Author's Note: I want to thank Rampage for convincing me to work on the chapter today and of course editing.
[That same day. Golden’s P.O.V.]
I awoke to find myself in bed. What am I doing in bed? I tried to rise and instantly regretted it. A sharp pain ran down my side.
I sighed and laid back down. Guess I'm stuck here until I feel better.
“Glad to see you’re finally up,” I heard a voice say. The pain wouldn’t leave my side. I gritted my teeth and chose to remain silent hoping to ease the pain.
I looked towards the direction the voice originated to see a dark gray pegasus with a small grin on his face. He was standing a few feet away and held a steaming bowl in his hooves.
It smelled...intoxicating. Suddenly my stomach growled, and I felt weak.
I heard the pegasus chuckle,” I thought you may be hungry when you woke up.” He hoofed the bowl to me.
I sat up, and took it with a nod. “Thanks Shadow.”
Shadow took that as a dismissal and left the room.
I began to scoop up some soup with the spoon Shadow had put in the bowl.
“But mommy I don’t wanna wear the the fez. Fezzes aren’t cool,” I heard another pony say across from me.
Is that Bass? After a few minutes he went on talking. Yeah that is obviously Bass. I should have hit him harder when we first met. Why is he even here?
As if in answer to my thoughts Bass made a loud snore.
My eye twitched and my face gained a sadistic smile. I'm going to kill you. Just you wait for our match.
[ Meanwhile. Adven’s P.O.V.]
I awoke to find myself in a bed in my and Pinkie’s room at Sugarcube Corner.
I rose and stretched, trying to wake myself up. I let out a big yawn and headed downstairs.
When I reached the bottom, I noticed something that I wasn’t expecting. The human from the tournament was in the shop, doing magic tricks for a few fillies and colts at a table.
“Hi, my name is Adven,” I said, extending a hoof as he was finishing up a trick with a cup.
The cup slipped from his grasp, and was sent flying. Everypony’s eyes locked onto the cup as it descended back to the ground.
I wonder if it will come back to bite him on the butt for letting that cup slip.
“Hi, the name is Dylan,” the human said making his hand into a fist.
We all saw as the cup landed on Dylan’s head with a soft impact. I tried not to act amazed.
I couldn’t resist and brohoofed him right after. He just stood then with a dazed expression. I guess things didn’t go as planned.
The fillies and colts all burst into giggles. They quickly said goodbye and scurried out of the bakery.
“Yo, you still there Dylan?” I asked, waving a hoof in front of his face. No reaction?
I proceeded to slap him, but he still was dazed.
I threw a cupcake at his face, and still his face didn’t change.
The whole time Dylan was frozen in his dazed expression his eyebrows twitched in annoyance. The rest of his face and body remained still.
Well I wanted to ask him questions but it looks like he is broken. I sighed. Might as well go check what everypony else is doing.
I gave Dylan a quick pat on the head and left.
[ Also Meanwhile. Velocity’s P.O.V.]
Gilda and I saw our target exit Sugar Cube Corner with a hopping pink hairball.
“That’s just great, he’s with Stinkie Pie” Gilda complained. She hated that pink spaz.
“Quit complaining. We'll just have to improvise,” I replied, annoyed at her complaining.
“How do you suggest we do that, smart guy?!” she challenged me.
I was going to say something back when I noticed Pinkie was gone.
“Hey Gilda,” I said aloud without moving my head. She didn’t answer.
“Gilda?” I say putting my arms out trying to feel if she is still next to me.
I then spotted her a few feet behind our target. “Gilda!” I shouted angrily without thinking.
The target turned around and found Gilda. She had already drew her talons and was about to slice his neck when I shouted.
Instinctively, our target clicked his watch and armed himself with his sword.
Gilda grinned nervously as our target lashed out with his blade.
I conjured up my vortex and armed myself.
Before the target’s blade to hit Gilda, I was able to block it with my own arm turned blade.
The target’s face twisted in disgust at the sight of my arm. “I thought we had taken care of you guys earlier,” he said annoyed.
I was about to reply when I noticed Gilda had worked her way behind him. I began to chuckle gleefully. I didn’t think it would be this easy or quick.
“What are you?” before the target could finish Gilda ran her talons along his front left leg.
He holllered in pain but to no avail. “There are no ponies around to save you,” I gloated as Gilda began to work on his other leg. She was preparing him for the butchering.
“You know you’re right. There are no ponies to save him now. Lucky for him I am no pony,” I heard a voice say behind me. I quickly turned to face the human from the tournament.
“This is not your problem!” I snapped at him. Our target let out another cry of pain.
“I think he begs to differ,” the human replied pointing to the target. His body began to change into that of a dragon’s. The realization of how screwed we were hit me like a rock.
“You better not try anything, or else I will kill him,” Gilda said placing her talons under our target’s neck.
The human turned dragon didn’t hesitate to chare at us at full speed.
“Fine you asked for it,” Gilda said, moving her talons to kill our target and complete our mission.
Before her talons could connect with flesh something came between her talons and our target’s neck.
“What is that?!” I yelled in disbelief at what I saw. Suddenly diamond had sprouted from our target’s skin. Needless to say, Gilda looked no less surprised. I saw Gilda spin around to face a VERY angry looking white unicorn. Yet I felt his anger wasn’t exlusive to Gilda.
As I tried to understand what just happened I felt myself pushed to the ground. In our surprise we had forgotten the dragon! And now I was face to face with it. He punched me in the gut and threw me.I landed only a few inches from Gilda. I looked up from my prone position, and saw the eyes of the white unicorn. There was a fire in his eyes, one of hatred. His voice was deadly calm as he addressed me and Gilda.
“Listen well, and listen good. You have your enemies, and I have mine. That pony over there? HE isn’t your enemy,” he said, pointing to our target. Gilda was stupid enough to speak up.
“What do you mean, he isn’t our-”, was all she got out before being slammed in the beak by the unicorn.
He started yelling at her, loud enough for everyone a few miles from the scene to hear,“I said, he’s not your enemy. Back off, nobody will touch him as long as I exist. You hear me? ” The unicorn emphasized each word by punching Gilda in the beak each time.
The dragon grabbed the unicorn’s hoof and they shared a look. “I think what my friend here was trying to say is basically. Run.” Even the dragon was straining to hold back the unicorn, who was screaming obscenities at us. I realized that the unicorn really meant to kill us.
I nodded quickly grabbing Gilda and began to do as he said. Damn it. I will make sure one day those freaks rue this day. I swear it!
[Adven’s P.O.V.]
I tried to stand and succeeded but with much pain. I saw my saviors and began to approach them. Beside Dylan was a white unicorn. Probably he is a friend of DJ or Vibes.
“What happened?” I asked Dylan when I reached him.
“We kicked their sorry flanks,” Dylan answered proudly doing many heroic poses. The unicorn stayed silent, not making eye contact with me.
“Thanks Dylan and thank you whoever you are,” I said offering him my right front hoof.
He gave my hoof a look of contempt and slapped it away.
“What is wrong with you? “Dylan asked, confused about the unicorn’s behavior.
He gave Dylan a quick stare and turned his gaze back on me. “I still haven’t forgiven you.”
Before I could say anything he left, walking away as if nothing had happened.
“That is one weird unicorn,” I hear Dylan mutter.
“Hey Dylan, can you help me?” I asked abruptly.
“With what?” he asked curious.
“Catch me?” I said, as I felt my consciousness slip once again.
I felt dragon hands catch me and then being reacquainted with the darkness of unconsciousness.
[Later. Rampage’s P.O.V.]
I felt so dirty, helping that murderer. I was disgusted with myself. Lost in thought, I was completely oblivious to the sound of flapping wings from behind me. The next thing I felt was something touching my back. It scared me so much I turned around, poised to kill. I came face to face with a mare that was rolling around laughing.
“Bwahahaha! You should’ve seen your face! It was hilarious!” the mare said joyfully.
“You again?” I asked dumbfounded.
She smiled. “You missed me. I know everypony always misses me,” she said arrogantly. “Good work by the way kicking those guys flanks.”
“You saw that?” I asked surprised.
“I was flying overhead,” she said pointing to a crowd. “That was pretty brave of you to do.”
I felt myself blush at that. “It wasn’t really anything,” I said dismissively.
“No it was really cool of you to do,” she said starting to lean closer to me.
“Really?” I said making my own advancements to rival the mare’s.
“Really,”she said now right in front of my face.
I was about to say something when suddenly I felt another pair of lips touch my own.
The mare pulled away blushing furiously. “Um...See you around later,” she said clumsily taking off to the skies.
I wanted to say something but my mouth refused to form words. After what felt like a year I managed to say the one phrase that frightens all stallions,” I think I'm in love.”