Sunset Breezes (D3, EE, Expecting)

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yuki grinned, then released the reins a bit to encourage Hikazume to start moving. She did so at a decent walk, letting Yuki get a feel for it. It took a little while for the Phoenix woman to get used to the new gait and the higher perch, but soon enough she let the reins go and tapped the Unicorn horse's sides, egging her on into a trot. Yuki smiled widely as the horse was eager to move forward, so eager that she had to pull back on the reins some, not ready to gallop. Yuki only took a few minutes to get used to the horse and trot around the field before returning to Liu Yue. "That was exhilarating, Shinjo-san. I can only imagine what it is like to go at full speed." She smiled and looked to Hirase.

"Your turn, Cousin!" She called out, and carefully moved to get off the horse, having to reach a little at the end to find solid ground, but she managed with little incident.

"Your cousin is pretty good at this," she remarked to Hirase. "Are you sure she needed a lesson? She may have just been wanting to ride one of my Clan's horses!"

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa sat up a bit as she felt their course turn around. She said nothing as well, face forward after Kitakuhime's words. She gave a small nod, hands groping for the horn again as they rode in silence. Above, Sanmi smiled at them both as she saw Gekko's return.

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Arriving atop the hill, Kitakuhime dismounts, then explains Misa how to properly dismount herself –– making sure she would be there to hold the Dragon if needed, "It's easier than climbing up the saddle."

[Tonbo Misa]

Misa gave a small nod, and this time Sanmi stepped up to help her mistress down. Misa's face was calm as Kitakuhime saw it finally, a very faint smile there that looked as if it would flicker out entirely any moment, yet never did.

Once she was down, Misa turned toward Kitakuhime and gave a slow bow, holding it a moment as she finally broke her silence. "Arigato, Otaku-sama, for that ride. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before, and I will remember it." She straightened, smiling a bit more for a fleeting moment before hanging her head as if looking at her robes as she gently smoothed them down.

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Kitakuhime bows in the same fashion. Not her hair, though: it flies wildly in the air. The smile was still there, even though there was a hint of worry in her eyes. "So will I, and Gekko-kun."

The horse neighs a bit, as if he understood what they said. Kitakuhime chuckles, adding, "I look forward to meet with Tonbo-sama once more."

[Tonbo Misa]

Those words brought Misa's head back up, with a touch of the bright, warm smile Kitakuhime remembered, even though there was a slight flicker to it, and she said nothing that moment. When she finally did though, it mirrored the flickering warmth of her face. "And I you...
Kitakuhime-sama. Farewell Gekko-kun. Look after her until that time for me, please." She turned and gave the steed a bow just as low as she had to Kitakuhime. As she straightened once more, she said no more words, merely reaching for Sanmi to start the slow, careful process of walking back to town.

/exit

[Asako Hirase]

"Your cousin is pretty good at this," she remarked to Hirase. "Are you sure she needed a lesson? She may have just been wanting to ride one of my Clan's horses!"

Diplomatically, Hirase replied, "I expect she was hoping to learn something more than what her family could teach her. The difference between being able to ride and being a Unicorn, living in the saddle, is the difference between being able to write and being able to paint calligraphy worthy of an Imperial's wedding announcements."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Diplomatically, Hirase replied, "I expect she was hoping to learn something more than what her family could teach her. The difference between being able to ride and being a Unicorn, living in the saddle, is the difference between being able to write and being able to paint calligraphy worthy of an Imperial's wedding announcements."

"I was not serious," she explained, "And if she just wanted to ride my horse I would not be offended." She looked to Yuki and then back to Hirase. "I believe it is your turn, Hirase-san."

She looked to Ichiro. The Shinjo was about to approach him and look after him but she figured that Yuki would take that duty.

[Asako Hirase]

Ichiro, of course, wanted to ride with his father. Hirase spent several minutes explaining that he wasn't good enough yet and that he needed his son to watch him so that he could share his observations and help with the learning. Thus given a job, the boy was happy enough to stay with Yuki, eyes wide as he watched to see if his father would fall off like Liu Yue's other mysterious man had done.

For his part, the older Asako approached with the same soothing nonsense that worked so well a few days before. Once the horse seemed, if not welcoming, at least mollified to his presence, he moved around to the side and, with a fraction less awkwardness, got himself into the saddle.

"I just realized...I have never asked how one gets the horse to go when it isn't being led."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue smiled when she saw that Hirase had not fallen spectacularly like earlier in the day. "You squeeze your calves, Hirase-san. If she does not respond, then you should tap her." She paused, wondering if she needed to state the next part. "One should never kick a horse. That will only upset a horse."

[Asako Hirase]

"...who would do that?" Sounding shocked at the very idea, he obediently tightened his calves...which meant he bent his legs up. When this got him nothing more than jangling stirrups and an annoyed ear flick, he looked down, over at his boy who was watching eagerly, sighed, and then let go with one hand. Carefully, he tapped the side of the horse's neck, no harder than he would rap on a wood and paper door.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki dutifully took the boy's hand, mostly as a way to keep an eye on him as she watched Hirase and Liu Yue begin training.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"...who would do that?" Sounding shocked at the very idea, he obediently tightened his calves...which meant he bent his legs up. When this got him nothing more than jangling stirrups and an annoyed ear flick, he looked down, over at his boy who was watching eagerly, sighed, and then let go with one hand. Carefully, he tapped the side of the horse's neck, no harder than he would rap on a wood and paper door.

"Inexperienced and impatient riders," she explained. Hikazume did not move at the tapping. Instead, it simply appeared confused. "Tap her with your heels, Hirase-san."

[Asako Hirase]

"Aaah. That makes more sense." Gently, he followed instructions, looking both dubious and eager for the experience that would be, more or less, his first 'real' ride on a horse by himself, however slow.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Aaah. That makes more sense." Gently, he followed instructions, looking both dubious and eager for the experience that would be, more or less, his first 'real' ride on a horse by himself, however slow.

"Hai. You are progressing well, Hirase-san." Yue walked along with them, a bright smile on her face. This lesson was going quite smoothly compared to her last. "One day you may have Ichiro-san in the saddle with you!"