Upon Vestia: Chapter Fifteen

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James narrowed his eyes, realizing he'd just given Esk some great ammunition to annoy him with. Oh well, too late now. "Yes it's annoying! How could it not be annoying?"

Luka laughed and urged her horse to go a bit faster. It broke into a brisk trot.

James cantered his horse in front of the others, then yelled a battle cry and thundered off ahead.

"He's going to ride off a cliff, I just know it," Ethan told the girls.

Luka snorted "I wonder what would happen if he did. Does the program automatically end or what?"

Skye laughed again, glad to be with them for this. "They offer training programs, it's what I did to get this horse. I don't they have any cliffs in here, or at least not tall ones, though they may have some jumps. " She shrugged and urged her horse to gallop

"Training sounds good!" Luka called. She wasn't totally comfortable on this horse, but it was certainly novel.

Skye giggled again and asked for a teacher for Luka and Ethan to come in.

Luka would listen to the instructor very dutifully, pulling her horse to a stop and obeying the instructions carefully.

Skye circled around and came back to them to see how they were doing after a little while

Luka was laughing. "My father would love to see this, he'll never believe that I rode a holographic horse"

Skye chuckled and shook her head. "Maybe he would be proud?"

"Maybe." Luka patted the horse's neck. "Certainly surprised. I've done so much I never thought i'd do out here. Fraternising with aliens, hanging out on holodecks just messing around, drinking with minotaurs. " She sighed softly. Yeah, she missed home.

Skye knew what that felt like, she went over to Luka's side to Pat her on the shoulder. "At least we have fun out here."

Luka nodded. "yeah..." She smiled softly. "Should we check on James? Make sure he hasn't fallen off a cliff yet?"

Skye chuckled and nodded then, looking around then heading out "Yeah, let's find him"

Luka urged her horse forward, it was a lot more compliant now so started to trot down the path.

Skye's horse moved easily under her command as the headed to find James.

Ethan had listened to the instructor. He wasn't crazy about listening to authority figures, but he also wasn't stupid and he firmly believed in not holding himself back by being stubborn. He rode with the girls to look for James, sitting a bit straighter in the saddle and guiding his horse more skillfully.

They'd find James in a medium sized clearing, practicing jumping fallen trees. James was sitting encouragement to his horse despite the horse not caring at all.

Luka waved to James. "You're good at this."

"Practice, and an amazing horse," James said in an unusual moment of modesty, riding over to join his friends, "You guys having fun? You look like you're riding better."

Luka nodded. "we got some lessons, and making them more obedient helped." She still looked a bit awkward, unlike Ethan. Curse him.

"These instructors are kinda useful," James said. "For a while I just tried figuring out how to ride on my own, but eventually I realized I was sick of going on circles and failing at jumping over things." He smiled.

"It's certainly less intimidating a way to learn new skills, less risk if you fail." Luka agreed.

Skye nodded and smiled at them. "Yeah, teachers are good."

"Yeah, it's super nice," James agreed. "Not risk free though," he waved his scarred hand proudly.

"Oh, the dangers of the holodeck," Ethan said.

Luka frowned. "well, less dangerous that real horses i'm sure."

"Oh probably. At least they don't bite." James grinned. "Oh hey, you have any ideas where to go after this? Everyone else has thought of something, although I think Skye deserves another choice."

Luka looked over to Skye. "Where would you like to see? Ethan got to see Mars and... oregon?" She tried to remember the name of that weird place. "and James got caves with eels and water and forests and horses. So now what?"