The training blade bounced up high, and Waking’s sword popped Dart on the head, firmly making him drop the polearm.
“OW! Do you have to hit me so hard?”
Waking sighed and swatted him again. Cookie snickered before Waking glared at her, and she went back to loading the crossbow and carefully aiming it.
“Yes, I have to hit you that hard; I should really be hitting you harder. Nopony on the battlefield is going to just bonk you. You keep throwing yourself way off balance. You have to forget what your family taught you about fighting.”
Dart rubbed the bump on his head before picking up the weapon again. “The bat ponies of Dark Island are some of the most feared warriors in known world. There is nothing wrong with their fighting style.”
“I know—it’s an amazing fighting style. It covers all defensive points and lets you exploit weak points in many other styles. It is quite a worthy style indeed. BUT!” he nearly growled getting closer to the very uncomfortable Dart. “In order to use it, you have to be EXACTLY the size, and balance of the average pony. The reason you always trip over yourself is not because you are clumsy—it’s because the techniques you try to employ dont work with your body type. I wouldn't teach a filly to use a giant war hammer, and I would not give the largest pony under my command a letter opener for a weapon. When you move, it’s like you don't even know you have wings. Look, spread your left wing out all the way, keep your right one in, and stand on only one hoof.”
Dart stood for a short while with a confused look but quickly took to just one hoof, easily balancing before he spread his wing. Before he could even get his wing half way out, he simply fell to one side.
“You see? Look at your wings. Come on, spread them and lets take a look.”
Dart stood up and spread his wings, opening like heavy sails on a ship. “I don't see what’s the big deal—yeah, my wings are bigger than everypony else’s.”
Waking shot his hoof out and covered Dart’s mouth, shutting him up. “Look! our wings are easily twice the size of mine, and you are not even done growing. Already, the bones here at the lead of your wings, look at this. Your radius and your humerus in your wing—you could knock a pony out with that; they are HUGE. Not to mention, look how thick your wings are. I’ll bet at a hundred yards, an arrow would not even make it through your wings.”
Dart’s eyes went a bit wide. He was not used to getting such positive reinforcement. Nor was he so used to ponies complimenting his wings. The first had been princess Luna. The mere remembrance of the dream that she invaded made him blush a little before Waking swatted him on the head again. He snapped back to attention, keeping his wings out. “Well, I guess you are right. Of all my brothers, I am the one who never seemed to get his wings hurt, and I have taken some serious crashes. My brothers have even suffered rips in their wings while I have never once been unable to fly.”
“Exactly. Your wings, you may have thought or even been told that they are a weakness. To a point, it’s true. But you should never try and move like your brothers with wings that size. You have to learn how to fight using the power and weight in your wings. You always flop about because you are trying to turn too sharp or trying to fly like you weigh less than a feather.”
Waking chuckled, taking a few steps back and rummaging through some old scrolls at his new desk. The wolves down below stared up at them occasionally but didn’t seem to notice until now.
Up came a rather large and hefty one. Cookie smiled and waved. “Hey Tanku, what’s up?”
The big wolf snatched up one of Waking’s scrolls. He looked like he was going to protest, but instead, he just let it slide. They had been quite kind and patient all on behalf of Cookie, although they did take some supplies when they needed it. His claws whipped about over the scrolls, leaving dark marks from berries he had just mashed up with the long, dangerous extensions to his fingers. Soon, he set the scroll down before Waking. Over the empty pages, he had drawn a complete copy of the basic guard training scroll reworked to correct balance issues specifically for Dart.
“Wow, this is actually amazing!” He looked it over, and felt a little annoyed; not at the intrusion, but at the fact that the only way these wolves knew the basic guard’s training in the first place was if they had gone through his things and manually studied the scroll. But still, just as Cookie had said, these wolves were no beasts. They were highly intelligent and excessively skilled. To learn a whole martial art skillset and adjust it to fit a specific individual when they were incapable of even performing the art in the first place was astounding.
“Wow, I’m glad you guys are on our side.”
The wolf grunted back at him, almost annoyed “We were tired of you wasting time with the stupid one; teaching war is a sacred duty. You should not waste so much time.”
Waking stared almost unbelievingly. “I… see. I will make sure I do not waste any more time.”
Cookie laughed, and Waking took the scroll to Dart, who eagerly took it, beginning his study. “I honestly believe I have seen everything now. Well, lets hope that Shadow is doing his thing well enough.”
------------
The pegasus fell into the puddle of blood pooling below him as Shadow continued to walk with the utmost calm. The old unicorn stepped back, sweat dripping off his brow, beside him his last line of defense stood fear stricken but not surrendering. The female unicorn leveled her horn and let loose a blast of magical power which blasted down the direct path. Shadow whipped out of the way caring a sharp path back and forth with a blur of his dull skin tone. She could just barely make out his glaring eyes as her horn flared with power reversing the gravity in hopes of tripping him up. Though another look and she could see, he was already upside down. It was as if from the front door to the innermost sanctum he knew every last surprise and move that all inside made.
“Cute, but I have seem much better.” Shadow’s hoof blurred over and her horn let out a loud audible crack as it ripped clean off. She screamed loudly before his hoof came to her chest and a fine spray of blood replaced the air in her voice. Whipping about again he snapped her neck and let her fall to the ground, her magic vanishing. His hooves touched down easily, and his red eyes leveled at the old unicorn.
“Shadow Strider, I should have figured. But this… this I am amazed that you could do this much, how did you get so powerful?” For every step Shadow took forward the unicorn seemed to take two steps back. Though Shadow did not seem to mind. He just calmly kept stepping forward.
“Violence.”
The unicorn looked at him blankly, confused and baffled until his eyes snapped open and he began to shiver and shake. “You know? How did you know?”
Shadow grinned and took a fast step forward. “I took it off Shaw Jaw, but I have to know. Why give it to the council? You know very well what they were going to do with it. What any stupid old world fool would do with it. Oh wait, the answer is pretty bucking obvious, isnt it?”
The unicorn shivered looking into his eyes.”It was a LOT of money. But still, how did you get it from Captain Shaw?”
Shadow grinned. “How do you think? But honestly I'm not here to brag, and I don't have it on me.”
“Then how are you using its power?” The old unicorn’s back legs found the wall and he shook in fear scrambling to back up further.
“Did you forget who I am? I could easily use half those things, I just absorbed a bit of the power, speaking of these lovely little toys. Where are they? The other five. Don’t bother lying. There is no point in it for you and I already know most of the legend.” He grinned taking another step forward.
“W-wait! now now Shadow, I think you know that I am far more cooperative if I have your word that I am free AND safe after I give you some information.” He nervously stepped back further finding the corner of the room as Shadow reached to the side and toyed with the dead mare’s head. Along with her there was another seven dead ponies in the room with them.
“Oh you are so silly, don’t you remember? I just said there is no point in lying.” The unicorn’s eyes widened much more. “There you go, yes no matter the outcome here, I am going to kill you. The only thing in question is how fast you are going to die. Give me what I want to know and I can get out of here fast, I will even make it painless, but if I feel you are not giving me what I want to know or you take too long and well, I take longer.”
He sweated profusely and shivered in dire fear. But with a swallow he accepted his fate. “They already bound Violence to Captain Shaw and revenge to somepony called Early moon. The others are being restricted to be bound to other ponies. They know how powerful these things are and the council doesn't want the ponies they give them to, to be able to have their full power. Otherwise they would just take it and leave. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely.”
Shadow grinned closing the gap between them smiling right into his eyes.
“...where?”
----------------------
A customary bow preluded the three ponies who looked up at the mare who had given them all such wonderful purpose.
“Your majesty, training goes very very well. Though we have seen no trace of Shadow Strider. If I am permitted to ask, how is the captain? and did you identify the object he was possessing.”
Luna held a hoof up calmly. “Waking, remain at ease The captain was received two days ago and I have learned much about the council from him. Though we cannot act upon any of it just yet. We do not yet have the support needed to simply make these decisions. Also, just this morning the council took him into their own custody, They responded far too quickly Waking. They know, I don’t know how but they know and they knew we had him. You must be very careful.”
Luna noticeably flinched, then smiled. “It looks like yet again your doubtful nature is not paying off Waking.”
Her horn let off a deep glow and Shadow appeared next to them with an odd, unfitting, almost creepy smile.
“Goodness, dont do that Shadow. I can never sleep well when you smile. And you have been gone for days, you had better well have a good exc…”
“Yeah shut up please Im in too good of a mood, lets just talk family for a sec aye?” He chuckled and spun around to Cookie. “You getting a hold of your archery little one? If you can one shot the target at 50 yards Ill bring you back some fancy chocolate.”
Cookie grinned. “Oh I can do that, you better bring the goods” He chuckled and panned to Dart.
“Hello now, Don't you look a bit better, you figure out your balance problem yet?”
Dart’s eyes twitched. “IF YOU KNEW MY PROBLEM WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME?”
He laughed loudly and nudged him. “Then you would not have learned, I know you trust me but you look at Waking, and I can tell that when he speaks you know he is telling the truth or at least not trying to lie. You have good instincts kid, and you are strong of heart. You live for the honor of battle. I see good things in your future.”
Dart happily nodded quite enjoying the post Luna experience Shadow. He made a mental note to put more trust into him.
Shadow turned to Luna and bowed low. “Mother, I have found what we seek, and everything about it. Though allow us to locate them first. I will lead us to them and we will cripple the enemy with one strike”
Luna nodded and smiled.”Take the family with you and we will find victory”
He nodded back and bowed low, his wings splayed. He turned and faced Waking who gave him a small untrusting stare.
“What? I went out to find something, and I found it, lets all wake up so I can train these two, we will leave in the morning.”
Cookie and Dart gave their loving happy gaze and bow to Luna before closing their eyes and vanishing. Shadow quickly followed, but Waking stayed behind. “your majesty, I do not trust him. He knows only blood and death.”
Luna shot him an unapproving glare.”You are more at fault for your shortcomings and painful past than he is, far far more at fault.” He bowed his head in shame remembering the painful memories. “He did not ask for the path he was given, and despite your mistrust of him he is still your brother under my name. Trust him, I do”
She smiled warmly. These ponies, her children gave her an odd joy that he never saw her get from any other source. It made him beam with pride to see him giving her such joy. He saluted and began to fade until his eyes opened and his ears were full of Dart and Cookie’s laughter.
He stood up and felt his face noticing an odd feeling across his cheeks and lips. There was an odd sticky feeling, he quickly looked into the water storage at his reflection to notice there was an ink moustache and elongated side burns painted crudely on his face. “Cookie!...”
Cookie shook her head but still laughed, Waking’s eyes shot to Dart who did the same. His eyes quickly found Shadow with a confident smirk on his face. A paintbrush still rested in his hoof. “What?. you told me to lighten up, this is me lightening up. Hey, at least I didn’t kill you in your sleep”
The following was very close to the very same event which got all the four ponies arrested the first time they met.