Of Scorpion Stings and Redemptions

A Hanzo Hasashi in Equestria Story

Chapter Two ‘Training’

Walking beside the same Princess that had been within his dream Hanzo felt uncertain. It was obvious that she was gifted in magic, but she held herself differently from her sister. She had a warrior’s walk. She carried herself as one that had personally seen the death of their enemies at her own hands. In a way it was refreshing to find someone who understood what it was like to be prepared to attack at a moment’s notice.

“Would you prefer for me to take her?”

He looked at her, at Luna, and could see the slight smile creeping upon her muzzle. It hadn’t occurred to him what his carrying the maid might imply. Nodding, he felt a slight tingle as magic surrounded her, and she was lifted off of his shoulder. He could see her fully now, and to be honest she appeared to be of smaller stock than he would have guessed. Going by the guards, the princesses, including the former princess that had been frightened of him, his expectation was that most of them were his height or taller.

Then again, he did have memories of shorter members of his clan. Members that became scouts, deadly members that could take stock of the enemy, never be seen, and strike a blow to the outer lying patrols before anyone could ever know they were there. This maid obviously wasn’t trained as such, but it did silence that question. As they walked he could see the uneasiness of those around him. The hellfire that fueled him, that made his entire being possible was having the effect that he knew it would.

In many ways it was a blessing. He didn’t have to deal with many outside of what his purpose had been corrupted into while he was under Quan Chi’s power, but now, now that blessing was quickly becoming troublesome. The fact that others could feel his presence bothered him. He was meant to be silent as the grave itself. He was to give no indicator that he was even present, and yet here he was announcing to the world that he existed.

It did him so little good to have the abilities that the hellfire gave him. Others would know he was there. They would feel his presence, and that was a problem. He preferred to hide in the shadows, to not be seen until it was time to strike. His training, everything his father taught him, the ways of his clan, it all depended upon being able to work in secrecy. Because of the hellfire he could never conceal himself again.

The walk, and the thought of how he stood out soon came to an end when they reached a large door with the markings of a sun upon them. Luna, effortlessly, opened the door with her magic while carrying the maid. They stepped through and Celestia saw them. The Princess of the Sun was upon her throne, listening to one of her subjects, and from the sounds of it the subject was a spoiled insolent, and undisciplined whelp.

Hanzo neared them, watching the mare’s formerly prideful, and defiant stance, become one of fear and subjugation. She began to cower as Hanzo neared her.

“Th… That’s why I demand… I demand that all servants’ pay be converted over to room and board only…”

“Upper Crust, this isn’t the first time you’ve come to me with this complaint. I’m sorry my little pony, but servants are ponies as well. They deserve a fair wage for the work they provide. Giving them a spare room, and a uniform, while generous, is not a fair trade. I would suggest, if you are finding yourself in a financial hardship, to perhaps allowing some of your servants to find employment elsewhere.”

Having an overwhelming feeling of dread all Upper Crust could do was nod, turn, and run out of the room. Hanzo watched her, and felt that perhaps in this instance the hellfire had proved beneficial. Even in his clan those who worked for, and served, the clan elders were paid. They knew more a simple room and the robes they wore.

“Sister, speaking of servants, I believe that one of your maids was unable to withstand our new guest’s charm.”

A soft yellow glow covered the maid, and she floated over to Celestia. She carefully floated her near the throne, and propped her up so that she could be somewhat comfortable. She then smiled at Hanzo, stood, and walked toward him. She was still taller than him, by about a head, and she seemed more than happy to walk toward him.

“Guards, I have pressing business to conduct, and for that reason the rest of the Sun court shall be placed on hold. If they wish to still be seen they may present themselves for the Night Court.”

Luna glared at her balefully, “Sister, truly, why would you send the nobles to me? They are but spoiled children, nobles in name only, and yet you would wish for me to watch over them as the mere children they are?”

Celestia tittered slightly and nodded, “It will be good practice for you, and besides, you are overdue for listening to the nobles complain about the affordable housing project Twilight has instituted. Lowered Real Estate prices indeed.”

Luna rolled her eyes, watching her sister walk off with the being that had came to her rescue in her dream. She glanced at her sister’s now empty court room, and let out a yawn, “I shall head toward my chambers. I wish not to be disturbed.”

“Of course Princess.”

She nodded to the two day guards, and walked toward her own room. Her sleep, for what it was, would be sweet, and perhaps this night she would dream of something far more pleasant than that of her former husband.

Outside, Celestia and Hanzo stopped and she watched as he studied the guard and their training. He seemed to study them, their fighting technique, and after a moment he shook his head, “They are poorly trained.”

She took no insult to his words. So far she had learned that he was honest and blunt with his words. She agreed that her guards were not trained offensively, and the defensive training they had rested mainly with the Unicorns and their magic. Magic shielding seemed to be the bread and butter of her guards. Their offensive training, for what it was, seemed to be more for a show of strength than anything else.

“Tell me, what would you change?” Celestia asked.

“The bowmen, they need to be trained hand to hand combat, but they need to learn to hold more than one arrow at a time. Three or four arrows are acceptable, and firing a single one while holding the others is a learnable skill. The swordsmen, their strikes are ceremonial, none of them are strikes that would remove an opponent from battle. and the magic users seem to only create defensive shields. Train them to project the same construct at a much smaller scale, and at greater speeds.”

Smiling, she pointed to the stairs, and the two of them walked toward the guards. She stopped once they were close enough, and she watched as they stopped their training.

“Your highness, what may we do for you?”

She turned toward the Unicorn guard that had asked the question and then looked them all over, “I wish to change your training.”

“Your highness?”

The question was more than the two words, and she knew it. They were asking her why she would want to change what had become tradition, but while the ceremonial parts would be kept for ceremonial reasons, the simple fact was that having them trained for a situation that could use their help would be a fantastic idea. She looked to Hanzo who seemed to be studying them more.

“Hanzo, you have spoken to me of your clan, of how they trained you, trained their young, and created an entire community of warriors. Could you teach my guard how to fight as you do?”

If the question caught him off guard he didn’t show it. He simply looked at her, and then back at them. He walked toward them, studying each member of the guard, and then finally he nodded.

“I shall do as you ask, but do I have free reign to train them as I see fit?”

She nodded.

“I wish to start with a smaller number. Eight perhaps, that I may train and see if they are able to perform to the standards of the training I will put them through.”

Several of the guards looked at him with disbelief. They were trained to be guards, put through the toughest training that Cloudsdale, Canterlot, and the Crystal Empire could put them through. For several of them it was more than just a statement it was an insult that cut deep.

“I doubt there’s anything you can teach us.”

The stallion’s voice was clear, his intention known, and Hanzo turned toward him.

“Pick up your weapon and attack me.”

He looked at him, and then at the princess, “Your highness?”

“Do as he says.”

Shrugging he grabbed his sword, rushed toward Hanzo with the sword over his head, a very stylized, and ceremonial, attack, and one that had no real potential to do any harm. He began to strike, swinging his arm with power, and Hanzo caught it, pulling him toward him, stretching out his leg, catching the guard’s, taking the sword from him, pinning him to the ground, and held the sword behind his neck.

“If I would have been an enemy you would be dead. Your fighting is ceremonial at best. It is meant to be viewed, to be performed, and it is not meant to used against enemies,” he said as he slammed the sword down beside the stallion’s head, “What I will teach those of you I choose to teach will be how to fight correctly starting with your arms, legs, hands, and hooves. You will learn how to be silent, deadly, and precise.”

He moved away and the stallion slowly stood. Looking over them Hanzo could see that most of the guard was similar to the stallion. Believing that their training unbeatable, and that was their undoing. His father taught him their clan’s fighting method, and then he taught him other styles he’d learned. Over the years Hanzo had learned multiple methods from dozens of sensais.

One of the other ponies, one without wings or a horn, walked toward him.

“I’m willing to learn if you’re willing to teach me.”

Hanzo nodded, allowing the stallion to a place near him. More, similar that stallion, moved toward him, offering the same. Most of the winged ones, the Pegasi, seemed to rebuke his offer. He had wounded their pride, proving that their training was next to useless, and they instead chose to teach themselves. Most, but not all, of the Pegasi were like that. A smaller one, with batwings, walked toward him. She had a lithe body, and she was dressed in darker armor than the others.

“I want to learn.”

She was small, smaller than the maid he had carried earlier. She came up to his chest, her body seemed to be built for speed and agility. Some of the stallions, even those that wished to learn from him, snickered at her.

“What is your name?”

She stood up straight, looked at him, and showed no fear, “I am Night Star, a Cadet in Luna’s Lunar Guard.”

She had the same look his son, Akio, had in his eyes. She was a warrior waiting to be formed. He nodded at her, “Very well, we begin now.”

He walked, knowing that they were following him, knowing that each step they took he was leading them toward becoming better trained, becoming the kind of protectors that his own clan would be proud of, and becoming more than they could believe they were able to achieve. He stopped, looked toward them, and saw the Eight chosen before him.

“Before we can begin I must see what you are capable of doing,” he pointed to a large stallion, “attack me.”

The tan colored stallion rushed toward him, thrusting his fist, and telegraphing where he planned on hitting. His technique was sloppy, he was relying too much on power and not enough on speed. Hanzo moved his head, causing the fist to hit empty air, grabbed the arm of the stallion, turned, and flipped him onto the ground. He dropped his knee on the stallion’s neck cutting off air and circulation.

“It takes less than two pounds of pressure to pierce the skin and draw blood with a weapon, all strength can be redirected, and only a fool tells his enemy where he is going to strike.”

He got up and the stallion coughed while he laid on the ground trying to breath.

“I do not train fools. You will be taught, you will learn, and you will respect my word as law. When we are finished you will be able to hide in plain sight, you will be able to step more silent than a tomb, and you will have the ability to take down an enemy well before they know you are there.”

Author's Note

(AN: I know it's a shorter chapter, but I am planning on the next one to be a bit longer. I wanted to establish Hanzo's place in Equestria.)