Wind whipped around young Ciel's face, the horse galloping faster and faster. Nothing would stop him. He saw the finish line, his eye flashing with confidence. The horse pushing forward that last inch, Ciel's legs muscles screaming in exhaustion. He loved it, that thrill of wind, the thrill of winning. His black thoroughbred crossing the finish line, a hair before the other horse. The jockey collapsed down into the saddle, pulling the horse back slightly. He had won the last race of the preliminaries. Now he could rest.

"Ciel Phantomhive Winner!"

He raised his gloved hand waving to the aristocratic crowd. How he hated this part. When he was paraded in front of everyone like a prized pig. Photographers swarmed onto the track trying to get to him. He brushed them aside; he wanted to get out of the light. Into the barns, his only refuge. Hey he couldn't help that he was a world famous jockey. He pulled the barn door closed behind his horse, shutting the noise away.

"What do you say Ashe? How did we do?"

Ashe, being Ciel's horse whinnied slightly, pushing his muzzle at Ciel's hand.

"That well Eh?"

Suddenly the barn door slammed open.

"Ciel!"

The one eyed jockey grimaced.

"Lizzie."

He yanked the saddle from Ashe's back, giving a poignant look at his girlfriend. Today was Tuesday, meaning for Lizzie it was pink day. Everything on her was pink. Her Victoria Secret sweatshirt hot pink also cut up so it hugged her small breasts. Tight skinny jeans that were so neon pink that it hurt Ciel's eye to actually look at them. Ciel couldn't have given a shit about her shoes, but he knew that they were pink.

"Why didn't you wait for me? I was waving at you."

A smirk crossed Ciel's lips, he had seen her. Hell who couldn't, but he really didn't need her at the moment.

"Because Ashe needed the cool, it's hot as the seventh circle of hell out there."

Lizzie pouted, but reached out and gave the black horse a tentative pat.

'He feel's gross, don't you wash him?"

The 18 year old clapped a hand over his eye and eye patch.

"Lizzie did you not just see him race?"

But the lady in pink was already gone, probably to wash her hand no doubt. Ciel chuckled and gave Ashe another pat.

"Well old boy, you want a bath?"

The horse looked back at the blue haired man , nickering. Ciel smiled and lead his champion out the back, away from the noise and the world.

Once Ciel had tied Ashe to the post, he slowly pulled his sweat soaked shirt from his pale body. Whatever the young man did he could not tan, he had muscles but not overly so like some of these jockeys. It was his leg muscles that he was especially proud of. None could rival his stance on the horse; he loved rubbing it in their faces that he had a better stance then them. Stance is everything in racing, it determines the race. If a jockey was off by only a millimeter, they lose to Ciel. He was the best, and he knew it. But he had every right to be cocky; he was the best at such a young age. It gave him an edge that most jockeys didn't have.

Ashe whinnied loudly, yanking Ciel out of his day dream.

"Alright."

The hose roared to life, drenching both the teen and the horse.

"Damn imbeciles can't even figure out how to turn off a damn hose."

The teen fought with the hose for a few more minutes, cursing every time the damn thing soaked him. Finally after wrestling with the hose for 5 minutes he got it at a steady flow. He let the sweet water flow over the black horse's fur. Ashe was such a beautiful horse, his hide shown with a shiny, unearthly light. His eyes a bright purple, shown with an ancientness. This horse have seen something that Ciel couldn't comprehend.

"There isn't that better old boy?"

It would seem that the horse had fallen asleep underneath the cool, gentle touches. Ciel sat back closing his eyes for a brief moment. He was cold and starting to dry, his hair stuck to his head. His eye patch soaked to his injured eye. He frowned at the memory. He could still remember that day. But he would try to repress that feeling and those emotions. Something nudged his arm.

"Ciel, it's time to go home."

His eye fluttered open, it being assaulted by Lizzie in her vision of pink.

"Damn lizzie get out of the sunlight."

She quickly moved into the shadows, no longer blinding him with the gaudy pink. Ciel sighed, Ashe was moving around yanking at the halter.

"I'll be there in a minute; I have to put Ashe in his stall."

The young girl wrinkled her nose at the black horse, and pressed herself back against the red barn. Ciel was slightly amused by her actions, and brought the horse closer to her than he would do with any one. Just trying to scare her for a moment. She sucked the little amount of body fat there was on her to avoid the giant beast. The barn had become stuffy as the sun beating down on it. Sweat started to run down his pale back. He wiped the back of his hand across his soaked forehead.

"There needs to be air conditioning in this place."

Ashe bumped his muzzle into Ciel's hand. As if agreeing with the young man. He pushed the black horse into the last stall on the right. He sat down on a bale of hay wiping his hands on his 100 dollar riding pants. Hell he didn't care. Today was a good day; he almost wished that everyday could be like this. The days without the annoyance, or the pain. He placed a hand over his covered eye, his memories scrambled.

"Ciel Phantomhive?"

The young man was on his feet in a moment.

"Yes that is me."

A dark haired man was standing at the end of the hall. His black hair hung around his face in sharp edges, shining in the dull light. He had a black suit coat and a blue shirt. He was handsome, that Ciel could not disagree with. But something about this man made Ciel's heart flutter unnaturally.

"My name is Sebastian Michaelis, I train jockeys for more competitive races. Would you be interested?"

Ciel was only slightly annoyed by that. Was his riding skills not good enough to get into upper level races? And who the hell was this guy?

"Interested in what?"

Mr. Michaelis smirked and walked into the light, he was even more handsome in the light.

"Training underneath my knowledge."

A slight idea swamped throughout Ciel's mind. Was this the Sebastian that everyone talks about? The best trainer that any jockey would kill to be trained under? Why would he be coming to him?

"What for?"

Sebastian leaned up against Ashe's stall door.

"You and that horse could easily go to the Royal Ascot, and the Kentucky Derby in the States. You two are good, that will not be denied but you can be better. I can give you that extra umpf that you need to get to the higher races."

Ciel was now really pissed . who did this asshole think he was, telling him that he couldn't get into the higher level races?

"You know what Mister Michaelis I don't need your help I can get into those damn races my self."

Ciel stood glaring at the well-dressed man. But soon found him uninteresting and started to walk to the door. He heard the man chuckle.

"Why do you always ride on the outside why do you never let anyone ride on the right of you?"

Ciel snarled.

"Why the hell do you think?"

He shoved a finger at his eyes patch.

"I can teach you how to ride more dangerously, ride faster, and ride on the inside where you are almost guaranteed the win. And besides, I know how you lost your eye."

Ciel froze in his tracks, turning slowly on his heel, glaring at the sharply dressed man.

"How the hell do you know that?"