breathe through me

[Amoxia]

 

Enter Amoxia, stage left. The sun is bright overhead, gentle wind, cloudless sky. Scene is a field, small cliques of horses scattered around, a small brook babbling through one corner in the distance. Someone once said all the world’s a stage. Someone was an idiot. The world’s not a stage, it’s a test. A test to see who can survive and who can’t. I knew this. Had always known this. Would always know this. It was the first lesson I had learned as a filly. You never forgot your first lesson. Light mismatched eyes peer out at the Field from the cover of the small forest on the sidelines. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this. I’d known about the Field forever, but it wasn’t really my scene you know? This was the kind of happily-ever-after place that those other girls – you know, the ones with the bright tooth paste commercial smiles and too much blush – go to find Prince Charming. I didn’t want any of that bullshit. Then again, I wasn’t really sure what I DID want, so who was I to talk?  Dark legs carry my slim body into the sunlight after a while. I’d finally kicked my own ass and told myself not to be a pussy and to just go for it. Hiding in the shadows was for emos and cowards, and that wasn’t me. The day I became one of them was the day I chucked myself off a cliff somewhere. It’s not like anyone’d miss me. Mom probably forgot she even had a kid. She’d wandered off for good finally about a year ago, and I didn’t bother going to look for her. Whatever mother-daughter bond people think existed was all in their heads, cause the only thing me and Soulgasm shared was some DNA. No more than I have in common with whatever horny, sweaty palmed, smooth talking john my Mom hooked up with one night to create me – the accidental consequence of her fun loving ways. Soulgasm probably had dozens of other kids like me out there, abandoned and forgotten about. Not that she’d ever said as much to me. No, conversations with Mom tended to go more along the lines of “I’m bored – amuse me.” Yeah, great parenting. With a snort of derision at my thoughts I finally decide I’m near enough the center of this Field place and my movement stops. Heterochromatic eyes glare out at my surroundings as my tail lashes against my hindquarters. Probably not the most approachable vibe to give off, but hey – I’m no people person. I learned early on that the more badass you look, the less people tend to bother you. Kind of ironic then that now I’m here almost purposefully waiting for someone to come up to me. Amoxia Buckskin Friesian/Anglo-Arabian hybrid  mare Gunsynd x Soulgasm

[Elysium]

watch your tongue or have it cut from your head,
save your life by keeping whispers unsaid.

   The sun was glaring down, radiating a heat that hinted at the oncoming approach of summer. It festered at the surface of his skin, which was covered in a soft beige layer of flaky scales, as sweat seeped between the multiple layers. His eyes glittered gently in the light; they were large, compound and though they could see the many colors and intriguing shapes of the world, it was often a blur until it was brought into focus. He pushed forward from the shadows, his six legs (four forelegs, two hindlegs) shifting in perfect harmony as he stalked gracefully onto the field.

   Gentle tendrils of wheat lapped softly at his hocks, teasing the sensitive skin as he began to bathe his many limbs in their caresses. A warm breeze drifted through the lull of the valley, carrying the heady scent of another female, suggesting that perhaps the land was not as desolate and lonely as he had previous come to think. He lifted his wings towards the sky, outstretching their moth-like shape and flexing the muscles. They were heavily patterned, formed for camouflage though it mostly it had served him as decoration alone. The fluttered lightly at the pressure of the oncoming gust of wind, and again he tucked them along his spine.

   He knew he looked unusual; he did not need to draw more attention to himself than he already naturally would.

   Elysium pressed forward, overcoming a small slope and it is then that he sees her in her caramelized glory. Her stance was one of disdain and displeasure, which caused his mouth to tug up at the corners in a faint smirk. He could appreciate attitude, and hers was certainly an indignant one. He studies her cream-tainted pelt and their smoky points, and her unusual eyes - it takes him a moment to focus his own strange pair of eyes on her but the color difference is remarkably unique. He moves closer, yet maintains distance - he does not want to startle her, disgust her or cause her alarm.

   He does not want her for himself; it is companionship within his kingdom that he seeks.

   Hopefully that is not a tough sell.

   "Good afternoon," his soft tenor rises, echoing in the otherwise empty space. "My name is Elysium, and I come from the Valley - a kingdom southeast of here. What brings you here?"
   

elysium

no mercy from the edge of the blade,
dare escape and learn the price to be paid.

[Amoxia]

I stand for a while in the Field, my heterochromatic eyes staring down the few equines that drew near me. It’s apparently enough to scare them off, ‘cause none of them are dumb enough to actually approach me. Guess one little girl’s too scary for them. That is, until one VERY strange looking dude walks up, apparently undeterred by the large blinking sign over my head flashing “STAY AWAY.” Yeah, I’ll admit it – my body language doesn’t exactly scream inviting, even though I’m sitting here in this godforsaken place presumably because I’m waiting for someone to approach me. I never said I wasn’t a complicated bitch. Anyway, this guy – he’s more messed up looking than most of the equines I’ve run into around this place, but out of the ordinary is kind of, well, ordinary in Beqanna, so it’s not nearly enough to scare me off. I do feel a moment of pity for the guy though – I mean, I might have a chip on my shoulder the size of Russia but for all the screwed up shit that’s happened in my life, at least I wasn’t born looking like that. Must have been tough.  He keeps a respectful distance away from me – whether because he’s afraid of me biting his head off or because he thinks I’m some gentle damsel in distress who’d be scared of the big bad stallion I can’t tell, but either way it makes me smirk. Not that the first isn’t kind of true – I’m a snap first, ask questions later kind of girl after all.  He introduces himself as Elysium of the Valley – I know of it, even though I’ve never been myself. Hard not to at least have a passing knowledge of all the kingdoms when you’ve grown up around these parts. When he asks why I’m here though I snort derisively, my mismatched eyes giving him a disdainful look. Selling Girl Guide cookies, what do you think? I snap, rolling my eyes. Ok, so probably not the best first impression to make if I’m hoping to find a home out of this stupid endeavour, but really – what brings me here? The same stupid shit that brings everyone here, obviously – I’ve got no place else to go.  Amoxia Buckskin Friesian/Anglo-Arabian hybrid  mare Gunsynd x Soulgasm

[Elysium]

watch your tongue or have it cut from your head,
save your life by keeping whispers unsaid.

   She views him with disgust and pity, which he does not mind and easily shrugs off. He is used to that type of mental and verbal ridicule - again, he is unusual, and he accepted it long ago. Her two-toned eyes bore into him as he settles mere feet from her, though he maintains his distance out of more than what she assumes. He does not want to invade her personal space, not because he fears her physical reaction (though there are parts of him that are certainly fragile, there are talons and multiple appendages he could easily use to defend himself. After all, he was always a supporter of gender equality.

   His lips pulled again at the corners, developing into a full blown smirk over her callous attitude. She is attempting to portray a rough demeanor, and it is successful, but he is not disturbed by it nor does it push him away. Rather, he is intrigued. He can appreciate a strong, independent female when he sees one, and if she feels that snapping unfeelingly towards him will put off the vibe that she is aiming for, he can accept that - and accept her wholly. He does not judge. He has no right to.

   "You're a pleasant one to be around, aren't you? I like it. It's nice to see a female with a backbone." He pauses, his compound gaze focusing again on her, observing the way she rolls her eyes at him. He senses that her personality may go much deeper than her scathing behavior has shown thusfar. He knows that their kingdom could use someone of such strength and impenetrable edginess, and so he says. "If you would like me to leave, I will - but I would rather know your name and offer residence within our kingdom's borders. We could use someone like you, that much I know."
  

elysium

no mercy from the edge of the blade,
dare escape and learn the price to be paid.

[Amoxia]

He smirks in response to my sarcastic response to his dumb question, and I struggle between scowling, angry at anyone who dares to find me amusing, and grinning, knowing that only people like me find sarcasm and attitude like mine entertaining. While my brain does this little tug of war, the expression on my face doesn’t waver, continuing to portray what I’ve come to think of as my default expression – brash, disdainful, leaning towards pissed without really going overboard. What can I say – I have resting bitch face.  I snort at his retort, not really having much to say in response – I’m NOT a pleasant person, but a backbone I’ve got in spades. Kind of a pre-requisite for dealing with this world on your own. Here there be monsters, and they come in many forms. His offer to leave makes me pause. I don’t have anything against the guy really – he could be worse. Recruiters tend to lean heavily towards the bright white smiles and overly polite chit chat from what I’ve seen, and honestly I’d rather be approached by a serial killer than put up with that shit, but this guy’s neither (well, I don’t THINK he’s a serial killer, but in Beqanna you can never really tell). On the other hand I don’t feel any particular draw to the Valley, but then, I don’t feel any particular draw to ANYWHERE – that’s why I’m here in the first place.  So I snort again at his remark, tossing by dark slightly as I shift my stance. When did a bad attitude become a selling point? I retort, staring at him with eyes that don’t match, trying to suss this guy out. After a few moments of silence I relent, lashing my tail against my hindquarters. Amoxia. My name’s Amoxia.  Amoxia Buckskin Friesian/Anglo-Arabian hybrid  mare Gunsynd x Soulgasm

[Elysium]

watch your tongue or have it cut from your head,
save your life by keeping whispers unsaid.

   "Amoxia," He says finally, allowing the name to settle deep within the recesses of his mind. Even if she were to turn his offer down and step away, he was certain he would never forget such a spitfire and would surely see her again in another place or time. A name would be a useful aid in such an event. The faint simper that had been on his lips moments ago finally wavered and faded - he was not one for overtly cheerful tactics; he was simply brutally honest. He had come seeking the interest of others, but not necessarily their favor. He had a feeling he was not garnering either with her, but it was decidedly difficult to tell.

   "My selling point is this. Our valley is led by a King with a sense of humor, and our leaders are unusual characters in and of themselves. While we are not as brutal as some, we do not back down in the face of a fight, we hold our alliances true and we do everything in our power to defend what we have. We are small, but mighty, and growing by the day. We have every season - maybe too cold in the winter for my taste, but balanced overall - and it isn't half bad to look at, either. We seek those like you - strong-willed, powerful in their own right."

  He pauses for effect, and also to contemplate his next words. He knows that she seeks confirmation that he does, indeed, have something to offer her, but he knows down to the marrow of his bones that it is everything and more. Fellowship, companionship, family. He had never known such things before, and he would stand with the broad, open valley until his dying breath. He gently shifts his wings, which rise towards the sun and catch its light, glimmering and casting a unique shadow replica of the pattern engraved into them. The breeze is gentle but relieves him beneath the warm sun.

  "We have a war and a peace caste, in which we hold several rankings. Each one has its various tasks and accomplishments and esteem is not difficult to obtain in the kingdom. Again, you would be a valuable asset - I can tell by the few words we've exchanged. You can come with me to a land of opportunity, or remain here under the hot sun in the stark of day. It is your choice. I know that our King, Demian, would be glad to have you."
 

elysium

no mercy from the edge of the blade,
dare escape and learn the price to be paid.

[Amoxia]

He starts in on the sales pitch, and I brace myself, expecting the usual spiel, which seems to go in one of two directions – either they blather on about how nice and welcoming a place is, or they pitch that their kingdom is the path to glory and that it’s the best in the whole wide world. The first always bores me – nice doesn’t suit me, and nice people tend to be the boring people. The second usually just makes me roll my eyes, because EVERYONE thinks theirs is the best kingdom, and they rarely have anything to back up their bullshit. Elysium however manages to surprise me in just a few words, and the emotion actually manages to break through me mask for a moment before I can catch it and supress it again. A king with a sense of humour and a ragtag band of unusual characters was definitely not in most recruiters’ normal sales pitches, and it’s enough to make my lips quirk upwards ever so slightly. While I have no problem with power and glory, an interesting group of people is a much better draw in my opinion – moth-man seems to have hit on a perfect selling point for me, whether he realizes it or not.  I don’t let it show though; I let him finish his speech, and I actually listen. Oh sure, I ignore the bits that my brain automatically categorizes as sales pitch bullshit, but the parts where he’s talking about what his home is actually like appeal to me. I have no problem with work, when I want to, and success, while a stranger to me, does have its appeal. But it’s the picture he paints of the people that make me think that maybe it’s worth the trip down to the Valley to check out this kingdom. I mean, worse comes to worse I can always bail and come back here, or bum around the Meadow like I have my whole life. Best case scenario, I find a few people who don’t bore me to tears like most of the world’s population seems to. So I shrug after an appropriate length of silence has passed since he finished speaking, my expression giving little away about my musings. I guess I could check it out, I finally say, knowing that I’d need to relent at least a little on the callous bitch demeanor I’ve been cultivating my entire life. I was sick of living alone with nothing to do. Life like that was too boring, too purposeless. Maybe the Valley would have something that could appeal to me. Didn’t mean I had to let him know it though. Amoxia Buckskin Friesian/Anglo-Arabian hybrid  mare Gunsynd x Soulgasm

[Elysium]

watch your tongue or have it cut from your head,
save your life by keeping whispers unsaid.

   He does not like long-winded spiels, himself - he finds honesty is key. He tries to often draw from what makes his own kingdom home and it is those various fragments of information that fit so tenderly and so easily into the bigger picture. He can see the way her two-toned eyes glimmer slightly, intrigued by his words, and he realizes that in the very least, he has not bored her with what he does have to say. The corners of his lips once again tug up into a small, subtle simper in acknowledgement of her own.

   I guess I could check it out, she says finally, and that is all the confirmation that he needs. He and the other males and females are an unusual and unlikely fellowship, but it functions well, with each individual's personality able to shine, to be nurtured and to grow, without unnecessary restriction. Again, he could appreciate her own blunt, brash way of approach the world, if only she can open her eyes to something more, and she has, so what more could he ask for?

   "You are always welcome to leave if it does not suit you - but I think you will come to enjoy it. Come; I have much to show you."

elysium

no mercy from the edge of the blade,
dare escape and learn the price to be paid.

:| Not my best. We can pick back up in the Valley?