The Equestria Games

The Wonderbolt's training compound was full. Every pegasus from every town that had taken part in the rebellion all those years ago, Ponyville, Manehattan, Appleloosa, Hoofington, Fillydelphia, Los Pegasus, Trottingham, Baltimare, added to the many already living in Cloudsdale, had gather in the one place. Even with the Peacekeepers magically enlarging the compound, there wasn't room for everyone. Priority was given to those old enough to have their name in one of the two large glass bowls that dominated the front stage, with their family and friends pressing in behind the roped off area. Those arriving late were forced to spill out into the streets, watching on huge screens fixed to the outside of nearby buildings. The atmosphere was claustrophobic, with a cloying sense of fear filling the air. Some ponies were crying, others trying to appear brave, others stood in an overwhelming sense of desperation. Everypony hoping it wouldn't be somepony they love.

Opinions on the games were varied among the pegasi. Due to being in charge of the weather and favoured by the Princess as guards, the pegasi were certainly better off than the unicorns and earth ponies. Most of the flight schools that had been allowed to stay open trained their students to become Night Guards, as each year ten pegasi were chosen. Those

trained usually enjoyed the games, sometimes volunteering to try and prove themselves. However, these were the minority. To everypony else, the games were dreaded above all else.

Near the back of the roped off area, the place especially for those with their name entered, a yellow pegasus with a pale pink mane collapsed on the floor, trembling. Fluttershy was

one of the oldest in the reaping, and due to this year's winter being harsher than any before, she had been forced to sign up for tesserae to feed her woodland friends, the result being that her name was in that glass bowl more times than she would have wished. Once was bad enough, but this year the odds definitely weren't in her favor. And every year,

the memories would flood back. One memory in particular.Fluttershy clung to her mommy's foreleg, trying to avoid being trampled by the crowd. She didn't fully understand what was happening, she just knew her mommy and all the other

pegasi the same age had to stand at the front, while her grandparents were somewhere at the back. Her mommy had tried to get Fluttershy to go with them, but she refused to leave her mommy's side.

Everypony fell quite as a purple pegasus took to the stage. Fluttershy was fascinated by her hair, it was piled up on top of her head in an elaborate style, and there was so much of it! The purple pegasus talked for a long time, but Fluttershy was too little to understand what was being said. She entertained herself playing with her mommy's mane and drawing

pictures in the dust on the floor. Suddenly the purple pegasus called out her mommy's name. Whatever it was, her mommy had won! Fluttershy looked up, and was surprised to see her mommy crying. Her mommy bent down and hugged Fluttershy harder than ever before, whispering in her ears. Fluttershy knew something was wrong, she clung to her mommy, crying, begging her not to go, but it was no use.

A brown pegasus Fluttershy didn't know was holding her back, trying to comfort her but she didn't hear him. Her grandparents came for her, her Grandpapa muttering something

about the dangers of having a foal so young and her Grandmare complaining about her good-for-nothing of a father running off, and Fluttershy cried and screamed, pausing just long

enough to hear her mommy shouting that she'd come back, she'd win, for Fluttershy.

Fluttershy never saw her mommy again.

Next to her, Rainbow Dash, sensing her friend's anxiety, attempted to mutter words of comfort, unaware her words weren't even being heard. "…seriously, look at the number of Pegasi here, and some of them have their names in waaaay more times than you, you've practically nochance of being chosen…."

The two friends were still stood this way, Rainbow's words as much for herself as her friend by now, when the clock struck two and Cloudsdale's Mayor took to the stage and began to read. The deep blue pegasus told of the history of Equestria; how it came about and how Princess Luna defeated her evil sister and brought peace to Equestria. Of the Dark Days,

when the towns rebelled against Canterlot. Of how the towns were defeated, and the Equestria Hunger Games invented. How each year, four Pegasi, four Unicorns and four Earth Ponies are forced to fight to the death as a reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated. He then read the list of previous Pegasi winners. Pegasi usually perform quite well, especially due to some flight schools training their pupils for the games, so the list is fairly long. Training is technically against the rules, but trained ponies, or 'Careers' usually put on a good show, so nopony really cares. The Career ponies are obvious, they're the ones looking excited, eyeing up the competition, bigging themselves up. Once the list ends, the Mayor introduces the Pegasi escort, Silver Trinket.

Silver Trinket bounces onto the stage, the only pegasus who looks happy to be here.

"Happy Hunger Games!" She exclaims, "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" As she talks about what an honour it is to be here, she strategically stretches her wings, showing off what must be the latest Canterlot fashion craze; hundreds of small jewels imbedded between the feathers. Her introductory speech is soon over and it's time for the drawing. There is complete silence as Silver Trinket walks over to the bowl on the left, everypony hardly daring to breathe. With her traditional "Ladies first!", she puts her hoof into the bowl, digs deep, and pulls out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, she reads out the name.

"Fluttershy!"