Got to admit the couple stories I did have for this one were pretty good. I enjoyed each of the forms at least some so I'm going to give an HM, a RU and of course name the winner. The form that receives an HM (x1 stubs) is WolfwithWings38, I certainly wanted you to have something for your efforts c: - the RU I'm giving to steampunkvale. Your form was good, and the artwork in it was great though I would have liked to see it depict more about the character itself but still lovely nonetheless. I have the RU already made and ready-- it'll be posted shortly. And lastly, the winner is Strudel. I really loved your form and the explanation on the preference to sea was very compelling. The added story was also really good and I'm very interested to see what happens next in Hawkins' story! Congrats!
Strudel wrote:username; Strudel
name; Hawkins
gender; Male
which does this viscet prefer sea, land or air?;I was born of the sea, I was raised by the sea, and I will die by the sea.
It's the only inconsistent constant. The water ebbs and flows; the waves crest and crash. The sea is a cycle of storms and clear skies; of cold nights and burning days on the deck. It's always changing, but no matter where or when you are-- it's always the same as it would be whenever and wherever you happen to be. I know that wherever I go on my ship, that I will be able to find my way with the stars and the seas by my side. I can only sleep with the gentle rock and sway of the ship on gentle waves, and I can only fight with the shifting planks beneath my paws.
I never leave my ship for long, the call of the sea is entirely too strong. If I didn't need supplies and have a need for my crew to rest on land, I would never stop at a single port. I never cared much for the land at all, until we docked where her shop was.
I won't speak of her shop here, this is a tale of my love for the sea, but it's important to know that she was the only thing that ever made me think of staying on land for a while. She was smart, creative, and her art could capture any man's eyes-- or heart. I did not pursue her, it wasn't like that, my heart still truly resided among the ocean waves. However... I did find myself stopping at her port much more often than I should have. I would bring her trinkets for her projects that I gathered during my great travels, and she would trade me her finished works. Soon, my cabin and my ship itself had great works of her art lining it. With as much machinery, cogs, and gears adorning my ship, one might have thought from the inside that it was an airship. Of course, I never wanted an airship and will never captain one, but there was so much life and charm in her creations that I felt... it could only improve my ship and keep me occupied during rough seas and long journeys.
I could have enjoyed that forever, bringing things that I found during my travels to her and taking her art in return to bring more beauty to my hearty ship and my beautiful ocean. It was not meant to be, though. The last time I docked, I witnessed this young woman-- the woman with a heart of gold and hands meant to create beauty-- disappear before my eyes. She was gone, just like that, and the explanation was not one that I wanted or needed to hear. I returned to the call of the sea, my gift still in paw and my heart left behind in its stead. I boarded once more, leaving the port to never return.
I had grown to hate the land since, and the people on it, because I knew that as dangerous as the sea was, the dangers were ones you could anticipate. On the land, which was supposed to be much more safe, lurked oddities and dangers you could never anticipate and prepare for. Especially now, I felt the only home I would or could ever have was the sea, and I felt there would never be a reason to forsake the sea again, even for another moment. I would send my crew out for what we needed, but my own paws would stand firmly on the planks of my ship. My devotion to the sea only grew, and my crew grew away from me. I was only left with a handful of good men, enough to run but not enough to be safe. Still, I refused to leave the safety of the arms of the sea I had so clung to. It was folly, and I knew it, but how could I leave the only thing that I could trust?
Eventually, I no longer had a choice. I had to step onto the land again and find a crew. However, I would not be there long. I would see soon someone that I needed, and I would take them aboard my ship and join my beloved sea once more. It was destiny, as soon I would find out, for me to leave this sea for another. Still, even then, it would be me and the sea-- and as always we would be an unstoppable force.|| 762/800 ||
extra(s);I saw her there-- when I finally left the ship again. She was among the crowd, shifting past people in the market without touching a soul, somehow. I recognized her in an instant. Her body was still black as coal, and her mane still as vibrantly blue as a calm ocean meets a clear sky. It had been more than a year, though I wasn't sure just how long, since I had felt the solid ground beneath my paws. I was unsteady, and the sounds of the crowds confused me thoroughly as I attempted to follow her.
I caught up with her, at a stall that smelled of fish guts and sewage. I only had a moment to ask myself why she might be here before she stepped in front of me.
"Sorry," she said as she lightly bumped into me. I felt her wince and jerk back "I didn't mean to run into you."
I twitched my nose as I looked straight into her eyes-- red as the pits of Hades. It was a startling sight, especially against the blue and white skull marking on her face. This was the one that had taken my dear friend Peyton from me. Had sent her elsewhere, in another time she had said. She had told me, that day, that I would never again see my friend. She had had tears in her eyes at the time, she had regretted what she had done. At least she had said. Here she was now, though, this same girl. She didn't even recognize me, the man she had broken down in front of. The man she had sworn would never again see his friend. The man that she promised would never have to see her again, that soon she would be gone as well. In a year, she had forgotten all this. She had forgotten me.
I felt rage, deep down in my chest, as she looked at me with concern in her eyes.
"Are you ok?" she asked softly, her honeyed voice sounded worried. That only fueled my anger.
"Ottilie." I managed to say through my clenched jaw "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" she looked to me, quite confused, but I could have cared less how she felt about it. I only cared how I felt, I only cared for my lost friend in that moment. I grabbed her by the wrist. She tried to shy away, but I held to her firmly even as the rancid smell started to turn my stomach sour "This time, your tears will not save you. So save them." I growled as I turned and began to drag her.
"You don't understand, no one should touch me." she said hoarsely, under her breath "You must release me, or-"
"Or what? You'll make me disappear too?" I said through gnashed teeth. I didn't even bother to turn around and get a look at her face. She didn't speak as we approached the ship, and she didn't speak as we boarded either. She was silent even as my crew (at least those of them left) questioned who she was.
"A guest," I told them. I could hardly say prisoner, we were privateers-- not pirates "She'll be staying with us for a time. We'll find crewmates on our next stop. For now, let's gather supplies and shove back off." I looked around to my confused crew "I promise, we'll find more men. But I have questions for this young woman. We'll drop her off at the next port as well." I looked to her "Unless you have objections?" she shook her head silently "Good. Now, let's head to my cabin." Again, my crew looked completely confused, but they trust me and said nothing as she followed me. By now, I had released her wrist-- she wasn't fighting to be freed. She was resigned.
We didn't leave the cabin for over a day. At first, I had been hostile questioning her, until she told me of her condition. I wasn't sure I believed her at first but her story was compelling "So you're saying that you can't send her back?" I asked as she finished her long (and sad) story "You can't control it at all?" apparently she traveled through time accidentally, and had since birth. It was unbelievable and yet... what other explanation was there? "And you're telling me you only accidentally send people in your place when they touch you somehow?" I furrowed my brow, this was a lot to take in.
"I would have never done it on purpose. Where she is now. It's--" she shook her head "It's fine, and she's fine. I've seen her. But she can't be who she was meant to be there."
Ottilie spent a lot of time explaining to me why she couldn't just send Peyton back. As hard as it was to hear, I knew it was truth. And so, I released her to go anywhere she liked on the ship, and surprisingly enough she made use of herself. She stayed in my cabin at night, while I stayed with my still very confused men. It wasn't until we hit the next port that I told my first mate my intentions.
"My ship will be yours, I am leaving this ocean for another." my mind was made up, and I told him as much "This young woman, she can send me elsewhere. Another place." and another time, but I didn't tell him that "I leave it all to you. I trust you.
I spent every waking moment after that with Ottilie, until I noticed the signs that she was to leave this time. She had explained it all to me. Before she could leave, I grasped a hold of her shoulder firmly, but softly.
"I will go in your stead." I whispered. I could see the panic in her eyes, but in moments I was gone. To a different time-- to what would be like a different world.|| 999/1000 ||
