A grayish earth pony with a dark gray mane holding a large cello strapped to her side ran as fast as she could through thick woods, passing by a pack of timber wolves and eventually a massive stone golem. Occasionally she would stop for a moment to play a momentary chord on her cello which seemed to amplify her speed. As she came to a shallow river a hoof reached up to grab a little tiny totem that popped out of a stone necklace she wore. She tossed the hoof sized totem and it landed in a bush before growing to a few feet tall and revealing all in the bush, not that anything was there.

She grinned and kept going, running to a small cave opening just besides the river. Inside a massive purple bear that was partially see through with a crescent moon on its head could be seen standing up and seemed to be waiting, the ursine major. The mare, Octavia, let out a sigh of relief before reaching into her bag and tossing another small totem, this one purple, directly in the entrance of the cave. Her heart nearly stopped when the magic of the totem revealed two more totems, ones she hadn't placed, nearby.

She turned to run but it was already to late. She heard a soft wind up of an engine and completely froze as large boxing gloves shot out and grabbed her before pulling her into a nearby bush. “It's party time!” A large robot, known as the pinkie-sprite-bot, knocked her straight into the air. It had a large tv for a head, with an image of a pink earth pony on it, and large wheels and wings making up the lower part of its body.

Black flames enveloped her and she was dead before she even hit the ground. Her world turned dark as she whimpered. “I-I'm sorry, I-”

“Why do you constantly have to feed? Now we have to contend major four v five!” an angry voice yelled at her.

“B-but I was just doing what you said, you wanted me to ward major and-”

“We told you to ward it, not feed them even more. Seriously how did we get stuck with such a lousy support? You should have stunned the bush the moment you arrived,” another voice yelled at her. A loud female announcer could be heard moments later.

'Enemy double kill. Enemy TRIPLE kill. Quadra kill! Aced,” the voice said.

“There, you see? Now we lost because of you. Good going.”

“B-but I was just, I was only doing what you said. I was just trying to...” she struggled to defend herself as soon the world changed. Five ponies, wearing large black cloaks were standing in a small room, each holding a small orb through which their magic flowed. The mare in question was a unicorn with a dark purple coat covered in light purple stripes. Her mane was a light green color and shaped in a spiky mohawk while her tail was cut short.

“You were completely useless! If we hadn't chosen someone like you we would have aced this test, instead we went five to thirty-eight! With your talent how can you possibly be so bad?!” an earth pony, wearing a strange metal apparatus on his head, yelled at her and advanced aggressively.

The mare quickly backed up until she hit the wall and then cowered trying to make herself as small as possible. “I-I'm sorry, I was just, I-I was just trying to d-do what you said, I-” she was mercifully cut off as a door opened to the room. An orange unicorn stallion stepped in with a clip board.

“Ah, team... Alldahkillz? I'm afraid your test has been failed. There is no need for you here. Please pack up your things and leave,” the unicorn said.

“What? But it's her fault we did bad! We would have won if she had just properly-”

“Shut up. Your entire team failed on every front. Horrible team fights, horrible communication, horrible synergy, in fact the only one of you who did half way decent was the jungler.” A pegasus wearing a similar apparatus as the earth pony smirked smugly. “and I imagine the only reason he didn't do horribly was because he did his best to avoid ever getting into lane so he could die. So even he was a failure.” That killed the smile. “None of you are-” He was stopped for a moment as the purple striped unicorn galloped past. “needed. Now please leave.”

------

The little mare didn't stop running until she was out of the large institute building and clear across the majestic royal city of Canterlot, finally stopping at the park. She tossed her cloak off onto the ground and slowly trotted off towards a secluded little spot. The black cloak marked her as a summoner, one who fought in the massive gladiatorial ten-creature matches by controlling the bodies and powers of those who volunteered or were voluntold to compete. It was all very humane, in a way, Discords powerful magics prevented any actual death and by using them rather than open warfare many power struggles had been avoided. Due to this all summoners automatically received a small level of respect and recognition wherever they went.

But she didn't want that, not now. She laid down by the river and wept. It wasn't fair! She tried so hard and yet every time she just failed! Her special talent WAS summoning, her cutey mark was even an image of a small portal! How could she have a special talent in summoning magic and then be one of the worst summoners in the city? She whimpered and laid on her back, staring at the sky. In only a few weeks her summoners license was going to expire if she didn't get accepted into a real team by then. Which would mean she'd have to go crawling to her sister to beg for the registration fee money. Again.

She rolled on her side and tried to think. She guessed there were still other options she could take. Maybe head to one of the other contending countries, fight for the gryphons, dragons, or even the changelings. After a moment she shook her head. Even if she could get into one of their teams she didn't WANT to fight for them. She wanted to fight for ponies! These were her people! This city was her home now!

A third option popped into her mind. Home. She could always head back to zebra lands. Tell her parents she gave up on living in the big cities, that she came home and would stay and help them with their research into the lives of zebra kind. Heck she already had the stripes tattoo'd on her body so it would hardly be a difficult transition. All she'd have to do is give up her life here, all her dreams and hopes, and just follow in the same hoof steps her parents had already started. Just the thought of that brought a painful throbbing to her stomach.

She shook her head and got to her hooves. All her other plans just SUCKED! She knew what she had to do. When she got home she'd make a delicious supper and then when her big sister got home and ate and was all happy and content and possibly a little drunk if they had some wine and totally susceptible to her charms she would ask for the bits for another summoners license fee. She'd promise to practice even harder, use the training grounds every day!

------

She and her sister lived in a small low rent apartment in the lower class areas of Canterlot, which was still more expensive than some house payments. She slowly walked by some ponies doing their petty crimes, the usual loitering, defacing the sidewalk with chalk and most heinous of all, disrespecting their elders and calling them foul names like tail snapper or ruffly mane or even... baldo. She had tried sticking up to them once and telling them off for their bad attitude but all their name calling eventually brought her to tears, so now she just walked by them and avoided eye contact.

She slowly walked through the little grass yard of their small apartment complex, waving at one of her fellow tenants as she walked. She gulped before steping into her home on the ground floor and closing the door behind her. She froze in her steps. She smelt stew. Oh buck.

“Rift Mane, is that you?” a voice called from the kitchen. Oh buck oh buck oh buck.

“Y-yes,” she squeaked as she slowly walked into the kitchen. An older, fully matured mare was stirring a pot of carrot and potato stew. The mare looked a lot like her, except she was a lighter purple with dark purple stripes. Their parents thought it would be cute if they matched. The mares mane and tail was red and looked like it was made of cotton mixed with gum and taffy, which was ironically how she got her name. “Hi Sticky Mane. You're home early, any uhhh... reason?”

“I'm not early, team practice got out hours ago. You're just late.”

Rift turned to look at the clock and let out a gasp. It was almost seven! How had she let herself mope so long?! “I-I'm really sorry, I meant to-”

“Don't worry dear. So I take it you got accepted into the team? That's why it took so long?” the sound of hope in her words made the little purple unicorn's heart flop.

“I... uhhhh... T-they said I did fine but that ummm, there was... no need for me right now,” she said softly. The look of disappointment on her elder sister's face hurt far worse than the rejection. Well, a little worse than the rejection.

“I see. Well it can't be helped. Start setting up the table, okay?”

“Y-yes Sticky,” Rift said as she started setting up the table. Okay! She'd ask during dinner. Her sister was in a supporting mood today so how could she say no? Before to long they were eating their stew and she finally worked to break the question. “H-hey, Sticky?”

“Yes, dear?” the unicorn asked between bites as she watched her little sister.

“W-well. Ummmm, in a few weeks my summoner license will wear out and, I-I've been practicing a lot harder and I'll start using the practice fields every day a-and I'll do the dishes and take out the trash e-every time for a month and I was wondering if you'd be willing to um... um...” she cowered meekly from her sister's gaze.

“Now Rift,” uh oh, her name, “if it was up to me I'd give you all the time in the world to practice and hone your skills until you were able to get in a team. But I'm sorry, life just doesn't work that way. I'm still only a high gold summoner and I barely make enough money to support the both of us.” Every word made the younger mare feel smaller and smaller. “There simply isn't enough money to pay for yet another summoner's license. If you can't find a team by the time it expires I'm afraid you'll just have to get a normal job like every pony else.”

“B-but I don't want a normal job!” Rift shrieked, “I want to be a summoner, like you! Summoning magic is my specialty! It's my talent! It's not fair that I can't use it!”

“Rift Mane!” her sister snapped, silencing the mare. “Yes, your talent is summoning magic. But this isn't just about summoning this is about being able to control a powerful warrior and work as a team. I'm sorry but if you can't get on a team you'll just have to use your special talent elsewhere and that's final!” Sticky slammed her hoof down on the table, making it shake. Within moments she stopped cold and her gaze softened. “Now dear, don't cry...” She slowly moved around the table and hugged her little sister. “It's okay... Shhh... It'll just be for a little bit, okay? Once I get higher and become a platinum summoner I'll make more and maybe I can afford to give you another shot. But for now this is for the best.”

“I... I don't want to give up though. I-I want to be a good summoner. An amazing summoner...” she said softly.

“... I tell you what. I'll ask around see if I can find any fresh teams looking for support players, okay?”

“R-really?” Rift asked as she gazed up at her sister with teary eyes.

“Yes dear. Now finish your dinner and go wash up for bed. You'll need to get up early tomorrow if you wanna get started on your training.”

Rift nodded and gobbled down her dinner before darting off. Sticky let out a sigh and shook her head as she began picking up the dishes. A part of her wondered if it was right to actually help the little mare. Being a summoner could be dangerous, not to mention emotionally scaring. She wished her sister would just focus on less dangerous work.

------

Far away in the headquarters of the order, Discord paced back and forth in annoyance. On occasion he would stop to look at the large tube filled with purple goo and the three ponies, a unicorn, an earth pony and a pegasus who monitoring some screens by the goo.

“Is this really the best you can do?” the spirit of chaos asked.

“Y-yes sir. We've been looking for new champions for a while now but this... creature has met and exceeded all tests we've given it,” the unicorn said nervously.

“Sigh... Very well then. I suppose this 'Smooze' will have to do,” Discord grumbled as he turned to walk from them. As the 'neutral' runner of the order it was his duty to oversee all new contenders that were added to the roster. Unfortunately while he had plenty in mind who he would love to bring to their dimension as contenders the rules in place forbid him from drawing alternate beings against their will. Such a sad state of affairs when the spirit of chaos and disharmony was required to follow rules and organize things.

He skulked into his office and sat down at his chair, glaring at the roster, Celestia in particular. He bet the whole 'wanting to fight for her country' thing was just a sham, she just wanted to watch him suffer and use his magic for 'good' as she put it. Bah, if nothing else at least the fights themselves were an organized chaos and he got to alter the very threads of death and life to maintain them.

That and he did manage to find some fun from the minor thrills of life as he snapped his fingers. The file cabinets across the building had their contents switched with each other as files disappeared and reappeared. He did so enjoy watching the little ponies running around and trying to find out who was messing up their precious alphabetized sorting system... Man he needed to find a hobby before he went insane. Er.