//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 
// Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic--One Last Race. 
// by Godzilla313 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 5

After tending to a very sick Fluttershy, for whom a centipede walking on the wall sounded as if the first cavalry was marching by, and feeding her charges, she began to ponder her next move, and wondered if paying a visit to this Mrs. Sweedly might be in order. She might be able to shed some light and details about his youth useful to her book. With that, she made plans to visit Mareginia once she found out where the ranch was. After doing some research, she found out that it indeed was still open, and still run by her. Once the tickets had been bought, and she could collect Spike after she got back from Mareginia. There would be much to sort out for the book.

It was now early morning, and the practice meet would be crucial to knowing who his starters and alternates would be. However, before the actual meet, the cross-country event would need to be run. All the runners were lined up with knee pads and helmets, considering that this would be a rough race, and there was potential of taking some spills, along with watches to keep track of their time and pace. Each pony was to go in turn and sent out in intervals. It was not so much trying to race one another as it was to race the clock, and finish as close to a set time as possible while taking the most difficult jumps one felt comfortable with taking. It would be the kind of jumps taken that would determine winners if there was a match in finish times, and points being added or taken away depending on the jumps taken. Rainbow Dash was right behind Applejack, her wings bound to her side, saying, "I won't need my wings! My awesome athletic skills should be enough! I love a new challenge, and beating you!"

"We're still even on the score sheet," responded Applejack without so much as a glance back, recalling their ongoing competition as to who was better, "Besides, you're used to just goin' fast. Can y'all keep a set pace?"

"Really, you have to ask that of me?" responded a slightly offended Rainbow Dash, very confident of her skills. Scootaloo was also there to provide moral support for her mentor, as well as Sweetie Belle to help her keep pace. Both would take short cuts and keep ahead of the runners to call out their pace and time if they were not able to tack their own watches as regularly as they liked. Scootaloo shouted, "Come on, Rainbow Dash! Show us those rad skills!"

"Mah sister's got this licked," said Apple Bloom, "She's got them strong jumpin' legs from all those years apple buckin'!"

"Ah, come on!" responded Scootaloo, "Rainbow Dash has it all down pat."

"Come on, fillies," said Applejack with a sigh, "We're all friends here, and no need t'get nasty. What's more important is havin' fun."

"And it's the most fun winning!" said Rainbow Dash, "Yeah, we're friends…but not when we're competing, and I'm going to put you all in your place."

"Tough talk there, Miss Dash," came a new voice, being Clark, "Y'all should save some of that fierce fer the run. Yer gonna need all y'got. Sometimes, tryin' t'keep a pace can drain you quicker. But, remember: at the end of the day, if you didn't love what you was doin' it wasn't worth it."

He gave a confident air, and seemed to be as keyed up as the runners. His confidence pushed a confidence into them, and they all wanted to do their best. Clark then added, "Remember what Pierre D'Coubermane said all those years ago when he brought back the Equestria Games fer th'modern era: the important thing in life is not th'triumph, but th'struggle; the essential thing is not t'have conquered, but t'have fought well."

Everyone nodded and hunkered down for their run. Soon, it was Applejack's turn to head out, and Apple Bloom took off ahead of her to the first few obstacles. Within ten minutes, she took off, counting her pace at first to make sure she was running the way she needed to for to keep pace. When Applejack took off, Scootaloo got her wings whirring and took off on her scooter to the first few obstacles herself. Dash took off, fast at first, and then remembering herself and slowing a touch. Unlike Applejack, (who, the night before, had taken the time to test her pace,) she had no idea how her times were at certain paces, and she suddenly realized that there was a bit more thinking involved than what she initially though.

The course itself was stretched out over the path the Running of the Leaves took place, but off road. At each obstacle, there was an easy jump, an average jump, and a difficult jump. The pony would then have to make a choice as to which part of the obstacle he or she had to clear. (This, the stadium jump, and the dressage were the only events where stallions and mares competed on equal terms.) Applejack, used to running over rough terrain from her time on the farm, found the going easy and took the first few obstacles on the average jumps with ease. Apple Bloom met her at the third obstacle and she said, "You're about a minute fast. Y'all need t'slow down!"

Applejack nodded and reduced her steps per minute a touch. She was confident, and actually was beginning to enjoy herself, taking in the late spring air and sunshine around her. Because she didn't have to go at breakneck speed, she could actually enjoy this, and now understood what Mr. O'Leary was talking about when he said you should do it because you love what you're doing. However, for Rainbow Dash, it was harder. She had no idea what pace she should be taking, and then found herself stumbling a bit on the rough terrain as a result of trying to figure this out. Scootaloo was worried, saying, "Dash, you're about a minute and a half off the pace."

"Ugh, I know!" said a frustrated Rainbow Dash, "This is harder than I thought!"

What was adding to it was her insisting on taking all the difficult jumps. Her ego wanted her to absolutely try to win this in spectacular fashion. For her, it was not so much as she didn't understand the concept of keeping a pace as much as she had never been a situation where she had to apply such things. The confusion was when to do what. Taking the difficult jumps seemed to be the only thing that made sense. About a third of the way in, Applejack was already passing a couple of slower runners who could not keep the pace. This gave her confidence and steeled her will to win the event. Apple Bloom was taking the adjoining road to keep ahead and calling out times, all happy and smiles that her sister was only a second or two off the pace either way. She knew she would win. Scootaloo, however, was worried, because Dash was already two and a half minutes behind the pace. "Come on, Dash!" shouted Scootaloo at the 1/3 mark, "You're falling behind!"

"I know!" Dash shouted back in frustration, "But it is so hard to tell when I don't know where everypony else is!"

She trotted on, now seeing what was causing her the most difficulty. She was so used to an all-out race, where she always knew her position, and to where everyone was starting at the same time, to where everyone started staggered, and there was no other ponies in sight to give her an idea where she stood, save a watch and someone shouting out her times. Moreover, because she was taking the harder jumps, it was also slowing her, as she was taking a split second here and there to gather herself after each leap. Mr. O'Leary was right; this was wearing her out! About 2/3 of the way in, there was another pony hot on her hoofs, and she realized she was almost five minutes off the pace. She knew she had to catch up, or else she would come in near last, and forgot all about the pace thing. She would go as fast as she could and take the average jumps, throwing caution to the wind. She had to dig deep for whatever energy she had left and start to fly. Scootaloo could hardly keep up, even on the road, and could not even tell Dash her time. She cleared the last jump, feeling spent now, and charged for the line. The official timer called out the time as she came in, and he stated a time that would put her precisely on the pace. "It seems we have a tie thus far, Mr. O'Leary," he said, "It looks like you have your main two."

Applejack was already sipping cider and eating a few apples to get back some energy, saying, "Well run, Dash. Y'all did better than I thought you would."

"Of, *huff* course…*gasp*…what else…*hahh*…would you expect?" answered an exhausted Rainbow Dash, "But it couldn't have been a tie! Isn't there that way you can break ties…oh Celestia, I'm spent."

"And I hope y'all can get it back fer later," added Mr. O'Leary, "Y'all still got the stadium jump. And, yes, there is a way t'break the tie. But, that doesn't matter, consderin' what th'point of the meet is today."

"Of course it matters!" she said, looking at Applejack, "We've got a…um…we just want to know."

He nodded, looked at the scores, and then said, "Well, Rainbow Dash took about 2/3 of the harder jumps, and that puts her the winner by a mile."

"Yyyyyyyyyyyyes!" she said, now reenergized from hearing she had won, and then said, "Well, looks like I'm now the Iron Pony!"

Applejack sneered and said, "Hey, y'all still got th'stadium jump. I can square it up there!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" as they now stood muzzle to muzzle, smiling slyly. Everyone got a good laugh at their rivalry, happy they were actually friends, because if they were foes, it could have been ugly.

Later, the events at the downs started, and Miss Cheerilee had brought the students on a field day to see what such a meet looked like, and to get their first chance to meet their new phys-ed teacher for the next year, (which would explain the allowance for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to be at the track already.) As she ushered the students in, she found Clark and said, "Okay, students: this is Mr. O'Leary. He is going to be your phys-ed teacher next year. Say hello."

"Hello!" they all said in unison, and he said, "Well, that's a right neighborly greetin', y'all. I thank ya kindly."

He gave a little bow, and now they muttered a bit in approval as Miss Cheerilee said, "Now, he was once a professional racer himself, so all this is what he used to do for a living."

Now they were all abuzz, asking him this question and that, wondering how it all worked, and then one finally asked, "Why did you leave it?"

He paused, now not sure how to answer, and then finally said, "*sigh* Well, I guess you could say that, when y'all do sumpthin, you should do it because y'love it. Well, as fer me, I guess I could say that there was some things a goin' on that just wouldn't let me do it fer the love of it. It was really just a bunch of things, but at least with this, (pointing to the event,) I can still be involved and not worry about all that, doin' what I love."

There were a bunch of nods and muttering, as if they understood. At this, Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle both asked for permission to go to the dressage, because each one had a vested interest in that event. For Sweetie Belle, it was Rarity, but for Diamond Tiara, it was her father, Filthy Rich, competing as well. Once they were excused, and all the colts and fillies found their places in the stand, Cheerilee and Clark then had a chance to talk. "Ah, Rarity I believe," he said with a warm smile.

"Oh, greetings, Mr. Rich," she said in return, "I had no idea you were a dressage artist."

"Nor I you," she said, and both of them continued to exchange niceties to one another. However, there were two related to them that were not quite so cordial.

"Your sister, in dressage?" snuffed Diamond Tiara, "What a joke! She certainly has no sophistication for this."

"She is pretty and graceful!" Sweetie Belle snapped back with a snort, "She can do this in her sleep."

Okay, so she wasn't so sure about that last statement, but she knew that if her and Spike could communicate together, they could sure show things up. Diamond Tiara then said, very smugly, and her nose so high in the air that she could not smell the very thing of which life is made, "Well, with someone like me doing his spotting and calling, we're a shoe in! What can a blank flank like you possibly do?"

"Hey, she's got a good friend helping her," she said, "I don't need to do anything but watch you mess everything up!"

"A baby dragon?" said Diamond Tiara, with a look on her face that seemed to indicate inferior aid to someone like her, "What can he add?"

"He came from Canterlot!" snapped Sweetie Belle, "He's Princess Twilight Sparkle's assistant, and he knows all about sophistication!" (Sadly, this being said as he was picking his teeth free of his last sapphire treat.) "Well, he knows about things like this, (I hope,) so you just wait and see!"

By this point, Rarity and Filthy Rich caught on to what was happening, and Rarity said, "Come now, Sweetie Belle: that's no way to be with your friends."

That got a whispered answer of, "With friends like that, who needs enemies!"

Meanwhile, Filthy Rich said, "Come now: we don't need to be rude, sugar lump. We're all on the same team. This is just for position on the team, and we're all friends here, and for the fun of it!"

"*sigh* Yes, daddy," she said, but then glanced at Sweetie Belle, confident her father was going to put her sister to shame.

At this point, Spike arrived in the little tuxedo top and top hat Rarity had made for them to match a similar ensemble she was wearing that complimented her beauty well, (as dressage is always a formal event.) The announcer then said, "Okay, first up, Filthy Rich!"

He wished Rarity luck and then went to the center of the performance area. They had two performances to make, the better of the two taken as one's final score. Diamond Tiara took the caller's spot overlooking the area. With total silence, they began. Step by step, and move by move, Filthy Rich went through his paces, his daughter making slight eye moves, nose flares, and ear twitches, with the most minimal movements to indicate what maneuvers were next. Though it pained her to think it, she had to admit that the pair were very coordinated and doing well. Soon, he was right back where his hoof prints had been, and those of the more sophisticated stock, (who took a keen interest in sports such as this,) did their polite golf clap in fine approval for the work. "Next up," came the announcer, "Miss Rarity."

"Are you ready, Spike?" she asked, Spike beaming he got to help his favorite pony.

"Oh boy, am I!" he answered, "I've been ready for this my whole life!"

Rarity smirked at the slip of the tongue and then slyly said with a grin, "And just what was that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I, uh…that is…well, you see…" he sputtered out, face red as a tomato. Rarity just giggled and said, "It's okay, Spike. Just remember what we went through."

Gathering himself, he smiled and said, "Okay, let's do this!"

With that, they went out to the middle and prepared to start. About that time, a deer fly had come out of the Everfree Forest, having heard the doings in town and came in to investigate. As he did, he spotted all the ponies, and his senses detected the pulsing veins and higher body heat from the running and jumping ponies. Instinct caught the better of him and suddenly he had a voracious appetite. This was right about the moment Rarity was about to begin, and he flew and landed right on her hind quarters, looking for a good spot. He found one, and then bit, just as Rarity got started. Her mouth went to a small dot and her eyes went wide. With a loud whinny, she suddenly started to jump and move more like she was a bucking bronco rather than a show pony doing the dressage. Spike, thinking this had something to do with it, locked in his claws to the saddle belt and held on for dear life, hoping to stay as still as possible. She was screaming in pain, still kicking as the deer fly made himself at home, both contestant's hats having flown off in the process. Indeed, the deer fly was helping himself, but also latching on more for survival sake thanks to the bucking pony to which he was now attached. Getting his fill, he let loose, but then was flung the length of the performance area, and staggered off, now telling himself it's probably better not to be curious about things like this. Meanwhile, the pair were a frazzle, but they both stood there in the middle, both in shock, and receiving some polite applause from a confused crowd. Coming off, she stopped and rubbed her rumpus, wondering what had just hit her as the dressage coach came up and said, "I would say, that was a rather spirited performance, Miss Rarity. Yet, it amazes me how still your partner managed to be despite all that."

She rolled her eyes and groaned at the sarcastic comment, seeing that she was dead last on the board, and merely grumbled. However, she said, "Come, Spike. Hop off, we'll straighten up, get some water, and try again the second round."

Yet, there Spike sat, steady as a statue, not saying a word. It was now plain to see that it was by sheer terror alone he had held on for so long and stayed still!

Meanwhile, Diamond Tiara could not fail to talk trash at this point and said, "What was that? Hahahahaha! You're sister looked like that googly-eyed pegasus trying to dance salsa! She's worthless."

Now, Sweetie Belle was mad, and got right in her face, saying, "You leave my sister alone. I'm sure there was a reason for that."

"Ooh, feisty, aren't we," she said with a mock scold, "Just what I'd expect from a loser blank flank! Aaaahahahaha…" and she walked away. Sweetie Belle knew she was on school time, and knew starting a fight now would not be good. Besides, she knew she was better than all that and restrained herself, but, if looks could kill, the tiara she was wearing would have been all that was left of Diamond Tiara.

Meanwhile, the stadium jumping event was going on, and it was the preliminary rounds. Rarity had been kind enough to make jumping outfits for Rainbow Dash and Applejack, they being similar to what she was wearing, with off-white knickers to go with it. They were also wearing the black helmets that they had been wearing for the cross-country event as well. Rarity insisted that Applejack wear the red jacket with black trim and tie, being that it accented her coat so well. She had Rainbow Dash in a black jacket, seeing that it fitted her so well. Yet, it was clear that both of them were very uncomfortable in the ensemble, neither being comfortable in formal wear. However, the sport called for such things, and they just swallowed their collective pride and went on with it.

The event seemed simple enough: maneuver through tight course of jumps of varying height, width, and number of jumps, trying to keep from knocking off the poles that made up the jumps. All it would take is a firm brush of either the fore or hind legs, and off it would come. Four faults would be awarded for every time such happened. Those with the most faults would be eliminated, and the jumps would become a bit harder each round. After a few rounds, the second phase would begin. This would be the jumps at their hardest, and they would get two runs. This time, they would be on the clock. This was to insure that, if there was a tie in number of faults, if any, then it would help settle the tie. The first round, both Rainbow Dash and Applejack were clean, and both happy for the time in practice they had before this day. It was then that they realized just how fit and skillful one had to be for this. This indeed was a sport! However, Applejack had an easier time adapting to the game, considering she had a similar event when she ran rodeo. Rainbow Dash had her natural athleticism to help her, but she felt it so uncomfortable to have her wings covered in the shirt and jacket. She was just not used to it, and felt constricted. Still, she was a trooper and fought her way through. The second round started, but this time, both wound up with four faults, but still avoided elimination. In the third round, Applejack ran clean again, but Rainbow Dash felt a twitch in her wings from being so bound the whole time and took out two poles on the last jump. She was on the bubble, and she knew this just might allow Applejack to even out their iron pony competition once again. However, a pony lost his balance on the last jump and took out the entire last obstacle. Everyone rushed in to check on him, but after a moment of concern, he got up, a bit bruised, but nonetheless okay. That saved Rainbow Dash, however, and she said, "Okay, we're both in the final rounds! Ready to be put down by my awesomeness?"

"I don't know," said Applejack, "Does bein' awesome include twitchin' around here and there like you were in a straitjacket?"

"Hey, that's not fair!" she snapped, "I'm running with a handicap here!" taking off her jacket and shirt to allow her to stretch her wings a bit before the next round.

"Well, if y'think y'all can't handle it, y'all can quit now," suggested Applejack with a smirk, knowing it would get her competitive side going.

"No way!" she said, "In fact, I should get bonus points for being able to keep up like this!"

"Ooh, save the fierceness fer the final," chuckled Applejack, "You'll need all the energy y'all can get!"

Rainbow Dash growled, and thought, "You're my friend, but not while we compete. I know I can win."

She wasn't really angry at her friend, but just like friends can be, they knew how to get under each other's skin. Even though it seemed harsh, after it was done, they knew they would be sipping cider and laughing about the whole thing.

At that point, Spike was thinking about Twilight Sparkle, wishing he could have been there to aid her in what ways he could. He didn't like leaving her alone, but Rarity needed help too. He just sighed and thought, "Good luck, princess, I hope you can get what you need in Mareginia for your book."

It then dawned on him. He could help her. He still hadn't sorted out those magazines that had been donated by Mr. O'Leary. Maybe she would be happy finding them all in order, and in doing that, he could also go through some and find out what he could to help with the book. He felt he could be a big help. Who knows what he would find in there?