Just me or is this Wyrd?

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Sjel had never wanted to thank Wyrd for much. She was the daughter of her parents, the stock of her ancestors (which consisted of generations of fine choices culminating in her). Her parents and her community had forged her into who she was. What use was there in thanking anything other than those lines? She had known caribou who could follow the threads further using their Seidh, caribou like Synet. Those who could see the what Wyrd would present. Yet she found herself unconvinced. The soil beneath her had not been given to her. She was here from the combined effort of the crew. Where did Wyrd fit in?

Today she would venture into this Manehatten and see what festivities. She was not going alone, but rather with Styrke. The two had often been together back home, at least once he had grown into a form that could properly adventure around their territory. Yet it was rare for her to be alone with him. Lys and Sjel were rarely apart in times of leisure. She appreciated the opportunity. This way, she would be able to get an idea of how leadership was treating him. Their last private conversation had been before they had set off. As with her own worries, she could imagine that actually taking on the role was different than the fantasy version they had created.

”So they are celebrating some type of holiday?” She asked as they moved along. Pony holidays seemed to come around about as often as their caribou equivalents. Yet, Sjel did not know what this one might be concerning. They had a holiday near to this time back home. It was for counting the members of the community as well as the wealth within the hold. It had other uses too, such doing their best to prepare the soil for planting, though ponies seemed to have great skill in this area and would not need such a time. ”Do you think it will be like Disting?

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After landing on foreign soil, Styrke had felt a strange mix of anxiousness and excitement. This is what the crew had prepared for months for, and now here they were, in the land of Equestria. The things Styrke had read about the land from old texts from previous expeditions could not do it justice. Manehatten was a marvel of a city, one that surely could not have existed in such a size when the last expedition came through. There were towers made of stone and glass that stretched up to the sky itself, and an entire statue made of aged bronze that greeted all who arrived to the city by sea. But more importantly, there was a holiday going on. Holidays, unlike cities, were a temporary thing. For now, Styrke was focused on studying the pony holiday known as Hearts & Hooves Day. He would plenty of time to learn about the city itself after the festivities of Hearts & Hooves had passed. "Yes. but I do not believe it is like Disting," Styrke said in response to Sjel's question, "Or at least it has a different focus. The ponies call it Hearts & Hooves Day, and I believe the holiday is related to romance. It is a celebration of love and passion," Styrke said in a neutral, professional tone. In spite of the flurry of emotions he felt from finally being in Equestria, Styrke still looked very calm and collected. But there was a slight bit of optimism to his expression, that one could only notice if they knew Styrke well.

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”Romance?” Sjel said, tilting an eyebrow skeptically. Surely the ponies did not celebrate passion when times were coldest. The bloom of love was to be celebrated with the blooming of flowers. Now that was holiday symbolism. Not some arbitrary day toward the close of winter. ”If that is the case, are you sure that it deserves to be documented?”

There was also the matter of who she would be documenting this with. Upon the waves, she had realized the gravity of their lot. Distractions such as calf-crushes were not to be thought of on an expedition. For these things to be brought up this quickly after their landing was not a welcome surprise. It was a test of her steel-heart before it had fully cooled. But if that how it was to be, then she would have to endeavor to keep to her plan.

”You knew of this holiday already?” She asked, making the inquiry as casually as possible. If he had, she had to wonder why he would have chosen to take her along. Maybe he believed that such a holiday would need a cow's perspective... That could be it, that made sense. Yes, she would assume that if Styrke already knew of this holiday then their partnership in learning about it was based on pragmatic principles.

”Did you believe that just because I am a cow, I would have some deep understanding of love that would give further insight into this?” She asked in a tone of false offense.

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"Certainly," Styrke said responding to Sjel's skeptism. "I understand your confusion, and this is exactly why I took such an interest in this holiday. Why do the ponies celebrate it, and why at this time of year specifically, when it is so cold? I am sure the ponies would not understand some of our own holidays unless we explained to them our reasons for celebrating it and the history of the holiday." Styrke however admitted to himself that Caribou holidays tended to be more...pragmatic than pony ones. In all honesty, Styrke himself was not entirely sure why he requested that Sjel of all the crew join him. Her youthfulness could possibly help with understanding the matters of the heart as many of the ponies who celebrated the holiday were young themselves, but he could have just as easily had asked Lys to join him. Perhaps, he simply felt the most comfortable with Sjel accompanying him. She was, after all, a close friend of his. Plus, he was sure she would appriciate getting a closer look at the archetecture of Manehatten. It certainly could not be related to affection considering the holiday; Styrke was the captain, which meant he had to avoid making decisions based on matters of emotion instead of logic. Styrke nodded at Sjel asking if he was aware of the holiday before, then turned to look at her as she sounded insulted. He wasn't completely sure if she was feigning offense or not, so he decided to take the safe route and answer honestly. "Perhaps, a cow's perspective could assist in study, but I requested for you to join me because I enjoy your company and because I had assumed you would have wanted a closer look at all the towering buildings in Manehatten."

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”It may not come to much, then. There is a rightness to our holidays. There is something that is felt and strengthened over time by their ritual nature. Only witnessing this holiday once may not be enough to understand it…” She thought aloud. Every time a holiday drew near, it reminded her of every other time it did so. And that first one was special because it felt like a secret that the rest of the hold was in on. It would be different here. It might be a secret known to these ponies and not her, but she had not had long to covet it.

It seemed she would not get much of a rise out of him. Instead, he had a rather level headed answer that made sense. Her life was devoted concepts of structure, so she could do with as much study of foreign buildings as she could get. As for enjoying her company, she imagined there weren’t many on this trip whom he couldn’t tolerate alone, though it was nice to know she was still on his short list. It would have been more fun if he had been properly baited, but she could live with this result as well.

The city was just before them. Sjel had not made up her mind on how she felt about this undertaking, but that was not a bad mindset to be in. As an explorer, it was good not to romanticize things too much or be too skeptical. She believed she had a fair blend of both. ”Then all there is left to do is to see what there is to see,” she replied after taking a short pause, her tone non-committal but not negative.

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"Perhaps that is true, that we can not fully understand a foreign holiday unless we lived here long enough to grow up with it. But as an expedition with a focus on research, we must learn what we can. For a full understanding of the holiday we can interview ponies, but the perspective of someone celebrating it for the first time is valid as well in its own way, is it not?" The caribou were certainly not the only only new creatures in Equestria; Styrke had read that Manehatten was a gateway to Equestria for many immigrants from across the sea. Just as they could learn from a pony who has celebrated a holiday their whole life, there were also things to learn from being a newcomer to the holiday. Styrke knew Sjel long enough to know that her seemingly apathetic attitude was really her staying level headed and objective. It was something to admire, that one could rely on her to not get compromised by her own emotions. However, she was still of course not devoid of emotion, and Styrke hoped that by the end of their venture into the city to find something that would truly excite her. Approaching a street vendor with their cart decorated in gaudy red and pink decorations, Styrke could easily recognize it as being related to the holiday of Hearts & Hooves. "Ah, a street vendor. A peculiar habit of ponies in larger cities, having their shops scattered instead of clustered in one marketplace," Styrke commented. "And it seems they are selling wares themed after the current holiday. Shall we investigate?"

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It was well enough to go through the paces of a holiday. Or she believed it was. His point sounded as if it had merit. She had never celebrated a foreign holiday, so she could not speak to the validity of the experience. But she had no reason to believe that they could not learn anything of value on this journey. It would be good to return home with as much information as possible. There was also no telling what life might throw at them as a surprise. She knew that they would learn more in the city than they would in the camp.

She nodded wordlessly as she continued to consider their situation. As she did so, the proprietor lit up and began the song and dance of a salespony.

”The finest wares in all of Manehatten, sure to impress a pair of sweethearts out on holiday for Hearts and Hooves day! the vendor salespony said enthusiastically, not missing a beat despite their species no doubt being rare in these parts. ”Keep a careful watch, my antlered stallion friend, a lady's eyes will often tell her desires better than her words!”

Sjel froze. Sweethearts. It was a holiday of sweethearts, of love. It had not occurred to her before, but the two of them, traveling as a pair, would come across as if they were a well... a pair. It had taken only a moment before the assumption had been.

She did not like lying. Every moment within a farce made her skin crawl and she knew that she would not be able to sell anything dishonest well. But would an outsider's view of the holiday be the same as one attempting to experience it for the first time, as Styrke had suggested?

”We are... celebrating for the first time, yes?” she said, turning to look up at him, ”That is what you want, is it not?”

What a troubling place to find herself.

(Hope this one is okay >.< )

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Styrke's expression changed of one to mild interest to intense embarrassment in the matter of only a few seconds. He had gotten so caught up on his studies, excited to get started on the expedition now that they had arrived in Equestria after traveling for so long, that he hadn't even considered what only bringing Sjel with him might imply to...well everyone really. The ponies, the crew, and most importantly, Sjel herself. "I...er." Styrke stuttered, a rare moment of the bull having no idea as to how to properly word his intentions. He finally regained his composure, looking at the salespony with a determined but not angry expression. He decided stating things how they really were plain and simply was the best option. "We are crewmates sir, not lovers. But yes, we are looking to buy your wares." Styrke had already prepared for the trade, having already exchanged some valuables brought along with the expedition for bits, the currency of the local populace. Receiving a few bits from Stykre, the vendor gave him a knowing look and gave the bull a bouquet of roses, then thanked him for his business. "...I'm sorry about that," Styrke said to Sjel, certainly sounding apologetic enough to be genuine. "I was so eager to begin my research that I hadn't considered the possibility that we may be seen as...well, a couple." It hurt, but it was important to make amends for his mistake to Sjel. She was a valued crewmember and friend, so Styrke knew he couldn't do anything to put those qualities in jeopardy...

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She almost bit her tongue when he explained their true relationship. She considered this for no other reason than to feel something other than embarrassment. That which she had brought upon herself for not speaking the truth earlier. All lies were bad, but one within this topic was even worse. At least she had not said too much or worse still, done anything beyond words to prove the point.

As usual when she was anxious, but not angry, Sjel wanted to default toward a more stony exterior, to not let anything slip out. Yet a part of her was angry. Not at him, he was doing his duty and speaking his truth. She wasn’t mad about that. What upset her was that they had known each other for as long as they had, but that she couldn’t push through her own type of shyness and actually speak with him as she could with Lys. Well, perhaps not that easily, but at least something closer to it. It wasn’t so hard in large groups, but in more private situations like these, her emotions were stuck behind a dam.

”It was probably avoidable, but no harm was done,” she said, their kin’s penchant for honest feedback asserting itself. ”And I could have thought of it as well. It is a day of love and we cannot expect ponies to know what two caribou in love look like.”

”Why did you purchase the flowers?” She asked, curious.