Argo

SOLD TO MissDudette

Le christ on a bike! This was a long time coming. xD VictoriousEquine may vaguely remember me starting the lineart...it was a while ago. >3> But it is done. Ages back, EarthboundEquinox (Issora back then) made Nebuloosa Arabs, and VictoriousEquine gloriously snagged me one made with my all-time favourite nebula image, the carina nebulaaaaaaaaah. Only blue, because it's all false colour anyway. Naturally, did not think of the re-draw problems. >3> So here we are - nebula pony! Obviously I didn't paint the nebula on; it's a manipulation (bend me stretch me, any way you want to chop me up) of the truly gigantic image on wikipedia thar. The background went through a few versions before I reread my own damn description and tried to adhere to it; I'm pretty fond of how it turned out. A better view would have been partly down the valley with the other horses silhouetted in the mist, but that will be a challenge for another day. There are anatomy glitches I'm sure, but I hope it's reasonable - I did tone down the tail when Vicky kindly pointed out that it looked more than a little like a pomeranian sat on his butt. xD

(HP) Argo

Sex: Stallion
Height: 15.1hh
Breed: Nebuloosa Arab
Colour Phenotype: Nebula appaloosa (Carina, 180° hue shift)
Colour Reference
Colour Genotype: EE/Lplp/nPATN2
Guaranteed passable traits: Black base
White Markings: LR, RR socks with spots; large blanket with spots; connected star, stripe and snip
Other Markings: Eta Carinae is roughly over the heart
Notes:
Disciplines:
-Major: Dressage, showjumping, halter
-Minor: Endurance
Breeding: Yes (See breeding rules)
Offspring:

Info:
Argo is, like others of his kind, almost completely silent. He has bonded extremely strongly with Corporal David Orion, and tends to follow him around like a vaguely ethereal, aloof puppy. He's very standoffish with the other horses; when they try to communicate with him, he seems to simply stare at them until they give up and go away. Redacted has had the most success through sheer obstinate curiosity: Argo once let him groom his withers for a short time, and will deign to nod a greeting to him. Because of this attitude, he exists somewhat outside the herd hierarchy, having neither influence or responsibility toward them. He has many firm opinions about being ridden: he will not tolerate a bit and only allows lightweight saddles, and quickly disposes of heavy-handed or unbalanced riders. He seems to thoroughly enjoy dressage and showjumping, but Daels and Hester are still trying to think of a proper job for him.

Intro:
There had been strange goings on in the valley for days. Soldiers reported odd forms and unnatural colours in the trees, and the feeling of a silent but inescapably present observer. Redacted disappeared for a whole day and came back looking very slightly distracted, though the latter wasn't unusual for him. All of the horses up and down the valley seemed alert and watchful, though not nervous; Howitzer occasionally made indignant challenging calls to no reply. But nothing concrete could be found, and so Daels was already waiting for the other boot to drop when Hester crashed unceremoniously into their office, looking perturbed.

"There's a really fucking weird horse out there, Cal." She glared at him until he followed her.

*

Out in the valley, a dense mist had flowed from the treeline; the trunks were pale, straight shadows receding up the hills and the ends of the valley quickly faded into a white blanket. The horse stood in the mist, white tendrils floating silently past its legs. Daels stared. In the oppressive white world of the mist, the twining, clouded blue of the horse's body seemed to almost glow; its rich blue eyes regarded them calmly. It turned its head to observe his arrival and took a step back as if ready to move if he made any motion towards it; when he didn't, it made no sound but resumed pacing a little this way and that, seeming to regard each of the assembled soldiers in turn. Daels, keeping his eyes on the strange creature, went to join them.

"What," he managed after a moment. Marko turned to him.

"Bugger knows, sir," he whispered. Beside him, a soldier shook her head.

"It's just been going back and forth like it's sizing us up," she said, her voice low. "Hasn't made a noise, just sometimes comes close enough to sniff us; backs off if we approach. The others won't come near." Daels could see behind the strange horse the ghostlike silhouettes of the Horsepoint herd, standing and watching; the shapes of Howtizer and Ironclad were poised and tense, having put themselves between the interloper and their charges. He turned helplessly to Hester, but she shrugged.

"No idea-" she began.

"I think it's Carina," Orion blurted out. The horse stopped stock still and turned to look at him. He shrank back a little. Daels turned to look at him sharply.

"What?"

Orion squirmed under their combined scrutiny. "The nebula. I think it's a nebula on its body." He made some vague gestures. "And I think it's the Carina nebula."

Daels squinted at the horse. The fibrous patterns certainly did resemble nebulae now that he thought about it, and the scattered bright points...but why?

While he contemplated the markings, Orion had begun to approach the horse. This time it didn't retreat, but silently watched him.

"Yes," he murmured as he got closer. "These stars here, and this band... Oh!" He started in surprise and leant closer. Daels made an abortive motion to stop him, and Hester elbowed him in the ribs. Orion, almost lost in a world of his own, lay a quiet hand on the horse's side. It blinked in surprise, and lowered its head to see him better. Orion traced a bright spot behind its elbow with the fingers of his other hand, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

"Eta Carinae," he breathed in wonder, beginning to straighten up. "It's where your heart is. How could this ever-" He fell silent as the horse suddenly swung around to face him, head high and ears pricked. Minutes passed, Orion seemingly unable to look away from the strange, unmoving horse. Daels and the others dared not speak. Suddenly, Orion found his voice.

"The hull of the Argo," he said, as if realising he had always known the answer to a question, and reached out tentatively. "Argo." The horse closed its eyes and lowered its head, bringing its forehead to his palm. They remained like that for a moment, two figures joined in silhouette against the dull white mist. Daels broke the quiet.

"What."

***

Okay so I totally wasn't going to kill the moment at the end there, but as VictoriousEquine will attest, I love to kill moments. xD Plus the rule of three called for it. Also I will entirely admit to being inspired by How To Train Your Dragon for the actual Moment, but obviously I haven't done it justice so if you haven't seen it, DO SO.
As much as it sounds like a stupid cop-out name, Corporal David Orion is an old character (even from the same setting as Daels and Hester) from about 2005 and wasn't actually made to go with this horse. xD I can prove it, I have the AWFUL sketch somewhere. He just didn't really have any development. So when EarthboundEquinox gave me a Nebuloosa (back in May), I was like YES, ORION. COME FORTH FROM THE WOODWORK AND LOVE THIS PONY.

Grass brushes by charfade
Image © to me (KanaScott)
Original design by EarthboundEquinox