Equius Zahhak ♐ 2 Little Hoofbeasts ♐

[sheneighnigans]

[1. Letter | Morning | Addressed to the head of household at 502 Ricardo | Neatly folded and laying in the mailbox]

D --> To the mother or father figure at five hundred and two Ricardo Street
D --> Whomever is in charge of the hive



D --> I must take the time to point out that your designated male offspring was e%ceedingly rude to me yesterday
D --> His behavior was nothing short of reprehensible and I demand that he be punished for it
D --> Not only was he sitting out in the open with materials that were blatantly pornographic in nature, but he attempted to assault me as well
D --> You will punish him at once or my father figure will hear of this debauchery
D --> I am of noble b100d and I will not stand for this sort of tomf001ery
D --> Rein your human child in or I will punish him myself at my soonest convenience
D --> That is all

D --> Respond immediately at five hundred and seven Ricardo Street
D --> If neither I or Benson are home
D --> Leave your notice in our correspondence receptacle



D --> Sincerely

D --> Equius Zahhak

[2. Action | Afternoon | John Doe Park | Open to all]

[Equius isn't used to being this weak. So, what better way to remedy that than by going for a nice invigorating jog? And by jog, I mean it started out as that, and has since slowed to a pathetic crawl. He's moping around the park with his hands in the pockets of his shorts, hunched over in annoyance at his own incompetence. He really can't wait to get his STRENGTH back.

Maybe you'll catch him kicking stones down a path, or maybe you'll catch up to him while he's sitting on a park bench. Either way, he definitely needs a friendly kick in the shins to get him going again.]

Comments

2. (Whooooo~)

[originalnumber]

You'll not be getting any sort of kick in the shins from this one- he is, as has become habit, making ridiculously detailed sketches of anything he sees in the park.

This includes you, sitting on the park bench. If this is at all insulting, rest assured he did not mean it to be.

[sheneighnigans]

[Of course he's going to spot him out there sketching furiously. Equius stops trying to catch his breath long enough to look up at him and frown deeply, annoyed by this invasion of his privacy.]

Did you need something?

[originalnumber]

. . . "Ah?" B-but the bench was there, and he was here, and-

...This is another culture thing isn't it. "...I you like, I could dispose of this sketch... ...However, if there is something I have offended you with, then you have my apologies..." Erk-

It's a highly accurate image, in any case.

[sheneighnigans]

[This guy is kind of weird. Equius frowns a bit deeper, peering over at him suspiciously. At least he apologized. That's a little better.]

...You needn't do that. And you haven't offended me. I'm simply wondering what it is that you're doing, and for what purpose.

[Of all the things he could have anticipated about coming to the park, being sketched by a random non-droned stranger isn't one of them.]

[John Doe Park]

[connedviakeyboard]

[The park had become one of the places Benson came to gravitate to when he just wanted to get away. Part of it was that it reminded him of home considering his job as a park caretaker, and it was nice to be somewhere that felt familiar.

He notices his "son" sitting on the park bench, and hesitates a moment before going over to talk with him. He hadn't put in any big effort to really get to know the kid and, well...he felt guilty about that.

So he strolls over to where the kid is sitting, hands stuffed in his pockets and fidgeting awkwardly.]

Hey.

Nice day.

[Goddamn. Just an amazing opener there.]

[sheneighnigans]

[Oh thank goodness. Someone Equius knows and isn't totally opposed to seeing on a regular basis. Benson does pack a lunch for him every day that he goes to school, after all. That's awfully thoughtful of him. Especially since Equius is still trying to figure out human food, for the most part. He looks up at his "father" and blinks, nodding slightly in acknowledgement.]

...It's rather temperate, yes.

[An equally amazing response. Equius continues watching him for a moment, then looks away again when he realizes that it's probably his fault that Benson is fidgeting like that. They haven't exactly spoken much since Equius's first day here. That's probably mostly his own fault. He hasn't felt much like talking to anybody.]

Are you, ah...busy, at the moment?

[connedviakeyboard]

Huh?

[Benson looks at him, startled, at that statement for some reason. He shakes his head a moment, clearing it, before responding.]

Oh. No, no. Things are pretty calm right now. It'll probably pick up soon but I can talk for now.

[Oh God. He sounds like such an asshole, but he has to sound like he could be called away at any second. He thinks he should have just told Equius the truth from the get go, should maybe even just come clean right now. But he stops himself. No. They may get to have an actual conversation, and he doesn't want to ruin that by exposing his lie. He takes a seat on the bench, ready to listen, and just feels guilty he didn't ask. But he's scared that if he did, it'd take away from the authority figure he's supposed to be.

That small frown creeping on his lips isn't directed at you, Equius. He's just pissed at himself.]

2

[werejew]

[hey just

running effortlessly past you

and also in circles around you

and not showing off

at all]

[sheneighnigans]

[What a jerk. Oh my gosh.

Equius perks up and scowls, watching her closely.]

If you're looking for compliments, kindly seek them elsewhere. I'm not in the mood for the company of arrogant individuals.

[werejew]

I'm not arrogant; you're just real fucking slow!

Why are you so fucking slow, slow dude? [all smiles]

around town

[macebronia]

[and Rider's taking Bucephalas for his daily walk. The huge man and his equally huge horse passes by Equius looking downtrodden and offers his own advice.]

Kid, you will not get anywhere looking down on the ground like that.

[sheneighnigans]

[Oh good gosh.

Of course he's going to look up at the mere sound of hooves. Equius's eyes get wide as the giant horse approaches, and his mouth hangs open a bit as the two of them get closer, in shock. It takes him a few moments to clear his throat and speak.]

Th-that...gracious. Is this hoofbeast...yours?

[Oh man. Oh man oh man. He wants to get up and e%amine this magnificent creature.]

[macebronia]

[Rider laughs at Equius's reaction. A horse that size isn't something you see every day, and he knows it. The two go closer to Equius, Bucephalas staring right at the young troll.]

You mean Bucephalas here? He's been one of my closest friends. Since childhood, even. One of the greatest warriors I've ever had the pleasure of sharing the battlefield with.

2

[noluckduck]

[This isn't quite the same Equius she became sort-of-weirdly-friends with. Clover knows that.

But she still can't stand to see him looking so down, good god.]

Hey. Look at me, man.

[sheneighnigans]

[Reluctantly, he looks up. He's definitely bummed out.]

...Oh. Hello, Clover.

Passing through, were you...?

[noluckduck]

... Yeah, I come 'round these parts a lot.

Doesn't matter, though. Ya look like shit right now.

Action

[prissy_hooves]

[Kick in the shins? Who does she look like, Rainbow Dash? But all the same, Rarity's here to provide some encouragement. She's seen Equius as a human before, so it's not too hard to recognize him.]

Equius? What seems to be the matter?

[sheneighnigans]

[Oh! He recognizes that voice, and he perks up, taken aback by the sight of her even though he was expecting her to be a pony. She's just so...lovely. His expression relaxes immediately as he's looking at her, and try as he might as he's thinking up something to say, he can't will himself to look half as grumpy again.]

Ah...R-...Rarity. It's nothing, I assure you. I...apologize for not being in contact with you, It's been a rather difficult couple of weeks...

[Her mane. It's so. Spectacular.]

[prissy_hooves]

Oh, it's quite all right, I understand. It must be difficult adjusting to this place, especially in a form you're unused to.

2

[imbodytemp]

[One of the stone's Equius kicks takes an unfortunate arc, hitting a small, white bunny coming the other way striaght in the head, knocking him over.]

Waugh!

[sheneighnigans]

[Oh no! He didn't mean to do that! Equius freezes, then rushes over to the rabbit, fretting.]

O-oh, goodness. Excuse me, hopbeast, have I harmed you...? Oh, dear...please forgive my clumsiness. It wasn't intentional...

[He kneels beside him, wringing his hands.]

[imbodytemp]

[Mesousa rolls around a bit until his eyes are able to focus on the troll.]

Augh, no it's, It's ok, I...I shouldn't have been walking there.

[perfectsymmetry]

[While Equius is having a break in the park, he'll find a wayward soccer ball has rolled its way over to him, bumping him on the foot. A slightly out of breath teenager in gym clothes jogs up.]

Ah, sorry about that.

[sheneighnigans]

[Equius looks at the ball curiously, then up to the boy, who is startlingly tall. He has to crane his neck a bit from his seat on the bench to see his face.]

Ah. It isn't a problem. What...is it? What are you doing? Some sort of game?

[He reaches down to pick up the ball, still curious about its pattern. Of course they have sports on Alternia, but this ball is strange to him.]

[perfectsymmetry]

Well, I'm not playing against anyone, just dribbling it. It's football. Ah, or soccer, depending where you're from. They don't have it where you're from?