//------------------------------// // Ready Up // Story: Tonight, We Hunt // by ShadowFall //------------------------------// Rengar couldn't see the drums, but he could sure hear and feel their beating, rumbling louder and louder as Summoner's Rift was preparing for its next match. His heart raced as the drumming got louder and gave way into a massive flair of trumpets and wind instruments, followed by a booming voice coming from overhead. "Champions of Equestria! This shall be a momentous day for you!" Rengar could recognize the voice of Summoner Tiberius, the voice coming higher above him as he must be in some sort of platform above, "The preparations for your match are almost complete! Soon, you shall embark to battle and fight against the mighty and nigh-unstoppable Noxus might!" Rengar felt his Bonetooth Necklace, each claw and tooth on it reminding him of the beasts he has conquered and slain. His time in Equestria had been profitable, to say the least. But not from hunting. Rengar had made great allies with those he used to distance himself from at all times. Now, he was to return the favor for his hunt and help Equestria claim their rightful power in Equestria, and all of Equus. The only other champion next to him was Kindred. Lamb and Wolf were right next to the Pridestalker. "So, this is it, then! We'll join the lion on his hunt!" Wolf growled in excitement. "Keep a level head, dear Wolf. We not know of those who were are to hunt." Lamb cooed to her friend, then turned back to Rengar, "Your eyesight shall not be a problem, I assume?" "I'll be fine. I know what's around me just fine." Rengar replied, despite wanting his eye back at any chance he got. Rengar felt Lamb shift a bit on her hooves, and he turned towards her, "Believe me, I am as nervous as both of you combined. It has been a long time since I have set foot on the Rift." "I hear that it is always changing in one way or another." Lamb affirmed to Rengar. Then, another champion suddenly teleported down to the hallway. "I can't believe this! They won't even let me fly until I get my 'ultimate'? What does that even mean?!" Rainbow Dash sat down and fumed, blowing her mane out of her face. "Heh. Take it as a complement. You're just too strong for all of us." Rengar chuckled. Rainbow Dash found it a bit flattering, so she went with it and stood back up, "So, who am I going up against?" "You'll see, pony." Wolf's reply had the tiniest hint of laughter in it. Then, the next champion, Shining Armor joined in the party with a bright flash of light, "I'm here!" The guards-captain was fully decked out in golden armor, his crystalline sword at his side, and a very large shield made of solid diamond on his back. "Wow. Someone's prepared." Rainbow Dash chuckled and walked past Shining Armor. "I don't see you taking any protection." Shining pointed out. "Who needs protection when you got speed?" Rainbow Dash unfurled her wings and tried to fly, but couldn't lift off the ground, "Oh, right." The group laughed to Rainbow Dash's annoyance. "Yeah, well, at least I'm not gonna-" Then, the last champion teleported in. The hair on everyone's backs stood on their end as static electricity and void energy seeped into the hall as a tear opened up from the void, to which Vel'koz hovered out from. "Glad to see you made it." Shining Armor let his formalities overcome him, despite his new uneasiness at seeing anything from the void. "Your discomfort with me is noted. As a suggestion for the highest probability of success, I recommend that you get over it." the Eye of the Void slashed away a hologram that he had been working on as his central eye looked over the team, "I have analyzed each prowess and debilitation that each of you subjects possess. My conclusion is: 'I've seen worse'." Rainbow Dash growled at Vel'koz, "Yeah? What about you? Seems that the only thing that you're good for is a staring contest." Vel'koz gave a distorted laugh that came in waves, "And yet, your greatest strength has been taken away from you, Rainbow Dash. This is a handicap that could spell your, or even this entire team's downfall." At this, Vel placed his tentacles behind him, "I recommend that our course of action is to survive the early phases of the match and press an advantage if we see one. Our true power shall come later on where each and every one of you shall protect me so that I may conduct my research." "Protect you?! Research?!" Rainbow Dash threw her hooves up at the floating mass of eyes and tentacles, "Can you believe this guy?!" Rengar shook his head, "Vel'koz's research is about disintegrating his opponents. He is a very powerful ally, I must say, and he along with Kindred must be protected. Vel'koz is very vulnerable should the enemy close the gap." "The lion has a point, pony." Vel'koz's eye focused back to Rainbow Dash, "Keep them at bay. That is your job." Rainbow Dash huffed and turned away from Vel'koz, "We'll see what those Summoners will say for us." "Ugh, today's been such a shit day." an eighteen year-old boy flopped down into his computer chair and booted up his PC, and took a gander at his selection of games, "Hmmm... Rainbow Six? Nah. Civ? Not today..." Then, he rested his mouse curse on an icon that was a blue square containing a golden "L" in the middle of it. "Eh, I guess I am feeling a bit masochistic today." Summoner: WTFULOOKINAT Password: ********************************** Authenticating... Logging in... At once, LOOKIN was taken to the client of the League of Legends, looking around the client. Immediately, a pop-up came up on the screen. "Greetings WTFULOOKINAT! You have been chosen to participate in a special match with the champion of your choice! IP rewards will be 4x the normal amount! We hope to see your there!" -Phreak At this, LOOKIN rose his eyebrow. "Probably some sort of scam..." he looked closer at the message, and found that it was client generated, "Huh. Wait. This might be legit. Well... screw it." He clicked on the accept button, and was instantly taken into a lobby. "Okay, what is this? Blind Pick?" LOOKIN exhaled and then cycled through his champion pool, then rested his mouse on the one champion that he played to such a ridiculous amount: Vel'koz. "Alright, guess I'll just pick something safe." he had a habit of talking to himself, and did just that as he heard Vel's quote play as he selected the champion portrait. Then, he started to see the other champions start to come in. Rengar was the first one. "Hey, wasn't that guy disabled for such a long time?" LOOKIN said to himself, then saw the other champion pick: Kindred. "Kindred? They're a jungler, not an adc- oh my god..." he put his palm on his face as already, the team started to look very unbalanced. Then, two champions that he had never seen before were picked. One's portrait had a white face, clad with armor and increadibly prestine weapons made of gem or crystal, while the other seemed to be zoomed out a bit more as a horse-like face was made clear. A rainbow mane flowed down the champion's face. "What champions are these...?" At this, WTFLOOKINAT started to type in the lobby chat, hoping to decipher what in the name of hell was going on. "Don't worry Rainbow Dash! I'll be guiding you today!" Allan rested his hand on an orb with Dash's figure in it, "You'll be fighting, and I'll feed you the information and work Summoner Spells, alright?" "Got it!" Rainbow Dash replied and awaited to be taken to Summoner's Rift. "Well, I never thought that I would be a Summoner controlling a champion... especially one such as you, Rengar." Celestia enveloped the orb in magic, "Your blindness will not be a concern. I will warn you of everything around you. Alright?" "Thank you, Princess." Rengar nodded. "Lamb, Wolf, you'll be with me. Let's show these Noxians that Equestria is not to be messed with!" Luna smiled and enveloped her orb in magic. Then, Twilight stepped up to her orb and saw Shining Armor through it. "Shinny, I'll keep you safe, okay?" Shining Armor looked up, as if Twilight was there looking down at him. "Don't do that, Twily. I need to get in there and protect everypony else. You need to help me with that." Shining spoke, "Sis, that's an order." Twilight couldn't help but smile at her brother's voice, but then words started to appear in the lobby. WTFULOOKINAT: wtf is going on, what are those champs Then, at this oppurtinity, Luna replied. Luna: GREETINGS OTHER SUMMONER. DO NOT BE OF ANY CONCERN. TOGETHER, WE SHALL ACHIEVE VICTORY OVER NOXUS WTFULOOKINAT: caps is on lol Luna: Oh, my apologies. Allan: lol WTFULOOKINAT: hopefully reng will carry, not feeling too well about this Twilight: Hey! I figured out how to communicate with you! I give my greetings to you, Summoner "LOOKIN". At this, WTFULOOKINAT put his hand on his face again, "Oh my god..." Warwick was sitting down, sniffing his claws and watching Darius carefully as he stood rigidly, waiting for the other champions to arrive. Draven was going to be late, no doubt about that. He looked over his axe, saw his reflection, and flicked the blade to self-satisfy himself over the sharpness. Then, a flash of blue light, and another Noxian champion appeared. "Here I am, boys." LeBlanc, The Deceiver stepped gracefully down the steps to join up with the other two waiting for her, "So, ponies, huh?" Darius chuckled, "It's a joke. Ready for a seal-clubbing, Warwick?" The werewolf gave a throaty chuckle, "Oh, this shall be so much fun... and have you heard that Rengar has finally returned to fight under that pathetic nation's banner?" LeBlanc suddenly gave a gigantic laugh, putting her palm to her mouth, "Oh, now that is just priceless! The Pridestalker fighting with these little horses?" Then, the next champion came down onto the stair. Dressed in a purplish-black gown and sporting two blackened wings, Morgana, The Fallen Angel walked down the steps, leaving behind a trail of dark and unholy energy in her wake. She fell silent as she gathered with the others, her glowing eyes making it impossible to tell who or what she was actually looking at. "Well, that just leaves-" Darius suddenly cringed as someone interupted his sentence. "Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes up here! Your star of the show, Draven has arrived!" Draven walked down the steps, waving and pointing in random directions as if a crowd was cheering him. The other Noxians groaned, including Morgana. "Of course I have to support you. Don't get yourself killed, or I'm not going to bail you out." Morgana pointed her finger at Draven's chest, to which he replied with a gigantic grin. "Hah! Draven doesn't even need a support! But, it's still got to be five versus five, so I guess I'll take the extra dead-weight botlane- OW! Hot! Hot! Hot!", Draven suddenly started dancing around wildly as the ground underneath him suddenly start to seep out unholy magic, tainting the solid marble floor and sizzling his feet. Morgana chuckled and turned back around. "Our Summoners from Noxus are ready. Soon, the match shall begin, and we will claim another victory for the glory of Noxus!" Morgana's voice started to echo more and more as she rose her fist in the air. "Summoners and champions are ready! Confirm now!" the announcer shouted. Ten boxes appeared, and one by one, each of them filled in respect to the Summoner and champion signalling that they were ready for the match. Nine boxes filled, save for one that remained blank. Darius smacked Draven with his palm, "Jeez, alright! Can't a good lookin' guy admire himself?" Draven was currently admiring his reflection in the marble walls. The ready count started again, and all ten squares filled. On Equestria's side, Rengar nodded to the other champions, "This is it. Summoner's Rift. Are you all ready?" "Ready." Lamb and Wolf both cooed and growled. "Oh yeah." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings once. "Ready." Shining Armor brandished his sword and shield. "Confirmed." Vel'koz had responded to Rengar, surprisingly. Rengar could feel the energy surround him, as with the rest of the Equestrian champions. His mane started to flow, as well as Rainbow Dash's and Shining's. Lamb started to float above the ground, Wolf circling around her. Vel tore a hole into the void, and disappeared inside. "Equestria-" Rengar said as each champion disappeared. "Welcome to Summoner's Rift.