"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
Well it never fails to see what the Beqanna god do to get their jollies. Some foals are born with extra eyes, no eyes, antlers, missing legs, and even rotting piles of goo. Thankfully Imogin wasn't THAT unfortunate. Her biggest complaint honestly was the fact that she came out of the womb looking like a My Little Pony toy. A friggen My Little Pony! Other than a tacky pastel pink mane and tail she was a minty skinned tobiano. SEiously can we say cliche'? Ugh. Gag me with a spoon! Even Lisa Frank would turn up her nose at Imogin.
But! All is not lost. Someone had whispered to the filly that there were magicians that floated in and out of Beqanna, crossing the planes between their world and others and there just so happened to be one that was rumored to have returned to Beqanna. The ancient immortal Prague. She was only a ghost to most even still but if the mare had returned to Beqanna then Imogin had to find her...as shallow as her request may seem.
It was really hard being a My Little Pony toy.
The girl knew the Jungle was no place for foolishness. These women were strong and fierce and more than happily would slit her throat for giving them the side eye or sucking her teeth. Imo tucks her legs under her in a short gait on gangling legs. The thing was, how do you find a magician? "Prague? Miss Prague?" The voice is high and feminine and uncertain as she tries calls. Her small face twisting a bit as she starts to get cold feet but then the laughter of the other foals. Their mean names cruel jokes. Telling her how ugly she was. How she looked like splotches of puke.
She finds her strength again.
"Prague...I need your help." The voice, now stronger and more confident, calls to the magic woman.
The silver lioness was never far from the Jungle; even if she hadn't been seen in a decade she could be summoned by the right person. Prague had a knack for staying to herself these days, her time of diplomacy had passed long ago - even though she misses being Queen; mother of the Amazons, she is thankful for the peace now. She hasn't been asked for specifically in what feels like years, especially Miss Prague so her interest is piqued at this.
She could already see the mare if she had chosen to but Prague is rather 'quiet' about her abilities typically, even though most of Beqanna knows them. In truth, the silver mare could read her thoughts and know before she had even thought about actually coming to the jungle but that is work. Work the old mare viewed too tedious. She shifts into a silver lioness, she yawns and her whiskers raise to show her sharp incisors. With a few long strides she can see the mare, mint green and white with a light pink mane and tail - well, she's definitely not hiding anywhere anytime soon. Prague thinks of her blue daughter, the one she killed and of Thaddius, her hot pink son. She isn't sure what exactly had happened in her womb; she always strived for normalcy but couldn't be bothered to change them back. Prague moves quietly in the underbrush of the Jungle, circling around the mare to approach her from behind. Prague can smell her better now, she's a younger girl and she can't really pick up on any particular scents. With a few steadying movements the lioness is up on her pads, her tail flipping to keep her balance and then she lunges. She lands right in front of the girl, a growl comes out and she then sits. "Who are you and what are you calling on me for?" she hisses, then yawns; she really is harmless most of the time. "I'm Prague, if you haven't gathered that."
With that, she lifts her paw and cleans it stretching out her razor sharp nails.
It seemed like -poof- and there she was. The young female is obviously surprised as a little 'eep!' is heard as she trips over her own footing. Not a horse but a gosh darn silver lion is looming towards the mare. The scent is wild and dark. Nothing like anything Imo has ever even imagined before. She is soundless on padded feet and even before the young female can even exhale from her surprised the hell-cat lunges and almost has the girl in her claws.
Imogin's head feels light, swimming in the mix of emotions. If she could go crossed eyed then she would have but then Prague's words ground her. The voice in between velvet and gravel, a purr in tones unheard of by mortal ears. Eyes shift to the thick and yellowed teeth of the yawning feline and of course not missing those skin rippers that she has exposed at her feet...
Of course any horse, especially this little one, would need a moment to gather herself.
"Prague...I come to ask for your help." Imo stops to watch the moon dipped lioness, gauging if she was about to have her throat torn out or not. When she doesn't she decides to continue. "I want to change. This body, this coat...I can not simply bear it any longer. The others...the others torture and tease me. They never stop till I cry. They call me ugly. They call me disgusting to look at. They say my mother should have stomped such an ugly child..." The small voice thickens as she refuses to shed any tears before this lion woman...this goddess among mortals. "I want to be beautiful."
The youth stops as after she speaks the words. Usually one would assume the filly would want to be a "normal" color. Bay, black, gray, spotted...the usual but hell no. Imo wanted to give them something really to gawk at and make them swallow their own tongue. She wanted to choke them on their own jealousy. Let them writhe in their own hate. "I want to be made of silvery-white sequins. Give them something really good to stare." Her small eyes cloud over briefly as a small malicious smirk slightly touches the corners of her lips before she realizes where she is and returns her gaze to the gray female. "Please, whatever you want. I will do anything, Prague."
Prague has had many requests in her lifetime. She's granted Macaw wings, immortality, given mares children by magic, changed herself or others into the opposite sex; but this request was the first of its nature. The lioness laughs, it's as infectious as it has always been. She then thinks to herself that the young girl would likely feel even worse about her 'condition' by her laughing. "This request isn't typical but it's definitely doable," she says with a slow drawl, she starts circling the mare as if to size her up, as if to ask "is she Amazon material?" "Hmm, what's in it for me or rather; for the Jungle? I don't just do favors for strangers. I mean, I know your name Imogin but it's just polite to give it," she says, shifting yet again to a silver snake. She coils around the mint leg, moving up and her split tongue tasting; feeling the mare.
"I'm sure an arrangement could be made, you tell me what you're willing to give and I'll tell you if it's acceptable," she says, slowly scaling up the mares back and starting to coil around her neck. Prague was feeling more and more like herself but different in ways she couldn't exactly explain. She was feeling a tension she couldn't particularly explain, her senses were heightened; her adrenaline high constantly. Who knew what would come of the future.
The laughter is like little icicles splintering against the heart of the lanky mare-child. Even this jungle cat laughed at her. Of course she would. Why wouldn't she? They always laugh...but it suddenly cuts short and the young girl lifts her stony gaze to the other as she mists before her eyes and shifts to a slithering reptile. Lobes flicker uncertainty, surprised that Prague knew her name. But should she really be so surprised at the magician?
Prague moves up the green tinged leg of Imogin with no effort at all. A most horses react to snakes, Imo freezes with wide eyes. Eyes flick to give the woman full attention now as she is powerless to look away. The words spoken are received and inside Imogin there is relief that the magic woman does not ask for an eyeball or Imo to murder any one. The offer she is to giver if open ended so the young mare thinks hard before responding.
"My time." The reply is simple. Imogin offers her loyalty to the Amazons and to Prague however she seems fit. The girl was serious about her decision as silly as it may seem. "I will happily serve the jungle and the Amazons in exchange for your help."Short and sweet and to the point. Hopefully the woman would accept her offer. Hopefully the reptile would loosen it's grip on her larynx instead of tightening it.
Prague thinks this is an acceptable trade, sequins for service. She slithers up towards Imogin's ear, her tongue slipping into the mare's ear. "That'll do just fine. How about a minimum of two years and after that, you're free to go unless I find something better for you to do," she laughs again - falling from the mare and shifting back into her normal form. She was rather beautiful, closer to 200 years of age but not a day over 5 in appearance. Tall, stoic with kind eyes.
"Although you should pledge to Lagertha as well, I'll consider that your pledge to the Jungle," she says before closing her honey eyes to concoct the potion if you will. She steps forward to the mare, touching her cheek with her lips as she mouths a chant to herself. The color changes from her feet up, sequins following and sealing at her poll. It comes without some touch of the silver mare though. Prague glances to her chest, she quickly shifts back into a lioness and forcefully scratches the now sequin mare; burning should take over and scar it temporarily. Perhaps Prague would lift it when her time was service, perhaps not. There should be something to signify this was not done to be kind; it was done to better their kingdom. "I'm sure you won't mind a symbol of my love, now would you? If you are in the presence of a Chamberling or Valley member, it will not show up though...maybe later you'll learn why." The mare smiles, shifting back to her regular form once again. "Don't be a stranger, I expect to see you at our next meeting...I have eyes everywhere you know," she says bluntly, waiting for a reaction from the Amazon's newest pledge.
ooc: if you're not cool with the scar, let me know. I thought it could add some interest or conversation piece for your character while she's here/visiting other places.
The cold heartbeat of the reptile woman slides up her face like the caress of a cadaver. Imogin shivers against her touch but she nods in agreement to the terms of the offer. Two years suited the young mare just fine.
Prague moves effortlessly to shift back to her given form. Imo lays eyes on her equine shape for the first time since she had seen the mare only as a lioness. Prague is statuesque in her nature. She is an eternal youth by her own hand. Such magic! Imogin can not help but stare as Prague seals her end of the bargain with a soft touch on Imo's cheek. With that Imogin feels herself changing. Strange and rapid the little sequins grow like scales...like chain-mail for battle. A smile ties over the young mare's lips but the ecstasy is short lived when she feels the deep burn of the mark on her chest. The now sequin mare gasps in shock thinking the magician has played a cruel joke and and granted her the request only to take it away seconds later.
Finally, once she actually listens that she realizes she isn't dying but this mark is one of labor. This was Prague's way of showing her that there was a debt owed and Imo knew she was to keep her work. Though a wiry smile is on the youth's face she nods in agreement and tries to suppress her emotions. Imo did not understand the cryptic part where her scar would not be seen by the Chamber or Valley members but it didn't matter. Her desire had been fulfilled at a small price. "Thank you, Prague, thank you..." Imogin could practically kiss her right now. "I will be where ever the Amazons and the Jungle need me to be." There is was. Her fate was sealed...and she couldn't be happier.
