> A Dance on the Mats
>  by Kind of Brony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Throwing Hands, Catching Hearts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dash, this isn't healthy," Sunset states as her friend continues to do pushups, just reaching a hundred.

"Ain't proper neither," AJ chimes in, a frown pulling at her lips. "Beating on a fella. Didn't your ma ever tell you not ta hit boys?"

"Well, it's a good thing I haven't hit him yet, isn't it," Rainbow spat, standing up. "Anon just slips around or blocks every punch and kick I throw at him."

"I find that hard to believe," Twilight comments. "Everyone knows men don't make good fighter due to their larger muscle mass hindering mobility. And with how big Anon is, he shouldn't be able to move out of the way of a steam locomotive, let alone a punch thrown by a black belt."

Rainbow Dash grunts and moves unto the pull up bar, not bothering to argue against her friend's "logic". If they don't believe her, then they can just come to her and Anon's next sparring match and see how light on his feet he is. The boy can move like a ballerina on the mat.

Until then, Dash has to work on her striking power. She's gotten good enough at reading his movements to keep up with him now, but he just intercepts any blow she manages to land with a palm, forearm, or shin. And to add insult to injury, he doesn't even flinch, acting as if he's just batting away a pillow. She'll have to strike hard enough to break his guard when he blocks and use the disruption in his stance to land a proper hit.

"Hey Applejack, brace the punching bag for me," she calls over her shoulder as she drops from the bar and begins walking towards the old, beat up sand bag.

"Ah ain't gonna have no part in this, Dash. Might as well be beating him myself if Ah help you get ready to fight a boy."

Rainbow Dash growls under her breath and snaps, "Fine. Fluttershy, grab the bag."

As the timid girl eeps, but still moves to the bag anyway, Dash wonders why her friends can't just see Anon the way that she does? He's not some limp-wristed, namby-pamby boy like the rest of them. He's a warrior, and if she wants to be worthy of him, she has to prove herself in battle.



You catch the forward-stepping mule kick in both hands with far more effort than anything else you've had to exert so far, grunting under your breath as you slide back an inch across the mat. Despite the stinging in your palms, you smirk.

"Wow, getting serious, are we? You know, a technique like that could cave in a guy's rib cage... if it wasn't from somebody who weighs a hundred-twenty pounds soaking wet."

Rainbow Dash simply narrows her eyes, surprising you by lifting her other leg and launching it towards your face. You barely move your head out of the way, using your grip on her foot to flip her away from you. She lands gracefully into a crouch, not letting up her attack as she immediately leaps at you with a fist.

You are forced to backpedal as you sweep aside the fury of punches. Her footwork has improved greatly since your first spar, the girl maintaining her momentum to keep up with you while still keeping on the offensive. Still, you quickly spot and opening, and practically on instinct, exploit it.

She doesn't even see the punch coming as it plows into her cheek, sending her sprawling backwards. You wince, not meaning to have hit her so hard, and quickly walk over to her. "Aw shit, you alright Dash? I didn't break your jaw, did I?"

Her eyes flutter open with a groan and she attempt to sit. When you hold your hand out in support, she slaps it away.

"M'fine," she grumbles, managing to right herself while supporting her weight on a palm. Despite the claim, she hisses through her teeth as she goes to turn her head away, her other hand flying to her neck.

You sigh, once again feeling annoyed at this world and its girls obsessed with their tough guy acts. "Don't move," you command, kneeling next to her and prying her hand away from her neck. She tries to protest, but you push her hand down firmly, examining the injury with some pokes and prods. "Looks like you've got a sprained neck, which means no more sparring for a few weeks."

"What!? Ah, come on, Anon, I'm fine! Let's keep going!" She attempts to jump up, but yelps and falls back, face clenched in pain.

"That's enough, Dash!" you shout, using the same commanding tone your sensei once used on you. "You're resting, and that's final."

She weakly protests as you reach your hands under her arms and lift her up not unlike how you would a angered kitten. Despite the large bruise forming on her cheek, the furious blush shines through. She's pouting, arms folded across her chest as soon as you let her feet touch the ground.

"I'm not a little kid, Anon, you can't tell me what to do," she mumbles. "I can keep fighting if I say I can."

"Yeah, well, you can't tell me what to do either, and last time I checked, it takes at least two to fight, so if I say I'm done, you're shit out of luck."

The girl is acting like she's the only one disappointed with this development, but in truth, you're not looking forward to the weeks ahead, either. Sure, the first time you challenged Dash to a spar, it was to prove a point that you could handle yourself and were not to be treated like a defenseless weakling, but since then, it's become the highlight of your week.

Since arriving in this backwards place, you haven't been able to find a decent fight besides with this spunky girl, and you aren't looking forward to the boredom to come while you wait for her to recover. You sigh, rubbing your forehead.
"I'm hitting the showers," you say, looking down at her. "I suggest you keep the water cool if you do the same. Hot water won't help the swelling."

"I- I can handle myself just fine. I don't need you telling me how to shower, too," she grouses, blush intensifying as she stomps away.

You stare at her back for moment before shaking your head and heading for the men's showers. Even in this crazy world, girls are still an enigma. Things are way more simple when you're fighting.



Dash winces as she leans forward, hand braced on the tiled wall as she lets the cold water run down her sore neck. Even if it weren't for the injury, she'd be taking a cold shower right now. She's always a bit too hot in more ways then one after a spar with Anon.

The shame currently flooding her thoughts is distracting her from that, however. "Damn it!" she shouts into the empty room, slamming a fist into the wall. Her skin breaks before the ceramic, but she ignores it as she watches the blood swirl down the drain. Just like any chance she had of impressing Anon.

She can't believe she made such a stupid, amateurish mistake, leaving her guard wide open like that. She had gotten too eager, too excited at the prospect of finally landing a proper blow against her opponent to see that fist flying right into her face. And now Anon is treating her like a child, like she's the boy between the two of them.

She knows.

Knows the real reason why he's put off their spars.

And it's not so she can recover from her rookie mistake. It's because he doesn't want to fight a weakling like her anymore.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

She punches the wall several more times, finally sending a crack through the blue tile as she squeezes her eyes shut. Hot streaks run down her cheeks that she wishes she could blame on the shower.

"Damn it, Anon, why can't I be strong like you?" she whispers, hand coming to cover her eyes.

She doesn't bother finishing the shower or dry herself properly before she pulls on her clothes and makes her way home.

A quarter bottle of painkillers later, and she spends the rest of her day in bed, staring at the ceiling.



When you shut your locker door, you find a scowling Sunset Shimmer behind it, arms crossed over her impressive bust. "What did you do to Rainbow Dash?"

You blink a few times, caught off guard. "Why? she in the hospital or something?" The thought that the injury was more severe than you diagnosed sits like a stone in your stomach, but the girl simply gives you a strange look.

"Wha-? No, she shut herself away all weekend and refuses to tell anyone why. So, what did you do? I know you two had one of your 'spars' last Friday."

You shrug, slinging your book bag over your shoulder. "Don't know, but it at least sounds like she's resting. Hopefully it'll speed up her recovery."

"Recovery? Recovery from what?" Sunset questions, arms dropping to her sides.

Oh boy, this isn't something you want to explain. "During our spar Friday, I sorta punched her in the face... hard. It janked her neck up so we stopped there and I called off our sparring until she healed. She was pretty pissed about that."

You expected the bacon-haired girl to be mad that you busted her friend's face, maybe call you a women-beater as you would have been accused of back home, but instead, she raises an eyebrow. "Really, you're still sticking with the sparring thing? You two don't have me fooled for a second."

"Ah, what?"

She rolls her eyes. "Listen, I don't know what's up, or why you two are keeping things quiet, but if you're going to try and convince people you aren't dating, maybe come up with something a little more convincing than beating the snot out of each other. Dash might be a bit abrasive at times, but she's not a man-beater."

You can't stop the little huff of laughter, getting Sunset to narrow her eyes. "I may not know what your deal is, but I know you've been messing with my friend's head," she continues, stepping closer to glare up into your eyes. "She's been working out like crazy at the gym until she's completely exhausted, and now she's shutting her friends out."

Amusement quickly fleeing, you narrow your eyes down at the girl. "Okay, let's get a few things straight, Shimmer. First, Rainbow Dash and I aren't dating, despite what your little delusions may have led you to think. And second, anything Dash does outside of our spars is her business. I don't care if she's hitting the gym too hard or not talking to her annoying friends; she's a big girl and can make her own decisions, so why don't you fuck off and let me get out of here? I have a chemistry test to study for tomorrow."

With that, you brush past the girl, perhaps putting a little too much weight into your shoulder as you do. She knocks into the lockers with a clatter, drawing the attention of the other students as she stumbles and whirls around.

"I'm onto you, Anon! I know you're doing something to my friend, you- you hussy! And I'll figure out what it is!"

You ignore her and head towards the school's front entrance. Studying can wait, you need to blow off some steam at the gym.



Rainbow Dash is mortified the next morning when she hears the whispered rumors about Sunset Shimmer confronting Anon in the middle of the hallway, and quickly stomps off to find her so-called friend.

"What did you do?" she demands, slamming Sunset's locker shut, nearly catching the other girl's nose in the frame.

"Rainbow Dash, what the hell?!" Sunset fumed with a glare. "Are you trying to break my nose?"

"I should after what you did! Yelling at Anon in front of the whole school! Saying we're dating! Have you gone nuts?!"

Sunset reels in her own anger and attempts to be civil. "Okay, maybe I didn't handle yesterday very well, but what did you expect? You've been acting more and more strange ever since you started hanging out with Anon two months ago, and the girls and I are worried. Maybe if you'd talk to us, I wouldn't have had to go to Anon just to find out what's up with my friend."

Rainbow's jaw clenches. "You ever consider I'm not talking to you because there's nothing to talk about?" Rainbow grits out. "And even if there was, I don't need to tell you every single thing about my life. What? You think just because you brought some magic from pony land and dumped it on us, we're all obligated to let you run our lives? Guess I shouldn't be a surprise; you were going to mind-control all of us at the Fall Formal. This is the next best thing, right?"

Sunset is taken aback, mouth falling open. "Wha-? No, we- I just want to-"

"Butt into my business? Because if that's it, then keep it up, you're doing great!"

"Rainbow, please!"

"Heya, girls! What're we talking about?" Pinkie cuts in, popping up to wrap an arm around each friends' neck.

Rainbow grunts and tries to wriggle away. "Nothing-"

"Oh! Are we talking about how Dashie didn't show up to my slumber party Saturday and wouldn't answer her phone even when I called her a bazillion times to ask why?"

"That's part of it..." Sunset confirms, giving Dash a pleading look. "We just want to know what's wrong so we can help."

"I already said there's-"

"Hold that thought, Dashie," Pinkie interrupts, perking up to look at the gathering crowd of students watching them. "This sounds like some real drama bomb droppin' territory." She thrusts a finger into the air. "To the music room! You two go ahead, I'll gather the rest of the girls and meet you there." Before there can be any protest, Pinkie takes off, leaving her friends befuddled.

Eventually, Sunset speaks. "So... you coming?" she asks, hesitant, but hopeful.

Dash considers stomping off in answer, but with Pinkie involved now, she knows it's pointless to resist. "Yeah, fine, let's get this over with," she concedes with a sigh.

When did life start sucking so hard?



"Not that I don't think this is important, but we're missing first period," Twilight speaks up, wringing her hands nervously. "Can't this wait until after school so we aren't delinquent?"

"Nuh-uh, no can do," Pinkie says, eyes steely. "Friendship problems are way more important then trigonometry,"

"But-"

"Has trigonometry ever saved the school from magic-crazed she-devils, Twilight?"

"No, but-"

"Or defeated sirens in a battle of the bands."

"Well, no, but-"

"Ooor stopped superintendent Discord after he got corrupted by Equestrian chaos magic?"

"... What?"

Pinkie blinks before suddenly making an 'oh' face. "Oh, wait, that's later. I meant to bring up the thing where we first met you and then the Everfree debacle. Still, my point stands."

"Well, she certainly has you there, Twilight," Rarity says. "This is far too urgent to wait."

Applejack rolls her eyes. "Come on, Rares, we all know you just want ta sink your teeth into some boy-gossip."

Rarity blushes and harrumphs. "I take offense at the mere suggestion that I would put gossip above the needs of one of my close friends. My desire to know the details of Rainbow Dash's secret, sordid relationship with fair Anonymous comes from a purely altruistic place."

"There is no secret relationship!" Rainbow butts in with a growl. "That's what I've been trying to tell Miss Nosy here all morning!"

"Hey, I'm not nosy!"

"Grilling Anon in the middle of the hall seems pretty nosy to me!"

Sunset's rebuttal is interrupted by a shout of, "Quiet!"

Everyone turns to the now standing Fluttershy, who in turn, quickly sinks into herself, arms pulled close to her chest. "Ah, if that's okay. Arguing isn't going to help anything."

Sunset sighs. "Fluttershy's right," she begins, looking back at Dash. "I'm sorry, Rainbow, I shouldn't have gone behind your back like that no matter how worried I was. I should have talked to you first."

Rainbow Dash folds her arms. "Yeah, you should have. And you shouldn't have got everyone in the whole school thinking I'm dating Anon, either."

"Well, you have to admit the sparring thing is still pretty hard to believe," Sunset counters feebly.

"Seriously? If you were so sure Anon was using boyish charm to mess with my head or whatever whenever we were supposed to be sparring, why didn't you just come and check in on us?"

"You never exactly invited us, darling," Rarity comments."We didn't want to intrude at first."

Blushing, Dash looks away. "I never said you couldn't come..." The small, self-conscious part of her that she keeps locked deep within points out that jealousy played a part in why she never specifically invited her friends. Out of the seven of them, she's painfully aware that she is both the shortest, and most lacking in her... feminine assets, and she'd rather Anon not have his eyes on anyone but her during their bouts.

"We would have," Applejack comments. "Especially when ya said you were fighting a boy so we could put a stop to it, but Sunset said we should give you two yer space."

At this, the redhead hunches her shoulders. "Well, at first I was pretty sure you were going on secret dates, and I didn't think you'd appreciate us spying on you." At the rainbow-haired girl's flat stare, Sunset feels the need to defend herself. "Hey, it was a perfectly valid conclusion. Still is in fact, since Anon obvious lied to me about what happened Friday."

Dash quirks a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Anon said he punched you in the face and that you got hurt, but you look perfectly fine to me."

"What?!" Fluttershy yelps, rushing to her oldest friend's side to look for the supposed injury. "You're hurt Dash? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wha-? Hey! I'm fine- Ah! Be careful!" Dash protests, pushing Shy's hand away from the cheek she had just grabbed. Seeing the other girl wince, Fluttershy's expression became determined.

Grabbing Dash's hands in a firm grip, Fluttershy looks more closely, noticing a slight swelling of Rainbow's cheek. Maintaining her hold so she couldn't swat her away again, Fluttershy runs a thumb gingerly over the other girl's cheek. While Rainbow hisses, Fluttershy looks at her thumb, bewildered by the makeup there. While she's distracted, Dash breaks free, taking a defensive step back. It's too late however as her cover is blown, the rest of the girls seeing the streak of discolored skin now revealed.

"Rainbow, you're wearing makeup?" Rarity breathes, amazed. "That I didn't apply?"

"Never thought I'd see the day," Applejack mumbled, removing the hat from her head.

"I don't see why you're all making such a big deal out of it," the small athlete grumbles. "It's not like I'm the only girl to ever wear makeup. Rarity's wearing some right now."

"But Rarity highly values outward appearances and always looking her best," Twilight states. "Things that you put very little stock in."

"Whatever," Dash snaps. "So I put on some makeup so no one would notice my busted up face. Who cares?"

"I do," Sunset blurts. "Because this means Anon was telling the truth, and I called him a hussy in front of a bunch of other students! My mom will kill me if she ever finds out!"

"I doubt Anon gives a crap. He's not like other guys," Rainbow says with a sigh, gingerly wiping more of the makeup from her face. No point in leaving it on now that it's ruined. Stupid gunk took her an hour to put on too. "Case and point, my face, which he punched," Rainbow continues. "You know any froufrou guys who could do that?"

"Well, my dad has a pretty mean right hook," Pinkie comments offhandedly while the other girls just look at her oddly. Though, It shouldn't be a surprise that the strange girl would have an equally strange father.

"Wait a minute," Sunset begins, eyes narrowing in thought. "Anon said you hurt your neck too..."

"Yeah," Rainbow admitted, rubbing the back of her stiff neck. "Had to take bunch of pain pills just to be able to get out of bed, and it's still kinda stiff."

Of course the admission has Fluttershy fretting over her once again, but Rainbow just bears with it this time. Growing up along side the animal lover, Dash has become used to having the other girl treat all of the scrapes and bruises garnered from her reckless behavior.

"Dash... Your neck is like one big knot, how are you even moving it right now?" the pinkette questions seriously. "Why are you moving it, in fact. You should be at home getting bed rest."

"Okay, sure thing, Anon," Dash murmurs.

"You should have listened to him if he told you the same thing," Fluttershy chided. "As a matter of fact, you should have seen a doctor. Neck injuries can be very serious, you know."

"Uh, yeah, I do, I've only been practicing karate for, like, thirteen year," Dash said with an eye roll. "I know my body better than some lab coat wearing egg head."

"Hey!" both Twilight and Sunset object.

"Lab coats are the pinnacle of practical wear in a laboratory," Twilight continues. "And you should respect the opinions of medical professionals. They've gone to school for over a decade to know your body better than you, despite what you may think."

"Whatever," Dash brushes off. "Listen, if you're all just gonna harp on me for coming to school with a sore neck, then how 'bout we cut this friendship meeting short?"

"Wait," Sunset says, stepping forward. "We've gotten off track. So you weren't lying about the spars-"

"I could've told ya that," AJ pipes up, getting a glare from Sunset that has her holding her hands up in surrender.

"- But what we don't know," continues the red head. "Is why you've been acting so strange lately. So Anon cleaned your clock, that doesn't explain why you've been avoiding us."

"Probably 'cause she got beat up by a boy and didn't want us to know," Applejack interrupts again, snorting and raising a brow. "How'd ya manage that? You get distracted eyein' his muscles?"

"No!" Dash spat. "He's just good, okay. Like, really good! Even when I'm fighting as hard as I can, he just brushes me aside like I'm nothing! He even laughs at me and makes jokes during our fights!"

"Wow, Dashie, it's almost like you're talking about yourself, but, like, with a wangdoodle," Pinkie notes, getting Rarity to gasp.

"Pinkie! A proper lady does not speak of a sir's... equipment, in such a manner!"

While Pinkie just shrugs, Rainbow groans. "That's just it; he's not like me, not where it matters. He's better than me. And the worst part is, after the fights, he stops joking, offers me a hand, and says it was a good fight, acting all humble-like." She throws her hands up in defeat. "He just lies right to my face like I'm some kid that needs to be encouraged. It's like I'm not even an equal to him, just something between a charity case and a punching bag. He doesn't want to send me away because he feels sorry for me, then he kicks my butt for wasting his time." Her arms drop along with her eyes. "... I just want him to see me the way I see him. I want to be strong."

The room falls silent as her friends try to communicate with glances between each other what to do. Finally, Sunset speaks up. "Is that what this is about...? You want Anon's respect? That's it?"

Rainbow Dash tenses, something in the other girl's voice coming off as accusatory, but tries to play it off. "Yeah, that's pretty much it, I guess."

"Are you sure?" Rarity presses, leaning forward. "Because it sounds to me there's something else you want from Anonymous."

Dash sniffs and crosses her arms. "Like what? I mean, sure he's a great fighter, but the guys a total jerk. What else could I want from him?"

"His love, silly!" Pinkie exclaims in exasperation, as if explaining why parties are fun. "Even I can tell you've got the hots for him!"

Dash splutters. "W-what!? I didn't say that!"

"As... tactless as Pinkie's wording is, I agree. You seem to have some very strong feelings for Anon," Rarity observes.

"Plus sharing a mutual love for martial arts is a good foundation for a relationship," adds Twilight. "And frankly, finding a male who's somehow actually good at it is like finding a uni- er, drago... A very rare thing. If you two do start to date, maybe you can get him to agree to let me study him!"

Despite herself, Dash snorts. "That's either the nerdiest, or kinkiest thing I've ever heard. You get that from some egghead porno?"

Twilight blushes furiously. "E-excuse me? My interests in Anon are purely academic, I'll have you know!"

"His anatomy, no doubt," titters Rarity, getting laughs from the rest of the group.

Still blushing, Twilight frowns and hunches her shoulders. "I thought we were supposed to be talking about Dash and Anon," she grumbles, getting Sunset to curb her laughter and nod.

"She's right," Shimmer says. "Let's save the ovary busting for later." Looking back to their rainbow-haired friend, Sunset continues, "Right now, we've got to figure out a way to help Rainbow and Anon get together."

"What?" Dash starts, pushing away from Fluttershy to wave her hands in front of her. "No, no, no, we are not doing this. Even if I liked Anon in that way, which I'm not saying I do, I'll handle it myself."

"But why would you want to do it by yourself when you have friends to help you?" inquires Pinkie, suddenly smiling brightly. "With our feminine powers combined, we'll have Anon begging to be your boyfriend in no time!"

"She's got a point, Dash. Anon don't sound like no regular bronco. You'll need all the help you can get if you don't wanna keep getting thrown."

"Oh, idea~" sings Rarity after AJ moved to stand by Dash along side Pinkie. "I'll make you a new gi so eye-catching that Anon won't be able to focus on anything other than how stunning you look in it!"

"You know, I remember reading a book from my brother's collection all about military hand-to-hand combat tactics," Twilight says, the redness of her cheeks fading as she becomes thoughtful. "Maybe I can ask him if we can borrow it. After all, Anon is an unorthodox opponent, so perhaps an unorthodox approach will be needed to beat him."

"Oh, if that's the case, I know some pretty useful grappling techniques I use when the bigger animals start acting up," Fluttershy supplies tentatively. "Sometimes Harry doesn't want to take his medicine, so I have to get a little... physical. For his own good, of course."

As each of her friends move to create a semi-circle around her, Rainbow dash looks to each of their faces in shock. "You're all serious about this aren't you? You really want to help me win a fight against Anon?"

"Well, that's a good first step to getting you two together," Sunset teases with a grin. "So yeah, we'll help you kick that guy's butt... Wow, that sounds really wrong..."

"That's what Ah've been sayin'!" Applejack groused. "... But, you seem pretty sure this is the right thing ta do, Dash, so Ah'm gonna trust ya. That Anon ain't gonna know what hit him...! Dang, still don't sound right."

Dash snorts a laugh, running a hand down her face. "You really are all crazy..." she mumbles before looking up at them with a warm smile. "But damn if you aren't the best friends a sis could ask for."

"Yay!" Pinkie cheers, suddenly pulling them all into a hug. "We're gonna help Dash beat up and then seduce a man! I can just feel the approval of our Neanderthal ancestors!"

For just a moment, Rainbow Dash thinks about pulling away, but the warmth in her chest, something she hasn't felt since Friday, or perhaps even longer than that, keeps her there. Then, she wraps her arms around as many of her friends as she can and squeezes.

As they do the same, the warmth in her chest grows and spreads, radiating through her entire body. "What the-?" She hears somebody begin to say before devolving into a yelp. Dash isn't sure who on account of the rainbow light engulfing them all.

It's focused on Dash however, and the warmth running through her body begins to converge around her neck and face. The dull pains that had been there suddenly begin to fade away, along with every other ache and discomfort throughout her being. The muscle strains from over-training and split knuckles heal instantly, leaving her feeling renewed and refreshed.

Stumbling back, she blinks the spots away and looks herself over. She expects to see a pair of wings and some pony ears, but there's nothing. Her friends give themselves similar once-overs, and come to the same conclusion, before looking to her.

It's Fluttershy who notices first with a gasp. "Rainbow! You're cheek!"

"It's healed!" finishes Sunset. "But how?"

"It must have been Equestrian magic," deduces Twilight, turning to her scientific partner. "Did you know it could do that?"

"No. I mean, healing magic is a thing, but it takes years of study and dedication to master. Trying to use magic to heal tissue damage is just as likely to treat the injury as it is to create a tumor if the caster is untrained."

Brushing a hand over the formerly bruised cheek before rubbing her neck, Dash comments, "Well, I don't feel lumpy. As a matter fact... I feel great!" Beaming she clenches and unclenches her hands, then starts throwing a few test punches.

Her fists are a blur of motion, the wind whistling around each strike. "Ha! Who needs bed rest now, Anon? I'll tell you who, you after I bust that perfect jawline of yours!" A throat clearing reminds the rainbow-haired girl that she's not alone, and she glances over at her friends sheepishly.

Rarity lifts a single eyebrow ever so subtly and smirks. "Perfect Jawline, darling? Perhaps, while he's getting his bed rest, you'll want me to make you a nurse outfit to care for him in, hmm?"

"Sh-shut up!"

"Girls, focus," Sunset commands before things can devolve into more teasing. "Besides just witnessing a feat of spectacular magic, which I will be studying later today Dash, don't think you can't get out of it, we still have a mission."

"Exactly," Dash agrees, blushing and sending a quick glare Rarity's way. "Now that my neck isn't messed up, I can go challenge Anon right now."

"Wow, hold up, there, Dash," Applejack cuts in. "Just 'cause your neck ain't hurtin' no more doesn't mean we should rush into things. We've got plans, remember?"

"Yes, a good strategy will be paramount in defeating Anon, I'm sure," Twilight adds. "...Plus, we've already missed half of first period and still have the rest of our classes to finish. Can we adjourn this meeting until after school?"

Sunset sighs, but nods her head. "Twilight's right, there's still a lot of preparations to be made before your fight with Anon, and it can wait until we're out of school."

While Dash wants to argue, she suppresses it with a rare moment of logic. If anything, she doubts she'd be able to drag Anon from class just to pummel him into the mat. Well, not without getting detention or possibly suspended. Being the school's star athlete only earns you so much lenience from the faculty, and disrupting class to beat up a guy might me pushing it.

"Fine, it can wait." Rainbow resigns grumpily. "So let's go before egg head Twilight has conniption from missing anymore classes."

While the egg head in question is outraged, even while collecting her book bag hurriedly, the rest of the girls slowly file out of the room, except for Pinkie Pie. "So, like, we're just kinda putting the fact that we have magic mumbo-jumbo healing powers on the back burner?" she calls after them. "What if it can cure cancer...? No? Yeah, you're right, boys come first."

Mind made up, the bubbly girl skips after her friends, humming a little tune.



You are not having a good day as you ready your backpack. Training yesterday didn't help work out your frustrations like you had hoped, and you failed the chemistry test you didn't study for. For some reason, Sunset's accusation that you were toying with Rainbow Dash's head pissed you off more than you thought it would. Perhaps it's because you've come to see the girl as something of a friend since starting school here, or maybe it's because she's the only one who can give you any sort of challenge on the mats.

Either way, she's become a staple in your life, and someone you wouldn't drive crazy like that. Can't do much sparring with someone if they're an emotional wreck or in the loony bin.

You hear a pair of soft footsteps approach, stopping just behind your locker door, and you sigh. Slamming the door with a clang, you start to speak. "Listen, Shimmer, I already told you-"

"Didn't realize you were colorblind, Anon," a scratchy, familiar voice interrupts. "Maybe a couple of hard knocks to the head'll fix your eyes. Works on TV, right?"

"Why? you volunteering?" you recover instantly, looking down to see a shaggy mop of rainbow hair.

"I could spare a few knuckle sandwiches," Dash continues smirking with a hand on her hip.

"Thought it was the guys job to make the sandwiches." you counter with your own smirk, leaning a shoulder against the locker with a hand in your pocket. "You've definitely eaten quite few of my knuckle sandwiches since we started sparing, so you must like them."

An edge of challenge enters her eyes. "Yeah? Well maybe I should repay your generosity."

You're about to accept the challenge when you remember last time and frown. "Maybe in a few more weeks. I don't want you whining you lost because your neck still hurt."

Instead of the petulant glare you expected, the short girl rolls her eyes. "Psh, don't be so full of yourself. That punch was nothing. Didn't even leave a mark."

You open your mouth to call her bluff, knowing full well the amount of power you put behind that punch, but with her head tilted up to look at you, you notice that indeed her face if free of any bruising. At first, you suspect makeup, something every fighter learns to apply at some point for this very reason, but you don't see any swelling either.

"How...?"

She smirks again. "Guess you don't hit as hard as you think," she gloats, making a show of rolling her neck to get a few pops. "I'm perfectly fine."

You narrow your eyes, old conversations from your first few days of school here coming back. Supposedly, there was some seriously supernatural stuff going on at this school, and it all centered around Sunset Shimmer and her friends. You hadn't noticed anything like that since enrolling here, however, and even after you started hanging with Dash, you never asked, not wanting to embarrass yourself by admitting you put even a shred of stock into the outlandish tales.

Seriously, she-demons at dances and giant seahorses manifesting in midair? You'd have to be nuts not to be skeptical. The unmarked, smug face staring up at you in challenge has you rethinking that, though.

"I guess so..." you say instead of calling magic shenanigans. If she has some sort of comic book healing factor, it just meant you wouldn't have to hold back as much during spars.

"Yeah, guess so," she agrees. "And since I'm fine, that means we can spar this Friday."

"Why wait so long? I'm free right now," you suggest, perhaps a bit eager to see what this girl can do. She hasn't acted this cocky since before your first match, having taken you far more seriously after you thrashed her for holding back. There has to be a reason for that confidence's sudden return.

Unfortunately, she shoots you down with, "Why be in a hurry just to lose? Besides, I don't want you saying I only won because you were tired or some stupid thing."

You actually frown a little at that. "A true martial artist knows how to win with humility, lose with grace, and do both with dignity." you tell her seriously. "If you beat me, I'll be the first to congratulate you, Dash."

Some of the bravado fades from her posture as a slight blush comes to her cheeks. "Uh, yeah, of course. I just want you to be at your best and all so it'll be a good match, you know."

Your smile returns some. "Sure, I know what you mean. Same goes for you; I want you at your best when we fight. We'll have to make this a good one since our last spar got cut short."

"Exactly," she agrees, nodding. "So... this Friday then."

"I'll be looking forward to it," you confirm, picking your backpack up from the floor and slinging it over your shoulder. "See you then, Dash."

"Y-you to," she returns, trying to recover some of her lost confidence as you step past her. "Make sure you eat your Wheaties, Anon! Don't want to get your butt kicked on an empty stomach!"

"Will do," you call back with a lazy wave and chuckle.

As you leave the building, a pep in your step now that you have something to look forward to, you hear your name called out.

"Hey, Anonymous, wait up!" Caramel calls running from the front doors and dodging around other students to reach you.

"What's up, Caramel?" you ask. "You need help with something?"

The two of you live only a few houses apart and have walked home together a few times. As a result, the string bean has made a bit of a habit of asking you for help, usually with stuff requiring muscle. The first time was your doing when you noticed him hunched under the weight of his own over-stuffed backpack and offered to carry it for him, but since then, he's asked you to do things like yard work and lifting heavy packages dropped off in the mail.

One time he even asked you to help rearrange the furniture in his living room while continuously offering you beverages and snacks. It was kinda strange, but it was also a free meal and he paid you ten bucks for the labor. His parents are pretty chill too and always smile at you when they see you out and about.

"I was going to ask you that, Anon. Are you alright?" Caramel questions once he's caught up to you.

You turn your attention away from the lightly panting boy to look yourself over. "I'm fine, why? Do I have something on me?"

"No! I'm talking about that girl, Rainbow Dash!"

"What about her?"

"I heard what she said," he explains, worrying his lip. "You know, about kicking your butt. And after Sunset Shimmer called you... that, yesterday... Listen, if those girls are giving you trouble, I'm sure Principle Celestia can do something."

You blink a few times, then chuckle. "Thanks for the concern, Caramel, but you don't need to worry. I can take care of myself."

"But you don't have to, Anon," he blurts out. "I mean, we boys have to look out for each other, and..." The jog must have really taken it out of him judging by how red his face is. Maybe you should start inviting him to join you on your morning runs.

You're pulled from your musings when you feel his smaller, softer hand wraps around yours. "I'm just worried for you, I guess," he says, rubbing a thumb over your knuckles and looking up into your eyes. "You know I'll be there for you, Anon, if you ever need me to be."

"I'll... keep that in mind," you say, pulling your hand back. "Listen, if that was it, I'm gonna go. Got a lot of homework and stuff, so..."

"Yeah, of course, homework," he says with forced cheer. "You do that. Um, I'd walk with you, but the Home Ec club has a meeting after school, and I am kinda the president."

"Cool, have fun."

"Yep! Just remember what I said, Anon. If you need anything-!"

"You'll be the first to know," you assure as the other boy starts walking away backwards. "Promise."

Seemingly satisfied, he smiles brightly before turning around and running back to the school. That was... weird.

You're not sure if you'll ever grow used to the touchy-feely way guys act here, but there's nothing to be done about it, so you just continue on your way. Even if it was kinda odd, you have to admit that it's sort of nice having such a caring friend. Maybe you'll make an effort to start hanging with Caramel more.



The rest of the week crawls by as you wait eagerly for Friday. Honestly, it sort of feels like waiting for Christmas, and you've been a jittering mess for the past few days. Leg bouncing and unable to focus, your grades have probably slipped even closer to failing then they were, but you can't find it in yourself to care as you wait for the final bell to ring.

You and Dash haven't talked since Tuesday, only giving each other nods and challenging looks whenever you've met eyes in school, and getting to actually communicate with her, both with words and fists, is something you're looking forward too. After all, she's the only one you can truly express yourself to since no one else dares to fight a boy, and the actual boys who have training only have enough for basic self defense.

Even though it's only been seven days, the same span of time that separated all of your previous spars, it's felt like longer. Maybe it's because you weren't expecting it, having thought you'd be waiting a whole month before you'd see your opponent on the mats again. Or maybe it was the glint in her eye. The resolution when she said that she would beat you that had no logical business being there, but somehow belonging all the same.

Whatever it is, it has you rushing to the gym as soon as school lets out. Rainbow Dash must have done the same, because you nearly bump into her at the entrance.

"Wow!" she yelps, falling back a step. "Shit, Anon, you trying to bulldoze me before the fight even starts?"

"Eh, you're tough, you'd have bounced back," you joke. "That punch didn't even leave mark, after all. A little bump wouldn't even hurt."

"Yeah, if the body doing the bumping wasn't two-hundred pounds of muscle, maybe." she says under her breath.

You smirk, but before you can comment, another voice yells, "Rainbow Dash! I said wait up!"

"And I said hurry up," she snaps over her shoulder as Sunset and the rest of the girls come up behind her. "Seriously, you girls need to start working out if a a little walk takes this much out of you."

"You were speed walking," Sunset counters, jabbing a thumb at the panting girl behind her currently being held up by Applejack. "And you almost killed Twilight with it."

"No, no" Twilight tries to say, pushing away from Applejack to stand on her own two legs, albeit shakily. "I'm fine, really, I'm fine. I'm... gonna be sick."

As their nerdy friend doubles over and starts dry heaving, Dash pinches the bridge of her nose, shaking her head slowly. "It was only four blocks," she mumbles, heaving a sigh and looking up at you. "Sorry about this."

"Hey, I'm not the one about to paint the pavement green. Matter of fact, we should probably get your friend inside and find her a place to take it easy."

Having no other reason to stand around outside, the girls agree and make their way inside. Sunset tries to hold the door open for you, which you reward with a blank stare for several seconds before Dash reaches out and yanks her in. You smirk at their antics and follow after them.

Once Twilight is situated on a bench, only rising from her slumped position to accept the little disposable cup of water Fluttershy got for her, you and Dash turn your attention to each other.

"So, I didn't expect you to bring an audience," you comment. "Getting a little overconfident, or just okay with them seeing you lose now?"

"how about the third option, they're gonna watch me kick your butt."

"The first one it is, then," you say with a nod, earning a punch in the bicep. You let it connect and laugh. "Fight hasn't even started yet and already can't keep your hands off me."

You just said it to be teasing, not really thinking about the connotation, but the way the girl blushes has you quieting down.

"Shut up, idiot. Like I want to do anything to you other then pound you into the mat."

"Phrasing!"

"Pinkie, I swear!"

"Girls!" Sunset intervenes. "Not in front of the gentleman!"

"Oh no, don't mind me. This is pretty funny."

"Ugh! Can we just fight already!" Rainbow growls.

"Not before your wardrobe change," Rarity chirps, clasping her hands together. "Oh, Rainbow, just wait, you are going to love it!"

"Okay, sure, whatever lets go," Rainbow says in a huff, cheeks red as she marches towards the changing rooms, grabbing Rarity by the crook of her elbow and dragging her along.

looking after the two for a moment, you decide to follow their lead and head to the men's room. Ignoring the gaudy pink paint job and heavily perfumed air, you go to your locker and pull out your gym bag, rifling through it for your plain white gi. You don't like to dally too long in the changing room, always feeling like you shouldn't be in their despite knowing otherwise.

Seriously, if it weren't for the urinals, you'd be pretty sure this is the women's room. Sometimes you wonder if the women's room looks like what you'd think a men's room should look, but long ingrained survival instincts keep you from peeking. No way you were letting curiosity land you on the sex offender list.

Changed and your possessions safely locked away, you head back out just as Dash does, and you see her wearing something quite... interesting. It's a sky blue gi, a little cloud and rainbow bolt emblazoned on the left breast and her black belt tying the whole thing together.

"Wow, a new gi, huh?" you say, looking her up and down.

"Indeed it is," Rarity answers from behind her friend, putting a hand to her chest and raising her chin. "I stitched it myself, in fact."

"The white one was just fine," Dash mumbles, looking away. "They're for fighting, not fashion."

"It's pretty cool," you decide, getting Dash to snap her eyes to you and Rarity to perk up.

"Really!?" they both shout, one incredulous and the other exuberant.

"Yeah," you confirm with a nod. "It kinda reminds of something out of an anime."

"You watch anime?" begins Dash before being interrupted by the fashionista.

"See, Rainbow Dash, I knew he'd like it," boasts the purple-haired girl. "Really, you shouldn't even be a surprised. Of course a man would have an eye for fashion."

"Well, I don't know about fashion, but who wouldn't want a personalized gi?" you say. "I'd wear it if I had one."

At this point, Rarity's eyes are practically sparkling as she has her hands clasped under her chin.

"Oh. My. Darling! I will certainly make you one if you'd like! Dash's was a refreshing challenge, making something that was both aesthetically pleasing and functional. You know the fabric is a wonderful cotton blend that is both soft and durable, and-"

"Rarity, you're starting to sound like Twilight when she blabs about books," Dash moans. "Can't you and Anon talk clothes after our fight?"

Rarity huffs, but starts moving from the mat with a grumpy, "Fine."

"We'll talk later," you tell the retreating girl. "We'll settle on a price and you can get measurement or whatever."

As Rarity passes her friend, she squeezes the shorter girl's shoulder and whispers, "Don't let this one go, dear. He's a keeper!"

"Just get already, seriously!" Rainbow hisses putting her hands to the other girl's back and pushing her to go faster. "Just want to fight a guy, and you all have to make it awkward. I swear, this is why I never asked you to come."

"Ah, don't be so hard on your friend's, Dash," you chide jokingly. "You're gonna need them to carry you out of here once I knock you unconscious."

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Dash counters. "Just shut up and get ready."

As she drops into a familiar stance, you chuckle and slide comfortably into your own. The whispers from Dash's friend come to sudden halt as you and your opponent size each other up. It's strange, despite the stance being the same as you've always remembered, something seems different in the girl.

It's the muscle tension, you realize. Relaxed and taut in all the wrong places.

"Well, come on, Anon, men first," goads Dash, smirking. "Or are you chicken."

"And they say chivalry is dead," you quip, hiding your curiosity. Dash has always been the first to strike, attempting to use her speed and agility to slip a punch around your guard and always failing. And now here she is trying to draw you into making the first move for some reason.

The strategist in you argues against taking such obvious bait, but your inner scientist demands that you poke the mystery with the proverbial stick to see what happens. And you are a sucker for scientific method.

In two bounds, you close the gap between you and have a fist hurdling towards the girl's face. Expecting her to simply move or, at the most, try deflecting it to the side, she instead drops her stance and shifts her head just enough to let your knuckles brush passed her cheek.

For a split moment, you contemplate your next move, regarding the neck of Dash's gi as a possible place to grab hold of for a throw, but are beat to it when one hand grasps the front of your gi while another shoots up to your arm.

In the next moment, Dash is twisting her body, and yours is following with the movement. Your own momentum turned against you, the much smaller girl actually manages to lift your feet from the ground and you experience a rare moment of weightlessness as you hurtle in a short arc towards the mat.

As fast, and admittedly impressive as the whole thing is, you haven't trained your entire life to be so easily overwhelmed, and thus don't let the surprise hinder your recovery. Before you even connect, you're rolling to mitigate any possible damage from the touchdown and come to stop in a crouch.

Glimpsing a blur from above, you throw your arms up in a cross block just in time to stop the ax kick from fracturing your skull. With a grunt, you stand and push up with your arms at the same time, sending the girl stumbling back. Going on the offensive, you dive forward with a jab, but she manages to regain her footing to twirl around your attack.

Following through with the motion, she drives a back fist into your side. The thick serratus muscles protects your ribs however, and you clamp down on the thin arm with a grin. "Gotcha," you say as Dash tries to pull free, unable to stop you as you grab hold of her gi and return the favor from earlier.

Sweeping her feet out from under her, you drive the small girl into the mat with a satisfying smack as the air is driven from her lungs. You hear some of her friends gasp, but their concern is unwarranted as Dash quickly recovers, wrapping her legs along the arm still pinning her so her toes are near your neck in a sloppy arm bar. Her hands fly up to wrap around the thumb and fingers still curled in her clothes, and she flexes.

Hissing, you feel the tendons in your arm strain as she bends it straight and backwards. If she had a bit more strength, she could snap your arm at the elbow this way, but as it is, you power through the pain and begin to lift the girl latched unto your limb.

"Going up," you grunt, smiling suddenly. "And going down." Her eyes widen as you swing her back towards the mat and she grunts in pain as she connects once again. You make to repeat the motion, but she's apparently had her fill as she kicks off of your ribs into a short flip. She's breathing heavily, trying to reclaim the wind knocked out her.

You let her and say, "Grappling, huh? That's new."

"Yeah," she huffs, straitening her back. "A friend taught me."

"Smart," you comment, flexing the fingers of the arm she tried overextending. "Throws are a good way of turning a larger opponent's weight against them when you can't match their raw power."

"I know," Dash responds grinning. "My friend uses it to wrestle bears."

"What? Who?"

You look over to the group of girls, expecting Applejack to take credit seeing as she has the most muscle, but instead, all of them are glancing down at the hunched Fluttershy who's tapping her pointer fingers together. "Um, I don't wrestle Harry. He's just a little... stubborn, sometimes."

You have so many questions that you struggle to even choose one before Dash interrupts. "Hey, In case you've forgotten, we're in the middle of a fight still," she calls, reentering her stance.

"Right," you agree with a shake of your head. "I'll fight Fluttershy after."

"M-me? Why!?" the shy girl yelps.

"Because if you've fought a bear and weren't mauled to death, then you've gotta be tough." you answer simply, getting ready to resume the fight. "But until then... You gonna make the first move this time, Dash, or are you expecting me to fall into another trap?"

Her expression becomes serious as she clenches a fist. Without a word, she practically flies at you, sprinting a few steps before leaping several feet into the air and directly towards your face.

You duck under the heel meant to bust your nose, intending to whip around and punish the girl's reckless offense when she lands with her back to you, but instead, as she passes over your head, her hand catches your shoulder and you feel her fingertips dig into the muscle.

You are jerked back some as Dash halts her momentum and swings her other arm to wrap around your neck. Soon after, you feel her legs lock around your waist, and she's hitching a piggy back ride while choking you out.

You hack and flex the muscles in your neck, the bulging tissue serving to keep the crook of her arm from compressing your windpipe and carotid arteries. You have no doubt your face is beet red right now and that you're only buying a few extra seconds of consciousness. You have to break free fast.

While Applejack whoops from the sideline, you try to reach up to grab hold of the girl on your back, but she wiggles and dodges away from your scrambling hands like a particularly aggravating spider monkey. You're about to move your efforts down to the legs around your middle when you suddenly have a much better idea.

Just as your vision starts to dim around the edges, you bend your knees and leap into the air. You get some surprising height considering your size and the extra weight, and you hear Dash murmur, "What?" before following it up with a swear.

She let's go as you reach the apex of your jump and practically throws herself sideways just in time to avoid being squished between your shoulder blades and the floor. Rolling to stop on her hands and knees, she practically shrieks, "What do I look like!? A mattress! You almost crushed me!"

"Nah," you respond, standing up and brushing your pants off. "You're way to bony for that. Now your friend, Pinkie Pie, she looks comfy."

Dash growls and clambers to her feet, charging with reckless abandon. You suddenly have a flashback to your last fight as she throws a flurry of punches, causing you to back peddle. They sting a fair bit more than before, but she's still making the same mistake and you see that opening once again begging to be exploited.

You move to do just that, but unlike last time, she smirks and drops fast under your fist, your knuckles leaving a wake through her rainbow hair.

"Gotcha," she says, mirroring your earlier utterance as she suddenly propels herself upwards, landing a viscous uppercut right under your chin.

Your head snaps back as you're lifted a couple inches into the air. Had she been fighting someone closer to her own weight class, she'd have rocketed them six easily, but as it is, you land heavily, stumbling backwards, but managing to stay upright.

Attempting to shake the duplicate images from your sight, you rub you chin and blink up at the four grinning faces as they slowly merge back into one.

"Hah! I can't believe that worked! Guess Twi's book wasn't all bologna, after all!"

"Of course not," Twilight crows. "Creating behavioral patterns in combat and later breaking them to throw an opponent off guard is a brilliant strategy."

"It is," you comment once you're sure your jaw isn't dislocated. "Of course, it only works once unless your opponent's a moron, or if someone blabs about it in the middle of the match."

While the glasses-wearing girl blushes sheepishly, Dash frowns.

"And as brilliant as the strategy is," you continue, slowly starting to walk towards your opponent, much to her confusion. "If you don't follow up with another attack to finish the match as quickly as possible, you're liable to give your adversary a chance to retaliate with their own strategy."

By the time Dash realizes that the fight is, in fact, still going strong, your casual stroll has brought you within arms reach of her, and in a flash, you box her ears. "Never lower your guard," you mumble, batting away the sloppily thrown punch from the thoroughly disoriented girl. "And always press an advantage."

Dash is sent careening through the air from the fireman's kick you deliver to her chest. You suppress the wince of sympathy as she hits the mat several feet away and ragdolls for several more. All of her friends scream out in shock and horror as Applejack starts calling you a low down, dirty cheater.

Pinkie and Fluttershy make to rush to their friend's aid, but are halted by Sunset Shimmer's thrown out arms and call to wait.

Slowly, shakily, Dash pushes herself up on her palms, gasping audibly. She doesn't lift her head as you walk up to her prone form, stopping a step away to look down at her. You wait a few second, wondering if the girl will jump to her feet to continue the match, before sighing.

"I think that's enough for today," you begin, holding out a hand, waiting for her to take it. "You've improved a lot, though, it was a goo- Eh?"

The hand that you had thought was reaching for yours detours to grasp loosely at your knee. "Never..." wheezes Dash, slowly lifting her head to reveal a smirk. "Drop... your guard."

Her fingers dig dip into the back of your knee while her free hand flies to the ankle of your other leg and squeezes against the Achilles tendon there. Already your balance was failing, so it took little effort from the winded girl to send you falling backwards with a hard tug. You hit the mat with an oomph, and then Dash is diving at you.

Even caught off guard, you still react fast enough to plant a foot in her gut and flip her over you. She hits the mat, but rolls with it, eyes flashing up just in time to see that you followed through with the kick to transition into a handspring. She barely dodges out of the way of the stomp that would have driven her shoulder down into the mat, and replies with a spin kick from her semi-crouched position.

Kneeling on one knee as you are after your attack, you're low enough for the kick to fly right at your face, but to your surprise, it takes nothing more than a raised forearm to stop it entirely, the kick lacking less power than even her punches from earlier.

With a shove, she stumbles backwards, losing her footing after only a few steps to fall on her backside. Assault seemingly finished for the moment, you watch your opponent warily nonetheless. She remains right where she is, however, hand clutching her heaving chest as her pale, sweat-covered face screws up in pain.

You feel concern bubbling up as you call out, "Dash, you alright?"

"I'm-" she tries, stopping to cough harshly. "I'm f-fine. Just need... a minute."

the monumental effort it took to speak just that is clear in her voice, and your expression hardens. "No, this fight was over fifty seconds ago. You're hurt, Dash."

Sunset doesn't try to stop her again when Fluttershy runs to her oldest friend's side, immediately dropping to her knees and bombarding the rainbow-haired girl with questions.

"I said I'm fine," rasps Dash, weakly trying to push her normally meek friend away.

The pinkette isn't having it however as her soft features become stern. Before any more protests can be heard, Fluttershy grabs hold of Dash's gi and yanks it open.

You turn away at the first peek of the black sports bra, and hear Fluttershy gasp. "Dash! This looks horrible! You shouldn't be fighting like this!"

"It's only a bruise. No big deal."

"No big-? It's covering half your chest and already looks so dark! Your ribs could be broken!"

"Nah, it's a cracked sternum at worst. I took a soccer cleat to the chest once from some Crystal Prep bitch before. Felt like this."

"Dash!"

"Okay, I've heard enough," you say over their bickering. "This fight is definitely over. You need to go to the hospital, or at least wrap your chest."

The first would be preferable in case you had accidentally caused damage beyond just to her sternum, such as to the pericardium. You mentally chastise yourself for using too much strength again, still unused to fighting someone so small after all this time. Before Dash, you'd only ever fought other guys, and they were never as frailly built as the short athlete.

"But it's okay, really!" Dash argues, yanking the front of her gi closed and standing clumsily. "I was able to finish that soccer game no prob. I even won! I can fight through this!"

"There's no point," you assert, and if you'd have been looking, you'd have seen the girl flinch. "You'd only be risking more injuries if we kept going."

Fluttershy tries to usher her friend away for treatment, but Dash shakes her off and glares at your back, fists clenched at her sides.

"That's it, huh? That's what you really think of me, isn't it?" she whispers harshly.

"What?" you begin, but she plows on.

"You think I'm a weakling; not worth your time."

You turn to face her. "I don't know what you're talking about, Dash. I never said that."

She growls and steps forward until your toe to toe and she's glaring up at you. "You don't have to. If you didn't think I'm weak, you'd listen to me when I say I can still fight."

"We're not gonna keep going because you're hurt and need treatment."

"Bullshit! That's just an excuse! What? Like you've never fought through an injury before? Never pushed yourself that little bit further even when everyone says you've gone far enough?" she accuses, jabbing a finger into your broad chest. "I know you have, Anon."

You raise a brow, starting to feel agitated. Who does this girl think she is, talking like she knows everything about you? Right or not, she's nothing more than a sparing partner. You've only shared a few blows and some banter with her, not your life story.

"And how do you know that? Maybe I'm not a self-destructive idiot like you," you sneer. "You psychic?"

"I know," she snaps back. "Because you're just like me, and that's what I do."

You bark a quick laugh. "That so? Huh, didn't realize I was a hundred-twenty pound girl with a gay pride flag for hair."

"You know what I mean, asshole!" she shouts, reaching up to grab the collar of your gi.

You grab hold of her wrist, prepared to grind the bones together if she goes for another cheap shot, but she yanks you down with surprising strength so you're staring into her fiery magenta eyes.

They're practically glowing with anger and passion, and the mean comments you were ready to spit die on your lips.

Her voice lowers as she goes on, "You know. Whenever we fight, we learn more about each other. You know who I am, how I am, and I know who you are..."

"... That's not true," you say, voice equally low as you pull her loosened grip from your gi and her eyes go wide. "If you really knew me, then you wouldn't say I think you're weak."

"W-what?" she stutters.

"You aren't weak, Rainbow Dash. You're the strongest girl I've ever met." You curl her fingers into a fist and squeeze it. "One thing you might be right about is me knowing you though. Guess I've just been sort of ignoring it, but... Dash, that stuff, about you being a weakling and not worth my time... have you been thinking that about yourself?"

She yanks her hand free as if burned, face red. "No! Of course not! I know I'm strong! I don't need some boy to tell me!"

You smirk at the poor attempt at false anger, and hold your hands up in surrender. "Sorry, guess I was just being a sappy idiot. I mean, come on, of course you're strong, every one knows that."

"Yeah, I'm not the school's star athlete for nothing," she agrees with a sniff, crossing her arms.

"And you're determined too. That's an inner strength I don't see often."

"Um, exactly..."

"Like how no matter how many times I knock you down or beat you, you always come back for another fight, and you're always better than the last time."

She blinks in surprise. "I am?"

"Mhmm," you confirm. "In just three months you've gone from being easy to take down to a real challenge. Shit, with how much you've been improving, I wouldn't be surprised if you actually won one of these spars soon." You pause and make a show of thinking the statement over, then add, "Well, maybe in a thousand years, but that's still impressive. It should have taken ten thousand, after all."

"Yeah right! I'll have you beat by next week!" she shouts, before grabbing hold of her chest and devolving into a coughing fit.

Your expression sobers. "Not if you don't get that checked out, you won't. Seriously, how am I going to get a good fight out of you if you don't start taking care of yourself, Dash. I can't fight a corpse."

The coughing dies, and she looks up at you with one eye squeezed shut and a frown. "You're still on that, ha?"

"Yes, I'm still on that," you answer glibly.

"Would you want to give up if you were in my position?"

You lips thin for a moment before you sigh. "Okay, yeah, you were maybe right before about how I sometimes push myself too hard and through injuries, but that doesn't change the fact that you're the one hurt now and I'm not and I'm asking you to get it treated. Do as I say, not as I do, and all that crap."

"Hypocrite," she snaps.

"Stubborn," you retort.

"Takes one to know one," she fires back, smiling again.

You bring your hands up in a shrug. "I'm not denying it."

The two of you stand their, silent, until finally you, smile and laugh. She joins in soon after, though it only lasts a few seconds before she starts coughing.

Falling on her rump, she leans back on a palm and drapes her other arm over a bent knee. "Fine, you win. Fight's over, I need to take care of my busted up rib cage," she concedes with a sigh.

Your laughter dies and your smile becomes understanding. "Good," you say, walking over to her to offer a hand once again. "Now I don't need to knock you out to get you treated."

"You know, for wanting me to call it quits, you sure are trying hard to get me to punch you in that smug mouth of yours," she comments dryly, looking at your hand. "Hey, Anon... can I ask you something?"

"I can't stop you," you answer waiting for her to take your hand. "Go ahead."

She reaches up and wraps her fingers around yours. "Will you go to the movies with me," She asks, looking up at you with a forcibly blank expression.

Her eyes, however, shimmer with trepidation as she waits for an answer, and you realize she's still sitting down, her hand in yours.

"Like, on a date?" you find yourself asking.

"Yes."

You think back on all your interactions with the girl as you try to work out an answer. You think of her spunk and skill. You think about how she's the only person you've met who you can be yourself around, and share your passion with without judgement or being laughed off.

You reflect on all of this, and decide, "Sure, why not? Could be fun doing something besides beating the snot out of each other."

"Really?" she breathes, eyes wide.

"Yeah," you confirm. "I'll go to the movies with you, but you're buying your own popcorn if you want any. I'm not sharing mine."

Then, there's a loud pop as confetti rains down on you both. "Whoop! Mission Get Dash Her Man accomplished!" Pinkie cheers fishing more party poppers from her hair to celebrate with.

Dash's friends, who had been watching with baited breath for the last five minutes, run up and start congratulating her.

"Well, I'll be. Ya did it, Dash. Ah don't know how, but ya did it. Ya tussled with a fella and got a date out of it."

"I know, right? This entire thing has been nonsensical, but the proof is right here. Perhaps it was her proving her strength in combat. Even if she didn't win, Anon knows she can defend his honor with force if need be now."

"You know, I actually remembering reading about an old pegasus mating ritual kind of like that back in Equestria. Maybe it's something similar?"

"Really? Nature is so fascinating."

"Oh, come now girls, we all know what the true key to Dash's success was; my stunning outfit! You looked simply amazing in it, darling!"

"Wait, what was that bit about a mission?" you ask, only to be ignored by the excited girls.

"I- thanks, girls, for all your help," Dash says through a bright smile as they all begin to hug. "You're all awesome."

You watch the display of affection uncomfortably, then confused as the group begins to glow. "What in the-? Shit!" You bring a hand up to shield your eyes as the light converges on Rainbow Dash and becomes blinding for a spit second. She stumbles back, looking herself over before patting her chest and grinning.

"Hah! All healed! I'm gonna start taking you girls to all my games. No more sprained ankles getting me benched."

"Only if we figure out how to get it to work beyond huggy-friendship moments," Sunset comments, rubbing at her eyes as she had been at the epicenter of the light. "And sunglasses."

"Okay, enough ignoring the confused guy," you say, holding back a shout. "Anyone want to explain what just happened?"

"That was just our magic healing friendship powers, silly," Pinkie explains like it's an everyday occurrence for humans to radiate light without having lived in a nuclear reactor for a decade first. "It's, like, the least weird magic stuff we can do."

"Like what?" you find yourself asking, skeptical of the whole situation and your own sanity at the moment.

Pinkie points sideways at Dash. "She can fly super fast and leaves rainbows behind her when she does. I mean, that's not how rainbows work, so I'd say that's pretty weird."

You look at Dash. "You can fly?"

She shrugs. "I mean, yeah, I am awesome, after all, but we can all do magic stuff. What? you didn't know?"

"No," you blurt out, before taking a deep breath. "Okay, I heard the rumors, but come on, magical girls? That's some anime stuff right there."

"Well, we don't exactly flaunt it," Sunset says.

"But we don't exactly try to keep it under wraps, either," adds Twilight, getting sighs from all of her friends.

"Twilight, how many times must we tell you? No shadowy organizations are coming to spirit us away to some underground facility to perform heinous experiments on us."

"You can't possibly know that," Twilight counters, jabbing a finger at the other purple-haired girl. "While I'll give you that it's odd it hasn't happened yet, it still could. Maybe they're just biding their time, trying to determine if we're a threat or still working on an infallible way to contain us."

"Gosh darn it, Twi, who's they?!"

"That's the most terrifying part! We don't know!"

"Okay, okay, enough, just..." You take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of your nose. "Quiet. I don't care right now. My neck is starting to hurt from that uppercut, and I have a date apparently. Magic talk can wait until after I sleep for nine hours and down a couple of pain pills." Dropping the hand from your face with a huff, you look at Rainbow. "What's the plan for that, anyway? Tomorrow night? Next week?"

"Oh, uh, I was thinking next week so we could see the new Revengers movie. That sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Hopefully my neck won't be hurting by then. It'll be a pain having to crane it back to see the screen."

"Eh, we'll just take a backseat if it still hurts."

"And barely be able to see the action? I'd rather suffer the neck strain, thank you."

The two of you smirk at each other, but the moment is ruined by Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity awing.

"You two are just so cute together," Rarity comments, getting Rainbow to groan.

"please don't," she moans. "Listen, I'm gonna hit the showers real quick and change, and then we can all get out of here before you girls embarrass me anymore."

"As much as I'd like to see you all embarrass her more, Dash is right. I want to wash this sweat off and lie down," you agree, ignoring the weak glare Dash sends up at you.

"That's fair," Sunset says, giving a sly, lopsided smile. "Besides, we'll be able to embarrass her way more after your date. We'll have ammunition then."

You want an uppercut like Anon got?" Rainbow threatens. "Keep it up and we'll see just how high I can send you flying, Sunny." With that said, she storms off and you chuckle, shaking your head as you watch her go.

"Just what have I gotten myself into with her," you mumble, turning to her friends to give a little wave. "Well anyway, that shower is calling my name. See you girls in a bit."

As you walk away, you can't help but look back on the last few months and the utter oddity that your life has become. Then you freeze in your tracks. "Holy shit! Caramel is gay for me!" you blurt out as the realization hits you like a ninja freight train.

Everyone stares, red faces all around as Twilight whispers "That's hot," and Fluttershy nods meekly in agreement, a trail of blood leaking from her nose.

Your life is really, really weird, you decide.