Ponyville Crime: Rune Shredder

by SigmatheAwesome

Break: Running of the Leaves

"Rarity, Rarity!" Sweetie Belle slammed her hooves on the door repeatedly. "Wake up!"

Rarity groaned, rolling over to turn her alarm off prematurely. "What's wrong, Sweetie...?"

"Nothing's wrong, silly! It's the first day of Fall!"

"Is that it?" Rarity yawned loudly. "I'm sorry, Sweetie Belle, but I'm a little too tired to get up right now..."

"What if I told you that Applejack and Rainbow Dash had challenged each other to a race in The Running of the Leaves?"

After a moment, Rarity sighed. "You've won me over... Alright, I'm getting up..." She unceremoniously rolled off the bed and stood up slowly and awkwardly. She combed her mane almost by reflex, walking out to the beaming face of her little sister.

"This is gonna be so cool! Scootaloo's really excited and Applebloom's getting quite... prideful? Is that the word?"

"Uh huh." Rarity pushed the kitchen door open and started levitating a cup and a coffee strainer.

"I'm just looking forward to the leaves falling myself, but I like watching races too."

"Uh huh." Rarity busied herself making her ambrosia that was coffee in the morning. "Sweetie, I think it's a little early for this..."

"Hey, who do you think would win? I heard that Rainbow Dash isn't going to be using her wings, so that evens things out a little."

"Sweetie."

"Maybe Applejack will win because she can, like, kick trees and stuff, and Rainbow's more of a flyer."

"Sweetie." Rarity growled quietly.

"Or maybe Rainbow's faster on her hooves and Applejack's a little slo-"

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity shouted, instantly quieting her sister. "I appreciate you want to talk to me, but now is not the time."

"No coffee?" Sweetie Belle asked flatly, an unimpressed look on her face.

"No coffee."

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, trotting off. "I'll be near White Tail Woods when you're all caffeinated."

"Okay. And sorry I snapped at you."

"Its fine, I'm used to it." Sweetie Belle, with a smile, trotted back and hugged her sister, before resuming her journey to the forest.

"Well then." Rarity turned back to her coffee. "Time to wake up."

---

After her morning caffeine Rarity made her way to White Tail Woods. As she approached the forest, orange and yellow leaves still on the trees, she spotted a familiar orange pony, a cyan pegasus pony hovering inches from her face. As she got closer she noticed they were giving each other a death glare.

"Hello dears." Rarity announced her presence. Neither pony looked at her.

"Heya Rares." Applejack responded.

"'Sup Rarity?" Rainbow replied at the same time.

Rarity looked at them in confusion. "What's the matter?"

"She called me a turtle covered in rocks." Applejack squinted a little more.

"And she called me a dodo covered in rocks." Rainbow drifted an inch closer.

"And because of that you're glaring each other to death. Right, I'll just go grab lunch, find a cute stallion, get married and have a few kids, then I'll check how you're doing."

Applejack's eyes flicked to her for a split second. "Y'ain't serious, aren't ya?"

"Not in the slightest." Rarity smiled, walking closer. "And you two should break it up before you burst a blood vessel or something."

"Ah ain't budgin' until she ties her wings up."

"And I'm not moving until she lets me use my wings."

"Not to sound like I'm siding with Applejack here, but this is a running 'race' and not a flying race. You either run or you're not in the running at all."

"So?"

"Which means, in all technicality, you'd instantly lose against Applejack as you are supposed to be running in a running event, not flying."

Rainbow's eyes widened. "So even if I reached the finish line way before AJ, I'd still lose because I was flying?"

"Yes, darling."

"Oh." She broke her gaze and landed softly. "Well, I guess it's probably win or definitely lose."

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief, turning to the alabaster unicorn. "Thanks, Rare. Ah wasn't gettin' to her."

"You just have to explain it in ways she understands. She doesn't have as much of a 'being equal' drive as a 'lose in an embarrassing way' drive."

"Got it." Applejack filed the fact away in her mind.

"Anyways, I'm going to go get some lunch, and I'll try and avoid the cute stallion for you."

"Fer me?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "What-?"

Rarity blushed slightly. "B-by that I mean so that you don't have to spy on him to make sure he's nice enough or something." She giggled nervously, walking backwards a little. "See you!"

Applejack blinked as Rarity trotted off to the barbeque nearby. "What the hay was that all about?"

Rainbow alighted next to her, a very subtle grin on her face. "No idea."

"Either ya gettin' better at lyin' or you seriously have no idea."

"Ok, I lied. But it doesn't mean that my idea is actually true."

"Ah still wanna hear though, if anythin' so Ah can just tell you how absurd it is."

"How about this." Rainbow started. "If you cross the finish line before me, I'll tell you. If I cross it first, then you forget I ever said anything." She shot her hoof out

Applejack smirked. "Deal."

---

Much to the two racers' surprise, the entire event, which was normally a relaxing jog through the forest, had actually been turned into a race because of their decision.

What surprised them even more was that competing with them were Trixie, Pinkie...

And Rarity.

Applejack blinked. "Why-?"

"Well, I was originally signed up for the standard running event, and I decided to join you."

"Aren't ya worried you're going to get some dirt on your hoof or something?" Rainbow asked, nearly laughing at her own joke.

"Please, Rainbow. I'm long since past that. After all, it is hard to do one's job when one is afraid of getting dirty."

"Ah've seen her gettin' covered in mud and she didn't even freak out."

"It wasn't pleasant, but at least I got through it. I had to cut my mane short, though."

"Ah think the shorter mane style suits ya more anyhow. Curls and stuff ain't my thing."

"Well well well." Trixie's voice resounded behind them. "It seems the entire Ponyville Crime Team command is competing against each other."

"This is gonna be fun!" Pinkie's voice followed.

The three ponies saw the Forensic team trotting up. Trixie was wearing a smug grin and Pinkie was smiling as she usually was.

"Howdy Trixie." Applejack tipped her hat to the unicorn, undaunted. "Y’all are racing too?"

"If it wasn't obvious." Trixie nodded back. "I assume you and Rainbow are the cause of all this?"

"Pretty much." Applejack turned back to Rainbow Dash, who was stretching her legs.

"Well, then it shall be an... interesting race."

"Pinkie, why aren't you wearing a number?" Rarity asked.

"I'm announcer!" She smiled. "I get to ride in the big balloon and say what's going on and stuff."

Rarity looked at her flanks, the number 15 adorning them. "Perhaps I could join you. After all, we need someone with a keen eye to pick out important details."

"Okie dokie lokie! Just go up to the desk over there with your numbers in hoof and say that you're assisting me."

Rarity nodded, trotting off. Pinkie bounced behind her

"So," Trixie started. "What are the stakes?"

"Stakes?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"You know, what does one pony get if they win? Such as, for example, I made a stake with somepony. If I win, I get them to do something like, I don't know, kiss me. If they win, then I am at their mercy, within legal limits of course."

"Oh, in that case, yeah." Applejack replied. "Rainbow has an interestin' theory on somethin', and she said if Ah crossed the finish line first she'd tell me."

"That's... Not terribly interesting."

"Well, it ain't like Ah'm gonna get her t' kiss me or somethin'."

"That was an example!" Trixie replied. "I-it's not like I want somepony to kiss me."

"Now that's a bare-faced lie." Applejack retorted with a massive grin.

"S-shut up." Trixie huffed, blushing slightly.

"We need to find you a partner, Trix." Rainbow said, stretching her foreleg. "Before you do something weird like that."

The feedback of a microphone being tapped brought their attention. "Everypony, may I have your attention?"

The murmuring of the crowd died down quickly.

"Welcome to the one-hundred and fifty-seventh annual Running of the Leaves, and the first Running of the Leaves race!" The mayor announced. "Before we begin, here are some ground rules. One, no magic, technological assistance or flight. Legs only. Two, follow the path as indicated with the arrows. Three, no cheating by altering the signs or taking shortcuts. Other than that, have fun!"

All the ponies in the race lined up, many of them giving each other glares, not least of which were Applejack and Rainbow.

"On your marks..." The mayor started. "Get set..."

All the ponies prepared to run, their legs ready to spring them forward.

"Go!"

And just like that, the ponies charged forwards into the forest. The ground thundered underneath them, kicking dust into the air and knocking leaves off the trees. Naturally, Applejack and Rainbow were in front of the herd, winding along the path in determined concentration.

Meanwhile, above the forest in a bright pink balloon, Pinkie and Rarity watched the crowd below.

"Wow, those two are fast." Rarity commented, watching the cyan and blonde manes streaking along the path. "And they're neck-in-neck too."

"Mhm." Pinkie replied, before reaching for the megaphone. "Aaaand Applejack takes the lead! Oh, wait, now it's Rainbow Dash!"

Back on the ground, Applejack galloped on, trying to keep ahead of her winged rival.

"I ain't even breakin' a sweat." Rainbow announced, trying her best to hide the effort she was using.

"Me neither." Applejack turned her head to face Rainbow, wearing a smug grin.

And then gravity did a 180.

Applejack's hoof hit something, preventing her from pulling it forwards. This upset her pacing, causing her to fall flat on her muzzle, then onto her back as momentum refused to go quietly.

She was just starting to recover when the herd of other racers galloped past.

Applejack spat on the ground, checking herself for cuts. "Rainbow..."

Trixie, who was trotting at a relaxing pace, stopped near Applejack. "Something bothering you?"

"Rainbow tripped me." Applejack stood up, fixing her hat.

"Actually," Trixie replied, pointing to a slab of rock jutting above the ground. "You tripped over this stone here."

Applejack sighed. "Yeah, Ah guess Ah'm just gettin' a little hotblooded."

"Probably." Trixie started her trot again. "You might want to hurry, though, the herd's going far."

Applejack groaned. "Great..."

After a moment she spotted a particularly long branch jutting out into the path, one that Trixie had to duck under just to pass.

"Ah hope it's strong enough..."

With some effort, she pushed the branch into a make-shift catapult, thanking Celestia that the branch held. She gripped the tree with her hoof and sat atop the straining branch, and prepared for launch.

---

Rainbow shot a glance behind, smirking. "Heh, I knew she couldn't beat-"

An orange, yelling blur shot right over her head.

"... Me." Rainbow snorted in annoyance, speeding up to where Applejack had landed and was starting to gather her original speed. By the time she had caught up, the earth pony was back to her normal speed, and the two were in a heat again.

"Miss me, Dashie?" Applejack taunted.

"Like poison ivy." Rainbow rebutted, grinning.

Applejack looked ahead for a split second, then back at Rainbow. "Ah hope y'all ready to get yer tail kicked!"

"Heh, like that's-"

Rainbow's hooves landed on a patch of damp leaves. Her muscles, instead of pushing against solid ground, pushed away the leaves, shooting her balance completely. She fell with a squish, and tried to pull herself up, hooves slipping against the loose muck and dropping her back down.

As she finally managed to get a hoof firmly on the ground, the herd of racers passed, splitting in half to avoid the leaves.

"Applejack!" Rainbow screamed out.

"You tripped on the leaves." Trixie replied calmly, trotting past without a care. "You'd better hurry up."

Rainbow growled, and started galloping forwards, leaving Trixie in her dust. She eyed a slightly-worn path in the forest itself and leading on to the front of the path, and with a grin cut through.

---

"... And Rainbow Dash has stumbled, leaving Applejack in the lead!" Pinkie announced.

Rarity watched the orange speck gallop along the path, leaving all the other ponies in the dust. "She's really going for it, isn't she?"

Pinkie pulled away from the megaphone. "Yeah. It's quite amazing considering what happened. And that leg injury years ago."

Rarity hummed in agreement. "Didn't happen long after I was teamed with her." She gave a slight chuckle. "Almost blamed me for it too."

Pinkie giggled. "I can imagine." She returned to the microphone. "Aaaaaaand Applejack is nearing the finish line... What's this?"

The two ponies spotted the azure dot that was Trixie suddenly pick up pace, passing by the herd of ponies who had by then slowed down from exhaustion.

"Trixie's suddenly gunning for it!" Pinkie announced in excitement. "Meanwhile, Applejack is a few seconds off the finish and Rainbow is cutting a path through the forest to try and make up! Ooh, this is intense..."

Rarity's heart beat faster. Rainbow's path would allow her to possibly beat Applejack, if she really went for it. Trixie was edging up to Applejack, and Applejack was painfully close to the finish.

The cyan pegasus disappeared under the warm-coloured canopy of the forest, a few leaves falling in her wake. Then silence.

Then a scream.

Trixie slowed a fraction and turned her head in surprise, allowing Applejack enough room to dash right past the finish before she did.

The tree leaves rustled, before breaking apart in a burst of orange as a rainbow bullet shot skywards, turning sharply towards the balloon.

Rainbow stopped inches before hitting the basket, a wild look on her face. "Guys, I just found something!"

Pinkie blinked, then inched over to the mic. "And Rainbow Dash is disqualified for fly-"

"I don't give a buck about the race, Pinkie!" Rainbow shot her hooves up into the air.

"Whatever's the matter, dear?" Rarity asked, her calm demeanour hiding the fear she was feeling.

"I'll tell ya when we get Trixie and AJ in earshot." Rainbow replied. "Come on."

---

Applejack took a big swig of the light cider, sighing massively. "Well... That was fun..."

Trixie gasped for breath, pressing a hoof to her chest and the other against a wall. "Remind me... Never... To do... That... Again..." She coughed a few times.

"How didja get so close anyway?"

"I... Read in... A book... Gimme a moment..." Trixie fell into the seat next to her, grabbing a cool glass of cider and taking a big gulp of it. "Anyway... I read in a book that... If you save your energy... For when the rest of the group... Slows down... You can use it in the final leg of the race..."

"Must'a been real slow for ya to catch up t' me."

"Probably..." Trixie sighed, having another drink. "Still, your endurance is commendable... Particularly after the leg accident..."

Applejack chuckled, taking a cigarette out of her pocket. "Yeah..." After she lit it up, she looked skywards, watching a rainbow streak heading straight for her. "So there's Dash..."

Trixie smiled. "She sure looks like she's in a hurry."

Rainbow alighted in front of - Well, more like skidded across the ground and nearly crashed into - Applejack, wide-eyed.

"Heya, Rainbow." Applejack replied calmly, placing her cup down and dusting herself off slightly.

"Applejack, there's something real important you have to see, right now." She turned to Trixie. "You too."

Trixie groaned. "Do I have to-?"

"Yes you have to bucking move!" Rainbow nearly shouted, turning to go. "Rarity and Pinkie are waiting ahead."

Applejack sighed, fixing her hat and standing up. "Alright, let's go."

Trixie followed, albeit slower and with grunts of pain. The three ponies walked across the dusty road, where they saw Rarity conversing with the mayor. Pinkie was tethering the balloon nearby.

"... going to have to call the announcement for the winners later, we've got some urgent business apparently." Rarity was heard to say as they approached. Shortly after she turned, and smiled, particularly at Applejack. "Hello, girls."

"Howdy." Applejack replied. Trixie weakly rose a hoof in a vague wave.

"Pinkie will be here any moment, don't fret." Rarity turned to Applejack. "Congratulations in your victory, Applejack."

Applejack tilted her hat, smiling. "Thank ya kindly, Rares."

"And very well played, Trixie."

Trixie chuckled weakly.

Rainbow shifted from hoof to hoof in agitation, keeping on glancing at Pinkie, who was bouncing back to the group.

"Hey!" Pinkie waved mid-air, before landing close by. "Dashie looks like she's on edge, we'd better go."

"Agreed." Rarity replied, turning to go. "Lead the way, Rainbow."

Rainbow glided to the front of the group and cantered quickly ahead. Within a few minutes they had broken past the tree-line, and that's when Rainbow's pace slowed to a walk.

"So, what's so important, Rainbow?" Rarity tilted her head, watching the leaves overhead.

"Don't tell me, it's another murder." Applejack muttered. "That's usually what happens."

After a moment Rainbow paused, a bright column of light shooting through the broken canopy. "... Yeah, it kinda is."

The four ponies trotted past to get a better view of the spotlight. In said spotlight was a beige pegasus pony, lying in the dirt, half-coated in red and brown specks. She had a great big gash along her side, and one of her wings was broken with a bloody bone stabbing through. Her mane was jostled, but seemed to be generally blown back.

Rarity turned her head away from the scene, and towards Applejack. "Why does this always happen...?"

"Ah dunno..." Applejack replied quietly.

Comments

[StormbadgerXIII]

Not a bad chapter, but a couple of points I have to mention:

-Sweetie Belle almost seems too casual about being yelled at. Surely being yelled at isn't a good thing, even when you're "used to it". Perhaps change the word to 'snapped' to imply it's a short, violent exclamation rather than an extended rant.
-"Much to the two racers' surprise, the event had been changed into a race." Something seems off about this line. Isn't the Running of the Leaves a race normally? And why would a pair of racers be surprised about it turning into a race?
-Trixie seems a little carbon-copy to me. She's got that sort of 'tsundere' thing going to probably too high a level, and her tactic for winning the race seems too similar to Twilight's.

Other than that, good job. Also, the line "Then gravity did a 180" was priceless.

[SigmatheAwesome]

2468085 I've altered the stuff I can, though it's a little too hard to change the bit with Trixie because it's a little too ingrained into the narrative. Don't worry, Trixie won't always be so simply-written

[Kail]

Looks like our favorite crime fighters can't have a moment of peace. Well like they say, no rest for the wicked.

[StormbadgerXIII]

Having just reread this story, I already want more of it.

You know what this means, right bro?