View the final round, the Magic Bowl, here! http://mlpforums.com/blog/213/entry-3094-magic-bowl-recap-and-the-most-attractive-pony-is/

And review last week's Divisional results here. http://mlpforums.com/blog/213/entry-2743-full-divisional-recap-most-attractive-pony-tournament-2013/

Kindness Flutters On

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” Mayor Mare announced grandly, “Allow me to introduce the winner of the PFC Championship game and one of two ponies going on to the very first Magic Bowl…the only cellist in Ponyville!”

“Um…excuse me…”

“Truly this is a most auspicious day for our elegant gray earth pony, one of Equestria’s greatest musicians…” The clueless politician continued.

“Um—actually…”

“…Whose melodious journey through the Most Attractive Pony Tournament is clearly just beginning. Without further ado, here is—”

“EXCUSE ME!” a yellow Pegasus burst out. Mayor Mare jumped in surprise, as did the entire crowd.

“Um, oh, I’m very sorry. But…you made a mistake. It’s just that, if you look at the votes, I think, um…actually, I won…if that’s okay.”

The mayor took another look at the scoreboard. “…Why, of course you did, dear! As I was saying, here is the conference winner, FLUTTERSHY!”

The mayor’s new spectacles will be arriving shortly.

Anypony who had voted within the first two days and not checked the poll since would be equally surprised.

Coming off convincing upsets over Pinkie Pie in the wildcard and Spitfire in the divisional, Octavia jumped out to a huge double-digit lead early in the game. Fans applauded with delight as her music rose through the arena and into the heavens.

As it turned out, the crescendo came too early.

Over the next few days, Fluttershy rose to great heights of her own. For a while she was nearly an afterthought in her own game, but “the bunny whisperer” refused to give up. She tied Octavia in the second half, and finally surpassed her to score another win.

Fluttershy’s strong playoff standing was clearly no coincidence, as she will meet Lyra Heartstrings this week for the Celestial Trophy.

“Oh, um…you don’t have to interview me,” the relentlessly cute Element said bashfully. “Besides, I have to rush home! Angel gets so upset if his tail isn’t fluffed properly.”

The elegant cellist went diminuendo, but not al niente.

Octavia was disappointed, but graceful in defeat. “Worry not, everypony,” she said after the game. “This was only my first approach at greatness. I have many more performances yet to come before my final symphony.”

She left the field with a cadre of other musical ponies, a mint green unicorn among them.

FLUTTERSHY, 123-100

Playing With the Angels

Background ponies simply don’t make it this far.

The kind of shock and excitement that rocked Ponyville this week only comes with a Sonic Rainboom, or a new apple-bucking record—or a thrilling magic duel. This time, it came from the Cinderella story of Lyra Heartstrings.

‘My name is Lyra Heartstrings, and you will remember me...’

An inspiring tale of upset victories in Cloudsdale and Sweet Apple Acres was expected to end at Ponyville Library in the EFC Championship. And it nearly did as Lyra’s dominating division rival took an early lead. For a while it took everything she had just to stay one step behind. As the days wore on, the natural advantage of Twilight Sparkle seemed impossible to overcome.

But as ponies and bronies alike can testify, nothing is impossible in this tournament.

Twilight swept the anthropologist (and her entire division) in the regular season. But this was a new game and a new Lyra, and she proved it by gaining a 3-vote lead as the second half began. The 'mane' character struck back, and at one point led the match by 6. Knowing better than anypony that the “clock was ticking,” she tried to hold her lead—but the pony no one was betting on made one last charge and held on for another improbable win.

Twilight wasn’t the only one unprepared for the outcome.

“Oh, well!” the purple prodigy exclaimed, her left eye twitching only slightly. “I sure didn’t plan for this…but I guess that’s just how it goes! I just wasn’t able to stand between Lyra and all her good friends! Spike! Where did I go wrong?! Was it my mark? My eyes? My tail?” She looked at it and gasped in horror. “Oh Celestia, I think a strand was out of place!!”

The baby dragon shook his head and sighed. “Come on, Twilight. Let’s go to the spa. It’ll make you feel better! And I can see Rarity…” He led Twilight gently away from the library.

Lyra rises above all expectations only to climb the highest mountain—a daunting task, especially without hands. Reporters found her camped out at the edge of Fluttershy’s field the night before the first Magic Bowl, awaiting her final test.

“One more game and then I’m off. The humans are calling me—I know they are. Research just isn’t enough anymore. I have to see them! Twilight was really helpful even though she didn’t win. I think she’s found a way for me to visit the human world at last!” Lyra paused.

“It’s going to be a tough one, isn’t it? But I’m not afraid. I knew it all along—if I believed in them, one day, they would believe in me.”

The EFC Champion took out her lyre, looked up at the stars, and began to play.

LYRA, 118-105