28 - It's for your own Good
Fast Shadow smiled at her would-be sparring partner. "Now, normally, I would offer a beginner with the option of removing my magic items." She was certain that if she phrased it that way, Diamond would rise to the bait, and she did.
"What? No, I'll fight you just the way you are. I don't need handicaps." She raised the axe, ready. "Don't treat me like a little filly. I've already made more money than you dream about."
Fast raised a brow. "Will that money protect you on the field? How curious, you aren't even wearing armor."
Diamond levelled her harsh glare on Fast. "You're mocking me. You'll regret that." She lunged forward suddenly, starting the match. Fast felt a presence behind her suddenly and glanced. There she was, somehow, snuck behind her. Before she could get her defenses turned around, she felt the burning cut of the filly's weapon, but it came from the front, not the back. The one behind her faded away into the ether. "Fight me like you mean it!"
Fast lashed out a hoof, catching Diamond across the belly and sending her back a few steps, enough to lower her lance into ready position. "A lesson well-learned, little one. Thank you for reminding me of it." The match was on in earnest. Diamond Tiara had a powerful desire to win, and was quite strong for a filly, but Fast Shadow lived up to her name, ducking around the inexperienced sweeps of that axe and jabbing painfully with her lance or landing a painful thud with her clad hooves. "Perhaps if you were as well-armored as me, I would be worried, but you have no protection, and are not quite fast enough." She ducked back under a wild swing. "Overconfidence leads to defeat, never forget that."
Pinkie Pie leaned towards Silver Spoon. "They're having such a good time! Diamond's doing really good for her first match."
Silver gave a slow nod, watching the battle with building worry and concern. "Are they going to be alright?"
Diamond swatted at Fast's lance before rolling forward. It was a bold and astounding move, but she didn't have the skill to pull it off, least of all against Fast Shadow. She leaped aside then brought down her hoof on Diamond Tiara's chest with a snap and the pained wheeze of breath being forced out of her. The fight was abruptly over as Diamond squirmed and struggled for air. Fast looked towards her friends. "Is one of you a healer?"
Silver was already hurrying forward. She placed her hooves on Diamond, tears flowing with abject terror. "Please, Luminace, don't let her be hurt!" The warm flow of healing energy rushed from Silver into her friend, and the broken bone was mended with an equally unsettling pop.
Diamond took a loud breath and flopped back, just catching up with her breath. Fast nodded lightly. "You have talent, but you need practice. Nothing is learned without it. I don't think you are meant to be a warrior as I, clad in steel and living only by the grace of her weapon." She leveled a hoof at Diamond Tiara's face. "Your eyes shine with a magic I don't recognize, but certainly felt. Hone that, and I am certain it will bridge the holes in your martial play."
Silver Spoon helped Diamond up to her hooves with a nervous smile. "Are you alright?"
Diamond nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." She turned to Fast Shadow. "So you're an adventurer, huh?"
Fast nodded her head. "I am a Seeker, like most you will find here. I go where I am needed."
Blue waved her small hooves. "Please, can you come with us? We're still learning, and having such a skilled fighter with us would really help."
Fast raised a brow, then leveled her gaze on Pinkie. "You are the only Seeker of this group. Is this your request, or are they hiring me?"
Pinkie spread her own hooves, snatching up Blue and Silver Spoon. "Come on, it'll be fun! We're going to talk to some trouble-making goblins, but our real mission is way more important!"
Diamond Tiara frowned. "I don't need her to 'bridge the holes'. I'm getting better at this all the time." She shoved her axe away angrily, then thumped her chest. "I'm the leader of this group, Diamond Tiara."
Fast inclined her head and raised an ear. "A pleasure to meet you, Diamond Tiara. I am Fast Shadow. Ultimately, I am a mercenary. I will not take your group away from you, nay, Pinkie Pie requests that I serve under you."
That took Diamond Tiara by surprise. "Oh, of course." A minion such as the powerful fighter seemed appealing, but she wasn't sure if she wanted somepony so much stronger than her. "We'll continue these little... matches." She smiled. "And Silver Spoon and Gneech as well."
Gneech paled. "What?" Diamond Tiara glared at him and he sagged. "Yes, alpha horse. Gneech will train..."
Silver Spoon didn't look much happier about it. She shuffled in place. "I... I don't want to be hurt like that."
Fast raised a hoof and set it gently on Silver's shoulder. "None of us desire to be hurt, but one either learns to avoid that hurting here, among allies, or later, among enemies, and they will not wait while your pains are seen to." She smiled gently at Silver. "I will take care. I have sparred with far more fragile-looking souls than you."
Gneech flashed a hopeful smile. "You will be nice to Gneech too, yes?"
Fast raised a brow. "It is not common that I see one of your kind following a pony for any reason. Yours is a fascinating history that I am sure I will learn in time, but we should move. Pinkie." Pinkie looked up at her name being called. "When do we depart?"
Pinkie pointed at Diamond. Diamond smiled at being deferred to. "We have things being enchanted. Let's go when they're ready. I won't be such an easy target with my armor on me."
Fast nodded. "Very well, then we have time. Who shall be next?"
Gneech quickly backed away, leaving Silver standing there. She went pale as Fast advanced on her. "Do you have a weapon?"
Silver drew out a little dagger. "I normally use a bow, but it's being enchanted with everything else, Miss Shadow."
Fast nodded. "Then we will focus on defensive techniques. Your goal is simple, don't be hurt." Fast swung out a hoof with intentional slowness, giving Silver enough time to squeak and scamper out of the way. The first one was given freely, but no others. Fast harried Silver Spoon with rapid lashes and unexpected thrusts of her lance. She kept her strikes light of force, but she was frighteningly accurate, even going for light blows.
Every landed blow got a squeal or a squeak from Silver Spoon as she bobbed and danced around, trying to avoid being beaten around. "Tell me," asked Fast, "What profession do you seek, young one?"
Blue answered for her. "Princess Luminace has called upon her to be a war priest."
Fast's reared back with surprise. "Truly? An ill fit, from my view, but if the gods have decreed it, then it is so. What do you think, little one?"
Silver trembled a little as she looked up at Fast Shadow. "I think I want to do it right... I'll protect Diamond Tiara, and do right by Luminace. She really helped me out when I needed it. She said... I don't have to be 'war' like tons of ponies fighting. I can fight for her by sharing friendship, and knowledge."
Fast smiled gently. "I am glad to hear that. She is known as a kind goddess, and your words only assure me of that. If you wish to defend your friend, you will be between her and terrible things that will seek to harm you. If you are scared of me, they will terrify you to inaction. You don't want that, do you?"
Silver shook her head quickly. "N-no miss!"
Fast nodded slowly. "I thought not. Focus on my swings, and forget me, as a person. I am a challenge to be defeated, nothing more or less, as any enemy on the field will be." She pressed her attack, but Silver's eyes started to follow lashing hooves and weapons. She was learning, a little bit, and Fast was pleased. Perhaps Silver wouldn't perish so easily.
Silver collapsed beside the others, battered and bruised, but still in one piece. Diamond patted her lightly. "She went easy on you, but good job." Backhanded though it may have been, she seemed sincere, and Silver accepted it with a tired smile.
Diamond shoved Gneech forward. "Your turn."
Fast tilted her head at the Kobold. "Today is your lucky day. I have not yet had lunch, and a warrior works on their belly. Come, I know a fine place to take care of that, and they provide a reasonable price for Seekers."
Diamond hiked a brow doubtfully, but followed along. Whatever little dive Fast preferred would surely not measure up to her refined palate...
Gneech let out a loud sigh of relief as he ambled along behind everyone, looking quite pleased with himself for not being smashed to pieces by the skilled fighter, yet. "Maybe... tomorrow? You work really hard, very tired."
Fast waved a hoof dismissively. "I'll be fine after a snack. You'll have your turn, worry not little dragon."
Gneech stood up a little taller. He liked being called a dragon, but still... "Gneech is missing weapon and armor, all being enchanted. Gneech claws and teeth not very sharp for use in fight."
Fast nodded. "Then we'll both get some practice weapons, just to make it fair." Gneech deflated with defeat. "I will not fault you from trying to avoid battle, but this one has no escape, so you may as well handle it with dignity."
Gneech pointed at Blue. "Why is small horse not training too?"
Blue looked around as if some other pony could be the target. "M-me?! I'm a cleric, not a fighter!"
Fast looked down at Blue. "A cleric must know how to take up arms as well. Surely you were shown your goddess' preferred weapon?"
Blue swallowed nervously. "A quarterstaff, ma'am..."
Fast nodded. "A fine weapon, in the grasp of a skilled combatant, which you could be. You're after Gneech."
Blue paled and sank. She pouted at Gneech. "You're still going before me."
Gneech huffed at the truth of it. "At least everyone will be sore with Gneech. Is pink pony not training?"
Fast glanced at Pinkie Pie. "She has learned all that I can teach her. Only the field will yield more direct lessons. If she wishes to spar, she has but to ask, but worry less on the training of your fellows, and more on your own."
Pinkie threw a leg over Fast's withers. "Maybe later, OK? Thanks a bunch for helping them out! I'd feel really bad if I brought them back hurt and stuff, and there's nopony else around I'd trust more than you, Fast, to make sure they won't be."
Fast smiled, a hint of sadness there. "I will do my best, it is all I can do. Would that no one had to be hurt, but my ability to protect has limits... It is why I believe in teaching others to defend themselves." She looked down at her smaller companions. "I teach you for your own good, not my own. Learn well, and live."
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Oh man, this is going to be great. The group already has some great chemistry with Fast, and Blue is also becoming a much more relatable character. Diamond's surprising competence is fitting for her character, since she is at her best when there is someone to impress. Epic quests are only epic if you're invested in the characters, and I like every member of the group. Keep up the good work.
Fighters only read the core rulebook, eh?
Fast's training exposed a few typos that might have stayed hidden:
well-armored . . . you have no protection
(she did not say that DT had done anything, so there is nothing for her to label as a mistake)
Is
I think you meant "terror"
can you
trouble-making . . . mission's or mission is
surprise
It took me by surprise too. Fast is amazingly humble for someone so experienced.
fragile-looking
no
I just couldn't help but chuckle for a bit at that. Welcome aboard Blue! You and Gneech will surely become fast friends, no doubt. xD
Geez, seeing Diamond pull that move on Fast at the start made me wish I had continued playing GW2. Such a fun class. <3
Silver Squeaker was adorable as always. Now I'm wishing I had my own rubber Silver Spoon (rubber ducky) and squeeze her just to hear her little yelps and neighs and tiny squeaks.
Fun couple chapters.
Award for Best Sounding Typo of the Day: "surpsise"
Dunno why it made me smile trying to picture what a surpsise expression would look like on Diamond.
6322483 Typo fixed! Glad you're enjoying the story. These were fun chapters to write, and I think they came out well.
6321944 I blame the sparring. All that pain isn't good for scribing.
6328146 Fixed!
I do enjoy Fast Shadow. She's so enjoyably straightforward, and she'll be a great asset in both getting the team up to snuff and making sure they live long enough to do so.
Typos? Typos I enjoy less:
Extra space.
Two words.
6329426 Typos taken out back for extra training.
school is in and it is the school of big lumps and hard knocks.
A lesson "well-learned."
Okay, I think she means "overconfidence," here. By itself, "confidence" is a good thing.
6332463 Fixed!
6332486 I can admit it: my indictment of Fast Shadow was premature. Completely against my expectations, she managed to conduct her training session(s) without being condescending or patronizing (though there were one or two instances where she edged in that direction). So yeah, I was too harsh on her as a character. That she was even willing to work under Diamond Tiara was a nice surprise, almost as much so as the fact that Diamond held up so well in their training session.
It was also surprising how emotionally fragile Silver Spoon seems to be when it comes to Diamond's health. I'm trying to figure out if she's that way in general, or if it's just with regard to DT, but the sheer degree to which she goes to pieces at the thought of her being hurt is startling...enough so that I have to wonder if something else is going on.
Beyond that, there's little else for me to mention here, as everything was pretty straightforward.
6332822 She was willing to convert to a goddess for DT. Seeing DT get curb stomped was rough, seeing her have difficulty breathing afterwards was even worse.
I am VERY curious to find out what exactly DT's Magic is!!
Also I must give you HIgh Praise for creating a story that does little to change DT's abysmal nature, but be so compelling to read!! I am devouring each chapter as if a hungry beast, and enjoying every bite!! <3 I honestly did not think such a thing was possible!
6501711 I accept this headcanon.
Nuts, so this went back to being cancelled, huh?
EDIT: I just saw your blog post. Okay, that makes a little more sense now.
Sorry to see this canceled, was looking to be a really intresting alternate take on the gaming treatment.
Pity Pinkie will never get One Piece Pirate Luffy attacks?
No more Blue.
6637570 Sorry. It got dropped a while back.
It seems a good story, too bad it's cancelled.
6818841 There's one more Ponyfinder story, Roots of Stone.
6819008 Yeah, but this seems to be cancelled in the middle, and it seemed like a sequel from the apple story.
6819008 i care not of roots of the stone till this one is finished. i guess i need to get back to silver watch since their is not much to see here
6819008 the saga must continue but the returners of dawn and definitely soft mane needs to be their since she is the goddesses orical and all
Crap I just noticed this one is cancelled...
*proceeds to read it anyway out of misguided optimism and unholy love of the series*
Why was this cancelled?
7721326
revive this story please
It's too bad this was cancelled... Mind if I ask why?
8262286
DT's redemption took the wind out of my sails.
8262301
That's somewhat understandable.
WHY IS THIS STORY CANCELLED!!!!
9087811
The episode where they are redeemed took the winds out of my sails. If someone wanted to sponsor it, I'd continue it.
9087824
How do I sponser...
Ok I'm upgrading my patrion support.so this story can convlude.
I want tosee Kara's plotting foiled.
9087827
https://www.patreon.com/davidsilver
Well this story was good while it lasted. I thought you did a pretty good job of handling all of the characters. I loved the Pinkie Pie vignettes and Diamond Tiara building and destroying a business empire in a week.
One of my favorite aspects had to be Silver Spoon's Cutie Mark and becoming a war priest of Luminace. As I was reading the story, it became my opinion that Silver's special talent of being a high class socialite could mean that her talent specializes her in making friends in high society. I know that if I was a god of friendship, I would do whatever I can to get her to worship me, especially if it could open myself up to entire new realm to people who are highly bent toward's friendship. 
With that in mind it's no wonder that Luminace seemed REALLY proactive in supporting Silver and why she was so pissed at Diamond Tiara for causing Silver to not believe in her for even a second. 
One thing that I did notice that didn't make the most amount of sense were the ages of Diamond and Silver in the character sheets you provided. Them being, respectively, 17 and 18 would make them the same age/older than Applejack while the members of the CMC are 13, 13, and 14.
9461356
I didn't tweak their ages, so it was the default, pretty sure.
9461613
Alrighty then, well I'm off to read Roots of Stone now. So far I'm liking the dynamic between those two.
9461624
I adore how those two worked out.
will this ever come back?
9563677
If a patron supports it, yes, otherwise, my time is busy with other horse words.
9563689
I'm giving this a read even if it is cancelled