Author's Note

Story Summary:
Applejack and her family have been given the job of hosting Ponyville’s first Rodeo, but when a guest reveals his feelings for Applejack during the rodeo what will happen? (this story involves I ship I so much love!)

This story was based this scene from Appleloosa's Most Wanted

1. Apple of His Eye

Apple Bloom jumped up in down on her bed in joy. Applejack smiled as she watched her little sister. “You’re more excited than I am AB,”.

“I can’t believe we’ve been picked to hold Ponyville’s first ever rodeo!” Apple Bloom said smiling wide.

“Yes, we’ve got a few days to prepare,” Applejack said, “but right now it’s time for little fillies to sleep,”

“Aww, fine big sis,” Apple Bloom sighed as she laid down and Applejack tucked her in. Over the next few days, Applejack and Big Mac made a list of rodeo events and even made posters to advertise the rodeo in town. They even sent invites to certain ponies throughout Equestria. Applejack was checking their list one last time.

“You sure we got enough hay for the hay stackin contest?” she asked her older brother.

“Eyup,” he simply answered as always. Just as she finished going over the list there was a knock on the door. She answered and it was Ponyville’s very own mailmare Derpy.

“Hey Applejack, you have a bundle of mail today," The gray mare greeted and handed her a bundle of about twenty letters and waved as she flew off.

“Whatcha got there Applejack?” Granny Smith asked.

“They look like response letters from the rodeo invites we sent out,” Applejack asked looking through them.

“what do they say?” her Granny asked looking at the one she was reading.

“They all seem to be comin,” Applejack said as she looked at the last one, “Well I think that’ll make Apple Bloom and her friends happy,”.

“What’ll make us happy?” Apple Bloom asked just getting home from school.

“Trouble Shoes is comin to the rodeo,” Applejack said looking at his letter again, “says he can’t wait to perform for us again,”.

“That’s awesome!” Apple Bloom said jumping up, “I gotta tell the girls!” Applejack smiled as she watched the filly run out the door.

Trouble Shoes stared up at the sky as he sat in the carriage taking him to Ponyville. He was a little too tall to ride a train so a carriage was his only choice. He was both nervous and looking forward to performing all his rodeo clown tricks for the ponies of Ponyville. The one thing he was looking forward to most was seeing her again. The beautiful, orange, farm mare Applejack. He had been smitten with her basically when he first seen her which oddly enough was when she helped a group of ponies in Appleloosa catch him. She was a sight for sore eyes. The strength in the mare and bravery alone made her beautiful to him. He always heard ponies say that if a pony liked somepony they should tell them, but he knew Applejack wouldn’t accept a pony who was meant to be a rodeo clown because he was clumsy. As the carriage neared the Apple family farm Trouble Shoes saw Apple Bloom standing in the entrance waving her hooves at him. As he stepped out of his ride Apple Bloom ran over to him and hugged his hoof. “Hi, Trouble Shoes!”

“Hello Apple Bloom,” he greeted, “I reckon you’re excited for the rodeo today?”

“Yeah!” she said, “I can’t wait to see you perform with the other rodeo clowns!”. He smiled at the filly. If it wasn’t for her and her two little friends, he would have went on thinking his cutie mark meant bad luck. “Come on, the Rodeo starts in a few hours,” She said, “and you gotta get ready,”.

A few hours later the rodeo started and ponies cheered and stomped as they watched the different events take place. The cutest being the little critter round up where fillies and colts ran around trying to catch various little animals like bunnies and pigs. Finally, one of the top events came and Applejack was competing. It was fair since the judges were none other than princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The barrel race was about to start. Now the twist applejack added to this event was each runner had to carry a barrel of water (closed up of course) on their backs as they ran. First to make it to the finish line without dropping their barrel wins. The racers lined up and got ready. “One your mark!” Apple Bloom said into the megaphone, “set!..go!!” the racers took off some of them losing their barrels before even getting a few steps away from the start line. Applejack stayed focused. Her eyes were glued on the finish line ahead. She was so focused she didn’t see the little pig up ahead until it was too late. She tripped over the animal and her barrel went flying into the crowd. It crashed onto a pale yellow unicorn with a purple and white mane. She screamed as the gray stallion beside her made a scolding face at Applejack. He charged down to where she was as she stood up and shook the dust off her.

“Hey you!” the pony called, “ country pony!”.

“Names Applejack,” she said, “I’m really so,” she started to apologize, but he cut her off.

“Don’t you hick ponies have any manners!” he scolded, “at least enough common sense to know not to throw things at ponies! No wonder ponies like you are looked down upon, like the rotten apples at the bottom of the best apple tree!”

“HEY!” a voice boomed out. Everypony stared at a rather tall rodeo clown pony who was running up to Applejack and the pony yelling at her,
“don’t you dare talk to her like that?!”. The snooty pony looked up at the taller stallion a bit shocked as he fixed his tiny blue glasses.

“this doesn’t concern you clown,”.

“That doesn’t matter!” Trouble Shoes huffed, “you will not speak to this mare like that. Just because she accidently spilled water on whoever the mare is to you does not give you the right to speak harshly to such a sweet and beautiful mare. If you’re gonna be that snooty and disrespectful then you should leave her rodeo!” The other stallion just huffed.

“come on Upper Crest, we’re leaving!” with that the stallion turned and trotted as fast as he could away from Trouble Shoes and Applejack. For what seemed like hours everypony was silent until Sweetie Belle broke the silence.

“Aww! he likes Applejack!”. Trouble Shoes’ cheeks turned a light red as Applejack’s mouth opened in shock.

“Is that true Trouble Shoes?” she asked.

Y-yes Applejack,” her turned to her and smiled, “I’ve liked you since we met back in Appleloosa. You’re a perfect mare. Strong, Brave, honest, and all those things make you so beautiful,”. His compliments caused her orange cheeks to turn a light shade of pink. “But don’t worry,” he said. She could hear a hint of sadness in his voice, “I know a mare as perfect as you couldn’t take a shinin to a stallion like me,”.
She smiled as she walked up to him and kissed his cheek causing his eyes to widen in shock.

“I wouldn’t say that,” they smiled at each other before Trouble Shoes leaned down and gently kissed her lips and all the ponies around stomped and awed.