//------------------------------// // Cordially Invited // Story: Enter The Dragon (Spike's Story) // by Stratocaster //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Cordially Invited Master Yin paced his office with a troubled expression. His student was now late for a private meeting and he had something of the utmost urgency to tell him. After pacing the floor for a few more minutes, not bothering to sit and meditate, the door finally slid open and Spike strode in. "Sorry I'm late, master." He greeted. "Twilight was just making me write a report for her friend Rainbow Dash; something about a turtle or whatever. Anyway, what's up?" "There is something I must inform you about, Spike." Yin said soberly. "There is a letter for you, but that pegasus mailpony delivered it here by mistake. It was already opened and I could not help reading it. It is an invitation." "An invitation?" repeated Spike with glee. "You mean to a party? I don't know about any parties coming up soon. Although I think Pinkie is having one for the anniversary of her first poundcake." "I am afraid it is far bigger news than a party." He stepped closer to his student. "Spike, you have been chosen to compete in a Tail Kwon Do tournament." Spike's eyes bulged. "A tournament?! Me?! But, who sent the invitation?" "My twin brother, Yang." Yin then walked over to a framed photo on the wall. In the photo posed a pony who eerily resembled him. The stallion was bright red with a black mane and the same pair of silvery eyes; his cutie mark was the black half of a Taijitu symbol. The red stallion sported a martial arts uniform similar to Yin's, and a devious looking smile across his face. Yin resumed. "Like me, Yang is also a master of Tail Kwon Do. But he has misused his experience through exhibition, by staging illegal fights for money. Eventually, he earned enough wealth to buy out an entire Tail Kwon Do temple, located on a remote island off the coast of Neighjing. It is there that he hosts an annual tournament, inviting only the most elite martial artists from all over Equestria." "Elite martial artists?" queried Spike. "But why would Yang want to invite me? I've only moved up one belt for crying out loud." "Apparently, he has caught whiff of your training, and thinks that entering a dragon in the tournament will draw a larger crowd. My brother has always been showbonistic; exploiting martial artists just to bring himself prestige and attention. Why he has even gone as far as to make the tournament prize ten thousand bits cash, plus a trophy filled with gems." Spike stood silent for a brief moment. "Did you say...g- g- g- gems?!" his mouth began to salivate as he moaned with pleasure. "Now that's a prize I'm willing to compete for! Master Yin, you should totally let me enter. Uh, you know, to prove myself as a martial artist, and stuff." "There is more to this competition than you think, dragon. It is my understanding that Yang is using it as an elaborate cover-up for something far more sinister." "Oh come on, what could be so bad that he has to cover it up with a Tail Kwon Do tournament?" Yin gave him a stern look. "Slavery." Spike gasped with shock. "What?! Wh- wh- what do you mean slavery? How can you be sure?" "Because I have competed in my brother's tournament as well. When I was staying there, I did some spying around the island and found that under the temple, Yang keeps a stronghold of young mares who have been shanghaied and forced to work as his hoofmaidens." "That's...that's horrible! Why didn't you stop him?" "I tried to, but when Yang's guards caught me sneaking through the temple, he had me disqualified and deported back here. I warned Princess Celestia herself about the slave trade, but she said she could not launch a formal investigation since Yang has bought himself diplomatic immunity. To this day, there is still no evidence of my brother's dastardly crime; but I have seen the mares with my own eyes." "So how come you never went back?" "Unfortunately, my age has caught up with my strength. Yang has grown too powerful; if I tried to stop him, he would see me a mile away and I may meet a worse fate than deportation. However, he'll never expect to be overthrown by one of his own guests." "Uh, I think I hear Twilight calling me." "Spike, it is up to you now. You must enter Yang's tournament and uncover his slave hold." "But, why me?" "Because Yang has invited you himself. I understand you are still a novice, but unfortunately, there is no other choice. This is the perfect opportunity to infiltrate my brother's temple and stop him once and for all. Will you not go?" Spike darted his eyes. "I...I...I don't know. I mean, what if I fail? What if Yang catches me and beats me to a pulp? Or worse?! I barely managed to earn a yellow belt. How am I supposed to beat your twin brother?! I wanted to prove myself as a tough fighter, but this is just too much." Yin placed a sympathetic hoof on his shoulder. "I know you doubt yourself; if I was in your position now, I would feel afraid as well. But sometimes to prove ourselves, we must rise to challenges that we cannot perceive. And as long as you remember my teachings, you..." he paused to consider his words. "May have a...pretty good chance at succeeding...probably." Spike looked up with hope. "You really think I can defeat him?" "I do not think you can, I know you will." Yin exaggerated with a smile. "Plus, you will not be going it alone. The invitation says that you are allowed to bring one friend to compete in the tournament. Like I said, I cannot go without raising suspicion. But I wish you the best of luck regardless." Immediately, Spike began to feel strangely better thanks to his master's words. With his newfound confidence, he put his hands together and bowed to Yin. "Thank you so much, Master Yin. I promise I won't fail you." "I will hold you to that." Yin replied flatly then gave Spike a folded paper. "Here is the invitation. The directions to Yang's island are included as well as the starting date. Good luck, dragon; it has been...interesting to train you." After one more exchange of bows, Spike exited the office, leaving Yin to sigh to himself. "That dragon has a better chance of liberating slaves than winning a martial arts tournament. I need a cider." Outside the gym, Spike read the invite as he walked off. "Huh, it says I can bring one friend to compete. I think I know just the pony." ... "You want me to what?!" "C'mon, Fluttershy!" pleaded Spike. "You're the only one of my friends who knows any Tail Kwon Do. Please come with me?" "But Spike," cringed Fluttershy as she sat on her couch. "An entire temple of expert martial artists? With everypony watching?! That's so...scary." She shuddered. "And if I can't handle it, what makes you think you can? Oh, I mean, no offense." "But I have to go. Master Yin says it's important that I do." "What could be so important about a trophy full of gems?" Spike hunched over as he drooled again. "Ah...gems..." he moaned, then shook himself off. "That's not what this is about. This Yang guy is bad news. He's making servants out of innocent mares and using this tournament to hide it all. And I have to stop him." "What? Oh my, how awful! But why is Master Yin making you go?" "Because I'm the only one of his students to be invited. If I go and infiltrate the temple, Yang will never see it coming. But I can't do it alone, and that's why I need you to come along and help me." "I just don't know, Spike. It seems so...dangerous. I'm sorry but I don't think I can bring myself to join you." Spike joined her on the couch. "Fluttershy, I'm just as scared as you are. But if we do this together, it'll be better than going it alone. Come on, you've helped me and Twilight plenty of times before, even in my training. Now I need your help again. Besides, we're both Yin's students, aren't we?" "Well...I guess so. But I'm still not sure." Fluttershy ducked behind her long mane to hide her cowardice. "If you help me out," sighed Spike. "I'll fluff Angel's tail every week." "Deal!" she smiled and hugged him tightly. "But wait, how are we going to get to Yang's island?" Spike sized her up. "You have wings, don't you?" Fluttershy gulped.