My Brother's a Jinchūriki! EXTRAS

Riding Back to the Leaf

*This is a CANON mini filler part for Chapter Seventy-Five- Return to the Leaf, beginning immediately after Natsumi starts to ride the horse*

Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.

Natsumi gritted her teeth and tensed, holding on tightly to the pommel and ducked her head down.

I feel like I'm going to be sick.

"Are you alright?" Hasu glanced at her and smiled. "Try to relax."

That's impossible!

Natsumi swallowed, then let out a breath.

Relax. Relax. Relax.

"Here." He moved his arms closer around her to squeeze her gently as he spoke softly into her ear. "Horses can sense tension or fear, and it can agitate them. It may seem impossible, but try to relax."

"I-I think I'll be sick..." Natsumi muttered and kept her eyes shut tightly.

"It helps the motion sickness to keep your eyes on the road ahead." He almost rested his chin on her shoulder. "Try to feel the horse and become one with it."

"H-How?" Her stomach turned and she groaned slightly.

"A horse isn't the same as any other creature. It is strong, empathetic, and highly intelligent with a range of emotions similar to our own. Feel its movements as if they were your own; the build-up of energy, the way its muscles flex powerfully, the fluidity of its movements... the trust that it feels for us. A horse is an incredible living being; if you think of it simply as a mode of transportation, you will never experience a bond with it. Try to relax and concentrate on that, and you'll find the ride more pleasant."

Relax... Relax...

Natsumi drew in a breath and gently touched the horse's neck to feel the muscles shifting beneath the skin.

He's... right. I can feel the rhythm and power to its movements, and its breathing and heartbeat are comforting.

She exhaled again and the tension in her body slowly released.

"You can feel it, too, can't you?" Hasu smiled and she opened her eyes. "The exhilaration of horsemanship. The sense of freedom and strength in it, coupled with the tranquility and the intimacy of the bond of trust between a horse and its rider."

Natsumi blushed slightly, and nodded faintly.

When he says it like that, it's almost embarrassing, but that is what it feels like.

Hasu laughed quietly. "Well, since you have gotten used to this pace, why not try a full gallop? The ride is always smoother."

"G-Gallop—?"

Hasu laughed and tapped the horse's sides with his heels. The horse responded with a snort and raced off and Natsumi yelped and covered her face with one hand as she held on tightly with the other.

"HAAAAAASSSSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"