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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Aug 10, 2017 16:10:10 GMT -6
Boss of You.
ft. ThatDenver's Ephraim and Sargeant-Knoxx's Viona.
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The Market, Isles of the Dead | Mid-Day | Late Summer 1700
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Viona has slowly been acclimating to life on her own in the foreign lad of Aquore as an entertainer. Her blessing has been growing stronger and her routines have brought in a few shards, at least enough to secure her a small bungalow outside of town and away from the docks. After a fairly active morning Viona has opted to return home to continue restoring the roof of her house- however, on her way back she is stopped by the sight of a pegasus in trouble. Despite being cautioned to keep her head low and wits about her the mare decides to step in..
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Aug 10, 2017 18:34:25 GMT -6
.V I O N A .Freed Slave | Entertainer
That should do.. Viona let the shards sink into the pocket of her sash and broke away from the gravel street corner, glancing to the left and right warily before making her way towards the docks. The paint on her pelt prickled as it had begun to crack. It was worst on her face, as much as she smiled these days it was hard to keep it straight. The once-slave couldn't recall having ever felt such happiness in her life. Or fear.
Coming here had been a far off dream at one point, but her previous master had refused to see her marked for life and had made her deepest hope come to light. A rogue by the name of Ceto and her crew had been hired to give her safe passage from Aodh to the Isles in the dead of night. Many time that very evening Viona had sworn that the plan would fail, that they'd get caught. But with a disguise in place and her mane shorn short she would have been discernible from a decorated commoner.
The whole thing went off without a hitch, and in her time on the ship she'd learned a few things about protecting herself and playing things smart. Empowerment was a possible overstatement- but the roan was certainly feeling more confident in herself as time had gone on.
Viona found herself within the range of the docks and alleyways, the sweet smell of ocean spray and tropical foliage mixed with the bitter tang of roguish individuals and rum. It wasn't the best place to be but it was the easiest way to get back to her bungalow. Blue eyes scanned the surrounding area and she dipped her head reverently to a passing sailor that glanced her way. Old habits really did die hard.
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|WC| 301
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Post by ThatDenver on Aug 17, 2017 9:32:15 GMT -6
EPHRAIM
Ephraim’s day had begun much the same way as all his others here on the Isles. He’d woken up with the sun to prepare and serve Sasha breakfast. Master had eaten in bed, but only risen from his sheets close to noon. Soon after getting up, the hippocampus had announced a business deal that needed dealing with, and sent Ephraim off to handle things, while Sasha himself stayed home to do… Well, whatever Sasha did. Ephraim was never really sure what his Master would end up getting into. Not that he himself could do much to stop the self-proclaimed pirate, but Ephraim liked being around. It made him feel useful even if this life really wasn’t for him.
The business was run of the mill – deliver a package, demand payment, return home. It should’ve been easy, but as it turned out, it wasn’t.
Ephraim was a dishonest person, and he could appreciate the same quality in others, but he wasn’t that into violence.
The fellow he was dealing with was of a different kind. Tall and dark hippocampus – quite handsome really, someone Ephraim would usually have been more than happy to spend time with – was getting quite aggressive with him. He had paid first, thankfully, but now Ephraim was cornered, and being blamed for, well everything. Everything happening on the mainland, as if he wouldn’t have flown the glorious hippocampi imprisoned there to freedom with his own two wings if he was given the chance.
“I… I wish I could help you, sir”, Ephraim stammered, backing off more, almost falling off the pier as he did so: “But I don’t know anything of the Flight, except that I hate them.”
His eyes went through the crowd and the surrounding space, trying to see an escape route.
“Please. My Master will be unhappy”, he hiccupped. Although Ephraim looked absolutely pathetic and sad, he did manage a slightly annoyed expression when the hippocampus voiced a less than appreciative opinion of his Master.
Word count: 330
Post #1
Note: Sorry for the wait, I somehow missed this thread entirely!
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Aug 18, 2017 3:43:54 GMT -6
.V I O N A .Freed Slave | Entertainer
The blue-painted mare passed a few more vessels as she walked the boards, moving towards open beach and jungle trails when something caught her eye. It was not something out of the norm mind you- but something exciting nonetheless. At least for her, because these Islands didn't have a guard, or chevaliers, or order really it was raw, unhindered.
Violence in the common places of Valore was usually subdued with swift action taken by Chevaliers. The roan mare had heard many a story about drunken brawls and petty thievery from Dimitri, as most his hours not spent training were out on patrol- or at least had been. Viona could only wonder what had become of the stallion after her departure. No news had come from Eithne as of late, only uneasy silence.
Coming back to reality, Viona realized that the confrontation down the pier was anything but silent, and yet she seemed to be the only one actually witnessing the dispute between the pegasi and his hippocampus accuser. Now that particular conundrum was something she had come to notice. The tension between the races seemed geographically specific and occurred more frequently in recent days. Trouble was brewing, and she had a sinking feeling that it was much bigger than some simple boardwalk bigotry. Viona moved to leave her mind set on getting home, but something made her give pause.. Perhaps it was her newfound confidence, sheer stupid bravery, or pity that made her act- but whatever the cause, the roan mare promptly steeled herself and strode forward, putting on her best 'pleasantly surprised' face and projected her voice down the way.
"I can't believe it! By the stars, It's been so long!" Viona grinned, hoping the winged fellow would play along with her distraction. She didn't miss a beat or leave room for prolonged interjection before placing herself neatly by the hippo's side, "How have you been my friend? Uh-" she caught the dark horse's eyes on her, surprised but scrutinizing in the way they flashed away from the other stallion. The roan tore her gaze away, pinning it on the feathery equine to her left, "How's the simple life treating you? Well I hope," Viona swallowed hard, losing a bit of her steam as the stares continued to linger. "I'm not interrupting am I?" The once slave asked sheepishly, and backed up slightly, sliding between the both of them. "You must forgive my forwardness sir, it just been years since I've seen my dearest friend here, ages it seems." Viona pouted her lips slightly, a trick she picked up from her days at the Pearl.
There was a soft tinkling from against her chest and from the depths of her scarf her baby blue teke produced a small pouch of shards and handed it to the dark finned equine before her. "I'd like to catch up with him if you don't mind- take this, for your.. trouble." Viona reached with a hind leg and gave the pegasus behind her a gentle tap on the knee to get him going. Best they high-tail in before the stallion either caught on, lost interest in the shards, or decided his time was better spent tossing them both into the ocean and rising tide.
|Post| 2
|WC| 541
|Notes| No worries! I might be slow to reply here soon, I'm in the process in moving and getting the new internet set up. |
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Post by ThatDenver on Aug 26, 2017 16:59:42 GMT -6
EPHRAIM
Ephraim was slipping into his usual, panicky and useless mood which he often found himself when threatened by physical violence. It was one of the many reasons he preferred being a servant – he realized how utterly useless he was at dealing with these situations on his own. As the likelihood of a physical altercation seemed more and more likely, his mind began to freeze, and his mouth stopped forming any sort of understandable words.
He just stood, frozen in panic, unable to move himself out of the way.
The idea of fighting back never entered his mind.
Not much entered it at this point, to be honest.
Orange eyes were focused on the angry hippocampi, but not truly seeing much at all. He felt shivers down his spine, his body ready to take the blows.
Instead, there was a voice. It wasn’t familiar, but it spoke like it was. Ephraim’s eyes turned, even if his face remained frozen. He nodded instinctively to the words, and as the dark hippocampus backed off a little, he smiled at the stranger. It was more of a strained, thankful smile than the smile of someone recognizing a friend, but the hippocampus didn’t seem that interested either way, taking the shards and letting Ephraim pass.
The pegasus was quick to follow the stranger when the opportunity opened up – he hadn’t exactly been commanded to, but it had been implied, and even that made things easier. His brain still felt sluggish, but Ephraim felt it clear as they moved further away from stranger, and he had someone to follow.
After a while of walking, he said: “Thank you. I’m not good at fights.”
An honest reply for once. He eyed the stranger curiously – they were a mare, not usually known for stepping up to defend others, but he had seen stranger things. He noted that they were a common horse. A respectable species, much better than pegasi.
“That was a good lie”, Ephraim went on to say, still following in Viona’s hoofprints without even really thinking about it.
“My name is Ephraim”, he volunteered his name. Now that he had calmed down, he was actually quite pleased to be in nice company. He liked being around others who took command of things, even if his true loyalty was always to Sasha.
Word count: 385
Post #2
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Sept 1, 2017 15:27:02 GMT -6
.V I O N A .
Freed Slave | Entertainer
It appeared that the offer of shards had worked on the accuser, as Viona led the pegasus past the tall brute and down the dock. Away they walked, walked until the docks were no longer within direct line of sight. At long last Viona stopped, coming to the outskirts of the bay where gravel and cobble gave way to sand and jungle paths. The smile she'd worn before had evaporated from her features, replaced by a semblance of concern. The blue-eyed mare turned to her shadow then, and her ears tipped back before she gave a dip of her head.
"Y-You're welcome I suppose." her gaze appraised him, lingering on the sheen of his wings. She'd never seen many pegasus in her lifetime, and certainly none this close. Viona was, quite frankly, in awe. A sigh escaped her lips, before a tiny wisp of teke rose up and brushed her shorn mane back- it was near unmanageable in this state, cropped so close to her skin. "It could have been worse.. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a fighter either." the roan drew her eyes away from his face instinctively, not willing to meet his gaze. How awkward it must have looked to have two such submissive beings in conversation. "However, greed is a vice, and lies are a invaluable tool." Viona felt dirty when she said it, but knew that Dimitri would have been proud despite her moral misgivings. He'd made sure she could defend herself somehow, even if she wasn't strong enough to go hoof to hoof with a foe.
A brief smile- a tired smile- overtook her visage. "Well, Ephraim, it's a pleasure. My name is Viona." the horse gave a bend of her knee, also instinctively. Her origin was unmistakable. The mannerisms and her accent made the painted equine stand out as an Aohdian. A moment passed, she wanted to speak but- felt it out of turn. Viona's brow furrowed briefly and she gave a slight shake of her head. "I uh- not to pry but- What was his problem? You don't think that sailor will try to pick another fight?" she blurted it out, stumbling. "Sorry, that was intrusive, you don't have to answer..", butterflies tickled her chest dully, anxiety rippling beneath her skin. Composure was fought for in a span of heartbeats before she could speak again. "Will you be alright?", she tilted her head slightly, looking back the way they'd come.
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Post by ThatDenver on Sept 3, 2017 12:13:58 GMT -6
EPHRAIM
They stopped a good distance away from the piers, safe from prying eyes. It was the kind of place Ephraim had always enjoyed, having grown up in the rural and wild parts of Aquore. Cities had never truly felt like home, nor did the Isles of the Dead, although the pegasus never complained, and had followed his master without question. It had never even come up whether he wanted to come or not – Sasha had not asked, and Ephraim had not brought it up. It had seemed inevitable, for him to be there.
Perhaps it was luck. He wouldn’t have wanted to be on the mainland right now, with those terrorists loitering about.
As the stranger spoke further, Ephraim picked up on a certain unfamiliarity in her voice and mannerisms. Meekness was certainly something that was common in mares here in Aquore – although much less so on the Isles – but something about her was different. He couldn’t place it, other than assuming that she must be a foreigner. Traveling and knowledge of the world had never been things the pegasus was particularly good at.
The question confirmed it. Anyone who had grown up here would know what the problem was. Although in the case of the dark hippocampus, there seemed to be several problems.
“I am a pegasus, and with the recent happenings on the mainland, what has been mostly pity is turning into anger”, he explained rather simply and truthfully. He had suffered some mild abuse as a youngster, which he had never minded – it had been mostly teasing about his wings. Most hippocampi were amicable about the lesser species, seeing them as useful for work, even if they were not suited for important positions or leading.
Now, however, the Flight was making everything worse.
Ephraim wished they would just go away. Everything was better before.
“But I doubt he will follow me. My master is a hippocampus so the sailor will likely let it be”, he then added, finding it somewhat strange for a stranger to be so concerned about him. He didn’t remember when someone had last asked if he would be alright. His parents certainly had not asked such things often, and to be honest, Sasha never had.
He didn’t mind. Ephraim had learned to do without the concerns of others.
“I’ll be fine”, he promised, although he didn’t actually know it to be true.
“Do you need help with anything? I… Don’t wish to be a burden”, Ephraim inquired then. She was a common horse, and a lady, after all. It wouldn’t do for him to just assume help was free.
Word count: 436
Post #3
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