[open] Hello Darkeness My Old Friend [ANY]

[Romek]

fuck all your dreams; they're not all they seem.

Romek had never really been any good at this recruiting business. He had never been much good at making friends, never being any good at forced polite small talk, or feigning interest, or putting on a false charming face. Why waste the time, when everyone knew what they were all here for? The Field – the land of the homeless, the land of the nowhere-else-to-go.

He stands at the borders for a long time, pondering whether he is wasting his time by being here. That is when he sees a stallion. He notices the size of the beast first, the gigantic stature, so reminiscent of former Kings of his. Perhaps there is something in big black stallions that inspire awe, and make others want to follow… but for now, the tiger man is simply interested in learning more.

He sidles up to him easily, tilting his head on approach. What at first seemed solid black, was actually speckled with tiny white dots… Much like his daughter, Alivia, who had spots all upon her neck. He is brought back, briefly, to the first night that he and Maribel ever spent together, when she had slipped her colours quite seamlessly into the pattern of a night sky… But that’s a thought for another time.

”Hello there,” he calls comfortably to the tall fellow, who towers easily above Romek. But still, Romek could well be talking to a small pony, for how much difference it makes him (some of the best, most honourable and trustworthy men in his life had been tall, and black…). ”My name is Romek, from Taiga. What is your name?” he pauses briefly, flicking his tail across his haunches to drive off a couple of pesky flies. ”And what do you come here seeking?”

Romek