•Eraser Tales•(Aizawa)

Pounding Thunder (22)

"Tough family...The rest of the teachers are going out for a drink tomorrow night. Would you like to join us?" Shouta asks.

"Thank you but I don't drink and I have plans in which I need to be up early on Saturday and Sunday. Mr. Aizawa I won't let this happen again. I won't let you down on getting everything done either."

"Shouta."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Call me Shouta when students aren't around..." Eraser said with a slight smile.

"Shouta, only my mom and one close friend can call me this, Pippa. I now include you in that small circle..."

Friday afternoon rolls around. He is getting packed up for the weekend and patrolling. Thanks to Rose, Pippa, he has no pressing grades and is getting with All Might, Mic and Midnight for a drink. At the bar Midnight slides up to Shouta and starts to ask him a question.

"Hey cat man, any plans Sunday around 1 p.m.?"

"No, sleeping in late since Pi...er Rose has all my papers graded. Why?"

"Well the little sneak has been going to a riding stable and practicing show jumping. Her first time competing since her fall with Arnald. Her horse's legs got tangled in a pole on an oxer(type of jump) and he fell. Arnald rolled on top of her and someone pulled her from under him. He broke his leg and ribs. He had to be put down. Rose said she didn't even have a bruise or scratch that she remembers. That was three years ago Sunday..." (calendar years not accurate)

Shouta turns to look Numeri in the eyes, "I wouldn't miss it for anything. Make sure you wake my ass up for this..."

"Arnulf are you ready?" Pippa asks her young bay gelding.

Arnulf nickers and licks his lips in contentment. He rubs his head on her back. "Arnulf cut that out!" Pippa says but it is only half hearted.

She thought she would never ride again and certainly never a horse like him. The British have a saying "You are often blessed only once in a lifetime of such a remarkable and bold hearted horse." Arnulf makes two for Pippa. The young gelding had been mistreated and no one could crack his 'hard shell' except a thirty year old woman, barely over five feet tall. She looks like a mouse sitting on him.

Her instructor walks over "Ready to mount up?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't be nervous...you got this. Arnulf's got this. He'll take care of you both."

"I'm still a little nervous."

The instructor lifts Pippa's foot up and Pippa climbs up the bay gelding side to sit up top. The instructor leads Arnulf to the area gate. The bay starts to jig and try to rear. He is just difficult to get mounted on from the ground and even worse through the gate but Pippa insists not to discipline him. The British say a great winning show jumper all have their little faults and what Arnulf does before he jumps doesn't concern Pippa. The instructor circles the gelding and as the gate opens the instructor releases the gelding as he canters into the grass footing, show arena.

Shouta was half asleep when Hizashi nudges his friend "This is a speed class. The object is to go the fastest but cleanest. If you knock a rail down five seconds is added to your time. It is only one round to get it right. There's Rosaylnne now."

"Damn that horse is feisty!" Nemuri whistles. "She can barely hold him back. See how he's jigging and grabbing the bit."

"Midnight you're not helping...". Shouta grumbles. "She has a death wish or something?"

Arnulf prances towards the starting line as the whistle blows. Pippa circles him once as is allowed and heads for the first, often an easy hedge jump called 'gift to the horse'. The gelding picks up speed heading to the hedge. Pippa is sitting up straight and pulls the reins softly two times.