[PRP] It started out as a feeling. (Syrea & Kenji)

[derivative]

Things were finally looking up for Syrea. She'd been away from home for a while, and she'd met some interesting Soquili along the way. She'd gotten into a little trouble, but nothing too serious -- mostly getting lost, and that time she'd gotten her hoof stuck for a few minutes under a fallen log. Pretty standard fare, all things considered, and she'd found that... kind of boring. She hadn't left home to have a dull, ordinary existence! She'd left home to find something exciting, to have a grand adventure, to find the sky kingdom.. anything, really.

She still hadn't done any of that, but she'd managed to find a traveling partner. Kenji was a good friend of hers by now, one that she found didn't mind her constant chatter and her bubbly, happy ways. It was a relief to have someone at her side that wasn't constantly making fun of her for being so enthusiastic, or telling her to quiet down. She was glad that he hadn't had anything pressing to do when she'd met him, and that they'd decided to travel together.

Stepping out of the water, she shook, making sure to be careful with her thin, delicate wings. If there was one thing she didn't like about being part flutter, it was how delicate her whole body was. Her bones were lighter, her frame was smaller, and when her wings got wet, she couldn't fly until they dried back out again. Sometimes, she really envied Kenji and his sturdy, capable frame. What she wouldn't give to be built like that! Or even like Tuli, who wasn't a huge mare by any means, but had a strong, capable body and large, powerful wings. Compared to her sister, she really wasn't all that extraordinary at all.

Scowling, she shook her mane out, trotting toward where she'd left Kenji that morning. True to form, he was waiting, though he'd rolled on his back to either satisfy an itch or gaze at the cloud. She grinned to see him, fondness in her face, and hurried over.

"Boo!" She leaned down, giving him an affectionate nuzzle, mindful of her horn. Sometimes, she almost forgot she had it, and it had led to some awkward moments in the past. "The water feels great."

Tail flicking behind her, still wet, she flung droplets of water on him playfully.  

[Sawaki]

Kenji had been rolling along the grass playfully, taking in the warm gaze of the sun. He enjoyed the feeling of his muscles pulling and stretching as he lifted his powerful legs into the air. He turned over to his side and saw his friend Syrea, bringing a smile to his face.

He was never one to travel with other stallions. He couldn't find the playfulness in them that he had in himself, and he enjoyed nothing more than the presence of a fun, bubbly, sweet mare.

From far away Syrea looked like Ziva, with her delicate fluttery wings and her beautiful horn atop a small frame. Fluttercorns were so delicate, adding to their beauty. Everytime he saw one he couldn't keep from catching his breath. A shadow passed his face whenever he was reminded of Ziva. He hadn't seen his butterfly-girl in over a year, and wasn't even sure if she was still alive. All he knew was that he loved her. And now she was gone. He had been searching for her on his own, until he had met Syrea. She had opened his eyes to the beauties of the world once again and made him happy.

As she approached him, her silky mane covered her face and hung in waves down her neck. She was absolutely beautiful. She nuzzled him, and he could feel the cool droplets of water on his pelt, sending shivers down his spine. He grinned, and abruptly stood up and headed towards the river.
"Follow me!" he called in his soft, low voice.  

[derivative]

Always game, Syrea flashed him a grin and followed after, despite having just gotten out of the water herself. She'd heard from her mother, who had done quite a bit of traveling herself, that it could be very fulfilling to take to the land by one's self and set the pace for exploration, but she didn't think she'd like that very much. Isriel was strong and capable, and much more independent than the daughter she'd raised; Syrea needed friends, companionship, laughter. Even Indah, who had come to the lands from far away to be with her son again, was much more capable of managing herself than the fluttercorn was. She'd been told it was because she was young still, but she hoped she never grew out of enjoying others' company.

After all, if she was the sort of person who had wanted to travel alone, she and Kenji would have never made it past their first day together! And she would have been sorely missing out. Away from her herd and the oppressive influence of her sister, she was able to just be herself and not worry so much about being made fun of, and it turned out that some people actually like that! She couldn't recall a single time Kenji had called her dumb, and she really liked that. Sometimes, it didn't matter that she knew she was intelligent; people's words still hurt.

Kenji had yet to hurt her, and after those first couple of days, she stopped wondering when it was going to happen, and just had fun spending time with him.

She caught up to him easily, steps light, and took her habitual place by his side. It wasn't that she felt possessive, like Tuli used to, just that... she liked being there. He was bigger and stronger than she was, and while normally that would annoy her a little bit, Kenji never threw his bulk around carelessly. It made her want to be close to him.

Wings tucked against her sides, she peered at him curiously. "What's over here? Or is it a surprise," she asked, excitement in her tone. Syrea loved surprises.  

[Sawaki]

Kenji couldn't help but hold back a grin at the thought of how surprised Syrea was going to be. She was so adorable it almost pained him. He couldn't ever think of anyone - or anything - hurting her. If they did, he'd track them down and show them what it feels like to mess with a friend of his. He felt an overpowering urge to protect her, and wondered if it were because of her petite body and delicate features or just simply because he'd grown close to her these past few moon cycles.

She found her usual place by his side. The breeze blew a wiff of her fresh, nature-like scent towards him. He inhaled it and felt a pleasant tingling in his nostrils. They reached the river, and he asked her to follow him into it. Like an excited foal, he trotted around a little, causing the water to ripple and shake at his movements.

"Ok, now close your eyes." He told her. It was difficult for him to stay calm when all he wanted to do was giggle at the thought of what Syrea's reaction was going to be when he splashed her with water.

He looked at her from a distance. She was so trusting, and he could see a hidden smile forming behind her excited facial expression. The water was cool at his hooves. He shifted uneasily, getting ready to drench her in water so entirely, she wouldn't know what hit her. He let out a small giggle as he turned around and got ready to kick back his hind legs and spray her with water.

But he couldn't.
There was something about the way she followed him, trusted him, even the way she walked by his side. He could be herself around her without having to worry about her being mad at him because of his naturally flirty behavior with other mares. Heck, he'd even tried to hit on her when they first met, but they'd still managed to become best friends. He turned back around and looked at her face, and realized for the millionth time how beautiful she was. He noticed a fallen lilly drifting on the surface of the river and picked it up gently with his teeth, placing it on one side of her hair. He nuzzled her gently and took a step back. With a content smile, he said, "A pretty flower for a pretty girl. Now you're perfect." He felt warm inside, but disregarded the feeling as love for a friend.  

[derivative]

To say she was excited by the prospect of a surprise was an understatement. It was all Syrea could do to keep still, her tail skimming over the surface of the water as she closed her eyes obediently. Kenji had a mischievous spirit, and more than once he'd pulled a good-natured prank on her, but she always seemed to forgive and forget just in time for the next one to roll around. Her mother was always telling her she was too trusting, but Syrea couldn't help it. It was just the way she was!

So, when he told her to wait, she tried to smother a smile, doing just that. A few seconds passed, then a few more, and it was all she could do to keep her eyes squeezed tightly shut -- she really wanted to look around and see what was going on. There was something thrilling in not knowing, too, though, so she kept herself blind to the world.

Then something was by her face, and her first instinct was to jerk back, surprised by the sudden contact. But this was Kenji, so she didn't mind, merely raised her eyebrows, ears perking toward him. He was... he was putting something in her hair? He'd commented on it before, told her how much he liked it, and she'd been a little flustered by it, but mostly pleased. Of everyone in her family, her mane resembled her mother's the most, and it was a source of pride to her. Maybe not the color, that was closer to Dayunsi's, but the texture, definitely.

Cracking open an eye, she peered at him, responding to the gentle touch enthusiastically. She loved nature, and she loved everything in it, even the things that scared her sometimes -- they were all necessary.

His comment made her blush, though she couldn't have exactly explained why, and she stared a moment before laughing. It was a little nervous at the edges, but she ignored that as she hopped over, closing the distance he'd put between them.

"Aren't you charming!" Her stomach flipped, but she ignored that, too, instead shifting her position so that she could lean against him and butt her nose up under his chin. It was an old pose for them, though they were still relatively new friends.

That was the nice thing about Kenji. She hadn't known him all her life, but she felt kind of like she'd known him all her life.

"Thanks. I love lilies." She sighed, very content, and bumped her hip against his. Teasingly, she added, "But I'm far from perfect. Perfectly imperfect, maybe!"  

[Sawaki]

"Why yes, I am charming." he grinned cockily. "Why else would all the mares fawn over me?" he laughed jokingly, although there was some truth to what he had said. He was used to getting girls, but the only ones he wanted where the ones he couldn't get. And so far, there was only one mare that was seemingly oblivious to his charm; and that's why they worked as best friends.

He nuzzled her back and held her held gently beneath his before whispering into her ear. "You are perfect." He closed his eyes and let the moment sink in, before he realized he might have pushed the boundaries of friendship. He blushed and stepped back. In an attempt to savour the moment, he added, "Any guy would be more than lucky to have you." He gave her a sheepish grin, and once again, ignored the aching in his stomach. I probably ate something bad... He thought.

As he stepped out of the river, he shook his coat violently, sending droplets of water all over the riverbank. Ahead of him was a field, and at the far end of it, he could see dense forests heading into the mountains. Over the mountains was more forest, fields, and ultimately, a coastline. Owletta (IC Indian protector of his family) lived in a teepee by the beach. He knew the way back home well, and it was where he was headed to search for Ziva, before he had met Syrea. He wanted to continue his journey, maybe even to see his family again, but didn't want to drag Syrea along.

Torn, he sighed heavily at the mountains. Even if he went back home, Ziva probably wouldn't be there. And even if she was, something inside him didn't want to see her again, in fear that she and Syrea wouldn't get along. They would both get the wrong idea. Ziva would probably think Syrea and I are partners, and never speak to me again... And Syrea would probably think I still love her... Kenji's last thought bothered him much more than the first. He had really grown to care for Syrea, and as the days passed, the glowing image of his childhood sweetheart turned more and more into his imagination; another life.

Nevertheless, he wouldn't mind traveling homebound for a while. The journey would take a couple nights, and he didn't want to put that kind of strain on his travel partner. Instead, he dismissed his thoughts and let himself drop to the floor. He waited for Syrea to find her place beside him.

 

[derivative]

It wasn't often than Syrea considered the opposite sex in a romantic light. She never considered the same sex in a romantic light, for that matter, but she was young and relatively carefree, and wasn't really looking for anything heavy. She knew Kenji flirted and that most mares found him charming; she found him funny, and thought that sometimes he got a little carried away and forgot she wasn't one of his girlfriends. It was easy to be best friends with him because she figured they were going to travel together until they weren't, and when they parted ways, it would be for the best. They could remember each other fondly, and meet up again when their paths crossed.

That was the kind of thing you did with a best friend, she was sure, not the sort of thing you did with a... with a girlfriend. The very thought of it had her hesitating a moment, uncertainty clouding her thoughts when he whispered in her ear. It was... nice, and a little strange, to be given special attention, and it made her face flush. Still, she knew he didn't mean anything by it, and was relieved at the comment that trailed shortly after.

Her minty green eyes followed him, watched as he shook and searched for a good place to lie. Anyone would be lucky to have her, huh? The words were simple, probably easily said by a smooth guy like him, but they made her really happy. It was one thing to have her mother tell her she was perfect and special, but quite another to have a stallion completely unrelated to her say the same thing. It made it seem more real, somehow, like he wasn't just saying it because he had to.

Swamped by fondness for him, she clipped over, tucking her wings against her sides as she lowered herself and snuggled right up to him. She sighed, leaning her head against his neck, and said in a slow, content voice, "I'm really glad we're friends, Kenji. As long as I've got you, I don't need any other stallions coming around, mucking things up."

She sincerely believed that any other stallion would just mess things up. Who needed a boyfriend, anyway, when you were traveling with your best friend, trying to discover who you were and who you wanted to be? A relationship like that had to have trust, and affection, and humor, and all sorts of things that she just didn't think she wanted to take the time to cultivate with anyone. At the same time, she didn't think she could be like her mother, just starting a family because she felt like she was ready for kids, so she knew she would someday need to settle down if she wanted children.

Someday, anyway.  

[Sawaki]

Kenji sighed as he felt Syrea's warm body beside him. He rather enjoyed having a companion around, and came to the conclusion that he disliked being alone. He imagined himself traveling with Syrea for a while, or as long as she wanted to stay with him. He had no objection to it, but Syrea was still young. She probably just needed to figure out what she expected from life. And until she did so, she was welcome to stay with him. He had a feeling that they'd stay friends forever though.

His thought wondering, he pondered whether he could really truly stay friends with a mare without things getting... complicated... It hadn't worked before.

He inhaled heavily and sighed, his chest inflating as he did so. He turned to Syrea and looked into her deep, light green eyes and smiled.
"Tell me about your family; you didn't tell me where you came from before you met me." he asked.  

[derivative]

It might have seemed a little odd that Syrea hadn't told someone she considered her best friend about her family, but in truth, it was actually pretty normal. She had a wide, extended family, and she was proud of them, but it was kind of complicated to explain when it was brought up. Not only that, but she already had a habit of talking a little too much, and family was a subject she could go on about for hours if she was allowed.

Brightening all over, she wiggled, clearly excited. "My family? My family is.. amazing. And huge. Well, maybe not really really big, but... kind of different."

Her gaze went a little far away, and she said, "My mom's name is Isriel. She's smart and independent, and so amazing. My dad's name is Dayunsi, but he's in love with someone else, and he went back to his herd to be with her. It's okay, though, because my mom didn't love him, either... I was just a happy accident."

She grinned at the phrasing. Honesty was the best policy, so her mother was concerned, and she'd known from a young age that her parents were friends but not in the special kind of mommy-daddy relationship that others' parents were. "I have a sister and a brother, Fleurite and Nidawi. Fleurite grew up with me, but Nidawi was with Dad, so... I don't really know him."

She chewed the inside of her lip, shrugged away the uncomfortable feeling of having a brother she didn't really know. "Oh! And Mom's friend, Viraj -- I call him Uncle Viraj -- and Lorelei had children just after my siblings and I were born, so we grew up together, too. I have two sisters, Tuli and Eir, and a brother, Arka."

She scowled a little. "Tuli and Eir can be mean. Tuli is more mean than Eir is, but Eir is... kind of sneaky about it. Tuli is just in your face mean. But she's still my sister, so I love her. Arka is quiet and gets stressed out easily, and I feel bad, because I think sometimes I stress him out by being so on-the-go all the time."

"And then there's-" She stopped suddenly, peering at him. "Do you want to hear about the rest, or just my biological family? Because I already went past my biological family without thinking. I consider them all my family, though."  

[Sawaki]

Kenji grinned. He knew that once he got her talking, she would never stop. She brightened up his mood, just by chattering away incessantly. Besides, he found it odd that they'd never talked about their families before. They opportunity just hadn't arisen yet. He liked learning about all the people that Syrea held dear to her, and nodded along, listening intently.

"Happy accident, huh?" He asked, rolling the words around his tongue. They sounded funny together, almost as though they weren't used in the same phrase often. But somehow, it fit. It made him think that there could be a chance that accidents could also be a good thing, and bring happiness to one's life. Especially if the accident was life. This scared him a little bit. Foals? He shivered at the thought of being a father. It wasn't that he doubted his fatherhood skills - those he was certain would be amazing - but he didn't want to have to commit. It frightened the living daylights out of him. It was one thing to enjoy the company of mares, but another to stay with them... forever.

That's what was so good about Syrea. He didn't mind being around her. In fact, he really enjoyed it, and he loved to listen to her endless stories. It made him feel like everything in life was interesting and fun.
"No, continue!" he prodded. He leaned over to her and nudged her, poking at her nose with his own. He seemed to gaze off at her face. Pulling himself together, he added, "You're so adorable when your eyes are filled with enthusiasm," he admitted after being caught staring into her eyes. "Almost like an angel's."

The corners up his mouth peeled back to shine his signature grin, but this time, his smile was more sincere. He hadn't seen a purer creature than Syrea, ever, and felt that she deserved to know this.
"Go on," he urged.