//------------------------------//
// 20: Word Lessons and Sparring 
// Story: My Little Fortress: Dawnpick 
// by Paaaad 
//------------------------------//

Flux sits at the forge, taking the opportunity to scribble a few more designs while he lets the steel smelt.
"It's got to be something really heavy to be heard through the walls.  How can I make a trigger that won't just crush?"

A large shadow looms over Flux as he writes
"Hello Flux, are you busy right now? I need more... word lessons."

Flux jumps a bit at the unexpected appearance of Stiletto, nearly tossing his scribbles into the smelter.
"Stiletto!  Sorry, I didn't notice you there!"
He takes a moment to calm down and check how the steel is doing before talking again.  After scooping some slag off the top, Flux turns back to Stiletto.
"You wanted some more writing lessons?"

Stiletto looks a little upset when she startles Flux but she recovers quickly and nods
"Yes, but you are... good? I did not mean to scare you."
She lowers her head so she can look into Fluxs' eyes
"I know I am a scary pony, but I will not hurt you."
She then smiles.

'Come on, Flux.  You wanted to help her adjust, so stop freaking out!'
"I'm Sorry, Stiletto.  I know you wouldn't, but I... I still get a bit intimidated by you.  I'm trying to get over it, but... I mean, you're an alicorn and in the militia!  I'm just a little earth pony who knows his way around a smelter."
'And awkward in even the best situations...'

Stiletto looks down at the ground and scrapes at it with her forehoof
"I scare the militia ponies too."

'Ya, great job, Flux.'
Shaking slightly with nerves, I reach out a hoof to touch hers.
"Um, I think they just don't know you?  I know you're dedicated to helping Dawnpick, and you really deserve a friend."

She smiles at him and very gently puts her other hoof on top of Fluxs'
"You really think that? You are a very nice... Hengst? No, what is the word?"

I smile, forgetting my nerves for a moment at least.
"Friend, somepony to just be there for whatever you need."

Stiletto shakes her head
"That would be Freundin...." She blushes "I mean Freund. Hengst means... opposite of mare?"
Her cheeks fill with air and she lets out a long sigh
"See, I need much more help with Midpony words."

"Opposite of..?  Oh, 'Stallion' is the word you want."
It takes a few moments for the meaning of what she was trying to say to actually sink in.  When it does, Flux blushes a bit as well.
"Um, thank you, Stiletto.  You're a nice mare, too.  Um, and I'd be happy to help you learn, uh, Midpony?"
'Midpony?  Do alicorns normally speak a different language?  Uh-oh, my steel!'
Flux frantically returns to the smelter and begin to pour the molten steel into ingots, talking as he works.
"So, anything you can think of you'd like help with off the top of your head?"

Stiletto seems enthralled by Fluxs' work, she recovers when he speaks to her directly
"Stallion? Yes, good. Maybe you could look at my notes? I am writing notes about machines."
As she talks Stiletto continues to look over Fluxs' head to get a closer look at how he works

Flux continues working as he talks, setting aside the ingots to cool and dumping some more ore in to begin the process all over again.
"Machines?  You know stuff about traps, too?  Neat!  I've been scribbling designs for a bit, but I'm still not very experienced.  I'll give them a look in just a couple minutes.  Gotta keep paper away from the smelter, I've lost a few designs by letting them get too close to the fire."

Stiletto nods
"I like big machines. The kind that make the wonderful noises."
She smiles a wistful look in her eyes
"Click and Twang, and thud! I like thud! the most, it's my favorite machine sound."

"I like the schwing of the blade traps, myself.  The pumps aren't bad, though.  Just kinda quietly efficient."
Flux places the crucible back into the smelter to start processing the ore, then closes it up and turn to Stiletto.
"There we go!  Lets go over here where my other notes are and you can show me what you've got."

With a flick of her mien, Stiletto trots to the area containing Fluxs' notes
"What I have got is right here."
Stiletto pulls a small book from under her armor with the use of her magic and places it next to Fluxs' notes
"Old family weapons."

Flux lets out a low whistle as he looks over her notes.
"Wow, Stiletto, these are amazing!  That multi-ballista is especially interesting!  Did you design these?"
He looks her in the eyes, clearly awed by the notes.

First Stiletto blushes again and then shakes her head
"My Great Uncle. He was a brilliant Militia pony, with much respect for his unit. He is the reason my family... sits where they do?"
She ferrous her brow as she clearly struggles for the right words
"We were close before I went to flight academy."
Stilettos' eyes droop again
"Traurige Erinnerungen."

"Um, did something happen to him while you were at the academy?"

"He passed on to Valholta just after I graduated. I went into guard training the next day."
She raises her head and squares her jaw
"He wanted me too be strong and brave, so I do it for him."

Flux looks up at her, starting to finally see past the alicorn to the pony.
"I... I'm sure he'd be proud, Stiletto.  You're one of the bravest ponies I know, and you use your strength to make sure others are safe.  I'm not too strong, but I want to help, too.  That's why I started looking into machinery."

Stiletto looks down at Flux and then her armor. She draws a hoof over one her *steel high boots* *1 then takes it off slowly and places her bare hoof on Fluxs' forehead.
"Your steel protects. I just end lives."

Flux blushs heavily as Stiletto places her hoof on his head.
"And you save others in the process.  I just make metal, I don't even work it into form.  You have the skill and the will to defend ponies at the risk of yourself, Stiletto.  I don't see how your Uncle could be prouder of you."

Stiletto smiles softly and puts her hoof down
'Solch ein netter kleiner Hengst. Wird er auch von mir genommen werden?'
"You are a very good friend to say that, but there are two lives that already passed through my hooves."
She put her boot back on
"Ich bin zu langsam."

"You can't be everywhere at once, Stiletto.  My traps aren't perfect, but I like to think they do at least something if real help cant get there in time.  Don't blame yourself, please?"

Slowly, carefully, Stiletto moves close to Flux.
"If you come with me when I visit them, I will be less sad. You really make me feel... Better?"

"T-to the crypts?"
Flux swallows heavily at the thought of being so close to dead ponies, but it doesn't seem quite as terrifying if Stiletto would be there.
"Um, alright.  I, uh, haven't payed my respects properly, and I really should.  You m-make me feel better, too."

Stiletto's eyes brighten up as she smiles and taps Flux on the head with her horn
"I go every Slate 18. It is her birthday, I remember to bring her flowers on her birth day."
Stiletto rises to her full height
"It will be good to finally go with a friend."





Glyph walks along, thinking to himself. 'I've been training hard, but I still have all of the skill of a foal with my axe. Maybe I'm just not... NO. Can't think like that, I have to prove that Virtue was right putting her trust in me, the captain too...'
He looks up, and notices that he had almost run smack into Stiletto! "Oh! Sorry, I was lost in thought... What are you doing out here?"

'Was ist das?'
Stiletto looked down at the pony before her, who was pleasantly not running away.
"I was on patrol, what are you doing wenig stallion?"

He cocks his head, "Wenig? dunno what that means... I was just thinking, I think better when I walk."

"It means... there is no good word in Midpony for it. This language is so impolite. Having good thoughts I hope?"

"Not really... I was thinking about me being in the militia. All the training I've done, and I'm still horrible with my weapon..." Glyph's eyes light up as a thought comes into his mind, "Hey, you're a really good fighter, maybe you can help?"

Stiletto took a second to recover from the fact she received a complement instead of a fear filled yelp and then nodded.
"You are very brave. Yes, I will train with you. I am Stiletto, what is your name? or should I just keep calling you wenig stallion?"

"My name's Glyph. So you are okay with training with me? Cool maybe we could have a sparring match? Oh, but you're on duty right now aren't you."

"Most ponies here just keep away from me. You are brave just to talk to me, and I just finished."
Stiletto looks out over the draw bridge and then back at Glyph.
"We will need training axes, if you want to be sparring with me Glyph."

"Really? We usually just spar with our normal weapons... but okay, you probably know way more than I do. Lead on." Glyph could feel his exitement rising, Stiletto was a really tough pony, if anyone could help make him a better fighter it would be her. "So... the barracks then?"

"Yes, the barracks, or maybe behind it. I am big and need space to move."
Stiletto trots off to the barracks and grabs two training axes off the weapons rack. She tosses one axe to Glyph
*With a slightly mocking tone in her voice* "Seien Sie sanft."

"Seien Sie sanft? Umm.. what?" He grabs the axe, and take a stance. "So... here? Or do you want to go outside?" Glyph's grip slips a bit, and he ajusts the axe again.
'Well at least I can talk clearly around my weapon...'

"Outside please. Just let me get my wing belt."
Stiletto magically lifts a large black leather belt from under her bunk and loops it about her wings so she couldn't possibly use them. With that in place she trots out behind the barracks and stands at the ready with axe in mouth and no shield.

Glyph follows Stiletto, confused a bit, but readys himself anyway. "Why are you wearing that belt? And why don't you use a shield?"

"You have no shield, you can't fly, I do not cheat."
Stiletto had to move the training axe several times as she was speaking. Then her eyes flared to life as she charged full tilt at Glyph, bringing her axe around in a wide ark.

'Well here goes nothing... but fighting at a handicap... it doesn't feel right.'
He jumps to the side and duck down, the strike sailing over his head. As he retakes his feet, he brings his axe around, taking a clumsy swing at Stiletto's legs.

Stiletto barely manages to stand up on her hind legs as Glyphs' axe swings just under her hooves. She then uses those same hooves to stomp down hard hoping to catch Glyph on the back swing.
'mutig und schnell'

He jumps back, expecting to have missed with his skill, nearly dropping his axe. He fumbles a bit then get his grip. 'Dangit, last thing you need to do is drop your axe again... she's already handicapping herself, anything more and I'll never live it down.'

Stiletto seems to smile around her axe. Swinging in wide arks with her axe she moves in for what she hopes will be an easy hit
"jetzt hab ich dich!'

Flux walk back from helping set up some more pumps to maybe finally get something besides air into the moat.  As he crosses the main bridge, he hears what sounds distinctly like Stiletto swearing in her strange language.
"Huh, nopony else sounds worried.  I wonder what's going on?"
Flux follows the sounds of Stiletto to their source, eventually seeing her and another pony apparently sparring.

Glyph darts forward, swaying out of the way of the blows, and clumsily sweeps his axe up, trying to strike Stiletto's head.

Stiletto gets her axe between her head and Glyphs axe just in time. She locks them together and starts using her size advantage to push Glyph down.
"Ich bin am stärksten!"

He trys to fight against Stiletto, but  can't, so he drops his axe. Jumping to the side, Glyph kicks out at her side, trying to get at least one hit in.
'Can't let myself get pinned, have to keep moving!'

When Glyph drops his axe Stiletto completely over extends herself and slams her axe into the ground with force. Stuck as she is she can't dodge and gets bucked in the side. She wheels on Glyph and tries to buck him back.
"Halten Sie still!"

Glyph jumps away, almost falling over from the shock at actually landing a blow. He spins around to look at Stiletto setting myself for another rush. "Should we get our axes back? Or is the match still going?"

Stiletto stops and faces Glyph
"We can get the axes, or we can... ringen?"
She actually looks rather pleased

"Ringen? Whats that?"
'She looks pleased... maybe... this was definitely a good idea'

"Ringen!"
Stiletto jumps into the air in an arc toward Glyph trying to land on him
"Krieg dich!"

"Whoa!" Glyph more falls to the side than dodges, barely keeping on his hooves. He swallows nervously. Glyph was pretty strong from working with rock, but Stiletto was in a league of her own. 'Can't back down now though... time to see how I do up close I guess.'
Glyph jumps himself, trying to knock Stiletto to the ground.

'jetzt hab ich dich'
Stiletto lifts herself up just enough to wrap her unbelievably long forelegs around Glyph as he charges her. Catching him against her chest sh pulls him under her bulk and basically lays on him.
"Ringen!" *she says with a smile*

"Omph" The breath is driven out of Glyph as Stilleto lays on him. He struggles a bit, but  can't get free. "Guess that means you won. H-how did I do?"

Stiletto stands slowly and carefully. Then she reaches down with a forehoof and musses Glyphs' mien.
"You fight very well Glyph. Mutig und schnell like my teacher at the guard academy."

'Wow, they're good!  I've never actually seen anypony spar before.'
Flux walks closer to Stiletto and Glyph, ready to congratulate them on their skill.
"Oh wow, that was great!"

Glyph blushs a bit at hearing another pony, 'Great, somepony else to see me fail... but that was fun.' He rolls to his feet and look over at the newcomer. "Umm... hi. Who're you? Wait... did you say great?"

Stiletto smiles and begins to remove her wing belt
"Flux is a friend Glyph. He helps me speak your words better."

"Ya, that was amazing!  It looks like you have another friend, Stiletto!"
Flux prances a bit in place in happiness.

"Solche niedlichen kleinen Hengste."
Stiletto gets her wing belt off and then spreads her wings out to their full span, as well as stretching the rest of her body out.

"Wow I've never had somepony call my fighting amazing before" Glyph chuckles a bit at Flux prancing "I'm glad that Stiletto has a friend. What language are you speaking Stiletto?" He looks at her as he asks, amazed at her wingspan.

Flux stares as Stiletto flexes and stretches, then remember his manners and coughs and blushs.

Not one but two stallions were at this very moment staring at Stiletto. She smiles and looks away as if she had not seen them as she folds her wings back in and walks between Flux and Glyph.
"I speak Highpony, Glyph. It is the Language of my home land."

Glyph swallows and blushs as he realizes he was staring. "U-umm, I see... it sounds interesting. You think you could teach me some?"

Flux shakes his head to try to clear it.
"It's a really interesting language, too!  Oh, it even has a word for our language: Midpony!"

Stiletto nods at Flux
"It is a very formal language. Midpony is easier to learn."
she huffs out a sigh.
"But I will try to teach."
Stiletto opens her wings just a little bit this time
"Know come here you two, it will time to eat soon."

"It will? I hadn't noticed. Maybe we can spar again later, maybe then I'll be able to get a bit better." Glyph walks over so he's standing next to Stiletto, trying not to stare, and waits for Flux.

Flux's stomach grumbles to remind him why he left the pumps in the first place.
"Ah, heh, right.  Lunch time."

Stiletto brings her wings in over Glyphs' and Fluxs' withers.
"I can not think of two I would like too eat with more."
She leads the two off to the dinning hall.