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Sakura watched the baskets anxiously. Soon she was going to be a mommy! Well again but still it was an exciting time. Oh she hoped one looked like Shaolan, with her hair and eyes. How cute they would be! Unknown to her Shaolan was watching her grin and daydream while nuzzling the baskets with a grin of his own. Sakura was Sakura in everything she did.

Sakura perked up as one of the baskets rustled "Shaolan come quickly! I think they're coming!" Turning and looking anxiously for her mate only to find him.. right behind her "Hoe! Shaolan! Don't startle me like that.. now look! The babies are here!" Shaolan grinned, he still liked teasing her from time to time and also peered at the baskets "Yes Sakura I can see the baskets are moving. It still may be some time before they come out though.." He trailed off as one of the baskets, well.. exploded, and out tumbled their first baby.

There was dead silence as the parents looked at their new edition, before jumping at two identical explosions from the other two baskets. "Hoe..." Sakura murmured wide-eyed at the.. interesting feature her new children had. "Shaolan... should they have... wings? And their hair looks to be a bit.. spiky." Shaolan was equally baffled. The features were there.. those were definitely their children just with.. extras. He cleared his throat "Uhh well.. you know things like this can happen after being exposed to all the clow cards and such..." Sakura's eyes widened "You think the CARDS did this?" She had never thought of the possibility the cards may affect her children and make them.. more like the cards themselves. "Why didn't Kero tell me that?" Shaolan sweat dropped and shrugged casually "Well its just a theory. There haven't been many female Card Mistress' afterall so how would anyone know?"

There attention went bake to the three foals, who were all shakily standing and starting to prance around happily. "They're... pretty cute actually. And look one looks like you but with my hair!" Sakura squeed and ran over to nuzzle her new children, all right in her world again. Shaolan smiled and shrugged. They'd deal with whatever new challenge's these new kids brought and Sakura was right, they were cute. He smile became a bit forced as one foal suddenly burped fire "Hoe... Shaolan!" Yep.. challenge's were ahead.

Note: I wasn't sure if the Cards were even used or featured in the Soquili world but it was a major part of the series and I figured it would be a good explanation xd Good luck choosing a winner!

The day was quiet, the area secluded. There was no one about, it seemed, but the baskets, and the expectant parents. Which was exactly what made it so easy to protect, at least, that was Shaolan's theory. In an empty plain, it should be easy to spot anything that didn't belong, and assess if it was a danger or something that should just be sent on its way. He refused to even think that it might be a card. He refused to accept the possibility. He knew the cards had to be taken care of, that he had to see to their protection and collection... okay, and Sakura too. She could be helpful, he supposed, though he'd rather handle it himself, keep her safe. But right now chasing after a card would be a distraction their of them needed, not with their foals so close to joining them. And all of that was what had him staring at the odd black and pink...thing... perched on a rock.

Sakura came over and hooked her chin over the back of his neck so she could see what he was seeing. "What are we looking at?"

Shoalan refused to jump, refused to. He would not show that he had been focusing so intently that her presence had startled him. He also refused to snap at her that if they were both focused this way, that meant that no one was watching the baskets. That took more self control. He managed to ask, without snapping, "If we're both looking at this thing," he began.

"It looks like a toy, of some sort," Sakura leaned against him more, trying to get a better look at it, since he had chosen a safe distance from which to observe it, in case it chose to attack.

It did look like a toy, maybe, if he squinted. But he had the eerie feeling that it was watching him. "Then who," he continued, "is watching the baskets?"

Sakura tilted her head, brushing her hair against his, giving him a remind of why they had baskets again in the first place. "Kero-chan," she said with a small shrug.

His teeth ground. He would not criticize Keroberos out loud in front of her. Again. He wouldn't. He wouldn't. But if it weren't for Kero falling asleep the last time he was protecting something, the cards wouldn't have been scattered! Of course, had they stayed sealed, he might never have met Sakura. Some days he wasn't sure if that was a fair trade or not. "Why are you not with the baskets?" he asked, as close as he would come to a criticism right now. The last thing they needed this close to when the foals would join them was a fight.

"Because I came to get you," she said simply, as if that were obvious.

He supposed if he were in her head, it would have been. "Why, Sakura?"

She stepped back and looked at him, "Why what?"

He tried to remind himself that there were days he found this endearing, even cute. "Why did you come to get me?" he asked, trying hard to be patient.

"Oh, Kero-chan said I should come and tell you that the baskets are opening," she replied, and message delivered, headed back to where their babies were making their way into the world.

His eye twitched once before he spun on a hoof and ran after her. Why hadn't she just said that from the beginning? He got there just in time to see the foals finish the baskets and emerge into the day.
He stared at them, just stared at his newest foals. His eye gave another little twitch. He studied the foals, then his head whipped back to the odd toy, that still seemed to be watching him. "TOMOYO!" His voice was as close to a roar as a horse could manage, and he would have chased after the giggle he heard in the woods, but a small foal mouth clamped over his hair. He turned to face his foals with a sigh, and hoped they'd grow out of Daidouji's latest attempt to be "helpful".

Username: Mewsings of An Angel
Soquili Owned: 3 (with 1 incoming custom)
Basket Name if Male: Tatsuya Li ("dragon-assertive")
Basket Name if Female: Emikayo Li ("beautiful generation")
Temper if Male: Villainous
Temper if Female: Shifting


The proud parents stared down at their baskets, their eyes seeming to overflow of the joy that ebbed within their hearts. They looked up at one another, warmth evident between the couple.

But their eyes were quickly drawn downward as a quick and sudden movement moved the baskets which held their offspring.

They quivered once more, banging into one another. The two doting parents stepped back, Sakura's eyes as wide as saucers as she watched.

"Syaoran, what should we name them? What do you think they will be? How bi-" Syaoran cut her off with a sigh, "Sakura, they're nearly ready to come out of their baskets. You'll see soon."

In truth, he wondered the same thing, Sakura's curiosities mirroring his.... in a more rambunctious way.

The baskets began to split at the seams, their use done, readying to expel their contents out into the world.

A small crack appeared in one basket, and then a soft, wet squelch as the basket tore and the little thing within got free. This was followed by two other tearing noises, and a soft nickering as the.... foals stepped forth.

Were they foals?

Were they theirs?

They couldn't be...

The first one that had fought free did look clearly like the parents, save for.... were those claws? Indeed they were. They eyes that stared up at them were a vibrant shade of blue, liquid and fully encompassing the eyes, no white visible.

The second foal was clearly theirs as well, chestnut mane and tail, and a soft expression on it's face. But there were small buds of what appeared to be wings beginning their growth upon it's back. It giggled, and bounced, seeming happy with the attention.

The last one to break free seemed quiet, it's eyes looking far away from them, it's body laced with... vines. There were vines growing all over the foal! As if sensing his stare, the foal turned and glared at it's father with a look of distrust and clear anger.

Syaoran stepped back, and stared at the three things before him. They couldn't be his! But they were, he could not deny it with the breath of his body.

The foals stepped forward to meet their overjoyous mother, her tail flicking back and forth as she lowered her head down to nuzzle each of them in turn. So like Sakura.... not to care about the outside appearances.


---Later---

The foals lay sleeping in the soft pungent grass, their energy spent and sleep claiming them comfortably in it's embrace.

Sakura nuzzled Syaoran as he stared at them, his eyes affixed to their oddities. "What's wrong, Syaoran?" She whispered, her eyes worried.

He sighed, lowering his head to nuzzle her. "They just look so different. Why do they seem so different?" He asked, as if expecting her to know. Sakura blinked, and looked at the foals, "They're different? How so? They're tiny little gifts that were entrusted to us. We must see our children grow, for they are our children through and through." She said with a musing smile, "They're just a little more peculiar then our others. Perhaps the Cards have their reasons for their strange adornments."

Syaoran had not though of that. The Cards playing a role in this was purely speculative, but in something like this, their involvement rang true. "Perhaps..." He muttered, looking again at the sleeping children. He would be their father nonetheless, protect as he had done for his other children who had come before them. They were his and he was their father. Sakura smiled happily as she watched his expression change, "See? It's not an awful thought. We'll just have to take extra care!" She giggled, thinking of all the great fun she would have "guarding" her small children.

Username: RavenFyre
Soquili Owned: 2

(I'm not too great at this whole RP thing, so I hope this isn't too horrible too read! X3 And sorry if I take a bit initiative in Sakura and Li's personalities X3;;; )

The wait was what always got to Sakura the most. The wait was bad enough when her tummy would become rotund and she'd feel flutters and jabs from her equally anxious children. Li would always assure her that she would glow beautifully when she was pregnant, but that wasn't ever really the problem for her.

After they were born her patience would thin more. There they were, right before her and she couldn't even get a peek of them yet! She knew it was for the best, they weren't ready to see the world, but that didn't make her want, her need, to see them, nuzzle them, love them lessen any at all. She found herself staring at each basket, wondering what her newest brood would look like. They were always beautiful, but each time they were so different. Imagining how they'd look became a game to pass the time.

Li watched his mate stare fixedly at the three baskets and shook his head with an amused sigh. "You can't will them to come out any faster, you know."

"Watch me!" Sakura shot back with a smile of her own. She tilted her head up to nose her mate, humming softly. "I just can't wait to see them. They're our babies!"

"We've had babies before," Li chuckled.

"And how I feel about seeing them every time hasn't changed one bit!" Sakura pouted.

Li sighed again, but he knew how Sakura felt. He wasn't as open as wearing his emotions on his sleeve, but he was anxious, too. Each time he couldn't help but worry about their children so small and frail in their baskets. Would they come out alright? Would they be healthy? They always were before, but each time the worry would set in again like it was the first time.

Li was so lost in thought he didn't hear his mate call out to him at first, blinking as her voice finally broke in through the torrent of his thoughts.

"Li! I think it's time!" Sakura's voice was an excited squeal, nudging one of the baskets when it started to shake.

The others soon joined in and the parents could only watch with baited breath. It felt like a small eternity before the first lid popped off it's top, tipping onto it's side as the foal within struggled to get free. One, two, three the new foals broke free, lifting themselves up to their feet for the first time, knees knocking as new muscles were finally put to use.

They both gasped at the same time, eyes wide in a mixture of awe, confusion, and even a little fear. This brood was different from the others. Vastly different, and very... dark looking.

For a wild second Li thought to get between the foals and his mate, but Sakura wasn't having any of it, scoffing softly and nudging the stallion aside.

"What are you doing? They're our babies!" Sakura was faster to get over her shock. In an odd way the children reminded her of Clow cards, some of the darker ones anyways. And just like those cards her children were... oddly adorable. The more she considered it the cuter they seemed to appear. She trotted around her mate and stepped closer to give her children the love that only a mother could give.

"Sakura-" Li started to warn, than thought better of it when the look the mare shot him from over her shoulder. He was less eager to get over the strangeness of the foals than his mate, but... as odd as they seemed to be... they still... looked like his children.

Cautiously he moved closer as well, lowering his head to one to nudge it affectionately. Yes... odd, dark, or not these were his children.

Username:
~Marzipanz
Soquili Owned:
~ Ramses, Maisie & Ryder, Co-Owned Amethyst, and Basket
Soquili Name:
~ Male :: Hiroaki Li / meaning "kindly, tender, excel"
~ Female :: Emiko / meaning "smiling child"
Personality:
~ If Male - I would like to represent him as the eldest of the bunch. The big brother who is protective and always looking out for his younger siblings as well as mother and father. Although he has a protective trait that he derived from his father Hiroaki would think twice about helping a stranger in need. In some sense he's a bit selfish and only wants the best for him and his family. However, I plan to develop him with roleplaying so that he becomes less self centered and gives a little more self sacrifice when it comes down to it. I want his name meaning to shine through eventually.
~ If Female - If an adorable little filly bursts from the basket I would be more than happy to mold her into a naive, adorable, shining princess. She'll be aware of her great looking family and hold her head up high about her looks (even if she comes out a bit spooky from the breeding). Although she is confident she is also caring and generous with giving out compliments. She believes that everybody has a gorgeous aspect about them in some way or another.
Prompt:


(( For the time being I will assume that the basket is a female. ))

The trio of baskets that laid in a bunch fidgeted about erratically as mother Sakura and father Shaolan gazed down upon them from their towering height. Both parents knew that magic was about to unfold right before their eyes as their little baskets of joy were about to burst at the seams and pour out what they've waited oh so long to lay their adoring eyes upon. "Shaolan, I'm so excited. Hehe, they're taunting us with all that restless behavior," the soft vocals of Sakura chimed in through the tension, relaxing the over anticipated male. The innocent looking mare pressed her body up against her mate all the more as they observed each and every tiny bounce from the eager baskets. "Come on out. There's no need to be shy. Come say hello to mommy and daddy," she encouraged the baskets all the more with bright, twinkling eyes and a promising smile.

"Sakura, they shall come out when they feel they're ready. There's no need to ru-" the words were suddenly stolen from the stallions mouth as a lid was kicked off with such a force it flew up and hit him right in the face. He stumbled back a few steps and shook his head to regain some composure. He wiggled his nose to relieve some of the soreness that had become quite apparent after being smacked in the face with a woven lid.

"Oh! Heh, what a feisty foal we must have," the mother spoke with great enthusiasm and bowed her head down to great whatever creature was about to unfold from it's former home. One had to be patient since the tiny filly was taking her sweet time getting out of the basket. The initial kick off of the lid must have taken some energy out of her. At long last a delicate little beauty stumbled from the confines of the basket and now was peering up at her parents curiously. However, this little miracle was unique to say the least. Random genetics and twisted markings that seemed to tell otherwise that the couple was loyal to each other. It seemed as though Sakura ran off with a ghoulish beast and this foal was the result of a bad judgment.

The father's eyes narrowed on their daughter before flicking back up to his beloved Sakura who seemed more than understanding of the outcomes. "You're sure these are our baskets and nobody elses?" he asked half joking half serious. He was sort of on the fence of what to believe right now because this foal was something out of this world.

"What do you mean by nobody elses? Look at her Shao. She has your eyes. She's just... well... I'll put it this way. Unique." She smiled down at her daughter and gave a small nuzzle of her mane. "Emiko. May we call her that, Shaolan? Please?" she pressed the name suggestion further and further to her love and begged with bright eyes.

The idea of it being his blood in that strange and unusual mixture of a foal got him curious as to how things worked during pregnancy. Maybe it was something Sakura ate, or something about the atmosphere she was in. Their first batch of babies never turned out in such a spookish way. He took a deep calming breathe before smiling at the interaction between mother and daughter. The simple request from Sakura was more than enough to melt his heart. "Of course. Emiko is a good name for her." It was his turn to lean down and greet his offspring.

As the father leaned in tiny Emiko widened her eyes to the size of dinner plates. She stared for a long moment before head butting her father playfully right on the tip of his sensitive nose. "Oomph!" her father let out a sound of discomfort and little Emi giggled with all sorts of glee. "Silly, dada," she spoke in a childish way. Her voice was the reminiscence of a warm summer day. Her father, Shaolan only smiled down at her as he wiggled his nose, trying to be accepting of the fact that she was going to be quite the handful.

Any Plots In Mind?:
Your Guardian Angel - Although she might have some Halloween spooky looks about her she is still going to be quite a darling. I hope to set her up in a situation where she could be a sort of guidance or counselor to a friend.
To Accepting - The idea of trying to make good of somebody who's just not good amuses me to much. I just have to try it.
Me, A Monster? - To have somebody point out her Halloween twists would be interesting to see. I wonder how she'd react.

Vows: I promise not to poof on you guys. 8D Practically guaranteed that I'll be sticking around and most likely RPing this little baby constantly. XD So dang cute!

As a heads-up, I never really got into CCS. I know...some of the basics, but I'm sure there's always more. Thank you for the opportunity. <3

Name: ArashiX
Owned Soquili: [6-7] Aleera, Adelis, Arithyl, Aria's Rhapsody, Baellian, Danae, Eton [though I don't hold RP rights to him].
Potential Names:
Girl Names
Zhuo Lien - Brilliant Lotus
Jiao Lien - Beautiful Lotus

Boy Names
Kuò Lì - Vast Strength
Baojia - Protects the Family

[I'm sorry if the meanings aren't quite correct, I was shaping them from a naming site and using what I was given from there.]

Foal Personality: I'd definitely imagine him/her to take after Shaolan and be very protective--regardless of gender or how they come out of the basket. Their parents nurturing them would counteract whatever "taint" the Carnival [or Cards, lol] put on them.

Prompt Response:

A startled cry broke from the quiet of the glen. Her cry.

Sakura. Something was wrong.

"Shaolan! Hel--ah!"

Something was deathly wrong.

He wasn't far, thank the angeni. Bursting through at full-tilt, he soon came face-to-face with what his mate had cried out about. And stopped.

And stared.

His three foals emerged from their baskets--what was wrong with them? Sakura cast him a panicked, worried look. Swallowing, he flicked his ears. ...were they even hi--no, they were. Of course they were. But there was something wrong. He calmed himself, and then meandered over to Sakura, nuzzling her cheek with his muzzle.

"Well..." He was bemused, a wry sort of smile flitting across its face as well as it could. His eyes were soft. The foals were definitely theirs. Turning back to the peculiar wonders they had produced, Shaolan gave a calm, loving look to each of them. "My, little ones, you sure scared your Momma, huh? Was she funny when she squeaked?"

The trio giggled. It took Sakura a moment or two, but when she got it, she put a bright smile on and carefully wandered over to them. As much to reassure them as to reassure herself that they were theirs.

"Hello, dear ones. Your brothers and sisters want to meet you, too. We'll all love you~" A nuzzle to each of their faces, though she cast a quiet look to Shaolan who had come over to do the same, gently resting his chin upon Sakura's back after.

Of course he would protect his family. Just because they looked different with these traits didn't mean they were any less his, or Sakura's.

Both Sakura and Shaolan wondered what happened to make them have these different attributes...but both, having been through this twice already, knew that they would love them fiercely. With all their hearts.

There were so many possibilities on what it could have been; the cards, the carnival, some gene of theirs that had managed to hit on a double-recessive...but regardless. The foals, there was no mistaking it, were theirs. And love them they would...even if things got a bit...hairy.

Their love for one another knew no bounds.

Their love for their children were no different.

Username: naggeela
Soquili Owned: 4

Entry:

Sakura had a feeling that these baskets were going to be different from the previous one they had, but she didn’t care one bit as they were her babies and she was going to love them no matter what. Syaoran had left Sakura to watch the baskets as he went to the river to get a drink. As he was wandering back as he was thinking to what type of things he would teach these set of foals and how they would react to there family and he also wonder to how they would look like there siblings or something a little different.

“Syaoran, Syaoran, come quick they are starting to come out of there baskets!” Sakura said aloud and hoping that he love was near by to hear her as he didn’t want him to miss out on them coming out of there baskets.

Hearing his mate calling him, his heart started to races as he was excited to see his new offspring even if he didn’t show all the excitement he felt inside and to what he wanted to teach the new foals. Hurrying back to Sakura’s side to see there foals merging out of there baskets. He had just arrived just as the first foal had come out of its basket and he was a little stunned to find what had come out of the basket as he knew that neither one of them had horns or wings as the both watched all of them come out and watching there parents.

“Aren’t they cute, Syaoran!” Sakura said as she was nuzzling each of them as she was also looking at there differences to there other children, but she didn’t care to what they looked like as they were all precious to her as she loved all her children and little add more was just more fun.

Syaoran was still trying to wrap his mind over to why these children looked somewhat different to there other children as he didn’t know what to think.

Sakura could see Syaoran’s hesitation because these children looked a little different but to her they sort of reminded her of there younger day chasing cards with Syaoran working against her. “It’s all right Syaoran they are lovely children and some of there features remind me of Clow Cards that we use to capture,” she said as that might hopefully get him to warm up to the differences of the new children.

Listening to what Sakura has to say and looking at his new children as they did look like the both of them but with new features. Studying them a little longer he could see to what Sakura was saying and found that they were lovely children and found it funny to how his mate had compared them with Clow cards. “You are right Sakura,” he said as he walked over to all of them and started to nuzzle his new children. “They are cute and I will teach them all that I know as it will be fun and new experience all around,” he said as he was happy despite his hesitation to the differences they were to there older children.

“I’m glad and it will be loads of fun,” she replied as she went back to nuzzling them all and Syaoran too.

Oh Oh Oh!
Good luck everybody!
<3~ And have fun judging Yoko~
Surely the choice is going to be a bit difficult.
There's so many good entries. ^_^