With ragged breath the girl shoved her hair from her face as she was seemingly thrown forward onto the horse's neck. Unseen to anyone watching, the girl whispered a single word into the horse's ear as he skittered around the person standing in front of them.

"Hesitate" She whispered as the horse jumped to the side, nearly unsaddling the poor girl in his haste to move around the creature blocking him from his only escape. With a startled cry the girl was tossed savagely against the horse's neck as he backpedaled away from the human when they started to turn around.

She then sat up and brushed her hair back to its normal cascading wave down her back. She leaned forward over the horse's neck and patted him as she praised him. "Good boy, but we both know she isn't someone to be afraid of." Her voice was gentle as she scratched him behind the ears and sat back up. She smiled happily as both she and the horse calmed down.

"Kyo is ready. But how are you in the development of your character, Kirumi?" Benio asked with open adoration.

"I'm done." Kirumi responded with a smile as she slid gracefully off Kyo's back. "Serene is complete and ready for tomorrow's opening night show."

"Good. Now, Chizuru told me that you were getting bullied. Is this true?" Benio questioned as she gently pet Kyo's neck.

"No." Kirumi refused to look at Benio and she started towards the barn. She and Kyo had gone for a run that morning, and he deserved a rub down.

"You're more than welcome to talk to any of us if you do get bullied." Benio said as she headed back towards the school. She didn't want to leave it at that but she did have several calls to make.

"You don't deserve to work with the Zuka club." A voice hissed behind them. Kyo flattened his ears and started to turn to face the voice when Kirumi's voice overrode it.

"Ignore it, Kyo."

"Dumb creature you've got there. Why did you bring a Corrupt in to mingle with and taint the pure mares?" Kyo's ears flattened again and he whipped his head around and stomped his hoof in warning.

"Kyo." Kirumi called his name and when he turned to face her she smiled and gave him a kiss, though there were tears in her eyes. "Ignore them."

He nudged her shoulder gently and started towards his stall. She smiled again as she followed him, her hand resting limply in his mane.

With no prompting he stepped into his stall and nudged her towards where his brush hung. She grasped it gently and on auto-pilot started to brush out his coat.

His head turned to watch her as she brushed his side. A soft nicker pulled her from her thoughts and back to reality. Her silver eyes showed the smile that was missing from her drawn face.

"Sorry boy. As president of the Theater Troupe of St. Lobelia, I have to work closely with the Zuka club when they are in the show. I should expect harassment by their fans." Kirumi confided as she finished brushing him. "But I still hate it, it's not like they're the ones I want to marry or anything. They're just my friends."

His response was a raspberry and he tucked her between his neck and chest. A hugging motion that had first endeared him to her when he was just a colt.

"Shouldn't worry about it, huh?" She giggled when he pulled back and tugged on a lock of her long black hair. "Okay! Kyo, are you ready for the show tomorrow, 'Beau'?"

He stepped back and lifted his head to regard her with a lofty attitude. She reached forward with her hand palm up, he turned and gave her a wonderful view of his butt.

"Beau, you know better manners." Kirumi scolded in a harsh tone as she rearranged her hair style and adjusted her outfit. Her hair now lay braided down her left shoulder, and her outfit rumpled. "Turn."

He did, followed shortly by his head connecting with her chest. She fell to the ground with a grunt but a smile came soon after. She shook her head as she stood and brushed off her butt. Her hair came loose from the braid and fell to its normal style.

"Yup, ready." She giggled as she gently pet him on the muzzle. "Let's put you in the pasture with your blanket tonight."

He agreed with a nod and turned so she could toss the blanket over his back. She secured it then jumped up onto his back. Together they started towards the pasture.

Kirumi was in her thoughts which was why she didn't notice another rider come up alongside her. She was startled out of her thoughts as she felt a pair of hands shove her hard. As she fell her heart started to pound and she tried to roll, but her foot was caught in the strap.

A shout of pain rang throughout the area when Kirumi landed. Kyo's ears flattened and he swerved and bit at the other horse. With a squeal of pain at being bit the horse galloped away with their rider hanging on for dear life.

Kirumi carefully sat up and held her head as she felt the world spin around her. A groan escaped her lips as she felt the pain throughout her body. That fall hurt! Kyo was a tall horse too, it wasn't a short fall.

He knelt down beside Kirumi as she stood. She whimpered in pain as she felt her ankle protest. She carefully climbed back onto his back. She focused completely on staying on him, she didn't know where they were going until he'd stopped.

She heard murmurs around her, and she looked up and around. Her eyes widened as she realized where she was. They were standing in the pasture closest to the school building. But it wasn't St. Lobelia, it was Ouran High Academy.

AN: So, any thoughts?