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 Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 4:57 pm
 "Saliiiil, it's too hot to be out here."Salil smiled at the sound of his friend's voice, despite its whiny tone. "The heat is preferable to the cold," he replied gently. "And it shan't be for long. There's plenty of shade up ahead." And after a bit of walking through the trees, they would hopefully reach their destination of water. Sandar Lake was crowded this time of year, but hopefully one of the smaller lakes to the east of it would be more peaceful. Despite how amusing Hijiki's teasing was, even he got a little bored with taunting the passerby. Now they would go and spend some time relaxing before they tormented some more beach-goers at Sandar. "Your mane is doing that thing again. What are you thinking about?" Salil blinked, then smiled at his friend. Salil's mane tended to do 'that thing'--billowing behind him like a jellyfish--when he was thinking. Which was often. "I was thinking about how nice it will be once we get to the lake," he replied. Hijiki accepted the simple answer and continued trudging with him through the heat. Once they reached the lake, Hijiki darted past him and jumped into the water, making Salil sigh. He couldn't match Hijiki's speed, so he slowly but surely made his way to the water's edge. "Having fun, Jiki?" he asked his friend when the stallion emerged in a mass of soaked green and blue hair. Hijiki grinned. "My dear Jellin, when am I not?" Hijiki glanced around. "Though it is a little strange that there isn't another Azrein in sight. You'd think a handful at least would have had the same idea that we did..." Salil smiled. "But perhaps it is better that we are the only ones here, for it also means that no one was angry enough at you for your teasings to follow us from Sandar. Right?" Hijiki sighed and grumbled in agreement before sinking below the waterline again. Salil lounged on the shoreline, content to let the light breeze cool him off before he decided to join Hijiki in the water. His lime green eyes fell on a figure on the opposing shoreline, making him blink. Had that Azrein been there before? How peculiar of him, not noticing...
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 5:58 pm
 Such a beautiful day! Serenne tilted her head up toward the sun, feeling its warmth upon her. She was standing next to a lake, admiring its beauty, praising herself for picking such a great spot to groom. She did not know many who knew this spot existed, much less Amber Shade who was a hopeless excuse for a lady. She wanted nothing more than a break from her, get a away for a little. Bending down to drink a bit of water, she thought about nothing for once this week, but just how peaceful everything felt around her. And then all of a sudden, something... or someone startled her. She heard a loud splash and when she jerked up to see what it was, one of her hooves slipped on the wet mud and she went splashing down right into the water! So much for being gracefull...
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 6:55 pm
Salil clamored to his feet when he saw whoever it was fall into the water. "Jiki," he called, getting his best friend's attention. He nodded toward where the other Azrein had fallen in. "Can you give them a hand?" Salil was already heading over himself, but he knew his own speed; he would never be able to get to the Azrein's side quick enough to be of assistance.
Hijiki grumbled, but ran to where the water was rippling from the other Azrein's sudden dive. He stumbled once because of his wet fetlocks, but he managed not to trip. He dove into the water, quickly sighting the brightly-colored mare who had fallen in. He pushed her towards the shallow water, trying to make sure that her head stayed above her hooves. "Got her!" he called to Salil as he finally broke the water's surface.
Salil smiled in relief as he glided along the shore towards where Hijiki was unceremoniously pushing a pink mare towards land. The other stallion was crude, but he got the job done. "Are you alright?" he asked as he approached, lime green eyes curious.
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Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:49 pm
If she could blush a brighter shade of pink Serenne would have done so. How so not graceful that she was unceremoniously dumped at shore at the feet of such a polite stallion. His friend however, there was something to be said about his manners. Not that she was going to say anything about it this time. He had just saved her! She was not about to tell them she could swim and that they were really not needed as that would have been very rude on her part."I uh... I t-thank you for your kindness dear sirs. It is highly appreciated" Curse her stuttering! This tended to happen whenever she got embarrassed or highly nervous, something she hated about herself. "I am called Serenne." she said smiling pleasantly.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:08 am
Hijiki couldn't help grinning and speaking up. "I'm sad to say that I'm no sir. Missed my peerage ceremony." He paused, then added, "Stuttering due to the coldness of the water or just flat out embarrassment? It makes this whole scene cuter either way."
Salil just shook his head, smiling slightly. "Jiki, can't you wait until she's caught her breath, at least?" he chided gently before turning to the soaked mare. "Despite the odd circumstances, it is a pleasure to meet you, Serenne. My name is Salil Jellicin. This is my best friend, Hijiki Nori." Glancing at his pouting friend, he added cheerfully, "Please excuse his teasings. He's been defending me all day, which aggravates his... condition." He chuckled as Hijiki protested Salil's own mild teasing of him, perhaps due to the truth in it. Hijiki did tend to pester people more when he was protecting Salil.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 5:59 pm
She could have blushed a brighter shade of red at that moment. Turning to Hijiki she said "It is a pleasure to meet you both and I thank you again, but I-I'll have you know , SIR. You shouldn't ask a lady about such.... such... matters. It is very rude of you." Where did he get off asking her about her stuttering problem? Turning back to the azrein named Salil and smiling she said "I'm Serenne."
Serenne felt guilty learning that Hijiki had a condition. I shouldn't have spoken to him in that way. She was not going to ask but the temptation was far greater. "What.... Kind of condition?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:17 pm
Hijiki made a face at the "sir" part, but otherwise didn't reply. The mare's manner of speaking irritated her. A fancy manner of speaking. Politeness was generally fine, but the fancy version was irritating. He hated pomp. He refrained from further commenting; what he may have said would probably upset Salil, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. They were at this lake to relax, after all. "Jellin," he complained when the "condition" was mentioned, "do you really have to bring that up? It's annoying, thinking that someone's going to pity me because you use the term 'condition'."
Salil chuckled. "Of course I do, Jiki." Turning back to Serenne, he explained cheerfully, "Ah, well, Jiki has a condition that I call defensive sarcasm. Although often excessive, it does protect him from many mental dangers of the Isle." He sighed. "Unfortunately, it has a second level that I call protective teasing, which is activated when I'm around other people. It is especially potent around ones that Hijiki believes will harm my allegedly superior intellect." Smiling at his friend, he added, "It lasts for a while afterwards, and since we just came from the crowded Sandar shores, he's still a little... snappy?"
Hijiki pouted from a little farther away as he shook the water from his coat. "I am not snappy," he grumbled. A quiet chuckle behind him lessened his sulking. Salil was just teasing in his own way, he knew. This was why they made such a good team.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:09 pm
Serenne was utterly confused at their one time teasing, another time polite manners. She did not know what to make of them. She found their attitude somewhat preposterous and at the same time absolutely endearing. She kept looking from one to another, speechless like a bumbling idiot for the first time in a long while.
"Defensive Sarcasm?" she turned to Hijiki and with her most brilliant smile she added "Thank you for thinking I am of a superior intellect than your friend Salil here. I am flattered. And most humbly accept the compliment." She didn't know what got into her, but their constant teasing, inspired her to tease them so. She knew this Salil to be intelligent but she was learned enough to know when she was being jested with. What's more, if they could dish it out, she was sure they could take it as well.
Serenne giggled quietly and turned away to hide her amusement.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:17 pm
Hijiki spun to stare at the mare in disbelief. What? No one had caught onto Salil's teasing that quickly before besides him. But at the same time, her brand of teasing irritated him. He sighed quietly while Serenne turned away to hide her amusement, then smirked. If it was a teasing game she wanted, it was a teasing game she'd get. "Y-You shouldn't say such things, Lady Serenne," he stammered out, as if embarrassed. "I could never insult Salil that way... I do not wish to suggest you inferior, but I could never say that anyone was more Master Jellicin..."
Salil blinked once, mildly surprised. This was a new trick for Hijiki. "My, my. You've caused dear Jiki to turn into the faithful servant in public. I don't know what to say, Miss Serenne. Clearly you are one of a superior intellect."
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 7:57 pm
Now she'd done it. On the pursuit of giving them a taste of their own medicine she had instead riled them up even more instead. How should she respond to this obvious insult on her intelligence, she really was not sure. She could counter back, but that would only fuel the fire. Or she could apologize for insulting them in turn.... Her pride would not let her though.
She could take Hijiki's jabs but Salil's smugness was irritating her. For the second time that day, she decided to do something she had never actually done before. Serenne batted her lashes looking down at the floor, turning she slowly made her way to the edge of the lake where Hijiki was, her tail swishing from side to side as she walked. "Aww my dear Hijiki. I am so sorry I've cause you such humiliation...sooo" she walked around him being sure to flick her tail across his legs and stopping in front of him, she got real close and mouthed "....publicly. It was not my place, you were just trying to protect your dear friend." And she gave him a dazzling smile. And then turning to Salil and sauntering over to him she said "As for you ... " she got really close to just whisper in his ear "...Salil." She nuzzled him, "You really shouldn't tease your friend so. It's unbecoming of you. After he tried so hard to protect you...from me." She looked at him with another dazzling smile, batting her eyelashes.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:16 pm
Salil immediately felt something in his stomach churn when he saw her look down and start batting eyelashes. This was bad. This mare was a dangerous opponent.
Hijiki blinked and looked up when he was addressed, turquoise eyes wide. Goosebumps broke out and an involuntary shiver ran through his body at the mare's closeness. His mind panicked at how easily the rest of him fell for such an obvious method of manipulation. And yet that dazzling smile and those salmon-colored eyes turned part of him to mush. But her nuzzling of Salil brought him back to reality, and with it, many unpleasant emotions. Away. He had to get away and calm down.
Something darkened in Salil's lime green eyes. For all of Hijiki's defenses, he'd fallen quite quickly against Serenne's mental attack. His ear twitched as she whispered his name in it, avoiding her gaze by fixing it on Hijiki. "Perhaps you're right," he replied politely. I have been teasing him a bit too much." His gaze suddenly flicked to her, a colder expression in his eyes despite the polite smile still fixed to his face. "And I should have really protected him from you. The poor thing is going to bolt at any moment now." He didn't even get to lift his gaze to look at Hijiki before the other stallion bolted for the tree line. "Honestly... I didn't think he would be so fragile. But even the best of us have our weaknesses..." Though he wondered why this particular female had been able to get to his best friend where others hadn't. Serenne did have beautiful coloring, but they had met lovelier flowers than her.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:41 pm
She had liked seeing something else other than smugness in Salil's gorgeous lime green eyes. But the triumph was short lived. This wasn't her. She managed to wound two azrein at once. Where did her grace and her poise go? Where were her manners? She was never this... competitive. Speechless... her eyes started to water, and she turned away from Salil hoping he didn't see it.
Head down, she walked a few feet back closer to the water "I...I'm sorry. I was out of place. This is unlike me. Please give your friend my... m-my most sincere apologies." And she burst into tears. No! not like this! Not in front of people. Turning around she galloped towards the trees, in a different direction.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 8:51 pm
Salil blinked slowly as he watched Serenne flee. Hijiki wasn't the only one that was more fragile than he'd expected. He blinked again, realizing that he'd broken his own composure as a result of her... teasings as well as Hijiki. Though the true mare on the inside of that one was much more... poised than Hijiki or himself. Maybe he'd try to keep an eye on her. But for now, he had to find Hijiki. His paranoid friend didn't run straight for fear of being followed, so where had he ended up...? His gaze went around the lake, settling in the direction that Serenne had fled towards. He sighed. "Honestly... I wanted to keep an eye on her, but not this soon..." But it couldn't be helped. He didn't want Serenne alone with Hijiki, and it was likely that they would run into each other.
Hijiki had slowed as he calmed, wandering through the trees aimlessly as he thought. He'd let himself act too naturally. He couldn't act that way. He would get himself and Salil hurt if he wasn't diligent. He hated admitting defeat, but Serenne had bested him. He started mumbling to himself, trying to push away unpleasant thoughts and memories so that he could return to Salil. His head and ears perked up when he heard movement near him. It couldn't be Salil, could it? His friend wasn't fast, so either Hijiki had been wandering longer than he thought or this was someone else.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:11 pm
Still sniffling, Serenne slowed to a walk. "How could I be so stupid?!" To her defense she had no idea her flirtatiousness would have such an impact on the two azrein. But on the other hand, she should know better. She considered herself to be a smart and cunning azrein. One of the things she hated the most was hurting people and she'd done that with a literal bat of an eye.
And then she heard a crack of a twig on the floor. Turning around quickly she saw another azrein looking at her. And then she recognized who it was. "H-Hijiki!" she turned her back to him hoping he didn't notice she'd been crying. With her back still turned she apologized, her voice still a little tremulous. "L-Listen Hijiki. I am truly sorry. I was out of p-place and you didn't deserve that." And then she slowly turned around willing herself to look at him ashamed. "I r-really am" Her eyes watered again.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:22 pm
Hijiki's ears caught the sounds of self-scolding before the voice's owner reached him. Serenne. His turquoise eyes immediately picked out her surprised expression when she saw him, and he thought he saw a tear fly from her face when she spun to face him. And then a stuttered but honest apology fell from her lips after turning away from him again. He felt his resolve waver again at the sight of those watery eyes. He sighed, shaking his head to clear it. "What are you apologizing for? Jellin and I practically challenged you to a teasing duel. You shouldn't be sorry that you won. If anything, I should be apologizing for putting up such a pathetic fight." The stallion studied Serenne for a moment. "... You're a lot like him. But... flipped," he said, mostly to himself. "It's a little strange to see."
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