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 Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:36 pm
Ming trotted on, having no idea let alone any real direction to start the search. If she wanted to get this quest over with, it was probably best to look around the dangerous areas of the Soquili world. The Soquili world was vast, and there were many, many dangers that Ming and her family had managed to avoid so far... but now, Ming herself was heading straight for that danger--the predators. Kalonas and Skinwalkers... they'd probably know where to find the creature Metria had sent her to steal a feather from. That would be hard in and of itself! Taking a feather from a wind-kalona or whatever thing. "And I had to owe her a favor, all because she drove Khepri away," she muttered to herself.
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Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:13 pm
Walking along, Pachu'a was enjoying the quiet. A nice lonely day. No one talking to him, no one bothering him. It was quiet. It was wonderful. He wished it were colder, as he loved the winter weather, and adored snow, but at least it was not storming. So that was something, he supposed. Somehow, every time it stormed lately, he found himself stuck in a cave with some filly or other. Pachu'a wasn't the type to believe in gods, but if there was one, he or she apparently had a mean streak.
Still, it was quiet so far today. And that alone made it a good day. His belly was full, there were no chatterings in his ear. He could relax, go where he wanted, drink from whatever stream he found, nap when he got tired. Yeah, life was pretty good.
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:50 pm
Ming paused as she listened hard. Was that sound... hoof-steps? Nodding silently to herself, she started in the direction of the sound, wondering if perhaps her quest was soon to be cut short. That would be a relief--not only did she not have to search long, but she could go her own way as soon as she returned with that feather Metria required. At least... she hoped it was that easy. As she continued as quietly as she could, she soon came upon a silver-gray stallion... and normal looking one at that. She mentally groaned (again, for perhaps the third time). Of all the... She paused in thought, wondering if she should ask if he had seen any such creature.
She shook her head. Not only does that sound absolutely ridiculous, but I would look like a doddering old fool as well. Okay, so this quest was going to be a touch more difficult. Perhaps she ought to travel and find her old friend Blackfire, who was a half-breed. Blackfire looked more like a Wind Soquili than the Kalona side of herself, which deceived many Soquili. Of course, Blackfire was a rather nice mare... if one didn't anger her, that is. Ming Xifeng soon decided to fore go that idea as well, deciding that it was too much effort to look around for the black mare. Besides, Blackfire already had her own problems; she probably wouldn't be able to give Ming any way of finding such an odd creature.
The entire time she had been thinking, Ming had no idea she was already slowly approaching the silver-gray stallion, though she said not a word. She was simply lost in thought, trying to figure out the best way to finish her quest and be done with it. She had mulled over so many decisions as she walked, and because of that, she wasn't paying attention to where she walked. As such, she continued walking until she literally ran straight into the stallion she had decided not to approach in the first place. "Ow!" she gasped out, shaking her head a bit, and then she realized what exactly had just happened. Oh no! "Ah... my apologies, good sir," she managed to say, backing up a bit. "I wasn't paying attention to where I walked. Well, then, good day to you."
With a nod, she tried to get her head back in gear as she tried to decide which way to go. She had chosen a random direction, but all that had done was lead her towards this stallion she'd just run into. Literally. Great, now what? She was slowly bemoaning her fate. She just had to owe a favor to a strange-talking flying rabbit. Maybe it all really had been her imagination... Ming groaned aloud this time, deciding that she had a hard journey ahead of her. Of course, she thought with dripping sarcasm, I could've just left that stupid creature behind after thanking her instead of saying I owed her a favor. Damn.
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Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:10 pm
Pachu'a had noted the mare, then had trusted that since she was the one moving, and he had become a stationary object as he looked around, and as he as some ways ahead of her, that she would move around him, or gesture for him to move. As such, he was still looking at the bark of the tree, deciding if it was the herbal bark he had heard of, used for soothing flight feathers, or if it was just bark. It was hard, working off a rumor. He still wasn't even sure why he was looking for it. He only knew one Soq with wings, and she was off having her own adventures. Not that he cared. Nope. Not at all. Still, it was good to examine all new information and the learning wouldn't go to waste. Yep. That was it. He was just learning for learning sake. Had nothing at all to do with a silver and blue angeni. He shook from his head the memory of her face popping out of that basket.
He hadn't needed to, however, as the mare stumbling into his flank would have jarred him out of his thoughts a moment later. He blinked startled. His flank twitched where she collided.
He listened to her apology. He could understand apologizing out loud, though in his case it was unnecessary. So few Soqs were willing to accept an apology made of body language. It was as if wasting words was the necessary penance to make up for whatever they were apologizing for. So he didn't hold that against her. But she really hadn't needed to tell him that she wasn't paying attention. It was obvious that she hadn't been. She had been as hurt as he in the collision, she had been the one moving, and she acknowledged her fault in the apology. Why then did she need to elaborate? He watched her face. Something was on her mind.
He kept watching her as she turned to move. Something bothering her. Was it his problem? No. Would offering help be something he would regret? Probably. Would expressing concern lead to her babbling at him? Almost certainly. Everything told him to just let her go, it made sense, and would save him much heart and head ache. Yet... He glared at the tree, hating himself. Why did he always do this when it always blew up in his face?
He spun on a hoof and moved until he caught up with her, and walked loudly to catch her attention out of whatever mental path she had taken. Some days he really was a fool. Fillys were nothing but trouble.
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Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:27 pm
She paused when she heard loud hoof-steps, and then the body of the stallion she'd just run into came into view. Wondering what she'd done now, she turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised. Her expression clearly said What do you want? I'm busy! though she did not voice said question aloud. He hadn't exactly accepted her apology from earlier--at least, not vocally--but she had assumed that he'd accepted and moved on. Or so she had hoped.
He didn't seem dangerous--at least, not yet. Ming actually had no idea why he was suddenly trying to get her attention, and yet not a word had been spoken aside from her own words to him earlier. She wasn't sure, but she'd sworn she'd seen him looking at a tree. Or well, probably examining it, but hey, to each their own. He was a strange stallion, all right. Finally, Ming, for once, decided the silence had stretched on for far to long. "Is there something you need?" she finally asked, sighing.
He seemed the type who liked to watch others and take cues from just that, but it didn't help that he didn't say anything. At all, actually. She muttered under her breath as she cursed her luck once more. She was not the type of mare to be doing this quest she was sent on, let alone deal with other Soquili who couldn't mind their own business. She had just been randomly walking, thinking hard, and had given in to the idea she'd have to eventually find someone she knew to possibly point her in the right direction. Ming had one or two close friends, but she hadn't seen them in a long time.
She had just been about to take off, too, when--again--said stallion interrupted her thought process. So she waited. Patience, Ming, patience, she chanted to herself, though she continued to stare--almost blankly--at the silver-coated stallion. She knew patience. She knew it very well--especially because of Khepri--and so she stood. She was partially tempted to poke this stallion with her horn to give him that brief "feel good" healing that could only come from unicorns (and possibly Angenis...), but decided since he wasn't in any need of actual healing... Why me...? She despaired mentally.
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Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:42 pm
He saw her initial reaction and almost smiled, almost. Finally, another Soq who understood how much could be communicated without words. It was a pleasure to meet some one who felt the same for a change. Even Lian had her moments where she talked a lot. Like when she told him she was leaving.
Then the mare spoke. His eye twitched in irritation. Why did she need to ask out loud? He had understood the question perfectly well from posture and gesture. Why couldn't she have just given him a moment to respond? Already he was regretting his choice.
Then she began muttering. That was just about the worst to him. It was bad enough to talk to communicate, but to talk only to oneself in the presence of another? Pointless AND rude. He snorted his disapproval at her and stomped a hoof in anger. Then he stopped calmed himself, and remembered the original point of his approving her. Already he regretted it.
He sighed to signal that he was calm, and as a clear indication that what he was about to communicate was separate from what he had expressed last. He flicked an ear and tilted his head slightly to express concern, and to ask if she was alright.
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Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:50 pm
Realizing the stallion wasn't going to speak, she glowered at him as she finally stopped muttering. She also figured that he seemed to expect that she understood him via body language. Could he not speak? she wondered. Well, he's certainly not deaf... can't tell if he's mute, or not, but eh... She shook her head, indicating that she was fine and then she turned to him, raising a brow, trying to emphasize her last question.
If he didn't feel like talking, fine. She would try her best to communicate in his ways--he had looked almost happy for a minute, right before she had spoken. She paused to think about this, and that had led her to realize he probably wouldn't talk. She supposed she could be lucky to even partially understand him. Words granted clarity, even if they were rather useless most of the time. She had ignored the fact that he'd just throw a short fit of anger, rolling her eyes at what she perceived as childish.
The stallion seemed to have calmed down, however, if his ear flicking was any signal. She finally shrugged, trying to convey that yes, she was all right, and no, because she was also troubled. She waited to see if he would ask aloud what her problem was. Since neither of them were talkers, exactly, Ming was adapting rather quickly to this silent way of communication. In fact, she could contribute this sort of thing to having "fun"... in a way.
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Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 7:13 am
He watched her carefully, watched her reactions. Why couldn't others learn to do the same? Why was everyone so determined to be lazy all the time? He watched her glower, perhaps has she realized that he was not lazy, thus making her feel ashamed of herself for having spoken. That was one of the dangers of leading by example. Few were pleased to realize their own flaws, and with a comparison handy, those who actually were honest with themselves had no choice but to realize where they fell short.
However, some could learn, and she seemed to be one who could. She shook her head, rather then speaking. See, a head shake generally meant no, but he wasn't just reading the surface, she had misread his question as 'are you hurt' rather then indicating that she was not fine, she was indicating that she was unhurt. Now that she was standing still, however, he could see that for himself. She was the picture of good health, even if her horn had nearly impaled him. Okay no, it hadn't really been close, but still.
Then he saw her brow raise. She was asking him something, but what, that was the question. What did she want to know? Perhaps the question she had asked aloud. The words were already spoken, spent, used. If she was trying, however, to improve herself, he'd let go for the moment that she was relying on what had already been spoken. So long as it did not become a crutch, and she did not add to the pile.
To respond he looked pointedly at her, then raised an eyelid, pulled back a front hoof through the dirt and flicked an ear in question. What was wrong/what did she need. Fairly clear and obvious, and all without need of a single spoken sound. Would she continue to follow his example and better herself, or would she lapse into laziness?
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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 2:48 pm
She narrowed her eyes, slowly getting irritated. This stallion... It was one thing to understand simple communication through action, but for meager details simple gestures meant zilch. She sighed eventually, rolling her eyes and shook her head. Whatever. She didn't care anymore. She sighed, and then looked at him again to see he wasn't really responding, exactly. "Quest," she finally said, bored.
Shrugging, she was prepared to stand back and wait idly. So she was kinda lazy; she didn't have go at the pace this stallion was making; she went at her own. If he wanted to think she was stupid or pathetic or lazy, he was one among many. "Name?" she prompted, staring at him in the eyes. She really should move on... still, this stallion was somewhat intriguing, in a way.
Somewhat.
Why was she still here dealing with... well, she had no idea. It didn't matter. She was getting bored and impatient. She backed up, finally giving up. She was impatient to get this quest she was on over with; she didn't want to get stuck traveling for months trying to find this critter Metria spoke of. With luck, she would run across the wind-kalona-demon thing if she just traveled to areas where the predators walked around the most. She was half-unicorn, but she could still fend off a demon long enough to get away, she was sure--even to get a simple feather!
Nodding in what she hoped was at least somewhat a polite good-bye, she checked her surroundings and decided going west was the best way to travel.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 10:47 am
He watched her. Quest. No. It wasn't his quest. Not his problem. No. He needed to stop sticking his nose into the affairs of others. No. Quests were dangerous. No. He was under no obligations. No. None whatsoever. Nope. Nothing doing. No way. No.
Then she asked his name. Well that wasn't visible, it was one of the few places words were not a crutch but a necessity. So he answered. "Pachu'a," he replied. At least she had only used a single word to ask him. How many felt the need to stretch the simple inquiry into a whole sentence? He inclined his head, indicating he was requesting her name.
He watched her back up get her bearings and turn west. No. No. Absolutely not. Positively not. No. No way. Not his problem. No. He was not making himself responsible for another little girl. No. No way. Nuh uh. No. He sighed through his nose, and even as he told himself no, he found his body moving until he was moving along side her. No. No way. Nuh uh. No. No. Some days, he really hated himself.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 8:52 pm
She rolled her eyes when she realized he was falling into step with her. "Ming Xifeng," she consented, after hearing him answer her question for his name. She paused and then gave him an expression that read 'why?' She was curious as to why he was suddenly walking with her. Did he think she needed help? She might need a little bit of help, but for the most part, this quest was simply for her. No one else ought to get involved after all. Well, she might annoy the guy enough to drive him off if she started talking. He didn't seem to like it when she talked a lot, not that she necessarily did.
"I don't care if you follow me or whatever, it's up to you, and you seem rather annoyed to have followed me anyway--" Here, she noted with amusement, would probably be where he gave her an annoyed look for stating the obvious, but she didn't care, "--but my quest was given to me by a strange winged rabbit. I'm supposed to find a feather from some creature that is a wind-kalona demon or some such." There, a lot of words, maybe it would drive him off. She had no need for someone who would end up being useless to her in the end... She sounded rather cruel, she realized, with that particular thought. She mentally shrugged to herself. To each their own, she decided, and wondered if Pachu'a would care. She highly doubted it, but hey, she could give the guy a chance. He had decided to follow her, after all.
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Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:33 am
(I am so sorry I dropped off the face of forever!!! My computer took more than a year to sputter and die, and my web browsers were the first casualties. I finally got a new computer this summer, and this is the first I'm getting my bookmarks set up and finding all my old RPs. I am so so so so so sorry!!!)
Talking. Great. The stupid mare was yammering a mile a minute. Was she trying to chase him off? He thought back to her eye roll, to the questioning look, and realized that maybe she was. A feather from some wind-kalona demon thing... talking and making up stories. She wanted him gone, he wanted to leave. So why was he still walking beside her? Why did it matter that she might have been lying about a dangerous quest because she was on a more dangerous one? Why did it matter that on her own she might get hurt? Who was she to him? No one. He never met her before today and she clearly didn't him around. There was no actual proof that she was doing something dangerous. So why was he STILL walking beside her, irritated. This stupid loudmouthed small minded chattering female meant nothing to him, so why should he care if she got hurt? Why did his stomach twist at the thought that she might get killed, that if she had someone with her, maybe she mightn't. He wanted to leave, she wanted him to leave. It would be so simple, just walk away. Others had walked away from him his whole life. He couldn't even recall his family. Lian left him. Everyone left...so why the grass and sky couldn't he?
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