"Heya Twi." Applejack said, smiling as she walked into the castle's reading room, seeing Twilight once more with her muzzle in a book, her wings shifting slightly and ear twitching as she heard her mare-friend's voice, "How's mah beautiful mare?"

"Oh hey sexy, what's up?" Twilight asked as she turned from her book and looked up at the other mare, who was standing in the doorway and leaning against the frame.

Applejack came over to the study table Twilight was sitting in front of, joining her in sitting there. "'Earth Ponies have a number of erogenous zones but the most sensitive ones, generally speaking, are the 'frog' of the hoof, also more commonly known as the underhoof, the ears, and, most commonly, the back legs, more specifically the stifles in the Cutie-Mark area...'" she read aloud from the book Twilight was 'studying', finding it must be an Earth-pony anatomy book...and one of a rather sultry nature it would seem, complete with some quite graphic diagrams that left nothing to the imagination.

"Oh, yeah. After what we did last week, I kinda decided to do some...studying on other ways we could have more fun in that way." Twilight said, a light tint of deep purple on her cheeks as she was caught out, even if she knew Applejack wouldn't mind such a thing – and indeed may encourage it!

"Well shucks Twi, here ya are, studin' about ways t' please me yer bes', an' here Ah ain't made a lick of effort in th' same way!" Applejack said, indeed feeling a bit guilty now.

"That's OK Applejack. I've learned quite a bit about Unicorns and Pegusi in this matter too, and it would seem that Alicorns, at least from speculation and relation, have the erogenous zones of all races of ponies in the same way they share the traits and abilities of them! I could definitely share that knowledge with you, if you'd like?"

Applejack only smirked. "Save it fer th' bedroom, beautiful." she said, giving a wink, "Besides, Ah came over t' invite ya t' the Appleoosa Rodeo with me. Ah mahself was invited t' compete there, an Ah figured, well, maybe y'all could come t' cheer me on?"

"Oh yeah? Are you going to invite the others too?"

"Yeah, but Ah wanted t' make sure you could make it first."

"Ah. I see. Well, I'm sure I can make time, and I'd be glad to cheer you on. When is it?"

"Friday nex' week."

"I may have to reschedule some things, but I'll be there. I promise."

"Thanks Shug. Ah love ya."

"I love you too."

~ ~ ~

It had been a week since Applejack had invited Twilight, meanwhile also having invited her other friends as well, and the day for the Annual Appleoosan Rodeo had finally arrived. Applejack had been training the past week, with Twilight and her other friends always there cheering her on, and she swore their encouragement, especially Twilight's, is what drove her to beat her old personal record on her barrel weaving practice course.

Now they stood outside the main arena of the rodeo, having taken a long train ride here and leaving Applejack more than eager to stretch her legs in the competition. It was a few minutes before the first event was to start, and Applejack was actually feeling a bit nervous. She always was before a competition, but now that Twilight, the most important pony in Equestria to her, was watching, that only added an extra edge onto her usual nerves.

"Ohmigosh, Applejack! I know you're going to do awesome!" Pinkie Pie said, accompanied by a sudden explosion of confetti and a party horn coming from the hyper pink pony. Where exactly the confetti came from nopony knew, but they all knew better than to question Pinkie Pie of all ponies.

"Well, though we are not quite as...enthusiastic as Pinkie here, we do all wish you the best of luck darling." Rarity said, giving an encouraging smile.

"Thank y'all. Ah'll do mah bes'." Applejack said, giving a tip of her hat and as the giant triangle was rung, telling the competitors to get into position for the first event; the cattle-wrangling competition. "Well, That's mah call. Gotta go!"

The cows and ponies both assembled on the field after the bell was rung, and after everypony was in position and was given a rope, the rules were stated. "Alright, fer the cowponies, yer goal is t' wrangle and hog-tie as many cattle as y'can. Cattle, yer job is t' try and avoid being captured. Remember, no fighting, bucking, hittin', or causing any harm to anypony or cow is allowed, and if anypony or cow is asked to stop at any time, y'have to." The announcer said.

Applejack looked over to Twilight and her other friends as the timer ticked down, seeing her mare-friend give her a huge smile and a whistle of encouragement, making Applejack huff and hunch down in determination as she locked her eyes on the largest bull, Big Bill. She was told by her cousin Braeburn, who was also competing, that this bull would always give a really good fight to anypony who dared to challenge him, and wasn't a push-over by any means. If somepony actually managed to wrangle him successfully, they would get ten points, as opposed to other cattle giving three to eight points based on their own traits.

As the huge bull saw Applejack's stare locked on him, he returned a smirk, as if to say 'bring it on'. Applejack returned the smirk, the sentiments returned.

As the starting bell was rung, the cattle scattered and the ponies chased them down, whoops and cheers coming from the crowd as they did. In the resulting chaos, Applejack lost her sights on her targeted bull but soon locked onto him, and the bull in kind spotted the gamborge-orange pony himself. Applejack pawed at the ground, and the bull snorted.

Applejack got to a gallop as the bull took off again, the farmpony hot on his trail. As the bull turned a sharp corner, Applejack quickly fashioned a lasso from the rope that was once around her withers, gripping the rope tightly between her teeth as she started spinning it above herself.

The bull noticed this, and quickly changed directions again, making Applejack miss her first throw. She cursed quietly as she quickly gathered the rope and prepared for another throw, this time waiting for the bull to make an evasive maneuver again. As it did just as planned and dodged to the right again, Applejack waited for it to slow a moment from changing directions, its momentum lost, before throwing the rope again.

This time the rope struck true, the loop landing over the bull's neck, earning her a triumphant cry from her crowd of friends. Her own confidence surging now, Applejack kept pace with the bull twice her size, before it sharply turned again, jerking its competitor alongside it and nearly throwing her off-balance, earning worried gasps from her friends and causing her hat to fall off. Applejack quickly regained her hoofing and, as she realized her prized hat was now in the mud, she retaliated with a jerk of her own. "Aw HAY no ya didn't disrespect th' hat...!" she growled out, yanking the bull and actually pulling it off-balance..

As she saw the bull stumble, Applejack capitalized, yanking again in the other direction and this time the bull fell to its side, her having used its own weight against it. This earned Applejack another cheer from the crowd, with her especially noticing Twilight above the den of other voices, and that particular rally making her smile. As the bull scrabbled to get up, Applejack charged into its side, rolling him onto his back now, his legs splayed in the air as he was forced into a prone position, leaving him dazed. The bull once more tried to get up but Applejack quickly wrestled him back down and grabbed the length of the rope in her mouth, jumping atop his chest and wrapping his legs tightly in rope even as he tried to flail and escape.

As the giant bull was felled, the whole crowd erupted in cheers, making Applejack look to Twilight, seeing a huge smile on her face as she met Applejack's eyes, a look of pride on her own. Applejack felt a fluttering in her belly as she climbed off the bull, showered with the spotlight and the announcer stating she'd actually felled Big Bill. She then got off of him and walked over to her hat, wiping what little mud had gotten on it off and replacing it on its rightful home of her head.

As she heard the ending bell ring, Applejack heard a very deep voice right behind her. "Congrats pony. Yer the first mare to ever capture me." Big Bill said, rolling over onto his side, "The last pony to capture me was a real big stallion, a Clydesdale if I remember. Oh and, uh, sorry 'bout th' hat..."

"Well shucks, y'all put up a good fight." Applejack said, giving the defeated bull a smile and a tip of said hat. Applejack quickly untied him,
then she and the bull parted company. The scores were tallied up, and moments the results were handed over to the announcer.

"In this year's wrangling competition, the results are in. The winner of the competition is..." Applejack held her breath, the crowd silent in anticipation. "... our very own Blazing Stirrup of Appleoosa, with five captures and twelve points!"

Applejack sighed as she heard the first-place winner wasn't her, scuffing a hoof on the ground in disappointment. As a deep-brown stallion with a lasso cutie mark trotted up on stage and accepted the blue ribbon to great applause, the next placing was announced. "...and in second place, with the additional achievement of the first mare to ever successfully capture and pin Big Bill, is Applejack of Ponyville!"

Another wave of cheers went up for her as she walked up on stage, forcing a smile as she felt the silken red ribbon slid over her neck, with an additional golden bull-horns pin on it showing her accomplishment. As she looked over the crowd, her eyes quickly locked onto the lavender alicorn mare she was proud to call her own, seeing Twilight stamping her applause for Applejack alongside the others, hearing the additional whoops and hollers from her. She knew she didn't deserve it.

As the third place and on were announced and the named ponies came to stage, a final cheer was given for them all before the crowd dispersed, a recess called until the next event in about half-an-hour. Applejack and the others climbed off the stage, and Applejack was met at the stage exit by her mare, being rewarded by a quick kiss.

"Great job Applejack, you did amazing! Second place!" Twilight virtually shouted in her excitement, wrapping her hooves around Applejack. The other mares soon arrived, each giving their own congratulations.

"I'm so glad you're OK...when that big bull yanked you around like that..." Fluttershy said, her face blatantly showing her worry for her friend, "I was afraid you'd get hurt."

Applejack only sighed. before gently pushing Twilight away, getting a concerned look from her. "Gals, Ah don't deserve the praise. Ah only got second place. Second." Applejack kicked at the dirt ground again, another dust cloud puffing up.

"Applejack, you did amazing. You should be proud that you got second, and felled an adversary that was a lot bigger and stronger than you. I know I'm proud of you." Twilight said, again wrangling Applejack into another embrace, and the other girls joining her in a group hug.

"You did awesome, AJ!"

"Yay!"

"THAT WAS GREAT! THE BULL WAS LIKE 'I'M GONNA WIN', AND YOU'RE LIKE 'NOPE', THEN YOU PULLED ON THE ROPE AND—!

"Darling, you did great...for the ruffian sport that this is..."

Applejack finally conceded a smile as she heard the overwhelming praise from her friends, a gentle blush crossing her face as she brought her hat down to hide it. "Well shucks gals, yer too good t' me." she said, only to feel her friends squeeze her tighter, feeling Twilight sneak a kiss on her cheek amidst the embrace.

~ ~ ~

After the obstacle course, which Applejack lost by a very close second and earned another red ribbon, the sextet of ponies made their way to the food tents at Applejack's insistence. Applejack simply smiled after the competition, and for a change didn't feel disappointed by getting second this time, instead proud she'd done as well as she had. "Hey gals, Ah know this Mexicolt stand here that always serves the best veggie tostadas, an' pico de gallo that's not even that spicy but real flavorful." she'd said as they left the area, looking to Fluttershy in particular at that last part, before leading them to a bright-red tent.

Applejack ordered for the group, and as they ate, Twilight sat and snuggled close to Applejack.

"Hey, Twi?"

"Hmm?"

"Ah was thinkin' maybe Ah could teach ya how to use a lasso, maybe how t'do a few tricks?"

"But Applejack, I already know how to levitate a rope and—"

"Nah Twi, Ah mean th' Earth-Pony way. No magic."

"Oh. Um...sure."

"It'll be fun." Applejack promised, but saw an uneasy expression on Twilight's muzzle.

After they finished eating, Applejack and Twilight went back to the now-cleared rodeo stadium, the other four ponies of their group parting ways to check out the various other attractions at the rodeo. Grabbing a rope from a hook, Applejack tossed it to Twilight, who on instinct grabbed it in her magic.

"Nah Twi, not with yer magic. Ya gotta use your hooves!" Applejack said with a chuckle, and Twilight returning it.

"Oops, sorry!"

"S'alright Shug. Right, now, y' gotta make and tie the loop. Watch me." Applejack showed her how to tie a simple knot with her hooves and mouth, and then showing the finished result. Twilight then tried to do the same - but ended up tying the rope around her hoof. "G'job Twi, ya lassoed yerself!" Applejack teased, getting a chuckle from Twilight.

"Heh, I guess I did..." Twilight said, before untying her hoof and trying again, and after a few times getting it right.

"G'job. Now, y' just gotta get it spinnin'. Jus' roll yer neck like this..." Applejack said, making her head move in such a way to get the lasso spinning properly, lots of past experience letting her get it going perfectly in no time.

Twilight tried to do the same but instead the rope fell on her, making her yelp and, in her panic, she used her magic to toss it aside as though it were a snake.

"Heh, not quite love. Here, lemme show ya..." Applejack said, getting close to Twilight, rubbing against her quite a bit more than strictly necessary. It didn't go unnoticed by Twilight, and she pushed back into her lover. "Here, ya jus' roll yer head like this..." she said, a hoof holding Twilight's head gently as she showed her the motions. This time, Twilight again picked up the rope, and as this time the rope started to spin above her with the momentum, Twilight's lips peeled upwards in a smile.

"There ya go girl! Ya got it!" Applejack said, giving Twilight a firm pat on the butt as she dropped the rope, then a quick kiss on the top of the muzzle. "Beautiful and talented? Wow, Ah chose good!"

Twilight blushed at the compliment, but then something popped in her mind, a determined grin crossing her face. "Hey Applejack, what about that one trick where you get the rope spinning and jump through it in the air?" Twilight asked, looking up and into to her marefriend's eyes.

"Oh...y'mean this one?" Applejack asked, starting to twirl her rope again, but this time in front of her, a touch of showoffishness getting into the mare. As soon as she'd prepared herself, she tipped her head forward and jumped through the hoop as it crossed over her, and again as it came back when she pulled her head up. Her one-pony audience applauded her as she did.

"Wow...I could never get over how ponies could do that so perfectly. Could...could you teach me?" Twilight asked, with Applejack simply smiling widely and nodding.

Applejack thought, <Ah get to teach Twilight something instead of the other way around!> "Well Twi, it's all about timin'..." Applejack said, then proceeded to show and tell the mechanics of the trick to Twilight, with the latter watching in rapt attention as she once more displayed when to jump. Having seen and heard enough that she had a reasonable degree of confidence, the two switched places at Twilight's request.

Now standing before her marefriend, and literally on a stage of sorts, Twilight started to spin the rope again, but had modified it so it spun in front of her as Applejack had shown, if somewhat jerkily. She spun the rope, jumped... and somehow managed to hog-tie herself within seconds; as she squirmed to get out, it only made the rope tighter.

Applejack couldn't contain a soft laugh as she saw her marefriend had tied herself up, rather literally. Twilight huffed at the perceived scorn and pouted, trying to untie herself with magic, but indeed only making it tighter as she pulled on it. She couldn't figure out how to untie the knot she'd formed blind! "Um...help?" she asked helplessly, looking up to Applejack.

Applejack only smiled now as she bent over to untie the tangled mess of rope around her lover's hooves. "Got yerself tied up in somethin' else now too huh?" Applejack quipped, "Ain't as easy as it looks, is it now?" The comment only made the blush on Twilight's face grow. Finally, Applejack managed to untangle the purple hooves once trapped and Twilight quickly scrambled up, a look of disappointment on her face.

"Aw, nopony gets it on the first try Shug. Ah was jus' kiddin' 'round earlier." she said as she replaced the two borrowed ropes on the hook, "If ya wanna practice more on it later, we can. Ah'd be glad t' help."

Twilight sighed, smiled, then nodded. She really did want to learn that trick, just not in somewhere so...populated. She was still a Princess after all, and her making a mule of herself in public was not a good idea. "Maybe later, just you and me." she said, sneaking a quick kiss on Applejack's lips in thanks for this, before then starting to walk away, nodding to the side as she looked at Applejack to tell her to follow. Applejack complied, and together they went off to enjoy whatever other activities the rodeo had to offer, together.

"...but for now, let's just have some fun together."

Author's Note

Pure 'Slice of Life' isn't really my forte, but here it is!