foolishwren | 104. [Video]

_{[As is fairly regular with Heather, who never really plans AHEAD when she turns her feed on, the video opens with a brief glimpse at something entirely-unrelated!]

[Two large Houndooms, one bare-necked and the other wearing a large, studded leather collar-- are at play in a sunny patch of park. Or more accurately, the big collar-wearing one is TRYING to get the other to play, in a show of big-dog posturing, and the uncollared one is sort of just mild-manneredly humoring him.]

[Right before the camera shifts, though, a blur of blue and yellow barrels into the larger of the two hellhounds and the one-sided playtime promptly becomes an enthusiastic wrestling match between Tricia (the Manectric recently inherited from Cooper) and Huan (the Houndoom even more recently inherited from Otacon).]

[But then it's Heather's face dominating the screen, because she apparently has other things in mind than just showing the network a bunch of dogs running around the park.]}

Hey.

So.

If there's anyone around who knows much about horses... riding horses, specifically...

I'm looking to learn. Any advice's appreciated. Thanks in advance.

_{[... Well that was unusually businesslike and to the point. ... For someone like Heather, anyway. There's not much humor in the usually-goofy girl's voice today.]

[Before she can flick the 'Gear off, there's a commotion offscreen and she looks off in the direction of the noise, clearly exasperated.]}

... TCH, god dammit Cujo.

_{[The view shifts as she gets up and it becomes apparent that Cujo the Hulking Behemoth of a Growlithe (tm) had decided to join the fray and promptly plowed straight OVER at least two of the participants, who are now chasing after him in a big herd of barking chaos across the park. OH THOSE CRAZY DOGES.]

[End feed.]}

[PRIVATE MESSAGE TO JEANE]

HEY. How did you do that shit at the party?

_{[... well wtf is that supposed to mean, Heather. Clarification is apparently not going to be provided until she gets a reply.]}

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I guess that makes sense.

_{[Except there's no 'I guess' about it, it makes PERFECT sense. ... She just can't really admit to anybody that the main reason she wants to learn is in anticipation of a situation in which there will almost surely be no time to put a saddle on.]}

... So... any good places to get a saddle?

... Hopefully one that won't BURN?

[Learning how to ride without a saddle for such situations is a very good thing to shoot for...except it's like trying to jump fifty feet in one leap. Can't really do it well without practice first.]

I bought mine in Goldenrod. Odin's never burned it. [A short pause, then:] If you're worried about the saddle burning, maybe you shouldn't ride. You could end up burned, too.

_{[It's very true. Knowing little about horses, Heather is drastically underestimating the amount of time it'd take to even become proficient with a saddle. But, at that last remark, she can't help but let out a little huff at that.]}

That's like saying nobody should do anything if they have any doubts about it.

_{[Her tone's brash, but it's hiding a genuine worry that getting burned is exactly what will happen. Which is the LAST thing she wants. But...]}

[Still off-camera, Lightning raises an eyebrow at Heather's tone. Okay then. If she's going to be that way...]

Most people who have doubts aren't looking to ride a horse that's constantly on fire. Do you really want to risk it if you're that worried already?

Normally I don't do anything I don't want to, but in this case it's not a matter of want.

I have to learn somehow, even if I'm not too happy about it.

Then you need to stop worrying about getting burned. [The camera bobs again, shifting rapidly before it's clear Lightning's holding it with one hand. The other is...in the fiery mane of her Rapidash as if it's just hair and not flames that should be damaging her hand. When she pulls it back, the skin is just barely tinted pink from heat but not burnt.]

Can you do that with yours? If you can't, nothing you put on its back is going to help.

[Of course, from the shake Odin just gave himself, it's more than likely he was holding back his flames as much as possible to avoid burning her. Still, it's something.]

_{[... There's nothing Heather can do to stop the sharp intake of breath between her teeth when Lightning puts her hand in the flames. It's obvious that Lightning's not being hurt-- there's no burning, no peeling of flesh (a sight that Heather knows well, that she's in fact intimately familiar with)-- but it still triggers a visceral lurch in her stomach.]

[To her credit, though, she keeps a straight face.]}

Sure I can.

_{[Except that she hasn't tried... she doubts it would be a problem-- Carousel is as gentle as they come, and neither has ever harbored ill will towards the other. No... the trouble, she suspects, lies on her end. Fear of fire sucks.]}

I'm just saying... just in case.

_{[It's a fairly weak argument, though. She doesn't believe it, herself.]}

Edited 2013-05-09 21:43 (UTC)

[It's a weak argument that gets a very unconvinced look, but what else is there to say? If she's sure, she's sure. Not Lightning's place to convince her otherwise.]

Then it's like I said: Goldenrod sells saddles. You should get a bridle while you're there. It'll make things easier.

_{[She stares steadily back, expression challenging. There's not much to back it up, not really, but she sure hasn't been doing a good job of endearing herself to strangers lately anyway.]}

Noted.

[Well then. Someone clearly needs a lesson or two in taking advice. Lightning just shakes her head faintly, giving Odin's neck a pat. Let the kid fall a couple times--she'll learn the hard way, it seems.]

Good luck. You're probably going to need it.

_{[Most definitely. Frankly, if it weren't an issue so tangled up in emotions that she can't really talk about, she'd probably be a whole lot more receptive to advice.]

[But then, she wouldn't have inadvertently given anyone any reasons to think she should give up on what she was trying to do, either.]}

I usually do.

_{[It's said shortly, but also a little self-deprecatingly. She's kind of used to getting the short end of the stick, luckwise, but there you go.]}

[She hears the shift in Heather's tone, then sighs faintly. Okay, she's not going to ask. Wasn't planning on it. Only...]

For what it's worth, Burn Heals take the edge off until you can get actual burn cream. [shrug. Might come in handy, might not. That's up to Heather and how Carousel reacts to being saddled or ridden.] Might be a good idea to stock up on some before you try.

... Yeah, that's a good idea.

I'll probably do that.

_{[She lets out a sigh of her own, raking her fingers through her hair distractedly.]}

... Thanks.

[A soft 'hmm'.] Good luck.

[It's said in a softer tone this time, one that may seem more sincere than her previous utterance of the phrase, before she disconnects. She's done what she can for this girl--time to just let it go.]

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[video] I APOLOGIZE FOR HEATHER'S ATTITUDE she's being a problem child

[video] NO APOLOGIES NEEDED! Everybody's got their moments. ;3

[video] She's mainly mouthing off because she's scared and doesn't like being called on it haha

[video] it happens! better than Light's reaction of...punching people. >>

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