//------------------------------// // Seven Deadly Blows! Rumble Versus Silver Spoon! // Story: Ponyville's First Warrior Meet // by Wise Cracker //------------------------------// Rumble started walking towards the arena, but stopped when Ash nudged him. “Be careful,” Ash said. “Don’t let the grudge get to your head. Keep your cool.” Rumble nodded. “I’ll do my best.” “Good. That’s all anyone can ask.” As he walked onto the stage, Rumble felt his heart pounding. A few deep breaths to concentrate, and his hooves were already filling with magic. If his opponent noticed his preparation, she didn’t care. Silver Spoon just grinned at him. “What’s the matter? Nervous?” She started wiggling her arms to warm up. Again he nodded, trotting in place to get the blood flowing. No doubt Silver Spoon was getting her magic ready, too. “Got anything to say before we start?” She stretched her arms out wide, then tilted her body side to side from the waist, loosening up her limber spine. “You know, in case you don’t get the chance?” “A couple of things. You hurt Sweetie Belle, and you scared off Scootaloo. Why?” Rumble rotated his neck to loosen it up before the fight. Silver stopped her stretching and started glaring, tossing her glasses towards her master, who caught them without a second thought. “Because they had it coming. They chased me and Diamond out of our own party.” “And them apologising for it wasn’t enough?” Rumble got back on all fours, wiggling his wings and arms. “No, it’s not enough,” Silver hissed. “Every single time we try to do anything, we get upstaged, or punished, or talked down. And what do they get? They never get punished, they never have to answer for anything.” Rumble arched an eyebrow. “Really? Getting sick because of a potion, almost getting chased out of town over a gossip column your friend ran, that’s not punishment?” “It never stopped them,” Silver Spoon retorted. “No grownup ever told them off, not for real. Everypony in class was okay with them hogging the spotlight at Diamond’s cuteceñeara. So I’m setting it right. Why do you care? You’re not even friends with them. You’re a blank flank and they never let you into their club.” She cast a glance towards the edge of the arena, where the other blank flanks were. A big platform like this, they were too far away to hear if he kept his voice down. Perfect for goading the enemy without fear of retaliation from the spectators. “No, they didn’t. They didn’t need to. I never asked. I don’t have to be a Cutie Mark Crusader to hang out with Scootaloo, or anyone. I know who my friends are. And you hurt them.” “So, what, you wanna beat me up because of what I did?” He snorted. “Depends. What are you gonna do when school starts again?” “Set the record straight, of course.” Rumble shook his head. “So you’re gonna bully everyone else, too. I can’t let you do that, Silver Spoon.” “Oh, and I guess you’re gonna try and stop me, then?” Slowly, calmly, he got on his hind hooves and went into Bear Stance, his legs a little wider than usual so he could strike lower. “You can’t just bully ponies into doing what you want.” Silver followed suit. “Watch me. But just so we’re clear: I wouldn’t bully you. You’re a cool kid, like me and Diamond Tiara. We’d get along fine, even if you are only a blank flank.” “Oh, I know I’m a cool kid. But I’m nothing like you. You don’t know what I’m like.” “Then I guess you’ll just have to fall like the rest,” Silver whispered. Princess Luna raised a hoof and brought it down. “Begin!” Rumble and Silver Spoon stood in the same low Bear Stance, but once they moved, the difference became clear. Rumble moved with precision, with measured strikes and dodges. His was a calculated style. Silver Spoon was more graceful than him, keeping her arms looser and her slaps lighter. They both got plenty of contact with each other, and the arena was soon filled with the sounds of hard claps and slaps as one punch was slapped away, the next sidestepped, another pushed down. Their techniques were the same, on the outside. Neither threw a hard punch, neither tensed up, both stayed relaxed as they tested each other’s defenses. The only difference was that when Silver Spoon struck, there was a change in the air around her hoof, a vague shimmer of liquid. Rumble took a step back just as Silver Spoon did. “You’re not bad, you know. You’re pretty quick,” she said. “Thanks.” “I didn’t mean that as a compliment, Rumble. I’m just saying it’s a waste. And kind of a shame you have to lose to me.” “So what can Rumble do?” Live Wire asked as the fight broke loose. “He’s learned Water Style,” Apple Bloom replied. “Yeah, I can see that, but what kind of Water Style?” “Huh?” “Does he know moves from Tai Chi, panda techniques, kung fu? He’s a pegasus, so he probably knows contact magic already, but what kind of attack does he use?” “It’s ice.” The ponies all turned their heads towards the new arrival. “Moongazer,” Fleur greeted. Moongazer nodded in greeting. “Master Lee. And young… Live Wire, was it?” “Yes, Ma’am.” “Good show. Good fight, both of you. You did well, Apple Bloom, especially considering your adversary.” “Is Spike alright?” Rarity asked. “I’d hate to think he’s hurt.” “He’s fine,” Moongazer replied. “He got the fight he wanted, he got to measure up. That Whimper kid got cocky. I’m sure Spike will come around once he’s ready. Probably looking to get bandaged up some more to score maximum sympathy points.” Rarity nodded. “I suppose he would. And now it all falls on Rumble, no?” Fleur hmm-ed and turned her attention back to the fight going on. “Last fighter representing the Nine Dragons.” “Yes,” Moongazer replied. “A very capable fighter, too. Surprisingly so, for his age. Strongest rookie we’ve got.” “You said he can use ice?” Apple Boom asked. “He never did that in class.” “Not physical ice, but icy energy. The same way Silver Spoon can make her internal energy become metallic and poisonous, Rumble can make it cold and numbing. It’s a good technique for an athlete: if they get injured and they don’t have an ice pack handy, it does alleviate some pain. And if they can project it, well… you get the idea.” “So you have two fighters now that specialise in pressure points,” Fleur noted. Apple Bloom squinted and let her eyes go out of focus. “Wow. It’s like they’re splashing each other.” “Yes, it’s quite the spectacle. I wonder, though…” Fleur narrowed her eyes. “What?” Moongazer asked. “Rumble knows the mental imagery for an icy touch? I wasn’t aware you teach that sort of thing.” “We don’t; he already knew it. A friend of his taught him.” Fleur smiled. “Of course. Still, it’s strange.” “What is?” “Look at the two of them. Those kinds of blows, that energy, that technique. Do you not notice anything out of place?” Moongazer squinted. “Wait, that can’t be right.” Live Wire tilted his head. “That’s odd.” “What is? Is Rumble doing something wrong?” “No, but…” “But?” “Most Water Styles target pressure points to some degree, but an icy touch is more effective against the muscles and nerves, it doesn’t strictly rely on pressure points. It doesn’t target the organs, either, only the nerve system. Rumble should be wearing her down.” “So?” “So, if Silver Spoon is taking blows like that on her arms, why aren’t her punches slowing down?” Whimper grumbled as Rumble fought Silver. Every blow that landed, he could just barely make out the flicker of a disturbed aura on her. Rumble had her on the ropes. “Is she going to be okay?” he asked. Blazing Trail looked down at his charge, the second strongest rookie of their class. “Of course she will. Why wouldn’t she be?” “That kid knows our techniques, sir. He fights like one of us.” Blazing Trail smiled. “No, he doesn’t. He knows the outer form, but not the inner form.” “But he’s using energy. He does have the inner form.” “There is more than one page in our book, Whimper. That Rumble kid knows how to use his energy, yes. His stance is fine, his concentration is exceptionally clear for his age, and his targeting is remarkably accurate. But all he’s using is a mental image of ice.” Whimper tilted his head, confused. “There’s no substance behind it. He has the forms, but not the heart. His energy is elemental, neutral. And it’s not even strong enough to manifest physically. At best, he can make his body cold. Whereas Silver Spoon…” Whimper turned back to the fight. He smirked. “Of course. Silver Spoon’s energy is different. At best, she can make her insides poison.” Blazing nodded. “And the poison will take.” Rumble struggled to keep his mind clear, to keep his magic focused. He knew what to do, what he had to do if this was to end in any good way. He concentrated all his attention into the tips of his striking hooves, forcing out an icy cold with every gentle tap and slap that landed. He kept pressing into her, but he never got enough time to do the twist and push to really drill in some damage to her nerve points. Silver Spoon stumbled back as she tried to retaliate. Hers was a fluid style, like his, but unlike her, he was one-pointed in his awareness. Her strikes were were random, flailing, his were careful and calculated. They traded blows for what seemed an eternity, until Rumble found what he was looking for. An opening. Just one clean shot at her belly was all he needed. Thump. He froze. One of Silver Spoon’s hooves was on his chest, the other had the tip pressing into a nerve point on his striking arm, and he could taste metal. She didn’t even feel cold. She wasn’t numb. She twisted her hoof to make him suffer and dug into his fur, before giving him a back-hooved slap in his face that drove him back. “It’s a shame, really. You could have been a cool kid, like me.” Rumble gagged and coughed. Something stung in his chest, making his lungs water up. His eyes burned, and even as he backed away from Silver Spoon’s jabbing hoof he could feel the throbbing where she’d hit him. “H-how?” Silver Spoon pouted in mock sympathy. “Aww, what’s the matter? Rumbly-wumbly sad he wost?” Rumble grimaced, forcing himself to stay on his hind legs. “I hit you dead on. I got you in the chest. How did you block that? How are you not numb?” She chuckled. “You really haven’t figured it out?” The boy shook his head. “It’s simple, really. My style is like yours: I take everything that’s strong, awesome, everything that’s me, and I put that into a punch, into you. The only difference is that you’re just a loser, and I’m not.” “Don’t play coy with me.” He raised his arms back up, ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest. “Your arms should be paralysed by now, energy or no energy.” Silver Spoon, likewise, took a Bear Stance again. “You want more? Fine. But it’s only gonna get worse now.” Rumble winced. “I don’t think you can do any worse than this, Silver Spoon.” “Try me. I’ve mastered the Seven Deadly Blows. I can flood your magic with poison.” Rumble’s eyes widened. Flood me? So that’s how. “How is he still standing after a blow like that?” Fleur asked. “Did you teach him any safeguards?” “We didn’t have the time,” Moongazer replied. “He’s standing on pure willpower now. How did Silver Spoon not take any damage? Can she really do the Seven Deadly Blows?” “Yup,” Sweetie Belle said. “That’s what she did to me. Well, four of them, I guess.” “I see. Then Rumble knew he was going to lose.” “What? What do you mean? How does knowin’ that Seven Blow thingie make a difference?” Apple Bloom asked. “The Seven Deadly Blows are a kata used in the Feather Cloak School: you strike seven critical points in succession and flood the enemy with your own toxic energy,” Moongazer explained. “So?” “So, it’s a technique that strikes directly at the vital points of the body.” “Just like any Water Style,” Apple Bloom said. “Rumble can do that, too, so can Scootaloo.” “It’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand,” Live Wire said, shaking his head. Fleur rolled her eyes. “You are familiar with the techniques of most Water Styles, yes?” “Yes,” Apple Bloom replied. “Then you are also aware that Healing Touch and Death Touch techniques are, in essence, one and the same?” “Yeah; one’s bad, the other’s good. But for both of’em, it’s just putting a piece of yourself into somepony el-” Apple Bloom’s jaw hung slack. “Oh, that’s how she did it.” “Now you’re catching on.” “What?” Rarity asked. “I don’t follow.” “Silver Spoon didn’t need to block that last attack,” Moongazer said. “She landed a hit on Rumble’s arm, and she blocked his energy. If she’s mastered the Seven Deadly Blows, then that means she’s perfected her magic, she can concentrate it harder than a mere apprentice can, a full level harder than Rumble can. Her energy is metallic, poison. His is cold, numbing. He tried to chill her, she managed to clog him. He can’t use his technique at all now, can he?” “Exactly. She set him up, waiting for the opening,” Fleur said. “He was aiming for her muscles. She was aiming for his lungs.” Apple Bloom still didn’t get it. “But then how did she manage to stop Rumble from numbing her arms? He got a couple hits in, dead on. Didn’t that do anything?” “That is the complicated part,” Moongazer said. “There’s only one technique that can nullify an internal attack like that. When foreign energy enters the body, it can be flushed out with a sudden burst of energy. Bleed it out of the affected area, and you’re effectively healed, same as any poison. That’s why she moved the way she did: she was shaking it off, pretending to attack in a weakened state. She must have been draining all the power from her arms to stop the damage.” “Two,” Live Wire remarked. “Pardon?” “Two ways to nullify that kind of attack. Umm, Ma’am.” Moongazer had to think for a second before realising, then chuckled. “Well, yes, but there’s only one practical technique; flushing it out. And that’s a lot harder to do against somepony who’s skilled in that kind of magic and make it stick.” “Wouldn’t Rumble have noticed her flushing it, then?” Apple Bloom asked. “We can all see auras now. Even if she did it while attacking, he would have noticed, wouldn’t he?” “I was wondering about that, too,” Live Wire said. “The Feather Cloaks don’t usually get any expanded senses; they’re too tense for that. They wouldn’t know how to see the damage, let alone hide a healing. But Silver Spoon’s father is a Demon Hunter, remember? There’s more than one way to disappear. That’s the problem with the softer martial arts: if there’s not enough physical damage to back it up, you risk getting outdone.” Apple Bloom sighed. “He wasn’t trying to hurt her badly enough. He didn’t bruise her.” “No. And that’s going to cost him.” “Is he going to get hurt now, too?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Hard to say,” the boy replied. “If Silver Spoon wants to make an example out of him, she’ll drag out the fight. And if she wants to show off her skills, she’ll use the Seven Deadly Blows on him. I hope the referees step in before that.” “Oof!” Rumble took a sickening blow to his gut and doubled over in pain. “It’s over,” Silver Spoon said. “You can’t win.” “Yes… I… can!” “Stay down!” Silver Spoon shouted as Rumble got back on his hooves. He shook, his face contorted in agony, even his wings quivered, but he didn’t back down. He got his right arm up and gestured for her to come closer, despite the turmoil in his gut and the wet tingling in his lungs. “Not ‘til you apologise!” he hissed. “Apologise for what? For getting even with Sweetie Belle? For getting some justice, finally?” Rumble managed to raise his head up with sheer force of will. “For turning into a bully, for assaulting a classmate, and for terrorising my friends. All they ever did, all we ever did, was try to get better, try to have some fun, maybe get our cutie marks. And you had to go and turn it into a vendetta.” The crowd around the arena started growing, kids and adults alike coming over to see the spectacle. The other demos must have concluded by now. Still, they wouldn’t hear what she had to say, not after the damage she’d done to him. Silver Spoon shook her head and chuckled. “You’re through.” “No, I’m not. I’m still standing.” “Barely,” she retorted. “What are you gonna do, bite me?” “If I have to. Somepony’s gotta get some sense back in you.” “You honestly think a loser like you can take on a pony like me?” He sighed. “You don’t know what you’ve done. Don’t do this, just apologise. You have no idea what’s gonna happen.” “And neither do you. Do you have any idea who I am? I’m the top rookie of the Feather Cloaks. My daddy is Silver Bullet. And I deserve respect.” Rumble scowled. “Respect for what? For your daddy? My brother is Thunderlane, a future Wonderbolt. Does that mean you want my autograph?” Silver Spoon looked at the boy’s hooves, his arms, then his chest. His breathing was irregular, his muscles barely able to hold him up. He was standing on borrowed time. She turned her gaze to Blazing Trail, who nodded. In the stands, Moongazer and Fleur winced. “Uh oh,” Live Wire said. “What?” Apple Bloom asked. “What’s she gonna do? Seven Deadly Blows?” “Not yet,” he replied. “Not before she can torture him with another ninja technique.” “Curse you, Blazing Trail,” Fleur said. “You’d let a child be subjected to that? You’ve created a monster.” “Oh, no. What is it this time?” Sweetie Belle asked. “The single most terrifying weapon in any ninja’s arsenal. The forbidden technique, the one thing a ninja is sworn never to use against an opponent unless there is absolutely no other option,” Moongazer explained. “A technique that’s illegal in Caneighda and Denmare.” Sweetie Belle cringed. “What kind of technique? Ninja Chest Buster? Ninja Skull Crusher? Ninja Poison Powder?” Live Wire shook his head morosely and let out a sigh of defeat. “Ninja Dramatic Monologue.” “Do you have any idea what it’s like, having to pretend to be nice to ponies who only want to suck up to you because you’re rich? Do you know how many times we’ve had to sit there and smile while other ponies got all the attention, when we deserved it?” Rumble groaned. A bead of sweat rolled over his face as another shot of stabbing pain washed over his body from the gut up. “Me and Diamond Tiara, we’re the only ones who are honest. Every single pony in our class is just a sheep, and you know it. The second anyone gets any sort of fame, or money, they’ll swarm and try to get their piece of the action. Just wait: once Sweetie Belle’s sister makes it, that little blank flank is gonna be the most popular girl in school for a week, tops. And once she stops being famous, nopony will give a flying feather about her.” “Shut up,” Rumble managed to say between grinding his teeth. “Why? You know I’m right. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. Diamond Tiara had to work the presses after she got sacked as editor-in-chief for the Foal Free Press, and what did Featherweight get? What happened to the colt who invaded other ponies’ privacy, and took pictures of them when they thought they were safe? What happened to the kid who did the actual crime? He got promoted. How is that fair?” “Shut up…” Rumble hissed again. “And Scootaloo? You honestly want to defend Scootaloo? Seriously? A pegasus pony who was too stupid to figure out how to fly on her own, and that pony wanted a future Wonderbolt to adopt her as a big sister? The nerve! That’s like me expecting to get adopted by Princess Celestia! For no reason! You think me and Diamond are bad? Scootaloo is worse than we ever we-” “Shut up!” Silver barely had time to dodge the lunge. As his hoof grazed her shoulder, she felt Rumble’s cold touch against her fur. A tiny sliver made its way through, but she quickly healed it up, putting the soft frog of a hoof on what might have been a numbed patch. She had to shake her arm to make sure she could still move it. “What the…” Something nagged at the back of her head that this was wrong. If she’d had the time and clarity to think about it, she might have realised Rumble shouldn’t have been able to use his magic at all with all the magic she’d poured into him. He stumbled, but didn’t fall. He kept his guard up and fixed her with a glare. “Enough, Silver Spoon. Yeah, everypony in our class can be a jerk sometimes, heck, I can be a jerk, too. I was a jerk at Flight Camp. And Scootaloo? You don’t know the half of what Scootaloo’s done. But you know what the difference is? We don’t enjoy being jerks. We apologise, and we try to make things right. You don’t. You enjoy this. You don’t care about how they act, not really. You don’t want things to be right, or fair. You just want an excuse to do whatever you want, and to make other ponies do whatever you want.” “Rumble, stay down,” Silver Spoon threatened. “You took two hits from my special technique already. You can’t take another, and you can’t heal it up, either. Not like I can.” He winced and doubled over again as something reached into his gut and squeezed. “I know. I never got around to learning that part. But I am not staying down.” “You’re gonna have to. Surrender, now, or I’m going to have to make an example out of you.” Again, Rumble bit down the pain and stood, one hoof raised in defiance. “No. No threats, no ranting, no monologuing. I am not listening to you. You’re a bully, and that’s all you are. Stop pretending that you’re doing this for justice or revenge, or because your feelings are hurt. You just want to whine, and I am not putting up with that. You wanna make an example out of me? You’ll only be making one of yourself. You beat me down, you lose.” She snorted. “How does that work?” “No matter what you do, you can’t get me to surrender. You can’t force me.” He smiled. “You can hurt me, threaten me, beat me down, but you can’t force me. And you know why? Because you don’t have anything left. I have no reason anymore, at all, to listen to a word you say. You can’t try to reason with me anymore. You can’t pretend I should surrender because it’s better for me. You can’t even pretend to care about how hurt I might be. You have to scare me into surrendering. You can only get me to do what you want by scaring me. All you ever had was fear. You know what they call ponies that have to scare others into doing what they want? Terrorists.” “You’re so full of yourself, you know that?” “Sticks and stones, Silver Spoon. Scoff all you want, but I’m not gonna back down.” She growled and lowered her stance. “You’d better, if you know what’s good for you.” “I don’t negotiate with terrorists. That is the international standard, after all.” “What are they saying to each other?” Apple Bloom asked. “Nothing good,” Moongazer replied. “You can hear that from that far?” “Ninja master, Apple Bloom: I can read lips. This fight is going to be over pretty soon. Better get the medic ready.” “Fine. Have it your way.” Silver Spoon lowered one arm, then raised the other behind her. “Here’s what I think about you ‘winning’: Mercurial Hoof, Seven Deadly Blows.” Rumble took a deep breath in and smiled. “Do you worst.” She lunged. “One!” The first blow went straight into his gut. He could swear he tasted blood in his mouth. “Two! Three!” Two blows to the sides of his upper abdomen drove him back further. “Four!” One to his chest to straighten him up again. “Five! Six! Seven!” A triangle of pressure and agony formed on his belly. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t scream. The cold metal poison flowed into his veins and squeezed around his organs. Every fibre in his body cried out, and the cry was ‘Get away.’ His legs buckled, and he went down. Silver Spoon snorted. “You should feel honoured, Rumble. Not a lot of ponies get to see this done for real. You’re not getting up.” “W-watch… me...” Rumble bit down and forced himself back on all fours. He shook, he quivered, but he rose, having to use his wings for balance. She snarled. “Stay down! You’re only making it worse for yourself.” He smiled and shook his head. “N-no. You don’t get a say in what I do.” With a ragged grunt, he managed to look her in the eyes. “You... are not... my friend.” Silver Spoon flinched, and for a second she thought she’d been hit with some kind of delayed Death Touch, before she realised it was a dull ache in her heart. Rumble wasn’t very popular, but she’d never picked on him before, even with his blank flank. He was a strong flyer, an athlete, a little jock. She respected him, and so did Diamond Tiara, so did any girl in Ponyville. Writing a Hearts and Hooves letter to Rumble was something every girl in class did, not because they all had a crush on him – the numbers on that were still left up to debate – but because it felt wrong not to. Even though he didn’t hang out with their class often, everypony liked Rumble, what’s not to like? He was always friendly, always willing to help, never caused trouble, just minded his own business. For all the drama that befell Ponyville, Rumble had always been a force of stability in school, and a force for good. Everypony in class, girl or boy, knew that if they asked Rumble for something, they’d get a friendly and helpful response. It didn’t matter who asked, he would always treat you kindly and fairly. Rumble was a nice boy to have around, even if you didn’t need him. It was just comforting to know he was there if you did. And now, she realised, she’d cut herself off from that. She could almost see him angrily tearing up her letter next Hearts and Hooves, and it almost made her cry. Almost. How strange that an alpha like her should feel pain from being denied by a lower pony like him. Rumble saw it, and his smile only grew for it. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. You can’t make me give up. You’re gonna have to knock me out.” She bared her teeth at him. “What, you think I won’t?” “No. I don’t think you want to. Not really. I don’t know what those Feather Cloaks have told you, and they’ve obviously done a good job making you stronger, but at least part of you has to know that what you’re doing is wrong. If you just apologise, you can make it okay again. I wouldn’t stay mad. Why should you?” Her body trembled. “Because that’s how it works.” “Then I guess you just have to accept it: you’re going to have to get used to scaring ponies into doing what you want. You can’t make me give up.” “Watch me!” She ran and landed on his back with a mighty leap, before wrapping an arm around his neck and pressing. The other arm went behind his neck to form a neat and perfect triangle. Standard strangulation, a ninja classic. Rumble buckled under the weight, and he pushed back with all his strength, but the damage was done. He couldn’t struggle, then he couldn’t breathe. He tried to shake her off, but the throbbing in his head and the painful pressure on his throat wouldn’t relent. He couldn’t swallow, his flailing arms went heavy, his chest and belly burned. In his last thoughts, he cursed himself for failing. I’m sorry, Scootaloo. I tried. He went limp, and she dropped him. The medics would take care of him. She turned her back on him and walked away, the clear victor. “Silver Spoon wins by knockout!” Ash called out. “Medic, get the asphyxiation kit ready, please?” He’d be fine, Silver Spoon knew. She hadn’t kept him in the lock for that long, barely enough to make him pass out. And they had magic around to make sure he didn’t suffer brain damage, anyway. No permanent damage done. She wasn’t sure if she considered that a good thing or not. “Dumb loser, trying to steal my thunder.” As if Discord had been listening in on her, the Universe decided to torture her a little. “Oh my gosh! Rumble! Hey, you got your cutie mark!” she heard someone call out. Silver Spoon’s blood boiled. He what?! On my big day? After all that? That no good- “Well done, Silver Spoon,” Blazing Trail said. “You dominated that little fool.” Silver Spoon looked back as Rumble was carted away. “Are you injured?” Blazing asked. “He got a couple of shots in on your muscles. He was pretty skilled for a rookie. He might have had a chance against some of the other schools.” Silver sighed, angrily, because she was standing near the Feather Cloak master and Feather Cloaks did everything angrily. “No, Master Blazing. I’m fine. He wasn’t aiming to do any real damage with that icy touch. It’s weird. It’s almost like...” “Like… what? Like he was holding back?” “No,” Silver Spoon lied. “I beat him, fair and square. Guess even the Ashen Blizzard can’t do that much in a week.” Still, it haunted her. Why wouldn’t he quit? He must have known he was beaten once I hit his lungs. But he kept going. Why would he do that? What was he trying to do?