“Wahoo!” Out in Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow performed a backflip to celebrate her best throw yet. She was only off by about an inch. The speedster and AJ were done with their respective duties and had agreed to a friendly game of horseshoes.

“Hoo-wee. Not a bad pitch fer a pony who works with her head in the clouds.”

“Oh, yeah. Think you can do better, cowgirl?”

“Did ya’ll seriously jus’ ask if the cowgirl can—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rainbow waved dismissively. “I heard it. J-just throw the stupid horseshoe already.”

AJ did just that, coming up even shorter than Rainbow’s throw. “Ah, fer fuck’s sake!”

“Ha! Looks like this pegasus can pitch better than the workhorse.” Rainbow emphasized with a friendly whack to AJ’s rump, making it jiggle distractingly. It took Rainbow almost a full second to come out of her trance. “The object of the game is to get the closest to the steak,” she patronized.

They kept playing and exchanging friendly barbs. Rainbow put too much force into her next throw and missed by an embarrassing margin. And AJ, to the surprise of none, hit the wooden rod with a satisfying cling.

“Yeehaw! Now that’s how we do it here on the farm.”

“I… lost?” Rainbow gasped, unable to believe it. “I hate losing.”

“Don’t feel bad, Rainbow. It’s all in good fun. ‘Esides, yer a mighty good athlete. Ah’m jus’ better.” But before AJ could smugly trot off, she was stopped when a blue blur manifested in her path.

Getting up in AJ’s face, close enough that the pungent smell of apple was impossible to ignore, Rainbow said, “Oh, no, you don’t. No pony gets to say they’re a better athlete than me without having to put their money with their mouth is.”

“Sounds like yer proposin’ somethin’.”

“You bet I am.”

AJ looked the hovering mare over. “Well, Ah’m mighty flattered, but it ain’t much ‘f a proposition if ya don’t have a proper ring, ya know.”

Rainbow’s cheeks flushed. “Excellent punking.”

“Thank you.”

“But what I actually mean is an iron pony competition. A series of athletic contests to decide who’s the best, once and for all.”

AJ’s brow made the applejackian climb up her forehead. “Ya’ll know the different tribes get different divisions in the Olympics fer a reason, right? Yer definitely the strongest pegasus in town, but against even an average earth pony…” she trailed off, her meaning unsaid but clear.

“What’s the matter, AJ? Chicken?”

“Okay, fine. You got yerself a deal.” Both mares spat onto their hooves and clopped them together to seal the deal. “What’re the stakes?”

“Hehe. Yeah. Let’s make this interesting.” Rainbow rubbed her chin in thought. “Hmm. If I win, I get to pick any member of the Apple family to be my pet for the day.”

“Ah’d be worried ‘bout Gilda gettin’ jealous with a cute new face around, ‘cept she’s gonna be mah pet fer the day. Don’t worry. Ah’ll treat ‘er right.”

Suddenly Rainbow looked apprehensive. “Uh, on second thought, this is our competition. No need to rope anypony else in the mix.”

“Why the cold hooves all of a sudden? Ya—”

“No!” Rainbow vehemently denied. “But Gilda’s pretty sensitive about this kind of thing. It’d be one thing if I bet to let you and Big Mac double-team her until she can’t move, but being somepony else’s pet is off the table. I mean, obviously, I’m going to win,” she boasted, “but even as a bet, that’d be like betraying her trust. No competition is worth that.”

AJ blinked incredulously at the unexpectedly eloquent reason from the bird brain, but that quickly morphed into an appreciative smile. “Ya know what, yer right. This really should be between us. Though Ah’ll bet Granny’ll be disappointed.”

“… I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

***

Sometime later, the Mane Six and their companions had gathered to help set up the activities and act as judges. It was fun, especially when an added condition of the match said that the loser had to give blowjobs to said judges. But while Rainbow was still doing her stretches, AJ pulled Gilda aside for a quick talk.

“She… really said that?”

“Ah wouldn’t ‘f said it if she didn’t,” assured AJ.

Gilda’s breathing grew heavy as her gaze fell upon the cyan speedster. “That’s… wow.”

“Mighty possessive ‘f her, Ah’d say,” commented AJ. “Most ponies don’t have no issue with loanin’ out their pets, but Ah’d say Rainbow ain’t most ponies.”

“She sure isn’t,” Gilda swooned.

Her message delivered, AJ trotted off to the start of the course.

“Hello, everypony! And welcome to the first annual Iron Pony Competition,” Spike bellowed into a stick he’d found.

“Uh, Spike,” Twilight said to the drake standing on her back. “Who are you talking to?”

“The audience?” he replied, confused by the question. “I’m announcing.”

“Oh, okay. Well, in that case,” Twilight lit her horn and Spike’s throat glowed, “you might as well do it right.”

Recognizing the tingle in his throat, Spike beamed and proclaimed, “Let the games begin!” His voice boomed as if he were speaking into an actual microphone.

The competition included pretty standard activities for this kind of event. Weaving through barrels, kicking the target to ring the bell, ball balancing, hay bale throwing, and so on. Rainbow easily outmaneuvered AJ in activities that relied more on dexterity and control, but AJ was unstoppable in displays of power.

“Next up is,” Spike read the itinerary, “the bronco buck?” He looked around, only now realizing that he was within a pin atop AJ’s back. “How did I get here?”

“Woohoo!” AB cheered from the sidelines. “Go Spike. You can do it!”

“I doubt that, but I appreciate the sentiment,” he called back.

Once the bucking started (actual bucking and not a sex euphemism), Spike actually did much better than he’d expected. Months of practice in clinging to pony butts had served him well. However, when going up against mares as tough as AJ and Rainbow, it was not a question of if he’d get knocked off, but when. AJ kicked and jumped about in a more traditional kind of bucking to send Spike flying into a stack of hay. By contrast, Rainbow used some kind of rapidly gyrating hip technique to knock the little guy into the makeshift stadium much quicker. AB held her arms out wide, ready to claim her prize, only to have him stolen away.

“Yipee! I got him.” Pinkie cheered as she danced around on her hind legs, holding Spike over her head like he were a hard-won trophy.

“Ah, poo,” pouted the filly.

“Alright, fillies and gentle colts,” Spike announced from atop Pinkie’s back now. “The score is tied ten to ten. Now onto the final event. A pushup contest!”

“Psst,” Twilight whispered. “I get Spike back after the competition, right?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I caught him, so I’m pretty sure that makes him mine now.”

“I’ll trade you for a cupcake.” She teleported a cupcake from Sugar Cube Corner and left the money in its place.

“Deal!”

The exchange was made, and Spike was levitated onto the back of a very pleased-looking Twilight.

“You were just sold for a cupcake,” Trixie observed dryly. “Is that more or less dignified than being a prison bitch bought for a cigarette?”

Spike just shrugged, not really caring, but Twilight looked irked. “Shut it, bitch. Don’t give me any ideas.”

“Sheesh. Touchy.”

The last leg of the competition was underway, with both mares looking like they’d collapse at any moment.

“Four hundred ninety-seven,” Twilight counted. “Four hundred ninety-eight.”

Sweat was pouring off of both mares, and the veins in their necks were visible. All along the contours of their bodies, muscles tensed and relaxed while chests heaved and hoed. And the grunting. Oh, sweet merciful Molestia, how these two did make the most bothersome and provocative sounds.

In the stands, Gilda wiped the sweat from her brow. “Am I the only one that finds this hot?”

“Doubt it.” Pinkie motioned to the line of dick mares and one stallion, all sporting impressive erections.

“Four hundred ninety-nine.”

This was it. Both mares were straining to their limits, but Rainbow looked slightly more wobbly. It looked like this would be AJ’s win. She just had to hold her pose long enough for her opponent to fall, and that would be that.

“Five—”

But just before Rainbow could collapse, her wings began to flap. Her body lifted effortlessly into the air while her back legs remained grounded. Her smirk was triumphant and reprehensible.

“—hundred!”

Unfortunately, AJ was unable to complete that last push and collapsed.

“And the winner is—”

“Hold it right there!” AJ barked. “Ain’t no way that was fair. Ya’ll used yer wings ‘n’ cheated.”

“What?” Rainbow was stunned by the audacity of such an accusation and flew over until she was nose-to-nose with AJ. Her natural farm girl aroma was even stronger than normal. The look in those emerald green eyes, even burning in anger, was easy to get lost in. The pegasus was hard as a rock, and she couldn’t tell if the liquid trailing down her thighs was sweat or precum. “Sounds like sour apples to me.”

“You sayin’ you din’t use yer wings?” AJ growled to show her anger, but she was just as aroused. Rainbow’s musk was more like a locker room full of sweaty socks than her own more fruity aroma, but no less intoxicating. It was a challenge to hold eye contact and not let her gaze roam over her rival’s leanly muscled figure.

“Well, no. But you never said I couldn’t use them.”

“Ah didn’t think Ah needed ta tell ya ta play fair.

“Actually, I think we need to talk to the judges on this one,” Twilight interjected. “Judges?”

“Arguably underhanded, but since it wasn’t specifically stated in the terms of the competition, I’ll have to side with Rainbow,” Rarity stated.

“Um, wings are a bit of an unfair advantage. Not to say that non-winged ponies are lesser or anything. Oh, dear. I’m sorry,” whimpered Fluttershy.

After mulling it over a bit, Pinkie decided, “I agree with AJ. Not using wings was implied. Sorry Rainbow.”

“If Twilight had used magic on something like this, there’d be no question. So Trixie sides with the orange one.”

“I, uh…” Gilda shifted uncomfortably. “Voting’s lame. I’m, uh, what’s the word? Abstaining.”

Rainbow flinched as if struck. If Gilda didn’t vote for her, it could only be because she believed that her girlfriend was wrong.

“I also agree that this technically wasn’t a violation of the rules, and so the win should go to Rainbow,” added Twilight.

“And it looks like it’s down to me,” Spike announced. “We’ve got three votes for AJ, two for Rainbow, and one abstaining. What will Spike decide?” In answer, an apple was thrown at his head. “Ow.”

“Just pick already,” barked Trixie.

“Ugh. Okay, fine. Since the rules are kind of a gray area, which we seriously need to address for next time, I guess I’d rather get a blowjob from Rainbow right now, so I’ll give it to AJ.”

“Grr. Well… whatever. I can win even without my wings.”

“Tell ya what. Even though Ah obviously won, Ah’ll be a good sport ‘n’ offer ya a tiebreaker.”

“Any time, any place, workhorse.”

“Tomorrow’s the annual Runnin’ ‘f the Leaves. Ah challenge you ta race me in it, but on the condition that ya stick ta tradition. The point is ta run ‘n’ shake the leaves loose, which means no wings allowed.”

Rainbow scoffed. “No wings, no problem.” And again, they sealed the deal by clopping spit-covered hooves.

***

That night, up in Rainbow’s cloud house, the pony and griffon were cuddled up in their cloud bed.

“RD,” Gilda almost whispered after spending what felt like an eternity working up the nerve.

“Yeah.”

“Um, about my judging…”

“I’m not mad.”

Gilda blinked. “You’re… not?”

Rainbow sighed tiredly. “The point of being a judge is to at least try not being biased.”

“But… I’m yours. I know I don’t have a collar, and we’re still kinda figuring things out, but I should have—”

“Voting for me just cuz you like me wouldn’t have been a real win,” Rainbow countered. “I’m mad at myself for using my wings like that in the first place. It was stupid and desperate and didn’t even work.”

Gilda wrapped her larger form around the little pony like she was a plush toy.

“I hate losing, but I hate how much I hate it. I get so wrapped up in the competition that I get stupid and just make things worse.”

“AJ told me about the bet, about how you refused to let me go.”

Rainbow shifted around within the mass of muscle, fur, and feathers until she could look Gilda in the eye. “She did?”

“Yeah. I think she wanted me to know you’ve got principals.”

Scowling, Rainbow turned away in a huff. “Now I’m even madder. It was bad enough when she was just the better athlete, but now she’s being a better friend, too? Urgh! I hate her so much.”

A tender, knowing smile spread across Gilda’s beak as she nuzzled into Rainbow’s neck. “Didn’t you used to say that about me?”

Still refusing to come out of her pout, Rainbow was compelled to answer. “Not the same at all. You needed me, and I was, well, confused at how much I liked being needed. Apple Jack is different. She doesn’t need anypony. And even if she did, she already has Twilight.”

No more words were exchanged as the two snuggled for the rest of the night.

***

In AJ’s room, Big Mac collapsed in a sweating heap beside his eldest little sister. “Twelve,” he panted, “times.”

AJ growled her dissatisfaction and adjusted herself into a little spoon position to keep her brother’s cock lodged up her pussy. “If yer done, fine, Ah’ll just hold ya like this tonight so Ah can sleep.”

“E’yup.”

“What the hay is that supposed to mean?” AJ snapped. Big Mac gave no answer. “Oh, Ah see what’s goin’ on here. Ya’ll think Ah’m all hot ‘n’ bothered cuz ‘f Rainbow. Is that it?”

“E’yup.”

“Well… so what if Ah am? She’s a fine assed mare. Sure, she’s got her head in the clouds, but she’s also loyal as can be. She’s lazy, but only cuz she don’t challenge herself enough. Ya know, outside o’ stuff like today. If she jus’ applied herself to more ‘an jus’ silly competitions, she’d do some amazin’ things. Not ta mention-why am Ah sayin’ this? Not like Ah gotta justify anythin’.”

“E’nope.”

“Right. Ah got no reason ta be so frustrated. No sir.”

“E’yup.”

“Wait a minute. Was that e’yup that yer agreein’ that I shouldn’t be frustrated, or that yer disagreein’?”

Big Mac snorted tiredly into her mane.

“Okay, fine,” she groaned in exasperation. “No need fer that kind o’ language.”

Author's Note

Originally, I had this as one long segment, but decided to break it up as this really feels like its own distinct segment. The characters are just screwing around and having fun, which nicely sets up the race. It also gives me a chance to expand on these fun characters.

Tier 1: 007health and sevensix
Tier 2: Magetsu88, Da Ian, icantthingofgooduser, Neural Shock, and NakeyJakey
Tier 3: Drake565
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