LOTUS EATER / settling in

[Soleil]

[div style="margin: 0 auto; border-width:0; width: 70%; text-align: justify; line-height: 1.5; font-family: arial; font-size: 9pt;"]She'd been hiding herself away lately. The Tanglewood crew didn't seem all that bad, they were surprisingly nice to her during her joining, but that didn't erase the apprehension that had been gathering in her gut. The girl slowly slid out of the home she'd claimed as her own, trotting out into the main portion of the town for the first time since she arrived. If she wanted to live here, it was inevitable that she'd have to get to know some of the people she was going to be staying with. She closed her door before anyone could catch a flash of the reptilian tails hidden behind it, turning her attention to those that milled about. No one she could see seemed particularly interesting so far, but perhaps that was too harsh of a thought. After all, everyone was interesting when compared to her. She was only a boring piece of cardboard compared to the real lifeforms, something that could mimic and mould to but never fully replicate the personalities of those she admired. A frown furrowed her brow, front hoof scraping dejectedly at the stone below her.

Maybe one day she'd be able to be pretty, smart, or maybe even funny enough to catch the eyes of strangers. For now though, she had to settle with copying people that did it better than her. It was as she thought this that a particularly pretty feline passed by her, drawing Soleil's watchful gaze. She stared for a second before frowning again, although this time it was one of concentration rather than self loathing. A light swept over her body in a wave, and when it subsided she had taken the form of the cat that had passed. She looked into a window. Almost perfect, aside from the eyes. She could never get the eyes right. Instead of the amber she was hoping to replicate, her eyes remained their usual blue and green. Soleil's lips curled in disgust, and she turned her head pointedly away from her reflection.