Hair

by Acologic

Middle

Rainbow Dash grinned and raised her hooves. Thunderlane spat, his chest heaving, his coat soaked with sweat. Rainbow Dash paced, skipping and jabbing the air. ‘Ready yet?’ she said. Thunderlane’s mouth twitched.

‘Give me a moment,’ he replied.

‘Sure!’

Thunderlane got to his hooves and blew out. Snot tinged with blood dripped from his snout. He spat, then raised his hooves and beckoned. Rainbow raised hers and danced forward. Thunderlane crouched. She jabbed. He pulled back his head and threw a right. Rainbow flitted forward and backward, smiling. Thunderlane puffed, turned and kicked. He hit air. Rainbow kicked and Thunderlane pushed. She stumbled and recovered. Thunderlane swung twice, panting. Both missed. Rainbow smiled. Thunderlane wheezed and threw. Rainbow took with her flank the blow and bounced backward. Thunderlane kicked. Rainbow kicked. Thunderlane reached, and Rainbow dipped and grabbed his hind legs. He grunted and fell.

‘That’s done it,’ grunted Rainbow. Thunderlane grimaced.

‘Not yet,’ he wheezed. Rainbow swung and struck his snout. His face screwed up. He raised his hooves and blocked. Rainbow pushed her weight onto his torso and held him. He curled up and took her blows. He slid a hoof under her neck. Rainbow shifted her head and kept on him her weight. She tucked her head and tightened her grip. Thunderlane pushed and struggled. She pushed and hit. Thunderlane scrabbled and turned over and back. Rainbow adjusted and wrapped her hind legs around him, staying on top. She struck his head. He tilted and grunted. She slipped her hooves around his neck. He pulled out of her grasp and stood. Rainbow stood and pushed. He slipped to the ground, gasping. She caught his snout. He grimaced and covered up. She tightened her grip. Thunderlane scraped the ground with his hind legs and rose. Rainbow held his head. He pushed. She turned and he fell. She let go. They faced each other. Thunderlane was gasping and grimacing. Rainbow nodded. She rushed him. He stumbled.

Rainbow let go her forehooves. Thunderlane curled up. He raised a hoof. Rainbow adjusted and struck his face. He covered his head. She threw downward onto him. He wrapped his forelegs around her, pulling his face toward her, away from her hooves. She wrestled him out and threw. He cringed backward, turning his head toward the ground. She curled around his neck and squeezed. When he scrabbled and pulled her, she threw. When he blocked, she squeezed. Grunting, he tapped the ground. Rainbow released him and punched the air. ‘Whoo, yeah! Come on!’ she exclaimed. With a groan, Thunderlane stumbled to his hooves.

‘Well fought,’ he managed. ‘Nicely done.’

‘Respect,’ said Rainbow, grinning. ‘You took some shots, you know!’

Thunderlane puffed out his cheeks. ‘Yeah, and landed hardly any. You’re a slick little beast. Huh!’ He rubbed his neck. ‘No Iron Pony for me, then.’

‘Aww, don’t feel too bad,’ said Rainbow, slapping him on the back. ‘I’d do the same to anypony!’

‘You think so?’ Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane turned. A pony stood before them. His coat was grey and his mane dark. He was smiling. Rainbow bristled.

‘You don’t think so, Gust? Since when did you fight? Do you think you can take me?’ The pony, Gust, nodded.

‘Yeah, I think so.’

Rainbow narrowed her eyes and beckoned. ‘Come on, get in here, then, and let’s have it.’

Gust blinked and grinned. Thunderlane frowned. ‘Hey, Dash, give him a chance to be sporting. He’s fresh and you aren’t.’

‘I’ll warn you now,’ interrupted Gust, ‘that I’m fiercely competitive.’

Rainbow laughed. ‘Well, why don’t we put that fire to the test? How many rounds?’

‘How many do you want?’

‘Look, no offence, but I can take you in one,’ said Rainbow.

Gust’s eyes glinted. ‘Frightened I’ll wear you out?’

‘Hah! All right, then, I’ll give you as many as you want. Either way, we start with one – and that’s all I need.’

‘Great, let’s do it.’

‘OK, let’s go! Ready?’

‘Ready when you are.’

‘Hey, hey. Hold up. Hold your horses.’ Thunderlane tapped Gust on the flank. ‘Warm yourself up first. Dash, have a sit-down, for pony’s sake; don’t be silly.’

Gust trotted around the pen, and Rainbow sat down and watched him. Thunderlane stood, thin-mouthed, and watched both. Rainbow smirked. ‘You can still back out,’ she called.

‘No,’ said Gust. Thunderlane grimaced.

‘Go easy, Dash, yeah?’

‘Hah, what?’ snorted Rainbow. ‘Are you for real?’

‘Oh, don’t worry,’ said Gust. ‘You won’t have to.’

‘That’s what I like to hear,’ said Rainbow, standing. ‘Enough horsing around! You ready?’

‘Oh yeah.’ Rainbow advanced. Gust stepped backward. He watched her. She kissed the air and winked. He smiled. ‘You fight a lot?’ he said.

‘Hah!’ said Rainbow. ‘I’m the best!’ He smiled and nodded. He shuffled forward and kicked. Rainbow stepped backward. He turned his back. Rainbow glanced at Thunderlane and rolled her eyes. He gave her a look. Gust tossed his head and stuck out a hoof. Rainbow feinted. He threw. She dodged and watched him rush, pawing and poking, at her. He lowered his head and charged. She caught him and shifted her hind legs. He struggled against her grip. She tapped him. He wobbled.

He spluttered as he lifted her leg from the ground. She adjusted her weight, dragging him. He swung. She slapped it aside with her hoof. He whipped his head and brought up a knee. She took it on her flank and smiled, shaking her head. ‘You’re exhausting yourself, you goose,’ said Rainbow. ‘What do you think you’re going to do, pick me up and throw me?’ He snorted and squirmed. She slid forward, grabbed his head and pulled it close. He struggled, swaying, and she walked with him. He grabbed one of her legs. She hopped and planted it. He leaned on her, snorting and gasping. She loosened her grip. He staggered forward, then backward and threw. She tossed her mane. The blows drifted past her head. She clipped him with a right. He gasped and swung. She skipped into space. ‘Come on,’ said Rainbow, beckoning. ‘Show me your best.’

Gust lunged and threw his forelegs around her torso. He tripped forward as she retreated. She held him close. He grunted and pushed and tugged. She fell onto the ground. He scrambled on top of her. She used her hind legs and kept his blows at bay. He pushed. She moved his head. ‘Come on,’ said Rainbow. ‘Go for it!’ He raised a hoof and struck. He missed her. He shifted his weight, and he saw her head. He struck. She pulled herself close. The blows slid. She kicked out and turned. He fell to the ground, picked himself up and, blowing and panting, watched her. She nodded. He leapt. All four of his hooves left the ground. Leaning forward, she caught him. His back thudded into the ground, and he grunted. Rainbow threw her hooves. He blinked and struggled. He covered his face. He moaned as she hit him.

‘That’s the round,’ said Thunderlane. ‘That’s enough.’ As Rainbow stopped and stood up, Gust threw himself at her. He opened his mouth and bit her tail.

‘Hey!’ shouted Rainbow, spinning.

‘That’s enough now!’ said Thunderlane. ‘Oi, Gust. Gust!’ Gust shook his head, still latched to her tail, and Rainbow snarled. She kicked him in the face.

‘Gah!’ He fell to the ground and rolled.

‘All right, that’s it! That’s enough!’ Thunderlane rushed in and blocked Rainbow. ‘Calm it.’

‘What was that?’ snapped Rainbow as Gust rose, rubbing his snout.

‘Got carried away,’ he mumbled. ‘Sorry. Told you I was competitive.’

‘Well?’ demanded Rainbow. ‘Had enough?’

He watched Rainbow. His eyes were moist. ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Well done. Good show. It’s harder than it looks.’

‘Yeah, it’s hard to beat an athlete,’ said Rainbow, smirking. ‘I like your spirit though! How about a round with Thunderlane?’

‘No, no,’ said Gust. ‘I’ve had enough. You’ve proved me wrong.’ He rubbed his jaw. ‘You’ve got power. Sorry that I interrupted.’

‘What was that all about?’ said Thunderlane once Gust had walked away. Rainbow shrugged.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Bit weird, no? A challenge like that, out of nowhere, from Gust?’

‘You know him?’

‘You don’t?’

‘I know his name. Otherwise not really. I’ve seen him around.’

‘Still strange.’

‘Why?’ said Rainbow. ‘The top spot’s a great spot!’

‘Not that. Heck, you fought him, Dash; do you think he could fight?’

‘Not at all! I had him all round and gave him every chance. Hah, I went easy after all.’

‘That’s my point exactly. Why fight at all? What good did it do him?’

Rainbow shrugged. ‘What good did it do you?’ Thunderlane snorted.

‘Well, you’ve got me there.’

Rainbow craned her neck and examined her flank. She grimaced. ‘Aww, he’s taken a chunk out of my tail. What if I look dumb when I fly?’

‘What’s the difference?’ Thunderlane sniggered, and he dodged her blow.

A pony pulled a cord and a light flickered on. A door closed behind him. He walked to a table, picked up a matchbox and opened it. He lifted his hooves to his mouth and pulled out strands of rainbow-coloured hair. He examined them, smiled and, shaking, pressed them into the matchbox. He closed it and replaced it. He spat and rubbed his jaw. He licked blood from his lips. He extinguished the light, opened the door and walked to Sugarcube Corner. Then he emerged, wheezing with laughter. He raised a hoof, beamed at it and, sighing, wiped his eyes. He returned to the cellar. The door closed. He pulled the cord. The light went on. He lifted the matchbox and added a neat lock of cerise hair. He replaced it and sank into the chair. He chuckled. He sighed. He shook his head. His eyes were moist. He swallowed. He stared, smiling and crying.

Comments

[overdue]

(in the first chapter) the writing style is odd but it fits the subject matter, this is really engaging