I Dare You -p-

[Gabriel King]

Gabriel wasn't sure what had possessed him to try horse riding. Maybe the boredom was finally getting to him, or it could have simply been the temptation. 'Absolutely freedom sat upon a horse's back' or something like that, and for the second time in his life, Gabriel had been completely stripped of his freedom. He'd been trying hard to get some semblance of it back for a while now.

Unfortunately he knew nothing about horses. Wandering up and down the stalls, he crooned to every horse that caught his eye, hoping to feel the 'spark' that young girly horse novels often spoke about. Where was his chosen steed that he could ride off into the sunset with? Surely that would make his life easier. "Come on suckers, one of you pick me already," he muttered to himself, moodily folding his arms over his chest.

Blair Collins

[Blair Collins]

Blair had been coming down to the stables more often recently, she felt more at ease among animals than around most humans. So one could imagine how she felt to hear someone else in the stables. She knew it was a public area--heck, that was the only reason she was allowed to be there unsupervised. Still, she was surprised to hear another's presence a few stables.

She stood up and emerged from the side of a stable. Something about the newcomer was strangely familiar. In any case, she could not help but remark to what he said. "The wand chooses the owner, mate, not the horse." She tried to smile. "In any case, you cannot expect the horse to make the first move."

The girl squinted her blue eyes slightly. Since her manifestation, she had been able to identify people quite easily by their features. She also detected a familiar accent in his voice bit did not want to make assumptions. What were the chances she would meet another Aussie in Kallispell? Still, there was something about the stranger... "Do I know you?"

[Gabriel King]

Gabriel's nose twitched as he took in this new scent. He didn't recognize it, so he obviously wouldn't recognize the face when he bothered to turn around and check. For that reason he let his eyes snap shut, to completely avoid getting a glimpse of his new companion. Better to make first judgments on words instead of appearances, right? And her first words were impressive indeed. "What is it's a horse with a wand? Being chosen by Harry damn Clopper sounds pretty cool to me."

He'd recognize that accent anywhere of course, and it was the trace of Aussie that made him whirl around and finally open his eyes. He was a sucker for the Homeland after all; not that he'd been born in Australia or anything. It had just always felt like more of a home.

"Can't say I know your face, lass," he replied, shrugging off-handedly. "Though you are Australian, yeah? Maybe the accent is fooling you, I spent quite a while there teaching." Just as he was about to step closer to the girl the horse in the stable behind him reached forward and nipped at his ponytail. Rather than being offended Gabriel whirled around with a cry of triumph. "Aha, a sign! Behold, the one steed to rule them on. I totally called it."

@tag

[Blair Collins]

Blair felt a proper smile tugging at the corner of her lips. This could be interesting. "Yeah, that's right. Must have been a while if you are able to pick up the accent." She shrugged. He was a teacher? Searching through her more vague memories, she tried to put a name to his face.

She opened her mouth to ask him when the horse caught his attention. She laughed as he whirled around. "If that is all you need for a sign, you should ride it." She grinned mischievously, stepping towards him. "Go ahead. I dare you."

For some reason, one person stood out in her memories. It strange because she had never met him, only heard of him from her fellow schoolmates or seen his pictures. He made quite an impression on them. "Forgive me if I am mistaken but you don't happen to be Gabriel King, do you?"

[Gabriel King]

"Around five years," he confirmed absently over his shoulder. His attention was mainly on the horse now, examining it for...he wasn't sure what. He wasn't an expert on horses. It had four legs so it would work, that was as far as his logic went. The plaque on the stall door read 'Pilgrim' and that sounded interesting enough to confirm his decision.

"Oh you dare me, do you?" Gabriel snorted, turned back around to the girl. So being such a tiny youngster she seemed to have guts. "I didn't come down here to sniff droppings and talk to myself, lass. I will do more than 'ride him'. I'll ride him so well he'll have to write home to his parents about his new human fiance."
He began hunting around the the horse's tack, at least he had a vague idea of what that looked like and where it went from his time working at Bellefonte.

"That's my name," he confirmed, looking up in amusement. He had been a little famous back in the Australian institute due to his teaching manners. He supposed it was possible she had come from there, and had such, heard of him. Still, it was surprising to be reminded of the reputation he'd had. "You've heard of me?"

@tag

[Blair Collins]

Blair gave an amused smirk. She had visited the stables often enough to know that "Pilgrim" was, for lack of a better word, naughty. The stablehands sometimes got annoyed with his somewhat too-playful behaviour. Also, that horse had the same problems with boundaries as she did. She liked him.

"Oh, yes." She nodded to his question. "When I started attending Sir Henry Barnet, a lot of them talked about you." They enjoyed the way he taught--enthusiastic and fun. "How often does one get a "cool" teacher? Sorry I missed you."

Stuffing her hands into her jacket's pockets, the girl wondered why she never saw him at Bellefonte. How could she have missed him while he was still fresh in her mind? She was sure she would recognize him if they had crossed paths earlier in her four years. "So how come we never encountered each other before? Are you still teaching?"

[Gabriel King]

Collecting the saddle and bridle Gabriel slowly meandered back to the stall, listening to Blair chatter. "All terrible rumours I'm sure," he mused, the bare mention of Henry Barnet stabbing him with nostalgia. His time in Australia had been the best years of his life, both teaching and as a student himself. Nothing good had come from moving to Bellefonte.

"I bet we would have had a lot of fun together." Gabriel laughed, already entertained by the girl's wild personality. He drew open Pilgrim's stall, snorting as the chestnut danced away. "That's right Twinkle Toes, we're going to do a little tango you an' me." Hanging the saddle over the stall door he turned and braced himself to watch Blair.

A little bashfully he scratched his head. "Oh no, I resigned five odd years ago," Gabriel explained with a careless shrug. It hadn't exactly been time to 'move on' but he'd had very little choice. Focusing on Pilgrim again he somehow managed to slip on the bridle and fasten it comfortably. "So what? Are you here to ride too?"

@tag

[Blair Collins]

"Not at all. Gave your replacement some big shoes to fill, actually." Blair laughed at the memories of her fellow classmates saying, "You know, the old English teacher..." She listened to him talk to the horse and liked him even more. It seemed that she had not been misled. With so many overheard conversations about other people, she appreciated the times when these individuals lived up to their reputations.

Which was why she was surprised to hear Gabriel had resigned. She considered asking why--would that be too intrusive? But when she made up her mind, he gave a question of his own. "No, I came here to sniff droppings and talk to myself." Blair kicked at the ground slightly and shrugged. "Really, mate, I just visit sometimes--helps to clear my head."

This made her think of her problems again. Damn. She shook her head at herself. "How come you resigned? Got tired of teenagers?"

[Gabriel King]

"I can imagine," Gabriel laughed, brushing off the brief prickle of possessiveness. It wasn't his position anymore, he couldn't randomly check up on it to make sure whoever had taken over was doing a good job. Clearly they wouldn't have been hired if that was the case, and considering what he was fired for, he really had no right.

"Clear your head?" He echoed, disbelief in his voice. "What in the world could be troubling you at this young age? You should be skipping in fields and singing at goldfish, not pouting." Though if he guessed, the age difference between them wasn't that great. Maybe five years or more. "You're really not coming with me? What if I fall and hit my head? Who's going to cry over my dead body then?" Certainly Pilgrim wouldn't, and his death wouldn't be satisfying without a little bit of drama.

"Oh you know, caused a little trouble, got a little jail time. That stuff doesn't look so good on the resume, ya know?" He mumbled good-naturedly, content not to go into too much detail for the curious girl.

@tag

[Blair Collins]

"Eh, some shitty teen melodrama." Half-smiling, Blair shrugged. "Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in a bad stereotypical teen movie. You know, girl likes boy, boy is gay--crap like that." She said this as she stuck her feet through the gaps on the stable door and stood on it, her arms hanging over the top. "Trust me, I can still mourn your death from a safe distance, Gabriel. And I'm sure Pilgrim here would shed a tear or two at losing his "fiancé"."

Jail time? "You're joking!" She laughed a little. He must be, right? He seemed like a pleasant enough guy for the short time she knew him. Nonetheless, she took in his details again. He looked and smelled harmless enough but she learned a long time ago that people are rarely as they seem. She wondered what he was in for. What could be so bad that he stopped teaching?

[Gabriel King]

"Ah, the classical teen angst at its finest." He mused with a chuckle. It came and it passed, he rather doubted the pain she was feeling would last. Crushes faded or they turned into something, and he really doubted a one-sided one like this could do anything but burn. "New thoughts, sorry feelings, big plans, enormous doubts, goling along hoping and getting disappointed, over and over again." He quoted musingly, pausing to wink at Blair over the stall door.

Since there seemed to be no convincing her he rolled his eyes and dropped the matter. "Ass." An audience was definitely worse than a companion, she'd have a better angle to judge him by. "Don't be too much of a critic, ay?" With the girth firmly tightened he turned and unlatched the stall door, kicking it open gently.

"I wish." Gabe laughed as Pilgrim clopped his way out of the stall. "Don't I look like the hardened criminal type?"

@tag

[Blair Collins]

"No wonder I don't recognize my little crayon picture," she muttered. She stayed on the door as it swung open. "Have you ever even ridden a horse, mister?"

As Pilgrim trotted out, he stomped his hooves impatiently. Blair could see the toned muscles of his legs and his eyes had a spark of mischief in them. His tail swung back and forth restlessly. The girl hopped off the stable door and placed a hand on his snout, feeling its hot breath. She knew he had been cooped for some time. Yes, this was going to be fun indeed.

She inhaled deeply and returned both her hands into her sweater pockets. If Gabriel smoked weed, he did not smell like it--because she would never forget the scent of that drug. Still, that was one thing ruled out. That only left... every other criminal act. "Should I be concerned?"

[Gabriel King]

His eyebrow arched, impressed despite himself. It wasn't that Virginia Wolff wasn't well known, but people didn't exactly take the time to memorize her prose. Actually, it was the reason the entirety of 'True Believer' was written in prose that had made it so easy to remember. Though there was a good portion of his brain that was filled with such quotes.

"Pfff no, but I once stayed on one of those mechanical bulls for 5 whole seconds so you know, I think I'm good," he replied confidently. Lifting his knuckles for Pilgrim to sniff. There was a wild light in the gelding's eyes, he could see that. So he made sure to meet his gaze, allowing some of his own feral aura to filter through. Yeah sure let him screw around, Gabriel was a predator. "I eat horse for breakfast." He issued the warning quietly, and stuck out his tongue.

"Of me or the horse? Because I honestly think he's more dangerous," Gabriel offered with a laugh. Sure he knew what she was talking about, but he did so enjoy teasing people. Leading Pilgrim out towards the ring he paused to offer Blair a contemplative stare. "I suppose that's something you'll have to decide for yourself." Only his actions could determine how she viewed him, he rather doubted any words would; and he'd be disappointed if they did. "Now come watch me get my ass kicked by a horse.""

[Blair Collins]

"Right." Her head bobbed up and in mock seriousness. "Because a robotic bull can comparable to a living horse. I am impressed." A laugh escaped her when the older man stuck his tongue out at the horse. "Is that what your were in for then? Eating horse meat?"

Blair had a feeling he knew what she really meant by her original question. Whether it really was no big deal or otherwise, she was unsure. But she smiled anyway because his eccentric personality appealed to her considerably. "Let me get my camera."

She retreated to the spot she had been sitting at before Gabriel appeared. She got her camera--which she rarely went anywhere without these days--out of her backpack and slung the strap over her head. Turning on the camera, she walked back to the ring. She leaned on the white fencing of the ring. "Eat dirt, King!"

[Gabriel King]

Chortling quietly as he went, Gabriel could only shrug. "They're the best credentials I got. It's all in the mind lass, if I say 'I've never ridden a horse before' and let it get to me, that makes it all the more likely I'll be kicked right off." He glanced Blair's way to ensure he was making sense before focusing his attention on Pilgrim.

He stalked a quizzical circle around the chestnut before deciding mounting from the left side looked like a good idea. Placing a foot in the stirrup he swung himself into the saddle gracefully. It was here that his ease ended.
Pilgrim danced about excitedly, swinging around in a circle. Threading his fingers through the reins, Gabriel gripped tight in an effort to steady the creature. "This isn't so hard." His voice was confident, maybe a little too much. As if sensing it Pilgrim threw out his hind legs in a small buck. "Shit!"

He lurched forward and gripped Pilgrim's mane, though managed to spare enough attention to glare at his companion. "That's Mr. King to you!"

@tag