//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: The Reaping 
// Story: The Pony Games 
// by UnidentifiedFlyinPegasus 
//------------------------------//

	Fluttershy woke up and yawned, stretching her wings. Angel shifted in his sleep, and she hummed a soft lullaby as she got out of bed, careful not to wake him. None of her animal friends were awake yet; quiet bluejays nestled in the rafters, tiny white mice snoring softly in their holes, and small squirrels nestled in their beds, their soft brown tails encircling them like blankets. Even the morning light seemed peaceful: streaming through the windows in a gentle cascade of sunshine. 
Fluttershy smiled and made her way outside, stepping delicately between the sleeping animals. She reached the door and opened it, breathing in the sweet morning air, sighing with contentment. 
She looked over at Ponyville, realizing for the first time that all was silent. None of the ponies were outside, and even the birds in the trees refused to sing their morning ballads. 
Then she remembered what day it was: The first of May. 
Reaping Day. 


***


Town square was silent, although everypony in town was gathered there. Fillies clung to their mothers, too young to know what was about to take place. PeacePonies wove through the crowd, separating ponies according to their ages. One of them prodded Fluttershy with his hoof. 
"You there," he said with a stern Canterlot accent. "How old are you?" 
"I'm.. I don't..." Fluttershy stammered, her voice almost a whisper. 
The unicorn glared at her and his horn glowed with magical energy as he performed an age detecting spell. "Idiot pegasi." he muttered, pushing her under a rope into an area with a group of mares. Fluttershy recognized her friend Applejack, silently standing by herself. 
"Welcome, welcome!" A thick Canterlot accent echoed through the speakers that surrounded Town Square. Fluttershy turned to see a regal white unicorn mare standing on the stage. She wore an elegant pink gown and had a large curl of rich purple hair. "As I'm sure you're all aware, we are about to start the reaping!" She grinned at the audience, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment. When she received none, she continued. "So let's all get in our assigned areas so that we can begin!" Fluttershy recognized the mare from past reapings, but couldn't remember her name. Rainy? Rare? She couldn't put her hoof on it. 
"Fluttershy!" AppleJack trotted over to her. "Am ah glad to see you!" 
"A-aren't you scared?" Fluttershy asked. 
Applejack shook her head. "Ah'm just nervous for AppleBloom. She just got her cutie mark yesterday, the poor filly, and it's her first reaping." 
"Oh dear." said Fluttershy. "I wish you both the best of luck. And-" she swallowed. "may the odds be ever in your favor." 
"Ah sure hope so." Applejack replied, looking for her little sister among the group of frightened fillies. Fluttershy could still remember her first reaping, after her cutie mark had appeared. She'd been so frightened, so sure that she would be picked. Luckily, she hadn't been. 
But she still might be. 
"I'm so happy to be here today for the choosing of the tributes from the district of... er... Ponyville." The white unicorn plastered a fake smile on her face. "As usual, ladies first." 
All the ponies of Ponyville held their breath as she trotted over to the large glass orbs that held the names. Seven of those little slips of paper had the name Fluttershy written on them in a unicorn's fancy script. The mare closed her eyes and magically summoned one of the slips of paper. Levitating it in front of her, she unfolded it slowly for dramatic effect. Finally, stepped back up to the microphone and read the name aloud. 
"AppleBloom." 
Fluttershy stood straight up, and her eyes met Applejack's. She knew what was going to happen next. Applejack would volunteer for her sister, and Fluttershy would be forced to watch her die on television. 
The words left her mouth before she knew she was speaking them. The loudest, most forceful words that she had ever uttered. 
"I volunteer as tribute!" 
All eyes turned to her. Ponies of every age gaped in surprise as Fluttershy, the shyest pony in all of Ponyville, walked slowly up to the stage. 
"No!" Applejack protested, stepping in front of her. "Ah can't let you do this! I volunteer!" 
Several PeacePonies surrounded Fluttershy, pushing Applejack away. They shoved her towards the stage. 
"Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events!" The unicorn on stage flipped her hair and smiled. "Two volunteers at once!" She smiled sympathetically at Applejack. "Sadly, only the first volunteer is allowed to participate in the Games."
Fluttershy walked up the steps onto the stage, trying not to show any fear. Every pony in Ponyville, watching her... and all those cameras... she tried not to think about it. 
"What's your name, dear?" 
"F-F-Fluttershy." She said quietly. 
"And now for the boys!" The unicorn trotted over to the second glass bowl and picked a slip of paper. She unfolded it and read the name: "Caramel." 
A tan colt with a long brown mane stepped onto the stage, fear showing in his eyes. Fluttershy wanted to comfort him, but she was worried that she would start shaking with fright if she moved again. 
"Your tributes, Fluttershy and Caramel!" The Canterlot mare grinned as if she'd just announced the winner of a game show. 
Nopony cheered. 
Fluttershy stared out at the crowd, at the faces she knew she would never see again. AppleJack was still struggling defiantly against four of the PeacePonies, and their eyes met for just a moment. Applejack gave her a pleading look, but Fluttershy turned away her gaze, knowing that there was nothing she could do. She could feel hot tears begin to well up in her eyes, but she blinked them away, knowing that there was no time for tears where she was going. 
And then, Applejack shoved away the guards and bent her forelegs, crouching down into a low bow aimed at Fluttershy. One by one, all of the ponies around her bowed as well, all showing respect for Fluttershy's act of true kindness. There was a moment of reverent silence, and for a moment, none of the PeacePonies knew what to do. Then the white unicorn signaled for the national anthem to start playing, and the silence was broken. 
The moment it was over, a herd of PeacePonies surounded Fluttershy and Caramel, and escorted them unceremoniously onto the train. The two tributes were left alone in the dining car. 
Caramel looked out the window. "I didn't even get to say goodbye." 
Fluttershy sat down and didn't say anything. What could she say? The tributes from Ponyville almost never won, and losers of the Games never came back, unless it was in a coffin. She looked out the window too, hoping to get a last glimpse of her home. 
"So you're the new meat." 
Fluttershy and Caramel turned to see a light blue pegasus drop onto one of the benches. She had a rainbow colored mane, and held a glass of cider. 
"Are you our mentor?" Caramel asked uncertainly. 
"Rainbow Dash." The mare smirked. "Although, you can call me your only hope for survival." 
"S-survival?" Fluttershy asked. 
Rainbow Dash set down her drink and leaned forward. "Don't let the name fool you. This is no game. You either die or you don't. Wanna know how I won?" 
Caramel and Fluttershy both nodded slowly. 
"I didn't die." 
Chuckling, Rainbow Dash grabbed her drink and got up to pour herself more cider. 
"Oh, this is so exciting!" The white unicorn burst through the door. "They've really outdone themselves on the tribute train this year. I mean, have you seen these crystal glasses? Imported from the Crystal District itself, I'm guessing!"
Fluttershy looked out the window again, hoping to avoid conversation. 
"Of course, you already know who I am. Rarity, your personal guide until the Games start." 
So that was her name. Fluttershy made a mental note to remember it. 
"How do we get sponsors?" Caramel asked Rarity. 
"All you have to do is look good for the cameras, and we'll do the rest." She responded. "By we, of course, I mean Rainbow Dash and I." 
Rainbow Dash nodded her approval and knocked back some more cider. 
"Um, um, excuse me, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked timidly. 
"Yeah, what is it?" 
"Well, um, you said you didn't die, but, um, how did you really win?" 
Rainbow Dash patted the seat next to her. "Sit down and I'll tell you all about it." 
Fluttershy trotted over and took a seat. 
Rainbow began: "It was two weeks into the games. I had plenty of food stocked up and a spear or two stashed away in case of any hoof-to-hoof combat. I was alert at all times, ready to be attacked by any one of the four remaining tributes." 
Caramel and Rarity wandered over and sat down next to Fluttershy, also curious about her victory in the arena. 
Rainbow Dash continued: "I was in the middle of a short nap when I was suddenly knocked out of the tree by another pegasus. It was the tribute from CloudsDale, and she wanted to end my role in the Games. Permanently. I hit the ground hard but recovered quickly, taking to the sky with the other tribute on my tail. I pushed my limits as hard as they would go, flying faster and faster, until-" She paused for dramatic effect. "It happened." 
"What?" Caramel asked. "What happened?" 
"A sonic rainboom." 
Fluttershy's eyes widened. She'd only ever heard of the sonic rainboom in stories. Everypony had always said it was just an old mare's tale. 
"Then, it was only a matter of picking them off one by one." Rainbow Dash said. "After seeing my awesome sonic rainboom, they were too intimidated to come after me. The victors crown was in the bag." 
"Wow." Caramel said. 
Picking them off... Fluttershy thought. She acts like the deaths don't even matter. Is that how I'm going to act in the Games? Are they going to turn me into another killing machine?
She wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.