The Deck, Friday evening

[firebringerborn]

Jan was exploring the deck area, picking his way delicately between the chairs and the tables to sniff at the gas barbecues. He flattened his ears, because they smelled wrong, shook his head, and headed out onto the grassy area

Comments

[joan_notjane]

Joan felt like getting out of the dorm.

She wasn't expecting to see a unicorn playing horseshoes though.

She stood off to the side and watched.

[firebringerborn]

Jan's ears went forward and he dropped the horseshoe he'd been holding. "Hello," he said. "Would you like to try?"

[joan_notjane]

"Uh... sure, why not," Joan said, stepping forward. "I'm Joan, by the way."

[firebringerborn]

"My name is Jan," Jan replied, nodding his head in greeting. "I've been picking them up and throwing them at the stick." He swished his tail. "It's quite a challenge!"

[joan_notjane]

"I'm pretty sure that's the point of the game," Joan said. "I've seen my dad play with his cop buddies. You're supposed to hook the horseshoe around the stick thing."

[firebringerborn]

"Those are horseshoes?" Jan asked in surprise, even as he was pleased that he'd been playing it properly. "They're very heavy, I can't imagine why anyone would want those on their feet."

[joan_notjane]

"Yeah, I don't get it either," Joan admitted. "I guess unicorns don't wear shoes?"

[firebringerborn]

He shook his head, making his mane fly. "We keep our hooves sharp, to fight with," he explained. "And there are no humans with clever hands to make them in my land."

[joan_notjane]

Joan blinked in surprise. "There were no humans at all where you're from? This place must have been quite a surprise for you."

[firebringerborn]

"A very great surprise," he confirmed. "I did not even know you were called humans, I didn't even know that humans existed! I am glad you do, though," he added quickly, not wanting to give any insult.

[joan_notjane]

"Well, I didn't know that unicorns existed either, so I think we're even," Joan said with a smile.

[firebringerborn]

Jan whickered and pricked his ears. "We have something in common," he decided. "Even if it is a strange something"

[joan_notjane]

"I've come to the conclusion that most things around here are strange," Joan admitted.

[firebringerborn]

So far, humans were the strangest things Jan had ever seen, but he thought saying so might be rude. "Many things are strange, but many of the strange things are good," he replied. "I am beginning to grow find of this place."

[joan_notjane]

"So am I," Joan told him.

[flashesforinfo]

"We go to school with a unicorn," Angela remarked to Joan quietly. "How cool is that?"