//------------------------------//
// Inflicting pain 
// Story: Parry and Riposte 
// by armid 
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Steely and I headed back to the city and set our paths apart from one another. Both heading home. 

Dad came home late again so he was not notified of me sticking around outside for a bit longer. As much as Alferedo is dad’s loyal caretaker, he is also my amazing secret keeper too. Though that said, he was rather suspicious of the smell of burning paper that had filled my room the other day. 

Grandma Butter was busy again in the kitchen. You could just tell that the moment you step into the house. The smell of the flavorful chicken stew could not be ignored.

Flaming Star took his pencil off the paper and wondered how many times has it been that he has talked about the chicken stew of grandma Butter in his diary. Though the urge to go back and seek the answer was quite strong, he decided to finish writing down today’s events first. 

Alfredo notified others of my entrance and started setting up the dinner table. Meanwhile I was heading to my room to change. After attempting to shoot fire for one hour straight, my body was feeling a bit tired. Which is interesting to note.

I could hear Grandma Rose’s snoring again. As always! Sometimes I wonder whether mine are as loud as hers or not.

I headed downstairs after I changed. I sat next to Grandpa Ace to help him eat his food as always. Alfredo had awakened Grandma Rose too. She was still grumpy though. She sat down on her seat, top of the table. Grandma Butter joined us as well. As always, she made sure that she had saved a portion for my father and then proceeded to fill others plates and hand them to us.

Do I even need to go into detail about how delicious the meal was? I don’t think so. But sadly I had to rush it a bit because I had to show someone that they don’t know a thing about fencing. 

  I headed to my room after dinner and took out my custom from under the bed. But I knew when I’m out, dad will be home and he might want to check up on me. I had to make sure he didn’t do that.  

I asked Alfredo to talk to dad about how long it's been since he's gotten in touch with uncle Fancy Cash. And dad welcomed that idea way better than I thought since when I came back, he was still talking to him on the phone.

Flaming Star took his mind off writing in the diary and focused his ears to listen and see whether his father was still on the phone. And to no surprise, he was. 

I wore my clothes and snuck out from my window. To be officiant, I decided to go with my motorcycle. Had to make sure I didn't make much sound upon leaving or coming back though, or else I would have been busted. I couldn’t expect Alfredo to make up for everything I do. 

I silently pulled my motorcycle out of the garage and out the yard. Once I was on the streets, I hopped on it and headed straight towards Slaughter Alley. However I parked my motorcycle a few streets away from there. I don't trust that place. I put on my mask and waited around for HER to show up. I had some time to think a little while I was waiting. I managed to hit the bottle today but, was it my hard trying or my anger? Steely did say that from what he has gathered our abilities can be provoked by our emotions. What if I can’t control my emotions? Why if I end up hurting others when I'm angry? I wasn’t even reaching the halfway point of the distance between me and the bottle but, when I let frustration of Sunset Shimmer’s actions come to my mind, I blasted the bottle with ease. It wasn’t normal.

Flaming Star dropped the pencil and looked at the palm of his hand. The hand that has been covered with the gloves Steely Armor made for him. Staring at it, deeply. What could have happened already if he wasn’t having those gloves on? He couldn’t have them on his hand forever. Especially at home. What if he burned Grandpa Ace accidentally while he was feeding him? What if he set a big fire onto his family house and put everyone in great danger? What if his nightmares came true? 

He closed his eyes and shook his head. Hoping the thoughts would go away. His breath had gotten faster. After taking some deep breaths, he took his pencil in hand and continued from where he had stopped.  

After a while, I heard some footsteps. It was her. When she got close enough I stepped out of the corner. She almost jumped a little but refused to admit it. Perhaps my mask made her sturttle a little bit. Though, to be honest I was surprised that she actually showed up. Slaughter Alley is not somewhere everyone walks with ease. I thought that she either had the guts to show up or was just that desperate. Both of which sounded suitable for her then. 

I told her about the rules of the place. And explained each as far as I could care. I warned her too. But she didn’t care. She still wanted to have a match. Then, I thought she was desperate again and was having another plan to touch me and see my memories. Just like what she wanted to do that other day. I was eyeing her from the corner of my eye the whole time. 

Once we reached the door I knocked in the pattern so they would let us in. One normal, two quick and another normal. The peephole opened and two eyes gazed at us. They recognised me but weren't sure of Sunset’s identity. 

“Who’s her?”

“A rookie who wishes to be humiliated.” 

“AH! Come in!” The door opened. 

Before we headed inside, I had to warn her one more time. “Be careful in there.” And I headed in. 

It seemed she was surprised about the place when we got inside. I told her to get ready since it would be our turn soon. 

“Hey,...where can I...change?” She asked, holding onto her gym bag. 

I pointed towards the backside of the ring. As she was heading there, I went and talked with the announcer to prepare a duel for me and her. After I got the confirmation, I walked to the changing room and waited outside for her to come out. She was taking her time for sure. Once she stepped out in her fencing costume, I told her that it’s time. “You ready to lose?” 

“I’m here to get you to listen. And if that means I must beat you, I will!” She sounded determined. 

“Come. It’s time,” I said and started heading back to the ring. I walked up the stairs and waited for the announcer to say my name and once he did I popped out on the ring. The lights were focused on me for a while. I recall the first time they were quite annoying but now I’m used to them. The other fighters were cheering my name. GHOST!

I waited in my corner for her to enter the ring. And she stepped in with her new fighter name being announced. The Phoenix! The crowd did cheer for her, but not as much as they did for me. I could easily tell the lights were giving her a hard time. I recall how I reacted similarly in my first time. 

I took a deep breath and stood tall. She, too, brought her sword up and held her guard. I didn’t want to make the match last long. I wanted to finish it quickly and go home. 

“Now Now. Please calm down and let the duel BEGIN!” The announcer said and after the bell, I rushed at her. Surprising her with a series of slashes from every direction. She was stumbling back as she struggled to block my blows. 

Once our swords binded, I pushed it down and tackled her. Off to a great start on showing her dominance. 

Once we were back to neutral and I saw another opening, I took it and went full agro once more. Made a bind with the blade and controlled the sword to kick her in the stomach. After that I kept attacking and managed to get myself some points. However, she managed to threaten me and get back on her feet sooner than I had imagined.


I had the upper hand but I didn’t want to play keep away. Suddenly out of nowhere, she stepped forward with a swing that was poorly calculated in distance and let me just dodge it with ease. And she just made my job easier by giving me an opening to thrust her in the chest. Easy ten points. I was going to go for the second one and bring myself closer to winning and being done dealing with her. But all of a sudden, she pushed my thrust aside and kicked me in the knee. It hurt a lotThat did hurt, but not that much. 

Sadly she did manage to land a hit on my head, but I stopped her from going for the second one and gifted her a punch for the kick she gifted me. She went stumbling back and gave me enough time to shake up my leg a little. 

After that, I stepped forward and tried to overpower her block. Swing after swing I bashed her sword and yet she wasn’t giving in. “WHAT DO YOU WANT” I shouted, “WASN’T EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE ALREADY NOT ENOUGH? DIDN’T YOU GET WHAT YOU WANTED?” I kept on bashing. 

In the end she pushed me back and bought herself some space. “I just wanted to talk to you!” she said.

I was not going to deal with her again. I just wanted to be done with all of this. To be done dealing with HER! I pushed forward and overwhelmed her with thrusts. If I could get just two, she would have lost. But she kept up. Not even that, but she also spin kicked me in the belly! I have to say I was surprised, but also pissed that I couldn’t finish it already. I had to wait and catch my breath before attacking again. This time though, I was going to perform the dragon strike. 



“Why should I listen to you?” I asked her as I was catching my breath. 

“I just wanted to help!” She said in between breaths. 

I couldn’t keep up. I had to say something. It was just too irritating to keep silent before finishing it. “You can’t just invade others' lives on the excuse of helping them!”

And as I had suspected, she didn't have a response. And I was not waiting around to see if she came up with one. I threw the sword and started running to her. It worked! She got distracted and I tackle-kicked her in the legs. And as she was crying in pain and trying to get up, I put my foot on her wrist and caught my sabre from falling. 

I asked her to give up. I asked her to let go of her sword, but she refused. So I pushed harder and harder.

Flaming Star hesitated to write any further. For some reason he was feeling bad. Feeling bad for going so hard when he didn’t have to. He could have simply finished the match and moved on. He was wondering what was wrong with him?

After taking a deep breath, he continued writing. 

until she suddenly confessed. “YOU WERE RIGHT!”

I stopped implying more pressure and let her continue. 

“I-I shouldn’t have tried to invade your memories nor should I have broken into Steely Armor’s garage...I’m...sorry.” The pain was noticeable in her voice, but so was her shame. She accepted that she was wrong. She didn’t try to reason it out. 

I realised I was going too far. I brought my sword and thrusted her chest once more. I won. I gave her a hand to stand up. And after that I left without looking back.

Flaming Star closed his diary and stood up to open his window to have some fresh air. He looked at his hands once more. It didn’t take him long to realise he is already hurting others without his magic. Who knew what would happen when his magic was added into the equation?