Chapter 1: The Tale Begins
On a day like any other, the mares, more well known by others, as the Main Six, decided to spend some quality time with each other. It had been a while since they did anything together, so they planned to have a picnic just themselves and Spike. Dash had made certain that the weather was perfect, and everyone appreciated her help.
They arrived at the place they had agreed and soon everyone was having a fun time. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were having a friendly competition between themselves, while Pinkie was judging them. Meanwhile Spike was vehemently guarding the sandwich that he was eating, from a flock of birds with Fluttershy's help. Whilst all that was happening, Twilight and Rarity were peacefully reading. One about Star Swirl's fifth theorem, the other the latest fashion that was sweeping across Canterlot.
"Aaaaand the winner is..." Pinkie dragged out her reveal, increasing the tension that was already present between the two mares. She remained quiet for a couple of seconds further agonizing her two friends. "APPLEJACK!" She exploded, as confetti erupted from her mane.
Applejack smirked at Rainbow, while the pegasus sported a scowl. "Told ya, there ain't no way ya can beat an Apple at apple eatin'." she boasted, as she grabbed another snack made of apples and she chowed it down.
"Well, I'd also have an easy time eating so much, if I was as large as you." she remarked, shooting the orange mare a mischievous smirk.
Applejack threw a small glance at her friend, before she chuckled. "If ya tryin' to imply Ah'm fat, yer barkin' up the wrong tree." she said with a smile. She finished her snack and then flexed her toned arm. "Ah know that Ah may be large, but Ah certainly don't have any fat on me." She then glanced at the Pinkie, who in a matter of a couple of seconds, gulped down half of what she ate during the match. "Pinkie on the other hand..."
The mare's ears perked when her name was spoken. She swallowed the five cupcakes she had in her mouth and smacked her lips. "I prefer to call it being extremely huggable."
"Still darling, if you took better care of yourself, you'd be super model material." Rarity chimed in, lowering the magazine she had in her magic's grasp. She then gave Pinkie another look over and smiled. "However, I do have to agree that 'The extremely huggable Pinkie' is much better."
Pinkie suddenly disappeared and appeared right next to Rarity and gave the mare one of her signature bear hugs.
"Speaking of huggable." Rainbow said and glanced at Spike. "How are your plans for your belly going?"
The comment caught Spike's attention and in that moment one of the birds snatched the sandwich he was holding and flew off. The drake looked at the bird and his sandwich with a broken expression, before he turned away and sighed.
"I guess I am starting today." he said, which got a laugh out of everyone.
Fluttershy walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I tried to convince them, but..." she apologized to Spike.
He shrugged and shook his head. "Eh, it's fine Fluttershy. Celestia knows I had to start at some point." he said and chuckled.
All of a sudden, another sandwich, enveloped in lavender magic, floated toward him and he took it. Spike turned to Twilight, who was still reading the book, and as if she sensed his gaze she responded.
"You are perfect the way you are Spike." she said, closing the book and placing it onto the blanket. "Today we are here to relax and cut loose, so you don't have to force yourself out of your own enjoyment."
The drake gave her a heartfelt smile and bit into the sandwich. The others began to converse, asking others how their days were and about anything that they found interesting. Day slowly passed, and before they realized it was getting dark.
"Well, will you look at tha time?" Applejack said, looking towards the setting sun. "Ah can't believe how fast time passes, when yer havin' fun." Everyone nodded and murmured their agreements.
Suddenly all their stuff was covered in lavender aura, and quickly put away. Everyone looked at Twilight with questioning expressions. She however simply smiled, as she pulled out the book she was reading.
"Right." she said, her voice expressing her excitement. "Before we all go home, there is one thing I wanted you guys to see. A spell I've been working for a while now, and I wanted you all to see it as well."
Everyone looked at her with amazement, but Spike appeared to be unsure. He slowly walked up to Twilight and whispered into her ear.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice clearly displaying concern. "You haven't been able to actually test the spell out."
Twilight waved him off and scoffed. "Oh, please Spike, I am Celestia's best student and also a princess." she replied nonchalantly. "I have performed much harder spells than this. Besides, what could go wrong?"
Spike wanted to refute, but he knew that he would be talking to a wall at this point. So, he sighed and followed the mare, as she headed towards a more open space, where she could perform the spell more easily. The others stood a little bit behind her and waited in anticipation.
Twilight closed her eyes and began to channel the magic. The air around her began to shift, as her horn started to glow brighter and brighter. Soon the wind picked up, and the others had to shield their eyes from the bits that were floating around. Twilight opened her eyes, and they were glowing with pure energy. She lifted her hand and pointed her finger into the air. Her mind focused and suddenly four bright spots appeared. Just as quickly as they appeared, they also quickly connected with one another and created a glowing square. It glowed brightly, no bigger than a sheet of paper and as it was calming down into its form, Twilight's magic dimmed down, and her eyes returned to normal.
"That was awesome!" Rainbow exclaimed and tackled her friend, almost tipping her over. "What is that by the way?"
Twilight panted, as she tried to catch her breath after the whole ordeal. "That-" she said and took in another deep breath. "Is a window that will allow us to peer across time and space."
As soon as she said that everyone else also approached and looked at the phenomenon with wonder.
"How in tarnation did ya manage to do that?" Applejack asked, scratching her head.
"Oh, it was quite easy." Twilight replied, finally regaining her breath. "Well, to be correct it became easy once I understood all the necessary processes. You see, I tried to incorporate the time spell I learned a while back with a spell that allows the caster to gaze anywhere, they want. However, no matter how hard I tried it didn't seem to work. So, I turned to my books and after an extensive search I realized that due to Law of Spell Binding it was practically impossible. However, I discovered a way that might be possible and so I..." She went on a tangent, unaware of the confused looks her friends were giving her.
She was eventually brought out of her trance when Spike tugged her tail. She stopped her explanation and shot the drake a small glare, telling him to explain himself. He sighed and pointed to the others behind him, all of which had expressions of utter befuddlement.
"You lost them almost as soon as you began." he said, crossing his arms.
Twilight smiled and chuckled, her face slightly blushed. "Sorry about that everypony." she apologized and cleared her throat. "To put it into laypony's terms. I combined a time spell, with a type of dimensional spell and a clairvoyance spell, to create a window that allows us to see through time and space."
At that everyone expressed their understanding and nodded to her simplified explanation. However, they also became a bit concerned.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Fluttershy asked.
"Absolutely." Twilight assured. "In theory the spell has only a very small chance of actually failing."
That statement didn't make them feel any better, however they trusted her, as she was the most knowledgeable in the subject. They got even closer, to be able to see into the window, which made Twilight smile. She turned back to the window and once again focused her magic.
Slowly the magic within the window began to shift and slowly the image inside began to clear up. They leaned in closer to see what was in it. Suddenly the whole thing was covered by a face. The sight surprised the mares and they all fell back, making Twilight lose concentration and the image faded.
"Did you guys see that?" Rainbow shouted, a large smile present on her face. "What was that thing? it looked like a pony, but bald."
"Ah'm more concerned with the look it had on its face." Applejack replied, dusting off her now dirty jeans. "It looked like it was tryin' tah kill us."
"Well, whatever it was, it confirmed that the spell is a huge success." Twilight said, pride lacing her voice. "Now then, who's ready for round two." she asked and looked at everyone.
They all looked at each other and smiled. Sure, what they just saw, shocked them, but they were still eager to see even more. They got close once again and peered into the window. Twilight conjured her magic once more and the window began to shift again. This time, however, it began to distort and twist. Everyone looked at Twilight with concern, and saw she was just as concerned.
Her magic was on the fritz, and she had trouble controlling it. She focused and tried to stabilize the spell, but it didn't work. She turned to her friends and shouted.
"RUN!"
The window was now an indescribable shape, that continuously arced and bent. As the chaotic energy continued to spiral out of control, it grew in size and began to pull in anything that was not bolted to the ground.
The mares each grabbed anything they could get their hands on and hanged on for their lives. As the intensity of the spell continued, it suddenly stopped, and the spell imploded on itself. Everyone fell to the ground when the draw of the spell ended. Each one was breathing heavily, unsure if the whole ordeal was over.
Once they were sure that there was no further danger, they all turned to Twilight, who wanted to shrivel up as much as she could. She gave her friends and apologetic look, and they could see that she truly felt awful for what had happened.
"I am so sorry everypony." she apologized, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "I didn't think something like this would happen. I was sure that the spell was-" She was interrupted when they all hugged her.
"Don't worry 'bout it sugarcube." Applejack affirmed. "Ya were just tryin' to show us somethin' amazin'. And we can tell that ya never wanted tah hurt us." The others nodded in agreement and Twilight felt like a weight was lifted off her chest. She melted into the embrace.
Shortly after they decided that that was enough excitement for today and they all headed home. Unbeknownst to them, however, far away a crack in the sky opened up and a figure fell through it.
Planet Volk, New Baltic
The thick smog blocked the moonlit sky, preventing the light from both celestial bodies to reach the city below. Where the smog stopped, the stench of the garbage that littered the alleys, wafted through the streets. Despite the smell, people who were already used to it, were walking around, enjoying the nighttime activities.
Among the bustling crowds, a single man was making his way to his destination, paying little to no attention to others. He slowly approached a group of people, who like himself were not careful of their surroundings. One of the men in the group stumbled into the other guy.
When the two collided, the older man turned to the younger guy and shot him a nasty glare. "Watcsh where y-you're goin'!" he slurred out, his breath reeking of alcohol.
The other guy turned his head away, clearly bothered by his breath. "First of all, keep your mouth shut. I feel like I'll get drunk just from smelling your breath." he snarked, clearly not happy with what the man said to him. "And second, I was just minding my own business when suddenly a tipsy asshole bumped into me. So, I believe you owe me an apology."
The response wasn't to the man's liking. He grabbed the collar of other guy's hoddie and brought him closer, so they were face to face. "A tough guy, eh?" he said, spewing the alcoholic breath directly into the face of the person he was holding. His gaze scanned the young guy's face, noticing that he was very young, early twenties, and the almost black eyes staring back at him. "Maybe I sh-should teacsh you a lesshon, eh?" At that remark he looked to his friends, who like him were very buzzed.
"Yeah, show him who's boss Rick!" one of the more sober guys shouted.
Rick smiled and looked back at his victim. "Better grit your teeth, kid." he said, raising his fist high into the air. "Cause this will-"
Before he was able to finish his sentence, he was slammed into the wall and all the air in his lungs was blown out. The pain followed soon after, as his back and face flared up, making him scream in agony. He then heard something small hit the ground and felt a warm liquid cascade down his face. He reached his hand up and touched his face. When he then inspected his palm, he saw blood on it. Using his tongue, he traced it around his mouth and noticed that several of his teeth were missing.
"You motherfucker!" he shouted. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun. However, before he was even able to point it, the guy was already in front of him. He grabbed Rick's arm that was holding the gun and with one swift motion broke it. Again, screams filled the streets, as the man was cradling his broken arm.
His friends watched in terror, as Rick was laying on the ground, crying from all the pain. Their eyes slowly turned to the guy that defeated their friend and their anger quickly rose. They were out for blood now.
However, one of their members took a closer look at the guy and his eyes fell onto the tattoo that was resting upon his exposed arm. The head of a wolf was staring at him, it's large fangs and bloody red eyes sending shivers down his spine.
"Stop!" he shouted, halting all his friends. They all looked at him, wanting an explanation as to why they shouldn't beat this guy to a pulp right here and now.
"T-t-that's T-t-t-trider." he stuttered out, his eyes wide from fear. "THE MAD FANG TRIDER!" he screamed.
It took them a second to process what their friend told them, but once they realized what he spoke of their eyes widened as well. Their bodies began to shake uncontrollably, their flight or fight instincts screaming at them that there was danger.
While they were cowering, Trider simply scoffed at them and kneeled next to Rick and grabbed his gun. "Y'know, usually I'd beat you into a coma for something like this." he said as he eyed the weapon in his hand. His glare then fell onto Rick, who was looking at him with pure terror. He sighed and grabbed the gun with both hands. "But luckily for you, I am in a good mood, and I don't like to waste my efforts on weaklings like yourself." As he said that he snapped the pistol into two and dropped the pieces onto the ground. "But let me make myself clear. Next time, it will be your back and not the gun." He threatened, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion.
Rick was now shaking madly, and the stress and pain overcame him, and he fell unconscious. Trider stood back up and walked towards the group who were still shaking. He stopped in front of them and glared, which made the group even more terrified.
"Honestly, I was hoping you'd actually attack me. It would've given me a good warm up before tonight's fight." he said and scoffed. He then walked past them, no longer giving them any attention. "But I guess you at least have good instincts and know your place." With that last remark he left and continued on his path.
Half an hour later he was standing in the locker room, prepping his clothes for the match. He looked himself in the large mirror that was present. His wolf ears flicked at almost any tiny sound they perceived, making his unkempt black hair flip with their movements. He pulled off his sleeveless hoodie, revealing his well-toned and scarred body. He was proud of each scar he had; they were a testament to all his battles that he had won. He cracked a smile and his tail slightly wagged, when he remembered all the fights he went through. He brought himself out his daydreaming and he continued to strip. Once everything but his underwear was off, he grabbed the shorts that were given to him by the people running the place and put them on. Afterwards he grabbed the special mitts and shoes, that lessened the impact of his blows, and put them on his fur covered forearms and forelegs. Once he was ready, he walked out of his personal locker room and headed towards the ring.
As he walked towards the arena, the staff and other fighters either moved out of his way or tried to greet him. However, Trider ignored all of them. He didn't care for those who were weaker than him or couldn't give him something he didn't have. He quietly continued his walk, until he arrived in front of a set of big doors. He noticed one of the staff standing next to the lever that opened the doors and gave them a nod.
The employee nodded back and spoke into the walkie talkie he had. After a couple of seconds, he got confirmation and his hand was now on the lever. "Just wait for the intro, then you're on." he told the Kanisar and he only nodded back.
Through the doors he could hear the roars and cheers of the audience. The sound excited him somewhat, but he didn't care all that much for them. What he truly anticipated was the opponent he was facing and the fight.
Meanwhile outside, the people were seating themselves onto the stands, filling out nearly every chair. They talked loudly, filling the arena with buzzing chatter. Suddenly the lights turned off and only a single spotlight was shining into the center of the arena. A person walked into the beam of light, as a microphone slowly descended. Everyone once again erupted in cheers.
The man, dressed in bright clothes grabbed the mic and shouted into it, his loud booming voice silencing the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen. I am happy to welcome you to the Arena." The crowd roared even louder, the whole place shaking from the collective foot stomps. "I am happy to see all of your enthusiasm." the commentator said, joy lacing his every word. "Now for those of you who are new here. Due to the nature of this competition, I advise that you be careful who you speak to about your night here. We don't want the pigs snooping this place out."
This time the crowd unleashed a wail of boos and whistling. "Good, good. Glad to see you all understand." the voice said again, taking a second to catch their breath. "If you wish, you can bet on who you think the winner of each bout will be, and if you're lucky you'll leave this place a richer man. Or woman." he added at the end. "Now as for the rules. There are none." the crowd erupted in further cheers and some even laughed. "Well technically there is only one. And that is how the fight ends." Unlike before, everyone was silent, listening intently to hear what he was about to say. "The fight ends when one of the fighters surrenders, but let’s be honest, that is the coward’s way out."
The stands once again began to boo, but the man lifted his hand to tell them to settle down. "You don't have to worry, most of our fighters are aware of that and would rather die than hear your lovely insults." The crowd laughed at that. "The second, is for one of the fighters to no longer be able to fight. Either to a K.O. or loss of limbs." At that the cheering returned. "And the final way, I think you can figure out yourselves, as these are not called deathmatches for nothing." The whole arena erupted, and the crowd was standing up, shouting cheers so loudly that even the announcer was barely audible.
"Now then, I've kept you waiting for long enough. Let me introduce the first two fighters who will keep you entertained." The man pointed to one side of the arena as the doors opened and through it walked a large man, his grey hair reaching to his shoulders and a bushy beard adorning his face.
"In this corner, standing at 186 centimeters and weighing 110 kilograms, a Kanisar with a phenomenal record of 86 victories, 16 of which ended in death. Helmar the Groundbreaker." The crowd cried out and Helmar waved, soaking in the cheers.
"In the other corner, with a height of only 171 centimeters and a weight just a little over 70, he may seem like a wimp," Trider scowled at his introduction, making a mental note to sock the guy when he was done. "But I can assure you, he packs enough fight in him to demolish this whole place. He holds the record for the most consecutive victories, with a whopping 143, 86 of which ended in death." The crowd went quiet, as they continued to listen to what the man was saying. "Some of you have probably heard of him, as his reputation reaches even beyond these arena walls. The one, the only. Mad Fang Trider."
When his name was announced, the doors in front of Trider opened and he walked outside. Unlike with Helmar, he was greeted with far less cheers, as some people looked at him wearily and whispered among themselves. The two fighters approached each other and glared at each other.
"Back again geezer." Trider asked, a smirk present on his face. "Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"
"Hmph." Helmar scoffed. "You got lucky last time kid. I'm here to teach you how you should treat your elders."
"Sure, you can teach all about that from your hospital bed." Trider said and reached his hand forward. Helmar glanced at it for a second, before he grasped it. "But seriously, if you came here to die, I won't stop you, but I'd rather you didn't. You are one of the only people I actually tolerate."
Helmar's eyes widened at that. Trider was known to everyone as merciless, so he was quite shocked when he complimented him like that. A small smile cracked on his face, and he let go of his opponent's hand. "Well then, in that case I better not hold back."
The two went to their corners and waited for the bell. The announcer moved himself to a separate part of the arena, where he was safe from the battle. "Alright then." he said and grabbed a small switch in front of him. "Let the battle." he pushed it and a loud bell sounded off. "Begin."
The two fighters immediately closed the distance between themselves and began a heated exchange of punches and kicks. Due to Trider's small stature and quicker reflexes, he was able to dodge most of the attacks that Helmar threw at him. The older Kanisar wasn't doing that great. Despite his age, his body was still in it's prime, one of the benefits that his race gave him. However, Trider just proved to be a tougher, faster and stronger opponent, so Helmar had to rely on his experience.
As he swung his arm back, ready to deliver an attack at Trider, the younger Kanisar saw it coming and began to move out of the way. Helmar took that as an opportunity and stopped his attack, instead opting to drop down and sweep his opponent's legs.
Trider felt the ground beneath him slip away and he was soon laying on the ground. Before he had time to pick himself up, he saw Helmar's foot coming straight towards him. He shifted his body and managed to roll out of incoming attack. Once he was far enough, he stood back up, only to see his adversary already by his side, his fist ready to deliver a devastating blow. In the last moment Trider lifted both his arms and blocked the attack. The force of impact pushed him back and he felt jolts of pain running through his arms.
He lowered his guard, only to see Helmar smirking at him. "Running out of fuel, eh Trider?" he taunted the young Kanisar, as he got into another battle stance.
Trider shook his arms to get rid of the painful sensations and smiled back. "I was only giving you a free hit geezer, otherwise I was afraid that you'd lose your will to fight me."
The comment didn't sit well with Helmar. He glared at his opponent and his eyes turned red. Suddenly his entire body was covered in a dark aura, which gave him the appearance of being enveloped by a black fire. "Well then, maybe I really should stop holding back." he growled.
With lightning speed, he charged Trider, which caught the young Kanisar by surprise. He had no time to dodge or block, as the fist connected directly with his face. The blow sent him flying and before he had time to hit the ground, Helmar once again charged at him and slammed his entire body into Trider's.
Trider's body slammed into the wall of the arena, and he remained slumped there. The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers and boos, but Helmar paid them no heed. He knew better than anyone, that the fight was far from over.
The sound of the crowd was silenced when the young Kanisar removed himself from the hole his body made into the wall. A chill surged through the audience when they heard the laughter that originated from the badly wounded Trider.
"This." he said as he looked at Helmar. "This is exactly what I was waiting for when I came here. A good damn fight, the thrill of combat and the pain." His laughter slowly died down and he shot Helmar a wide smile. "To think you'd actually use Primal Surge against me. I am a bit honored." His smile then turned sinister, as his eyes turned bright red. "But now it's my turn to go all out."
Like with Helmar, Trider was enveloped by roaring dark energy. However unlike with Helmar, his appearance also slightly changed. His hair and fur grew longer, and his claws and fangs became far more noticeable, giving him the appearance of a wild beast. The sight shocked some of the audience members, but those who had seen Trider before only smiled, as they knew what is about to happen.
"Hope you're ready." Trider said and looked at Helmar.
"I don't think I can ever be-" His sentence was cut short when Trider seemed to just appear in front of him. His eyes widened from surprise, and he stumbled backwards, partially to move away. However, Trider grabbed the hem of his shirt and delivered a powerful headbutt to the older Kanisar.
Disoriented from the blow, Helmar tried his best to defend himself from the attacks. He put up his arms in hopes it would protect him, even if just a little bit. Trider quickly spun around and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick, which staggered Helmar and made him drop to one knee. Taking the opportunity, the young Kanisar lowered his stance and swung his fist upwards, hitting the older Kanisar directly into his face with an uppercut.
Halmer's body fell backwards, and he fought against the encroaching darkness. He struggled to regain his bearings, but he quickly managed to come back to. He wiped the blood that was coming from his mouth and nose and stood back up. With a ragged breath he faced Trider once again and raised his arms.
"C'mon." he shouted. "Is that all you've got?"
Trider's response was simply to cover one of his arms in ethereal energy, before making one final charge at Helmar. The older Kanisar braced himself for the impact which came quickly.
"Piston Cannon!" Trider shouted as his energy covered fist connected with Helmar's arms. A loud crack was heard, before the older Kanisar was swept off his feet and his back collided with the wall of the arena. He gasped in pain, as he felt pain surging through his entire body. The dark aura around him dispersed and his eyes turned normal.
Seeing that Trider let go of his own aura and slowly approached Helmar. "I know you have more in you." he said to his adversary.
Helmar slowly pulled himself back up and smiled back at Trider. "You've got that right." he said and slowly began to raise one of his hands. "But I'm afraid that this is it for me." With his hand now all the way in the air he shouted. "I surrender."
The crowd went quiet, but they soon began to throw jeers and insults at the defeated Kanisar. Trider as well was fuming with anger and Helmar noticed that his eyes were slowly turning red.
"You better have a good reason why you're throwing the match." he growled as wisps of black aura began to return.
Helmar however wasn't intimidated and smiled back at Trider. "I know for certain that I won't beat you as I am now. And I would love to fight you until the bitter end, but I fear that if we do that, I'll end up so broken I won't be able to heal." he said, cradling his other arm that was clearly broken from Trider's final attack. "And I really do want to fight you again, so that I can beat you and claim back my title."
Trider continued to glare at Helmar, but slowly his anger subsided. He then turned to the hollering crowd and shouted at the top of his lungs, overshadowing everyone in the audience.
"SHUT IT!!!" Everyone was surprised by the Kanisar's outburst, and they quieted down. Trider appeared pleased by that, and he nodded to Helmar before he began to leave the arena.
"Well that certainly was an entertaining fight." the announcer said, as he once again stood in the middle of the arena. "And if you wait until the end, you'll see the Mad Fang fight once again a new and upcoming star."
That last bit caught Trider's attention and he became very intrigued.
"One more fight?" he thought a smile cracking on his face. "And against a potential talent?" His smile grew even wider, and it took on a more sinister look. "Hope he stands up to the challenge."
With his fighting vigor renewed, he headed back to his locker. Once he entered, he was surprised to find it already occupied. There were three men, two of them were Kanisars dressed in all black and were wearing sunglasses, giving off a major bodyguard vibe. The last man however was a human and was wearing a red suit with a black neck tie. When Trider entered they all looked at him, the two bodyguards remaining stoic, while the human smiled.
"Trider, my friend. Good to see you." he said, his voice carrying a disgustingly sweet tone.
"Evan." Trider responded quickly, clearly displaying that he was not happy to see him whatsoever. "What do you want?"
"Oh, why such hostility? I thought we were close friends." Evan replied, putting his arm across the Kanisar's shoulders. Trider quickly shrugged it off and walked over to his locker. "Tch, as difficult as ever I see." he clicked his tongue. "I saw your fight. You crushed that guy quite well. As expected of a champion of the Arena."
Trider loudly slammed the door of his locker and glared at Evan. "Get to the point already."
Evan sighed and corrected his necktie. "Alrighty then." he said and spoke in a more elegant manner. "You see the boss has decided to expand his reach into more territories, one of them being the Arena." he began to explain, as he carefully watched Trider's face and body movements. "So, he found someone he wants to turn into a champion, someone that will be able to rake in even more cash. However, there is just one thing that stand in the way of that becoming a reality." He paused for a second to which Trider simply waved his hand, to tell him to continue. "That problem would be you."
A massive grin appeared on the Kanisar's face. "Aww, it makes me so happy to be a thorn in your sides." he said and laughed.
Evan however wasn't smiling. "The boss arranged for his champ to fight you tonight." Trider's ears perked at that, slowly starting to realize where this conversation was going. "And he wants you to lose."
Trider's expression was neutral, as he stared blankly at the human. "So, you want me to throw the fight, so that this wannabe guy climbs the rank asap?" he asked, to which Evan nodded. Suddenly Trider's face twisted in anger, and he glared at the human. "And what makes you think I'll do what your boss says?"
Evan chuckled and his tone became a bit lighter. "Cause if you don't... Well, I'm sure you've heard what happened to people who defied the boss." He then shot Trider a rather nasty look. "Not to mention that you owe us, not only for a helping you out all those times, but also for the last job that we assigned to you and that you botched up." He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his suit and put one into his mouth. "So quite frankly Trider, you have no choice in this matter." he said and lit the cigarette.
Suddenly Trider jumped at him and grabbed him by his shirt. The two bodyguards jumped into action, one grabbing Trider from behind, while the other was pointing a gun at the Kanisar's head. Evan laughed out loud and looked at Trider with a bemused expression.
"You sure you want to do that?" he asked, grabbing his hand, and slowly prying himself from the iron grip. "You'd be dead before you even managed to get out of here. With or without your unnatural strength." Trider continued to glare at Evan, but he slowly loosened his grip and released him. The man stepped back and fixed his shirt and tie. "Good. Now then, I'm sure you'd like to prepare for your match." he said and turned around, slowly walking out of the locker room. The two bodyguards released Trider and were backing away as well, following their boss.
Before he left Evan turned back one more time and spoke in the sweet voice once again. "Be a good dog and do as you're told." His face and tone quickly shifted to ice cold ones. "Or else." With that said he waved goodbye and left, leaving Trider alone in the locker room.
The Kanisar continued to stare at where Evan was. He gritted his teeth and then slammed his locker, punching a hole straight through it.
A few hours have passed since Trider spoke to Evan, and he was still fuming from the whole ordeal. He was once again standing in front of the doors that led to the arena. He glared at them, unaware of anything that was happening around himself, his focus solely on what was in front of him.
The doors began to slowly open and Trider began to slowly walk through them. He didn't hear the announcer or the crowd, instead he only saw his opponent.
He was a young Kanisar, close to his age and had light brown hair and fur. His frame was quite toned, but in comparison of what Trider saw each day, it was nothing impressive. He was taller than him, by only half a head or so. He wore the same gear as Trider and was currently addressing the crowd, who seemed to love him, for some reason.
The two met up in the center and the other Kanisar spoke to Trider. "Nice to finally meet the Mad Fang." he said reaching out his hand. "My name is Syrus, it's a pleasure." Trider continued to glare at him, not saying a word. He did grab hold of his hand and squeezed it tightly, his claws digging into Syrus's flesh.
The announcer jumped in between the two. "Alright break it up." he said and pushed the two apart. "You know damn well that blood is only to shed after the bell."
"Oh, don't worry about it. It's just a light scratch." Syrus insisted, rubbing his sore hand. "I think he is just intimidated by me." At his remark everyone laughed, but Trider just looked angrier.
The two went to their corner and waited for the bell. Trider kept his eyes on Syrus the whole time, trying to gauge his strength. His ears perked when he heard the familiar sound of the bell. He walked into the middle of the arena again, meeting with his opponent halfway.
Syrus wasted no time and began to unleash a barrage of punches. Trider however didn't dodge or block them. Instead, he took each blow head on, letting himself being beaten up. Syrus pulled back for a bit, before he lunged forward and kicked him straight in the jaw. Trider's body fell backwards, and he landed on the ground.
The crowd stood on their feet, observing the spectacle that was unfolding in front of them. Some began to whisper among themselves. Syrus gulped at that, and he jumped on top of Trider and began to hit him in the face, while also whispering.
"I know that the boss told you to throw the fight, but make it more believable." he said, as he continued to wail at the Kanisar beneath him.
At that moment Trider kicked him off himself and began to stand up. Syrus got into a battle stance and slowly began to circle his opponent. Trider slowly followed his movements but didn't move from his spot. This irked Syrus and he charged once again. He swung his right arm directly at Trider, but before it could connect with his head, the Kanisar managed to grab it.
Surprised by the sudden action, Syrus tried to pull his hand back, but Trider kept it locked in his iron grip. The pressure on his hand slowly began to increase, and the Kanisar could feel that he was trying to crush his hand. So Syrus swung his other hand, in attempt to jab Trider and escape. However, like with his other attack, it was blocked, and his other arm was now trapped.
Syrus began to sweat as he looked at Trider. "Alright tone it down a bit. I'm supposed to win here." he whispered.
Trider looked him dead in the eyes, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "Use Primal Surge." he said in a cold tone.
A baffled expression fell over Syrus's face. "What?" he asked bewildered.
"Use. Primal. Surge." Trider repeated, emphasizing each word while again applying pressure onto his opponent's hands, eliciting a pained yelp from Syrus.
"I can't." he said through his pained grunts.
This time it was Trider's turn to look bewildered. "What?" he said, displaying his surprise.
"I can't use it. Never could." Syrus what he said before.
Trider's expression turned from one of surprise to anger in a moment. He grit his teeth, as his eyes began to shift to red. He lifted his leg and placed it onto Syrus's chest. Still holding his hands, he began to apply more and more pressure, threatening to rip the arms off the trapped Kanisar.
"What are you doing?" Syrus yelped out in pain, trying to be as quiet as possible, so no one else could hear. "You are supposed to lose this fight?!"
With a cold glare, Trider looked him straight in the eyes before he spoke. "I never agreed to that."
A chill went down Syrus's back when he heard him say that. His eyes widened when he began to realize what was really happening. Before he could say another word, Trider applied one swift push and with two loud pops he dislocated Syrus's shoulders and let go of his arms.
A loud scream echoed across the arena. Syrus fell onto his knees and tears fell down his face. He tried to move his arms, but each time he did so, he could only feel intense pain. He stood back up and looked at Trider with pleading eyes. But all he could see were the cold eyes of a hunter, ready to deliver the killing blow.
"I sur-" he tried to shout and back away but was stopped when Trider punched him directly into his throat. He fell from the impact, but despite the pain, Syrus still tried to announce his surrender, but he quickly realized that he could no longer do so.
"You're not getting away that easily." Trider said, his voice now filled with rage and contempt. "At first, I was just going to beat you senseless, but now..." He said as his eyes turned bloody red and his form was consumed by the black aura. Syrus could only watch in despair as Trider approached him. He tried to crawl away, but Trider quickly grabbed him by the throat and lifted him from the ground.
"If you're wondering why I'm going to kill you." Trider said as he lifted his arm, his fingers and claws pointing directly at Syrus's chest. "You managed to not only insult me but piss me off. So, you can thank your boss and your ineptitude for your demise." Without another word he thrust his arm and pierced Syrus's chest. Blood dripped down the Kanisar's chest and Trider's arm. Slowly light began to fade from Syrus's eyes and once he was sure that he was dead, Trider removed his arm and tossed the lifeless body to the side.
The crowd watched what unfolded before them with gaping mouths. Suddenly they all erupted in loud cheers and saluted Trider for the grotesque display. The Kanisar however wasn't happy. He knew that what he did brought a whole load of trouble on himself, but still, he didn't regret what he did.
He walked back to his locker room and cleaned himself up. Before he left, he told the people that ran the Arena that he probably won't be coming back. None of them said anything, as they all knew what he did. Without a single goodbye, Trider left the Arena.
As soon as he turned a corner he came face to face with Evan. The man looked at the Kanisar with disappointment.
"You only had to do one thing." he sighed, as other men, both human and Kanisar, slowly began to appear. "But not only did you go against the boss's command, you fucking killed his investment." He took the cigarette he had in his mouth and tossed it to the ground. "Needless to say, this will end only one way this time Trider. Have any last words?"
Trider dropped the bag he had and cracked his neck. "The guy was a total wimp. You guys have very bad sense of picking good fighters." he said, as he stretched his upper torso. "Also, since I was going to get killed anyway, I thought to get rid of him, so you guys won't stumble on your so called 'investment', cause quite frankly." He stopped his stretches and looked directly at Evan. "If he didn't get beat by me, he would've by some other guy."
Evan shrugged and smiled. "Perhaps. But that is still up to the boss to decide." He stomped the cigarette he threw on the ground. "Get him." he said and snapped his fingers.
At the same time, all the thugs ganged up on Trider, who immediately used Primal Surge. He quickly disposed of a couple of the goons; however, he knew that he will only be able to hold his ground for a short while. But he didn't plan on going down without a fight.
The brawl was fierce and Trider managed to trade blow for blow, despite the number advantage that his enemies had. As he was fighting, a bright light shone in front of his eyes. He squinted and saw a strange sight before him. Several brightly colored women were looking at him from what seemed to be a window in the air.
Just as quickly as the phenomenon appeared it faded. However, it managed to distract the Kanisar long enough, for one of the thugs to plunge a knife into his abdomen. Trider howled out in pain and kicked the attacker away. At this point he didn't look good. He was badly beaten and now had a hole in his stomach. And worse yet, despite reducing the number of assailants, there were still half a dozen of him.
They created a circle around him, and he knew that he only had enough energy for one final attack. He pushed past his pain and with a scream charged on of the men. Before he could connect, another bright flash engulfed him. This time however he had to close his eyes.
When he opened them again, he only saw the sky above him. He then felt the rushing wind blow past him. However, it was blowing from below him. He turned his head around only to realize that he was falling towards a forest beneath him.
"Motherfuc-" His body fell through the canopy and smashed through several branches, which cut through his clothes and skin. The trees managed to slow down his fall enough that when he hit the ground he didn't turn into paste, but it still hurt a lot.
With pain searing through his entire body, he slowly lifted himself up. His head was ringing, and everything was spinning. After a while he started to regain his senses and when he came to, he looked around himself and noticed the odd trees.
"What the hell?" he muttered to himself. Another surge of pain ran through his body, but this one originated from his stomach. He looked down at it and saw that there was a lot of blood coming from there. He gritted his teeth as he tore a part of his hoodie and made a makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding.
With the impromptu first aid completed, he tried to walk, but soon realized that he had almost no energy left. He slumped down next to the tree through which he fell and fell asleep almost immediately.
"Will ya slow down?!" Applebloom shouted, as she ran through the thicket of bushes. Behind an even more winded Sweetie Belle was barely managing to keep up with her.
"Maybe you two should pick up the pace!" Scootaloo yelled back. Unlike her two friends, she had little to no problem traversing the forest. Her small frame and nimble physique allowed her to either squeeze through small gaps or jump over bigger obstacles. The wind that rushed through her mane gave her a unique sensation, like the one that most pegasi felt when they soared through the air. She gracefully jumped over a boulder and landed on the other side. She stopped her run and waited for the other two.
After a couple of minutes Appleblooms bow appeared over the boulders edge. "Sheesh, you guys sure are taking your time." she teased as the other girl finally made it to the top of the rock.
"Well excuse me." she replied with annoyance in her voice. She reached down and pulled up Sweetie, who was sweating bullets at this point. "It's not like we usually run through a dense forest. Especially while runnin'." she said and jumped down next to Scootaloo. "Also, in case ya forgot, Sweetie is with us, and she isn't exactly tha athletic type."
"Hey that isn't-" the white furred girl tried to argue; however, she lost her footing and fell on the ground beside the two. Applebloom and Scootaloo quickly got next to her. Sweetie looked annoyed, before she grumbled. "Forget it."
The other two held back their laughter and instead helped their friend up. Dusting herself off, Sweetie shot her two friends a dirty look. "Remind me again, why are we here?" she asked, looking over her clothes in case there were any tears.
"Wait didn't Scoots tell you?" Applebloom asked, her eyebrow cocked.
"No." she curtly replied. "She just grabbed me and said that she saw something that will get us our cutie marks."
Hearing that Applebloom looked at Scootaloo, who was fiddling with her thumbs, clearly embarrassed. "Heh, yeah, I may have forgot to go into details." she said scratching her head.
Sighing, Applebloom removed a small twig from Sweetie's mane. "Apparently, yesterday Scoots saw something fall from tha sky over tha forest." The statement earned a look of interest from the unicorn. "She thinks it may have been a meteor that fell."
"Heck yeah it was a meteor." Scootaloo exclaimed, once again pumped with energy. "Just think about it. If we find this meteor, we could get our cutie marks in... Uh..."
"Meteor findin'?"
"Astrology?"
"Isn't that readin' tha stars for tha future?" Applebloom asked, putting on a confused expression.
"I thought that was astronomy." Sweetie replied, her face equally as confused.
"Whatever!" Scootaloo interjected between the two. "The only thing that matters is that we will be getting our cutie marks." she cheered, pumping her arms into the air.
Her energetic and hopeful tone inspired the other two and joined her. However, that didn't stop them from asking some quite necessary questions.
"Are you sure we are going the right way?"
"Aren't we gettin' kinda close to the Everfree Forest?"
"I hope we don't get lost."
"It's also gettin' kinda late. I told mah sister that I'd be back before lunch."
The questions irked Scootaloo, who had to reassure them each time. She sighed, before she regained her composure. "If you two are done worrying, we have a meteor to find." she said, hoping to once again rekindle their adventurous spirits. This time the other two didn't argue or question her, instead they just screamed their battle cries and all three ran further into the forest.
It didn't take them long before they found themselves in a small clearing. They decided to make a small stop here and rest. Despite being in a rush, Applebloom had enough time and help from her family, that she prepared some sandwiches and drinks that she brought along. The three girls enjoyed their meal and were discussing about their everyday lives.
"So how much father do ya think tha meteor is?" Applebloom asked, as she took a bite out of her sandwich.
"I don't know." Scootaloo repleid, which earned a glare from the other two girls. "Hey, don't give me that look." she said chomping into her own snack. "I only saw it from the corner of my eyes when it fell. All I know is that it fell close to the Everfree and that is all."
Applebloom and Sweetie exchanged glances, before they both unanimously sighed and shook their heads. Scootaloo began to feel embarrassed at this point, as the realization that she may have been leading them on a goose chase, slowly started to sink in.
"Celestia please, save me from this." she prayed in her mind.
Right at that moment a loud roar shook the peace of the forest and the girls immediately stood up.
"W-w-what was that?" Sweetie asked, her body and voice shaking in unison.
"A-ah don't know." Applebloom replied, her frame shivering as well. "But ah don't want to stick around and find out."
"Agreed." Scootaloo affirmed.
Before they even got the chance to clean after themselves, another roar, this one a lot different, resounded and something flew out from the edge of the wood and landed just a few feet away from them. They stood frozen in fear, as they looked at what just landed next to them.
Before them laid a person. However, it didn't look like a pony, it had some similar features, but it clearly was not a pony. It's frame and build were the same, however that is where similarities stopped. It was clearly male and had fur covering some parts of its body, but the rest of it was bald. Its face was flat, it's nose just a small protrusion. Several cuts and bruises were present on the face, and it was clear that it was severely wounded, as evident by blood drenching it's clothes.
The girls looked in shock as the wounded man slowly lifted his upper body. His teeth were gritted, and they saw his fangs, as clear as day. A haggard breath escaped from his mouth when he picked himself up completely. His body was in a bad shape, and he could barely keep himself standing.
Trider's vision was blurry, and his head was spinning. He tried to remember what had happened. The last thing he recollected was waking up, after taking a short nap. The wound on his abdomen had partially healed, so he tried to seek help. After that he couldn't remember what had happened, but his gut was telling him that nothing good.
As he turned his head to take in the scenery, his gaze fell onto something that wasn't brown or green. A big mass of multicolor laid not that far away from him. His vision was still hazy, so he winked several times, to remove the fog from his sight. After a couple of winks his eyesight corrected itself and he was finally able to see the three scared fillies.
He cocked an eyebrow, but before he could say anything, a deafening roar pierced through the canopy. The cry put Trider on alert, as he now remembered what happened to him. He was attacked. Right at that moment a large body jumped through the trees and landed a few meters away from Trider.
The creature was huge, easily over two meters tall, maybe even three. Its glowing green eyes stared at the Kanisar and he returned the glare. As Trider continued to inspect the creature, he quickly noticed that it looked like a wolf, however instead of flesh and fur, this wolf was made from wood, branches and leaves.
"A woodlf." he said and chuckled. His smile turned to grimace. "Really? That was the best I could come up with?"
The Timberwolf growled and wisps of green gas escaped from its maw. The smoke dispersed quickly, however Trider's sensitive nose could still pick it up.
"Holy shit! I think your last victim is still stuck in your teeth." he exclaimed, as he plugged his nose, trying to ignore the nauseating smell.
The Timberwolf took a small step forward, as it's growl became louder. The motion caught Trider's eye, and he got into a stance.
"I don't suppose we could growl this out? One wolf to another." He got his answer when the Timberwolf lowered its body, preparing to jump him. "Yeah." he sighed and smiled. "I'm not much for talking either."
At that moment the timber wolf lunged at Trider, who managed to avoid its fangs. When the wolf landed, the Kanisar quickly twisted his body and landed a kick onto its side. The beast barely noticed the blow, as it turned to the man and tried to bite at his arm.
Trider again managed to evade the attack, however the dizziness suddenly returned, and he lost his footing. Before he had time to recover, the Timberwolf headbutted him, launching him across the ground, until his back hit a tree. The air escaped Trider's lungs when he impacted the wood. He shook his head and quickly regained his senses, just in time to see the wooden maw closing in on him.
Without a second thought, the Kanisar jumped up, making the timber wolf bite down onto the trunk. Seeing his opportunity he reared his arm, which was now covered in sparkling energy.
"Piston Cannon!" he shouted as his fist contacted the monster's head. The energy rippled and the head shattered into thousands of splinters. Trider landed on the ground, just as the giant body crumpled and fell apart. He looked at the pile of wood and a smirked. "Heel." he said cockily.
Turning his attention away from his dead opponent, he looked at the three strange creatures, each having a different expression on their faces. One was scared, another confused and the last looked at him with actual sparkling eyes. He took a step closer and addressed the girls.
"Oi, mind telling me what this place is?" he asked loudly. As he took another step forward, the expressions on their faces all changed to terror. He mentally sighed. He opened his mouth to try and assure them that he wasn't going to hurt them. However, before he could say anything, the hairs on his neck stood up and his danger senses went into overdrive.
Time seemed to slow down, as he turned around. He saw the huge wooden claws flying towards him and tried to dodge them. However, he was too late. The claws dug themselves into the flesh of his chest, leaving giant gashes behind. Droplets of his blood flew through the air, as the claws passed. The pain quickly surged through his body, and it made him scream in agony.
He tried to retaliate; however, the Timberwolf was faster this time. Its giant jaws latched onto Trider's left arm, the wooden fangs pierced his muscles and once again he was in pain. Now firmly grasped in its maw, the Timberwolf began to shake its head around, flailing the Kanisar's body around, and slamming him into the ground and trees. Then it suddenly unhinged its mouth and threw the man into a tree.
A loud crack was heard when Trider's body hit the trunk and his body slumped onto the ground. The Timberwolf looked at the motionless body of its prey, waiting to see if it would continue to retaliate. Once it was sure that Trider was down for the count, it slowly approached, green sap falling from its mouth.
Suddenly a small pebble hit the side of the wolf's head. It turned its attention away from the Kanisar and looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The three fillies were holding several stones in their hands, sweat dripping down their faces, as they began to regret what they did.
"Uhhhh. Sit?" Applebloom said, her tone filled with fear.
The Timberwolf turned away from Trider and began to slowly approach the fillies. The CMC each thought if they could escape this situation, but they knew that it would catch them sooner or later. They huddled together as they stared death right in the eyes.
"It was a wonderful being friends with you." they all said at the same time, as tears ran down their cheeks.
At that moment the timber wolf lunged at them. The girls closed their eyes. A couple of seconds passed and yet the pain and agony were still absent. They gathered their courage and slowly opened their eyes. The sight astonished them. Right in front of them was the back of the man who they believed was dead and said man was holding back the jaws of the hungry Timberwolf.
Trider struggled against the monster's strength, as he held its maw open. His body was now covered in blood, and his left arm looked the worst. He fought through the searing pain and pushed the wolf back with all his might. The large body skid across the ground for several meters, before it stopped.
The CMC looked in shock and wonder as they saw how the stranger pushed the giant monster away. Trider looked back at them and locked eyes with them. The girls still feared him, but for some reason they also felt like he wasn't a bad guy. The Kanisar then smiled showing his bloody teeth.
"Thanks for that." he said. "I just needed a moment to catch my breath."
It was astonishing. The stranger was covered in severe wounds and yet he walked towards the Timberwolf with a smile and almost zero regard for his own safety. The girls were confused, however deep down his demeanor made them feel like they'll be fine.
"Now then." Trider said as he cracked his knuckles and watched as the lumbering monstrosity got back up. "It's about time I turn you into firewood."
The Timberwolf responded by howling and then charging the Kanisar. But just like the first time, Trider managed to avoid the attack and kick it into its side. Unlike before however, this time he made a huge hole into its side and toppled it to the ground.
Trider watched with gleeful expression as he watched the wolf shakily pick itself up. His face quickly turned to displeasure when he saw the pieces of wood begin to glow green and reassemble into the chest of the monster.
"So that's how you did it." he said and once again smiled. "Too bad I didn't bring an axe. However, I have something just as effective."
Once the Timberwolf was fully reassembled, it turned towards Trider and snarled. The Kanisar snarled back and ran towards the monster. The wolf opened its mouth, in preparation to bite at the man. However, Trider expected that and quickly stopped. Using the momentum, he swung his body around and delivered a roundhouse kick directly at the Timberwolves’s jaw. The attack slammed into the wood that made up the fangs, splintering the sharp wood, leaving the maw empty.
Before the wolf could again rebuild itself, Trider thrusted his arm forward. "Open wide." he said with a smile, as he pushed his arm deep into the wolf's throat. "Now then, make sure you swallow." His arm began to crackle as he charged his Solvis through it and into his palm, creating an orb of energy.
"Nova Sphere!"
The energy burst from within the wolf's body and erupted. The shockwave tore apart the Timberwolf's body, hurtling its bits and pieces all over the forest. Trider was still on alert, learning from his previous experience. He stood still and waited for a couple of minutes before he relaxed.
"Timber." he said under his breath, chuckling a bit to himself. Satisfied with his victory he wanted to lay down and take a breather.
"That was so cool!"
The sudden shout made Trider turn his head and he looked at the girls who were still standing there. When he looked back at them the girls stopped their cheering and gulped audibly.
"Right, completely forgot about the living color book group." he thought. Slowly he began to approach them, and the girls once again huddled together, as the bloodied man approached them. "Now then, there are some things I would like to ask all of you." he said, trying to give them a smile. However, in their eyes he looked like a hungry beast that was ready to make them into its next meal.
"It was nice knowing you girls." they all said in unison.
