//------------------------------//
// The Challenge 
// Story: The Other Half 
// by 1000Fights 
//------------------------------//

	As Stone Hoof walked away, with the barracks far behind him, River Runner jumped on his back and rode. She rested her hooves on his head and purred softly. Stone Hoof just laughed at this. She would be cute and playful at times of heavy emotion. That was one of the reasons he loved her so much. She knew when to really make him smile. "Say it." she said.
"Say what?" he said in a playfully confused tone. He knew exactly what she wanted to hear.
River Runner lightly tapped her hooves on his head. "Say it!" she cried.
"I honestly have no idea what you want to hear." he failed to hide his amusement at the game he was playing with her.
"Come on!" she whined. "I want to hear why you love me!"
"Oh." he laughed. "Is that all?" River buried her face in Stone's mane and whimpered. "Alright." he said. The cream colored pegasus issued a cheer and threw her hooves in the air. "Where to begin." the unicorn pondered. "Well . . . you are a talented flyer."
"That is true." she said as she looked and the tip of her hooves with her leg outstretched. 
"You also make me happy just by standing next to me. You also are one of the best masseuses I think I have ever known." These last words hung in his throat. "And I love you because when I needed somepony the most, you where there. You where always there when I needed you." Stone Hoof slowly took in a breath and let it out at the same rate. A glow in his heart made him feel like River Runner was lifting him off the ground. She wasn't, but nevertheless, he still felt like it. "Okay, now tell me why you love me."
"Ha." she laughed. "That's an easy one. I love you because you're a good stallion. You're  faithful, and you work yourself to the bone every day. I love you because you have one of the best hearts that I think I have ever seen in my twenty-four years of life." She had the same problem that Stone Hoof had with his final reason. "And" she choked. "You will do whatever it takes to make me happy. Even if it kills you." She jumped off his back and landed in front of him. She wrapped her forelegs around him and held him close. "Don't ever do that though. Don't die just to make me happy." 
Stone Hoof returned the hug and said. "Sure. As long as you make sure I never make you unhappy." River Runner backed off just far enough to plant her lips against his. He returned the kiss with full force. It almost turned into a competition of who could kiss harder. It would have been if it wasn't for the chuckling that the pair heard from not too far away. They both unlocked their lips and turned to face whomever was interrupting. It happened to be a lightly tanned colored unicorn in a ritzy outfit. The suns glistened off of his neatly styled and rouge colored  mane. He narrowed his green eyes as he smiled deviously. 
"What do you want, Masquerade?" River Runner shot. She never liked being interrupted from her make-out sessions with Stone Hoof, but her anger was magnified by the fact that the posh unicorn made his way into the picture. 
"So much fire." Masquerade said as he stepped closer to the Wonderbolt. He placed a hoof under her chin. "It's one of the reasons you seem to stand out among other pegasi." A brown hoof smacked his away. A rather broad unicorn with a shortened horn stepped in front of the elite stallion. Stone Hoof took a threatening stance. "Ah." said the tan unicorn. "So this is the famous Stone Hoof. I am not impressed." 
"I think you should leave here, friend." Stone Hoof said with a growl. 
"Manners." Masquerade said in a faked insulted tone. "I would expect more from someone that River Runner spoke so highly of." 
Stone Hoof turned his attention back to his fiancé. "Who is this guy?" 
River Runner gave a huff before turning away from the two stallions and walking away. "He's just some creep that's been after me for Celestia knows how long." She turned her head around and looked to Stone Hoof. "And because we do not associate ourselves with such low lives, we are leaving." Stone Hoof shrugged innocently and took off with his bride-to-be. Didn't make sense not to. "I would think that I hold much more poise than you on the account that I am not slumming it with a filthy commoner." said the not too distant voice. River Runner's blood boiled almost to the point of immediate evaporation. She spun around and bolted for the posh stallion with her wings giving her an amazing amount of speed. Before one of her forehooves could connect, a tug on her tail stopped her just half an inch short. "Hold on there, gumdrop." said Stone Hoof through clenched teeth and tail hair. He released his grip when the irate pegasus settled down next to him. "He's just being a snob. Let him make his comments. He just is going to have to settle with lying alone at night instead of having somepony else to keep him warm." Stone Hoof gave him a snort before turning back to River Runner. "Who is this guy anyway?" 
"I am Royal Masquerade. Heir to the Masquerade family fortune. I wouldn't expect a dirt digger to know of such a name." His arrogance was just as apparent as his wealth. "However, I seem to know your name, Stone Hoof." 
"It seems my name reaches the heights of the Canterlot elite, while your name seems to escape even the simple of us ponies." the sharpness of Stone Hoof's words cut Royal's ego deep. So much so actually that he visibly winced at the comment. 
"I hold influence in the highest portion of Canterlot society." the word wounded unicorn shot back. "You are nothing more than a filthy mine worker."
"You know more about me than I thought." Stone Hoof replied. "If you're stalking me, I just want you to know that my door doesn't swing that way. Though I can see yours revolving."
"Oh." River Runner chimed in. "Let me get you some ice for that." The couple laughed heartily at the posh stallion's expense.
"It seems I am being double teamed here." Masquerade said with a growl.
"Just like last night." River laughed out and hoof bumped her husband to be. 
Royal's face blushed furiously in embarrassment, or was it becoming red with anger? Nopony could tell. After a bit he issued a devilish smile Stone Hoof's way and said. "Make your jokes, but this time that you have been spending with this little mare is moot." Stone hoof stopped laughing and gave each other concerning looks. "Ah, that got your attention. In case you don't know, Canterlot elite unicorns do not associate themselves with commoners relationship-wise. Unless said commoner passes a test." Both ponies gave the stallion confused looks. He used his glowing horn to produce a book out of nowhere with his magic. It was a simple book that read Equestrian Law. The pages spun open until a page was presented to the brown half-unicorn. He read what the page said aloud. 
"If a unicorn wishes to elevate their position to elitism through marriage, said unicorn is free to do so, unless challenged in a duel and losses. If said occurrence happens, the proposal is then void." Stone Hoof scoffed at this. "I was never challenged, and never would I accept."
"Keep reading." bade Masquerade.
"If  a challenge is not made or met with acceptance, then the marriage is again void." Stone Hoof looked closer into the print. His face screwed up at what he found. "This is dated just a year after the founding of Equestria. This supposed law itself is void on account of its age. It doesn't have legitimacy anymore." 
"Sorry, brethren, but laws like this withstand the test of time. And before you say what I think you were going to say, I am the one challenging you." His smile widened as Stone Hoof's face was shadowed with worry. Stone Hoof's instincts kicked in a he felt a sense of dread as he looked at the opposite unicorn. He was rather rich, but there was also something about him that gave off a sense of mystery. He didn't like it. However, the facts where as clear as day. If he was to keep River Runner as his bride, he would have to accept. Stone Hoof looked at his love with worried eyes and gave a defeated sigh. "Alright." he finally said. "I accept your challenge."
"Splendid." Masquerade said with an evil smile. "How this works is that we meet in the ring of honor and we fight. The rules are as follows: Rule 1) Magic is allowed; Rule 2) Telekinesis is not allowed; Rule 3) Both combatants will fight until the other yields or cannot fight anymore. Those are the conditions we spar under. Sound fair?" 
"Just one question." River Runner spoke up. "What happens if Stone Hoof wins?" 
Royal gave an expressionless look. "If he does manage to defeat me, then he would be unrestricted to marry you. Nothing more. However, if he loses, then the winner will take the mare as his own bride. Simple." 
"If you think I'm going to marry a fool like you, then you got another thing coming!" River Runner's wings were fully erect and her legs were poised to pounce. "You don't have a choice in the matter, Miss Runner." chimed Masquerade. You chose to cross your breed and so you rode the risk that comes with having relations with not only a unicorn, but a commoner. So, you must also abide by the rules or forfeit your marriage anyway." River Runner opened her mouth to say something, but soon closed when her rebuttal never made it out of vocal chords.
Masquerade turned himself away from the pair, and said. "I will see you at the arena in one hour." 
Stone Hoof gave River Runner a look of worry. He didn't want to go through with this. He had everything going for him, but now, all that was threatened by a law that he wasn't even sure mattered anymore. The pegasus nuzzled him affectionately in response. He soft mane giving him a little comfort, but it also strengthened his resolve. This was his time to show that he truly loved River Runner, by fighting for her hand in marriage. Even if it killed him, he would make her happy.