//------------------------------//
// AJ vs Dash 
// Story: Team Harmony 
// by Norwegian boy 
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Applejack and Rainbow Dash, the most competition ponies in all of Equestria. One is stubborn as a mule and the other has an ego that’s as big as the entire planet and the moon combined and they love to compete against each other. I think it all stared they day before the running of the leaves, why do they have so weird names for events in Equestria?

It’s been a week since the Parasprites and the repairs to the town has gone well, every pony in town have help with the repairs. Even Colastone, and let me tell he is strong. I won’t say how much he lifted but let’s just say, he can give Mac run for his money, that’s for sure. When it comes to Globe, well, he left. He said that it was time to move on, he said that there was nothing holding him her. He just left one day, I’m going to miss him but not that Timber wolf he has as a pet, that thing just crept me out.

When it comes to Sunset and Twilight, I hear that it has gone well. It looked like that Sunset was going to take advance of the situation, but she hasn’t and Twilight has been a good assistant, buying stuff and other things an assistant does. One time she tried to restock the shelves and that didn’t Sunset like, she like the way it was. When the others found out that Twilight had been kick out from the hotel, they offered her to stay with them, but Twilight said no. She didn’t want to be a burden, they say that she wouldn’t, but Twilight said no. She was happy in the library.

Anyway, winter was just around the corner and I was chopping wood at AJ farm, they could have done it themselves, but they were paying me so I’m not complaining. I was about to chop another piece of wood when I felt something hit me in the head, I fell down on the ground face first. I couldn’t help but groan over the pain I had in the back of my head, I looked to the side and found the culprit, a horseshoe. And I knew who I should blame for that.

I grabbed it and stood up, I turned around and I could see AJ and Dash standing near a pole in ground, Dash was trying to look as innocent as possible. I walked over to them and I was not happy, I gave back the horseshoe to Dash “Lose something?” I threw it on the ground. “Last time I check you were supposed to hit the pole not my HEAD.” Yelling was not a good idea, it hurt.

“I’m sorry Fox, I lost my grip on the horseshoe.”

“You lost the grip, or did you think that my head was the pole? I know that you don’t like me that much, but you don’t have throw it at my head.”

“It was an accident, I didn’t mean it. I swear” Somehow, I doubt it.

“Seriously Dash, you have to be more careful.” AJ lined up her last horseshoe, she threw it and hit the pole perfect. She jumped up in the air. “Yee-haw, and that’s how we do it her on the farm.”

Dash was not happy. “I hate losing.” She kicked the ground.

“You’re a pretty good athlete, I’m just better.” Why did you have to say that AJ? She walked away while Dash followed her while hovering.

“Alright Applejack, you think that you are the top athletic in all of Ponyville?” This can’t end well, I stared to followed them.

“Well, I was going to say in all of Equestria.” AJ brush her tail in Dash’s face. “But that might be gilding the lily.” I don’t like where this is going.

“And I think that I’m the top athletic, so let prove it.”

AJ stopped when she heard that, she turned around to face Dash. “Prove what?”

“I challenge you to an iron pony competition.” That got AJ to raise an eye brown, me to. “A series of athletic contests to decide who’s the best, once and for all.”

“You know what Rainbow? You’re on.” Then AJ spat in her hand and so did Dash, then they shook hands.” I would like to slap my hand against my head, but thanks to that my head hurts, I didn’t.

I decide to say something. “As much as I would like to see you two compete against each other, I would suggest that you two do this tomorrow. I don’t think you can get everything up today.”

Both of them just stared at me, I guess they were think over what I said. I could actually see the smoke coming out from the top off their heads.

Then AJ decided to speak. “He got a point, there’s a lot of things that have to be done.” She then looked at Dash. “Let’s set up what we need today and have the competition tomorrow.”

“Fine by me, I can beat you tomorrow.” Dash said with confident in her voice.

Oh brother. “You two do that, I’m heading inside and finding an ice pack for my head.” They said something at me when I walked away but I didn’t listen, I was hit in the head by a horseshoe, I was angry.

Well inside I went straight to the kitchen and when I entered I saw Mac sitting by the table, he was reading the newspaper. Once I entered he looked over the paper and watch me go the fridge, I opened it and took an ice pack, I closed the door and sat down on one of the chairs. I put the ice pack on my head and it felt good.

“What happened to you?” Mac asked me.

“Dash, she threw a horseshoe at my head. That’s what happened.”

He just gave me a nod, he then looked out the window and saw AJ carrying some planks. “What’s going on outside?”

“AJ and Dash are going to have an iron pony competition tomorrow, right now they are gathering the stuff they need.” He just nodded again and went back to the newspaper.

I couldn’t help but stare at the big guy. Big Macintosh, a pony that let’s his action speak for him. He isn’t one for words, that’s for sure. I have lived with him and his family for over three months and I know almost nothing about him, one thing I know about him and that’s that he is single. Let’s try and fix that.

“So, Mac. How is life?”

“Can’t complain.” He didn’t put the paper down for that one, he just shrugged his shoulders behind it.

This is going to be more difficult that I thought. “Are you seeing anypony?” It’s a direct question I know but I was desperate.

That got him to look over the paper, just looked at me with confuse face. “Where did that question come from?”

“Because Sunset asked me to ask you if you were seeing anypony, are you?”

“No, I’m not.” He put the newspaper on the table. “Sunset is interested in dating me?” I gave him a nod. “Then why isn’t she here to ask herself? Why are you doing it for her?”

“Because she tried once. She tried about two weeks before I arrived here, she walked into the barn to ask you if you wanted to go on a date with her, but you were shirtless and when she saw your upper body and then she kind of blank out, then she ran.”

“I remember that day, is that’s why she is asking you to ask for her?”

“Yes, look Mac. I know that Sunset can be scary at times, but she has a good heart and she is a kind pony. I’m not telling you to fall in love with her right away, I’m asking you to give her a chance.”

It looked like he was in deep thought, I’m not sure if he was. I heard from AJ that their family has some rule against dating pegasus and unicorns. Maybe it isn’t a rule, I think it was taboo. I don’t remember.

“Alright Fox, I will give her a chance.”

Say what. “Really?” He gave me a nod, I didn’t expect that. “Are you going to ask her now?”

He shook his head. “Not now, I think I will wait until tomorrow.”

“Okay then.” I was shocked that he said that her would give her a chance, I guess I was wrong about his family when it comes to dating peagsus and unicorns. “Alright then, I’m heading home. I am in no shape to chop more wood.” I got up and walked to fridge to place back the ice pack back.

“I understand, I going to chop the rest of the wood and I will talk to Sunset tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I closed the door to the fridge. “I going to pick up the money for the wood I chopped tomorrow.” I said good bye to Mac and headed home.

I spend the rest of the day relaxing at home, not much to when you were hit in the head by a horseshoe. I woke up the next morning felling much better, the pain in my head had gone away so that’s a plus.  I did my morning routine, eat breakfast, after that I decide to head down to the farm to see how competition between ego and stubborn.

Once outside my house I saw a certain grey pony walking towards me. “Hello Coalstone, what can I do for you today?” I asked him.

He stopped in front of me. “Well, I think about asking if we could do something today. But, its looks like you’re going out already.”

This guy has been spending more and more time in Ponyville since we meet, those times have been with me. I think he’s not comfortable around a crowd, I can’t say that I blame him.

“Actually, I heading to Applejack’s farm to see her and Dash compete in an iron pony competition.”

He just looked at me, confused. “An iron pony what?”

“An iron pony competition, they are going to compete in a series of athletic contests to decide who’s the best, once and for all. Not my words but Dash’s words. You can join me if you want to”

He just shrugged his shoulders. “Why not, I got no other things to do tight now.”

“Great.” I said with a smile. “Let’s head down to the farm.” With that stared to walked to the farm.

One the way there I decide to ask him something. “Hey Coalstone.”

“Listen Fox, just call me Coal.”

“Alright then Coal, do you have something against being around others. Because the first time we meet you were very defensive against me, Sunset and Fluttershy. And when Pinkie said that she was throwing you a party you didn’t like it very much and last, when you help the town after the attack of the Parasprites you didn’t talk very much. What’s the deal?”

He looked at me and I could see sadness in his eyes. “Do you really want to know?” I hesitated a little, but I gave him a nod. “I from a town called Trottingham, have you heard of it?”

“Yeah, I have read that it’s not most pleasant place to stay.”

He sighed. “You can say that, I’m from there. When I was little I was lonely, I didn’t have many friends there.”

“Didn’t you try and make friends?”

“I did but it never went well, you see. I was very good at carving stones, you probably saw some of my work when we first meet. Anyway, the other kids didn’t think that carving statues out from rock was very impressing. Those who thought it was great, they moved away or just forgot me. When I was old enough I decide to move away from home, after some time I found a place to make home and move there.”

Wow. “What about your parent’s? Didn’t they do anything? I mean, did they just ignore you?”

“No, they tried to do something. They invited many kids to my birthdays but not many showed up, after a while I got used to it.”

Wow, just wow. Here we have a stallion who have lived most of his life as a lonely wolf, I can’t image how that feels.

Then he looked at me with a little smile. “But then I meet you Fox.” I cocked an eye brown of that. “I got the feeling that you wanted to be me friend, I think that you looked away from my skills.”

“Of course, I did. I never judge someone from their looks or what they do.”

I felt bad for Coal. Living most of his life alone, that must be hard on him. I understand why I don’t like to be around other ponies. “Listen Coal, I understand that you had a rough childhood, but the ponies in this town are different. They like to meet other ponies.” If you are not a zebra.

“Are you sure? That pink pony told a different story when it came to Zecora.”

“That’s Pinkie, she is over enthusiasm when there’s a new pony in town. But don’t worry, I know how to handle her.” He just gave a nod.

When we arrived at the farm we saw Dash sitting on the ground doing some exercises and stretches, AJ, Twilight and Sunset was also there. I wonder why the two unicorns are there. Me and Coal decide to find out.

We just heard Twilight ask something. “And I’m here toooo?”

Dash. “Uh, I don’t know, why is she her?”

AJ just gave Dash a flat looked, which she ignored. “To be out judge and keep score.”

Dash just smiled of that. “Right, heh, some ponies got to record my awesomeness for the history books.” Oh brother.

I better do something to make sure that this will be fair competition. “If Twilight is the judge then suggest that Sunset is the referee.” After that all eyes was on me. “What? If Twilight is keeping track of the score then why not have Sunset as a referee, then it will be a fair competition.”

AJ. “I’m okay with that.”

Twilight. “Fine by me.”

Dash. “Doesn’t matter to me, I will win anyway.” Good that ego.

Then will looked at Sunset who was still think about it, she then shrugged her shoulders. “Fine, I can be the referee.” That’s good to hear.

While the girls got ready we decide to check out what kind of athletic contests they had but up, they had to run between some barrels, jump as far as they could, hitting a bell on top of a standing plank, hay toss. I lost track after a while, they have so many. Then we notice that the also had managed to put up a score board and grandstands.

“Isn’t this a little overkill?” Coal said while we sat down on the grandstands.

“You hit the nail on the head on that one.” He was right, why did those two had to go overboard? Then we saw the rest of the girls appeared, Fluttershy decide to keep track over the points while Rarity and Pinkie took a seat at the grandstands. Rarity took out a towel and lay it down on the wood and sat down on it. I just gave her a confusing look which she decided to ignore, I just rolled my eye. Me and Coal also took a seat at the grandstands.

Sunset walked to the AJ and Dash wearing a referee hat on her head, wonder where she got that. “Alright you two, I want a fair competition.” She looked over to Dash. “That means no wings Dash.”

She wasn’t happy about that, that’s for sure. “What? Why not?”

Sunset gave her a flat look. “Are you serious? What do you have that Applejack doesn’t have?” Dash didn’t answer. “Answer the Question Rainbow.”

“Wings, Applejack doesn’t have wings.” Dash answered her.

“That’s right and if I see you using them I will disqualify you, got it?” Dash gave her nod. “Good, let’s get stared.” Sunset blew in the whistle she had.

They were finally ready to get underway with the competition, the first competition was a barrel run. They had made a track on the ground with barrels, so they could run in zigzags and there was flower in the barrels? What the!? I looked over to Rarity who was had a smile on her face, when did she do that? I should focus on the competition not what the diva is doing.

AJ was up first, she got ready. Twilight was standing ready with a stopwatch while Sunset was holding a whistle. “Alright Applejack, are you ready?” AJ nodded. Sunset blew the whistle and AJ took off, Twilight stared the stopwatch. she ran zigzag through the barrels but unfortunately, she hit a barrel. Then she crossed the finish line. Twilight stopped the watch.

“Seventeen seconds.” Twilight announced, was that good? I have no idea.

AJ was happy when she heard that. “You’re kidding, that breaks my record from last year’s rodeo.”

Then Sunset came up to her. “Sorry Applejack, you hit a barrel, so you got a five seconds penalty.”

AJ frowned at this. “Nuts and shoes. Still that’s twenty two seconds, not too shabby.” I looked at Dash and she was nervous, I think that’s the first time I have seen her nervous. “Hey, don’t be nervous, remember it’s all in good fun. Now get on up there.” AJ told her.

Dash flew up to the starting line and got ready. “You ready Rainbow?” She nodded, Sunset blew in the whistle and Dash took off. She zigzags through the barrels, she didn’t hit on of them as she crossed the finish line.

“Hoo, that was some fancy hoof work their Rainbow.” Applejack complimented.

Rainbow came flying back to them panting a little. “Thanks, but I couldn’t have been as fast as you.”

“You did it in eighteen seconds.” Twilight announced. Damn, that means that Dash won that one. Do I want her to win? No, her ego can’t take it.

AJ was surprised, we all were. “Eighteen seconds, Rainbow, you sure you’re not secretly a rodeo pony?”

Sunset. “That means that Rainbow is the winner.” Pinkie and Rarity clapped for her, me and Coal, not. I looked up at the score board, I saw that Shy move a pointe to Dash.

They moved on to the second contest, which was bucking contest. The goal was to see who could hit a bell at the top of a standing plank. AJ was lying under a tree while Dash took the first shoot, she managed to hit the bell.

She then flew over to AJ with a smug grin. “Mighty respectable, but let me show you how it’s really done.” She got up and walked over to the bell, she managed to kick it so hard that she sent the bell flying up in the air. 

Sunset. “Applejack is the winner.”

I knew that she could win but that was just ridiculous, she then walked over to Dash who was sitting under the same tree with her mouth open, she was in shock that’s for sure, I think we all were. “Years of apple bucking.” She then kicked the tree making so apples fell on Dash’s head, that was actually funny. Then I notice more ponies had arrived to watch the competition, when the hell did they arrive?

The next event was hog tying contest, the unlucky pony that was the ‘bull’ was Caramel. He was standing between AJ and Dash with a helmet with horns, did I feel sorry for him? Not really. Applejack was a pro with the rope while Dash was not, Applejack managed to ‘catch’ Caramel while Dash managed to get herself hogtied in a tree. “Grr, gg, gah. Does this count?” I don’t think so. AJ won that one.

The next one, this time they were bouncing a ball? Dash had no problem with that while AJ was struggling, Dash managed somehow to catch the one AJ was using. Dash won that one.

When it came to the next tree contests, AJ won two of them and Dash won one. The next one was push up and Dash had to win this one if not she would under with two points. I decide to look around and think almost everypony in town have come to watch, when did they arrive? I looked over to Coal and I looked a little nervous, he was actually sweating.

“You okay?” I asked him.

“Not really, there’s a lot off ponies her right now and I don’t do crowds that good.”

I put a hand on his should to try and calm in down. “Just relax, none of these ponies want to hurt you. They are friendly.”

That made him relax a little. “Thanks Fox, that helps.”

“Hey Fox.” I looked over to my right, there sat Carrot Top or is it Golden Harvest, I can’t remember. “Is your friend okay?”

“He’s fine, he’s not used to large crowed, that’s all.”  She jus nodded and went back to the competition which was pushups and Twilight was counting and Sunset was watching them but somehow, I knew that Dash would use her wings on this one.

Twilight. “95… 96… 97… 98…” They were starting to get tired. “99…” And on the last push Dash used her wings, I knew it.

But luckily Sunset was there, when she saw that she blew her whistle. “FOWL, Rainbow Dash didn’t not listen to my warning, so the winner is Applejack.”

Everypony cheered that AJ won and she was also happy but not Dash, she flew straight into Sunset face. “You can’t do that, I won.”

Sunset had a stone face. “What did I say before that competition stared? I told you that you weren’t allowed to use your wings and you just used your wings, this is your only warning Dash; if you use them one more time, I will disqualify you. Got it?”

“You can’t do that.” Really Dash.

“Yes, I can. You made me the referee and I gave you a warning, on with the next one.”

Dash was not happy, that’s for sure. She hates to lose but love to win and she will do everything to make sure that she is the winner, and that includes cheating.

The next contest was to see who could jump the farthest, AJ was up first and she almost managed to jump the hole field, it was like three meters. I think, I Don’t know I failed at math in school, it was not my strongest subject. I was an athlete. Then it was Dash turn and surprise, surprise, she used her wings, so she could get further than AJ. When will she learn?

Sunset blew in her whistle. “FOWL, Dash did not listen to my warning and that means she is disqualify, that means that Applejack is the winner.” Sunset walked over to AJ and raised her arm into the sky, everypony cheered except Dash. She was not happy.

“What’s the meaning of this Sunset, you can’t just declare Applejack the winner. We aren’t done yet.” Dame it Dash.

Sunset looked over to her. “I gave you a warning Dash and you ignored it, I told you before the competition that YOU weren’t allowed to use your wings and you used them twice and that means you cheated.”

“I did NOT cheat.”

Is Dash stupide or something? She stared to walked towards Sunset and AJ, so I got up and ran over to her. I stood in front of her, blocking her way.

“Get away Fox, this has nothing to do with you.”

“You need to calm down Dash.”

“CALM DOWN? Who should I calm down when I get accused of cheating.”

“I know that you don’t like to lose Dash but getting angry about it doesn’t help, you and AJ made Sunset the referee and she told you before you stared that you weren’t allowed to use your wings and you agreed to that. You can shout as much as you want but in the end, you lost.”

I hope that would work and it did, Dash managed to calm down. “You are right Fox, I did agree to not use my wings. But I think I still could have won whiteout them.” You got to be kidding me.

“Oh yeah, prove it.” Dammit AJ.

“Gladly, how?”

Applejack walked over to me and Dash. “Tomorrow is the annual running of the leaves, I challenge you to a race.”

Dash smirked as she stared to fly. “HAH, easy shmeezy.”

AJ pulled her down by her tail. “Hold on, there is one condition. The point is to run, so NO WINGS ALLOWED.”

“No wings, no problem.” They spat in each other hands and did a hand shake.

Great, they go from one completion to another one. I just shook my head as I walked back to Coal who was now standing in front of the grandstands.

“They are really competitive, aren’t they?”

“You have no idea Coal, I think they have been like this like forever.” I wasn’t wrong, for as long as I have known them they always have been competitive.

We stared to head back to town with the rest of the ponies that live here, in the crowd I saw a pony that I bump into a week ago. It was the pegasus with wings of ice, I stared to walk over to him and Coal followed me.

“Hey, you with the weird wings.”

That got him stop and looked at me. “Oh, it you. The fox I meet a while ago.” He said in a clam voice.

“Yeah, it’s me and I want to know how you made that cloud snow. That should only happen in the winter.” I think. “How did you do that?”

“He made snow come out from a cloud and it’s not winter?” Coal asked me.

“You got that right and I want to know how.”

“I can make snow from my hooves at any time I want to.” He answered in a calm voice.

“You can make it snow whenever you want to from your hooves?” He nodded. “Bullshit.” He then pointe down on his hooves and there was snow there. “Holy shit, you can do it. That’s not creepy at all, what’s your name?”

He hesitated a little. “It’s Arctic Ace.”

Here’s the big question. “Why haven’t I seen you around town before?”

“I moved her two weeks ago.”

“You have been here for two weeks and you have managed to avoid her.”

That confused him. “Avoid who?”

As soon as those words left his mouth. “There you are.” We all looked in the direction of the voice and there stood Pinkie, she walked right up to Ace. “I want to know how you managed to avoid my pinkie senses.” Ace looked at me for answer, but I didn’t have the answer.

He managed eventually to get an answer out. “I don’t know, I’m sorry?”

It helped her mood a little. “You can make it up to me by coming to my party later today.”

I had to stopped her there. “I don’t think that is a good idea Pinkie.”

She gave me a confused look. “And why’s that Fox?”

I just gave her ‘are you kidding me’ look. “Think about it Pinkie, tomorrow is the running of the leaves. You can throw a party for the winner and for Ace after the event.”

I could see that she was think, smoke was actually coming out from her head. Then she gave us a big smile. “You are right Fox, I can throw a part for the winner and the new pony, I got to home and plan.” And then she ran away, then she was back standing beside Ace. “What’s your name by the way?” She asked him. 

“Arctic Ace.” He answered.

“Great.” Then she was gone again, leaving me alone with Ace and Coal.

“Energetic, that one.” Said Ace.

“Dud, you don’t know the half of it.” I said with laughter in my voice.

“Hm, you don’t say so.” He was to calm right now, a little creepy.

I was about to ask him where he was from when I saw a certain purple unicorn walked towards the town. 

“I’ll see you two later, I have to go and talk to a pony.”

I left them and stared to walked towards Twilight. “Hey, Sparkle.” I got no answer, she didn’t even look at me. She stared to walked faster, what’s wrong with her. I ran to her and grabbed her shoulder. “Where’s the fire Sparkle?”

She swapped away my hand. “Don’t call me that.” She said with anger in her voice.

I put up both hands in my defense. “Okay, I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk.”

“Talk? Talk about what?” Is she seriously right now?

“About what happened with you and Celestia.”

“Oh.” She looked down on the ground. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“Have you even talk to anyone about it?” She shook her head. “You have to talk to someone, you can’t keep it all inside of you.”

“I said that I don’t want to talk about it.” She stared to walk away so I grabbed her arm, that was a mistake.

Her horn started to glow and before I could react I felt something hit my chest, It send me flying back and I landed a few feet from Twilight. When I hit the ground, I could feel pain in my chest and it hurt like hell.

“Oh my, are you okay Fox?” I don’t know who said that thanks to the pain. “Here, let me help you up.” Then I felt someone helping me up.

When I was in a sitting position I could see who it was, it was Octavia. “Thanks.” Talking was maybe not the best thing to do, it hurt.

She help me get up on my feet. “Who did this to you?”

“It was Twilight, I just wanted to talk, and she blasted me in the chest.” I have no idea why I am talking when it hurts.

Octavia gasped when she heard that. “What’s wrong with her? She can’t just do that and get away with it, I’m going to have a talk with her.” She was about to walk away but I stopped her.

“Don’t worry about it Octavia, it was my own fault. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.” I stared to walk home.

“Are you sure you don’t me to talk to her?” She asked with concern in her voice.

I just gave her reassuring smile. “I’m sure, I’m going to talk to her tomorrow.” I walk home with a lot of pain in my chest.

When I got home I barley manage to open the door, when I was inside I had to lean against the wall for supported. Then I felt even more pain in my chest, it hurt so much that I fell on the floor and I passed out.

I gasped for air when I woke up. “What the hell happened?” I tried to remember but it was all a little fussy, then I remember that Twilight shot me in the chest and the Octavia help me. “When I see Twilight again.”  I managed to get myself up but the was a mistake, I had trouble standing and had to support myself on the wall. Then I notice that the pain in my chest was gone, looked down on my chest and saw that my shirt had burn mark on it. “Great, just great. When Rarity heard about this she is certainly going to punch me in face.” Yeah, Rarity care about her clothes.

Then someone knock on my door. “Who the hell is this? At night?” I decide to see who it was, I open the door and was blended by the light. “What the hell.” When I managed to see again I saw that Octavia was staining there with a worried face.

“Fox, I’m so glad to see that you are okay.”

“I guess I fell asleep and slept through the entire nigh.” Yep, it was morning.

She cocked her head to the side. “You fell asleep?”

I nodded. “Yeah, once I got inside I fell on floor and past out. And when I woke up I was meet by a light, what is the time?” I had no idea.

“It’s almost 11 am, it’s almost time for running of the leaves.”

I gave her a nod. “Good to hear, I have to get chanced and get some breakfast. I’m going to participate.”

I walked back into my house to get chance my clothes, Octavia followed me inn. “Are you sure you should be running after what happened to you? Can you even run in the event?” She asked me as I walked up to the second floor.

I just took off the ruined shirt and put on a new one. “First of, I fell fine and second, you don’t have to be a pony to run, all species can run in running of the leaves.” I told her while walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. “And beside.” I open my fridge to make myself a sandwich. “I’m going to make sure that ego and stubborn don’t do anything stupide in the race.”

“Ego and stubborn? Do you mean Rainbow Dash and Applejack?” I just gave her a smile for an answer. “Oh yeah, I heard that they were competing. What do you think they are going to do in the race?”

I finished up my sandwich. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Are you going to run?” I kind of knew the answer but I have to ask.

She shook her head. “No, I not the athletic. I’m going to watch. Are you sure that you are fine?”

“Yes Octavia, I feel fine.” We walk out. “Let’s get going already, I don’t want to miss it.”

When we arrived at the starting line and it looked like that the entire town was here, I just went to register, I got the number 64. I could sense the irony in the number.

Octavia said she was going to stand by the finished line, she said good luck to me and walked away. I walked towards the starting line and I could see BonBon, Golden Harvest and Berry Punch there and some stallions, warming up. And then I saw AJ and Dash, AJ was tying a rope around Dash to prevent her to use her wings, Really? I walked over to them.

AJ. “Trussed up like a turkey. Well, a turkey who can’t fly, that is.”

“A turkey can’t fly AJ, so that sentence don’t make any sense.”

They were both in shook when they saw me walking towards them, I decide to stand next to AJ. They still look at me in shook. “What? Why are you two looking at me like that?” To be honest, it was creeping me out.

AJ. “What are you doing here Fox? You can’t run.”

Dash. “Yeah, only ponies can run.”

“Have you two even read the rules?” They looked at each other and then at me, they shook their heads. “I figure that much, I have read it and as long as you can run you can participate.”

AJ. ”I guess so, if you weren’t allowed to run then you wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m glad we got that part clear.”

I stared to jump up and down to get some blood pumping in my body, while I was stretching my arms I could see Twilight at the others side of the starting line. When she saw me, she decided to look away, I guess she remember what she did to me yesterday. “Ready to race.” I almost jump out of my skin when I hear that, I looked to my left and I could see Coalstone standing there. When did he get there?

“Where the hell did come from?” I had no idea.

“I arrived while you were talking to those two.” He pointed at AJ and Dash.

“I guess that make sense.”

Then I felt someone poke me on my shoulder, I turn around to see who it was. It was Dash. “Hey Fox, who is the big guy?” What?

I was shocked over Dash’s question, but then I remember that she is the only one of the girls who didn’t talked to him when he help repaired the town after the Parasprites incident.

“Are you serious Dash? This is Coalstone, he helped repaired the town a week ago. But I guess he isn’t cool enough for you to remember him.”

I made Dash feel bad, but I didn’t care right now, that’s the problem with her. When ponies aren’t cool enough for her she usually ignores them. then she gets to know them. Coal was about to say something to me, but Mayor Mare beat him to it.

She was standing right beside the starting line. “Gentlecolts and mares, and fox.” Thanks Mayor, that wasn’t embarrassing at all. “I would like to welcome you all to the annual running of the leaves.” As soon as she said that, the ponies started cheering. “I hope that we will have a fear race this year.” I looked at AJ and Dash for that one. “Now, let’s get this race started.” She lifted her right arm up. “Participants. On your marks, get set.” We all waited for the last past. Then she threw her arm down. Go.” And the race was on.

Almost all of them started to run like the devil as behind them, except me, Coal and Twilight. We stared to jog, not run like crazy. I didn’t really care about getting the leaves to fall on the ground, I was here to run, nothing more.

After a little running me and Coal saw AJ lying on the ground close to a rock. “Don’t get me wrong AJ, but I thought the whole idea with this event was to run.” I said to her.

She just looked at me and she was not happy. “I’m lying her because Rainbow Dash tripped me.”

“Oh really, what about this rock?” I pointed at the rock that was lying behind her. “It looks like the rock tripped you.”

She blushed a little. “Oh, yeah. It could have been Rainbow.” She got up and started to run again.

Then Coal ask me a good question. “Are those two going to be okay?” That was a good question.

“I have no idea.” Then I heard someone coming behind me, I saw it was Twilight. “Let’s just get on with the race.” We did that.

After some more running we then saw Dash lying on the ground, we slowed down. “What’s wrong with you and AJ? Do you like to lie in the ground?”

Dash gave me an annoying look. “I’m lying on the ground thanks to Applejack, she tripped me.”

Oh brother. “Come on Dash, you know that AJ would never do that, and you know it.”

“Then how do you explain me lying on the ground?”

I was about to ask her, but Coal beat me to it. “You tripped on a stump.” He pointed a stump that was, I was going to say lying on the ground but that would be wrong.

She blushed a little of that, she then shook her head. “I still think that Applejack made so that I tripped on it, form now on; the rules have chance.” She got up and ran before I could say anything.

I slapped a hand on my face. “That pony, when will she learn?”

Coal walked to me. “Is she always like that?”

“Yeah, she hates to lose so the answer is yes. Let’s just counited with the race and hope that those two don’t do anything stupid.” Little did know how wrong I was.

While running we past many trees that was with no leaves, I guess this race is working. We then entered Whitetail Wood, it almost like the Everfree forest but not so dangerous. As we entered we saw AJ sitting on branch, she had somehow managed to bent it and she launch herself with it. Coal looked at me for answer, but I was just as clueless as him, we just shrugged it of and kept on running.

Then we encounter Dash who was stuck in some sap on the ground. “Nice of you to stick around Dash.” I said while running past her, then I saw that Coal gave me a look that said, ‘are you serious.’ Yeah, I admit it. It was a bad pun. Then all of sudden we saw Dash fly past us, I had just one question; what the hell is going on with those two?

We started to get closer to the finished line and on the way, we saw AJ and Dash standing on a rock looking into each other’s eyes, me and Coal just stared at them as we ran past them not saying a word. We couldn’t find the words. Then we saw the finished line and we stared to pick up the pace, Coal was faster than me that much I knew already. We stared to get closer to the rest of the ponies that had run ahead, as I got closer I saw that they were very tired so passing them was easy.

As I got even more closer to the finished line I felt strange and not in a good way, everything stared to get blurry and I was having trouble breathing. I bushed ahead anyway but that was a mistake, as soon as I was over the finished line everything went black.