League of Bronies

by darkironpony

TODAY

Author's Note: Edited by Rampage.

[Rampage's P.O.V.]

"Rampage," I heard a voice call suddenly.

My body jerked as I mumble, "Clockwork."

Nothing answered back. What was I expecting? For him to say that he’s fine? I chuckled bitterly at the reminiscing thoughts. Might as leave now, I spoke in my head as I picked myself up.

I gathered my stuff and silently made my way downstairs to the exit. I didn't want to accidentally wake Rarity up after what she did for me.

I left a small note thanking Rarity for her generosity and left, half expecting to hear Sweetie Belle, but I knew she lived with her parents so that wouldn't happen.

I opened the door and a cool breeze hit my body. I looked up to see it was still pretty dark out.

The sun had yet to rise and some stars were still visible in the chilly sky.

I made my way to the tournament ring. When I arrived, I couldn't do anything. My body stopped in front of the ring and refused to take another step despite all my efforts to force myself.

I looked to the ground to see my legs were trembling uncontrollably. I closed my eyes and let the breeze cool me. I took a deep breath.

I opened my eyes to find I had already moved to the middle of the ring, without my knowledge.

I retreated a few steps back. I got into my fighting stance and threw a few hits in rapid succession, aiming at an invisible opponent.

Come on. I know you can do better than that. I threw another flurry of punches, my breath coming in short, rapid exhales.

Better but not perfect. You want to do it perfectly don't you? I threw another barrage, working the same punching technique.

That's it. Just keep at it and someday you may even give me a real hard time. A familiar pain returned to my heart.

"Clockwork I, I just wish," I shook my head. Today isn't a day for regrets. Today is a day for redemption.

I headed to the waiting area. I set my stuff down and rested on a bench. I tried in vain to get comfortable.

I raised my right front hoof and stared at it. Today is the day I avenge my brother. I smiled, my face twisting into a mixture of condensed hatred. I can't wait. I felt my legs go limp and my conscious fade.

[Golden Horseshoes P.O.V. ]

I awoke with a pain in my neck. I was leaning on the heavy bag I was using to train.

I groaned as I pushed myself off the thing. I noticed there was a moist stain where my face was.

I raised a hoof and touched my face to notice something. "Huh. I haven't drooled in my sleep for a long time," I thought aloud in shock. My entire body ached from head to hooves.

I yawned and tried to dismiss it. I walked over to a calendar I had put up against the wall behind the bag. I pushed the bag aside and read it.

"So today is the day huh?" I mumbled half asleep. I stretched and yawned again.

I shrugged and moved to my couch hoping to get more sleep. I laid on it and closed my eyes.

Just then there was a knocking at the door. I groaned frustrated.

"Hey. Golden are you there?" a voice asked from behind the door.

I grunted as I went to open the door.

"Wow. You don't look so good," Shadow commented worriedly.

"Why're you here Shadow?" I asked bluntly, and slightly irritated.

"Oh. Its just the finals are today."

"And?"

"I noticed you haven't been to any of the matches after," Shadow stopped looking down at the ground.

I nodded. "Fair enough."

"And I was thinking you'd want to see the finals. So I decided to stop by," he added smiling.

"I was planning to anyway."

"Really?" Shadow asked unbelievingly.

"Yeah. I want to see who Bass is fighting in the finals," I explained grinning excitedly.

"Oh," Shadow said sadly.

"What is it Shadow?"

"Well," Shadow began nervously.

[Adven's P.O.V.]

"Hey listen! Hey listen!" I heard a voice wake me up.

I lifted my eyes open. "What is it Pinkie?" I asked with a slur.

"Get ready and I'll tell you!" she answered with her usual amount of Pinkie Energy.

"Fine," I groaned tiredly.

"I'll see you in the kitchen in ten minutes!" she said as she exited the room.

I grunted. I groggily got ready and headed downstairs.

As she said Pinkie was in the kitchen baking some sweets. I sniffed loudly.

She said happily, "I said ten minutes silly not three minutes and forty two seconds."

My eyebrows shot up in shock.

"I guess I just was too curious on what you wanted to tell me," I said chuckling.

"Well I cant tell you now I'm cooking," Pinkie said as she continued.

"But," I said weakly.

"Come back in five minutes."

I thought to try again but instead I shook my head. I decided to go back to bed for the next couple of minutes. As I approached the bed I noticed a circle on the calendar.

I looked at it. My face went pale as a realization dawned on me. Ohhh. That was today?! I completely FORGOT!

I ran back down to the kitchen.

"Pinkie!" I said worriedly.

"In a bit Adveny!"

"One moooore second," she called back.

"Pinkie this is important," I continued sternly.

"What is it?" she asked finally noticing my state of mind.

"Pinkie! I'M LATE FOR THE FINALS!" I yelled fearfully.

Pinkie just glared at me with a blank expression. She raised a brow, "Is that ALL?"

"All?! " I asked disbelievingly at her dismissal.

"Well don't I have good news for you!"

I still stood there in utter shock. My whole body refused to move.

"Remember when I told you I had something to tell you?"

I nodded slowly.

"Well," she said as she pulled out something that made my jaw drop.

"You are not saying I should use THIS, are you?!" I asked trembling as I backed up a few feet.

She nodded grinning widely. "It's new and untested. Now is the PERFECT TIME!"

Before I could protest Pinkie grabbed me and stuffed me into the thing. She jumped in after me.

"So how do we fire this thing?" I ask curiously.

"Like this!" she answered shifting slightly in the thing. "I'm firing the cannon!"

A loud boom erupted from it. I guess its voice activated? One minute we were in the cannon. The next we had crashed through the roof. Then we were soaring in the air toward the tournament ground. Wait a minute. Did we just jump over the moon?!

"Ha. It worked!" she squealed delighted.

Why did today have to be TODAY?!

[Golden's P.O.V. At the arena.]

"Where does Bass get off losing?!" I roared angrily.

"I'm sure he didn't mean to," Shadow said defensively.

"I'm gonna throttle him!" I yelled as I ignored his response.

"Probably you shouldn't," Shadow tried desperately.

Before I could answer the announcer chimed in from the stage, "Welcome mares and gentlecolts to the finals of the Iron Hoof competition!"

Shadow and I looked toward the ring.

"Would the combatants now enter the ring?" the announcer asked eagerly.

As he said that a white stallion made his way to the ring.

"That's him Golden," Shadow whispered helpfully.

"The one who beat Bass?" I whispered back surprised. "He doesn't look so tough to me."

Shadow shook his head. "He is. Adven will have his hooves full against him."

"Will the other combatant please enter the arena?!" the announcer asked excitedly.

Adven didn't appear.

He repeated the question but Adven didn't appear. He tried again and again but still Adven didn't appear.

"Well I guess if he doesn't show up we will just have to declare Rage the winner," he said disappointedly.

"Ha! It worked!" a voice squealed joyfully.

"I'm coming!" a brown ball yelled from the sky.

"What is that?!" I asked shocked.

"I think its Adven," Shadow muttered surprised.

"It cant be," I said just as the ball crashed into the arena. A giant dust cloud covered the area of the crash.

"Awwwwwwww! My ring!" I shouted in dismay.

"Okay that was less than graceful but I'm here." Adven said picking himself up. I saw a pink ball bounce out of the dust.

"What an entrance!" the announcer yelled jubilantly. "Now we can get down to the match! But before we do that we have one thing to do. Can both contestants approach the middle of the ring?"

Adven and Rage nodded. They both reached the middle until they were mere inches from one another.

"Now can you two both shake hooves?"

Adven put out his right front hoof. Rage looked at it for a few moments. He then spat at it grinning. Adven's face flashed in anger.

"Uh. Can both combatants move back to their positions?"

Rampage took a defiant step forward. Adven returned it. Their heads were so close they could feel each other's breath.

"Do it or you're both disqualified!" the announced threatened angrily.

They both retreated back to their respective spots without turning around. Their eyes were locked onto one another's.

"This is going to be ugly," I muttered under my breath.

"Both of these ponies have fought long and hard to get this far. Now we shall see today who will face the champion! Will it be the magnificent swordspony Adven or the tenacious emerald pony Rage?! Who will win?! No matter who does I'm sure we are in for a treat folks!"

He exited the ring. "Tournament fight all set. Ready? Go!"

[Play this.]

Adven was the first to move. His sword headed straight for Rage's front legs.

The unicorn evaded the attack and shot a few emerald shards at Adven. He effortlessly blocked them.

Rage closed in with a quick punch to Adven's gut. He stumbled back holding his chest.

The diamond pony's fists covered his fists as he attempted an uppercut to Adven's jaw. The pegasus saw it just in time to narrowly dodge the assault.

He stumbled backwards. Rage took full advantage and charged ahead.

A glimmer appeared in Adven's eyes as he approached. The blade struck Rage's right front hoof.

The emerald casing shattered. Rage impulsively threw his left hoof.

Adven took the full impact having no time to dodge. He flew back a few feet towards the edge.

He staggered and nearly fell out of the ring.

Rage caught him by his neck and threw him into the middle of the ring. As he fell Adven's blade rolled away from him. Adven was beginning to pick himself up when his opponent closed the distance between them.

His left arm sharpened into an emerald blade. Rage put the blade under his throat. Rage's eyes burned with hatred.

"Why? Why do you hate me?" Adven demanded frustrated. "What did I ever do to you?!"

"What did you do?!" Rage asked outraged at the question. "You," he said pointing at Adven,"killed my brother!"

"What?!" Adven said surprised.

"What?!" Shadow muttered numbly.

What?!