Rainbow over Griffany: RotE Episode 7

by Dream Volt

Fire and steel

The stadium, unlike the coliseum, was built mostly of clouds, but apparently Twilight wasn't kidding about casting the cloud-walking spell on everypony just in case. I mean I barely even saw her horn light up when she did it. Most griffin buildings were dark stone that clung to the cliff side, but other than the statues being griffins this place looked a lot like the stadium back home in Cloudsdale. It was on the ground though, with grass and dirt, and a track circling the edge of the stadium. A surprisingly full stadium. It had been nearly empty, a few athletes just practicing and a few spectators watching. But ever since Gilda confiscated it the thing had slowly filled with griffins and a surprising amount of ponies. I know ponies are everywhere, but I didn't think there would be too many in Griffany, even if most of them were pegasi.

AJ beat Gilda easily on all the strength things. Even though there was some shinny thing in the middle of the field which should cancel magic AJ still shattered the boulder to pieces like it was nothing. The goal was break off as much of it as you can, and shattering it to pieces sure counted. Though I sometimes wish I wasn't the one scoring this, I don't even get the point of some of this stuff. The race was simple enough at least. Run around the track ten times fast as you can. AJ had lapped Gilda twice. Earth ponies are crazy fast on the ground. I mean those four dudes were pulling a train nearly as fast as normal. I really have to remember to ask Twi about that some time. Or maybe AJ would know since her cousin's out there. Of course I'm super fast for a pegasus on the ground too, but earth ponies just have stronger leg muscles.

"Come on G, you can do better than this."

"Shut up Dash. I know I'm losing."

Then she was out of earshot again. I thought about following around the whole track, but it was much easier to just hover in one spot and turn around in a circle. Gilda had her wins of course. Though that shot-put was sort of unfair. Hooves just can't hold on that well and it did slip just like AJ said. Of course AJ was the one that said anything that doesn't involve wings. Gilda suddenly surged forward. Twilight was right about conserving your energy I decided. It's what let me beat AJ last time we raced. I don't think it was going to help Gilda now though.

She was still wearing that little tiara. It had to be magiced on. It so would have fallen off otherwise. Gilda did say some little magic might work since it's only to stop cheating. Gilda had done a pretty good job catching up. She even crossed the finish line first on AJ's last lap. Then I frowned when she started celebrating. I sighed and flew down.

"Uh, G, you still have a lap to go."

"I know that. Just give me this. That was a humiliating loss."

"I still have to score it as…"

"You're not using the big board so they don't have to know that."

"Just let er have it Dash. So far this don't seem that rough."

"You've still lost nearly half the events. Also this is so far just standard Olympic type stuff, I held off on doing anything more dangerous cause Dash would be upset if you got hurt. Ponies are just so fragile."

"I'll show you fragile you no good varmint. I can take anything you can."

"Fine." Gilda then yelled at the top of her lungs. "Fire and steel games. Now."

A few griffins came out of the woodwork and immediately flew off. They had been gathering stuff for various events the whole time, but now it seemed all of them suddenly were in action at once. I still wasn't too clear exactly where all of them were. Then the loudspeaker crackled, the announcers talking again.

"This is Pinkie Pie, your announcer today, and beside is Grumpy Mcfeatherpants."

"That's still not my name and that still makes no sense. By the way the security team gave up after they were informed she has diplomatic immunity so even if they did catch her they couldn’t really punish her."

"Oh Grumpy, that's so silly. That has nothing to do with the contest."

"You were talking about…" Then there was a sigh. "Sorry about this everyone. I'll try my best to give you a coherent play by play, no matter how annoying a certain pony is being."

"Huh, I don't see any other ponies in here. Who are you talking about?"

A loud thunk came over the speakers. "I hate you so much."

"So anyway Grumpy, what's this whole fire and steel games thing? It sounds scary."

"That, was almost a good question. As just about everyone in Griffany, pony or not knows, it can be, but mostly for the competitors. Still it isn't half as dangerous as a coliseum fight or they'd be dragging the princess back to palace already for even suggesting she compete. No, wounds will be superficial at best, and should heal quickly."

"Wounds? That doesn't sound very fun."

"Well the princess is quite skilled. She even holds a record or two. Or did. I'm not really the numbers guy. He's the one you knocked out."

"That was an accident. I mean I didn't even see him behind me with that mace."

"Yes, yes, whatever. I don't care. Ah, look the first event is set up. I hope that means we're starting and I can focus on something other than you."

"Oooo, it's pretty."

I had been focusing on their banter, but now saw a tunnel of metal that sparkled in the sunlight. It was full of large metal hammers in an upright position. Then they began to move, griffins on either side running along conveyer belts on either side. It had appeared out of what I thought was solid stone. I guess this is the main reason the stadium isn't in the clouds.

"What in tarnation."

Gilda rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious. You try to get though as quickly as you can. Getting hit doesn't deduct time, only however much it slows you down."

"So you can either be fast or tough?" I said

"Or both." Said AJ "Ah ain't agile enough to dodge 'em much, so ah think ah'll just go strait though and take it."

"Oh please. Do you have any idea how hard those things hit? I doubt you'll even be able to stand up again after the first time."

"We'll just see. You got that stopwatch right Dash?"

"Uh, yea I do but…"

"Then time this."

Applejack took off running toward the deathtrap. Well hopefully the hammers didn't really hit that hard and Gilda was exaggerating, at least a little. AJ did better than she thought she would not getting hit till the middle. She shook it off like it was nothing. She got hit a few more times, each knocked her to the ground, but she just got up and moved on like she just so happened to trip when the hammer hit her. She only wobbled and fell to the ground after she was on the far side. Gilda just stood there and ran to her side.

"Amazing. Simply amazing. Never in all my years have I seen a competitor shrug off the hammers effect so easily."

"That was horrible. That wasn't fun at all. Games are suppose to be fun."

"Why is your hair suddenly strait?"

"I shouldn't still be here. I should be there."

"How did she leave without opening the door?"

I didn't remember my first aid class all that well, but I was pretty sure AJ was fine. I didn't even see any bruises. Though I think Fluttershy said something about no bruises possibly being a bad thing once. A crying strait-haired Pinkie was suddenly hugging Applejack, muttering something I couldn’t hear.

"Now stop that right now Pinkie. Ah'm good enough as is, and once we're done here Ah'm pretty sure ah'll be right as rain once we're away from that magic nullifying thing. Still weird to think that matters at all."

"Then we're done." Said Gilda. "You are even stupider than I first thought, but you just beat my dad's old record. That is beyond cool. Also I'm going to love rubbing it in his face a pony is the one that beat his time. Especially how."

"Really amazing. Yes, I have confirmed it all. It's a new record. This Applejack, this Pony of steel, has done the unthinkable."

Applejack then got to her feet, and started walking over to the track. A bunch of rings set low to the ground were currently on fire. Only half were lit, but I assumed the rest were in the process of being turned on.

"Oh no. You're not doing it." I said

Pinkie hugged tight enough that AJ had trouble walking. "No, don't."

"So stupid." G said

"Ah said I'd see this though and…"

"Forget that noise."

Gilda then grabbed AJ and lifted her into the air. Pinkie was now only hanging on by one hoof. I noticed Gilda didn't even look down. Pinkie's hair was suddenly poofy again, and she even let out a loud "Wheee" as she barely hung on. AJ's struggles weren't that good at first, but then suddenly she looked a lot less dazed, and with one whack on G's talon she dropped AJ, then shook her claw. Pinkie caught AJ and tired to keep her up with hummingbird like motion of her wings, but it didn't work. I didn't even notice if she was in pegasus form or not when she appeared. Either there was some limit to what Pinkie could do no matter how impossible Twilight said it was, or AJ did something to mess Pinkie up, because they dropped like a stone.

Of course I was nearly there already, but I couldn't get the trick to work this time, so there was a loud crash as Applejack and Pinkie hit the stands. In fact it sounded more like someone dropped a cannonball on the wooden lower seating than a pony. I was briefly worried, but then I heard Pinkie giggle. Gilda landed at the bottom of the hole only a few seconds before me, despite being so much closer at the start.

"Applejack, do you think you've gained some weight?"

"It ain't funny Pinkie."

"Sure it is. I mean it's not like weight weight anyway. I mean you weren't any heavier till you had magic again, then you were. You also got all shinny."

"Pinkie what the hay are you…"

"Whoa."

I just stared. It seemed to be fading, but Applejack had a sort of metallic sheen. Does that mean she was literally like living metal, or just as heavy and shinny as metal? It was still super cool either way.

"Hah, elements of harmony, more like elements of awesome."

"I gotta admit Applejack, you are actually as cool as Dash made you sound. Also you totally have my respect already so we can just forget the rest."

"Ah said Ah'd do it and Ah will. Also ya don't have mine. Ah'm more sure than ever you're a spoiled brat who's never done a day of real work in yer life. The closest you ever got is this sorta thing, and I bet even then you don't work near hard as Dash."

Gilda glared at her. "Now listen here you stupid pony. Some of my idiot sisters might not have done anything worthwhile, ever, but I have. You don't know me."

"An ah don't aim ta. Ah reckon Ah can get along with you enough for Dash, but ah don't think I'm ever going to respect you. Now come on. Lets finish these games."

AJ then walked off, clearly looking for a way out of from under the bleachers other than flying. She'll probably make a hole in the side before she let one of us fly her out. Pinkie suddenly hugged Gilda, who let out a squak and pushed her off.

"Ugh, what was that for. I may tolerate you for Dash's sake, but that doesn't mean I want you touching me."

Pinkie saluted. "Understood mam. No touching mam."

Gilda just stared. "She never stops, does she?"

"She used to but with her earth pony endurance seems to mostly mean she's bouncy and stuff all the time. Apparently both her and AJ need less sleep now too."

"Yea, it's neato. I mean in the dead of night there aren't half as many ponies awake, but Luna is if she's around, and Blinkie usually is and…"

"But not enough for a party?" I asked

She zipped over to me and threw a hoof over my shoulder. "Silly Dashie, there is always enough ponies for a party. Not a big party, but still a party."

"So does this mean I have to go out there again?" asked G

"I don't know, and don't care. I guess there are a bunch of griffins and some ponies out there that are waiting for more."

"Ooo, yea, I left Grumpy alone. I should go back to helping him."

"There are actually a ton more events, but I think we'll just stick to what's already set up and say that's it. She won't know and hopefully I'll look a little less stupid."

"Actually you're not that far behind."

"Maybe, but I know I soon will be. Also not having highly flammable wings is probably an advantage on this next one."

Then she was gone before I could say anything else. Gilda seems to be acting a little weird. I couldn't quite put my hoof on exactly what was different, but it was something. Then I suddenly realized I had no idea what to do next.

Comments

[BenRG]

Interesting... IIRC, Rarity transmogrified into fire during her Nightmare break-down. I wonder if all the Mane Six can transform into a living version of their element?