Fallout Equestria: The Butterfly Effect

by Moowell

Rating: teen
Tags: Crossover, Dark, Adventure
Length: 36964

When Sapling is forced back into the life of a gladiator, she flees her foalhood home of Stable 12 and destroys the Arena which bound her. Now the consequences of her actions ripple throughout Derby, a section of the wastes on the edge of Equestria.

When Sapling is forced back into the life of a gladiator, she flees her foalhood home of Stable 12 and destroys the Arena which bound her. Now the consequences of her actions ripple throughout Derby, a section of the wastes on the edge of Equestria.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-02-15 19:33:05 UTC

Chapter 2

“Welcome to the Wasteland, Sapling,” I muttered to myself. It was almost exactly as I had imagined it to be, though not as I had hoped: it was barren, void of life save a few radroaches that clicked across the ground. Just like my foal-hood story book, The Book of Littlepip. After meeting Marian, I thought it would be interesting to see how much of the story was actually was true, but I guess the Gardens didn’t work this far away from the heart of Equestria. Still, it seems the Lightbringer actually exists. Speaking of light, it’s quite the day out here! We never had any light like this in the Stable. It was so brilliant, so... pure. I could just look out and stare at that big yel-- Ow! Blinding sun pain!

“Hey, hey, all you listeners out there!” WAH!!... Oh, it’s the PipBuck’s radio. “DJ D-Rails here, and that was Sweetie Bell with ‘Hush Now Rock’! Now for a little news. Looks like the Enclave is back and more powerful than ever. I’ve got word of a city called New Cloudsdale, somewhere past the Crystal Mountains, which they’ve taken over and begun using as a massive ship-production facility. The first wave of ships have already been used against Pegasi who oppose the Enclave. It’s only a matter of time before they start headed this way again. Thankfully, we still have our Lightbringer watching the skies and keeping us safe.

That’s it for the news, so it’s time to drop some beats by Vinyl Scratch, followed by fan favorite Velvet Re--”

*stumble tumble click*

I spat out the dirt that the wasteland so graciously forced into my mouth. Damn it! I’ve been trying so hard to get this PipBuck to work. Why is it that when I finally make something happen, a bump against the ground can simply shut it off?! Gah... Even though it makes a weird buzz in my leg, I gotta figure out how to get that radio back up and running.

Hmm...Hrmm...Ahmm...Hoh...mmm...*gnaw*

“How does this damn thing work?!” I beat it against the ground, hoping I’d make it actually do something. After an hour of trying, it seemed like the best option.

“Need a hoof?” Behind me?! “Whoa, there, calm down! I’m not gonna hurt ya.”

“Who are you?” I demanded of the earth pony, not dropping my guard in the slightest.

“Just a passerby. I can tell you just got out of the Stable by how clean your hood is.” What? Yes, I’m wearing my hood again. I don’t like showing my scars to people, okay? Besides, it could’ve been cold out here in the Wasteland. “Anyways, I saw you having some trouble with your PipBuck. Mind if I show you a few tricks?”

“Yes, I mind. I’m not going to hoof my belongings over to a total stranger. You could be a thief trying to take advantage of me.”

“I’m not a thief!” She pierced a whistle through my ears. That’s when I noticed she wasn’t alone. “I’m a raider, missy, and I’ll be takin’ that PipBuck along with the rest of your junk!” Six Earth Ponies, a leader with 5 lackeys gathered around her, all armed with knives, machetes and axes. Of all the things they could be armed with, it had to be fucking blades. Poundy object? I can deal with that. Shooty object? I can deal with that. Slicey object? Fuck...

“A group of six attacking one defenseless pony? How shameless!” I wailed.

“Tough luck, filly. Now hand over the PipBuck, or the six of us will do more to you than just a cutting!”

“Thanks for the confirmation. Bye-bye!” I bolted in the opposite direction. There’s no way I’m gonna let myself get caught by idiots who don’t know to surround their prey.

“Damn, she’s got some speed in her! Ringo, give me the Dash!” Did she say Dash...?

*...dathump, badathump, badathump, badaTHUMP, BADATHUMP!* Yep, that’s Dash. Shit she’s close!

“Whoa yeah! Gotcha now, missy!” Wait, if she’s speaking, she’s not using her blade! I glanced over my shoulder to confirm my suspicion and her position.

*Whirl CRACK CRACK!! badum badabadumpsshhh...*

“Aaaahhhhh! My legs! You bitch, you broke my legs!” the raider howled. Obviously she was unaccustomed to having bones broken. “When my crew gets here, you’re gonna be fuckin’ dead!”

“When your crew gets here, you’re gonna be fuckin’ naked,” I retorted. “There’s a lot of ground between us and them. Oh look, a knife! Was this yours?” Her eyes widened in horror.

“What are you..." *Rrrrrrrriiiiip...* NOOOOOOOOO!!!” *schick, schick, schick...*

***

“Come to think of it, I probably should’ve kept the knife.” I shuddered. Even if it’s a useful tool, the thought of having a blade so close to me just... Ugh. I did take the raider’s canteen and food satchel, though. Rule #1 of life: never pass up free food.

It didn’t take long for me to end up in the middle of nowhere. No water anywhere nearby, no critters around that I could see. No towns or buildings. Not even a cave. I wish I had a map that I could actually access, instead of this stupid PipBuck! Sigh...mechanics were never my thing. They’re all so buzzy. Make my whole body ache. All I can do now is move forward and hope for the best. This is going to be a long trek. I’ve gotta find some way of mitigating the boredom...

“And so, she moved forward, step-by-step, inch-by-inch, one hoof in front of the other toward her unknown destination. What awaits our heroine here in this Wastelands of Derby?! Is there danger? She glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the raider which she had buried to keep warm. After all, she thought, it isn’t nice to leave anyone naked out in the open air.

Hmm... Could there be a settlement, somewhere in the distance? There could! Lo, a train track just waiting to be followed! As she jumped in between the rails, she skipped with a new sense of hope that she hadn’t felt since leaving her Stable behind.

Where would this lead? What adventures awaited? Would she discover untold riches at the end of the trail, or heartbreak and sorrow? Is it even possible to feel heartbreak and sorrow if there is nopony around to break her heart?!

Sigh... she sighed. She knew this was going to be a long trip. She wondered to herself, ‘Could I be going crazy? It can’t be normal for a pony to monologue to herself.’”

*Snicker* “You got that right! BAHAHA!” A Pegasus dropped out of the sky in laughter.

“WAHH! Who are you? How long have you been eavesdropping?!” I bristled.

“Right around the point where you buried a naked raider. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone doing something that silly! Are all Stable ponies as kooky as you?”

“No, there are some very smart ponies in my stable. Wait, I’m not kooky!” I said, flustered.

“Obviously not. It’s perfectly natural for somepony to talk to herself like she’s reading her own book, isn’t it?” Grr... “By the way, why are you out here if you’ve got a Stable? Just looking for adventure like the pony in the story you were reciting?”

“Kinda."

“You should’ve stayed home. This place has a tendency to eat your kind for breakfast. I’ve only heard of a hoof-full of Stable dwellers who actually do well out here.”

“Like who?”

“Lightbringer and the Security Mare are the biggest names. Two of the craziest ponies you’ll probably never meet, but definitely tougher than the wasteland.”

“Lightbringer? Do you mean Littlepip? I have her book right here!” I took out The Book of Littlepip from my satchel and held it proudly in display.

“Good for you! That’s how most Stable dwellers nowadays trace their roots. Most end up raider food too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said as I put my treasure back in its pocket. “I thought while I was out here, I may as well see what’s true and what isn’t.”

“There’s a lot to the book that’s a load of radhogwash, but it’s based on historical fact. Just true enough to make you wonder about the past.”

“Maybe I’ll visit all the places mentioned in the book, if I can, and find out the real truth.”

“Don’t bother. That end of Equestria is hundreds of miles away.” Damn... Why couldn’t I have come out of Stable 2 instead of Stable 12? “Still, if you want adventure, you could always go to Twoton. They have a board up for anyone who wants to take on a job down at the Berry Bomb. It’s a bar at the front of town, can’t miss it. Just walk up to the owner and say ‘Hi! I’m (whatever your name is)! Have you seen my mom?’”

“What the hell sort of greeting is that?”

“The kind that’s actually a secret password to let you get the best work, of course. Duh,” he said evenly. Hmm... Can’t tell if serious, or really good at lying. Probably the latter.

“How old are you, colt?”

“How did you know my name?!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh... never mind. I'm 12.”

"That explains it," I said, matter-of-factly.

"Explains what?"

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is how to get to Twoton,” I replied.

“That’s easy enough. Just follow the tracks until you get to town. It’s about half an hour’s walk from here.”

“Great. Thanks, uh...”

“Colt.”

“Hey, sorry if I sounded condescending when I called you that, but I’d like to know your real name.” I said, a little irritated.

“Seriously. It’s Colt, as in Colt .45? Colt.”

“Oh. I see. Do you have a sister named Filly?” I smirked.

“How do you know my sister?!” he bristled.

“You’re kidding right? You don’t actually have a sister named Filly, do you?” By the blush on his face, I could tell I had stumbled onto the truth. “Hey, I’m sorry. I was only playing. I don’t really know your sister.”

“Yea, I know... There’s no way you could’ve right?” His hesitation said otherwise, but I decided not to press.

“So, I just follow the tracks to Twoton and talk to the owner of the Berry Bomb?” I asked in an attempt to change the subject. It worked.

“That’s right. Mind if I tag along? I was on my way home anyways.”

“You live in Twoton?”

“That’s right! Me and Filly live in a shack not far from the Berry Bomb.”

“Interesting.”

For the next thirty minutes, Colt talked my ear off. Everything from what life was like in Twoton to contemplating the Lightbringer’s true Identity. Celestia or, like the book claimed, Littlepip? Who were the Enclave, really? Filly was a Unicorn. Someday, he would do the Sonic Rainboom. You know, all the small talk that was standard for somepony his age. Finally, we reached Twoton.

“Welcome to my humble home.” Humble it was, at least compared to the Stable. “Want me to show you around the place?”

“Nah. I can find my way around. Just point me toward the bar, and I’ll be out of your mane.”

“Okay. Look right.” There, not ten paces away from me, stood a building with a sign above the swinging door which said ‘Berry Bomb Saloon’. Colt wasn’t kidding when he said it was right at the front of town.

“Thanks, Colt. See you around.”

“Sure thing!” He flew off down the road as I approached the building.

I walked into the saloon and looked around in wonder. There were a few circular tables, complete with leg chairs and ash trays. Two metallic rectangles covered in green cloth sat in the back right corner near a rack of perfectly straight sticks and a shelf with sets of balls no bigger than my hoof. In the opposite corner glowed a big, clear, glowy box. Inside were dozens of buttons and levers and switches that completely boggled me. I tore my eyes away from that mechanical monstrosity and looked at the floors. Hardwood, polished to a beautiful red-ish hue. In the center of the back wall was a door that said ‘Restroom’. It was a little worn compared to the rest of the building, so I’m sure it saw a lot of use.

Finally, I looked at the bar itself. Crimson cushions on gleaming metal stools lined a solid marble island. Rows upon rows of alcoholic bliss in all its forms lay behind the beautiful counter. Luna only knows what was hidden under that chunk of stone.

I walked into the ‘restroom’ to find even more amazement. White tile floors, marble sinks, polished fountain heads, enclosed stalls for relieving one’s inner piping... Not even the Stable was this nice! I could only imagine how much it would’ve cost to afford this magnificent place.

I helped myself to the stall before walking out. Behind the bar stood a large purple mare with a berry blue mane cleaning the glasses and placing them beneath the counter. A ray of sunlight glinted off the little band that circled her hoof.

“Are you the owner of this place?” I asked.

“Sure am, missy.” What a lovely smile she has. Complete with genuine, honest eyes. I shook my head. The grandeur of the place must’ve been getting to me. “What can I help ya with?” She asked amiably.

“This place is amazing! I never expected to see something that looked this good in the middle of the Wasteland.” The owner laughed heartily.

“Not many people do. That’s why I built this place. A little slice o’ heaven ta wipe yer troubles away. A lotta people have troubles lately that need wipin’,” she said. “Is that why yer here? Got something ya need ta get off yer chest?”

“No, not really. I’m here looking for work. A resident said there was a board here with a list of jobs to do?”

“That’s right, but I’m not one ta let a stranger come in an’ take all the work away from the locals. If ya wanna work fer the locals, ya gotta be a local.”

“Well, I don’t exactly have a home. What would it take to move into town?”

“Ya ain’t gotta home? Are ya a traveler? Merchant?”

“Ex-stable dweller.”

“Oh, I gotcha. Mind if I ask what made ya leave?”

“Yea.”

“Alright, I won’t pry. Anyways, if ya need a place ta stay, there’s a hotel next ta my saloon. If ya wanna place ta call yer own, then you’ll just have ta buy one.”

“Oh... I see...thanks for the help.” No money for the hotel, let alone a house. No available work. No reason to stay. Pity, that. I rather liked this happy mare, but there’s nothing for me here. I walked out.

The sky really is beautiful today. As I looked up, I saw Colt flying around doing loops and attacking stray clouds.

“Ya know, yer a bit odd. Why’re ya wearin’ a hood in the sun? It’s not a cold day today.” I glanced back at the owner. She was eying me with what looked like suspicion. I didn’t like it one bit. “Are ya hidin’ somethin’ under there, little filly?”

“That’s not your business, bar-mare.”

“Juniper, stranger. An’ if ya call me bar-mare again, I’ll trounce ya.” Given my background, I somehow doubted it, but she made me curious. I turned facing her and scanned her over. Earth pony, large, well built, solid stance, authoritative eyes, a single shotgun slung around her back. If she didn’t have the gun, I’d say she was a brawler. Could she actually beat me?

“Drop the shotgun, and I’ll take you up on that, Juniper. If I win, you let me do some work. I don’t need all the jobs, just enough to stay at the hotel and get supplies.” Her eyes wavered.

“And if ya lose?”

“I could just leave if that’s what you want, but I don’t think you want me to leave just yet. Why else would you stop me as I walked out of your saloon?” She wavered again. Looks like I was right on the money. “I’ll do whatever you ask of me if you win.”

“Yer not afraid I’ll ask fer something ‘unreasonable’?”

“Not very much is ‘unreasonable’ to me anymore. I’ll take my chances.”

“What’re the rules?” she asked after thinking for a moment.

“It’ll be a 1v1, hoof-to-hoof fight. First person to fall 3 times loses. Sound good?” She cocked her head at me with a curious look.

“Little filly, do ya even know who I am?”

“I only know that you’ve already decided to accept.” She grinned.

“That’s true. Yer a smart one, but really, really foolish Ya’ve gone and decided ta fight me in my element.” She took of her shotgun and set it next to the saloon.

“I know,” I said with an glint in my eye that refused to be masked. That put her on edge. She braced herself for the fight.

“Alright. When the Central Clock hits the hour, we start.” I looked over at the clock down the road. 1 minute until battle. Instincts flared and blood pulsed through me. Yes, I lived for this moment. That moment before the fight when everything stands still, and the air charges with the heartbeats of the competitors. When the music hasn’t yet begun, but the dancer feels the song within her soul.

*DOOOOooooonnnnnnng....* Let’s dance, partner.

Juniper was exactly as I had suspected: a very experienced brawler. She quickly closed the gap between us and launched her first flurry of punches, so I did what I always do when fighting an opponent of her caliber.

I waited for my partner to misstep.

Just as rocks have critically weak points, ponies have critically weak points. I don’t mean spots that are physically weaker than others, like the eyes or stomach. I’m talking about that one spot which will cripple a fighter’s flow. For Pegasi, that point is almost always the spot right under the wing, removing their ability to fly. For unicorns, that spot is usually their temples, forcing them to use magic through a migraine.

With earth ponies, you attack their roots, but they’re are all different because they all train differently. For those that train their bucks, attack behind the forelegs. For those that train their punches, attack the haunches. For those that are well balanced, attack their hooves.

And then there’s Juniper. Perfectly toned muscles, tough bones, well-defended pressure points, quick reflexes, excellent balance, few if any wasted movements. She’s the kind of pony you just have to wear down until she can’t continue. In a word:

Fun.

“Stop dodging, scamp! You’re not going to knock me down by just avoiding me.” Too true. Time to fight back. But where to start? Should I go for the eyes and knock out her reflexes? She’ll just turn her head, block, or worse, catch me and muscle me down. What about her hooves to take out her balance? Unless I can take out all four at once, she probably won’t fall. Maybe over-extend her until she reveals a pressure point? She’s too experienced for that.

Heh, I really am foolish for fighting her in her element.

“You’re a terrifying opponent, Juniper,” I praised. “I’ve never fought someone with your fortitude before.”

“Yer not too shabby yerself, ya little ghost.” I threw a swift punch which she immediately blocked and countered. I threw both forelegs in the way to block, but the force of her punch sent me sliding backward. Yea, this was going to be tough. Fighting her is like fighting a living, breathing Pearl. One that I can’t force into a dissonance point.

*SLAM badabathump* I went flying as one of her punches finally connected against my side. Ngh... I think I dislocated my shoulder...

“That’s one fer me! Took long enough, but I think I’ve finally figured out yer movements.”

“Really? Then I’ll just have to change them.” I abandoned dodging for a full on assault. Quick, precise attacks at all the usual weak points: eyes, groin, neck, belly, temples, everywhere! But with my bad shoulder, none of it worked. She was just too well defended, blocking and countering everything I threw at her. *grab* Shit! *thud thud swing crash!* Ow... landing face-first into a stairway is not a comfy thing.

“That’s two. One more an’ this match is mine!!” I shook my head, trying to stop the throbbing in my side and muzzle. I spat out a little blood, angry and only getting worse. This bitch is not going to beat me like this!

“Alright, bar-mare. You wanna play brute force? I’ll show you brute force!” Yea, I’m gonna wipe that smirk right off your face. She readied her punch as I charged, steam coming off my back. Her hoof connected with my skull and...

Cracked down the middle.

She leapt away, unable to put down her left foreleg. I didn’t waste any time. I harassed her until she finally revealed an opening, when I leapt in under her weak side and bucked hard, dislocating her right rear leg. Point 1.

Not that I cared about points now. Juniper was going to pay for making me look foolish! As soon as she stood up again, I crashed into her with a full body tackle, sending her rolling into a nearby trough. Point 2.

“What happened to ya? Ya went from bein’ a ghost to a damn nightmare!” Her head cocked awkwardly, then she closed her eyes and sighed. “I see. So that’s how it is.” She popped her leg back into place before struggling to her feet and turning to the pump over the trough. “Mind if I have a drink real quick? All this fightin’s makin’ me thirsty.” Opportunity for victory? Taken. I charged like a blitz as she filled the trough.

“GRAA--” *grab gurble struggle splosh splash... gasp!* Oh, the air never felt so good going into my lungs! Was she trying to drown me?! She clutched my head between her hooves and peered down my throat. Then she dunked me again, and a third time. Finally, gave a nod of approval.

“All clean? Good.” *Twir-wir-wir-wir-wir-wir-wir-wir-wirl* She set me down on dizzy legs and tipped me over. “That’s three. Looks like I win.”

***

Juniper mixed a couple brews while I clutch my head. “Yer not a bad fighter. What’s yer name, kid?”

“It’s Sap-- Agh... Sapling.” My head throbbed and pulsed as Juniper slid one of the concoctions in front of my hooves.

“Saplin’, huh? Here, drink this. It’ll dull the pain.”

“No offense to your craft, but I don’t drink.”

“Don’t ya worry, Saplin’. Not a drop o’ liquor in that one.” I noticed she sprayed some soda into her own, though. I drank, and the throbbing between my ears finally stopped. Not only that, but I felt the bruise on my side disappear as well.

“This is a health potion! Are you a chemist?”

“Ack! Now ya’ve gone an’ wounded me! My dear girl, I’m no chemist. I...” Pause for dramatic effect. “Am a Bartender. I make more different kinds o’ potions in a night than most chemists learn in a lifetime. Granted, most o’ my brews are alcoholic in nature...” She chuckled merrily. “But I got the basic materials fer more orthodox chems as well.”

“Interesting. What else can you do?”

“I can do just about anythin’ with these materials. Potions like yers, poisons, explosions. I can swing people’s moods from one end o’ the spectrum ta the other. I can even make Napalm rain!”

“Really.”

“Ayup.”

“Prove it. Ten caps says you can’t.”

“In my nice little slice o’ heaven in the wasteland? Yer outta yer gourd.” I didn’t press. Honestly, I didn’t care what she could do with her beer. “Now, about that wager...” Here it comes.

“I’ll do what you ask, and then be on my way. I’m not going to stay in a town that won’t let me earn a living.”

“Not even if I offer ya a job? I want ya ta work fer me.” Wait, what?

“I thought you said--”

“I said ya gotta be a local to take the local’s work. I’m not a local, though, so ya can work fer me.” I thought about it for a time, until finally I said:

“No. I’m sure you’d be a good boss, but I want to travel and see the wasteland with my own eyes. I’m not going to get very far if I’m chained down to a saloon.” Juniper sighed.

“Then I’m not offerin’. I’m orderin’. Yer gonna be a permanent addition ta my saloon.” Say what?!

“What are you talking about?”

“Yer gonna work fer me until I say otherwise. That’s what I get fer winnin’ the fight.”

“Slavery? That’s your victory condition?! I know I said not much is ‘unreasonable’, but that’s crossing the line!”

“Now look here, missy. I don’t wanna see ya fresh outta the Stable just ta end up at the barrel end o’ some raider’s gun. ‘Sides, I could use the company durin’ the week, when business is slow.”

“So instead of going through the trouble of searching through the market, you just claim me as your ‘companion’ here and now, is that it?”

“I’m givin’ ya a job! A steady income, a roof over yer head, food ta eat. Ya wanna go take yer chances in the wasteland? Fine. Get out, an’ don’t come back ta Twoton or I’ll hit ya with my brews!” She grabbed two bottles and glared at me menacingly. Honestly, I thought she looked very silly, but I didn’t bring that up.

“Damn it. I said I’d do anything you asked, and I meant it. I didn’t say I wouldn’t complain about it.” I finished my drink and slid the glass back over to where Juniper stood. “Better get started, then. What do you need me to do, master?”

“Fer starters, call me master again an’ I’ll wallop ya. Juniper’s good enough fer me.” She put her bottles back on the shelf. “Tomorrow we’re goin’ ta collect some radscorpion tails. The venom sacs in those tails are perfect fer makin’ antidotes an’ givin’ unruly customers a wicked hangover.”

***

“Quit yer whinin’, Saplin’. Since yer workin’ fer me now, ya gotta learn the ropes.” Juniper led me down the road.

“I’m just complaining. You wanna see whining? This is whiiiiiiniiiiiiing! My hooves are soooore! The road’s so dirtyyyyy! I wanna go back to the baaaaaaar! Why are you being soooooo meeeean?”

“Kid, if ya don’t quit it right now, I’m gonna tie ya up an’ leave ya on the train tracks,” she said evenly.

“Yes, ma’am.” As fun as it sounded, I didn’t fancy being tied down and left in the wasteland.

“Good. We’re here.” I looked up to where ‘here’ was. It was a marketplace, not unlike the one back home, if a bit smaller. To my right stood several booths selling weapons, barding, and ammunition. On the left, there was food, if you could call it that. 200 year old boxes of Sugar Apple Bombs? Radscorpion meat? I don’t think so. There were also potions and chems, for those ponies who were into that sort of thing. Down the road stood the Central Clock. “Ya’ve got an hour ta get some supplies. We’re headed ta radscorpion territory, so be prepared.”

I walked over to the shops and examined their wares. Compared to Stable 12, it wasn’t bad. The equipment was old and battered, but the selection was good. I found a leather barding that was my size, then went to buy some potions.

“Hey, you! With the hood! Yea, you!” I looked over to the pony who was calling me. She was in the chem shop. “I ain’t seen you here before. You with Juniper?”

“Who’s asking?” I asked. I didn’t like being called by somepony in a chem shop. Could be a junkie.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve got a message I gotta get to Juniper, but I’m waiting for somepony. Mind giving this to her for me? I’ll pay you.” The mare held out a small bag of caps and a package. Can’t be much of a junkie if she’s giving up caps instead of blowing them on chems.

“Fine. Give it here.” I took the package and caps.

“Thanks, girl. Oh, there’s my somepony. Maybe we’ll meet again.” The nondescript pony trotted away before meeting with a pony in a rather well-to-do suit. Seemed a bit out of place to me in a town like this, but I didn’t have time to investigate. I trotted over to the Potion Shop and bought some health potions and a few antidotes, then continued down the road. More shops lined the sides, mostly specialist hubs. Rugs, glass work, gun repair, a few assorted junk sellers...

“What took ya so long?” Juniper asked. Huh, when did I get here? She facehoof’d and gave me a stern look. “Ya lost track o’ time, didn’t ya? Did ya get everything ya need?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s yer armor? Surely yer not goin’ inta a nest o’ radscorpions with just yer cloak.” I unzipped the front part, revealing the leather barding. “Potions? Antidotes?” I nodded both times. "Good. Let's go."

***

We walked for nearly an hour in silence, until Juniper decided to break the ice. “So, Saplin’... Been outta yer Stable long? How do ya like the wasteland so far?”

“It’s only my second day, and already I’ve been attacked by raiders, nearly drowned, and enslaved. If this is just the beginning, I can’t wait to see the end,” I said sarcastically.

“Hey, you picked the fight and lost, so don’t gimme any crap ‘bout that. I’m sorry ‘bout makin’ ya mine and all, but it’s better for ya this way, trust me. Yer not really capable o' livin' out here, yet.”

“Why should I trust you? Who’s to say what I’m capable of or not?”

“Ya seem like a smart kid, even if yer a bit foolish Why’d ya leave yer stable? Why leave the security an’ stability of a place like that fer the cruelty of a place like this?”

“That’s not your business, master.” *WHOMP* A powerful hoof came crashing down on my noggin. Hold on a sec. Let me get the dirt out of my

"Didn't I tell ya I was gonna wallop ya if ya called me that again? Juniper’s good enough fer me,” she repeated. “Now answer the dag question.”

“Fine,” I said, rubbing the bump that was beginning to form. “I left because I didn’t have a place there. I was a sort of ‘all-purpose task-completer’ for the Overmare, so I never really felt a part of anything. I learned a lot of skills, met a lot of ponies, but never worked with anypony more than a day or so at a time. Then she ordered me to do something that I can’t forgive. So I left.”

“I see. What did she make ya do?”

“What does it matter to you?” I asked, dodging the question. She was an experienced fighter, so she’d probably been to the Arena before. If so, she probably knew about Hooded Filly. I never wanted to be that pony again.

“Alright, I won’t pry.”

“Really? You’ve been strict about questions so far.”

“Because we’re here.” I looked out at the void in front of me. It was barren, except for a couple dozen decaying scorpions.

“Are you sure this is a nest? It’s more like a graveyard.” Juniper just looked at me.

“Ya don’t know anythin’ yet, kid. Yer gonna have ta trust me and keep yer voice down, or we’re gonna have some serious trouble.” She pulled a machete from somewhere and tossed it to me. “Here. Take this an’ start cuttin’ off the tails.” I cautiously picked it up as she began scouring the ground for whatever she was looking for.

“Can I do something else?”

“What? I need those venom sacs fer my brews. Ya don’t have a problem usin’ a machete, do ya?”

“Let’s just say I’m a little uncomfortable wielding a sharp, dangerous, slicey, deadly, cut-my-hoof-off-with-a-single-badly-placed-stroke machete. I don’t do well with blades.”

“Well, yer just gonna have ta deal with it. If ya cut yerself, ya’ve got some health potions fresh from the market, remember? ‘Sides, it’s not like yer gonna be swingin’ it around. Just set it on the tail an’ push down.” I did so with trembling legs and found the tail was easy to cut through. *Spurt* A shot of ichor hit me in the face. Ugh... After feeling my blade slide through several more tails, my body decided I couldn’t stomach it anymore and I puked.

“Kid, yer gonna have ta toughen up. There’s a lotta nasty things out here, an’ if a little pus makes ya go an’ lose yer lunch, yer gonna have a rough time.” I wiped my mouth off, not a little embarrassed.

“Well, sorry for not being used to chopping through dead bodies.” I retorted.

“How many have ya got? Only 5? Keep at it. I need at least a dozen tails.” I went over to another one and sliced down.

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!!*

“What the--?!” The critter below me scurried away, its rear end bleeding profusely before it collapsed. Juniper walked up beside me.

“Please tell me ya didn’t cut a live one...” She whispered in my ear.

“Uh... What’s that noise?” For a moment, I thought I heard the faint sound of clicks. A slight tremor began to grow beneath my hooves.

“Time to go.” Juniper turned on her back hooves and bolted as the tremor grew and rumbled. It felt much like when I fought the gophers, only this time...

I ran.

Scores of holes exploded behind me as I followed Juniper back the way we came. I wish I hadn’t dared to look back, because when I did, I saw an army of menacing stingers and claws, all trying to reach the two of us. Most were tiny like the scorpions I had been scavenging, but there were more than a few large ones, and a couple that could easily snip me in half or spear me clean through. The worst thing about them though...

They were fast.

“They’re gaining on us!” I screamed as the front line came within a few feet of me.

“I know! Just keep runnin’!” Juniper yelled back. “If ya slow down even a little, you’ll be torn ta shreds!”

I felt a dart of pain flare through my leg. Not wanting to give it any more chances, I bucked the critter and kept running. Out of the corners of my eyes, I saw the wave of bugs begin to surround me. One leapt at me. I managed to dodge it, but more were coming. I’ll have to remember to thank Dusthoof for making me fight his damn gophers. I felt an odd tremor launch forward through the ground beneath me. Moments later, one of the large scorpions burst through the ground just behind Juniper.

“Watch out, Juniper! There’s a large one behind you!” She glanced back, then pulled a bottle out of her satchel. She tossed it behind her, hitting the beast square in the head. A blast of flame erupted before my eyes as the scorpion screamed and thrashed off to the side. Luckily, when it finally collapsed, it took out many of the bugs to my right. Thankfully, the rest of the front line chose to take the easier target, forgetting about me for a short time and feasting on the fallen creature.

Unfortunately, a hundred jaws make quick work of most anything.

I renewed my vigor as the next wave charged forward, not far enough behind me. Juniper drew several more bottles out of her pack and threw them behind her in different directions. Everywhere her bottles struck the ground, a wall of flame burst from the wasteland. The scorpions balked at the flames, seeming to hate the fire almost as much as I hated them. Suddenly a wall appeared directly in front of me. I leapt through it, hoping the scorpions wouldn’t do the same.

Thank Celestia they didn’t. Don’t get the wrong idea, though. Just because the scorpions stopped chasing doesn’t mean we stopped running.

***

We didn’t slow down until we reached Twoton, and didn’t stop moving until we made it back to the Berry Bomb. At which point, we both collapsed and took a rest.

“Are you alright, Juniper?” I asked.

“I’m fine, no thanks to ya. Cain’t ya tell the difference ‘tween a dead scorpion an’ a live one? Good thing I brought a few o’ my flares with me, or we’d probably be in pieces right now.”

“Well sorry, but all you did was throw me a blade and say ‘cut off the tails’, and in case you forgot, I’ve only been here two days! How am I supposed to know if something’s sleeping or dead around here?!” I said, jumping to my hooves.

Whoa... dizzy... *thump*

“What’s wrong?!” Juniper cried as I collapsed. “Damn it, Saplin’! I thought ya bought some antidotes!” I looked back at my leg; it was swollen and discolored.

“I did...” I said weakly.

“Then why didn’t ya use one when ya felt the sting? Idiot! The poison’s probably spread through yer entire system with all the runnin’ we did!” Juniper took out one of the antidotes I bought from the shop, tipped up my head and dumped the drink down my throat. “Damn it, kid. Stay awake, ya hear? Don’t sleep just yet.”

“But sleep sounds like... a good idea... My body’s... very tired... eyes... don’t wanna... focus... Just few minutes...” The world began to fade from view.

“Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare go dyin’ on me...”

Z..z..Z

“...I should probably start by explaining a little bit about PipBucks…”  The book closed slowly between my foal-sitter’s hooves. “And that’s the end of the story. How did you like it?”

“Huh?”

Harmonica smiled patiently. “I can tell your imagination is still running wild with moments in the book, even though it’s over.”

“What? It’s over?”

“That’s right.”

“NOOOO!!!”

“Now now, Sapling. Don’t throw a tantrum just because your favorite book has to end.” Harmonica ducked as blankets’n’things flew across the room, my little horn glowing as I levitated more objects.

“But it can’t be over! I want to hear more about Littlepip! More DJ-Pon3! More Calamity and Velvet!” What I really wanted was to stall for time so I could keep practicing my levitation, just like Littlepip.

“Well, that can’t be helped. It’s your bedtime. Maybe, if you’re a good little filly, I’ll start it over tomorrow?”

“But...” I have to think of something, fast! “Um... Pillow fight!” I hurled cushion after cushion from the couch towards my burgundy foal-sitter, hoping she would take the bait.

“Oh, really?” It worked. Half an hour later, the room was filled with laughter and cotton and all sorts of soft bludgeons. “That was fun! But now it really is time for bed.”

“Okay. Good night, Miss Harmonica!” I trotted happily to bed, levitating a few deflated pillows behind me to curl into. “Miss Harmonica, would you play me a song?”

“I most certainly would,” she replied. Out of her pouch, she grabbed her small namesake, took a breath, and played a single tone.

My body froze.

Another tone, then a third, then chords and lines of music filled the air as my body relaxed. Images of battle filled with music occupied my mind, moving from pillows to clouds and dragons, to Calamity’s Spitfire’s Thunder and Applejack’s Little Macintosh. To Littlepip using her levitation to do amazing things, like move train cars and carrying other ponies and even herself. When I finally woke up, I was ready to try out all the things I had seen.

“Oh, you’re awake! I thought you might be tired from last night’s fun, so I let you sleep in today. Breakfast is on the table when you’re ready.” Practice levitation, or eat breakfast? Such a hard decision!... Wait a minute!

“Mmm, it’s so delicious, Miss Harmonica! You make the best food in the whole Stable!” I scarfed my food as it floated around the table while my burgundy foal-sitter’s flank was turned. Cereal danced though applesauce hoops, doing laps around the table until each one was consumed. That was when I noticed her watching me from behind the counter. I quickly tried to put the applesauce back before she could say anything, but all that did was make a mess all over myself and the table

“I’m glad you enjoy eating your food almost as much as you enjoy playing with it.” I’m in trouble...

“Uh, I’m sorry about that. I promise I won’t--” Harmonica cut me off with a wave of her hoof.

“Don’t you worry about it, Sapling. If you’re going to be as strong as Littlepip, you’re going to need a lot of practice.”

I slurped up the applesauce off my face. “Thanks, Miss Harmonica!”

“Mind your manners.” Woops.

Z..z..Z

I awoke to find myself in my room at the Berry Bomb. Juniper was asleep in the corner. Has she been with me the entire time? How long have I been out? My legs still felt like jelly when I decided to get out of bed. It took several scoots to get there, but I finally managed to prop myself up against the wall and walk to the bathroom.

I looked in the mirror: a brown mare wearing a dirty, white hood stared back at me. She had large bags under her forest green eyes, making her appear old and tired. A small, matted patch of her mane peaked out, revealing the double-toned color which Harmonica used to describe as midnight/sunlight green. Dirt and plaque coated her teeth, since there were no apples around to clean them with. Behind her stood a purple mare with a blue mane... Wait a second.

“I was wonderin’ where ya’d gone off to,” Juniper said sleepily. “I’m glad ta see yer finally awake.”

“I’ll bet you are. It wouldn’t do to have your property keeling over on you, would it?”

“Kid, please don’t start... I was really worried about ya...” I looked into her eyes and saw honesty.

“Alright... Ugh, how long was I out?”

“‘Bout a day an’ a half. Do ya remember anythin’?”

“I remember collapsing here in the Berry Bomb, and you saying something about me being stupid for not taking an antidote.” Juniper nodded.

“I called ya an idiot, ya foolish little mare. Ya should’ve taken that antidote as soon as ya felt the sting,” she chided.

“Yea, you told me. Sorry Juniper.” My knees buckled under me.

“Whoa, there. Take it easy. Ya still need rest,” she said, lifting me back onto my hooves. “Let me help ya, okay?” I looked at her. She still has very honest eyes, like she genuinely cares about what was going on.

“Alright.” I leaned on her as she led me back to the bedroom. “Juniper, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure. What do ya wanna know?”

“I want to know the truth. Why am I here?” She glanced at me curiously.

“‘Cause ya walked here? Didn’t like bein’ at yer stable, as far as I know. At least, that’s what ya told me.”

“No, I mean why did you keep me here.” I sat with a plop on my bed.

“Didn’t I already tell ya that? So ya didn’t didn’t end up raider food.” She walked over to her own bed and curled up.

“Is that the real reason? You could’ve just sent me down to the marketplace to get some barding and weapons, and I’d be safe from raiders. You also said you liked the company, but there’s a whole town out there. I want to know the truth.” I peered into her eyes, looking for some kind of confirmation of my suspicions. There was a long pause and many gears turning in her head before she finally answered.

“I kept ya ta keep ya safe. I dunno why, kid, but fer some reason I like ya. Ya don’t know nothin’ ‘bout the wasteland, ya got no weapons, and yer alone. Not a good combination out here. Tends ta get ponies like ya killed or worse. Raiders, slavers, beasts. Any number o’ things could happen.”

“Then you could’ve just given me a few tips and sent me to the market so I could get some supplies to defend myself.”

“I could’ve, an’ I thought ‘bout it, but now I got a better idea. I’m gonna teach ya ta brawl.”

“How is that a better idea?”

“I can tell ya don’t like usin’ weapons. If ya did, ya would’ve got one from the shop in the market ‘fore we left fer the scorpion nest. Ya should’ve got one anyways fer good measure, but ya didn’t, an’ after watchin’ ya with the machete? Nah, yer a hoof fighter ta the bone, and ya gotta lotta potential at it too. Trouble is, ya got no oomph in yer legs, when yer sane. Yer all dodge an’ no strike. Learnin’ ta brawl can only help ya defend yerself better.”

“I guess you’re right about that. There’s just one thing that bugs me.”

“What is it?”

“What do you mean by ‘when I’m sane’?”

“Saplin’, do ya remember what happened ‘tween hittin’ the stairs and gettin’ dunked?” I thought back to the fight. Juniper had smacked me against the ground a couple times, then threw me. I landed at the staircase when I felt my lips bleeding and... then I was gasping for breath, my head soaked in trough water. Juniper’s hoof was broken, and her side showed several poking ribs when we went back inside the saloon.

“Did I blackout and do something?” I asked, afraid of the answer.

“Yer a Berserker, kid.” I winced. “Ya tasted blood on yer lip an’ went wildly gung ho. Got real powerful real quick, too. Even broke my punchin’ hoof an’ several ribs. Ya didn’t go back ta normal ‘til after I cleaned off yer tongue.”

“I’m sorry, Juniper! I didn’t mean to do that! I never meant for that part of me to come out...” I said, filled with guilt.

“Then why were ya so eager ta fight? Ya knew I was a brawler. I pound things, Saplin’! What did ya expect ta happen?”

“I... I don’t know. You said you could trounce me, and I didn’t believe you. But when I looked back and saw you standing there, confident and powerful, I couldn’t just walk away. I couldn’t just leave.”

“Kid, ya cain’t act like that, or you’ll end up seriously hurtin’ somepony. What if it hadn’t been me fightin’ ya? What if it had been somepony like Colt?”

“If it hadn’t been you fighting, I would’ve kept dodging. You can’t bleed if you can’t get hit.”

“Dodgin’s good an’ all, but sometimes yer gonna get hit, no matter who yer fightin’. That’s why I’m gonna teach ya ta brawl like a pro. Toughen ya up so ya can take a hit without bleedin’ like a pansy.” I looked for malice in those words, but her eyes still had that same honesty.

“Thanks, Juniper.” I smiled. Maybe she would actually be able to help me.

“Sure thing, kid. Need anythin’ else?”

“Oh, I almost forgot! I got a package for you that somepony gave me before we left for the nest.”

“A package? From who?”

“I don’t know know. Somepony sitting in the chem shop said she had a package for you, but was waiting for somepony else so couldn’t leave. I took the package, then she saw the guy she was waiting for. That guy was in a pretty sharp suit. I thought he looked a bit out of place for a town like this, but since I was already running late, I didn’t try to figure out who it was.”

“Hmm... Gimme the package.”

“It should still be in my satchel. I’d get it for you, but my legs still feel like goo.” Juniper walked over to my bag and looked inside. She took out two items. The first was her package, the second...

“I didn’t know ya had a PipBuck! Why don’t ya wear it?”

“Because I can’t get it to work.” I replied.

“Huh? But it’s workin’ just fine. Nothin’s wrong with it at all...” She held it up, flipping through all the features. Show off...

“It’s a curse. Mechanical doohickeys just don’t like me, and electrical ones are even worse. You can have it, if you want. I won’t get any use out of it.”

“Well, thanks. This’ll come in handy.” She set the device down beside her, then opened her package.

“This is...” For a moment, I thought her deep purple flushed to a pale lavender. Probably just the moonlight playing tricks on me.

“What is it?”

“Nothin’. Ya should get some rest. The poison’s gone, but yer body’s not ready fer too much movement just yet.”

“Alright. Good night, Juniper.” I curled up and laid my head down.

“Good night, Saplin’...”

Footnote: 50% to next level.

Chapter 3

“Slacker!” yelled Juniper.

“Slave Driver!” I yelled back.

“Lazy legs!!” she yelled louder.

“Slave Driver!!” I yelled even louder. *WHOMP*

“Ya already said that!!!” she screamed, retracting her leg.

“And I’ll say it again!!!” I screamed, rubbing the top of my noggin.

We glared into each others’ eyes. Her authoritative demeanor battled against my stubborn will. Who. Will. Be. Victorious?!

.

..

...

*Blink*

Damn it...

“HAH!” Juniper danced a little victory dance as my shoulders slumped. What was it gonna be today? More barrel pushing? Running around all of Twoton 20 times again? Wrestling a sand turtle? “Now hurry up an’ take those buckets ta the trough. Fill’em ta the brim with water then bring’em back here.” Filling up some buckets? That’s it? This’ll be... Shit.

“Juniper, those buckets are massive! At least a cubic foot a piece!” She slung the pair of buckets over my back, resting one on either side of my flank. “Don’t you know how much that weighs?!”

“Don’t go usin’ yer fancy mathematics on me! I know it’s gonna be heavy, Saplin’, an’ that’s why yer gonna do it. If ya don’t build up yer strength, how are ya supposed break through a brawler’s defenses?”

“There’s gotta be another way to do this...” I groaned.

“Trust me when I say there’s only one way ta build up yer whole body’s strength: hard, physical labor. Now hurry up, and don’t come back until yer buckets are full!” With a swift buck to the haunches, I rocketed out the door.

*Sigh* Well, at least the trough wasn’t too far away. Just a few feet away, wedged between the saloon and the hotel. There’s something odd about it though, that I can’t quite... Ah, it’s backward! Why’s the nozzle facing away from the road? I trotted over to turn it back the right way, but the damned thing wouldn’t budge. Oh well, I’ll just go around to the other side then. It just lengthens the walk back by a few dozen feet. I made my way behind the building and...

What the hell is this?

A pad lay in front of me with 4 spots on it, presumably for a set of hooves, and an arrow pointing toward a blank wall. A large square labeled “Place Buckets Here” was covered by a set of hanging beads like the ones leading to the backroom in the saloon. I slid the buckets into place, and something clicked. The slots in the pad slid open, revealing 4 smaller pads. Like an idiot, I stepped onto the pads in the slots. After a few moments, something else clicked. The pad suddenly collapsed at my hooves, splitting at the slots and clasping around my lower legs. I struggled to break free, but I was trapped. The wall slid into the side of the saloon revealing--

Ho. Ly. Shit.

The pad rolled forward slowly, letting me take in the monstrosity that I was being integrated into. On my right, the buckets were resting on a ramp of rollers. The closest one sat on a switch and leaned against a  button. Above that one was the actual nozzle. In front of me was a system of pulleys and slabs of metal with numbers on them. The slots which held me in place slid over single pad which suddenly sprang up, lifting my fore hooves.

“What the FUUUUU--”

“Oh, I see yer at the pump.” Juniper looked out her window down at me with as big a grin as physically possible on a pony.

“--CK is THIS?!” I finished.

“That, my dear Saplin’, is the pump. Just fill the buckets, and you’ll be released.” I leaned forward to press the pad, but it was much more difficult than using the hoof-pump that usually accompanied the pump. I actually had to get low and push hard on the damn thing. “Havin’ a hard time? Good. That thing’s designed ta take yer weight inta account, so ya can’t just let gravity do it fer ya. Yer gonna have ta put yer back inta pushin’ that water through. Have fun!” Her eyelids made ridiculous upside-down U’s and a split-faced grin spread between her cheeks as she disappeared back into the bar.

“I’m gonna KILL YOU, JUNIPER!!!” I pushed that pad with all my might furiously, hoping to finish the job quickly so I could go murder the mare. I went like that for fifteen minutes, but the weights in front of me fought my progress, preventing my pushes from moving very far. I looked over at the bucket. All of an inch had been pumped into the base. Shit. This is gonna take a while.

Something like 5 hours later, I finally finished, allowing the pad to lower from under my hooves. “Finally done! Now I can-- WHAA!” My hind legs raised up awkwardly into a bucking position. I looked back to find the pad still there. “You’ve. Got. To be kidding me...” I looked to my left. There, at my side, the second bucket lay waiting to be filled. “Damn it...” My forelegs buckled and gave way, unable to hold me up any longer.

***

“I’m just a step away. I’m just a hoof away. Losin’ all hope today (fallin’ off the edge todaaaay!),” I could hear Juniper humming to the radio as I dragged my body through the door. Not a bad voice, but her thick accent didn’t do much for the song. “A pony only, not superpony (not a super pooony!) Someone save me from the waste! It’s just another waaaaar. Just another friendship toooorn. Just a step, ‘til it’s done. Just another day in Eque-stri-a. I need a HEEEEROOO!” Insert random purple pony mane-shaking shenanigans here. “Ta save me now! I need a hero (ta saaave meee noooow) A HEEEROOO ta save my life! Save me from the wasteland just in time!”

I lay on the floor, watching Juniper’s antics behind the bar. Eyes shut, rocking out to some nearly inaudible music which flowed from her flailing, PipBuck clad forelimb, pounding the air drums with a pair of forks.

“‘Wasteland Hero’ by DJ-Sk1lyt.” Her head whipped toward me, her face turning a lovely shade of maroon.

“H-how long have ya been watchin’?” she stammered as she hastily put away the forks.

“From the beginning of that song. You were so focused on your air drums that I couldn’t help but let you continue.” Her maroon deepened. It was almost cute, except she looks old enough to be my mom.

“So I like music. Can ya blame me fer that?”

“Not at all. If my legs weren’t so tired, I probably would’ve joined you.” Her embarrassment subsided a little bit.

“I didn’t know you were a musical pony. I never heard ya listening ta the radio before.”

“I love good music almost as much as you love mixing drinks. I just couldn’t get the radio to work on that PipBuck.” I pointed to the electrical nightmare that now resided on Juniper’s foreleg.

“It’s wonderful! This little fella’s got a radio, a map, EFS... Why, the only it cain’t do is mix a drink!”

“For you maybe. For me, the only thing it could do was give me a headache.”

“Oh, it can still do that,” said Juniper as she walked over and whacked me with it.

“Gee, thanks for that. Now all of me is sore.” I struggled to my feet. “Save me from the barmare just in time...” I muttered in rhythm.

“Did you say somethin’?”

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all,” I replied innocently. If you look closely, I’m sure you can see my halo.

“This is D-Rails, and that was DJ-Sk1lyt with his remix of ‘Wasteland Hero’!”

“Called it,” I said with pride. Juniper smirked as she helped me to my hooves.

“Since the music’s stopped, it’s that time. That’s right, it’s time for the news! You know the Arena over near Stable 12? Base of operations for our protectors, the League? Some of you may recognize it as the place where they held that grand tournament just a week ago. Too bad it won’t be holding any more for quite a while. Somepony went and blew the place to pieces! You heard me right, blew it to pieces.

According to my sources, there was a loud, whip-like crack just before the entire stadium rumbled violently, shattering into a heap of rubble. My source claims to have seen the silhouette of a pony through the dust before it turned and disappeared into the wasteland. Was it the action of a single pony that destroyed this landmark? It sounds ridiculous, but if my sources are to be believed, that’s exactly what happened.

Who could the saboteur have been working for? Steel Rangers? Reapers? Enclave? All we know is thanks to that pony, we’re defenseless against invasion from the powers that be until the League can set up a new base of operations. If you know anything about the identity of the mysterious enemy, or if you know anypony with a reasonably sized fortress, give me a shout.

That’s it for now! Get your ears ready for...” My mind disappeared into memories.

I remember the League. A group made solely of previous Arena Champions; the best of the best. They approached me two years ago, offering me a choice. Either join them, or leave the Arena permanently. Naturally, I chose to leave. I was sick of fighting, and the opportunity gave me the chance to escape Pantelones, so I announced my resignation then and there.

Two years later, that damned yellow casino owner holds his phony tournament. That’s not how you become the Arena Champion. You have to become your species champion before beating every other champion in 1v1 combat. If you lose against even one of them, all the matches are voided, meaning you have to face every one of them again. It took 6 years of sweat and blood to reach that level, and then he announces you can do it in two months? Maybe somewhere, deep in my core, I was outraged that he would make a farce of what I did legitimately, and that the League would let him. Maybe that was part of the reason why I destroyed the Arena.

I didn’t know I was destroying the home of those responsible for protecting this section of the wasteland.

“What’s on yer mind, Saplin’? Ya look like ya’ve seen a ghost. Are ya alright?” A concerned expression crossed Juniper’s face.

“Maybe I have. A ghost of the past,” came my reply.

“Ya know how ta deal with ghosts, right?” she asked with a smirk. Oh no...

“If you say laugh, I’m gonna--” Please don’t...

“EXACTLY! Ya gotta giggle at the ghostly!” I groaned as Juniper started singing.

***

“Slave driver!!” *WHOMP*

“We went over this last week!!!” Juniper screamed, pulling back her hoof.

“And apparently again this week!!!” I screamed back, rubbing the bump on my noggin.

“I’m sorry, is this a bad time?” We glanced in tandem at the buck standing at the door.

“Not at all, sir!” Juniper said, suddenly becoming her usual, amiable self. “What can I do fer ya?” I grumbled off to the pool table to busy myself until Juniper put me to work.

“I’d like to come in out of the rain, if you don’t mind...” Indeed, the stallion was soaked to the skin.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry! Please, come in! Take off yer coat and have a seat!” The blue unicorn wore a large, beige trench coat to protect himself from the rain. On top of that, he actually asked to come into a bar. He was definitely not a local.

“Thank you. This is quite the place you’ve got, here,” he said as he hung his coat and sat at the bar.

“Sure is! I got the finest saloon in the wasteland!” she exclaimed proudly.

“Indeed. I’d say this is the best looking bar I’ve ever been in, next to the Wine’n’Dine in Trifecta.” Hmm... Can’t tell if he’s a smooth talker, or genuinely impressed.

“Hmph! Yer Trifectan bars may look nice, but I got the best selection o’ brews you’ll ever see. I blend’em myself with everythin’ ya can see behind me!” Juniper said, waving to the rows of liquor behind her. “Would ya like ta try one o’ my specialities? On the house!”

“No, thank you. A water is fine,” the buck declined. “My name is Hardy. I’m a detective from Trifecta. May I ask a few questions?”

“Alright. Fire away.” Juniper pulled up a stool and sat behind the bar, sliding the water to Hardy.

“How many travelers have come through here recently? Say, within the past week?” The detective took out a pad and pencil from a pouch previously hidden by his coat before sipping the water.

“Just a couple locals, and her in the hood,” she said, pointing at me. “Business has been slow.”

“Did anything about any of them strike you as odd?”

“Well, she’s a little bit... odd, compared ta other travelers.” Me? Odd? What could possibly be odd about me?

“Care to elaborate?” Hardy probed. I didn’t like where this might be heading.

“Well, most come through lookin’ fer a good drink, or ta sell whatever junk they’ve collected while out there in the wastes. She came in lookin’ fer a place ta call home. She also a little... well, you know.” I could see Juniper’s eyes rolling from here. A little what?!

“I see. Thank you very much. Do you mind if I ask her a few questions?”

“Ask away, though it’s up ta her if she answers ya.” Juniper glanced at me and nodded. That’s the signal. Child-mode: Activate.

“Of course.” The detective took his water and trotted over to the pool table where I was playing. “Greetings, Filly. May I ask some questions while you play?”

“No you may not,” I replied, disgruntling the detective. I set the pool cue down and grabbed a nearby chair. “You may ask while I listen attentively.” *slide plop stare*

“Yes. Well. Thank you,” he stammered, slightly disconcerted by the stare. “How long have you been here in Twoton?”

“Would you like that in weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds, or some combination of the aforementioned intervals?” I asked, putting on my best look of naivety. Oh, this is going to be fun!

“Ah... days, if you please.”

“Well, I don’t please! I’m no whore!” *burhumph! sputter sputter* “Oh, are you alright? You choked on your water!” I could see Juniper trying unsuccessfully to conceal her mirth.

“Yes, I *cough* see that.” He drew out a hoof-kerchief and wiped off his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound like I was calling you a whore. I only meant for you to tell me how many days you had been in Twoton.”

“OH! Well why didn’t you say so?” His eyes rolled. “I’ve been in Twoton for 12 days.” I nodded profusely, grinning from ear to ear.

“And where did you live before you came here?”

“Ooooo... That’s a good one. You’re good at this, Mister, but not good enough! I lived in my bedroom.”

“Uhh... And where was your bedroom?”

“Right next to the kitchen.”

“That’s not what I meant...”

“Then why did you ask? Silly Detective!” Ah, the sweet thunk of a well-placed facehoof.

“In what town are your bedroom and kitchen?”

“I don’t have a bedroom and kitchen.” Technically, I didn’t come from a town either, though I suppose Stable 12 was structured similarly.

“But you just said you did!” he protested.

“I still don’t have a place of my own yet, so how could I possibly have a bedroom and kitchen?” I asked, shrugging my shoulders.

“Ugh...This isn’t getting anywhere,” he grumbled.

“FALSE!!” I cried, startling him as I threw my head back and launched a hoof into the air. “You’ve learned that I lived in my bedroom, which was right next to the kitchen. Then I came here, and I’ve been here for 12 days without a bedroom and kitchen. Use the noodle Celestia gave you!” I said, tapping the poor investigator on the head for emphasis. “And I’m not a whore. I gave you that one even without a question!”

“I suppose...”

“Great! That means it’s my turn!” I exclaimed cheerfully.

“What do you mean, it’s your tu-”

“To ask questions, silly! You got to ask 5 questions, so now I get to ask 5 questions, and don’t even think about leaving until I get my chance.” I shoved my snoot into his. “Got it?!” He sighed and nodded. “Now then... What to ask, what to ask...”

“How about--”

“Don’t interrupt! Why are you investigating me? And don’t even THINK about lying to me, because...” My cheerful expression distorted into one of dark confidence. “...I. Will. Know.”

“Now, Saplin’, let the poor buck be. He’s just doin’ his job is all,” said Juniper.

“But...but...” I put on my best weepy-eyed pouty face.

“No buts,” she said evenly. Damn. Not even a waver in her resolution. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hardy, fer Saplin’s behavior. She’s a good kid, but she’s a bit slow and not altagether there, if ya catch my meanin’.” Juniper whirled a hoof next to her ear.

“What do you mean, I’m not altogether here?” I gasped in horror and patted myself down. “Where’s the rest of me?! Mr. Hardy, you’ve gotta help me find the rest of me, or I’ll never be altogether agaaaaaaain!”

“Yes, well. Thank you both. You’ve been most helpful.” He hustled away from me, not even putting on his trench coat before darting out the door.

“Hey! You said you wouldn’t leave until I got to ask my questions!” I yelled as he scurried away.

“Saplin’!” My ears drooped as I walked back inside. Juniper and I stared at each other, face-to-face.

.

..

...

*Snicker*

“BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!”

“OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOO!”

***

“Quit weavin’ an’ just punch already!” Juniper said angrily.

“Sorry!” Old habits die hard, I guess. I fired a punch into her massive hoof.

“Hmph! Pathetic! Yer leg may be gettin’ thicker, but ya still punch like yer tryin’ ta tickle me!” *Sigh* “Hey, where do ya think yer goin’?! I’m not finished with ya yet!”

“I’m going inside, Juniper...” I said sullenly. “We both know I can’t do this. It’s been almost a month, and I haven’t gotten any stronger, any better at brawling. I giv--” *WHOMP*

“Don’t. Ya. Dare! You say those 3 words, an’ I’ll string ya up an’ drag ya through the market, ya thievin’ liar,” she raged. “Quit tellin’ yerself yer not stronger, an’ quit stealin’ yer hope an’ packin’ it away like an unused toy. Ya are gettin’ stronger, Saplin’. Ya just don’t have anythin’ ta compare ta, that’s all.”

“I have you, and you still won’t budge an inch when I attack.”

“Hell, Saplin’. Ya’ve been focusin’ on buildin’ yer brawlin’ fer only a few weeks. I’ve been workin on it my whole life. We’re in two different leagues, so quit comparin’ yerself ta me like yer some kinda superpony who’s supposed ta be at my level in a jiffy. It’s gonna take time an’ trainin’. A lotta time an’ trainin’.”

“But I’ve only got your word that I’m actually getting better. I know you’re an honest pony, and that you’re probably telling me the truth, but that doesn’t change how pathetic I feel when I throw a punch.”

“That’s ‘cause ya don’t know how ta throw a punch.”

“I’ve been throwing punches since I was 8! Don’t tell me I can’t--”

“Ya don’t know how ta throw a brawler’s punch,” she interrupted. “Sure, ya’ve got that little jab o’ yers. A good, quick, technical hit. Useful fer yer old style, where ya had ta hit that openin’ ‘fore it disappeared, but it don’t got any power behind it. Here, let me show ya what I mean.” Juniper walked over to a sack hanging behind the Berry Bomb. She stood on her hind legs and launched out her hoof.

*Smack!*

“Th-that was incredibly fast!” I could barely follow the speed of the strike!

“So what? Tell me, did the sandbag move?” I took a second glance.

“Now that you mention it... It hardly budged.”

“Exactly. That’s the way you fight: swift attacks, but no power. That’s not how brawlin’ works, Saplin’. This is brawlin’!” She reared up again and, for a moment, the world seemed to move in slow motion.

Her entire body flexed, contracting like an enormous spring, then all at once, it launched forward. Her rear hooves planted solidly into the ground, forcing all the energy stored in her hind legs forward as they extended. That momentum transferred through her body and into her shoulder, adding to the power already being released as it uncoiled. Finally, the energy from her legs, body and shoulder merged and funneled into her foreleg, creating a massive of power just waiting to be expelled. That mass struck the bag...

...What bag? What used to be a scorpion-hide sack warped around Juniper’s hoof like a ball of jelly. The chain which held it in place stretched and shattered just before the bag itself exploded like a balloon, sand and leather transforming into a cloud of dust and debris. If I had to put my reaction into a single word, I think the appropriate term would be ‘dumbstruck’. And then she turned her head toward me.

I was paralyzed.

The blue-maned mare walked toward me, every muscle in her body rippling with strength. The ground seemed to pulse with every touch of her hoof, as though it was afraid of joining the settling cloud. As she approached, my mind screamed at me to move. ‘Do something!’ it cried. ‘That hulking mare is coming straight for you!’ it warned, but my body refused to listen. Finally she stood before me, massive and powerful. Our eyes locked...

*WHOMP!*

“What’re ya starin’ at, ya kooky little filly?” I shook my head, snapping back to my senses.

“Sandbag! You just... One moment it’s... and then it’s... BOOM!!” I stammered.

“Yer gonna be just as strong an’ more by the time I’m through with ya, kid! Trust me,” she proclaimed, ruffling my mane. A thought occurred to me, which I didn’t much like.

“When we fought, you were holding back weren’t you?” Please tell me you’re not like that Alicorn..

“Well, yea,” she said, as though that was perfectly obvious from the beginning. “If I’d used half my strength against ya, ya’d have been a greasy spot with two eyes buggin’ out. That’d be bad fer my reputation.”

“Oh... I see...” I didn’t like that image. With me being brown and green, that greasy spot wouldn’t have looked too good.

“Anyways, did ya see the difference in strikes? Or am I gonna have ta find another punchin’ bag?” she asked, glancing at me with a look that sent chills down my spine.

“Yes, I saw!” I quickly exclaimed, not wanting to see what (or who) she would use as her next victim.

“Good! Now show me what ya’ve learned!”

***

Business went on as usual. The house packed out every Saturday and Sunday, full of locals and travelers staying in the hotel. More than a few times during the weekends, there would be a reasonable bar fight. Juniper, now that she had somepony to deal with her ‘unruly customers’, sat back and watched as I gained experience with my new style. During the week, though, it was a dead zone. The occasional traveler might come through, but all the locals stayed at work, servicing caravans and junk sellers.

So what did I do during that time?

I trained. Any time Juniper didn’t have me doing some crazy strength building exercise or collecting materials for use in her drinks, I worked on that strike and its variations. Left side, right side, double forehoof, bucking, all using the same motion for power transfer, from planting my hooves to following through. I finally felt like I was getting somewhere, when-

“Trifecta? Why?” I asked.

“‘Cause I need supplies that ya can only get there. At least in these parts o’ the wasteland.” Juniper handed me a list of things to collect and a bag of caps. “Now that I’ve got ya, I don’t have ta shut down the Berry Bomb ta get what I need.”

“I’m going alone?”

“Of course yer goin’ alone! I cain’t hold yer hoof the entire time, now can I? Now get a move on! I need ya back in a week!”

“Alright, I’m going, I’m going.” I made a mental inventory of what I needed for the journey. List? Check. Caps? Check. Food? Medicine? Map? Pouch? Check, check, check, and check. Cloak? Double check. I wasn’t going to botch my first time out alone!

Well, first time since leaving the Stable.

I pulled out the map from my pouch and searched. Trifecta... Trifecta... Ah, found it! Not too far from here. About half a day’s trot, if I go straight there. Unfortunately, the ‘straight’ route would take me right through scorpion territory. Not sure if I wanna do that, considering our history together. The next shortest route cuts pretty close to a few raider camps. Not sure I wanna do that either, but going around would take two days without any trouble. So do I choose raiders or radscorpions? Or take the long way hoping for a lucky break?

Ugh... I can see why Juniper said I have a week to get back.

I decided to take the long, safe route. No sense in tempting fate, right? It’ll take 4 days of travel time, but that still leaves me 3 days to find everything I need. The list isn’t even that long, so I might have some leisure time to see the sights, eat a Trifectan meal. You know, have some fun.

Only trouble is how long two days actually takes when you’re traveling alone. Walking, trotting, thinking, plodding along, the occasional wild wee beastie. Not much happens out here, it would seem.

Unless you count staring at that beautiful, yet terrifying vastness known as the night sky. That is something that will never get old and dull.

Z..z..Z

“Today, we’ll be going over the various forms of magic. Did you know that everypony has magic, including Pegasi and even Earth ponies? You can tell because in history, everypony has a cutie mark that magically appears once a pony finds his or her special talent. But different types of ponies have different types of natural magic as well. Can anyone tell me what Earth pony magic is? How about you, Nectar?”

“Their magic is in their bodies, making them really strong and tough!”

“That’s exactly right! Hmm... What about Pegasi? Sapling?”

“They have wings and can walk on clouds! I learned about them in The Book Of Littlepip, Miss Mercy!”

“Very good, Sapling. Now, what about Unicorns?” Everypony raised a hoof, hoping to be called next. “Oh, so many eager little ponies! Hooves down. I have a feeling most of you were going to say ‘levitation’ right?” I could tell she was right by the murmuring of my classmates. “Well, you would all be right! Levitation is the most basic spell that a Unicorn learns.”

“Are there more spells than just levitation, Miss Mercy?” asked a pink classmate.

“Absolutely, Krispa! We Unicorns aren’t strong like Earth ponies, or able to fly like Pegasi, but we can learn a variety of magic that the other ponies can’t. Some ponies can find jewels in the ground, like the Element of Generosity, Rarity. Others, like the Cake family, can make the best smells and flavors in the entire Stable. There are even Unicorns whose special talent is learning more magic! The most powerful Unicorn in known history is Twilight Sparkle, who was apprentice to the Goddess Celestia herself.” Ooo’s and Ahh’s spread across the kindergerten classroom.

“Was she really that strong?” asked a nearby colt.

“Indeed she was, Alfalfa. It is said that she could not only levitate things as large as an Ursa...” the class gasped in horror at the mention of that fairy tale monster. “...but also teleport, become a Fire Pony, and even turn gravity on its head. And all of that while barely older than a teenager!”

“I’m going to be the strongest Unicorn in history!” Everypony looked over at the vocal filly. It was Sagely, a deep green filly with a blazing yellow mane and tail.

“That’s quite a goal, Sagely, but you’ll have to master levitation like Sapling before you can start learning other spells.” It was true. Sagely could hardly lift her quill to take notes, and everypony knew it. Tears welled in her eyes as titters erupted around the room.

“Once I can levitate, I’m going to learn all the spells I can! Then you’ll all see!” I felt sorry for her as she wept her way out the door.

“Oh dear, I probably shouldn’t have said that. I’ll have to talk with her parents this afternoon to apologize. Anyways, back to the lesson! Twilight Sparkle was the single most gifted Unicorn when it comes to magic, but there was an even more powerful magic that helped her do all of those things. Can anypony guess what it was?”

“Uh...”

“Hrm...”

“Well...”

“The answer, my little ponies, is friendship. Her friendship with ponies like the famous Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie helped her become the Sixth Element of Harmony: the Element of Magic. That’s all for today. Tomorrow’s lesson will be cutie marks, so be sure to study!”

Z..z..Z

*Crack! Crack! Tatatatatatatatatat! Ssshhhhhh Boom!* I awoke to an incredibly noisy morning.

“What in the wasteland was that?!” I climbed a nearby hill to see the chaos on the other side. I watched in amazement as my first gunfight played out. On the left, a crew of raiders hid behind carts and walls, firing their rifles and shotguns. One of them, I’m assuming the leader, used grenades as well. On the left, however, was a group of 5 heavily armored (possibly cybernetic?) ponies. The largest one used a machine gun/missile launcher combination, while the rest just used machine guns.

“Stand down, you filthy vermin! The Steel Rangers will tolerate no resistance!” the leader said as it launched a missile toward the scattering gang of raiders. Steel Rangers, huh? Their weapons seem a bit overkill for dealing with a group of raiders, but who am I to interfere with rockets and 400+ bullets?

“Get out of here, invaders! This is our part of the wasteland! Go back to Hoofington or Manehattan, wherever you’re from!” The lead raider lobbed a grenade from behind an overturned cart, detonating at the Steel Ranger’s hooves. It collapsed, its glowing eyes going dim.

“Crusader Orion!” one of the subordinates cried. “Are you alright?!”

“I’m fine, Flitter. My armor will reboot in a second, so worry about your enemy!” he ordered. The knight obeyed, renewing her spray against her foes.

“Don’t make any sudden moves, filly.” Shit... “Turn around nice and slow.” I turned to see 3 more Steel Rangers behind me. “What are you doing here? Spying for your raider friends?” Child-mode: Activate.

“I have raider friends? I didn’t know that! Where are they?” The rangers exchanged several glances.

“Those raiders down there aren’t your friends, then?”

“Not that I know of. I mean, they never invited me to a party, or played kickball with me, or anything! In fact...” I gasped. “I don’t even think we’ve met! Those rude ponies!”

“Kid, I don’t like your tone. If they aren’t your friends, why are you here?”

“Because you’re asking me questions, DUH! Silly superpony!” The two in the back visibly chuckled, though wisely remained inaudible.

“What about before we started asking you questions?”

“I was watching the fight down there.” I pointed over the hill.

“Then you were spying on us!”

“No I wasn’t. You were behind me. How could I have been spying on you if I wasn’t looking at you? Actually...” I put my snoot right into the leader’s glowing visor. “I bet YOU were spying on ME! What do you have to say for yourself, mister sneaky-pants?”

“What should we do with her, Brawny? She’s a bit weird...” one of the others murmured.

“We treat her like any other traveler on this road.” The lead pony turned back toward me. “You’re coming with us to see Crusader Orion.”

“Okay! I’ve got some words to say to your boss, you sneaky metal spy-ponies!” The steel pony led me down the hill as the other two followed. The battle was over. The raiders were utterly decimated. Crusader Orion was back on his hooves, as though taking a direct hit from a grenade was little more than a minor annoyance. His armor didn’t even look that badly damaged.

“Are you sure you’re alright, sir?” I recognized the voice that asked as Flitter.

“I’ll be fine. Just gather some scrap metal from the raider outpost so I can repair.”

“Right away, sir!” Several of the rangers hustled to loot the camp.

“I caught your three flunkies spying on me!” I roared at Orion as we approached. Visibly startled, he turned to face us. “Are you going to punish them?”

“And who is this, Brawny?” the Crusader asked of my escort, completely ignoring me.

“We found her watching the battle from the hill, sir.”

“Spying on us?”

“Possibly, sir. She seems a bit kooky, but I didn’t want to take any chances.”

“Proving your worth on your first assignment. Good work.” If my captor’s face hadn’t been covered by his helmet, I would’ve said he was beaming. Orion turned his head to face me. “What’s your name, girl?”

“I’m not going to answer any of your questions until you answer mine!” I scolded.

“You’re not in any position to make that statement. Why were you spying on us?”

“Nope! Not gonna answer!”

“You will answer me! I am Crusader Orion!”

“It’s good to meet you, mister Orion!” I took his hoof and shook it wildly in greeting. “I’m sorry, but I said I’m not going to answer any of your questions until you answer mine.” I closed my eyes and crossed my hooves. The stallion grumbled.

“No, I’m not going to punish my subordinates for doing what I told them to do. Now answer my damn questions!” he roared.

“Okay!” I exclaimed cheerfully. “My name is Sapling, I wasn’t spying on you.”

“Then what were you doing on the hill?”

“Getting captured by your subordinates.”

“What were you doing before that?”

“Watching the fight.”

“And before that?”

“Going to Trifecta.” Murmurs arose from the group as glances were exchanged. Something must be going on. The few ponies which were sent to find scrap metal returned. Orion deposited the junk into his suit. I watched in awe as it whirred and repaired itself.

“State your business there.”

“Ah-ah-ah...” I said, waggling my forehoof. “You already asked 5 questions, so now it’s my turn to ask 5 questions! That’s how the game is played, mister silly Orion!” *chic-click*

“I’m in no mood to play games, girl.” There I stood, staring down the barrel of an automatic machine gun.

“That’s cheating! Mr. Cheater McCheaty Pants!” I pouted, stomping my hooves. Here’s hoping these metal ponies have a sense of the term ‘better nature’...

“Sir, you can’t shoot her! She’s just a simple-minded pony! She’s no threat to us!” Brawny exclaimed. The Crusader glowered, but retracted his weapon. Thank Celestia for that.

“Fine. Ask your questions.”

“Okay! And don’t even think about lying because I. Will. Know.” Not only will I know, but Juniper’s not here to stop me! “Who were you fighting?”

“Just a group of raiders.” A straightforward answer.

“Why were you asking me all those questions?”

“To find out your intent.” Another straightforward answer. He’s cooperating more than Hardy did.

“What’s happening in Trifecta?” Again with the glances.

“That doesn’t concern you.”

“FALSE!” I cried, startling the ponies surrounding Orion as I thrust my head back and launched a hoof into the air. “I’m going there soon, so it does concern me. See? I told you I’d know when you were lying!”

“Very well. The city is on lockdown by order of our Senior Paladin.” Senior Paladin, huh? Then Orion’s not the Pony in charge.

“Why is it on lockdown?”

“Because our Senior Paladin ordered it.”

Nice dodge. “Ooo... You’re good at this.”

“You’re not so bad at dodging questions yourself.” Uh-oh. I think he’s caught on.

“Last question: What do you do with ponies you think are spies?”

“I arrest them.” Suddenly 7 sets of guns were pointed at me. “Don’t try to escape. It would be even more stupid than you pretend to be.” He placed a pair of hoofcuffs over my forehooves, forcing me to either walk on my hind legs, bounce with every step, or...

“Oh, how exciting! I’ve never been a spy before! How does this game work?” Juniper is NOT going to be happy...

***

The time passed slowly as we trekked. Nopony felt any need to say anything, with one exception. I continued my charade of being a simple pony and drove my captors nuts out of pure spite, talking their ears off and tapping their armor, listening to the noises each part made. Finally, the monotony of the wasteland was broken. There, in the distance, lay a small skyline: Trifecta. In front of the city was a camp containing more armored  Steel Rangers. A fancy looking armor and two knights met us as we approached.

“Welcome back, Orion. I trust your mission was a success?”

“The camp was completely obliterated, Paladin Cygnus,” he confirmed.

“Hi! I’m Sapling. Have you seen my mom?” I popped my head up from the back of a facehoofing Orion.

“Then who is this with you? And why is she on your back?”

“This is Sapling. We caught her spying on us as we fought the raiders.”

“Woooooow! So many superponies!” I said with a look of wonderment. “Are they your friends, mister Orion?”

“Do you often give spies ponyback rides?” Cygnus asked in disbelief.

“Don’t let her fool you. She’s not as simple as she acts.” Cygnus looked over at the other rangers. Most wouldn’t return her gaze, but a couple just shrugged.

“If you say so, Orion. Take her to a holding cell. I would like to question your little spy.”

“OOO! Do I get to play ‘5 Questions’ again?” I hopped in glee, bouncing on Orion’s back, much to his annoyance.

“You played games with her? I didn’t know you had such a soft spot for--”

“She wouldn’t cooperate otherwise!” he fumed. “Believe me, you have no idea how many times I wanted to shoot her on the way here.”

“Knowing you, I can venture a guess.” The Paladin turned to me. “Come along, little Sapling. Let’s go play ‘5 Questions’.”

“YAAAAAY!!”

“Let me warn you now, Paladin Cygnus. She’s very good at dodging the answers you want to hear.”

“I’m sure she won’t be any trouble. Will you, Sapling?” I beamed her with my biggest I’ve-got-a-halo grin. “Come along, then!”

***

Cygnus and I questioned each other for the better part of an hour. I learned that the only obstacle preventing a full sweep of the area by Steel Rangers was the presence of the League, but thanks to some internal investigation, they were currently occupied. Trifecta was just the first stage. There was an unused Stable somewhere inside that would act as a base of operations. I also learned that rival factions had begun to move as well, including a branch of the Talons, the Reapers, and the New Caledonian Alliance. The Enclave seemed to be holding back for now, due to internal affairs, but movement on their part seemed likely as well. It was only a matter of time before this area became a war zone as factions vied for control in the League’s absence.

In return for the above information, she learned that I had seen Orion fighting the raiders, and explosions were pretty, and Brawny was a sneaky superpony who spies on traveler ponies, and Orion cheats by using guns when playing question games, and I work for Juniper, who is a barmare in Twoton, and she had sent me to get supplies from Trifecta for the bar.

“Let me see your list of ingredients. We may be able to send you back without going into the city.” I gave her my paper. Confusion spread across her face as she read.

“‘Radcarrot extract x6’. ‘Apple Cider x2’. ‘Sarsaparilla x6’... ‘Scorpion tail x12’? Why in the wasteland would you need scorpion tails in a bar?”

“Trade secret!” I said with a genuine grin. “I can’t tell you that ever!”

“Ah, I see. And what about this last item: ‘Fist of the Cocktail’?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her use something like that before.”

“I see. I’m sorry, Sapling, but we can’t help you.” My ears drooped as she returned the list. “However, if you promise to do something for me, I’ll let you into the city.”

“Really?! That would be great!”

“I thought you would like that. I want you to deliver this package to the mayor of Trifecta. His name is Monarchos. Can you do that for me?”

“Okay!” This package looks identical to the one that pony from the chem shop gave me... The only time Juniper ever lied to me was right after I gave her that package.

“You’re such a good little pony! Now follow me for a little bit.” Paladin Cygnus led me into the camp. There were 3 large tents that acted as barracks for squads 8 ponies strong plus a tent for Cygnus. There was a small armory for restocking ammunition and a medical tent as well. A mess tent for eating, a games hall for when the rangers weren’t on duty, an outhouse. All the amenities of home, only portable!

They even had a jail. It was little more than a barred cage, but effective nonetheless.

“Now be a good kid and wait here while I talk to the nice ponies, okay?”

“But I have to get my things and go back to Juniper! She’ll be terribly upset if I don’t come back with these ingredients!” I held out my list.

“Now now, Sapling. You can get your things when I let you go.”

“Okay...” I sat sullenly in the cell.

“Make sure she stays put,” she ordered the guard on duty.

“Aye, ma’am.” Heh, that was Flitter’s voice. The Paladin trotted into the mess tent. Flitter looked at me and groaned. “Why do I have to be the one stuck watching you?”

“Well I don’t like you either, missus guard! I’m gonna pester you.” the guard ignored me. “IIIIIII’m gonna peeeeeeester youuuuuuuuu...” She twitched. So I began to tap one of the bars of my cage. *tinn. tinn. tinn. tinn. tinn. tinn. tic... tic tic...* A dissonance point?

“Would you quit that?” she groaned. “It’s bad enough I have to watch some stupid filly without her bothering the crap out of me.”

“Bothering the superpony! Bothering the superpony! WEE!!” I cheered, tapping the other bars of my cage.

“I said quit it!” she yelled, turning angry eyes toward me.

“BOTHERBOTHERBOTHERBOTHERBOTHER!!!” *TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TIC*

“Cut it out, already!” She strode toward the cage and struck it. Suddenly, there was a gun in my face. “Don’t make me shoot you!”

“You already lost your chance.” *THUD! Badathumpsshhh* Test of Juniper’s punch on a pony: complete. Result: pony reels and falls backward. If you ask me, I’d say that’s a successful application of the strike. I guess I really am getting stronger!

“What the hell?!” I heard from outside. Her head’s sticking out of the tent... Not good! *tic... Crack PISSHHH* I grabbed a piece of the rod that remained largely unshattered and stuffed it into my pouch. Then I slipped through the gap in the cage and scurried under the tent wall just as another ranger burst inside.

“Jailbreak! Jailbreak!” A moment later, a loud alarm went off. I dared to look back as I ran and saw several unarmored ponies give chase as others rushed into the armory. *crack crack crack!* Shit! Bullets! I swerved as best I could to make myself a difficult target, but I knew it would only be a matter of time before they got lucky. I ducked behind a tree that, fortunately, stood nearby as the shots whirred past. Then there was silence.

“We had a deal, Sapling!” came a voice a few moments later. It was the Paladin. “Don’t you want to get into the city?”

“You locked me up! I said I would help, and you locked me up! Meanie Paladin!”

“You said you would stay put. Were you lying to me?” she asked disapprovingly.

“Nope. I stayed put until that mean guard shoved her gun in my face. Then I got scared and ran.” I could hear her sigh from here.

“She’s got a point, Orion...”

“But Paladin! Did you see what she did to Flitter?! 3 of her teeth are cracked!”

“Tell miss guard I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make her lose teeth!” I glanced out to see what was going on.

“Shut up, Sapling!” More gunshots drove me back into hiding.

“Stand down, Orion! It’s better to have a guard missing teeth than a dead innocent.”

“Innocent?! She assaulted one of our own!” I could almost feel the rage flowing from his pores.

“She was threatened and scared! She merely reacted like any child would.”

“But Paladin Cygnus--”

“Orion, go and tend to Flitter,” she interrupted. “If you’re worried about this escapee, then I will personally take custody of her. She won’t give me any trouble, and I need her in Trifecta. We have a deal, after all.”

“Wait, you actually made a deal with her?!”

“She’s going to deliver the package,” she said calmly.

“Oh... I see.” Wow, what a tone change. What’s in this little box that would make him react like that? “But that doesn’t excuse assault!”

“Then I’m pardoning her. Come on, little Sapling,” Cygnus said beside me. “Let’s get you into the city.”

Footnote: Level up! Level 3

New Perk: Mind of a Child -- When dealing with untrusted strangers, you appear to be a ‘simple’ child. New speech options available.

Stats milestone: 50 Unarmed

Chapter 4

Trifecta. I asked Juniper once what it was like, but she told me I’d see for myself one day. Said it’s just one of those places that’s better to experience, rather than hear about from somepony else. I had imagined it being a grand place, full of shops and bars and ponies from all over. Something of a huge, bustling trade center with large wood or metal structures, paved roads and everything. Business owners trying to squeeze every last cap from anypony stupid enough to let them, that sort of thing.

In fact, it was much like Stable 12.

Sure, there were various junk shops and a few bars, and it had a more diverse population, but the whole place was very tidy and organic. As I walked down the road, ponies talked leisurely while sitting at a cupcake shop. Over there, a family was having a picnic on the hill which rose in the center of the town. Just down the road, a dressmaker was busying sizing up a few customers. Right next to that was a beauty parlor. I expect the two businesses worked well together, since they probably served the same customer base. The layout may be different, but the atmosphere... It made me homesick.

I had just rounded a corner when I heard the sound of rattling wheels steady growing larger. “Watch out! Runaway cart!” I looked in the direction of the noise to see a large wooden cart hurtling down the hill. Everyone on the road scrambled to get out of the way, leaving me alone on the road. The only thing that stopped me from doing the same was a scream that pierced me from behind. I looked back, and saw a nursery. The foal-sitter was trying desperately to barricade the entrance, but at this rate?

...I’m gonna regret this...

I charged the cart and held out my fore hooves, waiting for it to strike. Strike it did, and it struck hard. I felt like my legs were broken and my hind hooves were being set on fire by the friction. I wasn’t strong enough to slow it down! I turned around, pressing my back against the cart as we raced toward the nursery. I searched my satchel for something, anything that might help me. Then I saw the rod from the jailbreak.

I grabbed it with aching and tremulous hooves and rammed it through the spokes of one of the cart’s wheels. The wheel shattered, forcing the entire mass to slide violently on its side. The axle broke against the ground and popped the other wheel off. Thankfully, the broken cart ground to a halt just before crashing into the barricade. With me in between them. I sprinkled a health potion on my battered legs.

“Three cheers for our heroine! Hip hip!” Heroine? I looked up from my wounds.

“HOORAY!!” It seems a crowd has formed around me while I wasn’t looking. They cheered several more times, hoisting me up into the air and tossing me, before setting me down in front of the nursery mare.

“Thank you so much, traveler! Without you, I... These children... How could we ever repay you?” I looked into the pink unicorn’s joyous eyes, then at the the ground beneath my hooves. Hmm...

“Could you toss me again? I’ve never been in the air like a Pegasus before, and it was fun!” I requested cheerfully. She looked at me in surprise.

“Why, you’re just a big foal!” she exclaimed at my enthusiasm.

“Miss Nectar! Miss Nectar! I know what we can do!” one of her foals exclaimed hopping up and down in front of her.

“What is it, little one?” The filly jumped up and tugged Nectar’s horn to the ground so she could whisper.

“My big brother does this all the time for me! Why don’t we...” Little whispers poured from foal to foal-sitter.

“Uh-huh... Yes... Oh! What a good idea, Rivercloud!” Her head rose again to meet my eyes. “You want to feel like a Pegasus, right?” I nodded profusely. She turned to the crowd. “May I have two strong-winged Pegasi for volunteers? Let’s give this filly a chance to fly!” Wait a second... Fly fly? As in high-over-the- ground type flying? As in oh-shit-I’m-hurtling-to-my-death-with-nothing-to-break-my-fall flying?! I only meant a few more tosses!

“N-no, that’s--”

“I’ll do it.” One silver Pegasus stepped out of the crowd. There’s something familiar about him that I can’t quite place...

“Really, you don’t have--”

“That would be wonderful! Would anypony else be willing to--” The Pegasus raised a hoof in negation. Please tell me this buck is joking...

“There’s no need to trouble anypony else. Besides, I owe it to her for saving Rivercloud.” He smiled at the little filly beside Nectar.

“Well, if it's you, Comet Tail, then it’s alright.” The crowd gave one last cheer before dispersing, leaving me alone with Comet Tail and the nursery.

I’m really going to die.

“My brother’s the strongest flier in Trifecta, too! You’re gonna really feel like a Pegasus with him helping you!” Rivercloud exclaimed before being shooed back into the building by Nectar. For some reason, I knew she was right, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember why.

“So, would you prefer ponyback, or should I carry you?” he asked.

“Uh... Whatever is easier for you, mister Comet Tail...” Come on, Sapling, think! Why do I know that name?

“Are you alright? You look like you’re going to be sick.” He said, unsuccessfully suppressing a smirk. “You don’t have to do this, you know. It’s a scary thing, flying for the first time. Especially for an earth pony like you.” Those were just the words I needed to hear.

“Ponyback!” I pounced, remembering to dead-weight upon landing. I must admit, it was a satisfying crash.

“Geez, you’re a heavy one! What are you hiding under that cloak of yours, a little sister?”

“Everything but the kitchen sink! Now mush!” I cried. He repositioned me between his wings and slowly began to flap. Faster and faster. Stronger and stronger. In a moment, we were airborne. Slowly we rose, over the nursery, then over the hill, then clear over Trifecta.

“Mush, eh? I suggest you hang on tight!” He retracted his wings and pointed his nose downward. Wait, what?!

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEAM!!!!!*

***

“Welcome to Carrot Top’s Garden! I hope you enjoyed your flight as much as I did!... Uh, you can let go now.”

“I th-think I’m s-stuck...” My legs cracked and popped as Comet Tail pried them off his silver hide one by one. I flopped to the ground, an ungraceful, twitching heap of pony.

“Alright, you can get up now. Nopony is around but you and me.” I struggled to my hooves. I never appreciated solid ground so much in all my life.

“Th-thanks for the ride, Mister--”

“Cut the act, foal. I know who you are,” he said firmly, glaring at me like I was some villain. “You’re the Hooded Filly.” My legs solidified instantly. Now I remember! He was the Pegasus from the tournament.

“You’re the one who fought the Alicorn, aren’t you?” He nodded.

“Fought and lost. I thought to myself, ‘The Hooded Filly must be a monster if she can beat somepony like Marian,’ yet there you were, screaming like a silly little foal.” Screaming like a foal? Me...?

“I guess I’m afraid of heights.” I’m not embarrassed... I’m not embarrassed! So why is my face getting warm?

He shook his head. “I can’t believe somepony like you did it.”

“Did what?”

“Beat an Alicorn.”

“Well, I did. Whether you believe it or not.”

“Then you must have cheated,” he accused casually.

“Chea-- How dare you... I’ve never cheated in a fight in my entire life!”

“Then you had help. I remember something about a hole being burned through her flank?”

“That was after the fight was over!” I fumed. The nerve of this Pegasus!

“How could a little filly like you possibly conquer an enemy that not even I could beat?! You have no magic, you can’t fly like me, you aren’t as fast as me, and you aren’t even as strong as me! I can tell you’ve got some muscle under that cloak of yours, but you’re no Juniper! I refuse to acknowledge you, unless you can beat me!”

“Comet Tail, you’re really pissing me off. First you call me a silly foal, then a cheater, and now you insult me by telling me what I accomplished legitimately couldn’t possibly be true. That my victory was a lie because you failed where I succeeded.” I took off my hood and stored it in my satchel, in case he should try to force the issue. “You’re wrong about who I am, by the way. My name is Sapling, not Hooded Filly.” I turned away. “You’re right about her being a monster, but she died two years ago. She was resurrected for one fight, but now she is dead again. Please don’t bring her back.” I left him there, standing alone in that field. 5 steps... 10 steps... 20 steps...

“Don’t think that removing your hood means you’re not the Hooded Filly! Fight me, damn it!” he roared. I could feel the air pulse with his beating wings. The charge of his fury resonated through my skin, giving me wonderful goosebumps. There’s no audience, but to dance with a fighter of his caliber... No! I forced my head to stay forward. Just keep walking, Sapling. Don’t stop moving. Don’t be so eager to fight. Leave that dance behind.

“SAPLIIIIIIIIING!!!” he screamed after me.

Leave the dance behind...

***

“...And then he was all ‘WHOOOOOSH!’ and I was all ‘EEEEEEEEK!!!’ and then he laughed and did it again!” I recounted the story of yesterday’s flight for the wide-eyed foals at the nursery.

“Were you scared, Miss Sapling?” a little unicorn asked.

“Do you reeeeeeally want to know?”

“YEA!” Nectar the foal-sitter laughed as they all chorused.

“I was very scared, but Comet Tail was strong. He never let me fall.”

“That was a wonderful story, Sapling!” She rose to corral the children. “Alright, my little ponies. It’s nap time.” It was hard work, but I managed to suppress a chuckle at their collective groan. The children herded into the other room, followed by their unicorn foal-sitter.

“Did you do something to my big brother?” I jumped. Behind me stood Rivercloud, wearing suspicious look on her face that made me a little uneasy.

“Do something? To Comet Tail?” Question dodge #1.

“Because when he came home from flying you around, he was all upset. He was mad and sad and frustrated and in a bad mood all at the same time! Did you beat him?”

“Beat him? What do you mean, Rivercloud?” #2.

“Aren’t you the pony who won the thing he went to last month?”

“Are you talking about the Arena event? Why would you think that?” And #3.

“He said the winner of that thing he went to last month was coming here, and that she must be very strong. And then you showed up and saved us from the cart, so I thought it must be you! Big brother thought so too.”

“Oh, I see. So that's why he tried to fight me yesterday...” I mused.

“I knew he would! Who won?!"

"Nopony. I told him I wasn't the pony he was looking for and walked away."

"Then you didn't fight him?"

"That's right. Why would I fight your brother? He’s very strong!”

“Yea, you’re right! You wouldn’t stand a chance against my big brother!” I said he was strong, not that I couldn’t whip his over-confident ass... Wait, what am I thinking?! Back, Hood! Back to the grave where you belong!

“Anyways, you should get in there with the rest of your class before Miss Nectar starts looking for you.”

“Okay. See you later, Miss Sapling!" Rivercloud scuttled into the back room where the others slept. Nectar soon emerged.

"Thank you for spending time with the children. You're something of a hero to them, so it really means a lot." The unicorn's face seemed to glow with her smile.

"A hero? Heh. Children can be very silly sometimes." I said with a slight blush, scratching my mane.

"I don't think it's silly," she returned, approaching me slowly.

"All I did was stop a runaway cart."

"And by doing that, you did so much more. Saving this nursery? Saving their lives? That's very heroic if you ask me." What is that smell? Perfume? Something more natural? Whatever it is, it's getting stronger with every step she takes.

"Oh. Well, you said thanks, so I guess you're welcome." Nectar giggled, sending shivers through my spine. The gentle cadence of her steps echoed through the floor, tingling the bottoms of my hooves. No... It's not just my hooves that's tingling.

"I know Comet flew you around yesterday, but is there anything I can do to thank you? You know... personally?" she asked in a tone that, for some reason, made me blush even harder.

"A-actually, there is one thing you could do for me," I replied after a gulp.

"And what might that be, hmm? The children are all asleep, so ask me anything." The sweet scent of a mature and motherly mare nuzzled my nostrils. The gentle touch of her hoof against my chest. Her face so close to mine I could lick it. A fire growing stronger in my cheeks and my... cheeks. There could only be one proper response to such an advance...

"Which way to the mayor's office?"

***

I let out several heavy breaths when I finally stopped running. What the hell was that, back there? My body felt like it was going to burst into flame! If I hadn't gotten away, I don't know what would've happened to me.

When my breathing returned to normal, I looked up at the building to which Nectar guided me. It was small-ish, unattractive, and otherwise nondescript sort of building. Not exactly what I expected the mayor to be working in. On the door was a note reading, 'Office closed until further notice. Signed ~Monarchos, Mayor of Trifecta'. Well, shit. How am I supposed to deliver a package to the mayor if the mayor isn't around?

*Sigh* How many days has it been since I left Juniper? Three? Then I should still have some time if I don't get caught in any more messes like taking jobs for the Steel Rangers or becoming a Trifectan hero. I should probably get Juniper's supplies while I'm waiting for the mayor to get back. Better not waste any more time. *click shuffle shuffle crackle* Hmm...

"Let's see... Should've gone through scorpion territory to get those tails. Oh well, I'll get them on the way back. Now then, where to find some liquor?"

"Sounds like you should start at the Wine'n'Dine." You'd think one would get used to getting startled but not me! Standing next to me was a bright red, purple maned Pegasus the size of Juniper. "They make all sorts of cocktails there. Finest bar in the wasteland."

"Do they sell apple cider and sarsaparilla?"

"That they do, though I doubt to somepony of your age. How old are you, filly?"

"I'm 16."

"Then they won't serve you. Here in Trifecta, we have what's called a 'legal drinking age'." The buck emphasized the quotes, making sure I took the hint. "Gives kids like you one less chance to hurt themselves while they're young."

"Oh, it's not for me. It's for my boss back home."

"But you're the one buying. If your boss wanted some beer, your boss should've come personally."

"But I have to get them! She'll pound me into the dirt if I go back without her ingredients!" Indeed, I could see many whomps to the head in the not too distant future.

"Ingredients?" he asked curiously. "Is your boss a bartender?" My ears perked. I somehow got the feeling that he must know something about the business.

"My boss is the Bartender. Her name is Juniper." A silence echoed through Trifecta as a slow grin spread across the buck's face.

"Juniper, eh? I guess it is that time of year..." He began to pace.

"Huh? What time of year?"

"She sent an underling, though. Does this mean she's finally found somepony to apprentice?"

"What are you muttering about?" I said, slightly irritated.

"If so, then she must've sent you for that as well." I could tell he was in deep thought by the way he tapped his hoof to to his chin.

"Sent me for what?" Okay, this is getting ridiculous.

"How interesting!" he exclaimed, stomping for emphasis. "I'd love to see how that young stallion fares against Juniper's protege!" *kick THUMP*

"Earth to over-sized pony! Contact required!" I said, knocking on his dirt-covered forehead. There's nothing quite like taking daydreamers out at the hooves to bring their heads back from the clouds.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. What was it again?"

"First, how do you know Juniper? Second, what time of year were you talking about? And third, what is 'that'?" I asked, putting hoof quotes into the air as he climbed back upright.

"I'll answer all your questions later. First, let's go to the Wine'n'Dine." Grr...

"Fine."

***

The only difference between the Wine'n'Dine and the Berry Bomb was the presence of the only machine I ever learned to use correctly: a jukebox. Everything else was exactly the same, down to the selection of brews behind the counter.

"From what Hardy told me, I expected something a little... well, more."

"What are you talking about, filly? I've got the finest bar in the wasteland!" Where have I heard that before?

"The only thing you've got that Juniper doesn't is that jukebox, but she's got the brews, and the know how to use them right. Can your bartender say the same?"

"Welcome to- YOU!" Behind the counter stood a silver Pegasus, mouth agape and pointing at me.

"ME!" I replied, mouth agape and pointing a hoof at me.

"I won't let you escape this time! RAAAAGH!!" Comet Tail leapt over the marble slab and charged.

*WHOMP* "What the hell do you think you're doing, Comet?! Bar fighting is strictly forbidden, and you know it!"

"But sir! She--"

"No buts!" He rose from his ungraceful heap on the floor, never taking his eyes off me.

"This isn't over, Sapling. I'm going to beat you!" Comet Tail resumed his place behind the bar.

"Now, if you hadn't so rashly attacked, I would've told you that you two are going to have a battle."

"YES!" Comet cried.

“A battle?” I cried.

“Juniper sent you with a list of ingredients, yes?" I nodded. 'Was one of them the ‘Fist of the Cocktail'?”

"How did you know?"

"Because it's that time of year!" The look I gave him must have said something along the lines of 'What the fuck are you talking about, you batty old buck?' because he continued shortly. "Juniper and I have a standing feud over which of our bars is the best. Every year, we hold a 'Battle of the Saloons' to see who brews the best brew. Back and forth we'd go, mixing better and better drinks, until one year our customers couldn't tell whose blend was the clear victor."

"Congratulations. You must be proud of your skill to keep up with her!" I praised. In the back, I could see Comet Tail get slightly more agitated.

"NO! It's horrible! We need a way of breaking the tie!" wailed the owner dramatically. I rolled my eyes.

"So find one!"

"We did. You two are that way." I cocked my head in confusion. Comet and I are going to break the tie?

"How's that?"

"Isn't it obvious, Sapling?" the silver Pegasus interjected. "Whoever raised the better apprentice is the better barpony!"

"Exactly! Both of you are going to mix your best brews using any or all of the ingredients Juniper provided for on her list. Then I will give your brews to the customers. The one who makes the better drink wins the Fist."

"But I don't know the first thing about mixing drinks!"

"Then forfeit and save me the trouble of stomping you into dust. It's not like Juniper's the better teacher anyways." *twitch*

"...What did you say...?"

"I said Juniper isn't the best. She's just a struggling old mule who can't even win her own battles." Something within me snapped.

"Oh, It. Is. ON!" I went behind the bar and hunted for the ingredients. Odd... Nothing was there. “Where do I find the ingredients that I need?

“Show me the list and I'll tell you.” I gave the list to the barpony. “Alright. We've got the cider here, so need need to hunt for that. Radcarrots and sarsaparilla are up in Carrot Top's Garden, near the center of town. Scorpion tails? Why in Derby... Those might be a bit of a problem.” He and Comet exchanged a look.

“What's wrong with scorpion tails?” I asked innocently.

“First off, I can't imagine why Juniper would want to poison somepony with a venom like that. Second, there's a siege on the town. The Steel Rangers aren't letting anypony in or out of the city.”

“That's not true. How do you think I got here?” I pointed out. Really, the obvious things often fly by unnoticed.

“Now that you mention it, you're from Twoton aren't you? How did you get past the Steel Rangers?”

“They let me in. Which reminds me, do you know a 'Monarchos'? I have a package to give him from the rangers.” The two Pegasi exchanged another glance.

“I know him. He's Trifecta's mayor,” replied Comet Tail. The owner just shrugged and looked away.

“I know. I went to his office earlier, when I met your boss, but he wasn't there. Do you know where he is?”

“I do, but I'm not gonna tell you,” Comet Tail replied firmly. “He's been avoiding those armored murderers for weeks now.”

“Murderers?”

“They've been destroying caravans trying to get into the city,” the barbuck explained. “Down to the last guard, merchant, and traveler. You're the first I've seen to make it through the gates for several weeks.” I thought back to the raider gang. Could they have really been...?

“Would you excuse me for a moment?” Silence accompanied my hoofsteps as I walked slowly to the bathroom.

*paclop paclop paclop paclop paclop... tap creeeeeeek... paclop paclop paclop... squeak squeak tissssssshhhhh... HURGH! splatter*

***

“Are you sure you’re feeling better?” I sipped my glass of ice water and nodded, not at all sure I was telling the truth. According to Cheerwine, the barbuck, Trifecta thrived on the trade of irradiated water to the ghouls in Equestria, for which it would receive healthy soil and fertilizer. This allowed the city to grow its own crops, fresh and untainted by the wasteland, for food and sale to nearby wasteland cities and towns. The water used to irrigate the soil is purified by a talisman, but the talisman has a slight flaw, leaving a trace amount of radiation which eventually decays the soil. Trifecta imports new soil to replace the old every few months.

When the Steel Rangers arrived, they put the city under siege, blocking off all trade to the outside world. That means no food exports, and more importantly, no soil imports. Without soil, plant life becomes unsustainable. No money, no food. In three words...

Trifecta effectively dies.

“How long until your soil decays?” I asked, afraid to hear the answer.

“The crops have already begun to wither. I’d say we have less than a week before we lose the harvest.” That's what I was afraid of.

“What would it take to make them break the siege?”

“It would take the mayor letting the Steel Rangers raid our Stable, but there’s no way we can let them do that,” piped Comet Tail. “That Stable is our only shelter in times of trouble, like if the Steel Rangers decide to invade, or if Radscorpions go on a rampage.”

“Oh. So if the SR took it, you would be basically defenseless?”

“That’s right. They offered their protection, but I don’t trust foreign military. Equestria abandoned Derby when the war started. Unchecked by our ‘allies’ in Canterlot or Hoofington, Groups from all over the region raided us because we were on the border. The only reason we survived the Fallout was because of the Stable that they put here on a whim.”

“I don’t understand why the SR haven’t invaded themselves,” I commented. “They have so much firepower, they could probably take the Stable by force.”

“You’re right about that, and I’m sure they would have by now, if it weren’t for Monarchos.”

“Comet Tail, hush.”

“But--”

“What about Monarchos?” I asked, trying to probe deeper.

“It’s none of your concern.”

“If he can keep them at bay, can’t he drive them away?”

“I said it’s none of your concern!” yelled Cheerwine.

“I don’t believe you!” I yelled back. “If he can do something, but chooses not to, then what kind of mayor is he?!" *Whomp*

“Shut up. Stupid foal...” A small streak flashed on Cheerwine’s face before falling to the ground. Comet Tail stood up, shoulders twitching, staring at the ground like he was trying to control his emotions.

“Sapling, why don’t we leave Cheerwine to be alone for a bit? Let’s go to Carrot Top’s garden,” suggested the silver Pegasus. "We can collect some ingredients while we're there."

***

We slowly walked in silence until we reached the garden at the top of the hill, never once looking at each other. I began to harvest the carrots uneasily. Finally, the silence was too much to bear.

“Trying to pluck these carrots is like pulling weeds embedded in concrete! Is this what happens to the soil when it dies?" Comet Tail’s eyes were void. “Comet?”

“Do you remember when I dropped you off here last time?” he asked with lifeless words.

“You were trying to fight me. To prove that you were the best around,” I replied, filling my satchel.

“That’s right. This time, however...” Something switched inside my companion as he walked beside me. The air around him instantly flooded with his killing intent! I leapt away from him as his hooves struck the air where I stood less than a second before.

“What the hell, Comet?!” I fumed. “I thought we were here to collect ingredients!”

“When did I say that? I brought you here to punish you for making Cheerwine break.” He suddenly burst forward, crashing into me like a missile and sending me rolling like I had been hit by one of Juniper’s punches. “And I’m not going to stop until you’re broken beyond repair, Sapling.” He charged again.

“I don’t want to fight you! Please, Comet Tail!” But in his rage he couldn’t hear me. A flurry of punches and bucks came from all sides, nearly all at once. Damn his incredible speed! I threw off my hood.

“Are you afraid? You’re not going to give me that crap about not being the Filly again, are you? Just because you take off your hood doesn’t mean I’m going to slow down!” Another blitz-like punch.

*catch*

“Are you sure, Comet? You seem to have gotten really slow!” I heard myself say. He was pinned to the ground before realizing what I was doing. When I finally regained conscious control of my legs, I took my hoof off his torso and jumped back. “Please, don’t fight me. It’s not because I’m afraid of you, but because I’m afraid of what I may do to you.”

“Are you making fun of me?!” He disappeared. Next thing I knew, there was a pain in my side and I was rolling through the garden. I flipped up to my feet and slid to a halt. The silver Pegasus hovered in the sky. “I was fast enough to beat your mentor! What makes you think you can do any better?”

“You’re nowhere near as strong as Juniper. If she had gone full strength, you would be nothing more than a pulp swept between the Arena’s tiles.” Having seen Juniper’s strength for myself, I felt confident in the accuracy of that statement.

“Are you going full strength? Do you think you can pulp me?” He began to fly in a circle, creating a small vortex of air around him. “Can you fight a tornado?!” The column of air slowly approached me, getting stronger by the second. The silver streak of Pegasus which held the twister in place steadily grew larger, allowing more air to join the maelstrom. I ran from the growing twister, but soon the force of its vacuum threatened to draw me inside. The pack at my side began to violently jerk, throwing off my balance.

Actually, that gives me an idea.

“How well do you like carrots?” I fought the wind and pulled my pack back toward me. Come on! Just... a little... more! My hoof touched the buckle holding the pack closed. *click* The cover flew open, releasing all the carrots I had collected into the vortex.

“What the... AAAHH--mmph!” The streak broke and rocketed away, the momentum of the vortex proving too much to handle when his concentration broke. He crashed to the ground not far from me, a carrot stuck in his mouth. The tornado died, almost as quickly as it had appeared.

“I guess I can fight a tornado. As long as it’s formed by a pony.” He glared at me and spat the carrot out before climbing back to his feet.

“Alright, not gonna try that again. I’ll just have to face you head on.” Comet Tail stretched his wings, making sure they were still good to go.

I hung my head, exasperated. “Will nothing stop you from trying to fight me?”

“You wounded both mine and Cheerwine’s pride. I’m not going to stop until you’re in the hospital!” I sighed.

“Very well. Just don’t bloody up my face, got it?” I warned. The Pegasus stared at me, then laughed hard.

“Sapling, I knew you were arrogant, but I didn’t think you were conceited too!” In a flash, he was in front of me, hoof arched back for a swift blow. I managed to dodge to the side before it landed, but his speed even after the crash is praise worthy. “I’m going to wipe that vanity off your ugly face!”

“It’s not vanity! It’s--” *Thud* A warmth began to leak from my nose. Hurriedly, I covered my nostrils to prevent the blood from getting into my mouth. “Are you an idiot?! I’m trying to--” *Crack* The swift strike to the back of my neck made me lose my balance. I fell forward and threw both hooves out in front of me to keep from falling, then rolled away to avoid from getting sucker punched again.

“What’s the matter, Sapling? Afraid of getting your face dirty?” Another flash, and my teeth were clicking as he uppercut me beneath the jaw. “Afraid to show a little blood?” Blow after blow to the head. “I can’t believe how easy you’re making this! This is nothing compared to the world of hurt you’re going to face later!” He swiped my leg out of the way and connected his hoof with my teeth, rattling me and knocking me to the ground. Before I could stop it, the leak had spread.

“Comet Tail, run...” I could feel myself losing control.

“From what? Your ‘fury’? You talk big, but you’re nothing when you get a little... Why are you grinning like that?” The last thing I remember is a wonderful feeling of ecstasy as I charged him.

Agh... Where am I? The last thing I remember is fighting Comet Tail. He punched me, and... What the hell? Everything's so... bright. Colorful. And it smells amazing here. I'm reading about a creature called 'Human' from a book as thick as my hoof. WAH!! My hoof! My leg! I'm... colorful! A bright blue-green type colorful. Mother of Celestia, I must've been hit harder than I thought.

“Welcome to Lyra and Bon Bon's Confectionery! How may I-- Applejack!” I said, rushing to greet the orange mare. Well, since I can't seem to control myself, may as well let this dream take me where it will. “It's been ages since I've seen you in Ponyville!” Ponyville? That’s hundreds of miles away! Why would I be dreaming about there?

“Good mornin’, Lyra. Yea, I’ve been busy. How are you an' Bon Bon doin'?” the one called Applejack said, releasing me from a hug. Hold on... I know she can't be that much shorter than me. Am I really only on two hooves?

“We're doing very well! She's in the back cooking up some muffins for Derpy. Would you like something? My treat for such a wonderful surprise visit!” I guided Applejack to the counter of sweets, somehow remaining on two hooves like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Well, alright. I am a bit hungry.” I levitated a couple-- Oh, wow... I haven't felt this sense in a very, very long time. This feeling... I'm a unicorn again. The sensation of magic flowing through my horn overwhelmed me, and I mentally wept. My dream body didn't join me though, as it didn't seem to care what I was thinking.

“How do you like it?” my body asked, watching in expectation.

“It's not bad. What exactly is it?” she asked, chewing the last of the candy.

“It's a taffy. I hope you liked it! Can you guess the ingredients?”

“I do like it. As for ingredients, I can taste my own apples anywhere, but this has somethin' else in it. What's the secret, Lyra?”

“Carrots.” Apples and carrots? Sounds familiar.

“You mixed MY fruit with HER vegetables?!” she cried, more shocked than angry.

“Where else am I supposed to get Bon Bon's ingredients? Besides, I'd say the result was pretty good.” From the look on Applejack's face, she couldn't help but agree, even if she would never admit it.

“Oh, it's Applejack!” A pale yellow earth pony with a blue and pink mane walked out from the back, carrying a tray of muffins. “I just finished a batch of muffins for Ditzy Doo. Would you like one?”

“Are you kiddin’? If that mare found out I had one of her muffins, no amount of twitchy-tails would save me!” We all laughed.

“Too true,” Lyra replied. “Anyways, as much as I would like to believe you’re here for the confections, I can’t imagine a busy mare like yourself isn’t working.” Applejack nodded. “Why don’t you sit down and tell us about it?”

“Hey, even ponies like me need a break every now and then. Besides, there’ve been some weird things goin’ on with the others.” We all walked over to a table and sat together.

“Like what?” asked Bon Bon.

“Pinkie’s sense has been telling her that something big is going to happen soon, but she doesn’t know what it could mean. She’s never felt anything like it before,” Applejack explained.

“It’s probably just Pinkie being Pinkie. You know how she gets,” I mused. I didn’t actually know, but the others nodded, seeming to understand.

“I’d think the same thing, but Zecora’s been actin’ strange too. Not only them, but even Twilight is in half a frenzy. Normally she’s not the superstitious type, but somethin’ in the stars is tellin’ her about some impending calamity.” Applejack shook her head. “I know this sounds crazy, but she did know about Nightmare Moon’s return. What if this is more than hocus pocus?”

“All three of them? I wonder what’s going on.” *CRASH! badum crash* The four of us landed in a heap next to the counter. Actually, one pony, a gray Pegasus mare with blonde hair and wonky eyes, was sitting on the rest of us and chewing on something.

“Hello Ditzy! Do you like the muffins I baked you?” the voice of Bon Bon said from beneath me. My heart leapt when the gray mare looked down and beamed us with such a grin of purest joy that even after being pummeled and sat on, I couldn’t help but feel glad for her. “Would you mind getting off so we can get up, please?” Obediently, the cock-eyed mare hopped off, still snacking on her baked goods.

“I’d better get goin’,” said Applejack after we climbed to our hooves and dusted each other off. “My schedule is gettin’ hectic with Zap Apple Season comin’ up.”

“If you need any help with this problem, let me know. I’ll be glad to offer my services,” I said.

“I’m not sure how sweets would help, but thanks.” Applejack waved goodbye as she trotted down the street. Bon Bon and I walked back inside. Bon Bon began to clean the mess made by Derpy, but paused after a moment.

“Do you think their problems are related to your research?” she asked, concerned.

“I hope not, but it’s possible. Historically there have been many disputes over economic treaties like the new coal-gem agreement, even during the time of humans. Sometimes even leading to all out war.” War...

“Oh dear. That would be horrible!” exclaimed a frightened Bon Bon.

“What’s war?” I-- Lyra glanced over at the crumb-covered Pegasus and frowned.

“If it’s anything like history has shown, it’s something bad, Ditzy. Something I hope we never see in Equestria.”

I woke up to find myself in my room back home. Or something like it, at least. I must be back at the Wine’n’Dine. Which means I’m not fighting.

“Comet!” I yelled with a start, jumping out of bed. What happened to him? I seem to be fine, which means somepony healed me. They must have seem Comet Tail, too.

“Sounds like you’re awake. How did you sleep?” The voice came from the doorway and belonged to an unusually deadpan Cheerwine.

“Where’s Comet Tail?” I asked, ignoring the previous questions. This was far more important than some weird dream about the past.

“Don’t worry about him. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, now where’s Comet Tail?”

“Calm down, Sapling. Do you remember what happened on Carrot Top?”

“I went berserk, okay?! I don't remember anything else, now tell me where Comet Tail is! I want to make sure he’s ok!” Cheerwine glared at me, his face expressionless.

“Comet Tail is on his way to the Berry Bomb. I gave him what medical care I could, but I don’t have the skill that your Juniper has.” I slumped backward to my rump. “He is alive. Right now, that’s all that matters.”

"What about the seige? How did you get him past--" *Bang bang bang bang* I heard the entrance slam open, then some rowdy noises coming from the main dining room.

“It’s about time I got some liquor! I haven’t had a good brew in ages!” sounded a voice from the main dining room.

“I know what you mean. Camping on some city’s doorstep really does a number on your drinking habits.” Camping on the doorstep? No way...

“Don’t tell me you...” Cheerwine remained expressionless as I rushed past and out of the back room to find a group of five unarmored Steel Rangers sitting in the bar.

“Finally, a bartender. And she’s a cutie, too!” one exclaimed.

“Hey there, pretty filly. Why don’t you come sit next to me?” cooed another. Child-mode: Activate.

“Because you smell like you’ve been rotting in your armor for a month.” I said with a cheerful smile. Oh’s and whoa’s rose up from the others.

“Bitch has a mouth on her. Monarchos, you’d better shut your whore up, before I do it for you,” he retorted.

“Monarchos?” I asked. Cheerwine lowered his head and nodded. Now things were beginning to make sense. I turned back to the soldier, determined to try and make up with Cheerwine. “You against me? That wouldn’t be a fair fight, would it?” I looked back at Cheerwine. He shook his head, playing along.

“Probably not.” The ranger laughed. “So I suggest you quiet down and do as you’re told.”

“Oh, I think you misunderstood me. You would have your ass handed to your friend on a silver platter.” Now the others laughed as his face grew redder. “I think I saw one earlier that I can use. Is there one under the counter, sir?” I asked the barbuck.

“There is, but you know the rules. Absolutely no bar fights,” he reminded.

“Not a problem, sir. I’ll just beat him senseless outside, then serve him on the platter when I get finished. Does that work for you, boys and girls?” The soldier rose from the table angrily as his crew’s laughter grew.

“I have half a mind to actually do this. Barbuck, I won’t ask again. Shut up your girl, or I’m making her my bitch and mother to my bastard foal.”

“Hey, now. Calm down, dude. It’s all in good fun, chill out,” said one of his companions. A small chorus of agreement echoed from the others.

“Oh no! What if he hits me in the face?!” I wailed. Cheerwine’s eyes got wide. I'm pretty sure he didn't want to try the memory orb tactic a second time. “Wouldn’t that be horrible?” Despite that, I think he liked the idea of somepony beating the rangers, as a slight smile flashed across his lips.

“Not sure if he could handle hitting something as hard as your stubborn head. But no need to provoke the pony anymore into testing it. His friends would get a really good laugh out of his miserable failure, and we aren’t in the business of entertainment. Remember, we’re just here to sell drinks.”

“You’re right, sir. My head is pretty hard, and it doesn't look like his hoof could take it.” He facehoof'd. “What? He just looks so dainty.”

“That does it! I’m gonna beat you into the dirt!” The soldier lunged at me from over the table.

“Ah-ah-ah. Not in my bar. You want reclaim your pride by attacking a filly, you take it outside.”

“Yes, sir!” I swayed my hips out the door, taunting the soldier. His friends tried to calm him down. If he won, all he did was beat up a filly, and if not, he just lost to a filly. Either way, he loses. Poor bastard didn’t listen and followed me out like a lamb to the slaughter. “Try to go easy on me, okay? And whatever you do, please don’t hit me in the face!”

“Hit you? Girl, I’m going to mop the floor with you! I made it to the semifinals for my species bracket in last month’s Arena tournament,” he boasted. Earth pony, slender, inexperienced stance, arrogant presence. In a single word: Pushover.

“That strong? I want a handicap!”

“Like hell! When I'm done with you, both your ends are going to be sore!”

“Really? You don't want me to take it easy on you?” I asked innocently.

“You-- easy-- on me?! Bitch, there's no way you'll beat me! I'll even give you a free shot!” He tapped his cheek, taunting me. "Go on, hit me!"

“Okay! Here it goes!” I coiled my body, just like I learned from Juniper, planting my roots and setting my hooves solidly into the earth. My legs exploded forward, propelled by the recoil of the ground, sending all their momentum through my decompressing body and into my rising forehoof. By the time my fist connected with the soldier, it had gained enough power to drive Juniper's pump several times over. *thud k-k-krack!!* Unfortunately for him, his jaw wasn't anywhere near as tough as Juniper's pump, and it easily gave way to my uppercut.

“How was that? Did I do okay?” The soldier screamed in agony and was quickly surrounded by the others. After thorough examination from each other them, they concluded the obvious.

“Shit, you broke his fucking jaw! Crusader Orion is gonna throw a fit!”

“Ooo! Ooo! I know him! Tell him Sapling says hi, and ask him if he's seen my mom yet!” The group hurried their companion back to wherever they were camped. Cheerwine/Monarchos motioned me back inside. Obediently, I obeyed.

“I suppose I should thank you for getting them out of my bar. As much as I dislike the Steel Rangers, I can't touch them directly. Also, it's hard to refuse business.” Something in Cheerwine's tone was reserved, like he was trying hard to control his emotions.

“Why did you let the Steel Rangers in? I thought there was...” He simply stared at me, confirming what I feared. "It was me, wasn't it?"

“If it weren't for you, Comet Tail wouldn't be on his way to Juniper. We have ways of smuggling things in and out of the city, so I could have gotten enough soil in time to hold out on the siege, but that takes time to prepare. Comet needed immediate medical attention, beyond what we have here in Trifecta, or he could suffer for the rest of his life. The only way to get him to Juniper quickly was to pacify the rangers.”

“I'm sorry...” Cheerwine tossed me a bag. I looked inside to find a set of powerhooves. “What is this...?”

“That's the Fist of the Cocktail. After Juniper and I began to make drinks that were equally good, we came to blows. The Fist is given to the winner of the contest after the drinks contest. You won the contest that would have been held afterward, so the Fist is yours.”

“But...”

“I have business to attend to with the Steel Rangers. Take your prize and get out, Berserker.” The words stung like an 'I'm disappointed in you' from Harmonica.

Level up! Level 4

New Perk: Underestimated - Everypony thinks you're pathetic. All Faction relations -20, Relationship modifiers are doubled.

New rare Item! Fist of the Cocktail - Fight like a drunk! You feel less pain and your strikes become harder to predict. While equipped, Damage threshold +5, Critical Hit chance +10%

Chapter 1

“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.