Guard Tiara: The Grand Guard Games

"Are you sure that we should be coming with you?" Rumble asked as he and Dinky followed Diamond Tiara. "I mean, they didn't invite us to whatever this thing is."

"I am not going to a strange location in the middle of the night given to me by a mysterious griffon standing in a dark alley alone," Diamond Tiara stated walking along. "The fact I'm doing it at all with even one of those facts is bad enough. Besides, it's better this way. If they have a problem with you two being there, then whatever is going on is probably not something I should be involved in. It will give me an excuse to leave."

"You don't know," Dinky said as she looked around. She let out a gasp. "Maybe they are actually a secret ops team ran by one of the princesses and wants you to join their them. Or maybe they're time travelers who need your help to keep something from tampering with the time line. Maybe the location is actual their trans-temporal spaceship."

"What is with you and traveling through time and space?" Rumble asked, tilting his head to look at her.

"I just think it would be really amazing," Dinky answered. "Just imagine the possibilities. You could go back in time and see what Princess Celestia and Luna were like as foals, or go forward and see what Equestria will be like in another thousand years. There could be a planet where the dominant life form is some sort of highly evolved primate, or one where they are unable to use magic."

"Oh, come on," Diamond huffed out. "How could primates become a dominant life form? All they do is eat fruit, groom each other, and throw their shit at each other."

"Maybe they have a contest," Rumble suggested. "Whichever one of them can throw the biggest pile at others gets to be the leader."

"And a world without magic?" Diamond asked. "How would that even work?"

"I don't know," Dinky said with a shrug, "but that would be part of the fun. You would get to see how others are able to do things. Besides, there was a time when the tribes were not aware of each other. Imagine what kind of stories they made up to explain things like why the sun and moon rose."

Diamond Tiara chose not to respond to the statement. Although now there was a little nagging question at the back of her mind: how did they explain that? Well it did not matter right now anyways. It was just something that she might look into at a later time. For now, she had more immediate concerns.

The three of them soon reached the destination Diamond Tiara had been given. The place looked like the back of a business of some kind. Reaching up, Diamond Tiara pushed against the door, which slid open with ease.

"Don't they normally lock these things?" Rumble asked.

"I guess whatever is going on is inside," Diamond said. "Not much good to have a pony show up if they can't get in."

"Well I guess it's not a top secret defense organization," Dinky stated. "If it was, they probably would have wanted you to demonstrate you skills at getting in to a locked building unnoticed."

"I'll try to hide my disappointment," Diamond said, rolling her eyes. Although... she actually was a little disappointed. Not like she actually believed that she was meeting with a top secret organization that protected Equestria or anything, but the idea was actually kind of entertaining. It was fun at least as a notion. Not like she could say for certain if she would have accepted or not, but to at least have the offer as an option would have been nice.

Inside the building, there were small crystals glowing with magic light. It seemed to mark some sort of path to follow. As they went, the sound of voices could be heard. It sounded like there must have quite an enthusiastic crowd. Either there were a lot of beings, or a very excited smaller group. As Diamond got closer, it sounded more and more like... cheering?

Diamond Tiara, Rumble, and Dinky Hooves soon reached another door, a thick steel one.

"That's probably a store room," Dinky said. "Whatever is going on, sounds like it's on the other side."

"Ready?" Diamond asked, getting nods from Rumble and Dinky. Reaching out, she took a hold of the door and pulled it open.

Inside stood a crowd, comprised mostly of ponies and griffons, with the occasional zebra, yak, or minotaur about. Their attention was mainly focused on a large clear area in the middle of the room where a griffon and pegasus were fighting each other. It was a bit difficult to make out the specifics since it seemed both sides were flapping their wings, but Diamond did think she saw some blood running down the pegasus' face.

"You came," a voice shouted, getting the three ponies' attention. "And you brought your friends."

Diamond and the others turned to find that the griffon from this morning was approaching them. She gave them a warm smile as her eyes scanned the three of them.

"I'm Griselda, and welcome to The Crystal Empire's underground female fight club."

"A fight club?" Rumble asked. "You mean mares come here and beat each other up?"

"Yes," Griselda said. "Although not just ponies for now. And before you ask: no, the first rule is not that we don't talk about it."

"Aww," Dinky pouted.

"Anyway, quick rundown: any creature can participate. They just have to basically sign in, letting the announcer and judges know they want to have a fight. There are multiple ways for the fight to go. Some are first blood, others are knock-out or submission, and some are just a timed match. Depending on the match and how it goes, the winner could get a few bits out of it. You can also place bets on the fighters. Although you can't bet against yourself. You can guess as to why. When you fight, there is no magic spells, no biting, no clawing for those of us who can, no choking, no mane pulling for those who have it, and no hitting another fighter in the genitals."

"The genitals?" Rumble repeated.

"We don't want it any more than a stallion," Griselda replied.

"And this is legal?" Dinky asked.

"Well, there aren't actually any laws against it," Griselda answered. "The two participants are adults and fully consenting after all."

"So why is it a secret?"

"Actually," Diamond Tiara cut in, "I have a better question: why invite me?"

"You got a bit of a reputation now," Griselda told her. "I mean, think about it. You managed to walk out of the frozen wastes around the city, alone, carrying The Crystal Heart, after fighting off who knows how many monsters."

Diamond Tiara groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Stupid stories and rumors," she huffed. "First, I didn't walk out. I was found by a rescue team that brought me back. Second, yes, I had the heart, but there was no great fight. There were just two changeling drones, both of which were at separate times. One ran away and the other..."

...was killed when I slammed it into a cluster of blood red crystals! She was... not innocent... but she didn't deserve that. So now her blood... She lifted one of her hooves, looking at it.

"You know what, fine." Diamond then turned to Griselda. "Sign me up. I'll fight."

"What?" Rumble and Dinky called out.

"Really?" Griselda asked, eyes going wide as a grin spread across her face.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Just hurry up before I change my mind or leave or something."

"Okay," Griselda called out as she turned. "I'll see if I can have you get the next match or so. A lot of spectators and fighters are going to be so excited." She then started shoving her way through the crowd, making her way somewhere.

"Diamond?" Rumble asked. "Are you sure you want to do this? It sounds dangerous."

"May as well," Diamond said. "I'm here. Either I win, in which case yay, or I lose, in which case I can put some of these stupid rumors to an end."

"You could also get your ass kicked pretty hard," Rumble replied. "I'm willing to bet some of the beings here have been in fights, and aren't some fresh out of training guard who had a bit of luck -- good and bad -- and barely any field experience."

"I'm willing to bet she can do it," Dinky stated, placing a hoof on Diamond's back. "In fact, I want to bet she can do it. I wonder what kind of odds they're giving her. If they think the way you do, it should be pretty high, but the story about her 'fighting off a hoard of snow monsters with a broken leg before getting back to the city' might drop them considerably."

"That never happened!" Diamond Tiara snapped, turning to glare at Dinky.

"I know that, D," Dinky said, "but at this point I'm willing to bet that there are stories like that going around somewhere in this city." She took a step back. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a bet to place." She then made her way through the crowd, occasionally calling out an "excuse me," or "pardon me."

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" Rumble asked again. "It could be dangerous, and you are still injured from... your altercations..."

"I need to," Diamond said, her voice just above a whisper.

"Why?"

"I... I don't know." That was kind of a lie (to him and herself). "I just need to."

"Alright," Rumble relented. "But be careful. Getting yourself beat up won't change anything."

A pang shot through Diamond Tiara's chest, causing her to grimace. Was that actually what she was doing? Maybe. She felt horrible about what happened. Yet every pony that she talked about it with were so sympathetic, so understanding. None of them blamed her for what happened, saying it was an accident, or in self-defense. And that was true.

So why did it never make her feel better?

"Diamond!" Dinky shouted as she shoved her way through the crowd. "Diamond!" She came to a stop in front of the other mare. "I thought I should warn you. I saw who your op--"

The rest of Dinky's statement was drowned out by the sound of the crowd cheering. In the impromptu arena, the griffon had somehow won her fight, and was standing in the center with her wings wide in a victory pose. The pegasus, meanwhile, was either being dragged out, or was dragging her hooves as she walked. It was hard to tell.

"Wasn't that an amazing battle?" a silvery crystal mare called out, getting another round of cheering from the crowd. "And speaking of amazing, we have an amazing guest here tonight. From Ponyville, the mare that fended off a pack of wolves and brought The Crystal Heart back to the empire: please welcome... Diamond Tiara!"

There were gasps and murmurs from some and cheering from others. The crowd shifted, granting Diamond Tiara a clear path to the arena. As she approached, some of the audience members reached out to pat her on the back or stroke at her flanks.

"Diamond!" Dinky called out. "Embrace your inner brat!"

What does that even mean? Diamond wondered as she made her way to the clear area of the arena. Why would Dinky want me to act like a brat? She came to a stop beside the announcer.

"And her opponent," the mare called out. "A favorite that has been here every night since the start of the games and currently undefeated. Also from Ponyville--"

Wait!

"-- and part of the mercenary group, The Blue Blood Battle Brigade."

It can't be.

"Please, welcome..."

No!

"AURA!"