Friendship Through Beyblade

Chapters

A New Blader Enters the Scene
New Day, New Opponents
Fiery Battle Passion

A New Blader Enters the Scene

The world of Equestria has seen its fair share of events over the years. Some have been simple one-time affairs while others evolved into widespread events that had captured the collective attention of the populace. One example of the latter was Beyblade, a relatively new sport where two participants, called bladers, would face each other in battle by having their beyblades, often called beys for short, clash with each other. While plenty of people loved having intense battles with their friends and rivals, others seemed content with simply observing and taking notes on each battle they witnessed.

One person who fell into the latter category was Twilight Sparkle, assistant and student of the ruler of Equestria herself, Princess Celestia. Twilight had always been fascinated by the mechanics of beyblades and how they functioned. She had taken many trips with Celestia to inspect beyblade manufacturers all over the world and was astounded by the process undertaken to create such objects. Despite that, she never found herself to be interested in playing the game herself, finding it more interesting to observe and analyze. Having seen many battles herself and the connections that breed from them, Celestia began to come up with a plan to change that in her student.

One day, Twilight was in her room along with her little brother, Spike. Unlike Twilight, Spike was a very passionate blader who sought to get better any chance he got. Oftentimes, his enthusiasm wore thin on Twilight as evidenced by regular insistence that he take his excitement elsewhere. As Spike set to leave, a knock on the door was heard.

“Twilight,” said Celestia in her motherly tone, “may I see you for a minute?” Being closer to the door, Spike opened it and allowed the princess to enter. “Thank you Spike,” she said to the young blader before addressing her studious assistant again. “Twilight, are you familiar with the annual Summer Beyblade Festival?”

“Yes I am,” nodded Twilight. “It’s supposed to celebrate the day when beyblade became one of Equestria’s most renowned games and the location varies year-to-year.”

“That’s correct,” Celestia confirmed. “And this year it is to be held in a small town called Ponyville.” Celestia then pulled a map from one of Twilight’s drawers and held it open. “It’s located right here, not far at all from canterlot,” she explained while pointing to a small patch of land further down the mountain. “And I would like you to oversee its preparations.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at this. “But don’t you usually oversee things like this?” she asked curiously. “Or at least one of your delegates?”

“Yes,” said Celestia, “but I have another meeting to attend today, one where my usual delegates are required to attend as well.” She then placed the small briefcase she had been carrying onto the desk. “And to help you in this important task,” said Celestia as she opened it, “I am giving you your very own beyblade.” Along with the bey in question, the case also contained a launcher and grip.

Spike was in full awe of the bey while Twilight’s expression became even more curious as she turned to her mentor again. “Princess,” she said respectfully, “while I wholeheartedly appreciate this gift, I fail to see the reason I would need something like this for a simple inspection.”

“Well you see Twilight,” Celestia explained, “Ponyville is quite passionate about the game, possibly more so than most other towns and cities we’ve visited. This simply ensures you won’t be given any strange looks once you enter.” Celestia then took out the bey to give Twilight a better look at it. “The bey I am gifting you is called Light Striker R145EWD.” Twilight looked at the bey and noticed the purple coloring as well as how the fusion wheel appeared to have six blades on it. “It is a balance-type and should prove quite useful in your overseeing of the event, provided you do a bit of training with it before you leave.”

“Awesome,” said Spike, excited at the prospect of training with his sister. “I’ll be waiting in the gym, Twilight.” He then raced off before Twilight or Celestia could get a word in. Despite that, Twilight thanked Celestia and took the case before racing to catch up with her ecstatic brother.

Soon, the two had arrived in the gym and were prepared to battle at a stadium situated within the facility.

“3!” said Spike enthusiastically.

“2,” said Twilight with disinterest.

“1, let it rip,” they both said as they launched their beys into the stadium. Twilight’s Striker went straight to the center while Spike’s beyblade circled along the bank.

‘Okay,’ thought Twilight. ‘Spike’s bey is an attack-type, which overwhelms the opponent through brute force at the cost of a solid defense or lasting endurance.’ She then observed her own bey spinning in the center. ‘Meanwhile my Light Striker is a balance-type, which combines the power of an attack-type with the stability of a defense-type and the endurance of a stamina-type.’

“So are you gonna make a move out there, Twi?” asked Spike impatiently. “Because if you won’t, then I will!” Spike’s bey then dove into the stadium and attacked Striker with a fast-paced barrage. “I’ll put a quick and easy end to this battle,” Promised Spike as his bey continued its attack.

Meanwhile Twilight simply continued to observe the battle. ‘This is just like Spike,’ she said analytically. ‘He always starts off with a fierce barrage of attacks. Normally, it’s a good way to quickly drain the opponent’s power. However…’ She paused as she saw Spike’s bey losing stamina rather fast, much to the younger blader’s shock and horror. ‘This Striker is no ordinary bey.’ Twilight then instructed Striker to attack and sent Spike’s bey flying out of the stadium where its rotation came to a halt.

“Aww man,” moaned Spike as he went to retrieve his bey. “But that strategy always nets me a win. What happened?”

“What happened,” informed Twilight, “was that you relied too much on a familiar strategy against a new opponent.” She then held out her hand and took back Striker. “You should have taken some time to learn about your opponent and what their abilities are before going in for the kill, as it were.”

Spike nodded and made sure to remember that advice for next time. “So Twilight,” he said with a somewhat coy smile. “How did it feel to battle for the first time?”

“It was… somewhat enjoyable,” she decided after a moment of thought. “Though I might need to test the abilities of my bey with a few more opponents before I come to a proper judgement.”

Spike nodded and said, “Well I happen to know of an event coming up where you can test your skills against plenty of new opponents.”

Twilight immediately saw where Spike was going with his words. “Okay, fine. I guess I’ll compete in the tournament.” She then turned to her brother. “But only if you enter as well. After all, this is a chance for you to meet other bladers your own age as well.”

“Actually,” said Spike, “that was gonna be my plan from the start.”

Twilight sighed and left to inform Celestia about her decision. Afterwards, arrangements were made to have Twilight catch the morning train to Ponyville so that she’d have plenty of time to oversee the festival preparations.

Twilight and Spike soon disembarked from the train with Twilight wearing a sweater vest along with a simple purple skirt and leather boots that offered support yet still remained stylish. Spike was wearing a green t-shirt under a light purple hoodie as well as loose jeans. Spike then pulled out a list from his backpack detailing their assigned tasks, the first of which was heading to the local farm to oversee food preparation.

Upon arriving at the farm, called Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight and Spike felt the ground shake quite a bit as they looked over and saw a tall, blonde girl wearing an open Gingham shirt over a sweat-stained white t-shirt and jeans that were showing some wear and tear. Her look appeared to be tied together with a stetson hat atop her head. The shaking seemed to be coming from her beyblade as it raced around the area, bashing into every tree that it passed and knocking the apples hanging from it loose as a result.

Impressed at her abilities, Twilight walked over to introduce herself. “Hello there,” she said politely while holding out her hand. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well howdy there,” greeted the farmgirl while shaking Twilight’s hand rather aggressively. “Name’s Applejack and I help run this farm with mah family.” She let go of Twilight’s hand and gestured to a muscular young man with a red leather jacket over an orange t-shirt and a younger red-headed girl with a yellow long-sleeve shirt, both of whom were wearing jeans with similar wear and tear to her own.

After recovering from the vigorous greeting, Twilight took a breath before speaking again. “I’m here on behalf of Princess Celestia to oversee preparation for the Summer Beyblade Festival. I understand you’re doing the refreshments?”

“Yes indeedy,” Applejack confirmed. “Care to sample some?”

Twilight was about to refuse until she heard a faint growling coming from her stomach and saw tha Spike was feeling similarly. “I suppose we have time for a quick bite,” decided Twilight.

Applejack gave an appreciative nod and asked her family to bring out their best treats. As Twilight and Spike ate, Twilight decided to talk to Applejack about what she saw when she came in. “I must say,” said Twilight in between bites, “I’ve never seen a beyblade used in such a manner. It’s quite unique.”

Applejack smiled and pulled out her bey. “Yep, Dark Bull here’s been my partner for as long as I can remember,” said Applejack. “It was actually my Pah’s bey from when he used to compete in a whole mess of tournaments.”

“Oh my,” said Twilight in fascination. “Well it seems like you’ve done a fantastic job maintaining it after all these years.”

Applejack smiled in appreciation. “Thanks, but I can’t take all the credit,” she said. “There’s a shop in town that sells beys and fixes them up to boot. I reckon you’ll meet the owner or see it for yourself soon enough.”

Twilight made a note to keep an eye out for it as she and Spike finished their meal. They complimented Applejack and her family on their well-made food and left for their next destination, which was a small beyblade gym near the town center. Once they stepped inside, they were surprised at what they saw. All around the facility, there were young bladers training with a wide variety of equipment ranging from dummy beys meant to practice attacks on to weight machines used to strengthen one’s arms for their launches. In the middle of everything was a young-looking muscular woman wearing a sports bra and exercise shorts, both of which were soft cyan. Her most distinct feature seemed to be her rainbow-colored hair.

“Keep it up, you lightweights,” she barked. “Physical strength is one of the core components to beyblade. If a blader’s body is weak, how can they expect to win?” She then noticed Twilight and Spike by the entrance and walked over to them. “Hey there,” she greeted. “Here to sign up this little guy?” she asked, referring to Spike.

“Actually, no,” said Twilight. “My name’s Twilight Sparkle and this is my little brother, Spike. We’ve been sent to oversee preparations for the upcoming Summer Beyblade Festival.”

“Oh, gotcha,” dash said while nodding in understanding. “Well I help to make sure that each and every blader here is in peak physical condition so they can kick major ass at that festival’s tournament.” She then turned towards the bladers who were continuing their exercises. “After a little while, these kids will end up kicking major ass in any tournament they enter.”

Twilight seemed impressed at the dedication some of the bladers seemed to be putting into their workouts. She admitted to herself that she put more thought into the technical aspect of beyblade than anything else. Seeing Spike’s interested gaze also told her that she should put a bit more research into a blader’s strength alongside that of the bey.

“Well, I’d better get back to these little shrimps,” said Dash as she went back to attend to the bladers. “Hope to see you in the tournament, Twilight.”

Twilight and Spike smiled as they exited the building. “Man,” sighed Spike, “I wish Canterlot had a place like this.”

“What’s wrong with the facility at the castle?” asked Twilight with a Raised eyebrow.

“Nothing, really,” said Spike. “It’s just that no one there really feels the same way I do about beyblade.” He then looked back at the gym. “They really seemed dedicated to getting stronger and improving themselves as bladers. It’s just so cool.”

Twilight smiled as she and Spike made their way to the next destination: Town Hall, where the tournament itself was to take place. Just outside the building, they saw a girl with fluffy pink hair wearing a painter’s jumpsuit jumping around a long canvas sheet with a paintbrush in her hand and a beyblade jumping around alongside her that seemed to also be coated in paint.

“That’s the way, Capricorn,” said the girl to the bey. “We need to get this banner nice and decorated for the tournament.” She then saw Twilight and Spike standing off to the side. “Ooh, looks like we’ve got new friends,” she said excitedly. “You keep painting there, Capricorn. I’m gonna go introduce us.” She then walked over to the duo. “Hi,” she greeted happily. “I’m Pinkie Pie and I’m helping set up for the tournament.” She then gestured to the bey jumping around the sign splattering paint all over. “And that’s my little Storm Capricorn.”

“Umm,” said Twilight slowly. “Won’t painting the sign with your bey make the paint splatter all over the place?”

Of course it will, silly,” said Pinkie. “That’s the idea.” Twilight and Spike simply tilted their heads in confusion. “Well a sign like this is bound to be more fun and get bladers more excited for the tournament, don't you think?”

“Well I for one think it’s a ludicrous idea, Pinkie Pie,” said a voice from the entrance to the town hall. The trio turned to see a somewhat pale girl with stylish purple hair wearing a simple yet elegant white sleeveless top and purple corduroy pants. “If you cover your precious Capricorn in paint, you’ll absolutely ruin it.” She then caught Capricorn as it was making another jump and placed it in a small bag. “I shall be holding onto this until it has been thoroughly cleaned.”

“Aww, Rarity!” pouted Pinkie. “That’s not fair! The tournament is tomorrow!”

“Well you should have thought of that before you decided to cover your bey in paint and make it completely filthy.” The girl, now known as Rarity, then saw Twilight and Spike. “Oh, hello there,” she greeted politely. “My name is Rarity and I am also in charge of setting up for this tourney.”

“Umm, nice to meet you,” said Twilight, still unsure of what had happened. “I’m Twilight Sparkle and I’ve been set to oversee preparations for the Summer Beyblade Festival.”

“Oh wonderful,” said the pale girl as she held open the door to the building. “Well then come on inside.”

Twilight and Spike shrugged as they entered the town hall and marveled at what they saw inside. Everywhere they looked, they saw banners and posters depicting beyblades in a fierce clash, quite fitting for a tournament. They also saw a rather large stadium situated in the center of the building that seemed to be made out of wood.

“This is so cool,” said Spike as he went to check out the stadium. “And this stadium’s awesome, it feels almost as sturdy as the ones back in Canterlot.”

“Yes,” said Twilight who was equally impressed, “it really seems like you guys know what you’re doing.”

“Well would you like to see for yourself?” proposed Pinkie who seemed to come in from out of nowhere. “We could have a little trial battle right here and now to test out the stadium, make sure it’s ready for the tournament.”

“Wasn’t your bey just taken away because it was covered in paint?” asked Spike.

“That’s why I was gonna suggest that Rarity be the one to battle,” Pinkie stated as if it were obvious. “The only question is which of you wants to battle her.”

Spike looked at Twilight expecting her to volunteer. “Very well,” she sighed. “I’ll be your opponent. I could use a bit of practice anyway.”

“Wonderful,” said Rarity as she pulled out her bey and showed it to the pair. “My bey is the beautiful and elegant Earth Virgo, based on the maiden constellation of the same name.”

“Wow,” said Spike. “A bey as beautiful as its owner. Don’t see that every day.”

Flattered by the young blader’s comment, Rarity waited politely for Twilight to show her own beyblade. She did so and the two took their places in the stadium. After counting down, the two girls launched their beys and the battle had begun. Virgo simply made for the center while Striker circled along the bank.

‘This bey seems like a textbook stamina-type,’ thought Twilight. ‘I’ll test the waters a bit and see what happens.’ With her plan in mind, Twilight instructed Striker to dive in and strike virgo with a series of attacks. However, it seemed that Virgo was unfazed by the assault and continued to spin as if nothing was happening. “Hmm, seems to have pretty impressive defense for a stamina-type.”

“Why thank you, darling,” said Rarity. “I do what I can to ensure my bey can take anything the opponent can dish out.” She then smiled with determination. “But you haven’t seen anything yet. Do it now, my beautiful Virgo!” As if responding to its master, Virgo began chasing Striker around the stadium.

“Wow,” said Spike. “I didn’t think a stamina-type could move that fast.”

“That’s because you’ve never seen how Rarity battles,” said Pinkie in a somewhat cryptic manner.

Virgo soon began to close in on Striker and prepared to attack. “Now then Virgo,” Rarity said, “let’s educate these two on the true elegance of a bey battle.” Virgo then made contact with Striker, but it didn’t seem to do much and was knocked aside with relative ease.

Seeing her opponent’s surprised expression, Twilight saw fit to explain. “My Striker is not a bey to be underestimated,” she said. “It’s spin track is made of rubber, which allows it to not only absorb the opponent’s incoming attacks, but send them back with a little extra.”

“I see,” said Rarity with intrigue. “Then this battle will be one of endurance. Very well then.” Virgo then began to move about the stadium as if it were dancing and attacked Striker repeatedly.

As the beys continued to clash, Twilight eyed Rarity curiously. ‘This is highly unprecedented,’ she thought. ‘Her bey is better suited for a drawn out battle of stamina. Why is she entering a head-on clash with my bey?’

“What’s the matter darling?” asked Rarity when she saw that Striker wasn’t fighting back. “Are you not going to retaliate?”

“I don’t really see a need to,” admitted Twilight. “Being a stamina-type, your Virgo doesn’t have much power to wield, making its attacks rather easy to deflect.” She then watched as Virgo continued to move around the stadium gracefully during its attacks. “But despite that, you keep attacking and trying to overpower my bey. It doesn’t make much sense, strategically speaking.”

“You’re quite right, darling,” said Rarity. “I admit, I am taking a bit of a gamble in attacking your bey like this. However, I feel that this battle would be rather boring if I simply stood by and waited for your bey’s stamina to wear down.”

Rarity’s words seem to resonate with Twilight as she observed the battle again and saw how much fun Rarity seemed to be having as she continued to attack. Deciding to go for it herself, Twilight waited until Virgo pulled away and escaped the barrage. She then instructed Striker to meet Virgo’s next attack. The two beys clashed in the center of the stadium, the force of which caused a small shockwave that blew around the entire building. Once everything had died down, the two beys were shown to still be spinning.

“Now then,” said Rarity, “wasn’t that more exciting? Seeing the beys clash to see which one is stronger and more deserving of victory?”

Twilight took a moment to observe herself. “What just happened?” she asked as if demanding an answer. “It almost felt like I was a part of that clash.”

“Well that does tend to happen,” explained Rarity. “Clashing with your opponent head-on to see who is more deserving of victory, it fills you with so much excitement and anticipation for the next clash to see what might happen.” As Rarity spoke, Twilight looked at her own bey again and could sense that it was feeling just as thrilled as she was just then.

Deciding to roll with it, Twilight encouraged Striker to attack Virgo again. Rarity responded by instructing Virgo to meet Striker’s attack. The two beys were soon clashing fiercely with neither one giving an inch. Twilight’s growing excitement seemed to resonate with Striker as its attacks seemed to be getting more and more powerful with each clash. Seeing this sudden change in her opponent, Rarity decided there was no point in holding back at this point. She instructed Virgo to pull back and build rotation speed. Twilight tried to have Striker chase it down, but Virgo seemed to be moving too fast.

“What’s going on?!” asked Twilight in her excitement. “How can a stamina-type like your Virgo move so fast?”

“That’s due to the spin track, my dear,” answered Rarity. “You see my Virgo’s spin track has two ball bearings inside of it that, when moved to the outside, allow Virgo’s rotation speed to increase and grant it more power in the process.” Twilight marveled at such a design feature as Virgo then began to shine brightly. “And now you shall feel that power firsthand!” Rarity declared. “Special move: Flashing Brilliant Star!!” Virgo’s symbol then flashed before everyone as the light it shined intensified until everything became pure white. Once the light had died down, Twilight stared in shock as her Striker lay at the stadium center completely motionless while Virgo spun off to the side before jumping back into Rarity’s hand.

Twilight fell to her knees dumbfounded. “I-I can’t believe I lost,” she said. “I’ve studied beyblades for countless hours, but I never could have anticipated anything like this.”

“Well that’s what tends to happen in Beyblade,” said Pinkie as she and Spike came down from the stands, “the unexpected. You can never tell what’s gonna happen in a battle, so it’s best to be prepared for any situation by gaining as much experience as you can.”

Twilight looked back at her bey thoughtfully as she went down to retrieve it. Upon doing so, she thanked Rarity for the battle and asked Spike what their next assignment was. “Umm, looks like we’re supposed to check in with the person we’re staying with, a girl named Fluttershy,” he informed his sister.

“You’re staying with Fluttershy?” asked Rarity as she pulled out the back she had placed Pinkie’s Capricorn in. “If so, then could you please give this to her?” Twilight agreed and took the bag before placing it in her backpack and walking away.

As they went on their way, Spike proceeded to ask Twilight her feelings on the battle. “It was certainly unexpected,” Twilight recounted. “I never would have imagined a stamina-type would have that much power. Not to mention that Rarity seemed to know exactly what she was doing from start to finish.” She then looked forlornly at the ground. “Unlike me who seemed to just get caught up in the excitement.”

“Come on Twilight, don’t sell yourself short,” consoled Spike. “It was your first real battle and Rarity’s probably had several battles with all sorts of opponents.”

“Thanks Spike,” said Twilight as she hugged her brother in appreciation. “I feel better now. So, is our destination much further?”

Spike checked the map in his backpack. “Umm, looks like it should be another couple houses up the street.” The pair soon kept going and happened upon a building that seemed to be made out of a tree.

After getting over their initial shock, Twilight knocked on the door and it was answered by a thin pink-haired girl wearing a green sweater and yellow sweatpants. “Um, hello?” she greeted softly. “May I help you?”

“Um, yes,” said Twilight unsuredly. “My name is Twilight Sparkle? Princess Celestia made arrangements for us to stay here for the Summer Beyblade Festival.”

“Oh, yes,” said the girl as she opened the door wider. “Please, come inside.” Upon entering the building, Twilight and Spike marveled as what they were seeing. Inside the building was a wide variety of beyblades as well as individual parts lined along several shelves. There also seemed to be a surprising number of books on the shelves as well. Seeing their stunned expressions, Fluttershy explained. “Oh, well. I love doing research on beyblades and seeing which parts work best together. But more than that, I love helping people in town by taking their beys and fixing them up good as new.”

Hearing that reminded Twilight of another reason she was here. “Oh, yes,” she blurted as she reached into her pack and pulled out the bag Rarity had given her. “Rarity asked us to give this to you.”

Fluttershy took the bag and looked inside. “Oh no,” she sighed. “I’ve told Pinkie not to use her bey for arts and crafts, but it’s like she never listens.” She then made her way down a staircase with Twilight and Spike close behind.

Once they got to the bottom, they were amazed to see a veritable workshop complete with a computer and a collection of other tools and machines that the pair surmised were used to maintain beyblades.

“Oh, it looks like the paint’s mostly dry already,” said Fluttershy as she inspected Capricorn before turning to Twilight and Spike. “Would one of you please bring me a basin of hot water and a pair of rubber gloves from the kitchen?” Spike volunteered and ran back upstairs while Twilight stepped closer and observed the repair process. “This is gonna take me a while, but I should have it fixed up by the time the tournament starts tomorrow,” noted Fluttershy.

Twilight continued to watch with interest as Fluttershy disassembled Capricorn and was soon chipping away at the dried paint. At that point, Spike returned with the water basin in his hands and the gloves over his arm. He set them down next to Fluttershy and she soon dropped the paint-covered parts into the basin. She then added a paint remover chemical before putting on the gloves and reaching in to scrub Capricorn thoroughly with a brush.

“So you fix up beyblades as a career?” asked Twilight curiously.

“Sort of,” said Fluttershy. “This beyblade shop’s been in my family for a few generations. Once I started helping out, I saw people who were bringing in beyblades that were heavily damaged and demanding a refund.” Twilight shook her head in shame at such behavior. “So I offered to start a service where I would repair any bey that needed it. It took some learning and a bit of money to get everything I needed, but it was worth it because soon everyone wanted their beys fixed up and we ended up making even more money.” Twilight smiled in admiration at Fluttershy’s dedication to her dream. “Soon we made enough for my parents to retire, leaving the shop in my hands and my brother’s. But Zephyr wanted to pursue other interests, so I mainly call in some of my friends when I need help.”

Twilight and Spike now had utmost respect for their host and her desire to make beyblade a game where anyone and everyone could have fun. Soon, Capricorn was clean as a whistle and Fluttershy placed the parts on a towel to dry off. Afterwards, Fluttershy went upstairs to show her new guests to their rooms. Once Twilight and Spike settled in, Fluttershy took them back to the town center where the festival began in earnest. The pair were amazed as they looked around and saw a wide variety of stalls and booths from ones that sold food to games, to even craft booths. Spike immediately went to get some food while Twilight and Fluttershy checked out the craft booths. They even met up with the other girls Twilight had met earlier that day. Soon, everyone was having fun playing games, eating food, and purchasing various wares as they waited for the festival to start.

It didn’t take long before a voice came over the loudspeaker. “Attention everyone,” the voice boomed, “we will soon be holding the exhibition battle that will signify the official start of the Summer Beyblade Festival! Please proceed to the stadium immediately.” Following the voice’s instructions, the citizens gathered inside and took their seats. “Welcome everyone,” came the voice from earlier once everyone had taken their seats. It came from a woman in a business suit with tanned skin and gray hair speaking into a microphone from a balcony high above the stadium. “My name is Maybel and I have the distinct honor of being both your mayor and your master of ceremonies for this event. Now who’s ready to get things started?” The crowd cheered, signifying their preparedness. “Right then. Tonight we shall have an exhibition match between two very gifted bladers to build excitement for when the tournament begins tomorrow.” The crowd cheered once again in excitement. “First and foremost, we have the esteemed ruler of our great nation: Princess Celestia!” The mayor gestured to the corridor where Celestia stepped out from. The princess was wearing a simple white dress that flowed elegantly as she walked up to the stadium. “And her opponent,” announced the mayor again, “a mysterious blader shrouded in infamy and darkness, please welcome Nightmare Moon!” The mayor gestured to the opposite corridor and out walked a slender woman with long blue hair adorned in a black jacket and dark blue pants with a light blue mask over her face. As she walked towards the stadium, many spectators gasped as they recognized her from sparse yet various appearances she made in other tournaments.

Both bladers stepped up to the stadium and stared each other down. “So we meet once again, Nightmare Moon,” said Celestia with a hint of smugness. “It seems like you could use a fresh dose of sunlight.”

“Joke while you can, Celestia,” retorted Nightmare, “I shall emerge the victor in this bout and I will take my rightful place as the strongest blader in the world!”

“My my,” commented Maybel, “it seems the battle is heating up before the beys have been launched. So what’s saw we get right to it, shall we?” The crowd cheered once again in excitement as Celestia and Nightmare readied their beys. After everyone counted down, the beys were launched and circled the stadium with incredible speed.

“Time to shine your brilliant light,” declared Celestia. “Go, Sol Blaze!”

“You light will soon be swallowed in my darkness,” Nightmare countered. “Charge, Nightmare Rex!”

The two beys charged at one another and clashed head on, the force expanding outward, causing those in the stands to feel it as well. The clash continued until both beys propelled away from each other and circled the stadium again.

“It seems you’ve improved quite a bit, Nightmare,” Celestia remarked. “I’m quite impressed.”

“Trust me Celestia,” said Nightmare with determination, “this is but a mere taste of my true power.” As she spoke, Rex began to spin faster and attacked Celestia’s Sol Blaze with a steady yet constant barrage.

Up in the stands, Twilight was impressed at how hard this Nightmare Moon was fighting against Celestia. Fluttershy then pulled up Nightmare Rex’s stats on her computer. “It looks like Rex’s spin track set to attack mode, allowing it to strike with intense power,” she explained. “The only question is whether it will be effective or not.”

Her question was soon answered when Celestia smiled. “I see,” she said. “Well then perhaps it’s time I showed you the true power of the sun.” Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Sol Blaze’s spin track shifted. Afterwards, it went to meet Rex’s attack head on and managed to stop it cold.

Twilight gasped as Fluttershy brought up her data on Sol Blaze. Much like Rex, Sol Blaze’s spin track could change modes as well. But unlike Nightmare’s bey, Celestia’s could do so mib-battle and change how it fought on the fly.

The battle soon intensified with Celestia and Nightmare Moon clashing head-on and trading blow for blow. After another while, it seemed that both beys were reaching their limits. “I suppose that’s our cue to end this,” Celestia said tiredly.

“It seems I am forced to agree,” said Nightmare who seemed equally exhausted. “Let’s finish this, Rex.” As if responding to her words, Rex shined a deep blue as it began to build power for a final attack. “Special move: Transcendent Shadow!” From the light Rex was emitting, a large ethereal dinosaur emerged and dived towards Sol Blaze with frightening intensity.

Celestia smiled as Sol Blaze began to emit a golden red light and was soon enveloped in flames. “We can’t let this clash be one-sided, now can we Sol Blaze?” The flames around Sol Blaze grew hotter and more intense as if the bey itself was responding to Celestia. “Special move: Nova Flare!” Sol Blaze then charged at Rex full speed as it was being engulfed in its own flames.

The two beys entered their final clash, causing an explosion of force that shook the entire building along with a burst of light that nearly blinded the audience. Twilight seemed worried until Fluttershy assured her that the town hall had been structurally reinforced to withstand the force given off by two beys clashing. The light and force soon died down with both bladers struggling to remain on their feet. The winner became clear when Rex was seen laying motionless at the bottom of the stadium while Sol Blaze circled around the outside with a slight wobble in its rotation.

“And the winner is Princess Celestia!” shouted the mayor excitedly with everyone else joining in and cheering for their princess. Twilight also found herself cheering with enthusiasm, an action that did not go unnoticed by her brother who shot her a simple look that said he was right.

Meanwhile, Celestia watched as Nightmare slid into the stadium to retrieve her bey. “You’ve grown much stronger since our last encounter,” she complimented. “If you keep improving the way you do, you may just beat me one day.”

“That day will come soon Celestia,” declared Nightmare as she picked up her bey. “Mark my words.” She then climbed out and exited the building as the audience gave both bladers another round of applause.

As everyone left to go home for the night, Twilight was feeling ecstatic and was now looking forward to entering the tournament itself tomorrow. Meanwhile, Celestia had retreated to a separate alleyway where she met up with her defeated opponent. “It seems our mission was a veritable success,” said Nightmare Moon, “wouldn’t you agree sister?”

“Oh absolutely,” Celestia confirmed. “Thank you again for doing this Luna.”

Luna took off her mask, allowing the moon to illuminate her face. “It was no trouble,” she said modestly. “Though I must admit, I am a touch dubious about this plan of yours.”

“What’s wrong Luna?” asked Celestia as if she had been wounded. “Do you not trust your big sister?”

“Of course I do,” Luna confirmed. “It’s just that I’m not sure if our battle today produced the desired effect in Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well we at least fanned the flames that were ignited during her battle with Rarity earlier,” said Celestia. “She will learn the true meaning of Beyblade soon enough. It just takes some of us longer than others to find it.”

Luna looked towards where Twilight and Spike were staying in the hopes that her sister was right about her plan.

Author's Note

Hey everyone,

Yes, I have a new beyblade story. I'm honestly more excited to be writing this one than I was my previous one and I hope you guys are excited to read it. If you guys have any ideas for customized beys, let me know in either the comments or through PM. Make sure to include the bey itself, what parts it has, and which character it would be most suited towards. Thank you all and I hope to hear from you soon.

Best wishes,
Speculore

New Day, New Opponents

Everyone was leaving Town Hall to go home for the night and prepare for the tournament in the morning. Many were still left in shock at such an intense battle, and from what was supposed to be a small exhibition no less. However, it seemed that one person was affected more than everyone else.

Spike helped Twilight back to Fluttershy’s shop/home and sat her down on the couch. Twilight was still in awe at the battle she had seen her mentor partake in. “I never could have imagined Celestia would be that powerful,” she said almost breathlessly. “I’ve seen her battle some of the royal guards, but they’re usually over before they get more than a few moves in.”

“Honestly,” said Spike, “I’m more impressed at that Nightmare Moon chick for being able to give Celestia that kind of run for her money.” He then pulled out his bey and gripped it excitedly. “I’m looking forward to that tournament even more now than ever. And I’m gonna win along with my Omega Dragonis.”

Twilight then shot a determined smile at her brother. “We’ll see about that, little brother,” she declared. “After all, I may still be a newbie, but Light Striker and I won’t go down without a fight.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Spike as he locked arms with his sister.

It was early in the morning, as evidenced by the still-rising sun. Twilight stood in the registration line with invigoration while Spike was still feeling a bit tired. They all saw a wide variety of participants and spectators, most with distinct features that allowed them to stand out amongst the crowd.

Soon it was Twilight’s turn as she approached the desk and presented her bey. She was then given an registration form to fill out that asked for her full name, hometown, as well as details about her bey. Upon filling it out, she was given a sort or ticket with the number 15 printed on it. Despite her confusion, she took back Striker and waited in the designated common area along with the others. Spike joined soon after and took a moment to look at the others in the crowd.

It wasn’t long before everyone heard slight microphone feedback and saw the Mayor at the town hall entrance. “Good morning everyone,” she announced, “So lovely to see you all again and I hope you all are prepared for the festivities to begin!” The crowd cheered in confirmation and a smile was put on Maybel’s face. “Well then, let’s go over the rules, shall we?” She snapped her fingers as a large digital counter was brought up behind her with the number 100 displayed on it. “The preliminary round of the tournament will be held as a battle royale between everyone who signed up,” Maybel explained. “From the 100 bladers who initially signed up, only 16 will be chosen to move onto the main tournament. And those 16 bladers will be determined through this mass battle!”

The others gasped at such a steep drop in competitors while Twilight placed a hand to her chin in contemplation. “A mass battle,” she echoed to herself. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“The battleground for this contest will be the town of Ponyville itself,” continued the mayor as she gestured to the town. “Please make good use of the terrain in this battle! But please note that while there are no stadium outs, you will be disqualified if you or your bey step outside the town boundaries.” The bladers took a moment to observe the area as they were instructed to take their starting positions. “The battle will proceed for two hours,” explained the mayor.“Once you have defeated a blader holding one of the tickets, you have the right to claim it for yourself. Upon conclusion of the battle, the sixteen bladers who have a ticket in their possession will advance to the main tournament.” Once everything was in place, the countdown began and the bladers sprinted into town.

Twilight and Spike were racing side-by-side down the streets and through the town. “Let’s work together, Spike,” proposed Twilight. “With your raw power and my knowledge, we’ll no doubt get into the main tournament.”

“That makes sense,” said Spike. “I feel like we should also look for one or two other bladers to bring along with us.”

“That might be a good idea,” said Twilight after a brief moment of thought. “It would be prudent to include an additional ally with practical knowledge.” She and Spike then noticed some bright flashes nearby and looked to see Rarity and her Virgo knocking away the other beys with relative ease.

“Well done, Virgo,” Rarity cheered as she turned her attention to her opponents. “What’s the matter darlings? Are you done already?” She received her answer when her opponents picked up their motionless beys and ran off in defeat. More beys then began to surround Virgo, much to Rarity’s surprise. “Oh my!” she exclaimed. “It seems this may prove a bit more challenging than I initially thought.”

“Well it doesn’t have to be,” said a familiar voice as two beys swooped in and sent the opposing beys flying.

Rarity looked to see Twilight and Spike waving at her. “I suppose I should be grateful,” decided Rarity as she retrieved Virgo and walked up to them. She listened to what they had to say, but declined their offer explaining that she wanted to avoid clashing with any future opponents too soon. With that, she took her leave with Spike and Twilight being forced to fend for themselves.

Separate from them, another alliance had been formed between two bladers that seemed to be doing quite well together. “Charge, Storm Pegasus!” shouted Rainbow Dash as her bey in question plowed through others that were in its path with a flash of blue. “Come on, is that the best you’ve got?” she taunted, wanting a real challenge. Unfortunately, she had neglected to watch her own back and another group of bladers gathered, ready to attack.

However, almost immediately upon launching their beys, they were all sent flying with a flash of red that seemed to bounce wildly around the battlefield. “That’s the way Capricorn!” cheered Pinkie. “Let’s have fun together.” She then turned to Rainbow. “You really need to be more careful, Dashie,” she said warningly. “Otherwise, you might not have a chance for some real fun in this thing.”

“I’m not here for fun, Pinkie,” said Dash adamantly. “I’m here to push myself to the next level along with Pegasus. We’re gonna soar to new heights and defeat anyone and everyone who gets in our way.” Pegasus then charged ahead and knocked out a few other beys.

Meanwhile, a dark red bey was racing aggressively throughout the area while taking out several beys on its own. “Yee haw!” cried Applejack. “This rodeo’s in the bag.” Other beys tried to close in from behind, but Bull easily outran them all and came back around to knock them all out. As she continued to walk around, Applejack found herself back at the town hall where she saw a lone blader who seemed to be seated in a meditative position as his bey spun a ways in front of him.

The blader’s attire seemed to be that of someone who had seen their fair share of adventures due to the wear and tear on their clothes. She also noticed that the blader was wearing a metallic mask with orange tints where his eyes likely were and what looked like yellow hair coming out of the top. Meanwhile, the blader’s bey remained stationary with no hints of wobble in its rotation. Neighboring bladers saw him and tried to take him out, but they were all brushed aside like flies against a swatter.

Deciding to save her strength for the actual tournament, Applejack chose to avoid the mysterious blader and continue to eliminate the competition.

Before long, an alarm sounded throughout the square as Mayor Maybel took to the podium once again. “That concludes the preliminary battle royale,” she announced. “All bladers please return to the square to hear the results of the battle.” Everyone did so, though many had dejected looks on their faces. Once everyone arrived, Mayor Maybel instructed those with tickets to come up and insert them into a machine that was standing next to her. As the machine took everyone’s tickets, it also took their photo to be displayed on the bracket.

Once everyone had inserted their tickets, their pictures were displayed on the board for all to see. Twilight saw that she was facing Rainbow Dash and Spike was up against someone named Scootaloo. With the pairings decided, everyone waited for their names to be called so they could start the battle. Until then, they were free to wander about the festival grounds and enjoy themselves.

Spike and Twilight were at the food stalls with the former emphasizing the need to fuel up before a big match. Twilight agreed, and they both went off to find something to eat. As Twilight waited in line for her meal, she felt a tap on her shoulder from behind and turned to see the very girl she was set to face in the tournament.

“Hi,” she greeted casually. “Rainbow Dash, remember?”

After recovering from the initial shock, Twilight turned back towards Rainbow and nodded. “Yes, I remember,” she confirmed politely. “You were the coach at the beyblade gym I visited the other day.”

“Hell yeah,” she said enthusiastically. “I love coaching young bladers and helping them to realize their full potential. And it helps motivate me to get stronger myself, so it’s kinda like they coach me in return.”

“Interesting,” said Twilight. “I have heard that assisting others is a way of gaining more knowledge in that given subject, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it applied.”

“Well you’re gonna feel that power during our battle,” promised Rainbow. “Can’t wait to see what you’ve got.” She and Twilight then found themselves at the front of the line and placed their orders. Upon receiving them, Dash went off on her own. “I gotta get back to my trainees, but I’m really looking forward to our battle later.”

Twilight soon left and found an empty table to wait for her brother. He soon returned with what looked like a pulled pork sandwich drenched in Bar-B-Que sauce with fries on the side as well as a large cup of root beer. “Honestly Spike,” sighed Twilight, “how can you even stand that garbage?”

“Pretty easily actually,” Spike shrugged as he bit into his sandwich, causing some of the pork to fall into the paper tray it was originally in.

Twilight then watched with regret as he scooped up the lost pork with his finger and popped it into his mouth. “At least use a napkin, for pete’s sake,” said Twilight with mild disgust as she offered Spike one of her napkins.

“No need,” dismissed Spike as he wiped the residual sauce off his face with a fry before eating that as well. Twilight rolled her eyes and simply dug into her ramen.

After a few minutes, an announcement came over the loudspeaker that the first round was beginning soon and that the bladers were to make their way back to the town hall. Spike and Twilight discarded their trash before doing so and soon arrived at the large building.

“Welcome back everyone,” greeted the mayor. “I hope you all got some good refreshment in, because the tournament is about to start!” The doors then opened behind her and revealed the stadium that Twilight and Spike had seen last night. The crowd was quick to get to their seats as an apparatus descened and lit up to be an omnidirectional monitor. “And now we will kick things off round one of the Beyblade Summer Festival Tournament,” Announced the mayor as the two bladers walked in.

Twilight sat in the stands and recognized the one of the bladers as Rarity. The other girl seemed similar to her, but wore a different outfit that consisted of a yellow sleeveless shirt and a light, pink jacket as well as a flowing skirt.

“The first round will be a battle between siblings with Rarity Belle against her sister, Sweetie Belle,” announced the mayor as both sisters took their positions.

“Get ready to Rarity,” warned Sweetie Belle. “Today’s the day I finally win against you.”

“I applaud your self-confidence, dear sister,” said Rarity respectfully. “However, you need much more than that to win a bey battle.” Once the bladers were set, the town hall’s roof split open, allowing the sun to shine down on the arena.

The countdown started and Rarity and Sweetie launched as soon as the signal was given. Virgo was quick to take the center as Sweetie’s bey raced along the outside. “Go now, Spiral Lyre!” said Sweetie as her bey proceeded to attack Virgo relentlessly.

“It seems that you still have much to learn, Sweetie Belle,” said Rarity as Virgo charged in for a counterattack.

Unfortunately, Virgo’s attack seemed to slide off Lyre as if it were water passing over a smooth stone. “And you’ve got a bit to learn about my bey,” retorted Sweetie as she explained. “Lyre’s spin track is an Eternal Defense 145. As long as I have that, you won’t be able to lay a single attack on me.”

Twilight watched with interest as she made a note of that feature in her notebook. Meanwhile, Rarity seemed rather amused at the situation. “Well now,” she said, “it seems that you’ve improved quite a bit, dear sister.” Her look then became more determined. “But you should know that it takes more than dodging to win a battle.” Virgo then proceeded to attack Lyre again, only for the latter to avoid it again.

“Of course I know that,” said Sweetie Belle. “That’s why I’m not done yet.” Lyre dodged another of Virgo’s attacks and soon struck back with its own attack. Seeing that her sister was taken aback, Sweetie explained further. “You see, Lyre’s fusion wheel has an offset center of gravity that allows it to move totally unpredictably.” Lyre glided past Virgo again and suddenly double backed to strike Virgo head-on.

“My oh my,” exclaimed the mayor, “it seems that Sweetie is slowly but surely backing her sister into a corner. How will Rarity respond?” Twilight was wondering the same question as Virgo continued to be at Lyre’s apparent mercy.

“I shall respond how I always do,” she declared. “I shall give my opponent what they have been so kind as to give me. Let’s go, Virgo!” Virgo then charged at Lyre again and began to build rotation speed as it did so.

Sweetie Belle smirked and said, “Don’t worry Rarity, you don’t have to give me anything. All I ask is that you take this. Now Lyre!” Lyre’s emblem then flashed as Sweetie spoke again. “Special move: String Crusher!” Lyre was soon enveloped in a bright silver aura as it raced wildly around the stadium, attacking Virgo from seemingly all directions at once before sending it flying into the air. “Oh yeah!” cheered Sweetie. “I won!”

“I’m afraid you are mistaken, dear sister,” said Rarity. Sweetie Belle looked at her older sister in confusion until she looked up and saw Virgo falling towards Lyre as its rotation speed seemed to be increasing and it became enveloped in a bright light. Twilight recognized this technique and tried to warn Sweetie, but it was too late. “Special move: Flashing Brilliant Star!” Rarity announced as Virgo’s light crashed into the stadium and caused a massive shockwave that came close to shaking the building. Once the light had died down, Virgo was seen to still be spinning while Lyre lay on its side with its rotation having been stopped.

Sweetie belle fell to her knees in frustration until Rarity came up to her and held out her hand while congratulating her on a hard fought battle. Sweetie smiled and respectfully accepted her sister’s hand. The next two battles were equally intense, though not as flashy with Pinkie Pie winning easily thanks to her Capricorn’s wild movements and a young purple-haired blader winning with brute force.

It was soon time for Twilight’s battle against Rainbow. As the two approached the stadium, a cluster of kids in the front row cheered loudly for Rainbow. Rainbow simply responded with a salute to them. Twilight started to feel a few butterflies enter her stomach both a tthe rousing display and the fact that she was competing for the first time in her life. She was able to calm down after a deep breath and considered the situation. ‘From the way she was acting at the gym,’ Twilight reflected, ‘Rainbow seems like the type of blader to go on the offensive right from the start.’ She then attached her Striker to her launcher and prepared for battle while Rainbow did the same.

The countdown proceeded and Twilight and Rainbow released their beys into the stadium with Striker taking the center and Rainbow’s bey racing along the edge. “Let’s win this with one shot,” said Rainbow decisively. “Go Storm Pegasus!” As if responding to its blader, Pegasus charged into the stadium and attacked Striker head-on. Upon contact, Pegasus began to push Striker bit by bit as the shock created a small wind storm. “Looks like you can take a hit,” observed Rainbow. “Guess that just means we’ve gotta pour on the pressure.” With that, Pegasus proceeded to hit Striker with a fierce and steady barrage of attacks.

Twilight winced as the force of each blow pushed Striker back bit by bit. “Amazing,” she said in awe. “Even with Striker’s rubber spin track I’m having a tough time standing up to this kind of attack. Guess there’s no other choice.” Twilight then told Striker to go on the offensive and it soon began trading blows with Rainbow’s Pegasus.

“Oh yeah, now we’re talking!” said Rainbow excitedly. “This is what beyblade is supposed to be about. Clashing head-to-head, putting your spirit on the line, this is the kind of action I love.”

“I admit, you have much more power than I anticipated,” said Twilight, “but I can still put my strategy to good use. Do it now, Striker!” Striker continued to clash with Rainbow’s Pegasus, delivering its own steady barrage of attacks.

“Not bad, rookie,” said Rainbow. “You’re putting up one hell of a fight. This is gonna make victory taste all the sweeter.”

“I may have only had this beyblade a short time,” said Twilight, “but I still know enough to implement some effective strategies against all manner of opponents.”

“Really now,” said Rainbow challengingly. “In that case, let’s see how well you stand up to this!” Pegasus then pulled away and charged at Striker again while enveloped in a bright blue light and surrounded by light winds. Twilight had a guess as to what Rainbow was up to and told Striker to brace itself. “Special move: Cloudburst Crash!”

Twilight flinched as Pegasus made contact with Striker, causing an explosion of force that rocked the entire stadium. The crowd watched with anticipation as the smoke steadily dissipated. Once it had, Pegasus was revealed to still be spinning in the stadium, but Striker was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh no!” shouted Twilight worriedly. “Striker, where are you?!”

Even Rainbow seemed a bit concerned and worried that she went too far in using her special move the way she did. Everyone then noticed a flash coming from above and saw Striker falling from the sky and hitting the stadium with a thud before landing upright and still spinning, though it had lost a considerable amount of stamina as evidenced by its wobbling.

Everyone was amazed at how Twilight’s bey had survived Rainbow’s special move, including Rainbow herself. “Holy shit,” she said in astonishment. “I can’t believe you actually lived through my special move.” She then smiled proudly at Twilight and shot her a thumbs up. “Guess you’re made of tougher stuff than I first thought. Not bad, Sparkle.”

“Thanks,” said Twilight as her mind began to process. ‘Though I’m honestly not sure what I can do at this point.’ She looked at Rainbow’s Pegasus and then back to Striker. ‘There’s not doubt that Pegasus lost quite a bit of power when using that move, but it’s nowhere near the amount that Striker lost.’ She then closed her eyes in fear. ‘What else can I do?’

“Come now, is that any way to act in a battle?” asked a kind, feminine voice. Twilight opened her eyes in surprise as she looked for the source. “Down here, sweetheart,” guided the voice as Twilight looked down to where her Striker was spinning and her eyes widened in shock.

“Striker,” said Twilight softly, “is that you?”

“Who else could it be?” Striker asked rhetorically. “Listen, I know things seem bad now, but there’s still a chance for you to win this. All you have to do is awaken your blader’s spirit.”

“But how do I do that?” asked Twilight, sounding somewhat desperate.

“It’s simple,” said Striker. “All you have to do is refuse to give up until the very end. As long as I’m still spinning, this battle is far from over.”

Striker’s words seemed to resonate with Twilight as she took a deep breath and calmed herself before looking up to face Rainbow again. “Get ready, Rainbow,” declared Twilight. “The real battle starts right now. Go, Striker!” With newfound power, Striker began another assault on Pegasus and steadily pushed it back.

“Okay,” said Rainbow with a smile. “Good to see you’ve still got some confidence in you.” Her eyes then steeled in determination. “But don’t think I’m gonna just roll over and let you win. Fight back, Pegasus!” Pegasus responded and held its ground against Striker.

As the two beys continued to clash, Twilight continued to focus one her bey. ‘Striker is doing everything it can to fight off Rainbow’s Pegasus,’ she thought. ‘I have to follow its lead and put everything I have into this battle.’ She then closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Once she opened her eyes again, her steeled gaze was locked on the battle as Striker began to become enveloped in a faint purple aura. Rainbow raised an eyebrow as Striker proceeded to charge again and hit Pegasus again with each attack having more force behind it than the last. “Let’s win this,” said Twilight softly before yelling and expelling her pent-up energy. “Do it now, Striker!” With one final clash and a brilliant explosion of light, Striker blew Rainbow’s Pegasus through the air and out of the stadium.

Everyone was in shock at what had happened, but still cheered as Mayor Maybel pronounced Twilight the winner. Twilight seemed to snap out of her daze as she watched Striker’s rotation come to a gradual stop. She then saw Rainbow coming towards her with a proud expression on her face and a hand stretched out towards Twilight.

“Gotta say,” Rainbow admitted, “that was some comeback. I thought I had you for sure with my special move. Guess I have a bit more training to do.” Twilight smiled and took Rainbow’s hand before congratulating her on a hard-fought battle. “That reminds me,” Rainbow added, “what was that move you used. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Twilight paused as she turned to look at her Striker still in the stadium. “I’m... not sure to be honest,” she admitted. “I guess I ended up wanting to win so bad that I stopped thinking and just went for it.”

Dash smirked and said, “Yeah, that happens with a lot of new bladers.” She then placed a comforting hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “All you need is some practice and you’ll get the hang of it.”

Twilight nodded as she went to pick up her bey and exited the arena. After a brief intermission, the battles continued with renewed ferocity. Applejack won her battle easily thanks to her Bull’s rampaging power. Another girl Twilight recognized as Applejack’s sister was up after her and she won just as quickly thanks to a similar method. Once the next battle ended, it was time For Spike’s battle. He was up against a blader by the name of ‘Masquerade’.

Both bladers soon entered the arena and looked at each other. Masquerade wore a silver jacket with a black shirt underneath. He also wore blue corduroy pants and black boots with grey laces. “Personally, I would have preferred someone a bit more on my level,” He said in a distorted voice. “But I guess I’ll get to them soon enough.”

“You act like you’ve already won,” said Spike as he reached for his bey and launcher. “Don’t forget that big things come in small packages.”

“True, but bigger doesn’t mean better,” Masquerade retorted. “Unless, of course, you happen to mean me and my Typhoon Crane.” As he spoke, he held up his bey to show to everyone. The outer wheel seemed to be separated into 8 sections and the inner wheel was silver with a crane carved into each side with its wings outstretched.* The center image seemed to resemble that of a crane racing along a field.

Twilight had an uneasy feeling in her stomach as Spike and Masquerade attached their beys to their launchers. After the countdown, the two released their beys into the stadium with Crane racing along the bank ahead of Dragonis

“Okay,” said Spike. “First I need to know exactly what I’m up against here. And there’s only one way to do that. Come on Dragonis, let’s say hello to our new friend.” Dragonis soon sped up and struck Crane only for the former to be repelled while the latter remained stationary. “What the hell?!” shouted Spike in surprise. “Grr, try again Dragonins.” Dragonis soon regained its balance and proceeded to strike Crane again and again only for the results to remain the same.

“Nice try shrimp,” said Masquerade, “but my Crane won’t even budge with those pathetic excuses for attacks.” Crane then raced ahead again and prepared to counterattack from behind Dragonis. “Now let me show you what a real attack looks like.” Crane then struck Dragonis, sending it flying through the air before landing in the stadium with its balance having been disturbed.

“Damn,” grunted Spike. “That bey is like a tank running on liquid nitrogen. How the hell is it able to do all this?”

“It’s quite simple, really,” said Masquerade. “Crane’s 8-bladed fusion wheel has a smooth surface with rough yet fine edges that allow it to attack and defend at the same time.”

In the stands, Twilight seemed impressed that such a feature existed on a bey and made sure to study the battle closely.

“Alright then,” said Spike. “Let’s see how you handle this kind of attack. Now Dragonis!” Time seemed to move in slow motion as Dragonis’ fusion wheel shifted positions. After doing so, Dragonis proceeded to race wildly around the stadium, delivering a series of attacks seemingly from all sides. “A bey with that kind of power has to have a limit on how much punishment it can take,” observed Spike. “Let’s see what your limit is, shall we?”

Dragonis soon delivered one final blow that was able to send Crane flying. However, it landed safely in the stadium again with only a minor wobble. Spike was shocked that it had survived his intense barrage, as was the audience. “Apparently, my limit is much higher than you think,” said Masquerade tauntingly. “Thanks to Crane’s Eternal Coated Sharp performance tip, I was able to handle your little slapfest no problem.”

Spike grunted as Twilight observed with interest. “So that’s it,” she said in realization. “Because Crane’s performance tip spins independently, it was able to withstand Dragonis’ attacks with stamina to spare. And the rubber coating is what allowed it to move around so quickly.” She then wrote down her observations in her notebook.

“In that case,” said Spike, “guess we’re gonna have to go all out at this point.” Dragonis reeled back and charged at Crane while intense flames began to surround Spike’s bey. “Special move: Fire Wing Fury!” Dragonis’ symbol flashed as the flames intensified and it drew ever closer to Crane.

Masquerade however seemed unimpressed. “Guess this is what I get for expecting this much from a first round opponent,” he said boredly. “Let’s end this now, Crane.” Crane then charged to meet Dragonis’ special move head on, an action that confused almost everyone in the room until the wind began to build around Crane. “Go, Wing Sword Rush!” announced Masquerade as Crane clashed with Dragonis, causing a wave of heat to blow past the audience.

Once everything had settled down, Dragonis was seen lying motionless on its side while Crane continued to spin steadily. After snapping out of her stupor, Maybel declared Masquerade the winner with the blader in question walking off after taking back Crane. Meanwhile, Spike was left speechless at what had happened and picked up Dragonis before turning to leave the stadium himself. With that, the first round of the tournament had drawn to a close and everyone left to go home for the night while Twilight went to console her brother.

Author's Note

*Picture Eagle's energy ring, except with Cranes instead.

Hope you guys enjoyed the action in this chapter. I wasn't sure what direction to go with Twilight's battle, but I'd say I'm satisfied with what I came up with. Please leave any thoughts you have in the comments below.

Credit for Masquerade goes to DakariKingMykan.

Fiery Battle Passion

Twilight and Spike soon got back to Fluttershy’s house where the latter promptly went up to his room with the former close behind. “I just can’t believe it,” said Spike as he sat down on his bed with his head hung low. “I can’t believe I was beaten so easily.”

Twilight placed a comforting hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Well the important thing is that you gave it your all and never gave up until the end,” she said softly.

“But it was like he had me figured out from the start,” said Spike. “He knew exactly how to counter my attacks and he had total control over his bey.”

“Don’t worry,” said Fluttershy comfortingly. “All you need is some more practice and soon you’ll be able to beat that guy, no problem.”

Spike smiled and thanked Fluttershy for her kind words before deciding to get dinner. After that, the trio decided to rest up for their battles tomorrow.

The second round of the tournament was now about to start with the first match being between Rarity and Pinkie Pie. “Hope you’re ready to have some fun, Rarity,” said Pinkie as she bounced excitedly in place.

“The only thing I’m ready for,” said Rarity confidently. “Is for you to make Virgo and I look even more fabulous than we already are.”

The two bladers took aim and prepared to launch as the countdown began. Once it had ended, Rarity and Pinkie released their beys into the stadium with Virgo taking the center immediately and Capricorn bouncing around wildly. Using this movement to her advantage, Pinkie proceeded to have Capricorn attack Virgo from seemingly all directions.

“Amazing,” said Twilight from her spot in the stands. “I never knew a bey could jump around so wildly like that.”

“That’s because of the Quake performance tip,” informed Fluttershy. “Because the axle is cut diagonally, it allows the bey to jump around randomly.” She then turned her eyes back to the battle. “And Pinkie is able to use that random movement to quickly overwhelm her opponent for an easy win.”

Twilight then took a closer look at the battle herself. “But Virgo doesn’t seem fazed,” she observed. “It’s almost like it’s brushing off Capricorn’s attacks.”

“That’s because of the centrifugal force from Virgo’s spin track,” said Fluttershy. “Combine that with its thick fusion wheel and Virgo’s defense is almost on par with its stamina.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in awe as she continued to watch the battle. Meanwhile, Pinkie was getting rather frustrated as she all but begged Rarity to make a move. Masquerade also observed the battle from the stands and scoffed at the pinkette’s overeagerness and reckless attack patterns.

After a few minutes, Pinkie’s frustration soon came to its peak. “That’s it!” she yelled. “If you’re not gonna move, then I’m just gonna have to force you to move myself.” Capricorn then jumped high into the air where it began to surround itself in a pinkish-red twister. “Special move: Corkscrew Hammer!” Pinkie’s bey dove towards Virgo with frightening intensity.

Despite that, Rarity remained unimpressed. “I suppose I expected a bit too much from you, Pinkie,” she sighed as Virgo became enveloped in a bright light again. “Special move: Flashing Brilliant Star!” Virgo’s light stopped Capricorn’s attack, allowing the former to swoop in and send it flying out of the stadium. “You really must learn some new tactics Pinkie,” said Rarity with mild exasperation. “It’s getting rather boring having the same kind of battle with you each time.” She then took back Virgo and left for the stands.

Pinkie walked away sadly as Twilight stepped to the stadium to prepare for her next battle against a blader by the name of Scootaloo. Once both bladers were present, Twilight realized that she had seen her opponent at the gym when she visited Rainbow. Twilight also noted the almost angry expression this girl wore on her face as she hooked her bey to her launcher and took aim. Twilight did the same and the countdown started. Immediately after, Twilight and Scootaloo launched their beys with Striker taking the center and Scootaloo’s bey circling the outside.

“Let’s do this, Cyber,” said Scootaloo with determination. “We’re gonna win this for Rainbow Dash!” Cyber charged down the slope and delivered a series of attacks to Striker.

‘This girl must resent me for defeating Rainbow Dash in the last round,’ thought Twilight. ‘Either that or she feels obligated to do what Rainbow couldn’t.’ She then took a moment to observe Scootaloo’s attacks on Striker. ‘Whatever the case,’ thought Twilight decisively, ‘I should be able to bring this battle to a swift end.’ Striker then charged in to meet Cyber’s attack head-on. “Let’s go Striker,” cheered Twilight. “We’ll give them a battle they won’t soon forget.” Striker then met Cyber’s attack head on and stopped it in its tracks.

Scootaloo was taken aback as her Cyber was halted before her eyes. “”Grr, fine then,” she grunted. “Time for a different approach. Cyber!” Cyber quickly circled behind Striker and attacked it from the rear, using its own momentum to throw it off balance.

“Striker, look out!” yelled Twilight as she watched her bey stumble towards the edge of the stadium. Striker then suddenly leaned over, causing its spin track to grind against the floor and allowing itself to stop just at the edge before continuing to circle the stadium. “Whew, thank you, Striker,” said Twilight in relief.

“Well now, that was a close one,” said the mayor from her balcony. “It looked like Cyber was about to clinch that win, but Striker proved just a bit too agile and escaped. A well executed maneuver indeed.”

“Damn it,” said Scootaloo in frustration. “Guess we’ve got no choice now. You ready Cyber?” As if to answer her question, Cyber leapt into the air and attacked Striker with a barrage of diving attacks. “I’ve seen your little bey in action,” said Scootaloo. “That rubber spin track of yours is pretty strong, but let’s see how long it can stand up to this kind of attack.”

‘This isn’t looking good,’ thought Twilight as Striker seemed to be at the mercy of Cyber’s aerial attacks. ‘Striker’s eternal wide defense performance tip is allowing it to hang in there, but its spin track can’t defend effectively against attacks from above.’

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” said a familiar voice from seemingly inside Twilight’s head. Twilight looked up with curiosity as Striker’s ethereal form appeared before her. “Everything’s going to be okay,” said Striker calmly. “All you need to do is calm down and trust your instincts. Believe in yourself and me as well.”

Twilight took a deep breath and seemed to calm down a bit. ‘Thank you, Striker,’ she said internally as her bey’s spirit vanished. She then observed the battle and saw that Cyber was still going strong with its barrage of diving attacks. After watching for a bit, she had found the pattern and escaped soon after.

“You may have gotten away,” said Scootaloo in frustration, “but I’ll catch you again.” Cyber then chased after Striker along the stadium. “Let’s go, Cyber,” said Scootaloo as Cyber was enveloped in a bright red aura. “Special move: Wild Parkour Rush!” Cyber jumped into the air higher than before and dived at Striker with intense force.

However, Twilight’s maintained her determination as Striker raced to meet Cyber’s attack. “You can do it Striker,” said Twilight passionately. “I believe in you!” Striker’s emblem then flashed as its aura radiated from it as well. “Special move: Harmonic Lightning Spear!” Striker’s ethereal spirit emerged once again as it leapt up to meet Cyber while its horn was enveloped in some sort of multi-colored lightning.

The two beys clashed in an explosion of light and smoke that was felt by everyone in attendance with almost everyone reeling back. Everything soon cleared and everyone saw Striker spin in the center with a bit of a wobble as Cyber fell to the ground with its rotation having been stopped.

“That decides it!” announced the mayor excitedly. “With a tide-turning special move, Striker defeats Cyber and Twilight Sparkle moves on to the semi-finals!” The crowd cheered loudly as Twilight looked around in surprise that they were cheering for her so fervently.

Scootaloo then fell to her knees in despair until she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Rainbow Dash standing behind her. “Don’t worry about it, Scoots,” said Dash kindly. “Just give it a bit more time. You’ll get there soon.” Scootaloo sniffed and stood up as tears began to form in her eyes. She then embraced Rainbow as she let her tears flow.

Twilight smiled at the exchange as she voiced her congratulations on a hard-fought battle before leaving the stadium. The mayor also gave her thanks for a great battle and issued a brief intermission before the next battles.

Twilight and Spike decided to grab some concessions with Spike getting a hot dog and fries and Twilight ordering a slice of cheese pizza. As the two sat down at a table, they saw Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo come towards them.

Scootaloo stepped forward with an outstretched hand. “That was a good match,” she said softly as she tried to look at Twilight. “Sorry if I kinda went overboard there. I just wanted to avenge Rainbow’s loss”

Twilight politely accepted Scootaloo’s hand and said, “Don’t worry about it, I understand.” She then placed a comforting hand on the young girl’s shoulder. “I’d probably do the same if I ever saw Princess Celestia lose a battle. Actually, I kind of thought that was the case based on how you were acting.”

Scootaloo smiled sheepishly as Rainbow stepped forward. “Well I guess part of the blame belongs to me,” admitted Rainbow. “I never really taught her or the other bladers that losing is okay as long as you know you gave it your all. And you both did just that.” Rainbow then held out her fist and Twilight reciprocated the gesture with Spike following suit. “That reminds me,” Rainbow continued as she turned to Spike, “I saw your battle with that Masquerade dude. You’ve got some real guts, kiddo.” She then pulled out what looked like an application from the backpack she had been wearing and gave it to Spike. “If you’re ever looking for a place to train, stop by and I’ll whip you into shape.” She then patted Spike on the back before taking Scootaloo with her to stand in the concession line.

Twilight and Spike smiled at each other as they went back to their food and pocketed the application slip as they waited for the intermission to end.

Soon everyone was back in their seats ready to watch the next battle, which was another battle between siblings with Applejack facing her sister, Applebloom. “Don’t you even think about goin’ easy one me, Applejack,” Applebloom all but demanded.

“What kind of sister would I be if I held back against my own kin?” asked Applejack rhetorically as she attached her Bull and took aim.

“It seems that both bladers are as eager to get this underway as we are,” announce Maybel excitedly. “So let’s not delay this battle any longer shall we?” The countdown proceeded and the sisters launched their beys once it ended. Both circled the stadium for a bit before charging in to meet each other at the center.

“Charge hard, Earth Equinus!” encouraged Applebloom as her bey met Bull head-on.

“Push it back, Bull,” cheered Applejack as Bull stopped Equinus’ attack cold and began to push it back gradually.

The clash ended and Bull soon charged in for another attack only for Equinus to suddenly circle around and counterattack from behind. Using Bull’s momentum, Equinus knocked it off-balance and sent it careening towards the edge of the stadium.

“Oh no, Bull!” shouted Applejack in a panic. Right before Bull reached the edge, it used its power and the upward slope to stop itself before diving back into the battle. “Not bad there, sis,” said Applejack as she sighed in relief. “You almost had me there for a minute.” She then gave a determined look. “But now that you’ve messed with the bull, you’re gonna get the horns.” Bull continued its charge as it chased down Equinus.

“Great,” said Applebloom with excited determination, “that’ll make it all the easier to take you by them.” Her bey then changed course and proceeded to meet Bull’s charge head-on.

“Amazing!” marveled the mayor. “It's one big move after another out there. Both sides are trading equal blows and neither one is giving an inch. I suppose that’s what happens when you put siblings against one another.”

Twilight observed the battle with keen interest. “It’s quite remarkable,” she said. “Unless I’m mistaken, Applebloom’s Equinus is based off the pony constellation, Equueleus. If that is the case, then how is it able to stand up to Bull like that?”

“That’s because of how it’s built,” said Fluttershy as Twilight turned to look at her. “Equinus’ earth fusion wheel is one of the thickest fusion wheels, giving it that extra defense. It’s also using the friction from its rubber semi-flat performance tip to not only hold its ground, but get it back from Bull.” Twilight nodded in understanding as she turned her attention back to the duel.

The grapple between the beys soon became a close-quarters fight with Bull and Equinus racing around the stadium while clashing along the way. As the battle proceeded, the crown began to get amped up as this was the first battle to have this level of intensity. Further back, Masquerade simply observed with indifference though he was somewhat impressed by Applebloom’s apparent resolve.

It wasn’t long before both bladers began to feel tired as evidenced by their heavy breathing. “Gotta say,” panted Applejack, “you’ve gotten mighty strong, lil’ sis.”

“I owe it all to you, Applejack,” said Applebloom. “I’ve been training for a long time, getting ready for the day when I beat you.”

“That’s mighty admirable of you, Applebloom,” said Applejack. “But I’m not just gonna give you the win. In fact, I’m gonna end this here and now.” Bll then began another charge that seemed to shake the entire stadium. “Let’s go, Bull! Special move: Horn Hammer Rampage!” Bull’s emblem flashed as it’s ethereal form emerged with its horns appearing to glow a bright orange as it closed in on Applebloom’s bey.

“We ain’t going down without a fight,” declared Applobloom. “Meet the attack, Equinus!” Equinus charged Bull and prepared to fight back. “Special move: Galloping Boulder Slam!”

The beys clashed and a huge explosion of force was unleashed throughout the stadium that rocked the stands and the attendees. When the smoke cleared, Bull was seen to still be spinning while Enquinus laid completely stationary by Applebloom’s feet. The young blader fell to her knees in disappointment, but still congratulated her sister on a great battle. A sentiment that Applejack wholeheartedly returned.

Twilight was also impressed at how intense the battle was and how hard Applebloom fought despite the odds being stacked against her. She took out her Striker and looked at it in contemplation before coming to a decision. ‘I’m gonna have to get a lot stronger if I wanna stay in this tournament,’ she concluded to herself.

It was soon time for the last battle, the one with Masquerade. His opponent was a young boy who looked the same age as Applebloom and Scootaloo. He wore a propeller beanie on his head as well as a brown shirt with various video game systems fronted on it and brown cargo shorts.

“Better get ready to lose,” declared the boy as he took aim.

“You can do this, Button Mash dear!” called a female voice from the audience.

“It’s in the bag, mom!” replied Button.

Masquerade observed the exchange with indifference as he was mainly focused on winning the battle and moving on to the next battle. The countdown began and both bladers released their beys once it ended. Button’s bey proceeded to circle the stadium while Masquerade’s Crane took the center and spun there. Deciding to go for a quick finish, Button told his bey to go for a head-on clash. Upon contact however, Button’s bey was knocked back with so much force that it flew out of the stadium and to the other end of the building. Button was left completely shocked at what had happened and soon ran to retrieve his bey. Masquerade simply scoffed as Crane returned to his hand and he walked off without a single word.

Twilight simply watched with frustration. “Who does this guy think he is?” she asked as if he had done something wrong. “He could at least make an effort to be civil towards his opponent.” She then stood up and made her way towards Masquerade.

“Wait,” said Fluttershy as she grabbed Twilight’s arm. “What are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna walk up to that rude excuse for a blader and give him a piece of my mind,” said Twilight with determination.

“Twilight,” said Fluttershy in reassurance, “if you wanna say something to him, then say it with your bey.” Twilight turned back to Fluttershy with a raised eyebrow. “Words are useless between bladers. If you wanna say something, then wait until you face him in the final round.”

Twilight thought about what Fluttershy said and then reflected on the previous battles she saw where it looked like both opponents were communicating with each other, particularly in regards to the battles between siblings. Deciding to take Fluttershy’s advice, Twilight left the matter alone as the mayor announced the end of the second round and that tomorrow would consist of the semi-final and final rounds. With that, everyone left to enjoy the rest of the festival with some trying their hand at the various carnival games, others getting their thrills on the rides, and the rest stuffing their faces at the food stalls. Twilight found herself in the latter category as she was hungrier than she realized.

“Damn, Twilight,” marveled Spike as he watched Twilight devour her fifth burger and down her second lemonade. “You’re really putting that stuff away.”

“I can’t help it Spike,” said Twilight as she swallowed what was in her mouth. “I guess that battle took a lot more out of me than I thought.”

“I can definitely feel you there,” said Spike. “I always love a good meal after an intense battle myself.” He emphasized his statement by digging into his own spread of food which mainly consisted of various meat and noodle dishes.

“But wasn’t your battle yesterday?” asked Twilight. “How are you still this hungry after all this time?”

“Well to be fair,” said Spike, “I didn’t really get that big a meal last night and I had kind of a light breakfast this morning. This is kind of my catch-up meal.” He then snapped his fingers as his eyes lit up in realization. “That reminds me,” he said as he walked up to a nearby condiment stand and drizzled some ketchup on a few of his hot dogs and burgers.

Twilight rolled her eyes and simply continued to eat her own food until it was time for the two of them to head home to Fluttershy’s house. Along the way, Twilight contemplated what she was gonna do about tomorrow considering she was gonna be facing Rarity in the semi-finals, an opponent she had faced when she first arrived and lost to. Once she and Spike got home, Twilight decided to step into the back room. She remembered Fluttershy saying that this room was where new bladers could practice with their beyblades so that they could use them more effectively.

Deciding to try it out for herself, Twilight set up her Striker and took aim at a small balance beam. Once Striker was launched, it raced along the beam with relative ease and landed on the other side. Twilight then proceeded to various other apparatuses such as a dummy bey in a stadium that was used to practice attacks and a small winding track used to exercise beyblade control. Twilight kept at it for what felt like hours until she felt tired enough to rest and soon walked back upstairs to go to bed.

The next day, Twilight came down bright and early to see Fluttershy in the kitchen making breakfast, pancakes if the smell was any indication. “Good morning, Twilight,” Fluttershy greeted cheerfully. “It sounded like you were practicing hard last night. I don’t blame you since you’re gonna be up against Rarity this morning.” She then carried the pan she was cooking on over to the table and placed the pancakes she was cooking onto a plate in the center. “You’d better eat up,” Fluttershy advised. “You’ll need all the strength you can get for the battles.”

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” said Twilight as she took a couple pancakes from the stack and promptly dug into them. “I’ll need all the strength I can gather for my battle against Rarity. I lost to her once before, but I won’t let something like that happen again.”

Fluttershy smiled at Twilight’s confidence as Spike walked into the kitchen. He saw Twilight filling up and decided to follow suit as he took some pancakes for himself and promptly devoured them. Fluttershy smiled at the evident similarity between the siblings and soon sat down for her own breakfast.

Soon, the trio arrived for the semi-finals of the tournament with Mayor Mabel at her podium once again. “Welcome once again everyone!” she greeted excitedly. “I hope you’re all ready for some heated action today, because we’ll be holding both the semi-final and final rounds today and then we’ll see who will win the whole thing!” The crowd cheered in excitement as the monitor behind the mayor lit up to display each remaining blader. “Now then, the first battle will be between Twilight Sparkle and Rarity Belle followed by Applejack against Masquerade. So without further ado, let us welcome the first bladers to battle!”
Twilight and Rarity soon walked into the stadium with the crowd cheering in anticipation. “I must say,” Rarity said to Twilight, “you’ve done remarkably well thus far. But don’t think that means I haven’t been practicing myself.” Rarity emphasized her statement by taking out her bey and attaching it to her launcher.

“Just don’t expect this battle to play out like the last one did,” advised Twilight as she mirrored Rarity’s actions. “Striker and I have trained practically all night for this battle and now is the time when that training will pay off.”

“Very well then,” said Rarity with a determined look in her eyes. “I suppose we’ll see who here has the stronger desire for victory.”

“It seems as though both bladers are prepared to give this battle everything they have and then some,” said Maybel. “Well then let’s not delay things for a moment longer, let’s get this semi-finals underway, shall we?”

Maybel then led the crowd in the countdown with Rarity and Twilight joining in. Once they reached the end, both bladers released their beys into the stadium and both of them dashed for the center.

“Send it flying, Striker!” called Twilight. Striker responded by increasing its speed and dashing towards Rarity’s Virgo with threatening intensity.

“Fight back, Virgo!” said Rarity. Virgo eagerly moved in to intercept Striker.

The two beys clashed in a shower of sparks and a burst of force that had most of the audience reeling back. Once the smoke cleared, Virgo and Striker were still locked in a fierce clash until they rebounded away from each other and proceeded to circle the stadium.

“It seems you truly have improved since last time,” Rarity remarked, sounding somewhat proud of Twilight.

“Just you wait, Rarity,” said Twilight with determination in her voice. “I’m gonna show you firsthand how powerful Striker and I have become since we first got here.” With that, Striker sped up again and prepared to strike Virgo once more.