The Featherblade Legacy

by Mysterious Stranger

Chapter 16: Worst plan ever

Sharp Wing sat in the center of yet another wooden hut, sharpening her swords. Spears, hatchets, and tribal masks lined the walls, making the purpose of the room very clear. The other ponies and Spike were circled around Sharp Wing, watching her silently. Frazzle Spark watched as well through a window. A heavy tension hung over all of them, so thick that even Pinkie Pie was pacified. It was Twilight Sparkle who finally mustered up the courage to represent how the majority felt about Sharp Wing's intentions.

"Bad idea," she emphasized.

"Good idea," retorted Sharp Wing without even looking up from the slab of stone she was using to sharpen her swords.

"Bad idea," repeated Twilight Sparkle.

"Good idea," Sharp Wing countered with equal debating talent and variety.

"Stupid idea," agreed Rainbow Dash. "You're going to get killed."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"I think what Rainbow Dash means is that it's too risky," interpreted Rarity.

"No, I meant he's going to get killed," corrected Rainbow Dash.

"I'm still a she, not a he," Sharp Wing said half-heartily.

"Do you really think we're just going to stand by and let you fight Duma all by yourself?" questioned Night Mist.

"You know as well as I do that this the only way to get rid of Duma with the least amount of bloodshed. Even if I die, he'll leave everypony else alone."

"Can't we make him go away without violence somehow?" asked Fluttershy timidly.

"I could try convincing Typhoon to switch sides," offered Frazzle Spark.

"That could work," Applejack said hopefully.

"Better do it soon, it won't be long before Duma comes back," urged Twilight Sparkle.

Frazzle Spark cautiously withdrew his head and left to find Typhoon.

"Even if Fraz convinces Typhoon to stay out of it, it’s still just a temporary fix," reasoned Sharp Wing. "That cat's a sociopath and needs to die before a pony does. This is the only way."

Sharp Wing, of course, knew better than to tell them her entire plan, otherwise they would physically try to stop her. She had gone over it a thousand times in her head. Duma was faster, bigger, and probably smarter than she was. However, Sharp Wing had the advantage of having nothing to lose. With luck, they would both die. Sharp Wing had been very careful with her conditions to make sure only Duma's death made any difference.

Even if she lived, her life was over. Her mind would snap completely in less than a week and what kind of future would that hold? Bending to the will of her dead ancestors was not an option either. Better to die than to not have control over her own life. That would show her ancestors. She would insult them with her death by killing another intelligent animal at the same time. The last laugh would be hers.

"I'll do it instead. It's my fault Duma got hungry for a pegasus in the first place!" Rainbow Dash declared nobly.

"No, it’s not. The only fault here is Duma's," argued Sharp Wing.

"I'm fast. I could beat him," Rainbow Dash insisted.

"You don't have any weapons."

"I could use yours."

"Would you hold the swords in your mouth or in your wings?"

"Either one."

"You'd only be able to hold one sword in your mouth. If you hold them in your wings you can't fly, let alone fly fast. I've tried, it’s impossible."

"I'd hold one in my mouth then, and fly fast."

Sharp Wing was starting to get frustrated with Rainbow Dash's persistence. Time for the trump card.

"You're the Element of Loyalty. If you die the Elements of Harmony can't be used. If I die that's not a problem. Less risk if I do it."

"That's not fair!" complained Rainbow Dash.

"Tough apples."

"All the pegasi could just fly away instead!" Fluttershy said desperately. "Everypony could leave and we can just go back to Equestria!"

"Dragon plus Cheetahs wipe out Zebras instead," Sharp Wing fired back.

"Frazzle Spark stays to fight Typhoon. Everypony else goes," tried Night Mist.

"Frazzle Spark loses because he has no experience fighting as a dragon. Dragon and Cheetahs hunt down everypony anyway," Sharp Wing replied smoothly. "We can't leave Zebrawbway without Fraz anyway."

Night Mist bristled.

"Your argument is logically sound, but I can't accept it." he said stubbornly.

"You don't have to. I'm leaving right now. All you have to do is stay out of my way," warned Sharp Wing.

As she got up to leave the hut, Sharp Wing realized this was her last chance to say good bye. Of course, she couldn't do that, because then they would know she was planning to die. Yet at the same time, there were so many things she wanted to say. She wanted to thank Night Mist and Frazzle Spark for being such good friends. She wanted to thank all the mares and Spike for their willingness to help. She even wanted to confess her feelings to Applejack, as weird as that would be right now.

"Cheer up," she grinned instead. "This is me we're talking about. I can find my way out of any situation. It’s what I do best. This isn't going to be goodbye, I promise."

Without looking back, Sharp Wing departed from the hut. The others followed her, subdued. Sharp Wing stepped into the center of the village and looked around. The sun was starting to set in the sky, but there was still plenty of light sneaking through the trees. Sharp Wing couldn't see the sun very well, but it looked more red-ish than it did in Equestria. Both Zebras and cheetahs were gathered around the village center. Typhoon watched with mild interest from a little further back, ducking her head to keep her eyes beneath the trees. Frazzle Spark was sitting opposite of the village center from her, watching her warily. Evidently the negotiations hadn't gone well.

As Spike, The Elements of Harmony, and Night Mist joined the crowd some of the cheetahs starting to pound on tribal drums. The rhythm felt as if it was in sync with the hammering in Sharp Wing's chest. As Sharp Wing watched, Duma slowly came into view. The Cheetah had opted to wear a necklace for the occasion, a thin ring of leather decorated with colored beads and the pointed teeth of various predators. His tail was wrapped around a long and deadly looking spear, looking just as ornamental with intricate carvings and running up and down the shaft. His ever present confident grin showed off his fangs, which somehow seemed sharper than before.

Sharp Wing felt disgust as the sleek and lean muscled feline strutted into the clearing. It was easy to hate someone who constantly smiled like that. Indeed, if Sharp Wing hoped to successfully kill him she would need that hate. Her ancestors just didn't get it. Some creatures in this world were so evil that the only thing that could be done about them was kill them. Hate was the tool, the means, the fuel, to give the good guys the strength to kill. Killing could not be accomplished without hatred.

As the drums increased in intensity and speed so did Sharp Wing's hatred for Duma. It felt different then when she intended to kill that manticore. That feeling seemed so long ago, but it had only been days. Sharp Wing wanted this cheetah to die more than she wanted anything else. Duma reached the center of the village and stopped at the same time the drums did.

"Whenever you're ready," he smirked.

With a howl of rage Sharp Wing drew both of her swords and charged. At the same time, Duma let out a very cat-like snarl and sprinted forward.

The battle had begun.

Without even a minimal attempt at self-defense, Sharp Wing thrust both swords forward. Duma side-stepped the attack and made a stab with his spear, which Sharp Wing sprang back to avoid. The two adversaries circled each other, making jabs with their weapons to test and explore the other's fighting style. Sharp Wing made another mad blitz forward, forcing Duma to spring out of the way to avoid her. Unlike the pegasus, Duma would not be satisfied with both of them dying. The cheetah went on the defensive, holding his spear with both tail and teeth to parry Sharp Wing's strikes.

"I suspected you intended to for both of us to die when I heard your choice of words for describing the conditions of our fight," Duma commented. "Didn't think you would actually go through with it."

Sharp Wing knew better than to waste words. Even taking the time to fire off a one-liner might prove to be too much of a distraction.

"You must really dislike me if you're willing to die just to make sure I do too," Duma continued as he suddenly went on the offensive, driving Sharp Wing back. "Do you really want to give up on living like that? What about things like friends, family, or romance? You're willing to give all of that up just to ensure my death?"

Sharp Wing grunted in pain as the tip of Duma's spear abruptly swept low and sliced her leg.

"That tears it!" roared Frazzle Spark as he surged forward to attack Duma.

For a split second the cheetah looked worried until Typhoon tackled the large red dragon, sending both of them rolling and crashing through the village and then the trees.

"Just so you know, if my dragon kills yours and comes back in one piece I'm not going to bother to fight you anymore," Duma informed Sharp Wing.

Sharp Wing felt herself start to panic. She hadn't expected Frazzle Spark to interfere. Sharp Wing was willing to die, but Frazzle Spark actually had a life to look forward too. Sharp Wing hoped her friend would hold out, because she couldn't do anything to help him.

******************************

Two dragons, one mostly red, the other mostly blue, continued to crash through trees before they rolled back out into the tall grass of the savanna. At that point Frazzle Spark managed to kick Typhoon off. Using her wings, Typhoon landed on her feet. Both dragons had several scratches all over their bodies, but Frazzle Spark had considerable more.

"You fight like an amateur," quipped Typhoon as she brushed off her shoulders. "If I didn't know any better I would say you've never fought a dragon before. Can I ask you something?"

"Um, sure," replied Frazzle Spark. It would be much easier to beat her if she was distracted by conversation.

"Duma told me some ponies had dragons on their side, a tiny one and a normal sized one. I assumed they must have made some sort of deal with you. But you looked like you were ready to kill when the gray one was in danger. Why?"

"The gray pony happens to be one of my best friends," explained Frazzle Spark.

"Friends? You're friends with ponies?" asked Typhoon in disbelief.

Frazzle Spark simply nodded, thinking it wise not to mention he had been a unicorn until yesterday.

"That is the weirdest thing I ever heard."

"My turn to ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"Why are you helping Duma?"

"He came up to me while I was napping on the beach and offered me treasure."

"How do you know he actually has treasure?"

"I don't, but he showed me where his village was so I could destroy it if there was no treasure."

"And you're positive there's nothing I can do to make you break your deal with him?"

"Like I said before, I only want treasure."

Frazzle Spark rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms.

"Very well then, let’s get this over with." he announced.

"Better idea. Let's not fight and just wait the whole thing out. You're no match for me anyways. I'm only getting paid to keep you out of it." Typhoon said as she causally laid down in the grass and put her arms behind her head.

"Not an option," Frazzle Spark said coldly.

"Dude, it’s just a bunch of ponies. Let's just chill."

"If you're so confident you can beat me why are you trying to avoid fighting?" taunted Frazzle Spark.

"Do you see this body?" asked Typhoon as she used one clawed and webbed hand to gesture at her entire profile.

"Yeah?"

"Do you see how nice and clean it looks?"

"Um, yeah?"

"I want to keep it that way."

"Afraid to get dirty?" inquired Frazzle Spark.

"Hardly, I don't want to bleed or break bones for treasure unless I have to," Typhoon scoffed.

"Well, unless you want to die, I suggest you let me save my friend from certain death." Frazzle Spark snarled.

"Why are you making this so hard?"

"I'm going back now. Don't try to stop me."

"Forget him. Let's just stay here and chat."

"No."

"Come on!"

"I've made up my mind."

"You're so lame."

Frazzle Spark spun and made a break for the Zebra village. The minute his back was turned to Typhoon an icy wind blew over his legs and froze him in place.

"Amateur move," Typhoon laughed as she gripped Frazzle Spark's arms and twisted them behind his back.