Once everyone was filed into the massive underground stadium, Polt stepped up to the microphone and cleared her throat. "To all those watching this today!" she called out, turning towards the cameras that were recording and broadcasting the event to - among others - the entire centaur race. "This is a monumental event! Today we will be witnessing a special match between Centorea Shianus and her mother, in a battle that will decide Centorea's fate! Centorea, fighting for her freedom and her choice, has declared her intentions to be wed to one she has sworn as her Master, Ambassador Captain Michael J. Caboose of the legendary Reds and Blues! Representing eons of centaur traditions and will, Centorea's mother will fight to impose her will that Centorea find herself a teaser and be mated with a strong centaur male to breed a strong next generation! The stakes could not possibly be higher!
"And the tension couldn't be either!" she continued as she turned the camera to focus on Cerea and her mother. The two wore only their normal clothes, each armed with a lance and shield. "While the tradition for such combats amongst centaurs has been the joust, as this event is being held within Blue Base Embassy grounds, Caboose has insisted on a change. As Centorea's very future and freedom to choose are on the line, the match will not be limited to lance, and will continue until one of the combatants no longer has the will to fight! You heard that right, folks! The only way this match ends is if one of them yields!
"As you can see, while each are primarily armed only with lance and shield, each also has their sword at their sides! If lance combat proves to be inconclusive - or if one of their lances breaks - the battle will immediately continue with swords!" Polt gasped for breath as she vibrated with excitement. "This is going to be a battle the likes of which we haven't seen in ages! Prepare yourselves!"
Caboose sat calmly in the stands, the girls crowded around him as they watched Cerea and her mother prepare for the match. Agent Smith sat next to Caboose. "Are you sure she can handle it?" she asked worriedly. "Her mother is...legendary in the lists."
"Cerea will win," Caboose replied firmly. "I have faith in her. She is a Blue. She is one of my Blues."
Agent Smith blinked at Caboose in surprise. His words spoke of faith, but his tone had certain knowledge. It was almost as though he already knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how this would turn out...and was merely waiting to see it happen.
After a time, Cerea and her mother charged each other in the lists, their bodies heaving and their massive breasts bouncing with every hoof-fall. Their lances clashed into each others shields, and they kept charging until they slowed and turned for the next pass. Cerea seemed off-kilter slightly, while her mother stood as firm as ever. They charged again, clashed again...and again Cerea swayed as she came to a halt.
"What's going on?" Miia asked in confusion. "Why is Cerea having trouble?"
"Her breasts," Kii observed calmly from her seat on her tree-beast as Suu happily nursed. "She is unable to balance them with her grip on her lance, and it throws off her aim. She's hitting her mother's shield off center, which disperses the force of the impact away from her body. Her mother is a joust champion, though, and has had a lifetime of competitions to adapt to that and take it into account. Her lance hits dead center every time."
"But...but then there's no way Cerea can win in a joust!" Mero gasped in shock.
"A pure joust," Caboose corrected idly. "Do not worry. Cerea will win."
"How do you know for sure?" Papi asked curiously.
"Because her Mom is scared of me."
"You think a champion would throw a fight for fear of your wrath on live broadcast?" Doppel asked in amusement.
"No," Caboose corrected. "She is scared because she knows I'm right. She doesn't want to force Cerea into the tradition. But she can't make that decision alone. She wants Cerea to win. That's why I made the terms I did."
Tio gasped in shock. "The match continues as long as they both have the will to fight...in that regard, her mother's already at a disadvantage then, isn't she? Because she doesn't really want to win!"
"But she needs Cerea to win on her own merits," Manako observed thoughtfully.
"The lance is weak," Lala observed grimly. "Soon it will shatter, and with it her chances. Only a miracle can save her now."
As the others spoke, Cerea could feel herself swaying. It was the seventh charge, and she knew she was outmatched with the lance. Even if she could manage to hit her mother's shield dead center on this pass, the lance did not have the strength to deliver the impact. It would shatter. Her shield was cracked from the force of repeated blows of the lance. It would likely shatter on the next impact...and she would probably be run through. She would not be able to fight wounded, whether she had it in her to try or not.
She turned her bleary gaze to the stands, desperate for some hope...and saw Caboose looking at her. He lifted one hand...and gave her a thumbs up.
No, she thought to herself. I will not let my Master down. I am a Knight of the Blue. I will win this day. I will claim my freedom, my choice. I will show that love and loyalty is stronger than tradition. She steeled herself, locking eyes on her mother...and for a brief moment saw a flicker of fear. She sees it. She sees my conviction. I will not lose. I will not let Master down!
As soon as the signal for the pass to begin struck, she charged at full speed, the speed she'd built up trying to keep up with Caboose on their morning and evening runs when he felt like pushing himself, runs that had pushed her limits as a centaur. She saw it. Her mother barely had time to set her lance. They would meet far on her half of the lists. She had a chance.
"I!" she screamed out as she thrust forward with her lance. The point struck dead center on the shield, shattering with the force as her mother's shield was knocked out of position. "Will!" Pulling her shield back slightly, she swung outward. Her shield shattered as her mother's lance was deflected. "Not!" Her hand reached down for her sword...but she felt it close around something else, something metal with an odd grip...an odd grip that suddenly felt like it was made for her hand. "FALL!"
Kfffsh!
Schfwing!
Her mother's lance flipped through the air, severed at the base and leaving barely a centimeter beyond her clenched fist as the length came down to embed point first in the dirt. Her mother's shirt ripped open from the blaze of the slash.
...and the two prongs of the energy blade in her hand rested to either side of her mother's neck, as the older mare stared down with awed eyes.
To Caboose and Agent Smith's surprise, every demi-human in the audience save Suu immediately went to their knees if they had them, with Mero having crossed her arms over her chest and bowing so low she was practically folded in half. Miia was braced one handed on the ground in what was obviously a Lamia bow. "W...what?" Agent Smith asked in confusion.
"T...the keybearer has been chosen…" Polt murmured in awe.
"Keybearer?" Agent Smith asked in confusion. "But-"
"It's an alien key!" Caboose explained. "It unlocks alien tech. And if you use it on people, it unlocks their death!"
Cerea's mother stared down the energy blade into her daughter's steely eyes, and in them saw a determination that could reshape a world. With a weight off her heart that let it fill with joy, she brought both clenched fists to her chest and closed her eyes, the traditional centaur sign of yielding a match.
Cerea slowly stepped back...and the energy sword faded back into the handle as her eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped to the ground, completely spent.