*Whoosh*

The air had a gentle breeze. The smell of faint grass filled my nose as a vast expanse was open before my eyes. The stars shined beautifully above as a full moon lit up the dark night. It was pleasant.

"Well, I am rather glad you are having such nice dreams without my assistance." Luna suddenly came in as she was laying on a cloud next to me. "Though, I am surprised Moon is not with you."

"I'm not supposed to fully control my dreams after all." I gave a short reply as I stared forward.

"Even with your unpredictability, I suppose one can not change their dreams on a whim. Though, you have shown enough miracles for me to truly doubt that." She said with a small grin.

"I'll take that as a compliment." I replied briefly as I finally turned to her. "So, what brings you here?"

"I'm just here for a visit. I'm afraid neither me, nor my sister can visit for a while. A rather important talk with the surrounding nations is approaching, and we wish to cover all our bases before negotiating." She explained in a bored tone. "I hoped that you would have more interesting news."

"Well, it's interesting alright." I said. "The agents files, they took down Saddle Arabia's spies."

"Yes, I read about it. It gave my sister an advantage to use."

"Well, it seems they came from purely the South."

"What about it?"

"It's just a theory, but it's better to be safe than sorry." I warned as I willed a cup of tea to me.

"Hmm, I suppose you are correct. The Badlands are quite unpredictable after all." She murmured to herself. "Also, you are controlling your dreams." She said with a small glare.

I gave a chuckle at that. "You're right. I just like the scenery." I admitted as she left with an amuse smile.

"Alright, so." Floral said as he sat, looking over the field. "We've judged that those weapons suit you the best, but, until you actually use it, we won't know if it's the right one for you." He explained as he patted Harkon, whom he was sitting on. "So, get moving!"

"YES SIR!" The agents replied loudly as they looked over their weapons.

"Eagle, you're with me!" Gilda told him as Eagle ran over.

"This one's with me." Moon said as a tentacle grabbed Stargazer.

"Iron, head over to Moon. The rest of you, I'll be overlooking your training." Floral commanded as they split up.

With the agents and their weapons, they stood a bit apart as they waited for Floral.

"First things first, when you swing these weapons, I want you all to have the intention to kill!" He shouted as he stared at them. "None of you, and I repeat, none of you have the luxury to hold back. Now start training!"

"YES SIR!"

With their positions clear, the four agents separated to gain their own space. Floral went to each of them with a stern gaze that followed their every move.

"You're too stiff. Allow the chain to flow freely, you'll want that chain to wrap around anything your opponent might use." Floral instructed calmly. "Faster. Your attacks, no matter how strong you are, are useless if they don't hit anything."

*Bang*

"That was too strong. Now your sword is stuck." He told Heavy, who now had to pull his greatsword out of the ground. "Remember! You may overwhelm opponent with any skills or strengths you possess, but get too cocky and you'll only have a crutch to lean on!"

"How about something like this?" Steps asked as he slashed thrice in the air.

"An enemy initiates a stab attack before you land, what do you do?" Floral asked immediately.

"Uhh, I'd-"

"And you're dead." He cut him off.

"Aww."

"Don't get complacent. Don't be rash. Never fully commit to an attack unless you're absolutely sure your attacks will land. Even then, you'll still die if you're attacked by another in that split second." Floral kept telling them as he walked around them, checking to see each and every movement they made.

*Swish, swish*

Sweetie Drops, launching several different attacks in a short time, was making the air whistle with her attacks. Observing her, Floral gave a small smile as she seemed to be more focused.

*Twack*

"So, you can shoot." Gilda commented lazily as she was laying on the ground.

"Of course I can shoot!" Eagle said back, the bow positioned perfectly.

"Yeah, yeah, then, reload." She said without caring.

Grabbing an arrow from his back, Eagle Eye knocked it on the bow as he pulled back.

"Fire." Gilda commanded.

*Twack*

"Exactly what are you checking with this?" Eagle asked.

"Hmm." Gilda was thinking as she seemed to be dissatisfied with something. "Load again, fire without my command."

"Yes ma'am." He complied and knocked another arrow.

Without aiming, he released the arrow as it struck bullseye. Quite happy with this, he turned to Gilda, but she was still mad about something.

"You, fire without posting the bow on the ground." She said as she glared at the target.

"Alright." He said as he picked it up.

Knocking another arrow, he balanced on his back hooves as he aimed at the target. Holding the bow with one hoof, he used his other to pull the string back. With a sharp breath, he released as the arrow whistled through the air.

*Twack*

"Hmm, bad." Gilda commented as she stared at the arrow, stuck in the ground in front of the target.

"I'm not a unicorn. It's not exactly ideal for me to aim without setting up first." Eagle said, a little annoyed.

"Alright, let's say, you got attacked by more than one dude. And, maybe you take the first one, but, what about the others? You think you can win in a two v one?" She asked as she finally stood up. "Hell, you can't even win one on one. You're supposed to be the archer. You fight from long range."

"Then, that's just my fault isn't it? I wasn't good enough, so I lose." Eagle replied a bit nervously.

"Losing, is not an option." She said with a small sigh. "Look, I grew up getting in fights all the time. Physical ones. And let me tell you, losing doesn't just mean you lost a fight. It'd mean you lost your life." She explained with a firm tone. "In a fight, a real one. It's not about winning or losing, it's about living. Every punch, every kick, every small cut, all of those matter when it's about life and death. Only when you yourself have lived, you get to either show mercy, or none."

"I, I see." He relented as he thought on her words. "Aren't you younger than me? What kind of fights have you been having?"

"I grew up in Griffonstone. Every day, you steal, you cheat, steal again, get caught, fight your way out, then go on to steal again." She said it with a dismissive tone before laying back on her spot. "Now shoot. You're wasting your training time."

"I, yes ma'am." He wanted to say more.

"So, what am I learning?" Stargazer asked as he was dragged through the air by Moon.

With a small yawn, Moon finally stopped as she reached her destination. "You're learning the sword from me." She said as she put the two ponies down. "Iron, physical training. Start with legs."

"Understood." Iron gave a salute as he took his own space.

"The sword?"

"Yes, you're not exactly agile, mage." Moon responded as she dragged a random log over. "Although magic is very versatile, it still has a few problems. You know any of them?" She asked and brought out a coin from her mane before popping it in her mouth.

"Hmm." Stargazer gathered his words for a second as he ignored Moon's actions. "Well, magic can't be cast in an instant without focus. It's also heavily held back by how many spells the user knows. Then, there's the range which can only be determined with inherent talent and ridiculously high amounts of effort. Well, cutie marks also play a pretty big role too."

"And, it runs out. Quite a lot, if you don't have a proper way of preserving it." Moon added with a small smirk as she took a stretch before sitting down on the log.

"But, how? I'm constantly casting spell after spell in a fight. I can't really preserve it."

"That's the kind of shit you learn from somepony else. I can alter a few spells, but I can't really use pony magic." Moon dismissed it with a hoof. "What I'm getting at is, you need to learn to fight in close combat. Although a knife seems like a better choice, it's entirely different than a short sword. It has a much shorter range, so you'd need to get in, up close and confrontational." She said with a slightly joking tone. "The guy with the bow doesn't get one cuz he's a pegasus, he's fast. You can use teleportation and shit to avoid melee, but it's better to save that magic for another attack spell." She lazily explained, yet her eyes focused on Iron like a hawk.

"Yeah, I get what you're saying." Stargazer nodded.

"Good, all that magic shit means you're a scholar or something, right?" She was nonchalant.

"Um, yes." He answered. "Though, I don't understand. I thought instructor Floral would be teaching weapon arts?"

"Mainly, but you'd be surprised. He doesn't use a sword." She said as she decided to throw the log away and lie down. "Says he only learned other weapons cuz of disguises or something." She was distracted for a moment by something. "Anyways, I learned the sword growing up. So, I'd be better suited teaching you the short sword."

Stargazer frowned slightly as he had a question.

"It's a royal thing." Moon answered. "Doesn't matter. Let's start your shit." She grumbled and tossed him a short sword.

"Woah, heavy." He commented as he picked it up with his magic.

"Nah, no magic." Moon told him.

"Right." Stargazer admitted and picked it up with his mouth uncomfortably.

"What the fuck?" Moon was already disappointed.

"Wha-what is it?" He didn't know.

"No, I just don't understand. What's with you and all those Royal Guards doing that?" She said a bit annoyed.

"Um."

"The sword." She sighed. "Why do you all grab your weapons with your mouths? Sure, it's more convenient, but do you really think your hooves are weaker than your mouth and neck?"

"No?"

"Then why the fuck would you use your mouth?!"

"I-uhh." He didn't really know how to respond to that.

"Look, just, use your hooves. It's just, better in all aspects."

"Understood." He replied and gingerly grabbed it in his hooves.

With a long sigh, Moon tried to get another piece of chocolate from her mane, but couldn't find one.

"This, is gonna be long day." She muttered as she stared at Stargazer, whose form was that of a timid rabbit.

*Crackle*

A fire burned hot, giving warmth as five creatures surrounded it.

"No fucking way." Moon cursed as she held a bunch of letters.

"Sho-*gulp* ponies aren't scared of Moon anymore?" Gilda asked between bites of her meal.

"Not exactly." Floral replied, indescribably obvious that he was mad.

*Growl* Harkon let out a small sound as he snuggled to Floral, who seemed to be getting increasingly pissed off.

"Moon shines bright, with a smile so wide. Bringing joy to hearts, like the stars as guide." Zecora teased with an amused smile.

"Shut up, Z." Moon replied as she ripped one open.

Zecora simply gave a few chuckles at her attitude.

"What's it say?" Gilda asked curiously, also with a teasing smirk.

"It's, a fucking essay. I'm not reading all this." Moon said as she tossed it to Harkon, who blew a small burst of flames at it, burning it to ashes.

"Come on, I wanna see." Gilda disregarded her meal as she snatched one from Moon.

"Ugh, I bet it's all corny shit." Moon commented.

"I did wonder if you’d find a lover. With all the tales you tell, none could discover." Zecora commented as she joyfully bit into a steaming potato.

"How the fuck do you know about my story?" Moon just asked, though without malice or anger.

"I know lots of things, it's plain to see. With skills I've honed, I've become quite free." Zecora replied with a mysterious smile.

"You're proper creepy, you know that?" Moon just shot back.

Zecora chuckled once again.

"I always wonder if you're a magician. Because when I look at you, everypone else, disappears!" Gilda read the letter dramatically whilst suppressing her laughter.

"Oh, what the fuck!?" Moon yelled as she read it herself, complete disbelief in her eyes. "What kinda cringy ass line is this? At least make it bearable if you wanna seduce me!" She complained angrily.

"You must be a magnet, because you're attracting me!" Gilda read another line as she wheezed at the letters.

"Do you like raisins? How about a date?" Moon read another one with a confused face. "This one's worse, there isn't even a cringy pun!"

"A date is a rather sweet fruit, and you should be grateful these lines aren't rather crude." Zecora added in as she grabbed another letter out of interest. "Though I’m sure one that’s quite inappropriate will soon appear. It’ll bring a laugh, or maybe even a cheer." She said with a small chuckle as she read the details. "What I’m concerned of, though, is the nobles’ intention. To swarm this place, seeking your attention." She said as she inspected the fancy envelope.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I'm thinking of just asking either Celestia or Luna to just ban them from entering here." Moon said without thinking much.

Floral suddenly seemed to get an idea.

"Just let 'em come, if what I know about nobles are right, they'll be too scared to even come here again." Gilda suggested with a small smirk as she continued to read the letter. "Even I know what these guys are after." She said as she threw the letter into the fire.

"Yeah, I didn't think I'd actually get so popular. Some asshole from Celestia's and Luna's guards spilled the beans." Moon guessed as she threw the rest of the letters into the fire.

"Don’t bother them, my dear friend, it’s plain to see. Those nobles chase dreams that will never be." Zecora simply told Floral, who already had made plans.

Taking a glance at Zecora, Floral pondered for a moment before sighing. "Fine, I guess you're right. They're already troubled with something else anyway." He mumbled without much thought.

*Whine*

"How are you holding up?" Floral asked without much thought as he petted Harkon.

Harkon gave a small whine at that.

"So, I was right." He commented calmly.

Harkon made no movements, yet he simply stared forward with a sad gaze.

"They all leave at some point, we just have to accept it, and decide what to do from there." He spoke with a comforting tone.

With a questioning look, Harkon turned to Floral.

"No, never go where I went. It's a lonely path, and it'll eat you alive before you know it." He denied softly as he gave a small hug to the oversized puppy. "I'm sorry you had to grow up so early." He mumbled as he continued to comfort him.

Harkon wept.

"Come on, there's some beef left. I can make you your favorite steak." Floral said with a small smile.

Laying for a few seconds, Harkon got up. Slightly more upbeat as he followed Floral slowly.

Author's Note

You know, to make this chapter, I basically learned the basics on how to use short swords. It's fascinating how one would randomly decide to spend more time on something they enjoy.

Anyways, thanks for reading!