//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 - A Spar A Day Keeps the Agent Away // Story: Equestrian Celestial Forge // by TheDriderPony //------------------------------// Applejack watched as the clock ticked over to the appointed time and the last few ponies trickled into the Ponyville Community Center. When it finally seemed that no more were coming, she stomped twice to gather everyone’s attention. "Howdy, ya'll! Welcome to... uh... Applejack's Fightin’ class? Whatever. S'not important. Ah'll figure out a name later." There were more of them than she'd expected to show up, even given how many ponies had personally come and asked for lessons after her public demonstration a few days ago, but still it was no more than thirty present. A few normal folks from town whose jobs took them into the Everfree for one reason or another, a good portion of the local Guard contingent, and a small party of foals who now thought she was 'awesome' (including, of course, her little sis and friends). Also Bon Bon, for some reason. She never would have pegged the docile, if often exasperated, mare for someone interested in self defense. "Now all ya'll are here for your own reasons,” she started with her hastily prepared speech. “Maybe you want to learn to defend yourself. Maybe you're hoping to find a cutie mark." She sent a smile to her sister's group. "Or maybe you're just itchin' for a good tussle." A few of the guards chuckled at that, one shouldering their partner with a knowing look. "Whatever your reason, Ah'm gonna do my best to teach ya what ya want to learn. Now Ah ain't a teacher, but Ah was one of the top of mah class at the Academy, so that oughta count for something. Ah ain't gonna teach you everything Ah know—" A few groans of complaint came from the younger section. "—mostly because most of it won't do ya a lick of good unless you're fighting a minotaur or some kind of yeti. But Ah will teach you what Ah can." "For those of you looking for something a little more intense," She made eye contact with as many of the guards as she could (as well as Rainbow Dash, who was not-so-discreetly waiting just outside the window). "Come see me after this and we'll talk weapons. No, not you, Applebloom. Yer lucky Ah'm letting foals learn this at all and besides, you got homework to do after." Not that she expected many of the foals to last more than the first few classes. She'd planned a rigorous course. Not nearly as in-depth as her own training had been, but most of that was irrelevant in Ponyville and she didn't have a few years to train them all besides. Still, it was going to be very physically demanding and she doubted there’d be many left who weren’t already in the Guard by the time she reached the end of what she’d planned out. "Everypony pair up with someone about your size. First thing we're learnin' is how to safely fall." “Say, you ain’t too bad.” Applejack launched a three-strike attack that was blocked, blocked, and dodged in turn. “You ever take lessons before?” “I grew up in Manehattan.” Bon Bon turned a duck into a rolling leg sweeper. “A mare’s gotta be able to keep herself safe.” Both were technically true statements, even if neither had anything to with the previous question. No sense taking any chances with the Bearer of Honesty. She spun on one hoof and flipped back out of the farmer’s range. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” “Shoot.” “What do you think’s going on with you and Twilight and the rest?” “Tryin’ to throw me off with philosophy ain’t gonna work.” “Not trying to get an edge, just curious.” Applejack grunted as she broke through Bon Bon’s leg lock. “To be honest, Ah don’t know what to think. Twilight’s got her theory about second Special Talents, but Ah never put much stock in it. Especially after I got more than one extra. Ah’ve met a lot of ponies and Ah’ve seen mah fair share of Special Talents, but Ah’ve never even heard of one that gives you years of training overnight. Heck, we didn't even get extra Cutie Marks. That ain’t a Talent; that’s something else.” “Something else?” Bon Bon probed her defenses with her words as much as she did with her punches. “Like what?” “Ah’d like to know that as well. But until I learn somethin’ that tells me otherwise, Ah’ve decided to chalk it up to Harmony. There’s something comin’ that we need to deal with and Harmony’s giving us the tools we need just like it did with the Elements.” She shrugged and slid away from a cross-punch. “Ah can’t imagine what kind of problem would need repair skills, button-makin’, and furniture-carvin’ to fix, but a year ago Ah never thought Ah’d need to fight off anythin’ more than a rogue Everfree monster in the orchards.” “But you do think there’s something coming? Some kind of threat?” “Ah’d be a fool not to. Why, the past year alone we’ve had Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, the changelings, and a dozen minor threats between them. Why would Ah think they'll stop comin’ now?” “Sweet Celestia, how can you keep talking like normal when you’re fighting like that!?” Scootaloo exclaimed from the side of the room where the rest of the class was watching with rapt attention. “I can barely even see what you’re doing, you're moving so fast!” Both combatants came to a halt, each distracted just enough for their last punch to fall just short of the other one’s muzzle, freezing them in an oddly beautiful moment of symmetry. Applejack cleared her throat as she dropped her battle stance and coughed awkwardly. “Ah, right. Sorry, got a little caught up there. Thanks Bon Bon for volunteering to help with the demonstration. Though it feels more like you oughta be teachin’ this class than me.” Bon Bon shook her head. “I know a few useful tricks. Nothing like what you have, sure, but I- Applejack are you okay?” The apple farmer had frozen with an odd glassy look in her eye. She quickly shook it off. “Sorry, felt like Ah was gettin’ somethin’ new, but it was a dud. One of the other girls must’ve gotten it. Now, where were we? Right. Basic holds and throws.”