Alicorn Battle

Alicorn Battle

Chapter Two:

Roles and Rules

Twilight blinked twice as her vision came into focus. She looked around as her mind become more alert. She frowned slightly when she noticed that there was nothing around her but darkness. She frowned when saw that the darkness looked…painted on, like the walls of a room had been done up to give this place some sense of foreboding. Not this place felt foreboding in any sense, mind you, it just looked that way.

“What the hay just happen?” asked a familiar voice in bewilderment.

Twilight looked to her right and saw Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, looking just as confuse as she felt. The farmer was trying to maintain her composure as she gave her surrounding a thorough inspection. The cloud-buster looked a little irritated, however, and looked ready for a fight. Her wings were out to their full length, and she was crouched low to the ground like she was ready to take to the sky.

Twilight was surprise that her rainbow mane friend wasn’t in the air already, looking for the pony responsible behind bringing them to this strange place.

She looked to left and saw the rest of her friends. Rarity was also composed, though Twilight did see a hint of fear in her friend’s eyes. The white unicorn was calmly looking, trying to get a fix on her surroundings, frowning curiously. Next to her was Pinkie Pie, looking as energetic at ever. The pink pony was bouncing in place and looking around fiercely, no doubt eager to explore.

Why she hadn’t yet was a mystery to the lavender unicorn.

She looked past Pinkie and saw the last member of their group. Fluttershy was crouched low to the group, her hooves covering her eyes. She would uncovered her eyes sometimes, in a vain hope that things would go back to normal, and recovered them quickly when she realized she was still in a scary place. Rarity saw her best friend in distress, and want over to comfort her…or try to, at least. When she tried to move, she found herself unable to move beyond the spot she was. Still, the white unicorn wasn’t one the leave a friend in need, and continued to try and break whatever force was holding her in place.

Twilight frowned slightly, and looked at her owe hooves. She lifted her right front hoof and tried to move it forward. She found that she could move within the space she was in. But when she tried to move beyond it, some invisible force stopped her. She looked at the floor again, and her frown turned a little curious when she notice something in front of her. She looked up and noticed a large A had been stamped onto the space in front of her. She looked around and notice that all the spaces around her had either A or I on them, making her just a little more curious.

“…Just what does all of this mean?” she asked herself.

“Don’t worry, my little ponies, you’re not in any harm,” a familiar voice said commandingly.

Startled, the group spun around in place, and were shocked at what they saw. Princess Celestia set on a large desk, which reach probably twelve to sixteen feet in the air. The desk was a pure gold color, and had 9 turn-off lights on it, three big ones on the right, and six smaller ones on the left.

The girls, however, didn’t notice the piece of furniture their princess was sitting on; the group’s attention was solely on the ruler of their land. The princess was completely decked out in a gold armor with silver trimming. Surprisingly, her mane was still in that breaded style and she still had on her reading glasses. The group was in awe, seeing their beloved princess giving off such a commanding presence, something ponies of this day and age really see.

Twilight tried to get closer to her mentor, but found herself still glued to the spot she was in. “Princess, what’s going on? Were we?” the unicorn asked in a slight panic.

“Don’t’ worry, Twilight Sparkle,” the princess replied, allowing the soft and gentle smile she is known for, blossom onto her face. “At the moment, you and your friends’ spirit has been place into the tapping crystal you saw in Luna and my game room.”

Twilight and her friend exchanged puzzled looks, not sure how to process this new information. Thankfully, they didn’t have to. Celestia, being thousands of years old, knew what her subjects, and favorite group of ponies were thinking, and acted on it.

“Twilight, I have invented you and your friends to Canterlot to play a game with my sister and myself. I wanted to keep it a surprise, that’s all,” Celestia said kindly, and then her smile turned a little sad. “But I would understand if you didn’t want to play.”

“No, no, princess,” Twilight said in an apologizing tone. “We’re just surprise that’s all.”

“Beside, any game that a princess has is probably super duper fun!” Pinkie said excitedly, and nearly bounced to the princess’s eye level.

“Beg your pardon, princess,” Applejack said humbly. “But what sort of game are we playing?”

The princess looked at the farmer with her gentle smile, and said, “I will explain that in a minute, but first I need to give all of you your roles.”

Celestia then carefully looked over the six, brow narrow in thought. She looked over the group a second time, and notice how nervous they look, even Twilight Sparkle was on edge, which was consider normal when in the presence of one of the royal sisters. She sighs inwards as her gaze locked onto her faithful student.

“Twilight Sparkle…I see you as a tactician,” the princess said kindly.

Twilight gasp softly as the spot she was standing in lit up and she felt magic flow into her. She was suddenly clad in a fiery red and yellow one-piece bodysuit, covered by a matching, full body robe. The robe had a golden trim, around the neck, shoulders, and the bottom rim, and the robe was kept closed by a silver chain around the front of the neck. Twilight had a multi-colored ring, resting comfortable on her horn, and a silver tiara with a red orb in it.

The unicorn took in a deep breath and said, in a trance-like state, “…Tactician: Health 25: strength 5: defense 12: magical might 15: stepping ability 6: Special abilities: magic use and thought speak.”

[Twilight Sparkle…can you hear me?] Princess Celestia asked in concern.

Twilight gasped and opened her eyes, looking at mentor with wide eyes. [I can princess! How are you doing that? How am I doing it?]

[Calm down my faithful student] Celestia said with a kind chuckle. [As my tactician, you and I can speak to each other through thought. You would able to also talk to your friends once I gave them their roles]

Twilight nodded as she looked herself over, in awe of the robes she was wearing, and the power she felt flowing through her. She looked up at Celestia, wanting to know more about this new type of magic, only to find that her mentor was looking at applejack.

“Applejack…you shall be my warrior.”

The farmer gasp as light shine under her, and soon she was dressed in her role outfit. She wore the same one-piece suit that Twilight had under her robe, but instead of a robe, the farmer wore heavy, gold armor, covering her chest, shoulders, all her legs, and a helmet with horns on it. The armor covering the front hooves also had some sort of strange grabbing device on them. The biggest draw, however, was the large broadsword, strap to the farmer’s back.

“Warrior: Health 30: Strength: 15: defense: 15: Magical Might 0: Stepping ability 5. Special abilities: Charge and finish attack,” Applejack said hypnotically.

Applejack blinked twice and looked herself over. When she saw the strange grabbers on her front hooves, a crazy thought enter into her head. She tried to move them and to her surprise, they moved. She looked towards the princess, to shock to say anything.

“Rainbow Dash…Runner would suit you perfectly.”

Rainbow gasp as the light shine under her and her battle outfit appear. Like the others, she wore the fiery red, full body suit. She also had light gold armor covering her chest and shoulders. She also wore bands that have the same grabbing tools that Applejack now has. She has gold bandana, and a pair of short swords strap to her back. Like the others, she spoke in a near trance-like state.

“Runner: Health 24: strength 10: defense 15: Stepping ability 10: Magical Might 5. Special abilities: dashing charge and mad dash,” Rainbow blinked twice as she inspected her new look.

“Rarity…You shall make a fine trapper.”

The white unicorn closed her eyes and bow slightly as the magic flow into her. She was soon dressed in the standard battle attire, but she also had a small jacket that went to her mid-section, and a hood, which currently covered her face, but not her horn. There was a gray ring resting on the unicorn’s horn and she had a pair of saddlebags on her. She had a small dagger hidden in her jacket, barely visible to the others.

“Trapper: Health 20 Strength 5: Defense 10: Magical Might 8: Stepping ability 6. Special abilities: scouting and trapping.” Once Rarity came out of her trance she frowned slightly as she looked at her outfit.

“Pinkie Pie…no role would fit you, say…the Stealth Walker.”

The pink pony jumped in excitement as her spot lit up and the magic flowed into her. Whatever magic was in this place didn’t seem to affect the hyper pony, but that was nothing new. She did a flip as she landed on her back legs, and took up a karate pose, dressed in the outfit the girls had come to expect. Pinkie’s outfit was simpler then the others, only with a mask covering her face, and the same grabbing tools that AJ and RD have, to hold the pair of draggers she had at her side.

“Stealth Walker: Health 26 Strength 8: Defense 4: Magical Might 6: Stepping ability 8. Special abilities: shadow walking, and silent strike!” Pinkie said in her usual happy voice.

“Finally, Fluttershy, I can think of no role more suiting for you then…” The shy pony cower slightly as she wait for the princess to finish, “…the rule of the healer.”

The shy flyer “eep” slightly as the light shin from under her and her battle outfit appeared. Fluttershy’s outfit was far more different then the ones her friends were wearing. She was wearing a full body dress, with short sleeve on her front legs, and a pair of red bracelet that doubled as grabbing tools. There was a small sun-shape hairpiece in the right side of her mane, and she had a wooden staff on her back.

“Healer: Health 15 Strength 2: Defense 6: Magical might 6: Stepping ability 4. Special abilities: healing and mending,” Fluttershy said in her usual quiet voice.

Now that was done, the group began to look over themselves and each other more thoroughly. But before they could do anything, Princess Celestia got their attention by clearing her throat.

“Now, my little ponies, please listen carefully, and looked at my common desk,” the sun princess said calmly.

The group did as they were told and looked at their princess the item she was sitting on. They notice for the first time, the lights, which are the moment, were turned off, on the desk.

“The goal is to score three hits on a commander’s command desk. The light on the right will glow when damage is dealt to me,” Celestia explained kindly.

Twilight and her friends were silent as they took in this new information. Soon, Twilight looked at her mentor with a curious eye.

“Is there anything else we should know, princess?” the unicorn asked curiously.

Celestia was about to answer only to frown when she felt something in the back of her mind. She sighs faintly, and looked at her student. “There are more rules and tips to go over, my faithful. Unfortunately, my sister’s ready, and we don’t have time to waste. I will inform all of you of more rules as needed. BEGIN!!” Celestia screamed.

The group of ponies suddenly gasped as the entire board lit up and they turned around and watch as the square began to change color. They watched as each square changed into a gold color one after the other. They could see a similar event happening at the far end of the board, only the squares were lighting up blue and they figure that was Princess Luna’s side. The board flashed again when the board was completely lit up in colors, temperately blinking the ponies. The group quickly regained their eyesight and saw another group of ponies at the far end of the board. The six couldn’t help but gasp and gawk as they saw the group of ponies that Princess Luna has gathered as her players.

“I don’t believe it…” Twilight muttered in disbelief.