//------------------------------// // The Tournament // Story: The Princess of Themyscira // by iowaforever //------------------------------// The Tournament Soarin’ was awoken by the sun beaming down in his face. He groaned and rolled over, burying his face in his pillow to try and block out the light. When that failed, he propped himself up on his hooves and blinked, hoping that somehow the sun would be less bright. He was about to try and go back to sleep when the door opened. Four Amazons entered, followed by Hippolyta and Phillipus. “I trust you slept well?” Hippolyta asked. “More or less; kind of hard to sleep somewhere where everypony doesn’t like you.” Soarin' replied. Hippolyta nodded in agreement. “Come, we must make our way to the stadium before anypony begins to worry.” Hippolyta and Phillipus began to leave, and Soarin’ fell in step behind him. The Amazon guards gave Soarin’ odd looks as they walked, as if they expected him to do something irrational. “So, where’s Diana? Is she competing?” he asked. “My daughter’s whereabouts are none of your concern.” Hippolyta said, probably harder than she meant it. “As such, I am not allowing her to compete.” “Why?” “I have my reasons.” Again, several warning bells were tripped in Soarin’s mind, but then that had been a regular occurrence since he had arrived in Themyscira. Do these mares always have to be so cryptic? Soarin’ set those thoughts aside as they exited the palace and made their way towards the stadium, soon joined by other groups of Amazons. All of them were talking about the upcoming tournament, and a few were taking bets on who they believed would win. “Tell me, colt.” Hippolyta said. “Do they have tournaments like this where you come from?” “Uh... sort of. We do have races, but... well, I have no idea what kind of competitions you have here.” Soarin' said. “Understandable. I would tell you more, but all of the tests must be kept secret until the time comes; my sisters are most honorable, but then tournaments often bring out the worst of a pony.” “Oh, okay.” they walked in silence for a few moments before Soarin’ spoke again. “So, uh, do I have to sit somewhere separate from everypony else?” “You will sit with me, so that I may keep an eye on you.” “Wonderful.” Soarin’ deadpanned. “And Phillipus won’t kill me, right?” “As satisfying as it would be, colt,” Phillipus said, shooting Soarin’ a glare. “Killing you without direct orders would only create problems for everypony.” Soarin’ decided not to respond to that. Instead, he nodded and looked to the other groups, most of which ignored him save one or two curious ponies. “My Lady,” Phillipus turned to Hippolyta. “I must take my leave and brief the contestants; I shall return once that task is complete.” “Very well. We will be expecting you.” Phillipus nodded and left, disappearing into the crowd. Hippolyta turned to Soarin’. “Stay close to me, colt; if you wander off your safety will be forfeit.” “Pretty sure I forfeited it when your daughter brought me here.” ................. “Do I have to wear this?” Diana asked, trying and failing to make her helmet fit properly. “Don’t complain, Diana." Alexa said before pushing the helmet back. "The spell does not work on manes and coats, only clothing. Besides, everypony else will be wearing helmets.” “Well, yes.” Diana tugged at the cape that Alexa had brought out. “But this thing is too heavy. How am I suppose to move quickly if I am weighed down by this thing?” At this, Alexa scoffed. “You rather that everypony see who you are, or worse expose your cutie mark to some colt?” "That is not what I meant at all!" Diana shot back. “And Soarin' is not that bad compared to the colts that the others have told me about.” “I have no doubt that he is, but tradition is tradition.” Diana sighed; Alexa was right, and Diana felt like she was being overly fussy. She would have passed it off as nerves, but Amazons were supposed to be unbreakable under any adversity. Maybe it’s because I’m competing in front of a colt... That’s ridiculous, Diana; he’s just a colt, not a god. “Okay, I am finished casting the spell.” Alexa stepped back, using her magic to grab a nearby mirror. She held the mirror up in front of Diana, and Diana blinked in surprise. Standing before her was a completely different mare; she was still an Earth Pony, but her coat had shifted into a light grey, her eyes had gone from blue to amber, and her mane was much more ragged and unkempt. “I... Very impressive.” Diana said, before stopping and placing a hoof to her mouth. “What’s wrong with my voice?” “Another aspect of the spell; not only is your appearance affected, but your voice as well. In a few moments it should adjust so you’re not confused as to who you are.” As Alexa was saying this, the pony in the mirror faded away until Diana was looking at herself once more. “How long will the spell last?” Diana asked. “Until you undress, or you allow somepony to see your true face.” Alexa poked Diana on the forehead. “It’s all mental suggestion; the spell is making the unwelcome mind see something else.” “Interesting.” Diana smiled. “Thanks again for helping me, Alexa.” “My pleasure. I believe you are capable of great things, and I shall pray to the gods for your success.” Alexa gave Diana a small hug. “Now hurry; Phillipus will be on her way to debrief you.” Diana nodded and trotted into the main waiting room, where the other Amazons were waiting. Some were talking with one another, while others took the time to pray or brush up on their combat skills. Diana would have joined one of the groups, but Phillipus entered and all conversation in the room died. “Today,” Phillipus began. “You are to compete before the gods for the privilege of being Themyscira’s representative to the mortal realm. Take courage, and compete with honor. For the first trial, you will each be allow one weapon of your choice, which you will choose once you are called upon.” Phillipus looked right at Diana. “You.” “Um, yes?” Diana asked, trying her best to blend in. “Congratulations, you just volunteered to go first. Follow me.” Diana blinked a few times before stepping through the crowd, the other mares watching her as she left. Do not have fear, child, a voice said at the back of Diana’s mind. I shall be with you throughout these trials. Who are you? That does not matter. For the first test, choose the rope. What? Choose the rope. Diana shook her head in confusion, not realizing that Phillipus had led her to the arena armory. Set on a table were a collection of weapons, ranging from small knives to Germane style longswords, and Phillipus eyed her as she approached the table. “Well?” the older mare asked. “What will it be?” Diana looked over the weapons once more. She would have gone for a short sword, but the voice’s suggestion caused her to eye the coil of rope lying on the table beneath a stack of spears. She looked to Phillipus, then to the rope, then back to Phillipus. “The rope,” she said. “I shall use that.” Phillipus raised an eyebrow. “Really? Just some rope?” “Yes.” “Either you are very overconfident... or there is more to you than I can see.” Phillipus smirked before pulling the rope out from under the spears, tossing it to Diana. Diana caught the rope and hooked it on to her tunic, looking up to Phillipus once the rope was secured. “I am ready.” she said. “Good.” Phillipus crossed the room and opened a gate leading out to the arena. “I would suggest praying to the gods; you will need all the help you can get.” with those words of “encouragement” Diana stepped out into the arena. She was greeted by a wave of cheers, every single Amazon present calling out to her, and Diana hoped that Alexa’s spell would hold out long enough. She stopped in the center of the arena and turned towards the northern end, where her mother and Soarin’ would be seated. The cheering died down as Hippolyta raised her hoof and began speaking. “Welcome, my sister.” the queen of the Amazons said. It was weird, hearing her mother call her “sister”, but Diana ignored the feeling as best she could. “Have you prepared yourself to face the challenges before you?” “I have.” Diana replied. “Good.” Hippolyta smiled, although from down in the arena Diana could not tell if it was a genuine smile or a smirk. “As you may have already guessed, the first trial you shall face will be one of strength and endurance; you must be ready and able to face the challenges of the mortal realm, as well as the might of Ares.” Diana heard the sound of another gate being opened off to her right. She turned and saw two Amazons pushing a cage out into the arena, in which sat a sleeping manticore cub. As soon as they stopped pushing the cage, the cub stirred and looked up, eyeing Diana as she watched it. “Um...” Diana approached the cage, undoing her rope and allowing it to dangle in her mouth. “Oh, that’s not the challenge.” Hippolyta called. “That’s only bait.” Bait?! As if on cue, a second gate opened behind Diana. She turned just as two fully grown manticores, a male and a female, charged into the arena, roaring at her. “Defeat the manticores by whatever means necessary.” Hippolyta raised her hoof once more. “Begin!” ................ Soarin’ watched as the two manticore parents circled the mare below. It reminded him of the cat his sister had owned when she was little, and how it enjoyed its little games of “tag” with mice and other rodents. Only now, instead of being mildly creeped out, he was actually scared of the beasts before him. “Isn’t this a little dangerous?” he asked. “I suppose.” Hippolyta said, her focus directed on the fight unraveling before her. “A swipe from a manticore’s paw can break bones if it hits in the right place, but I’ve had a few dampening spells placed on them; yes, the attacks will hurt, but other than potential bruising there should be no lasting damage.” “Uh... Okay.” Soarin’ looked back down at the arena. The manticores were still circling, but the mare had distanced herself from the cage containing the cub and tied her rope into a lasso. Soarin’s attention drifted from her to the manticores, his anxiety rising as they stared each other down. He looked up at Hippolyta, but the mare did not show any signs of sharing his concerns. “What happens if the manticores knock her out before she knocks them out?” “Then she fails the test and is disqualified.” Soarin’ mentally smacked himself; it should have been a simple answer, but his nervousness had done away with his rationality. He shuffled around in his seat, waiting for any change in the situation below. He would not have to wait for long. ..................... The female manticore struck first, roaring and rushing towards Diana. Just before the beast crashed into her, Diana leapt up into the air and spun to one side, tossing her lasso towards the manticore’s tail. She missed, but the action had caught the manticore off guard and it tripped as it tried to face this new threat. As Diana retrieved her lasso, the second manticore rushed forward, swiping at her with a massive paw. She dodged and bucked her attacker in the face, knocking the manticore back and giving her more room to maneuver. Now it was Diana’s turn to go on the offensive. Twirling the lasso she rushed forward, tossing it towards the approaching female manticore. Again her shot went wide, but this time she managed to snag one of the beast’s wings, giving her a bit of leverage. She pulled her lasso taut, yanking the manticore to the ground with a crash. As the female struggled to get back up, Diana retrieved her lasso and rushed towards the male, who had backed up to prevent Diana from outflanking it. Diana tossed her lasso once more, but the manticore pounced before the lasso could connect. All the air in Diana’s lungs was driven from her as the manticore tackled her. Alexa’s spells held, but Diana lost hold of her lasso as she landed. With her one free leg she kicked the manticore, and once she was free she rolled away and rushed towards her lasso. The two manticores formed up while she fetched her rope, cautiously sticking together to better block her potential attacks. Okay, I need to find some way to calm them down. She looked back to the cage with the baby manticore inside. Bad idea, Diana; approaching the cub will only anger the parents. The manticores advanced slowly, waiting for Diana to throw her lasso. While they crept closer, Diana widened the loop and began walking sideways, tracking the manticores’ every move. Move now; this is your last chance at victory. the voice whispered in her head. Diana hesitated for a second, and the manticores spotted this before charging. Diana darted off to one side, swinging around her opponents before tossing her lasso. Somehow, either through fate or pure luck, she managed to get her lasso around the neck of the farthest manticore. With a tug the loop closed and pulled the beast towards her, causing it to collide with it’s mate. The two manticores tumbled over each other, and Diana dug her hooves into the ground to avoid being dragged along with them. The rope pulled taut, almost to the verge of snapping, but it held long enough for the manticores to come to a stop, both knocked out from colliding with one another. Panting, Diana released her grip on the rope before turning towards where her mother sat. There was silence in the arena as the Amazons waited for Hippolyta to pass her judgement. As she waited, Diana looked to Soarin’; the colt seemed to be on edge, looking nervously between her and Hippolyta. Diana was too exhausted to think more on this, so she focused her attention on her mother. “Very impressive.” Hippolyta said, once again concealing her emotions. “Return to your quarters and prepare for the next challenge.” Diana bowed and turned, stepping past the manticores as several other Amazons prepared them for the next contestant. She retrieved her rope and stepped back into the armory, giving Phillipus a nod as she passed by. You have done well, child. I was wise in choosing you as my champion. Who are you, and why do you want me to win? there was a pause. I merely wish to halt Ares’ plans, and who better to do it than the daughter of one of my most loyal servants? Diana froze in place. ... Athena?! Please, do not overreact, child; it will only throw off your effectiveness. The goddess of wisdom said. But- No, child, no more questions. You must focus and clear your mind, and trust that my favor will help you in the challenges ahead.Diana knew better than to argue with Athena; her legs ached from digging into the ground, and she was still breathing heavily from the fight. She nodded again and continued on inside, clearing her mind as best she could. .................. Time seemed to roll on very slowly. The test of strength was finished, with most of the contestants having passed save for four who had been knocked out. Phillipus had not informed them who had won, but it did not matter; Diana still had a chance at winning, and that’s all that mattered. Her rope clutched in her hooves, she sat in the center of her room, her eyes closed in meditation. She barely even heard Phillipus as the older mare entered. “You’re up for the next test.” Phillipus said. Diana sat in silence for a few more moments before nodding and standing up, tucking her rope away in a fold of her tunic. “You know you can return that thing.” “I know.” Diana said as she stepped out into the main hallway. “I just find it comforting.” Phillipus gave Diana a weird look before shaking her head, muttering something about young mares and their “odd habits”. Had this been any other situation Diana would have retorted, but she bit her tongue and kept walking so as to not betray her identity. Phillipus pushed her out into the arena, and once again she took her place in the center facing her mother. “You have passed the test of strength, dear sister.” Hippolyta said. “Now, though, you will need more than strength. Ares is a cunning opponent, and there are more threats in the mortal realm than those that can be defeated through physical force.” Hippolyta nodded, and there was a small pop of magic behind Diana. She turned and found two logs bound in a cross, a tight rope wound around them. “Undo the knot in five minutes. Failing will not force you to concede, but it will still be remembered. Begin!” Diana approached the knot, inspecting it as best she could. It was tied tightly, and if Alexa was not supposed to be competing then Diana would have guessed that she tied it. She turned it over once more, searching for any loose ends that she could exploit. Whoever had tied the knot was a genius, because she did not find any loose ends to speak of. She tried tugging at the rope, but all that left her with was a small sliver of wood between her teeth. After she spat out the wood, she tried wiggling the two logs, but they barely moved even as she threw her weight behind it. Interesting... She thought. She toyed with the idea of whacking the logs against the ground, like a foal would with a toy or rock, but decided that the champion of Themyscira needed more poise than that. She stepped back for a moment and analyzed the rope once more, now searching for weaknesses in the fibers that she could exploit. “One minute remains, sister.” Hippolyta called. “Best think of something.” Diana began to sweat as she approached the rope once more, she tried tugging again, but that seemed to only make the rope tighter. She growled in frustration, and for the briefest instant she let herself get flustered. “Sword!” she called, turning to one of the Amazons still in the arena. The mare looked to her compatriots in confusion for a moment, before walking towards Diana and pulling out a bronze short sword. Diana thanked the mare and took the sword, turning it around in her mouth and placing it against the rope. Quickly she began to saw into the rope, not even noticing that the arena had fell silent as she worked. Finally the rope gave way and the logs separated, and Diana tossed away the sword once she was finished. “There,” she said, turning to her mother. “The rope is undone.” There was a long period of silence. Hippolyta was giving her a cold gaze, while the other Amazons looked to each other in confusion. Diana began to sweat again, only this time it was less from anger and more from nervousness. “... Very impressive.” her mother said, finally allowing a smile to slip past her lips. “Return to your room and await the next trial.” Diana nodded, and it was then that she realized just how much her legs were shaking. She made her way back into the waiting room, collapsing once she was certain she was alone. I’m an idiot... Diana banged her head against the wall. I should have just remained calm... My mother will never choose me after something like that. ................ “That last one,” Hippolyta said, more to herself than Soarin’. “I think she has potential.” “Uh, didn’t she cheat... sort of?” Soarin’ asked. He knew enough about competitions to have a general idea about what constituted as cheating, and cutting the rope certainly seemed like cheating. Hippolyta turned towards him and smirked. “I said she had to undo the rope, not untie it. It was a little loophole I snuck in to see which of my sisters were smart enough to see it.” Hippolyta turned back to the arena, where several unicorns were busy setting up the next test. “Although, her anger did slip through there... that might be an issue. Oh well, it shall be resolved in the next trial.” ................. It was quiet, and not just because Diana was alone. Nothing around her was moving, and she could not hear any sound from the arena above. Once again she sat with her rope clutched in her hooves, her eyes closed as the perused through her thoughts. One trial remains... hopefully Athena’s favor is enough to carry me through... If that even was Athena. She took a deep breath and delved further. It could have been one of Ares’ agents trying to get my hopes up... But Ares does not have much power here... right? She was pulled from her thoughts by the door opening once more. “Time for the final test.” Phillipus said. Diana stood up and followed Phillipus down the hall one last time. “If you don’t mind me asking,” Diana said “But do you have any idea who the queen might choose?” “Remember, child, that it is not Hippolyta’s decision; she is merely here to see who the gods have chosen to favor.” Phillipus looked back. “Although, they do seem to favor you, being as you are the only mare who managed to undo the knot in time.” Diana perked up at this. Maybe I was wrong in doubting that Athena is on my side. Diana pushed her thoughts out of her mind as she stepped out into the arena one last time. As she entered, she noticed several unicorns hand formed up at different points in the arena, their faces hidden beneath light pink hoods. Once again she stopped in the center of the arena and faced her mother, waiting for the cheering to die down. “Sister,” Hippolyta said. “You have performed admirably today, and I feel that the gods smile upon you. As I have said before, the mortal realm has many tests, but none like what we shall ask you now.” Hippolyta nodded and the unicorns surrounding Diana raised their horns, and soon a large outline in the shape of a butterfly formed around Diana. “This is a Seal of Kindness,” Hippolyta explained. “It will tell us whether or not your heart is pure when I ask you this: What do you want?” Diana frowned. There were many things she wanted, but she was not sure if any of them were relevant to the mortal realm. Diana looked to Soarin’ hoping that the colt might provide some kind of inspiration, but he seemed more focused on Hippolyta than her. She looked to the ground, raising a hoof to her chin in contemplation. What do you want? Diana considered saying success; being able to reach out to the mortals effectively could help Themyscira greatly. But success could also been seen as her trying to curry favor from her mother and the others, and success for Themyscira could have adverse effects on the mortal realm. What do you want? Diana frowned once more, and she was tempted to pace if it would help her think. However, doing so would break the spell, and that might ruin her chances at winning. She tapped her hoof against her chin, her eyes darting to the ponies around her. What do you want? Then she began to think about why she was competing in the first place. It was more than just getting a chance to see the mortal realm. Her mother had held her back. Her mother would not allow her to compete, saying it was dangerous. Her mother did not trust her skills or abilities, or even the will of the gods. That’s it. “Trust.” Diana answered, looking up to where her mother sat. “I want trust. Not just between Themyscira and the mortal, but between me and my fellow sisters, between us and you, my queen... and mother.” With that, Diana reached up and pulled her helmet off, and she could feel Alexa’s spells falling away as she revealed her face. There was a collective gasp from the crowd, and Hippolyta and Soarin’ stared down at her in shock. “Diana...” Hippolyta said, her voice having lost a bit of it’s authority. “Mother, hear me out. You know that what you did, barring me from today’s competition, was wrong. If the gods were the true judges, then what right did you possess in forbidding me? Do you not trust my abilities, or the gods’ abilities to judge who is worthy and who is not? “I do not mean to sound disrespectful. I love you, mother; I love you more than anything else in the world. But I cannot allow yourself to be consumed by your own pride, for that may end up taking you away from me and my sisters.” Diana lowered her head. “I hope that you understand my reasoning, and that I have not blackened myself in your eyes.” there was a long pause. The Amazons looked to Hippolyta, who was still staring at Diana in shock. Soarin’ was darting back and forth between Diana and Hippolyta, unsure of who he was suppose to support. Eventually, Hippolyta composed herself and said something to Soarin’ and the two left their seats to head down into the arena. Gods, show mercy upon your servant. ................ Soarin’ decided that silence was probably the best course of action at the moment. He knew how mares reacted when their children talked back to them, and anything he could try and say would most likely make things worse. The Amazons being as against colts as they were, it had an equal chance of getting himself killed. Then again, there have been a lot of things that could get me killed today. The arena was still silent when they entered. Several guards formed up around Hippolyta, one even glaring at Soarin’ as they walked. He swallowed and sped up, trying and failing to look as calm as possible. “Diana.” Hippolyta said as they approached. Diana turned and faced the entourage, her head held high. Soarin’ admired her composure; had he been in her position, he would have been begging for mercy right about now. There was a long pause as the two mares sized each other up, and Soarin’ found himself digging at the ground and looking around the the other Amazons. They were all focused solely on Diana and Hippolyta, with one or two turning to each other and whispering. “Diana... You truly are the gods’ favored child.” Hippolyta’s horn shimmered, and she removed her tiara and placed it on Diana’s head. Diana blinked in surprise as Hippolyta turned to the crowd. “My sisters, I give you your champion!” There was a brief pause before the Amazons began cheering, Diana still looking confused as to what had happened. “Diana,” Hippolyta said above the cheers. “I would like you to meet me in the temple for your final preparations once you have bathed and rested.” Diana nodded and Hippolyta left, leaving Soarin’ alone amongst the Amazons. “I... I did not expect my mother to react in that way.” Diana said as she stepped towards Soarin’. “Since I don’t really know her all that well, I can’t really be the judge on that.” Soarin’ shrugged. “But hey, you won right? “I... Yes, I guess I did.” Diana smiled. “I should probably go make myself presentable before I face my mother again.” “Yeah, You’re probably right...” Diana nodded and began to leave, even as more Amazons entered the arena to sing her praises. “Wait! What am I supposed to do until then?” “I would say nothing, as you might get yourself killed if you are not careful.” Soarin’s ears folded against his head. “Why does everything here have it out for me?” “What? Did you think we sat around and braided each other’s hair all day?” Soarin’ blinked before trying to answer, but Diana had disappeared. The other Amazons were ignoring him for now, and he was okay with that. And far away, upon her throne in Olympus, Athena smiled as her champion prepared.