Main Event

“..And then Amazing Green hit Black Hooves with his ‘Green Shining’ move and knocked him out! It was… It was so awesome!”  Rainbow Dash told her friends for the tenth time.

It was a lovely, sunny afternoon in Ponyville. Like every Monday, the six friends were in the park with their pets. This time however Spike was present, since they had all prepared a little picnic for that afternoon. Twilight and the others would have invited Discord to make him feel more integrated in the group after the Tirek incident, but he was busy doing some social work as a punishment for his actions. That was why he couldn’t be in Ponyville for at least four more days. The seven friends sat while the daredevil pegasus was telling them yet again about  the whole championship match. As excited as she was, that wasn’t the problem, the problem was that the only one who was really listening to her was the equally excited baby dragon.

“Whoa!” Spike exclaimed, awe printed in his eyes, “I wish I could have seen it!”

“You bet. It was a match for the ages.” Rainbow Dash answered with a cocky grin, “If only somepony didn’t send you to the bed so early.”

“For the last time, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight sighed, “Spike is a baby dragon. He needs more rest than us,” she ignored Rainbow’s rolling eyes. “Besides, I don’t think that watching such violence would be good for him.”

“Oh come on Twilight.” Spike protested “I’m not that young.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow nodded in agreement, “and it’s not that violent. It’s a competition with a little extra spicy story between the wrestlers. They are athletes after all.”

“I’m afraid that I must agree with Twilight, darling.” Rarity entered in the conversation, taking a moment to sip some tea from her cup “Spikey-Wikey is a child and, after all, ponies fighting each other is just so... so… so uncouth.”

“Eer… Hello?” Even if it was his crush who had talked, Spike couldn’t keep his mouth shut “I’m the one who at the end of the day, saved the Crystal Empire. Doesn’t anypony remember?”

“Well, yes. That was very dangerous.” Twilight admitted.

“Besides, the six of us have often been in mortal danger, being the Elements of Harmony and Saviors of Equestria.” Dash explained “Heck, I could hurt myself really bad in any of my practices.” The way her friends stared at the daredevil made her to look away “I mean, again. The same happens with the Wonderbolts.”

“But, mmm-” Fluttershy started to talk with a quiet tone “-that’s only a risk and it isn’t violent at all. I mean, well—” she tried to hide behind her pink mane, her ears drooped down.

“I think it’s fun!” Pinkie Pie pulled out her nose from the picnic basket with her lips stained with chocolate. Gummy was with her, or, more specifically biting her mane.

“Excuse me?” Rarity raised an eyebrow, looking at her pink friend.

“Yes!” Pinkie exclaimed, licking her lips “Many colts and fillies talk about it when they’re in the bakery and they always look so excited. Even more than me sometimes!” The other six looked at one another with similar disbelieving looks. “They often tell me things about the matches and I feel myself absorbed by the ‘Oh!’” Pinkie started to make faces, “the ‘Whoaaa!’, the ‘Yeah!’, the—”

“Okay, okay, we get it Pinkie.” Twilight cut her off.

Rainbow Dash grinned, shaking her head a little. “Well, at least somepony—”

“Hey!” Spike protested.

“—and a dragon is with me.” Dash looked at Applejack, the only one who still didn’t share her opinion “And you? You’re also with me. Right?”

“Mm?” Applejack blinked, swallowing the bit of cake she was eating “Ah, no. Ah don’t wanna get involved in this.”

“Why not?” Curiosity appeared in Twilight’s voice. “We already gave our opinions.”

“Indeed, darling. There is no shame if you don’t agree with Rainbow.” Rarity pointed and Dash stuck out her tongue in response.

“It’s not that Rares-” The farm mare started to say.

“Aw, come on Applejack.” Pinkie pleaded.

With a sigh, the cowpony nodded. “Fine. Since Ah’m responsible of mah little sister, Ah’m with Twi and Rarity that maybe the kids shouldn’t see two ponies fighting.” a groan came from Rainbow, but Applejack ignored it “Also, Ah understand that they train a lot and all that stuff but-” She made a pause, shrugging. “-But Ah don’t buy it.”

“What?” The daredevil was looking at her orange friend in disbelief.

“Ah mean, Ah think that it all is prepared in advanced. They pretend they fight, but it’s only acting.” AJ explained.

The others didn’t say anything against that point of view, but Rainbow who had jumped to hover in the air faced Applejack clearly upset. “Are you bucking kidding me!? How could you say that?”

Nopony expected Rainbow’s reaction, that was for sure. Rarity was the first to speak . “Rainbow dear. Relax. There is no need to react like that,” she said politely to try and calm her down.

“Of course there is!” For a reason any of her friends could guess, Dash seemed offended. Even her ears were twitching. She was still looking to AJ who was confused. “Those ponies get hurt really bad sometimes you know!”

“Hold on a second, Dash.” Applejack requested. “Ah’m not saying that they don’t take any risks—”

“Buzzsaw Cut broke his neck after receiving a piledriver. With thirty-four years, his career ended right there!” Rainbow started to list some examples. “Lifting Rocks completely tore his pastern, needing two surgeries and a whole year before he could compete again! And did you say that they ‘act’? I can’t believe it!” She moved towards Applejack until she was a hairs’ breadth away. “So in your words, if I get hurt flying, it’s not really important because I was performing tricks and ‘acting’, is that it?”

“What?” AJ looked shocked. “No! Ah didn’t say anything like that! Y’know that when yah were in the hospital, even when ya faked it, Ah was worried like the rest!”

“Well for me it’s the same. How they get hurt or I get hurt.” Rainbow pointed out, her expression wasn’t of offence but that of disappointment. “We want to be the best!”

Without saying anymore or letting anypony react, she called Tank with a whistle and then she flew away at her signature speed. The others stayed there, confused expressions on everyponys’ faces.

Applejack was the first to move, looking at her friends. “What did Ah say?”

“I don’t know Applejack,” Twilight shook her head, “I really don’t know.”

Three days later Applejack hadn’t seen Rainbow Dash again after that afternoon and she was starting to worry, she knew that Dash was fine because her other friends had met her and they had told AJ. Besides, it was strange not to find the pegasus napping in a Sweet Apple Acres tree or coming to chat with her best friend. So the cowpony concluded that she was the only one who Rainbow didn’t want to see. For the farm mare that was enough of a reason to worry about. She didn’t think that she did or had said anything that could offend Rainbow, but apparently she did and she knew that she shouldn’t wait any longer to fix it.

The problem was Applejack didn’t know how to.

Once AJ finished her chores at the farm she went straight to Ponyville hoping to find Rainbow Dash. After all, they had always been the best friends and a little problem couldn’t change that. “She’ll be napping on a cloud, Ah bet mah hat.” She was telling herself when she reached Ponyvilles’ market.

She was interupted from her search when  somepony called her. “Applejack! Over here!”

Applejack turned her head to see that Twilight and Pinkie were coming straight to her. “Howdy, girls. How’re y’all doing?”

The first who answered was Pinkie, big smile on her face. “Super-duper-ific! And you?”

“Fine, thanks.” Twilight said without waiting for Applejack to reply. “What are you doing here, Applejack? Are you going to replace Big Mac in the market stand?”

The cowpony shook her head. “Nope. Ah’m-” For a second, she looked aside nervous. “Ah’m looking for Rainbow. Have ya see her?”

“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie answered cheerfully. “She came to Sugarcube Corner this morning and bought one of my double extra chocolate cupcakes. She really loves those.”

Applejack blinked. “And did you see her more—uhh—recently?”

“Oh.” Pinkie thought for a second and grinned “Nope!”

After a sigh from the cowpony, she looked at her other friend; Twilight.

The alicorn shook her head, “sorry, Applejack. I haven’t seen her today. However, she should come to the castle later. We have one of our reading times this afternoon.” Twilight explained with a soft smile before she tilted her head. “Why do you ask?”

Applejack rubbed one of her forelegs with the other, her ears fell flat against her head. She was clearly a little nervous. “Well, Ah want to talk with her. Or try, at least.”

Her two friends looked at each other with a serious look. “It’s about what happened at the picnic, right?” Twilight asked politely.

“Eeyup,” AJ nodded. “Ah haven’t seen Rainbow Dash since then. Not even napping in one of my trees and that just ain’t right.” Twilight and Pinkie knew that she was right. “So, if Ah have really screwed things that bad, Ah wanna fix it.”

“Maybe we can help you with that?” Twilight suggested, tapping her chin with a thoughtful look, “We were also there after all.”

“Thanks, Twi,” Applejack said with a soft smile, “but first Ah need to find her.”

“I have a better idea.” The alicorn grinned, already forming a plan in mind. “You should wait where you know that she will eventually be.”

“What?” AJ looked confused. “Ya mean?—”

“—To come with me to the castle and wait there for Rainbow.” Twilight continued. “Pinkie?”

“Yes?” Pinkie Pie smiled at her alicorn friend.

“Could you please tell Rarity and Fluttershy to come to the library as soon as possible?” Twilight asked, smiling too.

“Yes ma’am! On my way!” Pinkie saluted before she bounced away.

Applejack looked worried.“Yer sure of this, Twi? Ah don’t want to cause ya any problem with Dash.”

“Don’t worry, AJ.” Twilight was totally calm and confident. “It’s better this way. First, you don’t have to look for Rainbow Dash. Second, it will be easiest to talk with her if we are all in the same place. And thirdly, if she is too stubborn and tries to get away before the two of you can chat, stopping her inside the library will be a piece of cake.”

Applejack considered her options rubbing her chin, nodding seconds after. “Sure, Twi, let’s go.”

A tense atmosphere dominated the inside of the Friendship Castle. At least Applejack felt like it did. She was pacing slowly in circles and her ears were dropped down. All her friends, except Rainbow Dash were there with her. Her friends seemed visibly calmer that the farmpony. Twilight was reading, Fluttershy and Spike were in the kitchen making some tea, Pinkie Pie was guarding the cupcakes that she brought and Rarity was relaxing laying on a few cushions.

“She’s late,” nervousness tinged Applejack’s voice. “Ah bet that she knows that Ah’m here and she won’t come!”

“Applejack, calm down.” Twilight spoke without looking up at her, stretching her wings and turning the page at the same time. “Rainbow is usually late, stop worrying. She will arrive at any mom—”

“Sorry Twilight!” A loud voice from upstairs cut in. “I’m late again!”

Rainbow Dash came down grinning but her smile faded as she saw that they weren’t alone. “Oh.” was the only word that came from Rainbow’s mouth. She looked around just in time to see Spike and Fluttershy coming from the kitchen with the tea cups. “So, everypony is here.” She mumbled so that nopony else could hear.

Twilight was prepared in case Rainbow Dash tried to leave, but she didn’t show it. “Hi, Rainbow.” She grinned cheerfully, “You came just in time, the tea is ready.”

“Yeah... but...” Rainbow cleared her throat, looking to everypony, “I figured there would only be the two of us. Why are they here?”

Before Twilight could answer, Applejack took a step. “It’s my fault. Twilight thought that this was the best way to help me.” AJ swallowed hard, making an effort to look at Rainbow Dashs’ eyes. “Ah... wanted to talk with you Rainbow. Look, Ah’m really sorry for what happened the the other day. A...Ah don’t know what Ah said to offend ya, but Ah swear that it wasn’t on purpose.”

Rainbow was looking at Applejack while she talked. By the end, Dash’s wings were twitching slightly, leading Twilight to believe that she was preparing to fly away. However, a few seconds later the pegasus relaxed a little, sighing. “That all?”

Nopony expected that reaction. Applejack could only blink as a response.

“Um, Rainbow.” Surprisingly, Fluttershy was the one who broke the silence with her characteristic soft tone. “Applejack said that she hasn’t seen you since the pet play-date. It’s quite unusual. Are you angry with her or us?” She swallowed, looking aside. “I mean If you don’t mind me asking that is.”

Dash put a hoof on her face and shooked her head slowly, taking a moment before she opened her mouth. “Listen, girls, I’m not angry with Applejack or any of you for that matter.” She looked at the cowpony, who was listening closely. “Okay, I admit that maybe I’m a little upset with you, but I'll get over it in no time. I know that you never wanted to offend me.”

“So,” Rarity intervened politely, “why did you fly away with such rudeness?”

“I already told you, Rares.” Dash’ said in an annoyed tone.

“But we don’t know why.” Pinkie Pie spoke that time and soon she started to develop her own theories. “Oh, it’s because do you have wrestlers in your fami-?” She suddenly gasped and put her nose against Rainbow’s “Oh my Gosh!  Did any of them get injured doing it? Or died?” Pinkie Pie caught her friend to shake her. “Please! Tell me it didn’t happen!”

“Pinkie, calm down!” Rainbow exclaimed, separating her friend enough to recover her personal space. “It’s nothing like that! How could you think something like that?”

“Oh.” Pinkie stopped as quickly as she started, smiling at the moment. “Sorry, it was a just a hunch.”

“The worst kind, Pinks.” Dash frowned.

Twilight cleared her throat as loudly as she could to call everyone's attention. “Then Rainbow please, could you explain us the reason why you got upset with Applejack?”

Rainbow Dash looked around to find six pairs of eyes staring at her waiting for a response. She sighed with a defeated expression, downing her head and ears. “Fine, fine, I’ll tell you. But could I eat some cupcakes first? I’m starving.”

All her friends smiled and a few minutes later they had almost finished the cupcakes and the tea. The time passed calmly; they even chatted a little about other topics. Finally, Dash coughed to catch everypony’s attention. “Ok, all of you remember what we talked about the other day, right?” Her friends nodded. “Well, when Applejack said that she thought that the wrestlers act in their matches, I felt bad because-” She paused, clearing her throat and looking to AJ. “Because I felt like you didn’t believe in my dream of becoming a Wonderbolt.”

“Beg pardon?” Applejack was very confused at that statement.

How are the Wonderbolts and wrestling related? She thought.

“Let me explain it.” Rainbow Dash said. “You all know that being a Wonderbolt means being one of the best fliers of Equestria, right?” Her friends nodded before she continued. “Well, the wrestlers want the same. When a pony becomes one, they want to be the champion. To be the best. Like me. We put ourselves at risk for that goal because it’s our dream. That is what we have in common. At least,” The rainbow-maned mare lowered her head, “I believe that.”

As she said that, Applejack finally understood: Her friend Rainbow felt connected to the wrestling ponies and she respected them as athletes and as ponies with a dream. Unintentionally the cowpony had taken lightly to Dash’s feelings. “Dash, Ah’m really, really sorry.” She apologised again. “Ah didn’t think it in that way.”

“I know, I know.” Rainbow rubbed a foreleg with the other. “Maybe...No! I did overreact a little, leaving all of you in the park like that and without stopping in Sweet Apple Acres since then.” Dash chucked softly looking at her Applejack. “I confess that I missed some of my favourite nap spots.”

Applejack and the others couldn’t avoid laughing after that last sentence, all of them happy because the farmpony and Rainbow seemed to fix their misunderstanding without anymore problems. However, Applejack felt like she should do more to apologise to the daredevil. “Really, Rainbow, Ahm sorry. If there’s anything that Ah could do—” She was visibly more relaxed as she spoke.

“Don’t worry, AJ, everything is fine.” Rainbow cut her, grinning.

“No, not everything.” Applejack insisted with a serious look. “Ah feel that Ah need to do something to compensate ya. Ah took your feelings lightly, after all.”

Rainbow looked to her friend and chuckled when she found out how serious she was. “Whoa, the return of the stubborn mare, ladies and gentlecolts.” Dash joked, grinning until she saw Applejack frowned. “Ok, ok, I get it. You’re serious. Gimme a second to think.”

“Only a second?” That was Applejack’s turn to joke but Rainbow didn’t answer.

Meanwhile, their friends’ gazes went between the two mares, waiting. Maybe some of them thought that Applejack’s request wasn’t really necessary, but that was a matter between the two competitive ponies so they didn’t say a word.

“I got it!” Rainbow suddenly said with a big and cocky grin.

“What it is?” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Help ya with another trick? A barrel of cider?”

“The last one sounds much too tempting, but no.” Rainbow shook her head. “Neither of those.” She cleared her throat and pointed to Applejack with a hoof, her wings flared out.  “Applejack, at this very moment and in front of our friends. I, Rainbow Dash, challenge you to a wrestling match.”