Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Poor guy," Rory remarked as they headed out. "Maybe we should get him an electric blanket."

"W' can pick some up on th' way home," Rory suggested, hugging the girl to his side as they walked down the lane to the show tents.

Rory waved to the ticket taker at the door. The man nodded, shooing the two on in, and Rory led the girl to a good spot near the center of the ring in the front row. "Should be able t' see it all from here." He settled down in his seat, propping his feet up on the barrier in front of them.

Rory rested an arm across the back of her seat, rubbing her shoulder gently to calm her. He couldn't help but think she was cute with how bouncy she was.

The house lights dimmed and a spotlight came on, a woman in a sequined outfit that looked like a showgirl would wear was illuminated. She waved to the crowd and whistled. A white horse trotted out, it's bridle decorated with rhinestones and feathers.

"That's me oldest sister," Rory whispered to Lee nonchalantly, having forgotten the two women had yet to meet formally.

"'cause me mum's gorgeous," Rory said casually, smiling at Lee. He kissed the top of her head affectionately then settled back to watch his sister put the horse through some tricks, a lot of the same ones Lee had seen so many times at the stables.

After a few more tricks, Annie mounted the horse, doing riding tricks as well. She was joined by a young man also on horse back, the two now running through a more complex routine.

Rory pointed to the guy. "Tha's me brother-in-law. They met while doin' these shows."

Annie had spotted her little brother in the crowd and assumed the girl with him was his fiance she'd heard so much about. Nudging the horse over to them she looked down at her brother and announced to the audience, "Well, it looks like we have a special guest tonight. Give a round of applause for me little brother, the man that trains Fair Lady and Ringo to do their tricks."

"I hate you," Rory grumbled quietly to his sister, but stood to wave to the audience. As soon as his hand went up, his sister grabbed hold and hauled him onto the horse. "Annie, nae! I'm on a date!" He had no choice really but to comply as his sister road back to the center of the ring. A third horse trotted out at the beckoning of Annie's husband and Rory was situated on it, not looking at all happy to be in the spotlight.

The woman whacked her little brother upside the head, giving him a look that clearly said she'd make him miserable if he didn't do what she said. Rory just sighed and set the horse--Quiet Wind--into a gallop around the ring. Getting a good speed, he moved, wishing he was barefoot, to stand on the horses back, holding the reins tightly. He hadn't done a show with his sister in years, but he knew all the routines easily enough, having trained the horses through them.

She shouldn't have worried, though. Rory grew up performing the tricks, the same ones he taught to other horses everyday. John--Annie's husband--rode up beside the boy and Rory sat down his horse's back, arranging the reins so they would stay put. On some unspoken command both men lept from their horses, each landing on the other's mount. John rode his new horse off, then walked back out at a quick pace. As Rory rode by, he yanked the man up on the horse before him, letting him have the reins. As the two rode back to where Lee was sitting, Rory slid off the back of the horse into a run, his pace slowing as he neared his seat. Hopping over the barrier, he took his place next to Lee, grumbling a bit. "Damn it. I hate when she does tha' t' me. Now I smell like horse."

"Used t' do it all th' time, but I donnae really like crowds or performin' fae an audience, so I focused more on just trainin' th' horses," Rory said, making a soft happy rumble at Lee being all over him. He was trying hard to ignore the looks of the outsiders sitting around them, too.