After some quick scrounging in the barn, Applejack, Tex and Spike managed to get several pieces of wood, some scraps of cloth to make the dummies and a lot of hay to fill them.
"This looks like enough to start with," Applejack said quietly as she placed all the wood next to each other, forming a third, sorted pile. "If this ain't enough, you could see Rarity about your idea. Ah'm sure she'd be more than happy t' help, and she could probably get ya some cheaper fabric and help ya make better dummies."
"She might be happy to make things, but I'm not sure she'd be ecstatic to be making them just for me to destroy."
"That's true, Ah suppose," Applejack said with a shrug, then began to grab more pieces of loose wood. "Couldn't hurt t' ask, though. She is the Element of Generosity after all."
"I guess," Tex said as she looked back at Spike. "Think you could-"
"On it!" Spike said as he sprinted out the door.
"Heh, he moves pretty fast for someone who has short legs," she said, turning her attention back to Applejack. "So I forgot to ask, how are the others lately?"
"They're good, so t' speak. Mostly keepin' outta trouble, bar the occasional threat of dominatin' the world and the like, but that's normal for 'em."
"I meant your family."
"Suppose the same goes for them, minus the threats," Applejack chuckled with a large smiled. "But nah, they're alright. Apple Bloom is happy t' have Theta an' Sigma around t' play with when Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle aren't here. Granny Smith is happy that the guests are back, an' Big Mac is pretty much th' same, watchin' them with Sarge t' keep 'em in line. Ah'm sure Sarge is itchin' for 'em t' slip so he can have a reason to pick a fight. Actually, maybe Ah can make an extra one or two of these for him an' O'Malley. Let 'em work off that pent up violence since they don't seem t' be able t' talk it off."
"Sounds like a plan. Good to hear they're taking it well," Tex said, smiling back at her.
"Ah'm still not too sure if that's the right word for it," Applejack said, looking towards the door. "Wait here for a sec, Ah'll go grab some rope from th' house, then we can start buildin' us some dummies for ya just in case Rarity ain't fond of th' idea."
Applejack and Tex shared a quick nod, and Tex began to inspect the stuff in front of her as Applejack left. Picking up a piece of wood, she propped it up, then began to think of what she should start with. If she was going to actually go through with it and have a class, she knew she would have to split stuff into beginners and intermediate classes. The problem, however, was that she wasn't sure if others would consider what she found simple to be so. She would have to start with the most basic of basic things. Actually hitting it. Turning around, Tex brought her legs back and bucked at the piece of wood, making it fly a few feet in the other direction.
"Looks like someone is having a little fun," a voice said from the doorway with a rough, condescending laugh.
"Sarge," Tex said knowingly, turning to the red stallion standing in the light. "Good to see you again."
"Likewise," Sarge murmured reluctantly, then began walking towards her. "Mind if I ask what you're doing on the Apple family's property? Nefarious Blue things?"
"And here I thought you'd think I'm working with O'Malley."
"I'm more used to you being a Blue than a stupid little fragment," he shrugged. "I might not trust you as much as Simmons or anything that is better than Grif, but I know you wouldn't stoop down to their level of idiocy."
"That's... actually kind of a nice thing for you to say," she admitted.
"Don't mention it," he grunted. "But what are you doing? That piece of wood didn't insult your ability to fight, did it?"
"I felt that training people might be a good fit for me, so Applejack is helping me build some test dummies. I mean, knowing there are assholes like those three pegasi that need dealing with, I'm sure the ponies here might find use in some defense."
"Seems pretty smart to me. Wonder why I didn't think of that after I got my stamp," he said, scratching his chin as he looked at the scattered items in front of her. "But if you need something to kick, why don't you just use Grif? I always have."
"Thought of that. Felt that he wouldn't be too keen on the idea," she sighed.
"You seem to be forgetting one thing about Grif. Getting hurt is his talent! It's the thing he does best. In fact, it's the only thing he does well at all. I credited with him that before we came here, but now his ass symbol proves it. You'd be rude not to ask him. And by ask, I really mean forcibly abduct and run tests on. He'll probably be more open to that idea seeing as it means he won't have to get off his lazy ass."
"I guess it is what he was made for," she said with a small nod, then shook her head. "But no. It's safer this way. I'm not sure how the ponies would take to beating the hell out of a live pony that didn't provoke them. I'm trying to do the right thing for once, not just take the way that's easiest for me or suits my needs."
"Suit yourself," Sarge scoffed. "While I'm here, need any help building this stuff? In case you forgot, I'm great at building things."
"I thought you just said that I'm a Blue, and the only time you help Blues is when you get dragged into doing it, or you just want in on the action," Tex noted.
"The second one," he said after a second of thinking. "I'm tired of sitting around all day helping on the farm. I don't want to settle down with a simple life. I want to hit things and get paid to do it."
"I don't know, I kind of..." she stopped mid-sentence, thinking back on how she would teach the beginners class. Or rather, thinking about how Sarge could do that while she teaches the useful stuff. Holding out her hoof, she began to smile. "Actually, you know what? If this ends up happening, I think I could use your help teaching some classes if you really want to."
"Aha! I knew you were smarter than O'Malley and the others. If he doesn't want my help building a cannon that could be used to launch Grif at things, that's his loss." he chuckled, shaking her hoof. "But if anyone asks why I'm working with you, I'll say you dragged me into it."
"Right."