Rodeo

It was time for the Annual Ponyville Rodeo. Applejack was as ready
as ever.  As were many other ponies, who had gathered specially for this
event near Sweet Apple Acers. After the sign-in, Applejack decided to
check out her competition.

There was Rose, who despite her regular panicky nature most of the time,
had taken a few levels in bad-ass when the rodeo came to town.  Under the
nickname Prairie Rose, she usually proved Applejack's biggest rival.

There were also a whole lot of relatives from Appleloosa and other towns,
and even Ace, whose usual sport was tennis, participated in the game.



Wandering around, Applejack noticed a blue earth pony with pink hair
and mane, both of which were decorated with bow ties. She looked somehow
familiar, so Applejack approached her.

"Hi there, missie. Say, have we met before?"

The blue earth pony looked around and noticed the brown-hatted cowpony.
"Applejack. I almost wouldn't have recognised you if you haven't
spoken. How's it been?"

"Bow Tie?" Applejack asked, a memory stirring.

Bow Tie nodded.

"My. Ah haven't seen y'all in a mighty long time."  said Applejack,
a sudden rush of recollections hitting her like apples from a tree.

"Still live in the same ol' place?"

"Yup. Still Paradise Estate. Though I wish they change the name." Bow
Tie shrugged. "You've been there, it's a barn now."

Applejack didn't know what to say, but fair play was important.
"Well, good luck to y'all in the rodeo. There's gonna be some mighty
fine competition this year."



It was time for the first event. Barrel racing. Prairie Rose was the
first contestant and she set down a very impressive time to beat.
Applejack was the second on the track. She was fast, but she touched one
of the barrels and lost too much time on penalties to place first. There
was some mighty fine competition indeed.



Applejack watched as Bow Tie did her round. She thought back of when
she was a filly and she's gone for a sleepover at the Tie's ranch. Their
parents knew one another and Big Mac was good friends with Bow's brother
so therefore she got to go on the sleepover.  In the beginning she didn't
really feel comfortable and wanted to go home. Even Big Mac had trouble
comforting her, but after she met Bow Tie and had someone of her own
age to play with, it was better and she decided to stay.

"IT'S A NEW RECORD FILLIES AND... oh wait" Pinkie Pie exclaimed excitedly
through the speakers, snapping Applejack back to reality.  "No, no. I'm
sorry.  There was a teenie wienie touch with that last barrel, and we
have to be strict and deduct time... That's Second place for miss Bow
Tie!"



Applejack went over to Bow Tie, who was visibly annoyed her performance.
"Don't y'all feel bad. That's still a darn impressive score y'all set
there." Applejack said.

"Yea. But... She announced a new record. I thought I had a record! I
can't help but feeling a little disappointed with second place after
that. I Still beat you though."

"Now don't y'all get cocky. There's still plenty events left. Ah hope
y'all worked up on your rope tyin'." Applejack glanced around to see
if nobody was listening in. She leaned in to Bow Tie and whispered
"we've got ourselves a dragon fer that part."

Applejack didn't offer any further explanation to Bow Tie. She didn't
say the huge, gigantic, terrible, enormous, teeth-gnashing, sharp
scale-having, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, could-eat-a-pony-in-one-bite,
totally-all-grown-up dragon in Bow Tie's mind was actually baby dragon
Spike. She also didn't tell her how she managed to trick Spike into this
after going through it before in the Iron Pony competition.  It was a
little payback for one of her sleepovers. Applejack never much cared
for the Tie family, but Bow Tie was a special case.



She always felt a tiny bit giggly when talking with Bow Tie.  During that
night so long ago, she'd promised herself she was gonna tell Bow Tie
how she felt. But before she could confess, Bow Tie tricked Applejack
into believing Braeburn had a crush on her. This problem got her total
attention for that night, and she never really thought about it any more
up to today.

Bow Tie had the same sort of spark as Rainbow Dash when it came to
competitions, yet her cheerful, down to earth posture in between events
opened up a whole other set of feelings then those she had for Rainbow
Dash, who was always up and edgy until the game was finished.

When Bow Tie later asked about the Dragon, Applejack's recalled Bow Tie's
prank again and reasoned she could add up on the payback a little more.
She whispered to Bow Tie the full size that Spike could grow, and that
the dragon in question was a teeny bit smaller. Just not how much of a
teeny bit.



When the final event, the Dragon Tying, started, Bow Tie was about
as relieved as Applejack had been when the Braeburn prank ended. And
as annoyed.

"You... You had me worry over a 50 foot dragon all this time!"

"Y'all could've just asked me to show him to you." Applejack Said.

"I did!" Bow Tie hollered.

"Oh yea," Applejack replied, giggling, "Oh well, never y'mind that,
Bow Tie. All's fair in two things. Rodeo's one of 'em. Speakin' of which,
ah'm up."



In the end, Applejack won the Dragon Tying event. Everypony said it
was for her roping skills, but Spike would have you believe she was the
pony who showed him the most dignity.  Applejack agreed with Spike,
as she believed Bow Tie had the best roping skills. Bow Tie, however,
lost some time realising spike was the dragon she needed to tie.

Prairie Rose was second in dragon tying and had won the rodeo on points.
Though her new found respect and awe were soon lost when later that day
she and Daisy got together and screamed 'Oh, the horror' over a crack in
her glass. Applejack was second, but only in a teeny lead to Bow Tie,
who was the third on the stand.

When Bow Tie was ready to return home, Applejack approached her.
"Sugarcube, we need to talk."



"Something wrong, Applejack?" Bow Tie asked.

"No," Applejack hastily said, thinking up what she'd say next. "see,
the thing is... remember that time when y'all told me Braeburn had a
crush on me?"

"Is that what this is about?" Bow Tie asked perplexed "Is that what the
dragon prank was about?"

"No, well, yes but..." Applejack stuttered, still not sure how to
word it. "see, the thing is. See, ah like you, Like-Like like you Bow
Tie... and Ah wanted to tell y'all that day."

"Oh..." Bow Tie replied, seeing in retrospect how misplaced the prank
was that day. "I... I hope you're not angry."

"It's ok." Applejack said. "Y'all didn't know."

"Well..." said Bow Tie, taking a step into the direction of Paradise
Estate.

"There's something else" Applejack said.

Bow Tie stopped.



"See..." Applejack spoke hesitatingly, "Ah, err..."

She decided to say it before she started thinking about the Braeburn
incident again, "Ah 'spose ah still feel that way."

"I see." Bow tie said.

Then, it was silent.



"I'm sorry, Applejack. It wouldn't work. I live in Paradise Estate,
you're here in Ponyville. I've got my things back home. You've got yours
here. And besides...  How'd granny say it? 'Mah barn just don't swing
that way?' I'm sorry AJ. I really am."

"It's okay." Said Applejack, though her disappointment was palpable in
her voice.

"Ah'm glad we all talked 'bout it though."



Bow Tie returned home and after she was out of sight, Applejack too
turned back towards home. Though her filly crush never did got its
happy ending, she didn't feel sad. She didn't feel anger, or regret to
the unanswered feeling she had.  Instead, she felt closure. She thought
about the good times she had with Bow Tie as a friend. The time they hid
Big Mac's collar, or when they played pin-the-tail-on the pony, while Big
Mac and his friend where playing some boys game they didn't let them join.

Applejack then thought back on the rodeo. Second place was impressive,
but still, she couldn't shake the thought she could've done better if
she paid more attention when Rose was on the stage. She was too busy
contemplating what could have been, or rather, couldn't have been.

Still, next year, both she and her friend Bow Tie would be at the
rodeo again.

Next year, neither would be distracted.