//------------------------------// // Part 12: The Troubles of Learning // Story: A Blind Delight Season 2: Shadows of A King // by MajorFrostwing //------------------------------// A Blind Delight Season 2: Shadows of A King Part 12: The Troubles Of Learning By: Major Frostwing "Ok we are going to go over the basics with a sickle and chain." Tengu said as she handed an identical copy of her own sickle and chain to Trevor. "We will do a simple sweep and see how well you handle the weapon." Tengu swung her sickle in a wide arc before yanking it back. "Don't think about catching it just let instincts take hold." Trevor nodded swinging his own sickle in a wide arc. Problem was Trevor was not used to this new weapon and the chain slipped out of his hand sending the entire weapon into the cave wall. "COME ON THAT WAS PATHETIC!" Tengu exclaimed face-palming. "I was 3 when I learned how to use a sickle and chain and not once did I throw my entire weapon." She sighed using her own sickle to retrieve Trevor's weapon. She tossed weapon to Trevor who caught it by the chain. "Sorry Master." Trevor apologized readjusting the weapon in his hands. "I'm not used to throwing my weapon out." "No excuses." Tengu shook her head sighing. "We will be here all night until you get a simple sweep down at this rate." Trevor tightened his grip on the weapon "Show me again Master." Trevor said lowering his sickle before raising it back up. This was not missed by Tengu. She performed the same wide arc swing but noticed Trevor doing the same thing. She looked surprised as Trevor's sickle caught her own locking the blades. Both Trevor and Tengu yanked on their chains holding each other's weapon's together. "Impressive." Tengu said as she added some slack to the chain lowering the weapons to the ground. "I learn better in a combat situation. Outside of combat I have nothing keeping my focus." Trevor explained flicking his chain so the sickle became untangled from Tengu's. "Then I guess I will teach you the basics first then you can apply it to combat." Tengu said with a smirk. "This should be fun." Tengu said to herself as she spun her sickle. Trevor copied her moves happily. ----------------------------- After a few hours of training Trevor had learned the basics of the sickle and chain. This surprised Tengu immensely since he had only picked up the weapon hours ago. "He is like a prodigy of war. His ability to adapt to new scenarios and weaponry is amazing." Tengu told herself with a smile. That's when she saw something strange Trevor was slowly spinning his sickle. She closed her eyes watching Trevor's aura seeing blue surround him. The sickle suddenly lashed out whipping back into his hand as he began spinning it once again. "What is he doing?" Tengu asked herself before seeing Trevor lash out with the weight striking against the cave wall with a resounding crack. Trevor retracted the weight with a sudden pull. "I hadn't even begun teaching him how to use the weight as a weapon." Tengu continued to watch Trevor before she noticed something going on with Trevor. "Tears?" Trevor took off his mask dropping it down to the ground. He wiped his eyes with a finger before resuming his training. "Loud style: Joy." Trevor whispered smiling he threw out his sickle as it reached the end of it's line he moved his arm in a sharp arc. The sickle flew back except it was spinning. Tengu was blow away by this form of mastery. Trevor only continued to smile as he dodged his own sickle moving his arms to direct the spinning blade. It seemed to be a dance to Trevor as he continued to dance around swinging the sickle without bringing it back to his hand. Tengu watched as Trevor yanked back the sickle catching it before scowling. He threw his arm out launching the sickle before yanking it he raised his weight swinging his arm down unleashing the weight to slam on the ground a distance away from him. He caught the sickle repeating the same technique each with small variations one in particular caught Tengu's watchful gaze. Trevor swung the sickle once the sickle was at it's max range Trevor yanked back. Trevor raised his leg only to bring it down on the chain. The sudden force brought the sickle back towards Trevor only to go over his shoulder without so much as grazing him. "Very impressive work Trevor. You seemed to have master the weapon you now hold. Tomorrow we will go over stances and battle ethic using the sickle and chain." Tengu said with a smile. "Now go start a fire in the stove I am hungry." Trevor nodded collecting his weapon. "Thank you for teaching me master." Trevor said with a bow carrying the weapon into the house where he set his weapon on the table. He began placing wood in the stove starting the fire with ease. Tengu entered shortly after looking over the weapon Trevor had used it was damaged and chipped. She sighed picking up the weapon tossing it in the trash. Trevor stood suddenly moving over to the trashcan pulling the weapon out. "Trevor I have hundreds of these things throw that one away." Tengu said watching as Trevor set it back down on the table with all the tenderness of a mother with her newborn. "Every weapon has a time when it is retired now is not it's time." Trevor pulled a small stone out of his pocket getting to work on the sickle's blade. Tengu watched him seeing him work on the blade. She smiled going to prepare dinner. "Very well Trevor. That blade is now yours respect it and treasure it." Tengu said as she heard the tell tell signs of Trevor sharpening his weapons. ---------------------------- Meanwhile In Ponyville Twilight was sitting in her library accompanied by Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Cloudkicker. A message from Princess Celestia was received earlier in the day saying they were to immediately depart for the Crystal Empire. Twilight did not know the full details but Cloudkicker volunteered to be an escort for them in case anything went wrong. "So Twilight when do we leave?" Cloudkicker asked tightening Trevor's cane to her hip. "According to the Princess as soon as we can so I suggest we get moving. There is no telling what could be happening in The Crystal Empire right now." Twilight said rolling up the scroll tucking it in her backpack. "We are also to meet our contact there and he will inform us about the standing of the Empire." Twilight smiled to them as they all hefted their bags and elements respectively. "We don't have a second to lose." Cloudkicker said adjusting her own backpack it was full of rations and tools in case she needed them. They each left the library Cloudkicker bringing up the rear. She was going to protect them just as Trevor would have. ------------------------------- After a few hours on the Train they all finally arrived at their destination. They were in the middle of a blizzard which they saw no end in sight. A few of them shivered except for Cloudkicker who stood tall and prepared. Something in her gut screamed that something was wrong. A feeling she learned as a guard to listen to. A man walked slowly out of the blizzard He wore a long grey cloak and goggles that covered his eyes when the girls caught sight of the man they were on their guard. Cloudkicker had begun drawing her sword When the man lifted his goggles off of his face. "Twily it's good to see you again." Twilight smiled seeing her brother Shining Armor standing before her. She ran forward giving him a hug. Cloudkicker sheathed her blade with a sigh. There was a loud roar echo out of the blizzard catching all of their attention. Shining Armor looked over a glare on his face. "No time for pleasantries we have to get to the city." "Shining, what is going on?" Twilight asked seeing a mass of black forming in the snow storm. "Sombra. We have to go now we can't let him catch us outside of the shield." Shining Grabbed her sister's hand starting to run towards the city when a black tendril took hold of one of his legs. "Where do you think you're going?" A loud dark voice asked as it dragged Shining away from Twilight. "SHINING!" Twilight yelled being stopped by Cloudkicker. "Twilight we have to go. The captain will be fine but we have to leave NOW!" Cloudkicker ordered as multiple tendrils snaked from the dark form taking hold of Twilight and the others. "I think not." The voice boomed as they were all dragged off into the blizzard. Cloudkicker drew her blade cutting her restraint only for another to take it's place this one yanking the sword away from her. "None of you will escape my grasp. I will not be stopped again by that damnable trinket." Cloudkicker let out a scream as she disappeared into the white of the storm. ----------------------------- Trevor was sharpening his sickle when his sharpening stone broke in his hand. He flinched as the blade cut his palm but other than that he was in stunned shock as the stone broke. "You ok Trevor?" Tengu asked looking over at him. "Yea my sharpening stone broke is all..." Trevor held the stone in his hand a little unnerved something in his mind felt uneasy. "I can lend you one of mine." Tengu said pulling one out of her own pockets setting it in front of Trevor. She watched him as his expression didn't change. "Oh... Thank you Master." Trevor set the broken stone on the table picking up the new stone resuming his work. "Everything ok Trevor?" Tengu asked a little concerned. "Just a bad feeling Master." Trevor said his face returning to one of determination as he resumed his work. Tengu was worried about Trevor but whatever bad feeling he had she began to feel as well. it was almost like a war was coming. A war that would involve all of them.