Rise of Ruinous

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: RISE OF RUINOUS

Chapter 29 - Running with the Night (Mare)

The time: One month after the Great Prank-Off.

Pinkie Pie puts her Great Prank-Off trophy on the mantle next to her cake-baking awards as Princess Morphina flutters in.

P.Morphina: Heya, Pinkie.

P.Pie: *bow* Hello, Princess.

Princess Morphina bades Pinkie Pie rise and she does.

P.Morphina: I see you won the prank-off.

P.Pie: YEAH!  Thanks to Nightmare Moon punishing some cheater-pony.

P.Morphina: I heard of that.  She's REALLY lending a hoof EVERYwhere, huh?

P.Pie: *nod* Almost as if she's trying to atone for what she did - or tried to do.

P.Morphina: What DID she do?

P.Pie: She once threw Princess Celestia into the sun and brought upon nighttime everlasting.  When me and my five best pals blasted her with the Elements of Harmony, she was purified from Princess Luna - or we thought so, until Virtuna got her out of the Everfree Forest.

P.Morphina: I see.  I guess this means you're all MUCH stronger now.  If SIX Elements of Harmony can purify Nightmare Moon AND Discord, imagine 11!

P.Pie: I've already seen what 11 Elements of Harmony can do - four times.

P.Morphina: *nod* And three more and you've saved BOTH our kingdoms.

P.Pie: *nod* Yeah.

Princess Morphina nods, then buys a few treats.

*INTRO SEQUENCE*

Ponies gather at the town hall as the mayor speaks.  Nightmare Moon flies over this scene.

N.Moon: What is this?

As Nightmare Moon descends.....

Mayor: .....Running of the Leaves.  This event is special since it's the only way the leaves come off the trees.

N.Moon: *lands near Rainbow Dash and Applejack* Running of the Leaves?

R.Dash: Yeah, Nightmare Moon.

Applejack: It's a runnin' ta get all the leaves off the trees of Equestria.

N.Moon: Sounds like fun.  When is it?

R.Dash: Tomorrow.

Nightmare Moon nods, seeing other ponies register, including Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pitstop.  She smiles as she signs up for the race as well!

Mayor: N..... Ni..... Nightmare..... Moon?

N.Moon: I better be Nightmare Moon, that's what I wrote!

The former enemy laughs as she trots to the same running track Rainbow Dash holds the tornado-to-send-water-to-Cloudsdale tryouts on.  She sees several other ponies running around the track, trying their best to be fast.  Several others waiting in line see her and "part the Red Sea", making a lane for her.

N.Moon: *smirk* Please!  I'm just another pony, go on ahead.

The others, relieved, take their laps.  Then, it was Nightmare Moon's turn.

N.Moon: Now, I dunno. I AM a bit out-of-practice.

R.Dash: Since there's less gravity on the moon.

Pitstop: Just do ye best, luv.

Nightmare Moon nods, then dashes around the track.  Pony jaws hit the floor as they all noticed one thing: Nightmare Moon, for her size, was remarkably fast!

R.Dash: Whoa, whoa, WHOA!

Applejack: If THIS is you being out-of-practice!

N.Moon: *blush and laugh*  Well, I DID have a LOT of spare time on my hooves.

All three mares laugh and practice a bit more.  The next day, everypony was on the start line for the big race.  Nightmare Moon shows up, wearing number 20.  Rainbow Dash smiles as the black alicorn takes her spot.

R.Dash: Heya, Moon.

N.Moon: *smile*  Heya, Dash.

Pitstop: Ready, luv?

N.Moon: *nod* Yeah.

Just then, an eagle screech splits the air!

R.Dash and N.Moon: No way!

Gilda lands next to Nightmare Moon, having taken the number 1.

Applejack: What in thunderations are YOU doin' back here?

Gilda: Winning this race, DUDE!  I will show ALL you lame poines - ESPECIALLY *points at Nightmare Moon* YOU! - that I... AM... NUMBER-ONE!

N.Moon: *smirk* Well, you won't have MUCH to fear in this race. *Zecora lines up to Nightmare Moon's left* For one thing, we're not going through the Everfree Forest so *Zecora chuckles* no danger of Poison Joke.

Gilda was the only one on the start line NOT laughing.

Zecora: Aw, now, wipe that scowl from your face,

Just have some fun and enjoy the race.

Gilda: I'll enjoy it MORE once I leave ALL of you in my DUST!

Rainbow Dash and Nightmare Moon exchange a skeptical glance.  Then, Pinkie Pie takes her spot in the blimp, Spike, Verdescale and Virtuna already there.

P.Pie: *cocks her head*  You're not running in the race, Virtuna?

Virtuna: With *extends her artificial leg* this?  I'd be slippin' all over the trail!

Verdescale: *nod* She tried it on the track and slipped coming around the turn.

Virtuna: *nod* Yeah.  I wasn't even *Pixel lands on her head* runnin' that fast.

P.Pie: Wow.  Good thing you don't have to RUN around the arcade.

Virtuna: *giggle* I'd be slidin' around like an air-hockey puck!

Both ponies laugh as the horn sounds for the ponies - and Gilda - to take their positions, Gilda lining up right next to Nightmare Moon.

Gilda: Look here, you.  I'LL show you I'm faster than your lanky flank.

N.Moon: Don't trust covers, birdbrain.

A bell rang and the ponies galloped off, Gilda trying to keep up.  Nightmare Moon smirked back at the struggling griffon and smirked, increasing her pace.  Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pitstop were jockeying for the lead when they noticed Nightmare Moon pulling up alongside!

Applejack: NO WAY!

P.Pie: Holy moly, look at THIS!  Who'd've guess Nightmare Moon would be in the running?!

Spike: Indeed, Pinkie.  From enemy to a great friend to Equestria, and now she shows she's as fast as the three top ponies in the race!

The quartet race through Whitetail Wood, periodically exchanging the lead.  Gilda, however, was being overtaken by, of all ponies, Fluttershy!

Gilda: *gasp, pant* HEY!

Fluttershy: Gotta move a TEEEEEEENY bit faster than that!  Ta-ta!

The Bearer of Kindness turns on the afterburners and gallops further ahead of the sputtering griffon.  Further ahead, Twilight Sparkle's keeping pace with Trixie, the showpony lacking her hat and cape.

T.Sparkle: WHOA!  Not bad, Trixie!

Trixie: A product of lugging that cart around Equestria.

Both unicorns giggle as they remember that.  The two kept running hard as they came up on Rarity and Corinne.

T.Sparkle: Rarity! You, too?

Rarity: Just because I'm a lady..... doesn't mean I don't enjoy..... a good workout now-and-again.

Corinne: Y-y-yeah!  This is f-f-fun!

All four laugh as they continue on down the path, leaves raining to the forest floor in their wake.  Gilda wasn't having the best race and the proud griffon knew it.  She turned on the afterburners and scrambled to make up ground.  Up front, things were getting interesting as Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pitstop and Nightmare Moon traded positions as they rumbled four abreast through the woods.  The taller alicorn was first to spot the finish line and turned on an extra burst of speed, the other three having the same idea!

P.Pie: OH MY! OH MY!!!

Spike: This is gonna be close!

And close it was as Nightmare Moon edged Rainbow Dash by a hair, the cyan mare crossing just barely before Pitstop and Applejack!  From above, all the quartet in the balloon could see was four smoky trails where the four mares crossed the finish line!

P.Pie: OH MY STARS!  I can't tell who won!

Virtuna: GEEZ!  That looked like a four-way tie!

Mayor: Hang on!  It was a photo finish!

As the four frontrunners caught their collective breath, they trot over to look at the picture.  Pitstop and Applejack gawk in disbelief at the pony who came first.

N.Moon: *blink* How did.....?

R.Dash: Whoa.....  I knew you were good at running, but not THAT good!

N.Moon: You and me, both, Rainbow!  I never thought in a thousand years *Everypony except Nightmare Moon laughs* that I'd be faster than YOU!

Applejack: Ya'll're too modest, Nightmare.

N.Moon: I prefer to call it "keeping a level head", Applejack, something you and Rainbow could've done a few years back.

Both blush, remembering that race.  Then, everypony hears huffing, gasping and wheezing.  Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pitstop and Nightmare Moon look to see Gilda almost drag herself across the finish line.

Gilda: *GASP!* *PANT!* *WHEEZE!* made-it! *sigh of relief as she lays right by Nightmare Moon, who looks at the others as if asking "Should I tell her?"*

R.Dash: Uh, Gilda, the, uh..... the-race-is-over.

Gilda: Oh, *slowly rises with a grunt* really?  Who won?

The three smaller ponies all point at a nodding, blushing Nightmare Moon.

Gilda: WHAT?!  How........  What-the?  I mean, what-why-how-did.....?

N.Moon: Oh, puh-LEASE!  In the time it took YOU to get across the finish line, I could've met my special somepony, had three foals and seen one become a brainiac like Twilight Sparkle *Twilight Sparkle chuckles*, seen one become a great athlete like Rainbow Dash *Rainbow Dash laughs* and seen the third become a great ruler like Princess Celestia!  I mean, FLUTTERSHY beat you, for pony's sake!

R.Dash: Moon's kinda right, G, for all your bravado and your speed ABOVE ground, ON the ground you were sortaaaaaaaaaaaa............ slow.

Trixie: Trixie can see TRIXIE beating you - The Great and Powerful Trixie was hauling a cart that was Trixie's home all around Equestria. But Fluttershy's only exercise - other than the outstanding job she did on that tornado *Fluttershy blushes* - was flying around feeding and caring for all those animals.

Gilda: What-tornado?

The ponies explain what happened.

Gilda: WHOA!!  33?!  You're kidding!  *Nightmare Moon smirks*  You're kidding, right!?  Fluttershy?  *Fluttershy nods*  33-Wingpower?  *Fluttershy nods again*  *SCREECH!*

Pitstop: Ya, she was brilliant, ye should've seen 'er!

Gilda: You expect ME to believe that *points at Fluttershy* SHE got to 33 Wingpower?!  I can do 40!

Trixie smirks, then puts a Wingpower meter on Gilda.  The griffon growls, then flies her fastest in a circle.  As Princess Celestia, Prince Shiftshape and Princess Morphina arrive, Gilda starts slowly drifting to a halt, landing with a heaving chest.

Gilda: THERE!  THAT... SHOULD.... BE-40!

P.Shiftshape: *blinks at Gilda's meter* Iiiiiiiiiiis this-thing-upside-down?

R.Dash: *bow* Don't think so, why?

P.Shiftshape: *beckons all to rise* Since this thing's only showin' 4..... something.

All Except Prince Shiftshape: WHAT?! 4!?

Gilda: F...... F...... FOUR?!  FOUR!?  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gilda walks off, lamenting about her dual poor performances, Princess Celestia craning her neck at the departing griffon.

P.Celestia: Boisterous one, ain't she?

Everypony laughs, then the medals are awarded, Princess Celestia impressed with Nightmare Moon's performance.

R.Dash: Hey, Moon. *Nightmare Moon looks at her*  Wanna try out for the Wonderbolts?

Everypony laughs, especially Rainbow Dash, Nightmare Moon and Pitstop.

TO BE CONTINUED