//------------------------------//
// Prompt #124: Battle Royale 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
//------------------------------//

"What do you mean you want me to compete in a duel tournament?" asked Twilight Sparkle. 

"I think that it would be a good test of a number of your abilities, Twilight," said Princess Celestia, "it would be a good test of how well you can think on your hooves, as well as your overall speed, agility, and raw power."

"I don't want that kind of magic to be my focus, though," said Twilight, a slight whine creeping into her voice. 

"Twilight, given the events at your brother's wedding, I would have thought that you would be eager to improve yourself," said Princess Celestia. Twilight looked away, and Princess Celestia sighed and walked down the steps of her throne.

"Twilight, you should not feel guilty for hurting those changelings. You were defending yourself. I am not asking you to enlist as a battle mage, I am asking you to compete in a sanctioned, well-regulated and civilian tournament. I know that your own brother would appreciate you knowing at least how to defend yourself."

Twilight sighed, and looked up at Princess Celestia.

"Alright," she said, "Where do I sign up?"

*************

And that was how Twilight Sparkle found herself staring across an open field at her first opponent, a young noble unicorn who Twilight vaguely recognised from her time around Canterlot. The other unicorn was being attended to by a pair of earth ponies while the referee announced the rules.

"Concussive blasts are the limit of force. Nothing cast to pierce or slice flesh. Do both of you understand?"

"I understand," said Twilight.

"Ugh, can we please just get on with this so I can get to my pedicure appointment?" moaned the other, shooing her attendants away, while taking up a ready position that looked incredibly uncomfortable to Twilight.

"Ready?" asked the referee, looking at both participants, "And go!"

The second the referee jumped backwards, a spell left both unicorn's horns. Twilight ducked under a blast of magical force and watched as her own spell suddenly erected a bubble around the other unicorn. Irritated by this, the other unicorn attempted to pop the bubble by blasting it again, only to have her own spell knock her unconcious.

"Winner, Twilight Sparkle," said the referee.

****Time****

The unicorn laughed as Twilight's spells bounced off his shield.

"This is my speciality! You'll never get a clear shot."

Twilight cocked her head in thought, and then cast three spells in quick succession. Each impacted on the front of her opponents shield, then ricocheted off as they had before. Then, instead of her magical missiles dissipating on the protective field around the duelling area, they rebounded again, too quickly for the gloating unicorn to readjust his shield to protect himself, and they stuck him from the back, knocking him out of the competition.

"Winner, Twilight Sparkle!"

**********

A wedge of earth drove up underneath the especially fancy unicorn, disrupting her next step and catapulting her into the air, even as Twilight teleported out of the way of the last spell. Twilight's horn lit up again, tearing the spur of earth she'd previously used from the ground, and shaping it into a cup which she used to catch the flying unicorn, and then trapped her inside.

"Winner, Twilight Sparkle. Please put the ground back how you found it."

**********

"And our grand champion is Twilight Sparkle," said the referee. There was a polite smattering of applause, as well as a few dirty looks from the noble ponies who had paid for countless duelling lessons, only to be defeated by what they believed was a peasant.

"Now, Miss Sparkle," said the referee, levitating a small bag of bits over to Twilight, "here is your prize, and I will respectfully have to ask that you not enter another Canterlot Duelling Tournament."

"I wasn't planning to, but can I ask why?"

"The judges and sponsors of the organisation, knowing that you are a student of Princess Celestia, watched your performance very closely, Miss Sparkle. What they saw, I am informed, scared the tails off them. None of your opponents were unskilled, Miss Sparkle. A number of them have won in previous meets. None of them ever hit you, even once."

Twilight blinked.

"So, I thank you for your participation, Miss Sparkle, and here are your winnings, and now I will request that you please never come back."