I woke up the next morning to hear a lot of hoof noises and chatter around, when I got myself dressed and ready, I walked on out of my house and look to see a lot of ponies making decorations around the town hall, I trotted along to get a closer look. When I got to the centre of the town, I looked up to see Rainbow Dash and Derpy working on putting up a banner around the town hall that had apples on it, looks like this is something do with the Applejack. I pondered what it would be about as I heard Dash and Derpy talking.

"Careful Derpy." Dash called to her, "You don't wanna do any more damage than you've already done."

I then noticed the roof top of the town hall had been damaged and saw that Derpy was jumping on a storm cloud.

"I just don't know what went wrong." Derpy replied as she jumped on the cloud before shocking herself with the lightening.

"Yeah, it's a mystery." Dash said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Morning Derpy." I called out to her.

"Morning Bond!" she replied happily, swooping down from the cloud and giving me a quick hug which I accepted.

"Wait a minute, you two know each other?" Dash asked surprisingly.

"Sure do, I even got to try out her latest range of muffins." I answered.

"Did she drop or break anything that's yours?"

"Now come on, Dash, everypony especially Derpy deserves a fair treatment, she's a loving pony who means well."

Dash just rolled her eyes which made me frown but didn't carry the conversation further.

"Nice work, Rainbow Dash." Derpy commented as she flew back up, only to then collide into one of the pillars with her flank. The pillar began to fall and Dash tried to stop it but was unsuccessful as she and pillar went right through the wooden floor, creating a hole. I walked on over along with Derpy to look down see Dash looking okay to my surprise.

"You okay, Rainbow Dash? Anything I can do to help?" Derpy asked as a piece of wood fell through.

Rainbow Dash immediately flew out and confronted Derpy. "No! Nothing! In the name of Celestia, just sit there and do nothing!"

Derpy did as she was told, planting her behind on the floor, but it caused several cracks to form and instantly break the part of the floor she was sitting on. When Derpy began falling down, she quickly grabbed Rainbow Dash, bringing her down with her. They landed with a loud thud. "Oops. My bad."

"Oh Derpy." I said giggling away.

I quickly walked over to the hole to help them up. "Applejack! Applejack! Applejack! Applejack!" I heard the crowd chant, even while the Mayor began her announcement.

"Everypony, can I get your attention? Attention please!" The crowd halted their chanting, and I stretched my hooves out to Rainbow Dash and Derpy to help them out of the hole. "Yes, we are all here to send Applejack to compete in this year's Equestria Rodeo competition in Canterlot." The crowd cheered as I began pulling Rainbow Dash and Derpy up. "And, I want to thank Applejack in advance, for generously offering up her prize money to fix town hall." Rainbow Dash had managed to get back up on the floor, but Derpy was still struggling a bit, so I used my free hoof to help her up. Just as half her body was out, she joined the crowd, verbally.

"Yeah, Applejack! Whoohoo!" Derpy cheered, using the hooves that she was using to hold on to mine and fell back into the hole. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at this and continued observing the event. I lightly giggled and helped her out again as the crowd pounded their hooves.

"Speech! Speech!" Pinkie Pie demanded, hopping excitedly and happily on the ground.

"Oh, shucks. Ah'm not much for speeches." Applejack responded, who was standing near the mayor.

"Alright then, no speech!" Pinkie dashed off, but came back when Applejack began speaking.

"But, this here is the nicest send off anypony could ask for. Y'all have been cheering me on in every rodeo since ah was a little pony. So it seems only fittin' to use my winnings to fix up town hall. Ah promise to make Ponyville proud!"

The crowd cheered, once again, causing Applejack to tip her hat over to us and smile.

"So, you're going away to a rodeo competition?"

"Ah sure am..." Applejack replied before pausing. "Say, would you like to be my travelling partner, ah would sure love to have support."

"Really?" I asked, "Well you're in luck as I have nothing to do today, sure I'll gladly come along."

"Sweet, sugarcube, just let me go fetch what ah need to pack and ah'll come to your home before we depart from the train station."

"Okay cool, see you then."

I walked on back and after grabbing something to eat, I waited at my home for Applejack. I heard a knock on the door, assuming it's her, so I opened it and it sure was. We then walked along to the train station where the rest of the apple family and our friends were waiting.

"Ah want you to show all them high-falutin' rodeo ponies what a real rodeo pony's like!" Granny Smith encouraged her before Applejack and I could begin to board the train.

"You betcha, Granny Smith." Applejack replied with a grin.

"And bring back all that money!" The mayor announced, cheerfully.

"You betcha, Mayor." Applejack responded, beginning to walk towards the train, but Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared in her way.

"And have fun. And don't be nervous. Or if you are, use that nervous energy to do even better than you already would!" Applejack smiled and continued her way towards the train. "And eat peanuts and popcorn and taffy and taffy gives lots of nervous energy!" She held out a bag of candy and began munching on it.

Twilight narrowed her eyes a bit at Pinkie's behaviour, but she turned her head to face Applejack. "Just do your best, Applejack."

"Ah'll do better than my best!" Applejack answered confidently.

"And you make sure she gets the best support, Bond."

"I will try my best, Twilight." I replied.

"The train to Canterlot is about to leave! All aboard who's coming aboard!" We suddenly heard.

"Guess that means us." Applejack told us.

"Seeya both later!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, excusing Applejack to board the train.

"With lots of new blue ribbons!" Applebloom promoted.

"And lots of money!" The mayor highly emphasized again.

"Darn tootin'!" She entered the train, which began moving. We ran by the train, staying with her as much as we could. "See y'all by sundown, with a big bag full of blue ribbons!"

Every one of then released an assortment of byes.

"And drink sarsaparilla!" Pinkie Pie added last, which made me and Applejack feel confused.

We settled down on the train ride and I was curious to know all about the rodeo and what did they mean by blue ribbons.

"So if I may ask, Applejack, what is the rodeo about...is it similar to the stuff you and Dash did way back at the running of the leaves event?"

"It kinda is, partner. There are plenty of events that you might be familiar with."

"I see and what is the meaning of a blue ribbon?"

"A blue ribbon is the top prize in a rodeo event, after that red is second, green is third, purple is fourth and pink is fifth place."

"So the aim is to do well enough to be in the top five in order to win a ribbon in every event?"

"That's right."

"Well, I'm sure you're gonna do terrific in each and every one."

"Ah hope so, ah gotta do my very best so ah don't come back home empty-hoofed as well as winning the prize money to repair the broken roof on the Town Hall."

"I can tell, but don't set your expectations too high, always remember that even if you don't do well as you hope, don't let that stop you from reminding yourself on what's truly important to you."

"Thanks sugarcube." Applejack then gave me a hug which I accepted of course.

Soon, things were quiet as we travelled along to Canterlot and before we knew it, we were pulling into Canterlot Station. As we got off the train and on the platform, we noticed a mare with a cherry mane holding up a sign with Applejack's name on it.

"Looks like somepony knows you were coming here." I said.

"Why of course, it's Cherry Jubilee." Applejack replied with a big smile.

"Well if it isn't Applejack, howdy to you and who's this wonderful stallion?" Cherry asked.

"Why this is Bond Racer, just a normal everyday alicorn who's here to give me support today."

"Well howdy there Bond, glad to see Applejack has a friend to come along with, cause a lot of other ponies are taking part in the rodeo this year and each other pony will be getting support too."

We then walked out of the station and out into the fields of Canterlot, we then looked ahead to see a small blue stadium with banners that have horseshoes. This must be the place where they do the rodeo show.

"Looks like we're here already." I commented.

"Well, you better go find yourself a seat among the crowd benches and get comfy." Cherry suggested, "It's gonna be a long day of events."

"Alrighty then...good luck with the events, Applejack." I said to Applejack, giving her a quick hug.

"Thanks sugarcube, here ah go." she replied as she went through the gate entrance whilst Cherry and I walked through the arch door leading to the benches around the stadium.

We picked a good row to watch all the action and so that she could see us cheering for her.

"Attention all everypony, the rodeo show will start in five minutes!" a voice commentator announced.

"So Bond, is this your first time at a rodeo?" Cherry asked.

"Actually, it isn't. I was at one before, but that was back at Sweet Apple Acres, it's a funny story though." I answered.

"Ah bet it is, either way, ah can say that you will have fun at this rodeo, all the ponies taking part will be doing their best to keep the crowd wild and cheering and ah like to cheer loud so ah'm just warning ya now."

"Okay, thanks for the warning."

"Mares and gentlecolts, welcome to the first event of the Equestria Rodeo Show!" the voice commentator said, "Our first event as the haystack toss and here come the 10 ponies who will be taking part of today's show!"

"Look, there's Applejack, she's wearing the number 6 on her sides." Cherry exclaimed.

"Ah yes, I can see her too." I added.

The first event was then underway, Applejack wasted no time in starting. After a while, the haystack toss event was over and Applejack won second place and was awarded the red ribbon, which was a great start I thought.

The second event was the horseshoe throw and as much as she tried, she won a green ribbon which was still good. I still hoped that she would win a blue ribbon at least once today. Third up was the barrel slalom and she won a red ribbon...several other events followed from high jumps to hurdles around the track, she carried on winning a lot of medals, but not one of them was blue. When the final event concluded with the 200 meters run, she won one last red ribbon of the day and that was it for the rodeo show.

When it was over, Cherry and I left the stadium and waited outside to congratulate Applejack on her impressive list of ribbons, but I did wonder if she felt alright, when she came out of the gate, we walked on over to her, she had a pair of saddle bags full of ribbons, but she didn't seem to be happy.

"What's wrong Applejack, you won a fine number of ribbons, like we knew you would." Cherry said.

"Well as you can both see, there's every colour of ribbon down there. Every colour...but...blue." she paused as she sat down, feeling a little sad, "Ah came in fourth, third, even second, but I didn't win one first prize, and ah certainly didn't win any prize money. After that big old send off Ponyville gave me earlier, ah wanted to come back a winner, not a failure."

"Applejack, you're not a failure and if the other girls were here, they would tell you the same thing and we're your best and closest friends." I assured her.

"So, you're not upset, or disappointed?"

"Nope." I said with a smile.

"But what about the mayor? Ah don't think ah can face her and tell her ah didn't get that money to fix the broken roof."

"Oh ah'm sure you folks will find another way to solve that problem. Anyways, the sun is setting right now, so ah better get going." Cherry said.

"Okay, nice to meet you, Cherry." I said.

"And ah feel the same, see you soon, Applejack." Cherry waved and then left as she boarded a train.

"Just out of interest Applejack, where does that train go to?" I asked her.

"Dodge Junction, it's where she lives, it's like Appleloosa but it's further away than that."

"I see, now back to the money issue. Cherry is right, there will be another way to repair that roof and I think we should go home and tell the others about it. Don't you worry, I'll be right at your side, I promise."

Applejack then smiled at me, "Thank you Bond, you're a real close friend." she replied giving me a hug.

We got on board another train that would take us back to Ponyville and as we finally relaxed on the train leaving Canterlot, Applejack had something she wanted to tell me. "Bond, mind if you take a letter?" She asked.

"Of course not, Applejack." I answered, taking out a quill and scroll I made appear by my magic.

She smiled and looked out the window as she spoke. "Dear Princess Celestia, it's a tad easier to be proud when you come in first than it is when you finish further back. But there's no reason to hide when you don't do as well as you'd hoped. You can't run away from your problems. Better to run to your friends and family."

"Excellent." I commented and rolled the scroll up for when later on, I can give it to Twilight.

When the train arrived at Ponyville, we saw her apple family and the Mayor waiting for her and she got a group hug as she boarded off the train, I followed shortly as we got off the platform.

"Alright everypony, ah won a mighty number of ribbons except blue, so ah didn't win any prize money." she sighed.

"That's alright Applejack." the Mayor assured, "Not to worry, we can fix the roof another way."

The Mayor then began walking away. Applejack's family also began walking back to the farm. Before Applejack began leaving with them, she turned to face me and smiled.

"Thanks again sugarcube, the other girls might not say it, but our lives would not be the same without you being here for all of us."

"It's alright Applejack, I would do the same thing for all of you because you're my closet friends and I care so much for all of you."

We shared one more hug before she went off with her family to the farm whilst I made a walk to Twilight's library and by then, it was the beginning of the evening. I knocked on her door and Twilight opened it.

"Oh Bond, you're back, how was the rodeo?" Twilight asked.

"It was really great, Applejack won a huge amount of ribbons and she learnt a valuable lesson, so I have this." I replied, showing her a scroll.

"Great, I'll make sure Spike sends it to the princess, have a good night."

"You too."

She then closed the door with a smile and I walked back home. Getting inside, I took off my clothes and walked on over to my bed. I thought about what Applejack said in her lesson report and I had to agree. I sometimes had a case of not doing as well as I wanted to, but I always have my friends to give me support and get me back up. Which reminded me as I got to sleep, how long is Trixie's vacation? It's been a while and I'm really beginning to miss her, I hope she comes back soon... Next Chapter: The DJ Cousins Estimated time remaining: 19 Hours, 24 Minutes