//------------------------------// // Day 2 // Story: Alternate to Magic // by smirker //------------------------------// The next morning comes and Walker wakes up early, he looks around and sighs, he uses the bathroom and goes outside, he sees it was still dark, so he goes back into the house and sits on the floor, knocking was heard after a few hours and Walker closes his eyes and reopens them, he looks at the door, he stands up and trots to the door. Walker opens the door and two stallions come in, one was young while the other was old, they both looked just like Walker, but were taller and the old stallion had wrinkled skin, their coats, eyes', manes, and tails were the same colors as his own, their manes and tails were even styled the same way as Walker's, the young stallion's cutie mark was a light blue running shoe with a white sole, while the old stallion's cutie mark was a black running track, the two were Walker's guardians, the young stallion was Runner, his father, and the old stallion was Sprinter, his paternal grandfather. Runner and Sprinter come into the house and put their luggage down, "Okay, we're finally here, that was a long walk." Runner said, "You didn't see any Shadows here at night, have you?" Sprinter asked, "No, granddad." Walker replied, "Good, we should be safe here for now, then." Sprinter said, "What are you two going to be doing for jobs here?" Walker asked, "It's alright, Walker, I already got a job, I'll be coaching foals on how to run track like me and your grandfather." Runner replied, "Can I join?" Walker asked, "Of course." Runner replied, Walker smiles widely, "As for me, I'll be coaching foals on boxing and self-defense, I'm surprised it's still around, it was a controversial sport when I was young." Sprinter said, Walker just looks at him while Runner unpacks, "Here are your painting utensils, Walker." Runner said, "Thank you." Walker replied, and he sets up his easel, his paintings were unpacked as well, and Walker hangs them up on the wall behind him, "Well, let's get ready." Sprinter said, Walker and Runner nod in agreement and Sprinter makes breakfast for his son and grandson, which was just a simple salad, "Thanks, granddad." Walker said, and they all wash their dishes, brush their teeth, and head outside. Runner was at an open field and several foals were there to learn, "Okay, colts and fillies, you all here, it's nice to see you all have taken an interest in doing track, let's get started, first off, let's do some stretching." Runner said, and they do. Runner and the foals stretch their legs' out to the sides and the foals were already having fun, "Okay, let's start off easy, just run straight to that tree with me, okay? On three. One. Two. Three." Runner said, and the foals run as fast as they can with Runner, Runner runs to the tree and was much farther ahead than the foals, he reaches the tree long before the others do. Runner looks back and sees the foals were panting when they got to him, "You all ready to run again?" Runner asked, the foals shake their heads, "It's alright, I got plenty of time to work with you all." Runner said, and the foals smile while they pant, Runner smiles and waits for the foals to recover. Sprinter was ready to teach the ponies self-defense and boxing lessons, ponies of all ages were there to learn, but to his surprise, Gallus, Ocellus, Smolder, Yona, and Silverstream were also there to learn, "Alright, everyone, let's get started, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Sprinter, I'm a former professional track runner and a former professional boxer, I retired years ago, but I'm now teaching since boxing seems to be popular again, so if you know any moves, great, but come on, who wants try to fight me?" Sprinter asked, Smolder goes forward while smiling. Smolder holds her fists up and flies towards him while letting out a battle cry, she was about to punch him, but Sprinter strafes to her left and goes behind her, "Huh?" Smolder asked as she looks over her own left shoulder, Sprinter holds his front left hoof up and then lowers it, he hits Smolder in the back of her neck and she grunts while she falls, "Common mistake, don't rush in immediately and try go all out at the beginning, you'll tire yourself out quickly." Sprinter said, Smolder gets up and walks back while scowling, "Another thing is be aware of surroundings, I have been in many fights outside of boxing where I was attacked from behind or my blind spots, so be careful of that as well." Sprinter said, his students take note of it, "Now, I need another volunteer, you all will learn the rules as you fight me, the next rule is the first and most important rule of any fight." Sprinter said, "I'll go, I'm sure I got this." Sandbar said as he walks forward, he stands his hind legs and holds his front legs up, the two begin punching one another and Sprinter blocks them easily, "You're breaking the rule already." Sprinter said, "What?" Sandbar asked, Sprinter crouches and punches Sandbar in the groin with his front right hoof, Sandbar groans loudly and falls over while clutching his groin with his front hoofs. Sprinter walks to his students while Sandbar groans and sways side-to-side on the ground, "Most important rule of any fight, especially for you boys: always protect your crotch." Sprinter said, the colts whimper while covering their groins, "Hey! Wait just a darn minute!" Applejack said as she runs to him, Rainbow Dash also flies down to him, "What in tarnation are ya doin'? Why are ya hittin' a stallion in his johnson for?" Applejack asked, "Just teaching him the rules." Sprinter replied, "You can't hit anypony below the waist in boxing!" Rainbow Dash said, "Really? It was common when I started it." Sprinter replied, "Say what now?" Applejack asked, "Hits to the crotch happened almost all the time when I started boxing." Sprinter replied, "Well, maybe your rules are outdated, you should check them again." Rainbow Dash said, Sprinter walks back to teach his class while Sandbar continues to lay on the ground, clutch his groin, and groan in pain, "Let's get back to it, my job is to also teach you all how to defend yourselves in general, so let's begin with the next thing." Sprinter said, and he continues to instruct them. Walker sits in class and glares and exhales sharply as he works, which Sweetie Belle notices, he finishes his morning classwork and then puts his front hoofs into his ears, Sweetie Belle goes back to working until it was recess time. The foals play dodge ball and Walker plays with them, he runs around and throws the balls around, Walker has fun with the other foals and throws the balls whenever he got one, he hit a few foals and keeps playing while the foals all laugh, "Alright, class, recess is over." Cheerilee said, and they all go back in. Class resumes and Walker just sits with his eyes closed, "Walker?" Sweetie Belle asked, "Yes?" Walker asked, "Do you like it here?" Sweetie Belle asked, "I can't say, yet." Walker replied, "What do you think of school?" Sweetie Belle asked, "I hate it." Walker replied, "Why?" Sweetie Belle asked, "I always feel like I don't fit in with the other students, and I find the work to be useless information and boring." Walker replied, "School can be fun if you have friends." Sweetie Belle said, "Even if I did, you wouldn't understand me." Walker replied, "That is why we talk things out." Sweetie Belle said, "That wouldn't work." Walker replied, "Why not?" Sweetie Belle asked, "No one sees and hears the world like how me, my dad, and my granddad do." Walker replied, "What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked, "Can you see and hear things that others can't see or hear?" Walker asked, "Well, if they were either deaf or blind, then yes." Sweetie Belle replied, "Not what I mean." Walker said, "Oh, well, I have to get back to work." Sweetie Belle replied, she works, she and the other foals could not help but wonder what Walker meant, they all work until lunch time, Walker just sits while the others watch him, he did not go to the bathroom today. Class resumes and Walker does his afternoon work quietly, he was more relaxed now than before, he finishes just before the bell rings, "Have a good day, everypony, no homework." Cheerilee said, and everypony heads home. Walker heads outside and he sees Runner and Sprinter heading home together, he runs to them and joins them, the three head home together, Sprinter unlocks the door to their new home and they enter. Walker begins to paint while Runner and Sprinter unpack a bit more, "I heard about you today, dad, you really need some lessons in honor." Runner said, "Honor doesn't win fights, my son." Sprinter replied, "Still, you're going to be a bad influence on Walker." Runner said, "He's been fine so far." Sprinter replied, "Haven't you ever thought about it? Our son wins a fight by hitting an opponent in the groin, along attacking an opponent from their blind spots and behind, and attacking an injured opponent while they are down? It is going to bring shame upon our names." Runner said, "Maybe yours, but remember, Walker hates fighting, he'd rather paint and learn visual arts." Sprinter replied, "Still, I wish he'd have some way to defend himself." Runner said, "I already do, dad." Walker replied as he paints, "I mean as in professional training, not just taught by me and your grandfather." Runner said, "I know fighting is necessary sometimes, but I wish we didn't have to fight the people we meet all the time." Walker replied, "See, dad, he takes the lessons on friendship seriously, maybe he can avoid conflict like that." Runner said, "I'll be concerned for his mental health if he begins preaching about friendship while sitting in a chair in the middle of a war zone while eating scones and drinking tea." Sprinter replied, "Granddad, I promise, I'll be fighting if I do go into a war zone." Walker said, Sprinter chuckles. Knocking was heard at the door and Walker goes to the door, he opens the door while Runner and Sprinter were behind him, they see their visitor was Rarity, "Good afternoon, darlings, I'm sorry to bother, but I must ask for you three to open your curtains, I'm actually finding it a bit distracting." Rarity said, "What do you find distracting about it?" Runner asked, "Just look around from the outside, it's still a bright and sunny afternoon, and your house is the only one who has its curtains closed, it looks so out of place, and it's really bothering me." Rarity replied, "Can't you find inspiration in making new outfits from the designs on our curtains?" Walker asked, "No, I cannot, the curtains are just a dull light gray color, now please, open them, I can't concentrate on my outfits with them in my sight." Rarity replied, "Come on, you two, let's open the curtains." Sprinter said, "But everypony will see inside our home." Walker replied, "We'll close them at night, we'll look suspicious if we keep them closed during the day as well." Sprinter said, "Okay." Walker replied in a reluctant tone, "Thank you, darlings." Rarity said, and she left. Walker, Runner, and Sprinter open the curtains and let the sun in, Walker continues to paint while unhappy, "What's wrong, Walker?" Runner asked, "I liked the house better when it was dark." Walker replied, "I'm sorry, Walker, but we have to keep the windows open, it'll make us look suspicious." Runner said, Walker groans with disappointment and keeps painting. The day goes on and it was soon dark, Sprinter makes dinner and the three have a salad, the three sleep together in separate beds and wait for the night to pass.