Ponyville's First Warrior Meet

by Wise Cracker


It's All My Fault! Sweetie Belle Falls!

Sweetie Belle had woken up with renewed vigour the next morning. She kept her elbows up high, minded her positioning, she slowly got the hang of waving her arms around like wings while Scootaloo practised her pressure point attacks.

“Good Phoenix Stance, Sweetie Belle,” Ash said. “Up, down, dodge, push. Hooftip, cannon, duck, elbow, good. Now go faster, you gotta get that combo down like a routine.”

“Like a dance?” Sweetie asked.

“Exactly. Like a dance. Don’t even think about it while you’re doing it. That goes for you too, Scootaloo. Start stringin’ it all together, one smooth motion. The less you have to think about it, the faster you can do it.”

Scootaloo nodded and sped up, flicking her hooves at her opponent’s shoulders with enough force to make a whiplash sound, though how much of that was from any magic she was putting into it and how much was pure speed was anyone’s guess.

Sweetie Belle felt it, though, the little flecks of cold liquid playing over her fur, the sting of contact magic. If she let a hit land in the wrong spot, Scootaloo could really cause some damage.

Not that she was worried, of course: it was a friendly sparring match, and neither of the girls was trying to hurt the other.

Sweetie Belle ducked under a slap, then slapped away another.

Right there!

Almost like she was gliding over the floor, her right hind hoof moved forward to put her into position. The rest of her body followed with a mere afterthought. She put her front hooves against Scootaloo’s belly and breathed in.

When she breathed out, her arms were stretched, Scootaloo was gone. And lying on the floor at a safe distance.

“Nice one, Sweetie Belle. But I was going easy on you,” Scootaloo brushed off her defeat and winked.

Ash’s ears perked at that. Scootaloo hadn’t quite gotten over her nerves yet. Whatever had happened with her and the Feather Cloaks was still bothering her, most likely.

“Okay,” Sweetie Belle said with a shrug. “Then don’t go easy on me this time.”

Scootaloo chuckled nervously. “I won’t.”

“Do you mean that, Scootaloo?” Ash asked.

“What?”

“Are you really not going to go easy on your friend?”

“Well, maybe a little. I don’t wanna hurt her.”

Ash nodded. “Sweetie Belle, good technique, you’ve got the basics of dodging and distancing down. But now, make sure you finish the job, too.”

“Umm, how?”

“You know how. Once the enemy is floored or you see an opening, basic chokehold. Don’t press into her neck, though: only put your elbow on her collarbone. You’re gonna want to do this more than once.”

Scootaloo gulped. “Okay, a little more intense this time. Ready?”

Sweetie Belle took the Phoenix stance again, arms wide and high, and nodded.

She barely had time to gasp before a bullet shot out towards her shoulder. Even with her practice in slow-motion vision, it was hard to track Scootaloo’s lunge. She managed it, though, barely. She sidestepped the blow, then moved into Tiger Stance, bunched up and hooves close for quick jabs. A dull blow to Scootaloo’s gut shocked the girl enough for Sweetie Belle to move behind her.

A kick to the right leg, and Scootaloo went down. Then it was just a matter of hugging her with one arm before Scootaloo hurriedly tapped in surrender.

“Okay, okay! You got me! Don’t squeeze, don’t squeeze!”

Sweetie Belle let go. “Umm, I wasn’t going to, Scootaloo. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Scootaloo said, shaking her head. “It’s nothing.” She stood on all fours to catch her breath.

“It doesn’t look like nothing to me,” Ash remarked. “That was sloppy, Scootaloo. You should have seen that coming. You need to be more mindful of what’s going to happen next.”

“I know, sir, I know. I’ll try to work on it.”

Sweetie Belle squinted in confusion. She waited for Ash to turn his back.

“Spike, how many times do I have to tell you? No Giant Fireball Jutsu indoors!” He yelled.

That was a good enough distraction as any. Sweetie Belle tapped her friend on the shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Umm, you sound like you’re going to cry. Are you?”

Scootaloo psh-ed at the very thought. “No. Come on, let’s keep going.”

“You’re not upset because I beat you, are you?”

“No, I’m not, and I’ll prove it. I’ll beat you right here and now.”


Fleur took a long, slow sip of her tea. “So, how have you been, darling?”

“Oh, busy as always,” Rarity replied. “I only finished Hoity Toity’s last order yesterday.” She nodded towards the mannequin behind them. Carousel Boutique was usually littered with them, but Rarity had remembered to clean up before inviting her old friend over.

Fleur de Lis hummed and nodded. It was beautiful ensemble Rarity had put together: a rainbow-patterned dress that fell back on the flank, along with a golden laurel leaf. Not something she was used to seeing, but it was a traditional fashion among pegasi, she knew.

“What about you? Do you really have an apprentice now? And one in full alicorn armour, no less?”

“Oh, Hammer? Yes, I got him this summer. Lovely boy, really, but so insecure sometimes, especially about his armour. Just getting him to take it off is like pulling teeth, even for his mother.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

Fleur sighed and sipped her tea again. “Dear Hammer is rather… self-conscious, I suppose. His parents tried signing him up for a club or a class after a few, ah, incidents, but he’s still panicky at the moment. He startles too easily, and that’s not even mentioning what he can do in a match. Singular tutoring works better in such cases, and I happen to know his mother, in a professional sense, so...”

Rarity yelped when that errant lock of hair sprang up again. “Argh, what is with this mane of mine?” She quickly rubbed it down.

“Been working too hard, darling?” Fleur asked with a chuckle.

“Well, that too, but it never gets this bad. That lock has been acting up all week, ever since Ash showed up.”

Fleur chuckled. “Ah, yes, the Ashen Blizzard. He has that effect on ponies.”

“You know him, too, then? In a professional sense?”

“We’ve met, and talked, in official capacity. I know his successor better, she and I move in the same circles. But Ash himself moves in entirely different spheres of influence. I’ll have to introduce Hammer to him soon.” She shuddered at the thought.

“Hmm? Is that a problem?”

“Oh, no, not a problem, merely a concern. It’s just that Hammer is, how you say...”

“Boyishly impatient?”

“To say the least. He already wants to challenge the Ashen Blizzard in combat.”

Rarity nearly choked on her tea at that. After seeing how he fought Rainbow Dash – his own daughter – she could hardly bear to think how he’d treat an uppity challenger, and such a young one at that. And an alicorn to boot, he’d mop the floor with the poor boy just for sport. “And can he?”

“Warrior Meets are open to all. He has the right to challenge any school as a Fencer, to get their appraisal of him for ranking up to Duellist. But any grandmaster has the right to shift the challenge to a student, that’s the rule.”

“Oh, my. Fencers, Duellists? Pardon me, darling, but you’re going over my head at the moment.”

“Mes excuses, I forgot. Most of the ponies I’ve talked to the past few days were martial artists, and Hammer was there for most of them. It’s not that complicated, really: a Fencer is a martial artist who swears allegiance to the crown, not to any school. They have a very strict code of conduct.”

“Like etiquette school, then, for warriors?”

“Yes. They, we, are a remnant of the old days of duelling. Once Princess Celestia started imposing one single set of rules on all schools, she needed arbiters. Fencers are the students; they learn the basics of their craft. They learn to wield at least two weapons, two styles of unarmed combat, the basic rules of engagement, and one peacetime occupation, usually one of the aristocracy’s old hobbies. Little Hammer’s an actor, or he used to be, before he started covering up. Not a bad dancer, either, if you can get him into a ballroom without him wearing three coats of padding. Who knows, he might perform again soon, if he gets over this ghastly skittishness. You’d like him, I promise.”

Rarity smiled knowingly. “I’m sure. Why does he cover up, though, do you know?”

At that, Fleur chuckled. “Oh, yes, I know full well why. It’s personal, that, private. Suffice to say my apprentice doesn’t like ponies seeing him for what he is. Anyway, a Fencer can join the higher ranks of Duellists if they can prove they’re able to do their duty. They need to be able to stop a fight that’s going too far, step in and defuse an altercation, so the way to test that ability is, you know…”

“By letting them prove their worth in a sanctioned match.”

Fleur nodded. “Exactly. Unarmed combat. The rank of Master at Arms, my rank, is attained by measuring against an armed opponent, among other things.”

“Goodness. You never struck me as the warrior type, Fleur.”

“Non. I never struck you, indeed. I do not, ah, strike any of my friends as a warrior, if you catch my drift.”


Sweetie Belle smiled as she took the Phoenix Stance. Scootaloo growled under her breath, going into Bear Stance with a firm look in her eyes. Frustration built up under her skin and bled out into her mind. She could focus properly now, to see the vague pressure points she had to target.

“Ready when you are,” Sweetie Belle said.

Without further warning, Scootaloo struck. Her right arm whipped out from thigh height to slam at Sweetie’s neck, but the unicorn barely managed to sidestep it.

Sweetie Belle’s hind hooves glided over the floor, her whole body smoothly moving for the counterattack. Another shove and she’d be able to unbalance Scoots again, knock her down.

A stabbing pain in her arm stopped that plan cold. Scootaloo had already raised her guard up and adjusted her footing, and now she had the edge of a hoof pressed firmly into Sweetie’s elbow.

Sweetie Belle gasped. The shock that went through her body was almost enough to not notice the watery sensation flowing over and into her arm. It was like ice, cooling her blood. The anger behind it tasted metallic, almost.

Scootaloo wasn’t done yet. Another whiplash of her hooves, this time a one-two blow on Sweetie’s shoulders, drove the unicorn back.

Sweetie Belle tried to move, tried to adjust her sights to see the blows coming, but her eyes were beginning to water from the sheer pain. Her breath quickened, her heart pounded, and something deep inside her begged her to turn tail and run.

A firm shove from Scootaloo’s shoulder cut that train of thought off. Sweetie Belle went down, her arms throbbing and even twitching from the abuse.

“O-ow,” she barely managed to squeak out.

Ash moved over to stand next to the pair. “Good technique, Scootaloo. You do that punch and tackle on somepony who wants to hurt you, they’ll change their mind right quick. Not a bad sort of energy behind it, either. Kinda reminds me of what the Feather Cloaks teach their youngins. I take it you did not demystify and assimilate the proper instructions on your own?”

Scootaloo stood on all fours now. She panted and gasped for breath. That anger, that hate, that will to kill, it was still there.

“I-I…”

“Scootaloo? What’s the matter?”


Seeing Whimper brought a smile to her face every time. She couldn’t think of why, exactly, since she’d only known him for a brief time, but that big blue lug had just grown on her. Scootaloo flew towards him and his friend, with Rumble in tow, and landed in Bogsdown Park.

“So how’d it go? Did you sign up? Did you make the cut?” Scootaloo asked. “Umm, was there a cut to make?”

Whimper winced and looked away. He kept his head low again, like before. The confidence he’d built up the past few days had run out, apparently. “Umm, no. I didn’t. There wasn’t, but I didn’t sign up. I’m done. No more classes.”

“Why not?” Rumble asked. “I thought Blazing Trail wanted you on his team?”

“Umm, he did, but things got a little awkward. I only had to take three classes from him, after all. I did what Coach Buster told me to, I went to the third class, so it’s done. No more having to be a Feather Cloak.”

“This isn’t about what you showed us last time, is it?”

The boy gulped. Peachy Pie stepped in, ever on guard. “It kind of is, actually. Turns out Blazing Trail had some ideas Whimper didn’t agree with. And you can’t really take lessons from someone you disagree with that badly.”

“Really? What’s the problem?” Scootaloo asked.

Whimper bit his lip and sighed. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he smiled. “I don’t wanna talk about it. What do you guys wanna do today? We can’t go to the park, but there’s a skating rink downtown.”

“I didn’t bring my gear,” Scootaloo said.

“We could watch, maybe see some new tricks,” Whimper suggested.

“Sounds good to me,” Rumble replied. “And hey, I’ve been looking up what you said, do you know any books about that special touch thing?”

“Oh, yeah, there’s, umm…”

As the boys walked off, caught up in their own conversation, Scootaloo prodded Peachy Pie with a wing. “Is he okay?”

“I think so,” Peachy replied. “He was really down after what he did to you.”

“Ugh, figures. Too chicken to stand up for himself. Can’t you talk him into joining that class? It’d be good for him.”

Peachy winced. “I don’t know, Scootaloo. Whimper doesn’t listen to me, not like he does to you. And I think Blazing Trail might have crossed a line somewhere.”

Scootaloo furrowed her brow. “I wonder what happened.”


“Scootaloo? You okay?”

Scootaloo shook her head to clear it. “Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Is Sweetie Belle okay?”

“Owie… I don’t think I can keep going after that.”

“No matter, we’ve been at it all day. Time to wrap up, youngins. Everyone up front and we’ll do the cooldown exercises. Good work. Scootaloo, you too. You’re gettin’ better.”

“Thanks,” Scootaloo said. “Am I ready for tomorrow now?”

“Close enough, sure. Y’all are good enough to compete, but I’ll still make sure you don’t end up with any opponents outta your league.”

“Good.”

Ash squinted. What has got that girl so rattled, I wonder? What did those Feather Cloaks do to her, or her friend?


Apple Bloom and Scootaloo took off towards their home, Rumble flew off with a wave, and Spike walked by Sweetie Belle. “You want me to walk you home?”

“No, I’m okay, Spike. Just a little bruised up. I’m heading over to Rarity’s first anyway. She said one of her friends wanted to meet me.”

“Oh, okay. See you tomorrow!” Spike waddled back to the other girls.

Sweetie Belle winced as she walked. Her arms wouldn’t bend properly, her legs were shaky, and something in her head was pounding into her horn.

Was that really Water Style, was that what Scootaloo’s friend had taught her?

Was that the sort of thing he already knew? Wimpy must have been a really scary boy, then.

No wonder she didn’t want to bring him over. Sweetie Belle could relate to that.

I wonder how he is now?

Would I know him if I saw him?

She sighed and stopped her pondering. Her body ached, and that was something she could do without. Sweetie tried to reach out inside her, to find the icy magic that Scootaloo had left in her and maybe thaw it out. It wouldn’t work, though, she didn’t have the concentration for it. Maybe Rarity knew how to undo this sort of injury, or her friend might. Ash would probably tutor her today, after yesterday’s little break.

“Hey, blank flank.”

Sweetie Belle gasped and looked up. “Umm, hi, Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, we just wanted to see how far you’d gotten in your martial arts training,” Diamond said.

“Umm, we’re actually done today. We’ll be at the Meet tomorrow if you want to have a friendly match.”

Silver Spoon smirked and slowly strode towards the girl. “Why not now?”

“What?”

“Why not have a friendly fight, you and me, right now?”

“Umm…”


The scream that echoed through Ponyville sent chills down Scootaloo’s spine.

“Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom barely had time to turn before Scootaloo was up in the air and rushing towards the source of the sound.

When the flying filly got there, Sweetie Belle was down and unconscious, with Silver Spoon standing over her.

“Too easy,” Silver said.

“What did you do?!” Scootaloo dove and landed right next to her prone friend.

“Just a little practice, that’s all. Why, you want some, too?”

Scootaloo growled. “What is the matter with you? You hurt her, you seriously hurt her!”

“So what?” Diamond got right in Scootaloo’s face. “You think you never hurt us? You think it’s okay for you to get away with everything? Well, guess what? Now Silver Spoon’s gonna beat up you and all your friends, and there’s nothing you can do about it. We did Sweetie Belle a favour: she lost where nopony could see it.”

Silver Spoon chuckled and took off her glasses.

Scootaloo took a step back when she saw it. Behind glasses it was hard to tell, but it was clear now.

Those eyes.

That intense look of a killer.

Weird how familiar that sort of thing can get.

“So, what do you wanna do now? Your friend didn’t put up much of a fight,” Silver taunted, nailing her to the ground with that look.

Scootaloo backed away another step.

“I think she’s scared, Silver Spoon,” Diamond Tiara taunted.

“Don’t,” Scootaloo said. “Don’t do this. Please don’t do this.”

“Or what? What are you gonna do, huh? Cry like a little baby?” Diamond kept stepping forward, Silver Spoon didn’t budge.

Scootaloo stopped. Her throat ached, and tears welled up in her eyes. “You have no idea what you’re doing.”

Silver squinted, almost reading her mind. “Oh, I think I get it. Maybe she’s thinking of getting her friend. What’s his name, Windy? Wimpy?”

Scootaloo shivered. “Don’t joke about that. I mean it.”

“Come on, Silver Spoon, you can take her,” Diamond said. “We don’t have to wait.”

“No, we don’t.” Silver Spoon cracked her shoulders and got into position.

Bear Stance.

She really is a Water Style fighter. So that Mercurial Hoof Spike was talking about-

“C’est fini!”

The power in the mare’s voice was enough to break even Silver Spoon’s concentration. “Huh?”

“That is quite enough, young lady,” Fleur said as she came trotting towards them.

Rarity ran over to Sweetie Belle. “What did you do to her?”

“Mercurial Hoof: the Seven Deadly Blows. Don’t worry, I only used four. And a little extra on her throat, just to get some peace and quiet,” Silver Spoon replied. “She’ll be out cold for a bit, and coughing for about a week. I wouldn’t let her sing for at least a month, though.” She smirked evilly at that.

Rarity bared her teeth. “You little… you monster! Why would you do such a thing? What did she do to deserve this?”

Silver Spoon put her glasses back on, then looked Rarity right in the eyes. “Begging your pardon, Miss Rarity, but you don’t see what your little sister does in school, and you don’t know what she did at our cuteceñeara. She’s had this coming for a long time.”

“Be that as it may,” Fleur stepped towards the girls. “You have no right to assault the girl.”

“And who are you?”

Fleur snorted ever so gently. “In Canterlot, I am known as Fleur de Lis. In fighting circles, I am known as Lee, Master at Arms. Et vous?”

Silver cocked her head and smirked. “Silver Spoon, Feather Cloak genin and daughter to Silver Bullet. And if you’re really a Master at Arms, you should know that means I had every right to fight her; she’s in a ninja school and so am I. Only a ninja can sneak up on another ninja.”

Rarity checked Sweetie Belle’s throat and heart. “She needs a doctor, now.”

Fleur put a hoof on Scootaloo’s back, letting some calming energy flow in. “Let’s go.”

“But… they…” Scootaloo looked back and forth, torn between her friend and payback.

“They will get what they deserve,” Fleur said. “But not now. Your friend will be fine, she just needs some rest, that is all. And you need to calm down.”

“Sweetie Belle?!” Apple Bloom called out, finally caught up with Spike waddling behind her.

Rarity already had her sister on her back and started a careful trot towards the nearest medical attention.

Fleur, meanwhile, stared down at Silver Spoon.

“Are you threatening me, Ma’am? If you wanna fight me, you’re more than welcome to. But, umm, I think you’re only allowed to do that to test me, and I’m only gonna get tested by other ninjas.”

“No matter,” Fleur said. “You will see.”

Silver Spoon scoffed. “What, you think Scootaloo’s gonna beat me? Or Apple Bloom? They’re noobies. I have Demon Hunter magic, I know the Seven Deadly Blows.”

Fleur let out a quiet concession of a mutter. “Hrmm. Advanced techniques, to be sure. And I must concur, there aren’t many little monsters like you running about.”

Silver Spoon smirked proudly at that.

“But you are still not the only monster in this region.” She closed her eyes and shuddered. ”There are... others, ma petite, and they do not take disrespect such as yours lightly. So I warn you: do not do this again. As strong as I’m sure you are, you do not want to attract any attention.”

As much as they wanted to think it was a bluff, the way Fleur said it sounded oddly genuine, enough to drive Diamond and Silver a step back.

“There’s nopony stronger than Silver, not in Ponyville,” Diamond gloated.

“Oh, there is one, I assure you. Have you met my apprentice, Hammer? I’m sure you’ve seen him around, covered head to hoof in triple-layered armour. He’s hard to miss. Armour-plated wings?” She smirked. “Steel-coated horn?”

Silver Spoon nodded. “We’ve met. He didn’t look all that strong, to be honest.”

“I imagine he wouldn’t, to a filly with, and pardonnez-moi for pointing this out, your school’s notoriously limited powers of perception. Though I’m sure your father has attempted to remedy that weakness.” She pointed to the girl’s glasses. “My apprentice has to hold back most of the time, you see. He has a hard time finding sparring partners who can last long enough to test him. But, seeing as you’re so advanced, I’ll be sure to send him your way, Silver Spoon. I look forward to seeing you in real combat.”

“It’s a date,” Diamond Tiara replied. “And hey, if you still wanna try to fight Silver Spoon, you’re more than welcome to, chickenwing.”

Something snapped in Scootaloo then. “You…”

“Walk away, little girl.” Fleur nudged Scootaloo to turn. “There’s nothing more to be gained here.”

Scootaloo’s tears had been welling up, but she’d managed to hide them until she had her back to the pair.

She let it out after what seemed like an eternity.

It’s all my fault.

Again.