精品国精品国产自在久国产应用

"Done picking your picks? All good? No complaints?" The rancher clapped his stubby hands, the sound erupting through the stables "Right, very nice!"

Back before I left home for good, I remembered we had five perfectly fine horses living fine in our barn. Each excelled at one thing or another. One for plowing, another for herding, Bueller was the best at hauling the wagons, but Ferdinand was always my favorite. On his back, galloping through the meadows, nothing else could make me feel that invincible.

Really sad not being there to see them go, or to at least say goodbye, even sadder that Dad could find only three to serve as their replacements, buying them back for the same price he sold the five. Apparently, that was the bargain price too…

While they both settled the transaction process over some tea, I figured I may as well have a look-see further down. Judging by the full pitcher sitting on the tray there, this might take a while.

Window-shopping for horses was an entirely new experience for me, but I like to think that I had a good eye to know exactly what makes a steed a steed, and so far, browsing through the last few rows of the stables, not a particular one stuck out to me at all.

It took only a disinterested minute of perusing, before I decided I had seen my fair share, and began to turn back towards the entrance.

I\'d just like to say that if I had a good eye, then thank God, I had better ears, otherwise, I don\'t think I would have noticed it in the first place.

As I spun around, I heard it. Hooves trampling in the dirt, a soft cry, a faint whinny, growing louder, as I quickly turned back to scour for the source - that\'s when I saw it… saw her.

That coat of white, that mane of silver, beady emerald eyes staring back at me from across the room. It took a moment for it to register, another moment for me to question it, \'cause for all I know, I might just be staring at an identical… but when she cried aloud again, a delighted neighing upon meeting my eyes, I knew that there was simply no mistaking it then.

"Lyn!" 

Who, where, what, when, where, how - I threw all those wondering thoughts out the stable window, and before my lips could even form a full smile, I was already at her gate, reaching out and stroking every part of her that she would allow, which just so happens to be everywhere.

She kept pushing hard on my hands, it was like she was trying to keep them back, but her soft grunts, her little quiet squeaky noises, pretty much told the whole message.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," I whispered, caressing around behind her ears. "I missed you too."

"Oh-ho, I see you managed to find the best of the lot. Good eye, kid!" 

I felt a hard thump on my back, and then a lingering imprint of five little stubs sticking to my skin. 

Rancher-man was suddenly standing next to me, smirking proud, and trying to reach to where I was petting Lyn, except he never reached, on account of a short reach, and Lyn taking a few paces backward.

"Unfortunately, I think she\'s a little more than you or your old man can afford," said the man, giving up on his effort, and instead choosing to humbly, modestly, brag. "She\'s a fine breed. Best of the best. The kind you see those rich folks in their big mansions ride around all fancy-schmancy. And I got her all to myself right here."

Mmm-hmm, you\'re telling me…

"Must have cost you a fortune, then," I remarked. "Or did you have a good bargain?"

He grinned smugly at that. "The best kind - free of charge!" Then after having a quick chortle that reminded me of donkeys, he managed to settle down enough to further elaborate. "See, one of my guys spotted her wandering around across the state from here. Trust me, it was a total nightmare hauling here more miles than she\'s probably galloped in her life. But, hell, was it so worth it in the end… so long as I can find me some wealthy oil prince or something to take her off my hands, then I\'m looking at an early happy retirement." 

I listened to him talk, ramble, and so far all I got derived from that was a blatant confession to thievery, a genuine grand theft auto, only without the auto. 

Y\'know, I\'m sure with one phone call to a certain someone, I might be able to build a big incriminating case against him… but I rather not. I\'m all for second chances, and I\'m also all for settling things amicably.

"I know a guy, a friend, actually," I began, peering over at him with scrutiny. "Now that you mentioned it, he mentioned to me the other day that he lost one of his horses in a storm… actually pretty beat up about it."

"Oh," He responded, offering only a frown and a tip of his head. "Poor him. My condolences."

"White mane, green eyes..." I said, musing about. "I call her Lyn, actually."

At that, Lyn spurred forwards towards me once again, perking her head at the mention of the name. 

Rancher man took notice of it, and rancher man didn\'t exactly like it.

"Now, I hope you ain\'t implying what I think you\'re implying," He said, a little glare to his squinty eyes.

I shook my head, keeping polite. "Nah, no, I\'m just wondering if it\'s all just a matter of coincidence, or - "

"It\'s coincidence," He interjected.

"Right, that\'s exactly what I was thinking too," Smiling, I patted Lyn a tender goodbye and began moving back to the front of the stables. "Thanks for the rundown."

Not to worry, Lyn. Your story doesn\'t end here, alone and miserable in this forsaken pretentious land, I\'ll be back for you soon enough… just gotta make a quick phone call to a certain young dashing son of a mafioso kingpin, and you\'ll be happy and snug back at home before you know it.

"I see..." spoke a relieved Leon on the other end of the line. "All the way out the countryside, huh? How\'d she even get there? In your hometown, no less. And just as you are visiting! I mean, how is that even possible?"

"Eh, contrivances, plot holes, or whatever else fate can use as a fickle excuse," I responded, keeping my voice low and in a whisper. "Me, I just chalk it up to coincidence and call it a day. Saves me the mental anguish of wondering."

I heard him smirk through his quiet chuckle. "Guess that\'s fine by me too. Anyway, you say she\'s being put up for sale right now?"

"And in very high demand," I affirmed, sneaking a quick corner peek around the stable entrance. "Better go get her quick is my recommendation."

"I see…" He cleared his throat. "Well, I\'m in my fencing class right now, break is almost up, but I\'ll be sure to give him a call as soon as I\'m done here."

"Word of advice: he\'s not exactly the generous type." 

"Ah, well, I\'m sure we can come to a clear understanding," He said, sounding optimistic. "If not, well… My dad always had a good knack for negotiations. He\'s just got that certain charm that I don\'t, you know?" 

Oh, don\'t I know it indeed. Perhaps a little too much for comfort as well…

"Anyway, I gotta go," Leon said in a rush. "Thanks for the heads up, really, you\'ve done me a huge favor. I\'m in your debt. Hopefully, there\'s a way I can repay you." 

"Yeah, I suppose there is," I said. "Try not to lose her twice." 

When I hung up the phone, apparently also the cue for the transaction to be cleared. Dad emerged out of the stables, wearier, feebler than when we first entered the ranch, also now smacking the taste of peppermint from his lips, hiding his grimace as he did. 

"You were looking at a horse, the white one," He said, noticing me in the corner there. "Was it a good one?"

I simply nodded, simply responded. "The best."

"I see," He heaved, then turning, began making for the exit. "That is everything done. Let\'s go home now." 

"Pleasure doing business!" The rancher called out after him, waving and smiling at another successful bargain.

Dad replied only with silence, and still keeping that silence, we both vacated the premises and headed back to his truck, and it was as the engine rumbled and rattled to life, that I decided to pick up where we left off with his tale. 

"So, you\'ve been chosen as the champion of the Divines, whatever the hell they are," I turn to him, his hands gripping firm on the steering wheel. "What does that mean?" 

"Exactly as the title implies," He muttered, his focus divided between the road and his words. "I represent everything that they stand for. I am their ideals, I am their judgment, I am their sword, their shield, their benevolence, and also their wrath. When I was chosen, I no longer remained a construct of someone else, a living proxy of another\'s magic, with the blessing of the Divines, I became whole again, truly alive, truly real. Reborn, I suppose you can say…" 

There was so much flair, so much mystique to his tale… but with how dreary and monotonous he made it all sound, it was like watching paint dry, except I was listening to it instead.

"How did they… they chose you how?"

"Voices," He responded. "In my head. They had no form. I could not see them. They only exist in sound and sense, and I heard them. One day, in my sleep, they visited. And through them, they molded me into their champion. I was blessed with newfound abilities, newfound strength… it was a long and slow process, with each of the Seven bequeathing me a fraction of their powers. When I next woke, many, many years had passed. The last Magi had been long dead by then, but I still existed. While I slept, the Divines shielded me from your mother\'s gaze. It was there, emerging into a new world on the brink of destruction, that the Divines commanded me my one final task, one final, holy and just cause - to slay the Demon Goddess Terestra and save the realm." 

I heard him, I also heard the resolve in his voice - and quietly, despondently, I muttered. "But you didn\'t." 

He nodded at that, with no hesitation whatsoever. "But I didn\'t." elaborating only briefly. "For a while, a long, long while, I did. I fought. I deterred her, kept her at bay, for so long we\'ve clashed. I protected kingdoms, saved millions, unified nations - for a time, I guess, I really was a hero… until I wasn\'t." 

Then, finally, I reached the question I\'ve been wanting to say for so long but could never bring myself to really ask, "Why?" 

And his response? His reasoning as to why he left an entire world to its fate, to suddenly elope with the very Demon he was tasked to destroy? The champion of the realm, of the Divines, in a whisper, he spoke. "Because, after fighting, killing, murdering, saving, living, and dying, for others for so long, believing my entire existence that the Divines guidance was right… I decided, maybe perhaps… they were wrong, after all." 

I was a little confused, he wasn\'t making much sense, and I made that clear to him at once. "What… do you mean?"

"I was tired, son," He said, looking at me. "You said it yourself, didn\'t you? All my life - I was being used.. Well, now… everyone dead… the Divines long gone… here, there is no one that can use me anymore."