"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
In the madness of your journey you FINALLY find who you have been looking for! Santa. Some of you he rescues from your darkest fears. Some of you earn the trust of a friend that shows you the way. Regardless Santa is a horse - of course silly babies - and he has been expecting you (he knows all remember.) Pulling you aside he leans down to your level and asks of your deepest desire. You think and it may come quickly, but more than likely you think very hard because you only get one wish. Better make it count. Hopefully you are on his nice list.
Final round:
You find SANTA. How, it no longer matters. You can't believe he's really real. You're excited. Maybe a tad afraid. He asks what you want for Xmas and you happily answer. You've been thinking about it ever since you heard the story at the playground after all.
-Describe what Santa looks like. What is around you. Is it a magical Xmas town? An island oasis where he is on vacation still? A dark forest?
-Are you excited? Scared? Anxious?
-End your post with what you wish for?
Deadline Dec 20th @ 11:59pm cst or once everyone has replied. This is your final round
Eliminations: Dante: Your mother sees all as well and saw you wandering into the forests with mischief in your eye. She is who you find and with a pull of your ear she escorts you back home. Naughty little boy!
Gansey: You get home sick and give up your hunt. Flying off to find your family. Isn't that what Christmas is all about anyhow...?
12-16-2017, 08:11 PM (This post was last modified: 12-16-2017, 08:14 PM by Provoke.)
provoke
Ho, Ho, Ho.
All Provoke can hear is a warm laughter. She has cried out her frustrations and fears, and now is content to be wrapped up in the red embraced of a warm red coat. Her little turquoise velvet-y nose is sniffling and snorting, and she closes her eyes in sheer contentment. She allows herself to be cuddled, her worries forgotten for now, tucking her little purple legs underneath her. For the first time all night, she is truly, blissfully happy.
The place she is in is warm. There is a faint light glowing from within a makeshift lean-to made from falling branches and logs. Inside, a fire has been started, and she can hear the echoing of her friends as they are singing Christmas carols. The smell of roasted chestnuts warms her heart, and makes her tummy rumble. Roasted Chestnuts were her favorite holiday snack.
Provoke stirs, untucking her legs and looking up, feeling the grumbly rumbly in her tumbly, and she opens her eyes, her long dark lashes blinking over bright blue irises, and pulls her head back from the warm body hugging her close. A small, peaceful smile plays on her lips, and she looks up.... and then, her body stills. She stops breathing, and she feels her insides begin to roil.
But she will not pee again..
Mostly because her bladder is empty.
She squeaks, and whispers "You're. Sandee Claws...."
She jumps away from him - a large red stallion with a smile on his face, and kind eyes. His body is red roan - not the normally colored red either. He is bright red, with white stockings on all 4 legs, snow white mane and tail, and a big white blaze that extended to his mouth. His thick whiskers looked almost like a beard, white and fluffy they were, hanging down around his mouth, swinging this way and that. His hooves were shined into a reflective jet black. Provoke blinked, and looked down at the ground at his feet - she could swear she could see her face in those fancy looking things. She gasped again, and then blinked, staring up at him, taking him all in.
The sound of the other children having fun inside the shelter was calling her name, and yet Provoke felt transfixed, rooted to her spot. She stopped, and tilted her head to the right. Sandee Claws tilted his head to the right. He smiles, placing the tip of his white 'bearded' muzzle to the tip of her nose, and pulls up, his honey brown eyes warm and inviting. "Why yes, Provoke, I am Santa Claus. I am sorry you were frightened on your trip here, but it sounds like you endured quite the adventure. I am proud of you. You overcame your fears of me, and you learned more about how to master your powers of Astral Projection." He leans down, nipping at her mane, ruffling her hair, and Provoke smiles, her heart starting to beat more rhythmically. Her fear is slowly subsiding.
"You know, Little One. You really are very special little girl. Skipping dimensions is how I am able to reach all the little boys and girls of this world, and of others. Not many have that power. One day, you'll master it as I have, and you will not be afraid any longer."
Provoke breathes, exhaling the last of her fear and blinks up at him, her blue eyes. Her little tummy grumbles and she looks past Santa, the smell of roasted chestnuts well and truly making her mouth water now. She looks up, sheepish. "I forgot to eat dinner."
Santa laughs out loud then, a long hearty sound that caused the singing in the hut to quiet and all her friends to peek out the windows and doors, their little ears curious. Their eyes bulge with excitement to see the man Auntie Aurora talked about, but they stay still for the moment. The little teal girl is bashful - she's not used to being the center of attention. She brings her eyes back to Santa Claus, forcing herself to squeak out her excitement when a pile of fresh steamy chestnuts appears on the ground before her.
Now it is Provoke's turn for her eyes to bulge. She has heard of magic; of course, this is Beqanna. But she has never before seen it. She smiles wide in silent thanks, and gobbles down the nuts, almost dancing when her tummy is once more full and content. "Thank you Santa," she says licking her lips of all the nut crumbs.
Santa grins, looking at the children with a big Ho, Ho Ho, before producing a large bag of gifts beside him. The other foals squeal and giggle, and crowd around them, bouncing up and down in sheer excitement. Each of the kids has received a gift to their hearts desire, and when Provoke's turn comes, Santa looks down at her. She looks inside the bag, and sees that it is empty. "Oh." she says, almost sadly. "I thought there might be something in there for me, too."
Santa eyes her quizzically, with a quirked brow and a shake of his white beard. His red pelt almost seems to jingle with laughter, and he speaks with kind authority. "Oh, but there is, Little One. You just have but to ask for your heart's true desire. If your heart is true, and your intentions genuine, your Christmas gift, it shall be."
Provoke, who had been standing with her ears back and her little eyes facing the ground, looks up, her countenance changing as she dances in place. She closes her eyes and lowers her head into the bag, her voice getting more excited as she speaks. "I wish for.. I wish for..I WISH FOR!!"
And off she goes, her little head still searching inside Santa's bag but her soul is gone, riding the stars of the Milky Way, traversing dimension after dimension. She is not a master of her world just yet, but she has wished for her fear to leave her, and indeed, it has.
The world is now her oyster, as she learns to ride the stars with a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and an adventure around Every corner.
***
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL, A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
» death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily «
The cave is cold, almost colder than his friend’s fur. The air stings at Babadook’s nerves, a drastic change from the warmth of the summer. It feels good for a moment but it isn’t long before the colt is shivering (he always gets cold easy, without the comforting thickness of muscle and added fat to keep his bones warm). The rustling in the shadows sends prickles of anxiety down Babadook’s spine and he’s tempted to run. His wolf friend disappears into the darkness, seeming entirely calm with the ominousness of the situation.
Babadook follows the snow wolf.
His hooves scrape against the uneven footing of the cavern, echoing off the walls. There seems to be no end to the darkness, as the light from the outside world is quickly snuffed out as the pair walk deeper into the shadows. Babadook keeps his nose pressed against his friend’s wintery hip. He can feel the wolf’s leg shifting under his mouth with each step and it comforts Babadook in the midst of the endless gloom.
A pinprick of light in the distance causes Babadook to lift his muzzle from where it had been resting. His ears twist forward as the light grows from a singular dot into a larger circle, then a warm glow. “What’s that?” His wolf friend gives no reply — as Babadook expected — and instead moves into a trot to pick up the pace. Now that the skinny silver colt can see the ground in front of him, he bravely hops into his own quicker speed.
The cavern walls open up into a new place of Beqanna he’d never seen before. It’s exceptionally humid, with a cloudless sky to allow the sun to spread its rays wherever it pleases. The warmth heats Babadook’s chilled skin immediately and he feels instantly peaceful. There’s sand beneath his hooves but the granules are pale ivory white — pure and clean. The ocean laps quietly at the shoreline and tidal pools are spread throughout the beach sporadically. Beach grass grows along the mouth of the cave, which Babadook now registers as a tunnel.
When he turns around, he notices that there is nothing behind him aside from a gaping, dark mouth set against a sandbank. In the distance, there is no sign of Beqanna — only more sand and a few scattered palm trees. Babadook’s brow furrows in confusion, but he turns back around to see his wolf trotting across the sand toward a figure in the distance. With a snort and a “Hey, wait for me!” the colt springs after his friend and races across the beach.
The figure rapidly forms into a tall stallion, deep maroon in color, with forest-green dreadlocks dripping down his thick neck and cascading across his chiseled face. Even from far away, Babadook can see the warm glow that surrounds him. It instantly calms whatever anxieties might have wrapped their bony fingers around the colt.
As he grows closer, the stallion speaks in a soothing yet booming voice. “Welcome to my summer home, Babadook.” There’s a rumbling chuckle, similar to the grumble of a volcano thinking about erupting yet as warm as a controlled, delicate fire. “I see you’ve met Ashkii… I knew he would find you eventually.” At this, the snow wolf moves forward to wind between the stallion’s feathered legs before settling between his forelegs.
Babadook feels a pinch of betrayal at how easily his friend left him. His lips pucker into a frown as questions bubble to the forefront of his mind. “Are you Santa Claus?” He’s reached the tall red stallion by now, and he’s close enough to see the threading of tinsel and icicles that wind through his mane. There are patterned swirls of ice that mark his maroon coat, much like the same swirls that wind through Ashkii’s snowy fur.
Another rumbling chuckle comes from the stallion. “I am… You look as though you are weary. Please, follow me.” At the mentioning of his exhaustion, Babadook notices the dull ache of fatigue in his bones. It nearly overwhelms his excitement and surprise at finally meeting Santa Claus — and the fact that Ashkii is Santa’s helper — and he numbly follows the mighty stallion as he begins to traverse between the tidal pools to reach the slope of a sand dune with beach grass adorning its base.
“Now, my child, sleep here. When you wake, you will be full and rested.” Babadook looks up at Santa, awed over the entire experience. His mother only ever gave him a place to sleep between her legs, never a soft bed cushioned with pristine white sand and blanketed with beach grass. “Okay.” His voice is soft as he lays among the bed, curling up cozily. Ashkii finds his place alongside Babadook, tucking his snowy nose into his tail.
It feels like only seconds when the colt wakes up, feeling fuller and better rested than he ever has before.
Santa is staring out at the endless ocean, dreadlocked mane disturbed by the slight breeze pulling through the beachfront. Babadook rises to his feet happily and trots over to the tall stallion, splashing through a tidal pool with a snort. “I’m awake! Why am I here?” He’s always been one to ask questions, always wanting to know more about the world around him by cause of his anxiety.
Santa’s warm eyes turn to look over the colt. “Ashkii brought you here for a reason,” he says gently. At mentioning of the wolf, Babadook feels cool fur brushing against his hip. He twists to see Ashkii padding up alongside him with a proud expression on his face. “I would like to grant you a wish.” Although the mother in the playground had told Babadook that Santa would grant wishes, the colt had held doubts. Now, they were put to rest.
His original wish has changed over the course of his adventure.
The colt knows his mother loves him. Although he has his doubts — as every child must when their parent shouts or scolds or huffs — he’s seen the glimmers of warmth in the depths of her often-steely eyes. Babadook is acutely aware of the comforting cold of Ashkii’s fur on his side. Despite the snow wolf’s silence during their journey, he can tell that Ashkii cares about their friendship just as much as the colt does.
“Santa, I want to be the best of friends with Ashkii.”
He was tall. That was the first thing she noticed. And it was evident that he was not typically one to miss meals. His pelt was strawberry roan, more roan than strawberry now. The hair grew long and shaggy, trailing from his face, and snowy feathers whirled from his knees to his hooves. His kind face held the most red tinting, and even that was sprinkled generously with white.
He stood shoulder to shoulder with her ursine companion, a serene look on his Roman face. Margaux smiled back tentatively, looking to the snow bear for confirmation. The frosty creature seemed at peace, and so she dared to step closer. The old stallion's smile broadened, and as she drew closer, he dropped to his knees. No longer towering above her, she could see into his eyes. They shone like the snow bears, as though lit from within, though they did not share the blue color. His eyes were a deep evergreen, swirling with the wisdom of ages. A matchingly verdant wreath of red-berried holly circled his mighty crown. Politely, she bumps her tiny red nose to his much larger one, drawing a deep chuckle from the old man's chest. "Yes, Margaux, I am Santa Claus. Or Saint Nicholas, if you prefer. I have had many names, to many creatures. And I see you've met Lumi! He is a great helper of mine. It looks as though you've been a help to him as well tonight, hm?"
The child's eyes were as round as saucers by now, taking it all in. He was a great old man, though how old, she couldn't say. "Y-yes sir, I-i tried... Oh!" she murmured. A sudden burst of scarlet erupted from the crook of Santa's leg. "Hey, come back here!" She yelped at the fox, embarrassed. Santa didn't seem bothered, however. Instead, he lightly bushed the top of his head, strange soft growlings emanating from his throat. The foxling stared at him intently, holding perfectly still, finally responding with his own series of yips and yowls. The old man looked back up at her after a minute of this, looking pleased. "Fyr seems to think well of you as well, my dear. You have a kind heart. It's no wonder Lumi brought you here. Come now, I have something to show you."
With a gentle sigh, he heaved himself to his massive feet, reminding the girl just how big he was. Beside him, she felt small, insignificant. Santa had begun walking into the luminescent grove, leaving glowing tracks in the drifting snow. A bright jingling followed him as he moved, drawing attention to the tiny golden bells knotted into his mane. Sprays of merry holly adorned his tail as well, she saw. He walked slowly, allowing her time to catch up. More of the twinkling lights glimmered into existence as they walked, lighting the way.
The shining evergreens let them out into another grove, this one much busier than the last. Hundreds of red squirrels were grouped about, chattering away cheerfully as they went about their business. Silence fell as the majestic man and little girl appeared before them. A great fat squirrel bounded up to them, a bucktoothed grin on his face. Margaux giggled. She had never seen a squirrel that was quite so chubby in her life. He was adorable! He had come to a rest several feet before them, tufted ears quivering excitedly. Santa eyed him with all the meticulous surity of an experienced foreman. "Well Gustav, is it ready?"
The squirrel chatted back in response, fluffy tail whipping back and forth as he did so. Santa nodded, looking pleased. "Lead the way then, if you would. Gustav is my head elf, he's very clever." He said, turning to Margaux as the red squirrel turned to bound away again. He led them through other troops of fellow squirrels, who she now saw were busy sculpting beautiful statues from the pristine snow.
As they walked through, Santa touched his whiskery nose to each sculpture, making it glimmer and glow. Suddenly the snow seemed to fall away, leaving a marvelous toy in it's place. So he really was magic... The pony girl watched him in amazement, forgetting for a second that they had been following Gustav. Shrill chitters reminded her, and she sheepishly went back to trailing his bushy tail. At the end of the row of squirrel elves, they came to an empty workstation. Gustav went to stand beside the snow sculpture standing in it, his whiskers twitching with pride. The sculpture was a breathtaking abstract tower, whorls and upsweeps creating a shape that she could almost name. "Oh Gustav, this is absolutely wonderful!" She gushed, thoroughly impressed with the squirrel's craftsmanship. Santa, Lumi and Fyr stayed back as stepped forward to inspect it further. After a minute, Santa cleared his throat, bringing red Margaux back to his side.
"This is amazing Santa! All of it is so beautiful. I hope everyone else gets to see it." She told him with enthusiasm, remembering the others from the playground. The old man smiled at her congenially, and nodded in assurance. "Rest easy, my dear. Every good child gets what they wish for on Christmas." He reminded her, gently nosing her forlock from her eyes. "And now Margaux, it's your turn. Tell me, sweetheart, what is it you wish for more than anything right now?" He moved over to the lovely sculpture that Gustav had clearly put so much work into, muzzle poised to administer his magic to it.
For mama to come back to her was almost the first thing from her lips. But she held it back at the last second. It had been weeks. She had known, deep in her heart, that mama wasn't going to come back for her. Mama had said once, that her mind didn't always run like it should. That sometimes it made her sad, made her scared of living, and it was making her tired to be constantly at war with herself. She had left her daughter in a safe place, and then gone away. And Margaux realized now, that she had finally lost her war with her mind. Mama wasn't coming back.
A hard stone lodged itself in her throat, threatening to choke the breath from her. A red bottle brush laid itself across her ankles, as Fyr the fox pressed closer to his distressed friend. She smiled at him through the tears that had found themselves in her soft cocoa eyes. She looked up at Lumi, the not-so-abominable snow bear, with a shoulder full of bloody moss. She knew what she wanted for Christmas. "Santa, can you give me a way to help my friends better? Maybe a healing kit, or just a way for them to tell me what's wrong? A way to make them happy? Most of my friends aren't horses." She explained, gesturing toward the wild creatures beside her.
Santa considered her request, looking at the young girl with a serious expression. Had she asked for too much? Was this beyond the power of Santa? But her nerves were settled a moment later when a booming "HO HO HO!! I think we can manage just that!" echoed across the meadow workshop. Squirrels gathered around, watching excitedly as their boss did what he loved to do best. Bells chimed in the air with joyous sound as the jolly holly king bowed his head to brush ever so gently across Margaux's gift. She gasped in wonder as her present revealed itself in a cascade of snowflakes.
With the ugly demon Krampus gone, only Santa Clause remained. He was as beautiful as she had imagined (and as jolly too). He stood very tall, nearly eighteen hands high. His coat was a bright red in color, his eyes a grassy green that shimmered when he spoke. His mane and tail were the color of fallen snow, nearly reaching the ground he walked upon, and adorned with holly. His rump was spotted with snowflake-shaped markings, beautiful shades of silver and gold.
"Santa!" Embark exclaims yet again, rushing towards him to fall into his embrace. A rumble of laughter emerges from the Jolly Man's belly.
"Ho ho ho! Yes, Embark, I am Santa." The forest seems to lighten as he speaks, it is no longer the dark, foreboding nightmare she had imagined. Fluffy alabaster snow falls effortlessly from the sky, falling onto the tops of trees and onto the ground around them. The sun peers through the trees, illuminating the world in a gorgeous white light.
"I thought I'd never find you," Embark admits, face falling into a frown. "I thought with Krampus I was as good as gone." Santa chuckles, nuzzling her creamy tufts of mane with his muzzle.
"You're safe now, dear. Would you follow me?" Embark nods her head and they begin to walk side by side. She wonders where her sister had gone, if she had gone back to the playground or not, if she was okay. Almost as if he had read her mind, Santa Clause speaks. "Deiti is okay, too, Embark. You will see her in no time." The small golden girl nods her head at his words.
They soon arrive at the other edge of the forest, by the playground where her journey had started. Except now, it is different than it had been before. Snow blankets the earth in a thick heap, a huge Christmas tree stands in the middle of the field, with bright, twinkling lights and dazzling ornaments of every shade imaginable. Emerald colored ponies, even smaller than herself, lined perfectly wrapped presents all along the underneath of the tree, granting each wish of every child in Beqanna.
"Wow." Is all Embark can manage to say, and Santa smiles at her warmly.
"Those are my elves, Embark, and they help me in granting all the foal's wishes," He informs her, stepping forward to lead her towards the tree. It smells of delicious pine, and despite the snow the air around her feels warm and cozy. "Now, my child, I know you must be wishing for something, yes?" He turns towards her. She nods, nearly jumping out of her skin with excitement.
Now would she be brave?
Just as she is about to open her mouth something stops her. She thinks of her mother, of how fearful she was. Of how she hid herself away in their cavern, isolated from the world around her. She thinks of Deiti, who has trouble controlling her own powers. She thinks of her father, who must juggle the world on his shoulders. Crimson eyes drop, and she lets out a sigh.
"Santa...I want my family to be okay." She murmurs, defeated. Of all the people who deserved a Christmas miracle, it was her family, who had struggled for as long as she was alive. She looks up to Santa, who (to her surprise), still has a wide grin upon his face. "What, Santa?" Embark asks, head tilting in wonder.
"Well, my dear, you've finally learned what Christmas is about!" He exclaims, another laugh erupting from his belly. "It isn't about what you get for yourself, it's about GIVING, my dear girl. I must say, I am very proud!" Embark manages to smile herself. "And for that, Embark, I will give you a gift for your very own!"
Around her the world began to change. The Jolly Man begins to change her, his magic consuming her. She gasps, as her gift appears in front of her...
AuroraElis
