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Days where long and dreary, the weather switching as if mother nature had gone mad. It was not ideal conditions but Aria had an itch that needed to be scratched, for you see she was a thief and overhearing about a rare stone procured by some silly noble boy who wished to court a lady. She recalled the intricate tapestry adorned upon him, she could make out a fox--ironic because he was not clever at all she thought to herself. She sighed and watched from the shadows of the trees, the bitter damp air making her wings stiffen up causing discomfort . She hated this weather, but knew spring was soon to come as the weather leading up to spring was always choatic.

When she caught sight of her prize in the stallion's mouth an emerald stone glistening against the little sunlight between the gray heavy clouds she sighed with relief, he had yet to give the lady the stone. She felt a smirk grow upon her lips and thinking the best course of action in order to procure the prize.

When she made her move to step out she was stopped by a quiet "Psst..." coming from below her. She blinked her eyes and looked down to find a small mouse staring up at her, it seemed mischvious which made her think perhaps a clawed right foot should make its way to smash down upon it. But, before she could give into her primal urge the mouse spoke up again in a quiet little voice "I can help!" it squeaked "I've been watching you and well..." it cleared its throat "That gem..." it looked over towards the stallion.

"How?" Aria asked, she did not fully trust the words of a vermin.

The mouse smirked "Flirt with the noble...trust me."

She looked on puzzled but the mouse seemed convinced in the plan. She herself had no plan, other then follow the lord and hope to get lucky. Perhaps the mouse was onto something, so she took the advice and headed out in the open to greet the stallion "Good Sir!" she called out to him as he turned around with the prize in his mouth. When he spoke to her it was a gruttle greeting "What did you say?" she asked, pretending she could not understand him.

He sighed and placed the gem down onto the ground "What is it my lady?" he looked to her and glanced around "Where did you come from? I don't recall anyone following me on this road miles back..." he seemed cautious of her appearance, his eyes looked down to her clawed feet.

Aria simply smiled "I came from the westside, I've been trying to find some mushrooms for the spring festival..." she lied on the spot.

"Mushrooms, you say?" he closed his eye briefly as if to think.

"Mhmm..mushrooms...but I noticed you and felt the spark.." she winked.

The stallion cleared his throat "I.. I beg your pardon?" this caught him off guard. He seemed like someone who was well collected and able to walk the talk, but at that moment he was caught off guard "Well, my lady if you need help looking for mushrooms---I can take a detour." he smiled but the looked down to retrieve his gem to find it had gone missing. He shot his head up in panic "My gem?! Where did it go?!" he freaked out and began to search around him.

"Your gem?" she asked him.

"It was right here!" he cried out and then narrowed his eyes "Did you take it?" he began to approach her, she pulled away from him with a mock shocked expression.

"How could I? I was here talking to you? Maybe it rolled down the hill over there?" she suggested, he gave a nod then turned to head towards the steep hill making his way down. She smiled "That should keep him busy."

Just as she turned to head towards the location she came from, she found the mouse sitting on rock with the gemstone in its hands. He gave a victory squeak "Good job! How about we work together for now on?"

Aria never thought she needed a partner, but the success in the vermin's plan was crafty--she liked winning and liked obtaining her prizes. The mouse could be useful due to its size, the two of them would make a dynamic duo and all the treasure in the world would be theirs, she giggled to herself as the fantasy playing out in her mind caused waves of dopamine.

She gave a nod "Alright, I'm Aria."

"Feldspar's the name!" he squeaked.

FIN

WC- 777

It was a crisp August night and a festival was winding down with few patreons remaining enjoying the night sky downing cups of tea. Mizuki thrived in this environment, setting his charm as he offered tea to the guests and listened to their stories. He heard talks about a possible spectacle tonight in the sky, they called it a meteor shower? When he headed over towards a mare sitting alone staring up the at the sky he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was, pawed pink and purple with blue markings mare with flowers adorned in her lucious mane. He cleared his throat "Good evening beautiful, care for some tea?" he swaggered over to her.

Her purple eyes rested on the male with a disinterest of his presence. He gave a taken back glance do to her unamused demeanor "Sure, pour away." she said boredly while returning her gaze towards the sky as if dismissing him of further conversation.

"Very well, M'lady." Mizuki simply cleared his throat and took the tea kettle into his mouth pouring the tea, the mare paid him no mind and that rubbed his ego in the wrong direction. Usually his guest would watch him and inquire some conversation, but this mare she refused to look his way and simply stare upon the sky. When he finished he grunted a simple "Done." and wandered away from her, heading towards the direction of his sister who was resting after a performance dance "Perhaps the company of mare would do better for that one over there!" he said turning his head towards the mare who ignored him.

Megumi just laughed "I thought I'd never see the day." she teased him, while walking past her brother and smirking back at him "You owe me." she told him before heading over the mare watching the sky.

'Excuse me, did my brother offend you?" she asked the mare.

The mare sighed and glanced away from the sky "No, I simply wanted to watch the meteor shower and couldn't be bothered with such useless distractions." she told Megumi while leaning over to take a sip from the hot tea and looked up at Megumi "I watched you dance earlier...I didn't know you also do hostess?" she jabbed.

Megumi tried to remain calm in the situation, she was much more hot headed compared to her brother and simply could never back down to an altercation. She instead try to redirect the conversation from a hostile one to something about that mare's interest and looked towards the sky "You know, I never seen one before. This thing they call a meteor shower it must be stunning if it'll damage my brother's ego." she laughed a little.

"Aye," replied the mare while gazing upon the sky intently "It is quite a spectacle."

"What is it exactly?" Megumi inquired.

The mare remained quiet for a few minutes as if she pondered on the best answer to that question, she glanced towards Megumi and smiled "I'm not sure exactly, it has many theories some about stars breaking apart or some strange omen..etc."

"Well, I don't particularly want it to be a strange omen..." Megumi said in fear, she was quite fine in the life she lived and did not wish for any bad vibes. The mare beside her just started to laugh and she glared "I don't find it funny!" she huffed.

"It doesn't have to be bad. I mean could be a good one? Some say they find their soulmate." she winked.

Megumi was taken back a little, was she trying to flirt with her? She was never good at such things. In fact she hasn't even found her own romance or had kids of her own. Unlike her brother who has multiple kids and probably more out there considering his favorite activity. She grimanced a little at the thought and kept her eyes towards the sky, she could hear a few soquili commenting about the event as well as her brother trying his luck at a three tables over.

"I'm Persephone." the mare spoke after a long silence, though the mare kept looking towards the sky and not returning her gaze towards Megumi. Perhaps she felt like a fool after that comment and simply shied away or better yet did not want to miss the meteor shower. When Megumi was going to respond the sky burst with streaks of light she gasped in awe at the sight. It really did look like the stars were breaking apart and falling from their places in the sky.

"Wow!" Megumi said while enjoying the nature's show.

Mizuki approached his sister and leaned in to whisper "Isn't she a beast?" he said referring to Persephone who paid no attention to him. His sister turned towards him and shrugged a little before turning her sights back onto the sky. She could understand Persephone a little, she too didn't want distractions and her brother was quite the annoying distraction. She could hear her brother grunt and take off in large exaggerated thumps. She couldn't help but smirk at the idea of her brother losing attention all because the sky had bursting stars stealing his thunder.

"I'm Megumi." she told Persephone as she continued to watch the show "Yes, I'm a dancer and no, I do not host but my brother felt you were difficult."

Persephone started laugh loudly "Perhaps I am difficult or he simply is to simple."

Megumi just snorted "You are correct, he can be simple minded or has one track mind so say." she continued on about her brother, not feeling a bit of guilt talking ill about him. She loved him but he did stupid things and she to has her faults but his were like a tower. She felt the mood switch in a strange direction and decided to end the conversation about her brother who watched from afar with a glare in her direction. She knew already once the guests leave an argument will break out and it usually ended with her brother in tears blaming her for his faults. Though to be fair she was a little cruel tonight.

The mare suddenly stood up "I must be going." she told Megumi, who stepped aside so she could pass her. As she was passing her, she leaned in to whisper "I just wanted to say your dance was lovely." she smirked while heading towards the right passing Mizuki who frowned at her.

Megumi watched as Persephone disappeared into the darkness of the night. She felt a strange sensation run through her. It wasn't a feeling she ever felt before, she felt the mare was beautiful but at the same time she felt excited? Perhaps the meteor shower was a sign of meeting a new friend? She didn't really have any of those.

It would be nice to have a friend that wasn't someone in her family. She loved her family but they could be daunting. She needed to meet new Soquili that weren't just patrons, since most that come are here for her brother rather then her. She was never jealous of the attention she never received, she just never thought about it considering who she was a little closed off and a little rough around the edges. When someone paid attention to her it was strange but also thrilling.

Perhaps she'll meet Persephone again? She hoped she would, the mare seemed interesting and her brother's charms did not work on her. That alone made her unique.

FIN

WC - 1255