A partnered RP contest! Tell us the story of how you two met and the road you've taken thus far!
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:09 am
xThe Rules •Follow all of Gaia's ToS and Soquili Shop Rules •You must enter with a partner. •Word limit of 750 words for prompts; if you must go over this, do not go far over it. 30 words more at most, please.. •This counts as your soquili freebie for the event if you win. •If you enter with a co-owner, this counts as their freebie as well! •Any discouragement or harassment of other entrants/entries will result in immediate disqualification. •Anything entered past the ending time stamp will not be counted, sorry! Thread will be locked at that time. •This is a judged RP contest. •If you edit your post, please mark the last time you edited (EST) in bold red font at the top of your post. •Additional rules to be added as necessary.
These two companions have been spotted wandering around together, and have settled in to a quiet gathering of tea-goers who are happily relaxing and enjoying themselves! As conversations go, it's all quite lovely~
A fluttercorn turns her gaze over those present, in turn, and declares this would be a fine time to get to know one another, and thus they should all share how they met their companions!
Despite being put on the spot as the first to tell their tale, the green stallion and pink mare exchange glances, and begin their tale.
And then...
...and then..?
Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:45 am
xThe Form & Prompt
Tell the story of how the two of you met to entertain the other tea-goers! What they are to one another is completely up to you and your partner!
[size=18][color=green][u][b][/color][color=mediumvioletred]Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~[/color][/u][/b][/size] [size=10][b]Mare's Owner:[/b] [b]Mare's Name:[/b] [b]Mare's Temper:[/b]
Prompt Response: Ryokucha traded a glance with Suzume, practically twitching with eagerness. He loved story time! Before common sense could prevail, he launched into his tale. “Yes, I remember it well!” He dropped his voice to a low, ominous whisper. “It was a dark and stormy night…”
Suzume gave a mild sigh and stated, “It was afternoon.”
“Right,” he nodded and continued in the same tone as before, “a dark and stormy afternoon!”
“There was barely a cloud in the sky,” Suzume amended, giving him a pointed look… that he promptly ignored.
He nodded his agreement with her correction, continuing, “Like I said, a bright and sunny afternoon! There I was, wandering around the forest…”
“We were walking on the beach.”
Ryokucha blinked, confused. “Beach… are you sure?”
“Yes, dear. You found that pretty shell for me, remember?”
He didn’t, but he wasn’t going to admit to that. So instead, he improvised. “Right, the sea shell… the one that I wrested away from the mighty Kraken!”
Suzume sighed. “It was a lobster.”
“A twenty foot lobster with six claws!” He swiped at the air with his paws, claws out. “It was just a baby.”
“A twenty foot baby lobster with massive claws! And beady little eyes,” he squinted his own eyes.
“Kuku…” Ryokucha turned his full attention onto his beloved, audience temporarily forgotten.
She took in a slow, long, deep breath and replied, “You’re going to scare these poor souls.”
“It’s okay,” he quickly assured their audience. “I survived.”
Suzume hid her face in her front claw, shaking her head slightly. Taking her lack of commentary as approval, Ryokucha leapt forward with his tale. “So, there’s this twenty foot lobster, holding poor Suzume here aloft and laughing maniacally.” He threw his head back and gave his most sinister laugh, “Mwa ha ha!” “It was a regular lobster, and it just pinched my claw, for a moment.” She reluctantly added, “But it did hurt.” “She was writhing in agony, the poor thing,” he gazed upon his mate with concerned eyes.
She rolled her eyes slightly. “Okay, it swelled up a little bit.”
“I was afraid it would fall off, so fearsome was her wound!” Ryokucha shuddered dramatically at the… fabricated… memory.
Suzume growled for a moment, but decided to humor her mate. “Yes, and then he vanquished the mighty lobster,” she said, in a monotone. Her voice warmed as she gazed affectionately at her idiot mate and added, “And he has been my charming hero ever since.”
Ryokucha graced her with a large, goofy grin. “I was smitten the moment I laid eyes on her,” he told their audience, without taking his eyes off of his beautiful lady. And that was the pure, unadulterated truth.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. Crying Wolf – Ryokucha has an actual grand adventure without Suzume. When he comes back, he has to try to convince her it actually happened and wasn’t just something he made up. 2. Vacation – Suzume wants to have a nice, quiet vacation but Ryokucha keeps dragging her away to what he claims will be grand adventures. At the same time, she’s trying to keep him from plunging head first into trouble. 3. Taking a Sick Day – Suzume becomes ill, and only a very rare herb can cure her. Ryokucha must go off on a quest… without his level headed partner… in a race against time to save his mate. She’s made it clear she will NOT suck on any more frozen frogs.
Prompt Response: xxxxx Gyokuro looked toward his best friend, staring down at the pink mare with a twinkle in his eyes. It made Maharaja laugh, a soft sound. xxxxx"Well you see, it all began..."
xxxxx They had repeated this tale several times on their travels; but this time it was a little different. There was soft laughs every so often and they pressed against each other like more was coming of this than just a friendship. It started years ago, when the pair was but just foals. They lived two totally different lives. Gyokuro was raised by a small herd. His family was known to brew teas for travelers to help boost their spirits and help any ailments they may have. They spent years training each member about what to look for and how to brew them to perfection. And she, little Maharaja, was orphaned when she was even younger. She lived a wild and carefree life, not caring what anyone said or did to try and stop her. xxxxx They ran into each other, and hit it off immediately. They loved playing and having a great time. But that wasn't what formed their kinship that is so thriving today. One day, Gyokuro came out from his herd to go find Maharaja and play. When he found the dark pink filly, she was curled up under a tree, her body shaking and her ears pinned. Gyokuro didn't know what was going on with the filly, but he moved up to investigate what was going on. He nosed her, and tried to get her to respond. Once she did lift her head to stare up at him, pain stricken on her face, worry swelled in his gut. xxxxx"What's wrong? What happened?" Gyokuro asked quickly. xxxxx Maharaja dipped her head down, pushing a few small berries toward the colt. "I... ate these... and now I feel just awful!" She whined, tail curling around herself. xxxxx Gyokuro stared at her for several small seconds, before dipping his head to stare at the berries. He nosed them for a second, sniffing and tilting his head, before backing up. He knew what those were! He looked around quickly, before looking back at Maharaja. He lifted a paw and pat her shoulder some, promising that he'd be back and he could fix it, she just had to wait here! xxxxx The colt waited a few more moments, watched as Maharaja curled back up, and then bolted. He started to head toward home, but then stopped short. He didn't have time. If he ran back to the herd he'd waste too much time, and what if he couldn't find her on his way back? He looked around, and then slowly turned to move back toward where the filly was. He looked around, and then realized. He'd been training for this kind of moment since he was just a small thing. He moved back into the area, and started to gather different herbs and berries, quick on his paws. He curled his tail around the small white mortar and pestle. He dropped all the herbs and berries into the bowl, and started to grind it carefully with his tail, watching as they leaves and berries broke up slow and steady. It took him a while to get a fire started, and water heated up so that he could brew the tea. But once it was ready, he was calming down. xxxxx Gyokuro moved quickly back to Maharaja's side. He worried over her for a few moments, and then had her drink the tea. He then laid with the sickly filly, telling her stories and keeping her warm as her body worked through the toxin. By morning, she was feeling better, and he took her back to his herd and home. She was welcomed in with open arms, and started to learn from the herd just like Gyokro had growing up.
xxxxx"And fast-forward to now; we've been traveling and teaching others what we were taught growing up." xxxxx The stallion nodded, his head tilted to the side as he stared at the mare with an adoration in his eyes. He heard a noise, and pulled his eyes away, just as she turned to look at him with a soft tenderness. They were made for each other... they just didn't know it yet.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): xxxxx 1. Let's Teach Tea - The duo try hard to teach others about the herbal remedies that teas could hold. They carefully show others herbs and berries. ( Multiple role-play possibilities ) xxxxx 2. Built For Each Other - It takes years and careful flirtations, but the duo finally begins to realize that they are made for one another. Who will be the one to make the first move and admit feelings for the other? xxxxx 3. Don't Worry, We Will Protect You - The duo wander from land to land to teach others, and while doing so happen to find a basket left on the side of a path. They take care of it for some time, until the parents come back finding it missing. The duo return the lost basket to it's mother and father, glad that it wasn't lost forever.
Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:28 am
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: Gracie Loff Mare's Name: Sakuya Aoki Mare's Temper: Charitable
Prompt Response: Kenjiro blinked a few times and resettled. "Well, I was traveling, as was a thing I did quite often in those days. Following the shore of a lake, I came across a fine female indeed, curled up and sleeping. I did approach with utmost cautiousness and stealth."
"It was a nice day, not too warm or cold and I curled up to have a nap by the lake." Sakuya smiled to Kenjiro, and then their audience. "I woke up to find this stallion standing over me. It was quite startling, let me tell you!"
"She screamed so loud my ears were ringing for hours and an avalanche started on the distant mountainside." Kenjiro said solemnly.
She smacked him with her tail and scowled jokingly at him.
When she didn't continue, Kenjiro picked up the story again. "She was all set to claw my eyes out, leaping to her feet such as she did in a hurry I scarce had time to jump back! I explained to her my chance happening upon her and assured that no harm did I intend, then did inquire as to what a mare so fair as she was doing wandering about in the wilderness."
"I explained of course that I wasn't 'wandering', and instead had just been taking a nap. I asked him his name, and why he thought it was nice to sneak up on people when they're sleeping!" She huffed at him and smacked him with her tail again. "Which he still does!"
He looked utterly unrepentant. "Once she was calmed, she told me about the village she lived close to and led me to that place where I stayed for a time getting to know this fine mare who is now my fine mare." He winked. "I consider myself indeed quite fortunate to have been gifted with such a companion to travel and see the lands with. Would you not indeed agree, if not--"
"Oh, stop it." Sakuya interrupted and hid her face behind her foreclaw, blushing.
"In these more present times, as I said, we travel the land to see the sights and offer assistance for those whom may need it. It is a life we find to be most fulfilling and by and large, restful for our souls." Kenjiro concluded.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. Fostering Life - Sakuya has found an apparently abandoned basket and brought it to Kenjiro. They get attached to and accept the idea that they will be parents, only to discover afterward that the foal inside of it has died. Now they must work through this pain, which is as acute as if it had truly been theirs. 2. Lone road - Kenjiro has a travel companion in Sakuya, and while he's thrilled to have someone as lovely as he finds her with him, she is going with him out of interest and his emotions run far deeper. Now he must figure out how to tell her when his words don't seem to come out right. 3. Tea tipping - In their travels they encounter a herd that seems entirely dedicated to the ingredients and making of tea. While holed up for the winter, during which time they couldn't travel, Kenjiro and Sakuya discover their joined love of tea.
Edited: 10/8/15 at 3:09 p.m. EST to change Mare name. Edited: 10/8/15 at 3:12 p.m. EST to fix spelling errors.
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: Wasteland Wyvern Mare's Name: Ilysa Kinloch Mare's Temper: Honest
Stallion's Owner: Kaya Wolf Moon Stallion's Name: Ryūrei Stallion's Temper: Endearing
Prompt Response: “Welcome one! Welcome all! Shall you sit and listen to our tale?”“A story of tragedy,”“Of mystery,”“And enchantment awaits you in this—“ The voices united in perfect harmony. “Our tale of how two souls met, their destinies forever entwined…”
Once upon a time, not so long ago... There lived a master herbalist. He had plied his trade since he was a young stallion, having apprenticed under the greatest tea maker in the land. Many had come and gone from his humble abode in search of the tantalizing tastes of the stallion’s tea blends. His uncanny ability to blend and cure, brew and steep had long served him well. But, one day, tragedy struck.
Upon waking, Ryūrei had begun his daily ritual. He set his favorite mortar and pestle upon the table, retrieved enough water for the day’s brewing, pulled the various herbs and berries that he would be using, and stoked the morning fire. When he finally settled at the table to begin his work, Ryūrei found that he had lost his inspiration. Every move he had made until that moment had been done on instinct. But now…he could not perform his work. The herbs and equipment were there before him, and yet he hesitated.
Ryūrei’s inner war raged for seven days. Each morning he would awaken and attempt to conjure delicious tea blends. And each night he would return to bed, shoulders slouched in defeat with the ingredients having remained untouched. The once touted master of teas had transformed into an utter novice. He could not go on like this. There was only one thing to do- Ryūrei had to rediscover his muse.
And so, under the cover of darkness, Ryūrei closed up his home and set out on his journey. He traveled far and wide in search of some form of inspiration, some inkling of a spark that could once again ignite his passion for tea. For months, Ryūrei roamed the lands to chase after the phantom muse. And for months, the once happy stallion sank deeper into despair. Never, since his first days as an apprentice, had he thought he would end up in such a dreadful state. Alone and lost.
He contemplated his circumstances while he continued his travels further into the mountains. It was here that fate played its hand…
The sun hung low on the horizon while yet another day broke over the mountainous terrain. Ryūrei yawned and struggled to his feet, the last tendrils of sleep peeling away from his mind. Covering the ground was freshly fallen snow which reflected the sun’s beams to give the world an ethereal countenance. Such beauty would strike any muse…except Ryūrei’s. Unmoved, the stallion walked on, keeping to the river that wound its way through the mountain pass. He was making good time- the sun had just reached its peak as he crested the top of the path- when his eyes lit upon a surreal sight. A winged mare of the deepest shade of red lay curled under a gnarled and blackened tree. An empty basket and pink toy lay beside her. A sprig of cranberries and two feathers accented her hair while a beautifully woven, dark green scarf completed her attire. As Ryūrei stared dumbfounded, the mare began to stir in place. A moan escaped from her lips, dragging the stallion back to reality.
“Excuse me, miss.” Just a few strides found him by her side. “Are you injured?”
“Please, do not trouble yourself with me.” The young mare spoke, her words tinted with a lilt as smooth as jasmine tea. “I am not worth it.”
Ryūrei frowned at her despondency. Such beauty should not be marred by self-loathing. “I do not believe you are anything of the sort.” He spoke with confidence as he settled beside her. In one swift movement, Ryūrei snatched the satchel from his back and unloaded its contents onto the ground. “You have inspired me. Please, allow me to show you.” The mare-whom he soon learned was named Ilysa- tried to protest, but he persisted. His passion had been rekindled. His muse had burst forth in a feverish blaze. The creation of a new tea blend-a cranberry base with an infusion of raspberry leaves- burning like a red hot ember in his mind.
It was there- under the disjointed branches of a lifeless tree, in the snowy field of a mountain, amidst the light of the setting sun- that Ryūrei had found his inspiration. And it was there that Ilysa- a mare who had been searching to fill the deep void in her soul- found the one thing she needed most. Someone to believe in her.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. The Young Apprentice- Ryūrei travels with his family to a festival near his home. Off to one side of the festival, in a red and golden tent, an older stallion could be seen working. The smell from his tent entices the young Ryūrei and he finds himself quickly drawn to the area. Turns out that the stallion is a master herbalist who specializes in tea brewing. The fluidity of his movements, self-assuredness, and creativity strike a chord with Ryūrei. And so, his journey to also become a master herbalist begins. 2. Baskets and Ornaments- Ilysa is a young mare whose herd is known for making seasonal crafts. Like any herd, their belief systems and practices are unique to them. One such belief pertains to the color(s) of a foal's coat- certain colors dictate which seasonal craft the foal will make. Ilysa, being of red and green, is placed within the Yule group to weave baskets. She dutifully sets to work, weaving her very first basket. Just as she is finishing, her foalhood crush- the heir to the herd- comes along and tells her that her basket is worthless and that she has no talent. His words crush her spirit, opening a void in her soul, and she is soon labeled as worthless trash herself. She later leaves the herd in search of something, taking only her basket and a foalhood toy with her. 3. A Talent Discovered- Ryūrei returns to his home with Ilysa. She explores his abode with interest when her eyes light upon the garden outback. It is in a poor state, something which Ryūrei admits was not simply because he had been absent. Ilysa sets to work tending to the garden where she soon discovers her hidden talent. Gardening, it seems, had been her specialty all along but she had never been given the chance to realize it until now.
Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:34 pm
Cheyriddle4 has won a soq and familiar as of Oct. 5th 8:46 EST. Please void this entry
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: vampireluver123 Mare's Name: Ayame Mare's Temper: Coquettish
Mikoto grins as he looks at Ayame. "Seems like we get to start this show with a bang Ayame. Shall I start this tale or would you like the honors?"
Ayame looks back at him and laughs batting her lashes playfully. "How about we start at the beginning with you and your tea. Since that teapot is what caught my eye."
Mikoto laughs, a mischievous glint crossing his eyes. "Why of course! Well it was quite the festive event! I was giving a demonstration to a crowd of soq hanging off my every word I tell ya!." He glances at Ayame letting her take the lead.
Ayame laughs shaking her head at his expression. "Ah yes, the perfect festival to steal valuables. I was looking around to find my next mark when I saw your stunning teapot. Knowing it would fetch a good price. It started to become a challenge to see if I could snatch something with all those eyes on it. Slipping into your crowd was so easy and flirting with a few soqs got me close enough. Your lecture was interesting but well, it lacked a lot of what you've gained now." Teases him and smirks. "I was reaching out for that lovely teapot as you held up that 'perfect' cup of tea. It was within my grasp when…" Letting her voice trail off suggestively and nudges him.
"When I spot this little minx trying to get my teapot!" His expression animated and his voice filled with amusement." Fury went right through me but I couldn't let the others catch on. Oh no sir! So I moved my teapot out of her grasp continuing my presentation. My gaze remaining on the minx. As the show started to wind down, my thoughts were on how to keep the minx from running away."
"Minx? That's nice." Shakes her head looking back at him. "Well this minx was furious the fluff talking about tea caught her and moved the teapot away. I couldn't believe you'd seen me. You seemed like such a vapid air head. I was determined to get that teapot but as the show started to wind down I got nervous and worried. I attached myself to a big strong male so I could leave with him since you wouldn't take your eyes off me. I figured slipping off as someone's date would be easier. The show was ending when I tried to move away with the male. He seemed very taken with me." Winks playfully.
A wicked grin forms on his features."But little did she know that the stallion happened to be a personal friend of mine. As I noticed her move closer to my friend it clicked on how I could confront her. I certainly wasn't going to let her off easy. So when the show ended I waited til they got a distance away before going after them." He nudges Ayame with a sly grin." Oh the look on your face when you realized that I knew the stallion whom you attached yourself to. It was priceless!" Laughing at the memory he dives in again." I saw her panic and instantly launched myself at her grabbing that scarf of hers. I wasn't letting go No sir!"
She narrows her eyes at him. "Oh yes that tool of a stallion. I've never met a duller stallion before in my life! We walked away from the crowd and went down the stalls. He was acting weird, it made me want to move away fast but I heard your stomping hooves racing up. Before I knew it someone had their teeth in my precious scarf. You know I don't tolerate that. Your ears should know that by now." She nips his ears playfully. "Yeah the look of shock and murder must be a stunning expression. I nipped your ears. Oh how I wanted to trample your smug nose!"
Mikoto laughs." It certainly was! My poor ears! Letting her go I scolded her. Then out of nowhere she starts proposing we work together! Taking me by surprise, but the more she talked about it the more it made sense. So I agreed and we became friends.."
Ayame smirked. "You deserved it! You touched my scarf!" She shook her head laughing. "I thought it was you who begged me to work with you." She teases him. "What else was I supposed to do? I'm a good thief and you're good at getting a crowd. It was ideal." Chuckles pressing against his side affectionately. "Yes we've been friends ever since. Seems that teapot was lucky."
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. The jackpot- The job of a lifetime! Mikoto distracts the crowd as Ayame manages to steal quite a stash of jewelry and other valuables. 2. Job gone bad- They enter unfamiliar territory starting out like they always do. Then things go awry. They get caught and must flee the scene. 3. You tried to con us? You think we are stupid?- A stranger comes up to them out of the blue trying to get close and join in on a job. Mikoto catches on that the stranger intends to con them. They must deal with the problem.
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:51 am
*** Edited 6 October @ 11:56a CMT to fix a typo in the code. Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: Yumitoko II Mare's Name: Luljeta (Loo-li-yeta) Mare's Temper: Maternal
Prompt Response: The looks in the eyes of the small crowd spoke volumes. What they meant was ‘how did they fall in love?’ Luljeta and Shun grinned at each other knowingly, used to the mistake.
“We’d… rather not talk about ourselves,” Shun answered, voice rolling smoothly from his tongue, flavored with the musical accent from a faraway land.
“We value our privacy, and it’s not a terribly interesting story anyway,” Luljeta added, biting into her consonants with her own accent, deep voice rolling over round vowels like waves. Just then, that a brightly colored mare, far too rotund to be anything but the late phases of pregnancy, cut in.
“I can answer the question,” she burst out, “they haven’t!” Luljeta calmed her with a gentle wing across her shoulder.
“Forgive Miss Ralia,” Shun interjected gently, “she’s supposed to be at home resting but…”
“When she heard about the garden party she insisted we come -- ” Luljeta finished.
“They didn’t want to leave me alone, so I said, why don’t I come! Honestly Shun, don’t give me that look. This is my fourth batch of kiddos, they walk out at this point!” Shun blushed brightly at the crudeness of the mare’s joke.
“They were both present for my first brood,” the mare continued hijacking the story, settling into the grass, careful of her swollen belly, “at that time, they were strangers. I insisted that I have the best dietitian and the best midwife my mate could find, so he brought me these two.
“As I said, they didn’t know each other, but oh my gracious did they hit it off! I’d seen them both separately before they met at my home around the middle of my pregnancy. He’s so agile now, but if you can imagine it Shun could hardly keep anything in his grasp when he was on his own! The charming clutz, knocking over herbs and powders, stuttering and muttering.” She laughed and nuzzled the now-pink-faced stallion affectionately.
“And don’t even get me started on Luljeta!” The midwife suddenly stiffened, freezing in her tending of Ralia.
“The dear sweet mare, second guessing herself, doubting her every move. She did this little thing where she would almost phrase her prescriptions as a question! ‘if you would please,’” Ralia copied Luljeta’s accent as best she could, “‘if it’s not too much trouble…’
“But,” Ralia’s voice softened then, “the second they came together… it was like magic. Shun stopped tripping over himself. Luljeta suddenly knew how good she was. Like two halves of the same whole they clicked, like they were always meant to be together. Needless to say, I’ve called on them for all of my pregnancies. They are just fabulous.”
Shun, still blushing deeply, smiled at his companion and Luljeta eagerly returned the sentiment.
“Do you remember,” Shun asked quietly over Ralia, “when we first met how I had this tea powder? It was supposed to calm morning sickness, but all it did was make the symptoms worse.”
Luljeta laughed deep within her throat, nodding.
“I do,” she sighed. “all it took was a powdered leaf from my homeland to make it work.”
“The perfect blend…”
“But,” a small brown and white Usdia began, “you said that they never met… ?”
Ralia looked at the little questioner with confusion, as though she had forgotten that she had ever said anything. After a moment of silence, Ralia laughed again, that same bubbling spring of elation falling from her lips.
“You meant when they had met romantically, right?” Some in the crowd nodded, still not following.
“They never did meet romantically! They’re not together! They’re just…”
“We’re family,” Luljeta finished for Ralia, “now do please calm down dear. It’s time for your medicine.”
“I mixed in the dried cherry like you asked.” Shun’s added, gently mixing the powder with the water from Luljeta’s traveling skin.
“What about you,” Ralia asked the Usdia, who now looked clearly disappointed at the lack of romance in the story he just heard, “what story do you have for us?”
The Usdia blinked at her, opening and closing his mouth and Ralia placidly sipped the tea that Shun raised her to lips with his tail.
“Well,” he began carefully. “It’s not a true story, but it’s only my mother used to tell me when I was a colt.”
Ralia made a happy noise and settled in with the two friends, content to listen for once. No longer on the spot, Luljeta and Shun listened with one ear and worked on Ralia with the other, communicating in glances and gestures clearly practiced over years of working together. Maybe not the romance the small stallion had hoped for, but a romance of it’s own kind all the same.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. When Luljeta becomes pregnant, the mare and her friend figure that it can’t that much more difficult from anyone else's pregnancy, right? They soon come to find out that when it’s your own child, however, every little thing is the worst possible scenario. Either they will have to let go of their pride and find a third party to assess each symptom objectively and calm their nerves or endure a whole pregnancy wrought with stress and risk hurting the baby in the process. 2. One of the dynamic duo falls ill for a few days. Nothing terrible, just a cold with the changing of the seasons. However, this means that the remaining partner must carry out the duties of both midwife and dietitian. For the time that the partner is away resting, the one is juggles both parts falls back on their former uncertainty compounded by the fact that they only know a little of what the other specializes in. 3. For the first time in their practice, a mare loses the babies through no fault of anyone’s. Luljeta and Shun must comfort the grieving mother and each other and come to terms with the fact that even though they have very nearly perfected their practice, the gods sometimes call a soul home long before it’s time.
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:08 am
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: UniWingdFox Mare's Name: Temperance Mare's Temper: Calming
The stallion was taken aback momentarily at being put on the spot, but he recovered quickly with a laugh. His voice was deep and rumbling as he began the tale, "The only thing falling faster than the Night was the snow that was coming down hard, covering everything in a frozen layer of white. A damsel appeared, bright against the white all around her, lost and alone. Enter a devastatingly handsome stallion to the rescue..."
The mare snorted and laughed, amused at her companions retelling. "A damsel in distress, was I?" Her husky voice was full of laughter. "Well then, a striking Damsel, not-so-lost in the snow, found herself face to face with a stranger," she continued, taking over the story. "She was just trying to beat the storm and reach her destination before the trails became impassable. Still, the stranger seemed like he needed some sort of help, and he WAS cute after all..." She shared a knowing smile with him. "So she let him lead her to a cave for shelter."
His deep chuckle rumbled once more, lost in the memory of their first meeting. "The damsel was ill-equipped for the cold; she was shivering from her horn to tail, teeth chattering so hard you could hear it for miles. The dashing hero couldn't allow the poor damsel to freeze to death, so he gallantly removed his scarf and draped it over her shoulders, then used his massing hulk body to block the wind as he whisked her away to a cave to warm her up."
"Was THAT what you were doing? I had no idea why you were walking on that one side. It was nice, but I didn't know it was intentional." She laughed as well, lost along with him in shared memory. "The cave wasn't far," she continued, turning back to the group. "The stallion was even kind enough to collect fire wood, though he seemed a little clueless on how to get it going. The damsel took over and so the two of them were able to share its warmth."
The stallion gave her a mock-glare. "I recall the stallion building it up enough and keeping it fed all night so neither of them froze." He shook his head and smiled. "I recall the hero and the damsel sharing stories around that fire too. He regaled her with stories of his strength and valor and -"
She stopped him with a look and then burst into laughter. "Is that was happened? I seem to recall the Damsel teaching him a thing or two and telling HIM stories. I'm pretty sure the Damsel is the hero of this story. Where would the stallion be without her?"
He looked at her with fondness and said softly "He would surely be lost without her." He nuzzled her gently and looked into her eyes, forgetting everyone around them for a moment. "He would probably still have a scarf though."
Her grin split her face and she laughed loudly at that. "You're never getting that back." She shouldered him playfully and turned back to the group. "The Damsel stole his scarf, holding it ransom against their next meeting. She had promised to give it back when they saw each other again." She leaned towards the group conspiratorially. "I'm not giving it back though," she whispered loudly and winked.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. The two will become travelling healers and spiritual leaders. Temp will use her unicorn heritage and her love and knowledge of medicinal herbs to heal the sick and wounded, as well as peddle her herbs. Constantius will use his knowledge of meditation and teas to help calm and guide others into spiritual awakening. 2. While attempting to reconnect with the Kateri herd, the two will face animosity and possibly open hostility from some or all of the members due to their traumatic past. Temperance will be determined to rekindle the business relationship with the herd and heal their psychological wounds through kindness and persistence. 3. Their bond will be tested as circumstances lend themselves to the loss of their first foal. The winter after they become a serious couple they decide to have a child. All seems well, so shortly before she is due Constantius will go on the usual run of selling herbs, letting her rest in the very cave in which they first met. He is delayed by heavy snows and is late in returning. When he returns she is nearly dead, their child a stillborn, and he must frantically try to heal her - without the distinct advantage of unicorn magic - and with precious few herbs coming off a sale run.
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: Nyx Queen of Darkness Mare's Name: Désirée (In French this name stands for "desired, wished".) Mare's Temper: Endearing (Inspiring love or affection)
Stallion's Owner: Mahogany Sunset Stallion's Name: Pascal (one born on Easter) Stallion's Temper: Devoted (Very loving, loyal)
Prompt Response:
Such a simple question asked. "How did you meet?" But it was not an easy one, as these questions seldom are. Désirée's mouth went dry. What should she say? What would he say?
It was a difficult situation at best, one neither of them had asked for. But to tell it, would be inviting others into the most intimate details of their lives. Pascal was not her father. The thought echoed in the chambers of her heart. This dear, sweet stallion who raised her was not her father and her very existence had to be causing him pain.
Changeling, they called it. That's what she was.
Pascal had gone to sleep one night, the basket of his child lying beside him the color of evergreens. When he had awoke though that child was gone, and Désirée was left in its place. Why had her parents not wanted her? Why had they left her behind? Why had they wanted this other child that was not theirs more than her?
She asked herself the question a thousand times, but she couldn't answer it. There was no explanation that made sense to her.
Pascal, though, had raised her and when she was old enough they'd both decided to find his child and her parent's. But a part of her was dreading it now, because if she found her real parent's she'd lose the only father she'd ever known.
She kept it to herself though, because she knew how badly he missed his child, how badly he wanted him or her back. Instead of me, she thought.
Désirée rose her head, her mouth opening to tell the strangers what she was--a changeling, but Pascal spoke first.
His eyes shone wetly as he spoke. "I am Pascal, and this is my daughter Désirée. I've known her since before she was born." His eyes lock with hers, "I called her that because she is the wish of my heart, the one thing in the world that I wanted-- a child of my own. I wouldn't..." His voice caught for a moment and Désirée's eyes brimmed with tears. "I wouldn't trade her for the whole world, for anyone."
"Oh, papa," the tears fell down her face as she looked up at the one soul who loved her despite who she was or what was stolen from him. Sometimes family just wasn't about blood.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. The Talk: Following the telling of of how they met Pascal and Désirée decide to have a private talk about whether or not they should keep searching for his real child and her real parents. Ultimately, they decide to let things be and stop searching, because they already have their family with each other.
2. Leaving the Past Behind: Pascal thinks of the mare who loved him and left him with a basket and wonders, if she ever thinks of him? Was it something he did or didn't do? Did he drive her away? Sometimes, you don't get answers you just have to move on. 3. Testing Her Wings: There comes a point when Désirée must leave her papa for awhile to stretch her wings, but can she do it? The guilt of leaving him behind with no wings to follow her just might break her heart.
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:21 pm
Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: Ruler of Everything Mare's Name: Idae Mare's Temper: Hopeful
Matcha had little trouble talking in front of strangers, it was one of the perks that came with being a learned teacher: He saw everyone as students willing to learn and he was always ready to teach them.
"We met long ago, just after I had left my herd. My herd was a small family group that studied the craft and ceremonial aspects of matcha green tea. It was such an important aspect to my family that I was even named for it. Now, tell me, does anyone know here what matcha tea is?" The emerald stallion gazed about, but when no one raised so much as an eyebrow, he pushed forward with growing enthusiasm, "Well, you might think all teas to be purely made from leaves, but matcha tea is actually a very fine powder, something similar to flavored dust, which-"
A polite noise, just a small clearing of the throat, was heard beside Matcha and his head turned to his companion and long time apprentice. He smiled a bit sheepishly, realizing he had begun to trail into his usual discussions, that of the craft he had dedicated his life to. While it was his passion, it was not the correct answer to the fluttercorn's question, and so he conceded his reply onto the warm-colored mare beside him.
"Ladies and gentlecolts, allow me to introduce my dear companion and top notch student, Idae. She will tell you the story of our meeting." He turned his gaze onto the audience and added quickly, "But I encourage those interested to come inquire after matcha tea when the stories are finished." His gaze returned to his student and he settled in, ready to hear her rendition of the tale.
"It was an accident, really," Idae said, smiling warmly up at Matcha. It was difficult not to roll her eyes at his constant tendency to get caught up in his passion for teas - endearing as it was, she wasn't sure that the small crowd that had gathered before them was quite as interested as he wanted them to be. "I come from a nomadic herd interested in teas as well. When I was quite young, tragedy struck in the form of an interaction gone sour with a family of Kalona, and my... well, my parents didn't make it out alright." A mist settled over Idae's eyes at the recollection, and she suddenly felt the weight of Matcha's tail settle briefly on her shoulders. She quickly took a deep breath and moved on.
"Anyway, I have been separated from my herd ever since." Glancing at the expression of those around her, she let out a high-pitched laughed. "Oh, don't go soft on me now! I promise, it gets better." At this she glanced once again to Matcha, who urged her on.
"Since then, I've been on my own. I've been doing great, clearly, but I was ever-so-lonely. As fate would have it, one day while searching for water, I stumbled upon this fellow," Idae bumped Matcha with her shoulder, "down by a river toying with some strange green powder. I thought I was being sly spying on him, but it wasn't long before these clumsy old paws and claws alerted him to my presence. Immediately he attacked me with the same speech he gave you-" Idae's monologue was quickly interrupted with a throat-clearing by the stallion at her side, one eyebrow arched. The ruby mare laughed, a tinkling, musical laugh this time, and followed through with rolling her eyes.
"Okay, okay," she began to admit, "It was a bit of a barrage, but I loved it. Every second of it." While Matcha's eyes were on the others, Idae's were focused on him, a sweet smile settled upon her face. "It was fascinating to me, really. Eventually, after a long time - a day or so - I let him know of my own background. Even though I never had the opportunity to begin learning my herd's trade, teas still piqued my interest. I mean, I'm named after a tea myself - raspberry tea, rubus idaeus... Idae... get it? Anyway, Matcha enjoyed having an enthusiastic companion at first, but when I told him all that - can you just imagine his joy?" She laughed again.
Continuing on, "there isn't much more to it than that. We just took to each other easily, with that shared interest. And he is a wonderful teacher - I couldn't have asked for anyone better." It took all of her energy not to look his way once more, but she managed miraculously.
The stallion looked out into the crowd, glancing down at his student with a widening smile. "Now that you've heard our tale... who would like to hear of the ceremonies around matcha tea?" Seeing at least one in the crowd look mildly interested, Matcha continued on. "Well, you see..."
As Matcha spoke, Idae found herself less and less able to keep her eyes off of him. After having recounted their tale, it brought forward the crazy idea of how far they'd come. It was strange, two so alike stumbling upon each other by accident. And even stranger how far they'd come. The gods only knew where they would end up next.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. Realization - When Matcha and Idae stumble upon a foreign tea herd, they decide to travel with them to learn more about each other's specialties. Matcha, traditionally a more closed-off stallion, becomes comfortable with their new herd and opens up more, treated others how he had previously only treated Idae. This leads Idae to the realization that she isn't as special to him as she thought she was.
2. Separate Ways - The herd seeks out another tea-brewing herd and finds them, bonding over their common interests for a few moons before going their separate ways. When this happens, Idae regretfully joins the new herd, seeking to start a life outside of her admiration for Matcha. Seeing this as a great opportunity for his favorite student, Matcha encourages her whole-heartedly.
3. It Seems I Made A Mistake - After living without his companion for a length of time, Matcha finds that he feels as if he is missing a part of himself. It is then that he comes to the conclusion of his deep-seated feelings for Idae. Apologizing to the herd with whom he'd made his new home, Matcha sets off on a journey to confess his love for Idae.
I actually had to panel some other staff folk and we've reached a unanimous decision!
CONGRATS TO..!
Yumitoko II
honeyed cuppycake
*** Edited 6 October @ 11:56a CMT to fix a typo in the code. Allow Us to Tell You a Tale~ Mare's Owner: Yumitoko II Mare's Name: Luljeta (Loo-li-yeta) Mare's Temper: Maternal
Prompt Response: The looks in the eyes of the small crowd spoke volumes. What they meant was ‘how did they fall in love?’ Luljeta and Shun grinned at each other knowingly, used to the mistake.
“We’d… rather not talk about ourselves,” Shun answered, voice rolling smoothly from his tongue, flavored with the musical accent from a faraway land.
“We value our privacy, and it’s not a terribly interesting story anyway,” Luljeta added, biting into her consonants with her own accent, deep voice rolling over round vowels like waves. Just then, that a brightly colored mare, far too rotund to be anything but the late phases of pregnancy, cut in.
“I can answer the question,” she burst out, “they haven’t!” Luljeta calmed her with a gentle wing across her shoulder.
“Forgive Miss Ralia,” Shun interjected gently, “she’s supposed to be at home resting but…”
“When she heard about the garden party she insisted we come -- ” Luljeta finished.
“They didn’t want to leave me alone, so I said, why don’t I come! Honestly Shun, don’t give me that look. This is my fourth batch of kiddos, they walk out at this point!” Shun blushed brightly at the crudeness of the mare’s joke.
“They were both present for my first brood,” the mare continued hijacking the story, settling into the grass, careful of her swollen belly, “at that time, they were strangers. I insisted that I have the best dietitian and the best midwife my mate could find, so he brought me these two.
“As I said, they didn’t know each other, but oh my gracious did they hit it off! I’d seen them both separately before they met at my home around the middle of my pregnancy. He’s so agile now, but if you can imagine it Shun could hardly keep anything in his grasp when he was on his own! The charming clutz, knocking over herbs and powders, stuttering and muttering.” She laughed and nuzzled the now-pink-faced stallion affectionately.
“And don’t even get me started on Luljeta!” The midwife suddenly stiffened, freezing in her tending of Ralia.
“The dear sweet mare, second guessing herself, doubting her every move. She did this little thing where she would almost phrase her prescriptions as a question! ‘if you would please,’” Ralia copied Luljeta’s accent as best she could, “‘if it’s not too much trouble…’
“But,” Ralia’s voice softened then, “the second they came together… it was like magic. Shun stopped tripping over himself. Luljeta suddenly knew how good she was. Like two halves of the same whole they clicked, like they were always meant to be together. Needless to say, I’ve called on them for all of my pregnancies. They are just fabulous.”
Shun, still blushing deeply, smiled at his companion and Luljeta eagerly returned the sentiment.
“Do you remember,” Shun asked quietly over Ralia, “when we first met how I had this tea powder? It was supposed to calm morning sickness, but all it did was make the symptoms worse.”
Luljeta laughed deep within her throat, nodding.
“I do,” she sighed. “all it took was a powdered leaf from my homeland to make it work.”
“The perfect blend…”
“But,” a small brown and white Usdia began, “you said that they never met… ?”
Ralia looked at the little questioner with confusion, as though she had forgotten that she had ever said anything. After a moment of silence, Ralia laughed again, that same bubbling spring of elation falling from her lips.
“You meant when they had met romantically, right?” Some in the crowd nodded, still not following.
“They never did meet romantically! They’re not together! They’re just…”
“We’re family,” Luljeta finished for Ralia, “now do please calm down dear. It’s time for your medicine.”
“I mixed in the dried cherry like you asked.” Shun’s added, gently mixing the powder with the water from Luljeta’s traveling skin.
“What about you,” Ralia asked the Usdia, who now looked clearly disappointed at the lack of romance in the story he just heard, “what story do you have for us?”
The Usdia blinked at her, opening and closing his mouth and Ralia placidly sipped the tea that Shun raised her to lips with his tail.
“Well,” he began carefully. “It’s not a true story, but it’s only my mother used to tell me when I was a colt.”
Ralia made a happy noise and settled in with the two friends, content to listen for once. No longer on the spot, Luljeta and Shun listened with one ear and worked on Ralia with the other, communicating in glances and gestures clearly practiced over years of working together. Maybe not the romance the small stallion had hoped for, but a romance of it’s own kind all the same.
Future Plot Points (Max 3): 1. When Luljeta becomes pregnant, the mare and her friend figure that it can’t that much more difficult from anyone else's pregnancy, right? They soon come to find out that when it’s your own child, however, every little thing is the worst possible scenario. Either they will have to let go of their pride and find a third party to assess each symptom objectively and calm their nerves or endure a whole pregnancy wrought with stress and risk hurting the baby in the process. 2. One of the dynamic duo falls ill for a few days. Nothing terrible, just a cold with the changing of the seasons. However, this means that the remaining partner must carry out the duties of both midwife and dietitian. For the time that the partner is away resting, the one is juggles both parts falls back on their former uncertainty compounded by the fact that they only know a little of what the other specializes in. 3. For the first time in their practice, a mare loses the babies through no fault of anyone’s. Luljeta and Shun must comfort the grieving mother and each other and come to terms with the fact that even though they have very nearly perfected their practice, the gods sometimes call a soul home long before it’s time.
I'm looking forward to seeing how your characters progress (I have this suspicion there might be some denial, awwww, so excite) and grow! I think there's a lot of room for growth!
Congrats you two!
All the entries were amazing, thanks so much for writing such amazing entries!
