Jousting Tournament [closed]

[starsteemer]

All over the field, tents of different colors, shapes and sizes were being set up, flags and banners waving in the light early summer breeze as competitors set up for the jousting tournament. Since the return of the Crystal Empire, jousting as a sport had made a return with the crystal ponies exploring equestria and spreading their culture with them, and this tournament was one such result of that. The center of the field had been trampled so thoroughly, that now it was only hard packed dirst, the tilt-line seperating the sides down the middle with a banner of rich violet. The smell of food vendors drifted by in the breeze, selling a multitude of fair foods from elephant ears, cotton candy, caramel apples and popcorn. The clashing of metal as competitors practiced or partook in other competitions and duels rang out through the field, as it was steadily becoming swollen with the influx of visitors and competitors. But the jousting was at the forefront here, and it seemed everywhere one looked, you could see "PRIZE MONEY: 1000 BITS." It wasn't any amount to sneeze at, that was certain. Advertisements for the tournament had gone up in every major city and town,  hoping to bring in spectators and competitors interested in the revival of this sport long treasured by the crystal ponies. Of course, the fact that anypony could sign up and get access to standard issue equipment was a boon. 

Chesster arrived to the tournament field a few hours after initial set up, a couple of his former guard friends trailing behind, bringing Chesster's personal jousting equipment with them. It wasn't long before he had set up his own canopy, in red and off-white colors, his cutie mark of a pawn and a knight emblazoned on it so everypony knew whose tent it belonged to. Once Chesster had checked in to the registry table signing up for the jousting tournament for the grand prize, he began putting on the traditional crystal pony set of jousting armor, the armor tinged a darker gray from the original silvery-blue and the helmet completely enclosed, as was Chesster's personal preferance. He checked through his equipment, taking care to polish and maintain his equipment in peak condition, primarily the lances. Looking around, Chesster noted that some others had already begun to walk the tilt yard, psyching themselves up and getting into the right frame of mind. He noticed the most capable looking opponents were crystal ponies like himself, and made a note to greet them later, to observe their strengths and weaknesses. All in all, there were only about 20 competitors since the revival of jousting in equestria was taking a bit to catch on, and among those 20 less than half looked like they'd jousted before. Chesster was certain his skills would have that prize money in the bag. 

After a while of warming up and getting used to the weight of his armor, the off-white crystal pony decided it was time to talk to the competition. He gazed around the field, his amber eyes scrutinizing every future opponent. He could not write off the less experienced competition, no matter his arrogance. There was always a chance somepony would get lucky or have a trick up their sleeve. He had to start somewhere, so Chesster chose the first stallion his amber eyes alighted on, trotting towards him jauntily, the dark grey metal armor rattling with it's weight as he did so. 
"Greetings!" Chesster called out to the stallion jovially, his voice deceptively amiable. "Fine day for jousting, eh?" He proclaimed, coming to a stop before the stallion and gesturing to the clear blue sky, his expression masked by the full-face helmet he wore, only his dark red mane being visible through the plume opening near the crown of the helmet, tumbling down his neck in a loose mohawk fashion. 

[dragonofruin]

It was a small town, one that most creatures might tend to pass through for nothing more than a meal and a night to rest, but on this particular day, there seemed to be something of a fair. It was bright and colorful, full of ponies who were equally so, and many scents of food both sweet and salty. It was an interesting mix of smells, one that Sombra had sniffed curiously at when he'd wandered in.

 

Fair or not, he normally would have nosed around to see what interesting things there were to see, and moved on, but the advertisement for the jousting tournament caught his eye. It was the first one he'd seen in a thousand years, something he'd nearly forgotten about. Jousting was something he'd gotten to witness only a few times in his youth, though he'd never gotten to see it during the Crystal Faire. The Heart's magic always got in the way of that. The memories were quickly set aside before his mind went down any sour paths, and the former tyrant chose to investigate the reward the advertisement offered for the winner of the jousting tournament. A thousand bits.. If he'd learned what he needed to learn about Equestrian currency, then that was quite a lot. It'd get him somewhere, at least for a little while.

 

It hadn't escaped his notice that there were crystal ponies at the tournament, and knowing that they were there set up the potential for something.. great, something that he was going to be looking forward to. If he wanted it to be successful for his pleasure, he needed to not be recognized immediately. King Sombra removed his signature cape and quietly signed up before he slipped off to check out the equipment before anypony could get a good look at him, or his blank flanks. It was difficult to find a proper fit for a stallion like him- taller than most, with an athletic form rather than the thick build of a working pony. He managed, and he was in the midst of putting on the last of the armor, the sabatons, when he heard a voice. A greeting, directed at him.

 

An ear twitched, and Sombra slowly turned to behold one of the tournament competitors, decked out in armor reminiscent of a crystal pony's jousting armor in grey. The closed face of the helmet kept him from getting a good look at who they were- if there was any chance of knowing anypony in Equestria. The umbrum didn't think he'd run into anypony who would recognize him beyond the crystal ponies he'd seen getting ready for the tournament.

 

With that deep, rumbling voice of his, Sombra answered. "I suppose you can say that. It's a little too bright for me."

[starsteemer]

A reverberating laugh echoed out from the depths of the full-face helmet, as the armored stallion tapped the side of his grey helm with a metal hoof, causing it to clang. 
"Full helm helps obstruct light. With all this shiny armor, it's easy to be blinded." 

Upon closer inspection of Chesster's dark grey armor, it seemed to be much more worn than the other shiny new sets of armor being worn by first time competitors, and even more worn than the more experienced crystal pony's armors. It was scuffed, scraped, dinged and dented, though obviously well taken care of in it's old age. It was well cleaned and free of rust, with a fresh coating of wax and buffed carefully so it shined, though due to the darker color the shine factor was reduced. Being flashy wasn't Chesster's style, but being well maintained and keeping his armor in perfect condition was. 

Chesster's amber gaze looked the stallion over, appraising his athletic build with interest. This certainly wasn't your ordinary pony, and though the lack of personalized armor told Chesster this might be his first tournament, he wasn't an opponent to be underestimated. In addition, the stallion's baritone voice was strangely familiar, but Chesster couldn't place it. Invisible beneath his helm, his eyebrow was raised. He needed more information. 
"I'm Chesster. I'm competing for the grand prize. And you?" 

This little game of greeting his opponents was tedious for Chesster, but wholly necessary. Observing his opponents strengths and weaknesses in order to develop a strategy was imperitive for Chesster. Though he was a physically fit stallion with high agility, he wasn't very heavy or muscled, and so relied on his battle tactics to win these sorts of sporty competitions. Observing Sombra, Chesster estimated Sombra's weight to be greater than his own. He filed that thought in his head for later. 

[dragonofruin]

The king's ears perked forward, focused more fully on the sound of the laugh through the helmet. He was paying close attention, but with the way the helmet muffled this pony's voice, he couldn't.. quite place it. It sounded vaguely familiar to him, somehow, but his memory was muddled and he couldn't be sure. "Lucky you," Sombra replied dryly. A helmet with some protection from the sunlight would've been nice; he could only hope that his eyes had adjusted well enough to Equestria's sunny weather to handle it. His vertical pupils were mere slits in the light, one of a few things that marked him as unusual; he hadn't bothered to use illusions to hide himself beyond altering the color of his horn.

 

"Competing, as well. A thousand bits will help quite nicely," Sombra replied, his answer vague; the pony may have made an introduction, but he wasn't about to give his own name. There was something about that name.. or.. had he heard it before? It was another frustratingly elusive thing about this pony that made it difficult for him to know what it was about this pony! Did they ever cross paths? An overheard conversation? Either possibility would place it as a coincidence that they were both here. Could it be something more, then? "I'm sure there are plenty of others here for the same thing." Something like snark edged his voice.

 

His eyes quickly roved over the pony when he found the moment to, making little notes about the state of the armor and its apparent age. It seemed.. original, rather than some sort of attempt at recreating crystal pony armor for the aesthetic. Could it have been bought, or had always been owned? Was he speaking to a crystal pony, then? Something within him was darkly pleased; if only they knew! Any amusement was kept out of sight while he focused on something else: questions he could ask.

 

"Where are you from? I couldn't help but notice your armor.. From the Crystal Empire, isn't it?" the shadow king queried, inclining his head.

[starsteemer]

Though Chesster's helmet obstructed light, it also obstructed things in general, to a lesser degree. As if realizing it for the first time, Chesster focused his narrow eyesight on the stallion's face, taking in the dark coat and the slit pupiled eyes. The sharp fangs attracted his attention as well, and although he might have originally assumed him to be a bat pony of some sort, the relatively normal looking horn discredited that idea. Very interesting. Chesster thought, feeling a smirk creeping onto his face from behind the anonymity of his helm. Noting the dry tone of his mock enthusiasm, Chesster's smirk only grew into a smug grin. Perhaps it was egotistical to take enjoyment from having advantages other ponies didn't, but Chesster savored it nontheless. 

Hearing that this stallion was competing for the prize money was unsurprising to Chesster, and the lack of a name given further helped him to form an idea of this pony's persona. Chesster himself had been decievingly vague, only mentioning his first name. It was annoying, as he didn't really like the first part of his name. 'Chesster' sounded nerdy, sounded weak. But when he was around this many crystal ponies, using the last part of his name was out of the question. They would know him as Commander Pierce, the pony in charge of the crystal guards, and among the first to pledge loyalty to the umbrum tyrant and enforce his rule happily. And although early on he had believed his cutie mark was a dead giveaway, he'd soon learned the extent of the memory spell over the crystal ponies. If they recognized his symbol in the slightest, they repressed those memories like they repressed everything else during Sombra's rule. Despite his, Chesster wasn't going to push his luck by shouting his name from the rooftops. 

Upon picking up on the snarky tone, Chesster replied in kind. "What an astute observation!" Chesster mockingly commended, sarcasm dripping from his helm. "Did you find that out from the signs plastered in every town, or the ponies here dressed in full contact heavy armor~?" Chesster's tone implied the question was rhetorical. Despite his returned snark, Chesster happened to love pre-duel banter, and held no hard feelings towards those he exchanged it with. In fact, he preferred them.

Chesster took a minute to digest the questions the dark stallion had posed. Chesster's most reliable tactic was not to tell his opponents anything if possible, or give them just enough vague generalities to satisfy their immediate curiosity and keep them guessing later. The question was harmless enough, but in Chesster's previous line of work, all information was important information. 
"Crystal ponies organize these tournaments. Most armor here is Crystal Empire in origin." 

It was general known information, and yet told Sombra little specifics. But Chesster didn't wish to chase him away with his lack of answers, so before he could ask another question to be deflected, Chesster continued on. 
"If you have no where else, you are permitted to join me beneath my setup. I can help you avoid embarassing yourself with some tips." 
It seemed Chesster's plan of checking out the other competition would need to wait. This stallion had captivated his intrigue, and Chesster was intent on finding out more. But the game of curiosity must be played carefully to avoid spilling one's own secrets, and giving just enough to keep the game going. At the least, Chesster hoped he would find himself a formidable adversary on the list-field, unlike the crystal ponies who jousted for fun and not for sharpening their battle tactics. 

[dragonofruin]

A small smirk followed the lift of one of Sombra's brows. By Chesster's answer alone, he knew this pony was going to be a fun one. "The signs, I expect, unless I've somehow forgotten how to read Equestrian. I could have ended up at an event with quite a few ponies greatly interested in getting to know thine mother." Sombra took a small step forward, and it was something that lacked any hostility. It was just a physical expression of taking a step up in their banter, something that was encouraging him to display more of his snark.

 

That smirk of his still lingered around his lips as he took in the answer. "You don't say?" he replied, visibly feigning surprise. Shortly after, he dropped his sarcasm to more visibly show his interest. If crystal ponies had organized this jousting tournament, here in Equestria, then they were no doubt introducing the southern kingdom to their culture, as well as doing what he was- exploring the modern day. It was an interesting little tidbit, and it told him a lot about why this was the first sign of jousting he'd found thus far.. beyond it possibly being outdated compared to Equestria's culture.

 

"How kind of you, but I'd more likely end up embarrassing you." Sombra's eyebrows quirked up and he took a few, measured steps around the other stallion. A few tips.. Truth be told, he felt like he'd need some more information on how exactly jousting worked, and what he'd have to do. He'd only ever seen a few jousting matches as a young colt, and seeing was not the same as doing. There was also the problem of not having understood much of it in his youth either.

 

"In all seriousness.. I believe I'll join you. I'm curious," the king added. "I knew about the armor. I've seen it before; well acquainted with it, in fact." Falling silent, his eyes flitted away from the pony's helmet to survey the hardpack dirt field and the competitors that were milling about. It seemed like they'd have the time to talk. He wasn't in any rush to get started; the bits could wait. He held no greed for money, only for power.. although how much of that lust for power remained after his last defeat was something Sombra couldn't be sure of anymore. The Crystal Empire might as well be lost to him, and perhaps that would be a good thing. It was, for him, a miserable place- though to see something of it, and the citizens he hated so much here, was quite a surprise. And somewhat unpleasant, too, despite how much he looked forward to frightening them if and when he revealed himself. He did like to make an entrance.

[starsteemer]

Sombra's responses triggered more intrigue within the crystal pony, quick minded as he was he caught on to the oddities in Sombra's response. The phrase "unless i've somehow forgotten how to read equestrian" was more than likely sarcasm, but Chesster couldn't help but pick up on a double meaning, along with the older mode of speech in the usage of thine. Chesster supposed he could be overanalyzing things, as he was prone to do. In fact, many crystal ponies still stuck to old speech habits, as well as a certain princess gone for a thousand years. That was the kicker though; Only somepony who was a crystal pony or gone for 1000 years would speak the old tongue. After giving Sombra another 'just in case' once-over, Chesster determined he certainly was not crystal pony in nature. Even without the crystallization effect, most had a distinct crystal shining in their eyes. This stallion had no such identifying traits, leaving one last option... 
Chesster abandoned that line of thinking, though he filed his suspiciouns away. It was a jousting tournament, an old practice, and some ponies liked to start speaking ye olde speech to get into the mood. But the intrigue was building, and Chesster couldn't be more delighted to meet somepony who wasnt as boring as a bag of rocks. 

Disregarding the foalish jab at his mother, Chesster instead chose to address Sombra's concerns with embarassing chesster himself. "Yes well, though it is quite embarassing for an experienced jouster like myself to be seen with a first time, i'm willing to bear it just this once~" He chuckled good naturedly, waving his hoof in a gesture for Sombra to follow him, as he led the way to his own canopy setup. 

The tidbit that this stallion was well aquainted with such armor was yet another red flag that something curious indeed was up. Chesster had put the pieces of the puzzle together, but he had to be absolutely certain. He could not make careless assumptions or get his hopes up, but the pieces were clicking one by one. Chesster vaguely wondered why he hadn't used a more potent disguise, especially amidst so many with the possibility to recognize him. But he likely knew as well as Chesster did that some ponies, especially crystal ponies, were dumb as dirt. Not to mention the PTSD kept the crystal ponies from trying too hard. 

Chesster wove through the crowds, his head held high and his look of experience and confidence inspiring other ponies to hurry out of his way. Upon reaching Chesster's personal canopy, he introduced Sombra to his former guard unit he used to command, or as he now referred to them loosely as, 'friends.'
"This is Spearhead, and Shieldbreaker. Friends of mine." The two crystal ponies weren't dressed as guards, but they certainly had the muscular, stocky physique that most royal guards had. They were each unremarkable in appearance, though obviously crystal ponies. They were inspecting the lances when Chesster arrived with Sombra in tow, and stood up to offer a silent nod of the head in Sombra's direction, acknowledging his existence without needing to say much. 

Chesster's tent was all business, while other setups involved coolers of food, blankets on the grass, lounging friends and family of competitors, banners and motivational signs to hold up for their competing friends. Chesster's setup meanwhile had a rack of lances neatly lined up, a set of backup armor on a pony mannequin which looked less used and lighter than jousting full-contact armor, a couple swords for other dueling competitions, and a small chest of supplies for upkeep and maintenance on armor and weapons. 

[dragonofruin]

It was disappointing that he didn't get to see if the pony reacted at all to his quip, but it was entertaining to imagine. Sombra made a soft noise in his throat that was close to a laugh that didn't quite make it and he followed after Chesster without another word; although it was certainly tempting to try to have the last in their banter. The tall stallion followed the pony with his familiar gait and, much like Chesster, his head held high as though he were royalty deserving of respect and recognition.

 

It might've been easy to pick out Chesster's tent among the others, though the interior showed it a lot more than the exterior. Sombra was glad to retreat into the shady confines and stood near the tent flap for a moment to let his eyes adjust after being out in the bright sun for so long. Blinking away the last echoes of light from his vision, he finally took a look around at the pony's belongings, picking out the weapons and spare set of armor with a curious eye. This pony was oddly prepared, though Sombra couldn't make a good judge of whether they were Equestrian.. or a crystal pony. The style of the armor made it difficult for him to truly figure that out. It was only until he'd gotten a good look that he finally glanced towards Chesster's companions with a slight lift of an eyebrow.

 

"Friends, you say? Interesting names," the umbrum commented, sizing them up with a look. He had to wonder what it was that they did to have such a muscular appearance.. Sombra set the question aside in favor of moving further into the tent and finding a place to sit down comfortably- as comfortably as a pony could in jousting armor.

 

"So, shall we get right to it then? You mentioned you had some tips to give me about jousting, unless you have questions. I've certainly got a few to ask, just off the top of my head." He looked towards Chesster then, eying the blank face of the stallion's closed helmet. With such companions as his, any normal pony could've felt intimidated being in a tent with three complete strangers, but Sombra was no normal pony- much less a pony at all. He felt confident, and he had the power to protect himself if need be if anypony thought it'd be a good idea to intimidate him out of the competition. In hindsight.. Sombra didn't think crystal ponies could intimidate him, no matter how they looked. They just seemed too.. soft for it.

[starsteemer]

Chesster debated removing his helmet now that they were in the shade, but glanced at Sombra and decided against it. Chesster would reveal all (or most) after the competition. For the time being, he had to hold his cards close. Chesster's crystal pony friends went back to inspecting Chesster's lances, paying sombra no more mind. 
"Me and them go way back." Chesster mentioned offhoofedly, voice echoing from within his helm. 

Chesster considered the tempting offer of asking question for question, but he could stifle his curiosity for a little while longer. He seemed to be gleaning a lot from sombra's extemporaneous remarks anyways, and there was always time for questions after the tournament. Stalling for time before he answered sombra's request, Chesster opened his small chest of maintenance supplies, including replacements for pieces of armor such as leather strappings and buckles. Chesster located a wickedly sharp piece of metal, about the same length as his head from the base of the neck to nose tip. The attachment screwed into the crown of the helmet, giving Chesster the appearance of a unicorn. He turned to Sombra, and responded matter of factly "First tip. Give your opponent false information." If his opponents believed chesster was a unicorn, they would approach a duel differently. It never ceased to get into the heads of his opponents, causing them to keep their guard up expecting magic when they should be expecting strength and skill. 

"I have my own questions to be sure, but it may be best to ask them after the jousting portion of the tournament, unless they're related to jousting. Practice rounds should be starting soon, so there's little time to get prepared before it starts. Now, tell me what you already know of jousting, so we have a starting point to work with." 
Chesster had not so subtly implied that he knew just how inexperienced the former king was, but if there was anything that Chesster liked as much as winning, it was teaching others how to win. This worked in several ways in Chesster's favor, despite how paradoxical it sounded at first. By sharing his skill, Chesster could more easily gain another pony's trust. And if Chesster had to fight a pony who he'd taught, somepony who knew all his moves and tricks, it inspired Chesster to be creative, adapt and learn. In a way, he was benefitting himself from all angles, ensuring he would not become lazy and complacent with his current level of skill. Naturally, it wasn't an honor he extended to just anyone. But if this stallion matched Chesster's suspicions, then it was more than worth it. 

Out in the tilt-yard, an announcer had begun commenting on the various participants, announcing those who were practicing their gait on the list field one by one. It was just a prelude, the real start of the tournament would take some more time yet, but it was a subtle reminder for spectators to find good seats. 

[dragonofruin]

Sombra glanced between the three ponies, noting that Chesster's companions didn't seem all that interested in really anything beyond checking over the equipment. It seemed like it could be pretense, or it could be nothing at all. He had a right to be suspicious, to even be paranoid. Ponies had stabbed him in the back before. The comment from Chesster about how long he'd known his companions only earned a grunt from Sombra, who normally didn't care much about ponies or their connections, their friendships.

 

His eyes followed Chesster's movements when the stallion dug through a chest of items and pulled out a long, fake horn that he attached to his helmet. This was an earth pony, posing as a unicorn; no wings could fit under that armor. "Interesting," Sombra commented dryly. If he were to follow that tip, he wasn't sure what exactly he could use about himself to deceive the competition beyond simply not being a mortal unicorn like the rest. He was strong both physically and magically, and he was quite aware that magic wasn't to be used in jousting- as far as he knew.

 

"How disappointing. And here I was hoping for some information," the umbrum growled out. He'd been hoping to learn more about this mysterious masked pony, more so than about jousting, and his options had just been limited to the latter. In that case.. "From what little I've seen of it, I can presume ponies use the pointy end of the lance and run at each other in an attempt to knock the other over." Some snark slipped back into his tone again, indicating that his phrasing wasn't entirely serious while still expressing he understood the basics of it. He also knew the combatants had a short fence separating them, but he felt he didn't have to mention that when it was right there in the tilt yard. Speaking of..

 

An ear rotated towards the tent flap when he heard the magnified voice of a pony, commentating on what was now happening outside. Ponies had begun practice. It would probably be a good idea to get into practicing soon so that he could get a feeling for it before the actual competition began. Sombra wasn't about to fail, or let himself look like an inexperienced fool- though inexperienced he was. "So, go ahead. Give me more tips."

[starsteemer]

Chesster felt a smile tugging at his lips from beneath the helmet at Sombra's dry remark. There were, naturally, other ways to decieve opponents. Talking to them and feeding them false info about something seemingly trivial, such as armor weight or a style preference could throw somepony off. There were also more underhanded tricks, like pretending to be at a disadvantage in some way, but that wasn't necessarily honourable and Chesster avoided that method when possible, unless orchestrating a larger battle. But when dealing with one on one jousting or duels, it was generally considered dishonourable to fake a disadvantage. But if Sombra wished to believe Chesster's methods had one use and one use only, it was his loss for not being more creative. Chesster considered commenting on this, but it would do no good. 

Upon hearing Sombra's want for information, Chesster's low laugh seeped out from the helmet, a slow dark sound with a note of condescension. "In due time. Defeat me on the tilt-yard, and i'd be inclined to answer everything. Fail, and.... well, it's negotiable." 
Chesster listened silently to Sombra's demonstration of his limited knowledge on jousting, and picked up on the tyrant's attitude returning. Though highly tempted to fire back, Chesster didn't have much more time to prepare Sombra. He was highly interested in seeing how he'd perform, especially for a first time joust with less than basic training. 
"There are different kinds, but essentially yes. The lances are not pointed as they would be in cavalry, instead having coronels, the metal caps at the tip. This competition would not last long if competitors were allowed to maim each other with real lances, especially not with me here." Chesster's insinuation was, of course, that he was likely better trained in warfare than anypony else here. 

Chesster considered how much of a crash course he could give. Long winded speech was not his strong point. "There are four courses for each joust, whoever has the most points wins. Points are awarded with the Court of Honour's discretion."
Chesster knew there had to be a sheet of paper somewhere detailing all the rules in more details than he himself could, but he knew all the rules and so never kept a rulesheet with him. It'd be annoying to hunt one down, so he turned to the stocky stallion called Shieldbreaker. "Shieldbreaker, mind fetching the rule sheet for our guest? Meet us at the training yard when you have it." 
The way Chesster emphasized 'guest' earned him a questioning glance. The two stallions seemed to share a look between them, causing Shieldbreaker to glance briefly at the dark coated stallion who'd joined their company, before trotting off to do as Chesster had asked without another word. It was a guard-like quality to be silent, especially when obeying orders. Chesster couldn't be more proud. 

In the meantime though, getting Sombra ready to at least survive the first round took priority, and for that they'd need to go to the training yard, where the Quintains were located. If this were a larger scale tournament, the jousting portion could last upwards of three days, or longer depending. But given that the sport's re-emergence in equestria was taking time to catch on, not many had showed and Chesster expected half of them to either drop out or be eliminated. "My 'tips' might take the form of basic training for now. Tell you what. You may ask me one question now, one after training, and as many as you please after the competition. I wouldn't expect complete honesty, however i'll answer what i can. I'm sure you understand some pony's need for secrecy, after all..." Chesster's tone took a low dip, and the blank gaze of his helmet seemed to take on solemn atmosphere with what he was hinting. Chesster gestured for Sombra to follow as he led the way to the training yard.  

[dragonofruin]

The offered reward of information for his victory nettled him for a reason he couldn't figure out until he investigated that annoyance, and found that he had some doubt in himself. The shadow king was an arrogant creature, enough so that he felt he was fully capable of winning the jousting tournament.. despite never having done jousting in his life. His doubt stemmed from that, and from that self-conscious part of him that he tried to keep out of sight, keep locked away within himself. It was a part of who he used to be that still surfaced from time to time whenever it came down to his existence, and as the only free umbrum, the only one of his kind.

 

King Sombra's eyes had narrowed slightly, but he otherwise didn't show any outward sign that Chesster had annoyed him. Why did they come to the pony's tent, if not to talk more privately about information that wouldn't normally be aired in public? Just who was this pony, anyway? All Sombra could figure out about him, beyond being an earth pony was that he was possibly a crystal pony to boot.. or perhaps a descendant, if any crystal ponies ever managed to slip out of the empire during his reign. Those that survived, anyway. That was what made ruling the empire so easy- their choices were to either bow to their new king, or dare the Frozen North's unforgiving climate.

 

A soft rumble rolled up Sombra's throat as he considered what little information he was given, and the rules of jousting that would be coming as soon as one of Chesster's underlings located the paper. He mentally tucked away what information he was given and rose to his hooves, shadowing Chesster out of the tent on their way to the practice yard.

 

"If my reward for victory is information, then I shall certainly look forward to defeating you," Sombra spoke aloud at last. Knowing this was the price, he was quite determined to win. To flaunt that victory over this pony would be a bonus, but Sombra couldn't allow himself to get too far ahead. He knew his own pride could be his downfall- it had been in the past. It was why he'd lost the empire a second time, outside of the effect a thousand years banishment to an icy void had had on his mind. Mad, desperate to reclaim his throne.. reckless.

 

"Hrm," the tall stallion grunted thoughtfully. One free question now, and one after training? He'd gladly take Chesster up on that, but the snag was: what did he want to know about this pony the most? It would only be the one question to tide him over until he could get the rest of the information, whether it came from his victory or if he ever succumbed to dragging it out of the other stallion. "Very well.. I certainly understand the need for secrecy. Quite well," he murmured. "I suppose one of the things that I'm most curious about is this: are you from the Crystal Empire?"

[starsteemer]

Chesster felt rather pleased that Sombra was intent on defeating him, that kind of drive and determination would make the joust a little more interesting. Most ponies in the competitions that Chesster visited in Equestria were all such good sports and friendly and doing it all for fun, while Chesster relished a challenge with some snark. Making enemies and soundly thrashing them brought him satisfaction in this future world where his particular skills were less necessary, for the time being. This stallion was no enemy, but a worthy adversary and a worthier ally, if it could be arranged. Chesster could certainly overanalyze every single way this could go horribly wrong, but it did no good to dwell. 

Chesster tilted his helmeted head to the side as he mulled over Sombra's question, giving his answer unnecessary thought. Sure, he was indeed from the crystal empire. But Chesster had to consider the consequences his answer could have. If this dark stallion was who Chesster suspected him to be, his answer could potentially put the deposed king on guard, more than he already was. A frustrating consequence, but one he'd have to risk. There was no point in lying, anyways. Not this time. 
"Born and raised." Chesster replied tersely, keeping his eyes facing forward. Choosing not to elaborate further on the circumstances of his heritage nor why he left the Empire until the timing was right, Chesster continued on to the training yard.

Some practice lances were set up on racks, free to use. Most were frangible lances, but some were the easily shattered kind. The area wasn't as hard packed as the tilt-yard, and tufts of grass still dotted the yard. If these tournaments were to continue being held here however, soon this area of the field would become brown and trodden. Spaced apart evenly with ample room between were the Quintains; an apparatus with a small target set at approximately the height to represent an opposing jouster's shield. The target is on one end of a spinning plank that has a weighted bag on the other end.
"The quintain is used to practice aiming the tip of the lance at a small target that provides a small amount of resistance." Chesster explained, grabbing one of the lances with his forehooves, which were much clumsier due to the heavy armor.

"The armor you're wearing has an arret and grapper, which is where the lance will be held. The 'Arret' is a sort of hook for the base of the lance to rest upon, while the 'Grapper' is a tight ring attached to the base of the lance just in front of where the lance rests upon the arret. The arret and grapper work together to hold the lance in place and prevent it from sliding backward during impact."
Chesster demonstrated by sliding the lance into place on his own armor, in which the arret and grapper were not molded to the metal as it was with Sombra's standard issue, but rather affixed to his armor as though they were additions that could be taken off. Chesster manually tightened the grapper around the lance's base, and held it straight with the arret, the hook keeping it held up smoothly, with enough flexibility so the lance could be maneuvered. 
"Aiming is the most important part for now, then you can get a feel for the weight with the shock quintain. Observe." 

Chesster shook his head to clear his mind, his reliable armor rattling as he did so. He started by trotting, then cantering, missing the target on purpose, circling back, and passing again, the point being to warm up his muscles, prepare them for going from a slow canter to full speed. On his third pass, He lowered his head and leaned forward into the sprint, angling his body and shoulder to keep the lance level with the target. The coronel hit the wooden target with a resounding thunk, the weighted side spinning from the impact, Chesster deftly leaning away to avoid catching it in the face. The quintain wobbled on it's wooden legs before settling as Chesster slowed down, trotting back to where he'd left Sombra. 
"It's a simple matter of eye-hoof coordination. The weighted bag might hit you in the face, happens to a lot of beginners." 

 

[dragonofruin]

The king awaited the answer with some anticipation, knowing that Chesster would have to give him one, and when it came, his red eyes glittered maliciously. A crystal pony. It was certain. That little detail would make this tournament all the more interesting. How would the crystal ponies feel when they discovered the competitor who had defeated them was him, the very creature who had conquered them? Amusement flickered through Sombra and he turned his attention away from it to the training yard as it came into view.

 

Inclining his head, his eyes swept the fields and he gave the jousting lances in their racks a look over before he turned his full attention back to Chesster, his ears perked and alert to everything the other stallion was telling him. The demonstration of how to attach the lance drew his eye, and Sombra watched everything closely, as determined to learn all the little details of jousting as he was to defeat Chesster- and everypony else here for that matter. He was going to keep this in mind..

 

Sombra picked out the next lance on the rack and simply held it in his magic while Chesster trotted off to demonstrate for him. The umbrum watched how the pony did each pass, the test runs, and the final one where he had to avoid the swing of the wooden target. It was interesting that it spun the way it did, but it was possible it was there to teach ponies. How well would he do against it? He found himself hesitant to try, all because he didn't want to get knocked down by a spinning target and look like an utter fool. He was feeling.. uncertain. Sombra didn't tear his eyes away from the quintain until Chesster approached him again, and he frowned faintly.

 

"I see. It makes sense." Some part of him was regretting signing up to this jousting tournament at all, but he had nothing to lose save for some of his pride. Sombra snorted softly, and his tail flicked. He might as well practice while he had the chance.. He turned his head away and went about attaching the lance to his armor as Chesster had shown him. It was time to simply act, rather than let his feelings make this out to be any harder than it was.

[starsteemer]

Chesster's impassive armored gaze followed Sombra's motions, and the observant pony seemed to pick up on the hesitation. He could always offer some gentle encouragement, such as letting Sombra know that Chesster was hit in the face quite a lot during his own practice sessions. In fact, Chesster's pride had been bruised countless times when he was young and training hard to claw his way to the top. Whether it was sword fighting, jousting, or guard training, Chesster often lost. It was those losses and blows to his pride that taught him to become clever enough to use anything and everything in his power to win. So naturally, Chesster could understand the hesitation to try and to potentially fail. 
However, Chesster was not a 'gentle encouragement' type of pony. "Are you scared of being swatted on the nose by a piece of training equipment~?" He teased, his voice echoing out from his helmet. He didn't push Sombra any further than that, as too much anger would ruin his focus, but tartarus knows he wanted to. 

He hardly noticed when Shieldbreaker had arrived, folded paper in his grasp due to Chesster focusing on Sombra. He turned to accept the piece of parchment detailing the rules, the entirety of which was in the older tongue. He'd give it to Sombra when he'd attempted the quintain, and in the meantime skimmed through the sheet. It seemed to be overly complicated in how it was written, but made sense enough. 
 

Spoiler

First Rule

Firstly, we declare that the knights who must joust should run four courses, and no more. And if in these four courses one knight should hit the other, splintering his lance, and the knight upon whom that lance splintered did not break his own lance by striking his opponent, he shall be vanquished, for he did not break his lance.

Second Rule

And furthermore, we declare that, if one knight splinters two lances and the other only one, the winner shall be the knight who breaks the two lances. But if the knight who only splintered one lance knocks off his opponent’s helm with the same blow, a tie shall be declared between him and the knight who splintered the two lances.

Third Rule

And furthermore, if a knight shatters two lances by striking his opponent, and the knight who has been struck knocks him over, even though he did not splinter his lance, a tie shall be declared between him and the knight who splintered the two lanes.

Fourth Rule

Furthermore, we declare that lance staves shall not be judged properly broken if they are broken crosswise, but only if they break after striking with the point.

Fifth Rule

Furthermore, we declare that if in these four courses each knight splinters two staves, or one each, or they each strike in the same place, a tie will be declared between these two. And if in these four courses they never manage to hit each other at all, let the judgement be that they jousted poorly.

Sixth Rule

Furthermore, we declare that if any knight should drop his lance whilst charging, without ever coming to blows, his opponent should raise his lance and not strike him, for it would be unchivalrous to strike an opponent who had no lance.

Seventh Rule

And in order to judge these affairs, we declare that there should be four judges in place: two assigned to one team, and another two assigned to the other team, so that they can ensure that the knights who have jousted the best are declared the winners.

 

[dragonofruin]

Sombra adjusted his weight on his hooves once he'd finished attaching the lance to his armor, getting a feel for the weight of it. It felt strange to have a lance attached to, and protruding from, his body, and it underlined how much he'd need these practice sessions before the actual tournament began, or else he'd look as much a beginner as he actually was. The stallion grunted softly and those intense red eyes of his shot up to the faceplate of Chesster's helm upon being teased. Afraid?

 

A part of him wanted to retort. He was the master of fear, the embodiment of hatred itself! But to so arrogantly announce himself in order to protect his pride and hide whatever second thoughts he was having would have been a very foolish one. It would've ruined any chance he had at making an entrance, and frightening the crystal ponies the way he envisioned doing; for his own pleasure, of course. He'd never allow his ego to get in the way of that. Sombra could only scowl at the other stallion and face the practice yard, mentally shoving down all doubts and hesitation he had about this. He'd seen how Chesster had done it, and how he'd ducked the swing of the target.

 

He'd probably need a few more practice passes than what his fellow competitor had done, when he had no experience at all to speak of, but he could do this. Sombra's eyes flicked towards the arrival, Shieldbreaker, upon seeing movement in his peripheral. Seeing that Chesster wasn't about to hoof over the piece of paper that was, no doubt, the rule sheet, Sombra felt that he wasn't going to read it until afterward. It was time to stop dawdling, and start practicing.

 

Sombra rolled his shoulders and started forward, moving at a trot while he adjusted to the extra weight and feel of the lance at his side. He moved up to a canter as he entered the practice field and made for the target. As he started on his practice passes, missing the quintain on purpose, Sombra used them as an opportunity to see how jousters could aim their lances for the targets, for the other competitors, and he began to get a grasp of how it worked. After all, he'd need it, if he wanted that reward money.

[starsteemer]

Chesster watched Sombra's form like an attentive teacher. If there had been more time, Chesster was certain he could turn Sombra into an expert, or at least a competent adept, within the span of a week. But that could simply not be, as the tournament was a short one, designed for the most part to attract big attention, with the prize money being set as high as it was. Still, Chesster was pleased that these tournaments were happening in Equestria, since he could not partake in them at the Crystal Fair.

Granted, during Sombra's reign he couldn't partake in the jousting during the crystal fair then either, seeing as there was no crystal fair. But the jousting shown at the fairs was for the most part, ceremonial. Chesster longed for the days when jousting was not just for ceremony, but was a military exercise to train soldiers in cavalry. He loved the history of wars, and battle tactics, and so missed a lot of old ways.

 

Chesster didn't partake much of the fair while it lasted in general, however. Sure, he went as a foal because for a child it'd be the most exciting event of his short lifetime, but after earning his cutie mark he turned his sights to much more important endeavors, and so spent the fairs by himself in the library or out somewhere honing his skills.

 

Throughout other corners of the training yard, some other ponies, some appearing as new to jousting as Sombra were trying their hoof at the quintains. None were focusing on Sombra, as they were much too busy focusing on their own training. Some ponies tripped from the weight of their armor, or dipped their lance too low and did an embarrassing somersault. Still more would get hit by the spinning Quintain, a sharp and immediate lesson in dexterity for those unfortunate enough to catch it. There were certainly a multitude of ponies here with less determination and capacity to learn as quickly as Sombra, and they paid for their half-hearted curiosity with their pain. Chesster observed them from the corner of his eye, but for the most part was watching Sombra. Under his guidance, Chesster was certain Sombra could at least beat those little fools.

Given that these tournaments were new, there were no entrance requirements yet. Chesster hoped this would soon change, as he only wanted to duel experienced or at least halfway competent ponies.

 

Fixing his attention fully back on Sombra, Chesster estimated that Sombra would be just fine avoiding the spinning target, as long as he respected it and didn't forget it was there.

 

[dragonofruin]

To have a lance strapped to one's side felt a little unwieldy, at first. It was a new experience, and it took Sombra taking a couple of practice passes at the spinning target before he started to get a feeling for it, each time he circled around and went galloping towards the target as if he was threatening an opponent without ever really striking. His hooves pounded heavily upon the earth, and he could tell by the distant sound of hoofbeats that there were others in the practice yard too, doing the same. The tyrant never stopped to size up the other competitors to see how well the rest of them were doing, to see if he'd be able to match up to any of them.

 

As far as it should concern him, they didn't matter. They couldn't match up to him, because there was nothing else like him. It wasn't that he thought he was special, or unique; they were thoughts that allowed him to think more.. positively about himself. A way for him to stroke his own ego, since he had nopony to praise him. And never had.

 

The tall stallion took his time practicing out in the training field, letting everything fade into the background while he tried out jousting. Once he felt confident enough to, he finally around for another run at the quintain with the intent to hit it this time. To actually try to aim for what he'd been doing mock charges at. It was the only way to put what practice he'd been doing to the test.

 

Biting back any hesitation, Sombra galloped towards the quintain with his lance ready, aimed.. and managed to strike. When the thing spun, he ducked his head much like he'd seen Chesster do. It wasn't a clean miss; he felt the weighted bag box the top of his ears and he immediately flattened them against the metal of the helmet with a wince. Shaking his head, he came back around and cantered towards Chesster, intent on seeing how well he might've done. Sombra might have just gotten lucky on his first try, because he knew his luck- the next time, it would probably be an embarrassing fall. There was also the matter of the rule sheet, and perhaps that next free question he could ask. "Well?"

[starsteemer]

Chesster tapped his chin with an armored hoof, as if considering Sombra's performance, but in actuality it was for dramatic effect. Chesster knew exactly what he was going to say. Lowering the hoof, he gave a slow, considerate nod. 
"Your balance was a little lopsided, but you're not used to the lance yet. These frangible lances are slightly heavier than the lances used in the actual jousting, so it should be correctible. As for ducking the quintain, your reflexes need to be a second faster. Remember that it swings around with the same force you strike it, meaning the harder you hit, the faster it swings, the faster you need to react. For your first time, not half bad. Aiming is the first step. Learning to deal with the shock is next." 

Beneath his metal helm, Chesster couldn't help but smirk as he gestured to another quintain; but this one was noticeably different. It had a target that was heavily weighted in such a way that it was very difficult to knock over. It had more wooden legs than the normal quintain, and did not spin. Training was usually not very fun for anypony, but it was certainly fun to be the trainer and watch the trainee endure it. 
"Shieldbreaker has come through with the rule sheet. You might want to look it over, because there are many ways to gain points, or be penalized." 

Chesster sat down in order to hoof over the folded sheet of paper to Sombra. The helm obviously prevented Chesster from using his teeth, but this did not deter him from wearing it. 

[dragonofruin]

The wait for Chesster's judgement was a moment of impatience for Sombra. His tail flicked behind him as he eyed the tap of that armored hoof until the pony finally spoke. He wanted to be offended by the assessment, but Chesster wasn't wrong. Besides, this was his first time actually trying out jousting. Instead of letting his snark rise up in the face of a lack of praise for managing what he had, he accepted what he'd been told and made a note of how he could improve himself for the sake of winning this jousting tournament. And defeating Chesster.

 

King Sombra's eyes followed the gesture to the next target, one that looked far sturdier than the spinning target, a target made for taking a hit. Inclining his head, the stallion slowly turned in place to eye it. This was going to be a lot harder on him, he knew; it wouldn't be like the spinning quintain he'd taken on. He might even embarrass himself this time, if what scant stroke of luck he'd found decided to up and disappear. "I didn't think jousting was so complicated," Sombra commented, taking the rule sheet from Chesster's hoof with his magic. It was, quite noticeably, dark magic- the only kind that Sombra could use.

 

Thin purple streams of smoke curled from the corners of his eyes while he looked down the rule sheet, and gave it a second read to make sure he understood what was written there. The rules made enough sense to him, despite never knowing that jousting even had rules. He'd thought that it was something done only as some almost-deadly sport. Grunting, Sombra handed the rule sheet back with his magic. "I suppose I'll keep them in mind while I practice. You'll want me to practice on the next target now, I expect." He nodded towards the heavy quintain, indicating it with his head. "I'll give it a shot."

[starsteemer]

The crystal pony stallion's impassive helm could show no reaction to Sombra's signature dark magic, and he made no comment on it. And yet beneath his helm, Chesster had adopted a knowing smirk. It may have been a thousand years, and Chesster may have had trouble remembering some of the finer details, but nothing could make him misplace Sombra's telltale magic. His suspicions building, Chesster was fairly sure of himself on who he was in company with. Absolute surety was impossible until he heard it straight from the horse's mouth of course, but Chesster believed that this was at least 99% the former tyrant he'd known. He had to fight to keep his voice calm, as the excitement seemed want to build in his throat and seep into his tone.
He'd been searching for Sombra ever since his second defeat, hypothesizing that because of the difference between the powers used to defeat him, the effects would be different as well. And now, Sombra had unwittingly come to him. The urge to reveal what he knew was building in it's difficulty to squash, but Chesster had to remember the importance of waiting until the right moment. Chesster himself had a bit of flair for the dramatic. And all these thoughts raged behind his blank metal stare. 

"Like any sport, it has rules. In war, the use of cavalry lancers has no rules, however. Early jousting had less rules too. " Chesster exhaled wistfully. If only he was lancing an enemy on a battlefield today, and not a soft equestrian with too-big armor. 
Chesster followed Sombra's indication to the shock quintain, and grunted. "You may attempt to, better sooner rather than later. Don't be alarmed if your lance breaks off at the tip, it's supposed to. If you break your lance, it means you got in a good hit. It will take a couple tries to learn the right amount of force to apply, and with little aiming practice, you may miss it as well. You should practice with both types before the first round of the tournament begins, if you want to have a single hope in tartarus of being my equal on the tilt-yard~"

Chesster gave a low, echo-y chuckle, before explaining further. "You approach the shock quintain like the normal quintain, aim your lance at the target, hit it, and keep going. It won't swing, but the shock will make your shoulders sore if you put in too much strength too soon. Save it for the tilt-yard."

[dragonofruin]

An ear was turned towards Chesster, indicating the umbrum was listening closely despite the fact that he was no longer looking at the crystal pony. The tone in the other pony's voice, he noted, sounded as if he missed those days. Sombra would've never expected any sort of violence to exist in crystal ponies beyond petty bullying, but his understanding of them had been colored by the naivety of youth, that it had all been just a game rather than anything serious or dangerous. A soft grunt escaped him, amusement coloring the sound over the memories. How foolish he'd been.

 

"Very well then, I'll listen to your suggestions." He finally turned his head to fix one monstrous red eye on the blank faceplate of Chesster's helmet, making it sound as if just this once he would deign to listen to somepony he saw as a lesser being. It wouldn't be far off. Sombra was still terribly curious who, or what, was under that helmet, but it was something that would have to wait until after the jousting tournament was complete; the crystal pony's unwillingness to answer all of his questions so soon was proof of that.

 

Sombra turned away again, facing the practice field. The explanation about the shock quintain allowed him to get a general understanding of it, and what force he ought to put behind his charges. He thought he had a good enough feeling of it just by the explanation alone.. It was just assumption. The king knew this, even after his run at the spinning target, that it wasn't quite going to be like what he expected, or how he grasped what he had been told. It all came down to doing. Without a word, Sombra trotted off, making a few mental notes from the suggestions Chesster had given him as he approached the target.

 

As before, he worked his way up to a gallop, focusing on the way he ran with the lance on his side to see if he couldn't make a small effort to improve himself. His approach went well enough, but it wasn't until he struck the heavy quintain that everything seemed to go wrong. The lance glanced off of the target, splintering, in the wrong direction. He couldn't move it to avoid the heavy target that he soon ended up crashing directly into, his hooves digging into the earth a second too late. Sombra hit it hard, and went crashing down. Much to his pain, and displeasure.

[starsteemer]

A strange noise seemed to be coming from Chesster's direction, as the armored stallion doubled over. It soon became obvious that he was laughing, extremely hard in fact. Not even his helmet could contain his mirth, and he was struggling to hold his sides in as well as keep from falling over. Even his stocky apathetic companion Shieldbreaker was laughing, though he had the decency to at least turn away first and try covering it with a hoof. 
After several minutes of Chesster trying and failing to reign in his uproarious glee, He eventually got himself under control, standing up and slowly walking towards Sombra, the amusement crystal clear in his tone. 
"My nameless friend, now that was the... MOST HILARIOUS thing i have ever seen in Equestria! Possibly in the Empire as well! Last time i laughed that hard, i-" Chesster stopped himself short, snickers escaping his enclosed helm. Last time he had laughed that hard was during Sombra's rule. Best not to mention that yet. 

Chesster cleared his throat, bringing his voice under control at last. "I do hope of course you're not too injured, as i look forward to defeating you on the tilt-yard. It would be quite embarassing if a simple practice quintain were to defeat you before i even get a chance!" Chesster wanted to roast him further, but he had gotten his laughs in and other things took priority. 

"Get up now, dust yourself off, check for dents or faults in your armor. This is what training is all about, Imagine if you blundered that badly in front of a crowd of Equestrians! By tartarus, you shattered the lance!" Chesster sounded equal parts impressed and sympathetic from second-hoof embarassment. He allowed himself another chuckle as he trotted to the lance pieces, examining the breaks. Turning back to Sombra, Chesster announced a bit of advice before Sombra could get too enraged. 
"If you can't accept your losses, you will never earn your victories. Be glad you failed now, and are able to learn from it, rather than later when it's too late."

[dragonofruin]

Through the haze, the king became aware of laughter. One was muffled, the other was not. They were laughing at him for his failure. The old, familiar flicker of shame was enough to spark his anger and set his heart pounding; angry that he even felt ashamed, angry that he was being laughed at, being mocked, and most of all- angry that something like this reminded him of memories best left forgotten. The bullies. It seemed stupid to get angry about it, something that had happened over a thousand years ago, but he was upset regardless.

 

The shadow king slowly extracted himself from the heavy quintain and pushed himself to his hooves, using a small fraction of his magic to unhook the remains of the lance from his armor. His movements were stiff in his fury, and his ears were lying flat against the helmet he wore. Chesster's voice was getting closer as the stallion drew near, and Sombra fought the old urge to lash out. It wasn't good to make a scene, more than the one he'd already made by crashing so spectacularly into the weighted target. The others on the field had to have noticed. His tail flicked, dispelling dust from it and Sombra shot Chesster a sidelong glare, the pale green of his sclera glowing a more vibrant shade.

 

"I am quite fine. It is only my pride that is bruised," Sombra growled out, nearly through gritted teeth. "I have accepted worse losses than this, pony." Snorting, his nostrils flaring, the umbrum stiffly turned away and retreated back to the edge of the field where Chesster and his underling, Shieldbreaker, had been lurking. He found a patch of grass to seat himself on and begrudgingly began checking over his armor for any dents or anything else that'd prove to be an issue when they finally went out onto the tilt-yard. The task allowed him some peace and quiet, hopefully long enough for him to cool down before he actually tried to crush this crystal pony under his hoof.. just out of spite. He merely needed to work through his anger, past the old memories and shame and -- most of all, how this one incident only seemed to make him hate crystal ponies more.

 

King Sombra quietly grumbled to himself, his ears splayed out from his head. It looked like he'd have to try for another run at the weighted quintain once he'd calmed himself enough- this blunder couldn't get in the way of his practice.

[starsteemer]

Despite the former king's rage, Chesster's thrill of amusement didn't seem to leave. It was one thing to laugh at a trainee who failed in a particularly messy way. It was another to laugh at the former tyrant who enslaved a race of ponies who was known for having a spectacular temper. If they had not been in public, Chesster was quite certain that a fight would have ensued, and became grateful that they were indeed in a public setting, where Sombra could not reveal the full extent of his wrath without sending some equestrian crying to their princess, or a soft crystal pony crying to their new princess. Observing the tinge of green in Sombra's eye confirmed Chesster's assessment.

While it was true that Chesster would have never, never ever ever have laughed to Sombra's face while he was king if he valued his life, he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the feeling of being untouchable to such a powerful unicorn, at least for the time being. Not many could claim laughing at Sombra's face and living. And if Chesster wanted to keep that claim, he'd have to calm down the deposed tyrant somehow.

 

Throughout the training field, some other ponies had indeed took notice of Sombra's particularly noteworthy blunder, more specifically their head's being turned by the loud crash that had resulted. It was always funny to see somepony else mess up so long as it was harmless. One such pony wasn't looking where he was going because of it, and as a consequence he himself had tripped while running at the quintain, paying for his distracted thoughts. It was enough to take the focus off of the dark stallion, and remind the others who were training that they couldn't afford to get distracted as well.

 

While Chesster thought of a way to calm Sombra down, he gestured for Shieldbreaker's help with a hoof, calling to the muscled stallion. "Shieldbreaker, get these lance pieces picked up. We can't have any shards lying around, it's a hazard."

The former guardspony nodded and moved to do as Chesster had asked. While watching Sombra, Chesster had the feeling that what the prideful stallion really needed was a moment of quiet to simmer in peace. It was like that during his reign, after all. Although since ponies avoided him in general during that time, they didn't need to be told twice to avoid Sombra when he was angry. Chesster wisely allowed Sombra his alone time by checking the shock quintain itself for any damage, hoping for some indication of faulty work to pin the blame on, instead of Sombra's ineptitude. But as he suspected, the quintain was in standard health, and being built to take on the weight of a fully grown stallion, it was no worse for wear either.

It was times like these that Chesster found himself wishing he had the least bit of sympathy to offer, but he really didn't. Sombra had messed up and paid the price, and Chesster found nothing to sympathize with that. It was a truth that couldn't be coddled if he expected to teach him right.

 

A while later, when Chesster believed Sombra had stewed in his own rage for quite long enough, He approached him quietly, seating himself a few feet away, so as not to be invasive of Sombra's space. He could not soothe Sombra's ego, nor would he attempt to. It simply was not a skill Chesster possessed.  But Chesster did have something else to turn Sombra's thoughts away from his own failures, for the time being.

"Though your training is not yet finished here, you may ask of me what you wish." Chesster stated matter-of-factly, carefully moderating his voice to be calm and even, not a single trace of his previous merriment present in his tone.