My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: A New Journey Together, Season 1

Chapter 14: Fall Weather Friends

One fall day, Rainbow and Applejack were busy playing a friendly game of horseshoe toss. It was Rainbow's turn. She grunted as she made her toss and came up short of hitting the wooden stake.

"Whoo-hoo!" Rainbow cheered.

"Hoo-wee!" said Applejack, "Not a bad pitch for a pony who works with her head in the clouds."

"Oh yeah?" said Rainbow, "Think you can do better, cowgirl?"

"I know I can," said Applejack, picking up a horseshoe. With a grunt of her own, she made her toss, but her horseshoe landed just behind Rainbow's.

"Oh for Pete's sake!" Applejack retorted, disappointed at her toss.

"Heh! Looks like this Pegasus can pitch better than the workhorse," Rainbow remarked, light tapping Applejack's stenson hat so it tilted over her face, "The object of the game is to get the closest to the stake."

"All right, all right," said Applejack indignantly, "You got another throw there, pony girl."

Rainbow grunted and threw her horseshoe a little harder. The horseshoe overshot the wooden stake and made a sound like it crashed into something far beyond it.

"Wow, Rainbow, heh," said Applejack sarcastically, "You couldn't hit a barn door with that kind of throw!"

"Yeah, yeah. I still have the closest throw, Applesmack," Rainbow shot back, "Just try and beat it."

Applejack just made a determined look on her face as she focused on her target. She then made a strong toss and the horse landed, ringing around the wooden stake.

"Yee-haw! It's a ringer," said Applejack, "That's how you do it on the farm." Rainbow was just dumbfounded.

"I lost," said Rainbow in disbelief and disappointed.

"Ah, don't feel bad, Rainbow," said Applejack, "It's all in good fun."

"I hate losing," Rainbow pouted to herself.

"Besides, you're a mighty good athlete," said Applejack as she walked away.

While Applejack was only trying to soften the blow to Pegasus's pride, Rainbow's personal ego was feeling rather threatened.

"All right, Applejack," said Rainbow as she hovered over to the orange pony, "you think you're the top athlete in all of Ponyville?"

"Well, I was gonna say in all of Equestria," said Applejack, using her tail to literally brush Rainbow away, "but that might be glidin' the lily."

"...and I think I'm the top athlete," Rainbow retorted, "So let's prove it."

"Prove what?" Applejack asked as she turned around to face the Pegasus.

"I challenge you to an Iron Pony competition," said Rainbow, "A series of athletic contests to decide who's the best once and for all."

Applejack didn't feel like she had anything to prove, but her competitive nature made her think otherwise.

"You know what, Rainbow?" said Applejack, "You're on." They each spat on a hoof and bumped them together in agreement before giving each other determined smiles.

It was time to GAME ON!

*Main theme*

Rainbow was now warming up as she began to do some stretches to get her body ready for their...well what should have been just a small competition. Twilight, with Spike on her back, and Storm had arrived to see what the commotion was all about.

"So you two are doing what, now?" Twilight asked curiously.

"An Iron-" Applejack was about to answer.

"Iron Pony competition," Rainbow interrupted as she continued her stretches.

"See," Applejack explained, "we've set up a bunch of events to decide which one of us is-"

"The most athletic pony ever!" Rainbow interrupted again and continued to grunt as she warmed up.

Twilight looked bemused, while Storm raising an eyebrow asked. "And we’re here for…?" his tone skeptical.

"I don't know," Rainbow answered, still grunting, "Why are they here?" Applejack gave Rainbow an indignant glare.

"To judge and keep score," Applejack explained as her expression softened, "Maybe Storm can help referee since he's just as honest as I am."

Storm let out a heavy sigh, his piercing gaze locking on the two mares. "I don’t know, AJ. Every time you girls do something like this, it turns into some kind of circus act. Last time, I ended up having to stop you both from cheating. And honestly? I’m not about to waste my time if it’s just gonna be a repeat of that."

"CHEATING?!" both Applejack and Rainbow Dash yelled in unison, their expressions a mix of shock and indignation.

"You heard me," Storm said sternly, not budging under their incredulous stares. "You two have a track record of bending the rules to ‘prove’ who’s better. If you really want me to referee this, you’re gonna have to promise me—no shortcuts, no underhoofed tricks, and no arguing with the results. Are we clear?"

Applejack adjusted her hat, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Ah… well, fine. You’ve got mah word, Storm. No funny business."

Rainbow Dash scoffed but saw the sharp look Storm gave her and quickly put on her best innocent face. "Yeah, yeah. I promise. Scout’s honor."

Storm narrowed his eyes, clearly skeptical, but after a moment, he nodded. "Alright then. I’ll referee. But if either of you pulls anything shady, this Iron Pony competition is over faster than a sonic rainboom gone wrong." He glanced at the crowd. "And I’ll keep score too—Fluttershy can help make sure everything’s fair."

"Alright." said Applejack excitedly, "And Twilight can declare the winner."

"Right, heh," Rainbow replied, "Somepony's gotta record my awesomeness for the history books." Applejack, Twilight, and Storm just rolled their eyes.

(Scene changes)

Soon everything was set up for the start of their competition.

"Hello everypony, and welcome to the first annual Iron Pony competition!" Spike announced, using the twig as a microphone.

"Uh, Spike, who are you talking to?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Um...Uh, them!" said Spike. To the dragon's good fortune, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity arrived to watch the events take place, "Let's the games begin." The three ponies cheered excited at the first event was ready for action.

"Ponies will start at the sound of my whistle," Storm explained, "each pony must successfully weave their way through the barrels as they make their way towards the finish line. The pony who gets to the goal the fastest wins. Time penalties will be added for any bumped barrels." Applejack was ready to go.

"Ready. Set. Go!"

TWEEEET!

Storm blew his whistle and Applejack took off, maneuvering as quickly as she could, but as she approached the final half of the course, her flank bumped a barrel.

"Dagnabbit," she remarked with a gasp as she crossed the finish line.

"Time, Spike?" Twilight asked. Spike looked at a stopwatch Storm had him barrow for the event.

"17 seconds," said Spike.

"You're kiddin'!" said Applejack, shocked, "That breaks my record from last year's rodeo."

"But you got a five second penalty for nudging the barrel," Spike added.

"So you're actual time is 22 seconds," Storm said.

"Nuts and chews!" Applejack remarked with a sigh, "Still, that's 22 seconds. Not too shabby." Rainbow just stayed rather quiet. The sweat on her face showed that she was feeling a little intimidated at Applejack's fast time.

"Hey, don't be nervous," said Applejack supportively, "Remember, it's all in good fun. Now git on up there." Rainbow slowly flew over to the starting line, still sweating a bit as she got herself ready.

"Ready. Set. Go!"

TWEEEEET!

With the blow of the whistle, Rainbow took off at high speed and weaved through the barrels. Not only was she fast, but her run was clean too.

"Woo! That was some fancy hoofwork their, Rainbow!" said Applejack, clearly impressed.

"Thanks, but I couldn't have been as fast as you," Rainbow panted.

"What was the time on that, Spike?" Applejack asked.

"18 seconds!" Spike exclaimed.

"And no penalties!" Storm added.

"18 seconds," said Applejack, "Rainbow, are you sure you're not secretly a rodeo pony?"

"Rainbow Dash wins the barrel lead!" Twilight announced and Fluttershy placed an apple shaped card on a scoreboard with the number "1" on it.

"Oh, I can't believe I won!" Rainbow gushed excitedly in the air.

"Yeah, well, don't you go gettin' used to it," said Applejack indignantly as she pinned Rainbow to the ground.

(Scene changes)

"Next event is the test of strength," said Storm, "At the sound of my whistle, each pony has one try to send this little marker to the bell at the top. The player who succeeds or the player who hits the bells the loudest and/or fastest wins. Rainbow, ready, set..."

TWEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

Rainbow then stomped as hard as she could to send the marker all the way to the top without much difficulty and the ponies cheered.

"Mighty respectable," said Applejack as she was lounging underneath an apple tree with a piece of grass in her mouth, which she spat out as she got up, "But let me show ya how it's really done."

Storm blew his whistle and Applejack gave a loud grunt. She not only got the marker to hit the bell faster, but sent it up so fast that it blasted the bell right off the top. Rainbow watched with her mouth hanging out as the other ponies cheered.

"Years of applebukcin'," Applejack boasted as she bucked the apple tree Rainbow was sitting under. "Shave and a haircut"...The bell rang again..."Two bits." It was then five apples bopped Rainbow on the head...(Can you see the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, appear?)...then two more hit her head (...2000, 4000...bummer two more AJ would get a 1up.)

"Ugh," Rainbow groaned as she rubbed her sore head as Fluttershy put a card with "1" next to Applejack's part of the scoreboard.

(Scene changes)

"Next event: The buckin' bronco," Storm announced, "Each pony has Spike riding their back as they bounce and buck about to try and knock him off. The pony who makes Spike fall off the quickest wins. However, any intentional harm to Spike to make him fall off faster will result in a disqualification."

"Wahoo!"

"Whoo-hoo!"

"Eeyup!"

Apparently Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and Big Macintosh had arrived to cheer Applejack on and were now sitting in some bleachers as Applejack got ready to start.

"Why me?" Spike asked rhetorically.

“Cause you were the only thing light enough to do this, you got this” Storm said.

"Go!" Twilight shouted as Storm blew his whistle. Applejack soon started jumped and bucking about as roughly as she could.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa-hoa! Whoa! Whoaaa!" Spike cried out as he tried to hold on before Applejack launched him into the air and into a nearby hay pile, "Ouch!" Spike didn't have much time to recover. As soon as he popped out of the hay pile. Rainbow was already underneath him.

"Ready for another pony ride?" Rainbow asked with determination.

"No" Spike whimpered.

"Rainbow, ready, set...TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!" With the blow of the whistle, Rainbow took off. She wasted no time bouncing Spike about.

"Guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guh-guhwhoaaaaa!" Spike cried out. He didn't even last for a few seconds before Rainbow sent him flying high into the air.

"Rainbow Dash wins the bronco-buck!" Twilight announced as another bell rang in the distance. Poor Spike was now hanging on the top of the scoreboard, looking dazed and worn out. Fluttershy looked at him with worry as she updated the scoreboard.

"And I lose," Spike groaned.

(Scene changes)

It was then some other ponies began to appear and cheer as Applejack and Rainbow got ready for the next event. Applejack couldn't help but show off a little while Rainbow was struggling to keep her lasso from falling apart.

"Lasso contest," Storm announced, "At the start of my whistle, each pony will take turns lassoing and tying up Spike. The pony who can tie up Spike in the most charismatic and cleanest knot wins. Ponies, on your mark, get set..."

TWEEEEEEEEEEET!

Applejack wasted no time going first.

"Whoa!" Spike grunted as he found his claws and feet tied together in one simple knot as he landed on his back, "How do I get roped into these things?" Spike never got his answer as the other ponies cheered for Applejack and tossed several roses at her hooves. Spike didn't have to deal with being tied up again. Poor Rainbow had ended up getting herself tied up in the same manner, but she was hanging from a tree upside down..

"Does this count?" Rainbow asked with a grunt, trying to get out of her own knot.

"Applejack is the winner!" Storm announced as the bell rang and the score was updated once again.

(Scene changes)

The next event was ball balancing, which was simply the pony would could keep their ball in the air without dropping it would win. Applejack grunted, but she easily lost her ball while Rainbow just bounced hers without difficulty. The ponies cheered, while some Pegasi tossed some roses at Rainbow from above as the bell was wrung and score updated again.

After that was the hay toss, Rainbow went first and tossed a rather heavy haystack into the air a decent distant and flew over to it as the haystack landed.

"Yuh!" she boasted and blew a raspberry at Applejack. Then not a second later, a much larger and heavier haystack crashed right on top of Rainbow. Ponies cheered as Applejack was carried away. The bell was wrung and the score was updated again.

(Scene changes)

Then came hoof-wrestling, which one would think Applejack would have the huge advantage over.

"Wah!" Applejack grunted in shock as Rainbow pinned her fore-hoof down with ease. The bell rings and the score was updated again.

(Scene changes)

Finally came the football kicking event. Applejack gave her football a nice long kick, but Rainbow was able to kick her football higher and farther, nearly hitting some Pegasi spectators in a nearby cloud. Fluttershy gasped as the football came barreling at her. She used the score panel in her hands to protect herself. The football managed to knock the score card right into the scoreboard. The bell rang and Fluttershy made a "it's good!" pose with her fore-legs.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, at the halfway point," said Spike, "our competitors are tied at five and five."

"Who are you talking to?" Twilight asked, annoyed at his showboating as Storm was also really getting annoyed with it.

"Them!" Spike said. What had been considered a small competition was now a full on spectator event with lots of ponies cheering and even creating a pyramid and doing cheerleading. Now back to the events.

(Scene changes)

Soon the push-ups competition was underway and Twilight was officially keeping count. The looks in Applejack's and Rainbow's faces shows that they were hitting their push-up limits.

"95, 96, 97, 98, 99..." Twilight counted when Rainbow opened her wings to give her some strength relief, "a hundred!"

Applejack then collapsed to the ground in exhaustion and Rainbow was declared the winner. Storm just had a stern look on his face and jotted something down on a clipboard. Applejack was angered as well.

"Be a good sport, Applejack," she told herself, but knew Rainbow had cheated.

(Scene changes)

Some of the other events seemed to show Rainbow having similar issues. In the long jump, each pony took a turn to see how far they could jump into the air. When Rainbow realized she was going to fall behind Applejack, she opened her wings to give her a distance boost so she landed ahead of her.

Next came to chick cross. The hens clucked and the chicks chirped as each pony was tasked to carry as many chicks as they could to the mother hen. Applejack tried to be graceful, but her mud splashing caused her chicks to abandon the pony. Rainbow just walked smugly as she opened her wings to carry all the chicks across and keep them away from the splashing mud.

While only a few events are discussed, there had been a total of nineteen events so far and there was one other unmentioned event where Rainbow used her wings to her advantage. Storm recorded these incidents on a clipboard. Then came the final event, which was the tug of war.

(Scene changes)

"All right, you two," said Twilight, "This is the final event. Give it all you've got!"

"At the start of my whistle," Storm explained, "Each pony will pull the rope and try to bring that flag in the middle to their side of the mud wallow. The pony that gets the flag to their side wins. Ponies, on your mark, get set...TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!"

With the final blow of the whistle, Applejack and Rainbow began the tug of war event.

"Looks like the workhorse might come out ahead in this one," said Spike.

"We’ll see," said Storm skeptically since he didn't think Rainbow was going to play fair.

And just as Storm predicted, Rainbow flew above the mud patch as Applejack was left dangling above the middle of the mud patch.

"That's not fair," said Applejack, her voice muffled from the rope in her mouth, "You can't use your wings to help you win."

"Huh?" Rainbow asked, not able to understand the orange pony.

"You're cheatin'!" Applejack mumbled.

"I can't understand you with that rope in your mouth," Rainbow answered.

"I said...uh-oh." Applejack realized that by spitting out the rope, she had released her only support that was keeping her from the mud. The crowd cheered and the bell gave its final ring.

"Whoo-hoo!" said Rainbow as she updated the scoreboard herself, "I win by a landslide...or mudslide in your case!" Rainbow chuckled as Applejack glared at her from the mud. Storm helped Applejack out of the mud, but was giving the blue Pegasus a glare himself.

"I am the Iron Pony!" Rainbow shouted to the world as a pair of Pegasi held a rainbow banner behind her and some ponies cheered.

"Only 'cause you cheated," Applejack retorted angrily, now clean of the mud.

"What?" Rainbow exclaimed as she flew into Applejack's face.

"You used your wing power to help you win over half of those contests," Applejack pointed out.

"Sounds like sour apples to me," said Rainbow indignantly.

"Are you sayin' you didn't use your wings?" Applejack asked sternly.

"Well...no," Rainbow stuttered and recomposed herself, "but you never said that I couldn't use my wings."

"I didn't think I needed to tell you to play fair," Applejack retorted.

Storm, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward, holding up his clipboard. "She’s right, Rainbow." His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made both mares pause. "Your wings gave you an unfair advantage, and you know it. It might not have been written in the rules, but this was supposed to be a competition of athleticism, not how much you could outfly Applejack."

Rainbow flinched but tried to defend herself. "But—"

"And let’s talk about the tug-of-war event," Storm interrupted sharply, flipping the clipboard around for emphasis. "The rules clearly stated: ‘Whoever gets the flag to their side of the mud pit wins.’ You didn’t get the flag, Rainbow. You dangled Applejack over the mud and let her fall in. That’s not just cheating—that’s bad sportsmanship. If I wanted to, I could disqualify you entirely for that."

"What?! That’s not fair!" Rainbow exclaimed, flapping her wings aggressively.

"Not fair?" Storm’s tone dropped, colder now, his glare locking onto Rainbow. "You think it’s fair to claim victory when you didn’t play by the same rules as everypony else? You’re better than this, Rainbow, or at least I thought you were."

"Like you wouldn’tcheat if you knew you would win no matter what!" Rainbow shot back.

But then she gasped as she wished she could take it back when Storm gave her a very fierce glare, that made her cower in fear. Even when he was furious with her over the dragon incident, Storm never looked that angry.

"I don't cheat! I would never use my powers so selfishly" Storm said in a tone that could give ponies a cold chill, "And don't you ever forget that, Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy, subtract 5 points from Rainbow's score and give them to Applejack at once!"

Fluttershy hesitated before she did as she was told, leaving the ponies tied, but Rainbow Dash wasn't going to settle for a tie.

"I still would have won even without my wings," Rainbow replied indignantly.

"Hah!" said Applejack, "Prove it."

"Gladly," Rainbow answered before looking puzzled, "How?"

"Tomorrow is the annual Runnin' of the Leaves," said Applejack, "I challenge you to race me in it."

"Heh! Easy schmeasy," Rainbow answered and went to fly off when Applejack pinned her down the ground by standing on the girl's tail.

"Hold on!" said Applejack, "There is one condition: the point is to run, so no wings allowed."

"No wings?" Rainbow remarked as she bucked Applejack off her tail, "no problem."

They spat into their hooves and shook, locking eyes in a fiery stare-down. Rainbow, always the showboat, blew a raspberry at Applejack, who chuckled before leaning in closer. The tension between them was palpable, the crowd murmuring in anticipation.

Storm sighed heavily, his patience officially spent. His horn lit up, and a harmless but startling zap of static electricity jolted both mares.

"Yowch!" Applejack yelped, landing on her stomach.

"What the hay?!" Rainbow shouted, rubbing her flank.

Storm towered over them, glaring down with an unamused expression. "Enough!" he barked. "You’re acting like foals, and I’m not going to referee a competition between two babies. You want to prove who’s the better athlete? Fine. But if I see either of you pulling another stunt like today, this race is over. Got it?"

The two mares exchanged sheepish glances, muttering, "Got it," under their breaths.

"Good," Storm said, his tone firm but less harsh now. He turned on his hoof, shaking his head as he walked away. "Honestly, you two have more ego than sense sometimes."

Applejack and Rainbow glared after him but didn’t dare argue. As Storm disappeared into the crowd, Applejack muttered, "Babies? Us?"

Rainbow huffed. "He’s just mad ‘cause he knows I’ll win tomorrow."

Applejack smirked. "We’ll see about that, Dash."

(Scene changes)

Storm stood in his dimly lit practice room, his movements sharp and deliberate as he worked through a series of complex techniques with his swords. The rhythmic sound of his hooves against the floor echoed through the space, but his mind was far from calm. He was still stewing over the events of the day, his frustration with Applejack and Rainbow Dash bubbling just below the surface.

"Of all the ridiculous things," he muttered, pausing mid-swing to glare at the wall as if it represented his aggravation. "A race to prove who's the best? Are they serious? All they’ve done is prove how immature they are!" He resumed his practice, his strikes against an imaginary opponent growing faster and more forceful. "Stupid race… stupid rivalry… UGH!"

Aegis, perched calmly on his usual spot, tilted his head and let out a soft chitter. The phoenix-like companion flapped his wings lightly, sensing the tension radiating from his master.

Storm stopped, panting slightly, and glanced over at Aegis. His companion’s concerned squawk made him sigh and lower his swords. "I know, buddy. I know," he said, his tone softer now. "I shouldn’t let them get to me, but it’s so frustrating! They’re turning what’s supposed to be a celebration of Ponyville into some ego-fueled competition."

He sat down on the floor, rubbing his temple with a hoof. "Why can’t they see how pointless this is? It’s not about proving who’s better; it’s about working together to make something great."

Aegis fluttered down from his perch, landing lightly on Storm’s back. He let out a low, comforting trill, nudging the back of Storm’s neck with his beak. Storm smiled faintly, reaching back to gently pat his friend. "Thanks, Aegis. At least you’re always on my side."

Storm’s expression turned thoughtful as he stared at the floor. "I need to do something," he muttered. "They’re so caught up in this rivalry, they’re bound to do something stupid at the Running of the Leaves tomorrow. And knowing them, it’s going to turn into a disaster."

He stood up, pacing the room as his mind raced. "Maybe I can talk to them before the race starts.” He paused, looking out the window at the moonlit sky. "If they don’t listen, then maybe the only way to get through to them is to let them see the consequences of their actions for themselves."

Aegis chirped in agreement, hopping off Storm’s back and onto his perch. Storm smiled at his companion, though his expression was still clouded with worry. "I can only hope they’ll learn something from this," he said quietly. "Because if they don’t, I don’t know how much longer I can stand being caught in the middle of their nonsense."

With that, Storm put his swords away and stretched his weary limbs. "Time to get some rest," he muttered. "Tomorrow’s going to be a long day, one way or another."

As he climbed into bed, Aegis fluttered down and nestled himself beside his master. Storm gave the small creature a gentle pat before closing his eyes.

(Scene changes)

In the morning he finally met up with Twilight and Spike as they were casually leaving the library toward the location where the Running of the Leaves event would take place. Spike was getting impatient.

"Twilight, Storm, hurry up," Spike complained as he rode on Twilight's back, "we're gonna be late for the race."

"Why are you so excited about the race?" Twilight asked curiously, "It's only for ponies."

"Yeah, but I'm hoping I can be the announcer again," said Spike as he stood on Twilight's back with his twig for a microphone.

"Oh Spike." Storm said with a glare.

"Just listen," said Spike, "Fillies and gentlecolts, welcome to the annual Running of the-"

"Welcome to the annual Running of the Leaves!" said a loud but well-known voice, "This is Pinkie Pie, your official p-eye-in-the-sky announcer." Pinkie came floating above in an air balloon that had a mega phone attached to the edge of the basket.

Spike just glared at Storm.

"I asked Pinkie to take my place as an announcer, and your job so that your ego wouldn’t get any bigger." said Storm with a smirk.

Spike just angrily threw his twig to the ground and pouted.

"Sorry, Spike," said Twilight sympathetically, "I guess that job's already taken."

"As everypony knows," Pinkie continued, "the Running of the Leaves is a very important tradition, for without it, the autumn leaves in Equestria would never fall. So get ready, ponies. The Running of the Leaves will begin in five minutes!"

It was then the ponies who were going to participate began to line up at the starting line. Some of them were eager to get started and were stretching a bit. Applejack was already stretching as a certain Pegasus made her entrance.

"Pardon me, excuse me," said Rainbow arrogantly as she pushed her way through a pair of ponies and made her way towards Applejack, "Make way for the Iron Pony."

"The Iron Phony, you mean," said Applejack, "Accordin' to Storm, we tied yesterday." Rainbow wasn't listening.

"So, Applejack, you ready to win second place," Rainbow Dash asked her.

"I'm ready to run a good, clean race," said Applejack.

"Yeah, yeah..." Rainbow answered.

"You are not allowed to use your wings," Applejack reminded her.

"I could win this race with both wings tied behind my back," Rainbow remarked proudly.

Applejack just hummed to herself as she got an idea. Soon Applejack gave a grunt as she used a rope to tie Rainbow's wings up and prevent her from using them.

"Trussed up like a turkey," said Applejack, "Well, a turkey who can't fly that is."

"Very funny," said Rainbow indignantly.

"'Least now we know we're racin' fair and square," said Applejack. It was then they heard a trumpet from up above.

"Racers! Please take your positions!" Pinkie announced as the ponies got ready to begin the race. That was when Spike approached the balloon.

"Um...Pinkie Pie?" he asked timidly.

"Hey, Spike! What's up?" Pinkie Pie asked, "Oh wait, it's me! I'm up!" Pinkie laughed at her own joke.

"Uh, yeah," Spike answered slowly, "I know you're doing the announcing today and stuff and...I'm sure you're gonna do a great job and all, but...I was just wondering..."

"What?" Pinkie asked, but Spike lost his courage to ask.

"Aw...Forget it," said Spike and turned to leave, but Pinkie had figured out what Spike was trying to say.

"Spike!" Pinkie called out, "Would you like to be my co-reporter? We could comment on the action together!"

"We could?" Spike replied excitedly.

"Climb on up," said Pinkie, Spike quickly asked Storm if he could borrow his personal microphone and got on board the balloon.

Meanwhile, Rainbow and Applejack were just getting ready to go when they noticed a familiar purple unicorn at the starting line.

"Twilight? What in tarnation are you doin' up here?" Applejack asked in surprise.

"I'm racing," Twilight answered. Rainbow laughed.

"Good one, Twilight," Rainbow replied as Twilight gave her an indignant look.

"I'm not joking," Twilight said bluntly.

"What?" Rainbow exclaimed, "You're not an athlete, you're a...well...an egghead."

"I am not an egghead," Twilight retorted, "I am well-read."

"Egghead," said Rainbow softly to Applejack, who just snickered.

"But have you ever run a race?" Applejack asked Twilight.

"Well, no," Twilight answered honestly, "but I do know a lot about running."

"And you know this from..." Rainbow asked her, curiously as well as mockingly.

"Books," Twilight answered, "I've read several on the subject." Rainbow tumbled into her back, laughing loudly.

"What'd you read, "The Egghead's Guide to Running"," Rainbow asked Twilight, still laughing herself silly, "Did you stretch out your eye muscles to warm up? Get it? Eye muscles." Twilight just looked most annoyed.

"Scoff if you must, Rainbow," said Twilight, "But the Running of the Leaves is a Ponyville tradition, and since I'm here to learn, I've decided I should experience it myself."

Rainbow and Applejack were still finding it hard taking Twilight seriously.

"Well, I think that's just dandy Twilight," said Applejack, "Good luck." She then shared a snicker with Rainbow.

"Yeah. See you at the finish line...tomorrow," Rainbow added as she chuckled to herself.

Twilight didn't take lightly to the teasing, but then got a smirk on her face.

Twilight didn’t let their teasing faze her. Instead, she smirked. "You know, girls, I may have learned a lot about running from books, but I also had one of the best teachers in all of Equestria train me for this race."

Rainbow and Applejack exchanged puzzled looks. "Who?" Applejack asked.

They both gasped as Storm walked up beside Twilight, his determined smirk directed squarely at them.

"Storm?!" they exclaimed in unison.

"You’re running in this race?!" Rainbow Dash asked, her voice full of disbelief.

"Who better to teach Twilight about running than someone who knows a thing or two about stamina and technique?" Twilight replied, a teasing grin playing on Storm’s lips.

"You two do know this is supposed to be a friendly competition, right?" Storm asked, his sharp gaze flicking between them.

Applejack and Rainbow exchanged sheepish glances for a moment before snickering again. "Friendly competition? Right!" Applejack said, nudging Rainbow.

"Forget it, Storm," Rainbow added with a cocky grin. "You’re a great fighter, but there’s no way you’ll keep up with us. Besides, you don’t even like races!"

Storm rolled his eyes. "Oh, don’t worry, Dash. I’m not here to win. I’m just here to make sure you two don’t turn this race into the disaster I know it’s going to be."

"Disaster?!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Pfft, please! Applejack and I have this under control."

"Sure you do," Storm said sarcastically, his tone dripping with doubt. "Good luck… you’re going to need it."

Applejack frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

But Storm just shook his head and turned his attention back to Twilight, who was trying not to giggle at the scene.

"Let’s just enjoy the race, Storm," Twilight said with a small smile. "We’re here to experience the tradition, not get wrapped up in their nonsense."

Storm nodded, matching her smile. "Alright."

As the two of them lined up at the starting line, Storm glanced back at Applejack and Rainbow, who were already giving each other competitive glares. He sighed, muttering under his breath, "This is going to end exactly how I think it will…"

"All right, ponies, are you ready?" Pinkie announced.

"Get set," Spike added. Then a bell was rung and everyone took off. The race was on!

"And they're off!" said Pinkie, "welcome to the official coverage of the Running of the Leaves. You know, Spike, despite its name, the leaves don't do any of the actual running. No, that's left to my little ponies."

"Why, yes, Pinkie," Spike answered, a little caught off guard by that comment, "it's the running of the ponies that causes the leaves to fall."

"Ugh. Those lazy, lazy leaves," said Pinkie, "But this year, this run is about more than the weather. It's about the race to the finish and the two runners who want to win it: Applejack and Rainbow Dash."

"You know Pinkie," said Spike, "These two ponies have a bit of a grudge match they're trying to settle. Trying to prove who's the most athletic."

"Yes, and "grudge" rhymes with "fudge"," Pinkie replied.

"Yes, it...does," said Spike, rather puzzled, "What?"

"And I like fudge," said Pinkie, "But if I eat too much fudge, I get a pudge, and then I can't budge."

"So...no fudge?" Spike asked in confusion.

"Oh, no thanks," said Pinkie, "I had a big breakfast. Let's check in with our two competitive ponies, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Having a fast out of the gate, Applejack and Rainbow Dash are evenly matched running neck and neck. But what's this? Applejack is making a move, she's now ahead by a nose. But Rainbow Dash won't let Applejack have it and takes the lead. She's ahead by half a nose. Or maybe three quarters of a nose. No, about sixty three point seven percent of a nose...roughly speaking. Applejack sees this move and pushes forth with her strong workhorse legs slinking ahead by three hundred and fifty noses." Spike just looked a little annoyed by Pinkie's idea of measuring leads, but in simpler terms...

...Applejack and Rainbow Dash were changing positions for the lead until Applejack managed to pull away.

"Not so easy without wings, is it?" Applejack remarked as they continue to speed down the path. Rainbow was tempted to open her wings but the roped kept them closed.

"Come on, Rainbow," she told herself, "Show 'em a little dash." Rainbow then picked up her pace to catch right up to Applejack.

"Ho-hold your horses, Pinkie!" said Spike excitedly, "Rainbow Dash is catching up to the front runner Applejack!"

"What an upset," said Pinkie, "I thought Applejack had this in the bag." Soon Rainbow was neck in neck with Applejack.

"You didn't think I was gonna let you off that easily, did you?" Rainbow taunted. Applejack looked a bit indignant, but then one of her fore-hooves hit a nearby rock on the ground. She tripped and tumbled to the ground as the huge collection of ponies ran by in a cloud of dust.

"Whoa!" said Applejack as she got back to her feet, "I don't believe it."

"I know, it's beautiful, isn't it?" Twilight replied as she and Storm arrived. Storm nodded in agreement as he used a camera around his neck to take pictures of the scenery.

"Not the scenery, Twilight," Applejack retorted, "Rainbow Dash just tripped me."

"She did not," said Storm and Twilight together.

"She did too!" Applejack remarked.

"She did not," said Twilight firmly, "And if you slowed down and looked where you were going, like us, you'd see that you tripped over a rock." Applejack looked back and noticed the rock sticking out where she had been running.

"What? Oh hayseed!" said Applejack, realizing her mistake and seeing the other ponies charging away, "Now I got a lot of ground to make up to catch Rainbow."

"Just be careful!" Twilight called out as Applejack took off.

"They're never going to stop trying to prove who’s the best. We really need to do something." Storm said to her.

"Don't worry, Storm." Twilight assured him. "I’m sure they’ll get through their thick heads one day, besides, with you here that may come sooner then later."

Storm smiled and together the two ponies went on their way enjoying the sights.

(Scene changes)

It didn't take Applejack too long before she caught up with Rainbow Dash.

"See you at the finish line!" Applejack called out to Rainbow as she charged ahead.

"I don't believe it," said Spike from above, "After a huge setback, Applejack is back at the front of the pack."

"She's the head of the pack, all right," Pinkie added, "The pick of the litter! The cat's pajamas! Oh wait, why would Applejack take some poor kitty's PJs? That's not very sporting of her." Spike was just at a loss for words.

"Oookay..." was all Spike could say about that, "Let's get back to the race."

"Not so fast, Applejack!" Rainbow replied as she closed Applejack's lead, "This race isn't over yet!"

"It is for you," said Applejack, "Heh." Then as if the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Rainbow stumbled forward and fell down. The crowd of ponies came trampling by, burying her in a huge mess of leaves.

"Whoa!" said Rainbow in shock as she poked her head of out the leaves, "I don't believe it, Applejack tripped me."

"Don't you ponies ever look where you're going?" Twilight remarked as she and Storm arrived, "you tripped on a stump, see?" Unlike Applejack, Rainbow refused to see sense.

"Oh I see," said Rainbow, "A big cheater is what I see."

"Rainbow, Applejack would never cheat," Twilight remarked, "It was just an accident."

"We even saw you trip ourselves," said Storm, "There is no logical way Applejack could have planted a tree and have it grown and cut down in just one night. Or could she have just laid the stump there beforehand, it's rooted to the ground." Storm pushed it to prove his point.

"Sure it was. I mean, yeah, I'm sure it was," Rainbow replied, a little too quickly to make it sound like she believed either of them. Yet Twilight did.

"Remember, Rainbow, this is just a race," Twilight reminded Rainbow and went on her way.

"Plus nopony respects a winner who cheats either," Storm added, implying a warning to Rainbow to not try anything, as he followed Twilight.

"Yeah, but the rules have changed, and two can play at that game," said Rainbow, but it was mostly to herself.

(Scene changes)

"Welcome back, Ponyvillians, it's me, Pinkie Pie," said the pink pony from her balloon.

"And Spike," the dragon added since he, too, was in the balloon, "Looks like Rainbow is doing her best to catch up."

"I'm not sure how ketchup is going to help her in this contest," Pinkie remarked, "Now in a hot dog eating contest it can make them doggies nice and slippery, but personally, I prefer mustard. How about you, Spike?"

"Uh...I...like...pickles?" Spike answered with some hesitation in his voice.

"Aaand it looks like Applejack has found herself in quite a pickle as Rainbow Dash overtakes her," Pinkie pointed out.

"Look, ma, no wings," Rainbow Dash gloated as Applejack just narrowed her brow and tried her best to keep up with the blue Pegasus.

"As the racers enter Equestria's Whitetail Wood," Spike commented, "Rainbow Dash is back in the lead." Rainbow then noticed a nearby tree branch. She grabbed the branch and pulled it back. Just as Applejack was in range.

SMACK!

Rainbow let go so the branch smacked Applejack in the face, knocking the orange pony back. Rainbow chuckled as she continued on her way.

"Ugh, Hey, Rainbow!" Applejack shouted as she noticed the devious smile on Rainbow's face. The blue Pegasus blew Applejack a raspberry and run off.

"Why, that little cheater did that on purpose," Applejack exclaimed, "It's on." Applejack then noticed another branch behind.

Pulling it back as hard as she could without breaking it, she let the momentum of the recoil rocket her forward at high speed. Meanwhile, Rainbow was feeling very pleased with her dirty trick.

"Nice one, Rainbow," she told herself.

"Later!" said Applejack as she flew by and landed in front of Rainbow. Rainbow gasped as she growled and gave chase. Then Applejack bucked a tree and made a beehive drop by Rainbow.

"Aaa!" Rainbow screamed as she ran for her life.

The fear gave Rainbow the speed boost she needed to pull ahead. She ducked into some bushes as the bees made a "!?" formation and then zoomed away. Once Rainbow felt she was safe, she quickly saw a nearby sign and reversed the direction. Applejack, thinking nothing less, just followed the sign without a second thought. Rainbow began to laugh herself silly as the other ponies ran past her in the correct direction. (Probably because she was leaning against the sign so they couldn't see the change of direction).

Further along the trail, Twilight and Storm jogged side by side, the golden leaves of Whitetail Wood rustling gently around them.

"Oh my, Whitetail Wood is just lovely," Twilight remarked, her gaze sweeping over the vibrant autumn landscape.

"It really is," Storm agreed with a wistful smile. "Makes me wish my birthday came around this time of year. Summer birthdays are nice, but there’s something magical about fall."

Twilight tilted her head curiously. "I didn’t know you liked autumn that much."

Storm chuckled. "Are you kidding? Crisp air, cozy vibes, and scenery like this? Who wouldn’t? Besides, my summer birthday parties were fun, but nothing like a celebration under trees like these. Then again, I didn’t expect you to come to my last one. I always figured your love for studying outweighed our friendship."

Twilight’s ears drooped slightly as she looked at him with a sheepish expression. "I know I wasn’t the best at balancing things before… but I’m trying to be better. I really do care about our friendship, Storm."

Storm gave her a warm smile, his tone playful but kind. "Good. Because for a moment, I thought I’d have to stage an intervention for Equestria’s most dedicated bookworm."

Twilight giggled, feeling reassured. "Noted. Next time, I’ll make sure to balance books and birthdays." They then saw Rainbow nearby.

"Hey, Rainbow," said Twilight, "shouldn't you be up ahead?"

"I'm sure I'll win now," Rainbow chuckled to herself and not really paying attention to them.

Storm raised an eyebrow and glanced at her skeptically. "You mean after everypony just passed you?"

Rainbow froze, her eyes darting toward the trail as she saw the other racers galloping ahead. "Oh, horse apples… See ya!" she yelped before bolting off at top speed.

Storm sighed, shaking his head with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Twilight chuckled softly. "Let’s just enjoy the race, Storm. We’ve got the best view and the best company."

Storm smiled at her remark, matching her pace as they continued down the trail. "Can’t argue with that."

Meanwhile Applejack soon found herself at the top of a ledge on the mountain unsure of where she should go.

"Applejack, what are you doing up here?" Pinkie asked curiously as the balloon hovered just above the orange pony.

"There aren't even any trees," Spike added.

"Er, no," Applejack said uncertainly, "but the signs pointed this way..." Applejack then realized she had been tricked, "...Rainbow. Mind giving me a lift." While for some, balloon assistance would be considered cheating, but considering Applejack was lost, Pinkie made an exception. Of course, one could argue that Pinkie didn't need to drop Applejack right in pole position either. Rainbow would definitely argue that case as Applejack landed in front of her.

"What the hay?!" Rainbow exclaimed, "You said no flying!"

"No, I said no wings," Applejack corrected as the two ponies surged ahead.

"I must say, Spike," Pinkie remarked, "That this has been the most interesting Running of the Leaves in Equestrian history!"

"With the most interesting announcing," Spike added.

"But it isn't the running that's been fascinating," Pinkie added, "It's the lack of running!"

The race course soon took a path into a collection of trees that had buckets collecting sap from them. Applejack wasted no time finding a bucket to buck, spilling the contents on the ground. Just as Applejack had hoped, Rainbow ran right into the sticky mess and got her hooves caught in it. Rainbow fought hard to pull herself out, but then the sap made her recoil backwards. Rainbow then got an idea.

"Aaa!" Rainbow grunted as she let the momentum carry her backward and then she pushed herself forward.

Not only was she able to break free, but she rocketed right past Applejack like the orange pony had done earlier.

But Rainbow actually zoomed so close to Applejack that the orange pony spun about and was soon caught inside of a mini-tornado. Rainbow soon noticed the tornado and got caught in it herself.

"Whoa!" they screamed together as the tornado brought them both towards the top of a ledge on the mountain. The two ponies glared as they tried to get their bearings when the piece of rock they were standing on began to crack. Soon it broke off and sent the two ponies sliding down to the bottom of the mountain. Fortunately, the two ponies managed to keep their balance as the rock came to rest at the side of the race trail.

"Forgive me, girls. I know I'm not an athlete, but shouldn't the Running of the Leaves actually involve running?" Twilight asked curiously as Storm just stayed quiet as he stood next to her. They had just left when Rainbow realized something.

"You know, I think Twilight's right," said Rainbow.

"You do?" Applejack asked in surprise.

"Yeah!" Rainbow answered, "if you wanna beat me, you better...RUUUN!" Rainbow took off and Applejack soon followed.

"Once again, Rainbow Dash and Applejack are neck and neck," Pinkie announced, "jockeying for position. Applejack inches ahead, now it's Rainbow, it's Applejack, it's Rainbow Dash, it's Applejack-" This back and forth continued as the saw the finish line was approaching. Then Rainbow bumped into Applejack. Applejack grunted as she was knocked to the side.

"Oh no," she di'int!" Spike remarked. Then Applejack bumped Rainbow back.

"Oh, yes, she di'id!" Pinkie remarked as Rainbow bumped her again.

"Cut it out!" Applejack shouted as she bumped Rainbow back.

"No, you cut it out!" Rainbow remarked as she gave Applejack another hard bump.

"You started it," Applejack shot back as they continued to bump each other.

"And now I'm gonna finish it," Rainbow snapped.

"On no you won't!" said Applejack.

"Oh yes, I will," Rainbow grunted as Applejack bumped Rainbow so hard that the rope around her wings broke and they opened up freely.

"That's it!" Rainbow said angrily, "All bets are off!" Rainbow was about to fly her way to the finish.

"Oh no you don't," Applejack yelled as she jumped high into the air and tackled Rainbow to the ground. The two ponies continued to tussle with each other, kicking up a cloud of smoke around them as they made their way toward the finish line.

"It's Applejack, it's Rainbow Dash, it's Applejack, it's Rainbow Dash-" Pinkie called out, but nopony could tell who was in the lead with the cloud of dust surrounding them as they both crossed the finish line before finally untangling from each other. Both ponies were looking very roughed up and both their fur, tails, and manes were frazzled.

"I won!" Rainbow shouted.

"No, I won!" Applejack retorted.

"I won!" Rainbow repeated loudly.

"You tied!" Spike announced.

"Tied?!" Applejack and Rainbow said in shock.

"For first?" Applejack asked.

"For last!" Pinkie announced.

"Last?!" Applejack said in shock.

"Then who won?" Rainbow asked.

That was when Twilight came up to them, wearing a medal around her neck. Applejack and Rainbow's jaws dropped.

"You?!" The two ponies exclaimed.

"Oh no, but I did get fifth place," said Twilight, "Which is rather good considering I've never run a race before."

"Then who won?" Applejack asked.

That was when Storm Shadow appeared towards them wearing a medal of his own, except his medal had a "1" on it.

"What?!" Applejack and Rainbow exclaimed, "Storm?!"

"How is that even possible?" Applejack asked.

"You two ran so slow," Rainbow pointed out, "and looked at the scenery."

Storm shrugged casually, the tiniest smirk playing on his face. "Simple. While you two were busy sabotaging each other, I stuck to my plan: pace myself, keep my focus, and save my energy for the final stretch. Guess it worked."

Twilight nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! We followed the principles of endurance I read about and combined them with the techniques Storm taught me. When everypony else was worn out near the end, we had just enough energy to pull ahead. Well, Storm did—I only encouraged him to take the win when I saw he was holding back for me."

Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged wide-eyed looks. "You mean… Storm held back and still won?" Rainbow asked, her pride stung.

"Yup," Storm said with a sly grin. "I wasn’t even planning to win—I just wanted to enjoy the race and show Twilight how it’s done. But when she pushed me to sprint at the end, well, I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip."

"You tricked us!" Rainbow accused, though there was a grudging respect in her tone.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "We didn’t trick you. You tricked yourselves. This wasn’t about proving who’s 'the best'—it was about having fun, celebrating the season, and showing good sportsmanship. But you two let your rivalry get the better of you. Instead of running your best race, you made it a circus act."

Applejack and Rainbow just looked rather guilty.

"You're right, Twilight and Storm," said Applejack, "Our behavior was just terrible."

"We weren't very good sports," said Rainbow.

It was then some ponies in the background began to bow. For Princess Celestia had arrived.

"Sounds to me that an important lesson was learned," said the princess as she approached the four ponies.

"Princess Celestia?!" Applejack and Rainbow said together as the four ponies gave her welcoming bow.

"W-what are you doin' here?" Applejack asked curiously once they stood back up.

"Fall is one of my favorite seasons," said Princess Celestia, "so I came to celebrate the Running of the Leaves."

"I'm sorry you had to see us being such poor sports," said Applejack sadly.

Celestia gave her a kind smile. "That’s all right, Applejack. Anypony can get caught up in the heat of competition. Isn’t that right, Storm?"

Storm gave a sheepish shrug. "Guilty as charged.”

"It's important to remember that friendship is always more important than the competition," said Twilight.

"No amount of winning can ever replace a true friend," Storm added. "Competition is an excellent motivator, but not when it turns you against each other."

"Exactly, Twilight and Storm," Princess Celestia answered, "Now, unfortunately, because the two of you were busy tricking each other instead of shaking down leaves, many of the lovely trees of Equestria are still covered." Applejack and Rainbow just smiled at each other.

"Why Princess, I bet we can knock those leaves down for you lickety-split," said Applejack and turned to Rainbow, "Whaddya say, friend? Wanna go for another run?"

"I'd love to stretch my legs," said Rainbow, flapping her wings excitedly.

Celestia, Storm and Twilight stood side by side, watching as the two ponies took off into the woods together, running with each other like the friends they were meant to be.