The Pony Games. Where ponies are reaped and taken to an arena. They are forced to fight until there is a winner, and only one can survive. It has been 81 years since the games have been invented, and even the closest of friends must face each other.
81 years have passed since Princess Celestia defeated her sister in a battle, and sent her to the moon. Rebels who supported Luna tried to rebel against Princess Celestia, who she defeated with a simple spell. Realising how much power she had and what she could do with it, she changed Equestria for the worst. She ordered her army to set fire to anything and everything belonging to anypony who stepped out of line. And from that day on, The Pony Games began, a reminder of the Princess's power and how nopony should rebel against her again.
Thank you to Polaris, Moon Breeze, Serpent12 and Tornado15 for letting me use their OCs.
Behind a stained glass window at the top of the tallest tower of Canterlot, a single Regal Princess stood. Looking down upon her city, she couldn’t help but grin. Her beady eyes reflected the warm shimmering glow from the power of her sun, but not from the sun itself. No. Canterlot was burning. Equestria was burning. Everything was burning. Far above the sounds of screams below, a sinister smile crept onto Celestia's face as she took in the destruction and ruin. She was strong enough to banish her sister to the moon and win the battle between them, strong enough to keep the whole of Equestria under her merciless rule. She had kept it that way for over eighty years now. Did they think they could change her? Did they think that they could change Equestria? They couldn't. They were only rebels with weapons that paled in comparison to the amount of power she possessed. And this was their punishment. Their homes in ruins and family members killed. This wasn't enough though; future generations needed a reminder of Celestia's power and the consequences of rebellion. Upon her orders, there was to be a brutal event held annually where twelve ponies would be reaped and put into competition. Four of each race were to be thrown into the arena and then fight to the death. There can only be one winner…
It was the year of the 81st Pony games. Six friends were spending the last night before the reaping together; knowing full well that there was a chance it may be the last time they could. Tomorrow, they would have to bear through the drawing of the names. Separated by race, each pony would have to endure the process without the full support and comfort the bonds of friendship had provided them thus far. Watching movies, playing games and enjoying snacks served to remind them of this. While smiles filled their faces and laughter filled their ears, it was evidently apparent that it was forced. Feelings of concern and fear were mixed in as conversations went on. Even the normally bubbly Pinkie Pie faltered as everpony was subconsciously saying their goodbyes.
The time finally came for everypony to take their leave. As much as they wanted to stay, family came first. A heart filled embrace was shared, knowing full well that when they met again, the tributes will have been chosen. Although the odds were in their favor, they all knew that any of their names could be called. While all shared this thought, it remained unspoken, as if not talking about it could prevent it. As they headed their separate ways, it appeared as though the Mare in the Moon was looking down upon them sympathetically. No one slept in Equestria that night; No one but Celestia that is.
It was the morning of the reaping. As Celestia’s sun shown down, all across the land ponies were making their way to their assigned stations: the pegasi to the Wonderbolt’s training compound in Cloudsdale, the unicorns to Manehatten town square, and the earth ponies to Appleloosa’s town hall. Every house was empty as even the ponies too old or too young for the games traveled with their family to show their support.
The three locations were so far apart, yet very similar. Those old enough for the games were crammed towards the front. It was silent except for the shuffling of nervous hooves and the occasional cry and mumble of comforting words. Behind them gathered family, friends and strangers alike. Past arguments and conflicts were forgotten as everypony stood united at this moment of fear. Twelve names would be chosen this day. And only one would survive…
The training compound in Cloudsdale was packed. Inside was total madness as pegasus from all across Equestria were crammed into this one building. In addition to Cloudsdale’s already large population, ponies from Fillidelphia, Ponyville, Los Pegasus, Trottingham, Appleoosa, Manehattan, Baltimare and Hoofington gathered as they awaited the calling of the names. Even with the magical enchantment the peacekeepers put on the building - enlarging it to over three times its original size - there was little room to do much more than stand and face their possible fate. Priority was given to those who had their names in one of the vast glass bowls that dominated the stage; their families and friends pressing forward as much as they could behind the roped off areas to provide what little comfort they could. Late arrivals were forced to stand outside and view the proceedings threw giant televisions that were affixed to surrounding houses.
It was uncomfortably claustrophobic as everypony's body was tingling with the sense of fear. Some were trying to be brave, while others were crying. Even more stood in an overwhelming feel of desperation. A few fillies and colts new to the reaping process fainted in fright as the time neared.
On this day there was one feeling that was shared by all. Everypony was hoping and praying that somepony they loved would not be chosen.
Opinions of the games varied greatly amongst the pegasi. Favored by the princess as guards, as well as having power over the weather, they had a clear advantage over the earth ponies and unicorns. Almost all of the flight schools that were allowed to remain open trained their students hard to become guards. Annually, ten pegasi were chosen to by Celestia herself to join her royal defenders. Those who were trained enjoyed the games, some to the extent that they would volunteer as to prove themselves. This was very rare as almost everypony else dreaded the games.
Near the back of the room, a timid yellow Pegasus with a pink mane collapsed with a whimper, trembling violently. Fluttershy was one of the older ponies entering the reaping. And this year the odds were definitely not in her favor. The seasons were showing their harsher sides this winter as wind, rain and snow fell almost every day. In order to feed her forest friends, Fluttershy had been forced to sign up for tessera, the result being that her name was in the bowl many times more her normal wished maximum. One slip was bad enough, but sixteen was terrifying. And every year when she came to this reaping hall, memories would flood her mind, haunting and taunting her. One in particular stood out:
Fluttershy clung to her mother’s foreleg, trying to avoid being trampled by the crowd. She didn't fully understand what was going on, only that her mommy and some other pegasi had to stand at the front of the compound while her grandparents were somewhere towards the back. Her mother had tried to make her go with them, but she stayed by her mommy's side, not moving for anypony. Everypony fell silent as a mare walked onto the stage. Fluttershy was fascinated by the mare's hair; piled on top of her head in a very elaborate style - and there was so much of it! The purple Pegasus talked for a long time, but Fluttershy was too little to understand. Instead she entertained herself by playing with her mommy's flowing pink hair and creating sculptures with the cloud floor.
Suddenly, the mare called out her mommy's name very loudly. Whatever it was, she had won! Fluttershy looked up, and was horrified to see her mommy crying. Her mommy hugged her like never before, kissed her, held her close and whispered things in her ear. Fluttershy knew something was wrong, and she clung to her mommy, begging, wailing, pleading that she didn't go, but it was no use. A brown-coated stranger held Fluttershy back, trying to comfort her, but she ignored him as she watched her mommy go. Her grandparents came to get her, her grandfather muttering about the danger of having a foal so young while her grandmother complained about her good-for-nothing father running off leaving poor Fluttershy all alone. Fluttershy cried and screamed as her grandparent took her away, pausing just long enough to hear her mother say she'd win, win for Fluttershy.
She never saw her mommy again.
Next to her stood Rainbow Dash. Sensing her friend’s anxiety, she tried to mutter words of comfort, unaware she wasn't being heard.
"Fluttershy, look at all the pegasi, some of them have got their names in waaaay more times than you. You have practically no chance of being chosen."
The two friends stood still, Rainbow's words as much for herself as her friend's by now. The clock struck two and Cloudsdale's mayor walked onto the stage to begin her speech. She spoke about the history of Equestria; how Celestia banished her sister to the moon and how she developed Equestria to be the country that it is today. She spoke of the dark ages, about Equestria’s failed uprising. Of how the rebelling towns and cities were defeated, and the creation of the Pony games. The mayor went on to explain that on this day, four pegasi, four unicorns and four earth ponies would be reaped and have to fight to the death, serving as a reminder the consequences of revolt and the power their ruler possessed.
She then read out the lost of all the pegasi winners, which proved to be fairly long. With natural advantages, the pegasi usually perform quite well, especially those who have been trained throughout flight school on how to fight and defend themselves since they were foals to the time of their first reaping. While training before the event is technically against the rules, these so-called ‘career’ tributes usually put on a good show, so nopony really cares. It is easy to spot one of these career ponies as they are the only ones showing any excitement for the games. The mayor then introduces a Canterlot mare named Winter Darling.
Winter Darling bounced onto the stage. She looked like the only pony who wanted to be there at the moment, besides the career tributes of course.
"Happy Pony Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She talks about what an honor it is to be there, and then stretches her wings for everyone to see -and it must be the latest Canterlot fashion craze for she had tiny gold and silver nuggets imbedded in between her feathers.
Her speech is soon over and it's time to draw the names. There is deafening silence as Winter Darling trots to the bowl and rummages around for the random most piece of paper she can find. Pulling it out she read the name…
"Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy felt her heart stop and every pair of eyes turn towards her, all showing her the same mix of pity and relief. Pity because she was chosen, relief because they were not. Fluttershy tried to take it all in.
"Fluttershy?"
Was this how her mother felt? Unbelieving, terrified, desperate. Was it worse for her, leaving behind a daughter who was barely old enough to understand? Fluttershy wasn't leaving any family behind, she knew that her grandparents and father had passed a long time ago; but there were lots of animals in her care that could not survive without her. She thought of her friends, thinking of their faces and the times they shared together. Rainbow’s lingering the longest, as she was her oldest friend. She closed her eyes as her legs gave way and she collapsed again, wishing that when she opened them it would have all been a dream. That she would be safe at home with her animals and friends and...
"Fluttershy?"
As she heard her name being called again, she knew that wishing wouldn't make it less real. Having no other choice, she forced her trembling self to get up and take a step forward. And another, and another… Every step reminded her, reminded her of the day when her mother took these steps. She couldn't do it, she couldn't go into that place where here mother lost her life. Her steps faltered and she tried to back away.
"I Volunteer!"
Every eye turned to the blue Pegasus with the rainbow mane hovering above Fluttershy.
"I Volunteer!" Repeated Rainbow Dash, "I volunteer for Fluttershy!"
The whole compound was in shock. Mutterings rose up from the once silent hall, nopony quite believing or understanding what was going on. Volunteering was allowed but it hadn't happened for so long most people had forgotten how it worked. At the front, Winter Darling was whispering hurriedly to the mayor, trying to remember what to do.
"R-Rainbow?"
Rainbow Dash smiled down at Fluttershy.
"It's ok, Shy." She whispered to her friend before flying up to join Winter Darling and the mayor on stage.
Fluttershy knew she should do something, like fly up there and stop Dash, but she could only stand there, frozen, petrified, useless. As Winter Darling recovered her sickly smile and hushing the crowd, she gave Rainbow Dash the chance to introduce herself.
Rainbow locked eyes with Fluttershy as she spoke directly to the crowd, yet ignoring them completely.
"Fluttershy is my friend." Rainbow said simply.
Though they both knew there was much, much more to it than that. She had known Fluttershy since the start of flight school, and for some strange reason, she looked at Fluttershy like a younger sister, even though she was quite a bit older. Rainbow had taken her under her wing, sticking up for her and beaten up those who teased or bullied the yellow pegasus. Rainbow alone knew what happened to her mother in the arena, and this would make it twice as hard for her friend. And Fluttershy had always been there for her, comforting her at the lowest moments, yet never judging. She would always know exactly what to do and say. And as Rainbow said those four words, people would rumor and whisper about how there must be more to it all, especially knowing that Rainbow was such a tomboy, but Fluttershy knew the truth, and that was what mattered.
"Well then, you must be a very good friend indeed!" Winter Darling gave Rainbow Dash a huge smile before tuning back to the audience. "Let's give a massive round of applause for this very brave Pegasus!"
The hall exploded into applause; everypony clapping, cheering and whistling. Everypony except Fluttershy that is. Despite Rainbow's brave look on her face and her puffed out chest, Fluttershy, as her oldest and most trusted friend, could tell rainbow was completely and utterly terrified.
The rest of the reaping went quickly, Rainbow Dash was joined on stage by a pegasus named Ember Blaze. She was the darkest of browns with a plaited mane and flowing tail varying in different shades of red, orange and yellow giving her the appearance that she was on fire. She was eerily calm and walked away as if nothing was going on. She had a very large family in the crowd, all of who were crying. Dash wanted to tell her how much she admired her for acting so calmly. But she forced herself to stay stationary. Once she was in the arena she was an enemy to all the other tributes, and giving compliments to them that could lead to a friendship would make it even harder. She couldn't show weakness or kindness of any sort to the other tributes.
The two males were Dumb-Bell and Hoops, she would have no difficulty staying away from them.
"Should be fun, Rainbow Crash!" They jeered. She would have made a nasty reply, but she was too busy pretending to be brave and not crying to pay them any attention.
The anthem played as the ponies were led out of the room. Those not chosen left to go home, either to celebrate or weep. By the time Fluttershy remembered how to move, the hall was empty, and her friend, gone.
Twilight tapped and shuffled her hooves anxiously. She would be pacing back of forth right now, but it was too crowded to think of that. She couldn't even take one step forward. Every single unicorn from the towns and cities surrounding Canterlot had been herded into this small space. The garden next to them was usually a wonderful place, so full of life that held all who passed it in awe- but not today. For today was a day centered around death. And no amount of beauty could stop the terror of it.
Twilight stared at the huge glass bowls containing the names. It was just slips of paper. Yet because of it, 11 innocent ponies are killed every year. Four unicorns would be chosen today and are going to be sent to their almost certain death. Being older, and therefore having her name in more times, the odds were not in Twilight's favour. But the pony standing right next to her had even worse luck. She reached out to grab Rarity's hoof only to find it cold and shaking. Rarity couldn't keep up with the ever-changing Canterlot fashion craze. Her shop wasn't earning enough bits so she had to sign up for tesserae so her sister, her parents, her cat and herself had something to eat. This resulted in Rarity's name being placed in the bowl twice as many times as Twilight's.
Twilight took a deep breath, and prepared to tell Rarity what she had decided the night before.
"Rarity?"
"Y-yes, Twilight?"
"If-If your name gets drawn, I will volunteer for you."
Rarity's eyes went wide with shock and she opened her mouth as if to say something, so Twilight rushed on. "I mean, my magic is stronger than most unicorns, and even though they limit it in the arena, I would have an advantage, and I know you hate getting dirty and-
"Twilight Sparkle!" Rarity said, standing up to her full height, "I appreciate it, but you shall do such thing! It may not be to my liking, but I can survive the games long enough to do my family proud. Why, with your persuasive and organization skills, you'd get tons of sponsors for me! They'd be queuing all around Ponyville! Whereas I would be lying down on a sofa, crying and worried about you!" Twilight paused, taking in Rarity's words and trying very hard to keep the tears from falling. She wanted to hug her tight, but knew that the embrace would open up the floodgates and before long they both would be crying. Instead she stood proud and brave, like a unicorn should. She couldn't show any weakness. She smiled and nodded, showing her the admiration she felt. The clock chimed two and they were holding their hooves tighter than ever.
The mayor's speech slipped passed quickly and he introduced the Canterlot unicorn named Summer Mane. She took to the stage and the crowd fell silent.
"Happy Pony Games!" Summer Mane said with a little too bright of a smile, "And may the odds ever be in your favor!"
Twilight started calculating what the odds were for her in percentiles, deliberately taking a long time as she did every year. It loosened up her nerves a bit.
"Let's start with the girls, shall we?" Said the bright orange unicorn with matching frizzy hair. Digging deep into the bowl, she pulled out a name. "Aurora Star!" She yelled.
A faint sob came from the corner of the square as a teal unicorn departed from her surrounding family and headed towards the large stage. She looked fairly young and was quite frankly, beautiful. All the stallions were staring at her, wanting to be with her while all the mares were making mental notes of how to style their manes like hers.
"Thank you, Aurora. Next up... Rarity!"
There was a moment of confusion as the crowd only half-realized the next name had been called. Twilight turned to Rarity, who looked bold and tall beside her. She was about to say something but Rarity snapped at her.
"Don't you dare, Twilight Sparkle.”
During the time the males were being called, Twilight scoured her brain. There must be a spell that could help Rarity! There must! But every time she thought of one, Rarity's words echoes through her head. Her name was chosen, and nothing could change the fact. But before she knew it, Rarity was gone.
Appleoosa was usually a happy place, but not today. Today, there was only hustling and bustling among the earth ponies as today was reaping day at Appleoosa town hall. Every earth pony was reluctant to be there. Usually they would be glad to have a day off work. But they dreaded this. Having no choice they had to bear through it all.
The earth ponies were the only race that could grow, harvest and send food off to other parts of Equestria, and the Princess demanded it in impossible amounts. Every year they watched their hard work be hauled off to Canterlot. Nopony was quite sure why they needed so much food; they only knew that their goal was set higher and higher each year. The earth ponies starved, as they could only eat a small portion of the food they worked so hard to produce. Though, starving was a much better fate than the punishment for those who didn't meet their quotas.
In the front of the building, an orange pony with a brown stetson held her little sister close. It was her first reaping and she was shaking like a leaf. Applebloom let out a sob as Applejack drew her closer, whispering reassurances into her ear.
All too soon the clock chimed and the sheriff of Appleoosa took to the stage. The speech was no different to the other two; it was about Equestria and how the games started. Granny Smith was next to Applejack, pursing her lips so she wouldn't let out an angry cry. She hated the games. Celestia burned their barn to the ground after they rebelled against her. Although she made it out alive many of her friends were slaughtered and their homes destroyed. Hearing stories about it before, Applejack reached out a hoof toward Granny Smith.
The sheriff was now beckoning a well-built pony by the name of Flash on stage. Nopony really liked him as he was completely full of himself. After a short speech, and with cocky grin, and he pulled the first name out.
"The lucky lady is..." said Flash sarcastically, "Applejack!"
"NO! Not meh sister!" Applebloom cried out.
"It's alright, sugarcube. Big Mac will look aftah y'all, got it? Won't yah, Mac?"
"Eeyup." Even this one word sounded heartbroken.
"You'll come back, won't yah?" Applebloom pleaded.
"Ah'll try mah best, Applebloom."
"Give Applejack a big round of applause, and then we will find out who is the next lucky lady!"
"Don't let 'em change yah, Applejack! Give 'em hell!" Granny Smith shrieked. The next thing Applejack knew, her grandmother was being dragged out the room by peacekeepers.
What the hay did she mean by that? Applejack thought. She scolded herself. How can she be thinking everyday things like this?! "Oh-h-h Kay, the next lucky mare issss....
"Pinkie Pie!"
Applejacks heart sank. No. This couldn't be happening to her. This was torture.
"Hey there applejack! Wow, isn't this the craziest happenstance ever?! I wonder what the arena will be like, and the outfits! I hope mine has lots of balloons! Ooh, and I will meet soooo many new people, I could throw them a party! It's a shame we're against each other, we could have been great friends..."
Many people stared in shock at Pinkie Pie. No one has ever had a reaction like this. Some ponies were getting angry at Pinkie’s treatment of the situation, almost like it was a joke to her. But applejack knew it was just her way, however strange, to keep back the tears. It was her coping mechanism.
Applejack could hear sister crying, even over the males being reaped, even over the anthem. It broke her heart. She held Pinkie's hoof until they were in the clear- only then could they let their tears fall freely.
Rainbow Dash sat in an empty room. She had been visited by her mother and father, which put a few tears in her eyes.
The door swung open abruptly, shocking Rainbow Dash. It was twilight.
"R-Rainbow." Twilight said, "I didn't mean to shock you. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Twi."
"I-I need to tell you..."
"What?"
Twilight hesitated. " I.. Can't. I just can't. It's too horrible."
"Never mind then."
Rainbow Dash hugged twilight for as long as possible, but she said she had to go and trotted out slow enough for Rainbow to see the tears In her eyes.
Rainbow was totally unaware that an orange filly had crept into her room, because when she tried to gallop into Rainbow dash's arms, Rainbow Dash was completely knocked off guard and didn't do anything. But Scootaloo didn't mind.
"Rainbow-dash-what-if-you-don't-come-back?" Scootaloo said hurriedly and anxiously, her irises slightly smaller than usual.
"I don't know." Said Rainbow.
Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash. " I was meaning to show you this. I did it after the last flight lesson that I took with you- you know, last Saturday, and I can still do it." Scootaloo flapped her tiny wings and lifted herself off the ground. She hovered up to the ceiling and glided down beautifully and professionally. She landed perfectly.
"Wow... Wow, Scootaloo..." All rainbow could do was hug the little filly. "I will try and win for you and Fluttershy. I promise."
"Rainbow Dash, you can't do that." Whimpered Scootaloo, years rolling down her cheeks.
"Why not, Scootaloo?"
"AJ and Rarity are in the games too. Sweetie belle and Applebloom told me before I came here. They were both crying. I was too. And I am now." Whispered Scootaloo. At this moment the peacekeepers escorted Scootaloo out, Scootaloo saying goodbye to rainbow dash. They shut the door behind them.
Rainbow Dash was nothing more than broken now. How could this happen to her? How?
The door creaked a little and light footsteps could be heard.
"Rainbow."
"Shy."
They hugged each other. They were treasuring what could be the last moments of their long, deep friendship. Neither of them knew what to say. They just sat with their arms around each other.
"Dash...?"
"Yes, Fluttershy?"
"Do you know about the others?"
"Yes, I-I know about AJ and Rarity."
"Pinkie pie, too."
No...not another.... No.. She just couldn't accept it. It was impossible.
Fluttershy had to leave, and Rainbow Dash felt her legs buckle underneath her.
"Applebloom! Stay strong, ya hear?! There's no point beggin'. I can't go back to the barn with you." Applejack immediatley felt sorry for what she said. "I'm sorry, Applebloom. I didn't mean to say that. But yah have to do as ah say, especially as I won't be round, and I might not come back."
This only sent the little filly into buckets of tears. " Hay. I ain't givin' up on that promise Applebloom. I will try my best to come back for you."
"Big Mac is in charge. Big Mac, If ya run into trouble, call twilight. I know we shouldn't interact with other races, but it's the right thing to do."
"Eeyup." Again his voice was sad and broken. Applejack reached out to him.
"Where's Granny Smith? Applebloom sobbed harder. "They took her, didn't they? Big Mac had tears in his eyes. Applejack, even as a sister, had never seen him cry before. They'd tried to warn Granny Smith, but she was dragged away before anything could be done. Applejack hoped it would not end in an execution in the square. The very thought could give her nightmares.
Applejack held them close, closer than ever. The peacekeepers eventually told them to leave, and after rushed goodbyes, her loved one disappeared from sight.
"Promise you'll try to come back!" Shouted Applebloom in the corridor.
"I promise, Applebloom." But she didn't know about her friends.
Rarity was pacing. She hadn't slept it the past three days. She doubted she would get out of this alive, despite her words to twilight at the reaping.
Earlier her family came over. It was hard but bearable. She had weeped with her parents and told sweetie belle how much she loved her, even though she was rubbish at that kind of thing.
But what was unbearable was when twilight came in. Twilight hugged rarity. Rarity knew she would almost certainly not see her again. Their hug stayed unbroken for a while. Rarity's closest friend was twilight, after all.
"Rarity?"
"Yes, darling?"
"I- I-"
"What is it?"
"I can't say it. It'll make you sad."
" I insist you tell me this information at once."
Twilight sighed ."P-Pinkie p-p-pie, a-applejack and rainbow d-dash are in the g-games t-t-too."
Rarity froze with horror. She didn't move a muscle. She couldn't. She was too horrified to even speak.
Impatiently, Pinkie Pie waited. And waited. And waited. Her back started tingling and her left fore hoof kept itching.Suddenly, she realised what was going on, and shouted "Twilight! Fluttershy! (her pinkie sense was telling her they were going to open the door.) Fluttershy and twilight looked at each other dreading what they had to tell pinkie.
"Hi" said Twilight, surprised and confused. "We have some bad ne--"
"Ooh! Now you're both here, I can throw a mini pinkie party for all of you! We can have cake and biscuit and punch-"
"Pinkie."
And it would make the other ponies come here and we can all be friends and eat cake and It would be sooo much fun-
"Pinkie, it's important, and horrific, and--"
"Yes Twilight?
"Me and Fluttershy have some terrible news... Rarity, Rainbow Dash and AJ are taking part, too."
Pinkie pie's irises became small and her hair became straight. She felt slightly faint.
"W-what did you say? " said Pinkie in disbelief. She pinched herself to make sure that she wasn't in some weird Pinkie Pie dream. But it wasn't a dream. It was reality.
Two ponies were sitting together in the train to Canterlot. Applejack rested her searing and aching head against the cool glass. It helped her cool down and remove the pain a little. She heard her family's voices echoing round her head, and she couldn't stop it. She had had a rough night's sleep, too. She had nightmares of being murdered, a family member being killed, and Granny Smith being executed in the centre of Ponyville where everypony could see.
Pinkie Pie was sitting next to Applejack. They were far away from Rainbow Dash and Rarity. They had to take different trains as they were coming from different places. They weren't allowed to go near rainbow dash or rarity anyway. Not that Pinkie Pie was bad company, they just wanted to see each other. That was all. Pinkie pie's blue eyes were staring down at her hooves. Her hair was still straight. It looked like she had ironed it out.
"Pinkie pie, I've been thinking."
"What is it applejack?"
"Should we form an alliance? Ah know we would be unstoppable, but when it gets to the end.."
"I understand what you are trying to say. You are trying to say that if we made such a great team, and managed to kill all the other victors, we would only be left with each other, and there can only be one winner." Pinkie pie winced at the thought.
Applejack pressed her head against the window again. "The odds are definitely not in my favour." She wanted to cry, but she couldn't do it in front of the other two earth ponies on the other side of the carriage. Pinkie pie sat closer to her. "Pinkie Pie, I don't know what to do. Ah promised meh sister that I would try to come back for her. But I can't. I can't try with meh friends in the arena with me."
"I'm not gonna make it, AJ."
"I don't know if I will either," Applejack replied. "Which makes me feel even worse. Mah family need me more than anypony else."
Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were finally together again. They tried to start a conversation, so they told each other what their journeys were like. Rainbow Dash had a rough time on the train ride.
"Dumb- Bell and Hoops were teasing me all the two days journey to canterlot. Even at night. They teased me in my dreams. Once, Ember Blaze told the stallions to be quiet, and they did. But only for ten minutes, and when she was out of sight. They seemed to do what she told. But it's a different story for me, sadly."
Rarity told the others about her journey. "Well, Aurora Star, the mare that was chosen before me, started talking to me. I'm not anywhere near allies with her, but we know each other better. I'd say we're acquaintances."
"That's good and all, rarity, but.. Don't get too close to her. It will make it a lot harder for ya, sugarcube." Applejack said.
"Yes, I understand, darling. The only allies I am going to accept is all of you."
"Yeah," Rainbow dash said, "We'd be unstoppable.".
"NO! Rarity! Rainbow Dash! We can't do that, don't you see? Because when we get everypony, only we will be left! And what will have to happen after that?!"
"W-we will have to.. Kill each other." Rainbow dash murmured. "I couldn't do that if my life depended on it."
"Why don't we say, we're not allies, but we will help if one of us get into trouble. Especially you, rainbow dash, you have got wings that can fly at the speed of sound. Do you agree with me?" Applejack questioned.
"I agree."
"Me too."
"I'm in."
They got out of the station and were escorted to the castle by peacekeepers. It towered above them. No one could see the top of it. It had huge stained glass windows everywhere, and it was decorated with gold and all kinds of expensive gems. The huge oak double doors were opened for them, and they walked into a grand ballroom. Several ponies were waiting for them. Some looked amazingly stylish while others.. Plain weird. Winter Darling introduced herself to the earth ponies and unicorns, and welcomed them all.
"These are your stylists. There are six. Let's get you introduced to them, and then you can go to the dressing rooms. Okay, this is Sunlit storm. He's taking the male pegasi. And this is sapphire bolt. She's taking the pegasi mares."
Rainbow dash looked at her stylist. She was navy, with turquoise hair with white streaks in it. She had quite a similar style to Princess Cadence's, except it wasn't as long. She was a very striking mare. Rainbow Dash was sure that she would be a good stylist. The pegasi were led off by the stylists, rainbow dash mouthing goodbye to the others. Winter darling carried on speaking.
"Okay. The Stylists for the unicorns are Indigo rain and starlight. Indigo Rain for the Mares, Starlight for the Stallions."
Rarity examined indigo rain. She was a Bluish Purple, with white Markings and a white mane. She had a hairstyle which was short and wavy. She looked fairly similar to rarity, as rarity was the same colours as her but instead of having a white mane and purple fur, she had purple mane and white fur. She had just enough time to say a quick goodbye before she was led away by Indigo Rain.
"And lastly, for the stallion earth ponies, Lucky Charm, and for Mares, Sunset Sketch. See you later."
Applejack and pinkie pie were led off by a handsome looking Stallion. He was yellow, and had a green mane which looked a bit like Vinyl Scratch's, but shorter. He led them away down a corridor to the dressing rooms.
Rainbow dash and Ember Blaze looked amazing. They were wearing black outfits that looked a bit like a ninja's, and their eyes were outlined in black. Rainbow dash had her hair in a long, complicated side plait, with black ribbons tied in it, hanging loose. Ember Blaze matched rainbow dash. She looked deadly, yet beautiful. Their chariot was also black, and it was pulled by a navy griffin. This was nothing short of awesome.
Rarity was in a silver gown and had a crown on her head. She looked very grand and regal in it. Aurora star was in the same, but it was golden instead of silver. Their chariot was red, decorated with gold and silver. A dragon was pulling it. It was pure white. Rarity felt like a queen in her clothes and around the carriage.
Applejack was dressed in a dress that she hated, but looked amazing in. The dress had sunflowers on it, her hair was let loose and sunflowers were weaved into her hair. She was super grumpy about wearing that outfit. Especially because they wouldn't let her wear her cowboy hat. Pinkie pie had a similar dress to applejacks's. It was pink (yaaay) but had no balloons (awwww.) her dress had pink water lilies on it. Her hair was straightened a bit so it was wavy, and it had water lilies in it too. The chariot was being pulled by Two tall ponies, both of them yellow. They looked like a flower garden.
Just before they set out onto the chariots, Photo Finish came to take individual photos. After some "No. You must look like zees" and a bit of "move your hoof a leetle beet to ze left," Photo Finish left and it was time to start the parade.
The chariots started parading round the pathway. Confetti was everywhere. Everypony loved the outfits- especially the pegasi in the black carriage. They stood out the most.
When they finally stopped, a deafening voice stopped all the photos, whistling, shouting and applause.
"WELCOME TO THE PONY GAMES, AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR."
The chariots were led inside again, and everypony hopped out.
"Thank goodness it's over." Rarity sighed.
"Not Quite," Said winter Darling, "You still have your interviews with Caesar, the host of a television show."
"When?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Tonight."
"Oh great. I'm sure lots of people will want to have a party with me and be friends with me-"
"Um, Pinkie Pie..?" Ember Blaze asked. "This is the hunger games, not a party..."
"Sorry. I mean they will want to be friends with me and I will get lots of sponsors." Pinkie Pie smiled.
"Anyway! The interviews are in forty-five minutes. You will have three minutes to talk to Caesar. You are allowed to practise, but you don't have to. My advice is to just answer the questions when you get them. That's the best way to do it in my opinion."
The next forty-five minutes were spent practising for rainbow dash. She wanted to look as cool as possible, so she got plenty sponsors. The others were just nervously chatting. They would just answer the questions when they got them, like Winter Darling advised.
The time came at last. The female Pegasi went first.
Ember Blaze went onto the stage first. She was very politeand calm, and Caesar told her that her outfit was amazing, and she looked like she was on fire. She said to give the credit to her stylist, sapphire bolt, who made the outfits from scratch. After a quick discussion about how she felt about the games, and leaving her friends behind, it was time for her to leave.
"Okay, next up is... Rainbow dash!"
"Hi, everypony!"
"Why hello, Rainbow Dash. Now, let's get started. Have you made any friends yet?"
"Well. Very interesting that you ask that, Caesar. I actually have three close friends entering with me."
"Oh! The odds are not being kind to you, Rainbow Dash. Who are your friends?"
"Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie."
"It's going to be tough for you then. Are you going to be allies?"
"We aren't, Caesar. We figured that one we got everypony... We would have to get each other."
"Oh, and one more question. Why did you volunteer for Fluttershy in the reaping?"
"We're very, very close friends. I knew her since the start of flight school."
"Thank you rainbow dash. Everybody give her a huge round of applause!"
Rainbow dash left, waving goodbye. When she was out of sight, she took a deep breath and released her stage fright. Thank goodness it was over, she thought.
"Next ponies are... Dumb bell and Hoops! They insisted that they went together."
There wasn't really much conversation. They just laughed stupidly and gave Caesar thick replies to his questions. Soon the time was up and they had to go.
Aurora Star was next. Everypony was clapping and cheering, whistling and shouting. Canterlot obviously thought she was beautiful, too. She was very keen to be on stage, and she blew kisses at the end when the time was up. The crowd tried to catch them.
Rarity walked onstage.
"Hello. Please take a seat. What's your name?"
"Rarity."
"Now, tell me about your family. Will they be cheering you on?"
"I'm sure of it. Especially my little sister, sweetie belle. They have to run my shop to survive, now. It's their only source of money. My family do not have them in their favour."
"I agree, will you try to win for them?"
"Yes, I will try. It will be hard to do."
"Thank you for your time."
Rarity left. The next pony to come on was a small colt. He was brown with a black mane. He didn't even have his cutie mark yet. He tripped over as he got onto the stage. He stuttered as he talked, and he waited fifteen seconds every time he was asked a question, like it had to sink in before he answered it. Caesar managed to make him say his name (cobalt wind) and where he came from (Trottingham.) when it was time for him to leave, Caesar helped him out so he didn't fall over.
The next pony to walk on was... Strange. He was yellow all over, with greyish purple spots. He had a silvery purple mane. His golden-yellow eyes were focused on the ceiling. And his name was chicken elephant. He said he had mystic powers of the chicken elephant goddess. He said that there is a legend that he is the mysterious chicken-headed elephant lord. Everyone just laughed at him. He stated that he had a crush on rainbow dash, as she was the chicken goddess's idol. He left dreamily after the time was up.
Pinkie Pie and Applejack were next. Pinkie Pie was jumping around, and Applejack tried to calm her down a bit.
"Take a seat." Caesar said.
Applejack sat down, but Pinkie kept bouncing around.
"Have you got any family at home?" He inquired.
"Yes, ah do. We own a farm, which I practically run. I don't know what they will do without me. Applebloom, mah sister, was really upset that ah left. She was beggin' that I didn't go. I told her I'd try to win, but it's three times harder with three of your best friends there with ya."
"I agree. Even though I didn't make any promises, it's hard for me too. Inkie and Tinkie are at the old rock farm. The real problem I have is saying goodbye to my friends. I have befriended every last pony in ponyville. They're almostlime family."
"I understand, quite the social butterfly. Well. Time's up, and may he odds be ever in your favour."
With a quick "thank you," Applejack and Pinkie left, Applejack trying to stop pinkie bouncing around like a maniac.
The next stallion to come onto the stage was dark forest green, with hot pink hair that was very spiky. He was blind, as his irises were a misty grey. His cutie mark was a pickle surrounded with blood. His discussion was about how he got blind. He wasn't born blind. When he was a colt, murderers killed his parents. And blinded him, so he didn't see them doing it. He didn't care if he won or lost, he just wanted to make some kills. He was a bit on the insane side.
The next stallion was pure white. His dark green and white hair was matted against his body. He didn't want to talk much, but he did say that his name was Coldblood, which sent chills down the audience's spines. The only reason why he volunteered is so that he could kill people without breaking the law. He also said he was good with a knife, so the other tributes better watch out.
Caesar said goodbye to the audience and there was a huge round of applause. Every tribute hoped they made a good impression to what could be their future sponsors.
Everypony walked into the training centre. It was huge and black, lit with tiny white lights. Opposite them, there was a huge television screen, with the news of the hunger games blaring. Waiting for them, there was a gamemaker.
"This is the training centre," she said. "You will have two days to learn how to fight and learn survival skills. Good luck. After the time is up, you will show your chosen skill to the head gamemaker and his crew. You will get a score out of twelve, which will be on the television at 21:00."
They were toured around the centre. There were computers and fireplaces, ropes and climbing frames. There were lots of weapons. There was sword throwing (which caught Coldblood's eye), bow and arrows, spears and tridents. When they finished the tour, they all raced off to different stations.
"Hey! Rainbow Dash!"
It was Ember Blaze.
"Do you want to be allies? I know plants like the back of my hoof, and I can do anything with a sword."
"No. It'll make it harder for me."
"Okay. Think about it though." Ember Blaze said.
She turned away and headed towards the rock climbing.
"Wait!"
"Wha-"
"I accept your alliance."
"You want to be my ally? But you said-"
"Allies?" Rainbow said.
"Allies." Ember Blaze replied.
"Rainbow Dash, if we did different stations at different times, then we can tell each other all about it afterwards."
"Sounds good."
Rainbow Dash saw a spear- throwing station, and flew over to it. Chicken Elephant had a go at throwing them, but as soon he saw Rainbow Dash, he toppled over and spilt all the spears from the rack.
"Here. I'll get that for you."
Rainbow dash picked up all the spears without hurting herself, leaving one for herself to throw.
She aimed at the still target. She lined up the spear with the heart of the target, and threw as hard as she could, and hit the middle of the heart. Right where she had aimed. That was pretty impressive as ponies throw spears in their mouths. She smiled and threw another spear at the moving targets. And she always got it in the heart, brain, eye or lung.
Applejack, seeing Rainbow Dash's success, decided she would have a try,
"Hay. Mind if ah have a go?"
"Sure. All you need to do is aim, and throw as hard as you can."
"Right. Ok, sounds easy enough."
Applejack focused at the target. Her aim was flawless, but her throw wasn't so good. She thrown it as hard as she could. Instead of hitting the the target, it sank fifteen cm into the floor.
"Oh well. I guess I'll keep moving, I'm obviously not gonna be able to throw spears that easily."
"Sure. I'll be here if you want another shot." Said Rainbow Dash.
Applejack decided that maybe rung rope would be easier for her. She listened to her instructions carefully, tying knots. Double knots. Snares and traps. Within five minutes, applejack had made a snare that could leave a pony hanging upside down. She smiled proudly at her handiwork.
"Oh applejack! You've made a snare! Can I try it, please please please?! Said pinkie, bouncing out of nowhere.
"Sure. Ah need to see if it works anyway. Go get a stick or twig or something like that from the camouflage station."
"Okey Dokey Lokey!" Beamed pinkie pie. Within twenty seconds, she was bouncing back again.
"Now. Lower it down carefully. Drop it when your close, and get out of the way."
Pinkie pie lowered the twig gently. When it was three centimetres from the bottom of the loop which held the hoof, or twig in this case, she dropped it. The reaction was immediate. The snare shot up into the air like a lightning bolt.
"Wow, applejack..!"
"Pinkie pie, ah was about to do some archery. Do ya wanna come?"
"Do I?! Of course I do!"
Applejack walked towards the archery station, grinning at the excited pinkie pie.
Applejack picked up a bow. So did Pinkie Pie.
"Try and get the bullseye."
Applejack loaded her arrow, and pulled it back, back until she couldn't pull it anymore. She lined up the arrow with the bullseye. She put all her focus on the aim and let go.
And it was a bullseye. Applejack stared at her shot with a mixture of surprise and wonder.
"Wow AJ! Are you sure you haven't done archery before?"
"Nope."
"Wow. I need to learn a skill like you. Stay here, you will be better off practising something you are better at rather than something you have no idea how to do."
So Applejack continued with her archery, hitting a bullseye in the targets every time. She made sure she chose a different target every now and then so she got used to shooting at different angles.
Pinkie Pie, however, went over to the station where you had to get food, and check what's poisonous or not. Pinkie went to see if you had to eat anything, but you had to check the food before you ate it.
Pinkie Pie was told how to check on different berries and what she should look for to make sure they wouldn't poison her. She was taught what fish she could catch, and what was edible. and how to extract water from trees and fruit.
She had learnt about almost 250 different sources of food in under ten minutes.
Rarity was at the camouflage station. She thought she wouldn't master any skill. She had thrown the spear backwards when Rainbow tried to teach her, and managed to shoot the ceiling rather than the target when she tried archery with Applejack. She even fell of the rock climbing wall. She was pathetic.
She listened to the instructions given. She had to use the twigs and muck to make herself look like her surroundings. There was a fake tree she was supposed to look like. She hated it when the mud first touched her skin, but she got used to it and with the help of her magic, made fine details that looked like bark. She blended in perfectly. She decided she would jump out at the next pony she saw.
Pinkie hopped past. Her pinkie sense was telling her something, but before she knew what it was telling her... Rarity jumped out.
"AAAAA!!" Pinkie shouted, "I didn't see you there, Rarity!
Rarity was pleased. "Then it worked. I camouflaged myself as that tree over there."
"Yeah, I was gonna ask why you were covered in twigs and mud."
"Have you found a skill?"
" I'm a food expert. You know, knowing what you should eat and what you shouldn't, so you don't get poisoned."
Just then, the bell rang for lunch break.
The next two days were just the same. Wake up, eat breakfast, train. Lunch, then more training. Talk with mentors over dinner, followed by meetings. Sleep. Repeat.
On the third day, the head Game Maker, Giga Byte, and all the other game makers had to sit at a large table. They had to watch the tribiutes fighting or showing their skills. They would then give them a score from one to twelve- one being useless and stupid, twelve being absolutely spectacular.
Everypony had to have a short meeting after breakfast."Hello fillies and gentlecolts. I am Giga byte. I am the head gamemaker. If you don't already know, a gamemaker makes the game interesting for the audience. I am the head gamemaker, so I am in charge of all the normal gamemakers, and I make bigger choices like giving you your scores. Today, you will show your chosen skill to me. At 9:00 pm exactly, we will have made final decisions and we will televise them. It interrupts all the channels and programmes that will be happening at that moment, so you won't need to worry about getting to the right television channel. The ponies showing their talents to me have to be one at a time. The order you will be coming in is in alphabetical order. Listen closely so you know your order. Applejack, Aurora Star, Chicken Elephant, Cobalt Wind, Coldblood, Dumb-Bell, Ember Blaze, Hoops, Pickle Fluff, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and finally, Rarity. You will have to state your name and race before you start. Your scores will affect sponsoring. Those with higher scores will get more sponsors. Be happy with your score if it's more than six. Six is average."
Later that day, it was about to start. Applejack was ready to go to the enclosed space, with the gamemakers watching. She took deep breaths like she always did to calm down.
She walked in. "Applejack. Earth pony."
She walked straight to the ropes, and knot by knot, created the snare that could leave something upside down in four minutes. She hung it from the ceiling, so that it was hanging in front of the audience of gamemakers. She picked up a silver bow and loaded it. She breathed in deeply, and focused at her aim. She couldn't get this wrong. She couldn't. But this is what would impress them most. She fired an arrow at the audience so that it touched the bottom of the loop on the snare. It caught the end of the arrow, just before it hit anyone. All the gamemakers were stunned at Applejacks's skill and thought.
"Next Pony."
Aurora disappeared through the door just as Applejack came back in. She wondered what Chicken Elephant would do. Probably something stupid, because he hadn't mastered any useful skills that she had seen him do.
"Ch-Chicken Elephant. Unicorn."
Chicken Elephant was out of ideas. All he could think of was Rainbow Dash, who he still had a bad crush on. As he walked onto the stage, he waited around for a minute, wondering what to do. He saw some buckets of paint. A very Idiotic idea sprung to his mind. He ran over them, and picked up the blue bucket of paint. He spilt it all over himself, turning himself blue all over. Then for the Rainbows for his mane. He tipped all the other colors onto his mane and tail, hoping for the best. The gamemakers apparently didn't approve dress-up as Rainbow Dash much.
He came back to find a lot if turned heads and hidden laughter, especially from Rainbow Dash.
Cobalt wind, the colt, scampered in, and came out wet all over for a strange reason. Maybe he was trying to show his swimming skills.
Coldblood came in expressionless. His evil, dark eyes were fixed on the knives
Dumb-Bell went in laughing thickly and shouting out very stupid words. He came out the same.
Ember Blaze walked in proudly, and came out like she was on the top of the world. Her smile was humungous. Which made Pinkie Pie smile.
Hoops flew in with a stupid grin on his face, and came out the same way. Like Dumb-Bell, there was no changing him, like he would forever be an unintelligent teenager.
Pickle Fluff went next, eyes on the weapons.
"Pinkie Pie, and I'm an earth pony."
Pinkie Pie dashed over to the food. She furiously opened all the berries, throwing all the berries with red or other unnatural colours inside away. She then ate the leftover ones. She stared at the cups of water. One had dirt in it, so she threw that to a side. She drank the water, adding any berry juice from the leftover berries to make it taste more pleasant. Next was the fish. There was a herring, a salmon and a shrimp. They were all cooked. She threw away the shrimp, it was too bony to eat, and didn't have enough meat on it. She checked if any of the fish had an unnatural colour. The cod was old, so she threw that aside too. She peeled the skin off the fish to reveal perfect, cooked meat. She ate it. There was nothing left on the table, apart from food waste. No gamemaker had seen a pony eat so fast, yet carefully. Pinkie pie hopped away.
"Rainbow Dash. Pegasus."
Rainbow Dash knew what to do... But she was scared that it wouldn't work. She threw a few spears at a target so that they knew that she was good at that. Then she flew up into the open air. She flew up so high that no one could see her. Then she came down as fast as she could, easily passing the sound barrier. She brought the rainbow trail into the room and circled it so hat it was full of color. The gamemakers didn't show any expression, they just took notes.
"Rarity. Unicorn."
Rarity's turn. She found the brown paint, some moss and some leaves, and finding a few fake trees in the corner of the room, started to turn herself Into a tree herself. She painted herself brown, and added small details with her magic. She then added leaves and moss where the other trees had it. She blended in without anyone noticing. The gamemakers were wondering where she was, and only when she revealed herself she was seen.
And after Rarity's part, it was finished. All they could do was wait as the gamemakers compared notes.
Everypony waited. It was fifteen minutes before nine o' clock. Not long until it showed them the results.
Suddenly the anthem played, and everypony's ears pricked up. It went on for dive minutes until it finally started showing the scores.
Ember Blaze... With a score of ten. Rainbow dash... With a score of eleven. Dumb-Bell... With a score of six. Hoops... With a score of eight. Aurora Star... With a score of five. Rarity... With a score of ten. Chicken Elephant... With a score of one. Cobalt Wind... With a score of three. Applejack... With the score of eleven. Pinkie Pie... With the score of nine.
The screen suddenly blacked out.
"Ah got.. Eleven.. And so did you.. Rainbow." Said Applejack slowly.
"I don't know if I deserve a score like that." Said Rainbow Dash.
"I only ate food and I got a nine," Said Pinkie Pie, brightly. "Well, I guess I did sort out the poisonous stuff... And I did it super quickly, come to think of it..."
"I hope you are all happy with your scores!" Said a Canterlot voice behind them. It was Winter Darling. "Because tomorrow is the Games, and you've got to be prepared!"
Everypony was led downstairs and under the ground to an empty room with nothing in there but a glass platform with a sliding door large enough to fit a pony on. It was explained that the glass doors would open, and you would have to go straight onto the platform within a minute of the doors opening, or you were tortured to death by machines that stretch you hard so you can't move, and you were beaten so that your bones were either broken apart or fractured.
Rarity could feel her pulse going through her body. So could everybody. All they could hear was their hearts beating. Rarity tried to breathe normally, but she couldn't. She was breathing faster. It made her heart beat faster. Which made her more scared every minute. Rainbow dash felt sick, but was hiding it. So was Applejack. And Pinkie Pie's hair had gone straight, and her irises small with fright.
The glass doors slid open with next to no noise. One step. And another. And another. One at a time. They were forced, as this was a battle between mind and heart, your heart screaming to turn around and go back, your mind screaming to go forward, or face a worse fate than the hunger games.
It was hard for some, but everypony was on their platforms within a minute. For a few seconds, they were suspended in a small claustrophobic space, but the platforms slowly moved upwards, like lifts. when they got to the top, they were in the arena. It was very tempting to run, teleport or fly somewhere, but if you do, you get blown to smithereens.
The arena was large, at least five kilometres wide. A river ran through the middle of the arena.There was a dark forest on the left, quite similar to the everfree forest, and then a steep mountain behind it. On the right, there was a lake, that took up a lot of space. Beyond that were hills and swampland. Everything behind them was forest and marsh. There were the singing of birds. And if you listened extremely carefully and blocked out the birds, you could hear a distant but angry roar. In the centre of all the tributes was the cornucopia, a dome shaped building with curved roof that started low, but curved up higher than what you would expect. The whole building was made out of gold and encrusted with diamonds. The Capitol certainly didn't hesitate when it came to decoration. There were twelve archways which were spaced equally around the building, each archway facing the pony so that they could run straight in. The gold shone like the sun.
The countdown had started.
30... 29... 28... 27...
Pinkie pie peered inside the building. There was nothing she could see that she wanted, so she decided she would run away into the forest behind her as soon as she could move. The careers would try and kill her otherwise.
22... 21... 20...
Applejack looked frantically in the cornucopia for a bow and arrows and a backpack which would hopefully be full of supplies. She spotted her targets. A black bow with what looked like twenty eight arrows, and a small light blue backpack. She would grab it and run for the mountain. She would at least have the forest to hide her on the way there.
16... 15... 14... 13...
Rarity scanned her surroundings. She was going to go to the forest, but she didn't know if she should get supplies or not. She wasn't a fast runner, but she needed supplies, and supplies came from those little rucksacks. She spotted a white one. It was risky, but worth a try. She focused her mind. She was going to attempt a teleport.
8... 7... 6... 5...
Rainbow Dash made eye contact with Ember Blaze. Rainbow nodded her head towards the supplies, indicating she was going to go there first. Ember Blaze nodded. She signalled towards the forest. That's where she was going. Meanwhile, Rainbow was getting ready... Ready to take off...
Rarity put all her effort into teleporting to the cornucopia. She instantly felt exhaustion as soon as she completed the spell, and couldn't possibly teleport again, as it had sapped her strength too much. Hastily, she grabbed the white backpack and ran as fast as she could towards the forest, adrenaline rushing through her body. She entered the slightly safer forest, and tried to slow her breathing a little.
She almost jumped out of her skin when she noticed a knife sticking out of her right hind leg. She ignored it trying to push the horrible image of what she saw out of her mind. 'I need to focus.' Rarity thought to herself. 'A knife cut isn't going to stop me from focusing.' She pondered on what was most important to do. Rarity eventually decided that it was camouflaging herself, finding a place to rest overnight. She covered herself with mud, spreading herself with it on most parts of her coat, making sure it didn't touch or cover the wound on her leg. She then climed up a low tree, sat on a branch and examined her injury, forcing herself to look at it, as she never liked looking at gore. It made her feel squeamish, but she eventually found out how deeply cut it was. It wasn't too bad. It had imbedded itself into Rarity's leg about two centermetres, but it had mostly snagged onto her skin. She didn't feel much pain, so Rarity turned he attention to the contents of her backpack. Inside was a blanket, a small water bottle and some bandages, to her delight. She cleared the all the mud of her leg with a swift swipe of her hoof, and smothered it on the sparkling clean bag reluctantly. She knew that white attracts lots of attention due to its brightness.
Wincing, She gently pulled out the knife from her throbbing hind leg. Rarity felt ill as she wiped the knife clean with some moss, revealing how much blood she had lost. She threw the bloodstained moss as far away as far as she could. She didn't want to give any clues to her location, so rarity was anxious that she would be tracked down by the moss. Rarity peered down at herself to see if she needed any more camouflage. Her bandages were dark green, so there was no point camouflaging them. She wrapped the bandages around her leg carefully. Feeling weak and weary, she meandered around the forest trees to find a shelter. She scanned the area around her, and spotted some branches that stuck out in the same angle, which was probably a safe and sensible place for resting. She hesitated though. It was tremendously high up. She only had one choice - teleportation. She concentrated very hard, her aching head trying to stop her. She thought to herself what would happen if this failed. If she was unsuccessful and fell to the floor, she could be seriously injured. She might even die. She put all her effort on her magic, concentrated on where she wanted to be. And then... She had changed place. And she was on the branches! Rarity, with a mix of triumph and exhaustion, curled up with her blanket on top of her, and she finally allowed herself to rest.
Applejack sprinted to the cornucopia, determined to grab what she wanted. When she got there, she was one of the first to be there, so she swiftly slipped the bow over her back, and she grabbed the backpack and held it in her mouth. She span on the spot, and faced the dark forest with the towering mountain behind it. She ran like timberwolves were chasing her into to the forest. When she was deep into the forest and quite alone, she caught her breath back. After she was breathing at normal speed again, she looked around. Nothing but trees. She couldn't climb trees to her disappointment, but she could climb hills and mountains. So Applejack decided that she would trek up the mountain and find a cave. She would be safer there. So she started her long journey. The sights, sounds, and even the feel was very unusual. No doubt that the animals and plants they had been made by the gamemakers. There were small, winged rats with fluffy tails that were green and white. Applejack often tried to shoot them, but they dodged her arrows. Applejack was always disappointed when she missed, so she didn't like the rats much. There was strange monkey-like animals with trunks, which were so bony there was no point trying to get them. A particular bird, a mockingjay, could repeat a tune you whistled. Applejack had come across this while she was whistling in the woods. She had heard about mockingjays before. Rarely, you would come across plants strangely lit up every time you touched them. Magic probably was powering them. After four and a half hours, Applejack was eventually able to see the mountains, which were well over two thousand metres high. You couldn't see more than halfway up them. She could see some caves about a quarter of the way up, which looked ideal for sleeping in.
Rainbow Dash had taken flight as soon as the the last words were said. She was the fastest out of all the ponies, which she was very proud of. She saw a lot of spears. She picked them up, and counted six. She gave one to Ember Blaze, who accompanied her. She smiled at Rainbow Dash, and flew over the cornucopia. She watched Ember Blaze. She was stabbing Cobalt Wind in the heart. The very thought sickened Rainbow Dash. She just asked for her to carry some water and food, while she held her spear. Ember Blaze looked for a sword first, but there wasn't one, so she took the large water bottle and the food. Rainbow Dash told Ember Blaze to follow her. Rainbow Dash shot up the river. She could feel herself going through the sound barrier, and without meaning to, did a sonic rainboom. rainbow Dash eventually found a small island in the middle of the river. She landed, and put down the spears. Ember Blaze put down the supplies. They left the food for later, but they both drank some water. Ember Blaze said she was going to try and kill somepony, so Rainbow passed her the spear reluctantly. Ember Blaze soared down the river, and she was soon gone before Rainbow Dash's eyes.
Pinkie Pie turned and ran. She tried to think of the games as a huge game of hide and seek. Pinkie was pretty sure that hiding was a big part in the games. And she had just the chance to use her skills now. A dark brown pony had spotted her. She had a spear. Pinkie Pie pretended to run, but at the last second, disappeared. It was almost as if she had evaporated. Pinkie was inside a tree, waiting silently for Ember Blaze to leave. but she didn't. She hung around, wondering where Pinkie had gone. Pinkie Pie held her breath. Ember Blaze eventually left, cursing under her breath. Pinkie Pie looked around the tree she was hiding in. It had lots of fruit growing on it which she had never seen before. They were circular, and about the size of a tennis ball. She picked one. She checked the skin, the inside of the fruit, and the seeds inside it. She same eked it with her expert nose. It was safe for eating. That meant all the fruit were okay to eat. She pulled a branch off the tree, and snapped bits off the end to make it sharp. A wooden knife. She might need it, anyways. She got out of the tree and looked at her surroundings. Mostly large, dark trees with vines hanging from them. She couldn't see any other tree that had fruit on it. She decided to take a walk, and get to know the area she was in. She hopped around, memorising the plants and animals, how talk the trees were and what could be good homes or hiding- places. She knew where she was, and she had food and water. The only problem was that 8 other tributes were in the forest as well as herself. And anypony could kill her or her friends.
Applejack trudged blindly through the shadows of the forest. It was getting darker and darker as she ventured deeper into the forest. There were times when she couldn't see anything at all, and everything in front of her was pitch black. She didn't know what was going to happen. The unknown sent chills down her spine and curdled her blood. What if she got hurt? Or killed?
She entered a slightly brighter part of the forest. She could see ahead of her a little, at least. But the taunting unanswered questions still lingered inside her mind. What if she didn't make it, and let Applebloom, Big Mac and Granny Smith down? What if-
Her thoughts were immediatley interrupted by a deep, ear-splitting roar which filled the forest. It must have been only a few hundred metres away. She galloped forward, to where it was brightest. The low, deafening roar filled the air again, which made Applejack run faster. But it was for no use. A giant manticore jumped out of the bushes in front of her, as menacing and threatening as the one she encountered before. Applejack knew it could kill her any second. It had the head and body of a lion, the wings of a bat and the tail of a scorpion. It could sting her. Bite her. Scratch her. And it could fly. The huge creature towered above her. It looked at Applejack for a few seconds, wondering what to do, if it would eat her alive or kill her first. Applejack tried to creep past it, hoping it would be too busy thinking to notice her. The manticore saw applejack trying to get away, and with a flick of its paw, it sent her flying into a tree behind her.
Applejack looked to see if any damage was done. She stared at a huge claw mark across her stomach on horror. She had to get out of here. She just had to. Unless she wanted more damage done. There was one way out, but it was a way which she was afraid and reluctant of doing. Hesitantly, she pulled the bow off her back, held it firmly, and loaded an arrow into it. She pulled it back as far as she could, far enough so that her hoof touched her cheek. Just before the manticore took another swipe of its claws at Applejack, she let go of her arrow and it shot into the centre of the Manticore's heart. It stopped. It stopped in its tracks and swayed a little, as if it lost its balance. With a thud, it fell to the ground. Applejack felt wrong and ashamed as soon as her arrow hit the manticore. And even more so when it fell to the ground, dead.
"Buck this." She said quietly to herself.
Applejack retrieved her arrow, and put it back. She slipped the bow over her back again. She sat down and opened her backpack. Inside was some rope, a blanket, some food and an empty water bottle. No medical supplies. Not even any water to cool down her cut a bit. She scoured her brain in despair about what she should do. She tied the blanket around her scorching and sensitive wounds for now, hoping she would come across something better on future that would act as a better bandage.She carried on, even though every step she took was agonising. She was determined to carry on. Dragging herself, she finally reached the end of the forest, and soon after that, the start of the mountain. She looked up. It was steep. Steep enough that other ponies wouldn't be able to climb up there by foot. She remembered how she was strong enough to drag Fluttershy as well as herself up a steep mountain once. That drove her on. This mountain was steeper than when she had to drag Fluttershy, but this time, it was her on her own.
She traipsed up the mountainside. Her stomach was almost torture to bear through. She could feel the blood seeping through the blanket, and it was still blistering hot. She saw the first cave about fifty metres above her. Just a little more. Just a little more and she'd be there-
She got her forelegs over the edge of the cave while her back legs were furiously pushing against the mountain to let her up. How, she didn't know. She gradually entered the small cave, and with a lot of effort and hard work managed to step forward a few times, almost losing her balance. Despite her efforts, she collapsed in anguish and exhaustion. She blacked out, and remained motionless, sprawled out onto the cold cave floor.
Rarity awoke, wondering where she was and why she was outside, soon realising that she was in the Pony Games. She looked around her. Everything was fine. The air was a lot colder than she imagined. She could see her breath billowing into the air, and there was frost on the branches where she was lying. She wrapped herself tightly in her blanket, but it was no use. She was still shivering, and couldn't get the cold out no matter what she tried. She moved towards her backpack. There was only a water bottle inside, and the water inside had a small layer of ice across it's surface.
She racked her brain for the spell which warmed whichever pony it was aimed at, which could include themselves. When she thought she remembered the spell, she cast it upon herself. And sure enough, she was warm as a toaster.
Coldblood, who heard Rarity's noises while she was moving, scanned the area. He couldn't see Rarity, even though she had moved and she had made her presence more noticeable. Coldblood sensed somepony was close. Coldblood started to climb a tall tree to see if he could see her higher up. There, he saw Rarity. Rarity saw Coldblood, and levitated her sword, ready for attack. Coldblood glared at Rarity.
"I want that knife back." Coldblood murmured.
Before Rarity could answer, Coldblood sprung over to where Rarity was. He hit her as hard as he could. Punching and kicking Rarity, especially in the face and stomach, he finally was able to grab his knife, and put it into action. He cut Rarity where he could, across the stomach, chest and forehead. Rarity screamed in pain as loud as she could. Blood trickled down her white fur. Coldblood would have started stabbing her, but Rainbow Dash had flew in with a burst of speed, flying into Coldblood and knocking him out of the tree. He fell, and crash-landed head first. He wasn't dead because he was still breathing, but he wouldn't move.
Rainbow ignored Coldblood, and rushed to rarity.
"Rarity..." Rainbow said to herself.
She tried to see where Rarity was cut most, but it was hard because of the blood spread across her trembling body. It was everywhere. Rainbow wiped some of it away. Rarity was cut everywhere but there were three major cuts. There was a cut on the forehead where she could see bone, one on her chest where not only she could see her bone, but some bone had been scraped off, and the cut in her stomach which was producing the most blood.
"Rarity! Wake up!" Rainbow Dash shouted, "Rarity!"
Rarity was breathing, but very sharply and quickly.
"RARITY!" Rainbow screamed, "RAIRITY! WAKE UP!"
But rarity didn't move a muscle. Except her breathing. Rarity had suffered bad blood loss. There was probably no coming back now.
Pinkie Pie rushed in. Rainbow almost speared her, but when she saw it was Pinkie, she lowered her weapon.
"What's happened?" Asked Pinkie inquisitively. I heard someone screaming. It sounded like Rarity, but she's not here, and then you shouted, but you're okay..."
"C-come up this tree, Pinkie."
Pinkie could climb trees like a monkey, fortunately. When she got to the top, she gasped. Her hair became straight, and she froze then and there.
"W-who did it?"
Rainbow pointed towards Coldblood. He was lying motionless on the floor.
"Did you make him f-fall?"
Rainbow nodded, crying silently to herself.
"RARITY, ITS TIME TO GET UP. IT'S PINKIE PIE!" Pinkie shouted. Realising that rarity might never wake up again, she started to cry with Rainbow Dash. They were together for hours and hours, crying and sitting by Rarity.
A cannon sounded.
Pinkie turned her head- It wasn't Rarity who died. It was Coldblood. A hovercraft came over to Coldblood, scooped him up with its Mechanical claw, and lifted the body until it disappeared inside the giant hovering aircraft.
Pinkie said she would go and get some fruit from her tree. They needed to eat, miserable or not. She took a quick canter, so that she didn't keep Rainbow Dash waiting. She picked two pieces of fruit off the tree, and then cantered back to the tree.
Before she got there, she could hear Rainbow Dash shouting and screaming. Wailing and crying. The sound of a cannon echoed through the arena. Cold wet tears stremed down Pinkie Pie's face. Rarity was dead.
Applejack lay on the cold stone ground, fading in and out of consciousness. She was motionless except for the occasional slight movement of her eyes. She remained like this until sunset as the fiery glow melted behind the horizon. As the sun sank, hues of red and orange gave way to the darkness of the night.
Finally regaining control of her legs, she shifted her hoofs into a standing position and with one hard push she was able to once more regain an upright position. She stepped forwards a bit, stumbling a little before regaining her balance and continuing on. Her steps got easier and easier as she continued at a slow pace back towards her backpack. Opening it up, she spilled the contents on the ground: an empty water bottle, some slightly smashed food and some rope greeted her. Taking the rope, she knotted it in the most elaborate of ways, creating a highly complex snare that would trap anypony who touched it inside. Walking towards the cave's mouth, she hung the trap over the top, so that if anypony tried to enter they would instantly be ensnared.
Just as Applejack was admiring her own handiwork, the anthem blared as the symbol of the Pony Games was displayed high in the sky, changing to display the faces of the fallen tributes so far.
First was a small colt. He was probably the youngest in the games. The name 'COBALT WIND' was written out underneath his picture.
Second was an evil-looking stallion. His greasy hair was matted on his body, as he seemed to be staring into space, yet maintaining a dangerous look. The name 'COLDBLOOD' was underneath it.
The next pony turned Applejack's blood to ice. A white pony with curled, purple hair was shown in the sky. Her blue eyes looked sadly down into the arena. It couldn't be. The name 'RARITY' appeared underneath it as Applejack stood and stared. She felt like all her breath had been sucked out of her. She was unable to move, unable to think except one thought.
Rarity, one of her best friends, was dead.
The symbol appeared again, the anthem stopped, and then it disappeared altogether.
Tears rushed down Applejack's cheeks, creating a puddle of water in front of her. She didn't know how long she cried, but she cried until she had no tears left to give.
She spotted something out the corner of her eye. Snapped out of her misery she concentrated on what she saw. It was flying, but it was far too small to be a griffin. It was definitely a pegasus. The pegasus hovered in the same spot for a while, scanning the mountainside and all the caves. Applejack crouched low, so that the pony didn't spot her. Despite her efforts, the pegasus locked onto her and flew towards the cave with a burst of speed.
The trap went into action, and the pony was caught. Applejack walked forward to see who it was, and who she saw was not at all what she expected.
"Rainbow Dash!?"
Her annoyed magenta eyes glared back at Applejack.
"Yes, it's me, duh. Now will you get me out of this thing, possibly?" She said, struggling against the net.
"Oh! Sorry, Rainbow. Sure, I'll let ya out."
As Applejack untied the net, Rainbow Dash fell to the ground with a thud.
"Why in the hay are you here?" asked Applejack.
"Um... Well... You know that Rarity didn’t make it, right?" Rainbow Dash said sadly.
Applejack sniffed. "Yes, ah saw her during the anthem."
"Well, I can't let that happen to you, or to Pinkie! We need to be allies so no one else dies. I couldn't bear it if another one of us died and there was nopony else to help."
"So you're saying... That you, me and Pinkie should team up?"
"Exactly. I don’t know if we can make it on our own."
"What happened to Ember Blaze? Wasn't she your ally?"
"She flew off with Dumb-Bell and Hoops, the career team. I saw them leaving after I got back from where Rarity went down."
"Okay, then. Where's Pinkie?"
"She's on her way up. I'll go check on her to see if she's alright."
Rainbow Dash flew down to Pinkie swiftly, but it wasn't long before the two of them returned to the cave together as Pinkie had bounced her way up the mountain
"Hi, Applejack!" Said Pinkie, leaping at her and giving a big hug.
"Hi Pinkie. Glad to see your alright." Said Applejack.
"Me too! I'm soooo glad you're okay!" Pinkie said happily. She kept chatting on and on, shooting off words like they were bullets from a gun. Half the time, it was so fast that you couldn't make out what she was saying. Applejack smiled. She was so glad to see her happy friend with her once more.
But everything stopped when a stallion walked into the cave.
"I-I'm Chicken Elephant," Said the stallion, shyly, "Can I be allies with you guys too?" He said, mostly speaking to Rainbow Dash. Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had a hushed talk about it. Eventually they made a decision.
"Sure, why not!" Said Rainbow Dash, beaming.
So Chicken Elephant sat next to Rainbow Dash while Pinkie carried on chatting. It went on like this for a while, but eventually fatigue took over them and they drifted off to sleep.
The sun shone down onto the arena the next morning, eliminating the dark sky and changing it to a bright one. The birds were all singing, the mockingjay loudest of all. Pinkie Pie was first to wake up that morning. She jumped out gleefully, hopping about and yelling.
"WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEADS! ITS MOOORNING!!"
"Shush, Pinkie." Groaned Rainbow Dash, who was awoken by Pinkie's yells.
"COME ON, GET UP!" Pinkie shouted, louder than ever, literally bouncing off the walls with excitement.
"Be Quiet!" Said Applejack sternly, who was also woken up due to Pinkie's noise.
"CHICKEN ELEPHANT, WAKE-"
"Shut the buck up!" Exclaimed Rainbow Dash, staring at pinkie with those annoyed magenta eyes.
"Oh- sorry...? Questioned Pinkie, tilting her head as she did so.
"Sorry!? The careers will find us if you make this much noise!" Ranted Rainbow Dash, "Anyways. I am going hunting with my spears. Does anypony want to come?"
There was a pause, while everypony thought about it. Applejack and Pinkie Pie shook their heads.
"Yes, I will come." said Chicken Elephant, who was now awake.
"Okay, let's go. I hope you can teleport, because I fly fast. And when I say fast, I mean I can go faster than the speed of sound."
"I can teleport, so it's okay, I will be there fast as well." Said Chicken Elephant, thinking that if he said that he could teleport because of his mystic chicken-headed elephant powers, Rainbow Dash would think he was weird. And he didn't want his crush to think that, especially that this was the first time he was going to be alone with her.
Rainbow Dash trotted to the entrance, spears in mouth, then she unfolded and stretched her wings. The next half of second she was gone, speeding over the forest in a blast of speed. Despite how fast she was, she was easy to see as her rainbow mane and tail stood out.
Chicken Elephant focused on his mystic chicken-headed elephant powers. All he needed to do was to focus on something he wanted to do and his powers helped him.
'Take me to the river where the chicken goddess's idol is waiting.'
Chicken Elephant was gone in a flash, and there he was, standing on a river bank. The river was wide, about as wide as a small lake. There were mini islands dotted in the middle of the river, most of them too tiny to walk on, or even stand on. There was a strong looking current going through it, as if you put your hoof into the river, your hoof was carried with it.
Rainbow Dash beckoned Chicken Elephant over to where she was. She handed him a spear, which he levitated.
"I hope you can fish," Rainbow said, showing him the thousands of fish in the river, "I'm gonna start. You can start whenever you want. Just try to get the big ones, they obviously last longer."
Shortly after that, Rainbow hovered above the River, looking for the larger ones. Every now and then she speared a fish and threw it onto the river bank.
'Spear a fish,' Chicken Elephant told his Powers.
'No. Harming living things and destroying things is against the mystic chicken-headed elephant law.' His powers replied.
'Do it!' returned Chicken Elephant, annoyed, 'It will please the idol of the chicken goddess!'
'Very well. But remember that you have broken our mystic laws.'
Sure enough, Chicken Elephant caught a fish. He threw it on the bank, and repeated many times. By the end of the fishing trip, they had gathered at least fifty fish.
"We will need to take two trips!" Said Rainbow Dash, picking up as many as she could.
"No, it's fine. I can levitate the rest of them while I teleport." Said Chicken Elephant.
They were about to leave when they heard a rustle in the bushes.
"Let's go before somepony kills us." Said Rainbow Dash, but at that moment, Pickle Fluff and Aurora Star jumped out of the bushes, Aurora Star pinning down Chicken Elephant while Pickle Fluff grabbed hold of Rainbow's tail with magic.
"Not so fast," said Pickle Fluff darkly, "We gotta do something first."
Rainbow Dash flapped harder and harder, but for no use. Pickle Fluff was drawing her closer and closer.
Chicken Elephant couldn't move. He was stuck, forced not to move by Aurora, who was a lot heavier than she looked. He saw Pickle Fluff's eyes dart towards a sword next to him. He was going to kill her slowly and painfully. He had to do something, or his most loved one would be dead. He struggled against Aurora's weight, but that didn't do anything.
'Get me out of Aurora's grasp.'
He vanished and appeared suddenly next to Aurora. She leapt at him, but he used a kicking technique applejack had taught her, he sent her flying. He crept up to Pickle Fluff, and tried to do the same kick, but Pickle Fluff stopped him with a flick of his hoof. Getting up again, he ran towards Pickle Fluff, who had his sword ready, levitating beside him. He was about to stab Rainbow Dash. There was only one way to save her now, and he wouldn't like it.
He ran full sprint towards Pickle Fluff, and thrust himself in front of the sword about to stab Rainbow Dash, blocking her but exposing himself to the danger.
Pickle Fluff stabbed Chicken Elephant. He could immediately feel torturous agony fill his chest. He had just a little more life left to see Rainbow flying away, and then back again with a rainbow behind her straight into Pickle Fluff. He saw her hover above him, and just as his vision was failing, he spluttered his last words.
"Ra-rainbow dash-sh, I-I-I Love-ve y-you." He stuttered through sharp breathing.
The fourth cannon echoed through the arena, meaning that Chicken Elephant, the pony who threw away his own life to save Rainbow Dash, was dead.
Rainbow Dash had knocked all the unicorns out with her rainboom. They'd be lucky if they lived, now. She picked up all the fish and flew over to the cave entrance, the others looking very worried. She dumped the fish on the ground, and the others brightened up a little.
"Rainbow! Ah heard a cannon, you scared me to death!" Exclaimed Applejack.
"Where's- No. Nononono! He can't of- died?" Said Pinkie, her eyes wide.
Rainbow nodded sadly. "The unicorns got him." She said.
They sat in silence for the next hour, not believing that their entertaining friend could have gone. It was unreal. But their mourning thoughts were soon interrupted by a tremor.
"What the hay--" said Applejack.
"I don't know. Carry on." Said pinkie, who was also confused.
But soon after there was a more violent tremor that was more like an earthquake. Pinkie Pie fell over and Applejack had trouble standing up.
"Hold on.. Wait. NO. COME... ON...." Said Rainbow Dash, flapping her wings harder and harder. " NO! NONONO! I CAN'T FLY!"
" What in Tarantion!?" Said Applejack. "Why can't you fly?"
"It must be the gamemakers," said Pinkie Pie, "They must have stopped all pegasi from flying somehow. That means the career team is probably unable to fly, too."
"What!? But I NEED to fly!" Protested Rainbow Dash, "I have to fly! This cutie mark wasn't for nothing, you know."
"Uh, sugarcube, sorry to interrupt, but is that smoke in the corner over there?"
All three of them peered to the corner of the cave. Smoke seemed to be billowing out of a hole in the wall. Pinkie Pie hesitantly stepped forward. She picked up the backpack that was in the same corner as the smoke. At least, she tried to. As soon as she picked up the bag, pints of lava spilt out of the hole in the wall, a steadily growing puddle of liquid fire which originally came from under the earth's crust. Pinkie tried to pull the bag out of the searing mess.
"PINKIE! DON'T! YOU'LL KILL YOURSELF! DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE SUPPLIES, JUST GET OUTTA THERE!" Applejack yelled.
But it was too late. The pink mare was soon stuck in the lava, screaming out in agony. She was being burned alive. Horrible smells of burning flesh wafted around them. She was now unable to move, engulfed in the horrible liquid. She kept howling and screaming. There was nothing Applejack or Rainbow Dash could do but stand, unable to speak because of the smoke in the air, and gape in horror at their usually happy friend die.
A cannon sounded.
Coughing and crying, Rainbow Dash and Applejack decided to move out before the lava got them.
They climbed the mountain, up and up. They eventually got to the last cave- it had so e smoke inside and it was cold, but better than the others. Smoke slowly started rising up into their cave. Rainbow Dash stumbled to the mouth of the cave, and saw a horrible sight. Lava spread all over they arena. nothing but lava. They couldn't go higher up and they couldn't go down to ground level. Some of the lava had hardened, though, and was okay to walk on.
They decided not to move until the lava settled- which had terrible downsides, as the smoke filled the cave more and ore until it was impossible to breathe. Both ponies had passed out before they could notice a parachute sailing silently towards them.
The silver parachute sailed towards the two unconcious ponies soundlessly. Only when it dropped to the ground with a clatter did the two ponies notice it. Rainbow Dash soon realised what it was, and stood shakily to her feet, wobbling and stumbling as she went. She picked up the container, and opened it. Inside was six flasks of liquid. On the sides of the flasks were little labels telling you what they were. The description told Rainbow that it cleared all smoke from your lungs. Rainbow sipped out of one then set them aside carefully, and looked in the container for anything else. There was something else. A large piece of paper, with what looked like water splattered all over it. It was letter- from Fluttershy.
To Rainbow,
I'm scared. I don't know what to do. Rarity and Pinkie are dead and gone- It will never be the same again. I got these in hope that they will save you and AJ- but... I can't do anything about it. I'm sorry about the messy handwriting and the water. I've been crying, crying ever since it started. I'm glad Twilight is here with me- but she is nowhere near you when it comes to comforting me like best friends do.
The medicine clears your lungs of the smoke and ash. You must take it slowly... There is side effects of breathing problems otherwise.
I.. Rainbow.. I can't live without Rarity and Pinkie.. And I know that either you or AJ will die. Or both of you. I can't bear it anymore. I've made my decision. I can't change that some of my friends have died... And.. If I because I can't, I might as well join them.
Yes. I am saying that I am going to commit suicide. Please, Rainbow, I need to do this. Apart from the dwindling hope that you will survive, I have nothing left for me in this life.
Goodbye Dashie, Your friend Forever,
Fluttershy
All Rainbow Dash could do was stare down at the note in disbelief and complete horror. Applejack had managed to crawl to the flasks and sip some of the medicine, and with a sigh of relief she managed to stand up and see Rainbow Dash weeping over a letter of some sort.
"What in Tarantion? What's the matter, Rainbow Dash?"
"J-Just read this-s"
A horrible silence swept across the cave for a moment, but soon Applejack joined Rainbow in her tears. Nothing was said. The only friend they would have if they returned was Twilight, now.
"We should get down the mountain. Avoid the smoke before this runs out." Said Applejack, finally recovering from her tears and picking up the flasks.
"You're right," said Rainbow Dash, "No point staying here."
They both took a sip of the medicine and started to walk to the bottom, because Rainbow still couldn't fly. Because the flasks were quite small, it wasn't long before they were on the last flask. They started to get desperate. They were not even halfway yet. The sips had to become smaller and smaller- until there was only a couple drops left. They were used up leaving both ponies choking on the ash and smoke.
"Applejack, I think- I can fly. But only a little." Said Rainbow, struggling for breath. But she didn't know that Applejack had collapsed in the smoke, the life draining out of her faster by the second.
A cannon sounded.
"APPLEJACK!? ARE YOU STILL THERE!?" Rainbow shouted, but to no answer. "APPLEJACK, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!
Still, there was no answer. Rainbow Dash searched for Applejack's body and she found it. It was unmoving.
Rainbow took off, with a mixture of severe coughs and tears. She just wanted to be alone. Now she understood Fluttershy. She knew how she felt.
Rainbow searched the sky- and there they were, thee career team, hovering above the river. She didn't care if she won anymore. She just wanted to end this, so that she wouldn't have any grief or worry.
Rainbow was going to sacrifice herself to the careers. Surely that would be rebellious to Celestia. They deserved every bit of rebellion that they were given. They deserved more, for creating these vile death matches.
Rainbow took in a deep breath, and with a powerful flap of her wings, met her fate.
