The Lunar Knight's Willow Leaf

by Moonlit Novel

Post Common Era Chapter Sixteen/War of Stars Chapter Twelve: Battle of The Crystal Empire

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit

Post Common Era Chapter Sixteen/War of Stars Chapter Twelve: Battle of The Crystal Empire

War never changes, that was something that Masao knew instinctively even as Willow Leaf fought him to be able to serve on the front lines, and the more he strove to curb her desire to fight, the more it became apparent that she was going to fight with or without his approval and that scared him, perhaps it was time he took a page from his past and trained with her…

- - -

“Again”

“Give me a moment”

BANG!

“I said, again, you are the one so intent on going off to fight a war best left to soldiers, and I will not let you die out there”

“So you’ll kill me in here? Tell me how does that make any sense?” asked Willow Leaf as she laid on the ground panting, had she known that accepting Masao’s conditions to go off and fight would end up like this she would have never agreed to his training, although, she would admit getting to see him shirtless was a boon in and of itself.

ZAP!

She was jolted out of her daydream by a shot from a training laser that the Crystal Empire’s guards used in, obviously, training themselves how to handle a firefight, grumbling she forced herself onto her hooves and as Masao took aim, she darted for cover, barely making it before Masao pulled the trigger, the shot hitting right where her rear left hoof had been not a half second before.

“Is hiding all you are good for? If you want to prove you are able to go out—” started Masao before Willow Leaf attacked him using her more agile body to buck at him from odd angles, and not just buck she’d punch at him as well all the while he would weave around the punches and kicks with little care thanks to his years of training. He also uses a training rod, a pole the same length as his lasersword, or lightsaber as he affectionately called it and used it to swing at her, most of his strikes missed, Willow Leaf was getting better. “Good! Trust your instincts, they will serve you better than some set rules of engagement” Masao managed to say after a particularly close kick aimed at his chest…

- - -

Several days have passed since Masao had started training Willow Leaf and to his surprise she got better faster than he would have thought possible, although occasionally he would end their sessions early and rush Willow Leaf and himself to their room after seeing her pull something that was very much arousing, though normally it was only after seeing it a lot and usually only after telling her that it was unfair of her to use her body to win like that, as most humans would not be swayed by her attractiveness. He was not ashamed to admit that while he was trying to keep her alive, he did enjoy the night time ‘sessions’ they had as, ever since they worked out their issues with her fighting, they continued their honeymoon as best as they could between training and Masao keeping an eye on the situation. It wasn’t until Masao asked her why she wanted to fight that shook him.

“Because, these humans aren’t just seeking to force their opinions on us, they will take you away”

- - -

“So now after all this time you are finally dropping that issue? Why?” asked Twilight as she looked at the ambassador and sighed, “What is it you want in return?” she asked, she had long learned never to expect a demand to be removed from the table without something else being brought up.

“We would like to ask forgiveness for trying to force this down your throat”

“I don’t believe that for a second”

- - -

Another attack, this time Willow Leaf left Masao after telling him where she was going, he didn’t like it, but let her go, only he intended to follow after her. She wouldn’t like it, but better her be upset rather than dead.

Shots were being fired from inside the shield, the Terran Empire humans continued to attack, but this time with greater efficiency having found a way through the shields protecting the Crystal Empire. With skill both trained by Masao and from her years as a thief Willow Leaf managed to sneak through the worst of it and get right into the enemy’s main base of operations in that section of the fight and she let loose…

- - -

“Simple minded fool” said Masao as he threw the human away, since he revealed himself on the field the humans seemed to focus their attacks on him, luckily their small arms fire was inaccurate as hell, and their heavy weapons specialists were otherwise occupied with the earth becoming a swamp out from under them as Masao caused all the water in the air to condense into the earth, causing a uniquely dry, muddy, swamp. With a wave of his hand the earth suddenly hardened and the heavy weapons that were dipped into the swamp were stuck in the earth, almost as if they were in hardened clay. “Burn”

- - -

Willow Leaf was weaving in and out of the attacks being used by the humans as she bucked and punched them, her agile body proving to be a beneficial against the less agile bodies of the Terran Empire humans. She stood up on her hind legs dodging a human that leaped at her and brought her hooves down straight on the human’s spine snapping it in half, severing the spinal cord. Not letting her momentum go she let herself end up standing on her forehooves only and leaped backwards her rear hooves hitting and pulverizing another soldier’s chest through the armor he wore. Willow had stopped thinking and was just moving, she knew that if she stopped she was dead…

- - -

“Burn” said Masao as he threw a green fireball at the humans that continued to attack, even as the Crystal Empire forces pushed them back Masao had started to portal around, having routed the enemy he could focus on harassing them. as they closed on the enemy power base there were corpses of humans all around and a tired Willow Leaf now panting and unable to continue fighting. As soon as he saw her panting and growling at the Terrans who were beginning to surround her. He portaled to her and tore open a portal underneath Willow Leaf causing her to fall down on to the ground behind the forces while he opened fire on the Terrans…

- - -

“You should head back to the city, princess” said a crystal empire soldier as she stayed near Willow Leaf who kept glancing at the battle field worried for her husband when it suddenly hit her, she killed. Intellectually she knew it should have hit her harder than it was, because all she felt was a slight twinge of guilt at ending the lives of those humans, worriedly she thought about how she would feel if she killed Masao and suddenly she felt sick, as if someone had kicked her in the gut before proceeding to rip them out. She then thought of killing ponies and nothing happened except when she thought about her foals and she felt just as sick as when she thought of Masao.

Shaking her head clear of thoughts she stumbled towards the battle only for the crystal soldier to guide her back to the palace she didn’t argue...

Author's Note:

So Willow Leaf has some problems, but thankfully she still does have a sense of right and wrong, of sorts

Happy Fourth of July Everypony!