//------------------------------//
// Chapter Six: Again 
// Story: Cars in Equestria 
// by Dudofall 
//------------------------------//

	"Are you absolutely certain this is necessary?" Oloy asked. He was currently strapped to the cart as Spike insistently tied pillows to him with rope.

Twilight shrugged, "I did get just a little carried away during your first test." She laughed nervously. "Yeah, this is necessary." She floated a hoofball helmet to her assistant, who placed it firmly on Oloy's head. The dragon gave a thumbs-up, which Twilight tried to return, before realizing she didn't have hands. Their guest shook his head, befuddled. "Anyway!" the princess said, "Let's start test #14 off right!" She pulled a lever on the left side of the cart, and the engine in the front clicked to a start. "Remember, pull it the other way to stop!" she yelled over the din. Oloy nodded. Spike jumped off as the pink cart began to roll across the backyard. The motor was a two-piston model, but it didn't matter to the student turned adrenaline junkie. His smile widened as the prototype began to speed up. Soon he was enjoying the wind in his mane and the massive fallen trees in his path. 

"Wait! No! No! No!" Oloy said eloquently as he frantically pulled the lever next to him. The motor cut out and there was a loud thud below the cart, followed by a scraping sound. The student closed his eyes and winced as he closed in on one of the trees. 


***


Twilight flew somewhat slowly over Ponyville. "Can't you go any faster?" Spike asked from his perch on her back.

"Sorry, Spike," she said, "I've gotta be careful." The two watched as the cart sped across town. 

Spike gulped. "Um, Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"Is Oloy going to crash into those trees?"

"Of course not! There's a lever so he can stop," Twilight assured her assistant. Nevertheless, she began to descend quickly. A loud thud came from the prototype ahead.

"It's falling apart!" Spike yelled.

"Don't be ridiculous," she assuaged his worries, "that's to help it stop!" The large piece of metal dragged behind the cart, slowing it down a bit. A magical aura brought it to a halt inches away from the tree. Oloy opened his eyes.

"Woohoo! I'm okay!" he cheered.

Twilight frowned as she landed next to him. "You are, but that's only because I stopped the cart."

"So?" the student failed to see the problem with that. After all, if the princess of friendship could stop the cart, it stood to reason that she could simply stop it again. 

"We were trying to get the cart to stop on its own!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Ohhh..." Oloy said sheepishly, before getting an idea. "Why not just put the brakes on the wheels?" At this, Twilight looked thoughtfully into the distance, before making some calculations in the dirt. "I mean, that's how trains work, right?"

Twilight looked up from her math. "Actually, train brakes wouldn't work here. They're too big!" Spike, meanwhile, walked over to the side of the road to sit down. It was one of those rare cloudy days in Ponyville. The treetops were placid, and the air felt heavy with humidity. He picked up a small rock, then looked at the cart's wheels as Twilight and Oloy hit a bit of a dead end in their brakes discussion. 

"That's it!" he shouted exuberantly. The two looked at him expectantly.

"What's it?" Oloy asked. Spike rushed over to the cart, then put the rock against a wheel.

Twilight put a hoof to her chin. "Even if we could use rocks to stop the wheels, they would wear each other out with heavy use. Unless we had some kind of disk..." Oloy glared at Spike, who had obviously stolen his brake idea like a fanfiction writer steals writing ideas. Spike stuck out his tongue. The two engaged in an intense staring contest. "Thanks! This is a great idea!" Twilight said somewhat obliviously.

Oloy grinned. "I'm glad you liked it! I worked so hard on this project, I deserve top marks and a train ride back home!"

The princess of friendship smiled back. "Don't worry, I'll send you back as soon as we're done testing these brakes!"