//------------------------------//
// The Second Half, pt. 2 
// Story: Those Who Sport With Giants 
// by lord_steak 
//------------------------------//

Dash took a post about halfway between the penalty box and the closest point of the middle circle and slightly to the right, watching for the coming free kick.  Muffins hovered nearby, but closer to the central line, and to Dash's left.  They awaited as Blossomforth gave her commands among the wingbacks and midfielders, who then all changed direction and elevation.  Blossomforth sent the ball down the pitch.  Reggie turned back to see he was supposed to get it, but moved in a direction Blossomforth did not intend.  He folded in his left wing slightly as he flapped vigorously with his right, then tucked into a dive.  Reggie barely got to the ball before Spitfire, though the resulting scrum was short-lived.  Spitfire took the ball into the penalty box, looking for an opening.  Twilight encroached on Spitfire’s personal space much quicker than she was prepared to face.  This scrum, too, ended swiftly, with Twilight taking the ball from Spitfire in a matter of seconds.  Twilight rushed forward as Spitfire hovered there agape, spluttering, “How does she learn that fast...?!”

Nopony knows, captain, but that was awesome, Twi!

Cheers rang out from the stands as Twilight began moving up the pitch, rising.  Buckham met her height, cutting off her advancement, and moving in.  She let the ball drop a split-second before kicking it with her rear legs while her body remained vertical, passing the ball downward as well as forward.  Buckham could not drop quickly enough.  He looked back up at her, meeting her gaze as she vanished in a fuchsia pop.  Paper Moon blocked Reinaldo from taking the pass, which allowed its safe travel to Dash’s awaiting hooves.  She faced up the pitch to find McNimbus was already challenging her and going for the ball.  As he attempted to initiate a scrum, Dash bounced the ball off the outside of the aging stallion's outstretched left forehoof, veering to the right and resuming control of the ball.  Muffins was ahead of her, a few lengths in front of Buckenbauer.  Dash picked up speed seemingly going directly at the Cloudsdale Sweeper.  Ms. Hooves gave her friend a grin, and flew back from Buckenbauer slowly, parallel to the goal’s front, towards Dash’s left.  Rainbow began to roll some to the right.  Cometeer moved to cover Muffins as Dash’s angle changed again, straightening out.  Rapidfire started closing, but moved to cover part of the goal.  Buckenbauer broke for Dash.  She swung her left forehoof toward the ball, faking the shot and kicking it to her left with her rear leg.  In an instant the ball was to Muffins, who smacked it at the goal.  Fleetfoot had begun to dive, but had to stop herself as she had overshot its trajectory.  She stretched enough to get a hoof on the ball, and knocked it below the net.  A ringing of metal sounded as the ball glanced off the pole on its way out of bounds.  As the refs pointed to the corner, Fleetfoot stared in shock at Muffins.

So close.  Then again, Fleetfoot’s taken The Derby three years in a row.

Dash started toward the corner, but felt a tugging at her tail stopping her.  Looking back, she saw Muffins shaking her head.  She pointed toward her midfielders.  Each of them moved in per her emphatic hoof motions: Flitter went to the corner, Thunderlane posted near the penalty box’s corner, and Cloudchaser hovered near the center of the pitch, barely on her designated side at all.  Muffins prodded Rainbow Dash a bit out from the goal box corner while she waited next to Buckenbauer.  Flitter took the corner kick and made it short, straight to Thunderlane.  He arced around back toward center.  Rapidfire had seen enough, and closed sky on him, initiating a scrum.  Chanting rose from the stands, increasing in volume, “Derpy Hooves!  Derpy Hooves!”

YES...!!  I love it!

Two sections of home side stands were free of the black haze; at the front of them stood a brown earth pony stallion wearing a green bowtie and a dark red fez, bearing a golden hourglass cutie mark, leading the chant.  Ms. Hooves squealed with delight, “Doc!!  Oh, I so wished you’d be here to see me!”

Thunderlane slapped the ball downward out of the scrum intentionally.  Rapidfire dove after it, only to find Flitter got there first.  Flurryfeather was right on her tail, trying to force another scrum.  Instead, Flitter slapped the ball behind her, just as Thunderlane got there.  Dash quickly moved in on Buckenbauer, pushing him with her back, toward the goal on the right side of the pitch, as Ms. Hooves surged into the gap before the net.  Thunderlane sent her the pass.  Just as it got there, Muffins hurricane-kicked the ball, sending it just over Dash’s head and Buckenbauer’s reach.  Fleetfoot zipped after the shot, barely knocking it away and over the net.  The speedy goalie shook her hoof that saved the goal, mouthing an “ow,” while Flitter returned to the corner on Muffins’s gestured commands.  Fleetfoot looked around at her defenders, shaking her head in disbelief, eyes still wide.  Sounding both empty and in denial, she ordered, “Franz, keep her covered tightly.  She’s too accurate.  I cannot keep her shots out much longer!”

Oh...I see what you’re saying!

Flitter wasted no time in sending the corner kick in as Muffins gestured behind her back at Dash toward the goal.  Dash wound herself up as the ball sailed in.  Ms. Hooves got some separation from Buckenbauer and went for the header.  Dash moved on cue as Fleetfoot grasped for the ball.  Just before the yellow sphere reached the goalie, Rainbow lightly tapped it upward from below, moving the ball up just out of Fleetfoot’s reach.  It entered the net to the sound of the scoring siren while the clock displayed 84:47.  Everything in Fleetfoot’s face and posture said she could not believe this turn of events.  The crowd cheers sounded ecstatic as Dash and Muffins flew into an elated, laughing hug.  Ms. Hooves whooped, “We got an equalizer!!  You did it perfect!!”

“You planned that perfect!!  We’re so close!!” Rainbow cheered joyously as they headed back toward their side, their teammates greeting them with hugs and delighted laughter.  Around the stadium, the haze had mostly lifted.  Cloudsdale’s section, though, remained fairly dark, though a yellow light shone through it from above.

Taking their places outside the middle circle, Dash and Muffins looked at each other, and hugged again, all smiles.  They separated with a hoofbump.  Looking over, they saw Buckham at the center, awaiting the ball with a look of somepony ready to throttle somepony else.

Who’s laughing now, buddy?  Who’s laughing now!?

Muffins urged, “We’ll have to hurry.  I don’t think we can get them if it comes to PKs.”

Rainbow said, “I know.  But we’ve got them on the run!”

“Don’t get cocky.  It’s not over yet,” Ms. Hooves pressed as the lower ref tossed up the ball.  Buckham quickly sent it all the way back to McNimbus while he and Reinaldo moved in.  Dash advanced on Cloudsdale’s center midfielder, who appeared livid over the score being tied.  McNimbus glowered at her as she entered scrum range.  Dash quickly made for the ball, catching him off-guard with her raw speed, but he answered with his experience.  Something in Princess Celestia’s eye caught Dash’s attention right then, an honest-to-goodness look of worry at the dark haze, counterbalanced against a corporate ad on the wall that featured the alabaster alicorn's warm, gentle smile.

Sure is funny how much happens because of everypony who invested themselves in a game that didn’t need to be played...if they push the crowd into trying to kill her, what will that do to her reign?  Or all those businesses who spent who knows how many bits on these ads?  How much different would it be if the princesses lost the will of...NO!  Don’t even think like that!  You really don’t even have time for this right now!  Focus!

Dash gained some advantage for the ball, getting a hoof on it, and beginning to take it away.  Just as she broke loose, McNimbus got one last hoof on the ball, a sharp kick from below that sent the ball almost true vertical, and into the upper cloud layer.  He gave no hesitation as he flew up, giving his teammates commanding gestures.  Muffins did the same as Dash watched her, rising up to face McNimbus over the meteor.

This doesn’t feel high enough...like he’s intentionally sitting lower than five meters below the upper layer.

Above the cloud layer a ref dropped the ball, immediately patching the hole behind it.  Both eyed its descent intently.  Rainbow poised all-wound up and ready to take off with it towards the goal, but McNimbus tapped it over her head just as she was about to make her move.  Reinaldo had been waiting, right behind her.  Dash shook her head.  “Nice timing.  That had to be at five meters exactly, when you hit it.”

McNimbus patted her on the back.  “Thanks, and yes.  Youth and talented against age and experience...the experience will win it nine times out of ten.”

Reinaldo was down the pitch some already, staying far enough back from Thunderlane to have an easy out if Thunderlane wished to contend with him.  Dash kept passing it back to McNimbus out of the question as Reinaldo lowered himself close to medial elevation, gesturing around towards his teammates, who struggled at getting open against a surprisingly effective zone defense.  Tom shouted, “Watch your six!”

Muffins zipped in from behind Reinaldo and ever so slightly his left.  The Cavalonian turned just in time to see her tap the ball away from his near-stationary dribbling, scoop it up and flare out her wings, just as quickly going the direction whence she came.  Reinaldo could not react as she flew under him, driving down the pitch.  Dash showed her youth’s speed beat McNimbus’s experience, taking the higher sky as they closed on Cloudsdale’s fullback again, to the sound of the crowd, “Derpy Hooves!  Derpy Hooves!”

The head ref signaled five minutes of stoppage time.

She’s right.  We can’t beat them in PKs.  I’ll score, she’ll score, but that’s it.  I don’t think Blossomforth can handle Buckham, Reinaldo, and McNimbus in penalty kicks.  Gotta hurry up...!

Dash dove towards Buckenbauer, who was blocking Muffins’s path.  Rapidfire and Cometeer had also closed sky on her, forming an arc.  Rainbow zipped up to Buckenbauer, working to alleviate his obstruction.  She turned around, backing herself into him, forcing Buckenbauer in the direction of Cometeer.  Muffins wound up and kicked before Rapidfire could fill the gap, watching it bend, and bend again!  Fleetfoot’s eyes went wide.  Then Dash felt herself move too quickly.  She turned her head to see Buckenbauer had slipped out from behind her, towards Muffins, as the whistle blew.  Fleetfoot had dove after the ball anyway, not enough to stop it from going into the net, but that was of no consequence.  Dash clapped her hooves once in frustration...she fell into Buckenbauer’s favourite trick, and found herself offsides.  As she retreated from Cloudsdale’s penalty box, she heard Fleetfoot mutter, “That was too close.  I think we lucked out!”

Yes.  Yes you did.  Damn....

Buckenbauer gave the directions non-verbally, then kicked...nothing.  He did not kick the ball.  He completely missed it.  Fleetfoot, however, make clean contact, sending the ball to Cometeer.  Dash promptly moved to close distance.  Cometeer slid to her left, then dipped down when Muffins moved to block a central approach.  Recovering, Dash soon was back on her opponent, but not before Cometeer passed to Misty Fly.  Rainbow flapped harder, trying to catch up.

We’re spread too thin up high for this!

Misty Fly grinned, and quickly advanced near the upper cloud layer where there was a distinct lack of white jerseys.  She passed to Reinaldo.  Cloudchaser closed the gap quicker than expected, and finally provided enough resistance to slow Cloudsdale's advances.  She could not keep the area beneath her covered well enough to prevent a centering pass from above to Buckham.  Both wingbacks converged, eliminating any effective chance at passing to the wings.  At the end of the penalty box Buckham wound up and blasted the ball, another of his signature spirals...but Twilight was grinning.  She adjusted herself half a length to her left and slapped the ball as it arced near, sending it over Thundercracker’s head with a lopsided spin.  Soarin’ got there as it started downward, at the edge of the penalty box.

Yes!  YES!!  DO IT!!

Soarin’ tried to direct Buckham.  The palomino got wide-eyed, motioning upward.  Soarin’ paused in confusion, just to see a gray blur shoot downward in front of him, a dive from above, taking the ball towards the middle of the field.  Buckham could not get there as Muffins zipped on by, and Soarin’ mused to himself, “She's incredible!”

Reinaldo held the middle ground, just past the outside of the central circle.  Ms. Hooves wasn’t slowing or even changing direction.  She had a bee-line course set, straight through him, with Dash almost in a line with her along the left wing.  The chant rang out anew, “Derpy Hooves!  Derpy Hooves!”

As she approached Reinaldo, she tipped the ball forward just quick enough he could not get a hoof on it, and pulled her wings in while she jetted past within five centimeters of colliding.  He whirled about, starting to pursue but quickly realized she was too fast to catch.  Chuckling, he said, “That marrre is professional grade.”

McNimbus lay in wait past the middle circle in a slow retreat, about twice as far from the penalty box than from the central line.  All of Muffins’ face was unbridled determination cordially tucked into a slight frown.  He moved to interrupt her path, but she tapped it over his head while steering herself equally close underneath his holding position.  With smile as he shook his head, he cheered, “There’s the gal we wanted to draft!”

Only Buckenbauer remained between Muffins and Fleetfoot.  Rapidfire moved to cover part of the goal while Cometeer prevented Dash from being open to take a pass or shot.  Buckenbauer stymied her every attempt, adjusting his defense to keep Muffins from having a shot without getting into a scrum.  Cometeer and Dash were in a tangle of shoves while Ms. Hooves kept looking for a way around.  McNimbus approached from behind.  Dash spun herself, weakening Cometeer’s shove and left the fullback off-balance.  Muffins quickly passed as Rainbow got clear, but Cometeer had already recovered, preventing a shot.  A magenta flash caught her attention.  Twilight was already in, boxing out Buckenbauer.  He found his best means to throw an attacker offsides would not work, as Twilight was at least ten centimeters taller than most ponies since becoming an alicorn.  Combined with the earth pony strength, she had little difficulty moving Buckenbauer a fair distance from the play.  Muffins had rose up in altitude to keep Rapidfire off her back.  Rainbow pulled a feint, starting in on the center with a sudden stop, creating enough separation to pass the ball.  While there was still time, Dash centered it, screaming, “Derpy!  Shot!!”

The unrelenting march of time has always been a constant in the strictest sense, yet anypony who lived to adulthood could claim there were moments it seemed to slow, whether in a boring class at school, or in a very first kiss, or so on.  Dash looked on as one of these unfolded before her.  The eye-searing yellow ball seemed to amble along with the hard, strong flaps of everypony present that also showed no sense of urgency through her eyes.  Muffins blinked slowly, then, with the stormball on its way to her, Dash could swear for the rest of her days that she saw both of those yellow eyes lock in on the inbound ball.  Taking a deep breath, Ms. Hooves began to spin, that spin.  The ball came to Muffins, and her rear left leg had come around the rotation precisely when it should, making the wicked kick hit with perfection.  The ball moved in a counterclockwise whorl, but everypony watched in baited breath, thinking it descended too sharply to rotate in.  Buckenbauer tried to block it anyway, missing his mark by moving too late.  Fleetfoot did as well, to the same end.  A heavy clang rang out as it slammed into the side pole, and another as it bounced to the pole on the other side of the net, and rebounded all the way in on the second ricochet.

Time “resumed” at its normal pace as the scoring siren sounded, but was drowned by the screaming cheers of the stadium.  The mist was gone.  Ponies ran everywhere, hoofbumps all around, strangers hugging strangers.  Even Princess Celestia danced on the breeze with Princess Cadance, both bounding and giggling with all dignity gone.  But the loudest scream of joy came from a gray mare, running down the lower cloud layer on two legs with eyes closed and no shortage of happy tears, followed closely, both in volume and in location, by a cyan blur with a prismatic trail behind it.  Euphoria deluged the minds of the entire Ponyville team so much so, that even Bicycle Kick was in on the gleeful screaming and hugging every which way.  Dash tackled Muffins into a giddy embrace, both parties happy beyond words, jumping up and down on their hind legs, atop the lower cloud layer.  The rest of the team soon piled on, none able to form a coherent word.  Before long, referees were there, pulling ponies up and blowing whistles. 

As they got up, the head ref barked, “Accounting for the goal, you still have thirty-seven seconds of stoppage time left!  Either take your positions or forfeit!  There will not be this kind of excessive celebration during the game!”

Ponyville’s team flew up to their posts, most of them still overjoyed and still giggling.  Four goals to three, and for the first time since they began playing all the FISA teams, Cloudsdale was down.  Dash looked out on the Cloudsdale team.  Most of them simply looked shocked, in total disbelief.  Fleetfoot, though, appeared shipwrecked.  Buckenbauer was talking to her and rubbing her back as she slowly hovered, her eyes with a kilometer stare at nothing in particular.  Spitfire just shook her head, though it seemed to Dash that she suppressed a smile.  However, Buckham looked ready to murder anypony who gave him a funny look, let alone more.

The lower ref tossed the ball upward at the center of the pitch.  Buckham dribbled it forward with a surge, trying between Dash and Muffins.  He evaded the former, though the latter did get a hoof on the ball and caused him to suddenly slow down to recollect it.  Pressing, he zipped onward before either Ponyville Striker could do much more than start in his direction.  Buckham jetted between Flitter and Thunderlane.  Paper Moon proved to be an obstacle again, but not much more of one that Muffins had been a moment ago.  It was long enough that Reggie could hinder Buckham a bit further, but definitely not stop.  Still he advanced, seeing just Twilight between him and Blossomforth as the crowd began counting down from ten.  The princess had the whole waving, sparkling mane going for her again.  As he prepped a shot, she vanished and reappeared right in front of him, her rear leg already in motion as she rematerialized from a teleport, knocking the stormball straight up.  It slowed just enough that it barely came into contact with the upper cloud layer.  Buckham zipped upward, then just stopped.  A meteor meant a five-second wait before they dropped the ball, and he saw the clock only had three left.  He hung his head as the realization came: Twilight had bested him at his own game.

Delighted cheers resounded loudly all around the stadium as time expired.  Spike ran in circles, both fists over his head in triumph.  Bicycle Kick himself had happy tears, well, until those on the bench gave him the traditional winning coach’s bath; after that the elderly stallion looked half-frozen.  Pegasi flew from the stands out onto the pitch, meeting the players, though mostly the retirees got the attention.  Plenty of avid stormball fans vied for their chance to talk with the greats, but one did not look okay to talk to for now.  Players from both teams had some time to freely talk to each other.  Dash looked over as Muffins caught up with Doc; he was heartily laughing with exuberant waving of his hooves for a good moment.  As they stood looking toward the pitch, he stopped and hugged her with both forelegs.  Rainbow smiled at the sight of Muffins getting a little pink in the cheeks, then leaning her head against his with a slight smile.

Aww...not surprised she feels that way about him, but does he know that?

“Hey, Dash.”

Rainbow turned to see Soarin’.  He gave her a smile and a hug, but could not mask his disappointment.  Dash said, “Hey!  You were awesome today!  And it was a blast!”

He answered softly, “You’re pretty awesome yourself...Ensign.”

Her eyes widened briefly.  A slight hesitation on her part, then she quietly said, “Thank you, sir.  Is there a reason we’re whispering?”

“You are still on clandestine assignment,” he said.  He looked around, then hissed in her ear, “Watch the captain for a signal with her left wing.  Commander Fleetfoot will be talking to the suspect, intending to flush him out.  You must always be ready as a Wonderbolt, Ensign.”

“Yes sir.”

“Post by where Reinaldo is now.  The suspect is almost in position,” Soarin’ ordered.  “Go.”

Dash gave a curt nod, as she hovered toward Reinaldo, watching toward Spitfire.  Epinephrine raced through her veins at the mere thought of Twilight being bait for a monster.  She could hear her heart pounding in her own eardrums again.  A twist developed in her stomach.  While her hovering went unimpeded, her legs felt burdened and unmoving, as if somepony went and tied a fifteen kilo weight to each of them.  She knew this feeling, and she hated it.  Anxiety.  And fear.  Fear for one of those she held closest.

I shouldn’t be afraid.  I mean, we’re Wonderbolts, for pity’s sake!  We’re the best fliers in Equestria!  Surely we can do this, right?

Dash sighed aloud, looking on as Spitfire landed on the lower cloud layer, talking with Flitter.

I guess living the dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  All I wanted was to be in the stunt flying shows, not in a military unit.  But, from how Soarin’ just gave me that order, it sounds like the shows aren’t even close to the majority of being a Wonderbolt.  Oh well.  At least I still get to hang with Twi.  Hey, I think I get paid to do that, now!  Gotta keep the princess safe, and who better to do that than me?  Ha!  Maybe this is gonna be an awesome gig!

“Ah, Rrrainbow Dash!” called out Reinaldo.

“Hey!  Um...should I call you ‘Chris,’ or ‘Mr. Reinaldo,’ or something else?” asked Dash with tempered uncertainty.

Reinaldo chuckled.  “Calling me ‘Chris’ is acceptable.  It is what my teammates say.”

“Cool!  That game got a little nuts, huh, Chris?”

“The game was good, yes, but events surrrrounding the game werrre absurd,” commented Reinaldo.

Dash was barely listening.  From the lower cloud layer, Spitfire flapped out her left wing twice while looking around and leaving her right folded at her side.  Flitter appeared confused by this, but Dash focused her attention on Buckham, whom Fleetfoot approached from the side.  Reinaldo leaned partially into Dash’s field of vision with his eyes on her, then looked around at some of the others gathered here.  He lifted his chin as he closed his eyes.  “I see.  So you arrre a Wonderbolt as well, no?  Please, be carrreful with Da’fid.”

Reinaldo patted Dash on the back and backed away, watching Buckham.  Her ears both pointed at Fleetfoot.  Through the din surrounding all the early celebrations and other ponies’ conversations, she managed to discern what she was saying.  “I’m not real happy about it, either, Dave.  I guess Princess Twilight was right about that old saying: ‘You can’t win them all.’  Gave it a good go, though, huh?”

Buckham shook his head in disappointment, but his eye spoke of rising anger.  Fleetfoot continued, “I really don’t get it.  I mean, Her Highness is brilliant, a genius to be sure, but picking up stormball that well in under a week?  She has to be more talented than us at this game; maybe you, too.”

“What are you on about now?” grumped Buckham, unable to fully hide his budding rage.

Fleetfoot looked at Twilight a moment, resuming her words before turning back to him midway.  “She’s amazing.  Is there nothing she can’t do when she puts her mind to it?  I guess Her Majesty was correct, that Twilight Sparkle deserved her coronation, that she is better than us.  Look at how she played the game!  Her actions accounted for a seven-point swing in their favor, between stopping our goals or beginning the drives when they scored!  And after playing this game for less than a week!”

Buckham’s jaw began to shake as he looked over at Twilight, who was engrossed in a conversation with Buckenbauer.  Fleetfoot had not finished.  “But the worst part was how many foreign dignitaries were here to see it.  I saw the Prench Prime Minister take her seat; she certainly looks pleased with Princess Twilight’s leadership and effort.  The Emirs of Saddle Arabia also came, as did the Midillish Sultan.  And there were certainly others I missed, judging from the languages I heard.”

The lisping commander closed in on Buckham as she said, “The whole world watched as she dropped you at your own sport, after we thrashed all of them.  She alone accounted for a bigger share of points scored and denied than anypony else, including you.  She proved herself better in five days than you did in thirty-seven years.  I think I’d be mad, too.”

Wow.  Overdoing it much?  I knew Fleetfoot could be a real piece of work, with how the Equestria Games tryouts went, but I didn’t think she’d be a total bitch all the time!

Fleetfoot moved up so that her mouth was right beside his ear, continuing with both her face and voice goading, “Hell, I think I’d be right-royally pissed off, and ready to do something, if I was ever so completely, thoroughly, and absolutely embarrassed on the global stage like that.  But what can you do?  She’s a princess!  She’s above us all.  And she will be, for life!”

Oh hell...!!

Buckham roared, eyes full of hate, as he rocketed off directly at Twilight Sparkle with a dark smudge in his wake.  Dash could not have started that fast from a stop, nor could anypony else.  None of the Wonderbolts could get there in time.  Twilight turned toward him, her mane and tail already drifting, and fired a magenta beam from her horn at him.  A pale yellow and a sky blue beam also struck Buckham at the same time, stopping him dead in his flight in some luminescent aura.  Twilight slowly approached him as Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance lowered themselves down, all the beams still connected to the swirling glow around him.  Twenty-five ponies all swooped in and positioned themselves around the trapped Buckham, each looking ready to fight, including every recognized Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash, Stormbringer, Thundercracker, Thunderlane, and Windy Clouds.  Twilight spoke to her royal peers, “I have him.”

How did he move that fast...??

Celestia and Cadance released their holding spell.  Buckham could move within the magenta field surrounding him, but could not push the field any.  Celestia’s horn glowed, and a wide yellow ray began slowly sweeping over the captured pony.  A soprano voice with a similar accent to Buckham’s behind Twilight shrieked, “David, love, what were you thinking!?!”

A milky white, golden maned, green-eyed pegasus with a shattering glass goblet for a cutie mark, Lilting Angel-Buckham, tore over toward her husband.  Spitfire halted her, until Cadance gently said, “Let her pass, Captain.”

Blue sparks danced around Cadance while Lilting stared in horror at the dark look on her husband’s face, her tears flowing freely.  A red heart popped from the end of Cadance’s horn.  It meandered towards the restrained stormballer, bursting upon his forehead.  He shook his head, to which the black mist poured out of his eyes.  He writhed and groaned in pain, forcing a stare at his wife, weakly saying, “...my darling...help me...help the princesses free me from....”  His eyes glazed a moment as his movements froze.  A tense moment passed without a word before his eyes resumed their malice and hatred.  A primal shriek left his mouth instead of any object for the hanging preposition.  His thrashing began anew.

Free him from the Elevens?  But...what’s going on?

Princess Celestia gasped, her wide beam narrowed and fixed at a point in his midsection.  All eyes turned to their sovereign.  Celestia’s face was one of shock and alarm, with some disgust mixed in.  She slowly turned toward Mrs. Buckham, speaking in a grim tone.  “He’s been implanted.”

...oh.  Holy hell.  My goodness, how low can you get?  Sending somepony unwilling to do your work by mind control...I’m gonna be sick....

Twilight turned to her fellow princesses.  “Get him to my lab immediately, and take the main Wonderbolt contingent and Mrs. Buckham with you.  We have to get that out of him!”

Celestia nodded as Cadance took over the restraining spell.  As the non-Ponyville pegasi gathered around, Princess Celestia began charging up her horn with a small giggle.  Cadance looked over at her aghast, demanding, “Auntie, what are you laughing at!?”

A second layer of glow encompassed Celestia’s horn as she happily replied, “Twilight really has grown, and learned, so much.  My faithful student took all my lessons seriously, no matter the challenge or the subject.  I always wondered how it would be, if the shoe was on the other hoof, and I’m about to find out.”

A bright, sun-yellow glow encompassed those two dozen ponies, and they disappeared with a loud pop.  Most of the audience looked dumbfounded, but the applause resumed as Bicycle Kick motioned his team over to him, in front of the stands where Ponyville’s residents sat.  The Cakes, Pinkie, Greasy Mack, Lyra, and Bon-Bon had all come out of their booths and joined their fellow townsfolk, hooting and hollering their cheers with the rest of town.  Twilight and Dash were the last two to join the others, and stood next to Muffins.  Bicycle Kick gave them all a wide smile.  “It’s time we had a song!”

The team cheered, and the crowd returned to them the same.  Blossomforth suggested, “Let’s sing The Canon!”

Bicycle Kick chuckled as he shook his head.  He looked her in the face and said, “Dear granddaughter, you’re the only one here who went to Pranceton.  Nopony else here knows the words.”  A smattering a laughs rang out among the team and the front few rows of stands.

“I had to try,” answered the goalkeeper with a shrug and grin.

Muffins spoke up, “How about Hail to Our Team?  It’s short, and I think we all know the words.”

“Just so long as we switch out ‘our team’ with ‘Ponyville!’” said Dash.

Ms. Hooves laughed, “I thought that went without saying!” 

The team murmured in agreement.  Following the coach’s lead, they started clapping in unison, at an allegretto tempo.  Bicycle Kick shouted in the beat of the clapping, “One, two, three, four!”  And they sang:

“Hail! to the noble vict’ry!
Hail! to the shining triumph!
Hail! Hail! to Ponyville,
Who we cheer and stand!
Hail! to the noble vict’ry!
Hail! to the shining triumph!
Hail! Hail! to Ponyville,
The gem of all the land!”

Everypony cheered, with hugs all around.  The team started back toward the locker room, except Twilight, who disappeared as she teleported away.  Dash and Muffins were still smiling as they slowly flew together towards the locker room.  The two looked at each other for a moment, and they began chortling some more, still delighted in the big win and how they got there.  Dash said, “Wow.  What a day!”

“It’s not every day you fulfill a life-long dream!” exclaimed Muffins.


“Yeah.  It really isn’t,” said Dash, slowly nodding.  Clapping the gray mare on the shoulder, she posed, “You know, Muffins, I think we have the start of an awesome friendship.”

Chuckling, Ms. Hooves pulled her into a side-hug, and looked her in eye.  “Please, Dash,” she said, “call me Derpy.”

Fin