Canterlot Academy Trials

Later on, in the medical tent…

Fang’s entire family had rushed to see him but the nurses were only allowed to let adult-aged individuals into the facility. Which meant that only Fang’s mother and his friends were allowed to go see him while his aunt waited outside with the rest of his cousins.

“Fang! Are you okay?” his mother gasped upon entering the tent in which her son was lying on a medical bed with bandages around his body.

“...My condition is…stable,” he replied hesitantly, “I’ll be fine, mother. Don’t worry yourself over me.”

But she was inclined to whether he wanted it or not. His mother placed a paw on his cheek to console him. “It’s my job as your mother. And of course, beyond that, I love you, Fang. You know I’m going to be concerned regardless. As is everyone else outside.”

Fang sighed as his mother pulled her paw back. “Grrgh…I bet everyone is utterly disappointed in me because I lost, aren’t they?”

“Not at all,” his mother replied with a shake of her head as she opened the medical tent. “Just listen…”

And outside, they’d be able to hear his cousins praise him…

“That was like a kung-fu movie!” one of the male pups chirped, “Fang was so cool!”

“He took her kicks like they were nothing and still walked away!” one of the female pups squealed, “He’s so strong!”

“He dropped out of the fight because he was being nice,” one of the older male pups mused with a smirk on his face, “He would’ve totally obliterated that pussy had he used his secret technique.”

Their mother--Fang’s aunt--simply giggled in response to what her children had to say.

“Hrm…” Fang couldn’t help but chuckle also. “What…they think I have some sort of secret ability up my ass so strong that I dropped out on purpose?”

His mother spoke honestly, “...I could tell whatever was going on down there you were hurt, and didn’t want to expend yourself. There’s no shame in abandoning a fight you know you can’t win, son.”

“...it’s the reason why father…” Fang paused and shook his head, “Nevermind. I shouldn’t speak of that. He’s still around and wouldn’t want us to gossip about him, right?’ he added with a weak smile. “...fair enough,” he replied as his mother closed the tent.

“Don’t worry, Fang. We all love you and are proud of you,” she encouraged him with a smile, “Watching you fight like that makes me feel safer already. I don’t think any of us could’ve taken on such a strong-looking Abyssinian.”

Fang had started to think about the battle he had just experienced. Historically speaking, the Abyssinians and Diamond Dogs used to not like each other very much and even treated each other poorly based on each other’s species. Nowadays though, things were much more amicable…for the most part.

Fang couldn’t help but wonder though--did Sha’Beel treat him poorly just because he was a Diamond Dog or was there some other reason altogether? Whatever the case, it wasn’t something he was going to figure out from a hospital bed.

“...Thank you, mother. But you don’t need to worry for much longer. Go spend time with the rest of the family, please.”

“Okay…I’ll be here for the next few days,” his mother kissed his forehead before leaving the tent, to which Rufus entered after.

“...hey, pal. You alright?”

“Not really, no,” the diamond dog replied with a chuckle.

The yak bull sat next to his friend’s hospital bed and sighed. “...listen, pal. I don’t know why you’d just drop out of the fight like that but…it made you look pretty immature ya know that?”

Fang sighed, fully aware of how poor his actions reflected upon himself. Despite this, the canid stood firm in his beliefs. “...that Abyssinian Tigress claimed I have no honor because I fight for others. She claims that a true warrior should fight for themselves first and foremost.”

“Well…she’s got a bit of a point but…” Rufus acknowledged that bettering oneself was important. However… “Yeah she’s a bit self-righteous with it. Now lemme ask you this, pal...you disagree with her right?”

“Of course.”

“...so why not stand and fight?” Rufus asked with a worried tone, “Don’tcha believe in whatcha say enough to fight back and challenge someone over it?”

“...” Those words pierced Fang’s soul as his eyes shot open, and looked away from Rufus. “...I didn’t wish to show her my will. For I hate people like her. People who are simply…fake. Fake to themselves and to the rest of the world.”

Rufus paused for a second and shook his head. “Gah…I’m not good with this stuff. Spear?”

Spearklip entered the tent and provided her take on the situation, “What he means to say is…it’s not good to let someone else disturb you to the point of quitting a battle, Fang. What did she even say to you?”

“...she insulted my desire to fight for my family,” Fang explained with a bitter, somber tone of voice, “You know my mother’s heart is weak and can’t function without her medication. Well Sha’Beel--the cretin thinks she knows everything. That her philosophy is the correct one…I refuse to acknowledge her.”

The zebra mare paused for a moment and sighed. “...I get now, Fang. You felt that she personally attacked you for simply disagreeing with her and didn’t want to bother convincing her otherwise because you didn’t see it as worth the effort.”

The dalmatian simply lied down. “...Make no mistake. I wish to fight her again. But only when she casts off her false identity and understands that there’s more to life than what she decided to meditate about for a few days.”

Rufus looked at Spear and commented, “...I can see where he’s coming from. After all, I don’t agree with the other yaks about how they treat outsiders. Even now, they’re still hesitant to ask for help. That’s something I want nothing to do with.”

“...The zebras of Farasi tend to be rather isolated,” Spear added, “Many of us came here to form our own ideals and understand new ways of life as well. Sounds to me like Sha’Beel simply doesn’t comprehend that not everyone has the luxury of being able to soul-search. In essence, you want to fight her when she's at her fullest potential and not a slave to her mantra.”

Fang nodded. "Exactly. Her own mentality is a handicap. One that I don't wish to engage with. I want to fight the real version her. Not some puppet on strings."

“Ohhhhh. I get it now. She's basically holding herself back with the way she thinks, and you wanna fight her when she's able to think for herself,” Rufus added with a newfound sense of realization, “I betcha now. How’re we gonna convince her?”

“...We can discuss this at a later time,” Fang added with a groan as he rolled onto his side, “For now, I’d like to rest until I’m healed. Rufus, call me when Spear’s finale battle is set to start, alright?”

Rufus nodded. “Will do, pal. I wanna see you fight her again.”

And with that, the two left the medical tent, contemplating on how they’d get the tigress to understand the feelings of others.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the stadium…

A certain tigress had shown the medal she won to a tigress of similar height, albeit this one was clearly older with wrinkles around his face and wearing a black business suit and holding a cane in his paw.

“...I’ve done it, master. I ignored all distractions and won,” Sha’Beel explained to her superior.

“Good work,” the elder tiger abyssinian spoke in a husky male voice, “Looks like you proved me wrong after all.”

“...Master. If I may,” Sha’Beel interjected, “...must a real warrior always fight for themselves? Or is it possible to be a warrior that fights for the cause of others as well? My opponent, Jun Fang. He…fights for his family and his mother…is such a thing possible?”

The elder tiger flicked his tail and hissed under his breath. “A true warrior prides themselves on clearing their mind of worldly bonds and connections, Sha’Beel. Your opponent was of a weak mind, hence why he gave up,” he scoffed in disgust while glancing at the family of diamond dog Dalmatians near the medical tent, “...as those filthy flea-bitten toilet drinking mutts tend to.”

“...But--”

From the tip of the cane, a red button appeared. “...don’t make me discipline you, Sha’Beel. Fall in line, or get left behind. That is our way. Understand?”

“...” The tigress simply bowed in a robotic fashion. “Yes, master.”

Even if Dorm Block Sigma wasn't aware, they were right about one thing: This Abyssinian Tigress was indeed a slave to her mantra.