Chapter 1: Magic begins to Form
“Hello Equestria! This is Caster Sportsman, here to bring you the latest decree from Celestia and Luna! As most of you might know, League of Legends has become a popular pastime among many, MANY ponies. Now, on this day, The Two Sisters have decreed it an official sport, and have also announced that in 6 months, there shall be an Equestria-wide tournament open to all as long as you’ve got a team of 5! So get prepping! To give you a feel of how the sport shall be played for all you fans, tune into your MagiCast later at 6:30 for an exhibition match between two of the competing teams!”
“What’s League of Legends?” Asked Starlight Glimmer.
“You don’t know?” Asked Twilight back, “It’s only the best game, oh sorry SPORT, in all Equestria!”
“Ok...What is it exactly?”
“It is a team-based 5 on 5 battle. You and 4 other teammates summon Champions from the fictional world of Runeterra. Of course, you have to keep in mind who you want to summon, there are 5 roles to play, these roles fit into 3 lanes, and the Jungle. The Top lane is where you get your bruisers competing for Dominance. The Mid lane is the closest thing the team has to a leader, since they can roam more easily and are typically put into positions of the coordinator. The bottom lane typically has two players, the Marksman and the Support. Support is obvious, the Marksman is typically the team’s glass cannon, which is why they have the support. Lastly is the Jungler, it’s there job to roam the map, helping wherever they can. The overall goal of the game is to destroy your opponents turrets that defend their lanes, until you reach the Nexus. When you destroy the Nexus, you win.” Starlight can only stare in silence as she tries to take it all in. “Pretty complex, huh?” Asks Twilight smugly, “That’s not even all of it, and I’m actually pretty good at the game.”
Twilight’s sudden smugness brought Starlight back to reality, “Oh really? Then I’ll clearly be good, possibly even better than you.”
“Really now? Fine then, I’ll show you how to play right now. Come, I have a Rift in the other room.”
“How have I not heard of this before?”
“Probably because you were always in that town of yours, what was it called again?”
“It was called...ummmm….” Starlight is lost in thought, trying in vain to remember a name that never existed, as they walk down the hall into a room Starlight hadn’t seen yet. It was dark except for some ambient crystal lanterns that gave off a dim blue glow. As Twilight approached however, a square in the center of the room blazed a beautiful blue light, leaving a low hanging fog after it settled.
“So let’s see here,” Twilight said to no one in particular, “The Howling Abyss should do fine for a duel.” Starlight couldn’t believe her eyes as out of the blue fog rose two great icy mountains, leaving a great abyss in between that seemed to howl, huh, appropriate naming. Then arose a lone bridge seeming to go nowhere and only exist to be a platform. “Alrighty then, I’ll go easy on you and not pick my usual champion. I think I’ll take Varus.” Starlight’s amazement continued as a pale skinned human appeared on the bridge. Varus seemed to be male, and was naked excepts for a pair of pants. The most peculiar thing however was his bow and arrow, which seemed to be attached to his arm, and to contrast the rest of him, it covered his right arm in a dark black and purple mix of what Starlight was later told was “corruption.” Twilight began to explain Starlight how to go about playing, “Firstly, walk to one of the little circle areas on the other side of the map, there you can choose your champion, and you get an overview of their abilities and stats.”
“Very well, I’ll just take Varus as well then, that way when I beat you, you know I completely surpassed you.”
“Hehe, we’ll see, now since we’re both going to play Varus, you may want to choose a skin. Skins are alternate looks to a champion. They can be merely for fun or reflect a look of a champion in the lore aside from its standard look.”
“Hmm, then I’ll go with ‘Arclight Varus’ then.”
“Nice choice, that skin depicts Varus before was corrupted by the dark magic he was guarding from invaders.”
“Yeah whatever, let’s get to it”
“Fine then, let’s see what you can do Starlight.”
Starlight noticed a glow start to form around her, it soon completely engulfed her to the point where she couldn’t see the room. Suddenly, she could see the Howling Abyss up close and personal. She seemed to be looking through Varus’ eyes, though it felt like she was still looking on from above the map. It was an odd sensation but it didn’t take too long to get used to, and it granted her a good perspective of the map.
“Now then, Minions will be spawning soon, you send them out first and stay behind them. Defeating enemy minions grants you gold which you can use to purchase items that will boost your stats. It also grants you experience which slowly builds to a new level, from there you can pick an ability to unlock or boost. You get one level and some gold at the start of the match. Go ahead and pick your items and get into lane.”
Starlight went ahead and bought some Health potions, and a blade that is apparently some guy named Doran’s. She selected an ability that apparently granted her a charging arrow that is more powerful and has greater range than Varus’ normal arrows. Her minions spawned and she was off into the battle. Everything seemed quiet except for the howling wind. That is, until she was struck by a bright arrow from nowhere.
“Oh did I forget to mention? You can hide in the brush, you’re practically invisible unless your enemy has a ward in the brush,” Said Twilight as she started shooting her minions. Starlight couldn’t necessarily feel the pain, but she definitely felt something. She couldn’t keep hung up on that for long, after a few arrows from Twilight, Starlight’s minions were gone and she was forced to fall back to her Turret. Ok, no more, She had to start fighting back, Twilight said she became more powerful by taking out minions, so she’d start with that while she was safe under her turret. Another powerful arrow came right at her and nailed her dead on. She realized that in the corner of her eye she could see what appeared to be a health bar. She had taken a few hits. It was time for her to fight back. She began firing on Twilight, she saw what appeared to be a small smirk on Twilight’s Varus as she dove into a nearby bush. While Starlight was charging her arrow hidden in the bush, Twilight aimed an arrow upward. When she fired out came an entire volley of arrows that rained down upon Starlight. Starlight fired off her arrow, and started to flee back towards her tower, but the volley of arrows seemed to have slowed her a bit, when she turned to try and fight Twilight, she was met with one final charged arrow that took her out.
“You have been slain Starlight, you’ll remain like this until you respawn in some time.”
“Thanks for telling me earlier…”
Starlight respawned back at the shop, picked up some items, and went back into lane with a plan. After some farming she was now level six, and had access to all her abilities. Twilight had just taken her first turret, leaving 2 left defending the lane, along with the 2 defending the Nexus. The moment Twilight was in sight she charged forward. “It’s time for me to take you down Twilight!” She cried out, gaining her attention, Twilight immediately shot her volley and began charging her power arrow. Starlight dodged the volley, and quickly responded in kind, launching a volley slowing Twilight down. She immediately got out of Twilight’s range and began charging her own power arrow. After Twilight let her arrow loose too late. Starlight was out of range, she then fired her own arrow as quickly as possible, which, after the volley that hit her earlier, bumped her down to half health. Starlight saw a victory in sight, and she loved it. She was about to surpass Twilight in a game she was playing for the first time! “Do you see me Twilight? I’m beating you! You were so smug. You were toying with me, but look at you now!”
“Yeah, look at me now, about to win.”
“What?” was all Starlight good get out before she was struck by Twilight’s final ability. Out of Varus’ bow came a surge of tentacles that heavily damaged her and held her in place. She could do nothing but watch as Twilight fired on her repeatedly. After the tentacles released her, Starlight tried to flee, but she was swiftly hit with a volley, slowing her down long enough for Twilight to place the final arrow in her, ending her. Suddenly, Starlight was engulfed in a bright light, and then she was in her own eyes again. The Howling abyss was gone.
“I’d say that’s enough for now. The first official exhibition match will be on soon. I can’t spend all my time schooling you.”
Starlight could only think about how she was completely outclassed. She felt even more inferior to Twilight than usual. Why? Why couldn’t she beat her at anything?!
“Oh, and Starlight. I’m thinking of entering the tournament. You were pretty good for your first time. Wanna join my team?”
Starlight was left dumbstruck by this. She had just lost, she had failed harder than a rock at math, and yet Twilight wanted her on her team. She couldn’t help but smile. Twilight always seemed to know what to say to cheer her up. She started following Twilight down the hall.
“You gonna play her not?” asked Twilight once more.
“Yeah, but I want more training later.”
“You betcha, you can get it after the match, when we go get our other teammates.”
“Shouldn’t take too long right?”
“Well, we’ll have to do some traveling,” Said Twilight, as she eyed a full-body mirror that was hooked up to a strange device.
“Oh Twilight, what’s our team name gonna be?”
“Magic, Team Magic.”
“I don’t supposed I can change your mind on that?”
“Nope, We’re gonna be Team Magic.”
Author's Note
Oh boy, first real try at this. Had several story ideas in mind prior, though this idea seemed good to start with, a fun story with a clear goal. I figured I'd go ahead and take a shot. Let me know what you think, any feedback is appreciated.
Chapter 2: Raining on Their Parade
Starlight sat down in Twilight’s MagiCast room while Twilight was getting them popcorn. Starlight had to make sure to pay attention, she had to pick up whatever she could. Absolute focus is required.
“Welcome back everyone! It’s me, Castor Sportsman! We’re just about ready for the first official League of Legends exhibition match, but while we’re getting everything set up, let’s meet the two the teams that shall be playing today!”
“Wonder who’s playing,” said Twilight, walking in with popcorn. Starlight, simply floated half of it over to her, slowly passing popcorn in, one by one, taking care to not break her eyes away.
“Someone’s focused,” said Twilight through a hoof-ful of popcorn.
“Firstly, let’s me Team Importance!”
The feed swapped to one of a salmon colored mare with clearly combed hair. She also seemed to have an…”interesting” looking nose. It was so odd to Starlight, she didn’t even notice Twilight spitting her popcorn across the room.
“Spoiled Rich?!?!”
“It is I, Spoiled Rich, here with only the best, most important team there is. We are to demonstrate our clear superiority at Equestria’s newest sport. Who are we playing again? Some group from Seaddle? Pish Posh!”
The camera panned over to another member of the team, a pink pony with purple hair wearing a light blue scarf.
“Hello Equestria, I’m Suri Polo-” she didn’t get to finish, she was shoved aside by a white stallion with poofy pink hair.
“We’re here to show our superiority!” He cried out, “Countess Coloratura, take me back please! I’m sorry!”
“Stop being so disgraceful Svengallop. You’re going to damage our, reputation.” said a light blue unicorn, as she levitated Svengallop off camera. “I am Abacus Cinch, head of the Crystal Empire’s very own Crystal Preparatory School. I understand my students are planning on entering themselves, I cannot allow them to show me up, now can I?”
Spoiled Rich came back on camera, “And of course, we have our celebrity teammate, Trenderhoof himself!” A chorus of squees, screams, and “take me now”’s erupting from the crowd as a tall brown stallion with blonde hair walked on screen. Huh, wonder why none of them have cheered til now, Starlight wondered.
“Greetings everyone! It is I, Trenderhoof! I am here to show you all the grace, and the greatness of this sport!”
“Alright everyone, Caster back again. We’ll be right back to meet Team Seaddle after these messages!”
Starlight finally allowed herself to unfocus from the screen.
“Oh boy, they sure seem nice,” muttered Twilight, stuffing another hoof-ful of popcorn in her mouth. “Hope the Seaddle team is better.”
“Yeah, ‘Team Importance’ doesn’t seem like a team that’ll do too well.”
“Eh, you never know what kind of trainers Spoiled Rich’s money can buy.”
“What kind of name is that anyway?”
“An accurate name.”
“Huh, so you ever been to Seaddle?”
“Yeah, actually I have a few friends there. It’s a nice place, though it does seem to attract supervillains, and it sure does rain a lot.”
“Supervillains? What kind of supervillains?”
“Well you see, there was this one time-”
“Too late, back on!”
The screen returned to life once more, Starlight was glad that Twilight didn’t get commercials, one of the perks of living with a Princess. Either way, Starlight had her eyes locked on the sreen again.
“Hello everyone! It’s me Caster, back again. Here we have team Seaddle!”
The camera swapped again, now showing male light blue pegasus with black hair.
He seemed to be quite nervous, he was visibly sweating.
“Uh...Hi, I’m Rayne Shine. I’m team captain of Team Seaddle. And I uh...Well, I-”
“Wait, who made you team captain?!”
A female brownish red earth pony with light brown and white hair stepped on screen. Starlight noticed as she came on screen Rayne Shine seemed to get less and less nervous.
“Well someone had to be captain, and the team was my idea!”
“That doesn’t matter! You wouldn’t have a team without each of us!”
“Well excuse me, but they asked me up first, I have rain magic and my name is Rayne while we’re representing Seaddle. It’s clear they think I’m team captain, might as well roll with it.”
“Ugh! You’re hopeless.”
A white unicorn with dark brown hair trotted over, trying to shove the bickering team members off camera.
“Uh...Well the red one is Fairy Soul, and I’m Rune Star.”
A warm-colored orange mare with a teal mane stepped over to Rayne Shine and Fairy Soul
“Children, you are making a scene, stop fighting”
As if mentally linked, the two bickering swung their heads towards her and in complete unison, shouted, “We’re not kids! We’re seventeen!”
“And you’re all idiots.”
“Oh but out Loggon!” the two shouted again, this time at a brown stallion, and directed their heads toward the older pegasus again, “You too Nola!” Rune quickly jumped back on camera, signaling to cut the recording, and it was so.
“Well aren’t they an interesting bunch eh? Well we’re all set up now. We just have to wait for the team to get ready. We’ll be right back after these messages.” The screen faded once more, leaving Twilight and Starlight chuckling to themselves.
“Interesting bunch is right, huh Twi?”
“Yeah, they sure are,” said Twilight, with a hint of nostalgia.
“Do you know them Twilight?”
“Hm? Yeah I know them.”
“Are the always like that?”
“Yep.”
“Huh, you should introduce me sometime, more friends to make after all.”
“Yeah, sure. Ooh, the match is starting Starlight.” Starlight immediately spun around, focusing once more on the screen as she got her first look at Summoner’s Rift, the main field in League of Legends. Team Importance and Team Seaddle were both already in lane. Looking at top lane, Importance had Svengallop, playing as “Constable Trundle” which seemed to be a troll in a police uniform with a large mallet, while Seaddle had Nola Fillia playing as “Illaoi” a large dark-skinned female human, wearing green and holding a large totem. Nola’s main game plan seemed to be using the tentacles her totem summoned to keep Svengallop away while she horded all the experience and gold she could. The rest of team Seaddle was playing defensively as well. A fight between Loggon and Trenderhoof drew her attention to the Jungle. Twilight had told her that the jungler was a pivotal role. It was their job to roam the map, slaying the monsters that lived in the jungle, gaining powerful buffs from them, and helping the lanes whenever they needed help. Now however, Loggon, playing as “Night Hunter Rengar.” He seemed to be a fierce dark blue beast-man in a red cloak. Trenderhoof was apparently playing Archduke Nasus, who, from the seconds she saw him before Loggon erased him from the map, seemed to be a dog-man in a rather dapper tuxedo. The screen panned down into a more close view of the bottom lane.
“Sorry for the wait everypony! The voice coms have finally been brought online. We will link you to the team’s speaking to each other.”
“Suri can you please try and choose more opportune times to RUN ME INTO THE MIDDLE OF COMBAT!!”
“I’m sorry Spoiled, but if you didn’t just run right at them instead of I don’t know, GETTING BEHIND ME!! You wouldn’t be dead right now!”
It appears Spoiled was just slain after a poor fight with the opposing bot laners Rune and Fairy. Playing “Winter Wonder Lulu,” a small blue elf with a wand and a furry pixie companion, and “Firecracker Jinx,” a 20 something looking woman in a red dress toting a minigun and bazooka.
“Pretty crappy duo here, eh Rune?”
“Yeah, they definitely aren’t playing well at all.”
Spoiled Rich returned to lane and was raring to fight. She was playing as “Blood Moon Kalista” a warrior seeming of eastern descent, wearing a mask and holding multiple transparent spears. Only, she was holding one in her hand that she repeatedly summoned more, while holding 3 more in her chest. “That is it! Suri! Prepare for battle! Trenderhoof! Attack bottom lane! You too Cinch!”
“Nola, is your teleport summoner spell ready?” asked Rune.
“Yes deary, it is ready,” responded Nola.
“Uh Twi, what are they talking about?
“Huh? Oh right, summoner spells. Basically, they are powers you as the summoner have. There are some that teleport your champions, one short quick teleport and one long distance slow teleport. There are also ones that damage, heal, shield, etc.”
“Ah, good, the more I know, the better I am.” Starlight returned her focus to the MagiCast, where most of Team Importance had arrived in bot lane, ready for the ambush. They had lost one turret in the bottom lane. Rune and Fairy had pushed near the second, leaving them open to be surrounded, and Team importance was already surrounding them. What they didn’t know is that the two Seaddle bottom laners already knew they were there thanks to those ward things Twilight had mentioned in Starlight and her’s first battle, and they had phoned in help. Spoiled Rich then hit a button near her microphone, apparently switching to “All Chat” in which she was speaking to everyone.
“Now! Show these brats what is so important about us!” She cried leaping in. Spoiled’s character Kalista was a very agile champion. She was leaping around everywhere, chucking spears as she went. Rune and Fair jumped into a warded bush. Suddenly, a light beamed down from the sky. While that was happening the rest of Team Importance charged towards the brush. Trenderhoof’s character Nasus, seemed to be a heavy damage dealer as he grew to twice his size and cast a magic circle on the brush, dealing damage to Rune and Fairy inside. Abacus Cinch’s character “Victorious Morgana” caught Fairy in a snaring ball of dark energy. It seemed like it was all over for the the Seaddle Duo. Then Nola arrived. Her champion, “Illaoi” charged Team Importance, Rune Quickly used Lulu’s ultimate, which grew Illaoi to an equal size as Trenderhoof’s Nasus. Nola then switched into All Chat.
“This, is what happens. WHEN. YOU. HURT. MY. CHILDREN!!!!” Illaoi leaped into the air, coming back down with a smash, which summoned about 4 Tentacles at once, all smashing her enemies, doing a ton of damage. Fairy had just used the mandatory Recall summoner spell to return to base, and fired off Jinx’s ultimate, a ginormous rocket that sailed all the way towards the bottom lane, nailing Cinch and Trenderhoof, finishing them off. Suri, who was playing as the fat anthropomorphic catfish Tahm Kench, tried to reach Spoiled to grab her and get out of there, but from nowhere, Loggon’s Rengar leaped on her. She was slain in a matter of seconds. The only one that escaped with her life was Spoiled. She was leaping and bounding back to her base through the jungle. When she found Rayne Shine and his champion “Ekko” standing in her way. Ekko seemed to be a young dark-skinned human with a peculiar machine strapped to his back, and a glowing light blue sword. Rayne switched to All Chat.
“Well lookie what we have here. The highest horse in a group of giraffes.” Spoiled seemed to boil with anger the moment she heard the words “highest horse.” She stared at Rayne with the intensity of a raging fire. She noticed that he was fairly wounded, she checked and sure enough, Svengallop had been slain just moments before by Rayne and Ekko. She allowed a smirk to appear on her face.
“You fool, challenging me at such low health?” She boasted, pulling out a spear. “Prepare to die.”
“Very well, just one more thing. Look behind you.” Spoiled turned around and saw the worst thing that could be there, a glowing afterimage of Ekko. “Oh dear.”
“Chronobreak!” Rayne seemed to teleport to the afterimage, causing a burst of magic around him, damaging Spoiled heavily. It also seemed to heal Ekko a bit. Spoiled wasn’t done yet however, she took her spear in her hand and threw. Ekko glowed blue for a moment, and dashed forward, seeming to phase right through the spear. “Sorry to Rayne on your parade missy,” Rayne spat out as he dealt the final blow to Spoiled Rich.
That one fight really ended the game. Team Seaddle pushed onward, never giving Importance a chance to recover. Seaddle had won. There was great fanfare as the first official League of Legends match had come to a conclusion.
“Darn you Seaddle!” cried Spoiled Rich, “This is not the end of us! Do you hear me?!!?”
Team Seaddle only laughed as they walked off stage toward the winner interview station. The screen flashed over to Team Seaddle with Caster Sportsman.
“So, Nola, what did you mean when you called the rest of the team your children. Are you really the mother of all four?”
“Hmm, In a way, yes. I run the Rainy Days Orphanage in Seaddle, these 4,” she said, hugging the other 4 together, “Live there with me.”
“Awww, that’s so sweet,” said Caster. “Now then, Rayne. How does it feel to have led your team to victory today?”
“Well-” He never got to finish, Fairy tackled him and dragged him out of the booth. Their bickering was heard from the other room.
“Quite the characters those two huh?” asked Caster.
“Yes quite, Rune and Loggon here are the quiet ones.” Rune visibly blushed as Nola said this.
“That’s not true!” Rune blurted out quickly, “...I’ll just, go see if I can calm those two down.” Rune quickly left the room. Loggon only sighed, and muttered something under his breath, and followed Rune out.
“I apologize for them, Mr. Caster. They aren’t the most sociable ponies.”
“I’ll say, I’ll just leave you to them now Nola, good luck!” He said, as Nola left the room.
“Now then Everypony. That was our first official League of Legends exhibition match! Can you wait for the tournament later this year? I know I can’t! For now though, we’d like to read off the teams currently signed up!”
“Oh...uh..Starlight, by the way…”
“What Twilight?”
“You see, before they announced it on the MagiCast, it was out in newspapers already, and it asked for sign-ins...so...I kinda signed us up already.”
“You did this before you even taught me the game?! Why?!’
“....Friendship?”
“You’re hopeless, who else is on our team anyway.”
“Well I’ve got two others all ready to go. I’ve sent for another to be arriving soon.”
“Ok, who?”
“Watch and find out.”
“Fine.” Starlight turned back to the MagiCast as Caster was reading off the Teams.
“Firstly, we have Team Seaddle and Team Importance, who you met earlier today. Secondly, we have Team Forever Free, consisting of Zecora, Fluttershy, Lyra, Bon Bon, and...Harry The Bear? Odd. Anyway, next we have Team ShadowBolt, entirely comprised of Crystal Prep students, Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet, Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, and Indigo Zap. Team Canterlot, holding the glorious team of Fancy Pants, Fleur De Lise, Jet Set, Upper Crust, and Rarity. Next we have team AppleCore, including Applejack, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Coloratura. Our penultimate team is one filled only with young fillies, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Babs Seed, and Diamond Tiara, Team Cutie Mark Crusader! Finally, we have Team Magic, the team led by Princess Twilight Sparkle herself, along with Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Moondancer, and Sunset Shimmer! That’s all for today folks, we’ll see you soon as we give coverage of future exhibition matches and new teams leading up to the tournament! For now, this is Caster Sportsman, signing off!”
Author's Note
Oh boy, second chapter and first battle of the story. Hope you all liked it, feedback is much appreciated, negative or positive.
