//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 : Races and Clocks 
// Story: Max Plasma 
// by Maxis122 
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Max looked ahead at the area that they were heading for but as they got closer a great mass of ponies was appearing. They finally got there and there was a massive crowd getting ready for the presentation. Max stopped and found himself at the back of the crowd.

"This doesn't look to good" Max said.

"The Wonderbolts one of the most famous flight teams in Equestria so why wouldn't there be a big crowd. Don't worry, we will get to her" Serene said. Max then relaxed a little and took some time to catch his breath. Then he looked up and began to watch what was going on.

Spitfire was leading this presentation, Max couldn't really understand what was going on but a lot of cheering happened when she said curtain things. Max observed the crowd who were mainly pegasus at the front, then there being other types of ponies nearer to the back.

Then Max picked up on Spitfire saying something, this being the only thing that really caught his ear. A front row pony asked if she would race someone in the town. Spitfire simply smiled and then said "Sure, just talking all the time was getting boring". She then turned to one of the security guards and told him something.

All of a sudden a hoof landed on Max's shoulder. Max became stunned and then he slowly looked up at the security pony. This pony looked at him and then said into his microphone "This one looks old enough, I'll get him on stage". Then the pony received some information through his ear peace and then he looked down at Max. "Follow me".

"Ok" Max said as he then followed the security pony. Then walked around the side and everypony was watching him. A sudden feeling emerged as Max looked at all of these ponies watching him. He could hear some of them saying that they had never seen him before. 

Max then walked up the stage steps and came face to face with Spitfire. She examined him and then caught glimpse of his goggles. 

"Those are nice goggles, where did you get them?" Spitfire asked. Max looked up at the goggles and then looked back at Spitfire.

"I made them" Max said. He then stopped in thought and thought about what he said. He didn't make these, or did he. A sudden memory flash in his head. Maybe he could still remember things.

"Cool, so the race will consist of going round that mountain over there and then back here" Spitfire said. She pointed to the mountain ahead and Max looked at it. Max didn't know what a race was but he supposed that he needed to get here and back as quickly as possible. 

"All right then, lets do this" Max said as he pulled his goggles down onto his eyes. Max then spread his wings and got ready. Spitfire did the same and then a pony went in front of them with a flag. The pony waited for them to be ready and then he rose the flag. Some, like instinct was causing Max then to suddenly get his wings in the ready position. Then the flag dropped.

Max shot off the ground and he was in the air. All he could think about was getting to the mountain and back. He looked behind him to see Spitfire catching up with him. So far he was in the lead but he was losing it because of his lack of concentration. Max then looked forward again and focused on that feeling. 

He had made it to the half way point and he began to go round the mountain. He began to loose speed but as he exited the corner he picked it all up again. Now Spitfire was in front. She had gained the advantage through the corner but there was the straight left. Max wasn't about to loose today.

Max streamlined himself and then he picked up speed. A vacuum of air began to form around Max as he created a trail of white air. He then pulled up along side Spitfire and the race was getting to its climax. Max and Spitfire then crossed the line. A sudden turn and pulling up was need so the two could slow down. Max then flew to the stage again and he landed. 

After taking a deep breath he looked at the crowd and pushed his goggles up onto his head. Silence had fallen as the minds of many were blown. Spitfire then landed next to Max and looked him in the eye. "You did good, what's your name?" said Spitfire.

"Max Plasma is the name" Max said as a smug look appeared on his face. He then dismissed the look and waited for Spitfire's reaction. She too had become silent, she pushed her goggles onto her head so she could get a better look at Max.

"Did you just say your name is Max Plasma?" Asked Spitfire. She was trying to think if this was really who she thought it was. She then walked up to Max and whispered into his ear "Come back stage after the show and we will talk". Then she turned to the crowd and said "I've been told that the result of the race was unclear, so for now we can only say that this was a draw".

Max then walked off stage and a massive applause was given to him. Now when he walked past many ponies were astonished and amazed. He soon made his way to the back where Serene was waiting for him.

"Wow, I would have never knew...well I could have know because of your goggles but...all the same" she said as she was just as amazed as everyone else.

"To be honest, I didn't know either. It's a surprise for everypony" Max said. He then smiled and looked back to the stage. "How long has this got left?" Max asked as he looked to Serene again.

"A couple more hours" Serene said. Max then turned away from the stage and looked around. He raised a eye brow as he looked into town. 

"I'm going to do a bit of solo exploring, you can stay here and watch" Max said.

"You sure you don't need me to come with you?" Serene asked.

"I'll be fine, you enjoy the show" Max said as he then walked into town. Serene watched Max walk away and then she looked back at the stage.

The town was rather quiet, then again that would be the case when everypony was watching the Wonderbolts. Max looked to see each store was closed and each house was empty. A ghost town had been formed somehow. 

"DAMIT!" shouted somepony from the clock tower. Max looked over at this tower and saw somepony inside of it. Max then flew aver there and looked to see a pony with a brown pony with chestnut hair.

"Umm, can I help" Max asked as the pony seemed to be in a bit of bother. The pony then suddenly turned around and looked at Max.

"Oh hello there, my names the Doctor" said this pony as he handed out his hoof. Max continued to hover and then the pony pulled back his hoof. "Not much of a hoof-shaker are you?" said the Doctor as he then chuckled to himself.

"Hoof shake?" Max said with a very confused tone.

"You know, where two ponies shake hoofs with each other" the Doctor said. Max continued to look blank and confused at the Doctor. Then a unamused face appeared on the Doctor as he looked at Max as if to say 'are you kidding me'. 

"So what you doing there?" Max said as he tried to get rid of this awkward moment. 

"I'm trying to get this clock to work, but today I just can't do that" said the Doctor as he looked back at the mechanics behind him. Max took a few seconds looking at all of this.

"Can I have a look?" Max asked. The Doctor then looked back at Max. After that he stepped back and allowed Max to enter the clock tower. There was cogs and chains sitting about everywhere. It was a bit too much to take in at one glance but Max then looked to the part that drew him in most.

There was a block of some sorts that was connected to a bigger block. Then all the cogs were somehow powered by this box. Max walked up to it and looked at this smaller block near it.

"It looks like the battery is busted" the Doctor said as he stood beside Max. The Doctor then pulled the battery out of its socket and handed it to Max. When it was in Max's hoof it was rather large, and to think that it powered this entire clock. Max held the battery in his hand and then he closed his eyes.

Suddenly a burst of energy rushed through Max as his hair ignited into a blue plasma flame. Energy from Max then started to funnel into the battery. Within a few seconds Max then placed the battery back into its slot and his hair returned to normal. Max then pulled a handle and the clock roared to life. DING DONG!