Since Spitfire installed boxing equipment in our gym, I have never stopped progressing. While continuing my titanic training, which I had even completed by adding my own exercises according to my shortcomings, I very often followed up with a few matches.
Most of them were against Dash, but from time to time, some more confirmed wonderbolts like Fleetfoot or Misty Fly wanted to try this sport. And although hitting mares in normal times sounds like a terrible act to me, I'm determined not to make any difference once in the ring, as I would surely meet female opponents on my way to the title. But there's one thing I've been proud of all this time:
I haven't lost a single fight!
Very quickly, I had literally faced every confirmed wonderbolt in the academy, except my captain. Unlike Light, I wasn't wondering what his level would be, since I would be the wonderbolt representative in this tournament anyway. Besides, she has work outside of my function which she is already quite busy enough.
The only way I have to thank her fully is to take the golden belt back to the title showcase she has in her office. It will be a change from the many cups and other medals with a wing emblem in the center.
And the tournament could finally begin, the long months had passed, I had become another stallion in the space of only five months :
From my neck to the tips of my toes, all my muscles had grown at an exponential rate. My strong thighs allowed me to move with small jumps in the ring to dodge and counterattack with surprising efficiency and agility. My torso and improved back gave me increased resistance to the blow, in addition to accompanying my blows with my impressive arms.
In short, I had become a real mountain of muscle, not as exaggerated as Bulk biceps but still strong and slender, a bit like Light. The result was such that when I showed up in combat gear, with only shorts and sneakers in our colors, the reactions were not long in coming:
Most mares tended to get nosebleeds while congratulating me on my transformation. Only Rainbow Dash and Spitfire didn't blush, the first one because she has a guy objectively more handsome than me and the second one because I suspect her to be a lesbian, or simply out of restraint? Anyway, anyway...
Obviously, Cloudchaser went from his commentary mumbling something in Soarin's ear, which made him blush to making a tomato jealous before he hid his embarrassing face. The other stallions were either impressed or jealous, but the expression on their faces remained the same.
I sighed as I contemplated what I had become...
Light was right when he said I had the potential to be a champion boxer. I've learned a lot about the sport, and it's all thanks to him. I still hope he's not gonna be the Olympia Academy rep, or I might lose my temper.
After all, he's the one who brought me down, and quite violently too. He always told me that he won't participate, that boxing wasn't a sport he particularly liked, yet he is so strong in a field he doesn't like. I would always wonder what it would be like to be in his place, never finding a worthy opponent, he must be bored: what's the point of winning without danger?
And speaking of winning, now is the moment of truth, because the famous list of fights has been made public, or at least only my opponent. There are 64 participants in this tournament, the vast majority representing the biggest boxing clubs on the continent. When Spitfire presents it to me, I look for the wonderbolt badge to see where I am.
It seems contradictory, but it's impossible for us to know the other participants before entering the ring, so we don't train according to their weaknesses. I finally find the emblem of the academy, and to my great relief, I wouldn't be immediately against the Olympia academy representative, who is widely recognizable on the poster.
Their emblem is a black shield with diagonal gold stripes on it, and even though they don't specialise in boxing, their performances in the world of athletes are well known to all, even feared if we find ourselves against them. Based on their position, I would find myself against them in the semi-finals, hoping to make it there already.
"Your opponent represents the city of Flamscale, a land inhabited mainly by dragons!" She announces me. "Prepare to meet them in this tournament."
Her announcement makes me waver inside, how can I defeat a dragon? Their scale-covered bodies give them an extraordinary advantage in combat sports, I even have the unfortunate tendency to think they need their own categories. But I promised myself that I wouldn't complain anymore, even in defeat I would remain humble. Hoping it won't happen tomorrow...
...yes, my first game is tomorrow.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
It's tomorrow, well, today, but I knew that from where I was standing right now.
I'd been waiting in my locker room for maybe an hour, waiting for the 6:00 bell to ring. I had come here around 4:30pm with Spitfire who was my coach from now on, and some of my wonderbolt friends had come as well. It was the big stadium in Manehattan that was hosting the tournament this year, so it wasn't a very long drive, 1 hour by train at most was enough from the academy headquarters.
I couldn't fly that far now, so I had to take the train. But as it represented my success in this tournament, for once, I was hoping to take it as many times as possible.
I could hear the bleachers above me rumbling and clamouring for the match, and even with everyone's support, being expected so much had never stressed me so much as a wonderbolt, probably because this time I would be alone.
Spitfire was with me, arms folded, waiting for us to be called just like me. She seemed evasive, as if she was thinking about something else, that she was escaping, yet she forbade all wonderbolts to do so before a performance. Even though she won't fight anyone, I just hope she can give me some advice if I find myself in trouble.
I couldn't get lost in my thoughts any more as someone knocked on the door, Spitfire opened it as I got up.
"Thunderlane, you're next!" announced a pony to me before he left to warn my opponent on the other side of the stadium.
Spitfire looked at me as I banged my gloves together, to relieve some of the stress. I was breathing normally, but she wasn't fooled.
"Straighten your bust, look straight ahead and above all..." she said before stopping abruptly, spanking me to approach.
I answered her call, wondering why she stopped in the middle of her sentence. She pulled me by the shoulder to whisper in my ear, seeing my almost fearful step.
"...remember we're all with you." she whispered to me.
A totally silly smile appeared on my lips, I could have been alone in the ring, there are so many people supporting me.
My captain, my friends, my fellow wonderbolts, my fans, my little brother... even if they're not all here, but I know they're thinking about me, they want to see me make a new journey maybe even harder than through the sky. They want me to box!
"YES!!!" Did I answer with my newfound determination.
I walked with it right in front of the door that separated me from the huge room where I was going to have my first pro match, and it would only be my first. I stopped in front of it when I heard from the other side.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the fight you've all been waiting for." announced the pony presenter into his microphone, which echoed throughout the building. "The big tournament match between two new entities can now begin!"
The audience began to cheer louder for this statement. I could've sworn I heard Rainbow Dash blowing out her vocal chords through the hundreds of screams.
"The first one comes from Flamscale, but hold on, it's a six-foot-two, 200-pound round griffin. This is... GA-LLAC!!!"
I could hear the cries of his supporters animating his march to the ring. I'm relieved not to attack a dragon at the beginning, even if its size must be impressive even for a griffin.
"And his opponent represents the wonderbolt academy, which is well known for its flying feats. Weighing 75 kg for 1m75, he is the Pegasus who started his new career in boxing . THUN-DER-LANE!!!"
The doors in front of me opened, finally revealing the room filled and lit by dozens of lights coming from the ceiling, more precisely coming at me. I don't even have to close my eyes as I begin to walk straight ahead, Spitfire accompanying me as I arrive shirtless, fists clenched and a smile on my face.
I go forward hearing my name being glorified in a few steps, my reputation as a wonderbolt must have brought people, maybe a lot of my old fans are still there, still loyal. In the end I don't have to look long to see Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Cloudchaser and the other Wonderbolts to my right, raising a huge scarf with my effigy at the end of their arms.
Almost all the ponies in the stadium have with them a derivative with my head on it, we are not used to see them so enthusiastic during flight shows, but there I am with them too... So I have to keep my cool and show my pride in their presence to all of them.
I reach the main ring and climb the few steps to get over the ropes and get to the top, finally letting me see my opponent. Certainly, he is taller and heavier than me due to our different races, but he is not as muscular as I thought, his abs don't stand out like mine kiss the light that makes them shine in everyone's eyes.
I thought I'd panic once I hit the professional floor... but I feel good... very good, even, like before a show where I know I'll handle it, but the feeling is still slightly different.
I look to my right to see the seat of the presenter who called us, it's a small land pony dressed in a suit, but there's another seat next to it.
"The two boxers will now meet in the center of the ring to greet each other." says the pony.
I directed my gaze towards my opponent before I saw that an adorable little doodle was in the center of the ring between the two of us, a ribbon in his right wing and a microphone in his claw.
"Come on!" Said a hoarse voice.
I recognize this one, it was Spitfire commanding me from behind. I took his order for granted and advanced to the scribble, my opponent did the same. I realized the difference in size once I was within three feet of him. But the worst thing must have been the announcer who barely reached my neck.
"Salute yourself! Mighty boxers!" She asked as she looked at us, all eyes were now on us.
The light was now only on the ring, and most of the audience had calmed down, inspecting our reactions. I think that... before starting all this training and lane changing, I would probably have been afraid of the griffin in front of me, of the danger it could represent.
But I'm not anymore! Now I was another pony. He held a glove out to me and I hit him with mine as a sign of respect... before the commentator lent him the microphone.
"Do you have a statement to make before the game starts?" She asked.
"Whether on the ground or in the air, griffins are the best, and I'm gonna show it tonight!" He declared with a despicable smile on his face.
He wasted no time in launching the hostilities...
As the griffins behind him laughed at his comment, the ponies on my side, including Rainbow Dash once again, let their voices speak, shouting at him. I feel it was the right time for me to drop a line that would touch, he did bring down my race after all.
I waited for the doodler, who seemed hesitant at first, to deign to lend me the microphone in turn. I smiled as I thought about what I was going to say.
"I'm out of the air now... to make land my new territory!" I nodded, my eyes glowing at the clacking improvisation.
The moods were radically opposite, making me think I had hit the nail on the head. My opponent couldn't hold the grunts in his throat as he went back to his corner, hitting the ring with every step and spanking it.
I returned the microphone to the cute scribbled girl before doing the same, seeing the faces of my friends happy with my line. I smiled as I let out a few teeth, I was really proud of that one, even though I looked a bit childish, damn it, it motivated me to win this match.
Then Spitfire grabbed me with one arm, almost choking me as she pulled me to the corner, spanking me with a painful moan.
"You idiot, how can you provoke him like that?!" Did she spit up as she tightened her grip a little more.
"Ouch, he started it." I said defensively, showing myself what a kid I was in a professional ring.
She stuck a mouth guard in my mouth before I knew it, not letting me talk any more.
"The only way I'm gonna forgive you is to knock him out in the first round!" She says to me dryly without taking my eyes off her Gorgon eyes.
I swallowed on demand, wondering whether or not to do it. But I didn't have time to think...
"Coach, get out of the ring, the game's about to start!" Ordered the pony presenter as the scribble settled into the chair next to her.
Spitfire nodded and let go of me before taking a step out of the ring. My opponent's coach did the same, and another person arrived at the center of the stadium now. It was a minotaur a little taller than the griffin and dressed in a white shirt and black pants. It took me about a millisecond to figure out that it was the referee.
"Boxers, positions!" He ordered in his raw voice.
Without wasting any time, I got out of the nets and bent my back forward, placing my arms in front of my chest and my gloves in front of my mouth. I bite down on the tooth guard, which seemed to be made of foam, while my opponent still had that anger in his pupils. At this point, I wondered how his claws didn't destroy his gloves... and whether he was going to do it to kill me intentionally.
The referee raised his arm between our eyes, which made me follow him, until the signal:
"BOX!" He said as he moved away from the center, leaving it blank for a short time.
I widened my eyes as I noticed the speed of my opponent, sprinting almost in my direction. He was on top of me so quickly that the shouts of the fans had not even started again, leaving me stunned. He cocked his fist.
Well... (Sighs)
That's when you let his body speak, and the last thing I thought of.
I bent forward, dodged his blow, brushed against my gorgeous silver mane, and decided to become that aggressive. I jumped forward, pushing him and finding my sides completely free, a godsend for a boxer like me who found ribbing very effective.
I then began to hammer his left side with my fist and alternated between that and belly punches while my back cashed in his escape attempts with no concern. He could only move backwards in panic but my almost crouching posture on him allowed me to follow him... until the idiot found himself in his own corner. I was definitely less impressive, but his back was already against the wall.
I knew that his only option would be a blow to my head or even my neck to temporarily paralyze me, I had learned that from my games with Rainbow Dash. I was anticipating going back to my original position, seeing his own head free to be hit as his blow made him lose his balance towards me. I didn't hesitate and threw a quick jab followed by a vibrating right, creating a thud on impact.
Impossible to take it without feeling it, the jab sent the head of the pretentious griffin between the first and second strings of the ring, his body falling to the ground as quickly as his assault.
"DOWN!!!!" Announced the referee, raising his arms and asking me to go to my corner.
I executed myself, realizing what I'd just done. I've just knocked down a griffin bigger than me, something I thought unthinkable until recently. That some like Spitfire or Rainbow Dash could do it seemed possible, but me? The one who's just trying to be a good role model for his little brother, I just did.
Thinking back on the fact that I wasn't out on the street fighting clandestinely, I started to smile. The cheers, the lights, all these people were there to see that, to see me knock out my opponent, whether he was of another breed, a pony or even a mare.
Once in the ring, there are no more distinctions... and that's what I like!
“... 9... 10 !” Counted the referee before raising his arms in the air again, announcing the end of the match and the bell starting to vibrate in the hall.
I didn't even turn around to admire my opponent as Spitfire took its place next to my corner, smiling proudly.
"Honestly, I didn't think you'd actually do it!" she announced. "Well done, you've won your first round." she told me clearly.
Then I had really just won, I had just shown that I belonged here. Even if it was impossible, I wish the Olympia Academy representative had been in the stands and witnessed my overwhelming victory.
I simply blew my nose before raising my fist to her, declaring with ambition.
"I'm gonna win this Spitfire tournament, I promise you!"
She widened her smile before she hit my glove.
"Don't make promises you can't keep!" Then she pointed the other Wonderbolts into the stadium. "We're all with you, you can do it." She declared proudly.