anemoi | ITP: So the Emperor Nero, King Arthur, and the Holy Grail gather on a farm....

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ITP: So the Emperor Nero, King Arthur, and the Holy Grail gather on a farm....

WHO: Nero, Arturia, and Irisviel
WHAT: Irisviel is going to teach the "twins" how to ride horseback.
WHERE: A farm.
WARNING: Irisviel is teaching Nero and Arturia how to ride a horse. Does this really need any more warning than that?

Arturia looked around the farm Irisviel had taken her and her sister to, wondering just how she'd gotten into this. Sure, Irisviel was excited by the thought and riding horseback seemed exciting. Between the way Irisviel rode and with how her sister acted about the prospect once they realized they'd both been offered the lessons, Arturia found herself unable to have second thoughts about it.

Horseback riding would be a useful skill to have.

And it did seem like fun.

And the horses seemed friendly enough.

And, Arturia couldn't help thinking this, going that fast seemed exciting.

Once they were in the stables to choose the horses they would ride, she turned to Irisviel to ask, "How long did it take you to learn to ride?"

[Tagging order: Irisviel -> Nero -> Arturia]

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Irisviel was truly grateful that she was able to enjoy her new hobbies with people so nice as the twins. They seemed so nice and friendly that sharing something exciting with them was worth of it. At the question, Irisviel smiles back and giggles a bit.

"I learned the basics today and I have been practicing since then! Once you adjust yourself to it, it's quite fun" Her reply was completely honest, which only makes her be so innocent sometimes...

"I'm sure you two will love it!" She turned to Nero and Arturia and smiled at them brightly. Their company was really good so Irisviel couldn't hide her excitement.

"I already do!" proclaimed Nero, patting the nose of a yellow mare. Once she had caught word of this plan, she categorically refused to think of anything else. Arturia had seemed perfectly cooperative (or else), and Irisviel had been an infinitely grateful host.

The mount seemed amenable enough -- Nero meant to name it Phaeton, for the celestial sphere. Now, to begin to mount such a creature...

Since she'd agreed with Irisviel first about this plan, there had been no need for an or else or anything of the sort, even if Arturia had a couple misgivings. She chose a brown horse with a white star on it's forehead and carefully pat its nose. It was a relatively docile creature and Arturia found herself already adoring the dear thing.

"It sounds like it'll be fun," she echoed her sister. Fortunately they had yet to do the stereotypical finishing each other's sentences thing. "Do the horses have names?"

Irisviel couldn't help but smile brightly at the company and the fact that both of them were enjoying themselves. She offered some advice to Nero to help her set with her horse better before taking a moment to thing about the names.

Now that Arturia brought that up, she didn't know. She she figured out that it would be a good idea as well. "I don't think they have one, but I'm sure they would love the name you give yours, Arturia." With another smile, she sat on her own white horse with a strong endurance.

"First you have to make sure that you are holding the reins tightly, okay?"

Nero patted the elegant beast on the back. "I shall call this one... Seneca." Yes. The name felt right. 'Seneca' suggested horse to her. A horsey name.

As she managed to climb into the saddle, she smiled -- a regal smile -- and gripped tightly onto the reigns. "I think can manage this much."

She looked up at the horse

"Gwenivere," she said, unsure of where the name came from. Somewhere in the murky blackness--perhaps it was bits of her memory returning as she'd been assured on her arrival here? "Yes, I think I shall call her Gwenivere."

The horse seemed to agree with the name and Arturia wasted no time in copying how her sister and Irisviel had mounted their steeds, and took hold of the reins. Either this was easier than it looked, she was a quick study, or she had done this before.

She looked to Irisviel for further instructions.

"Ah, those are such beautiful names!" Irisviel spoke first about that. Both sisters seemed to came up with such wonderful names. Maybe they were names both of them were familiar to, but in any case Iri made no complains.

When everyone was on their horse, she smiled before keeping the instructions. "Once you hold the reins tightly, you have to give a gently tug to them to let the horse know that you want to move to a certain direction."

And yet people wonder how does she ride so horribly if she can give the basics so well. "When you are sure where to go, you give a small smack on his side so he will know that you want to start!"

...and Nero's gone.

The wind! The air! Just her, the earth, and the clean blue sky! Nero's blood boiled with the wild abandon of the moment as she and Seneca vanished into the distance.

Which raised a vital metaphysical quandary to the fore of her mind.

How do you stop?

"Nero!" Arturia cried as her sister's mount sped off. Arturia, acting on instinct, had Gwenivere go after her.

This was.... this was amazing. Such a rush of adrenaline she could hear her heart pounding in her ears and the feel of the wind rushing passed her made her cry out with excitement despite herself. Gwenivere was a good horse, she went in the direction she'd been instructed and she was slowly closing the gap between herself and Nero.

Now how does one stop?

Irisviel was so proud that her lesson were so effective with them. She was a bit worried that it would have been hard for them, but being able to watch them enjoy the wind and the pleasure of riding!

"Nero! Arturia!" She waved a hand as she ordered her horse to match with them, and since her skills were ~~horrible~~ a bit superior, the speed of her horse soon caught up with them. "You two are doing it so well! How does it feeel?"

She laughed happily, even forgetting to tell them how to stop.

"It feels wondrous! Like all the gods and all the sylphs fly by my side! This is the very soul of divinity!" Nero leaned low over Seneca, gripping the mare's sides with her knees. Laughter became Nero; she laughed joyously, speeding across the farm with all the cheer of childhood in her breast.

...she had forgotten why she wanted to stop.

"There! I mean to jump that fence!" She gestured up ahead. The sign had something about 'advanced course,' but how bad could it really be?

Not bad at all. At least, that's how she saw it as they approached the fence. Now that she wasn't quite as startled, she was feeling.... competitive. Her sister meant to jump that fence, did she? And Irisviel would join them?

"Not if I get there first!" she shouted, leaning low over her own steed and gripping tight to the reins. If Nero thought she could outdo her she had another thing coming.

Well now, who knew Arturia had a competitive side to her?

The girls were having so much fun that Irisviel giggled happily at that. Not everyday she got the chance to do this, or maybe she was used to it but she couldn't remember... In any case, she was so happy today. Sharing this moment with both girls was really amazing for her.

"To jump, you need to smack his side in the correct tiiiime!! He will understand that you want to jump!" The girl shouted to the girls in a fair way. "You can do it! Nero! Arturia!"

She preferred to cheer them from behind and jump later. Her poor horse was grateful for that.

Nero encourages Seneca to greater speeds, matching Arturia. Her dear, beloved sister meant to challenge her? Nero may be a tolerant, forbearing, and self-sacrificing soul of the utmost purity, but could not stand! She sped toward it, crouching by the sweating Seneca's mane. Come now. Come now. Just a little closer.

JUMP! she thought. Seneca grapsed her thoughts.

Airborne.

She had air.

Magnifico.

Arturia had air at the same time and both of them leapt the fence in almost perfect synchronicity. This was magnificent! And it appeared they were on a track now--one that would have a very interesting shape from the air!

"Sister!" she called, deciding to drop the pretense of concern. Irisviel was a kind soul and this was her sister. Why shouldn't she be allowed to have fun every now and then.

"Let us race thrice around this track and see who is the better horsewoman," she called and looked back to Irisviel, "What say you?"

Irisviel clapped her hands together at both of jumps, amazed of how fast they learned. They looked so happy and entertained that she felt really pleased with it. She followed them with a jump, a normal one since the poor horse just wants to die already.

"Ah, that sounds lovely. Let's us do our best then!" She relied with a giggle. A healthy competition sounded like a good idea.

This is to be truly free! All questions of stopping had vanished from Nero's mind as she charged the next jump, neck and neck with Arturia. The course ahead seemed more grueling, but Nero had no doubt in her skills, leaned over Senerca's galloping form. Just a little more, o divine steed! And then, she flew again--!

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ITP: So the Emperor Nero, King Arthur, and the Holy Grail gather on a farm....

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and the award to the latest tag goes to... Miyu!

But wait! Darck gives you a run for your money!

Three months later we're still going to be working on this thread, trufax.

and it will still be awesome!!

We're going to get off this farm and discover the game ended like two years ago

One if we're lucky.

Let's aim for half-year!

This convo: quoted next to "undue optimism" in the encyclopedia.

With all three of our pictures right under it.

sounds legit. I mean I play the optimistic here!!

I'm the irrepressible cynic.

And I guess that makes me the moderately realistic one.

perfect combination

royal flush of philosophy