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 Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 12:47 pm
It was already starting to snow, and Jeanette was so excited. She'd seen snow before, of course - last year, and the year before that. But every year, it was beautiful enough that she lifted her nose out of whatever book she was currently devouring and examined the falling flakes. She'd woken up to a blanket of white outside her dorm window, and she had gingerly pet her flitterat as it sniffed the ice-cold window to investigate.
Today was shopping day - throughout the month of December, the teachers at the Academy took the freshlings out to the nearby town center, under the pretense that they'd be shopping for friends and family. There were plenty of trinket shops around, perfect for the younger students to buy gifts, but Jeanette was only interested in the bookshop. She was even considering giving her trip buddy the slip if it came down to it, and they had that much of a conflict of interests. Her partner was randomly assigned - a Litch named Cyota, someone she'd seen around but never really talked to. The two tiny students trudged in the snow together, bundled like gifts themselves. "Where do you want to go next?" Jeanette asked, looking to Cyota, hoping the Litch would read her mind.
Magician Arcana you're welcome to bring up the horses lol, I just wanted to get this rolling xD
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2016 2:45 pm
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"Woaaaaaaaaaaah! Cyota wasn't sure the last time they had ventured outdoors. Maybe a week or two? Time really flew when you found a new book series to read. The library was always chock full of fun things, and while the caretakers weren't always keen on the choices the litch made, no one was complaining that the bundle of energy was taking a break.
However, with the snow falling and the sound of cheerful conversation buzzing around them, Cyota was once more energized. "Hey, hey! We should have a snowball fight. Or maybe we can build a snowman?" Jeanette's question made them pause, a curious look crossing their face, "Uhm, uh... uh."
There were so many shops! "Somewhere fun. Something exciting!" Cyota had no one to give gifts to, no close friends or family to account for. However, they figured they could give their caretakers gifts and well, Jeanette seemed nice enough so perhaps her too. Before they could ponder any longer, the sound of bells filled the air.
"You hear that? C'mon!" Cyota didn't wait for a response, they instead headed towards the cheerful sound.
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Eco-friendly Shapeshifter
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:21 am
Jeanette was just about ready to tromp them off toward the bookstore, but it seemed that Cyota was utterly distracted by everything in sight. Snowballs, snowmen, and now jingle bells... had they never been outside during winter? Still, the Bakeneko couldn't help but grin when her Litch companion zoomed toward the sound of bells, and she followed closely behind. She'd get in so much trouble if she lost Cyota. Not to mention, she was admittedly kind of curious about the bell sounds, too.
The two freshlings came out on an area of the town square where an enormous, horse-drawn carriage waited in the street. Snowflakes stuck to the manes of the two horses, draped in ribbons and bells, a sweet tinkling filling the air with every shake of their head or stomp of their hooves. Jeanette gasped, putting a little hand on Cyota's arm. "Let's ride the carriage!" she excitedly whispered, already digging in her pockets for the fare.
Magician Arcana I understand!! Sorry for my lateness, too - I've been out of town for the holidays c:
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2017 1:55 pm
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"It's..." Big. That was the only word that came to Cyota's mind. The horses were large, strong angles. The ribbons woven into their manes were stunning, the color standing bold against the muted tones. Every movement of their bodies caused the bells to chime merrily, their song carrying in the air. Cyota wasn't sure if they had ever seen a horse this close before, but now that they had, it was remarkable. "A-amazing! Yes! yes!"
The moment of awe was shattered, and Cyota was burst into action. Digging in their pockets, they pulled out the necessary fare. "C'mon!" Closing the little distance between them and the carriage. "Two please! We wanna ride!"
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Eco-friendly Shapeshifter
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:06 am
It seemed the excitement for the magic and prowess of stamping hooves was contagious, because Jeanette pattered along behind her shopping partner, all the way up close to the enormous creatures. Something about them was a bit frightening - their muscles rippled beneath carefully polished fur, they snorted hot air that drifted up as steam into the snowy sky. A musky scent emanated from them that elicited thoughts of long-forgotten farms. And yet Jeanette, like Cyota, was enthralled, and together they clambered up into the carriage behind the horses.
"I didn't know they made carriages with horses anymore," Jeanette breathed, the wonder of the moment sparkling in her big eyes. She'd read that they used to be common, before magic and technology advanced to the point of making them rideable without any animal pulling the weight at all. And out in the desert, well, it's not like they had much of a need for a horse-drawn carriage. All that sand worked better for humped creatures that didn't overheat so easily. But here in the snow, she felt enlightened that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They were moving much faster and could see a wider variety of shops now that they were in a vehicle, but Jeanette was transfixed on the creature pulling them. "D'you think the horses get cold?" She said, half talking to herself.
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Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 9:24 am
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A gentle lurch started the carriage moving, the wheels of the carriage digging into the snow. A nervous, thrilled giggle escaped the Litch as they watched the two horses, nigh feet in front of them, work under the load. Despite how heavy everything had to be, they didn't seem stressed. "Huh?" Jeanette's question broke their fascination.
Could they get cold? Sure, everything could get cold! Were they cold now? Cyota was unsure, their face screwed up into a frown as they pondered. "Nah, I don't think so. Like, y'know when you're in gym class and have to run laps or do something? You get all warm and sweaty! I bet it's like that,"
With their reverie broken, popped like a balloon, the world opened up. The twinkling lights that had been so fascinating became ethereal, their glow against the snow so bright and merry. The sound of the horses hooves in the snow, and the creak of the whole sleigh as it moved was intoxicating. Cyota had never experienced anything so magical, "Why don't we use these all the time?! They're awesome!"
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Eco-friendly Shapeshifter
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Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:14 am
Jeanette giggled, "eww!" She imagined that the horses were all gross and sweaty underneath their fine hair, even in this cold. Maybe that was why they had such a strong scent - they were just constantly sweating. She wrinkled her little nose at the thought. But when she looked at Cyota, her shopping partner was watching the world with wide eyes, taking in the sights and sounds of the Winter Solstice. The carriage was taking them to places Jeanette had never seen before, at least not from this angle. To someone who'd spent much of her life in a desert, everything - the lights, the cold, the horses - felt surreal to Jeanette. Before long, she was equally enraptured.
Cyota's voice pulled her out of her starstruck thoughts. "I don't know! I think they're much cooler than horseless carriages," she admitted, leaning over the edge of the cart to look at their hooves striking the snowy pavement again and again. Each step made a delightful crunch sound that made the hairs on Jeanette's arms raise a little. Her chocolate-brown eyes turned to Cyota conspiratorially. "We should make a horse-drawn carriage appreciation club at school! We've got to spread the word."
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