Trouble at the Finish Line

by shortskirtsandexplosions

Applejack's Turn

"Hmmph..." Rainbow Dash laid lazily on the window sill inside Carousel Boutique, dangling a leg in the noonday light. "No way in heck Rarity—or Twilight—are gonna favor a stuffy old western over my epic full of lasers and explosions!"

"That's where yer all upside down, Rainbow!" Applejack said, smiling proudly from across a forest of naked ponyquins. "Twilight's the Princess of Magic! She's seen everythang that sparkles and glows!" The farm filly pointed a hoof at the comic book lying on the ivory pedestal. "What she needs is somethin' really stimulatin'! What you call a 'stuffy old western,' I call a deep'n'introspective character sketch!"

"Pfft! Oh please! You can't even spell 'introspective!'"

"I sure as hay can!"

"Try it!"

"Ahem. "E... N... H... T... R—"

A magical wind kicked up in the center of the Boutique.

Applejack spun about and Rainbow Dash sat up, blinking.

The pages to the comic book flipped from beginning to end. Within seconds, the enchanted pages were flickering with a bright light. The strobing morphed into the shape of a dainty unicorn that landed physically in the midst of the pair. "Nnnnngh!" Rarity was busy throwing her mane back, growling.

"Yeeeee-ha! Look at her! And all revved up too!" Applejack turned her chin up at Rainbow. "And you thought she was gonna be bored out of her pretty lil' skull!"

"Jury's still out on that, Awfuljack."

"And since when were y'all an expert on juries?" Applejack trotted proudly towards Rarity. "Howdy, Rarity! Whew-wee! You were in there for a long time! Didja make it to the end?!"

"No!" Rarity barked, causing Applejack to lean back and blink. "For your information, I couldn't make it to the end because there was no end!" Rarity stomped across the Boutique and threw herself on the couch. "Because neither of you mares even know how to write an end!"

"Uhhhhh..." Applejack pivoted to follow her movements. "I'm afraid I dun follow you."

"How could you?!" Rarity tossed her forelimbs from where she writhed angrily on the couch. "All you know how to do is write rich and detailed backstories. But when it's time to go forward, you suddenly adopt a goldfish memory!" Her voice reached a hissing pinch. "I mean how could Cinnamon completely forget her tragic past just for one quick roll in the hay with that... that... garishly dressed tart?!"

"Hey now!" Applejack frowned. "She ain't no tart! She brings a ray of shinin' light into Cinnamon Dust's life!"

"Snkkkt—Haa-haa-haa!" Rainbow Dash flew backwards in the air, hugging herself.

"Y-you cut it out!" Applejack pouted, her freckles enflamed.

"Heeheehee... guess you're not Whinnyiam Foalkner after all!" Rainbow Dash wheezed, wiping the tears from her laughing face.

"Ain't no laughin' matter!" Applejack spun and gawked at Rarity. "Rarity, sugarcube! Dun ya get it?! She's a supportin' character—"

"Applejack, the only support she ever had was a brief mention during the Buffalo Stampede scene of Act Two!" Rarity grumbled. "Between that moment and the very end, she was a virtual phantom character! But noooooooooooo, you had to have her rush up to the protagonist and interrupt what could very well have been the most suspenseful climax of any narrative I've ever read ever!"

"Uhhhh..." Applejack gulped, smiling sweatily. "So d-does that mean my story wins over Rainbow Dash's?!"

"Egads, NO!" Rarity sat up, teeth producing sparks. "It's a travesty. A train wreck! A veritable mockery of all that's good in the venerable school of literature!"

"Soooooo..." Rainbow Dash leaned down with a squishy smile. "M-my story's gonna become Twilight's gift, right?"

"They're both abominable!" Rarity barked, her body to the point of shivering. "I truly wish I could understand what in the Goddesses' names could have possessed you to take two completely different narratives that were so delightfully riveting in their own respect, only to unabashedly turn them over on their heads with last-minute prosaic flailings! And you know what kills me?! You both executed the same damning error! Both stories would have been perfect for this enchanted birthday gift, but you simultaneously wrecked them at virtually the same spot! Why, as Celestia is my witness, I swear—it's almost as if you both secretly intended to..." Rarity's words cut off. Dead silence filled the Boutique as she sat there, blinking.

"Yeah?" Rainbow leaned in. "What is it, Rarity?"

"Tell us!" Applejack leaned in right next to Rainbow Dash. "What d-did we intend to do, ya reckon?"

Rarity stood dead still. She looked at Rainbow Dash's fuzzy blue face and prismatic mane... then at Applejack's well-toned orange fuzz and smattering of white freckles.

The mares leaned in closer, their eyes brimming with innocence and anticipation.

"...hrmmmmm..." Rarity leaned back in her sofa, rubbing her cheek in thought. "Yes... yes, but of course..."

"Rarity, sugarcube..." Applejack nervously smiled. "We're waitin' for yer verdict."

"Yeah!" Rainbow's voice cracked. "Twilight's party—like—is in a day and a half! Now, is she going to get an enchanted story from us or isn't she?"

"Yes.. She will. Of course she will." Rarity sat up, smoothing out the velvety folds of her couch cushions. "For I must be the one to write it."

"WHAT?!" both mares squawked at once.

"I do believe you both heard me." Rarity daintily dismounted from the couch and padded across the Boutique. "Now, if you would be so kind as to depart from my presence. I must write, you see."

"You?! But... but..." Rainbow Dash rasped, "I thought you said that you were terrible at writing!"

"Indeed. I do believe I did say that." Rarity reached her desk, levitating a sheet of paper and a quill. "But, alas, desperate times call for desperate measures..."

"Rarity, darlin'. Think sensibly!" Applejack grimaced, fanning herself with her hat. "You barely got two days to come up with a story! Rainbow and I here had fourteen... each!"

"And on top of that!" Rainbow exclaimed. "That comic dude at Quills and Sofa will have even less time to draw the final draft before Twilight's birthday party!"

"I'm quite familiar with our beloved artist," Rarity said in an airy tone. She carried the manuscript paper and pen over to her sofa. "He's used to working with stressful time constraints. Well, if he can do it, then so can I! Celestia knows I'm paying him enough out of my generous account, not yours."

"But... but..." Rainbow pouted.

"We was all in this together, Rarity!" Applejack stammered. "Y'know, as a team!"

"And I shan't cast you both out. Not entirely." Rarity sat down with a sigh. She looked up with calm eyes. "After all, I will need a keen eye to judge the merit of my draft, hmmm?"

"Uhhhh... huh?"

"Tomorrow morning," Rarity said. "At the crack of dawn." Her eyes narrowed. "Be here... and we will resolve this matter once and for all."

"So... wait..." Rainbow Dash scratched her head. "A-are you saying that we're going to go with your story no matter what, or—"

"Just do as I say," Rarity reiterated. "Arrive here at the Boutique tomorrow morning, and all things will be resolved." She smiled devilishly. "In fact, I'm almost certain of it."

"Rarity—"

"Go, Applejack!" Rarity pointed. "You too, Rainbow. For once, can't you both agree to do something together as a team?"

Both mares sighed in frustration. They marched out of Rarity's Boutique in a sullen gait, nevertheless casting each other brief, accusatory glares.

Once they were gone and Rarity heard the releiving clap of the door shutting behind them, she took a deep breath and began writing. Smiling the whole while.

"This is hardly something a little bit of elegance cannot solve..."

Comments

[FloydienSlip]

Endings are tough.

[Ri2]

AJ can't spell introspective but could write a comic? Are we sure she did that one?

[remnants]

"And since when were y'all an expert on juries?

Heh, I think I saw an easter egg

[Cinnamon Sketch]

OOOOOOOO! I think somethings gonna happen!

[RoboRed]

...I think I know where she's going with this. And if she is, I love it.

[OmniFox]

Prepare for Epic Facepalm!!!!