Ulrik saw a white mare he had only observed once when Psyche was still leader come to stand in the middle of a white box, and so naturally, Ulrik thought something was up. He followed, standing in the center of the box, looking down at his hooves. Some turtle was talking, but he really didn't pay much attention. Well, he didn't pay attention until he was a goat.

It happened so suddenly that he didn't really know what was going on. What alerted him to his quick change was the fact that Kirchoff had suddenly started breaking up into hysterical, inconsolable laughter. Ulrik looked down at himself, realizing that he had stubby legs and long, silky black hair. Then, he looked back over his shoulder.

He had no tail. Just a little stumpy thing. What the fuck was this?

Kirchoff was rolling on the ground in hysterics, literally howling. "YOU LOOK LIKE SUCH AN IDIOT...." he cried, dragging himself across the ground. "AAAHH FINALLY YOUR APPEARANCE MATCHES YOUR STUPID P-PERSON-ALITY..." Ulrik glowered at him and shook his head, snorting and letting out a bleat of anger - which sounded less than irritated and caused Kirchoff to break out into more hysterical laughter.

With a grumble, he realized that the race had started, and Ulrik took off for the mountain after the white goat, jumping up the first few rocks and toward the first ring. He would wait to use his machine magic, because he seemed to be fairing well so far.

AITHNIEL

Aithniel had had enough of that mean, chunky bitch (yes, she had overheard that word and she was referring to Roskuld), and meandered her way through the fields. Much to her surprise, she saw Rikyn's father there, the big, scary black one, and another white mare. A host of others joined along too, and they all had horns. She felt at home, even though her wings were growing bigger and harder to hide.

The fire child trotted up inside of a box made of white lines and listened to a turtle speak. Turtle. Was this the same turtle Rikyn had spoken about earlier? The turtle Torleik had confirmed? Wow... Absently, Aithniel wondered if he had any eggs laying about, but she highly doubted that. With a sigh, the filly looked up at the mountain and hummed to herself thoughtfully. Well, she was the smallest, so she would have an advantage.

But then, she shrank! And her legs got squattier and her wings disappeared entirely. As she looked around, she realized that they had all turned into goats! Aithniel laughed in amusement, jumping around on four, small legs and bleating in humor. Everyone looked just so funny! The race started moments later, and she ran off after the group, jumping up the side of the mountain and going through a first ring. She clicked her heels together too, starting a spark of fire and hoping to catch someone.

[[Aithniel starts a fire with her hooves]]

"Talking"

A whole new world had opened up before them, with dazzling heights, magnificent grandeur, and divine opulence scattered across the horizon, as if they’d been invited and coaxed into the heavens, enticed and allured into the luminescent fronds and inquisitive islands – and though the nymph would have loved to chase after the mysteries, the beguiling, the spellbinding schemes and scenes coveting the arena, she’d be left in the dust instead of blazing a trail. She took a few moments to glance, to stare, to witness the wide kingdom spread; ensnared by the mountains (like home), the turtle leading them further, onward, to some odd, sunken pedestal, and rings, far up the peaks, gazing into ghostly, spectral denizens, reaching for Mt. Olympus and all of its wondrous castles. Others took their places, marched to the steady beat, the stream of the proposal, and quickly morphed, altered into a familiar animal (after all – didn’t they have some intertwined and lined across their own tundra, rimed paths?). A smile lifted and curled along Lena’s lips, followed by a light, singsong giggle, and though she didn’t need any encouragement, Imogen still provided a heartfelt chirp, and she proceeded to join the line of racers, altering into her new physique. Likely not recognizable (beyond the length of her infinite smile), merely marked by her usual sienna, though quite a bit thicker, and the snapping, crackling Time God feather woven into her goat pelt, she sprinted forward, hoping to avoid the layers and lacquer of magic flowing through the wind, through the atmosphere, aiming for the first set of rings. Imogen, to her credit, settled along Lena’s furry haunches, an ivory sentinel, gaze narrowing to eye the fellow opponents, biding time, hastening hours, to unleash her own intrigue and strategies; pursuing success for her bonded and beloved.

EREBOS

Of all the things the little prince had seen within this world, a turtle turning them into goats was the last image he expected.

Did he mind? Hardly – there was something uniquely curious about the whole adventure, racing across mountaintops, searing through maelstroms, swinging about chaos, diving along rock piles, and avoiding the brewing enchantments of others, stumbling and grumbling in an entirely new sovereign. If his father ever asked him about some wild, wicked escapade, the scion could relinquish and unfold timeless tales of morphing into another creature and racing up a peak (and Deimos would promptly give up ever asking his son for stories again, and likely question Erebos’ sanity or vivid imagination)! He could even tell Adelric, and pretend to be charge into battle with multiple, curled horns on his head, spout untamed laughter at all of the foolish memories.

As he arrived, his eyes glanced over to the various members of their throng as their horse form was completely absconded for something truly made and sculpted for the peaks, and he searched for any of his friends: there were quite a few he recognized briefly from meetings or the Basin’s general constituents, and then a token of unfamiliar faces that soon became even more unfamiliar as they departed from the equine realm. He spotted Aithniel shortly thereafter, and thought about calling to her, yelling and shouting over the ruckus (maybe they could race together, join forces against the opposition, then battle to see who the true victor would be), but then she started to spout fire around her hooves and he wouldn’t be able to get close enough. Frowning only slightly along the fringes of disappointment, he heaved one heady sigh, then enrolled himself into the escapade. His lanky limbs ghosted over the turtle’s box, and within a few steps, he was much like the rest of them – altered and condensed into a cerulean goat (and very fond of his new beard!). Without powers of persuasion, because water-walking would do him no good over cliff tops and rock faces, the youthful beast galloped onward, making his way towards the first set of rings, clambering somewhat nearby Aithniel (hoping she’d recognize him and not burn him to a crisp in the meantime), attempting to get her attention with a familiar shake of his head and an audacious, devilish smile.

Cashmere

I followed Oxy and Rostislav from the Falls meeting, thinking that maybe I can stay safer by staying with our two generals. I pick a path along quietly behind them, keeping my head down except to look around myself, examining my surroundings. I have not explored this strange island in the sky, and honestly I'd rather have my feet on the REAL earth. But that doesn't always mean I get to choose my path... I nearly run into Rostislav and his hellhound, as I realize that they have stopped in front of me. I quickly move away from them, not wanting to anger those that could likely do a lot of damage to me. I look at what everyone's attention has been directed to: a mountain, and golden rings on the mountain. A voice calls down to us and encourages us to run up the mountain and through the rings - a race. I cock my head and stare as those gathered start turning into goats. Goats? What the ... I pout slightly with confusion and see those I know transform. Oxy and Rostislav... but I also recognize a couple others. I see Ulrik, one of the crafters from the Basin. Though he was not very welcoming, a smile comes to my face at seeing someone from another herd. All the others, though, are strangers to me. I wonder if maybe I will meet many new faces up here in the clouds, during this race thing, or perhaps after. I look down and find in front of me a strange rectangle. I step on it, and feel some strange sensation through my body. I look down, and see cloven feet. I try to speak as others have and a big BLAAAAAAAH comes out. I silence myself, embarrassed by the unbecoming sound. The goats start to climb the mountain, and I give a strange goat-shrug and begin climbing myself as fast as my strange... cashmere goat.. legs can. Of course I would be a cashmere goat! I smile and giggle inside my head, finding encouragement and energy from that realization. Up, up, up the mountain we go, and I pass a goat or two and find my way through the first ring and onward to the second. Yes! This is more fun than I thought it might be! Apparently... being a goat (despite the horrible sounds they make) isn't quite so bad!

WC: 399
OOC: She turned into a Cashmere Goat! :)

What is BROKEN cannot always be REMADE

Standing around watching the others join in on the festivities had made for some amusing times throughout each of the races. The pegasus were neat to watch as they soared high overhead diving through the golden hoops and battling each other for the lead. Each of the equine racing seemed to make things interesting by either sabotaging the race using magic or falling to someone else's tricks. While Kiara lounged around in the shade the grey stallion stood off a little ways just enjoying the day. The turtle was odd to say the least but seemed to know how to get everyone out to enjoy themselves. When the unicorns were called forward he debated silently for a couple moments whether or not to join in. Ah what the hell, might as well do something to appease the gods.

Not really thinking much more than a race the stallion walks down to where the others are gathered to gaze up at the course. How did one expect to get all the way up there anyway? Shrugging he figured that he would find out when he got up there. Stepping into the rectangle without much of a care the stallion does not find anything out of the ordinary until things start to become larger. Its either things are getting larger or he is growing smaller, but that was impossible! Looking down to the grasses below his eyes widen as he realizes that the grass is almost at grazing level in some places. Thinking of food makes his mouth water and his stomach grumble unexpectedly. Sighing he pushed the thought away until later, lets get this race....

Trailing off his mouth falls open as he finds himself suddenly surrounded by not other unicorns but goats. GOATS!! Panic fills his gut as everywhere he looks there is more of the goats to be seen. What the hell just happened! Wait a minute...NO!!!! Pulling his head to his chest he no longer sees refined musculature and long legs, instead he finds a small stocky body covered in fuzz and short legs. OH FUCK HE WAS A GOAT! Whipping his shortened head to the side he tries to call out but where his voice once was comes a abnormal bleating sound. Blaaaaahhh Horror takes place of the fear as he stumbles forward a couple steps. How were you supposed to walk on these short things? I guess this is how we are getting up the mountain....

As the race begins his heart skips a beat as he finds his stubby little legs carrying him forward and up the incline of the hill. Cloven hooves seem to grip the rocks much easier than solid ones and the small goat body moves surprisingly well. This might actually be some fun after all. Bleating once more he laughs at the sound before he bounds through the first hoop after the others.


Turns into a Irish Goat

Ciceron talks
Ciceron thinks
Kiara speaks

The activities of the island were endless, the turtle of the Earth God a sight commonly seen ringed by various faces eager to appease whatever whims he cast out to them. Illynx was no different, having been watching the shelled creature since she had taken notice of an equine race of sorts barreling across the land, anxious to see if there would be a task set aside for those more worthy of his attentions than the flying or earth bound beasts that nature had allowed to be born.

Today seemed the day, the clearing around their pretty blue tent rather empty and a large collection of unicorns strolling off towards the base of one of the larger peaks that adorned the floating island’s face. Getting Rikyn’s attention and feeling Kyst settle in on her shoulders, the golden mare heads off towards the hubbub, her armor glinting in the light of the sun high overheard and her heart fluttering with anticipation for the challenge that was to come.

When she arrives, however, she is almost immediately turned back around by the spectacle; the turtle has just finished announcing something, urging each to step into a rectangular box that has been drawn into the grasses. Her eyes slip ahead to the rings, the same ones that had been present during the other race she’d spied, and when they return, she sees the magic that resides within the lines begin to take effect on the first to step in.

Her mouth drops open in shock and horror – her son giggles.

She can see him dash ahead to go join in alongside Aithniel as she enters the thing, a streak of pride managing itself into the pulse of her heart as she sees the hybrid honoring the more suitable aspect of herself. It was a race for unicorns, to be sure, but the girl did wear horns – and she could just have easily joined in with the sky filth in their game hosted by the turtle. That she had chosen this one spoke volumes of what resided in her heart and how her mind was beginning to put together the ways in which she could truly be a part of their herd and the revolution that brewed within, and it made her almost glad to have spared the child in that instant.

It also encourages her to be bold and accept the idiotic form that the turtle imposes on them. She only hopes Kyst reacts with more grace than Kirchoff – who’s howling laughter makes her lips twitch into a smile despite her attempts to hold it back, especially once she sees the mass of fur that her stoic lover has become.

She feels the magic grasp her as soon as she’s across the barrier, a tingling sensation that rises through her flesh and sends it shrinking all while her coat grows long and her mane and tail are seemingly sucked back into her to feed the length added to her sleek, velveteen exterior. With horror, she watches her graceful, muscled legs become stubby and knobbed, the gold shrinking back to tinge only the highlights of her dark brown body. Her horn pulses with something like the remembrance of pain and she suddenly feels a weight grow from her brow, sensing that she now has two horns rather than one – and they are quite a bit less tactful than her golden spiral.

"Be—be-behhh?!" she stammers once it seems to have finished its work, her legs splayed and terror making her sides heave and her heart pulse two hundred times faster than it should.

Or maybe it’s because she’s so much smaller.

Looking around her through goat eyes, she remembers that there is a race at foot and manages to sop up what is left of her tattered and bleeding pride, turning towards the golden rings they will make a mad dash for with a rather insidious expression on her goat face. Kyst is still on her shoulders, attempting to stifle kitty snickers at the level of shock emanating from the ludicrous golden and brown goat standing among the fallen folds of her now well oversized platinum armor.

She will give the Lord Earth a piece of her mind, if she ever sees him after this. It was simply… disgusting. She stank of musk and Ulrik… oh Gods. Ulrik had never smelled worse in all her years of knowing him, she takes note of as she steps out of the pile her armor as made.

But the trill to begin is sounded, and at what should have been her lightning fast gallop she toddles out at Booted Goat speed and Kyst takes to the skies to fly overhead, the once-unicorn bounding and leaping much like a deer. The motions take her by surprise and she is wide eyed and full of wonder as she bounds towards the mountain ahead, smelling the sparks of Aithniel’s fire and seeing the effects of other magic taking hold around her, some simply relying on savagery to best their opponents with teeth snapping and hooves ready to kick out unwary knees.

She does her best to avoid them all, making ungainly goat leaps over obstacles and being of much like mind to her mate – though she cannot see him or hear his thoughts. She’ll wait to use her magic until later in the game, when it seems it may give her some opportunity.


[ OOC: Illynx is now a Stiefelgeiss or Booted Goat. xD She has HUGE horns and is tiny. I laugh forever now. link ]

Illynx

Яikyn

I was so excited I could just die, and a giggle escapes me despite my attempts to restrain it.

Erebos is here, and Aithniel, and the turtle that hoards eggs! Momma is standing next to me looking like an idiot with a whole lot of surprise on her face, but I’m instantly captivated by the luring promise of treasures to be won from the Earth Turtle and the sight of my best friends only further bolsters my confidence. It doesn’t cross my mind that maybe its hard headed pride that holds her fast in her place slack jawed and horrified, but I wouldn’t care even if it did.

Jauntily, I prance out towards Aithniel as the turtle tells us to go in the rectangle on the ground, coming in alongside her with a playful glare of competition on my face before the magic makes me tingle and all the sudden I’m even smaller than I normally am, but also much, much fluffier.

My horn has become two knobs with some raised ridges on them, staring to curve backwards towards my ears just like my normal horn is just starting to lengthen and gain its tip, and I eagerly rub them on my legs in excitement, prancing in place with barely contained enthusiasm as my superbly springy goat legs bound me nearly two feet with every antsy twitch. I can see dad over nearby and Kirchoff really thinks he looks funny – and so I can’t help but wonder how I look.

Glancing over at Aithniel, I nearly choke on a restrained laugh. She’s pretty tough, but I don’t want her to think I’m laughing at her even if I am. It’s not really her – its just that she looked so cute and ridiculous all at once. When I lay my eyes on momma, I don’t do so well at holding it back, mostly because she has ridiculously huge, curved horns on her head and looks like she just saw a ghost. I try to tell Aith to look at her, but all that comes out are garbled noises that aren’t anything at all like words, and I just laugh all the harder.

I’m still laughing when we plunge forward towards the mountain, the sound trailing out behind me in the most ludicrous sound I’ve ever heard. My heart is light and my pulse thrums with life as I take note of a black kid approaching me and Aith that’s probably Erebos, and all three of us bound toward the nearest ring as my sister sets the grass on fire around us; everything else isn’t really noticed, my youth not giving me the sense to watch out for foul play even as my sister does it right next to me, and either way I’m too excited to try out these new, ultra springy mountain legs to care about winning or avoiding danger.

I dart around it, leaping over a branch that tries to circle in front of me and smelling the grossness of singed hair as I land. I’d forgotten I was so damn shaggy.

[ OOC: Rikyn is a Dutch Landrace goat for the fluffs. ]

in every heart a hole

The golden and teal colt had hoped to find his father on this other worldly island, like the time he had stumbled across him in the past. The poor lad wanted to know his father, wanted to know why he did not live with Parelia, his mother, and himself. Anger was not a good look on his dashing features, but it was every evident that the feelings would only grow towards the silver stud if he did not at least make an effort to be with him. In his young mind there was no reason not to just join the Edge so they could all be a happy normal family.

Silver eyes gazed at things but did not seem to really see them. His brain was lost in the turmoil of it's self longing to be taught things by his father. He wanted to learn how to be a great man, but how could he learn that if there was not father to teach him? 'I guess I can always be everything he isn't.' Snorting his aggravation the colt paused to clear his mind the best he could. If Ciceron did not want anything to do with him he would just not bother to look for him everywhere he went.

A call brought his head around and he listened closely before moving towards the voice. 'A race for Unicorns?' He wondered silently as he trotted away from his brooding thoughts. He knew he wanted to join, but was unsure if he was allowed too. Ilios had never been called a Pegasus, Equine, Or Unicorn. To be honest the young colt had no idea what he really was. 'Well this will be a good way to find out if I am a unicorn or not!' He thought stubbornly as the line up came into view. He stood confused on the sidelines was a massive turtle, he was sure he had seen it somewhere before or at least heard of it. In the starting box there was goats in the front and horses in the back. As silver eyes shifted over the crow he noticed a pretty horned and winged horse, the gold and white girl was clearly a female. Shaking his head he moved forward, and as he did the filly turned into a goat as well. Disbelieve flicked through his small frame but he picked his head up and stepped into the box, standing slightly away from everyone, but not to the back.

His transformation was swift, and kind of tickled. A beard grew, and his tail shortened, and to his pure delight his horn turned to two and grew rapidly. He let out a happy bleat as the turtle cried Go! Lowering his battering ram head the colt goat pressed forward. The foot holds were fairly easy to find as he bounded up the slope towards the golden ring. Jumping through it he tried to pass as many people as he possibly could.


"Speech" 'Thoughts'
TAGS: N/A
NOTES: I love goats lol!
WORDS: 494

Roland was not a fan of heights. During his recent visit to the Edge he had shrank away from the sight of steep cliffs and precarious precipices, and the large voids of empty space between the earth and the savage waves below. He could never seem to shake the feeling that the slightest of breezes could send him toppling over the edge, were he to stand too close. In retrospect, he didn’t know what had possessed him to venture onto this island.

The air was thin, and held a slight chill to it at such an altitude. Before the Thief rose a tall mountain, its rocky spire twisting up towards the heavens and reaching through the clouds that wound around its peak. A rapidly growing congregation stood at its roots, and as Roland approached them he sought out the owner of the voice calling out across the gathering. It appeared this floating island had grown quite popular, while the stallion had remained ignorant to its presence until that morning. As his gaze fell upon the reptilian speaker, he frowned in undisguised bemusement. A talking turtle? Clearly there was strange magic transpiring, and the last time he had taken part in such antics Roland had earned a scar for his troubles.

But there was no hint of ill intent to be found in the announcer’s words, and as he drew closer to the box painted upon the ground Roland was struck by a sudden bout of confidence and curiousity at what was about to ensue, a thirst for adventure previously displaced amidst his cowardice and skepticism. The Thief watched in something akin to horror as the ground rose abruptly towards him, and before he knew it he was no longer the tall, sleek, golden creature he knew himself to be, but a red furred, spindly legged goat. Before he could help himself, he was struck by a sudden stab of self consciousness.

Roland prayed that he had not turned into a shaggy, unkempt creature like some of the others he spotted around him. Rather, with any luck, he was the sleek, sports car edition. That, he could handle. Unfortunately there wasn’t much time to contemplate appearances before he was surging forwards at the turtle’s call, in part hoping to participate in whatever game was afoot, and also hoping he might escape recognition from the other goats around him, if he moved quickly. There was no reflection with which he could check his appearance, but he would likely die of humiliation if he sported the ragged beard and wayward teeth he had seen on some of the unsightly creatures in the past.

Leaping upon the footholds of the mountain, he began to climb through the throng of others, aiming for the initial target whilst attempting to dodge the torrent of magic thrown this way and that, risking his neck amidst shot and shell as he found his way towards and through the first ring with his tail wagging in newfound excitement. Turned out this goat thing wasn’t half bad.

(Roland is a Kalahari Red Goat!)

Biru

So it seems that a gathering of unicorns had commenced on this very odd island. A turtle is calling out... and then... his perspective starts changing. Anna bleats nervously as suddenly, her bonded is now the exact same size. He's a Jining Grey goat.

He doesn't look at his body though, as he takes off up the side of the mountain. Annabelle though, does take notice as she attempts to clamber after him. Two curled horns reach almost around his head, and his body is covered in a shaggy grey coat. Little hooves pound against the rock as Anna still is squeaking at him. Rings litter the side of the mountain, and he can't help but wonder what might be at the end, should he get all the rings! So he dives left, Anna quickly falling behind, but still managing to keep up.

As he approaches the ring, he aims, and jumps! Moving up the side of a mountain was a lot harder than he thought, and he could only wonder at what pain would ensue. Would they turn into another weird, furry animal? As much fun as that would be, Biru would much rather be firmly on the ground, on four hooves. But, this place had already proved to be an odd, odd place, but within it held great triumphs or failures. This little endeavor had yet to show its face, but he considered that on this beautiful island, it would probably be of the better sorts. With a humph Anna scoffed at him, why did he have no fears?!

Smoke & Mirrors