Deadlocked: Isolation
Back in her containment suite, Twilight discovered that it was rather sparse. There was a bed for her in the lab section, which would also allow her to upgrade battle bots if she had any. There was also Mission Control, where the silent automaton that had worked on her armor sent messages to her via her visor. Last but not least were the two space bus docks, one for the Battledome and one for other planet bases. In the center was an interface to let her view her scores, not that she really cared. A brief view of it informed her of a few of her future opponents. She saw a lot of hero names, and a few names in yellow that, according to the interface, were the Exterminators.
Max Force
Destroyer
Bio-Crusher
The names didn't mean anything to her, but she was sure they would before too long. She also noticed there was an automated weapons kiosk, complete with weapons, weapon mods, armor, and Omniwrench mods...all things that she could buy with the bolts she earned in the arena to make her more efficient in the arena...so she could get more bolts in the arena easier, to buy more stuff from the kiosk, to make her a more efficient gladiator...
There would never be an end.
She was rather unsurprised as a summons to the Battledome interrupted her musings. Sighing, she went to the transport to the arena.
As she reached the Battledome, a green skinned announcer with either antennae or horns in a blue suit began a speech about the previous combatants. "And it looks like Team Dark Star is making a huge success in the Dreadzone so far, not that such a streak can last long with the lineup we've got. Then again, a new contender always shakes things up a little." The camera zoomed out to show his red headed fembot cohost as well. The green alien then pulled out a piece of paper. "Next up we have...um, let me see here...Twilight Sparkle? Huh, never heard of her. Well, she's probably just intermission material folks, but don't worry! We have Black Tornado and Star Seeker coming up later, so stay tuned to Dreadzone!"
At that point, Twilight stepped into the arena, her head hanging with her helmet off.
"So...this is Twilight?" the green skinned alien asked. "She's tiny!"
"She's adorable!" the red headed fembot squealed.
"Someone had to say it, Juanita," the green skinned alien replied. "But I don't think she's going to be up to much."
"Don't be like that, Dallas," Juanita replied. "You never know with the cute ones."
Twilight sighed sadly. Not only did no one even know who she was...even being cute wasn't enough to get help. She was all on her own...all alone...
Her helmet snapped on before anyone could see any tears.
Twilight fought her way through the challenge presented to her, not letting herself take too much damage, but lacking the spark to make her really shine. She probably didn't look very good, but she didn't really care about that. When she reached the shielded turret, she simply ducked behind cover, levitated her Magma Cannon to behind it - where the shields didn't cover - and blasted away. She just...didn't care.
After that, she returned to her containment suite, sighing as she slumped into the bed. It wasn't even all that comfortable, a second rate mattress that felt like it had been stuffed with rocks, and a pillow that was practically flat. Not even a blanket.
Looking around, she saw no books. The computers didn't access any information networks beyond Vox Media. There was nothing to do except...fight. That was all she could do. Keep fighting.
No one would care if she won. No one would care if she died in battle. No one who cared about her back in Solana would know how or why she died. They might never even know. And...and she might never see Ratchet again.
Before long, the interplanetary transport arrived, plainly indicating she was to go to a new world to fight some more for the entertainment of the masses. Sighing, sniffling away her tears, she made her way to the transport, and selected the world that had been made available. Reading the instructions, she wasn't surprised to discover that any attempt to tamper with the controls would make it explode. There was no way out.
As Twilight came in to see a rather lovely world with gold skies, red land, and purple seas, Dallas began announcing the details. "It's a beautiful summer day on Attica Seven, Juanita, as we kick off a brand new season of Dreadzone's Second League! As you all know, the introduction of a second league was meant to balance Ace Hardlight's excessive success and give a few other competitors a chance to shine...before being ripped to shreds!"
"That's right, Dallas," Juanita replied. "The second league uses different worlds as combat stages, a different set of Exterminators, and the champion of each league gets to challenge Ace Hardlight! ...of course, if anyone actually manages to beat Hardlight, the champion of the leagues get to fight each other."
They were both silent for a time before bursting into laughter. "Like that could ever happen!" Dallas joked. "The Vox construction team have turned this world - once an idealistic vacation spot - into a deadly disaster course filled with pitfalls, laser traps, deadly mutated animals, and the chemically reanimated corpses of everyone who's ever been killed here, including previous heroes!"
"Well then, Dallas, let's see how little Twilight fares against the zombie hordes!" Juanita breathed eagerly.
Twilight stared around at the scenery that was so peaceful, her helmet off as she stared blankly at the beauty that disguised the deadly nature of the course. As her sorrow built up, she felt a pounding headache build just behind her horn. As the mutated animals and zombified former heroes began to rise and converge on her, she couldn't take it any more. She was surrounded by enemies trying to kill her, the announcers slandered her character as some kind of joke, and she was all alone for the first time since she was in quarantine in Bogon, and she'd hated that. She hated being alone...
Leaning her head back, she released all her magic at once as she shouted, "I WANT MY DADDY!!!"
The magic exploded out of her. The land tore upward as though ripped apart by a massive storm. Clouds swirled into miniature tornadoes that tore the Dreadzone structures apart as the seas boiled and parted. The creatures and zombies alternately vaporized or crystallized as magic blasted over them, the entire course tearing itself apart in a single massive blast.
As her magic left her completely, Twilight fell to the circle of untouched ground she sat on and burst into tears, curling up into a tight ball as she wept, the whole thing recorded by flying cameras that just happened to be in the right place at the right time to not be completely obliterated.
Up in the announcer box, Dallas swallowed convulsively. "Umm...Juanita?"
"Your spare trousers are in the back room," the fembot replied without taking her eyes off the devastation.
"Thanks!"
Gleeman Vox stared at the destruction caused by Twilight's outburst, practically salivating. "Glorious!" he breathed eagerly. "The ratings are going to skyrocket over that time bomb! I can hardly wait to see what the feedback is. I know how much the fans love carnage!"
"Uh...sir?" a robot said over the intercom. "You might want to take a look at this..."
"What is it?" Vox demanded angrily. "You know how I feel about interruptions when I'm scheming!"
"Well, sir...it's the latest focus group surveys regarding the new contestants...from the viewers..."
Vox groaned. "Customers!" he growled. "If I didn't need their bolts, I wouldn't put up with them...what is it?"
"Well...Twilight Sparkle has immediately become a fan favorite, but...the fans want to see her happy."
"Happy?" Vox bellowed. "Who cares about if the contestants are happy? They're supposed to be fighting to the death! When did this become a holo-drama?"
"Well, it's just..." The robot swallowed convulsively despite the absence of an esophagus. "There's already a petition on Space-Change, and...if her emotional situation isn't addressed by her next appearance...89 million viewers are going to boycott everything to do with Vox Media."
Gleeman blinked in shock. "89 million...how much of our viewership is that?"
"About...74%, sir. We'd go bankrupt within a month."
Gleeman Vox stared down at the figures being presented to him. "...so throw her a couple of scrap bots off the disposal line. She'll cling to anything if she's in this state. But I'm not putting her on Team Dark Star. I set up the whole second league just for that end game! I'm not throwing that out!"
"I might have a suggestion," a voice called from the corner of the office.
Vox rolled his eyes. "When did you grow a brain, champ?"
A chuckle greeted him. "Leave it to me, boss. I know just what to do here..."
Stats
Page generated in 0.045 seconds
Total duration
955 users online
605,598 hits today, 2,571,732 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I will kill VOX for making Twilight cry!!!!
It's just like Fluttershy in TF all over again!!! CHOKE ON IT YOU SCHEMINS SON OF A B
H!!! I can totally see Twilight taking her new battle bots and making them super effective partners. 
... Well, this got dark.
You weren't pulling any punches here, Twilight really seems to have inherited those Pinkie fourth wall powers because she has viewed this experience as brutal as the game itself is portrayed in the series.
Man, what scrap bots are they talking about I wonder...
DEATH TO VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...
Meanwhile back on the Phoenix.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXXX
Ironhead: Um...did anyone else hear that?
Madd: I felt that...
6192511
We all know it's happening. I expected it to happen as soon I read that Deadlocked was also in this series. And now Ratchet and Twilight are in separate teams I'm certain they have to fight each other.....
6192511
Well yeah, it's not exactly subtle is it?
Many m,any years later...
Twilight Sparkle: "Well, I will admit that I had a few... issues... after the Dreadzone Incident. But over all, with some therapy and help from my friends and family, I eventually recovered and returned to being a well adjusted ind... VOX!? GLEEMAN VOX!? IS THAT YOU!? GET OUT HER RIGHT NOW SO I CAN KILL YOU! AGAIN! WITH FIRE! AND EXPLOSIONS! AND EXPLOSIONS THAT CAUSE FIRES WHICH ARE ALSO ON FIRE!"
Why does this story have a human tag when there are no humans.
Also before you say Captain Qwark, he's not exactly human. Unless humans naturally have two large fingers instead of four, he is a 'ridiculously' human looking alien though.
oh goodie we might see nightmare twilight again i forgot her name
Hell hath no fury like Twilight who is sepersted from her family.
Entire worlds will shatter, Suns will turn into black holes, planets won't even have a chance to form.
All in the name of entertainment.
No one likes Vox here, that much is obvious so it's safe to say we're all looking forward to his fortunate demise. Or torture as a test dummy forever would be fine too assuming he lives past testing.
...
So, Vox.
This plan to have Twilight fight Ratchet.
My primary feedback?
You are an idiot.
Okay, so assuming that the president of the galaxy (at best for you the president of a neighboring galaxy) doesn't notice that you're doing terrible things to her boyfriend and semi-daughter (Not that that's likely, though, right? I mean, it's not as if you kidnapped them from a place she knew you were based in and they'd be going, then broadcast coverage of them to tens of millions of people. It's amazing you kept that hidden for as long as you did with other heroes, really; I'm wondering if your viewers are entirely deep black market (which would likely be supported, actually, by having only about 121 million viewers out of the populations of one or more galaxies).), both famous figures and galactic heroes, in time to send a large number of angry soldiers to prevent the battle, what exactly do you think is going to happen? Oh, sure, I bet you're confident in your containment systems, that there's no way they could possibly team up, break out, and go after you. And, hey, you have done some impressive things, so maybe you're right. But, ah, assuming that the two gadgeteer geniuses (and that's before Clank and Al are brought in) don't manage to get through your containment system, how do you think that fight is going to end? The best case for you is Ratchet winning/accepting Twilight sacrificing herself. Then you'd only have a heavily-armed, combat-experienced, and very well-connected lombax swearing blood vengeance against you. For killing, I stress this again, his preteen daughter beloved by common people, soldiers, and rulers in two galaxies. You see that ending well of you? And then, of course, if it's Twilight who wins or accepts a sacrifice from Ratchet... Yeah, the Nightmare you'd have gotten for just kidnapping them and forcing them into Dreadzone would perhaps be described as "a smidgen miffed" relative to what you'd have on your hands.
I repeat.
Gleeman Vox: you are an idiot.
6192580
Ha!
TFS ftw.
6192618
Because in terms of this story, Qwark qualifies as human.
...it actually leads into a rather hilarious joke I have planned for a very late chapter.
6192626
why do i think Vox is gonna put twi against her own dad....
6192580 NEEEEEERRRRRRD!!!!
Assign Venus to her.
You know, the she-bot that flirts with Clank and helps him figure out how to get the collars off.
That way, she'll be happy by staying in contact with Ratchet, while still being able to fight as a separate competitor, AND have someone to offer logistics and intel, like Clank does for Ratchet.
6192625 at least someone got the reference...
TFS ftw
6192622
I WAS going to say something...but this guy got here first. If Twilight doesn't spiral into depression first, when she meets Vox, they are going to have...words.
6192840 By words I'm guessing you mean a RYNO up Gleeman Vox's ass then yes they are definitely gonna have words.
Wasn't Ratchet supposed to die if Twilight used her magic?
Vox, you are the most heartless person I've ever met for separating her from Ratchet and making her cry.
Vox done fucked up. A little girl just changed the face of a planet, and you think treating her like some joke competitor will save you from an anguished and angry pre teen alicorn who broke a planet. Not to mention her father. Who if he sees her sad, will literally take your entire station apart before you can say "it's for the ratings". So yeah, you just buy a house on some planet, move there, and pray they don't come for you. Change your name, it will only delay the reaper.
The only way to truly hurt a man is to take away everything that he valued and degrade it and remind him if it every day of his life. But by doing this, you also create a monster. And you will regret ever harming that man because he will be your greatest horror. Give her her worst nightmare, go ahead. She bears an even worse Nightmare just below that fragile surface. Break her, and watch, as she rips apart reality itself to come for you. You made a fatal mistake Vox, one you won't live to see.
Nightmare Twilight will kill the idiot.
6192580 I feel like I should know this reference... but I just can't place it...
6192942 Only if the Collar detected magic being used on itself.
6192942 if she used it on the collar, yes, but she didnt use it on the collar, not directly...she had a surge that blasted an entire planet, thats all...
6192942 only if the magic is on the collar.
6193163 Team Four Star Dragon Ball Z Abridged if you're wondering
Ace Hardlight? Having ideas?! My bet is Twi gets added to his team, and he attempts to replace Ratchet like Qwark did in Commando. Or something equally
nefariousevil.6192619
I think her name, fittingly enough, is Dark Star.
That sure is going to confuse the viewership.
6192596 Twilight Sparkle invents Necromancy!
First thrall ever crated was the corpse of Gleeman Vox that kept killing himself while crying and begging for mercy and the sweet release of death.
Why do i get the sneaking suspicion that Ace is going to play the "I hate to break it you kid but YOUR DAD IS DEAD!" card and try assert himself as a paternal/bog brother/teacher figure?
6192861
Hey, a R.Y.N.O is words. Specifically it is four words in an acronym: Rip You a New One.
And whatever else Gleeman Vox may need, I think he also deserves whatever the New One is that a R.Y.N.O. would Rip for him. Or from him...
6193429
Ah... So Ace would be risking Suicide by Misinformation as Twilight experiences another psychotic break and power surges again due to grief.
6193462
Wouldnt be the first time this happened.
That or Ace has a character development like Quark did. Or just pull a Piccolo/Gohan mentor/unwilling student relationship sort of thing
*dark chukling* You have no idea what you just started Vox, I know for certain that if Ratchet and Twilight don't get their way with you, I'm sure myself and some other readers would like to give you
So you better fucking pray to whatever god or gods you believe in that you get lucky, else you better hope that I don't fucking catch you BECAUSE IM GOING TO PUT YOU THROUGH A HELL WORSE THAN ANYTHING YOU COULD FUCKING IMAGEN AND YOU'LL SPENT ETERNITY IN IT
6193459 Nice one!
...ive learned 2 people whit a memorable chuckle... Clank and Orvus..... soooo YAY!
6193661
if you have played the game and finished it.... which i did... on the good old Ps2 SPOILER ARLERT ABOUT THE GAME We kick his sharking ass and ruins his entire business!
6192511 I think Vox should tell Twilight that she can see her dad if she manages to win this league. It would give a goal and an end to the isolation to fight for which would improve both her mood and her battle efficiency. Of course, what he wouldn't tell her is that 'see' means fight against him to the death in the arena.
6193781
But that isn't enough, not for me. He made Twi' sad, he made her cry, nobody does that any of the Mane Six and gets away with, and if it had been Fluttershy, he would regret it for the rest of his misareble life.
So he needs more punishment, and I will not be satisfied with anything less than sending him to his own personnal hell
6193893 ...i got it... we use the Personal Hygenator ,,,you do remember what it does....and the... *shudder* Crotchitizer...the old one from megacorp 1 time daily on him.... ouch...
6192622 I SOOO wich i culf fave comments. Then i wuld favebyours.
6194645
Oh, thank you. :)
And, yeah, just... Even if he plans to already be somewhere far away when that happens, watching remotely (which seems doubtful), does he plan to run and hide for the rest of his life? Does he think that his media empire will remain intact to support him? Sigh.
Of course, I don't blame the author. It was pretty much something like this or just skipping Deadlocked; if Vox is dumb enough to try the kidnapping in the first place, this seems like a logical progression.
6194212 can we drench him in acid to?
6194663 understanable. Peersenaly i culd never finich deadlocked or gladiator as it is called here. If i trued travel the the second planet all i whold get was an infinite series if traveling animations.
What about Full Frontal Assualt?
6194710 ...that might kill him... lets just stick to tucker telephone torture....
6194725 its a glitch have happend to me in some games but i just restarted my console back then...
6194886 trird that. Didint work.
6194882 the ehat now?