Applejack and Rainbow Dash held an Iron Pony competition, with the prize being winning a date with Cassandra. Normally Cassandra would never let somepony cheapen her like that, but to have them go to such great lengths on her behalf was a perfect way to remind them of their place.
Applejack won the first five competitions because they were all about kicking and/or baking apple treats, but Rainbow Dash won all the others because they were about anything else.
"Now hold on just a durn minute!" objected Applejack, "Rainbow Dash cheated! She used her wings in almost all those contests!"
"Why are you just bringing that up now?" said Cassandra.
"Ah was usin' th' same logic as th' Mare Do Well episode; if I pout silently and don't do or say nothin' about it, eventually Rainbow Dash will stop. And before you go sayin' that that's dumb, ah'll remind you that Mare Do Well was mostly Twilight's idea."
"Point taken. But it's too late to change the decision, so Rainbow come back to my place to claim your prize, and Applejack, you lost so you get nothing and you will never ever find anypony to love you." Applejack looked sad, but she knew Cassandra was probably right.
*****
The next day was the beginning of fall and all the leaves had to come down. Also, the ponies needed to get more exercise. The brilliant and beautiful Cassandra had come up with a solution to both problems: The Running of the Leaves. In this event, the ponies would race through Ponyville, with the backdrafts from their running taking down all the leaves. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were still feuding, so they decided to make it into another competition. To make things fair, Rainbow agreed to have her wings tied up. She blushed when she looked over at Cassandra, this situation reminded her of the night prior.
To their surprise, Twilight was taking part too.
"Twilight, since when do you know how to run?" inquired Rainbow Dash.
"Since birth. But if you mean, when did I start becoming interested in racing, it was a couple days ago when I read a book about it."
"A BOOK?" sneered Dash, barely able to contain her laughter.
"Yes, but not just any book. I got this book from Cassandra."
Rainbow and Applejack gasped. "Ya got help from Cassandra??? That ain't fair Twilight!" whined Applejack
"Yeah that's be like if I had 200 pairs of wings, and they weren't tied up."
"Deal with it" said Cassandra.
From the balloon, Pinkie said "On your mark, get set, GO!"
*****
Rainbow Dash and Applejack quickly took the lead, but their interest in fair competition was lost after Rainbow tripped over a stump and Applejack tripped over her own hooves, and both accused the other of foul play. Rainbow came to a sign that pointed the way along the path, so she changed it to send Applejack in the wrong direction. When Applejack got to the sign, she thought it was strange that the race went up a mountain, but followed the sign nonetheless.
The path led Applejack to the edge of the cliff. "Well that's weird" she said, "ah don't think it's very safe ta set up a race like this. But th' sign did say ta go this way, so that's what ah'm gonna do!" She leapt off the cliff and fell to her doom.
*****
At the finish line, Rainbow Dash found that her fooling around had made her finish last.
"WHAT???" she cried. Twilight came over, proudly wearing a medal. "Twilight? You finished first?"
"Goodness no, Cassandra's not a miracle worker. But her pacing lessons did allow me to take fifth place."
"Then who won?" demanded Rainbow Dash.
"I did, of course" said Cassandra, effortlessly carrying a huge trophy thanks to her level 99 strength. "But don't feel bad Rainbow Dash, technically you didn't come in last - Applejack never made it to the finish line."
"Huh, so her final act did some good after all" said Dash.
"Sounds to me like an important lesson was learned" said Princess Celestia.
Cassandra rolled her eyes, "Tia, don't try to take credit for this, I did all the work. In fact, why are you even here? Go away."
"I'm sorry for disappointing you Cassandra" said Rainbow Dash, "can I make it up to you with some practice kissing?"
"You sure can."