open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Kronos the Revenant @Samurai Equine

Thundy heard Kronos shout an attack move as a bright light surrounded him. "Now that reminds me of Palutena's heavenly light...but this is a lot stronger. Let's see how Kronos will use this to defeat Pato." Thundy said. 

 

[Samurai Equine 50,936]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

Samurai nods and is happy to watch the match with his new-found brothers. "...Do you think I should start calling Chelsea nee-san as well?" Samurai comments before momentarily being blinded by the light of Kronos' attack. "Akarui!"

Alhimar continues to watch Samurai, Thundy, and Dynamo from the corner. Seems acting like a spy is working?

Calhoun, a yak, is bashing his strong horns against a large safety mat on the wall and making a rather sizable impression. "I am strong! Err, I mean... Yak strong. Or is it Calhoun strong?" Seems Calhoun doesn't speak like a neanderthal like most Yaks do. He stops to mumble to himself, though. Lightning Dusk is flying through obstacles she set up for herself. And Fold, a giant spider creature that stands twice as tall as any pony, is sitting and perhaps meditating? Two of his spider tarsi are connected while the rest of his spider legs sway hypnotically up and down, making him look like a buddha or something. And yet... There is something sinister about him.

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@Kronos the Revenant

Once more, the staff are doing their best to protect the crowd.

Pato seems to have gone mad with aquatic power, giving a quack-like laugh. However, it quickly turns into a grunt of pain when Pato is showered in a flash of light. "!!" When the light fades, Pato's eyes are now spirals of dizziness. The whirlpool stops and Pato lands on his webbed feet less than gracefully. His head spins as he tries to get his bearings. In his POV, he sort-of sees Kronos through his dizziness, and tries to run towards him! ... But in reality, he is stumbling sideways, trips over the edge of the arena, and bonks his head on the ground. "...quack..." Sad tears well up in Pato's eyes.

"Pato has fallen out of the arena!" Mayor Black announces. "Which means Kronos is the winner and he advances to the next round!" Straightaway adds.
As the crowd cheers for him, Elusive leaves the booth and runs over to Kronos. Once in the arena, she holds up her microphone. "Mr. Kronos! You just scored a mighty victory! Could you please tell us what it was like? Most of Pato's opponents were unable to withstand the currents of his water attacks. How did you do it?" Elusive asks, bringing the microphone to him.

Edited September 5, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Kronos the Revenant @Samurai Equine

Thundy saw as Kronos dealt the finishing blow, but saw that Pato was upset. "Awww, poor fella...he did well though. I'll give him that." Thundy said, still feeling bad that Pato was really upset that he lost. "He gave it his all though." Thundy added. 

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Samurai Equine

”Well,” Kronos replied, “Pato’s attacks were very formidable to say the least. This is an elemental we’re talking about here. I essentially went up against a demi-god of nature. But, my equipment has been battle tested and proven effective in many different combat scenarios. It all came down to experience.” He then noticed his opponent seemed rather sad. He went up to the duck to try to comfort him.

”Hey,” he told Pato, “You okay, little guy? If it means anything, you were quite the opponent. Never fought a demi-god before in my life, and i would like to say im honored to have fought you. You did good today, little buddy.”

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash @Kronos the Revenant

Dynamo's ears perked as he listened to Thundy's remark on the light. "I think that's from the game Kid Icarus, right? I haven't played that game, but I do remember hearing about it. Considering I know of the name Lady Palutena. It's her powers that give Pit his weaponry and flight." He explained, unsure if his explanation was correct or not. "Still, that's pretty bright. Almost as bright as the Ray of Light from Kingdom Hearts or the Solar Flare. Wish we had brought some sunglasses." He would say, his ears perking as he thought he heard the sound of laughter. The laughter had instantly faded as the flash of light had hit it's mark. Even the whirlwind of water had dissipated with a large splash as Pato landed on his webbed feet. "Even after all that, he's still able to stand? I have to give Pato credit for tanking a hit like that." He says, impressed as even though it wasn't a graceful landing, Pato had landed nonetheless. The water duck began to run at Kronos, but it seemed they were heading in the wrong direction. With a stumbling trip, Pato had fell over the edge of the arena, before landing outside of the ring. "Great job Kronos!" He cheered as he was happy that his friend was able to win. He did, however, feel bad for Pato. He nodded in agreement with Thundy as he saw tears flowing from the water duck's eyes. "Don't give up, Pato! You still did a great job!" He wasn't sure if he heard him, but he still thought the water spirit duck was pretty interesting. "I do have to wonder though. How did Pato miss like that? I'm wondering if that beam of light had caused some kind of confusion status that might have tripped up Pato's movements?" 

As Lightning Dust was flying through her own set up hoops, the trio thought she was too focused on her training to talk. That didn't mean that Cosmic and the others couldn't talk to the others. They turned towards Calhoun, a yak, who was ramming his horns against a safety mat on the wall. It seemed like this yak was like all the others. All brawn and no brain. However, it seemed as if his speech wasn't as bad as they thought, while the dent in the mat was actually impressive. "I think you were correct in the sentence you gave the first time. So, you didn't need to correct yourself." Frozen responded, trying to get the attention of Calhoun. Cosmic found Calhoun's strength to be impressive as he knew he would be his next opponent. The neon green unicorn and burgundy earth pony had noticed Fold, a giant spider creature, was sitting and seemed to be meditating. Two tarsi were connected and the rest of Fold's legs were swaying hypnotically. Cheap couldn't help it as his eyes followed the hypnotic, swaying legs. "You know? Seeing the legs sway back and forth is pretty calming. Almost like you want to take a bit of a nap." He chuckled, Cosmic rolling his eyes as his teammates antics. He did notice, however, that there was something off about Fold. Something that felt sinister in what was perhaps his aura about him. "Hey, you? Fold, was it? Why did you enter this tournament? You can drop the act. I know you're not just concentrating. You're waiting for a moment to strike." While it was against the rules to fight or harm an opponent outside of the tournament. He could sense the hostility from the giant creature. Something that Cosmic found commendable and could work with.

Edited September 5, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad

"Perhaps it was the bright light that blinded Pato just long enough that it left him in a confused state." Thundy explained. "And yes, heavenly light is from Kid Icarus." Thundy added. He was itching to go out there and fight.  

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash @Kronos the Revenant

"I guess that makes sense. I can imagine the light must have flashed in Pato's eyes and caused him to have that confusion. Goku and the others were like that whenever someone used the Solar Flare. Even though it was mostly to hurt their eyes so they couldn't move and become immobilized." Dynamo responded, thankful to know that his knowledge towards the name of the game wasn't too far off. Upon giving his interview to Elusive, Dynamo had watched Kronos as the cyber pony had made his way towards the water duck spirit. Dynamo smiled as he saw Kronos had given Pato both comfort and respect. "Now that's true sportsmanship right there. Pato was definitely an interesting and awesome fighter. Both sides really gave it their all. It was also cool to learn about Torrent Ducks as I never knew there were other creatures like the Timber Wolves or Fruit Bats out there." He smiled as he clapped his front hooves to congratulate both combatants. 

[Samurai Equine 50,936]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

"Kronos was very skilled in this fight. ... Also, do you think we should say something to the zebra that's been watching us this whole time?" Samurai asks Thundy and Dynamo. To which, Alhimar perks up in shock and quickly looks away, pretending to be reading a book he just pulled out of his clothing.

Calhoun stops mumbling to himself for a second to look in Frozen's direction before looking back at the mat. "...Perhaps. Though, to be honest, I'd rather be studying applied magics and theoretical sciences right now, if I could. But books aren't exactly a 'thing' in Yak culture." Calhoun says, rather elegantly too. This should make ANYONE do a double take! A yak that actually has intelligent thought? Aren't they all suppose to be the same brainless behemoths? Fold, however, is a spider with an extra long scarf wrapped around the lower part of his head and the rest of his body. He comes to a stop when Cosmic talks to him and looks at him with sharp, focused eyes. He doesn't answer right away. "You are the pony that was antagonizing the Dynamo Pad pony. ... I admire your style. We are similar, in a way." Fold speaks, with a very hushed whisper-like voice, but still understandable.

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@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad

Pato collects himself. He still looks a little upset, but he looks at Kronos and nods. "Ssank you, Mistah Kwonos." He says and bows before waddling away, sometimes flapping his little wings to help him move faster.

"Well, there you have it, folks. Another round for Kronos for winning to first fight! Next up, we have Greed and Tarsal! Would you both please report to the arena!" Elusive announces before leaving the arena. Tarsal, a reformed changeling, leaves the lounge and heads for the ring. On the way, he politely gives Kronos a bow as they pass each other. "Well done, sir. I hope we meet in a future round." He says with a soft-spoken voice. His color scheme is a mix of dark grey, dark navy blue, and some touches of neon yellow.

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad @Kronos the Revenant

Thundy smiled at Kronos's sportsmanship towards Pato. "Agreed. Sportsmanship is one of the greatest traits you can have." Thundy stated as he waited for the next round to begin. "I still wish there were multiple blocks..." He added. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash

As he listened to Calhoun speak, Frozen's glasses had a glare to them as the light caused a refraction. His eyes widened in slight surprise as he wasn't expecting that kind of response from a yak. Cosmic whistled at what he had heard. Cheap, on the other hoof, was slack-jawed in awe and surprise. "Holy cow! You can actually talk perfect sentences! The most we learned about yaks were that they were all brain-dead creatures that focused on brawn instead of brain." The earth pony grinned as Frozen sighed. All the while shaking his head as he used his front hoof to pinch the bridge of his nose. "You'll have to excuse him. He was dropped on his head when he was a foal." Frozen spoke for the earth pony, before said earth pony had shouted. "HEY! I'll have you know I was dropped on my head a total of five times! So, ha!" Frozen rolled his eyes at his teammate's incompetence. "That really doesn't help your case." He spoke softly, but it was enough for Calhoun to hear. Speaking of Calhoun, Frozen had turned his attention back towards the yak. "I must say though, I am impressed. You don't fit Cheap's less than stellar term as you put it more better suited. It's not every day where you get to meet someone who can match you in an intellectual conversation. I will have to admit that Cheap was right from learning about yaks from school. Although, I guess that would be considered a stereotype. You seem different than the rest and are pretty well read." He says, before noting the fields of study Calhoun brought up. "Applied magics and theoretical science, huh? That's pretty advanced for anyone to take part in. I know yaks can't do magic, but I guess it must be tickling one's curiosity, no?"

Cosmic, turning his attention back to Fold, had received no response from the spider creature. He was about to raise his voice to gain his attention, but held his tongue as he the creature had finally spoke. "There we go. Here I thought you were actually napping instead of meditating." He huffed a chuckle, before nodding at Fold's claim. "You say Dynamo Pad, but I say Kyubiki. Just thought I'd clear the air as that name irks me." He raised an eyebrow as he didn't expect to gain someone's admiration. "You like my style, huh? Even to go so far as to say we are similar. Well, we aren't similar physically as I'm a pony and you're not. So, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that we have similar ideals, then? I don't even recall seeing a creature of your stature in Equestria. Where did you even come from?" He asks, hearing Fold's voice as low as a whisper, but it was enough for him to hear. As the announcement for his codename was called, Cheap cheered as he started to head for the door. "Oh, boy! I'm finally up to bat! Time to show why this team of ours is a force to be reckoned with." 

Back with Dynamo and the others, the gaming unicorn had turned to Sam, who had informed him and Thundy about a Zebra. He hadn't recalled the names of the others, besides Thundy, Samurai and Kronos. He did now know who Lightning Dust was, but was unsure based on appearance. The asian pony had even mentioned that the zebra was watching them. Although, it seemed like the zebra had looked away in shock. "Do you think they were curious of our discussion, or do you think they were wanting to learn more about us, but was shy?" He didn't want to assume if the zebra was spying on them or not, but he didn't want to assume either. As Kronos made his way back into the waiting area, Dynamo smiled as he gave his congratulations to the cyber pony. "That was a great fight, Kronos. Awesome job out there, my friend." He would say, as the next round for the tournament was announced. Dynamo had heard that it would be Greed against Tarsal, before sighing as he knew Cheap was next to fight. As Tarsal made his way through the waiting area, Dynamo had noticed the next fighter was a reformed changeling. He remember learning about the history of the changelings from their invasion of Canterlot, before their reformation as they took on a new appearance. Dynamo smiled as he thought the now known Tarsal was pretty cool. "Alright! Make way for the up and coming star for this tourney, folks!" Cheap exclaimed, pushing past anyone that got in his way. Dynamo's smile soon faded as he worried about Tarsal's safety. "I just hope that Tarsal will be okay." He didn't want to take sides in a fight, but he did hope that Tarsal would be able to win. He didn't see how Cheap did in his battles in the preliminaries. Even so, Dynamo felt he was about to find out soon enough.

"You can say that again, bro. Sportsmanship can definitely go a long way. I know that even if I won or lost in a gaming tournament, I have to give my opponent all the respect that they truly deserve." He says, before nodding at Thundy's added comment. "I don't blame you. I'm a little nervous about my fight and the more I wait, the more worried I'll get." He mentioned as it didn't help that Cheap and the others would fight soon. "However, it's definitely worth the wait as one can be on high alert for their fight. I still get nervous waiting, but I try to become as calm as can be when the time comes."

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Samurai Equine 50,936]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

"Not sure, but I can tell when someone is spying. Years of dealing with shinobi has taught me that." Samurai explains, looking back at the zebra in the same room as them.

Despite himself, Calhoun giggles a little about the comment of Cheap being dropped on his head. "I grew up around yaks, so I understand. While my kind enjoy bashing their brains around, for some reason, I actually enjoy expanding mine. Which is why I don't really fit in there. I mean, just listen to this. Does this sound natural to you? Yak smash. Calhoun smash... everything?" He's right, it doesn't sound natural. From most Yaks, it would sound confident and powerful. From Calhoun, it just sounds forced, awkward, and a little confused. "At one point, I wanted to use magic and science to maybe better Yakyakistan, bring our race to a new modern era. However, the yaks don't want that, and getting a higher education outside of Yakyakistan is hard if you're not part of Twilight's school. And obviously, I'm too old for that. So I guess... I guess I'm just coasting, trying to find where I should be. What about you? What brings an intellectual like you to this tournament?" Calhoun asks Frozen.

Fold nods at Cosmic's question. "I can't answer that right now... But like you, I came to this tournament to put a certain fighter in their place. And now, I am really close. ... I am going to destroy him. Vengeance will be mine. But unlike you, I am not as elegant. I don't have a way with fancy words like you do. I prefer to strike with speed and efficiency. Storm and stress." Fold says. Could that have been a compliment?

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@Dynamo Pad

Tarsal waits in the ring until Cheap joins him. "Oh! You must be my opponent. Greed, was it?" Tarsal asks.

[Windy Breeze 15,189]

@Samurai Equine

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Enteing Mirabelle's living room would already give a hint that she may, or Keen, or...both of them lead a sedintarh lifestyle. There were several bookshelves in the room, a orange sofa, a small wooden coffee table, and signs of laziness in the form of arrangement. “Sorry. It has been a while since I last cleaned. Sit down at the table, I'll be heading to the kitchen”

Shadow and Keen sat on the couch without saying anything; just staring at each other before looking away, with Shadow going back to staring at Trilby with a smile.

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant

”And there goes his first mistake…strutting in with his prideful self…this is gonna end well…can’t wait for to get walloped with a wake up call that he ought to humble himself.” Thundy said running his talons together as he watched Greed enter the ring. 
 

He then turned to Dynamo. “You’ll do awesome out there bro. Don’t let the nervousness get to you.” Thundy said with a small smile. 

[Pencil Pouch]

@Courageous Thunder Dash @Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @PawelS

Pencil and Sparkly continued to chat over the tournament, finding their topics too interesting to stop talking about. Pencil gave Sparkly some insight about her artistic work, aside from the current commission she dreaded talking about. She also discussed her hometown some. Sire’s Hollow was a rather simple place to live, but it had a lot of offer if one took the time to explore it. Sparkly discussed the various ins and outs of the solar system, the Earth’s structure, and bits of pieces of her own hometown in a very scientific and detailed manner. Some of the details went over Pencil’s head, but she appreciated the knowledge anyways.

Out of the corner of Pencil’s eye, she noticed Chelsea was sitting by herself, looking rather bored. She wondered why Thundy wasn’t over there, then she remembered his involvement in the tournament. Leaning forward so the griffon could see her, Pencil asked,

“You doing okay over there, Chelsea?”

[Chelsea]

@ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine @Starforce @PawelS

"Just wish I could see Thundy fight. It's taking quite a bit of time..." Chelsea said with a sigh of boredom. "There was a mysterious mare who I tried to talk to but couldn't get her to answer my questions...her name was Opia..." Chelsea added.

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine

Cheap had actually smirked as he was grateful that someone could get a laugh out of making fun of one's intelligence. "Glad to know you have a thick skin from that insult. Cheap has a weird way of saying it like it is sometimes. You'd be surprised on how serious he can be when it comes to business deals. It's almost like a flip of a hat and just out of nowhere." He explained, before getting back to the topic at hoof. "It's rare to see someone not trying to scramble their brains when it comes to yaks smashing different objects to test their strength. A mind is a terrible thing to waste." To the pegasus, it was honestly refreshing to meet someone who was about as intelligent as he was. Spending time with Cheap had given him the impression that he was becoming less intelligent by the day. So, it was a nice change of pace talking to someone who had culture in regards to knowledge. "It's like I had mentioned to Pad and everyone in the preliminary stage from before. I can get a better feel from someone based on the tone in their voice, the muscle movement in their limbs, the subtle expressions and glances in their eyes. It may be simple to notice, but I can tell the tone in your voice says everything. The hesitation, the uncertainty? It definitely sounds unnatural. You have the power, but you don't wish to just expand your strength. I have to admit that it's pretty admirable to better one's race to show they aren't all from what one hears." He explained, adjusting his glasses as he continued to listen to Calhoun. From what he could tell, the rest of the yaks were a lost cause, so Frozen could care less on what happened to them. Calhoun was an exception, of course, but he didn't want to say that outright. 

"Twilight's school?" He raised an eyebrow as such a mention was brought up. It took him a moment, before his expression turned sour. "Oh, I've heard about that place. It was built a little while ago and it was about something in regards to friendship, right? I could argue that nobody is never too old to learn in regards to one subject or another. However, friendship is not for me, Cosmic or Cheap. So, I'd decline the offer, as well. Coasting to find a place to be does still sound noble." Upon being asked what he was doing here at Friendshire, Frozen had adopted a thoughtful expression. At the same time, placing his front right hoof under his chin as he rubbed said chin in thought. "Would you rather want the truth, or a fabricated lie? Either way, it would be too much of a bother to try and outsmart the other that shares a strong intellectual mind. So, I'd have to say I'm here along for the ride. Cosmic and Cheap are here for their payback on a certain unicorn that lives here. That, and to win the tournament as they found fighting to be fun. I'm more inclined to enjoy strategic card games and such more than what they are into. I guess you could say that I'm out for my own revenge against that unicorn, but it'll be a morale victory if any one of us beats him." 

"Oh? A mystery to solve, huh? As bothersome as that is, then I'll have to drop that for the time being." Cosmic raised an eyebrow in curiosity over Fold's withdrawn answer. Learning that the spider creature was out for his own revenge had caused Cosmic to chuckle. "It sounds like you and I are one in the same. I told you that I'm out for revenge against Kyubiki. How about you, or is that a secret?" He wondered if Fold's vendetta was against someone in this room. Given by who was still in the room at the moment, he would have to rule them all out. "Since we are on who you are seeking revenge against, then can you tell me what he did to garner your hatred? I guess it would be fair if I tell you what Kyubiki had done to me." He would say, whistling as he wasn't expecting that fro the spider creature. 'Fancy words and elegant? Those two words don't suit me based on what others have said. Seems like I might have made an ally, or at least a pawn.' He thought, seeing as how he could gain some use from Fold. If Fold had decided to betray him, that is. "Based on your size and multiple legs, then I can definitely tell you have that speed and ferocity. I have my own way to fight, but it's to overwhelm the opponent, before they fall into my hooves. That, or I play around, until I get under their skin. After that, I put them in their place, before finishing the job."

@Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine @ExplosionMare @Kronos the Revenant @Starforce @Courageous Thunder Dash @PawelS

Dynamo raised an eyebrow as Samurai had mentioned that someone was spying. Turning to where the asian pony was looking back, Dynamo had looked to see Samurai was still looking at the zebra. The same zebra who was still in the same room as both him, Samurai and Thundy. "I believe you when you said someone might be spying, but I guess I just don't understand. Considering that everyone who kept going in the preliminaries had watched all of us fight. Maybe with so many fights going on, then it might have been tricky keeping track of who was able to do what. Maybe they are trying to keep a tab to see how we can be countered in our fights? What do you think, onii-san?" He asks, wondering what Samurai thought about his theory. The gaming unicorn looked back to Thundy, smiling as he appreciated his friend's vote of confidence. "Thanks, bro. That really means a lot. I get nervous no matter what in a tournament. However, I guess it's because I'm excited to play against someone in a game. Maybe it's because I hope that the practice I had for video games will be enough when going against an opponent. I'm not entirely sure as I haven't figured it out myself." He would say, before looking towards Cheap, who began making his way towards the ring. "I know you say prideful, but that's him acting without a care in the world. Cheap can be a bit easygoing as he has this in the bag. Usually he tries to get others to agree to deals that would benefit them. He has the skill to back him up as he believes money and strength is power. I only because I had to go against him in a gaming tournament once. The same tournament where I first met Starlight." He would say, sighing as he didn't like what he was about to say. "I have to admit that I almost fell for one of his deals once. It was during a time I was in a bad place. However, it was thanks to Starlight and the reason I was fighting that I was able to deny and defeat Cheap. That was about a year ago, but it seems to me like Cheap hasn't changed a bit. The same goes for the others."

Upon making his entrance onto the ring, Cheap had looked over at his opponent, who was a changeling. He had remembered changelings having a dark tone fur with messed up wings, as well as spiked ears and a horn. From what he as witnessing, this changeling was a dark gray and dark blue in color, while having some yellow to the design. Not only that, but the ears and wings looked nothing like he had learned from school. "I guess you can say that. I do go by Cheap Shot, of course, but hey. Whatever floats your boat, after all. Greed is usually just my code name whenever I'm in a tournament. Be it fighting or video games." Cheap explained, an unamused expression in his eyes. "So, I'm guessing your Tarsal, then? What happened? Did you happen to have an existential crisis in choosing your favorite color?" He snorted as he was making fun of Tarsal's appearance. 

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant

"Phew...I'm so glad Starlight was there for you Dynamo. Sometimes, you need that extra voice to help you not fall for stuff like that. I participated in a few of the Smash Bros tournaments back in my world. There was this one guy who kept making people fall for his stupid trick. He'd act like a regular smash player to try and get people to wager high. He'd go all out and take people's money. He thought he was the best, which was his worst mistake. Met him in an online match where he pulled a super cheap tactic and went to his friends bragging that he "defeated the Great Thundy". I therefore called him out for a one on one exhibition match, best out of 3. He won with his cheap tactic the first time, because...I let him to expose him. He actually celebrated and bragged until I said "Sit yo butt down!" with a mean look. He froze right in his place and slowly sat back down with his shaking legs. I then destroy him in the next two rounds, snagging a JV3 in the last round, which caused him to become so salty, he spiked his controller on the ground...and ran out the door. And the best part about it is...he proclaimed it to be a "winner takes all", which meant that the winner takes all the other player's money currently on them. Even though he stormed out the game store this exhibition match was in, I still got my money...and...he quit Smash...all because of getting exposed. Sadly, his attitude never changed...which eventually landed him in jail." Thundy explained. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Courageous Thunder Dash @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant

"You can say that again, Thundy." Dynamo nodded as Thundy was right about having that extra voice to keep him from falling. "The truth is that I met Starlight after something bad had happened. I'd explain it, but I think it would be better if I could explain it to everyone. So, it'll all make sense after the tournament is over." He explained, hoping that was a good enough of an answer for the time being. "I love fighting games, but I'm not exactly the best when it comes to Super Smash Brothers. I have entered a few tournaments, but still practicing and learning the basics and such." He says as he began listening to the griffon's story, before having a look of realization. "Oh, you mean a money match? I remember that some have done that to where others don't play as seriously. Well, it depends on the amount of bits one would wager, but I have heard of them. I never participated as while it would be worth it as training. It still feels risky as I'm not much of a betting pony." He would say, frowning at how the one Thundy had faced was an unsportsmanlike player. "I am afraid to ask, but what was the super cheap tactic. If you don't mind me asking, that is. I can only imagine it's something like Kirby with the inhale and falling off of the stage. That, or playing keep away with Villager until time runs out. Sort of depends on the Smash Brothers game, as well." He wondered as it seemed that the cheater had gotten what they deserved. Especially with how Thundy was able to expose the other player for their misdeeds. "I'm glad you were able to stand up to them. It's like the old saying goes that cheaters never win and winner's never cheat. I'm sorry to hear that he never changed his attitude. It sounds sort of like someone I know far too well." He says, feeling that Cosmic and the player Thundy had mentioned were indeed one in the same. 

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant 

"It was Bowser's side special off the ledge. I did my utmost to avoid it, but the first time he did it, he did three times in a row for the win. I have a replay and shared with the Smash community. Everyone said that it was one of the cheapest ways to win. Sadly, there have been countless stories of gamers who have won in the cheapest ways raging when they were exposed. I play singles online a ton, and I've seen all the cheap spam combos." Thundy stated. 

[Samurai Equine 50,936]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @Ragland Tiger

Final stops eating his popcorn to listen to the conversation. "Do you want me to try and talk to her? I mean, I am a time traveling pony, after all. This may be the moment in history when I'm suppose to make first contact and learn all about her."

@Starforce

Though cloaked, Mayor Black only takes cursory glance at what has happened near him. Without even a second thought or examination, he reaches down and begins helping the mystery mare gather her things, picking stuff up and giving it to her. "Watch it, miss. There's a lot of citizens here. Wouldn't want to lose anything, would ya?" He take a moment to look at her. "You're new here, aren't you? Can't fool me. I know everyone that lives in this town and everyone that use to live her previously."

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@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

"You raise a good point, Dynamo-touto-san. In which case.... Shhh. Everyone. Be careful what you say. You never know what our eavesdropper might be keeping tabs of for later." Samurai turns to him. "Isn't that right, stranger?" Samurai asks.

The zebra in question is wearing robes, a cape-like shawl, and some kind of round, brimless, multicolored cap. "I... I do not know of what you say..." He lies, sweating nervous bullets. Samurai walks over and sits on his knees next to the zebra. "No need to lie to me. I could feel your eyes piercing daggers into us. You were listening to us way longer than anyone else would. And you're the only one left here when everyone else has wondered off to a different room. What is you want? You're one of the fighters, right?" Samurai asks. The zebra pauses a minute. "...Yes, you've discovered me. I am Alhimar, and I was keeping tabs. Only through careful watching and observing can one truly know their opponent."

Meanwhile, 

Calhoun listens and nods to everything Frozen has to say. At one point, he asks if he wants the truth or a lie. In that moment, Calhoun moves closer until his face is only a few small inches away from Frozen's face, their eyes peering deeply into each other. Then, Calhoun smiles lightly and moves away. "Thank you for telling me everything. I would prefer people tell me the truth instead of try to hide things. I look for answers in science, facts, and data. I couldn't begin my quest into science if I was scared to know the truth. But that is interesting, what you said." Calhoun admits. He thinks about how he should train. "It's not so much that Yaks are strong from the physical things we do. Rather, we are just born with strong, durable bodies. So me being the intellectual really does make me the odd yak out. ... Speaking of, what do you plan to do when all this is over and you've gotten your payback? Do you want to, I don't know, go to a library and study a while? I'm sure we could discover a lot of fascinating topics. And with you, I would have an easier time getting into libraries meant for ponies." Calhoun says, scratching the back of his head.

"I cannot tell you who my target is. But what I can tell you is that he is related to your Kyubiki pony. He has been spending time around him quite often. And like Kyubiki, he is a false hero, a fake icon that must be brought down." Fold explains. "...I am unable to get under anyone's skin. I can only cut the skin away." Fold pulls out an orange and holds up some his legs. His tarsi turn razor sharp, and then the strikes the orange many times lightning fast before pulling them away, marking his tarsi dull again. The orange looks unarmed at first. Then, as if by death by a million paper cuts, the orange peel splits apart in many ways and unravels cleanly away from the orange. As for the orange itself, it opens up neatly. Fold catches the orange as the slices split apart, and hands the pieces to Cosmic, offering the fruit to him. Surprisingly, there is not a single drop of liquid coming off the orange slices. The fruit was cut so clean and precise that it never lost a single drop of juice.

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@Dynamo Pad

"No way, loser! I'M Cheap Shot. What are you suppose to be, a fake or something?!" Upon hearing his own voice shoot back at him, Cheap will now notice that he is standing before his identical double, making the same unamused expression at him.

"He changed!" Mayor White announces. "He looks just like Greed! Or is it Cheap now?" Straightaway announces. "But who's the REAL Cheap?!" Elusive asks.

Disguised Tarsal points at himself. "I'm the real deal, got it?! I'm way more Cheap Shot than you could ever be!" He says, pointing at the real Cheap for that last part.

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@Windy Breeze

Trilby looks around the house, first looking at the bookshelves to see if he recognizes any of the books, or if any of them would appeal to him. But then he remembers where he is and quickly joins Keen and Shadow at the table. "Thank you for your hospitality. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."

Edited September 6, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad @Kronos the Revenant

Thundy could hear the commotion going out in the ring. "Great, it's one of those battles of who's the real one..." Thundy said with a groan and a facetalon. He would rather see the two actually fight rather than argue. 

[Samurai Equine 50,936]

@Starforce

The mayor doesn't seem to care, or rather he seems oblivious. "That's how most ponies seem to get here, these days. No destination in mind and no place better to go." Mayor Black says with a bit of a shrug. "But we have more than enough room for you here. At this point in the town's history, we'll take anyone. Outcasts, misfits, as long as they aren't evil or trying to conquer Equestria or anything like that. The menaces..."

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash

As he heard the mention of the move, Dynamo had nodded his head somewhat quickly in realization. "Oh, I remember that now. That was one of the top few tactics one could use in Smash Brother 4, or Smash Brothers for both 3DS and the Wii U. You knock them off of the edge and when they get back up, you side special. You then flip off of the stage and plummet as the opponent losses a stock, before you lose a stock, yourself. So, once you get to the last stock, they lose first, before you do. It's effective, but an annoying tactic." He had recalled seeing others doing such strategies, or fight in a way that didn't allow anyone to get back onto the stage. "I'm really sorry to hear about those stories. Whether it's online or in a tournament, there will always be spamming combos to go up against." He would say, remembering the times he went up against those that did such things.

The gaming unicorn nodded as he took Samurai's advice on being careful as to what he said. He felt if he didn't, then anything he said could and would be used against him. Just like what had happened with Cosmic and his team from earlier. As the zebra, now known as Alhimar, had tried to cover up his attempted lies. Dynamo had watched as the asian pony had made his way over towards the competitor, before sitting on his knees. Taking a few steps forward, he watched the conversation unfold between both Samurai and Alhimar. "I hope I'm not intruding, but I was curious as to what you had said, Alhimar. You mentioned that you were keeping tabs on what I can guess isn't just us, but the other fighters, as well. That, and you also mentioned that you said through careful watching/observing, then one can truly know their opponent. Is there a reason as to why you would say that? I mean, did anyone put you up to gathering intel on us, or was it more towards gathering information for the fights ahead?" He hoped that he wasn't being rude in his questioning of the zebra. Given by how Samurai had told him and Thundy to be careful. The gaming unicorn wanted to still be careful as Cosmic and the others could have put Alhimar up to this. It may have been a stretch of a guess, but he couldn't take any chances given what the trio had done before.

@Samurai Equine

Meanwhile,

As their discussion continued, Frozen had blinked a few times as Calhoun got directly up towards his face. The gaze in their eyes had met for the longest of time, but eventually. Calhoun smiled and began backing away. Frozen wasn't expecting the yak to get that close, but it didn't cause his eyes to shrink or change in appearance. It was like he was testing him to play a game of chicken or the probability of him blinking from the sudden dash forward. "You're welcome, I suppose. I guess it was an unknown outlier of what you would say or think about my issues with a particular pony. I know how Equestria is all about friendship and whatnot, but my team and I don't really think that's the case. Even so, I get the whole finding answers through data, facts and science. It's better to have concrete information instead of being given false facts. Just one false set of information can ruin an entire equation to where one would have to start from scratch. It's rather an annoying pain, if you ask me." He would say, nodding as he didn't expect the yak to find what he said to be interesting. "If you ask me, then I feel the emotion of fear of the truth to be a bit foolish. No matter the truth, it's better to push onward. Better to hear the truth for yourself and from others instead of receiving lies and false words of encouragement." He would say, stifling a chuckle as Calhoun explained the attributes of the yaks. "When you say it like that, then you'd think you'd be a pony, while Cheap should have been a yak. It's like I'm staring at two opposite creatures. You do make the outlier in a group of yaks, but you have a way to spice things up with your intelligence. Keeps the opponent guessing so they'd think one way, but then you prove them otherwise."

As he explained, Frozen had closed his eyes to ponder Calhoun's question for just a moment. After a moment had passed, the ebony pegasus had opened his eyes with a shake of his head. "I haven't actually thought about that in quite a while. My team and I basically live in some run down arcade after we took it over. Haven't had the chance to head towards a library and study. That, or I guess I could call studying as a way to flex, or stretch my mind with valuable information. I don't doubt on discovering fascinating topics, but why do you say that? Are you perhaps not permitted into libraries that are made for ponies?" He asks, not recalling anything along the lines of other creatures being banned from specific locations. 

Hearing that Fold wouldn't tell him who the spider creature's target irked Cosmic slightly. Although, he guessed that he couldn't blame Fold. "As long as that pony or creature relates to Kyubiki, then that just means that you're in the right direction. Plus, you might not tell me in case of word slipping or lack of trust between us. I can respect that as trust is a difficult thing to come by nowadays." Cosmic says, raising an eyebrow as more information was being brought to light. "Oh? So, this pony is a false hero, you say? I'm guessing he might be seen as a hero to some, but he's more of a terrible pony like my team and I tried to pain Kyubiki. Now that just has me even more interested." He tilted his head as Fold's choice of words. It was then that the neon green unicorn chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, no. I think you took what I said too literal. When I said to get under their skin, I meant that I try to get into their head. Mess with them with my words and feats of strength to cause doubt. When I overpower someone, then I show that they weren't much of a threat to me and then I put them in their place." He explained, feeling that explanation was better suited to the literal sensed creature. As Fold pulled out an orange, Cosmic had watched as Fold's tarsi turned razor sharp. As the orange was tossed into the air, Cosmic squinted his eyes as strikes were sent lighting fast upon the orange. Just as the tarsi turned dull once more, it seemed as if the orange looked unharmed. Cosmic was about to roll his eyes and say that it wasn't that impressive, but he'd be lying if he hadn't seen what had happened next. The orange peel and suddenly split apart into many ways as the orange looked perfect. Not even a sight of a peel left as pieces were handed to Cosmic by Fold. Inspecting it, he eventually took a bite of the fruit as his eyes widened slightly.

The juice was still within the slices that were handed to him. Almost as if each cut hadn't damaged the juice from inside the pieces. "Incredible. You have such dangerous accuracy and precision that I'd have to argue that was perfect. You're not a perfectionist, are you? That was actually not half bad." He whistled, finding Fold's skills to be top notch.

@Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine @ExplosionMare @Kronos the Revenant @Courageous Thunder Dash @Starforce @PawelS

As the fight was about to get started, Cheap had blinked in surprise from the sudden transformation by Tarsal. He thought he had heard a playback of his voice as he stared at what appeared to be himself across from the ring. If he had recalled, changeling's had the power to turn turn into other ponies, creatures or objects. "Oh, great. So, I'm essentially dealing with a copycat, huh? Well, this is going to be a drag, but might be interesting." He should say, noticing the same exact unamused expression glaring right back at him. Hearing the changeling's words had sparked a bit of anger. "Hey! What do you mean!? I'm the real Cheap Shot! If anyone here is a fake, then it's you. You're nothing but a copycat reject!" He exclaimed, rolling his eyes as the disguised changeling tried to act like the original. "Oh, please! nobody can be a better me than me! He shouted, wondering if what he had said made sense or not. "That sounded better in my mind. At any rate, how about you just give up now and I can make you offer you just can't refuse."Shaking his head, he knew that screaming would get him nowhere. If anything, it would be like shouting at a reflection in the mirror. 'If that's the case, then I'll just have to break this reflection.' He thought, waiting for the fight to begin so he could take this fake down.

Looking back out at the arena, Dynamo walked over to what Thundy was watching. What he saw was Cheap, but strangely enough. There was a second Cheap within the arena. He felt that one Cheap shot was bad enough, but he didn't expect to see two. It was then that Dynamo realized that the second Cheap wasn't actually Cheap, but Tarsal using his changeling abilities. "I guess Tarsal is trying to throw Cheap off of his game by acting like him. That could work, but I wonder if he'll use other transformations. Better to defend himself if Cheap tries anything against Tarsal. That, or try to find a way to keep up the pressure with the many different transformations that are in his arsenal." He explained as it would be a battle of strength and endurance. 

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Kronos the Revenant

Thundy suddenly heard another voice. He turned to see a Zebra. "Hm? What's a zebra doing here?" Thundy asked as he continued to listen in on the fight betwen Cheap and the changeling named Tarsal. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash @Kronos the Revenant

Dynamo's ears perked as he heard Thundy's question. Looking back, he saw the griffon had turned his attention over towards Samurai and Alhimar. "Oh, that's right. The zebra here is named Alhimar. He's one of the other finalists that's in this tournament. Sam had thought that we might have a spy on our hooves or talons. So, he went over to talk to Alhimar about it. Apparently, Alhimar is keeping tabs on us and potentially the other fighters. From what he said, it's his way of watching and observing that can help him understand his opponent. Was it something along those lines, Onii-san? Alhimar?" He asks, hoping that his explanation was on the right track.