Battle of the Fashionistas! Rarity Vs. Suri Polomare!
[Battle Start!]
“Rarity, Astray Glamour! Launching!”
Like a shooting star, Rarity’s customized Gunpla rocketed into the field, soaring through the endless abyss of space while also marveling at the shining jewel that was the Earth. But Rarity knew she couldn’t get distracted, and quickly turned her attention forward as she tried to spot her opponent’s Gunpla.
Within seconds, she noticed a red star rocketing towards her. As it approached, Rarity was able to pick up more details, such as the pair of silver shields attached to the Gunpla’s shoulders, each one with three yellow cylinders attached to the front. The Mobile Suit itself was colored a bright red with silver paneling on the torso, legs and what resembled a silver mask with a very avian appearance on the head, a single pink eye rolling back and forth between the eye holes of the faceplate. Attached to its left elbow was a round, silver shield and in its right hand it carried a beam assault rifle.
Rarity recognized the machine, having seen one among the ones Twilight had set up around the club room. A Jagd Doga, was it?
The moment the Gunpla spotted the Astray Glamour, the six yellow cylinders attached to its shoulders detached from the Gunpla, their backs opening to form fins as they rocketed through the air in a blinding spiral of movement, each one firing thin beams towards the Astray.
Being no stranger to encountering UVAs thanks to fighting against Twilight’s Star Nexus, Rarity weaved around the funnels with ease, kicking one aside as she used her billowing shawl to block several shots before drawing one of her beam sabers from her Gunpla’s hip, the weapon forming an ornate guard as the beam formed into a thin sabre. Holding her weapon straight out in front of her, Rarity proudly proclaimed, “En Garde!”
Recalling its funnels, the Jagd Doga raised its rifle and fired off a steady stream of shots at the Astray, only to have them repelled by the Gunpla’s flowing energy shawl as Rarity quickly shortened the distance between them. Flipping its shield around, the Gunpla raised its arm in time to intercept the beam weapon as it clashed against the shield.
“... I will crush you…” Suri Polomare muttered as she gripped the controllers tighter, her eyes hardening even more as a scowl worked its way across her lips. Pushing the beam sabre aside, Suri bashed her shield into the Astray’s head, producing a metallic clang as the Gunpla was forcibly shoved back. “I will crush you! You and your stupid Wondercolts!”
Recovering quickly, Rarity threw up her shawl to block a barrage of beam fire as she was steadily pushed back. “Such anger! What did we ever do to you?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb! Do you have any idea what I’ve suffered through because of you and your friends?” Suri replied scornfully as she continued her assault. “Victory is all that matters at Crystal Prep, and I was all set to win my part of the Friendship Games, when those two pink haired losers had to come along and ruin everything! You have no idea the kind of humiliation I suffered from losing to Canterlot High so easily, and I plan to pay you all back for every minute of it, starting with you!” Deploying her funnels once more, Suri kept up her assault, forcing Rarity on the defensive as she blocked beam after beam.
With sabre in hand, Rarity thrust forward and skewered one of the funnels on her weapon before sidestepping to avoid another and slashing it in two. “While I am sorry that happened, I fail to see how winning this tournament will wash away the memory of losing at a baking contest…”
“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!”
Sunset suddenly winced like she’d been struck, clutching the geode pendant around her neck tightly.
“Sunset? What’s wrong?” Twilight asked worriedly.
“Her hatred… I can feel it even from here…” she said, frowning as she looked across the room towards Suri Polomare, who seemed to almost radiate a visible red aura.
Dancing around the beams aimed at it, the Astray Glamour wrapped its shawl around itself like a cloak to block another barrage from the Jagd Doga’s assault rifle. With a sigh, Rarity said, “No matter what happened to you in the past, I had just as much a reason to win then as I do now, so I can’t afford to lose!” With determination, Rarity drew her other sabre while at the same time extending her Gunpla’s wings, creating wings of blue light that draped across her Gunpla’s frame like a silk dress. In the void of space, Rarity created a panel of energy beneath the Astray’s heel before pirouetting with both her sabres extended, her swords slicing through the remaining funnels as they swooped in to strike.
Growling, Suri flicked her wrist, commanding the silver shoulder pads to move up to reveal missile pods hidden beneath, three on each side that wasted little time in launching a volley of missiles towards Rarity.
“While I consider myself nowhere near an expert…” Rarity said as she casually dodged the oncoming missiles, “I’ve come to appreciate the subtle art of Gunpla, and I take joy in seeing how others have imparted their love for Gunpla into each model. Your Gunpla, however…” Draping herself in her wings of light, Rarity let her Gunpla weather the barrage of missiles, the smoke cloud clearing seconds later to reveal the Astray Glamour largely unscathed. “Your Gunpla is cold and devoid of any love.”
“So what?!” Suri countered angrily, her Gunpla’s thrusters firing up as she charged the Astray Glamour, drawing her own beam saber from a slot in the Jagd Doga’s hip. “This isn’t some kind of beauty contest! This is Gunpla Battle!”
“Indeed.” Crossing her beam sabers, Rarity easily blocked Suri’s own beam saber. “And I think it’s time this battle came to an end.” Jumping back, Rarity threw the saber in her left hand like a javelin, the beam weapon piercing the Jagd Doga’s right shoulder, briefly causing the wound to spark before the entire appendage exploded in a cloud of purple smoke. As the Jagd Doga recoiled from the destruction of its arm, Rarity lunged through the smoke and impaled the Gunpla straight through the chest, the Gunpla emitting sparks for a few seconds before going limp, its single eye blinking out.
[Battle Ended! Winner, Astray Glamour!]
A wave of cheers erupted from the gathered Canterlot High students at their first victory for the day. As the cockpits faded, Rarity glanced over at Suri, who appeared to be staring down at her damaged Gunpla. “Suri, I—”
“Useless!” Grabbing her Gunpla, Suri raised it over her head before tossing it harshly onto the ground like a football. “Useless piece of junk!” With a huff, Suri turned and stormed off, rudely pushing past her concerned teammates when they attempted to comfort her.
Rarity stood stunned for a moment following Suri’s outburst, before walking over to the discarded Gunpla and picking it up. A frown crossed her face as she looked over the Gunpla, running a finger delicately along the faceplate. Without a second thought, she placed the Gunpla gently into her purse before turning around and walking back towards where her teammates eagerly awaited her with cheers and congratulations.
“And Rarity moves on to the next round!” Fluttershy proudly announced, a noticeable spring in her step. “Jumping right into our next fight, this round will be Twilight Sparkle from Canterlot High versus Crystal Prep’s Starlight Glimmer!”
“Starlight Glimmer?” Sunset recognized the name, having seen it several times in correspondences with Princess Twilight. Indeed, the person walking up to the projector mostly fit the description given by the princess, with her pale violet complexion, blue eyes and purple hair streaked with teal. Unlike her peers, however, Starlight wasn’t dressed in the standard Crystal Prep uniform, but instead a ripped and torn studded leather jacket similar to Sunset’s own, a pair of equally torn black jeans, and heavy studded combat boots. A studded choker was clipped around her neck and a pair of dog tags hung loosely against her chest on a chain, and she had even gone as far as to wear black lipstick and black eyeliner.
“Oh my…” Rarity remarked from beside Sunset. “Someone should let her know the goth look is so last season…”
Twilight gulped from the intimidating sight of her opponent. “Uh… hi?” she greeted, trying not to sound nervous. “Nice to meet you, Starlight.”
Letting out a long sigh, Starlight seemed to ignore Twilight entirely as she went ahead and docked her GP Base with disinterest, muttering, “Let’s just get this over with…”
[Beginning Plavsky Particle Dispersal…]
As the particles gathered together, they formed what could only be described as a starship graveyard. Decrepit husks of metal floated along in a debris field marked by death, the remains of the ships having either been blasted or physically torn apart.
[Field 01: Space. Please Set Your Gunpla.]
As Twilight set her Gunpla onto her base, she looked across the projector as her opponent did the same. Starlight’s Gunpla looked almost regal with its smooth armor and pointed shoulder pads. Twin solar reactors were attached to the Gunpla’s elbows, and strapped to its left arm was a cross-shaped shield while in its right hand was a long barreled rifle. Embedded in the center of the Gunpla’s chest was a deep purple crystal, the same purple accenting its white and golden colored armor.
A 1.5 Gundam? No... a Reborns Gundam perhaps? Already I can tell it’s been heavily customized, and its construction is almost World Level. Either someone built it for her, or she’s an incredibly skilled builder, either of which are frightening thoughts. Just who is she? I don’t recall ever seeing her at Crystal Prep before...
[Battle Start!]
“Twilight Sparkle, Star Nexus Gundam! Launching!”
With an almost bored expression on her face, Starlight halfheartedly announced, “Starlight Glimmer, Equalize Gundam. Launching.”
Flying into the debris field, Twilight was quick to hide behind a large chunk of debris as she scanned the surrounding area for Starlight’s Gunpla. Should I send out one of my Dragoons to act as a scouting drone? But that might potentially compromise my position… Take a shot in the dark and hope I hit something, maybe? Perhaps—
A beam of plasma shot out of the darkness straight for Twilight’s position, forcing her out of cover as the hunk of ship debris melted into burning slag. Luckily, Twilight had been able to spot the direction the beam had originated from, her analytical mind crunching the numbers as she quickly triangulated her opponent’s position. “There!” Raising her weapon, Twilight fired off a blast of superheated plasma of her own into open space, smirking when it hit something.
Her joy was short-lived, however, as the Equalize Gundam came barrelling through the smoke cloud directly for her. Twilight fired again and again, but the Equalize weaved around them like a blur as she fired a perfect shot at the joint connecting the Star Nexus’s left arm to its body, severing the limb with almost surgical precision and forcing the Star Nexus to recoil back.
“How… how did she—?
“Pathetic,” Starlight Glimmer muttered as she loomed over the damaged Star Nexus. “I was expecting a challenge from Canterlot High, but it seems I was mistaken. Guess I’ll just have to entertain myself somehow… Trans-Am.”
Twilight’s eyes widened as the Equalize Gundam became cloaked in a wave of particles, turning the machine a burning red color. She’s activating Trans-Am now!? But the fight’s only just started! Taking a deep breath, Twilight tried to steady her nerves as her eyes glanced back and forth to keep sight of the overclocked Gunpla as it blitzed through space. Okay, don’t panic, Twilight. If I can survive until Trans-Am runs out, then she’ll be at a serious disadvantage. And I know just how to keep her busy… “Dragoons!”
On her command, all her Dragoons flew off and streaked through the air and homed in on the Equalize Gundam. Empowered by Trans-Am, the Gunpla left red afterimages in its wake as it zigzagged around the Dragoons, dodging them and their beams with unparalleled ease. A flash of laser fire was the only warning before one of the Dragoons violently exploded, leaving a puff of purple smoke in its wake as one Dragoon after another was shot out of the air. In a matter of seconds, all of Twilight’s Dragoon’s had been shot down, the plumes of smoke obscuring the Equalize Gundam from view.
Peering through her crosshairs, Twilight whipped around as she tried to lock back on to her opponent’s Gunpla. From within the cloud of smoke, a single beam lanced through and pierced through the Star Nexus’s weapon, and it was only Twilight’s quick reflexes that allowed her to toss the weapon aside before it took her Gunpla’s remaining arm with it. With no other weapons, Twilight drew her beam saber and prepared to fight in close combat when she was suddenly sidelined from her left, knocking her aside before another strike at her back left her with no time to react.
“She’s… she’s only attacking the broken parts!” Sunset realized, standing straight up as she watched the battle unfold. “Is she trying to draw this battle out?”
“No… It’s… worse than that…” Fluttershy said from nearby, having seen this display many times before. “She’s toying with her, like an animal playing with its food.”
Again and again, Starlight made passes at the Star Nexus, knocking it around as chunks of armor were torn off with each pass, adding even more debris to the field around them. Warning signals blared all around Twilight as one system after another were knocked offline. “I can’t let her keep this up… I have to forfeit…” Pressing a button on her console, a screen popped up with the word “Forfeit?” displayed across it and “Yes?” and “No?” buttons below it.
“I won’t let you!” From out of nowhere, the Equalize Gundam flew in and drew its beam saber as it sliced off both the Star Nexus’s legs, before rearing back and kicking the Gunpla across the field, the impact jostling Twilight enough that she was unable to press the “Yes” key. “If you’re going to ruin my fun, then I’ll just end it now!”
Spinning around, the Equalize Gundam’s limbs spun around as well until they were facing back as a panel rose up from the Gunpla’s back and a second head with a single camera panel rose up, lighting up as the wings on the Gunpla’s back began to hum with energy, balls of plasma forming at the ends as it focused on the helpless Star Nexus.
“Fire!”
A massive column of energy blazed through space, producing a massive explosion of light that could be seen for miles as the Star Nexus was swallowed up.
[Battle Ended! Winner, Equalize Gundam!]
This time no cheers followed in the wake of the battle, the whole crowd stunned speechless at the sheer brutality they had just witnessed. Dropping to her knees, Twilight shook as she stared wide-eyed at the ruined remains of her prized Star Nexus, scorched and lying in pieces across the projector, sniffling as tears threatened to leak at the corner of her eyes.
“Twilight!” Her friends were beside her in a heartbeat, ever one of them doing their best try and console the poor girl.
Without a word, Starlight turned her nose up at the group and walked off, but Sunset still caught the briefest look of a grin forming across Starlight’s face.
Next Time: Apples To Turtles, Applejack Vs. Sugarcoat!