New Threat - The Way of the Warrior
Path of Kindness and Blood
-
Chapter 8
New Threat
Part 4 - The Way of the Warrior
What to do? What to do!? Fluttershy thought as she paced back and forth. Ever since Rarity left with the fillies, the stress had gotten the better of her. Angel and several critters observed her from the sidelines and atop of the table. “I know Rarity will keep an eye on Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, but what if that mean thestral tries to target another pony I care about?”
She stopped, now looking at her animals in a panic as she raised a forehoof up to her face. “What if he tries to target Pinkie Pie, or the Apple family, or Rainbow Dash, or any of you?”
A few birds, rats and mice looked at each other before retreating to their hiding spots. Angel, the falcon and the eagle rolled their eyes.
Fluttershy approached the table and picked up a teacup between her shaking hooves, slowly taking a sip. “When I fought that turned earth pony, I didn’t detect as high of an amount of magic as I did when facing Sharp Eye, and he already spent a lot of it on the Veil of Darkness spell.” She rubbed her chin while placing the teacup on her right wing. “Which means that he was turned less than a hundred years ago, so it should give me an advantage should I face him again.”
She gently embraced Angel with her other wing and whimpered. “Ohhh… but what if he has an advantage in terms of combat skills? What if he will have an ace up his sleeve? What if there’s more than one?”
Angel groaned before pushing the wing away and jumping up to Fluttershy’s muzzle. His face displaying annoyance. After a moment to balance himself on her muzzle, he gestured something with his paws.
Fluttershy carefully placed the bunny on her wing, perching him between her feathers as she spoke, “I know I defeated Sharp Eye, but I did it only with help from Applejack, the Chimera, and because of his massive overconfidence.” She gulped. “He would have killed me at the very start of our battle if it wasn’t for you.” She sighed. “Applejack was right. Because of my lack of combat training and my peaceful nature, I unintentionally put others in danger.”
Angel performed a jump kick, landing softly on the feathers as he puffed his chest.
“You’re right. Maybe with help from Applejack, we can–” her words were cut short by a knocking sound coming from the door. After taking a calming breath, she asked, “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Applejack.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Speaking of the huntress,” she murmured before approaching the door and opening them for her guest. “Hello Applejack, if you’re here for Apple Bloom, Rarity–”
The farm mare cut her off with a hoof. “Ah know, Sugarcube. Just saw Rarity goin’ to Sweet Apple Acres on mah way over, but that’s not why Ah’m here.”
Fluttershy took a step back and walked to the side as she invited the friendly huntress to enter. “Please come in and make yourself at home.”
“Thank ya kindly, Sugarcube, but as much as Ah’d like to talk all friendly with ya, that’s not why Ah’m here either.”
“Oh, for a moment I thought… nevermind,” she looked to the side, hiding her cheek behind her mane. Her suspicions that Applejack had learned about the attack on Apple Boom proving false. “So... what brings you to my humble cottage so late at night… if you don’t mind me asking?”
Applejack took a few steps inside, dropping her saddlebag onto the floor as it bursted open with books and diagrams. Among them were a set of goggles similar to those she wore during her last mission.
Fluttershy could see the farm mare putting the goggles on her face before picking up a book titled as; ‘Thestral Combat Techniques and Spells. Strength and Weaknesses,’ between her teeth.
“What is this?”
“Nw ti.e to exwain,” Applejack said, her voice muffled.
Much to Fluttershy’s surprise, she ended up being pushed towards the exit by the head of her friend before ending up on Applejack’s back as she ran towards the Everfree Forest.
I have a bad feeling about this.
***
“You want me to do what?” Fluttershy asked as she took a step back while her foreleg was raised above the ground. Now standing between lines of trees with moon and stars shining above, her thestral vision making everything visible as if it was a day while her friend was using night vision goggles to compensate for the lack of visibility.
“Ya heard me right. Ah want ya to attack me,” Applejack responded while taking a fighting stance.
Not a single muscle in her body moved as Fluttershy observed her friend with shock, her mouth agape. Before her was Applejack, a pony she once faced, but this time her friend didn’t wear any offensive gear, nor cloth that hid her identity.
“Come on, Fluttershy. Ah don’t have all day… night,” Applejack said as both mares stared at each other for a few seconds. After exhaling, she massaged her forehead and said calmly, “Listen, Sugarcube. We’re not goin’ to be fightin’ for real. It’s just trainin’ is all.”
Fluttershy lowered her foreleg and relaxed her tensed muscles, her ears drooped as she spoke hesitantly, “Training or not, attacking you is just… wrong. You can’t expect me to do it.”
“Say what? Ah already said we won’t be fightin’ for real. What’s the problem?”
Fluttershy sighed and said, “Applejack, even when you were armed and tried to hunt me… back when I didn’t know your identity, I was still holding back.” Her words caused Applejack to look to the side in sadness as she bit her lip. “Now you stand before me as a friend, unarmed, and the first thing you do is ask me is to hurt you. What did you expect I would do?”
Applejack rubbed her foreleg. “Yeah… Ah should've accounted for that.”
Fluttershy approached, sitting in front of her former enemy before saying, “I really don’t understand you, Applejack. While I am grateful that you gave our friendship a chance, even though we’re on opposite sides, not long ago you cursed my name and looked at me with distrust. You feared who I was and what I could do.” She placed her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, who kept staring at the ground in guilt. “You gave me a chance because I proved to not be the dangerous monster you thought I was. So please tell me, why do you want to make me more dangerous through combat training?”
The huntress raised her head and took off her goggles before looking Fluttershy in the eyes. “Ah suppose it may seem odd, seein’ me turn around like that so quickly.” Upon seeing a firm nod, she continued, “It’s just… Ah learned about what mah fellow hunters did to yer parents.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened, quickly pulling back the comforting hoof. “Ah wished ya dead for what yer kind did to mah parents. Ya spared me and suffered for that, even though mah kind did the same to yer family.”
Fluttershy shook her head, her voice panicked. “If you’re trying to make up for what has happened, there’s no need for that. You don’t need to train me.”
“Yes, Ah do!” Applejack interrupted, now staring at the pureblood firmly. “Ya save lives and suffer for it. Yer too kind for yer own good, and Ah can’t stand when mah friend’s kindness bein’ exploited by those who wish ya harm.” She stomped, causing Fluttershy to flinch. “Ah can’t stand by when mah friend’s life’s in danger, and while mah duty is to protect the common folks from creatures like ya, as a friend, mah duty is to teach ya how to protect yerself.”
Fluttershy stared at her friend for a few seconds as her mind tried to comprehend the newly acquired information. She took a deep breath and asked, “Do you truly believe in what you’re saying?” She pressed forehoof against her chest. “You understand that by training a pureblood thestral, you’re going against everything you believed in? Sure, I will be able to defend for myself, but others will suffer for this.”
Applejack frowned. “Are ya kiddin’ me? You of all ponies will know when to stop fightin’! Ah trust ya, Fluttershy. Just trust in yerself.”
Fluttershy took a step back and said with a slight boost of confidence, “I’ll try.”
Applejack pointed at the open book supported against a tree. “Just yesterday Ah spent like five hours listenin’ to a lecture about how to fight and defend against thestrals and their skills. Five hours! And Ah don’t even need to go on about hours spent searchin’ through books. Don’t make me regret mah sacrifice, pleaseee...”
Fluttershy chuckled. The idea of the hardworking farm mare sitting through such a long lecture put a smile on her face. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, comparing her options. On the one hoof, combat training would risk hurting Applejack, which was the last thing she wanted to do. On the other, it would help her prepare for a confrontation against those who wish her harm, like the turned earth pony who sent plants against the two innocent fillies.
The silence lasted for a while as Fluttershy looked up at the sky, a wonderful view she often denied herself from watching. “Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Please, don’t make me beg… wait what?”
Fluttershy lowered her head and smiled. “I said, I will do it, as long as you won’t mind getting a few bruises that is.”
“Who me?” Applejack asked before raising her head proudly and puffing her chest. “This Apple shrugs off cuts and bruises like Winona shrugs off mud.” She could see the shape of her friend flying away, vanishing into the night. Not wasting a moment, she put on her goggles and saw Fluttershy transforming in front of her. “Alright, Sugarcube. Let’s try startin’ with somethin’ simple.”
“Like what?” asked Fluttershy, loud enough to be heard despite the distance.
“Air dive! From what Ah read, thestrals can use their magic to harden their thin wings, making them as hard as a shield or sharp like a sword,” Applejack said while Fluttershy examined her wings. “Try to dive against me with sharp wing and fly away. It’s called a hit and run tactic.” She murmured, “A bit cowardly in mah opinion, but what works, works.”
***
Applejack could see a hesitant nod before Fluttershy flew into air. Once the distance dropped to a few meters, both wings spread. She grit her teeth while focusing on the right wing, her eyes half-closed. Waiting until the last moment, Applejack jumped and straightened her right forehoof, which made contact with Fluttershy’s right wing, causing a spark as both attacks repelled each other.
The huntress turned her head to look at Fluttershy, who failed to fly up after their strikes collided and was now lying on the ground. Not wasting a moment, Applejack backflipped onto her friend’s back, who yelped in surprise. “Is that the best ya can do?”
“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said as she looked up at her from rather uncomfortable position. “I know a bit of theory about a majority of spells and abilities our kind can use, but I never had the need to practice them, save for the healing spells.”
“Figures.” Applejack rolled her eyes before stepping off from her friend’s back and helping her stand. “But what ‘bout yer fight with Sharp Eye, or when ya slammed the Chimera against the ground? Ya weren’t helpless all the time.”
Fluttershy shook the dust from herself. “That’s because I mastered my instincts at a young age. I let them take over whenever I feel threatened and fight back for control to make sure I don’t hurt anypony. It helps me defend myself without any combat experience.”
Applejack nodded. “Ah see… seems flawed though.”
“It is,” Fluttershy said while rubbing her foreleg. “When I lose control, I fight without any strategy. To make matters worse, struggling to keep myself in check slows me down. However, it still helps me make up for my lack of training.”
Applejack shook her head. “Sorry Sugarcube, but it’s not good enough. As a huntress, Ah learned that a good plan’s better than a mindless brawl. Still, didn’t ya say ya learned a lot of theory?”
“I did,” Fluttershy said with a firm nod and a slight boost of confidence in her voice.
Applejack rubbed her chin. Fluttershy seems to be a smart pony. Maybe she can use it to her advantage. “Say Fluttershy, do ya know any useful ability that can help ya while divin’ towards the enemy? Somethin’ to hit from a distance and distract them?”
“I am not sure,” Fluttershy said before her ears straightened upward while a large smile grew across her lips. “Actually, I do.”
“And it’s?”
“Sonic waves. I used them to distract Sharp Eye.”
Applejack smiled proudly. “Now that’s what Ah’m talkin’ about. Try to combine both attacks and see how it goes.”
“I’ll try,” Fluttershy said before flying away, once again creating some distance between her and the huntress.
Applejack took a fighting stance and focused on her foe, who flew towards her once again. Suddenly, she felt her head aching from the overwhelming noise as if something tried to drill through her brain, forcing her to her knees. Applejack pressed her forelegs against her ears and grit her teeth, a desperate attempt that didn’t make much of a difference. She struggled to raise her head, only to spot the sharp edge of a thestral’s wing slicing the fur on her foreleg while causing a bleeding wound.
The moment she stopped hearing the unpleasant noise, Applejack examined the injury. As she expected, her earth pony magic and hardened bones resisted the strike, not allowing for the cut to go very deep. She looked back at Fluttershy, who galloped towards her with dust spreading behind her.
“Are you alright? Does it hurt?”
Applejack shook her forehoof. “This little paper cut? Please,” she said in a relaxed tone, now watching as her friend licked the bleeding wound, closing it in an instant. “Ya know ya can wait with healing mah injuries till we actually train a bit. Rushing to mah aid every minute’s a waste of time.”
Fluttershy nodded hesitantly, but Applejack could clearly see the worry in her eyes.
The huntress stood to her hind legs and placed forelegs on her sides while shaking her head. Ah shouldn’t have expected miracles from such a sheltered pony. Ah was like that too in mah youth, hesitant to hurt others. It should pass the more we fight and train.
“Is something wrong?”
Applejack opened her eyes. “N-nothin’. Nevertheless, let’s continue.”
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Didn't expect you to go there but...let's hope we skip the training montage and go straight into the action next chapter! Good chapter though!
this move was actually to be expected from AJ, as it is the only logical response. Fluttershy does not know how to fight properly, AJ does...thus, she shall train her friend to defend herself, and help to keep her safe, which would help to keep all of Ponyville safe
Insert epic training music here Eye of the Tigress, Fluttershy
APPLEJACK IS FILLED WITH DETEMMIENATION~UT fandom
Damn, you've been bit hard by that there muse haven't yah?
This is now reaffirming my faith in Applejack.
You are taking us (and by us, I mean me) on an emotional rollercoaster!
Like, dayum!
I don't think I've ever experienced this emotional manipulation from a piece of literature!
(maybe expecting theEragon series and Lord of the RIngs, but you know what I mean, right?)
'the stress had gotten' and either 'the top of the table' or 'atop the table'
'time'
6796771
Fixed.
6797448
You may be on something, but on the other side, you may never know Fluttershy's input into it.
6799354
Don't worry, the training sequences won't be long. But they will be included for important reasons.
6799490 6799636
Agreed.
6800169
Meaning?
6799778
Hopefully Fluttershy will be filled with it as well,
6800396
Don't worry, most of the build up is done, so the answers will be given soon.
6800427
That's what happen if members of main 6 are placed in situation where they are on opposite sides. Untill they look behind their diferences and team up, for readers it will always be a emotional rollecoster.
It is not really my way of manipulation, but just readers reaction to member of main 6 activing hostile or being on villains side. Many readers didn't like AJ in this story until they both teamed up against Shackles.
6800525
Fixed the first one. As for the second one, it was on purpouse.
6800789
Youve been releasing a chapter every other day or so it feels lately. Unless its stuff youve been holding onto since the first time around?
6800789 Fair enough.
6800789
Even if Shy never say anything or her inputs isn't too good, things have a tendency of coming out in the opening, in one form of way or another.
Ah, a nice bonding process through training. Hopefully, they can get plenty before the next move against them.
C&Cs will be PM.
6800899
The story was finished and edited a long time ago, however there were still plenty of mistakes in it, that's why I am uploading it with speed of double checking for mistakes by me and my editor. So yes, I upload part a day depending on how fast I and my editor can polish each chapter. Though even after that, there are still plenty of mistakes hanging around.
This story is currently at last part of chapter 8, while the story itself have 10 chapters and an Epilogue, so once we get to the end, there will be a long break for me to write the sequel.
6801513
Fluttershy isn't a fan of training and hurting others, but for AJ it would be indeed a nice bonding session.
“Owww… but what if he has an advantage in terms of combat skills? What if he will have an ace up his sleeve? What if there’s more than one?”
assuming fluttershy wasn't in pain when she said that it should be "Ohhh..." not Owww...". ow is what you say when something hurts. simple mistake.
actually, i think i've been seeing such simple mistakes across the internet at a very slow, barely noticeable, yet increasingly common rate overtime. it's getting a little annoying browsing some sites due to that. population of the internet...could you slowly be growing...illiterate?
6801883
Cant wait for it then ^_^, but take your time.
As she lay
Also, I was wrong before lied can only be used for lying to someone
lie (present,) lay (past) and lain (past participle).
lay (present), laid (past) and laid (past participle).
I am calling it here. Big Mac is the thestral/Hunter thing. The cowpony accent and the half eaten apple cutie mark and earth pony and but I don't understand why he would want to hurt apple bloom or aj
