Okay, I finally got another chapter out.
This is my second draft. The first had a really nice, but childish scene in it and I wanted to show a little... Well, read it first. I should really stop talking to you before the chapters, honestly...
Disclaimer: The horses are mine. And so is Kari, and Kenji. No one else is.
Enjoy!
In the stable, Kari was starting to saddle up Yume when the five friends walked in. She smiled at Makoto, and avoided everyone else's eyes.
"Going for a ride?" she asked.
Makoto stepped onto a stepladder jumped over one of the stable doors, giving Kari a "yes" as she did.
"Nene, Hika, and Muro are out in the pin, grazing. Yogi, Ustugi, Reku, and Mori have already been out," Kari told her.
"Great, thanks. Um, would you mind going and getting Nene and… Hika? I want to put Usagi on Hika. She's never ridden a horse before, and I know Hika is our gentlest."
"Who are you putting on Nene?"
"Ami, unless she decides she wants to ride Reku?" Makoto asked the blue-haired girl as she led Yogi out and saw Ami petting Reku over the stable door.
"He seems so…"
"He's dangerous still. Grandpa still hasn't gotten him broke in yet. You might be better off with Nene, or Mori," Kari said, finishing the straps on Yume's saddle. "Usagi, you've never been on a horse, right?"
"Nope! No horses for me!" Usagi said. "Are you gonna teach me?"
"Yeah, sure. Come here, and I'll let you learn how to mount and dismount real fast."
"Actually, Kari, let me teach her. I trust you and all, but Usagi's liable to fall off or something before she gets settled in the saddle. I'll show her," Makoto said. "Show Minako and Rei, though, all right? I don't think it's been a while for them, but they haven't exactly said anything yet."
"Actually, I've, uh, never ridden a horse either," Minako said with a little laugh. Kari sighed and motioned the two over.
"Usagi, come here," Makoto said. "You may as well too, Ami, so that you can get this little tutorial."
Ami walked over, and Makoto explained the saddle and helped them mount and dismount a few times, and then went out and got Nene and Hika while Kari helped Minako and Rei with Yogi and Mori, before helping Ami and Usagi with Nene and Hika while Makoto got Reku ready.
"If he's so dangerous, why are you riding him?" Minako teased.
"He needs to be taken out with the other horses so that he can learn. On top of that, he's a proud stallion; you can't just work him into submission, you've gotta earn dominance from him," Makoto said gently, mounting Reku and easing him into a bit of a walk to get him limbered up.
"Kind of like you, eh?" the blond teased with an elbowing gesture. Makoto chuckled, and let Kari lead them out of the stable.
Kari was fighting the urge to race off, knowing Makoto would have ended up coming after her, but she also knew that if the others got lost or if a horse got skittish, then it'd be all her fault and Makoto would feel awful. Of course, Kari knew the brunette wouldn't blame her, but she would still feel guilty. And besides, whether she liked it or not, she did promise Rei that she'd be nice to them. It wasn't all of their fault that Mizuno had stolen Makoto from her.
The group took the horses at a trot across the back yard, and into the surrounding trees, Makoto taking the lead at the edge but making sure that she was close to Ami as well just in case Nene got finicky. Rei and Minako were with Usuagi, and Kari was keeping an eye on them as well, so she felt all right taking the lead. Besides, she was the one who knew her way around these woods better than anyone, since she used to spend hours out here as a kid just wandering through the trees.
They rode through, chatting comfortably and laughing every once in a while. Even Kari seemed to lighten up and enjoy herself.
"Mako, I'm getting hungry…" Usagi said suddenly, which caused everyone else to notice their own hunger. Makoto looked at her wristwatch.
"Shit! Grams'll have lunch ready soon!"
"Let's go home, then," Kari said, turning her horse back the way they came.
Makoto chuckled. "Don't go that way, Kari, it'll take too long. Just follow me, and I'll get us to the right place in no time."
"Mistress Nature Girl! We are at your command!" Minako and Usagi exclaimed.
The group laughed and Makoto started leading them in the right direction.
Rei moved next to Kari and let her horse maneuver beside her.
"You seem to be making an honest effort to get to know us."
"Well, I guess you guys aren't too bad."
"And Ami?"
Kari wouldn't answer. Instead, she just bowed her head and looked away.
"Well, so long as you don't do anything to her."
They reached the edge of the trees, and Minako shouted "race," which caused Kari to chuckle and catch Ami's eye. Ami saw the challenge and nodded, waiting until Kari was right beside her before the two of them urged their horses into a run, side by side.
Makoto started to tell them to slow down, but the words fell on deaf ears.
"What, are you gonna let them show us up?" Minako asked, winking at Makoto. "Ride on, horsey!"
"Wait for me!" Usagi cried as Minako raced off, and then hurried after her.
"It's no fun if you don't try it," Rei said, coming up beside Makoto, who just shook her head with a little chuckle. "Everyone else paired up… You ready to go?"
Makoto sighed and shifted in the saddle before smirking. "I think the question is, are you ready?"
Rei laughed, and they picked up speed to follow their friends.
In the stable, Kari and Ami were staring each other down, and Minako and Usagi were laughing at them. Makoto dismounted and sent Rei a questioning glance. Rei responded with a shrug, so Makoto walked up to Minako.
"What are they doing?"
"They tied, so they're settling it with a staring contest," Minako explained.
"Why does it matter who wins?"
Minako looked at her like she had grown a second head. "Are you re
ally that blind?"
"Huh?" Makoto was really confused; what did her eyesight have to do with Kari and Ami?
"Food time, girls!" Kenji exclaimed, walking into the stable. "Are you hungry?"
Kari and Ami ignored him, both of them so close to losing that they just couldn't give up yet.
"Their eyes are gonna hurt so much later…" Kenji muttered. "Well, let's get these horses naked and let them rest out in the pen before we go inside for lunch."
"Sounds like a plan, and it's better than standing here watching this," Rei mumbled.
Minako smiled and stepped up next to Kenji. "I'll help you, Kenji."
Kenji smiled at her and they walked over to Mori. Usagi and Rei turned to Hika.
Makoto, however, didn't stop watching the two dueling girls. Minako's words were ringing through her brain.
What am I not seeing? Ami and Kari, competing… Ami and… Oh, my God…
:D
I feel a little evil now... (evil laugh) I REALLY wanted to have a short little competitive scene between Kari and Ami, and I don't think I'll let it end there. I just don't know what other fun things my mind will be creating. I mean, we're still in a War, even if Switzerland has finally figured out what the hell's going on and could come out of neutrality at any moment...
Okay, that was a horrible attempt at a funny... But I'm gonna keep it anyway!
I think I'm gonna wrap it up in a chapter or two. After I go back through the story, touch it up a little, and create a timeline. Who knows, I may get one, two, three... six... more chapters in before I stop.
But I'm excited! This will be the first fanfiction I've ever finished! And the second I've ever posted... The first was, uh...
Yeah...
I think long exiting speeches need to go too...
Thank you!