The Crystal Prep school always won the Friendship Games year after year. Their students were always perfect and prepared, and they always won first place. Even the weakest student was phenomenal.
But Canterlot High School, one of the competing schools in the event, were still triumphant. Even though they always came in last place, they still tried their best.
But one the students didn't share the same feeling...
Rainbow Dash got off her motorcycle, feeling exhausted. She had just rode it for about a half an hour, going through the woods around Applejack's house.
She grabbed her cell phone from her backpack to check something when it suddenly buzzed in Rainbow's hand. She had been expecting this for a few minutes now.
It was a text from Sunset Shimmer.
"Still riding," it read. "I'm got so much adrenaline right now! LOL."
"You better come back soon," Rainbow Dash texted back. "The group's gonna meet at Applejack's mail box in about 10 minutes." Curious, Rainbow quickly added, "R U listening 2 anything?"
A text message popped up about 15 seconds later. "Rock music."
Rainbow Dash was going to respond, congratulating her musical interests, but she could hear screaming and hollering behind her.
She turned off her phone, which was playing a Foo Fighters song and turned around to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity, roller skating up to her.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash! Hey!" A pink blur suddenly circled around Rainbow Dash's body.
"Hi there Rainbow," Rarity said while panting. "Whew! That was quite the ride that we had."
"It was the best!" Pinkie Pie added happily. "We skated all around town, singing songs!"
Rainbow heaved a heavy sigh. "It's still strange that you never win the roller skating competition, Pinkie. And same with you, Rarity! You really get into it."
Rarity blushed. "Why thank you, Rainbow. That's very nice of you."
Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed. Every single time the Friendship Games came around, the Shadowbolts at Crystal Prep won every single trophy. For instance, for the roller skating competition, it was always Sunny Flare and Lemon Zest that won. Deep down inside, she longed for the praise and the feeling of a trophy or medal. She wondered if anyone else at her school thought that way, too.
She didn't just want a pat on the back and a "better luck next time". She wanted the sweet smell of victory.
Rainbow snapped back to reality. "Oh! No problem." She waved her hand.
At the same time, Applejack and Fluttershy were walking over from Applejack's barn where she set up a fake archery target.
"How's it goin' out here?" Wondered Applejack curiously.
"Pretty decent," Rainbow replied. "We're just waitin' on..."
"Sunset?" Whispered Fluttershy, just as the girl in question arrived.
Sunset's headphones were blasting Kid Rock while she removed her helmet slowly, letting her hair spill out gracefully.
"Oh my," said Fluttershy.
Suddenly, the music and the sound of the motorcycle's engine ceased and Sunset stepped off her motocycle, doing a little jump.
"Sorry I'm late," she said apologetically.
"It's no problem," Rainbow replied.
"So... what did you wanna talk about?"
"Oh yeah, that! But let's sit down first."Applejack understood. "Why don't we sit down on the hay in mah barn?"
The girls were now all gathered in Applejack's cozy barn, all of them reclining on bales of hay... all except Rainbow Dash.
"So, as we know, the Friendship Games is going to be in two days," she announced as she was pacing back and forth.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Applejack replied. "And ah would really like it if you would jus' siddown, too."
"Nah." The look of concern on her face grew even more. "I'm just worrying about the games, guys! I SO wanna beat the stinkin' Shadowbolts for once, that's all!"
Pinkie jumped up from one of the haystacks, somehow blowing bits of hay onto her hair. "Me too, me too! I wanna beat ol' meanie Sunny Flare for once!" She balled up her fists held them up to the sky. "Yeah!!"
Rarity yawned while she played with her slightly rugged hair. "Keep on dreaming, girls. That's all I have to say about this matter."
Rainbow sighed again. "I just wish that we could pony up during the competition, that's all! It would maybe help us a ton."
"Face it, Sugarcube. It only happens when we play our instruments," argued Applejack angrily.
"I know! But I really, really want to win for once!" Rainbow shrieked with stress.
Sunset, who was surprisingly silent during the whole debacle, finally spoke up. "I see where you're going with this, Rainbow Dash. But yet again, that would be also called cheating."
Rainbow Dash facepalmed. "Yeah, you're right. And cheating, as it may be totally awesome at the time, results in a whole load of trouble! And we don't want that."