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Post by radiojillian on Oct 22, 2015 8:52:00 GMT -6
A Random Encounter The City of Stars
Every day was much the same in the tunnels of Sirith, sheltered as it was from the changing seasons on the surface; but Vitani preferred the routine. It was midday and her pace had lost some of its purpose in return for a quick rest. Nonetheless, she was alert as always to any citizen that required her services. The soft glow of her crystal horn blended with those that lit the streets even here, this close to the surface. The warm light gave her facial features the illusion of a kinder, gentler expression than the reality. Though she had been on the move much of the morning, her reddish coat and pin-straight mane were, as always, perfectly smooth and maintained. The silver choker that marked her a member of the Royal Family was newly polished, but Vitani's movements never betrayed any sense of superiority to her fellow herd mates.
As a member of the Royal Family, Vitani did not have any specific tasks. Rather, she was to make herself available to the citizens of Breim where required. However she took this responsibility on with fierce determination, wandering the tunnels and streets to ensure that she was easily spotted and making herself available to any herd member who could benefit from her services. This could include physical labor, such as offering an extra body to clear debris from a minor cave-in, or even just a listening ear. Though her position was one solidly placed in the Old Generation, she made an effort to journey to the City of Stars a few times a week in support of her fellows - with only a sidelong glance and a flash of annoyance to betray her religious loyalties whenever she passed the youngsters playing their games of competition and bragging rights.
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she paused for a moment to catch her breath. It was quiet in this part of town, the perfect place for a moment alone with one's thoughts. Today had already proven itself to be a stressful one and Vitani was mentally exhausted, if not physically so. The burden of putting an entire herd's problems and worries onto one mare's shoulders could become heavy at times, and recently it seemed that she just could not keep up. But Vitani was not one to wallow in self pity - she would take 5 minutes to rest, and no more. Her herd needed her.Word Count: 405 |
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 22, 2015 17:43:23 GMT -6
Dew sighed as she looked to the city of Nariah, the capital, as she went back to her home. It was between the two big cities of Briem, making her an easy herdmate to get to. The pale mare walked to her home at a slow pace, tired from having to go back and forth between Sterling and Nariah. She had made promises, and planned to keep them all. No matter how stressful or tiring it would be. Being raised in two different ways, Dew knew what to say and when to say it. Some horses never even knew that Dew’s parents were from both Generations, just because of the way she acted around them.
The short mare trotted into Sterling, her pale eyes scanning around for a quiet place to rest for a bit. She sighed a little when she didn’t see one right away. She turned and went back towards Nariah. She stopped at her house to grab a blanket, so she would have it when she found a peaceful spot to rest. She left her house and it appeared that no horse had entered it. Dew sighed softly as she become more disheartened that she would find a good spot to rest.
She wandered around for a bit more, before stumbling upon Vitani and the peaceful quiet of the area. She smiled, even though she was slightly startled to see someone else there. Dew approached the red mare with quiet hooves.
“Excuse me, do you mind if I join you?” Dew asked in her soft voice. As she spoke, she looked the other mare over, spotting her choker easily. What is someone of the royal family doing all the way out here? She wondered as she looked at Vitani. Dew smiled softly at the other mare, as she did to every stranger she met along the way. Words: 314 |
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Post by radiojillian on Oct 22, 2015 18:20:18 GMT -6
Vitani had chosen this spot for some much-needed alone time, but there was no detectable hesitation in her answer. "Of course." Being as dedicated as she was, she never turned away a member of the herd. Often she would give advice on various matters, settle disputes, or even play "psychiatrist" with the more... eccentric of the herd. She became whatever was needed, from an escort to the doctor in emergency situations to a silent companion for the lonely who didn't so much want a conversation, but the simple comfort of another presence in the room. This mare was unfamiliar to her, but that wasn't too hard to believe in the City of Stars. Evidently the mare was a part of the New Generation. Regardless, Vitani prepared herself to be of service, as she always did.
She inclined her head respectfully. "I am Vitani. May I ask your name?" Never did she mention her rank or position within Breim - it was against the tradition of the Old Generation to consider anyone of a higher worth than another. She was merely a herd mate to this unknown mare. Her tone was kind when addressing the stranger, but there was an odd quality to it, as there always was - a subtle impersonal feel betraying to a particularly observant equine that Vitani viewed herself as but a servant to the people, and nothing more. It was all business.
As she always did, Vitani quickly assessed the condition of the mare. Her gait and weary features suggested that she was in the midst of a long, particularly tiring day. Yes, this was a mare that may require something from her. She gestured ever-so-slightly to the space beside her. "You look weary, stranger. What brings you to this part of town?" If anything, the mare seemed friendly and mostly sane. Living in the darkness of the caves as Breim did, there were a lot of... well, weirdos wandering around. Vitani tried to help them all but her patience was running a bit thin on this particular day, and she didn't quite savor a difficult job.
Word Count: 349
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 22, 2015 18:52:52 GMT -6
Dew smiled to the mare and pulled the blanket off of her back, laying it down before answering Vitani. “My name is Dew. A pleasure, Vitani,” she said she laid down onto the blanket. Dew sighed as she settled onto the blanket, closing her eyes for second, when she opened them again they looked to Vitani. Dew yawned slightly as the silence welcomed her.
“I am quite worn down. Running back and forth between Sterling and Nariah will do that to an old lady like me,” she said light heartedly. She smiled at Vitani. She sighed softly as she sifted to get more comfortable on her blanket. She looked back to Vitani’s red eyes. “I do believe we are here for similar reasons. Some peace and quiet.”
Dew flicked her tail as she looked at Vitani. She did a scan of the area, spotting a spider not too far from where she was laying down. She lowered her head to get a better look of it. She smiled softly as she watched it move closer to her. “I have a feeling you’re one of the Royals who goes around helping the rest of the herd,” Dew said without looking away from the spider. “And I’m not a weirdo, I simply love spider.”
Dew looked back to Vitani, a smile on her face. The pale mare treated everyone as her friend, always aiming to make new friends, aiming to see new smiles. The mare knew nearly everyone that was acquainted with either her father or mother, but she wanted to get to know people on her own time and her own way. Words: 276 |
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Post by radiojillian on Oct 22, 2015 19:33:40 GMT -6
"Well met, Dew." Running back and forth between cities? This piqued Vitani's interest, though she would never question it. Admittedly, she also visited both places on a regular basis, so perhaps it wasn't that unheard of. Still.
Vitani's ears twitched slightly at the mare's next few words. This mare was definitely quite... outspoken. But she seemed happy enough. In the back of her mind, Vitani wondered why such a talkative mare was searching for 'peace and quiet'. She cast a quick glance to the spider that had so caught her companion's attention. Strange, she never really seemed to pay attention to them, though she prided herself in noticing everything. So small, so insignificant - they were everywhere in the underground tunnels that made up Breim's home. As memorable as a single rain drop during a thunderstorm. To be honest, they had always kind of creeped her out a little. When she was very young, one had bit her deep inside her sensitive nose, leaving a painful welt that stung whenever she breathed for weeks. She had always subconsciously avoided them since then. Though she had been raised to love and respect all living things, apparently insects (and those resembling such) were not a part of that distinction. If anything they were merely pests, much like the stinging fly who harasses the equine in the hot days of summer.
"I am. Did you seek me out for... something?" She answered, using the same neutral tone as before. If her services weren't required she didn't need to remain here. The mare seemed friendly enough but Vitani didn't really know what to do with 'friends'. She was a wallflower, the outlier at the party who stands in the back watching everyone else in the room having fun. Not necessarily by choice, though she certainly didn't lose any sleep over it. She had gotten over that a long time ago.
Word Count: 315
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 22, 2015 19:58:34 GMT -6
Dew shook her head softly. “I did not come looking for your assistance, but maybe you came looking for my own?” She said, looking to Vitani. “Sometimes we go looking for things we didn’t know we needed. In some cases, you are looking for peace, but instead you find company to talk to.”
Dew looked to Vitani with a soft expression. “I’ve heard that you approach everything with a very, business like air. Sometimes that isn’t the best approach.” Dew smiled at Vitani. “I don’t think you want to listen to me ramble on about how to do what you do, but I do the same thing. I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. Supporting everyone is a big thing for Breim, but some have forgotten about that.”
Dew’s pale eyes glazed over slightly as she drifted off into her own thoughts. The spider crawled onto her leg, making the pale mare come back to the reality of her surroundings. “I wish we could be like how we were before there were the two different Generations. Why can’t we just be, Breim? Why do we need the New and Old Generations? If you take a step back, their goal is the same. They just have different ways of getting to it…” Dew trailed off into her own thoughts again, watching the spider crawl on and off of her leg. Dew looked back to Vitani.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to go off like that," she said with a soft smile. "There are just some confusing things about the now Breim that never existed in the old Breim." Words: 279OOC: Hmm... I wonder if Vitani will be able to pick up on that sublet, yet obvious streak of Middle Ground approach... |
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Post by radiojillian on Oct 22, 2015 22:07:18 GMT -6
Vitani snorted - who was this mare? How was the way she did things anyone's business? Who did she get this information from? She was, admittedly, a little startled. She was a tool, an inanimate object - merely an observer. Her herd mates never asked how her day went, not really - they may have uttered the words out of habit, but not to receive any sort of answer. Rarely did Vitani voice her opinion, mainly because she did not feel the recipient required, nor in some cases deserved such insight. Vitani was a private soul, and the idea that her fellow equine were speaking ill of her - or really, speaking of her at all - was both appalling and unsettling.
"I require none of those things." She kept her tone neutral and steady, but her frustration grew. It was only midday and already Vitani was ready to retire to her private quarters. Days in the City of Stars were always longer due to the journey from the city of Nariah where the palaces were found. Her annoyance grew as Dew continued to speak, causing her to shift her weight slightly from side to side. Beyond that, she gave no indication of her displeasure, as she was taught. As a role model for the public, she must remain composed.
But Vitani had always struggled with niceties beyond her regular duties. Especially when her... buttons were pushed.
Her ears flicked back and her eyes flashed with the passion of her next words. "It seems, Miss Dew, that you do indeed have need of my services. You have need of an education. Allow me to assist you." Harsh as her words were, her tone remained devoid of any emotion, much like a university professor after a long day of teaching. "Don't you agree that there is a reason those of different beliefs have chosen to live apart as they do? Our lives are very different, yours and mine. We from the Old Generation believe in the herd as a single whole, with none more important than another from the strongest stallion to the weakest newborn to the sickest elder. Our ways have been passed down for generations and indeed, it is because of the unwavering devotion to these morals that we have thrived in the environment that we of Breim find ourselves in. Finding you here, I assume you are of the New Generation way of thinking."
She paused, catching her breath and allowing her words to ring against the far cavern walls before continuing. Her voice, though emotionless, was strong. She was accustomed to public speaking. "The New Generation thrives on individuality - who can run the farthest, who can jump the highest. Who among us is the best. But with those beliefs, where do the less fortunate fit in? Though the mare may be weaker in strength than the stallion, do they alone not bear the young that continue our species? Though the mouse may be smaller than the falcon, does it not feed the falcon's children and continue the cycle of life regardless? Without the mouse, the falcon could not live. The New Generation would have us back on the surface, where danger lurks around every corner. Where wars are fought and friends die. Change cannot be accepted as a way of life because it contains a risk - a risk that it is not the right choice, that the end result may end up worse than the original. And that is why the two must remain separate - what the New seek to change is what the Old know must stay the same for the herd to survive as it has. Without an understanding and for the reasons behind the old tradition, the New Generation can never respect it."
Vitani ended her speech with an agitated flick of her tail. Perhaps now this mare would understand.
Word Count: 641
ooc: She picked up on SOMETHING, but she thinks Dew is New Generation so she just went on a tyrant. xD She can't imagine anyone ever being Middle Ground, since it's never happened before. So she's just like "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT DOES NOT COMPUTE"
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 23, 2015 10:20:05 GMT -6
Dew smiled at Vitani, listening to her words with interest. She looked back to the spider, her smile never faltering. Dew looked back to Vitani as she stopped to catch her breath. “Do I have to be of any Generation’s way of thinking?” She countered, a cheeky, playful grin dancing on her face. “The New Generation wants to see who is best, but they do it in ways that build bonds between everyone, something called fun. The Old Generation builds bonds from hard work and silence.”
Dew stood up, grabbing her blanket and tossing it over her back. She looked to Vitani with gentle blue eyes. “There are two Generations because one wanted to expand the knowledge the have of the world, while others are closed-minded and what to live in this beautiful underground. The top side is just as beautiful, though.” She snorted softly as she spoke.
“Sure, the New Generation ‘thrives’ upon individuality, but it’s all based upon fun games and friendly competition. Everyone takes care of everyone, giving them a starting boost. And not every mare is weaker than a stallion, I know some tough mares,” Dew said, cheekily and a grin on her face. She nodded as Vitani talked of change. “Change is the only way for life to go on. Without change there will never be progress, without progress life will end. The circle of life is simply apart of change. Falcon’s eat more than mice, because mice learned to hide from them, making the falcon’s have to expand what they eat, but still eating the mice. The Old Generation is like a falcon who only will eat mice, while the New expands their diet. At some point, everything must change or die. And in this case, the Old needs to open their closed minds, even if it be just a little bit.” Dew said.
She stood tall as she talked to Vitani. “If change doesn’t get to happen, Breim will fall. Again, at the matter. We fell to the underground from the top-side because we were scared, but so many years of being under here has corrupted our views of the top side. We are much too weary and it strains everyone, including ourselves.” Dew snorted with a shake of her head, startling a spider that had crawled onto her forehead.
“Sorry, little spider,” Dew said as climbed onto her back. Words: 404 OOC: Hehe, oh my little Dew, continue to confuse and butt heads! XD Both of them are so stubborn! XD |
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Post by radiojillian on Oct 23, 2015 12:23:48 GMT -6
Vitani snorted, flicking her ears back in irritation. She kept her piercing gaze on Dew as the other mare spoke, cold and unwavering. She continued to stare for many moments after her companion had finished speaking, though her silence was charged with her thoughts on the matter.
Dew's smile succeeded only in thinning Vitani's already worn patience. What did this mare have to smile about? Of course she had to be of one Generation or another... the two were too different, set too far apart in their beliefs. This stranger must have her own opinions, and in those opinions would lie her loyalty. Every member of the herd had one belief or another - Vitani had not experienced enough of outside influences to arrive at any different conclusion. Was this mare an outsider? Ah, but Vitani was sure she had seen her somewhere before, though they had never spoken. So what was this talk of another way of thinking?
In short, Vitani believed that everything Dew was saying was incorrect. As was her way, she would not repeat herself - she saw no need to. However, something did require her attention. If change was the only way for life to continue, how had they continued for so long? Her cousin, the High King and the Kings before him had ruled them underground because it was safer here. Because it was their home. Was this mare daring to challenge those decisions?
Finally she spoke, and her words were dangerously loaded with implications. "Do you mean to question the decisions of the High King?"
Word Count: 260
ooc: UH OH IT JUST GOT REAL xD
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 23, 2015 19:47:45 GMT -6
Dew looked quizzically at Vitani. “Do I question the decisions of the King?” She repeated. “No. I simply think he is ill advised. I believe his decisions are too swayed by the Old Generation, and the New isn’t taken into much consideration.”
The older mare thought for a second. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. “I’m going to guess you are very deep into it with the Old Generation teachings, that you would rather not have the New Generation teachings even uttered around you.” Dew snorted. “Well, if you can keep things to yourself, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” The pale mare grinned as she finished.
She sighed as she thought of what she was going to say to Vitani. I’m such an idiot, why would I tell someone that you can have both New and Old Generations buzzing around in your head?! Dew thought as she looked to Vitani. I’m the biggest idiot of them all!
She flicked her tail absentmindedly, nearly flicking the spider off of her. Dew looked to the spider on her back, then to Vitani. She sighed again and shook her head. “Why do I bother?” She mumbled to herself. Words: 206OOC: These two are so much fun to RP! |
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Post by radiojillian on Oct 23, 2015 20:12:23 GMT -6
Vitani stamped a hoof, fire flashing in her eyes at these words. Blasphemy! The High King's word was law, and was not to be spoken of with such disrespect. Ill advised indeed. This mare was the one who was ill advised. She was in dangerous territory, and this unicorn would not stand for it. Her tone was too matter-of-fact, her words said rashly without thought for what they truly meant. This 'Dew' must be corrected; and quickly, before she brought harm and mistrust to the herd with her beliefs.
The easy grin and wandering attention of this stranger infuriated her. Though Vitani treated those who lived in the City of Stars with the same respect and devotion as any other, she had also never had one question her beliefs in such a blunt manner. How dare she!
"If I can keep things to myself? What is this, a game?" Her voice gained strength, the volume increasing ever so slightly. "Words, when spoken out of turn, can be dangerous things. Keep that in mind as you answer this. Are you hiding something that will harm this herd? Our people?" Vitani's nostrils quivered, a clear indication that her patience had finally run out. "Tell me this 'secret', Miss Dew. And know that if I deem your intentions to be ill for our people, I will act to protect my herd. My family." At this she raised her chin, looking down at the shorter mare. "This is a demand - not a request."
Word Count: 249
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 23, 2015 20:39:31 GMT -6
Dew snickered softly, doing her best to not start laughing out loud. “I have done nothing that would harm this herd, simply taken and Middle Ground approach to everything. I was raised listening to both Generation’s teachings, so I believe you are the ill-advised one,” she said. Dew was having a little too much fun with getting on the other mares nerves.
Dang… I must be more tired than I thought… She thought as she looked to Vitani with a soft smile. “I believe that the Old is too closed-minded, and the that the New should have more competitions concerning teams. Teamwork is an essential part of Breim life, but the split between the Generations defies that.”
Dew sighed a little. “There will be no need to protect the herd from anything I have to say. After all, I simply go around and help them out, the same as you do.” The shorter mare looked to to Vitani. “And don’t you dare look down upon me. If you see everyone as equal, don’t look like you demand more respect than I do.” Dew glared at Vitani slightly as she spoke.
The pale mare thought for a second. “I have a friend. She was of the New Generation, but was taken to fight in the pits. So now she understands the reasons for the Old’s hesitation in going back up, but she is somewhat happy she got to see the open sky, even if it meant having to be forced to fight to see it. For now she can fly for as long as she pleases and can touch the stars." Words: 276 |
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Post by radiojillian on Oct 24, 2015 16:25:53 GMT -6
Vitani snorted and bobbed her head, thoroughly annoyed at this point. A Middle Ground approach? Such a thing did not exist, and could not - there was only one way or the other and always had been. This mare was delusional, and Vitani could do nothing for her. She wasn't too heartbroken about that fact; the way that Dew laughed and challenged her at every turn was enough to get anyone's blood boiling. Breim was built on pacifism and so Vitani did not even have the room in her extraordinary brain for things like violence or revenge.
Her expression did not change when Dew remarked on her upright posture, nor did it betray what she felt about the story of this stranger's lost friend. Her eyes became unreadable, staring into the other mare's with a fierce intensity. Again, she let the silence drag for a moment or two before speaking. Though her words could cut when her hooves and horn could not, sometimes she found silence to be a more unbearable weapon.
She took the opportunity to muse over the idea of "Middle Ground" that this mare had suggested earlier. It was obviously impossible, so what motive did Dew have for attempting to steer Vitani in this direction? What could she hope to gain? The two sides had split for a reason - they were too different, too split on so many issues. Black and white. What Dew suggested was somewhere in millions of shades of gray. But unfortunately, life could not be lived with mere shades. Each situation had only solid options - black, or white. Each day, she chose to eat before setting out on her rounds. She could choose to eat again tomorrow, or she could choose not to. There was no third, "middle" option in that situation, so why would it exist in any other circumstance? No, Vitani would not trouble herself with these ideas. They seemed harmless enough, as long as the rest of the herd saw the flaws as she did. She would let this mare be, and keep an eye on her.
Finally she broke her gaze, turning and walking away without a word to continue her day's work. Suddenly she paused, speaking in a neutral tone without turning to look at this new... acquaintance of hers. "Unlike you, I do not have time to waste on idol gossip. I must return to my duties. My duties with those in the New Generation that is not my own." She snorted again, and there was a hint of amusement in her next few words. "How's that for your teamwork?"
Word Count: 432
ooc: I am moving on Thursday so I'm going into a packing frenzy. Vitani would normally try to leave at this point anyway so it's up to you, if Dew would force the issue to continue she definitely can but I may be slow answering!
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Post by dreamer12423 on Oct 25, 2015 22:12:16 GMT -6
Dew snorted as the younger mare went to leave. She shook out her mane and jumped in front of her, her blanket falling to the ground. "Humor me for a bit longer, young lady," she said. I'm insane, she thought to herself. "What do you think of someone who takes on a Middle Ground approach, something along the lines of a Middle Generation." The silence that Vitani had left earlier had given Dew enough time to figure out what she wanted to ask the young Royal. To some, it might have been a stupid question, but to others, it was a life changing one.
"I want to know what you think of horses who can't fully pick a side to go with," Dew said, standing her ground in front of Vitani. She smiled a little as Vitani spoke. "I think Old and New need to do more of that. Just finding the little things to work together on. Maybe it's clearing a path, or showing an outsider around. It's everyone's job to look after each other, so why are there two different Generations looking after each other. We are one herd, but we sure don't act like it."
Dew snorted and looked to Vitani. "Answer me this. How can we be one herd, when we drift farther apart due to change? Change is something that always comes, no matter how hard you try to stop it." Words: 238OOC: Dew's pushing it! XD And that's understandable, real life before this life! |
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