TDM 012

[etrayamods]

Event Summary

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Premise: A horse-loving bot has devised a way to transform people to have horse features in order to participate in horse-themed activities and engage in speed-dating.

Tone: Lighthearted, silly, absurd

Objectives: Go to the Fairgrounds either transformed or not and have five dates.

❬ ARRIVAL ❭

Arrival has gone as expected. Newcomers awaken in a sterile hospital bed in a clean, white room to the hum of machines under the unnatural lighting common to well-kept institutions.

The door swings open, revealing a hallway that stretches out ahead of them adorned with photographs of romantic scenery in snowy weather. There’s commotion from outside, but the lobby has a welcome table with treats and refreshments. Today, there are oat cookies, carrot cake, apple cider, and a bowl of sugar cubes.

Helpful companion bots also await at the welcome table to distribute bouquets of flowers to newcomers.

❬ LOVE IS A HORSE ❭

It starts slowly. If you are somewhere less central, you might not even notice it at all until it’s taken over Etraya. They look like love letters, handwritten on pretty, perfumed paper and stamped with wax seals. They are not for any particular recipient, but they espouse love for horses. There’s drawings, facts, copies from books, poems.

Soon, bills are posted around town advertising a wondrous machine purported to bring you closer to love in this romantic season.

A bot is stationed directly outside the hospital next to this purported machine. He introduces himself as Ser Equus Esquire the Third and is dressed in excellent quality riding gear. A banner above the machine calls it “The Love Finder”.

”Any who step inside shall soon learn the true meaning of love!” reads the sign board beside it.

On it is a dial and a switch. The dial is labeled, but covered with a bit of tape and maxes out at 100. The switch is unlabeled, but it’s clear enough that this executes the desired level of whatever the dial is set to.

Should you step inside, the dial will be adjusted and the switch will be flipped. The machine will transform the target into a horse or horse hybrid, and transport them to festival grounds.

Note: How horselike you are can vary greatly. Everything from simple Umamusume ears and tail to centaur to full on horse— Or something awful and in between is fully acceptable. To access the event, it is not necessary to step into the Horsifier Machine. You can simply find the fair grounds on your own.

❬ HORSIN’ AROUND ❭

Whether you are transported there or find your way by yourself, a sprawling, elegant backdrop is here to meet you. In front of the wintered Louvre, the grounds stretch out to give plenty of room to roam and explore. There are tents set up with dressing rooms for an outfit change. It’s all finery and frock, regency era costuming befitting of the mood. There’s food in stalls, all served as dainty bites on toothpicks or in little paper wrappers to mind potential mess. Overall, it looks like a medium-budget Brigerton themed county fair.

Activities and trials have been laid out to help Etrayans understand the true meaning of love. Ser Equus Esquire the Third would like you to complete three activities to prove that you have fully explored the ways that horses can teach us to love.

It is not strictly enforced who does what part of each task, though someone with no horselike qualities may find it more difficult to pull a carriage or carry someone attempting to do archery.

Activities

• Carriage Rides - Take a jaunt through the park with your companion leading the way. Love is about trusting another to lead sometimes.
• Brushing and Braiding - With an assortment of materials to assist, fancy up your partner! Love is helping others look and feel their best.
• Racing - Push yourself to your limits! Love requires focus and dedication.
• Horseback Archery - Hit targets while galloping on horseback (or in horsearms). Love is working together for goals that cannot be accomplished alone!
• Trail Riding - Explore the less trodden paths together in the woods. Love is about discovery and adaptation.
• Dancing - Either mounted or astride, teach or practice moves together. Love is about being able to move in tandem.
• Saddling & Dress Up - Get fitted for a saddle or find some new clothes to match your partner. Love is finding what fits!
• Barrel Racing - Run in clovers around placed barrels. Love is coordinating and avoiding hazards together.
• Jumping - Run and jump hurdles of various heights. Love is about carrying one another sometimes!
• Desensitizing - Use all sorts of objects to help desensitize your partner! Love is about being able to stay calm when things get tough.
• Feed and Treating - Share treats with your partner. Love is about nourishing one another!

But all of this is the backdrop for…

❬ OFF TO THE RACES ❭

Speed play dates! Once you are dressed and fed, you will be presented with a stack of Speed Dating Cards. Turn in three of them to prove you have understood what this was all trying to impart upon you, and Ser Equus Esquire the 3rd will allow you to change back— If you like. You are welcome to stay like this for the duration of the event.

Speed dating cards have a suggested topic at the top ranging from everything as simple as “Colors” to “Ideal Date” to some truly strange ones like “Warcrimes of Insects”.

Otherwise, they expect you to rate your companion like so:

🐎 Make My Heart Race 💘

My Date With Cidolfus

Activity: Swan boats

Topic: Carrot-based foods

Green Flags:
✅ Dad
✅ Good at flirting
✅ Amano design inspo

Red Flags:
🚩 Not over his celibate bro
🚩 Maybe not actually a dad?

Equinity

❤️❤️❤️❤️🩶

Manners

❤️❤️🩶🩶🩶

Humor

❤️❤️❤️🩶🩶

Chemistry

❤️❤️❤️❤️🩶

Conversation

❤️❤️❤️🩶🩶

Overall Rating
❤️❤️❤️🩶🩶

The code for this can be found below and edited to your liking if you wish to make in-character date reviews. Please feel free to change any particular rated stat to suit your preferences!

<!--- START NOTE ---><lj-raw><div style="width:70%;padding:25px;"><div style="background: url(https://etrayamods.dreamwidth.org/file/86245.jpg);background-size:80%;width:75%;padding:25px;"><div style="background-color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.65);padding:15px 15px 5px 15px;font-family:Garamound,Georgia,serif;text-align:left;"><center>🐎<span style="font-family:serif;font-size:18px;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:2px;"> Make My Heart Race</span> 💘</center> <div style="padding:5px 0px 25px 0px;width:100%;text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Garamound,Georgia,serif;font-size:12px;letter-spacing:3px;text-transform:uppercase;">My Date With <U>!CHARACTER NAME</U></span></div> <div><div style="width:50%;float:left;display:inline;"><B>Activity:</B> !ACTIVITY HERE</div><div style="width:50%;float:right;display:inline;"><B>Topic:</B> !TOPIC HERE</div> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:15px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;"><B>Green Flags:</B></lj-raw> ✅ !GREEN FLAGS HERE<lj-raw></div> <div style="width:50%;padding-top:15px;float:right;display:inline;"><B>Red Flags:</B></lj-raw> 🚩 !RED FLAGS HERE<lj-raw></div></div> <div style="padding-top:25px;clear:both;"><div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Equinity</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Manners</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Humor</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Chemistry</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Conversation</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div></div> <div style="clear:both;text-align:center;width:100%;padding:25px;"><span style="font-family:serif;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:2px;">Overall Rating</span><br> ❤️🩶</div></div></div></div></lj-raw><!--- END NOTE --->

🔵FULL NAVIGATION🔵

Comments

Mod Questions Here

[etrayamods]

Any questions, concerns, or comments? Leave them here!

[sweetmilk]

so, uh, can the horse still be part (or mostly) machine?

[threadmage]

Instead of a flesh horse can it be a carousel horse style?

Keyleth l The Legend of Vox Machina

[aershari]

Arrival:

[She is sure she last recalls leaving with Vax, heading to continue her Aramente. So Keyleth is rather confused when she wakes up in hospital and all. Wonders about him, what the commotion outside is. She shifts, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and glancing around at the strange machines and all. It's evident this is some sort of medical facility, but it isn't like anything she has seen back home. She chats to Aurora a little, wondering and curious about the robot.]

W-what? Me? Oh, no. No, no, there's definitely some mistake. You don't want me to be responsible for this? I mean. Surely Grog and Pike or Vex, Vax would be better for this?

[This is fine? Just. Kinda inwardly panicking. Not that she hasn't been responsible for saving the Kingdom of Emon and such back home, but. Well. This was a whole other thing. Plus, she had her friends.

Eventually, she might calm down some to leave the room and start to venture out, figure things out more. Get her bearings. She can't say no to some food, and smiles when the companion bots give her flowers.]

Oh. Thank you?

Love is a Horse:

The true meaning of love?

[Why does this have her both curious and suspicious? Like something Scanlan might try? Keyleth is unsure what to make of this, especially when parts seem to be covered with tape. She makes a face, hesitant as she decides to initially just watch, observe and see what happens. There's a panic and instant suspicion when the people who take him up on this seem to disappear. She's aware of the likes of teleporting, but she just wants to make sure they are alright.]

Wh -- where did they go?! What did you do to them?!

Horsin' Around:

[Keyleth is not unused to transforming. It's part of her whole Druid thing. A horse is not her usual choice, though. So she might initially be a little awkward about this. Self-conscious as she's only partly transformed. Her ears and tail twitch and shift with her mood as she glances around at all the activities and tries to decides where to even start.]

This is....um. I'm not sure I've seen anything like this before?

[Sure, there might have been races and the like. Shows with horses. But not that Keyleth actually experienced back home.]

Speed Dates:

D-d-dates? Oh, um, n-no, I couldn't....I mean. I'm already.....?

[She already has Vax? So she isn't sure about this 'dating' thing? Not that she doesn't want to get to know people or make friends, but. Uh. She's already with someone? And she isn't necessarily like Scanlan, who has no qualms about sleeping around with whoever. Keyleth shakes her hands in front of her, shaking her head as her face flushes rather pink.]

Wildcard:

[ooc: want something else with Keyleth? I'm probably down, just hit me up and I can roll with whatever.]

[andreadallover]

what if you are already part horse?

[etrayamods]

Yes! The science behind this is as mysterious as it is flexible.

[etrayamods]

Absolutely! Ser Equus Esquire the Third loves all manner of horse.

[etrayamods]

You’re already perfect then, aren’t you? To be more serious, you can choose to become more horselike, or the machine gets confused and makes you less horselike.

[sweetmilk]

excellent. this is gonna be so ridiculous. thank you.

Artemy Burakh | Pathologic

[haruspicis]

I. arrival —

Hunched over at the edge of the stiff, plasticky mattress, Artemy's forearms are draped over his thighs. Sensitive to the astringent sting on the sterilized room, he sits and listens as the inside of his nose burns. It reminds him of the medical school he attended years ago, organized and impersonal, surgical steel and starchy, over-laundered cloth that stunk of bleach.

With a groan, he stands, crossing the room towards the door. There is some thrumming dread that this is another dream that he will wake from, but not before a masked bird utters a riddle he has no hope to solve. Regardless, he steps through into the long corridor, decorated warmly with photographs of unfamiliar places covered in snow. He doesn't linger long to admire any, following the sound of movement to where the hallway opens up into a lobby.

The puttering things handing out food gives him pause, but not enough to refuse something warm to eat. As he holds his hand out, he can't help but mutter, "Энэ ши юун хун гээшэбши,*" with a somewhat amused tone and he accepts the biscuit gratefully. He doesn't savor it, instead wandering around the lobby for another moment or two before gathering up another handful of whatever food is closest and wrapping it a piece of a tablecloth to take with him.

"Ah," he says, stopping short of walking into someone. His voice is thickly accented. "You first." Artemy gestures towards the door.

(( *Artemy speaks a combination of Russian and his native language. In this case, he says, in the Steppe language (think Central Asian): "What kind of person are you?" to the bots. ))

II. love is a horse —

The air outside is better than inside the hospital, brisk and sharp the way he remembers from his childhood, running around in the shadow of the Steppe until his legs gave out and his lungs burned. The chill was beginning to creep in back home, but it wouldn't have a town to enshroud if the plague reached it first.

Seeing another being, Artemy approaches with the intent to ask if there is a way back to the Town only to be interrupted with an introduction (which he returns as politely as he can manage) before he's drowned out again with some nonsense about horses and love.

"I've never seen a horse close enough to know anything about it," Artemy comments, shifting his weight off his bad knee as he leans forward, fiddling with the dial. At first, he turns it to the max and then down to nothing, and then stops somewhere towards the middle. "What do you think this is?"

III. horsin' around — pick a challenge and we can go from there!

The grounds are nicer than any he's ever stepped foot in, but suffocating. It reminds him of the city, packed with people who all had purpose. Artemy's wasn't on cobbled streets, darting between libraries and operating theaters, though he hadn't known at the time. He hadn't known until the train ride home, quiet and solemn as he left the city and its war behind.

Squinting against the bright light, he looks around and sees the booths and stalls all lined up and he walks up to one and looks more lost than he's felt in years. He laughs to himself and shakes his head, stepping slightly to the side and looking back. "I'm willing to get this over with if you are," he says. It's not really in the spirit of this whole thing, but it could be worse. He's being a lot nicer than he wanted to be.

IV. WILDCARD — dealer's choice

Feel free to also just throw anything at me, or message me at brutallyamish if you want a closed prompt, or want to do anything specific. Brackets are also cool with me, I'll match.

daenerys targaryen | game of thrones | returning character

[erintys]

+ arrival

[ Still smelling of ash and smoke, her hair in disarray and her clothes covered in dust, Daenerys walks through the familiar corridor stiffly but with a quiet resolve. Her face is paler than usual, a distant look in her eyes as though she's seen something that shook her to her core. And it has. After all she's experienced, every horror she's endured, Daenerys finally looked upon a darkness she's still struggling to comprehend.

It's a long moment before she realizes she's been standing, immovable, in the middle of the lobby. Blinking, Daenerys inhales sharply, attempting — very poorly — to make herself look more presentable. She brushes off the dust still clinging to her riding leathers and picks the ash from her loosening braid. ] I don't suppose there's a mirror, [ she murmurs, casting a tired glance around the mostly barren room. It wouldn't do to go looking for her former companions here while looking like she hasn't touched a bath in months. She still smells of Drogon, and while Daenerys doesn't mind the stink of dragon, most people recoil from it.

Moving to the table for something to drink, Daenerys briefly winces and quickly attempts to cover it by walking the rest of the way stiffly. ]

+ horsin' around

[ Grateful for the fresh air, Daenerys finds herself smiling before she can stop herself, gazing out at the array of horses across the field. It's a welcome sight, if an awkward one. She's fully aware these aren't all horses, but it's difficult to shake the bittersweet sensation burning in her chest. Daenerys will always think of home when she's near horses. It's difficult not to.

But she pushes the feeling aside, focusing instead on attempting to rebraid some of her hair. It's a task in and of itself, the braid long and heavy and tangled from flying for several hours. ] Do you have much experience with riding? [ Daenerys asks, sensing someone approach. ] I suppose I should ask if you have experience with transformation magic. I've only heard stories. [ She continues braiding her hair poorly. Might as well get this done, even if it isn't perfect. ]

+ off to the races

[ Love is a feeling Daenerys knows well. She loves many people — even people she's never met — but that doesn't mean romantic love is something she believes she's capable of. It seems a distant dream, one she might have entertained as a little girl. And if I look back, I am lost, Daenerys reminds herself, clutching the dating cards a bit more tightly than strictly necessary. Like weapons, each one, though she's determined to turn it toward a useful purpose. ]

Did you wish to be free of this form? [ she asks the first horse she approaches. It's possible this is, in fact, just a horse, but Daenerys is at least able to find the humor in such a mistake. It would be her luck to engage in a sham romance with one of her favorite creatures rather than a human. ] I promise to give you an excellent recommendation. [ She raises the cards to indicate her intentions, offering a small, amused smirk. Impish, this one. At least when the mood strikes. ]

+ wildcard

[ ooc: Happy to roll with whatever! Feel free to poke me at mycroftier for plotting. 🫶 ]

off to the races;

[sweetmilk]

[ Curiosity had gotten the better of sense and Viktor regrets indulging it when he's emerged from that machine with augmentations he did not appreciate. The ears were... fixable, with the right tools and time, neither of which he had at the moment. In all honesty, it was about time he did replace them, too, but the ridiculous, horse-like ears were the furthest from his concerns when his entire lower half is bent awkwardly to look like the haunches of a horse standing upright. His balance is nearly nonexistent, which has, for the most part, forced him to lurk on the edges.

Viktor prepares to wave off the person approaching when the voice catches him off guard. He doesn't look right away. In fact, he refuses. It doesn't last long and he turns, wobbling slightly on strange joints, and just stares at her through the mask. After a long few seconds, he takes the mask off. The ears flatten back against his head. ]

How excellent a recommendation?

[ Because it's easier to joke than to admit he's pleased, or whatever it is he's experiencing at the moment. ]

arrival;

[haruspicis]

[ That look is one Artemy is too familiar with, a haunted kind of focus, and as nagging as ringing ears. Artemy's treated it, as well as something like that could be treated, patched them up and sent them out with rifles in their hands and ghosts in their eyes, these men, lost in things they've all seen and nowhere to go to escape it.

From where he's hovering around the table arranged with various cakes and biscuits, he watches out of the corners of his eyes. The scent of ash, blood, and smoke clings to her and something else, earthy, warm, and primal. It's not like anything he's smelled before.

Walking up, he hands her a biscuit wrapped in a napkin. ] What did you see?

[bacalarius]

If someone is particularly stupid curious about the inner workings of the machine, would anything happen if they poke at it? Walk through it more than once? Ask questions?

horsin' around

[phirouzeh]

Oh, I do, la--erm. Daenerys. I'm not certain if I've the advantage of you. If I do, pray forgive me!

[Ranvir would pause awkwardly anyway; if he knew her name and she did not know him, well. It would be uncomfortable, to say the least. It is still a bit uncomfortable because the last time he saw her, he was a bit less of a horse's ass than he happens to be at this moment. He stamps a rear hoof nervously and sidles a bit; he's given her a decent amount of space. He knows horses well enough that if he's nervous, he might spook inadvertently, and that would be a bad thing all around. More for her than for him.]

And yes, I've experience with transformation magic. Save usually, I'm the one in control of that; this is...a bit new. I hope it wears off, or I can coax it back to normal.

Well. As normal as I ever am. [Ranvir chuckles there, a bit dryly. Even as a centaur, he is a big boy, built more like the storied coursers than any beast better known in the modern day.] Though I am glad you remain unfamiliar with transformation magic. It's certainly startling when you aren't expecting it, to say the least.

[etrayamods]

That’s proprietary Horsening! Ser Equus Esquire the Third will allow you to go through multiple times, and a different result will occur each time. But he will not allow activity that might discourage or interfere with the Equinization of Etraya.

Besides, each time someone goes through, they are teleported to the fairgrounds. So they will need to hoof it back between investigations. Ser Equus Esquire the Third is also not particularly interested in answering specifics. He will not answer questions so much as regale nearby people with horse facts.

Edwina Sharma | Bridgerton (+Duplicity CRAU)

[hashtagwifegoals]

Arrival;

If she were going to rank her experiences with waking up in strange places in strange beds she doesn't recognize, Edwina would certainly place this most recent time at the top of the list. The woman's appearance is met with polite confusion- after all, it's just a bit concerning to h ear that this woman has been waiting for her to wake up.

The explanation that follows doesn't do much to ease that confusion, either. Aurora had kindly taken the time to elaborate, and yet, Edwina is no closer to discovering the nature of this place than she had been a few minutes earlier.

Either way, lingering in the room she'd woken up in isn't an option. And so, Edwina squares her shoulders before stepping out into the hallway. The artwork is charming, and she takes a moment to admire it as she makes her way outside. The refreshments table is an immediate draw- Edwina helps herself to a cup of apple cider, and then steps off to the side, and thus out of the way, as she turns to take in her surroundings.

Horsin' Around;

Following the events of her aborted marriage- and her subsequent time in the city- Edwina has done a fair amount of thinking about the nature of love, and the way she feels about it. She'd seen the sign proposing that people would learn the true meaning of love, and walked away from it.

In the end, she finds her way to the Louvre all on her own and is immediately taken aback by the beauty of the scene stretching out in front of her. Most surprisingly is the familiarity of it all. The tents, the costuming, the food stalls... everything comes together to remind her of home. Or rather, of Mayfair.

The purpose of this event is explained to her by a kind soul, and it sounds simple and straightforward enough. Completing three activities should be amusing enough. Edwina is eager to get started.

To that end, she puts on her best smile and turns toward the nearest person. "Pardon me. I'm a bit overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin."

Off to the Races;

The stack of cards and their accompanying explanation leave Edwina feeling somewhat amused. She is technically free to go on as many dates as she wishes, and yet, the notion of doing so and then following them up by rating the other person is an interesting one.

In the spirit of cooperation and adventure, she'll greet anyone who approaches her with a kind smile and a curtsy.

Wildcard;

Feel free to hit me with something else- inform Edwina of the machine, convince her to walk all the way back and go through it. Run into her while she's looking around. The sky's the limit. I'll match either format, so follow your heart. You can also poke me on discord or plurk @ cornyflake for plotting!

III (archery)

[unpollo]

Of course Apollo gravitates toward the archery range. He's always thankful for an opportunity to flex one of the skills that carried over to his mortal body; A body that is notably un-equine, as Apollo has long since learned not to trust any machine with ill-defined parameters. Especially in Etraya.

Apollo hadn't thought to bring his own bow. He's inspecting the quality of the ones provided when the stranger speaks. The low, rough voice alone is enough to bring a hint of pink to his cheeks; He'd always been a sucker for a sexy voice. Determined to look very Cool and Impressive, he turns to greet the stranger, leaning against the display rack for all of the bows.

"Sounds good. I am a pretty decent shot with these, and—"

The rack is not meant to hold the weight of a young man and starts to tip over. Apollo falters and scrambles to get it back upright and stable.

Darryl Van Horne | Eastwick (2009)

[screwme]

→ Arrival

[ The whole premise is very interesting. It seems like an obvious lie, but still, it is a fun lie so Darryl approves. All lying should be fun as far as he's concerned.

As he steps out into the hallway he walks directly towards the cider, if he has to go through whatever this is he'll be doing his best not to do it sober. Honestly, what would he even do if the whole thing were true? He's no champion.

As he pours himself a glass, he turns to the nearest person. ]

Cider? I think it's cider. Odd, isn't it? New world yet they offer cider, they could've at least bothered with a decent wine. Or a mimosa. What time is it? Surely it is early enough for mimosas.

→ Love is a horse

[ Darryl skips the horsifier altogether; he can't imagine any horsiness making things better for him, admittedly the whole situation is almost too bizarre for him to find any enjoyment in it, which is upsetting in a new way, he's almost never too wigged out to enjoy novelty.

In any case, no horsification for him, growing a horse tail would push him into not having any fun. Plus, in a situation where there are mounts he'd much rather be a rider.

As he walks into the event, he approaches the largest group he can spot. ]

Is anyone looking for a partner?

[ Maybe if he engages in good faith he'll enjoy this. He's never been shy, so he'll spend the day approaching people and offering a dance or a treat, hell even the whole carriage thing if anyone shows any interest. ]

→ Speed-dating

[ He can think of worse things to do than chat with people. He's not sure of how much he cares for this whole farce yet, and seeing how other people feel about it will probably help him make up his mind.

He leans over across the table towards his assigned partner, conspiratorial. ]

If we get a good grade on speed-dating, are our universes saved?

[ He makes no attempt to hide his incredulity about the whole thing. Sure, we're the chosen ones here to save our worlds, that's believable. ]

((This is fullofmystery voice-testing yet another normal and current character, info on his journal. I'm open to anything, pls bring in chaos.))

Wally West | Absolute Flash (DC)

[wattage]

arrival

[ He sees it.

For a split second, he sees it.

The hospital bed.

For a split second he sees himself. In the bed. He looks dead under the harsh glow of the lights.

It's real. But it's not, because it's not now. It's twenty minutes and 42 seconds ago. It feels like he's vibrating out of his skin and he doesn't know how to make it stop. The machine hums and it echoes a thousand times and it feels like it makes his teeth chatter. Wally has to put his hands over his ears to try, to block it out.

Then the him in the bed opens his eyes, bolts upright and for a split second, their gazes meet. He's terrified. So he runs. Runs past the food and the bots and out into Etraya proper, hands over his ears.

Make it stop make it stop make it stop. Make it--]

STOP.

[ He yells it like the world will stop on command. Like the sharp bursts of electricity he can feel gathering inside of him will dissipate and not shoot in every direction. ]

Don't come any closer.

[ But please do because he needs a moment of connection. He feels so alone out here. ]

Horsin' Around

[ Wally doesn't want to run. But he needs to. He can't sit still and that's the worst part. His thoughts race and his heart races and he feels like he'll explode if he stays in one place for too long.

So when he sees the runners lining up, he takes a breath and trots over, so he can line up with them and offers the person he's standing next to a sheepish grin. ]

Hope you don't mind if I join.

[ Even if he's not really dressed for the part. He didn't know you had to be a horse. But he's pretty fast now so he's pretty sure he can win this. ]

wildcard

[ It's a me, kia. Got a prompt you want to try? Hit me up. I'm in the game server or you can add me on plurk @ tapsters. PMs are also fine. ]

arrival.

[solarson]

( being back on etraya after the last mission has jon feeling all sorts of ways and that's exactly why he's out and about on his own right now. it's an attempt to try and clear his head — not let his thoughts linger too long on that other world and the universe they'd left behind. he's so caught up in his own thoughts as he gently drifts through the sky that he almost doesn't catch the sudden outburst from... someone.

without so much as a second thought, he's floating his way down, looking concerned for this guy here. )

Whoa! Hey. Are you ok?

[bacalarius]

Oh my god, incredible. Honestly protect Ser Equus from these shenanigans he never asked for the weird science people. 😭

Thank you!!

love is a horse —

[bacalarius]

"A distraction." His tone is short and to the point, as it always is when he's in the middle of deep contemplation. From behind Artemy, someone familiar stands with a gloved hand pressed to his chin, staring hard at the machine through narrowed eyes. He's clearly been studying this thing for a while. Typical. "The dial reverts back to the same point when someone steps inside. It's functionally useless." Ask him how he knows that. Or rather, don't.

Daniil is, in fact, fully aware that Artemy is here with him right now. That's the problem. He's what makes all this real. And Daniil isn't ready or willing to acknowledge that right now.

Instead, he moves to circle the machine again, completely ignoring the proprietor who eyes him with a suspicious look. It's fully warranted, of course, but it also doesn't stop Daniil, who prowls around the thing like a man possessed. "I've been through six times," he continues, which probably explains the brown horse ears that have sprouted from his hair and the matching horse tail hidden by his oversized coat. Daniil acknowledges neither. "That we are expected to simply accept this is for mere amusement is ridiculous." Is it, Daniil? Do you ever have fun?

[haruspicis]

As steady as his hands might be, Artemy's talent lies in different skills. He'd only held a rifle once in his life, and while it isn't the same as a bow, the end result is and it's never appealed to him. Still, he stares down the length of the range at the targets, noting the distance between each and with the spirit of this strange fair, he can only assume they're meant to be hit while on a horse.

Artemy shifts his weight and stares at the young man. It might have been a kindness to try to intervene as he sees him move to lean against the fragile-looking rack of bows, but Artemy wants to see it play out.

"Good aim won't help if you can't keep yourself upright," Artemy replies, watching him try to save himself from toppling over. His tone is dry but somewhat amused, and while he makes no move to help, if he'd thought the young man was going to injure himself, he would have stepped in. As it doesn't seem necessary, he stays still though his eyes are watchful in case the young man goes toppling over anyway.

Once it seems like he's got his feet under him, Artemy picks a bow up from where it's dislodged itself in the commotion and holds it out. "Let talent speak for itself."

[haruspicis]

"Hm," is all Artemy says, washed in the familiar scent of earth and leather and something sharp, almost bitter, all of it covered by something delicate and floral. He can recognize Dankovsky from that alone, but the sound of his voice only confirms it. If Artemy was in a betting mood, he might have tried to see if he could determine what pose the Bachelor would be in before he turned to see him, but, impatient, he turns on his heel as the man launches into a rant. "So the dial does nothing. I'm not surprised."

Just for fun, Artemy clicks it back up to almost the highest it can go and then lets go, stepping away. Artemy can feel the jittery, uneasiness of the man in front of him, so he digs his heels into the dirt, grounded to keep them both from being whipped up into a frenzy.

"Six? What did you learn from the sixth that you couldn't from the fourth or fifth, Ойнон*?" Artemy shakes his head, arms crossing over his chest. Eyeing the machine, what little trust he had in it crumbles like dry earth and blows away with the wind. "If not amusement then what? Six times through this machine should have given you some insight."

His eyebrows rise slightly, altering his expression just enough to shift that intensity to amusement.

(( *oynon, a term of respect, meaning "wise man", used for doctors and scientists. ))