Style Quest: Pride

After his windfall on Avangard, Varick had moved into an apartment while still assisting in his parent’s shop between portal trips. The Clydesdale would walk home through Drakethorpe every night after work. Most of the time, it was a pleasant, peaceful stroll through the city streets. However, on this night, it was thunder snowing fiercely, making a usual nice walk hazardous. With his fire magic keeping him warm, it wasn’t the cold Varick was worried about but the quickly accumulating snow. Spotting a narrow alley he could squeeze through to save a little time; the horse began to edge his way through it. Halfway down the alley, Varick slipped and fell through an unlocked door into a dark warehouse in the middle of a bunch of hooded figures.

 

    “Superbia precedent ruin,” the cloaked figures repeatedly chanted as the candles around the circle glowed brighter. Varick suddenly fell sick to his stomach as a growing warmth spread. He tried to get up and flee, but the gravity around the mahogany horse felt oppressive. A scream of pain tried to escape Varick’s throat, only to be silenced. Yellow lights shot from the equine’s eyes before his consciousness faded away.

 

    The following day, Varick woke up in bed, having no memories of the previous night. After washing, he took extra long to ensure his appearance was perfect. People should consider themselves lucky even to glimpse his perfectly combed mane and tail today. Only the finest clothes would do for one so beautiful, so all of his would need to be altered. The tailor spent a few hours changing his clothes to accentuate his body better. With that finished, Varick decided to grace his parents with his presence. People stopped and stared as he walked down the street. Indeed this was the first time they had seen such a picture of perfection.

 

    “Shouldn’t you be at the shop,” Bridgette called out to the blonde horse as he strutted by. Varick stopped for a moment to regard the white-furred wolf. She may have been his best friend, but he didn’t have time for her today with her imperfections.

 

    “Worry about yourself,” Varick smirked as he blew her off. Bridgette yelled something at him, but the horse didn’t bother to hear it. He had other people to show his beauty.

 

    “Varick, where have you been,” the Clydesdales. Mom demanded as he walked in the door. “You have an appointment waiting for over an hour for you!”

 

    “Isn’t it better to wait for greatness than for it to never arrive at all,” Varick smugly retorted as he strolled past his mom. A squirrel family was waiting for the horse to bring them a dress he had made for their daughter. After making them wait for another ten minutes, Varick finally brought out the white dress with intricate flower patterns sewn into it. “You can applaud at any time. I sewed the flowers by hand, and they bud and bloom every few minutes and smell correct.” While it was the dress they wanted, the squirrels were angry about being made to wait for so long. The couple took the dress and left in a huff.

 

    “You know better than to treat customers like that,” Varick’s mom fumed. She had raised her son to be polite to everyone and didn’t know what had gotten into him.

 

    “Madre, relax,” the blonde Clydesdale narcissistically laughed. “I can treat lower people however I want because I am the best at what I do, and if they can’t handle that, then I don’t need them.” There was a sharp crack as his mom’s hand slapped Varick’s face. Pain rushed to the horse’s face. It felt like a fog lifted from his head. A black swirling mist separated from Varick’s body and shot out of the clothing shop.

 

    “Varick are you ok,” the female Clydesdale asked as she lowered her hand. “I’m sorry I don’t know what came over me. It’s just the way you were talking, wasn’t you.”

 

    “No, Mom, I’m sorry,” Varick hugged his mom as he apologized. “Whatever that thing was, it was magnifying my sense of pride. I need to go apologize to some people.”