All the Pretty Little Horses
Part 1
Quatre sat on the wooden fence looking at all that surrounded him. To his right he could see the lanky young man teach a young girl how to tame and control a horse using his simple methods of gentle command. The long leather straps held onto the shinny harness while he lead the large white mare around a circle and stopping and going a different direction. From the distance the young blonde could see the soft determination of completion his dark blue eyes as he made sharp clicks and whistles. On the left a large chestnut held the long hose in his mouth as he tempted his rider to come near with the soap bottle. The standoff would end in a few hours, but it was entertaining none the less. Either way one of them was going to get a bath.
But in front of him with large brown eyes was a wild black quarter horse, he defied all authority and not even the top trainers could bend the huge beast. Waving his large head in the air and letting out a forced cackle as he pawed the earth. Quatre jumped off the fence and raised his hands in the air, knowing too well the stance and knew it was safer to leave the animal's territory.
Everyone had a name for it; he was born with Devil's Own because of the colt's pure black coat and angry eyes. Yuy named it Shinigami's Toy by the way it nearly killed him while trying to get a harness on the proud head. Chang didn't even go in the area saying that he had a better chance at bathing Dragon Blade then attempting to touch the animal.
Retreating back to the patio, Quatre noticed a pair of people that he frankly didn't feel like dealing with. At the moment he rather be trampled and drug for two miles through the thorn bushes by Devil's Own then meeting up with the Equestrian enthusiasts.
"Quatre dearest!" The young woman held out her hand but refusing to get up, her brother Milliardo stood and greeted the young heir.
"Excuse my sister's rudeness. Please, let me take care of it." He bent down and picked up the straw chair, dunking the woman out. She made some low curses and began to pout. "We were watching Master Yuy, he is a wonderful teacher."
Out in the yards they watched as the young girl began to pet the large white beast and giggle loudly.
"Yes, a true master in the arts. But he still cannot get close to Devil's Own." Quatre sat down and picked up a glass of iced tea. "I don't think he ever will."
Relena gazed down at her diamond ring and began to fiddle with it, "Well, in my opinion, that horse should be dog food by now, if it has no use then it has no value."
The blonde youth glared at her about to make a comment when her brother beat him to it.
"I was saying the same thing to mumsie about you Relena. The only use you have to us it bleeding the bank accounts dry with such frivolous transactions."
Before the girl could comment on the statement, Heero came up with the large white mare.
"Heero! So good to see you." Holding her hand out as if he would bend down to kiss it, the Japanese man put a carrot between his lips as the horse nibbled it while giving him a kiss. Relena jerked her hand back and forced a smile. "Err, Heero dear, have you gotten my horse ready for the tournament next week, I see she can walk around in circles-"
An angry frown marred the dark headed boy's features as the horse laid its long head on his shoulder. "Wings of Eros will not be your horse. You are riding Epyon's Lion"
"But! I wanted a white horse! Wings of Eros will match my ensemble!"
"I don't give a rat's ass, Wing cannot do the high jumps; she is strictly a trainer's horse. If she jumps just over five feet, her hip will shatter. I won't risk it for your ‘ensemble'." Kissing the horse muzzle, the animal just snorted towards the girl as it begged for another carrot.
"Well, I do believe that Wing had a very illustrious career and deserves a brake. Winning every race entered and still as docile as always." Milliardo grabbed and apple and put it up to the horse. She left Heero's shoulder and pranced happily to the tall blonde.
Taking the chance to get a drink, Heero began to pour a large iced tea. Wing perked her head to the sound of clinking ice and began to smack her lips together and flatten her ears.
"Hn.. sugar fiend." Grabbing a few and flattening his palm, the horse nickered and began to nibble in the sweet treats. "Seems to be where the food is as always." Wing just nodded her head and headed back out to the yard to pasture.
Drenched to the bone with water and soap bubbles clinging to his black hair, Wufei came over to the table and snagged a few cookies and a cup of tea.
"I swear that horse is too smart for its own good." Stuffing a cookie in his mouth and slumped back in the chair.
"Well, it is no surprised that anything can outsmart you." Fluffing up her hair and peering in the tiny make-up mirror, Relena laughed at her joke.
Stopping for a second and looking over to where the insult originated, "Oh I didn't know you were here Relena! I thought my nose was full of horse shit."
Heero smirked as the young blonde suppressed his laughter, only the girl's brother let his laugh shine through.
"Oh my, I couldn't do better myself. Well, I must go and take the Devil in pink with me. To tomorrow gentlemen." Wing looked up from her grazing and glared through her thick eyelashes. "And to you too fair mare. Bye guys."
As the pair left, Rashid looked out the large doors and smiled. "Ah! Master Quatre, you have a visitor."
Looking up from his tea, Quatre nodded softly. "Okay, I'll see him out here then, thank you."
Before the tall butler could bow to his employer the patio doors opened to a young man dressed all in black and thick rimmed sunglasses. "Mr. Winner a pleasure to meet you!"
Standing slightly, the blonde lifted his hand only to have it almost jerked off in a powerful handshake. "Maxwell is the name and Jockey is the game. You got a horse and I want to ride it…figuratively speaking of course."
"Of course!" Trying not to fall over from the head-rattling handshake, "I have a horse that is need of a jockey for next month's race but-"
"I'll take it! You won't be let down; all animals love me. Plus, I got the metabolism of a squirrel on crack, can't gain an ounce so we have an edge over those short and fat jockeys!"
Heero and Wufei looked towards each other mouthing ‘squirrel on crack'.
Getting his bearings Quatre stood, "I said I have a horse, but it has a problem. Would you like to see him?"
Taking off the sunglasses to squint at the high noon sunlight, "Like I said, you got a horse and I want to be your jockey."
"Your funeral." Wufei said in between cookie bites.
The walk to Devil's Own's pasture was eventful. The longhaired young man could talk up a storm as Wufei and Heero trudged along behind him. The Japanese youth stuffed his hands in his pockets as he glanced up slightly but never looking directly towards the boy who claimed to be the greatest jockey they would ever find.
Leaning towards the Chinese boy, Heero whispered "I hate to see him get killed. He's a bit cute."
"I never thought I would hear this."
"Shut up." He grumbled, lowering his blue eyes to the ground.
Quatre jumped up on the fence and patted the seat for the others to follow. "Now, um…you have a first name?"
"Oh, sorry. It's Duo, as in Duo Maxwell."
"Good, now we know what to put on your grave." Wufei got hit in the arm causing him to almost fall off.
"Is he that bad?" Duo's bright violet eyes wavered a bit.
"Hn..gave me this on our first day." Pulling up his long sleeve, Heero showed a large scar on his arm in the shape of a crescent moon with jagged edges. Feeling the stare on his skin, he covered it quickly and turned to look over at Wing and Dragon playing.
"Duo," Quatre began, "If you could at least get Devil's Own to let people near him, then I would employ you till you die. That was my father's favorite horse, and I would like to see it happy and not…angry. It would be a blessing."
"I could try." Duo jumped over the wooden fence and looked back to the three guys giving him thumbs up signal. Breathing deeply, Duo let out a long and hard whistle. Silence graced his ears at first, but then slowly he could hear the sounds of hoof beats. Over the hill came a large black beauty of a creature. Large brown eyes that glinted red in the harsh light and a coat of ebony so deep it was almost blue.
"My my, you are a pretty one."
The horse became enraged that someone came into his territory, throwing his head high in the air and clacking his teeth together, Devil's Own stomped the ground. Duo stood unafraid as the large beast growled, raising up and thrusting his feet in the air.
Not backing up an inch, the horse began to gallop up to the boy, brown eyes wide with distaste as he pushed Duo's chest with his large black head. Noting in his mind that the two-legged creature showed no fear, he pushed harder toppling the boy to the ground. Before he could get up, Devil's Own pressed him down with one large hoof bruising the pale flesh. Leaning down to get a good look at the elven face, the black steed snorted as if from a horror movie, steam erupted from the huge quivering nostrils giving him an air of demon possession. Backing up slowly, the animal looked over wearily as the three young men perched themselves ready to grab the fallen comrade.
Walking away at a brisk trot, the Devil animal looked back and began to run away to the pond in the middle of his area. Heero jumped the fence as soon as Shinigami turned his back on them and tried to help the boy up.
"Did I get the job?" He croaked out, eyes twinkling as his arm was lifted slowly over the Asian youth's head.
"Yeah."
"Coolness." The wide amethyst eyes rolled in the back of his head as he promptly passed out.
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