The Becoming

Breeze grinned. "Well," she said, standing up, getting somewhat excited now. "Let's go meet Papa Khan!"

She began trotting toward where Papa Khan's place had been pointed out, daydreaming once again, now of a possible future where she could protect others, and where she did so often.

Trails chuckled and rose slowly from his seat by the fire. "No promises on whether he'll even agree to see you. We've been swamped trying to stop cap loss on top of all of our other losses."

As usual a guard stood outside of Papa Khan's door, the buck raised an eyebrow at Breeze. Not that Trails could blame him, she wasn't exactly their normal mark. Most Khan mares were from the other side of the tracks and looked it. Manes propped up in giant mohawks, faces covered in dust, mouths almost always preoccupied with a cigarette. Those mares were like sandpaper, Breeze was, well, even now at her low clearly from a different world altogether.

Still with a simple nod the guard stepped out of the way for the pair. Shooting Trails a look that plainly said 'I hope you know what you're doing.' Inside Papa Khan sat at a table at the far end of the home's main room. Now he sat in the middle of the table, flanked by Lock Stock and Kick Start. Kick Start grinned and held up a shot glass of his tequila for Trails. He gladly took the glass and knocked it back before turning to Papa Khan.

"Got another pony looking to make a bad life decision." He joked, patting Breeze on the back.

Lock Stock got up and walked around Breeze, giving her a look over. "Sure you wanna be a Khan and not, I don't know, a tenpony mare or something? Though I suppose you must have something special about you for Trails to parade you up here."

"You sure you're not just parading around a new mare friend?" was Papa Khan's answer, not even looking up from his bowl of chili. Stock and Start both laughed loudly, Trails just shook his head.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

"What I want," Breeze told the others sternly. "Is to be able to protect others. I'm a doctor by trade, and I'm not too bad with unarmed fighting, and I know how to use a gun. Aren't you low on ponies?"

She looked directly at Papa Khan. "I want to be a Khan. I've had a lot of pent-up self-hatred that I know I can fix if I become one. I'll take any challenge you throw at me, any test you want to give me. I may not be from around here, but I'm strong."

Trails looked at Breeze, a mixture of concern on her sanity and impressed. She was new to the idea of life on the outside of society, and that little speech proved it. Still, it showed she had guts and determination. Two things he valued above experience when it came to recruits.

He stepped up to her side and spoke to Papa Khan directly. "If that little speech tells us anything, it's that she's got balls. We all know we could use some more ponies wearing the cut, and a doc even more."

Papa Khan finally looked up from his bowl and to the pair of earth ponies before him. He thought for a moment, chewing a mouthful of beans as he did so. "What do you think Stock?"

"She seems to have the same eagerness Trails here had when he came to us, and you didn't make him go prospect first."

"True, but do you think she can take on our bucks like he did?"

"All at once? Shit no, he hardly did that. But I do think we can trust Trails' judgement."

"What's the harm?" added Start, rising to clap Trails on the back. "We give her the same chance as my friend here, and if she passes she gets herself a cut. If she fails, we get to see how good of a medic she really is."

Papa Khan thought hard for another minute before looking to Trails. "Take her to the ring, if she gets in she's your headache. That means you take her with you on your jobs and show her the ropes round here. Also, she can share your yurt and your caps. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Trails nodded curtly before spinning on a back hoof and exiting the house.

Becoming Breeze's baby sitter wasn't the idea he had when he'd saved her, and at this moment he wasn't too clear on how he felt about the whole thing. What else should he have expected though? He stepped and spoke up for her, so naturally she'd be made his problem. Far as her talk of self hatred and helping ponies, how this whole thing would help was yet to be seen. Maybe somepony taking care of her like he'd have to was all she needed. Or maybe it was just as simple as letting her hit somepony. If it was, the initiation would surely help.

"Still looking for that spar?" he hollered as they trotted up to the ring.

The Khan who'd asked earlier, a dust colored earth pony covered in scars, smiled and nodded fervently. "I need some pay back for last time."

"Sorry, but it aint me you're gonna be fighting, but our newest hopeful." Trails leaned against the gate and lit a smoke. "Trust you and your friends can give her the initiation."

"She trying to pull the same stunt you did?" the buck answered, giving Breeze the same look over everypony else did.

"Let's make that a no, can you cover it?"

"Eeyup." they whistled to the other khans practicing in the ring, all turned to look. "I need 10 volunteers." several of the Khans left the ring, all looking at Breeze with a puzzled look, one even saying 'her?' on his way out. "Alright Buzz, you're up first." he pointed at an average sized grey pony with a buzz saw on his flank. The other 9 fell back to the edge of the ring. "Whenever you're ready."

Breeze prepared herself. A spar, huh? This might even be fun. Unarmed fighting was her specialty, and even if he were using a melee weapon, she would be able to get close enough to get a good hit.

She waited for Buzz to move first.

(Unarmed 40, Buzz, buck at first sign of physical hostility.)

Trails leaned against the fence and busied himself with lighting a smoke. He'd never seen Breeze fight, but didn't have the highest hopes for the mare. She was easily a head shorter than Buzz, and the buck spent hours in the ring. Not that it was an open and shut thing, after seeing the stallion practice so much Trails knew he had his flaws, just like any other pony. Question was whether Breeze could exploit them.

The first move came as no surprise to anypony watching. Buzz was infamous for his over eagerness. The buck, predictably, jumped at Breeze soon as she made it clear she was in the fight. Equally predictable was his miss, forgetting to set his hooves before trying the buck. The only surprise was Breeze's counter, which sent Buzz flying into the sand with a dull thud. Buzz got back up, spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto the ground and got set for round two.

Buzz's HP= 36.

Breeze grinned as her back hooves impacted with the stallion's hide. As he spat, she took a deep breath, preparing herself to move quickly if need be, making sure her heart wasn't about to start racing. The last thing she needed was adrenaline pumping at the beginning of the fight, that would leave no energy left toward the end. Looking around, the other ponies seemed surprised. Even Trails.

Buzz began to prepare for round two. Would he make the same stupid mistake? Or did he learn? Would he try something different?

Breeze took several steps back, preparing herself for any attack, giving herself some extra room to analyze his tactics as he came at her a second time.

(Unarmed 40, Buzz, run and left hook punch as Buzz's attack nears her)

Buzz's next move was from the same playbook, charge in and swing. It was far from the most inspired move, but it worked. Trails winced as the buck connected solidly to Breeze's jaw. It wasn't a bone shattering blow, but the thud made it clear how on target it was. The blow must've dazed her, as the mare's hoof swung wildly at Buzz. Luckily for her the buck was still too green to capitalize on the opening, against the older stallions in the ring that would've been a game ender.

Breeze's HP=209

Breeze did her best to ignore the pain in her jaw and focus on the fight. A lot depended on her winning this fight, and she'd be figuratively damned if she didn't.

She steadied herself, and prepared for the stallion's next move, studying his movements for imperfections and imbalance.

(Unarmed 40, Buzz, swing into a full-strength buck at first sign of imbalance or imperfection i n Buzz's movements)

The pair grappled for a moment. Buzz seemed to be trying something new for once, throwing in a few tricks that he must have seen the older stallions use. However his inexperience kept him from using them as expertly as the bucks he was imitating. What his grapples did do, however, was keep him in close enough that Breeze's strikes were wholly inaccurate, landing on nothing but air. The fight was more even than Trails had expected, thusfar. He still had a slight air of doubt hanging over his mind, but Breeze was holding her own, which was more than could be said of a couple born and raised Khans.

Breeze was beginning to get frustrated. She kept missing. She had gotten one good hit. All she really needed was one or two more, right?

I'm pretty lucky, she thought to herself. Let's see if we can turn this stalemate into a win.

She studied his muscular structure briefly, being able now to tell where the weakest points in his body were. She could tell what the shapes of his bones were, and she was ready for him.

At his next charge at her, she would hit a weakpoint relatively hard. She didn't want to break any of his bones; she might have to be the one to fix it later.

(Medicine 71, tell where his weakpoints are based on his muscular structure )

(Unarmed 40, Buzz, stomp or kick a weakpoint)

The melee heated up again, Buzz tiring of the chess match Breeze seemed to be playing. With a massive backhoof to her muzzle, Breeze went flying. Fuck, she's still a mare. Trails resisted the urge to jump in and help her. This was her fight, not his. Breeze got up though, and returned Buzz's smack with a solid kick of her own. He couldn't help but feel that some of the power behind it might have been lost from her no doubt being dazed. Still, it was a big enough surprise that she got back up to send Buzz staggering back.

Buzz's HP=22
Breeze's HP=184

Getting frustrated now, Breeze growled. She felt her heart begin to beat faster as she wiped her muzzle, getting some blood off her face. She ran toward Buzz and kicked as hard as she could at his stomach, and then went to return the favor of his backhoof. She then went for a kick to his abdomen, and a smack to the side of his head with a back leg.

Trails smiled as Buzz continued to stagger from the shock of Breeze's bounceback. Hell even Trails was taken aback by it. Maybe he'd written this mare off a little too quickly. She answered him by charging Buzz, a kick to his ribs sending him falling into the sand all over again. Only this time he wasn't as fast to get up. In fact he didn't get up at all.

"Holy shit." whispered one of the Khans around the ring.

Nopony had expected that, nopony except Breeze it seemed.

"Next." called the stallion next to Trails.

Eagerly another buck stepped up. This one was larger, only a hand or so shorter than Trails. On top of this was his nearly pure muscle body. It was a stallion that Trails had spared with before, and remembered the fight well. He really wanted to help her now, this buck knew what he was doing, and could make her regret every mistake.

I was overcalculative before, Breeze realized. She looked up to see her new challenger. She didn't feel scared; she could already figure out some of his weak points. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?

She had to make sure she didn't get hit. That was really all. She had to make sure her hits weren't easily counterable. She waited for her challenger to make the first move.

The giant pony made waited for a second, sizing up the mare before him. He seemed to come to the same assessment Buzz had, not even a threat. Maybe Buzz had just lost because, well, he was an idiot. Near everyone could beat him, the buck could hit hard but it almost never mattered. The stallion seemed to think so at least as he ran right up and kicked Breeze in the side, knocking all of the wind out of her, and no doubt leaving a mark.

Breeze's HP=164

Ouch. That's gonna hurt in the morniing.

Breeze knew immediattely that look this pony was giving her. He didn't think she could do anything. He was underestimating her. Why? Because she was used to a higher type of society? Because she was smaller than they were?

Because she was a girl?

Well, they sure as hell weren't going to be underestimating her long. Hell no.

She felt a bit of rage go through her as she remembered underestimating herself. Keeping herself sane, she charged at the stallion, actively dodging his moves now, and gave him a hard buck in the neck. It should be enough to make him unable to breathe for a few seconds.

She then went for a good smack to his jaw, and a hard kick to his ribs. She also tried a hard punch to his solar plexis (I have no idea how that's spelled, I've only heard it said aloud) and then kicked some sand toward his face, trying to get it into his eyes.

Breeze seemed even more done with this whole ordeal than the bored stallion fighting her. She charged the buck and started unleashing a flurry of strikes on his body. The first kick was punctuated by gagging as his windpipe was painfully closed for a second. She followed up with a swing from a forehoof, solidly clocking the stallion in the jaw and sending a trail of saliva flying from his mouth. Before the stallion could even have a hope to react, Breeze bucked him again, this time in the ribs. A loud crack went out as the large stallion fell to the ground, unconscious.

Trails let out a low whistle and admired Breeze's hoofwork. Like a cazador, looks harmless enough then swarms you with a stinger and it's lights out. The rest of the group seemed to be having mixed reactions to the mare's victory. A few whispers of him leaving an opening that a foal would exploit went through them. He knew better though, he could see it plain as day. That stallion had underestimated her, and she had made him pay.

"Next up." trails called out.

There was almost another fight over who got to put Breeze in her place. After a few shoves one of the stallions stepped forward, a younger looking buck that was only a few inches taller than Breeze herself. The bucks deep red coat was nearly lost in the canyon's sand, his bright cutie marks the only obvious stand out on the scenery. Why the sniper chose to try his hoof at initiating was anypony's guess, but with a roll of his neck he showed he was eager enough for it.

Breeze smiled, ready for this one.

They all underestimate me. They think it was a fluke. Let's show 'em who's boss.

Breeze took a deep breath. She focused on the sniper's eyes. She then charged, actively making sure to dodge his moves, and going for his eyes with sand. She then tries for a kick in the ribs, a punch to the face, and an attempt to knock him back with a full on buck to the solar plexis.

Trails raised an eyebrow at Breeze when she kicked sand at the sniper. Fighting dirty...maybe he didn't have this mare pegged down than he thought. Her opponent was no slouch though and dodged both the sand and her follow up buck, finishing off with a nice little counter to her ribs. She didn't seem slowed down by it in the least, though, turning on him and unleashing two absolutely devastating blows. Everyone could see as the sniper's jaw gave way beneath Breeze's hoof. Before the buck could even think she was on him again, with a buck to the solar plexus that just sounded like a career ender.

The sniper fell back in a slump onto the ground, blood trickling from the corners of their mouth. Trails resisted the urge to crack a smile at the collective silence around him. They couldn't think up an excuse for this one. Trails whistled sharply and the next pony stepped up. This one was one of the dozens of runners, a buck who had never stood out in Trails' memory, but looked fit and ready. The dark blue stallion lowered his head in respect to Breeze and waited patiently for her move.

Breeze lowered her head in respect in return.

She tired of this initiation test. That last one should have been enough. Hell, that second one should have been enough. Breeze bet that few ponies could defeat that second stallion. She didn't know how many ponies she had to beat o be in; probably all ten of them. He said ten, right?

She ran toward the stallion and punched, purposefully missing and leaving a false opening. She then went for a follow-up move, a buck to his ribs. She then went for a smack to the neck to stun him, and a hard kick to his head.

Breeze must have been growing fatigued, three fights back to back was a tall order for her no doubt. At least she only had two more to go, Trails thought to himself. And she hadn't been bucked up too badly at this point, hell she was exceeding every expectation. He had thought that after one round he'd be carrying his unconscious form back to his yurt. Now she slipped up though, literally. She lost her hoofing on the loose ground and ended up sliding into the stallion, who returned the favor by pushing her hard to the ground.

The stallion held back though. Leaving Breeze to get up and come at him again. Whether the stallion was being polite, tactical, or simply respected what the mare had accomplished was anypony's guess. Trails suspected the latter, though, and in turn nodded to buck in approval curtly.

Breeze gritted her teeth. She knew she was beginning to fatigue, but she would continue at the same pace until she couldn't move any more!

She jumped at the stallion, partially in a rage, and kicked him hard in the ribs, chest, neck, and head, doing her absolute best to be done with him. She actively made sure to dodge his moves, and was beginning to feel the other ponies' stares burning into her skin. She had done better than they had expected of her, but they still expected her to fail. She knew that there was no way that she would beat all ten ponies, but she could damn well try.

And if she somehow made it in, she could rub it into all of these unsuspecting ponies' faces.

Breeze came alive again and charged the buck in a rage. For a second time she reminded Trails of a cazador, attacking wildly. Her kick to his chest staggered and pissed off the dark blue stallion. Scowling, the stallion clocked her, hard. Trails winced at the sound of snapping bone. That's gotta hurt. The crippling blow only served to enrage Breeze further it seemed. She spun on her hooves and bucked the stallion in the head. And with that, it was lights out for the buck.

Before Trails could or the stallion next to him could call for another combatant a buck had jumped up. This one was lanky and Trails had seen him in the ring a number of times. He thought his name was Rickshaw, or something like that. Rickshaw was a hard hitter, if memory served, but he was even faster than he was strong. He hoped Breeze could beat this buck, she'd earned her way in as far as Trails was concerned, but tradition was tradition.

Breeze's HP = 112

Breeze, still in some of a rage, waited patiently for the buck's move. She made absolutely sure to dodge all of the moves she could, and if she had the opening, send him flying in the other direction.

First she tried a kick to his neck to send him down. Feeling her rage bubbling up inside of her, she sent a flurry of kicks the buck's way, toward his neck repeatedly, toward his head, toward his ribs, and toward his face. She was absolutely done with this test! Had she not proven herself worthy of the Khans yet? Everypony was utterly amazed at how well she had done thus far, and surely after beating four ponies, it was enough?

But neigh, she had to beat TEN ponies. There was no way, after how tired she was getting, moving this quickly for this long, that she could hold out another two rounds. But even if it KILLED her, she would prove herself worthy. Keep up the pace, she kept telling herself. You're halfway there.