A week later after the events from the incident that happened at Ponyville, Anim has separated himself from everypony in the guest room for days without leaving the room. How he was eating is unknown but Twilight knows that Anim was still alright inside, she was unable to cheer her friend of the recent events with Anim staying in solitude for this long was the troubling part.
Ponyville, Sugarcube Corner; 11:00am
“Twilight is Anim still upset?” asked Rainbow.
“He is,” said Twilight, “girls, ever since that day from a week ago we all thought Anim was the real threat but now… I don’t know anymore.”
“Don’t worry sugarcube, Anim’s our friend and we need to be there for a friend,” said Applejack.
“I know but, every passing day he’s separating himself from us and I don’t know what to do,” said Twilight, drinking her smoothie. “Every time I try to convince him to come with me, he doesn’t respond and ignores me, do you think… he hates me?”
All of Twilight’s friends look at each unable to give them a clear answer, then Pinkie has an idea.
“Oh Twilight, why not try bringing Anim to this year’s ‘Running of the Leaves’, maybe the race will raise his spirits,” said Pinkie.
“I don’t know Pinkie, that might be a bad idea and Anim’s a unicorn he doesn’t have the endurance or the speed to make it or even finish it,” said Rarity pointing out the obvious.
“I know but he’s well… Anim,” said Pinkie giving out a smile.
Everypony looks at Pinkie then back at Twilight, she thinks of this and it might work but they still have one problem.
“This could work but, he’s too stubborn to listen,” said Twilight, “if only we knew somepony who was so impossible to say no to.”
When Twilight was about to give up she realized she knows somepony who matches this description, everypony looks at Fluttershy who was enjoying her smoothie too, when she finishes she sees everypony looking at her and gives off a faint gulp. Meanwhile at Golden Oaks Library, Anim looks through his journal still upset while Spike picks up some books that Anim was reading from the library… which was the fifth time he read them, as Spike continues to pick more books up, the door opens with the Mane 6 entering the room.
“Spike is he still in his room?” asked Twilight.
Spike motions his head slightly to the closed door which was Anim’s room, as Twilight tells Fluttershy to knock on the door Fluttershy moves to the door when she’s about to knock on the door Anim speaks.
“That you Fluttershy,” said Anim, from the other side of the door.
“How… how did…” said Fluttershy surprised Anim knew.
“Ever since I’ve been staying in my room, I’ve listened to the breathing of everyone, the pattern of everyone’s hooves and can sense a distinguishing aura between the three races and other creatures,” said Anim, “for example when Fluttershy was approaching the door, she keeps one of her hooves behind the other if she doesn’t want to do something she doesn’t like doing.”
Everypony looks at Fluttershy and see that one of Fluttershy’s hooves is behind the other and Anim is speaking the truth.
“Sorry, it’s a habit of mine,” said Fluttershy.
“So, you’ve been sensing every little detail of everypony, how?” asked Rainbow a little freaked out.
“I call it Aura Scan, it allows the user to see the details of a specific creature or a wide area of creatures, depending on the user’s mental state, the location they are at and the type of aura they have,” said Anim, explaining his unique spell.
“Wait aura, what’s that Anim?” asked Twilight.
“It’s the life-force of a being from my world, but it seems aura also exists in this world too, I’ll explain in greater detail later, but why did you want to interrupt my meditating exactly?” asked Anim.
“Well Fluttershy wanted to tell you about the ‘Running of the Leaves event’, darling,” said Rarity.
Anim doesn’t respond fearing that he went back to whatever he was doing, but instead of being quiet he opens the door and step outside, they see Anim’s features haven’t change except with a few other things; the color on Anim’s mane and tail seem to be fading, his belly is slightly smaller than they used to seeing it and he slightly smells a little from being in a room alone.
“Anim, you look…” said Twilight, trying to keep a positive mood.
“You look like you just came from the smelliest cave in Equestria!” said Pinkie abruptly.
Everypony stops Pinkie form continuing to speak, afraid of upsetting Anim but he gives a short snort in response to Pinkie’s comment.
“Pinkie you sure do know how to make somebody laugh, but back to what you’ve said,” said Anim, turning his head. “What is this ‘Running of the Leaves’event you mentioned?”
“It’s an event that celebrates the season of fall, sugarcube” said Applejack, “we were wondering if you’d like to join me and Dash in the race this year.”
“Well, when you mentioned it, it reminded me of another similar event from home known as the ‘Great Averia Games’, where each territory celebrate the founding of Averia and each represent a challenge based on their element,” said Anim, “since my homeland was the land of Wood we had a race where we raced through the ancient jungle of Bearatia and the finish line was at the ‘Tree of Beginnings’, I always remembered the wonderful scenery of the race, it was one of the reasons why most people joined them.”
“So… will you join?” asked Fluttershy still unsure if Anim wants to join or not.
“In retrospect, yes I think I will join,” said Anim.
Fluttershy was overjoyed and was about to hug Anim, but he slightly stepped back because he wasn’t… himself.
“Sorry, still a little shaky ever since Ive locked myself inside that room, that and I really need a shower,” said Anim, slightly rubbing the back of his head.
After an hour of taking a shower, eating some food and cleaning his mane and tail, Anim made his way to White Tail Woods where the location of the race was. Since at the race where Applejack and Rainbow competed, there was mostly earth ponies but now all three races are joining in for some fun competition to see which species will win. Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity and the CMC are cheering for their friends while Spike and Pinkie are announcing the race from the air balloon, as everypony got ready for the race, Anim is listed as number eighteen in the race with a total of fifty ponies, half of them are earth ponies, while the other half are Pegasus with only Anim the only unicorn competing since many unicorns were either too afraid or didn’t had the endurance to make it with only Twilight being the only unicorn to be in any of the events before.
“Wow Twilight, it seems Anim’s representing every single unicorn that was unable to race this year’s race,” said Rarity.
“I just hope he doesn’t have a hard time racing,” said Twilight.
“IS EVERYPONY READY, WE’LL START THE RACE IN ONE MINUTE!” shouted Spike, through the megaphone.
As everypony got to their spots, Anim heads to the very back of the finish line but as to why though the crowd wasn’t sure why though; as Pinkie prepares to count down the crowd joins in with her too.
“TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE-”
Before Pinkie could fire her party cannon signaling the race, some of the ponies who were too anticipated for the race began start running and accidentally bumping into everypony causing a massive pile of ponies stuck on top each other with Rainbow Dash and Applejack stuck in the madness, as Pinkie counts down to the final two numbers.
“TWO, ONE, ZERO! LET THE RACE BEGIN!” shouted Pinkie, firing her party cannon.
As Pinkie fires the cannon, everypony is too stuck to start running but a figure jumps over everypony and starts running ahead.
“Oh it looks like somepony got too excited and caused a problem, but wait somepony has jumped over everypony else and is running ahead making that pony the first racer to leave the starting line, it’s…” said Spike trying to get a better look.
“IT’S ANIM, ANIM IS THE FIRST PONY TO RACE AHEAD!” shouted Pinkie, announcing it through the megaphone.
Everypony was completely surprised how Anim was ahead, but what really surprised them is how fast he was moving even though unicorns have the worst endurance and speed to be in any physical competitions.
“How did Anim knew that would happen Twilight?” asked Fluttershy.
“He must of noticed some of the ponies who were excited before the race began and stepped back and knew that they would causes a ruckus and took this to his advantage and ran ahead, Anim’s really good at this for a unicorn,” said Twilight explaining to Fluttershy.
“But darling, we must remember that Anim isn’t any ordinary unicorn,” said Rarity reminding them.
“I know he’s… Anim,” said Twilight.
Anim ran so fast that he was already a quarter far in the race, as some of the racers finally got out from the pony pile, Rainbow and Applejack blast through trying to catch up with Anim.
“Anim’s faster than we thought, right Rainbow,” said Applejack running beside Rainbow.
“This might be a more interesting race than the one we raced in,” said Rainbow going neck and neck with AJ.
As the two mares try to catch up with Anim, the other racers catch up with the others who made it ahead already, as with Anim he made it to a part of Sweet Apple Acres going by some rocks and stumps in the way, but notices something ahead.
“Hmm,” said Anim, taking a look ahead.
Anim sees two ponies making a fake entrance to a dangerous part of the forest, as the two ponies run away somewhere to hide, Anim blocks the dangerous passageway to the forest and decides to leave a sign for other ponies to avoid it and runs back to the race. Meanwhile with Rainbow Dash and Applejack racing they encounter somepony that Rainbow knows from her time back in Summer Flight Camp, it was Dumb-Bell, one of the bullies who bullied Fluttershy.
“Well look who it is, its Rainbow Crash!” said Dumb-Bell.
“What are you doing here!?” said Rainbow, gritting her teeth.
“Well since I’ve done my share of pegasus races, I thought I try an earth pony race and I’m going to win, see you later Rainbow Crash,” said Dumb-Bell, laughing as he ran ahead.
“Who was that Rainbow?” asked Applejack.
“A pegasus that bullied Fluttershy back in my Summer Flight Camp days, if he’s here that means Hoops and Score are here somewhere and if they’re here which means they’re cheating,” said Rainbow.
“Cheaters you say, not on my watch,” said Applejack running ahead with Rainbow.
As everypony continues to race, everypony avoids the dangerous pathway that those two ponies made; Anim reaches the waterfall part of the race and runs across the bridge reaching the other side, but as he made his way over the other side, the bridge collapses because somepony or ponies tampered with one of the stones holding it all together. As everypony approaches closer Anim decides to make a makeshift bridge with his magic for everypony to cross.
“Oh no Pinkie, somepony has destroyed the bridge but wait, Anim is using his magic to make a temporary bridge but, why isn’t he leaving?” asked Spike.
“I think Anim needs to be near the makeshift bridge in order for it to work which means, Anim needs to stay until everypony crosses,” said Pinkie in a worried fashion.
As everypony crosses by, Dumb-Bell laughs at Anim for helping everypony while running ahead of him with Rainbow and Applejack following behind.
“Anim what happen here?” asked Applejack stopping in front of Anim.
“Somebody destroyed the bridge and I’ve made this magic bridge for everypony to cross, whoever is cheating must of knew the race’s pathway and planned ahead, I saw two ponies but I’m not sure who they were,” said Anim, struggling to hold the bridge.
“Those ponies were Dumb-Bell and his friends, he’s the pegasus with the dark grey coat that passed you laughing, he and his friends Hoops and Score are tampering with the race!” said Rainbow.
“Well somepony has to stop him, go ahead I’ll make sure everypony makes it,” said Anim signaling the two mares to go.
As Rainbow Dash and Applejack catch with the other racers, Anim helps the few remaining racers to cross and begins catching up with the others near the finish line.
“Hey Dumb-Bell!” shouted Rainbow chasing him while followed by Applejack.
“Oh pony feathers!” said Dumb-Bell.
Dumb-Bell looks around for something to slow the racers down and sees a bunch of buckets of sap and sends them flying to everypony, but Anim appears and deflects them at Dumb-Bell.
“See yeah later!” said Rainbow running ahead.
“Oh it seems one of the racers are in a sticky situation,” said Spike.
“Good one Spike, also it seems Rainbow and Applejack is neck at neck of each other for first place with Anim at second,” said Pinkie.
“Good thing we stopped that no-good pegasus,” said Applejack.
As everypony continue to race, Rainbow and Applejack see two ponies which were Hoops and Score on the top of a mountain causing an avalanche as rocks are about to block the road, as the two stop with everypony else stopping from not being flattened, but Anim runs ahead of them into the danger.
“ANIM STOP THERE’S AN AVALANCHE!” shouted Rainbow.
“Rainbow he can’t hear us!” said Applejack worried.
As the rocks get near Anim, he ducks, dodges them, going through the path like a snake slithering out from a thin tunnel, but as one big rock was about to reach him Anim jumps over it with a back-flip while sliding near the end and continuing to run as the path is blocked by some rocks.
“Did Anim just…” said Rainbow too amazed.
“Those were some nice athletic moves by Anim!” announced Pinkie.
“Quick this way everypony!” said Applejack as everypony followed around the rocks.
As everypony catch up behind Anim, Dumb-Bell appears from nowhere and jumps on Anim as the two tumble on the road.
“Taste hoof!” said Dumb-Bell.
As Dumb-Bell was about to beat Anim, Anim blocks it being more skilled in fighting than Dumb-Bell, as Anim sends him into the air with a hoof kick so strong he flies into a pile of apples, but Rainbow and Applejack go pass Anim reaching closer to the finish line.
“Sorry Anim but it looks like you’re not winning this year’s race,” said Rainbow.
But as the two mares go neck to neck with each other, suddenly a figure zooms pass them almost scaring them.
“WHAT WAS THAT!” said the two mares.
“Spike can you see what went by Rainbow and AJ?” asked Pinkie.
Spike grabs some binoculars to look carefully and sees a mahogany pony.
“It can’t be,” said Spike, grabbing the megaphone. “Mares and colts, the pony that just passed Rainbow Dash and Applejack is no other than, ANIM!”
“WHAT!?” said both the racers and the crowd.
Even though Anim was distracted by Dumb-Bell’s attack, Anim has trained his body before he met Twilight or came to Equestria to last longer in situations like this and to be as swift as Rainbow, but not only that but trained his eyes, ears and mind to notice everything and because he didn’t do anything for the last week but meditate, has been storing that energy. In a final push, he uses all this excess energy he stored leaving a streak of mahogany, leaving a mahogany colored trail on the ground as he zooms past the finish line.
“Anim… how… how did you… what,” said Rainbow too amazed of what she seen.
“I think the words you’re looking for Rainbow is, awesome,” said Applejack mimicking Rainbow’s voice.
“Anim were you planning this the whole time?” asked Twilight.
“No, not really, I never knew there was a race like this in Ponyville, all I did was meditate since it was the only thing I could do,” said Anim, “speaking of which.”
Anim and everypony approached Dumb-Bell who was talking to Hoops and Score.
“You two dolts had one job and you couldn’t even do that right!” said Dumb-Bell.
“HEY DUMB-BELL!” shouted Anim.
“Uh, hey Anim, I see you won,” said Dumb-Bell trying to keep calm.
“You tried to cheat and me and my friends saw you and your goons here do it!” said Anim.
“And where’s your proof?” asked Dumb-Bell.
“Right here,” said Pinkie showing a camera. “When I was on the air balloon, I took pictures of the race to remember by and I got a few pictures of some pegasi.”
As they show the pictures, on all of them are Hoops and Score sabotaging the event, as they see this they begin running away.
“I’ll be back and when I do, you’re going to get it ANIM!” shouted Dumb-Bell running away.
“CHICKEN!” shouted Rainbow, making some clucking noises.
As everypony celebrate Anim winning, Anim decides to look around the scenery for a bit before returning to the library.
“Anim, are you alright now?” asked Twilight still worried.
“Yeah, thank you and your friends for doing this for me, I needed a good run,” said Anim.
“When we saw you run, you seemed… happy,” said Twilight.
“Well back home, even though the island I lived on was small, if you run you could feel the cool breeze of the wind and it reminded me of that, of being at home with my friends,” said Anim imagining the feeling.
“I’m so sorry about-” Twilight was about to mention Anim’s friend Kimila but Anim stops her.
“No, you shouldn’t not yet,” said Anim, “when I saw that memory, it felt like… something was wrong, the kind of feeling you get when you see something that looks or feels true but, you get that feeling that it’s really… a lie.”
“You mean...” said Twilight.
“I think, she might be still alive,” said Anim, “but let’s not dwell on the past and celebrate my first win in Ponyville and hopefully all of Equestria.”
As Anim and Twilight meet up with the rest of her friends, the hole in Anim’s heart has been fixed with his friends being there for him, there might be hope for him after all.