Crossing the Finish Line
The crisp, autumn wind blew through Maple's short, brown mane as he trotted through the sparse trees on the outskirts of Ponyville. A few golden leaves fell to the path. The tan earth pony smiled to himself, gazing around at the brown, yellow, and red leaves.
"My favorite time of the year," Maple sighed to himself. He inhaled deeply, absorbing the midmorning atmosphere. Still trotting at his usual slow, easy pace, Maple meandered down the path towards Ponyville.
By now, many residents of Ponyville had awoken for their usual affairs. Ponies gossipped and chit chatted lightly to each other in the market square, while others simply tended to their flowers or gardens. Though today, a special topic drifted from the muzzles of most of the ponies. This was no ordinary autumn day.
Today was the Running of the Leaves.
Maple waved absentmindedly to passing acquaintances. He absorbed as much as the positive energy as possible. He knew he would need it for the trials ahead of him that day. If anyone asked his opinion, he quickly tossed in his positive attitude.
"Hey Maple! Ready for today's Running of the Leaves?" Roseluck enthusiastically asked Maple. "I heard you're participating!"
"Yeah, I am," replied Maple. "I can't wait!"
“Good luck today, Maple!” another pony from across the court yelled.
“See you at the starting line!” yelled Caramel as he waved as the passing Maple.
“I’m so glad you decided to participate this year, Maple,” a smiling Bon Bon commented as she passed Maple.
Eventually, Maple reached Carrot Top’s humble carrot stand.
“Good morning, Maple. I suppose you want a carrot today, like usual?” Carrot Top inquired like normal.
“Of course,” Maple smiled and threw three bits onto the stand.
Carrot Top procured a delicious, orange carrot with a green leaf and placed it next to the bits. Maple graciously accepted the vegetable with his teeth and took a bite from the pointy end.
Carrot Top slyly looked at Maple and said, “I heard you were competing in the Running of the Leaves today. Are you a bit nervous?”
Maple nodded twice as he swallowed the juicy bite of his carrot. “Maybe a little, but I think I will be fine.” He smiled uncertainly. “I’ll probably beat everyone!”
“Ha! You wish!” exclaimed a certain cyan pegasus as she casually hovered to the ground. “You’ll have to run EXTRA fast to beat me!”
A sigh escaped another particular orange pony as she trotted to the scene. “Well ah think ah might be just the right pony ta do that THIS year, Rainbow Dash.”
“Pfft, you really think you can beat ME?” Rainbow Dash soffed at the new pony. “I know you’re a workhorse and all, Applejack, but when it comes to speed, I’m the fastest!”
“Sure ya are,” Applejack chuckled lightly. Then she gave Rainbow Dash a steely grin. “You’ll have ta prove it this year!”
“Oh it is ON Applejack!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she descended to Applejack and stared at orange pony in the eyes. “The only thing you will see when you cross the finish line is my flank!”
“We’ll see about that!” Applejack responded, returning with a determining glare.”
Carrot Top rolled her eyes at the confrontation. She returned her attention to the star-struck Maple. “You really think you are ready for this?” she asked, gently. “I know you…”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Maple brushed off her remark. “I’ve been working up to this day for sometime now. I know I’ll be fine!” Maple flashed a slightly uneasy smile at Carrot Top.
Returning with an encouraging smile, Carrot Top added, “Okay, well good luck, then!” She waved as Maple trotted away with the scrumptious vegetable in his chops.
Maple left the market and wandered to his small shack on the edge of Ponyville. He placed his bag of bits on the counter next to the door, and trotted to his living room. With a sigh of relief, he sat down on his couch. The clock above the front window ticked another minute to represent the time of 11:30 a.m. A slimmer of the sun’s rays cascaded through the window, illuminating the plain room.
Sighing softly, Maple rubbed his forelegs. He had only been walking about for about an hour and half, but the trek seemed to have tired him more than he had wanted. He bit another bite size piece from the carrot and chewed it. Many negative and conflicting thoughts passed through his head about his his looming fate.
Again, Maple sighed to himself, trying to dismiss the disruptive thoughts. “I can do this,” he muttered to himself. “I signed up for the Running of the Leaves for once. I might as well do this…”
* * *
Several hours later, Ponies gathered around the starting line of the Running of the Leaves. They each stretched their glutes and worked their calves in anticipation of the upcoming marathon. Some of them nervously glanced at the opponent's warm-up routines and silently compared themselves.
“Fillies and Gentlecolts! Welcome to the annual Running of the Leaves!” a pink pony announced from her air balloon flying over the crowd. “This is Pinkie Pie, your official eye in the sky announcer!As everypony knows, the run is a very important tradition. Without it the autumn leaves of Equestria would never fall. So get ready ponies, the Running of the Leaves will begin in five minutes!”
Near the far right side of the line, Rainbow Dash carefully flexed her wings and stretched her legs. Her figure exuded her undeniable air of confidence and experience as she worked through her important routines. Confidence and determination overpowered any of her doubts in her eyes.
Next to the blue pegasus, the strong, capable, earth pony, Applejack also curved her legs and prepared for the event. Doing her best to ignore Rainbow Dash’s ritual, Applejack focused on the task at hand. This was her year, after all. Rainbow Dash may be fast in the air, but Applejack had the advantage on land. That overconfident blue mare may think she can outrun a supposedly simple earth pony. This year, Applejack would, without a doubt, prove to everypony just how strong that simple earth pony was.
Meanwhile, the regular participants lined up next to the ultra competitive mares. Caramel and Bon Bon exchanged pleasantries. Roseluck sat down and waited patiently.
Maple cautiously walked to the leftmost part of the line. He breathed heavily and tried to psych himself up for the grueling task task hand. Many ponies from the sidelines waved encouragingly at the nervous buck.
Okay, Maple, this is it. Maple thought to himself. For so many years, you have stood at the the sidelines and watched. This is your year! No more watching! You love this time of the year! You can do this! Ponyville needs you! Autumn need you! Equestria needs you! Just gallop like you have never galloped before.
“Racers! Please take your positions!” Pinkie Pie said.
The talking died down. Everypony at the starting line braced themselves for the countdown.
“On your mark! Get set! Go!”
In a flash, each pony dashed forward, trying to get a head start. Applejack and Rainbow Dash easily galloped to the front to lead the race.
Nervously, Maple sprinted with the crowd, but took just a few steps before he embarrassingly stumbled and face planted into the ground. Other ponies dodged him without a second glance. Maple grumbled to himself as he rose back to his hooves. Then he continued after the competing crowd. Now he was dead last.
“And they’re off!” Pinkie Pie called out to the audience. “Rainbow Dash and Applejack take the lead right off the bat with everypony close behind!
As the stampeding ponies sped through the trees, the golden and brown leaves fell from and cascaded to the ground behind the ponies.
Even though he was currently last, Maple could not help but admire the beautiful scenery. This was the reason he loved autumn. Sure, this was the first year he decided to actually run in the Running of the Leaves, but every year he had observed the race from the sidelines. Now, he had the chance to help. Too bad his current predicament kept him from being in the thick of the action. He once again witnessed the leaves falling from other ponies. Still, a small sense of accomplishment bubbled inside Maple as he galloped at his pace behind the other runners.
“And Applejack takes the lead!” Pinkie Pie announced in the distance. “Rainbow Dash is behind by about a nose!”
Slowly, the loud thunder of the hooves of the pack died down to a whisper as Maple lagged behind more and more. Panting and wheezing, Maple dragged himself along in a half gallop, half trot as he progressed through the race.
At least thirty minutes had passed since the beginning of the competition. No other pony could be seen. Only Maple remained by himself in the middle of Whitetail Woods. He fell to his knees. A slight pain sliced through his tired and weak legs. Maple coughed several times as he tried to regain his breath.
“What am I doing…,” Maple mumbled to himself. “I knew this was a long run, but I thought I could do this. Ugh, I’m just not cut out for this I guess….I should just give up...” Maple continued to mope to himself.
No other pony was in sight. Pinkie Pie’s below had drifted far away to the more compelling part of the race. Only the autumn leaves gently blowing in the wind kept Maple company in the middle of the forest. The cooling wind rustled his mane, willing him to continue.
Grimacing to himself, Maple finally stood up. “Okay,” he groaned. “I’m stuck out here. I CHOSE to be here. I might as well finish what I’ve started.”
Reluctantly, Maple took a few steps forward. He trudged forward a few feet. His stumbling turned into a trot which turned into a light gallop. His muscles cried out in agony, but Maple ignored it. The pain was nothing too great to overcome. His eyes glinted with a willingness to finish this task he had taken upon himself.
The leaves on the ground rustled behind Maple as he ran down the path. The breeze whipped by him, invigorating him. Each step, no matter how slow or painful, was another step to that elusive finish line.
A noise reached Maple’s ears. The babble of a ponies and booming voice of Pinkie Pie loomed ahead of him. He turned the last corner and saw the magnificent finish line with the banner still in place. With renewed energy, Maple dug into his reserves to sprint headstrong to the end.
“It seems we have one last runner!” Pinkie Pie yelled. “You can do it, my little pony!”
Smiling and sweating, Maple dashed the last one hundred meters and crossed the finish line. He took a few more steps to slow his momentum before he collapsed to the ground. His chest heaved in and out from the excursion of running so fast.
A few ponies cheered and stomped their hooves, but for the most part, the crowd seemed disinterested about the last place pony. Some chuckled slightly and made a couple less endearing remarks..
Maple could care less about finishing last. He may have imagined vying for a spot in the top five, but just completing the race warmed his heart. He had stuck through this contest. He had challenged himself. The other ponies could laugh and say what they wanted about him, but no pony could take his accomplishment from him. Who knows? Maybe next year, he could stun everypony and finish first.
“Hey Maple!” Carrot Top greeted Maple. “I was getting worried. Everypony finished a long time ago. Glad you survived!”
“Hehe…,” Maple laughed slightly, still trying to recover his breath. “Me too.”
Most of the crowd gather around Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The latter victoriously stood upon a podium above the rest. She flexed her wings and smirked confidently. The ponies congratulated her on her well earned victory.
Maple proudly stood up with a smile plastered across his face. With one last glance to the now barren trees of the forest, he valiantly trotted through Ponyville to his home. Even though his were sore and his chest ached, he held his head high. No matter what anypony said, he had set won in his heart.
Author's Note
Thanks for reading! This is my first pony related short story, so it may seem bit wonky at times. This is just a one-shot story, and that's why I didn't elaborate a lot on the main character or anything else. I just needed to write and complete a story. This story may not be great or anything, but it served its purpose to me.