Literally Snails

@

(Uhm... he's still in the ring? Just outside the alchemy circle. It's large, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't take up the whole ring.)

 

Swordpoint glared at the announcer. "Insane? You call me insane for not wanting to take a life? Rune is not a bloodthirsty killer, so I will not stain my hooves with his death."

 

The crowd booed and began to throw things at him. Angrily, Swordpoint trained his lance on the spectators. "But I have no problem killing ALL of you! Now silence yourselves or you will face my lance!"

"STOP THE FIGHT IMMEDIATELY!" The stadium's loudspeakers said in the voice of a middle aged mare.

"Huh?" Topaz questioned. "Would the Tournament committee explain themselves? Why have you stopped this fight?"

"The Tournament rule's state that a player who is not in play may not be given any sort of treatment or modification by another player against their will. As Rune Breaker was being given a ten count, he was considered out of play."

"Since... when did we start paying attention to that?"

"As will cannot be determined, and as Rune Breaker is considered out of play, Swordpoint is found guilty of illegal actions outside of the ring, and is disqualified from the Dark Tournament."

"As a lover and fan of this tournament, I must object!"

"There will be no further deliberations."

The audience began throwing trash into Topaz's announcer box. "SHUT UP TOPAZ!" An audience member yelled. "YEAH, IT'S PERFECTLY FAIR!"

The ref looked horribly confused. "Does that mean... Rune Breaker is the winner?"

(Sorry about this, but I need one of you to be an example of the tournament committee's corruption, and Swordpoint is too much of a good guy not to be targeted.)

Radio's eyes narrowed, "I do not see you down here fighting me for this brutish tradition. However, there is plenty of quartz around. If you'd like, you may become the first casualty." Her horn glowed and the air surrounding her began to grow warm. This heat cloud travled to a patch of grass that wilted and died.

The ref screamed and jumped away from Mao and ran to the side of the ring as far from Mao as possible. "Oh my god, that's hot!" he said, "I'll continue my ten count from over here! THREE! ...FOUR! ...FIVE!"

(If aRegularPony doesn't post soon, I'll wrap up this ten-count so we can get on with the tournament.)

@@Fivefs, @

The irreverent and bloodthirsty spectators angered Swordpoint. He could see Rune Breaker breathing, but the immense force of the runes would change that soon if he did nothing. No. Not if I can help it.

 

Swordpoint once again forced magical energy into his wings, which he released with another popping sound. Using the spell, he teleported Rune just outside the circle. Swordpoint fell to his knees again. The pain in his lungs intensified, and he found it hard to breathe.

 

"R-Rune..." he coughed, "Are you alive?"

"Now it looks like Swordpoint has taken his opponent out of the ring in order to nurse him!" Topaz said in shock. "Has the strain of battle driven him insane!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?!"

"GET BACK IN THE RING, SWORDPOINT!"

"Wow..." The ref said quietly. "That's tough to call..."

@,

 

Rune Breaker was now squirming in mid air, his horn strobing magic brusts and legs turning in the empty air.  "I know that! I already lost control, your magic corroded my magic signiture!  It doesn't recogize me so I can't control it or dispel it,  it's supposed to act like a lock and key but you filled the keyhole with glue!  I don't know if it will ever stop."  'Time to fall pony.'  Runes eyes went wide, pulling his legs underneath himself.  "Shit." was all he could say solemly.

 

The air all around the staduim rushed towards the ring creating a powerful gust.  Trash, food and other debris blown loss road the wind to the edge of the arena where they immedaitely slammed flat.  Rune Breaker descended slowly the mini circle beneath him blindingly bright, landing on his feet and obviously coming under a great amount of stress.  He was struggling to stay upright even in the protection it provided.  'Not enough you are never enough.' Then the small circle flickered and in that instant his legs buckled unnaturally and he let out a screaming howl of pain collapsing to the ground.

 

Now on the ground he struggled to keep his head raised still pouring out his magic.  The protective runes flickered again, drawing another scream from him and slamming his head to the dirt.  He puffed a hard breath into it.  The protection suddenly disappeared his horn gave one final flare, intensely bright.  The cracks in it expanding slightly, a small chip of it even blasting lose in the pulse.  Then the aura around it faded and Rune breaker laid completely still in not even a scream escaped him.

The ref ran over to Rune Breaker's silent body. "Um... Okay, I think I should do a ten count." He announced. "ONE... TWO..."

"I've seen enough fight's to know when a ten-count isn't necessary." Topaz said. "There's no way Rune Breaker is waking up from that!" She sighed, "looks like we're having another competitor slipping away with a ten count!"

"BOO!" The crowd cried.

"Hey, Swordpoint, do us a huge favor and make sure he's dead!"

Rune Breaker was curled in a fetal position pushed against the top of his own shield, the only thing preventing him from being crushed against it was the small impromptu alchemy circle at his feet. His horn was still glowing as fierce as before feeding magic down (or was it now up?) into the arena.  'AH My head is ripping apart, it's never hurt this bad... I-I ah make it stop!  My horn is going to shatter...'  'Give in.  Break down.  Let me take over. You are weak.'  'No! I'll restore the kernel!  I'll still win.  It's just a feedback, a burp.  As long as I fix it before the switch back...'

 

"NOTHING! Don't do anything." Rune screamed his voice cracking, visibly grinding his teeth in agony.  And then for a moment he was weightless, everything in the arena was.  Gravity in that area for that moment seemed to cease to exist.

"Just when I thought I'd seen everything, Rune Breaker seems to have caused a temporary loss of gravity!" Topaz said. "I'm glad I'm not in that stadium! You fans better hang onto your seats!"

@,

The dagger hit Mao in the face, cutting his cheek. He stepped back and grimaced in pain, taking his concentration away from everything. And then her plan came into action. The many thoughts of the crowd echoed everywhere. Thousands of thoughts being thought at once. Mao gripped his head and fell to the ground, just wanting it to stop. It didn't. 

The ref ran up next to Mao. "Okay," She said. "I'm taking a ten count! ONE! ...TWO!"

"Awww! Not another Ten-count!" Topaz said. "We've already seen two other fighters leave the ring without the chance to inflict death on someone! Are the preliminaries going to end with only one casualty?"

@@Fivefs

Swordpoint examined the lightly glowing areas on the ground. Traps. But so noticeable... Perhaps I should stay airborne.

 

"Through extensive training," he replied curtly. "All ponies are capable of magic, but the unicorns have the simplest medium to use for its conjuration. Pegasi are able to use their wings because they already contain magic, although it requires years of rigorous training. Earth ponies have an even slimmer chance, as they are not magical by nature." His eyes never left the blue stallion. "I cast my first spell only several years ago, so I have not yet mastered the arts of magic."

 

Swordpoint jumped and began to float a few feet above the ring. "By the way, your rune traps are terribly easy to spot. They pulse with energy. Perhaps to an untrained eye, they would be effective, but I am far too clever for that. Unless you can cast them in midair, I'm afraid that they will not help you." He held his lance at the ready, the tip pointed at Rune Breaker, who stood on the other side of the arena.

"And Swordpoint has pointed his lance right at Rune Breaker! Though the threat is meaningful, He's going to need a lot of luck to make it to his opponent!" Topaz announced.

@, "Insanity is a relative term." Rail said. "But it isn't relative at the moment. I'm sure you understand."

Standoff had gone back to the lobby after teaching the tosser a lesson and noticed that most of the remaining contestants were gone. Taking the opportunity, he started talking tactics with Red. Okay, we're against Lite Shade. From what I saw, if those tentacley things get you, it's curtains. Any ideas? I think if she dies, the shadows go with her. I also saw that when she's using the shadows, she can't really do anything else, it's all she's focusing on. Doesn't seem too physically powerful either. So, I think we should let the tentacles get us, and then craterize her with the GL? Assuming she's not fast enough to rebound or stop it. It's a gamble... So was entering. Don't worry, remember the reason I decided to vaporize my physical essence? You're not the only pony's head I can get in. Only one I can control, though. I'll confuse, you diffuse. Alright.

(Check again. Rail is still here )

"Talking to yourself?" Rail asked as he finished lighting another cigarette. "You musn't act as if information will aid you. Not knowing what will happen is what makes gambling so fun. I only wish my colleagues understood this, they think like you: Go over everything in your head and you will know the outcome. Keep ones eye's shut or open one's eyes wide, either way, one's a fool."

@,@@Fivefs,  

"Okay, Fighters, You may begin!" The ref echoed.

Silver Storm came to his senses as he snapped back into reality.

"Argh what the heck was that?!" He huffed putting a fore leg to his head. For a second it's like she had a mental grip over him. Luckily someone intervened or else it would've been over for him.

Silver Storm then looked at Goldre again and smirked. "Alright.... now it's my turn." Silver said taking off to the sky quickly.

While in mid air Silver Storm started to motion his fore legs in a windmill like fashion. Each time they completed a rotation they got faster and faster until the wind started to become more violent around them.

Silver Storm smiled as two hurricane force like winds surrounded his forelegs each of them both looked silvery white. He then peered down to Goldre . "ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?" Silver Storm yelled out as the winds around him were making so much noise it drowned out his normal speaking voice.

He then flew straight towards Goldre who was still earthbound. "Lets see you dodge this." Silver muttered.

He then extended his left hoof at Goldrr while going at a high velocity.

"TORNADO HOOF!" Silver shouted as reached Goldre. The mare in question tried to move and successfully dodged the initial impact. However, the hurricane force winds that supported the punch pushed her so hard that she went flying out of bounds.

(Try to avoid godmodding. She will pick if she tries to dodge the attack, not you.)

"I can't say I've seen anything like this before!" Topaz said. "Silver Storm seems to have created a miniature Tornado around his leg! Goldre had better avoid a direct hit from that!"

@, 

 

(If you guys watch Yu Yu Hakusho you can tell what character I'm trying to imitate. )

 

Silver Storm closed his eyes and smiled. "Thanks..." He said before he opened his eyes. He then flew toward Goldre at a high speed hopefully not giving her time to react. 

 

Silver flies right by Goldre without even attempting to hit her and then outward towards the audience. "But first a little exercise." Silver says as he glides along the lines of the audience almost within hoof reaching distance. After going around once he then goes to the center and then back at Goldre yet again not attempting to hit her at all and flies upwards towards the sky.

 

(Assuming this is an open stadium.)

 

In the sky Silver Storm could see the landscape of Equestria and it's sea's that surrounded the island they were on. The sunlight beamed down on him with grace. "Ahhh...." Silver Storm said taking a deep breathes. "Nothing better than the sun shining down on you. He said as if he was forgetting he was in a tournament match.

("I'm sorry, Urameshi, But I'm takin' my prize!" I love Jin so much.)

"Okay, Silver Storm, You can come down at any time!" Topaz said. "Your opponent is still on ground level, you know!"

"Can you even see him up there?" One of the audience asked.

"No.. Not at all." Another said with his eyes squinted.

@, @,

"Okay, Fighters, YOU MAY BEGIN!" The ref said.

"Unbelievable!" Topaz said. "Bad Dreams has appeared to have drilled strait into the ground! I didn't even know this was possible! I wish everypony could see this! The DVD Release just isn't the same as seeing it in reality!"

@@Fivefs, @,

"And we move quickly onto match seven, Rune Breaker versus Swordpoint!" Topaz announced. "It should begin shortly in the third stadium ring. The Perliminaries arent over yet!"

"Rune Breaker and Swordpoint, Report to the third stadium ring. You are on the clock." The speaker called.

@, Okie. For the sake of my long-term plot usefulness, could we say that somepony got my GL out of the ring?

Oh yeah, of course. I forgot about that. There's just so much I have to keep track of in this roleplay....

Just out of interest, am I allowed to switch weapons between rounds? Probably not, but if I don't ask I'll never know.

Oh no. That will definately get you disquallified. You have one weapon, item, or approved weapon set only. If it breaks, too bad.

@, Standoff took the cigarette. "Not usually, but I know somepony who'd appreciate it." He thought for a moment, then looked at Rail. "Hold on, what do you mean I didn't get to fight? I was fighting the whole time." Taking a lighter out of a small pocket on his vest, Standoff lit the cigarette. "Don't worry, I'll take everything out of it before I hit the ring."

"Don't pretend with those who know the truth." Rail lectured. "My daughter may have announced a fight, but money was controlling it before you entered the ring. That whole round was a setup. Luckily you are of an above adverage mindset. That mare he was threatening is perfectly safe, Though I'm sure you weren't too worried."

@, Standoff backed off to the left of Swordpoint. He was glad that the pegasus wasn't as impulsive as Red. Speaking of which, he had to figure out if there was anypony here nice enough to reverse the experiment...

Heh, I doubt it. Everyone here is too busy not dying to be of any use to us. Well, at least ONE of us is trying. Nice work back there, though.

"I've been meaning to appologize to you." Rail said to Standoff. "You've already had a match, but you never got to fight. The problem has been taken care of now. You will not be cheated again. At least, not in the same way, of course." He pulled a small box out of his coat pocket. "Do you smoke?"

@

 

Swordpoint eyed the new pony warily. He took several steps toward him. "Event organizer? Then perhaps you can tell me about this 'wish.' What are its rules? And is it possible that it could be stolen from the winner through any sort of magic?"

 

Swordpoint didn't like the look in Rail's eye. It was unnerving.

"The wish is granted by the Tournament committee and I do not associate myself with them." Rail said. He took a drink out of his glass and put it back to his side. "They have enough money to grant you anything, though they will always remain richer than any of you."

Cosmo watched her leave the ring. "Isn't that against the rules..?" he wondered. Either way Cosmo prepared seven pairs of ghost blades lash out if she tried to attack with a dive method. "I hope she isn't planning to just run... I don't want to hurt her but I don't to puss off the crowd either..." Cosmo looks at the "ref" and asks, "Is she allowed to leave or does that count as leaving the ring..?"

"No." The ref said. "A player is out of the ring when he or she comes in contact with a solid substance other than the ring and air is not a solid substance!" He looked at both fighters and made a swift hoof motion to the air. "START THE FIGHT!"

@,

 

"Thank you Slicer.  You are a great fighter as well." Moonlight replied.   She looked at herself and noticed a couple of bleeding wounds, but nothing terribly serious. Her hair was also knotted together from Slicer flying around. Who knew someone would make that kind of code.  She felt a wind kick up.  She closed her eyes, taking in what just happened in the past hour.  

"Uh... Well that was boring..." The ref said into her microphone. "The winner by forfeit is Moonlight! Is there anything you'd like to say before you leave, Moonlight?"

"Golden Dreams and Silver Storm, report to the second ring. You are on Deck." The speakers said.

Topaz left the room and returned to her announcer box. "Okay, fans. I'm back in the action! Let's see what's going on in the Dark tournament!"

"The world is already bathed in blood. It's up to us to determine what to do with all of it." Rail said. He was leaning on the side of the doorpost with a bottle of clear liquid. "I appologize. My presence is unannounced. I just hate to see my contestants bored. I'm Rail, the event organizer here. I believe you've just met my daughter."

(I'm reposting this in case it went unnoticed.)

@@Nightfall @@Umbreon

"NINE and TEN!" The ref completed his countdown and spoke into his microphone. "The winner by ring out is Lite Shade! She will advance to round two!"

The second stadium ref walked over to Lite Shade with his microphone. "Anything you'd like to say before you return to the lobby?" He asked.

@ @ @ @@Fivefs @@drawingpandapony @

Topaz unexpectedly walked into the waiting room. Her mane was ruffed up and tangled. She looked exhausted. "I love this tournament and all." She said. "But daddy could have given me longer breaks. Five minutes my flank." She started to fix up her hair and rub her temples.

@, Standoff stared down at Roto, and his eyes turned a deep, mad red. "I just had a idea." Working quickly, he grabbed the broken arm and tore it off at the break. Turning the knife end down, he grinned down at the quivering pony and said, too quietly for the crowd to hear, "Say hi to me for me." Standoff let the blade fall, and promptly collapsed.

(Good match. I had fun.)

"And the winner by death is Standoff!" Topaz announced. "He will be the first to advance to the first round!"

@@Nightfall @@Umbreon

"NINE and TEN!" The ref completed his countdown and spoke into his microphone. "The winner by ring out is Lite Shade! She will advance to round two!"

Tournament officials removed Roto's corpse and Standoffs unconscious body. They dropped Standoff in the medical ward and brought Nightfall there as well. (Nightfall, since your character is still alive, he can still watch the matches.)

The second stadium ref walked over to Lite Shade with his microphone. "Anything you'd like to say before you return to the lobby?" He asked.

______________________________________________

"This can't happen!" Penny Pincher cried. He stood up and ran out of the box seat room. Rail followed him shortly after.

"Cosmo Shadesteel and Bad Dreams, Report to the first stadium ring immediately. You are on the clock." The waiting room speakers said.

The first stadium referee had finally regained her composure after the first fight.

____________________________________________________

The now frantic Penny Pincher and Rail met up again in an isolated room. "I've made the biggest mistake of my life!" Pincher exclaimed. "I've lost my whole fortune! You gotta help me, Rail!"

"I don't like the way you play." Rail said. He telekinetically pulled a small firearm out of his coat and held it to Penny Pincher's greedy head. "You see. There's only one law of the Dark Tournament: The weaker fighter will always die! You have been very weak. SORRY TO INFORM YOU SO LATE!"

A faint gunshot could be heard throughout the stadium.

Standoff (Red?) was clipped by the first, but blocked the second, and cleanly snapped Roto's arm. "Amateur. You sheem to rely on doubt to vin your battles for you." Red then addressed the crowd. "Now vat? I could just leave him in ze ring like zis, but zat vould be boring. Vouldn't you agree? BORING! So. Any..." Red grinned evilly. "Requests?"@,

"PULL HIS LUNGS OUT!" One of the audience screamed.

"NO, CUT THAT BROKEN LEG OFF AND STUFF IT DOWN HIS THROAT!"

"Wait!" Roto pleaded as he held onto his broken leg. "You don't have to do this! The hostage thing wasn't my idea! I swear! I'm not such a bad guy! I just don't know any better!"

____________________________________

Sweat started to drip all across Penny Pincher's forehead. "What... Just happened?" He asked.

Rail calmly lit a cigarette. "I believe it was something along the lines of you losing a bet." He said coldly.

@

"Wha-What?" Roto asked surprised.

"Now it looks like Standoff is under some kind of mental strain!" Topaz announced. "I don't even know what to think of this crazy match! I just hope it gets violent soon!"

Roto leapt back to his hoofs and charged at Standoff with his sickle blade making two vicious, but clumsy slashes at him.

"Uh... I don't want to sound like a traitor or anything... but maybe we should root for Standoff." An audience member commented.

"Yeah..." Another agreed. "GO FOR HIM, STANDOFF! WE'RE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY!"

"And there goes your precious fan support." Rail commented calmly.

@, "I'm nothing like you. This is me calling your bluff, buddy! I figure your DATABASE told you I like cards? Did it tell you I don't fold? I don't believe in giving up. Now get over here and die like a stallion." Setting down the grenade launcher, Standoff started toward Roto, still talking. "You know, it took a lot of work and even more broken hooves, but I can tell what someone looks like before they attack just by looking at them long enough. Right before you started trying to scare me, you took a deep breath through your nose." He had now almost reached Roto. "I hate you ponies. Always think you can get to everyone through their friends. Well, I have news for you, coward! MY ONLY FRIEND IS DEAD!"

(You've pissed him off now. God help you.)

"Uh... wait!" Roto begged as he tossed the button aside. "I wasn't actually going to press the button, I swear! I... I don't even have a brother! And even if I did I wouldn't want to hurt that poor girl!" He got on his knees and knelt down. "I'm just a lower class! I don't know any better! You believe in mercy, don't you?"

That's it... He thought. Just walk a little bit closer...

@, Standoff squinted. "You obviously don't know that much about me. For instance, Red has been dead at the bottom of a canyon for a month and a half. And even if your little device there does what you say it does, I'm a lot less nice than you seem to think. I'm a good friend, and I'm also not dumb. I know your type. If I give up, you'll kill her anyway just to see the look on my FACE!" As he shouted the last word, Standoff brought up his M-79 and fired at Roto's feet.

"Uh... Oh damn..." Roto frantically jumped out of the way of the explosive and held up his button as if it was a shield. "Wait! If you do that, I'll press the button!" He threatened. "You know what will happen to her if I do! Don't you care about your friends! Or are you just like me?"

"What is Roto doing down there!" Penny Pincher demanded. "This isn't some game! Fortunes are on the line!"

"Oh, but I thought that with all that fan support Roto could beat anybody." Rail said calmly as sweat poured down Penny Pincher's face. "I hope you didn't wager too much of your money on that."

@~Flame Dancer~

 

Midnight moved towards the rump of Slicer's back to avoid the katanas.  She realized how high Slicer was going.  Before Slicer goes up high enough to kill her from jumping, she took out another knife with her left hoof and sliced at the stumps of his wings before jumping off.  She fell about 20 feet in the air.  She quickly put the knives back in the sheathes and landed.  Shock went up her legs, and she shook it off, waiting for Slicer to make the next move.

"I love it!" Topaz announced. "That Midnight girl really knows how to move around the ring! Can Wind Slicer even hope to keep up?"

Doubt flickered in Standoff's eyes for a moment, then he grinned. "Bluff. There's no way you could have explosives set up at Pinkie's, because you didn't know you'd need them. I didn't know I would be here myself until I got here. You had me there for a second, though." He quickly stomped the ground in front of him to test Roto's reaction.

"Explosives?" Roto said confused. "No no no. You've got this all wrong. I had my way of picking you to be my opponent. Why do you think that I already know so much about you? You can get access to all kinds of treats when the right ponies want you to win. This tournament isn't exactly fair, that's what makes it dark. I know about her. I know where you live. I know where you're from. I even know about your friend Red Alert. You see, all I have to do is press this little button, and a signal will be sent to my twin brother. He's been watching Pinkie for quite some time now, AND HE'S BEEN RATHER ANXIOUS TO CUT OFF HER HEAD! So you see? I'm the one with the power now! Drop your weapon and get on your knees!"

"What are Roto and Standoff doing in there?" Topaz asked. "Could this be some kind of mind control? A telekinetic mind battle? Are they falling in love? Your guess is as good as mine!"

__________________________________________________________

"Hostage abuse isn't exactly a moral tactic." Rail commented after Penny Pincher had told him his whole scheme. "Does Roto even have a twin brother?"

"Nope!" Penny Pincher happily replied. "It's all a bluff! But Standoff has no way of knowing that! I'll admit it's a dirty trick, but hey! When you're dirty like me there's only one thing you can do... Spread your stink! Heh-heh-heh!"

(Just an extra warning for those of you with "Good Guy" Characters. The Dark Tournament has a sort of anti-Karma system. If you spare your opponent or do something nice, the fans want you to lose and the tournament committee is more likely to make corrupt rulings against you.)