After accepting the horseshoe from Bulk Biceps, Fluttershy immediately thrust herself skyward. Her red ring awaited, mounted on a cloud high above. As she neared the ring, motion from her periphery drew her attention. Still flying straight up, she looked to her left and witnessed Fleetfoot chasing after her ring… Chasing after it? Returning her focus to her own ring, Fluttershy gasped as she realised that it had also moved.
Her ring clearly did not wish to be caught.
Well, I’ll show you who’s boss, you mean old cloud!
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and put on an extra burst of speed. She felt the exhilaration as the wind rushed through her newly cropped mane. Rainbow’s right; I can fly faster with my mane cut! she thought. I never thought I’d see the day when I could fly with 9.0 wing power. Yet even with her new strength and aerodynamic figure, the ring eluded her, swerving this way and that through the air.
A flash of brown, gone as soon as it appeared. Fluttershy put it from her mind; she had more important issues to deal with.
“Stage Two of the Aerial Relay entails the pursuit and sequential fly-through of a red ring in the sky,” Shining Armor announced. “Competitors must chase their ring until it slows down before flying through it. Each ring is connected to a miniature bracelet on each athlete’s front leg. When it detects that their heartbeat is over one-hundred-fifty beats per minute, their ring will begin to slow down.”
“Going all right there, Flutters?”
Fluttershy turned to the speaker, surprised at being addressed in the heat of competition. Dizzy Twister was chasing her own ring, which seemed to desire flying in circles more than Fluttershy’s own.
“Great flying there, you might give Ponyville a real chance!”
“Oh, you’re doing quite well yourself, Dizzy. I know you’re the better flier of the two of us.”
Dizzy chuckled. “Heh, that may be so, but your team has Rainbow Dash, the fastest pegasus in Equestria! I know who I’d bet on between her and Raunbow Swoop. Anyway, hate to cut this short, but I’ve got a ring to catch!” Dizzy saluted and sped off in the other direction as her ring decided that circling wasn’t working.
Fluttershy watched Dizzy’s ring evade her fellow competitor for a moment before she remembered about her own. Oops. Changing direction, she pursued her own fluffy nimbus as it made again to flee from its butter-yellow predator.
* * * * *
“...their heartbeat is over one-hundred-fifty beats per minute, the ring will begin to slow down.”
“Hold on a second!” Pinkie Pie shouted, eliciting stares from everypony in the crystal box. “Are you telling me that only when Fluttershy feels like dropping out of the sky, will the ring allow itself to be caught?”
“I agree; that sounds totally barbaric!” Rarity nodded in accordance. “How could you sanction such an event, Your Highnesses?”
“Please, my little ponies, have patience,” Celestia commanded. “I am not so ruthless as to force a pony into exhaustion like that.”
Luna trotted next to her sister. “Indeed. Please, let Prince Armor conclude our explanation of the event.”
“In the event that a competitor is too lax in their effort to elevate their heart rate to the required level, their ring will slow down after five minutes of said competitor obtaining their horseshoe from their first teammate,” Shining Armor continued. “At this time, the ring will glow golden and be teleported to the other side of the stadium. The horseshoe bearer must then fly the length of the stadium once more to pass through it, before passing on the horseshoe to their final teammate. But that’s not all, ponies! We have another surprise waiting for our valiant athletes!
“Do not fear, ponies; in the event that any competitor shows too great a sign of fatigue, we have a medical crew for each team standing by.”
“Oh, I get it!” Twilight perked up at her realisation. “It’s not about tiring out the competitors at all, but about proving who has the most determination to win! Those willing to push themselves to the limit for their team will be the most well-rewarded, shaving precious seconds off their team’s time!”
Celestia nodded. “Very astute, Twilight. But then again, when would I ever expect anything less from my former prized pupil?”
Before Celestia could add anything further, Applejack arrived, bringing their friend Golden Harvest with them. “I know this box is for invited guests only, but we’ve got an emergency here! Tell ’em, Carrot Top!”
The mare sniffed loudly as she raised her blood-shot eyes to the princesses. “My cart… I took it back down to the storage stalls after I sold all of my produce. I just left it there for a moment to go to the little filly’s room, and… and now it’s gone!”
Golden burst into a fresh wave of tears as Rarity and Pinkie Pie rounded on her; the former lightly patted her back while the latter gave her a comforting hug. “There were over a thousand bits in that new cart! Why would somepony steal it?”
“Perhaps because there were over a thousand bits in that new cart?” Spike suggested, having finally arrived in the box after waving the start flag. He backed up as everypony glared at him. “What? Isn’t that a good reason to steal something?”
“Spikey-Wikey, there is never a good reason to steal anything, at any place, at any time.” Rarity shook her head at him.
“Oh, uh…” Spike spluttered, backing away from everypony with his arms in front of him. “Well, of course not. Just, er, trying to establish a motive I guess.” Sheepish, Spike wrung his claws together with an apologetic glance at Rarity. “Sorry.”
“Oh, you meant no harm, Spike. I know that.” Rarity ruffled Spike’s spines.
“Now, you know I hate to break any tender moment between you two,” Applejack said—Rarity and Spike instantly separated “—but do y’all think you could help with our current situation? Carrot Top’s livelihood kinda depends on it. Ponyville’s too, if you think about it. I don’t pretend to be the only primary producer in town, y’know. Everypony needs their carrots as well as their apples!”
Golden Harvest sniffed and gave Applejack a hug. “Thank you, AJ. Please, everypony, help me find my missing cart!” She cast her sad gaze around at everypony one more. “Without those bits and my cart, I’ll be ruined!”
Pinkie Pie let out an enormous gasp, drawing all eyes onto her. “Oh no! With no carrots, Ponyville’s youth will never see anything ever, ever again!”
She quickly delved into her mane, once more extracting her hat and pipe. “Never fear, Golden Harvest, your friendly neighbourhood Pinkie Holmes is on the case! I Pinkie Promise to find your cart, your bits, and the culprits, or my name isn’t Pinkie Holmes!”
“Pinkie, your name isn’t—” Twilight’s eyes crossed as Rarity’s quick hoof to her mouth muted her remaining words. The white mare shook her head slowly as she dropped her hoof a second later.
“Just let her work her own Pinkie magic, Twilight." Applejack beat Rarity to the chase before her friend could speak. "We stopped trying to understand her a long time ago, remember?”
She sighed. “Carrot Top, you stay here with the princesses. Er, if that’s okay with you, Princess Celestia?”
“Of course it is, Applejack. Considering the circumstances, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Golden Harvest, is it?” The mare nodded, adding a bow in return. “You may remain here with us. Try to calm down with us as your friends help solve this mystery. Cadance—” Celestia addressed the crystal princess “—would you kindly make Miss Harvest comfortable?”
“Of course, Celestia. Come and sit next to me, dear.” Cadance beckoned to Golden, placing a calming massage spell on the upset mare as she took a seat. “Our friends will get to the bottom of this. I promise.”
* * * * *
Now aware of the rules of engagement, Fluttershy sat on the theoretical fence about what to do. Should I just fly around and wait for the five minutes to be over? Or should I chase it with all my might?
As she pondered this question, she witnessed Merry May already beginning to have trouble. Sweat poured off the mare as she gasped for breath, clutching her chest. Oh no, if Merry keeps that up, she’ll have her ring in no time!
Fluttershy redoubled her efforts, zooming at top speed towards her ever-evasive ring. “If I’ve gotta wear myself out for Rainbow Dash—for Ponyville—then that’s what I’ll do!” she told herself.
Beating her wings as hard as she could, she chased the ring in circles, zig-zags, sweeping bends and ground-bound dives. Before long her muscles were aching in protest, yet still she persisted. Her breathing became ragged, her shallow breaths hardly fulfilling her oxygen requirements from her screaming, demanding lungs.
Twenty seconds later, a beep sounded from Fluttershy’s leg as she gasped for air. Her quarry immensely reduced its evasion speed. She sighed in relief, even as her wings threatened to give out. Lightly flying through the ring, she turned back to face it as a golden aura enveloped it. Instantly, the now-golden ring floated hundreds of metres away at the other end of the stadium. Before taking off, she cast a final appraising glance around at her competition; only Merry May’s ring had turned gold like hers.
I guess… being super fit… can work against some ponies… after all, Fluttershy thought as she clutched her chest, feeling the powerful drum inside working serious overtime. Fleetfoot and Natalya still streaked back and forth across the skies, while Dizzy looked to be nearing her threshold. She noticed the laboured body language, the sluggish turns of her friendly competitor.
We might actually have a shot at this…
* * * * *
Miss Harshwhinny looked from the competitors, to the golden rings, to Princess Luna. Observing the princess’ brief nod, Shining Armor announced, “Spectators and athletes! Here is your second surprise of the event!”
He ceased his declaration as Miss Harshwhinny faced Luna directly. “Do it.”
Luna’s horn glowed a light azure.
* * * * *
Fluttershy heard the Earth-shaking roar before she knew it had appeared. Freezing up in terror, she turned—against her better judgment—to face what she already knew to be tailing her. Barely stopping her wings from slamming shut, her eyes contracted from pure terror.
Dear Celestia, no…