"

 

[Rev311]

His gentle nuzzle made her heart jump into her throat but she did not dare move away. He had not and she would not. Her own eyes, on fire with mischief, burned right back into his. This was something she had never done. She had never pushed things this far with her flirting. This was a whole new game, new rules and she was ready to break them all.

"Yes, dreams are just simple little thoughts but putting them like that just takes out all of the magic. I wouldn't call them wishes though, more like fantasies created out of the wishes you hold secretly in your heart." she replied to his first comment.

She smirked and thought carefully about his second comment. It was like he baited her into telling him out right instead of being able to dance and flirt around it. "No, it can't be both. That's just silly. But..." she paused and watched him intently for any sign of anything. "What would you say if I answered with either of the two? What would you say if I said you were just a vague thought? And what would you say if I said you were a wish?"  

[Kaefaux]

He chuckled at her reply, pleased that his show of affection hadn't chased her away. His assumptions had been right, and apparently his cards well played. He caught her gaze, and a spark of excitement spiraled and flared within him at the sight of the flame in those bright blue eyes. Something... had just very much changed here. No that he was complaining.

Jaci shrugged playfully, grinning. "How does it take away the magic? The fact the individual even has the thoughts, the wishes -the fantasies if you wish to view them as such... personally, I find that to be all the more magical and beautiful." His smile grew. "In the end, you're still wishing they'll come true, no?"

She was smart, that much he was already aware of. It didn't shock him when her own leading words eased out instead of a blunt reply. This was probably his favorite part about their conversations -nothing was ever so directly blunt. At least, not for long anyways. They were always leading, flirting, borderline-dangerous. He loved it.

Now his eyes twinkled with fatal mirth, taking a step back to eye her critically. The wicked grin on his face, matched with those wickedly laughing eyes, really was such a sight on the dark stallion. Then paired with the playful nature in which he spoke... oi. "Well the answer to that is obvious, isn't it? Put me in that situation, and you'll get your response." From critic to blunt and back again... he'd never tire of these fun little games.

 

[Rev311]

She let out a breath as he took a step back that she didn't know she had been holding. Her heart was still all a flutter in her chest and she tried to breath slowly to calm it without him seeing how much he had just affected her.

She flicked her tail and gave him a playful grin back to match his own. "I suppose your right that in the end you're still wishing for those dreams to become reality." she admitted.

Then she gave a chuckle and just shook her head. He really was beginning to change her idea of what stallions were like. He was very much unlike any she had ever met. This flirting of thiers was enough to tell her that. "I don't think the answer is so obvious. I do not know how your mind works or what action you would take." she said playfully and took a few steps forward and nipped at his shoulder playfully. "And I have to confess, since our last meeting, I really think that maybe, just maybe, you have begun to change my opinion about stallions." she said.  

[Kaefaux]

Confidence and unusual cockiness swelled within him at her acceptance of his words. Not to mention the ever so slightly flustered state he seemed to have put her in for a moment there. So he was flustering with flirts the flirtatious Taylor? Dare he say the tables had -at least for the moment- turned? No one could fault him for feeling as he did at that moment, prideful and joyous as he was. This was a rather momentous occasion in his strange little life!

"Glad to hear you admit it," he smiled. For in a way, she also admitted to a great deal more, did she not?

He nodded though. The feeling was mutual, really, not knowing the function's of the other's mind. Sure he could guess as to what she might due, depending on his actions and words... but more often than not, her actual response was enough to floor him if he wasn't careful. Which, really, was just fuel to his own fire, so it all worked out in the end.

He didn't dare play with the sudden though that he might not be around if it wasn't for that aspect about her.

Jaci raised a brow when she approached, the n** making him give a quick laugh and a gentle, playful tug on one of her braids. "Now, if I remember correctly, I had told you I'd do as much, didn't I?" His voice softened slightly as he spoke, expression less cocky and more gentle. "And you should be happy to known you've had a rather interesting effect on my views on a few things as well." Like how pathetic his keeping himself away from his family was, for one...

 

[Rev311]

So he too was admitted he had a change in views? Now this was really interesting. She wasn't quite sure what those few things were that his views had changed on and being the curious one that she was, she wanted to know. But would it be so bold as to just ask him what those views where? Nah! They were way past that.

"Oh really now? You admit to changing views as well? Insteresting..." she said and paused as he pulled her braids playfully. The only one who really did that was Sadie when she was scolding her, but it didn't much matter to her. She did enjoy being close to him. "And what might these views be? Enlighten me if you will. As for my own admittence, I only said you started to change my mind, it is not so completely changed, atleast not yet." she said with a hint of mystery and a grin of mischief.

Her mind began to formulate a plot as to how she could "test" him and see if he really could change her opinion completely.  

[Kaefaux]

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, not yet putting distance between them as he debated exactly how to answer. Didn't have to dive into the full extent of his previous mentality... didn't have to disclose every secret.

And yet, as he looked again into her eyes... he swallowed lightly. To keep it all from her... really, to hold back any detail would be to lose the point of the story. Let her pass judgment then, what is too much and what is too little. If she is bold enough to question... let her decide if there is a limit to how deep the answer can be.

"If knowledge is what you seek, I'm more than happy to oblige," he decreed with a sweeping bow as he backed up a step. Straightening, his eyes darted warily about her face as he continued, "When we'd first met, I hadn't seen anyone from my family in a long time -nearing years, really. Due to my mother's... Kalona blood, I wanted nothing to do with my winged brother and sister. My mother I still loved, my father is grounded like myself so I've never felt the need to distance myself from him.

"My siblings, on the other hand..." He paused, flashing a pained smile. "I was the only one without wings, without any notable trait that I belonged amongst them. I envied them -eventually, I hated them. They got to touch the sky, see all the world... and I couldn't. So I left." He shrugged, finally looking away from her and towards the water.

"After meeting you, I went back home and found out I had three new siblings -one that was a spitting image of my grandmother, the one who tried to kill my father, if I remember correctly." Again a pause, tail swaying as he thought back to childhood warnings to keep his distance from the demon mare. Thinking of his two brothers, he had no qualms with obeying his parents.

"But I discovered, from what I could tell of my dear family, that I was happier than my brothers and sisters. The same ones whom I distanced myself from because of their appearance and gifts, were living more crushed and painful lives than I, and I was the 'normal' one in the family." A blush softened his voice as he spoke, gaze flicking to her through his dark mane. Only reason he thought his life was so good all of a sudden was because of her. Otherwise... he'd still be wondering without a reason. Just for the sake of walking, of putting distance between him and his family. Running from a ridiculous thing like anger and jealousy.

"Not only did you push me into seeing being what I am isn't bad, or what my siblings are isn't bad... I'm finally able to connect with them again, be around them." Finally he faced her fully again, smiling softly.

"I might not have affected your mind all that much, but you've made me see a whole different side of the world, Miss Taylor."

 

[Rev311]

Taylor stood there as he told her all of this. Suddenly her boldness didn't seem so bold anymore. She hadn't thought that thier little encounter would make such an impact on him. Though she was glad that atleast it was for the better and nothing for the worse. Then she would feel like a silly mare who knew nothing about anything. Still this was not the answer she was expecting and her mind was still trying to process his words and come up with an answer all at the same time.

"Well...that was deffinately not what I was expecting at all." she finally said a bit hesitantly. She was trying to be careful of her words for she guessed that it was hard for him to tell her all of this and she did not want to run him off or upset him in any way. "Though...I am glad that I made atleast a good difference in your life and that I didn't make anything worse. If I had made things worse within your family, even though I do not know them, then I would have felt horrible. And I am glad that you were comfortabel enough to talk to me and tell me all of this information as I know it had to be painful for you." she said while hoping she sounded sincere.

She wished she could remember her family in the slightest bit. She had no clue about her parents or siblings, if she even had any. All she knew was that she had wondered for a very long time before she had met up with Sadie.  

[Kaefaux]

Jaci chuckled, not especially surprised by her reaction. He was right -it had been too much, too fast. At least now he was aware she had limits.

"Forgive me, I went into a rant that would have been best kept a few short sentences. Thought I am comfortable having said all of that, my goal was not to make you uncomfortable.

Though, perhaps now would be the best time to say sometimes curiosity can bring undesired results?" The mirth in his eyes, voice and expression dulled the severity of his words, almost making them into a joke, though mean them he did. Experience, really. And genuine apologies for having said all that and setting the awkward mood.

Another chuckle, and he lightly pulled one of her braids again before returning to the slight distance between them. "I assure you, had our meeting been a painful or otherwise distasteful one, I would have done all I could to ensure there wasn't another." He shrugged. "I have a habit of simply separating myself entirely from such beings or places, as you can see from my history."