Welcome to Choteau, Montana, in 2018. What was once only a small city focused on fossils, has now started to turn into an equestrian mecca. Everyone still knows everyone, so the question remains, what will you become?
06/04 - Site opened 18/04 - Update log #01 including new features! 27/04 - A New skin has been released!
"Yes Mom, I'm okay," she said, into the phone in her hand. "I promise. I love you, too. Bye Mom." It was her first time moving away from home, other than college. But even college had been closer than where she was now. And this could potentially be her new future. This new place could be her new life. And her mom was worried about her. Which was partially understandable, but at the same time, she was twenty-five. Rylee hung up the phone and slipped it back into her pocket. It would take more than a few days to convince her mom that she was fine. Rylee grabbed her jacket off the hook, and headed out to venture her new town.
It was a lot smaller than her hometown. Everyone seemed to know each other, and she was on the outskirts of everybody. It wouldn't take long for her to get to know everybody, however. She was a fairly confident young lady, who could talk with a wall if she had to. She decided to head to the park, and see the views there. Rylee had thought about visiting the barn again, but she thought Dragon would be better off if he was allowed to settle down into the stable on his own. Rylee wandered into the park entrance, and sat down on a bench, enjoying the views of the newly spring season. It was still a bit chilly out, so there were no flowers or any growth. But it was a calm and serene view, either way.
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 7, 2018 8:19:06 GMT
Gabriel was moving calmly through the park, his eyes scanning the area, rather relieved that the sun was out, but at least not enough to turn him into a lobster. Though he had no qualms that that was coming. His mind was contemplating what he wished to do. He was rather taken with the idea of purchasing a property, but equally he desired something unique. So it was for now he was electing to walk, moving through the city park.
He paused by the playground giving a slight smile as he noticed children playing, adjusting the sit of the hat on his blonde hair, before he continued his almost idle walk. As he continued his meanderings, he noted a female sitting on the bench near the park entrance, reaching to touch the brim of his hat politely in acknowledgement, coupled with the slight incline of his head, not wanting to disturb her if she didn't wish it.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 7, 2018 8:44:06 GMT
Rylee was day dreaming about being able to get a job in this town. It was, after all, the reason she had come this far. She was looking to be a horse trainer, preferably in the western discipline, but she was well-versed on both. She had gone to college to become a trainer, and had worked thus far in her father's stable as one. But she knew she needed to venture out on her own and learn her own new tricks. Without the watchful eyes of her family around.
Rylee glanced up as she saw a young man walking past her. When he nodded at her in acknowledgement, she gave him a bright smile. "Hello," she said. She wasn't sure if he was going to stop and talk to her or not, but at least she could try to spark up a conversation. But not so much that if he didn't want to talk, he could just walk on by. "How are you?"
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 7, 2018 8:58:30 GMT
Gabriel gave a smile, relaxing as he paused in his walk "Good Morning," he responded, his smile pleasant. "I am well thank you, and yourself?" he cringed mentally at how formal that sounded. Forcefully he pushed those thoughts aside as he tried to focus instead on the whole needs of being social. "I'm Gabriel... may I ask your name?" again the mental cringe happened as he realised that once more he was probably sounding like some overly formal rich kid...which was what he was somewhat trying to escape from.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 7, 2018 9:09:42 GMT
"I'm doing well," she smiled at the boy. Her day had been going quite well for the most part. It was, however, still early in the day. She wasn't quite used to the formality of small talk, but she had been taught it. But she grew up in a barn, and learned all of the cuss words at a fairly young age. She could swear worse than a sailor, and her mother hated it. "I'm Rylee," she introduced herself, still smiling. "Nice to meet you, Gabriel," she said. "Are you from around here?"
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 7, 2018 9:17:55 GMT
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well Rylee," he responded with a smile "may I sit next to you?" he added on looking at her. "Also was it that obvious that I'm not from here... originally I'm from Germany, my parents insisted that I learnt English, as well as other languages," he stated with another slight smile "What about yourself, where are you from?" he added on, almost wanting to know more about the individual he was getting to talk to. Maybe they could equally provide him some perspective as to what to do with his life.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 7, 2018 22:41:29 GMT
Rylee nodded at the boy, and scooted over, allowing room for him to sit down. "Absolutley you can," she said. She hadn't really paid much attention to his accent. "Actually, not really. I'm just new to town, and don't know many people," she admitted.
She hadn't ever been to Germany, but it was a place she had always dreamed of going to. It was part of her heritage, but further back than she could claim. She had wanted to see where her ancestors came from. Something like her great-great-great- grandma was from Germany. Probably a few more 'greats' added to that, honestly. Rylee had been born in Kentucky, which was also where she had grown up. "How many languages do you speak?" she asked, out of curiosity. "I'm from Kentucky, born and raised. Practically lived in the same city up until now," she said, smiling back at the boy.
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 8, 2018 5:00:35 GMT
Gabriel slowly took a seat, giving a nod to indicate his thanks. "Thank you," he added on. "As for languages, German, English, Latin, some Italian," he looked sheepish. "There's others I've only learnt how to swear in....but my p... my family don't know about that," he added on with a soft sigh.
"What's it like in Kentucky?" he added on "and what do you hope to do here?"
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 8, 2018 5:16:31 GMT
Rylee looked at the boy in amazement. And here she was, only able to speak one language. "That's incredible," she said. "You'll have to teach me those swear words." She winked at the boy, not being fully serious. Though she wouldn't mind learning some new swear words to use. Rylee could always use some new vocabulary, especially for when she was hanging around the barn. Swearing in another language was probably more acceptable than swearing in English. As long as she did't get caught by someone who spoke the language. That would be her luck.
"Kentucky is beautiful. We have the mountains and all of the lakes..." she drifted off, imagining her home state. She really did love it back there. But she needed the change and to get away. "Sorry," she apologized for the pause. "I'm a trainer, looking for work," she said. She was hoping to get into the farm where she boarded Dragon. It would be the most convenient for her. "What about you? What do you do?"
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 8, 2018 5:31:49 GMT
Gabriel smiled "I think my tutor would be turning in his grave if I did" he responded looking scandalised at the idea briefly before smiling more. Then he sighed slightly trying to work out how to answer the second question without raising any questions as to his family, his upbringing.
"I... am unsure totally what I wish to do if I am honest. I was brought up riding horses from a very young age, and I am thinking I want to start competing...but equally I want to train my horses myself, before they get knocked around by idiots who don't know how to get them to accept a saddle and want to work...and I long to hold my own property but as yet the ones I like are out of my price range" he sighed slightly "It's almost to the point I'm contemplating do I find someone to co-own one of the larger properties with, there are some that have multiple accommodations so it's a possibility I guess,"
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 8, 2018 5:49:15 GMT
"Ah, I guess it's best if I learn on my own then," she said, smirking at the idea. He really had put some fire under her. She was going to need a new way of cursing if she was going to be able to keep a job. Whatever new barn she ended up at wasn't owned by her father. She was going to have to make sure she did everything she could to keep the owner's happy. That is, if she found a job.
Rylee hadn't thought about owning property until he mentioned it. Still, she thought herself a bit too young to be thinking of such things. She could probably afford it, with her father's money, but she didn't see why she couldn't just keep living out of her apartment. At the age of twenty-five, Rylee wasn't quite yet motivated to buy. But the boy in front of her couldn't be much older than she was. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" she asked. "I just can't imagine owning property. It seems like a lot of work. But I guess, worth it..."
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 8, 2018 5:55:10 GMT
Gabriel smiled "I'm 23," he smiled weakly. "I've always had the dream of owning a stables that produces and trains top level eventing and show jumping horses, you only live once right?" he glanced over at her, scratching over the tattoo on his wrist without thinking about it. "That and dreams don't chase themselves, and I'm only getting older you know?" he glanced at the ground. "But that is rather morbid thought pattern, forgive me for lowering the tone of conversation when spring is coming, the birds are singing and all the rest of it," he added on trying to distract away from that thought pattern.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 8, 2018 6:31:00 GMT
"You're never too young to follow your dreams," Rylee agreed with the boy. She had been chasing hers from the time she was old enough to learn anything about training. She had always wanted to become a top trainer, one that most knew by name. For now, she'd settle to be a trainer at a good stable. Especially if she could mostly train in her favorite discipline.
"Now, it's all good," she said. "Those are just cliches, nothing morbid, in my eyes." She glanced down at his tattoo that he was scratching. "Three?" she questioned, and motioned to his wrist.
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 8, 2018 7:05:55 GMT
Gabriel glanced over at her before realising what he'd just done giving a sigh. "Bad news can only come in threes, right?" he stated with a slight shrug, looking over at her. "Technically already had two, so I figure I'd may as well have three already there. Saves me getting a third tattoo in the same area when the third bit of bad news comes," he stated resigned.
"You said earlier you were a trainer looking for work - what type of training do you do? he added on trying to distract from the tattoo
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 8, 2018 7:20:36 GMT
Rylee gave the boy a puzzled look. Why get a tattoo for bad news? "I mean, not always. There's gotta be some good in the world," she said. Rylee usually always had a positive outlook on things. When someone is as determined as she, there better be a good side. But she figured she better not ask too many questions, as she had just met the guy. She didn't want to scare off the first person she had really been able to have a conversation with since she had arrived.
"Horse training. Uhm, mainly western discipline, but I am well-versed in English as well."
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 8, 2018 8:15:48 GMT
Gabriel smiled "I've never actually done any work in western, all my riding training was focused on English, even at boarding school..." he shrugged "I remember my own horse, I wasn't allowed to bring him with me," he gave a smile "as I say, bad news comes in threes right? I'll be starting from scratch I guess here,"
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 11, 2018 0:47:05 GMT
Rylee smiled softly at the boy. "Western is my main discipline. I can train and ride English as well, but I prefer Western," she said. "What kind of horse did you have? What was it like?" she asked, out of curiosity. She knew she shouldn't be, from the way he was talking. But she really did want to know his story. And she figured talking about his horse might be the way to go.
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 11, 2018 8:18:56 GMT
"He was called Jonas, big Irish Draught type horse, dappled grey....absolutely gorgeous," he smiled slightly remembering. "Very sturdy, very...well I guess the world could be stoic, he'd been bred as a hunter, and he was very surefooted. Lovely jump, even if he wasn't as neat as say a show jumper," he gave a fond nod.
"I'd love to own him but, I just have no way of purchasing him, or no way of contacting the boarding school... at least without angering some people back in Germany,"
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 12, 2018 22:56:34 GMT
Rylee listened to the boy talk about his horse. She felt bad for him, as he seemed to miss the animal. "He sounds beautiful," she imagined. Her own horse was an American Paint. He was a big creature, but gentle with her. She had had him since he was a foal. "What happened back in Germany that would anger people?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 13, 2018 7:58:14 GMT
Gabriel had shrugged again. "Bad things come in threes," was his only response. He didn't really want to talk about his former life. "Lets just say that I fell in love with the wrong person, and was told in no uncertain terms that I was no longer welcome," he added on. A dark cloud had fallen over his face as he recalled, and he itched the tattoo again, without truly noticing it.
"What brings you here though?" he was equally quick to at least try and deflect from himself, try and draw the subject back onto happier subjects, at least hopefully happier subjects.
Post by Rylee Mae Olken on Apr 13, 2018 8:15:20 GMT
Rylee frowned, uncertain of what to say. She felt bad for the boy, and watched him itch his tattoo again. She didn't want to push any further, so she decided to let it go. "I'm sorry," she apologized, though unsure of whether she was apologizing for pushing too much, or apologizing for the fact he was sad. Either way, she felt bad for him. Almost as if she wanted to give him a hug.
"I wanted to establish myself, away from my father's stables," she said, her mood perking up. "I've only trained his Thoroughbreds, and a few horses that were brought in. I need to broaden my horizons and see what else I'm capable of. You know, get away from his name and make a name for myself." She was excited to see what she could do. She knew she was a good trainer, but she wanted to be great. And she wanted to be hired for her name, not her father's.
Post by Gabriel H. Strand on Apr 14, 2018 7:38:21 GMT
Gabriel looked over at her with a smile, more interested - and more comfortable - with the new conversastion subject. "What was your fathers name? I don't know if I've heard of him, but," he was certain that he would never have heard of this girls father was, but he was trying to be polite. Trying to keep the subject off his own skeletons as well.
"It also sounds like our dreams are in some manner similar - I'm thinking of setting up a stables here, training in English though. Just not decided if I want to specialise in eventing or jumping, most the horses I've got boarded out of county are eventers but," he gave a shrug. He was a bit of an adrenaline fan, but he rather liked to not overly risk his life.
Welcome to Choteau, Montana, in 2018. What was once only a small city focused on fossils, has now started to turn into an equestrian mecca. Everyone still knows everyone, so the question remains, what will you become? 
