//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 Tree Fallin // Story: The Legend of Zepplin Tales in Equestria // by Zeta Dragon //------------------------------// Episode 6 tree-FALL-in “Spike what’s wrong?” Twilight asked as she looked at the dragon cringing in his bed. “Twilight, I think I’m gonna-” before he could finish his sentence he belched up a fiery scroll. “Woo. That was a doozie.” Spike said. Twilight ran over and picked up the letter. “It’s from the Princess.” The letter read “Dear Twilight Sparkle, I am writing back to you about your recent letter about there being a seventh hidden compartment in the book I gave you to store the elements. I honestly have never seen a seventh compartment, given that there are only six elements of harmony. I don’t know what it would be doing in the back of the book but I’m sure you will find out. Keep it up Princess. Sincerely Princess Celestia of Equestria.” Twilight read over the letter a few more times. “She doesn’t know. How could she not know; she made the book? Why would she put in a seventh unless…” Spike broke in. “Twilight you don’t honestly think?” Twilight yielded a look of confusion. “No, we defeated Discord; we took down nightmare moon. We used the elements together…ALL OF THEM!” She thought a little more to herself before she said “Ah forget it, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence." “Hey Twilight it’s the running of the leaves today! Applejack said she was gonna make some of her famous cider.” Twilight gasped. “Oh my gosh! Spike, I totally forgot. We need to get down there quick!” She frantically galloped out the door. --- Twilight, with Spike on her back, galloped down to sweet apple acres where she saw her friends. She felt the wind as it kicked some leaves off the trees. She saw Zepplin and Hawk standing in the cider line. “Hey Hawk, Zepplin” “Oh, hey Twilight.” Hawk said. “How goes it?” Zepplin asked. “Pretty good!” Twilight smiled. “Are you two gonna be in the running of the leaves?” “Maybe, but right now Hawk insisted we get some cider.” “As soon as I down this I’m off to Canterlot. Now that Zepplin’s settled down I’m gonna do some shopping.” Hawk said. “I hear Applejack made a really good batch this year.” Zepplin said.” The line moved forward. “Well hey there y’all want some cider?” Applejack smiled. “That’s why we’re here.” Hawk grinned, handing her some bits. “Thank ye kindly. Here you are Zepplin, enjoy your first Apple family cider.” Applejack said as she handed a mug to Zepplin who grabbed it and took a drink. He smacked his lips together and licked them a bit. “Wow! That’s really good!” Hawk and Zepplin thanked her for the cider as they flew away. Hawk said his goodbyes and headed toward the train station. Zepplin grasped his cider in his hoof. He then used his magic to pull out a small flask and pop open the top. After looking around to make sure nopony saw him he poured the liquid into the cider. He then put the small flask away and took another drink, smiling contently. Zepplin made his way back to Twilight and Spike who were chatting with the mayor about opening the running. --- Soon after, Twilight took the podium. “Hello everypony, and welcome to the annual running of the leaves.” She paused as the crowd of runners stomped their hooves in applause. “Thank you. As you know the running of the leaves is not just an event but a part of our lives as we as citizens of Ponyville must make the leaves fall in preparation for Winter.” The crowd of ponies once again applauded by stomping their hooves. “Now I would like to introduce two of the best commentators in the business. Spike and Pinkie Pie!” Pinkie Pie popped out of a basket attached to a giant purple balloon. “hehe. Hey everypony! I’ll be joined by Spike and we’ll be covering all the action down on the track.” “That’s right Pinkie and just like every year everypony’s eyes are on our two Iron Ponies Applejack and Rainbow Dash who are sure to deliver another spectacular performance in the run!” Spike added. Applejack and Rainbow dash approached Zepplin. “So… Zepplin… What team are you on?” Rainbow dash asked. Zepplin stared at them. “I’m not sure what you mean.” He said. “Every pony picks either team Applejack or team Rainbow Crash.” Applejack said. “HEY!” Rainbow burst out. They both looked at each other and giggled. “So partner what’s your team?” Zepplin thought “Umm… I don’t have one.” he smiled sheepishly. “That’s ridiculous! Obviously I’m the one you want.” Rainbow yelled. “No way. He wants to be on my team.” Applejack retorted. “I’ll decide after the race.” Zepplin said. “Fair enough!” Said Applejack. “Yeah. That way you can see who the best is. hehehe!” Rainbow dash said. Just then Spike announced “Runners to the start line!” Applejack and Rainbow trotted over to the start. Zepplin saw Rarity and walked over to her. “Rarity?” What are you doing here? I mean no offense but this just doesn’t seem like your type of thing.” “Oh darling I hate it. (sigh) I’m only here because my little sister Sweetie Bell wanted to watch the leaves fall.” A small white unicorn filly poked her head around Rarity’s foreleg. “Hello” She said in a high pitched squeaky voice. “Well hey there you must be Sweetie Bell. My name’s Zepplin.” The blue alicorn said to her. “Nice to meet you Mr. Zepplin. Ooh ooh Rarity It’s starting.” Spike and PinkiePie in the hot air balloon floated over to the start line. Pinkie announced over the microphone. “Runners start your engines.” Spike looked at her “I don’t think ponies have engines Pinkie.” The pink pony looked at him queerly. “Well sure they do. Where do you think horsepower comes from silly?” Spike rolled his eyes as Pinkie began the countdown. “5…4…3…2…1…” (WHOOOOOOSH) All of a sudden a huge gust of wind knocked the balloon over sideways as the runners dug their hooves in and shut their eyes as most were screaming. “WHATS GOING ON!!!” Zepplin yelled. “IT’S WIND DARLING, OH SWEETIE BELL STAY CLOSE.” Rarity shouted to her little sister as thousands of leaves came raining off the trees. Rainbow dash along with some of the other Pegasus ponies couldn’t hold on and were swept into the sky. Twilight’s mane was streaming in the gust. The wind was so loud she could barely hear any of the other ponies screaming. “EVERYPONY RUN, GET INSIDE NOW.” Twilight shouted. Zepplin looked around but his sight was soon crowded by a storm of leaves of all reds and oranges that covered him so thick he could barely see. He shielded Rarity and Sweetie Bell with his wing and walked them from the sight as their manes were caught flapping in the wind. Everypony started to run from the start line as the Banner overhead peeled off and shot off with the wind. Rainbow dash was able to eventually pull herself out of the winds grasp. She finally landed near Applejack who had a hoof on her head to keep her hat from blowing away. She looked over at Rainbow, then motioned with her head towards Zepplin and Rarity almost limping away toward town. Rainbow Dash knew they should stick together and follow them so she grabbed Applejack by her other hoof and led her, following behind Zepplin. Dirt from the dry ground now started to kick up and form a dust cloud which nearly blotted out the sun and made it look like it was close to sunset. Twilight raced to the sight of the balloon crash Where Spike grabbed Pinkie’s hoof and pulled her out of the basket. “Come on you guys Zepplin’s leading a group to safety we have to move.” Twilight exclaimed. “Uh Pinkie are you alright” Spike asked. “WEEEEEEE!!! This is fun! hehe Look I don’t even have to walk!” Pinkie stood up and let the wind slide her over toward Twilight. Twilight grabbed her by the neck as Spike lept on her back they trotted fighting the wind toward Applejack and the rest. Zepplin and Rarity along with Sweetie Bell reached town and Rarity yelled at the top of her lungs “Zepplin… in the boutique!” Zepplin nodded his head. Still shielding Rarity and the young filly from the dust and wind, he turned right and led them into the boutique. “I gotta get back out there and help the others!” Zepplin said. “Be careful darling” Rarity started to sob as she looked up at her mane which was frizzled every which way. Zepplin ran back out and met Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “Get in the Boutique!” Applejack nodded and took Rainbow Dash in as they struggled to close the door which was nearly being blown off its hinges by the sheer force of the wind. Zepplin, fighting the wind, eventually ran into Twilight, Spike, and Pinkie Pie. “Are you all ok!” “Yeah where are you held up at?” Twilight asked hastily. “THE BOUTIQUE!” Zepplin shouted. “GOT IT!” Twilight grabbed Pinkie and made her way toward the boutique she called out “ZEPPLIN!” Zepplin turned his head “THE ELEMENTS!” Zepplin looked at the library, then back at Twilight and nodded his head. He used all his force to gallop toward the Treehouse where the elements were kept. Back at the boutique the ponies were massing. “Oh I hope Big Macintosh got Granny and Applebloom into the storm shelter!” Applejack said worried. “Darling I’m sure they’re fine.” Rarity said to comfort her. All the ponies in the boutique shared a group hug. Zepplin burst through the door of the library as a few leaves followed him in. Even still he was having trouble navigating with the wind. Twilight had reorganized the library and Zepplin didn’t know where she had placed the book containing the Elements. One by one Zepplin flew up to the top shelf and started pulling books out and opening them. All he was finding was text scribbled on to paper and no golden trinkets. He pulled another out, nothing, another, nothing. He had gone through about two of the twenty or so bookshelves in the library. Zepplin then heard a loud crack. He looked over toward the wall of the tree and saw that a three foot crack had formed near the base. His eyes widened and he clenched his teeth together and started flinging books off shelves. The books piled up behind him as the floor was now covered. The golden bust of the pony Twilight had as her centerpiece fell over and smashed against the floor. Zepplin whipped his head back and saw the broken bust then whipped his head back around and kept flinging books. CRACK he heard the sound again, this time even louder than the first. He looked over and this time saw about another ten foot crack in the wall just to the right of the smaller first one. “Buck me” he uttered. He continued throwing book after book into the pile behind him. CREEK, CRACK, CRACK, he heard the wood split again as he gulped in fear his hooves moving fast as lightning, books flying off shelves. Chink, Chink, Chink. Zepplin’s eyes widened he knew what he heard. Quickly he again whipped his head around and saw the big brown book with a small piece of gold sticking out the side of the spine. He quickly flew down to the floor and turned the book over as the elements spilled out. “BUCK!” he yelled as he started to pick up the elements and put them in the compartments in the book. CRACK, SNAP, SNAP, POP. The noise was terrifying as he looked over and saw the entire base of the wall in the tree fractured with cracks. He then saw the wall shift towards him a little. Quickly he returned to picking up the elements as fast as he could finding what compartment they went to. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, He turned the page and saw another empty compartment, “Oh Buck Am I missing one!? I thought there was only six!” CRACK, SNAP, POP “Ah there’s no time!” Zepplin shut the book and again fought the wind as he raced out of the library. As he looked back he heard one last deafening series of cracks as the tree leaned to its side and fell over making a loud BOOM as the entire town shook. --- Back at the Boutique Fluttershy arrived escorted by Big Macintosh and Granny Smith “Well we ran into this youngster on the outskirts of the farm!” Granny Smith said. “EEEYUP” Big Mac replied. “AppleJack! Sweetie Bell!” Two small squeaky voices shouted. Applebloom and Scootaloo stepped out from between Big Macintosh’s front legs. “Oh Applebloom I was so worried!” Applejack screamed with delight. “Wh-What’s going on out there. I thought the weather in Ponyville was controlled by the Pegasus.” Fluttershy stated. “It is!” Said Rainbow Dash. “This shouldn’t be happening.” Dash said. “Well like it or not it is! And we got ta do something about it!” Applejack yelled. “Oh but what can we do darlings” “ooh ooh. Let’s play a game. It’ll be just like a sleepover!” Pinkie Pie yelled. The door swung open as Zepplin burst in panting. “Zepplin are you alright, did you get the elements?” Twilight exclaimed. “I’m fine and I got them , but Twilight… There’s something you need to know.”