an ocean's rope (tag)

[Mila Richards]

She could not put into words how much she hated hiking. She knew it was because she was a bit curvier than the so called "average" person but still hiking took a type of endurance that she not only lacked but did not look forward to learning to grow into. It also did not help that the climate here was causing her purple skin to be blotchy and there was nothing that seemed to ease it up, every cure seemed to irritate it more.

She sighed as she continued to hike more so cussing herself out more than anything else but being determined to do this. It was good for her and she was glad to have the chance to take in such an opportunity because not many people did. It was true that some of the tourist attractions here were very dangerous but she had did her best to avoid those. She found a sitting spot and put her back pack down and carefully sat down, making sure to swipe her tail out of the way and move it out of the way of others who passed by her completely.

She looked down at the water that was below and this being the one picked spot to tour made complete sense as she backed up a little bit and found a soft bit of brush to keep herself hid away in for a few moments as she looked over her skin. "Ugh, that's going to require such a long soak." She had never been cut out to be a tourist no matter how much she was trying to make it work.

Ribbon Harmony

[Ribbon Harmony]

She had handled things differently than her brother which was no surprise. About the only thing they had in common was their age when one got really specific. Australia had been her place of choice and sharpening her mind, learning things that she already knew but learning to be more precise and more particular and somehow wrapped in all of that which was the gift of strengthening herself she had became whom she was now. However even being stronger mistakes still happened. She had thought it was a 6.8 mile hike not a sixty-eight mile with breaks at appropriate intervals.

She looked back and was not surprised at all not to see Mila. She began to track back down and stopped upon seeing her hiding. She shook her head and tried to find the words but none came to mind as she, being here, being out had brought her a slight taste of solace. She slightly looked over at the water that was below. She was glad that she could not see her reflection for it was ugly, not physically but emotionally.

"Five miles left," she said dryly. She had never been one to express her emotions for she had never learned that and she at the moment did not care too. "You know you could have left days ago right?" It was bad enough getting Micah off of her back and giving her space after, but what made it worse was that she never expected to run into Mila here. It was seemingly a continuous loop hole of her past looking at her right in the face and she preferred to avoid that. "Micah came into money so how much is he paying you to make sure that I come back to Astaria as I said I would?"

She was older than him something he seemed to conveniently like to forget. It had strained their so called sibling bond. "I'm fine Mila and I am a person of my word so I am going, just not for a couple of weeks. It will give him time to settle back in and I would think even if he did not know me better you would but you know what it's okay. Let's just get through this and we can eat in different corners like we always do and then I will personally put you on a plane myself."

Mila Richards

[Mila Richards]

Mila wanted to scream but considering where she was she did not feel like the screaming would do her any good. Besides her focus was more on how she could stop her itching without cussing her parents for ever so politely giving her, her purple skin. It was an internal battle that for the most part she ignored but when it flared up she hated it but she knew everyone had flaws, hers just seemed to literally be seen more than others. "Normally five miles would not bother me so but I would almost rather jump off into the water, almost."

She was not that far crazy and she could never see herself being. "That's true but if I would have left days ago we would not be here having this joy of a talk," she said. "Besides most of those flights got cancelled and I just took it as a sign." She almost let out a laugh and shook her head. "No one ever pays me to put up with you. It's like a box of surprise that has no value I must only do it because I feel it's my torture for something bad somewhere out in the universe." She finally stood up and nodded. "Hey you do not owe me an explanation for anything I am just here to make sure you learn how to recharge and grow. All nice things in the end I would think," she said as she felt her tail swinging. "It's going to be a damn long five miles but here we go."

Ribbon Harmony

[Ribbon Harmony]

She had always figured she did better outside but when she tried to explain that to people they thought of her as 'quirky ' and she did not want that either. She walked in silence not because she was trying to make it strange between them but because she wanted to not make it a moment or in this case miles of fighting. "I am glad that you showed up. I mean it is beautiful out here but anything that people do if they do not want to be by themselves which I never was good at, company helps."

Ribbon was always the most awkward person when it came to Mila but this walk, the scenery, everything was good and she liked that. Besides her scales had not given her any trouble in the last few weeks since being here and she was eternally grateful for that. "We can ride back together on a plane. I feel bad or guilty sending you by yourself but that would require you staying here three more days." She figured it was nice to offer.

"I have a whole itinerary of things to do in those three days my favorite is this wildlife preserve." She always had such a soft spot for animals. "You might find it freeing too."

Mila Richards

[Mila Richards]

Mila took in a breath not because of the annoyance of the situation itself but just at how two people in the same place could ever be able to look at a situation so differently. At least it seemed like Ribbon had a plan and that was good. "It is good that you have everything so put together that you want to do. I find that for most people but then there will always be those situation when no matter what you plan it ill never work out also."

It was a moment of truth and she liked that. "No sense in sitting in a corner and pouting it out like little children I am sure somewhere we can get along long enough to eat and your planning of things to do sounds good. I'll come alone and then we can arrive back together, if we don't hurt each other first."


The truth was that she could never see herself hurting Ribbon though she could not say she felt the same as far as Ribbon went. It was not Ribbon had not emotionally stressed her to the max as it was but Mila was pretty good with hiding it, all small things she had learned she needed to do having purple skin and a tail at a young age. "You know how to feel guilt?" It was a genuine question because she was colored shocked though it was impossible to see. "I mean that is a sign of growth which is good it's just."

She paused a second because she needed to make sure she was not projecting her own set of insecurities and feelings of guilt when she spoke. "Back when you went by your birth name it was a hell of a lot easier to figure out what you were going to do, what your goal was. Things that made you happy and sad and all of that emotional crap your brother spews on and on about from time to time but then the change came and this."

Another pause because it was in this moment she realized it had effected her too. Standing by someone who had changed and having changed yourself had to leave a hell of a break in a mirror's reflection though that thought gave her a tingling shiver that was almost as annoying as her itching at the moment. "I guess I just don't know if this particular Ribbon, if you are an invitation, or a greeting or a gift. Maybe a hang tag but you never came across like the type of person who would stay in stasis too long." It was what made her, her in the end she supposed. A walking oxymoron and yet Mila understood some of why. "Wouldn't it be funny if you were your own little do it yourself project in the sense of self discovery?"

Ribbon Harmony

[Ribbon Harmony]

Ribbon nodded. "I am doing my best but sometimes like everyone else I slip up here and there. I try not to beat myself up about it too much but I also know that I am not dwelling on it and you are right. As long as I listen to what you say and take it into actual account then we should have no reason to fight. I do not want to act like a child I just want to grow and figure my own self out. I deserve that and you deserve that too, for yourself not for me," she quickly added as she smiled but her scales turned slightly.

"Everyone knows how to feel guilt it is the whole expressing it without sounding like you have lost your mind that even I do not get all the time then I realize that I am human and I do what I can to learn from my mistakes and book trips to places like this and listen to Micah when he is not going on and on and I know that we are okay. We will be okay in the end and we just need to learn to stop being afraid to be who we are and just do it and whoever likes it does and who does not we do not deal with." Her scales still turned but did not seem to pull as tight which made her relax a bit more.

She nodded. "Well I knew myself more then but I mean I am still her, I mean a part of who I was then is still around but this is who I have grown into now and I mean my scales are still here. Mom made sure those were never going anywhere so whenever I do feel like I am slipping I am always literally pulled out and reminded that I am still me." She began to walk as she listened to Mila describe all the different types of ribbons or their uses rather and she gave it thought because she had not before. "Hm, I like the last one. I am my own little do it yourself, d.i.y. has always been more alluring to me anyway so I feel right now it fits," she said as she reached out and grabbed Mila's hand and arm. "Also I like this version of you the one that does not feel like you have to use your device to appear like the rest of the world. It will be the one thing I miss about going about, you never looked different, you just looked like everyone else so I guess we both changed but here, we are ourselves and I plan to enjoy that."

She let her hand and arm go. "No getting caught red handed for us and feeling like we need to flee and flutter around like lost butterflies trying to gather our senses, just free wing spreading discovery and that is what we both know we need," she said as she felt her scales turn and she watched as the red colored ribbon seemed to pour itself out and attach itself to her wrists. She shook her head. "Ugh I forgot about that," she said as she held her arms up and looked at the ribbon's color that now circled her wrists. The red was deep, dark, and in her mind still rich and full of color. "I am still angry though, the color would never lie but it is not an anger at you." She walked a little more. "It's at myself."

Mila Richards

[Mila Richards]

She did not know much about why people were the way that they were and she would never try to figure out why the mind and body worked the way they did when events happened but it was good to hear Ribbon at least talking about herself and how she realized some of her mistakes. Mila knew that she could and would easily turn a blind eye to the things that Ribbon did because of her feelings but this seemed different. It did not come out like a line of cow manure so either Ribbon was being mostly honest and pure or she had became a good liar. She shrugged. "I am always open to growing and I agree. Expression is so hard so I am done trying and just going to take it all as it comes and not freak out too."

"That's the beauty of having a sibling. Sometimes no matter how awkward they are they help us though if I were you I would not tell Micah if he has ever helped you through anything I do not imagine he would ever let you live that down but your choice in the end." She nodded. "I think your mother loves you I just think the two of you share a lot of things when it comes to being who you really are. Very few people accept it and once you have friendships and relationships built you are stuck with who you have pretended to be but not you. I mean you are not stuck you are slowly taking the world by charge or something like that."

She was surprised when Ribbon grabbed her so she looked at her in surprise but let her go on. "I'm not ashamed it's just it's the only thing I have left of my father." They never had talked about how both of them had lost their father and for good reason she assumed. "I will try to wear it less I just, well don't want the judgement and the looks." A look could say things words could not. "Enjoy it to the fullest that will be good." She felt her arm let go and she was sad for just a second as she listened to Ribbon more and watched the ribbons flow out and her eyes caught the color and the artist in her was amazed. "I do not know how you could ever forget about that" she exclaimed as she looked at it.

"I need that shade of red for my canvas'" she said as she heard Ribbon talk about her anger. She watched her walk and caught up with her. "Well working through one's own anger is a lifetime job I think but I will tell you one thing about do it yourself projects." She took a minute to look around and let a few other people pass as the walk was starting to wind down. "If it comes out how you do not like it there is always room for adjustment," she said as she fell back and was behind Ribbon now. "Hey, stop walking a second and let me look at your scales." She had always thought about asking but she honestly thought it might be an invasion of privacy but if it truly was a version of do it yourself then she wanted to see what was being worked with.

Ribbon Harmony

[Ribbon Harmony]

She knew Mila was being serious but she laughed anyway. "Micah has done nothing but try and steal my shine since he was created but I do still love him. His awkwardness and such compliments my anger well. We balance each other out just like twins are supposed to but still give the other one enough space just to be individuals and no, he will never know."

The sun was starting to blare down but not too much as she still walked and was glad that for once Mila was beside her and not in front or behind her. "Yeah you hold onto what you can so you do not feel like you will forget them. I do understand that but is it worth it if it makes you hide who you are? How you look? I know that I am the pot calling the kettle black or whatever but you know you are you no matter what. I mean you have always known that and I have not but you are teaching me that and I just do not want you to forget it in the process."

She did not think that she would ever have that much of an artistic eye but if Mila liked the color then that was her right and she nodded. "I can leave you a piece of this ribbon and you can see if you can have it made. Places mix colors now so maybe and I think it would be easier if you had a view of what it looked like instead of trying to describe it." She shrugged. "I just call myself Ribbon completely forgetting why." She needed to work on that though and she did plan too.

"Adjustments," she mused. "Yeah that is true as she lifted her eyebrow at what Mila asked her next. "Right here out in public?" she asked. It was not like she would be flashing anyone or anything but..personal as fudge. Her emotions ramped up a little bit as the ribbons loosened from her arms and the red slowly started to fade as the normal transparent color came through. "That's such an out of the blue request." Her ribbon laid still for a second and then her scales turned pulling the ribbon back in and then turned opposite and blue ribbon slowly fell out rolling towards Mila's feet. Ribbon looked at it, The shade was a bit lighter but her own personal anxiousness was through the roof. "Sure," she said as she turned and lifted the back of her shirt up about halfway**. "I will need a bit of a warning if you decide to touch them. It sends small shocks somethings, I think it's because it's connected to my phone's battery in a way. It feels the way I imagine it would if someone was struck by a small bit of lightning on accident or a charged up plug, so basically painful."

Mila Richards
notes - **tramp stamp in the form of a single pair of scales with an electric wave across her upper back area, which has embedded itself into her skin and hardened to create a permanent scale along her lower back area**

[Mila Richards]

Rivalry among siblings was always something she understood in concept but did not understand from experience. Her half sister was okay and the two gave one another space so all she had was a look in but not a true experience and for that she was lucky in a way but had missed out in another. Either way it was not here or there she simply listened to Ribbon talk and nodded. "Worth is defined differently but no in this case. I know a lot of who we are and who we will become is something we will never know until we are older but learning is fun and having support is a such of a value of trust so I think we will be good when we learn what that is also."

"I am never going to forget I just put it back and move on but will never forget. Even if I wanted to the tail would never let me," she joked. Take the punches about yourself before they could and life would be better. "Yeah do that it would make it easier than attempting to describe it. I am an artist but I am not good at describing shades." She liked to see things in shades because she figured over all it helped her mood. "Yeah adjustments you know how you change things so that one does not feel anger when a situation goes south?"

It was hard to adjust but Ribbon seemed as if she was someone who should know it more than most but that could have been Mila easy projecting. She looked around it was true they were outside but the crowd of people that had started walking with them hours ago had dispersed. "Trust me no one's paying attention and besides I am wide enough to hide anything." She watched Ribbon and then stepped back. She would never touch a person anyway since she was most sensitive about people touching her but she did crouch down so she could get a good look. "This is so simple and yet to intricate I would even say a beautiful laced puzzle of balance right on your skin."

She did want to touch it though just to see what it felt like to her own touch but she did not. She simply stretched up and spoke. "Do you like puzzles? I know that seems odd I just do not remember ever asking before."

Ribbon Harmony

[Ribbon Harmony]

"I agree about worth," she said. She knew it seemed to always be a thing for someone to know their worth but that came at a price that people did not speak about. As a matter of fact she found it completely ironic how people were loud about the fact that a person needed to know their worth but were deadly silent about how to go about it. Mila seemed to get it a lot and she did like that. She let out another laugh when Mila spoke about describing the shade of color. "I agree actually. I mean look at me and my emotions on the outside they are simple but every time I get to how they are that way I lose it all. It is annoying."

She shrugged as her breath was still semi held. Her scales were so personal and attached just the thoughts of anyone seeing them for too long made her feel awkward but she did trust Mila. "It goes beyond if someone is paying attention," she admitted. "I have a lot of work and build up to get over before I am comfortable but so far so good." It felt good to be free and comfortable and feel like she could explore who she was becoming despite any lurking eyes around. "Laced balance sounds good, infusing yet yearning to do something that turns out different." Ribbon let her shirt fall as she turned around and looked at Mila.

"Puzzles?" Her uncle had and so had her aunt in law in the end. "Anything but soduku I could probably learn, why you got an idea?" Ribbon would honestly run head first into any idea which was the problem. She had always had a knack for running into things and figuring out how to weave her way out later.

Mila Richards