Through the Looking Glass
Chapter 31: Rainbow Dash vs Electuroo
A few days past since Rainbow Dash made the terms of going on a date clear to Electuroo whom never really raced in his life part from when he was in school as a human but never as a pegasi. He managed to get some lessons in with Twilight and which was a good idea at the time but was also a bad idea since he never asked to promise to keep the race under wraps; this led to all of Ponyville hearing of this one on one race.
Electuroo sitting at his table eating breakfast knew today was the day the race would happen, stared at the sun rise and wonder how well he was going to do. “This is such a big race… one on one with the faster flyer in all of Equestria, she could thrash me easy if she do her sonic rainboom…” he said to himself staring at the pancakes. “Might as well eat this before it gets cold.”
Soon as he finishes he heard the door bell “I wonder who that could be” he opened the door to see Derpy Hooves standing there with a letting on her left front hoof “morning Derpy”
“Morning Electuroo, I got some mail for you” Derpy gives him the letter “Could you sign here please”
Electuroo took the quill with his mouth and sighed it and gave the quill back “There we go. Is it signed mail”
“Yep it is, see you at the start line” Derpy leaves and Electuroo look at the letter.
He opened it and starts to read it “Oh Rainbow Dash isn’t going to like this…”
In Rainbow Dash’s house… “WHAT!? YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!?”
Electuroo held his ears from her yelling as she read the letter “Dash not so loud… I am right next to you…” he groaned.
Rainbow Dash wings lower a little “oops sorry Electuroo” then she look to the letter again “It just annoying that I finally get my dream to train with the Wonderbolts come true and now this…”
“I know it about 20% uncool it not the Princess’s fault…” Electuroo put his hoof on her shoulder. “So what about the race?”
She grinned “Oh I am not going to let you get out of it that easy, we spit hooved on it remember”
Electuroo rubbed his left hoof with his right “Worth a try” Rainbow Dash hits him with her right front hoof at the joke and they just laughed a little.
Derpy Hooves…
After delivering the mail Derpy was now helping out with setting up the race course with Stardust and Fluttershy at the last few points, placing flags on clouds to show the flight path. “This is going to be a lot of fun to watch, do you think Electuroo will do well?”
Stardust moved a flag in place with her levitation magic “I don’t really know, but Rainbow Dash has the upper hoof on this one though”
“Oh yes she does, the Sonic Rainboom is her secret weapon” Fluttershy also stated
“Indeed and also very fast and agile. Rainbow Dash will set the paste in this race” Stardust seem certain on it as she lands on a cloud and look to see Derpy putting the last one in place.
Derpy turn to them “Why did he accept to race her then?”
Stardust frown a little “knowing my son he said before he thought…”
Derpy laughing at what she said “like when he did that thunder bounce when Pinkie Pie scared him? That was soo funny, Rainbow Dash Mane was stuck up in the air because of it”
“Thunder Bounce oh I remember, it that unique move Electuroo can do, bouncing off cloud to cloud or wall to wall with a thundering super speedy bounce, it almost as amazing as the legendary Sonic Rainboom” Fluttershy was getting more excited “I feel so excited” she yells in a soft quiet voice “Woo hoo!” and all three just burst out laughing
“Well nice chatting to you girls and thanks for the help, I got to get to Applejack, I’m helping her out with the sales of the apple food products today” Stardust flies off to Sweet Apple Acres.
Twilight came up to them and smiled seeing everything was in place “Great job girls!”
“Thank you Twilight” Derpy lands before her “I am really happy to help out on such an amazing and cool event such as this” she giggled a little.
“Derpy would you be able to get Time Tuner? I want to record the race time on this and have no other pony better in mind then him” Twilight asked Derpy.
Derpy smiled “Oh good idea Twilight, I will go get him right away, I bet his in the workshop again working on more clocks with his head in the clouds and…” Derpy continued to speak as she flies off her voice getting quieter till they couldn’t hear her.
“Twilight I think Rainbow Dash going to win this before it begins” Fluttershy said coming up beside her as they walked now to the starting/finishing line “Don’t you think so?”
Twilight saw the startline which was also the finish line “I have to put my hoof on that too Fluttershy, we all know Rainbow Dash, she faster than any pony that I know of. Also she been a Pegasi all her life yet Electuroo only joined the ranks about eight months ago” they looked at the golden leaves falling from some wind stepping through some puddles since they did have quiet the rain storm the day before.
Race…
The bell in the clock tower struck as 12pm came and noon was upon them. Rainbow Dash wasted no time to arrive and scout out the course that was set up. The path would lead them out of Ponyville flying towards Canterlot above the rail tunnel than head towards Cloudsdale making a pass around the city through tight turns and a loop, following down to the White Tall Woods and finally over above the Ghastly Gorge and into it heading right back to Ponyville and the home stretch to the start line.
Rainbow Dash comes to a landing at the startline “Got to hoof it to you Twilight this race course is super sweet”
“It wasn’t I who created the course on paper” Twilight than turn to Derpy whom was talking to Time Tuner “it was Derpy”
Rainbow Dash jaw fell at this “Say what?”
Fluttershy giggled “Yeah it surprised me to”
Rainbow Dash came over to them “Hey Derpy, thanks for coming up with the coolest race track I ever seen”
“I am glad you like it, wasn’t sure after what happened with the cloud and townhall…” Derpy laughing a little about the random thunder strikes that she it. “All forgiven?”
“Yeah why not” Rainbow Dash clap hooves with Derpy “Hey Time Tuner guess you be recording the race time”
Time Tuner turn to her “Sure am Rainbow Dash, I had to be dragged from my clocks to get here in time” rubbing his rump a little and Derpy laughing nervously.
“Oh look at that Electuroo here” Derpy points a hoof quickly changing the subject.
Electuroo lands before them “I was expecting a race but the course is really big, I must really say I am impressed, just hope I can do something like this…” he felt a little unsure.
“It all in the heat of fun right?” Derpy came up to him.
Electuroo turn to her than look over to Rainbow Dash “Maybe for Rainbow Dash but this is making all my legs shake with a very nervous feel to this. “Last time I did a race that long was the marathon run when I was a kid in secondary school and came somewhere in the middle…” he recalled it and how tired he felt at the end, with a gulp he gotten himself into something crazy.
Time Tuner smirked “Hey don’t worry, in the end try your best and I am sure things will work out well, you might lose or even win, either way this is something new to experience”
Electuroo frown a little at him for a moment “I have to admit you got a point Tuner, alright. I better get to the start line” he leaves and Rainbow Dash met him at the start line with Twilight standing there with the flag in her magic.
“Ready?” Rainbow Dash turn to Electuroo
“As I can be…” he swallowed hard seeing the large crowd cheering loudly with the Mayor standing at the box at the microphone.
She coughed a little “Good afternoon to all ponies” she spoke out and every pony turn to her “We here to witness a one on one race with our fastest and favourite Pegesi Rainbow Dash” the cheers roared with some even chatting out Rainbow Dash name. “And our fast and lightning bouncing one of a kind Electuroo!” another cheer which surprised Electuroo seeing how many was cheering for him and saw Angel and Stardust waving a hoof at him. “This is going to be a one lap race, I gather both of you scout the course out?” they nod in reply “Also we must say thanks to Derpy Hooves whom designed this race course, give a hoof to her my ponies” they all clapping and stomping with cheers making Derpy blush seeing that she got noticed. “And I am sure every pony will get to try out one of her muffins too that she and Pinkie Pie kindly baked today”
“Twilight”
Twilight bows a little “Thank you Mayor Mare, alright Rainbow Dash, Electuroo ready?” they stood in stance ready to go with their wings open and flexed “Let the best Pegasi win!” she raise the flag up “Ready… set…” they lowered a bit more. “GO!” she waved the flag and both shot off from the start line heading right for the first marking making Twilight spin around rapidly on the spot till Rarity stop her.
“Wow that was some start darling…” Rarity watch them head off around the marker then next one. “Look like Rainbow Dash has gotten to a better start off”
Twilight eyes spinning around “Yeah…” she fell over dazed by the number of spins she was put through.
Rainbow Dash sped in and out of the first few markers like a breeze and Electuroo could see the trail lines of her movement as he weaved through them too, “She faster than I thought she would be, I am going to have to put more into this just to keep up…” Electuroo flapping harder to gain speed to keep up with her leaving a black and yellow streak behind him, he turn his head for a second seeing the trail behind him. “Wow…” he could see the sharp turn coming up above the train tunnel leading up to Canterlot.
Rainbow Dash twist around the tight bend instantly with Electuroo turning around the flag a few seconds afterwards, Rainbow Dash turn flying backwards with hooves behind her head “Come on keep up” she than turns and burst off ahead towards Cloudsdale flying in and out of the flags.
Electuroo keeping up just enough to see her trail as they came towards Cloudsdale, he was feeling the wind in his face as he picked up more speed feeling his wings starting to ache from the amount of work he had to put into them to just keep up with her. “Come on…” the pegasi there cheering as they saw Rainbow Dash round the first bend going around the outskirts of the city with Soarin standing on one cloud keenly watching this as she shot by him with Electuroo right behind.
Electuroo saw his chance to get ahead of her when he saw the loop part, he bounce off one cloud inside the course and then pulled a high tight twist turn closing his wings doing a very quick sharp turn, he did it too fast that made him almost lose control hitting one of the flags he tumbled but regain his balance and close his wings up going into a dive for the ones going down from Cloudsdale.
Rainbow Dash saw him shot past and now using gravity to help him gain more speed “Now this is a race!” Rainbow Dash sped off down after him flapping hard as she past him pulling up above the White Tall Woods heading for the gorge taking her chance to get distance. Electuroo pushed off again with wings flapping to catch her up, in less than two minutes they was already through more than half the race.
They flew through some of the trees and came to the twist into the gorge, they dived into it and Rainbow Dash flying through it first she was flying in and out of the twist and turns of thorns and roots with Electuroo jumping off one after the other than making into a sprint before taking off after Dash again seeing she gone through the tunnel already, a small crowd above cheered as they saw Rainbow Dash come out with Electuroo behind struggling even more now. He was feeling every inch of his body surging with pain since his wings was using up all his energy to keep him going.
Rainbow Dash saw him come by her as they came close to the edge of the Ghastly Gorge toward the final stretch, she flew up behind and then along side him with her looking up at him with a grin “This is the best race ever I have in a long time but this is where I leave you in my dust!” she bursts off ahead for the home stretch and Electuroo was struggling to even keep his speed now.
“All of nothing… time to give it everything I got!” He spoke while pumping everything he had into his wings flying faster and faster, he closed his eye with his front legs forwards he stream line himself best he could to get all possible speed.
Twilight using her binoculars saw Rainbow Dash well in the lead “Rainbow Dash is coming in on the home straight! She going to win” suddenly she saw something coming up to her right “Whoa is that Electuroo?”
Applejack took a look “Yeah it is sugarcube and he coming in fast… wait I see some electrical energy building up around him, is that…”
Fluttershy gasped seeing it too “He about to do a Sonic Rainboom!” she screamed
Rainbow Dash heard Fluttershy above the crowd and turn her head just to see a blur shot past her. “No way I am going to lose this!” she took off at high speed going overdrive and hit her Sonic Rainboom speed in a flash but he was still got distance from her. “He going to really beat me…”
Electuroo heard the sonic rainboom and the flash in the corner of his eyes as he look forward he could feel pressure building and look forward to see a mixture of light forming around him but then all the sudden he felt his wing muscles lock up instantly and a huge surge of pain he froze in mid place “Oh…” he was flung backwards “CELESTIA!!!!” he shot right pass Rainbow Dash whom hit the breaks right at the finish line gasping at him spinning out of control, as he hits the muddy ground sliding back first into it and hitting solid ground he flips over on is front and tumbling into a tree hard with all the yellow, orange and golden leaves falling down from the impact.
Last thing Electuroo saw before blacking out was ponies gathering around and Rainbow Dash speaking out “Electuroo? Are you ok?” the voice seem to echo as he blacks out completely.
Hospital…
Electuroo was hearing voices as he was coming to with his vision blurry as he notice the girls talking as he opened his eyes. “Oh lookie his awake”
“Pinkie Pie not so loud…” Electuroo moaned feeling a really bad headache as he turn to each.
“Oops sorry” Pinkie Pie giggled
Twilight took a look to the doctor “How is he?”
“He over worked his muscles for one thing and the impact did dislocate his wing but we got that back in place. Other than that he needs plenty of rest for the next few days” he said looking at the clip board and the x-ray.
Rainbow Dash smirked “At least it was a minor crash landing, I always walk away from those type of crashes” she recalling all her own failed Sonic Rainboom attempts and the others knew and laughing a little.
Electuroo recalled seeing that on episode “The one you crashed into Twilight’s library after she got it all sorted out?” every pony burst out laughing at that part from Stardust whom was seeing a different shade to this.
“Am I the only one that not seeing this as joke…” her tone was serious making them all look at her “He could of easily broke his neck or shattered very bone in his body! He was travelling almost at the sound of speed and got flung back at same speeds…”
Rainbow Dash raised her hoof “Well that never happened to any pony, specially me, it just his wings locked up on him when he was about to break the barrier.”
Stardust horn glowing and pulls Rainbow Dash to her face to face “That you not him! If we was on Earth right now a stunt like that for a human would have been an instant kill! His my son and I am not letting him do anything that stupid ever again!”
“Well maybe you should try and look up this world! Everything works different here! Heck Pinkie Pie stopped herself from splashing in the water and slowly sunk into it! That completely utterly random! Explain that huh!” Rainbow Dash yelling back at Stardust trying to break free from the magic hold.
Stardust eyes narrow then her expression changed putting Rainbow Dash back on the floor gentle “I’m sorry…” she hung her head low “I been getting rather bad headaches of late with this magic in me and I just not thinking clearly…” she then look at Rainbow Dash “Yes your right we not on Earth or in our universe so the laws of how this world works are different. Your princess can raise the sun here, on Earth the planet spins and moves around our sun, it gravity holds Earth in place and gives us heat and light for only a set hours a day depending on the angle of the planet”
Rainbow Dash blinked “Say what now? Your telling me there no pony or human controlling the sun, it just sits there and the gravity of it holds your world in place and gives the heat you need? Wow I wouldn’t mind seeing that”
Stardust smiled and Electuroo knew what was next, her horn glows and a pulse of light flies up and then expands into an image of magical energy showing the Earth and all the planets moving around the Earth “Hope this helps”
Twilight gasped “How did you do that!? I never seen a magic spell this intense before, the detail is amazing it almost as if we seeing a story being told from the mind…” she watched the Earth moving with the moon spinning around it as the Earth went around the sun. “So there are more worlds in the same star system?”
“Yeah there is, you have Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus. Neptune and Pluto” Electuroo said looking at the planets “Only one that support life is Earth though but believe Mars also did at one point but something happened to it millions of years ago that caused it to lose all of it atmosphere, but didn’t we see this before?”
Twilight was dazzled by this “Your right Electuroo but the magic really caught me off guard it really amazing. Stardust could you show me how you did this form of magic… it be great for my studies to know something this amazing” Rainbow Dash recalling the image display from the machine they saw and slap her hoof on her head a little feeling a little silly forgetting that.
Stardust smiled “Of course it rather simple though” both left talking to each other about it as the images faded.
“Guess that would keep Twilight and Stardust busy for days” Applejack laughing a little “Well I better get going as well, got apples to pick.” She turn to Electuroo “Get lots of rest and I will let the town know your just fine”
Pinkie Pie jumping around laughing a little “When your better we can get a party going for victory to Rainbow Dash”
Rainbow Dash look to Electuroo “Go ahead you did win”
“Oh yeah victory is mine” she throw a hoof up with a smirk “In your face Electuroo!”
Electuroo just smiled “You know what that felt good to know that I lost, means beating you next time make it twice as sweet”
Fluttershy pulled out a book “I got this from your home, I believe you was reading it”
“Ah the last one of the Daring Do Series” He opened it up “Thanks Fluttershy”
Fluttershy turns and leaves with Rarity also leaving “Take care”
“Thanks Rarity. So…” he turns to Spike and Rainbow Dash “Guess you two be going too?”
Spike nods “Yeah I got to get back to write down that spell for Twilight” he dashes off and only leaving Rainbow Dash after Pinkie Pie had also left right behind Spike.
Rainbow Dash sat by his bed “Well go ahead and read it”
The doctor pony left the room “Alright already…” he turn to her and then pulled the page over and begins to read it. Angel chuckled looking through the door and walked on by knowing her brother was just fine and was glad that their mum didn’t explode over what happened to Electuroo and surprised how the town seem to not be too concerned over the crash landing like the seen it before and she remembered the Rainbow Dash crash scene, laughing a little she whispered “Get well bro” the leaves the hospital