Fall Weather Friends

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

- Applejack

Fall Weather Friends is the thirteenth episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, season one. In this episode, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's sportsmareship are put to the test as they face off in an Iron Pony competition to see who is the better athlete.

Summary
During a routine game of Horseshoes, Applejack had bested Rainbow Dash by a ringer (when the inside of a horseshoe spins around the pin). While the farm pony assures her that it was all in good fun, the pegasus was rarely used to losing. She decided to challenge her friend to an Iron Pony competition, a set of events where their athletic skills are put to the test. Twilight Sparkle was picked as the judge of the casual competition while Spike played announcer and Fluttershy with score tally.

In the first event, a short Barrel Run, Applejack made it through by 22 seconds (including a 5-second penalty for bumping into one of the barrels). Dash was able to brush through flawlessly by 18 seconds, earning one point. In the Strength Test, Dash hit the bell at the top. However, Applejack completely destroyed it thanks to her years of Applebucking, earning her the victory point. Spike ended up being a "volunteer" for Bronco Buck and Calf Roping, in which Dash and Applejack respectively won each. Halfway through the competition, both fillies were tied 5-5, and most of Ponyville eventually joined in spectating the two mares.

Applejack was willing to remain a good sport, but that didn't last long. Refusing to lose, Dash started winning more events using her pegasus wings to her advantage. In the decisive event, Tug-o-War, Dash flew up and tricked a persistent Applejack into letting go of the rope, falling into the mud below. With a staggering 15-5, Rainbow Dash "won" the competition. AJ wasn't impressed, and she called out her friend for cheating via flying. Dash brought up the fact that she never said to not use her wings, but AJ responded that she shouldn't have to. It was at this point that the farm pony challenged her to take part in the annual Running of the Leaves, under the condition that she does not use her wings at anytime; No flying, no hovering, no gliding, nothing! Just an old fashion race to the finish would decide the true winner. Eager to taste victory again, the pegasus accepted the terms, and a rivalry was formed.

The aforementioned event featured a select group of ponies to run in a marathon race across certain parts of Equestria that, according to Pinkie Pie as the announcer, helps the Autumn leaves to fall. Pinkie invited Spike to join her in color commentating the event. As all the racers gathered, AJ made sure Dash kept good on her promise... by tying her wings up like a "trussed turkey".

To their surprise and amusement, Twilight decided to join in the festivities, giving them the opportunity to mock their "egghead" friend, especially considering she had never been in a race before, but instead read on the subject.

The marathon was soon underway and Dash and Applejack were already out in front, determine to win once and for all. Although she struggled, Dash began to pick up the pace. They were neck and neck before AJ tripped over a rock, accusing her rival of doing the tripping. With the exception of Twilight, who was casually strolling behind and enjoying the scenery, the rest of the ponies rushed past her. The farm filly managed to make it back in front later, eventually passing Dash once more. This time, the grounded pegasus tripped over a stump and fell second-to-last next to the unicorn. Too stubborn to believe her apple-rustling friend would never stoop to such acts, she decided to play dirty.

Catching up to AJ, the two used the environment of Whitetail Wood to their advantage, from branches, to bees, to tree syrup. Along the way, Dash flipped a sign, redirecting the path, and causing AJ to dead-end up a nearby mountain. She asked Pinkie and Spike to carry her back into the race.

As they approached the home stretch, the farm pony and pegasus fought harder than before to finish first. AJ accidentally undid Dash's ropes, allowing her to break her promise at the last second and fly towards the end. Applejack intercepted her before they both crossed the finish line at the same time. To their shock however, their constant clash had caused them to fall behind and tie for dead last. Even more shocking was Twilight, who had only paced herself throughout the race, before going all-out when most of the racers were worn out. She only finished in 5th place, but she did technically beat the two rivals who had made fun of her at the start. Overall, it was a good effort for a first-time racer.

As Dash and AJ felt sorry for their own embarrassingly poor sportsmanship, they met with Princess Celestia, who was watching the entire event as Fall was one of her favorite seasons. She forgave them for their antics, justifying the fact that anypony can get swept up in the competitive spirit, but also pointed out that they missed some of the leaf-laden trees because of it. Realizing that friendship is more important than any competition, the two last place racers ran off together to finish with the rest of the trees.

Major Events

 * The first Iron Pony Competition is held with Rainbow Dash winning.
 * Twilight Sparkle got 5th place in the Running of the Leaves.

Quotes

 * Applejack (To Rainbow Dash): You're a mighty good athlete... I'm just better.


 * Rainbow Dash: What?! You're not an athlete, you're a... well... you're an egghead.
 * Twilight Sparkle: I am not an egghead! I am "well-read".
 * Rainbow Dash: (singsong) Egghead...


 * Applejack: (snickers) But... have you ever run a race?
 * Twilight Sparkle: Well, no. But I do know a lot about running.
 * Rainbow Dash: And you know this from...
 * Twilight Sparkle: Books. I read several on the subject.
 * Rainbow Dash: (falls down laughing) What did you read... the Egghead's Guide to Running? Did you stretch up your... eye muscles to warm up? HA HA HA HA! Get it? "Eye muscles"!


 * Pinkie Pie: 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.
 * Spike: Why... yes, Pinkie! It's the running of the ponies, that causes the leaves to fall.
 * Pinkie Pie: Urgh... Those lazy, lazy leaves.


 * Spike: You know Pinkie, these two ponies have a bit of a grudge match they're trying to settle, trying to prove who's the most athletic.
 * Pinkie Pie: Yes, and "grudge" rhymes with "fudge".
 * Spike: Yes it... does? Wha?
 * Pinkie Pie: And I like "fudge", but if I eat too much "fudge" I get a "pudge" and then I can't "budge".
 * Spike: So, no fudge?
 * Pinkie Pie: No thanks, I had a big breakfast.


 * Applejack: Not so easy without wings, is it?
 * Rainbow Dash (To herself): Come on, Rainbow. Show 'em a little "dash"!


 * Spike: I don't believe it! After a huge setback, Applejack is back at the front of the pack!
 * Pinkie Pie: She's the head of the pack, all right. 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: Oookay... Let's get back to the race.


 * Twilight Sparkle: Remember, Rainbow. This is just a game.
 * Rainbow Dash (To herself): Yes. But the rules have changed. And two can play at that game.


 * Spike: And Spike. Looks like Rainbow is doing her best to catch up.
 * Pinkie Pie: I'm not sure how ketchup is going to help at this contest. Now, in a hot dog eating contest it can make them dogs nice and slippery. But personally, I prefer mustard. How about you, Spike?
 * Spike: Uh... I like... pickles?
 * Pinkie Pie: Aaand it looks like Applejack has found herself in quite a 'pickle' as Rainbow overtakes her.


 * Twilight Sparkle: Oh my! Wildtale Wood is just lovely! Hey, Rainbow! Shouldn't you be up ahead?
 * Rainbow Dash: Heh heh heh. I'm sure I'll win now.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Except that the other racers just passed you.
 * Rainbow Dash: Oh horse apples! See ya!


 * Pinkie Pie: I must say, Spike, that this has been the most interesting Running of the Leaves in Equestria history!
 * Spike (under his breath): With the most interesting announcing...


 * Twilight Sparkle: (Passes by) Forgive me, girls. I know I'm not an athlete, but shouldn't the Running of the Leave actually involve running?
 * Rainbow Dash: You know, I think Twilight's right.
 * Applejack: You do?
 * Rainbow Dash: Yeah! If you wanna beat me, you better... (runs off) RUUUN!


 * Rainbow Dash : Look Maa, no wings!

Trivia

 * The episode title is a pun on the phrase fair weather friends, which references people who are only your friend when they need you (when weather is 'fair') and will abandon you otherwise. The episode strives to prove that Applejack and Rainbow Dash are anything but.
 * This episode depicts the end of fall in Equestria, two episodes after the end of winter seen in Winter Wrap Up. This implies that either most of another year passed in that time, or the episodes are not in strict chronological order.
 * Twilight Sparkle's race number, 42, is a reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy multimedia science-fiction comedy series. The number 42 is described as being the answer to the "Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything." (The Question itself is never revealed.) Since the debut of the series in 1978, the number has become an in-joke signifier for nerds, geeks, and (in pony cases) eggheads of all stripes. Rainbow Dash's mention of the Egghead's Guide to Running refers to the guide, as well as the Complete Idiot's Guide series of books.
 * During the first scene, when Applejack and Rainbow Dash are playing horseshoes, Applejack's first horseshoe is thrown farther away from the peg than Rainbow Dash's. However, for a brief moment at about 0:47, the positions of the first horseshoes are switched.
 * The term "horse apples", uttered by Rainbow Dash when she finds herself behind everyone else in the race, is an old euphimism for horse excrement.
 * This is the fourth episode in which Fluttershy has no speaking role. The three others were Boast Busters, Look Before You Sleep, and Call of the cutie.
 * This episode, along with Applebuck Season and A Bird in the Hoof, had hinted that Equestria's ponies may have omnivorous tendencies, making them more human-like than horse-like. In the case of Fall Weather Friends, Pinkie Pie, in the middle of her announcing job, randomly mentions to Spike about a hot-dog eating contest, and how ketchup "can make them doggies nice and slippery, but personally [ she prefers ] mustard." These hints may be accidents on the part of the production staff, as meat should not be part of the ponies' diet.
 * In the scene where Rainbow Dash trips and is trampled. One of the ponies in the back of the stampede is actually another Rainbow Dash.