Rebuilding Appaloosa Plains

It was a beautiful day: sunny but not too warm. The summer heat was still a few weeks away. Aria was comfortable in her burgundy cardigan and knit skirt. The pantyhose was less comfortable, but she didn’t want to seem like she was trying to show off skin. Not only was this going to be a semi-formal event that the Governor herself was attending, but Aria would likely have her first real conversation with Chase’s father and wanted to make a good impression. Unfortunately, the pantyhose and her mother’s reassurance didn’t eliminate her concerns about her outfit. She didn’t have any clothes she’d consider ‘formal wear,’ since she never really needed them. Neither did her parents or siblings. Still, Bridget thought they all looked quite presentable; she was wearing a simple blue dress, light trench coat and pantyhose, and had dressed Ryker in his nicest pair of jeans, an orange collared shirt, and his pirate-themed tie (which he was thrilled to finally get to wear). Bridget lead Aria ...

Ryker stood at his father’s telescope in the cool, crisp early morning air with an eye glued to the eyepiece. He had a particular interest in one faint shape in the sky – he was sure it was moving against a background of stars, which could mean it was a new discovery. He positioned his cell phone camera over the eyepiece and focused the telescope until he could see the fuzzy dot he was looking for. The image quality was terrible – as was every other photo he’d taken of it these last few weeks tracking that part of the sky. A breeze blew by and Ryker realized how chilly it was, standing there in his pajama shorts and with bare feet. He stepped down from his stool and opened his phone camera gallery, flipping through the past few images. They probably wouldn’t hold up with the astrological society on their own, but they were enough to prompt an investigation with better equipment. The sky was beginning to lighten. The sun would rise soon, so he wouldn’t be able to see his little shap...