//------------------------------// // Forming The Team // Story: Intergalactic Gladiator Games // by Ragnarok17 //------------------------------// In the shadow, Spike groaned as he opened his eyes. “Man! That was a terrible dream I have.” As Spike about to touch his head, he notices his hand is huge! “My hand! It’s huge!” Spike notices his voice is now more mature-sounding voice. “My voice! What happened to my voice?!” Spike begins to have a freak out as he quickly gets up and he look at his fully grown body. “How did my body grow so fast?!” And Spike saw he got wings on his back, he screams at this. Spike run and scream around like a manic while trying to processing this sudden development of his body. “This can’t be happening to me! I was a baby dragon and now, I am a fully grown adult dragon! What the hell happened?!” Spike continues to scream until he was hit by a rock, He turn around and see a masked figure who pat his head from yesterday who is laying against the wall with his arm crosses. “Are you done screaming?” A masked figure asked Spike Spike look at this figure as he nervously chuckles “Ah....... Yeah. So, how long have you been watch me screaming?” Spike asked a masked figure “Long enough.” The masked figure walk toward Spike and stare at him while Spike is sweating and standing still as he doesn’t know what the figure is going to do with him. The masked figure look at his whole body. “Your name is Spike, right?” The masked figure asked Spike. “Huh? Yes, my name is Spike! Despite my new appearance, I’m still same old dragon you headpats me” Spike answered his question in a nervous tone. The masked figure once again headpats Spike as Spike thought to himself, ‘What is up with him petting my head?! He doesn’t know me and yet he petting my head for no reason! Twilight doesn’t pet my head that much!’ “Well, Spike. You can call me, Ronin.” as he stop petting Spike’s head “Ronin? A cool name” Spike compliment to Ronin “Spike, I like you to be part of the team” Ronin make an offer to Spike “A team?” “Yes, I knew i need an allies to get through this Intergalactic Gladiator Games as I have no intention of serving Faust Empire. Same goes for you, Spike. You definitely can’t survive on your own.” “But why me? Back on my planet, I was seen as useless to my old teammates and I don’t know why you want me to be part of your team? I would just be distraction to you” Spike looks down and trying to not remember about his time with Elements of Harmony as he doesn’t deserve to be with them. Ronin comfort the adult dragon. “Spike, don’t be hard on yourself. I am sure your old teammates missed you. If you want to see them again, you must help me to get through this games” “But what if they don’t want to see me again? I’m the one who cause the pain to them when I let myself captured! Why would they forgive me after I put them through pain?!” Spike shredding tears as Ronin petting Spike’s head “Don’t think about that, Spike. Sometimes we hurt each other but not every friends are perfect. Just because you hurt them doesn’t mean they don’t want to see you again, You just don’t know what your old teammates must be thinking right now after watching you got yourself captured.” Spike stopped his crying and look at Ronin “Spike, what going to be? Seeing your old teammates again or spending the rest of your life as Faust’s puppet?” Ronin asked Spike Spike looked at him while remembering his good times with Elements of Harmony and makes a confident face “Alright, I’m in” “Good” Spike and Ronin look at each other until they saw bunch of other gladiators goofing around and Spike begin to notices the environment. “Hey, Ronin. Where are we?” “I believe this must be the dungeon.” “A dungeon?! That’s mean I would have to sleep on the ground! I don’t want to sleep on the ground! I don’t want to!” Spike begin to whining about sleeping on the ground until he was suddenly almost blasted by a sound wave from Crimson Danger “Hey!” Spike growls at Danger. “Sorry! I was just trying to adjusting my sound wave!” Crimson apologizes to Spike for almost blasting him. “Hey, how come you don’t use your sound wave to escape from this dungeon?” Spike asked Danger. “Well, I would love to but if I did, I would end up destroying the whole place and that would be a collateral damage and I don’t want to do put others’ life at risk” Crimson Danger answered his question. “Despite your name, you are a type of person who doesn’t like danger. Why did you pick that name?” Spike asked Crimson Danger which offends him “BECAUSE IT SOUND COOLER! Plus, what kind of a dragon that named himself, “Spike”?! I don’t see any Spike on your body, fluffy dragon!” Danger tries to insult Spike but it doesn’t work as Spike suddenly resemble an anime version of himself and starting to teasing Crimson Danger “Oh! You think you going to insult me by calling me, Fluffy dragon? This is coming from an alien who have an ability to make those big sound wave and yet, you’re too scared to use it! You such a ladybug!” Spike laughs at him while Crimson have an 💢 on his head and suddenly resemble an anime and more exaggerated version of himself as a T-Rex “Ladybug?! How dare you go so low by calling me a Ladybug?! Nobody call me a Ladybug! You purple freak!” “Bring it on, Buggy!” Spike and Crimson Danger stares at each other intensity as we hear the sound of T-Rex in the background Ronin interrupted them by hitting their head and both of them went back to their normal self. “OW!” Both of them yell in unison. “Enough of you! Bickering with each other won’t help us on getting out of this damn place! If we are going to survive Intergalactic Gladiators Game, we must help each other whether you like it or not! Got it?!” Spike and Crimson Danger nodded as they’re kneel before Ronin. “We are so sorry!” Spike and Danger yell in unison hugging each other while crying. “Good grief” Ronin facepalm himself. Ronin see Flint Blaze sleeping as he laying against the wall with his hat covering his face, Ronin walk toward Flint Blaze and look at him. “What are you doing, cowboy?” “Hmm?” Flint wakes up as he see Ronin looking at him. “Just sleeping in, I’m not going to waste my time with those buffoons. I cannot sanction their buffoonery” his comment offends Spike as he angrily walk toward Flint. “Hey! I’m not a buffoon! Unlike them, I am trying to survive the game so I can get out of this cursing dungeon and all you do is sit there and don’t do anything! What kind of a cowboy are you?!” Spike glares at Flint, only to get his cheek pulled by Ronin. “Ow! What did I do?” Spike asked Ronin Flint get up and look at Spike, Ronin and Crimson Danger. “Look, if you guys are forming the team...” Crimson Danger interrupted him “Sorry, I technically didn’t officially join the team. I was just forced to be part of the team by this samurai dude” Crimson Danger chuckles while Ronin intentionally steps on Danger’s foot HARD causing Danger to scream like a deranged woman, his scream continues to throughout Faust City. Chancellor Brutus is shaving his face as he notices the scream from Crimson Danger “Those stupid peasants, they never learn” Brutus continues to shave his face Crimson Danger continues to scream until Spike slap him “Get a hold of yourself! He just step on your foot, man!” Crimson Danger notices all Gladiators are staring at him if he was a crazy maniac “Sorry, move it on!” Crimson Danger chuckles nervously as all Gladiators continues to their business. “As I was saying, if you guys are forming the team, I guess I have no choice but count me in” Flint Blaze’s response surprise Spike as he didn’t expect his answer. “But why?” Spike asked Flint Blaze “Because you guy are seem intelligent.... except for the red guy” Flint mocks Danger “HEY!!” Crimson Danger scowled “Plus, I rather work for the likes of you than working for bunch of those wackos” Flint points to the Gladiators that do stupid stuff to entertain themselves. “Wow! Those guys are definitely wackos!” Spike agrees with Flint until they hears an Italian music “Where it coming from?” Spike asked the team as they are investigating the music. When they finally found the location, they came across Happy Charlie eating his Italian black and white Spaghetti with a table set up. Charlie grabs a spaghetti with his folk and ate it. “Mamma Mia! I love me some Spaghetti!” Charlie continues to eat his spaghetti while Spike, Ronin, Crimson Danger and Flint Blaze are staring at him eating his food. “What the heck did he get his own food from?” Spike asked the team “I don’t want to know” Ronin answered his question. “Me neither” Crimson Danger answered his question “This is one strange looking fella” Flint Blaze is amused by Charlie’s cartoony appearance. Charlie finally notices them and hide his Spaghetti from them while speaking in his fake Italian accent. “Mamma Mia! Get away from me Spaghetti! Don’t you know it’s my lunch break?! If i going to fight anyone, I can’t fight them with an empty stomach!” Charlie grabs the entire spaghetti and shove it to his mouth and swallows it which flabbergasted Spike and the team as Charlie continues to speak in his fake Italian accent. “Sorry but I don’t speak me English! Ciao!” Charlie try to run away from them but he hit the wall and fall on the ground. “Wall? Why it got to be wall?!” Charlie get up and is cornered by Spike, Ronin, Crimson Danger and Flint Blaze. Charlie get on his knee and start to begging them. “Please! Don’t hurt me! I’m just your lovable cartoon character, Happy Charlie! Here! Take my money!” Charlie grab his wallet and throw money at them. “Here! Take all of my money! Just don’t hurt me!” Spike walk toward Charlie and Charlie closes his eyes as his ferocious appearance scared him. “Oh almighty dragon! Please! Forgive me for all of my sins! I didn’t meant to commit such a heinous crime like taking a lollipop from little boy! I’m sorry but that lollipop look so good that I took it from the boy! Father! Forgive me!” Charlie holding Spike’s leg and start crying like a manchild which amuses Spike. ‘Okay, can this day get even weirder?’ Spike thought to himself. Charlie continues to cry until Spike grab and holding Charlie in his hand. “Listen Charlie, if you want to forgive yourself for stealing a lollipop from little boy. I suggest you should join our team to atone your sins” “Join you? Why should I join you and your goons?” Charlie questioned them “Goons?! I ain’t nobody’s goon!” Crimson Danger is offends by Charlie calling him “Goon”. “Shush!” Spike silences Crimson Danger as he look at Charlie “Charlie, let me tell you about The Emperor” Spike whispers to Charlie’s ear, “He loves CGI” Charlie immediately believe Spike’s lie about Emperor Faust and transform into Angry Charlie “That son of a bitch! That prick prefer CGI over traditional animation?! This is complete bullshit! NO! NOBODY SAID NO TO ME! YOU HEAR ME?! NOBODY SAYS NO TO CHARLIE! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!“ He unleashes his lighting power and target at the object. A gladiator see this and warn the others, “INCOMING!” Him and the rest of Gladiators dodge the attack as Charlie’s lighting power fires at the object. Spike and the team are disturbed by Charlie’s angry behavior and their jaws dropped as Charlie went back to his old self and smiles at them. “Okay, I’m in!” “So, that’s make us five, five is good enough! Is everyone good with it?” Ronin asked the team but Spike looked around and he seem unsatisfied. “Sorry Ronin but I feel we are missing one more members of our team” Spike making this statement to Ronin “What are you talking about, Spike?” Ronin asked Spike “Back on my planet, My team, “Elements of Harmony” have 6 members and I think our team need to have 6 members. I won’t be satisfied until we find our sixth member of our team” “But Spike, how are we going to find our sixth member? There are like 35 Gladiators and you think one of them want to be our sixth member?” Crimson Danger doubting Spike “I will join the team” they hears a mysterious voice as they turn around and saw a mechanical robot in front of them. “Who are you?” Crimson Danger asked the robot. “I am Test Bracer” “Test Bracer?” They say in unison. “Yup and no need to introduce yourselves, I already eavesdropping your conversation and when you looking for a sixth member, I knew I don’t want to miss out on being part of this awesome team!” “You’re not going to shock me like rest of the robots I met?” Spike asked Test Bracer “Oh heavens, no! Unlike them, I don’t like harming others and I only fight if I have to.” Spike sighed in relief as he doesn’t have to deal with electrical shock from Test Bracer. “You seem more emotional than rest of the robots? How is that possible?” Ronin asked Test Bracer “Well, you could say I’m special-type robot, that’s all I can say about myself.” He shrugs. “Alright, welcome to the team, Test Bracer” Ronin welcome him in the team. Spike, Ronin, Crimson Danger, Flint Blaze, Happy Charlie and Test Bracer are making circle as all of them put their hand together. “Alright team, from this day on. We will be known as “Gladiators of Harmony”!” Spike announces the name for the team which Danger and Blaze are puzzled by the name. “Gladiators of Harmony?” Crimson Danger asked Spike “Do I look like Harmony to you? Why Harmony?” Flint Blaze question Spike’s choice for the team’s name. “Because it’s a tribute to my old friends and I will survive this game so I can be reunites with them! So get used to it” Spike affirms his decision to them. “Fine” Crimson Danger signed. “Alright that settles it!” Spike smiles as all of them yell “Go..... GLADIATORS OF HARMONY!” They throw their hand in air. In the training ground, Spike and Gladiators of Harmony are sketching their legs as they are preparing for Intergalactic Gladiator Games. “Yeah! If we are going to fight those gladiators, we better to train our body in order to win our fight!” Spike look at Gladiators of Harmony who nodded to him. “Hey! Test Bracer! Since you are not going to train with us since you’re a robot, Turn on a workout music!” Spike asking Test Bracer “Coming right up!” Test Bracer push a button on his right arm and it play a workout music. In the training montage, Spike is dodging attacks from robot soldiers as he use his fire breath which turn them into ashes. “Woah! My fire breath got bigger...... AWESOME!” Spike is admires at his big fire breath but he have to shook it off as he continues to dodge attack from robot soldiers. “Man! Those guys doesn’t give up easy, are they?” Spike run toward robot soldiers and keep punching them. Ronin slashing all robot soldiers while running fast. “Damn! That samurai is one fast gladiator” Robot soldier #1 is impressed by Ronin before he get slashed by Ronin, “Should’ve see that coming!” That was his final words before it explodes. “Those are supposed to be the best soldiers of Faust Empire? Pathetic” Ronin is unimpressed with robot soldiers. Crimson Danger use his power to control all robot soldiers and tear all pieces of them apart. It’s big explosion while Danger is standing and act if he is proud of himself. “My masterpiece!” He blow a kiss “You know you should use your sound wave than being lazy with your metal control power, Ladybug” Spike teasing Crimson Danger “I told you I am NOT Ladybug and I’m not going to use my sound wave!” Crimson Danger glares at Spike while continues to tear all robot soldiers apart. Flint Blaze is surrounding by all robot soldiers as he grabs his gun and shoot all of them without miss his shot which cause them to explodes. “Bang! This is just a baby’s step” Flint keep shooting at robot soldiers with two guns and dodge their blast. “Come on, you mechanical trash can! Is that the best you got?!” Flint Blaze shooting at robot soldiers rapidly. Robot soldiers cornered Happy Charlie “Look at this gladiator, he is a funny-looking for a gladiator! No wonder people prefer CGI over Cartoon!” Robot Soldier #2 teases Happy Charlie’s appearance as he and other soldiers laugh at him. “Don’t you dare make fun of the cartoon..... you little ungrateful piece of shit!” Happy Charlie transform into Angry Charlie as he grabs multiple knifes from his bag. “Oh crap!” Robot Soldier #2 regrets his comment as he and others are being utterly destroyed by Angry Charlie while laughing at them manically “Who laughing now?!” Charlie keep stabbing all robot soldiers. Spike and Gladiators of Harmony look at all destroyed bodies of robot soldiers as Spike look at the sky and he decides to use his wings for the first time. “Here we go!” Spike flaps his wings and go sky high. “I will be damned” Flint Blaze took off his hat as he saw Spike flying. Spike stop at the top of the training ground as he look at the sky. “Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie. I promise I will win the game so I can be reuniting with your guys!” Spike flying down to the ground as he land safety as he stand along with Gladiators of Harmony. “WE ARE GLADIATORS OF HARMONY!” they yell in unison.