Thunderspite

Thunderspite’s injuries were not serious enough to keep him from his work on the farm for more than a day. Two days later he resumed his work in the orchard, but only after repeatedly assuring Applejack that he was fit for duty, and promising her that he would take it easy and return to the house immediately if he felt he would strain himself.

The same afternoon, Rainbow Dash found Thunderspite working in the west field.

"Thunderspite!" she called, coming in low and landing between rows of trees.

Thunderspite turned to face her, wiping sweat from his brow. "Hello, Rainbow Dash."

"I heard about what happened the other day!" said Rainbow Dash, her excitement plain to see. "That was totally awesome!"

“That... was no big deal,” said Thunderspite, delivering a kick to a nearby tree.

“That’s not the way I hear it! I hear you took out a dozen timberwolves, all by yourself! You were all like pow pow! And they were all like yipe yipe yipe!”

Thunderspite was doing his best to ignore her and get back to his apple bucking, but Rainbow Dash stayed alongside him. “I know combat training when I see it, and you, sir,” she said, pointing a hoof accusingly. “Have had combat training. You were in the Royal Guard, weren’t you?”

Thunderspite kicked another tree and sighed. “Yes, Rainbow Dash. I used to be in the Royal Guard.”

“I knew it!” Rainbow Dash pumped her hooves and did a quick backflip in the air. “Can you teach me to fight like that? Please please please?”

“I don’t have time Rainbow Dash. I’m working for the Apple family.”

“We could train in the evenings! After you get done for the day. And I’ve already talked to Applejack, she says it’s okay!”

“No.”

“Oh Pleeeeeeease?!” Rainbow Dash dove, and grabbed one of Thunderspite’s hooves. Her eyes were as big as dinner plates. “What if the Timberwolves attack again, and you’re not around next time? How will I protect my friends?”

Thunderspite softened at this, then took a long moment to consider. “Show me what you can do.”

“With pleasure!” And with that, Rainbow Dash shot into the sky. After gaining some altitude, she initiated a series of aerobatic maneuvers, rolling and looping through the skies, and slaloming around some nearby clouds. She capped off the performance with a sonic rainboom, then swooped down low through the trees again, skidding to a stop just in front of Thunderspite, looking very pleased with herself.

“Not bad,” said Thunderspite, with a slow nod. He thought for another long moment. “You’ll have to find the equipment from somewhere. We’ll need swords, and helmets. And armor, if you can manage it.”

Rainbow Dash jumped from the ground and rendered a sloppy salute. “No problem, sir!”

“We’ll train in the evenings. We’ll begin as soon as you find the equipment.”

“Sir, Yes sir!”

“And Rainbow Dash... ” He looked her square in the eye. “You must do exactly as I say, no matter how strange it seems at the time. If you don’t, the deal’s off. Understand?”

“Sir, yes sir!” She saluted again.

Thunderspite winced a bit. “One last rule. No more calling me ‘sir,’ got it?”

Rainbow Dash’s spirit fell a bit. “Okay.”

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do.”

“Okay!” With that, Rainbow Dash shot into the sky and headed into town. She called over her shoulder, “Thanks, Thunderspite! I won’t let you down!”

* * *

Rainbow Dash put in an order with the town blacksmith that very afternoon, and two days later, the blacksmith delivered. She returned to Sweet Apple Acres with a bag full of gear, so heavy she could hardly fly.

She found Thunderspite just as he was unloading his last cartful of apples. She landed in front of him and dropped the bag with a groan, spilling its contents on the ground before him. “I got everything you asked for, Thunderspite. Even the armor.”

Thunderspite walked over, examining the bag’s contents. There were two swords, the same style used by the Royal guard, one slightly longer than the other. The helmets were simple affairs, lacking the colored crests of those worn by the Guard, but they would serve their purpose. The armor was also simple, lacking all adornments and rank insignias, but was the correct type for pegasi, being thinner and lighter weight than that worn by unicorns and earth ponies.

Thunderspite examined each item, making special note of the swords’ weight, balance, and sharpness. “These will do,” He said at last. “Are you ready to begin?”

“Mister, I was born ready!”

“Grab your sword and follow me,” said Thunderspite, picking up the longer sword for himself. He then turned and started walking towards the south field.

“Oh man oh man, this is going to be so awesome!” said Rainbow Dash excitedly, flying around some distance behind him and miming a few swings with her sword. “So what’s first? Sword fighting? Power-flying? Power-flying with swords?” She tried to swing her sword whilst hovering, but instead ended up spinning around and crashing into a tree.

“Not yet,” said Thunderspite patiently. He led them to a seemingly random spot in the center of the orchard, atop a hill. Then he sat, his back to an apple tree, and then pointed to a tree across from him. “Have a seat.”

Rainbow Dash did as she was told, though she was somewhat confused. She watched as Thunderspite searched the ground nearby, until he found a stone. He tossed it over to her, then found one for himself. “First, we have to sharpen our swords,” he said.

“Oh,” said Rainbow Dash. “Okay. Will it take long?”

Thunderspite thought for a moment. “Probably.”

Rainbow Dash groaned, but took the stone in her hoof.

“Take the stone, and run it along the cutting edge, like so.” He demonstrated, his sword ringing out with a loud shinnnng as he did so. “Hold the stone at a shallow angle to the blade, about like this.” He showed her.

Rainbow Dash mimicked the motion herself. “Not so much force,” Thunderspite corrected. “And a little slower. That’s better,” he said, as she made the motion again. He made a few more pointers as she drew the stone along a few more times, then turned to his own sword. It didn’t take long before Rainbow Dash was bored.

“These swords are brand-new, by the way. The blacksmith said they were sharp already. Exactly how long is this going to take?”

“Hard to say,” said Thunderspite thoughtfully, running his stone along his sword again.

Rainbow Dash groaned, but did get back to her sword-sharpening, muttering to herself all the while.

They sharpened their swords all that afternoon and into the evening. When the sun was touching the horizon, Thunderspite finally stood and said that was enough for today. Rainbow Dash was excited to be dismissed. “Yes! And tomorrow, can we start combat training?”

“Maybe,” said Thunderspite.

The next day, Thunderspite helped Applejack with the farm in the morning, while Rainbow Dash tended to her regular cloud-bursting duties. They were both done by mid-afternoon, and Rainbow Dash came again to Sweet Apple Acres to find Thunderspite. As before, Thunderspite led them to a secluded spot in the orchard, tossed her a stone, and instructed her to sharpen her sword.

“Aww, man!” Rainbow Dash was exasperated. “Look Thunderspite, I asked you to train me because I thought you could teach me some awesome combat moves. But all we’ve done so far is sharpen these stupid swords!”

“A soldier has to take care of her gear, Rainbow Dash. But if you don’t want to train with me, you don’t have to.”

“No, I do want to train with you, it’s just... grrrr.” Rainbow Dash growled, then sank to the ground against a tree, and began to sharpen her sword.

They sharpened their swords for the rest of that day as well, with Rainbow Dash complaining nearly the entire time. The third day was largely the same, but by then Rainbow Dash mostly kept her grumbling to herself. The fourth day, the complaining was a barely audible mutter. The fifth day, she didn't complain at all.

It was still early afternoon on the sixth day, and Rainbow Dash seemed entirely focused on her work. Shiiing. Shiiing. She was really quite an expert in sword-sharpening by now, and her movements were smooth and even. Shiiing. Shiiing. After some time had passed, she became aware that Thunderspite had stopped sharpening his own sword, and was staring at her.

“What?” she asked. She realized as she said it that she had lost track of time. How long had he been staring at her like that? A few minutes? An hour?

Thunderspite stood, surprising Rainbow Dash. “You’re ready. Come on.” And with that, he began walking back towards the road. Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise, then grabbed her sword, stood, and followed him. She was excited to see what Thunderspite had in store for her, but strangely enough, a part of her also wanted to sit again with her back against the tree and sharpen her sword.

* * *

Thunderspite led Rainbow Dash to a clearing in the orchard, and there instructed her to don her armor and helmet.

“What’s the point of learning to fight on the ground?” asked Rainbow Dash. “A pegasus with my speed belongs in the air.” She made a quick swoop across the clearing.

“That is where you’ll be most useful, yes,” Thunderspite said. “But you need to learn to fight on the ground, too. You may be injured, or you may be otherwise forced to land. Or you may be fighting someplace where flying isn’t possible. You have to be able to fight everywhere.” With that, Thunderspite drew his sword and assumed a fighting stance. “Now watch carefully. This stance is called the ox.” Thunderspite stood on his hind legs, holding his sword at head level with his two front hooves, the tip pointing forwards. “This one is called the plow.” Without moving his hind hooves, he brought the sword downward by his flank, the tip pointing upwards at an angle. “This one is the griffon” This time he lifted the sword up by his shoulder, with the tip pointed back behind him. “This last one is called the snake.” Now the sword was back down by his flank, with the tip pointed back behind him, trailing behind him and nearly touching the ground. “Now you try.”

Rainbow Dash did as she was told, and carefully mimicked his motions. She paid careful attention as Thunderspite showed her how to jab and slice and swing, and then how to parry and riposte and dodge and block. They stood facing each other for some hours, with Rainbow Dash mirroring Thunderspite’s motions and accepting his corrections.

“Good,” said Thunderspite. “Now, we spar. Stand ready.” Rainbow Dash assumed the "ox" stance he had shown her. “Begin. Attack me however you like.”

They sparred all through the afternoon and into the evening. Each engagement was short at first, lasting only two or three moves before Thunderspite ended it by touching his sword to her armor or helmet. As the sun got lower and lower on the horizon, however, each engagement got drawn out longer and longer, as Rainbow Dash learned to parry and riposte, making stronger and more elaborate counter-attacks each time.

Thunderspite was impressed by Rainbow Dash. By the fourth day of sword training, her amateurish enthusiasm had been replaced by a fierce, but calculated determination. It quickly became clear that Thunderspite was not going to take it easy on her,and she had yet to land even a single blow against him. But even as he defeated her, again and again, he also told her where she went wrong and what she might try next time.

After a relatively long seven-move engagement, Thunderspite ended the bout by bringing his sword against Rainbow Dash’s helmet with a clang. “Much better that time. But never try to counter force with force. Deflect the blow, and redirect the force to counter-attack. Like this.” He mimed the move, absorbing the force from an imaginary strike and using it to accelerate his own swing. “Or you could dodge, and let your enemy off-balance himself.” He stepped smoothly to the side, simultaneously swinging sidelong. “Understand?”

“Got it!” Rainbow Dash swung her sword around her, making a butterfly shape in the air. “Let’s go again!”

They assumed their stances again, and this time Rainbow Dash switched to a snake stance. She made the first move. Clang. Clang. Clang. Whoosh. This time Rainbow Dash dodged Thunderspite’s swing and tried to surprise him with a spinning low slash, but he was ready for her. Clang. Clang. Clang! Each strike came faster and harder than the last, until their movements were only a blur. The fight had already gone on for twice as many moves as their previous best. Rainbow Dash was in the zone, thinking three moves ahead at any given time, anticipating Thunderspite’s counters and planning counters of her own.

After a full thirty moves, Rainbow Dash was sure she had Thunderspite on the defensive, but as she brought the sword downwards to land on his helmet, he surprised her by swinging upwards, knocking the sword out of her hooves and sending it flying some distance away.

“Ow! Hey!” Rainbow Dash clutched her aching hoof. “I thought you said never to return force with force!”

Thunderspite gave a little smirk. “Here’s an even more important rule: never be predictable.”

Still clutching her hoof, Rainbow Dash had to stop and think about that a moment, still replaying the battle in her head.

“That’s enough for today, Rainbow Dash. We’ll train more tomorrow.”

* * *