Enter The Dragon (Spike's Story)

by Stratocaster

Heated Competition

Chapter 6: Heated Competition

The next day, Spike stayed alone in his room, while Fluttershy was outside admiring the island animals. He focused hard on practicing his moves for his fight later on. As he kept the image of Rarity in his head, he jumped here and there perfecting his kicking and making comical yelps. But then, he stopped when he saw the door open. Spike turned and saw O'Mara standing in the doorway and staring at him with a menacing expression. The scarred pony spoke to him flatly.

"You must attend a morning ritual in uniform." He said.

Spike shrugged. "Um, okay."

And with that, O'Mara closed the door leaving Spike to practice more in peace.

That afternoon, the competitors and guests of Yang gathered in the temple arena to witness the first leg of the tournament. Three fights had already passed as Yang himself sat on an elaborate throne with an impressed smile on his face. A harem of mares sat around him, adding more to his prestige. After another successful fight, he announced to the victor.

"Well done, Keanu Hooves, you will going on the next leg of the tournamet. Now for our next two competitors: Fluttershy vs. O'Mara! Fighters, please step into the ring."

As Fluttershy sat hesitantly next to Spike, she saw O'Mara who eyed her threateningly from the other side of the arena. She whispered to her pal.

"I don't know about this, Spike," she shuddered. "He looks awfully...intimidating."

"Don't worry, Fluttershy," whispered Spike. "He'll probably go easy on you."

Stepping into the ring, O'Mara then tossed a 2x4 into the air in front of him and immediately through a punch. His hoof went straight through the board as if it were liquid paper, and it snapped in half as it fell to the ground.

Spike winced. "Uh, break a leg out there." He patted her back. "That's what they say, right?"

"Spike, that's for actors!" retorted Fluttershy.

"So act like you're not afraid of him. Good luck."

Fluttershy gulped and stepped in to face her opponent. She and O'Mara faced off at the center and bowed before Yang announced again.

"Remember, the winner must take down their opponent three times. Ready..." he said as they took their stances. "Fight!"

With that, Fluttershy and her menacing opponent took their stances. For the first several seconds, she expected O'Mara to make the starting move; but he remained eerily stoic. Fluttershy shook in place, too afraid to commence with the fight. With no other option, she closed her eyes and hurled her hoof forward in a blindfire punch. When she opened her eyes, she saw that her hoof only reached just a few inches from O'Mara, who still stood like a stone. Off to the side, Yang gave an unimpressed yawn. Somehow, Fluttershy felt more confident in claiming her first hit. She shook off the embarrassment of her first punch, and swung her back leg up in a fast roundhouse kick. But O'Mara turned the tables.

In a blink of an eye, he raised his hoof up, instantly blocking the kick. Fluttershy gasped as her leg was now stuck in midair; she could not move without making herself vulnerable. Then, as quickly as his first block, O'Mara brought up his other forehoof and knocked Fluttershy's leg toward the ceiling, sending her flipping backward. She fell hard as the crowd began clapping politely.

Fluttershy sat up and shook the haze off from her head. This stallion was faster than she was; he had already gotten his first point. She had to buck up.

With a few exhales, Fluttershy stood back up and returned to her stance. She then began hurling more punches and kick combos at her foe. But O'Mara blocked each and every strike, without moving an inch from his original spot. Eventually, he caught her with both forehooves blocked on the outside. With the perfect opportunity open, O'Mara thrusted his back leg forward and kicked Fluttershy back, sending her tumbling to the ground again. The crowd clapped as O'Mara claimed his second hit.

Flutterhsy sat on her side, catching her breath from the blow to the stomach. It seemed hopeless; she just wasn't fast enough to get past O'Mara's blocks without being knocked back again. She hesitated to get up.

"C'mon, Fluttershy," whispered Spike. "You can do this."

Fluttershy looked back at him. She suddenly began to realize how he felt when she was beating him during his yellow belt test. Enough was enough; she had to bring her A game.

Narrowing her eyes, she leaned back and then leaped forward with a flying kick and a war cry. But before her hoof could even come close, Fluttershy was suddenly snatched and suspended in midair. She looked to realize that O'Mara was now dangling her by her own wings. She flailed her hooves desperately, but could do nothing to stop the brute from readying his back leg for a final kick. It was then that something snapped within Fluttershy.

"Let go of me!" she shouted.

Then, as the kick came hurdling towards her, Fluttershy grabbed the hoof and gave a swift yank. The close move caused O'Mara to be pulled by his leg upward and fall on his back. Fluttershy stood on his chest having regained her dignity, as the crowd gave an even louder applause.

But as she stepped off him, O'Mara lifted his head and growled with rage. Having lost his stability, he charged after Fluttershy with wide swings of his hooves. But Fluttershy was able to dodge the sweeping blows, as she was finally back in the zone. After a few more misses, O'Mara became slightly dizzy and foolishly turned his back toward his opponent. Now having dazed the deadly stallion, Fluttershy gave one final smack to the back of his head and he immediately began swaying before finally tumbling to the floor. A second round of applause came for the near victorious mare.

With another snarl, O'Mara stood up and changed tactics. He turned to a front row table and grabbed two glass bottles in his hooves, which he smashed into sharp broken ends. The crowd gave a series of 'ooh's.

"Now this just got interesting!" smiled Yang as he was hoof-fed grapes.

On the sidelines, Spike gulped with anxiety; but Fluttershy remained ever vigilant. Without hesitation, O'Mara came lunging at her with his sharpened glass weapons. But as they came close to hitting her, Fluttershy quickly knocked each bottle from his grasp, leaving him defenseless. After disarming him, Fluttershy then gave and quick upward kick to O'Mara's chin, one to his stomach, and finally a pounding elbow to his shoulder, sending him crashing to the floor. But she was not finished yet.

In one final blow, she leaped into the air and came down upon the fallen O'Mara's back with all four hooves. Fluttershy landed with a chilling yell.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...................."

She slowly gave a crazed look to the audience who now looked on with shock and awe. As an eerie silence fell in the arena, a weak voice uttered from beneath her hooves.

"Ow! My back!" shouted O'Mara.

With that, Yang stood from his throne and smiled. "Winner...Fluttershy!"

"Alright Fluttershy!" cheered Spike as the rest of the crowd gave one more rousing applause.

Fluttershy smiled with a blush as she bowed to Yang then returned to her seat.

"That was amazing, Fluttershy!" said Spike. "You showed that pony who's boss!"

"Well, I just don't like having my wings grabbed." Fluttershy shrugged.

"Wow, I don't think I can compete with that. Who am I fighting again?"

"Next challengers:" announced Yang. "Spike vs. Polo!"

"Oh...right."

With a knot in his stomach, Spike stepped out into the square to face his opponent. The hulking grayish stallion stared him down with a grizzly toothy smile. Spike simply outstretched a friendly yet nervous hand.

"Uh, may the best man win?"

Polo simply held up what appeared to be a toothpick sculpture of Spike and smashed it to the floor under his trunk-like hoof.

"Where did you find the time to make a toothpick sculpture of me?" asked Spike, a bit disturbed.

"Ready stance..." called Yang, with a mouthful of grapes. "Fight!"

The match began and the two fighters took their stances. Immediately, Spike started off with a flying kick straight toward his foe's chest. But this would cost him dearly, as Polo caught his leg out of the air, and dangled him up high. Then, he twirled the little dragon around like a lasso, tightening the knot in his stomach. Polo cackled as he finally grabbed Spike with both hooves, spun him upside down, and slammed him to the floor square on his cranium. The crowd clapped politely as Polo had already earned his first point; Fluttershy only winced, unable to watch her friend's beating.

Spike managed to hold his head up as he lay there in a daze. "Ugh, you gotta be kidding me!" he uttered to himself. "This guy's practically a sumo wrestler."

Wobbling, he returned to his feet and prepared for plan B. Spike threw up his fists and gestured to Polo to make the next move. The sinister pony stepped forward and quickly batted the tiny fists out of his way. Then, with one foreleg, he lifted Spike over his shoulder as if he were a rolled up rug. Spike began desperately pounding on the behemoth's back, but it did nothing to scape his grasp. Meanwhile, Yang chatted with one of his fine mares.

"So, do you know what Yang means in my country?" he asked in a suave manner.

After humiliating the dragon long enough, Polo suddenly leaped and landed on his back, faceplanting Spike in the process. Some of the spectators gave uncomfortable 'ooh's before giving the stallion another round of applause. This time, Spike did not bother to pick himself back up from the floor. He simply lied there as Polo knelt down and wrapped his hooves around his scaly neck in a crushing hold.

"Oh Spike," worried Fluttershy to herself. "I can't watch!"

As Spike was being squeezed under Polo's sleeper hold, it seemed as if he would be going home early. But then, something caught his eye. Over on his throne, Yang was making a strange gesture, crossing his neck with his hoof. Spike looked up to see Polo nod to the high sign; immediately, he began to loosen his suffocating grip. At last, Spike saw his opportunity, squeezed himself out and swung a hammer fist to the side, catching Polo on the cheek. The strike was not nearly as powerful, but somehow, the bulky stallion fell over like a tree. The audience instantly became impressed by the effect of the punch and supported the dragon competitor.

A sparkle came to Spike's eye as he stood back up with newfound confidence. Before Polo could return to his stance, Spike kept him on the floor with a solid kick the chin. Again, the hulking pony fell over a bit overdramatically, followed by more courteous clapping. Finally, Spike approached the swaying Polo to make the third and last blow.

"Finish him!" seethed Yang under his breath.

With a cocky smile, Spike brought his fist far backward and let out a war cry of his own.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyya!"

He landed the punch straight into his opponent's stomach. At first, Polo didn't move from the finishing blow. But then, after looking around at the waiting audience, he slowly toppled over and fell flat on his back, his tongue hanging out comically.

"Huh?" Spike looked confused at the result of his shot-in-the-dark punch.

But his attention was soon gained by the sound of single clapping. Yang stood up from his throne with a broad smile. "Winner...Spike the dragon!"

The crowd gave a standing ovation to the dark horse dragon. It was a real spectacle for them to see one of his kind perform such an athletic feat. Spike stood awkwardly and stared around at his fans. Then, he was swept up in a squeezing hug from Flutterhsy.

"Spike, you were terrific!" she cheered as she gripped him tightly. "I can't believe you took him down so easily."

"Yeah, me neither." Spike replied under strain. "Um, Fluttershy, I think I've had enough spine crushing for one day."

After the first leg of the tournament was complete, the fighters and guests dispersed throughout the temple to return to the many luxuries. Spike stood at the sink in one of the lavish bathrooms, washing his face and hopefully the blue bruises inflicted on it. That's when he heard one of the toilets flushing and a stall opening up. He looked suddenly in the mirror to see Yang stepping out and noticing him.

"Ah, well if it isn't my esteemed dragon guest." He said, joining next to Spike at the sinks. "I've heard quite a lot of buzz about you throughout my temple. And I must say I'm impressed."

"Uh, thank you, Master Yang."

"Yes, it seems my friend Polo was no match for your surprising skill. My brother must have taught you well."

Spike looked up in confusion. "Wait, you know I was trained by Master Yin?"

"Well of course. That's how I found out about you; I have my ways of finding new talent for my competition. And I sure am glad I found you, young dragon."

"Yeah, well, with all due respect, sir, it kind of seems like I got off easy with that fight. It almost looked like Polo took a dive for me."

"Exactly, I told him to."

"What?!" gawked Spike. "But isn't that, um, illegal?"

Yang chuckled as he turned off the sink. "There are no rules on my island; other than the ones made by me of course."

"But why, sir? That pony could've beaten me easily. Why make him take a dive?"

"Let me be honest with you, dragon," said Yang, taking him under his hoof. "I've been waiting for an underdog to invite to my tournament. I understand you are still fairly new at this fine sport, but just think how big a crowd I'll attract with my first ever dragon victor. It was unfortunate that you had to go up against Polo first; he is in fact one of my strongest guards. So, I had a word with him and told him to fake his loss to you at the last moment. He agreed when I offered something in return."

"Wow, what'd you give him?"

"Freedom...I mean, cash! Yes, cash, that's what I gave him."

"So, you actually want me to win? I don't know, Master Yang, this all seems pretty shady."

"Trust me, Spike the dragon. Soon, I'll make it worth your while. When you stand on that pedestal with the trophy in your grasp, everypony will chant for the first dragon champion. And you will have riches beyond your wildest imagination; not to mention, all the gems you could eat."

"Gems?" he began to drool at the very thought.

"Gems of all colors and cuts. And of course, who can say no to all the fine mares who will flock to your feet, eager to pleasure their winning hero."

Spike's head began to swell with heat as he imagined the rewards the devious stallion was putting through his mind. A small sense of dragon greed was starting to conflict with his original intention.

"So stick around for your next fight." Yang continued. "I promise you that at the end of this tournament, you will become one of the greatest martial artists of them all. And I bet you that's something the mares can definitely respect, if you know what I mean." He then made for the door. "Good luck out there, champion."

As Yang exited the bathroom, Spike hunched over the sink and stared into the mirror. Suddenly, the perks of winning this tournament weren't sounding all too bad. But he knew deep down that everything Yang had just told him was morally unethical. He took a deep sigh.

"Will I ever get a chance like this again?" he asked.

"I don't know. Are you going to leave a tip?" replied the bathroom attendant who had been sitting there the whole time.

Comments

[Stratocaster]

And I'm back! Sorry for the long wait.

[Seether00]

Don't trust him, Spike! It's a trap!

[Stratocaster]

2226537 Yes, Spike, listen to Admiral Ackbar!

[Imaginary Valued]

Will admit, Fluttershy's finisher was .

[PhycoKrusk]

How lethal Spike wishes he was:

How lethal Spike actually is:

[Swashbucklist]

Spike winced. "Uh, break a leg out there." He patted her back. "That's what they say, right?"

"Spike, that's for actors!" retorted Fluttershy.

"So act like you're not afraid of him. Good luck."

That was some okay comedy.

However, this is the second time you typed "through" instead of the past-tense of "throw".