Roku...
The Edgleys arose early the next morning to go about their usual routines. After Gary left for work, Steve stopped by the guestroom to let the four know about her intentions. She found them still asleep though. "Okay guys, last call to wake up." Steve turned on the light switch.
Don rolled out of the hide-a-way bed with a sheet tangled around him. "Morning already?" he squinted.
Steve became aware of their nakedness, "I'll come back when you're--"
"Cuz he's lookin' like Caesar?" Raph yawned.
"No...you got nothing on," Steve clarified.
"Oh, clothes... they're nothing but disguises, or to stay warm in winter." Don explained as he freed himself from the sheet.
"Why are we up at...ten past six?" Leo finally sat up.
"To feed the horses and clean stalls in the barns," Steve explained, as she nudged Mike with her foot to wake him up. "Might as well use you while you're here."
"What about the trainer?"
"I've been down and explained all of you," Steve nodded toward the window. "He won't believe me until he sees you."
Raph also noticed Mike was not waking up, "Mike, do you need a jump-start?" He retrieved a beer from the windowsill and set the cold can on his neck.
The once asleep turtle stood up in a flurry, ready to attack...a beer can? It seemed particularly funny to Raph and Don. Raphael... Mike picked up the can and shook it, as to release its contents on him.
Steve stepped in and managed to get the beer can from Mike. That certainly was something she didn't want all over the den. "Enough! No horseplay or profanity in my house, understand?"
Raph nodded. But Mike looked as if he was to try an explanation first.
"We'll meet you four down in the main barn," Steve told them before closing the door behind her.
Mike picked his blankets off the floor and dropped them on the bed, while giving Raph a couple evil looks.
"What you lookin' at?" Raph pulled his jersey on.
Mick took in a deep breath and set down his lunging equipment. Steve explained to him again why she still let the turtles work in the barn. "They'll be real help while they're here. Beside, you're always complaining how you never get anything done, when the manager and most of the stall cleaners want time off for the holidays."
"True. It's down season now," Mick inhaled long on his cigarette. "But is it safe taking these strangers and putting them around the horses? What do they know...are they experienced?"
"No. But I don't plan to stick them with the horses unsupervised. A couple act as though they know something though."
"They will be just doing stalls." Mick looked out the window. The four were coming.
Steve stepped from the office when she heard them slide open the door. "Good morning."
"Yea, if you call it good." Raph closed the door behind him.
Upon hearing their voices, Mick snuffed out his cigarette before leaving the office. "Well, I be damned!" He stood in the aisle. "The world must be coming to an end, Steve, because those have to be the four beasts from Revelations."
"Um, good morning," Mike greeted him anyway.
"Believe me, they are the same four you saw yesterday in the diner," Steve reminded him.
"They're faces are a lot more greener..." They did have on the same clothes he remembered from yesterday.
"So, um, what're we doin'?" Mike asked.
Steve adjusted her glasses and briefly looked them over. "Would you like to help me feed and water?" she asked Mike. Then she looked to Leo. "I'll take you too."
"Your stuck with us I guess," Don spoke to Mick.
"Of course, we will show you the ropes here." Steve walked into the office.
"I think you better." Raph agreed.
She looked at Mick. "You're going to be okay with them?" The trainer shrugged.
"So..." Mick turned to one of these turtle-men to take in an over view of them.
"Raphael." Raph told him.
Neither of these turtles looked excited to be here. They better do their job. "Raphael, you and your friend will be cleaning out the stalls in this barn." Mick looked at Raph. "I'll pull you aside, to see if you can help me groom some of the mares I'll be working."
Steve left the barn with Mike, Leo, and Todd. She backed the van out from the garage and drove around to a gravel road on the right side of the main barn. "We've got to go back and feed the mare barn and the training barn first." she leaned forward to turn on the radio. The soft, dwangy melody of country music filled the van.
"Oh no." Mike groaned. God, I hate country music. Leo just laughed a little.
"Well, it's something you'll learn to like around here, city slicker." Steve glanced back at Mike behind her, then over to Leo.
Mike sat up in the seat, "Weeel, jist slap the doag, an' spit 'n the fiare!" he tried his best southern drawl. It certainly gave Todd something to laugh about.
"Yeehaa!" Leo reached up to hold onto the handle over the door. The van started rocking a bit from the rough road.
"That's a good yehah, son." Steve told him.
"Hey, Steve made a funny." Mike held his had out to Leo for a five.
Mike leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Steve, could I ask ya somethin' personal?"
"Um, yeah?"
"Are you pregnant?"
Leo sat up and looked back at Mike, then faced forward again. They drove by one stall barn.
Steve also looked back at Mike, "Yes...by three months, though. How did you figure?"
"There was somethin' about ya, I could sense it in a way."
"And you wanted t' know?"
"Yeah," Mike shrugged, "hey, congratulations."
Steve looked at Leo, the kind that said don't worry about what Mike asked. After all, she had gotten pretty nosey about them last night. They pulled up beside the brood mare barn. "Okay, let's get a jump on it." she turned off the ignition and opened the door at the same time.
The brood mares were kept out in the pasture all the time. Steve explained to them the barn had open sides, where the mares walk into feeding stalls. The mares knew which stalls were theirs now. All they had to do was put grain in the mangers and check the horses over for illnesses or injuries while they ate. After they fed them, the three drove back to the training barn, where all the younger Thoroughbreds in training stayed.
"Whoa! You guys gotta check this out!" Mike exclaimed outside the door of the training barn.
Steve and Leo soon joined him, wanting to know. Leo figured it probably wasn't something of extreme importance. Mike liked to make a big deal out of nothing.
"This has to be the coolest sunrise I've ever seen! Then these mountains and the clouds-- majestic." Mike replied in awe.
"That's why I chose the name Rising Dawn Stables." Steve nodded.
That is a rising dawn, if I ever saw one, Leo smiled to Mike.
Mike looked at Leo, "Yea, you wouldn't see somethin' like that in New York City."
"It's neat, kiddo." Steve turned back to the barn. "But we still got horses to grain."
Mick briefly went by safety measures about being around horses with Don and Raph to prevent any accidents, being as horses are. Then he found a wheelbarrow and pitchfork for Don, and showed them how to clean the stalls. Many of the stalls, however, had gotten bad since their stable hand had missed a day.
After leaving Don with the stalls, he decided to let Raph help him. Mick took the pregnant mare, Delilah, from her stall. He tied her in cross tied and collected the grooming equipment. Mick picked an object that seemed odd in appearance. Mick stopped when he noticed Raph's confused expression. "This is a hoof pick, to get the packed dirt and manure out of their hoofs." he explained.
Raph sighed and looked around. He could tell Mick was still uncomfortable with him. The last thing he wanted to do was work on this farm. They were here to find information regarding the stolen horses.
The trainer sighed. Must be the other one in a hockey jersey who was enthusiastic about horses. "Okay. Y'see, horses don't have flat feet like us. They're more sunken in." Mick ran his hand down the mare's foreleg to pick up her hoof. He scraped the debris out of the hoof with no effort. "Not a very pleasant job, but if it isn't done...she'll get a fungus called thrush." Mick went on, hoping that Raph was picking up on the task.
Raph just watched, trying his best to follow what he was saying.
Mick put the hoof down and handed the pick over to Raph. "Pick up her feet by running your hand down her leg and squeeze her tendon."
"Okay." Raph gingerly slipped around the front of Delilah to get to her right front leg. Mick watched his progress to see how he managed. It was satisfactory for the first time. That was surprising, considering this turtle never been around horses. But there was something he saw in Raph's eyes that he didn't like. Mick detected some kind of bitterness in Raph.
"Are we havin' fun yet?" Don walked by with a wheelbarrow and pitchfork.
"Fun?" Raph struggled with the mare's foot. It wasn't all that easy, for the horse leaned on him. "Hey, knock it off," he shoved the edge of his carapace into her armpit, "Where's your manners?"
Mick showed Raph how to curry and brush the mare next.
"When she expecting'?" Raph asked about the mare, as he brushed Delilah's rounded side.
Mick was surprised to hear him ask that question. It seemed like he had no concern for her before. "We hope sometime in January, or just before the new year." he answered, wiping off her face with a towel. "Let's turn her out into the pasture."
Steve drove back to the arena barn to finally feed the horses there. She left Leo up at the training barn so he could fill the water buckets. Steve told Mike to give the grain to horses while she gave them hay them. Mike finished his job soon, then went to the office in search of Steve.
"Okay, what d'ya want me to do ne-" he noticed she was talking on the phone. "Oh, sorry," Mike stopped to wait. He looked around the office, which looked rather nice. It had the usual office stuff, like a computer, lamps, a fax machine, and some file cabinets. There was also a big metal cabinet, probably for horse medications. To his left, he saw an old, brown couch, a small TV and some tack trunks. Shelves on the wall had some gold trophies and more racehorse pictures. Todd sat on the couch too, watching something on TV. Steve had not gotten off the phone yet, so he sat down next to Todd to wait.
One of the mares Mick told Raph to get presented a challenge. As soon as he led Total Eclypse out from her stall, she spotted the wheelbarrow full of grain left in the aisle way. When Raph lead her by it, she shoved him over in attempt to grab a mouthful. Eclypse stomped on Raph's foot in the process. In pain, Raph punched Eclypse hard in her left shoulder. But that wasn't enough. He forcefully jerked back on the lead rope to make her back up. "Yer glad I got boots on--"
Don immediately came from a stall he was cleaning. "Raph! Hey! Take it easy," he pleaded to him.
The mare scuffled back quickly, almost sitting down on her haunches. Raph stopped when they reached the end of the aisle.
Eclypse jerked her head up, still feeling the sensation on her face. The whites in her eyes showed as she looked down at Raph with fear. He glared at her, then turned to face Don. "She stepped on my foot...hard!"
"But she's just a horse."
Mick walked up to them with concern as well.
"Did you see how she shoved me into the grain?" Raph added. He tugged on the lead rope to take Eclypse to the crossties. She stepped forward gingerly. Her left shoulder and leg appeared sore for a few steps before the lameness disappeared. Whenever Raph stopped, she immediately stopped to show him she was paying attention.
"Yeah, he's gotta temper too, I'll warn ya." Don informed Mick. He was about to go back to work, when he thought to ask Mick a nagging question. "Oh, excuse me."
Mick stopped and turned around.
"Could I use the manure spreader?"
"Hmm, ask Steve when you see her,"
Mick followed Raph to the crossties. "It was thoughtful to correct her for rushing you," he started in a low tone, "but you did get carried away."
Raph glanced at him once, then picked up a brush. "She stepped on my foot."
"You didn't need to hit her like that." Mick stepped up to feel Eclypse's shoulder.
"I'm sorry about that, okay," Raph fingered the brush.
Mick faced him, stroking Eclypse's neck. "Look, I'll work this one, so you can cool off and check your foot. Get some ice on it if it looks bad." He still saw some rage flickering in Raph's eyes.
Raph turned towards the office, trying to not let his limp show.
"And tell Mike to put away the grain and start watering the horses. Thank you."
"Mike!" Raph yelled as he neared the office. "Put away the grain, and start watering the fuckin' horses."
Steve put her hand over the mouthpiece and gave him a shocked look. "Watch your language,"
Mike didn't like the look on Raph's face either. You're not goin' into another funk... "Geez, okay," he took his hands from Todd's ears.
As soon as Mike left, Steve hung up the phone. "What's wrong?" she also saw some pain mixed in Raph's angry expression.
"F'kin' psycho hose beast stepped on my foot--ahh, forget it..." he turned away from the doorway.
Steve followed him out of the office, now concerned.
He stopped, without turning to look at her. "Look, just...I'll be alright." Raph walked outside and slid the door shut behind him.
Steve sighed and looked down the aisle way. She heard Don call her name.
"Gettin' everything out, including the wet spots?" Steve walked in the stall. She also looked into Sundanza's for an inspection.
"Yeah," Don answered, "but I'm far from finishing' this one."
"Keep up the good work." she approved, leaving him to finish.
"Wait, wait," Don walked from the stall. "If all these stalls are this bad, Steve, it'll be a helluva lot easier if I had the manure spreader. I won't be wasting' so much time going back and forth to the manure pile." he explained to her. "And I know you have one, cuz I saw it last night."
"Hmph," Steve gave him the evil eye, but smiled. "I wanted to make you guys work."
"Or, it is that y'don't want no one messing' with your new, 60 horse power, John Deer tractor?" Don tucked his pitchfork by his shoulder and crossed his arms.
"It'll block the way of the horses," Steve looked at Mick lunging Eclypse in the arena. They normally use it when the horses are not being worked at the same time.
"Um, not really," Don looked down the aisle. "Lead the horses around, through the arena. And bring out the ones that aren't where the manure spreader is."
Steve hesitated. "Y'know how to drive?" It seemed like the last thing she would ask a teenage mutant turtle.
"Does penicillin cure infections?" Don smiled, "Yeah!"
"Well, you apparently know what you're talking about," she motioned him to follow her to the hay barn up front. This is good. Help that has some experience.
Don remembered the top part of the barn stored all the hay, while the ground floor below was used for storage. Beside the tractor and manure spreader, he saw an old hay wagon and a racing surrey, among other junk.
"Okay, what's the first thing you do when startin' up a tractor?" Steve tested him. It was nice not having to train somebody for once. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Raph up in an oak tree next to the hay barn.
Don seemed to notice him too. What Raph did was none of his business. But it looked like he was scanning the area for something.
"Turn the key?" he slid open the door.
"No, before that," Steve walked up to the green and yellow tractor.
"Um," Don looked at the clutch and gears on the tractor. "Make sure to put it into neutral first."
"Correct. Climb up, and I'll show you how this one works." Steve stepped up on the coupling between the tractor and the manure spreader.
The roar of a diesel engine sounded through the arena barn as Don drove through the door. Steve still stood behind him, making sure he was doing everything okay. Don brought the tractor to a stop, "Excuse me, comin' through!"
Mike pulled the hose from the stall bars. "Donny?" he noticed who was driving the thing.
Steve jumped off. "Make sure to get the hose out of the way, Mike," she yelled over the clamor of the tractor. "And when you're done, help Don with the stalls."
Mike gave her a dejected look. Eww, she wants me to what?
She would tell Leo, and Raph, to also help out when they come back. They'll work on the other stalls with Ryan after lunch.
While lunch was being prepared, Steve found herself talking horses with Don. After he heard all that the farm had from Leo and Mike, he became curious in what they did. She told them Sundanza was the farm's foundation stallion. Sundanza was a grandson of Northern Dancer, an exceptional racehorse from Kentucky. And she was pleased how well the stallion turned out after they hired Ryan. Ryan had assisted Mick in training the stallion since he was a colt.
They bought some more brood mares and started from there. The primary purpose of the farm is to train and sell horses for the auction. They don't breed too much. Eclypse, Over and Out and everyone but Delilah in the arena barn were the performance horses and racehorses. Where as the back two barns house more of the horses they make a profit from. Last year, they put Sundanza and Delilah together for a foal due in January. The other handful of brood mares weren't due until spring. They'll have more mares come in too to be bred with other stallions.
"So, where does Tally Ho tie in?" Don remembered the little white horse.
"Oh, he's a pony I bought for Todd." Steve got some plates out.
"Yea! I ride heem!" Todd beamed. He sat on the floor playing with cars.
"Yes, but I lead you." Steve corrected.
"He rides?" Don shook his head in disbelief, then noticed Steve setting the table. "Need any more help?"
"Almost," Steve replied, "but we're in need of people to eat it."
"I get! I get!" Todd called out, running into the living room. "Lunch!" he announced.
"Thanks." Mick stood up. "Might have to work on him, kid." He nodded toward the couch.
Mike was stretched out behind a Thoroughbred Journal, sound asleep.
Todd promptly marched over to Mike and neatly jumped on his stomach.
He gave the poor turtle a shock. The boy lifted up the magazine on Mike's face slowly. "Hi Mikey..hungwy?"
"Nnugh...hi, Todd." Mike muttered, as Todd dropped the magazine to the floor. "Kiaaiiii!" he suddenly cried, in order to scare Todd off him. It appeared to work, because Todd ran all the way back to the kitchen.
"Does he do that all the time?" Mike pulled out a chair at the kitchen table.
"Only when it's funny." Todd laughed, now recovered from his trick.
"Did'ja fall asleep in the middle of that Black Stallion book?" Raph asked Mike with a smirk.
"It's not the Black Stallion, it was Thoroughbred pedigrees," Mike stepped on Raph's sore foot. Raph jabbed him in the arm, thus causing Mike to spill his glass of orange juice.
"Boys-" Steve groaned. Mike left to clean up the mess on the floor, while Raph acted like nothing happened. Of course, Todd thought the whole thing was a riot.
"There's more help coming out," Mick started, looking at the three.
"So you're telling us to be 'ready' for them." Leo was already ahead of him. "As in disguises, or not coming out."
"Right."
"What time are they coming?" Mike wondered, sitting back down at the table.
"Around one o'clock, or sooner. They haven't been contacted yet that we're back already." Steve replied.
"Exactly how many are we dealing with here?" Leo asked. This was starting to become a pain.
"Two," Steve told him, "plus my assistant manger, Ryan. We also have a manager, but she's on vacation right now."
Leo pretty much broke the silence with a couple sneezes.
"Man, what got you?" Mike asked him, scooting back to the table. But he knew, as much as Leo did.
Mick exercised Over and Out on the practice track behind the main barn. Mike asked him earlier if he could help. Mick told him Over was almost four years old, which then she would be a mare. Horses between the time they were born to four years of age are called fillies and colts, like humans are called girls and boys. They are only called foals up until the time they're weaned from their mother. Mick clarified this for Mike, since he had hard time keeping the terms straight. That makes her a teenager too, Mike came to a conclusion about Over. Mike's job at the moment was to keep the time for records, which Ryan usually did.
The sweaty mare glistened as she pounded around the hilly practice track. The way Eclypse moved was very rhythmic as she glided through the cool fog banks scattered about the track. The red horse's trainer needed not to ask for more. The speed seemed unmatched to any other, as the mare's only competitor was just the clock. The clock...damn.
He thought he forgot something when the pair passed the line for the last time. By the time Mike pushed the button on the stopwatch, Mick was trotting towards him.
"What did you get on that?" Mick asked.
"Um...I- I didn't get it." Mike explained. "I guess I got too carried away watching her ru--"
"I'll let that one go. She felt tired that time anyway." Mick dismounted.
"I think she's good enough," Mike stroked the mare's hot neck. She nuzzled him in return, in hopes of a treat. "Her stride is so open, and from the width of her chest and jaw, she's made to last."
"You're the one I met at the racetrack, no doubt about that." Mick held Eclypse still with the reins. He knew it already from the knowing shine in Mike's eyes.
"Bingo." Mike wiped her wet hair off his hands.
"Know how to ride?" Mick inquired. "Just at a walk to cool her down."
"Is it okay? On her, racetrack born Thoroughbred?" Mike was in shock. He had wondered before what it was like to ride a horse. But one as good as this?
"She's not a fire-ball when she's away from the racetrack," Mick slipped her a mint. "She's one of the smarter horses...almost a troublemaker, in fact."
Mike accepted his offer nonetheless. After taking in a breath, he walked to the left of the dainty red mare. Then he realized how tall she was just standing at her withers.
Mick offered to give him a leg up on the horse. "Y'could make a decent jockey, with your size..just lose a few more pounds." The trainer stood back and watched Mike organize himself on the mare. Eclypse was not going to stand around patiently anymore.
Mike finally shortened up the thick rubberized reins. "Man, she sure does cover allotta ground with one step." He tried to slow down the impatient horse the best he knew how. By the way. I never been on a horse before, Mike gave the trainer a lost expression.
Mick had suspected Mike had not all along. He trusted Eclypse enough to teach this turtle some riding basics. From what he's heard about them, Mike should be able to handle himself. Otherwise, he wouldn't dream of sticking a beginner on any racehorse. That spelled out a dangerous disaster for both.
Mick promptly took hold of a rein to stop and hold Eclypse so he could show Mike how to hold the reins English style, which was a rein in each hand. Mike was holding them the Western style, in one hand.
"Squeeze back a little on the reins, and relax your legs if you want her to slow the walk down. She's alright walking her own pace on slack reins--that's her normal pace. Keep her in a circle around me."
Mike nodded. And I don't wanna fall off. What kind of saddle is this?
"Squeeze back on your left rein to turn left, and squeeze back on your right rein to turn right. Yeah, remember to stop the squeeze as a reward when she does turn." Mick watched him with careful eyes. "No Mike... just squeeze the rein on the side you want to turn her. Eclypse doesn't neckrein too well."
"Oh, yeah," Mike pulled up on the left rein. She turned left, as well as bending her whole neck in that direction.
"Easy, now. You only need to squeeze the reins, and keep your hands down in front." Mick walked over to Mike. After Eclypse stopped, he showed Mike how slight the pull should be for good results.
Mike walked Eclypse around him in a better cirlce now. In his mind, he started to carry a full-fledged conversation with the mare. With Mick still watching his every move, Mike certainly didn't want to make any more trouble.
"Not very 'user-friendly', huh?" Don leaned on track's fence.
Mike suddenly looked up in surprise. "Geez-loueeze, how long have you been there?" he stopped Eclypse and turned around in the saddle.
Don shrugged, watching the chestnut Thoroughbred chomp on the bit. "Is that the filly Raph's pissed off with?"
"Yeah, but she's really awesome," Mike petted her neck, "He just blew a fuse on her."
"I've got some questions for Mick," Don climbed the fence.
"Donny?"
He stopped and looked at Mike. Heh, you look so valiant on a horse.
"Could you lead us back to him?" Mike sounded helpless.
Mick chuckled as he walked over to Eclypse to help him dismount.
As Mike unsaddled Eclypse in the grooming area, he heard the front door of the barn slide open. A tall, young man entered, dressed in worn blue jeans and a navy windbreaker. He had medium length dark hair and Asian features. He must be Ryan..."Uh, damn...here," Mike gave Mick the saddle and dashed into a stall. He was glad he remembered to stick that facemask in his coat. He heard Mick talk to Ryan about what needed to be done. Certain that his mask was fitted on, Mike stepped out of the stall in the most casual way.
"Mike, this is Ryan." Mick nodded to him when he joined them.
Ryan politely smiled to Mike, before turning to Mick. "Trapped a few more innocent bystanders to clean the stalls?" Ryan teased Mick.
"Yeah but we won't be here for long," Mike felt the need to tell them.
"Are you from the big city?" Ryan asked Mike. He also noticed Mike's NYC Ranger hockey jersey. Ryan thought Mike looked to be type to play hockey.
"Wow, yea, we are!" Mike smiled.
"We?" Ryan made eye contact with Mike. There was something mysterious he sensed in Mike's dark eyes.
"My br-- friends and me. We're just passing through." Mike made note of Ryan's facial features. He looked like he was Japanese. But Ryan's accent was very clean, like he grew up speaking only English.
"But they are doing their share of work for board." Mick grinned. "Here, Mike, make yourself useful and put this away." He gave the saddle back to Mike. The trainer also felt the conversation was getting to close for comfort, and offered a way out for Mike.
"Might be needing some help." Mike hinted, shouldering the bridle. Unfortunately, he didn't catch onto what Mick was trying to do for him.
Ryan picked up the grooming box and the polo wraps for him. "Your first day?" he asked Mike as they walked to the tackroom.
"Just got here last night," Mike replied, "We're stayin' in the house for now."
"Liking the farm so far?" Ryan opened the door to the tackroom. "Steve can be a real spoiler at times."
"Do I like it? This place is awesome!" Mike set the saddle on a rack. "The horses, mountains, clean air it's a lot better than the city." He turned to Ryan, "How long have you been workin' 'ere?"
"Almost a couple years now. I'm saving up money for college with this job," he modestly told him.
Ryan did look like he was around twenty to Mike. "Must be neat working around horses, and doing it for a living. Never would happen for me, just not the type." He followed Ryan out of the room.
"I have an attention, a love, for horses. I don't mind it at all." Ryan walked over to the office. "That's what I keep in mind when I faced to clean twenty stalls all by myself." They heard Mick call for Ryan. "Hey, feel free to help me out!"
"With stalls?"