//------------------------------// // Chapter 30: Ready, Set, Run! // Story: To Equestria And Beyond (Rewrite In Progress) // by NightFurySpeedey8156 //------------------------------// After a fun and fruitful vacation, Night Fury was glad to finally be home in Ponyville. But he wasn't just going to hang around like he usually does, he had something else to look forward to. The Equestria Games. The day he returned with his parents and Applejack, he was met by his friends. But instead of being happy to see him, they had a few choice words for him. After a brief but aggressive speech from the rest of the Mane Six about where he had been and not telling them he had left the day he and his parents returned, Night Fury was walking towards an open field where he saw multiple pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies stretching out before training. For the first few days of him being home, Night Fury had done nothing but work off the remaining pounds he had gained from the eating contest in Canterlot. And he had proven successful in time for the last training session before the tryouts. "Ah it's good to move around after all this time." He said stretching his body. "I love how open this terrain is. It gives me a perfect time to dash." For Fury he was quite happy to be back, but also quite determined to make sure he was ready for the Equestria Games. "Okay maybe I'll do a bit of jumping and even flying through this obstacle course." Fury said. Soon he and the rest of the team had finished stretching and the team captain, Rainbow Dash, made her announcement. "Alright everyone, listen up! This is the last training session for the Equestria Games! Now I know that this may seem pointless since we already have done quite a bit of training, but some of us take more time than others. And not to mention, we have a newbie joining the team for qualifying." Rainbow explained, pointing out the Speed Shifter in the crowd. "Now before we begin, I'll give a run down of how this is gonna go. For those who don't know, we don't just go to the Equestria Games because our team was chosen to participate. We have to go through qualifying which takes place at Rainbow Falls. These training sessions are to make sure that we're in tip top shape for qualifying so we have the best chance to make it to the games! Now, you better be ready to work your hardest, because this is gonna be the hardest training session we've done." Even with this surprising announcement, Fury was confident though that he could be ready. "Bring it on Dashie! I'm ready for whatever challenges you have in store for me." Fury said. "I'm glad you feel that way, but don't get too cocky. This isn't your casual run through the forest. You're gonna be going up against the best runners in Equestria, all without your powers. To start, let's go over the new event they're introducing this year. Night Fury, step up to the track!" Fury ran over to see what was in store for him. He came up to the oval track and stepped up to the starting line as Rainbow Dash explained to the others. "This year, the event organizers decided to add a new event to the Equestria Games. The Dirt Track Rally. In this new event, three races will take place, each with a different runner from each team. As a chosen runner for this new event, Night Fury will be grouped up with two more of you as the three runners for our team." I wonder who is gonna be grouped with me? Fury asked himself. "At the start of each round, one of the three runners will step up on the track against the other teams in a five way race. Five total racers will go against each other in one round, five laps in total for each round. The team with the fastest time will be awarded five points, second fastest will get four, third fastest will get three and so on. The team with the highest number of points at the end of three races will be deemed the winner." The group broke out into interested murmurs as they grasped at the new information. Rainbow Dash continued. "As a precaution, Night Fury must set a benchmark time for determining if he needs more training or less. He will also be judged on form, agility, and overall speed. You all will be put up to this track to test that time and you will be judged hard. Night Fury, take your position to start." As he walked to the starting line, he noticed the other racers looked either nervous or serious at Fury. They clearly wanted him to do a good job at speed. Okay Fury, this is the first time I've run so long without my energy. But that's fine. I just have to make sure I stay determined and breathe properly. Yep, I will make it through this. "You ready, Fury? Don't go crying if you don't make it." "Oh I will, Dash. I've been training for this." "Well then good luck. On your mark, get set… Go!" Woosh! Night Fury ran like no tomorrow. He was desperate to make it in time. So far so good for him though even if he was disappointed he didn't go as fast as he wanted to. "Lightning Bug! Go forth and prove yourself!" said Luna, who was watching from the bleachers. With this, Fury was encouraged and pushed himself even harder. "First turn coming up! Time to show these ponies what years of running through forests can do!" He said confidently as he ran harder. Ponies gasped as he approached the turn with such speed, some even whispering that he wouldn't make it. But they were wrong. All Fury could hear was his heartbeat and his breathing, nothing else existing to him as he jumped into the air, landed sideways, and started skidding through the turn. Ponies gasped and gawked at the amazing move, it was almost as if he was running sideways as he pushed his claws into the dirt to keep his traction. Everything seemed to slow down, nothing else but his pounding paws and racing heart to fill the void as the adrenaline flowed through his body. He slid around the turn flawlessly and got onto the straightaway, pushing the limits of his body. Ah, a perfect start. It looks like everyone sure liked it. "C'mon Fury, push it!" Rainbow Dash cheered from the sidelines. "You've got this, big guy!" Fluttershy spoke. "Yeah!" Yelled Bulk Biceps. Fury was filled with confidence at the motivation of his three friends. Even with Fluttershy being, well… shy and Bulk Biceps being a bit bulky, he knew he had teammates who believed in him. Okay, finish line is getting closer. Just gotta ease it in for the win. Fury took deep breaths and braced himself to reach the line just in time. Rounding the next corner, the checkered flag waited just ahead. Fury felt amazing, like he had just actually won his first race in years. He had never felt such an adrenaline rush from just running without his powers. And with one final push, he crossed the line and skidded to a stop a few feet away, officially setting the benchmark time. "14 seconds?!" Rainbow said, shocked. "As Spitfire liked to say, 'that's a record!' " Fluttershy and Bulk came over to congratulate him. "Yeaaaaahhhh bro! You have done awesome. You are like a role model to me." said the white strong stallion. "You did amazing! I could have never gone so fast on my hooves alone." Fluttershy praised him quietly but proudly. "Thanks you guys, that was amazing! To be honest, it's been a long time since I've run without my powers and just went for it. I should do this more often." Fury said proudly. Rainbow Dash flew by the team and blew a whistle to get their attention. "Okay, that was neat and all, but we still have more work to do. You better be ready for the next challenge." "Yeah!" Bulk Biceps said. "Just tell us what to do!" Fury said confidently. And Fluttershy nodded. Throughout the next few hours, the Ponyville team began to train. Pegasi did wing-ups, unicorns honed their magic, earth ponies worked their muscles and all the rest. Some required more attention than others, some could handle their own training. But if there was one thing that was true for certain, it was that there would be no slowing down until tryouts. "Alright everyone, good job! Pegasi, keep doing those wing-ups! Unicorns, I wanna see those horns glowing bright! Earth ponies, work those muscles! But keep in mind, don't work yourselves too hard, this isn't a competition in fitness. At least not yet." Rainbow Dash said, supervising Ponyville's team. "And as for you Night Fury…" Rainbow flew to him. "I need you to do some- Wait, what are you doing?" The black feline sat alone from the rest of the team, his eyes closed as he breathed in and out slowly. "Breathing exercises. The legs aren't the only thing that needs to be trained in order to win races. Ya have to make sure you can maintain your breath for a long time, especially when you're racing in a rally." Fury explained, barely moving a muscle besides his chest moving up and down. "This is something my father taught me when I had my first race." "And it works?" Rainbow asked. "Yep. We speed shifters especially need to take these breathing exercises to strengthen our lungs. We like to go fast and thus we have to prepare ourselves." Fury said. Rainbow Dash was curious about this technique. "Do you think it can work for ponies too?" "If they have the patience and focus to do so, then I guess so." Rainbow Dash then decided to whistle again. "Alright everyone, stop your exercises and listen up. This rookie says he has some new breathing techniques that just might give us the edge. So follow Fury's instructions to the T!" Everypony's eyes were on Fury. Well better not disappoint them. Okay, just like my dad told me. "Alright everyone. Take a deep breath for four seconds. Calm your mind down with some words then exhale slowly. It's bound to work! It helped me being chased down by that crazy Amethyst. Just keep your mind calm,go to your happy place and let your breathing be the only thing that fills your mind." Everypony followed suit. Rainbow noticed the relaxed feeling they had. "You sure, Fury? This won't just make them not take competition as seriously?" she whispered to Fury. "Is that what you think? Let's put that to the test." Fury called them and challenged them to race. "Alright everyone, let's see what you've got!" Fury said, taking his spot at the front of the pack. Rainbow Dash said on the sidelines with Luna and readied her whistle. "Three… Two… One…" Tweet! Everyone took off in a stampede, dust kicking up in plooms as they shot down the track. Fury led the pack like he was on a group hunt back home, he felt so alive running around the track that he almost forgot to keep an eye on the group behind him. "Nice form everyone! Keep the pacing steady, Lilly! Watch those hooves, Thornback! Bring your legs up, Windy! You're all doing great!" He continued to work with the group as they ran, his encouragement fueling their adrenaline. They did three laps around the track before they stopped for a water break. As they all walked off the track, they gave Night Fury their thanks. "Thanks for the encouragement, Fury." Said Lilly. "You've got some moves, Bucko. I salute you." Thornback said, saluting him. "Luna is very lucky to have you around. She should be very grateful." Said Windy. Fury was glad they all felt encouraged by his words, it was a great achievement for him. "Great job everyone, now get that water flowing. Keeping yourself hydrated is just as important as putting up good competition!" He said. Luna and Rainbow Dash then walked over to him, Rainbow holding a clipboard. "Hey whiskers, gotta talk to you." "Hey RD, what's up?" He answered. "Says here, you haven't had any check-ups." Rainbow explained, leaving Fury confused. "Check-ups? Rainbow, you and the others visit me all the time." He said. Luna stepped in. "I believe that is not the meaning of what she is saying, Lightning Bug." Luna stated. "What she means is a medical check-up." Fury was still confused, he had never heard of anything like that. "Never heard of such a thing. We don't really have doctors where I'm from, we just take care of ourselves the best way we see fit." Luna and Rainbow Dash looked concerned. Throughout the months he's been here, had he really never had a check-up before? "Well, that's no good. You have to have a current medical status if you wish to participate in the Equestria Games. And no, the scientists doing tests on your biology do not count." Luna said. "I don't really want to though. And besides, what do check-ups do to you? Do they do experiments on you? Do they harvest your organs or something to test their health? Heck, do they have some sort of submarine that can shrink to go inside of my body or something?!" He panicked. Luna and Rainbow Dash laughed at his woes before comforting him. "Oh Lightning Bug, your imagination is truly a wild one." Luna chuckled, wrapping a wing around him. "None of that will happen to you. And just to make sure, I'll come with you to the doctor tomorrow to keep you company." Fury sat there for a moment. He was a little nervous, but it was the first time he'd done so. And he knew that there was a bit of fear when it came to new things, so he stood tall and gave a nod. "Okay, I'll do it." He declared. "Good. So after we're done with the training session, you get some rest and head to the doctors to get a check-up first thing in the morning." Rainbow Dash directed. Fury nodded to the information and went to take a water break. "Okay everyone, take your water break and get ready to keep training. We've still got some work to do!" Rainbow Dash said. Over the next few hours, the team did many drills. Running in place, wing-ups, push ups, breathing exercises, they did everything they had to in order to be ready. After the session was over, Fury had gone home to think about his next objective: get a check-up. He was still nervous and did not want to go through the ordeal, but with Luna with him, he felt just that little bit more safe. As his thoughts faded away into darkness and night settled in Ponyville, he slept soundly as he dreamt of home. His friend Jade must be worried about him, considering he didn't tell him, let alone anyone else where he had gone. He would have to get back home soon to clear things up. – Dawn came over Ponyville in a heap, the warm sun replacing the moon to trade night for day. Luna stood on one of the balconies of Fury's villa as she lowered the moon with her magic, her wings moving at a similar pace as the early morning was introduced to the world. She smiled at the warm sun, knowing that her sister was happy and healthy in Canterlot as she was away. As she walked down the hallway to the kitchen, she heard a moan from Fury's bedroom. She encased the knob on a blue hue and opened it to find Night Fury sitting in bed with a green face, wet towel over his head and a thermometer in his mouth. Luna was surprised to see him in such an odd state. At least she would be if she didn't see the bucket of green paint under his bed and his face looking like it had been burned, signifying that he had most likely pulled the age old trick of using a lamp to make the temperature of the thermometer go up, at the expense of his fragile tongue. "My my, lightning bug, whatever is the matter?" She said sarcastically, running along with her lover's gag. "Luna… I think I'm sick." He said, a fake, nasally, stuffy nose voice coming from him. "Well, it's a good thing we're going to the doctor. Come, let us go." Luna replied, walking over to assist. "Wait no!" Fury called out. "I-I'm sick, so I can't be around ponies. It's a very bad sickness." "Oh? And what might be the name of this illness." "Uh… Peculiar… Pony-itis?" He stuttered. Luna fought hard on the inside to resist from laughing as she smiled on the outside. "Oh my, how terrible! Hold on, I know how to cure it. Stand up." She instructed. Fury took the wet rag off of his head and thermometer out of his mouth and uncovered himself, revealing a heap of crumpled tissues under the covers. Hmm, lots of crumpled tissues, wet rag, fake thermometer for temperature… He's really trying to keep away from his fate. "Okay, what's the cure?" Fury asked in a weak voice. Luna finally smiled openly as she summoned a water bucket over him and let it splash down, rinsing the paint off of his face. "Cold water!" She called, finally allowing herself to laugh. Fury shivered at the cold liquid and chattered his teeth. "What was that for?!" He called out. Luna only smiled at him. "Oh Lightning Bug, did you really think I couldn't tell you were faking it? The tissues and the thermometer were on point, but you could have done a better job of hiding your bucket. Plus, being sick when we're going to get you a check-up? Really?" Luna teased. Fury opened his mouth to retort but quickly closed it as he realized how dumb his plan was. "Oh… yeah that really doesn't make any sense." He admitted, blushing a furious red that matched his eyes. Luna just smiled. "Come on, let's get ready." She said, turning to leave. Fury's ears flopped to the sides of his head as he reluctantly ate breakfast, washed up, and made his way with his girlfriend to the doctor's office. As they say in the waiting room, Fury saw many other ponies around him waiting for their turn. Although he knew that was coming, he couldn't help himself as he let his mind roam. What if they have sharp things to poke me? What if they start probing at me? What if they just straight up hunk my body into a giant blender and chop me up?! Luna was reading a magazine when she looked over to her fidgeting lover and chuckled. "Come on, lightning bug, you've got nothing to fear. Why are you so scared?" She asked. "Oh I don't know, maybe because I have no idea what they're going to do with me." He said, looking as if he had seen death itself. "Relax, sweetie. There's nothing to worry about." Just as Luna said that, a wide eyed stallion walked out of the door that led into the back. He looked at Night Fury and spoke. "It's a heavy load man, I think I just saw the heavens." He said as he walked out of the office. Fury whimpered and hid behind his ears as he shrank into himself. Luna sighed at the bad timing. Karma just had to rear its ugly head, didn't it? She thought to herself. Fury sat there more worried than ever, his vision blocked by his ears to try and shut out this horrible moment. Just then, a familiar voice piped up. "My, you look like you just saw a ghost." The voice said. Fury lifted an ear and looked to his left to see Mayor Mare. "Mayor Mare, you're here too?" "But of course, I have to get my check-up today as well. You look nervous, is this your first time?" She asked. "Yep. And what makes it worse is that I've seen and been treated by doctors and nurses in a hospital before, and I didn't bat an eye. But just a small check-up putting me in shivers? That's just embarrassing." Fury whimpered, replacing his ear to its protective position. "Well, a lot of things can be scary. Especially when it's your first time. I was scared of eating ice cream when I was just a filly." Mayor Mare said. Fury looked at her with a strange face. "You're kidding." "Not at all. I was scared of trying ice cream for the first time because I heard that you could get a brain freeze, and I thought that a 'Brain Freeze' meant my brain would shut down." Mayor Mare chuckled, a blush on her face. Fury allowed himself to exhale a laugh at the story. "Wow, that sounds like it was really embarrassing." He said. "Oh it was. But my point is, trying something for the first time can be frightening at first. But once you're used to it, it'll be as if it's apart of your regular routine." Mayor Mare said. Fury felt the slightest bit better about his check-up, his fear slowly washing away. "Night Fury?" But as soon as his name was called, his face went pale. "Okay, let's go, lightning bug." Luna directed. Fury slowly got up and walked towards the door to the back of the office, but a final wave of fear washed over him and he immediately tried to make a quick escape behind Luna and the doctor's backs. Unfortunately, there was another that had a different view. "Hold it right there." Mayor Mare said, holding him back from his escape route. "You're here now, and you're going to get… this… done." She strained, pushing him back until Luna could grab him by his tail. "Nooooo. Mayor Mare, why have you betrayed me?" He said, trying to go against his girlfriend's pulling. "Sorry, but I must hold myself to my duty to maintain the health of my town." She said with a sly grin as Fury was slowly dragged backwards into the doctor's office. – "Okay, you can just hop up here." The nurse instructed. Fury reluctantly hopped up onto the bed while Luna sat in a chair nearby. "Okay, Night Fury, I'm Nurse Redheart. I'm going to be giving you your first check-up." She said. Nurse Redheart was a white earth pony mare with a red medical cross and hearts as a cutie mark. She had somewhat of a soothing demeanor right off the bat and Fury was calmed slightly, although still on edge. Okay, Nurse Redheart. She seems nice enough. Fury thought to himself. Nurse Redheart then reached into a nearby drawer and collected a bundle wrapped in gauze, placing it on a cart in the room and unwrapping it. Out came many sharp looking, silver medical devices that immediately made the feline in question seize up. He immediately went into panic mode and hunkered down, covering his eyes with his ears and his paws for an extra layer of safety as he whined like a scared dog. "Easy, big guy. These are my medical instruments, they won't hurt you." Nurse Redheart soothed. Fury looked up and saw that she was wearing a caring smile, one that Luna often carried on a daily basis. He took a deep breath and sat up, readying himself for the check-up. "Okay… let's get this over with." He said, showing some courage. "Good." The nurse reached for her tongue depressor and held it up. "Okay, open up and say 'Ahhh'." "Ahhh…" Fury opened up his mouth and let her place the depressor where it should be. Nurse Redheart was surprised to see Fury's teeth, she had never seen a creature like him before. "Wow, look at those chompers. Sharp as a tac, those fangs of yours. I've never seen such sharp teeth." She said, doing a full exam. She deemed his mouth a safe area and removed the tongue depressor, allowing Fury to close his mouth. "Okay, your teeth are nice and clean. And I didn't see any cavities, which is a surprise to me considering how much I've been warned about your sweet tooth." Redheart chuckled. "Oh boy, has it really been floating around town that much?" Fury asked sheepishly. "It truly has. Basically every doctor and nurse in Ponyville has heard the rumors that you have a bit of a sweet tooth. But, I guess those rumors were somewhat false." Nurse Redheart remarked. "Somewhat?" "Of course. I would say they were completely false, if I didn't smell raspberry doughnut filling on your breath and noticed your teeth look like you brushed them on the way here to try and hide the evidence." "Fury…" Luna moaned, promoting said feline to blush and scratch the back of his neck. "Um… shoot." Fury sighed, his scheme had failed. "Well maybe I just ate something from some friendly neighbor in this hospital?" The nurse simply shook her head. "Nice try, young cat. But I know enough children to know a trick when I see one. And I'm not going to let you be the first." "Ahh pony feathers. Well, no use in denying it now. I may have stopped by Sugar Cube Corner and gotten myself some sweet morning munchies." Fury chuckled. The nurse rolled her eyes. "It seems a sweet tooth is quite common these days." "I guess so. But can we move on, I'm trying to get this ridiculous thing done." Luna encouraged. The nurse nodded and turned to her patient. "Okay, now I'm going to check your body over for any muscle strain and possible bone abnormalities, Mr. Fury." The nurse said. Luna looked up slightly and secretly smiled. A body exam? With his certain weaknesses? Oh, this should be good. Nurse Redheart called for reinforcements and instructed the other nurses to assist in checking him over. They grabbed his limbs, checked for any vital signs and even looked at his eyes with a flashlight. "Gee, a bit much guys?" Fury asked, knowing they'll still keep doing this. After some time, Nurse Redheart was ready to perform the final investigation. "Okay Night Fury, all we have to do now is check the other side. If you would be so kind as to flip over?" Ah dang it. I should have known they'd get to this part. "You sure you don't need to check my tongue or ears again for infection?" Fury asked. "Already did that. We need to move on. Please Night Fury. We have to do this for your own good." Yeah and because you are so curious. "Okay, you win, here I go…" The black feline sighed as he flipped over onto his back. "There we go, now just hold still…" The nurses investigated his stomach closely. Fury felt nervous about them touching it. For awhile, they just investigated. But Redheart decided to tug on it to see how his stomach felt. "Hey, you don't have to touch my stomach right, nurse? You already investigated!" "Of course we do. We have to check if you have any abnormalities or anything else unusual. And the only way to do so is through some physical contact. Now shush." She said, placing her hooves delicately onto the squishy part of him. Fury strongly resisted the urge to squeak at the touch, but he couldn't resist his twitching mouth. The nurses noticed his twitchy movements and his clenched eyes as they prodded at him, some were confused, but nurse Redheart knew exactly what was happening with her many years of experience examining young fillies and colts. Ah, whether pony or cat, anyone can be susceptible to the dreaded tickles. I wonder if he'll keep it in for long. Fury was desperately trying to keep his composure, not wanting to be embarrassed. Come on Fury. I'll prove to Cadence and Celestia I can hold my laughter back… even… if… it's… tough… Fury's facial expressions grew more and more contorted as the nurses stroked his stomach and used the stethoscope on it. The nurse with the stethoscope pulled back and began to speak with nurse Redheart. "His stomach is sloshing around a bit more than usual. Do you think he might have indigestion? Stomach bug?" She whispered slightly worried. Redheart shook her head. "No, none of the above. What our feline friend here is suffering from is a very common disease called 'Tickle-itis'." She smiled a little deviously. "Isn't that right, sir?" Fury simply shook his head in an attempt to hide any suspicions, although already failing quickly. "Night Fury, I'm afraid you must concede defeat and stop holding back your laughter so we can get back to the operation." Nurse Redheart said. Fury still shook his head. "So that's how it's going to be. Nurses, you know the protocol for these cases." The other nurses nodded and went to each of his paws. They pinned them to each corner of the medical bed as they readied the protocol. "Now Fury either you laugh or we'll do it for you." Fury still said nothing and gave a defiant look. "Alright, everypony, begin!" Nurse Redheart commanded. The other nurses then began to mercilessly tickle his belly, causing him to immediately lose it. "Bahahahahaha! Nohohohoho stahahahahahp!" Fury said, giving in. "You win! Have mercy on your patient!" "That's more like it. You can stop, everypony." Nurse Redheart said. The other nurses pulled away from the now giggling feline, allowing the head nurse and now Luna to step up to him. "S-so, you have a protocol for ticklish patients, huh?" "We have protocols for many strange things. Ticklishness just so happens to be very common among us mammals." Nurse Redheart said. "Looks like your promise to yourself failed, Lightning Bug." Luna giggled. "How did you know that I was trying to hold back?" Fury asked. "I may have had a passive thought reading spell placed on you. And I may have given the nurses a bit of a heads up to keep you in the dark about the protocol." Luna said, holding back giggling. Fury pouted at this. He always hated when his secret of being vulnerable to tickling would be exposed. "Great, now even the medical establishment knows that I'm ticklish now. At this point, I've basically cemented a one hit K.O for me just in case I go rogue. And in the sense that somepony just wants to mess with me. I'm gonna have an army of ponies armed with feathers running for me by next month." Fury whined. "Oh come now, ambassador, we in the medical establishment are sworn to secrecy when it involves our patients. We nurses and doctors will keep it a good secret. You need not worry your head off." She said, patting Fury's head. "Why do I still not believe that? I've already got Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash on my passive radar for pranks, I don't doubt that any of you nurses won't be next." "You worry too much!" Said another nurse. "You think we medical professionals are a bunch of sinister villains." "Can ya blame me after the stuff you've done with me?" Fury replied. "Listen, there's nothing to worry about. We doctors and nurses have standards. Just calm down, okay?" Nurse Redheart said. Fury gave the room a suspicious look for a moment before smiling. "Alright, I believe you." He said. "Not that I have a choice." "Good. And even more good news, you passed your check-up. You're free to go. There seems to be nothing wrong." Nurse Redheart said. "Thank the gods I can finally leave!" Fury said. Fury stepped down from the medical bed and walked to the door with girlfriend in tow. But before he left, he had one more thing to do. "But before I go, I have to say this… I must not let a protocol like this go unrecognized." Fury smirked deviously. He then let out a whistle and a flock of chickens surrounded the room. "I've had many ponies do what you've done to me before, but they weren't let go without repercussions. Professional or not. So I say, why not give you a taste of your own medicine? No pun intended." The other nurses went wide eyed as they saw the chickens before them. But before they could react, Fury set them loose. "Get em." The nurses scrambled in terror at the army of chickens. "Where did they come from?!" One nurse asked. "Well it must have been none other than Night Fury!" Nurse Redheart sharply looked at him. "Yep, one of my abilities is to summon other animals. Though I'm not like Fluttershy and can directly talk to them, I can give them basic directions through gestures." Fury said. "Get these chickens out this instant!" Nurse Redheart demanded. But he ignored her. "Come on guys, give them the goods! Do to them what they did to me!" Fury called out to his chicken army. They processed the order and chose a target, and began using their feathers as they were instructed to. "Ahh, curse these feathered fiends!" One nurse said. "We were just doing our jobs!" Another one cried out being tickled. "Sorry, that's just how karma works, ladies! Come, my love, let's go before they catch up." He chuckled, quickly leading Luna away from the ridiculous and laughter filled scene. "And now onto the next challenge. The tryouts at Rainbow Falls! Here I come!" Fury said. "That is your next challenge, Lightning Bug. I shall call the other princesses to meet at Rainbow Falls for the tryouts to cheer you on." Luna said, walking with her lover to get ready for the tryouts. – "Well guess who's back from prison?" Rainbow Dash remarked as Night Fury came within sight of the train station. "So what did they say?" "First of all, rude. And second, I'm in perfect health. Although I did get exploited and embarrassed for a moment before I could leave." "Oh my." Fluttershy said worriedly. "They didn't insult you or make fun of you, did they? I'm so sorry." "Oh no nothing at all. Nothing too big. But I guess it doesn't really matter." Fury said not wanting to admit to them of the tickles. "I disagree, Fury. Your stomach was quite a victim of the tickles." Luna said to Fury's dismay. "LUNA!" Fury was not amused unlike Rainbow Dash and Bulk Biceps who laughed. "Oh Night Fury the all powerful, vanquished by tickling!" Rainbow could barely contain herself. The black feline glowed a bright red on his face and curled up. Fluttershy approached him and snuggled up with him. "That's not funny, you all should not be making fun of him for something so innocent. I'm disappointed at this, especially from you, Princess Luna! I'm not even giving you a pass." She said assertively. Luna looked down. "I- I only meant it as a joke…" "Well some jokes are just downright embarrassing for the other party." Fluttershy said. "There is nothing wrong with being ticklish. It's just how we are made. There is no shame to that. Fury is still strong." She then looked down to the feline in her hold. "Fury, how do you feel when someone talks about you being ticklish?" "I mean… I'm not afraid to admit it. But when I get put out in the spotlight for it, I don't like it. It's fine as a common joke or maybe the occasional prank or two, but a barrage of reminders of it? I can't handle that." Fury said. Fluttershy understood and nodded with him. "You see? He may find it funny sometimes, but on a constant basis of reminders? That's not funny at all. Now, I want all three of you to make up with the poor thing." Fluttershy spoke. Bulk Biceps was the first to approach. "Sorry bro. I didn't know this was getting to you. I think you're still awesome." Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah I can let myself go too far with my mouth. Sorry about that." And finally Luna. "Please accept my apologies. I should have kept that a secret. I apologize sincerely for my misbehavior." "Thanks you three, it means a lot." Fury said, accepting their apologies. "Good, now with that over, let's see that smile." Fluttershy encouraged. "C'mon Flutters, I'm fine." Fury defended, but she persisted "Come on, smile for me…" "I'm fine, Fluttershy, really!" Fury said, but Fluttershy had other plans. "I'm not letting you go until I see you're happy. Even if I have to… get it out of you myself!" She said, as she then began tickling him. "Bahahahahaha! Fluttershy, you were juhuhuhust defending me from thihihihis! Betrayahahahal ha ha!" "No, I was defending you from being teased about you being ticklish. I was never defending you from being tickled outright." She giggled, letting go of him after a few. "Ahh, there's that award winning smile I remember." "That is a pretty nice smile." Bulk Biceps admitted. "Yeah that's for sure." Rainbow Dash smirked. Fury was tickled again. "NOT AGAIN!!! Alright Fluttershy, I'm smiling! I beg you to stop!" "Well since you have smiled. Alright." Fluttershy said showing mercy. Night Fury thanked the gods that it was over. He learned that day not to underestimate the shy ones. "You… are… cheeky for somepony so shy." Fury sighed, catching his breath. "I may be shy, but that doesn't mean I can't stick up for myself and others when the time comes." Fluttershy said. Then came the rest of the Mane Six. "Hey you guys, ready to go to the tryouts?" "Finally! Yeah you bet!" Night Fury said. "Come on Rainbow you don't wanna be a slowpoke do you?" "No way. Let's get in and win this thing!" Rainbow flew to the competition. And so Ponyville's Team got ready to enter the competition. – As the final tunnel through the mountains came to an end, the Ponyville team was treated to the magnificent sight of Rainbow Falls. All of them were amazed by the beautiful colors and stretching view that was bestowed upon them. As the train came to a stop with a hiss, the team exited the coaches and readied themselves for tryouts. "Okay! Pegasi, to the Aerial Relay Course! Unicorns, To The Buckball Field And Weight Station. Earth Ponies, and Night Fury, To the Dirt Track and Team Tents!" Rainbow Dash called out, filing everyone to their stations. Night Fury followed the earth ponies to the dirt track and tents, setting up his space to get some last minute stretches in. "Alright everypony, we're here! At this point, there's no going back! I want all of you to do your best and give it your all! And be responsible with yourselves, don't work too hard or else you'll tire yourself out. And be sure to put on a show as well, we have all four princesses here to watch us." Rainbow Dash barked, the team nodding with her orders. "Night Fury, to the tents in the back! It's time you met the rest of the Dirt Track Rally Team." Fury went over to the assigned tent. It had two ponies facing each other with a heart in the middle as its logo, the mark of the Ponyville team. Once there, he saw two earth ponies standing on with Rainbow Dash. "Night Fury, these are you teammates. On my left is Windbreaker…" "Hello." The navy blue earth pony mare said, her black mane shining in the sun. "And to my left is Swiftly Singer." "Nice to meet ya." He said, his red coat and orange mane puffing up. "Nice to meet both of you. I'm glad we can be on the same team." Fury said with a smile. "Alright you three, you get some stretches and practice in. There's still a bit before the Dirt Track Rally tryouts." Rainbow Dash said, flying off to check on Bulk Biceps and Fluttershy for the Aerial Relay tryouts. The tree dirt track runners went to stretch out, each choosing a different form. "Okay, gotta streeeetch out the kinks." Fury strained, extending his back legs. "Wow, you sure are lanky." Wind Breakersaid, doing invisible bicycle runs on her back. "That's just one of the perks of being a Speed Shifter, you've got some long legs for jumping and running." Fury replied. He then changed positions to a downward dog, his front legs stretched out in front of him while his rear stuck up in the air. "Hnnnng, gotta stretch out the glutes!" He said, pushing himself. For a few seconds, there was nothing but silent training. But soon there was a distraction. "Uh, Night Fury…" "Not now, Swifty, gotta keep going." Fury said, keeping his intense focus. "Fury…" Wind Breaker added in. "Not now…" "Fury!" "Ugh, what Windbreaker?!" Fury finally called out. "You've got some onlookers." Wind Breaker giggled. Fury was left confused. "Huh? What do you mean I've got onlooker-" At that moment, Fury's mind went blank and his eyes bulged. There, right behind him, stood the four princesses with amused expressions looking at him with his butt in the air. Fury went as red as Big Macintosh's natural complexion as he saw them. "I never knew stretching could look so… interesting." Celestia said. "You said it, Auntie. I never knew you would stick your butt out that much…" Cadence said. "Oh I see! So if you point your posterior into the air then it will result in better-" Twilight said, writing down what was in front of her. "Twilight!" Fury whined. "Do you mind?! And for the rest of your majesties too?!" "Why would we? You are the one who has his rear in the air like he just doesn't care." Luna said, quoting a song that Fury had heard. Fury was completely embarrassed, letting his legs slip from under him and let him flop on his belly as he planted his still glowing face in the ground. He could hear the princesses giggling from behind him before a pink alicorn lifted his head and made his eyes meet hers. "Come on, Fury, we know you're just training for tryouts. We're just messing with you." Cadence said. Fury sat up in a sitting position and blushed harder. "Come on, kitty cat, lighten up…" Fury then allowed himself to smile, although a sheepish one. "There's that beautiful feline smile." Cadence said. Wind Breaker and Swiftly Singer tried to resist chuckling at his smile. "Okay okay, ladies, now we've got some work to do." Fury said. "And don't go peeping at me again! Only Luna has the pass for that. And maybe Cadence too, if she wishes." Fury winked at the princess of love who had a small laugh at this. Chuckling at this, Celestia motioned the others to go to the seats. "Night Fury, you sure I can't do a bit more research before I leave?" Twilight asked. "I could write a report on Speed Shifter stretching!" "Alright. That's enough, Twilight." Cadence said, pushing Twilight out of the area. "Hey, you do not have my consent to do research on my butt! That's private!" "Ya clearly meant for somepony to see it with that pose…" Twilight muttered, walking away. "I heard that!" Luckily for Fury, he was now alone with his fellow teammates. "Wow, you sure are popular, Fury. In more ways than I thought." Swiftly Singer chuckled. "I'm starting to see why." Wind Breaker added. "Thanks for pointing out the obvious. Now let's get back to it, guys! We can talk about my physique later." Fury said, continuing the stretches. The Dirt Track Rally Team continued their routine, stretching out their muscles, doing a few laps, taking a water break and then repeating. Fury saw his teammates were doing well, especially Windbreaker. For a mare, she had a lot of stamina. Swifty Singer, on the other hand, was less successful. Having lost his breath multiple times, he struggled to put up a good lap time. Even so, they trained their hardest to prepare for the tryouts. Above them were the Ariel Relay tryouts and Ponyville's team put down some good progress, resulting in a win. A few minutes later, the Dirt Track Rally tryouts were beginning and Ponyville's team was ready to go. On the stand stood Mayor Mare, stepping up to the mic to begin the tryouts. "Ladies and Gentlecolts, welcome to the first ever Dirt Track Rally tryouts! As Mayor of Ponyville, it is an honor to see my village produce such strapping young athletes. We might be a relatively small town compared to say Manehattan, but we have a huge heart and great pride!" Everyone cheered at this. "So therefore Dirt Track Racers. Go forth, do your best and prove to the rest of Equestria, our hometown spirit!" "We'll do our best!" Fury, Swifty Singer and Wind Breaker cried out. "For Ponyville!" First up, came Wind Breaker's round. She stepped up to the starting line and looked around. From her perspective, she could see the other teams watching from th stands. The other teams, such as Cloudsdale, Griffonstone, Manehattan, and Fillydelphia were lined up on the sidelines as they had already qualified for the games in different aspects. She was a little nervous at first as this was for the honor of Ponyville in the eyes of all of Equestria. But she remembered her stretches. The training she did. "You got this one in the bag! Just remember our training!" Fury said. With this Wind Breaker was fully confident. She was ready. The announcer spoke. "Alright, we begin in 3… 2… 1… GO!" The starting horn sounded off and the race began. As this was only tryouts, the track was made bigger and there was only one lap. If all three runners from the Ponyville team could make it to the finish line before the clock ran out, they'd qualify for the Equestria Games. Wind Breaker dashed forward, using Fury's breathing techniques, faster than she ever had. Her competitors were shocked by how fast she was going at the beginning. "Keep it up, Windbreaker! You just have to make the benchmark time!" Swifty said. "You're doing great, girl! Just keep breathing like we practiced!" Fury cheered. Even though Wind Breaker was a rookie, she felt like she was already as fast as Commander Hurricane. But she was running out of time all the same. And she was starting to get worn out. Come on, Wind Breaker, just a little bit more… She thought to herself as she closed her eyes, and pushed her limits as she rounded the final corner and passed the finish line, the benchmark time having been beaten. She had cheering from Night Fury and Swifty Singer, so she opened her eyes to see she completed her mission. "I won? I won!" She cried out in joy. The crowd cheered with her as they were amazed by her performance. "Nice work, Windy! 42.03 seconds, not bad!" Fury said. "Thanks, I've never run that fast! Your breathing technique really works!" Wind Breaker added, her smile widening. "I'm glad they worked, but that's just one round down. Me and Swifty still have to put down our times. Swifty, you're up!" "Yep! Time for me to shine. This will be easy." Swifty said with a smirk. He walked to his area with his nose up. He didn't even bother with any greetings. Well, he's a bit more full of himself than Windbreaker, more like an earth pony version of Rainbow Dash. I just hope his cockiness doesn't get him in trouble. Fury thought as he watched Swifty take his place on the track. "Up next is the son of a famous Royal Guard! A famous racer in Ponyville and even writer of epic exploits, he is one guy you don't want to underestimate! Give it up for Swifty Singer!" The crowd cheered for him, who unlike the relatively unknown Wind Breaker until now, already had a decent fanbase. "Thank you. Thank you. I know I'm glorious, but please tone it down just a bit! Everyone already knows how amazing I am!" Okay I really hope this guy isn't all talk. Because this will be a challenge unlike before. Windchaser said to herself. "Now on your mark, get set, go!" Once again, Ponyville's Team's success hung in the balance. Swiftly had a large smile and felt like nothing could stop him. Yes, I am so very close. I will get there and prove once again my greatn- Oof! All of a sudden, Swiftly was slowing down. It seemed he had a cramp. He looked helpless. Swiftly was wondering what was going on. The other towns fans were laughing at his current failure. "Come on, Swifty! Kick it up a notch! Think of your family's honor!" Fury called out. "Do it for them!" Swiftly was now in pain and he felt like quitting as he had never run this much. But hearing Fury's words, gave him a second flame. He knew it was not for his glory but for his family's and for Ponyville's and for his team. For my family. For my family. For my family! Swiftly repeated to himself. He pumped his legs as hard as he could, his mind repeatedly telling him what he was doing it for. The cheers from the crowd soon returned as the red earth pony came back into action. Pushing past the finish line, the clock stopped at 45.23 seconds. A bit slower than Windbreaker, but it beat the benchmark of 55 seconds. "I won? I won! I'm awesom-" Swiftly stopped himself. "No. I mean my team is awesome." He corrected, moving over to his teammates. "Thanks, Night Fury. If you hadn't straightened me out at that moment, I would have cost us qualification! And sorry for uh… being so cocky. I guess I was just too hyped up." "Oh don't worry about it. You learned your lesson and that's what matters." Fury said. "Just make sure you try to pace yourself next time, big guy." Windchaser remarked. "Speaking of next, it's my turn." Fury reminded them, stepping up to his position. "And finally, we have our first Speed Shifter on the track. Throughout his time in Equestria, he has shown us that he can face any challenge and come out on top! Put your hooves together for the son of Obsidian and Black Ice, Ponyville's very own… Night Fury!" The crowd cheered once again for the newest contestant. He became a sort of popular hero figure in Ponyville. After all, he brought in fame and attraction to the quaint village. "Thank you thank you! Stand back guys as I give you a true demonstration of just how fast we Speed Shifters really can be. Hold onto your hats or someone else's if you don't have one. Cause I'm going in!" Everyone cheered at this after chuckling or rolling their eyes at his corny joke. "Here we go, everypony, the final race of qualifying! Let's see if he can give Ponyville its place in the Equestria Games! On your mark… Get set… Go!" As expected, Fury ran like lightning. He ran fast along the dirt track as dust kicked up from where he had been and he shot along the path. The crowd cheered and hollered as he flew around the first corner, bursting into a sprint along the next straight. Fury used his breathing techniques, keeping himself steady. Wow I can see why the Wingbreaker and Swiftly struggled so much with this. Going this quickly in a limited time really makes you try hard. As the timer reached the 30 second mark, he made the next turn. But instead of a steady exit, something got in his way. A stray rock slipped under his paw and tripped him up, sending him into an uncontrollable roll. "Oof! Argh! Aaugh!" Fury's roll of doom led him to fumble and stop in one spot. "Oh! As you can see folks, even the mightiest of warriors can stumble because of bad terrain. It's happened to the best of armies but sadly this might cost Ponyville's chances." Fury tried to get up and keep going, but his head pounded from the collision with the ground. Trying to move ultimately led to him stumbling around and falling back down. 40 seconds in and the crowd started to wonder if Fury had gotten a concussion or worse, brain damage. Dang it. This stupid path just had to have these dumb little rocks. Am I gonna cost the team the win because of a stupid pebble? "Woah, the speed freak doesn't look too good. Is he okay?" Wind Breaker said, a concerned look crossing her face. "I have a feeling he's gonna get back up." Rainbow Dash put in, floating down to the other dirt track racers. "He's taken bigger hits, he'll be okay." Fury slowly stood up as 45 seconds passed and shook himself off, looking ahead as his blurry vision began to clear. 55 seconds to beat… C'mon, Fury, let's win this thing! Fury's mind just wanted him to accept defeat. He felt like he was in such a daze. Maybe he could just this one out- NO. No, I will not just accept that. I'm gonna remember what my father and Amethyst taught me, Jade's encouragement. And even the emperor's instructions in my mind. The dazed speedster soon started to move. He chanted to himself the old ancient quotes Snowdrift taught him. With a focused mind, he went forth. Slowly from a slumped stride to a walking pace, then a running stride as he picked up speed. 49 seconds down and all was on him, he had to push it hard if he was gonna bring home the gold. "For Ponyville, for my parents, for Luna, and for my village!" Fury cried out as he made a final foray. "I don't believe it! The black speedster is back on his paws and running, what a turn of events! Will he make it?" He was only seconds away from defeat. "You can do it, Fury!" said Fluttershy. "Go show them who's boss!" said Rainbow Dash. "Come on, darling, just a little further! We believe in you!" Rarity shouted, completely different from her usually reserved tone. "Come on, Fury, keep that pace! You can do it, win this race!" The cheerleaders fired off, forming a pyramid. Fury ran like a bullet onto the final stretch, everyone from the Mane Six to the princesses coming into view. He could even see his parents in the stands, he didn't know they had shown up. "You told me not to give up! So do the same!" Wind Breaker said. "Yeah, just as you didn't give up on me, don't give up on yourself!" Swiftly cheered on. "Come on, son! I know you can do it! Don't give up!" His father said. "Do your best, my dear! I know I birthed a hero!" His mother cried out. "Go Forth to victory, Night Fury, my love! Show the power of the night!" Luna cried out. Fury smiled as he saw the finish line in front of him, the cheers from the stands boosting his adrenaline flow as he made the final push towards the win. Cameras from paparazzi flashed and dust flew as the pounding of his paws became the only thing in earshot. And in one final effort… Ka-chick! The photo finish camera flashed and Fury finally came to a stop, kicking up a wave of dust as he skidded along the dirt track. He held his head down, sweating as he caught his breath. Nothing else existed to him besides the faint clicking of cameras and his heartbeat flooding his mind. Had he done it? Did he make the qualifying time? "Please wait while the officials tally up the time." The announcer said. Almost silent murmurs broke out amongst the crowd, the loudest thing being Fury's heavy breathing. After about a minute, the announcer came on the mic. "Ladies and Gentlecolts, the decision has been made. After careful consideration and quick calculations…" The crowd and Night Fury sat with baited breath, the anticipation in the atmosphere being thicker than steel. "It is with great pleasure and joy, that with a narrow time of 54.95 seconds… Ponyville qualifies for the Equestria Games!" Rainbow Dash gave a loud almost girly cheer and Fluttershy yelled how awesome Fury and his teammates were. Fury's teammates, friends and residents of Ponyville closed in to congratulate Fury. They lifted him over their heads in a mob, cheering his name as they brought him to the podium to receive his award. "Night Fury! Night Fury! Night Fury!" "Ha ha ha! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Fury called out as he was brought to the podium where Swifty Singer and Wind Breaker were waiting. Mayor Mare stepped up to them, flanked by the princesses while carrying three gold medals. "Swifty Singer, Wind Breaker, and Night Fury, it is with great pleasure that I bestow upon you the gold medals of the tryouts and officially declare your Ponyville team qualified for the Equestria Games!" "This is amazing. We really are going to the games!" Windbreaker said. "I only had it in my dreams. Is this really happening? Ow!" She turned to Fury. "I just wanted you to know it wasn't just a dream!" Fury said with a cheeky smile. Windbreaker rolled her eyes. "Ah Fury, you're quite a guy." Swiftly said. "You bet I am! I wouldn't be so awesome if I hadn't gotten us into the games. Not to mention that I bagged myself a hot babe to love me for it!" Fury bragged. "Isn't that right, Moonpie?!" He called out to Princess Luna. The crowd turned to Luna who approached him, her cheeks red. "Well I would say it was me who bagged you, Lightning Bug." She said with a smirk. "Ah technicalities. Come here, your beautiful highness!" Fury said, embracing Luna and giving her a kiss. The crowd was stunned and excited to see the winner on his podium, but they never expected to see him kissing a princess. A privilege that he had won fair and square along with his gold medal. Everyone cheered for Fury and Luna, and their smooth romance. Everything seemed great for the team of Ponyville. "Um… excuse me." Fluttershy said. "I do appreciate the celebration, but it's still not over. We still need to win the Equestria Games." She said with a face of both relief and worry. "Oh come on, Flutters, stop focusing on the future. Let's focus on the now. And right now, I've got a pretty lady in my grasp and a gold medal around my neck. That's my favorite thing about this. Hey Cadence, you seeing this?!" Fury called out. Cadence was indeed looking and she had a camera with her. "I was even before you called out to Luna. I just knew it would be romantic!" Flash! While Fury was annoyed by the brief blindness of Cadence's self appointed paparazzi activities, he was completely delighted in his situation. "This has to be the best day of my life! I can't think of any way this could get better!" Fury said. But to his surprise, it could get better. "Howdy y'all, got some fresh cider waitin' for the winners! Who's gonna grab the first swig?" Came Granny Smith, followed by Big Mac, Applejack and Applebloom with a ton of cider bottles in tow. "Aw yeah, nice timing, Granny! Come on guys, let's hit up our victory with a little cider!" Rainbow Dash called, waving the Ponyville team over to the stacks of cider. "Heck yeah. One of Ponyville's greatest contributions to Speed Shifters. Apple cider!" Fury said, raising his drink. "What even is this apple cider? Is it some sort of juice?" asked a familiar female voice. Fury turned around and saw that the question came from his oblivious mother. "Well mom, since you asked, I guess you could say it's a very very strong juice. Kinda like the toxic cider from back home, but you can actually drink it! Here guys, catch!" Fury then threw two bottles of cider to his parents. "Well let's drink away. I'm sure it won't be too bad." Obsidian joked. The two both drank them and… They spat out the drink. "What in the Snowdrift's name is this flavor?! This is not what I was expecting." Obsidian asked with Black Ice nodding. "Wow, I must have a way higher tolerance than you two! I only got caught off guard a bit when I first tried it. Eh, I guess it's not for everyone." Fury said. "No no, I think I can get used to it. How about you, Icey?" "Well… I will admit I've had stranger tastes especially in prison. And… it does sort of taste like toxic cider. Hmmm. I will give this a chance." "Wait wait, hold up! In prison, mom?!" Fury asked, shocked. Black Ice blushed with the new information being leaked. "Oh believe me, my son. The food in the Cursed Forest was not quite normal. It smelled and tasted horrid." Black Ice explained. "Oh phew, for a second I thought you were saying that you actually got caught in your childhood. Unlike me and dad, of course." "Well unlike you two, I actually was on my best behavior and never spent a day in jail. You would do well Fury to emulate me." Black Ice said with a smug smile. "That's because you were a goody two-paws, honey." Obsidian put in, Fury nodding in agreement. "He's not wrong, mom. Back then, you were the definition of a snitch! I think grandma still has your old Memory Sealer from back then, if she's still alive now." His mother pouted. "I only did it to help things from getting out of chaos. I did it for others' good." "Sooo… when you snitched on your old friend Maximillion for sneaking out to get his first date, or the time you told on poor old Silver Stone when she was climbing trees wasn't you being a goody two-paws?" Fury reminded her. "Wow, I was a bit of a goody two-hooves when I was a kid, I'll admit that. But even I wasn't that much of a snitch." Twilight admitted. "Just ask Shining and how much I kept his dates with Cadence a secret from my parents." Black Ice was now embarrassed. "Alright… I might have gone a bit too far in those cases." Black Ice admitted. "Just a little, dear?" Obsidian questioned. "It was more than that. You sure liked to talk a lot! Remember when I brought you to meet my parents and you told them about my 'Supposedly well kept secret' escapades that you promised you'd keep your mouth shut about?" "I told you I apologized for that! I just felt that if I were to be closer to your parents in law, I would explain some of our secrets. I thought we would bond through learning about each other!" "Not every secret is meant to be told. As a matter of fact, a secret is never to be told!" "Yeah yeah, you two can deal with your marriage problems over there. I'm gonna chug this cider and have a good time." Fury cut in before they had one of their arguments. Fury appreciated the fine taste of the apple liquor. "Yeah, this is good stuff!" Fury said as he drank the cider. For the next few hours, the Ponyville team relaxed and had a good time, Obsidian and Black Ice soon seizing their disagreement to join in. Today was a good day, a day that Fury and the rest of Ponyville will remember. That is, if he didn't lean so heavy into the cider. – On the train ride back to Ponyville, Rainbow Dash, Wind Breaker, Swifty Singer, the princesses, Fury's parents, the Mane Six, and Fury himself sat in a train car chatting with each other. At least some of them were, as Fury was on a different planet entirely with how drunk he was with his rosy red cheeks and dazed expression. Out of the four princesses, Cadence watched over him, having the most experience when it came to a drunk guy. And while this wasn't like her and Shining Armor's honeymoon, it was just as funny to see Fury spouting out random shenanigans as he drunkenly lied next to her. "Hey there Candance? Do you like candy? Cause you sure look like one! Even your name! Ha ha!" He said in a drunk stupor. "If I were candy I would be very bad tasting, so you shouldn't bother." Cadence said, chuckling. "Ahhh… m-maybe your right, ssssweet cheeks. Hey, who's the sun bum over there? Shhe… She *hic* She looks hot. Maybe I should… give her company" Fury waddled over to Celestia who was just about to sleep. "Oh Celeste. Your sun shines over my dark heart. Oh how I love your radiance. Would you like to be mine, sunpie?" Fury said, strangely flirting with Celestia. "Fury, I don't have time for… *yawn* jokes. I just want to go to sleep. I just want to have a nice soothing dream." Celestia said right before she dozed off. "Oh don't be *hic* silly, you'll be dreaming about me anyway. Hey, is anybody else seeing dancing leprechauns on Twilight's head? Urp!" "There could be one in your head if that's what you think." Cadence said sarcastically. "Don't be unscientific! Leprechauns hate being inside a head, too claustrophobic. They prefer to mess around outside. Perhaps I should teach them a lesson about personal… *hic* space!" Fury said, approaching Twilight who was already asleep. "Hey… hey, Twibutt, you've got dancing green dudes on your head." Fury drunkenly spouted before letting out another burp. She only responded with snoring. "Oh no. They already knocked Twilight out! Lyra was right about the uprising of leprechauns! First those hairless monkeys and now ponies! I must save you!" Fury said, raising his paw up ready to attack. He reared his arm back and swung with unpredictable force. Wack! "Ow! What the heck, Fury?!" Twilight spoke out. "I ju- *Urp* just saved you from the leprechauns Lyra was telling me about! You're *hic* welcome!" Fury said. Twilight sighed at his absent mindedness. "Oh yeah, I forget you're drunk. I should have told Applejack to cut down on the cider especially for a different species. Cadence, please take him back." Twilight pleaded. "On it. Come on, big guy." The pink alicorn directed. Fury was led back to his seat where he let his head fall into Cadence's lap, looking up at her. "You know something, Lovebutt? You- *hic* you're like a pink, fuzzy angel from where I'm sittin'." "Get off me, you big oaf!" Cadence got him off. "And I thought Shining's high school pick up lines were bad. Okay Fury, let's go!" "H-hey, don't blame me! It's your h- *hic* husband that gave me those lines. If you're gonna be mad as somepony, be mad at him." Fury slurred. At this point, Rainbow Dash was just laughing at the moment. "Wow, this is just priceless!" She giggled. Then a blue aura surrounded the drunk feline. "Hey, what's with the light show?" Fury asked. He was lifted away from Cadence and landed in his girlfriend's lap, his head laying back. "It's me, you big ignoramus. Luna, your one true love." She cooed. "Well… what'dya know? I've got an actual- *hic* girlfriend." Fury said, his rosy cheeks growing brighter. His stomach then let out a small gurgle from the cider. "L-luna, I think my tummy's talking." He said with a slurred voice. "Yes yes, I'm well aware of that." Luna said, caressing his stomach. "Just relax and be calm. The night is a time of peace. With… our exceptions of course." "Can you… h-hear what it's saying?" Fury asked. Luna giggled at his frazzled state and bought into his drunken game. "Is it talking about leprechauns or perhaps goblins wanting to leave your stomach?" Luna played along. "I- *hic* I think it's talking about you. Maybe it's talking to you." Luna looked at his stomach and bowed. "Greetings, good sir, for what do I owe the pleasure of meeting you?" She asked as if it were a king from a foreign land. Fury's belly growled in response. "Oh, I had no idea you liked me so much. And why do you have such an affinity for me?" Luna pressed on. Another groan answering her. "Ahh, so you like it when I just listen to you? Well, I suppose I do have a relaxing voice." Luna chuckled. But that time, she looked over to see that Fury had fallen asleep, much to the other passengers' relief. "Oh good, he's asleep. If I were to say one thing about him, I'd say he is a goofy mess." Cadence giggled. "And a bit hardheaded." Black Ice put in. "I told that boy not to have too much. But it was a little more than usual." "You know him, dear, always willing to push his limits on what he can do. I know one thing though, he's gonna have one heck of a hangover tomorrow." Obsidian added. Luna nodded at the prediction. "Then I will stay with him just in case. It is a good thing that the games are not until the day after tomorrow, or else we would have to deal with a moody, grumpy feline with a splitting headache." "Yeah, the games are already stressful enough." Cadence said. "We don't want Fury's abilities to be sapped. The poor thing would be a complete wreck if he had to make moves tomorrow." "Just make sure, if Night Fury does more of his… questionable activities, you make sure to stop him before he tries to "save" somepony else." Twilight said, rubbing her still stinging head. "Consider it done." Luna nodded. Everyone decided to go back to sleep. With Fury still sleeping on the blue alicorn's lap. Luna smiled as she saw him peacefully snoozing and thought to herself what she could do for him. With how much cider he drank, he's probably going to need somepony to help him nurse the incoming hangover all day tomorrow. And it wouldn't hurt to give him some company while he recovers, I suppose a stay in Ponyville won't be so bad. And so Luna slept in with a drunk Night Fury. She knew he would have quite a huge day when the tournament comes. But for now, she is content simply to have him doze off into sleep. He had a big one yesterday after all.