Being Brave Part I

AJ gently slid Cory off her back as they arrived at their destination. Cory stared in awe while Applejack looked on in pride. The open field was covered with what looked like a large obstacle course, almost like something out of an army base camp. Included were hoops, ladders, knotted ropes, sand pits, a spinning roundup, horseshoes, a mile long track and other competitive related items. At the end of each section of the obstacle course were two red buzzers, possibly to indicate which pony was done, and at the finish line was a large green button to proclaim who was the winner.

"Eeyup!" proclaimed Applejack. "Sure to beat her this time."

"What exactly do you do again?" asked Cory softly.

"Oh. Every week or so, Rainbow Dash and I try to compete on who's the most daring pony."

"Who's Rainbow Dash?" Cory asked.

Applejack turned his head towards the sky at what looked like a large comet with a neon, multicolored tail heading straight toward them. Cory ducked for cover as the 'comet' did a backward spin, zigzag and finally landed headfirst into the ground, leaving a crater of debris. As the dust settled and Cory stood up to brush off the dirt, He stood face to face at what looked like a well built, blue Pegusus. She had a mow-hawk esque mane and tail, with a color scheme of what looked like all the colors of the world. On her thigh was what appeared to be a tattoo shaped like a blue, red and yellow lightning bolt coming out of a cloud.

"So, what kind of challenge you got in store today Applejack? Although I don't really think there's anything too challenging for me." Said Rainbow Dash as she approached Applejack.

"Oh, don't you get your hopes up Rainbow Dash." Said Applejack. "I think there's gonna be somepony today that's gonna break your winning streak."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." said Rainbow Dash while admiring her hooves. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that'll..." Suddenly, she noticed Cory standing behind Applejack.

"IS THAT...A HUMAN!?" Asked Rainbow Dash with a look of shock on her face.

"Yup." Replied Applejack. "Shocker aint it. His name's Cory. My sister and her friends found him battered and banged up under the Ponyville dump a week ago. He's now workin as the Sweet Apple Acres stable colt and Rarity's personal chauffeur."

Raindow Dash swooped him off the ground and began to examine his body, like a scientist having just discovered a new specimen. She looked at his ears, tickled his skin, brushed his hair and looked closely at his hands.

"Huh." Said Dash. "So that's what hands are." Then she gently dropped him to the ground. "So what's he doing here again?"

"Oh, Cory's here to keep track and tally up the score." Said Applejack as she gave him a notepad and pencil.

"Tally..up..the..score?" Asked Cory worriedly

"That is if you can handle it." Said Rainbow Dash with a puzzled look on her face.

Cory thought for a moment. If there was one thing he was worse at than writing, it was math. To him, even the simplest of equations we're as confusing as chemistry and game theory all rolled into one. This often got him in trouble with the teachers, who often sent him to detention for failing on tests. In his school, even getting one problem slightly wrong would result in negative consequences, like a deduction in their grades. But now, rather than make a scene and look foolish, He looked at the two ponies and through his sweaty, anxiety filled emotion, nodded with a yes.

"That's super." Said Applejack. Then she pointed him to a bleacher nearby and made himself a place to sit.

Soon, she and Rainbow Dash placed themselves at the starting line and placed their bodies in an athletic position.

"May the best pony win." Said Rainbow Dash.

"I'm countin on it." Replied Applejack, and off they galloped through the obstacle course.

Now, knowing that he wouldn't in a million years figure out on his own how to do a simple math problem of tracking the score, Cory decided to just sit back and watch the two compete. As he examined Rainbow Dash with more objectivity, he realized through her agility and tomboy attitude how she reminded him of another one of his five friends: Rachel Hampton. She was the most athletic, and most well built girl he ever knew. Despite her struggles with general studies, which were as challenging to her as they we're to Cory, she excelled in almost every sport or game related activity that was presented to her. It seemed as though nothing seemed too challenging to her. She even was able to climb to the top of a mountain near the town in about three hours flat. Of all his friends, she was the most ambitious, always eager to try the next challenge .

But despite her enthusiasm and optimistic attitude about herself, she had what most would describe as a very rocky childhood. Her father was an abusive alcoholic who beat her with a belt for things that really weren't her fault. Her mother suffered from an extreme case of tourettes syndrome which caused her to blurt out unacceptable words in public and slap her daughter by accidental impulse. One night, while her father was returning home drunk, She decided that enough was enough and would defend herself if he ever tried to beat her again. So as he started yelling at her for another innocent act, she clenched her fists, ready to block. As he swung his belt in the air, she grabbed his arm, threw him to the ground, and ran over to one of her friends houses, who adopted her soon after. This experience of her's eventually made her a very loyal and dependable friend as she strove to not make any of the same mistakes her father did. Whenever a person was in trouble or was being picked on, she always seemed to defend them and ward off the monsters that invaded their everyday life.

Suddenly, Applejack and Rainbow Dash pressed the last buzzer at the finish line, waking Cory up from his daydream of memories. As the two approached him, he began to shake, knowing he was supposed to do something that was impossible for him. He clenched at the notepad as sweat started to fall down his brow. He had never felt this nervous in so long.

"So...did you tally up the score? " asked Rainbow Dash. "Cause I'm pretty sure I finished first."

Cory's eyes shifted back and forth as he hesitated show them his blank paper.

"Hold on there." Said Applejack. "I'm pretty sure I pressed that buzzer before you."

"You tripped over one of the cones." Rainbow dash replied with a more stern tone. "That is cheating."

"You can't cheat over accidentally trippin over."

"Oh yeah? Says who?"

"Says the Daring book 'o rules, that's who."

"There's no daring book of rules."

As the argument began to get heated between the two ponies, Cory began to cover his ears and crouch into a fetal position. The combination between the debate over who was the most daring pony, and his task of calculating the score triggered an anxiety overload in his brain. Finally, it was too much for him as he screamed out to heavens and rushed toward the open field. Then he picked up a few rocks, planks, a hammer, a saw and other re-build-able items and started to once again, create another piece of unconventional artwork.This pertained to the fact that not only did he make artwork when he was sad or bored, but also as a calming mechanism when he was stressed.

"Hey, hey easy there sugarcube." Said Applejack as she trotted towards Cory. "We were just playing a game, we weren't fighting."

"Yeah. Just a friendly competition that's all." Added Rainbow Dash. "Ah, some of the stuff AJ and I competed for over the years."

But Cory completely ignored them as his eyes we're fixed on his self made work. He hardly even noticed the two as they stepped back.

"Maybe we should finish our competition somewhere else." Commented Rainbow Dash with a worried look.

"Yeah, good idea." added Applejack. The two of them trotted away, leaving Cory to attend to his new masterpiece.

As the began to come to an end, Cory was nearly finished with the sculpture when suddenly, the Cutie Mark Crusaders happened to be walking by. They had just gotten back from attempting to get their rock climbing cutie marks when they stopped to stare in awe at what looked a large gazebo-esque entrance to a household. Surrounding were little filly and colt figurines jumping over the arch, and beneath it was a pathway made out of broken up rubber tires and ropes.

"Cory! Did you make that?" asked Scootaloo.

Cory looked at his sculpture and then looked back at them and nodded. The three of them huddled into a circle, murmured something and turned back to him.

"Cory?" asked Applebloom. "Can we use this work 'o yours as a new entrance to our clubhouse?"

Cory looked at his sculpture again and then back at them and nodded. The three of them jumped with glee as they started to tug the artwork to their destination, with the help of Big Mac of course who happened to be passing by, while Cory walked away towards the barn where hopefully, he would have a good nights sleep.