Storm Clouds and Rainbows [CLOSED RP]

Eydis | Zaquar | Early Summer 

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Sunbeams freckled the grass beneath the trees of the wood, dust and pollen floating through them with a gentle list of the air before vanishing back into the shadows once more. The high humming buzz of cicadas echoed out in the trees, adding their own emphasis to the hot summer air. It couldn't be past noon yet, as the sun was still in the east, but it definitely wasn't 'morning' by most accounts. Birds were quieting down from their morning chorus, and the trees had gone silent as the morning breeze died away.

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A deep breath in, and a long breath out.

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Bright mint eyelashes opened to reveal pink eyes as Eydis looked down the familiar path through the woods. It wasn't quite a rut, but it wound past trees in a well-worn trail that appeared to be carved in the gentle slope of the mountainside. She had walked it many times, and today was no different than the days before. Her tongue pushed itself around her mouth as she started on her way to the creek that babbled and trickled in the distance, beckoning creatures to its waters. Moss covered stones lined the path to the creek, now bright green from the frequent rains they had been having. Mushrooms had begun sprouting from the debris on the forest floor, which meant it was only a matter of time until the fae made their way into the woods once more.

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Eydis stepped with practiced movements as she made her way over the tree roots and odd twists in the trail, humming happily to herself as she heard the familiar sound of leaves crunching beneath her hooves. As she made her way closer to the creek, she smiled to her self as she came upon a tree with an almost smooth side before leaning her whole body against it. Rubbing her side against the tree she groaned as it satisfied the itch over her body that sleep had left behind. It was honestly the best way to wake up in her opinion, pulling her body into a long stretch with a loud yawn before shaking out her coat. It was the three-quarter mark to the creek, and as she made the last few paces to the water, she bounced in her step a bit as she bent to take in her first sip of the day.

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The cold water eased her dry mouth and aching throat as she shamelessly stepped ankle deep into it to help cool her feet as she drank. Pulling her head up with a satisfied groan and water dripping from her beard, she looked up the creek curiously before looking back down it. Always better safe than sorry when at a watering hole, since one is never completely alone. 

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Snorting a bit as she was pleased by her lack of company, Edyis leaned her lips back down to the water to drink again, letting the song of the trickling water take her mind off of everything for a moment. It was nice living in such a peaceful area, especially since it meant a lack of noses poking into her house to gawk at her collection of treasures. 

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530 Words | +2 Chimes

 Zaquar | Early Summer 

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Here, in the woods, it held a certain calmness, unlike the swamplands that filled even the vilest of creatures with an uneasy feeling. There was a certain charm to the woods that brought all likes of creatures here. Perhaps it was the flowing psychic magic drawing them in, or maybe it was the ability to hide away from others in peace. No matter the reason, it wasn't unusual to find residents of other regions coming here to get away.

However, that was not the reason that he came here. In fact, he much preferred the swamp; it suited his energy far better than the calmness of the mountains. Who would want to live their life in a place where nothing really happens other than boring old hags? Haywire believed that it was his duty, his calling, to liven the place up a little bit. Bring a little chaos into the lives of others. Besides, he might aggravate the prince of this land. That always made his day better.

With enthusiasm, Haywire trotted through the forest, attempting to find something or someone he could mess with. His fleshy head kept an eye on the path ahead to be sure that he did not end up in an uncomfortable situation with a tree or ditch while his skull head kept on the lookout for something that he might be able to use...or misuse. Both of his tails swayed side to side in rhythm with his footsteps. From an outsider's perspective, he seemed to have an air of carelessness, just going with the flow. It would be hard or even impossible for them to notice the very calculated steps he took, the way he sniffed the air for hints of what his landscape looked like, how once he found a certain target, a tiny smile would curl upon his lips.

While he could not quite see the quirlicorn whose day he was about to make far more interesting, he could sense them from where he was. He paused for a moment as he thought about his plan.

This section of the woods he was in was quite dense, save for the small clearing that he happened to stop at. Perhaps he could give this quirlicorn a scare? Announce his presence with a bang? Yes, that would make things interesting.

Haywire conjured up some fire along his necks which promptly ignited the firework powder that coated his hair. This certain section of powder given the right heat lets off a loud bang accompanied by a brilliant firework display. However, this time a tiny pop with a beam of light that just barely went over the treetops happened.

"Dud?" his skull head wondered aloud.

The flesh head opened his mouth in reply to that thought but was promptly cut off with a loud bang and surge of color above him. It was a bright yellow quickly followed by a red that trickled down into different ribbons.

"It seems like I made my presence known, time to introduce myself," Haywire said aloud, his skull head clacking his teeth together in agreement.

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515 Words | +2 Chimes

Eydis | Zaquar | Early Summer 

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An ear flicked to the sound of rustling in the wood, it wasn't too close by to worry about so Eydis didn't stop drinking. She at least knew she wasn't alone but she didn't know how much time she had to scamper off to avoid a conversation. Before she could make any calculations the sounds of explosions erupted through the trees, scattering the birds and sending Eydis's head up so hard and fast she toppled backwards onto her flanks in the creek. Eyes wide as she sat in the water, looking around in shock as her heart raced in her chest, hoping to find the source of this disruptive cacophony of thunder and screams.
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Her head whipped around as she caught a glimpse of gold and red through the trees, watching their sparks trickle down through the air before scattering across the ground and snuffing out. The fae weren't usually so flamboyant, so she knew this wasn't one of their tricks. Ears flattened back against her mane as she caught the shadowy outline of a Quirl past the trees, snorting out a huff of frost in a cloud that quickly dissipated in the heat.
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"Show yourself!" She demanded, pushing herself back onto her feet and shaking the water from her coat as she turned to face this stranger. Her tail end flicked back and forth rapidly as she narrowed her gaze to try to see through the glaring sunshine better, lifting her head a bit to make herself taller and whacking her horns on a low limb from a nearby tree. The hollow 'clo-clonk' of both horns hitting the branch echoed above the creek as she winced, blinking to keep the debris out of her eyes as loose leaves and pollen fell into her vision.
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"Dangit, cmon. Not today!" Eydis hissed under her breath as she tried to regain her posture with more caution this time as she picked her head back up to face this stranger.

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327 Words | +1 Chimes

 Zaquar | Early Summer 

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A low rumble came from Haywire's throat as he edged closer towards the quirlicorn while his skull head cackled with the unmistakable noise of teeth being hit together. He had been on the move quickly once his fireworks show had occurred, knowing that he had to reach whomever he startled before they had rushed off or charged headfirst into him. While he didn't mind a chase, he much preferred to catch his victims before they had set their mind towards some sort of action. It always makes them far more susceptible to his antics.

As he got closer, he noticed the two long curving horns of the quirlicorn, their delicate-looking head surrounded by a large rainbowy lion mane. She seemed to be somewhat fragile. "What a delicate fawn," his skull head mused aloud stepping towards her as she was shaking the pollen from her eyes and demanding he "Show himself". His other head rumbled his agreement.

He lowered his flesh head towards her nose and spoke, "Now, now, it isn't very kind of you demanding things of a stranger. We really should get to know each other before you start telling me what to do, don't you think?" Haywire replied with a wink.

His skull head was taking in her appearance as the other head spoke. The head did its best to keep just out of sight. He didn't want to frighten her, well not yet that is. There is a time and place for frightening, and it wasn't enjoyable to frighten an already frightened creature. Now, once she was lulled into feeling at peace and being secure in her surroundings, now then, that would be a good time. He wondered what would happen when she was scared or maybe even embarrassed. Would her face become red? Maybe it would pale? Wouldn't it be fun if her colors became ever more radiant? He eagerly waited for that moment.

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319 Words | +1 Chime

Eydis | Zaquar | Early Summer

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Eydis's eyes narrowed as she took in this dark stranger walking out from the treeline, an ear perking up slightly to hear him better as he spoke, raising an eyebrow at him curiously. Her eyes looked him over as she tried to get a better understanding of this stallion towering over her. Nose scrunching at his comment as she pulled back from his nose a bit before stepping forward with a loud splash with her hoof.
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"Not very kind?" She repeated his words back to the stranger in a mocking tone. "Ha! It's not very kind to sneak up on a stranger. And foolish to not expect hostility when doing so." She punctuated her sentence with another sharp huff of frosted air. "Who do you think you are marching around the woods with such an ego?"

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Another step forward with a loud splash as she lifted her head and tilted it slightly to fix him in her vision as her brows furrowed. She didn't even recognize this beast from any descriptions others had given her, so there was no doubt this guy wasn't from around here. A glimpse over him again to size him up made the gears in her head grind to a halt as she counted four horns rather than the standard two for those with their mutation. She felt her face give away her confusion as it shifted before shaking her head slightly to snap out of it, readjusting her face into a glare.
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Her questions of 'who' started shifting to 'what' as her brain started to rapid-fire explanations to this dilemma, her ears turning outwards as her mind went to work. The end of her tail rattled as she started to think, adding to the sounds of the water babbling along around her.

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297 Words | +1 Chimes

Zaquar | Early Summer

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Haywire's grin got bigger as the mare chastised him. Up to the point where he had to hold in a laugh. She wasn't threatening or even that authoritative. The way she was yelling at him much reminded him of a pup just realizing they had a voice. All bark, not bite. He could tell that she would be able to bark at him all day, but when it came down to it, she didn't have the bite to follow through. It usually was how the denizens of this mountain area where. It was one of the reasons he got so much entertainment from it.

Once she finished her tongue lashing, Haywire started chuckling to himself that soon turned to a loud laugh. She was very entertaining and he couldn't help but revel in that.

As he started laughing, he noticed how the mare's look started shifting from her childish glare to one of bewilderment. He wasn't sure what she noticed, was it the two sets of horns or tails? Either way, perhaps it was time to show off his other head.

"Wow, what a tough crowd," his skull head replied as he took a step closer to his more. His skull was uncomfortably close to the mare's cheek as he looked at her. Before she could react in any way, he quickly moved his skull head back and shifted his flesh head ever so slightly so that she could get a good look at his skull head. "I would think that you would be much kinder to a poor traveler through these lands. I guess the mountain hospitality was all a lie, " he announced flicking his two tails in pretend annoyance.

Haywire held a mischievous glimmer in his eye. He wanted to see how much he could push this mare. What would she do? How would she react? Will she just end up running away? What would happen if she saw she couldn't? What then? He was real excited to see how this was going to play out.

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338 Words | +1 Chimes

Eydis | Zaquar | Early Summer

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The rainbowed mare shot back as his skull's hot breath grazed her coat, stumbling a bit as she tried to regain her composure. She felt her eyes had gone wide and unblinking only after she felt them dry from not blinking as her heart raced and her mind spun, blinking quickly a few times to moisturize them again. It took what felt like a long minute for her to register his words properly, narrowing her gaze again as she reassessed this two-headed-two-tailed stranger. 

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Obviously, something strange was afoot.

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Being around the fae this long, Eydis was familiar with thinly veiled trickery and dangerous hijinks they were very good at executing, so she decided to approach this black enigma the same way. A slight smirk threatened silently on her lips as she played along. "Well now," Her gaze shifted between heads, calculating her next moves with caution. "You can't expect politeness when greeted so rudely." She stepped onto the bank of the creek, her hoof shooting our crackling fractures of frost as snow flurried around her foot before quickly starting to melt.

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"This far out in the woods, most of us prefer our solitude. If you wanted hospitality you should've stayed in the city, stranger." Eydis tilted her head a bit as she finished pulling herself out of the stream and onto the shore, carefully stepping to the side of this black and white creature to keep him in her sight as she shook out her coat. Another huff of frost as she turned to look at him once more, raising a scrutinizing brow at him. "Now, state your business or be on your way."

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A soft breeze pulled through the forest, the trees rattling their leaves quietly as the bird songs started back up slowly around them. It wasn't as if Eydis had anywhere better to be, or anything better to do with her time, but this random being didn't need to know that.

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324 Words | +1 Chimes

Zaquar | Early Summer

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Haywire chuckled at the mare calling him rude. He always found it so funny that these mountain folk having certain morals and ways that they must behave. Those might get them far in life where others subscribed to the same beliefs, but elsewhere, they are easy pickings. He almost felt bad for her for he knew if she even dared venture into the swamp, she would get eaten alive. 

Haywire took a step towards the mare, conjuring some fire to snort out of his nose of his skull head. "Funny you would think I hail from a city when I know my way in the wilderness far better than you ever would, Dove," he replied letting the flames nearly touch the mare's snout.

He chuckled to himself before saying, "Oh yes, that wasn't what you were asking me were you?" He stepped across the bank in one fluid motion. For someone of his size, it was no problem. He walked by her right side with no care in the world, his two tails swaying back and forth, away from each other, then towards each other. His right tail nearly touched the mare, but then would swing away at last minute. "Now I have a million things that could be my business, yet I could have nothing that is my business. It all depends on what I want to make my business," he answered now behind the mare nonchalantly taking in his surroundings. "Perhaps it is my business to bother a beautiful young maiden such as yourself," he added slyly with a wink, now on her left side. "However, if you do not want to entertain me, I am certain I can find someone else. After all, you seem awfully busy," he explained, the sarcasm dripping out of his voice, making it quite obvious that he didn't fall for her trying to appear much busier than she was.

Haywire gave the mare a wink before he jumped the bank and stood in front of her again. "So what say you? Do you mind the kind of business I have?" he asked her with a devilish grin pulling at his lips. He had a feeling that this mare would be torn by him playing with her as a cat does with a mouse. He was certain she would want to stand up to not deal with this, but also would be worried about the repercussions that would be had in doing so.

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410 Words | +1 Chimes

Eydis | Zaquar | Early Summer

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The rainbowed mare pulled her head back into her fluffy mane quickly as flames threatened to lick her nose, their heat very unwelcome in the already warm air. She kept her eyes on him as she tracked his path around her, her own tail rattling as she listened to him speak, half-stepping aside as one of his tails came dangerously close to her hide. Eydis tried to keep her head as this stallion paced around her, obviously toying with her, which made her roll her eyes with a slight sound of disgust as the false flattery hung stale in the air around them. His punctuating wink only managed to pull an unimpressed scowl on her lips as she narrowed her gaze at him.

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Pulling away from his sarcastic tone, Eydis stuttered slightly as she quickly tried to recover her serious tone. "I-I am busy... I have- uh- things I need to be doing" Nailed it, she thought as her eyes darted around the trees before landing back on this creature now standing before her. "Better things than disturbing someone's morning routines." She punctuated her statement with a smug smirk, rather proud of herself for recovering so quickly.

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Watching the grin grow on his face, Eydis blinked at him slowly as her mind tried to process his 'business', considering it to be rather pointless and perhaps rather fruitless. Though she tried to stick to her 'fae' state of mind, since it seemed to be working somewhat, and almost all the things the fae did had nothing to do with reason, so might as well lean into it.

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"So you're a spinning compass of pointlessness." Her tone was that of someone unsure of complimenting or insulting, her pitch becoming almost a question by the end of her statement. As her face shifted into a look of confusion, she shook her head before sighing softly. "Whatever you are, you're sure as heck not from around here."

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323 Words | +1 Chimes

Zaquar | Early Summer

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Haywire's grin grew wider at the mare's last statement. Her tone grew more and more uncertain as she spoke with him. It filled him with an odd delight. Most others he encountered usually ran by now or attempted to fight him. This mare was quite peculiar and a nice breath of fresh air.

His skull head cackled in reply to her statement. "No, I am most certainly not from around here, but I believe that is easy to tell at a glance, don't you think, Honey?" he said with an emphasis on the "Honey" to make it clear that he was not expecting a response from here, just simply pointing out the facts.

His attention moved from her to their surroundings. If she was speaking to him or doing something to get his attention, he would not have noticed for he was quite preoccupied with taking in this little spot. The way he looked at the surroundings was someone deep in thought. He seemed to be taking in every detail of the place. Marking everything in his mind. His skull head gently clacked its teeth together as both the heads looked around, taking account of everything that could be seen and even things that are hidden. Once, a flame shot out of the nose hole in his skull as he stared off in the distance. Finally, once he was done looking, both his heads looked at eachother, nodded once and faced her.

Haywire looked the mare dead in the eyes and said in a deadpan tone, "You don't live here, do you? It's awfully boring." The stallion took one step towards her and gestured with his skull head at the entire area behind and to the side of the mare.

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290 Words | +1 Chimes