Dubstep at Dark

After a long flight, Ray, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had finally touched down in the Griffon Kingdom. Ray held open the door for the two pegasi and stretched as he looked around. "This place looks kinda depressing ya know?" Ray said as he looked at the gray skies and vandalized homes.

"Uh yeah, it gets better the closer you are to the castle. Hey, I can see the hotel from here!" Said Rainbow as she bolted to the hotel.

Ray and Fluttershy hurriedly followed the fading rainbow trail to catch up with their friend. Ray caught a few of the griffons eyeing him and the two mares with uneasiness and curiosity. "So what's the plan again Ray?" Rainbow asked when the two caught up.

"We're gonna go in here and drop off our stuff while Fluttershy checks us in. We've already got our room and key. Once that's done we head to the arena and if it goes as I hope it does, then I win another fight. We can do whatever later and we have tomorrow to just relax." explained Ray as he opened the door to the hotel. Once the three were in Fluttershy headed to the receptionist while Rainbow and Ray headed to the elevator. Ray set down his bag and hit the button before he said, "I've always loved going up and down on these things. It's so weird how y'all have them here too."

"You have these on earth too? That's so cool! Do you also have rainbow factories?" asked Rainbow.

"No... What the hell is a rainbow factory?" asked Ray.

"Exactly what it sounds like." replied Rainbow with a smirk.

Ray just rolled his eyes when the door opened on their floor. The two quickly found their room and set down their baggage before heading out again. Ray locked the door and turned around to see two griffons in standing in front of him and Rainbow. "Wassup Rainbow Dash? Ready to watch your friend here get beat to a pulp?" Said the shorter of the two griffons.

Rainbow rolled her eyes with a smile and replied, "As if Gilda, this dude here can beat down anything."

The two shared a quick laugh and hug before Gilda looked at him and said, "My cousin is the one you'll be duking it out with this afternoon. You two play nice in that arena okay?"

Ray flashed a smile before saying, "No promises."

"HA! You might just give Whiplash a run for her money with that attitude." Said Gilda with a smile as she walked down the hall.

"Her?" Ray asked himself as they entered the elevator.

The arena was big to say the least. Ray looked around in wonder at the vast space before realizing he was in a cage. Long thin arches overlapped to form a transparent dome above him. He could see out and look at the huge crowd of griffons placing bets and haggling vendors before the action began. He just wished that Vinyl and Octavia could be here to see it. As he was looking around, Fluttershy came up to him and gently tapped his back. Ray turned around to see she was holding a new pair of combat gloves, his saber, combat axe and kukris. Ray quickly strapped his gear onto him and hugged Fluttershy. " Please be careful Ray." she said as he cracked his neck.

"I'll try my best Flutters." He said as he readjusted his cargo pants and shirt.

A bell was rung and an announcer said, "WELCOME GRIFFONS AND OTHERWISE TO THE BIRDCAGE! TONIGHT WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL MATCH FOR YOU TO ENJOY! ON THE WEST SIDE WE HAVE OUR ONE AND ONLY CHAMPION HERSELF, WHIPLASH!!!"

White smoke filled the west side's gateway before a griffon burst upwards out of the cloud. The smoke followed her up before she came down and landed, causing a small shock-wave of dust and smoke. The griffon stood tall as the crowd went in a frenzy at the spectacular entrance. Ray looked on in disbelief before turning around to Fluttershy and asking, "What the HELL!?!? Why don't I have smoke and shit! That was fuckin awesome!"

Fluttershy shrugged before turning around and heading toward the medic station. Once the crowd had calmed down a bit the announcer continued by saying, "AND IN THE EAST SIDE WE HAVE CHALLENGERRR RAY ISSAC PATRICK!!!"

Ray sauntered into the crowds view and cracked his neck as "Come to Die" by The Mask, blared through the speakers.

"NO PROJECTILE WEAPONS OF ANY SORT IS ALLOWED DURING THIS FIGHT! WEAPONS WILL NOT BE ENCHANTED TO PROTECT FROM DEATH! IF ONE OPPONENT FALLS AND IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE MEDICAL STAFF WILL BE RUSHED OUT! NOW, LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMBLE!" yelled the announcer when a bell was heard.

"DING"

Ray had just pulled out his saber when Whiplash rushed him. Before she was in Ray's cutting range she took to the air and hovered far out of reach. Ray unclasped the dual kukris as he waited for her move. Whiplash reached to her thighs and produced two whips before she dived for Ray. He immediately back stepped just to be met with both whips brought down on top of him. The pain shot through Ray's shoulders and back before he was struck twice more in the chest. Ray seen the wind up on what would've been a third lash aimed for his face. He swung in his hand in front of the whip, causing it to wrap around his hand and sting through the glove. With a pained grunt, Ray snatched the whip out of the grasp of the griffon and cut it in half. Whiplash screamed in fury as she lashed at him in a frenzy. With each hit, Ray hissed in pain as the whip struck his body. Whiplash leapt in the air and swung at Ray's face again, only for it to wrap around his sword. Ray quickly gripped his saber with both hands and wrenched the whip down. Whiplash hadn't expected him to yank down and was brought to the ground. She shrieked as he quickly ran upon her and stomped her chest. Ray grinned when he heard a crack and shot a punch into her beak. He swiped left and right with his saber before being met with a wing in his jaw. The crowd was cheering on the bloody spectacle and with every hit came a cry for more. The two were caught in a brawl on the ground and blood was starting to fly. Ray went for another gut shot when her wing managed to push him back enough for her to recover. Whiplash instantly took back to the sky and Ray laughed quietly to himself. Whiplash clicked a small button on the handle of her whip. Hidden blades revealed themselves on the sides of the lasher, while Ray grabbed the combat axe. The whip was swung and Ray guarded his body with his saber and axe. The whip had wrapped around his legs, letting the blades dig in and lacerate. Whiplash flew higher and jerked the whip up with her. Ray was still caught and was brought high into the air. Whiplash shot back down to the ground and wrenched the whip down as she landed. Ray was slammed into the ground at break neck speed. He tried to reach for his saber that had fell just of of his reach on the ground as darkness started to overtake him. "Come on weakling. Let me give you a helping hoof." Said Sombra to him in his mind.

Ray coughed up some blood as he struggled to get back on his feet, before falling again and asking, "How?"

"Simple really... No pain, no gain. I need you to hate her. I need you to think of every moment you have ever been scared, jealous or mad. I need you to hurt." Explained Sombra.

"Okay." Said Ray in pain as he looked at the lashes in his chest.

Ray looked at Whiplash bowing to the crowd as he took his kukris and slowly impaled himself. "More." Sombra said as Rays eyes started to flicker and smoke.

Ray screamed in a mixture of pain and rage as he drug the kukris down his chest. Blood flowed down Ray's body in crimson rivers as he started laughing. Ray stood back up with a smile and turned around to reveal purple smoke coming from his eyes. Ray noticed the crowd had gone silent at the masochistic display then took off his shirt for all to see his body adorned with blood and scars. In an unnaturally deep tone Ray was laughing at the crowd's shocked faces. He bent down to pick up his saber then looked toward Whiplash and said, "BRING IT!"

When Whiplash took to the sky once more, Ray had already readied the kukris. He slung the blades at the griffon and impaled both her wings. As she was falling, Ray grabbed his combat axe and walked toward her. He laughed louder as he grew closer to her struggling form. Once Whiplash hit the ground Ray threw the axe into her left wing, pinning her wing into the ground. Standing over her, Ray kicked her beak and stomped her head once before stabbing his saber into the ground through her right wing. Ray grabbed her throat and picked her up off the ground. He smiled when he seen the blades held firm and rip open her wings even more. He flashed a grin when she looked into his eyes to find only rage and smoke waiting for her. He turned her around and German suplexed her into the ground with a crack. He had immediately recovered and scrambled on top of her as smoke poured off his body. Grabbing her head, he smashed it down into the ground a few times before punting her in the beak. Ray looked on as Whiplash struggled to stand up and get some breathing room. When she had finally gotten back on her feet, she had swung her lasher in a vain attempt to keep him back. Ray grabbed the bladed whip mid-strike and snatched it from her. He grinned as he wrapped it around his arm and fist then looked to her. He threw his axe in front of her feet and slowly walked towards her. Whiplash fumbled for the weapon and trembled in fear when she looked up to see him not a foot away. She quickly swung the axe down on top of him and was horrified to see he simply looked at the weapon embedded in his collar. He cracked his neck again then slammed his bladed arm into her body. He felt something poke him before he turned around and seen four griffons holding tubes. He was hit three more times before he looked to see darts were starting to bunch up on his chest. His vision started to get blurry and Ray's anger was starting to fade into nothing as more darts impaled him. Ray quickly rushed the group before Fluttershy burst through the group and locked eyes with him. He was trapped in her gaze and the darts had done their job as he slowly succumbed to the tranquilizers. In one last burst of fury, Ray managed to break out of her stun lock and advanced on the griffons. He kicked the first one's leg in backwards before back handing the next with his bladed arm. The third griffon moved in and was met with a bladed fist in the throat. Ray sluggishly unwound the whip around his arm before lashing the fourth griffon. The whip had wound around his neck and Ray slowly drug his bleeding body in close before stomping his head. Fluttershy was paralyzed in fear of what was happening and who was doing it. She hid behind her mane before Ray had managed to snap the last griffon guard's neck by stabbing both kukris in it's head and twisting. Ray turned around and seen the shocked faces of the crowd before falling out in a pool of crimson.