; talking to myself. NAUTICAL

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- Hey, don't you feel, another identity?

The scene was like those in the movies. Heat waves sizzled off this gritty terrain, blurring every image that anyone could witness. It brought most to delirium; to me, it was like a burning haven. Sapphire glints remained narrowed, pushing through the tricky area. It, of course, was quiet. "Why go here?!" I sidled a sideways glance to Xehanort, who was pacing next to me. His amber eyes flashed with disbelief, making me scoff and begin to laugh hysterically. To others, it make seem I was talking to myself. Sure, I guess I was. Just because no one could see Xehanort didn't mean he didn't exist. "Shut up you idiot. I want to be here. It's.. pleasant." "Pleasant?! Are you joking me?" I just sighed, the corners of my mouth lifting in an infuriating grin. Oh, this would be a fun day.

My coat, once a brilliant dappled tint had been darkened to pewter, with streaks running from the tip of my crown to the base of my hind legs. I didn't feel fatigued though. It was nice. Thin limbs struck the sinking turf in rythmic beats, carrying out a smooth, powerful lope. It lasted for miles, past all these strange homes that I had never been before, until I came here. Aside from being a waste land, it didn't seem all that bad today. The heat that bounced off the floor was minimal, and a decent amount of cloud coverage kept me from feeling poor. "Xehanort, shut up!" My voice crackled in a faint warning, and I clacked my teeth together, much to the amber eyed beast's surprise. Immediately, he disappeared, and I was relieved. Radars pricked towards the sky when a loud, harsh whistle echoed through this dump. It had to be the wind.

With it, carried the scent of another one. Another equine. My haunches worked slowly, but I stopped to look around, sapphire orbs studying the terrain curiously. Who was it? "Now, where are you?" I muttered quietly, nares inhaling that same scent. Mmm.

; yuck, yuck, yuck!

[rayvencullen.]

n a u t i c a l

This place is ridiculous, it was way too hot than it was given credit for, but for her it seemed alittle like a fantasy. The vast sea of golden browns and ashen black sand drifted in little waves, splashing against her cannon bones and making her shy away from them with a playful giggle. Stop, you're getting me wet! she had scolded the waves with a disapproving shake of her gentle featurettes before pouncing on the next one with an even louder giggle. Gotcha!

But nothing was there under her viridian body, only her own hooves and the sea itself. Embarassed, the essa turned on her heels and raced up the desert hills silently, strides making no noise as they hit the sand. Lantern darted from shadow to shadow that she could see, a few cacti and plants, and a little skink. Lizard!

She turned around, facing the little creature with a twisted smile. Hello there mister lizard, I am Nautical, bless me with your name! she greeted rather cheerfully, arabic boa dipped down to view the black and aqua animal before radars flicked backwards into her sea of tresses. Is that a voice I hear, mister lizard? She glanced at her little friend, who stared back at her with unblinking amber eyes, seeming to speak of her question. Indeed it is.

Rotating at a 90 degree angle, she faced out towards the vast plains of. . sand with dark periwinkle - lantern. The other had been clouded over with a grey film, the signs of blindness taking over the beautiful watery depths of her left optical. But she had found other ways to co-exist with only one eye to begin with.

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- Besides this one, that's so lonely?

Delicate radars tipped forward, cupping in the surrounding sounds. Was, was someone laughing? Sapphire glints desperatel searched this grave land, trying to find the reason for my thoughts. I wasn't suffering from some sort of heat stroke, was I? For a few solid moments, I felt panicky, and my throat vibrated in a puzzled whinny. "What the hell?" I exclaimed suddenly, catching sight of a beastly dust storm, flying off away from me. Trembling nares lifted and scented the air again, and this time, I saw a dark figure, far off, racing up and over the hills - and effectively out of my sight. "Hey! Hey, wait!" My vocals roared out in surprise, then my dappled limbs shoved themselves towards the earth, and I set off in pursuit of the figure. Exhaled breaths sounded so odd as I charged after this thing. Was it an equine? Or, was I really feeling the effects of dehydration? Oh, how foolish I was.

By the time I reached the peak of that hill that the figure was once on, I felt I lost track of it. Sure enough though, I caught sight of the figure - and it was an equine. The russet figure's crown was arched, and she was staring at the floor, but I was too far away to see what she was talking to. I heard her voice though, carrying out, straight to me. I blinked. "Is that a voice I hear, mister lizard?" Uh, what?! This horse, was talking to a lizard. I blinked again, my sapphire orbs clouded with confusion. I'd chased after a lizard talking mare? "Realize that you were talking to yourself, pretty much." "Hn. Be quiet." At that, my vocals lingered in a nicker, and I started forward again, taking long, jogging steps towards the ess. I wasn't sure why though.. She seemed mentally insane.

Approaching the crazed mare, I traced past a skink. So, she really had been talking to a lizard. I grimaced, wanting to turn back, but instead called out in a curious voice, forming troubled lyrics. "Um.. Are you okay? You were just talking to a lizard." Limbs slowed to a halt, just behind the mare, and off to one side. I extended my sweating boa, and then huffed out a hot breath, watching the russet mare carefully.

; yuck, yuck, yuck!

[rayvencullen.]

Perhaps Nautical had been mentally insane, but it was all with a purpous. These insane thoughts running rampant through her head made her voice loud and clear in a confusing, puzzling kind of way. She had made no effort to hear the equid's calling towards her, so she resumed her little conversation with the lizard she'd soon enough name Enos. Weird little mare, ain't she? Mentally insane, insanely twisted.

So, how are you on this day the light shone upon us? She quizzed with mysteriously dark lyricals, nares expanded to outface the rushing sands that lapped at her coronet bands with light little whistles, laughs maybe. The skink once again stared up at her with demanding amber lanters as it did one little push up before jumping a warning.

Now! That's not very nice!! she wailed silently, and then it struck her as she stepped sideways. Another figure beside her, on her left side she could tell. Panicking, she swung her crown sideways and snapped her ivorns towards the thing, paying little attention to what it had been. Bellow was released as she felt herself draw blood before forelimbs slipped out from underneath her to carry her russet carcass into a mighty rear, flailing pillars dangerously close to what ever this thing was' head.

Falling back to the earth, boa twisted outwards to let her good eye view the 'thing', who turned out to be a stud. Auditories flicked back into her tressels as she spoke once more. I'm fine and dandy, thank you! she retorted, stomping the ground with a furious snort from her nares.

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- To, you there's no evil desires,

Sapphire pools flicked backwards, a snort carrying from my rusty nares. I watched as a harsh wind from the south lifted, bringing with it a large plume of sand. It felt blinding, so I twisted my crown away and rested my eyes on that lizard. Was she really talking to it? This russet figure was really talking to a lizard. What mattered most, was that she ignored me for this unique skink! For a few moments, I remained silent, letting my radars fall back, hiding underneath my thick, damp tresses. I didn't have much time to react though; by the time I started to glance back towards the russet freak, she'd turned to face me, and was attacking me. My voice whistled out in a wordles exclaimation, and I started backwards, but not before the essa grabbed onto the skin on my upper boa. I felt her rip back with such force that even weasled a few words from Xehanort: "Oh, yes."

I emitted another string of furious outcries, but I continued to step backwards, staring at the essa with a strange expression. When she spoke, I recoiled, breathing deeply, as if to rush the blood to my crown so I could speak properly, without stuttering, or yelling, or whatever. "Well, what were you doing?" I mentioned quietly, sapphire orbs gazing towards the essa's lavender tinted ones, but.. I narrowed my orbs with a silent surprise. One orbs was glazed over, and I felt a sudden urge to apologize. Although, I wasn't entirely sure of what to do. "Uh, I thought you might have been hallucinating. When you're in places like this, especially in the Summer, you can overheat." It felt like I was lecturing the poor essa, but I had to anyway. I parted my maw to speak, but when no words rose, I grew strangely quiet, even for me.

done. i'm sorry. XDD

[rayvencullen.]

NAUTICAL
WORD LIFE.

Lips pulled back to show her crimson fangs as her one good optical narrowed down to a furious slit, forelimb lashing out to strike at him once more with full force. Why have you come to disturb me, stallion? Come to force me into your home, hm? she snapped furiously, all signs of glee and niceness had just floated out the tips of her radars and out of her nares. Hind pillars had been cocked at an angle so if he had decided to attack, she'd be ready with her own little moves. She shook her tangled tressels out of her eyes with a violent toss of her crania, therefor revealing a long scar that ran from underneath her eye down to her cheekbone, poor little girl.

She waited for his response, eyes still narrowed dangerously down to view every curve of his petite bodice. Mug pulled upward into a snarl before she refocused her wandering glare up to his face, ignoring his piercing features and wonderful eyes boring into her. She struck the sand once more with a black dagger before a snort emitted from her nasals. Well?

She wasn't one for waiting, no. She was down to the point. . .

[/size]

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- No, desire to kill or lie.

Instead of being greeted with the same mentally jolly fixture that the essa had previously dawned, I was met with such devoid rage. While the creature rustled and ranted, I shifted my crown towards the skink and glared at it. "Don't blame the poor lad, pal. Now, pay attention to this girl." I huffed out such a loud breath that it made an flurry of creamy tainted sand. It rose, flickered around, then settled. I lifted my crown to stare at the rosy orbs of this essa, noting how she twisted and turned, spitting out her angry lyrics. I blinked. That was something other equine desired. Equid's of my kind. The darks. Radars pricked forward slowly, as I listened to her lyrics. I swallowed back a fit of laughter; it obviously didn't seem right. Instead, I stared at the essa curiously and replied, my body tight. "That's the hope of any stallion around here, dear." I paused, trying to lock eyes with this interesting being. "I sort of did, to be honest. Not forcing, though, anyone who does that is an idiot." I watched the essa silently, listening to her clipped, impatient squall.

Swinging tresses slapped my dappled boa when I shuddered. I glanced around, remaining strangely quiet, almost as though the tense, lucid moment would vanish. When it didn't, I parted my maw and spoke hesitantly, my voice serene. "Idiot. She already hates you. Now turn around before you bake." "I'm Riku. From, uh, Black Lake." I mumbled, my lyrics floating around me. I stared at the essa; I wouldn't be at all surprised if she had another odd outburst. Then again, I'd come to have expected that.

[rayvencullen.]

NAUTICAL
I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU.

A grunt ran through her form as she once again stared him down with an evil smirk plastered on her lips. Does it look like I care what you are named and where you have come from? She asked, or more likely spat, out her question. Banner kinked as she found herself cooling off by the minute before her good lantern shifted to the bright star, pupils shrinking in size slightly. But before she could let her good eye bake, she lowered her glare to him once more with pinned radars. Kill him. . end the world of having such a horrid creature walking on it's face. . he had murmured to her, causing her eyebrows to furrow slightly as she let out a disgruntled snort.

I am Nautical, once the heir to a dangerous herd called The Blackbloods. Although you might not care. . she spat once more, was that all she did? Was she always this rude? I hope not, maybe Riku had gotten off on the wrong page perhaps or was it her utter distrust for stallions? Stallions are the ones that caused her to go blind, stallions are the ones who tried to kill her over and over, STALLIONS are the ones who made her this way! Her thoughts took over her mind again and a cloudy haze took over her perfect occuli before she shook her dome again and focused on him.

[/size]

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- Only a dream can be so surreal.

Behind the rage that the essa possessed was more rage. Was it endless? I'd never met anyone like this! Perhaps more that were catty, but this! Was this ess as insane as I'd been? That would have been perfect, for Xehanort. Not for me. I huffed out a hot breath, squinting my orbs together. Radars jammed forward, then back, then forward again, and this time, I couldn't withhold the laughs that made my sides rumble. I let it float from my mug in a melodious tone, all while fitting in a smooth, crisp reply. "No, not really. Doesn't look like you care about anything but that skink." I replied casually, watching the ess turn her murky orb away, then stare at the sun. Was she an idiot? I blinked, my mind too warm - perhaps I was also over-heating - to be thinking properly. I soon found my laughter subsiding, fading into a chuckle, then nothing, and it was soon quiet again.

The essa spoke again, and I had to stop a smile from rising onto my dark mug. Nautical? Blackbloods? Hm. I nodded slowly, and piped in intently. "Nah, I do, I suppose. Still, what you say is up to you." I tried to swallow, my throat feeling parched. It was almost nauseating, to feel like this. I continued, watching Nautical with clear orbs. "You aren't delusional right now, are you? I know I am." I mentioned, my voice cracking with fatigue. Still, I didn't move, didn't make a sidestep away from this russet figure. I remained plastered to the sandy depths, captivated.

[rayvencullen.]

NAUTICAL
YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER?

A delightful smirk rose from her lips as she rose her foreleg threatening before it came smashing down on the poor little skink. She cocked her head, radars flashed back into her tresses and her fangs were once again exposed. No, I am not playing around with skinks. Maybe I have been, but not anymore. she hissed, lowering her nape so that she had offered him some kind of respect, but not enough to go home with him. Her hoof stay planted on poor little Enos and she dared not move off of him.

You are a pathetic excuse for a king. I can smell it radiating off your skin. You are afraid of me, as you should be. she snapped, lashing out with her fangs once more before smacking him square in the face with a bloody scythe. What do the other darks think of you? What will Adelina think of you? She's coming for me, I know she is. I feel it underneath my skin. she murmured with another delightful smile, spinning on her heels to trot off into the windy terrain with a snort of approval. I hear her! She's coming.

[/size]

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- 'Cause life ain't like that, not at all.

The insane urge to turn my tender crown away from Nautical's slaying of something as small and careless as a skink was frightening. Instead, I let my sapphire orbs, usually kind and gentle bore into her, trying never to break eye contact. A deep frown settled over my coal tinted mug, and a sharp reply carried from me, vocals suddenly tense in a mocking manner. "Well, blame me for worrying." I noticed, as my speech came to a quick and quiet ending, that the offhand sign of respect was passed, so I refused to let my sarcastic follow-up slide unheard, for my own sake. "Well, at least it doesn't look like she'll kill you. Not today, anyway." Nares widened, inhaling the chalky air that coated this place, and a holly cough soon followed.

By the time the russet figure spoke again with her venom laced lyrics, I let out a bark of dry laughter, a comical reply floating from my parched throat. "I think everyone would be afraid of you!" The laughter continued only for a moment; soon after, I felt the harh impact of Nautical's rock solid talon nailing me on the top of my skull. I felt my head drop from the dizzying faint attack, my mind racing. Dappled limbs spread out to keep my balance, but as soon as I was able remain solid on the otherwise threatening ground, I snapped my radars back and charged the insane hellion, teeth bared and gaping. While I felt semi-guilty for attacking a mare, none the less one who was obviously in a poor state, I was furious. I made a nasty grab for her boa, at the root of her tangled tresses, latching onto her like a deprived fruit fly, desperate for a meal.

I chewed on her for a moment, then released the russet female with a decisive bat of my thick, tangled tresses. "She's coming for me, I know she is." I blinked once, then twice and watched Nautical turn and begin to dance away. Was she dying? Everyone said that you hallucinated before death. Pure curiosity to witness this 'Adelina' made me jolt forward on rough limbs, following Nautical, my sour mood forgotten. To my surprise, the russet female was actually baring a smile.. Why?

[rayvencullen.]

NAUTICAL
HOW DARE YOU.

A soft and daring reply came from her mug as he told her those words that everyone would be afraid of her, they had a reason to be. She was hot-headed, flamboyant, and no where near one of those, 'give in' type of people. Dancing away on her hooves, she called out towards her friend with a slight smile and wide eyes of pure joy. Adelina had come for her! Adelina! I am here, sister! she called with a raspy voice, but it was soon enough caught off gaurd by teeth slashing into her nape. How dare he!

She wheeled around and grabbed hold of the nearest thing that was on this piece of carcass that would soon lie at her feet. How dare you touch me! she snarled furiously, fangs aiming to sink into his shoulder or even his tender muzzle! Some crazy mare she was, but also one not to be fucked around with. Oh well, he'd messed with the bull. Here comes the horns.

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

ADELINA
BIG MISTAKE.

I wasn't used to this kind of heat, but damn this was beyond heat! This was an oven! I felt like a roast on Thanksgiving Day, do you know what it is like to feel like that? Sweat had clouded on my painted bodice, and all I could do was rely on the white splotches thrown on my canvas to cool me down and to not let me suffer from a heat stroke.

Adelina! I am here, sister! Those lyrics, I know those lyrics! It's Nautical, I've found her! Glee raked at my body, odd for a dark horse like me, but I had finally found my long-lost sister. I broke out into an all-out gallop towards her, but once again my heart dropped. There was a stallion. . Riku! And he was attacking her! If steam could come out my ears they probably would've by now, but it didn't. All I could do was watch in horror. NAUTICAL!!

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[azul.]

{ R I K U
- Why don't you just accept it, fade rides beside travesty on the wind.

"She's bipolar, isn't she?" Xehanort's solid question sounded more like a concluding statement, and one that I'd have to agree with. Normally, I'd take a non-confrontational route. Maybe she was troubled, or upset, or perhaps even disturbed. Uh, no. This one was crazy. She seemingly ignored me, jogging off, attractive smile rested on her dished crown, leaving me with a surprised, and slightly insulted look. Radars perked forward to cup in her desperate, overjoyed words, and I almost had to wonder if this Adelina was really an equid.. Or if she was the subject of Nautical's deprived imagination, like the skink. Glancing towards the poor creature, I continued towards the russet figure, but was caught off gaurd when the essa turned her rage towards me. Limbs struggled to stop and escape Nautical's attack her squealing, dangerous words reaching my pinned radars.

I felt her teeth grab and snatch at my dished crown, shortly after, feeling a faint trail of liquid run from my cheek, down to my coal tinted mug, dripping into the hellish sand. I was almost fascinated by its ruby tints, but to keep my attention away from Nautical, even for a minute would be deadly. Instead, I lowered my crown in a snaking moment, hind talons pushing me up into a rear, with the intent to land on the essa, crippling her. "It'd be the second mare you kill, Riku." That certainly wasn't the right thought to imagine now, nor was the hysterical scream, forming the russet essa's name underneath my thrashing talons. I felt confused, my eyes leaving Nautical for a second. I felt dazed, almost blind-sided. So maybe Adelina was real, after all.. Jerking my upper body away from Nautical's equally large frame, I landed, creamy sand muffling my sharp thud. Radars still snapped against my crown, I reached out and bared my ivories, teeth grating down the side of her facade, but then my attacks, my offensive edge left, and I stepped away from the female's side desicively. Again, I twisted my sweat streaked neck to stare at the approaching figure, calling out. "So, you're Adelina." Stepping away from the pair, I stared at them both, sapphire orbs narrowed with an angry glint.