Applebloom rested on her haunches disappointedly. Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were very coincidentally down with the flu. They had originally scheduled a Crusader Exploration of Ponyville, but now their adventure would have to be cancelled, unless....
"AH'VE GOT IT!" Applebloom jumped up. "Ah don't need them sneezin' sleepyheads! Ah'll go on mah own adventure!" With that, she hastily adjusted her bow and swept out of her room, kicking up a cartoonishly large cloud of dust in her yellow and red wake.
She hastened to the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Armory, which was really just the Apple Family shed. There she collected her helmet, an aliminium pail with two eye-holes punched in, along with some air-holes below them and a larger hole at the back where she could pull her bow through. She stuck the helm onto her head, letting the handle swing awkwardly at her neck. She then slung her shield- simply four boards of plywood amateurishly glued and nailed together, and gave what was hardly a wooden sword a few swings. She then scooped up her supplies - four apples and six bits into her pouch, which she slung across her shoulder as well. She took in a deep breath and exhaled, the sound of her breathing very audible in the confines of her helmet. She then reared up on her hind legs and galloped out the door, eager at the aspect of an entire day of adventuring.
She trotted along the path to their clubhouse, Her coins jingling in the pouch. All seemed fine, with everypony at ease and going on with their routines. She passed the clubhouse, to one of the fields outside of the Schoolhouse. A group of colts were gathered in a circle. She decided to check out the commotion, moving slightly quicker toward the group. She could hear them shouting now, pumping up their clenched hooves.
"Get in his swing, Featherweight!"
"You flying idiot! He's gonna-"
Featherweight flew from the circle, landing in a crumpled heap some ten paces away.
The colts cheered as a larger colt stood in their midst, raising a stick in victory. It was one of their stick-fights.
"Ah'll be next!" Shouted Applebloom, nearly deafening herself as her voice reverberated through the helmet. She raised her wooden sword, which was really just two flat sticks nailed together in a sketchy cross that creatures far away worshipped.
"A mare! A mare up for the challenge!" A colt shouted, plucking her yellow hoof and shoving her into the circle.
"Nice costume, Applebloom!" The large red colt nodded, passing his stick from hoof to hoof.
Applebloom nodded back and readied herself, stretching the shield as far out as she could.
"Fight!" Chorused the audience.
The large red colt swung first, landing a solid blow upon Applebloom's shield, sending a shockwave of stun and hurt all the way up her hoof. She withdrew her shield and swung with all her might, which frankly wasn't much. Her sword was stooped mid air with a parry and her head rang. The colt had parried, brought his stick upwards and struck Applebloom upon her helm, creating a sound that sounded like someone filled the schoolhouse bell in with mud and gave it a buck. She cried out, twisting her head from side to side to see out of the narrow eye-slits. She took her chances and shoved forward with her shield. The red colt simply dodged aside, and gave her a smart whack across her back with his stick. She was losing.
A crusader may have sworn to fight with honor and chivalry, but in times of dire need...
She stabbed the sword straight into the middle of the colt's hind legs.
An almighty roar split the air, it's high-pitched and adolescent tone deafening all in the vicinity in a welter of outrage and surprise. The red colt dropped his stick, clapping both front hooves in between his back legs and collapsed, curling up on the grass.
