Fighting is Magic: The Equestrian Grand Tournament

by Lance Skyes

1: Countdown to Battle - Journey to Canterlot

Rarity and Applejack stood facing each other on opposite sides of a circle drawn on the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres, both training for the next Equestria Battle Tournament that started the day after. In the Equestria Battle Tournament, ponies from all across Equestria, and sometimes other races representing other lands, nations, worlds, etc., would gather in Canterlot to engage in an all-out hoof-to-hoof combat tournament to decide who was the strongest fighter in Equestria. So far, there have been four annual Tournaments. (Not counting the first one where Discord wiped everyone's memory of that tournament after being defeated by that Tournament's champion, Rainbow Dash.) Neither Rarity nor Applejack have become the champion once out of those five times, so they've decided to train together in preparation for the upcoming tournament to try to get at least one of their names on the Equestria Battle Tournament Wall of Fame next to the names of Fluttershy, Derpy Hooves, and Rainbow Dash's two titles.

Coming up was the fifth Equestria Battle Tournament, and both Rarity and Applejack had decided to work together to get the name of either a unicorn or an earth pony into the championship spot this year. "Are you ready, Darling?" Rarity asked Applejack after the two had stared each other down for a few moments.

"Ready if you are," Applejack replied, readying herself to charge.

"Then let this battle begin!" Rarity shouted as she began galloping forward at Applejack, who charged back.

Applejack was the first one to try an attack. She slid low, turned herself around and tried to buck Rarity right in the face to start the fight off, but Rarity was quicker on the draw and summoned a sheet of fabric to absorb the attack. This knocked Applejack off balance, allowing Rarity to retract her roll of fabric and use her magic to launch it at Applejack, knocking the farm pony several paces away. AJ quickly recovered from this attack, however.

"Ah thought y'all said we weren't fightin' with weapons this time 'round," Applejack said as she rubbed her chin.

"Did I?" Rarity asked, using her magic to desummon the fabric. "I certainly don't recall saying that, but weapons are allowed in the Tournament, so this would make for more training value."

"Well, if y'all say so," Applejack said. Then, in one quick motion, she reached under her hat, pulled out her lasso, gripped it in her mouth, and flung it right at Rarity, wrangling the fashionista's legs right out from under her and pulling her towards Applejack. Applejack then released Rarity and gave her a solid skyward buck just before Rarity could even hit the ground. Applejack then jumped up and tried to start an aerial combo, but Rarity recovered faster than AJ anticipated and countered the farm filly's attack by summoning a scarf and using her magic to swing it in a semi-circle motion with enough power to knock Applejack away. Applejack was able to recover from this, and both ponies landed on the ground at the same time.

"You've gotten better," Rarity complimented.

"So have you," Applejack replied. "But tell me, why are you smiling?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Rarity said. "Just a little move that might end this battle." Rarity then began charging her horn with energy, but she wasn't able to execute her attack before Rainbow Dash came flying in to interrupt the battle.

"What are you two doing out here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, we were training for the Equestria Battle Tournament," Applejack replied.

"Right now?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "The train to Canterlot is about to leave! We all need to be there as soon as possible for the opening ceremonies tonight!"

"But it's just barely 4 in the afternoon," Rarity replied.

"Did it slip your mind that this is the last train from Ponyville to Canterlot today?"

"What?" both AJ and Rarity exclaimed at the same time.

"I thought for sure there was another train leaving at six!" Rarity said.

"We'd better hightail it to the train station then," Applejack added. The three ponies then made their way to the train station at top speed.

"AAAAAAALL ABOARD FOR CANTERLOT!"

Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy (with Angel Bunny standing on her head) had begun to grow anxious upon hearing the train conductor's voice and the train's whistle.

"Oh, I hope the others get here soon," Fluttershy said as Angel searched for the three ponies missing from their group.

"Me too," Pinkie Pie replied. "The Tournament won't be any fun if we're three ponies down."

"We might have to be," Twilight replied. "The train's about to leave."

The three were just about to board the train when Rainbow Dash came flying in with Applejack and Rarity.

"Hold the train!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "We're here!"

"About time," Twilight said. "Hurry up!"

In truth, AJ, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had an easy two minutes before the train finally left the station, (turns out Twilight was wrong in her assumptions) but what mattered was that they got on the train in the first place. Soon, the six mares and one bunny were Canterlot bound.

In general, the train ride was rather uneventful. Twilight was busy reading the book she used in combat, The Egghead's Guide to Fighting. It was Rainbow Dash who jokingly but inadvertently recommended it to her. As it turned out, the book contained within it a powerful magic that amplified Twilight's combative skills. It hadn't won her a single Tournament since she started using it in the second one, but her performance was definitely an improvement from the first Tournament, so she stuck with the book from then on. Pinkie Pie was busy chowing down on the snacks the Mane 6 brought, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were resting, (unknowingly leaned up against one another) and Fluttershy was brushing Angel's hair so that he would be presentable when the tournament started.

Now, remember that I said in general, the train ride was uneventful. I say this because Rarity's ride was actually considerably eventful. Not long after the Mane 6 boarded the train, Rarity had to use the little filly's room. On her way back, she was grumbling about how disgusting a train's restroom was and not looking where she was going when she accidentally bumped into somepony, knocking both of them down.

"Oh my!" Rarity exclaimed as she got back up. "I-I'm so sorry. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," the other pony replied. As he got back up, Rarity could do nothing but stare at the colt. He was a unicorn with a very light brown coat, his mane was red, his tail was blue, both of them poofy enough to make Pinkie Pie jealous, and he had a rounded snout. Rarity had seen handsome colts before, but this one sported an unusual style unlike anything she had ever seen before... and this was something she liked.

"Um, are you alright?" the colt asked, snapping Rarity back to reality. She noticed that he was a little bit shorter than her. A bit unusual for an average young stallion like she assumed he was.

"Oh, yes," Rarity quickly replied. "I'm... fine. My, that's a very lovely style you're sporting with your mane there."

"Oh this?" the colt asked as he looked up at his mane. "It's nothing. Just what I was born with, that's all."

"Well, I guess some ponies just get all the luck," Rarity said.

"Yeah, some ponies," the colt repeated. He then held out his hoof in front of Rarity. "My name's Keldeo. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Rarity," Rarity replied, shaking Keldeo's hoof. As she retracted her hoof, she noticed something odd about Keldeo's hoof. It seemed like there was an opening at the bottom. "Is there something wrong with your hoof?" she asked.

"What?" Keldeo asked, looking at his hoof. It was at this moment that Rarity also noticed that Keldeo was talking without moving his mouth much at all. What an unusual pony. "There's nothing wrong with my hoof," Keldeo finally said. "It's part of my, um... talent." Quickly, possibly to shift the subject away from his hooves, Keldeo said, "Are you on your way to Canterlot for the Equestria Battle Tournament?"

"Why, yes I am," Rarity replied. "You too?"

"Yes," Keldeo replied. Scratching the back of his head with his hoof, he added, "Guess I'll see you there."

"Yeah, when we get there," Rarity replied. She noticed he was blushing slightly. She figured she herself was blushing at least a little, but she didn't think Keldeo had time to notice.

"I've gotta get back to my train car now," Keldeo quickly said after a short awkward silence.

"Yeah, me too," Rarity replied. The two then galloped past each other to return to their designated locations on the train.

Once Rarity made it back to the car where her friends were, she was greeted by Pinkie Pie popping up out of nowhere and saying "Hiya Rarity! What took ya so long?"

"Oh, I just... bumped into somepony, that's all," Rarity replied with a chuckle.

"A rather strange somepony at that," Rarity thought to herself.

It was another half-hour before the train arrived at Canterlot. The ponies got off the train in a flood in order to get their seats at Canterlot Stadium for the Tournament. Combatants in the Tournament, however, got special reserved seats for free, so the Mane 6 and a few other ponies were in little rush. Rarity looked around to see if she could find Keldeo, but he was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he was part of or swept up in the stampede of ponies from before. The poor darling if the latter was true.

"The Tournament doesn't start for a couple hours," Twilight said to the others. "Who wants to get something to eat before we head to the Stadium?"

The general consensus was yes.

Meanwhile at Canterlot Stadium, Princess Celestia was busy getting things ready for the Tournament. It was the fifth Equestria Battle Tournament, so she had some celebrations planned. She wasn't quite done getting the fireworks ready when she sensed a shadowy presence behind her.

"Planning festivities for tonight?" the figure behind her asked in a dark tone. Celestia barely had any time to respond before she found herself bound by dark magic. "Oh, don't you worry your princessy head about that. I'll take care of things for you."

Author's Note:

Yeah, this new idea just popped into my head a few weeks ago and it wouldn't leave me alone, so I figured "Why shouldn't I write this?" Sorry there wasn't much actual fighting in this chapter, but more is to come. Especially with the exciting inaugural battle to kick off the Equestria Battle Tournament. Until next time.

Also, Rarity x Keldeo shipping is totally a thing. Look it up if you don't believe me.

Comments

[Bronydragon]

Nice start. A bit rushed and flat, but we shall see to the coming chapters.
Faved for future chapters.

Dragon

[Arch22]

is this based on mlp fighting is magic tribute edition you know the one with the EXACT MOVES YOU DESCRIBED