(http://mylittlephony.citycyb.org/phony/aegis.png). Aegis had made a makeshift punching bag of sorts out of a sack filled with grain and some discarded paper. She had set it up outside at a park, tied to a branch on one of the smaller trees and was busy practicing her punches.
She paused only briefly to wipe a bit of sweat away from her brow and take a breath to regain herself. The bag had started swinging awkwardly and was making landing a blow difficult so she waited for it to stop. "Dumb wind." She cursed aloud, blaming it on the near non existent breeze.
Her shoulder was starting to ache too. "Don't give in to pain. That's not what a proper shield does." She chanted to herself, sizing up to swing again.
@Ruriska
The world outside her house was still exciting to Oathkeeper. For some long she had stared out the window, bound by a promise to her mother, only ever seeing the light of day when she dared peek under the curtains instead of going to sleep.
Now that she was older and had grown into her attitude (as Noble liked to say with arched brows) Oathkeeper was free to wander. Her loyalty to her family was still absolute but now she could stretch her legs properly and see interesting things.
Like a youngster pummeling the heck out of a sack.
She wandered over and watched the filly swing for a bit before she said, "you're doing it wrong."
@Fealine
Aegis had landed a few more blows but the sack kept swaying side to side instead of front to back like she had hoped. Frustrated, she stopped, fluttering her wings and giving her shoulder a rest before she heard someone call out behind her.
'you're doing it wrong.'
About hissing, Aegis whipped around, expecting to see some punk foal but instead her gaze landed on the hooves of a pink old enough with..... a.....tan...head?
Blinking in confusion, Aegis was taken aback a moment before her wrinkled nose re appeared. "What do you mean I'm doing it wrong? I've been training like... all my life. I think I know what I'm doing." she said, a bit out of breath....and perhaps not fully correct either. But she was going to get strong, be strong and protect people, for the right price anyways. She wasn't about to let someone else tell her the way she beat something up was
wrong.
@Ruriska
Oathkeeper had been expecting the snarky attitude because wasn't that how people normally behaved anyway? It certainly seemed normal to her that the other Phony wouldn't like to be challenged and she was ready for it.
"Yeah, sure," she scoffed. "Has anyone ever actually taught you how to fight or have you just been hitting the bag and hoping you get strong?"
She took a few steps closer and asked, "are your shoulders sore?"
@Fealine
Aegis had opened her mouth to say her dad but then.... how much had he really shown her? What she was doing was mostly just being a little copy cat of him while trying to keep her mother's poise.
"I haven't needed anyone to train me!" She said at first, scoffing and turning herself slightly away from the other so that they didn't see her cheeks pinken. At the mention of sore shoulders, Aegis realized she had tensed herself up and took a breath, trying to let it all go. She was ready to lie and say no when a twinge of pain shot from her right shoulder to her face.
"Only a little......s'nothing I can't handle...." she said, though this time a lot more softly.
@Ruriska
"That's just stupid," Oathkeeper scoffed. "Don't you have family to teach you these things? It's important to know how to fight properly." She was annoyed for the fillies sake. "Gotta nip these bad habits in the butt now before you get too old to change."
She trotted the last bit of distance between them and reared up in front of the sack, jabbing at it almost playfully. She was light on her hooves but steady. Jab, jab, POW. The last strike was strong and straight, sending the sack flying backwards.
Oath dropped back down, leaning her head to the side as the sack swung back and past where she had been.
"To start with strength isn't all about muscle and you're far too tense."
@Fealine
Aegis was absolutely blown away. "I do....but.... I..." she faltered.
It was one thing to be told she was wrong repeatedly but when the other pony came over, reared up and landed proper blows on the sack.... well the usually mouthy filly was at a loss for words. She rolled her shoulders again, feeling her tensed muscles and pondering the others words. "Not all about strength?" It didn't really make sense.
She eyed the peculiar pony over and only then noticed that the other's cutie mark was a shield. She glanced back at the other, stitches around her neck, where wings should be...her two colored eyes as well as her two toned body. "Who.....exactly are you?" she asked softly, slightly blushing. She didn't even know why she was blushing yet. Perhaps embarrassment...perhaps awe. Maybe even both. But that dodge was pretty dang cool....could she do that too???
@Ruriska
"My name is Oathkeeper," she answered, lifting her head proudly. "And I'm your new teacher."
It was probably presumptuous to declare but
somebody had to step in and the filly wasn't going to reach her potential without help. Not to mention it made Oathkeeper feel quite cool.
"Firstly, you have to answer an important question." She paused for effect. "
Why do you want to be strong?"
@Fealine
Oathkeeper.... shield mark... was this phony.....?
"Teacher????!" she blinked, stunned. "And....why?" Aegis paused and her face wrinkled into a confused frown. Wasn't that obvious? She had family to protect, not to mention anyone she'd dare call a friend. Also just... anyone who paid her. She had read all about things like bodyguards and bouncers and how they got paid to literally beat people up, it was so cool!
But then... she didn't exactly share that with everyone. She just sorta...punched first and asked questions...well never.
"To protect others. I'm going to beat up their enemies." she nodded.
@Ruriska
It was the right answer.
Oathkeeper nodded as well. "Good. That's important." She tapped her chest. "That's my purpose too. Some folks get the wrong idea about my family or make rumours and don't show them the respect they deserve. It's my job to stop that and keep my family safe. So I became strong for them."
She stood proudly before the little filly that she was not determined to take under her (non-existent) wing.
"If you want me to teach you, you have to promise loyalty. You need to be focused and never falter. Can you do that?"
@Fealine
Promise loyalty? "What do you mean?" Aegis tilted her head and frowned. "I am loyal. I mean... I think I am..." she blinked, glancing down at her hooves. She wanted to use these to protect her family, loved ones and whoever was her highest bidder. Was that not being loyal?
Suddenly afraid to give the wrong answer, she took a deep breath and glanced back up to Oathkeeper with renewed determination. "I promise. I can do it!!" She nodded, puffing out her wings proudly. "I wont let any harm come to anyone I've sworn to protect, that's my duty!"
@Ruriska
"Well said!"
With a solemn nod, Oathkeeper reached out and placed her hoof onto Aegis' shoulder. "Then I promise to teach you and give you the skills to fulfill that promise. From this day on, you..." it was at this moment she paused and realized she hadn't even learnt the fillies name yet but she forged on regardless, "you shall be my squire!"
Every great knight had a squire and so surely that meant Oathkeeper needed one too.
@Fealine
A sort of bubbling energy rose up inside Aegis that she hadn't quite ever felt before as the other touched her shoulder and declared her a squire.
A squire... a true squire!!
She could almost jump for joy right now she was so excited! "I wont let you down!!" she beamed, rearing back and tossing a couple of fake punches to the air before blinking sheepishly. "Oh... I'm Aegis by the way... I guess you need to know if you are to be my... master? Lady? What should I call you?" she blinked again, searching her mind for the proper way to address her new mentor.
@Ruriska
"Aegis is a fine name for a squire and future knight," Oathkeeper said with a little grin at the end. It was exciting to step into a mentor role. She could hardly wait to get home later and tell Highgarden all about it.
But first - "You can refer to me however you like. Sir Oath, perhaps? Master is fine. Just not lady. Sounds far too weak." She took a fighter stance in front of Aegis and sized up her new squire. "So, are you ready for your first lesson?"
@Fealine
Aegis stood proud and tall at the compliment of her name. "Of course Sir Oath! Though... if I may, just because we may be ladies does not mean we are weak." she said with a firm nod. She hated the stereotype that females couldn't be strong. She'd show them...
"OH, Yes, always!" she snapped back to attention, raising a hoof in a slight salute, tucking her wings neatly against her saddle and side. Her normally narrowed eyes were now bright and shining with happiness, but also a solid determination.
@Ruriska
Oathkeeper's head tilted thoughtfully. "That's a good point. I'll keep in mind. But even so, I'm no lady." She was firm on that. To her a lady was someone who fought with words and intentions, not with their body. That was a different sort of strength to her own.
The older Phony nodded as Aegis squared up, ready for training. "Good." Without warning, Oathkeeper struck, one solid blow that she hoped would knock the young carousel over. She did so without mercy or regret. As far as she was concerned, the only way to learn was by experience.
"Lesson number one is always be prepared," she said sternly, looking down, "and lesson number two is to always get back up, no matter what."
@Fealine
Aegis had been lost in total admiration when suddenly a hoof connected to her face and she felt herself go flying.
And not of her own volition.
Tumbling head over hooves, Aegis tried to right herself but the momentum and the sudden flap of her wings only helped to send her all the way over as she landed on her back, butt in the air, eyes crossed and spinning.
Lesson one; always be prepared.
When the filly was able to finally catch her breath all she could do was roll over, shakily get her feet under her and stare. "Wow....." she breathed shakily, seeing both stars and.... was that hearts??
Lesson Two; always get back up.
Grunting, Aegis pushed her hooves under her more firmly and stood, waddling at first but eventually taking her place back in front of Oathkeeper, face scrunched in determination, though a hint of heat to her cheeks. "I'm ready now. Sir Oath." she added. This indeed was no lady, this was an almost real world incarnation of her favorite tv show heroine Valhallow.
@Ruriska
Once again Oathkeeper nodded, sharply and with respect, as Aegis returned to her hooves after taking the blow like a champ. She didn't cry or carry on like other kids might. No, instead there was a determination to the young Carousel that Oathkeeper felt a kinship to.
They were gonna get along great!
And Aegis was going to spend a lot of time getting knocked over, so Oathkeeper kindly decided not to teach her the first and second lesson again already, instead moving closer.
"Yes you are," Oath said. "Or you will be, once I sort out that stance. It's the most important part of a fight. Not even raw strength will help if your stance is a mess. Legs like this," she began prodding Aegis into position, "chin tucked, stay relaxed but keep your stomach muscles tensed, don't sit flat on your hooves, you need to be ready to move," and so on.
@Fealine
Aegis took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, realizing that for once she was actually....genuinely smiling.
She moved as Oathkeeper posed her into place and took to memorizing how this stance felt, how her muscles felt contracting as she had been instructed too. But her mind also whirled with excitement that this was now going to be her usual norm and she grinned even harder. Before their training came to an end, Aegis made sure to ask when and where they could meet again and made sure that she'd never miss a single second of any session.
She wanted to be the most loyal squire as well as a loyal bodyguard for whoever she'd be protecting in the hopefully not to distant future.
@Ruriska (aand end i believe <3)