Weil ich in uns einfach mehr seh, als wir beide sind.

[Katja Eder]

Ich kenne jeden deiner Atemzüge,
Nichts an dir ist fremd
Es gibt wohl niemanden,
der dein Leben besser kennt.

Katja sung quietly as she stood in the tack room, carefully settling each piece of tack into its place in her trunk. Most would say that this was a bittersweet time, and in a way it was, as leaving always was. But she couldn't help but be excited for what the future would hold for her, her and her horses. Life moved on, and while she had learned a number of things at the Academy, it was time for her to move on.

Damals an diesen heißen Sommertagen,
ließen wir uns vom Bootsteg treiben,
Und wir haben uns geschworen,
Ewig Freund zu bleiben.

After pushing her trunk over into a corner, as she wasn't quite done packing, she grabbed the grooming kit that she'd left out. The transport for Mukki and Maunz would be here in about an hour, and she was going to make sure to groom both horses thoroughly. Good care would be taken of them, she knew, but it was still a long drive, and a long flight once they got to the airport. That would take a while, though.

Was wär wohl aus uns geworden,
Den Kindern aus dem hohen Norden,
Den besten Freunden, seit ich denken kann.

Once she had set the grooming kit down at the hitching post outside of the barns, Katja walked out to the pastures, where she had left both geldings. At her whistle, they came thundering back to her, and Katja grinned, reaching up to halter first Mukki and then Maunz, before leading both back down the lane. Once she'd tied the horses, she started grooming Mukki, smiling at the black gelding, "Zeit zum nach hause gehen, mein Schatz."

Die Jahre sind ins Land gezogen,
Und ich hab mich immer mehr verbogen,
Weil ich nie die richtigen Worte fand.

Time to go home, my treasure. | Lyric translations, Deine Nähe Tut Mir Weh by Revolverheld

[Deleted]

Evan wore his hair up in a hat, as per usual, along with his smug grin. Normal? Check. He made his way out to the barn, adrenaline pumping in his veins. Sometimes, it was easy to forget he had a whole different side to him, but the same feeling accompanied Evangeline. In some ways, it was a matter of comfort and happiness that this be the way things were. He was ultimately more comfortable and pleased like this-- wearing his chest binder and looking every bet as male as possible, as well of being spoken to and treated as a male. There was something oddly freeing about it that felt right. It wasn't hard for him to pass. Scrub off all the make-up, wear the appropriate clothing, and adjust his pitch until it sounded naturally male. It was great. 

He spotted Chazy out in the pasture, and spent several moments calling the gelding. As soon as Evan was noticed the gelding trotted over eagerly, and curiously sniffed at the beanie sitting upon Evan's head. "Shh, boy." He chuckled, then ran in, slowing as he passed the girl, and grabbed the lead rope and then made his way back. Clicking the lead rope onto the golden gelding's halter he was soon leading him back inside, and tacking him up not too distant from the girl. "Hello." He spoke to the girl as he had retrieved the supplies for grooming, and had begun his work. Hardly any reason to get his stuff done in silence. Plus, maybe he would have a riding partner, if all went well. 

[Katja Eder]

Katja barely noticed the boy moving past her, just as she ignored most of the hustle and bustle around the barns. She was in an area that was open to both of the barns, since many chose to groom their horses outside, but if she were to spend the entire time people-watching, she'd never get anything done! She put her back into currying Mukki, trying to get out the last remainders of the gelding's winter coat, knowing they would only irritate him as things went on.

She noted a boy walking up to the series of hitching posts and glanced over briefly as he spoke, stopping in her singing almost immediately, "Hello." As Maunz made to scoot over and greet the other horse, Katja reached under Mukki's neck and grabbed the gelding's rope, "Steh." And stand he did, nicely enough.

Once the bay had settled once more, Katja turned her attention to the black, and started swiping at the loosened hairs with a hard brush, "You must be new to campus. Getting used to the setting before you start classes next year?" She and Kai hadn't done the same, but it would probably be nice, to get to know the campus over the summer before one had to start classes. "I am called Katja, anyway. The bay is Maunz, the black is Mukki, and neither of them bites too badly."

[Deleted]

Evan chuckled slightly, a grin on his face as he went about the brushing of his lovely gelding's coat thoroughly. "I'm Evan," he didn't make a single pause, and easily continued on his way to finish introducing himself and his horse. "I just got here like...yesterday. To be honest, its mainly that I just got bored in my dorm and happen to like Chazy here," he patted the horse's had affectionately,"more than video games already." He finished up with the curry, and pulled out another brush to begin really getting down to it. 

He loved occasionally to just sit here like this, and bond with the horse. Chazy was a bright horse, suited to Evan in many ways, one of them being their adventurous personalities. However, Evan also knew that that meant that he would need time to simply relax and have an easy time of it.  Each time he finished over a certain spot, he gently kneaded the muscles something that attracted Chazy's attention and caused the horse to slowly relax. All the while Evan cooed gentle words to him, as he slowly made his way over him. He started from his neck, slowly making his was to the shoulder and it was there that he had begun massaging, and he continued to do so all the way down the gelding's legs.

[Katja Eder]

Katja nodded as she heard the boy's name, "Pleasure." She glanced at the horse again, noting its name, and then caught herself. Why did she even bother? She would be leaving in two days, after she'd settled some last things around the academy. What did it matter if she knew the names of horses, and even people, now? But such cynicism wasn't much fun, and she would remember the name anyway. However, the boy turned away from her and towards his horse, and she turned back to Mukki, not wanting to bother the pair, who were apparently still getting used to one another.

After she'd finished removing the dead hairs from Mukki's coat, she started on his mane, first combing it out until it ran smoothly. Once that was done, she poked at the gelding, "Rutsch mal." Once she'd had the gelding shift so that he stood parallel to the hitching post, his rear pointing away from the other horses just in case, Katja boosted herself onto the crossrail and started at the top, neatly braiding his mane into a running braid, until she could tie it off at the end.

That done, she dropped off of the rail and walked around Mukki and pulled his tail towards her, so that she could start brushing through that.

[Deleted]

Evan turned his head, pausing for a moment in thought as he listened to Katja speak to her horses. "Is that...." He paused uncertainly, and chuckled at his own incompetence in subjects such as languages. History nerd though he was, foreign language had never been his strong suit, and it showed occasionally in his grades, though he could decipher well enough. "Okay, blind guess....Russian? Am I hot or cold?" He cracked an unashamed grin, and continued on working, his head turned slightly to hear the girl's response.

Each stroke brought a bit of piece to his soul, and a piece of curiosity into his mind. He had not had much of a chance to ride Chazy, since he had only just arrived. Maybe, after all of this was finished up with, he would go out on a ride? Yes. After chatting with this lovely girl, he would definitely go and ride around the trails for a little bit, for both bonding and the fun of it. Evan felt a sudden urge to feel the way the horse tensed and leaped, and to feel the way the wind went past his body for what was only a second but what felt like a lifetime. And like a lifetime, it was over before it was even fully registered as happening, as soon as you look back on it. 

[Katja Eder]

Katja looked up as she heard the boy asking a question, shaking her head, "Nyet. Oni ne govoryat po-russki." She chuckled, "While I speak Russian, they do not. You may keep guessing if you would like." Giving a smile, she continued, "Sie kennen meine Muttersprache." She quite enjoyed languages, and thought she felt comfortable enough to English to count it amongst her repertoire now. What should she move on to next?

Perhaps Hungarian would be a fun challenge. Or Magyar, as the language referred to itself. Although Italian was more commonly spoken, at least in the European Union... But that was so close to French and Spanish, she could probably try to make herself understood. Perhaps both. She finished the last swipe of brushing Mukki's tail and then began gathering it to wrap it, moving through the task automatically. Only once she was done did she look back up, pleased with the job she'd done. She flicked the small section of hair poking up out of the turquoise wrap, smiling, then walked back up to the gelding's head, "Du bist fertig, mein guter." She grabbed her grooming kit and moved it over a space, in front of Maunz, "Und jetzt bist du dran." The rugs could wait until the trailer was here. It was warm enough out here, and she was debating leaving the blankets with the driver, for putting on the horses before they were loaded onto the airplane.

No. They don't speak Russian. | They know my native language. | You are done, my good boy. | And now it's your turn.

[Deleted]

Evan gave an eyes wide somewhat amused look at her, and shook his head. "I dare-say languages are not my strong suit. My answer is the language 7 and that is the only feasible answer." He declared, reaching skyward (brush in hand) in an ironic show of determination. Chazy nickered for Evan's attention, and he returned to his duty with a grin. "I got your back boy." He said jokingly, rubbing the brush along his back as he awaited Katja's response. This was, in all honesty, the only person he had spoken to since arriving at Blue Ridge. Might as well enjoy having someone to talk to while it lasted. At the moment he didn't have a roommate, and with it being summer it only made finding someone to talk to more difficult to begin with.

He thought about what might be going on back home. Who would be doing what? That was a trick question. Everyone would either be working or be at the snowball stand by this time. And the rest of the time. There was never really much to do, to be completely honest. Maybe the little roller rink about 30 minutes away, but if you fall it hurts a lot given the flooring. It was not a preferable activity.

[Katja Eder]

Katja smiled as the boy admitted that he couldn't guess languages, and chuckled as he proclaimed the language to be called seven. Wasn't that just strange. "It is German. Mukki and I are from Germany, Maunz is from the Netherlands, but I don't speak Dutch yet. He's spent enough time in Germany, though." He'd been with her trainer for almost two years, and here for another couple of months. Not that the horses really cared, they just bothered with the tone, not the words.

She went through the motions of grooming the gelding, his coat finally gleaming before she moved on to do his mane just as she'd done Mukki's. A glance at her watch told her that she was just about on schedule. With Maunz, she didn't bother boosting herself up to do the gelding's mane, knowing that he wouldn't appreciate it, and instead just worked standing, although her arms would be sore by the end of the day. As she worked, she kept an eye on the boy and his horse that shared the space with them, a matter of habit around horses. Although she knew Chazy to be a school mount, which would suggest that he was used to the goings-on of this barn, as opposed to a newcomer who might be coming from a single-stall barn or a pasture turnout.

[Deleted]

Evan paused slightly as she admitted that it was German. "Well," he began in a tone that hinted at his upcoming foolish comment,"there are at least 7 people in Germany." He paused, allowing his words to sink in before he continued. "At least 7 people? The language 7? A coincidence? I think not!" 

With each stroke, he still considered going out for a ride. He was not sure it would be the best thing to do, given the fact he was not even finished with unpacking. Priorities, priorities...He couldn't use the excuse of not having ridden Chazy, as he knew that was a lie. After being introduced, he had spent a good deal of time working with the bright beast. After he had dismounted, the gelding had been drenched in sweat, as well as Evan from the ground work. He had been working with the horsemanship techniques he did know, and what he had improvised. Long story short, he had spent a lot of time running around the arena after closing all the gates to prevent Chazy from running off, though he doubted he had not already  been taught not to do so. 

He had gone as far as pulling out the small jumping fences, which the golden animal had taken very well to. While Evan did eventing, jumping was by far his favorite and that at which he was most talented. 

[Katja Eder]

Katja listened to the boy as he started talking about the population. Yes, Germany did have more than seven people, but anyone could have told you that. Where was he going... Aha. As he finished what was now apparently a joke, she gave him a chuckle, more out of pity than real amusement. Americans and their humor... Sometimes she wasn't quite sure what the point was. But hey, he'd tried. "I would suppose so. Although I think most micronations even have seven people." She smiled, "That is beside the point, though. Your detective skills are without peer."

She tied off Maunz's braid, and patted the gelding neck before she moved on to his tail, speaking aloud although she didn't turn to the boy to warn him that she was talking to him, "How are you finding campus so far? Apart from the barns, since you probably already spend a lot of time there." Easy way to tell a horse person from a rider, they'd spend their whole day in the barn if they could. Although why anyone would waste their time doing something they didn't wholeheartedly enjoy, especially something that was as often a draining sport like equestrianism, Katja didn't know. Horses weren't like sweaters, you couldn't just drop them because you were bored.

[Deleted]

Evan clucked his tongue softly as he pushed Chazy away from him, as the gelding had moved his way towards his rider a little, though his reasons for moving were unknown. Just because, he supposed. "I like it well enough," he admitted,"though I much prefer the area around the campus. Much more fun when they allow you to leave instead of keeping you locked up 24/7 like some places do."

He set down his brush, and pulled out the hoofpick, setting out to make sure the geldings hooves were in good shape. He knew of the importance of keeping the horse in top shape, both physically and mentally, and even taking extra care to make them look "spiffier" could go a long way in the end. Much nicer for shoes, he certainly had to admit. The gelding would look brilliant during a show. He could not wait to start getting accustomed to the gelding on the ground and on his back, so the two could prepare to do a little competing. He admitted he would miss riding his own horse for the time being, but it should not be long before she was all ready to go, right? The vet made it seem like it would not be very long, and that the injuries would heal quickly. But for now, Chazy was his main focus. What would the school do when Con came? Would they take Chazy away?

[Katja Eder]

Finally, Katja got around to Maunz's tail. As the gelding started getting antsy, the girl shook her head, "Poor boy." At least he would be traveling in a box stall. It would give him some room to keep moving. A glance at her watch told her she had another five minutes, so that would mean she had to start dragging out her tack trunks. However, as the boy spoke, Katja nodded, "There are some nice places off campus too. My favorite is the bookstore, Portable Magic. If you have not visited yet, you certainly should!"

After scratching Maunz's shoulder, she turned to Evan, "Would you mind keeping an eye on them, for just a moment? I need to go and grab their tack trunks before the van gets here." And the hay that she'd bought from the school, to make sure the pair had enough of their 'home' hay during the trip. Later, she'd have enough time to acclimate them. But for the trip? She needed them eating, no matter what. Once she knew either way, she left the area and headed to the barn. She started with Maunz's trunk, very glad that she'd insisted on the wheels at the bottom of the trunk, before she returned to grab Mukki's. After she had both of them laid against the hitching post, Katja smiled at the boy, "Thank you."

She reached into the trunks to retrieve the horses' shipping boots, and smiled, "So much fuss. Although I guess I'm lucky they're used to it." She wouldn't be doing less traveling in Germany, that was for sure!