open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

”And there he is…the one and only…Orion. Back on earth, Orion’s Belt could be seen during the spring/summer shift. It’s outlined by 3 stars perfectly lined up. Sadly, looks like this is it for Calhoun.” Thundy said with a sigh. 

[Pencil Pouch]

@Samurai Equine@Courageous Thunder Dash@Dynamo Pad

"That's ok, Final, we wouldn't want you to compromise the time frame or whatever it's called," Pencil responded. "That would be pretty cool if you could observe historical events like that. You'll have to tell us all about them-that is, as long as that also doesn't compromise anything."

Sparkly smiled and took a moment to think about the places she would like to visit from the past. She could observe a World War, meet famous people while they were still young, or even witness the creation of the planets! Sadly, she has no time magic like Final, but it was fascinating to imagine the possibilities of possessing such magic.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when Chelsea mentioned that Thundy could also teach others about Earth. She figured the two would get along together. Sparkly had her doubts, since she was a bit off put by Thundy. Their personalities just didn't click, at least from what she gathered from their interactions so far.

"To be quite honest, I would rather provide my knowledge on my own. Thundy and I have many different perspectives that if put together, may cause a great amount of confusion and potentially arguing." she responded, doing her best to provide good reasoning.

Pencil had tuned out the conversation but was not completely focused on the tournament, either. Her mind kept trying to form a thought, but each concept seemed to fly out of her head before she had anything to ponder on. It was like her mind went blank and she couldn't tell if that was due to boredom, tiredness, or something else entirely. She thought about stimulating her mind by working on her commission, but the commission still brought forth feelings of anxiety and stress. Unable to do much else, she simply allowed herself to absorb the various conversations and sounds around her.

[Chelsea]

@ExplosionMare @Ragland Tiger @Samurai Equine

"Give it some time Sparkly. I know you and Thundy could get along. I know you may not have clicked the first time, but you really haven't seen all of Thundy...yet..." Chelsea said looking into Sparkly's eyes. 

[Ragland Tiger 3,384]

@ExplosionMare @Courageous Thunder Dash @Samurai Equine

1 hour ago, Chelsea said:

"Give it some time Sparkly. I know you and Thundy could get along. I know you may not have clicked the first time, but you really haven't seen all of Thundy...yet..." Chelsea said looking into Sparkly's eyes. 

"Give h-him a ch-ch-chance, Sparkly," said Bluebell.  "He m-m-may be a li-little rough around the edges, b-b-but he has a good h-heart."

[Thundy]

@Ragland Tiger @ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine

Chelsea brought Bluebell in for a gentle hug. "Yes, for as long as I've known Thundy, he is the sweetest friend I've grown to know. So just like Bluebell and I said, give it time. As Thundy shared with me from this kids book he read called "Green Eggs and Ham", you'll never know if you don't try." Chelsea stated. 

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

"Hard to say... Perhaps while we wait, I could grab us a beverage? Anyone? Thundy-niisan, you look like you might enjoy a good lemonade, or perhaps a ramune. Maybe some tea for Alhimar?" Samurai offers. At least, at first. But then the match catches his eye again. Calhoun does something Samurai was not expect. "....Dekinai de!"

"...Thanks, but if I tell you my drink preference, you'll have intel on me. So no thanks." Alhimar gives a delayed reply.

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

@Dynamo Pad

For a split second, Calhoun gasps in surprise when one of his upper hooves comes in contact with a super natural shield instead of Cosmic's other hoof. Still, he knows better than to argue against a unicorn and their magic. For now, he just focuses on his raw strength and tries to push Cosmic with all his might. "This is it, everyone. The final struggle to end this match... So who will come out on top?" Elusive asks.

Calhoun worked so hard to get here. He beat one opponent in the prelims simply by outsmarting them, and another by using superior strength and defense. However, after combining with Artemis, Taurus, and Orion; the strength factor was just not in his favor. Calhoun scrapes and digs into the ring with his rear hooves, anything to stop himself as he feels himself being pushed back. But the end does not come with a cry or a whine, simply a guttural groan as he tries to match this overwhelming strength. His muscular veins flare up, sweat drips, and his one good goggle lens creates a new crack...! But eventually, we hear a toss and a fall. Only one victor is left standing in the ring.

"Cosmic has managed to overpower Calhoun and toss him out of the ring! That means Calhoun is disqualified, and Cosmic advances to the next round!" Straightaway announces, to a mix of applause and jeers from the audience. Calhoun is on his back outside the arena, but he rolls over into a sitting position. He lost and he must live with that. He looks at Cosmic for a moment. He stands up properly on all fours, and then bows before Cosmic. "A deal's a deal, and I have lost. I am at your command, Cosmic." Calhoun says, and waits for what Cosmic says next. What he says will change everything. Will Cosmic welcome him as a new member of his group? Or will he decide to toss him away like garbage for losing the matching? Cosmic has no reason to honor the agreement before they came into the match. It's basically Calhoun showing interest in joining, but that won't matter if Cosmic doesn't want him.

Elusive was about to get up and interview Cosmic, but this unexpected scene has made her stop and watch, curious what all this means.

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

@Starforce

Mayor Black nods. "Well, that's another round done... I'm getting hungry. You want some snacks or something? I'm gonna get a ton of snacks. I need to put my figure back on."

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

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @Ragland Tiger

Final nods, understanding and agreeing with everyone's POV. He looks back at the match. "Wait... Is that yak joining up with that Cosmic pony now? Is that a bad thing?"

Edited September 22, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad 

Thundy watched the match and saw as Calhoun was tossed out of the ring...that is...before Samurai asked him if he wanted a drink. "I'm good, though some apple juice would be nice." Thundy stated. He then turned around and saw Calhoun ask Cosmic if he could join his group. "Calhoun is too pure for them. Sadly, this would show Cosmic's true side...and it won't be pretty." Thundy said as sparks crackled around him loudly. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash

"That's...Orion?" Dynamo asks, watching as Cosmic had summoned another constellation. He had seen one or two constellations that Cosmic would always try and use to scare others, but he had never seen this constellations before. "This is my first time seeing Orion. I have to say that he looks pretty cool, but it's a shame that he's under the control of Cosmic." He found it interesting that Orion's Belt could be seen by three stars lined up. "I guess there's another thing that makes Equestria and Earth to be somewhat similar. He would say, before a sudden thought had crossed his mind. "Hey, Thundy? I was wondering something. Is there any specific constellation that has a triangle as the constellation? I remember seeing a moment in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. Where Micky talks to Yen Sid, but in the background, three stars are shining in the night sky." Turning towards Samurai, Dynamo nods at the mention of a beverage. "Can I have a beverage please? If there's any cola or orange soda, then I'm all for it. If not, then I would say surprise me, Onii-san." 

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

As the two clashed, Cosmic smirked as he caught Calhoun off guard. With that, the two fought to push the other out with all of their might. If the yak outsmarted him, then he would make sure to slam the club onto the ground. Using it as a pivot to jump up and cause a reversal on Calhoun. However, it didn't seem to be the case as the yak stayed true to his word. It almost seemed even, at first, while Cosmic and Calhoun scraped and dug into the ring. Finding any extra strength to push and close the gap towards either side of the ring. Upon combining with Orion, Taurus and Artemis, however, Cosmic found his strength increasing exponentially. His eyes flashed, before glowing red with power as he began pushing back. The neon green unicorn had felt slight resistance as Calhoun's muscular veins flared up. Straining his body to push back, but it was to no avail as Cosmic kept pushing without restraint. With one last push, Cosmic had eventually forced Calhoun outside of the ring with a toss. Sighing, he relaxed his muscles as Straightaway had made the announcement. 

Allowing the victory to soak in, Cosmic grinned as he levitated the club to his hoof. Throwing said front hoof into the air as if he had won a decisive battle. He expected the jeers, but he enjoyed the applause. The applause was most likely for Calhoun, but Cosmic would take what he could get. As he basked in the attention, Cosmic had soon turned to Calhoun at the sound of the yak's voice. Raising an eyebrow as he saw the yak was bowing before him. He almost couldn't believe that this was even possible. Chuckling at the prospect of gaining more support against their enemies, Cosmic grinned with a nod. "On your hooves, Calhoun. You need not bow, but you're right. A deal is a deal. Welcome aboard my team. We'll discuss to give you a name and try to get that horn fixed. We need you at full strength if we are to have you join us. With you on our team, there's no way we can lose now! We'll take down anyone that dares to get in our way!" He would say, knowing he'd give Cheap and Frozen the good news. Turning back towards Elusive, Cosmic had whistled to get her attention. "Well? Are you going to stand there looking confused all day? I still have an interview, right?"

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

"Or so they think...looks like you're up next Dynamo. As I said before, Lightning Dust is an easy opponent. She's reckless, so finding that gap and going in is what you need to do." Thundy said. "As I said before, Calhoun is too pure for those monsters. They'll have to get through us." Thundy said looking at Dynamo. "New mission, it's time to save Calhoun from falling into the deadly trap. We will expose those goons and show Calhoun what true friendship is. Are ya with me bro?" Thundy asked extending his talon. 

[Pencil Pouch]

@Courageous Thunder Dash @Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Ragland Tiger

“I understand what are saying,” Sparkly responded to Final, Chelsea, and Bluebell. “But I will continue to make my own judgments based on my own perspectives, not anyone else’s. In this case, I believe it is best Thundy and I interact as little as possible. He is not all bad, per-say, but I have a feeling that him and I would not get along. Hmm, and as for that book you mentioned…I believe I have heard of that before…”

Sparkly was quite mixed on the situation. She was soon distracted by thoughts of “Green Eggs and Ham”, however, and focused on her earliest memory retrieval instead. It was a bit tricky since she had heard of the book but never read it herself.

Meanwhile, Pencil Pouch was still in a state on inattentiveness but was slightly more engaged in the fight from the increased volume of the fighters. Her ears perked up as the yak was thrust out of the ring. She frowned, realizing that the yak must’ve lost. She was about to drift off again before something surprising occurred. Cosmic offered to team up with the yak! Pencil couldn’t believe it!

“Guys, I think Cosmic wants to team up with Calhoun! Do you think he’s gonna say yes?” she asked the group nervously.

[Chelsea]

@ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine @Ragland Tiger

Chelsea sighed. She suddenly felt a feeling and started to pant. Calhoun's heart was nearly pure as she sensed, and if Calhoun joined Cosmic, it would seem as if he would lose it as Cosmic's heart was full of darkness. "Thundy...please save Calhoun..." She said to herself as she panted. She struggled a little to get herself together.

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

"What in the world would posses anyone to want to join Cosmic's bunch? Hmm..." Samurai wonders. He hears a comment Thundy says. "I understand how you feel, Thundy-niisan. However, it has to be just right. We have to make sure Calhoun sees Cosmic and the rest for who they really are. You can't change the mind of someone who is willingly joining." Samurai muses.

"Right. Apple Juice, and Cola or Orange Soda. I'll be right back." Samurai gives a salute and walks off to fetch the beverages.

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

@Dynamo Pad

With a renewed smile, Calhoun rises up. "Thank you, sir! And don't worry about my horn, according to the medical charts I've read, Yak horns grow back. If anything's more important then that, my reading goggles could use a replacement... As for a name; I'd like to suggest the codename Pride, if it isn't spoken for. And as a member of your team, I'd like to make a request for my first assignment. With your permission... I'd like to go out with Frozen on a date, please! ...T-to the library! ...Where we'll read books and stuff. ... ...And maybe hug and hold hooves. THANKSFORLETTINGMEJOIN,OKAYBYE!" Without giving Cosmic a chance to ask what that last remark was, Calhoun begins to skip away happily. That is, until he notices how that might draw attention to himself, so he forces himself to leave the premises with a more serious walk, though he is trying to suppress some happy feelings.

"Well that sure was not what we were expecting to see! A defeat turned into something completely different." Elusive says before she joins Cosmic in the arena. "Now Wrath, or perhaps Cosmic, you're not from this side of Equestria. What brings you all the way out here to Friendshire? Also, defeating a Yak must feel like quite the accomplishment! How are you feeling after a monumental victory like that?" Elusive asks before holding the mic up close to Cosmic.

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

@Starforce

"No body better dare steal my seat while I'm gone!" Mayor Black threatens no one in particular before he and Opia make their way to the concession stands. Much to Opia's surprise, or perhaps as expected, Mayor Black pays for everything, even the food she orders for herself. Not just her food, but a HUGE mountain of food for himself. Nachos, vegan hot dogs, many different kinds of candy and chocolate bars, cotton candy, chocolate-coated popcorn, deep-fried treats, soda, and a bunch of other not-so-healthy stuff. But somehow, Mayor Black is able to bring it all back to their seat with the help of a giant food tray. "You'd be surprised how well my metabolism bounces back from all this."

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

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @Ragland Tiger

"I think we just got our answer. Isn't Dynamo up next?" Final says as they watch the aftermath. If Chelsea can really sense Calhoun, she would notice he's not as pure as she think. No malice for sure; but he has been holding onto some pain and loneliness that has left him a little jaded. Losing this tournament, or rather joining up with Cosmic, is the only thing that has made him happy so far.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad

"You're right about that Sam. Yaks are extremely loyal, and..." Just as Thundy was about to continue, Chelsea sent him a thought. He gasped. "Oh shoot! Things just got a little interesting. Chelsea just relayed me a thought about Calhoun. Appearently, Final said that Calhoun struggles with loneliness and pain. If Cosmic finds out about that...it's very bad news for Calhoun...and us." Thundy said with a sigh. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash

Upon hearing Samurai's question, Dynamo could only shake his head as he didn't have an answer. He was shocked that someone wanted to join up with Cosmic as he didn't want to believe that was possible. "I don't know the answer to that one, Onii-san, but I do know that it's not good. I guess Calhoun gets along with someone on the team, or maybe it's because he and Cosmic's group see eye to eye on certain ideals. Either way, I guess that means they have a new ally/teammate now." He says, nodding in understanding as Samurai and Thundy had made valid points concerning Calhoun and Cosmic's group. "Calhoun is definitely different from what I learned about yak's in school. So, he seems like a really nice yak, in my opinion." He would say, taking notice of his griffon friend/brother's extended talon. "I'm all for helping to save Calhoun, but Sam makes a good point too. From the looks of things, we'll have to keep winning if we are going to go up against Cosmic and the others. That way, if we can defeat them, then we can expose them for all that they've done. Although, haven't they exposed themselves already for the things they've caused?" He asks, remembering what Kronos had said to him after he caught up to the blue unicorn. 

Looking back over to Samurai, Dynamo smiled as he nodded at his brother's salute. "Good luck in the search and thank you, Onii-san." He waved at the retreating unicorn, before looking back at the ring with a small sigh. He knew he would be up next, but he still couldn't help in feeling nervous. He was brought out of his thoughts as he heard Thundy relayed a message he had heard from Chelsea. "Wait, what?" Dynamo gasped, before looking back out to see Cosmic and Calhoun were conversing with one another. "From the way Calhoun looks, then it seems like he doesn't look lonely or has any pain. Although, I guess you can't judge a book by it's cover." He says, before nodding at Thundy's remark. "You've got a good point, bro. I want to say that hopefully Cosmic and the others don't find out. However, it feels more along the lines of hopefully they don't take advantage of Calhoun's pain and loneliness."

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

Once Calhoun rose to his hooves, Cosmic felt as if the yak was eating out of the palm of his hooves. It was almost too easy to see that he had just gained a new ally. He'd have to thank Frozen for making this opportunity even possible. "Meh, don't thank me. Your services are all the more appreciated. We'll make Equestria regret crossing our group. Didn't know that yak's horns could grow back, but okay. I had a way to actually help you regain your horn if you are interested. Either way, it's better to make sure you're set instead of having you be useless in a fight." He pondered on the idea of new goggles, before nodding. "We'll think of something as I might know of a guy who can fix some stuff up." Hearing the name 'Pride' had sparked an idea inside the neon green unicorn. "Pride, huh? As in the Otaku Knight of Pride. A pride for your strength and knowledge. That's ingenious and a perfect match to your codename. It has a nice ring to it if you ask me. Okay, so Pride it is, then." Hearing the mention of a request, Cosmic had been caught off guard as Calhoun wanted to go out with Frozen. Was there something going on that he, himself, didn't know about? What happened to Frozen and Calhoun while he was talking with Fold? "Uh...whatever. Do as you please. It's not an assignment, but it'll be good to go in pairs in case of any assignments in the future. So, it'll be good to get yourself familiarized with the team." If there was a library around, then he didn't care if his pegasus and new yak teammate would go. He was just glad to have a new ally in his battle against those that stood for friendship. Along with trying to be the best gamer in Equestria.

"Huh? What was that last part?" He turned his attention back towards the yak, who seemed to have mumbled something. Fiddling with his ear, Cosmic shrugged as he assumed it must have been nothing. He didn't have a chance to respond as Calhoun skipped away, before breaking into a serious walk. "Alright, then." He rolled his eyes with a shake of his head. "What a weirdo, but I can't complain." He had won his match, he was in control of showing what friendship was all about and he gained a new ally. It was like the stars were aligned in just the right way to where everything was going his way. Once Elusive joined Cosmic in the arena, the unicorn smirked as his interview had finally come. "About time and it's Cosmic. Wrath is just my codename like Greed is for Cheap. As for what brought me here to this town? Well, my teammates and I did hear of this competition. So, we thought to see if there were any potential candidates who would like to join up with us. That, and we wanted to compete as we always like a challenge. We did hear of a certain unicorn by the name of Kyubiki and we found him during the preliminary. Based on your news broadcast from some earlier event, we wanted to pay him a visit personally." He started, taking the mic within a levitation spell. "We wanted to show him that he doesn't hold a candle next to my team. My team and I wanted to put him in his place and show that everything he now has will fall. We broke his spirit before and we'll do it again. We already got the crowd to turn on him. Even if they apologize, it still doesn't change the fact that the damage is done. Also, defeating a yak? HA! That wasn't even a challenge. It's thanks to those fools that call themselves security that my plan even worked out as well as it did." He looked at the security guards with a small, yet sinister grin.

"Those lasers were all about ricochet. You bounce them off the wall and the move around the area at rapid-fire. With them putting up a barrier so the crowd doesn't get hit, then what do you get? Adding more speed and velocity that only ends up with a more powerful laser attack. Considering from what you saw from Calhoun's horn, then I'd say those fools played their part to a T." He chuckled, before heaving a loud sigh of contentment. "Honestly? I feel like I'm on top of the world! Seems like the competition here though is not that impressive. At this rate, there's virtually not contest. Nobody will be able to stand against me at this rate." He would say, before handing the mic back to Elusive.

 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

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

"Congratulations Cosmic, you just exposed yourself." Thundy said. "Hope you got all of that Chelsea." Thundy said telepathically to Chelsea. Chelsea was panting. "Sure...did..." She replied telepathically. "Good, perform a widespread relay." Thundy stated. "On it." Chelsea said. She gathered some water energy and sent out the message to all of the fighters in the arena. This was it. The mission was on its way. Cosmic and his group wouldn't get away with this evil sin they pulled on Dynamo. Thundy turned to Dynamo. "If there's one thing about bullies, is that they expose themselves with their pridefulness and arrogance. This officially starts the downfall of Cosmic and his gang." Thundy said clenching his fists. Sparks of electricity crackled around him. 

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

Samurai was busy getting drinks in the lounge, but has to stop and sit down when he gets that telepathic message and rub his head a little. But he soon returns with a drink for Thundy and Dynamo. "Dynamo, they had both Orange Soda and regular Cola, so I got both." Samurai says as he hands out drinks. He got an Oronamin C for himself.

Among the other fighters alerted,
Lightning Dust seems more annoyed that her work out was interrupted rather than what the message was about.
Fold doesn't seem to care at all as he sits in the gym; no reaction.
Bingo stands up from where he was sitting in the longue. "Oh no! That's horrible! ... Wait, who is Cosmic, and why should I care?" He sits back down.
Sledge Hoof is all ready mad at Cosmic and the rest, so this just makes him madder, ranting and raving.
Alhimar just shrugs and records the info in his book. "Unauthorized telepathic broadcasts are rather rude. One should ask before doing that."
And Henry just bleats and bucks wildly in one of the hallways, kicking the air around him. "I STUDIED UNDER IRON WILL! I DON'T NEED THS!!"

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

@Dynamo Pad

Elusive's eyes go wide at some of the answers. She is rather speechless. ... At first. But she soon bounces back! "Well, that was... ominous. And I have no idea what a Kyubiki is, but there you have it everypony! Seems we've got a very driven magical prodigy with us in the tournament today. Up next in the ring is Lightning Dust and Dynamo Pad!" Elusive says before going off and taking her seat again.

"About time!" Putting on her helmet, Lightning Dust flies out of gym at super sonic speeds and arrives in the ring, probably before Cosmic can take his last step out of the ring. She waves to the crowd proudly "~~~!" But then she remembers no one can hear her with the helmet on, so she takes it off and shakes her mane back into place. "HELLO FRIENDSHIRE!!! My name is Lightning Dust, best flier there ever was! So good that not even the Wonderbolts could handle my speed. When this battle is all over, you're all invited to see the Washout's Dynamite Power Tour! It'll be bigger, badder, and more EXPLOSIVE than ever; and I'm the highlight act! Maybe we'll stop by this town and put on a show, if you're lucky." Lightning announces to the crowd as she waits for her opponent, not even realizing she flew past him a second ago.

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

@Starforce

"The trick is to pace yourself. Not so fast that you make yourself sick, but not so slow that you get full before you even get started. There's a rhythm to it." Mayor Black explains as he begins to chow down. He then hears a new fighter entering the ring and making some kind of announcement. "She wants to bring her little dog and pony show to my town? She better pay a clearance fee first. We only grant special event privileges to citizens of this town, not just any ol' wonderers off the street." Mayor Black says between bites of food.

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

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @ExplosionMare, @Ragland Tiger

Final nods, understanding and agreeing with everyone's POV. He looks back at the match. "Wait... Is that yak joining up with that Cosmic pony now? Is that a bad thing?"

Edited September 23, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad

Thundy scoffed. “More like the reckless fluke who put all the Wonderbolt academy cadets in danger!” Thundy called out at Lightning Dust, loud enough for her to hear. He turned to Dynamo. “Alright bro, remember, use Lightning’s recklessness against her. This should be a fairly short match.” Thundy stated. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash

As he listened to Thundy's remark, Dynamo could only tilt his head in confusion. "I guess he did, but didn't Sledge Hoof mention that Cosmic had said something like that before?" He asks, recalling the construction pony's explanation and apology. He closed his eyes briefly as he felt a headache was coming on. Due to not being used to receiving a telepathic message from Chelsea that was spread out towards a giant group to expose Cosmic and his team. After a moment, the gaming unicorn had opened his eyes as the headache was slowly going away. He massaged his forehead as he wasn't ready or expecting such a moment to happen. However, he nodded in agreement to his friend's response. "I wonder if Cosmic realized what he had said, or if he doesn't really care. It's not like telling everyone will gain him any favors. Unless he's trying to see who will agree with him, or maybe he wants to mess with anyone and everyone." He says as he felt Cosmic always had a plan, or at the very least. He knew that the neon green unicorn would always speak his mind when it came to whatever subject was being discussed. "I don't know if this will eventually lead to some downfall for Cosmic. I just hope that he'll stop and leave me and others alone."

Upon Samurai returning, Dynamo smiled as Samurai had returned with drinks. "Thanks for the drinks, Onii-san. You didn't have to get both regular Cola and Orange soda, though. I really do appreciate the thought and I guess I did say surprise me just in case. Do you know how much the drinks were? Can I pay back the difference for the drinks?" He asks, feeling bad about having two drinks. He thought about giving the other drink away or saving it for a rainy day. The blue unicorn still accepted the drinks, but knew that his time to fight would be soon upon him.

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

Upon hearing Elusive's comment, Cosmic rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Haven't you ever heard of codenames for gamer's? That's my name for who you call Dynamo Pad." He stuck his tongue out in disgust as he said Dynamo's name. Making his way off of the ring, he felt a gust of wind as Lightning Dust had taken the stage. "Huh. Not bad, but she's a bit overconfident. I think we might have the winner decided before it's even started." He scoffed, smirking as he walked towards the waiting area. 'Let's see how you handle this one, Kyubiki.' Speaking of Dynamo, he moved both beverages to where Thundy and Samurai were standing. "I hope it's okay if you can watch my drinks when I'm gone." He says, his mane flying everywhere from the sudden gust of wind flying past him. Looking to the source of the wind, Dynamo had seen that his opponent was already out on the ring. Recalling the possibility of Lighting passing the group by earlier, it seemed that the one he was about to face was the one he had seen earlier. The gaming unicorn took a deep breath as he let out a soft sigh. "I guess I'm up." He said to himself, but it was loud enough for Samurai and Thundy to hear him. 

Looking back to his griffon friend/brother, Dynamo nodded at the advice he was given. "Thanks bro. I won't say that she's an easy opponent. Especially with how she had flown that fast into the ring. I'm still nervous, but I still have to do my best." He says as he started making his way out of the waiting area and out towards the ring. He had passed by Cosmic as the two crossed paths. Cosmic had looked back at the retreating form of the blue unicorn. Smirking as Dynamo felt nervous with the idea he was being watched. He shook his head as he tried to ignore Cosmic, while putting more focused to the match he had right now.

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

"You have tools bro. If you can slow down Lightning Dust, or force her into a spinout, then you could go for an opening. She's known for fast recoveries, so it's all about taking advantage of the open gaps while you can." Thundy said as he saw Dynamo head to the fighting area. 

[Samurai Equine 50,934]

@Courageous Thunder Dash, @Dynamo Pad

"The difference? Oh yeah. The drinks cost two hugs and smile." Samurai says with a sly smirk. He won't let Dynamo pay for this; the drinks are his treat. However, just as Samurai is giving it to him, it seems Dynamo has been called up for his match. "Well sure, I--YACHOU ya ze!" Samurai is interrupted when Lightning flies by at a super sonic speed, causing Samurai to spin around and nearly fall over, not to mention grab his ears so they won't pop. "OI! YABAI DA TO!!" Samurai yells back at Lightning for being so reckless, shaking his hoof. He faces Dynamo again. "I'll keep your drinks cool for you. They'll be here when you get back."

Samurai watches Dynamo leave to get in the ring. He also watches Cosmic pass him and Thundy as he returns to the backstage area. Samurai watches him quite intently, the tension in the air thick. He wants to say something, but someone else say something to Cosmic instead. Halfway between the entrance and whichever room Cosmic is going into next, he bumps into an angry goat. "HEY!! Watch where you're going! This is MY space, punk~! Don't think you're impressive just cause you won that fight." The goat angrily bleats between what he is saying. "I'll have you know I use to work for IRON WILL! You want some of this?! You don't want some of this! When somepony tries to block, show them that YOU ROCK!!" The goat begins to bark like an angry dog at Cosmic, hopping in place. But honestly, it doesn't seem like this fighter has any personal feelings against Cosmic. It just seems like he's on edge and doesn't want any fighters to get near him while he's waiting for his turn. So the only thing Cosmic has done so far is step into the wrong hallway as him.

Seems like Cosmic's got his own thing going on for now. He turns to Thundy. "Looks like it's just us for now, nii-san. ... You wouldn't happen to have some kind of power that can keep drinks cold, do you?" Samurai asks.

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

@Dynamo Pad

Lightning Dust almost gets bored waiting for Dynamo. When he finally step onto the ring, she lightens up and waves at him. "Well hey there! You must be my opponent; Dynamo was it?" She inspects him. "Think I'll call you curly, cause of the horn." Lightning says out of playfulness before doing some last minute stretches to limber up her joints. "So here's how it's gonna go down, curly. We're gonna make this a quick show. Sound good? I didn't really come here to fight, I came here to promote my show with the Washouts, maybe even find a new town to settle into and dub it as the Washout's official hometown. Now that I've made it to the finals, I finally got to tell everypony here about it. So whatever happens next, nothing personal." Lightning Dust says rather professionally; perhaps friendly even. After the stretches are finished, she hops in place and nods in Dynamo's direction; letting him make the first move.

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

@Starforce

"Telepathic message, huh? Well good thing I didn't get it. I've all ready had enough ponies invading my mind today, thank you very much. The less that happens, the better. It's bad enough when paparazzi and uninvited guests invade your personal space; I don't need anyone trying to invade my mind as well." Mayor Black says as he continues to eat and watch this upcoming match. "So you're money's on Lightning Dust, huh? Seems like she cares more about promoting some show than an actual fight."

Edited September 24, 2021 by Samurai Equine

[Windy Breeze 15,189]

@Samurai Equine

------

“Guest are allowed to rest, they may help if they wanted to” Mirabelle disappeared into the kitchen. Keen was the last to sit on the couch, having took a power ponies comic out of nowhere.

“Trust me guys, Mira makes the best soup here in Vanhoover"

Shadow would look at Keen with interest, “I'm guessing her profession is chef”

[Thundy]

@Samurai Equine

”The least I could do is this…” Thundy said as he gathered some electricity a d made some ice cubes appear from the blue. He then put them into the drinks. “There, that should do it. By the way, I’ve seen that Lightning Dust. She’s so reckless a d arrogant. I went to a Washouts show just for fun one day, and a stunt went wrong causing one of the members to be seriously injured. From that day on, not many ponies and creatures attended their shows. Never pays well to be reckless because you’re putting so many lives in danger. That’s why Lightning Dust was kicked out of the Wonderbolt Academy.” Thundy explained. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,257]

@Samurai Equine @Courageous Thunder Dash

As he heard the price of the beverages, Dynamo wanted to protest in paying back for the drinks. However, he smiled as he knew that it would probably be a losing battle. "I'll make sure to pay you back for the cost when I get back." He called back to Samurai as he started making his way towards the ring. He wasn't sure if he would be able to win or not, but he wanted to uphold that promise. Cosmic, meanwhile, had entered the waiting area of the building. He had seen a couple of drinks and was thinking of snatching them up to take. However, they were guarded by both Samurai and Thundy. It would be a waste of energy to fight them off for a simple drink. Making his way back towards where Frozen and Cheap would be, he bumped into one of the contestants. That being what appeared to be an angry goat. "I should be saying the same to you, Billy Goat Gruff. You should be watching where you're going!" He scoffed, listening to the goat's response with a raised eyebrow. "Who now?" He asks, adopting a thoughtful expression, before shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, I don't know nothing about no Iron Will. Doesn't seem like anyone important if I don't know much about him." He merely rolled his eyes as he listened to the goat barking like an angry dog. "Someone should really put you on a leash if you're going to act like a wild animal. What? Did you hear that rhyming lessons from your mommy and daddy? Funny because you'd think they'd be spending more time eating a can. Besides, don't you think that you got in my way? Did you ever think about that possibility." He responded, not giving the goat a chance to talk as Cosmic walked around the goat. "Just get out of my way, loser. No need to embarrass yourself any further, or do. I don't care which. It's not like you're going to win, anyway." He chuckled as he walked past the goat to leave him behind.

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

Once he made his way onto the ring, Dynamo looked to Lightning, who looked to have lightened up and wave at him. Returning the wave, the gaming unicorn nodded as her question was correct. "Eeyup and you're right on that. My names Dynamo Pad, but you can call me Dynamo. So, that means that you're Lightning Dust, right?" He knew it was probably an obvious question give that his opponent was in the ring, but he still wanted to be sure. He tilted his head as it looked like his opponent was inspecting him, before blinking at the nickname he was given. "Uh...I was going to say that it's okay to call me Dynamo. Although, I guess the name curly isn't technically the worst name I've been called before." He gave a deadpanned expression, while wondering if Lightning was messing around or if she was being kind in her own way. Hearing what she had to say, Dynamo had started to feel nervous. With how she had entered the ring, it probably was no joke that she wanted to end this fight as soon as possible. He nearly raised an eyebrow as he heard the pegasus mare that she didn't come here to fight. Even if she was here to promote the show with the Washouts. Was there a hidden meaning behind it? 'Does she not have much stamina to withstand a drawn out fight, or does she end all of her fights quickly?' He thought, not having seen any of her's or any of the other contestant's matches. Except for Samurai, Thundy and Kronos, of course.

Seeing as how she was stretching, Dynamo had taken a deep breath as he decided to go into a bit of stretching of his own.

Spoiler

Upon finishing his stretches, Dynamo narrowed his eyes slightly as he focused on his opponent. With how she spoke, it was as if she was possibly being friendly. He had learned a few bad things about his opponent from others, but he hoped that he could possibly help her. Even to be a friend if they needed a friend. "I understand if you want to end this fight quickly. I'm sorry to say that I'm not going to make this fight that easy. I'm still going to give it all that I've got." As he crouched to get into a fighting position, the gaming unicorn weighed his options. He had about one to two ideas on how he could deal with her possible speed. However, he still had to see just how fast and agile Lightning could be in a fight. Given the go ahead to start, Dynamo charged up his laser as he prepared a laser spell. It might have been repetitive, but it was his way of getting a good idea of how his opponent fought. Launching the spell forward, Dynamo tried to prepare himself to move in the off chance it was dodged. The spell wasn't particularly strong, but it if hit, it would cause a bit of damage

Edited September 25, 2021 by Dynamo Pad

[Thundy]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine

As Thundy saw Dynamo fire the laser spell, he could hear Cosmic mouthing at one of the fighters. “Ay caramba…dame paciencia…” Thundy said out loud in Spanish, a language he learned on earth. It was loud enough for Samurai to hear. “Well at least I’m up next, better news…” He added. 

[Pencil Pouch]

@Samurai Equine @Dynamo Pad @Courageous Thunder Dash

Pencil grew a bit worried as the fight between Calhoun and Cosmic ended. Cosmic wasn’t finished with Dynamo yet and she knew that as soon as he stepped out of that ring, he would be a real threat. She wished she was able to warn Dynamo somehow, but she was pretty far away from all the fighters.

I wish I could keep an eye on the bullies somehow or at least convince Dynamo to leave. I don’t think he’s allowed to leave til he’s done fighting, though. Still, he got pretty hurt by that group of bullies and I don’t wanna see him get hurt again. she thought.

She looked down below and noticed that Dynamo was actually up to fight. Pencil felt less worried for the moment since the bullies wouldn’t be able to interact with him there. She wasn’t sure who was down there fighting with him, but she seemed like a cool opponent.

“So, do you think we should do something about the bullies after this tournament is over? I don’t want the bullies to attack Dynamo again.” she asked the group.

Sparkly was the first to respond.

“If anything happens, I’ll be there to put them in their place and protect everyone else. No real conflicts are to happen here on my watch.” she said in a serious tone.