Chapter 2
The week came and went without much to offer. It was exactly what Yuuki expected.
Riding, classes, riding sleep. It had taken two hours to calm down her class; one girl had seen her and fainted on site. Fortunately none of the non-riding students knew about her.
Tamaki spent every morning harassing her and every afternoon wondering where she had gone. Yuuki was the only girl who had no accepted an invite to the Host club.
Kyoya was indifferent. His father had told him about the daughter of the Cunxin enterprise. She was nothing special. Her brother however, would have been a prime target if he had attended the school. As far as the Ootori was concerned, Yuuki was just another daughter of a powerful business man; he didn't know about her riding – that topic wasn't touched on much in her family history.
The weekend of Open day arrived and Yuuki woke up early. She knew that she would need to keep Zero calm and energised, so instead of training in the morning she pulled on a pair of trainers and plugged herself into an iPod and set off around the school – it was her way of getting into the mindset of competitions.
Yuuki pounded the pavement in time with the playlist and watched around her. Some other borders went running in the morning too and she spotted one on her way round. The school was awake at the time, preparing. Trucks were coming in, laden with products for the day.
A group of boys stood at the entrance to the school, Yuuki could have sworn one was a girl though.
She didn't look at them and cut the drive short in order to avoid the public.
Running was her vice. An escape from everyday life.
As Yuuki rounded a corner she collided with something, hard.
Fortunately for the object, the impact from her wasn't much in the way of weight and they managed to remain, at least, almost half upright. Yuuki fell on her rear and heard the clinking of metal a moment after she landed.
The glasses were expensive looking and fortunately hadn't broken.
The girl pinched the edge of the earpiece with long fingers and lifted it to whoever she had run into.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking" she said, beginning to lift herself off the ground. Her hair was falling out of its pony-tail and into her face and she had to push it back with the hand that wasn't lifting her up.
Before her fingers could do their job, a hand wrapped itself around her wrist and lifted her to her feet "I wasn't watching either"
Yuuki looked up and saw the same boy from the stables a few days before, Kyoya. He had a clipboard under one arm and probably hadn't been looking.
"Are your glasses scratched? I can pay you back for them" she offered, not wanting to displease anyone even at her own expense
"No" he replied, his voice the same as it always had been "they're fine"
Kyoya seemed menacing, but there was something about his planning demeanour that said he wasn't scary at all.
"Maybe you should get some" he said, proving Yuuki's theory right with a ghost of a smile. His voice veiling any emotion.
The clock tower rang, indicating seven o'clock. The girl looked at it and then at the stables in the distance.
She bowed quickly at the man, awkwardly, in a manner that suggested she had never said many goodbyes, and ran off. She needed to be showered and dressed and fed, then do the same for Zero before nine.
In an hour she was ready. Dressed in her casual competition gear.
Tall, shined, black boots over crisp white jodhpurs that wouldn't be at the end of the day, a long sleeved, collared white shirt, soft cream tie and a navy blue riding jacket. Under her shirt she had on a singlet, it was freezing that day. Winter started officially in a week.
Zero still had his blanket on when Yuuki let herself into his stall. He happily accepted his breakfast and had a little tantrum when he wasn't allowed to drink as much water as he usually would.
"You'll get bloated and it will slow you, and you'll need the bathroom" Yuuki said once he had quieted down and she could groom him. She didn't plait his main or tail, she only did that for dressage. Zero looked to feminine when he was braided, it did nothing for him.
Yuuki used the navy saddle blanket with white trimming and the matching mufflers over his ears.
The last touch to the routine was to put booties on Zero, they protected the tops of his hoofs and the lower part of his legs on the cross country course, they also stopped it from hurting so much if he hit the bar.
"All done" Yuuki petted his neck and opened the stall, leading the animal behind her.
The other competitors, ranging from beginner to advanced had all gathered in the yard already and were chatting to each other casually.
As soon as the Olympic pair walked into the sunlight, all of this stopped. Three young girls dragged their parents over to meet Yuuki Cunxin.
"How are you finding being around 'normal' peers?" one asked curiously
Yuuki played with the reins in her hand "To be honest, no one outside of this club really knows who I am. Equestrian isn't really a sport to be a celebrity in, other than within the actual sport itself. I'm really just another face in the crowd. I don't think anyone even knows about Zero, he's the one who does all the work anyway"
She had said this speech a thousand times over – the young champion one, the one to prove to the public you were normal and not a superhuman.
Mr Hung parted the sea of horses and student and appeared in front of the girl "Our star is here! And dressed for the occasion!"
For the first time Yuuki realised that the other riders were dressed allot less showy that she was. She was the only one with tack to match her outfit. Suddenly she felt very exposed.
"Is there a warm-up ring?" Yuuki enquired
Mr Hung looked past the office towards the training rings, dressage arena and open paddocks. All had someone in them already "I can ask them to leave for you Yuuki..." he began
"Oh, no. Don't do that" she raised a hand "I wanted to see the course first, can I ride past it? We won't jump anything yet. Zero's not warm. We'll use the jumping ring later. The advanced ride isn't until later anyway"
"Yes yes" Mr Hung basked in the smiles of the parents surrounding the girl, all pleased with her planning "Go ahead Yuuki. There are a few judges out there already, I'll phone them and let them know your coming"
The girl nodded and pulled a pair of white riding gloves from their hiding spot under the saddle and tugged them on.
A little girl tugged on her coat "can I come? Rusty and I will be good!"
The little pony, Rusty, didn't move from his lazy position. The jumps would be set to beginner height but Yuuki didn't want the responsibility of a child on warm-up. Fortunately the girls father told her to let 'the girl do what she needs to, you'll get your turn'
Yuuki mounted Zero and rode out; following the map she had in her head of the course. It was just beyond the riding school on a back strip of Ouran High, there was a small forest there behind the sports fields and the course went along its edge, down a hill and back through a path through the tree's. It was simple. A long U shape. The only jump they would have to think about was the downhill, the beginners were skipping it all together. There was 1.5m of obstacle dropping straight to the slope. To fast or to slow were not options if you wanted to keep balance. A hundred meters out Yuuki broke into a loping canter, warming Zero up.
The sports field had a large pavilion on its edge, under which were the same group of men she had seen at the gate earlier that day. Yuuki could see Tamaki with them and a few pastel dresses of those girls who booked the day. From the pavilion stretched umbrellas, viewing points for the club and their guests along the course. There were probably spots inside the forest to.
An hour later Yuuki jumped a bit in the arena at the riding school before heading to the marshalling area for her ride.
There weren't many students to ride and her turn would come in due course.
Zero pranced under her, his neck arched in an egocentric way.
"Show-off" Yuuki muttered and his ears flicked around at her voice before pointing forwards again and continuing his show. His energy was boundless.
The host club was mingling around, waiting for the advanced riders before heading to their vantage points.
A blonde head appeared at Yuuki's hip.
"Good luck Miss Cunxin" Tamaki smiled smoothly
"Thank you" she replied softly
"It's not Beijing, but you'll survive right?" he offered a small white flower for her jacket
Yuuki stared wide eyed at him, how did he know?
As if reading her mind Tamaki spoke again "I'm the superintendent's son, I know. Don't worry; I don't think anyone else does"
He briefly pointed out the other members of the host club to her, giving reasons as to why none would know her tight circled celebrity. He paused on Kyoya "he might know. Kyoya knows allot"
The dark haired boy pushed his glasses up and smiled at a few of the girls he was hosting, obviously there for the profit.
The loudspeaker called ten minutes to the advanced go, Tamaki petted her knee in the same manner that other girls would fall for but found Yuuki to sensible to work on. He smiled and wished her luck again.
Yuuki started the course well, clearing the first few jumps well ahead of her components time. It was smooth, the weather was nice, the grass soft. All was perfect.
Yet, something was not right.
Out of the corner of her eye, Yuuki saw the mother of the girl who rode Rusty yelling.
Then the sound off hoof beats caught up with her. Looking over her shoulder the girl saw the other rider on a bolting horse.
She kept Zero on course, knowing that Rusty would catch up with them at a flat out gallop and she could instruct the girl then.
Even so, the noise was louder; heavier than it should be the scream of the girl more urgent than for a normal situation. Yuuki cleared a jump and looked behind.
Her heart stopped for a second when she saw, instead of Rusty, a large, flighty and scared Arabian.
She knew that horse. It had thrown another rider earlier in the week and wasn't trained properly. A beginner mounting an unpredictable and apparently vindictive horse was almost suicide.
To many things could go wrong on horseback.
"Stupid girl!" Yuuki hissed through her teeth. She pulled Zero in a wide circle and ended up behind the girl and her horse.
She managed to get Zero's head by the other horse's rump in no time. A jump was approaching them, it was low at the middle.
"Pull his head to the middle, use your calves and grip him. Don't you dare get off until I tell you to" Yuuki yelled at her and cleared the jump just after her at a higher point, keeping Zero away from the kicking of the Arab as it tried to get rid of them.
The pavilion was approaching fast, too fast. Just before it was the hill jump and it was high and steep.
Without thinking Yuuki reached for the girl and grabbed her back, making sure she had jacket and shirt in her fist. They were at a flat out gallop. Zero knew what was happening, his rider wasn't scared, annoyed more than anything, but not scared. She wasn't even thinking and would probably regret the attention she was getting at that point.
The host club had all stepped to the edge of the course and various officials were waving people away in order to keep the path clear and not scare the horse more.
Walkie talkies were in high action, conveying the events to the main tent.
Yuuki looked up and saw the jump to close. She might hurt Zero if they pulled up to sharply and that was the last thing she ever wanted.
"Listen to me!" she yelled at the crying girl "let go"
"What!?" she yelled "No!"
"I have you, do it"
The child squeezed her eyes shut and let go, the horse disappeared from under her and Yuuki pulled her towards herself.
The Arab turned sharply and kicked out hard, catching Yuuki in the lower leg with one hoof and Zero with the other.
The girl lost her concentration for a moment and only regained it as Zero took off.
Realising what was happening she let the child go; letting her fall in the flowerbed at the side of the jump. It would have hurt at the speed but she would have got away without any broken bones.
Zero was flying over the jump, obviously not having realised that there was a drop below it.
The kick had thrown him off and he didn't get to turn in time, just like his owner, the crucial moment had been lost to the distraction and they had entered what they had dreaded.
Zero hit the landing much too fast and his front legs buckled on the soft earth, throwing him over onto his back.
Yuuki pulled her feet from the stirrups as he went down and let go of her reins, she had to get away from him.
He would crush her.
She knew people who had been landed on and died.
Rib's puncturing lungs, pelvises being shattered, and untold amounts of internal damage could be done.
She would know, she had been there when it happened to her mother.
Yuuki felt herself hit the ground on her shoulder. She rolled to face the sky and saw Zero's body falling towards her.
Most of her body was out of the but her left side wasn't completely.
Her leg got caught under Zero's shoulder and her own shoulder was trapped under the saddle.
There was a sharp pop and a dull crack as over half a tonne of Olympic horse flesh landed on her slight frame.
She didn't feel it.
Yuuki was too busy watching her horse's legs as they slid down the rest of the slope, hoping that the noises hadn't come from him.
Zero travelled further than she did at the bottom; as soon as he could he pulled himself upright and stumbled away from his master. Horses will not purposely tread on something unless its a threat.
When he stood the girl felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
A horse getting hurt was allot worse than a human.
They healed differently and one break could end their career.
There was a scream at that moment and a blur of people.
A band of adults were keeping the onlookers away and a few were let into the circle.
Yuuki looked for Zero; he had vanished in the sudden commotion. Her head swam and she used her right hand to pull her helmet off and throw it to the side.
Someone appeared beside her.
"Where's Zero?" She asked, her voice dull
There was no reply; the man was pushing her right shoulder back against the slope, forcing her to lie down.
"Where's my horse?" Yuuki cried urgently
"He's fine"
She knew that voice
The girl didn't want his word on it, she wanted to see Zero. She pulled herself up and went to stand on her left leg, as she moved it a fire shot through her entre left side and her vision went black for a second.
Kyoya caught Yuuki as she stumbled "Call the hospital. Tell them it's me. Get a chopper right now and tell the Ootori doctors to get ready for her."
Fear gripped the girl and she looked around urgently for Zero.
"Where's Zero!?" she was panicking
"I told you, he's fine" Kyoya moved the horse was behind him, standing and apparently fine.
"Get someone to check him, make sure he's okay" her voice was becoming slurred, her whole left side was searing with pain.
"Alright Yuuki, alright" he undid the top button of her shirt, freeing her neck from the material.
There was a long pause as Yuuki registered what had happened.
She had fallen off and been landed on.
And it hurt.
She didn't even wonder about the little girl.
It hurt.
"Make it stop" she said softly, there were a few people around her now; Mr Hung was one of them. "It hurts. Make it stop"
"Quiet" the familiar voice said over the others "My brothers are good doctors. They will both be looking after you when you land. Relax. Yuuki, stop moving"
The girl didn't even realise how much she was squirming, her right foot had been digging up the grass and her hand was firmly grasped onto someone's sleeve.
Zero had somehow managed to get closer and stuck his head through the bulge of people surrounding his owner.
The soft skin of his nose brushed the top of her hand and she let go of who she was holding to run it along his face and around his cheek.
It helped a bit
Someone pulled him away and took him to stand at the edge of the forest to await a vet.
Suddenly Yuuki came out of her shock and began to feel everything to its full.
She whimpered. The whimper turned into a cry, not unexpected by anyone.
Spots danced in front of her eyes and then dominated her vision.
The only thing the girl became aware off was the round of chopper blades and the feel of wind on her skin. She could hear Kyoya yelling at the paramedics and knew she was being lifted into a stretcher.
Then she felt nothing.