//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: Healthy Rivalry // by HapHazred //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash didn't care that she had to travel on hoof: her destination was well worth the wait. Scootaloo was close behind her, sticking so close she was almost treading on Rainbow's tail as she struggled to keep up. "Now, Scoots... Let me tell you a secret, 'kay, about how I became as cool as I did." Rainbow Dash began. "Ooh! Okay!" Hanging on my every word... heh. "Well, I used to be a bit... lazy. I wouldn't do much all day, I wouldn't spend every waking second practicing... you get the idea." she continued as they followed the path winding through the orchard. "Well, that's no way to get better, of course. To improve yourself, you need drive, and there's only one best way to get it." Scootaloo tilted her head as she wrapped her mind around Rainbow's poorly formulated last sentence... Rainbow continued, regardless. "Scoots... I'm gonna' give you a rival." "A rival?" "Yeah! See, when I got to Ponyville after my, uh, after I left Cloudsdale, I met this other pony, see." And wasn't she the most gorgeous mare in the whole town... "...And wasn't she just the most annoying, puffed up old cheesecake there ever was." she finished. "Always going on about her work ethics, her duty, her family, her duty to her family, and all that garbage I was unburdened with... well, it drove me crazy. I swore then and there to always be better than her, no matter what!" "And that made you better at flying?" Scootaloo asked incredulously. Rainbow hesitated. "Well... I was already a better flyer than she was, since she didn't actually have wings exactly, but it really improved my... running. And weight lifting, and...." And my work ethic, and my sense of duty, and even gave me a family of sorts... all that garbage... "...stuff." "Oh. Well, running is cool too... I guess." Scootaloo replied in a voice that hinted that she would have far preferred a more flying centric activity, despite her inability to do so. "It is, isn't it? Anyway, I was talking to he- a friend and she tells me that she's got the perfect rival for you. That way you'll be able to get better and better!" If it had been any other mare telling her this, Scootaloo might have been dubious... but it was Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash was never wrong, at least according to the young filly. She was already anxiously anticipating what she expected was going to be a fun afternoon of awesomeness. "Who is my rival, then?" "Uh... Applebloom?" Rainbow answered, realizing that this was possibly the part where her plan would fall down. Scootaloo frowned, visibly unsure. "Wait... but if Applebloom is going to be my rival, won't Sweetie Belle feel left out?" Rainbow Dash snorted. "No! 'Course not. This has nothing to do with crusading, see... it's all about... sports." And me getting some well deserved alone time with Applejack... "Sweetie Belle hates sports, doesn't she?" she asked Scootaloo, in order to validate her point. "I guess..." "Then it's settled! Come on, move it! We're almost there!" Applejack was waiting with Applebloom under one of the larger apple trees by the farm, next to a tall hill overlooking the town. She smiled when she saw her rainbow maned friend arrive, little orange fur-ball in tow. Her eyes flicked towards Applebloom. She hoped to Celestia this would work. "So... what games will we be playin'? That have nothin' to do with crusadin', that is?" Applebloom asked. Applejack grinned in response. "Competitive ones! The kind that helped me grow into a tough, strong mare. I figure the best way for you to get good at applebuckin' is to hone your skills against an opponent!" "I thought you said practice makes perfect?" Don't lie to family... Applejack hesitated. She didn't like being anything less than completely honest with her family... but in her heart, she knew that both verions were true. Her own experiences with Rainbow and their contests, both on the field and in their personal lives, had forced her to push herself to new limits, mostly to avoid Rainbow's incessant boasting. Any victory Applejack would enjoy was short lived, too... Rainbow never rested until she got the better of her after a defeat. It didn't matter if it was racing, jumping, baking or singing. Their very first Winter Wrap up together had even escalated into an operatic duel between the two... which largely resulted in their teams being confused, leaderless, and deafened. How they had gotten picked as leaders the next year was a mystery to Applejack. Perhaps the mayor was a slow learner. It was during that little event when Applejack had noticed Rainbow had a magnificent singing voice. It had been so full of passion, yet slightly delicate, and it had taken all Applejack's control to not be mesmerized by the voice during the Wrap Up. Unfortunately, they both lost their voices for a full week afterwards, they had driven themselves so hard. Yes, there was no doubt that having something to compete for would benefit her sister immensely. It was consoling to know that she wasn't lying... she was doing this to help Applebloom too, whatever her other motives were. "Practice is great, but competition is good too, sugarcube." she told her sister confidently. Applebloom seemed satisfied by that, and a good thing, too. All Applejack needed was for her to play along just long enough for them to saddle her with Scootaloo, then they'd be home free... well, almost. Applejack wanted to keep an eye on them, and make sure they wouldn't do something stupid. The two pegasi were trotting up the last legs of the path towards them. Rainbow Dash waved one of her wings at Applejack as she approached. Applejack spat the sprig of wheat out of her mouth and stood up. "It's go-time, Applebloom. Now remember... do the best you can, and you'll never really lose." she encouraged. Applebloom nodded, barely paying attention to her sister now that her friend had arrived. "Hi Scootaloo!" "Hi! Man, so we're gonna' be rivals, huh?" Applejack found Scootaloo's comment funny. She grinned at Rainbow Dash. "Rivals? Wait, did you go and put that idea in Scootaloo's head?" she asked. Rainbow Dash nodded energetically. "Sure I did... I'd have thought that you, as my rival, would understand the importance of having one." Applejack snorted: she found the whole idea of the fillies being 'rivals' very amusing indeed. Scootaloo looked back and forth between the pair, surprised. "Wait... Applejack's your rival?" she asked, incredulous. No sense for secrecy any more, I suppose... not that there was much to begin with, aside to preserve my air of mystery... "Yeah, sure she is. AJ here helped make me the pony I am today, and I'm sure that if you try your best you'll end up the same as us." Well... with a few exceptions. Applejack glanced into Rainbow's eyes, briefly, impressed at the very mature stance her marefriend seemed to be adopting. She had half expected her to come in sports gear blowing a whistle, berating Scootaloo for every small mistake she made. The pegasus stuck her tongue out at Applejack, dispelling any appearance of maturity instantly, and leapt over the two fillies towards her. "Don't worry, Scoots is just a bit nervous...She's all ready to go!" she whispered. "What did you plan?" Applejack chuckled. "I started small, with a lil' game of horseshoes." she said, both to Rainbow and the two fillies. To Rainbow in particular, she added: "Like we did when we started hangin' out... for real, that is." She turned her attention back to her younger audience. "Then, I got you Granny's favourite game: chess! It's more of a mental type thing, but it should be lots of fun." she told them. "Chess isn't sports..." "It ain't applebuckin' neither..." "Well, it's still fun, so quit your whinin'." Applejack snapped. "Then I set up a tough obstacle course through the orchard." She pointed out the horseshoe field, and then in quick succession placed the chess box in front of them, and gestured towards the beginning of her obstacle course. "Any questions?" "Nope!" "Nah, I got this." Applejack grinned. "Then we'll leave you guys to it! Have fun." she exclaimed. She turned towards the hill, but barely took a few steps before she felt Rainbow's hoof gently wrap around her own. She nudged the pegasus awkwardly in the ribs. "Not in front of the..." she began nervously, but Rainbow stopped her when she squeezed her hoof reassuringly. "Hey, it's just holding hooves... they probably won't even notice." she said. Applejack mellowed, and the pair continued onwards, leaving the two fillies behind them to figure out how to play horseshoes on their own.