|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:32 pm
 The stallion moved through the lowlands fog like a ghost, his pale hide almost invisible in the morning mist. The effect was somewhat spoiled by his dark armor, but those adornments also helped create a fearsome silhouette that couldn't be said to be human or Soquili at a glance.
Or at least, that was the intention. It had been years since Fastosus had needed to intimidate a foe and sad to say, he was probably a bit out of practice. Not that he didn't keep his skills sharp, but one could only do so much without an opponent of some kind. Speaking of--!
He stopped abruptly, eyes flitting from side to side. It seemed...he was not as alone as he thought. As he considered this and the possible places another could be, the sun began to burn off the fog that surrounded the Soquili.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:49 am
She came crashing through the trees in her typical fashion, hindlegs flailing to the side and hair everywhere other than the loose braid it was supposed to be kept in. In slow motion, it would have been the perfect hair advertisement - attach some suggestive music to it and you'd have something entirely different. Alas this would have been completely lost on the mare and given the level of destruction she left in her wake, the overall affect was lost anyway. Suffice to say that the plants would probably never recover from that impact, the undergrowth and bushes would forever have a fracture of some description in their branches.
Oh well.
Her thoughts didn't immediately go to the plight of the bushes, they rarely did, especially when she was on a mission. Leave the wishy washy plant stuff to her siblings, she had a job to do. You see, Zucutto Sohalia, more well known as 'Ziggy' by her family and friends, was an adventurer. The renowned tinkerer, inventor and world traveller were among many titles she aspired to but as of yet, had a great deal more work to do before she could achieve them. She'd only made small, little creations up until this point but now she was after something much, much bigger.
She had started her morning as she always did, rising as the dew drops made her nostrils quiver. A wash, some breakfast and a few stretches later she was placing distance between herself and her family home at an impressive speed. No one ever tried to hold her back, her parents had given up on that a long time ago, all it resulted in was a pulsing headache and absolute confusion.
...It would be wise never to ask Ziggy what she was thinking.
Azuell found that out the hard way!
Nevertheless she made no secret of her existence and the stallion would find it incredibly easy to spot her. If he couldn't immediately see her, he would certainly hear her - in fact, if he hadn't heard her before then he would certainly hear her when she landed, lost her balance and unceremoniously faceplanted in the grass beside her. Well, that was another invention to work on, something that would provide grip on dewy mornings... it never really crossed her mind that being 'careful' was often the most viable and simple solution.
One could be thankful for small favours though, the mare wasn't like most others and when she fell she simply got up again. She gave herself a quick shake to recover her bearings and then simply carried on, if anyone had seen her less than graceful tumble then so be it, she wasn't the first soquili to fall on their face and she certainly wouldn't be the last!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:27 pm
It was...a mare. A mare, running around as if she were a colt. Or at least, that was the impression that he got, that there was no particular reason why this mare should be running at breakneck speed. Where the word "breakneck" was about to come into play if she wasn't more careful.
She was comely enough, this mare, and he was in a sociable mood and intrigued by her. It couldn't hurt to make conversation.
"One would think that it would be more prudent to go more slowly," he called out to the young mare.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:00 am
She had been blessed by her genetics - beauty from her mother and durability from her father. It was no secret that Azuell was built like a brick, he might have been smaller than his siblings but he was a lot more heavy set. His lack of height was made up for in muscle and while Ziggy was by no means a bodybuilder, her body did appear to be capable of taking much more damage than most. Some might have argued this was down to physical conditioning at a young age though, especially when her brother was notably clumsy and she was a bit...unique.
She wasn't clumsy, just reckless.
Nevertheless, when the stallion spoke up she did grind to a halt. It was a miracle she hadn't fallen over again at the abrupt stop, but she did manage to sustain her balance somehow. Adjusting her stance, she put herself in a more balanced pose and turned round to regard the male in question. It took mere seconds for it to dawn on her that he was no regular male and that he had very tiny wings - it reminded her a great deal of that fateful day she had met a harpy and what had resulted from the encounter.
"Can you fly with those?" she enquired, completely disregarding his advice since she really didn't think slowing down was 'prudent' at all. "They're very small, they must cause problems or you must use another means to stay airborn -" she paused for a few moments. "Oooh, do you fly like a hummingbird?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:57 pm
Fastosus winced mentally as the stranger came to an abrupt halt that on most other creatures would have resulted in a sprain at the very least. She was certainly quite physically capable, and that was impressive as well as unexpected. He was a bit taken aback when she just stopped and looked at him though - he preferred his mares to be a bit less...direct.
Sadly, her direct and somewhat rude question was one he was growing resigned to. The problem of being a stranger in a strange land was that, of course, no one knew him and thus no one knew of how he had earned the so-called wings that adorned his armor. This invariably led to many questions and explanations with every new person the stallion met. Still, patience was a virtue every warrior must learn and the art of not groaning at every seemingly pointless request was another.
"No," he answered simply. "I cannot fly, as these are not true wings." He thought about elaborating, but decided to leave well enough alone. No need to go on, since he did not know if she was truly so interested. Rather, he would be polite, or attempt to be.
"I am Fastosus. Who might you be?" he finally settled on those sparse words instead of several other options that ran through his head. He couldn't say it was his pleasure to meet her as of yet, since his first impression didn't really find her to be mate material. But one didn't say that, especially not to a mare, unless if they wanted to be trampled unto death.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:37 am
If the stallion had been in search of a less direct mare he'd picked the wrong one. In fact, the vast majority of observers might say that he had made a critical error in approaching the very eccentric mare. If there was one thing that Ziggy wasn't, it was indirect - she was upfront and perhaps just a little too personal on occasions. Alas, there were benefits to this as she never left any soquili with any doubt in relation to her intentions! If she liked them then they'd know about it, if she didn't then they would be well aware of that.
...She hadn't really met anyone she disliked yet.
However there was one thing in life she never intended and that was to come across as rude or obnoxious. She might have forgotten that her direct questions might come off as such, but she never meant any deliberate harm and there was always a purpose to them. If an individual had the patience to bear with her antics they would soon discover those reasons. Granted when those reasons were discovered they might make a hasty exit but at least they would know she wasn't being mean - just crazy.
"I'm Ziggy," she replied distractedly to his introduction. That was perhaps a little rude, but her mind always focused on her goals and as such, manners sometimes slipped to the wayside. Had he just said that those wings weren't 'true' wings? Did that mean they were fake and attached to him some how? Without warning she trotted forward and propped her nose unceremoniously against them. She nudged to the left, nudged to the right and conceded that they certainly didn't feel like normal wings.
Huh, who would've thought!
"Oooh, can I try those on?" she murmured. Clearly fascinated, her eyes had an impish gleam to them that would have caused any sane individual to run to the hills. Alas, one could be thankful for small favours, she had no explosives to hand so the only casualty was likely to be herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:17 pm
Ziggy. It was...a suitably odd name for the mare whose behavior thus far could only be characterized as "unusual." He wasn't even sure it was supposed to be a mare's name but, again, that was an opinion the stallion would keep to himself.
As he allowed himself to be distracted by mulling over what he felt was "proper" and how unfavorably Ziggy compared to that, the mare had come right up to him and started...well he wasn't entirely sure what she was doing with his false wings, but he didn't care for it.
That still didn't prepare him for her sudden question. Fastosus blinked, looked at Ziggy, and blinked again. She wanted to what!? Did she have any idea what she was really asking? She couldn't, possibly. And in all the names of the gods, why would she ask such a stupid thing?
"No," he told her, as firmly as he could under the circumstances. It wasn't as solid as it could have been, given that he was still a bit shaken by her strange behavior.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:29 pm
She was, by definition, an unusual mare and as a consequence she had quite the knack for utterly confusing any individual she might encounter. Nevertheless when compared to some mares she certainly wasn't the worst or most bizarre of the bunch, there were a fair few that were decidedly worse than she was - whether it be for more gruesome or more random reasons. Truth be told, the stallion should have been thankful for small favours based on the fact that he had met her as opposed to a mare who may have a taste for the morbid and request that he allow her to dissect him.
Nevertheless, if the stallion expected the vast majority of mares to conform to his ideal then he was in for a rough ride and a lot of disappointment in this region. His 'ideal' would be something that didn't and probably wouldn't ever exist - a pity for him, but for a stallion that had such a pole up his backside (as the mare was quickly realising) that was probably a fitting fate for him.
Alas, a digression.
"Why not?" she replied immediately, her brow lifting curiously as she regarded the stallion with a hint of disappointment. She was rarely turned down, others were usually too preoccupied with her antics to reject so readily so this was an unusual occurance for her. "They're not real wings so it wouldn't hurt to remove them - I just wanted to see how they worked," she added.
"It's for science!" she finished.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 6:13 pm
Fastosus was a bit taken aback by Ziggy's immediate insistence. He supposed he shouldn't have been so surprised, given the vein of this conversation thus far, but it was still unexpected. In the names of the gods, why on earth did she want to try on his armor? What sort of "science" was she plotting that she felt it was necessary?
He blinked and breathed out heavily, trying to focus his thoughts before replying to the bizarre mare. He was getting the feeling that he should keep things simple, and not allow for any vagaries in his meaning that she could take advantage of.
"They are attached to my armor, and I do not wish to be without my armor at this time," he told her. Hopefully she'd take the hint that the answer was No. No. No. No.
Science or no science, he wasn't going to take off his armor for some mare he didn't even like! Besides, it wasn't as if either of them had hands to assist in the removal. He took some comfort in that thought as a reserve argument.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 7:06 am
Wow he was such a kill joy and Ziggy couldn't prevent her eyebrow from quirking at his retort. The way he made it sound, he could be attacked at any second and therefore he needed his armour. It was a life or death situation people! How dare she even ask him to put his own personal safety on the line, what would happen if the grass rebelled against him and gave him a blade cut across his tender skin? Oh ye gods! He would need a healer and not just any healer, he would need the best healer. Yes, it was a little over dramatic but by Ziggy's standards it was really quite tame and if he was so fond of armour that scarcely covered him then surely his reasoning had to be just as ridiculous as she had imagined.
"Yes, because the second you turn your back I'm going to hand your backside to you," she replied wrily. "'Cause you know, the ribbon around your butt is really going to protect you from a nice little hoof tattoo if that was actually what I intended to do," she pointed out. She afforded a glance at what he perceived as armour and shook her head, decidedly unimpressed with his excuses. He was just a party-pooper who had no sense of adventure...nor could he possibly ever see the importance of her research.
Well he could remain grounded forever!
"That's hardly an excuse and I wouldn't borrow it for long, I just need to know what weight it is so that I can make some calculations," she explained, brow still raised and bemused tone still present. "It wouldn't even take more than five minutes, I promise in that time no one is going to beat you to a bloody pulp - we're just not like that here."
"If we're going to beat you up we'll at least let you know first..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 12:46 pm
Fastosus twitched his tail uncomfortably at Ziggy's response. She really didn't seem like the sort who was going to attack him, he knew there was no other creature large or skilled enough around to be a threat to him, and it wasn't as if he couldn't take care of himself without the armor on. Hell, it was restrictive stuff and did limit him somewhat.
There was, however, one flaw in her plan. The stallion's eyes glinted as that tiny fact occurred to him and saw that perhaps this was...salvageable.
"I suppose you're correct," he admitted stiffly. "But I do not know how you would remove it, for it was made and attached by human hands. Which neither of us possess." He tried not to sound too condescending, but a bit of the feeling slipped into his tone.
There was one question however, that remained unanswered and unsettling in that state. Who was this "we" she kept referring to?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:00 am
"Attachable by human hands or creatures who happen to possess nibble paws or aposable thumbs," she corrected him wistfully and flashed one of her usual, winning smiles. Honestly, she was an inventor and it would be very foolish for her if she didn't bring along her assistants while she was scouting for materials or measurements. He was correct in the sense that she couldn't remove his adorable little ribbons, but he had miscalculated in assuming that she intended to do that bit!
"Creatures with nibble paws are definitetly something that I do have at my disposal," she continued and lifted a brow. She waited for this tidbit of information to be absorbed and then glanced pointedly towards her back, her gaze once again fixed on the wing ornaments that rested there. She still wanted them, she still wanted to measure them and if they were detatchable then surely she should be allowed to try them on.
It was the nice thing to do.
Nevertheless she didn't push on that issue and turned her attention back to his face, her brows lifting much higher. "So really, I see no reason why you can't humour me, do you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:49 am
Fastosus blinked. Was there nothing that would faze this mare? She just...kept coming! Only verbally at this point, but he wondered if she would be inclined to shift directions...
Gods what a strange and uncomfortable situation. And she just kept LOOKING at his false wings. Staring at them.
He started to consider giving in, much as it galled him. It would probably end up being the faster way to get rid of the mare without being utterly rude. Any mare deserved some courtesy, regardless of how strange she was.
The stallion sighed. "If I agree to this, you mayn't take my armor completely apart, only detach it, understand?" He couldn't believe he was saying this, his armor was his life! But...ugh...there was just...something in this mare's utter determination that was wearing him down. He cursed himself inwardly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:05 pm
Determination always won out in the end, she'd learnt this from a very young age and was once again, proving herself to be right. Suffice to say that months and months of practice on her parents and siblings had made her a master of persuasion, especially whenever it came to the skeptical creatures. When it came to creatures like 'Tosus, she simply needed to make sure she had an answer to everything and the gods knew that as an inventor, she really did tend to have an answer for any and every question - ah, but it was both a blessing and a curse!
Unsurprisingly, when the stallion conceded defeat, triumph immediately registered on the young mare's face. Admittedly, this expression wasn't a goading or infuriating one, she wasn't the sort to gloat in anyway, but her delight was obvious. Suffice to say that Fastosus had indirectly made her day and had boosted her good mood to new heights - he might rue the day in his own mind, but in the long term, it might be a blessing in disguise for him!
"Ooooh thank you, thank you, thank you!" she chimed in a sing-song voice, bouncing from hoof to hoof excitedly. "You have a scouts promise that I will not deconstruct your armour - I won't try to take it apart to examine it," she promised. Excitable as the mare might have been, she was a female who kept her word and hopefully he would have faith in her for now. With this promise made she promptly spun round and gave a whicker to the bushes, within moments a number of raccoons, squirrels and ferrets had appeared and scurried through the long grasses towards Fastosus.
"As soon as I've tried them on I'll give them right back, we'll even help put them back on properly again - sound good?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:06 pm
The stallion eyed the oncoming horde of forest inhabitants with wide eyes. They were, to say the least, far more numerous than he had expected. But...what to say to the bizarre mare?
Well, thank the gods for manners. They always came to one's rescue. "You're...welcome," he managed to reply. "And...thank you. That sounds...good."
He was too stunned for words. Ziggy's speed at pouncing on his hesitant offer and condition was enough to leave anyone in the dust. Fastosus began fervently to wait for the moment when she was finished and he would be done with her. Forever, as far as he was concerned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
