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Post by PennthePony on Oct 24, 2017 19:58:31 GMT -6
K R I S T O F E R
Seroran Planter
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How in the name of all the stars did he get stuck babysitting Selora’s little brat?
Kristofer had been hanging around his caravan, minding his own business and tending to his many, many species of flowers. His little sister was with Cherche for the day, since Io was busy with whatever she was busy with. He had caved and puffed on one of his signature home grown joints for a while. It definitely had been a while, he felt rather lightheaded after only a few puffs. Hacking on the last puff, Kristofer had thrown the joint out onto the sand, laying on the floor on his back with his scraggly legs in the air, his head tipped over the edge of his door as he looked at the horizon upside down, imagining what it might’ve been like if the Gods had made the ground the sky and the sky, the ground. A low chuckle came from his throat as he imagined the clouds turning into giant ducks - some of them with purple feathers.
But then there was a shadow that stretched over his face, and a smaller shadow beside that show. Woah, and the smaller shadow had wings? Damn, that thorn grass must’ve gone bad.
The clearing of a throat hit his ears like a gong, and Kristofer scrambled into his belly, getting dizzy from the quick, clumsy motion. He scratched his growing beard against his front knee, his eyes focusing on what was in front of him. He sobered up rather quickly when he realized who was standing before him.
“Selora? What are you doing here?” His eyes shifted from his stern looking adoptive sister to the tiny thing standing beside her - was that even a horse? It was so tiny! She cleared her throat again, as the child hid its face behind her legs. “I’m here to drop off Eleanor. I had some business pop up and I cannot bring her with me. It’s too much for a little one’s ears. Will you please watch her for a short while? I will be back shortly.” Kristofer noticed how nervous Selora looked almost instantly, as she looked from him, back to the little bundle beneath her, then back to him. Was this little thing why she had seemed so fat?
“Uh, sure, but… question. Who the hell is the kid, and why the hell do you think I’d watch her?” It was probably a ridiculous question, but a valid one nonetheless. Kristofer raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the kid who peeled out from behind Selora’s legs for a moment before scurrying to hide within her curly, dark tail. If this was her kid, he saw absolutely no resemblance. Maybe it looked like it’s Father?
Selora’s stern face became a rolling of her lilac eyes and a deep set frown. That expression terrified him - because it looked exactly like Mother’s you’re gonna be in deep shit face. A deep sigh fell from Selora’s lips as she looked back at the child who hid in her frizzy curls. “This is Eleanor, my daughter. Your niece, Kris. I just need you to watch her for a few hours, okay? I’m in a tight pinch here. I know I haven’t been very kind or honest to you in the last few years, but all of that is behind me… Kristofer, I am organizing our trip back to Aquore. I cannot tell you why, but I must leave the country. My daughter and I are in grave danger by staying here - her very existence is a danger to herself, and she’s only a few days old. I… I don’t wish to leave, but… her father, my fiancé. He is back in Aquore, and I cannot leave him there alone… I… I cannot remember why. But something is telling me I belong there, Kristofer.” Another deep sigh passed over her lips as she squeezed her eyes tight for a moment, before shifting her piercing gaze to him. “Just, please. Watch her for a few hours while I secure our passage away from here?” Her eyes looked so sad and fearful as she lowered her head to nuzzle her daughter, whose bright blue wings bore what Kristofer figured to be the genes of her fiancé.
It was Kristofer’s turn to sigh, a defeated, low grumble escaping his lips under his breath. “Alright, fine. I’ll watch her for a few hours.” Selora’s face lit up to a soft smile, stepping away from her child to uncover her from the tangle of curls. Lowering her muzzle to touch the child’s, her could barely hear a murmur of soft words before she lifted her head again, the child scampering under her again, though she were nearly silent, save for the fast-paced breathing. “Eleanor, this is your Uncle Kris. He’s going to take care of you for just a little while Mommy goes to talk to the Boat Man, okay, love? Kris is very nice, he takes care of your cousin Taline. He won’t bite, honey, I promise.” A tiny whimper came out of the foal’s mouth, and Kristofer’s heart nearly broke. This child could sense change in the air, and she clearly did not like it one bit. Selora ticked the child against her leg, embracing her tenderly before nudging her towards him, who had since stood and stepped down from the caravan. The foal was absolutely tiny compared to him, it’s withers only barely meeting the bottom of his knee. Wow.
“If you need anything at all, I won’t be too terribly far. I can meet you back here if you like, I’ll be down at the trading port. Please keep her out of sight, Kristofer. Only Io and your friends can know of her right now. I cannot repay you enough, brother.” Selora pulled a cloak out of a small saddlebag strapped to her side, tossing it over her withers before pulling the hood up, the fabric settling on her voluminous hair. “May the Wave Mother bless you, Kristofer. I will be back shortly.” She turned to Eleanor, who was cowering in front of Kristofer, knowing she had to stay. “I love you, my little bluebird. I’ll be back before you know it.” Offering a small smile, Selora turned and galloped away, her cloak dramatically waving behind her as she disappeared into the mirage of the desert. As the sand settled, Kristofer laid down behind Eleanor, who was shaking rather wildly. What the hell was he supposed to do?
Okay, Father instincts. You can kick in now! Kristofer thought to himself, pulling one side of his mouth tight. He lifted his chin and settled his muzzle slowly on Eleanor’s cheek, kissing away a tear that dragged through her golden coat. “Come on, kid. It’s not that bad! Come on, come here. Yeah, that’s right. It’s okay, you can trust me.” The little filly slowly crept closer to him, settling in between his forelegs and resting her head on his forearm and glittering her eyes shut. The walk over here must’ve worn her out. He lowered his head to rest it protectively over her. They lay in the shade together, and though the heat was a little much for his taste, it wasn’t all that bad with her at his feet.
Little did he remember, as he lay there brushing her messy, new-foal smelling blonde locks out of her face, that he had asked Briny to visit him that morning. He had asked her out on their first official date, and wasn’t she in for a surprise. Dinner and a show? Try impressing your new girlfriend with your kid skills.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2017 20:05:18 GMT -6
 The morning’s cool air made the mare’s skin twitch as she breached the water’s surface, a stack of seaweed hanging from her her mouth and a bag of shells in her grasp. The sun had just barely risen, and Briny had already been out in the water for hours. There was no stopping her, especially with insomnia always creeping around the corner and the need to just get out making her brain run wild. It was then that she would simply put herself to work, not wanting to waste the hours she was awake, as life was too short for wasted time. Her long ears pricked at the sound of her name on the wind, water dripping from her chin as she turned her head in the direction of the voice. A smile tugged at her lips as a couple of other gatherers were.. well, gathering, for the first time that morning.
“Briny!” One shouted in an exasperated sigh, dropping her saddle bags to the sand as she got close to the shore. “You weren't supposed to be here this early!”
Briny pulled herself out of the water, her coat curling from the sudden warmth against her back. She placed the seaweed by her hooves, bracing her knees, and shaking out her fuzzy fur. Water droplets sprayed from where she stood, earning a squeal from a gatherer who had been standing too close. Her curly mop of a mane bounced along her neck, only to friz at the edged from the violent shake.
“Oh I was already up.” The mare chirped, trotting to her saddlebags and slinging them over her shoulder. She stuffed her crop into the bags, only to earn an irritated chirp from the once-was sleeping Riven. Patting the small crocodilian on the head, she hushed him before fastening the clips. “I figured i would get a head start on my day.”
“Oh, to make us look bad?” The mare didn't have to say it, but Briny could hear it in her tone. “Again?” Chuckling softly to herself, Briny shook her head. It wasn'ther fault everyone else decided to wait until the sun rose to start their day; it was easy to be just as productive in the dark!
Toying with the strap of fabric that hung from her head band, she twirled it in her grasp and offered them a small smile, a hint of mischief glinting in her golden gaze. “If you must know, I have.. A date.” She replied, biting her lip shyly. She received a chorus of teasing, causing her to turn tail with a giggle and take off at a gallop toward town. If she could just drop off what she had gathered, she should be able to make it to Kristofer’s place in time.
It felt odd to say such a thing as having a date. Relationships - at least romantic ones - were not Briny’s forte. Where as she could have all the friends in the world, and try her best to take care of each and every one of them, a boyfriend was a whole different playing field. She had never wanted a relationship, after helping Embryss and many of her other friends through countless heartbreaks. It just.. seemed to be too much of a hassle for a mare who was content with her life. Or at least, she thought she was. It was the moment those deep green eyes met hers that her heart had changed its mind. Perhaps.. perhaps she was able to give this whole dating thing a try, which she had decided to do.. and so far, she didn't regret it one bit.
Upon seeing town ahead, the small mare slowed to a trot, offering a smile and a greeting to all who passed. She stopped by the familiar store, one owned by a dear friend of her mother’s, and stepped through the door with a familiar sound of the little bell overhead. The store was dark, the curtains drawn. It seemed as though the old man had yet to arrive. Letting a sigh leave her lips, Briny pulled the seaweed and shells from her bag, placing it on the front desk. “This is one bad thing about working early, Briny.” She spoke to herself, turning on her hooves and making her way back to the door. Of course, she didn't expect him to be awake this early anyways; he was always one to sleep in late, and wake up complaining about his aching bones.
Wanting to waste no time, Briny made sure the door shut securely behind her before racing off in the direction in the direction of Kristofer’s caravan. It didn't take her long to get there, as she was too excited to slow down anyways, and there was nothing that kept her energy at bay. Slowing to an ambling jog, she tried her best to look as though she had certainly not raced the entire way there, taking slow breaths to calm her racing heart and lungs. A breeze tugged at her hair, cooling her still damp coat (it took forever for the thing to dry), causing her to shiver ever so slightly. She could smell a hint of smoke in the air, her gaze dropping as she passed a smothered joint sticking out of the sand. Her brow quirked at the sight. As far as she could remember, Kris had been trying to stop smoking. I wonder what that’s all about, she thought to herself, but she understood how hard it was to keep away from smoking for too long. Hell, there were times she couldnt get her mind to stop thinking about it.
Shaking her head, she shoved sand over the joint before turning her attention back to the task at hand. Focus. Her brow knitted together, but only for a moment, as she scanned the caravan for her new boyfriend.
And while she did find him, she wasnt quite expecting the other visitor.
Her ears flicked to the side as she approached them cautiously, though kept her typical smile pulled on her lips. “Kris?” She called, stopping beside him and glancing at the foal out of the corner of her eyes. It was a tiny thing. Briny rarely felt tall at a whole fourteen-something hands, but this sure was a way to make her feel like a giant. She shuffled on her hooves awkwardly, taking a step back as the winged kid looked at her. While one would expect Briny to be good with kids - hell, she even acted like one quite often - she was… not. They were awkward and loud, screamed when they wanted something and couldnt get it, messy, and hard to understand. She didn't like it one bit. However, she tried her best to hide her discomfort, her golden gaze quickly shifting back to Kristofer, almost pleading for an explanation.
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Post by PennthePony on Nov 1, 2017 20:13:40 GMT -6
K R I S T O F E R
Seroran Planter
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The foal hadn’t slept for very long before it was up again, meandering about under the caravan, doing what he assumed to be exploring. She hadn’t spoken the entire time Selora had left her alone with him, and he assumed she was just shy… or mute. Either way, he didn’t mind the lack of chatter. Growing up with Selora, there had never been a dull or silent moment, at least not until she had moved out. And even then, with Taline around, Kristofer rarely got a quiet moment. Taline was much like Selora - rambunctious, high energy, and chatty. Oh hell, did she ask questions too. About everything; there was rarely anything she was too shy to ask about or comment on. He appreciated the lack thereof of chattiness with Eleanor. She seemed… level headed. Perhaps it was just her fear or perhaps she took after her father. And if it was the daddy’s fault, then Kristofer liked that guy already. Slow and steady always won the race, and that included with words.
And then she was exploring closer to where he had chucked his joint, and his paternal instincts all of the sudden kicked in. Getting on his feet quickly from where he had been laying in the shade, Kristofer stretched, watching Eleanor closely. “Hey kid, why don’t you come over this way? Uncle Kris has something to show you.” She seemed to perk up at the idea of a surprise, so he brought her up into the caravan and let her choose a flower. The little Pegasus, her bright blue wings fluttering uselessly as she got excited over all the colors, chose a bright yellow sunflower - Taline’s favorite as well. The poor filly wasn’t even half the height of the flower, it was an amusing scene. After he trimmed the flower down to a manageable weight for her, Kristofer took Eleanor back out into the sun, curious to watch her stretch her wings and sort of curl up to the sun. She clearly enjoyed the heat - what a weird kid.
Just as she seemed to be getting more comfortable, a figure in the distance caught Kristofer’s eye. Oh shit. He had completely forgotten about his date with Briny. And here she was now, headed straight towards them.
He heard his name being called by her as she approached, and he blushed when she looked from the kid to him. He shrugged uselessly when she stood beside him, watching the child with him as she noticed Briny mid-trot and ducked her head almost immediately, glancing around for something to hide behind. A terrified squeal came from her tiny throat as she galloped under Kristofer’s tall figure, tucking her face behind his foreleg. Sighing deeply, Kristofer looked down, then back to Briny. “I got stuck being baby sitter this morning for Selora… I’m sorry, Briny. I know this isn’t what I promised, and I really wanted to take you out somewhere… and you don’t have to stick around, I don’t want to inconvenience you. I’m so sorry, love. I really didn’t plan for this.” He felt terrible for the whole situation. Briny has already come all of that way just to be disappointed. He continued to apologize and blubber on and on about how badly he felt. Maybe he’d get the point across eventually? He had almost forgotten Eleanor was there before he heard a whimper. You and me both, kid.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2017 18:54:49 GMT -6
The mare narrowed her brow as the foal noticed her, instantly noticing the uneasiness in her stance. Briny could say she felt the same, her long ears laying back as she adverted eye contact. Kids were weird. They were unpredictable, loud, too much trouble.. Ears shifted to the side as the little pegasus darted beneath Kristofer, hiding behind his leg as if Briny couldnt see her anymore. Eye roll.
She hadn't realized Kristofer starting to speak until she shook her head, pulling herself back into reality as the soft peach cloth of headband tapped against her neck. A half smile played across her lips, her hip cocking as she rested a hoof. She let him blubber on for a few moments before butting in herself. "Kris, its fine!" She interrupted, stepping closer to him and giving him a quick little peck on the cheek. She appreciated that he felt sorry for their "ruined" date, but she was sure they would find a way to make it fun, even if it involved having a snot nosed kid around.
Flicking her ears forward, she dipped her head down and tried to make eye contact with the child, despite the fact that she was dodging her gaze every second she got. Her mother always told her that children could tell when someone didnt like them, just like they had a knack for pretty much anyone's feelings in general. That just gave Briny even more of a reason to believe they were trying to make her life difficult.
However, she would play nice. She always did. It wasn't that she didnt like kids, they just.. made her extremely uncomfortable and that she did not like. Cracking a smile, the mare tipped her head to the side and allowed her fuzzy ears to flop along with it. "I'm Briny." She introduced herself, typical cheer in her tone. "What's your name, then?"
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Post by PennthePony on Nov 13, 2017 21:33:47 GMT -6
K R I S T O F E R
Seroran Planter
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His ears immediately flicked up when Briny's lips met his cheek, a deep blush warming his face - and had he mentioned how hot it was that day? He stared towards Briny for a minute, his jaw hanging open stupidly. Something fluttered in his stomach as her lips brushed his skin, something that nearly turned his stomach sour. It was such a different feeling, being fond of someone. Kristofer was fond of people, sure. He had been fond of Ila for a short time, and before her, there was Aspen before her. But both of those women lacked something that Briny had whole-heartedly. Although they both cared for him deeply - or at least he hoped they did, they lacked Briny's sense of vibrance. Her golden eyes lit up with life when she talked, her head and ears moved about as conversation flowed from her beautiful dark lips, even her hooves bounced upon the sand as she grew more passionate and more animated about any and all subjects. She could brighten a room with even the smallest of smiles, and even Ila, a mare full of love and compassion for so many, could not compare to the life Briny brought to Kristofer's otherwise dull heart.
In all his thoughts, he hadn't even realized Briny was speaking. How awful was that, he was falling head over hooves for her and he wasn't even listening to her talk. Good thing he wasn't the one who was supposed to respond. His ears swiveled as his head dipped down to get to the little filly's level as Briny asked for her name. Eleanor had hidden deeper in his shadow, burying her face behind his knee. He could feel her shivering against his leg. Despite how much Selora attempted to shield the child from all the stress of her mother's life, it seemed that it was affecting the child more than Selora may have been realizing. Kristofer tilted his eyebrows up to look up at Briny with a look of mischief in his green eyes. "Briny... this is Eleanor. Ellie, this is Briny. She came to play with us... is that okay?" A single blue eye peered out from behind its hideaway, blonde lashes kissing a cheek as slowly a small face came back into the sunlight.
"D-Does Briny know Mommy, Uncle K-Kris?" Kristofer looked down at the miniscule child. He could hardly believe this little being was even a horse - she was a little bigger than a large coyote, if that. "Uh, well. Why don't you ask Briny if she knows Mommy? Uncle Kris doesn't know everything, kiddo." Again his eyes turned to Briny, a small smile coming to his lips. One would think he would be over kids by now, what with Io's boys and Taline hanging around all the time - and not to mention Cherche and her brother. But even in the course of a couple hours, Eleanor had grown on him like a cute little leech. She was his niece, and he was her uncle. It was almost as great as being a dad, but better... He could give the kid back at the end of the day.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2017 21:00:49 GMT -6
The mare's gaze shifted toward his as he looked at her with mischief in his gaze. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion before turning back to the filly. She did not seem eager at all to speak as she trembled against the tall stallion's leg. Briny instinctively took a step back, giving the foal some space. Her lips pressed together as the silence was filled by Kristofer introducing the two instead, and Briny picked her head up ever so slightly. She was a mare who liked to talk.. a lot. Being around a shy little thing was going to be more draining on her than running through the sand all day! Letting out a puff of air, she kept the playful smile on her lips as she flicked her head, sending the soft peach fabric against her neck to bounce against her curly hair.
"Nice to meet you, Eleanor." She chirped, ears pricking forward as the child quietly muttered to Kristofer. Briny almost missed the question all together, but luckily Kris spoke up. For once, the mare was at a brief loss of words. She didnt mingle much with the Talorians, well, apart from the hippocampus Sage, Rycaron. The others had made her nervous, as she had always heard stories of the Talorians being seedy pirates, only out for plunder and treasure. Rycaron hadn't been bad, though, he hardly seemed like a pirate at all..
And now her mind was wandering. Shaking her head, she pulled herself into reality, the question still hanging in the air. Selora wasnt Talorian, anyways, not by blood. Briny briefly remembered her, but not enough that she could claim she knew the speckled mare. Clicking her tongue against her teeth, the hippocampus slowly shook her head. "I do, kinda." She replied, glancing to Kristofer for help. She didnt want to make the kid uncomfortable, but didnt want to lie to her either.
Ugh, why were kids so exhausting.
"Hey!" She suddenly piped up, long ears flopping as she flung her head up and spotted a frisbee in the sand. "Do you like to play games?" She took on a bouncy, exaggerated trot toward the toy, pulling it from its trap in the sand and shaking the loose sand from its plastic. Briny herself was big on games, be it a friendly way to pass the time or a heated competition. She held the frisbee in her soft gold telekinetic glow, wiggling it ever so slightly for added effect.
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