Batmare Begins - Chapter 7: One Year Later

Batmare Begins

Chapter 7: One Year Later

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You look a little… agitated, is all.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Just a tad.”

“I guess I am a bit wound up.  Nerves, I suppose.”

“That’s perfectly understandable, but you’ve got nothing to worry about.  It’s just a bout Derpy, it’s not like there’s anything of import at stake.”

“It’s still a bout.  I mean, we’re talking about a bona fide fight, and in front of the whole castle no less!”

“It can be quite nerve wracking performing in front of all your peers, I’ll admit it.  But you should be happy having the opportunity to show off your talent; you’re a brand new mare now, and it’s high time you proved that to all of them.  Show them what you’re made of, what you’ve become in this past year.”

“Yeah, I guess.  That’s all I really can do, right?  Still a bundle of nerves though.  How much longer we got?”

Lightning Flicker glanced at a silver watch lying beside her.  “We’ve still got some time yet.  Probably enough for one more passage.  Sound good?”

Derpy nodded.  “Sure, sure.  Got one in mind?”

“Let me see… ah, I know, how about Whinnyson’s “The Hard Cause”?” Lightning suggested.

“What’s it about?” Derpy asked.

“The Lunar Rebellion.  On its surface it’s a tribute to Shadow Kicker, but of course it’s more than that.  Shall I begin?”

“Go for it.”

“Very well then.”  Lightning flipped through a book in front of her until she’d found the passage she sought.  Clearing her throat, she began, her soft voice carrying the poem’s words with a gentle grace.

‘The cause, the cause,
That hard, long cause,
For which she made the turn.
Such division and pain
And so many slain,
Families torn asunder,
“Why, oh why?” so many wonder,
She always in reply,
“For the hard cause.”

Ever the cause,
Ever the cause,
Ever the hard, long cause.

When loyalty and honor questioned,
Midst talks of treason and secession,
Still she remained in that grim hour,
Rather than seize for herself power,
Faithful to the cause.
Not for city high in the sky,
Not for friends nor father would she die,
She could not raise the battle cry
In defiance of the cause.

Ever the cause,
Ever the cause,
Ever the hard, long cause.

‘Twas not for family that she bled,
Nor for Commander that she led,
Never for honor did she shed
Blood, but for the hard cause.
For what her heart told her was right,
A hope for ponykind, a light,
A brighter future for which she’d fight,
Yes, for that hard cause.

Ever the cause,
Ever the cause,
Ever the hard, long cause.

Now war is past, and Shadow gone,
And these deeds honored in history and song,
Yet still we stand but at the dawn
Of this, the hard, long cause.
Let courage please our hearts take hold,
Make spirits brave and be so bold
Prepared to suffer as Shadow of old,
Suffer for our hard cause.

Ever the cause,
Ever the cause,
Ever the hard, long cause.’

“I love that one.  I’ve always been particularly fond of Whinnyson’s work.  He treats a subject like war with the respectability it deserves.  None of that over-the-top nationalism or even well-intentioned romanticism you see in so many others; no, he sees it for the cruel, somber business that it is, even those wars with noble causes.  It’s very honest, and there’s a great deal of beauty in that.”  Lightning breathed a contented sigh, her eyes glazing over as her mind fondly recalled mysteries unearthed and truths revealed to her over the years within the confines of Whinnyson’s verse.  After a moment she turned from her sentimental recollections back to the matter at hoof.  “So, what’s your takeaway Derpy?”

“Well he’s certainly a fan of Shadow Kicker, that’s for sure,” she remarked.  The two pegasi shared a lighthearted chuckle together.

“That he is, that he is,” Lightning concurred, “but what else do you see there?  I’m curious.”

“What else?” Derpy repeated, now seriously considering the question.  “He’s not just talking about Shadow’s ‘cause’.  Well, he is, but it seems that to Whinnyson, Shadow’s cause is as much our own cause as well.”

“Very good.  And what do you think the ‘hard cause’ is?” Lightning asked.

“Well that’s a bit harder to say,” Derpy admitted.  She thought a moment, the possibilities ranging through her mind till she’d settled on a satisfactory answer.  “Shadow’s cause in her day was defending Equestria, as well as Princess Celestia’s authority as its ruler.  But like you said, I didn’t really hear anything that sounded nationalistic in there.  So I don’t think that’s it.  Besides, it’s not like ponies today could specifically take up that particular cause that Shadow fought for.  The Lunar Rebellion ended almost 900 years ago.”

“Alright, well, the Lunar Rebellion’s one thing that it’s not.  Let’s start by ruling out what else the ‘cause’ is not,” Lightning proposed.  “Take a look at stanza five.  ‘Twas not for family that she bled / Nor for Commander that she led / Never for honor did she shed / Blood, but for the hard cause’.  So right there we’ve got three more things that Shadow did not ultimately fight for, and, ergo, are not the ‘cause’: family, Princess Celestia, and honor.  So if the ‘cause’ is none of those motivating factors, then what is it?”

Derpy took a look at the poem herself and, after rereading it once more, perceived something.  “The answer’s in the last four lines of stanza five.  ‘For what her heart told her was right / A hope for ponykind, a light / A brighter future for which she’d fight / Yes, for that hard cause’.”

“Perceptive.  Very perceptive,” Lightning commended.  “Continue, please.”

“Well… it seems to me that the ‘cause’ is a conviction that Shadow herself held.  A firm belief in the justness of defending Celestia’s rule and a unified Equestria.  Not just for the sake of her own generation either, but for generations to come.  So really, she’s fighting for a dream.  A hope of what Equestria might become.”

“I agree,” Lightning said.  “All those things that Whinnyson lists as not being the ‘cause’, family, monarch, honor, they’re certainly parts of it, elements that go into achieving it even, but they aren’t the whole.  The ‘cause’ is something higher than all of them, a dream bigger than them all and worth more as well.  The rebellious clans of Pegasopolis threatened that dream, and that’s why Shadow fought to defend it.  That’s also why Whinnyson entreats the readers in stanza seven to carry on fighting for the ‘cause’.  The ‘hard, long cause’ didn’t end with the Lunar Rebellion; it’s a constant struggle, possibly endless, trying to fulfill Equestria’s destiny, to achieve the good that it is capable of, and each and every one of us has a moral duty to do our part to achieve that good.  At least, that’s what Whinnyson’s getting at.”

Derpy rested her chin on her hoof for a moment, pondering something.  “I have another thought,” she finally said, “I don’t think Whinnyson’s just talking about an end when he describes the ‘cause’.  I think he’s just as much talking about means as well.”

“Interesting.  Please, elaborate further,” Lightning entreated, perking up at Derpy’s conjecture.

“Well think about it.  Shadow’s conviction was that a unified Equestria under Princess Celestia’s rule was the best means to achieving the good that Equestria is capable of, the best thing for all of ponykind.  But the clans of Pegasopolis believed just as fervently that their cause to achieve independence for themselves and the other pony races from Celestia’s rule was in the best interest of all ponykind.”

“So we’ve got two factions both claiming to be doing what’s best for ponies everywhere.  Their ends in the grand scheme of things are, ultimately, the same: the good of all ponykind.  It’s the means where they differ, and it’s the means that cause the ends to differ.  Where Shadow saw harmony in a unified Equestria under Celestia’s rule, Pegasopolis only saw tyranny and weakness.  Where Pegasopolis saw strength in independence, Shadow only saw chaos.”

“I think Whinnyson’s not only affirming the goodness of the ends of Shadow’s cause, but the means to those ends as well.  A unified Equestria is the best way to achieve true harmony and peace for all, now and always.  So, in a way, Whinnyson seems to be saying that the means in any endeavor in general are just as important as the ends; you cannot have just ends if you do not take just means to achieve those ends.”

This last thought drew a most peculiar reaction from Lightning Flicker.  For a full minute that felt longer than it was, she stared at Derpy with a blank, indescribable expression.  Whether she was intensely scrutinizing her or simply concentrating as she sought the right words to say in response, Derpy could not tell.  As suddenly as it’d come, however, the look disappeared when Lightning seemed to snap out of it as though she’d been in a trance.  Giving her watch a cursory glance, she said, “Looks to be just about time.  You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Derpy replied.  The butterflies in her stomach were slightly calmed after that last passage; nothing like a good poetry lesson to take her mind off her nerves, to a certain extent at least.

“Then let us be off.  If you’d like, I will gladly accompany you to the courtyard.  In my experience, a little friendly company prior to trying occasions such as this can go a long way indeed.”

Derpy flashed a small smile, her mind a bit more at ease.  She liked spending time outside of the classroom with Lightning Flicker, even more than with most of her other instructors.  She was very soft spoken and always patient and kind no matter who she was dealing with.  In more ways than one she reminded Derpy of her demure childhood friend Fluttershy, though admittedly Lightning was considerably more outgoing than that timid pegasus.

“Thanks Lightning, I think I would like that.  Guess it’s now or never.  Let’s go.”  The two rose from where they’d been laying sprawled out on a large wool rug in the middle of Lightning’s cell, and exiting her homey quarters, began making their way through the winding passages of Die Schmiede to the inner ward.

A hard, long cause.  Well, you’ve certainly thrown yourself into quite the hard cause, haven’t you?  Hard to believe it’s been just over a year now.  So much that’s changed, so much that’s different.  Practically something new to learn every day, about the world, the Order, myself.  I wonder if they’ll even recognize me if… when I go back to Ponyvillle?  I am going back.  Yeah.  Some time, just… not yet.

So different now, so different from what I was.  Would they have even recognized me if I’d gone back then, when everything changed at the top of that mountain?  He gave me a chance.  Told me it was my choice, that I could either go back right then and there, free from my past, or choose to not only be free but… transformed.  Transformed into something new entirely.  Verbesserung, he called it.  You chose it, you chose Verbesserung and now here you are, most definitely something new entirely, committed to a hard cause of your own.

But what cause is that?  The Order’s?  The greater good?  Maybe they’re one and the same.  Maybe.  But what good is that that I’ve committed myself to?  How are you going to use what you’ve learned to advance the greater good for all?  Can you even, with what you’ve learned?  Sometimes I wonder if I should’ve thought the choice through more, if I’m just in over my head.  But no, can’t think like that.  Even if the future’s not clear yet, you can’t doubt yourself like that.  I made the choice because I believed, I knew that there was a cause, a good, hard cause worth devoting myself to in choosing this path.  So you’ll advance the hard cause however you’re destined to.  When that choice comes, I’ve got to believe I’ll know the answer.  The heart will tell, the heart will direct, and I’ll know, and I’ll choose.  But now is not the time for that choice; now’s just another step to it.  Let’s show ‘em all what you’ve learned.  Let’s show ‘em all.

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“They’re late.”

“I’m sure they’re on their way as we speak.  Besides, it’s not like we have any place to be.  What’s the rush?”

“No rush, simply an observation.”

“An observation of what?”

“Well they’re obviously late for a reason, and I doubt it’s because they got lost.”

“Fair enough.  Why do you propose they’re late, then?”

“Nerves, perhaps.”

Aucune considered Dämons Hengst’s conjecture momentarily.  After a short silence, he offered an indifferent shrug.

“It’s possible, yes, but what of it?  I’m sure we’ve all experienced nerves for one thing or another.  Why does this particular instance matter?”

“Again, it was just an observation.”  Aucune regarded his colleague with a watchful eye.

“I’m not entirely sure it was.  You’ve made a number of similar ‘observations’ lately concerning her.  When did you become so fastidious?” he asked.

“Forget it, it’s nothing,” Dämons muttered.  “Nothing appropriate to discuss here at any rate.”

Aucune grunted, acknowledging the truth of his assertion.  Best to leave deliberating over what may or may not be a mere nonissue for a more private setting; now was not the time or place, not in front of virtually the whole castle community.

Still, seems to be more there than just a ‘nitpick’.  Though what exactly his concerns may be, I haven’t the fondest clue.  Odd.  He’s usually not that guarded about his feelings, not with me at least.  Well, I’ll get to the bottom of this soon enough.  Perhaps she’ll even allay whatever concerns he might have today.

“Very well.  Anything else on your mind?” Aucune asked.

“Let’s talk about your project.  Do you think she stands a chance against Brawny?”

Aucune nodded without a moment’s hesitation.  “Oh yes, she’s got more than a fair chance as far as I’m concerned.”

“I’m not so sure.  Next to Storm, Brawny’s our finest practitioner of Wing Chun, and he’s easily our strongest member at the moment.” Dämons noted, drawing a snort from Aucune.

“You and I both know that strength in combat’s more than brawn,” he countered.

“It’s still a factor worth considering,” Dämons said.  “She’s quite small even for a pegasus, and most pegasi are more brittle as it is than their ground-bound cousins, with their frailer bone density.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Aucune bluntly declared.

“Why not?  We’re practically comparing apples and oranges here.  I mean, an experienced veteran of the Order versus a mare who has yet to put her skills to the test in the field?  Your confidence in her is surprising to say the least.”

“Like I said, it doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?” Dämons demanded.

“Brawny Charger took five years to master Wing Chun.  Five.  That’s not bad for any member of the Order, and he’s certainly mastered it better than most here have.  But Derpy Hooves has mastered a hybrid of katrote, Krav Pega, and Wing Chun in a year.  Not to mention the ninjutsu she’s been studying with Charming, though I’ll doubt we’ll see that on display today.  That’s why the factors you cited do not matter.  As far as I’m concerned, this is at the very least an even match, and if anyone has an advantage here, it’s Derpy.”

“Well, we’ll know who’s the superior student soon enough,” Dämons stated.  “Here they come now.”

At that moment Derpy and Lightning stepped into the inner ward through the wide open doors of the keep, arousing the already sizeable crowd awaiting their arrival.  An excited murmur arose and an electrifying charge from the throng of ponies buzzed through the air that got Derpy’s own blood pumping.  It truly did seem as though the whole castle had turned out to watch; at least 200 ponies were gathered there, clustered about the yard and the battlements.  An octagonal wooden ring had been set up in the center of the yard for the match, large enough that the two combatants would have plenty of room to maneuver, but still small enough that the bout would be for the most part contained and close quarters.

Right away Derpy noticed Aucune and Dämons Hengst standing atop the battlements, overlooking the ring below.  She sorely wished she could speak with Aucune prior to the bout; after all, he was her favorite mentor and closest friend here.  She figured if anypony could calm her nerves right at this moment, it was him.  But it was too late for that now, and she knew it.  She spotted more of her instructors standing together along the edge of the ring: Storm Spirit, Fiery Zephyr, Charming Masquerade, all of them chatting away feverishly as everypony else was.

And there, warming up in the center of the ring, was Brawny Charger.

Without a doubt Brawny Charger was the largest pony at Die Schmiede.  A grey earth pony with a tousled red mane and tail, he was about as tall as Ponyville’s Big McIntosh, albeit just a bit slimmer as well.  The dark freckles on his face, along with his generally easygoing personality, gave Brawny a somewhat boyish appearance.  His youthful demeanor, however, belied his truly mature and serious nature; while he wasn’t what Derpy would call one of the Order’s thinkers, Brawny was a veteran member who’d been with the Ordo Extraordinarii for almost a decade.  He had a very take-charge personality and was a master of Wing Chun as well as general physical fitness activities.

Throughout all of Verbesserung, he’d been Derpy’s primary physical fitness instructor, taking over for Aucune.  The workouts were still largely the same as before, but with Brawny they’d seemed to get even more intense.  He pushed Derpy day in and day out to her limits, bounding from one exercise to another as quickly as possible with little to no time in between, all the while spurring Derpy on with energetic and, at times almost frantic, gusto.  Despite the lengths he forced her to take to complete his workouts, Derpy really admired Brawny’s passion and appreciated his intensity; she’d certainly seen a marked improvement in her strength and overall physical fitness since he’d taken over, not to mention the gains made for her character and perseverance as well.  It was funny how something as simple as lifting a bunch of weights till you couldn’t lift them anymore could do all that.

“You’ve never sparred with Brawny, correct?” Lightning asked as they approached the ring, the crowd parting for them.

“No, never,” Derpy replied.  “Anything I should know?”

Lightning nodded.  “He’s faster than you’d think, and every bit as strong as he looks, so keep your distance.  If he closes, either evade his attack or blunt it with a counter of your own.  If it comes down to grappling, break off as fast as you can; trust me, you will not be able to overwhelm him through strength alone.  Remember, the superior combatant is not determined by who is strongest, but whoever gets in the right attacks.  You’re not stronger than him, and that’s not going to change in the next few minutes, so do what you must to win this bout, not what he will.  If you play by his rules, he will win.”

Derpy let Lightning’s words sink in, trying to absorb everything she’d told her.  Beads of sweat dotted her brow and her heart was racing.  It seemed like her mind was going a million miles an hour as it attempted to cover anything and everything it could in the next few seconds.  When they reached the ring, the tempo of her breathing noticeably picked up, and her whole being felt hollow.  Feeling lightheaded, Derpy tried to steady herself against the ring until she felt a soft wing lay upon her.

“Hey, look at me,” Lightning implored.  Derpy complied, turning to face her.  Lightning stared back at her with a warm, reassuring smile.  “You’re going to do just fine, alright?  Don’t worry about anything in there, anything at all: not your training, the Order, not what anyone else here thinks.  Just focus on doing what you know you’re capable of doing.  Because, believe me, I’ve seen what you’re capable of, and if you focus solely on that, it’ll be more than enough.  Trust me.”

Derpy gave a small grin and grasped Lightning in a brief embrace.  As soon as she released her, she leapt over the ring and strode with conviction towards the center to meet her competition.  Lightning made her way over to her fellow instructors, flying over the crowd and settling beside her friend Storm Spirit.

“So, how’s our girl doing, Flix?” Storm asked.

“A bit nervous, but besides that, she’s doing just fine.”

“Fine enough to take on Brawny?”

“I think so.  As long as she fights like I know she can, I’m confident she’ll emerge the victor.”

Storm smirked at that.  “Well then, seeing as you’re so sure of her chances, care to get in on some action?” she asked, nudging Lightning in the side.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about a bet of course, feather brains!” Storm said.

“Oh goodness, no.”  Lightning rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“Ah come on, it’ll be fun Flix!” Storm pleaded, feigning a pout.

“No, absolutely not.  I couldn’t imagine doing something so crass and insensitive,” Lightning declared.

“Ugh, you are such a killjoy sometimes,” Storm remarked in annoyance.  “What about you boys?” she asked, turning to the gold pegasus and navy blue unicorn to her left.

“Sorry Storm, no dice.  I don’t think the missus would appreciate it if I did something she disapproved of so,” Fiery Zephyr said with a wink at Lightning.  She returned his gesture with a sweet smile that would’ve melted the heart of the orneriest Timberwolf.

Fiery sheepishly grinned, but Storm, however, only gagged in disgust.  “Pffft, man, you are so whipped,” she said disdainfully.  “What about you Charmy?  You in?”

“No,” Charming Masquerade said without even turning.  The unicorn had a bit of a reputation for being excessively detached and stoic, even by the Order’s standards.

“Why not?” Storm asked.

“Not interested,” he answered, shrugging.

“Sheesh, I’m surrounded by party poopers,” Storm complained.  “Though to be fair that’s not exactly news with you, Charming.  Well I gotta find me someone to wager with; it’s rare we see this type of action around here, and I sure as hay ain’t letting it go to waste.”

Storm turned to the crowd and began barking out like an auctioneer, “Who wants in?  Who wants in?  Come on, name your stakes, who’s willing to bet on the little filly against my boy, Brawny?  Oh come on guys, don’t be shy, it’ll be fun!”

Lightning raised an eyebrow at that, her curiosity piqued.  “You’re betting on Brawny?  Interesting… might I ask why?”

“Earth pony bias, really.  To be frank, I do think these two are pretty evenly matched.  But you can only bet on one, so when it comes down to it, I gotta go with Brawny.  Us earth ponies gotta stick together, ya know?  Not to mention the years of experience he has on her.  Between his strength and his experience, I think he’s got more than enough to take Derpy down.  So who wants in, come on, who’s willing to bet on the new kid on the block?”

“Buck, if it’ll get ya to shut up, I’ll bet on her!” a thick brogue shouted in reply.  The whole group of instructors, save for Charming Masquerade, turned around to find the voice’s owner.  To their surprise, it was none other than Tiny Taste.

“Tiny?  You’re betting on Derpy?” Storm asked with incredulity.

“I gotta say, coming from you, that is pretty surprising, considering your history with her and all,” Fiery agreed.  “Besides, you haven’t even really seen her spar with, well, anypony.  What’s changed your mind about her?”

“Simple.  Lass has been in my kitchen I don’t know ‘ow many times since her last “incident” an’ hasn’t burned it to the ground.  She still can’t cook for shite, but at least now I don’t have a bloody panic attack every time she steps hoof in my domain.  Hay, I’ve even found jobs that she can manage, ya know, besides cookin’, an’ I gotta say, if that’s not a miraculous improvement, then I don’t know what is.”

“Seriously?  You’re really gonna bet on her because she hasn’t wrecked your kitchen?”  Storm was practically in stitches.  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, especially coming from Tiny of all ponies.

“That’s my decision, an’ I’m stickin’ to it,” Tiny affirmed.  “Ya still game for a wager?  Cause if ya are, name your stakes.”

“Oh yeah, if you’re game Tiny, so am I,” Storm said.  “Let’s see… ah, I got it.  If Brawny wins, you let me have seconds whenever I want for the next month.”

“Fine by me.  But if Derpy wins, you’ll be pullin’ kitchen duty for the next month.  Whaddya say, Spirit?”

“Hohoho, I’d say you’ve got yourself a deal!” Storm replied.  The two earth ponies hoof bumped, sealing the deal.

“Good timing,” Charming said, nodding towards the battlements.  The group turned to where he was gesturing, and saw that Aucune was trying to silence the crowd.

“Good afternoon everypony!  If you would all be so kind as to quiet down, we’ll be able to get underway with this afternoon’s contest,” he called out to the crowd.  Almost instantly the chatter and gossip that filled the air came to a halt as friends suspended their conversations and parents quieted their restless children.  Derpy and Brawny ceased their stretching and turned their eyes along with everypony else on Aucune.

“Thank you.  Now then, before we begin, let us first review the rules for the benefit of today’s combatants.  They are quite simple.  Once the kampfduell begins, combat is constant until a combatant yields or is rendered unconscious.  No weapons or armor are permitted for either combatant; your bodies and martial faculties are the only weapons required.  And finally, abilities unique to pony races may not be employed to delay the kampfduell in any way.  Miss Hooves, that means that you may not utilize your flight to evade Brawny Charger once the kampfduell begins.  However, you may use your wings to your advantage in direct combat itself, as long as they are used to deliver or block a blow of some sort.  Beyond that, everything aside from attacks that have a high probability of causing permanent injury or death are permissible.  Combatants, are you ready to begin?”

Both nodded in response, and the crowd cheered.  Aucune flashed a contented smile.  “Then let the kampfduell commence.  Combatants, prepare yourselves!”

The two strode to opposite ends of the ring and faced each other, awaiting Aucune’s signal.  For Derpy, time seemed to move at a snail’s pace.  Her eyes levelled on Brawny and focused on him alone, her sense’s blocking everything else out.  Her world was now but the ring, herself, and her opponent; it would only be otherwise when she brought him down.

Be yourself.  There’s no trick, that’s all you need to do… just be yourself.  Do that, and you’ll have already won.

Brawny stared just as intently back at her, and for a few seconds it seemed as though they’d both remain standing stock-still indefinitely until-

“Fight!” Aucune cried out.

The two started circling the ring, still eyeing each other warily as they drew nearer with each tense step.  Before long, they were but a couple of feet from each other, each sizing up the other, trying to determine their opening moves.  Neither acted in haste; both were very much on their guard, and a hurriedly delivered opening blow could easily backfire on the attacker.

Derpy was especially cautious in these opening moments.  From her own experience, she knew that Wing Chun utilized rapid-fire strikes from the forelegs designed especially for close range combat.  This typically called for extensive amounts of time fighting from a bipedal stance, an awkward style of fighting for ponies.  When she’d first started learning it herself and adjusting to standing on two legs, it’d been like having to learn how to walk all over again.  There was no helping it, seeing as the art had originated in Griffonia, where the native griffons could easily walk about on their back paws alone, but in time and after lots of practice she’d grown quite good at it.  By this point she could even fight comfortably on her hind legs alone as well as all fours.  Still, she was not an experienced master of Wing Chun like Brawny was and she knew it, and so Derpy kept her guard up, knowing that he could easily transition to his proper fighting stance in an instant.

Just when she thought she’d found an opening, Brawny struck first.  He dashed forward and, before Derpy knew what was happening, managed to land a glancing blow on her side.  She cried out in pain and surprise, but managed to backpedal away from him before he could do any more damage.

Horsefeathers.  So much for gaining the initiative.

Before Derpy had time to collect herself, however, Brawny was coming at her again, this time directing a flurry of blows at her face.  Derpy raised her forelegs and blocked most of his strikes when Brawny suddenly changed course and kicked at her exposed trunk with one of his hind legs.  Again Derpy managed to evade the powerful blow, sidestepping away from it at the last second.

He’s probing my defenses.  Trying to figure out what works, what doesn’t.  Gotta get in some attacks of my own, and fast.  Certainly won’t get anywhere playing defense the whole time, he’ll just wear me down.

But yet again Brawny came, even harder than before, and Derpy had no choice but to defend herself.  Thankfully his attacks remained easy enough to block, but something about that struck Derpy as strange.  Just as Lightning had warned, he was faster than he looked, but Brawny’s strong suit was still his strength, not his speed.  Right now he seemed more interested in getting in as many strikes as he could but hardly concerned with whether or not they actually struck.  If he kept this up much longer, he’d probably wear himself down.  So just what was his game?

Still he kept coming, one onslaught after another; what Derpy couldn’t block she dodged, but more and more Brawny’s blows began to find their mark.  A graze here, a jab there, none of them so much painful as they were annoying, but still, that annoyance alone was starting to take its toll.  So far this entire fight had been nothing but an exercise in frustration for Derpy.  Brawny was handling her like a foal and she knew it, and the fact that it was in front of all her peers and instructors only made that knowledge sting all the more.  And, perhaps most frustrating of all, she still had no idea what he was even trying to accomplish in all this.

None of these attacks could possibly knock me out, so what gives?  Is he trying to shame me into submission?  That just doesn’t seem like something Brawny’d do.  He’s competitive and driven, sure, but he’s no bully.  If he beats me, he’s going to do it by thoroughly beating me down till I can’t get up anymore.  Right now, though, in spite of all his efforts, the only thing I’m losing is my pride and some ground, but that’s- wait a minute.  Ground.

That’s when it dawned on her what was going on.  Ducking away from a punch, Derpy took a cursory glance around the ring.  Those few seconds were all she needed to confirm her suspicions.

He’s not trying to beat me down at all.  He’s beating me back.  This whole time he’s been trying to force me to lose my ground and back away towards the edge of the ring.  He knows I’m faster than him, so he’s trying to corner me before he tries to wrestle me to the ground.  He gets me pinned, I’m finished, and so far I’ve been playing right into his hooves.  But maybe… maybe now I can play him into mine.  What was it Ma Tzu said?  “He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.”  If I’m patient and play my cards right, I might yet turn the tables on him.

For the first time since the fight’d begun, a plan started to take form in Derpy’s head.  She’d keep playing Brawny’s game for the time being, or at least make him think as much, right up until his endgame.  Risky to be sure, but the dividends, if she pulled it off, could be huge.

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  OK Brawny, let’s see how you like being played for a change.

Ever so slowly, Derpy began backing nearer and nearer towards the edge of the ring, still blocking and avoiding Brawny’s attacks, only now, unbeknownst to her opponent, with a purpose.  This part of the plan called for subtlety more than anything else; despite knowing what he was up to, Derpy still had to make it look like Brawny was in complete control.  It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world pretending to be oblivious to his designs when she knew precisely what he aimed to do, but she had to try.

Thankfully, her ruse must’ve been convincing enough as Brawny seemed to buy it, carrying on as before.  Even the crowd itself remained ignorant of Derpy’s stratagem, as more than a few began to boo the underwhelming thrashing that appeared to be unfolding before them, though at least one onlooker seemed ecstatic at Brawny’s apparent success.

“That’s it Brawny, take it to her, you got this!” Storm Spirit hollered with glee.  “Show that filly what it means to face a true Wing Chun master.  C’mon now, finish this!”

Derpy just blocked it all out and stuck to her course.  It didn’t matter what they were saying now, thinking now; if her plan came to fruition, they’d all be changing their tune before long, she just knew it.  Even that was irrelevant; the only thing that truly mattered right now was setting and springing her trap.

Almost there now.  Her back almost up against the ring itself, Derpy fixed her full attention on Brawny.  She knew that ultimately he’d have to make his move before she could make hers, and if he caught her off guard, he could still easily wrestle her to the ground.  He did that, it was all over.  So she just kept watching and waiting, playing her part for the time being as her ruse continued.

Suddenly Brawny delivered a furious string of blows, most directed at Derpy’s face.  Yet again she managed to block most of them, but immediately thereafter Brawny lunged, wrapping her in a tight embrace about her trunk.  To his surprise, Derpy recovered and grasped him in an embrace of her own.  The two were now locked together, each seemingly trying to bring the other down, though Derpy’s efforts seemed for naught as Brawny shortly began to lift her into the air.  This, however, was exactly what Derpy wanted.

Gotcha now big guy, let’s see how you like this.

“Don’t worry Hooves, I promise I’ll be gentle,” Brawny jested.

“Well that’s fine and all, but I can’t promise the same for you,” Derpy countered.

“What?”

Clutching him as tight as she could, Derpy drove her head straight downward, ramming Brawny square between the eyes.  Stunned, Brawny relinquished his hold on Derpy and staggered backwards.  Before he’d even figured out what had just happened, Derpy was all over him.  While she too was dazed from her unorthodox (albeit, effective) headbutt, she, unlike Brawny, had known it was coming, and so was able to recover fairly fast and get in a few good punches.  Strategically, she aimed these blows between Brawny’s eyes as well, hoping to aggravate her initial strike and keep him disoriented.

Seeing as a pony as big as Brawny was hardly one to go down after one blow, he managed to speedily recover.  Still, as Derpy had hoped, her headbutt and subsequent blows to the face had left him considerably dazed.  The playing field was now levelled once more, the initiative, for the moment, was Derpy’s, and she had no intention of relinquishing it from this point on, no matter how much of a fight Brawny put up.  The reenergized crowd, aroused from their bored state by this sudden turn of events, went wild now that a real fight was unfolding before them.

In short order the fight escalated to an almost frenetic level, the two combatants both very much aware that it was now anypony’s fight to win.  For awhile they matched each other blow for blow, strike for strike, each desperately trying to gain the upper hoof over the other.  Increasingly, however, it became evident that things were turning more and more in Derpy’s favor.  With Brawny disoriented, her speed now more than ever became a crucial factor.  Weaving in and out, she virtually danced around him as she dodged or parried his slower blows while consistently getting in strikes of her own.  While her primary target remained his face, she got her blows in wherever she could; all that mattered was that she keep wearing him down.

The more fatigued he gets, the less he’ll be able to defend against any of my attacks no matter where I aim them.  If I wear him down enough, then I can really start thinking about delivering a finishing blow.

As the fight escalated in its intensity, so too did the crowd’s energy, and frantic cheers for both combatants rang out.

“That’s it lass, I knew ya had it in ya!  C’mon kid, show ‘im what ya got!” Tiny roared.

“Damn it Brawny, come on, you’re better than this!  Don’t let her overwhelm your defenses.  Attack, attack, attack!” Storm cried out.

Atop the battlements, Aucune and Dämons Hengst remained silent as they looked on, though a faint smile seemed to be spreading on Aucune’s lips more and more with each punch and kick Derpy delivered.  Seeing the potential that he’d known was there all along blossoming before his very eyes… it was extremely gratifying, to say the least.

Despite Brawny’s best efforts, with the whirlwind of blows that Derpy was landing seemingly everywhere, it wasn’t long till he came to the brink of exhaustion.  All he could do at this point was try and keep up with his opponent, capering about him as she was, practically dancing circles around him light as a feather.  Victory within her grasp, Derpy knew she still had to exercise caution, especially now; after all, few things were more dangerous than a cornered animal, as she’d so amply demonstrated just a short while ago.  Like any cornered animal, she needed to lure Brawny out, so that she might deliver a truly crushing blow.

I’d say this calls for some Krav Pega.  A brutal counterattack might be more effective here than an unhinged offense.  Well, here goes nothing.

Bounding forward Derpy delivered a one-two punch followed up by a roundhouse kick to Brawny’s face before retreating back.  The blows themselves were relatively light; their purpose was not to damage, but rather aggravate.  Like a charm, they did just that; despite his fatigue, Derpy could tell Brawny wasn’t about to take that insult on top of the injury she’d already inflicted.

He’s bit the bait; time to reel him in.

Coming to a standstill, Derpy created what appeared to be an opening in her defenses, seemingly letting down her guard.  While a fresh fighter probably wouldn’t fall for such a ruse, to the tired and irate Brawny, it was a dream come true.  Mustering all his remaining energy, he charged forward, determined to take back the initiative.  Raising his right foreleg, it seemed as though he was about to answer Derpy’s constant onslaught with a devastating blow.

Checkmate.

Quick as lightning Derpy caught Brawny’s foreleg midair.  Before he knew what was happening, she was painfully kneeing him in the stomach again and again and again.  But instead of stopping there, Derpy, grabbing his raised foreleg with both hooves, climbed atop his shoulders and, locking her legs around his neck, caught him in a headlock.  Leaning forward from her mounted position, both ponies went tumbling down.

For a few seconds, Branwy feebly struggled, but it was no use.  Derpy had him sprawled on the ground in a headlock, and to make matters worse still had one of his forelegs in her clutches as well.  His body was simply at the end of its rope.  It was clear that, in his condition, he couldn’t possibly escape Derpy’s hold, and so, reluctantly, the battered Brawny bitterly waved his remaining free foreleg in surrender.  Observing Brawny’s act of submission, Aucune cleared his throat.

“Miss Hooves, you can let go now, if you’d be so kind!” he implored, catching Derpy’s attention.

Automatically relinquishing her grasp, Derpy promptly untangled her limbs and stood up, helping Brawny to his feet as well.  Both panted heavily from their efforts, sweat and dirt clinging to their coats, though it was clear that Brawny was the worse for wear of the two.  For a brief moment no particular thoughts registered in Derpy’s mind, just how very tired she felt as the adrenaline that’d largely been driving her efforts wound down.  It was only when Aucune appeared in front of her that she noticed the cheers emanating all around her, and it began to sink in why the fight had to come a close.

Did I just… did I really-

Beaming with pride, Aucune grasped one of Derpy’s forelegs and, lifting it in the air, turned to the crowd.

“Brothers and sisters of the Ordo Extraordinarii, I give you your victor!  Derpy Hooves stands before you, the indisputable champion of this kampfduell!”

The crowd roared its approval, hooves stomping so hard all around that it seemed to shake the very earth itself.  Taking it all in, it was almost too much for Derpy.  She’d never felt so elated, so accepted before in her life.  These weren’t just her peers or instructors… this was her family.  And she’d done her family proud today.

I did it.  I won.  The skills really are there; it’s not just a dream, not some abstract idea of potential.  It’s real.  Now… now I just gotta figure out what to do with it all.  Find my purpose, my hard cause.  But with the Order by my side, with their guidance and support, how can I fail?  They’ve gotten me this far; now I just got a little further to go.  Piece of cake.  I mean, what could go wrong?

What could possibly go wrong?