ANNOUNCEMENT: The Second Running of the Leaves

[sparkledragon]

[When the scrolls flare to life, they flash the below message first, accompanied by Official Canterlot Kazoo. It seems somepony's given Spike a new instrument]



[Spike himself shows up a moment later with his chest puffed up and his kazoo hung on a string about his neck.]

Hi, everypony! For those who don't know me, I'm Spike, Twilight Sparkle's, uh... both Twilight Sparkles' assistant. [He loses just a little bit of steam, but plows onward.]

As with last year and the year before, I'll be the announcer for the annual Running of the Leaves. I know we're a little late, but that's kind of a Ponyville tradition from before Twilight got here. Anyway, I wanted to invite all of you to participate! [He holds up a claw and closes his eyes as he recites.]

The Running of the Leaves is one of the most important races in all of Equestria. Every year, ponies across the land gallop through the forests, shaking loose the autumn leaves. Without this, they'd stay up there forever. And I dunno about you, but I like winter and spring and summer, too. Simplest way to say it is that it's vital to changing the seasons in Equestria outside the Everfree Forest.

Princess Twilight Sparkle will be officiating again and the first, second, and third place winners will receive awesome prizes! Everypony's important, though. We need all of Equestria, newpony and native to help out. As a thanks, all participants will receive a Wonka bar and a certificate for a free cupcake at Sugarcube Corner. [He holds up the aforementioned items.]

If you've got any questions, I can totally answer them!

[OOC: The race post itself will go up this Saturday.]

Comments

[saint_sami]

Um, question? I thought leaves just fell down by themselves?

[sparkledragon]

Yeeeeah... that's one of those weird things that happens in the Everfree Forest. The rest of Equestria's normal, though.

[saint_sami]

...not weird where I came from...

[sparkledragon]

Oh! You're one of the humans... are you a human?

[saint_sami]

Uh-huh! Well, technically, yes, but let's not worry about that!

[magicalrealist]

Looks like you're facing another busy Running of the Leaves, Spike. I bet your as excited as everyone else.

[sparkledragon]

Totally! After everything that's happened- uh... I mean. Everypony gets excited, but I'm a professional, Twilight. Three years is practically forever.

[magicalrealist]

Of course! You're a veteran now, Spike; aspiring announcers look up to you and all of your announcing prowess. It speaks for itself.

(Yeah, she totally had to go there.)

[sparkledragon]

Twilight! [Spike can't help giggling at the terrible pun.] Are you gonna run this year finally?

[mostcolorfulepithets]

My the goddesses, shove Luna's horn into me! The running of the Leaves! I've never had a Running of the Leaves! Can I enter? Please let me enter!

[Sorry, Spike, but when you come from a post-apocalyptic wasteland...]

[sparkledragon]

Uh... [Oooookay. That's... not something he'd usually hear ponies who are happy say.] You can totally enter. But, uh... there's really no need for Princess Luna to... y'know?

[mostcolorfulepithets]

[Littlepip's face goes from cheerful to embarrassed.]

Oh goddesses, I said that out loud. Erm. Sorry...

But The Running of the Leaves still sounds amazing! I get to see leaves on trees! And then later, I'll see the leaves regrow on trees! Thank you so much for letting me enter, Spike!

[sparkledragon]

No problem? [Now he's just getting a little confused.] It's really for anypony! Do you... not have trees where you're from? [Maybe she lives out in the desert in her universe.]

[strawberryredgrave]

The race is back already? Huh...where does the time go...

Think it'll be as tense as last year's?

[sparkledragon]

Absolutely! When we're up there, laying out the field, announcing the positions, everypony will be on the tips of their hooves!

Are you gonna join this year?

[strawberryredgrave]

Definitely. I took a backseat last year, but this year looks too good to pass up.

Besides...we gotta have at least one dragon in the race, right?

[sparkledragon]

Exactly my thinking! [If a dragon won, that would just be icing on the cake.] We gotta show all these ponies how you really shake the leaves. Oh, man, and one the prizes is gonna be so great. It's all to do with dragons. I can't wait for the prize-giving.

[nekomikoreimu]

... So is this race going to go through my Shrine, dragon?

[sparkledragon]

Um. [Spike glances away. He had noticed the addition of the shrine in the middle of their race course.] Well... not really through. You aren't gonna have ponies knocking on your door. [He should probably nix the stair-climbing challenge he'd been hoping to do there.]

[nekomikoreimu]

It's fine if they must run through the shrine, but how much of a mess will they be causing?

[sparkledragon]

No mess! I mean... just a couple of leaves. [The entirety of the autumn foliage up to that point. How much could that really be?]

[ultra_vi]

...The leaves don't just...fall?

[sparkledragon]

[You non-ponies and your crazy ideas.]

Of course not. It's pony magic that makes the seasons change. Or, well, zebra or griffon magic, too, where they are.

[ultra_vi]

Pony magic...right...

[She'll get used to the idea someday....maybe.]

So ponies run the race to get the leaves to fall? Who can take part in the race?

[sparkledragon]

You got it! And anypony can take part in the race. Really, the more there are, the better. There will be awesome prizes for the winners, too. Have you ever done much racing?