//------------------------------// // Friday Night Ascension II // Story: Equestria Wrestling Federation // by chillbook1 //------------------------------// A classic rock theme reverberated through the arena, eliciting a unanimous eruption of cheers from the crowd. Nearly everyone in the arena stood, many bowing in respect as the great Twilight Sparkle hobbled out into the arena, clutching her cane in her right hand and a golden briefcase in her left. She smiled, bowing her head slightly to her fans. She slowly ascended into the ring, setting her cane down and rolling in after it. She limped to the center of the ring, set down her briefcase, and borrowed a microphone from the announcer. “Ladies and gentleman,” she said with a grin. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I am your EWF Friday Night Ascension General Manager.” The crowd exploded into cheers, which made Twilight smile despite her best efforts. “Glad to know you remember me. In any case, I came here to talk to you tonight about some things that have been weighing heavily on my mind.” Immediately, it became clear that Twilight hadn’t lost her touch with age. She was still one of the best on the mic, able to capture the audience almost immediately. “And, in order to understand my situation, you need a bit of a history lesson. “Once upon a time, many, many years ago… I was just debuting in the EWF with my best friend, my tag team partner, Trixie Lulamoon.” The crowd booed, the heat for Trixie nearing nuclear status. “And things were great. Our team, Might & Magic, we were nearly unstoppable. Six-time tag team champions, the longest collective time with the belts in EWF history. We were on top of the world. Then… Trixie stabbed me in the back. You see, she wanted to contend for the EWF World Championship, which is an understandable feeling. I sympathized with that feeling even then. But, what she could never live with was the fact that I got it first.” The crowd erupted into another bout of cheers, many of them old enough to remember the fateful moment when Twilight had forced her former tag partner to tap out in the middle of the ring to capture the then-vacant EWF World Championship. It was an incredible part of wrestling history: the first title win of one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the world. “I can only speculate that Trixie was jealous of me, because she wouldn’t rest until she took the belt from me. And, to her credit, she did,” continued Twilight. “And I took it back.” The crowd cheered, which made Twilight smile a bit wider. “And we went back and forth, neither of us quite getting a foothold over the other. We battered each other, risking our bodies to prove who was truly the better wrestler. And, there came a time when we couldn’t continue. My leg, my back, Trixie’s neck… We had two options. Either we retire with the score tied, 50-50, neither of us better than the other, or… We could put it all on the line one final time. One last match. At this point, the championship was almost inconsequential. It was about the glory of beating your rival, once and for all. And… I’m not at all ashamed to say that Trixie proved herself to be the better woman that day. Now, the methods of her winning are the subject of… controversy, let’s say, but history remembers only the victor. And remember her, history has. She became general manager of Magic, me of Ascension, and she decided that she would be the last ever EWF World Champion.” The crowd booed thunderously, starting a chant of “Trixie sucks!”. Twilight shook her head, disappointed in her former partner’s business tactics. “So that brings us here. For years, I’ve been regrettably denying many talented stars the opportunity to reach the top of the mountain. There was nothing I could do. I can’t book a match for Trixie’s title on my show, because she’s not here. I can’t book a match on Magic, because it’s outside of my jurisdiction. I can’t vacate the title on the 30-day defense rule, because Trixie is actually perfectly capable of defending the title. She simply chooses not to. I can’t force her to Ascension, just as I can’t force myself to Magic. But…” Twilight grabbed the briefcase and raised it up for the crowd to see. “What I can do is give five lucky competitors an opportunity. I have in my hand the Ultimate Opportunity, a briefcase containing a very special contract. The contract is simple: whoever holds the briefcase can challenge for any singles championship, any time, any place, within the next year.” Twilight grinned as the crowd put things together, then erupted into cheers. As the applause died down, she brought the mic back to her mouth and continued. “Now what that means is the winner gets a free title match. You can use it on any singles belt you want. Now, I can’t tell you what to do with this briefcase, should you win it, but… If, say, Pinkamena wins, she can cash it in on Luna Regal for the Intercontinental championship at any point in the year. Or, if, say, Ember Torch wins, she can choose to cash it in on Starlight Glimmer for the Nationals championship at any point in time, even immediately after a match, which could give her a second chance should she lose. Or… If the winner wanted to, perhaps, cash the briefcase in on Trixie Lulamoon…” The crowd burst with excitement, clamoring for this Ultimate Opportunity match to begin. The vast majority of fans had grown quite tired of seeing Trixie as champion, even those who would call themselves supporters of the Magic GM. This was a golden opportunity for things to finally change, for a younger, more deserving star to finally get their chance in the spotlight. “And, to be truthful, I originally intended to hold this match in a few weeks, at the DisHarmony pay-per-view. But… seeing as I have the contract right now…” Twilight grinned. “Why not just get it over with? So, the main event of tonight’s show will be a five-man ladder match for the Ultimate Opportunity!” The crowd’s cheers were interrupted by the classical fanfare of Diamond Tiara’s entrance. The cheers immediately became boos as the self-proclaimed “hottest young star in the wrestling” came walking down the ramp. “Hold the phone, Sparkle,” said Diamond, holding a mic to her mouth. “I read over the list of competitors in this match.” She produced the list from her boot, a simple sheet of paper which she unfolded. “I see Ember Torch, Pinkamena Pie, and two nobodies I’ve never even heard of, but you know who I don’t see? I don’t see The Crown Jewel of the EWF. I don’t see my name on the list!” The crowd cheered at that, which only added to Diamond’s frustrations. “It seems your memory is going with your age, because you clearly forgot that this opportunity was promised to me. Not Pie, not Torch, and definitely not two rookies You promised me that opportunity.” “And I haven’t broken my promise. See, I promised that I’d be giving you an opportunity,” said Twilight, a mischievous grin spread across her face. “And I never go back on my promises. So, the opportunity I’m presenting you tonight, Diamond Tiara, is the opportunity to insert yourself into the match.” “What the hell are you talking about?” demanded Diamond. “Well, I’m not very fond of your brutal assault on Scootaloo last week,” said Twilight. “That said, I wish Scootaloo would’ve handled the situation a bit better. No need for hate to fester more hate. So, we’re going to settle things the way I would’ve when I was your age. You two are going to have a match to decide who gets the last slot in the Ultimate Opportunity match. And that match goes on… right now!” Twilight handed the microphone to the announcer, then slid out of the ring. To everyone’s surprise, she made no attempt to return up the ramp. Instead, she pulled a chair up next to Discord and grabbed a spare headset, squeezing into the commentator’s area. “Hi, guys,” said Twilight, tapping the mouthpiece. “Am I on?” “Er… Certainly, but, er… This is abnormal,” said Celestia. “General managers don’t typically do commentary on their shows.” “Well, I like to think that I am far from typical, as far as GMs go.” Twilight grinned, then cleared her throat. “Ladies and gentleman, welcome to a monumental Friday Night Ascension! The most captivating part of your Friday nights!” “I’m Celestia Regal, joined as always by my colleague, Discord Redrum,” said Celestia. “And, quite the pleasant surprise, guest commentator for tonight’s affairs will be the General Manager of Friday Night Ascension, twelve-time EWF World Champion, The Magician, Twilight Sparkle! Happy to have you here, Twilight.” “Happy to be here. Truthfully, I’ve missed being this close to the action,” said Twilight. “Can you feel the electricity in the air?” “I can feel Diamond Tiara’s righteous fury, is what I can feel,” said Discord. “Twilight Sparkle, I have no problem telling you that this is a massive injustice! Scootaloo is nowhere near as deserving of a title shot as Diamond Tiara!” “I wouldn’t worry too much about that, Discord,” said Twilight. “I’d be very surprised if Diamond Tiara loses this coming match.” “Are you sure it’s wise to underestimate a competitor like Scootaloo?” asked Celestia. “She clearly has heart.” “Oh, without question. But this isn’t about her heart, or even her skill in the ring. It’s about her temper. Diamond angrily began down the ramp, tossing the list to the ground and stamping on it angrily. She slid into the ring, her face a menacing scowl as she waited for opponent to make herself known. Diamond would get this done quickly so she could have time to prepare for the Ultimate Opportunity match. “The following contest is scheduled for one-fall! Introducing first, from Ponyville, weighing in at 135 pounds, who would like to be announced as The Hottest Young Star in Wrestling, DIAMOND TIARA!” Diamond didn’t even bother posturing for the crowd, she was so focused on crushing the girl who had assaulted her. The cold, industrial sounds of Scootaloo’s theme kicked in, giving way to Scootaloo herself. Diamond immediately tensed up, which brought a smile to Scootaloo’s face. She pointed forward with her baseball bat, then rushed the ring. The referee rang the bell for the match to begin just as Scootaloo slid into the ring. Diamond managed to get the upper hand, smashing Scootaloo’s skull with clubbing forearms. Scootaloo brought a knee to Diamond’s chest, then savagely swung her bat into Diamond’s middle. Diamond dropped to the ground, thrashing in agony as Scootaloo brought her bat down once, twice, three more times before tossing the bat onto the ground and rolling out of the ring. “Mh-hm. That’s about what I expected,” sighed Twilight. “I wish those two could just have a proper match. I’ve no doubt that they can put on some incredible displays. It’s a shame, really.” “Agreed. But, alas, there’s not much that can be done for it,” said Celestia. “Actually… There is. I’ve got a few ideas in mind for those two, but that’s going to have to wait.” “Something we won’t have to wait for, however, is for the Patron Saint of the Ring to get her Intercontinental Championship back,” said Discord. “Because we’ve got ourselves a rematch: Luna Regal versus Rarity Valentine, next!” Rarity’s somber piano theme floated out, which melted seamlessly into the epic march of the Patron Saint of the Ring. Rarity strolled down the ramp, sliding deftly into the ring. “Ooh, I'm excited about this one,” said Twilight. “Such a wonderful technician, that Valentine. In particular, her Figure-four leglock is one of the best I've seen. Not to discount Luna, of course, with that fantastic Tantabus, and a set of hands that I wouldn’t want to go five rounds with. Wonderful match-up, wouldn't you say?” “I couldn't have worded it better myself,” agreed Celestia. “I can't speak for Valentine, but Luna has dedicated her life to being the best in the ring. That's what makes her so dangerous. Luna has the tools and the talent.” “But something she won't have for long,” cut in Discord. “Is the Intercontinental championship.” “Is that so?” asked Twilight. “Personally, I think it's anyone's match.” There's a Nightmare inside! Luna Regal burst onto the scene, to thunderous applause. She pulled the Intercontinental championship from her waist and held it high over her head as she briskly descended down the ramp and entered the ring. She handed the belt to the referee, tugging on the ring ropes idly. “The following contest is scheduled for one-fall! And it is for the EWF Intercontinental Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, from Canterlot City, weighing in at 146 pounds, RARITY VALENTINE!” The crowd booed, which only added to the clear determination on Rarity’s face. She kept glancing at the championship, preparing to take it by any means necessary. “And her opponent, from Canterlot City, weighing in at 195 pounds, she is the current EWF Intercontinental Champion… The Nightmare, LUNA REGAL!” Luna jumped to the middle rope, giving a beastly roar and infecting the crowd with her unique, monstrous energy. The referee showed each competitor the belt, then handed it to the timekeeper. The bell rang, and the match began. Immediately, Luna grabbed Rarity in a tie-up, forcing her into the corner. She rocketed a fist into Rarity’s middle, then another, working the body for nearly every second of the referee’s five-count. “Luna off to an intense start,” noted Twilight. “Clearly doesn't want Valentine to build any momentum, which is an intelligent move.” As soon as Luna was backed away, Rarity rolled under the bottom rope and to ringside. She clutched her ribs gingerly, taking a moment to catch her breath. Luna rolled out of the ring, running around to her opponent, who quickly rolled back into the ring. Luna followed again, finding herself in a much less favorable position than earlier. Rarity stomped firmly on the champion’s lower back. She quickly dragged Luna to the center of the ring, wrapping her legs around Luna’s in hopes of locking in the Figure-four. Luna countered, kicking Rarity forward and sending her crashing into the turnbuckle. “Rarity hoping to get the match over as quickly as possible,” said Twilight. “Which, personally, I find to be wishful thinking. The only way you're going to beat a competitor like Luna Regal is to wear her down. Tire her out. Otherwise, things like that will happen.” Luna hopped to her feet, grabbed Rarity by the arm, and flung her to the opposite corner. Rarity collided firmly, rebounding into a running boot from Luna, who dropped for a cover. One! Two! Rarity forced her shoulder up with no time to spare. Luna smirked slightly, rolling off of her opponent and pulling herself up onto the middle rope. She let out another bestial shout, eliciting another pop from the crowd. With her back turned, she didn't notice Rarity crawling up behind her. Rarity quickly grabbed Luna and brought her down, pinning her shoulders to the mat. One! Two! As the referee’s hand neared the mat for three, he glanced up and saw Rarity with a fistful of Luna’s tights. He pulled Rarity off, reprimanding her and reminding her of the rules. “Ooh, your sister's posturing almost cost her in a big way,” hummed Discord, unable to keep his amusement to himself. “She better be careful, lest Miss Valentine reclaims what is rightfully hers.” Rarity and Luna both hurried to their feet, reaching a vertical base at nearly the same time. Rarity made a wild swing, which Luna easily ducked. The champion brought a boot to Rarity’s middle, bending her over at the waist. Luna wasted no time in turning to press Rarity’s head to her own back. She hooked their arms together, twisted, and hoisted Rarity into the air, suspending her upside-down. Luna dropped straight down, slamming Rarity’s head against the mat with a sickening thud. “And there's the match,” said Twilight. “You could count to a hundred, Rarity Valentine is not kicking out of that.” “The Eternal Night has yet to fail Luna,” agreed Celestia. “No one has ever kicked out of it. This match is good and finished.” Luna bowed to the fans, then dropped onto Rarity and hooked her leg for the pin. One! Two! Three! Luna rose to her feet, accepting her title from the referee. She slung it over her shoulder, grinning wildly as the referee raised her hand in victory. “The winner, and still EWF Intercontinental Champion, The Nightmare, LUNA REGAL!” “Impressive display. Luna is shaping up to be quite the champion,” said Celestia. “Which means she needs tougher competition,” said Twilight. “Which, judging by the look on her face, is something she'll be looking forward to. I'll be looking into that… Anyway, what do we have next?” “That would be Ember Torch, battling to reclaim her EWF Nationals Championship, in a match against The Equalizer, Starlight Glimmer!” Luna rolled out of the ring, strolling past the paramedics who were rolling a stretcher to retrieve Rarity’s motionless, unconscious body. The arena’s quiet was split by the screeching of an electric guitar. Ember Torch slinked down to the ring to her own punk rock theme, rolling into the ring to a unanimous blanket of boos. Ember bounced in place, shadowboxing in an attempt to prepare herself for the match. Starlight’s snare drums sounded, giving way to The Equalizer herself. Her boos were even louder than Ember’s, the crowd’s hatred for her thick enough to cut with a knife. They despised her for stealing a win from right under the crowd favorite, Pinkie Pie. Starlight ignored the crowd’s displeasure and stepped into the ring, unstrapping her belt and handing it to the referee. “The following contest is scheduled for one-fall, and it is for the EWF Nationals Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, from The Badlands, weighing in at 132 pounds, The Dragon Lord, EMBER TORCH!” The crowd made their opinions on Ember very clear, chanting “Ember sucks!” near-unanimously. Ember ignored them, focusing entirely on Starlight Glimmer. “And her opponent, from Our Town, weighing in at 152 pounds, she is the current EWF Nationals champion… The Equalizer, STARLIGHT GLIMMER!” Starlight’s negative reaction dwarfed Ember’s, the jeers and insults from the capacity crowd overpowering the arena. The Equalizer didn’t seem to notice, instead staring at her opponent with a look of unflinching concentration. “Oh, boy, am I excited for this one,” said Twilight. “The Equalizer and The Dragon Lord, two of the brightest women to ever hold the Nationals championship. It’s a shame Pinkie couldn’t be here for this match. That Triple Threat match of theirs was fantastic!” “Pie is the only one of those three that doesn’t need to be here,” said Discord. “She’s a joke! An embarrassment to this company!” “Let me tell you something, Discord. I’ve been watching Pinkie since the start of her career. I’ve helped guide her to where she is now: a fan favorite and one of the most entertaining performers we have here. Whether you agree with her image or not is one thing, but you cannot deny her talent.” “And we’re off,” said Celestia, drawing attention back to the match. “Starlight Glimmer versus Ember Torch, Nationals Championship rematch! Glimmer and Torch staring each other down, vying for some sort of mental foothold in this match.” Starlight and Ember stared at each other, strafing one another in the ring. Starlight seemed apprehensive, reaching nervously for Ember once or twice before retreating back. She ran a hand through her hair, stretching slightly in an attempt to ready herself. Ember stopped, stood straight up, and slowly turned to look up the ramp. Starlight followed her gaze, locking eyes with Ember when she turned back. “Hm? What’s this?” asked Twilight. “Something’s off here…” Ember and Starlight nodded to one another, then dropped down and slid out of the ring. Starlight strolled around to the timekeeper, swiped her championship, and followed Ember up the ramp. All in attendance murmured in confusion as the referee began his count of ten. “This is… strange, to say the least,” said Celestia. “What are they doing?” “This is absolutely absurd!” complained Discord. “Do you have anything to do with this, General Manager Sparkle?” “Absolutely not. Why would I do anything to ruin such a promising match?” asked Twilight. “No, I didn’t do this, but I think I know who did…” Starlight and Ember arrived at the top to of the ramp, staring back down at the now empty ring. Ember offered her fist to Starlight, who stared at it uneasily. Then, with a shake of the head, she fist-bumped Ember, and the two disappeared backstage just as the referee reached ten and called for the bell. “I’ll be right back. I need to have a word backstage,” said Twilight. She pulled off her headset, grabbed her cane and briefcase, then ran as fast as she could up the ramp and to the backstage area. “Well, while Twilight is getting that sorted, we’ll be getting prepared for a historic ladder match,” said Celestia. “The first ever Ultimate Opportunity match, to determine the future of the EWF, and that’s next…” Twilight hobbled into the locker room, filled with the five competitors in the Ultimate Opportunity match. Twilight immediately locked gazes with Ember, limping over until they were nose to nose. They glared at one another, each trying to make the other submit through intimidation alone. “Clear out the locker room,” said Twilight. “Get ready for your match, meet me by the ramp.” Everyone except Ember filed out of the locker room, leaving the Dragon Lord alone with Ascension’s General Manager. When the room was empty, Twilight began to lay into the former Nationals Champion. “What’s your play, Torch?” asked Twilight. “Don’t know what you mean,” said Ember. “The double countout. Why? What do you gain?” “I had nothing to do with—” Twilight brought her cane up, pressing it beneath Ember’s chin. Despite her age and injuries, she was still insanely intimidating. Even Ember, who feared no competitor in the ring, flinched slightly at Twilight’s presence. “Don’t screw with me, Torch,” said Twilight. “What’s the plan here?” “I don’t have a plan, Sparkle,” said Ember, pushing the cane out of her face. “I just wanted to be fresh for the ladder match, and Glimmer didn’t want to risk losing her championship. A double countout was mutually beneficial.” “I know you don’t have a plan,” growled Twilight. “But she does. And let me make this perfectly clear, Ms. Torch.” Twilight jabbed Ember in the chest with her index finger. “If you and her do anything at all to ruin the Ultimate Opportunity, I will make you regret it. Do I make myself perfectly clear?” “Crystal,” said Ember simply. Twilight gave her one last stare, then turned and limped for the door. “Get ready for the match! We’re about to make history!” Twilight strolled down to the ring to the sounds of unanimous, thunderous applause. Though she was very much so angry with the situation, she still couldn’t help but smile at the energy and excitement of the crowd. Twilight slid between the ropes, setting the briefcase down in the center of the ring. She took a microphone from the announcer and flipped it on. “The following contest is the Ultimate Opportunity Ladder match!” said Twilight. “This match will only end when one competitor retrieves the briefcase suspended above the ring!” A cable slowly descended from the ceiling, drifting to the ground. At the same time, several members of the ring staff emerged from backstage, carrying ladders of varying heights down the ramp. As they set them up along the ramp, Twilight hooked the briefcase to the cable and gestured for it to be raised high above the ring. “If the competitors would make their way to the ring…” The five wrestler’s competing in the match made their way down to the ring, some (like Ember and Diamond) were laser-focused on the briefcase. Others (like Pinkie and the two unknown wrestlers Diamond mocked earlier) were excitedly cheering with the crowd. The five competitors slid into the ring, each glancing at each other and the briefcase. Pinkie Pie grinned, pointing up at the briefcase, then to each of her opponents, then to the mat. Ember snarled at the display, crossing the ring to stand face to face with Pinkie, who simply grinned and leaned back into the corner. “Introducing first, the former EWF Nationals Champion, The Dragon Lord, Ember Torch!” said Twilight, gesturing to Ember. The Dragon Lord shook her head in annoyance, then found a corner opposite of Pinkie. “And, one of her opponents, The Hottest Young Star in Wrestling, Diamond Tiara!” Diamond Tiara raised a fist above her head, clutching her rib gingerly with the other arm. Scootaloo’s attack had clearly taken a toll on the self-proclaimed Crown Jewel of the EWF. “And, making their EWF debut, the Crusaders, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle!” The two newcomers fistbumped, tugging on the ropes idly in preparation for the match. If there ever was a time to make a name for themselves it would be in the first ever Ultimate Opportunity ladder match. “And, finally, The Outlandish, The Flamboyant, The Absurd, The Insane, The Outrageous, Pinkamena Diane Pie!” called Twilight. Pinkie rose from her corner, throwing her hands into the air to the unanimous roars of the crowd. Twilight wished them all luck, her gaze stalling on Ember for a bit, then slipped out of the ring and back to the commentary table. “And I’m back,” said Twilight. “Time for the main event! Who do you have as the favorite to win this match?” “Diamond Tiara, obviously,” said Discord. “Even with cracked ribs, The Crown Jewel is the greatest competitor in that ring!” “I myself am betting on one of the newcomers. Though this is their first night in the EWF, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom have rather illustrious careers in this business,” said Celestia. “Sweetie Belle, former Crystal Empire Wrestling Bantamweight champion and younger sister of the EWF’s former IC champion Rarity Valentine. There’s also former Appleloosa Valley World Champion and younger sister of the EWF’s very own AJ in Applebloom. One could say that wrestling is in their blood. But, in this sort of match, anything can happen.” “Without question,” agreed Twilight. “And it's going to happen right here, on Friday Night Ascension!” The bell sounded, signaling the start of a history-making match. Time seemed to slow as the competitors in the match stared up at the briefcase, suspended who knows how high above their heads. Though the five were about as different as could be, they all reached the same conclusion: that briefcase was the greatest prize imaginable. Diamond Tiara rushed for the nearest person, Sweetie Belle, and clobbered her over the head. As Sweetie hit the ground, Diamond swung at her partner, catching Applebloom in the side of the head with a series of fierce hooks. Then, all hell broke loose. Pinkie Pie ran forward, leaping onto Ember and raining down fierce strikes onto her head, much to the crowd’s joy. Once Ember was planted, Pinkie hopped up and charged Diamond, bashing her with her shoulder against the ropes. As Diamond rebounded, Pinkie hoisted her up, spun, and slammed her directly onto her back. “Pinkie Pie the first to take control here,” said Twilight. “It’s incredible what she can accomplish once she has her sights set on a goal.” Pinkie rolled out of the ring, hurried up the ramp and, to a loud pop from the crowd, grabbed a ladder and returned to the ring. She slid the ladder in the ring and followed after it, but couldn’t even start setting it up before Ember was back on her feet and battering her with stiff elbow bashes to the face. “Pie wanted to be up and down that ladder as quickly as possible, but The Dragon Lord says nay,” said Discord. “Pie’s spontaneous nature might be her undoing in this sort of match.” Ember continued her vicious assault, backing Pinkie against the ropes. Ember leapt into the air and drove both feet into Pinkie’s chest, sending her over the top rope and to the floor. “Ember making a rather smart decision here by eliminating Pinkie from the match, if even for a short period of time,” said Twilight. “It’s far easier to scale a ladder when your opponents are outside of the ring.” Ember quickly set up the ladder, positioning it carefully under the briefcase. She scaled the ladder quickly, not making it more than halfway up before Diamond Tiara grabbed her and brought her back down to the ground. The two stared each other down, sizing one another up. Ember raised her hands in surrender, slowly pointing to the two women behind Diamond. The so-called Wrestling Princess glanced at the rookies behind her and nodded to Ember. Ember grabbed Applebloom, while Diamond grabbed Sweetie, both of them bringing the fallen rookies up to their feet. With measured precision and viciousness, they battered the debuting stars, reducing them to a heap on the floor. Ember grabbed the ladder, and slammed it firmly onto Applebloom’s chest. Diamond kept one eye on her ally at all times, even as she sat Sweetie in the corner and viciously stomped her in the chest. “Ember Torch and Diamond Tiara forming an alliance of sorts,” noted Celestia. “One can only wonder how long that will last for them.” “I imagine longer than one might expect,” said Twilight. “Both Ember and Diamond are intelligent, and they know that they’ll need to work together. Otherwise, The Crusaders’ number game might prove to be too much.” “That said, there can only be one winner, and I don’t think either of these women would be okay with it being the other.” Pinkie slowly climbed onto the apron, clutching her back gingerly. Before she could return to the contest, Ember rushed over and brought an elbow to the side of her head, sending Pinkie tumbling back to the outside. With what she considered to be her biggest threat out of the way, Ember returned to Applebloom. Applebloom caught The Dragon Lord off guard, punching her firmly in the ribs. The rookie fought her way back into the match with quick, stiff strikes. She battled her way up, pushing Ember back and creating much-needed separation. “Applebloom back in this contest, very similar to her older sister in the way she strikes,” said Celestia. “Very stiff, very brawl-y style. This style of offense is what brought her great success in Appleloosa Valley.” Applebloom clenched her fist and stiffly jabbed Ember, catching her in the jaw. She swung again and again, stunning the former Nationals Champion before backing up to get a running start and deliver a striking knee to Ember’s middle. Applebloom dropped Ember to her knees, then kicked her firmly in the side of the head. Meanwhile Diamond Tiara was picking the other rookie apart. She dropped Sweetie Belle to the ground, stamping firmly on her ankle. Diamond pulled Sweetie to the edge of the ring, bending her leg over the bottom rope and wrenching down. With no referee to count for a disqualification, Diamond was free to torment Sweetie for as long as she wanted. She wasn’t able to lock in her hold for long before she was interrupted by Applebloom, who dragged her to her feet and immediately began working the body. “Applebloom very intelligently working the midsection of Diamond Tiara,” said Twilight. “As you no doubt recall, Diamond has been favoring her ribs ever since Scootaloo’s vicious attack on her during last Monday’s Magic.” “Which is why I’ve been so confused as to why that dirty little punk hasn’t been punished yet!” complained Discord. “She may have cost Diamond Tiara this opportunity! What if, somehow, one of these rookies wins this match because the Crown Jewel of the EWF wasn’t at 100%? What will you do then, Miss General Manager?” “What I will do then, Discord, is suggest that, perhaps next time, she should refrain from attacking a poor, unsuspecting girl outside of the bounds of an official match.” “Are you saying she deserved what she got?!” “I’m saying that she may have opened Pandora’s Box,” said Twilight. “Perhaps this will be the lesson she needs.” “Back to the match at hand, Applebloom building up a head of steam,” said Celestia, drawing attention back to the scuffle in the ring. “As you said, Applebloom working the body while her friend and partner Sweetie Belle works her way to her feet.” Sweetie gingerly limped to her partner, joining in on the onslaught. They battered Diamond, overwhelming her with the sheer numbers. While those three were distracted and Pinkie was deposited outside of the ring, Ember Torch saw her opportunity; She quickly jumped to her feet, adjusting the ladder and scaling it as quickly as she could. “Ember, trying to steal a historical victory!” called Celestia. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle dropped Diamond to stop Ember before it was too late. They each grabbed a leg of the former Nationals champion, lifted her from the ladder, and slammed her down to the mat with a thunderous boom. “Stunning double powerbomb from the rookies from the indie circuit,” said Twilight. “That’s good teamwork, but it cannot possibly last for much longer. Reminders, ladies and gentlemen, this match will be won by the first competitor to scale the ladder and return with the Ultimate Opportunity briefcase. There are no team victories here.” As Diamond rolled out of the ring, the Crusaders stood tall, the only two standing. They looked up at the briefcase, smiling to one another with satisfaction. Now, it was just a matter of deciding which of them actually got to win the match. Their attempts at discussion were interrupted by the cold, industrial, mechanical beats of Scootaloo’s entrance theme. She made for the ring with a determined glare, clutching her steel bat tightly. She ran down the ramp as fast as she could, gunning for Diamond. “Look at this! This is getting out of hand!” shouted Discord. “Someone get this maniac out of the arena! She’s not even in this match!” “Unfortunately for Diamond, there is no disqualification in a ladder match,” said Celestia. “There is nothing anyone can do to stop this.” Scootaloo neared Diamond, her bat raised over her head with the intent of cracking Diamond’s skull open. She swung down and missed, then missed again as Diamond repeatedly avoided her strikes. Diamond quickly spun on her heel and kicked Scootaloo in the side of her head, dropping her to the ground. Fury was the dominant emotion on her face as she clutched her ribs, the past assaults still fresh in her mind. Diamond glanced at the briefcase suspended above the ring, then at the Crusaders, then, finally, to the bat laying next to Scootaloo. She grabbed it up and slammed it directly down onto Scootaloo’s back with a sickening thud. Diamond swung savagely onto her rival’s back with the intent of breaking her in two. “That’s right, Diamond!” cheered Discord. “Show her why you’re the Crown Jewel of the EWF!” “It seems as if Diamond Tiara has given up on this match,” said Celestia. “Her rage seems to be clouding her judgement. This is her chance to make history!” The Crusaders watched uneasily as Diamond Tiara beat and brutalized Scootaloo, having a quick discussion amongst themselves. They both pointed to Diamond, then ran for the ropes. They rebounded and dove out of the ring, colliding with Diamond Tiara and bringing them all to the ground, much to the crowd’s enjoyment. “And The Crusaders have put themselves out of the match in an attempt to save Scootaloo!” called Celestia. “How noble!” “And stupid,” added Discord. “They had the match good as won! And they threw it all away! Who’s left to capitalize now?” Slowly, Ember fought to her feet, falling back into the corner and using the ropes for support. She did a quick scan around the ring and smiled, then, as quickly as she could, started up the ladder. Suddenly, Pinkie Pie rushed into the ring, scaling up the ladder with Ember. The two reached the top, Ember a bit earlier than Pinkie, and quickly went to fisticuffs. Ember swung stiffly into the side of Pinkie’s head, stunning her enough for Ember to find her opening. She grabbed Pinkie around the neck in a front facelock, pulled her forward, and wrenched back to apply pressure on the neck as well as cut off oxygen to the brain. “Ember Torch, resourceful as ever, locking in that improvised guillotine choke from the top of the ladder! If she can knock Pie unconscious, that briefcase is as good as hers!” The crowd waited with bated breath as Pinkie struggled fruitlessly in the submission. Ember doubled her efforts, draining the life from her opponent and bringing herself closer and closer to victory. Pinkie fought, grabbing at Ember’s hands, but her grip was too tight. She slumped, unable to continue struggling. Ember released her grip and climbed a bit higher, reaching for the briefcase that could change her career. “And it’s over!” cheered Discord. “The Dragon Lord is about to claim the Ultimate Opportunity!” Pinkie quickly rose up, smashing her head into Ember’s sternum. The Dragon Lord swayed, teetering back dangerously. Pinkie hopped up to the topmost rung of the ladder and firmly bashed her head against Ember’s, sending the former Nationals champion crashing to the mat. The crowd exploded into cheers as Pinkie reached up and unhooked the briefcase, claiming the Ultimate Opportunity as her own. “Yes! Pinkie Pie wins!” cheered Twilight. She jumped from her seat, applauding the victor wildly. “History has been made! The first ever Ultimate Opportunist is in that ring, ladies and gentlemen. Take a good long look at your future EWF World Champion!” Pinkie Pie stood tall, holding her future title shot above her head, basking in the glow from the crowd. She grinned widely, slapping the briefcase before sliding down the ladder and parading around the arena with her prize in tow. “Truly, a historic night,” said Celestia. “I don’t doubt that Trixie Lulamoon’s title reign will come to an end sooner rather than later.” “This is absurd! That title shot belongs to Diamond Tiara!” complained Discord. “If anyone deserves it, it’s her!” “Don’t you see? That’s the beauty of this title shot!” said Twilight. “Now that Pinkie can cash in on Trixie, when she wins, I can make whatever title matches I please! Pinkie earned herself an opportunity, but she also opened up that opportunity for everyone backstage! This changes everything!” “It was a brilliant idea, Twilight,” said Celestia. “And it was wonderful experiencing this monumental night with you. “EWF Universe, it has been my genuine pleasure to be out here with you tonight,” said Twilight. “This has been Twilight Sparkle, Discord Redrum, and Celestia Regal. Until next time, friends. Good night!”