[Evening]

“Welp, tomorrow is the big day for us to fight Shinji.” Saber said as she leaned against the wall of the hallway. “You have everything that we need to fight him right?”

“We got the information on them, which wasn’t really that hard to some degree. I bought a few stuff from the store down in the cafe that we could use in the fight. Yep I pretty much have everything that we need for tomorrow.” Sweetie Belle said as she placed her portable terminal into her pocket.

“Good, now the only thing that we need to do is put in one more training session before we can call it a day.” Saber said as she and Sweetie Belle headed to the arena entrance. The moment they tried to enter the arena, it felt like they ran into a wall as they were flung backwards.

“Ow! What the hay was that?”

“It would appear someone is afraid of a fair fight. It can only be one person that we know that’s been doing this to us throughout the entire week.” Saber said as she and Sweetie Belle heard footsteps coming from behind them. Turning around they say Shinji appearing from around the corner.

“Hey there! Looks like you’ve been hitting the arena pretty hard. Toughen up yet?”

“What do you want Shinji?” Sweetie Belle said as she glared at the human.

“I was bored, so I decided to set up a few little surprises here and there. My bad. I’m actually doing bottom feeding masters like you a favor. The arena is a dangerous place especially for a kid like you. But if you must enter the arena, you’ll need to track down the two magic sigils I set. However, once you make it into the arena, I’ll crush you like a cockroach. Show up if you dare. See you later. Oh, and where are the magic sigils, you ask? Find them yourself, loser!” Shinji said as he laugh while walking away from the enraged filly.

“I’d give anything to be able to eviscerate that son of a bitch! Sadly, the rules won’t allow it. It looks like the door is sealed, but it’s actually an anomaly in the area’s programming code. The sigils are like tributaries feeding a river.”

“Meaning?”

“Unless we block the flow, the seal will remain. Annoying as it would seem, we need to find the two locations where Shinji placed those sigils.”

“Where do you think they’re hidden in or at?”

“Give me a second.” Saber said as she closed her eyes for a moment. “There’s one on the front door of the nurse’s office, and another in the classroom upstairs. I would recommend we split up to go get them.”

“Wouldn’t it be a bad idea to split up?”

“He can’t attack us outside of the arena. It’s against the rules, and he would be in trouble for doing that. But if it’ll make you feel better, we can go together and take care of them before Shinji does something else stupid.”

(Elsewhere…)

“You think that pony will be the one?” Ruler asked as she and the grail watch Sweetie Belle and Saber from the sidelines.

“Possibly, if she and her servant survives this war.”

“I’m a bit surprise that you would bring them into this. You usually would bring someone much older with some kind of experience in a war or fight.”

“I figure it would be a change for once in this place. Why not add someone from the pony world to have them join in such a great war.”

“Yeah great war is a bit of an understatement.”

“You just keep doing your job, and keep an eye out for anyone that’s trying to break the rules around here.”

“Not like I have anything better to do today.” Ruler said as she vanish from existence, leaving the Holy Grail to watch.

“Hm…If they make it through the seven week war, then maybe they’ll be the chosen ones.”

“Okay, that takes care of the problem with the barrier around the entrance of the arena.” Saber said as she crushed the last talismen at the nurse’s office. “Now we can go back into the arena to prepare ourselves for tomorrow.”

“You think we can win against him tomorrow?” Sweetie Belle asked as she followed after Saber.

“With all the training we've been doing, we’re a sure in to win. You have nothing to worry about kid. Just leave the fighting to me, okay?” The Servant said as the unicorn filly just nodded. As the two of them were making their way back to the arena, they heard a familiar voice coming from around the corner.

“What? You want more money?! You greedy money-grubber!”

“Complement accepted. I’m a pirate mercenary. The brighter my pile of gold the more gusto behind my gun.”

“All right, already! Jeez, just hold your horses!” Shinji said as he tapped his foot for a moment. “....I hacked into the Arena and got it to generate more treasure, so…” Just as Shinji was lost in thought, Rider notice two familiar face standing right behind her and Shinji.

“Ooh. Why hello, little girl. Fancy meeting you here.”

“You! Y-You’re eavesdropping on me?!” Shinji said as he turns around to see Sweetie Belle and Saber standing behind him and Rider. “...W-Well, whatever. Now you know. Some treasure was generated on the second floor of the Arena. My Servant gets stronger the more she gets paid! Well, if you want any, you better get there before me.”

“Hmm. Bold words, Shinji. But can someone like you really snatch all the treasure first? No, you can’t! You’re nothing more than a hapless, twisted knave!”

“You just called me a knave?! You don’t get to talk to me like that, you ungrateful Servant!” Shinji said as he turns his attention back at Sweetie Belle and Saber. “Okay, losers. Meet you there. Even if you get there first, all of the treasure will be mine! Ahahahahahaha!” With that laugh, the human and his servant entered into the Arena.

“So that Servants strength magnifies when collecting more treasure. Pure lust is at times a beautiful thing, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see her purse it. I, myself, admire the trappings of wealth from time to time. Shall we adorn said finery as we weaken our enemy?”

“Yeah, plus we kinda need some money due to the fact that we’re broke.” Sweetie Belle said as she pulled out her wallet to show that it’s empty.

“Right, all the more reason to hunt for some treasure.”

[Arena]

“Okay, Shinji could’ve hidden the treasure so that only he can see them. So we need to keep an eye out for the treasure-”

“Actually, it’s displaced here on the map.” Sweetie Belle said as she pulled up a digital map of the arena.

“Where did you get that from?”

“He hacked into the arena right, so that also means that he would forgot to make it so that he would know where the treasure is, but no body else.”

“....For a so called genius, he’s not so smart.” Saber said as she took the lead. “Come on, let’s go hunt us some treasure.” Sweetie Belle nodded as she followed after Saber into the arena. As they made it to the first room of the arena, they happen to come across Shinji and his servant Rider.

“So you came after all.” Shinji said as he had a smug look on his face. “Don’t worry; I’ll keep the extent of your greed a secret, Sweetie Belle. Since we’re both here, why don’t we have a little competition to see who can find the most treasure? Haha, I’ll be sure to go easy on you, so no need to take this thing too seriously!” The boy said as he and his servant ran off deep into the arena.

“Normally I have no desire for treasure, but seeing how we’re dealing with Shinji I’ll make an acception for this.” Sweetie Belle said as she motion Saber to follow after them. “Come on, let’s go hunt us some treasure! Maybe I’ll be able to get my cutie mark if we win.”

“Possibly, won’t know until we find out.” Saber said as she lifts Sweetie Belle onto her shoulders and dashed off into the arena after Shinji and Rider. “Hold on tight, this is going to be a bumpy ride.” She said as she started to either dart pass some of the enemy programs or slashes at them as she runs by any that block her path. Reaching ¼ of the way through the arena, they saw Shinji and Rider reach the digital box which had the treasure inside it.

“Alright, this is the first one.” he said as they soon ran off. “Money does make the world go round doesn’t it?”

“Ah, the fresh smell of money. I can feel myself getting stronger by the second.”

“Dammit, we were too slow to get the treasure in time.” Saber said as she stopped in front of the empty digital box.

“We still have four other boxes left that Shinji haven’t touched yet. If we can get those, then we can finish this hunt, and stop his servant from getting any more powerful before the fight.” Sweetie Belle said as she motions her Servant to follow after Shinji. Saber nodded as she runs off after him. “There’s a box with treasure inside a few feet away from us. We can go there and get it before Shinji does.”

“That or we might end up facing them and have to fight them.” Saber said as she notice a pillar of light appearing from off to the side. “And something tells me we might be fighting them sooner than expected.” Following where the light was coming from, Saber bolted down the arena as she make a hard right turn down the hallway as they come across Shinji and Rider opening another digital box.

“Okay, here’s number two. This is way too easy.” Shinji said as a smirk appeared on his face.

“Yeah, but that’s not going to be nearly enough.” Rider replied.

“Damn, aren’t we the greedy one?” He commented as they turned around and were about to walk off to the next digital box with treasure inside. That is until Saber and Sweetie Belle appeared in front of them, causing him to be taken by surprise. “Crap-.” Shinji said as he quickly tries to play it off like it was nothing. “So freak, you somehow managed to make it this far. Well, I have to give you kudos for keeping up with me. It’s impressive, especially for one of the proletariat. But this is where your pathetic struggle will end. You’ve bumped into me, after all.”

“Don’t think that you’ll beat us like last time.” Sweetie Belle proclaimed. “Unlike last time, we been working and training to face you when the final fight begins tomorrow.”

“Sorry, but it’s game over, freak! Alright, get going El- Rider. You got your treasure, so get to work!”

“Jeez, what a pain in the ass. And by the way, this miserable little pittance hardly qualifies as treasure. Oh well, as this is my job...No hard feelings little pony girl!” Rider yelled as she raised her twin pistols at Sweetie Belle and fired at her, only for it to be blocked by Saber’s sword and deflected off to the side hitting the arena wall.

“Have you forgotten about me?” Saber asked as she charges at Rider with her sword ready to strike. Rider in turn quickly slid to the right as she takes aim at Saber and fires at her. Saber quickly uses her gauntlet to block the bullets as they bounce off as she punches Rider in the face sending her skidding back a bit before stopping.

“Wasn’t expecting that coming from a Saber class like yourself.” Rider said as she wipes the blood from her lip with her sleeve. “This is going to be fun~.” Saber once again charges at Rider once more as she drags her sword along with her as she tries to slash upwards towards the pirate. Rider see this as she uses her pistols to block her attack as she counters with a swift kick to Saber’s side. Saber skid to the left from Rider’s kick for a moment before grabbing Rider’s foot and slamming the pirate onto the ground. Slamming her on the ground again she lifts Rider up before releasing her grip, and kicking her in the stomach sending her flying back into the wall of the arena.

“What are you doing Rider!” Shinji yelled as he started stomping his feet in frustration. “I don’t pay you to get your ass handed to you by a mutant unicorn freak and her servant! Get up and take this fight seriously!” Groaning in annoyance Rider pulls herself up from the floor as she was about to take aim at Saber. Only for the SE.RE.PH system to interrupt their fight. “Dammit, of all the times for it to call off the fight.”

“Saved by the bell huh?” Saber asked as grin appeared on her face. “You were saying about kicking our asses Shinji?”

“You just got luck this time freaks. Tomorrow is the final day of the preparation week, so you better be ready for when I beat you in the match. Rider! We’re leaving!” Shinji said as he and Rider disappeared in a flash of ones and zeros.

“Looks like we’re ready to face them in the fight tomorrow.” Saber said as she looked over at Sweetie Belle who had a worry expression on her face. “Still worry that we might lose huh?”

“A little bit yes...but I’m more worry about what will happen if we win. We’ll be fight against someone just as bad as Shinji, or somepony that is kind and nice like you?” The Filly asked as she felt herself beginning to tear up. “Or worse, what if we-.” Before Sweetie Belle could finish, she felt Saber place a hand on her head as she rubs it to try to comfort her.

“It's wrong for a child like you to be put in a situation like this. And I know this is going to scar you afterwards if we make it out of this. But remember, I will always be by your side no matter what you choose to do from here on out.” Saber stops rubbing her hair as she stands in front of her and lifts her sword up. “I am your Servant, and you are my Master.” Upon hearing that, Sweetie Belle whipped away the tears around her eyes as she looks up at Saber and nodded with a smile.

“Yeah, thanks Saber.”

“Don’t mention. Now come on, let’s get out of here.”

“So we can prepare for the fight tomorrow?”

“Well that and the fact that I prefer to leave this place and collect the rest of the treasure before we leave this place. Because once we leave, we won’t be able to come back here again.”

“Right….let’s go collect the rest of that treasure….hehe.” Sweetie Belle said as she begins to lead the way trying not to look suspicious.

“Wait we do have enough money to buy stuff right?” Saber asked as Sweetie Belle just continued to walk off. “Right!?”