"Cady? A-are you shure it's shafe?"
"Oh, of course, Bb!" the older alicorn reassured the young colt behind her.
"I wouldn't spend half a day constructing a death trap, would I?"
The young Prince Blueblood knew he couldn't answer honestly. He had experience with Cadance's projects before. For all the planning and calculation she implied went into them, they usually turned out haphazard, sometimes needlessly complicated, and above all, messy. And Blueblood detested being messy. And Cadance knew this. She had taken care not to build today's track into any potentially disqusting detours. They would steer clear of any kitchens, mud puddles, or dusty hallways. It would be difficult to get her adoptive brother to help her build it if she didn't.
"I shuppose not." he slurred through his rather bucky teeth.
"Alrighty then! Get ready to kick the tires and light the fires, Prince Charming!"
Today's course was pretty standard for a stunt. Planks of wood from the local market in Canterlot, all arranged in a box-like formation just wide enough for their stunt car to glide through easily. The car in question: a hollowed out drum big enough for two little ponies, painted red, with a menacing tooth-filled face adorning the front. Wheels were drilled into the bottom by a local carpenter who could keep a secret. It had its name in black above their signatures. The Red Rocket, they had decided. Blueblood thought the name rather strait-forward, but couldn't figure out why Cadance found the need to giggle whenever he brought it up. It was red, and went as fast as he figured a rocket would go. Where was the joke?
The course was set up by both of them, to Cadance's design. It began at the top of one the castle's many stairwells, went through most of the main hall, took a quick detour into the courtyard, and ended in the royal garden. Cadance had insisted she set up the end herself. Though suspicious, he had let her. She had promised to end it there, so what surprises could she have set up?
Cadance was ready. Her hooves shook with anticipation and her wings struggled to stay closed. She reached over the side of the car and adorned her helmet: black, with pink flowers painted on. Flowers on fire. She looked back at Blueblood and pointed at her helmet. A silent 'oh!', and Blueblood had his own helmet put on: yellow, portraying the visage of a whimsical duckling. Cadance chuckled. Safety's no joke, but Bb's helmet was a punchline.
With everything checked and accounted for, Cadance reached for the lever that would set them off. She shifted it one notch. Two notches. Three. Each one brought the Rocket to a steeper angle. On the fourth notch, Blueblood clung to his sister's waist, his face scrunched in fear. On the fifth, the Rocket plummeted.
The sudden decent sent them careening down the stairs. Their car rattled as their speed built, going in a strait line but curving ever so slightly as the course continued. The car would swerved and buckled, weaving through Canterlot's halls as if in flight. Blueblood was as withdrawn as he always had been when it came to these little rides. Cadance made her enthusiasm well known.
"Woooooo! Alright!" she hooted, as the course broke into it's main hall segment, which was more suspended than the previous portion.
"Princess Cadance!?" rang a familiar voice. Blueblood's eyes shot open. A royal servant, a pegasus named Neat Freak, was flying to keep up with the car.
"What are you doing with the prince in this contraption?!"
"That's a secret, Freaky!" the princess responded.
"Bb! put your hooves in the air!"
The prince just clutched her middle harder.
"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, I will not allow you to endanger yours or the prince's lives like thi-Omf!"
Neat Freak had crashed into the door of the hall leading to the kitchens, while the two young royals sped off to continue their high speed antics in the courtyard.
The sound caused the door to open, revealing a stout earth pony in a chef's hat.
"They goin' at it again, Neat?" he asked the dazed mare.
"Eeyup." She was able to respond before blacking out.
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Cadance's excitement was reaching new heights. She was practically hopping in her seat except when the car went into one it's frankly terrifying corkscrews. She hollered and cheered at the top of her voice. She never felt more alive than when she did these stunts. And she loved them even more when she got to do them with her favorite little prince.
"Ready, Bb!?"
"R-ready for what?!"
She didn't have to answer, as he could see where the road was leading. The course, it seemed, stopped short at the end of the courtyard, right after the next loop de loop.
"Cady? Cady, the courshe is ending!"
"But the adventure's just beginning!"
"Eeeeeeeee!"
Blueblood only had time to let loose a squeal of terror as the car went off the rails. Their great speed propelled them to an incredible height. There were tears in his eyes, but later, he would admit the sight was grand from their position. He could see all of Canterlot.
They flew over a white and gold object just before they began to lose altitude. It was a member of the royal guard, who stared wide-eyed at the red object carrying two of the ponies he was trained to protect. Cadance waved frantically, Blueblood sheepishly. He waved back awkwardly, as the Rocket began to pick up speed as it descended again, heading for the Canterlot gardens.
Blueblood almost suppressed a sigh of relief as he spotted the course again, the track having a clear spot for the car to continue.
Until he realized there was no guarantee they would hit the mark.
"We won't make it!"
"Yes we will!"
The prince held his breath. The car did overshoot slightly, but they did wind up on the track safely. Blueblood let out exasperated breath of air, as that seemed to be the course's end. The car came to a small stop, sliding into an unfamiliar slot of metal, which leaned back as the car entered.
"Okay," Blueblood said shakily. "We're done, r-right Cady?"
"Oh no," the princess responded, giving a somewhat treacherous smile. "we still have to-"
She cast a hoof in front of them, revealing her surprise.
"SLAY THE DRAGON!"
Flipping up rather suddenly, a wooden board with a crude depiction of a dragon sat in the direct path of the metal box. It was green, had crystals embedded in its scales, and although it had very small wings and unfocused eyes, it didn't diminish the terror implied from its wild expression as it belched flame on little stick figure ponies.
It was real enough for Prince Blueblood.
"Ack!"
"Launching in 3..." Cadance started, putting one hoof on a lever in the metal box, connected to a now tightly clenched metal spring.
"Cady, no!"
"2..."
"Gah! Not like this!"
"1...."
"Why do I let you do thish all the time?!"
"Fire!"
She flipped the switch, sending the The Red Rocket speeding toward the fake dragon at a velocity that exceeded the rest of the course. They broke through the dragon's face. On the other side, one last stretch of track was waiting to stop the car. A purpose it fulfilled. Poorly. The car lurched forward, almost sending Cadance out of the vehicle completely, and sticking straight up in the air before falling back down to all its wheels again.
"Yeah!" She yelled, tearing off her helmet and spiking it into the ground.
"That was so awesome! Canterlot is safe once more! High-hoof, Bb!"
She heard no response.
"Bb. Gonna leave me hanging?"
Again, no response.
She looked around wildly. The prince was nowhere to be found. A duckling waddled out of a bush, thinking the strange ponies were done with their rowdiness.
"Do you know where he went, little guy?" she asked it mockingly.
He looked at her somewhat crossly, but extended a wing pointing above and behind her. She whipped around fast enough to see a white speck heading for a tower. A tower Cadance was almost sure was the one where Celestia was teaching unicorns today.
She glared at the Rocket accusingly.
"I have got to install seatbelts on that thing."
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"Blueblood......Blueblood........Prince Blueblood!"
The prince was awakened by a stern voice. The first thing he noticed was that the room he was in was full of startled unicorn fillies. The second was his inability to move. The third and perhaps most important was Princess Celestia herself giving him a very disapproving look.
"H-Hi auntie." he stammered.
"What are you doing in my chalkboard, Blueblood?!"