-Days later, Tundra Tourney gathering Day 1, Arizona-
Reindeer, Longma, Alpaca and even that Pegasus, they were all gathered here today to fight for various reasons. I was going to try to win it, but if I couldn’t for whatever reason… then Paprika had to.
Velvet could still try to ask about the key if she won, but that was simply a backup plan.
I was the only cow here, felt kind of like a minority… well that was nothing new to me.
Paprika, Velvet and I were in three different battle groups. I was in group B, Paprika was in A and Velvet was in C. Each battle group would be running at least five fights at the same time.
All the battles would be close to one another as to give the medic teams the chance to get in and help anyone that became badly injured.
“Excuse me… Ms. Cow?” Hearing Prancer’s voice I turned to her.
For a reindeer that Velvet called heartless, she was quite pretty and looked to have worked on her looks to sculpt her appearance into what it was. I can definitely see where Velvet gets her persnickety attitude about her appearance from.
“My name is Arizona, what do you want?” My words made Prancer recoil a bit from me, being slightly abrasive to her was a bit warranted.
“I just want to say something. I don’t like my daughter being in a relationship with you, I don’t understand it or why she happens likes you in that way. In fact, such a relationship is quite repulsive to me.” You weren’t making it easy to like you Prancer, not that I liked you before. Though, looking her in the eyes, I saw something that I’ve seen in myself a few times. “Even then, I want to do your best to take care of my daughter and try to make her happy in whatever way you can.”
“What…” I just stared at her wide eyed.
“You heard me.” Prancer turned and started to trot away from me, I stared after her. “I’ve said what I wanted to say to you, we’re enemies if we have to fight each other in the competition. I will attempt to rip you apart if we’re matched up. Don’t hold back, because I won’t to anyone who takes my daughter’s heart.”
I blinked and stared after Prancer in wonder.
I shook my head and waited to be called, we had several matches to get through today and I was ready to start smashing through opponents.
-Prancer-
Letting go was harder than I thought. I may not like it or understand it, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want my daughter to be happy.
Velvet was not going to stay in Rein, I know that she might never come back to Rein once she leaves.
It took that Ice Sprite hitting me with the snowball to open my eyes to something I hadn’t seen before.
I had never seen an Ice Sprite so angry at a reindeer before. Sure it was Velvet’s familiar, but even then ice sprites were quite docile and loving creatures, that kind of behavior was unheard of.
Those silver eyes had been judging me, they didn’t judge or care about Velvet’s relationships. The Ice Sprite just wanted Velvet to be happy and loved, and I had been making her quite unhappy at the time.
I wanted what I thought would be best for Velvet, now I just wanted her to be happy and if it is those ‘close’ friends of hers who could do that… I think I didn’t need to understand. Now it felt like Clause and I haven’t been the best parents we could be for her.
Arizona, you’re obviously special to my daughter, so do me a favor and become the one to take me down. I want to see and understand why my daughter cares about you.
Why did the void that Velvet mentioned seem to fill up a little bit? Maybe it was my acceptance for the way things were between us, we’re the ones that pushed Velvet away in the first place.
-Paprika-
“Matchup, Vixen ‘Snow Wave’ Valentine versus Paprika ‘The Demon’ Paca!” I made my way through the crowd happily wanting to see Vixen again, I thought we were good friends and this would be so exciting!
“Demon? Who would enter the contest with a title like that?” Vixen was as curious as I was, I didn’t know how I got that title either. It sure did sound neat though. “Whoever this demon is, I’ll be sure to take them down in a matter of… no… it can’t be…”
I approached the caller for our match and smiled at Vixen, we were going to have so much fun!
“Can I get a different an opponent?!” Why, didn’t she want to play with me?
“No.” The match caller stated while shaking his head. “I do feel sorry for you though.”
“I forfeit!” Aw… but I wanted to snuggle Vixen!
“No, it’s too late for you, you’re already on the field of battle.” Mister match call reindeer answered. “You know the rules Vixen, but just to refresh your memory, forfeits can only happen two minutes after the fight starts. Otherwise we’d be wasting my and everyone else’s time, the only way to have avoided this was to not show up at all. Now you need to get knocked unconscious or you get seriously injured before the two minutes are up.”
Yay, my first match was with a friend. This was my first time so I should be gentle… by hugging her with the power of friendship, for it compels me!
“Ready…” The match calling reindeer started.
“Why me?!” Vixen whined pitiably, she must really need a hug! “Please don’t do this to me, I beg of you! Don’t make me fight ‘her’ of all beings...”
“Sorry about this… fight!” As soon as the reindeer said to start without remorse, I immediately moved forward to hug me a friend who seemed upset for some reason.
The reindeer reacted immediately and launched a six foot high wave of snow at me, I kicked off the ground and sprung high into the air using my fur. Dad could do it, so why couldn’t I?
I came down to Vixen, who looked quite sad, at an angle.
I spread my hooves wide open and gave her my brightest smile.
-Velvet-
A blood curdling scream sounded out and everyone turned in the direction it was heard.
“Ooh… Vixen got Paprika in the starting round.” I didn’t even need to be there to see the fight to know what was happening.
“That sounded pretty bad… do you think Paprika spared her?” I glanced at Branches and sighed.
“Paprika is never half-hearted in her hugs, the next two minutes are going to be pure torture for Vixen until she can forfeit.” I sighed, Paprika was going to win her first match easily enough. “Unless Paprika seriously injures her, which I doubt will happen.”
“Matchup, Velvet ‘Frost Dancer’ Deer versus Cracks ‘Chip Damage’ Splinterhorn.” I was standing in the field of battle as soon as the caller stated my name, across from me stood a reindeer. My first opponent looked a bit green, but he had a title given to him so I couldn’t drop my guard here.
“Let’s have a good match eh?” Ah he’s a hockey enthusiast, an average looking reindeer with short horns with many small branches.
“Agreed.” I nodded to him politely, personally I preferred figure skating.
“Ready… go!” Caller gave use the signal to fight and I moved backwards cautiously, I wondered what Cracks was good at?
He created a bunch of snowflakes and sent them flying at me edges first. I narrowed my eyes and clapped my hooves together creating a snowflake barrier, the snowflakes struck my barrier solidly and shattered explosively.
Okay I think I can tell where he got the title 'Chip Damage' from. This wouldn’t be too hard, but I shouldn’t let him dictate the playing field.
His tactics seem to be attack with snowflake shuriken that had intentional flaws in their structures. They would splinter violently upon contact with anything and then let the resulting tougher parts of the shards the snowflakes make inhibit movement by littering the ground.
He knew I liked to get in close and probably saw my strength testing, good tactics.
Unfortunately for him, I had a pretty good hard counter for this.
-Arizona-
“Come on, when am I going to be called for a match?” I was getting quite impatient.
“Matchup, Shocking Awe versus Lie ‘Blazing Rage’ Huo.” Apparently that Shocking Awe guy didn’t have a title yet, must be his first time and I did hear it was rare for Equestrians to take part in these fights.
I guess I could watch another match until I was called.
“May we have an honorable battle.” Lie the dragon pony hybrid stated out loud while clapping his front two hooves together and bowing.
“Honorable? I just want to feel alive!” Shocking Awe’s eyes went wide and I could see a mad glint in those blood red orbs.
“Ready… start!” The match caller moved back and Shocking Awe immediately put his hooves together.
“Shocking... lightning... spear thrust-hahhhhh!” Shocking’s hooves shifted around a bit and an orb of lighting could be see building up between them. He thrusted both of his hooves forward, sending a hug bolt of lightning towards his opponent.
“You didn’t think it would be that easy did you?” Lie Huo ignited his entire body, he was literally on fire and I thought that was kind of cool. The lightning splash harmlessly around his body. “For I’m hot enough to scatter lightning bolts, come at me!”
“To think my first fight is already going to be a challenge, please get my blood pumping!” Shock smiled broadly and he shot forward smashing his hooves together to charge them with lightning, I watched at as two flames erupted from Lie Huo’s back and he charged Shock in the same way only his hooves were covered in flames.
They collided and started to lay into each other with a flurry of blows, lighting and fire blasting off of each strike they sent out at blazing speeds.
“Matchup, Holly ‘The Jolly’ Prongs versus Arizona ‘Earth Shaker’ Arid!” My ears twitched at the announcement from a match caller, I stopped watching this fight and turned to go to my own.
I approached a perky looking reindeer with long horns that acted almost like a more verbose version of Paprika in her excitement.
“Oh my goodness this is going to be so amazing, there are so many strong competitors!” I can understand that excitement Holly, but I wasn’t going to be regulated to the losers block anytime soon.
“I got a lot of reasons to win this thing, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friendly about it.” I titled my head to her. “Nice to meet you.”
“Same to you too, I hope we have a good fight!” The reindeer seemed a bit chunky, probably should lay off the sweets.
I would have the speed advantage, but I know that all reindeer had the home field advantage in this tourney thanks to what Velvet told me. I should expect ice attacks of all kinds.
I dragged my right hoof against the ground and stared her down with a smirk, she smiled back at me and took a stance showing she was ready to fight.
“Ready… fight!” I lunged forward and threw my left hoof towards Holly, she hastily put up and ice wall.
I just plowed straight through it, though my momentum had been slowed down immensely so all my blow did was send her rolling a few feet.
“Wow, you’re really strong!” Tell everyone something that wasn’t known Holly. I watched her get up and she thrusted her hoof forward sending an ice spike rising for my chest.
I leapt out of the way to the right and grabbed the relatively large shard of ice that she sent my way out of the air. I spun around and threw it right back at her at three times the speed, she barely managed to deflect it with another large shard of ice.
By Velvet’s estimates of ability, she seemed to be more water focus ice magic user given the shards she’s firing are dull and have more mass to them than the ones Velvet uses.
“Oh this is going to be so fun!” Holly squealed happily as she smashed her rear legs into the ground behind her and launched a volley of hailstones at me.
Much different from Velvet’s fighting style, but none the less effective at range. This reindeer obviously wasn’t a close up fighter.
-Paprika-
“I forfeit!” Vixen screamed as I continued to nuzzle her affectionately.
“You still have five more… four… three… two… one…” The match caller counted down.
“Forfeit… forfeit… forfeit…” She cried out as I tightened my hug on her.
“Winner by forfeit, Paprika ‘The Demon’ Paca!” He looked to me and to the reindeer I had a strong grasp on. “You can let go of her now.”
I whined, but I still did so. Vixen flopped on the ground taking in a few big gasps of air, the air was really fresh around Rein and I liked the taste. It just didn’t feel like a permanent home though, not that many places did when you were nomadic for a good portion of your life.
I should really ask Velvet and Arizona what Airship Mauled was like, it sounded like a nice place!
-Velvet-
I slid to Cracks' side and swiped my hoof out to freeze his legs to the ground, he hadn’t expected that.
I got up, and before he could free himself or do much else to stop me, I angled my hind legs for him and bucked out to smash him in the head harshly. The ice around his hooves shattered from the force of the blow and he flopped to the ground onto his side.
“We had a good match Velvet, medic… eh…” Cracks fell unconscious within seconds, a blow to the forehead like that needed to be checked out immediately.
The medic team quickly got him off the field and I thought about our fight in the meantime. It had been pretty good, but nothing like what I tended to have with Arizona or Paprika.
“Winner by knockout, Velvet ‘Frost Dancer’ Deer!” I heard some cheering for me, not from just the reindeer, but also from my own little crowd of Ice Sprites with Tinsel cheerleading.
-Arizona-
“I can still win this!” Holly was a bit of a mess, she was not good at fighting close up. She wasn’t a bad fight, but she hadn’t gotten any good hits in.
Holly fired some balls of ice at me.
“Sure you can!” I came in low ducking the ice and then hit her with a powerful spinning uppercut that launched us both upwards.
The first blow was to the chin and my hoof collided with her back for a second blow as her entire body flipped upwards, this launched her even higher while I dropped to the ground.
I landed on the ground and it cracked under my hooves and Holly landed roughly on her belly groaning.
“I give... I forfeit.” Holly smiled weakly. “Thank you for the fight, it was fun while it lasted.”
“Winner by forfeit, Arizona ‘Earth Shaker’ Arid!” The match caller roared out.