Takumi blinked twice. "Ahem. Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to stare, I just wanted to know if you were alright."
"You are... fine. I had not realized that you were a pony. I thought you and your friend were um..." The pony trailed off.
"Me and my friend?" Takumi asked.
"Yes, you and that red Levin. I am the driver of the Cosmo that helped you two the other night against that R33 and Miura."
Takumi glanced at the Cosmo. An image of the car slamming on Its brakes right in front of a black R33 flashed through his mind.
"Yeah... I remember you. Thanks for that. You really saved my friend's rear."
The pony tittered. "You are quite welcome."
"Also, what was that about you thinking I was something else? What did you think I was?"
The pony winced, and they continued staring. "I uh... well... you would not know what I was talking about." She looked away. "Many have never heard of such beings."
Takumi thought about it but decided to just go ahead and say what he thought she meant. "Human?"
The pony's eyes widened as she looked back at him. "You have heard of them?"
"I was one of them. Me and my friend."
"But... you are a pony?" The pony was confused. She began slowly walking towards Takumi. He took the moment to analyze the pony some more. She was an Alicorn like him, as she had both a Horn and Wings. Though she had a much more feminine appearance.
"Uh... yeah," Takumi said. Dark blue, looks like there is a crescent moon on that thing she's wearing... wait... He realized something as the pony stopped a few feet in front of him. She was very 'Lunar' themed. "You wouldn't happen to be Princess Luna, would you?" he asked, slightly tilting his head to one side.
The pony looked surprised. "Uhm, yes?"
"Wait..." Takumi realized that this 'Princess' had been racing downhill. A Princess was racing. "What's a Princess like you, doing on Akina? Er- not Akina, whatever this pass is?"
"Uh..." Luna glanced away sheepishly, blushing.
"I don't know how this world works, but I feel like if the leader of my country or any other country from my world was caught-"
"I know!" Luna interrupted. "I know. It is not good to street race. But I have taken the necessary precautions as to not let anypony know that I do this. Like practicing only after one in the morning. Nopony knows that I even own this car."
"Except for me. But that doesn't explain why your racing."
Luna sighed. "About two weeks ago, I decided to cruise down this same road in my Skyline. I believe it was three when I did it. Then this Mazda RX-7 FD came up behind me and flashed its headlights. And due to the music I was listening to at the time... I just uh... could not help myself. And we raced downhill. It ended with me crashing into a guardrail and the FD passing me."
"Oh. Huh."
"I asked the driver if he could recommend any cars for me since he mentioned that an R33 is far too heavy for a mountain pass, so he recommended me the Mazda Cosmo JC. And I only got it a few days ago. Ever since that race with the FD, I just... hehe. I just cannot stop. Racing has consumed me."
Takumi chuckled. "Yeah, that's what racing does to you. Once you experience it, it gets beneath your skin and you just can't stop."
"Exactly. Now I must ask." Luna walked past Takumi and stopped a few feet away from his car. "What do you have in this?" She asked, looking at Takumi.
Takumi stared at her, not knowing what she meant.
"Did you not hear me? What do you have installed? Surely this thing is not stock."
"Oh, that's what you meant. Uh, well, It's got a 4A-GE. Formula Atlantic. Makes... 240 horsepower."
"Really?" Luna looked at the hood of the 86. "I have heard of those. Very prestigious racing engine from years past that is able to sustain extremely high RPMs. I am quite surprised it is in a car of this kind."
Takumi walked over to the right door of the 86. His horn lit up and the door handle also lit up with a light yellow glow, and he pulled the door open. Being able to do that is pretty helpful. Takumi thought. "A friend of mine from the other world says that 240HP is the perfect power for the downhill, so I keep it at that. I'm still quick either way." He said as he popped the hood of the 86.
Luna's eyes widened as she looks back at Takumi. "Quick!? That back there is what you call quick?!"
Takumi got out. "Um, yeah." He smirked. "Heh, even I'm surprised at how well I did. Considering it was my first time practicing as a pony."
Luna breathed in, then slowly breathed out. "True. It is amazing how fast you have been able to adapt from a bipedal being to a quadruped. How long have you been here?"
"Actually it took me a day to get used to it." Takumi clarified. "I've been having lucid dreams for a couple of weeks now. Itsuki's been having the same but only for a week or so. He was a Unicorn, I was always an Alicorn."
This perked Luna's interest. "Dreams?"
"Yeah. It just kind of... happened. We would always appear in a field. For the first week, we weren't together. But when he slept at my place, we were. And he slept at my place every night afterward so we could dream together."
"Really? Either I never noticed your dreams or you were not in the dream realm."
"I don't know. The first time I was a pony, it felt strange. I was with my 86. I was in the middle of a field alone. So I just kind of walked around, tried flying, and woke up a few hours later. It happened again the next night, and by the third night I was just used to it."
"Huh." Luna shifted her gaze at the engine bay and found herself admiring it.
"Wow..." she mumbled. 4A-GEU 20 Valve Silvertop with... what looks like individual throttle bodies. These were used in the best of Toyota's Rally Cars years ago before being replaced by the Blacktop. But what is one doing in this old Corolla?
She slowly began walking around the car while Takumi just stared at her. Takumi rolled his eyes and stared at the Cosmo that was still spun out in the dirt.
RS Watanabe Eight Spoke F8-Type Wheels... Luna continued to think as she glanced at the wheels. She was now on the left side of the car, in between both it and the guardrail. She walked around the rear. Custom muffler... Luna made her way around the right side, noting the markings on the door.
She glanced inside the interior and drew in a small breath. ItalVolanti Formel Red Trim Steering Wheel, TRD Bucket Seats with four-point harness...
"Wow," she said, stepping back in front of the 86. "Just... wow."
"What?" Takumi asked suddenly, looking at her.
"Sorry, I have not been able to get this close to a street racer's car before."
"Why? Are there not many racers in this world?"
"Of course there are. There are plenty I am sure. But I have not been able to get near any because of my... image."
She looked at Takumi, who just stared back with a confused look.
"Would it not turn a few heads when a Princess like me began gazing at somepony's race car for an extended period of time?" She asked. "Don't you think that could generate rumors? Not even my own sister knows that I do this. She does not even know that I own this Cosmo."
Takumi looked back at the Cosmo, thinking about what Luna just said. "Huh. I guess you're right. Which is exactly why I wouldn't want to become a prince or anything."
Luna stared. "Why would you become a prince?"
"Well, Starlight said that since me and Itsuki are Alicorns, we're both pretty much regarded as princes. Er, royals. Whatever she said."
Luna's eyes widened as she finished the scanning spell. She nearly lost the ability to breathe as she saw that she was staring at a new, never-heard-of, MALE, ALICORN! A STALLION! Stallicorn? No- still. Male Alicorn! Or just another Alicorn in general!
"Are you ok?" Takumi asked after a few seconds, seeing the look on Luna's face.
Luna shook her head. "Um- Yes, I am fine. I am just..." She took a deep breath. "I am surprised that you are an Alicorn. I assumed you were a Changeling at first. Only they could have pulled off a look as convincing as yours."
He didn't have any clue what the heck a 'changeling' was, so he just defaulted to a simple reply. "All... right." Takumi's eyes widened a little as he realized something. "Oh... I should probably get back to them now that I think about it."
"Back to who?"
"Back to Starlight and the castle she let me and Itsuki stay in. I did kind of leave without saying anything after eavesdropping a bit. There were a bunch of other ponies there as well. Crowded around a table."
"Oh? What were they talking about?"
Takumi got up on his hind legs and reached his front legs up to the hood. He pulled it down and slammed it shut. "Itsuki was talking about our battle with Heartbreaker and Nightmare Moon and stuff. And how they were going to get word to you guys that me and Itsuki existed. To be honest, I really just came up here because I wanted to see Canterlot again."
"Again?"
"Yeah. A couple of weeks ago I was running a delivery when I found myself there. Not a bad city. Great view, the buildings are a nice change from the ones I'm used to, and the layout is nice."
"Huh..."
"Anyways." Takumi's horn lit up as the right door magically opened. "See you later. I might do another run."
"Wait!" Luna said, making Takumi shut the door and roll down the window, staring at her.
"Are you sure you do not want to sleep in the Castle of Canterlot?" she asked.
Takumi stared at the dashboard for a few seconds. "I don't know..." Man, he thought. That castle is fricken massive. I could wander around it for weeks before finding everything it had to offer. Maybe even months. But on the other hand, I could head back and let Itsuki know that I'm fine. And then there's a third hand I've somehow achieved where I could just sleep in my car.
"Actually..." Takumi slowly said. "I think I'll just do a few more runs, then I'll sleep in my car. I don't know If I'm entirely ready for a castle life yet. That alright with you?" He asked. Luna was surprised.
"You want to sleep in your car?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.
"Just on top of this road. In that parking lot. Might be interesting since I'm a pony."
Luna weighed the options in her head. If he slept in his car in that parking lot, he would be very close to Canterlot. She thought. But he would also run the risk of being taken. Foalnapped even. But I guess the chances of somepony foalnapping a random pony in a car like his would be rather low.
She suddenly had an idea. "How about you sleep in your car, but park inside Canterlot?"
Takumi thought for a second. "What do you mean?"
"Just somewhere close to the castle on the side of the road. That way, should anything happen, we will be close and we will know."
"Mmm... Eh, why not. I guess I'll do it. See you there." Takumi put the 86 in gear.
"Oh. Uh, goodbye... I guess?"
Takumi nodded as the window rolled up and he accelerated off. Luna just stood there as the Panda Trueno disappeared around the corner. Its engine could be heard in the distance, accelerating and revving in harmony with the screeching of tires.
She did want Takumi to sleep in the castle, considering how important he was considering he was an Alicorn. But she also didn't want to anger him and possibly make him leave. Then again, maybe she was just being paranoid.
Looking back at her Mazda Cosmo JC, Luna smiled. Never mind that. I just want to see him race.
10:15AM, Twilight's Castle.
BEEBEEBEEP! BEEBEEBEEP! BEEBEEBEEP! BEEBEEBEEP! BEEBEEBEEP! BEEBEEBEE- click
Itsuki lightly groaned as he rose up from his queen-sized bed, at least it was the same size as one, and lifted his hooves up.
"Still a pony..." he mumbled before yawning. "Awesome."
He got off the bed and walked out the bedroom door. He walked down the hall for a second before walking through a door into a bathroom. After he did his business, he walked out and began making his way down some stairs through the castle.
I don't care what people say, he thought. This place is AWESOME! I get to live in a castle, I got stuck as what is probably the best being I could have gotten stuck as, and I got to have fun and share my story with all those ponies! And none of them looked half bad!
He smiled as he continued talking to himself. "No chicks back in Japan could ever look as unbelievably cute as those ponies. And Rainbow Dash..." He chuckled. "Man, she looked fricken awesome. Her blue coat melded so well with her Rainbow hair which-... heh, with how fast she says she can fly, I sure wonder why she got her name."
He pushed some doors open and found himself in a spacious kitchen.
"And I think she was even staring at me a few times too!" he continued. "Man, I hope I can actually get with a piece like her, She looks and sounds and ACTS too perfect."
"Who are you hoping to get with?" a female voice asked, making Itsuki's gaze shoot upwards to the mare he hadn't noticed when he walked in. It was Starlight.
He started blushing. "S-S-... Starlight?!" Itsuki exclaimed as Starlight stood there in front of the oven, staring at him with a sly smirk on her face. "What are you doing in here!? Why are you awake?!"
"Alarms. Woke up at nine," Starlight calmly replied as she set some pancakes on two plates. "Now which 'piece' are you hoping to get with?"
"Uh- no one! Shut it," Itsuki replied, looking away and walking towards a fridge to open it.
"Is it me?"
Itsuki opened the door. "...No."
"Oh? Then who?"
"Nobody. Pony. Nopony. Shush."
"Come on Itsuki." Starlight said as she poured a bit of syrup on the pancakes. "I heard you as clear as the Crystal Empire's walls talking about a special somepony you're into. Who is it?"
"NOBODY! Pony! Whatever!" Itsuki snapped as he pulled some apple cider out of the fridge via a levitation spell. "I doubt I'll get used to this magic stuff any time soon."
Starlight giggled and rolled her eyes. "Fiiine. Anyways, I made some pancakes."
"I'll grab em' in a second," Itsuki said as he levitated the cider and a cup onto a counter. "So is it just us in the castle or something?" He asked as he poured the cider into the cup.
"There is Spike, but he's asleep. Can't blame him considering how late it was when we all clocked out. Everyone pretty much left. So yeah, It's just us in the castle."
"Of course. After I eat, I'm gonna head to the Akina lookalike to find Takumi. My guess is that he's there."
"Akina lookalike?"
Itsuki looked at Starlight. "The one mountain towards the... north I believe. The one with the massive city."
"That's the Sierra Mountain. And the city on it is Canterlot."
"If the city is Canterlot, then why would they call the mountain-wait- OH SHI- OH GODDAMMIT!" he yelled as he suddenly realized that he was overfilling his cup. He quickly stopped pouring the cider as Starlight burst out laughing.
"You klutz!" Starlight exclaimed as both her horn and some paper towels lit up. Itsuki, now blushing even more than he already was, levitated the cup of cider off the counter as Starlight used her magic to clean it.
"Oh for gods-... urgh. I'm heading to that map room." Itsuki groaned as he levitated both his cup of cider, while also taking a big sip to not let it spill, and a plate of four pancakes as he walked through the kitchen and out the door.
"See you in a second!" Starlight cheerfully called out as the door shut, making Itsuki roll his eyes.
As he walked, drink and plate hovering next to him, he began thinking again.
"I don't get why Takumi would dislike being here." He said. "Everything is just fricken awesome! I don't need to work a job, everyone seems super lax about what you do which is way different from Japan, and the girls-... mares all look great! But holy crap... she seems adventurous, enthusiastic, a lover of speed and adrenaline, her voice is perfect, she looks perfect-"
"Hm. Now, who do I know that is Adventurous, Enthusiastic, and is also a Lover of Speed and Adrenaline?"
Itsuki's eyes widened and his face reddened to no end as he looked to his right and saw Starlight trotting along with him, her plate of pancakes hovering next to her. She looked at him with a very sly and cheeky look on her face. Itsuki's pace slowed, as did Starlight's, and before long they were stopped in the middle of the hallway.
He didn't know what to say. He just stood there like a doofus staring at Starlight with his jaw slightly hung open and a red streak across the middle of his face. After seeing that Itsuki was totally speechless, she giggled.
"Would that special somepony happen to be Rainbow Dash?" Starlight asked.
"How much did you hear..." Itsuki slowly asked back.
"Please, I had a feeling you two would go well together. The way you acted coupled with how I noticed Rainbow Dash look at you every now and again was pretty interesting," Starlight explained as she slowly began walking forward towards some double doors.
Itsuki slowly followed. "Please don't say a word about it."
"I won't. It'll be cute to see how you two get together, so your secret is safe with me and Trixie," Starlight assured as she and Itsuki walked through the doors into the map room.
"Thanks." Itsuki's eyes widened as he processed the end of the sentence. "Hold up- you and TRIXIE? Uh, no! Don't tell her! Why would you tell her?"
"Hey, I should be entitled to telling at least one close friend." Starlight said as she set her plate down on the table. "Trixie and I are pretty close. I doubt she'd be the kind of mare to... uh..." Starlight trailed off as she remembered what Trixie was like.
"On second thought..." Starlight tittered. "I don't think I'll tell Trixie after all."
"Thanks," Itsuki said as he put his plate and drink down on the table, sitting down at the chair that just so happened to have a rainbow lightning bolt on it. Starlight rolled her eyes as she sat down in the chair with party balloons on it, across from Itsuki.
They silently ate their food for a moment before Starlight looked up at Itsuki. He was looking down at his food, probably thinking about Rainbow Dash or Racing or Takumi or just the new world he was in.
If she was being honest, Itsuki didn't look half bad. Although simple, red and black were a great color combination. It suited him. He was pretty average for a stallion who had recently gotten out of high school.
Itsuki's personality was good. He had a cheerful and enthusiastic attitude and seemed to want nothing more than to just have fun and race cars. In fact, that seemed to be all he wanted to do. Even in a different world, universe even, he wanted to race on the Mountain Passes. Cars in general seemed to be his favorite subject.
Starlight didn't have a car. She almost never went anywhere that warranted the need for a car, and whenever she did, the train was a great option. And when the train was unavailable due to something like a track blockage or tracks simply not going to her destination, she could just ask Twilight for a ride.
"Hey Starlight," Itsuki suddenly asked, making Starlight snap out of her thoughts.
"Yeah?" She asked as Itsuki looked up at her.
"You think Rainbow Dash would teach me how to fly?"
Starlight was a bit surprised. "You can't fly?"
"I know how to move my wings. It's just that I don't know the rhythm. I should have asked Takumi before he uppin' left..."
"Hmm... maybe. Actually, she would," Starlight giggled. "Wanna know why?"
"Uh, sure?"
"Because she'd love to be able to brag that she helped not one, but TWO Alicorns fly."
Itsuki smiled. "Ha! Wait, what do you mean two?"
"Twilight told me that back in her early days of being an Alicorn, she had Rainbow Dash help her learn how to fly. So I can only imagine how ecstatic she'd be to get to help yet another Alicorn."
"Oh... wait, Twilight used to not be an Alicorn? I thought being an Alicorn was just something you happened to be born as." Itsuki asked, having finished his food.
"Nope. She used to be a Unicorn believe it or not. It's funny actually. I could never see her as a Unicorn. She looks way too perfect as an Alicorn."
"Huh. So your not just born as one?"
"Under normal circumstances, no. The only naturally born Alicorn we have is Flurry Heart. Cadance's and Shining Armor's daughter."
"Great. So Rainbow Dash would actually show me how to fly?"
"Judging by how she acts, yeah. She would."
SLAM!
The doors into the room suddenly flew open, startling the two ponies. They looked at said doors and saw Spike there, holding a rolled-up piece of paper.
"WE GOTTA GO TO CANTERLOT!"