//------------------------------// // Chapter Three: The Dangers of Competition // Story: Hoof To Hoof // by MrTrieg //------------------------------// Hoof to Hoof Chapter 3: The Dangers of Competition Sensei, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were standing in the clearing. Sensei was off to the left of the other two, who were staring each other down. Their heads lowered the girls slowly circled each other, matching each step the other was taking. The air was tense and soon the tension would boil over. Rainbow Dash charged, dusting off with her wings. Since Rainbow Dash was literally flying at Applejack, Applejack’s next move was almost instantaneous. She reared onto her hind legs, catching Rainbow’s kick with her front hooves. Rainbow, having collided with Applejack, leaned back into a backflip. Rainbow landed not too far away from Applejack, who spins quickly in an attempt to buck at her. This was their second week of training. Rainbow, surprised by AJ’s quickness, dodges with a back hoofspring, rapidly getting out of the way. Sensei smiles, “This is good, this one is impressed, the both of you are doing good work, Applejack continue working on your speed. Rainbow, focus on accuracy, aim your kicks better. Anticipate your opponents movements, feel their actions, look for their tells.” Rainbow grimaced, I know this, AJ's just too darn sturdy. Looking up she noticed that Applejack had a slight smirk on her face and she was chuckling under her breath. This struck a chord deep within Rainbow, Why that smug…. Applejack continued to smile as she went back into her fighting stance, OHH IT’S ON NOW. Growling slightly, Rainbow Dash charged forward, launching into an acrobatic flurry of kicks and strikes. Some of them landing square on Applejack’s head and sides. Applejack, sturdy as she was, couldn't block all of them and when they began to hurt a little more than a little, she started to get worried, She’s hittin’ me far too hard fer a sparrin’ match, she’s angry, gotta be. Rainbow spun, twisting into a side flip, and struck AJ hard across the face with her wing. The strike had produced a small cut on Applejack’s face that bled slightly. Applejack was starting to get angry as well, That’s it, I’ma whoop her rainbow colored flank. Applejack grabbed one of Rainbow’s many blows, taking her by surprise, and flipped her through the air. Rainbow hadn't expected Applejack to be able to grasp one of her kicks, and she was reminded of just how skilled they were getting as she caught herself in midair. The moment of clarity that came with being tossed into the air suddenly passed and Rainbow was at once very angry again. Landing on the ground she took a moment to ready herself, and proceeded to charge at Applejack as fast as she could. The pegasus was a rainbow colored blur by the time she skimmed by Applejack, swiping at her with one of her hooves. Rainbow’s agility was legendary among the fliers of Equestria, and it was in full display here and now. She, without losing a touch of speed, managed to circle around a tree and come back to strike at AJ again, this time with her wing. This strike caught Applejack on her right shoulder, producing another small cut. Applejack was furious, and began to anticipate Rainbow’s actions, spinning around at just the right moment to buck, hard, at Rainbow Dash as she was passing. The kick caught Rainbow right in the stomach and she collapsed onto the ground in a heap. “Oh no,” Applejack sputtered out as she raced to her side. When she got there Rainbow Dash leapt and tackled Applejack, beginning to strike her wildly. Applejack upon realizing that her friend was not hurt began to retaliate in kind. Sensei, who until recently had been silently watching the fight unfold, jumped to his hooves, yelling for the two of them to stop, “This one insists that you stop the fight at once!” Applejack struck Rainbow in the face hard, catching her off guard and distracting her momentarily; she then rolled so that she was now on top continuing to strike down at Rainbow. Sensei yelled once more, “Enough! Stop the fight!” Realizing that the two of them were not going to stop anytime soon, the old stallion leapt forward, doing a flip over top of the two ponies rolling on the ground. Mid-flip the stallion grasped Applejack, finishing the flip and throwing her off of Rainbow, “You are too strong to be kicking like that, and Rainbow you do not lose control, to lose control like that allows you to not only injure yourself but injure your partner.” Rainbow stands, still seething she glares angrily in Applejack’s direction. Applejack stood and scowled in a similar way, angrily she began to let Rainbow have it, “She started it, she was hittin' too hard, an’ she used ‘er wings, I thought we weren’t s’posed ta do that.” Rainbow came up with arguments of her own, “Oh yeah, so I cut you a little bit, you could have killed me bucking that hard, I’ve seen you knock down trees with that kick of yours!” The two of them walked closer to each other, eventually getting into each other’s faces, their bickering had devolved into a shouting match. Sensei watched, his face growing more sober the more the friends yelled at each other, until finally as it seemed they were about to come to blows again Sensei yelled, “ENOUGH!” The startlingly loud yell was completely different from the old stallion’s usual amiable manner of speaking, this was direct and confrontational, “You two have been training hard every day for more than two weeks, you are both far too skilled and far too strong to lose control this way, collect yourselves!” Casting his gaze down angrily he added, “And there will be no training tomorrow.” This caught the feuding friends by surprise. Rainbow was quick to challenge the order, “Why? The only way we are going to get better at this is if we keep practicing,” Applejack added in curtly, “Yeah and how you figure a break’ll help us learn this stuff.” Kicking the dirt in front of her she furthered, “Ah mean you told us that since we’re doin’ so well, you’ve stepped us up from what yer original schedule was, and heck outside’a this lil’ spat we ain’t done nothin’ wrong!” The two of them continued to protest, Sensei held out a hoof, immediately they stopped barking, “Training, while good for the mind and body, is straining when done for long durations, this one believes that you two should find something else to do, something to take your mind off of the conflict between you,” The girls argued a moment longer, finally quieting down when Sensei raised his hoof again. Rainbow spoke, somewhat reserved, “Well, I guess I could go read a book or something, I haven’t read the new Daring Do book yet,” I’ll have to get it from Twilight though, she thought to herself as she spoke. Applejack then chimed in, “Well, I suppose I could go sell some apples n’ town,” Since Big Mac n’ Applebloom ‘ve been outta town we’ve been too shorthanded t’ go sell she thought momentarily. “Good,” Sensei added, the threat retreating from his voice, “Rainbow Dash will go read, while Applejack spends the day in town. We will take tomorrow off. However this one still wants you two to practice your forms and meditate for at least a half hour tomorrow, do you understand?” “Yes Sensei,” the two mares answered together. Rainbow Dash was walking to the library; she nursed her chest and stomach, which were bruised and very sore, Applejack’s kick had thankfully not broken anything. As she walked she thought about what had happened regretfully, Wow, I really lost it there. Further she reflected, I think I’m beginning to understand why Sensei is always so mellow. Everything he knows, he’s got to be dangerous angry. She then started trying to imagine what an angry Sensei would look like, shuddering, she continued walking. There was a slight dip in the road. Rainbow, lost in thought, hadn’t seen it. So when her hoof landed wrong causing her to stumble a light stinging pain shot up her side. The training over the past two weeks had been one of the toughest things she had ever done and the more she thought of it, the better she thought of Sensei’s break suggestion. She stretched out her wings, the cyan feathers were out of line, they needed to be groomed badly, and the muscles along her wings were incredibly sore. She thought to herself momentarily as she continued walking, I am so beat! I’m going to have trouble getting home at this rate. Looking up she found that she had come close to the library. Rainbow came into the main room of the library and found Twilight neck deep in some experiment; test-tubes, various books, and a number of strange shapes drawn on large butcher paper littered the library. Rainbow was fairly confused, but brushed off her curiosity, Twilights always doing something I guess. She scowled, shaking off some of the muscle pain she was experiencing, and asked Twilight, “Hey Twilight, where is that new Daring Do book?” Twilight jumped, obviously startled, “GAH RAINBOW! When did you come in?” Rainbow chuckled slightly, she was freaking out over something again, “Just a few seconds ago, do you mind telling me what you’re up to?” Twilight’s eyes darted back and forth quickly, “Nothing, nothing at all really, okay umm, I’m studying…. Squirrels! Yes squirrels and their habitats,” Rainbow looked at the drawings again, one of them was a pentagram with a large circle drawn around it, and looked back to Twilight, Well if she doesn’t want to tell me, right now I’m too tired to worry about it. “Whatever Twilight, where’s the book?” Twilight, already returning to her work, pointed her hoof to a large pile of books in a corner of the room, Rainbow picked up the book and made to leave, saying goodbye to Twilight in the process. As she walked out the door she collided with Fluttershy, who managed to stammer, “Oh hi Rainbow! Sorry I can’t talk now bye!” She practically shoved Rainbow out the door. Applejack was sitting behind her applecart, doing her best to act engaged, really her mind was remembering the fight, Now what in the hay was Rainbow thinkin’ she coulda hurt me, she coulda hurt herself! Applejack looked around at the deserted square. It was almost empty but for an errant pegasus, Thunderlane. Applejack put on her best show-man’s smile and waved. Thunderlane looked up at Applejack and flew over, “Hey Applejack, you selling apples?” he asks curiously. Applejack nodded and pointed to the variety of apples on her cart. Thunderlane made his selection, buying two dozen apples. “Thanks, Thunderlane, come by th’ farm sometime!” As Thunderlane departed Applejack sighed, and complained under her breath “I always get the short end o’ th’ stick.” Her mind returned to the fight, I guess I overreacted too, I did kick her a lil' too hard. Ah heck, I kicked her way too hard! What was I thinkin'! I really coulda hurt her! Grabbing a newspaper she began to read to distract herself from the depressing thought, at this point she was basically one of maybe five ponies in the square. She continued to read the paper, skimming the headlines reading aloud in her head, Black Light crashes Fat Cat’s party in Manehatten, Flim and Flam formally prosecuted in Las Pegasus on fraud charges, Changelings still being hunted after Canterlot attack, weather factory workers in Cloudsdale on strike, “same old, same old,” she mutters under her breath. She looked up just in time to see a pair of Diamond Dogs wander into a dark alley. Remembering the story Rainbow had told her about Sensei’s arrival she convinced herself, Maybe I’d better follow ‘em. Applejack threw a tarp over top the apple cart, and followed the dogs down the alley. The pair wandered for a while, and started talking to each other. The larger of the two dogs looked to the smaller and started asking questions, “How many we have?” The smaller looked up to the larger, “fifteen, we have fifteen dogs,” “Need more, maybe five or six more,” “Why you so worried? Was only one pony beat us, we have fifteen dogs, fifteen good number,” “Remember last year, whiny pony with five friends?” “Those ponies beat us, so what?” “One of those ponies owns farm, rainbow pony from that night also one of other six, they dangerous, we need more dogs,” The small dog relented, “Fine we get more dogs, they probably be here tomorrow,” “Good, we get them here, then we burn down farm.” As the dog finished his threat Applejack bolted back across the square, headed for the farm. Applejack busted down the door to the house, she was winded, sore, tired, and worried, and the last thing she expected was a candlelight dinner waiting for her at the farmhouse. On the table was a hardy and romantic dinner, between the plates was a large candelabra with lit candles. The lights, as low as they were, created a very romantic atmosphere. Sensei was sitting opposite Granny Smith, his hair neat, his beard combed, and wearing a look that bespoke a content and happy pony; a look that disappeared the moment that Applejack busted down the door, to be immediately replaced with a look of mild embarrassment and a tone to match, “Applejack! This one thought you would be in the market all day!” Granny Smith quickly added in, “Confound it AJ caint ya jus’ do as yer sayin’ fer once?” Applejack was also embarrassed, she quickly shook it off, too much on edge to stay embarrassed for long. “Granny Smith, may ah borrow Mr. Sensei fer a moment?” Sensei’s face grew concerned at Applejack’s expression; turning to Granny Smith he voiced, “Sorry, this one needs to go talk to Applejack for a moment,” Granny Smith, sensing the tension, motioned for them to go. They stepped outside, and not a moment later was Applejack throwing out accusations, “I knew lettin’ you stay here’d be a bad idea! Them dogs ‘re comin’ ta burn down mah farm! If’n we don’t do nothin’ about it, mah families gonna be run out a Ponyville, we lived here fer generations, we need ta do somethin’” Applejack was practically in tears now, so bad was her worry not much of what she said came out the way she thought she said it, she was blubbering when Sensei rested a hoof on her shoulder. What Sensei said next came as a humongous comfort, “Applejack, this one needs you calm, this one will help you defend, we must gather your friends, where are they,” Applejack, bit her lip, trying to keep the tears back, “Rarity n’ Pinkie Pie ‘re out a town, Twilight an’ Fluttershy’re goin’ ta have ta help us,” “We also need Rainbow, she is one of best hopes now to defend your farm, where is she?” “She said she’d be readin’ she does that at home ta keep eyes off ‘er, she don’t want ponies seein’ her as n’ egghead” “Since neither you nor this one can fly we need to find a pegasus to get her from her home,” “Ah know jus’ tha one,” Applejack said, her eyes growing determined. The two of them walked into the post office, they had just been to both Twilight’s library, and Fluttershy’s cottage, neither of them could be found; this was strange as they were usually home, since their jobs were at their homes. “Alright we need ta get Rainbow,” Applejack remarked as they looked around the office, “You were right Sensei, Rainbow’s now the best and only hope fer savin’ mah farm, an’ we need a pegasus, one who’s good at deliverin’ messages,” Applejack pointed across the counter to the walleyed pegasus, Derpy, “She’s the best at deliverin’ messages,” Sensei was incredulous, and he remarked while looking at her cross-eyed expression, “This one is unsure of using this pegasus, couldn’t we ask another?” Applejack replied, “No, Derpy’s tha fastest at deliverin’ packages, an’ shes the best mailmare tha’s ever come inta this post office,” As she spoke Derpy had placed a large box of letters onto the counter. Derpy, grasping a dozen or so letters in her mouth, threw them over her shoulder without looking; miraculously they all flew into individual boxes on the wall behind her, perfectly sorted. Sensei raised an eyebrow, “She is quite dexterous, for one whose eyes are improperly aligned” The reply Applejack gave was a little less praising than the one before, “Yeah, she’s good with tha mail an’ all, but for whatever reason, she’s not all that agile, dexterous,” She stopped trying to think of the right word, “Or perhaps competent otherwise.” Derpy, realizing Applejack was in the post office, waved. As she did so, her hoof knocked the box of letters off of the counter spilling the contents all over the floor of the post office. Seemingly without realizing what she had done she spoke, “Hi Applejack, how are you doing today,” “Good Derpy, now listen we ‘ave a very important message for ya to deliver, to Rainbowdash’s house, we need her at the farm immediately,” Derpy’s face grew comically serious, “I’m on it,” she said, as she flew out of a jagged hole in the roof. Sensei looked up at the roof, asking curiously, “Has that always been there?” “Nah, they jus’ stopped fixin’ it once they realized what was causin’ it.” A short while later, Applejack was at the farm, when Rainbow Dash knocked on the door, “Anyone mind telling me why Derpy just crashed through my roof to tell me to come here?” Applejack replied, a solemn look on her face, “Them dogs’re comin ta burn down mah farm.” They spent the next several minutes explaining the situation to Rainbow Dash, when they began to discuss strategy. Applejack began the discussion, “We need to find a way to outsmart these dogs, ain’t no way we can fight all twenty of em straight up,” Sensei replied, “This one would not be so sure of your inadequacies, however a better strategy presents itself,” The old pony stood and began pacing the kitchen, talking as he walked, “You two are becoming quite capable, and there is no doubt in this one’s mind that you could handle these dogs with ease. However neither of you are in a rested state and so are in no condition to do this on your own. This one will assist, if this one can take down the two leaders of the pack, the rest will retreat, keep them distracted while this one works,” Rainbow Dash nodded, “I guess this is the best plan we are going to get,” Sensei smiled, “Get some rest, you both have a big day tomorrow.” The next morning came quickly, and the sun rose red over the farmhouse. The duo of newly minted martial artists and their instructor stood in a line on top of a hill, the twenty-something Diamond Dogs approached. The pack of dogs were angry, some were carrying torches, others just shaking their fists. The leaders of the pack stepped forward, Lefty and Grumbles, and roared to the three standing at the top of the hill, “Give us old pony and we leave in peace,” as the larger finished yelling, the smaller chimed in, “You don’t we burn farm and all apple trees!” Rainbow, the veritable queen of smack-talk, yelled back, “You gonna bark all day little doggie? or are you gonna bite!” The dogs charged, barking and hollering as loud as they could, the insult from Rainbow Dash had sent them over the edge. Rainbow Dash and Applejack charged forward as well, when the two groups collided the two ponies leapt into action. Rainbow Dash launched into a flurry of acrobatic kicks and wing clips, the dogs repeatedly tried to get around her, but they couldn’t keep up with her speed. The dogs dropped one by one, in close proximity to Rainbow. As she made her way through the crowd of dogs she looked up to see Applejack. The cow pony was grabbing and throwing the various dogs, literally launching them up into the air, her tremendous strength doing wonders to slow them down. Glancing the other direction Rainbow Dash saw Sensei, slowly making his way to the center of the chaos. With the fight roiling around him the old pony looked calm, in front of him were Lefty and Grumbles. Both dogs were fuming, the anger dripping from their voices, “No one fight dogs and win!” Lefty roared, The littler dog charged, bringing down his left paw in a swipe, time seemed to slow. Sensei visibly exhaled and relaxed then sidestepped the swipe. The old pony then jabbed at the dogs arm, a very light jab. When the jab connected the dog's arm went limp, the pony maneuvered around his back and continued with a series of jabs along the dog’s back. Lefty mumbled, “Me feel funny,” and slumped, unconscious, to the ground. Sensei stood as time returned to normal over the unconscious dog, and spoke using the full measure of authority that his voice allotted, “This one and this one’s students have beaten your dogs, this one suggests you run, your pack Is beaten. Let go your strife, leave now and never return.” Grumbles looked down at the unconscious Lefty, and then up at Sensei, all of the dogs in the field were watching him. They all looked down at the inert dog, many started running right then, carrying their wounded and unconscious comrades. Grumbles took a second to collect Lefty, and began running as fast as he could away from the farm. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had stopped fighting to watch the old pony duke it out with Lefty and Grumbles, when the dogs began to retreat, Rainbow cheered while Applejack just watched them leave. Sensei turned to the girls, curtly speaking, “Now if you will excuse this one, he has a date to return to.” The dogs had returned to their cave, they wanted nothing more to do with ponies, many had returned to digging for diamonds in the caves. Grumbles looked to Lefty, who was lying on a bed they had made for him. The feeling was starting to come back to his body, he was twitching his left arm, trying to move it. Grumbles’ worry over his companion lessened as he watched him move, “Lefty, I go get you some water okay,” As he stepped out through the opening to this section of the cave a loud thump was heard, and the dog was sent flying back into the room. As he landed a red dragon with large leathery wings, bipedal, standing almost a foot and a half taller than Grumbles walked into the room. Stepping over Grumbles the dragon looked to Lefty, addressing him he spoke with a menacing and dangerous voice, “I am Hóng long, and I am seeking my old teacher.”