Barbie and her sisters in a pony tale: Jonas's Tale
Another boring summer at L'ecole, I thought, if it weren't for the horses I wouldn't be here, in fact if it weren't for my dignity I'd probably be at Alpine Riding School, well not really my dignity, my parents, I shook the train of thoughts from my head.
"Hey boy, you miss me?"I murmured to Will. One of the boys sniggered when they heard me, "You do know that it can't talk back? Don't waste your breath." I'd always been considered as an outsider when it came to what I felt for the horses everyone here was taught to whip their horses into obedience, literally but will was my perfect match.
"Jonas!" Simon and Philipe were cantering towards me, my only friends, well when I say friends I'm at the top of the riding lists really care about that, much anyway.
"You coming we're going to enrol some newbie and then heading down to Alpine apparently there are some new riders."Philipe asked.
"Yeah," I leapt on to Will, "Let's go."
Blah, blahblah and you must tack the riding pledge blah blah. I'm going to fall asleep in the saddle, I thought, man that would be embarrassing.
"Now you have taken your pledge..." thank god it was over.
"C'mon," I said, "Let's go to Alpine."
As we got close I heard someone dictating something.
"Look at that style, that confident approach." She said, then someone else joined in.
"As the future champion approaches, the animal humbly yields to its new master." they were in the yard just in time to see a young girl one foot in the stirrup and leaning out as the horse started moving forward, she fell off into the mud I bit his lip and then started laughing, I couldn't help it.
"Look Alpine has a new trick rider!" I chuckled.
"What do you call that move? The mud dive." Simon snorted. She stood up indignantly, slipped and fell over again, it was just too funny, we turned to Marie.
"Hey Marie," Philipe sneered, "If that's your best rider our winning streak seems pretty safe." He laughed. That when I noticed someone scrolling on a tablet, wow she was cute.
"Hey er," I regained my composure, "If you're looking up world's greatest rider, I'm right here." she didn't look impressed.
"Actually, I was just looking up doofus," she held up her tablet there was a picture of me in a monkey's head, "See, right here."
Simon and Philipe came over, "She got you good Jonas," Simon was still laughing,
"How drawl." Philipe said, he had always been the sensible one. Great, I thought, first day and I'd already been made a fool of twice, it was not good, I cantered away with the guys in trail as soon as we got back I went to practise dressage with Will, I had a feeling that we had not seen alpines best rider yet none of the girls in the courtyard were a danger, well maybe, I hadn't seen Tech girl ride so I wouldn't know but I had a weird feeling, maybe it was just the monkey thing.
When I woke up the next morning, I knew I had a long few days ahead Riding master Philipe was outside banging on my door, turns out I'm in charge of dressage until the tournament, I had one every single one 3 years in a row, but with all the newbies I was sure to be a champion forever. 2 days went by with the same routine. Teach, practise, sleep and eat. It wasn't until the third day that I got a break in the afternoon, I decided to go down to Alpine, if I got enough good evidence maybe I could switch Riding schools. As I entered the courtyard Tech girl was on her tablet taking pictures of a goat.
"Ok," she said, "One more Barnaby, and this time, try to be a bit more presidential." It was too cute, I wondered if I could make a better start.
"Hey Tech girl, ever put that thing down?" epic fail, I seriously needed to learn her name. I brushed myself off, she wasn't looking yet.
"Did you come to have your official portrait taken," she held up her tablet, "Monkey boy."
"He-" she had already taken it, now she was playing with me. "Ooo, that one will look good on a baboon," she showed it to Barnaby the goat, "Don't you think?" that's when I lost it she was driving me nuts, in too many ways!
"Huh, you may be good with a tablet, but I'll bet I can out ride you any day!" she was still so calm.
"You're on, I'll bring the bananas, right now, I have some work to do on your portrait." She got up smoothly and walked away,
"See ya!" hey it was a start at least she'd kinda been flirting with me, and me back to her, successfully. I moved away, I only had one day until the tournament anyway, I didn't have time for girls. I spent the rest of the day preparing for dressage.
I was about to go on, there had been a few competitions already and we were ready,
"Come on Will," I'd learned that Skipper, Tech girl's actual name, was in dressage to, so this was my chance. I held my head high and we went for it, our routine was immaculate all the way round always on the beat, I had once been teased for doing dressage, now look at me, a champion, I finished my routine perfectly and left the arena glowing, I saw Skipper on the way out,
"Hey Tech girl," I teased her, "Don't tell me you've found an app for riding that thing."
"No app needed," she said smartly, "We're doing this strictly old school." Ouch, that stung, I smiled and watched her as she trotted forward. She went forward perfectly in time, I thought there might have been some competition between us but then she pulled out all kinds of awesome moves like moving round in a circle and moving sideways I didn't think they were possible I couldn't stop watching, she looked like a queen on her horse, so straight and noble, she finished her routine with a bow. I stood no chance. And I was right.
"And first place goes to Miss Skipper Roberts of Alpine." she did deserve it, Philipe and Simon booed at her, I elbowed Philipe and glared at Simon, she'd done nothing wrong!
"Perhaps I should buy one of those tablets." They stared at me in shock. The cross country was up next L'ecole completed the whole course without fail, even though it was my side I winced after Dressage I seemed to be rooting for Alpine more than my own side. Stacy was up next, Skipper's younger sister, but it was so frustrating, she missed one jump and came second, after that Simon and Philipe dragged me off to get ready for the dance.
I'd never been to keen on the whole get up for the dance so I threw a jacket on and grabbed a pair of straight black trousers, I'd probably leave my stuff by the door to change back into after. I had some me time and headed to the dance. Simon had just come back from getting a drink when he said something.
"Whoa," I turned just in time to see Skipper and her sisters, Skipper, dressed in purple hair back oh god, I felt my glass slip from my hand, there was just no way to explain it I just... Later that evening I had the courage to go up to her whilst she was alone.
"Hey nerd girl, you weren't too bad at dressage trials today." Damn, could I only tease her?
"Thanks," she said, "Boy, that first prize is heavy." She totally has a comeback for everything!
"Yeah, you got lucky!" then I realised how close we were, I moved away embarrassed, it took me two seconds to regain my confidence.
"You er, you wanna dance?" I asked.
"I wouldn't want to step on your little second place feet." She said coolly, that was the Skipper I knew.
"I'll take a chance." I put out my arm and we walked to the dance floor holding hands, I heard glass smash behind us but it didn't matter I was dancing with the most amazing girl ever, talented, funny, beautiful, I would even give up being a champion at L'ecole for her, towards the end we stopped dancing and I went to get changed, I was just out when I saw Skipper running out, I went after her and saw Stacy on a massive bucking horse we were all ready to catch her when it struck Etienne and she flew off onto the ground, we all leaned over her until a small pony started nibbling her hair.
"Dash oh, stop!" she murmured, "I'm all right," now she was ok I left, I wasn't rude or anything but in the panic all the horses had fled, I found Simon and Philipe and asked for their horses, "No time to explain I'll tell you later!" I yelled. I came round the bend just in time to be the knight on the white horse, so to speak.
"How?" Skipper was saying, "It's dark and we don't know which way they went."
"I can track them," I said
"Jonas you know how to do that?" Barbie sounded concerned.
"I know these hills like Skipper knows her tablet, my friends said we could use their horses." sort of.
"Let's go!" at least Skipper trusts me, she leapt up onto one of the horses and so did Barbie, the other three said they would ask neighbouring farms to look out for runaways. We headed out.
We searched for ages until I saw hoof prints on the earth.
"C'mon, this way!" we followed the tracks for about an hour, going cautiously in case we missed something, it wasn't till then that I stopped.
"What is it?" Skipper asked.
"These tracks," I said confused getting down to the ground, "You see that set of prints, that horse is coming in from a different direction to the others, then it joins the rest here." I said.
"Huh, it's not wearing horse shoes." Skipper noticed.
"Exactly," I said, "Then it appears to lead the herd away, in that direction." I pointed to the tracks. We went on for miles but then came to some rocks, we were in trouble.
"I'm afraid that's it, the prints lead onto these rocks, and then vanish, sorry." My head drooped.
"Now what?" Skipper was furious, "The race is in a few hours and Alpine hasn't got any horses! Aunt Marlene might as well kiss the school goodbye" Barbie gasped,
"Wait, I know where they might be she galloped of ahead until we came to an open grassy plain.
"Good job majesty!" she said to a horse, that horse, it was so unique it could be... no, Skipper said something he wouldn't usually miss but he wasn't listening,
"That horse, the one with the pink main, what breed is it?" I asked Barbie,
"A very special one and they're our secret, ok?" I nodded, duh who was I going to tell?
"Looks like the steeple chase is back on!" that was my Skipper, well, when I say mine, I wish.
We were riding back when a horse drew in front of us it was Philipe, that snake in the grass.
"Monsieur Philipe," Barbie was smooth, how did she manage to keep that composure?
"What a pleasant surprise."
"You think you are very clever don't you?" he retorted, he turned to me,
"And you, traitor, turn coat, do not bother returning to L'ecole," duh he was mad if he thought I was staying after this,
"Mademoiselle Barbie, I owe you a debt of gratitude, I believe you have found the place I have been searching for since I was a child, the valley of the magestiques."
"Majestiques," Barbie gasped, "But Monsieur you said they were fairytales." Philipe laughed,
"That was for my brothers benefit, I have always know they were real. Worth a king's ransom and now, I know they are somewhere on Alpine land."
"As you said this is Alpine land," her anger was coming through,
"well after today's race this land will belong to L'ecole Montagne, and soon I will have all the time in the world to find them!" Wow he was dense, he just revealed his plan, then I saw red,
"Unless Etienne leaves you in the dust."
"Aww didn't you hear my brother's broken arm will keep him from riding, but do not worry once this land is mine I may let you look at the magestiques, for a price!" he rode away cackling.
"We have to win that race." Barbie said, we looked at each other, there was no better plan.
We got to our places just as they announced Barbie's name, her and Magestie were riding for alpine! They were at the starting line and Skipper held her tablet up,
"Wow! It's like they're real," I shook my head silly sweet girl. They set off but suddenly Magestie spooked, of course, the cameras! She was wild Barbie managed to calm her down and they set off again. But the other riders where miles ahead, slowly she caught up but then Philipe whipped one of the other horses into bucking off his ride, that snake, I thought. He came up to another rider and the horse bolted, I knew it was him, this seemed to dive Barbie, and she was now next to Philipe suddenly the saddle slipped from beneath her, she was off. She sat up in the grass, slipping back onto Magestie she took off her bridle. They were going to ride bareback! One jump left, she would never make it! Philipe made the jump. But Barbie and Magestie were over him, over the top! She was in front! Skipper screamed as Barbie crossed the finish line.
Alpine had won!
I was helping the girls pack the van, I knew I might not see them for a year, I was mellowing when Skipper came up to me,
"Well that's the last off it," I said half-heartedly.
"Thanks for helping, you're not a bad guy, sometimes."
"Careful," I smiled, "You almost said something nice to me." She smiled shyly. She got into the car and beeped the horn,
"C'mon Barbie this car won't drive itself!" she yelled.
I waved, "I'll email you Skipper."
Another boring summer at L'ecole? Never.