In hindsight, Spike knew that pairing Jackknife and Rainbow together would cause some issues. One only needed to remember the fiasco that had occurred during the Running of the Leaves between Rainbow and Applejack.
Hence, Spike was not pleased to discover Jackknife and Rainbow at the exact same place where the Running of the Leaves had taken place. Even worse, Jackknife was tying Rainbow’s wings down the same way Applejack had.
“Hey-hey-hey,” Spike said. “What are you two doing?”
“Just settling a little score,” Jackknife replied.
Rainbow indicated Jack. “Poseidon here rules the ocean in terms of speed.” She puffed out her chest. “Which I guess makes me Zeus, cuz I rule the skies.”
Jackknife chuckled. “Well, that makes sense? Cuz from what I recall, Zeus does love his women.”
“Don’t get off topic,” Rainbow snapped. “Point is, each of us is the fastest in one element.” She indicated the race track. “But we haven’t decided who’s fastest on land.”
“Just… don’t go overboard,” Spike reminded her. “You remember what happened with Applejack, right?”
Remembering the various bruises and more importantly the nearly ruined friendship from that episode, Rainbow grimaced and nodded her head.
“Don’t worry, Spike,” she said. “I’m gonna give a fair, clean race.” She went up to Jackknife and offered her hoof. “May the best… creature… win.”
Jackknife grinned. “I’ll take those odds, Zeus,” he replied, matching her hoof with a bro fist.
Chuckling, Rainbow and Jackknife took up their starting positions, as Spike grabbed a nearby stick.
“Alright you two,” Spike said. “Ready?”
Jackknife arced his tail like a scorpion, while Rainbow Dash planted her hooves in preparation.
“Get set.”
Rainbow’s wings strained against the bindings she had placed on them. Jackknife’s gills fluttered visibly as he got excited to go.
“GO!”
Instantly, the two shot away, Spike barely able to keep up with them.
For a time, the two remained neck and neck. Jackknife lacked back legs, but he made up for it with his powerful arms, which yanked him along while his tail fin smacked the ground and propelled him forward. Similarly, Rainbow Dash had proven herself as a capable runner even without her wings, and even started to outpace him.
However… was that a glower Jackknife was shooting Rainbow? Was that alternate step just a stumble… or was Jackknife about to trip her?
“Jack? JACK!” Spike shot after him. “No tripping, man. Rainbow promised to give you a clean race, and you should give her the same.”
Rainbow almost stopped and glared at Jack. “Were you seriously…?”
“NO!” Jackknife said, already inching away from her. “I just didn’t wanna hit you with my tail.” He indicated his tail, which was indeed kicking up a bunch of dust as it compensated for his lack of legs.
“Oh.” Spike and Rainbow deflated.
“Uh… sorry, I…” Rainbow tried to say.
“I mean, if you wanna eat my dust,” Jackknife noted with a grin, before taking off into the lead.
Rainbow dodged the dust from his tail, her grin back on at full force. “Oh, you wanna play, big guy? Alright, let’s play!”
“Fairly!” Spike warned, but Rainbow Dash was already gone. Spike grimaced and flew after them.
##
For a short time after that, things seemed to be normal; the sea serpent and pegasus stayed neck and neck, but they also seemed to be playing it pretty fairly.
Yet, at the same time, Spike felt guilt tugging at his heartstrings. Jackknife was supposed to be his friend. His fellow Element. He shouldn’t have been so quick to judge him. Just because he had been a little too passionate in the past didn’t mean he couldn’t control himself. Right?
Spike gasped. Wait a minute! Rainbow’s arc was taking her right for some trees? Was she about to try some sort of parkour trick? Was she about to cheat?
He shot towards them. “RAINBOW, DON’T YOU DARE…!”
Once again, the racers skidded to a stop.
“I’M NOT CHEATING!” Rainbow said quickly, raising her hooves in alarm. “I swear I wasn’t!”
“Dude, will you butt out,” Jackknife growled. “We’re trying to run a race here.”
Rainbow paused, glancing at him. “Wait, you’re… not going to keep running?”
“Not until you start running too,” Jackknife said. “If I’m gonna beat you, it’s gonna be fairly.”
Rainbow grinned at that. “Well, are you sure you want to win?” Her grin turned to a smirk. “After all, if we’re going by Greek Terms, you’d have to call yourself Gaia.”
Jackknife puffed out his chest. “I can pull off a girl’s name.”
“Let’s see if you have to,” Rainbow replied, taking off with Jackknife in pursuit.
Spike watched the two go, laughing all the way. “Huh,” he mused. “Maybe I’m getting too paranoid. They seem to be getting along okay.”
But the race was only halfway done. And with memories of how Rainbow got when she was competitive… Spike went back to the finish line as fast as he could.
##
The finish line was coming up fast. Spike watched from above as Rainbow Dash and Jackknife made the final sprint.
Jackknife was huffing and puffing, his biceps bulging as they dragged him across the ground. Rainbow Dash was keeping up with him, yet… her eyes kept darting to him.
For that matter, Jackknife’s eyes were darting to her.
Spike began to sweat. Were they going to pull something? Was something about to happen? Were they going to start fighting?!
Spike remembered when Jackknife brawled; how he had managed to floor an adult griffon with a few punches. How he had been ready to go toe to toe with full grown dragons. Could Rainbow Dash stand up to that? Was she risking too much?
The paranoia was too much. Spike sprinted between them.
“STOP!” he roared.
Jackknife and Rainbow skidded to a stop before him, staring at him in shock.
Spike glanced up and between them. They were a foot from the finish line… but the only thing Jackknife and Rainbow were doing was staring at Spike in shock.
Not one hostile move had been made towards each other.
“Uh…” Spike mumbled, deflating as his form actually began to shrink down to his hatchling form.
Jackknife and Rainbow, for that matter, glanced at each other, before sighing.
“I got only myself to blame for this,” Rainbow admitted.
“Heh, me too,” Jackknife noted.
Spike looked up at them. “W-Wait, what?”
Jackknife gave Spike an apologetic look. “Look man, I know I can be… brash. And aggressive. And I’ll always like a good fight. But… I don’t want you to think that I only want to hurt others. That ain’t my style.”
“I know I was a jerk before you left,” Rainbow added. “But… after you took off, I realized that I was acting a bit too aggressive and mean, even towards the people that should be my friends.” She walked over to Spike. “Spike, I promise, I’m going to give Jackknife a fair race. That’s what I said, and I intend to keep that promise.” She even made the proper motions for a Pinkie Promise. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Jackknife blinked. “Wait, stick a what in your what?!”
“It’s a Pinkie Promise,” Rainbow explained. “And when you make a Pinkie Promise, you keep to it.”
Pinkie popped up between them. “For-EVER!” she noted in an ominous whisper.
Jackknife backed up, staring at where Pinkie had been - though she was now long gone. Blinking for a moment, he shook off his confusion and looked back as Rainbow gave Spike a pleading look.
“Please, Spike,” she said. “Trust me. I won’t let you down.” She turned to Jackknife. “Hey, Poseidon. You got enough in you for one more lap?”
Jackknife glanced at Spike, but rolled his shoulders and grinned. “Always, Zeus.”
Smiling at his nickname for her, Rainbow nodded, and the two of them took off again, racing right across the finish line and continuing onward.
As they ran another lap, Spike watched them with slight awe. Rainbow had really grown up from the mare he had left behind for calling him a lame dragon.
And she wasn’t the only one; as Jackknife raced against his equine counterpart, he raced honorably. Not once did his arms reach out to trip her up, even as he started to fall behind.
And as they came upon the finish line again, Spike watched with a huge grin as Rainbow Dash crossed first, followed shortly afterward by Jackknife.
Panting but grinning, Rainbow Dash gave Jackknife another bro-hoof-bump. “Not bad, big guy.”
Jackknife chuckled. “Eh, I’m more built for strength anyway,” he replied. “So, should I call you Gaia, now?”
Rainbow chuckled. “Nah, I like Zeus more.”
Jackknife laughed and clapped her shoulder. “Then go find yourself a mare to celebrate with.”
Rainbow scoffed, but she was laughing as she nudged him. “How about milkshakes at Sugarcube Corner first. My treat.”
“Nah-nah, my treat. Loser buys,” Jackknife replied.
And as the two headed off, Spike found himself already planning out his next letter to Twilight and Celestia.
##
My friends Twilight and Princess Celestia,
Trust is easily one of the most important values to have in a relationship. It can take a very long time to build, and a very short time to break.
My friends Jackknife and Rainbow Dash discovered this when the mistakes of their past reared their heads, and made it hard for me to believe they had learned from their past errors. Yet, despite that, they proved themselves worthy of trust - both with me and with each other.
But, of course, they weren’t the only ones that needed to prove they could trust me. I also needed to be able to trust them to handle themselves with grace and dignity.
And through actions, I believe we both proved that our trust was well-placed.
I truly hope that, as the Elements of Loyalty, not only will Jackknife and Rainbow Dash continue to prove why they should be trusted, but that we will prove ourselves worthy to be trusted by them.
Personally, I’m willing to believe that they won’t disappoint. And I hope that I’ll be able to confirm that in the future.
Until then, my friends.
Your trusting dragon friend,
Spike