Roulette

By RussianRoulette

• August 29, 2013

Age: 23-27

Gender: Male

Species: Earth Pony

Appearance: Modeled after a Vladmir Heavy Draft, Roulette is well built, with a thick body and legs meant for work. Roulette stands at about the height of Big Macintosh, perhaps an inch or two shorter. He has well defined withers and haunches, his spine a gentle slope. His legs may seem on the shorter side due to his low chest.<br /><br />Roulette's tail is docked, meaning it has been cut to remain short. His mane grows in scruffy-looking waves, though it, too, is usually kept cut or braided, to avoid being tangled in his harness. Both his mane and tail are black.<br /><br />With dark bay dominating his coat, Roulette falls on the darker side of the coloring patterns. He does boast two white and two black sock markings on his lower legs, a white blaze from his muzzle to his forehead. Roulette has chestnut-brown eyes.<br /><br />As for wear, Roulette can almost always be found wearing his black harness collar on a workday. During the colder months, he has a white-and-light-blue scarf he received from his sister as a gift.

Cutie Mark: Roulette's cutie mark is a buggy whip, symbolizing his career as a workhorse. In his hometown, he was always well known for pulling couples on a carriage once winter came around.

Personality: Roulette is a shy Stallion by nature. Used to a secluded life, he isn't one to approach a pony unless it's to help. A gentle giant, this Stallion takes pride in helping foals and colts, willing to spend his time caring for the little ones.<br /><br />While some may be afraid of him because of his massive size, Roulette himself is actually quite a 'scaredy-cat' himself. When lost in thought, he is startled easily, and doesn't take well to sudden, loud noises. Roulette rarely attends parties, but does like a dinner with friends, or a quiet night at home. His favorite pastime is foal sitting, though he is a bit embarrassed to say it.<br /><br />Once a pony gets past the walls of awkward blushing and quiet words, Roulette is a very open male. He enjoys discussing things like the stars, plants, animals, or anything nature-oriented. If a friend is in need of emotional support, roulette will gladly be their shoulder to cry on, even sacrificing his own sleep if needed. Roulette loves all friends dearly, and doesn't play favorites. However, his heart will always be with his family ties back in the north, making finding him a very special somepony incredibly hard. Roulette doesn't like to be rushed in relationship matters, and more often than not, will politely decline a friend who asks for his heart, explaining that he isn't ready for a relationship.<br /><br />Even despite his kind disposition, Roulette has a side he never shows. He misses his family dearly, and feels very much alone in Central Equestria. Roulette sends letters as often as he can to his family, sharing everything from pictures to his first horseshoes. The stallion finds himself missing his home more and more each day. Roulette tries to drown his sorrows by pulling carriages and carts to the point of overworking himself, where he is too exhausted to think about home.

Backstory: Roulette comes from the north, A place of snow and evergreen trees. He lived in a small village, mostly families clustered together at the base of a hot spring. Roulette grew up with loving parents and a fireball of an older sister. They worked as handymen, fixing things, towing things, moving whatever needed to be moved for the townsfolk. When winter rolled around, Roulette's parents would draw carriages for couples looking for a romantic night in the snow. He and his sister would tow their toys in wagons as a game, mimicking their parents<br /><br />As soon as they were old enough, Roulette and Siberia, his sister, followed in their parents' hoof prints. Siberia was a natural at it, keeping her tail up, hooves moving in rhythm, making sure her head was held high. Roulette... Not so much. He had a hard time keeping his tail up, nearly putting an end to his career as a workhorse. His parents tried their best to get him to raise his tail, but they had no choice but to dock him. Roulette's dream to be like his parents far outweighed that of his love of his flowing tail. So, with the help of a unicorn who lived in the village, it was snipped <br /><br />He progressed quickly after he was docked, eager to please. Roulette joined his sister in their work, and was content in his village for many years.<br /><br />Working only for the same people grew old for him. Roulette wanted to see new people- new things. When he turned nineteen he left his village for the lower regions of Equestria, his mind filled with the many sites in mind. He wanted to know what Canterlot looked like- What Everfree forest was, what the other ponies looked like. Needless to say, the big boned Stallion wasn't given the welcome he was expecting. He was quite large compared to many of the others, and it took him about a year before he found a place of his own.<br /><br />Roulette now resides in his own house on the edge of Everfree forest. He travels by railroad daily to visit the other towns, looking for work anywhere he can. He earns his meals from his patrons, never taking more than a pony can give.