Flutterblade

by Dropped C


Chapter 3

If you had to describe Lord Bluewater’s homestead in just one word, chances are you would use “excessive”. It was a three-story pagoda with golden columns engraved with complex designs. Rich silken curtains poured softly out of the windows. General Sword Shift couldn’t help but wince at all the tacky colours; clearly, being rich and powerful didn’t automatically entail good taste. Luckily, the curtains were soon out of Sword Shift’s view; the reason being that the earth mare was galloping as quick as she could. She had important news for her liege, and there was not a second to waste.

In her haste, the general pushed two servants who fell down a flight of stairs. It was a pretty common occurrence in Bluewater’s homestead. In fact, the only thing the two falling servants said, with a deadpan face, was "it keeps happening!”

“Lord Bluewater! Lord Bluewater!” Sword Shift opened suddenly the door to Bluewater’s dining room. At the sight of her lord, she bowed and waited expectantly to her lord’s permission to speak. However, Lord Bluewater didn’t seem to be in the mood, preferring instead to keep the earth mare waiting.

Still waiting, she started looking at herself in the closest mirror. Her light-brown coat was so clean that it almost sparkled; she saw it as a sign of position and wealth. After all, she was Lord Bluewater’s general, greatest position one could hold in Lotusville. She passed a hoof through her bowl-cut mane, still waiting for her lord to finish his bowl of rice.

“Now, Sword Shift, you know I don’t like to be disturbed while I eat. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing so important as to risk my wrath by disturbing me.” The blonde lord said, leaning back on his cushion with a content smile.

“My lord, Princess Curiosity was able to escape the attack.” Sword Shift replied. Bluewater stood up quickly.

“What?! How is that possible?!”

“She got some unexpected help. A pegasus swordsmare knocked out the bandits and saved her.”

“A pegasus swordsmare?! ONE pegasus swordsmare against three of my men?! Even if they were disguised as bandits, they were trained soldiers. Describe that mare!” Bluewater punched the table, spilling the leftovers in the bowl.

“Apparently, she has a butter yellow coat, and although she was covered in some kind of cloak, the soldiers say she has a pink mane. Her cutie mark...”

“It’s a butterfly; split in two halves.” Bluewater said with a somber face. Sword Shift tilted her head a bit, puzzled by this information.

“Do you know her, my lord?” She said.

“You just described Flutterblade, Queen of Killers.”

“We are in trouble, aren’t we?” The general shifted a bit her weight. “Shall I call all of our men to arms, my lord?”

“It’s useless against somepony like her. We need somepony... Stronger.” Lord Bluewater started lifting his face slowly, with a devious grin. “Call her.”

“Are you sure, my lord? She’s a mercenary. I don’t trust people who fight for money.” Sword Shift was clearly disgusted. A good soldier should fight for her honour, not for money. Lord Bluewater walked slowly towards the mare, until she could feel his breath.

“I don’t care who you do or do not trust, general. What we are doing here is treason. HIGH treason. We’re already in too deep to retreat. Princess Curiosity is Emperor Silencio’s key to the throne. We catch and deliver her to him, and we’ll be more powerful and richer than almost anypony... We fail, and we hang. Do you understand, general?” Bluewater said, his eyes fixed in Sword Shift’s.

“But, my lord. Even if she’s protected by Flutterblade, it’s just one swordsmare. We have an army.” Sword Shift stepped back slowly.

“Just one swordsmare?!” Bluewater punched again a corner of the table, making it jump and catapulting the rice bowl through a window. “You can’t even fathom the extent of Flutterblade’s abilities, Sword Shift! Have you ever heard of Drill Order’s army?”

“It was an army of one hundred thousand ponies that was defeated by a thousand villagers during the war. Books say that Drill Order was a pretty poor strategist. I think that’s the understatement of the century.”

“He was a tactical genius!” Lord Bluewater was starting to get red.

“Then, what did those villagers have? Sure they couldn’t win such a battle on their own.”

“They had Flutterblade on their side! I’ve made my mind. General Sword Shift, call Smash.” He said.


Meanwhile, Curiosity sneaked slowly through the village. The number of armour-clad soldiers was getting on her nerves, and the uncertainty of Flutterblade’s safety more so. There were no less than ten soldiers guarding the path towards Lord Bluewater’s pagoda; a clear sign that he had been betrayed and replaced. She had to help one of her father’s oldest friends, but, with every passing moment, it was clear that nopony would help her. Frustrated, the unicorn princess stopped her fruitless sneaking and rested against a door.

The last time Curiosity had been in Lotusville she was but a little filly. Even though she remembered the village as a lively and fun place all of that was gone. Every door and every window was closed. There was an eerie silence that only the steps of the guards broke. Suddenly, the door she was leaning on opened. Two strong orange hooves took her by surprise and forced her inside the building, making her fall on the floor as the door closed behind her.

“This is outrageous! I am the rightful princess of this land, and I want an explanation right now!” Curiosity finally exploded. She was about to continue her tantrum, but there was something about the answer she received that made her stop.

“Well, riceball, Ah don’t know if Ah have any answers for ya, but Ah can try!” The mare that answered was a blond earth pony, with an orange coat, wearing a white apron and a jingasa hat. The unicorn kept a straight face, and, after blinking twice, finally managed to keep talking.

“Well... Questions... Let us start with a simple one. Who are you, darling?”

“Name’s Applesake. Owner of the Sweet Apple; Lotusville best tavern.” Applesake answered proudly.

“And why does a Yokesaka mare have a tavern this far from her home?” The princess continued her interrogation.

“Oh? How did ya...? Oh, ya, of course, the accent. Well, my farm was overran during the war, so I had to leave and establish me somewhere else.” Applesake replied, turning her head sharply.

“Are you alright, darling?” Asked the puzzled unicorn.

“Yes, yes, Ah’m sorry, princess. So... What are ya actually doin’ here? It’s mighty dangerous right now since Emperor Silencio’s troops got in here.” Applesake started cleaning a table with a cloth.

“Lord Silencio?! He dares to call himself an emperor?!” Curiosity couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

“Yah, princess. His troops came a week ago, killed all of yer father’s soldiers and kept us all trapped in our houses ever since. Sake?” The orange mare offered a cup.

“Actually... Yes. I need a drink.” Curiosity took the cup with her magic and floated it closer to her mouth. “He wants me. He knew I was coming. Those were no bandits.”

“Uh?” Was the only answer Applesake muttered while drinking her sake.

“Silencio. He somehow knew my plans and wanted to fillynap me, surely to use me as a barter coin. He has clearly gone crazy, but...”

“But?” Applesake refilled both cups.

“I am worried. Lord Silencio’s army is actually large enough to pose a threat.” Curiosity drank her sake in one big gulp. “Damn this uncertainty to Tartarus!”

“Well, princess. We just have to send a message to yer father, and we’ll be all safe in no time, don’t you think?”

“That is not the only thing that worries me. Flutterblade, my bodyguard, made me run into the village for my own safety while she fought the door’s guardians. With every passing second without notice of her, my unease heightens.”

“Flutterblade, ya said?” Applesake deadpanned. “That’s a mighty curious name. Ah’m sure she’ll be safe.”


“Is there really nopony strong enough to give me a good fight here?!” Smash was truly angry right now. It was always the same. Nopony could oppose her, and, well, that was just no fun.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry, miss Smash!” The unicorn colt that was hanging from his own horn, gripped by Smash’s hooves tried to plead.

“Oh, you’re sorry? You got drunk. You hit on me, I tell you to stop, and, finally, when I get angry, you aren’t even able to fight.” Smash closed her eyes in a bilious face.

“I’m sorr...” He hadn’t even finished his sentence when a hoof smashed his chest, sending him through the door outside of the gambling house. Sword Shift dodged him gracefully and went inside. The sight of the wrecked tavern displeased her a bit, but what really annoyed the general was having to talk to Smash. Nevertheless, it was the fighter mare who started the conversation.

“Hey, you are Bluewater’s little fox, aren’t you?”

“I’m his General, if that’s what you mean,” Sword Shift replied, trying to hide the annoyance in her face. “We have a job for you.”

“Nah, this village is boring. There’s no one who can fight here. Count myself out.” Smash sat on a little bench, resting her back hooves on a table.

“Oh, but there is now. Does the name ‘Flutterblade’ ring a bell, Smash?”

“It does. Is she the real deal? I already fought a copycat once.”

“We believe so.”

“Then... I am SO in, little fox.”


“Oh! This is the WORST POSSIBLE THING! Where is that Flutterblade?! I am dying of inquietude!” Curiosity paced all around the tavern.

“Relax, riceball, Ah’m sure she’ll be okay” Applesake kept, meanwhile, cleaning some glasses. Suddenly, the door started to open, and Curiosity started smiling as soon as she recognized one of the voices.

“Oh! How wonderful? And you say he can write already?” Flutterblade entered the tavern with a happy smile on her face, looking behind to her companion.

“Flutterblade! Oh my! You are...” Curiosity couldn’t keep talking as soon as she saw the swordsmare partner.

“Oh, yes. I’m very proud of him. He’s a pretty smart foal! I’m not sure he’ll be a soldier like his daddy, but maybe a scholar. Whatever he decides when he’s older, I’ll be proud of him.” One of the three guards of the village’s door was chatting in a very friendly way with Flutterblade.

“Ahem!” Curiosity looked to them several times before speaking. “What is the meaning of this? Were you not, if I remember correctly, fighting at the entrance of this village?”

“Oh, Princess! You’re here!” The swordsmare smiled warmly. “Allow me to introduce you. Dusk Wrath, this is Princess Curiosity. Princess, this is Dusk Wrath. Despite his name, he’s a good pony. He was talking to me about his foals. Did you know the older can already write?”

“But... Enemy... Fighting... What...” The princess was completely dumbfounded.

“Allow me to explain, your highness.” Dusk Wrath started speaking in a soft tone. “As soon as you left, Flutterblade knocked out my two colleagues. Knowing that I’m not that good of a fighter, I surrendered. I guess that makes me a coward, and a traitor, but my family goes first. I can’t go back to my boss now, and Flutterblade seemed nice enough to me, so I came with her. I hope you are not angry about trying to seize you before, Princess. It was only business. I kind of like your father better than Emperor Silencio.”

“Well, all’s well that ends well, Ah reckon’. Why don’t we celebrate this little victory with a bit of sake?” Applesake meet briefly Flutterblade’s eye. Both mares smiled in a way that seemed peculiar to the unicorn princess.

“Yes, yes. My treat.” Dusk Wrath said while helping Applesake. “Let’s make a toast to the best fighter of this country: Flutterblade. After watching such a legend fight, I’m sure that there’s nopony who can beat her.”

Flutterblade started to blush, but she didn’t even have time to reply; suddenly, the tavern’s door exploded with a loud crash. Underneath the door’s lintel, a cyan pegasus mare with a really cocky smile bumped her front hooves. Her mane had all the colours of the rainbow, neatly distributed in stripes, and her cutie mark showed an explosion of colours with a hoof in the middle. Strapped to her croup with ropes, she had a long combat staff. Flutterblade stood up, and with a fickle hoof movement, took out just a bit of her sword from the scabbard. It was clear that this pegasus wasn’t here to make friends, so she might as well be ready.

“I’m pretty sure somepony as awesome as me doesn’t need an introduction, but in case there’s somepony that’s been living under a rock for the last ten years, I’ll do it anyway. My name is Rainbow Smash, mercenary, and the best staff fighter in all of Neighpon. And I’ve been hired to show the legendary Queen of Killers why making Lord Bluewater angry is a pretty bad idea.” Smash spun her staff in a menacing way.

“I don’t really want to fight you...” Was Flutterblade’s answer, in her shyest tone of voice. “I mean... If you don’t mind. I don’t really know you, and I don’t have a reason to fight against you.”

Rainbow Smash started cackling. “Too bad, filly, because I really want to fight you. Let me tell you, Queen of Killers. You are going down.”

“Eep!” Flutterblade stepped back. Curiosity, Applesake and Dusk Wrath exchanged glances.

“For somepony who has killed that much, she seems way too... Soft.” Dusk Wrath said while scratching his mane.

“Enough talking!” Rainbow Smash spun her staff again. “Flutterblade! You are going to kiss the floor in ten seconds flat!”

Both fighters jumped towards their opponent.