His mother…why did he have to remember his mother?
Those words that Pinkie Pie had said to Tom were similar to that his mother had told him. The pink horse was reminding him of his mother? Of all people he needed to remember in a place of ponies, his mother is coming to his mind?
“H-hey, Tom? Thanks for the save back there. I know we barely know each other and…”
“Vinyl, I need to sleep. Just get me a bed to rest on. I will answer anything you want to ask when I’ve had my rest.”
Vinyl looked up at Tom, about to say on how early in the day it still is, but then she saw the shadow growing on Tom’s face. “…O-okay, man.”
Tom stopped. Vinyl noticed after taking a couple of steps ahead. With a deep breath, Tom knelt down to speak with Vinyl. “I shouldn’t have said it like that...My mind is a jumble at the moment, and the pony at that place reminded me...of something I don’t need to remember at the moment. I might snap if I do not sleep this moment off, unless you know someone who is willing to spar.”
Vinyl shook her head. “I’ll get ya a place to sleep. Just keep ya cool, ‘aight, Tom?” She turned and trotted off in the lead.
Even though he’s easy to snap, I can see that he’s trying. Maybe I could...help? Well, I’m in deep in this, whether I want to or not. It’ll probably be better if I keep an eye on him.
---
It was a chilly winter that day. There were three elves in their travels, going from town to town. Tom was young for an elf back then. Unlike most elves, these three traveled for their lives. Tom looked up at his parents, his mother’s clerical vestments soft even when damp from the melted snow in his grasp. All he could see were their smiles from their faces. He could remember the snow falling softly on his face, when his father attacked him with the snow on the ground. He actually smiled back then, having the carefree snow fights with his parents.
Bringing up these memories only brings up the ‘incident’.
Flames surrounded him, the town he was in was under attack from a hideous creature. A lich. Only his parents were left standing from the mass of corpses surrounding them. A blinding flash of light, and Tom could only see his father’s sword fly towards him.
Tom took his father’s sword, with intentions to give it back, but he saw there what had happened.
A bloodcurdling scream escaped his throat as he saw his dead parents, but his body had charged towards the wounded Lich as he plunged the sword through…
---
“Eep!”
Tom fell over a yellow pegesus, who seemed to have been leading a family of ducks somewhere. Fluttershy was walking backwards, while Tom was spaced out, completely oblivious to the world around him.
Fluttershy was caught under the legs of Tom. “Oh dear…I-I’m sorry, I…I didn’t look wh-where I was going….”
Before anypony could do anything, Tom slammed his fists into the ground. “That does it!” He got up, towering over the pony on the ground. His intimidating stance made the pegesus cover her face with her wings. “Every one of you has been stopping me for no good reason! None of you are warriors, this town not only has a lack of protection, but of personal space! And you have the gall to not even face me!”
“Hey, Tom! Chillax, man! Flutters doesn’t deserve…”
Vinyl got a glare from Tom. “Stay out of it! I’ve been holding it in, but this town is all wrong!” He looked at Fluttershy. “And why even bother with such a task that they could do themselves?! Was it on purpose?! You did it on purpose, didn’t you?!”
“Hey, leave her alone!” A shout from behind him catches Tom’s attention. A blue pegesus with a rainbow mane flies in-between Tom and Fluttershy, defending the cowering pony.
Tom glares at the newcomer, and then glances at the scared faces of the other ponies surrounding him. …Finally, someone has the gall to stand up for what they believe in. Tom draws his sword and plunges it into the ground. “And why should I leave her alone?! It was her fault I fell over!”
Rainbow Dash glared back, even pushing her face up to his. “Nobody blames Fluttershy of anything! She’d never do anything to anypony on purpose! If you pick on Fluttershy, then you’re picking a fight with me!”
That was the magic words for him. “Oh, am I? You are the first one I have met in this town who stood up to me fully.” Tom looked to the left of him. There was a tree with a single dead branch sticking out. Tom took three steps over to the tree, reached up, and ripped the dead branch off. It was a hefty club that he could use. He unattached his cloak of charisma, and pulled out a cape to wear out of his pack instead. “If you want me to leave her alone, however, then let us fight.”
Rainbow Dash had a look of confusion at first, but then glared again. “Fine! If I win, you have to apologize to Fluttershy, right in front of everypony!”
The two of them faced off, the ponies around them backed off even further than they were already.
“Hey, look guys. We don’t have to...” Vinyl spoke up, standing in-between the two, but it was too late.
Rainbow Dash flew straight up, thinking that she had time to prepare any kind of attack she had.
Tom’s cape split in half, becoming a pair of feathery wings. Flying straight up after her, Tom swung a solid hit at Rainbow Dash. The hit sent her flying off to the side, but her expert flying skills got her back on level.
She was still surprised about the fact that Tom could fly. “Wha…? How…! Oh, it…is…on!”
With amazing speed, Rainbow Dash flew straight at Tom, then made a deke around him and struck from behind.
Tom didn’t even have time to react. A solid hit at his back sent him forward. But Rainbow Dash wasn’t done yet. With perfect corners in her flight pattern, she flew under Tom’s position and did an uppercut to his face. Tom didn’t have time to recover, and fell to the ground, into a bush.
“Had enough, you jerk?!” Rainbow Dash hovered over Tom’s position, acting triumphant. “You better be ready to apologize to Fluttershy!”
Tom stood up. He began chanting, summoning power from his god’s blessings. He felt his body feel lighter, as he speed up his body with a haste spell.
Flying up to be level with Rainbow Dash, Tom held the dead branch resting on his shoulder as he rubbed his sore chin. “Such speed. I’ve never seen anything like it. This is the first time I had to use a spell in a spar before. I commend you. But no one can beat me in a straight martial combat.”
“Well, you better be ready to eat those words, cause I’m the best pony here!” Rainbow Dash zoomed forward, going for a head on collision.
Time slowed down for Tom. She was fast, that was for sure. Tom had to focus on the timing of his swing if he wanted to win. Within a moment of time, Tom’s strength shot up, making the swing as fast as it could.
One well placed swing upward struck at Rainbow Dash’s chest, knocking the wind out of her. The dead branch broke, splintering in his grasp. I’ve won, He thought in that short time. Nothing could withstand that amount of force of that swing and be conscious.
This is when forward momentum kicked in. Rainbow Dash’s path was altered only by a little at such close range. There was no time to dodge. The sound of skulls cracking together was heard across the town as the two were sent hurdling towards the main hall building of Ponyvile.
However…there was no collision. A dimensional door appeared out of nowhere, as a hoof reached out for both fighters, bringing them both in.