Somewhen, Somewhere
Chapter 3: Fight Spectrum
By Leftover of Saikano
Building a city atop a mountain works great for defensive purposes. One does not simply walk into Canterlot except using the main gates. That made those ponies living in the city feel safe, but made things too difficult for Applejack. She was climbing the vertical rock, trying to get to Canterlot Castle. She had to hold her rope with her hooves to free her mouth to think loudly. "What in Tarnation!?"
What got her attention was an armored pegasus flying towards her. The pony didn't stop, but sped past her, grabbing with his mouth and pulling the end of Applejack's rope. She held as she could when this made her hit the rock hard.
"What's wrong with yah, pardner!?" She shouted at the pony.
The pegasus glided next to her, and Applejack could now see him clearly. A stallion. He wore a Royal Guard armor over a blue flight suit. His coat was brown, and his mane and tail were a white and a dark, almost black green. Flight goggles covered his eyes.
"Captain Spectty, of the Air Cavalry division of the Royal Guard. I have orders to stop the Elements of Harmony from reaching Canterlot."
"Sorry, big guy, but Ah don't feel like following the authority today." Saying this, Applejack climbed the last meter separating her from an horizontal surface, with a firm grip like only earth ponies can have.
"My orders are just to keep you away from Canterlot." Said Spectty, now floating over Applejack's head. "But you have rebelled against The Shining Sun, our glorious Princess Celestia. That is something I, personally, cannot tolerate." His tone could not mask his furious zeal. "And for that reason, all of you must be terminated."
"Terminated!? As in, killed? That is wrong, boy. It's bad to kill ponies. And Ah don't say that just 'cause Ah'm the killee here. Also, what would Celestia say if she knew yer killing in her name?."
"You are right in the last part." Spectty hung his head. "Princess Celestia has infinite mercy, and She would avoid any unneeded bloodshed. She can also easily ignore any action we mortals do, as we are before Her no bigger than insects." He landed next to Applejack, and looked her in the eyes. "But I don't have those traits. I am no god, but an imperfect mortal, born stained. I cannot ignore those disrespecting the Goddess. And I cannot forgive them!"
Spectty swiftly spun on his front legs, and before Applejack could react, he bucked her in the chest, sending her through a hedge. Applejack landed next to a fountain, and used it to jump to her hooves as fast as she could. This time, she was able to see Spectty coming her way, and intercepted him with a front right hoof to his face. The hit was enough to stop his charge, and sent him rolling to the floor. Spectty soon rose to his hooves without problem. His goggles had shattered, revealing his green eyes, and he had a bleeding little cut in his lip. Other than that, he didn't look too bad.
"Yah talk much, pardner. But how much punishment can yah take? I warn you, Ah'm used to wrestle mah brother, who is one head taller than you."
"Ah, yes. Earth ponies, always testing their strength. But tell me, miss Applejack. Have you ever fought a trained opponent? I have, all the time. I myself am trained in six disciplines, strength will not be a problem. I have something just for Earth ponies."
Spectty threw himself against Applejack. She turned quickly and tried to buck him, but the second it took her to place herself was more than enough for him to sidestep, and he grabbed her extended legs and placed himself on her back.
"Bison Lucha Libre" he whispered.
"What in tarnation!?" screamed Applejack.
He shifted his position quickly. Now holding her front legs from behind with his own, and placing his back legs around her hips, barely outside the range of her stronger kicks.
"Maneuver twenty six: Rolling Crash!" He shouted at the same time as he pushed her and himself upwards with powerful wing thrusts. They rose eight meters in an arc, and began descending, head first, at high speed, until hitting the ground. Spectty jumped from the impact point, that was in the middle of a group of statues, and looked at the cloud of dust they had created.
Applejack did not lose consciousness, but pain ran through her entire body, and she wished she had been knocked out. She used one of the statues as support to try to rise to her hooves, but a look at the statues surrounding her send a chill down her spine. She was about to scream, but lost balance and fell in the fountain.
Spectty began walking towards the fountain, but a blue blur landed in his way.
"Stop right there, featherbrain." Said the newcomer.
Spectty looked at her for a moment. Then he spoke. "Rainbow Dash. Pegasus athlete, focused on speed, with maneuverability as a second. Unremarkable attack and defense, and some martial arts training to compensate."
Rainbow Dash smiled. "It seems I have a fan here. But you really need to learn how to talk to mares. Nothing about me is unremarkable."
Applejack, who rose from the soothing warmth of the water when she heard the voice of her friend, tried to get her attention. "Rainbow! Those statues! They-"
"I know." Interrupted Rainbow Dash, losing the smirk. "I already recognized them."
"Royal Guard." Said Spectty. "Even if the Princesses absolved the civilians involved, they could not let those that were supposed to protect them go unpunished. Princess Celestia was not happy having to turn this group to stone."
“How can you even stay in Celestia’s side after she did this to your friends?” questioned Rainbow Dash.
“The judgment of the Goddess is always right,” said Spectty. “But I have to admit I would have liked a more… permanent punishment for them.”
“How dare you…”
“Even if it would not change what I have come here to do, I expected the Element of Loyalty to understand. I will stay loyal to Celestia no matter what others think.”
“That’s not loyalty,” said Rainbow Dash. “You are supposed to support them, and help them improve. You just follow her unquestioningly. You are more like a zealot. A religious fanatic.”
The stallion stepped forward. Rainbow Dash quickly adopted a martial arts fighting pose. Spectty looked at her for a couple of seconds.
“Cloudsdale Karate? Against another pegasus, that is obviously more trained than you?” You should really try alternative fighting styles if you don’t want this to end in seconds.”
“That’s really nice of you, but I know what I’m doing.”
“I am not trying to be nice. I just want to see all you can give. I am trying to reach the highest potential possible for a pegasus, to better serve Princess Celestia. An exceptional individual like you, Rainbow Dash, is a great matter of study for me.”
“Well,” Rainbow Dash grinned “One does not improve with words.”
Rainbow Dash launched herself to the skies like a rocket. Spectty quickly chased after her. Soon, they were out of Applejack’s sight. Unable to follow the action, she took the chance to recover her rope.
A prismatic bolid soon came from beyond the treeline, and impacted the ground, rolling several meters, to near where Applejack was.
“Rainbow Dash! Are Yah Ok!?”
Captain Spectty landed near them. Applejack put herself between Rainbow Dash and him.
“Applejack, wait!” said Rainbow Dash.
“Don’tcha worry, sugarcube, Ah will cover you.”
“It’s not that.” A little smile formed on Rainbow Dash’s lips. “I want to fight side to side with you. We are together in this.”
Spectty finally did his move. He sped towards the two mares in an instant. Rainbow Dash flew upwards, and he tried to intercept her. A downward pull stopped him. Looking down, he saw Applejack holding him with her rope.
“Not so fast, sugarcube.”
“Don’t think you can stop me with some rope. I am-”
“Ah know, Ah know,” interrupted Applejack. “Yer some hot pegasus manure, according to yah. So Ah will only try and hold yah fer a bit.”
Spectty looked up, and he could see Rainbow Dash diving towards him at very high speed. He tried to make a move, but Applejack pulled him, and quickly made contact with a strong two-legged buck, placing him in the way of the speeding mare. The rainbow barrier broke just before Rainbow Dash’s impact with Spectty. The shockwave of the Sonic Rainboom caught all three ponies.
Once the rainbow-colored mushroom cloud dissipated, three ponies could be seen floating in the fountain. It was Applejack who rose first. Walking slowly, she dragged first Rainbow Dash, and then Spectty, out of the water. Then she fell on her side, with her head resting near the torso of Rainbow Dash.
Spectty soon opened his eyes, but he was unable to move his body, so he only looked to the sky. He was the first to talk.
“I see. So, this is the power of the Elements of Harmony. Such threat to the goddesses should not be allowed to exist in this world.”
“You are wrong,” said Rainbow Dash, without moving. “It’s not about a piece of jewelry, nor the cool magic tricks they help us do. What defines us is every experience we had together. All the fights, all the laughs, all the challenges and victories. It’s part of us. We have defeated powerful enemies before, and it’s all thanks to us sticking together, risking our lives for each other, and doing our best. At least, that’s how I understand it.”
Spectty said nothing else. Soon, he lost consciousness again.