Day at the races!

[indigo_league]

Who: Everyone!
Where: Moo Moo Farms
When: Saturday, March 20th
Summary:



The day is as lovely as you can expect any early spring day to be. You'll need a coat, yes, and there is a bit of a breeze, but the sun shines happily onto the wooden buildings that make up the Moo Moo Farms where we have all gathered today.

The various farm workers have worked hard to make their farm presentable to the public. Cheerful banners hang between the various sheds, stables and barns, which all have been given a bit of a cleaning (and perhaps a new coat of paint here and there). Of course, it is still a farm, so perhaps don't wear your very best shoes, but as far as farms go, it's been made as neat as can be.

And while the main draws of the day may be releasing the Miltank herd out onto the pasture again after a long winter inside -- whimsically called 'Cow Ballet' on the info sign -- and the Great Tauros Race, Moo Moo Farms has set up various little events and booths to entertain their guests, and perhaps teach them a thing or two about farm life.

A large information sign stands at the gate to the farm, letting visitors know what sort of events are taking place, as well as where and when these are happening. The two big ones -- the Miltank Ballet and the Tauros Race -- are spaced in such a way that people can easily attend both, and most of the other little events are available throughout the entire day.

The Miltank Ballet will be taking place at 1PM over by the big barn. There is little you can do to participate in this (unless you are a cow?), but if you want to watch some ecstatic Miltank dance through the mud and grass after a long winter inside, you should definitely come check this out.

The Tauros Race will start at 4PM (sign ups close at 3PM) and anyone who wants to help give the Tauros a good round of exercise is encouraged and welcome to sign up. There is, according to the sign, a small mystery prize to be won, but surely we are all here because we want to help some cooped up Tauros, right?

In addition to those two big events, two paddocks have been made ready where visitors can test themselves against a Bucking Bronco -- that's his name, Bronco the Bouffalant -- to see how long they can last in the saddle. Due to safety concerns, participants for this event will need to be 16+. For the children, there is a separate rodeo in which they can ride Vaquero the Dubwool, who, for all his seemingly wild behaviour, is actually a very well trained Dubwool who'll make sure no harm comes to the kids.

Of course, while people are free to bring their own food, the Moo Moo Farms have also set up a wide variety of booths where people can buy anything from fresh Moo Moo Milk and milkshakes to freshly made cheese and bread, and oh, is that apple pie? That most certainly is apple pie, as well as various other homey pastries. And as the day goes on, and people might start craving something a little less sweet and more filling, a booth opens up selling various curries. Don't worry, there won't be any Snorlax you need to share with this time!

And for anyone who has found themselves wanting and craving a bovine of their own after all these cute sights, you are in luck! Amidst the various booths, there is also one run by two cheery farm girls, advertising a sale on eggs! All the eggs that are normally available from the Moo Moo Farms can be bought at a whopping 50% discount. Mind that this is only on the purchase price of the egg itself. The price for any additional egg-moves remains the same.

There are also some other, smaller things set up, such a station where you can learn about milking a Miltank and a barrel where you can bob for apples, and even a horseshoe toss game. Most of these are definitely aimed towards teaching and entertaining little kids, but nobody will stop you if you decide to muscle past a row of Youngsters to claim the apple bobbing barrel.

Comments

Claude von Riegan | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | OTA

[vrdantwind]

Miltank Parade

Listen, Gabby may be Dimitri's baby Miltank, but Claude is basically her second dad. As a result, when she comes toddling back after her excursion within the fence to meet the other Miltanks, Claude is the one who retrieves her - in the full confidence that Gabby will be just as happy with him as with Dimitri, and that Dimitri will be completely comfortable with Claude looking after her for a bit.

"Hey there, little lady," he says, scooping her up with a smile. "Did you have fun?" Gabby moos contentedly in response.

Claude and Gabby will be easy to find as they continue to spectate the Miltanks from the sidelines - Claude seated with Gabby on his lap, like a toddler watching a baseball game with her dad. She is absolutely the most precious little Miltank and you should definitely compliment the cute little blue ribbon on her tail.

Oh, yeah, and Claude is also there.


Bucking Bronco

In wild contrast to the peacefulness of earlier, Claude has sought out this wild Bouffalant with a gleam in his eye. He doesn't look like too much of a serious competitor when he steps up, either; Claude's not especially tall, certainly not especially broad, and looks like he could be quite easily tossed.

And then he proceeds to hang on until Bronco actually exhausts himself and has to stop for a breather. Then he slips off and out of the ring, grinning.

...look, when you not only ride wyverns (and now, in this world, pokémon) high in the sky, and sometimes make a habit of leaping off them only to land back on them again in midair, you develop thighs of absolute steel.

And to think Felix doubted that Claude's theatrics have practical skill-building purpose.


After The Race

Herbert Hoover, Claude's Tauros, is currently and eagerly devouring several of the most deluxe poffins Claude could afford, as per a promise (bribe) Claude made to get him to leave the picnicking girls at the end of the course alone. This is after Claude's given him a nice rub-down to deal with that pollen he made Herbert run through. But, while Herbert eats, Claude is actually paying attention to a completely different pokémon.

Cradled in Claude's hands, barely visible, is a Joltik who is preening for all he's worth, waving his little legs happily as Claude tells him what a good boy he did and how much help he was. Skittles here was one of Claude's forward scouts for the course; a tiny insect like Skittles couldn't really do much or get far at all into scoping out the terrain, but he'd wanted to help when Claude was speculating about scouting out the track and Claude didn't have the heart to turn him down. And, even though Skittles never made it any further than the very first obstacle(before Claude was obliged to have Wyvern go and carry him back, just so he'd arrive back before summer solstice), he'd still managed to bring back valuable intel and communicate it! It just goes to show, never underestimate the little guy. Both in general, and this specific little guy in particular.

If you're wondering who or what Claude is talking to in the cup of his hands, you're free to approach. You may be just in time to see Claude present perhaps the tiniest poffin you've ever seen to Skittles, all for his very own.

(It really only makes sense that poffins would come in scales suitable for a wide size variety of pokémon, when you think about it. Even in some modern-day worlds, people will go extremely out of their way to make tiny, intricate food for animals not nearly as intelligent as pokémon are.)


Wild Card

It's easy enough to find Claude all around the farm, really. Do you want to approach him while he's letting his team (currently consisting of Gambit the Galarian Ponyta, Wyvern the regular Ponyta, Remis the Arcanine, Sicily the Sawsbuck in his new spring coat, Blitz the Noivern, and a nearly invisible Skittles the Joltik snuggled on Claude's shoulder) romp in the fields? Find him sampling all the curries? He can and will try them all. Really, the only place you won't find him is at the egg stall; he just recently bought Wyvern the Ponyta here at the farm, so he's not even sure he's allowed to double-dip and he's not really looking to try.

Bucking Bronco

[gautsome]

Sylvain had... more or less been on the fence about coming to this whole thing. He hadn't bothered to enter in the end, but if the boyfriends are here, Sylvain will follow. It should do wonders in getting him out of his own head, at least!

And, well... It certainly does. Claude is attractive in most everything he does. But this? This is something else. Even after the ride is finished, and that poor Bouffalant is all tired out, Sylvain continues to stare, not unlike a man seeing the Goddess.

When he finally does make a noise? It's nothing more than a low whistle.

[vrdantwind]

Oh, that whistle gets a laugh. Claude really is dangerous like this, flushed from the ride and hair a tousled mess; it's not fair to any man. The roguish wink he gives Sylvain is honestly just cruel.

"I'll take that as a double compliment, since you're the most accomplished rider in our group outside of myself." Dimitri and Felix can ride, Claude is sure of that, but Sylvain's much more often found on a horse than either of them.

bucking bronco, how dare you, claude

[bestswordmaster]

For all that Felix loves competition, he's no rider. He's competent enough on a horse to ride through battle if need be, but he much prefers to be on his own two feet and he certainly has never ridden a bull before. So he has no interest in the race or the bucking bronco, other than to watch his boyfriends.

And he's definitely watching Claude.

Sure, he's seen Claude ride a wyvern before, though it was the thick of battle. He's seen him ride Arbiter and Blitz, but he was either too high up in the air to see clearly or Felix was busy trying to wrangle his own flying mount. Here? Here, he has a very clear view the whole time. Claude, he thinks, can consider this revenge for the ice skating.

And since Claude had no compunctions about grabbing Felix and kissing him in the middle of the community center when they first went to the archery club, Felix impatiently bides his time until Claude is finally finished--well, more like the Bouffalant is finished.

Felix waits for him out near the edge of the crowd. "You're absurd," he says, before he grabs Claude by his dumb cravat and pulls him in for a kiss. He doesn't go all out--there are children here, after all--but it's not exactly chaste either.

[vrdantwind]

Oh. Well, that handily removes the need for Claude to think up any witty banter right after having his brains jostled, and he's not going to complain about that - or the kiss - one bit. He grins into it, sliding an arm around Felix and kissing him enthusiastically back. He doesn't go as far as he could, either, but...it might still be a bit more than Felix was planning to do in front of kids.

When the kiss breaks, he's still grinning and his eyes are dancing. "Is that my prize?"

[bestswordmaster]

It may be a little more than Felix planned, but honestly, the effort to hold back was pretty halfhearted to begin with. And if any parents or anyone else gives them dirty looks over it, Felix will glare at them until they stop.

It's not fair, the way Claude's eyes sparkle in the sunlight and his hair gets wild, and he not only doesn't protest Felix's way of using actions rather than words but participates eagerly. It's not fair because he can't just drag Claude off somewhere and take off his clothes. And it's not fair because he knows Jaskier is coming to this stupid cow festival and at some point he's going to take Claude away from them and do all the things Felix can't.

So he savors what he's got while he's got it, and when he pulls back, face flushed and wearing a smirk, he's in no hurry to go anywhere.

"Hmph. I suppose you did earn one, so yes, it is."

[vrdantwind]

"Well worth the effort, then." Claude's grin doesn't fade, his arms staying around Felix's shoulders as he holds the other man close. He doesn't seem to want to let Felix go just yet, even though Felix himself might have vented all the PDA he needed to out of his system by now. Being able to show such public affection with a lover, and that lover being not just willing but irrepressible in his showing equally public affection for Claude...it feels fantastic. That it's Felix, probably the least demonstrative man Claude is dating, only heightens the pleasure.

"I was about to ask if you came to compete yourself, because you're you, but then I realized that I don't think I ever saw you ride back at Garreg Mach...or after that, either." Claude hums thoughtfully. "Too hard to have swordfights on horseback?"

joining the boyfriend bronco train

[nastyboy]

In contrast to his more risk-taking boyfriend, Dimitri had decided against trying Bronco's challenge. It isn't that he's afraid, necessarily, but he knows that he can't guarantee what will happen if he gets on Bronco. That would be fine, if he didn't have anything else planned for the day. Now, it feels as though he would be doing his eventual Tauros partner a disservice if he put himself in such a risky situation.

Faintly, he wonders if that counts as an improvement over how he's thought of himself before.

Still, it should be perfectly fine to watch others go at it... And Dimitri perks up when he sees Claude.

And he definitely perks up when he sees Claude not lose a single bit.

When Claude finally steps away, Dimitri is waiting for him with a wide eye. "That was incredible. You only improved your skills riding from when we were students, didn't you?"

[vrdantwind]

The reference to their time as students honestly makes a little extra sense, under the circumstances; after being tossed around so much by Bronco, Claude's hair looks almost as wild and tousled as it ever did back at Garreg Mach. He runs a hand through it, laughing. "I guess that probably was the last time you saw me riding something with four legs, huh? But yeah, I've always been a good rider, if I do say so myself. And even if I tend to specialize in flying mounts these days, a lot of the key basics translate over just fine." He gives Dimitri a sly smirk. "Like how to grip with your thighs so you don't go flying off."

[nastyboy]

Honestly, seeing Claude's hair just a little wild like this... It makes Dimitri want to reach over and touch it. Do the others like having their hair played with as much as him? He has no idea, but he somewhat hopes so. His hand is already starting to rise up a bit...

And then something about Claude's tone, that smirk, makes his hand stutter to a stop, and his face goes red. "I suppose that isn't surprising," he says, narrowing his eye slowly at Claude. Is he being messed with? It feels like it. "In the end, riding is riding."

Surprising nobody: bronco

[woofdad]

Grant knew better than to be too worried about Claude heading for the rodeo - beyond, you know, the general, expected amount of anxiety that comes with any of his boyfriends attempting anything potentially dangerous.

However, the fact that Grant knew Claude could probably hold his own didn't mean that he expected that, and he definitely didn't anticipate what it would do to his heart rate. He waits until some of the inevitable buzz of excitement around Claude has died down to even try to move close enough to comment. "Holy hell, that was incredible."

[vrdantwind]

Claude is definitely riding a high from the adrenaline, the triumph, and - of course - the compliments. They only mean all the more coming from the guys he's dating. He winks at Grant, clearly pleased all the way down to his boots. "You liked the show, huh? Honestly, once you've done flips on a wyvern in midair, you learn exactly how tightly thigh muscles can grip. I kind of feel like I had an unfair advantage."

[woofdad]

Claude's stupid winking was already, to be frank, far more charming than it had any right to be when they first met. Now that they're dating, and Claude's doing it while talking about his thighs with his hair and clothes ruffled in the inevitable aftermath of riding a bull to exhaustion, Grant wonders vaguely at what point an expression can be considered an attack.

A soft laugh pushes from Grant's lips, probably wrecking his efforts to hide his slightly flustered state. ...Assuming his face hadn't already done that. "Yeah, uh-- looks like the answer is 'very tightly', huh. At least when they're yours." Okay, alright, time to see if he can think about something that's not Claude's thighs. "...Was doing midair flips on a wyvern something you did a lot back home?"

After the race

[rollstoseduce]

Look, Jaskier (who has dressed up for the occasion and continues to rock that Sevii tan) spends the race cheering for Geralt and Kiri, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about his other friends as well, alright? So after using his new Lapras to hose the hell out of a certain witcher, he goes looking for his FWB with two milkshakes in his hands and Dahlia (who is now a fully grown Wigglytuff) following him closely.

He finds Claude at war against pollen, and so he chuckles.

"Do I need to Water Gun you and your new friend as well?" He asks with a teasing tone as he offers Claude one of the milkshakes and Dahlia gives Herbert a big, sweet apple. "You did well out there - you two made a great team! Alas, it was a loss, but I hope you still had fun."

[vrdantwind]

Claude chuckles as he takes the milkshake, sipping at it with clear pleasure. He tends to prefer savory to sweet, but milkshakes are still a new phenomenon to him and he enjoys them as much for the novelty factor as the flavor. "Maybe Herbert here more than me; he had to take all that pollen full in the face, poor guy. I think most of it came off after we left the field, what with all the running, and I've shaken myself off since to get the last of it. I really need to thank Kazuki for those goggles he got me for the holidays, though. I never expected them to be so useful on the ground..."

Then he grins at Jaskier. "But enough about that. It's been too long! And look at you - you're nearly as brown as I am now! Did you enjoy your vacation?"

[rollstoseduce]

"I see. What do you say, Herbert, do you want a nice bath?" Jaskier asks the Tauros while Dahlia, using her own Pokémon language, assures him that their new Lapras friend is gentle and the water won't hurt him at all. "Correct me if I'm misremembering, my friend, but don't you come from a desert land? I would've thought eye protection would be a thing against the sand."

At the mention of his tan, Jaskier chuckles. It's been fun to watch his skin become darker and darker while Geralt fought to keep even the lightest red off his cheeks.

"Did I? Drop that past tense, my dear! Our vacation shall continue once this little festival is over! No island will be left unexplored! We've only managed to come thanks to their kind offer of a free, fast ride." And thank the gods for that, because certain someone still can't fly. "Sevii is a marvellous archipelago. Winter didn't reach us there, and the beaches! Oh, the beaches! Sparkling water, warm sand, young beauties wearing these swimsuits that leave little to the imagination! I wouldn't hesitate to make a home there if it wasn't for their towns: small villages with few residents, most of them on the elderly side, and live off the tourism. Once we left the resort, my charms have fritzed out." A sigh.

wild card! pokemon in a field, lmk if you want me to change it up

[disownedbytime]

Whew! All this excitement sure does tire a girl out. Especially after said girl has eaten enough to burst. At some point, Morgan wanders into the fields to find a good spot for falling into a food coma afternoon nap. Ah, this is so comfy! Warm sunshine, fresh-smelling grasses, the sounds of mooing and revelry to lull her to sleep...

Which is why Remis the Arcanine will find someone asleep, curled up with her arms around a Pokemon egg and lightly snoring, as he bounds through the fields. What will he do?

[vrdantwind]

Remis considers the girl lying on the grass in some puzzlement. He's not sure who she is or why she's out here. She doesn't seem hurt or distressed, but also she's just...laying out here in the open for no reason, which Remis vaguely feels is concerning.

He sniffs at her, then nudges her lightly with his nose a few times. Then this fails to get much of a response, he huffs through his nose and runs off, padded feet not making nearly as much noise as a dog the size of a horse really should.

And, a few minutes later, after playing a rousing game of Little Timmy's Fallen Down The Well with Claude, Remis comes back with his trainer in tow, flopping down beside Morgan and giving Claude an expectant look. Surely his trainer will know what to do, right?

Claude, for his part, figures out the girl is definitely just napping in the sun here. He's able to put together human context clues much better than any pokémon. (Especially Remis, who is a very good boy and far smarter than any dog back home, but who still has some earnest-but-dumb dog genes in him. If Remis were a human, he'd be a himbo.) However, Remis is looking at him so expectantly...and, more than that, Claude supposes that this really isn't the best place for someone to nap. She's literally just...out in the open. There are a lot of hooved pokémon rollicking around in the fields today; she could get stepped on. Better to at least encourage her to relocate to under a tree or something... (Besides, in Claude's opinion, nothing beats under a nice tree for a napping spot anyway.)

So Morgan, following in the footsteps of her father, will wake up in a field to some gentle shaking and an insistent voice, only to find herself blinking up at a handsome but faintly puzzled lord framed against a blue sky. "Hey! Finally awake?"

[disownedbytime]

Morgan stretches and yawns before blinking her eyes open and looking up at this handsome fellow. "Hmm? I guess so...wait, was that whole Pokemon thing just a dream? I hope I didn't just dream Leo up, that would be terrible!"

She sits up and spots the enormous fire dog sitting nearby, and the large egg by her side. "Oh, whew! Not a dream after all." She looks back up at this guy. "I don't suppose you know me? Oh--maybe you're my friend and that's why you're waking me up! You came to find good ol' Morgan and there she was, asleep in a field. Aww, thanks, friend! Are we besties? I bet we're besties."

Not a boyfriend, still bronco

[fingersandteeth]

Steven waits until Claude is done being congratulated by his legion of boyfriends before attempting to get his attention when Claude glances in his direction, by raising his hand in a lazy wave.

[vrdantwind]

Claude grins as soon as Steven catches his eye, raising a hand in acknowledgment in return. He promptly disengages himself from his circle of boyfriends - since they have calmed down from his not-entirely-undeliberately riling them up - so that he can trot over.

"Hey! Haven't seen you in person for a bit. Couldn't be in a more different setting either, could it?"

[fingersandteeth]

"Well," Steven says with a grin, "we are above ground during the day." And also he's not dressed in a Rocket disguise trying to fuck with Claude's head and make him think he's going to snap his wrist.

"I have to say, though, that was impressive with the 'Bronco' back there."

After the Race

[neverfinishanyth]

Leonardo has returned his slow-but-steady Tauros to the very friendly farmhands, no worse for the wear. Except for the pollen that's still clinging to his hair, and the mud on his pants, and where did those grass stains come from, anyway? But still, those don't particularly count as harm, and as he managed to avoid breaking an arm or leg in his very first attempt at riding a bull, Leonardo's counting this as a win.

He sees Claude, his Tauros, and what appears to be a very tiny, very fuzzy spider sitting nearby, and so he decides to offer some congratulations to his competitor.

"You and your team did very well! Have you had any experience with this sort of..." He waggles his hands in what he hopes is a helpful gesture, "event before?"

[vrdantwind]

Claude's not sure what that hand gesture is supposed to mean, but he bursts out laughing anyway just at the incomprehensibility of it. "Well, yes and no. I've certainly raced on a mount before, but...well, definitely never a bull. But between horses and wyverns, I'm a pretty skilled rider in general. Not that it really helped me win...but I wasn't going all out, either. There's a certain luxury in silly competitions where the winners aren't important that I didn't truly appreciate when I was younger."

Claude says that like he isn't only 24, but then again, one sees a lot - and experiences significant changes to one's worldview - over the course of six years of civil war.

[neverfinishanyth]

Leonardo thinks that his laughter is an extremely good look for him, and wonders if there is a way to get him to do it again. But, in the mean time, he listens to Claude's commentary, nodding along. "There is often a difference in a skill practiced for yourself, because you enjoy it, and a skill that becomes necessary, perhaps too necessary."

His fingers itch to sketch, and so, before the itching gets the better of him, he asks, "Would you mind if I sketched you and your spider friend?" paying no mind to how quickly he changed the topic. He indicates his sketchbook, which he'd left up against a nearby fence post, easily retrievable if it should prove necessary.