As Above, So Below

8th place

Horse:DWS Aiolos
Rider: Elizabeth Marshall
Show: Bioluminescence Show
Class: Into the Blue Dressage 
Music: Lullaby Set (Kammen & Swan)
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Liz clucked at the stallion beneath her, smiling as he hesitated at the water's edge. The water glowed a fierce blue as it lapped against his hooves, and the horse bent to sniff at it hesitantly, unsure of what to make of it. He'd been ridden in water before - they'd made sure to practice that part, at least - but replicating the glowing aspect had proved impossible. Aiolos didn't seem fazed, though, merely snorting at the water before stepping into it as if it were nothing more than an especially large puddle.

Easing Lossy into a halt, Liz paused for a moment to glance around her; dinoflagellates shone wherever they were disturbed, leaving streaks of neon blue light in the water around them. Suddenly everything seemed worth the hassle; the twenty-four hours in a plane with a grumpy stallion - not to mention the impossible task of keeping a white horse clean around sand - melted away with the ebb and flow of the sea against Aiolos' hooves.

A nervous nicker from Aiolos brought Liz back to the presence, to see a handful of paper lanterns drifting lazily down the beach towards them. She scratched the stallion's withers, then nudged him forwards as the first strains of their music echoed out across the bay. Show attendants rushed to gather any lanterns they could; evidently the tissue balloons had been set off to commemorate something elsewhere in the area, and had simply drifted in the wrong direction. Most were wrangled, though a few floated on unimpeded, drifting slowly out over the water.

Though they were too high to pose any real risk to Liz or Lossy, Liz couldn't help but watch them out of the corner of her eye, and even Lossy had an ear trained in their direction as they performed. Regardless of any other distractions, Lossy was clearly enjoying himself; he kicked his feet high in the extensions, and seemed to relish the bloom of light that erupted every time his hooves hit the water. When the music ended, and they came to a halt in the centre of the 'arena', as soon as Liz relaxed her mount pawed at the water happily, successfully drenching himself and his rider. Liz half-sighed, half-chuckled: as beautiful as this particular patch of seawater was, it would be just as uncomfortable as any other once it dried.

[391 words]

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Yay, I'm still alive! Haven't been around as much because Uni is hectic but wanted to get this particular entry finished and uploaded! I'm really proud of this one actually, especially considering how much I hate drawing water Also added in some paper lanterns; the composition just felt really empty and basic without them so I wanted to add something a bit extra If it's categorically not allowed I'll get rid of them, but there was nothing in the rules against adding little extra features

Art, characters (c) me