Author's Note

This is an alternative Universe, is not part of the main story line

Tradition And Human Nature Part 1, A.U (Edited By NagaShark)

Ramming into another wall Mark holds his stomach as the audience cheers in approval as he sees his opponent waving at them, boosting his power and inflating his ego.

Just as how Princess Luna informed him, the King in person, a huge blue minotaur even by their own race standards with four arms, that according to Princess Luna was the minotaur equivalent of being an Alicorn, each arm had a long bracelet clad in gladiator golden armour that show his rip chest covered in all sorts of scars showing his past prowess in battle, with strangely enough a golden single cut seems to decorate the most prominent scar on his face, demanded Mark, to a duel for the rights to wear their national sacred treasure. A prospect Mark wasn’t exactly thrilled about, but in honour to respect their tradition ultimately decided to agree and went to their country to have a friendly clean fist sparring.

Over and over again he tried to communicate with the king asking if there was a way to keep things friendly yet his opponent refused to listen to any of that, and was more interested in having a fight with a worthy opponent without holding anything back. Something that Mark finds out pretty soon and how despite his power, the king was simply a beast and even his strongest attack without the gauntlets barely left a scratch on the huge Minotaur, slowly turning the fight into a one sided beat down.

Deciding that he had more than enough and concern for his own health the moment he coughed some blood, Mark just pretended to trip and fall down fully intending to grant victory to his opponent.

Unfortunately for him, victory didn’t come with some gloating from his opponent as the king decided to lift his ‘unconscious’ body into the air for the audience to see.

“Look at your champion Equestria, a pathetic and broken man.” He throws him into one of the walls. “Weak, scrawny, tiny human, relics like the gauntlets of Minos most likely took pity on him.”

Once his boosting was over he went and claimed his prize. “Our ancient relics have returned home at last. This show is over.”

He puts the gauntlets on as he points at Mark once more. “Guard, take this pathetic man out of my coliseum and give him time to lick his wounds, I can’t stand looking at this weak man. And when he wakes up, inform him on how he is, and always will be a loser, unworthy of anything.”

Two guards enter the arena and carry Mark away, as he closes his eyes and lets the exhaustion and injury take him to sleep so he can recover and rest, until finally after a couple of hours he manages to wake up in the infirmary surrounded by his loving herd.

“Hi girls.” Mark weakly smiles at them as they light up when they see him smile and gently hug his frame.

“Thank Celestia you woke up!”

“Sorry if I made you worry.” He wanted to pet Milky's head but he found his arm in a cast and his body was still very sore from the fight.

“Forget it Star, we are just happy you are ok.” Umbral nuzzles his cheek.

“That Midas was just a mean king! We get it, he is strong, he didn’t need to be so violent with you, this was just supposed to be a friendly fight.” Surprise complaint ending the hug.

“I apologize for my husband's actions.” Startled, the group looks at the entrance to see none other than the wife of Midas, Queen Jolene, looking at them in sorrow and shame. She was a very tall Holstaur with fuchsia fur that like her husband also had a second pair of arms, she had a silver gauntlet and shoulder patch on her left shoulder, while the rest of her arms had a long leather bracelet each, she had a light yellow white shirt tied in a knot on the front to cover her massive breasts, and show her prominent shishel belly with a symbol of the sun on the center of the shirt, shiny straight and long hair with a tiara on top, and a long skirt the same color of her shirt with a golden belt on it, as well as having a thick Prench accent in her voice.

“Despite how much I ask him to hold back, the truth of the matter is that my husband can be a stubborn muscle brain that lives to fight and doesn’t seem to know or perhaps even care to measure his own strength and only cares to flex his power, show them how inferior others are to him.”

She bows her head forward. “I’m deeply sorry you were caught in yet another of his sissy fits, and showboating, rest assured I’ll personally cover any medical care you might be needing, young Mark.”

“Thanks your highness.” Fluttershy smiles and bows to her.

“Please there is no need for such formalities, even if the circunstancias weren’t ideal I’m actually glad I have finally had the chance to speak to the hero that saved Equestria and injected new life to an old lost legend of ours.”

“It was nothing, Queen Jolene, really, how I got those gauntlets was less than ideal.” Mark mentions managing to sit up with the assistance of Surprise and Milky. “To tell you the truth, in a way I’m glad I lost them, a part of me would have felt like a thief if I had kept them for myself.”

“Oh please don’t think like that, the gauntlets choose you for a reason, the judgments of all of our equipment have never failed, if they have allowed you to wear them, it means they deemed you worthy.”

“You have more relics like those just laying around now.” Umbral asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well considering that we have constructed a handful of them to hand over to our champions ever so often, I don’t think we could call them exactly ‘relics’ and more appropriate term could be prizes, or maybe badges of honour but in a way, I suppose you could view them as them if you prefer.”

“Wow and so you made like prize weapons for your champions with crazy powers to wear and then used in maybe the coliseum or something?” Surprise grins in interest “Would it be possible to have a tour of previous weapons? Maybe an interview with your champions? Would it be ok for tourists to buy tickets for their battles?” She questions her getting more and more intrigued by the prospect.

“You are one full of energy aren’t you not? But I’m afraid the nature of the prizes is something I’m not so well aware of. We have a national library on the outskirts of town that has a complete record of them as well as discoveries, inventions and other such things you might be intrigued to know about if you like to visit. As for the idea of inviting others to our battles? Everyone is welcome as long as they are interested in the concept of glorious combat, and of course wouldn’t mind paying for their ticket.”

“Yay! I will have to contact my bosses about this, thank you so much Queen Jolene, with this Bullhorn valley will be one incredible tourist attraction! The income you will make will be immeasurable.” Surprise says in excitement as she starts to contact her superiors.

“Well, I’m indeed glad to see the spirits of you all are still high, I do hope you have a full recovery very soon, so I can give you all a tour of our kingdom properly. But for now please consider yourself our guest of honor.”

“Thank you so much for your hospitality Jolene” Milky nods in appreciation “Don’t get me wrong I still have more than a few words to tell your husband…”

“Milky.” Mark holds her hand in worry. “It is part of their customs, please don’t be too harsh.”

She sighs in resignation and looks down. “I can’t make any promises, but I will try my best.”

“Oh don’t worry about speaking your mind.” Jolene's expression turns serious. “I have an earful for him myself, once he is done with his normal duties, now if you excuse me. I should take my leave, please take good care of yourselves.” She bows to them and then leaves the place leaving the couple to have a moment of peace.

“She seems nice.” Umbral crosses her arms and smirks at Mark. “Too bad she is already taken eh Star?”

“Oh hardy har har, Umbral.” Mark rolls his eyes in annoyance, making them giggle.

“Hey who knows? She might have a sister.”

“Please, just stop.” They continue to giggle and chat a bit, until night arrives and a nurse issues them that they needed to leave to let Mark rest.

“Can’t we just, like, spend the night here?” Fluttershy asks in worry

“Sorry, hospital rules.” The nurse apologies.

“It’s ok Shy, I will be here tomorrow.” Mark says, holding her hand. “Just go, enjoy yourselves in the castle, as soon as I’m discharged we can spend the rest of the day together.”

She smiles lovingly, and kisses his forehead. “Once you are cured, we will play doctor.” She whispers seductively, blowing air into his ear.

“I can’t wait.” Mark replies with a red face, making everyone giggle.

“Let’s go girls, before all his blood goes south.” Umbral motions them, but he didn’t miss or notice how she was giving an extra sway to her hips as they departed, earning him a chuckle and shaking his head. As sleepiness finally claims him and he surrounds himself with his pillow closing his eyes.

Splashed by a bucket of freezing water, Mark wakes up again with a start, only to see him hanging by a hook and with wrists and ankles tied by ropes.

“Oh good he is awake.” Someone call in the distance and looking ahead Mark was startle to see a thin Minotaur with ginger mane and a scar on his right eye smirking at him, standing back he look how he wasn’t alone and next to him was another bulky one in gladiator gear and a golden helmet, a slender yet muscular one with golden bracelets, and none other than the king himself wearing his gauntlets with both sets of arms crossed.

Not only that but to his horror he could see all of his mares on their knees gagged and tied down with their hands behind their backs, Umbral wings looking to have been injured.

“Welcome back loser.” The Minotaur with the bucket tosses it at him and cackles maniacally. “Thought we were done with you?”

“Wh-What is going on! Midas, what are you doing!? What is happe…?” He can’t respond as the bulky minotaur decks him right in the face. “Scum doesn’t have the right to speak.”

“Let him Smash.” Midas raises one of his hands. “I will grant him this courtesy as a final wish.”

“Why are you doing this?” Mark asks again as Midas approaches.

“Why?” The King grabs his face. “And I thought I was clear earlier, losers aren’t worthy of anything, not our secret treasure, not our hospitality, and certainly not the right to reproduce.” He harshly pushes his face away, and then punches his stomach much to his herd’s dismay.

“Queen Jolene’s words, they were a trap all along?”

“Don’t you speak of my wife's name!” He punches his face again. “That wet blanket will get hers soon, speaking of mercy, talking to the likes of you like you are worthy, sauntering her hips in front of you, that cow just wants to make me jealous, I wouldn’t even care if she had been opening her legs, but to do it for a LOSER!” He keeps punching him. “Don’t think I don’t know about your exploits, I have ears everywhere, I know how you mind controlled Princess Celestia to make her your personal cum dumpster.”

Letting him go he snaps his fingers and his companions start to beat him up in front of his herd.

“This is the man you choose? This is what you want to pass on your genes!” Midas demands Milky, pointing at Mark. “Just look at that, pathetic, weak, unimpressive.” He removes her gag.

“This is your last chance, you sure look strong enough, break your ties with him and you walk free.”

Her response is swift as she spit in his face. “Eat Shit Midas, my man is twice the man you will ever be.”

“You little harlot!” He slaps her across the face, making Mark snap and try to break his restraints.

“Leave them out this Midas! This is between you and me!”

“No Mark, it is not! They are the ones going against the natural order of things! They want to extend the weak numbers!” Furious he grabs the chain and drags Mark backwards noticing how they were actually on top of a cliff.

“And there is only one use for losers.” He forces him to look down “As food for the jaguars.”

His entire herd screams in panic, and tries to move, but the king's entourage prevents them from doing anything.

“Last chance ladies, break ties now, or join him.” Midas warns them.

“Please Midas, don’t hurt them.” Mark begs, realizing the position he was in.

“Ha how touching, you want to save them, then you know what to do, seems like your alpha doesn’t have the strength to do so.”

With tears in his eyes he looked at him “They live, if I do so?”

He smirks at him. “I promise, I will not toss them off the cliff.”

He looked back at them as he could see them starting to cry too. “Milky, Fluttershy, Surprise Umbral…I love you” he looks down openly weeping “Please, live happily without me”

“Mark, no!” Milky protests but she is re-gagged.

“Shh, this is getting good.” Smash silences him with interest.

“Ha, always the romantic aren’t you Smash?”

“Shut up Clash, it’s not my fault you haven’t landed a woman.”

The last one only shakes his head. “Sir can’t we just kill him already?”

“In a moment Bash, I want to hear this.” Midas tells his men.

“The time we spent together was the happiest, and I will treasure them as long as I live. Leave this place, take my house convert it into a shop or something and find someone that will love you as much as I do, preferibly someone not as dumb as to fall for tricks like me.”

“Touching, but that is not what I wanted to hear, say it clearly.” Midas demands

“Girls I…I’m breaking up with you.” He manages to utter between sobs.

“There you go, very good final words.” The King nods in appreciation. “Do it.” Snapping his fingers, he gives the order and before anyone could understand what was happening his men pull daggers and stab the mares right through their hearts.

“NOO!” Mark yells in shock as they all laugh.

“Midas! MIDAS you said they would live!”

“I say I would not toss them, and I didn’t, my men did.” He corrects with a smirk as he thrashes around looking at their lifeless bodies fallen to the ground.

“Haha, there you go, the face of desperation, now you truly understand what it means to be a loser, you want to blame someone, blame yourself, for being so weak.”

“No, not them, no!!!” He openly weeps as they all laugh.

“Don’t worry human you broke ties with them anyway, and it will be all over very soon.”

“Midas.” Mark suddenly goes quiet, his voice dripping with venom. “You and your men…you are as good as dead!”

They all laugh even harder and he approaches his face. “Oh I’m so scared, tell me how are you gonna do that when you are already…”

The second he was close enough Mark launches in and bites him in his face as hard as he could making him scream and jump back, their men jump into action as Mark refuses to let go until he rips away a big chunk of his face and his right eye. Smash punching his face and launching him into the mountain in a free fall while the king holds his face in pain.

“My…MY EYE that bastard took my EYE!”

“It's ok sir, he is gone!” Bash informs him but Midas grabs his neck. “I want his head, go grab his head and bring it to me, I want to make a trophy out of his skull!” He demands, completely furious.

“Not sure that will be possible sir.” Smash informs looking down.

“A fall like this, he is probably a red smear by now.”

“Then you better bring me whatever is left of him! Or I will toss you down myself!” He warns him as Bash helps him stand up and return to the castle.

Smash and Clash look at the bottom of the cliff before looking at one another and play rock, paper, scissors to see who will have to go search and pick up the corpse before the animals claim him.

None of them noticed how while falling, Mark used the rope and hook to launch into a nearby branch that slowed his fall but breaks, making him continue to fall hitting other branches until he finally lands in muddy water when rain starts to pour.

Slowly sitting up he spits out Midas eyes, and trembles in fear, sorrow, and anger, tears and blood openly streaming down his face as the memory of his herd being heartbroken, keeps looping over and over again.

Yelling into the air he cries hard, and smashes the ground completely broken and soulless, no longer would he be able to feel the warm touch of his herd, hear the melody of their laughter, the light that their smile brought to his world, without them he just felt cold, and a primitive urge was rising, a fury of the likes he didn’t know he could be even be capable of.

With a mighty roar he smashes the ground, creating a massive crater, and breaking his restraint, as he slowly walks away with purpose, to prepare. “MIDAS. WILL. PAY!”