Fighting Fit

by Shrinky Frod

Rating: everyone
Tags: Tempest Shadow, Comedy, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: The Movie, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Kerfuffle
Length: 3812

Tempest Shadow needs a dress. Rarity is too busy to make one. What other fashionista could understand the requirements of a dress for a pony who fights?

Tempest Shadow has her orders - she has been assigned as the personal bodyguard of Princess Twilight at the Princess’ first Grand Galloping Gala. Of course, given the requirements of the position, Tempest is reasonably certain that the only reason she was given the job is because the Princess is engaged in one of her covert friendship lessons.

Still, she has to get a proper gown, and a plus-one. Fortunately, Rarity has a referral for where she can get both… if Tempest realizes what her options are.

Originally written for The May Original Pairing Contest 2020 Cover art by Snow Quill!

Published 2020-05-29 14:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-05-29 14:50:01 UTC

Fitting Referral

Author's Note

Story is set a year or two into Twilight’s reign, while she is establishing herself as the reigning princess and increasing integration with other races from surrounding nations.

Fitting Referral

Tempest Shadow stepped into Carousel Boutique, glancing around at the dresses on display while she waited for the client speaking with Rarity to finish their business. She felt a dull rumbling through the floor, and turned to see a young yak approaching her with a bright smile.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique! May Yona help pony?” The yak asked.

“I need to speak with Rarity about a custom dress,” Tempest explained. “Something for the Gala, but I have some very... specific requirements.”

“Okay,” Yona nodded. “May Yona take pony’s measurements while Miss Rarity is busy?”

<“Yes, thank you for your assistance,”> Tempest replied in Yakkish, following Yona to the workstation in the shop
.
<”You speak yak?”> Yona asked, turning to look over her shoulder, her tail positively wagging in excitement.

<”A little. I have travelled for many long nights,”> Tempest explained with a smile. <”Not much though.”>

<”More than most ponies! Even> Professor Pinkie Yona pointed out.. She took a tape measure into her cloven hooves and waited for Tempest to take a comfortable position. <”Thank you>, but Yona speaks Ponish fine, and yak words for some of this hard for ponies. Please hold up your leg, let Yona know if too tight.”

Tempest submitted herself to Yona’s work, letting the yak measure her limbs, barrel, checking her tail length.

“Unicorn built like earth pony,” Yona observed. “Must be very strong!”

“You don’t wander the Wastes without putting on some muscle,” Tempest chuckled. “I’m surprised you’re working here, to be honest. Hadn’t expected to see any of the Princess’ foreign students staying in Equestria, let alone Ponyville.”

“Yona has her reasons” the yak giggled. “And Miss Rarity is very good employer!”

“Well, I’m certainly glad to hear that,” Rarity tittered as she approached the two of them. “It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here, Miss Shadow! I presume this is a business visit?”

“It is,” Tempest confirmed, extending a hoof for Yona to check the circumference. “Princess Twilight is hosting her first Gala in two weeks, and I’ve been ‘invited.’ In reality, I’ve been assigned as the Princess’ personal bodyguard, in case any of the Celestines try to use the Gala as an opportunity to make some sort of statement. And it was made explicitly clear to me that I am to wear a gown, rather than a uniform, and to bring a ‘plus one.’ Friendship lesson,” Tempest said dryly.

“Ah,” Rarity frowned. “Yes, Twilight does have a penchant for disregarding personal threats. And so you require a gown fitted appropriately for you to move freely, in case of a fight?”

“And, preferably, that won’t ignite if I have to use magic,” Tempest confirmed. “Do you think that’s something you could manage in time?”

“Well, normally I’m sure I could, but as it is I’m afraid that I’m quite swamped with orders already,” Rarity frowned. “And something of this sort requires more in the way of actual experience fighting, so I don’t really have any assistants I could enlist instead. Fighting like I’ve learned to do, Yona,” she added, smiling at the yak before she could pipe up. “Yak techniques are rather different than what I’ve seen Miss Shadow do in the past, and would involve more in the way of a helmet than a properly fitted gown.”

“That why yaks fight best,” Yona shrugged, writing down the last measurement. “Can fight in parka, shawl, or nothing at all! Here are fighting pony’s measurements, Miss Rarity.”

“Thank you, Yona.” Rarity took the paper with Tempest’s measurements and read through it briefly.

“But yes,” she continued, looking back to Tempest. “I’m afraid that I can’t produce something from scratch. I do have some gowns that I could adjust though,” she mused. “They wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be better than something off the rack, or from a designer who doesn’t have the exper- whahaha!” She suddenly laughed, rearing up and rushing back over to her workstation, starting to rifle through business cards with her magic.

“I have just the solution, darling!” The fashionista explained. “A colleague of mine has just the experience you need, and could use the publicity of providing a gala gown! Plus, I believe they’ve finally gotten the train service established there….”

Tempest Shadow listened closely as Rarity rambled on about her contact, and prepared herself for a trip out to Hope Hollow.

Complements of the House

Hope Hollow was… quaint. That was the polite word for it. Hardly the worst place that Tempest had ever visited, even if she did restrict herself to Equestria. She couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable though.

So many bright, friendly smiles, and ponies willing to wave to strangers. It just wasn’t natural.

Tempest snorted, reminding herself that she was in Equestria. Friendly was normal, and hadn’t bothered her in Ponyville. No, she knew exactly what was making her uncomfortable about the village, and each little cottage with a happy family inside reminded her of it. It was too much like home.

A yellow ball fell from the sky and bounced off of Tempest’s head out of nowhere. She scowled and put a hoof on top of the ball when it rolled over from the fence it hit next, looking up to see where it had come from.

“Sorry lady!” One of two yellow-brown pegasus foals called down, a colt wearing a red jacket. “I hope it didn’t hurt you?”

“No, just a surprise,” Tempest replied after a deep breath to calm the biting remark she wanted to make. “Maybe try playing a little closer to the ground.”

“Hey, we’re not playing!” The colt’s sister scowled.. “We’re practicing a new trick! If we practiced lower, we’d crash into something.”

“Or somepony,” the colt added. “Could you float that back….” He trailed off as he noticed Tempest’s broken horn. “Uhm….”

Tempest rolled her eyes and sighed inwardly. She pushed down on the ball, bouncing it up a bit so she could grab it in a forehoof and throw it up above her head. Then she jumped, twisting herself into a spinning kick that sent the ball sailing up towards the two pegasus foals, where the sister caught it with wide eyes.

“Woah,” they both said with awe, watching as Tempest landed and kept walking into town.

The dark-coated mare followed Rarity’s instructions to the boutique in town, taking in the panoply of colors that were on display everywhere. When she saw the boutique window, she almost braced herself before going in.

The ponies in this town loved their bright colors.

“Howdy do!” The pony in the shop called out cheerfully when the bell on the door rang. “Welcome to Kerfuffle’s Creations! I’m Kerfuffle.” A pastel blue pony in a brightly colored wrap grinned broadly at Tempest as she stuck her head out of a back room. “I’ll be right with ya, just as soon as I get this fabric put back up.”

“I can wait,” Tempest nodded slightly, looking around at the displays. She recognized several of Rarity’s dresses, or at least very close facsimiles, with only slight variations in accessories or trim.

Very good facsimiles though. No wonder Rarity thought she’d be a good substitute.

There was a creaking from the back room, and then the sound of a wooden door slamming shut. Kerfuffle trotted up towards the front, an odd sound making Tempest’s ear twitch on every other step.

“Now, what can I do ya for?” Kerfuffle asked cheerfully. “We don’t get visitors out here that often, at least not this time of year!”

“I need a gown,” Tempest started, turning to face the seamstress. “One that I can....” The former Commander’s breath caught in her throat as she saw Kerfuffle coming out from behind the counter, and the artificial leg that had been making the faintly metallic hoofbeats she’d noticed.

“One that I can move easily in,” Tempest continued, coughing to try and cover for her lapse. She thought better of it, and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it like that.”

“Oh, don’t be.” Kerfuffle smiled and shrugged. “It catches a lot of ponies by surprise the first time they see it. I know you didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”

“Yeah,” Tempest sighed. “Well, as I was saying, I need a gown, something fit for the Grand Galloping Gala, but I need it to be one that I can fight in if something happens. I’m security for one of the dignitaries,” she added.

The blue pegasus actually seemed more put off by the request than Tempest’s rudeness just before. It was subtle, but Tempest could read the wariness behind the slight lean back, the faint flutter of wings that weren’t sure if they should be flaring out to intimidate, or spreading to take flight.

“Well whydja think I’d be the pony to come to?” Kerfuffle asked her, trying to play off her hesitance.

“I actually didn’t,” Tempest admitted. “I was referred to you by Rarity, when she wasn’t able to take the time for the job herself. She said you were the only other designer she trusted with the job,” she added

“She did?” Kerfuffle squealed, her wariness abandoned as she bounced up into the air, bringing her forehooves up to her mouth. “Oh wow! I can’t believe it!” The pastel pegasus did a spin in place, and then touched back down with a spring in her step.

“Sorry about that, I used to know some not-so-nice ponies, and they’re about the only ones who know about me designing clothes for whatcher askin’ for.”

“I’m a little surprise you’d run into ponies like that in a little town like this,” Tempest observed, taking out the note with her measurements and passing it over. “Updated from Rarity’s shop, should save us a little time.

“Oh ho, no, I don’t know ‘em from around here,” Kerfuffle laughed. “I did my apprenticeship in Whinnyappolis and… well… sometimes a pony needs a few extra bits, y’know?”

“Better than you imagine,” Tempest admitted. “On the plus side, at least you didn’t nearly conquer Equestria for a power-crazed ape obsessed with stealing magical power. So, if we’re comparing low points in ‘I needed the money,’ I probably still have you beat.”

Kerfuffle looked at her, cocking her head to the side.

“I don’t know if you’re serious or not,” she admitted. “And that worries me.”

“Storm King’s invasion, it’s… a long story,” Tempest admitted. “But I’ve been working for the Princess since then, which brings us back to the dress.”

“Right! Something that you can fight in, that’s not too hard.” Kerfuffle walked around Tempest, giving her an appraising look. “What sort of gear do you use?”

“If there’s any way to conceal my armor, I usually have plates for my haunches and shoulders,” Tempest explained. “I don’t use much in the way of weapons, but I need a lot of mobility. Hoof-fighting isn’t something that gets along with petticoats and long skirts, but I do need to be able to blend in at the gala.”

“Oh, I can do that easy,” Kerfuffle said with a shrug. “Concealing your armor might take a little more work, at least without making you look like a cow, but maybe if I built ruffles around them.. Do you have them with you?”

“I try not to bring them out in public.”

“Makes other ponies nervous, got it,” Kerfuffle nodded slightly. “Well, we wouldn’t want that. You know, the easiest way to make sure I give ya enough room would be for us to get a little sparring in so I can see how y’move. You up for it? I’ve got room in the yard.”

“You. Want to spar. With me.” Tempest chuckled lowly, shaking her head as Kerfuffle’s eyebrow went up. “I’m sorry, I don’t doubt that you know what you’re doing, but I’ve led armies bef- why are you taking your leg off?”

“Because Torque’d kill me if I scratched it up on that horn of yours,” Kerfuffle shot back, smirking slyly at the dark-furred unicorn. “You might’ve fought more royal guards, but I’ve actually been in fights. You know, with ponies who know more than how to look pretty in armor? Or are ya just worried I’ll prove that’s all you’re good at too?”

Tempest snorted and shook her head again.

“Your funeral. Ponies just don’t get what real fights are like outside Equestria.”

Kerfuffle tossed her leg onto the counter and nodded her head towards the back door.

“Prove it.” She spread her wings and flew out to the yard, keeping herself within a few hooves of the ground.

“This is going to go badly for one of us,” Tempest mused as she followed her out.

Kerfuffle was stretching herself out in the yard, her wrap sitting over the fence where it would be out of the way. The pegasus had a little pudge, but when she stretched Tempest could see the traces of lean muscle beneath it. She probably hadn’t actually had a fight in a long time, but she’d been something of a terror once.

For a pony who’d lived on the ‘mean streets’ of Whinnyappolis, at any rate.

Don’t embarrass her too badly, Tempest, she reminded herself as she took a brief stretch of her own.. For around here, she’s probably the closest they’ve got to a real fighter.

Kerfuffle pulled herself up into the air for a tight vertical roll, her hind hoof cracking against the fence as she came out of the roll into a kick, hovering a bit above the ground afterwards.

“Fences don’t hit back,” Tempest pointed out, dropping into a crouch before doing a backflip of her own. “Royal guard rules? No magic, no flying where I can’t reach you and dropping things on me, we go to three points?”

“I was thinkin’ alley style, myself,” Kerfuffle counteroffered. “Nothin’ that needs a nurse and if I fly out of reach for more than a few seconds I forfeit. Can you even use magic in a fight?” She asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Not without somepony needing a nurse. Or a mortician. I won’t do more than spark,” Tempest promised, “I can’t always stop that. Are you sure you don’t just want me to show you what I do? Without having to actually connect?”

“Psh, then I don’t get to see what you do when yer dodging!” Kerfuffle waved her off. “Don’t worry about- woah!”

The blue pegasus shot up into the air as Tempest pounced at her, planting a forehoof and spinning herself around with her momentum. She blew through the spot where Kerfuffle had been hovering, quickly rolling to plant her hooves and watch her opponent.

“Oh, so that’s how we’re doing this, eh?” Kerfuffle grinned. “Well let’s go then!”

Suddenly, she dove at Tempest, her body narrowing into a feathery missile. The unicorn jumped to the left, only to feel Kerfuffle slam into her side when she threw a wing out to the side, turning on a bit and ramming into her target. The two ponies tumbled briefly, before Tempest kicked her attacker off and back into the air, rolling back to her hooves and kicking hard for the spot she knew she should be.

The wet, yielding ‘smack’ of a pony being thrown through the air by the impact told her she’d connected before she could see the results. Kerfuffle spun out of control for a moment, but quickly caught herself and dove for Tempest again.

Huh, recovers well, Tempest thought. Adapts to the situation on the fly. Good control and reflexes, she’d hit like a freight train if she had that other leg on.

This time, the more seasoned fighter had an idea what was coming for her, and instead of jumping to the side she leaped upwards, over Kerfuffle’s flight path, and kicked down just enough to tap the pegasus between the wings.

Kerfuffle yelped at the feeling of a hoof between her shoulderblades, but spun herself up into a tight roll, one leg scraping the grass before it shot out to clip Tempest’s twisting flank.

The unicorn landed, and each fighter watched the other like a hawk, sizing their opponent up all over again.

Tempest hadn’t expected Kerfuffle to be able to move so tightly, but could tell that the seamstress was getting winded. There was a faint sheen of sweat on her fur, glistening in the sun as she bobbed up and down in the air.

Kerfuffle, on the other hoof, could still feel the spot where Tempest had just kicked her. Or stepped on her, more accurately. Her cheeks flushed as she realized what Tempest could have done, if she’d wanted to.

She’s better than me. The realization stung, but there was no way around it. She’d talked herself up, but Tempest was in another league entirely.

And she was holding back. If she hadn’t been….

“Y’sure yer not part pegasus?” Kerfuffle teased, hiding her newfound concern. She circled around the unicorn, keeping her eyes on Tempest’s joints, watching for them to bend and give her even a hint of what she was going to do next.

“I just move like one,” Tempest countered. “Come closer and I’ll show you I can hit like an earth pony too.”

She’s a brawler, not a soldier, Tempest reminded herself as she turned to keep Kerfuffle in her vision. Stay level, don’t let her irritate you.

She had to admire the pegasus though. She’d landed one solid hit, and grazed her with another. More than any of the guards had done during other sparring matches. And she fought with flexibility that the Guard would have killed for, if they had any sense.

A second set of eyes on the Princess’ other side wouldn’t hurt, you know.

Of course, Kerfuffle wasn’t wearing full ceremonial armor, and Tempest wasn’t using any weapons. If either of those were the case, this would probably be a lot more one-sided. The seamstress had potential though, if she got back in fighting shape and had a little actual training.

Well, you do need a plus one, Tempest! She chuckled briefly, relaxing her stance slightly.

“Anything else you need to see?”

“Huh?” Kerfuffle blinked, snapped out of her focus on the match.

“Before you have an idea of how to modify a gown for me? Or did you just want to watch me show off?”

“Heh… I ah… I guess I sort of got distracted with trying not to get my flank kicked.”

“You’ve been doing better than I expected you to,” Tempest offered.. “Why don’t I show you a few more moves, and then I can let you get to the design part of things? You’ll need some time to make two gala gowns.”

“Two? If I’m doing my job, you’ll only need one of ‘em,” Kerfuffle smirked.

“Oh, I know. But I was thinking my ‘plus one’ will need one too, if she’s the sort to try and keep up with me. If you’re interested?”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t turn down a second commission, but - ooooooh!” The pegasus blushed brightly. “Are ya sure? I’m not really the Grand Galloping Gala type, ya know.”

Tempest raised an eyebrow, looking up at her horn and pointing at the scar over her eye.

“Ya know,” Kerfuffle grinned, “now that ya mention it, I think I might have some ideas that would work well with our coats after all. So why don’t you show me what you can do when you aren’t dodging, and I’ll draw up a few sketches?”

“Fly back - I can cover a lot of ground,” Tempest warned her, before starting to show off her moves, a little extra oomph in her kicks despite the bruises forming on her side.

At the Gala!

Tempest curtsied as she met Princess Twilight at the top of the stairs leading into the palace ballroom, clad in a pale golden dress and wearing a simple matching tiara that capped her broken horn, a topaz gem sparkling beneath it on the unicorn’s forehead.

“Well, you certainly didn’t take half measures with your uniform tonight,” Twilight smiled warmly. “Does that mean you actually brought along a date as well?”

“‘Date’ may be a strong word,” Tempest admitted. “But I did bring company. I need a pony to watch the side of you that I’m not on, after all.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and chuckled, turning to start down the stairs.

“Tempest, I sincerely doubt that anything will happen. And if it does,” she added, looking down at her unicorn friend, “I want you to focus on protecting the other ponies here, not me. So, who did you bring along?”

“I actually believe you’ve met.” Tempest followed on Twilight’s right side, eyes scanning the gathered crowd. “I invited a new friend from Hope Hollow to come along.”

“Well, I’m glad that you’re meeting new ponies.” Twilight smiled, nodding to Fancy Pants and Fleur as she passed them.

“With a little help from ones she’s already met,” Rarity tittered as she came up to give Twilight a hug. “I’m glad that you and Kerfuffle got on so well!”

“Ya could have told her why ya were referring her to me, ya know.” Kerfuffle smiled as she followed Rarity over, dressed in a rose gold gown that offset the light tones of Tempest’s outfit.

“Kerfuffle! So you’re Tempest’s date?” Princess Twilight leaned forward, giving the pegasus a friendly hug when she flew up to just a bit beneath eye level with the growing alicorn.

“If ya can convince her to call it that,” Kerfuffle teased. “Fizzy’s still figuring things out. But for tonight, I’m yer left flank.”

“Of course,” Twilight sighed, rolling her eyes indulgently as Kerfuffle took up position on Twilights side. “Just remember that the ambassadors are generally friends of mine, and not being aggressive if they get within arm’s length?”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Princess,” Kerfuffle giggled. “Just try to enjoy yourself, and we’ll stay out of yer way.”

Author's Note

Short story here, but I've always had trouble with action scenes, and that was kind of the heart of the story right there. Hopefully it pushed in the right direction all the same!

The story originally came out of thinking about why a pony who was into fashion would be named for a scuffle, argument, or brawl - what Kerfuffle actually means, usually. And from there, the idea that she was a bit of a fighter just kind of came out, and the HMS Fizzlefuff sailed forth!

No idea if I'll ever do more with this particular universe, but we'll see.