//------------------------------//
// Fall Weather Friends 
// Story: Sugarcoat Interferes In Pony History 
// by Twinkletail 
//------------------------------//

Twilight Sparkle felt her chest fill with pride as she made her way to the starting line. Athletic competition might not have been her forte, but the concept of participating in the Running of the Leaves, one of Ponyville's long-standing traditions, excited her greatly. Besides, she wasn't approaching it as a competition. She was approaching it as an experience; a place to not only apply her recently-gained knowledge of running technique, but to bask in the opportunity to experience a Ponyville tradition first-hoof. Nothing could possibly get her down as she stepped up to the starting line.

"Twilight? What in tarnation are you doin' up here?" Applejack asked. It wasn't exactly "hello," but Twilight let it go. Applejack wasn't one to intentionally be rude.

"I'm racing!" Twilight exclaimed proudly. The smile she wore was one of honest excitement; one that quickly faded when Rainbow Dash began laughing.

"Good one, Twilight," Rainbow scoffed, giving Twilight a nudge that was just a bit more painful than she'd intended. Twilight was a bit miffed, but wouldn't let her enthusiasm vanish so easily.

"I'm not joking!" Twilight responded, her smile returning.

"What?" Rainbow asked, as if Twilight had just admitted to murder. "You're not an athlete, you're a...well...you're an egghead." For somepony who she considered a friend, Rainbow was doing a wonderful job of dashing her happiness and confidence, and Applejack's little smirk at that moment didn't help matters either.

"I am not an egghead," Twilight insisted. "I am well-read." Her smile made a tentative return, testing the waters to see if it was safe.

"Egghead," Rainbow whispered. Applejack began to snicker, causing Twilight's heart to sink. She could understand Rainbow acting like this, but Applejack was the more mature and reasonable of the two. Her reaction actually hurt a bit.

"But have you ever run a race?"  Applejack asked.

"Well...no," Twilight admitted, trying to ignore the blossoming snickers from the two. "But I do know a lot about running."

"And you know this from..." Rainbow asked.

"Books!" Twilight replied proudly. "I've read several on the subject." That was the final straw for Rainbow, who proceeded to literally fall over laughing. Twilight glared at her overacting "friend" as she dramatically convulsed on the floor. She was sure it was Rarity who was the overdramatic one of the bunch, but apparently she had a new contender to her jewel-encrusted throne.

"What'd you read, 'The Egghead's Guide to Running?' " Rainbow said through laughter, eliciting a sigh from the purple unicorn. "Did you stretch out your eye muscles to warm up?" She once again collapsed to the ground, guffawing like a goof. "Get it? Eye muscles."

"And she's supposed to be your friend?" Sugarcoat asked. Twilight jumped a bit, wondering how in Equestria Sugarcoat managed to show up without them noticing every single time.

"Hey!" Rainbow said, standing up. "I am her friend!"

"It's true, she is," Twilight said, rolling her eyes a bit. "Despite how she may act."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow demanded.

"You're dumb if you can't figure it out," Sugarcoat said.

"Why, I oughtta..." Rainbow sneered. She attempted to lunge at Sugarcoat, but Applejack held her back.

"She's right though, Rainbow," Applejack told her. "Not about the dumb thing. But you're being a might mean to Twilight."

"You were laughing too!" Rainbow said. Applejack smiled awkwardly.

"I...I was laughing with her, not at her," Applejack offered.

"Well she wasn't laughing," Sugarcoat said. Twilight looked back at Sugarcoat, a bit shocked. Was she really defending her?

"Okay, fine," Applejack said with a sigh. "I guess I was being a bit mean too. Sorry, Twilight." She looked pointedly at Rainbow, who resisted for a few moments before sighing herself.

"Ugh...sorry, Twilight," the begrudging Rainbow said.

"It's okay, girls," Twilight said, giving a little glance back at Sugarcoat. "So, what advice are you here to give us today?"

"None," Sugarcoat stated. "I just wanted to tell your friends that they're being jerks to you." As Rainbow and Applejack grumbled, Twilight tilted her head, now giving Sugarcoat a full-on stare. The starting bell for the race jolted her out of her train of thought, and she quickly got to trotting, leaving Sugarcoat behind.