[Blazing's Entry]
My cellmate's name is Big Mac and is recognized as the second strongest gladiator in the arena. Also, he's Applejack's brother. He doesn't talk much but from what I was able to gather his sister used to be just a normal girl until she became an Element bearer which made her recklessness and love for bucking trees turn into appetite for destruction but she was a businessmare smart enough to turn Equestrian prisoners into a profitable estabilishment and avoid needless damage to pony lives.
Finding this out killed few days since my source was only answering my questions with short sentences and even more with 'Eeyup' and 'Nope'.
One thing to be proud of - aside from the fight with Applejack I'm now undefeated in the arena.
I've also done some more things to sate my changeling hunger. It's very little but I take what I can get.
I'm now known as the prison bitch.
Life sucks and blows and, apparently, so do I.
[End Entry]
The daylight doesn't blind me anymore when I step outside into the sandy circle of the arena. I have to admit that I've gotten stronger in past days and the adoration of the crowd is the big reason why. The more I was winning the more the crowd shouted when it came to next match and my changeling side got fed.
Today is not different and I've found out one more thing about my body. The magic runes can be replenished slightly by draining severe amounts of changeling energy and I've been using that to my advantage as much as possible and feeding off the crowd.
On the other hoof, today is different. My opponent is a one I know for a change and I grin when the silouhette of the happy gladiator who took advantage of me appears. I've wanted to try something for a while but nopony seemed like the right target.
The one and only problem is that arena participants aren't allowed to watch the fights so I have no idea how good the guy is. It shouldn't matter though. With my regeneration working again there is very little that an earthpony armed with a trident can do.
The fight is way too easy. Rising Thunder, with his experience from fighting off changeling attacks, training new guards and real thirst for my blood while protecting his family wasn't strong enough to fight me and this guy has no idea about how much experience in fighting against earthponies with long sticks, he he, I have.
As usual, the shouts from the crowd for his life or death mix together and it's up to me to decide his future. If ponies in the seats want a show then that's what they're going to get. His future is going to be very pleasant very shortly.
My feeding on other ponies was passive every single time aside from using the venom but there was a situation once when I almost killed a certain batpony while tapping into her energy directly. It left me overcharged at the time but now I think I can handle the amount of energy. Standing on the gladiator's chest I lean down, bite his neck and don't let go until he stops moving. It might happen to be a hefty overdose of venom but if there's somepony I'm willing to experiment on then it's him.
The crowd goes silent when I step from the pony on the ground and begins either cheering or booing depending on what their wish for the loser was. Soon, the red sun signalling to me that the excess energy I can steal is there appears and I focus on it. The effect is immediate. He begins panting but after he takes a step towards me his legs fail him which he completely ignores and tries to crawl on the ground while looking at me and drooling.
The orange glow of my horn is visible even in the daylight and I grin as what looks like lightning connects my horn and the twitching earthpony... the ex-twitching earthpony. A shower of green sparks passes through my armor and I lick my lips unconsciously when the red sun of my victim fades. Turning back to the exit I feel a little tugging on my mechanical arm and see it's shinier than before and the claws which were stuck in the ground ripped off a part of the rocky floor underneath the sand.
Yeah. Applejack, I'm coming for you.
Are you sure this is enough?
If it's not the there was no chance all the time. I'm brimming with energy, I have magic-dampening swords and a shiny new arm with same strength as her ones have.
I pass the Husk guards behind the arena entrance and go underground with them following me. I have to talk to Big Mac.
"What do I have to do to challenge Applejack?" I ask the red giant.
"Nothing. Tell one of the mechs."
The entire underground room goes silent as I yell my request at the guards. One of them leaves without an answer but returns shortly after.
"Evening. Last fight of today," he/it rasps and leaves.
Good. I don't know how long the overcharge will last so I have to use it while I can. My back hits the hay and I close my eyes.
"Mac, can you give me some tips against AJ?" I ask, not expecting an answer.
"Nope."
Careful not to doze off, I go through stretching motions and slowly keep moving around without exerting too much effort. I have to keep the blood flowing while not wasting energy.
It's impossible to measure passing time down here but with my nerves working overtime the evening comes in what seems like a moment. For the second time today I step outside into the ring of sand.
Taking a breath, I find it difficult to stop the shiver going up my spine when the sound of two metal arms scratching the stone under the sand reaches my ears. Much like before, Applejack comes to me first.
"Ah'll take another thing that makes you you today."
Exactly like before, I take a stab at her as soon as she turns to greet the crowd. Exactly like before, she dodges it effortlessly.
What's different today is that her counterattack is dodged completely and we begin circling around one another, waiting for a chance to strike. Then she punches the air and I have only a fraction of a second to disperse the shockwave with my swords. She tilts her head to the side when her Element fails to work.
With incredible speed she slams her arm to the ground and uses it to launch herself forward at me with the claws of her second hand aimed at my head. An enemy charging at me, what a novelty...
The experience difference becomes apparent though as she remains unphased when my swords slice off her machine arm and just rams the second one to the ground again mid-flight turning me facing her into me facing the hooves of her hind legs.
A trail of green sparks is slowly fading in the air between me and Applejack who is suddenly much further away then a second before.
That was one heck of a kick.
I drop on the ground. Oh... I was stuck in the wall. Thank Celestia for the hard armor otherwise the spectators on this side of the arena would have been slightly greener and stickier.
That wasn't even with her using the Element.
A tugging feeling on my neck is unpleasantly familiar. With only one arm, Applejack can't rip off my other foreleg but before I can persuade my shaken will to take control of my body again she slams me to the ground.
"Ah don't need another leg."
Shadow blocks my vision and one of her muscular hind legs pins my neck to the ground hard enough to disallow any movement. In any other situation I would have enjoyed being under a strong mare's legs but she doesn't seem phased by my fake dirty look towards her private parts.
"Ah'm way outta your league," she grins and her other hind leg reaches my head at the speed of a comet.
I can feel the snap in my entire body and the chances of me ever forgetting the sound are pretty slim. The good thing is that there is still a head capable of thinking this. Something wet is dripping down my cheeks and when I wipe my eyes there is a green sheen on my foreleg.
She turned her back again and has got only one arm. One sword should be enough and you'll be able to move. NOW!
Despite all my focus neither of my swords even twitches. Maybe I'm too far? With few steps I pass Applejack who lost interest in me and is walking to the arena exit. I wipe my face again. Where's all the green coming from?
Terrified but suddenly sure about what I'm going to see, I turn back and look at the piece of bone lying in the sand.
It's a bronze unicorn horn.