Post by Derpy on Jun 4, 2012 3:29:03 GMT -5
Day 4: Is big rodeo finish!! Barrel race. Was going to do bareback riding--will have to assume and imagine!
Some OOC content included where relevant or amusing.
#=#=#=#=#=# PONYVILLE SQUARE #=#=#=#=#=#
It's clear that something's going down in town square today! The normally bucolic heart of Ponyville is a lot dustier than normal, for one thing. Did they import dust from Appleoosa? There's a big arena taking up most of the formerly grassy space between the Town Hall and the surrounding buildings. It's walled off with wooden plank fences, with big corner posts and ropes adding magnitude and various waving banners and pennants adding decoration. Rows of bleachers six levels high surround the arena.
Meanwhile, vendors nopony in town remembers ever seeing before have taken up the circuit in the marketplace and all the way to the stream. The atmosphere is more rollicking than usual by far, and there seem to be an inordinate number of big, broad-rimmed hats and immaculate white vests, not to mention the occasional lapel flower. And the arena itself is scattered with crates, barrels, coiled ropes, metal trappings, reins, signboards, and other dusty miscellany.
Do you know what this is? The Equestria Rodeo Competition is being held in Ponyville this year--that's what it is! Are -you- on the roster?
]
[ Players: EconomistBrony(#43PWBC), Starfire(#686PB), Inkwell(#235PB), ]
[ Chalice_Flame(#858PBC), Pumpkin_Seed(#272PBC), ]
[ Applejack(#206PBC), Scope(#265PBC), Barnstormer(#562PBC), ]
[ Apple_Bloom(#438PBC), Sky_Blue(#398PBC), Big_Mac(#852PBC), ]
[ Fluttershy(#208PBC) ]
PUB >> Derpy swings rhymthically in a hammock dangling from the announcer's booth. "Zzzzzz," she sings, eyes closed.
Barnstormer does, indeed, follow Mac over. She chuckles a bit at the teasing tone the male takes. "Hey," she offers as she's introduced as a cheering section. She grins. "Ah, friend of a friend," she tells AJ before going quiet a moment. She does give the mouthy stallion a look, brow quirking with a bit of amusement that's followed by a roll of her eyes.
Applejack's ears reflexively pull back at that familiar, ever repugnant drawl, but this time she doesn't have any haughty reply to shoot back -- though from the look on her face, she's about to say something mighty -unpleasant- to Gunstar in reply. Just as she's opening her mouth to do so, however, Big Mac's hardy greeting puts her concentration on bracing herself so as to not get knocked over by the big stallion. At his question, her ears swivel, and it's with difficulty that she meets her brother's gaze, her big green eyes full of worry, and a touch of shame. "Ah'm...." Nervous hoofscuff. "..as ready as ah'll ever be. Thanks for cheerin' me on, y'all." She wraps a foreleg around her bro in a quick hug, then tips her hat to Barnstormer with as much of a smile as she can manage. A quick, anxious glance is given up into the stands before AJ turns her attention to the arena, pretending to study the lay of the course while her stomach flips like a doughnut in a fryer.
Gunstar may notice if he's being sketched-- certainly, his ego is enough to make him think the attention is on him, and he strikes a pose, chest out, teeth glittering, as two of his entourage zip in out of nowhere in a dusty cloud and display his impressive set of blue ribbons alongside him. He quirks an eyebrow and gives the stands a broad wink, especially his own cheering section, and trots over to the line of barrels along one side of the arena. He give Applejack a smug look, and jets a brown plume of Prickly Pear Chaw into the everpresent spittoon. How the heck does that spittoon keep finding him? "PONIES! To your marks!" squawks Inkwell into the microphone, sending pigeons fleeing into the distance and making back teeth ache all across the area.
"You look as if you have a touch of anxiety," Barnstormer says to Apple Jack. "Ah, just relax," she offers, "And remember why you're in the games. I bet it's to have fun." She smiles, "Once you remember that it's easier to let all the other stuff go." She looks to Big Mac and then back to Apple Jack, "Ah, not that you need me to tell you all that. We'll be cheering for you."
Derpy shakes the hammock under the announcer's booth and she tosses and turns in a fitful sleep. And then? She wakes up. "NOooOO!"
Inkwell is in the announcer's booth when a pegasus wakes up under her. She spills her coffee, the cup dropping from an awkward magic aura. "NOooOO!" o.O
Derpy's head and hammock both are splattered by the coffee. "NOoOOoO0OOO!!" she repeats, flapping her wings as if to dry her soaked yellow-brown mane.
<OOC> Barnstormer says, "And everypony in the audience is wondering why the announcers are yelling NOOOO"
Inkwell has! No! Coffee! And it's not good etiquette to try and suck if from another mare's mane! Without knowing her first. "NOoOOoO0OO()()0" Yeah, the audience is staring.
Big_Mac smiles as AppleJack returns a snug to her brother, showing that she's not quite gone yet, at least in spirit anyway. He's seen her pretty much broken before, and distant is definitely an understatement for her behavior, though, he's sure her friends helped her learn that lesson last time. "Y'all do fine, ' kin tell. B'sides, won't mean we think any less of 'yeh to boot." he encourages, making sure she remembers she's loved regardless of what happens. He tips his head as she thanks him for the encouragement and winks to Barn "Even mah new friend 'ere knows a good sport when she sees one... just have fun, as she said... thats when 'yer at your best... and pretend that oaf dun exist while 'yer at it." he adds, motioning to Gunstar and gives AppleJack another pat on the back as she zones in, leaving her to focus on the task at hand for now. He shifts himself out of earshot from APpleJack, though its doubtful with her concentration taht she'd hear regardless and whispers to Barn "She's far too hard on 'erself
... 'erself sometimes... but, that determination 'gotta come from somewhere." he says as he watches his sister, almost able to hear her thoughts, as it were.
<OOC> Derpy peeks up behind the parenthentical O's in Inkwell's shout, her eyes peeping through. Blink blink!
<OOC> Inkwell NoOOooo96ooOO!
Derpy shakes her head, spewing droplets of coffee everywhere, and surveys the field. Hastily she grabs her microphone from where it dangles by a thread. "Lilly and fentlecolt!" she announces. "Is barrel rushing time??"
Chalice_Flame flips another page in her sketchpad quickly trying to capture the scene of the spilled coffee on another pony's head while she laughs softly at the scene.
An eartilt and nod are given to Barnstormer. "Thanks. Ah'm tryin'. Ah really am. It's... well, it's been a rough few days, is all.." That's not really 'all' at all, but AJ doesn't have much time to explain, just now. As she's called to the starting line she trots over to take her place next to Gunstar, shooting a suspicious look from under the brim of her hat at the ostentatious stallion. Once again she looks very tempted to say something, but seems to think better of it, instead gearing herself up. She tenses, lowering her head and scuffing her hooves, as she waits for the starting whistle. The course laid out ahead of them is a number of barrels, set up at intervals and numbered. From the starting line, the competitors must zigzag through the course, making sharp turns around each barrel -- the sharper the turns, the faster the speeds! This particular barrel course has a few other obstacles, as well, including a number of hurdles, and a broad mud pit with barrels spaced widely apart in it as crossing platforms.
"Good luck," Says Barnstormer. She's said her piece to her friendofafriend and looks to Mac, "Shall we take our seats?" she asks with a smile. "I bet you can get the crowd up and cheering can't you?" she suggests and smiles brightly. "Let's go cheer your sister on, Big Red," she tells him.
Inkwell wait'a'minute, she's supposed to be announcing this event! Who's this other mare!? Is, is... that her mailmare? o.O There's a brief scuffle which ends when a fresh cup of steaming java is placed within reach of her horn's magic. Well. Ok, then. Carry on. "What my, uh, colleague is saying is, are all the participants ready?" That is what Derpy is saying, right? Inkwell sure hopes so, or this could get embarrassing. Gunstar gets a hoof atop the starting line and pulls his hat low with the other one. There's a glint in his eye that *pings* dangerously. Inkwell eyes the line up from the announcer's booth. "On your mark! Get set! .... /GO/!"
Big_Mac has taken up a spot next to the fence, raising up to lean against it with keen interest as he watches. There's a few odd complaints muttered behind him, but he does try to aim for a spot /between/ bleachers to avoid such inconveniences. THis race is far too important to take a box seat, it's up front or nothing when his sister is involved, especially when Gunstar is involved at the same time. He's wise to the stallion being none too honest and when it comes to his sisters safety, hes all in. "Yeh can do it AppleJack!" he hollars to her, and gives her a couple, louder than all hoof stomps to help get her revved up. He galnces down to Barn and smiles "Ah hope she doesn't work herself up too much.... ah've seen how tense she can get when she does..." he says, for those who know Mac, know that hes more nervous than hes letting on. His eyes widen at the mention of him rallying the spectators and he begisn to stammer. "Ah.. uh...
Scope quietly stands with the Mayor once more as the competition gets underway, letting his calm gaze wander over the gathered crowd before shifting his eyes to the ponies actually competing in this event. A light green aura once again surrounds the stallion's horn once more when he begins the same spell he used during yesterday's events and again, any unicorn in the general vicinity has that rather creepy feeling of being watched.. almost probed, in a sense. <.<
This is it. This is where all of her hard training can pay off. This is where she can redeem herself. Applejack bolts like an uncoiling spring over the starting line at 'GO', bolting off as if Nightmare Moon herself was pursuing her. Whatever's eating her, the fire of competition is still very much alive, and it seems these new pressures are only pushing her to increase her efforts to a new extreme. She lowers her head as she puts as much kick into her stride as possible, an orange blur as she strives towards the first barrel. "C'mon, boys... don't let me down!" She mutters to Bucky McGilligutty and Kicks McGee.
Chalice_Flame puts away her sketchpad for now having done quite a bit of sketches by now. She carefully tucks her supplies back into her bag and slings it over her back. She searches around to see if she can find a concession stand or any food available.
Berry Punch is starting next to AJ, but her course has her winding around the barrels in the opposite direction. She zips off eagerly when Inkwell calls Go! Her body is held low and her face bears a wicked smile. This is one event she's practiced!
Barnstormer smiles a bit. "If I were more zippy today I'd dart up to the booth and steal the microphone," she teases Mac. "Get the crowd going. I'm feeling more lowkey tonight though," she admits. "So maybe I'll just stand here and watch with you. If that's alright." She props up on the fence, trying to stay out of the way of others but she's a good bit smaller so it's less of an issue for her.
Apple Bloom, who had snuck her way into the course without her sister. And right as the race starts, she rockets out of the gate with surprising speed. The young filly seems dead set on winning a victory. She is running straight toward the barrels, a war cry let out, as if she's determin-- Oh... that's why. It's Indigo Bloom, not Apple Bloom. Wasn't Indigo Bloom the anti-competition persona? What the hay is going on here?
At the shrill of the whistle, Gunstar takes off like the proverbial bullet. Hiyah! Hooves thundering, head low and eyes squinted, he rushes at the first turn with a cloud of dust in his wake, and a fond hope AJ eats it. As he nears the first row of barrels, he tenses...
Derpy is now swinging from her hammock, dangling with her head and forelegs out one side, her tail and hind legs out the other. "Are OFF!!" she shouts. "Smallest one? Also most breaky. Largest one? Most dusty!!"
Inkwell looks up and sees a lot of dust and very few ponies, mostly churning legs that don't seem to be attached to much at this speed. "
"Ponyling on course?" says Derpy. "Is yellow. Almost like yellow apple. But no bow! Therefore unripe."
Big_Mac lets out a mighty holler as AppleJack bolts from the starting line and toward the first barels, his hooves stomping in encouragement, practically thundering over those of hte racers as they weave around the barrels. "c'mon AJ! y'can do it!" he shouts, that deep voice rumbling loudly in an almost unusual tone, it's not often one hears Mac raise his voice, but he knows his sister needs the boost. "y'sure can! he grins to Barnstormer "ahlways happy to watch a rodeo with ah new friend." he grins and chuckles at the thought of stealing the mic. "Ah' suppose I could stronghoof mah way up there.... but ah doubt it." he grinsbetween thumpings of his hooves, which stop abruptly when he sees Apple Bloom, or rather, Indico. "What the hay is SHE doin' out there!" he says, not sure if its sounding like excitement or terror that both his sisters are out there.
Chalice_Flame has located the apple stand, trots over. She is checking around to see if any pony is there to sell her an apple. "Hello?..."she questions nobody in particular as she stands in front of the apple cart.
Applejack and Gunstar are actually neck and neck for a moment as they both dash over the starting line towards the same barrel. They check each other once, AJ nearly losing her footing, though she manages not to lose any momentum as she regains full control of her balance. Then the first barrel comes up. Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she presses an extra burst of speed, just managing to squeeze around it before Gunstar does and narrowly avoiding an ugly crash. Phew! Sweat is already beading on her forehead, but this is no time to stop! She can feel his hoofbeats just behind her now, her own hooves beating the ground in a frenzy to try and keep her very narrow lead, though she can't expect her stamina to last long at such a grueling pace.
Gunstar hairpins around that barrel at an impossible ninety degrees and back again; if he left a rainbow trail you'd think Dash had blazed by. He regains the lead on AJ in the straight-away, his longer strides eating up the dusty ground in thudding beats. His mouth is fixed in a clench-toothed cross between snarl and smirk. A fraction of a second ahead of AJ, he reaches the mud-jump, a thick goo of wet earth and used coffee grounds, and leaps for the other side.
PUB >> Big_Mac knew Rarity only watched the show becuase of the plot!
Berry Punch may be determined, but she isn't as determined as these two. And while she mostly avoids the dust Gunstar stirred up, she's startled by that weird indigo filly in her way! The little racer seems to be headed straight for a barrel, not around it! What's she doing? Berry swerves a little out of her way to avoid crushing Indigo Bloom, and it costs her a second. She scrambles to get back into contention!
Indigo at first appears to be running for the barrel, but soon she's curving about them. She's actually... not that bad! Indigo Bloom's size acts as a real advantage here, letting her have more room and time to weave through the barrels. The dexterity of it is impressive for a filly her age, and she might even be gaining on gunstar and her sister due to this, but one will see if this will last past the barrels.
For some reason the guardpony's being incredibly thorough in his spell as he continuously sweeps the area on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, amber eyes moving from to & fro and stopping for a moment when he THINKS he's found something... only to shake his head and continue on before eventually turning his attention back to the racers.
Applejack looks over her shoulder just in time to see Gunstar complete that perfect turn -- confound him! And then he just tears past her, leaving her in the dust. That is IT. That's just... not possible! She'd been suspecting it all along, but now she's sure -- somethin' here just ain't addin' up! She puts on the breaks suddenly, disappearing for a moment into the little cloud of dust kicked up in the process of skidding to a stop. While the farmpony might not be visible, she is certainly audible as she lets out a shout so loud that it could peel the bark off an appletree. "STOP RAGHT THERE, YOU DIRTY, LOW DOWN, YELLAH CHEATER!" She's just so caught up in her suspicions about Gunstar that she doesn't even -notice- Apple Bloom -- who easily dashes past her the instant she's stopped.
What th' hay!? Gunstar's in midair over the mud pit when Applejack's accusation shrieks out over half the arena-- there's an audible gasp from the stands, though is that from what she said, or the fact that she totally lost it enough to say something like that instead of racing? Gunstar seems to flinch at the crest of his arc, hooves splaying, sure to land poorly, except he doesn't. He reaches the other side and has all four hooves miraculously under him in a perfect landing, and starts off again, looking somehow surprised at his own agility.
[Derpy rolls a 19 for Apple Bloom's performance.]
While Applejack and Gunstar take a moment to argue over who is cheating who for what reason why, Indigo Bloo-- Indigo *Blur* is right past them, deftly leaping from barrel to barrel, then executes right off the last barrel inside the mud pit an impressive flip worthy of any Cutie Mark Crusader and makes an awkward 3-point landing... stumbles a bit, but then gets running again. Oopsie.
Berry Punch is just rounding the second barrel--again, in the opposite direction from AJ and Gunstar--when Applejack thunders out her accusation. For a moment, the orchid and mulberry mare hesitates, waiting for something to happen--but realizes that the farmer's poor sportsmanship shouldn't cost %her% a ribbon! She keeps dashing, jaw set, and is soon about to leap into the first barrel in the mud pit...holy moley that little squirt is fast!
In the announcer's booth... "This surprising, ponies! Applejack's blown a fuse! She's stopped dead in her tracks! The little indigo pony's dashed out into second place, just behind Gunstar!"
*SNAP* goes Scope's head towards the irate farmpony as the accusation can be heard for a good mile and a half around the area, eyes narrowing just a little. "Let's just see what we've got here.." The aura around his horn brightens while he turns his attention towards the speedy Gunstar, concentrating deeply on the agile stallion and searching for something.. ANYTHING that could validate Applejack's claim.
Dusk stands up from where he sits with Chance and Fluttershy and any other of his friends here in the audience and does indeed give a gasp. AJ's stopped entirely, but he can't help being impressed by Bloom's performance at the same time! What a competition!
Big_Mac's eyes widen as Applejack screeches to a halt and is quickly left last, or, at least far behind the bulk of the racers, He rears up on the fence, standing with his hooves on the edge and at his full height as he stomps on one of hte beams with a hoof, unable to believe his sister would make such a claim, "AJQ What a terrible thing to... he shouts until his wn match comes back to him and how suddenly they were literally stonewalled in the tug of war "WHY THAT CHEATIN'!.. he begins to cuss, looking a might upset.
"Did y'all -SEE- that?! " Applejack asks in exasperation to.. well, everypony and nopony in particular, gesticulating wildly towards Gunstar with both hooves, ignoring the sounds of disapproval from the audience. "How did he--- he can't just-- How in TARNATION does he keep doin' that?!" That's it! Time to take action into her own hooves -- or so she thinks, being unaware of Scope's efforts. Pulling her trusty rope out from under her hat, she cuts straight through the course on an illegal path, dodging the mud pit completely. She's no longer in the race. But now she's got something to prove! This ain't the hog-tie event, and she knows -exactly- which way Gunstar is running this time, so once she's off the course it's easy enough to catch him up. She whips open a lasso, and with a deft movement, aims it with expert precision -- not for Gunstar himself, but for his hat, hoping to snatch it right off of his head. There's -gotta- be a unicorn horn under there, she just knows it -- and she's gonna
Derpy flies out from her hammock, or tries to and gets twisted in it, spinning around and around. "J'accuse!!" she says into her microphone. "And Q for quagga! Maybe Applejam stuck short of bread sense! Or maaaybe...is TRUTH!"
<OOC> You say, "Is hurdles! And AB rolls another 14."
<OOC> Apple_Bloom says, "... Wow. AB might just win this.
"
<OOC> You say, "Hurdles are gonna be especially hard for a little tyke, though."
<OOC> Big_Mac suspects Apple Bloom of using Magic to effect the die!
Even Fluttershy pops out of the audiance, hooves clasped over her muzzle to hide her horrified mouth. Her eyes slowly narrow as her teeth grind and her pupils draw into points. That...that big - dumb - MEANIE HEAD! "Get him, Applejack!" screams Fluttershy as she hops out of her seat and buzzes in place like an enraged yellowjacket. How DARE he make Applejack sad?!
The rope flies through the air as Gunstar keeps up his pace, figuring a win is a win, even /if/ AJ's given up the race... it shoots around the crown of his hat, yanking the rope taut as he moves out from under the Stetson, revealing... a mane and a bare forehead. He's certainly either the best unicorn at disguises or exactly as advertised, and Earth Pony. Inkwell, looking sidelong at Derpy next to her, announces... "What my colleague is saying... if... anypony knows what my colleague is saying, please write it down on a three by five card and mail it to me, Inkwell, care of the Ponyville Daily, thank you..."
Dusk believes AJ but is still a bit shocked as she cuts-course and makes a bee-line for Gunstar. He sure hopes this works out! He'd hate to see his friend get into any trouble! The tension of the whole thing is almost palpable to the entire audience, but especially to those close friends to the participants!
Dusk nearly jumps at the unexpected outburst from Fluttershy, but then he grins, "You tell them!!" he agrees!
Thing is, *if* Applejack just disqualified herself from the race by rushing off the course to head off Gunstar to catch him cheating. If she proves him right, the race is-- Oh... It'd be between her and Berry Punch. And she just left Berry Punch in the dust. No pressure, Indigo Bloom! The filly sees the hurdles as... well... a problem. But she does her best. And again, she manages to pull a decent job, jumping high enough to clear the first, tap the second, and knock over the third, then run like [BUY some apples, with her small size again helping her recover lost ground in curves and zigzags. Go Indigo Bloom!
<OOC> Sparks_Diamond sits quietly, leaning on his arms with head in hooves.
<OOC> Apple_Bloom says, "Is that a 14-worthy pose?"
Berry Punch isn't in the dust! She's over a barrel! Only briefly, though. With growing spunk and perhaps anger at the barrels for floating low and sinking when she lands on them, she bounds from one to another, getting one of her hooves wet and scowling. There! Finally! On the other side! This fighter's got some catching up to do!
Derpy gives Inkwell a puzzled, derpy, somewhat forlorn look. Then she turns back to the race. With a gasp, she resumes announcing. "Is unicorny? NO! Is manefree. Applejaaack! How could you embaarrrassss!? So embarrass, so embarrass. Also disquality."
<OOC> Apple_Bloom says, "Great. So it really *is* up to AB. XD"
Ace blows his whistle twice, loudly, and runs up. "What the Sam hillock are you doing, lady?? You totally blew your course!" He yells into Applejack's face. "Get off the course now and maybe we won't strip you of your ribbons!!"
Some OOC content included where relevant or amusing.
#=#=#=#=#=# PONYVILLE SQUARE #=#=#=#=#=#
It's clear that something's going down in town square today! The normally bucolic heart of Ponyville is a lot dustier than normal, for one thing. Did they import dust from Appleoosa? There's a big arena taking up most of the formerly grassy space between the Town Hall and the surrounding buildings. It's walled off with wooden plank fences, with big corner posts and ropes adding magnitude and various waving banners and pennants adding decoration. Rows of bleachers six levels high surround the arena.
Meanwhile, vendors nopony in town remembers ever seeing before have taken up the circuit in the marketplace and all the way to the stream. The atmosphere is more rollicking than usual by far, and there seem to be an inordinate number of big, broad-rimmed hats and immaculate white vests, not to mention the occasional lapel flower. And the arena itself is scattered with crates, barrels, coiled ropes, metal trappings, reins, signboards, and other dusty miscellany.
Do you know what this is? The Equestria Rodeo Competition is being held in Ponyville this year--that's what it is! Are -you- on the roster?
]
[ Players: EconomistBrony(#43PWBC), Starfire(#686PB), Inkwell(#235PB), ]
[ Chalice_Flame(#858PBC), Pumpkin_Seed(#272PBC), ]
[ Applejack(#206PBC), Scope(#265PBC), Barnstormer(#562PBC), ]
[ Apple_Bloom(#438PBC), Sky_Blue(#398PBC), Big_Mac(#852PBC), ]
[ Fluttershy(#208PBC) ]
PUB >> Derpy swings rhymthically in a hammock dangling from the announcer's booth. "Zzzzzz," she sings, eyes closed.
Barnstormer does, indeed, follow Mac over. She chuckles a bit at the teasing tone the male takes. "Hey," she offers as she's introduced as a cheering section. She grins. "Ah, friend of a friend," she tells AJ before going quiet a moment. She does give the mouthy stallion a look, brow quirking with a bit of amusement that's followed by a roll of her eyes.
Applejack's ears reflexively pull back at that familiar, ever repugnant drawl, but this time she doesn't have any haughty reply to shoot back -- though from the look on her face, she's about to say something mighty -unpleasant- to Gunstar in reply. Just as she's opening her mouth to do so, however, Big Mac's hardy greeting puts her concentration on bracing herself so as to not get knocked over by the big stallion. At his question, her ears swivel, and it's with difficulty that she meets her brother's gaze, her big green eyes full of worry, and a touch of shame. "Ah'm...." Nervous hoofscuff. "..as ready as ah'll ever be. Thanks for cheerin' me on, y'all." She wraps a foreleg around her bro in a quick hug, then tips her hat to Barnstormer with as much of a smile as she can manage. A quick, anxious glance is given up into the stands before AJ turns her attention to the arena, pretending to study the lay of the course while her stomach flips like a doughnut in a fryer.
Gunstar may notice if he's being sketched-- certainly, his ego is enough to make him think the attention is on him, and he strikes a pose, chest out, teeth glittering, as two of his entourage zip in out of nowhere in a dusty cloud and display his impressive set of blue ribbons alongside him. He quirks an eyebrow and gives the stands a broad wink, especially his own cheering section, and trots over to the line of barrels along one side of the arena. He give Applejack a smug look, and jets a brown plume of Prickly Pear Chaw into the everpresent spittoon. How the heck does that spittoon keep finding him? "PONIES! To your marks!" squawks Inkwell into the microphone, sending pigeons fleeing into the distance and making back teeth ache all across the area.
"You look as if you have a touch of anxiety," Barnstormer says to Apple Jack. "Ah, just relax," she offers, "And remember why you're in the games. I bet it's to have fun." She smiles, "Once you remember that it's easier to let all the other stuff go." She looks to Big Mac and then back to Apple Jack, "Ah, not that you need me to tell you all that. We'll be cheering for you."
Derpy shakes the hammock under the announcer's booth and she tosses and turns in a fitful sleep. And then? She wakes up. "NOooOO!"
Inkwell is in the announcer's booth when a pegasus wakes up under her. She spills her coffee, the cup dropping from an awkward magic aura. "NOooOO!" o.O
Derpy's head and hammock both are splattered by the coffee. "NOoOOoO0OOO!!" she repeats, flapping her wings as if to dry her soaked yellow-brown mane.
<OOC> Barnstormer says, "And everypony in the audience is wondering why the announcers are yelling NOOOO"
Inkwell has! No! Coffee! And it's not good etiquette to try and suck if from another mare's mane! Without knowing her first. "NOoOOoO0OO()()0" Yeah, the audience is staring.
Big_Mac smiles as AppleJack returns a snug to her brother, showing that she's not quite gone yet, at least in spirit anyway. He's seen her pretty much broken before, and distant is definitely an understatement for her behavior, though, he's sure her friends helped her learn that lesson last time. "Y'all do fine, ' kin tell. B'sides, won't mean we think any less of 'yeh to boot." he encourages, making sure she remembers she's loved regardless of what happens. He tips his head as she thanks him for the encouragement and winks to Barn "Even mah new friend 'ere knows a good sport when she sees one... just have fun, as she said... thats when 'yer at your best... and pretend that oaf dun exist while 'yer at it." he adds, motioning to Gunstar and gives AppleJack another pat on the back as she zones in, leaving her to focus on the task at hand for now. He shifts himself out of earshot from APpleJack, though its doubtful with her concentration taht she'd hear regardless and whispers to Barn "She's far too hard on 'erself
... 'erself sometimes... but, that determination 'gotta come from somewhere." he says as he watches his sister, almost able to hear her thoughts, as it were.
<OOC> Derpy peeks up behind the parenthentical O's in Inkwell's shout, her eyes peeping through. Blink blink!
<OOC> Inkwell NoOOooo96ooOO!
Derpy shakes her head, spewing droplets of coffee everywhere, and surveys the field. Hastily she grabs her microphone from where it dangles by a thread. "Lilly and fentlecolt!" she announces. "Is barrel rushing time??"
Chalice_Flame flips another page in her sketchpad quickly trying to capture the scene of the spilled coffee on another pony's head while she laughs softly at the scene.
An eartilt and nod are given to Barnstormer. "Thanks. Ah'm tryin'. Ah really am. It's... well, it's been a rough few days, is all.." That's not really 'all' at all, but AJ doesn't have much time to explain, just now. As she's called to the starting line she trots over to take her place next to Gunstar, shooting a suspicious look from under the brim of her hat at the ostentatious stallion. Once again she looks very tempted to say something, but seems to think better of it, instead gearing herself up. She tenses, lowering her head and scuffing her hooves, as she waits for the starting whistle. The course laid out ahead of them is a number of barrels, set up at intervals and numbered. From the starting line, the competitors must zigzag through the course, making sharp turns around each barrel -- the sharper the turns, the faster the speeds! This particular barrel course has a few other obstacles, as well, including a number of hurdles, and a broad mud pit with barrels spaced widely apart in it as crossing platforms.
"Good luck," Says Barnstormer. She's said her piece to her friendofafriend and looks to Mac, "Shall we take our seats?" she asks with a smile. "I bet you can get the crowd up and cheering can't you?" she suggests and smiles brightly. "Let's go cheer your sister on, Big Red," she tells him.
Inkwell wait'a'minute, she's supposed to be announcing this event! Who's this other mare!? Is, is... that her mailmare? o.O There's a brief scuffle which ends when a fresh cup of steaming java is placed within reach of her horn's magic. Well. Ok, then. Carry on. "What my, uh, colleague is saying is, are all the participants ready?" That is what Derpy is saying, right? Inkwell sure hopes so, or this could get embarrassing. Gunstar gets a hoof atop the starting line and pulls his hat low with the other one. There's a glint in his eye that *pings* dangerously. Inkwell eyes the line up from the announcer's booth. "On your mark! Get set! .... /GO/!"
Big_Mac has taken up a spot next to the fence, raising up to lean against it with keen interest as he watches. There's a few odd complaints muttered behind him, but he does try to aim for a spot /between/ bleachers to avoid such inconveniences. THis race is far too important to take a box seat, it's up front or nothing when his sister is involved, especially when Gunstar is involved at the same time. He's wise to the stallion being none too honest and when it comes to his sisters safety, hes all in. "Yeh can do it AppleJack!" he hollars to her, and gives her a couple, louder than all hoof stomps to help get her revved up. He galnces down to Barn and smiles "Ah hope she doesn't work herself up too much.... ah've seen how tense she can get when she does..." he says, for those who know Mac, know that hes more nervous than hes letting on. His eyes widen at the mention of him rallying the spectators and he begisn to stammer. "Ah.. uh...
Scope quietly stands with the Mayor once more as the competition gets underway, letting his calm gaze wander over the gathered crowd before shifting his eyes to the ponies actually competing in this event. A light green aura once again surrounds the stallion's horn once more when he begins the same spell he used during yesterday's events and again, any unicorn in the general vicinity has that rather creepy feeling of being watched.. almost probed, in a sense. <.<
This is it. This is where all of her hard training can pay off. This is where she can redeem herself. Applejack bolts like an uncoiling spring over the starting line at 'GO', bolting off as if Nightmare Moon herself was pursuing her. Whatever's eating her, the fire of competition is still very much alive, and it seems these new pressures are only pushing her to increase her efforts to a new extreme. She lowers her head as she puts as much kick into her stride as possible, an orange blur as she strives towards the first barrel. "C'mon, boys... don't let me down!" She mutters to Bucky McGilligutty and Kicks McGee.
Chalice_Flame puts away her sketchpad for now having done quite a bit of sketches by now. She carefully tucks her supplies back into her bag and slings it over her back. She searches around to see if she can find a concession stand or any food available.
Berry Punch is starting next to AJ, but her course has her winding around the barrels in the opposite direction. She zips off eagerly when Inkwell calls Go! Her body is held low and her face bears a wicked smile. This is one event she's practiced!
Barnstormer smiles a bit. "If I were more zippy today I'd dart up to the booth and steal the microphone," she teases Mac. "Get the crowd going. I'm feeling more lowkey tonight though," she admits. "So maybe I'll just stand here and watch with you. If that's alright." She props up on the fence, trying to stay out of the way of others but she's a good bit smaller so it's less of an issue for her.
Apple Bloom, who had snuck her way into the course without her sister. And right as the race starts, she rockets out of the gate with surprising speed. The young filly seems dead set on winning a victory. She is running straight toward the barrels, a war cry let out, as if she's determin-- Oh... that's why. It's Indigo Bloom, not Apple Bloom. Wasn't Indigo Bloom the anti-competition persona? What the hay is going on here?
At the shrill of the whistle, Gunstar takes off like the proverbial bullet. Hiyah! Hooves thundering, head low and eyes squinted, he rushes at the first turn with a cloud of dust in his wake, and a fond hope AJ eats it. As he nears the first row of barrels, he tenses...
Derpy is now swinging from her hammock, dangling with her head and forelegs out one side, her tail and hind legs out the other. "Are OFF!!" she shouts. "Smallest one? Also most breaky. Largest one? Most dusty!!"
Inkwell looks up and sees a lot of dust and very few ponies, mostly churning legs that don't seem to be attached to much at this speed. "
"Ponyling on course?" says Derpy. "Is yellow. Almost like yellow apple. But no bow! Therefore unripe."
Big_Mac lets out a mighty holler as AppleJack bolts from the starting line and toward the first barels, his hooves stomping in encouragement, practically thundering over those of hte racers as they weave around the barrels. "c'mon AJ! y'can do it!" he shouts, that deep voice rumbling loudly in an almost unusual tone, it's not often one hears Mac raise his voice, but he knows his sister needs the boost. "y'sure can! he grins to Barnstormer "ahlways happy to watch a rodeo with ah new friend." he grins and chuckles at the thought of stealing the mic. "Ah' suppose I could stronghoof mah way up there.... but ah doubt it." he grinsbetween thumpings of his hooves, which stop abruptly when he sees Apple Bloom, or rather, Indico. "What the hay is SHE doin' out there!" he says, not sure if its sounding like excitement or terror that both his sisters are out there.
Chalice_Flame has located the apple stand, trots over. She is checking around to see if any pony is there to sell her an apple. "Hello?..."she questions nobody in particular as she stands in front of the apple cart.
Applejack and Gunstar are actually neck and neck for a moment as they both dash over the starting line towards the same barrel. They check each other once, AJ nearly losing her footing, though she manages not to lose any momentum as she regains full control of her balance. Then the first barrel comes up. Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she presses an extra burst of speed, just managing to squeeze around it before Gunstar does and narrowly avoiding an ugly crash. Phew! Sweat is already beading on her forehead, but this is no time to stop! She can feel his hoofbeats just behind her now, her own hooves beating the ground in a frenzy to try and keep her very narrow lead, though she can't expect her stamina to last long at such a grueling pace.
Gunstar hairpins around that barrel at an impossible ninety degrees and back again; if he left a rainbow trail you'd think Dash had blazed by. He regains the lead on AJ in the straight-away, his longer strides eating up the dusty ground in thudding beats. His mouth is fixed in a clench-toothed cross between snarl and smirk. A fraction of a second ahead of AJ, he reaches the mud-jump, a thick goo of wet earth and used coffee grounds, and leaps for the other side.
PUB >> Big_Mac knew Rarity only watched the show becuase of the plot!
Berry Punch may be determined, but she isn't as determined as these two. And while she mostly avoids the dust Gunstar stirred up, she's startled by that weird indigo filly in her way! The little racer seems to be headed straight for a barrel, not around it! What's she doing? Berry swerves a little out of her way to avoid crushing Indigo Bloom, and it costs her a second. She scrambles to get back into contention!
Indigo at first appears to be running for the barrel, but soon she's curving about them. She's actually... not that bad! Indigo Bloom's size acts as a real advantage here, letting her have more room and time to weave through the barrels. The dexterity of it is impressive for a filly her age, and she might even be gaining on gunstar and her sister due to this, but one will see if this will last past the barrels.
For some reason the guardpony's being incredibly thorough in his spell as he continuously sweeps the area on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, amber eyes moving from to & fro and stopping for a moment when he THINKS he's found something... only to shake his head and continue on before eventually turning his attention back to the racers.
Applejack looks over her shoulder just in time to see Gunstar complete that perfect turn -- confound him! And then he just tears past her, leaving her in the dust. That is IT. That's just... not possible! She'd been suspecting it all along, but now she's sure -- somethin' here just ain't addin' up! She puts on the breaks suddenly, disappearing for a moment into the little cloud of dust kicked up in the process of skidding to a stop. While the farmpony might not be visible, she is certainly audible as she lets out a shout so loud that it could peel the bark off an appletree. "STOP RAGHT THERE, YOU DIRTY, LOW DOWN, YELLAH CHEATER!" She's just so caught up in her suspicions about Gunstar that she doesn't even -notice- Apple Bloom -- who easily dashes past her the instant she's stopped.
What th' hay!? Gunstar's in midair over the mud pit when Applejack's accusation shrieks out over half the arena-- there's an audible gasp from the stands, though is that from what she said, or the fact that she totally lost it enough to say something like that instead of racing? Gunstar seems to flinch at the crest of his arc, hooves splaying, sure to land poorly, except he doesn't. He reaches the other side and has all four hooves miraculously under him in a perfect landing, and starts off again, looking somehow surprised at his own agility.
[Derpy rolls a 19 for Apple Bloom's performance.]
While Applejack and Gunstar take a moment to argue over who is cheating who for what reason why, Indigo Bloo-- Indigo *Blur* is right past them, deftly leaping from barrel to barrel, then executes right off the last barrel inside the mud pit an impressive flip worthy of any Cutie Mark Crusader and makes an awkward 3-point landing... stumbles a bit, but then gets running again. Oopsie.
Berry Punch is just rounding the second barrel--again, in the opposite direction from AJ and Gunstar--when Applejack thunders out her accusation. For a moment, the orchid and mulberry mare hesitates, waiting for something to happen--but realizes that the farmer's poor sportsmanship shouldn't cost %her% a ribbon! She keeps dashing, jaw set, and is soon about to leap into the first barrel in the mud pit...holy moley that little squirt is fast!
In the announcer's booth... "This surprising, ponies! Applejack's blown a fuse! She's stopped dead in her tracks! The little indigo pony's dashed out into second place, just behind Gunstar!"
*SNAP* goes Scope's head towards the irate farmpony as the accusation can be heard for a good mile and a half around the area, eyes narrowing just a little. "Let's just see what we've got here.." The aura around his horn brightens while he turns his attention towards the speedy Gunstar, concentrating deeply on the agile stallion and searching for something.. ANYTHING that could validate Applejack's claim.
Dusk stands up from where he sits with Chance and Fluttershy and any other of his friends here in the audience and does indeed give a gasp. AJ's stopped entirely, but he can't help being impressed by Bloom's performance at the same time! What a competition!
Big_Mac's eyes widen as Applejack screeches to a halt and is quickly left last, or, at least far behind the bulk of the racers, He rears up on the fence, standing with his hooves on the edge and at his full height as he stomps on one of hte beams with a hoof, unable to believe his sister would make such a claim, "AJQ What a terrible thing to... he shouts until his wn match comes back to him and how suddenly they were literally stonewalled in the tug of war "WHY THAT CHEATIN'!.. he begins to cuss, looking a might upset.
"Did y'all -SEE- that?! " Applejack asks in exasperation to.. well, everypony and nopony in particular, gesticulating wildly towards Gunstar with both hooves, ignoring the sounds of disapproval from the audience. "How did he--- he can't just-- How in TARNATION does he keep doin' that?!" That's it! Time to take action into her own hooves -- or so she thinks, being unaware of Scope's efforts. Pulling her trusty rope out from under her hat, she cuts straight through the course on an illegal path, dodging the mud pit completely. She's no longer in the race. But now she's got something to prove! This ain't the hog-tie event, and she knows -exactly- which way Gunstar is running this time, so once she's off the course it's easy enough to catch him up. She whips open a lasso, and with a deft movement, aims it with expert precision -- not for Gunstar himself, but for his hat, hoping to snatch it right off of his head. There's -gotta- be a unicorn horn under there, she just knows it -- and she's gonna
Derpy flies out from her hammock, or tries to and gets twisted in it, spinning around and around. "J'accuse!!" she says into her microphone. "And Q for quagga! Maybe Applejam stuck short of bread sense! Or maaaybe...is TRUTH!"
<OOC> You say, "Is hurdles! And AB rolls another 14."
<OOC> Apple_Bloom says, "... Wow. AB might just win this.
"<OOC> You say, "Hurdles are gonna be especially hard for a little tyke, though."
<OOC> Big_Mac suspects Apple Bloom of using Magic to effect the die!
Even Fluttershy pops out of the audiance, hooves clasped over her muzzle to hide her horrified mouth. Her eyes slowly narrow as her teeth grind and her pupils draw into points. That...that big - dumb - MEANIE HEAD! "Get him, Applejack!" screams Fluttershy as she hops out of her seat and buzzes in place like an enraged yellowjacket. How DARE he make Applejack sad?!
The rope flies through the air as Gunstar keeps up his pace, figuring a win is a win, even /if/ AJ's given up the race... it shoots around the crown of his hat, yanking the rope taut as he moves out from under the Stetson, revealing... a mane and a bare forehead. He's certainly either the best unicorn at disguises or exactly as advertised, and Earth Pony. Inkwell, looking sidelong at Derpy next to her, announces... "What my colleague is saying... if... anypony knows what my colleague is saying, please write it down on a three by five card and mail it to me, Inkwell, care of the Ponyville Daily, thank you..."
Dusk believes AJ but is still a bit shocked as she cuts-course and makes a bee-line for Gunstar. He sure hopes this works out! He'd hate to see his friend get into any trouble! The tension of the whole thing is almost palpable to the entire audience, but especially to those close friends to the participants!
Dusk nearly jumps at the unexpected outburst from Fluttershy, but then he grins, "You tell them!!" he agrees!
Thing is, *if* Applejack just disqualified herself from the race by rushing off the course to head off Gunstar to catch him cheating. If she proves him right, the race is-- Oh... It'd be between her and Berry Punch. And she just left Berry Punch in the dust. No pressure, Indigo Bloom! The filly sees the hurdles as... well... a problem. But she does her best. And again, she manages to pull a decent job, jumping high enough to clear the first, tap the second, and knock over the third, then run like [BUY some apples, with her small size again helping her recover lost ground in curves and zigzags. Go Indigo Bloom!
<OOC> Sparks_Diamond sits quietly, leaning on his arms with head in hooves.
<OOC> Apple_Bloom says, "Is that a 14-worthy pose?"
Berry Punch isn't in the dust! She's over a barrel! Only briefly, though. With growing spunk and perhaps anger at the barrels for floating low and sinking when she lands on them, she bounds from one to another, getting one of her hooves wet and scowling. There! Finally! On the other side! This fighter's got some catching up to do!
Derpy gives Inkwell a puzzled, derpy, somewhat forlorn look. Then she turns back to the race. With a gasp, she resumes announcing. "Is unicorny? NO! Is manefree. Applejaaack! How could you embaarrrassss!? So embarrass, so embarrass. Also disquality."
<OOC> Apple_Bloom says, "Great. So it really *is* up to AB. XD"
Ace blows his whistle twice, loudly, and runs up. "What the Sam hillock are you doing, lady?? You totally blew your course!" He yells into Applejack's face. "Get off the course now and maybe we won't strip you of your ribbons!!"
"