Loving The Dark Side

Shining Armor ducked, narrowly avoiding having his neck chopped off. Well, the blade had been magically imbued to prevent its edge from actually tearing away flesh, so the worse it could do was a bruise. But by the way Luna was swinging it, that would have been one pretty nasty bruise. Worse yet, breaking his neck, but at the moment Shining was just trying to remain optimistic.

“I see the legends of your skill with the sword are true, Princess,” Shining said, backing up a few feet from Luna’s reach. The circle they were in was the typical fighting grounds for one-on-one combat in the guard training facility indoors. After the incident a few weeks ago, Shining was glad he had air conditioning as a comfort. Luna’s vigor, however, offered no reprieve.

“Legends? Is that a fact?” Luna laughed. “I must shy away from them, ‘lest I grow a large head.” She feinted her strike, first appearing to come high, then whipping her broadsword to the side, aiming for Shining’s torso.

This time Shining could actually feel the blade pass by his chest with only centimeters to spare before he could step back out of the way. He had already learned his lesson once already with moving quick when fighting with Luna. His bruises were still sore.

“Well, I believe those legends are on point. In fact, they weren’t legendary enough,” Shining said. “You’re the most gifted swordswoman I’ve ever met. In battle I wouldn’t stand a chance. Well, without a considerable amount of planning and luck that is.” Shining shrugged. “Mostly luck.”

“The years have taught me one thing. The harder one works, the luckier one gets.” She watched him with an uncanny stare, waiting for him to take a swing.

Shining smirked, toying with Luna’s glare. He hopped from one foot to the other, keeping on his toes like a jackrabbit about to sprint. All the while, his eyes were focused on his opponent. And her considerably tight purple jumpsuit she had decided to wear. During their first meeting Shining hadn’t noticed it due to dread, but Luna was quite the looker. Especially with attire that… pronounced her more feminine features.

It was then, of course, that Shining got the handle of Luna’s sword unexpectedly in his gut. Again.

“Celestia be damned… fuck, why there again?” Shining asked, already on his knees and sucking in breath.

“Cease thine language, child,” Luna remarked, circling him like a shark spotting prey. “And if thou would stop dancing like a buffoon, thine torso would be far less sore.”

“It’s not dancing, it’s called a fighting stance!” Shining swallowed some spit and got back to his feet, albeit with much less vigor than before. He would have appreciated some armor at that moment, but unfortunately for him, Luna insisted on training with minimal protection other than their own strength and weapon. Or whatever that shit meant. All Shining knew was that his stomach was hurting up a storm and Luna didn’t even seem fazed.

Taking a swing at Luna’s head, Shining asked, “Hey, how are you able to… y’know? Do all of this without even breaking a sweat?”

Luna leaned back, letting the strike pass by overhead. “Hard work,” she stated, the near hit hardly phasing her. “Do you know much of how Celestia and I are? As beings?”

“Well, there’s the entire immortal thing, but that’s as far as I know.” Shining silently cursed when a swipe from Luna nearly careened into his side.

“Many assume we’re simply gifted abilities,” she casually said, twisting to the side to narrowly avoid a vertical slash. Snapping her foot forward, she kicked Shining’s wrist, then swung her own blade in one fluid motion. “That’s not true. Rather, we simply have the ability to arise beyond the normal man. It’s hard work, not genius that brought me here.”

Shining could only block her strike from reaching his chest with his forearm. In hindsight, the chest-strike probably would have been less painful. And then she hit him in the chest anyway. Thumping a fist against his bruised upper torso, Shining nodded and spit profusely on the floor. “O-o-okay, so h-hard work, got i-i-it.” Shining gritted his teeth, only now realizing he was using his bruised arm to beat against his even more bruised chest. “Aww damnit!”

“Do you require respite?” she asked. “We can wait for a moment.”

“No, no, I’m fine, like I said, just dandy. I can hold my up no problem. Never surrender, am I right?” Shining rolled his shoulders and breathed in and out deeply. Then, he took his stance, sword splayed out, legs supportive and strong, and his footing as impeccable as ever. “Come at me with everything you got. Time to show you what modern battle tactics are all about!”

“Only the foolish never surrender. Have thou forgotten all thine history books? ‘Tis foolish to press on when defeat is inevitable.” To illustrate the point, she moved her blade behind her back, standing at the ready with her bare hand.

“Well, here’s a lil something this century I’ve learned for certain. Defeat is never inevitable. Even when the chips are on the table, the cards are stacked against you and the fate is just not in your hands, you never give up. You just keep on going one step further until the toughest bastard wins.” Shining smirked, winking slyly. “And if you think only the foolish never surrender, then you just met the biggest fool on this side of the world.”

“Then come!” Luna barked. “Let me show you what happens to the foolish.”

Then, with a flourish not becoming of a typical swordsman, Shining charged at Luna. And he really did so, not just in the sense to give more power to his swing, but to also… well, tackle her. Before Luna even realized what was happening, Shining had already pounced her like a jaguar with its prey, rolling with her on the floor right out of the fighting arena. The two continued to tousle and roll about, neither gaining enough leg room or power to gain dominance over the other.

Eventually, Shining pinned Luna down to the floor with his sword pressed sharply against her neck, though without much in terms of pressure applied to it. Breathing in and out heavily, Shining chuckled. “Aha! The foolish win once again! All is right in the world, for the fools are the winners, just like it’s supposed to be! Ahahahahaha!”

“After how many losses?” Luna questioned. “Still, thine efforts are noted. Excellent performance.” She actually smiled up at him. “Fool-Knight.”

“Fool-Knight? That’s a first. You always give such cheery nicknames to your guards?”

“I recall one or two when I was but a child. They were few and far between, however. Consider thineself blessed, Ser Shining.”

Shining smirked, then looked down at the interesting position Luna and himself were in. His knees were straddling her sides, the cleavage from her shirt extremely noticeable from his position, and that wasn’t even adding to the fact how close their faces were. Picking himself up and throwing his sword to the side, Shining offered a hand to Luna to get up while using his other to hide the reddening of his cheeks. “Uh, right, a blessing. I thank you heartily, Princess, for such an honor.”

“Thine face is flushed,” Luna remarked, taking his hand and rising. “I warned ye about overzealousness, did I not? I can only hope it doesn’t set into fever. I’d feel, admittidly, terrible for causing thee to subcumb to sickness.”

“Ah, it’s no big deal, really. I just push myself too hard sometimes.” Shining shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Always an overachiever, I guess.”

Luna shook her head. “Fool-Knight. Learn caution, before it is thine undoing. A ship with no guidance and restraint will be scuttled by waters, no matter how strong the bulwark.”

Shining pursed his lips, then nodded, stretching out his back and sighing in relief at the satisfying cracks. “I suppose you’re right. I suppose I just shoot for the stars and sometimes end up faceplanting on the moon. Repeatedly.”

“Attempting to reach the stars akin to the fable Icarus?” Luna chuckled at her own joke. “Ye, I will at least respect thine tenacity to an extent, Shining.”

With another grunt and pop of his neck, Shining gritted his teeth and set to work rolling his shoulders one last to time work out any extra kinks. “So, what about you? You have any aspirations or goals you wanna reach for? At least on your end you don’t really have to worry about faceplanting the moon, huh?”

“I want to protect this land, Shining. ‘Tis no loftier goal for me. The very heavens will shake at my convictions,” she said, clenching a fist tightly at her side.

“Wow, looks like we’re in the same field then. Hope you don’t take my job,” Shining said with a chuckle, already gulping down a cold bottle of water while wiping his sweat off with a towel. “At the rate you’re going with your skills and ingenuity, you could make Captain in a month.”

“A month? That long, Fool-knight?” Luna smirked. “I believe thou underestimate me.”

“Fine, two weeks, tops.” Shining winked. “Gotta give me some credit here. Four years guard school and even more piled on top of that standing on both my feet in front of a door. Dedication like that is what the guard force is all about.”

“Dedication. That is important, I’ll concede that point to thee, Shining.” She cracked her knuckles, looking him over. “Now, hath thou taken enough of a respite from battle for another encounter?”

Shining rubbed his shoulder and groaned. “Man, your highness, you’re killing me here. Health insurance for the guards doesn’t cover getting your butt kicked by a goddess every other day.” His frowned changed to a sly grin when Shining’s eyes drifted towards the boxing arena. “Although I think I can one-up you this once. Care for a game of fisticuffs?”

“Marquess of Queensberry rules?” she questioned.

“Doesn’t Queensberry involve fighting until your opponent falls unconscious due to head injury or blood loss?”

“A simple knock to the ground and a counting of ten, Shining. We don’t have to turn this into a bloodsport. If thou gives up, at least.”

Shining’s stomach started to sink, but he kept up his winning grin the best he could, though Luna’s unnerving eyes most likely saw right through it. “A knock, eh? Well, glad you know it, because when I’m done with you you’re gonna be—uh… knocking.” Shining turned away and approached the boxing ring, cursing under his breath at his choice of words. Again. In front of a princess. Again!

Once near the arena he grabbed onto the ropes and hoisted himself over. Jumping on the toes of his feet around the ring a few times, he called over to Luna on the grounded, “Princess Luna, do you want to go with gloves or free-hand?”

“I was accustomed to free-hand in my sparring days. Bare-knuckle sparring, and gouging matches during the harder days of Equestria. Though Celestia never approved of the latter.”

“I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t approve of that now. But hey, she doesn’t have to know.” Shining stripped off his tank-top and threw it outside the ring, now only wearing his shorts. Nodding to Luna, he said, “I’m your guard, which means I only answer to you. Whatever you want I’ll go with it.”

“Although I have the magical prowess to restore thine injuries unless they ended up grievous, we shan’t attempt bloodsport. Rather, a simple count of three while prone, or until a yielding by submission. Is that agreeable?” Luna took a step back, then sprinted forward, leaping high and clearing the ropes from the ground in one jump. She landed in the ring and observed the shirtless man. “I am unaccustomed to thine unarmed training within the guard. Shall I disrobe in similar? Is that the norm for this situation now?”

“Um… well, not particularly. The guys usually go shirtless, the gals have on a sports bra or something to wear. You’re the princess, so whatever clothing you prefer is fine by me.”

“I care not for titles in such engagements. Consider it an order; thou shan’t treat me as a princess in a situation such as this. Do I make mineself clear, Ser Shining?” Luna said calmly, though her voice held a small hint of irritation. She reached to her belt and undid it, then disrobed from her long jerkin, exposing her full breasts and a simple cotton bra to the air. After doing such, she rolled up her pants to her knees to mimic Shining’s shorts, and kicked off her shoes. Free from her longer shirt, she redid her belt and glared at him. Looking him over, she gave a triumphant smirk. “Now I do indeed look the part of a soldier amid training, do I not? No titles between us; a simple brother and sister among the path of the warrior.”

Shining’s neck threatened to break once Luna had removed her jerkin, but he was competent enough to not focus on it. Instead, he stared at Luna’s face, where her steely gaze chilled his spine to the core. Yet there was still a bit of excitement to it, a liveliness he hadn’t seen before. Plus, her smile actually reached her eyes, which was certainly saying something.

“Okay, shield-maiden, when you wanna throw down?” Shining raised his hands in the customary fisticuffs stance, his knuckles turning white as he bounced on his feet. “Just give me the word!”

Luna shifted her stance, holding the back of her knuckles out towards him and turning sideways, exposing as little of her body as possible. “You’re already wasting energy by moving as such, Fool-Knight. Come!” she barked.

And with that, Shining did as he was commanded. Luckily for him, he had the reach advantage over Luna. From his perspective, all he had to do was keep her on the ropes without giving her a chance to get in close. Simple.

Only it became much less simple when she not only avoided his first punch, but countered with a stab to his ribs. He didn’t even spot the strike it was so quick. Lightning had nothing on Luna.

“Holy—damn damn damn—holy crap, you’re quick!” Shining said, resisting the urge to rub his side. He started to back away, holding his defenses up with both his fists raised protectively. “How’d you manage to be so fast?”

“Training,” Luna stated, taking a slow, deliberate step towards him, still holding her defensive posture. “For centuries, I’ve done every combat trial I could find a teacher for. Daggers, swords, archery, unarmed. Everything I could find. When one teacher’s life faded, I’d find another man in his prime for tutelage.” She stared at him as if he were an insect to be crushed underfoot, rather than a sparring partner. “Celestia refused to let me join her among the court, therefor, I learned a different way to help our flock.” She ducked and took a step forward, feinting a jab at his stomach and instead delivering a haymaker to his shoulder with her off hand, dashing back a step and returning to her defensive posture once more. “My left fist holds the conviction of the lands, my right carries the conviction of the people. There is no greater force within a crisis.”

“Then you’re gonna get a rude awakening from ol’ Righty and Lefty of mine!” Shining said, preparing his dukes. He unleashed upon her a barrage of jabs and strikes, his shoulder burning and his ribs bruised, but nonetheless he continued the assault.

And she blocked them. Each and every one. And not only that but it was practically like hitting a cement block with every deflected hit. Shining could only keep it up for ten seconds before he had to back off and whimper under his breath from his bruised knuckles.

“Aw damn… you weren’t kidding about the lands and the people talk. It felt like my fists took a wallop from both of them.”

“There’s a reason I commanded the troops before my exile. It had nothing to do with title, and everything to do with ability. Remember that, Shining.” Luna relaxed her stance a bit. “Thine family is fairly well-to-do, is it not?”

“Well, both my parents are scholars for her royal majesty, and my sister is the personal student to your sister, so yeah, we’re a bit on the higher end of life.” Shining actually managed to avoid a strike from Luna, the first time actually, and he couldn’t help but grin. “Though that didn’t help for me and the guards. In the force you start at the bottom and go to the top, regardless of place in life.”

His grin was short lived as she delivered a second strike to his cheek. She gave intentionally slower blows to his upper body: hooks, jabs, crosses, letting him dodge as she spoke. “That was going to be my point, Ser Shining. Celestia cares not for title, nor money. So a promotion breathed out from her lips should speak volumes of thine character.” Her smile flickered to life, a thin thing, but genuine, before she moved quicker, striking to his stomach with a clenched fist. “Hold that knowledge against thine breast, if thou remember only one thing I say to thee.”

Shining breathed in air like a fish out of water, clenching his sore stomach closely. “I think—argh—my breast collapsed around two minutes ago… damnit.”

Luna paused. Her thin smile spread out, forming a toothy grin and she threw her head back, all but cackling at his pain and words. “Verily,” she said, her laughs fading into weak huffs of air. “If the guard loses its luster, mayhaps thou should become my jester, Fool-knight.” She stared at him, still smiling. “Shall I chant a healing hymn to thee, or hath thou finished being a…” Narrowing her brow, she finally nodded as words came to her. “Queen of the Dramas?”

Shining lowered his head, chuckling under his breath. “Heh, y’know, if this princess thing isn’t up to your liking, you could definitely make it big in the comedian department.” Shining stood back up straight, arms at his side, completely open for a strike. “Actually, I got a good laugh for you. Wanna see the new form of combat they’re teaching the guards since your days?”

Luna snorted, but nodded, her eyes wide and attentive. “I hope it’s at least modestly viable. I have doubts Celestia would allow me a hand at the recruits again if I deem their training subpar.” Her good mood flickered away for a brief, almost unnoticeable moment, before she shook her head, banishing her thoughts away. “Show me, Shining.”

“Basically, it’s all about rhythm, movement, and standing on the edge of your toes.” Shining hopped from one foot to the other, taking practice jabs at the air. “Gotta be quick, gotta be fast, gotta make every hit like you mean it. Most of all, you have to keep your opponent in an unexpected position where they won’t know when the next blow is coming from. Following me so far, Princess?”

“So a style akin to capoeira, if I am to understand? Or more rigid, similar to muay thai’s structure?” Luna questioned, encouraging him to speak. She leaned forward, struck by inspiration. “Or, mayhaps, I read of a Jeet Kune Do. A hybridization of other styles. That seems to fit the more modern approach of combat, a focus on what works and a discarding of weaknesses.” Chuckling, she struck a fist into the palm of her hand. “Regardless, I’d ask of a showcase, Shining. ‘Twould allow me to dismantle it, one posture, one stance, one strike at a time.”

“Actually, it’s called kickboxing. It mostly involves hitting your opponent in the side of the head. Like so.”

Before Luna could react, even with her lightning speed, Shining’s foot smacked dead-center with her temple.

Unsurprising, both combatants cried out in pain, although Shining managed to stay up on his feet, albeit with some of his toes broken.

“Awwwww, come on!”