Twilight looked at the train door as they all realized that the giant cake would not fit. She immediately knew that she would not be able to teleport it onto the train. She had only recently been able to teleport more than one pony and she was not sure about moving the cake easily. Beside her Pinkie Pie looked between the cake and the train.
“Umm… Any ideas?” The pink mare asked.
Applejack looked at it for a moment before she jerked as an idea hit her. “Ah’ll call Oblivion. He can move it inta the train easy.”
Twilight jerked a bit at the mention of his name. She cared about him and had spent the past couple of days after the paper incident trying to figure out her feelings. She knew that she wanted to be close to him but at the same time, she was unsure. She had never been in a relationship before, much less had a coltfriend. Her heart beat a bit faster as a picture of him floated through her mind. Behind her, she heard the sound of purring and she froze in place. She knew that purr.
“So what do you need of me?” Oblivion's voice rolled over her ears and she stayed still.
Pinkie bounced away from her and she chanced a look back. “We need you to help us get the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness into the train,” Pinkie said to him.
“The what?” Oblivion asked the pink mare. “Never mind.” He said as he put a hoof over her mouth.
He walked up to the giant cake and he looked sideways at her for a moment before a slight smile tugged at his mouth and he looked away from her. She gulped at how close he was. He walked toward the train and she fell in behind him.
“So where does it need to sit?” He asked her and she walked up to stand next to him.
“Here.” She said with a point of her hoof.
“Are you alright?” He asked her as she blushed slightly.
“I’m fine.” She assured him.
He looked unconvinced and simply glanced at her as his horn lit and the cake was placed exactly where they had wanted it to go. “Whatever is bothering you remember what I said before? You are more than capable to figuring it out and moving forward.”
She paused as he spoke and a smile went over her mouth. “You could tell by my spirit, couldn’t you?”
He nodded in reply. “Of course, Aine Saov. I know you.”
Twilight felt her smile broaden at using the nickname he had given her. “Thank you—you're right. I’ll figure it out. Are you going to come with us?”
“Unfortunately I can’t. I am scheduled to speak to Apple Bloom's class in a half hour.” He informed her.
She felt something in her drop a bit as he declined. “Don’t have too much fun.”
“I promise you I will try to restrain myself.” He said to her.
Twilight giggled and patted his shoulder. “Try to at least.”
She watched as he nodded to her and made for the exit of the train. She heard him mutter about trains and she felt her smile grow a bit further as she watched his hips for a moment before a blush flowed over her face as Rarity looked at her, a sly expression on her face. Behind her, the others filtered onto the train and she took her place with them to travel to the contest.
Oblivion walked away from the train and Sasa bumped his hip. “So…”
“Yes?”
“Are you two…?”
“Not that I am aware of.” He replied.
“What?!” Sasa yelped. “But you’re… You’re so… ugh.”
“What?” Sasa grumbled behind him as he kept walking. “I am not going to push the mare into anything. The next decision is hers to make.”
“I get the point, but geez. As far as I can tell Twilight has never been in a serious relationship. Have you?”
“No. Not really.”
Sasa ran up to stand in front of him. “Excuse me? So you’re a?”
“If you are asking if I have ever been with anyone before then the answer is yes. I am not inexperienced.” He replied. “Unlike Geralt, I have never tied myself to any one person.”
“Oh.” Sasa said as he kept walking and she fell in at his side. “So you just have no experience in being in an exclusive relationship.”
“That’s true.” He agreed with her.
Sasa stayed at his side as she seemed to be thinking over what she had learned from him. “I think she just needs time to decide to call you hers.”
“I am fine with that.”
Sasa purred loudly as they neared the farmhouse. They walked into the front gate and Sasa sat down to wait for him as he went inside to grab the steel blade. The black Unicorn went into the farmhouse and up the stairs to retrieve the blade. He picked up his baldric pulled the Wolven Steel off the baldric and set the ordinary steel in pace. The baldric moved to accept the scabbard and lashed itself in place. He slid it onto his body and it felt strange as he had not worn the baldric in quite a while. Oblivion closed the wardrobe and locked it behind him. He walked out of his room down the stairs and out into the sun.
“Off to the school we go.” Sasa said to him and he nodded in reply to her.
Oblivion walked up to the school and he could see the foals and their families outside of the schoolhouse. He could see all of them and he felt his stomach drop a bit before the apprehension was pushed out of his mind. Cheerilee saw him and she smiled as he approached. He walked through the front gate and into the area with all of them.
“Thank you for coming Oblivion.” The teacher said to him as she walked up to him.
“Of course. I said I would be here so here I am.” He said to her.
“That is quite the cat.” One mare said as she stared at the feline.
“She’s harmless. The foals all adore her, her name is Sasa.” Cheerilee assured her.
The adults all looked more relaxed as Cheerilee spoke and Apple Bloom and the others quickly swarmed Sasa and began to pet her soft fur. Sasa purred loudly as they pet her and he ran his claws over her head. He waited for the foals to finish petting her and showing their parents the cat was safe.
“Do you need anything for your story?” Cheerilee asked him.
“Such as?” He asked.
“Do you need a projector to show any drawings or runes? You used the walls last time to show things.”
“I can conjure one if I find I need one.” He assured her.
“Okay, whenever you’re ready then,” Cheerilee said to him.
Sasa sat up as the foals all went to stand with their parents or friends for those who did not have anyone present. Oblivion walked to the front to stand in front of the group and he turned to face them.
“Okay, so this is Oblivion Shadow. If anypony has any questions before he begins then feel free to ask them.” Cheerilee directed from the back.
A stallion motioned to speak and Oblivion looked at him to give him the chance to speak. “My daughter has said you are a monster hunter. Is that true?”
Oblivion could see the father of it looked like Silver Spoon was speaking. “I am what is called a Witcher. We do hunt monsters that is true. We have been called many things. Monster hunter, curse breaker, mutant. The list can go on. Our job is to monitor the balance between monsters and ponies. If it is needed we keep ponies safe from them or vice versa.”
“So you help monsters if you need to?” Another asked.
“Yes. It is not uncommon to find a monster that we can converse with and can simply aid them in finding a balance with the surrounding ponies or ushering them to a new area.”
“What kind of creature can you help that will understand you enough to be helped?” Diamond Tiara's father asked.
“Godlings, dragons, trolls, to name a few.” He replied. “If they are capable of some form of higher thought then we try to speak to them first.”
“How often does that happen?” He asked.
“Not as often as I would like but it does happen.” Oblivion admitted.
“I’m guessing you’re going to be talking about one you helped today?” Bulk Asked.
“Yes. A Godling named Johnny.” The Witcher replied.
“Is that all for everypony?” Cheerilee asked and when nopony replied she motioned for Oblivion to go ahead.
“I was in a realm called Velen a few years ago with another Witcher called Geralt. We were tracking a ward of ours called Ciri and she had been spotted in the area some time before. We were told that she had gotten in trouble with a witch in the area. We tracked her to a swamp in the center of the area and we began our search there. In the center of the area was a large tree that we both decided to search just in case somepony lived with it.”
“Why would they live with a tree?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Some creatures make their homes with old trees. On the Continent, it is not unheard of for very old trees to have a type of magic of their own. Things around them are more powerful, grass grows taller, and animals thrive around them. Some monsters choose to live within them.” He explained to her.
She smiled as the others smiled and nodded at his explanation. Behind her he could see the adults were about to start asking questions and he continued to pause to allow them to speak.
“What kind of monsters would live in a tree?” Bulk asked.
“Godlings are well known for being fond of old trees and making their homes inside of and under the great trees.” He informed him.
“Do they live inside of them just for the power the trees hold?” A mare asked.
“Some do yes. Some do it because of the likelihood of a larger monster being in the forest and that allows them protection. Allowing the larger monster like a Leshen to do the heavy lifting is easy for a much smaller monster to stay out of sight is not uncommon.” He explained. “The only issue that they may run into is that the larger monsters can be very territorial. If it’s a Leshen then they must be very cautious about where they roam.”
“Leshen is a?” A mare asked.
“A Leshen has many names. Some call them a woodland spirit or a protector of the forest. They are monsters that most Witchers do not enjoy fighting. They are difficult to kill even for an advanced Witcher.”
“Do you fight them?” Bulk asked.
“Many times. Though I have to admit that I do not enjoy fighting them.” He admitted. “They can vanish in a flash of crows, send roots erupting for the ground, and summon wolves to do the fighting for them. They are… A tricky monster to fight.”
“How do you fight all of that?” Cheerilee asked.
“Carefully.” He replied with a slight chuckle. “The easiest way is to take your time and chip away at them slowly. They are too weak to relict oil and fire. Fire is something I can do easily enough. As a Witcher, we have our Signs and Igni is one of them. Through that Sign do we have control over fire.”
“So you use magic?” Featherweight asked.
“No. Well, Signs are a form of minor magic now that I think about it. On the Continent, I do not have access to magic. I do not know why.” He said before the questions flew. “I believe it has something to do with the amount of magic in one area. But I do not have any proof for that thought.”
The ponies seemed to settle back in and he went on with telling them about Johnny. “Geralt and I circled the tree and found that the bottom of one side had been hollowed out and was tall enough for a foal to have fit through. Geralt leaned in to see if anypony was there but he did not see anypony. We both looked away from it and a slight noise caught our attention and he looked again to find Johnny staring back at him. Geralt jumped back and I nearly pulled silver in response. But when we both saw Johnny we realized our swords would not be needed.”
“What does a Godling look like?” Diamond Tiara asked.
“I can show you a drawing I did of Johnny shortly after meeting him. A moment.”
Oblivion called on a thin wall of white and used his sketchpad to impose the image on the much larger wall. The ponies all stared as Oblivion focused on the faded lines and sharpened them on the wall. He drew it back in and the ponies all stared as Johnny took shape. Sasa sat quietly beside him and a purr rumbled through her as she watched the ponies.
“How big are they?” Scootaloo asked.
“They are about half my size.” He guessed. “They are a rather small monster.”
“How do other ponies deal with them?” A stallion asked.
“With respect and patience.” Oblivion said to him. “Goldings are a rather childlike monster. Villages refer to them as woodland creatures dwelling in burrows and moss-covered hollow stumps on the outskirts of human settlements. They are similar to children in behavior and appearance, and, like children, delight in mischief. Godlings are deeply rooted in their home territory and perform acts of care and guardianship to those dwelling near their burrows. They watch over people as well as animals, but, shy creatures by nature, they try to do so while remaining unseen. Godlings are drawn to joy and innocence, and so delight in the company of children and usually only show themselves to the young.”
“Is that a book definition?” Cheerilee asked.
“Yes.”
“You remember it?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“I was meant to. I was taught mercilessly to remember monsters or I would die by them if I did not.” He clarified.
“So they friendly?” Silver Spoon asked.
“For the most part. As long as you are respectful to them they will not harm you. They are easily offended by churlish, ungrateful, or simply rude behavior. So be polite.” He replied. “They are very clever creatures and will gladly perform small services for those in their care, asking only for respect and payment in the form of food or cast-off tools in return.”
“They sound really fun.” Apple Bloom admitted with a laugh.
“Johnny especially is a rather mischievous spirit.” Oblivion said to her. “That being said they also like their peace. When we met him we asked about Ciri and he only recalled her because she interrupted his morning routine. It upset him so he remembered yelling at her but she did not hear him.”
“So they like to be where the people are close by but like the peace sometimes?” Cheerilee asked.
“Yes. When the village a Godling watches over becomes too large or its ponies forget the old ways, it will abandon its burrow for good and walk off to destinations unknown.” He said to her. “They do not enjoy great groups of people. It’s too much for them to handle and they will flee an area if that happens.”
“What happened next?” Featherweight asked, his tone excited.
“Johnny came out of his burrow and we asked him if he recalled Ciri and all he did was nod. We asked a few more questions but he did not speak to us. Geralt and I both were beginning to think we needed to move on if he did not wish to speak to us. I finally asked him why he refused to talk aloud and he pointed to his neck and Geralt figured out he had lost his voice.”
“Was he playing too hard?” Pipsqueak asked.
“No. It was taken from him by the Crones of Crookback Bog.”
“That’s not very nice.” Sunny Daze said.
“Johnny would have agreed with you.” Oblivion said to her. “We chose to help him when he began to point to a far-off cliff. I asked him if that was where his voice was and he nodded. So we began our trek across the swamp and were soon fighting our way to the cliff to retrieve Johnny’s stolen voice.”
“Why would they take it?” Twist asked.
“He spoke badly of them. They took offense and took his voice to keep him quiet in punishment.” Oblivion said.
“That’s so mean.” Sweetie Bell called out.
“The Crones were not known for their kind acts. They made deals and promises with ponies just to use them to their advantage. They liked to make everypony believe that they are doing a pony a kindness when in truth they were self-serving.”
He waited as the ponies seemed to be thinking over what had been said and he gave them a moment to think it over.
“What did you fight on the way to the cliff?” Lily asked.
“Drowners on the way there and Harpy’s when we got to the top of the cliff.”
“What’s a Drowner?” Lily asked.
“A Drowner is a monster that walks on two legs with scaly fish-like skin and large white eyes.” He went for a basic description of the monster. No need to have parents angry at him if he gave them nightmares.
“And a Harpy?” Apple Bloom asked.
“It has a round head on top of a bird's body. There are a few types of them but we met up with the basic Harpy. Nothing special about them aside from how many there were.” They were now watching him intently and he continued. “As we got closer to the cliff Johnny waited behind us to avoid getting into the fight and getting in the way of us. Once we had cleared out the Drowners he came to the bottom of the cliff and began to point to the top of it. Geralt and I made for the top of the cliff and fought off the Harpies. We found their nest and inside the nest was a small bottle. We assumed this was what was holding Johnny’s voice and took it back down the cliff face to him. We handed it to him and he yanked the stopper out of it and his voice came back to him. He began to happily speak and we realized that returning his voice to the very talkative Godling might have been a mistake.”
The adults chuckled at his commentary and the foals all smiled brightly. Oblivion extinguished his horn and the image of Johnny faded and he removed the wall. Cheerilee stood up and the foals and their parents began to clap as he bowed his head slightly. Sasa purred by his hooves as he stood and waited for the part that he was not thrilled about showing. He understood the foals were interested but the idea of teaching them his sword work was, he knew, a horrible idea. Cheerilee moved forward and the foals and parents began to back up and he bit back a sigh.
“What do you need for this next part?” She asked.
He shook his head and his horn lit as she nodded in understanding and back backed up to allow him to make the area what he wanted. His horn began to clear the area in a circle around him. At the front side of it, he made a training dummy and ensured it was at an angle that everypony could see what he was doing. Sasa moved away from him and sat behind Apple Bloom who petted the great cat.
“Okay. Just so everypony is aware of this next part. Mr. Shadow is going to show us some of the sword work he knows. He will not be teaching anypony anything, simply showing it and explaining.” Cheerilee explained. “Is everypony all right with this?”
Oblivion watched as some of the adults looked down at the foals in front of them and several sighed and nodded. Sasa chuckled and looked back at him. He looked at the training dummy and he knew that if he did break it he could easily repair it. He ran through his mind the swordwork that he had planned on showcasing. It was somewhat complicated to ensure that small ponies would have a difficult time reproducing it effectively. Cheerilee looked at him and she gave a little smile and a nod. He returned the look and unsheathed the steel blade he had with him. He gripped the hilt and drove it deep enough into the soft grass to ensure that it would stand upright.
“Questions?” He asked before he began.
“Stalling?” Sasa teased.
He glanced at her and he heard her giggle in his mind. Featherweight raised his hoof and Oblivion nodded to him.
“How long have you been sword fighting?” He asked.
Oblivion paused as he made sure to look thoughtful. “I was eleven when I started my training and I am much older than that now so a very long time.”
“Well done dancing through that one.” Sasa praised.
Oblivion waited for the next one, he knew these foals well enough to know there would be more. He did not have to wait long as Apple Bloom raised her hoof.
“Go ahead, Apple Bloom.” He said to her.
“How many swords do you own?” She asked.
He leaned back on his haunches. “Probably more than you think. I have been using a silver and steel sword for as long as I can remember. Over the years I have upgraded and replaced them as needed.”
“What about the ones you had last time?” Featherweight asked.
“Those two?” He asked and Featherweight nodded. “The silver was about five months old and the steel maybe six.”
“Where are they?” Sweetie Bell asked.
“They are in my room at home.” He assured her. “They are locked away so nopony can get to them.”
He saw Apple Bloom cringe slightly at the mention of the locked-up blades. “Why don’t you have them with you?” She asked.
“I replaced them.” He replied easily, his tone calm.
“Already?” Scootaloo asked.
“Swords tend to come and go in my profession. We replace and upgrade frequently. Once the blades edge fails then we replace them. If they are well tended then they have a fairly long life so long as we do not find something better or ask for something better to be made.”
“Who makes them?” Lily asked.
“A blacksmith typically.”
“Not you?” Bulk asked.
Oblivion barked a laugh. “Not. I have not trained for it and know next to nothing about the art of working steel and silver. I do not have the skill for it. I thankfully have met many in my travels who do have the skill.”
“So who made your other swords?” Lily asked.
“The silver was made in a city named Beauclair. It’s the capital city of Toussaint.” He replied. “I had been there a few months earlier and had the steel made while I was hunting monsters in the area. The silver was made a month later.” He explained.
“How much does a sword like that cost?” Filthy Rich asked.
“In Beauclair it cost about two thousand to make. But I also had to have the components made which I can do to an extent. It was either I pay him for the components or I make them myself.” He explained. “I chose to take a bit of extra time and make them myself. It took a bit but it saved me a fair amount of coin.”
“How much is that here?” Filthy asked.
“Well, I had a Crown checked by a bank here and one Crown was fifty bits. So I’m sure you can do the math.” The pony’s eyes went wide as they realized what it would have cost. “That being said I do not think there is any blacksmith that can make the armor or blades that I had made on the Continent.”
“And that was just for one blade?” Bulk asked.
“Yes. The catch is that each piece is an upgrade to one I already had. For example, to make the Wolven armor I was wearing it needed to be used to make the new one. If I had asked him to use his materials then the cost would have been closer to fifteen thousand Crowns for each piece of armor.”
Filthy wobbled on his hooves for a moment before she stared at him. “And you make that much hunting monsters?”
“Depends. I may hunt monsters but I am also able to hunt and explore as I choose. In the areas where I was, I was able to also search for certain monsters that I know have parts that are well sought after. They fetch a pretty high price if I do not need them for my potions and decoctions. Selling them to the right buyer is quite lucrative.”
“So you hunt and gather as needed?” Cheerilee asked.
“Basically. You’d also be shocked how many ponies will hide money and materials in caves and then never return for them.” He replied.
“So you were treasure hunting?” Scootaloo asked.
“Basically.” He replied as the foals all began to smile and the parents looked at him. “Plus I haggle for my pay with each monster so I can negotiate the best price for myself.”
“Do they ever try to not pay you?” Lily asked.
“Oh yes. That has happened many times.” He informed her. “The reason they do it is so they can get the reward of my removing their troubles and still keep their money.”
“Do you have to fight them for it?” Diamond Tiara asked.
“The pony who I took the contract from?” She nodded as he spoke. “No. Not normally. Simple intimidation usually works. If not, Axii does the job.”
“Is that one of your skills?” Bulk asked.
“Yes. What it does is…” He paused as he realized what he was about to let slip. “It calms a pony and helps them see why they should pay me what I am owed.”
“Hahahaha! Nice recovery!” Sasa howled with laughter in his mind.
The ponies did not seem to realize that he had doctored the answer. “But yes, Monster hunting is one way to pad my coin purse.”
“What does the average monster cost for you to remove?” Cheerilee asked.
“It depends on the monster.” He said to her. “A Drowner costs less than a Fiend which costs less than a Giant.”
“What does a Drowner cost?” Shady asked.
“Those run in packs so usually there is not a contract on them so much as there is a public request for them to be removed. For example, I went to a small village that had a board posted with papers asking for certain items or help with things. This board had a request to remove a pack of Drowners outside the village. I took up the posting and removed them. I then returned and was rewarded by the one who had made the posting. Which earned me about thirty crowns.”
“So not much to you?” Twist asked.
“It all adds up in time.” He said to her. “In the grand scheme of it yeah pretty low but I had fought more than my fair share of Drowners and fighting them has become an easy chore. So it took me very little time. So it was easy coin to me.”
“What’s the most expensive monster you have fought?” Snips asked, his voice pitched.
Oblivion leaned back on his heels for several seconds as he tried to think back on his contracts. “I think I did a Cyclops for six hundred. They weren’t sure what they were up against and once I had figured it out I settled on a price. They wanted it gone and did not seem to care what the price was. Easiest haggling I’ve ever done if I recall right.”
“How do you fight a Cyclops?” Twist asked.
“Show them.” Sasa advised.
Oblivion's horn lit as he pulled his sword from the ground and the foals all smiled brightly as they realized that he would show them how. He spun the blade in the air by his right shoulder. His horn covered the training dummy and he grew it to the size of a Cyclops. The foals were all awed at the size and he kept it from moving as he approached it, sword at the ready.
“So when you fight a Cyclops they do not flinch when you hit them. They don’t care when they are hit by a silver blade. So you can keep your distance for a bit till they charge.” His horn moved the training dummy toward him and he raised his sword. “Their best weapon is their powerful arms and they will use them to great effect if you’re not paying attention. So when they swing at you, you can either jump back or hope you moved far enough, or better yet roll around behind them.”
Oblivion jumped to the side and managed to roll till he was behind the Cyclops. He regained his hooves and he began to attack the training dummy. His sword scored several hits to the fake Cyclops. The foals cheered as his blade hit and he made the training dummy turn around so he rolled behind again to be behind it.
“Now a Cyclops isn’t limited to just swinging its arms in one way. If they raise both their hands above their heads that’s your sign to get away. They’re about to slam their hands down on top of you.” He said as the dummy raised it arms above its head. “The easiest thing is to roll again but if it does it again you’re caught in one place.”
“What do you do?” Apple Bloom asked.
“This.” He said as he backflipped twice to get away from the dummy slamming its arms down. “A backflip is easiest done quickly. It’s a quick way to get some distance. Though there is a downside to it.”
“Which is?” Filthy Rich asked.
“If you're at a longer range Cyclops can also leap into the air, knocking over anyone or anything too close to where they land. So it’s best to stay close, but not too close.” He said as he jumped forward to land almost exactly in between the dummy and where he had been.
“How do you know how far to back away without being too far?” Lily asked.
“Experience.” He admitted. “I have fought my fair share and over time I have learned.”
He spun his sword at his shoulder and he made the dummy charge him and he spun out of the way while his blade scored across the dummies hide. The foals cheered and the adults smiled at the fanfare.
“That is also an option. The downside to that move is that you have to gauge how thick your Cyclops is to ensure you don’t get knocked over or trampled.” Oblivion explained. “But that move is also not recommended. If the Cyclops clips you you’re in trouble. They may be charging you but they can still control their charge. Whereas you have just lost control of your spin.”
The foals all nodded in understanding and the adults were keenly watching. “Is there any other way to fight them?” Cheerilee asked.
“Axii can be used to stun and confuse them. Axii is one of our Signs and can be used on most monsters to stun them and get them to focus on something else for a minute. By confusing them you just gave yourself a few seconds to breathe. Don’t take too long though.” The Cyclops charged him again and he jumped out of the way. “Axii does not last forever on a monster that large. Another thing they can do is a wild charge.”
“What is that?” Featherweight asked.
Oblivion sent the cyclops to the other end of the training circle opposite of him. “What it does is they charge at you swinging their arms madly while roaring; this, in particular, is almost impossible to avoid as the Cyclops will change its direction mid-charge to try to intercept you if you try rolling out of the way.”
“How do you fight that?” Shady asked.
“Carefully. This is the action from a Cyclops that’s where Yrden can help.” Oblivion explained. “Yrden is another Sign that means slow or trap. It slows down anything that steps into it except the Witcher. Watch.”
Oblivion tapped his hoof and a circle of purple runes appeared as the Witcher backed up to its other side. The Cyclops charged and when it hit the circle the dummy slowed down significantly allowing the Witcher to jump in and score many hits with the sword. The foals cheered again and he jumped out of the way as Yrden broke. Oblivion watched as the foals all called and he spun the sword once more and he turned to allow the Cyclops to attack him.
“This is how to fight a Cyclops.” He said as the Cyclops came after him.
He employed all of the techniques he had shown them, all while keeping an eye on the foals to ensure they were not afraid. He chipped away at the training dummy same as he would a Cyclops. He jumped back as the training dummy was about to fall and he charged it and buckled his legs to slide underneath it. He went under the Cyclops legs and spun his sword, which cut through the last of the Cyclops defenses. He got to his hooves on the other side of the Cyclops and the wood that held the dummy together came apart and the Cyclops went down and vanished. The foals and some of the parents cheered and clapped as he gave a low bow of his head.
“Well done.” Sasa praised.
He slid the sword back into its scabbard over his right shoulder. The foals all got to their hooves and swarmed around him, talking excitedly. Sasa got to her paws and showed a toothy smile as Cheerilee came up to him.
“Well, that was certainly quite the demonstration Oblivion.” She said to him. “Now, now everypony let's give him some room. Thank you very much Oblivion. I’m sure you’ll be the talk to the school for several days.”
Oblivion heard her and he managed not to say he hoped not but he knew that it was futile, especially after the show he had just given them. Sasa joined him as the foals went back to join their parents.
“That was quite the show.” Filthy said to him. “It shows how well you know that sword that you didn’t make a single mistake with it.”
“I’ve had time to learn it.” He replied.
“More time than they realize.” Sasa said to him with a merry tone.
He didn’t say anything back to her as Cheerilee began to try to herd the excited foals back toward the smaller schoolyard in front of the schoolhouse. His horn lit as he removed the training circle and the fake Cyclops. He finished what he was doing and headed for the front as well.