Forged Steel's Wrestling Journal

Entry 22

The walk across town seems to take much longer than usual. We've gone this way many times and I've even seen the house before, but this is the first time going to it.

“Stop sulking already, you big baby. For the thousandth time, my family isn't out to crucify you.”

That was harsh of Glitter. I've only ever met a significant other’s family once when I was dating a dragoness in university, and I was roundly shunned by them, so excuse me for being a little defensive.

“Minorly defensive? You're walking like the condemned walk to the gas chamber.”

We finally make it to an otherwise unassuming house near the edge of town. Otherwise unassuming because there are three high price exotic sports cars out front. The hood is up on one which suddenly slams down as we walk up. A royal guard in dress uniform, a Master Sergeant by the look of his insignia, greets Glitter with a hug, then glares at me and asks her “Who's this meathead?”

What a great start, her brother already thinks I'm a jock. Not one to back out of a challenge, I cut ahead of Glitter by saying that this “meathead” is Forged Steel, Glitter's boyfriend, you jarhead. When he takes a step towards me, Glitter interrupts him by pulling his ear. “You are not going to be starting fights!”

She then glares at me, “And you are not going to be ‘finishing’ them!” Her brother and I only glare at each other before he starts into the house, Glitter and I following.

As we go inside, the whole house turns its attention to Glitter, and then to me. Instead of just a common, casual introduction, her mother decides to sit everyone in the living room and go around to introduce themselves. The three jarheads decide to sit right next to me, not even letting Glitter sit beside me. She looked pretty annoyed about that, rolling her eyes and uttering a curse in Russian, which I suspect she did to try and cheer me up.

As she told me months ago, her three brothers were in the guard. The one who decided to start something earlier was the oldest, Cracked Jewel. He's 40, Master Sergeant, instructor in security details. He was holding the Specialist rank for a long time, having graduated basic training with the rank, but was too old to justify keeping so low on the pole. That said, his knowledge in the field was considered to be so indispensable that he was fast-tracked to Master Sergeant so that he would be put in an instructor role. With his rank, he also coordinates most of the security details for the various parties that Princesses Luna and Celestia hold at their castle.

Her two other brothers, Chipped and Broken, are twins, age 36, ranked Sergeant First Class, and drill sergeants. I recognized them vaguely from the workout seminar I did at the Crystal Palace. Originally one was at Canterlot and the other up here at the Crystal Palace, until they made Sergeant. Once they got Sergeant, they immediately volunteered for Drill Sergeant School and have never looked back since. Chip and Broke have just started their third tour as Drill Sergeants, their second together. The first one, they were pretty good, but once paired up on the same recruit platoon, the command noticed that their platoon, in particular, picked up much quicker and scored better in all tests than any other platoon in the battalion, let alone same company.

It’s probably pretty obvious how I don’t like hearing about military achievements because once Glitter managed to squeeze between me and Crack, she jabbed her elbow into my side and quickly hissed at me to “at least fake some interest.” I rub the spot she jabbed me and try to put on my best “professional” smile, listening to the three go on about their service.

I’ve always had a disdain for the military, seeing it as only a necessary evil at best. Papa says this is Sister rubbing off on me, which I suppose has some credibility since we were our only friends for much of our childhood. Dedushka was conscripted into the Stalliongrad Armed Force at an unusually high age, 30 years old, because “they needed fighters.” This service is the actual reason he had to retire from wrestling, and all athletics in general, because he was exposed to a chemical agent that gave him a form of asthma which he will have for the rest of his life.

Dedushka never spoke particularly well of his time, saying the best part is probably the drinking and the songs. Because Stalliongrad wanted to go pick a fight with some griffons, he got ripped away from Babushka, who he’d been with since high school, as well as Papa as a newborn. The recruiter he reported to even said that 30 is normally way too old, but gave him that aforementioned line. The first time I ever drank with him, he ended up breaking down and telling me of the horrors he saw on the field, even suffering a traumatic flashback.

Papa was also conscripted, but at a younger age, and without any foals or a lover to leave behind. I remember him talking at length of how horrific the training was, that you were expected to stand still and look forward without blinking while the instruction commander berated you and your ancestors. If you moved even an inch, he would cap your knee with a billy and repeatedly kick you while you were on the ground until you got back up. Reporting this, because technically it was illegal, would only result in the instructor hearing about it and beating you again.

Strangely, despite all these experiences, the permanent damage it’s caused them mentally and physically, both of them say that they wouldn’t trade it away. Despite how savage it is, they are grateful for the friends they made, and the kind of doors it opened for them in other ventures. Though unlike many veterans I’ve seen, they refuse the thanks for their service, insisting to not be treated differently just because they served.

On top of all this, I also have had a lot of full-blown fights with royal guards because they get amped up on their military pride, drunk on their drink of choice at a bar, and find me. Until I got here in the Crystal Empire, I worked as a villain. I have never once sought out a fight at any point in my life. I like to keep my fights worked and, at a minimum, in a wrestling ring. But these jarheads always try to fight me because I’m visible and because they think their uniform makes them untouchable. This has led to many fights, often with two or three at a time, of which I haven’t lost one yet.

And worse, the law enforcement always takes their side. Every fight I've been in, not one guard–who, again, have always instigated–ever gets in trouble. Of every fight with a fan I've been in, easily 70 percent of them were military. Maybe I take it a little too personally, maybe it’s because I don’t see them get torn to shreds by their commander. Regardless, this is why I’ve never liked the military. If I were ever conscripted, I would go to prison before serving.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I had missed the rest of the brothers’ stories, and my expression was showing my thoughts again because I was snapped out of it by another sharp elbow from Glitter. Since the looks from the brothers had only gotten dirtier, they knew exactly what I was thinking. Anyhow, by now the figurative spotlight had moved on to Glitter’s parents. Her mother, Gleaming Jewel, is 62 and a professor of architectural engineering. She had previously instructed at universities of Manehattan, Baltimare, and Vanhoover, but recently moved to Crystal Community College to be closer to home.

Before settling on engineering, she had also taught advanced calculus and statistics at a college level. Gleaming loves to teach, saying it’s a great feeling watching young minds pick up on something they never knew about before. Before being picked by Manehattan University to teach their math classes, she was a chemistry and physics teacher at the Princess Cadence Preparatory Academy. She credits getting that out of school to dumb luck, and maybe a silver tongue, since they were expressly looking for teachers with at least five years experience at the high school level, and she got it as her first ever teaching job.

Her father, Ancient Jewel, is also 62 and an orthopedic surgeon. When he went to school, he had actually specialized, become resident for, and became board certified in emergency medicine. Though it put a lot of strain on him, he continued to work as lead ER doctor at the hospital even after Crack was born. Ancient’s hard work despite the circumstances was noticed and he was made chief of staff at the hospital by the time that Crack first learned to walk.

A few years later, he had to resign this position because Chip and Broke were born, and he knew he would have to choose at some point between being a father or being a hospital chief. This lead him to what he considers his biggest career challenge, going to university to learn a specialty while raising three sons, and still working part-time at the hospital. Somehow he managed it all, becoming board certified in orthopedics, and starting his own practice. He’s been working that for 30 years now, though his dedication to ponies’ health keeps him from slowing down.

This left just Glitter’s older sister, Radiant Jewel, age 30. When I saw her, I immediately recognized her from a poster I'd seen some time ago. Unfortunately, that last bit didn't stay in my head. Radiant smiled and asked me which poster. Glitter, however, had an obvious glare as she chimed in “Yes, which poster?”

Crack wore a smug grin, while Chip and Broke stared daggers at me. The parents watched us closely. Radiant is a porn star, no other way around it. I remembered as soon as I saw her, but I'm also part professional talker, so I mentioned it was an advertisement for a hiring agency. Thankfully for my sake, Radiant caught on and played along, mentioning how it paid little and took many attempts to get the shot right.

Radiant I can see is going through the motions as she tells us all of her modeling career. I’m in a sport that’s dominated by sexually repressed, and sometimes emotionally stunted, stallions, so I know full well her type of modeling, even though she never says it. She is, plain and simple, a porn star. I’ve seen her in many a locker, both at the gym and the wrestling locker room. For a time in college, I think I actually had a few videos she starred in. The dragoness I’d dated said that Radiant was her lady crush.

Cynder, her name, had always had some odd tastes in porn, preferring double teams, gang bangs, and “pet” play. I’ve never had much a taste for any of that. My mantra is “Why can’t you just have sex?” As such, I’ve always preferred my pornographic material to be as vanilla as the ice cream I buy. That said, I’m not opposed to a second partner once in a while.

The spotlight has now shifted to me, time to put the porn away. I tell them I'm a professional wrestler, getting everyone but the jarheads interested. Chip butts in with a snide remark about how I only “pretend to be tough”. The tension in the room immediately escalates, and I reply with how I also pretended to go undefeated for the last three Equestrian Games to win gold medals. Broke’s smug shows as he says I still can't hold a candle to him. I look right at him with a challenge, just say where and when. As he turns on his seat to presumably take a chance at me, I also hear Broke and Chip crack their knuckles, while the mares sigh in disgust at them and roll their eyes, not impressed with their machismo.

“Cracked Jewel, Broken Jewel, and Chipped Jewel. I raised you better and you know it. Knock it the fuckoff, now!” The stern interjection comes from Ancient, who makes it very clear from the bulging vein in his forehead and his sharp tone that he’s seen this play out too often before, “You three do this every time Glitter meets someone new, and it's damn old.”

With the three twits silenced, Ancient lets me continue. I go on about my time in University, studying nutrition and physical therapy, this way after sport I can do something. I mentioned that I was considered a stand out in basketball as well as wrestling, which brought the natural question from Gleaming of why Canterlot and not Manehattan. It's because Manehattan were cheating athletes’ grades, their academics, in general, were terrible, and they were going to make me do only wrestling or only basketball, but not both. Gleaming wore a smirk as I said this, knowing exactly what I was talking about.

I continue on about me, then my family. When I mention Sister, I get a few dirty looks from Radiant and the jarheads, indicating that her reputation naturally precedes her. Such is life being related to Sister, I just have to make clear that I’m not her. I also talk of Papa and my grandparents, what they all do, and where they all live now. Gleaming asks about mother, I say that I haven't seen her in over a decade, and she mercifully takes the hint by nodding and brushing it aside.

“Well, we’ve been cooped up long enough in here,” Gleaming concludes, standing up with a warm smile, “It was wonderful to meet you Forged Steel.” Ancient agrees, as well as Radiant, though the brothers give unconvincing nods. Everyone is adjourned, and Radiant and Gleaming go to start dinner, while I go out onto their backyard patio to try and get away from the boys.

Sometime later, I'm still sitting in their backyard when Crack finds me writing this and tries to snatch my book away. I see his hand coming out the corner of my eye and intercept, pinching his wrist hard enough to make him curse.

“What are you writing, jock?”

None of your damn business, jarhead.

“You got a problem with me?”

Do you have one with me?

“Yes, you've seen both of my sisters naked.”

Big deal, my sister's girlfriend has seen her naked and I don't care.

“So she's a rugmuncher after all.”

Thats where I draw the line, slamming my notebook closed emphatically. I firmly state that if he uses that word in my presence again, or says anything derogatory about my sister around me again, I'll correct his attitude in a way that even his precious guard is afraid to. Because while those mindless drones may fear the bars on his jacket, I don't.

“You want the fight, jock? Let's have the fight.”

Lose the uniform then, for your own sake.

Crack is quick to lose the coat and shirt. I calmly set aside my notebook, walk to the middle of the back lawn, and take a ready stance as Chip and Broke walk out to watch. Like a fool, he charges head down, allowing me to drive him face first into the grass. Just as soon as he hits the ground, I'm on top of his back, wrenching a full nelson.

When Crack taps out, I release the hold, but am just as quickly ambushed by Chip. He goes for a basic rear choke, but my hand anticipated this and blocked. My other hand pulls his chin to my head and I break his hold with a chinbreaker maneuver. Before Chip can react, I wrestling throw him head over heels and lock in a heel hook. Though he tries to combat it, he saves his leg by also tapping out.

Radiant looks outside to see Broke square with me. He looks to know what he's doing as he took a low stance instead of a careless charge. When he reaches in, I attempt a triangle choke but he blocks. He then pulls a leg out, trying to transition to a kneebar, I get my legs up high to prevent it. He reaches for what would probably be an ankle lock but I snatch his arm, forcing him into the ground, then twist his arm I trapped into an omoplata. When he realizes his arm is in danger of being broken, he finally taps out.

I stand up, dusting myself off as they look up at me in awe. I then calmly sit back down on the bench, going back to my notebook as Glitter comes outside. At first, I expect Glitter to scream at me, but her attention is instead focused on her three blockhead brothers. She lays into them in an enormous, loud, curse-filled monologue before making them out themselves to their dad. She then sits in my lap with a hug, apologizing for everything.

The rest of the evening went quietly, the three “tough” guard sergeants now afraid to even make eye contact with me. At dinner, Gleaming asks about my wrestling, saying she knows pro wrestling is predetermined and choreographed. She also asks whether all pro wrestlers really do know how to fight or if it’s a minority. I can really only speak for myself on this matter.

On my own account, I am a holder of almost every notable record in the “amateur” ranks. I made it to the finals of the national tournament in my freshman year of high school, losing narrowly, but never lost again in the Nationals. That means that I went on to win the Nationals in the heavyweight division the next three years of high school, and all four years of college. In college, I was the only one in history to win Nationals without surrendering even a point, and I did it twice. Naturally, I was invited to join the Equestrian games, qualifying all three times I was eligible, and going on to win gold in Freestyle Heavyweight all three times. In summary, while there are some pro wrestlers who don't know how to fight “for real”, I am one who does. If push comes to shove, I’m not afraid to show it.

At the end of the evening, I receive another round of apologies from the parents, who say they're more than happy to have me back if I'd like to come back. I also get an apology from each of the brothers, who seem in genuine awe of my abilities. Radiant says she's jealous Glitter found me first, but is happy she has me around.

Back at my apartment, Glitter thanks me for being the first she's seen to actually be brave enough to beat some sense into her brothers. As we curl up on the couch to watch her telenovela, she goes into how they do this to every boyfriend she's brought around them, and how she's so sick in general of how they baby her.

All things considered, I have to say everything actually went well.