//------------------------------// // Starting Line // Story: Derpy and the Pegasi Express Race // by TheReaderAndWriter //------------------------------// "There it is, Dinky! Vanhoover!" said Time Turner as the train finally rounded the mountainside. A large city stretched out before them, just next to the great ocean. The buildings were so grand and tightly clustered together. There was not a single typical piece of pony architechture, nothing like Ponyville or Canterlot. It was mostly well-built practical brickwork, a white, brown and red city against the blue of the sky and sea. "Wow!" said Dinky and Derpy. They were all peeking out the open window. Time Turner had such energy, almost like he was born to be a tour-guide. "A population of almost a quarter million ponies, and even griffons, hippogriffs, buffalo, changelings, yaks and even one or two dragons! Vanhoover is what embodies our kingdom's wonderful ideals of friendship and unity across all cultures! While Canterlot is the heart of Equestria, I would dare say that Vanhoover is its soul!" "Where are we going to go first?!" asked Dinky. "Unfortunately, your mother need to register and prepare for the race. It will start in just a few hours, straight at noon." "Aw!" "It's okay, sweetie, we'll visit again." "Don't you worry, Dinky, we're going to wave her goodbye, and then you and I are going to see every amazing sight in the entire city. Then, when you come back here, you can show her around yourself!" "Where are we going now, then?" asked Dinky. "Straight to town hall for finishing the registration and everything, then the race will begin right outside in the town park," said Time Turner. Dinky was excited, but Derpy was getting more and more nervous. Would there be any problems? Could her weird wing sprint actually take her all the way? So many things could go wrong. "Now, Derpy," said Time Turner. "I spent these past few days preparing. I have reviewed all the information, and accumulated it into this folder. There's maps for optimal paths, as well as routes you need to avoid at all costs. Since you're going to spend all your time at ground level, you are open for far more dangers. Mostly trees." "Alright, Doc!" said Derpy and took the folder. "If you have any doubts, just take a look. There are also some tips for survival, making camps, preparing food and water in the wilds, just to be sure." "Do you really think I'll need to?" asked Derpy. "No, there are checkpoints where you'll be able to rest, eat and spend the nights, but I just mean in case you get lost. You don't know many landmarks around Equestria, after all. I've learned from experience that it pays to be prepared." *** Once they entered Vanhoover, it didn't take long for them to find town hall. While the streets had been incredibly crowded compared to Ponyville, the park was so much worse. Both the ground and air was packed to the brim with pegasi and basically anything else that could fly. Derpy noticed that there was a surprising amount of griffons. Many were speaking to each other, and it was hard to not overhear. "Oh yeah, absolutely," she heard a female griffon say. "I was planning on visit Griffonstone anyway, heard they really turned that place around. It just seemed like a good idea." "Well," said a pegasus stallion. "Since the Wonderbolts have shown interest in this race, I thought it be a great idea to participate. Who knows? Get a good enough time and this could be a huge boost in my favor to join the academy!" "Are you doing the lower tier?" asked the griffon. "Nope, I'm going to go all out. All the way to Manehattan. Will be the first time I see it. Very excited!" None of the contestants had any uniform or number, but Derpy did notice that they all carried the same one strap backpack with random color being the only difference. "Mom, why are there so many non-pegasi in the Pegasi Express race?" Time Turner chipped in, with the enthusiasm that Derpy loved about him. "Because, nothing should stand in the way of friendly competition. This race is for everyone, my dear Dinky." Derpy realized it was better to not have Time Turner and Dinky deal with the crowds, so they said goodbye. "I'll see you from the starting line!" Then, she walked straight through the huge park, straight into the town hall. The entire entrance hall, built with marble and bricks to great effect, was magnificent but had been filled with booths. There were numerous lines going up to each one. Derpy found one with a short line, and walked up to it. Suddenly, there was a bit of commotion at the front. "What do you mean?" asked a light brown griffon loudly. He was larger than Derpy. At first she thought he was very thick, but realized it was just him fluffing up out of frustration, without it he would have been leaner than her. "Sir, I meant exactly what I said," said the mare in the booth, an older mare, wearing glasses and with her mane in a ponytail. "There is no cash prize or even compensation for the lowest tier. If you want compensation, you need to finish the middle tier or above. If you want a shot at the prize money you need to finish the highest tier, which means you need to do the entire race." The griffon didn't quite look angry, but he did look annoyed. "If I don't go for the prize, what exactly is the compensation?" "It depends on the actual charity of the pony who's package is to be delivered. While I can't confirm anything, I have heard that the average is 10 bits, and the maximum allowed is 30 bits with no lower minimum. The train ride back to Vanhoover is free for all contestants, though." The griffon had to hold back a scoff. "What's the prize money, then?" he asked. "Doing the highest tier? The prize money is awarded to the first 50 contestants that finish the race and have their package delivered safely. The first prize is 2000 bits, second is 1700, then it's 1400, 1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, and every winner placed 11 to 30 will get 200 bits, and everyone below that will get 100, plus the compensation of course." "It's something. Fine," said the griffon. "Fill out this form, don't forget your registration number. You package is waiting for you outside at station 13." The griffon took the paper and almost stormed off. "Lucky number," he mumbled just as he passed Derpy. His beak was a bit too big for his head, and it was noticeably darker than his feathers or fur. Derpy ignored him, and before long it was her turn. "Welcome to the Pegasi Equestrian Express Race. Are you here to participate?" asked the mare. Derpy recognized the tone of voice. It was a standard greeting, probably one that she had used with enthusiasm at the start of the day, but now she was as tired as the racers were going to be. "Sure am!" said Derpy. "Name?" "Derpy." "Sorry, Miss, full name?" Derpy sighed a little. "Muffin Ditzy 'Derpy' Doo O'Sullivan Hooves" The mare looked up. "Your parents not sure what to name you?" "You have no idea!" "Do you have a registration number, or did you decide to apply just now?" "I have a registration number!" said Derpy. "Good, take this form and fill it out, and don't forget the number. Also, this is important, which tier are you applying for?" "Tier?" The mare sighed in frustration, but caught herself. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I've had to answer that question all day. Nopony seems to read the signs right outside." "It's alright, but what are tiers?" "This race is long. The longest race in history, and a lot will want to compete, but the ponies organizing it are aware a lot won't be able to complete it. Ponies will be allowed to stop earlier. There are three tiers. There's the hardest tier, where ponies will fly all the way to Manehattan. There's the middle tier, where you'll stop in Fillydelphia. And for those doing it the first time, the lowest tier will stop in Canterlot." "Why do you have these tiers? Can't ponies just stop if they need to?" "Not quite, there are prizes in this race, and we need to know which racers will be competing for which rewards. We don't want an athlete to enter, be able to try for a high prize, realize he can't win, and then just give up to claim a lesser reward, taking it from a hardworking but inexperienced flier. The racers need to admit their limits and set their goals. It's also important that we know how many contestants to expect at each checkpoint." "Alright. I'll be going for the hard tier," said Derpy. She said she was going to complete the race and she meant it, and there was no point doing it halfway. "Are you sure?" "Absolutely!" "Well, it's your funeral. All you need to do is fill out the form, then go outside to station 24 where you'll pick up your package." "Thank you!" said Derpy and walked away. There was a lot of things she didn't quite get about the race, but package delivery? That she could understand! Once back out in the warm sunlight with the form filled out and ready, Derpy only had to walk around the corner to find the stations. Rows and rows of large tents along the building, all filled with both staff and stacks upon stacks of brown packages. She quickly got in line for her station. "Attention," a voice said over loudspeaker. "The Pegasi Equestrian Express Race will begin in just 20 minutes." "Next," said the young mare at the station's desk. Derpy handed over the form, and the mare only glanced at it. "Oh yes, here you are," said the mare. She picked up one of the backpacks Derpy had seen, her color was deep blue. "Here's your complimentary bag, a standard empty flask for water is inside along with a small first aid kit. Do stay hydrated and safe out there. Do not lose them, and if you want to keep them you will need to finish the race." "Will do!" "And here is your package to be delivered," said the mare. She produced a small brown cardboard box, no side longer than 8 inches. "Now, the rules of the race stipulates that you can not break the seal and open the box. The contents must be delivered intact and unharmed. They must also be delivered by you, personally. You must check in at all the checkpoints, with your package. I have verified that this is the right package for you." She wrote down a number on Derpy's form, signed, and stamped it. "This form will be sent all the way to your destination, where it will be used to verify it is the right package at delivery, as the unique identification number is inside the package. Ouch, looks like you won't get much for delivering this. Any questions?" Derpy was busy inspecting the box closely, very closely, like a craftsman inspecting art. A sturdy cardboard, no doubt chosen by an expert, resistant to water damage and collision. A very gentle shake told her the packaging material: semi-randomly shaped pellets, very shock-absorbing. Lifting it, rotating it, feeling how it was balanced, she could tell the item inside was very dense. The total weight couldn't have been less than 650 grams, no more than 720. Her best guess was a clock, a statue or a trophy. "No?" asked the mare. "Great. Good luck in the race, and have a great day!" Derpy waved goodbye and walked back to the park in front of the area. She noticed that most of the racers had migrated away, towards the big road right in front. A noticeably huge crowd was gathering on the sidewalks. Unlike most others who made a short flight over the crowds, Derpy had to struggle her way to get out on the road. "Derpy!" said a familiar voice. Time Turner walked up to her in all the commotion, with Dinky in tow. "Don't forget this!" he said, holding up a familiar item: a spare mailmare hat, modified with a string as to not fly off. "Show them all what you've got!" "Good luck, mom!" "Thank you both so much. We'll see each other in Manehattan, alright?" said Derpy, hugging them both tightly. She turned to Time Turner specifically, pointing in his face with a sudden stern look. "And you keep an eye on her, Doc. If you lose her no place in Equestria will keep you safe from me." "Duly noted, my dear Hooves," said Time Turner. She hugged them again, this time as a goodbye, before she finally stepped out on the large road. All kinds of species and types were cheering so loud she could have gone deaf, some from the rooftops, some from windows, but most from right beside all the racers on the road. A big starting line had been drawn right on the pavement, and racers were stretching their wings, eager to be the first to cross. One could spot Rainbow Dash quite easily, as she was given a wide berth; she had so much energy others seemed scared to be caught up in some terrible tornado. Derpy walked a bit further back, away from the packed front, to get more room. Hundreds of contestants, as far as the eye could see through all the crowds and banners, all of them with fire in their eyes. Derpy felt a bit intimidated by the scale of it all, so she did the only thing that could give her confidence: she put on the hat of the profession she was fighting for. Right on time, the loudspeakers sounded off again, this time with fanfare. "Welcome, welcome, one and all!" a slick and energetic voice said. "My name is Play-By-Play and I will be your sportscaster for this event! We could not have asked for better weather, thank the local pegasi for that! This event is broadcast all over Equestria, and even beyond! Don't turn off your radios, because we're not just celebrating history! We're right in the middle of it! We've got griffons, pegasi, changelings, all kinds of friends competing to answer one question: who will be the victor, to embody the significance of the Pegasi Express!?" "That's right, Play-By-Play! Those at home, if you're not excited yet, GET EXCITED!" said a familiar voice over the speakers. "Who in Equestria are you?! The booth is supposed to be locked!" Derpy cocked her head. "Pinkie Pie?" "We've got titillating thrills today, folks!" said Pinkie Pie with her usual amount of energy, which was to say: all of it. "A race to the finish, I imagine there will be action, comedy, romance! It's an event for the ages and all ages! Don't you dare turn off those radios or you'll miss the action, action, ACTION!" "Security!" "I'm not a pegasus, but I can feel the thunder. I don't got no wings, but I am walking on air! Oh hey, are you guys going to broadcast too? Hang on, I've got more to say- Where are you throwing me?" There was a bit of a crash. Play-By-Play cleared his throat a bit before he regained his composure. "And now, a word from our producers and main sponsors: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria." If not for the fact everyone had already gone quiet, they certainly would have been now. Eyes everywhere were drawn to the center of the park, where both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked up on a small but well-built stage, fortunately no less than 50 feet away from Derpy. Celestia gave them all a warm smile as she started to speak into a microphone. Twilight Sparkle stood to the side, looking dignified and happy. "Welcome, each and every one of you. It is with great pride and joy that we stand here today, for the first, and certainly not last, Pegasi Equestrian Express Race." Luna leaned in. "On this day, 400 years ago, Manehattan was founded, and this event is dedicated to that great metropolis, but also to so much more. It is to the history of Equestria and the countless bonds this kingdom has forged and helped foster." Celestia nodded. "We decided to hold this race not just for a joyous celebration, but to remind all manner of creatures out there in the world of something very important: it doesn't matter even if you're on the very edge of Equestria, you can always reach out to find a friend in this world." "To that end, each and every racer has been given a package to be delivered, many from ponies right here in Vanhoover, to a friend in Manehattan. From our starting point, they will visit Cloudsdale, Canterlot and Fillydelphia before they finally reach the city that never sleeps!" With a voice less regal and with more energy, Celestia looked to the racers. "And the very first racer to reach Manehattan will officially deliver their package on stage to their recipient, be given an award and a 2000 bit prize, and go down in history!" "Now," said Luna, taking a deep breath. "LET THE RACE COMMENCE!" Everyone in the crowd, every racer, most across Equestria, cheered. The energy continued for over half a minute, and then it just sort of died down. Celestia and Luna seemed to patiently wait for them, and eventually everyone managed to settle down. Eventually it got awkwardly quiet, some confused whispers could be heard. Twilight stepped forward and tapped the microphone a few times to make sure it was still on. "That was it, by the way, that was the starting signal. You're officially racing. Good luck!" Having moved to the back was the right move, otherwise Derpy might have been trampled. Suddenly, hundreds of contestants spread their wings. Some launched straight up into the air, leaving everyone else in the dust, while others got a running start. "And they're off!" said Play-By-Play. "To nopony's surprise, the Wonderbolt Rainbow Dash, a popular contestant with her fair number of fans, is in the lead, but can she keep that up?! It's a long race, Rainbow, do save your strength! She is followed by the Wonderbolt Sky High, and the griffon Heidi Heart from the newest racing team in the griffon kingdom! While the start was delayed, it did not disappoint!" Derpy had hid behind her mailmare cap, keeping the dust out of her eyes. She peeked, and most had already left the road. "But what's this? A lone racer is still on the track, a gray pegasus mare! A slow starter, perhaps?" said Play-By-Play. Suddenly Derpy realized that every single eye was focused on her, along with every pair of ears near a radio. "Okay, you can do this," she said, putting her hat on. She started to flap, to get some momentum, and got some lift. Most racers were almost too high up to be seen anymore, she was alone. Her front hooves got off the ground, and ponies started to snicker. She certainly did look ridiculous. In a moment of embarrassment, she merely pretended to stretch. Maybe, maybe my wings have healed? I haven't tried flying in a while. She jumped off the ground, flapped and flapped, staying in the air, and then cramped up before falling down. Nope. Ponies laughed. "Ladies and gentlecolts, the mare is inexperienced, if I didn't know better I'd say she had never flown in a race before, or flown period." "Come on, mom!" shouted a voice from the sidewalk. "You can do this!" Derpy looked over to see her daughter. It was all she needed to fiercely tighten her cap, flapped her wings harder, and balanced on her hind legs. Ponies started to snicker again, and they only laughed harder when Derpy started to walk forward. "Dear listeners, you wouldn't believe it if you saw it: the mare is walking on her hind legs, and can't seem to get off the ground." Derpy started to walk faster, they laughed even harder. Derpy didn't listen to them. Instead, she started a slow run. It felt good, it felt easy. For every faster step Derpy took, the quieter the laughter became. "Get your job back, mom!" said Dinky. "I love you!" Then, Derpy applied all of the strength in her proud pegasus wings, sprinting fully towards the end of the road. Nopony was laughing anymore.