Three ♚

[peonymarket]

[The effects of the week old candy have come and gone, leaving China more embarrassed about the whole debacle than he would care to admit. Or at least this would be the case if he wasn't rather distracted at the moment.

What with a horse having a freakout on his lawn and all.

A fully-grown male warhorse, in fact; a beast bred to fight and

Comments

[onlythesong]

[Never speaking of it again, y/y?

Mashiro has never seen a horse before, except in books or holographs. While Windbloom remains the center for the wonders of Earthen technology, it is still a desert nation. She stops on the sidewalk and stares at the creature with wide-eyed fascination. For all that she insists that she's no longer a child, at the moment the wonderment on her face makes her look like one.]

[peonymarket]

[China notices Mashiro out of the corner of his eye and turns his head slightly, sending her a look: keep back. He can feel the horse still shaking slightly under his hands, and he knows that it won't take much at this point to spook him again.]

[onlythesong]

[For the first time she notices that the horse doesn't just look majestic, but dangerous as well. She eyes the wicked-looking hooves with apprehension and has no problem complying with China's very obvious command.]

[peonymarket]

[He refocuses his attention on the horse, stroking the muzzle and strong neck, running his fingers through the silken mane. Then, after a few minutes, he takes a few steps back- still holding the mane, tugging lightly. His gaze is locked with the animal's, testing it, seeking to force the beginnings of a bond....and it's only when the horse slowly pads forward obediently can China let out the breath he was holding and look at Mashiro properly.]

If you are quiet and move slow, you may approach without danger.

[evers_hacker]

[And April had been wandering around the town as she usually does, deep in thought and fidgeting with her now scarred hands. She was just passing by when- what wait.

She stares in curiosity at the horse; while there are horses back home, evolution and mutations had changed them into animals different than the ones she had seen in the old pictures, while the horse in front of her clearly resembled those in the pictures. So she'll just be blinking in amazement from the sidewalk.]

[peonymarket]

[By this point, the horse has calmed enough for China to speak without frightening him....as long as he does so quietly. He looks over at April, smiling as if nothing was out of the ordinary.]

Nihao.

[evers_hacker]

[Ni-what? She blinks in a state of "buh what?" before smiling back, guessing it meant 'hello' or something. When she speaks, her own voice is rather quiet, since she doesn't want to spook the horse.]

Ah, hello. [Gives a slight nod towards the horse.] Is he your, um, regain?

[peonymarket]

[He pets the horse affectionately, trying to rub out the last shreds of tension and fear from the creature.]

Seems to be....I was not expecting him to appear so suddenly like that.

[ergaleomancer]

[Theta is out for a wander, and blinks surprisedly when she sees a man and a horse out on a lawn. She nods politely to him, though, leaning heavily on her cane as she waits for him to acknowledge her. Judging by how he's treating the creature, she supposes that if she says hello, she might just spook the thing, and that would be bad for both of them.]

[peonymarket]

[He glances over at her and, after a moment, nods back, asking with his eyes for her to please keep her silence for the moment. He continues to stroke the horse's muzzle and murmur assurances. It's a better situation than the panicky thrashing from earlier, but still tense.]

[ergaleomancer]

[She stays quiet, and even waits patiently for him to calm the horse. She's actually quite mesmerised by the creature.]

[peonymarket]

[After about ten minutes or so, the horse's state of mind has much improved; he's even looking about curiously, although he stays close to China. Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, the nation divides his attention more equally between Theta and the creature.]

Should be safe to speak now.

[thatsnotaknife]

[uguuu animals.

Badass, angry, dangerous animals at that.

Australia stares from the sidewalk, gleefully taking in the sight and quietly hoping the horse tramples China. It's nothing personal, really.]

[peonymarket]

[Shame on you, Australia. Just for that, no trampled Asian roadkill.

He gives you a wary look; okay who are you again.....DEM BROWS.]

[thatsnotaknife]

[Australia nods cheerfully at China, obviously recognising him.] G'day, mate, got everything under control?

[For the record: He is not a demon.]

[peonymarket]

[SUUUUURE HE'S NOT.

The horse whinnies softly and China scratches him behind the ears, the wary look fading just a tad.]

Yes, I do. Have we met?

[armywithcountry]

[Prussia lets out a low whistle when he sees the horse, running an appreciative eye over his flanks. Shockingly enough, he doesn't bound over with his usual brash energy, instead approaching slowly with the air of someone with plenty of experience in this field - or perhaps not that shocking, after all. As the owner of one of Europe's strongest and most feared cavalry forces, Prussia knows his way around horses.

He nods at China.]

That's a beautiful animal you've got there.

[peonymarket]

[Yes, this horse is beautiful- glossy black and strong, full of fire under his nervousness. And this creature is all China's, he knows, he senses, and it's with not a little pride that the nation reaches up to stroke that luxurious mane. The horse whickers somewhat uneasily at Prussia's approach, but China's nearness and Prussia's slow movement means that his reaction ends there.]

He is, is he not? He seems to be one of my...what is word, regains?

[armywithcountry]

[There's a hint of envy in Prussia's eyes, along with the admiration. He's been in town long enough to get used to cars and motorcycles, but there really was nothing like charging down a battlefield with the muscles of a fine steed coiling and releasing underneath your legs, two minds with one goal. Not even the high speed of the machines here can match with that thrill.]

Definitely one of the cooler regains I've seen. Way better than any witchcraft! Maybe the town will actually cut me a break for once and give me back one of mine.

[peonymarket]

[China begins to touch the horse's back and flanks, tug gently on his mane, push his snout here and there, testing the creature's reaction and willingness to obey.]

Is funny you say that- just the other day I was thinking aloud how much I would have preferred to have one of these. What a strange turn of luck.