//------------------------------// // 93 Dressage by Knight of Lycaeus // Story: Full Moon Fever: A MoonLight Prompt Collab // by TheLastBrunnenG //------------------------------// Dressage by Knight of Lycaeus Down below in one of the practice fields around Canterlot Castle where pairs of colourfully garbed Ponies in working in tandem. One would signal to their partner through magic, hoof, or wing and other would respond with carefully practiced movements that fell in step with the signal changes. "Such a strange sight, Twilight Sparkle and I understand not why this is counted among the great physical feats once truly prized by all. Feats of strength and skill I can understand and appreciate, but what mockery is this odd ritual?" Twilight sighed as she looked away from the practice field. "To be honest Nightmare, I don't understand this either, my expertise is in many academic fields including magic and science, but not anything involving physical abilities." Nightmare grinned and flared her wings wide preparing to leap from their lofty view, "Then I shall go down there and show them true strength and skill! Not the mockery that you Ponies now claim as equal to the contests of old." Quickly Twilight threw up a barrier before Nightmare could jump. "Regardless of your thoughts or mine, it is considered an acceptable sport." Nightmare snorted and walked back to sit next to Twilight, "I could have still gone there and shown them the importance of true strength and skill! Yet you must stop me?" "I really don't need to add to the list of collateral and property damage, not to mention the number of hospital bills and visits," Twilight said as she led Nightmare away from the view of the practice field "The gladiatorial arena was fine!" Nightmare roared flaring her wings again ready to try and take flight again despite the presence of the barrier. "If these 'Guards' had shown more skill then we need not worry so much on recovery." Twilight wrapped a wing around Nightmare and with a pop, she and Nightmare vanished. They reappeared in a different part of the castle far removed from the practice field. Unfortunately pulling an unwilling passenger such as Nightmare through the teleport was difficult and it wasn't smooth and instead of landing upright both of them collapsed into a pile at their destination. Twilight stood up and turned to glare at Nightmare, "Okay, you don’t like it as it doesn't match your ideals of a proper athletic contest. I don’t like it either for different reasons, but it is regardless of my dislike or yours it part of ancient Unicorn traditions. Thankfully the event has gotten better over time and less degrading." Nightmare stood up and stretched her wings wide, "Oh and how is what we saw less degrading?" Twilight conjured a pair of Unicorns, "The event began long ago in the early years of the Kingdom of Unicornia. The wealthy wanted impressive ways to get around and were not above using 'lower' class Unicorns to do so." One of the Unicorns dressed in finery climbed on the back of the other Unicorn who began walking. "As many Unicorns made homes on mountaintops it wasn't always easy for carts and carriages to climb the rough pathways. So they made a habit of having 'lower' class Unicorns act as their 'steeds'." The walking Unicorn changed steps and began walking in a more complex pattern. "At some point some decided that wasn't enough and began training their 'steed' to respond to certain commands and signals and this became a runaway mess as each noble tried to outdo the other with their well-trained 'steed'. Eventually one of the monarchs finally put an end to this and the old system was replaced by more conventional carts and carriages." Nightmare just stared, "If it was abolished then how this mockery to proper contests remained? How have the so-called monarchs of Equestria allowed this to infringe on the greatness of the contests of skill and strength?" "A few complained about the law infringing on their culture and heritage and one eventually turned it into a sporting event where things were more regimented," Twilight answered. "One of the key changes that allowed it to continue was the change of the position of rider to signaler, much less degrading. Dressage is considered a highly prized event among the older nobility along with fine sport of fencing and that's why most dressage competitors are Unicorns and those who aren't Unicorns are either related or have close ties to a Unicorn House." Nightmare nodded, "Ah, so that's the history behind that mockery." Twilight sighed in relief, "Good, so now you know why it's important at least from cultural standpoint. Dressage is important for some Unicorns and because of them that it is placed so highly." Nightmare nodded before her eyes lit up and she gave a wide smirk, "Perhaps I should learn some things about this 'dressage' so that these Ponies would then bow to my will!" Twilight groaned and sighed, this was going to be a long talk trying to dissuade Nightmare from her plan.