Bridging the Past
Bridging the Past
Kain held fast to the blade that Rainbow Dash entrusted to him. “What of it?”
“I would very much wish to see it in battle.” The grey pony said. “I propose a sword duel, blade on blade combat.”
“And if I refuse?” Kain asked.
“Oh, don’t be that way.” The red armored pegasus said. “It’s just an exhibition match. There’ll be no life or death struggles today. Just two soldiers sparring.”
“Yeah, lets’ see you do your thing Kain!” Pinkie said.
Kain turned to her inquisitively.
“What? He doesn’t look like a bad pony. It’s just for fun right?” Pinkie said.
“See, the mare knows how to take it easy…so to speak.” The grey pegasus said.
“Just an exhibition eh? Just an exhibition.” Kain said, agreeing and preparing to spar.
The red armored pegasus drew his blade with his mouth and held it with the blade pointed to the right.
Kain hadn’t foreseen the problem with a sword duel until this moment. He’d used his spear with his forelegs, maintain control over the weapon as a pony in past battles, but a sword was different. The dragoon recalled his fight with Canterlot’s palace guards, there were swordsponies wielding blades in their mouths.
The dragoon drew the blade from his right using his mouth, but had to quickly orient the blade to point it to the left.
He’d learned to use a sword while training to become a dragoon, and while he was a competent swordsman, he preferred using a spear for combat. Now, without hands, Kain wondered if he’d even be able to fight.
The two knights stared each other down in the calm before the fight. Pinkie moved well away from the portion of the bridge where Kain and the stranger were positioned. Kain moved in for the first strike. Having fought right handed opponents before, he wagered that he’d be able to get an advantage on the stranger, Kain swung Canterburn, but was intercepted by the sword the red armored pony wielded.
Kain concluded he was fighting an expert, and quickly the stranger then swung an attack of his own. Kin dodged it with relative ease, but then the pegasus followed up his missed swing with a buck by allowing his momentum to push him forward.
Kain caught the blow with his shield, but was still knocked back by the counter attack. The stranger then turned around and made a charge. The dragoon then jumped over the charging pegasus and landed on his back mid gallop.
The pegasus was surprised by this and looked behind himself only to have a rear hoof connect with his face.
Kain then jumped off and landed not far from where the stranger first began his attack.
“Oh, so you’re quite nimble for one without wings.” The stranger said. “Very well, then I shouldn’t feel bad about using my wings then!” He then brought himself into a hover and began to fly towards Kain.
The dragoon didn’t have as much time to react on this go and could only manage to turn his body to make the stranger’s attack miss. The stranger then raised his elevation and prepared to strike from a different angle.
Kain wasn’t going to be trumped by aerial combat, and the dragoon shot up in the air to meet his opponent.
The ponies clashed; the stranger was knocked and sent spiraling mid air while Kain continued his ascent.
The pegasus correct himself, only to see the dragoon diving towards him. The stranger was able to parry the attack using his own blade, but was still knocked a bit to the side.
“Such speed. Perhaps it is the sword you wield?” the strange asked.
Kain thought about what the grey pony said.. Having used a spear most of the time, he wasn’t exactly sure what to expect using Canterburn as part of his dive bombing attacks. It didn’t allow for the straight forward charges, but instead flybys in which the dragoon would need to slash instead of thrust. Kain didn’t really like the loss of range by using a sword, but at least it was equal to his opponent’s.
“You wield that blade quite well.” The stranger continued. “However it needs more testing before I, Gilgamesh, deem it worthy.” The pegasus then brandished two more blades form seemingly nowhere and held them in his wings.
Kain stared in awe at the sudden play. “This certainly changes things.” Was all Kain could say in remark.
“Indeed it should.” Gilgamesh said and then twirled the swords in his wings. “Now have at thee!”
“Hey buddy, what gives?” Pinkie Pie asked form the outskirts of the battle. She had a bag of popcorn and was wearing strange, two-color glasses. “I thought you two were fighting a sword duel?”
“I never said how many we could use.” Gilgamesh responded.
“Oh right.” Pinkie giggled. “Oh well, I tried Kain.”
Kain decided to not waste any time and charged Gilgamesh. The move took the pegasus by surprise and he was forced to take a defensive pose with all three swords formed to make a defensive shield.
Canterburn clashed against the blades. The dragoon didn’t let up and began to search for an angle, but was met with a wall of swords with each strike.
Gilgamesh seemed to be in a trance. “Hmm, yes. There is indeed a particular quality to that sword.” He then backed away, only to charge forth in a flurry of steel. “Now it’s your turn!”
Kain then used Canterburn to deflect the steel onslaught. With each hit, Kain worried about the integrity of the blade. Even if it did appear pristine and well cared for, the dragoon briefly wondered how Rainbow Dash might react if the sword were to be damaged from this exercise.
With each blow, Kain had to maneuver himself to the side as to not let his weapon take the brunt of the impact. The dragoon also used his shield to supplement his defense. Despite its size, it was good enough to deal with the grey pony’s attacks coming from his left wing.
Kain was being backed against the railing of the bridge, attacked too fast to make an escape with a jump.
Gilgamesh then spun at an awkward angle and with one strike, knocked Kain’s borrowed sword into the air. It spun and then embedded itself into the bridge.
The grey pegasus then pointed his weapon at the dragoon, but held for a moment listening as the sound of Canterburn hitting the bridge sent out a sound. Gilgamesh’s ear twitched and he chuckled.
“Well, I must say that that is a very fine blade you used there, but it isn’t the one I’ve been searching for.” Gilgamesh then sheathed his weapons, the two wing blades just so happened to vanish as he went through the motions. “Oh well, my search continues.”
Then the pegasus leapt off of the bridge, however he was not seen flying away . It was as if he simply vanished.
Pinkie Pie went to the edge to investigate. She peered over the bridge nonchalant. “That’s one pony with places to go.” She said.
////
A half hour later, the rest of the party had arrived at the airship to meet Pinkie and Kain.
“I hope we didn’t keep you waiting so long.” Twilight said.
“Ya didn’t get bored none while we were still in town did ya Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked.
“Definitely no!” Pinkie replied. “Things are never boring with Kain around! Not just a few minutes ago he was dueling some strange meshy pony!”
The group then boarded the airship as Pinkie began to retell the events.
////
It had certainly been quite the day. Between battles, ceremonies and opening up to his feelings, Kain was ready to retire for the day. Once he boarded the intrepid with the others, he asked Midnight Oil if there were any quarters where he could rest.
The pilot directed him to one of the spare rooms aboard the airship. Kain placed his satchel by the bed and removed his cold weather garb. At that moment, he was too tired from his battle on the bridge to care about modesty and decided to lay in bed only for a brief respite.
That was until there was a knock at his door.
“Might I enter Kain?” the familiar voice of a unicorn asked.
Without thinking about it, Kain replied. “Yes you may.”
The white unicorn opened the door and saw the dragoon with neither armor nor cloak on. The dragoon tried to get out of bed to prevent Rarity from entering, but only managed to get to a standing position when she entered.
Rarity then saw Kain in a state she hadn’t seen since she first brought him to the boutique.
Both ponies blushed a bit at the situation.
“It would seem you’ve caught me at a disadvantage.” Kain said.
“I’m sorry Kain!” Rarity said while turning around. “I’d forgotten how sensitive you were to this!”
Kain managed to pull a blanket from off the bed and draped it over himself.
“All is well now milady.” Kain replied.
Rarity then turned around to speak with the dragoon once more. “I thought we could speak with each other since we hadn’t much time to ourselves since this afternoon.”
“Certainly.” Kain said, sitting back in bed while offering a space to the mare next to him.
“What a day it’s been.” Rarity said as she took up the seat next to Kain. “Is that usually how that goes? The whole award ceremony. I mean, certainly, I’ve helped the others in saving Equestria before, but I’ve never been distinguished quite like that. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be well known for my fashion works, but for fighting Chrysalis? It just seems so strange.”
“Regardless of how it feels, you did show a great deal of bravery. “ Kain said. “You yourself have said that you weren’t a fighter, yet you were compelled to stay. You even charged head first from what I was told, isn’t’ that Rainbow Dash’s job?”
Rarity chuckled. “There was a particular pony that I had to help. I didn’t even think about the danger of the situation, I just did what felt right.”
“And that’s why the princesses honored you, Rainbow, and Pinkie today. No one ordered you to do the right thing, you simply did it. Thank you.” Kain said.
Rarity leaned her head against Kain. “Please don’t scare me like that again Kain.” She said. “I’m not certain if I could take seeing you in danger.”
“It comes with the job.” Kain replied. “But I think you’re stronger than you think you are. You didn’t run. You didn’t cower. You fought on in what way you could.”
“I suppose that is true.” Rarity said. “Usually I associate strength with Applejack or Rainbow Dash. And if my special somepony is the knight I’ve dreamt about since I was a filly, I should be as strong as he is.”
“You are.” Kain said. “And probably stronger. I’ve never seen someone come out of the darkness and still be as graceful as you Rarity. You stayed with your friends despite what you did and what you almost did. I could only hope to imitate your actions.”
“That means a lot coming from you Kain.” Rarity said, leaning closer to the dragoon.
Just then, Midnight Oil’s voice blared out from the metal speaker in the room. “Mr. Highwind, I’m sorry, but we’re going to need your help up on deck. Seems we’ve encountered some problems. Things are looking rough.”
Kain then got off the bed and immediately began donning his armor before Rarity could say anything.
“What’s the matter dear?” she asked. “You’re moving with utmost haste. Midnight Oil didn’t sound terribly troubled did he?”
“One of my old comrades was an airship pilot and engineer.” Kain replied. By the way he was speaking, things aren’t looking as good as they sound.”
Although the Intrepid’s captain wasn’t panicking, Kain knew that the situation belied his tone. He’d recognized the way Cid masked the severity of situations before.
Rarity packed his stray belongings in his satchel, she tried not to look at the stallion as he put on his armor.
“Keep safe.” She said as she gave him the satchel.
When Kain made it on deck, he noted the turbulence of the atmosphere. They were entering a storm, something Cid did not like doing on his flights.
“The snowstorm in Canterlot must have sent cold air as a front that reacted with the warm air everywhere else.” Rainbow Dash said to Midnight Oil.
“I’d love to set her down right now and just let the Intrepid ride out the storm, but it doesn’t look like there’s any good clearing to land on.” Midnight Oil said. “Looks like we’re going to have to get away from this weather.” His voice getting louder as thunder began to crack closer and closer.
Noticing Kain, the pilot turned to him and explained his role. “Mr. Highwind, I don’t know what you caught out of that conversation, but we’re facing a storm here and I could use a hoof. Ms. Dash tells me you have experience on an airship correct?”
“Yes, I do.” Kain replied.
“Good, because I need you to take the wheel.” Midnight Oil said. “I need somepony to fly the airship while I make sure things are ok with the mechanisms above deck.”
The pilot began pulling harnesses from beneath the Intrepid’s deck. The thunder and lightning intensified.
“I’ve already evacuated everypony besides us three below deck. Cosine and Codex are making sure the engines don’t go nuts, and that wonderfully studious princess is doing her best to help them.” Midnight Oil said.
Soon, the winds picked up and began blowing the three ponies’ manes wildly.
“Here, put these harnesses on.” Midnight said. “Rainbow Dash, I need eyes searching for any intense cells of the storm. Kain, do you best to keep us as stable as possible.”
Lightning then struck near one of the propellers on the port side.
“Oh for Luna’s sake.” Midnight Oil said as he ran towards the sight of the strike.
At that moment, Kain regretted putting on his armor, but there wasn’t time to remove it as turbulence soon rocked the intrepid and he was forced to take the wheel.
A curtain of rain descended upon the deck, immediately soaking everyone. Rainbow Dash then flew up to the back of the ship and began to scan the skies.
Midnight Oil had braced himself along the edge of the ship and was using his horn as a blow torch to make repairs to the airship.
Kain could feel the Intrepid fluctuate in different directions. One moment it veered upward, and the next it was headed down. Luckily, Midnight Oil had been able to apply a mechanism that allowed the steering to be done from one apparatus.
It seemed however, that the storm could not be out run, and the Intrepid was well into the climatic event. Flashes of lightning illuminated the clouds around them. Every minute, more lightning bolts would strike the deck of the Intrepid, fortunately none hit any of the vital propellers of the airship.
“Don’t mind the bolts too much!” Midnight yelled. “I specifically built the deck with inclement weather in mind! Beneath the boards are electrical attracting and dispersal systems to keep the lightning from damaging the critical parts, so there’s definitely nothing to w---“ he was cut off by yet another lightning strike. This time, however, it crashed in Kain’s proximity.
While it miraculously didn’t hit the dragoon, it struck and snapped the tether connecting Kain with the airship. Before the dragoon could do anything else, Rainbow Dash then yelled to the two stallions, “We’ve got trouble! It looks like air currents are going to get really rough!”
Not a second later, the Intrepid was jarring up and down. Kain was doing his best to keep the ship aligned, all the while rain and light filled his field of vision. Just when things felt as if they were under control, the Intrepid dipped and ascended so rapidly that Kain was knocked into the air and back on deck.
He slid forward and beyond the wheel, only for the airship to experience an even faster dive and ascension. Had his tether still been in place, the dragoon would have been brought back to the deck. Instead, he was sent into the air, barely missing one of the Intrepid’s propeller blades. He only saw the black shadow of the ship in the distance as he realized he was overboard.
The only action now to take now was, fortunately as a dragoon, to align himself to take the impact of a cataclysmic descent. Kain oriented himself to make a crash landing, much the same way he would against a heavily armored opponent.
He didn’t see the ground until lightning illuminated the surface of the piece of earth he was going to crash into.
He skidded, crashed, and then everything went dark.
~Belligerent Bindlestiff
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The pain of Kain remains mainly in the rain.
7173437 img.ifcdn.com/images/649d62cfa94a73fb8040a278506b3934048f31f8be4a606c8a12a96af223819f_1.jpg
7173483 You're welcome
that would be "moving with utmost haste", i believe
7173529
Got it. Thanks.