𝐈𝐋𝐒𝐄'𝐒 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋.ʜᴀɴᴊɪ ᴢᴏᴇ̈

『 𝟔 』𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐓

𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝟕𝐓𝐇, 𝟖𝟒𝟕 𝐀𝐓 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟕

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  You let a puff of air blow out through your nose as you brushed Chestnut, trying to get rid of the dust that was in front of your face -the air around you held a slight musty smell, a kind it only acquired when it had rained the day prior, 'Not that I mind it, I think I actually like it if anything.' Today, Lance Corporal Levi -who was currently elsewhere, doing whatever he needed to- had told you guys that you were going to be caring for your horses before you were to ride them for the day, to keep your own skills in touch. You personally didn't get why you had to clean the horses before riding them, as Levi had already said you would clean them again after the day was over when they were truly in need of a clean, 'I guess that's just him being his inner clean freak.' you slightly giggled to yourself.

  "What're you laughing about?"

  You only realised that you had laughed aloud when Petra asked you what was so funny from her bent over position in front of you and your horse, scraping out any muck that was somehow already in her horse's hooves, "Eh, it's nothing." you dismissed, then changing the subject, "This is such a nice break though, from our regular training I mean." She flickered her orange hues at you, which would have been fully visible to you had it not been for her shoulder-length hair that got in her face. She turned back to her duty, and with another stroke of your brush you listened to her response, "Yeah, you're not wrong there." you heard her try to blow her locks out of her face before she spoke again, "At least so far, it's bound to get more difficult and taxing once we actually get to the riding part." Humming in agreement, you were about to say how it always made you sore before Oluo butted in with his usual, cocky tone, "You guys are such pansies, it's not that bad at all."

  You raised your brow, "Pansies, really?"

  Oluo was also brushing his horse, but instead of dusting his off with a brush like you were, he was brushing out his horse's mane, "Yeah, the both of you are talking like weaklings. Of course, it could just be the fact that I'm so good at it it seems like you guys are." The arrogance that he spoke with really made you want to smack him one -while you loved him dearly, and would sacrifice your life for your friend if it came down to it, there were times where you really wanted to slap him for the words he said. And it seemed like it was the same for Petra, as she quickly shot up with her back to you and faced towards Oluo, you could only imagine the icy glare she gave to the dirty blonde, "Do you have to exaggerate and speak highly of yourself all the time? It's not like you are safe from flaws either!"

  "I'm not exaggerating or bragging," Oluo said as he crossed his arms, taking a break in his job cleaning his horse, "I'm just telling the truth!"

  "The stretched truth, anyways." you heard Eld jump in next to Gunther as they passed by the three of you, the two of them coming back from getting the brushes they needed. Snickering at his comment, you saw Oluo throw a petty glare at him, one that the light blonde ignored or simply didn't notice to begin with, "It's not stretched either!"

  Oluo partially turned his back to the other male, but instantly regretted it as he stumbled slightly, his teeth clamping down on his tongue in a painful way, "Gah!" You looked at him with partial pity -and satisfaction- as he cradled his face twisted with pain in his hands, 'Karma's acting quick today I guess.' Eld was now behind you, catering to his own horse with Gunther behind him, doing the same. "Nah, nah, nah, Eld." Gunther joined, waving his hand half-heartedly with each word he spoke, "He's totally telling the truth and nothing else. When has he ever exaggerated anything?"