I could do that? (Patreon)

While Petina spent her day as a lawn ornament in my Equestria dreamscape my point of view shifted as I started checking in how things were going on around the rest of the realm. 

     Ever since she'd survived her encounter with Last Thing in the observatory Applebloom has been serious about the Shik-ka-lim drills that her teacher Zecora gave her. Learn you will 

     However the filly was still in the earliest days of her studies. Her drills focused on the most rudimentary aspects of the art. Zecora at this point just wanted Applebloom to develop the muscle memory and flexibility. It wouldn't be until many months later that she'd start instructing Applebloom in the fundamentals of combat.

     But like many students Applebloom wanted to try her hoof at doing some of the more complex drills she'd watch her teacher to do.  It was no surprise that most of these attempts ended with varying degrees of failure.

     It was during one these moments of failure though that the filly had this spark of insight. It was as if she was having epiphany and she understood what her teacher had been telling her. In her mind she imagined her own voice telling her what to do. Without thinking about it she found her body moving in ways she'd never been able to do. Then it was over and she was left staring at the crumpled remains of the old tin bucket. Had she actually done that?  

To be continued.