161 - A Friendly Competition?
Extended Holiday
Chapter 161: A Friendly Competition?
Grif eyed his foil carefully, giving one final check as preparations where finalized. Around him, New Unity’s potential qualifiers and their various entourages yawned as they checked their gear. Given the sheer number of Ponies and other creatures that needed transport, Ponyville had arranged an early morning and afternoon train to Rainbow Falls. It had been decided New Unity would send its people first, and then Ponyville would catch the second train.
“Kinda surprised you’re coming,” Grif said to Vital as the Unicorn approached.
“It’s the friendship games. I figured I had the right to see them at least once, especially given the fact that my friends are all participating.”
“Just the qualifiers.” Grif chuckled. “But I guess you have a point.”
“Besides, Clover practically shoved me into going.”
“Well that's something, I guess.” Grif chuckled again. “You ever been to Rainbow Falls?”
“Don’t think that I have. Funny. You’d think someone as well travelled as me would have gotten there by now, if I’ve already been to Zebrica and back again.” He winked playfully at his friend.
“Only naturally occurring liquid rainbow on Equis,” Grif noted.
“Think it could be a byproduct of the bifrost?”
“Possible, I suppose.” Grif shrugged.
“How much do you want to bet Rainbow’s mom drank some of it when she was pregnant?”
“I doubt it,” Pensword muttered as he glided in and clopped slowly while he folded his wings. “Other mothers drank it, and we don’t have a slew of rainbow-maned Ponies.”
“So, that means she could have drank some of it?” Vital challenged with a smirk.
“Or eaten,” Grif noted. “It makes a surprisingly potent sauce for spicy food.”
“Is that so? Have you shared it with the Saddle Arabians? I’m sure they would enjoy it, given their culture’s flare for spice.”
“I’ll look into that.”
“So, who else do we have competing here?” Vital asked. “I assume you were very thorough in your testing for the fencing team.”
“I am the fencing team. Unity has teams going into all the weapon-based sports, as well as a good number of the physical ones. I know Rook’s going for the long distance run.”
“I’m seeing if archery works for me, since I’m more … on the level with the others now,” Pensword answered.
“Honestly, most towns will be there for a day at best. We’re probably going to be stuck there for three or so,” Grif admitted.
“Because of the number of competitors or because of the fact we’ll advance that far?” Vital asked.
“Because we have so many events we’re trying to qualify for,” Grif explained.
“Makes sense. Then again, if I recall, the only other towns trying for as many as we are are Canterlot and Manehattan.”
“Yeah, and Cloudsdale, but they’re pretty much cheating.”
“Don’t let them hear you say that.” Pensword chortled.
“Doesn’t make it less true.” Grif shrugged.
”Yeah. Still, should I keep an eye on Rainbow Dash? I hear the duchess of Cloudsdale likes to try to … influence certain competitors to join her teams, particularly the Wonderbolts.” His expression soured.
“Worry about your archery first, Pensword. We’ll have to react when we can.”
“Roger. But forewarned is forearmed.”
“Honestly, I’d prefer we keep to ourselves,” Hammer Strike commented as he moved toward the group. “We’ll have plenty to deal with as is. If need be, then need be.”
“So, basically, let sleeping bears lie, and if we get poked with a stick too much, maul the suckers?” Vital asked. “Metaphorically speaking, of course.”
“Yes?” Pensword replied a little confused. “But what does Harry have to do with it?”
Vital took a deep breath. “Pensword, I am sorely tempted to follow Star Swirl’s example right now and berate you for that comment. No pun intended. However, I’m not a jerk with a stick shoved up his plot. I was speaking metaphorically. Back on Earth, the phrase went let sleeping dogs lie. Unless Harry is only a metaphor somehow projected into reality by Fluttershy, I don’t think this applies to him.”
Pensword smirked. “And you still can’t tell when I am joking around.”
“Too easy a target, Pensword.” Grif chuckled as he finished with his eepee, giving it a few dramatic swings.
“Hey, it’s my duty to tease the less experienced of us,” Pensword quipped. He grinned and began to flap his wings as a small giggle escaped his lips. “I hear the train. And she’s one of the newer ones, by the sound of it.”
Vital smiled. “If Scrooge has gold fever, then Pensword definitely has train fever.” He chuckled. “Never change, Pensword. Never change.”
“I don’t plan on it.” He leaned in closer to Vital and whispered. ”After all, I am the train whisperer.” Then he pulled back, smiled, and let the fit of giggles come.
Rainbow Dash grinned as she stretched her hooves and wings. “Man, this is gonna be so awesome! Can you believe it? We’re actually here, live, at the qualifiers!”
“Yeah!” Bulk Biceps roared his enthusiasm.
Fluttershy smiled. “You always did enjoy a good race.”
“A good race? A good race? Fluttershy, this isn’t just any old race.” The prismatic Pegasus zipped to her friend’s side and wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders. “This is the qualifiers for the Friendship Games! This is the big leagues! And we’re going to be awesome.”
“I’m sure Kahn is looking forward to watching, too,” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow blushed. “Yeah, he’s gonna be rooting for me at the games.”
“And the rest of the girls will be here to cheer us on today.”
“Then let’s give them a show they won’t soon forget,” Bulk said as he flexed his muscles.
“That’s what I’m talking about! Okay, first things first. Let’s get to work on our coordination. Bulk, I’m not saying this to be mean, but you’re our weakest flyer right now. That means we’re going to have to run you through your leg of the race more times to help keep things smooth. Fluttershy, you’ve gotten faster and stronger, thanks to your reversion, but you still need to work on your coordination and avoiding flinching. Bulk isn’t going to crash into you. The only issue I’m worried about with him is how much effort he puts into that passoff.” Rainbow pointed at the stallion. “I admire your enthusiasm, Bulk. I’ve seen you put a hundred and ten percent in everything you do, but this pass needs to be smooth and gentle. We aren’t playing bloody hooves here. Think you can manage that while you focus on flying?”
Bulk saluted. “I will, come qualifiers.”
“Good attitude!” Rainbow produced a metal horseshoe with the symbol for the games soldered in the center. “Now let’s get in the air and practice that pass.”
Vital Spark winced as Soarin crashed to the earth. “Ooh, the feminine wiles claim another victim.”
“Vital Spark,” Twilight chided.
“What? It’s true.” He pointed at the cheerleaders. “They proved a distraction to him, because he was checking them out. You can’t exactly blame him either, given what time of year it is.”
Twilight blushed. “That aside, we should see what we can do to help.”
“The medical staff will take care of that.” A siren carried out over the air, followed by a mobile stretcher attached to an Earth Pony technician. “See?”
“I know, but—”
“What I’m more concerned about is the body language those Wonderbolts are putting off right now.” Vital narrowed his gaze as he stared at Spitfire and Fleetfoot. “Maybe we should step in.”
The two Wonderbolts had already walked off by the time Twilight and Vital Spark approached.
“Everything all right, Rainbow Dash? That was quite the stunt,” Vital said.
“It’s a good thing you were there to catch him in time,” Twilight praised.
Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “It was nothing. I do that kind of stuff all the time.”
“You mean flying that fast or saving Ponies?”
Twilight chuckled nervously. “Um, actually, she kind of means both. We’ve sort of lost count over the number of creatures we’ve had to face or Ponies we’ve had to rescue.”
“I suppose I should expect that, since you’re a princess now,” Vital admitted.
“It’s a pretty big responsibility.”
“And we’re awesome at it!” Rainbow pointed out. Then she zipped over to Fluttershy and Bulk. “Now come on, Ponyville. We’ve got some training to get to.”
Grif hadn’t been nearby at the time of Soarin’s accident, and by the time he’d gotten a good idea what happened, it had been too late for him to do much. So, Grif had simply gotten everyone re-organized and calmed down as Unity’s camp split up to practice their various events. Hay bales had been acquired and used to section off the javelin, discus, and shotput areas, as well as to make an archery range, so practitioners of those sports would avoid possible injuries.
For his part, Grif simply ran through shadow duels. He didn’t expect to find someone who could keep up with him, but it never hurt to be prepared, especially as he had determined to do this on skill alone. He was going to suppress his field and wear a magic suppression ring during the qualifiers and the games themselves, just to make things fair.
Grif had done plenty of fencing in the past, but usually it was done with a dulled rapier, not an eepee. The foil was awkward for him, but not so much that it would throw him off. It just felt like he was waving a small metal stick around. Even a swagger stick was more worthwhile in actual combat.
Taking a break, he looked over the camp. Everything had gone remarkably smoothly. For what had been a handful of washouts, the New Unity guard had become a well-oiled, highly disciplined machine. The only real divide between them was which group they belonged to, and that was never so insurmountable an issue as to cause real problems.
One thing Grif was especially grateful for was the ability to keep their camp sectioned off. It wasn’t unheard of for underhanded tactics to be in play during the qualifiers, be it by nobles, other athletes, organized crime, or simply overzealous residents of one of the many cities or towns represented.
Cloudsdale was known for being especially bad, and Grif had personally had to order Spitfire or one of her subordinates off the campgrounds no less than seven times. He was certain he’d created some bad blood when she’d attempted to claim he lacked sufficient rank to order her, in which case Grif had not only addressed a very real rank backed by the authority of not only Hammer Strike but twilight sparkle as well, but had also pointed out her rank was at current just for show, and she’d be smart not to throw weight around.
Grif sighed as he followed that train of thought. if Spitfire was anything to go by on the potential officers for the Equestrian army, they were going to need a lot of work. Grif idly thought back to the officers he’d worked with in passing during the Third Gryphon War. Then, too, there had been a cocky orange yellow pegasus captain, but Flash Magnus had at least shown proper decorum.
Finally managing to shake himself back to the present, Grif sheathed his eepee and headed for the temporary field kitchen. Food was distributed to anyone who wanted it at any time, and Grif was hungry. He could mull over the past after practice was done for the day.
“Hey, Pensword,” Vital Spark greeted as he merged on the path with the Pegasus. He bowed his head in deference to the armored stallion next to him. “Darkbane. You two planning on visiting Soarin?”
“Briefly,” Pensword said. “I still have to prepare for New Unity’s archery trial, but I hate to hear about a soldier who’s down. And with the competition so close, I’m worried his teammates won’t have time to visit.”
“And you know how it is. Where he goes, I go,” Darkbane said.
“I’m sure Soarin will be glad of your company, too, being second-in-command for the Lunar Guard and all. You must be quite the celebrity among the other guard units.”
Eclipse snorted. “Bah. Kid needs a good thrashing for letting himself get distracted, anyway.”
“If you say so,” Vital said.
The journey to the infirmary was short, and the trio were quickly admitted to the Wonderbolt’s recovery room. A white cast had been bound around Soarin’s wing, and a heart monitor beeped steadily as it checked his vitals.
“There he is.” Vital smiled as he approached the bed. “How’s it going, champ?”
Soarin returned the smile. “I’m doing all right. Thanks for checking up on me.”
“How’s the wing?” Pensword asked.
“Doing fine. The doctor said it should be back to normal come tomorrow.”
“That’s great.”
“Yeah,” Soarin agreed. “Just great.” He smiled at the visitors, then glanced away.
“You’re far from great, rookie. You were sloppy. You messed up, and that cost your team. You’re lucky that injury of yours wasn’t more serious.”
“Wow, Darkbane, great pep talk,” Vital deadpanned.
“He’s a soldier,” Darkbane replied. “He should be used to this sort of thing.”
“He’s right. I let my focus drop, and that bent my wing out of shape. Honestly, I’m lucky I was able to recover this fast.” He sighed. “Guess there’s always the next games.”
“Next games?” Vital asked. “I thought you said your wing was good to go.”
“It is. I’m just not.” Soarin looked away guiltily. “The others were concerned I wouldn’t be at a hundred precent, so they’re going with another flyer to give Cloudsdale the best chance of winning.”
“So someone’s flying from the city, then?” Vital asked.
“Or did they have someone here who used to live there? If I recall, anyone who was a legal resident of Cloudsdale can compete,” Pensword added.
Soarin shrugged. “I don’t know. They didn’t say.”
“Well, there’s one way to find out, I suppose. You want me to check your team and see how they’re recovering for you?” Vital asked.
Soarin smiled weakly. “Yeah. Thanks. I haven’t really been able to hear from them since they let me go.”
“You’ve got it.” Vital smiled kindly. “Any word on when you’ll be able to leave?”
“Doctor said he wants me to stay one more day for observation. After that, I can join the spectators to watch the qualifiers.”
“Good. In that case, I should probably get going again. From what I’ve heard of your team leader, it’s probably going to take me a while to get her to slow down enough to actually talk.”
“She’s not that bad. She just … really likes to win is all. It’s sort of a tribal trait.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to rake her over the coals,” Vital promised. “Anyway, I’d best get going. Pensword, Darkbane, Soarin, I bid you all adieu.” He bowed briefly, then backed out of the room.
Darkbane stared after the Unicorn. “Your friend’s a real softie, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is,” Pensword agreed. “In some ways, that was one of the reasons why I joined the military, to protect that mentality from the dangers out there in the world.” He shook his head, then smiled. “Still fun to tease him at times, though.”
Darkbane grunted. “Just don’t forget to stick to the schedule. You’re here to compete, too.”
“I know. That’s where we’re going next, if everything here is in order,” Pensword spoke to both Sorei and Darkbane.
“Don’t let me hold you up,” Soarin said. “Just having somepony visit me was enough. He smiled. “Good luck at the qualifiers.”
“Thank you. And knowing Equestria, you might still get a chance to represent Cloudsdale. Don’t count yourself out till the last card is played.” Pensword nodded and offered a brief salute in farewell, then turned and left at a quick trot with his parole officer following closely behind.
The rapid pierce of needle through fabric zipped through the air as Rarity bent over her design table in the Ponyville camp tent. She wanted to create something that would incorporate the aspects of each member in Team Ponyville’s flying team. The fabric had been lovingly crafted from the finest spider thread to be exceptionally strong and durable, not unlike Bulk Biceps. In honor of Ponyville and its wide variety of inhabitants, the mare had chosen to go with a shining purple base with amethyst gems to give it that sparkle. Rainbow accents feathered up the sleeves of each leg like flames, rimmed with a layer of gold. Each of the gems had been enchanted to help repel stains. She would have included enchantments to aid with wind resistance and other such things, were this not a race. A set of lenses and other crafting materials lay off to the side awaiting her special touch, including a set of bat wings to mount on either side of the goggles.
“Hmm. I’d better test this,” she muttered, then tapped one of the wings. Before her eyes, the material warped and shifted into a beautiful butterfly’s wing. She tapped it again, and the wing returned to its original state. The fashionista grinned and giggled giddily. “It worked!”
She levitated a series of papers, including the notes on the various measurements for her friends, and quickly began to assemble the suits properly. It was done in a matter of minutes. Now all she needed was to pull the contestants away from their exercises for a few minutes to test their reactions and finish any fine tuning that might be required on the gear. She emerged from the tent to see Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps both struggling through some wing-ups. Fluttershy was definitely more used to the labor, but poor Bulk was just too massive for his reduced wings to do anything.
“Hello, everypony. Look what I made,” Rarity sang as she approached the pair. She looked about the clearing in confusion. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?”
“Right here!” Rainbow Dash grinned confidently as she approached the group.
Rarity smiled. “Ah, there you are, darling. I just wanted to show you what I made for our new Ponyville costumes. I assure you, they are the peak gear for Equestrian flyers and completely within the bounds of the rules. I already have your measurements, so I thought you ought to see my genius in action.” She levitated the jumpsuits to each of the Ponies in question. “Bulk, I made sure to make yours with a little extra give for when you work up a pump in those muscles of yours. And I believe you’ll find a pleasant surprise in these racing goggles I fashioned for you three. They each have multiple forms for accents. Butterflies, Thestral wings, Pegasus wings, and all aerodynamic, I assure you. You’ll note I made all of them based on Twilight’s colors and the rainbow magic we seem to invoke every time we use the Elements of Harmony. And, of course, for the captain’s mane.”
“It’s … it’s….”
“Yes, Rainbow Dash?”
Rainbow ran her hoof over the material, then looked back to her friend with an awed expression. “It’s awesome.”
Rarity smiled. “I knew you would have nothing less for our team, darling. We want you all to look your best when you put your best hooves forward at the qualifiers.”
Rainbow smiled nervously. “I’m … sure we will. Right, team?”
Bulk had somehow already shifted into his uniform and roared at the top of his lungs as he flexed to show off all the curves of his muscles inside the material. “Yeah!”
Fluttershy giggled. “We’ll put in every effort,” she promised. “I’m sure we can qualify. I have complete faith in Rainbow Dash’s training.”
Rainbow Dash gulped. “Of course.”
“Well, darling, aren’t you going to try it on?” Rarity asked.
“O-oh, right.” Rainbow zipped behind a tree and emerged seconds later bedecked in the new racing duds. Her rainbow contrail gave her suit a corona of colored light as she circled around her friends, then touched down. “Did you see that?” An excited grin consumed her face. “This is even better than the Wonderbolt uniforms!”
Rarity put both hooves to her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, Rainbow, you have no idea how happy you just made me.” She lunged in for a hug, and was soon joined by Bulk and Fluttershy.
“Group hug!” Pinkie screamed in a braided rainbow wig as she joined the fun with Twilight and the others close behind.
Rainbow Dash’s smile faltered under the onslaught as she peered into the distance. A familiar pair of silver blurs were busy dancing across the sky.
The practice field was filled with the ring of steel on steel and the flash of lightning strokes passing neatly through various targets. Pegasi, Earth Ponies, Thestrals, Crystal Ponies, and Gryphons all strove for that degree of perfection that would hopefully please the judges enough to qualify for the main events. A few Kirin stocked the meat supplies with Gryphons and Thestrals while other staff worked on the herbivorous end of the spectrum with special energy drinks and healthy snacks designed to add fuel to the body for future exercise.
Grif had just finished running his epee through a set of rings for the twentieth time when a familiar scent and a flash of blue heralded the blocking of his sight.
“Guess who,” a familiar voice taunted playfully.
“Mon petit oiseau bleu?” Grif asked.
“We did say we’d meet again at the games, did we not?” Genevieve laughed as she pulled her hands away and fluttered gently to the ground in front of her fiancé. “And here we are.”
“But this isn’t the games yet.” Grif chuckled. “This is just the qualifiers. But I am glad to see you.” And he demonstrated that sentiment by hugging her.
Genevieve purred in delight. “Glad to know you haven’t gotten bored of me after all this time apart. Tell me, are you competing alone or do you have a team with you?”
“In fencing? It’s just me. In the games, well, I’m just part of Unity’s athletes.”
“That so? You know, we never did get to have a proper race between the two of us, did we?” She smirked as she traced her talons over his breast. “Think we might have some time after a bite to eat later? When we’re finished training for the day, of course.”
“I’m sure I can find the time.” He grinned. “Are you excited?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? You know how I get around a competition.” She frowned. “Then again, you’ve never actually seen me around one before, have you? Except that one time in Gryphonia.”
“I suppose I haven't.” He grinned. “I take it you enjoy competition, then?”
“You’ll just have to find out, won’t you?” She smirked. “Perhaps the winner of our next race gets to decide where the date that follows goes?”
“Perhaps.” Grif chuckled. “Who knows? You might even give me a challenge.”
“With your speed? I suppose I should take that as a compliment, but it does prick my pride just a little.”
“I’m sure under normal circumstances you’d be much faster than me.” He laughed. “Unfortunately, my circumstances will never be normal.”
“I don’t know. I’ve heard quite a few things about New Unity.” Genevieve smirked. “Apparently, abnormal is the norm there.”
“We are just outside of Ponyville,” Grif noted.
“Indeed. One of the most chaotic places in your kingdom. Or so I’ve been told.”
“Free monster attack or equivalent disaster every Tuesday.”
“Sounds like fun.” She smirked as her tail twitched. “I never did get the chance to hunt much back home.”
“There is plenty of that, too.” He chuckled, then peered curiously around the field. “Is your trainer okay with you being gone this long?”
“Let’s just say it’s turned into a competition for whether he can catch me.” She smirked. “I usually win.”
“Well then, I’ll be sure to let you know if I see him.”
“Now where’s the fun in that? I like to be fair. How else can you be a good competitor?”
“Fair enough.” Grif chuckled. “The Thunderbird does hate a cheater.”
Genevieve kissed him on the cheek. “Doesn’t everybody?”
“Seen too much to believe that.”
“So, how about most people?”
“Thats fair.”
“Good. And speaking of fair, how about I treat you to some lunch?”
“Sure. Lead the way.” Grif chuckled as he wrapped a wing over her back.
A light shiver passed over Genevieve at the touch, but she smiled as she leaned against Grif’s frame. “Hmm. This does feel rather nice. I see why your wives enjoy it so much.” She fiddled with her engagement ring. “I’m looking forward to making it more permanent.”
“I’m counting the days,” Grif assured her as he smiled, then kissed her on the cheek.
Both their tails twined together as they strode toward the vendors.
Rainbow Dash trotted out from behind a tree, having just finished another grueling practice run with Spitfire and Fleetfoot. Her costume was easily hidden in the usual place, and she approached a nearby pool to refresh herself with a drink. Sweat dripped down her face as the cool water filled her cheeks and helped to soothe her throat.
“It’s not easy practicing with two teams, is it?” Twilight asked.
Rainbow spat her water out and zipped up to the Alicorn. “You … know? Does anypony else?”
“Eeeyup.” Rainbow Dash cringed when Vital Spark walked out from behind a tree. “Had a feeling something was up.” He looked pointedly at Rainbow Dash. “So, you helping till their replacement arrives or what?”
“Well, I … guess?”
“And have they mentioned said replacement is on its way?”
“I, uh, haven’t really asked.”
Vital Spark facehoofed. “Rainbow Dash,” he muttered.
Twilight laid her hoof gently on his shoulder, then took over. “It just seems like one of the teams you’re practicing with needs a little more help than the other one.”
“And we’re pretty sure you already know which team that is,” Vital Spark pointed out. “Fluttershy is a lot more confident a flyer than she used to be, but she and Bulk both need your guidance to adjust to their various trials, especially given Bulk’s size complication. Or have you forgotten the issue with the ciff face?”
Rainbow flinched. “How can I forget?” Then she shook her head. “But I’ve seen the other teams practicing, and we’re still gonna qualify. I can fly fast enough to make up the distance.”
Vital sighed. “I don’t know what you call that here, but back home, we called it rationalization.”
“It’s true, though.”
“Yeah. It’s probably true. Doesn’t mean you should take it on yourself when those two are working their tails off to do their part.”
“Rainbow Dash, you got a minute?”
Rainbow looked nervously at Vital and Twilight, then back at the two Wonderbolts that had just touched down in their training gear. “Uh, sure.” Less than a minute later, an ecstatic Rainbow Dash zipped between the Alicorn and Unicorn in a frenzy of excited energy as the two mares flew off. “They want me to fly with them!” She drifted slowly to the ground and said in a dreamy voice, “It’s like a dream come true.”
“After all the effort you’ve put in with everypony else?” Vital asked in a level tone.
Twilight, ever the practical one, laid the facts on the table. “If you fly for Cloudsdale, Pinkie Pie won’t have anypony to cheer for. Rarity’s uniforms will never be seen. And Applejack will have slaved over those apple brown betties for nothing.”
“But I really wanna fly with the best team,” she replied with an almost childlike whine, then hovered limply to face Twilight. “What would you do?”
“I think this is a decision you have to make on your own.” The Alicorn turned aside and began to trot away. “The race is tomorrow. You’d better make it soon.”
“And you?” Rainbow turned to face Vital Spark.
The Unicorn had grown reserved as he stared at the Pegasus with cool eyes and a placid expression. “I think you can already guess what I would say, Rainbow. Twilight’s right. You need to decide this for yourself. Regardless, I’ve got some work to do.”
“Work?”
“Let’s just call it an extra credit assignment and leave it at that.” His horn began to glow. “Your friends trust you, Rainbow Dash. I don’t know if I can or not in this case. I don’t mean that as an insult, I just mean in regards to the outcome I may want to come to pass. Regardless, it’s your decision to make. No one else can do that for you. Weigh the consequences and decide. It’s all you can do at this point. Good luck.” He vanished in a flash of light.
Rainbow collapsed in a heap on the turf and groaned. “Oh, sweet Celestia.”
“They’re what?” Soarin’s shock quickly gave way to blistering anger that flushed his face a reddish-purple.
“You heard me, Soarin. Your teammates are selling you out deliberately to recruit Rainbow Dash, instead. You know how much she worships Spitfire. She’d walk on water for that mare,” Vital Spark said.
“But that means Ponyville—”
“Yes. Assuming she accepts, Ponyville won’t even have a prayer of qualifying.”
“That’s terrible!”
“That’s the captain you’re flying under.”
“I know she wanted to win. But to go this far? And for Fleetfoot to go along with it….”
“I know. It hurts. You’re angry, upset, maybe even livid. But for now, you need to keep a level head.”
“How can you expect me to do that after I found out my friends, my team, my unit just threw me aside because they didn’t believe in me?”
“Because if I know Rainbow Dash, then she’ll make the right decision in the end, regardless of whatever Spitfire might try to pull. She may need a little nudge in the right direction, but she’ll get there. And then you’ll be the one with the power, because they’ll have to turn back to you and beg you to help them qualify. At that point, it’ll be in your hooves what you do with that power. Regardless, consequences are going to have to come down on your team. These kinds of shenanigans can’t be overlooked.”
Soarin nodded his agreement. “Any ideas?”
Vital smirked. “I have a few.”
A flurry of nurses rushed into the room to the empty bed, where a series of monitors and pulleys were quickly set up.
“What’s the commotion all about?” Vital asked.
“We have a major injury coming from the field.”
“Who’s the Pony this time?”
“Rainbow Dash.”
“What?” both Soarin and Vital Spark shouted.
“So, the medic Pony isn’t sure what’s wrong with you,” Twilight noted as she gave Rainbow a skeptical look. The Pegasus laid in four separate slings that held her suspended over her bed. A series of bandages and a neck brace spoke louder than words that this Pony was hurting.
“Everything. Absolutely everything!”
“Methinks she doth protest too much,” Vital muttered to Soarin from behind the curtain.
“She is sort of laying it on thick, isn’t she?” Soarin’ replied in an equally hushed tone.
“Thank you. I couldn’t have done that on my own,” Rainbow’s muffled voice carried through the curtain. Twilight’s tired sigh was far more audible.
“Apparently, she has yet begun to spread,” Vital noted urbanely. “And now that we’ve confirmed she’s not really hurt, we can move forward with the plan. Remember, don’t show any anger toward her. If Spitfire and Fleetfoot can manipulate her, you can cut their strings. Play it cool and lead her to realize what those two have been doing. The rest will take care of itself at that point.”
“Speaking of playing it cool, shouldn’t you get out of here before everyone sees you?” Soarin asked.
Vital smirked as his horn glowed and his body began to fade. “I’m already gone,” he promised as his cloaking spell finished its work. “I’ll sneak out behind the others.”
A minute later, the Unicorn found his chance. Twilight lingered behind and finished with a final rebuke.
“You know, choosing not to choose isn’t really a decision.”
She left the room, completely oblivious to her silent follower, even as the sound of metal hooks grating across the steel bar rang through the air.
The atmosphere around the Ponyville training grounds was dismal as they partook of Applejack’s treats and talked of plans for next year’s games. Pinkie Pie was throwing a fit over the mound of rainbow pom poms she’d assembled for … some sort of impossible routine. Bulk and Fluttershy were commiserating with Derpy, and Twilight was busy wrestling with one of Rarity’s uniforms after the fashionista accidentally dropped it on top of her. Vital Spark was busy turning the pages in one of his spell books.
“I wouldn’t count Ponyville out of the game just yet, everypony,” the mage noted idly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Pinkie asked.
“Merely that I have faith.” Vital smiled and levitated his book to read while the others shared more of Applejack’s treats.
“That’s nice and all, sugarcube, but without Rainbow Dash around, it’s not very likely we’re gonna qualify,” Applejack noted bluntly. “No offense,” she added quickly.
Fluttershy sighed. “None taken.”
A few minutes later, a confused Twilight spoke up to cut through the general haze of misery that permeated their team. “Is that Rainbow Dash … walking?”
The party inevitably turned their attention to the mare in question, who strode purposefully with Soarin close behind. The Cloudsdale pavilion was located just a short distance from Ponyville’s patch, and the mare was making right for it. Spitfire and Fleetfoot gaped at the sight, alongside the remainder of their support crew.
“Does this mean you’re feeling better?”
“I feel great, because I was never hurt in the first place.” She removed all her bandages and the neck brace, then proceeded to explain herself. After mentioning the difficulty of her choice, followed by receiving the approval of her friends, she continued, “I know now who I should have been loyal to.”
Spitfire and Fleetfoot both smirked.
“Good choice,” Spitfire said as she nudged Fleetfoot gently in the chest. “Always stick with the winners.”
Rainbow promptly threw that smugness out the window. “Ponyville.” She embarked on a monologue to praise her friends and the Ponies she had gotten to know. Everyone from Ponyville cheered at her announcement.
“Are you sure that’s the right decision?” Spitfire asked.
Rainbow Dash was in the mare’s face in less than a second. “You lied to me about Soarin’s wing, just so you could get a better flyer! You may be a winning team, but you’re still not the kind of team I want to be a part of.”
Spitfire pulled off her shades and looked Rainbow fully in the eyes. “Huh. Rainbow Dash. You are something.” She looked at Fleetfoot and smiled. “Saw it at the academy, seeing it again here.” She laid her hoof on the table. “We could learn a lot from a competitor like you.”
“Think we already have,” Fleetfoot said.
Spitfire strode over to Soarin. “Ready to fly?”
“Really?” Soarin asked.
“Never should have lied and tried to replace you to begin with.”
Soarin’s mask of disbelief fell away to reveal an angry glare. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have.” He began to walk away.
“Soarin, where are you going?”
“For a walk.”
“But we’ve got practice. You’ve got a lot of catching up to do, if we’re going to be ready for tomorrow.”
“Correction. You have practice. I haven’t decided whether I want to come back yet.”
“Soarin, come on. This isn’t funny,” Fleetfoot said nervously as she flew over to join the conversation.
“And I’m not laughing,” Soarin replied. “I earned my spot on the team. I’ve flown with you two for years. We’ve trained together, laughed together. I thought we were friends. I even was willing to let things go when you expressed your concerns for the team and its chances at the qualifiers, because I wanted us to have the best chance of winning for our city, for its honor.” He rounded on the pair. “And then I found out you two didn’t even know the meaning of the word.”
“Soarin, calm down. You’re making a scene,” Spitfire said.
“No, actually, I’m not. I’m telling you two how it is. Everypony in the crew heard what you did to me, and they’ll swear to that. I don’t think I have to spell out what that could mean for the both of you, if it came out.”
“Soarin—”
He didn’t give them the chance to break him off. “You want to know the best part? I knew what you did to me a lot earlier, because someone who had real integrity came and told me. Somepony who wasn’t a part of my team, didn’t even know me personally, and still came to visit me at the infirmary out of a desire for my welfare.” Tears swam in his eyes. “You have no idea how angry I am at you two right now!” He wiped his eyes hastily with a foreleg, then resumed his glare. “I’ll fly in the team, but for Cloudsdale’s sake, not yours.” He shoved his way past the mares to approach the pit crew. “Go on ahead. I have to get changed for practice. You’ll get your precious medals. I hope the price was worth it.”
Spitfire and Fleetfoot turned and reached out to the retreating stallion with open mouths and trembling vocal cords. A white-furred Unicorn intercepted.
“I think you two should listen to the colt,” he said coolly. “Now isn’t the time to smooth things over. Give him his space. I’m certain both sides would rather avoid saying things they will come to regret later. This may perhaps be a good time to reflect as you wait for him.”
Spitfire looked one last time at Soarin, then scowled, turned, and flew off. Fleetfoot followed close behind.
Rainbow Dash laid a hoof on the stallion’s side. “Soarin….”
“I’ll be okay, Rainbow Dash.” He smiled weakly. “Thanks for everything. You did a real honor to your uniform today, and to your friends.”
“What’re you going to do now?”
“What I came here to do, compete and make new friends.” He looked over Rainbow Dash’s shoulder at the rest of the Ponyville team as they gathered close with expressions that more or less mirrored Rainbow’s. “And I think I may have already met some.” He seized his sweats from a tech’s proffered hoof. “See you guys at the qualifiers. With Rainbow Dash to lead you, I know you’ll do great.” He flapped his wings, passed through a cloud, and emerged wearing his gear, then followed the trail his teammates had left behind.
“Three, two, one, ARRET!” the referee yelled.
Grif gave his opponent a sweeping bow before holding his epee vertically across his face and then slashing down in a salute. The Unicorn across from him seemed a bit surprised before he thrust at Grif. With a casual flick of his wrist, Grif blocked the thrust and parried the blade to the side before slashing and landing a strike on the stallion’s padding.
“First round Unity,” the referee confirmed.
For the qualifier, each person would fight best of three matches against three separate opponents to qualify for the games. Points were awarded for a hit, at which point competitors would return to their starting positions to clash again. Grif had already won two of his matches, handing a loss out to both Trottingham and Canterlot. His current opponent was representing Whinnypeg.
Grif waited for the signal to start again. This time, he took the aggressive role and led in with a jab which, as he expected, was parried, followed by a jab at his left side. Grif parried in turn, then moved forward with several slashes. His opponent blocked with a surprising amount of skill. Had this been a normal match, Grif might have humored the stallion to see how long this could go. But unfortunately, this time was different, and the stakes left him less charitable. He feigned for another slash and waited for the stallion to come up to block before swiftly changing direction and jabbing low.
“Second round New Unity.” The referee sounded almost bored at this point. “New Unity qualifies for fencing.”
Grif gave a bow to what could charitably be called applause, mostly a few half-hearted claps, and one or two energetic ones from close friends, family, and such. He turned to his opponent and offered him his talons. “You were very good, my friend. I'll be keeping my eye on your progress.”
The Unicorn smiled in turn as he extended his hoof. “And I’ll be keeping an eye on you at the games. Your style is very effective. Tell me, did you develop that stance on your own?”
“For the most part. I was taught the basics a while back, and I just worked from there.” He chuckled. “Best of luck to you.” He stepped out of the ring and scanned the crowd carefully for blue feathers. He finally found the target of his desires at the base of the stands with cool towel at the ready.
The Gryphoness smirked as she held it out for him. “Quite the performance,” she complimented.
He accepted it graciously. “The showboats are the ones rarely expected.” Grif shrugged. “Better to be passed over for a fool. And thus, your enemy exposes his back.”
“Should I be watching mine, then?” she teased.
“Why would you be my enemy? Such a thought kills me,” he answered after a moment of honest thought.
“It must be a slow death, then, since you’re still here.” Genevieve kissed him lightly on the cheek. “And good thing, too. I’d rather keep you around.”
“I talked to the cooks and managed to get use of the kitchen. How about I cook you dinner tonight?” he offered.
“The Avatar cooks? My, my. Now won’t that be a sight to see. I’m certain it’s a spectacle I can’t possibly afford to miss.”
“I hear doubt.” Grif chuckled. “But I assure you Shrial and Avalon swear by my cooking.” He winked.
“I suppose I’ll have to try it for myself then, won’t I?”
“Yes, you shall.” Grif smirked. “So, shall we say seven?”
“I think I can manage to slip away.” She flicked her tail playfully under his beak. “See you then, lover boy.”
Pensword stepped toward the archery section as they placed his quiver staked to the ground with the target set before him. He had been practicing; however, to “keep things interesting,” the game committee had decided to make this year’s event a gimmick to rekindle interest in the sport.
Pensword suspected this had more to do with meddling from nobility than any desire to rekindle an interest. Every Archer looked on patiently as the presenter showed what to do. Instead of judging by the number of bullseyes or points, they had to cover an entire archery board with ice using a set number of enchanted arrows. Pensword almost wondered if Flim and Flam had something to do with this.
Still, he and other archers moved to their spots, only to have a whistle blown at the last second. Their bows were not to be used during the trial. Instead, each competitor was given a new regulation bow. Pensword was no fool, however. He made sure to keep his weapon in sight at all times, even as he prepared the proffered bow.
Unfortunately, due to the unique make of the bow, a prospective Gryphon competitor was disqualified almost immediately. The string snapped with the wood on his first draw. Naturally, said Gryphon has many nasty words to say about the unfairness of the bow, since it was clearly only designed for a pony to wield, and didn’t account for the strength of another species.
Pensword took his time to center his stance and filter out the other noise. Then the whistle pierced shrilly through the silence. He launched arrow after arrow at the board, and pierced it. Seconds later, sheets of ice spread out from the enchanted arrows to prevent the shaft from being removed as he adjusted his aim accordingly. True to the nature of ice, a variety of artistic patterns manifested over each of the wooden canvases.
The first blow had just been shy of a perfect bullseye, and the ice spread out in a beautiful circle. Then he targeted along the outer rim, using the diameter of the ice to estimate the proper locations. Many of his fellow competitors had also done well as the sheets of ice rippled and danced over one another.
Of course, this also proved to be a more difficult challenge, due to the unique nature of the sport. The archers were required to avoid clusters, in order to properly coat their boards. Many were unable to meet that standard, which left only about half of the competitors in Pensword’s group to pass on. Some judges were biased, but still called the shots fair. After a good five or so in a row of failures, a tired-looking Unicorn stepped up to Pensword and looked at his chart. A quill hovered, ready to mark the paper down.
“I’m sorry, but you—” The judge’s eyes widened as he looked at the target. “Pass. Well done. I Was beginning to think I’d have all duds in this batch. I guess we’ll see you in the Games.”
Pensword nodded his head as the official moved on. When the examinations were complete, the judges moved to a giant board where they placed the faces of each of the winners of the qualifiers. Pensword’s ears twitched when he heard a few hisses at the revelation of his photo. A few seconds later, some Unicorns in suit coats were marching on the officials. Based on the waving hooves, he was certain they were contesting his qualification, among others.
The judges were just as adamant, even going so far as to push back against the nobles. It was one thing for a noble to exert their authority to help choose a game. It was another entirely to seek to sway a ruling after careful examination. At last, one of the judges came to the fore with a face flushed a deep red and shouted at the nobles, then pointed to the bleachers that had been set up for spectators. The message was clear, and while many nobles shot the Pony dark looks, they obeyed. After all, this wasn’t Canterlot, and any open attempts to directly impact a fair ruling would not reflect well on them.
Still, it was definitely something to mention to Hammer Strike after they finished for the day.
With the announcements made and permission given to depart, Pensword returned the bow he’d been given, packed his own bow, and made his way to the tent city that had become the focal point for Ponies as they gathered for the qualifiers. A familiar Gryphon sat at a table drinking a raspberry cordial. “Hello, Grif,” Pensword greeted as he took the chair opposite his friend. “How did your qualifiers go?”
“It was no issue,” Grif said, chuckling.
“Good, because they threw the archers for a loop. Tell your friends in the Gryphon community that instead of shooting for points, you shoot with ice arrows to cover the target. And warn them about the bows as well. They’ll need to watch their strength, if they want to avoid breaking them outright. I’m the only one from Unity or the Lunar Courts to qualify, at least in my group.” He shook his head. “The judge was impressed, but I barely squeaked by, I am in the bottom of the heat, so I’m going to need to practice at home, if the rules allow it.” His face darkened into a scowl. “This is utter mismanagement. We weren’t warned about the changes, and yet the competitors from Canterlot were flawless. I’m one of the only non-Unicorns to graduate the qualifiers right now.”
“And? Cloudsdale was allowed to use the Wonderbolts for a flight team.” Grif shrugged. “The solar court’s stacking the deck. It’s nothing now.”
“I just .. it just feels unfair.” He sighed. “Oh, what am I saying? Of course it’s unfair. I guess what I should be doing is hoping we can be ready for the next games with a wider understanding of various archery games. Then again, Ponyville has Rainbow Dash, and no Pony in all of Equestria can move as fast as she can.”
“To be fair, Unity had me for fencing, so I think we can’t complain too much there either,” Grif noted.
“True. And I still qualified. I suppose I should take pride in that. Still, this is going to be an intense game.” He smiled. “Thanks for letting me get the annoyance off my chest. I’m feeling better now.”
“No problem.” Grif drained the last of his drink then rose from his chair. “f you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for tonight.” He chuckled. “I have a date planned, and I need to get some ingredients ready.”
“Sounds good, I’ll see where they need me next.” Pensword replied, and the two friends departed.
The qualifying round for the flyers was a sight to behold. As was expected of such a professional team, Cloudsdale finished the trials with plenty of time to spare, and were ready to move on to the games. Then came Ponyville’s turn. Soarin cheered them on as he waited by the finish line for Rainbow Dash to complete her leg of the race. Bulk Biceps made it through the rings by the skin of his teeth, then passed the baton off to Fluttershy. The mare may have been a gentle soul, but her new form gave her an edge in speed and flight power that she hadn’t been able to access before. While it was nowhere near the rate of the Wonderbolts, it was enough to help make up for the time taken by Bulk’s larger body and relatively smaller wings.
The minute Fluttershy made contact with Rainbow Dash’s hooves, the Pegasus was gone. A rainbow streak flooded behind her as she blasted through cloud and ring in tight angles to rocket up toward the finish line, a literal rainbow platform that ringed a set of clouds. A banner proclaiming the area the finish line stood proudly over the official as he eyed the stop watch at his side. Rainbow punched through the clouds with just a few seconds to spare. All the spectators that had come to watch broke out in cheers as the mare blushed.
Ponyville and the other competitors soon stood proudly together to receive their qualifier medals. Thanks to the enchantments in the lanyards, each medal was able to hang from the competitors’ necks, even ones as thick as Bulk Biceps’. When the ceremony was complete, the Wonderbolts approached, and Soarin strode forward with a warm smile.
“That was some incredible flying, Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy, Bulk Biceps, you two were exceptional. Thanks for really putting your all into the game.” He seized the Wonderbolt pin from his uniform and attached it to Rainbow’s lanyard. “You earned this, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened as she gasped, then pranced excitedly on her hooves. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!”
Soarin laughed. “I’ll see you around, Rainbow. Keep up the great work.”
A few seconds later, Team Ponyville found themselves assaulted by a barrage of all their friends leaping in for a photo bomb. Everypony laughed together as the flash went off.
Vital Spark smiled and nodded his approval. “Job well done, Rainbow,” he murmured. “Job well done.”
Grif hummed to himself as he worked in the kitchen. The scent of garlic and pepper permeated the the area as he lovingly tended the meal.
Somehow, the Gryphon found the chance to just take it easy and cook invigorating after the last few months they’d had. The menu tonight was made to blow Genevieve away. Chicken cordon bleu cooked in one of the large ovens as he mixed a creamy parmesan sauce, adding a few additions of his own as he worked, Handmade tortellini boiled in a pot nearby. On the counter behind him, a bowl of fresh spring salad sat beside a steaming mushroom soup. Dessert lay in the ice box, and he’d already set the table with both a dark and a light wine, as well as a glass of gwarkala.
He’d just turned from his sauce to get breadsticks from the oven when he heard the tent flap open and close.
“Do I smell Bitalian cooking in here?” Genevieve asked as she slinked into the kitchen.
“Bitalian, Phrench, and a little bit of something else later on.” Grif chuckled. “Does it smell good?” he asked as he put the breadsticks into a basket.
“Need you even ask?” she countered.
“What smells good to one can by cloying to another.” Grif shrugged. “The chicken will be done in a moment. I take it you have no objections to chicken, ham, or cheese?”
“Why should I? I am a carnivore, after all.”
“You’re not used to people caring for your personal tastes, are you?” Grif asked as he set the first courses, laying the breadsticks down as well as a bowl of soup and a bowl of salad. Then he returned to the pasta, which he tested, drained and began to sauce.
“On the contrary. You forget, I am technically of royal blood. My palate is plenty refined. I simply don’t care so much as some would like me to.” She smirked. “I’ve yet to have some delicacy that I don’t like.”
“You’ll have to tell me.” Grif smiled as he took the chicken out of the oven, carefully plated them, and then added the pasta. He set a plate on either side of the table behind salad and soup. “I wasn’t sure on your preference for drinks, so I got a little of everything,” he noted as he took his seat.
“All the way out here?”
“My dear, with my connections, I can get practically anything, practically anywhere.” Grif laughed. In lieu of candles, he released two small orbs of fire that hovered over the table and burned dimly. A mirthful chuckle escaped his beak. “Now, are you going to sit?”
She eyed the steaming dishes curiously as she took her place. “So, you crusted the chicken and altered its shape,” she noted clinically. “The hints of an indentation indicate you used string to hold it together. So, this is a roll of some kind?” She pulled a breadstick from the basket and tapped it against her beak as she contemplated the dish before casually taking a bite of the bread.
“Chicken cordon bleu is a breast of chicken over ham that has been filled with cheese.” Grif chuckled. “It was a better choice than turducken.”
“Dare I ask?”
You take a duck and stuff it with a chicken, which you then stuff inside a turkey,” Grif explained.
“Wouldn’t that ruin the flavor of the individual birds?”
“In most cases, yes. And I don’t have the skill to try. Thus, cordon bleu.” He chuckled and started on his soup.
“What cheese did you use to stuff it?” Genevieve queried as she cut into the dish.
“Swiss,” Grif noted.
She tasted the chicken and chewed for several seconds to process all the flavors. Finally, she swallowed. “Interesting. Crust for texture, chicken for the subtle body, the ham for a saltier undertone, and the mellow creaminess of the swiss to bind it all together. I can see why you chose to include so many drinks with it, however. It definitely requires something to wash it down.”
“Also why I went with pasta over vegetables,” Grif noted. “The texture, I find, matches better.”
“And you stuffed it with cheese while smothering it with a cheese sauce? Isn’t that a little too much?” she asked as she eyed the tortellini on her fork.
“Who said I stuffed it with cheese?”
“Mystery ingredient?” She raised her brow. “Intriguing.”
“I like to keep people surprised. I know it’s not palace chef work, but I’ve been told my food’s very good.”
“By your other wives?”
“And others.” He chuckled. “Is it not good, then?”
“If it weren’t good, I would have told you so,” Genevieve pointed out. She sampled the pasta. “What is this sweetness? It’s creamy, but it blends well with the subtle saltiness from the parmesan.”
He smirked. “I can’t tell you all my secrets.”
“Not even to a future wife?” she countered playfully.
He chuckled. “You can ask the others. I don't tell them everything.”
“Ooh, so they have to fight you for it, do they? I can respect a little competition.”
He laughed. “You wouldn’t be an athlete, if you didn’t.”
“You know, we still need to have that race of ours sometime.”
“We’ll have plenty of time for that soon,” he promised.
“You mean after the games are done.”
“It’s only a short time.” Grif smiled.
“Too long for my taste. But I know we both have our obligations to fulfill.” She sighed. “I suppose we just have to make the most of it until then.”
“Glad to know I left such an impression on you.” He smiled at her.
“You never write, you don’t call….” She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes in a surprisingly coquettish manner. “Honestly, what am I going to do with you?”
“Force me down and ravish me?” Grif wiggled his eyebrows.
“Don’t tempt me, lover boy. I’m still eating dinner, and we haven’t even gotten to dessert.”
“Well then, we’d better eat up, huh?” Grif laughed as they ate.
The station platform was a hubub of activity as the various teams that had remained at Rainbow Falls said their last goodbyes and prepared to depart on their various trains. The scent of fresh baked goods and other treats wafted tantalizingly in the air to call customers for one last expenditure before they began their long journeys. The station was so busy that Ponies had no choice but to wait outside for the overflow to lessen.
“Wow. Talk about a madhouse,” Vital Spark noted as he observed the jostling crowd.
“Plenty of individuals wanting to get home. Only makes sense for it to be this way,” Hammer Strike commented as he walked up.
“And where have you been?” Vital asked. “I didn’t see you all week.”
“Overseeing and paperwork,” Hammer Strike replied with a sigh. “All damned week.”
“Without a single break?”
“I got a few breaks in, but typically in the morning, when nobody is awake.”
“Did Rarity know?”
“Probably, but I tried my best to not wake her.”
“You realize if she does know, she’s probably going to plan something tailor fit and possibly extravagant just for you, right?”
“Probably.”
“What’s probably going to happen?” Pensword asked as he trotted up to the duo accompanied by Eclipse.
“Just pondering what Rarity will do in the future,” Hammer Strike replied simply.
“Something with fashion is a safe bet,” Pensword quipped.
Grif approached the group light on his feet, humming with a slightly goofy grin.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Vital noted as he eyed the Gryphon.
“I had a good night,” Grif responded.
“That much is obvious.” Hammer Strike chuckled. “I’ll be glad to just get back to New Unity.”
“I figured you four would have wanted these competitions to go on,” Eclipse commented with a shrug.
Pensword looked to Eclipse unsure how that tone of voice was meant for. Was it sarcastic, downputting, or uplifting? He didn’t say anything as he was looking forward to sitting back down and going over the reports that had been delivered earlier that morning from the new committees at the settlement.
“How come?” Vital asked.
“All four of you are, how do I put it, warriors? You’ve all fought life and death several times, from the reports I read. Didn’t expect you all to be so satisfied with just this. Well, except Hammer Strike, since he didn’t join in.”
Vital shrugged. “I was just a spectator this time around. Grif, pensword, you two wanna take this one?”
“It’s the brakes with family that keep me going. This is fun, but glory means very little in the end,” Grif said.
Pensword smiled. “This is an activity whose outcome isn’t death if I fail. That’s a nice change for me.” He narrowed his eyes then. “Also, as one of the few competitors not tied to either Unicorns or the Solar Courts, it’s more a point of pride to try placing in the top three now.”
Eclipse hummed to himself before simply giving a shrug. “Whatever works in the end.”
“What about you, Eclipse?” Vital asked. “Did you want the trials to keep up?”
“Doesn’t matter to me either way. While I would have liked to compete, I was told I should refrain from joining in,” he replied, frowning. “I like my position. Don’t get me wrong. I just have to miss out on events like these.”
Pensword raised a brow. “Then while I’m doing the finalization with the committee, why don’t you talk to Grif about setting up something you’d enjoy doing in New Unity? Even Hammer Strike does things he enjoys in his breaks.”
“I’ve got things I do when I’m free.” Eclipse shook his head. “Don’t you worry about that.”
Pensword nodded, his ears perked, and the same smile pulled over his muzzle. “Our train is next. A four-six-zero Moonlight Special, if I’m not mistaken.” He made one last check of his gear before heading toward the actual boarding section of the station. It was time to return home.
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Lots of things occuring behind the scenes of canon, and Hammerstrike and support behind that, and further.
Is Genevieve trying to get out of running for the Games, by keeping in the ruunning with Grif and family? Or even if she is sucessfuil now, she would be in fit state for the Games as well either way?
I thought the Ice Arrows were a binary system, the arrow being a trigger for the Ice spell on the target, than a full nucleation driver in its own right? I hope Hammerstrike or Clover or someone points out the danger of a Men In Tights scenario and sets up accordingly. Then again, Spike can still succeed even if it isnt the full block he deals with next time?
Pensword On Parole? I wonder how often Vital starts humming Police Academy when he remembers?
I forgot what set of Tuesdays are turning up next, as its a couple seasons yet before EQG? If it ever occurs?.. Ive forgotton.
9951658
If the Ice Arrows were set up as a binary system that worked by triggering spell arrays that already existed on their targets, then somepony has some serious explaining to do about how a supposedly "safe" sporting event arrow nearly killed half a stadium full of ponies when that one archer lost control of his arrow in canon. Because an Ice Arrow set up like you suggested would not have caused a randomly struck cloud to ice over.
I’ve been thinking when Earth and Equas do finally create stable ways to travel there are going to be tons of lawsuits. Plenty of entertainment and tech companies will try to claim copyright infringement. What with all the tech and culture introduced when humans arrived.
9959175
Ah, that explains quite a bit, though one thing sticks out.
If there was no space between her running off and him going after her, then there was no space between her getting disowned/yelled at and her getting consoled. So the real twilight never even got yelled at, because it was a changeling taking the beating. So she should be confused when they start apologizing. Unless I've missed something it doesn't quite work. Thanks for clearing that up.
I'm not going to ask to add a scene where she gets taken, I like that it was implied. I look forward to seeing some of your edits in the future.
Wait do the human charecters become ponies? And do they become ponies permanently?
Name
I'm missing something here, when did the Kirins come into play? I thought it wasn't for a while yet.
The "I" for if is missing
As always another wonderful chapter, and I look forward to the next one.
9966282
They have Equestrian forms. Also, if you don't mind my asking, where in the story are you right now? Have you caught up, or are you still in earlier chapters? Once you answer, I'll be able to better address your initial question.
9970578
Thanks for catching those errors. As for the mention of the kirin, we actually added them much earlier in the story, before Kirin were introduced in the MLP world. We plan to include them from that episode, and an explanation for why the design is different from the kirin we've employed already in our story universe.
9970860
I have only just started the story and am on chapter 2,however I browsed a little bit of future chapters to see if this story really increases in quality,and to get a lay of the land you could say. During this I saw that they are ponies,and I have a personal preference of reading stories where the human charecters in equestria STAY human,so I was asking to know if I can save myself the disappointment.(It is a personal preference in the kind of fics I enjoy,I am not insulting the story in any way or saying anything negative whatsoever,please do not get offended)
9969710
Moonshade was referring to history in our world. They haven't dealt with Sombra's return just yet where you're at.
9965413
Thank you. I had a lot of fun writing it.
9953900
Extenuating circumstances, I think. Plus, the story is public domain and has been adapted to fit Equestria and its residents, so it's technically still different, even if the story is the same. Now, if the musical numbers are all the same, they may have some grounds there. But I don't think we'll necessarily have that in the story, even if it does or does not happen.
9970866
Could you give me a description of what they look like and a reminder of which chapter they were featured in please?
Hello there 9970876, as a long time reader of the story I do not give out spoilers lightly but to ease your mind.
There will be time traveling shenanigans that will force them to take equine forms, tho for two of them it is reversible for when they return to earth which will have happened twice in the story so far.
I hope this was helpful and that I have not invoked the wrath of the writers.
9970950
Thank you alot,it was very helpful.
I too hope that the authors will not punish you for simply being helpful and awnsering my question,have a hug for your kindness. *hugs*
9971200
*Accepts the hug* Thank you, tho now I guess the question is will you continue reading the story? I mean it's fantastic.
9970876
I'll put the answer in spoilers for you, so you can decide whether or not you want to keep reading.
They can resume their human forms, and will be able to, but the longer they remain in their equestrian forms, the more certain traits of those forms will carry over into their human sides. I'm not saying they can never be human after a certain point, but there may be physical changes, like in hair color, muscle density, that sort of thing.
9971200
And for the record, we're not really into the whole punishing people thing. XD
9971268
That's good,and alrighty then,I'll keep reading,not like I have anything better to do lol
9971245
I will indeed,thank you for the assistance once again,I hope you have a good day
9970950
9971432
First off, I would like to say we have given a spoiler warning in the comments so folks can type what they read about, so reading the comments is at one's own risk. Though Thank you for putting spoilers in.
Second. To Mr. A.
Vital Spark is correct, I can see that hopefully your concerns have been aliviated, but please, if you have any more question or comments, please do not hesitate to reply or leave another comment, we all enjoy when readers engage and leave their thoughts and opinions or even guesses for the future.
9971602
Okay ^3^
9971268 9971602
Nice to know, and your welcome.
This book is a 1,000,000 words longer than Sironia, Texas!
that frankly amazes me!
I can't wait for the paper-back!!!
9970950
I'll do you one better. I'll tell you which chapter to find the kirin in the first place. It's called Reunited We Stand, the eighth chapter in the story. That's the first mention of a kirin shown in Canterlot. There will be other references to kirin later on as well, but that's the first place we actually showed one in the story. Sorry it took me so long to respond to that question, but I hope that helps.
9988376
Thank you for that, tho I fear I'll have to reread the whole book anyways, so much to remember. And on that note the only kirin I "now" remember in the story, was the baroness that the Doctor know and to whom Lord Strike and Penswords wife met when they went back in time.