Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Ronan Slade couldn't take it anymore. He had to something about his grandfather's cat. That beloved fluffy ragdoll cat was the sole companion of his grandfather when Ronan was out and it had been the thing that got his grandfather through his grandmother's passing. There had to be something he could do. Granted, the young male didn't know how to find a cat - who suspiciously disappeared off of the property which was odd - Muffin always kept closed by, even when she was allowed outside. She never strayed far and considering the significant amount of money that the breed cost - he truthfully suspected fowl play. Naturally, the police didn't take him seriously - or at least, they could not spend their time out looking for a cat and so he filed a report and they informed him to just put up flyers with a reward.
Thankfully, when he had been putting up his flyers - a classmate spotted him and suggested that he go talk to Kenzie Solo and gave him her dorm room and number. Supposedly, she had her own private eye business that was run out of her dorm room. In the back of his mind, Ronan could not help but to cringe at the name Kenzie, remembering his ill fated lunch with a dark haired girl who did nothing but aggravate him. Maybe, just maybe, it was a different Kenzie and not her. He could hope. Kenzie can't be that much of a unique name on campus. After all, all of their parents thought they were going gold with names for individuality only to discovery in primary school, there were like three other kids that shared their same name.
If nothing else, Ronan knew that for the sake of locating Muffin, he would be willing to swallow his bride and work with her. If nothing else, money spoke and he could offer up to 400£ - that was how depressed his grandfather was. So he hiked over towards the girls dorm and walked on in. He ignored the looks he got, knowing that he fully looked out of place walking through the hallways. His face remained sullen as always as he walked up the door now. Taking a breath, willing it to not be THE Kenzie, he knocked on the door. When it opened, disappointment ran through him as his blue grey eyes rested on the same dark haired, khol rimmed eye girl. She probably shared his same resentment, so he was quick to step forward to block her from to shutting the door in the face, "Look, before you toss me out of here - I need your help," quickly he handed over the flyer with MUFFIN'S PICTURE, "I think my grandfather's cat got catnapped, she went missing and it's unlike her. And I hear you are exceptionally good at finding stuff. I'll even give you the reward money if you help me. I know you and I got off on the wrong foot - and we can still hate each other - but Grandpa loves this cat and needs her back."
Kenzie had been having a quiet week - which was a miracle when it came to her. Generally she couldn't even get through a goddamn day without something going on; a cousin calling or texting her, trouble coming to her door, a random or weird case she picked up to investigate. She had reveled in it, but at the same time, also felt a little lost for it. She was too used to running from one trouble to the next, she almost felt out of sorts. She'd caught up on her uni work and even been a swat and read a little ahead - how boring of her - she'd worked a few extra hours with her bullshit palm reading stuff, and made a bit of extra cash to cover some bills and even afford a pair of boots she'd had her eye on recently. Still, she was keen for a bit of drama now, a little bit of life.
She was lounging on her bed when the knock came, chucking a stress ball up into the air as she laid on her back, black hair spread around her like a fan. God being bored was boring. She had already texted Ky and a couple of other people to bother them, but so far no cigar. She turned her head and looked at her phone again hopefully, but the buzz against the blanket was apparently just her service provider wanting to offer her a deal she was never going to take. She let out a frustrated groan, but that knock... yes that knock would do it. She caught the ball; which was actually a Unicorn head - and sat up abruptly. Who would be knocking at this time? It wasn't late but most of her friends would just come on in, or text her first. She didn't have that many of them either.
Kenz yanked open the door, managing to swallow her surprise to see a familiar looking kid on her doorstep. It took her a moment to place him, and then once she did, her eyes narrowed and her hip popped, putting the hand not holding the door onto it to make a statement. A blink of surprise however as he stepped into her space, preventing her from shoving the door in his face. Cheeky bastard. "Look, before you toss me out of here - I need your help," A piece of paper was thrust unceremoniously in her face and she just had the presence of mind to grab it before he could make her eat it. "I think my grandfather's cat got catnapped, she went missing and it's unlike her. And I hear you are exceptionally good at finding stuff. I'll even give you the reward money if you help me. I know you and I got off on the wrong foot - and we can still hate each other - but Grandpa loves this cat and needs her back."
So many words, a mile a dozen and she waved a hand around in his face, "whoa whoa whoa just..calm your tits for a second." She said, the hostility in her waning significantly as it was. Reward money sounded useful, and so did something to do. "I'll help you. Nobody else will be able to find it, it's my speciality." She raised a brow, "You hated me after one sitting? Damn I am impressed, I didn't know I was that good." Kenz rolled her eyes and took a step back, releasing the door. "Let me grab my shit and we'll go find this blasted animal."
"Whoa whoa whoa just...calm your tits for a second," Kenzie exclaimed now, "I'll help you. Nobody will be able to find it, it's my specialty." He couldn't help but to frown, she would be the sort of person to use such an expression, "I don't think you - wait, you'll help me?" Ronan felt a little dumbfounded by her easy agreement to his request. Truthfully, he had expected a lot more of a fight out of her given their introduction to each other. He wouldn't question it beyond what he just asked though, the young male wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth - especially when that horse agreed to help him find his grandfather's missing cat. Granted, he knew he had promised her a hefty fee but money was replaceable in the long run - Muffin was not.
When the dark haired girl quirked an eyebrow at him and gave him a look, Ronan couldn't help but to wonder what he had done now, only for her to deliver her jab and pair it with an eye roll, "You hated me after one sitting? Damn, I am impressed. I didn't know I was that good." Okay, so he cringed at that and he wouldn't deny that he deserved that line, "Okay, so maybe hate is a strong word. Whatever it is we feel about each other, we burry the hatchet and start aknew." Truth be told, the young male was surprised that Kenzie didn't hate him. Perhaps he had caught her in foul mood that day, after all, it's not like she had exactly wanted him to sit with her that day. Ronan would forever remain on the defense that there was no other choice, he needed to eat his food and Kenzie's table was literally the only one that gave him that option.
He continued to hold the door open while she retreated back into her room now to grab her stuff, officially agreeing to help him out, "Thanks Kenzie, I owe you..." Hopefully, nothing serious actually happened to her - like being hit or somebody actually stealing her and it was just a matter of wandering off for whatever reason or getting stuck in a tree. Ronan hoped the worry didn't come across his face, he didn't really want to be pegged as a softie but animals made it hard to hide that fact, "Last time we saw her, she was just lounging on the front porch this morning. She has a collar and everything." As blue grey eyes watched her finalize her stuff, he couldn't help but to ask, "How on earth did you get into finding animals? I admit, I was surprised when I got your name from a fellow student when the police rejected me."
She raised a brow at his frown, wondering if he realised that the attitude was much less likely to bring her enthusiasm to help. She was curious though, and bored enough to want to get involved despite his less than stellar personality. "I don't think you - wait, you'll help me?" She gave a roll of her eyes and a derisive snort at his response, "What, you thought I was going to flip you the bird and shut the door on your face?" She could be rude but she wasn't that mean, she didn't think so anyway - clearly she was giving off an interesting impression of herself. "I can do that if you'd prefer..." She suggested, holding back a smirk as she knew he kind of response he would have. It was surprisingly easy to wind the kid up, he was going to have to work on that and develop some thicker skin, or perhaps more patience.
"Okay, so maybe hate is a strong word. Whatever it is we feel about each other, we burry the hatchet and start aknew." Kenzie considered the kid in front of her, debating whether or not to play nicely. It would be a little harsh to say no, though tempting just to wind him up a little more. In the end she sighed and shrugged, "yeah alright." She agreed casually, then fixed him with an eye, "though if you really want to win me over, chocolate and coffee is the way to do it." She suggested, she'd forgive almost anything or anyone for either of those gifts. He hadn't actually done anything to her other than annoyed her, and she didn't often hold grudges - unless they were for a particularly good reason.
She pulled on her favourite leather jacket and slipped her phone into one of the pockets. "Thanks Kenzie, I owe you..." Kenz quirked a brow and glanced sideways at him as she found her keys too. "Like I said... chocolate and coffee..." she decided not to say anything like 'it'll get you everywhere' - it felt a bit weird to say to the kid. "Last time we saw her, she was just lounging on the front porch this morning. She has a collar and everything....How on earth did you get into finding animals? I admit, I was surprised when I got your name from a fellow student when the police rejected me." Kenzie wrinkled her nose and tilted her head as she went to nudge him out the doorway so she could shut and then lock the door; she never left it unlocked in this place. People loved to steal shit. "Alight, we'll start there then and figure it out." She had to admit she tended to have more of a luck and knack for it than anything. As for his other question... she pursed her lips. "I'm good at finding stuff out, not just animals. You could say I have a sixth sense for it." Yeah, that and good fingers on a keyboard. "Extra cash really, and just seems to be something I'm good at." She shrugged, unwilling to delve too much into her criminal-heavy history.
Kenzie's words made him feel a little foolish now, "Well...yeah, I thought you were going to do that." Man, did that make him the asshole now for just automatically assuming such a thing? And then, she went on, "I can do that if you'd prefer..." Even though instincts told him that the dark haired girly was simply toying with him, that knee jerk reaction still spilled out from, "No!" As soon as the worlds left his mouth, he felt utterly embarrassed. She had just played him like a fiddle without even trying. Ronan already felt himself getting aggravated by her and couldn't help but to wonder if this is what it was like having an utterly annoying older sister because even he would admit ignoring their first meeting, she was actually kinda cool. No that he would fucking admit that to her face. Ever.
When she agreed to helping him, Ronan didn't even bother trying to hide his relief. This cat meant way too much to his grandfather, and admittingly him, to let ego and social politics over a first meeting get in the way. Maybe money talks too, but he had a feeling that Kenzie would have no qualms about saying no if she really hated him. That much he knew, "Though if you really want to win me over, chocolate and coffee is the way to do it." Okay, she got him there. A small smile fell across his lips now, "After we get Muffin back, I'll take you out for all you can eat and drink chocolate and coffee for a day as long as you don't have a man who might beat me up over it." Because if she was dating someone, it must have to be someone with a pretty strong personality to put up with her antics and Ronan wasn't sure how he felt about meeting her other half.
The idea of taking Kenzie to his place felt a little weird, but he was willing to do anything, "Alright. My grandpa lent me his truck so I have it parked right here on campus. No ubers or taxies for us today." He made a mental note to not talk her ear off in the cab on the way back to his place, "I'm good at finding stuff out, not just animals. You could say I have a sixth sense for it. Extra cash really, and just seems to be something I'm good at." Blue grey eyes stared at her for a moment, feeling like there was more to that comment then what she was sharing, but he wouldn't push it. If they ever made it to that point in this short relationship, then maybe she would share more. But Ronan wasn't a pryer, mainly because he hated when people were up in his business too, "Well. It's a good skill to have, so thank you. Come on, let's go." He headed for her door now and paused, glancing back at her. A huffy sigh escaped him, mulling over something before finally saying, "Hey Kenzie, sorry I was a dick the first time we met."
"Well...yeah, I thought you were going to do that." She cocked a brow, but she supposed that was probably an impression she'd given him after their first interaction. "No!" the smile on her lips was coy, amused at how fast his response had been, as well as how loud. She made a show of wincing and rubbing at her ears, as though he'd damaged them. "Alright kid lower the decibels a bit, I'm not that old." She half smiled again, seeing him realise he was being played. She had no doubt she'd soon aggravate him like she did everyone, she couldn't help but enjoy messing with people, it kept her entertained on a boring day to day.
She had to admit she might need to tone it down at that look of relief. This obviously meant a lot to him, and she wasn't a tot asshole. A genuine smile from the lad, it made him look younger, and she gave herself a mental nudge to stop being quite so harsh to the babies of the University. "After we get Muffin back, I'll take you out for all you can eat and drink chocolate and coffee for a day as long as you don't have a man who might beat me up over it." At that she rolled her eyes, though his offer was definitely a winner. "You might regret that unlimited offer." she warned. "I might be small but I can pack a lot in. Most of me is stomach." she fixed him with a look. "And I dont need a man to do my beating up for me." Small though she may be, she was mighty, and very used to scrapping.
"Alright. My grandpa lent me his truck so I have it parked right here on campus. No ubers or taxies for us today." Kenz raised a brow again but gave a slight nod. "So you're going to chauffeur as well? Nice." Kenzie wondered if he might take offence to that too but she couldn't censor all her jokes, she was made more of humour than she was water. "Well. It's a good skill to have, so thank you. Come on, let's go." A thanks already, and she hadn't even done anything yet. The boy really was worrying. She didn't appreciate being hurried and she took her time to shut the door and make sure it was locked before the sound of his sigh reached her. A glance over her shoulder for a question as to what that was supposed to mean. "Hey Kenzie, sorry I was a dick the first time we met." a slight surprise, Ronan was apparently full of them. If he thought he'd be getting one in return he was sorely mistaken. "Water under the bridge, I didn't come home and cry about it." she added a quick laugh so he knew she had already waved it off. "Now come on let's go. Sooner we find the cat, sooner I get fed." and she took the lead towards the car park even if it wasn't her wheels they were using.
Ronan probably shouldn't be surprised by the young woman's response that one - she was all stomach, and two - despite her pint sized, she could hold her own. Given his only other interaction with her, both of those statements held up as likely true. The young man was still willing to witness Kenzie's hunger in action, but perhaps not her ability to beat people up. He too, could be a scrapper, but situations like that were ones that Ronan best liked to avoid, seeing as one was the reason why he ended up in Hickstead in the first place. Now that he and Max were settled in, had friends, and a routine, he would rather like to stay, "Ah. I should have known that your fists are as sharp as your wit." He replied wryly now.
At Kenzie's next question, it gave him some pause: "So you're going to chauffeur as well? Nice." He didn't know what to say, at the very least, the pint sized woman didn't sound very offended, "I was, unless you're one of those people who prefer to drive cause they can't handle being in the passenger seat." Although if that was the case, he wasn't going to be handing her over the keys. Having a car was a luxury, one he wasn't entirely sure if Kenzie afforded - granted, from her side gig and likely ability to hustle based off of rumors, it wouldn't surprise him if she already owned a car. Either way, he steered them in the direction of the parking lot now.
After his apology, Ronan wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe some 'yeah, you were' or ugly ribbing, but instead, that hardly seemed to be the case: "Water under the bridge, I didn't come home and cry about it." Relief flooded him, and he felt good to have the apology over and done rather than have it hang over his head like a stormy cloud while they looked for Muffin. The young man simply offered a small smile, "Glad to hear that. I have an unfortunate habit of making people cry sometimes." He felt like he had gotten better about it since moving to Hickstead, or perhaps, he was just surrounded by stronger and more welcoming people. As Kenzie took the lead now, he merely followed after her and nodded towards an old ford truck now, "That's the steed," he commented now, "I live over near the countryside, but it shouldn't be too long of a drive...you really think you'll be able to figure something out by looking around our yard?"
That sounded like some BBC Sherlock Homes business, so he would be curious to see Kenzie in action.
"Ah. I should have known that your fists are as sharp as your wit." Kenzie raised a dark eyebrow at him, "Keep complimenting me like that, and it'll get you everywhere." She paused and tilted her head a little, "Well not quite everywhere," She amended with a wink. She meant nothing by it, there was no flirtiness to her tone, but she did like to breeze back and forth across the line and make the odd inappropriate jokes - besides, she didn't need him thinking she was that easy, she had standards and all that.... though chocolate and coffee really did get someone a long way. She had an almost unhealthy obsession for both tastes.
She half followed and half lead the young lad, as if she knew exactly which car they were taking. Confidence was key and all that, she didn't walk through life, she strode - strutted even, with an extra little sashay of her hips just to make her point, with a clack of her high heels gothic boots. "I was, unless you're one of those people who prefer to drive cause they can't handle being in the passenger seat." She wrinkled her nose and shook her head, though she could drive, she didn't often get behind the wheel and she wasn't interested in navigating the traffic today. "Nah, passenger gets to be DJ, and I'm pretty sure my playlist is going to trump yours." She said, not unkindly - she had a killer playlist for every occasion, and had no qualms with taking over someone's aux - even a stranger's.
"Glad to hear that. I have an unfortunate habit of making people cry sometimes." Well that sounded interesting. Kenzie glanced at him curiously, tucking a long strand of black hair behind her ear. "And how do you manage that exactly?" She wouldn't have expected him to be the type - he wasn't rude or obnoxious, or harsh tongued the way most people were who liked to upset people. She caught his nod and casually redirected her steps toward the truck. "That's the steed, I live over near the countryside, but it shouldn't be too long of a drive...you really think you'll be able to figure something out by looking around our yard?" She ran an eye over the truck as she headed to the passenger side. "It's not going to fall apart on the way, is it?" Not that she was usually one to care about her wheels, but a bit of style never hurt. "A lot of animals are found closer to home than you think, and even if not, it's worth grabbing something familiar that we can put out there that might encourage the cat home." She explained as she climbed into the cab.
He didn't know why but her off-hand comment and wink caused him to flush a little bit, "I would hope not," Ronan managed to stammer out, blue grey eyes looking away from Kenzie now and locking on ahead of them. It was stupid really. The older girl wasn't flirting with him, and truthfully, he didn't find her attractive. But it was the attention, even just the friendly attention, was probably what got to him. It was so foreign to him. At least he wasn't like one of those losers who was just hanging on every lick of attention he got that wasn't harassment. Ronan stride broke a little, but that didn't seem to matter as the pint sized girl was half taking the lead as if she knew exactly which car was his. She was awfully confident for someone who didn't know everything.
At her declaration that her music would triumph over his, Ronan couldn't help but to roll his eyes and he certainly didn't bother hiding it, "Yeah? You have a killer cat-finding playlist on that phone of yours?" The young man asked wryly now. They were closer to the truck now, right part of the lot, now they just had to get to the road. His comment seemed to cause Kenzie some curiosity, he could see it in those pale green eyes. Guess he over shared, but Ronan wasn't sure how until her question came out: "And how do you manage that exactly?" He shrugged, "I ask myself the same thing. Guess I'm too prickly for my own good. Clearly you think I'm harmless though."
Arriving at the truck now, Ronan hoped it would spare any more conversation about him. Although his blue grey eyes clocked that look that Kenzie was giving his truck now. God. He felt an insult was coming on as he unlocked it, and she made her way around to the passenger side: "It's not going to fall apart on the way, is it?" A deep sigh escaped Ronan as she opened the door now, and got into the cab, and made sure to pat the dashboard, "She doesn't mean it, girl." He put the keys into the ignition, wanting to turn it on as the young woman settled in. Once Kenzie was good to go, he ignited the engine and it roared to life, "Alright. Well, I'll take your word for it." Then...a thought came to him, "There's not like...wild animals here that snatch domestics, are there? Cause...I thought a human taking her was bad enough." Granted, maybe he was jumping the gun here as he started them off now, leaving the university behind and city streets became country roads, "What kind of music is this?"
