fandomhigh | The Elements of Friendship, Thursday, Period 1

Pinkie had ~~handwavily~~ let the students know that today, they were to meet her out on the preserve. When they reached the appointed spot, they'd find her standing proud beneath a rustic, but cheerful banner decorated in bright fall leaves stretching across the head of a winding path into the trees, beneath which was painted a straight white line. Pinkie grinned proudly at the students as they gathered.

"Welcome to an annual Ponyville tradition, the Running of the Leaves! Every year, ponies from all over Ponyville gather together to race through the woods for honor and glory and delicious fall apple treats! Now, it looks like the trees have gotten a head start on us and shed a bunch of their leaves already, but there's still plenty more to bring down with your running feet, plus loads of racing fun!"

Because shod people feet were totally as capable of rattling the leaves off the trees as those of a mass of magical ponies. Just hope Pinkie doesn't decide to make you keep running until all the leaves have fallen.

"There are signs along the path to let you know which way to go!" Pinkie giggled here, which . . . didn't bode super well. "So everyone get warmed up and ready to raaaaaaaace!"

[ooc: Ready, steady, go!]

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On your marks! Get set! Go!

Nice and easy running here, a smooth, even, wide path. Very scenic. This isn't so bad after all.

Rilla wasn't much of a runner just in general--the sorority fun run last year had been an exception--and she was doing the patented PE approach of "walk along unless someone is looking at you" racing technique.

She'd dropped well behind her classmates already.

Ender was fine with running, but he wasn't feeling particularly competitive today. He kept up a healthy jog, enjoying the scenery.

Juliet wasn't a runner. At all. She ambled, more than anything, comfortably near the back of the pack.

Spock was a Vulcan and thus had better endurance than your average Human, but he wasn't particularly fast and also, it was cold. Still, keeping moving helped with that second thing.

The path curves around to the right -- into a wide, rocky, pitted stretch.

Watch those ankles.

Walking through a rocky path in high heels was not an exhilarating experience. Rilla progress slowed way down.

The path branches off here in two different directions. The one to the right looks quite nice, a lot like the early stretch. The left one leads the way up a hill, through more rocks and low-lying branches.

Pinkie's sign, a bright, cheerful arrow, points up the rocky hill.

Edited 2011-10-27 06:48 (UTC)

It's a lovely path. Pinkie must have been trying to pull a prank.

Until you hit the giant mud puddle. And then there's the honey bees in the tree up ahead. . . .

After tottering through the rocks, Rilla disobeyed her inherent rule-following nature and took the easier looking path.

And regretted it, especially when she found the bees.

The fork to the left that Pinke's sign pointed to is hard and rough up a steep incline and around a somewhat precipitous cliff.

Once you're around that, though, it's a smooth, sunlit dash back down the hill.

A challenge wasn't so bad, was it? Ender wasn't one to put his fate in the hands of authority - not this easily, not anymore - but he really didn't mind the workout. Besides, the incline would net him a better view.

On top was where he stopped for a bit. If he was going to wind up in a crack class, he might as well enjoy it.

Once the two forks join back together, it's another broad, straight stretch of smooth path towards the finish line. It looks a lot like the starting line, only the banner has a trophy on it, and Pinkie's waiting with a checkered flag.

And the stampede of alots crossing just a little ways before you get there.

Considering that Ender had never seen an actual, normal alot before in the flesh - so to speak - he had to stop for a while to observe them as they went on past.

He was pretty sure most of the other runners had passed him by now.

Manage not to sprain your ankle? Pick the right path? Dodge the alots?

YOU MADE IT!

Pinkie's set up a lovely little victory party in a field just past the finish line, complete with a table full of delightful apple treats, cobbler, pie, tarts, turnovers, danish, cupcakes, candied, it's like the Apple family themselves sent Pinkie a giant care package.

And there's a big pile of leaves, just made for jumping in.

Enjoy!

[Race rankings RNGed and in OOC thread]

Edited 2011-10-27 07:05 (UTC)

The Elements of Friendship, Thursday, Period 1

Race time! [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the first stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the first stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the first stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the first stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the first stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - around the bend [10/27]

Re: Race time! - around the bend [10/27]

Re: Race time! - a fork in the road [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the right fork [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the right fork [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the left fork [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the left fork [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the final stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the final stretch [10/27]

Re: Race time! - the finish line [10/27]