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// Chapter 7 - Sugarcube Corner 
// Story: A Competition With Two Winners 
// by 1Bit 
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Sugarcube Corner was always filled with ponies during the early morning. Orders flying in from every direction as Mr and Mrs Cake darted in and out of the kitchen. Even so, delicious baked goods were made in an instant, the bright pink pony at the counter smiling gleefully. Pinkie Pie happily attended to each customer as more and more entered the store. From their small table off to the side, Pinkie's friends watched her in awe for the whole morning. Pinkie eventually made her way over to the table, her friends still in disbelief.

"Pinkie, dear? How exactly do you do that?" Rarity asked taking another sip of her tea. "Surely anypony would get tired out from serving customers like that all morning!"

Twilight nodded slowly. "I think I might have collapsed after the first five minutes." The other ponies looked at her, unable to help but smile. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Even though most of them just shook their heads and continued to eat, Fluttershy quietly replied, "Well, um, no offense Twilight but you freak out over just about everything..." Noticing the glare Twilight was giving her, she whimpered and began to shrink under the table. "Just...saying." Pinkie giggled to herself and eventually Twilight's expression softened and she began laughing as well.

"Yeah, okay." The purple unicorn rolled her eyes, levitating her milkshape up to her lips.

Rainbow was nodding off slightly next to Rarity, her face buried between her hooves on the table. Aside from the occasional stir, she barely moved throughout the conversation. In her mind, images of her and Applejack kept flashing by. You and you're freckles shall be mine, my mighty goddess. One day...one day... She shook her head, looking from left to right to double check she hadn't said anything out loud. Satisfied, she let herself continue to dream about the Earth Pony. What does Cloudjumper have over me anyway? I'm just as athletic as him, more awesome and not to mention more sexy! It was then that Rainbow remembered. Oh yeah, he's a stallion. Great. How can I beat that? She shook her head again, desperately trying to cling on to any hope she could. Maybe she's into both? Her train of thought was interrupted as she heard the southern voice behind her.

"Knock knock? Anypony home?" Applejack gently poked Rainbow with a hoof for the fourth time, checking over her unmoving form. "Rainbow?" Finally, the mare stirred, blinking a few times as she tried to work out her surroundings. She turned round her tired eyes finally making contact with Applejack's deep emerald ones. She blushed instantly averting her eyes.

"Oh hey, Applejack. Didn't see you there." She chuckled nervously on her chair.

"Bit too busy daydreaming about a certain somepony, hm?" Applejack smiled knowingly, raising an eyebrow at Rainbow.

Instantly, Rainbow's pupils shrank, falling off her seat as she tried to escape. WHAT?! How could she know? She bit her lip, beads of sweat already appearing.

Applejack laughed and began to walk towards the back of the store. "Mind if I talk to you about that for a minute, Rainbow?"

Rainbow nervously got to her hooves, slowly following the mare away from the table. All the ponies, save for Twilight, were left confused at the turn of events, watching the two mares disappear around the corner. Once Applejack was sure they were out of earshot, she turned to Rainbow, frowning slightly. Rainbow gulped, shrinking slightly in her presence. Well, this is it Rainbow. You had a good run. She mustered a smile, pretending nothing was wrong. "So what's up Applejack? Why did you need to talk to me in private?"

Applejack wasn't impressed. "Drop the act, sugarcube. I had a talk with Twilight the other day and frankly, I'm surprised I didn't see it myself." She advanced on Rainbow, the pegasus attempting to back away from the confrontation. "Ever since I started seein' Cloudjumper, you've been nowhere to be seen and anytime you're with us, you always seem so...distant." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "When I talked to Twi about it, I think I began to understand." Applejack fiddled with her Stetson, exhaling slowly. "Rainbow...I'm sorry, okay? I should've realised you probably had a crush on Cloudjumper from the beginning. I didn't mean to ruin your chances, sugarcube. Honest, I didn't." She tried to put a hoof out to Rainbow but Rainbow just stared at her.

Cloudjumper? CLOUDJUMPER?! Thats it! Rainbow was bursting with rage, she slapped Applejack's hoof out the way, making the mare reel back in shock. All the weeks of depression, the nights she cried herself to sleep, her jealousy...all of it reached a boiling point. "You think that I'm jealous of you?! After all these weeks, that's the best you could come up with?!" Rainbow's raised voice caught the attention of her friends at the table, who watched as the two mares came back into view. "I don't CARE about Cloudjumper! For all I care, he could get KILLED and I still wouldn't care! In fact, I would probably be happy to see him go!" She was shouting at the top of her voice, Applejack backing up more and more. She was eventually backed up against a wall, their friends watching in horror as the scene unfolded in front of them. "No! I don't care about your relationship with him, I don't care in the slightest! You just don't understand! You NEVER will!" Rainbow was seething, breathing hard. She stopped, gasping and lifting a hoof to her mouth as she realised what she'd just said. She looked down at Applejack, who was slumped on the floor, tears welling up in her eyes. Rainbow felt herself beginning to tear up at the sight. "Oh no. Applejack I-I'm so sorry." Her voice cracked.

Applejack shakily got back onto her hooves, unable to make eye contact with Rainbow. "It's okay, Rainbow. It's okay..." Her voice was quiet and fearful as she spoke. Unable to bear the sight, Rainbow closed her eyes and made a swift exit through the door. The others simply sat, open-mouthed. Even Pinkie's hair was sagging, unable to comprehend the situation. Her usually happy demeanour was now an upset one as she ran into the kitchen. Fluttershy looked around the shocked faces of her friends before sneaking out the door as well, following the rainbow streak in the sky.