Oponi

Poking the Bears

Amaterasu finally reached the castle doors, she had quickly tired of the stares she was receiving. The nobles all looked at her with disgust, like a wild animal. It was still better than when she was feared by the villagers in Nippon. The captain had helped to dissipate a small portion of the crowds but she still felt disgusted at the fact that she knew how she looked.

She looked like she had been tamed, and it took quite some willpower for the honored celestial to avoid making a scene.

They finally reached the castle gates, met with stares from the guards. They opened the gates without a word, the princess having told them of the new arrival earlier. Amaterasu was just glad that Waka had done something to make her life easier for once... besides that whole... sacrifice thing before they got here but whatever. She couldn't hide her gritted teeth as she found Waka calmly chatting with the princess. They didn't seem to notice they had arrived yet... good.

"And Queen Himiko was really the perfect ruler, she always put her people before herself, right until-" He had been cut-off as the contents of his cup formed a spiral and splashed into his face. "Pbbtbbbbt." He spat the tea leaves out of his mouth and turned to see the wolf staring daggers at him. "Oh please, as if I could have done something to get you here faster."

"Row! Rrrraw row raaaaw!" She exclaimed at him. She wasn't ready to hear his excuses while he was sitting comfortably drinking tea.

"Oh, I guess I could have just come back and teleported the rest of you." He playfully knocked his fist on his helmet, cocking his head to the side. "Oops, slipped my mind."

She continued staring at him, wondering if she could set him alight without any of the nearby tapestries catching.

"I know that look, mon amie, trust me, this whole place would go with me."

"Rrrrrr." She settled on laying next to the table that had been dragged to Celestia's throne, getting ready for her second-longest sleep in years.

Shining Armor wouldn't have it. "Princess! Never get a ride from that thing, it does not care if you are comfortable." His entire mane was strewn with leaves, twigs, barbs, and, oddly enough, sand.

"I'm glad to see that you are well Shining Armor, I was worried that you would still be unconscious when you arrived."

"You knew they had done something to me? Why didn't you just sent a unicorn or pegasus to transport us back?"

"Because Waka here told me about the exchange you both had back at the camp, I must say that I am disappointed in you." Waka responded by lifting his glass slightly in Shining's direction.

He was entering a small panic, it would be funny, if it weren't also a bit sad. "You instantly trusted him? The person who admitted he had done... something to one of your people? I didn't even know where they were taking me!"

She stared at Shining with her well-known poker face. "Are you saying that you didn't try to assault one of our guests after nothing more than some taunting?"

He kept his mouth open for a second before shutting it again. He looked down forlornly. "I am sorry, princess, I was caught in the moment and didn't think my decisions through very well."

"No. you didn't." Spoke Waka. He didn't know why he found it so tempting to extend a bit of cruelty towards this particular stallion, maybe it was because his confidence reminded him of Issun, along with his temper. "If you plan on being a real leader, you are going to have to know how to deal with any problem, even if it's a verbal battle."

Shining narrowed his eyes at Waka, better-prepared for the spontaneous battle-of-wits. "Choice words from a half-baked prophet."

Amaterasu could be heard snickering from below the table.

"You remind me of someone I knew before I came here. We didn't get along either."

"Can't imagine why." Muttered Shining Armor.

"Of course, he was only four inches tall, so at least he had an excuse for looking so weak." Waka used his fingers to explain how small four inches was.

Shining smacked a hoof on the floor, creating a very loud Boom noise. "Do you want to back that up, fruitcake?"

Amaterasu was rolling with laughter, even in another world, Waka couldn't go more than a day without someone calling him a fruitcake.

He raised his hands to ear-level, exaggerating a shrug. "Alas, I was robbed of my weapon on the way here, perhaps another time, oui?"

"Stay. Right. Here." He teleported away.

"What in Equestria was that about?" Celestia didn't know which side was in the wrong during the argument so she had kept quiet.

"We just don't get along, it happens." Waka tried to go back to his drink, but was cut-off by Shining returning in another flash. He held Waka's sword in his teeth, sheath and all.

He tossed the tool to Waka, who caught it in the air. "Two hours, central colosseum, you and me."

Waka strapped the sword back on his belt. "Well that was a rather dramatic way to put it, you didn't even use complete sentences."

"Just be there!" He yelled as he turned to head back to his room, intent on showering before the duel.

Waka just sat there, sheath still in his hand. After a moment, he spoke up again. "I don't have to go, do I? I'd much rather just look-around the castle."

Amaterasu nipped him on the elbow, clearly expressing her distaste for the idea.

"I say, you aren't getting cold feet, are you Waka?" Asked Celestia with a smile.

"Hardly, I just don't want to go all the way back to town just to settle some schoolyard argument." He turned toward Celestia. "You really don't see a problem with him starting fights willy-nilly?"

"To be honest, I didn't know his intentions until the end. You should still be careful, he may act foolish sometimes but Shining Armor is still experienced beyond his years.

"Well that is just magnifique, isn't it? I'll go talk to him and see if we can settle this like adults. Until then, au revoir." He disappeared in sparkles again.

The only noise left in the hall was Amaterasu's snoring.

Shining slammed-open the door to his room, ready to make a b-line for the washroom. Instead of finding his kind, gentle wife waiting for him, he found Waka on his windowsill. "Bonjour, captain."

"What do you want? Come to talk things out? I've got bad news for you, nobody keeps insulting me like that and gets away with it."

"No." His voice was flat. "I came to warn you, you do not know what you are doing. I doubt that it will be very easy but I will win in two hours and when I do, I want to make sure that ponies know."

"Trying to play the ego game? They still won't respect you."

"Not at all, I want them to learn a lesson from your mistakes, I want them to know how serious it is when you try to hurt someone to solve your problems. I hope you show-up, because I plan on having as many people be there as possible."

"Big colt, aren't you? Trying to intimidate your opponent before a match. That sounds like a coward's tactic to me."

"Call me all the names you know captain, it won't change the fact that this entire challenge is a load of bunk. I hope that by the end of this, you will realize that. Until then, au revoir, baby." He made his hands into a V-for-victory symbol and disappeared.