An "Unreal" Day

Applejack and Rainbow Dash found themselves back to the lobby in front of their friends and the Princesses. Both ponies bowed down to the Princesses.

"Congratulations to both players!" Princess Luna said as she praised them. "Applejack! Your skills in the arena are commendable! You have proven yourself worthy of our praise and we have a special trophy for you!"

Princess Celestia levitated a giant golden trophy for her victory in the arena and gently placed it down next to Applejack.

Applejack bucked her back legs in excitement and wrapped her front leg around the sparkling trophy. She was grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly, she remembered that she should show her competitor some sportsmanship and shake hooves with her. She looked over to Rainbow Dash who was still prone on the floor from bowing. Her head was hanging low and a single tear drop formed from her eye and hit the ground. Applejack put her front leg around her neck. "There, there sugar cube. I'm sorry ya lost, but it was a good clean match and we had lots of competition and fun in the arena!" Applejack stuck her hoof out for Rainbow Dash to shake, but Rainbow Dash didn't move.

"I just hate losing A.J.," the cyan Pegasus confessed. "We did the ultimate skill type match up and you proved that you're the best, and I have no excuses for losing. I just don't want to play with you anymore."

Applejack looked at her gleaming trophy for a moment. She then turned to her friends as if hoping they would tell her what to do.

Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle had a rather unsure look on their faces.

Fluttershy was smiling warmly at Applejack and said, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

Rarity gave Applejack a wink as if to support the words that Fluttershy had just spoken.

Applejack represented the element of honesty, not kindness or generosity, and normally, Applejack would tell Rainbow Dash to just suck it up and accept a loss, but the presence of Fluttershy and Rarity next to her was far too powerful and she got inspired by them. Applejack had an awkward smile on her face that spoke of uncertainty and she let out a rather unusual laugh. She turned back to Rainbow Dash and said, "Well, I tell ya what sugar cube, if winnin' is so darn important to ya, then I don't wana see my good friend suffer like this." Applejack suddenly nuzzled the trophy over to her friend and continued, "I want ya to have it fer yerself. Yer a special friend of mine and I don't wanna see ya quit somethin' that ya have such a natural talent fer. Just because I won the first Duel we ever played together doesn't mean I'm necessarily better than ya."

Rainbow Dash looked at the trophy. She noticed that at the bottom of it Applejack's name was inscribed.

"No A.J. This trophy is yours. Your name is already on this trophy. You need to keep it," Rainbow said.

Applejack sighed aloud and looked over at the Princesses. She then spoke to them, "Tell ya what Pincess Luna and Princess Celestia, can ya'll use yer magic to inscribe Rainbow's name on it too? How about instead of one of us walkin' home with this here trophy, that ya'll can keep it and put it on display for other's to see. That way we can both be winners and no one would have to know that I won the first Duel match between us."

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia looked at each other with a rather serious look on their faces, and then looked back at Applejack.

Princess Luna spoke to Applejack, "That is a wonderful and commendable thing to do for your friend! We would be honored to do such a thing and put it on display! Especially since that very well could have been the most entertaining match up we have ever seen!"

Rainbow Dash suddenly got up and hugged her friend. "Thank you for doing this for me A.J. It means the world to me. It really does," she confessed

Applejack patted her on the back, "It's okay sugar cube, anythin' fer a special friend of mine. It pains mah heart to see ya sad."

Rainbow Dash suddenly let go of Applejack and she perked up a bit. "So do you think we can have a rematch? I think I got a rocket with your name on it," she squealed in delight.

There was this filly-like excitement that Applejack could see in her friend's eyes. Applejack just grinned madly at her enthusiasm. "That a girl Rainbow. I'm glad to see yer motivation is back, but I'm awfully tired from all the fun we had today. Let's call it a day and perhaps we can enter the arenas another time. I think at home I got an apple pie with yer name on it. Let's have a celebration together, not just over the wonderful Duel match we had, but more importantly, our friendship."

"Apple pie?" Pinkie Pie asked. "I think Dashie needs to eat a humble pie! Hey Applejack! If we ever become a team in a two on two Team Death Match game type, can we combine our names together and call our team name, Apple Pie? Do you get the joke? Did you see what I did there?"

Twilight Sparkle elbowed Pinkie Pie hard in the side in hopes that she would be quiet for once.

The other mares let out an "Awwww," and began stomping their hooves on the floor in approval.

When the cheering died down. Applejack and Rainbow Dash's friends all rushed in for a big group hug with them in the middle of it.

Princess Celestia spoke to them, "We are thrilled that you all enjoyed today's competition! Princess Luna and I both agree that we would be interested in hosting more match ups for you all. Especially where you can work together as a team such as playing Team Death Match games, Capture the Flag, and one of our most favorite game types, Domination. We have so many more game types and we have many groups of ponies who enter the tournament seeking to be the best of the best. Our current dominating team in both Capture the Flag and Team Death Match is no other than the Wonderbolts themselves!"

Rainbow Dash instantly perked up and blurted out, "THE WONDERBOLTS PLAY THIS GAME!? IS SOARIN' ON THE TEAM TOO?" Rainbow Dash instantly changed the tone of her voice hoping that she didn't give away her true feelings for Soarin'. She repeated her question in a less caring voice. "Uh, I mean, is Soarin' on the team too?"

Both Princesses giggled.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash," Princess Luna said, "We already know you have quite the affinity for Soarin', but to answer your question, the answer is yes. Soarin' is one of the top elites of this game and he often enjoys to Duel in his spare time when not competing with his team." Princess Luna suddenly leaned over and put her head next to Rainbow's ear. "Who knows.......maybe he'd be interested in spending a little special time with you and you both can do a little one on one action in the arena. I have a few beautifully crafted arenas set under my shining moon light and that can be a bit romantic for such a special occasion."

Rainbow's cheeks turned bright red as she let out a nervous little laugh. She eyed her friends suspiciously, hoping that they weren't going to tease her.

Most of her friends were already giggling at her.

Princess Celestia broke the laughter of her friends. "Okay girls, we are scheduled to be hosting some other events right now in the tournament, and we must go. Please feel free to sign up at any time for special tournament events, as well as hosting other different kinds of matches and game types!"

Princess Luna used her magic and levitated a box that opened up. Princess Luna then gently lifted off each of the girl's necklaces with her magic and placed them back inside the box.

Princess Celestia looked over to Rarity and said, "Rarity, I know you have the eye for things and love to create. It can be stressful creating these new arenas or updating versions of an older arena. Would you possibly be interested in helping us out by creating and decorating them? It would please Princess Luna and I very much. Of course, we will credit you for your work and it could very well help promote your business since many ponies already know you for your designing and dress making abilities."

Rarity's eyes opened wide. "You want me to help out with something as huge and important as arena creations and revisions?" Rarity put her front leg to her forehead and then used her magic to bring out that red fainting couch and fell onto it in a dramatic manner. Rarity opened one eye and noticed that one of the handsome guards was close to her. "Oh, wait!" she said as she got up from the couch. "This would be much better to faint into." Rarity put her front leg to her forehead and fell into the guard.

The guard dropped his spear and caught her.

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia looked at each other and then looked back at Rarity with confusion.

"So does that mean the answer is yes, Rarity?" Princess Luna asked.

Twilight Sparkle sighed and said, "I think the answer to your question is yes, my Princesses. Rarity can be just a tad bit over dramatic sometimes. Especially when it comes to handsome stallions."

Rarity opened her eyes and then winked at the Princesses. She tried to contain her giggling.

The guardspony holding her, rolled his eyes.

"A simple yes or no can do next time, Rarity, but we are thrilled that you will lend us a helping hoof," Princess Luna said.

Princess Celestia levitated Twilight's trophy and placed it by her. "Please don't forget to take your trophy home with you, Twilight Sparkle. Guards! Please escort our friends outside. Thank you."

The guards helped guide the ponies back up the stairs and back outside through the main castle doors.

The ponies waved goodbye to the guards.

Rarity winked and pointed at the guard that she fainted into. "And I'll be back for you later, handsome," she said as she batted her eye lashes quickly at him. "This mare knows how to scope out ponies inside of the arenas and outside of them too."

The guardspony sighed and rolled his eyes once more.

Rarity turned her back on him and went along with her friends.

The mares were on their way to Twilight's house, but before they reached her house, they took a detour and went with Applejack to Sweet Apple Acres. The ponies waited outside of the farm for Applejack. Applejack wanted to make a pit stop and pick up an apple pie for her friends to share. She was a very food oriented pony and loved to eat, especially after working or playing hard. Once they made it through Twilight's library, Spike had greeted them with a fancy tea party that he set up for their return. Spike rushed over to Twilight's side and asked, "How was your special day, Twilight? What was it that the Princess had you all do today? What's up with the trophy!? What did you win!?"

Twilight began to giggle. "Oh Spike, take a note!"

Spike got out a scroll and quill and was ready to write.

Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat, "Ah-hem.....Dear Princess Celestia, MURDER IS MAGIC!"

Spike began to repeat what she said out loud and wrote the words down. Suddenly, Spike stopped and said, "Huh? Wait? What? Murder is magic? What kind of heresy has the Princess been teaching you?"

Twilight giggled again and said, "Murder, violence, and killing is magical and it brought our friendships even closer together than you could have ever imagined!" Twilight suddenly reached her front legs out and drew all of her friends in for a warm hug. "You'll have to come visit us when we're in the Unreal Tournament Death Match arenas and see us in action!"

Spike had the most dumb founded look on his face. Eventually he replied, "What!? That is insane! You girls participated in a tournament that is called a Death Match? That almost sounds as ludicrous and evil as when the time King Sombra used to put Fluoride inside the crystal ponies toothpaste and drinking water in order to dumb them down and make them so sick and cancerous that they couldn't rebel. Princess Celestia has been putting Fluoride in our drinking wells hasn't she? Is that how your mind is coming up with such nonsense!?"

Twilight Sparkle couldn't stop smiling. "Nope!" she said. "Our Princesses love us and care for our health as well as our well being. She would never do such a thing! You'll just have to come and spectate us in our sport sometime!"

"Ha! I guess I'll have to!" the purple dragon said. "I can only imagine Fluttershy having the urge to hurt somepony."

Fluttershy warmly smiled and said, "Oh, Spike, if you only knew. If you only knew."

The rest of the girls began to laugh with Fluttershy and then they headed over to where that apple pie was on the table.