//------------------------------// // Chapter 64 A lesson learn part 3 // Story: Spike the Knight // by vadram //------------------------------// A lesson learn part 3 “Grubs?” Spike asked as he stood next to Imamu inside the main chamber of his cave. “Aha.” Imamu replied briefly as he ate another. “Want one?” “Umm... when you say grubs you mean...” “Larvas.” “Thought so...” Spike said a little greener than usual. “So you want one?” Imamu placed one in front of him. Spike took a closer look at the disturbing food item that stood in front of him. The first things he noticed were its size, shape and color. It was big, for him at least, bigger than his head, but for Imamu it was a little smaller than his thumb. It was more or less cylindrical in shape, about six or seven times longer than it was wide, and the color was a mixt of green and yellows. At closer examination he could see that the exterior was a large leaf covered in a sort of liquid closely resembling slime. Curiosity got the better of Spike and he looked even closer. The slime was slowly falling of the leaf, pooling around it. If he did not know what the package contained he could have guessed it was some sort of exotic pony dish. Like assorted vegetables, steamed, and wrapped in cabbage. The smell on the other hand was strong but it did not smell bad, nor did it smell good, it was tolerable at best and certainly not something he would like to feel the smell of often. Like with every new thing that catches one curiosity Spike eventually decided to poke it. At first all he could feel was the slimy texture of the leaf covered in what he still thought to be some sort of preservent. He made a small cut into the leaf with his claw to see what was inside. He could not tell what it was only that it was somewhat transparent, somewhat shiny and a little white. He made the hole bigger and when enough of the contents was visible his eyes grew in shock and he backed away. After the brief moment of panic passed Spike took another look at the insides to make sure he did not imagine it, and to his shock he did not. Tucked inside the leaf was a larva, a huge insect larva. “You are... Why are you eating... that?” “Huh? Because it tastes good, and...” he ate another, “it is surprisingly healthy.” “But that is alive, or at least it was... That was a living being.” “And?” Imamu asked, as he took another grub. “And you ate it. You killed it and ate it.” “And?” He ate another. “You... How could you? How could you kill and eat a living being?” “Look kid...” Imamu spoke softly, “we do not chose what we can eat. You eat gems right?” “Yes but... gems are not alive.” Imamu laughs. “Tell me can you eat grass?” “Umm, I can eat hay fries... but I don’t really like their taste.” “What about rocks? Have you ever eaten rocks? Or dirt?” “Rocks? Hey didn’t you tell me to eat a rock if I was hungry some time ago?” “I did. So did you?” “No of course not.” “But you could, and it will be the same as if you ate some gem shards.” Spike stared at Imamu with a confused look on his face. “What I am saying is that we usually eat what we like. You like gems, I like bugs.” “But I still think it is wrong.” “You will get used to it... So what else did you learn today.” “I learned that you eat bugs.” “True... But what else did you learn from watching them fight?” “That Zecora can be scary.” Imamu laughed. “Sometimes it feel so go to be with someone younger than you. But besides that?” “Umm...” “What about towards the end?” “That you should not lose it?” “I see... we will get back to that. Then what about the fifth?” “The fifth?” “Strength and magic, discipline and luck and one more thing makes a great warrior” “I don’t know. I give up, what is the fifth?” “Well it depends who you ask.” “What do you mean?” “Strength, magic, discipline and luck are things that every fighter need, but the fifth varies from individual to individual. Some say it is cunning, the ability to trick your opponent, to keep him constantly guessing on what you are going to do next, or what is going to happen.” “Like the seedling, or the smoke, or the kiss.” “Good. Yes, those are some good examples. But cunning doesn’t work for all. Kirabo for one is as straight as an arrow. He doesn’t skeem, he plans.” “And Zecora?” Spike asked as he finished the last of his gems. “Zecora like to prepare, she is more smoke and mirrors illusions and distractions.” “But the wolfs...” “Just because she uses illusions and tricks doesn’t mean she can’t use force to, both physical and magical. But Kirabo is nothing like that. He tackles the problems head on, but that doesn’t mean he is reckless.” Spike looked a bit confused. “Look kid, let me put this another way. A wise friend of mine told me that there are two ways to solve a problem. The smart way, and the strong way.” “Wait just a minute!” Spike interrupted. “Are you telling me that Zecora is smart but weak, while Kirabo is strong but dumb?” “NO.” Imamu shouted. “Zecora relies more on her mind because she is smarter than she is stronger, while Kirabo is the other way around. But, that doesn’t mean she is weak or he is dumb.” “Oh I see now. So you say some prefer to be cunning, what about the rest?” “Patient.” “Patient? Really?” “Yes I have trained countless creatures and only a few did not have one or both of these.” “I really fail to see how this would work. I mean just sitting there doing nothing...” “Did you manage to see what happened after Zecora used the smoke bomb?” “No.” “Funny, I expected a dragon to easily see through it... Don’t worry with a bit of training you will know what to look for.” “So what did happen?” “Well for the most part nothing.” “Nothing?” “Yes almost nothing, Kirabo kept his guard up and waited for Zecora to attack him. Zecora knew that and waited for a clear shot.” “But if she tried I think she could have easily ended it then.” “Maybe, but if she would have failed Kirabo would have also stop holding back and...” He let Spike finish. “And then they would have just skipped to the last part of the fight.” “Yes. But keep in mind that this was a friendly competition between two fighters who knew very well just what the other was capable of. So when Zecora tried to smash Kirabo’s head with her hooves...” Again he paused so Spike could finish the sentence. “She knew he could stop her.” “Close. She did not know for sure, she guessed. She knew how strong she was and she had an idea how strong he was, so she guessed that he could block or dodge that attack.” “But if they would have been in a real fight they would have went all out?” “More or less.” “Care to explain?” Spike asked not understanding what Imamu meant. “Look kid...” Imamu paused, “ how can I put this... They would have used moderate amounts of power. Kirabo could go a little overboard so that he would be done faster. While Zecora usually needs time to gather her magic. But she could easily called the timberwolves right from the start.” “So only use as much as you need, in other words don’t be greedy?” “Ironic isn’t it?” “Not really. So in the end who won?”