[PRP] Bumbling Brook (Imriel and Estelle)

[Syaoran-Puu]

(This RP is for Teh_Sil and Syaoran-Puu)




Estelle felt surprisingly tired after such an uneasy night, the stars had been magnificent above her and she couldn’t bear to drag her eyes away from them, they twinkled with an added brilliance that had intrigued her beyond compare. Yawning softly she trotted slowly towards the rivers muddy bank, its waters splashed gently over the edge adding moisture to the once dry ground below. The sun shimmered high in the sky even though it was late afternoon, the heat waved over the land like an almost suffocating mask that make her throat dry every five minutes.

Licking the inside of her mouth gently she lowered her head softly and sipped the cool moisture as it trickled past her to its eventual destination of the sea. It felt that in that brief moment her worries had also been washed away, yet she knew that was not true, something lay dormant within herself, a fear that she could not expression in actions nor words but instead attempted to suppress in an effort to be perceived as normal in the world around her, rather than lacking. Yet the truth was she was lacking, lacking with the ability to let anyone close to her. Through out her journey so far she had fled those who had betrayed her and this left her with the sense that the entire world would collapse around her in a blink of an eye if she made the same mistakes again, it was not comforting to think that she would be crushed by the world in an darkness that no one would remember.

Sighing she raised her head and turned around, the breeze softly captured her hair and carried it with it until it would go no further, the gentleness caressed her face and for a brief moment reminded her of the soft embrace of her mother when she was a young frilly before she had left home. Yet it brought her no comfort.

Lost in her thoughts of the past and her reluctant future she wandered forward towards a near by tree in search of shelter.  

[Teh_Sil]

Imriel had reached that stage. You know, the one where your legs are suddenly too long and you look rather seedy and your hormones are acting up and you don't know what to do with yourself? Ah yes, that stage. He had been an adorable colt, but few could say that Imriel was adorable now. Parts of his body did not fit the other parts, and he was constantly tripping over himself. It seemed as if he grew an inch every night, and he couldn't stop eating. And these were merely the physical changes. It grew only worse from there.

Normally an amiable colt (and certainly still one), Imriel nevertheless felt the stirrings of teenage rebellion. For this reason, he wandered further from his home than he ever had before, and he was finding himself quite lost in the general chaos. What was going on? Where was he? It was beautiful, and his eyes sparkled in anticipation of meeting new people. His eyes too were changing- transitioning from brown to green, looking unlovely in the process.

Shrugging at his own predicament, the colt trotted on, occasionally pausing long enough to sprawl out and attempt to rise himself with dignity intact. The world seemed to be playing tricks on the colt so used to playing tricks on others. Ack, how would he ever get used to these changes?! He didn't understand how his parents had ever grown up. It wasn't worth it. He /liked/ being small. Well, if he had to get big, he would just stay small in the mind. No one ever said he had to grow up mentally, did they?

With that train of thought, Imriel closed as his eyes as he proudly pranced onwards, managing to trip and fall (of course). This time was different, however. This time he had managed to fall to the feet of an older mare, thoroughly humiliating himself. Struggling quickly to his feet, he quirked an eyebrow and tried to act suave, though his voice breaking ruined the whole effect. "I'm Imriel. I was tripping at your... Uh... beautiful..." What was it that girls like? "Hooves."  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Estelle continued her search for shelter, her mind drifting softly to thoughts and feelings that she desperately attempted to understand and acknowledge yet it was confusing, there was something she simply didn’t comprehend, something that slipped through her grasp. Sighing she looked up at the sun, it was burning with ferocity she did not recognise; after all she loved the night and the magnificent twinkling stars.

Suddenly a young colt appeared at her feet, blinking she couldn’t help but let out a gentle chuckle, it was at least a very different way to meet someone, yet it was pleasing to her. She longed for something out of the ordinary and perhaps a miniature adventure with this small fiery colt was just what fate had ordered to spice up her day. Smiling at his stammering words she bowed her head to look at her hooves and then looked him directly in the eyes before chuckling once more. “Why thank you, you’re not too bad yourself little one.”

She waited, standing perfectly still, her heart beating with a steady pace. She was curious what he would do next.  

[Teh_Sil]

To tell the truth, Imriel wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do next. He hadn't expected the mare to actually respond to him in a positive way. He had expected derision and a comment about his youth, but not this. Temporarily stuck, Imriel blinked his eyes several times, trying to comprehend what he could do next.

"My name is Imriel," he finally announced, puffing out his scrawny chest. It was gradually filling in and becoming that of a stallion, but it had a ways to go yet. He was just further proving his youth, though no doubt it was amusing to Estelle. Some part of Imriel recognized this, and he was pleased. Making people laugh and playing gentle tricks was an integral part of his life.

"I'm not young anyway. I'm a usidia. A usidia regular soquili cross." That sounded about right, didn't it? Estelle probably wouldn't fall for his words, but it was worth a try. He certainly looked bizarre enough at this stage in life to pass for some strange hybrid. "People say it isn't possible, but my father was very persistent." The image that popped up in Imriel's head made him laugh out loud, voice cracking as he did so. A blush quickly covered his orange cheeks, turning his whole face some sort of horrible travesty of orange and red and pink. He looked like a sunset more than anything else.

"Do you live here? I don't live here. I was wandering away from my pare... My herd." He was quick to change his mind. He didn't want Estelle to know he still lived with his parents. Only babies did that! And Imriel was no baby.  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Estelle watched him as he tumbled with his thoughts, he seems naïve to her, yet she liked it. His innocence was a welcomed changed to her recent encounters; those hardened by the world around her simply didn’t interest her any more. She wanted to meet a free spirit, someone who could remind her that there was more to the world than just stars. Yet she felt that was too large an expectation to hoist upon such innocent shoulders. Smiling she listened to his words intently, he seemed somehow nervous in her presence.

Eyeing him slightly wonkily she cocked her head, was he really some strange little hybrid. Something told her that he was not being entirely honest, giggling softly she replied, “That’s a funny joke.” She lowered her head so that she was roughly at his eye level, “Cute little cross breed though.” She winked softly at him before listening to the rest of his words.

Nodding her reply she smiled, “Yes I do.” He had paused mid sentence with what he had original said, he had been travelling with someone perhaps? Someone he called his ‘Pair’ perhaps? Or was he simply beginning another word that he didn’t want her to understand? Shaking away the feeling she smiled playfully at him. “Want to play hide and seek?”
 

[Teh_Sil]

She wanted a play a game with him? Really? An adult who would put up with him? Imriel fair wagged his tail in joy, shedding rainbow sparkles as he did. The origins of those rainbow droplets were unknown to everyone, especially the colt himself, but they also always managed to garner a few laughs. They were so strange! Even he could recognize the oddity of having feathers on your behind that seemed to weep rainbows. He hoped this mare wouldn't laugh at him for being so funny looking.

"Aw, you saw it was a joke? My parents are both big. My dad especially. He's got great big wings too. My mom doesn't, but she's pretty. She has swirls like I do." Imriel seemed younger as he spoke about his parents, the fondness in his voice very, very clear. He loved his family, and could find few faults in them. Even in his grumpy old brother Ambroise. That was just who he was, after all!

"I'm actually pretty far from them. I didn't want to tell you, because it makes me seem so much younger." As if he didn't look young already, with his badly proportioned body and wide, trusting eyes. But he liked Estelle, and he would tell her the truth. She might one day prove to be a great friend, when he got old enough to truly relate to her on any sort of level. For now he was still somewhat in awe of the fact an older mare was deigning to notice his existence.

And then Estelle suggested tag. If Imriel had liked her before, he was slavishly devoted to her now, as only a young creature could be. He suddenly idolized her. He wanted to grow up to be her! He hoped that he would be as nice as her to foals when he was an adult, even if that seemed an awfully long way off.

"Yes, yes, I would love to play hide and seek!" It didn't matter if that was Imriel's worst game; it was still fun. But it was hard to hide when you were so brightly colored. Maybe Estelle could hide first? "You hide first, and I'll find you. I'll close my eyes and count to ten, so you'll have to move quickly. I'm a good finder."  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Estelle’s eyes shone happily as she watched the young colt, he seemed to remind her of a younger version of herself, yet the years had been harsher on some aspects of herself to others, she had been forced to know hardships and pain. As a young filly she had run away from her family, they did not understand her, yet here before her stood one so different in that respect, he loved his family, she was almost jealous of him for that. It was the one thing she could never have.

Giggling softly she listened to him, he spoke with a high-pitched voice yet it was surprisingly gentle, she had only met a few colts who where experiencing a similar change. Yet as he accepted her offer to play hide and seek she couldn’t help but smile, it had been a while since she had smiled so much.

“Ok, no peeking now.” And with that she galloped away, here eyes darting from tree to tree in an effort to find a good place to hide, realising that he may be able to follow her footsteps she ran in a circle several times before slowing her pace. Each step was light and airy as she approached a tree surrounded by green bushes, she knew it would be slightly prickly but it was also one of the few places that would cover someone of her size. Crouching down she slowly started to edge her way between the tree and the bush, sitting as low as she could so that the green leaves of the bush would flap lazily over her while the trunk of the tree covered most of her body. Now all she had to do was sit and wiat.  

[Teh_Sil]

Imriel was immensely pleased that he had somehow convinced this older mare to play with him. Never mind that she had volunteered to play. Nope. It was all him, and his devilish charm. Imriel was lost in his own little delusional colt world, and hardly noticed when Estelle snuck off to hide. He had to close his eyes, he realized belatedly, shutting them against the sun. He hoped she had found a good hiding place that would be difficult to fine. He was always up for a challenge!

When he opened his eyes, Imriel cried out "I'm coming for you!" in a voice he interpreted as rather spooky. Hopefully it would scare Estelle out of her hiding place, though Imriel doubted he would have such luck, and thus, his searching began in earnest.

He checked all the obvious places first- behind a giant tree and a nice looking bush that had berries on it. While Estelle wasn't near the berry bush, Imriel did stop to have a few, chewing speculatively. Berries seemed to take more importance in his mind, at least temporarily, though he soon remembered his task and bolted forwards, tripping over his own ungainly legs first. This was so frustrating! He hoped that his body would adjust soon, or he was just going to continue making a complete fool of himself in front of others.

"You're good at hiding," the orange colt admitted reluctantly, still searching for the mystery mare. Where could she have possibly gone? There wasn't too much in this area of forest that looked like it would be big enough to conceal a full gown soquili, but he felt as though he had searched everywhere... Ah, what was that? A flash of color in an otherwise green environment. "You're behind that bush, aren't you?" shot out Imriel, sounding rather accusing. That bush looked so uncomfortable that he hadn't even thought to look behind it, but now he knew that it made perfect sense as a hiding place. Ah, he was so foolish!  

[Syaoran-Puu]

Estelle smiled as her hiding place was revealed, it was hard to find a place large enough to conceal herself and the yellow flecks of colour that spread wildly over her body had always managed to give her away. Yet with a smiling she stood up and shook her rump softly so that the leaves that attached themselves upon her pelt, she felt a slow trickle of blood flowed from the lower part of her back from a small cut that dug sharply into her flesh. It wasn’t painful yet at the same time it wasn’t overly pleasant, despite this she allow a smile to remain on her face, serene and calming as she looked towards the colt. "You found me" she spoke as she walked towards him playfully, ignoring her minor injury.

"Your turn." And with that she closed her eyes and began to count out loud. "Twenty… nineteen… eighteen… seventeen… sixteen… fifteen…"  

[Teh_Sil]

If it was difficult for Estelle to hide, it was doubly so for Imriel, who always managed to stand out. His bright orange coloration and sparkles of color that seemed to surround him in some sort of magical halo were not very conducive for trying to hide. Not very conducive at all!

The colt scrambled around, trying to find a hiding place, his own legs thwarting him in the process. However would he win? This just wasn't fair! He couldn't let her find him.

Finally Imriel managed to find a place that seemed like a good idea- a small hollow beneath a tree. It would have fit him better when he was smaller, a few weeks prior, but he could still just barely fit in. His rapid growth hadn't made him too big yet!