The clock struck seven o’clock, every light flashed, and the newly built stadium, just for this event, grew as dark as the night outside. Every pony in town came for this event. Every pony in Cloudsdale came in support of their native competitor. Every pony of high society, especially Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle, came for the sheer popularity of this very event. The four of them had reserved seats in the stadium just for them. Celestia and Luna had a special luxury suite to guarantee a quality view of the entire battle ground while Cadence and Twilight shared the same kind with Shining Armor and their parents. It was the biggest of the season, easily the biggest in the short history of the sport. Maybe hundreds have competed for this chance, but only two now are worthy to face off for one last bout.
Every pony cheered as the fight was about to be announced. Floor clops and whistles were mostly made in the front rows where the battle ground was scene at its best. Of course, the stadium was roofless since the battle ground was bigger than the town square itself, so the announcer came down from a small hot air balloon that was fueled by magic from guard unicorns on the highest level of the stadium, one for every two corners of the octagon.
“Will all fillies and gentle colts please rise for our national anthem?” asked Mayor Mare from the microphone in the hot air balloon.
Every pony in the stadium, even the Princesses, rose to their hooves and gave a salute of honor for the young filly who walked all the way to the middle of the stadium where a microphone was waiting for her. In one corner of the stadium, a marching band of various ponies were waiting for their queue to start playing the instrumental of the Equestrian National Anthem.
Once the queue was made, a trumpet and drums was heard with long note, then with two more taps to the drum, stopped for a slight second to signal the young filly to start singing. With the anthem being heard all across the stadium, mares and colts of all ages felt the raw passion of the lyrics symbolizing the more than millennium old nation they called home. Princess Celestia and Luna themselves had countless memories of their time ruling Equestria, shedding a tear or two for the pride they took in the land they ruled.
The music and the singing lasted for around two minutes or so. Once it was all finished, every pony cheered for the band and the gifted young singer, especially her parents who came in support of their daughter.
“Let’s give another round of applause for the Equestrian Royal Band and young Joy Heart of Canterlot,” Mayor Mare requested as she waved to her and her parents.
They all cheered for her as she returned with her parents to their first class seats to the stadium. Every pony else returned to their seats as well, even Celestia and Luna who wiped their tears from the glorious memories of their land.
“Welcome, fillies and gentle colts,” said Mayor Mare, “to the third season of the Ultimate Superhero Championship.” Every pony cheered and clopped and whistled even greater than before. “Since the start of the season, we have had countless ponies who have incredible, extraordinary powers, beyond any normal pony, that have made them the superheroes every creature, pony or non pony, have seen as icons of peace, harmony, freedom, justice and the great of good.” More enthusiasm was made for the optimistic audience. “However, of the many symbols of good we have seen face off, only one of them may become the ultimate superhero. Fillies and gentle colts, please welcome our third season finalists.”
Every earth pony, unicorn, Pegasus, even alicorn, rumbled in excitement for the appearance of the two powerful superheroes.
“On the blue side, winning the Championship Title for two seasons in a row, known across Equestria as the Element of Loyalty, one of the six Elements of Harmony, Cloudsdale’s native Pegasus; Rainbow Dash.”
All of a sudden, a certain sky blue Pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail flew into view of the audience, spinned in a large rainbow trailed circle, and finished with a series of flips until she landed in a blue circle where a few certain friends of hers were waiting for her while one other friend was staying with Twilight and Cadence with a crew of young crusaders and dragon.
“Ya ready, Partner?” Applejack asked her.
“Yeah… for three seasons,” Dash answered with a hoof on her chest.
“Yeah! Rainbow Dash!” yelled Scootaloo as loud as she could, almost fell over the rails.
“Go get ‘em Dashy,” Apple Bloom agreed.
“Oh, please be careful,” said Fluttershy as she stood right next to the both of them.
“Don’t worry Fluttershy. Dash hasn’t lost a single fight since the sport was created,” Twilight reminded her.
“How can she? We all know she’s got this in the bag,” Spike followed up.
“On the red side, a challenger who’s only chosen to compete for one season, famously known as the Original Equestrian Superhero, Ponyville’s native alicorn; Mare Do Well.”
Suddenly, a purple and navy blue uniformed figure appeared in an instant. She slowly flew down in place, facing the two time champion the whole time, taking off her hat and cape with a flourish before she landed, letting every pony know she is in fact an alicorn.
“Before we start the bout, allow me to remind you all that we are all in an stadium for sport, not for violence, which means before both combatants steps forward, each must remove any tools or weapons they have which could otherwise lead to fatal harm or serious injury.”
“Like I need any a’ that,” Dash said to herself as she was warming up, jumping from hoof to hoof like a boxer.
Every pony watched as two guard Pegasi flew to Mare Do Well to take anything she had on her. She first gave them her cape, then picked up her hat and pulled out of it a lasso.
“Darn mare taken one a’ mine,” Applejack said out of anger.
Mare Do Well then pulled out pair of night vision goggles, a black grappling rope, and out of her persona, a weaponized cannon with flowers painted on the wheels.
“That’s my spy equipment! And my party cannon!” Pinkie Pie yelled as she sped past Applejack and stared out at her like a hound.
“Don’t worry Shoug. You’ll get ‘em back,” Applejack assured her.
With every tool used by Applejack and Pinkie Pie given to the guard Pegasi, she gave them her hat last to signal that was everything on her. One guard took the cannon and rolled it out of the stadium while the other took the rest of her stuff to a holder pony at the entrance to the grounds whose job it is to hold all weapons and other tools until the fight was over. Afterwards, the two guards flew back to their posts in their corners of the octagon.
“Now that safety precautions have been met for both of them, will Rainbow Dash and Mare Do Well please fly forward?”
Most of the audience tried to calm themselves for the suspense as the both of them flew upwards to Mayor Mare. With Dash back in the air, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were taken by a royal escort back in the stadium so they could join Twilight and Cadence in their luxury suite, as they would naturally have as Princesses of Equestria. Afterwards, the royal escort returned to the grounds for his job wasn’t done yet.
This time, Mayor Mare spoke away from the microphone. “Now then, I understand both of you brought your own choice of armor. Would you both care to bring them out?”
“Well… it does make me look twenty percent cooler fighting crime… sure, why not?” Rainbow answered first.
When Mayor Mare turned to Mare Do Well, she simply nodded in agreement of her opponent. Mayor Mare spoke into the microphone again.
“Both combatants have chosen to compete with their armor. Please allow them one minute to strap on.”
Both Rainbow Dash and Mare Do Well flew back to their sides of the octagon. Dash flew down to meet up with Rarity, who had the outfit she made for her completely out of her design polished and ready for wear, and Sweetie Belle, who carried all the polishing supplies Rarity needed. The outfit consisted of a helmet, a red cape with a golden zipper, red strap on and a cloud making a yellow lightning bolt on it, and four golden gauntlets with tiny white wings for each hoof of the statue. The helmet and gauntlets were rainbow colored and had golden coverings to assure they were made of metal.
“Thanks again for cleaning this up for me Rarity,” Dash greeted as she was putting it all on.
“But of course. Anything it takes to make you look, as you call it, twenty percent cooler, especially in front of an audience such as this,” Rarity replied as she gave back to Sweetie Belle what she used to polish the helmet and gauntlets. “By the way, just for the occasion, I also made two pockets for the vest so you can hold on to your air goggles during your Sonic Rainboom.”
“My goggles are in here?” Rainbow Dash asked, and then checked both pockets to see if there was anything in either of them. One pocket was full, so she unzipped it, pulled them out and took a quick look at them. It was the same pair of goggles she wore from her leadership in creating the tornado to suck out the water for the lake near Ponyville and use it to fuel Cloudsdale’s weather supply. “Uh… thanks… I’m sure I’ll need these,” she said sarcastically.
“Go get ‘em Dash. You always do,” Sweetie said just before Rainbow Dash put on the last piece.
After Dash pocketed her goggles and put on the helmet last, she flew back up so Rarity and Sweetie Belle could meet with the royal escort and return to the same suite Applejack and Pinkie Pie went to.
“C’mon Sweetie, let’s return to that wonderful suite Twilight allows us to use.”
With the battle ground clear of all spectators or other ponies not on guard duty, Dash flew back up to Mayor Mare’s hot air balloon where she saw Mare Do Well wearing the most ridiculous kind of armor since Fluttershy before she and her friends took off to wake the smog inducing dragon of slumber high in the mountains. She made her laughs without any type of restraint.
“Is that a football helmet and chest protector for hockey?” Dash asked loud enough for most of the audience to hear through Mayor Mare’s microphone.
Some of the audience laughed as well, but Fluttershy flew up a little and tried to get a closer look at Mare Do Well’s armor There may have been a hole in the football helmet so Mare Do Well could stick her horn through it, but the blue coloring with white stripe and unicorn design on the helmet and brown chest protector were certainly the kind she found familiar.
“That’s… that’s my helmet and chest protector,” Fluttershy said to herself, but not so quiet that the three crusaders she sat with couldn’t hear her.
“That up there’s yours?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Since when do you play sports,” Scootaloo asked as well.
“Oh um… I don’t… I just keep them in case… I kinda… go somewhere… too dangerous,” Fluttershy answered in transitional whisper with a little blush of embarrassment.
Mayor Mare spoke to Rainbow Dash and Mare Do Well once more without the microphone.
“Are you ready Rainbow Dash?” she asked her first.
“You know it,” Dash answered in a floating stance.
“Are you ready Mare Do Well?” she was answered back with one clear nod for yes. “Very good, now please fly a few meters back and wait for the guard unicorns to create the shield.”
Both of them did as they were told and watched as the magic fueled hot air balloon slowly rose down so Mayor Mare could get out and get to her seat in the stadium like every pony else. The guard unicorns who controlled it used their magic to get the balloon out of the way, take it inside the halls of the under the stadium and took their place as guard ponies along with the rest of them at each corner of the octagon.
All four of the guard unicorns aimed in the middle of the air and shot a magic beam that was not aimed for either combatant. Once the beam was clear out of the arena, four streams of purple created a giant ‘x’ shape until each line reached all the way to the ground. The dome shaped ‘x’ froze for a second, and then stretched out so it could turn into a full dome, protecting the audience from any attacks that could harm, injure or worse. Once the purple dome was made, it loss most of its color so the ponies outside could see through it, signaling Rainbow Dash and Mare Do Well to get ready and set. Finally, the magic shield dome opened widely from the top, turning into a bagel, covering the entire stadium, giving them more room to fight.
At an instant, Rainbow Dash sped straight for Mare Do Well and made a striking front hoof to the face. Mare Do Well already anticipated it and teleported out of sight. She reappeared above the stadium and attempted a levitation spell on Dash herself. She successfully froze her in place and threw her all around the bagel shaped shield, like a rubber ball bouncing everywhere.
After a dozen slams, Rainbow Dash broke out through sheer will power and aimed back at Mare Do Well. She simple teleported once again, but this time reappeared not too far apart from her.
She charged her horn for a magic beam and aimed it at Dash’s head. This time, Dash flew straight downwards, dodged the magic beam, and then flew back upwards to Mare Do Well so she could punch her in the jaws.
Mare Do Well spinned in a series from the impact of her blow, especially since Dash was wearing gauntlets. Quickly, Dash zoomed straight above where she could speed downwards and beam Mare Do Well straight in the chest. She timed it just right and aimed front hooves first.
Before Dash could even touch her, Mare Do Well made a spherical force field out of magic so she couldn’t be harmed. Rainbow Dash still continued her strike and forced her all the way down to the battle ground in the stadium. The force field made a giant crater in the ground, catching up a huge gust of dirt that most of the audience couldn’t see through so easily.
Every pony waited for the dirt fog to clear out so they could see where Mare Do Well could still go on or not.
“Yeah! That’s how you do it!” Scootaloo yelled out.
“Oh my… did she win already?” Fluttershy asked herself.
“From how we saw Mare Do Well fight this season, I don’t think so,” Twilight reminded not just Fluttershy.
Every pony still waited. Once the dirt fog cleared enough, only Rainbow Dash could be seen, flying in mid air, waiting for her opponent to do something. She did see a small, round cameo in the dirt fog, but did nothing in wonder of what that could be. It came out for a better view, and what she clearer than the audience was a black parasprite.
She wondered what a parasprite was doing in the stadium, so she just flew there in midair until it flew up to her, gave a smile and a blink, and then flew to Dash’s cape. Dash just watched it fly around, but then it took a huge chomp out of the cape. She quickly yanked her cape back and tried to shoo if off, but it just kept trying to eat Dash’s ‘twenty percent cooler’ cape.
Suddenly, a magic beam bounced off the stadium’s magic shield and went straight for Rainbow Dash. She dodged in just enough time, unaware that it was coming, but then another came for her. Plenty more of them came in a haze, all at completely different directions and angles, but all bouncing off the stadium shield, aiming for Dash. She transitioned her focus and dodged the first few, but then got hit every so often, which eventually turned into every time. When she dodged one, another got her back, or her chest, or her face or helmet or cape. The one that got her cape tore a hole through the lightning bolt design and one of the corners torn off, hitting Dash in the back like it should have.
When one of them hit her helmet, she punched the parasprite out of her way, making it magically disappear, grew into frustration and flew into a downward spiral around the entire battle ground. Once she reached ground level, she charged straight for Mare Do Well in one more motion of spiral and punched her straight in the face.
She successfully landed the hit and broke off the cage that normally comes with any football helmet, not just Mare Do Well’s stolen from Fluttershy. Thanks to Rainbow Dash’s gauntlets, Mare Do Well’s, or Fluttershy’s, football helmet crumbled into pieces once she hit the stadium shield. The shield may not have cracked, but something of Mare Do Well’s likely did.
Just after she got back up, Dash flew around the stadium one last time, picked up Mare Do Well once she got to her and made an upward spiral back in the air. Once they were both high enough, Rainbow Dash held up the chest of her uniform with one hoof and clocked her across the face with the other. She front punched, uppercut and back hoofed her all across her face and thrust punched her in the chest. Mare Do Well soon made her let go with a solid uppercut to the chin, as it was the only area not protected by Dash’s ‘twenty percent cooler’ helmet.
They separated by a few feet, but the air below them was a quarter mile at best. Dash took a second to catch her breath and calm herself while Mare Do Well just waited there, not a single scratch on her uniform. Dash noticed this, but didn’t bother to think about it.
The feet between them closed up as the continued their fight with hoof to hoof combat. Mare Do Well got a few shots in the cheeks, the chest and the underbelly, but Dash’s black belt in karate and ‘twenty percent cooler’ helmet and gauntlets were too much without her own equipment to use, or more accurately, Applejack’s and Pinkie’s equipment. She may still have Fluttershy’s chest protector, but it almost proved useless against the gauntlets Dash can use for punches and for kicks, both made by hoof.
After a few more seconds of straight combat, Dash made a clear roundhouse kick straight across Mare Do Well’s face and knocked her a feet or so away. In just enough time, Dash charged herself into Mare Do Well’s chest protector and sent the both of them downwards, back into view of the stadium.
Once she was low enough to see the battle ground in clarity, she stopped herself in mid air, let go of Mare Do Well and watched as she plummeted back into the ground like a small meteor. This time Mare Do Well didn’t use her spherical force field.
Rainbow Dash floated downwards so she could land herself just a foot away from where Mare Do Well crashed. She just laid there at first, but then got right back up as if she just took a nap in that crater. She shook up her body like a dog that just took a bath and got all the dirt off her uniform. Dash gasped from the little damage Mare Do Well endured, assumed by any pony she got hurt at all.
“What’s going on with you?! How are you still not hurt?!” Dash asked in anger and shock.
Every pony in the audience noticed too. Twilight and the other three wearers of her uniform were especially concerned of her lack of fatigue or injury of any kind.
“No way,” Spike said out of reflex of the sight.
“That’s impossible. Why isn’t she hurt?” Twilight asked herself out loud.
“You don’t know no spell that can’t protect yourself now, do ya?” Applejack asked.
“Just the three sixty force field, but she only used it once.”
“Can you make the uniforms indestructible?”
“No Spike. Even my magic’s not that powerful.” Twilight thought for a second, then turned her head the pony who designed the uniforms in the first place, “Rarity… did you use something different for the uniforms?”
“Certainly not. They’re nothing more than costumes,” Rarity answered with a wave of a hoof.
“Well there has to be something she’s using only one of us can. She’s the combination of you, me, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy,” Twilight reminded as she pointed to herself and the other three.
“Well what in tar nation could it be?”
“We just have to think. I doubt Fluttershy has to do with this, so we’d better start with Pinkie.”
“I’m on it,” Applejack said last, then walked over to Pinkie Pie, who was next to Scootaloo trying to keep calm under the possibility that Rainbow Dash may not win so easily after all.
They both watched them in simple hoof to hoof combat as they kept themselves earth bound. Rainbow Dash was dealing the much greater blows and had the martial arts to overwhelm Mare Do Well, but it was she who showed the injury. The blows Mare Do Well did manage to land were the ones that proved results while Dash had only her tenacity, endurance and unnatural durability to prolong what may just be the first against her perfect streak of success in the Ultimate Superhero Championship.
“C’mon Dash. You always pull though,” Scootaloo said to herself.
Applejack tapped Pinkie on the shoulder, “Pinkie Pie… Twilight’s got somethin’ ta ask ya.”
Only now did Pinkie show any sign of worry and fear as she faced Applejack, agreed to go to Twilight and answer her question.
“Pinkie, I’m sure you probably don’t but… you wouldn’t happen to know why Mare Do Well isn’t getting hurt, would you?”
Pinkie twiddled with her hooves, “Well…”
“Pinkie… please tell me you don’t know,” Twilight begged her.
Not just Applejack and Rarity heard her withholding the answer. Fluttershy, Spike and the young crusaders overheard as well and joined in on the gang up to hear her clearly. Even Shining Armor and Cadence cared to learn how Mare Do Well’s image of invincibility is possible.
Pinkie shook and shivered from all the eyes and hears focusing only on her, “Okay I confess!” She dropped to her flanks as if she was about to go through a hazing, “It’s all me! I can’t get beat up by anything! Watch!” She then took a front hoof and used it to punch herself so hard in the face, it smooshed inwards like an old fashioned cartoon character. They all gasped at the display of mild violence, but then Pinkie’s face shaped itself back to normal. “See?! I hardly felt that!”
They all turned their attention back to the battle grounds, especially Twilight. She thought about how she attempted to research the science behind Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense, only to miserably fail. She thought about every act against logic Pinkie ever performed. She thought about her random nature, her essence of cartoon relief and especially her connection to the fourth wall. She remembered her explosive, everlasting energy, her control of gravity, her elastic, inflatable, bouncy body, poufy hair, bulging eyes, detachable tail, shape shifting face, blow able fingers, and even her mouth which could open wide enough to fit in any pony her size.
She thought about them all and figured it out. “Of course. Pinkie can defy logic. If she can, so can Mare Do Well.”
“What are you saying here?” Spike panicked.
“Please tell me Dash can still win!” Scootaloo begged.
“I don’t know,” Twilight then turned back to the obvious pony in question, “Pinkie, you’ve gotta tell us how to beat her.”
“How am I supposed to know? It’s a miracle I don’t even have a scar.”
They all froze at Pinkie’s answer, then they quickly turned their view back to the field.
“C’mon Dash… we believe in you,” Twilight said for them all.
Once Rainbow Dash finally showed fatigue, Mare Do Well gave her one last punch to the face and made her topple over. Dash hardly struggled to get up, but she was still gasping from a great effort while Mare Do Well was still walking around like she hardly started.
“I’m wearing gauntlets here! Why can’t I hurt you?!” Rainbow Dash yelled out of frustration. Mare Do Well gave no response and only bent her front legs to prepare for anything else Dash could throw at her. “Fine! You want a real battle, you got it!”
At an instant, Dash disappeared with a reference of her name and repeatedly flew around the battle ground, gaining more and more speed with every lap. As her speed picked up, so did the wind she was gaining. Soon enough, the entire ground became the base for a massive tornado that could only harm one pony when she and her opponent are outside the stadium shield meant to protect every pony else. Of course, the stadium shield was perfectly serving this purpose, but most of the audience was moderate in surprise of how big Dash was trying to make the tornado. Certain ponies, of course, were relieved in the chance this destructive, massive tornado exposed which just may ensure Rainbow Dash’s victory after all.
“That’s awfully big,” Fluttershy said after taking a nervous gulp.
“Oooh… swirly,” Pinkie Pie observed from her place in Twilight’s suite.
“That’s Rainbow Dash for ya,” Scootaloo said after sighing in relief.
“She’s sure gott’n better from last season,” Applejack said next to Twilight.
“And faster,” Twilight included, “Even if Mare Do Well has all our skills and attributes.”
“Except Rarity’s,” Applejack included.
“Must you mention my absence? I have suitable skills as well.” Rarity mentioned in agitation.
“She did beat up those changelings the same way you and Dash did,” Spike pointed out.
“Yeah, but ya didn’t really wear the uniform like we did.”
“As I was saying,” Twilight interrupted, “Even Pinkie Pie can’t survive a tornado by herself, so even with all our skills and attributes, as long as she can’t use your lasso or Pinkie’s spy gear or cannon.”
“Party cannon!” Pinkie Pie angrily corrected behind her.
“Right… without those, the ‘Come to Life’ spell and ‘Want it, Need it’ spell are useless. If she wants any chance to beat Dash without them, she’ll have to use my magic in ways even I’ve never thought of.”
“And what ways would that be?” Applejack asked out of curiosity.
“We’ll have to see from her… if Dash hasn’t beaten her already.”
They all turned their attention back to Rainbow Dash and Mare Do Well. The tornado continued to spin faster and faster. Neither pony were able to be seen once a full tornado was formed, reaching far above the stadium, sucking up the clouds above to give it a greater outlook of wing power and devastation. The stadium itself was nothing but safe, but the heat it was starting to give off phased through the shield like sunlight phasing through windows or glass.
Back in Twilight’s suite, Rarity felt the heat as well, and wiped off a drop of sweat.
“Is it getting hot in this stadium?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s seven at night,” Twilight answered.
“She’s right Twi, I’m feelin’ it too,” Applejack said after wiping off her own sweat.
Twilight looked around and saw every pony and Spike wiping off their sweat and breathing a little heavier. Rarity took off her accessories and other fashion while she watched Cadence and Shining Armor tell one of the bodyguards at the entrance of the suite to bring each of them a glass of water or any beverage in general which is cool with ice cubes.
Twilight looked back up at the tornado as she couldn’t understand how there is heat in the start of the night. She couldn’t see what was going on in there any better than any pony else could, so all she could assume as that the fight is still not over. She walked to the balcony of her suite to try to get a closer look. After a few more seconds, she happened to find a few flames actually spiraling around in the tornado.
“There’s fire in there!” Twilight yelled out.
The rest of the ponies heard and joined her at the edge of the balcony. They all looked up to where Twilight was pointing her hoof. They all saw different flames at different places, all spiraling and growing in imminence.
“F… f-fire?” Fluttershy asked.
“Wow… I didn’t know Dash could make tornadoes of fire,” Scootaloo said in surprise.
“Me neither,” Pinkie added.
“I don’t think she’s the one makin’ it,” Applejack stated.
“The tornado?” Scootaloo asked.
“The fire,” Twilight answered for Applejack.
She looked back up as the fire sparked one single recall of her interaction in the past. She once again remembered her attempt in explaining the science behind Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense. She remembered the doozy she assumed involved the four headed hydra. When she discovered that wasn’t the doozy which came of Pinkie’s Sense, she grew in a state of anger so intense, her body turned white with a touch of orange, her pupils turned fully red, and her mane and tail combusted into flames.
“It’s coming from Mare Do Well!” Twilight figured out.
Before they could all process what she just said, the entire tornado was consumed with nothing but fire. The flames may not have passed through the stadium shield, but the heat sure did. After moments, the entire audience felt the same heat as they would in the scorching sand ridden desert without water for days. Ice cubes and ice cream from drinks and stadium sale ponies all around the stadium melted in seconds, some even reached above room temperature.
The winds of the tornado were still impassable through the stadium shield, but the heat only grew and shined. Soon, fillies and gentle colts were drained with droplets of sweat from all the fur and hair that covered their entire body. Eventually, they couldn’t even look at the battle ground anymore for the heat reached just high enough so it can take the same blinding effect as the sun, which was especially harmful to young fillies who never even thought to look directly at the sun before.
All the ponies in Twilight and Cadence’s shared suite could take the heat no better than the rest of the crowd. In fact, having such a great view of the battle, they were among the first to go through the potentially harmful heat of the tall, swirling, imitation sun.
“How… how can she do this?” Twilight asked herself. “I can’t use magic like this… so how can she?”
As she tried to face the grounds again, she thought as hard as she could about her fire connecting with her magic. She questioned every possible theory she imagined, such as the sheer anger creating the fire which may determine the output of her magic, or focusing her natural magic upon the flames, allowing her to control the intensity, how it spreads or other attributes at will.
The next question after finding the most possible theory is how so much fire could combust at such an instant. Twilight’s own combustion only set her mane and tail on fire, but with the winds of the Dash’s tornado taking some of that fire, this would explain the signs of heat that came when the audience was first oblivious to Mare Do Well’s intentions. What was on Twilight’s mind set was the second combustion.
Such a massive combustion required an equal of massive energy. Twilight may have once shown such a display, but this was when she was merely a foal with no control or experience of such powerful magic. However, she reminded herself that Mare Do Well also has Applejack’s, Pinkie Pie’s and Fluttershy’s physical, mental and intellectual skills combined into one. Applejack’s athletic strength and endurance would explain her display of combat against Rainbow Dash, as would explain her lack of significant flight when she has Fluttershy’s Pegasus wings instead of Twilight’s alicorn wings.
The only pony left to consider was Pinkie Pie. After remembering her illogical skills, except her eidetic memory, and her everlasting, joyful, spirited, hyperactive energy, the source for the second combustion could only come one source. Twilight Sparkle figured it out.
“This is… unbelievable,” Twilight couldn’t face the grounds anymore, but only her two front hooves. “If she can fuse our powers like that… she can fight off just about any pony.” She thought about the kinds of burns and roasting alive Mare Do Well’s opponent may be going through. “Rainbow Dash… can’t win.”
Before she could freeze with anguish, she noticed a change of lighting on her hooves. She looked back up and watched the flame fueled tornado shrink and shape into a miniature, pony sized sun. As the mini sun was forming, she looked around the field for any burnt up ponies anywhere. The extreme light still made it hard to directly look at, so she had to keep her eyes shaded with her hooves. She looked and found no pony, just the burnt up remnants of a cape that obviously burned off before Dash could escape high above where any pony could even see.
Every pony looked above the stadium’s grounds. They all knew if they couldn’t see her anywhere in the stadium, she just had to be far above. It was too high for any pony to see, but they knew, just as well as the two challengers for the championship, this battle was still missing the epic finish which always come with a battle between the two most powerful.
The atmosphere was only getting colder as Rainbow Dash flew above, but she still needed more distance. The outfit which she used as her armor helped, but just the bits of ice which replaced her sweat were enough to show how cold she was. She looked below every few minutes whether she was high enough to see the stadium as a speckle or not. Once she finally could, it was time.
She stopped in mid air to take a few deep breaths and regain some energy. She shivered in the freezing cold atmosphere, so she couldn’t take long. She wrapped her front legs around herself and rubbed her gauntlet wearing hooves on her vest to warm herself up. She looked below and watched the speckle of light Mare Do Well was making, not that Dash had the time to think about what it was or how she was doing it.
“Wow… I guess I might need them after all,” Dash said in response to Mare Do Well’s light. She unzipped one of the pockets in her vest and pulled them out. She took her helmet off, put on the goggles, zipped the pocket back up and the helmet back on again. She now had all of her gear on, so now it was time.
She took a few more breaths, shook off some of the cold and got herself ready to launch. “Alright… let’s end this.” With those her last words, she sped straight downwards back at the battle ground.
She was getting faster and faster, with a mach cone forming around her. The faster and lower in altitude she was, the lower the angle of the mach cone. Soon she could clearly see the stadium, Mare Do Well still forming her miniature sun, while she is already at charge. Faster she was still, until eventually, the angle of the mach cone got so low, with one rainbow visible shatter of the light spectrum, the Sonic Rainboom was formed. A rainbow trail was made behind her and her speed doubled at an instant.
Just as the Sonic Rainboom was made, Mare Do Well finished forming her own sun, holding it with her horn. She made it so bright with heat that she made it difficult for any pony to look anywhere at the battle ground without any of them risking potential blinding. She could only hold the blazing spherical form for only a second or two, three at best. That was just enough time she needed to wait for Rainbow Dash to come within sight again and launch it at her. Dash was coming in at dashing speed, so she had to launch at reflex.
The miniature sun came at half the speed of a rock from a slingshot, but it made a direct hit. Dash obviously thought to charge with her cranium since that was the part protected by her helmet, so the tiny lightning standee on the helmet was the first to go through the burning sensation of the mini sun. Before the metal could completely melt and burn the fur and skin on her cranium, Dash had already tackled Mare Do Well with everything she had. The melting metal had gotten on her too, but it was she who crashed them both like a giant meteor back into the grounds where they started.
The collision made an earthquake that not only shook up the stadium, but also the entire city. However, it was the stadium that had the most ponies for the night, so it was they who felt the extreme energy of the two powerful ponies. Normally, the stadium’s shield would serve just fine to protect them all, but not when the entire ground below the stadium is what’s causing such a powerful rumble. Even the guard ponies who created the shield couldn’t keep it together if the ground below can’t stay still so they can sit still.
The Pegasi simply flew up a little to avoid the danger, but every pony else either tumbled or fumbled or even tripped or rolled or toppled over one another from the sudden shock of energy bursting through the ground below. The shield still held enough so no pony could fall into the battle grounds, but it was the ones who sat up high enough to need binoculars who could really shake about in potential danger. Of course, every guard Pegasus on shift did everything they could to fly around to save and keep every pony safe, but it was the rest of the guard ponies who struggled just to keep themselves safe. They need not to worry about the royal sisters as they are alicorns, so their personal guards were all the more help for the rest of the public.
Cadence picked up her husband so he couldn’t shake about while Twilight and Fluttershy had to team up with two other guard Pegasi so they could get every pony else in the suite, even Spike and the young crusaders. Fluttershy handled the foals and Twilight got Spike and Applejack, so the two guards had to handle Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Rarity wrapped her hooves around the guard’s neck like a damsel in distress, so the guard enjoyed these few seconds, while Pinkie wrapped every limb around the guard’s body, almost squeezing the air out of his lungs.
The shock of energy in the ground still lasted a while, so until it actually stopped, the end of the battle was indeterminate. Even after the earthquake, many parts and structural areas of the stadium were disjointed or misplaced or just overall out of place or weakened or shambled. The stadium overall still held strong, but many a pony, especially the foals, could use minor medical attention, maybe ice for bruises or bandages for cuts or scrapes, but nothing fatal or serious. Most of them were still willing to take their seats back for the whole reason every pony was there in the first place; to see for the season finale who will take home the championship.
The earthquake finally withdrew, but plenty of dust caught up and blocked sight of the crater, let alone the two challengers. Once every pony was in the clear for safety, the guard Pegasi flew around the field and worked together to form a small tornado that would suck up the dirt fog and find its way out of the arena. All that was seen back down were giant pieces and shards of solid earth misplaced or separated. What was clear in the middle was a huge crater that had a large hole deep enough to see only pitch black if any pony would attempt to look in. The guards had no take on the challengers as long as they posed no further danger to the audience, so a referee had to be assigned to look inside the black hole and check for any pony who may still be alive, let alone conscious.
No sound or movement were noticed, so the referee continued to look inside. Soon a sound of breath and groaning was heard, so the referee waved a hoof in the air in circles, signaling the battle can still continue. Most of the audience roared with delight for the possibility of their favorite pony taking home the win. The referee took back a few steps and waited to see which one would come out first. The gasping and groaning grew louder with struggle to get out, but the audience grew quieter as the wait would close soon enough. It was Dash’s friends who were especially eager, but uncertainty still flowed through the entire audience.
Finally, a naked hoof with small patches of fur climbed up for the referee to see. It followed with a naked bald head and a giant burn on the cranium, also with small patches of fur, and a hoof exactly like the first. There were slight burns and little fur everywhere as the pony who had them struggled to pull herself and the uniformed pony on her back out of the huge gap in the crater. She was likely unconscious from taking such a huge impact, but was still worth saving when the battle was only for sport. She was thrown off the naked pony’s back, showing her uniform with all kinds of burns and rolled to the referee to get checked.
The naked steaming pony lost her helmet and gauntlets, so all she had left to wear were parts of a burnt up zipper vest, minus the patches of fur still on her body. She tried to stand back up, but then collapsed onto her hind and plummeted onto her chest. She just lay there like that, gasping with exhaustion. She stayed conscious for as long as she could so she could hear the winner announced. She also had to wait until the referee checked her out too, so the only thing keeping her conscious by then was sheer will power and the eminent sight of herself holding the title for the third time in a row.
The referee was done with both of them, so a small microphone was pulled out of the shirt pocket with magic and held to the mouth. “Mare Do Well is unable to continue. The winner is… Rainbow Dash.”
With the winner finally announced, the audience busted with excitement and joy. Most of them cheered for their undefeated champion while others wanted a change of who held the gold. Some simply clopped in applause for the sheer intensity both combatants showed throughout. It was especially Pinkie Pie out of the rest of her friends who showed cheer and enthusiasm. Of course, Dash taught Fluttershy to come second to Pinkie, but plenty of other friends were also joyful in seeing her victory in the consecutive.
“Yee haw! I knew our Dash could do it!” Applejack cheered on.
“You and every pony else in the stadium,” Rarity smugly said.
“How could I have doubted Dash for a second?” Twilight asked herself, “She always wins.”
“Of course she does!” Scootaloo yelled out, “It’s Rainbow Dash we’re talking about.”
With Twilight’s mind at ease, she continued with her friends, and her brother and sister-in-law, to gaze down upon the destruction resulting in the victory of Equestria’s still most powerful superhero. The young superhero herself was still conscious with a hoof waving in cheer of what she accomplished. However, she just barely mustered up the energy after almost getting burnt alive, crashing through the earth’s crust, and pulling out the alicorn she fought against who put her through such an extreme experience, even greater than her opponents of the last two seasons.
She laid there with her hoof waving by itself. She was still conscious until she saw four medical ponies on their way to pick up the two injured. She saw now that the battle was over, so she let her hoof drop, smile one last smile, and let herself fall unconscious, knowing the third season of the Ultimate Superhero Championships was over as well.
