//------------------------------// // Duel Under the Stars: (Rock Beats All) // Story: Storm Vine // by zalla661 //------------------------------// Tempest’s lip curled. She was truly amazed by Maud’s challenge. It wasn’t often she got a challenge she was looking forward too. Tempest had to admit she was intrigued by Maud’s physical prowess, and she was looking forward to fighting the earth pony. She wanted to see what this pony was made of. Now, she would get her chance. Trixie was now away with Starlight at the side leaving Maud to fight Tempest alone. Though Tempest was still mad at Trixie, she was willing to overlook her anger to focus on her new challenger. The stoic Maud seemed unusually calm for a pony getting ready to fight. In all honesty, it made Tempest feel a bit uneasy. She shrugged it off and tried to focus on the fight ahead. Tempest lowered her posture like a lioness preparing to attack. Maud simply stood in place looking unimpressed. That really threw Tempest off. Ignoring that fact Tempest decided to wait no longer. She charged forward rushing Maud intending to either plow into her or make Muad dodge in which she would sideswipe her. What Tempest didn’t expect was the pebble. As Tempest rushed Maud stepped to the side as Tempest planned. Swinging low Tempest side kicked at Maud’s legs. With the agility of a cheetah, Maud jumped in the air and completely dodged the attack. Tempest frowned at the mare as she spun her legs upwards, and spun on her back like a breakdancer would. The effect made her body spin upwards with enough momentum to lift her off the ground and she forced her weight to the side and effectively rolled in the air to her hooves. She panted slightly, and trailed of sweat ran down her brow and her very breath steamed up in the cold night. She couldn't help, but let out a chuckle. Maud blinked blankly at her not moving otherwise. “You’re a very patient pony,” she said to Maud. “I can see you’re very calculating. Patient. Precise. I admire that.” Tempest charged Maud again. This time she leaped into the air and tried to roundhouse kick in the side of the head. Maud was quick to react and managed to block the attack and pushed Tempest back sending her spiraling to the ground. However, Tempest was able to land on her side and use her momentum to try and swipe at Maud's legs trying to trip her. Maud wasn’t able to move out of the way and was tripped by the low kick. Tempest followed up with a mighty punch at Maud’s stomach. Maud managed to roll to the side and recover as Tempest buried her hoof a foot deep in the soft earth. Growling she freed her hoof and glared at Maud. Trixie and Starlight cheered for Maud in the background. Maud made no indication she heard them; not even a nod. Tempest was tired of this and was ready to end it. She shifted her weight and flicked her hip to the left until she heard a loud clicking noise. She grinned and began to circle Maud who wasn’t bothering to follow her. She simply turned her head to follow Tempest until she was out of sight behind her. Even then Tempest wasn’t out of her sight’ so to speak. Maud’s ear homed in on the sound of Tempest's heavy armored hoof steps. They told her she didn't’ stop walking and was continuing to circle her. The very earth resonated with Maud in ways that even Applejack couldn’t comprehend. Maud was one with the earth beneath her hooves. So, when Tempest charged from behind and the resonating stopped that was the red light that she was no longer grounded. Slowly Maud turned to look up and sure enough, Tempest was in the air. The unicorn was spinning forward like a wheel, a long rope reached out with a three-fingered claw. The rope was attached to Tempest's left hip where, under her armor plate, was a small crank that could draw the rope was housed. The claw snapped at Maud’s hooves and tensed up between the two ponies. The small crank started cranking as Tempest started to descend to the ground. However, before she was even halfway to the ground Maud took hold of the rope with both her hooves and yanked it as hard as she could. Tempest suddenly found herself being pulled like a rocket towards Maud. Tempest felt her heart race as in the blink of an eye she was in front of Maud and was punched full force in her unprotected gut. The force of the punch was so strong that Tempest was sent flying back into a nearby tree and split it in two. Tempest herself kept going, bouncing off the ground several times before skidding to a fault. Completely winded she gasped for air while trying to get up but felt her body was on the verge of giving in. Then suddenly the moonlight was blocked out as a large chunk of earth was lobbed at her. She cursed a profanity before being crushed under the chunk of earth with a loud ground shaking thoom, leaving only her exposed tail poking out from behind. Not far Maud stared at the small hunk of dirt she threw and her two unicorn friends gasped in horror at what she’d done. Starlight was the first to catch her voice. “MAUD! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?” Starlight exclaimed shaking the earth pony wildly. “What’s wrong?” Maud asked. Trixie came up beside them, gasping and dancing on her tip hooves like she was trying to decide if she should flee or stay to help. Starlight gestured to the large earth pile Maud threw. It had to be well over a hundred pounds considering how big it was. ‘Maud! You killed that pony! You don’t do that to ponies! What were you thinking?!” Maud shrugged. “I think she could handle it.” “What?! Why would you think that?!” Starlight bellowed. As if to answer her the hunk of earth began to glow. Suddenly it erupted into a bright ball of raw magical lighting. The sheer power behind the attack completely obliterated the dirt. Whips of lighting and magic spiraled around where Tempest was crackling and booming as they violently whipped around like tendrils. Starlight jumped in front of Maud erecting a magical shield spell, while simultaneously pulling Trixie into it. The shield repealed the magical discharge from tempest but cracked under the raw power it presented. For several seconds this light show went on until slowly dying down and leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. A few seconds of quite past and the only sound all around was the sound of dirt and rock settling on the ground form the air. Once the dust settled Tempest stood in a partial crater under her hooves. Starlight and Trixie stared in awe at the unicorn who they thought was dead, but very much alive. Her armor dented and battered, tempest panted heavily and collapsed onto her belly. She rested her chin on the ground and simply stayed there. Maud walked past her friends and made her way right up to Tempest. Then very slowly Maud crouched and rested her body on the ground keeping level with tempest by resting her chin on the ground as well. “Are you good?” She asked Tempest. Tempest chuckled weakly. “Yeah, *Pant* *Pant* I’m good. You’re good too. I’m impressed.” Maud curled her mouth slightly at the compliment. “You are too. You just didn’t think I was capable of standing up against you.” Tempest barked out a laugh and gasped as she coughed out some dirt from her dry throat. “Heh, I honestly didn’t. Mark my words you will be beaten next time. I won’t take this defeat lying down,” Tempest said with a hint of cheer in her voice. “But you’re on the ground now,” Maud replied flatly. Tempest scoff sideways. “I don’t me literally I just- ugh, nevermind. The point is I want a rematch. Will you accept my challenge for a future match?” Maud tilted her head slightly to the side. “Does this make us friends?” Tempest did consider outright saying yes, but she was too sore in her body and ego to allow herself to say it. So she compromised. “I won’t say we’re friends, but acquaintances,” She stood up slowly, her legs shaking under her. “Look, I’m willing to be friends, but it’ll take more than one fight to make us friends.” Maud stood up and walked back to Starlight and Trixie before glancing back at Tempest. “How about lunch tomorrow?” “What? You threw a huge mass of the land at me, crushed me, and you want to have lunch together tomorrow?” Tempest asked sarcastically. Maud blinked slowly. “Yes.” Tempest sighed turning to limp away. “Whatever, fine.” With what little pride she had left Maud walked away and headed home. Her body ached and her mind was numb from the utter defeat she had just been handed to herself. Then again, that Maud was strong. That on its own deserved praise. Perhaps she and Maud might get along well, maybe even the other unicorn. Trixie though? Not a chance. It would take more than this to make Tempest give in and become friends with that arrogant lout again. As Tempest made her way over a hill she glanced back to see the three ponies gathering their belongings and made camp for the night. She herself was ready to hit the hay as well. Stumbling home tempest's aching body groaned with her armor which was battered and dented all over. The long walk home was boring and just as tiring. Tempest felt many times like her legs would give in at any moment. However, she powered through it and eventually made her way back home. The moon was at its zenith and the skies were clear giving a eerie calming glow across the land of Equestria. In her home once again Tempest lazily dragged herself upstairs to her room. Once inside her childhood sanctuary, she very lazily discarded her armor to the corner and her rashguard. Covered in dirt, scratches, and dents the armor lay under the moonlight from the window across the room. Tempest herself now free from the armor threw herself onto the bed and landed on her fluffy chest. Her chin hitting the pillow left her feeling content. With a relaxing sigh from the comforting pillow and plush blankets, she slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to a deep sleep.