//------------------------------// // Let The Training Commence! // Story: Best Friends for Life // by SuperWriter2329 //------------------------------// A lone pale gray earth pony was making her way across town in order to get to Sweet Apple Acres for her training with Applejack, but she became lost since she wasn't born in Ponyville. With that, she just wanders around the small town until she can find somepony to show her the way. She already had her breakfast with her cousin Chert, Princess Twilight and her assistant Spike, who made the breakfast that consists of delicious pancakes. Diorite remembered quite well what had happened back at the dining area. It was there that Twilight managed to get a glimpse of the cousins' cutie marks. As she had expected, the marks were depictions of their own names. Still, she can't control her excitement before she ran out of the room without finishing her breakfast. Diorite was still thinking about the event that she didn't notice that somepony's scooter was heading towards her way. However, she did hear somepony yell "Look out!" Unfortunately, she didn't have time to react, causing the two to collide with each other. Seconds later after the dust cleared out, Diorite shook her head in order to get the adrenaline out from her body. "Ow, my head hurts..." She then heard the same voice from before, causing her head to turn to the source of the voice. Diorite soon laid her eyes upon a pegasus filly with orange coat and magenta colored mane and tail, with a scooter laying beside her. Despite the crash, Diorite did not suffer any injuries due to her earth pony heritage. Feeling concern for the filly, she then said, "Are you okay there, young one?" The young pegasus looked up to see a pale gray earth pony mare standing beside her. She then said, "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine! Just a little headache, that's all." "Okay then. Hey, do you know how to get to Sweet Apple Acres from here?" "Sweet Apple Acres? Yeah, I know! In fact, I was just heading there! Want me to show you, miss..." "Oh, Diorite. Just Diorite," Diorite introduced herself. "Miss Diorite. Cute name," Scootaloo said, causing the older mare to blush. "You think so?" the earth pony asked, getting a nod from the pegasus. "Hehe, thanks. You know, ever since I was into the royal guard, nopony ever called me cute before, what with the whole stern attitude and all." Upon hearing that Diorite was part of the royal guard, Scootaloo's eyes were wide in shock. Still, she soon let out a squeal of joy as she said, "Woah, you're a guard? Awesome!" "Yeah. Hey, you haven't told me your name yet." "Oh yeah, whoops. I'm Scootaloo and I'm a huge Rainbow Dash fan! I take it you knew her as well?" "Of course, and Princess Twilight and the rest of her friends as well." The filly's eyes went wide before feeling sceptical as she asked, "But, how did you know the others?" "Well, I know them since yesterday. Plus, I now lived at the castle but only temporary," answered Diorite. "Oh, okay then. So, do you wanna go to the apple farm or not?" Scootaloo said. "Oh yeah, that. Lead the way, then." About twenty minutes later, Diorite and Scootaloo finally made it to Sweet Apple Acres. Along the way, Scootaloo explained that she wanted to meet Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, whom Diorite learned was Applejack's and Rarity's younger sisters, at their clubhouse nearby. She also explained to the older pony that she and her friends have been trying and failing to get cutie marks ever since they formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders. When they arrived by the gates separating the house and the farm, the two part ways with Diorite heading towards the farmhouse. She then knocked the front door and seconds later, Applejack answered the door with a smile on her face. "Oh, howdy there Miss Diorite! How did you know where the farm was?" "Well, a filly came by and showed me the way. Uh, what was her name again? Scootaloo?" Diorite said, trying to remember the pegasus' name. Upon hearing Scootaloo's name, the cowgirl's eyes twitched a bit, which was unnoticed by her fellow earth pony. She then sighed and said, "Huh, Ah knew it when Apple Bloom ran out o' the house without finishin' her breakfast. Speakin' of which, have you had breakfast yet, Miss Diorite?" "I have, but please just call me Diorite. I'm currently off duty right now," the guard said. "Oh, sorry there, have been quite used to royalty for a while since my friends and Ah were friends with the princesses and all." "Yeah, I noticed. So, can we get to that training now?" Meanwhile, around the same time at the Castle of Friendship, after seeing his cousin Diorite take off to Sweet Apple Acres, the pegasus Chert was currently in the backyard of the castle with Rainbow Dash and Rarity. The reason is that he wanted to get started with his training in placing an inhibitor ring to a unicorn's horn, ensuring that they are unable to use magic. For Rarity's part, she didn't really like having her magic blocked. However, she was willing to be the guinea pig for Chert's training for Bon Bon's sake. As of now, Rainbow was showing her fellow pegasus the basic ways in subduing Rarity in order for him to place the ring on her horn. They even showed him a number of situations that might happen when he tried to do the same to Amethyst. Currently, he was shown a situation where Amethyst might be using sharp weapons like knives to defend herself. "Okay, so here's what you should do when a unicorn was using deadly objects that might kill. Obviously you need to get rid of the knives, but how should you do it when there's magic involved? Let me show you, and then I need you to do it, okay?" the speedster explained, which Chert nodded. Then, Rainbow and Rarity engaged in a fight with Rarity using magic to float some knives to defend herself. Rainbow swooped in to grab hold of the knives, but nearly missed the incoming counterattack. "See that? If you just swoop in like that, there's a chance that you might end up injure yourself. Got that?" Rainbow asked. "Uh huh, I get that. Swooping in, bad idea," Chert said. "Okay, now here's how you should do it. Watch and learn." After that, the cyan pegasus went over to her unicorn friend and engaged again. Over and over, she managed to block every single strike that Rarity gave her. However, Rainbow managed to get her foreleg right underneath her, causing Rarity to lose concentration and balance, forcing her to drop the knives. Rainbow then forced the inhibitor ring on Rarity's horn the second she was lying down. Chert saw everything that happened and took note of it. After a while, he nodded with a grin on his face. Rainbow came towards her fellow pegasus and asked, "So, did you get on how you should do it?" The white pegasus nodded. "Yeah, I think I can do it." "Well, hopefully you can, darling, cause getting your magic blocked every time is really tiring, you know?" Rarity said, panting from all of that sparring. "Yeah, I still can't believe you volunteered to be subdued by that ring on your horn," the pegasus guard pointed out. "Well, to be honest, I didn't want to do this, but for Bon Bon, I have to do it for her sake." "Huh, your element could have been Loyalty instead of Generosity if you keep up like this. Then I'll have to find another element to inherit," Rainbow said jokingly. With a roll of his eyes, the only stallion of the group said, "Okay then. Can I have a turn now?" "Oh no, not again," the fashionista whined. "Hey Rares, don't worry. This will be the last one and then we take a break, alright? Plus, I already showed him all five possible scenarios what a unicorn might do to defend herself," the speedster exclaimed. "Fine, but just this one last time, okay?" "Well, you heard her. Show us what you learned." The white pegasus needed no more encouragement as he, after taking the ring back from Rarity's horn, started engaging in the fight, as usual Rarity using knives to defend herself. Using the technique Rainbow used, he managed to get the ring placed onto her horn after a minute of scuffle. "Wow, not bad. You managed to finish in about an hour," Rainbow said. "Thanks. I am a fast learner, after all," Chert exclaimed. That statement received an eye roll from the two friends as the cyan pegasus mentally said, "Heh, just like Twilight, but as a stallion and not a bookworm." "Alright then, darlings, how about that break we intended to do?" Rarity said, taking the ring off with her hoof since she can't use her magic while the ring was in place. "Okay! But, I was wondering how Diorite was doing with her part of the training?" Meanwhile, back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Diorite was currently by the backyard to do the training. So far, Diorite has shown Applejack how far she has gotten into her self taught tying lesson and had pointed out the pros and cons of it; the most obvious con was that the knots were too loose that will result in the easy escape of the culprit. With that, Applejack finally showed her the greatest way of tying up a pony with Pinkie Pie's help. Like Rarity, she was also willing to be the decoy in order to get Diorite in shape for the main event next week. "Alright, so now do you know how to do it?" Applejack asked. Diorite then saw how intricate the knots that she has done to the party pony, who was tied up to a chair as of now. She had her forelegs tied behind her back by looping the rope on each leg and securing it with more rope down in the middle. Any excess rope was looped around her body tightly and efficiently, which was easily over four feet remaining. "Wow Applejack, you really know your way with this thing. You do this every time there's danger or is it something else?" the gray earth pony asked. "Nah, it's not every time that Ah got to use my talent for helpin' other ponies," the cowgirl said. "Yeah, Applejack really does know her way around this. She is the best of the best!" Pinkie exclaimed, still quite tied up at the moment. "Also, I thought you were quite hyperactive for doing this thing, Pinkie," Diorite said. "Yeah I would, but I don't want Bon Bon to be all frowny like. You know how much I hated ponies not smiling, especially if it involves couples like Lyra and Bon Bon. I saw how happy they were when they started dating, but for Amethyst to do such a thing that's gonna end their relationship is just wrong," the party pony explained. "Applejack, does she really like doing long speeches?" the guard asked her fellow earth pony. "It's alright, she does this all the time every day, it's pretty much the norm right here in Ponyville, includin' when she and Rainbow Dash went off to Griffonstone for the very first official friendship problem," Applejack said. "Okay then. So, can I have a turn now?" "Sure. Just do exactly as Ah did and it will all paid off in the end," the farmer said as she untied Pinkie before handing the rope to Diorite. About ten minutes later, Diorite finally get the hang in tying up Pinkie because when she finished, it looked exactly like it was supposed to be, forelegs tied behind her back and her body tightly secured with the extra rope. Applejack, for her part, was amazed how Diorite was able to pick up quickly and said, "Wow, are ya sure you're not Twilight's long lost sister or anythin' cause ya learned really fast there, Diorite." The guard giggled. "Oh, I can assure you that Princess Twilight and I are not related in any way at all." "Uh, alrighty then. Oh, it's nearly noon. Diorite, do you wanna have lunch here?" the cowgirl proposed. "Sure, why not? I am getting hungry, by the way. Let's go then!" "Uh guys, can you at least untie me before you leave?" The two other earth ponies looked back to see Pinkie still tied up to the chair that she was sitting on. "Oops, sorry Pinkie. Let me help you out," Diorite said. After that, she, Pinkie and Applejack made their way to the dining area for a nice lunch together. "Applejack, do you think I did well earlier?" Diorite asked. "Are ya kiddin'? Ya did really well! A few more practices and you will tie up Amethyst like a turkey wrapped up in a blanket," Applejack said. That compliment made the earth pony guard blush slightly as she said, "Okay then, I'll try my best!" After that, they, alongside her cousin Chert and his companions, finally have lunch at the same time before resuming their training.