Searching for Marshie's Pink Unicorn

Launcelot wrote:The habit of falling in love is dangerous one to have. Falling in love leads one to all sorts of out of character behavior. Launcelot can attest to this many times over.

But at the break of this little story, he finds himself sitting in a Tavern in Dumfries, Galloway. That's a little capital town in Scotland for those with limited geography. He had just finished opening a correspondence with the Lady Marshmellow from Ireland... affectionately known as 'Marshie' to many.

You see, Launcelot has once again fallen in love. But his habit of being rather flakey in that department has preceded him. Marshie's friends and family have decided to make certain that Launcelot really means it this time and have set up a series of requirements before they will allow him to court the lovely Marshie.

And the correspondence stated very plainly that in addition to various activities that can be handled in the course of 'game play', Launcelot is to find and capture... then return to Marshie, one unicorn... in her choice of color. And dearest Marshie chose pink.

So here Launcelot sits, wondering how in heaven's name he's going to acquire a pink unicorn. Several ideas pass through his head, but the real crux of the problem is that he knows that only young ladies, pure of mind and body, can attract a unicorn. And Launcelot isn't sure he knows any of those. So in that same tavern in Dumfries, Launcelot decides to start his quest. First... to find an appropriate woman to help him, then to go and capture the unicorn.

~sigh~

This is another fine mess I've gotten myself into.

--Pink_Unicorn wrote:The leaves crunched beneath her hooves as she made her way through the snow and leaves of the winter forest. The splash of pink an anomaly against the cold frosted landscape around her. The sound of mumbling reached her sensitive ears and she moved to take cover behind a grove of evergreens out of sight and listened....

Silly human chasing magical beasts....

She turns and heads deeper into the forest. How far would the human be willing to look? what sacrifices would he make?

The elusive mythical majestic being of pure magic faded away in the mist.



Sometimes what one seeks sits right before them and they never notice it was there all along and miss the opportunity for want of chasing ghosts.....

--Giselle wrote:

Launcelot wrote:With hammer and nail in hand, he posted the job offer: Wanted 1 Virgin with 19+ Charisma for searching for mythical animals. Pay: 22 pounds... If interested, please consult Launcelot. Residing in Town Tavern.

The lovely Giselle read the sign. Times were hard. She thought she fulfilled the criteria... at least, she thought she did. She'd never played cards like that before. Not even Snap... but she thought there was more to losing one's honor than just losing your shirt at cards, so she decided to apply for the job. Very sheltered girl, young Giselle; she doesn't understand the ways of the world... and she's certainly never heard of anything like the Reavers. Mama and Papa took care to ensure that she never heard about any of the nasty things hereabouts, so when they were killed in the horrendous cart accident late last year, she was woefully unprepared for what was to come...

Setting foot in the tavern, she trilled "Sir Launcelot? Are you here?"

Launcelot wrote:In the midst of putting away his first beer before breakfast, Launcelot looked up at the sound of his name.

"You caught me... I'm Launcelot." Noticing how lovely Giselle happened to be, Launce smiled broadly.

"I don't suppose you're here about the job offer? I really wasn't sure a qualified person resided within Dumfries." He chuckled at the thought.

"So what's your name, Princess... And how do you feel about unicorns?"

Launcelot wrote:"Yes there are, Giselle. People with Charisma a plenty. It's just that other pesky qualification that's difficult to find."

Handing the young lady her 22 pounds... and feeling rather dirty about the circumstances. Launcelot decided to catch her up on the reason he's looking for the unicorn.

"So, I figure that unicorns are only attracted to the pure of mind and body, which unfortunately I am not. That's why I need you. You're gonna be the bait."

Launcelot smiles.

"I'll dangle you from a string, get someone to play harp music or some other nonsense, then the unicorn will fall into my clutches. Maybe I'll even get some candy to sweeten the deal for the pink little creature. I don't plan to hurt him or anything, it's gonna be a wedding gift of sorts.... at least sorta."

Looking momentarily perplexed...

"Are you up for it? And do you know where I can find a pink unicorn? My spider-sense is tingling... must mean there's one close (Launcelot looks above him in the thread). Yup... there is."

--Giselle wrote:

Launcelot wrote:"I'll dangle you from a string, get someone to play harp music or some other nonsense, then the unicorn will fall into my clutches. Maybe I'll even get some candy to sweeten the deal for the pink little creature. I don't plan to hurt him or anything, it's gonna be a wedding gift of sorts.... at least sorta."

She looks horrified.

"Clutches? Oh dear me no. You can't hurt it. Not that I think you could hurt a huge horse with a spike for a nose, but you mustn't hurt it...

On hearing that he doesn't mean to cause the animal harm, however, and hearing his explanation for such unmasculine pursuits, she melts...

I'll help you catch one... if it's for love... you wish to be wedded to your one true love but she is held captive by an evil witch or something? I read about that sort of thing in a book! Are you a prince or a hero, then? I think I'm what you asked for on your poster. I used to help the priest tidy up the church, anyway."

Spelling is not her strong point, either.

/ooc If this were a film, at this point she would break into some nausea-inducing song, but I shall spare you the pain.

Launcelot wrote:"Unbelievable," Launcelot thought to himself as he heard the young lady speak. "I had no idea that people like this existed. Not in Dumfries at least... or Galloway... or even Scotland."

"It is for true love," Launcelot wondered whether or not he was lying. "Though the ones holding Marshie are actually her friends and family. See though I may be a prince and am most certainly a hero, I seem to have a gotten a somewhat different reputation. I am seriously misunderstood."

Launcelot reached out and offered Giselle his hand. "Shall we go and see if we can convince a pink unicorn to help me get married?"

Launcelot then turned to Shamgar, still drunk at the bar. "Brother," he spoke. "I don't suppose there's a chance that you're capable of playing some sort of charming musical instrument?"

Launce had found a virgin, who knows? Maybe Shamgar is a musical genius and has a harp in the back room... He was willing to take that leap of faith, after all... he's chasing a pink unicorn.

--Pink_unicorn wrote:The frosty evening air began to settle over the wood as the sun dipped low on the horizon and the silvery moon rose to hang over the treetops shrouded in mist. Once more the pinkened creature of myth and magic moved among the trees. Delicate hoofprints leaving a trail in her wake through the snow covered leaves beneath her. The forest creatures bowed as she walked by and the pixies even crept from their holly and ivies to for the rare sight that graced their presence this eve.

The wonder of twilight covered the land as the creature approached the forest edge and gazed toward the amber lights scattered through the town ahead and her large soulful eyes settled on those of the Tavern as the heavy wooden door creaked open and slammed against the cold over and over as patrons came and went, most looking much happier on their exit and at least one or two glancing her way and then rubbing their eyes and muttering to Jah as their steps quickened headed away from the pub and the ale they had consumed far too much of ( perhaps the Priest would owe her a debt come Sunday morn)

The Unicorn slipped softly acoss the snowy grasses and leaves and made her way quietly and unseen a bit closer to the tavern, all the while intently aware of her surroundings and ready to take flight. The Owls of the forest sat watch over her path and the Fae folk whispered among themselves as they kept watch as well.

There the curious human sat there among a growing bevy of beauties and a few inebriated gentlemen weaving his tale of woe and heroic deeds and trying to follow his vision of how to achieve a gift for a bride to be.

The Unicorn, though the most pure form of magic on earth cannot profess to understand the ways of humans. However love is something she understands and she wonders why love alone is not enough and asks for a seemingly impossible gift to prove itself.

Perhaps the man should begin the search in his own heart before he scours the forest with a harem of virgins and a drunken magician...

Perhaps there is more to luring the Unicorn than beauty and music....so much more.

Turning her head back toward the forest she moved as if she bore wings and sailed over the landscape once more to disappear in the mists beyond.

When the sky is light you can find her there
Greeting the dawn with a shake of her hair
Telling the glen folk that she’s still here
Their protector through the ages will always be here
Try to find her if you can she’s always there
Never where you look but only where you don’t
That’s part of her magic that helps her take care
Of the glen folk in her care
Look with your heart not with your eyes
The heart of the pure can see while the eyes are always blind
In my heart I have found her a dozen times over
But my eyes have never seen the unicorn

Jadeking wrote:Jade was still busy trying to drink all the ale she could when she heard that young man there speak.

Jade walked upto the man and said "I can play the flute if you want me to....And I could probably attract the Unicorn too."

--Giselle wrote:Giselle grinned at Jadeking.

"Well that's settled then! With all of us on the trail, we can't possibly fail! When do we begin?"

Launcelot wrote:"I suspect that we have to walk out the door and find some trees. Probably an unmolested forest would be best, but you're the virgin. You tell me. Where would you look for a pink unicorn?"

Launcelot felt extremely silly.

--Faery_o_the_wood wrote:The tiny little pixie went unnoticed but nearly got squashed by the man's boot as she slipped over the threshold into the pub and alighted upon a dusty windowsill.

The forest was all a titter over the sight of the pink unicorn and everyone wanted to know why she had appeared and what her interest was in this place which was entirely too loud and noisy and stinking of human was, Not pleasant at all!

Hearing the exchange the wee faery nearly laughed herself off the window sill and into a mug of ale left half drunk on the table below.

Well what do these humans expect? A trail of pink Unicorn poop to follow?
perhaps a rainbow to appear marking the magical meadow?

The little sprite hopped down and made a beeline for the door as it opened once more.

Our beloved Unicorn is safe methinks! and she went laughing out the door in a fit of giggles running to tell the others what she had learned and perhaps dream up some mischief to make their journey more interesting.

--Virgin wrote:

......'Tis the new year 1457. Pink is the new black.'

Unicorn's blood was the best to be spilt and Virgin craved the adrenaline, the excitement one gets from the satisfying slaughter of innocence. Experienced and highly skilled, Virgin had tracked the pink unicorn since the first flakes of snow started to fall for the winter. Now she was here in Dumfries, stepping into the forests determined to add the elusive pink unicorn to her collection of mythical heads. Skinning a unicorn was an ecstasy unimaginable, for Virgin could already picture her sensual tanned body in a new hot pink leather outfit.

For although she was named Virgin by birth, she was naught by no means a virgin in this practice.

Launcelot wrote:Stepping out of the Tavern in Dumfries, with Giselle, Shagmar and the unmelodious flute player... Launcelot gets the disturbing feeling that there is trouble afoot. (actually, he just read the past couple of posts in this thread)

Launce has absolutely no experience with magic.. so he can't smell it or see it or sense it in any way. And thus he seems to be at a disadvantage around here.

"I suppose we should be looking for hoof prints or sparkling pink dust on the horizon.... maybe a winter rainbow? I have no idea. But...

The night before, while in bed dreaming of Marshie... he had seen her dancing in the moonlight. The light reflecting from the snowfall, lending an enchanting glow to her skin. As he watched her dance... he thought he recognized the hilltop they were on. It was on the node north of Wigtown, a place where the Reavers had camped out to attack the RSA some time before. It was as good a place as any to begin the search.

"Alright... you're gonna have to trust me. I have a plan."

--Katherine_beaton wrote:Katherine became aware of a ticklish spicy odor and located it somewhere to her left. Following, she saw something stuck in a bare, grey thorn bush. It was translucent, smokey, and.....pink. She stared for a few minutes and reached her hand back in her hood to scratch her neck. It was what she thought it was, a single unicorn hair, but it was definitly not a normal color. She's heard stories of black or even once a red unicorn but this was completely unprecedented. Who on earth would think up a pink unicorn? It must be worth a fortune to someone.
She reached carefully out to the strand of hair, trying not to startle it away. It would be most usefull in tracking the beast. Just as she was about to close her fingers on it there was a small flash in front of her face and something small and hard hit her between the eyes. So there she lay with a silly smile on her face dreaming fairy dreams in which a big handsome man brought her all kinds of nice things to eat and they rode around together with a colorful entourage.