Chapter Preview: Day of the Father · 11:57am Apr 20th, 2021
"Hi-yah!"
"Ay! Kah!"
"Pow! Hah! Hi-yah!"
"Khe!"
Punch! Block! Swing! Uppercut!
"Hi-yah! Dad - kah! - are these fighting noises - oof! Pawah! - necessary?"
Jab! Riposte! Swerve! Kick!
"Tahah! Spike, if there's one - koo! Pawah! - thing I learned from Jason David Frank - leh! Yah! Taa! - it's that exaggerated fight sounds - umpuh! yataha! - always add flavour!"
Which wasn't far from the truth, and from the look of the wide, enjoyable grin on the dragons' face, he didn't disagree. Another sparring lesson going extraordinarily well; Spike progressing much faster in regards to physical combat and prowess that I would have had originally anticipated. While finding it somewhat difficult to percieve and counter my own moves, the young dragon made every attempt, taking every advantage to stay on the offensive the moment I 'allowed' him to see a chink in my armour.
But most importantly of all, we were having fun. Just as the timer ran out, signalling with its own loud exaggerated noises to inform us that part of the training was over, for today. The pair of us dropping our guards, stepping back from another and assuming a humble, respected bow between student and teacher.
Son and father. The grin could not be wiped away from my face even if Twilight and Starlight combined their magic to try so.
"You're getting better at deflection and putting more emphasis in your footwork." Was what I had to say first, nodding towards the pleased dragon, whose ego I immediately deflated by the following criticism straight afterwards. "But you still twitch wildly and throw your arms out when I make the slightest movement. Caution is good, but you need to be relaxed; assume confidence, rather than let your opponent think you're easily on the edge and can be fooled. Fool THEM."
Accepting the observation, Spike nodded once in resolve. "Got it! Relax, and don't let my foe think I'm easy to frighten."
Something like that, but I'll take it for now. Onto the next lesson! By my own magic, I rewound the timer by the table of the dining room; chairs and other decor moved neatly aside so we could practice without breaking anything.
Potentially, at least.
"Now then!" Spike straightened, endearingly so, ready to continue and train to be the best damn dragon Twilight Warrior possible. Pride washed my heart from the eagerness, I nodded with a low smirk. "Second session for the next fifteen minutes: Xiaolin Showdown moves... Go!"
The timer set, and we were screaming out ridiculous attack names as we flew around the place. Half of which was training.
"Jumping Tiger!"
"Rooster Calling Sun!"
"Mosquito Climbing Tree!"
"Leopard Strike!"
"Monkey Strike!"
"Reposte The Monkey!"
"Grasshopper Doing Dog Paddle!"
"Cheetah At Rest!"
Half having the time of our lives. Our grins exchanged with every playful, heartfelt clash between us as he bounced across the interior.
"Spell Eating Dirt!"
"Peacock Fanning Feathers!"
"Stardust Strike!"
"Repel The- Hey, that's not even a valid move!"
"It is now, son!"
DING.
Over already? [BEEP] time flies, the pair of us halting midair and descending on the ground in surprised ache, gazing over towards the bemused alicorn responsible for quickening the timer to its conclusion. And judging by the feelings of our bond, it was for a good cause.
Apprehension and anxiety. Oh dear, what's wrong on this nice day, I wonder?
Despite her inward disposition, Twilight smiled warmly to Spike, motivating in effort to make him scarce. "Spike, don't you have that thank-you pillow to give to Smolder?"
"Oh!" Our son nodded with zeal, straightening himself yet again to give a humble bow my way, hope shining on his fangs and signature. "Same time tomorrow? I think I'm ready for the more adavanced flying moves now that Smolder taught me how to use these babies properly." Flexing his tiny purple, most recent appendages for emphasis.
Shrugging, I pat the kid's shoulder, beaming down with humoured affection. "Sure thing son." That approval was all I needed, for Spike to happily fly out of the room with impressive control. My eyes rolling to the lavender mare with a coy smirk and a joking remark, "Are we gonna have our own tiny Rainbow Dash now? I knew she was a bad influence from the start!"
Twilight, unsurprisingly, chuckled. Playfully admonishing. "Even if you didn't approve, I still wouldn't let you ban him from seeing her."
"Aww curses." Came my bemoan of faux melanchony. "I honestly believed Zephyr Breeze would be a far more suitable rolemodel." One look to each other... Before we bursted out in snorts and giggles, the lighthearted banter performing its trick on soothing Twilight's anxious feelings. But before we got to that, I had to inquire with a flat, amused brow. "Thank-you pillow, also?"
"He's a dragon of many talents." She shrugged in turn, but the pride shone in her beautiful voice and sparkling violet orbs. "It's a nice gesture for the help Smolder gave where I couldn't."
"...Who's Smolder? I'm kidding I'm kidding!" My grin stretched in good humour by Twilight's unimpressed stare, waving his own hoofs in good nature. "I'm making an effort to remember their names love, I promise."
Then both her brows raised. "Hmm, I'll hold you to that." Twilight said with full expectancy in spite of the contrasting loving smile, before, predicably, getting to the heart of whatever's bothering her. "But now that we're talking about it." Gaze shifting towards the open doorway our wonderful child departed from. "Jack, do you think Spike's nurtering has affected his growth as a dragon?"
Where was this coming from now?
"Well, we know he's more softer and compassionate than most of his kind, and that's not a bad thing-"
A purple hoof raised to, politely, cut me off. "While I fully agree that we've raised Spike to be the best kindhearted dragon he can be - and hopefully it will leave an impact on the more aggressive part of his species - that's not what I was referring to... Sort of."
I folded my wings, waiting. Twilight eventually sighed, turning fully my way with sparkling eyes reflecting their own solemn acknowledgement.
"After realizing today that Spike could fly better, not because I could teach him, but because Smolder can, I worry that his growth through pony society has affected his natural growth and hinders his capabilities. Given how lacking I was back then in dragon knowledge when Spike only just hatched from his egg, I spent all my life assuming he'd grow and be strong as any dragon naturally."
"But now you have doubts, because Spike needed a fellow of his kind to teach him something essential only dragons could do."
Twilight nodded slowly by my right guessing. Eyes slightly downcast. "It's not that I want to hinder him... Our son... But still, the possibility I'm intefering with his natural growth feels as though I'm being a burden to his future..."
Oh that was not true at all. Frankly, I wouldn't stand for that, completely unacceptable. Reassurance time, effective immediately!
In answer, my right gold wing extended, the tip of a feather gently brushing beneath Twilight's furry chin, raising it upwards for eye contact to be maintained. Our horns lightly touched as I leaned in closer, smiling with kind confidence and working to put these concerns of hers to rest.
"You were, have and always will be a fantastic mother to him, Twilight; the mother he needs. Just because he had to learn something only another dragon could teach him, doesn't mean you're burdening him, and he'd tell you so too." Tilting my head slightly, what I followed that along with had my Princess smiling with gratified agreement. "One day, he'll go out to make his own life. We've done our best, and all we can do is offer our support when he needs us both. Until then, let's keep being there for him here."
Well, in all honesty, Twilight's done her best more than I have. I've missed out like eighty-five percent of the boy's life so far-
"Oh hush you." Twilight, now playing the UNO reverse card, refused to have me mentally give most of the credit towards her alone. The breathtaking, gorgeous alicorn embracing my chest, and I gladly welcomed and returned. "Your contributions have been and are just as important..."
Her smile was felt, against my furry soft chest, and through our invincible bond. My own grin widened in turn, kissing atop the perfect horn and hair, murmuring in gentle relaxation. "Dragon or not, Spike is ours, and nothing will change that."
"Right. It's not as if a random dragon will suddenly crach like a meteor into Ponyville claiming to be Spike's real parent." Hah! Yeah that would be a [BEEP]ing coincidence- Oof! "Don't even curse in your thoughts, honey."
Coming Soon...
*crash
Ah, I was wondering when this episode would show up, as well as how Stardust was going to deal with it. This should be interesting.
And highly entertaining.
Interestingly enough, there is actually a reason martial artists shout when they perform moves. It helps control their breathing and put their whole body into what they're doing at the right moment.
JDF is a great role model!