When Mecha came to, he was in the hospital once more, only this time instead of being at his side, Cheerilee was in a bed of her own. “You alright?” she asked, noticing he was up.
Grunting, Mecha sat up and replied, “Yeah, you?”
Nodding her head, Cheerilee said, “Been much better since they flushed the poison from my system.”
Sighing, Mecha turned to face his guests- Celestia and Luna. “Um... do you need something?”
Shaking her head, Celestia replied, “Just want to make sure you two are okay.”
Nodding his head, Mecha asked, “And what about Capo and the cultist?”
Luna spoke up this time, saying, “Capo is currently in a cell, while that... vile... cultist is being looked over to make sure that there aren't any side effects from losing his horn before being thrown in a maximum security cell.”
“Good,” Mecha replied, before laying back down. “Anything else I should know?”
Luna and Celestia gave each other questioning looks, before Celestia shrugged, causing Luna to reply, “No, not really... Unless you care that those two created that chimera that attacked you before.”
Shaking his head, Mecha replied, “Nah, I'm good. What about you?” he added, glancing at Cheerilee.
“Hm... I'm good,” Cheerilee said.
“In that case,” Celestia said, as she and her sister began to make their way out of the room, “We'll leave you two to catch up.”
LINEBREAKER
Mecha and Cheerilee were on their way back to Ponyville, when somepony called out, “Mecha, is that you?!”
Blinking, the couple turned around to see a purple pegasus with a darker purple mane running towards them, her Cutie Mark of two ballerina shoes visible as she approached.
“Fanciful Dancer? What are the odds!” Mecha exclaimed, giving her a quick hug. “What are you doing so far from Minot?” he added, quickly ending the embrace.
“I'm here to teach a class,” Fanciful said, before glancing at Cheerilee, “And who is this? Did you finally find a marefriend that hasn't decided she hates your guts before trying to kill you?”
Shaking her head, Cheerilee spoke up, saying, “I'm Cheerilee, and how many ex-marefriends of his are trying to kill him?”
Shaking her head, Fanciful replied, “Last count was... four hundred twenty six I believe.”
Laughing, Mecha replied, “It's four hundred twenty five now- Vinyl Scratch isn't on the list anymore. And if we're to be honest, only about ten or so of them actually qualify as an ex-marefriend, single dates shouldn't count.”
After another round of laughter, Cheerilee asked, “So, how do you know each other?”
Mecha shook his head, and said, “Fanciful Dancer here is an old friend of Shine Sight's, although she hung out so much at our home that she essentially became part of the family. In fact, do you still call my parents mom and dad?”
“Of course I do bro!” Fanciful Dancer replied, wide smile on her face. “That's like asking if you still end up in the hospital every other week!”
Shaking her head, Cheerilee said, “He doesn't.” Spotting the disbelieving look on Fanciful Dancer's face, she added, “It's every week now.”
It was Fanciful's turn to shake her head, saying, “Only you bro... but anyways, what's up? I haven't seen you in years!”
Chuckling, Mecha replied, “Well, it's a long story, but here it goes...”
LINEBREAKER
Fanciful Dancer stared at Mecha, blinking lightly. “You mean to tell me... that all that happened... in the last couple of years?”
Nodding his head, Mecha lead the trio to the cafe where he normally had lunch with Doctor Whooves and Big Macintosh. Taking a seat, he replied, “Yeah, bit much isn't it?”
Merely nodding, Fanciful didn't say anything until after they ordered, when she shook her head, saying, “That's... a lot to take in. But it is good to see you bro...”
The three then began to eat in silence, before Fanciful started glancing at Cheerilee, an idea slowly forming in her head. When they finished, she nodded her head, and asked Cheerilee, “You interested in self-defense lessons?”
Caught-off guard, Cheerilee replied, “Er, yeah, sorta. Why are you asking?”
Smirking, Fanciful replied, “Because I had a feeling that you'd be interested with all the danger and stuff that happens around Mecha,” as she dug into her bag, pulling out a quill, ink, and a piece of paper. Writing something down quickly, Fanciful gave it to Cheerilee, saying, “I've written down a time and place for a self-defense class that I think you'd enjoy... and don't worry about paying for it- I know the instructor, so you'll be able to get in for free!”
Blinking, Cheerilee said, “Thank you Fanciful... but are you sure this is alright? I'd be happy to pay for the classes myself!”
“Please,” Fanciful started, “it's my gift to you! Now, if you don't mind, I've got something I'd like to run by my brother here real quick before I head over to the inn.”
“Not at all,” Cheerilee replied, before giving Mecha a quick peck. “I'll catch you later, okay?” she said.
“Absolutely!” Mecha said, Nodding his head. Cheerilee quickly trotted off, and Mecha turned to face his pseudo-sister. “Whatcha need?”
“A favor,” Fanciful replied, “something to make my next set of lessons more interesting...”
LINEBREAKER
Mecha was walking Cheerilee to the first of her self-defense classes, chatting lightly. “Well, it looks like we're here,” Cheerilee said, stopping at the door. “I'll see you after class?” she asked, facing Mecha.
“Eeyup,” Mecha replied, giving her a large smile, before opening the door for her, “I shall be right here when you finish,” he added, before giving her a quick hug, allowing her to enter the room just as he heard Fanciful say, “My name if Fanciful Dancer, and I'm here to instruct you in the ways of Danza de la Meurte.”
Chuckling at the surprise that must be on Cheerilee's face, Mecha made his way towards his shop, recalling everything he knew on the self-defense style slash dance style that Fanciful was currently teaching. It was actually something they'd thought up together, a mixture of grace and deadliness that somehow worked. The concept was actually fairly simple- spinning yourself to spin a dress whose edges where made of sharpened metal instead of fabric. Of course, there was more to it, such as the metal fans, but overall a simple and effective style... provided you were wearing the specialized dress or had the fans on you. Either way though, it helped Mecha relax to know that his marefriend was learning to defend herself.
Stepping into his shop, he relieved Snips and Snails of their shift for their lunch breaks, before settling down behind the register. Taking a look around the shop, he gave a smile. No longer was it dominated by only his creations, but now it included a variety of Snips' and Snails' creations as well.
The bell rang, and Mecha looked towards the door to see Zecora walking in. “Zecora, what a surprise! How's it going?” he asked.
“It is going well my friend, although I don't have much time to spend,” she replied with her normal rhyme.
Nodding his head, Mecha pulled out a pad of paper and a pen he kept under the counter for custom orders, replying, “Then waste no time, for that would be a crime!” before blinking, and adding, “And I blame you for that rhyme.”
Chuckling, Zecora said, “My niece, the one you saved, is getting married soon, and I'm to prepare for that boon! What I need isn't small, your help in preparing for it all.”
Frowning, Mecha asked, “Why aren't you asking Pinkie Pie to help for this?”
Shaking her head, Zecora replied, “While she throws a party without compare, her lack of control will give quite a scare. Furthermore she knows not our traditions, unlike you, who knows the needed conditions.”
Sighing, Mecha knew she was right. “Okay, I'll help. When's she arriving?” he asked.
Smiling, Zecora replied, “The group she travels with are coming up the creek, I'd say they'll be here by the end of the week.”
Face-hoofing, Mecha mumbled, “Of course they are... Right then! Let's start planning!”
LINEBREAKER
Three days later, Mecha was waiting outside Cheerilee's classroom. Watching as others walked out, he frowned when he didn't see Cheerilee. After a few minutes, she walked out, frowning.
“Something wrong?” he inquired, throwing a leg around her shoulders.
“Not really,” Cheerilee started, still frowning. “I just seem to be having trouble with my hoofwork...” she added, before she started to grin. Turning to face Mecha, she said, “You're hoofwork is great though! You flow seamlessly between forms when you sword fight!”
Blinking, Mecha asked, “So?”
“You can help me with my hoofwork!” Cheerilee replied, all but leaping with joy.
Frowning, Mecha said, “I... don't think that's such a good idea.”
Caught off guard, Cheerilee asked, “Why not?”
“Because the only way I know how to teach proper hoofwork is the way Iron Will taught me... and that is not a pleasant method,” Mecha said, shivering lightly.
Pouting, Cheerilee said, “Pwease? I promise I won't complain!”
Sighing, Mecha changed directions, saying, “Alright, but if we're doing this, we're doing it right- meaning we'll need Twilight to help.”
“Yay!” Cheerilee replied, before stopping. “Wait... why do we need Twilight?”
LINEBREAKER
Cheerilee groaned as she laid flat on the ground, exhausted. “That... was brutal,” she said, as the gashes covering her body vanished due to the arena spell wearing off.
“I must concur,” Limbs added from the sidelines. “When you told me you wished to use the battlegrounds to help your marefriend with her hoofwork, I didn't expect this.”
'This' being Mecha attacking Cheerilee relentlessly while under the arena spell cast by Twilight. “Hey, it's the fastest way to improve your hoofwork,” Mecha replied. And it was true. Cheerilee's hoofwork had increased by leaps and bounds in the hours they'd been working, for not getting slashed was a good motivator to learn.
“Besides...” Cheerilee started, slowly getting up, “I asked for his help...”
Shaking his head, Limbs added, “Nevertheless, one should not harm a lady in such a way!”
Chuckling, Mecha replied, “Even if it's to make sure she knows how to seriously defend herself in the case of being assaulted by unscrupulous stallions?”
Limbs shut his mouth with a snap, a focused look upon his face. “That...” he started after a few minutes of thought, “Is acceptable,” he finished, before turning and walking off.
Shaking his head, Mecha said, “I think that's enough for today.”
Nodding her head, Cheerilee walked over and nuzzled Mecha, before saying, “I'm going to head home... and I think Twilight wants to talk with you.”
Sighing, Mecha replied, “She probably does. Go ahead and go, I'll catch you later.”
Giving Mecha a smile, Cheerilee walked off while Twilight walked towards Mecha, a frown upon her face. Waiting until Cheerilee was out of hearing range, she faced Mecha before yelling, “Who do you think you are! You leave me alone with the princesses mere moments after I tell you I'm crushing on both of them and finding out they're crushing on me, avoid me when I get back, and then suddenly show up and demand that I help you help Cheerilee with her hoofwork! Give me just one good reason why I shouldn't blast you with my strongest spell right now!!!”
Gulping, Mecha replied, “Well... first of all, may I ask how things are between you and the princesses?”
Glaring at Mecha, Twilight suddenly let up and relaxed slightly, before saying, “I'm going on a date with Celestia this weekend and Luna sometime after that. But that is not the point and you know it!”
Putting his forehooves up, Mecha replied, “I know, I know, I was just curious. Luna seemed a bit happier in her last letter, and I just wanted to confirm my thoughts.” It was then that what Twilight said registered in his head, causing him to ask, “Wait, Luna and Celestia? Lust's panties you've got quite the situation! Do they know about the other dating you?”
Snorting, Twilight replied, “Who do you think came up with the idea?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Mecha replied, “Honestly, I'd flip a coin between the two. I mean, we've got Luna who's had a thousand years to come up with different crazy ideas and Celestia who sends her student two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala when she knows that she has five friends all dying to go.”
Twilight gave Mecha a deadpan look, before walking off. Turning her head, she said, “For the record, we did manage to restore the twins back into their own forms!”
“So?” Mecha hollered back. “I had nothing to do with that situation, why would I care?”
LINEBREAKER
Fanciful Dancer looked over her class with a sense of joy. Smiling, she said, “You've all come a long way in this week... especially you Cheerilee. You've improved the most... and I think I know why. Either way, you've all learned what you needed to in order to defend yourselves. So, as a treat for our last class, I figured I'd show you a spar between myself and a swords pony!”
The class cheered, and quickly rushed towards the stage they'd been learning on where Fanciful Dancer was doing a few quick warm-ups while her opponent arrived. They heard the back door open, and all turned to see Mecha walk in, Rarity by his side. “Honestly darling, I do not see why Twilight would not be willing to do this for you,” she said.
Shaking his head, Mecha replied, “It's a long story involving me leaving her with the princesses and a set of twins that fused themselves together... Ah, Fanciful! We ready to start?”
Fanciful Dancer smiled as she stood on her hind hooves before whipping out her two metal fans, saying, “I'm ready when you are... and no holding back! I want to face your full bag of tricks!”
Blinking, Mecha allowed the arena spell cast by Rarity to wash over him, before saying, “You sure about that?”
Nodding her head, Fanciful replied, “I'm certain! I want my class to see a true battle between us!”
Shrugging, Mecha concentrated, before a black aura gathered around him, causing his left eye to generate its ethereal flame, before it started to condense in his left forehoof in the form of a sword. Glancing at it, Mecha sighed, saying, “That still takes too long...” as his mechanical leg shifted into his gun-blade. Facing Fanciful Dancer, Mecha nodded, signaling he was ready.
Fanciful nodded back, causing Rarity to start counting down, “Three... two... one... go!”
BANG!
Everypony stared at Fanciful's fallen form, laying still on the ground. After a moment, the spell took over and returned her to her living state, a steel bullet laying on the ground next to her. “What... what was that!?” she yelled, glancing between Mecha and the bullet on the ground.
“One of my... tricks I believe you called it,” Mecha replied, smirking.
Finally settling for staring at Mecha, Fanciful said, “I meant your fancy sword tricks, nothing else! For Celestia's sake I didn't know there was anything else!”
Laughing, Mecha retorted, “Well then, how's about a rematch- and I'll only use my blades, nothing else?”
“Sounds good,” Fanciful replied, getting back into position.
Rarity glanced at both fighters once more, before recasting the spell. Counting down once more, she'd barely said, “Go!” before the two sprung into motion.
Fanciful moved forward while spinning, bringing the metal edge of her dress up, forcing Mecha to come to a halt lest he be sliced by the deadly dress. When she stopped, Mecha used his left leg to take a step towards her while swinging his blades of metal and magic at her, which she contorted between, while snapping her fans open to slash at him.
Mecha, having helped Fanciful develop this style, had seen this coming, and was thus able to prevent any serious damage by raising his right leg and using his knee to hit the side of the fan, knocking it away from him.
At this point, Fanciful tried to spin again, only to stop when Mecha stabbed his magical blade into her dress, preventing it from rising. Frowning, she snapped one fan closed and hit his head with it, causing him to flinch, giving her an opening to slice with the other fan.
However, Mecha had allowed her to hit his head and faked the flinch, so as to create an opening when she attacked to stab her with the metal blade.
Everypony was still once more, as they saw Fanciful Dancer with a sword in her chest... while her fan was lodged in Mecha's throat, having misjudged the speed she could gather with the small metal fan.
The two combatants slid off the weapons, the wounds vanishing as the arena spell lifted, revealing two smiling siblings. “Not bad,” Mecha said, giving a quick bow to Fanciful. “I'd forgotten just how swift you were with this style.”
Chuckling, Fanciful replied, “You weren't half bad yourself. Maybe next time we can make it last longer than a couple minutes.”
Shaking his head, Mecha started walking away, shouting behind him, “I'll see ya in an hour or two!” before heading towards the town square for Zecora's niece's party.
LINEBREAKER
“Snips, Snails, take your places now!” Mecha shouted, directing his students into place. The old stage that he'd sang upon way back was now being used for today's entertainment- a dance show. Zecora had come up with the idea when she'd heard Fanciful Dancer was in town, and Mecha was quick in arranging the talent for it.
Seeing Snips and Snails in place, Mecha nodded his head before signaling for the first act to take its place behind the lowered curtains. Stepping out front, he was met with a round of applause, causing him to grin. Allowing the audience to settle down, Mecha spoke up, saying, “Good evening ladies and gentlecolts! We're gathered here to celebrate the marriage of the family member of one of our lovely residents! In honor of the occasion, we have gathered up a talented batch of residents for this dance show!”
Another round of applause swept the crowd, and Mecha gave them a few seconds before speaking once more. “Our first group hails not from Equestria, but rather from Cervidaeia! Give it up for our deer friends and their river stomp dance!”
Mecha quickly moved off-stage as the curtain rose, allowing the audience to see Limbs and his fellow arena fighters as they began to dance. “Right, is Fanciful ready for her performance after this?” he asked.
“Yeah, but we've got a problem boss!” Snips replied, running over.
“What is it?” Mecha asked, pulling a rope to lower the background for the next dance behind the back-most curtains.
“The salsa dancers canceled on us- apparently some noble offered them twice our rates to perform for them!” Snips said.
“Greed's treasure chest!” Mecha swore, as the audience cheered at the bowing deer. “Give me a minute, then we'll figure this out,” he added, walking out to the stage.
“Not bad for lacking a river to stomp in,” Mecha said, getting a few laughs for his cheesy joke. “Following them is my sister in all but blood, Fanciful Dancer! She'll be demonstrating a self-defense style that she developed known as Danza de la Meurte!”
A round of applause replied as Mecha walked off, curtains rising to reveal Fanciful Dancer, standing at the ready with her fans open, a cemetery as her backdrop.
“Right then, what are we going to do for Luna's sake!” Mecha yelled, thankful that the audience couldn't hear him.
“I dunno!” Snails replied, panic visible in his eyes. “But if we don't figure it out soon we're toast!”
“Is everything alright back here?” came Cheerilee's voice as she walked up.
An idea stuck Mecha, who immediately replied, “It depends. Do you know how to Salsa dance?”
Blinking, Cheerilee replied, “Yeah... Fanciful had us learn as the basics for Danza de la Meurte...”
Grabbing her, Mecha dragged her towards the changing area, saying, “Snips, Snails, stall long enough for us to change- we're dancing next!”
Snips and Snails ave each other a glance, before shrugging their shoulders. If their boss said to stall, then by Celestia's supposedly secret cake stash they were going to stall!”
LINEBREAKER
Mecha took in a deep breath, before asking, “You ready for this?”
Cheerilee nodded, saying, “As I'll ever be.”
Giving the signal to Snips and Snails, the couple watched the curtains rise, and saw that all eyes were on them. Taking one last breath, they literally spun into action once the music started playing. Shaking from side to side while smoothly transitioning their moves, they never took their eyes off from each other if they could help it. Faster and faster they moved, the music lost as they danced, lost in each others eyes. They finally stopped, and took in the massive applause they were getting for their performance. Blushing, they quickly took their bows before walking off stage.
LINEBREAKER
The performance was over, and Mecha and Cheerilee were relaxing by the stage. “That was actually quite enjoyable,” Cheerilee said. “Why don't we dance more often?”
“I dunno,” Mecha replied.
At this point, the bride to be trotted up, only to stop when she saw Mecha. Eyes widening, she rushed forward, saying, “Oh great Forge Master, what an honor to meet you! Especially since, well since you helped saved my life! You will always have my thanks!*”
Here, she bowed before rushing off, causing Mecha to blink. Turning to face Cheerilee, he asked, “Did she just call me a forge master?”
“That she did, oh rescuer of my kin,” came a new voice. Turning, Mecha spotted an elderly Zebra, presumably the bride's father, king of the Zebra tribes, Baba. “For it is a title that you have earned. To give it elsewhere would be such a sin! For in forging, you are the one most learned.”
Mecha blinked. This was news to him!
Baba wasn't finished though, saying, “To be Forge Master is to be the best! There can only be one and you are it. Do not take it lightly or take in jest, or else my people shall throw a big fit!”
“So wait...” Mecha started, trying to make sure he had this straight. “I'm currently considered the best blacksmith back in your homelands?”
“It is quite the honor I assure you,” Baba replied, “For we are known to keep the best records. To be granted this title makes it true, one that to ignore most can ill afford. But it is time for me to take my leave, and I hope you realize what you've achieved!**”
At this point Baba walked off, while Cheerilee said, “That makes you Forge Master Viscount Mecha, doesn't it?”
“Eeyup... although I don't mind the Forge Master bit,” Mecha replied.
*Tanka- A Japanese form of poetry similar to haikus- only instead of 5-7-5 it is 5-7-5-7-7
**Baba speaks in the form of sonnets- not my best idea.