//------------------------------//
// CHAPTER 5: Combat Tour Canterlot - Part II 
// Story: One Pony Death Punch 
// by Sol Nemesis 
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The Mountain Chill, one of Canterlot's premier café and cake hangout joints was in ruins. Tables were overturned, chairs thrown through windows, changling's sprawled around groaning in pain like noisy sentient litter. Rocky Road, Flash Sentry and their newest combat companion, an earth pony mare, nursed their various bruises. Flash Sentry was examining a freshly acquired black eye and the earth pony mare had a very mild limp. Rocky himself felt like he was about to throw up from exertion and dehydration, but steeled himself. "Masters don't show weakness" He muttered to himself, recalling the words of his own masters.

Rocky turned to the earth pony mare and gave a light applause. "That was good form! Strikes were a little sloppy but otherwise pretty good execution. We should spar some time."

The mare turned to him, black mane rolling down her shoulders. With half lidded rose colored eyes and a mild tilt of her head. She gave him a coy smile. "Funny way to ask a girl out. But If we make it out of here in one piece, I'll consider it."

Rocky immediately stopped clapping. "Oh wait. Hold up. That's not..."

"She's totally flirting with you dude." Captain Obvious, aka Flash Sentry, chuckled while gingerly touching his eye and examining his dented armor in a broken mirror.

"Not helping." Hissed Rocky trying to fight against a sudden rush of heat to his cheeks. He must not have been completely successful because the mare sauntered up to him seemingly enjoying his discomfort.

"I've never see a pony fight like that before. It's not any martial art I've seen. What do you practice?" 

A bead of sweat threatened to roll down Rocky aware of how this earth pony mare was examining him from head to tail.

"It's uh. Tei-Rah-Do. Gate of Resonance form." It wasn't completely true, he mostly used the first gate but mixed other gates within the fight as well. He withheld that info to see if she could spot the difference. There was no recognition in her eyes. 

"Tei-Rah-Do you say? Never heard of it." The mare saw his disappointment and frowned.

"Oh come now don't be disappointed. You're moves were impressive enough." She paused before laughing to herself. "I can drop the rescued damsel act if you prefer. "

"I'm sorry...miss?"

"Octavia. Octavia Melody"

Octavia Melody backed up to a respectable distance and spoke. "I apologize for the act, you just seemed so easy to tease. It's not everyday that I get rescued by two handsome gentlecolts from alien bugs. Thought I'd play the role a bit you know?"

Rocky let out a sigh and bowed in respect. "Octavia. The name is Rocky Road. A master...maybe even THE master of Tei-Rah-Do at this point, I don't know. I'm just a humble farmer passing through, and buying time for my acquaintances to put an end to this infestation." Rocky suddenly started to cough dryly. Octavia waited patiently for Rocky to stop, but when he didn't Octavia grew worried. When Rocky doubled over as if in pain, both Octavia held him with concern all playfulness gone.

"Water." He croaked, sitting on his haunches and bringing his hooves together, in a kind of praying pose. Octavia placed a hoof on his back and looked towards Flash who was already behind the counter grabbing some juice and water bottles out of the fridge. When Flash returned with a hoof-full of bottles. Rocky wasted no time chugging them greedily.

Octavia looked concerned. "Careful now. If you drink too fast you'll choke."

As if on cue Rocky hacked up some water that went down the wrong pipe but quickly recovered and continued to drink.

"What's the matter Rock? You act like you haven't had anything to drink in days." Flash said uncorking another bottle of water and handing it to his companion. 

"Three thousand years actually. Give or take a few hundred." Rocky said without thinking, as he reached for another bottle.

Octavia looked over at Flash Sentry who merely shrugged back. To them Rocky Road must have been exaggerating. 

Nine bottles of water and a fruit smoothie later Rocky was back on his hooves. The three of them got to work securing a perimeter. All the unconscious changelings were rounded up and secured with a rope Flash had found in the store room.
Octavia took to care for all the paralyzed ponies that were in the immediate area, making makeshift beds of sheet cushions in one of the private rooms. 

Rocky busied himself with recon which involved going into the surrounding buildings and clearing it of any hostiles. There were a few squads of changelings that approached but it seemed that Rocky had bought himself quite the reputation in his first several battles, none of them seemed to want to play. Rocky frowned and wondered if what he had done had bought Twilight and Cadence enough time. 

"Looks like they got smart." Rocky remarked to himself as he scanned the skies and streets. Every once in a while he would dip into his gate to detect any presence nearby whether friend or foe. Finally relaxing Rocky jumped down from his perch and landed just a few meters from Octavia who waved for his attention.

"Mister Road, I apologize again about earlier. I was perhaps being a bit too playful."

Rock gave a wave of his own. "Don't worry about it really." Octavia joined him on his patrol, walking next to him. The two of them strolled the buildings around the Mountain Chill both alert, when it seemed they were clear, Rocky thought it appropriate to strike up conversation. 

"Your hoof holding up okay?" Rocky asked genuinely concerned at the barely noticeable limp in her step. 

"Yes. Nothing I haven't managed before. You mentioned that you had friends who were trying to sort this out. Might I hear more about how?"

Rocky shrugged. "Not sure really. One of them is a really powerful mage, and the other is an Alicorn. Twilight and Cadance were their names.

"Twilight huh? Then were in good hooves. I'm sure everything will work itself out in the end."

"Oh, you know her?"

"Yes." Octavia nodded. "She's been quite the hero of late. Stopped a number of disasters where we live in Ponyville. Even managed to prevent eternal night and the return of Nightmare Moon. Though the details on that are a little hard to believe."

Rocky blinked, and tried not to display the confusion he felt at the name of "Nightmare Moon." Instead he chose to sigh in relief. "Good to hear that our lives are in capable hooves. Honestly had my doubts, but she clearly has the power of more than four unicorns combined."

"FOUR unicorns?" Octavia gasped sounding impressed. "I must say. I don't give her enough credit. How do you know that exactly?"

Rocky Road shrugged. "It's part of my art. Detect emotions or magical aura's and or power levels. Comes in really handy when you meet strangers." Rocky grinned "It's called the resonance gate, the first step to the mastering of all nine Tei-Rah-Do gates." 

"It sounds impressive. It also sounds like you think you can read a pony's mind." Octavia stopped, playfully raising a hoof to her lips. "I'm not sure I believe you."

Rocky snorted. "I don't read minds, I just gather information and make educated guesses about what I see."

"Don't suppose you could give me a demonstration? What am I thinking now?"

Rocky paused for a moment to consider Octavia's request. A demonstration of the Resonance Gate's more advanced abilities didn't seem prudent at the moment. But the mare before him sounded genuinely curious at the moment. Rocky breathed deep and prepared to gaze into Octavia's eyes. The mare took a slight step back, and Rocky suddenly felt her playfulness turn into nerves. "Mister Road, why are you looking at me like that?"

Before Rocky could explain how his Resonance Gate worked, Flash Sentry came diving from the sky, catching both of them by surprise. He did an impressive flip and landed on his hooves. Rocky would have complimented him on his flying ability if the look on his face wasn't so dire.

"We have to get inside! The changelings have breached the armory!"

Before Rocky could register the significance of what Flash had said he heard and felt the whistling in the air. 

Fool. You let your guard down.

A pained, feminine gasp and Octavia was down. Struck by a crossbow bolt.