Many a mare and stallion have always asked one question, why must we fight? Can’t we all just get along and talk things out? Well to be blunt…nature can have a brutal sense of humor. Take for example if you will a pony that is nice and at times juvenile could cause great harm to another without directly doing it. This did occur unfortunately with a specific stallion and a young filly of whom he spoke with. It was a fairly standard day in itself for Baen, it had been many a day after he had returned from Manehatten and he was presently hacking away at a practice dummy. Since his return, the girls had been more attentive to trying to hang out with him to the point that they even invited him to some sort of try out for the Equestria Games. He was quite decisive on his answer.

*

Baen shook his head as he scribbled away on a piece of parchment, “No. I’m busy that day.”

Twilight blinked as she glanced at the girls, “But I haven’t even told you when it is…”

Baen then smiled a little too widely, “When is it then?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, “Uhm…in two days?”

He leaned forward as his smile turned to a smirk, “I’m busy in two days, sorry.”

Twilight trotted forward as the girls became slightly annoyed, “But this could be an opportune moment for you to become accustomed to current Equestrian sports. Plus it could be a good chance for us to bond as friends.”

Baen shook his head with slight irritation, “I already said I’m busy.”

Rainbow Dash flew in front of his table, “What’s your deal! Can’t you take a few precious moments out of your busy schedule to at least give the mare,” she gestured to Twilight, “who unfroze you, the time of the day?”

Baen’s expression was neutral but carried great frustration, “Let me make myself perfectly clear,” he gestured to the mares as a whole, “we are NOT nor will we EVER be FRIENDS. Which means that now follow me on this, your ideas and activities are of no interest to me. Plus hanging out with all six of you will just drive me up the wall,” he then went back to his letter to Coco, “now why don’t you try to make friends with the door.”

All six of them obliged, abet a tad insulted.

*

Baen smirked as he continued to swing. He at least hoped they had got the message finally; it was starting to grate on him a tad. Especially when Pinkie Pie informed him that apparently she went on a road trip with Applejack BEFORE the whole Equestria Games try out and decided to tell him every detail.

“Tieg give me strength not to butcher those mares,” he grumbled.

“Oh! So this is where you wander off to.”

Baen turned his head and chuckled slightly, “Afternoon Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee glanced at the broken practice dummies, “Are these Rarity’s Ponyquens?”

Baen shrugged, “Just spares I found behind her house. She didn’t mind to part with them.”

Cheerilee blinked in surprise as one of the dummies heads fell off, “Well…at least you have a hobby,” the weak smile displayed her nervousness well.

Baen shook his head at her, “Be at ease,“ he then clipped his axe on to his back, “I don’t intend to use my skills on the real thing….”

Cheerilee pointed her hoof at him with a small grin, “You hesitated on that last part. You’re not planning on raiding our little town are you?”

“Nah,” he shrugged, “all your possessions wouldn’t even fetch me a king’s ransom, now when it comes to sacking Canterlot on the other hoof,” he smiled deviously, “THAT is another story.”

Cheerilee and Baen shared a good laugh before addressing the matter at hoof.

“So what brings you here Cheerilee?”

Cheerilee jolted slightly in memory, “OH! Well I had the day off and decided that now might be a good time to give you that tour I offered. I hope that you haven’t seen everything there is to see in our fine town.”

Baen thought on it with a cocked head, “Hm…not sure. But I wouldn’t mind the company.”

Cheerilee was slightly confused at the comment, “But Twilight told me that you always have a full schedule.”

“Oh that,” Baen waved it off as he trotted past her, “It’s more or less the only way for them to get off my back and to stop making friends with me.”

“You know if you gave those mares a chance,” she smiled pleasantly, “I think you’ll be surprised.”

Baen shook his head, “Doubt it.”

Cheerilee sighed but led on.

*

While the two ponies toured around town, Twilight was sitting in the library with all but one of her friends.

Applejack shook her head, “I seriously don’t see why we should keep trying with him Twi,” Twilight was busy taking sketches and diagrams of the harmony box, “It’s clear he doesn’t like us.”

Rarity nodded in agreement, “He turns us away every time we ask him to come along with us somewhere or to have a get together. I wouldn’t mind as much if he wasn’t so rude about it.”

Twilight sighed, “I understand that most of you feel that way. But I have a theory-“

A sharp knock interrupted Twilight who magiced it open allowing Rainbow in, “Sorry I’m late. I was just finishing up some last minute cloud busting and you would not BELIEVE what I saw.”

Pinkie Pie perked up, “A purple marmoset?!”

Rainbow blinked, “Uh no…I saw Baen walking with Cheerilee around town.”

“Why that,” Applejack huffed, “we asked this morning if he wanted to come here and he said he was going to spend the whole day trainin!”

Rarity pointed to Twilight, “Case in point darling.”

Twilight shook her head, “Just listen,” she went back to the diagram, “So far we haven’t found any keys to this box right? Well I think, now bear with me,” the girls leaned forward, “what if Baen could be a key? Or more to the point could lead us to them!”

Rainbow Dash was aghast, “That guy? Really?”

Twilight smiled as she nodded, “YES! It makes perfect sense! He could have been turned to stone anywhere else but he just so HAPPENED to be in the Everfree when I decided to map it out. Plus there’s no telling what abilities he possesses.”

Rarity shook her head, “Though it does sound odd. I do believe that you’re drawing conclusions to where there are none.”

Twilight pouted slightly, “There’s a reason Baen was frozen there, what other could there be?”

*

Across town near the park, Cheerilee had long since finished her tour and bid Baen a farewell. At the moment, he was sitting on a bench relaxing. However like anything in Ponyville, relaxation was a rare occurrence. A set of giggling drew his attention to five fillies nearby, two of whom who were leaving while snickering. Baen recognized the three young ones as The Cutiemark Crusaders. When he had first met them it had been a brief encounter. It was more him paying for their sweets since they were short on bits. They introduced themselves and he returned the gesture in kind.

Baen glanced after them, “Something troubling you?”

Applebloom shook her head in exasperation, “Just Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pickin on us again.”

“Frankly I don’t see why you let them,” Baen smirked, “Back when I was your age, if somepony gave me ill will. I responded with a swift hoof to their jawline.”

Sweetie Belle shook her head, “But Miss Cheerilee and even Rarity says fighting is wrong.”

Baen shook his head, “Be that as it may, it’s only a fight if both sides engage with angry intent. However, self-defence is a different story.”

Scootaloo was intrigued, “Self defence?”

Baen rubbed his hooves together, “Yes, I can show you girls a move that will get the message across. Trust me, use it on them and they will leave you alone.”

The three girls were unsure at first, but they responded with two words in unison.

“Show us.”

*

“SHE DID WHAT?!”

The cry from the farmhouse the following day could be heard for a good mile as Filthy Rich glared with livid anger at a horrified Applejack.

“It’s just as I said,” he pointed at the sniffling filly beside Applejack, “your sister broke my little Tiara’s right foreleg and I demand compensation for it.”

Applejack sighed, “I assure you Mr. Rich, we’re all sorry and we’ll pay for the hospital bills.”

Filthy gave the Apple family a glare, “See that you do. I do NOT want to come back here again.”

Applejack stared at her sister, “Explain, now.”

Applebloom kicked the floor absently under the scolding glares of her family, “I just wanted to make her stop pickin on me and the girls.”

Applejack sighed and got down to level with her, “Applebloom we’ve taught you better than this, you don’t just go around fightin with a pony who’s pickin on you. It’s just ain’t right.”

“She pushed me into the mud this time though, plus it’s better to solve a battle before it starts,” Applebloom blurts out.

Applejack stood back up to her full height, “Where did you hear that nonsense?”

“Baen told it to me and the girls when he showed us the Chicken Bone Snapper,” Applebloom covered her mouth.

Applejack on the other hoof saw red and stormed out of her home.

*

Twilight tried to match pace with Applejack, “Come on AJ, don’t you think you might be…taking this a little too far?”

Applejack growled like a wolf, “That stallion showed my sister how to hurt somepony. MY SISTER! It’s time somepony puts that barbarian in his place, and I aim to do just that.”

Twilight teleported in front of her, “Applejack, he’s a battle hardened warrior. We don’t even know the full extent of his strength.”

Applejack passed her hat to Twilight as she pushed her red hair band against the back of her head making her pony tail much tighter, “And he don’t know mine.”

Applejack soon stood outside Vinyl’s house, “BAEN! GET YER FLANK OUT HERE NOW!”

The front door opened up, “Can I help you Applejack?”

“Get down here,” she pointed to the ground, “you and me. Right now.”

Baen laughed, “I would oblige you AJ, but I’m kinda bu-“

Baen was lassoed and pulled onto the ground at her hooves as she spat out her rope, “No you’re not. I’m sick of your lies and your attitude. Showing my sister that fighting move was the last straw for me,” Baen stood up, “so I’m gonna do what somepony should have done since you brought that attitude of yours here. I’m gonna beat you down until you learn some manners.”

Baen shook his head when a crowd started to gather, “Really? You seriously want to do this? Sorry, but as I said before, I don’t make a habit of fighting mares unless I have to.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, “My my, such a gentlecolt.”

“Yeah,” he glanced at the crowd, “so now if you will excuse m-“

A pair of hind hooves decked him square on the face. The force from the blow forced him into the air and caused him to fall…hard. Baen sputtered as he touched his nose and saw some blood. He glared straight into the apple mare’s smirking face.

Baen’s eye twitched, “I’m going to enjoy beating you to a pulp,” he stood up and wiped his nose, “Applejack.”

Baen surged forward and delivered a swift forehoof into her barrel knocking the wind from Applejack. Baen then spun in place and round housed her upside the head into a nearby bench. Baen shook his head.

“One cheap shot is all you get with me,” he snorted some of his blood and spat it onto the ground, “If you want to fight, I hold nothing back.”

“Me neither.”

Baen turned only to get a face full of hoof. He sprawled back as a buck with the force of a train hit him square on the chest. His armor dented from the blow as he stallion sailed onto the ground. He managed to glance up and avoid another strike from a downward kick by rolling to the side. Applejack bore down upon him and continued to take strikes at him in rapid succession. Baen got to his hooves and unsheathed his axe. Applejack snorted and roped the handle forcing the blade into the soil. Baen pulled against her and her against him in a furious tug of war.

“Would you just lay off already!?”

Applejack grit her teeth as some blood came from her nostrils, “Never!”

Bruises began to form as both ponies struggled for dominance. Twilight could only watch in silence, fearful of getting involved. But what she saw next caused her to widen her eyes. Baen’s gem seemed to give off a soft glow as a fiery red aura surrounded his body; his pupils became two burning spots of ruby red light. Gritting his teeth, Baen grabbed AJ’s rope and yanked it instead. The farm mare was yanked off her hooves and sent flying toward the barbarian who then bucked her. But the sheer force and momentum hurled her much further than his previous hit. Twilight stared on in surprise, so this was the ability that he used on Rainbow known as Wrath.

Baen shook his head and turned around for moment to catch his breath. This didn’t last long. A yell alerted the Wrath fueled Barbarian to a familiar sight. Applejack had closed the distance and was now whirling around…with the flat of his axe heading right for him.

Baen could only utter one word, “Buck.”

The axe made contact with a crack and he fell in a limp heap. Applejack’s anger subsided and she gasped in horror.

“Sweet Celestia…what have I done!?”

Baen made no sound except for his breathing.

Applejack was panicking as Twilight grasped her, “APPLEJACK! Snap out of it!”

AJ shook her head, “I’m so sorry. I just…I just lost it. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Twilight nodded, “I understand, just help me get his armor off. We need to make sure he can breathe unrestricted.”

Applejack nodded and went for his chest plate. Her hoof fished under one of his shoulder pads and a click was heard. Soon the clasp’s twin echoed the same noise and the armor had been loosened. After a few more clasps being clicked, Applejack removed the armor as Twilight finished analyzing Baen’s head. Both mares gasped as they saw Baen for the first time without his armor, though they kept his grieves on. On his barrel, back and a bit of his shoulders were scars. The scars were large and small as well as being quite visible to the eye.

Twilight stared down at the unconscious barbarian, “Baen…just what exactly have you seen in your time.”