HOME | DD

Description
...one laugh at a time.

EDIT 2011: Never in a million years did I dream that this story would grow so large and in-depth, but it has. Thus, I find myself needing a beginning to direct new readers to. If you are one of these readers, this is where you start! There is a lovely guide on each picture showing you which is the next piece of the story.

Be forewarned that this is the beginning of the current-running plot. There were previous stories before this one. If you are confused as to who is who, don't hesitate to ask!

Staff Journal <-- describes every human character in the story
Stable Overview <--links you to the main stable(s) journal, where you can find out information about the equine characters

Be aware, however, that these journals are updated frequently as the story progresses, so they may contain spoilers to later segments.

Happy reading!

"Um, sir?"

Rafe paused at the tentative voice, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before replying, "Yes?" as calmly as possible. The kid was new. He had to give him a break.

"Sir, she's doing it again."

Rafe looked up at the quivering form of 18 year old Jimmy Anderson, who had officially been on his payroll for two whole weeks.

"Who is, Jim?" he asked.

"Pearl, sir." More quivering. "She's very convincing."

Rafe palmed his trusty travel coffee mug. It soothed him, you see. All coffee soothed him. Normally Ling dealt with all the fiascos related to the current thoroughbred racers, but Ling was away with a few racers at... damnit, he forgot which racetrack but that wasn't what was important.

What WAS important was that Ling had left him here. Alone. With Jimmy.

And the Comedian.

Rafe sighed regretfully but stood and followed Jimmy out to the goon's paddock. Sure enough, the small gray filly was sprawled on her back, four legs in the air, pink tongue flapping for all the world to see.

"What a ham," he muttered, but he wasn't able to hold back a small grin.

Black Pearl had officially been retired in the early spring by a rare unanimous vote taken by both TJ and Management. She just didn't have the mind of your average racehorse. Many other ideas had been bounced around the lunch table concerning her future occupation, but they had all been shot down. Everyone knew she would have the same reaction to anything else they tried to make her do as she had to racing.

So, for now, she was simply a lawn ornament. Who apparently really didn't want a bath.

"S-sir?"

Rafe lost his grin real quick. He sighed again and begged the Powers That Be for patience. "Yes, Jimmy."

"I... I think I know what we could do with Pearl, sir."

Rafe looked down at the young hand and cocked a jet-black brow.

A shaking hand suddenly appeared in his face, a picture and what looked to be a well-handled letter clutched tight in his fingers. Rafe grabbed them before the poor kid dropped them.

The picture was of a one-armed soldier laying in a makeshift hospital bed. The letter, he assumed, was from the soldier.

"That's my brother," Jimmy said quietly. "He's in Iraq right now. He... he really misses horses, sir. We used to work on our granddaddy's farm together and he loves them as much as I do. I-I was thinking..."

Rafe cocked a brow again and waved at the kid to continue.

"I was thinking maybe Pearl could be some sorta travelin' comedian. You know, to lift the soldier's spirits? The ones in hospitals?"

Rafe's jaw slackened as he stared at Jimmy, then at Pearl (who still lolled about, feet skyward).

"Damn," he whispered.

The shaking pup actually had a brain after all.

***

One month later, Pearl made her first trip overseas. Her first stop was at a small army hospital near Al Kut, Iraq, to see a certain Jason Anderson. Little to no training has gone into her "comedic act." She seems to know just what to do on her own. We have finally found her role in the universe, and Pearl is loving every minute of it.

She has since traveled to over twenty hospitals in multiple countries and will continue to do so for the next few years, brightening the depressed faces of injured soldiers any way she can.

Black Pearl's Foal Pic and Bio

Racing Season: 3 Year Old
unraced (officially retired)

Racing Stats

Total Wins: 0 starts--0/0/0
Career Earnings (in US currency): $0 (unraced)
Racing Style: Crazy
Titles: None

Art and Character (C) Me
Ref: ~xxImaginationxx

Next on:

Description
...one laugh at a time.

EDIT 2011: Never in a million years did I dream that this story would grow so large and in-depth, but it has. Thus, I find myself needing a beginning to direct new readers to. If you are one of these readers, this is where you start! There is a lovely guide on each picture showing you which is the next piece of the story.

Be forewarned that this is the beginning of the current-running plot. There were previous stories before this one. If you are confused as to who is who, don't hesitate to ask!

Staff Journal <-- describes every human character in the story
Stable Overview <--links you to the main stable(s) journal, where you can find out information about the equine characters

Be aware, however, that these journals are updated frequently as the story progresses, so they may contain spoilers to later segments.

Happy reading!

"Um, sir?"

Rafe paused at the tentative voice, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before replying, "Yes?" as calmly as possible. The kid was new. He had to give him a break.

"Sir, she's doing it again."

Rafe looked up at the quivering form of 18 year old Jimmy Anderson, who had officially been on his payroll for two whole weeks.

"Who is, Jim?" he asked.

"Pearl, sir." More quivering. "She's very convincing."

Rafe palmed his trusty travel coffee mug. It soothed him, you see. All coffee soothed him. Normally Ling dealt with all the fiascos related to the current thoroughbred racers, but Ling was away with a few racers at... damnit, he forgot which racetrack but that wasn't what was important.

What WAS important was that Ling had left him here. Alone. With Jimmy.

And the Comedian.

Rafe sighed regretfully but stood and followed Jimmy out to the goon's paddock. Sure enough, the small gray filly was sprawled on her back, four legs in the air, pink tongue flapping for all the world to see.

"What a ham," he muttered, but he wasn't able to hold back a small grin.

Black Pearl had officially been retired in the early spring by a rare unanimous vote taken by both TJ and Management. She just didn't have the mind of your average racehorse. Many other ideas had been bounced around the lunch table concerning her future occupation, but they had all been shot down. Everyone knew she would have the same reaction to anything else they tried to make her do as she had to racing.

So, for now, she was simply a lawn ornament. Who apparently really didn't want a bath.

"S-sir?"

Rafe lost his grin real quick. He sighed again and begged the Powers That Be for patience. "Yes, Jimmy."

"I... I think I know what we could do with Pearl, sir."

Rafe looked down at the young hand and cocked a jet-black brow.

A shaking hand suddenly appeared in his face, a picture and what looked to be a well-handled letter clutched tight in his fingers. Rafe grabbed them before the poor kid dropped them.

The picture was of a one-armed soldier laying in a makeshift hospital bed. The letter, he assumed, was from the soldier.

"That's my brother," Jimmy said quietly. "He's in Iraq right now. He... he really misses horses, sir. We used to work on our granddaddy's farm together and he loves them as much as I do. I-I was thinking..."

Rafe cocked a brow again and waved at the kid to continue.

"I was thinking maybe Pearl could be some sorta travelin' comedian. You know, to lift the soldier's spirits? The ones in hospitals?"

Rafe's jaw slackened as he stared at Jimmy, then at Pearl (who still lolled about, feet skyward).

"Damn," he whispered.

The shaking pup actually had a brain after all.

***

One month later, Pearl made her first trip overseas. Her first stop was at a small army hospital near Al Kut, Iraq, to see a certain Jason Anderson. Little to no training has gone into her "comedic act." She seems to know just what to do on her own. We have finally found her role in the universe, and Pearl is loving every minute of it.

She has since traveled to over twenty hospitals in multiple countries and will continue to do so for the next few years, brightening the depressed faces of injured soldiers any way she can.

Black Pearl's Foal Pic and Bio

Racing Season: 3 Year Old
unraced (officially retired)

Racing Stats

Total Wins: 0 starts--0/0/0
Career Earnings (in US currency): $0 (unraced)
Racing Style: Crazy
Titles: None

Art and Character (C) Me
Ref: ~xxImaginationxx

Next on: