//------------------------------//
// Rising Star, Hidden Dragon 
// Story: Hooves of Fury Part 1 
// by Lock Target 
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So are you all caught up there, Pinks? "Yep" Can I start the story? "Okie Dokie Lokie!" 

Okay...Rainbow Dash enters the wing. "Fluttershy, come quick!" she cried. 

"What's wrong?" asked Fluttershy. 

The panic Pegasus then continues, "It's Twilight, somepony layed a trap for her!" She then runs off followed by Pinkie, Fluttershy and AB. They make it to the room where Twilight is seen in a body cast with Grace and Rarity standing by her sides. 

"TWILIGHT!" shouted Fluttershy, "How did this happen?" 

"I was using one of stadium's facilities. I had just finished washing my hooves and I found a note that said 'No harm intended, I just want to give a message to...' Before I could finish reading it, a nearby charge exploded knocking me into the ring where Ms. Canter-Clash and one of those Diamond Dogs attacked me by accident" Twilight finished with a groan. 

"Hmph, 'Accident' my talon!" scoffed Grace walking over to the window, "It's obvious that whoever did this to you planned that from the start. Belive me, in MY line of work, it's happened once or twice...This week" 

Suddenly, the lights go out. The sound of a piano falling and scribbling on a cast with a marker are heard. 

"HELP, SOMEPONY'S GOT ME!" Yelped Apple Bloom. After a series of crashes, the perpetrator escapes through the window and the lights come back on. There was a broken piano where Pinkie Pie was standing and Apple Bloom was gone. 

The doctor enters the room. "What's all the commotion in here?" he asked. He notices the piano. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Grace dig Pinkie out. Her mane is straight and she had a creepy smile on her face. 

"Pinkie?" asked Fluttershy. "Are you alright?" 

Pinkie trembles a bit before answering. "All you have to do is take a cup of flour, add it to the mix..." she sang in a cryptic tone. The doctor calls for a stretcher and they wheel the poor Earth Pony away. 

"What's going on!?" Rainbow cried. 

"Look at this!" Grace said looking at the writing on Twilight's cast. 

Fluttershy begins to read. "Hidden Dragon, I have your friend. If you don't want a single hair on her mane to be harmed, you will face me! If you choose to flee, then for the rest of your days until you decide to accept my challenge, nopony you know will be safe from me. Continues on the Diamondator" 

The four make their way back to the Contender Wing. When they got there, they found Fido also in a body cast, but his mouth is covered except for a little hole. Rover and Spot are on the left side of his bed. Grace walks up to the right. 

"Oh...Miss...Rarity" said a nervous Rover noticing the fashion-loving Unicorn, "What brings you here?" 

"None of your business!" Snapped Rarity. 

Fluttershy begins to read the writing on Fido's cast. "So face me or else. Signed, a future opponent...That is, if you make it that far. Ha ha ha. P.S, I too have studied under Sensei Nimbus" 

"Sensei Nimbus?" Rainbow asked. "As in CUMULO Nimbus? THE Original Wonderbolt!?" 

"As in an old friend of mine?" Fluttershy added without knowing how excited Rainbow would get.

"...Be still...My heart" the surprised, overwhelmed pegasus said before fainting. 

"As in the champ's old stallion?" Grace added. 

Rarity walks over to Rainbow Dash. After putting her ear to Rainbow's chest she lets out a shriek. "SHE'S NOT BREATHING!" she cried. 

A unicorn nurse with a stretcher and a breathing machine hooks Dash up and wheels her away. 

"You should leave while you can, pony!" said Rover to Fluttershy. 

"Yes, before the Hooded Pony gets you too!" added Spot. 

Fido tries to add something, but he's too muffled. 

"Whoever's horning for you knows your friends too well...As if they've been monitoring you" said Grace, "Maybe it's best that I take care of this mystery opponent" 

Fluttershy pondered this. "...NO!" she shouted, "If it's me this pony wants, they'll get me. I'll find this opponent and rescue Apple Bloom if it's the last thing I do...! Besides, I don't think I'm allowed to leave until the competition's over" 

Fluttershy and Grace leave. 

"First Twilight, then Pinkie Pie and now Rainbow Dash!" wined Rarity making Rover and Spot run away. Fido makes a small wimper as Rarity approached his bedside still sore about Twilight. 

"Good luck, Hidden Dragon" Murmured Granny Smith before falling asleep. 

Two days later, it was time for Fluttershy's match. Some rock music plays as Gilda enters the ring. 

The Host introduces her. "To the left, rom Gallopagos Island, the griffin gal with a grudge, the brute with a bone to pick, GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLDAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The crowd starts booing her.

The tune from Iron Will's workshop is heard as Fluttershy walks in with a determined expression dressed like a female Ultimate Fighter with Rainbow Dash by her side Dragging a tank of oxygen with her. The Host introduces her. "To the right, all the way from Poyville, the newcomer to the fighting scene, HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDEEEEEEN DRAAAAAAAGOOOOOOOOOON!" 

The crowd roars. 

"Get ready to lose, doofus" said Gilda. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash. 

Rainbow replied "The doc said I should be breathing normally in a few more days. You gave me quite a shock the other day" 

Fluttershy enters the ring as Rainbow breathes in some of the oxygen. 

"Alright, ladies" the Host begins. "I want a good clean match. No biting, no weapons and most important, no killing each other" He then backs out of the ring saying "LET THE CLASH BEGIN!" The bell rings. Gilda makes the first move kicking Fluttershy to the edge of the ring where the surface of her mane is just touching it. "Ooh, looks like we'll be seeing a short one, fillies and gentlecolts!" Gilda gets ready to strike from above, but Fluttershy comes to and rolls a way just in time. She then proceeds to land a headbutt to Gilda's side. "WHAT A RECOVERY! FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS, HIDDEN DRAGON IS BACK IN THE MATCH!" 

The crowd cheers their heads off. Fluttershy goes in for another attack. "THIS IS FOR SCARING THOSE DUCKS!" she cried landing a punch to Gilda's face. She then bucks her in the gut "THIS IS FOR YELLING AT ME FOR NO REASON!" She then grabs her by the ankles and starts slamming her back and forth. "THIS! IS FOR DROPPING! A PIANO! ON PINKIE! PIE!" Gilda re-gains the upper talon by grabbing onto the ring and slamming Fluttershy to it with her legs.

This continues for five hours straight until both are at the brink of exhaustion. 

"This could be anypony's match now, folks..." the host said.

Gilda goes in for another strike faster then the first one. Fluttershy turns to the bucking position. When Gilda comes in for the landing, Fluttershy bucks her out of the ring. "IT'S A RING OUT! FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS, THE WINNER IS, HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDEEEEEEEEEEEN DRAAAAAAAAAGOOOON!" 

The crowd goes wild! Fluttershy steps out of the ring and walks over to Gilda. "Now..." Fluttershy demanded, "Tell me why you dropped a piano on Pinkie Pie and took Apple Bloom!" 

With what little conciousness she had left, Gilda proclaimed, "I...Did...Neither..." before passing out. 

Flipping back to normal, Fluttershy flies back into the ring telling Rainbow Dash "It's not her!" 

"WHAT!?" Rainbow shouted taking a breath from her tank, "Then who would-?" 

Just then, the lights go out again. The only light that remained was a giant spotlight over the ring. 

The crowd is silent as Pinkie can be herd singing again. "Now just take a little something sweet, not sour...A bit of salt, just a...Piiiiiinch! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" From the darkness, she emerges onto the opposite side of the ring with a knife in her teeth. Her mane now has a few locks sticking out of it making it slightly jagged. She's wearing a hospital gown and is still sporting the smile she was last seen with. "Nopony gives a flying feather about birthday cake and party hats, eh?" Pinkie asked. "Well, what if I turned YOU into a pastry and see if anypony gives a flying feather about YOU!?" 

To Be Continued