GLADIATORS

ONE DAY LATER

“OH, FUCKING FINALLY! I thought you said it was a SHORT trip!” said Sunset as she got off the train

“How would you know you snored like the train the whole way!” said Pinkie

“No, Sunset’s right, Manchester is only 5 hours away from Cloudsdale,” said Twilight

“Only,” said Sunset

“Then why did we take so long to get here?” asked Fluttershy

All the girls remained silent as they thought for a while, then Twilight noticed something

“Hey, where is the Loncolt eye?” she asked

“Hey you’re right, you’re supposed to see it from the train station,” said Sunset

“Huh, maybe Godzilla came here and ate it! Or they demolished it! Or even worse… WE TRAVELLED IN TIME TO THE FUTURE OR TO ANOTHER DIMENSION!!!!” said Pinkie

“Or, we took the wrong train,” said Fluttershy catching everyone’s attention

“What do you mean, I made sure we got on Train 5970, just like in the ticket,” said Twilight

“Yeah, we got on the RIGHT train… but we had the WRONG destination,” said Fluttershy

And with that everyone quickly grabbed their tickets and read

“Train 5970 to Manehattan, departing at 6 PM,”

“Oh, we aren’t in the wrong dimension, I just bought the wrong ticket,” said Pinkie

“How did that happen?” asked Sunset

Pinkie then started to remember

CLOUDSDALE TRAIN STATION (YESTERDAY)

“Wow, this train station is busier than I thought,” said Pinkie as she stood inline

Then she noticed something in the corner of her eye.

“Visit Manehattan, the town of fashion, of fun, of High class, come for our fashion, or nightlife, and most importantly, come for our Gladiator events; That’s right, throughout the following week we will have various Gladiator competitions; like which? you make ask, well I ain’t telling, so you better come on down to Manehattan and find out,” said an anchor during a TV ad.

“That seems fun, but right now, the girls and I have to build a team,” said Pinkie as she started to look away from the ad, as she walked up to the ticket window.

“Hello, what can I give you today?” asked the clerk

“Hi, I’d like to buy 4 tickets for…” Pinkie began

“But wait! There's more, you might not know this, but Manehattan is also one of the food capitals of the world, come and enjoy or 5-star cuisine, or if you’re not into the whole “Luxury dining” then don’t threat, the city is full of smaller-scaled, but equally delicious restaurants, candy shops, and of course… bakeries, like the world-famous “Diamond Cake bakery” you might know it from TV shows like “Master cake” or “The next great cake” or just by the fact that they hold the record for baking the biggest, longest, sweetest cake in history, so come on down and visit beautiful Manehattan,” said the announcer

“Manehattan,” said Pinkie

“Here you go dear,” said the clerk

“Oh, thank you,” said Pinkie as she came back to her senses and paid for the tickets, and left.

“Maybe I should’ve put more attention on the ticket while ordering,” said Pinkie

“Oh, well, let’s go check the city out,” said Twilight

“At 5 AM?” said Sunset

“Come on, Manehattan is the city that never sleeps right,” said Twilight

“I’m pretty sure that’s Las Pegasus,” said Sunset, but Twilight had already wandered off

A FEW HOURS LATER

“Well, I have to admit, that was fun,” said Sunset

“I know right, so many places to visit,” said Twilight

“So many cute city critters,” said Fluttershy

“So many delicious dishes,” said Pinkie stuffing her face with a hot dog

“Not to mention all of the fabulous fashion shops you can find beautiful dresses and armors,” said another female voice behind them

“Hello, and you are?” asked Twilight

“Oh dear, where are my manners, My name is Rarity Belle, owner of Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and Magnifique,” said the female unicorn with long and stylishly wavy purple long hair.

“Oh, I know the place, it’s in Ponyville… but what are you doing here?” asked Pinkie

“I came to help with my branch here in Manehattan, it was suffering a bit of a creators block, but it’s been resolved,” said Rarity “Now, it’s my turn to ask, what are you ladies doing here?” she said

“We’re here to recruit people for the Canterlot Gladiator team,” said Twilight

“Interesting… anyone in mind?” asked Rarity

“Not really, but… are you offering your services?” asked Twilight

“Oh, heavens, no… I’m only a 5 division gladiator with a rank of 68… What I meant was that there is a Gladiator tournament happening here in Manehattan, tomorrow… maybe you can participate and find someone,” said Rarity

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Sunset

“Can you take us to the arena to register?” said Pinkie

“Sure, right this way,” said Rarity

A FEW MINUTES LATER

“Here we are, the Manehattan Gladiator arena,” said Rarity as they turned the corner.

It was a massive construction, it resembled a Roman Coliseum, big enough to fit 1 million spectators.

“Wow,” they all said

“Wow, indeed,” said Rarity

“Hey, there is where we register,” said Fluttershy as they all headed to the registration booth

“Hello, what can I do for you, lovely ladies?” said the registrator

“We would love to register to participate on the tournament happening tomorrow if it’s still possible,” said Twilight

“OF course, just sign this papers and you’ll be ready,” said the registrator

Twilight took the paper and read through it

“Can… Can you give us a second?” asked Twilight

“Sure, take the time you need,” said the registrator as Twilight turned around and motioned for the girls to come closer

“Any problem?” whispered Sunset

“It says we need a minimum of 5 members per team to be considered,” said Twilight

“So… we are one head short,” said Pinkie

“Seems like it,” said Twilight

“So, what are we going to do?” asked Fluttershy

“Well… as long as we find someone over the age of 21…” said Sunset

“Is looking for the opportunity to participate…” said Pinkie

“And has prior experience in the field, will be good to go,” said Twilight

“Oh… if those are the requirements, then I can be the 5th head,” said Rarity catching all of the girls attention

“Are you sure?” asked Twilight

“Well, I’m 27, and I have experience on the 5 division, not to mention, this tournament might the best place to advertise my new line of clothes,” said Rarity

“Ok, then… and there we go… here you go all set,” said Twilight

“Excellent, now, the competition was actually moved from tomorrow until next friday, do to emergency construction work happening inside the arena, so take this time to practice and tone your abilities,” said the registrator

“Ok, any idea where we can find a low cost gym where we can practice?” asked Twilight

“Even better, one of the tournament producers is a local gym called Dynamo Fitness, it was actually founded by a retired first tear gladiator called Dynamo…” said the registrator

“DYNAMO BLITZ!!!!” all of the girls said

“That guy,” said the registrator

“So, that means, we can use his facilities to train?” said Sunset Shimmer

“Yup, but, there are only 2 gyms in the city, and they are usually crowded 24/7,” said the registrator

“Well, if we are lucky, we’ll have enough time to train,” said Twilight

“THAT’S WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR! OPTIMISM! You gals really are Gladiator material,” said the registrator

“Thanks, now, which way is the nearest gym?” asked Pinkie

“Near Mainway station, go to the Bridleway Theater and then turn right, you’ll see the sign, you can’t miss it,” said the registrator

“Thanks, come on girls, let’s go break a sweat!” said Twilight earning a YAY! From her friends.

As they turned to leave, they were flagged down by the registrator

“Sorry to stop you in your tracks, but, do you girls have any sort of armor and/or equipment? You can’t participate otherwise,” he said

The girls froze in place, none of them had “proper” equipment, they were all wearing workout pants, sneakers, and T-shirts and jackets; they didn’t even have proper weapons, counting only on Twilight’s Dagger and magic Staff.

“You have until the day of the tournament to find equipment, if you don’t, you’ll be disqualified immediately,” he said

“Thanks, we’ll get to that too,” said Sunset Shimmer as they all walked away

“You girls don’t have equipment?” asked Rarity

“No, I sold my old equipment to have enough money for this trip,” said Sunset

“Which I told you not to,” said Twilight

“All of my equipment is for parties,” said Pinkie

“I never owned any type of armor or weapons, never needed it,” said Fluttershy

“You’re not kidding… well, I can make you some armor… maybe we can even wear some of my new designs during the tournament, that would help me put them on the map,” said Rarity.

“No, we couldn’t impose that much on you,” said Twilight

“I honestly wouldn’t mind,” said Rarity

“If you say so,” said Twilight

“GREAT! My boutique is nearby, let’s head over and try some of my new designs,” said Rarity as she led her new friends to her boutique.

After a few minutes, they reached Rarity’s boutique

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique!” she said

“Ha, it has a nice ring to it!” said Pinkie

“Thanks! I practiced that slogan for almost a year before coming up with it,” said Rarity

“Well, practice makes perfection,” said Twilight

“I know right!... well, why don’t you girls tell me your positions and measurements, that way I can adjust the armor to fit you perfectly,” said Rarity

“Well, I’m 5’7” (1.68M), my measurements are 37 - 28 - 40, and I’m a Field General,” said Twilight

“5’9” (1.75M), 39 - 31 - 40, Paladin,” said Sunset Shimmer

“5’8” (1.72M), 40 - 31 - 42, Winger/Tank,” said Pinkie Pie

“5’6” (1.67M), 45 - 30 - 39, Defender,” said Fluttershy

“I see, give me a few hours and I will have the perfect equipment for you, in the meantime, make yourselves at home,” said Rarity as she walked up to the front door and changed the sign from “Open” to “close, due to fashion emergency”.

A FEW HOURS LATER

“All done!” said Rarity

“Really?!” all of the girls said as they got off the sofas they had been using this whole time.

“Yup, come on and see,” said Rarity

The girls followed Rarity into her work studio and saw 5 different armors

“Ok, I started with Twilight, since she probably has the easiest type of armor required, before you is one of my best cloaks, and cape; it was made with a durability black and purple garment, making it really resistant to weather, and you can wash it in any washing machine and it will still remain intact, no damage to the fibers,” said Rarity as Twilight walked over and dressed up.

“It feels… cozy,” said Twilight

“Excellent… now, we have Pinkie, your armor, was a tad more difficult, since you specialize in 2 very different positions, to the fact that I had to destroy to different dresses to create yours; I first created this pinkish-red bodysuit so that it will help you gain speed and agility when you play as a winger, and then I added this pink hoodie with light-blue and white details for you to earn an extra level of protection without jeopardizing the speed element,” said Rarity

“Thanks,” said Pinkie, already dressed with her new armor

“Now, Sunset Shimmer, in your particular case, I had some issues with making your new armor, as you know, the position of Paladin, is not exactly popular, and so, many gladiators tend to work as defenders or even warriors, and so… you were my first attempt to create a paladin armor, so, after doing some research, I came up with this, I created a bodysuit with the same aspects as Pinkie’s to help you gain speed when changing from attack to defensive positions, then I created a middleweight aluminum fiber armor that will protect you and at the same time won’t get in your way while fighting; if it doesn’t feel right, just tell me and I’ll come up with a fix,” said Rarity

“Aren’t cars made with Aluminium fiber?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she finished putting the bodysuit on

“Yes, yes they are, that’s one of the reasons, they are less heavier than older models and makes them drive smoothly,” said Rarity

“I didn’t know you knew of mechanics,” said Twilight

“Or blacksmithing,” said Pinkie

“Oh, that, well, I don’t really know much about mechanics, I just watch a lot of fashion shows on TV and I had the idea from there,” said Rarity

“And the blacksmith part?” asked Sunset

“Oh, heavens, no, I don’t do blacksmithing, wouldn’t want to break any nails, or worst, end up with calluses in my hands,” said Rarity as she admired her manicure

“Of course you wouldn’t,” they all said

“And finally, Fluttershy, in your particular case, Darling, I had more than one issue when doing your gear, first off, you don’t really have the weight or muscle mass to carry the proper defender armor, second, your height was also an issue, and the typical defender is usually 6’0” total, and the third issue… your breasts are surprisingly big, a bit too big for the typical armor, which meant I had to redesign the chestplate as well,” said Rarity

Her last comment had caused Fluttershy to turn red, plus the other girls, Rarity included, were staring at her with jealous looks, which made her feel uncomfortable.

“Regardless, I believe I was able to create something that suits your needs, first, I destroyed many of my old creations to salvage their durasteel, that way I was able to fabricate the upper part of your armor; when it came to the lower part, I fabricated a skirt made with durable leather, you could say it’s army level leather, but that was still not enough do to your legs being completely exposed, so, I made some legging… what is so interesting about them? Well, they are bullet and magic proof, not even a poisoned or fire dagger would be able to pierce through them,” said Rarity

“Wow, thank you, Rarity,” said Fluttershy as she put her new armor on

After she was done, Twilight noticed the last armor in the room

“What about that one?” she asked

“Oh, that’s my armor, it’s the one I use when I fight,” said Rarity

The girls were kind of amazed by it, it looked like a dress fit for a gala at the Canterlot castle, and after touching it, they realized that it was made out of silk, a very, VERY, expensive silk.

“I take it you are a field general?” said Sunset

“Actually, I’m a defender, not very good when it comes to strategy,” said Rarity

When they heard that, the girls’ jaws hit the floor in surprise; her armor was nowhere near helpful for the position she played at, it was light, thin, and of course, made of really expensive material.

“It’s really…” said Sunset Shimmer not knowing what to say

“Well made,” said Twilight

“Thanks, it took me 2 days to make it,” said Rarity

“Really?” they all said

“Yup, anyway, we should head to the gym and begin practicing,” said Rarity as she used her magic to put her gear on.

They were about to leave when Rarity said

“Hold it! I forgot to give you the last part of the gear,”

The girls looked at each other and then back to her

“Here you go, Twilight, these boots will look great with your new attire, they are also lavish and you can even wear them out of the arena,” said Rarity as she handed Twilight a pair of dark purple boots with 10cm heels.

“Right…” said Twilight as she put them on

“Pinkie, these ones are for you, these running shoes will compliment your bodysuit perfectly,” said Rarity

Pinkie took them and put them on

“Sunset, these heels are made of the same material as your armor, not to mention, they match the color of your armor perfectly,” said Rarity

Sunset took them and eyed them for a few seconds “Thanks” she finally said

“And finally, Fluttershy… I know they look like winter boots, but they will help you get a better grip when it comes to fighting,” said Rarity

Fluttershy took them, and thanked Rarity, and put them on.

“Ok, now we are set to leave,” said Rarity as she opened the door for her new friends

“Are you sure, these are the right shoes for fighting?” asked Sunset

“Oh, come one, Sunset, I know you hate wearing heels, but bear with it for some time,” said Twilight

“Fine,” said Sunset as she walked out of the door

A FEW MINUTES LATER

“... and around the corner… there it is, and boy is it crowded,” said Twilight

The girls couldn’t believe the size of the line when they reached the gym.

“Is this the line to enter the gym?” asked Twilight

“Yes ma’am,” answered the man

“How long do you think it’s going to take us to enter?” asked Sunset

“To be honest, I don’t know, I’ve been here for almost half an hour now,” said the man

“Thanks,” said Sunset as she turned back to look at the girls.

“Great, now what are we going to do?” asked Twilight

“We can always go to the second line,” said Pinkie

“What second line?” asked Twilight

“The line that says “Challenge” there is no one in it,” said Pinkie as she pointed to the other entrance.

“Oh, how convenient,” said Rarity

“Yeah, but something’s fishy about it,” said Twilight

“Well, it’s better than nothing, plus, that door is still part of the gym,” said Sunset

And with that, the girls decide to enter the door.

“Welcome to Dynamo Fitness challenge arena, are you planning on participating or watching?” asked the female receptionist behind the desk

“Uhm… participate,” said Twilight

“Yeah, should’ve figured as much, I mean, with the gear you girls have on, it would be weird if you didn’t, please write down your names, positions, and overalls, and also, write a name for your team, when you’re down with that, head down the stairs to the arena and wait to be called,” said the receptionist

“So, what type of challenge is this?” asked Sunset

“It’s a team fight challenge, first place wins $1,000,000 and a life membership to the gym for each member,” said the receptionist

“Nice,” said Pinkie

“Ok, everything is ready,” said Twilight

“Alright then, let’s take a look… Elements of harmony, nice name,” said the receptionist

“SO, are we all set?” asked Fluttershy

“Yup, go on ahead, the challenge will begin shortly,” said the receptionist

A FEW MINUTES LATER

“It’s time to begin today’s challenge, please welcome our first 2 teams, on the left, we have TREMOR!!!! And it’s members Thunder Spark, Jade Jester, Wild Ace, Ivy Jewel, and their leader Golden Flash!” said the anchor as the team entered and the crowd cheered.

“Take a look at those guys,” said Fluttershy

“Muscleheads,” said Sunset

“Now, give a warm round of applause to IRIS!, and their members Scarlet Dawn, Nettlekiss, Thunder Comet, Solar Arrow, and their leader Duke Venture,” said the anchor

“And look at them, their armors are… ostentatious,” said Pinkie

“On the contrary dear, they are marvelous, the amount of detail that they have is amazing, probably worth millions of dollars,” said Rarity

“They must be 2nd division gladiators, maybe even 1st division,” said Sunset

“If they have the money to buy that type of armor, definitely,” said Twilight

“LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!!!”

1 MINUTE LATER

“You’re… you’re kidding me right?!” said Twilight

“IRIS HAS BEEN COMPLETELY OBLITERATED!!! TREMOR ADVANCES TO THE NEXT STAGE!!!” said the anchor

“HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN!!!!” said Sunset

“They had the better gear,” said Fluttershy

“NEXT UP!!! ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!!! And it’s members, Rarity Belle, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Sunset Shimmer, and their leader Twilight Sparkle! This is actually the only all-female team here today, GO GIRL POWER!!!!” said the anchor

“We’re up!” said Twilight

“Yup, let’s go see what this gear adds to our abilities,” said Sunset as the girls entered the arena.

“AND PLAYING AGAINST THEM, WE HAVE REAPER!!!! And their members, Bulk Force, Saffron, Ruby Aura, Grave watcher, and their leader Astral Dark!!” said the anchor as the other team entered

When the girls turned to face their opponents, they froze in place, mostly out of fear.

The other team’s members were all dressed in black-colored gear, be it, a cloak, hoodie, or armor; but even more terrifying, was the fact that they were wearing skull masks, which made them look like the real grim reaper.

“What the fuck?” said Twilight

“All of the members of Reaper have been very vocal about their admiration towards legendary gladiator “Grim”, therefore the reason of their attire,” said the anchor

“So, we are going up against a fan club?” asked Pinkie

“Not just any fan club, THE fan club,” said Fluttershy

“What do you mean?” asked Rarity

“Yeah, and who is this Grim fellow?” asked Twilight

“According to what I’ve heard, he is some sort of legendary Gladiator that fought some time ago, he was so good, he went 3 years without losing a single 1v1 fight, even when the rest of the team he belonged to… “PARKA,” I think was the name, had been defeated,” said Sunset

“Never heard of him,” said Twilight

“Well, duh, you never take your head off books, you missed a few things,” said Sunset

“Did you ever see him play?” asked Twilight

“No, and what's even weirder is the fact that there are very few pictures and videos of him or her, there isn’t even any info about who was under the mask,” said Sunset

“SO, do you think it was real?” asked Twilight

“I think it was just a fabrication to make people watch Gladiators fight, totally fake,” said Sunset

“BLASPHEMY!!!! YOU SHALL ALL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE SAID!!!” said Astral Dark

“Well done Sunset, you just angered a bunch of groupies that don’t need a computer to fight,” said Pinkie

“Well, I still think we are going to defeat them easily,” said Sunset

“Don’t Jinx us,” said Rarity

“Don’t tell me you believe in those things,” said Sunset

Unknown to them, someone in the stands was staring at the group of girls very carefully.

“LET THE MATCH BEGIN!!!!!” said the anchor

Immediately after saying that all of the members of Reaper charged towards the girls, sending them flying towards the wall behind them.

The gear they had on, dented, and fell apart.

“Ouch!” said Pinkie

“DO TO INCONSISTENCIES IN THEIR ATTIRE, ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED! REAPER WINS AND ADVANCES TO THE NEXT ROUND!!!!” said the anchor

“What just happened?” asked Rarity

“Rule 27, when a gladiators armor is deemed unsafe or unfit to continue fighting, the user is automatically disqualified; it’s for their own safety,” said Twilight

“Dammit, we didn’t even last 10 seconds,” said Sunset

“And I’m not surprised,” said a male voice

The girls turned to face the owner of the said voice and saw the registrator from earlier

“What are you doing here?” asked Twilight

“Just wanted to see the competition for today, I mean, it’s my gym anyway,” said the man

The girls froze up, and then Twilight and Sunset took a closer look at the man

“DYNAMO BLITZ?!!!” they said as they began to fangirl over him.

“The one and only,” said Dynamo

“What do you mean you aren’t surprised by the result?” asked Rarity

“Well, Reaper is made out of second division gladiators, and fifth division team doesn’t stand a chance against that… actually I’d be terrified if you had defeated them,” said Dynamo

“But… our rankings...” said Twilight

“A ranking means nothing without knowledge, and more importantly, without proper gear to help,” said Dynamo

“Knowledge?” said Twilight

“Proper?” said Rarity

“What were you girls trying to accomplish here today?” asked Dynamo

“Well, we wanted to use the gym but, it was so crowded, and we didn’t want to wait, so…” Twilight explained

“And the tournament?” asked Dynamo

“That’s something we’d rather talk about in private,” said Sunset

“I see… come to my office, maybe I can be of assistance,” said Dynamo as he led the way.

A FEW MOMENTS LATER

“Take a seat,” said Dynamo as he sat at his desk

“Thank you,” all of the girls answered back

“So, what is your mission?” asked Dynamo

Twilight then explained everything to Dynamo

“I see, so, Celestia finally realized that taking gladiators from every single division isn’t a good idea… well, better late than never,” said Dynamo

“Can you help us?” asked Fluttershy

“Well, I’d love to, especially since I was born in Canterlot, but I can’t… you know what, come to my house tomorrow, I’m sure I can help you out with something,” said Dynamo as he wrote his address down and gave it to Twilight. “I want you there at 8 AM, not a second after,”

“RIGHT!” they all said and left the office thanking him over and over again.

THE NEXT MORNING

“Welcome to my humble home!” said Dynamo

“Please tell me you are being sarcastic,” said Twilight as she laid eyes on Dynamo’s $2.5 million mansion

“Of course I am, I don’t even know why I have such a big house… anyway, please come on in,” said Dynamo

The girls followed Dynamo to the main living room, as he offered them some tea as they sat down on the sofa

“So, have you decided to help us?” asked Twilight

“If I hadn’t you girls wouldn’t be here,” said Dynamo as he came back with various cups of tea.

“Thank you,” they said as they took their teas

“So, what should we do first?” asked Sunset as she took a sip of her tea

“Well, I’m still waiting for someone, but she isn't much of a morning person so… maybe I should start with the beginning,” said Dynamo as he got up

“The beginning?” asked the girls

“Yes… can any of you tell me the requirements for each division in the gladiator arenas?” said Dynamo

The girls went silent, none of them knew how to answer, it was something that they were never taught in school.

“I… I have no idea,” said Twilight in a defeated tone

“Well, remember that, back at the challenge arena, I told you wouldn’t have defeated Reaper?” said Dynamo

“Yes, you said, it was because they were second division and we were fifth,” said Fluttershy

“Correct, and till today, I hold my thoughts… as you girls might know there are 6… 5 divisions, and each division has its own regulations, and fighters,” said Dynamo

The girls listened carefully to what he had to say

“The fifth division, also known as the “Rich Kid division” or “Fake division”, as the name implies, makes an allusion to the fact that in that division you see a lot, and I mean A LOT of expensive, showy, and even classy armors and weapons, and almost all of them are not meant to be used as weapons at all… therefore, you can assume that the main purpose of that division is to put on a show, and the only reason someone is promoted to the fourth division is if they actually want to, or they give a “consent” to participate in the fourth division,” said Dynamo

“SO, the fifth division is pointless?” asked Pinkie

“Well, here in Manehattan, almost 60% of the gladiator population fights in the fifth division, and 90% of them come from wealthy backgrounds, they treat that division as a means for people to admire them as “Gods” not because of their skills but because of their money, therefore the reason why they buy expensive, useless gear and weapons,” said Dynamo

“And the commissioning office is ok with this?” asked Sunset

“They tend to look the other way, especially because that division makes a lot of cash for them, especially in cities like Manehattan or Tall Tale,” said Dynamo

“No matter where you go, money is always the universal language,” said Twilight

“Yes… now, the fourth division, it becomes a bit more ruthless, almost like boxing, that why many rich kids, that want to continue scaling the gladiator mountain change their lifestyles, some go from overspenders to money conscious, others become violent and aggressive, and others turn into muscle heads, believing that it will help them when fighting; we call that “Having their cherry popped” although it’s also a reference for something else,” said Dynamo

“So, the fourth division is a good thing?” asked Fluttershy

“I’d say it’s more of a double-edged sword, on one hand, it opens your eyes to reality, but on the other, it can also destroy your dreams,” said Dynamo

“What about the third? My current division,” said Twilight

“The third division, is considered to be the “perfect division” it’s on that division that you see this sport in all of its glory, a mix between the great Ss, skill, and strategy if you can survive on that division, even if it is mid-table, you can believe that you are a great Gladiator,” said Dynamo

“Then why are salaries so low?” asked Twilight

“For the same reason, the other division make or lose money, people that go and watch the fifth or fourth divisions usually go there for the show, and those who want to watch the second or first divisions go there for the blood and violence, no one likes the third division because it lacks both things,” said Dynamo

“So, this second division, is it bad?” asked Rarity

“Not exactly, you see, the second division takes stuff from all of the other previous divisions, the flashy, helpful gear, the fighting, the strategy, and the skill, but it also adds a new factor… blood, a second division match, usually ends with someone in the hospital, mostly because the rules are designed that way… “It toughens up Gladiators,” they say, but in reality, they only care about the violence,” said Dynamo

“That explains why many of the newcomers to the first division sometimes are really reckless when fighting,” said Sunset

“And of course, you have the “glorious” first division, the cream of the crop, only “real” gladiators fight there… or at least that’s what the ad says… but, they are right, Gladiators in the first division are usually considered superbeings, with abilities that many of you can’t even believe,” said Dynamo

“So, that’s why first division gladiators make a lot of money,” said Pinkie

“Correct… I can actually explain it better using ranking numbers, the fifth division goes from 50-60, with some exceptions, the fourth division goes from 60-70, the third division 70-80, the second division 80-90, and the first division goes from 90-... any number you can think of over 90,” said Dynamo

The second he said that all the girls turned to look at Rarity

“Rarity, didn’t you say that you were a rank 68?” asked Sunset

“Yes, and I am,” said Rarity

“Then why aren’t you in the fourth division?” asked Pinkie

“Simple, she is a magician, just like Twilight, that earns her extra points when being graded, but, as I said, that doesn't make her a fourth division gladiator,” explained Dynamo

“What about the 6th one?” asked Fluttershy catching everyone by surprise

“The 6th one?” asked Twilight

“Yeah, Dynamo said that there were 6 divisions, before saying 5, that means he is hiding one,” said Fluttershy

All of the girls turned to look at Dynamo

Feeling defeated Dynamo said

“I didn’t hide it… that division, doesn’t exist anymore,” said Dynamo

“A division that doesn’t exist?” asked Pinkie

“The S-division… it was one of the most popular, yet, worst division to ever exist,” said Dynamo

“I remember hearing things about it, none of them were good,” said Sunset

“The S-division used to have gladiators over the level of 95… back when the rating was done differently… This division was mostly used by army veterans to keep fighting small, make-believe wars against opponents of other kingdoms… then it also began to include fighters with exceptional talents… it was a thriller for everyone who went to watch it,” said Dynamo

“Why did they close it?” asked Fluttershy

“The division lasted for about 20 years… one of the reasons it was closed, was because the promotion system was faulty and could easily be manipulated,” said Dynamo

The girls looked at him with confused looks

“To enter the division you had to be scouted by a team and accepted into it, if not you couldn’t enter… it came to the point that many royal families bribed many teams to allow their children to enter and “train” to become killing machines,” Dynamo explained

The girls remained silent

“The second reason it was closed, was due to the fact that many royals, were using S-class gladiators as war promoters in hopes to restart the war, something that the treaty of the Crystal heart was strongly against and ordered the immediate shut down of the division,” said Dynamo

“And the third reason?” asked Fluttershy

“Saved the worst for last… that division had the highest mortality rate than any other division, in many cases, battles were to the death… the more pain you could inflict on your opponent the better… the emotional and psychological scars that this left behind, could easily break a saint,” said Dynamo

The girls were horrified about this, Fluttershy and Rarity had even begun to cry

“After the division was closed… sometimes even while it was still active, many gladiators committed suicide… others turned to crime, the bast majority being gunned down by police, like rabid dogs… politicians and royals couldn’t stand to view their mistakes, much less deal with them… the ones that actually sought help now work in the force, either as royal guards, soldiers, or police officers… some of them became entrepreneurs or millionaires… but none of us ever want to see that division re-opened, ever again,” said Dynamo

“Wait! You participated in the S-division?” asked Twilight in disbelief

Dynamo remained silent for a few seconds

“Yes… I and my wife were part of the “Bandidos'' team, one of the great 5 teams of the S-division… actually we are the only surviving members of the team,” said Dynamo

“What happened to the others?” asked Sunset

“Dark Colt, the leader of the team, was gunned down by police, after going on a killing spree that lasted 12 hours… Crimson Moon, was killed in action, in one of our last games; Maverick committed suicide after the division was closed, he was unable to obtain a job, and he fell into financial hardships, his wife and children left him, he fell into a deep depression… killed himself a few months later… Moon Petal, Crimson’s replacement, died of cancer a few months back, leaving behind a daughter… who I now look after with my wife…” said Dynamo

“You know… you could have woken me up, right?” said a female voice

“AMBER SHADOW!!!!” said Twilight and Sunset as they jumped to their feet and fangirled over her.

“I told you they tend to do that,” said Dynamo

“Alright, alright…the kids are not here right?” asked Amber

“No, they already headed to school, I took them personally,” said Dynamo

“Good, I’ll join you all in a minute,” said Amber as she walked away

“What about Moon Petal’s husband?” asked Fluttershy

“She never married,” said Dynamo

“Then…” Rarity began

“Her daughter was a result of a badly planned and prepared one-night stand, luckily for her, the competition had ended, and our team decided not to participate the following year do to what happened with Crimson and Dark Colt,” said Dynamo

“What about the other man, the one she slept with?” asked Rarity

“He’s dead… after she was diagnosed with cancer, I did my best to hunt him down… until I reached the town of Hooflyn, there, after asking around, I ran into a doctor, he told me he had treated a man by his name, but that even after his best efforts, he had flatlined… he told me that, when they brought him the body, he could tell he had been in a battlezone… I later discovered he was a known drug lord, leader of the Nomads, according to him, he had been dead for almost 5 years now… and so, I and my wife decided to become Obsidia’s guardians, although she now attends the royal academy,” said Dynamo as Amber sat next to him with a fresh cup of coffee.

When Sunset and Twilight heard the name of the girl, they froze in place, as an image of her popped into their brain.

“Yes, well, I heard you girls need some help,” said Amber

“Yes, we need to practice for the upcoming tournament,” said Twilight

Amber then looked at her husband

“And I take it you want me to train them?” said Amber

“You said you wanted to go back to the old days when you were a gladiator instructor,” said Dynamo

“THAT’S MY CURRENT JOB, DOOFUS!!” said Amber

“Then, I see no problem,” said Dynamo

“Did… did you just reverse-psychology me?” said Amber getting angry

“You know you love me,” said Dynamo with a smug smile

“Can’t argue with that… ok, who is the weakest one here?” asked Amber

They all pointed to Rarity

“A mage type, what can you play as?” asked Amber

“Defender,” said Rarity

“What’s your rank and level?” asked Amber

“Fifth division, level 68,” said Rarity

“I have a lot of work ahead of me,” said Amber

“Also, Twilight, Rarity, I must beg you to come find me after training,” said Dynamo

“Why?” asked Twilight

“Well, if I send you into that tournament, with the same fifth division gear, all of our work will be in vain, I’ll teach you to create real gear… enchanted gear,” said Dynamo

Twilight’s and Rarity’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree

“I’ll take that as a yes,” said Dynamo as Amber pushed them into the gym to begin their training.

ONE WEEK LATER

“WELCOME ONE AND ALL, TO MANEHATTAN’S ANNUAL GLADIATOR TOURNAMENT, WHERE GLADIATORS OF DIFFERENT RANKS AND BACKGROUNDS COME TOGETHER TO TEST THEIR ABILITIES AND FIND OUT, WHO IS THE BEST STREET FIGHTER. COMPETITORS GET READY, THE TOURNAMENT BEGINS IN 20 MINUTES,” said the anchor over the loudspeaker.

NEAR THE ENTRANCE

“Where is she?” asked Sunset Shimmer

“She said she had to go back to her boutique to grab something,” said Fluttershy

“Well, she better get here quick, I don’t want to be penalized for her being “fashionably late” again,” said Sunset

“Have some faith in her, she did have those habits punched out of her… I hope,” said Twilight

“You know, to be the typical “Princess wannabe” Rarity does have a high level of pain resistance, I mean, Amber punched her so hard sometimes, while in combat, she even flew through concrete walls,” said Pinkie

“Hopefully, she didn’t make her anymore brain dead,” said Sunset

“There she is!” said Fluttershy as they turned to see a sprinting Rarity coming towards them

“Took you long enough,” said Sunset

“Sorry, I misplaced this, and I didn’t remember where,” said Rarity catching her breath as she showed the girls a notebook

“What’s that?” asked Pinkie

“Notes I took while Dynamo taught Twilight and me how to create enchanted gear,” said Rarity

“So, why did you need it so bad?” asked Fluttershy

“You’ll see in a second,” said Rarity as she started to read the notebook as her horn lit up.

A burst of bright light temporarily blinded the girls, forcing them to close their eyes to avoid becoming blind.

When they opened their eyes, they noticed they were now wearing the same armor from before.

“Seriously, you went over to get a notebook to respawn the armor that didn’t work?!” said Sunset

“Yeah, Rarity, this armor is not really going to help us win,” said Pinkie

“Of course not, well, not yet at least, there is one more step I have to do,” said Rarity as she read the notebook again and her horn lit up once more.

After the light faded and the girls opened their eyes, they were shocked

“Nothing happened,” said Sunset

“Well, I didn’t change your armors, all I did was add extra abilities to them, including mine,” said Rarity

“Really?” asked Twilight

“Yup, I added magical attack resistance, endurance, an extra level of protection to all of your armors, plus adding abilities made especially for you all,” said Rarity

“Like?” asked Pinkie

“In your case Pinkie, I added “Featherweight” which is an ability that will allow you to move faster than before, plus I also added 3 points for maximum attack adjustment called “Tiger’s blessing”, that way you will be able to create real damage to even the toughest type of armors,” said Rarity

“Cool,” said Pinkie as she admired the improved armor

“Fluttershy, I added the special ability called “Guarding Angel”, this ability will increase all of your skills by 10% when our team is losing the battle, and if what Twilight said is true… well, let’s just pray for the misguided soul that infuriates you,” said Rarity

“Thank you,” said Fluttershy

“Sunset, I gave you the ability called “Tank” this ability will make you unstoppable for about 5 minutes, I do however recommend that you use this ability wisely," said Rarity

"Why?" Asked Sunset

"Once you're 5 minutes are up, we will be twice as more vulnerable, the typical double edge sword," said Rarity

“I can live with that,” said Sunset

“Twilight, your outfit has been enchanted with an ability known as “Great Sage” and… I bet you know what this ability does?” said Rarity

“Yup, is an ability that allows you to understand the enemy’s skill and game plan, while at the same time, it can also help you improve your own skill and abilities,” said Twilight

“Correct, and as you all know, enchanted gear’s abilities need to be leveled up, if you can use magic, and if your enchanted gear’s ability consists of magical prowess, you must learn as much as possible from it, if you don’t the better way to do it, is to research as much as you can about the ability and use that knowledge on the arena… or pay an enchanter or blacksmith to do so for you, if you have the money to do so,” said Rarity

“What about your armor?” asked Twilight

“Oh, I had to redesign my armor quite a bit,” said Rarity

“Yeah, your previous armor was basically a dress for a gala,” said Sunset

“Yes, and I decided to redo it, I created this bodysuit out of a mix of cotton and leather, which will give me the same protection against magical attacks, then I created this robe that will also help me when I cast a spell and give it some extra strength; and finally, the boots, I made especially to help me gain stability and balance, regardless of which type terrain I am fighting,” said Rarity

“Even Though they are high-heels?” asked Fluttershy

“Especially because they are high-heels,” said Rarity with a determined look

Unknown to them, a dark silhouette was staring at them from nearby.

“Well, anyway, are you girls ready?” said Twilight

She received a nod from everyone and they started to walk into the arena

“HEY! HOLD UP!” came a voice

The girls turned and were met with the owner of the voice

“Dynamo? Amber? Something wrong?” asked Twilight

“Hate to rain on your parade girls, but you’re still not ready for the tournament,” said Amber

“What do you mean?” asked Sunset

“Only Twilight and Rarity have weapons… how do you three plan on doing a good job with your bare knuckles?” said Dynamo as he dropped a massive chest in front of them.

“Fluttershy, this is for you, this hammer is called “The great hammer of elimination” it’s perfect for your type of style and position,” said Amber as she lifted the hammer with great effort.

Fluttershy looked at the hammer and then at Amber’s face, she was going her best not to seem tired of carrying the heavy weapon.

Fluttershy slowly reached forward and took the hammer, she expected it to cause her to fall flat on the floor, but surprisingly, she found it to be extremely light.

“Wow, I thought it was going to be heavy,” said Fluttershy as she held the hammer

“Since you have the “Phantom muscle” ability that added to your instinct makes this the perfect weapon for you,” said Amber

“Pinkie, this is the “sword of prowess” this sword will help increase your physical abilities faster, not to mention, it's one of the most durable swords ever made, almost nothing can break it,” said Dynamo as he handed Pinkie the sword, and she immediately began to juggle with it like if she was part of some sort of show

“She’s a natural,” said Amber

“Yup,” said Twilight

“Anyway, Sunset, this is my old gear, from my fighting days, “The shield of Crushing” and “the sword of Elimination” these weapons added to your new armor and skills, should make you really hard to kill or injure… they kept me alive for this long,” said Amber

“Thanks, but I can’t possibly accept,” said Sunset

“Don’t worry, we have even more weapons back at our house, we just don’t want the kids to be playing with these ones in particular,” said Amber

“Oh,” said Sunset as she was left with no choice but to accept

“As for the 2 of you, Rarity… this staff should do a better job than your current one, “The staff of wisdom” it will help you create stronger magical attacks without consuming more mana than a low-level spell,” said Dynamo

“And Twilight, while you were practicing with me I realized that you didn’t have much success with some particular types of elements, therefore I want to give you these rings, each of them will help you get better and cast spells with “fire, snow, or earth” as the main element,” said Amber as she gave Twilight the rings

“Thanks… thanks a lot; but why are you doing this?” asked Twilight

“Well, It’s about time that Canterlot wins another world cup, we won the last one when I was still on the team, almost 10 years ago,” said Dynamo

“Now, remember, you might be thrilled with your new gears and equipment, but don’t forget to practice with them, they take some getting used to,” said Amber

“Right, we will,” said Twilight

“Also, this tournament has a bit of everything, everyday common people, thugs and goons, semi-professional gladiators, rich kids, and professional gladiators,” said Dynamo “Be very careful, it’s more than likely, many of these team are stronger than y’all,”

“We will,” said Twilight as they entered the arena gates

“Good luck with the recruiting!” said Amber

“THANKS!! FOR EVERYTHING!” they all said as they waved goodbye

“How long do you think they are going to last?” asked Amber

“2 rounds at most… they have the skills and ability, but they aren’t used to the tactics or equipment… and knowing the man organizing this, he’s going to make them fight strong teams right off the bat,” said Dynamo

“Well, at least we know they’ll get better in time for the world cup,” said Amber as they walked away.

INSIDE THE ARENA GROUNDS

“LADIES AND GENTLECOLTS! WELCOME TO THE ARENA, THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!!!!” said the anchor as the girls entered the arena and saluted the crowd.

‘There is much more people than I thought,” meeped Fluttershy

“Ignore them, focus on us and the rivals, tone the fans out until the end of the match,” said Sunset

“Right!” said Fluttershy, her legs still shaking

“AND NOW, THEIR RIVALS!!! CHRONICLE!!!!!” said the anchor as 5 more people appeared on the arena, 3 females and 2 males, all wearing rather showy outfits.

“Do you think they are rich kids?” asked Pinkie

“Most likely, but maybe they have skills,” said Rarity

“... and for Chronicle, we have Cherry Moon, Ivy Petal, Sky Chaser, Solar Dare, and their leader, Chrystal fire,” said the anchor “GET READY!!! SET!!! FIGHT!!!!”

With that Cherry Moon and Sky Chaser lunged for Twilight and Rarity, only to be intercepted by Pinkie and Sunset, who counterstriked and sent the 2 of them to the wall behind them putting them out of commission.

Meanwhile, Rarity and Twilight did their best to keep Ivy Petal and Solar Flare away by using their new equipment to cast various repetitive spells, until one of Rarity’s spells connected with Ivy’s face, causing a large electric discharge to pass through her body, falling to the floor unconscious.

Twilight was having a bit more trouble with Solar Dare, he was faster than Ivy, and that made it easier for him to dodge the attacks.

That was, of course, until Twilight lost her patience, and fired 5 magic balls, each one of a different element; and, although Solar Dare did his best to dodge the attacks, he was unable to react in time to get out of the way of the Fire, wind, and rock magic balls which hit him at the same exact time, making him fly towards the wall behind him, putting him out of the fight.

Unknown to them, Chrystal Fire had used her teammates as a diversion to get near Twilight and since Twilight was the leader, knocking her out would immediately promote her team to the next fight.

She was about to hit the back of Twilight’s head with her sword when she felt a large piece of metal hit the right side of her face.

The next thing she knew, she was flying across the arena, smashing into the wall and landing on top of a barely awake Solar Dare; the comical part of all of this was that, when she fell on top of him, they accidentally kissed each other, but due to the shock, they were unable to move, making the kiss longer than necessary (Yeah right, they just like each other).

“Good job Fluttershy, and even better, you didn’t kill her,” said Sunset

“Thanks,” said Fluttershy

“THAT’S MATCH!!! ELEMENTS ADVANCE TO THE NEXT FIGHT!!!” roar the anchor as the crowd cheered.

“You girls have 5 minutes before the next match begins, use it to talk strategy and gate hydrated,” said the anchor.

Twilight and the girls made a quick team huddle

“Ok, we know nothing of the next team, but our best tactic is to do quick counterstrikes,” said Twilight.

“Good idea, if this works, we would’ve trained our defense and offense, perfect balance,” said Sunset

A FEW MOMENTS LATER

“... and now, welcome the next team that will fight against the elements… REAPER!!!!!” said the anchor

When the girls heard the name, they froze and started to sweat

“These guys again?” said Rarity

“This our chance at revenge,” said Sunset

“Yeah, plus, we aren’t as weak as last time,” said Pinkie

“Get ready, we are heading for the final!!!” said Twilight with fire in her eyes

“READY!!! SET!!! FIGHT!!!” said the anchor

And with that, both teams lunged at each other.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

“AGAIN!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!” said Sunset

“Are they not normal?” said Rarity as she used healing magic on Pinkie

“Certainly looks like it... wonder what type of training they do,” said Pinkie

“Well, at least we lasted longer than last time,” said Fluttershy

“Yeah, but, we still didn’t find the next member of our team,” said Twilight as she gave everyone of the girls a drink

“Actually Twi, I think we did,” said Sunset

“Really? Who?” she asked

With that, Sunset Shimmer, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy turned their heads to meet Rarity’s gaze

“Who? Me?” she asked

“Yeah, you were awesome during both fights, not to mention, you fit in perfectly with our lineup,” said Sunset

“What do you say Twilight?” asked Pinkie

“I’d be delighted to have you join if you want that is,” said Twilight

Rarity thought about it for a minute, and then said

“Sure, sounds fun… plus, I just got to meet you girls, I’d hate to say goodbye that soon,”

“GREAT!!!” they all cheered

“Here’s the contract and the registration slip,” said Twilight as she handed them over to Rarity.

Rarity took a few minutes to read through the contract before signing it afterward

Twilight Sparkle 27 5’7” (1.68M) 37 - 28 - 40 Field General
Sunset Shimmer 27 5’9” (1.75M) 39 - 31 - 40 Paladin
Pinkie Pie 27 5’8” (1.72M) 40 - 31 - 42 Winger/Tank
Fluttershy 26 5’6” (1.67M) 45 - 30 - 39 Defender
Rarity Belle 28 5’7” (1.69) 44 - 32 - 32 Defender

“And now we just have to add your new overall,” said Twilight

Twilight Sparkle 92 OVR
Sunset Shimmer 91 OVR
Pinkie Pie 91 OVR
Fluttershy 90 OVR
Rarity Belle 90 OVR

“Wow, that training really did wonder for you,” said Sunset

“Yeah, I wonder why your overalls didn’t get better,” said Rarity

“Because after you reach level 85 your overall grows even slower, plus you have to do especially exercise and do various fights to help it rise,” explained Twilight

“Oh… well, then, what now?” asked Rarity

“I… have no idea,” said Twilight

“That’s a first,” said Sunset

“It's just that… I thought this would be a great challenge, but we blew it quicker than I could learn anything new,” said Twilight

“Maybe I can be of assistance,” said an old female voice

The girls turned and saw an elderly woman, probably in her mid-70’s walking towards them

“Nice to meet you, but, who are you?” asked Twilight

“Oh, where are my manners, my name is Apple Smith… but everyone calls me Granny Smith,” she said

“Oh, we are…” said Twilight

“Don’t worry deary, I know who you girls are,” said Granny Smith

“What did you mean?” asked Sunset

“Pardon?” said Granny Smith

“When you said you could help,” said Sunset

“Well, you see, I have a problem… a challenge, only gladiators can help with, and I know you girls are looking for a good challenge, come with me, and you won't be disappointed,” said Granny Smith “What do you say?”

The girls looked at each other and then at Granny Smith.