Hey guys!
You know that contest theme Tcher was trying to figure out? Do ya?
Well, he found one!
And it's great! It-
Pinkie! We agreed to share the announcement, remember!
Awww, but I wanted to say it!
That isn't fair to the others!
Fine...
Thank you.
Thhbhhbhtht!

Is it finally my turn?
Yes! Go ahead!
Thank you, dear.
The theme of this contest is another subversion!
All about... competition!
How often have you seen people who don't like AppleDash say they can't work out because they 'constantly compete'?
Which is a silly notion, truly.
Your job is to show how it can bring out the best in them!
Your turn, Fluttershy!
Oh! Um.
Well, the rules of the contest are the same as past ones, which you'll find below and in the thread.
We also have prizes!
First place will get one 3d printed figurine of their choosing, up to 65$ worth, from http://www.superfanart.com/! (like that Applejack, Rarity, Dash)
Second and third place will get a drawing from Rangelost!
Thanks, girls!
If you're not sure what is meant by the theme, or think it's simply too close to Fall Weather Friends, the awesome bookplayer gave these following examples to explain.
They're free to use, but if you do choose one, please tell us!

The idea of the prompt being "competition" is that it's a prompt. It's something that would come up a lot in their relationship in various ways, and could bring out the best OR worst in them as a couple. What exactly it does if for the writer to decide. For example, any of these could be stories that would fit the prompt:

AJ has started assigning Dash and other ponies "scores" for things, seemingly at random. Dash seems to be winning, but starts going crazy trying to figure out what she's winning, until AJ reveals that she's rating Dash's marefriend potential and would like to go out with her.

Dash and AJ are dating, and play some kind of "Newly-Wed Game" style thing at a festival (where they have to answer questions about each other). They both miss a bunch of questions, and spend the rest of the day fighting over who lost it. Eventually it becomes obvious that even if they don't remember trivia, they know exactly how the other will react and what's important to each other.

Another already together story-- AJ goes back to the Canterlot rodeo, and does much better this time. Dash is there, and thinks that AJ should focus less on the farm because it's obvious that AJ could be a world champion rodeo pony if she focused on it. The conflict comes from the differences in how they see competition and how important it is to them.

AJ and Dash are playing "The Quiet Game," and Dash writes AJ a note asking her out or otherwise coming on to her as a trick to get AJ to talk. AJ agrees by note, Dash is shocked and writes a note back asking if she's serious, and they admit their feelings and make plans for a first date through notes while sitting right next to each other because neither of them is willing to lose the game.

None of those sounds anything like Fall Weather Friends to me!

That's all, folks! The contest will start on the first of august, and will laust until the first of October. Since that is a long time, we won't have extensions this time! Two months and that's it!
RD?
AJ?
This is gonna be great!
I know!

Rules and information:

Write a fic, minimum 5k words, about the theme of 'competition'. The two can compete against each other, or against somepony else, or may compete for some 'thing'. The aim is to subvert the idea that AJ and Dash are bad for each other, because they 'constantly compete'. Flip that idea on its head!

No clop, no humanized, no humans in Equestria, or anthro. Other tags are fair game.

All valid entries will be listed in blog posts by myself at the time the winners are announced.

Entries can be made by PMing me or other judges, or posting the link in this thread with the text “contest entry” somewhere around it.

The deadline is October 1st, 2014. This time, we won't have any extensions! You get your two months and that's it :P

If you have questions about the "originality" of your idea, and would like to check before writing, you can PM Tchernobog, KrazyTheFox, Autumn Rush, or Timaeus.

Also, the main socializing thread in the AppleDash group is home to lots of brainstorming, including some by the judges. Everyone is welcome to read and respond there.

Nah, I'm not gonna be involved in this one. TWilightUCrazy and I are already working on an AppleDash story together we hope to post soon anyway.

3496721

Nah, I'm not gonna be involved in this one. TWilightUCrazy and I are already working on an AppleDash story together we hope to post soon anyway.

7/31/2014 17:18

Soon is a registered trademark of the Blizzard Entertainment Inc.

3496752
Umm...ok

On your mark... get set... WRITE!

Also, it's too bad anthro isn't allowed. I was just beginning to see how much hands can contribute to a story.

3496908
While they can contribute, it's... not really pony, at that point. Kinda takes away from the fic at that point. And practically a stone's throw away from humans, which makes it not pony at all!

Still! Eager to see what people come up with. Book's ideas alone area already fantastic.

3496721
take all the fun out of it why don't you

Contest time! It's CONTEST TIME!!!

Good luck everybody!

Like I said in Tcherno's blog, good luck to the participants. I'm not in this: no time, not feeling to be prepared and no enough inspiration.

Brain: But what about the wrestling story you're writing?

First, there's no way that I could finish it before 1st October. I know myself.

Second, I published the story before 1st August so, I guess, I can's submit it to the contest.

And third, the story don't have any romance.

AJ and Dash's friendly rivalry is actually something that I think can really work wonderfully in AppleDash. I can't to read the entries!

3499538
Or participate! :3

3499606
I'm afraid not.
I'm really not very good at writing, or creative stuff in general. I highly doubt I could actually write 5000 words, let alone inside the deadline. Besides, I'm currently in the process of (attempting to) write an unrelated AppleDash one-shot, which will hopefully be my first piece of fiction I can look back on without cringing in shame (I still remember some of the abominations I ended up having to write as homework... ).

3496686

After being released from the hospital following a debilitating illness of the heart, Applejack returns home. Though her surgery was successful and her body has healed, the weakness, pain and exhaustion have left her a defeated and broken mare. She is a mere shadow of the great, dependable pony she once embodied.

There is one mare, however, who is not willing to sit on the sidelines and watch her friend destroy herself. Rainbow Dash has never been a patient pony, and is determined to help reignite her friend's dampened spirits by whatever means necessary. But the heart never heals quickly, and she may have her own wounds to wrestle with along the way.

3499790
No.
Why.
I want to write this now.

3499790

3499831

3499790
3499831
Damn the two of you. Twi for having the idea and bahatumay for be willing to write it. I can't do any of those things now.

I'll read it when it's ready, of course.

3499902
Willing and able are two different things. Try it anyway.

Yay, something else to procrastinate on!

3500257

3499790

Woohoo someone is finally writing a story about the destruction of Sweet Apple Acres.

3496686 Man I would love to participate in this 'cause Appledash is my OTP... but the two months it's on are my two busiest months

Yay! Another Appledash contest, which usually results in more appledash stories to read. The general idea for this contest seems interesting as well. I'm pretty excited to see what stories come out of this.

3501296
Unfinished entries count too! We've had some win podium spots (even first place) in previous contests if they're impressive enough. So no reason no to at least get started! :D

3502670 thanks mate, maybe i will give it a go then Appledash has always been my OTP and it's given me so much joy it's time for me to give back to the best ship ever

3499831

Ah, you thought it was up for adoption, huh?

3502766
I just said I want to write it. It's been added to my list of a good twelve other stories I want to write but haven't been able to finish yet.

3502777

3502792

3502792

You and your whipping. Some might be so bold as to call it an unhealthy obsession. You might want to see somebody about it.

3502792

To all of you, I second this!

Write! Type! Do what you MUST!

Aw, it really stinks that this and the FlutterDash group contest are taking place at the exact same time. Guess I'm just not writing anything for this one.

3503316
Nuuuuu!

But your stuff is always great! Reconsideeeer D:

3503316
3503385

You know you waaaaant to!

- You MUST!

3503316
3504017

Excellent prompt. I'm gonna see if I can come up with anything for it.

3504233
Huzzah!

3503385
This is why I swear you shipping groups need to start coordinating these sorts of things.

3504937 I'm with him. It will be better for a lot of people and give the writers time to organize, to think, etc, etc.

3505541

Considering how long these things usually run I am not sure if it would be feasible. I instead suggest chains and a web cam with an automated whipping arm be applied to every writer.

3505551 With a schedule between the shpping groups, I think that we could have a different contest for a different shipping every two months.

3504937
3505541
3505551
Considering there's fifteen potential ships between just the mane 6 alone...if we gave 2 months for each, we'd need over two years to go through all of them :P

3505708 Yeah, I'm counting with that

3504937
3505708
I blame the ISD. Clearly we with the marble statues should be coordinating such efforts, but nooo.

I actually knew about the FlutterDash contest well in advance (it had been planned since early July in the ISD Skype) though, alas, I think Krazy is the only one of the judges for this contest who is a regular feature in that skype.

I also blame group announcements; the FlutterDash contest likely would have started weeks ago, but it was postponed to start when it did because they wanted to get it into the group announcements for August to get a bigger volume of participants. I would be unsurprised if the AppleDash group was not thinking similar things for this.

Of course, I, being a judge in the other contest cannot participate there, so clearly I should participate here... except that the best competition fic for these two has, alas, already been written.

Though if I do come up with an idea perhaps I shall throw my hat in. We shall see.

I contemplated making a contests group for tracking stuff like this, but I've never actually done it.

3507005

Of course, I, being a judge in the other contest cannot participate there, so clearly I should participate here... except that the best competition fic for these two has, alas, already been written.

Aw, thanks!

I know there isn't really anything that can be done about it. It just stinks that they were both announced almost at the same time. And it especially stinks to not be able enter the AppleDash one, because I have something of an affinity for AppleDash (and also a title to defend).

3507071
So defend that title, fool!

3507005
I'd be interested to see what you write. And yes, I've already sent in something for the august group announcements

3507096
Hey, no stealing our contestants!

Especially the good ones.

As far as "what I write"... well, I've written two AppleDash stories so far, both unpublished. One of them lost the AppleDash entirely (because I realized that the underlying premise was more interesting and the AppleDash was, alas, a distraction from what really mattered in the story), the other one I'm debating whether or not I want to keep the shipping in it or not, as it has pacing issues and while I like the idea behind the AppleDashery in it, I'm not sure if it fits into the part of the story I definitely want to preserve. Then again, I do like it, so maybe I can. We shall see.

3507115 He's been a contestant in the past, and a very good one! I want him too!

I eagerly await AppleDash from you though, be it for the contest or not!

AJ and Dash are playing "The Quiet Game," and Dash writes AJ a note asking her out or otherwise coming on to her as a trick to get AJ to talk. AJ agrees by note, Dash is shocked and writes a note back asking if she's serious, and they admit their feelings and make plans for a first date through notes while sitting right next to each other because neither of them is willing to lose the game.

This prompt has been taken!

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

3507325

So why doesn't the first pony to write a note lose on account of the noise they make?