//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: priceless // by Derec mc coy //------------------------------// It was early in the afternoon now. So that meant that it was time for Rainbow Dash’s afternoon nap. The cyan pegasus flew to her favourite apple tree and placed her pillow and her blanket on a branch. She rested her exhausted body upon the same branch, and tucked herself in. She closed her eyes, and just when she was about to sleep, the tree started to shake, and a noise of iron smacking upon iron could be heard. “Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash yelled, and she turned around and looked down. “I told you this isn’t …” her angry face turned into a stunned one. The mare who caused the interruption wasn’t her friend Pinkie Pie… or even a mare. A tall brown stallion, levitating a hammer, was nailing a piece of paper to the tree. “excuse me, ma’am.” He apologised. “I didn’t see you out there.” Rainbow was still surprised, but managed to say “no problem sir… I euh… it’s nothing.” The stallion smiled and walked away to the next tree to nail a similar paper to it. The cyan mare flew down to see what the brown unicorn hung up. It was a placard with a leaden pot of gold, surrounded by fire with a bunch of words around it. Rainbow started to read out loud. “Dear ponies of Equestria. For the first time ever, the citizens of Dodge Junction will organise a competition, possibly the biggest competition ever held in Equestria.” Rainbow skipped the introduction and searched for the important stuff like the cash. “If you and a friend can pass through all five rounds, and win the finale, then you can earn ….” Her eyes widened when she saw how big the jackpot was. “Oh my…” was all she could say. She was amazed, and tired, so she sat down at the ground to think about it. “This … this is awesome!” she smiled. “I so gonna enter this and win!” she tore the paper from the tree and flew back to her branch. “Wait a sec… me and a friend…” she scratched the back of her head. “Who would be good enough to be my partner for this?” Elsewhere, Applejack was busy bucking some apples. The orange mare placed her basket under a tree and got ready to kick. But before she could fulfill her task, a rainbow coloured blur tackled her, knocking her down. “Rainbow! What in tarnation are you doing?!” Applejack yelled. “Sorry…” the two ponies were laying on each other, against a tree. Applejack lost her Stetson hat, while Rainbow had the basket upon her head. Rainbow Dash got up and helped Applejack to get up as well. Applejack mumbled something incomprehensible and picked up her hat. The rainbow coloured pegasus stretched her wings and turned to her friend. “Say Applejack. I just read something.” “What?” Applejack asked still a bit annoyed. “There is a competition coming up, and I want to join it” Dash said joyful. “And that’s why you’re here?” Applejack asked, a bit confused. And she took the basket from Rainbows head and placed it back under the tree. “No, there is something else I want to say.” Rainbow scratched the back of her head again. “See, it’s actually a competition for duos… so, now is the question…” “If I could be your partner?” Applejack said with a monotone voice. And she kicked the apple tree, as hard as she could. And in just a few seconds, her basket was filled with apples. “Yep.” Rainbow announced. “See, I could beat every duo by myself, but if I want to win this ‘fair’ than I will need a partner. However, there is nopony who could keep up with me, and you’re the closest one to my perfection.” Applejack smiled and rolled with her eyes. She knows that Rainbow Dash didn’t really mean this. “Sorry sugarcube. Ah’d love to do a competition with ya, but the barn needs some maintenance. We need extra money, so Ah don’t have time for games.” And she picked up the basket on her back and walked back to a carriage. “But why work if you can win this!” Rainbow jumped in front of Applejack and showed the placard. Applejack sighed and started to read. “…the finale, then you can earn ….” Applejack stopped reading, her eyes wide and gasped. “Holy smooch! That’s enough for a whole new farm!” in all her emotion, she accidentally dropped the basket. Rainbow giggled. “You should see the look on you face.” “Rainbow?” Applejack asked without an expression on her face. “Applejack?” Rainbow Dash, who could barely hold her joy, smiled “Count me in. I’m with ya!” Applejack said. “Awesome!” ***** “Are you two sure you want to compete alongside each other?” Twilight asked confused. Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the library, sitting around the table. The actual meaning of this was that Rainbow and Applejack would tell Twilight about the competition, but that turned out to a big discussion. “Why would that be such a problem?” Rainbow asked. “Well, you two normally compete against each other. And remember the running of leaves? You two ended up tied for last place.” “Ah know that. But think about it. After that, we ran together, and that went good. Right?” Applejack said. “And you’ve got to say that Applejack is the only one who can beat me in some competitions.” Rainbow Dash added. “Some?” Applejack cocked her eyebrow. “Yeah. Some.” Rainbow Dash said. “And that makes you the perfect partner for me in this competition.” She smiled, and slapped Applejack softly on her shoulder. Applejack sighed, and Twilight rolled with her eyes. “Anyway.” Rainbow Dash continued. “We actually wanted to ask you or you know something about this competition. You know,… what we have to do there.” Twilight looked a bit confused. “It isn’t explained on the paper?” and she levitated the paper with her magic. “No. It’s barely described.” Applejack said. “Just the prize and the way how you have to sign in.” Twilight looked up from the paper. “I can’t find something either.” She said. “That’s weird…” she walked to a chest with some scrolls in it. “And I haven’t heard about this competition before.” And she took a scroll and scanned it. “Of course not, egghead.” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s a first time competition.” She took the paper and pointed with her hoof at the text. “It’s been told here. On the first line.” “No, that’s not what I mean.” Twilight said. And she took another scroll. “See, since I became a princess, Celestia gave me the duty to control the finances of Eastern Equestria. And I never received a letter from Dodge Junction that they were about to spend so much money.” Applejack smiled. “Twilight. Don’t make this sound suspicious.” And she wrapped her hoof around Twilight. “See, it could probably be a mistake from the sheriff there.” “Yeah, and Dodge Junction ain’t exactly filled with brainiacs, so they probably forgot to write a better description.” Rainbow Dash added. “Case closed.” Applejack smiled. but Twilight still looked through the scrolls. “Twilight?” the cyan pegasus asked. “Can we borrow an blank scroll and a quill? So we can sign ourselves in?” Twilight dug a bit deeper in the chest. “Of course.” She said. “You can ask Spike to send it for you.” Applejack took the needs and left, together with Rainbow Dash, the library. Leaving Twilight alone. “This is unbelievable.” Twilight said. “what is going on with that competition?” “Twilight?” it was Spike. He came from the kitchen with a bucket of ice-cream. “Was that Rainbow Dash and Applejack?” “Yeah. Why?” Twilight asked. And she took another scroll and read it through. Before Spike could answer, his tummy growled. The noise was followed with a belch and a magical green fire. Spike took the letter with his claws and opened it. “It’s from Dodge Junction.” He said. Twilight looked up and snatched the paper from Spikes claws. “Give me that.” “Oh… okay. Now it’s okay.” Twilight said. “What is it?” Spike asked before he stuffed his mouth with ice-cream. “The financial record of the competition.” Twilight said, and she read a bit farther. She turned the page, but when she read it, her eyes grew. Her face was filled with confusion and astonishment when she finished it. “Except this part.”