[PQ] rub some dirt in it

Together Ronin and Are would manage to get the posts into the ground, sturdy and secure, and the former had grabbed a thick length of rope to coil around each one as a temporary barrier. It would demarcate the barrier between training grounds and not, if nothing else. As he was tying off the rope, he heard Are speak, arching a brow at him and letting his expression grow sombre. "Roana is a strong woman and a talented soldier," he said quietly. "These angry people will want someone to lead them into what - a war?" Shaking his head, Ronin swept his damp hair back out of his face. "We cannot win a war against Zariah Launceleyn. Do not underestimate her willingness to hurt people who challenge her directly." Shrugging, he clapped Are on the shoulder, giving him a sad smile and heading back into the centre of the grounds, grinning as he admired the work done. "Excellent. There's just one last thing before this place is all sorted. I'm sorry to say, it's quite a physical job." Knocking his boot against the hard packed ground, Ronin nodded at a few hoes and shovels and rakes leaning against the guildhall. "We need to turn this earth - make it less difficult to run on. You wouldn't want to take a tumble on this right now, eh?" Last round! All together now, let's dig! <3 ronypony it's always nice to make an impression

Are

The pat and smile did little to soothe the helpless feeling growing in the cobbler's chest. A tight not in his gut telling him that it all was a far cry from the kind of 'right' he knew. As history repeated itself, his history. One of a slowly shrinking noose around a pagan neck, gasping for what little fresh air remained as tyrants where allowed to spread the suffocating miasma of subjugation across the lands. He wanted to scream, to fight, to brashly rise up and strike with his new-found strength, but Ronin's words left a bitter aftertaste of defeat. Defeat in a war not even started.

In silence he followed the guildmaster back and grabbed himself a sturdy hoe and with just a nod got to busy his mind with something other than thoughts of rebellion.

I am my mother's child, I'll love you till my breathing stops
I'll love you till you call the cops on me

She was quite content and glad to have Remi and Aoife appear, giving her a hand with the brushstrokes, laughter immersed from her lungs as the child’s hands increased the vividness of the honeybee girl’s painted targets. “Beautiful!” The youth christened and anointed the handprints as works of fine art, and Remi’s too – the lion’s tail making an excellent implement. Jigano eventually made his presence known again too, proffering her a drink she accepted with great aplomb, guzzling the water down, parched from the heat of the sun’s rays and touch. “Thank you! How did your weapons turn out?” The finale reigned though, everything nearly complete: except for loosening the packed ground. Her eyes swarmed to the rakes, hoes, and shovels lined against the hall’s outer walls, considered her muscles, her limbs not entirely burdened, wobbly, or fatigued. She placed her mug down by the hay bales, and then chose a shovel, busy and content, a hum on her lips, as she began to dig into the earth, turning over the dried surface. M e l i t a But in our darkest hours, I stumbled on a secret power I'll find a way to be without you, babe

He grinned at Melita's usual exuberance, finding her zest for life and all the things she did contagious in the best way. He retrieved his mug when she was done, gesturing behind him to the neatly ordered barrels of fixed and shining weapons. "Better then expected, to be honest! There were some solid pieces beneath all that rust and dirt. The organization system should last until, oh, the first practice session or so," he admitted with a laugh. The work might go to waste eventually, but it made him feel good to have done it for now. Productive, in a way he usually only felt out on the farm, working with his hands beside Rory to care for the animals and crops.

Remi's lioning around earned a bemused tilt of his head, and a slight step away from the mess of paint on lion and child. He turned gratefully at Ronin's approach, raising a brow in curiosity and eager to see where the next task would take them. At the gesture towards the ground he wrinkled his nose, then shrugged, a sly smile coming over his face. "Why use one shovel when you can use four..." he murmured, winking at the Guildmaster. He headed back towards the tools, then continued around to the side of the building, There was a moment's silence, and then a slender white horse returned, blue eyes twinkling mischievously as he pranced onto the field, flicking Melita teasingly with his tail as Isuma finally grew brave enough to boop Fangorn with her small beak.

Shaking his mane, he dug his hooves into the dirt, kicking and flinging clods of it up as he tried to coax Melita and Ronin into a silly dance with him as they worked the day away.

They worked hard, under that unforgiving sun. And once the earth was all turned up and the ground suitable to run and fight and fall upon, Ronin treated his group of hard workers (and his lion, and his daughter), to a well-deserved drink. He wasn't quite done yet, though, and as they relaxed and admired the new training grounds, the guildmaster finished up his task. "Ta daaaa!" He chirped brightly when he was done - standing at attention at the edge of the grounds stood three training dummies, made out of old sacks and wooden timber and stuffed with hay. Each had a grumpy (or shocked) expression painted onto its face; Ronin had never looked so proud. "Thank you, all of you," he said. "This will help more people than you realise, I think. And you are all welcome here, of course. Please drop by here or at the guildhall whenever you like!" Congratulations! The PQ is complete and you all (except you, Remi xD) receive credit. The training grounds are up and running! ronypony it's always nice to make an impression