open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

"Well, at least that's over..." Thundy said as he saw Dynamo land the kick. He then saw Gemsworth prepare some sort of modified shield with spikes on it...that seemed to launch the spikes towards Dynamo. "Dynamo, look out!" Thundy called out.

[Dynamo Pad 11,852]

@Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash

In the B Block arena,
As the kick sent Gemsworth flying away, Dynamo had landed back on the ground on all his hooves. He raised his head back up to look at his opponent, who nearly fell out of the boundary of the arena. The gaming unicorn narrowed his eyes slightly, while seeing Gemsworth standing back up with a few pats to his armor. "I've got to admit that you're very durable. Even with that armor, not many would be able to stand up to a kick like that and still be able to stand. Being a royal guard or not, you're pretty good, Gemsworth." He would say, showing that he had respect for his opponent. As the crystal pony ran forward, Dynamo raised an eyebrow as to what his opponent was plotting. His answer was almost immediately answered as saw a magic construct/barrier was created. Dynamo wondered if all Gemsworth did was focus on defense. He did have ways to work with his offense, but it almost felt lacking. Granted, his defense was nothing to brag about either. Given that he was nearly on the ground, while writhing in pain from the loud noise from earlier.

With the shield created, the gaming unicorn had heard the thud loud and clear. 'So, it looks like that shield is going to be durable. I got to give it all I've got in order to break through and get to Gem.' He thought, being broken out by Thundy, who had given him his warning. Dynamo had soon saw Gemsworth produce spikes that seemed to have generated from the shield. That wasn't the bad part as the spikes had broke away from the shield, before being fired off like a rocket. "Uh oh!" He exclaimed, activating Full Cowl to try and move and dodge as fast as he could to avoid being hit. Thankfully, he managed to dodge the first volley of spikes, but the impact from the first wave hadn't gone unnoticed. While the spikes had disappeared after hitting the cage walls. Dynamo felt shaky as he could hear the violent rattle and shake. "At least the cage didn't break upon impact, but those spikes are really strong. With a strong shield like that, then it's got to have a good offense. I have to be careful. If I get hit by even one of those things, then it's all over." He softly muttered to himself, while trying to figure out how to dodge something that fired so quickly. He knew full cowl would give him speed, but he knew he would tire out eventually. Even using the air blasts wouldn't be enough to keep him in the ring if he were to get hit. He needed a way to keep himself flying, or at least in the ring. 'Wait...flying! That's it!' As a thought dawned upon him, he held out his right foreleg once more. His horn glowing with magic as another Gashat cartridge had appeared. With a click, the sound of the device could be heard. 

EXPLOSION!

Turning the lever back, he inserted the cartridge into the other open slot of the Driver, before pulling the lever back open. A bright light had appeared once more as a new transformation was taking place.

GASHAT! GACHAN! LEVEL UP!

"I will be Number One with my own hooves! EXPLOSION!"

As the light soon faded away, it looked like nothing had changed. Dynamo as still wearing his outfit he had been wearing before, but it looked a little different. That difference was that Dynamo now sported gauntlets that were styled to look like grenades. While they would explode like a grenade would, it would provide him some better mobility.

Spoiler

With a leap, Dynamo's gauntlets soon lit up, before an explosion could be seen. With each explosion, the gaming unicorn was able to take to the skies as if he was flying. However he was only able to fly with each propulsion of explosion that escaped from his gauntlets. At the same time, he tried to strategize a way to win as he prepared himself for the next volley of spikes that would soon come.

Back in the crowd, Cosmic and Frozen watched the match unfold. "Hmm...it looks like that kick was strong, but it wasn't enough. Looks as if Pad is either still weak, or he's underestimating that crystal pony's durability. A costly mistake on his part if this continues." Frozen commented, Cosmic huffed in annoyance. "I guess he wasn't strong enough after all. Either that, or he doesn't know how to use the full power of whatever he has. I still can't wrap my mind around how he managed to get this form." The two watched as spikes had been launched, before violently slamming into the caged walls. "Oh, that was close. Almost got to see a shish kabob from a unicorn." Cosmic chuckled, while hoping to see Dynamo struggle. It was then, however, that Dynamo had performed his next transformation. What they saw was not a new form, but an attachment of gauntlets. "So, now he has Bakugo's gauntlets for explosions? What else does he have?" Cosmic wondered, Frozen merely adjusting his glasses. "Seems like he might be desperate if whatever he had wasn't enough. Talk about digging through the bottom of the barrel." Cosmic nodded, while he took something into account. "It's just like him to try different combos to find his win con. He could never stick to one thing and expect it to work. Utterly pathetic."

In the C Block arena,
As Flim was sent airborne from Cheap's punch, the earth pony watched as it looked like he had won his fight. He was about to start walking away, but stopped as he heard Straightaway announce that the unicorn was still in this fight. He wanted to find out how that was even possible. "Did I not use enough power, or is that dumb elixir still in effect!?" He exclaimed in frustration, before looking down as his eyes widened in shock and realization. For connected to Cheap was a magical tether line. "What!? How did connect a line to me!? Get it off! Get it off of me now!" He exclaimed, wondering if it had been the punch that Flim threw as his elixir had worn off. He wasn't sure as too many things were happening at once. What he did want to know was if the line was still attached to his body or not. He didn't have time to figure things out as Flim had managed to get back up to his hooves. He looked worse for wear as his clothes and hat were roughed up, but seemed out of breath.

"You got lucky, but that's as far as you're going to get. So, you better get it through you head that this is the end of the line for you, fool!" He exclaimed, watching as Flim hilariously muttered to himself.  Upon reaching into his vest, Cheap raised an eyebrow as the unicorn pulled out a mushed banana. "You're joking, right? I go and destroy your lunch and then you have the audacity to use it against me? Do you have no shame, or do you not have any brains?" He could only watch as Flim threw the banana halfway between the two of them. Seeing Flim's aura on the fruit peel, it seemed that he had full control over the peel itself. "Oh, some I'm an oafish scoundrel, eh? Okay, well then. I'll play your game." He took a few steps forward, before rushing off into a sprint. He kept an eye on the peel at all times, but made sure to keep an eye on Flim. In hopes that he wouldn't move around or try any funny business. If he was going to mess with Cheap, then the earth pony would teach the con artist a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

Thundy let out a sigh of relief as Dynamo moved out the way. He then saw Dynamo change modify his current outfit, with what seemed to be grenade launchers. Thundy got an idea. "Dynamo, leap as hard as you can before you pull your explosive jump. You might be able to break through if you aim and time your jumps right." Thundy called out. 

[Pencil Pouch]

@Courageous Thunder Dash @Samurai Equine @PawelS

The group traversed down the next corridor, passing by a series of hoof-drawn pictures of various cities and towns. Pencil had only seen them briefly when putting them up, so this is the first time she could take a proper look at them. She marveled at each individual city, seeing many places that she had never even heard about, aside from what her friend Granite Rose told to about them from his trips.

“Look, Sparkly, here’s Sire’s Hollow!” Pencil exclaimed. She then put a hoof over her mouth, remembering museums were supposed to be quiet.

Sparkly trotted over with a curious look on her face. Once she was in view of the image, she saw along with Pencil the hundreds of spire-topped houses. The flat tops of the shops along with their various decorated signs were also visible, giving the overview of the town a cozy appearance. The most prominent feature was the gate standing out front, the infamous gate that spoke “Welcome to Sire’s Hollow” at everyone who opened it. Pencil mentally rolled her eyes, remembering how many times a day that thing would go off.

“Your hometown is very pleasant, going off of this drawing. It is small compared to the other towns here but it looks like it has a lot to offer. I would like to visit it someday and see it for myself, as well as see what your life there is like.” Sparkly spoke as she continued to scan the drawing.

“That sounds pretty fun!” Pencil exclaimed while keeping her voice down this time. “Someday I’ll have to take you there. I don’t know when, but hopefully I can finish my big commission so I can be able to leave. I have to do the commission here, which is why I set up a house in Friendshire in the first place.”

While Pencil looked around at the rest of the drawings, Sparkly trotted over towards Starlight to continue their conversation. Starlight was getting less and less convinced that Sparkly was truly a clone. Sparkly frowned in concern, knowing sooner or later she may have to offer further proof.

“I…don’t really look this way, the way that I do now. This coat color results from a powder I use to hide my true color and true appearance. Later, I can show you my true identity if you still are not convinced that I am a clone.” she whispered, despite the group already being aware of the big secret. There could be other ponies passing through, though, so she did not want to draw unnecessary attention.

“Pony anatomy is something I am only beginning to learn. I will have to test this science for myself once I am able to grab something. I cannot touch anything in this museum, so it will have to be at a later time,” she said out loud, directing the conversation back to more technical things. “I still do not see the purpose in vehicles if they are not absolutely necessary, just like the clothes ponies wear. However, I see my cloak as a necessity since I need it to hide my…secret.” Sparkly said the last part in a hushed tone, afraid others might hear.

[Samurai Equine 56,871]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @PawelS

With a polite wave, Starlight decides against it. "It's fine. Maybe some other time, when I'm not on a mission." Still, Sparkly's next comment is rather interesting. "Well, not everything has to be practical to exist. Some things exist just because they are fun, or just because somepony wanted to make it. We have trains, video games, spells that temporarily give you a mustache. They might not be necessary, but they can be fun, fun things can give our lives a sense fulfillment too. Don't you think?"

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@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad, @Courageous Thunder Dash, @Ragland Tiger

In the A Block arena,
"And that's a ring out! At least, that's what I want to say, but..." The botanist defeated the fisher by growing a venus flytrap. A GIGANTIC one at that~! It grabbed the fisherpony in one bite and made his feet touch the outside of the ring, much to the fisherpony's squirms and muffled cries of defeat. However, the botanist destroyed a section of the ring to make the plant grow in the first place, so now they are BOTH disqualified. As the two fighters leave the ring, staff members come out and begin repairing the arena before the next set of fighters can be announced.

In the B Block arena,
"...Midas' Touch!" Gemsworth exclaimed upon seeing Dynamo change forms again and take flight. Unlike his last attack, Gemsworth's current attack allows him to see in multiple directions. And oddly enough, he takes one side of his shield and begins to push it, trying to re-aim it in Dynamo's direction again! However, like an actual wall, this shield is barely budging at all. As it slowly rotates, you can hear it loudly grinding against the arena floor, as if it really was made out of a heavy metal. Normally, a unicorn shouldn't have to struggle this hard against their own magic. Does he have a reason for not recalling the shield using magic to rotate it? Either way, it is taking him WAY too long to re-aim it!

In the C Block arena,
To put it lightly, Flim was sweating bullets and shaking in his non-existent boots. He didn't want to move the banana peel too soon, and he didn't want to take his eyes off the prize even for a second. He had to wait... Wait for the golden opportunity... Even with Greed/Cheap running at him so fast, he had to make sure not to choke or do this too early, thus Flim's hyper focus and adrenaline was making it look like Greed/Cheap was running in slow motion. "...!!" And when Flim was absolutely sure Cheap/Greed was a split second away from the banana peel, he magically and strategically moves it, hoping that the next step he finishes taking will be on that slippery peel.

Edited August 3, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Chelsea]

@ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine

Chelsea waited patiently as she heard Sparkly, Pencil and Starlight talked. She looked up and saw the Griffon Kingdom up on the map. Memories started to seep back in. Chelsea let out a few sniffles, and wiped a stray tear in her eye. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,852]

@Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash

In the B Block arena,
As he continued to fly in the air through the use of explosion after explosion, Dynamo had made sure to keep his distance from his opponent. He hadn't used the grenade gauntlets before, so he was still getting used to flying. Flying around the ring, the gaming unicorn's ears perked at a sudden sound being created. He winced slightly as the grinding of the floor almost felt like nails on a chalkboard. Glancing at his opponent, he began to notice that Gemsworth had been trying to move his shield, but why? All the while, taking notice that only his front half was covered by the shield. He was completely exposed to any attack from behind him. 'Does he not realize that, or is he plotting something by drawing me into a false sense of security.' He thought, while recalling the crystal unicorn trying to move their shield in a struggle. 'No, that can't be it. If it's taking him this long to re-aim the shield, then that gives me an idea.' He continued to use his explosions to glide around the area. All the while, keeping the crystal pony guessing as to what he would do next. He managed to get the timing down a little bit better in regards to avoiding the spikes, but he couldn't keep relying on his abilities. Sooner or later, he'd make a mistake and that would cost him. 

As hie eyes trailed down briefly towards his grenade gauntlets, he finally decided that now was the time. Considering that the part of the gauntlet that were nearest to his hooves were glowing slightly. Flying towards the open part of the shield, he made sure to keep his distance as he held his two forelegs out. His left hoof was completely held forward, while his right foreleg was held at a side as his right hoof was placed in front of his left. "Just remember how he did it. Don't launch it from all of my hoof, but an explosion from a concentrated point." He mumbled softly to himself, while his hooves began to glow from the gauntlets. "AP Shot! (Armor Piercing shot). Suddenly and without warning, Dynamo had blasted a sort of laser like beam from his hooves. With the explosions he had given off before, the increase of the attack was increased. 

Spoiler

As the attack was launched, Dynamo righted himself in the air, but he wouldn't stop there. If the attack connected, then it would do some damage and possibly break the shield. If it didn't knock him out of the ring, then Dynamo would follow it up with another attack.

"It's over." Cosmic simply stated as he started to lose interest in watching the fight. "You see it too, huh?" Frozen asks, his eyes trailing over to the neon green unicorn, while he tried keeping focus on the fight. "Yeah, I do. The fact that this crystal ornament is trying to move the shield around is proof enough. He could simply turn off the shield, turn around and reactivate the shield, but that wouldn't solve anything. Having no shield behind him is a glaring weakness." Cosmic commented, Frozen nodding as his teammate was exactly on point. "Not to mention that Kyubiki just used an attack that's literally called an armor piercing shot. Way to sound original there." He rolled his eyes, but continued. "Even if it's not enough, that should just take down the shield. So, unfortunately it looks like the outcome has been decided."

In the C Block arena,
As Cheap was nearing his opponent, he grinned with glee as he saw Flim was sweating up a storm. He was making the unicorn nervous which was a good thing. His opponent and anyone else he faced should be afraid. Just as he was a few inches away, Cheap gasped as the banana peel was right in front of him. As soon as he would take his next step, then he would be in trouble. "Oh, then maybe I can use this. I've always wanted to reenact something from Super Smash Brothers." He grinned as his forelegs had touched the banana peel, before he suddenly slipping and tripping over his hooves. He felt himself being flung upwards into the air, while flipping as his back faced the ground. However, that was exactly what he was after as he righted himself in the air. "Hey! This is sort of like playing as Bowser. You know when you can do his down B move?" He wondered if Flim would understand, but at the same time, he didn't honestly care. As he felt gravity pull beginning to pull him down, he made sure to throw his full body weight at his opponent. Descending quickly, he threw all of his legs outwards, while taking aim at Flim. If his plan worked, then he would land upon his opponent's back. With his body weight from the fall, it would cause enough pain to incapacitate his opponent.

Spoiler

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Samurai Equine 56,871]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @PawelS

Starlight sees Chelsea suddenly breaking down and panics. "Ah! What?! What's wrong?! Please don't be sad, Ms. Chelsea." She waves her hooves, trying to get her to calm down, not sure what to do. She finally decides on magically summoning a hanky for Chelsea.

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@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad, @Courageous Thunder Dash, @Ragland Tiger

In the B Block arena,
Gemsworth was frantically looking back and fourth between Dynamo and his shield, desperately trying to make it move. "Come on~ You nailed this in practice, it's not THAT heavy~!" Gemsworth says to himself. But despite his best efforts to make the shield rotate around faster, it's too late. He sees Dynamo taking aim and then calling out his attack. Gemsworth shield is only half rotated, hardly enough to aim properly. Time for a desperation move. "Nnn... Guh! AAHHH!!!!" With some squirming, Gemsworth slips off his armor and throws it at the blast, hoping it'll block it and give him some more time. But it fails. The blast is powerful enough to send that armor flying right into Gemsworth at rocket-fast speeds, but it hardly stops there. The collision of both the discarded armor and the blast pushes Gemsworth forward, hard and fast. As a result, Gemsworth slams into his own shield, which also is pushed forward a bit, and becomes dazed. His magic breaks, the shield vanishes, and the AP Shot successfully pushes Gemsworth out of the ring. When the blast ends it's clear the armor is totally ruined, and thankfully so. That could have been Gemsworth himself.

 "And that's a ring out! Gemsworth is disqualified, and Dynamo Pad advances to the next round!" Straightaway commentates.

In the C Block arena,
For a split second, Flim is relieved. The peel actually worked?! But then he sees Greed/Cheap moving upwards into the air, a completely different direction than what he expected. "...Bows-who?" Flim asks when his opponent asks an airborne question, but it doesn't matter. Flim's eyes go wide with fear when he sees that Greed/Cheap is going to use the descent to strike a major blow. Flim turns around and tries to run away, but like a classic cartoon character, it comes with a temporary wind-up time. And because of that, Flim is unable to get away fast enough. With a powerful slam, Greed/Cheap might not have hit Flim's backside completely because he had partially began to move away, but he did hit him just enough it sent Flim flying out of the ring. In fact, Flim flies so fast that he slams into the cage wall. Naturally, this does the trick. Stars spin around his head as Flim begins to black out. "...Sorry folks, all sales are final. No refunds~" I a tired and dizzy state, Flim manages to get out his final words as gravity makes his body slides down the cage walls.

 "Flim Skim has fallen outside of the ring. This fight is over, and Greed advances!" Straightaway commentates.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Dynamo Pad 11,852]

@Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash

In the B Block arena,
As the attack had made his mark, Dynamo had thought he had seen armor being thrown. However, he watched as his opponent had been hit by the blast, while being pushed out of the ring. Using the explosions to maneuver, he landed back into the ring. Just as Straightaway had announced his victory over Gemsworth. Dynamo took a deep breath and sighed softly, while having a small smile upon his face. The smile soon faded as he noticed where Gemsworth had landed, before making his way over towards his downed opponent. It took him a moment as he deactivated his Driver, but he finally made it to where the crystal pony had landed. "Gemsworth are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" He asks, extending a foreleg for the crystal guard to take. "That was a good fight, in my opinion. You gave me both trouble and a challenge. Your magic was pretty awesome and I hope we can battle again sometime, as well as be friends." The smile that faded had made its return as he smiled softly to further add to his honesty.

In the C Block arena,
As the attack had connected, Cheap's hooves had slammed into Flim as he was sent flying. The burgundy earth pony had landed back on his hooves. Albeit, stumbling slightly, before finding his balance. Holding a hoof up as if he was giving a performance, or competing in a major competition. Looking at the damage he had done, he had noticed that Flim had slammed into the cage wall. He had heard the loud clang and rattle from the impact of the cage wall, but seeing was more believing. He had a look of disappointment as if his victory was more of a hollow one. "Aw, crud! I was hoping to slam into his back and be known as a backbreaker, buuuut..." That look of disappointment had disappeared as soon as it appeared. "...I still won, baby! Alright! Yahoo!" He jumped around and cheered, while accepting any and all praise he could get. He even rolled his eyes as he thought he had heard Flim's attempt at pitching a sale. It was all for naught as the unicorn's body had slid down the cage wall. "A pleasure doing business with you...loser." He chuckled, giving a mock bow at the defeated unicorn, before making his way out of the ring.

Meanwhile, back with Cosmic and Frozen. The two had watched as Dynamo's fight had come to an end. "Seems like you were right. I don't doubt you in your analysis, but I still would rather be sure. Gathering intel is better than just assuming." Frozen explained, Cosmic giving a slight nod to let the pegasus know that he heard him. "It seems like the old punching back had learned a few tricks. Makes you wonder what else he had learned since he's been gone. That, and how did he get that belt in the first place." He responded, Frozen's cold and calculating gaze was analyzing a mile a minute. "Not enough data, so it'll remain inconclusive. One can argue he got it at a convention, but a belt like that shouldn't be that powerful." Frozen would say, Cosmic shaking his head with a shrug of his shoulders. "It doesn't matter, in the end. Either we get it away from him, or we'll just have to try and ruin it. We'll make sure to let the town know of the truth and run this brat out of town." Cosmic had grinned maliciously as Frozen didn't react. However, if you looked closely, then you could see a small and terrifying smile. A smile that showed he was in agreement with the neon green unicorn. Hearing the announcement, Frozen's smile dropped as he looked over at C Block's ring. "It looks like Cheap had claimed victory too. With the typical gloating to boot." He would say, Cosmic looking over at Cheap to see the spectacle unfold. "Was there ever any doubt?" He asks, taking note of Frozen's doubtful expression. "Okay, point proven. Even so, at least we all moved on. For now, we stick to the plan of divide and conquer. Rather, we take it up a notch and fix up the plan." He would say, waiting for the next fights to be announced, before continuing with his plans.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,826]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

"Oh what a fight! Way to go buddy!" Thundy cheered as he walked over to Dynamo and Gemsworth. "Both of you put up a really good fight, it was quite entertaining. Say, I've never seen you use those grenades before..." Thundy said to Dynamo

@ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine

"M-memories..." Chelsea said trying to hold back a sob as she looked up at her beloved griffon kingdom, where the memorial of those who were lost in the attack stood.

[Pencil Pouch]

@Courageous Thunder Dash @Samurai Equine @PawelS

Sparkly nodded at Starlight Glimmer thoughtfully before adding her own thoughts to the conversation.

“I have trains and video games in my world, although I do not have magic spells. That is what makes your world different from mine in the broadest perspective. I understand that not all things are practical, but if they are not practical, then there is simply no use for them.

I would have to disagree with you on trains because although people in my world can drive or fly on planes, which is must faster, trains still transport people and goods places. As for everything else you mentioned, those are merely hobbies, they are not necessary to sustain life.” she spoke.

Pencil overheard the conversation and chimed in.

“Y-you have a point there, Sparkly, but fun things can mean a lot to others! I know video games mean a lot to Dynamo Pad, one of my friends here. They make him very happy and also give him a lot of power, somehow. I’m not sure how the whole game magic works, you would have to ask him yourself. I believe they mean a lot to Samurai, too, he might not play them as much but they have influenced him in a good way,” she added. “And just look at what I do! I draw for a living, and ponies might not really need drawings to live, but they can bring a lot of meaning into their lives. At least, that is what I always hope for.”

Sparkly listens intently to the feedback. Putting it in that perspective, it was hard to disagree. Even just looking around at the museum, she could tell there was a purpose to it. She still had her reserves about the practicality of things, but she understood that there were a vast majority of unexplainable things in life. Coming from Earth, she knew that all too well.

“You bring up an excellent point. That is why I aim to teach others about my world, to allow them to learn and grow and think about their own world differently. I may need to learn about your world as well in order to share some of my own knowledge. I am curious about Equestria just as you are about Earth.” she responded with an understanding smile.

Pencil and Sparkly soon turned towards a sad sound, the sound of Chelsea sobbing over by a monument of the Griffon Kingdom. Pencil trotted over and comforted her friend, not wanting her to be upset. Sparkly trotted close but did nothing as she did not know the griffon very well and did not know what to say or do. Pencil then turned to a panicky Starlight and said calmly,

“It’s ok, Starlight, she gets very emotional about her old home.”

[Dynamo Pad 11,852]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash

Dynamo's ears perked as he heard Thundy's voice. Turning towards the source as the griffon walked over towards both him and Gemsworth. "Thanks and you can say that again, Thundy." He responded, smiling as he held up a hoof to give Thundy a hoof bump. "I actually thought Gemsworth had me a couple of times. Both from the loud noise because of the funnel and the spikes being propelled at me. It wasn't easy as I had to think on my hooves and improvise." He explained as it showed that he found Gemsworth to be a great opponent. Upon being told about the grenades, the gaming unicorn nodded in agreement. "Actually, they aren't grenades. I mean, they look like them, but they aren't actually something that would explode. That is, unless you make it into a blast like I did before. They are gauntlets to power up the character's abilities." He explained in a whisper to not give away any information to the other competitors. At the same time, he removed the two cartridges from the driver, while bringing the lever back into its original place. The Gashat's disappearing as his outfit and gauntlets had disappeared. Transforming him back into his regular attire of his gaming jacket. 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,826]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Ragland Tiger

"Interesting...like concentrated energy blasts..." Thundy whispered back. "I wonder who will be next...?" He added. 

@ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine @PawelS

Chelsea looked at Pencil and nodded softly, still sniffling at the sight of the Griffon Kingdom. 

[Samurai Equine 56,871]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @PawelS

"I hope so..." Starlight says before doing her best to offer Chelsea some comfort. "I'm not very good at comforting others. I still feel like I am doing my best just to be a good friend and a good teacher sometimes. But I hope you know, I'm here to help." Starlight tells her, putting a caring hoof on Chelsea's shoulder and offering a reassuring smile.

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@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad, @Courageous Thunder Dash, @Ragland Tiger

In the B Block arena,
After shaking off the aftershock of being propelled, Gemsworth looks around and finds his armor. It's fried. Gemsworth sighs. "Well, I guess I had been just a little bit under armored, I would have been wrecked..." Soon Dynamo comes over and offers him a hoof. Gemsworth tilts his head, smiles, takes the hoof, and gets up again. "Yeah, I'll be fine, I--" Gemsworth feels something and looks at himself. His crystal body is beginning to soften. He looks a little less crystal now, signs of a soft coat are showing underneath his gem-like surface. "Well, I guess this is for the best. I thought this would last longer, but if I can't keep up the crystalling forever, then there's no need for me to keep going in a tournament like this."

He collects himself and bows. "Thank you, Dynamo Pad. Try to be a little more merciful to your next opponent. Your magic powers were amazing. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. You know, a pony like me could have easily fallen for you, back when I use to be a mare." Gemsworth says with a wink. "Oh, and look out for my older brother. He signed up too." With a wave, Gemsworth leaves before anyone can ask him any further questions

In the C Block arena,
Greed/Cheap did receive some cheer for his victory. Anyone who wins does. A few tournament staff have to come over to help Flim; one to make sure he's okay and another to use some healing magic on him. When he is awakened, Flim straightens his clothes, though his hat is completely ruined. "Well, I suppose I didn't do so hot as a solo act after all. Guess that means I've got to do some apologizing to my brother Flam. Why split up a perfect duo after all? If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Flim leaves the tournament grounds. He doesn't even seem to care about how his past connects to Greed/Cheap.

"The next round is going to be an interesting one. It was requested! We had to move some things around to make it happen, but the next in the ring will be Kronos and Flash Magnus!" Straightaway commentates. Right away, a pegasus in rather formal-looking armor enters the ring.

[Kronos the Revenant 1,973]

@Samurai Equine

At the announcement of his next round, Kronos was anticipating his next fight. 
 

This one had better be a worthy fighter, he thought to himself, otherwise, this whole tournament is a waste of my time and effort. 
 

As he went into the ring, he saw a pegasus clad in armor. 
 

Okay, he thought with a smug smirk, That’s more like it. This one looks like a worthy opponent. 
 

“So, you’re Flash Magnus, huh?” Kronos asked, “Dont fall off too soon like the last guy. I want this to be a real fight.”

 

Kronos’ body began to form armor around himself. Not quite the hulking guard frame he usually wears; rather, he’s equipped himself with standard ancient gear, nearly identical to his opponent’s garbs. He also decided to split his arms into extra limbs and sheathed out four swords. He spun two of them in front of himself and sharpened to other two against each other. 
 

“Let’s make this fun.” Kronos said as he finished off his setup with all four swords crossing each other. 

[Windy Breeze 15,201]

@Samurai Equine

Mirabelle's eyes glared harshly down at them but there are signs she's thinking how to respond to Trilby's statement. How could she believe his words when she's already blinded with anger she felt for a betrayal she never expect to face.

Keen, on the other had her hoof over to the red spot of her face where her friend's hoof met. Escaped from hospital? But she does not remember that ever happened, what is going on?

“How can I trust two strangers I have never met? I know many ponies here in Vanhoover and some in Manehatten, but I never you saw you two. I might as well say all three of you are just changelings in disguise or this is indeed the treacherous Keen standing right now at my doorway but brainwashed to do you bindings”

“We will never do something like that!” Shadow stepped forward, “I'm Shadow Trail, and I declare your speculation to be completely false. Your friend has found herself lost in a unfamiliar place and has caught me and my friend's attention. We decided to try brought her back and to the ponies she loves, and that is why we are here!”

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,826]

@Dynamo Pad @Kronos the Revenant @Samurai Equine

Thundy chuckled softly at Gemsworth's comment. "Good match nonetheless Gemsworth." Thundy stated as he heard the announcement that Kronos was fighting. "Ooh, this is gonna be a fun one. It's Kronos vs. Flash Magnus and heard that Flash is a really fast and strong pegasus, let alone intelligent and strategic as well." Thundy said. 

@Samurai Equine @ExplosionMare

"Th...thank you Pencil..." Chelsea said picking up Pencil and hugging her close, sniffling and still sobbing a little. 

[Samurai Equine 56,871]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @PawelS

Starlight sighs but nods. She walks away without saying anything.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@Windy Breeze

Most rude! And definitely not the reaction Trilby was hoping for. "And I'm... I'm Trilby Hatter, professional hat maker and... Previously friendless. I know what it's like... To feel like nopony cares about you anymore. To feel like you have nothing. To feel like even on your worst day, no pony is going to check up on you, or that maybe nopony wants to just hang out with you. Personally speaking, I don't want that for Keen." Trilby stops a minute to look at Keen with a smile. "You should have seen the look on her face, how happy she was to come all this way to see you, how she couldn't stop talking about you like you're the best friend in the world. I wanted those feelings to be rewarded."

Trilby faces Mirabelle, standing between her and Keen, ready to take any other physical hits so that Keen won't have to. "I'm not asking you to trust us. I'm just asking you to believe. I had to pull in some big favors to make it this far, and we spend a whole day searching, just so Keen could find you. If you're that angry... Then... Isn't it because you use to care about her once before? Maybe?" Trilby asks, trying to appeal to her better nature.

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@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad, @Courageous Thunder Dash, @Ragland Tiger

In the A Block,
"All right, folks! Sorry for the wait, but the repairs are done. Up next for A Block, we have Sledge Hoof VS Tiger Muscle!" Straightaway commentates. As he does, Tiger Muscle takes to the arena again. So does a construction pony from Friendshire's construction crew.

In the B Block arena,
Samurai suddenly walks over to Thundy and Dynamo, waving at them both. "Hey, you two! Sorry for acting like a ghost. I've most been sticking to my block, but no one felt like talking between matches. A lot of focused fighters are here today. But I've been watching and admiring all the fights!"

"Next up for B-Block is Stonewall vs Wrath." Straightaway commentates. Stonewall is the first to enter the arena. He is also a crystal pony in armor, but he looks different than Gemsworth. His armor is rougher, he looks tougher, his expression is more gritty, and he isn't even hiding the fact that he's a unicorn. Furthermore, he says nothing to Dynamo or his friends, just gives them a glare. Is he the brother they were told about?

In the C Block arena,
Flash just smirks. "I requested you because you look like the toughest guy here. So same to you, buddy. Don't make this easy for me." But before Flash can make a move, he sees Kronos gearing up. He whistles. "Is that an homage to the legion? Either way, I'm honored. Now let's see how well you use it!" Pulling out his shield, Netitus, Flash begins to zoom around the area super fast! With skill, he gets super close to the cage walls without touching them before changing directions. All this flying around is for the purpose of building up speed, and when he has enough, he rams into Kronos shield-first!

Edited August 7, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Dynamo Pad 11,852]

@Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash

In the B Block arena,
"Something along those lines. It's kind of difficult to explain, but it's kind of that way of thinking." Dynamo responded, nodding at Thundy's guess of the ability he had showed in his fight. Upon hearing the question of who would be next, the gaming unicorn could only shrug his shoulders. "You're guess is as good as mine. Whoever it is, I can imagine it'll be an interesting fight. Considering with the opponent we were paired up against in our matches." As he helped Gemsworth up to his hooves, Dynamo took notice of Gemsworth, who's crystal body had begun to faded to a soft coat. "That's good to know and I'm sorry for your armor being damaged. I didn't know I put so much power into that attack. I was mostly aiming to break the shield and send you flying out of the ring. I wasn't expecting you to throw your armor to block the blast." He explained, giving the crystal pony an apologetic look. "I guess that crystalling form is a sort of temporary boost. I learned a little about the Crystal Empire back in my high school history class. I only say a little as it was recently added into our history books after the Empire returned. So, I hope you can forgive me on not truly knowing everything about the crystalling to one's body." He explained as he returned the bow, before nodding.

"You're welcome, Gemsworth. Also, you can call me Dynamo. I usually go by Dynamo Pad, but friends call me Dynamo." He gave a sheepish chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck with his foreleg. "I don't know if I can make any promises, but I'll make sure to do my best. To be honest, the gauntlets I used were the first time I used them in this fight. You made me think on my hooves, so I tried to think of the best way to counter the shield. Also, thank you. I was given this belt after an event that had happened in this town. Ever since then, I've been trying to learn and discover a new kind of video game magic." He explained, blinking in surprise at the crystal pony's remark, before nodding in understanding. "Thank you for the kind words, but I'm happily taken by a very special somepony. So, I hope you can forgive me, but I must decline." As he waved at the retreating Gemsworth, he still heard his opponent mention that his brother was participating. "Thanks for letting me know and I'll be careful. If he's as strong as you were, then I'll have my work cut out for me." He says, Gemsworth already making his depart to the exit doors to the building.

As the next announcement was made by Straightaway, Dynamo raised an eyebrow at Thundy's response. "Kronos is up again? I didn't expect him to be fighting again so soon. I hope there was enough of a rest time between fights to be prepared." He remembered how the fight between Kronos and BK had gone, but he still wondered if there was a rest and recover station. He had used a bit of magic during that fight between Gemsworth. So, he felt it would be best to recover his magic for potential future fights. "You said Flash Magnus, right? Do you happen to know who that is, Thundy? The name does sound familiar." He would say, before turning his head to see Samurai walking over towards both the gaming unicorn and male griffon. "Hey, Sam! It's really good to see you. There's no need to apologize as it seems this tournament is pretty intense, so far. I just got finished with my fight, so I'm just waiting to see what will happen next. How did your fight go?"

Once he heard his codename being called, Cosmic smirked as it was his turn to take the stage. "Took some time, but I guess I'm up. Time to show these wannabes that they should just forfeit." He was going to have some fun and enjoy every second of this. As he started taking steps towards the ring, his eyes trailed back towards his pegasus teammate. "I need you to go back towards C Block and inform Cheap on the plan. Let's spread the word about Kyubiki and see if we can't turn this crowd against the town favorites. We'll make our move when we see trouble brewing. Just be on the lookout when you see any sort of signal." He explained, Frozen nodding without a second thought. "Understood." He merely responded, maneuvering around the crowd once more so he couldn't be spotted by Dynamo or the others. Watching Frozen leave for a just a moment, Cosmic made his way up towards the ring as he stared down at his opponent. It seemed to be another crystal pony. This time, however, his armor looked a lot more rougher and tougher than the previous armor user. Even the expression Stonewall had looked gritty and seriousness.

In the C Block arena,
Cheap had heard a few members in the crowd had given him some cheer and applause for his victory. He basked in some of the praise, but he wasn't satisfied with what he was given. He was expecting more of a roaring applause like he would receive from video game tournaments. However, he couldn't complain about it now as the next match was called. Making his exit of the ring, he soon heard Straightaway mention that the next fight was requested. He raise his eyebrows curiously, while his jaw dropped slightly in disbelief. "Are you serious? So, then we could have gotten a chance to fight Drool Pad now instead of later? What kind of nonsense is that!?" He exclaimed, while not paying any attention to Flim anymore. He won and made the unicorn look foolish. So, he didn't care what happened to his opponent now. As the next two fighters had entered the ring, the rich earth pony had taken notice that Kronos would be fighting again. "Huh. So, the robotic monstrosity of a pony is fighting again, huh? I better at least see something worthwhile after his last performance with that black knight imposter." He huffed, before watching Kronos forming armor around himself. He had to admit it was impressive that Kronos had split his arms into four, while drawing four blades in each arm. "Now that's more like it. Also, Flash Magnus, huh? That name sort of sort of rings a bell. I guess it would be something Frozen would know as he's the brainiac, after all." He muttered softly to himself, while watching as Flash pulled out a shield of some sort. With that, Flash had zoomed around the area very quickly. "It looks like this fight won't be ending that quickly. I can sit back, watch and enjoy a potential slugfest." He whistled as Flash flew towards Kronos, while ramming into the cybernetic pony shield-first.

Edited August 7, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad

Thundy turned as he heard a familiar voice. "Ah! Samurai! Good to see you again. I saw one of your fights earlier." Thundy said with a smile, as he heard the next set of fights announced. He noticed a serious looking pony pass them, and gave him a look when that pony didn't say anything. 
 

Thundy heard Dynamo’s question. “Apparently, this was a requested fight. Kronos wanted to go against Flash to see if he is all stories and other sources portray him to be.” Thundy said. .  

[Kronos the Revenant 1,973]

@Samurai Equine

Kronos kept his eyes locked onto Flash as the pegasus zipped around the arena. As Flash was about to shield bash him, Kronos crossed his swords in a way that somehow managed to keep Flash at bay, but not without scraping him back a few inches. Kronos noticed this and edged himself forward. 
 

“Okay,” he told Flash, “You’re far more formidable than I hoped. Let’s get serious.”

 

Kronos swiped his four swords forward, knocking back Flash then proceeded to whirl his blades around as he advanced towards the pegasus. He scraped the arena ground with this technique, laughing maniacally. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,852]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash

As he heard Thundy's response, Dynamo blinked in surprise. "Wait, really? I didn't know that was in the rules, to be honest. I guess I assumed that it'd all be a random generated pairing or something along those lines." He explained, raising an eyebrow curiously as a thought came to mind. "Hey, Thundy? You mentioned the fact of Kronos wanting to face Flash. To the fact of if all the stories had portrayed him to be. Do you happen to know who Flash Magnus is?" 

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad

Thundy sat down. "Well, Flash Magnus is one of the Old Pillars of Equestria." He said as he gathered some electricity and made a book on The Old Pillars of Equestria appear. He opened it and turned the page. "Here Dynamo, have a read." Thundy said. 

[Pencil Pouch]

@Samurai Equine @PawelS @Courageous Thunder Dash

Pencil stayed quiet for a moment as Chelsea worked through her emotions. Sparkly continued to stay back, still finding no need to get involved. After a few moments, Pencil was unexpectedly picked up by the griffon. She dangled her hooves in the air and let out a small gasp, slightly disoriented from being in the air all of a sudden, even if it was only a couple of feet off the ground. She allowed Chelsea to hug her for a few moments for emotional support until she reached her hooves towards the ground, wanting them to touch the floor again.

“If you ever need to talk about anything, we’re here to listen.” Pencil said softly to Chelsea.

She noticed that after a while, Starlight appeared to be dejected and trotted off. Pencil wondered what could be the matter with her. Was she worried about something, feeling left out maybe? The only way to know for sure was ask, so Pencil slowly trotted in her direction and asked softly,

“Is everything okay, Starlight?”

Sparkly looked in their direction, curious about the situation. She wondered what was bothering Starlight as well.

[Chelsea]

@ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine @PawelS

Chelsea smiled faintly and put Pencil on the ground again, noticing Starlight's sudden exit. "Wait...where did Starlight go? I hope she's okay..." Chelsea said sensing which direction Starlight went and started to walk in that direction.