“Rainbow!” Applejack protested angrily, pulling her hat down harder on her head. “Knock that off!“
Rainbow Dash laughed from her position up in the air. “No way! This is the best game ever!”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Rainbow, you're about to take a hoof to the-” She grunted and jumped out of the way as Rainbow buzzed her again, keeping her hat safe only by the thinnest of margins.
Rainbow shook a hoof. “Foiled again!” she proclaimed. “But soon the hat will be mine!”
“You don't even like wearing hats,” Applejack protested, maneuvering under a nearby tree to try and prevent Rainbow from diving.
Rainbow merely lowered herself until she was hovering almost at eye level. “I do when they're awesome hats,” she said.
Applejack cracked a smile. “It is a good hat, sure; but-”
“Oh, no. Not this one. This one I'm just taking because I like getting a rise out of you.”
Applejack's jaw dropped… and Rainbow struck. She flew forward and only Applejack's good luck and quick reflexes kept her hat on her head. As it was, Rainbow skimmed the tree and knocked a few apples down in a shower on Applejack's head.
Applejack scowled and pushed her hat up. “If that's the way it's gotta be,” she grumbled. She looked around for something, anything, to use, and her eyes fell on the rope Mac had left in the cart. A devious smile crossed her face, and she reached for it.
Rainbow Dash had looped around and dove back down once more, but Applejack was ready. Without needing to look down, she tied a familiar knot in the rope. As Rainbow dove for her next attempt, Applejack sidestepped at the last moment and threw her rope.
The lasso caught one of Rainbow's forelegs, and Applejack yanked. Rainbow hit the ground hard, and Applejack scampered up. Muscle memory took over, and she wrapped the rope around her other hoof and pulled it tight.
It wasn't until she had completely bound her forelegs together and reached for a hindleg that she realized what she had done. She froze. “Uh…” she stammered.
Rainbow looked down at her bound hooves, and moved her forelegs, attempting to test the knots. Applejack's work had been tight but not crushingly so. It was quite the strange sensation.
And, strangest of all, it was not unpleasant. She found herself wondering if her wings were spread for more than just balance.
“I- I didn't mean- uh… Here. Lemme get you out of that.”
Rainbow held still as Applejack untied her. She stood up and stretched.
“I'm real sorry about that,” Applejack said, blushing furiously. “Just habit, you know? Didn't mean to be trussing you up like an escaped hog.”
“I- it's fine,” Rainbow said, scratching at the back of her neck. “It wasn't that bad. Really.”
“I'm sorry.”
“Don't be,” Rainbow replied quickly.
Applejack looked up and squinted… and then Rainbow leaned forward and snatched the hat off Applejack's head with her teeth. She flew up just out of range. “Come and get it!” she called.
Applejack scowled. Foolhardy pegasus. Flying up and out of range…
Actually, she seemed to be staying closer now. Flying lower. Within range of her lasso, actually.
Applejack shook her head. “Crazier than a sack of rabid weasels, you are,” she grumbled.
Still, she mused as she reached for her lasso again, who was she to deny Rainbow a simple pleasure?
***
Rainbow pulled again, but Applejack's knots held fast. She looked up at the ground, and then back down at the tree she was suspended from by all four legs. “Applejack?” she called, raising her eyes and looking around the darkened orchard. “I'm… I'm not so sure I like this game anymore. Applejack? Applejack?”