Subsolar's Super Short Stories

by Subsolar Drift

Always Learning (Dark)

Laughter pealed from the largest booth in Sugarcube Corner. Twilight Sparkle and her friends sat around the table enjoying hot chocolate to warm them from the snowstorm outside. It was late, the sun had set hours before and Rainbow Dash was retelling one of her stories from flight school.

"He came right at me, full speed with his hooves ready to beat the hay outa me." Dash reenacted the scene as she spoke, her audience giving her their full attention. "Anypony else woulda just gotten out of there but not The Dash! No, was ready for him. He came swinging at me and I just ducked his hooves and," Rainbow Dash lowered herself in her seat and then popped up, delivering an uppercut to thin air. "Boom. He was out cold."

A chorus of wows echoed from the circle of friends. Rainbow's chest swelled with pride. The conversation lulled as Dash drank her hot chocolate. Suddenly Twilight stiffened. A voice whispered in her ear. "Know what you're facing."

"Wow, Rainbow! That's impressive. Did you ever take self defence classes?" Twilight asked, feigning interest.

"Self defence? That stuff isn't for The Dash! Nah, I took martial arts! I was the best in my class, four years running!"

"That's incredible! How about the rest of you girls? Have you ever taken self defence courses or martial arts?"

"Nah, my big brother taught me how to fight, earth pony style!" Applejack said.

"Nope! I've never really had anyone who wanted to hurt me!" Pinkie chirped. "Well, besides Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, and you when you were angry Twi!"

"I've taken several magical self defence classes. A lady must know how to protect herself after all." said Rarity.

"I've taken one or two, but I wasn't that good." Fluttershy mumbled.

Twilight heard the voice again. "Asses threat level." Her mind immediately began to work thinking about all the things her friends could do, and how dangerous they would be.

"Determine the best course of action." The voice spoke and Twilight listened. Pinkie first, she didn't want any unknown factors in the fight. Then Rarity, magic was always dangerous. Rainbow Dash, then Applejack, Fluttershy last.

"Wait for the right moment." Pinkie lifted her mug up to her face and closed her eyes, savoring the last little bit of her drink.
"Execute the plan." Everything moved in slow motion. A sleep spell hit Pinkie in the face knocking her unconscious, followed by Twilight cracking Rarity on the horn with a hoof and the a quick hit to the side of her head with magic. She fell unconscious. Rainbow Dash began to react. Twilight wrapped her wings in telekinesis and twisted them in opposite directions. They snapped. Twilight focused on Applejack's hind legs casting a nearly identical spell and breaking them. Two more sleep spells hit the two athletic ponies and they were down. Fluttershy was frozen with fear. Twilight closed her eyes before turning to Fluttershy and casting the sleeping spell one last time.

Twilight sat at the booth with her five best friends scattered around her, unconscious.

"Twi!"

"Gah!" cried Twilight as her friend's voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Jeez, Twi. You were out of it. Are you okay?" Twilight scanned the concerned looks in front of her.

"Ya, I'm fine," she muttered. "I'm just tired. It's late and I haven't been sleeping well. I think I'm gonna head home." Her friends nodded. She bid them farewell and in an instant she was home.

She walked over to her bed and laid down. She didn't bother to get ready for bed, or even to brush her teeth. She simply fell asleep, slipping into a familiar dream.

~~~

"Twilight. It is good to see you," said the voice. "Let us continue our training."

"Yes."

"What are the two most important things in a fight?"

"To get rid of all the unknown factors and variables so that you can be sure of the outcome and to show no mercy."

"Good, now let's look at your little get together with your friends tonight."

~~~

Twilight tossed and turned in her sleep, a look of anguish on her face.

Author's Note:

Written for TMP prompt #384: Learning to fight

I really like this concept. Writing this was fun though I didn't quite have enough time to get the ending where I would've liked it. Thirty minutes is a lot less than it seems.

Comments

[GjallarFox]

Sounded like Sherlock when he fought Mouriarti. But damn. Well done.

Also, you spelled 'assess' wrong, as well as 'defense'. Respectively, you wrote them as 'asses' and 'defence'.

<3 DarqFox

[Mister Morden]

My only question here, is who trained Twilight? Was it Shining Armor or someone else?

[Subsolar Drift]

2748266 I would've added that in if I had time. In my mind it was either Discord or the Nightmare.

[Tavi n Scratch]

You never realize that hot chocolate brings out the worst in people, well not until you're dead at least.