Tempest Shadow flexed her legs, coiling them under her barrel and shifting just a fraction of an inch to be perfectly balanced. Releasing a calming breath, she launched herself into the air. The leap gained her an impressive height to the point she even cleared some of the surrounding trees.

Mid-air, she twisted and punched, using gravity to aid in the power of her kick. She felt the satisfying ache of her muscles straining as they connected with nothing but air. Then, as she neared the ground she tucked her head into her chest and aimed her shoulder at the ground.

Her speed was intense and she certainly would have broken something if she had landed straight down. Luckily, she had accounted for that factor and landed at an angle, using her momentum to tumble into a roll and spring to her hooves after bleeding off enough speed. She landed in a steady stance, ready to launch right back into movement at a moment’s notice.

After a beat, she relaxed and settled into a more casual pose, running the routine through her head, checking for mistakes.

Her ears twitched in surprise as clapping rang through the air. Turning her head, she saw one of the Princess’ friends, Rainbow something, sitting on a nearby fence, clopping her front hooves together.

Keeping her expression carefully neutral, Tempest tried to reason why the Pegasus would be there. Tempest was, technically, on someone else's property. However, she had made sure to get permission from the Apples to use the old fenced-in area that they had long ago abandoned for other projects.

As Rainbow wasn’t a part of that family, Tempest was sure the mare didn’t have the authority to kick her out.

“Those were some pretty sweet moves,” Rainbow said, idly rising into the air and drifting over to Tempest, “You got pretty high for not having wings.”

“Is there something that you want?” Tempest asked, making sure to keep her voice cool and controlled. Even if the Pegasus couldn’t tell her to leave, Tempest knew she wasn’t exactly on the best terms with many of Twilight’s friends. She didn’t want to risk upsetting her new status quo by ticking off somepony important.

“Yeah,” Rainbow replied, taking a look around the small, fenced-in area, “Does Applejack let you use this place whenever you want?”

Tempest frowned at the lack of an answer. “...yes, she has no need for it so she’s allowing me to repurpose it for my exercises. Why?”

Rainbow nodded as she examined the scorch marks and roughed up dirt. “Eh, she usually gets mad at me if I’m training too close to her property. You practice combat skills? All that jumping and kicking and stuff? You can do some real damage, huh?”

Now Tempest was getting annoyed. She couldn’t see any reason for the other pony to be hiding something so her only conclusion was that Rainbow was just being annoying on purpose. “Yes. Keeping up on my training has made me a powerful force with even without my horn. Now, why are you out here bothering me?”

Rainbow finally looked up at her. The usually laid back Pegasus had a steely determination in her eyes and she spoke with conviction. “I want you to teach me how to fight.”

Tempest blinked, honestly shocked. She didn’t think any of Twilight’s friends had an interest in combat, let alone enough trust in her to teach them.

“You know,” Rainbow continued, jabbing her hooves in the air as if a clarification was needed, “kicking butt like you do.”

“Why?” Tempest eventually asked, raising a brow, “You live in the middle of the safest country in the world. You’re right next door to one of the most powerful beings in existence and are best friends with a close runner up. Why would you need to learn how to fight?”

“Because of things like you,” The Pegasus replied with narrowed eyes. But she slapped her own forehead moments afterward. “Uhg, sorry that came out wrong. I meant that you showing up and stuff made me realize I need to.”

Tempest said nothing and raised a brow at the hovering Pegasus, prompting her to elaborate.

Rainbow sighed and slowly lowered herself to the ground, ears pressed flat to her head. “When you attacked I was… useless. Sure, I managed to get Twilight out of danger but I couldn’t help anypony else. I couldn’t defend my home… I couldn’t defend my Princesses or my friends.” Her eyes watered and she took a shaky breath. “I ran away. It was the only thing I knew how to do.”

She looked up then, and Tempest was surprised to find the tears replaced with a fire she couldn’t remember ever seeing in another pony’s eyes. “I want you to teach me how to fight so when something like this happens again, I’ll be ready to defend those I love. So I can really live up to the Element of Loyalty.”

It was a pretty nice speech, Tempest mused to herself as she turned away. “No.”

The fire sputtered and died as Rainbow backed up a pace, obviously caught off guard. “Wha… no? Why not? I’ll even pay you if that’s your problem.”

Tempest snorted. “I don’t need your money. I’m just not going to waste my time training someone who’s going to give up after the first lesson.”

Rainbow bristled, her coat standing on end in an attempt to make herself look intimidating. The fact that she was bright blue and only came up to Tempest’s chest ruined the effect. “I won’t quit! What? You think I’m just asking this on a whim? I’d do anything to protect my friends from getting hurt!”

“That’s the other problem,” Tempest continued idly scooping up a rock in her hoof as she walked away, “Princess Twilight wouldn’t like it if I let one of her friends get hurt. I’m already on thin ice as it is to prove I can be a model citizen of Equestria. You aren’t skilled enough to stay safe during my training.”

“What are you talking about? I’m totally-”

Rainbow was interrupted as Tempest tossed the rock in the air and kicked it back. The tiny projectile launched at the speed of cannon fire. She had held back, but only a bit. It wouldn’t kill anypony but the force of the impact would leave them downed for a good couple of hours. A cracked sternum at most.

“-skilled enough to take on basic training.”

Tempest blinked, stunned by what she had just witnessed.

Rainbow had moved out of the way of her surprise attack faster than the eye could track and had finished her sentence while doing so. She was hovering again and giving Tempest a peeved look, but otherwise none the worse for wear.

“What the heck did you do that-”

She was cut off again as Tempest scooped and kicked more rocks with her back hooves, showering the Pegasus with projectiles.

It was almost embarrassing how easily Dash dodged each and every one of them. She twisted and turned in the air with unmatched grace and speed, bobbing around the majority and tucking her limbs close to avoid the others. By the time Tempest was out of rocks, Rainbow wore a confident smirk, not even sweating from the ordeal.

“I don’t know if anyone’s told you this yet,” Dash said after a moment of stillness from her attacker, “But I’m the fastest Pegasus in the world.”

Tempest snorted and rushed Rainbow, getting within her personal space in a fraction of a second. She punched straight at Rainbow’s head but, like all the others, the Pegasus dodged the attack easily, sliding to the side and watching Tempest’s hoof with wide, surprised eyes.

She hadn’t anticipated the attack at all and she still had time to duck.

But Tempest was prepared for the dodge this time. The remnants of her horn sparked to life. She could see the light reflected off Rainbow’s irises moments before the half-formed spell exploded.

It wasn’t a powerful explosion; it didn’t even reach the edges of the fenced-in practice area. But it was enough to hit the speedy Pegasus, close as she had been, and that was all Tempest was going for.

Rainbow was blown back from the force and slammed into the ground hard--mild burns scattered across her coat as she groaned into the dirt.

Tempest walked over to her, casually, and sneered down at her small groaning form. “You are fast, I’ll admit that. But you’ll never get anywhere if you can’t get up after one h-”

It was her turn to be interrupted. Rainbow whirled off the ground in an impressive vertical spin and kicked Tempest straight in the snout with her back leg, causing the Unicorn to stumble.

Rainbow took her momentary edge to ram her attacker.

While Tempest was expecting some form of counterattack, and could have stood her ground if the smaller pony had hit her in the chest or even neck, she was completely caught off guard by Rainbow tackling her legs, bringing Tempest down right on top of the Pegasus.

“Ah-ha! How… how was that,” Rainbow Dash panted from where she was pinned under the larger Unicorn, “I… I got you.”

Tempest glanced at the prone pony she was laying on top of. The Pegasus was sprawled on her back, wings spread out, and sweat slicking down her coat. Ruby eyes gazed into Tempest’s soul from just a breath away.

Tempest snorted in her face. “Good plan. But now you’re at my mercy.”

Rainbow shrugged as much as she could. “Yeah, but by the time you’d realize that Twi or someone would buck or blast ya off of me.”

Tempest gave an exaggerated show of looking around the empty clearing. “Where are they then? I certainly don’t see them.”

“Well, they’re not here now, obviously.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “But if this had been a real fight they would’ve been.”

Tempest scoffed as she climbed off the Pegasus. “You can’t always rely on others to save you. Sometimes a battle comes down to only you and your wits.”

“Well, duh,” Rainbow snarked as she brushed herself off, seemingly no worse for wear even if her coat was a tad patchier now, “That’s why I want you to teach me what to do when that happens.” She fluttered her wings and gave Tempest an expected smirk. “So, change your mind?”

Tempest kept her expression carefully neutral as she stared at the Pegasus. She didn’t need to think it over, she had decided once she had been kicked in the face, but she couldn’t help the smirk creeping over her muzzle as Rainbow grew more and more fidgety with each unanswered moment that passed.

“Fine,” Tempest eventually decided, much to Rainbow’s obvious delight as her wings fluttered with glee, “But don’t think it’s going to be easy. You’re training how to fight, not just survive. It will be like torture every day. You will do what I say when I say it. I will expect no complaints. I will push you to your breaking point and beyond.”

Rainbow blinked up at the towering Unicorn. She looked so small and fragile in Tempest’s shadow. “And then will you break the second, slightly smaller breaking point?”

Tempest almost cracked a smile. Almost. But her years of training kept her face impassive. “If you really want to do this, meet me here tomorrow at sunrise and not a moment later.”

She had heard rumors of the Pegasi’s laziness so Tempest prepared for a last moment back out. Rainbow pleasantly surprised her, however, standing up straight and giving Tempest a perfect salute.

“Ma'am yes Ma'am! Do I need to bring anything?”

“Just your skill and your wits.” Tempest turned from her, signaling the conversation was over. But, before Dash could fly off, she looked back over her shoulder. “Oh, and Dash?” A challenging smirk spread across Tempest’s face. “Try to keep up.”

Rainbow surprised her one final time that day. She didn’t get offended by the thinly veiled insult. She only grinned back and narrowed her eyes. “Only if you can keep up with me.”

Author's Notes:

Next Chapter Release Date: Dec. 29th

I love crack-ships so much