30 Minute Delay

Sweet Lava Acres

Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash strolled up the ramp to the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse, where the sound of giggling could be heard. When they pushed the door open, a strange sight greeted them.

“Good heavens!”

“Cool!”

“Whut are y’all three doin’?” From the ceiling, the three upside-down fillies grinned up, er…down at them.

“Pinkie Pie let us use her suction cups!” Chortled Scootaloo.

“It’s really fun.” Chimed Sweetie Belle.

“Ev’rythin’ looks so weird upside down!” Applebloom remarked, walking backwards with a loud Pop! accompanying each step.

“Well,” Rarity began haughtily,

“However ‘fun’ that is, Sweetie Belle, I’m afraid it’s time to go home now. Come along.”

“You too, Applebloom, ya got chores fer Granny Smith.”

“Awwww.” Two voices from the ceiling chorused. Soon each filly was right-side-up again and trying to shake off their dizziness. Rainbow Dash put her wing around Scootaloo.

“C’mon pipsqueak, I’ll walk you home.” The orange Pegasus’ eyes lit up.

“You mean it?”

“Sure, IF you can keep up.” She trotted in place. Quick as a flash, Scootaloo’s helmet was on and her scooter was out.

“I won’t slow you down, honest!”

Grinning from ear to ear, the two Pegasus’ went on their way, shortly followed by the Unicorn sisters as the Apples went back to the house.

<><><><><><>

“Ah thought it’d be a good few years before ah’d be looking up at mah baby sister, that’s fer sure.” The three older ponies were sat around Rarity’s lounge at Carousel Boutique.

“I dunno, I thought it was kinda cool, even us Pegasus’ can’t stay upside down like that for long.” Rainbow craned her neck to look upside down while speaking but was shaking the light-headedness away before long.

“I had a devil of a time getting Sweetie Belle’s fur clean again after all that ‘fun’. The Cutie Mark Crusaders obviously don’t clean their clubhouse often enough.”

“Ah’m just glad none of them came unstuck. That’d be a might more painful than playing The Floor Is Lava, although them suckers would make it too easy to win.” Applejack noticed her friends looking at her strangely.

“What?”

“Applejack, you played in lava as a foal? Are you mad?” Rarity was surreptitiously checking her friend for burn scars.

“Yeah, AJ, that seems a little dangerous even for a rough pony like you.”

“Ah never played in l-“ A thought struck Applejack,

“Wait. You two never played The Floor Is Lava?”

“Nope.”

“Heavens no.”

“Well ah can kinda see that with you Rainbow, bein’ a Pegasus an’ all, but ah cain’t believe you never played, Rarity.”

“Are you saying it’s a game? You weren’t actually playing with lava?”

“Of course not. It’s just a game. It’s pretend. You act as though the floor is made of lava and you’ll ‘die’ if you touch it. You move around without touching the floor. Last one who keeps off the floor wins the game.”

“That sounds great! Why wouldn’t I like it?” Challenged Rainbow. Applejack looked pointedly at her wings.

“You’ve got a li’l but of an advantage there, RD.”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I guess that would make it little easy, huh? I still kinda wanna play though, see what I was missing.”

“Well, why not? Ah can rope off a section of the orchard and set up some junk inside to use as stepping stones. It’ll be fun.” Applejack was always up for a competition and she hadn’t played in years, it’d be a good way to spend an afternoon.

“Um, Rainbow dear, what about your wings?” Rarity was both sceptical and intrigued at the same time.

“Well, I suppose Applejack could tie them up again like with the Running of the Leaves.”

“Well that’ll be a backup plan, why don’t we go see Twilight later and see if she’s got any magic that could help us?”

“We should ask her to play too! Do you really think Twilight Sparkle, apprentice to the Princess, egghead extraordinaire, has played either?” Rarity and Applejack looked at each other and answered as one.

“Not a chance.”

<><><><><><>

The next day, Rarity and Rainbow Dash arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack and Twilight met them at the cordoned-off arena.

“Hi girls, looking forward to today?”

“Aw yeah I am, Twilight. I don’t even care if I can’t use my wings, I’m winning this thing.” Rainbow was doing backflips in her excitement.

“Rainbow Dash, please control yourself!” Rarity admonishment was half-hearted at best,

“At least until the game starts.” Rainbow stopped spinning long enough to look around.

“Well, I don’t see any rope. Does that mean I get to use my wings after all?” Applejack and Twilight shared a knowing look.

“Sure, RD, hop over the fence and give the arena an eagle-eye once-over.” Rainbow mock saluted.

“Can do, boss.” Twilight and Applejack snickered at this.

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that.” Twilight remarked ‘innocently’. Rarity looked at her quizzically but Rainbow Dash was already on her way. Hopping over the boundary, she spread her wings, crouched down for a second to find her balance, then shot straight up…

…one foot in the air.

“Huh?” Rainbow looked around and flailed briefly before crashing back to the ground, splashing mud around. Spitting out some sludge, Rainbow tried again but to no effect. Alarmed, she looked over at her friends, who were trying hard not to laugh.

“What’s going on here? Why can’t I fly?” Twilight quickly got a hold of herself and turned to Rarity.

“Could you help her clean up please, Rarity?”

“Of course, Twilight.” Rarity trotted over and daintily stepped over the boundary, taking care to keep as little mud on her hooves as possible. The cloth she’d been levitating with her magic suddenly dropped over her eyes.

“Oh dear. Well that’s not right.” Her horn glowed blue momentarily before sputtering out. The cloth hadn’t moved. She tried one more time but not even a glow appeared this time. Dragging the cloth off her face, she glared at Applejack and Twilight, who were rolling on the floor.

“Twilight! Applejack! Explain yourselves this instant!”

“Yeah! This isn’t funny!” Wiping a tear from her eye, Applejack waved down their complaints.

“Ah dunno about that one, Rainbow. ‘s pretty funny from over here. Ah’ll let Twilight explain it. It’s her spell after all.” The two affected ponies turned their ire to the purple Unicorn.

“It’s a null-zone spell. Pegasus and Unicorn abilities are nullified while they’re standing inside. It was thought up by a Unicorn who was born from an Earth pony family, so that he could fit in at home. When Applejack told me what you said yesterday, I set it up. This way everypony can compete fairly WITHOUT ropes.” Rainbow didn’t look satisfied.

“This isn’t permanent is it?”

“No no, it’s just while you’re standing in the arena. The moment you step back over the outer rim you’ll be as a fast a flier as usual.”

“Well….I guess that’s fine then. So long as I’m not permanently grounded.”

“That is relieving. So then, Twilight, will you be joining our game?” She shook her head at Rarity’s question.

“Not this time, I’ll be maintaining the zone. Besides, Applejack tells me we’re full up as it is.” Rainbow and Rarity looked at Applejack, who shrugged.

“Word got around, plenty of ponies wanted in. They should be here soon. We’ve got at least a couple dozen.”

“A couple dozen? Great, more victims for me to beat then.”

“Oh is that so, Rainbow Dash? You’ll have to beat me first.”

“You’re on, Rarity!”

<><><><><><>

True to her word, many more ponies filtered in over the next hour. Twilight and Applejack assigned them to starting points around the edge of the arena, so nopony started in the same place as another. However before they sent them off, all the participants were gathered together. Applejack got up on a fence to address them.

“Well thank y’all for comin’ to this here event. Ah’ll jus’ go over the rules real quick. Everypony starts in their own spot and from that point until the end, they cain’t touch the ground or they’re disqualified. Now o’ course we couldn’t get real lava for the floor,” this drew a few chuckles,

“but we did get some kind weather ponies to soak the field last night, so the ground’s plenty muddy, makes for a soft landing if’n you fall or get knocked down. Speakin’ o’ which, most anythin’ goes here in terms of knockin’ your competition out, jes’ don’t be goin’ for the eyes or teeth or anything that cain’t be fixed if it breaks. You’re all sensible ponies, don’t go lookin’ to hurt each other. Be careful though, ‘cause it ain’t just your fella combatants who you gotta be worryin’ about. If’n you take a gander over at Cheerilee, you’ll see that we got us a whole mess of ‘lava sharks’ to watch out for,” the ponies saw the teacher pony leading the school fillies and colts, all sporting a red fin strapped to their back and maniacal grins, into the arena.

“These sharks are armed with beanbags and they’ll be doing their darnedest to knock each and every one o’ you into the ‘lava’, just for a bit of added fun.” The sound of giggling came from where the sharks had gone. Filtered through the trees, it sounded almost demonic.

“ALRIGHT!” Applejack raised her hoof,

“All players get to your startin’ points. Go when you hear the horn.” The gathered ponies scattered, rushing to their assigned spots.

<><><><><><>

The sound of the horn fading behind her, Rainbow Dash was up and moving through the trees, swinging on vines and hopping from obstacle to obstacle.

Applejack was right, this is pretty awesome.

Suddenly she heard some twigs cracking. Alarmed and in the open, she hurriedly backtracked into the trees, hiding as a trio of lava sharks skipped past repeating “duhnuhduhnuhduhnuh”.

“Phew,” she whispered,

“Close one.”

“Closer than you think.” Came a voice in her ear.

“GYAAHH!” She shot forward, forgetting she couldn’t fly and only just managing to get a hoof around a branch to stop from plummeting to the ground. Scrambling back onto more secure footing, she searched for the sneak. She didn’t need to look far. On the same branch as she was, leaning against the tree trunk, was Thunderlane.

“You’re playing too, Thunderlane?”

“Yep. I’ve been tailing you for a little while, not easy with the pace you set, and I decided that I might as well thin the herd a little.” Casually lifting himself off the trunk, he struck a fighting stance.

“Hoowaaaah!” Grinning, both at the challenge and at how ridiculously he looked and sounded, she put up her dukes too.

“Keeyaaaah!”

A stray leaf detached from a higher branch, drifting down.

It landed feather-light on their branch.

They charged.

<><><><><><>

Not such a natural in the trees, Rarity was struggling. She’d already been nearly knocked into the ‘lava’ more times than she could count, managing at the last second to keep her balance, or slip away, or (one time) grab a nearby vine and swing clear, which she didn’t have any intention of repeating if she could help it. Not that winning the game was all that important to her, just……..all that mud. Eurgh! She’d be cleaning her coat for weeks to regain her dazzling white. She simply couldn’t let that happen, it was not the done thing. Of course, being related to one of the ‘sharks’ did make things more challenging.

“Thweetie Belle thaid the thought the heard Rarity go thith way. Come on!” Sweetie Belle’s classmates Twist, Featherweight and Truffle Shuffle motored past in search of their prey.

Ooh when I get down from here you are gonna be in soo much trouble, Sweetie Belle. Turning the pack on your sister like this, how could you?

She heard the three hunters coming back so she quickly changed direction, gingerly crossing to another tree over the entwined branches.

<><><><><><>

“What do we do, man? They’re all over the show! It’s too trippy.” Superfly glanced at his temporary ally, Clownshoes, for help. The brightly decorated pony merely honked a horn sadly.

They both froze as the laughter started. Carried on the wind, it seemed to come from everywhere. They looked around, terrified.

Duhnuh.

“Did you hear that?” Another honk.

Duhnuh.

“They’re coming! They musta sniffed us out, they know we’re here!”

Duhnuhduhnuh. Clownshoes thought he spotted something moving in the trees, shadows with white teeth and glowing eyes.

Duhnuhduhnuhduhnuh. Superfly heard a rustling. He looked down at the bushes just in time to see a red fin break the foliage for a moment before sinking back down again. Sighing, he whipped out a comb and ran it through his hair.

“If I gotta go, I’m going out with style.” Two honks brought his attention back to his partner, who was holding out a cream pie. Taking it, he nodded and gave a grim smile.

“I got your back, Jack.”

DUHNUHDUHNUHDUHNUHDUHNUH!!!

They brought their arms back to throw as the shadows moved in.

<><><><><><>

As the ponies filtered out in ones and twos, escorted by shoals of lava sharks (who quickly dumped their captives and headed back in for more prey), Twilight checked their names off her list.

“It’s down to the last three, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack! Rarity and Rainbow Dash are doing very well for beginners.” Spike, who’d been handing out wash cloths, got a dreamy look on his face.

“I sure hope Rarity wins. She’s so pretty.”

Twilight rolled her eyes at this and double-checked the null field.

<><><><><><>

They stood in a triangle, trying to keep the other two in their sight. The final three ponies had simultaneously arrived on the roof of the Crusader clubhouse, a fitting location, having been where it all started.

“So,” Rarity intoned,

“It has come to this.”

“Looks that way.” Agreed Rainbow Dash.

“Our destiny, we cannot change it.” Applejack finished. There were no more words.

Each pony readied the beanbags they’d snagged from the pursuing sharks, who even now circled the clubhouse, hungry for their meal. There was no escape. It would be settled here, and now. The final three sharks arrived and the swarm prepared to attack. The three ponies would have one attack before being overwhelmed. The only question being, who would they strike?

Rarity’s eyes moved from Applejack’s to Rainbow’s, who’s moved from Rarity to Applejack, who found the gems at the end of the rainbow. As one they nodded. It was time.

Rainbow was a hair faster than the other two, shooting her bag out at Rarity, unbalancing her and leaving her teetering on the edge, satisfied, she charged forward, intent on sending the Unicorn over the edge.

Applejack’s three beanbags, shot from her hat like a slingshot, caught her in the temple, knee and ankle, making her miss her footing on the wet roof. Disbelief was plastered on Rainbow’s face as she tumbled over the side.

“OH PONYFEATHERSSSSSS!!!!”

A mud geyser erupted from where she fell, higher than the clubhouse.

Rarity didn’t move to wipe the drops from her face, trapped as she was on the edge, Applejacks’ grip on her horn being the only reason she was still on the roof. Eventually Rarity found her voice.

“So……what now?”

“You’ll see. Should be any time now.”

TAKE AIM! Came the cry from below. Applejack nodded.

“It’s time.” The hoof on the horn moved, coming to rest on Rarity’s own hoof. Applejack smiled at her and, with a violent wrench, dragged Rarity back onto the roof and took her place on the edge. Rarity lay sprawled on the roof, looking up at the Earth pony.

As the sharks let fly, Rarity’s unspoken question was obvious. Applejack just kept smiling.

“Ah didn’t want your first time out to end like that.”

The barrage hit. Applejack fell.

Hoof outstretched, Rarity could only watch.

<><><><><><>

Later, Applejack, Rainbow, Rarity and Twilight sat in the clubhouse with guilty expressions as Pinkie reamed them out.

“I can’t believe you guys set all this up and didn’t invite ME! Or Fluttershy! I thought we were friends. You know how much I love to play games! And another thing….

<><><><><><>

Author’s note: Superfly and Clownshoes are from the ‘Perfect Stallion’ song. I’m sure you can guess which ponies they are. As far as I know, they have no other fan names (if they do could somebody tell me what they are please?)