Chapters Applejack was on her farm moving a bucket of apples that she had failed to sell so she would try for next week as she worked on her farm Twilight was walking to her farm and waved hello to her good friend. Twilight waved back and showed her a pamphlet with her magic.
"You know that the Equestria connect races are this year. I was reading about how nopony has won all three races for twenty eight years." Twilight said. Applejack saw it and shrugged.
"Yah all three races are extremely tough competitions. Ah reckon that there won't be a winner for a long time. Ah pony that is an athlete has to be really fast. Rainbow Dash who as you know loves challenges even tried to win it but only won two. Why are you asking?" Applejack said as she stopped working and drank some Apple Cider.
"I'm going to try to be the pony to break the drought of winners and win all three." Twilight said. As she said that Applejack spat out her apple cider in shock and looked at Twilight in disbelief.
"Yeah...not gonna happen. Ahm going to be completely honest with you Twilight. I'm going to tell you that I would root for you but just be prepared to be disappointed. There will never be a pony that will win all three it's impossible and I doubt you would win." Applejack said. Twilight became offended.
"Why not?! I bet I could win! I'm the perfect one to do it!" Twilight said. Applejack shook her head.
"Twilight do you know how slow you were in the running of the leaves? I know you did a good job in that race by pacing yourself while me and Rainbow Dash ran like no tomorrow but this race here is different. You have to be fast. Rainbow Dash would never be able to win the races either as its to tough and she is the fasted pony in Ponyville." Applejack explained.
"Well I'll pace myself in the Equestria connect races I have a pretty good feeling that I will be the one." Twilight said. Applejack shook her head.
"Well be prepared to be disappointed Twilight. Your a princess not a racehorse. I doubt the organization of the horse races would let you race it. Look Twilight I would root for you and everything but I don't think you will win." Applejack said. Twilight shrugged and spoke.
"We will have to see then." Twilight said. Twilight left and told her other friends and they all said that they would root for her but they said that they had to be cautious with their optimism about Twilight trying to win the races.
Twilight told her parents about her decision to try and win all three and they both said that they would root for her. She also told a Shining Armor and Cadence and they both said that they would bet on Twilight winning all three.
Twilight began practicing for the three races which were to be held in the summer as they were always held in the summer. They would be held in the same locations like last time. Twilight trained her best for the first one.
She never doubted herself although she did acknowledge the fact that it would be rare for a pony to win all three as no horse has won for a very long time since their has always been a horse winning the first two and getting injured during the last one and losing or winning the first two and get scratched from the third due to an injury or a disease.
Many experts and athletic horses all doubted that Twilight would win as Twilight was the princess of Equestria and didn't do speed but a Twilight and her friends mentioned that she did an alright job in the running of the leaves when she won fifth place.
Twilight said that in order to win all three races she would follow her strategy that she had in the running of the leaves which she had paced herself in and the experts said that they all disagreed that Twilight would win
Meanwhile her friends said that they all loved that idea. A few days before the race Twilight finished up work for Equestria in her castle and Starlight walked up to her.
"Twilight...can I talk to you about the races?" Starlight asked. Twilight turned around on her hooves and smiled.
"Sure you can. What do you want to say?" Twilight said. Starlight walked up to Jr and began to speak slowly.
"I know you won't want to hear this but...in order to win you have to be very well trained for these! You know that right? Look I believe at you can win all three but I'm also saying that if you want to win then you need to train really hard as no pony has won for years!" Starlight cautioned. Twilight shook her head and looked out the window.
"I know that Starlight I'm aware of that fact but I'm sure I can do it. If I just train hard enough I can win all three and do something a pony hasn't done for years. The last winner of all three was an excellent racer and I know that I need to do just as good as them in order to win." Twilight explained with a sigh.
"A lot of ponies are doubting you....they are saying that you can't do it. I'm rooting for you and everything Twilight but don't be upset if you loose as you won't win. I'm rooting for you but I have to say that all three races will never be won by the same horse forever. It's impossible Twilight!" Starlight exclaimed. Twilight nodded.
"I understand what your saying. I'm aware of the fact that I could possibly loose. I'm not arrogant Starlight but I do believe in myself. If I believe enough I can win. I won't let anypony down." Twilight said. She looked at Starlight. Starlight nodded.
"I'm rooting for you Twilight....good luck." Starlight said. Twilight nodded and Starlight left the room. The next morning Twilight prepared herself by exercising and running laps around Applejack's home which Applejack had allowed since she wanted to help out her friend.
Many bets where placed on which contenders would win as many ponies betted against Twilight some better for her but she was down the list of favorites. She would show them though. She was going to make sure to shock Equestria.
Many ponies also pointed out that Twilight might use her element of harmony and her wings to try and cheat so the racing association said that Twilight wouldn't be allowed to run unless she had her wings tied back which Twilight agreed to as she understood that rule. She wanted to win fair and square anyway.
There was also the possibility of Twilight being disqualified for being of royalty but princesses heard about that rumor and immediately released a statement saying that Twilight was allowed to run as their was no rules against Royal family members running in the races.
When she pointed that out some ponies debated if it was right for a royal family member to run in the races and some said that all royal family members should be banned but Celestia quickly ended this debate by passing a law which allowed Royal family members exceptions when it comes to restrictions in the royal family one which was allowing any member to run in the races.
As more controversy of this followed more ponies continued to doubt Tiwlight would win while more ponies placed bets on her. Twilight officially signed up for the first race. Now alls she had to do was practice a bit more and then finally race the first part of Equestria Connect.
Soon it was the day if the first race of Equestrian Connect. All of the experts continued to say all that day that there would be an unlikely winner of all three. Twilight was hard at work as she had been practicing for days for the race. She was ready to show everypony wrong.
Twilight walked to the main racing arena and as she walked there she hoped that her friends would be there to cheer her on. When Twilight got to the main racing arena she was glad to see her friends in the front row talking to eachother before the race started.
Twilight told her trainer that she was there so they allowed her to prepare herself before the race like how the other contestants were doing. She was so determined to win all three. Many ponies in the audience betted against Twilight as they betted on contestants 3 and 5 but Twilight's friends betted on her as well as a few other ponies who knew her.
Twilight had her fur washed down thoroughly as other ponies were doing the same. She was so nervous. She knew that she couldn't back out now and she knew that if she failed she would be a laughing stock.
She stood completely still while she got her fur washed. She knew that the second and third race would probably be muddy so she would have to train on a muddy track before if that happens.
After getting her fur washed she got a number put on her and she examined it after it was placed on her cutie mark. She then looked around at the other contestants and examined every single contestant there.
Twilight tried to calm herself down as she was very nervous. She knew she had to run really well in order to win all three. The second and third races would be the hardest as the third one was the longest of the three but she knew that she could pull it off.
As the time of the race got closer Twilight's nervousness grew as she knew that this was going to be extremely hard. The last time all three Equestria connect races were won by the same pony was several years ago as no pony had won it since which was why everypony was doubting that Twilight could do it. Twilight began to think that she might mess up and loose the second or third one but she tried not to think that for long as she knew she just had to do her best.
Soon it was time for the contestants to be at the starting line in the racetrack so all the contestants went there including Twilight. As they got closer to them Twilight started to have a panic attack. She knew that these ponies would stop at nothing to win and prevent her from winning all three so she would have to do her best out there.
She heard the crowd cheering the other runners on including her. She got her wings tied to her sides so at she couldn't use them to cheat and entered the starting line and the doors were closed behind her. The other contestants were closed in to as they waited for the race to start.
She tried to calm her breathing as the gates would open in several moments. Soon all the other runners were closed into the other areas to begin. She got into a starting stance and tried to calm her breathing and prepared to focus on winning the race.
Soon the horn sounded and the gates opened and all of the contestants started running including her. She tried her hardest to pick up speed as she tried to pass several contestants.
She knew that if she didn't make it to the front she would lose. She didn't want that to happen so she continued to spring herself forward through the crowd of the other racers. She focused on one thing the finish line. As they rounded the far turn she did her best to move up more.
She moved up even more she passed the sixth fifth and fourth contestant. She was now third place. She was determined to make it up to first. She pushed all her might into her legs to make her go faster. She was huffing and panting.
Slowly she made up it up to second. Soon they rounded the far turn and that's were she made her move as she entered first place and increased her lead. She could hear ponies cheer her on.
She could almost smell victory. She was so close to the finish line and soon before she knew it she entered the home stretch and ran as fast as she could to make it there before she was passed and before she knew it she made it to the finish line and crossed it.
Ponies cheered loudly for her, she stopped racing and raised her good victoriously as she walked around the track basking in her glory. She was invited to the winners circle and her friends congratulated her.
"Wow Twilight you did it! I hope you win the next two!" Starlight said.
"Good job Twilight! You might just win the other two as well if you can win the first one you can win the second one!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Your going to break the drought darling I know you will! You will win all three. When I saw you out there I realized that you have the heart to do it. You will have to train hard though." Rarity commented.
"Yeah! Y'all are darn fast I reckon! You will win this thing and we will be cheering you along the way!" Applejack said as she ruffled Twilight's hair. As her other friends congratulated her Twilight blushed and spoke.
"Thanks girls I appreciate it." Twilight said.
"Your welcome!" Fluttershy said.
"One down! Two to go!" Pinkie Pie cheered. Twilight and her friends giggled and Twilight got her wings untied and left with her friends to go celebrate. Once they celebrated Twilight would take a break and resume training for the second race as she had tougher races ahead.
Over the next few days Twilight trained extra hard for the second race as she was determined to win all of them like she said. The second one would be a lot harder than the first but she knew that if she just trained enough she would win.
The media began speculating that Twilight might end up being the next Equestria Connect winner although most experts say that she will fail to mount a challenge in the second race. Twilight's friends and family continued to encourage her to win and prove everypony wrong.
As the race got closer Twilight began to get very nervous like how she was on the day of the first race. She knew that the second was much longer than the first so she needed to get to the front around the second turn as she wouldn't have much time. Soon it was the day of the race.
The audience for the second race was much bigger than the first as Twilight's bid for the completion of all three caused vast interest. Ponies continued to doubt that she could do it but others said that she is a threat and could pull it off if she tried her hardest at he races.
Ponies from all over Equestria came to see the second race and challengers to Twilight's bid also came to the track in order to cause an upset to Twilight's bid. Twilight's friends all placed their bets on Twilight as well as countless others while others placed bets on Twilight's challengers.
Before the race began Rainbow Dash told her to come over to her so she could have a talk with her before the race began in order to encourage Twilight.
"Twilight you got this. Don't worry about any of the ponies trying to beat you just worry about getting to the front first at a reasonable place. Don't tire yourself out and save your energy to the end. You can do this Twilight!" Rainbow Dash said,
"I don't want to fail but there's just so many of these ponies. Are you sure I will be able to win and beat the drought?" Twilight asked. Rainbow Dash nodded.
"Yes you will. Stay determined Twilight! Don't start doubting yourself. Sure these ponies have speed but you have heart and determination which will make you go faster! Don't listen to what the doubters are saying either. You just go and show them that they are wrong! There will be a winner of all three this year and it will be you! Your win will be historic! Now go out there and show them what a champion looks like!" Rainbow Dash said encouragingly. Twilight nodded.
Rainbow Dash said good luck to Twilight and went to go sit by her friends in the stands to cheer Twilight on. Before the race she had her fur washed just like when she had it washed in the first one as it was a requirement for all three. After Twilight got her coat washed she got her number put on her and went out to the starting gate.
At the starting gate she took a good look at her challengers and recognized them from other races that she had heard about. They were really well known and excellent racers. Twilight felt her mouth got dry with nervousness. She washed it down with water as she breathed heavily.
Soon it was almost time for the race so she took deep breaths as she stretched her legs. Her friends were sitting patently in the stands rooting on Twilight as Pinkie Pie was hopping up and down while excitedly talking about how Twilight would whoop all of the other competitors flanks.
Twilight had butterflies in her stomach, she had to win all three as she wanted to be the one to beat the drought she knew that if she didn't win here then all three would be claimed by another pony or no pony would ever win all three.
Soon all of the other racers were loaded into the starting gate. The doors closed behind the ponies and then their was a trumpet sound and after that the front gates opened and they were off. Twilight did her best to get to the front early. She couldn't waste anytime.
She could almost make our her friends cheering for her but couldn't hear them accurately as it was so loud in the stadiums. Twilight continued to move up through the crowd of races running around the track. This was proving to be a lot harder than the other race.
Twilight ran like no tomorrow as she was able to get up to third place but then a pony snuck up from behind her while they were racing and passed her. She wasn't going to be beaten like this, she pushed herself forward and got into third place again. She could almost taste the victory.
The audience was going wild while her friends were cheering Twilight on repeatedly and loudly. Twilight was determined to get to first place and win. As they rounded e far turn Twilight made her move and got into second place.
As she was in second place she proceeded to have trouble passing the pony to get to first place. Her friends were getting very nervous but excited for her. They continued to cheer her on even louder. Twilight knew that she wanted to prove that she can win all three to the ponies who doubted her.
With that thought Twilight passed the last pony and got into first place. She then saved up her energy and then sprinted into the home stretch and the ponies cheering for her grew louder and crazier as they realized that she could do it.
With a few more gallops Twilight crossed the finish line and ponies all over the stadium drowned out the noise with applause. Her friends were cheering for her like crazy. Twilight stopped running and left the track and greeted her friends. They all hugged her.
"Darling your bound to win the third one! Your proving to everypony that you can do! We're all so proud of you! I know you will win!" Rarity said while she happily congratulated her. Her other friends continued to surround her and hug her as they all congratulated her.
"I knew you could do it champion!!" Rainbow Dash said which made Twilight giggle.
"And when you win we can throw you a party!" Pinkie Pie cheered. Twilight and her friends giggled at Pinkie Pie.
"We reckoned that you could do it! We are mighty proud of you! Your going to go all the way!" Applejack declared.
"Yay! We might just have a winner this year yet! I can't wait to see you make history at the third one!" Fluttershy said as she cheered with excitement.
"Thank you so much girls! I'm almost there! I just need to win one more." Twilight said. They all hugged again and then they went home together. At home the racing experts began to doubt that Twilight would win the third Equestria Connect race as the third one was longer than the other two while others said that Twilight definitely had the potential to break the drought. Ponies pointed out how historic sit would be if Twilight won all three
As the possibility of Twilight being able to win all three races of Equestria Connect grew even more more ponies began to bet on Twilight in stark contrast to the experts. Twilight's friends started buying tickets in advanced as the they wouldn't miss Twilight for anything.
More and more ponies began to grow excited at the prospect of Twilight being the next pony to win all three races of Equestria Connect. Ponies began to meet with Twilight to tell her that they were cheering her on which she appreciated.
Twilight took a break for a few days but then resumed to train for the third and final race in Equestria a Connect. She had one more race to go. She knew that it would be tough as it was much longer than the other ones but if she trained hard enough she knew that she could make history.
It was the day of the third and final race of Equestria Connect. Twilight had trained for days on end. She was on the verge of winning all three although she knew that it was going to be an uphill battle as the third one was the longest and no other horse had won all three for hundreds of years after one who had won.
Twilight was more nervous that day than all of the other days combined. That day was nerve racking as she was on the verge of breaking the drought of no winners by winning the race. She needed to run her hardest if she wanted to do it as all of the ponies who have been watching her have been either doubting her or holding her to her promise that she could and if she couldn't then they would all laugh at her.
Her friends were quite different however as they said that no matter if she won or lost they would be happy with her either way but they did say that they would like to see her win and prove all of the experts wrong.
Meanwhile the experts were going at it as they were all saying that Twilight will loose the final race as that was usually the case with other horses who have won the first two and loose the last one in recent years. It had become very common nowadays which is why some ponies say that they all know that she won't win the third one.
As Twilight walked over to the stadium for the final Equestria Connect race she thought about how her friends and family would already be their to see her run the final race and cheer her on to win as they had gotten their earlier than anypony else.
Once Twilight entered the she heard ponies cheering for her while others mocked her for even showing up. A lot of ponies were already placing bets on her including her friends. They knew that they were risking it as Twilight might loose but they hoped that Twilight would win.
Twilight soon got over to the starting gate and got her fur washed down for one final time. She knew that this was it. This was going to be the final race and the test to see if she could win the final race. She knew that this race track was longer than the other two combined which was why ponies who had won the first two have failed to win this one while other ponies who ran this one and failed had issues with them or were scratched from the race.
But today Twilight promised herself that she would show something different entirely as she was going to win. She knew that if she won it would be historic. There will be chaos and cheering if she won. Her friends cheered loudly for her as they were so excited to see Twilight race.
Twilight's friends were praying for Twilight to win as they were so thrilled that her friend had made it this far. Their friend was a great racer and very wonderful they thought that she deserved it but they would understand and move on if she lost.
But Twilight promised them she wouldn't loose and she needed to keep that promise. Once she got her fur washed down she got her number placed on her and got her wings tied to her side. She was then loaded into one of the starting gates. She began to have a panic attack as she realized that this was the moment to prove herself correct. If she failed then that would prove the experts right and another year would be go by without a winner who has won all three.
She couldn't let that happen. The drought was going to end that night and she was going to make sure of it. The door closed behind her and she began to hyperventilate as the other contestants started to get loaded into the starting gates.
"Hey Twilight! Have fun loosing tonight! Hahahahahaha!" A contestant mocked. Even if that Pony had just tried to tease Twilight it had just encouraged Twilight even more. Twilight glared at the other pony. Finally she focused on the track in front of her as the rest of the ponies were loaded into the starting gates.
As soon as the ponies were loaded into the starting gates the horn sounded and Twilight prepared herself. Soon the gates opened and they all starting running. Twilight tried to get to the lead early but fell behind a bit.
Twilight became alarmed at how slow she was going at this one. She pushed herself forward with all her might as she couldn't fathom loosing the last race she had come so far she was going to make this race different from all the others as she was going to end the drought.
She became stuck in a dead heat for fourth but she fought against that as she tried her best to get into fourth. While she fought for fourth she fell back into sixth and that alarmed her. All of the experts started to say that they were right. The other contestant who mocked her was laughing.
Twilight became very determined from this as she wasn't going to let the experts have their way. She put renewed speed into her already racing form and moved back up to fourth place again and tried her best to pass third.
It took her awhile to pass third but once she did she was now so close to breaking the drought. Soon they passed the halfway mark in the race and that's when she did a final surge and ended up in first. She was almost there she held first for the next few minutes of the race but then fell back into second.
Soon they rounded the far turn and entered the home stretch. Twilight knew that this was it. Her family, friends and neighbors and fans were all watching her. If she lost she would let them all down and the drought would go on. The victory she had fought for was just in front of her.
She pushed herself as much as she could to try and get into first and then got into a short lead over the second pony but that lead grew. The ponies in the stands went wild. All of the experts then realized at that moment that they might have been wrong about Twilight. Finally Twilight crossed the finish line and the crowd's cheering became so loud that she could barely hear the announcer saying that she had just become the pony to break the drought of winners.
Twilight left and the ponies stopped racing and Twilight just stood there as she was overwhelmed with joy. Her friends exited the stage and went out onto the race course and tackled her with a hug. She hugged them back and sobbed happily as the emotions got to her.
Rarity had mascara running down her face as she had started to sob happily as well. The rest of Twilight's friends just hugged Twilight as they were all happy and speechless. The boards all around the stadium projected her name and projected the words next Equestria Connect winner under her name.
A pony with a trophy came over to her. They gave the trophy to Twilight and congratulated her as the next champion of all three races, a title which a pony had gotten several years ago. Twilight went home and was congratulated by the princesses and was congratulated by their friends as her friends were happy and the princess's were happy. Her parents also congratulated her as well as they were so happy for her to. Spike congratulated her to as he was also happy for her.
Twilight was soon interviewed for numerous magazines and tabloid articles. Ponies lined up around the block for her autograph as she had added to her already famous image as a princess.
Twilight added the trophy to the collection of the other trophies that she had won from the first two races. A day after she had won she was added to the list of all the ponies that had won all three in the past. Over the years books were made about Twilight's historic win as tales were told of her victory for years to come.
