The-Jaded-Bug

Y'know, missy, that was uncalled for, even if i am terrible at these chase-amathingies.''

Gale merely rolled her eyes at the buffalo’s muffled statement. That wasn’t even the point - or perhaps it was, assuming that he saw the whole chase as some sort of game. The idea of it didn’t quite surprise her, however. She raised an ear while he pointed out that he’d have offered a bottle had she not crashed-landed onto the crate, and then another when he mentioned they were practically wearing their potential drinks, but managed to appear nonchalant.

''Ya got some root beer on ya lips....'Should'a .. clean it?''

The jenny blinked, stepping back as Honovi veered close. Her ears, still pointed loosely towards the sky, turned towards their sides as though giving off a defensive air - okay, so maybe her actions - such as directly and indirectly helping both Honovi and Thorn throughout the case - made her seem fickle, perhaps even as rogue to the former. But But as far as Gale was concerned? There were certain cards she wasn’t willing to bet on. --- He saw that in a play? Really? Did the calf think she would swoon over something like that?

“If the poin’ is creeping me out, then it sure is workin’.” She replied dryly. Gale would have continued if a certain dapper donkey hadn’t showed up - and right on cue, oddly enough. Being as straight-laced as he was, the jack at least killed the awkwardness of the situation, and seemed to care.

Watching her step, the jenny carefully brushed away a few broken planks, cautiously making steps around the glass shards as she turned her head towards Thorn. “Y-yeah, sounds good- darn it! Opps, almost stepped on s’more glass...” A few more tactful hoofsteps as she maneuvered herself before finally finding a clear, messless spot. ‘Madam Bistros’? Gale recalled seeing the place, though she never did take a visit - her and her brother had been a little too busy fixing up the place they moved in, and opted to spend what extra bits they had on extra repairs...

Best Creature/Other OC: Flutterscotch's Chotchkie!

....and if we're allowed to nominate more that one person per one category, I'll take a shot at nominating Pony_Sage's Monty as well.

And as for Best Inavtive Roleplayer...Pony Sage again!

*is totally not filling in spots that haven't a lot of nominations in them, nosiree*

S'more OC stuff:

Here ya go - one peryton with a side serving of fire-lookin' antlers! The name's Cypress, and as down to earth as she can be, she can be a bit dense (aka, very dense) as far as Equestrian society works. Has she the ability to brave the Everfree? Quite. But would she even be able to handle a trip to Manehattan? Er, let's just say that the chaos of being surrouded by a ton of bustling ponies would be rather overwhelming among other things...

Just popping back up to say that I've come back from Boston with a successful procedure done and a stent well fit! I'm a leetle achy at the moment, but that should go away after a bit of rest for a few days. Otherwise, I'll be integrating myself back into the RPing scene.

good luck, Jaded. I had a friend who had similar surgery, so hopefully you'll make it through with just the very annoying recovery pain! They going through your leg?

Thanks Scotchie! And for where they're going through, kind of. The incision's being made right at my veeeeery upper/inner thigh, so....eeyup, not sure how strong the pain'll be, though annoying it will definitely be.

Because I know that I have/am soon to have threads I've gotta reply to at the moment. And for those of you who have been sitting at your desk waiting on me, my apologies - been getting ready for a trip to Boston, which I'll be leaving for tommorow morning, and I won't be back home until late Friday/early Saturday. I'll have enough time there to have some fun/see the sights there, but I'll basically have no internet access to speak of.

But, there's a slight catch as well. Going shopping/aquarium-going/museum-lurking/whatever-ya-do-there isn't the primary reason I'm going on the trip.

*inhales*

To put it out there, I have a coarctation of the aorta. That basically mean that the aorta (one of the biggest, if not the biggest artery in your heart) is a leetle on the narrow side, which makes it harder for blood, making it more difficult for blood to pump through the heart - which make the heart work harder to get the blood flowing, which we all know can cause one too many problems in the long run. It should be noted that, when it's found when you're older (roughly around my age, add or take some years off) as opposed to when you're really young, it's generally less severe. Still, I'm going to have surgery/get a stent as a means take care of that, so that way I won't have to face too many complications as I go on in life.

Aaaaand, now that I've gotten that outta my chest...sayonara, adios, and g'bye for now? I'll make sure to keep safe on the trip and all that. I'll have fun, act derpy and be even healthier after the whole thing! Capice?

Cypress is so coming to this, there's no doubt about it.

.....though generally, she sure as hay won't know what hit her once she sees a bunch of peryton gathering within proximity in the exact same spot she went to.....and would purpousely (at least at first) try to avoid interaction like the plague, because reasons. She'll get used to it though. Whether she wants to or not.

Gale nodded at Thorn, flashing a wide grin at the agreement. “Will do!” She replied with a quick salute before narrowing her gaze at the end of intersection. She payed close attention as Honovi nearly crashed before taking a left she’d have to go opposite, she noted. As she came towards the base of the ‘T’, she made a quick, sputtering halt before bolting right. A wicked, bray-like cackle escaped her muzzle as she muttered in determination.

“Runaway root beer? Heh! Yer takin’ a halt...”

The jenny took two more lefts after that before starting to grow confused - how just where in Tartarus was that calf? Or better yet, where was she? “C’mon, keep yer ears peeled - er, open! Yeah - keep yer ears open Gale...” The little equine kept repeating, trying to remember what the jack had told her. Her gait slowed down - partially as a means of pacing herself, and due to thinking that maybe, just maybe Honovi was closer than she thought...

''.. Ah could indeed go for a drink! ‘'

Gale jerked her head around - there was a corridor she passed, exactly where an audible voice could be heard. With a smug on her face, the jenny turned around and crept right at its edge, right near the entrance yet not visible from the side. The sound of a cork popping open could be heard, assisted by a few loud gulps and the sound of fizzing soda. With another mischievous grin of hers, she slowly backed away diagonal-wise from the passage, preparing for a dynamic arrival.

“Steady...wai’ fer the opportune...aaaaaand, GO!” She charged right in for the kill -except for the fact that everypony/one/buffalo/whoever around Appleloosa seemed to be a mammal of prey, but that was beside the point. Gale bounded fast as Honovi and the case came in clear view of her. She was a mere, 12 yards away...then 9...then 6...then-

“Got’cha NOW, y-!”

*CRASH!*

Glass and wooden splinters flew everywhere as she crashed and practically obliterated the root beer case, and the shaken-up soft drinks within each now broken bottle didn’t fare any better. Sticky, fizzy soda sloshed all over Gale’s mane, sorrel coat and beige-marked socks, and certainly made a splash around the alley she was in. Cuts and splinters also covered the jenny, the residue from the root beer not at all helping to soothe them. Perhaps this was karma for her purposeful stunt near the train station, or maybe this was just a mere, unlucky run-in. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to matter as she stumbled half a foot away from her spot, wincing from the sudden crash before a vague bout of exhilaration encompassed her face, which was quickly erased with a blink before it turned into an annoyed, yet almost playful look at the calf before her.

“You really need t’ think these chases out - next time, mayhaps?” She remarked. another wince, and with that a temporary scowl on her muzzle. If anything, she doubted that little jennies like her slamming into a stolen root beer case had been on his agenda...or on her agenda, for that matter.

Now, I understand that one should not bump their thread or such in the applications or anything like that, and I acknowledge why that rule must be in place. However, I'm a newb here, and am mildly concerned that after two days, not a single post, comment, review or suggestion has been put on him D: Have I done something wrong? Is it a good thing or a bad thing that there's nothing being said? I'm not garnering attention, I just wish to make sure I haven't missed some critical rule or something about character application!

Someone please throw the newb a bone here and put my fears to rest ;_;

Welp, it should be noted that apps are reviewed officially once they're labeled as FINAL, and happen to find themselves on the bottom of the application form by a RP Helper. The most recently finished apps usually aren't immediately replied to, even by those who aren't Helpstaff and just happen to critique apps, unless there's a particular nitpick/obvious thing that needs to be adressed, and apps labeled as a WIP generally don't get responses intil labled as FINAL.

As for anything I could say about your application in itself...well, I don't see anything that would become a problem once he's in the Mane RP, and Wild seems to be a fleshed-out character as it is from what I can read, and bonus points for being an atoner of sorts - 'tis refeshing, methinks. There are a few grammatical errors here in there - notably, it should be 'realization' rather than 'realisation' in the first paragraph of his character summary - though I'm getting technical, and these can likely be found/fixed by reading over your app a few times over/running it through a spellcheck, like in MS Word or creating a Google Document. Otherwise, good luck on your first application!

Edit: Oh! And your picture of him is pretty dark on my screen, though I can still make out Wild's features. Either way, you seem like a pretty decent artist~

Aaaaaaaaand....'Tis final~

I've got Gale, my little jenny. She's a stubborn lil' a- </funwithpuns>

And she has an older brother, but no app of him has been made....yet....

Grinning while Thorn wasn’t looking, Gale - at least at first - didn’t waste any time as she followed Honovi into that alleyway. After all, this was a chase scene. In the end, she still had to keep up, be one step ahead of the one being pursued...

"Ow! Ow! Hot!"

On the jenny’s face, a visible wince. While she hadn’t stopped running, Gale still managed to turn her head briefly towards the jack. Stopping that cart, to say the least, certainly seemed painful around his hooves, and the screech of his horseshoes didn’t help ease it. For a moment she felt, well, a little guilty. Sure, her intentions differed from Thorn’s - not that she would dare admit it, but if catching that calf was important to him, then maybe she shouldn’t have jeopardized their prospects.With a sigh of defeat, she bit her lip, slowing her trot just enough to let him catch up. With that, she caught him muttering something about his frustration with a certain someone. He seemed rather...well, she found it rather cute, seeing in annoyed, but shook the thought before turning towards him.

“Like ya ‘adn’t beforehoof?” She commented wryly as she kept a quick gait. Not the best way to start a conversation. Well, especially after letting Honovi nearly get away, and at the jack’s expense, too. “Eee, sorry ‘bout back there!” Gale quickly added, making a brief glance at Thorn’s horseshoes before looking back at his face. She was surprised he wasn’t mad at her for saying in in the first place, but maybe he was just being polite. Either way, it didn’t seem to matter. The jenny tried to think of something more to say, but admittedly, small talk wasn’t quite her forte. Still, she had a few ideas in mind - not of small talk, but they were in an alleyway. Assuming there were a few more buildings next to each other, there might be a few more paths one could take, hmmm...

“H-hay - ya think it’s possible t’ split up?” Gale lowered her voice, this time set on not allowing Honovi the benefit of overhearing her. It was the least she could do, right? “There might be ah few outlets ‘round th’ corner. If one of us takes another route, then maybe we’ll, say, innercept th’ hypotenuse? Jus’ ah suggestion...” She quickly gestured a hoof - there was a wall at the first end of the alley, but there were also two paths, one on the left, the other right.

At this point, all three of them were starting to near it. Depending on how Thorn would comply with the possible plan, or even if he’d go with it at all, she knew full well that this could easily have an affect on how the chase went.

Chotchkie told me to deliver a message to Cypress.

"You stay away from my ponies in Garden Gait, y'hear, those ponies, and all their candy is MINE MINE MINE, you weird horny-head perywhatsits"

Her words, not mine.

I like her so far. I like that she's not a pretty-pretty deer and has some flaws, seems down to earth. Does she travel because she doesn't really have roots yet, or is she tired of the whitetail woods because the other perytons tease her?

Cypress requested that I give Chotchkie a message is response...and that I write it down accordingly:

"Um, seriously? I only go there for the free yarn! And 'horny-head'? Ya think I haven't heard that 'un in the last 2 or so decades? Kid, y'might think I'm trembling in fear right now, but I'm not. So cut the cranberries right now."

Touche~

Thanks Scotchie! In regards to the question you present, it's mainly the latter, which I'll go into detail when I get her summary down.

I like her. There are a few errors in the field of grammar and spelling, but I assume you will catch them before long. The most obvious one is payed instead of paid. Excited to read her summary!

Aye, thanks! I was about to look over for errors any the like like when I saw you post. I'm pretty sure I've fixed most of them as of yet - now to get the summary down, which will hopefully be done in a few days...

Roleplay Type: World of Equestria RP

Name: Cypress

Sex: Female

Age: Young doe, roughly on the cusp of adulthood.

Species: Peryton

Eye colour: Light green [colour=#74C365](Mantis: #74C365)[/colour]

Coat/Mane/Markings & colours: Main body is a pastel gray[colour=#000000] [/colour][colour=#CFCFC4](#CFCFC4)[/colour][colour=#000000].[/colour] She has a slightly darker, ash gray underbelly/neck with a matching, short tuft of hair - well, even shorter than most peryton locks, at least [colour=#B2BEB5](#B2BEB5)[/colour][colour=#000000].[/colour]

Physique: Towering compared to the norm, though most ponies would still be a little less than an inch taller than her. Contains a well-built, rather buff torso paired with toned and stocky legs. Wings aside, her frame to an extent resembles that of a [colour=#1155CC]migratory woodland caribou[/colour][colour=#000000] [/colour]and thus, as females of said species have them, bears a set of prominent slate gray antlers [colour=#708090](#708090)[/colour][colour=#000000].[/colour] To her irritation, said antlers and her solid appearance in the past have caused peryton and other creatures alike to mistake and make fun of her for looking like a stag, and still do from time to time.

Cutie Mark: N/A

Origin/Residence: Born in Whitetale Woods, though these days she has the tendency to travel anywhere - well, as long as it's remote and there aren't too many creature-built structures; Solstice Heights, the greenery and lush thickets of Nimbusgait Lakes, she has even gone as far as the Everfree Forest. Though a nomad she is, she's never ventured into any populous place larger than the village of Garden Gait, as towns and cities alike tend to make her apprehensive at best.

Occupation:

Motivation: 'Tis not of utmost priority, but a small part of her wants to know the meaning behind those markings on that sheet! Though unbeknownst to Cypress, they're instructions on how to knit ...what? Would you be particularly literate whilst living in the woods all your life? She also wants to gain the courage to at least visit one town, without having a panic attack due to the hustle and bustle of a populous place...otherwise, she just wants to live a balanced life, use in moderation what the land offers, nothing too extravagant.

Likes: Leafy greens, the smell of the wood and open fields after a rainstorm, the tree she’s named after, testing her survival skills whilst popping up in the Everfree, pine needle tea (build a small fire, gather pond water with a makeshift kettle to boil, get pine needles to put in the kettle to let it settle...), finding pony-made trinkets while exploring, and borrowing yarn when she sees some laying about a nearby, vacant building - which is technically stealing, but the concept of owning so many things and living in a large, claustrophobic box with a tent-like roof has always been strange to her, so...

Dislikes: The idea of roaming about big cities and towns, as much as a part of he wants to get over it. Being around a significant amount of sentient beings, particularly if they aren't other peryton, will generally make her uncomfortable and rather fidgety, and loud noises are anything but reassuring. Also, rudely mistaking her for a buck - if it's an honest, unassuming blunder, then she'll usually be forgiving, but if you're going to be a stubborn prick in the nose about it, then let's just say you'll be the last living thing she'll pay notice to when you wind up in a pickle.

Character Summary:

Like that of many peryton, Cypress spent her early years in Whitetail Woods - or at least, deeper within it than most ponies would dare to roam. Because of this, she was previously (though unintentionally) sheltered from the world beyond the rocks, soil and greenery surrounding her, though what knowledge she's gained of ponies since her fawnhood has been limited to the occasional, accidental stumblings upon quiet villages and houses about the countryside. In fact, before she branched away from the wood, the only reason she had known about ponies in the first place was due to taking involvement in Winter Wrap-Up. As of how? For starters, it can first be said that it’s part of the reason she realized a particular talent of hers, one that still remains up to this day.

Her father, Redwood, was especially agile, helping him stay unseen whilst darting through the forest, using the shadows to hide his slight frame...to say the least, other than inheriting his keen green eyes, she didn't quite get her looks from dad. As for her mother, Sequoia, she had always been quite the gatherer, and before Cypress was born, the two of them held a special tradition of theirs; With both of their strengths combined, they'd make nests the night before the event and, while nopony was looking, they would set them by the edge of the forest, where ponies would easily see them the next day and nestle them high within the trees for birds returning from the south. Not wanting to deny their daughter of giving ponies a helping hoof, their daring little fawn also took part it, her mum having taught her the basics of weaving. Even now, Cypress still takes part in her parents' tradition still, even though it's executed a ways away from their den.

Gaining a knack for it, she was often found testing her skills outside of said pony-related event. Once she got accustomed to her own brand of peryton magic, she even managed to surpass her mother's efficiency in her weaves; Unlike Sequoia, Cypress's talent revolved around manipulating thin, sturdy branches and fine/string-like materials such as rope and tall grasses, being able to tie, wrap, and - you guessed it - weave them accordingly. It wasn't the type of full-blown telekinesis that unicorns have, however. In fact, levitating anything heavier that such materials, as she figured, is still a rather strenuous task as best, and it turned out she had to have her materials together in one spot (rather than having them scattered) in order to even use more than one at a time. On occasion, she may use this talent as a means to rustle and sway a few branches while staying out of site from ponies, either to attract their attention towards the right path, or - if in the Everfree - to give them a voiceless reminder that there's a reason why some places are better left unexplored.

As for the rest of her early years and then some, Cypress wasn't the most sociable fawn in the wood. She'd have rather stuck around her parents than bother with others her age and, when they weren't trying to set her up on playdates, she often spent her time alone, either practicing her weaves or would just explore the forest. When she started growing antlers, it became safe to say that making friends was not only the least of her priorities, but it also became much, much harder to attain them in the first place. She didn't merely gain the petite, aesthetically pleasing little stumps that some doe would eventually get, but two strong, thick, hankering branches began to adorn her head. This often lead to merciless taunts, insults and name calling from peryton her age, even when her parents weren't making her socialize, and at best would often cause younglings and the full-grown alike to have....*ahem*....interesting reactions once she opened her mouth to speak, if only upon first encounter.

When it became time for her mum and dad to integrate Cypress into Whitetail - aka, prepare/ween her into living on her own - it didn't take much effort on their part. By the time she entered that stage between fawn and doehood, while she still cared for her parents dearly, past experiences with bullies from her own kind was enough to convince her that she really, really didn't care for them setting up yet another so-called 'playdate' on her behalf. Still though, while she was successful when it came to moving out of her family's den - she was the self-reliant type after all - the jeers and ridiculing from others just wouldn't stop. It wasn't long after she left her parents' dwelling when she decided that, well, maybe she should stray farther from her home in Whitetail. There was no use in staying someplace where she was unwanted - and at a time where she was starting to discover who she was, this seemed to be, unfortunately, the very case she was in.

It was still a hard decision to make, since she didn't know much about the outside wood, but when push came to shove, it was more than worth it. Over time, and particularly as of now, Cypress has grown a bit more world-savvy - well, emphasis on a bit, as most of what she's learned has had to do with the flora and nature-bound fauna within anyplace surrounded by the colours green and brown - and mind you, that isn't exactly referring to a paint job. She hasn't quite found a particular dwelling since she left, but she's grown fond of the traveler's lifestyle and, quite frankly, she doesn't plan to settle down anytime soon.

While she's spent quite the while 'roaming the land' as some would say, Cypress is still a bit lacking in the friend department. However, this isn't always due to being followed by past treatment: Though a shrinking violet she's not, Cypress isn't the approachable type at first glance, often basing her perception of someone, whether good or bad, on first impressions, and can be a bit stubborn when it comes to changing her mind. She also, when helping others, prefers not being seen or caught in the act, though what she makes up in bulk has made her not quite as agile as some peryton, yet not to a debilitating extent. All in all, she's a practical, down-to-earth doe whose knowledge of nature is especially competent, but may still have a ways to go in a few...er, other areas.

“Thanks!” The jenny grinned at Thorn. “Hard work does plenny well, I guess...” Admittedly, even outside of the farm back around Nimbusgait Lakes, that barrel wasn’t the only container she’d ever bucked swiftly with her hind legs. In fact, inanimate objects weren’t the only things she’d ever kicked...not that she’d admit it, at least as of now. She still wanted to make a good impression on the townsfolks, even if she didn’t mind getting a little dirt on her hooves.

She continued on with the chase, keeping up a fast pace with the occasional sprint, before she blinked at the sight of the jack about the train’s platform. Glancing quickly at Honovi, something came to mind; couldn’t the calf easily trot away from the station? Sure he was catching up with her...and the buffalo...but if the latter had any common sense, he’d likely canter off into another direction entirely, thus wasting time by getting away from the train station. Gale was about to facehoof at the situation - she didn’t care too much about capturing anyone, yes, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t tell that the other donkey’s attempt at showing off would cause a some sort of setback...

And then it came to mind. More time stalled meant for a longer chase.Trying to keep up, the jenny opened her muzzle, resisting another smirk.

“Er, y’ realize he’ll jus’ run away from the train, right?” She queried Thorn in a matter-of-fact voice, a hint of annoyance layered within it for added effect. She didn’t care if Honovi overheard her - in fact, that was the point. She did want him to hear it. She wasn’t purposely trying to help him out, or trying to appear innocently overheard, though she’d hope for the latter to be assumed. She just wanted a good chase, and a good chase was prone to a few bumps in the road.

((OOC: Eee, sorry for the late reply! On another note, happy 4th of July! Or for those who don't celebrate it (celeBRAYte?), er, have a post?))

More updates! And this time, it isn't an OC drawing!

Oh, and if you're sitting a leeeetle more near your right, then Miss Chrysalis is eyeing Allura you.

[colour=#000000][colour=#000000]Roleplay Type: [/colour][/colour][colour=#000000][colour=#000000]World of Equestria RP[/colour][/colour]

Name: Quetzal Coltail

Sex: Male

Age: Young stallion

Species: Pegasus

Eye colour: Jasper [colour=#CD3333](#CD3333)[/colour]

Coat colour: Dartmouth green[colour=#00703C] (#00703C)[/colour]

Mane/Tail/Markings colour & Style: Blue near the roots, with blond layering the rest ([colour=#4169E1]#4169E1[/colour], [colour=#FBEC5D]Maize: #FBEC5D[/colour]). His mane is styled in a floppy mohawk with dreadlocks parted in random, windswept segments. He has a medium-length tail that matches his partially matted mane. The locks in question are strung with beads of various colours and shapes, and possibly even a feather or two.

Physique: Average height, and has a lean/athletic build. He’s a pegasus built for flight as well as a pony with nimble hooves.

Cutie Mark: A fluffy feather that is half red and half blue, with a single golden bead threaded at the end of its quill.

Origin/Residence: Gallopocus Islands

Occupation: A jeweler as well as a part-time bird caretaker. A seemingly odd set of jobs, but being particularly innovative, Quetzal prides himself in the fact that both occupations seem to benefit from each other; He makes enough bits from his merchant sales to tend to his feathery friends in need, and he incorporates the feathers they have into the pieces he makes (often when they molt, or when he gets proper permission from them, of course!).

Motivation: His compassion and special connection with birds, as well as conforming to the family business – making/selling traditional and authentic jewelry, a long-standing practice and craft perfected by his native born family within a certain archipelago.

Likes: Birds, potential materials for his wares (especially exotic feathers), feel-good music, having a good time when he’s not working, and being within proximity of a pretty mare and the occasional handsome stallion…oh, he has a thing for griffons and hippogriffs as well.

Dislikes: Wing injuries, the dull and straight-laced, broken glass beads, and bad singing. Said dislikes grow significantly stronger if they somehow involve annoying/rude tourists.

Character Summary:

Being born as a pegasus in a family otherwise made up of earth ponies, Quetzal had gotten his name due to three factors: His hair and coat colour matched the tropical bird he was named after, ‘coltail’ came from her mother Coral Coltail, and Resplendence, his father, had always had a liking for the archaic languages that had been used by ancient civilizations that had inhabited the Gallopocus – ‘quetzal’ meant ‘feathered’, and it fit right in with his wing-bearing status amongst his flightless parents.

But how his name became something of an embodiment of his special talent? It’s strangely commonplace when it come to most ponies, but a Cutie Mark story you shall receive.

Quetzal had a relatively happy foalhood. Though he was sometimes teased since he took interest in making jewelry – or ‘filly things’ as the colts at school would say – his intuitive charm and carefree attitude was enough for him to become a popular face among others his age. He was able to learn, for the most part, about not letting others’ opinions of him diminish his self-esteem, particularly through his mother: “What others think of you isn’t always a reflection of who you are” was what she’d say. The green pegasus took those words to heart, and they remain with him even to this day.

While he didn’t exactly care about finding his special talent at an early age, the green Pegasus had the feeling, prior to earning his Cutie Mark, that something was missing. He enjoyed following in his family’s footsteps – even though they would have been fine either way if he didn’t – but even then, he wasn’t too sure if being just a jeweler was the one thing he wanted to do in life. It was only during the beginning of his colt years when he began to connect the dots.

One rainy day, within the normally sunny island chain, Quetzal was following his father as they were leaving Corralwood Corral earlier than usual, having closed the stand where he would assist Resplendence in selling their trinkets and jewelry to natives and tourists alike. On the colt’s way home, he noticed a small hummingbird, a striking little flyer with iridescent teal feathers. It wasn’t airborne however, as he almost stepped on it before hearing it call out with a fast yet piecing chirp! Startled by the sound, Quetzal stepped back before looking down at it; the bird tried to fly, but its wings were flapping slower than usual for a bird auch as itself. In fact, one of the wings weren’t even moving in rapid sync with the other. The pegasus, oddly enough, could almost sense that the bird’s calls were that of pain. While he didn’t know why at the time, having not given thought about the feathery creatures before, he instinctively knew that something definitely wasn’t right with the little bird. With a pang of empathy, Quetzal tried to calm it down with gentle reassurances, and gathered a leaf from a nearby palm tree in order to shield the poor bird from the rain. Within less than a minute or two, the hummingbird started to relax before finally managing to settle down.

When the colt’s father took note of this, the two of them agreed to take the hummingbird home and nurse it back to health. Such a task quickly proved to be a challenge, however, as it became apparent that providing it with food – nectar and small insects – was easier said than done. Between the bird’s failed attempts at flying again while trying to remove the bandage and wing-sized splinter for its fracture, it would refuse to eat, and even Quetzal, while he had an easier time dealing with the creature than his parents, wasn’t prepared with dealing with its stubborn attitude. As much as the colt wanted to care for the bird, he and his parents both knew that they couldn’t provide for it for long.

It was decided that the hummingbird would stay at a bird sanctuary. It seemed only fair, and the place wasn’t too far aof distance from their home. Wanting to watch over the bird still, the green Pegasus would use some of his free time everyday to visit the establishment. As time passed by, however, the injured flyer wasn’t the only reason Quetzal made his visits. He started to notice how the other birds would, almost literally, flock to him, and how he could handle them just as well as those who had worked there for years on end...well, almost! The employees and volunteers there helped and watched over the young colt from time to time, and he eventually became a skilled regular at the sanctuary as well. One the day when the hummingbird was deemed to be completely healed, the most peculiar thing had happened: When Quetzal arrived, a few of the sanctuary's inhabitants – and the healed bird in question – presented him with good hoof-full of beautiful, gleaming, tropical feathers!

When it suddenly dawned to him that he could use them as jewelry-related adornments, it didn’t take long for a certain symbol to show up on his flanks. While it took him a bit to realize what it meant, it became clear as time went by - the blue and red on each side of the feather represented a duality, the red being his family profession, and the blue, since a particular type of animal was usually linked with the sky, his newfound affinity for the birds. The golden bead threaded at the end of the quill was what held them together because, if you had ever heard of the term ‘heart of gold’, then you would know that his heart was in both of these interests.

As for now, he still works at the sanctuary from time-to-time, and may be seen on the lookout for birds in need of care, bringing them there if his own provisions at home are not enough for their needs. During his time off, while he still keeps a watchful eye for the for birds in need, he'll usually be out and about, not afraid to mingle with anypony or one he meets along the way - and with that in mind, his carefree, playful demeanor can be pretty off putting for some, and both his confidence and flirtatious streak can give the impression that he’s nothing but a cocky, voluptuous tease. Still though, a more stubborn pony will be slow to realize there’s something deeper than what is seen at first glance, and that his dedication and care for his life’s pursuits can also extend towards those who give him the benefit of the doubt. Like looking after an injured bird, it may take a bit to get to know him in full, just as it takes time to mend a broken wing.

((Note: 'Tis nothing of importance, but my headcanon imagines him as sounding like Bruno Campos, otherwise known as the voice of Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog. Fillies and gentlecolts, you now have the right to swoon.))

Another introduction, and even more hat-tipping at her dispense. Since the first ponies she met in town had only been there temporarily, she had to wonder if everyone - outlaws included - happened to be this polite in Appleloosa. She bit her lip, forming a scowl while resisting the urge to make a light, incoming chuckle at the buffalo’s antics, though she didn’t know why or where it was coming from. ‘Wha’ do they think I am? One ah th’ Princesses?’ She was not about to let petty emotions get in her way, no siree!

“Kinda hard to think of ah cause, when yer livin’ offa soft drinks.” Gale muttered back, her voice edging on deadpan. She then turned to Thorn, a part of her amused by the jack and bull before her: Both were charming, or at least seemed to be, but Thorn appeared pretty straight-laced, while Honovi was, well, roguish. When the thief took his leave, the jenny nodded as she took off with the dapper donkey, flashing him a wink as they began the chase. A small glance of confusion could be seen on her face when she saw Thorn grab that canteen from somepony’s house, but it occurred to her that maybe he had an idea in mind, and of course, that buffalo was running away with root beer...

Catching up briskly, Gale grinned as the jack continued with the chase. “Quick thinkin’ there!” She turned her head quickly at him, then put her focus on keeping up with Honovi. She nimbly dodged an empty barrel that suddenly lay her way, bucking it with her hind hooves as it was knocked over, tumbling away from the three.

By now she was matching the other donkey’s speed, and even seemed to surpass it at that! If there were any quirks to being small, then a few inches shorter meant a few less pounds to carry, and that in itself meant a quicker pace on her part. Feeling particularly daring, she decided that a little bit of taunting was well overdue.

“HAY, Two-horns! Ya think you c’n ou’run us!?” A wicked, daring little smirk.The jenny sped up even more, and passed Thorn with a few more pounding trots. Maybe she came out harsher than she initially thought, but the heat of the moment wasn’t exactly welcoming her with a dose of common courtesy.

Because no one can get enough of dem dragons, I finally went through with drawing my character Patches~

For those of you wondering, I've pretty much prescribed to a particular system when it comes to greed and size: A dragon can grow faster if they let their hoarding instincts overwhelm them in a short amount of time (abnormal growth)...HOWEVER, without letting their greed consume every aspect of who they are, they can still grow to be just as large, but it takes much longer for them to do so (normal growth). If Patches were a pony that lived as many years as he has so far, then he'd (roughly) be that of an elderly stallion. But as far as dragons go? He's a 'teen', but pinning a number on him that would indicate his maturity level would be pretty hard, to be honest.

Pretending that the dragon above is on his fours (which he usually is, but I decided to go for him standing for now), he is a few inches shorter than two mares tall, (via measuring from the ground to the highest tip of his head-scales). colours and 'patches' aside, I took a few liberties that both kept as well as deviated away from Cat Napper's sketch of him, not denying that said sketch is a good 'un in its own right.

Oh, and among many other phobias of his, he's acrophobic. The fact that his wings are kinda huge doesn't lessen this one bit, to say the least...

hi hi

She doesn't look like a very happy pony, I'm guessing that has something to do with the flower's meaning?

In a way, it definitely does. The wisteria flower/tree is accociated with love - or at least, some of the negative aspects of it. Its vines it creates represents how people may because 'entangled' in its hardships, or tend to cling or obsess over it. It also represents unrequited love, yet at the same time its vines also represent the ability to florish in spite of such hardships, because of their durability. In other words, you could say that Wisteria Bloom is a bit of a kid-friendly hopeless romantic of sorts, one that's learning how to find and handle her limits. I'm working with other aspect of the flower's symbolism while also branching out from it (pun not intended).

Gale blinked as the young buffalo came up to her and the house, cocking an eye at his rather...well, muffled statement. “H-huh?” If he was trying to talk to her, then holding that case of rootbeer certainly wasn’t helping him to start up an intelligent conversation. Maybe it it didn’t matter though, considering how brash he was...not that the jenny herself wasn’t guilty of that, but that was beside the point. Rolling her eyes, she then came face-to-face with the other donkey - or Thorn, as he introduced himself. She noted to herself that, to say the least, that he certainly didn’t sound like a farmjack, but maybe it wasn’t her place to judge. She might have to ask where he came from at some point, but now wasn’t the time.

“Er, Gale.” She answered back, albeit awkwardly. It had been a while since she’d been around anypony, or anyone, who seemed roughly her age, buffalo, donkey or otherwise, though she wasn’t much better around foals and adults. Her eyes lit up with the mention of potentially chasing the bull in question - she didn’t care much about being a hero or catching thieves, but with a notable exception in mind, this seemed to be the most interesting thing to potentially happen to and around her since she arrived.

“Can’t say ‘e has, but I wouldn’ mind joinin’ in on ah good chase.” The jenny smirked, innocently shuffling a front hoof at her own proposal. If either of them were to tell her it was between the two of them, then she’d join in anyways. Being who she was, there was no way in Tartarus she’d miss the opportunity to appease any amount of boredom she might have had.

Another day, another afternoon that would have gone to waste - that is, if Gale honestly planned on staying about her and her brother’s new home whilst one of few breaks he’d offer, considering how much they've worked on restoring it already. The process was slow-going, but at least some progress was starting to weigh in, and she took the initiative to explore the town some more...and there wasn’t a soul of interest within it. She couldn't blame them really, with how most ponies don’t fare well with the afternoon heat, but still!

''..'Ey! Anypony, or anybody 'dere?''

The little jenny perked an ear, blinking a little at the sudden holler. She didn’t know many ponies who’d actually say anybody, and when it did happen, it was just somepony trying a little too hard to act polite around someone who wasn’t a foal and lacked a cutie mark...or actually, was it even a pony who said it? Gale tiphooved a ways away from the house, peeking her head around a street corner before seeing him - a younger buffalo, a smallish one, though she was still plenty shorter. She didn’t dare answer him first, and instead pulled her head back, wondering if he’d decide to go her way. Maybe if she waited he’d come over, and then she could catch him off guard, maybe even ask what the hay he was doing with those carts...

...then another voice chimed in. Presumably farther off, likely by the opposite corner. “Rootbeer? Really?” He muttered loudly, wondering why in Tartarus a buffalo would take a crate full of soft drinks. “Atleas’ take something that won’ leave ya with a sugar rush in th’ middle ah th’ desert! Like, say, water er somethin’!” the sorrel donkey took a sharp turn around the corner, finally facing the roguish young bull and...wait, another donkey!? And Gale thought that she and her brother were the only ones in town!

The jenny blinked in surprise at the young jack opposite of her. He seemed about her age, maybe a bit older, though that was probably because of how much shorter she was than most donkeys her age. She made a quick ‘ahem’ before maintaining her annoyed glare at the castoff before her. She wasn't here for casual greetings, but was one of two was dealing with a thief, and one with a poor sense of practicality at that, right?

The jenny grinned lightly at the acknowledgement, but something yet again didn’t quite sit right with the rest of what Zephyr had to say. He seemed like he had good intentions, but it was as though the dark green Pegasus was trying to condense the whole story. An eyebrow rose as Gale’s smile slowly yet surely faltered, trying to think of just why she was starting to suspect that something was up.

Then it dawned to her. He obviously didn’t think much of the little donkey. To him, she must have appeared to be some small, immature, weakling of a foal who barely had any understanding of what either of them had been saying. He was dumbing down his vocabulary for the sake of communicating to someone that had plenty more smarts than he was willing to acknowledge.

Resisting the urge to give him a dirty, full-blown glare, her blood began to boil. She wasn’t going to tolerate those flying horseapples, now, was she?

When the monk spoke up while giving them his best wishes, Gale finally managed a happier, more genuine expression. She didn’t have it in her to act mean towards the other, especially not when he was actually treating her like a person rather than as a size and age group. She tipped her head at him with friendly smile.

“Why thanks Swift,” She interjected politely. “Welp, if ya don’ mind me callin’ ya that!” Gale wasn’t sure if the light green stallion cared about being casual as far as names went, considering how polite the Pegasus himself could be. She then turned her head towards Zephyr, the donkey’s smile morphing into that of a smirk. An idea of how to deal with him had began to take form in her mind: Resorting to fistihooves was obviously out of the question, as he hadn’t directly invoked her...yet...and he was a full-grown adult, and who was seemingly working with a rather powerful stallion at that! In the meantime, she’d have to prove herself that she was anything but stupid. In fact, maybe she could outright convince him that she knew more about his whereabouts than she actually did.

“Oh, and I think I know what yer talkin’ 'bout there, Zeph. ‘It’s s’posed to be the...Trans Equestrian Railroad! Right?” She queried in fake naivety, but she really was glad that the name of the project came to mind. It was something she had heard of since their arrival, considering the hubbub over it. “Ya mus’ be workin’ for a pretty powerful guy there. Hearda th’ Rockefilly legacy few, ‘t’s funny seeing ‘im turning a new leaf ‘ere!” In truth, she wasn’t too sure about the rich stallion’s motives for the project. Part of her had her suspicions, but she knew that her brother and the vast majority of Appleloosans were especially happy about the towns potential prospects, if everything were to go as planned.

Gale put a hoof by her muzzle in thought. She didn’t know too much about who else was investing in the project that was working closely with Max, though there were rumors abound that he apparently brought along two bodyguards - one being an actual guard in their own right, and the other being some criminal of sorts. A part of her doubted that it was true, since she didn’t know anypony who would have the right mind to trust the latter in protecting such an influential figure...but her eyes suddenly flickered, the unlikely happening giving her another idea to follow through.

“Though, I’ve gotta ask ya - y’all know anypony else workin’ on th’ whole thing? ‘Cause somepony said some days ago there was ah, say, odd duo workin’ with Max, correct?” She shuffled her hooves casually as she peered her head over at Zephyr. “Somethin’ about ah guardsmare an’ a convict duking it out at one point. Y’ don’ happen to know ‘em, right? And wha’d of yer friend? Would she know of ‘em?” A devious smirk formed as the jenny began to circle around him. Of course, she honestly wouldn’t have know whether or not Zephyr Burst had any part of that, let alone if that was the truth, and Gale had only heard that the guard in particular was a mare, though she couldn’t be too sure about that either. She honestly didn’t believe the whole situation to be true, but it was at least worth attempting to rile him up in retaliation.

Welp, you've lured the beetle into the bug zapper. There's no way I can't take part of this now.

Also, zhe thread with zhe buggy drawings.