Ponyville Market(#156R)
/\/\/\/\/\/\---PONYVILLE MARKET---/\/\/\/\/\/\
This is the business center of Ponyville! Seldom quiet but usually peaceful, this minor mercantile hub combines aspects of the bustling and the bucolic. A multitude of colors and patterns make it visually busy. Carts brimming with baskets, charming stands and ornate tents with pennants are used to sell wares here. The most common products on sale are vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, and even pineapples. Sweet treats like tarts and cupcakes can also be found, as can non-edible items like books or cookware.
The marketplace is more than just a place of business, however. It's a common area for the community! Anypony who wanders through Ponyville is likely to pass through here, which makes it a good place to look for friends new and old. It's not unheard of to see painters at work or sportsponies at play here, as the market is a great place for communal activity. Even gentle animals like rabbits and ducks are known to find its lively atmosphere welcoming. Don't you?
Today, the Market is bestrung with more banners and pennants than usual, not to mention the bunches of balloons! A large cloth banner extends from one tent's fly pole to another: RUNNING OF THE LEAVES. There's a striped starting line, too, looking out on the nearby hills and dells. Dozens of ponies are milling around, stretching, or chatting in excitement! Will there be any surprises in this year's run? Who are the favorites to win?
-----
Derpy shouts "What ho!! Is time for Unautumn tradition! Annual RUNNING OF THE LEAFS is starting in Ponyville Market in five minutes!!" (Public-shout)
Spike taptaptaps his announcer mike with a claw. There's a brief feedback squeal.
MArble glances over at Spike. "U-um... I need that."
[ Editor's note: Am tired of fixing MArble to Marble! Enjoy typo! ]
Enigma trots his way to the starting line. Seems even the Bandit King wants to help the leaves fall for Equestria.
Snow_Bolt has arrived.
Pinkie_Pie taps her own microphone thoughtfully. She licks the round end experimentally. "This is my ice cream cone."
Twilight_Sparkle has arrived.
Spike says "It's *testing 1 2 3*, not *tasting*, Pinkie."
Pinkie_Pie ohhhhHHhhhs!
Marble nervously taps the podium and the microphone there. He looks around. He clears his thrat and adjusts the microphone obsessively.
Pinkie_Pie tucks the mike behind her ear, like a flower.
After a forgiving year and a fairly mellow fall season (aside from green mist and a sixty-hour night), it's finally time to bid autumn adieu and clear the way for winter. The weather team speeds above and flexes their muscles, awaiting results and preparing for the great Leaf Blow. Meanwhile, below, amid the festivities of vendors selling sports drinks and snacks and simple entertainment acts--unicyclists and the like--dozens of ponies have gathered! Those who are participating in the run are collecting their numbers from the race officials, led by none other than Chancellor Marble Memory.
Rainbow_Dash has arrived.
Derpy shouts "Running of Leaves plot is now BEGIN!" (Public-shout)
29 folks heard that.
Nimble_Hooves dashes into the Marketplace, hoping he isn't too late. Still wearing his wing harness, he doesn't seem quite equipped for running, but he joins in with group of ponies anyway.
After a forgiving year and a fairly mellow fall season (aside from green mist and a sixty-hour night), it's finally time to bid autumn adieu and clear the way for winter. The weather team speeds above and flexes their muscles, awaiting results and preparing for the great Leaf Blow. Meanwhile, below, amid the festivities of vendors selling sports drinks and snacks and simple entertainment acts--unicyclists and the like--dozens of ponies have gathered! Those who are participating in the run are collecting their numbers from the race officials, led by none other than Chancellor Marble Memory. (Repose for Rainbow)
Nettleglum, attired in a baroque sort of numbering as ~13~, is standing at the starting line. Perfectly still. A crow settles on her head. She is still like a lawn decoration. ._.
Pinkie_Pie wavewaves at Dashie! It wouldn't be the Running without her! ^^
<arble then spots a fleck of dust on his microphone and panics, trying to wipe it off. Again and again, making for much noise. "... O... O-Oh dear... is this thing...?" Marble clears his throat. "Turnthis UP A LITTLLEIEKSQ]
Enigma trots his way to the starting line. The Bandit King stretches his limbs out as he gets himself nice and limber for the run. The little bandit looks about at the ponies gathered.
Tejene arrives as anypony might expect a zebra to, from the forest. No cloak today, all stripes and obviousness. He circles the outside of the crowd and pauses at a vendor for a sip of something or other to drink.
Nimbus_Dawning raises her eyebrows as she is the next to arrive. The newcomer to Ponyville is surprised by the gathering, and looks around to see what it's all about, flicking her mane back to peer at the signs.
Marble readjusts the volume. Clears his throat again. "Attention! Attention! IF I may have everypony's attention please? Um... please?" The Chancellor glares at the microphone. "This thing *is* on, right?"
Marble motions desperately to Derpy.
Snow_Bolt has been training for this race. It certainly provides a welcome distraction from other events that have been occuring recently. He isn't out to win, just to run and have a good time. He glances around to see if Mirage is here. He had known that she wanted to run as well. He doesn't spot her though. Ahh well, that doesn't mean she isn't in the crowd somewhere.
Spike and Pinkie's hot air balloon can be seen slowly and silently rising over the trees, settling into position where the announcing team can see the whole course.
Rainbow_Dash dashes into the scene, her wings lashes to her body and a large '11' pasted on her flanks. She's been looking /everywhere/ for Applejack, but there's been no sign of her! How are they supposed to continue their epic rivalry? "Ah cripes!" she exclaims, looking over the race start area over and over, but finding no success.
Enigma takes notice of Nimbus in the crowd and waves a hoof her way. He resumes stretching and excericing before the race starts.
A chance to watch the bright colours of fall change to stark, bare, skeletal branches and close-angled tree limbs, gaunt as icicles? Nettie wouldn't miss this for anything. What a delightful Ponyville tradition, making trees bare for winter!
Memoire_Musique totters up to the starting line, sneaking between ponies like the superheroninjapiratewonderbolt that she is! Her tiny cape flaps in the breeze as she takes her place at the head of the herd!
Pinkie_Pie peeks over the edge of the gondola. She loves flying! o/~
Nimble_Hooves looks about and now feels a little out of place. There seems to be some serious athlete ponies, and not to mention a number of the Elements of Harmony. His eyes boggle for a moment, perhaps his fancoltish nature showing through. He sees other ponies stretching, and he decides to do the same... even if he doesn't know exatly what it is he is doing.
Twilight_Sparkle does stretches she learned fro0m a book called '101 Stretches,' by someone named Charleyhorse.
Nettleglum stretched before she came out to the market. There's nothing quite like a few turns on the rack to limber the muscles...
Berry Punch goes up to register for a number. She just privately hopes they don't bring up what happened *last* year.
Pinkie_Pie immediately pulls out a telescope and scrutinizes Twilight stretching.
Memoire_Musique is wearing the #1... Because she's an awesome foal!
Applejack arrives, making her way through the crowd of spectators towards the starting line. She grins when she spots Rainbow. "Howdy, RD! Ready ta get left in the dust?" She takes her place near her friend, limbering up a bit with a 'trot-in-place.
Twilight_Sparkle grins at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, shaking her head just a little at the memory!
Tejene makes his way finally to the starting area, dubiously lacking any sort of racing number. He stretches along the way, just pulling strides out a little longer and weaving casually between ponies.
Enigma continues to do his strange stretches. It appears the youth is actually rather flexible and quite agile. He even manages to do a hoofstand on one forehoof as he balances himself in the air while stretching.
Rainbow_Dash at least manages to find Twilight amidst all the noisy jumble of ponies. "Hey Twi! Good to see you aga-" And then Applejack arrives! She canters right for the brassy-voiced earth mare. "AJ! You're here! Thank Celestia!" She reaches forward to give Applejack a high-hoof.
Nimbus_Dawning sees a waving hoof from the line. Oh, it's Enigma. She gives an uncertain hoofraise back, clearly a bit confused, before a rainbow-hued blur storms past her to the line, followed by other slightly slower blurs. Hm. Familiar. She puts that thought in the back of her mind for now, and watches quietly.
Nettleglum is just this... completely still form at the starting line, with a crow perched atop her head. It pecks at her scalp a few times an then flaps away. Nope. The dark purple pony still does not even blink. ._.
Rainbow_Dash smirks. "You're the one who'll be eating /my/ dust!" she declares, patting her chest proudly. She still remembers the lessons of last year, however. As much as it goes against all her instincts, she has to admit that losing to a friend is far more palatable than losing a friend.
Twilight_Sparkle trots over to Rainbow and Applejack.
Dusk arrives for the start of the Running of the Leaves as well. This is his first time being in Ponyville for it. And while he isn't much on races or even heavy athletics, he finds it quite a curious and interesting tradition. He looks around for Mirage though, not finding her around yet.
Finally Marble just shrugs at the podium and sighs, leaning closer to the microphone on the podium. Feedback on the microphone sounding. "Greetings, everypony! Greetings and salutations! Welcome to the 32nd annual Running of the Leaves competition and Bake Sale Charity! I am Chancellor Marble Memory. First, I'd like to thank the Mayor and the Ponyville Event Committee for organizing the Running this year. You've been doing a fantastic job. I'd like to thank the competitors for participating not only in yet another wonderful annual tradition, but for being the very *first* ponies to participate in the very *first* Running in the Leaves Charity Program..."
The Chancellor takes the microphone and walks out from behind the podium. "For those of you who don't know, this year's race will be an experiment for what I hope, in cooperation with the mayor and local Ponyville Vendor Association will be a new program in allowing these wonderful events raise funds for hungry foals, orphans, emergency edible clothing supplies, and various educational foundations throughout Equestria. To start the ball rolling, I'd like to announce my own personal donation to the Feed A Foal program for 5,000 bits. Now... I'd like to introduce this year's announcing team and thank them. Pinkamena Pie and Spike the Dragon. Thank you, you two" -- Apple Bloom, cursed with her horrible sense of direction since returning from sneaking out a couple weeks ago, is comign UP the race track, looking desperate. "Where is mah clubhouse?!"
Nimble_Hooves sees all the gathered ponies wearing numbers, yet his flank is blank (except for his cutie mark, of course). Alarmed he looks about and sees a stall to register. He runs over quickly, and begins to sign up. He pauses when the number '13' is handed to him. "O-Oh well...l-lucky for some" He says to himself, before joining back up with the other runner ponies.
Spike clears his throat, and starts his commentary, his amplified voice echoing around the course...somehow. "We're about ready to start the annual Running of the Leaves. As we all know, in spite of the name, the running is not actually done by leaves, but by ponies. This year we have several new ponies competing, which might shake up the results a bit! Normally AppleJack would be the favorite, but Rainbow Dash gave her a run for her money last year. Pinkie, who do you like this time?"
Pinkie_Pie ooohs. Bake sale? No one mentioned a bake sale! Possibly because they were worried she'd eat everything before the event started. She lowers down some bits on a fishing hook as bait, and a minute later pulls up a pie.
<OOC> You say, "But 13 is taken!"
<OOC> Nimbus_Dawning grins. Nimble's just THAT unlucky. XD
Memoire_Musique is up at the start, trying hard to mimic the ponies she seems stretching. The small foal squirms around and goes over to Twilight, dragging a book along on her back. She holds it up to Twilight.
Snow_Bolt doesn't really see anypony that he knows well. Sure, of course he has seen Twilight Sparkle in the library and of course knows of the exploits of the mane six, but thats just about the limit of it. Then he spots Dusk. He makes his way toward the unicorn and smiles, "Hi Dusk...nice to see you. Have you seen Mirage about anywhere. She had really wanted to run in the race."
<OOC> Tejene somehow managed to get #77, and the black text on the white paper blends perfectly into his stripes.
Twilight_Sparkle smiles down at Memoire. "Hi, there!"
Marble finally concludes his speech. "Now... if you'd like to pledge for the charity, just approach me or any racing official and we'll take your name and donation amounts. If you have a foal, he or she will recieve a free sheet of leaf stickers... u-um... foals like stickers, right?"
Pinkie_Pie looks up from her pie, muzzle stained blue. "Huh? Oh, I like everyone! It's kinda like my thing," she says cheerfully. "Hey, look at all the ponies! Wow, I wonder what's going on down there? HEY GUYS! WHATCHA DOOOOOOIN??" she yells, waving a hoof to the assembled crowd.
Marble waits a moment, then he waves to Pinkie Pie to come to him for a moment.
There's a surprise entry in the race this year. Standing off to the side, not far from the smells of a hot pretzel cart, stands a slight racer with a thick coat of woolly mahogany-colored fur. A second look reveals this to be a young, female buffalo! She wears a purple and white headband adorned by secondary feathers in the shape of a star. For those who know her, this is Little Strongheart... and while her ears attend to the Chancellor's announcement, her eyes are on the prize. Does anyone dare approach her?
Spike stares at Pinkie for a long moment, and looks like he wants to say something, then shrugs and looks away. "They're lining up now...everyone looks excited and ready to run. They'll be starting any minute now...get a last good look at those fall colors, folks, they won't last much longer."
Pinkie_Pie sees Marbel gesturing to her up in the balloon, shrugs, and calls out "CatchmeRarity!" before jumping out of the basket. "What? WhereOHMYSTARS!" comes a squeal, followed by a thump. A moment later Pinkie trots up to Marble. "What what?"
Berry Punch waves up to the inhabitants of the balloon! She has her number now--25--and she's rarin' to go! It's anyone's guess whether she intends to try for her second consecutive win.
"Huh! We'll just see about that!" Applejack scuffs a hoof in anticipation, shooting a playfully competitive look over to Rainbow. As Twilight joins them, she adds to her rival, "Ah'm gonna run a good clean race, and beatcha fair n' square this time." AB's arrival catches her attention, and she looks understandably puzzled at her sister's exclamation. "Now.. how in Equestria didja manage to lose -that-?"
Dusk sees familiar ponies about, and lots of ponies he's only seen about but hasn't gotten to socialize with. Perhaps he'll get to meet a few more while here. He hears Snow calling out and turns and heads over. "Greetings, Mr. Bolt! Yes, she was wanting to join the race too. I guess she's tied up currently. I do hope she makes it soon."
Twilight_Sparkle nods to Applejack, grinning. "I should warn you that I'm going to run a good race! I might even finish higher than fifth this year. I've read a lot more books about running and at least two on not tripping."
"I understand you announced for the last Running. I'm glad you're doing it again. I'd really appreciate it if you could, maybe just like... every ten minutes or so, mention the race is sponsored on behalf of one of the charities on this list?" Marble hoofs a paper list of charities to Pinkie. "Since this is all for a good cause, I'm thinking you could get non-racers interested in donating and pledging. It's all for a good cause!" -- Apple Bloom looks very haggard. "What's goin' on?" She looks around. "Oh horseapples. Applejack, ah cain't fawnd mah way anywhere! Ah've been lost since ah left from school this afternoon!" She's... not pointing in the right direction.
"I'll be the one doing just that!" Rainbow Dash retorts, but the meaning is clear for both them: a fair, clean race, determined only by raw prowess. Just the kind of race RD likes, actually! She grins as Twilight boasts about her recent research. "Books can teach you a lot, but I haven't seen you practicing!" she says. Rainbow, on the other hand, has been practicing every day the past few weeks. When she wasn't working or sleeping, that is.
Berry Punch snerks when she overhears Twilight's comment. "I wouldn't mind reading those books on not tripping!" she remarks with a slight blush. She glances toward Rainbow and Applejack and grits her teeth--this year's race isn't gonna be a cakewalk if those two have learned their lessons.
Tejene goes and stands by the conveniently striped starting line. It's like he's /supposed/ to be there or something. At some point he goes and locates Nettleglum, because standing around awkwardly works well in groups.
Pinkie_Pie salutes smartly! "Okie dokie lokie! Your list is in good hooves, your Chancellorness! Let me just say I have NO SECRET LINGERING FEELINGS OF ILL WILL toward you for beating me in the election to my dream job, and would never consider sabotaging some event dear to your heart!" Content she has reassured him, she canters back below the balloon, and whistles up to Spike.
Spike picks up Pinkie's fishing pole and casts the line. Success! He snags Pinkie and reels her back up into the balloon, leaning back in the gondola and bracing his foot on the rim for leverage.
Marble stares in shock at Pinkie Pie as she heads off... his hoof frozen in mid-air. "... O... O-Oh dear."
Nimbus_Dawning looks over to the somehow oddly familiar rainbow-hued pony and her company. To her, the banter seems quite heated rather than friendly joshing. Speaks volumes about Nimbus as a person perhaps.
Nettleglum breaks her stiff, angular stillness to creak her head towards Tejene. "Doctor, how lovely to see you here. Have you come to insure that any pony who collapses is checked properly for vital signs before swift burial can take place?"
Pinkie_Pie is reeled back up into the air, holding onto the fishing line by her mouth. She flops on top of Spike as he finishes pulling her aboard.
Memoire_Musique shoves the book at Twilight again, bumping the big scary unicorn in the chest with it. "Book!" she exclaims.
Nimble_Hooves blushes as he takes a moment to put on his number, finally realising it was the wrong way. Now it conveniently reads '31'. He seems a quite embarrassed at this, being more than a little flustered in general. He quietly steps toward the line, his ears low.
Memoire_Musique prods Twilight with her little hooves. "Book! Take!" she says, trying to give Twilight the book. Her hooves wobble as she tries to hold up the heavy tome.
Spike oofs, and squeezes out from under her. "Some time we gotta go bungie jumping together, Pinkie. You'd be a natural!"
Twilight_Sparkle telekinetically whisks the book away, cheerfully. "Sure thing!" she says, and inspects the tome.
Sunbeam comes out of The Lighthouse.
MArble clears his throat, then taps the microphone. Now for the moment he's been looking forward to since he first heard about this event from the Event Committee. "Racers, on the line, please! Get on your marks!"
Tejene is notably absent of medical supplies, but humors his friend none the less. "Let your mind rest at ease and assured that I will leave anypony who does not survive to you to be properly interred." He smiles, holding off a chuckle.
Little Strongheart gives her head a sharp toss and trots over to the starting line, standing on the other side of Tejene from Nettleglum. She examines the zebra with an only slightly furtive gaze. And then she obediently takes her mark.
Nettleglum freezes on the mark. It's a wonder she doesn't topple over.
MArble smiles, perched now ON the podium, his wings out. Big grin on his face. "Remember, this is for charity, little ponies. GET SET!"
Tejene fails to see how any one pony can stand upon their own cutie mark, but digress..
"GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Pinkie_Pie's voICe booms over the microphone. "THIS ON YOUR MARK IS SPONSORED BY: 2 CUPS OF SUGAR! WAIT... NO. HEEHEE, THAT'S MY SHOPPING LIST."
Sunbeam emerges from her shop with a washbucket in her mouth, sees the crowd, freezing midstep in her doorway, wings fritzed and eyes wide.
<OOC> Nimbus_Dawning says, "XD"
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "Why would Pinkie only be getting 2 cups?!"
"TWO CUP SUGAARR!" cheers a familiar dipsy voice, as a gray leg pumps up from the crowd.
Memoire_Musique has given... OH GOD! She spins around and gallops off... Wow. She's sure got some legs for such a little thing! Her wings buzz frantically, lightening her body enough so that she doesn't get too tuckered out.
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash says, "Maybe she just eats the 2 cups by themselves"
From utter stillness to a bizarrely shambling lope, Nettleglum takes off, no two legs seeming to bend quite the same way twice. It's like watching a tumbleweed in a wind tunnel. Her lurching gait covers ground at a surprisingly fast clip-- certainly not the sort of speed that would compete with the top runners, but respectable for a pony with a shovel slung over one shoulder and a glassy stare that's straight out of a taxidermy catalogue. If she has one advantage over her rivals in this race, it's that she may not actually be capable of fatigue.
Twilight_Sparkle has no time now! She teleports the book away somewhere (*paf*), and takes off running! Not super fast, more of a trot. In her head, she's actually counting her paces-per-second. It's important to be exact about thse things.
Applejack tilts her head at Apple Bloom, "Yer at the Runnin' of the Leaves, sugarcube." She then looks the girl over a bit more scrutinizingly, looking suddenly concerned. "Ya haven't been sneakin' into the cider cellar again, have ya?" But before any diciplinary action can be doled out, "Woahnelly!!!" There's the starting call, and... they're off! "Follow the signposts, sis!" She calls back over her shoulder as she bolts off, putting Bucky and Kicks to work.
Tejene takes off like a shot, mostly for comedy effect. He leaves several stripes hovering in midair, after a moment they zip forward and catch up! At which points he settles into kind of a comfortable gallop. Something about being a tribal nomad kind of lends itself to long distance jogs.
Snow_Bolt hears the go and starts the race off at a steady pace. He is not out to be at the front of the pack, and honestly worries about what the excessive exercise would do to him. He had been cleared to do pretty much anything that he wanted so he feels justified in running. At least he will have someone to run with now that Dusk is here. Though meeting a few other ponies around town would be sorta a cool side effect of running the race.
Spike says "And they're off! Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and and Memoire are off to a rapid start...Twilight and Nettleglum appear to be holding back, maybe planning a sprint later in the race. An interesting difference in strategy in this year's Running!"
Rainbow_Dash is off right as the race begins! Her muscles heave at the unusual stress, at the feeling of /earth/ beaneath her hooves, but Rainbow takes it all in stride, literally. In flight school they made you do laps on the ground to help train your muscle control, and she's put those exercises to good use recently during her self-imposed practice. She rockets ahead of several ponies to keep in pace with Applejack, those she /does/ do a double-take on that creepy dark mare.
Nimble_Hooves crouches slightly, looking out over the line and into the distance. At the call of 'Go' he is off running. Despite his Pegasus nature, he is quick on his hooves. Still, there are ponies quicker than he is, and he sees them disappearing ahead of him. Not wanting to exhaust himself too early, he quickly settles into a good pace.
Apple Bloom nods, determined not to get lost. It doesn't help that she is caught up in teh race, twirlign fast as all the racers run past her. So now she has no sense of direction AND is very dizzy. "Whooooooooa!" Catching herself and tottering clumsily, she says, "Rawt! Rawt! Signposts! Ah gotcha!" She wanders toward a candy cane left on the ground, trips on it, and face plants. Never headed in the direction of a sign post.
Marble, on the other hoof, hears the name "Memoire" and freezes. Oh no!!! "MEMOIRE?! MEMOIRE?!" Marble shouts into the microphone. "MEMOIRE COME TO DADDY! COME TO DADDY!"
Dusk waits as long as he can looking for Mirage, and chatting with his friends and others. But then all the ponies get set to take off, so he takes his place. He gives one more look around, then braces and heads off as the GO is given! He goes pretty well too, not even using his traveling magic. But he doesn't go for the lead, but keeps a nice pace, managing not to fall much behind at least.
Firefly slides in and alights atop one of the taller local buildings to watch the events below.
Dusk looks over to Snow keeping up the same pace as him and nods.
The young buffalo is ready when the announcement comes. She lets her head rise only after she's started running, and her running speed is nothing to wave a branch at! She speeds past Snowbolt and keeps pace with Tejene, continuing to stare at him when she's not plotting her course. And down come the first leaves.
Nettleglum's head swivels at an angle sure to induce wincing in spectators as Rainbow passes her by. ._. Sideways, her flat gaze follows the swift pegasus, not looking anything close to ahead of her. It's not until Rainbow is several lengths ahead that her skull snaps back to facing forwards again.
Spike adds, "We'd like to remind you that this years' Running of the Leaves isn't just benefiting the trees. It's also raising money for charity." He turns to look at his fellow commentator, now that she (hopefully) has been brought up to date on what's going on. "Pinkie, can you tell us about the charities this race is supporting?"
Pinkie_Pie's voice crackles. "THE RUNNING OF THE LEAVES IS RAISING MONEY FOR: AMBER ALERT! DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR NEWBORN YOUNG DAUGHTER IS? AMBER ALERT DOES! SHE RUNS THE ORPHANAGE AT THE EDGE OF TOWN."
<OOC> Spike laughs out loud.
<OOC> Memoire_Musique says, "Oh god... Pinkie, that's PRICELESS!"
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "XD"
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie ^^
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "XDDDDDDDDDDD"
<OOC> Memoire_Musique has to use that.
<OOC> Memoire_Musique says, "Maytbe."
Memoire_Musique waves a hoof at her daddy as she flails her way down the track. She may not be coming in first, but she's hot on Rainbow Dash's tail! "Dashie! Dashie!" she calls out... The she sees Nettleglum, and instantly has a new hero. She keeps trying to win, but she'll occasionally give Nettie a glance to see if she does anything else totally wicked!
Tejene pretty much serves as an optical illusion in motion. If you stare at him too long while he's running the back-and-forth of stripes combined with the oscillation of his mane in gallop will seriously boggle the eyes. So /that's/ why zebras do so good in the Everfree. The very motion of one running hypnotizes the Timber Wolves, who knew?
Snow_Bolt is pleased to see that Dusk appears to be keeping pace with him. He hadn't really seen Dusk do any training for the race. That doesn't mean that he didn't of course, "So what have you been up to Dusk?"
Pinkie_Pie's voice crackles. "THIS RUNNING OF THE LEAVES THING SOUNDS PRETTY AWESOME! I SHOULD SEE IF I CAN HELP OUT SOMEHOW, MAYBE DO SOME ANNOUNCING FOR IT, OR READ OFF THEIR ASSOCIATED CHARITIES."
"COME TO DADDY, MEMOIRE!" Marble says in desperation. Oh, Vinyl is going to *kill* him. Desperate parent mode activated, the Chancellor, throws the microphone behind him and starts running after his daughter.
Spike gives Pinkie Pie another stare, then decides the best thing to do is read from his list of Leaf Facts. "Aaaanyway, knocking down the leaves doesn't just make the trees ready for winter. The dead leaves also provide nutrients for the soil, and hiding places for small animals during the winter!"
Somepony presses a number on Marble as he runs past. Can't run without a number!
<OOC> Memoire_Musique says, "Daddy has #2!"
Pinkie_Pie got one of those fact sheets! They've been passing out leaflets.
Pinkie_Pie confides to Spike, "Do you think I'm writing the letters too big on these signs?" she says. She's holding a large square of cardboard that reads 'Pinkie_Pie's voice crackles. "THIS RUNNING OF THE LEAVES THING SOUNDS PRETTY AWESOME! I SHOULD SEE IF I CAN HELP OUT SOMEHOW, MAYBE DO SOME ANNOUNCING FOR IT, OR READ OFF THEIR ASSOCIATED CHARITIES."' "I feel like it might read too loud."
Memoire_Musique giggles and puts on a fresh burst of speed. Darn those foals and their boundless energy and endurance! She gallops on, not caring a button, or even a twig, if she falls behind. She's running as fast as her little hooves can carry her, and she's got TWO heroes now! Rainbow Dash and the pony with the funny eyes!
Applejack actually /did/ learn a lesson last year from Twilight, so though her speed is rather impressive right out of the gate, it's not a full-tilt effort. "Gotta pace yerself this time," she mutters to herself, determined gaze scoping the path ahead rather carefully. "And watch out for rocks.."
Berry Punch is taking it relatively easy this year. She's got a hip flask--that can't be a good sign. She gets distracted by Pinkie's dadaist announcing and smacks into an oak tree. She may not be repeating.
Rainbow_Dash definitely knows about pacing, too. She also knows that a pony should work on increasing the distance of their bounds to increase efficiency, as she's been working on this past little while. As a result, she occasionally bursts out in front of Applejack, but Applejack's method lets her keep a very steady pace. It looks like they're pretty much even! "What...is that about?" she utters, seeing Marble leap down into the race track area.
Nimble_Hooves tries his best to keep his attention focused on the trail ahead of him, but the cascade of leaves distracts him a little. He lifts his head from his running stance, and the distraction is almost costly. His hoof clips a root and he stumbles. True to his name, does a quick double-step to nimbly regain his footing. Yet, in the moments his pace is off another pony passes him. He lowers his head once more and joins in the race in earnest.
<OOC> Marble_Memory must now be his daughter's hero.
Nimbus_Dawning hm's. Running. The admittedly /slightly/ overweight pony doesn't seem too predisposed for a race. And maybe that's why she heads for food instead. And maybe she can find some of whatever it is that pink-hued announcer's been drinking.
Berry has her own stash, Nimble!
Tejene pretty much just casually cruises along. Going for a run without dragging along all your worldly posessions? Cake! Though he doesn't seem particularly fast about it at all. Instead of actively racing, he's actually making an effort to stay near the largest group of ponies running in pace with one-another. If you're going to have a migration, you're /supposed/ to do it in groups.
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "Maybe Berry Punch won last year because the prize was booze."
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie says, "I pose for ONE PICTURE of me boozing my brains out, and - oh, Berry! Right, right."
PUB >> The Great and Merciful Twilight wonders if the Running of the Leaves has ever had a doping scandal.
PUB >> Derpy resent that. Am derp, not dope.
PUB >> Rainbow_Dash says, "XD"
PUB >> Pinkie Pie says, "Derping scandal."
Spike eyes the sign, then gives Pinkie Pie a 'you're serious?' look, one eye squinted and his head tilted. He covers his mic, although not entirely effectively, and says, "Uhh...maybe if you didn't write in all capital letters?" He's doing his best to be helpful. The fact that the situation makes no sense is...not entirely new. He turns his attention back to the race just in time to see Nimble's stumble. "Nimble Hooves stumbles and...NICE recovery! He lost one place but it could have been MUCH worse."
The frantic Chancellor is... holding his own? He's not even getting tired. It's parental motivation! Normally this stallion can't even run 30 seconds without exhaustion. But *Memoire* could get *hurt.* "Memmy! Memmy!" Marble is more chasing his daughter than racing.
Twilight_Sparkle is running her own race, keeping her own pace, and enjoying the scenery. She's hanging out in the middle of the pack, just watching the ponies run and the leaves fall. If she's planning any sort of Twilight-esque surprises, she is not busting them out this early!
Pinkie_Pie brightens. "Oh, hey, wait! I could just use that loud talky thingy you're using." She hands Spike the sign. "Here, you can write instead. Why didn't I think of this before?" She pokes her head back over the side, consulting her sheet of paper.
Nettleglum settles into a steady lurch. You've seen the sort before. It's usually shown amid ruined streets in a George Romero film. It ignores rocks, debris, dirt, and desperate barricades, should it come to that. She falls back into the middle-back clutch of the pack, not far from Twilight.
Little Strongheart finds herself bewildered by the black-and-white magic of the zebra's mysterious profile. Her head spins, and she trips over a fallen branch. "Ugh!" The buffalo falls behind Tejene and two other racers, now even with Marble Memory and just ahead of Twilight, and takes time to rebuild her speed.
Memoire_Musique has THREE heroes. Her daddy, the best runner ever. And Rainbow Dash, and nettie. and Twilight! That's FIVE AWESOME heroes! But daddy is the best of all. She looks back at her daddy and sticks out her tongue... Only to trip over an acorn and faceplant in the dirt. She picks herself up and goes off running again, face absolutely filthy.
Firefly is standing where she landed, on the hoist beam of some three floor home, watching the race. From here she could see all around the countryside. Besides, if she needed to, she could just fly up and observe more direvtly over the race course. Seeing the local Chancellor leaping into things makes her grin. She curls a wing to scoop some caramel popcorn out of a tub and watches the race. Ol' Rainbow had to trip up somewhere, if last year's race was any indication.
Pinkie_Pie announces, "Remember, this race helps sponsor your local Buffalo Reservations! Buffalo Reservations: helping buffalo get into restaraunts in a timely manner."
Snow_Bolt continues to trot along at a brisk pace, though not so brisk that he would have to work up a sweat just yet. The race is just begining and it would be a shame not to enjoy it by trying to push out ahead of the herd, which seems to be forming quite nicely. Its amazing how that happens. The day is certainly beautiful and couldn't be better for racing. Its crisp without being cold and the sun is shining with a few lazy clouds rolling by.
Spike adds brightly, "And coincidentally, we have a buffalo competing in today's race! I believe this may be our first non-pony entry. Certainly the first since I've been here."
Tejene deliberately drops back when the young buffalo stumbles. He adjusts his speed and lags until Little Strongheart regains some speed so he may run alongside the other odd not-exactly-a-pony out. "Come young friend and run with me, we will show these city ponies how a proper migration should be." With that, he accelerates some and starts pushing head.
Little Strongheart, still smarting from her brief delirium and stumble, glares up at Pinkie. "Thanks, but we don't... " She pushes herself a little harder, leaping over a low bush. "...need your charity." Spike's acknowledgement, on the other hoof, makes her smile! She laughs a little and nods to the zebra. Is he considered a pony? she wonders. "As you wish," she declares, falling back into line with Tejene.
Marble gasps when he sees his daughter faceplant, but before he can reach her, she's up and running again. The chancellor gets back to running. What was it his doctor said about physical activity after his heart attacks?
Firefly snaps her wings and takes off, banking and inverting to fly upside down, dropping in over the racers...one cyan hued mare in particular. "Hey Rainbow....gonna be as fun a race as last year?" she asks, having no issues flying upside down at all. "No hornet's nests or wrestling matches with the Element of Honesty?"
Don't worry about it, Marble. Your good friend and ex-colleague Nettie is here. Should you need burial, she'll be the last one to let you down. ._. So to speak.
Apple Bloom stumbles out of the buyshes ahead of the racers, panting and looking uteterly terrified. "Ah cain't fawnd home! Wah cain't ah fawnd home!" The poor filly is not having a good week.
Rainbow_Dash bristles a little as Firefly shows off with one of the few moves she hasn't really mastered yet. "Nope, I think I've learned my lesson. I mean...if I can beat Applejack, I can definitely beat you!" She laughs playfully as she rounds the bend and enters the Hilly Country.
"The beautiful annual pony migration. Like sand through the hourglass, these beautiful creatures follow their eternal nomadic lifestyle," Pinkie intones. "This nature program is brought to you by HERD, Horse Emergency Relief for Disasters. At HERD, our motto is: 'What, Ponyville AGAIN?!'"
Berry Punch seems to have found some new determination. Licking her lips, she gallops ahead, passing Memoire with a smug flick of her wine-colored tail. She's regaining ground on Rainbow and Applejack!
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash says, "Right, we should move to Hilly Country! Press 'h'!"
Rainbow_Dash has left.
Hilly Pond(#448RLC)
/\/\/\ HILLY POND /\/\/\
~~~^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just outside of Ponyville, not far off from the direction of Fluttershy's cottage, the area becomes increasingly hilly, with trees and scenic grassy fields. Climbing to the top of the nearest sizable hill, with the sun shining brightly down, you can see both back to the sparse outskirts of Ponyville, and down the other side which reveals a beautiful sprawling pond before you. The area is lush with all manner of flora and fauna. While in one direction the pond wends around a bank and narrows, to the other direction it widens and covers quite a large area. Partly out into the pond a few small rocks outcrop where the water is shallower. Beyond the pond other hills break up the spreading wild landscape. The wind blows warm and pleasantly over you, swaying the cattails and other vegetation.
/\/\/\ /\/\/\
~~~^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[ Obvious Exits: <Po>nyville, Whitetail <Wo>od, Sweet <A>pple Acres ]
[ <M>aroon's Workshop, <S>ugar <R>ush's House ]
[ <Fl>uttershy's Cottage, <Au>richalcum's Workshop ]
[ Toward a <Pu>mpkin Field, Towards <T>welve <O>ats <F>arm ]
[ Players: Memoire_Musique(#1337PBC), Spike(#210PBC), ]
[ Pinkie_Pie(#209PBC), Twilight_Sparkle(#205PB), ]
[ Tejene(#893PBC), Marble_Memory(#688PBC), ]
[ Rainbow_Dash(#204PBC) ]
[ Sleepers: Noble_Steadfast(#1202PB), Emerald_Star(#1213PBC), ]
[ Icy_Breeze(#464PB) ]
[ Contents: Signpost(#1215) ]
Nettleglum has arrived.
Applejack has arrived.
<OOC> Marble_Memory loved that last announcement. XD
Rainbow_Dash shouts "The Running of the Leaves has moved on into Hilly Country!" (Public-shout)
Signpost(#1215)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The first signpost is located at the bottom of a valley with an abundance of squat, weeping trees. It points onward toward Whitetail Wood!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nimble_Hooves's ears perk as he hears his name being announced. A blush blooms on his face as he realises his stumble was just broadcast publically, although he doesn't quite get the compliment. He lowers his head a little more, and pushes his pace up a little. It is't quite enough as he is passed by a crazed pony who seems to have no regard for pacing, a pony calling out for 'Memoire to come to daddy?'
Applejack snorts as she overhears RD. "-IFFIN' ya can beat me!" She emphasises, picking up her pace and kicking up a small cloud of dust in the process. Keeping up with with those out front leading the pack, AJ slows a tad when she spots her sister, gawking as she wonders just how she got out ahead of the racers. She swerves and aims to scoop her sister onto her back and out of harm's way as she runs. "C'mon, AB!" Might cost her a second or two, but she's not about to let her sister get trampled for the sake of pride.
Dusk looks up to Pinkie and Spike in the balloon. That's kinda cool. He grins listening to their narration as well. He looks back to Snow and smiles. Dusk doesn't do a lot of galloping, but walks long distances all the time. "Well working at the Center and lots of stuff, Mr. Bolt. Yourself?" He does his best, not the easist thing holding a casual conversation while at a run. (repeats having found ponies had left by the time he posed..)
Snow_Bolt hasn't really been up to much. At least he has now spotted Rainbow Dash. When this race is over he will have to track her down and ask her about weather related things, but for now he is content to just run, "I can't say that I've been up to much since I last saw you." In truth things have been rather boring, and not in the good sort of lazy way, but more in the relentlessly hum drum sort of way.
Spike says "There's some confusion down there...it looks like a filly has wandered onto the course!" He gazes down at the racers through a pair of binoculars. "I think it's Apple Bloom! Apple Jack is moving in to assist! This could cost her some time..."
Memoire_Musique puts on a burst of speed, panting... She takes a bottle from her bag as she runs... Mother's milk, just the thing for these marathons! She goes sucksucksuck at the bottle, continuing to run her hardest! She's up with Applejack now, shaking a tiny hoof at Apple Bloom as she cheats and hitches a ride!
Berry Punch also sucksucksucks. She has her own strain of mother's milk with her. Back atcha, kiddo!
Rainbow_Dash doesn't have any siblings or stray foals running loose, but she still has her own challenges. Her flank is starting to ache prematurely; maybe she shouldn't have been practicing her stormball moves at the same time! "Whoa snap!" she yells, almost running into Apple Bloom. She manages to swerve around just in time, but its damanged her pacing; it'll take her some time to regain her plateau. Cripes!
Tejene pretty much just holds his pace, running alongside the outer edge of the pony herd. He's kind of off the proverbial beaten path but does pretty well to keep from tripping up on rocks and the like, dodging around bushes and hopping fallen branches. Ah, a fine day for a run through the forest. Strange circular migration or not, at least fun is being had.
Firefly angles a wingtip and banks smoothly over Rainbow. "Why Rainbow, is that a limp I detect? A slowing of leg strokes?" waggling her legs up in the air. "And why would you want to RUN anyhoof? Flying is SO much more thrilling."
So far, the group isn't in the forest, or even the woods yet, but there are trees here. They're running between the hills, rather then over them, and there are various weeping willow and ash here, especially near the pond.
Marble blinkblinks. How in Equesrtria did his daughter get a bottle of... He doesn't want to know... but he knows he can't race much longer and runs out to the side,slowing to a stop. He waves to somepony to get a doctor to check him up. -- Apple bloom whooas as her sister scoops her up and deposits her on her back. She holds onto her sister's neck. "Ah'm sorry ah snuck out and disappeared fer two weeks, Applejack! Ah shoulda listened t'y'all!" )
<OOC> Tejene brings his own forest, darnit. :V
Spike says "And it looks like the Chancellor has dropped out of the race...which is strange, because I didn't think he was in it to begin with! He doesn't even have a number. What do you make of this, Pinkie?"
Nimble_Hooves's pace slows a little as the course gets steeper, but he grits his teeth and puts more effort in, not willing to lose any more places. He quickly side-steps the pony who had passed him before. Something seemed wrong, but it looked as if he was getting help from bystanders. The psychological boost from gaining a place gives him a little burst of speed.
Pinkie_Pie holds up a line of ponies, cut out of a strip of paper. "A daisy chain, spike!" she chirps. "Oops. did I use the list of charities for that, or the leaf leaflet?"
A very cold shadow falls over the Chancellor as he stumbles, panting, to a halt. Nettleglum wouldn't let her dear friend Chancellor Mildew be ill like that. She's there, looming over him by the side of the road, having let the pack pass her. Bury'n shovel at the ready. "Oh, dear. You look deathy pale, dear. But aside from that, I think you may be unwell?"
Spike peers at the remains of the list and scratches his head, trying to read around the cut-out bits. "It looks like this race is also raising money for the...um...it says 'Disaster Fun.' They usually aren't, but okay!"
Derpy watches the proceedings from behind a cloud, accompanied by Cloud Kicker and Medley. And another Derpy. Wait, no, that's an animation error. No, wait! It's Grape Soda!
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash says, "XD"
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "XDDDD"
<OOC> Snow_Bolt says, "Double Derpy fun!"
<OOC> Firefly ROFLS
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie hehees!
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie flies behind Derpy in the balloon, and patches up that little tear in the fourth wall Derpy made.
MArble is panting, but he taps his chest gently, indicating that while he doesn't think anything is wrong and he's just tired, he's had enough incidents to want to make sure his heart is checked out. "Can... can you make sure... I'm heart healthy?"
"Darn tutin', ya shoulda!" Applejack replies to AB bluntly. "But yer scoldin' can wait. Now, hang on! Ah gotta catch up!" She puts on those turbo boosters, using all that leg strength to propel her towards the front-runners again. "C'mon, Kicks! C'mon Bucky! Let's show 'em what for!" Too bad she can't just put some roller skates on those front hooves.. she's sure they're slowing her down a notch!
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "XDD"
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie says, "Lucky Limpy and Toots McToddle were always a disappointment to AJ."
<OOC> Spike laughs.
<OOC> Applejack says, "Shhhh. We don't talk about them.
"
<OOC> Dinky XD
<OOC> Spike holds up his tail. "Spike Junior has never let me down, though."
Nettie produces a large can opener. "Certainly, dear. Just hold still. I'll have a spare on hoof in case of... oh, look, there's Doctor Tejene. Perhaps he can save us the trouble of swapping parts around. Oh, doctor! Yoo-hoo. Over here, dear?" Her forleg spasms around, signaling to the zebra.
Little Strongheart sticks beside Tejene, but on the inside track. She's sticking with the somewhat beaten path, pounding up pebbles from between the blades of grass and wild forbes. This route is a little longer, but perfectly legal, and it gives them more room to run unencumbered! Hard to say where they'll stand in the pack once they return. "Do you... live nearby?" she asks the zebra. Then Nettleglum's call gets her attention, and she frowns.
Memoire_Musique slows down a bit as her daddy stops. She lets a pony or two pass her... Then she remembers! The pony who wins... gets... Something? for somepony! She wants to get the biggest bran muffin in the world for her daddy, so she makes a flying leap and surges ahead. She's at the front of the race for a few seconds! "BRAN MUFFIN!" she shouts, her first real words.
<OOC> Marble_Memory <3s his daughter. He can't be more proud of those first words!
<OOC> Firefly says, "Ohh..daddy ina heap o' trouble now...letting momma miss those first words."
Rainbow_Dash gives Firefly a mischievous look. "At least I don't need Princess magic to be the awesomest pegasus ever!" she shouts, her brief tit-for-tat slowing her just a bit, enough to let AJ catch up. Applejack may be her rival on the ground, but Firefly is her true rival in the blue skies!
Dusk nods to Snow, "Well nothing wrong with that. This is quite an interesting event!" He makes sure even if he's not trying to run fast, he hits his hooves harder to the ground, to help shake free even more leaves. And it is a wonderful sight, watching so many leaves free falling off the great many trees. It's like something out of a painting! He seems to be moving pretty well, not getting too tired or anything yet, even as we start going up and down gentle hills.
Tejene breaks off pace because.. well he has to. Even though he isn't a medical doctor. A helpless shrug to the buffalo first, he circles the backside of the group and idles up to where Marble is trying to not die on the sidelines. "And what might the problem be, chancellor Memory?"
Rainbow_Dash also slows down a little from gawking at Memoire. What the hay!?
Derpy sweeps down from her cloud, hovering over Memoire Musique with a big grin. "Braaan muffiiiiinn!!" she echoes merrily.
<OOC> Tejene says, "Never underestimate the power of a foal who's been given Kool-Aid."
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "WHO GAVE MY DAUGHTER KOOL-AID?!"
Snow_Bolt isn't getting all that tired yet either, so far all the training he has done must be paying off, "Yes indeed." he says in response to Dusk's comment. It is a very interesting event. There is something sort of cool about all the ponies working together to get the job done. A very unifying experience.
"I can't keep running, I might cause another heart attack." Marble says, still panting. "So I stopped, wanna be sure my heart's okay. But... aren't you racers?"
Spike says "Tejene has dropped out and gone back to check on the Chancellor. A possible medical emergency? Meanwhile, we're seeing an especially strong showing from the young foal, Memoire! I think she may be our youngest Running of the Leaves competitor ever."
"This muffin interlude helps sponsor The Great and Powerful Trixie! She is more worthy of your bits than any of these sad little charities, and besides I have a really big purchase to - how did this get on here? Trixiiiiie!!" Pinkie yells, shaking a hoof at the sky in outrage.
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "XDDDDD"
Firefly laughs and cups two forelegs behind her head like a pillow as she cruises along above Rainbow and now Applejack. "I was uber awesome when your mother was selling habidashery." then pauses in thought. "Dang, that made me sound old." looking 'up' as Derpy swoops, then waves a hoof to Medley, then the commotion back a ways caught her eye. She airbrakes a bit and slows, then banks, rolls upright and glides in to land before Chancellor Marble. "Are you allright?" then looks to Nettie. "Is he allright Steward?"
Little Strongheart swiftly follows her new racingbuddy over to the sidelines, where the important pony--the leader?--is suffering. She stands there, heart pounding, and lowers her head. "What if we were to win, while another runner fell ill? Could we live with that kind of guilt?"
Nimble_Hooves sees other ponies in the distance. He blinks at the foal he sees. What kind of crazy organiser would let a foal into this event? The surprise causes his pace to slip a little, yet luckily there isn't a pony nearby to snatch his placing. The pace is starting to show on Nimble's face, tireness creeping in.
Memoire_Musique discards her bottle in the proper waste receptacle along the side of the course. Anypony who picks it up can see a suspicious label. "Dr. Zecora's Grade A Snake Oil, made from Snakes, Kool-Aid, and sevensecret herbs and spices!" She jobs along, panting heavily. She's starting to get a LITTLE worn out. She wants a nappy and her bear. "Muffin!" she says, panting as she slows down a bit.
"You know I am /always/ interested in your health, Chancellor Mockery, dear," assures Nettleglum flatly. "I even have a splendid resting place picked out for your retirement." She doesn't mean a condo. Nettie glances up at the Squire as she lands. "I believe he will survive. The doctor is certainly looking into it."
Derpy, her heart melting, lands on the yellow grass beside Memoire Musique and fishes a muffin out of her bag for the toddler. It's not a bran muffin, it's lemon poppyseed... but it does look good and moist. "Muffin," she says lovingly, not knowing whether she's breaking any race rules or not.
Spike hands Pinkie the mic for a moment while he climbs up above the gondola and blows fire up into the bottom of the balloon, ensuring it'll stay aloft for a while longer.
Tejene doesn't know what a racer is, at least not in this vernacular. "A racer is a type of snake, I'll have you know. I happen to be a zebra as I believe my stripes do show." He narrows his eyes at Marble with a particularly collegiate expression, this pony who cannot tell the difference between a snake and a zebra is the chancellor? Ugh. "If not tightness or pain in your chest you should feel, then any danger besides excertion should not be particularly real. If abnormality of that sort you do however see, then a stop by the race medical station my recommendation would be." Did anypony else not remember that Ponyville Hospital has a medic station set up?
"My co-announcer's exhalation reminds me that some of our racers are sponsored by Hookers and Blow! Hookers and Blow: for all your fishing and custom glass needs. Remember, your first one's free!" Pinkie says cheerfully.
<OOC> Marble_Memory says, "XDDDDD"
<OOC> Spike says, "That is SO WRONG. X)"
<OOC> Firefly says, "chokes on ehr soda at that oner. Well done!"
<OOC> Tejene laughs off a loose stripe. XD
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie yesss, success!
<OOC> Twilight_Sparkle almost falls out of her chair.
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash says, "What is this I don't even"
<OOC> You say, "Oops! Pinkie runs out of the ideas I gave her, and see what happens."
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie hehees!
<OOC> Memoire_Musique says, "I just had ginger ale go up my nose."
<OOC> Firefly says, "I suspect Big Johnson is next?"
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie says, "Aaaaaayup."
<OOC> Firefly says, "still has root beer in her nose."
Apple Bloom holds on tightly. "Are y'all sure y'all are goin' the rawt way? Ah coulda sworn there was a turn back there." Apple Bloom's guidance is off a totally lost sense of direction. -- Marble checks his saddlebags... then holds up a yellow card, panting. "EXCEPTION! EXCEPTION! THESE COMPETITORS NEED TO CATCH UP!" He shouts.
Firefly nods to Nettleglum and the Doctor. She then turns to Chancellor Marble. "Indeed, thou are not built to pound pavement and gravel, thee are made to pound paper and pen. Why in Luna's name would thee even attempt participation in this race?" turning now to look at the racers as they thunder onward.
"Thanks for reminding me, grandma!" Rainbow Dash replies, not losing her cool at all, not even with that remark about her mother. AFter all, Mom was a perfectly fine - "Whoa, what's up with that?" she says to herself, seeing the Chancellor by the edge of the road far behind. Well, not any of her business; she has a race to finish!
Memoire_Musique is still... phew... She's still just barely ahead of the pack... BOY she's pooped. Speaking of which, a cloud of stench arises from the young foal. Oh dear, she's gone and made a mess.
Spike holds up the fishing rod he retrieved Pinkie with, earlier. "I've used a few Hookers myself. They're always handy!"
You page, "More charities! Camp Daring, the summer adventure club for foals who love action! And my friend suggests Celestia's Beard, a charity supporting prostate cancer research in stallions. And a Zap Apple Awareness Board! With tips and tricks to keep your bees and jars happy." to Pinkie_Pie.
<OOC> Memoire_Musique says, "SPIKE YOU GAVE ME THE HICCUPS!"
<OOC> Nimble_Hooves is a little too stunnned
<OOC> Firefly says, "And remember, after a hard day's work at the lake, wipe down your Hooker Wesson pure Mink oil, the oil that keeps your Hooker clean, flexible, and ready for your next outing!"
<OOC> Nettleglum is ill and sleepy, and heads off. ._. Will continue tomorrow.
"Where? Did ah miss a sign?" AJ swerves again and is almost about to turn back, before she puts two and two together. She rights herself again. "Dagnabit! You ain't navigatin' this trip!, AB" Like Rainbow, she's a bit too far ahead to hear Marble's shouts, though she's soon downwind of his daughter's fumes, which do a decent job of slowing her down -- she chokes and staggers, eyes watering. "Whooooeeeeeeeeeeee! Somepony tip over an outhouse?"
<OOC> Pinkie_Pie says, "I've done it now, haven't I? Hookers and Blow is canon. We're gonna have one in town next to Quills and Sofas, aren't we?"
<OOC> Firefly laughs.
<OOC> Firefly says, "Well, Hooker does also make dressers and other furniture."
Right, well it seems the only thing wrong with Marble is entirely in his head. Except we knew that already. Tejene draws an earthen flask of something or other out of Hammerspace. It's got "Vitali-Tea" written on the cork and leaves it with the chancellor. Should be self explanatory at least. The zebra turns and bolts to rejoin the race, going from dead standstill to hyperdrive in that "there's a cheetah trying to bite my cutie mark off" abrupt sprint you only really see in "Wild Zebrica" specials at the theater.
Rainbow_Dash gawks again at Memoire when she shes that the foal is well ahead of her still! She grits her teeth; she's not about to be beaten by some /filly/! "Hey, kid! You're out of - *HURK*" She shuts her mouth as the urge to gag severely strikes her thanks to the atrocious stench. Ugh, gross! She takes careful breathes with her head gled up to try and avoid the smell; oh no, it's up there, too! "AAAKKTPTPTBT!"
Memoire_Musique also grabs the muffin. NOMNOMNOM! She demolishes it, holding it with her wings.
Little Strongheart observes the transfer of medicine and gives Marble a respectful bow before quickly dashing off again. She's fallen well back, but is rested now, and feels good in her heart for stopping.