The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

Think Quickly, Friends

"...Well." Gerardo's headcrest flopped. "I suppose that leaves us with no idea whatsoever what we're going to do."

"And less than an hour to do it," Amber murmured nervously, tapping her hooves.

"I had a plan," Jamjars proclaimed. "Not my fault if you didn't like it. I'm going to sabotage him by myself, then."

The door clicked shut in her wake, and Shinespark sighed. "Since the sword got brought up, it can effectively persuade batponies to surrender in one hit. We'd just need to hit him to do it, but the best pony here at surprise attacks is..."

"Me," Maple whispered, eyes on the blade at Gerardo's side. "I've pocketed that sword several times before with no negative effects. If he tried to grab me, I could pull it on him faster than he could blink. But that involves me in the arena, and I know next to nothing about how to defend myself! I should have paid attention and taken Valey up on offering to teach me..."

Nyala gave a reticent mechanical whirr, and stayed silent.

"And even if we had a way to beat him, that still involves getting to fight him in the first place," Maple continued, looking down. "We'd be owing Felicity a big favor, and even if I like to think the best of ponies and trust them when I can, she was clear we'd also owe someone else a favor for getting us to swap in for Valey, if that's even possible at all. And that someone might be a lot more ruthless... I just don't know what we can do, everyone. We might be out of options."

Shinespark hesitantly reached for Gerardo's sword, and he let her take it. "So what does taking a weapon or armor into the tournament involve, anyway?" She frowned into her reflection, tinged sapphire by her aura. "Not like we have my suit from the pirate ship anyway, but if anyone other than Maple was to bring the sword... I've seen some fighters bring extras, but most of them are unarmed. What's the difference?"

Maple blinked. "If Valey did stay in the tournament, it would be useful to have a weapon if she ever fought Wallace again..." Her gaze went to the sword too. "That sword could defeat anyone in the tournament, no matter how strong, or who it was used by."

"The rules for bringing armor and weapons into the tournament?" Gerardo blinked. "I... honestly haven't the foggiest idea. Based on everything else in this event, I'd assume it functions on some sort of game for the entertainment of the organizers, but that's merely an unfounded guess. I know there's some policy on disguises for fighters who want to attempt remaining anonymous, but really, I can't say."

Amber raised an eyebrow. "How common are they?"

"There was someone who looked like a professional soldier a few fights ago, I think..." Maple mused.

"Whatever. It would be a question for whoever lets us in." Shinespark swallowed, then looked around at everyone. "So? We've been here more than ten minutes. Are we... Do we have a plan? Are we doing anything?"

"Is there anything we can do?" Gerardo countered. "Seems to me like we've got plenty of mismatched pieces and no one able to tie them all together."

"No one outside of ourselves and Felicity we could turn to?" Amber's ears fell. "No other friends you've made or favors you could call in?"

Gerardo sighed. "I'm afraid the grand total of our acquaintances here are either politicians or pirates, with a small amount of civilians on the side. The former wouldn't and the latter probably can't show their faces."

Shinespark gritted her teeth.

"I bet Starlight would ask to enter in a heartbeat," Maple whispered. "And I'm not sure if I'd let her. But it's just us, so..."

"I'll do it," Shinespark proclaimed, standing straighter. "Gerardo? Give me that sheath, please?"

Gerardo raised an eyebrow, beginning to unbuckle the sheath from beneath his uniform's sash. "Are you quite confident it's a risk you want to take? You know the odds of success."

"Yes," Shinespark said, taking a step closer with the sword bobbing at her side. "I have to hit him once with a sword that has a history of murdering batponies. I can't get hit first, or I'll lose. And I have to indebt myself to Felicity and probably some lord to do it. I... I don't want you behind me, okay?"

Amber blinked. "You don't what? Want us behind you?"

Shinespark took a deep breath. "If I have this come back to haunt me, I don't want you getting caught up in it as well. I know how to take care of myself. I know why I'm trying this. I know what the risks are, and my chances of success, and whether it works or not... stay out of it. You can watch me fight, but if I end up indebted to someone for this, I don't want any of you getting dragged in with me. That's my decision. Okay?"

"You should know," Gerardo grunted, finishing his work and offering her a belt with the sheath attached, "that your odds of having this be worth anything are frighteningly-"

"Are one hundred percent," Shinespark countered, needing to wrap the belt twice around her slimmer pony barrel to get it to fit. "I might not be able to keep Valey in the tournament, but going beyond and trying with everything I've got anyway is worth something to me, and I think it will be worth something to her, too. I'll take care of myself. Gerardo, you're the captain until I get back. Everyone else? Good luck."

"Shinespark, are you quite...?" Gerardo held out a talon, but retracted it without doing anything. "Well. I gave you my sword. I suppose it's not my decision to question."

Amber sighed and nodded. "I'm pretty sure I know what your reason is. Don't do anything too stupid, alright?"

Maple nodded softly too. "I don't wish I was in your place," she murmured. "You're a lot stronger than I am, I guess. Good luck, Shinespark. But if we find out you need it, don't think we won't come to get you out of anything you get yourself into, bargaining with politicians and lords. If you think Valey won't lead us right into it, you're completely wrong."

Shinespark bowed her head and stepped out of the room, Gerardo's sword rocking against her side and the door closing behind her.

"You look resolute, darling," Felicity's voice said from the shadows, and soon she was standing there unobscured, her styled, cherry mane bobbing slightly with the motion. "Remember, I can't even promise we'll be able to find someone to let you in, but shall we see what we can do? My sister does owe you, after all, and by extension I do too."

"Let's just..." Shinespark winced. "Not waste time. I'm coming. I don't know if I can win in a fight either, but I'll see what I can do."

Comments

[Mini-Joe]

beat up grandpa, i dont like him

[Venlinelle]

You know, as much as we talk about Starlight being unhealthy and needing a mother, it’s pretty worrying how the group is treating Jamjars. Granted, Jamjars is enormously more mentally healthy than Starlight, but she still can’t be more than 12, and I hope somepony at least tries to form a genuine bond with her at some point.

[sploopy slooder]

guys....just stop. there no need for any of this. fuck this wack ass tournament. i really dont want more chapters of whiny shinespark angst for when this inevitably goes poorly.