After a long day of fun, Applejack holds her girls during nap time.

For Applejack and Rainbow, life is busy. Rainbow is busting her flank in the Wonderbolts Reserves, and Applejack is working hard on the farm. Caught up in their busy world, Applejack gets upset that her partner forgot something. When she goes to confront her however, she finds she forgot something too...

Story inspired by this beautiful picture by Tsitra360

Applejack is stuck in bed with an injury, and Rainbow Dash has just the thing to help her girlfriend through it: The complete collection of Daring Do books. But this generous act forces Applejack to reveal her dark secret.

Competition. It drives us all one way or another. Whether it’s to be the fastest flier, the best team, the greatest magician, to steal a land in jealous fury, or simply to beat that other pony to the stall for the last carrot; competition is in all of us.

Some claim that a competitive nature is healthy, and keeps a pony sharp and fit. Others claim it drives ponies apart and should be avoided as much as possible.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack don’t care about any of that. They just don’t want the other to win. Theirs is an unending game of friendly one-upmanship, a constant striving to prove their superiority to one another for no other reason than they can.

Neither of them thought it would ever bring about romance in their lives.

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Written for (and winner of) the 3rd AppleDash competition. Prompt by bookplayer.

Thanks to my friend, Radoh from the Escapist, for making some small, but very good, points.

Cover art by nekokevin.

Ribbon Red is a gift-shop owner who doesn't get out much, and has a comfortable life selling his wares to ponies for their friends and family.

Rainbow Dash comes in with a special request: she wants to get Applejack the best gift ever, and she wants Ribbon's help in finding it.

Ribbon knows a lot about giving presents: He knows how to appreciate the value of a simple gift, the significance of a beautiful ornament... but above all, he knows that the most precious gifts come from the heart.

Contains AppleDash

As Applejack manipulates Rainbow Dash into participating in four challenges devised by their friends to test them in new and unusual ways, Rainbow finds the path to winning is tougher than she expected.

The stakes only get higher as Applejack reveals her hidden attraction to Rainbow Dash.

Contains Appledash, for the third AppleDash competition. Again.

I feel it whenever I see her. Whenever I look into her emerald eyes. I've never felt this way about anypony before. I can't explain it... Am I falling in love?

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, trying to think about anything but the straps that bound her to the wooden board. She cracked one eye open just enough to see Applejack, smiling mouth full of the knives that would soon be racing though the air towards her. The things some ponies will do for love...

Applejack and Rainbow Dash share a moment together before dawn.

After an incident between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the two are finding it hard to communicate with each other. However, when a friend suggests a pilgrimage to help Applejack settle her feelings over memories of the past, Rainbow Dash and Applejack find that they may have to redefine their friendship.