Chivalry Reborn

Chapter 22:

Local Human

“I still don’t see why you don’t just tell me how to clean it myself, Rarity.” I griped in the kitchen of the fashion pony’s home.  I placed my elbow on the kitchen table, resting my cheek against my palm bored.

“Well, I need to keep some things in my family’s possession, darling.” Rarity called back, looking back at me with a smile. She was currently in the lobby in the next room, now finishing up her cleaning for my glove.

“Besides, I’ve worked awfully hard on this 'glove,' as you call it.” She let out a small humph, setting the iron aside with her magic. “You have no idea how many times I've had to refer to the measurements to make proper estimates so the fabric would fit over your paw just right!”

“Hands,” I automatically corrected her on the honest mistake, “we call these things hands, Missy.” I waved my hand towards her as I spoke, with a look a slight annoyance present on my face.

“Whatever the case may be,” Rarity ignored my comment, turning around to walk towards me, glove trailing right behind her, “this glove was quite the hassle to make properly. Do be careful with it.”

“You got it.” I got up from my seat, holding my hand out to take the glove hovering in the air. The dark violet aura disappeared from around it as I did. “But I still say that this prototype was indeed a success.”

The glove was white, with a small diamond at the cuff to show off that Rarity had made this herself. It looked and felt like it was made out of silk, but I was using it to applebuck with. The way it absorbed the blows of each of my punches were simply amazing. I didn’t feel a single piece of bark scrape me, and my hand didn’t feel too bad once I was finished bucking for the day. It was quite the piece of work.

As agreed, she had only produced one glove. I was supposed to wear it every chance I got, especially when doing tough tasks like applebucking or handle something; as well as bring in it every Monday to get it cleaned up. It was a tough material, but it could get dirty really easily due to its color.

“Yes, well,” Rarity smiled lightly sighing at her work before turning back towards the main showroom, “I suppose I’m just not quite convinced yet.”

“Well then, so be it.” I responded in a cool tone, slipping the glove onto my left hand as I followed her towards the front door. “I’ll be seeing you next week then.”

“Indeed you shall.” She confirmed with a light nod of her head, starting to go upstairs to go back to her clients’ work. She suddenly stopped at the bottom stair, turning back around right as I was about to walk out. “Oh, and Winston?”

“Yep?” I glanced under my arm, still crouching under the doorframe.

“Could you bring in some examples of that clothing style you mentioned? I believe it was an exquisite mix between class and dark from the way you described it...” She tapped her chin, shifting through her memory. “Oh, what was it…?”

“Gothic..?” I guessed, moving outside the boutique. Rarity had grown an interest in some human cultures, as well as the fashions.

“Yes! Could you bring in something I could use as a model?” She asked dreamily, already imagining the kinds of outfits she could make. “I would love to add some new material to my line of designs.”

“Sure thing.” I started turn back ahead, starting to run in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. “I got some bucking to do. I’ll drop off the pictures tomorrow!”

“Do take care, Winston!” Rarity called after me, followed by the gentle sound of a shutting door.

I sped through the field just outside Ponyville,  eyes locked onto the row of apple trees ahead. Slowing down to a steady stride through the apple tree filled passageway to the farm; I began to think about what I had done over my two week’s stay as a resident of Ponyville.

Over the past two weeks I’ve been here, I’ve been busy with quite a few things.  For starters, there was the whole applebucking business that I’ve made my job for the time being, seeing that there is no such thing as a computer service here in Equestria. I’ve been showing up here almost everyday (with the exception of holiday break, and the weekends), punching and kicking apple trees to get the fruit down. Comparing how I do no to back when I first started, I’ve gotten pretty good, seeing that I can now get a tree clean in five good strikes. There’s also my improved endurance for my limbs, so in the end , I’m actually get a good workout from this.

Reaching the end of the path and into the field just outside the barn, I could see Applejack waiting next to the cart used to transport the apples that we knocked down with. She was leaning against the cart, looking toward the apple trees down the hill. She noticed me as I walked past the last tree of the small apple forest, smiling at seeing me in attendance.

“Howdy, Winston.” Applejack chimed with her usual greeting, moving away from the cart  and getting on all four of her hooves once more.

“Hey, AJ.” I responded nonchalantly, stretching back as I made my way towards her. “How many trees do you think I’ll need to do today?”

She tilted her hat up, shifting her gaze to the side toward the forest of trees once more. “I’d say ‘bout only seven today.” She answered thoughtfully. “With the help y’all been givin’, We actually got more than enough apples to sell with.”

I grinned at my success of actually being of help here. “Well then, let’s get this over with.” I wound up my left arm, moving towards the path that led to the area we normally bucked in with purpose.

I could hear Applejack scoff to herself in amusement at my vigor, and then the clanking of a cart following me.

Okay, one more good strike should do it… I stared at the tree carefully, both fist clenched and legs in a steady stance.

“Hah!” I drove my fist into the tree trunk in with a straight from my left.

Whamp!

The last of the apples that clung desperately to the tree finally snapped off, hurtling into the buckets that waited below.

“That should be the last one.” I called out, shaking my hand lightly. “That’s the seventh tree.”

“Hey, Winston.” Applejack started, kicking a tree across from mine, knocking all the apples down in one kick as usual. “Where did y’all learn how to hit like that, anyway? You don’t seem to be the kind to really applebuck.”

“Huh?” I stood up right, getting out of stance. I flexed my hand as I thought about the question. “Well, back when I was still in elementary school, I always got bullied, and I never really understood how to really inflict real damage on others without having to resort to biting and that kind of thing; so my dad taught me how to defend myself by teaching me how to fight properly.” I sighed at the past experience, bending down to pick up two of the buckets by the handle. “After that, I always got into fights until about the 9th grade.”

“Well, shoot.” Applejack looked a little sorry for bringing up the question, glancing at me before picking up a pail of apples herself. “Didn’t really mean ta bring up a bad memory like that.”

“Nah, it’s fine.” I chuckled a little at how she was concerned about how I felt about things. “I’m actually pretty glad I learned how to fight. I learned that there was a way to defend yourself, without having to really hurt someone.” I dumped the apples into the cart as I spoke, walking back to get the other two under my tree.

“You see, before I was taught by my father how to actually throw punches and kicks, I was a bit too vicious. You know, throwing things, ramming others into surfaces unnecessarily, using weapons to attack with. I almost always really hurt someone when I didn’t really have to.” I smiled at the times I spent with my dad punching at a tree. “Then my dad taught me how to fight with a sense of pride. How to get my point across with my fist, but still show I had a sense of dignity. If it wasn’t for him, I think I’d be a bully, just like the people who messed with me back then.”

Applejack was smiling warmly at my little story, already finished filling her portion of the cart. “Your pa sounds like he’s a good person, Winston.”

I looked up at her as I dumped the last apples into the cart. My father was always there for me when I needed him, and was an inspiration for who I am now along with my mother. Of course he was a good person.

I nodded my head slowly, smiling sincerely to myself. “Yeah.” I said quietly, looking down at my dog tags, turning to put the buckets back under the tree I had gotten them from, “Yeah, he was.”

“Oh…” Applejack’s ears fell slightly as soon as she realized that my dad was deceased. “Uh…sorry.”

“It’s fine.” I said, stretching back a bit. “You didn’t know anyway. Besides, it’s not a bitter subject to me now.”

“What’s not a bitter subject?” A voice came up from beside me.

I looked to my side to see two big rose eyes right in front of me.

“Whoa!” I flinched backward at the sudden sight, stepping back to see who it was.

It was the technicolored-maned pegasus Rainbow Dash, hanging upside down by her hind legs, chuckling at my reaction.

Applejack was rolling her eyes toward her friend’s crude little trick.

“Rainbow!?” I uttered, having my hand on my waist and around the rod. “That’s not a funny joke, you idiot! I was about to clobber you!”

“Psh! Like you could.” Rainbow sneered, giving me a smirk that practically invited me to just flick her nose in response.

I groaned to myself, resisting the urge to act on her level. “So, why are you up there anyway?” I was curious of how she even got into the tree without myself or Applejack noticing her.

“Oh, you know,” Rainbow Dash said, waving a hoof about, “just hanging.”

My expression broke into a deadpan towards Dash “Oh my.” I countered in a monotone dialect. “That was so punny, I forgot to laugh.”

Applejack chuckled to herself at the comeback. “She was probably just takin’ another nap in my trees again.” She explained, still grinning at the argument I was having with her. “She does that every so often.”

What a bum. My mind answered. I kept a straight face, only saying “Huh” in response.

Rainbow smacked her lips in disappointment. “Why’d you have to go and tell him, Applejack..? It was fun messing with him.”

“He was probably gunna find out anyway, Sugarcube.” Applejack snipped, hooking herself to the cart. I still wasn’t used to her calling people.

“Want me to help you put those up?” I offered, walking towards the cart.

“Nah, I don’t need any help with this.” Applejack stated, turning the cart around towards the barn. “I’ll be fine finishing this Your work fer today’s done, Winston. Y’all just go ahead and have fun.”

“Alright then,” I shrugged, waving goodbye to her. “See ya later then.”

“Later, AJ.” Rainbow said bye as well, now hovering right next to me.

“Y’all have a good’un now!” She called from a distance, before she turned down the trail, disappearing from view.

I popped my neck lightly, turning around to take a stroll. “Guess that’s that, then.”

“Hey!” Rainbow flew in front of me, grinning. “Wanna practice your flying, now that you’re done working? I’m bored.”

I thought about it, considering my options. I don’t really have anything else that needs to be done right now. My lessons with Twilight don’t really start till later this afternoon… I glanced at my watch. 12:20 P.M. Still pretty early, too….

I glanced toward Rainbow for a moment. She was watching me intently, eager to hear my answer. Then again… My eyes wondered to my backpack, still resting against shoulders. I still haven’t really looked into the next scroll since putting together the staff. I should really keep going, but…..eh, I have time.

I huffed, before looking back to Rainbow Dash with a confident grin. “Sure, let’s go.”

“Awesome!” Her expression brightened, doing a backflip to get higher into the air. “Let’s roll, then!” She flew off into the sky, leaving her trademark rainbow behind her.

I scoffed, laughing to myself as I started into a run down the trail. I pulled my glasses off of my face, slipping them into my pocket.  She’s been wanting to go out flying everyday, now both teaching me how to get better at flying, and helping her come up with new tricks.

I focus my mind to make the image of a horse with wings appear in my mind as I dashed. I had learned to set up the transformation technique while doing other task. It turns out I can easily switch up my features as an Equestrian, going choosing from having wings, a horn, neither or both. It was all a matter of how much I focused on the image. I could switch into an earth pony in no time, but the wings and horn take a little time to make appear in my mind.

I leaped up when I believed I had enough momentum, closing my eyes for a moment.

Release

A flash popped in my head, as I opened my eyes, and snapped my wings up. I am seriously getting used to these new abilities.

I learned how to speed up my transforming, control my wings properly, and even how to basically strike as a horse form my dreams with Shadow Flare. They always took place when I slept, and even though it was really lifelike and difficult, I always felt refreshed when I woke back up. I guess it’s yet another benefit of being “the chosen one,” or something along those lines.

“Here we go…” I flap my wings twice evenly, lifting myself off the ground and into the sky. I then pitched myself forward, focusing my magical energy into my wings, before making them flap downward once more.

In a sudden burst, I blasted forward into a high speed, leaving behind a black, smoky trail. I smirked to myself, tilting myself to the right, turning in the direction that Rainbow took off in.

I learned from Twilight Sparkle’s lessons that it’s due to the magic in pegasi that allow them to move so quickly, not the actual physics of their wings. Unlike unicorns who could control their magical energy to such an extent that they could make multiple spells using it, pegasi can only transfer their energy to their wings and possibly leg muscles. Using the magical training I had received from Twilight, I figured out that I could actually use my magic to transfer into a type of booster for flight. It’s like suddenly becoming a living plane with nitro! It’s freakin’ brilliant, I tell you!

I quickly caught up to Rainbow, smiling with confidence. “All set!” I called to her through the turbulence.

“Okay then!” She yelled back, looking at me with a returning grin. “We’ll start from the first trick!” She changed her flight pitch downward as she said that, getting ready to do her first trick: the Pretty Ring, which is basically making the shape of a hoof with a ring wrapped around it using smoke or rays by flying the drawing out.

She said she made this one for her parents’ anniversary, but could only make the ring, because she could only make a rainbow trail and nothing else, plus the fact that it’s found to be difficult for more pegasi to actually maintain a trail behind them. Now that she has me helping, she would wait until I made the hoof in the sky, before zipping around the center to make a ring. It was a pretty neat idea, and help me control my turning, so we do this all the time.

“On it!” I zipped myself upward, starting my half of the drawing.

“Whoo!” I cheered, zipping by Dash to look at the last formation we had just finished.

It was a rather simple formation really. Just smiley face much like the one at Walmart. Rainbow Dash did the smile and eyes, I did the outline of the head. Rather simple, but hey, it looked nice.

The formations were kind of sloppy overall however, due to me not being very practiced in turning yet. While Dash should do almost 90 degree turns in the blink of an eye, I have to arc myself to turn, which resulted in round and possibly a bit wobbly lines .

She made me do the formations with her anyway, saying “that’ll help me with that.” She was right, but in honesty, I’m certain she just wanted someone to do these exercises with her. I couldn’t see Fluttershy doing this at all, considering her nature.

“All right,” Rainbow looked towards me with a grin. “Ready to see my signature?”

I blinked looking at her. Doe she mean that “Sonic Rainboom” she keeps bragging about? Rainbow has mentioned it before, but never really showed me.

“Sure.” I shrugged, curious as to what exactly it was.

“Sit tight, and be amazed then!” She yelled, zooming off higher into the sky.

She stopped when she was about a speck in the sky, which is pretty damn high, considering we’re already about a thousand feet off the ground. (Whoa….almost made my felt sick thinking about it.)  She then blasted downward, narrowing her wingspan until they actually whistled a little through the wind.

What is she doing!? She kept speeding up, her eyes narrowing from all the wind streaming against her face. She’s gonna smash into the ci- wait… At that moment, I could see a small field appear in front of her, it narrowing as she accelerated even more with each passing moment.

IS THAT THE FREAKING SOUND BAR-

BOOOOOOOOOOOM

At that instant what sounded like an explosion shot out from right above me, leaving a large shockwave of colors of all kinds in its wake. I fight to keep my balance in the sky against the sudden pressure, watching in awe. A huge rainbow bursted from the shockwave, as it arced upwards and zooming through the sky at supersonic speeds. The colors vibrant and vivid, holding bright colors such as yellow, blue, red and more. It was quite the sight to behold.

I rubbed my eyes slowly, Rainbow Dash slowed to a stop in front of me, beaming with pride.

“Well?” She asked haughtily. “How’d you like my famous Sonic Rainboom, huh?”

“It….” I admitted, shaking my head to get my composure back. “It was quite the sight, to say the least. I thought only jets could go that fast...”

“What’s a jet?” Rainbow asked.  Goddamned alternate dimension and your heavy differences!

“An aircraft that’s capable of going supersonic speeds.” I explained patiently.

“What’s an ai-“

“AN AIRCRAFT,” I cut her off, explaining what she was about to ask next. “Is a vehicle that we humans use to transport ourselves or supplies through the sky.” I sighed, finishing my teaching. “I’ll show you a video of a jet going mach 1 when I get the chance…”

“What’s a video, and what’s 'mach 1?'” Rainbow Dash asked yet another question, confused.

OH, GODDAMMIT!!!**

“Forget it…” I groaned, whacking my hoof against my forehead lightly.

Rainbow cocked her eyebrow up at me puzzled, before shrugging. “Alright then.” She smiled faintly, looking at me. “It’s been fun trying these formations with somepony, by the way. Thanks, Winston.”

I stared at her for a moment, processing what she was doing. Was she actually being pretty nice? I couldn’t really process that. Normally, she was very rude towards me, and seemed like she didn’t trust me at all. Now, she’s treating me like I’m a good friend.

“…Heh.” I let out a small bit of a laugh.

“What..?” Rainbow looked at me with slightly narrowed eyes.

“Nothing.”  I shook my head, suppressing the rest of my chuckles. “You acting nice is a rare thing is all.”

“Hmph…” She looked to the side. “You seem like an okay pony, so I’m just letting up on you is all.”

….This feels like something I saw on TV, I swear it does…

“Well, thanks.” I kept my grin to myself, turning back towards Ponyville. We always flew out a little past Sweet Apple Acres outside of Ponyville, so no one could see me. I didn’t want many ponies knowing about my “other self” just yet.  “I got lessons to tend to with Twilight. She said she thinks I’m ready to get off lifting things, and wants me to go to a new spell; so I’ll see you around.”

“Yep.” She turned the other way, probably about to go report for Weather Patrol duty.

“Oh,” I called back just before I flew off, “you’re welcome, by the way.”

With that, I focused some magic into my wings, boosting off toward the edge of town.