I Met Kindness

by FALG

Brothers and sisters

Two days after the party

"Who?" Plaid started

" 'Who' what?" I asked him back

"Who will you date today?"

"I’m not dating anypony, I’m just going out."

"You know it wouldn’t surprise me if you are actually dating somepony; I would be surprised they get to like you if they know you still do that thing of yours."

"They get to like me because I don’t get to tell them about that!" I yelled

"So you’re telling me you told nopony about that?"

"Well actually I have told almost anypony about that."

"Including marefriends I assume" he said.

"Ex-marefriends, and yes."

"I-I-I don’t get it! How can anypony like you if they know that you swing around a stick as a sword?"

Even then, I would still swing a long stick around as a real sword. I use it as a self-training; I could use the weapons my father gave me, sure, but to train I have to use that old wood stick. And if I needed to put my training in practice, then I would use the weapons with caution to test what can go right and what can go wrong (that's why I have most of my scars in my body).
Since my father was Captain of the royal guard (and trainer of new recruits), it wasn’t hard for me to ask him for some weapons I designed for myself (shorter than most standards), so that he would request them at the blacksmith.
When he saw my interest about weapons, and my prowess with them, he asked me why I didn’t join the army already. I could only tell him that my skills with weapons weren’t specially the “power” type, so to speak. And in the army, everypony trained to be strong, which I wasn’t; everypony trained to have bigger muscles, which I barely had.

So instead, I designed my own way of swordplay (which could be tagged as "speed" style), using melee attacks to add variety. Of course I still had trained under my dad’s tutelage (in the "power" style of swordplay); despite not being fully-trained on their way (and not being in the army at all), he looked forward of making me the new Captain when he would retire. And I was happy to oblige, because that was another thing that interested me.

That was, until another colt entered the army, and showed my dad he was more promising.

Back to where we left off, my brother was bugging me about swinging around a stick as a sword.

"It doesn’t make sense! It’s something foalish for Celestia’s sake!" he kept saying

"Serve in the army is something foalish?" I asked him

"You’re not in the army."

"I was talking about the soldiers of Equestria."

"But it’s their duty and they use real swords. You on the other hand do it as something to enjoy. You do it because you like it, not because you have to."

"Listen, if you think of my hobby as foalish, suit yourself; but if you think that everypony has to think exactly like you, you’re going to have a bad time, because it won’t happen." I was getting angry.

"Somepony has to think like me." Plaid said.

"You are right, but not everypony, know the difference."
I left the house, tired of arguing; luckily I had to buy some groceries, it would help me forget why I was even mad while shopping.

It was a cloudy day, but rain wasn’t expected, the sky was completely white. I liked to think that I was in some sort of limbo when the sky went like that.
I went first to the apple stand; as I expected, Applejack was there, and a filly I usually saw her with.

"Hey Applejack how are things going?" I greeted her.

"Oh hey there Flare, I’m fine, how ‘bout you?" she asked back.

"I'm fine thanks, at least I don’t have to bear my brother when I’m out."

"You’re not too united aren’t ya?"

"It depends; we’re like fair weather friends sometimes, and the best brothers on others." I explained.

"Ah understand, so what do you need?"

"Oh yeah, six apples please" I asked her.

"Sure thing; Applebloom?" she looked at the filly.
The latter already packed said quantity and put it in my saddlebag.

"Say, is this a relative of yours?" I asked Applejack

"Uh-huh, she is mah sister Applebloom" she responded "Applebloom this is Flare." she said to the filly.

"Nice to meet you Applebloom" I extended a hoof for her to shake, which she did rather vigorously "how nice of you to help your big sister with selling apples."

"Yeah, but ah don’t do it just to help her, I only want to get my cutie mark somehow; I’ve tried everything but nothing works." the filly said sadly

"You can’t achieve to ever try exactly everything. C’mon, there are billion things you sure haven’t tried." I cheered her up.

"But I don’t want to try those billion things just to get my cutie mark, I want it now!"

"If you want some advice, don’t try to reason with ‘er: you just CAIN’T." Applejack whispered to my ear

"Okay okay" I whispered back "I better get going then, see you around girls."

"Wait Flare" Applejack called "before you go, I wanted to apologize for asking about your scars out of nowhere, I didn’t think that…"

"Applejack don’t worry; these scars are just product of failed trainings, that’s all. It’s not a bad memory anyway." I told her.

"So, ye’r not offended?"

"Not in the least, but thanks for worrying" I told her smiling.

"Yer’ welcome" she replied, feeling better now.

I went back to my house and left the groceries in the fridge. I told my brother I would go out again, but he didn’t even care what I’d do. It was like talking to a wall.
I remembered about the library, which Twilight ran, I could look a book to rent for a while, besides with the cloudy sky it was awesome as the light was perfect (not too bright, not too dark).

So I left the house with a bag, and headed to Golden Oaks Library.