//------------------------------//
// Beyond speed 
// Story: Dash jets on:  RotE Episode 2 
// by Dream Volt 
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	I decided to put the whole business out of my mind for now.  Rarity would surely tell the others and I had months before the training began to really decide.  I probably wouldn't change my mind, but that isn't important.  For now I was just doing what Rarity suggested and pushing myself to fly as fast as I could.  It was awesome.  I still felt the wind plenty when I really pushed, and the roar was back too.  Sure I was going like twice as fast or whatever, but so what.  I mean if it got much louder or the wind much sharper it would really start to hurt.  I didn't want that.

I wasn't sure exactly how fast I was flying but it was awesome.  I flew all the way to Manehattan and back and it didn’t take long at all.  I was looking for a nice tree to land in, but I didn't even feel tired.  It was still weird, and would take some getting used to, but it was just so awesome.  I wasn't going to just be the fastest flyer in Equestria, but anywhere ever.  I looked down to see Applejack pulling some carts.  A lot of carts.  She was trotting along like she wasn't hitched up at all.  I then swooped down in front of her and looked at the impression in one of the trees.  If she could do that by accident, what could she do on purpose?  I cringed.

"Wow, I'm suddenly really glad I haven't tried hoof wrestling you lately."

"Oh, hey Dash.  Watcha doing here?"

"Well I was going to take a nap, but I guess I'm not really tired.  So, well, I dunno what I'm going to do.  I guess I could help you with the bucking.  I'm not really inspired to create any new tricks today and I'm not working on anything new right now."

She hung her head.  "That would be mighty kindly of ya.  I am having the hardest time bucking trees without leaving a dent, even if I'm real gentle like.  Ah used to be able to buck any tree without even chipping the bark."

I rolled my eyes.  "Yea I was awful at that and…"  Then I blinked.  "Hey, wait a minute, you said I was doing it wrong, but how were you doing it right?"

"What are ya talking about Dash?"

"I mean if you kicked a wall as hard as you kick your trees you'd at least chip the paint."

"Ah don't kick them as hard as ah can ah…"

"I know, but still.  Not even a single chip of bark?  I bet this is earth pony magic.  I mean pegasus magic is subtle, so earth pony magic is even subtler."

"Is that a word?"

"Is Rarity around?"

"No."

"They there isn't a mare here who cares.  So, what do you think?  I mean everypony knows earth ponies are good with plants, what if that means…"

"But if it is some kinda earth magic…"

Applejack suddenly stopped talking.  For a long time she just stood there.  I waved a hoof in front of her face and she shook her head.

"Sorry Rainbow, just remembering something Luna said.  She certainly said something about earth pony magic being how we get a proper buck."

"See, totally not my fault."

"Yea, Luna even said as much.  But still, that don't make no sense.  If it's getting stronger like Twi says why should that make things go all crosswise."

I threw my hooves up.  "I dunno.  Twi's the one that knows all this stuff, not me.  I mean I bet I'm right, but only she could answer your question."

"Ah reckon it does make some sorta sense.  Ah mean ah've seen some Unicorns use their magic to make do, but pegasai are just rotten at farming."

I blinked.  "I'm surprised one even tried."

"Yea, was quite a shock to me too.  He was an odd one, weren't a bad sort, and once he got an earth pony to help out things went much better.  He really did know a thing or two about irrigation.  Bunch a ponies are using his system now."

"You mean beyond clouds?"

"Some places ain't as moist as Ponyville Dash.  Can't get water from a stone."

"Or clouds from a dry sky.  I know."

I had been following Applejack as she walked along, indeed not slowed by the carts at all.  In fact I think the only reason she wasn't going faster is the carts started to shake too much.

"So is what Twi said right, you're really just suddenly faster."

"Yea I was worried about it, but now so not.  Sure I can go really fast with almost no effort, but it just means if I really work I go crazy fast.  No problem with that at all."

"Ah'm not real sure about Twi being right about me having some sorta fancy magic though ah mean ah…"

"It's not fancy magic, it's earth magic.  It's not the same."  I then blinked.  "Though it's not like I understand it all that well or anything."

"Ah know, ah know.  It's just strange to think that somehow I can do something that no other earth pony…"

"Nah, I'm pretty sure Luna said something along the lines of there used to be all sorts of cool mages, including earth ponies."

"If that's being the case the what the hay happened?"

"Uh…"

Before I could admit I had no clue there was a loud roar, accompanied by a scream.  At least I thought it was one scream at first, but then I realized it was a familiar syncronized scream of three little fillies.  I just saw some fast moving silver thing in the distance in the direction the sound went.

"What the hay was that."

"I don't know, but I heard the crusaders scream.  I think they're in it or something."

"It it?  What do you think that contraption could…"

I think there was more to the sentence, but I didn't need to hear it.  I realized it was a machine, and that almost had to be bad.  Even if they didn't get it from Blinkie, the three of them should not be in a machine going that fast.  Especially since as I got closer it was clear how it would not fly strait, often dipping down toward the ground.  Another thing I noticed is it was clearly going faster.  I made a real sonic rainboom this time for some reason, the full long range colorful shockwave, but I heard the machine make it's boom not long after.  Catching it would not be easy.

"Okay Dash, no time to slack, gotta pour on the speed."

I still wasn't quite caught up, but I was close enough to get a good look.  It sure looked strange enough to be something Pinkie's crazier sister built.  It was cool looking, but weird.  It was mostly rocket shaped, like a big firework, even had a bright fiery trail like one.  But it had wings.  Sort of like those paper airplanes I used to make in class.  Then I realized, even though this didn't look much like that weird thing those bicycle earth ponies came up, that's what it was.  I always thought airplanes are sort of cool, but pegasai are so much better it's just a weird hobby to make planes.

Of course that did leave one big question though, what the heck was that roaring noise?  Shouldn’t it have propellers and such?  Unless this is some new idea I have no clue about that Blinkie already mastered.  I mean she's nuts, but she's also a total genius.  Still as cool as the slick flying gizmo looked it just had to be really dangerous.  I especially didn't like the way the big fire spouting cone on the back was not just roaring, but shaking and so hot the metal looked more red than silver.

"I may not remember that much about science and stuff, but I know red hot shaking metal is bad.  I need to stop this."

Then I realized a problem.  I had no clue how.  I finally had caught up, even passed it, but it was still accelerating.  I could see all three inside.  Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were hugging Scoots tightly.  She was probably screaming too, though based on the smile she might actually be having fun.  Then they were past me.  I pushed myself harder to catch up, but I think I was nearing my limit, and was pretty sure this thing was not.  The engine looked even worse.  I had to do something, but I didn't have any ideas.  I needed time to think.  I needed a plan.  I needed some way to stop the stupid thing or I'd let every pony down.

I wracked my brain but I had nothing.  I know speed, and there was no doubt that even if I could manage it, bucking off the engine would not actually save the crusaders.  I thought of Applejack and Rarity especially.  I was the only one who could save their sisters, but it just didn't happen.  I didn't even know Scoots parents, but they'd be mad too.  I shook my head.

"I'm not going to lose.  I'm not going to let everypony down.  I'm going to keep pushing myself no matter what.  I'm going to follow them until I have an answer."

But I was losing them.  So I pushed.  I pushed and felt a barrier.  It was sorta like the rainboom, but not physical like air resistance, just in some more general way.  I felt it, and then with a bright flash whatever it was I passed though and suddenly I felt free.  Like nothing could stop me.  Like I was beyond speed, even though I didn't feel anything at all anymore.  I could be drifting as slowly as Fluttershy for all I could tell.  Then I blinked.

"Where did it go?"

I looked around.  I saw it far in the distance.  At first I panicked, but as I spun around I realized it was coming toward me.  I had passed it by such a big margin it had faded into the distance, not the other way around.  As I got closer something looked wrong.  Then I saw a bird below me frozen in mid air.  I looked up at the strange plane.  Yep, it wasn't moving.

"I really wish I had someone to ask what the hay is going on."

I flew around the thing.  The flame trail was moving actually, but not very much.  Not close to how it had been earlier.  So everything wasn't stopped, just going really, really slowly.  I guess I have time now.  Then I got what was really going on.

"Oh man, it's not really slow, I'm just so fast it seems that way.  Just like the comics."

I then squealed in a fit of fangirlish glee.  I couldn't help but fly around a bit, doing a few loops in happiness.  Then I stopped.

"Wait, how does it make sense.  I mean it should be like moving though molasses if I'm really going that fast."

Then I face hoofed.  It's magic obviously.  Okay, that was dumb of me.  I then refocused on the task at hand.  I flew around to the front of the silver thing.  The crusaders were still there, and Scoots still looked happy, even though with her mouth open like that it was harder to tell.  The glass keeping them in looked sealed pretty tight, but the simplest thing is just to open it up, pull them out, and take them to the ground.

"Except I totally don't know how to open this thing."

I decided to just give it a good buck.  I didn’t want to hurt the crusaders so I wasn't just bucking the glass, but where it connected to the rest of the strange plane.  A second latter I was flying above the plane, yelping in pain.  I'm not sure getting off my legs really helped but it felt better to do something at least.  Slowly the pain began to fade.  Then I sighed.

"Oh yea, I did think Blinkie built this.  I should have known it would be as sturdy as she could make it."

Then I suddenly had another idea.  I flew around to the back.  Yea, that did not look nearly as sturdy, at least not anymore.  Still, I don't think bucking it would be enough.  I bet if I did a sonic rainboom in that thing it would come right off easy.  Then I face hoofed.

"Ugh, but so might something attached to me, not to mention what it might do to the rest of the thing."

Then I smiled.  Okay, I had plenty of time to come up with a plan, and plenty to implement it too.  I could get some tools and fly back no problem.  I then sped off.  Even if Blinkie didn't build this thing she did have some awesome tools.