"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
10-19-2019, 12:18 PM (This post was last modified: 10-19-2019, 12:25 PM by Aeolus.)
Quiet and simplicity is all he knows truly about living a life within Ischia. There was nothing that ever set his mind to worry. Even if he did have a thought of worry, his mother often had quieted him about such nonsense. It was what any parent would do knowing childhood does not last forever and the years are often short.
Aeolus doesn’t miss the flashes of concern and uncertainty that he has seen on his mother face though. She often turns away or excused herself to be alone so that Loire and he do not see. Loire thinks nothing about it, but he cannot blame her for not noticing such things. She was younger and would not fully understand what was happening. However, Aeolus knew well enough something did not settle right. There had been recent changes, but he isn’t quite sure how much those changes have affected others deeply like his mother.
He shakes his head though, dismissing the thoughts of recent events and his mother's reactions that sometimes drift into his mind. The sunset appaloosa smiles widely, focusing back onto the parrots that squawk and fly above his head on the sandy beach of Ischia. If anything could distract him and make him smile it would be catching a parrot.
Aeolus could hear their little chitter chatters of warning to each other as soon as he came over to them. The island parrots had not yet caught on that he could understand what they were saying. When he first could understand the island birds it can been rather shocking. Aeolus wanted to meet every animal he could find and see if he could end up talking to them. His mother didn’t think that was a good idea, especially considering the animals he wanted to meet were a bear and a wolf. She suggested he practice with the animals on their island and the ones that lived in the water near their home first.
It wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but Aeolus decide not to argue with his mother on the matter. He still liked the idea of practicing his new ability and becoming better at understanding and learning the language of other animals.
Today he decided the birds would be his practice test. He isn’t completely sure how he was going to go about it. For now, he watches the birds flying above him and glancing to the ones that perch on the jungle treeline.
10-19-2019, 05:29 PM (This post was last modified: 10-19-2019, 05:29 PM by Tasi.)
I'll be your alibi
Tasi had been exploring the depths of Ischia's ocean for quite a while now, investigating the island and trying to determine whether her father was here. However, the mare was not here out of spontaneity, she had felt a new kind of sensation bubbling inside of her, she had felt it ever since she met another horse for the first time and it had been growing ever since, she could no longer silence it and had to do something to satisfy her need.
The mare moves through the water silently, surfacing to watch the island, almost nervous to set foot on land again.
Ever since she had managed to gain enough courage to walk on land she had found a new fear, the dread of being unable to return to the ocean and losing the freedom she feels when in the water.
Tasi suddenly spots a figure not too far away, watching them as the waves slowly carry her toward the shore. She does not rush and takes her time, allowing the ocean's current to drop her off at the shore, her legs trembling slightly as she gets used to the feeling of walking once more, quietly removing herself from the water and placing herself a few metres behind the stranger, completely out of sight.
The young mare takes a moment to compose herself and allow all her kelpie features to disappear, afraid that she would scare the other horse away, unsure of how others reacted to her.
She moves slowly, though with purpose, imprinting the warm sand below her with wet hoofprints, her long and wet tail dragging along behind her as she walks toward the stranger from behind, trying to remain silent and calm.
The air between them is scarce now as she closes in, her heartbeat now louder than the beating of wings from the birds that the stranger seems to observe.
Tasi halts within comfortable talking distance, exhaling deeply as she prepares to speak, a surge of adrenaline moving through her body as she opens her lips "Hello" she says before falling into a silent panic, unsure of if she should say anything else.
Tasi
@[Aeolus] Hi hello she's here to try and drown some folk
Aeolus continues to watch the parrots that fly above him. He flickers his gaze back and forth between two of the parrots he thinks would be suitable for his catch today. The yearling learned recently he could mimic animal noises. He decided it would be a good time to try and see if he could get either one of the birds to come down. Aeolus pushes his lips together ready to mimic the language of their island parrots until something catches his attention.
His ears flicker in the direction behind him at the sound of a soft step nearby. The sea serpent quickly turns his golden gaze when the girl’s voice reaches his ears. Aeolus blinks for a moment as he takes in the view of the teal and golden tobiano girl. There was something pretty about her he instantly recognized. Perhaps it was the golden color that matched pleasing well with the teal color also on her.
A grin quickly spreads across his purple stained lips. “Hi there!” Aeolus greets with enthusiasm. “I’ve never seen you before here. Are you new here?” He comments considering if he ever crossed paths with the teal and gold girl before. Nothing came to mind to say the at least. “I’m Aeolus.” His lips curl more to the right in his natural boyish grin. “What’s your name?” The yearling asks and then glances to look over her pretty patterned he liked so much. “I like your tail there!” He adds before flickering his golden gaze back to her.
Tasi's body tenses as the male notices her behind him, her body begging her to return to the ocean, to run and dive into the waves without looking back, but it is too late.
"Hi, I am new" she replies, her smile slowly fading into a stagnant expression "I have never been to Ischia, I have lived in the ocean all of my life" she adds as she watches the sunset male, her gut still screaming to run, to grab the man and kill him, to avoid all contact with other horses.
She ignores her body for now though, a slight smile reappearing on her face as she speaks "It is nice to meet you Aeolus. My name is Tasi" she says, her name creating an uneasy feeling within her, she had still been trying to find who she really was, to uncover who she was and learn how to socialise with others.
"Thank you, I guess I like your tail too?" she tilts her head slightly, this time her smile genuine.
At the mention of the ocean, his golden eyes move towards the open body of water. He considers what it would be like to live out in the ocean your entire life only. The freedom of never having any boundaries. It sounded much nicer than living his life currently on the island. His mother had told him stories about living in the ocean before grandma Adria had found her and brought her to Ischia.
He wonders if his life would be different for him. Are there other sea serpents out there? Aeolus blinks for a moment, focusing on his thought about living a different life than the one he has been given. It sounded exciting, but he forgets himself and the pretty teal and gold girl in front of him.
“OH!” The boy exclaims. “What was it like?” He asks with a tilt of his head, wondering if her experience was the same as his own mother’s. Aeolus expected it would not be. The yearling always figured his mother was holding something back—perhaps more of the better adventures she didn’t want to scare Loire with. He figured his mother had saw all sorts of scary monsters. Well, at least he would like to imagine.
His smile turns to a neutral expression now as she introduces herself. “It’s nice to meet you too, Tasi.” At appearance of her smile and comment, Aeolus laughs softly. Maybe it hadn’t been the best compliment to give her right away. It wasn’t every day the sunset colored boy found himself lost with words. “So, if you lived your entire life in the ocean, does that mean you are an excellent swimmer?” He asks with a tilt of his noble shaped head.
You've got a light in your eyes, or is it just the dark in disguise?
She watches the boy get lost in his own thoughts, seemingly innocent and lost for a second, as she watches him she can't seem to subdue the urge to kill, to drown him and destroy whoever he claimed to be, though before he can even notice the sudden change in atmosphere, she smiles, glad that she had his attention back.
Though now the mare is lost in her own thoughts, just as he had been a few seconds ago. She can't seem to shake the feeling she had been trying to deny, she suddenly shrugs, unsure of if she had even heard his question.
She nods, trying to compose herself as he exchanges the greeting, finally snapping back when he laughs, his tone soft and inviting.
"Yes, I would say so. I have been able to swim around and see Beqanna from the sea since I was small, so I'd say I can swim better than I can walk" she laughs softly for a moment before turning toward the sea "Have you done much swimming?" she asks, walking toward the water, her tail once again lightly dipped in the cool blue Ischian water.
She tilts her head to the side ever so slightly, looking back at the boy "Would you care for a swim?" her tone is soft, quiet and calm, though inside the guilt she feels has only been increasing.
Tasi
@[Aeolus] sorry this is garbage but I am trying to get back into writing! apologies for this taking so damn long, if you don't wanna continue then I'd be completely fine with that cause I know its been a while hehe
01-19-2020, 03:27 PM (This post was last modified: 01-19-2020, 03:28 PM by Aeolus.)
we've been running away from space and time if we don't fit in the grand design
It was beginning to be hard for him to truly deny who and what he was. A predator is what they called him. For much of his life, especially the fearful glances from his mother, he felt ashamed for hiding and hindering what demanded to be let out in him.
The scales that appeared when he went into the water was nothing bad compared to the sharp teeth that started to appear one day. Aeolus stopped trying to smile less and tried not to make so many jokes. He didn’t want anyone to see his sharp teeth. It only became worse when he felt hunger to eat other things, but he started to sort that out by sneaking away to the open waters at night when everyone was asleep.
And then when his father decided to truly reveal who he was. Well, that certainly changed everything for Aeolus. He was exactly what his father had been, although much larger and scarier. Perhaps his father’s transformation could hinder those unwanted traits of whatever creatures he wanted to be.
But he was told not to be ashamed for what he was. He could not help it after all. Even one of his first childhood friends had turned out to be a predator. She was not ashamed for becoming what she was—her own dad had taught her how to hunt and she had showed him some new fish. It was just a different way of living. Maybe it didn’t have to be so bad like he always thought it would be.
Listening to Tasi talk about swimming out in the open waters, he keeps his attention focused on her. Curious of her own adventures out in the unknown sea world. He chuckles too when she mentions she is better at swimming than walking.
Tasi then moves towards the sea asking if he has done much swimming. “I definitely have done a lot of swimming,” he says with a boyish grin, “I much prefer it than walking!” It was easier, more natural to move within the water. He simply felt at one when he was in it.
Aeolus bounds forward at her request to swim. “I would very much love that!” He says accepting her invitation and then rushes into the open water at a quick speed, splashing water everywhere around him, scales appear on his body, as he plunges in.
Turning back, still a grin on his lips, he calls out to the teal and gold girl. “What are you waiting for!?” He asks and then laughs.
then no one can ever confine us, and no one can ever define us we're just trying to live where the wild things are
The warm Ischian water washes and bubbles against her ankles, her tail curling in toward the shape of each and every incoming wave as she stands still, watching him as he speaks in return to her question.
She is almost disheartened by his bubbly reply. His experience in the water may prove bothersome to whatever plan she had been brooding inside her head, a plan she had already decided to fully commit to, even with all the guilt she knew she would feel after the fact, she felt as if she had something to prove and so she would have to go through with killing the boy if she was to succeed.
Though before she can even recite her own thoughts, the boy is already bounding toward the water, creating a large splash once he enters.
Suddenly she feels a bout of hesitance wash over her, all of her confidence slowly draining from her as Aeolus takes the confident role, as if he is suddenly in control if her plan.
She can still spin this however, she feels. Walking slowly toward the water, the skin around her legs immediately replaced by light coloured scales.
Her transformation only takes place when she feels comfortable in the water, though she quickly stops when the saltwater reaches her chest. She will not allow him to see her full transformation, a terrifying beast filled with teeth, or a pretty mermaid-like creature on occasion.
She decides that she will try to spin her insecurity on him, in an attempt to turn the tables of confidence once again.
She idles her head to the side, tilted as her expression turns cowardly "What are you?" she asks abruptly, the smile from her face washed away, replaced by a grim, though slightly curious expression "What have you become?" she asks again before he can reply, her tone almost a hiss as she speaks, as if afraid of him.
She looks down toward the water suddenly, her stance open and inviting, hoping to lure him in "I'm scared of the water" she contradicts herself, her mane sliding over her eyes, obscuring her vision.
TASI
@[Aeolus] sorry idk what this is but lemme know if I need to change anything
we've been running away from space and time if we don't fit in the grand design
His smile spreads wide the further the gold and tobiano mares makes her way into the depths of the water. Excitement boiled beneath him, spreading to every part of his purple colored features. It was quite evident Aeolus loved being in the water.
When the other sea horse stops chest deep into the water, his right purple ear swivels back and then forward curiously. “Don’t stop!” He says in a teasing tone. The young stallion couldn’t wait anymore. He had to be swimming now!
At the sound of her sudden and sharp words, a confused expression quickly consumes his once excitement expression. The cheerful smile on his dark lips begins to slowly fade, flickering his ears in confusion, and starting to feel uncomfortable as he hears what Tasi has to say.
“What have you become?”
She asks him with a hiss. Fear filling every part of the question, dug deep in between each of the letters of her sentence. Aeolus feels his stomach drop, uncertain why she changed so drastically. It felt wrong. The entire shift of the mood changed without warning.
“I am like you,” he whispers softly. Trying to figure out why Tasi might be afraid of him. “Well, I am someone that belongs in the water.”A monster, he thinks suddenly. Aeolus shakes his head. No, he was not a monster. “I am like a shark—a predator of the sea,” he adds.
Why would Tasi be afraid of a shark? He surely couldn’t understand that. Tasi must have encountered a shark or some other predator before. The open ocean was filled with them.
Maybe she lied.
It could be true. He knew there were others that tried to impress everyone. Maybe Tasi was doing that.
As Tasi looks down to the water, Aeolus treads forward towards her. A concern expression slowly begins to soften the harder features of his purple profile. “Why are you scared of the water?” He asks softly.
Stopping close in front of her, he looks at her with his golden gaze, hoping she will at least look back at him. “There is nothing to be afraid of in the water. I can scare away anything that comes our way.” A gentle boyish grin tugs on his lips to the right.
then no one can ever confine us, and no one can ever define us we're just trying to live where the wild things are
She tries to mirror the ocean, the waves below her becoming her pulse, her breath rising and falling with every single rise and fall of the rhythmic sea. She must continue her facade, composed and steady as she hopefully leads Aeolus to his demise.
"Like me?" she looks up at him, acting confused for a moment "But I am no monster, how am I like you? Sharks are terrifying, they live to kill, do they not?" her tone is almost childish, suddenly playing the role of a victim she puts on a mask, ready to play her part in their dance for two.
Soft blue eyes stare back at the stallion's promising golden gaze, his smile reassuring, but would the male be able to protect himself against her? realise that perhaps Tasi was bluffing, creating a false sense of security, only to lure him into the depths to die.
"Ah!, nothing to fear you say?" she decides on taking a different approach, accepting his protection and allowing him to lead the way would be too easy, Tasi had to assure herself first, she needed to know that she had control over the boy.
"You do not fear the water?" she asks him curiously.
The water has been her sister, accompanying her for most of her life and providing her with every she needed, though at times she was also a deceitful mistress, taking life away at the blink of an eye.
Tasi hopes that today the ocean will be on her side, taking another sacrifice so that later in life she may be given a bountiful reward.
"tsk tsk tsk. You do not fear the creatures that lurk in the depths of the ocean? Admirable, but foolish" she inches forward, her confidently wading through the now shoulder-deep water, pushing him backwards.
"Why do you hold no fear of the ocean, no fear for me? I am rather curious" she is close to him now, her stare is filled with passion.
"Fear me" she says suddenly with a wide grin "let fear take control of your body and allow yourself to fall, put fear into who you trust. We'll make sure it is a painless exit" she speaks now as if the ocean is on her side, suddenly crashing forward into him and pushing him backwards.
She dives into the deep blue, hoping to get a strong grip on anything dangling below the surface.
Now she hopes to pull him into the depths and satisfy the urge she has been feeling ever since she was born, finally making a kill and hopefully falling in favour of her father among her other current siblings.
TASI
@[Aeolus] Hope this is ok, lemme know if I need to change anything
