Discord lazily lounged on a hammock in his room as he sipped a yellow beverage from a martini glass. He wore a white and red flower print short-sleeved shirt that can be buttoned. He had a remote in his hand as he watched a television screen in front of him. He pressed the ‘back’ button to rewind back to the scene where Celestia tackled Luna into an electric fence. He laughed happily as he repeatedly rewinded back to that scene over and over again. He also enjoyed the look on Luna’s face after she came off the electric fence. However, he heard knocking coming from his door and a familiar regal voice that echoed behind it.
“Discord!” Discord’s fingers tensed up and dropped the remote. He tried grabbing it, but the remote kept slipping out of his hands. “Discord, open up! I need to speak to you!” The voice demanded. Discord panicked, but he grabbed the remote and pressed the ‘off’ button on the remote, which deactivated the television screen and caused it to go back into the ceiling. The door opened, which revealed a smiling Celestia. She walked in and looked at Discord.
“Look who’s awfully happy today. Did someone manage to score with a pony here?” Discord slyly stated.
“I’ve had none of that. However, I truly am grateful that you saved the lives of Lyra and Bonbon. It shows to me that you have some good in you within this chaotic world.” She stated. “It also saved me the distress of watching a gruesome fate. A fall from that height onto those stalagmites would have done some… damage to those two.”
“Yes, nopony would really want to watch ponies being speared against stalagmites. Geez Celly, when you aren’t playing, you are a total pansy. Don’t you like the chance to see more edgy situations?” Celestia dully stared at Discord with balefire burning in her eyes.
“You know my answer to that, and it goes back to the match before we left towards Thunder Island. If memory serves, you were startled by the situation as well.” She stated seriously.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to look like an unpleasant ass in front of everyone, right? Besides, she’s alright now isn’t she?” Discord asked innocently.
“The situation may have ended, but for the ponies that were not used to seeing death it was quite a traumatic experience. But, that has already been resolved as you said, and I’m glad that the robots here can revive anypony.”
“Even if ponies get hurt, this place can treat ponies 250% of the time in 4-D on a lateral scale. Wasn’t this one of my best ideas for entertainment yet Celly?” Celestia groaned.
“You never cease to amaze me Discord. I don’t even get why I even came here in the first place.” She stated sourly as she walked out of the door. The door shut. After he looked around, Discord pressed the button on the remote, which caused the television screen to come down from the ceiling again. This time, he fast forwarded towards the scene where Luna’s Monty Mole smashed Celestia against the electric fence. He guffawed.
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Vinyl Scratch got up from her bed and stretched her limbs. She smiled. Octavia, who was in a chair by Vinyl’s side, got up.
“Well, it seems like you have recovered completely.” Octavia said with a smile.
“Oh, you know, nothing like a power nap to heal up those wounds. So, how are Lyra and Bonbon doing?” Vinyl asked. Octavia motioned her hoof towards the two ponies in their beds, both of who were snoring gently.
“Well, they seem to be resting easily after their match. To look at death into its eyes and then make it out of there really tuckers somepony out.”
“Hey Tavi, mind if I ask you a question?”
“Ummmm, sure Vinyl. What question do you have in mind for me?” Octavia curiously asked.
“How does dying feel like? I know that it might be a bit too soon to ask, but…” Vinyl Scratch wondered. However, Octavia could see the small movements with her hooves and face to tell that her friend is under distress.
“I’m not sure if it is the universe that distorts it, but being dead is surprisingly pleasant. I mean, yes, it feels horrible when my entire body shut down on me before I lost consciousness. Yet, there was a certain consciousness level I had where I was actually able to re-experience all of my memories. I could only choose one memory at a time, but I was surprised by how I was able to change the experiences of the past to alter how it turned out.”
“So… death is just one big déjà vu?” Vinyl Scratch curiously responded.
“That’s right. Though, a ponies’ previous memories do influence how they would perceive death. Still, it kind of makes me wonder what the memories of stillborn foals are…” Octavia pondered. Vinyl Scratch visibly shook.
“Ummm, let’s not go there. I’m already happy enough with the information you gave me. I don’t need a reason to go deeper into the topic.” Vinyl Scratch stated quickly, but coherently.
“Fair enough. I believe that I sated your curiosity for now.” Octavia finished. Bonbon stirred from her bed and woke up to the sight of Vinyl Scratch standing perfectly healthy.
“Good morning sleepyhead! Did you enjoy your sleep?” Vinyl Scratch enthusiastically asked. Bonbon grunted.
“I had better sleep in the past. Those memories of my actions didn’t let me enjoy any dreams. Somehow, it felt like I became a monster on that field. It scared me too badly to know that it was reality.” She stated. She shook her head as she looked towards Lyra, who was curled up in her bed and enjoying her restful sleep. Bonbon smiled. “If it wasn’t for Lyra, then I would have remained as that hideous monster.”
“I also noticed that when you were about to fall to your death, she jumped down with you. She didn’t want you to feel alone, even after death. Bonbon, only the best of friends would do that for each other.” Octavia exposed.
“Well, I only hung around her because I kind of felt sorry for her. Most ponies consider her to be even more insane than Pinkie Pie, which is saying something. But, from seeing how she reacted back at the stadium, she genuinely does care for me.” Bonbon realized.
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Rainbow Dash eagerly smiled as she stood in the command room in front of the shelves of gauntlets. She couldn’t help but hold a squeal as her hoof touched one of the metal gauntlets. As she was about to insert her hoof into the gauntlet, Applejack shouted.
“Rainbow Dash! What do ya think yer doin’ here by yourself?”
“Ummmm, nothing!” Rainbow quickly took the gauntlet and hid it behind her. She smiled nervously. Applejack face-hoofed and groaned.
“Rainbow, do ya think that ahm daft enough to not see you move that gauntlet behind ya?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes shifted back and forth before she sighed in defeat.
“Alright, I kinda wanted to get my hooves on a gauntlet here so I can sneak in a game. These things are awesome, but I’m not sure if it is exactly a good idea after the previous matches we’ve watched.” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes in fear of repercussion. As she slowly opened her eyes, she was surprised when she saw that Applejack grinned.
“Well, why didn’t ya say so?” She stated as she walked over to the shelf and grabbed a gauntlet by its side with her hoof. “The both of us agreed to play against each other in a game of hoofball, and ah won’t let any previous experiences get in the way of our fated match.”
“Wait, seriously?! I thought you wouldn’t want to have played after seeing how extreme these matches were!”
“Rainbow Dash, ah don’t care if some incredibly powerful deity came down from the sky and blasted us both in the middle of our actions. We need a permanent way t’ see who is the most daring pony.” Applejack stated with resolve.
“Well… You’re right. Only through a grueling, extreme, hardcore match is the way we can see who the better pony is once and for all!” As Rainbow Dash stated this, she put her hoof into the gauntlet. The screen flashed a bright blue, and she was enveloped in a bright flash. As the light dissipated, Rainbow Dash wore an azure spandex top with sleeves that ended a quarter-way towards her forelegs. The azure shorts she wore were also made of spandex. She wore light shoulder pads and shin guards, as if their purpose was to allow for the best mobility in any sport. She wore cleats that resembled the gauntlet on her hoof. Her mane and tail appeared to be slightly more brilliant than before, as if they verged on ethereal properties. Applejack’s jaw dropped.
“Rainbow, ya look… powerful!” She stated in astonishment.
“Eh, just put on your gauntlet so that you can become powerful like me.” Rainbow Dash replied hastily. Applejack took her gauntlet and put it over her hoof. As she did, the screen flashed a light blue. She felt a powerful surge of energy rush within her as she was surrounded by the bright light. As the light disappeared, Applejack was in a set of bulky, orange plating held together with red fabric. Her hooves were covered in the strange, metallic substance as the gauntlet she wore. Her mane and tail were slightly shorter, but still retained their signature appearance. Applejack smiled.
“Any words before we begin our next bout?” She asked. Rainbow Dash cockily smiled.
“Yeah, there’s no way that a pegasus pony like me is going to lose to an earth pony like you in a game of speed. Speed is everything in hoofball!”
“Is that what ya believe? Look Rainbow, just because you have amazing speed doesn’t mean that yer guaranteed to win. In fact, ah believe that my bulk and stamina will get me through this game faster than ya can clear the clouds in the sky.” Applejack vehemently replied.
“Is that a challenge I hear Applejack? Let’s not forget who won the Iron Pony Competition last time.” Rainbow Dash responded with wit. The words made Applejack’s right foreleg stomp in anger.
“You cheated because ya used yer gypsy wings t’ win those events.” Rainbow Dash gasped in horror at the racist term used against her.
“It’s your fault for being just a stupid dirtwalker. I mean, you are so simple with how you do everything that you need a pegasus to kick your flank you filthy dirt pony!” The anger in Applejack’s eyes reached their boiling point.
“Ya think that I would be happy being a simple-minded, featherbrained horsefly?! At least I honor the conditions of each event we were in. You just used yer featherdusters in every way possible because yer just weak and pathetic.”
“Featherduster?! Did you just call my wings that?! Wow! You are soooooo going down you unpleasant mare!” Rainbow Dash erupted.
“Ya think Ah’m going down? Well allow me to personally tear off ‘dem wings of yers and make you into an earth pony the hard way!” Applejack threatened.
“You want to touch my wings? You’re going to have to beat me in a game of hoofball first!” Rainbow Dash stated.
“Fine by me. And that isn’t a threat, it’s a promise. You filthy pegasi always think yer all better than everypony else just because y’all can fly. Ah’ll be glad to personally take care of the deed in the name of earth ponies everywhere!”
“If you think that you’ll tear off my wings, then I’ll rip apart your legs with my lightning-fast speed. I’ll be sure to make sure that you’ll never walk again! You earth ponies put too much value on what you can accomplish that you don’t realize how out powered you are!”
“Well fine, then allow me to pick the location where a pegasus like you will have to be forced to taste dirt!” As Applejack said this, she walked over to the large screen that shows a screenshot of Thunder Island. She browsed through the possible selections and saw a filthy, rainy stadium that caught her eye. There was sludge continuously pouring out through broken pipes onto the field and into a metallic drain in the middle. A devious smile found its way onto her lips. “Ah have the location now! We’ll be playing in a place that a pegasus can never truly appreciate. It’s a place where the refuse of rain and filth combine to give hardworking ponies like me an opportunity at life.” As she said this, she pulled a gray lever on the dashboard that said ‘Lightspeed.’ As she did, the entire Stormship began to de-materialize. The ship shot into the distance of the horizon, and everything within the ship rumbled. Rainbow Dash held her stance as strong as possible, but Applejack still smiled. She was seemingly unaffected. As the ship stopped above the brown skies above absolutely filthy wastelands, various ponies began to pour into the terminal. Most of them were confused, and some of them felt motion sick.
“What happened? I was looking over some of what I learned in this world, and then the entire ship’s interior moved quickly than what my eye can see. It was disorienting.” Twilight complained.
“Relax Twilight, I’m very sure that it was just lightspeed travel. Poor Derpy’s eyes even fell into proper alignment.” Doctor Whooves said as he pointed towards Derpy, whose eyes actually became normal.
“That’s not the point. I’m just wondering why we were all going so fast. Wasn’t this ship supposed to stay around Thunder Island?” Twilight asked.
“That’s because I pulled the lever.” Applejack stated. Twilight faced Applejack and nervously smiled.
“Oh Applejack! I see that you are… wearing the gauntlet.” Twilight slowly replied.
“So am I. I’m going to show every pony here how a pegasus like me can be take down a mudblood like Applejack.” Rainbow Dash stated. All the ponies around, especially the Earth Ponies, gasped in horror.
“Ummm, Rainbow Dash, don’t you think that was a little bit, oh I don’t know, uncalled for?!” Twilight irritatingly asked.
“Maybe so, but some pegasus has to put an earth pony in their place.” Rainbow Dash said proudly.
“Argh! So. Much. Racism! Just shut the Tartarus up you wingass!” Bonbon screamed. Rainbow Dash slanted her eyes towards her.
“You know that your words are hardly backed by your strength since you can’t do anything else.” Rainbow Dash said with spite. Bonbon growled at Rainbow Dash. She wanted to jump towards Rainbow Dash and rip her apart, but Lyra and Fluttershy held her back.
“Girls! Let’s not try to start another Unification War over here!” Twilight said. She faced Applejack. “So, where did you bring the ship towards Applejack?” She asked.
“Well, since Ah wanted to show how to get a winger dirty, I brought this ship to the dirtiest stadium imaginable: The Dump.” Applejack stated with a smile. A shiver went down Rarity’s spine.
“You mean that we’ll have to watch the each of you play at a stadium that is absolutely covered in filth?” Rarity asked. Every pony nodded. Rarity gasped in anguish. “Absolutely not! You will NOT be bringing me into that filthy location! You can’t make me.” She said with a huff. Applejack threateningly walked over to Rarity. She put her hoof onto her horn and applied a bit of pressure onto it. Rarity squealed in a slight amount of pain.
“Yer going to have to go out there ya stickhead. Otherwise, I’ll snap that little horn ya have on there and show you how it is like to be bucked in da face by an earth pony.” Applejack stated angrily. Rarity whimpered under the threat. “Now then, will you go out there with every other pony?” She slowly and uneasily nodded. “That’s what Ah’d like to hear.”
“But wait, you don’t have your sidekicks yet. Aren’t you going to summon them all in bright flashes?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“We’ll do it when we go onto the stadium.” Applejack stated. She faced Rainbow Dash. The two ponies glared in each other’s eyes with intense glares before the both of them huffed and faced each other. The both of them stepped onto the two tiles and were warped away from the ship. Twilight facehoofed and shook her head in defeat.
“Why do those two have to be such ignorant… muggles?!” She asked. All of the Earth Ponies and the Pegasi left on the ship looked at Twilight angrily.
“That’s racist!” They all shouted.