The F.a.S.T (Fantasy and Speculation Tournament)

by VentesDemon


Twilight Sparkle vs Trixie/Captain Celaeno vs Gilda

Round 1 Bracket 3-A


“Wow. Half way through the first round. Kinda feels like its taken ages, hasn’t it?” Sandbar looks around the space and notices how many have left.
“Argh. Tell me about it. I’m getting so bored watching others fight it out.” Smoulder complains as she and Garble watch the selector start to slow down. “Pick me already, you stupid thing!”
“Yona bored too.” The young yak said as she laid down beside Sandbar. “And seeing friends get hurt and leave is making me sad.” Sandbar placed a hoof on Yona’s shoulder, a twinkle in his eyes that Cadence picked up on through her magic.
“Hmmm.” The Alicorn placed a hoof to her chin, getting Shining Armor’s attention.
“What’s up?” He asked.
“I’ll tell you later.” She said as she leaned against her husband, earning her a confused look from him.
“You young ones should not be so eager for battle. More so in this tournament.” Flash Magnus said as he sat down amongst them. “The chances of pairing up with a friend are greatly increasing.”
The young creatures exchanged looks of worry before looking at Ocellus. She had returned to them after she and Pharynx took more time to recover from Thorax’s defeat.
“Flying pony is right. This tournament is strange and random.” Prince Rutherford said, earning a look from the children before he smiled. “BUT! Mix and match creature also right. There is no cause for worry when fighters recover after match!”
The student six look at him in disbelief as Rockhoof laughed aloud. “Aye, my large friend! We should take this opportunity to meet every opponent with everything you got!” He had moved beside the yak and threw a hoof over his shoulder as the two laughed together.
“He’s got a point…” Gallus comments as he exchanges looks with his friends.
“And a couple brain cells missing.” Gilda added. Yona gave her a glare as the first panel of the selector stopped.
Discord gave a giddy laugh. “Were starting this bracket off with a bang! The next match will be between…Twilight Sparkle!”
“Two Twilight matches in a row? Does that selector not know what the word ‘random’ means?” Trixie asked with an air of annoyance, causing the selector to flinch in anger.
“To be fair, the probability of this happening is still rather high, given how many competitors there are.” Sunburst defended as Twilight finished giving her family hugs. She made her way to the arena as Rainbow and Applejack meet her at the barrier.
“Who ever it is yer up against, don’t hold back, ya hear?” The Earth pony said as she hugged her friend. “Ya gotta show every creature just how tough ya are.”
“Yeah! After all, the two of us have to face of in the finals!” Rainbow said as the two hugged. “Gotta see how I compare to the Princess of Friendship!”
“I hear you, girls. No holding back.” Twilight said with a smile as she made for the arena. Her side of it began to morph into the interior of her old home, the Golden Oak Library, the moment she stepped onto the arena. A breath was caught in her throat as memories began to flood back to her.
“Oh, come on! How is that suppose to give Twilight an advantage?” Rainbow said aloud, as the selector slowly revealed the opponent.
“Perhaps she could bore them into forfeiting with the lectures and speeches she gets from those books.” Trixie commented, causing Twilight’s friends to glare at her, Sunburst to smack his face in annoyance, and Maud to groan in frustration as Autumn Blaze looked between the two, confused.
“Trixie, why do you feel the need to put Twilight down like that?” Sunburst asked, wishing Starlight were here.
“What? Am I wrong?” She said.
“That’s not the point, and you know it. Can’t you show just a little tact?”
“Why should I? The Great and Powerful, Trixie can handle anything this tournament can throw at me!” She boasted as Twilight’s opponent is revealed.
“I hope you’re ready to prove that, my dear…” Discord said, earning him a surprised look from the unicorn mare. “…because the selector has chosen You to go against Twilight.”
‘WHAT?” She screams as she turns to see her face on the selector, a mouth appears on it giving her a raspberry.
“Oh, yeah. Anything…except karma.” Sunburst said dryly as he proceeded to push the shocked Trixie towards the arena entrance.
“SHOW! NO! MERCY!” Both Rainbow and Applejack shouted at Twilight, who was just as surprised to hear who she would be facing.
“Y..you know what? Starlight could use an update on the tournament…” Trixie began as Maud and Autumn Blaze walked beside Sunburst.
“I’m sure Fluttershy and Bon Bon are doing that right now!” The Kirin said cheerfully.
“Bu..but they don’t know about Midnight Sparkle! And…and Starlight said she had met her once in that other dimension!”
“Then let her know…after the match.” Maud said as they reached the barrier.
“But…but…” She stuttered as Rainbow flew in front of her.
“Look, Trixie. Either go in there and face the music like the ‘Great and Powerful’ pony you claim to be, or forfeit and show everyone your true colours.”
Trixie was torn; she knew Rainbow was right and the thought of everyone thinking she was a coward just terrified her. While making up her mind, she caught a glimpse of the students. Having just started working at the school she had begun to enjoy helping the students with their problems. This thought brought memories of her time with Starlight and how she had taken her for granted.
Even now, she wished Starlight were here instead.
The performer took a deep breath and stood with her head high. “Very well! The choice is quite obvious.”
“Hah! I knew it! You are just a co…” Rainbow began as Trixie continued.
“I will face Princess Twilight Sparkle in the rematch of the Century!” The blue mare turned and entered the arena, leaving a stunned Rainbow, a confused Autumn and two smiling friends.
Her half of the arena transformed into a performers stage similar to the one she used when Trixie first arrived in Ponyville. “How fitting that the arena would take the appearance of the places we were when we met!” Trixie said aloud as she stood on stage, looking down at Twilight.
“I agree. Makes me think about how far we’ve come since that day.” Twilight said as she smiled at Trixie with nostalgia, causing Trixie to get nervous.
“…yeah…” Trixie looked back at her stage then to her friends in their space. “I get it, now.”
Twilight regarded the mare with confusion. “Get what?”
“What the big deal is with friendship.” Twilight couldn’t prevent her jaw from opening in surprise as Trixie looked back at the stage. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t the most ‘likeable’ pony when I first met you.” She looks at Twilight. “But after meeting Starlight, Sunburst, and all my new friends…I can see now why you are the why you are.” Her sincere words took everyone by surprise that Rainbow and Applejack had to exchange a look to see that the other was hearing her right.
“Trixie…that’s…” Touch by the unexpected kind words Twilight tried to respond until Trixie gave her a smug look.
“That doesn’t mean Trixie like’s you and thinks you and your friends are overhyped.”
Twilight, Rainbow and Applejack stumbled forward by Trixie’s one-eighty response, which caused the creatures to laugh, ranging from a simple smile from Maud to a roaring laugh from Lightning Dust.
“Overhyped!?” Rainbow shouted in offence as Gilda snorted in agreement. “I’ll show you overhyped!” She said as she banged on the barrier.
“Of all the arrogant things that pony has said…” Applejack said in a low, threatening voice, as Big Mac also held back a chuckle.
The two calmed down instantly at the sound of Twilight laughing, startling Trixie.
“We are never gonna get along, are we?” The Alicorn asked knowingly.
The show pony gave Twilight a cocky grin. “Nope. And that’s fine by me!” Trixie got into her stance.
“Hmph. Sounds good to me, Trixie!” She said, doing the same.
“Well, now. That was short.” Discord said as he appeared, readying his claw. “Are you two ready?” They nodded to him as Trixie stuck a pose, her cape flapping as she raised her hoof above her head. Before Twilight could question it Discord began the match, Trixie bringing down her hoof along side Discord.
He vanished as a smokescreen covered the area. Startled, Twilight coughed as she used her wings to clear away the smoke. When she could finally see Trixie was no where to be found.
“Where did she go?” She said aloud as the smoke dissipated.
“Didn’t you know?” Trixie said as she landed on Twilights back causing her to buckle some. “A magician never reveals her tricks!” As she spoke she tied her long line of handkerchiefs around Twilight’s wings before leapfrogging over her head. Facing the struggling Alicorn, Trixie shoots a beam at the handkerchiefs turning them into a giant teacup.
“I call that one ‘The Wings in a Cup’!”
Looking at the cup on her back Twilight was relieved to feel her wings, before giving Trixie an amused smile. “That’s a cute trick.” Her horn glows, a leaf from her tree house hovers above the show pony. “How do you like mine?” Shooting a beam above Trixie, the mare looks up as a shadow covers her.
She gives her rival a dirty look. “That’s not funny.” Suddenly a large cake falls on her as Twilight laughs aloud.
“I thought it was.” She said as she uses another spell to free her wings from the teacup, teleporting it on top of the cake as if it were a cherry. A light magnate aura surrounded the cake before disappearing to reveal a frosting covered Trixie as she glared at Twilight with an unamused look.
“I’ll get you for that.” She said as she threw another smoke bomb.
“Not this time!” With a blast of magic Twilight cleared the smoke to reveal Trixie heading for the stage. Twilight teleported in front of her, causing her to skid to a stop, sending cake remains into Twilight’s face, blinding her. Capitalizing on the moment Trixie took her cape and tied it around the Alicorn’s legs before heading for the stage.
She ran up the stairs as Twilight falls to the ground, the image of her in such a way caused more laughter. Frustrated Twilight used a spell to remove the cake remains and cape, freeing her to see Trixie trip while on the stage.
A flash of purple appeared before Trixie. As soon as she saw Twilight’s confidant smile, she used her magic to throw her hat into the Alicorns face.
“Really?” Twilight said as she removed the hat. “Your resorting to throwing things now?”
“Poor, naive Twilight.” The unicorn rose to her hooves, a cocky grin on her face. “Is it really a surprise I wouldn’t live up to my name?”
“How does throwing a hat at me make you Great or Powerful?”
“Hehe. For once…” Trixie cast a spell just before a large shadow appears above Twilight. “…I wasn’t talking about that.”
In a gasp of horror, Twilight looks up. Her pupils dilate as an entire book shelve full of books crashes onto Twilight, sending them both through the stage.
“Twilight!” Shining shouted in terror before a flash of purple appeared above Trixie, who was still focused on the hole.
“I always knew those books of yours were a pain.” Trixie taunted as she beams with pride, until Twilight tapped her on the head.
The unicorn looked up to see a smiling Twilight waving at her. “You might want to read some of those books.” With a flash of her horn the two teleported so high up, Discord had to provide binoculars to every creature. “You might actually learn something.” She finished with a wave as Trixie plummeted to the arena, screaming in absolute terror.
“Is she allowed to do that?” Gallus asked, beginning to wonder if out of bounds rules applied.
“So long as they remain within the arena, she can teleport as high as she wants.” Discord explained, the sound of Trixie’s screaming getting louder.
“Wait.” The young griffin removed his binoculars to look at Discord. “So ring out victories are a thing in the tournament?”
“Hmm. I suppose.” Discord said as he rubbed his cheek. “Though there may be some ‘factors’ to consider before deciding that.”
Gallus gave the draconequus a puzzled look.
“ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! YOU MADE YOUR POINT! SAVE ME!” As the show mare drew closer to the ground she became more hysterical.
“And what point is that?” Twilight asked as she fell along side her rival.
“YOUR GREAT! I’M NOT! YOUR POWERFUL! I’M NOT!” They were fifty meters from impact. “YOU WIN! I GIVE UP! I FORFEIT!” Twenty meters. “SAVE ME! SAVE ME! SAVE ME!” Five meters. “AAAAAAHHHHH….huh?” Trixie opened her eyes to see she was inches above the ground, surrounded in Twilights magical aura.
“Did you hear that, Discord?”
“My dear, Twilight Sparkle! I AM rubbing off on you, aren’t I?” Discord said with delight as he appeared beside her. “Letting Trixie fall like that? I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“Discord?” Twilight said as she gently lowered Trixie to the ground before releasing her.
“Fine, fine. Trixie has forfeit the match. The winner, unsurprisingly, is Twilight Sparkle!” Trixie glared at Discord for that comment before he disappeared. She shares a look with the Princess before turning her back to her in a humph.
“Well?”
Twilight blinks. “Well, what?”
“Get it over with. I can take it.”
“Take what?”
The unicorn turned on Twilight. “Don’t play dumb with me! Make fun of me. Tell me how pathetic and wrong I am and that accepting this stupid match was the dumbest thing I did.”
The two stared at each other until Twilight saw something that made her smile. “Wouldn’t you rather be praised then mocked?” Trixie gave her a look before turning to see the students, her friends, and even Pharynx, standing by the barrier smiling at her.
At that moment Trixie gasped as her heart skipped a beat.
“That was amazing, Trixie!” Gallus shouted in cheer.
“Yona liked it when you smashed Princess Twilight with shelve!” She shout before looking at Twilight, sheepishly. “No offence. “
“Can you teach me how you use those smoke pellets?” Silverstream asked, mesmerized by the trick.
“And that teacup thing was pretty neat.” Smoulder added with a smirk.
“And even though you lost, it was really great seeing you take on an Alicorn like that!” Sandbar said with admiration.
The show mare was stunned silent. For as long as she could recall ponies had only ever pointed out her mistakes and flaws. It was only recently that she surrounded herself with creatures that accept those parts of her and still cheer for her.
That she had true friends.
“The two of us may not get along…” Trixie turned to see Twilight standing beside her, smiling. “But I’m glad we met.” The Princess of Friendship turns to Trixie and extends a hoof. Trixie looked at her before a smile appeared on her face. As she reached for the outstretch hoof her horn lit up as the two hoofs connected.
Suddenly Twilight felt a massive shock run through her hoof.
Trixie laughed as she revealed the buzzer on her hoof. “Same gullible Twilight.” With a wink she made her way back to their space as Twilight chuckled.
“I’m proud of you, Trixie. For going through with the match.” Sunburst said as the mare walked into the space, an air of smug arrogance about her.
“Now you’ll have something really exciting to tell Starlight.” Maud added.
“Why, yes! She will hear about my Great feat of bravery and Powerful display of magic!” The show mare said, causing Rainbow to make a gagging sound as she and Applejack greeted Twilight.
“So…you’re leaving out the part where you screamed ‘Save me! Save me!’ at the end there?” Pharynx added, now in better spirits after witnessing Trixie accept a match everyone knew she couldn’t win.
“YES!” She said right away before turning to her friends with an angry expression. “Not a word about that to her when this is over, got it?”
“Yes. Of course.” Sunburst said with a small smile, adjusting his glasses. She turns to Pharynx with a pleading glare.
“Fine. It's not like she’ll ask me for details.” He said with a wicked smile. Trixie went wide eyed as she turned to Maud.
“Maud…? You promise not to tell, right?” She asks, almost pleading to the Earth pony. Maud just looked at the mare with a blank stare before blinking. “Maud, promise me you aren’t gonna tell Starlight.”
“Huh? I’m sorry, I zoned out there. What were we talking about?”
Trixie grasped Maud by the shoulders, desperately. “Maud! Promise me you aren’t gonna tell Starlight about this!”
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you over Discord’s snap!” The rock doctor said as she looked to Discord. A sly smile spread across his face as he snap his claws.
“Maud, I’m serious…” And with a pop Trixie was sent away as those around them started to laugh. Maud turns to Autumn Blaze who was laugh herself.
“Always remember the golden rule to stand up.” A small smile appears on her face. “Timing…”
“Is everything!” Autumn finished with a laugh.
“Oh, Maud. Never change, my dear.” Discord commented as the selector began again.


“This tournament thing has been pretty exciting, huh?” Princess Skystar glanced at the board hovering over the arena, seeing all the matches there’ve been so far. Captain Celaeno stood beside her with her arms crossed as she watched the selector spinning away.
“Sure has. Would be more exciting had my crew joined us. HA! Now theres a group that could liven things up after all this drama” She said as she struck a confident pose.
“My group of jungle cats must be so lonely, guarding the forests of Tenochtitlan Basin.” Ahuizotl reminisced as the first panel began to slow down. Daring Do flew beside the Guardian along side Soarin.
“Those felines are just fine. I should know, I tangled with them often enough in the past.” They share a smile.
“You know. I’ve been starting to wonder what happens when someone returns home.” Soarin said aloud.
“What do you mean?” Skystar asked.
“Well, if we all came from different points in time, would our return alter events that have already happened?”
The group of creatures looked at one another in a moment of silence, the question running through their minds as the selector stopped.
“The next match is about to begin.” Discord announced, breaking their train of thought. “The next match will be…Captain Celaeno!”
“Yes! About time!” The pirate captain made her way to the arena, speaking to the others as she went. “Whatever happens, I’ll make sure Not to find out just yet!” Celaeno entered the arena, its one half changing into the deck of her ship, The Sea of Clouds. She took in her ship as memories flooded back before sending a glare at Tempest. The unicorn met her stare, unblinking as Celaeno gave her a smirk. Tempest’s raised an eyebrow in confusion as the selector picked her opponent.
“Listen up, folks! Its gonna be a battle of the birds!” The Lord of Chaos earned a few glares from the avian creatures as he continued. “Captain Celaeno’s opponent is…Gilda!”
“Nice! Now I get to watch Gilda crash and burn.” Gallus said before Gilda smacked him the head.
“Say that again, Gallus. I dare ya!” She said as she continued to the arena.
“I’ll let you know how the tournament goes after this!” He called out to her in a good natured teasing.
“You won’t have to, brat!” Gilda met Rainbow Dash with a hoof bump.
“You got this, Gilda!” Her pegasus friend said as she continued into the arena.
“You better believe it! See you at the finals, Dash!” With a wave of her claw she entered the arena, causing it to morph into a mountain range. The middle of the arena where the two halves were meant to meet remained empty as the ships hail hovered before the mountain peaks that Gilda stood on.
Celaeno smiled at the griffon. “You’re a friend of Rainbow Dash, I see?”
“Yeah. Have been for years, before we had a falling out.” She replied with a shrug.
“Heh. Sounds like you two patched things up, though.”
“We did.” She glanced at Rainbow. “I haven’t said it yet but, I’m grateful to her and Pinkie Pie for giving Griffonstone a chance to grow. And also…” She glanced at Gallus.
“Also what?” The pirate ask, curious.
Gilda shook her head, facing Celaeno. “Nothing. You ready or what?” She asked while taking to the air, hovering before the Sea of Clouds.
Taking a quick glance towards their friends Celaeno drew her sword and prepared for the match, a knowing smile on her beak. “Ready when you are!”
“Splendid!” Discord appeared above the centre of the arena, his claw ready to drop. “Let the match…begin!” His claw chops between them as he disappears, prompting Gilda to charge Celaeno. With acrobatic grace the pirate captain spun to the side of her assailant, slapping her rump with the flat side of her sword.
Gilda yelped in pain and surprise as the on lookers laughed in response. “HEY!” The griffon shouted, her beak red with embarrassment.
“What’s the matter, Gilda? Not used to being out maneuvered?” Gallus jabbed, earning him a leer from the elder griffon.
“Can it, brat!” She shouted as she charged Celaeno again, this time coming to a complete stop in front of her and kicking the captain off the deck of her ship. An audible gasp came from the space as Gilda flew over the edge. “Hey.” She looked at the mountain side confused. “Where’d she go?”
“Nice try, my griffon friend!” Suddenly, Gilda was kicked from behind as Celaeno drove her into the side of the mountain, leaping off her to grab hold of a hanging rope line, smiling all the while.
“Now, THAT’S the kind of awesome I expected from you, Captain!” Rainbow called out in excitement as Gilda shook her head clear.
“Thanks, Dash!” With a swing of the rope Celaeno flipped over the side of the deck and landed in one smooth motion. “I hope you realize, straightforward attacks won’t work on me!” She called out as Gilda took to the air.
“Thanks for the tip!” Launching upward Gilda disappears within a cloud; while still concealed within she flies around the mountain tip, gathering more clouds to create a large one.
“That’s the last time I give you advice!” The pirate captain stood her ground as she raised her sword. The large cloud began to descend towards her until it covered the entire deck of the ship.
“That’s it, G! Let her have it!” Rainbow shouted as Applejack and Soarin looked at her.
“Just who are ya routing fer, Dash?”
“Both of them, of course!” She replied as if it were obvious. “Especially if they do something cool!”
Soarin and Applejack exchange a look as they shake their heads in a understanding manner.
“Whoa. That’s…actually pretty clever.” Gallus said, surprised the elder griffon was able to come up with it on the fly. Silverstream and Sandbar came up beside him.
“So, are you two cousins or something?” Sandbar asked, thinking back to that Hearths Warming he had admitted to having no real family in Griffonstone.
“Nah. She’s just one of the griffons there that looks out for me.” He replied nonchalant.
“Like a big sister?” Silverstream asked in excitement.
“More like a bossy babysitter that doesn’t realize I’m not a baby.” The young griffon pouted as he crossed his arms.
“Heh. What’s the difference?” Smoulder asked as she hovered above them, sending a quick glance at her older brother. Garble looked back with a cheeky grin.
“Well…” He tried to think of something only to come up empty. A loud grunt came from the cloud covered ship, drawing everyones attention again.
“You know…” Celaeno started to say as she swung her sword at any sound she heard. “…with tactics like this, you’d make one heck of a pirate! How about joining my crew after this tournament ends?”
“A tempting offer!” Gilda called out as she grabbed Celaeno’s sword arm. The two were beak to beak as they struggled for the sword, Gilda managing to slowly overpower the pirate. “But I can’t abandon Griffonstone just yet!”
A knowing smirk appears on Celaeno’s beck. “That young griffon lad?” She grunted in relief as Gilda eased up in surprise. “I thought I saw something there. You two dating or something?”
Gilda tightened her grip on Celaeno’s arm making her grunt loudly. “It’s NOT like THAT, at all!” The griffin was beet red as she grabbed the swords pummel and ripped it from the pirates grip. “The brat’s got no one else looking out for him! So…” She stopped as she threw the sword over the side of the ship. “…I look after him.”
“Well, isn’t that sweet of…” Gilda’s clawed fist caught Celaeno in her lower beak, knocking her out cold.
“That’s for that dating remark.” Taking to the air Gilda beat her wings strong and fast, clearing the clouds away from the ship. Once it was cleared everyone saw the results of the match. “Call it, Discord.” She said.
“Wow. You did a number on her.” The tournament host commented as he picked up the pirate captain.
“She said something I didn’t want to hear.”
“Oooo. What was it?” Gilda glared at Discord until he sighed. "Oh, very well. Griffons are just no fun. Captain Celaeno is knocked out. The winner is Gilda.”
Discord returned her sword as he brought her to Skystar and Rainbow. Gilda walked into the space as the arena returned to its original stat, meeting Gallus.
“Wow, Gilda. Didn’t know you had it in you.”
“I outta smack you for thinking that!” She said as she raised a claw, making Gallus flinch away. Instead of smacking him, Gilda ruffled his head in a playful manner. “Don’t forget to use this big head of yours when it’s your turn.”
The two laughed playfully as Gallus knocked her claw away. “I will. I’ll even come up with something better then what you did!” The two griffons gave a challenging smile to one another before Gilda punched him in the shoulder twice.
“Two for flinching, twerp.” Gilda shared a laugh with Gallus and his friends as Rainbow watched with a smile on her face, seeing the Gilda she grew up with shine through.
“He’s lucky to have her.” Both Rainbow and Skystar looked down to see a smiling, conscious Celaeno looked at the group. Skystar was about to shout out in surprise when Rainbow pressed a hoof to her beck, silencing her with a look.
“Why throw the match?” The pegasus asked, returning her attention to the captain.
“Heh. I didn’t. You have a great friend, Rainbow Dash.” Turning her gaze to Tempest, the pirate captain gave a simple, kind nod, having earn her respect after winning her match against Adagio. The dark purple unicorn nodded back in gratitude. “Hey Discord? Mind sending me back to my crew?” The Lord of Chaos nodded as he snapped his claws, returning her to her crew mates and starting the selector all over again.