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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
300–600
Nemeses
Short, staggered breaths echoed through Dash's home as she continued to push herself. She made sure to call out her progress; it made her feel like someone was there watching and keeping track. “Ninety-two, ninety-three, ninety-four...” With each count, she lowered and raised her body with her front hooves, sweat dripping down onto the floor. It would have been easy to give in and use her wings to keep going, but she knew that wouldn't help her now. AJ would want no wings again this year.
Dash's legs and back shook as she neared her limit. “Ninety-eight... ninety-nine...” She stalled with her legs fully stretched. One more, she told herself, staring down at the floor. You can do one more. You can do two more! You have to keep going. AJ would keep going!
She lowered her body and tried to quickly push back up in an attempt to finish quickly, but her legs locked up. With a yelp of pain, she fell down onto the floor. Sweating and exhausted, she tried to get back on her hooves between jagged breaths, hearing Applejack in her thoughts. “Stop lazin' about there, Dash. You still got work to do if you wanna keep up!” AJ didn't sound right in Dash's head, but she had to do her best to imitate her voice when she needed it. It sounded like she was running away ahead of her.
“I'm not being lazy,” Dash grumbled as she finally managed to get back up, her forelegs still aching. She started to take off into the air, but stopped a few inches in the air and settled back down onto the floor. With a wince of pain, she walked into the kitchen. Stretching with each movement, she pulled a glass of juice from the fridge and sat down at the nearby table.
Taking small sips of juice, she looked at a calender posted on the wall in front of her. Half of the month's days were already crossed out, with a day towards the end circled in red. Next to it was a picture of Applejack with the word “nemesis” written underneath. She used to think that word was so negative when she heard it used in stories. That it was two enemies destined to destroy one another.
It only took Applejack to change her view of that. It was someone to keep you going, to keep you running, to make you make yourself better. It was something basic that was underneath all the negativity. It was a tool, and it needed a use to make it good or bad. Dash used her to be better, so that Applejack would try harder too. She knew she felt the same, that they needed each other.
Dash finished her glass and got up from the table, marking another day off from the calender. She looked closely at Applejack's picture, “Another day closer to the showdown, when they'll see what we are for each other, my nemesis. I hope you're not getting comfortable yet. I know I'm not.” With a smile, Dash trotted back into her workout room. The ache in her legs had vanished as she gained a renewed sense of vigor.
Dash's legs and back shook as she neared her limit. “Ninety-eight... ninety-nine...” She stalled with her legs fully stretched. One more, she told herself, staring down at the floor. You can do one more. You can do two more! You have to keep going. AJ would keep going!
She lowered her body and tried to quickly push back up in an attempt to finish quickly, but her legs locked up. With a yelp of pain, she fell down onto the floor. Sweating and exhausted, she tried to get back on her hooves between jagged breaths, hearing Applejack in her thoughts. “Stop lazin' about there, Dash. You still got work to do if you wanna keep up!” AJ didn't sound right in Dash's head, but she had to do her best to imitate her voice when she needed it. It sounded like she was running away ahead of her.
“I'm not being lazy,” Dash grumbled as she finally managed to get back up, her forelegs still aching. She started to take off into the air, but stopped a few inches in the air and settled back down onto the floor. With a wince of pain, she walked into the kitchen. Stretching with each movement, she pulled a glass of juice from the fridge and sat down at the nearby table.
Taking small sips of juice, she looked at a calender posted on the wall in front of her. Half of the month's days were already crossed out, with a day towards the end circled in red. Next to it was a picture of Applejack with the word “nemesis” written underneath. She used to think that word was so negative when she heard it used in stories. That it was two enemies destined to destroy one another.
It only took Applejack to change her view of that. It was someone to keep you going, to keep you running, to make you make yourself better. It was something basic that was underneath all the negativity. It was a tool, and it needed a use to make it good or bad. Dash used her to be better, so that Applejack would try harder too. She knew she felt the same, that they needed each other.
Dash finished her glass and got up from the table, marking another day off from the calender. She looked closely at Applejack's picture, “Another day closer to the showdown, when they'll see what we are for each other, my nemesis. I hope you're not getting comfortable yet. I know I'm not.” With a smile, Dash trotted back into her workout room. The ache in her legs had vanished as she gained a renewed sense of vigor.