12-10-2017, 09:17 PM
<style type="text/css">.container{position:relative;z-index:1;width:516px;background:#000;font:14px Megrim;border-radius:300px 300px 0px 0px; box-shadow:0 0 15px #000}.container p{margin:0}.image{position:relative;z-index:4;border-radius:300px 300px 0px 0px;margin-bottom:-150px;}.name{position: relative;z-index:3;background:transparent;font-family:Arabic Typesetting;font-size: 60px;color:#970007; text-shadow: 0 0 4px #fff; box-shadow: 0 0 2 #000;}.message{position:relative;z-index:10;width:400px;background:;text-align:justify;padding:0px 0px;color:#970007;line-height:-130%;}.toppadding{padding-top:5px;}.quote1{position:relative;z-index:15;text-align:center;color:#ea;text-shadow:0 0 4px #8b8b8d;letter-spacing:1px;font-size:26px;}.quote2 {position:relative;z-index:15;font-family:arabic typesetting;text-align:center;color:#ea;text-shadow:0 0 4px #8b8b8d;letter-spacing:1px;font-size:26px;}</</style><center><div class="container"><img class="image" src=https://i.imgur.com/mUgcHeb.png><div class="message"><p class="name">Embark</p><p class="quote1"> </p><p class="toppadding">Anxiety rattles in her bones and clouds her mind. Fear hung over her head like the darkness of her cave.
This is not entirely her fault, however. She was born to two overbearing parents, who felt a primal need to protect her. From <i>what</i>, she is not entirely sure. All she knows is that she is the least adventurous of their two children, and that her sister always seemed to get her into <i>some</i> kind of mischief.
Today, for the first time ever, she is traveling away from the safety of their cliff-side cavern. Mama is bringing them to the playground, on the suggestion of dad. <i>You need a break, Kuma.</i> He had said.
And Mama did. Dark baggy circles formed under her emerald eyes from many sleepless nights, her body dragged when trying to keep up with her two rambunctious fillies. Somehow, he had convinced her, and she brought the girls to the playground with strict, unmistakable instructions:
<i>"Stay within the sight of the fairies. Do <b>not</b> go into the forest. And whatever you do, stay out of trouble."</i> Embark and Deiti had nodded their little heads, and with two kisses goodbye, she had left the girls in the care of the fairies.
Embark had never <i>seen</i> so many children before. In fact, the only child she really knew was her sister. All of them shared different shapes, colors, and personalities, and the golden girl is enthralled by the magic of it all. Most are running around, boisterous things with the whole world ahead of them. Deiti is quick to join in on their fun, but Embark chooses to stay behind, content to watch them romp and play.
Not a mere five minutes later, a tiny red boy bounds over to her side. He is grinning, and Embark tilts her head curiously. Had she seen any other male than her father before? <i>"Come over here! My mom is telling a <b>story</b>!"</i> And then he hops away, relaying the same message to all the other children in the playground.
Embark finds her sister seated amongst the rest, and plops beside her. She can't say she isn't excited when she sees the beautiful caramel mare before her - a gown of peacock wings flutter to the ground in beautiful shades of sapphire and violet, a contagious smile plastered on her lips. Embark leans in for a better listen.
She tells the tale of Santa Clause, and Embark is instantly intrigued. In her head, she can imagine all his magical wonder: a red colored man with snow white spots, delivering the wishes of Beqanna's children on snowy Christmas evenings, making every dream come true.
Embark turns to Deiti. Oh, how she wanted to be like her sister, so unafraid, so adventurous, so unworried about <i>anything</i>. Where her own world was filled with fear and turmoil, Deiti's seemed to be filled with <i>fun</i>.
<i>"...Find Santa and tell him your wish."</i> The toffee mare speaks. Embark looks back to her, crimson eyes bright with excitement...she knew exactly what she was going to wish for.
She wanted to be <i>brave</i>.
Deiti is already hopping from foot to foot beside her. <i>"Let's <b>go</b>, Embark! Let's find Santa Clause!"</i> She squeals. They do not wait for the other children, and they don't ask more questions. They simply canter away, towards the forest around them.
At the edge of the trees Embark stops, staring at the vast green wonderland before her. As Deiti continues ahead, her mother's warning echos in her head (<i>BAD things happen in forests, Embark!</i>).
But she wanted to be <i>brave</i>.
<b>"Sissy, wait up!"</b> Embark calls after her, pushing herself into the fastest gallop she can muster. Soon, the golden filly finds her sister, dead still in the middle of the woods, staring at <i>something</i> within a thicket of bushes. <b>"What's wrong, Deiti?"</b> She asks in a timid voice. Her sister does not respond. Embark looks up to the quivering within the bushes, and her once slow heartbeat begins to rapidly pulsate beneath her chest.
<b>"...Santa? Is...is that <i>you</i>?"</b> She asks, backing away as the fear consumes her.
</p><p class="quote2">Sugar and Spice</p></div></div></center>
This is not entirely her fault, however. She was born to two overbearing parents, who felt a primal need to protect her. From <i>what</i>, she is not entirely sure. All she knows is that she is the least adventurous of their two children, and that her sister always seemed to get her into <i>some</i> kind of mischief.
Today, for the first time ever, she is traveling away from the safety of their cliff-side cavern. Mama is bringing them to the playground, on the suggestion of dad. <i>You need a break, Kuma.</i> He had said.
And Mama did. Dark baggy circles formed under her emerald eyes from many sleepless nights, her body dragged when trying to keep up with her two rambunctious fillies. Somehow, he had convinced her, and she brought the girls to the playground with strict, unmistakable instructions:
<i>"Stay within the sight of the fairies. Do <b>not</b> go into the forest. And whatever you do, stay out of trouble."</i> Embark and Deiti had nodded their little heads, and with two kisses goodbye, she had left the girls in the care of the fairies.
Embark had never <i>seen</i> so many children before. In fact, the only child she really knew was her sister. All of them shared different shapes, colors, and personalities, and the golden girl is enthralled by the magic of it all. Most are running around, boisterous things with the whole world ahead of them. Deiti is quick to join in on their fun, but Embark chooses to stay behind, content to watch them romp and play.
Not a mere five minutes later, a tiny red boy bounds over to her side. He is grinning, and Embark tilts her head curiously. Had she seen any other male than her father before? <i>"Come over here! My mom is telling a <b>story</b>!"</i> And then he hops away, relaying the same message to all the other children in the playground.
Embark finds her sister seated amongst the rest, and plops beside her. She can't say she isn't excited when she sees the beautiful caramel mare before her - a gown of peacock wings flutter to the ground in beautiful shades of sapphire and violet, a contagious smile plastered on her lips. Embark leans in for a better listen.
She tells the tale of Santa Clause, and Embark is instantly intrigued. In her head, she can imagine all his magical wonder: a red colored man with snow white spots, delivering the wishes of Beqanna's children on snowy Christmas evenings, making every dream come true.
Embark turns to Deiti. Oh, how she wanted to be like her sister, so unafraid, so adventurous, so unworried about <i>anything</i>. Where her own world was filled with fear and turmoil, Deiti's seemed to be filled with <i>fun</i>.
<i>"...Find Santa and tell him your wish."</i> The toffee mare speaks. Embark looks back to her, crimson eyes bright with excitement...she knew exactly what she was going to wish for.
She wanted to be <i>brave</i>.
Deiti is already hopping from foot to foot beside her. <i>"Let's <b>go</b>, Embark! Let's find Santa Clause!"</i> She squeals. They do not wait for the other children, and they don't ask more questions. They simply canter away, towards the forest around them.
At the edge of the trees Embark stops, staring at the vast green wonderland before her. As Deiti continues ahead, her mother's warning echos in her head (<i>BAD things happen in forests, Embark!</i>).
But she wanted to be <i>brave</i>.
<b>"Sissy, wait up!"</b> Embark calls after her, pushing herself into the fastest gallop she can muster. Soon, the golden filly finds her sister, dead still in the middle of the woods, staring at <i>something</i> within a thicket of bushes. <b>"What's wrong, Deiti?"</b> She asks in a timid voice. Her sister does not respond. Embark looks up to the quivering within the bushes, and her once slow heartbeat begins to rapidly pulsate beneath her chest.
<b>"...Santa? Is...is that <i>you</i>?"</b> She asks, backing away as the fear consumes her.
</p><p class="quote2">Sugar and Spice</p></div></div></center>