Tales from the Equestrian Arena

by Bishibosh the Shaman

Chapter 3

Tales from the Equestrian Arena
Chapter Three

An exhausted unicorn trotted into the showers, her once white coat now matted with dirt and sweat. With heavy, short breaths she pulled the cord to activate the scalding water. Her body groaned as the stress of battle washed away with the water. Whitney closed her eyes, her mind cleared as the water drenched her mane. She thought about how her last fight ended, and what she saw on her way in. Blood's smile, she thought she saw anyways. The idea glowed inside her head.

Her shower lasted about ten minutes, her muscles relaxing under the water. Whitney sighed as she felt a dab of pain in her chest. She knelt her head down to the drain in the shower just in time for the pain to intensify, it brought her to her knees as she coughed and choked. The base of the shower turning red as she coughed up a mix of saliva and blood. She cursed in her mind as she convulsed in pain, hoping nopony walked into the shower while in this state. The last thing she needed was to lose her only job due to medical issues.

Whitney's luck didn't hold, not entirely, as she heard a subtle clopping enter the shower room. Her pain subsided enough to stand, but the blood was still washing down the drain. She weakly kicked and swished the water around trying to force the blood down. The clopping of hoof steps grew gradually louder. She looked up over the edge of the stall, then sighed in mild relief. The smaller pearl white pony slowly stepped down the stall towards her stall.

"Let me guess... that time already?" Blood asked, his humor countered by his normal cold voice.
"Funny... You know exactly what's wrong..." Whitney responded, clearing her throat.
"You know that spell does this to you..." Whitney noticed a small hint of concern in Blood's statement.
"I had to make sure he stayed down"
"By magically mutilating your insides?"
"It's not that bad..."
"Whitney, you are standing in a pool of your own blood and spit"
"What are you going to do, tell Jaque? Have me removed from the arena?"
"I made a promise I wouldn't tell, or did you forget?"

Whitney fell silent. Of course she remembered, the day she entered the arena for the first time. It was a fight against Blood. The first time they both met and it was as enemies, the fight was short. She excelled at magic, but he was an adept with his blade. Every attack was skillfully dodged, and every spell was countered. Even her slow time spell was useless against his ascended focus. In the end she was forced to use her strongest spell, but even the beams intensity was no match for Blood's speed.

All those years ago, in this very room. Blood happened to find her laying in the shower stall in a puddle of red water. She panicked when she noticed him standing over her. When asked about the blood, she lied. Whitney told him that she was having 'mare issues' and that they would go away. Blood was not convinced, asking about the coughing sounds. She made him promise not to tell, even had him swear it. Blood agreed under the condition that she would never use the spell that caused the problem.

"You know I broke my end of the promise..." Whitney scoffed.
"And yet you remain here" Blood countered.
"You don't need to keep you end anymore" She finally managed to steady herself and leave the shower stall
"Well... maybe I like having somepony else around..." Blood turned around and trotted towards the exit of the shower room. "Oh, and good job. That dog will be out for a few days after that beating."

Whitney watched as the pearl stallion left the shower room, her thoughts circled around a few of his last words.

---

Jaque stepped out of the castle and into the bright sunlight. He had always wanted to meet the pony responsible for such a feat, and he had the opportunity to speak to both Celestia and Luna at once. Even if negotiations weren't quite as successful as he had hoped. Celestia was definitely opposed to the idea and with good reason, peaceful times call for peaceful measure after all. The younger Princess Luna however warmed up to the idea. Jaque had hopes she could talk her sister into the idea. Such was a mute point though for there was nothing more he could do, save for his next stage.

The strange pony had decided to explore the town in search of ponies to listen to him. His path crossed with a seemingly bright group of mares across the street. They were as good a start as any, Jaque figured. Crossing the street towards the six mares, he carefully planned his words.

"Greeting's young mares!" Jaque opened up with a bright smile across his face. The six mares payed no attention, obviously attentive on their current project.

Jaque listened in to here their plight.

"What do you mean you forgot your bits!?" The cyan pegasus shouted at an orange pony in a hat.
"Just what Ah told ya! Ain't a pony allowed to forget somthin just once?" The orange pony shouted back.
"Well yeah! Just not when it involves paying for food!" Jaque heard his introduction.

"Peace young mares, allow me to solve your plight!" The ponies conversation was interrupted as Jaque dropped a sack bulging with bits on the table they sat at.

The six mares shot their eyes at the sack then to the pony who dropped it.

"Uh, well thank ya mister but Ah don't think Ah can accept that" The orange pony started.
"Nonsense! Consider it an act of good will" Jaque responded with his clever smile.
"This is a little much though, don't you think?" A lavender pony spoke up.
"Not at all, finish your payment and consider the rest a gift." Jaque spoke again.
"Oh, well... thank you?" The lavender pony spoke.
"Once again, not a problem. My name, by the way, is Jaque Claude Van Regalley the Twenty First. Simply call me Jaque"

Each of the mane six introduced themselves accordingly, most of them wary of Jaque.

"You may call me Rarity. Such a standing name suggests at least noble lineage, where might such a pony like yourself be from?" Rarity spoke.

"Ah yes, not so much nobility but I am quite the successful business pony. Perhaps you have heard of The Arena?" Jaque asked with a smirk.

"Never heard of it, some kinda sports thing?" Applejack asked.
"Never heard of it!? Really AJ? The Arena is like... THE biggest thing to hit ever!" Rainbow shouted. "I have always wanted to go..."

"Ah but you may have just that opportunity my enthusiastic friend. You see, I am the owner and proprietor of The Arena. I personally oversaw the construction of the Griftpan Arena and for a time operated out of The Grand Colosseum of Saddle Arabia! Of that one I am quite proud" Jaque let out a smug grin.

"Oh my, yet your accent does not seem to match the traditional Arabian" Rarity remarked with curiosity.

"That is because I am not a 'traditional' arabian pony. To be honest my family blood line is rich with the mustang tribes of my homeland, which was conquered by The Griffon Kingdom almost two thousand years ago" Jaque explained.

"Oh yes, I remember reading about the expanse of The Griffon Kingdom. So then your family migrated to Saddle Arabia?" Twilight inquired.

"Correct, and fifty years after that my great great great grandfather established The Colosseum. He was ambitious but trapped in a primitive age, never managed to extend further than home" Jaque continued.

"Which you are planning to do yourself" Twilight guessed.

"Indeed! In fact I was just granted an audience with your princesses to discuss the matter of setting one up in Equestria"

"What was their decision?" Rainbow asked, Jaque caught the excitement in her voice.

"They are choosing to think about it for the time being, I will have a repeat audience in two days" Jaque responded.

"And you think the princesses will just let ya open this arena here?" Applejack asked.

"I certainly hope so. But alas I must be off, the day is late and my eyes get heavy. Perhaps I shall rejoin with you lovely mares tomorrow" Jaque smiled as he began to take his leave.

"Yes, we shall certainly keep an eye out for you in the streets" Rarity smiled, her interest of prestigious ponies taking effect.

The six ponies watched Jaque walk away into the crowd. They chatted among each other concerning this 'arena' but then went about with their day.

Comments

[MadNimrod]

This looks promising. Want to see how it goes. Also, love the Dragon Age cutie mark Blood there.

[Bishibosh the Shaman]

Thanks ^.^ I picked that cause I want to make subtle references to games/videos I enjoyed throughout the fic