It was a hot sunny day in Ponyville and at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Lightning Sprint were having a little competition of horseshoe throwing.
Lightning Sprint grunted as she threw her horseshoe, watching it land next to the post. "Whoo-hoo!" She exclaimed, somersaulting.
"Hoo-wee!" said Applejack, impressed. "Not a bad pitch for a pony who works with her head in the clouds." She added in a teasing manner.
"Oh yeah? Think you can do better, cowgirl?"
"I know I can," Applejack said confidently, grabbing a yellow horseshoe with her teeth and tossed it toward the stick, only to have it fall short of the blue horseshoe. "Oh, for Pete's sake!"
"Heh! Looks like this Pegasus can pitch better than the workhorse. The object of the game is to get the closest to the stake."
Rolling her eyes, Applejack shoved the remaining blue horseshoe toward her friend. "All right, all right. You got another throw there, pony girl." she reminded her with a smirk.
Lightning Sprint flicked it up onto her nose before throwing it but missed by a long way. Chad, who was pulling a plow as Big Macintosh supervised, caught it and spun it on his tail.
"Wow, Lights, heh," Applejack said, back to her teasing manner. "You couldn't hit a barn door with that kind of a throw."
"Yeah, yeah. I still have the closest throw, Apple Smack. Just try and beat it."
Picking up the horse shoe and lining up her sight, Applejack tossed her remaining horseshoe and this time it hooked on the stick and circled it twice before landing on the ground. "Yee-haw! It's a ringer." she cheered while Lightning’s jaw dropped in shock. "That's how you do it down here on the farm."
"I lost....." Lightning Sprint said, looking down.
"Ah, don't feel bad, Lightning," Applejack told her to cheer her up. "It's all in good fun."
"I hate losing." She added before muttering under her breath. "I lose too often."
"Besides, you're a mighty good athlete," she added smugly. "I'm just better. Heh heh heh." Applejack said, Not hearing what she muttered under her breath.
Lightning Sprint flew after her, not wanting to take this lying down. "All right, Applejack, you think you're the top athlete in all of Ponyville?"
"I believe that title goes to Bandit." Applejack pointed out. “Best pony athlete however, and I would say I’m the best in all of equestria,” She then swished her tail in her face. “But that might be gildin’ a lily.” Applejack continued to trot off.
"And I think I'm the top pony athlete. So let's prove it."
Applejack poked her head back towards Lightning. "Prove what?"
"I challenge you to an Iron Pony competition.” Lightning Sprint told her, Applejack raised a brow at the suggestion. “A series of athletic contests to decide who's the best, once and for all." Lightning Sprint said with a grin.
Applejack smiled with determination. “You know what Lightning? You’re on.”
Both mares spat in their own hooves and hoof bumped before going head to head, smirking with a determination to win.
My Little Pony,
My Big Changeling too
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahhh…
[Bandit]
(My Little Pony)
We used to wonder what friendship could be
(My Big Changeling too)
[Twilight Sparkle]
Until you all shared its magic with me
[Rainbow Dash]
Big adventure
[Pinkie Pie]
Tons of fun
[Rarity]
A beautiful heart
[Applejack]
Faithful and strong
[Fluttershy]
Sharing kindness!
[Lightning Sprint]
Motivate the team
[Bandit]
Heroics makes it all complete
You have my little ponies
Do you know you're all my very best friends?
The next day at the farm, Big Macintosh was busy setting up the last of the events needed for the Iron Pony competition with Chad and Rainbow Dash’s help, and on a nearby hill, Lightning Sprint and Applejack were warming up their muscles when they were joined by Bandit and Spike, having gotten a letter at the doorstep of the library.
"So you two are doing what, now?" Bandit asked them.
Applejack was caught off guard by Lightning Sprint, but composed herself and continued. "See, we've set up a bunch of events to decide which one of us is-"
"The most athletic pony ever!" Lighting cut in. Applejack looked annoyed with the interruptions.
“And I’m currently standing here instead of prepping for the newest episode of Power Ponies vs Retaliators because why?” Bandit asked.
"Well.... we kinda need a judge. So we figured, why not have the best athlete in Equestria to judge us instead?" Lightning Sprint said. Bandit got nose to nose with her with an unamused look.
".... Are you trying to flatter me so you can score some extra points as a just in case?" Bandit asked her.
"What? No." She answered quickly, realizing he was onto her.
Bandit brought out a cookie and waved it across her nose.
She gasped and looked at the cookie.
"You will tell me the truuuuuuuth." He teased in a hypnotic manner.
"I will tell you the-" She repeated before shaking her head quickly. "Hey!"
"Eh, close enough."
She narrowed her eyes at him, pressing back against his nose this time. "That's not gonna work everytime."
"No cookie for you then." He said as he moved back to eat it.
"But I want the cookie." She said with a whimper. He rolled his eyes and tossed it to her.
"Yay!" She caught it with a smile and happily took a bite. That was the faithful moment she realized that the cookie given to her was oatmeal raisin, she thought she was receiving a chocolate chip cookie. She quickly spat out the piece she'd eaten, coughing and sputtering. "Oatmeal?! I will not forget this betrayal"
Chad slid over.
"You gonna eat the rest of that?" He asked.
"Knock yourself out." She answered, giving the rest of the cookie to him. Chad ate it in seconds.
"Fine, I'll judge the competition." Bandit said.
"Awesome." Lightning Sprint said, hugging Bandit tightly.
“But don’t expect special treatment.” Bandit told her as he patted her head.
A short while later, it was time for the competition to start, and Spike, who was standing on Twilight's back this time, had grabbed a stick off the ground and was using it like a microphone. "Hello everypony, and welcome to the first annual Iron Pony competition!" he announced.
"Uh, Spike, who are you talking to?" Twilight Sparkle asked, looking over her shoulder at the baby dragon.
Spike flushed a little and nodded around. "Um… Uh, them!" he exclaimed as Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie arrived to cheer their friends on. "Let the games begin!" And as Applejack and Rainbow Dash took their places before the first event, a few other ponies arrived to cheer them on.
The first event was barrel weaving. "Ready. Set. Go!" Bandit called out and Applejack raced through the barrel weave, avoiding the barrels until she just barely brushed the third to last one.
“Dagnabbit.” She said looking back before she managed to weave past the other barrels and reached the finish line.
"Time Chad?" Bandit asked.
"17 seconds." Chad answered.
"You're kiddin'!" Applejack exclaimed as she slid over, surprised and delighted by her time. "That breaks my record from last year's rodeo."
"But you got a five second penalty for nudging the barrel." He added.
Applejack sighed, disappointed. "Nuts and shoes." she grumbled for a moment before turning grateful once again. "Still, that's 22 seconds. Not too shabby."
Lightning Sprint was beginning to sweat, getting nervous.
"Hey, don't be nervous." She suggested, nudging her friend a little. "Remember, it's all in good fun. Now git on up there."
She nodded and moved into position.
"Ready. Set. Go!" Bandit said, and with that, Lightning Sprint zipped through the barrels without touching a single one.
"Woo! That was some fancy hoofwork there, Lights!" Applejack cheered.
"Thanks, but I-" Lightning Sprint panted "-couldn't have been as fast as you."
"What was the time on that, Chad?" Applejack asked. Chad looked at the stopwatch.
"18 seconds!" Chad announced.
"18 seconds." Applejack repeated, surprised and then gave her friend a friendly nudge. "Lights, are you sure you're not secretly a rodeo pony?" she teased Lightning Sprint.
"Lightning Sprint wins the barrel lead!" Twilight announced and Rainbow dash updated the scoreboard with a woot.
Lightning cheered for herself loudly. "Oh, I can't believe I won."
"Yeah, well, don't you go gettin' used to it." Applejack told her, yanking on her friend's tail to bring her back to the ground. Leaning in her back with a slight glare.
The next event was to ring the bell at the top of a tower. Having won the first event, Lightning sprint was first up to the tower, and used her back legs to kick the target hard. The punt shot upward and hit the bell, ringing it. The gathered ponies cheered, and there were more of them as word spread about the event.
Applejack, who was resting under a tree, peered out from under her hat before getting up to take her turn. "Mighty respectable," she commented, spitting out the piece of straw she'd been chewing on, "but let me show ya how it's really done." She then went to the tower and with a loud grunt, slammed her back legs into the target. The punt shot upward and knocked the bell clean off, winning her the event, Bandit used his magic to catch the bell. While the ponies all cheered, she trotted back to Lightning, who was staring with a stunned expression, added with a dropped jaw. "Years of applebuckin'." She added before kicking the tree. The apples fell out of the tree and bonked her on the head to the tune of 'shave and a haircut'.
Fluttershy placed a point on Applejack's score.
Two more apples bonked Lightning Sprint in the tune of, 'two bit'.
The next event was the bronco buck. The mares had the choices between Chad and Spike. Lightning Sprint zipped over and grabbed Spike, remembering Rainbow dash had told her about Chad's iron grip. Applejack walked over to Chad and placed him on her back. Chad held onto her sides, waiting to be bucked off. In the stands that'd been set up, Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and Big Mac were cheering her on.
"Waa-hoo!" Granny Smith Cheered.
"Whoo-hoo!" Apple Bloom cheered.
"Eeyup!" Big Macintosh cheered.
"Bring it on." Chad said.
"Why me?" Spike said.
"Go!" Bandit said. Applejack began to buck as hard as she could. Lightning bucked as fast as she could. Not even five seconds went by and Spike was bucked into the air. Bandit dropped the whistle and dove for him, catching him at the cost of the scoreboard, chipping off the top of it.
"Lightning Sprint wins the bronco buck!" Bandit said as Rainbow dash put a point on the board.
"FYI, I got the winner." Rainbow dash told him. Applejack was still trying to buck Chad off, tiring herself out as a result.
"Quite….the grip….you got there." Applejack said per pant.
"Like iron." Chad said as he flexed his front hooves. Applejack smirk since he let go of her sides, so she bucked him off, sending him into a haystack. He popped out.
"Again!" He exclaimed excitedly.
More ponies arrived at the competition and they were cheering with the rest as Chad and Spike ran around the fenced area. Applejack was spinning her lasso with ease, Lightning Sprint was having a very difficult time.
Chad was zig zagging the best he could, but was tripped by Spike when Applejack aimed for him. The lasso missed Spike and grabbed Chad, hog tying him for the end result.
“Spike you traitor!” Chad exclaimed. Spike laughed and fell on his back. Chad wasn't the only one tied up at the moment. Lightning Sprint, who'd been having troubles with her own lasso, was now tied upside-down to one of the branches of a nearby tree. "Does this count?" She asked.
Fluttershy put a point on Applejack’s side.
“Come on Lightning! You can do it!” Rainbow Dash cheered for her.
The next event was ball bouncing and while Applejack struggled with bouncing her ball, toppling over, making the ball bounce over to Lightning sprint, who was bouncing both of her own on her head, and Applejack’s ball on her hind hoof.
The next even was the hay bale toss. Lightning was up first, Lightning Sprint picked up her bale and gave it a great throw. She quickly flew to watch it land. She flew over to it, and smiled at Applejack, seeing the hay bale Applejack threw was about to hit her. She rolled out of the way and the bale landed farther than Lightning Sprint’s
The next event was hoof wrestling. Both Applejack and Lightning Sprint had a strong hoof, but Lightning Sprint had more power in her front hooves and wound up winning when she pinned Applejack’s hoof to the stump, which in turn knocked Applejack to the ground, which won her a point.
The next event was the football kick. Lightning Sprint kicked the ball while flying upright as Applejack bucked the ball. Lightning’s ball went under the cloud of three pegasi. Applejack’s ball went over the cloud the pegasi were on.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, at the halfway point, our competitors are tied at five and five." Spike announced. On Bandit’s back this time.
“You’re getting pretty good at that.” Bandit told him.
“Who are you talking to Spike?” Twilight asked as she walked over.
"Them!" Spike said happily and her jaw dropped when she saw that nearly every pony in Ponyville was gathered for the competition. Some of them were even performing cheerleader routines.
“Twilight, can you judge the rest of the competition? I’ve got an episode of-”
“Go ahead.” Twilight interrupted. Bandit flew off to the library.
The next even was pushups and Twilight Sparkle was keeping track of how many pushups were being done by Applejack and Lightning.
"Ninety-five, ninety-six, ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine..." Twilight counted.
Lightning Sprint used her wings in order to keep herself up.
"Yes!" Lightning Sprint exclaimed.
"One hundred!" Twilight announced.
Applejack glared up at the blue pegasus, who was flying above her like a spoiled brat. "Be a good sport, Applejack." She muttered to herself.
The next event was the long jump, and Applejack was up first. She took a running start and managed to make it a very far distance before it was Lightning's turn.
Lightning Sprint began running and took her jump. Upon realising she wouldn't make it as far, she flapped her wings to get further than Applejack.
Applejack glared again. The next event was to bring the chicks to the mother hens. They had to cross mud in order to do so. The two began crossing and Applejack lost her chicks within seconds due to the mud. Applejack looked and tried to get them back before looking at Lightning.
Lightning went past, balancing them on her wings.
"Okay, I'm back from-" Bandit skidded to a stop upon seeing the scoreboard and looked very confused.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Lightning Sprint has been pulling away." Twilight answered.
"She has? They were tied together when I last saw them.
Twilight nodded. "We're coming up to the last event now."
Bandit looked and saw Applejack and Lightning Sprint holding onto a rope.
"Give it all you've got!" Twilight called. Spike waved a flag to start the event.
Applejack was pulling as hard as she could, and was about to pull her over the mud.
"Looks like the workhorse might come out ahead in this one." Spike commented. Right before Lightning could be pulled into the mud, she used her wings to stop herself and then pulled straight up.
The flying drag Applejack with her, making her dangle over the mud.
"That's not fair," Applejack called out the best she could with a mouth full of rope. "You can't use your wings to help you win."
She tilted her head, not understanding her. "What?!" She called
"You're cheatin'!" She gritted.
"I can't understand you with the rope in your mouth."
Applejack spit out the rope. "I said… uh-oh," she began before realizing what she'd done.
Lightning Sprint gasped upon seeing her let go. Seconds later, Applejack fell into the mud and the crowd cheered.
The crowd cheered loudly as the final score was 15-5. Lightning Sprint had won.
"Whoo-hoo!" Lightning Sprint cheered loudly while her friend pulled herself out of the mud. "I win by a landslide.”
“Or, mudslide in Applejack’s case.” Rainbow Dash laughed.
Applejack shook off the mud and she was furious. "You only won 'cause you cheated!" She snapped at Lightning Sprint.
"What?!"
"You used your wingpower to help you win over half those contests!" Applejack confronted her angrily.
"That sounds quiet sour to me Applejack."
"Are you sayin' you didn't use your wings?" There was a pause.
"Well... no. But you never said I couldn't use my wings."
"Should she have too?" Bandit spoke up.
"It pays to be specific... and besides I still think I would have won without my wings.” Lightning sprint said. Chad pulled out a list.
“Let’s see, long jump, high jump, tug of war, chicken transfer, and push ups. Nope. The events would be a tie.” Chad said as he showed her the list. There were five stamps with wings in the shape of a w, signifying that her wings were the reason she won.
Applejack glared. "I didn't think I needed to tell you to play fair."
"Both of you, stop." Bandit stepped forward. Lightning Sprint and Applejack looked at him. “Listen. Both of you are very wrong in this situation. Applejack, If you didn't want Lightning Sprint to use her wings, you should have made that clear from the get go. Lightning, you really should have known better than to use your wings and it’s disappointing that someone should have to tell you."
Lightning Sprint looked down upon being told.
"You're right Bandit, I should have." Applejack said, looking down.
“Look, let’s give you both the benefit of the doubt and say that you’re tied. How do you suppose we settle the tie breaker?” Twilight asked as she walked over.
“Tomorrow is the annual Runnin' of the Leaves,'' Applejack informed Bandit before turning to Lightning Sprint. "I challenge you to race me in it." Lightning scoffed.
“Is that it? You’ll be eating my dust faster than you can-” Lightning started to fly away, but Applejack tugged her back down by her tail.
"There is one condition: the point is to run, so no wings allowed." Applejack told her.
“No wings? No problem." Lightning said as she broke out of her grip. They then spit on their hooves and shook while glaring at each other. Lightning then blew a raspberry that broke the tension a little, and they both chuckled. But then they went back to glaring at each other.
The next morning, Bandit was walking to the location with Spike on his back. He was of course going to participate.
"Don't you think it's gonna be too easy for you?" Spike asked.
"By a mile. No doubt, but it’s been too long since my trophy room got a new addition. My last first place medal was 3 years ago. I plan on changing that today." Bandit answered.
“Wasn’t that first place medal in racing?”
“Yes it was.” Bandit said.
“You’re gonna completely dust everyone. I’m hoping I get to be the announcer again.” Spike said. Bandit looked back at Spike.
“Uh, Spi-”
"Just listen: Fillies and gentlecolts, welcome to the annual Running of the-"
"Welcome to the annual Running of the Leaves!" Chad was heard announcing. "This is Chad, your mad lad glad to make you not sad and feel rad, announcer.
Spike looked towards him. "Chad's announcing?"
"He called dibs last night after you went to sleep." Bandit told him. Spike threw down the stick with a grumpy expression on his face. “You’ll get your chance.”
“The running of the leaves is a very important tradition here in Ponyville, for without it, the autumn leaves of this lovely town would never fall. It is an exciting and wonderful race I have dreamed about announcing for ever since I read about it last night! The race begins in five minutes, so all participants get ready.
Applejack and other racers were at the starting line, stretching and getting ready for the race.
"Excuse me, sorry, 'cuse me. Make way for the Iron Pony." Lightning Sprint said, moving through the crowd to Applejack.
"The Iron Phony, you mean." Applejack growled, as Lightning got to her.
"So, Applejack, you ready to win second place?" She teased.
"I'm ready to run a good, clean race," Applejack retorted.
“No wings, got it. Geez.” Lightning Sprint said with an eye roll. Applejack then pulled out a rope. "What's that for?" Lightning asked.
A few moments later, she was tying down the wings to her body.
"Agh. Did you have to tie it so tight?"
"Trussed up like a turkey," she remarked, after tying the knot. "Well, a turkey who can't fly, that is."
"Very funny AJ."
This time Applejack smirked. "'Least now we know we're racin' fair and square." Just then a series of trumpets were played.
"Racers!" Chad called out. "Please take your positions!"
Spike walked over to Chad’s balloon and waved to get his attention.
“Hey Spike! Besides me, what’s up?” Chad asked.
“Well, you’re probably gonna say no to this, since you called dibs, but can I announce with you?” Spike asked.
“Sure!” Chad said. Spike shrugged.
“Well, it was with a shot.” Spike said as he turned around to walk away.
“Three….two...one.” Chad counted down. Spike ran back over.
“Wait! You said yes!? Spike exclaimed. Chad threw down a rope and Spike began to climb up.
As Applejack was double-checking the rope, Bandit walked over with the number 27 on his flank.
Lightning Sprint glanced beside her and saw Bandit. "Oh come on!"
"What?" Bandit asked.
"Bandit sugar, what are you doing?" Applejack asked.
"Participating?" Bandit answered. "Is something wrong with that?"
"We don't have a chance with you here." Lightning said.
“Bandit, you look like you’ll take five steps and you’ll cross the finish line.” Applejack told him.
"I'm not the one you're competing against thankfully. Twilight's racing too."
Lightning had to hold in a laugh. "Twilight is racing? As in, reads books all day Twilight?"
“Hey, you never know. She might surprise you.” Bandit said with a shrug as Twilight arrived.
“Yeah, she’ll surprise us by how long it takes.” Lightning Sprint said as she laughed.
"But have you ever run a race?" Applejack asked her after snickering.
“Well, no, but I do know a lot about running.”
"And you know this from…" Lightning Sprint asked.
"Books," said Twilight Sparkle proudly. "I've read several on the subject."
Bandit covered Lightning’s mouth before she could start laughing loudly.
“Enough with the judgements, judgy mcjudgerson. The race is about to start.” Bandit told her.
"All right, ponies and Changeling, are you ready?" Chad asked from the sky, and the ponies below him and Spike got into their starting positions.
The crowd of runners all got themselves ready.
"Get set!" Chad added. A bell rang and Bandit took off, leaving everyone else in the dust. Everyone else physically stopped as he went, stunned at his speed.
"And they're off! This running of the leaves is off to an amazing start, Bandit already leaving the group in the dust!" Chad announced. "You know, Spike, despite its name, the leaves don't do any of the actual running." He remarked. "No, that's left to the citizens of Ponyville. So, the name should be running for the leaves.”
"Uh.... right." Spike said.
"Very interesting, Considering back in canterlot as well as a lot of places that my brother and I have visited, the leaves actually fall naturally. Adding to the uniqueness of this town." Chad said. "But we are not here for me to point out Miniature trivial facts about the world that's only gonna be explored later on, we are here to watch two ponies face off in this race."
"That's right. We're here to watch Applejack and Lightning Sprint race against one another to see who is the best"
"This is one grudge match for the centuries, That's for sure."
"It sure is."
"Applejack and Lightning Sprint are both neck and neck, both of them putting forth a lot of effort in order to overpass the other but Applejack seems to get the lead by a centimeter." Chad said. Lightning Sprint ran forward and tried to pass her once again.
"And it looks like Lightning is making up for that centimeter, an additional burst of speed gets her in the lead by an inch!" Chad announced. "The battle for second place gets more intense as Applejack and Lightning are at the exact same spot and speed." Chad announced.
"Not so easy without wings, is it?" Applejack asked Lightning as she began to pull ahead.
"Come on Lightning, show’em what a proper Sprint looks like" Lightning Sprint said, beginning to catch up, kicking it into high gear.
"And Lightning is running as fast as her first name as she performs her last name to catch right back up to Applejack." Chad announced with a smile.
Applejack looked at Lightning as she caught up.
"You didn't think I was gonna let you off that easily, did you?" Lightning said
Applejack was about to reply, before she suddenly tripped on a rock and went tumbling across the ground.
“Whoa!” She exclaimed as she came to a stop, almost getting run over by the other ponies. After the dust and leaves settled, she went into her hooves, enraged. "I don't believe it." she grumbled.
"I know. It's beautiful isn't it?" Twilight asked, trotting over to join her.
"Not the scenery, Twilight," Applejack protested. "Lightning Sprint just tripped me."
"She did not." Twilight said.
"She did too!" Applejack insisted.
"She did not. If you looked where you were going you'd see you tripped over a rock." Twilight said, pointing to the very rock that her friend had tripped over.
"What? Oh, hayseed!" Applejack groaned, realizing that they were right. "Now I got a lot of ground to make up to catch Lightning." And she raced off, hoping that she would be able to catch up with Lightning.
“Just me careful!” She called after.
Far ahead, Lightning Sprint was in the lead by a landslide as Applejack was nowhere to be seen. Lightning Sprint sighed and slowed to a brief trot. The very moment she did that, Applejack began to pass her.
"See you at the finish line!" She called out as she disappeared down the road. Lightning Sprint gasped and ran after her.
"I don't believe it. After a huge setback, Applejack is back at the front of the pack." Spike announced.
"She's head of the pack alright, but will she remain the alpha wolf?" Chad announced.
"Not so fast, Applejack! This race isn't over yet!" Lightning Sprint exclaimed.
"It is for you. Heh," Applejack replied, grinning.
Moments later, Lightning tripped and fell to the ground, results of tripping over a stump. Applejack and the other ponies raced past, she got buried by leaves.
She quickly shook them all off and got back up.
"Guh, I don't believe it, Applejack tripped me!" She complained.
"Don't you ponies ever look where you're going?" Twilight Sparkle asked from behind her. "You tripped on a stump. See?"
She looked at the stump. "Oh no no no no no. I have to win. I just have to."
"Lightning, relax, it's just a game. Take your time and be safe." Twilight told her before trotting by.
"It's a game, and the rules have changed." Lightning Sprint said before she took off running.
The Running of the Leaves was still going strong with it being halfway over and flying overhead, Chad and Spike were still reporting on the rest.
"Welcome back, Ponyvillians, it's me, Chad the rad mad lad Who's glad he's had the opportunity to do this fad and not be bad." said Chad cheerfully.
"And Spike... uh... the dragon who is easy to like….like a bike?" Spike added, trying to copy Chad. "It looks like Lightning Sprint is doing her best to catch up."
“And boy is she catching up. Running faster than a cat lapping chain lightning.” Chad said.
"It's like she's got a new purpose and a burst of energy."
"This energy seems to put applejack in quite a pickle as Lightning finally overtakes her."
"Pickles are good" Spike said.
Chad handed him a lunch box with a pickle sandwich inside.
Applejack double takes at Lightning Sprint.
Lightning Sprint had gained on Applejack and ran by.
“See?! No wings! No Problem!” She taunted. Growling, Applejack kept running, running much faster than before.
"As the racers enter Equestria's Whitetail Wood, Lightning Sprint is back in the lead." Spike announced, with his mouth stuffed, spotting the upcoming forest.
Lightning grabbed a nearby branch and with her teeth and let it whip back at Applejack.
The branch hits Applejack knocking her to the ground.
"What the-" she exclaimed as she looked at her, seeing her grinning at her.
"Nice work Lights" She said to herself as she ran.
"Why, that little cheater did that on purpose," she growled. "It's on." She glanced at the branch and smirked, getting an idea.
Applejack got onto the branch as it was pulled back and then let it loose, sending her flying.
Lightning kept running as fast as she could.
An orange blur Zipped past her within seconds. Applejack was now way ahead of her.
“What?!”
"Later!" called out Applejack, running and when she saw a beehive surrounded by buzzing bees, she paused long enough to buck it out of the tree. And Lightning ran right into the bees. Out of sheer panic, she ran as fast as she could in order to get away from the bees before jumping into a bush, losing them.. As she realized Applejack was a long ways away, she sees the sign of the arrow pointing to the path.
“I see your bees and raise you…" She flipped the sign. "A path of misdirection."
She hides in the bushes and when Applejack arrived, she saw the way the sign was pointing, and she started up a mountainside. Lightning Sprint came out of hiding and fixed the sign before laughing so hard, draped over the sign, she didn't pay attention when the other ponies raced past her.
"Oh my, Whitetail Wood is just lovely." Twilight Sparkle commented as she trotted to the sign and saw Lightning Sprint still laughing there.
"Hey, Lights, shouldn't you be up ahead?" she asked, surprised.
Lightning Sprint chuckled. "I'm sure I'll win now."
"Except that the other racers just passed you." Twilight pointed out, Lightning's eyes went wide.
"Oh horse apples… See ya!" She took off.
Meanwhile, Applejack kept following the mountain path until she found herself on a cliff that was far from the race, and she blinked when a familiar hot-air balloon appeared.
"Applejack, what are you doing up here?" Chad asked.
"There aren't even any trees," Spike added.
Applejack flushed. "Er, no, but the sign's pointed this way…" she trailed off, realizing what had happen. "Lightning." She gritted before looking up at the two. "Mind giving me a lift?" she asked hopefully.
Back in the race, Rainbow Dash had managed to get ahead of the other ponies and she was started when Applejack, who was hanging from a rope on the base of the hot-air balloon, went flying by with a cheerful wave. "What the hay?! You said no flying!" she protested.
Applejack landed a short distance ahead of her and shook her head as she began running again. "No, I said no wings."
"You know Spike, for my first time watching the running of the leaves, this is way more interesting than I thought it was gonna be." Chad told him.
"What were you expecting?" Spike asked him.
"Definitely not two ponies forgetting the objective is to run the race." Chad said.
Down below, the two ponies kept trying to figure out how to trip each other up, that at one point, Applejack was sent spinning, that she turned into an orange tornado that swallowed up Lightning Sprint, and they went spinning up the side of a nearby mountain, crashing into the side.
Dizzy, they found themselves on a ledge and were glaring at each other when it suddenly broke, and they went sliding and screaming back onto the path, just barely missing the other ponies as they raced past.
"Forgive me, girls. I know I'm not an athlete, but shouldn't the Running of the Leaves actually involve running?" Twilight asked as she trotted by.
They both watched her go and then Lightning looked at Applejack.
"You know what? I think Twilight is right." Lightning said. Applejack looked at her confused.
"You do?"
"Yeah! If you wanna beat me, you better... RUUUN!" Lightning exclaimed as she ran off. Applejack took off behind her.
"Once again, Lightning Sprint and Applejack are neck and neck, jockeying for position." Chad announced.
"Applejack inches ahead, now it's Lightning, it's Applejack, it's Lightning Sprint, it's Applejack..." Spike added. The two ponies saw the finish line and just like that all gloves were off.
Lightning Sprint tried to knock Applejack off course.
"Oh no, she di'int!" Spike exclaimed, just as Applejack tried to do the same with the Lightning.
"Oh yes, she di'id!" Chad exclaimed.
Applejack grunted when Lightning Sprint collided with her again. "Cut it out!" she snapped, returning the favor.
"No you cut it out!" Lightning Sprint said, glaring at her.
"You started it." Applejack glared back.
"And now I'm gonna finish it." She said as she ran ahead.
"Oh no, you won't," Applejack vowed, unaware that the other ponies had just passed them, including Twilight who scored 3rd place Twilight.
Applejack and Lightning Sprint yanked each other back multiple times before Applejack bit the ropes and accidentally freed her wings.
Lightning opened out her wings and began flapping. "That's it! All bets are off."
Applejack raced after her and leapt into the air, knocking her back to the ground. "Oh no, you don't." And they turned into a mobile dust ball as they fought along the rest of the path to the finish line.
"Stuck in a cartoon cloud of dust and violence, this is looking real intense here folks!" Chad exclaimed.
"It's Applejack, it's Lightning Sprint, it's Applejack, it's Lightning Sprint--" Spike said.
Once the dust cleared and they were over the line, Lightning Sprint stood up looking a little banged up.
"I did it. I won!" She said.
"No, I won!" Applejack snapped, also banged up from the fight.
"I won!" Lightning Sprint snapped back.
"You tied." Chad said as he hopped out with Spike on his back.
"Tied!?" They both exclaimed.
"For fir-" Applejack was about to ask before turning to see Bandit with the first place medal on. "For second?"
"For last." Spike answered.
"Then who won?" Lightning Sprint asked before seeing Bandit's medal. "Erm. Who got second!?"
Twilight walked over with a medal around her neck.
"You!?" They both asked.
Twilight laughed and shook her head. "Oh no, but I did get third place, which is rather great considering I've never run a race before. Second place actually went to Carrot top."
They looked and saw Carrot top being squeezed via hug by Derpy.
"How is that even possible?" Applejack asked Twilight.
"You ran so slow. And looked at the scenery." Lightning Sprint said.
"Exactly. I paced myself, just like my book said. Then at the end, when all the other ponies were worn out, I sprinted to the finish." Twilight said.
"Not so bad for 'Reads books all day' Twilight is it?" Bandit asked them with a smug grin.
"I don't believe it….Twilight beat us." Lightning Sprint said to Applejack.
"From Chad's commentary. The two of you horsing around played a part in all of that." Bandit commented.
"You're right, Bandit," Applejack agreed, feeling very sheepish. "Our behavior was just terrible."
"We weren't exactly being good sports" Lightning Sprint added.
"Look, I understand that you're competitive and have a need to win, I can get competitive too, and it's quite the motivator, but It's important to remember that the friendship is always more important than the competition." Bandit said, he was unaware of his mother's presence.
"Sounds to me that an important lesson was learned." Princess Celestia's voice was heard, followed by the gasps of ponies who all bowed.
Bandit turned to Celestia and instead of bowing he hugged her.
"Hey mom." He said.
"Hello Bandit." She smiled happily and returned the hug. Bandit then pointed to his medal proudly.
"Oh look at that. That's wonderful" Celestia said.
"W-What are you doin' here?" Applejack asked, now embarrassed by her actions earlier.
"Fall is one of my favorite seasons." Princess Celestia explained, "So I came to celebrate the Running of the Leaves." She then cupped Bandit's cheeks and squished them. "And I wanted to see my darling baby nymph run the race."
Bandit shook out of the cupping hooves.
"Moooom." He groaned out of embarrassment.
"Sorry, my little stallion." She teased, booping his nose. Twilight giggled at Bandit. Celestia looked at the forest and then at Applejack and Lightning Sprint.
"Now, unfortunately, because the two of you were busy tricking each other instead of shaking down leaves, many of the lovely trees of Equestria are still covered." She added and it was clear that only half of the trees had been freed of their leaves.
Applejack glanced around and got an idea. "Why, Princess, I bet we can knock those leaves down for you lickety-split," she promised and turned to Lightning Sprint. "Whaddya say, friend? Wanna go for another run?" she offered.
Lightning Sprint grinned. "I'd love to stretch my legs." And they ran down the path together, using their speed not to beat each other, but to bring down the remaining leaves.
As Celestia watched them run, Chad began sneaking up behind her and wiggling, about to pounce. How shameful he was playing into Celestia's hooves.
Celestia pretended that she couldn't see him, until Chad pounced aiming for her back.
She quickly spun around and caught him "Gotcha."
Chad squirmed knowing what was gonna happen next.
"Wait! Wait no plea-" It was too late, the royal tickling commenced.