Fallout Equestria: The Butterfly Effect

“There she goes. I haven’t seen her take her cloak off since the day her friends disappeared.”

“Neither have I. Whatever happened must’ve been harrowing for her. I can’t imagine what she’s gone through.”

“You never asked, either,” I said, piercing the gossipers across the street with daggers in my gaze.

“W-well, I...” I could feel his tension relax as I turned and walked away. I hate ponies who do nothing but gossip about things they don’t try to change. I continued my walk through the marketplace, buying what I needed and leaving as I had done for nearly a decade.

“Hello, Miss Sapling,” said a familiar, if highly unwanted voice.

“What do you want, Smart Ass?” Pantelones: Fat Unicorn Stallion. Age: Old. Coat/Mane Color: Yellow. Cutie Mark: Grungy blue jeans. Occupation: Owner of an overground casino. The damn bastard makes his living by selling the privilege of throwing your money away to anypony stupid enough to actually do it.

“Well now, isn’t that a fine way to greet somepony. And after all the years we’ve known each other, at that!” Oh, did I mention I used to work for him? I had done something horrible when I was a filly, but he chose to pull some strings and kept me from being exiled to the Wasteland.

“Leave me alone. I’ve already been released from your service.” Not that it was a good life, mind you. I’ll admit to wishing I had never been born on more than one occasion.

“I know, I know. I just wanted to extend my invitation to this year’s proceedings. You did so well while you were with us.” He also runs a sort of colosseum for those who actually like watching ponies and other creatures beat each other senseless. I was too young to be used as a call-mare in his casino, so he made me train as what ancient ponies would call a ‘gladiator’. Living in the Arena for those six years matured me in ways that few ponies can claim.

“Pantelones, I have no interest in joining the Arena again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have worthwhile ponies to feed.”

“You mean that wreck of a unicorn you call Harmonica? Whatever for?”

“If you say anything bad about her, I will destroy you right here!” Harmonica: Musical Unicorn Mare. Age: Old. Coat color: Burgundy. Mane color: Gold. Cutie mark: Harmonica. Relationship: The mare who has taken care of me since I was a foal. She used to play a burgundy and gold harmonica which matched her coat, mane, and cutie mark, but the music has left her in recent years...

“Hahaha! I see that’s a sore spot. I’ll try to be more delicate in the future,” the ass chortled.

“Don’t give me that horseshit,” I snarled. “Is that all you wanted, or do you intend to give me more of a reason to kill you?” He waved his hoof dismissively and began to trot away.

“No no, I’m done. The invitation stands, though. Think about it.” As though I would ever have a reason to go back to that hellhole. GAH! I’m pissed. To have that disgusting pony pay me a visit really ruined the day. I walked in silence until I finally arrived home. Harmonica was waiting for me, and I had dallied too long.

“Hello, you,” I said to the golden streak that poked above a chair. The streak perked up, then became a head at the chair’s side.

“Thank Celestia you’re safe! I was so worried about you!” My old friend rushed and hugged me, as though it had been longer than a week since we last spoke.

“Please don’t start with the worries. I have to go to work soon, and I can’t leave if you’re acting like that.” I tried to squeeze out of her vice-grip, but eventually I quit fighting and accepted it. “Literally, at this rate.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She finally released me, leaving me slightly crimped and crinkled in the neck. “I see you less and less nowadays.” I popped the joints in my spine back into proper alignment, then grabbed the groceries I had bought in the market.

“I brought you another week’s worth of food. Please don’t scarf it down too fast, okay?” I set the food on the table where I used to practice my levitation.

“You know me better than that, Little Sapling.” I couldn’t help but smile back when her eyes grinned with the rest of her face.

“Yeah, I do...” I thought back to the conversation with my old boss. An invitation to go back to the life I left 2 years ago. Back to being a fighter. He hasn’t pursued me for all this time, so why now?

“What’s wrong, Sapling?” she asked when I didn’t return her glance. “Come on, tell me.”

I gave a half-hearted smile. “You always know, don’t you?”

“Of course. I raised you, after all,” she said proudly. “So, what is it?”

“I got a visit from Pantelones today,” I sighed.

“That loathsome creature? I’m so sorry...” She sent a concerned look my way. "Will you be alright?"

“Don’t worry about it. I can handle myself.” I puffed up my chest and raised my head high, trying to look as noble as I would never be.

“Of that I have little doubt.” For some reason, she didn’t look completely convinced. “Well, I’d better let you get to work. Thank you for taking care of me.” She bowed.

“Any time. I’ll see you later, Harmonica.” The door clicked silently as I walked out. “Now, let’s hope the Overmare doesn’t have me doing anything too too bad today.”

In Stable 12, there are several different methods of choosing your occupation. The first, and most immediate, is the advent of the cutie mark. When somepony’s cutie mark appears, it is immediately analyzed and fit into some job for the Stable. Another way, for those ponies who are late bloomers, is to try out everything until something is found that sparks the cutie mark to appear. At that point, your job is set in stone.

The third and final way is by the needs of the Stable. If you try everything, and I mean everything, and your cutie mark still doesn’t appear, then the Stable puts you where it needs workers. So far, there has only been one case like that. But hey, at least I get to meet lots of ponies that I would never have met otherwise, and I’ve learned a lot of trade skills.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going, Sap? Get in here now!” Woops. I had nearly walked right by the Overmare’s office! It just wouldn’t do to go without work for a day. I get paid little enough as it is.

“Sorry, Ma’am. What do you need me to do today?” The Overmare: Regal Unicorn Mare. Age: Middle-aged. Coat color: Scarlet. Mane color: Grey. Cutie Mark: A crown underscored by a quill. Occupation: Official leader of Stable 12. Everything that happens within Stable walls, from maintenance to event planning, is under her jurisdiction, making her the single most powerful pony around. I work directly under her as a sort of all-purpose task-completer.

“I need you to clean Festival Tower for tomorrow’s events. Purina will be there as well to take care of the water, so you focus on the wall itself.”

“Alright. I’ll finish it faster than you can clap your hooves.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.”

***

“Ready, Purina?” Purina: Gentlehearted Unicorn Mare. Age: Young. Coat color: Light blue. Mane color: White. Cutie Mark: Large water droplet with three irradiated rocks in it. Occupation: Water purification expert. Her talent for cleaning water earned her a special place in the Stable. Not a bad pony, though she’s a bit of a pushover sometimes.

“Whenever you are, Sapling!” she called. I stretched and took a running stance. 3, 2, 1...

“GO!” I bolted toward and around the tower, tapping it and listening as I went. Based on the change in echo quality, Purina was already on the cleaning phase of her spell. I’d better pick up the pace! *Tap, tap, shuffle... tap-ap... tap-ap tap-ap...*

“Found it! Are you ready?” Purina’s horn stopped glowing a moment later.

“Just finished the inside. Do your thing.” I double-checked the spot I had found to be completely sure, then reached back and... *CRACK!* My shot was right on target, blasting the dirt and grime build-up off the tower in a jiffy. “It never gets old, no matter how many times you do it. How do you do that, Sap?”

“Sound vibrations,” I said proudly. “Solid, rigid objects like the tower have a resonance point which, when tapped or struck, launches a shock wave of sound throughout the entire object. If you strike with enough force, the vibrations from the sound force anything that isn’t a natural part of the object away.”

“That’s a powerful magic! I wish my purification was that strong.”

“I told you before, I don’t use magic. And your magic is is even better than the water talisman’s. Thanks to your cleaning, the water is pure and able to bump up that blast to 20 times stronger. I couldn’t do what I do without you doing what you do. Speaking of doing what you do, it’s your turn again.”

“Oh, right! Here it goes.” Her horn glowed a beautiful blue as her magic went to work. The water in the moat around Festival Tower swirled, churning all the sediment to the outer wall until not a speck remained within the pool.

“Well done, Purina! That water’s as clean as the Cakes’ kitchen knives!”

“Stop, you’re embarrassing me...” Heh, I can see her turning purple from here. She’s so cute when she blushes.

“Alright, alright. Let’s head back to the Overmare’s office and report in. If we’re quick, we might get a couple extra jobs done today.” Purina nodded, so we trotted back in the direction of Stable HQ. “So, how did you find out you could purify water? That’s such a useful skill, but I can’t imagine anyone just thinking ‘Oh, I’m going to trying cleaning water today.’”

“Actually, that’s kinda how it went,” she replied.

“Really??” I asked incredulously. She nodded once, then narrated as we walked.

“Yes. You see, my family used to live in the Wasteland, so fresh water was hard to get. There was a river and a lake about a day’s walk away, but both the river and the lake were full of radiation. That is, until one day when my father found a water talisman. Immediately, the river water became pure! It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my life, up to that point. But then raiders came and stole our talisman in the night. Father said we wouldn’t survive without that water because the old well had dried up, so I steeled my courage and went to the lake. It was a long journey. I prayed to Celestia that she would help me do what I came to do, and I ended up finding my cutie mark that day.” I looked back at Purina’s flank with newfound admiration in her cutie mark.

“That’s amazing, Purina! You saved your village!” Her eyes became downcast.

“No, Sap... By the time I returned home, there was nopony left to return to. I went back to the lake to gather enough water for a week or two, then left.” She turned away, unsuccessfully trying to hide her tears.

“Oh, I’m so sorry...”

“It’s ok, Sapling...” Purina paused to compose herself. I wanted to give her a hug, but I didn’t feel like it was appropriate given I was the one who made her cry. “Eventually, I found this Stable. At first the Overmare didn’t want me to enter, but when I showed her that I could clean water, she accepted me. And so I’m here today.”

I put a consoling hoof on her shoulder. “And we’re glad for it. Like I said before, there’s nopony like you.” She looked at me to find a smiling face. I was relieved when she smiled back.

“Thanks.” We traveled for a time without speaking, slowly approaching Stable HQ. The walk seemed to take longer, until she broke the silence. “What about you, Sapling? How did you find your cutie mark? What is your cutie mark?”

“I don’t have one,” I said dismissively.

“You don’t?” Shock and awe. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten that reaction out of a pony. “Doesn’t everypony get a cutie mark?”

“Everypony but me, I guess. I’ve tried everything to get one to appear, but nothing has ever worked. Things I love to do, things I can’t stand doing, nothing." I shrugged. "I can’t really explain it.”

“Why do you think your cutie mark won’t appear?” I stopped and stood still for a moment, thinking about that time. “Sapling?” That time when I met my best friends on top of Festival Tower. It was the three of us, at the end of the Festival, and we... “Sapling, Are you okay? You’re sweating terribly.” I snapped out of my reverie to find she was right.

“Gah... Now I’ll have to change my hood. Let’s hurry back,” I said, quickly trotting toward HQ.

“Why don’t you take it off and let it dry out?”

“NO!!” Purina jumped back, startled by my sudden roar. A wash of shame flooded over me. “Sorry, Purina. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The shivering mare slowly regained her courage and returned to my side.

“I’m sorry, Sapling. I didn’t know you liked your cloak so much.”

“I don’t...” My eyes searched for something to look at, other than the ground or Purina.

“You don’t? Why do you wear it so much?” Finally, they found the HQ building.

“Let’s just get back to the Overmare’s office. It’s only a block away from here.” The rest of the walk remained in a state of guilty silence.

***

“Welcome back, you two,” the Overmare greeted as we walked through her door. “Goodness, Sapling. Did Purina douse you or something?”

“Not intentionally,” I replied. I looked at her, but she wouldn’t return my gaze. Damn, I feel awful.

“Anyways, you’re just in time for another job, if you want the extra work.”

“Absolutely!” I said immediately.

“Does it require my assistance, ma’am?” asked my companion.

“No, Purina. You may go home for the day.” Purina bowed, then left the room. Damn. She’s good company, but now I’ll probably get stuck with some ass of a pony.

“What’s the job, ma’am?” A figure walked out from behind the Overmare’s large chair. “Absolutely not! I refuse!”

“I haven’t even told you what the job is.” The figure approached me slowly, it’s silhouette growing larger.

“I don’t care! Whatever it is, I refuse.” I stomped my hoof in emphasis.

“Oh come now, Sapling. Is that anyway to greet somepony willing to offer you a job?” asked the fat yellow buck.

“It’s the only way to greet somepony like you, Smart Ass!”

“I told you she would be difficult,” Pantelones said with a smirk.

“She’ll do as I say, and I say this is an order.” The Overmare shot a look at me on that last part. Crap.

“Fine. What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to be my winning bid an arena match.” Dear Celestia, she can’t be serious! “If you win, you will be paid all the prize money that I would receive. Use it to help Harmonica.”

“Why in Celestia's name would I agree to anything so stupid as to go back to that dung heap just so you can have some sport? And why are you stooping as low as gambling on fights in a fucking arena? You’re the Overmare!”

“You see, Pantelones and I have made a wager of sorts--”

“No fucking horseshit! That’s all that place is good for, and I want nothing to do with it,” I flared.

“Sapling, let me finish! In the ages before Equestria existed, the three pony species would quarrel and fight amongst each other. When politics couldn’t solve problems (and more often than not, they couldn’t), they would send a ‘champion’ to settle the matter for them.

I know Mr. Pants has been dealing with Raiders and other shady creatures on the outside in order to continue his overground gambling arena. I want to finally shut him down. He wants free reign to run his ring without interference. Both of us want this issue resolved, so I want you to be my ‘champion’ in this matter. You are the only one with experience in his arena, where the contest will be taking place.”

“Please, don’t send me back to that place! You can’t win this wager, no matter what you try to do. I know what kind of pony Smart Ass is. He won’t accept a defeat here. If I lose, I’ll be prisoner to that arena again until I can escape, and if I win, he’ll make it look like I cheated somehow and void your agreement. All this will accomplish is getting me out of the Stable for life.”

“Please, Sapling. This is the only way short of a hostile take-over that we can shut him down completely. As Overmare, it is my responsibility to protect my tenants from the evil this man tempts them with. I’m sending you to do this because you’re the only pony who can. You have two months to prepare, Sapling. Don’t fail me!”

I glared at the Overmare from beneath my hood, then at Pantelones. It was all I could do to keep from bucking them both into Festival Tower. But, despite my hatred of the arena, it did have an advantage.

“I’ll agree on one condition.” Surprised at my response, the Overmare cocked an ear.

“And what would that be?”

“Harmonica receives the best care in the Stable for the rest of her life, starting the moment I agree to this. She will live in her choice of available housing, eat the best food, drink the purest water, and receive the best medical care. If you ever fail to hold up that promise, I will murder you both. Those are my terms.”

“Do you realize you’ve just made a death threat against me, Sapling? I could have you exiled for that!” the Overmare exclaimed, flabbergasted.

“Does that mean you plan on denying her those things?” I bristled. She backed off. “Then exile me, but that won’t stop me from finding you if I ever learn something happened to Harmonica because you broke our agreement. Understand?” The Ass chuckled.

“I don’t see any harm in that request. If I lose the wager, I’ll pay for all the bills personally.” He seemed a little too confident to be making that statement, but the Overmare agreed to the new conditions.

“Does this mean you will fight in the arena again, Sapling?” she asked.

“Only on those terms.”

“Very well. Two months from today, you will fight in the arena for the future of gambling in Stable 12!”

“Is that all, Overmare?” I growled.

“Yes, that’s all. The rest of the day is yours.” I bowed, then slammed the door shut as I left the room.

“Do you really think her opponent will win, Pantelones? I’ve followed Arena since long before Sapling’s time, and I’ve never seen someone as determined and able to claim victory as her, before or since.”

“Would I have made this wager if I wasn’t confident? You’ll understand why in a few hours.”

***

“Eight years ago, we watched the birth of a new star: the pony known by all as Hooded Filly, a Unicorn who refused to use magic. She tore through her opponents in her age bracket like a Hellhound on Dash, before becoming part of the species bracket. Even without using magic, she quickly rose to the top of her class and moved on to join the Mixed Species League in only a few short years. It was there that her skills truly blossomed and grew into the legends which we all remember to this day.

Two years ago, she did what many believed was impossible for one so young: she claimed the title of Arena-wide Champion, a title reserved for the strongest fighter among all species brackets. Immediately afterward, however, she stunned us all with her statement of resignation. Like any one of the blows that tore through her opponents, the day she left tore a hole through the arena’s hierarchy, and even our very souls.

Since that fateful day, many powerful fighters from all across Equestria have appeared, eager to take her place, but none have captured our hearts like that legendary little filly. It is in her honor that we conduct this two-month event. 256 challengers have gathered in their respective regions today to start their journey to becoming the next Arena-wide Champion, making this the largest fighting tournament in recent history! Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, Zebras, Griffins, Manticores, Hellhounds, and other species will be participating! As with all official Arena events, weapons are strictly forbidden. Anyone caught violating this rule will be disqualified immediately.

The season will begin with a one month free-for-all to determine rank. Any fighter may challenge any other fighter during this time. The rules are as follows:

**-* Two challenges may be issued per day per challenger.*

**-* Any number of challenges may be accepted per day.*

**-* Matches will be 1-vs-1, best 2 of 3 under the observation of an official Arena Referee*

**-* +2 points per individual victory, +1 points per match victory*

**-* +5 points for undefeated victory*

**-* The same two opponents may not officially battle each other more than once*

**-* The bottom-half scorers from each affiliation at the end of the month will be eliminated*

**-* Weapons are strictly forbidden*

**-* Any objects that modify one’s ability to perform physically, mentally, or magically, including but not limited to PipBucks, amulets, talismans, drugs, or potions are considered weapons and as such are strictly forbidden, with the exception of health potions before and after a match*

The second month starts the Weekly Schedule. The rules are the same as the first month, with a few exceptions. During Weeks One and Two, fighters will be divided by species, and all points will be reset to zero. As in the first month, any fighter may challenge any other fighter, but only matches within affiliation will count toward the point total.

Week Three will be tournament-based with the following rules:

**-* All points reset to zero.*

**-* Brackets will be formed based on the first month’s bracket rankings: 1vs8, 3vs6, 2vs7, 4vs5*

**-* Species Brackets will be single elimination with the winner advancing to Week Four*

**-* The Non-affiliated bracket will be double elimination, with 1st and 2nd place advancing to Week Four*

**-* Matches will be 1-vs-1, best 2 of 3*

**-* +2 points per individual victory, +1 point per match victory*

**-* +5 points for undefeated victory*

**-* Weapons are strictly forbidden*

**-* Any objects that modify one’s ability to perform physically, mentally, or magically, including but not limited to PipBucks, amulets, talismans, drugs, or potions are considered weapons and as such are strictly forbidden, with the exception of health potions before and after a match*

Week Four is the Finale of this event: The Tournament of the Hooded Filly! I’ll bet some of you are wondering why the Non-affiliates are allowed two members to pass through to this round. The reason? The current Champions from each species group will be participating in this final event! That’s right, each of the seven Affiliated Champions will take part in a separate bracket, along with the winner of the Non-affiliated bracket.

The rules are the same as Week Three, with the following changes:

**-* All matches will take place at the Stable 12 Arena*

**-* Points are no longer tallied*

**-* Champion Brackets will be formed based on non-champion Rank: 1vs5, 4vs8, 2vs6, 3vs7*

**-* The Championship match will be fought between the winners of the two brackets*

Prizes

**-* 1st place - 6,400 caps, Crowned Arena-wide Champion and earns a fight against the legend herself, The Hooded Filly!*

**-* 2nd place - 3200 caps*

**-* 3rd/4th place - 800 caps*

**-* 5th-8th place - 400 caps*

And there it is, The Season of the Hooded Filly! Be sure to watch all the action as it’s happening from any terminal, anywhere! Log in as Arena_fan then your usual login name, and you will have instant access to all the battles from a referee’s-eye view. Track your favorites and wager on who you think will win! You have until the match officially starts to place your bets, so be quick!

***

I trained. Hours upon hours of endless training, like I had done just a few short years ago. If I was to survive against a champion that Smart Ass hoof-picked, I would have to be ready for anything. He’s probably brought someone in from the outside, so it won’t be anyone I know.

A griffin maybe? They have a nasty claw swipe but are so easy to read. A zebra? Tough as horseshoes, and skilled in many hoof-to-hoof arts. Better be ready for one of those. What else? Earth ponies are powerful, if generally slow, brawlers, and Pegasi can dart around, making it difficult to land a hit, not to mention the extra sting they get from their boosted speed. If I’m fighting a Unicorn, though, I could be in some trouble. Their levitation is a force to be reckoned with, especially if they’re good at it. The more powerful ones also have more specialized magic, like healing or beams. A zebra, Pegasus, or a unicorn. My opponent will probably be one of those. It’s going to be tough, training to fight three completely different styles, but I do have a couple months to prepare.

“You’re down there again, aren’t you, Sapling...” Damn! She woke up.

“Yes I am, Harmonica. I'm sorry I woke you.”

“You promised me you would never go back to that wretched place!” I could feel the distress in her tone.

“I have a chance to destroy the arena for good! No one else will be forced to go there ever again if I win this fight. Also, I can take care of something far more important to me than fighting in that place. Somepony more important than all the--” My body froze.

Another note, then a third, then chords and lines of music filled this dungeon which had been long forsaken by all things beautiful. My heart calmed, my mind cleared, and my body relaxed as Harmonica played her namesake’s lullaby for me through to the end for the first time in years, her horn glowing from under the little ring which circled it.

“I haven’t heard you play in so long, I had forgotten the notes...” I said, unable to hold back my tears.

“You haven’t needed me to play for so long. I thought I had forgotten the craft, until now. You have never broken a promise to me before. This endeavor must be extremely serious for you to do something like that, and I won’t let you do it alone. I’m going to help you, little Sapling, in every way I can.”

She played a different tune, this time inspiring me to be at my best in whatever I decided to do. I looked at the pony in a nearby mirror. She had a chocolate coat just like me and a mane of midnight/sunlight green just like mine, but I knew that the pony staring back at me wasn’t who I was. Harmonica was right. I wasn’t at my best when I broke my promise, or when I tried to hide it from her. But with her help, I could be at my best, and I would need to be when I faced off against Pantelones’ challenger.

“Thank you, Harmonica,” I choked, before resuming my training.

***

“Greetings, all you dedicated fans! Pantelones here with an update on the Season of the Hooded Filly! After the first month, we have the initial standings! For a full listing, log in to the nearest terminal! Right now, the top scorers are as follows per affiliation:

**-* Earth Ponies: Victory - 257, Juniper - 234*

**-* Pegasi: Comet Tail - 300, Aurora Sprite - 263*

**-* Unicorns: Foresight - 278, Hindsight - 244*

**-* Zebras: Starborn - 299, Poultice - 260*

**-* Griffins: Gwen - 312, Gerard - 258*

**-* Manticores: Harmsalot - 212, Scratches - 200*

**-* Hellhounds: Mange - 248, Licebite - 225*

**-* Non-affiliated: Cottonball (Bunny) - 336, Cluckold (Cockatrice) - 290*

You might be wondering ‘How is it possible that a bunny has the most points?!’ right? It seems that most of his challengers were looking for easy points and quickly regretted the decision, hahaha! The opposite is true for the Manticores. Everyone did their best to avoid them, which left them with a low score. Don’t assume that they aren’t capable fighters because of it! After all, why would they be avoided otherwise?

Just a reminder of the second month’s proceedings: Month Two kicks off the Weekly Schedule, with Weeks One and Two acting as tier placement. Week Three will pit the top eight challengers from each affiliation against each other for the right to participate in the Tournament of the Hooded Filly. In Week Four, the Tournament begins, Involving the winners from Week Three and the current Champions. The winner of the Tournament will be crowned Arena-wide Champion and be given the chance to fight the legendary Hooded Filly herself!

Want to keep up with all the action? Log in to any terminal as Arena_fan, then use your usual login name to watch all the battles from a referee’s-eye view, visit the archives, or place your bets before the matches start!”

***

“Howdy, filly. Glad you’re here. I got some gopher troubles that I need taken care of, and I need a young back to help me.”

“That’s why I’m here, sir.” This was my job? Gopher hunting for a farmer? This’ll be quick. I’ll just smack them down like the pests they are.

“Oh, there’s just one little hiccup. The gophers are quick and mean, pokin’ their head out of the ground one after the other, then disappearin’ back in their holes like they never existed, leavin’ you with your back open to attacks. I’d deal with’em myself, but they’re just too quick for this old stallion.”

I threw my gaze over the field. There must be dozens of holes riddling the plot of land, and at least 12 gophers poking their heads out. If what the farmer was saying is true, this is going to be a little tougher than I thought.

“Alright. Nothing to do but get started.” I could see the gophers turning their heads as I trespassed onto their field. “Now then, should we try diplomacy, or go straight to the hard way?”

I thought I felt a miniature earthquake when the gophers disappeared into their holes in unison. Great, now all I have to do is get a few to attack me so I can smack them away. One poked his head above the surface. Now two more. Now 6 more. Then there was a much larger tremor under my hooves. Not enough to shake my legs, but...

“Ho. Ly. Shit.”

“What’s the matter? It’s just a few gophers. I’m sure you’ll take care of them in a jiffy.”

“Just a few. I see.” I facehoof'd. There were at least 3 gophers per hole, maybe more! This was going to take all day! I could already tell I wasn’t going to get any training time in.

“Alrighty then. I can’t leave until I’ve taken out every single one of you pesky gophers. Don’t worry, I won’t kill you or anything like that. Just knock you out of the garden.”

The gopher army disappeared into their holes again during another earthquake, except for one which seemed to be struggling. Might as well start there.

“Don’t be afraid, little guy. I’m gonna help you.” I saw its big, cute eyes staring back at me in expectation as I approached. Suddenly, down it went. That little trickster! It didn’t need-- Ow! I turned to examine my flank and saw the culprit below: one of the gophers wielding a twig. I stomped, but he vanished, leaving me stomping just the-- Ah, my neck! There was another one in front of me. Only caught the air as I kicked, though. *Swat!* Grr...That damn gopher.

Wait... Just one gopher? Why are they only coming one at a time? There are hundreds of them. They could easily overwhelm me if they wanted to. So far, it’s been like one gopher porting around the field, instead of the army that I saw earlier. Heh, that’s a scary thought. A teleporting gopher. How am I supposed to fight something that teleports? I can’t tell where it’s going to come from next. It just disappears and then I’ve been struck.

“Hey, sir. You said you could do it yourself, didn’t you?”

“I said I was too old to do this! Are you quitting already?” he asked irritably.

“No, not at all! I just wanted to know how you did it when you were younger. It’s like the gopher is teleporting around the field, and I can’t hit it.”

“Ohohoho! Well this is a first! The young asking the elderly for advice.”

“Please, sir. I can’t do this if I can’t see them coming.”

“Oh, alright. Back in my day, we had a little something we called the ‘tinglers’. We’d strap the odd shoes to our flanks to feel them coming up from the ground, but that old thing is a bit worse for wear. If you could fix it up, I’d be glad to let you borrow it.” Eh... I’ve never been good at using mechanical doohickies, much less fix them. Still...

“What did the tinglers do?”

“Well, basically they bumped up our sensitivity to small vibrations in the dirt and air. You know how when someone calls out your name and you know which way to turn, even if you don’t see them? They worked like that, ‘cept for our legs instead of our ears.”

“You mean those tremors were from the gophers?”

“That’s exactly what’s it’s like! A tremor. How did you know?” I walked back to the field to try again. Sure enough, the dirt was barely shaking under my hoof. I leapt backward just as the gopher erupted from beneath me. *Kick* If gophers could look surprised, I’m sure this one was looking it as it flew away. When it finally landed, it shook its head and regarded me with a curious eye.

At least, that’s what I like to think was doing. After all, who truly knows how gophers look when they’re pondering something. It buried itself back underground. I walked off the fi-- Never mind, the tremor’s back. Under my right fore hoof. I prepared to repeat the previous maneuver, but the tremor shifted to my back hoof. Now back to the front. Suddenly, it got much stronger under my rear left hoof! I jumped forward and whirled to see the scamp in midair, whiffing with its twig. *buck*

“Your method works, old buck! Thank you for the help!”

“What do you mean, ‘My Method’? You’re not using the tinglers, but whatever you’re doing seems to work. Keep it up!” After a few more kicks, I had a small pile of gophers growing in the corner of the field. This might not be so bad.

I spoke too soon.

The ground tingled all of my legs as four gophers all shot out of the ground at once, determined to whip me as best as they could. I ducked and shot my legs away from me as I fell prone to the ground, connecting each hoof to a gopher just before they reached the dirt. They were getting smarter. More tremors, more gophers, more kicks.

“How’s it comin’, kid? I’ll bet you’re givin’ those gophers a real spankin’! Or are they spankin’ you? HoHo! If I was your age, I’d give you a spankin’ to!”

Oh for the love of...Gah! One of them got me, but it was met with swift retribution. I can’t get distracted, or I’ll get overrun by gophers. They’ve started coming out in greater force now, sending in six or seven at a time. *Dodge, buck, kick, swat, kick, dodge, swat, buck, punch, dodge* It’s getting tough to detect them all. I must still be a rookie at this. After hours of dodging, punching and bucking, the gopher uprising was finally quelled.

“Well done, Sap! I didn’t think anyone could take on that group of mean, little gophers and actually win! You really are something. Here’s your pay for the day.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Please, call me Dusthoof.”

***

Every day for a week, I swatted gophers. There were just too many to defeat completely, but at least I was getting really good at sensing them through the ground. Unfortunately, they knew that too and had started sending in a dozen at a time. Dodging and striking at the same time is difficult, but if they keep this up, I’ll be pretty good at it by the time they quit coming. Finally, that day arrived.

“Thanks for stoppin’ by again, Sap. You really helped with the gophers these past couple of weeks. I reckon those critters won’t be botherin’ my garden anytime soon.” Dusthoof, an old stallion with a shaggy, dark brown mane, tan fur, and a circlet worn just above his PipBuck. He loves his plot of land more than anything in the world.

“Glad to help. What’s the trouble today?”

“It seems them gophers have friends in high places. Literally. You drove the gophers out of the field, but a Muckingbird has started attacking from above, ruining all my crops with its scat. I moved all my clean crops into the shed, but unless that bird goes away, they’ll all die! I need you to drive the bird away so I can grow them properly.”

“This just hasn’t been your month, has it? First a swarm of gophers, and now an angry bird.”

“No, it’s just that season. I’ve been doing this every 2-3 years since I was just a colt, but now I’m too old, and the tingler isn’t working anymore.”

“Well, that’s why I’m here. I’ll take care of that bird in a jiffy.” I trotted out onto the field and saw the feather head circling high above.

“Be careful, Filly! That bird’s poo will--”

“Oh, stop worrying, Dusty! I think I can handle a single bird after fighting off a hundred or more gophers,” I said, dismissing his warning. I can see the bird, I can avoid any poo it flings at me, and I can throw rocks with precision. It doesn’t stand a chance. I picked up my first rock.

*rumble rumble CRASH!* A pit opened up from beneath me. A booby trap?! The swarm of gophers closed in around me as the bird dive-bombed. Not good! Damn it, I can’t move! The gophers pinned me in the crater as another crew began filling the hole. I shook the gophers off and leapt out--

And right into a scat bomb. It exploded in front of me, covering my entire face with refuse. My nose, my mouth, my eyes. I wiped it off my nose and mouth first so I could breathe without inhaling shit, then went to clear my eyes, but the shit had already caked on the lids and hardened, sealing them eyes shut. *WHAM!* Another bomb exploded just beneath me, caking on my belly and hooves. *Swat* Ow, my flank! A gopher must’ve just-- wait. I didn’t feel him coming. Shit!

“Dusty, I need to get this stuff off! I can’t see or feel the ground anymore!” I cried.

“Sorry, kid. That stuff won’t come off until the bird wants it to. You have to drive it away, or it will keep flinging until you’re smothered!” What. The. FUCK!

“Alrighty, then. I’ll just have to do it without being able to see. Easy as ca-- erm, pie.” But how the hell am I gonna do that? I ran around erratically to make myself a difficult target. I could hear the bombs bursting around me. as I jumped about. Alright, Sapling, think. How did he do this when he was young? Against gophers, he wore the tinglers, which boosted sensitivity to the ground and air. Why would he need to be sensitive to the air if gophers attacked from the ground?

I got a sneaky suspicion that it was for this guy here. I stopped running around and felt for tremors in the air.

Nothing.

I may be sensitive to the ground, but apparently the air was something beyond me. *WHAM!* Another slug rammed into my right side and exploded, knocking me over. I scrambled up just in time to narrowly avoid getting hit by another. I began dodging around again, but after a few more explosions, my left flank was splattered in poo. With both of my sides covered in hardened refuse, it was getting hard to move.

“I’m getting, destroyed out here, Dusty! I need help!”

“There’s no way I’m going in there at my age! I’d be buried in poo before you could say ‘I’ve been splattered by the runs!’” I heard him call.

“But I can’t feel anything from the bird! When I was fighting the gophers, I could at least feel where they were coming from through the ground, but I can’t do anything like that through the air.”

“Is that why you stood there all of a sudden and got yourself hit?”

“Yes... I was trying to feel the air like I did with the ground.” Dusthoof facehoof’d. Don’t ask how I knew he did that, because I honestly have no idea.

“Sapling, you idiot. You’re wearin’ a cloak!”

“Of course I’m wearing my... Oh.” It was so natural to me that I had forgotten I was wearing it. Well, thank Celestia for small favors, or else I’d be covered from my neck down in bird crap.

“You wanna feel the breeze through your fur again? Tryin’ to feel the air in a hood is like tryin’ to feel the dirt through shoes!”

“You mean... I have to take it off?”

“Idiot filly... I’ve seen you around town you know, and it’s always broken my heart when you sulk through the market under that damned hood. It’s sad that you won’t even take that thing off to protect yourself,” he muttered.

It’s true. I never took off my cloak; not while fighting in the Arena, not while working for the Overmare, and especially not in the marketplace. Only when I get home, and only when I know there won’t be any guests. I’ll admit I’ve failed a few jobs, lost a few fights because of it. Was it really worth it...?

For the first time in 9 years, I allowed my skin to feel the outside air.

“Phew... Those are some nasty scars,” Dusty’s voice said right in front of me. I felt my face burn with blood as I blushed, knowing exactly where he was looking.

“Really? Maybe I should get something to hide them. You know, like a hood? Nah. It would be shameful to hide something like those.” I hope I gave him as much embarrassment as he gave to me. “Anyways, who cares about scars right now? I’ve got a bird to fight!”

I suddenly became aware of a small, steady pulse on my right, almost like the whisper of a thought. Then there was a slightly larger pressure which grew a little bit as the seconds passed. If that’s what I think it is...! I bolted forward, just before I heard the explosion and splatter of shit on the field. I’d feel sorry for knocking the old buck over if I wasn’t mad at him right now.

“Thanks, Sapling. You saved me.”

“Not intentionally.” Okay, so I can dodge flung poo. That doesn’t help me fight back, though. How do I attack a bird that I can’t see? I mean, sure I can tell the general direction, but...

Actually, maybe that’s all I really need.

I dashed around until I tripped into the bed of rocks from earlier and waited for the bird to get close enough to fling a bomb at me. Wait for it... Now! *ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-kick!* One of the shots must've hit because the Muckingbird squawked in pain and fell to the ground with a satisfying *thud*. I ran over to the place I heard it land and managed to get my hoof on top of it before it flew away.

“I’m going to kill you if you don’t get me out of this shit. Right. Now.” Nothing. “Don't believe me?” I squeezed the nasty creature's neck a twinge.*crick tcsssshhhh* Ah, I can see again! Ow! Blinding sun pain! I blinked away a few tears, then continued, “We need the crops you’ve been shitting on to live down here, and we can’t eat with all that poop covering them. How would you feel if somepony just up and turned all the worms into stone so you couldn’t eat? Don’t come back again. Now get out of here!”

***

"And we’re finally to Week Three! The brackets have been created using the scores from these last two weeks, bringing the Arena one step closer to having an official Champion! Let’s take a look at the first round line-up, shall we?

**Pony:* Victory vs. Cider, Strawberry vs. Barley, Juniper vs. Brawny, Licorice vs. Sturdy Hoof*

**Pegasus:* Comet Tail vs. Rudolph, Aurora Sprite vs. Snowfall, Blitz vs. Blaze, Avalanche vs. Hurricane*

**Unicorn:* Hindsight vs. Kindling, Rapid Flow vs. Brightly, Foresight vs. Alley, Bunsen vs. Quickstep*

**Zebra:* Starborn vs. Poultice, Scylla vs. Redstripe, Anarchy vs. Xanthina, Blind Eye vs. Blackstripe*

**Griffin:* Gwen vs. Griffa, Ghast vs. Gondo, Gerard vs. Gerald, Gutter vs. Ginger*

**Manticore:* Cuddles vs. Harmsalot, Sparta vs. Scratches, Hairball vs. Snickerdoodle, Mew vs. Miao*

**Hellhound:* Mange vs. Bloodclaw, Scalper vs. Jock, Licebite vs. Flea, Furface vs. Furless*

**Non-affiliated:* Cottonball (Bunny) vs. Twigs (Timberwolf), Phlight (Phoenix) vs. Cirrus (Thunderhead), Cluckold (Cockatrice) vs. Marian (Alicorn), Turtle (Tortoise) vs. Tortoise (Buffalo)*

What a riveting line-up we have! The leaders of the first month all made it through to Week Three, along with their strongest competitors! I can’t wait to see how this tournament plays out, because once it’s over, the REAL Tournament begins!

Want to keep up with all the action? Log in to any terminal as Arena_fan, then use your usual login name to watch all the battles from a referee’s-eye view, visit the archives, or place your bets before the matches start! You can now place bets on individual matches, who you think will win each bracket, how the brackets will look when the week is over and more, so login now!”

***

Of course the little bugger came back, and it was all out war for dominance of Farmer’s Field for the next week. Three swarms of gophers, two flocks of Muckingbirds (yes, flocks. The bastard brought his extended family and all their friends) and one pony. I’m happy to say that it was the most fun I’ve had since storytime as a filly. Rodents flying almost as much as the poo, feather brains eating dirt, and hooves getting covered in all sorts of gunk. By the time it finished, I had no doubt the field looked worse than the wasteland above the Stable. At least I was victorious in the end.

“M-my field...” Well, maybe a Pyrrhic victory. Dusthoof would kill me if his crops had no place to return to.

“I’m sorry about the land...” I bowed my head in shame at the destruction that had taken place.

“My dear girl, whatever for? It’s perfect!” Wait, what? “It’s been fertilized 100 times over, tilled to the point of rocklessness! I can’t thank you enough!” O...kay then.

“Glad to help, I guess. Need anything else today?”

“In fact, I do. You finished early with this one, so I’m going to start you on the next right away.”

“Alright. What is it?” I asked.

“I have a pet tortoise who will be needing a new shell soon. In the back, I have a rock farm that holds enough gems for him to build a beautiful shell once he’s ready, but I can’t break the rocks to get them. Would you mind doing that for me?”

“Of course. Show me where they are, and I’ll have those gems in a heartbeat.” Behind the gardens, past a small waterfall, and through an apple orchard rested a rock farm, as void of life as the poop-stained hoodie I burned last week.

“Here we are. Each and every one of those old stones holds a gem inside. The bigger the stone, the more and larger gems it holds. I need 1000 of the things to for Mr. Snapper to build his new shell, so you’d better get to smashin’.”

“Alright. Shouldn’t take too long. Let me just get a hammer and chisel--”

"Are you INSANE?!" cried the old farmer. "I won't have you risking those gems with something as crude as a hammer! Do it the way it's supposed to be done: without tools!"

"There's gotta be 500 rocks out there! Are you saying you want me to break every last one of them with my hooves?!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Better get started, filly." Shit. I walked over to the nearest boulder. It was relatively small compared to the other rocks out here, but that’s okay. It’s better to start small and work your way up to the good bits, otherwise a job just gets boring. *Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap...* I searched for the dissonance point, the point in an object where all the sound is contained. *tap, tap, tic... tic tic... Finally. *Crack!* Ngh... I was a little off, and now my hoof was aching from the blow. This is going to be rough. *Crack!* Fissures spread across the rock as soon as the strike fell. The only way I'll be able to do this is if I keep using the dissonance point. If struck with enough force, the sound waves stored in that point explode outward, shattering the object. As the rock fell apart, I saw the core glint in the sunlight. Bingo.

“Hey! I found a couple!” I shouted, holding up the jewels over my head.

“Great job, Sap! Only 998 more to go!” Right. I can’t celebrate after only gathering 2, not when I’ve got such a massive amount left...

*Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tic... tic tic... CRACK!* 649 more...

*Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tic... tic tic... CRACK!* 493 more...

*Tap, tap, tap, tap, tic tic tic... CRACK!* 386 more...

*Tap, tap... shuffle... tic tic tic... CRACK!* 251 more...

*Tap... shuffle... tic tic... CRACK!* 151 more...

*Tap... shuffle... CRACK!* One more!

I approached the last boulder that hadn’t been smashed. It looked almost like a pearl: perfectly round and smooth, without blemish. Almost made me wish I didn’t have to break it.

*Tinnnnnn...* Such a pure, crystalline tone, a music which my ears have sorely lacked during my time on the rock farm. Now I really didn’t wanna break it. Why, oh why did I have to do this?

“Dusty, I’ve already gathered 999 of the gems you needed. Can’t I spare the last one?”

“Are you kidding? A shell requires perfect detail, and you can’t get that with anything less than 1000 gems.”

“Yes, but can’t you break one of the larger ones to make two smaller ones?”

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!! You ruin the quality of the stone if you commit such an atrocity!” he fumed. With a whimper, I set about searching for the dissonance point.

Unfortunately, the phenomenon only happens in rigid materials that have imperfections. This wonderful stone was pure in composition throughout, forming one giant resonance point.

“Up until now, I’ve been using the dissonance point to shatter the rocks, but this one doesn’t have a point like that. How am I supposed to break it?”

“Dissonance point? What're you talkin' about, young'n? Just break the thing!”

*Tinnnnnn...* I could see the whole thing slightly ripple. Ripple? What’s a ripple, other than a deformation? If I could make it deform into a dissonance point, I could shatter it. Where would that point be, though...

“When you’re cracking an egg, split it from the side where only a small amount of force is needed. If you try to crack it from the tip, you’ll put too much pressure on it and it will explode under your hoof...”

Explode under my hoof. The tip of the egg. When the ripple returns to where my hoof struck the rock, it’ll turn into a sort of ‘tip’, right? That’s the dissonance point. *Tinnnnnn, tink* It worked. *Tinnnnnn CRACK PISSHH!* I’ll have to thank Harmonica for teaching me about making an omlette. This lovely egg broke exactly as I thought, though I wish I didn’t have to do that. It created such wonderful tones...

I carried my bucket back to the farmer for the last time. After two weeks of hard work smashing stones, I had finally collected enough gems for Mr. Snapper to make an amazing new shell.

“Thank you very much, Sap! Here’s your pay for today’s work.”

“Thank you, Dusty. Have a good night! Tell Mr. Snapper that I wish him luck with his shell!”

***

“Welcome, Fillies and Gentlecolts. For nearly two months, we’ve watched the best fighters from around Equestria take part in the largest fighting event in recent history. It is fitting that we have gathered the best of the best here, in the Stable 12 Arena, the place where Hooded Filly began her journey to becoming the top in the Mixed Species League, and the place where we will crown a new Champion! One week remains for our challengers to prove that they are indeed worthy of claiming the title held by the most skilled fighters this Arena has ever seen. One week, one Champion, one climactic battle between a new legend and the Legend herself! It’s all here, this week in the Tournament of the Hooded Filly!

The starting rounds are as follows:

**Non-champion:* Cottonball (Bunny) vs. Miao, Comet Tail vs. Juniper, Gutter vs. Licebite, Starborn vs. Foresight*

**Champion:* Marian (Alicorn) vs. Shimmerstar, Zebrix vs. Fluffykins, Goryth vs. Cupcake, Sidesplit vs. Gir*

Alright, folks. This is how the schedule is gonna work. Each day will host a round of matches, starting with the Non-Champion bracket, then alternating brackets each day for the remaining time, with the sixth day hosting both the final for the Champion bracket and the Championship battle! The seventh day will be the Award Ceremony, ending this season with the crowning of a new Arena-wide Champion! Hooded Filly will also be there, her very presence issuing a challenge to the new Champion to claim her place. Should the Challenger accept, the match will be a one round, No-Holds-Barred match held in the Stable 12 Arena for all to see as well as streamed live through the terminals! This won’t be merely a referee’s eye view match. This battle will be completely Stadium-view from any of our cameras throughout the Arena! Watch the action from any and every angle through your terminal and place your bets on who will win for up to the first minute of the battle!

Want to keep up with all the action? Log in to any terminal as Arena_fan, then use your usual login name to watch all the battles from a Stadium-view, visit the archives, or place your bets before the matches start! You can place bets on individual matches, who you think will win each bracket, how the brackets will look when the week is over and more, so login now!”

***

Ahh, my head...

“She’s coming around.” Muddy voices. Footsteps. Light breathing on either side of me.

“Good. It’ll be time to start soon.” Less muddy voices. Footsteps. The breathing is gone. Ugh... The last thing I remember is leaving Farmer’s Field after breaking the rocks. I saw Harmonica looking at me, her expression saddened. She looked up at me and tried to say something, but I can’t remember what. Something struck me on the head. Damn. Serves me right for getting another cloak. I couldn’t sense what was coming. Wait, whatever got me must’ve seen her!

“Sap?” Crystal clear. THAT voice is Harmonica!

“Hawmunicuh? Aw yoo okeh?” Damn, I can hardly move my jaw. All my senses are dull. What the hell happened to me?

“Yes, I’m here. I’m right here with you.”

“Wuth goig uhn? I fee yike I’m pinned to duh wahw.”

“To a wall? No, it’s a--”

*shatter* “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!” *stick* What else?!... Huh... it’s gone. What the fuck just happened to me?! It was like every bone in my body broke under extreme pressure just before my nerves electrically spazzed out; then the pain just disappeared.

“Dear Celestia!” Harmonica rushed off. “Are you sure this is okay?! You made my Sapling scream so horribly”

“It’s the fastest way to build her endurance before the match. Her bones haven’t had time to adjust back to the stresses of battle. If we don’t do this, she will get destroyed in the first round against the Champion! Medically speaking, breaking and repairing her is the only way she’ll be sturdy enough for a battle of that level.”

“But that scream... I haven’t heard that horrible sound since--”

“Chord, you knew what would happen and gave us consent to do this. The healing process is sped up by healing potions and Med-X, so she will be fine after every run. The best thing you can do for her right now is play your music. She will need all the help she can get during the week she is here.”

“Yes, you’re right...” More footsteps. “I’m here, Sap. And I’m truly sorry for what is about to happen to you. When you’re ready, Crop...” I opened my eyes to find tears in hers as she slowly took out her namesake. A single note. Followed by a plethora of snaps.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

***

“It’s been an amazing week, Fillies and Gentlecolts! We’ve watched stunning battles, powerful drama, the rise and fall of Champions, and most importantly, we’ve discovered the two most powerful fighters in all of Derby: Comet Tail the Pegasus and Marian the Alicorn! Let’s take a quick recap of their rise to stardom.

Comet Tail is a young buck from Trifecta. He works in the Wine’n’Dine Saloon as an apprentice bartender under Monarchos and acts as security for the business. He doesn’t have much in the way of strength, but his blistering speed more than makes up for it! With a clocked wing-power of 15, he approaches that legendary flier, Rainbow Dash, and has proven his worth in the stadium!

His first match was against Juniper, the Earth Pony. The mare was a tough one, able to take the full brunt of his attacks and nearly counter him, but after a long battle, the repeated blows wore her down. His next opponent was the dark horse, Cottonball. Who would’ve thought a bunny could be so terrifying, but that’s really the only word that can describe the little creature. Able to match the Pegasus blow for blow in terms of speed, Cottonball proved to be a worthy opponent, but after being carried and thrown outside the stadium, her fight was over. Finally, the Unicorn Foresight, whose magic allowed him to see his opponent’s moves ahead of time, was completely overwhelmed by Comet Tail’s incredible speed. After all, being able to see what’s coming doesn’t protect you if you can’t react to it!

Marian is an Alicorn originally from Maripony, the site of a Balefire detonation 50 years ago. Not much else is known about this mysterious challenger, other than her abilities in battle. She has shown herself to be practically invincible, able to both fly and use magic, including spells like teleportation and high-power shielding. She also has incredible physical strength, completing the three-part triangle of pony magic. A terrifyingly powerful creature, she has exactly what it takes to rise all the way to the top. Will Comet Tail be able to overcome this huge obstacle in his bid for the title of the of Strongest?

Her first foe was Shimmerstar the Unicorn. An extremely powerful levitant, Shimmerstar often had the flow of battle controlled in her favor, keeping Marian at bay with the barrage of missiles she broke from the ground. Marian’s only defense was her magical shield, which protected her from the strikes. She remained on the defensive until she teleported behind Shimmerstar and stabbed the unicorn through the flank with her horn, ending the battle. Next was Fluffykins, the Manticore. We all saw how she stopped the beast’s claw swipe with just a single hoof. The poor thing surrendered out of shame. Marian’s final battle was against Cupcake, the Champion Earth Pony. The two simply stared at each other for most of the match. Honestly, I have no idea what happened, but eventually Cupcake nodded her head and walked out. I believe it’s safe to say everyone was disappointed in the outcome of that match, but here we are.

Comet Tail vs. Marian (Alicorn)

The battle starts now!

***

“And there she is, the legendary Hooded Filly!” Thunderous applause from everypony as I entered the packed stadium. I hadn’t expected such a warm welcome after walking out on them, but Pantelones probably buttered them up with his silver tongue.

“You’re just in time, Hooded Filly, to watch the final battle between your future opponent and the challenger!” I took my seat at the podium. “Would you honor the crowd and the competitors by ringing the starting bell?” I threw him a disgusted look. *DING!*

My jaws dropped as I watched the battle unfold. A silver Pegasus with extreme speed fighting the creature of my foalhood nightmares: an Alicorn. It was purple, the color of teleporters in my old storybook. Sure enough, she was teleporting to dodge the Pegasus’ mind-boggling speed. Suddenly, she disappeared, and the Pegasus shot into the sky. I could see magic sparking off of a purple orb hovering there. A force field?! The shield began to descend, continuing to spark and sputter, but holding. The Pegasus was inside it! The Alicorn gracefully landed on the arena floor, holding the no longer sparking shield. Finally, she disabled it, leaving a motionless Pegasus limp on the ground. That monster killed him! Cut off his oxygen supply and killed him! No, wait... thank Celestia, he’s still breathing.

“What do you think of your challenger, Sapling? Can you win the Overmare’s wager against that?”

“Yes.”

“HAH! You haven’t been in battle for over two years, and that mare is the strongest pony I’ve ever seen! It’ll be fun watching you squirm.”

“Likewise, when you’re shutting down the Arena.” Pantelones hovered the mic to his mouth and began to speak.

“At last, we have a new Arena-wide Champion! Marian the Alicorn has defeated Comet Tail!” Say what? You don’t become the champion just from single tournament!

The crowd roared. Cheers of ‘Marian!’ erupted in unison, a deafening cacophony of ponies and beasts alike. As if on cue, she pointed directly at me with her horn.

“Hooded Filly, it’s your turn!” Her voice boomed over the crowd, the taunt causing cheers to rise even louder.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Your crowd needs you.” My crowd. I hate to say it, but the nostalgia of the work I had done here flooded through my mind and soul at that moment. Even though my mind loathed me for it, my body reacted powerfully to the rush.

“They aren’t my crowd...” I tried to convince myself. Nevertheless, with blood pumping and nostrils flaring, I walked down to the arena floor.

“Challenge accepted! The triumphant return of Hooded Filly is upon us! Will she be able to overcome this new foe, the Alicorn Marian?” The sight of the silver Pegasus flashed across my eyes as the medical staff carried him away. The smell of steamy sweat burned in my nose. The sound of gasping breaths filled my ears. The feel of the grime-covered floor stuck to my hooves. The tense charge in the air rose the fur on my spine. The taste of battle grew on my tongue.

The worst part of all this? I liked it. It was the introduction to a familiar dance which my soul longed to resume. One that had been unused, but never truly forgotten.

*DING!* The familiar bell tolled, signaling the start of the battle. Marian disappeared. *FFT THUD! tumble tumble THUMP* Damn, what a powerful buck! If my bones hadn’t been hardened, I would’ve lost half my ribcage. *FFT CRACK!* Too close! That broken wall might’ve been my head. Damn teleporting monster!

“Pathetic, Sapling. Are you really a legend?” the mare scoffed. Grabbing my hood by the shoulder, she threw me back to the center of the stage. At least this time I landed on my hooves. *FFT THUD! FFT SLAM! FFT BIF! FFT WHOMP! FFT CRACK! FFT FFT FFT FFT*

“It looks like Marian has complete control over the flow of battle! Our new Champion is making the Legend look like foal’s play! Hooded Filly is unable to counter the teleporting barrage!” Cheers of ‘Marian! Marian!’ descended upon my ears.

“Damn it! Fighting this mare is like fighting a giant gopher!... Gopher?” Agh! How could I be so dense?

“What can Hooded Filly do under the unrelenting-- Whoa!” Gasps of horror flew out from the crowd. “This is completely unexpected! She has removed her cloak! But that’s not all! From beneath her hood, she has revealed a scar that would make any unicorn cringe!” Indeed, all eyes were focused on a single point: the skinless, bony cavity where my horn had been excavated. I felt a wash of shame flood over me, but stomped the emotion out, reminding myself of the opponent in front of me. “Believe me when I say this is a complete surprise! Not even I, who have run this Arena for more than a decade, knew about this stunning revelation!”

Marian teleported away, taking a moment to gauge my actions. *FFT Whiff Swipe! CRASH!* Oh, that felt good. She didn’t even get a single hoof under her before her head beat the ground. She immediately teleported back to her hooves and launched another volley, but her movements were not brawler material, making her an extremely easy read. I dodged her strikes and broke her balance, sending her crashing to the ground over and over again.

“What a surprising turn of events, fillies and gentlecolts! All those years of refusing to use magic were just a cover up. Hooded Filly never could use magic! But does that make her any less powerful? Not at all! She’s just gone on the offensive, completely overwhelming Marian! The Alicorn, who used her teleportation to attack early in the match, now has to flee or suffer the consequences!”

And flee she did, right into the sky. Typical winged tactics. I began launching rubble at her, the rocks flying like missiles straight for her wings, but she swatted most of them down easily. Her wings were just as tough as a Pegasus’.

And they had the same weakness.

One of the rocks made it through her defenses. It struck her on the pressure point just below the wing, shooting pain visibly through her body as she buckled and came crashing down. Perfect. I lunged in for the knock out, hoping to end this quickly. *WHH--FZZT!*

“A shield?” I observed.

“A shield, fillies and gentlecolts! That same shield which has protected Marian throughout the course of the season is back again, protecting her from Hooded Filly’s assault! Will the Hooded Filly be able to overcome the obstacle?”

“You are strong, Sapling. I didn’t expect this from a pony like you,” she wheezed.

“What exactly did you expect? A clean, easy victory? Also, that’s the second time you’ve called me by my name. How do you know me?” I pounded against her shield.

“Charcoal said ‘She is a unicorn without magic. You should have no trouble destroying her,’ but he was wrong. You are incredibly tough.”

“Did you say ‘Charcoal’?” The name which stole my friends from me nearly 10 years ago. The name which haunted my every nightmare. The name which caused me to lose my horn.

“He won’t be pleased.”

“Tell me everything you know about Charcoal!” I commanded, barraging her shield with punches.

“He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He taught me to be strong after losing my guidance, and he told me to destroy you. That is all I know.” Not much at all, but there's something else I may be able to get from her.

“What do you know about a unicorn named Sagely? She’s green with a yellow mane.”

“Green with a yellow mane? I met a pony like that once. She had a strange but very powerful magic, like nothing I had ever seen before. It smelled of darkness and doom.”

“That’s her. Where was this?”

“Near Maripony.”

“How long ago?”

“About 3 years.”

“Grr... I can’t work on something years old. I need something recent!” I flared, renewing my assault against the magic that protected my opponent.

“I have some more information.”

“Tell me!”

“I’m finished healing.” *FFT Whomp!* A swift buck sent me face-first into the wall immediately after Marian disappeared in a flash from my sight. I could feel the blood flowing from my nose and lips... And for some forgotten reason, that really pissed me off. I shot my rear hooves back toward the Alicorn. *FZZT* “Hmph. You cannot break my shield. You have lost.”

“I’ve hit your shield many times now. Did you think I was just venting?” *TFZT-- PISSHH!* The Alicorn stood naked before my hooves, her shield shattered by the same strike which I had used to destroy the pearl. I grinned at her shock, revealing several red teeth. She teleported away, dodging my next strike. I whirled to face her and charged.

She vanished. Not a flashy teleportation, just disappeared. I dove at the spot where she had been standing, but only caught air. I whirled, watching the entire stage, but to no avail. *WHOMP! THUD!* My face hit the floor hard. If this goes on much longer, I’ll be finished!

Suddenly, I became acutely aware of a presence directly above me. One that was moving far too quickly toward my skull. Oh HELL NO! I rolled to avoid the strike then chomped down hard on the invisible leg. I heard a cry of anguish emitting from the invisible mare somewhere overhead. I bit down hard into the limb, then wrapped my legs around it. *cr-cr-Crack* Ah, the sweet sound of bones snapping between my hooves. Her invisibility dropped, leaving her defenseless to my renewed fervor. I had forgotten what victory felt like. I can’t believe I ever left this place!

“What an amazing comeback from the Legend! In the beginning, she was helpless against the teleporting torrent of strikes from Marian, but now she has not only conquered that, but also the shield which had balked so many fighters before her and even invisibility! Can nothing stop her deadly assault?!” I threw Marian's crumpled body against the wall of the Arena and pinned her there with a foreleg. I happily drew back my other slowly, letting her savor the taste of fear. My fist rocketed forward and--

My body froze. Through the cacophony, I could faintly hear another note emit from somewhere in the stands, then a third, then chords and lines of music hushed the stadium which had claimed so much of my mind and soul. My heart calmed and my body relaxed as the lullaby sounded from the harmonica hidden in the stands. I spat the blood out of my mouth and wiped it off my face. As I looked at the broken, bloody Alicorn, finally returning to my senses, I fought back a feeling of guilt which hadn't welled inside me for 9 years.

“Marian, your wings are crippled, your legs are broken, and you’re having trouble breathing. Do you still want to fight?”

“I h-have to defeat you... For Ch-Charcoal...” Well, that settles it. I released her from the pin and walked away.

“I’m done. Call the match.” Pantelones just looked at me.

“Are you surrendering?”

“No! But Marian’s in no condition to fight. It’s over, Pantelones, so end the match.”

“Unless you surrender, this match isn’t over.”

I looked back at Marian, then at my own hooves. I knew what needed to be done.

“Pantelones, I--” Suddenly, the crowd erupted in rage. I scanned them, wondering what could possibly make them react like that, until my eyes fell upon Marian.

“Marian!” I rushed to her side. A black flame burned in the hole which passed clean through her body and into the wall. “What happened? Who did this?!” I yelled.

“I did.” A dark flash of magic, and there she was, standing on the ridge of the stadium above us.

“Sagely!” I bristled.

“Hello again, Sapling. I didn’t expect to see you here still alive.”

“I didn’t expect to-- wait, what do you mean, ‘still alive?’”

“Marian was supposed to kill you during this tournament. What else could it mean? Not just Marian, either. Your good friend Pantelones set the whole thing up just for you.”

“...What did you say?”

“It’s true. Pantelones gladly agreed, saying he wanted revenge for you leaving.” I shot a glance at the now pale yellow stallion. “His job was to stage the tournament, making it easy for someone like an Alicorn to get close to you. Marian’s job was to make sure you died. My job is to make sure she doesn’t come back to Charcoal alive for failing in her task.”

“Charcoal sent you too?”

“Yes. I suppose I should thank you for making the job easy for me.”

“So that’s it? You just show up to kill her then leave?!”

“Pretty close. Goodbye, Sapling. I’m sure we’ll meet again.” Her dark magic flashed as she teleported away.

“SAAAGGE! Damn it! Where are the fucking medics?!”

***

“Welcome back! How are your friends? I know it’s been awhile since you’ve had time to see them, so I hope your time together was good.”

“It was good to see Harmonica and Purina,” I admitted.

“Anyways, you did well, Sapling! Here is your prize money, as promised.”

“Prize money? You think I came back for prize money?” For some reason, the very mention of the words sent the emotions I worked so hard to control straight over the edge. “I don’t give a flying fuck about prize money! This entire tournament was set up for the sole purpose of killing me, and good decent creatures got killed in the process!” The Overmare backed slowly, but remained in the room. “How’s Marian?”

“She’s comatose, but she’ll live. That hole Sagely put into her will take time to heal, though. Not to mention the crack in her horn.”

“What do you mean? Did I damage it during the fight?” After losing my own horn, the thought of taking somepony else's just... urggh... I feel like I’m going to puke.

“No, this crack happened years ago. If it had happened during the fight, we might’ve been able to fix it, but the break is already set. Even with the best healing, I’m not sure we can repair it fully.”

“Wait, doesn’t that mean it was cracked during the fight? During the entire tournament?”

“Indeed, and she still had enough power to defeat Champions. I’d hate to see what would happen to somepony who fought an Alicorn while she was in perfect condition.” I had wondered about that. In my foalhood storybook, The Book of Littlepip, an Alicorn’s shield could withstand the explosion from missiles and balefire eggs. If they could do that, how in Celestia’s name did I break one?

Only if said Alicorn was handicapped.

“Anyways, about your prize money. What do you want me to do with it?”

“Give it to Harmonica. I’m sure she could use it better than I can.”

“Very well. I’ll give it to her as soon as we’re done here.” She put the money in her drawer. “Ah, it feels good knowing the Arena is finally cleared of the evil that Pantelones used it for, thanks to you. Is there anything I can do for you as a reward, since you won’t take the money?” Hmm... There was only one thing I really wanted.

“I want an hour in the Arena Stadium to be alone. As painful as my time there was, my most meaningful memories happened in that place.”

“Alright. The place has already been cleared of personnel and outsiders, so it should be peaceful.”

“Thank you, Overmare.”

“No, Sapling. Thank you for everything you’ve done to resolve this issue. When would you like to go?”

“Right away, before you do what you have to do.”

“Of course. Follow me.” The Overmare led me down the passage which Pantelones used to smuggle fighters between the Arena and the Stable. I wonder how she knew about the area so well?

“You have one hour. I’ll see you when the time is up. Oh, I almost forgot!” She took a small box out of her pouch and gave it to me.

“Overmare, is this...?” I looked down at the gift inside the box: a PipBuck 3000.

“Yes, Sapling. I was going to give it to you when you finally received your cutie mark, but I think you deserve it after what you did. Why don’t you try it on? When you get back inside, I’ll have one of the techies install it properly and teach you how to use it.” I slid the PipBuck over my foreleg and tightened the buckle as best as I could. My very own PipBuck, after 16 years...

“Remember, one hour.” As she closed the hidden door behind her, I walked outside. I wanted to see what outsiders must’ve seen as they approached the Stadium. Phew, what a formidable sight. I extended my hoof to touch what I had called home for 6 years of my life.

*Tap, tap, tap, tap, shuffle... tap, tap, tap, tap, shuffle... tap, tap, tap, shuffle... tic tic... *CRACK!!!... ack...** ack... ack...**

*...rumble...*

Level up! Level 2

SPECIAL

Strength +3

Perception +6

Endurance +8

Charisma +3

Intelligence +7

Agility +9

Luck +4

Traits

- That Damn Hood! -- You’ve learned to remove your cloak during battle, but years of use prevent you from just getting rid of it. +3 Perception during combat, -3 Perception outside of combat

- Berserker -- The taste of blood drives your fury! While Head is Injured: +20 Unarmed (+10 per injured limb), -3 Intelligence. Effect is doubled when Health <50%.

New Perk: Sounds of the Rigid -- When dealing with objects like walls or heavy armor, you can discover its physical integrity by tapping it.