"A little farther," Ms. Winters called, hands cupped around her mouth. Peep looked over at Belle, and they each dragged their barrels back a few more feet. The indoor arena had been divided in half, and all of Ms. Winters normally-disused gymkhana equipment had been pulled out of the storage shed. It was pouring outside and so, instead of their normal routine, she had decided to have a little fun with her ponies. Even if the ponies themselves weren't having any.
Belle met up with Peep and walked, slump-shouldered, back toward the front of the arena. No matter how much Peep tried to cheer him up, Belle was despondent. Beau hadn't spoken to him in a week, and the sudden void in his life where his twin should have been was clearly affecting the little show pony.
Peep frowned to herself as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon. Chin up," she said. Belle nodded and stood up straighter. If his posture slipped too much for too long, Ms. Winters noticed. Peep was pretty sure Ms. Winters
always
knew right away and was cutting Belle a lot of slack, but that slack was not infinite. Belle was her ward for the time being, so if Belle got punished, so did Peep. That wasn't why she was looking out for him, though.
Well, maybe it had
something
to do with it, but Peep had put some thought into her motivation a few days before and was pretty sure it was 80% helping Beau, 20% helping herself. Maaaaaaaaybe 70 / 30.
Dead ahead stood Velvet and Beau. The two race ponies could not be more different. Velvet, who Peep was pretty sure was either Cuban or Dominican, hopped up and down in her heel-less boots. She was a picture of boisterous exuberance. Everything about her was dark, from her cream-and-coffee skin, to her near-black eyes and pitch black hair, to her often-disturbing-and-sometimes-unhinged smile. Maybe Mexican. It was almost funny, when Peep thought about it; Velvet could stare you in the eye and retell every detail of the most horrific, inhumane things Ms. Winters had ever done to her, but she wouldn't say word one about her life before she got here. If Peep were a betting mare, she'd have guessed it was somehow worse, as if that was even possible.
Beau, on the other hand, was bitter indifference to her toes. Which, Peep thought, were pretty cute. She had light colored hair for an Asian (just like her brother), and really striking blue eyes (again, just like her brother). Where Velvet had the run of the ranch, Beau was leashed and tightly controlled. Where Velvet was loud and in your face, Beau was sullen and introverted.
The only place they were the same, as far as Peep could tell, was in the way Ms. Winters treated them. Sure, she had an enviable rapport with Velvet, but there was never any special favors. Their meals were the same and their treats were the same, even if Beau ignored them or failed to earn them. The scoreboard reset to zero every day, which Peep thought was mighty white. Which Peep thought was a kind of racist thing to say, but she didn't have a better phrase.
Ms. Winters was already talking to them as Peep and Belle got there. "...will count as a forfeit and an automatic loss. Not running the course properly will count as a forfeit and an automatic loss. Remember, Beau, the doors are locked." Beau was unphased by the meaningful look cast her way. "Do either of you need me to explain the course again?" Velvet shook her head vigorously.
"This is stupid," Beau said, doing a pretty good impression of emotionlessness.
"Ah, but you haven't heard the prize yet, my impertinent little pony," the older woman said, with a twinkle in her eye. "On your marks..." Velvet leaped to her side of the arena and hovered over her starting line.
"What's the prize?" Beau hadn't moved, but her enthusiasm level had risen juuuust a hair.
"Get set..." Beau folded her arms, leaned back slightly, and tilted her head to the side. In her peripheral vision, Peep could see Belle's frustration. He hated seeing his sister punished; it tore him up. Peep empathized, not wanting to see Beau punished either, although her reason was a little different. Beau's almost-militant refusal to cooperate at any time was a stressor for everyone. If she could just open her eyes and see what was right in front of her, Peep knew things would get better.
"Go!!" Velvet threw herself headlong down the first straightaway. She slid through the soft sand, sending up a sheet of it as she rounded the first barrel. Then, almost all the way back to the start, her arms pumping furiously as she ran. She made the next part, a 6 -turn slalom, look easy. All eyes in the arena were on her as she rounded the final barrel and sprinted the last hundred yards back to the finish line. All eyes except Beau's, that is. Beau remained stock still, staring at Ms. Winters.
"One minute 12 seconds," Ms. Winters announced loudly. "Very good, Velvet." The short stallion beamed. "Now, in the future, we will run three heats and use the best of three or an average for each of you, but that's not going to be necessary today, is it Beau?" The angry little race pony hadn't moved and did not acknowledge the question. "I thought not. Velvet is the winner!" Velvet shouted gleefully, but quickly composed herself. Beau rolled her eyes. "First prize is... wait for it...
...
...a night with Belle!"
"What?!" Beau took a menacing step forward, her small hands balled into fists, but stopped when Velvet appeared at her side.
"You haven't heard the best part yet. Second prize is a night with... me!" Beau took another step, this time in reverse. The taller woman's smirk, as she stepped up and leashed the shrinking mare, could have been interpreted in so many ways that Peep had no idea where to begin guessing. "Come along, Beau."
Peep watched with equal parts curiosity and sympathy as Beau was led off, yet again, to the house. She yelped as Velvet stepped in between her and Belle and stretched her arms over their shoulders. Peep swatted the offending hand, and Velvet chuckled. Beau looked back over her shoulder once, and Belle squealed as Velvet grabbed his ass.
Once Ms. Winters and Beau stepped out of the arena, Velvet seemed to settle down. Her posture drooped a little, and her manic grin eased to something a little more human. Peep couldn't tell if it was because the departure of her rival or Ms. Winters. Belle started to walk toward the door, but Velvet grabbed his shoulder. "Give them a few minutes," she said somberly. "That might not be something you want to walk in on. Go clean up the barrels."
Peep nodded and, with Belle in tow, began the process of cleaning up the arena. Given the way Ms. Winters had intimated future races, they didn't put the equipment back fully, but instead left it tidy and out of the way; more easily retrievable than at the back of the storage shed at the corner of the property. Velvet seemed a bit on edge as the two show ponies came trudging toward her. Peep looked over at Belle, and he seemed even more reluctant than usual to be near the raging stallion.
"How about dinner," she blurted. Velvet and Belle both paused. "I mean, if it's a prize and all, why not make a night of it?" Belle stammered, and Velvet... was Velvet discretely nodding at her? Yes, Velvet was. Nodding where Belle couldn't see, and when Belle turned, Velvet merely stared at him. "Ok," Peep said. "Velvet, you're filthy, and you know it. Don't give me that look."
"Fine," Velvet said sullenly.
"Go wash up. Me 'n the boy wonder'll cook up something in the kitchen."
"We will?"
Velvet nodded and jogged off toward the exit, and Peep put her arm around Belle's shoulder. "Yup," Peep said. "Plus, it's about time you started helpin' with the food anyway."
As her two show ponies rarely got dirty enough to require cleaning beforehand, Ms. Winters only demanded that they take off their boots before coming up into the main house. Velvet was already stripped and under the hot water as they entered the basement, and Peep thought it was odd that Velvet turned away as they walked by. Turned away, but was keeping them in her peripheral vision. Peep had never seen anything approaching modesty from the diminutive stallion, and it wrinkled her brow. Belle seemed not to notice, and they climbed up the stairs into the kitchen quietly.
"Okay," Peep said, clapping her hands together as they stared at the contents of the refrigerator. "Start off with a nice saaalaaaaad, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand... a
ha!"
She pulled out the paper-wrapped fish and delicately set it on the counter. She blindly pointed behind herself. "Grab that sauce pan."
Peep set Belle to work putting together a salad while she fried up the fish for the three of them. It wasn't long before the rich smell wafted through the air and filled the kitchen, but Belle's mind was clearly elsewhere. Peep watched him nervously staring towards the half of this floor occupied by Ms. Winters bedroom and playroom while he inattentively shredded lettuce. She couldn't hear any noise coming from there, but she wasn't sure if that made things better or worse. If she heard screams, as horrible as that might be, at least they'd know. The wondering was eating at him, and it was starting to show.
