//------------------------------//
// Battlemaster Trials 
// Story: Monstrum Tome of Equus 
// by Campanula Monkshood 
//------------------------------//

	Time flew by at incredible speeds and then dinner time was already upon us. Ice Flow; still in his guard armor had found a spear with a metal shaft that he seemed like he knew how to use, Ivy had bought a cheap set of chainmail and wing-plates to go along well with her needles, Makarov was just going to wing it while Momo had me hunt down some heavy studded gauntlets and something similar to the hind leg gauntlets Double wore which were incredibly heavy and I could barely move them, and I was trying and failing to persuade Covet to let me use his form.

’Forget it! Did you forget that we can hear what you say even if you aren’t shifted? I may like to delve into carnal activities but I would never lay a hoof on a filly, I may be a monster but I’m not well… a monster. You can forget about it, you’re on your own,’ there was a slicking sound as my fangs returned to normal.

“Well fuck…”

There was fanfare as everyone took a seat at the tables around the large training grounds, Silver Chains and Double Stakes walked out in the middle of the field, “Glorious day indeed my friends, our princesses have deemed our skills worthy enough to task us with a mission to finish the job of our ancestors and purge the blight that is Doomspinners.” There were numerous boo’s from the tables causing Double to laughed wholeheartedly , “Not only that but with this mission came the application of a new team!” 

Loud roars of approval sounded out and the Minotaur who had be silent shouted, “Enoof! Lat ‘im git mer dan a foo words in befoor yoo cheer!”

The crowd was immediately silent and there was a cough somewhere, Double nodded to the minotaur before resuming, “Like I was saying; we have five applications that wish to create a team within the Hall; Shinza the Obsidian, Ice Flow the ex-guard, our very own trouble-maker Ivy the Pegasus, Momo the half Earth pony, and Makarov the dragon! Haha it’s been a long time since the Halls have had a dragon apply, the only dragons that have applied were little more than whelps but I’m sure Silver will go easy on the little guy. Now that the list has been declared I’ll be picking the order of the fights from a hat but please, feel free to make bets as the trials go on!” Someone tossed him a helmet and he tossed several pieces of paper that must have had our names on them into it and began mixing them then pulled out one, “Our first challenge is… Ivy Monkshood! Give her some love everybody!” The diners roared their approval by chanting her name over and over.

“I don’t think I can do this,” started backing up until she backed into my shins, “I’ve challenged him several times, he’s just too strong; his muscles keep me from landing my hooves right.”

“Well of course they do, it’s all a matter of getting past the bulk. Why don’t you use your needles to do what your hooves can do; small point of contact equals less force lost by the impact with a larger body. Just aim for his limbs and not his body, I’d hate to see what those things could do to a heart or lung, now get on out there and show them you’re not a little girl anymore.” Nodding she quickly flitted her wings and she was out on the field in front of Silver Chains who was putting on something that looked like half-plate that covered only his chest where his heart was and his shoulder.

“Ah hoop yoo’s broot yer eye gam’. Ah’d hat’ ta see a foolly cry,” as he pulled the last strap in place his pulled out a small buckler and his metal weed-eater string whip and cracked it; it made a whistling noise then a sharp snap and Ivy’s ears folded back.

***Ivy POV***
Double’s voice cleared the cheering easily, “Alright now, betting is closed off now so let’s get to the show! Battlemaster Silver, are you ready?” The Minotaur banged the handle of his whip into his buckler as an answer, “Apprentice Ivy, are you ready?”

“Y-yes!”

“Then let’s rumble~”

The Battlemaster rushed me way faster than he had during our last match, I jumped and tried to take to the skies when his strong hand wrapped around my hind leg and flung me back into the dirt. I hear Shin cry out to me but I was too dazed to hear him, I quickly stood up and lunged the hulking Minotaur. My hooves hit him square in the gut but he hardly moves a muscles, “What the…” He swung down with his buckler arm and I launched off him causing him to miss barely.

“Yoo’ve boon practicoon’ hav’nt ya,” the Battlemaster rumbled as he rubbed his stomach, “I ooctally foolt t’at one boot it woont be enoof.” He lashed out with his whip, it struck against my wing plate and there was a harsh screeching and the end of the plate fell off my wing and leaving it unprotected. “Yioold.”

“Never,” I cried and soared into the sky, ‘If I can’t beat him in strength I’ll just have to use what Shin suggested,’ I reached the peak of my flight and flung ten needles with precise aim at the Minotaur’s limbs then there was a noise “What the,” I cried out as his buckler came flying at me from below, smacked me in the face causing me to fall while the shield when back to him in time to block the needles which pierced the metal slightly. I hit the ground hard and everything started going dark.

“Ivy,” I heard Shin and Ice’s voice call out to me and I was gone.

***Shin’s POV***
“Ivy,” Ice and I ran out onto the training grounds to see if she was alright, there was a buzzer noise and I saw several of the Sellswords fork over varying sizes of pouches that no doubt contained Bits that they lost in the bet.

“She pooses,” the silver Minotaur yelled to Double up in his little box.

“But she was knocked out, my friend.”

“Doos’nt mooter,” he moved his shield arm and pulled out a needle that had barely pierced the plate over his heart, “A liitle mer prooctace and ta lass coo’uld have vury wool won.”

“Very well, my friend, you are the Battlemaster after all.”

“Ivy, can you hear me?“ I reached down and checked to see if Ivy was alright; nice strong pulse, she didn’t have any cuts only bruises, “She’s fine, just knocked out.” I picked her up easily and slung her over my shoulder, “Man she’s light as a feather.”

“She has to be boss, pegasi have hollow bones like birds and their natural magic helps them fly with small wings,” Ice ran over to where Silver was pulling needles from his shield and retrieved them for her.

We took her over to where we were standing earlier behind a column that didn’t have any tables near it and set Ivy down when Double’s voice spoke again, “Alright now, what an amazing fight wouldn’t you say my friends? She may have lost but Battlemaster Silver has deemed her worthy to join our ranks!” The cheering got impossibly loud before he continued, “Let’s see, the next challenger for the trials is… Momo the half-breed!”

“Looks like we’re up Momo,” I hide behind one of the thick columns and Shifted, crimson fur sprouted over my body as my feet turned into hooves as my legs swelled slightly to hold the taunt muscles. My upper body began to swell as well until it matched the form similar to a MMA fighter’s.  I ran a hand through my hair and found it longer as well as darker, not to mention my ears had moved to the top of my head and replaced with pony ears. If I hadn’t had my pants on I’m sure I would have had his cutie-mark as well, ‘Hello Momo, I must say, I wasn’t expecting the form to look like this; I was expecting more…’

’More pony-like father? I doubted your body would accept my pony form without causing some harm to you so I decided to go with a mix.’ Momo replied then he took control and strapped the gauntlets and boots on, he did a few practice swings and kicks. I noticed that the weight I had felt from them was gone and they felt as if they weight nothing.

‘Good luck Momo,” I said as I decided to sink into the void and let him have his fun.

***Momo’s POV***
I nodded my thanks to my father and walked out to the field, adjusting to the change from four to two legs and stopped in front of the large Minotaur, I spoke in my normal deep but soft-spoken voice, “Greetings and Salutations, Battlemaster. I gladly accept the chance to fight you.”

The pony known as Double then spoke from somewhere to the right, ”Battlemaster Silver are ready?” He replied as he did in the fight against Ivy, “Momo are you ready?”

“Yes,” I put my armored fists together and bowed deeply to the Battlemaster.

“Alright then, betting is closed. Let’s rumble~!”

We just stood there for what seemed hours; the Battlemaster just rolled his shoulders a couple of times then I began circling him, my hooves never leaving the marble for long as I searched for weak spots but true to his name there were none. “You must have seen many fights; I cannot spot a single weak spot in your style…”

“Ah’ve hood moony masters…” He tightened his grip on his weapon, “Ah’ve espesooly foot agoonst moony moo’nks!”

‘Here it comes,’ He twirled his whip the swept it horizontally and I channeled Earth pony magic into my legs to smash a large chunk of marble in such a way that it stood up then spun and kicked it at the oncoming swing. The whip wrapped around the stone harmlessly while I jumped from where I was standing and spun-kicked the shield he threw at me causing it to deform as it went flying off into the crowd. I dropped into a crouch, swept the bull’s hooves out from under him then gave him a dual fisted punch in the chest that sent him straight into one of the columns. I moved out of the way as the chunk of marble went with him, the silence was deafening as I just stood there. 

I hear my father’s voice speak from the back of my mind, ‘Holy shit Momo!’ 

‘This was the point was it not? Defeat the master of battle to prove our merits?’

’Defeat him yes, not freaking comatose the bastard!’

“He’s- He’s not moving, medic! Somepony go get Campanula as well,” as soon as Double shouted this several Unicorns and a Zebra ran up to give treatment to Silver.

‘I am sorry father… I will correct my mistake,’ I began walking to where Silver laid; there was a gash above his right eye. As I walked I noted where the closest greenery was; several types of vines on the columns, a small tree in a pot near one of the buildings, and several weeds growing from the cracks on the edge of the field. As I stopped in front of him one of the griffins blocked my path, “Move.”

“No way, I won’t let you lay a hand on our Battlemaster again half-breed filth!”

“Move aside Ironclaw,” Campanula’s voice spoke from behind me.

‘How did I not feel him coming?’

“I want to see what he can do,” the green unicorn laughed at his own joke but barely got a chuckle out of anyone who heard it. Ironclaw had a moment of conflict before he clicked his beak shut and stepped aside, “Well what are you waiting for, a formal invitation?”

I shook my head, removing my gauntlet I placed my palm on Silver’s chest, ‘He has fourteen fractures to his ribs and a concussion…’

’How can you tell?’

‘I just can,’ I reached out with my mind and took the energy, the life of the plants, and began channeling it into Silver to speed up the healing and by time the ribs healed and the concussion was taken care of all the plants in my range were dried husks. ’I don’t blame them, that puts a drain on me as well,’ I shook the Minotaur gentle and he groaned.

“Ugh woot happooned?”

“I defeated the master of battle to prove my merits but my father felt I may have gone to far and I wished to apologize.”

“Wool t’at’s certainly noo, alroot; yoo poos as wool!” I held out a hand which he took and I hauled him to his hooves and I bowed to him again before leaving.

’You sure that was a good idea? If the ponies are anything like the humans back home well… have you ever heard of something called the salem witch trials? I doubt Earth ponies are supposed to be able to suction the life from plants to heal someone.’

‘It is not that far-fetched, I simply took several fighting styles from the animes you watched and monk studies from your book of D&D and combined that with natural Earth pony magic which includes the realm of plants and life.’

’…You combined styles of fighting that you got from memories of me watching anime? Momo, it’s anime for a reason, people aren’t suppose to be able to do any of that stuff! I mean it’s freaking cool but it’s impossible.’

‘I believe I just proved that wrong, father…’ I stood next to my fathers friend and began taking my armor off.

“Boss that was amazing!”

“Still me,” I replied as my gauntlets fell to the ground, “One second.” I felt my father taking back control as I took a back seat.

***Shin’s POV***
As my body returned to normal I almost collapsed, “Oh fuck… I don’t think fully Shifting multiple times is going to be good for my health. I starving, let’s go raid one of the tables.” I gave Ivy a soft pat on the head as he went to get some grub, I saw a table that must have been for the carnivore because there were several suckling pigs, a biggest tuna I’ve ever seen, and several rodents on sticks, “Oh sweet merciful baby jesus… it’s glorious…” I took a large plate, cut huge chunks of pig and chopped the tail of the tuna clean off then took it back to our table.

I had the large hunk of pork almost to my mouth when Silver’s voice shouted and I paused, “Back oof yoo ninnies! Ah’m fin’, loots bring oot the Oobsidian! Tha droogan and oox-guard pooss.”

He was looking straight at me throught the gaps in the columns and I looked between him and my hunk of meat, “But I- I just… with the meat… Aww man!”

Doubles voice called out, “Every member of your team has been passed Battlemaster standards. Now it is time for the ‘giant in amongst magical ponies’ to face off against the real giant. Everyone better start placing your bets before time’s up!”

I huffed and took several bites of pork before running back onto the field for the second time. I stripped my vest off and tossed it aside and thought a moment before leaving my pants on, if they ripped oh well, ‘Hmm, Covet denied me access… who else is there besides Makarov and Momo?’ I thought back to the meeting with them, ‘There was a Unicorn but I didn’t know any magic, there was the pegasus but that does’nt help anything… There was a Diamond dog but I still don’t trust it, who was left? There was the giant snake-like Drakon but I didn’t know how I would be able to handle the transformation, “Hey Ice, mind tossing me that spear of yours?”

“My spear? Aren’t you going to do the thing,” he asked as he flew to me and gave me his spear; the metal shaft was quite thick and the spearhead was more of a shortsword than a spearpoint. Double asked him if he was  ready and he nodded.

“Nah… I need to prove to myself I can get things done without always relying on the voices in my head and the powers they give me access to,” I gripped the spear that was a good two feet taller than I was then spun it several times to test the weight and balance, it didn’t wobble when I made it stop suddenly and shouted, “Let’s do this, Silver. El Toro.”

“Then let’s rumble~!”

He had picked up his whip and a Diamond dog had brought him another another buckler, “Relyoon oon yoo’re oon stren’th ehh? Good, Ah woo’uld ‘ave foo’led yoo had yoo start’ood ta foot in anoother foorm.”

That surprised me and my guard was lowered, with a crack right next to my left ear that was so loud I think I went deaf in it because I could only hear from my right side. I felt a lock of hair fall on my and my guard was immediately back up and I dove under another strike and rolled then thrust the spear at the Minotaur who deflected it with his shield. ‘I better watch that whip, it shredded Ivy’s armor like paper.’ 

“Shit,” I shouted as Silver swung the whip horizontally like in his fight with Momo, I didn’t have the strength Momo had so I settled on parrying the whip but instead had it wrap around it. With a quick tug there was a screech of metal and the whip had sawed through the shaft causing the blade to land point down in the hole Momo had made, leaving me with just a metal Bo staff. “Huh, that’s an interesting weapon you have there, it have a name,” I decided to stall him until I could think of a way to outsmart him.

“Oot is Tauroon Saw-Whoop,” he stated simply before swinging it again but I decided to dodge and roll this time.

“Interesting… I so I take it you are trained in many weapons and fighting styles,” I backed away from the Minotaur and he followed me.

“Ah oom, now quit stoolin’,” as he shouted I grabbed what remained of the shaft on the spearpoint and used the blade to fling dirt and dust into his face, I closed the distance and lowered my grip on the staff like a baseball bat and swung it at him.

The was a loud clang and I dropped the staff due to the stinging sensation from smashing Silver’s buckler, “Gah son of a bitch that stings!.” His eyes may have been blinded but his ears worked fine, they twitched when I spoke and he flung the damned thing at me. With not enough time to dodge very much I ended up taking the shield to the forehead instead of the neck causing me to see stars. I regained my balance and chucked what was left of the spear shaft at him which he deflected with a flick of his wrist and swung the whip at my neck; everything seemed to go into slow motion.

I saw where the whip was heading but I couldn’t do anything because I had just chucked my weapon at him. Time slowly sped up as I came closer to losing my head, I started panicking and my arms moved up to protect my neck on their own as the skin Shifted to heavy overlapping pitch-black plates on the outside and smaller scales on the inside as well as scales growing out of my forehead and neck; giving my head a samurai helmet look. Time returned to normal speed and the whip wrapped around my neck but not slicing through it and the owner of the black scales spoke using my voice, ”This is… such a pain… I… yield.” 

‘What do you think you’re doing?!’

’Saving… my life…’

The coiled whip around my neck loosened and fell off me and the Minotaur stood there wiping the dust out of his eyes completely, “Woot was tat? Yoo Yioold?”

“…Yeah I yield,” I said, admitting defeat. The black scales retreated back into my skin and leaving red scars along my arms which surprised me since the other forms didn’t leave any marks. I studied the scars carefully before looking up to the Battlemaster, “So what’s the verdict? Pass or Fail?”

“Yoo pooss,” He grabbed my tender limb and raised it and myself to my feet, “He poosses! Ta t’am oos qualfood!” He dropped my arm and walked off the field as the diners cheered, roared, and whooped.
Double shouted from his little box, “My friends! For the first time in six years; Battlemaster Silver Chains has passed an entire team on their first application! Shrodinger; fetch to booze, the hard stuff, this is cause for celebration!”

The small cat shouted something angrily in German but had a huge smile on his face as he ran into a building and began pushing huge barrels out. I scratched at a huge v-shaped scar on my forehead that I’m sure had friends going over my head and down my neck under my hair, I picked the blade and staff out of the dust and took it to Ice, “Sorry about your spear man, I’d be happy to pay for it.”

“Don’t worry about it boss, it’s a guardponies spear from the castle armory so you can keep them, I just want to know what happened out there; one second it looked like the whip was going to decapitate you and the next you were covered in black scales and it was wrapped around your neck and arms!”

“The Drakon forced a Shift with his own willpower, none of the others have been able to Shift without me asking for their help before…”

“What’s going on… what’s with the noise,” heard Ivy mumbling on the table as she rolled over and fell off with a thud, “Oww…”

I decided to try and put the thoughts I was having aside and focus on have fun at the celebration in our honor, “Come on Ivy, the entire team passed, it’s time to celebrate.”

“…The entire team? On the first try? Is that what that noise is?”

“Haha yeah, it wouldn’t be a celebration if it was quiet now would it,” I shook her a couple of times to make sure she was up, placed the staff and now short sword with my stuff, grabbed my plate, and started stuffing my face with pork and booze. The rest of the night’s celebration was a blur; a blur filled with booze, belly dancers of different species, and food.




Party Member Gained: Ivy Monkshood
Achievments Get: ‘All She Needs is a Gentle Touch’, ‘Fighting Dirty like the Swiney Piggys, No?’, ‘You Know What They Say; Don’t Mix Your Alcohol.’
Title Get: Sellsword Initiate: You’ve been granted a title of Sellsword initiative which allows you access to any Hall across Equestria and let’s you take missions from the Mission Board. Don’t get too cocky now, you’re still only a noob…