I followed Luna to the end of the arena. Gathering there we found ourselves to be the last to arrive. Two guards dressed in full armor approached us but they stood their distance from Luna. Obviously she wasn't one for chains. We were guided to a exit...that is until a dozen guards surrounded us.
A dozen lizards walking on two feet in light armor quickly surrounded us. Pointing sharp spears at us, they were expressionless. At least I couldn't see their face under the heavy mask. "And how do lizards smile anyway?". My thoughts were interrupted with a figure approaching us. It was a large crocodile feasting on some grapes in a very cliche way. Lying down on a couch with two very pained looking lizards underneath lugging him. He flicked the stems into the arena and got off his couch.
"Well if it isn't Luna. I was hoping one of my best soldiers could have at least torn a nice hole in your side." He sucked his scaly fingers. "After all his specialty was being a royal pain." He smiled at his sick joke. Luna looked as if she was about to leap on him and bury her hooves into his face. I remembered the Giant snake's arrogance was very much like his general.
The fat crocodile looked at her then at me. "Well it looks like you picked up a new friend in the arena. Nice meeting you, I am your leader and you are nothing but my slave. However, fine work in the arena, people are already asking for a name." I saw Luna frown at the word slave. Completely oblivious to the death stares Luna was throwing into his back he walked towards me.
"Well Unicorn lost for words? You need to be more confident, people are asking about you now so give them what they want and everyone is happy."I kept a straight face.
He turned his back and started strutting back to his couch. Jumping back on I felt the ground thunder and pitied the two lizards forced to carry him. "Oh well, time for lunch, I hope I see more of you boy, Unicorn magic can be interesting." He walked off followed by his team of guards.
I looked at Luna. She looked as if she was about to tear a whole in the ground. I nudged her on and we exited into the musty dungeon.
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I did not know how long I slept for. After coming back from the tournament we ate and went to bed. I was shown my living quarters. Not exactly the Hilton but it was spacious. The housepony explained to me that I was automatically bumped to a fighter status due to my win with the snake and my happy fans. I fell asleep almost immediately.
I was awaken the next morning by the smell of food. Wandering outside my room, I found another pony cooking something in a pot. "Well if it isn't the champion everyone talks about." The stallion gave me a toothy grin scooped a spoonful of something into my bowl using his mouth. "Well it isn't Kanterlot Castle but food is food." He slid the bowl across the table and I sat down. Using my hooves I clumsily picked it up only to drop it back on the table.
"Hands a bit shaky after the battle? Well we've all been there." He grinned again and sat down beside me. I stared at him completely embarrassed, I felt like a kid who didn't know how to eat. "Well then just use your magic, you gotta eat one way or another." He poked me in the horn. I stared even more embarrassed. He let out a sigh "Well I don't know how to use magic."
He seemed to take it completely fine. "Its alright then lemme give you something. " He clipped brace onto my hoof. There was a claw attached. "It runs on pony magic so you gotta think a little." he slipped on onto himself and showed me. Although it had only two fingers he expertly picked up the bowl and brought it to his mouth. " Shee Itsh eashy."
I tried it. Focusing real hard I expected some tingly sensation to happen. I kept telling myself grab the bowl grab the bowl. It seemed as it he could read my thoughts as he said. "Try thinking of closing the claws, instead of picking up the bowl."
I closed my eyes"Alright close the claw, close the claw." I opened my eyes. And the claw retracted to its original form. I felt exhausted. "Good job on your first try. Its never too late to learn magic." He went back to eating Instead on using the claw he used both his hooves to eat the rest of the Porridge. At this point I had decided it to be porridge. I brought my head down and drank it in a most ridiculous manner. Wiping my face I felt stronger. Realizing how empty the area was I turned to the cook who was washing our dishes. "Hey mister where is everypony?" He turned around and smiled.
"Well they are all training. I was tasked by our dear princess to train you. so clean up and meet me in the back in ten minutes." I walked back to my dorm to wash up. Behind me I heard him call. "By the way You can call me Three-legs."
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"Training?" I washed my face and headed to the designated room in the back. as I approached, the smell of sweat and metal burned my nose. sounds of wood and steel clashing rang in my ears backed up by valiant shouts and screams. As I entered through the thick wooden door the smell and sound escalated. Inside the large high ceiling room was about a dozen ponies fighting, sparring getting medical attention and so forth. I saw Three-legs in a corner polishing weapons and testing them. The moment he saw me his grin went back on his face.
"Well I hope ya feel better. I am not gonna go easy on you." he took a sheathed sword and flicked it over to me. Catching it with my mouth i clumsily slung it over my shoulders. Drawing it out i saw my own reflection in the blade. It was sharp but not very long. it seemed to be about a meter long for both the handle and the blade. gripping tightly with my teeth I tried a few swings. It wasn't easy. my jaws ached with a few strokes of the 3kg sword. "We are trying to make it lighter." he took it from me and tossed me a spear.
I grabbed it with my mouth. looking back at him I saw him dance and leap like old kung fu movies gracefully stabbing and slicing with his mouth. Slightly breathless he turned back to me. "alright lets teach you the basics. stab and slash." he stood a distance from me. swinging his head he turned and moved his legs to balance each slash.
"The key is foot work. as you slash you must never be off balance or you cant recover." He approached a pony mannequin and swung his head. quickly his feet instinctively danced with his strokes and he sliced a clean blow off the thick wood. The head bounced onto the ground. he turned to me. alright time for you to try. I gripped the 1.5 meter spear in my mouth. gripping tight I felt my teeth grind into the thick oak wood. Swinging I tried to imitate his feet while slashing. It was not easy. We practiced for the what felt like a whole year.
Finally I was able to take off the mannequins head in two strokes. I dropped to the ground. catching my breath He approached with a leather pouch filled with water. He bit off the cork and poured it into my mouth. "well you did better than most. anyway the next battle is in tow days and you are expected to be there with your name ." I stood up with a start.
"Two days? And what name? my name is Kevin!" He placed the cork back onto the pouch. "Well you see we are all given names in the arena. stage name. Like our dear princess took to her old name of Nightmare Moon. I became three legs after I lost one in a battle with that nasty timber wolf."
He tossed the pouch aside "But really my name is Inquisitor Driscoll Bridge. But you can call me three legs. He showed me his back leg. For once I got a clear look at it. It was a brass dirty brown color and every few minutes steam would hiss softly from a exhaust pipe. It had a cylinder and all kinds of strange sockets on it. He quickly hid it back. "I was an engineer back before all of this." He looked at his leg. "Took so many scientists to learn how to harness the power of steam" He looked at his leg sorrowfully "Funny how I became its first tester."
I began to inquire about what happened before this before he cut me off. "Well soldier we don't have long, and I still have to teach you to stab." He tossed the spear at me and our training resumed. Dusk settled soon. exhausted Three-legs had to carry me back. the other ponies were eating around the fire place so me and Three-legs sat at in the corner trying to decide on a name.
"How about the Grey bolt?"
"Nah, too much reference to the wonder bolts"
"How about the grey magician ?"
"Nope kinda cliche and not very inventive."
"The grey knight?"
"Are you even trying?"
We smiled and ate our food. the other ponies soon went into their rooms and fell soon fell asleep. I leaned against the wall. Full, Three-legs took my bowl and started throwing them into the sink. He turned to me" By the way, Princess Luna wanted to see you." He smiled at me. "Gotta little surprise for you. "
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I made my way to her room. It wasn't hard to miss. On the outside was a crescent moon that lighted up the dim hallway. I knocked on the door. Inside I heard a muffle sound that kinda sounded like come in. I opened the door to be greeted with Princess Luna not in her armor. She looked calm and kinda child like without her scary Nightmare Moon armor on. She was over by the table staring intently at some pictures.
As I approached she looked up but did not smile. "Ah it be that brave yet crazy grey stallion that risked his life for me." I did not know whether to be happy or depressed. A small smile crept on her face. "Do not fret my subject I was merely teasing." She went back to the board mumbling something about ponies. I took a step forward. "Princess you wanted to see me?" She turned to face me. "Oh yes, silly me I almost had forgotten. You can drop the Princess. only Three-legs feel the need to."
Her face became serious. She took a step closer to me. I felt the aura of the princess bear on me. "There was something that confused me. During our last fight you were wearing a leather cloak were you not?" I looked questionably "Well yea I gues-" She interrupted me "And have you taken it off?" I realized that same cloak had been on me the whole time. I raised an eyebrow. "Yes prin- I mean yes Luna Why?"
She took another step towards me. the pressure of magic increased to the point where I felt my knees slightly shake. she went passed my neck and pulled the cloak off. I closed my eyes as a flurry of brown cloak went over my face. spinning clumsily I fell on my bottom. Looking back at her she was levitating a mirror. And on the mirror and on my back. was two dainty grey wings.