//------------------------------// // A Bullet Amidst A Storm // Story: Never Dream // by Ximer //------------------------------// Day 1: It had been a while since I had been to this little hoofball field. It was where Rainbow Dash and I had settled our differences, in a sense. It was hard to believe that so much time had since then. A lot had changed since that first month in Equestria. "I'm going to push you to your limit. You'll never beat Thunderlane with your speed now." Rainbow Dash said as she circled me, evaluating my appearance. "He can fly faster, but not for a long period of time." Ike interrupted, still setting up the equipment Rainbow Dash had requested. "That's why we're switching to my method," Rainbow Dash smugly replied. "Before we start though, I'm going to warn you that I'm going to push you to the breaking point." "You're welcome to try." I smiled. "Good, let's hope you keep that attitude after fifty wing ups." Rainbow Dash said. I cocked my eyebrow at the assignment, it was pretty simple. I had expected her to say one hundred for a second, but fifty was the standard for a weather pony. Lean Streak had started me out that low, at the time I didn't know it was meant to be an insult. With a shrug I got down into position, losing my balance as I felt something land on my back. I looked behind me to see Mike placing some kind of vest on me. It's weight was hard to guess, but it was certainly heavy. I noticed Rainbow Dash grinning as realization sank in. "Now, we can start." the cyan mare said proudly. ---- Day 2: "Come on slow poke! I know you can fly faster than that!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she flew ahead of Daniel. Ike and Mike watched as a blue blur flew past them, followed by a slower blue blur. The weighted vest was having a clear effect on him; it made him fly much slower than he normally would without it. Ike shook his head dejectedly as he stopped the watch. It was impressive, to a wannabe, but way below the mark that Rainbow Dash had set for him to reach. The stallion still remembered how close he had come to passing out on the track after overheating himself. What Lean Streak had neglected to tell him was that racers had died before, pushing themselves too far. "How long does he have to get ready?" Mike asked. "One month." Ike replied. "We've got a lot of work to do..." Mike sighed. --- Day 4: "Come on, twenty more!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she flew higher into the sky. I had never seen Cloud Busting as an exercise, more like a job, or chore. There was no denying that it was an exhausting activity. What made this a bit more annoying was being timed while doing it, especially since I had to get rid of them the old fashioned way, instead of some of the creative tricks I had seen Rainbow Dash show me. I was basically doing Rainbow Dash's work for the day so that she could train me unhindered. This detail didn't escape me, but I had agreed when she said that it would be pretty close to what Thunderlane had gone through. I was feeling a burn whether she was telling the truth of not. "Ten more, I could have been done a long time ago." Rainbow Dash said. "I'm having a problem determining who's worse, you or Lean Streak.” I remarked. "Pfft, me, duh." Rainbow Dash boasted. I rolled my eyes as I popped another cloud. I wanted to make a witty comment, but kept it to myself. Dash would probably add something worse to whatever else she had in store for me after this was taken care of. I hadn’t expected Rainbow Dash to be such a hard bum when it came to stuff like this, but damn if she wasn’t almost as bad as Lean Streak, if not worse. Most of the stallion’s training had been centered around endurance, but she was all about getting things done quickly. I had the sinking feeling I would be going home sore again tonight. --- Day 8: “Only use your wings, understand?” Rainbow Dash asked, pointing at a set of hard cushioned blocks. The blocks were hoisted up on polls that sank into a rack when pressure was applied to them, a pretty common defensive exercise for hoof ball players. The difference being that they used their legs to push against the odd contraption. Scootaloo and Star Sprint sat atop one of the many foam pads, anxiously waiting for me to charge it. Not wanting to keep them waiting too long, I did so as fast as I could. I flapped my wings as hard as I could to try and make the device move, receiving cheers of encouragement from my two spectators. I smiled a little as it started to move, inching at first, before picking up a little speed. I managed to keep this up to what I assumed was the equivalent of the fifty yard line before stopping, my wings unwilling to continue. “Not bad, but we’ve still got work to do,” Rainbow Dash said. “Come on big guy, up and at ‘em.” “I hate you so much.” I groaned. Scootaloo and Star Sprint snickered at me quietly. I couldn’t blame them; I looked like a mess, and felt like one too. --- Day 15: Ike watched Daniel slowly gained on Rainbow Dash as they held a mock race. It had taken some time, but his speed was improving noticeably. The stallion had been skeptical of her methods at first at first, but they were proving to be effective. Despite the training, Daniel didn’t have a chance at catching Rainbow Dash yet. His speed started to taper off once more, causing Mike to sigh. It was the same no matter what they did. He would always come close to finishing strong, but it was as if he just couldn’t keep it together long enough. It was a bit discouraging, and there was little doubt that it frustrated Daniel. The stallion stomped the ground in irritation upon landing. He had taken off the vest to see if there had been some improvements and was clearly disappointed in the results, more so with himself than others. “Something has to be holding him back.” Mike commented. “Yeah, he’s been going at it nonstop…I don’t want to admit it, but maybe Thunderlane had a point. Maybe there is only so much he can do.” Ike said. “No there’s not,” Star Sprint said, looking up at the green earth pony. “If there was, then why are you still here? Do you really believe that?” “I hope you’re right kid.” Ike mumbled. --- Day 19: Rainbow Dash’s eyes darted to her stop watch, before finding her friend as another cloud disintegrated due to a swift kick. He was getting closer to the mark she had set for him, which put a small smile on her muzzle. He would never be as fast as her, but he might come close if he kept on giving it everything he had. The second the last cloud was disposed of, she stopped the watch, nodding in approval of how much time he had shaved off. She joined him on a low altitude cloud that had been spared his wrath. Rainbow Dash could tell he was tired, despite the fact that he was doing his best to conceal it. “You’re getting there, just a little bit more and I think you’ve got this.” Rainbow Dash said. “Dash, tell me honestly, do you think I can beat him?” Daniel asked. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at the stallion. “You’ve done all that I’ve asked of you so far, you’re getting faster every day. So, yes, I know you can, but I’m not the one that’s going to be flying against him now am I?” Daniel smirked at her response, his spirits lifting a little. Rainbow Dash knew pushing him too much would just break his will; a little encouragement here and there was needed to keep his moral up. The only thing holding him back now was his own doubt, which was something she had to get rid of. Rainbow Dash kept this thought to herself, plotting out the best course of action as her understudy regained his stamina. --- Day 22: Scootaloo blew into the whistle Rainbow Dash had given her. No sooner had she blown into the silver device, the rack she was on shook violently as her father slammed into it like a battering ram, pushing it forward with wing power alone. “Twenty…thirty…forty…” Scootaloo counted off as she was pushed past each marker. She could feel a small breeze created by his wings, something she considered impressive. Scootaloo noticed Rainbow Dash watching with approval, her eyes widened a bit however; causing the filly to grow concerned. She looked down to notice that her father was pushing the rack past the fifty yard mark. Scootaloo looked behind her to see the forty mark drawing closer. Her father was showing no signs of slowing down at the moment, continuing to push forward. Her heart soared with hope as she watched him push her perch past the opposite forty yard mark and towards the thirty. “Come on, just a little more!” Scootaloo cheered. He pushed her past the twenty yard mark with a grunt, as he dug deep into his reservoir of energy to keep going. Scootaloo had never had the chance to see him race before, but if he could do what she was witnessing now, she was sure it’d be a sight to see. Finally, using his wings alone, her father pushed the rack past the opposite ten yard line. His wings ceased their rapid motions, causing him to land on his hooves, tired after exhorting himself. Scootaloo smiled as she joined Daniel after climbing off the device. He looked tired, and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead. --- Day 29: “Okay, it’s time to show me what you’ve got. You ready?” Rainbow Dash asked. “As I’ll ever be.” I replied, slipping the weighted vest off. The cyan mare popped her neck and wings once before signaling to Ike to get ready to start. The earth pony nodded in acknowledgement ready for us to start. His brother cast a quick glance at a chart with a hopeful expression. “Three…two…one, go!” Rainbow Dash shouted, both of us taking off from the starting lane in unison. Our course had been laid out ahead of time, since there wasn’t an actual track to work with. It was marked with a few flags, some going on the outskirts of town, probably to show off a bit. The last time we had tried this we had received complaints, I couldn’t think of a better way to finish off the session by receiving a few more. “Keeping up so far?” Rainbow Dash asked with a mischievous smile. “Whenever you’re ready to stop holding back.” I replied, knowing all too well that she could fly MUCH faster. “You asked for it!” Rainbow Dash laughed, increasing her speed at an alarming rate. My surprise was short lived as I caught back up to her, which brought a smile to my muzzle. We had started at a pretty decent pace, and already we were nearing our marked second turn. Two flight trails were left in our wake, marking our passage as a few ponies below stopped to watch. Rainbow Dash glanced over at me as we both picked up speed exiting the second turn. I couldn’t be certain, but I thought I saw a smile grace her features for a spilt second before she addressed me. “You ready for the big push?” I only nodded, fearing that distracting myself with words would cause me to fly slower. It was an unrealistic fear, but I wasn’t about to screw this up over some confident remark that I couldn’t back up. Rainbow Dash and I kept the same pace as we entered the third turn. I was starting to feel tired now, but I knew I could keep going. The pain wasn’t unbearable yet, not like it had been against Thunderlane. I could do this, or so I thought. As we exited the forth turn Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out at me, speeding away with ease. I gave chase, staying on her tail, but never managing to catch her. It didn’t matter though, I had stopped caring now and was having fun, like I was supposed to. “Stop!” I heard Mike yell, intruding upon my train of thought. I had passed the finish line, and realized a bit too late that there was such a thing as too much momentum. “Fu-“ I cried just before slamming into the branches of a tree. “….ck.” “You okay in there?” I heard Rainbow Dash call out. “Yep, fanfuckingtastic, nothing but gumdrops and ice cream in here.” I replied. “He’s fine.” I heard Ike’s voice chime in from somewhere close by. I eventually dislodged myself from the tree and tumbled to the ground, unharmed for the most part. I was thankful that the track would be devoid of any trees when achieving such speeds. "Well, I don't know about guys, but I think he's ready." Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs across her chest. "Still not faster than me of course." --- Cloudchaser watched her future husband stare at his open suitcase. He had been like that for a while now, unmoving despite the excited commotion of Scootaloo from down the hallway. The filly was hyped to see the big race, especially since she would have somepony her age to go with if things got too boring. Cloudchaser had a feeling that wouldn't be an issue though. The mare's focus returned to her bond mate once more. She flapped her wings a few times, becoming airborne to silently approach him. Cloudchaser landed quietly, making only the faintest clack against the hardwood floor. It was enough to expose her, but not in time for Daniel to turn around before she could wrap her forelegs around his neck as she came to rest against his back. "Deep in thought?" the mare asked, nuzzling his mane. "Yeah, tomorrow we leave out, and I've got a two day trip ahead of me." Daniel replied. "You know win or lose you already have both our hearts, right?" Cloudchaser let her head rest on top of his briefly before sliding up beside him, smiling as a tired wing wrapped around her like a blanket. "I know, I couldn't ask for a better mare, or a better daughter." Daniel said. "I think we'll have pancakes in the morning if you keep that up." Cloudchaser said as she looked up at her stallion. "Am I really that sappy?" Daniel asked. "The sappiest...don't ever change." Cloudchaser sighed happily as she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. The mare gave him a hard time, but only out of love. She knew he cared deeply for her and Scootaloo, which added to the sense of security that he gave her. No other being had been able to provide such comfort on an intimate level like this. “You’re going to be there for the conference, right?” Cloudchaser asked. “Yeah, no drinking this time, I learned my lesson after that trippy dream.” Daniel replied with a shiver. “…do you want to dance?” “Absolutely.” Cloudchaser giggled, before a semi-loud thud interrupted the mood. “Uh oh.” “I’ll go check on her; I put your overnight bag next to mine in the suitcase in case you’re looking for it.” Daniel said as he walked out of the room. Cloudchaser looked into the suitcase and confirmed his statement. A mischievous smile formed on her muzzle as she walked over to their closet. She was forced to use her wings to reach the top part where a few of Daniel’s human clothes were hung, alongside what few she owned. Cloudchaser still had trouble finding the appeal to attire apart from special occasions. The mare easily found what she was looking for a carefully removed it from the closet, doing her best to avoid creating wrinkles. She had a feeling this would knock his suit off. --- Scootaloo and Star Sprint jumped excitedly from seat to seat, trying to take in the outskirts of the crystal empire as we drew closer. It was an impressive sight to behold, and it was hard to tell what was crystal and what was ice sometimes. The kingdom had supposedly been dormant for years and only recently reappeared. This obviously left them with quite a bit of catching up to do, and I had to plead with Isabella not to bring up human science. These poor ponies would be freaked out enough seeing her walking among them, but Twilight and Cadance had prepared for this, or so they had assured us. In fact, they had been pretty adamant that I wear the necklace Twilight had given me. This took a little persuasion from Cloudchaser, but I eventually agreed. Cloudchaser had occupied my lap most of the trip, claiming it was warmer, and more comfortable than the seats. She reminded me of a big house cat when a cuddly mood struck her. Isabella hadn’t escaped the fate of being a petting station either, though she got a bit more attention than me for obvious reasons. Fluttershy was a bit reluctant at first, but eventually let Isabella help brush her rather long mane, which she seemed to enjoy. Two days on a train kind of forced others together so it turned out to be a good bonding experience. I ran my fingers between Cloudchaser’s feathers, feeling their soft texture. She glanced up at me briefly before spreading her left wing for me to preen. It had been surprisingly easy to pick up on how to preen her with fingers, and seemed to be a lot more relaxing since she didn’t have to support her wing while I worked. I used one hand to support her wing, while the other one was used to gently slide the feathers back into place. “I wish you knew how amazing this feels.” Cloudchaser sighed. “I’m sure it’s a lot more relaxing than the normal way.” I said, maneuvering one of her primaries into place. “Someponie’s excited.” Cloudchaser gestured lazily with her head towards our daughter, who was carrying on an intense conversation with a wide eyed Star Sprint. Flitter looked out the window beside them, she had been excited about the news that she would be an aunt. What's more, Scootaloo got two aunts between her mom and I. Flitter was a bit more proper, while Isabella would probably let the filly get away with cold blooded murder if she ever committed it. Actually, I could see Isabella aiding in the disposal of the body. Flitter had tried to fix Scootaloo's mane a bit, which worked for a while. The filly preferred the messy look though and to be honest it suited her personality. I kept my hair cut short for a reason, so I could just wake up and go, with a mane, I had to work with it a bit, but not much so I felt Scootaloo's pain. “Yeah, she deserves to be though.” I shrugged. “I think they look cute together.” Cloudchaser said quietly as she rested her head against my leg, her breathing slow and steady. I looked back up at the two foals and saw what she meant. I could see the two of them becoming close friends, and who knows what the future had in store. I would have laughed if a time traveling version of me said I’d be getting married to an alien, miniature horse. “Yeah, I guess.” I said nonchalantly, trying to mask my underlying concern of the unknown. “Mmhmm, welcome to fatherhood.” Cloudchaser wore a smug smile as she shifted a bit on my lap as I finished her left wing. I rolled my eyes and started on her other wing. Despite being within sight, there was still quite a distance to cover to the empire. I grinned as I started humming the theme to Game of Thrones; the frozen wilderness that existed between our destination reminding me of The Wall, minus the depressing circumstances that involved its existence. I noticed one of Cloudchaser's ears twitch and swiveled towards me. My tune seemed to disturb her, which made me hum a little louder. Her tail swished against me in a subtle attempt to shut me up. Pinkie Pie noticed this and giggled before joining in, picking up on the tune pretty quickly. I heard a low groan of discontent come from Cloudchaser as I finished her wing. Her ears flattened against her head, making themselves the perfect target for a few brief scratches. "Sorry babe, it's all in good fun." I said. "Uh huh, I'll get you back." Cloudchaser ominously promised. "Oooh, somepony's in trouble~" Pinkie Pie sang. "You did it too." I reminded her. "I know, but I'm not engaged to her." Pinkie retorted. "I...touché..." I said. Pinkie Pie held her head high triumphantly. I had missed spending time with my friends, Pinkie Pie's ability to keep the mood light and good natured was probably something I could have used more of. It meant a lot that they had wanted to come, if not to see the race, just to socialize with a few friends they hadn't seen. I suppose I was an excuse to leave Ponyville for a bit, but that didn't bug me. This thought made me glance around the train car to find Twilight off in a corner all by her lonesome. She was meticulously looking over notes and the like. I assumed it was official business, but business had no place on a trip like this. "Hey," Cloudchaser grabbed my attention with a gentle poke to the side. "You should go check on her." The mare in my lap had to be psychic, I was convinced of it. That, or she was really good at reading me. Either option was good, though I felt sorry for her if she was psychic, the curse of listening to my thoughts is a fate I wouldn't wish upon anyone, or pony. With a nod of agreement, Cloudchaser hopped out of my lap and walked over to Isabella. I stood up on unstable legs, despite pegasi weighing close to nothing, Cloudchaser was oddly heavy enough to put my legs to sleep. The fact that I was on a train with only two legs now didn't help either. After walking around on four for almost a year, I had gotten used to not having to worry about such things- "Agkh!" -including hitting my head on the roof of the train car. I never thought I would even let the thought into my mind, but being tall sucked now. I was starting to remember all of the pros I had looked at to help me get used to being stuck as a pegasus. I had just kind of accepted them and forgotten about ducking and all of the other useful tricks I had taught myself to make life a little easier as a human in Equestria. "Hey Twilight, what's got you so pre-occupied?" I asked, taking a seat next to her. I couldn't help but notice her trying to mask a troubled expression at the sound of my voice. "Oh, just a few reports, things that need tending to. My job never stops." Twilight replied. "It did two days ago," I said rolling up one of the scrolls. "You used to lecture me about rest all the time, right? I suppose you can call us even now." "But-that's not..." Twilight trailed off, had I been just some ordinary subject I probably would have been blasted through a window for telling a princess to stop being a princess. "I suppose I have been at it a while..." "Come on, we've still got a while before we reach the station." I said motioning for her to join me with the others. "One more scroll?" Twilight asked hopefully, raising a hoof questionably. "Twilight..." I deadpanned, pointing towards the small gathering. "Okay." Twilight sighed in mock disappointment, a smile spreading across her muzzle as I herded her over to her friends. I took a seat next to Track Pace, his muzzle practically buried in the paper as we rode out the last few hours of our trip to the Crystal Empire. He was engrossed in whatever it was that had his attention. “Everything okay?” I asked. “Yeah, just trying to put my mind at ease. You’re not nervous are you?” the unicorn asked. “Only about letting ponies down.” I replied. “Heh, I feel ya,” Track Pace said, glancing over at the two foals, who were soon joined by Diamond Tiara. “Somepony thinks you’re going to win though.” “Yeah…” I said leaning my head back to rest for a while, the last few hours of piece before one of the biggest storms of my life. --- “Daniel...wake up.” I heard Cloudchaser say, gently shaking me awake. “Mph…did we finally stop?” I asked. “Yeah, you drifted off for a while. Come on.” Cloudchaser laughed, gently taking my shirt in her mouth and pulling on it to encourage me to my feet. I remembered to duck this time, avoiding another collision with the roof of the train car. It was then that I noticed Isabella from outside the window. She was already swamped by…weird, shiny ponies…I had the odd urge to go find a pokeball. Thankfully, Twilight was with her, as well as her friends. “Huh…weird.” I said as I followed Cloudchaser out of the train, grabbing my suitcase along the way. Upon stepping out of the train, the locals casually approached me, almost as if they had been eagerly waiting for me. I assumed this had to be Cadance and Twilight’s doing and decided to roll with it as best as I could. Cloudchaser flew by my side to avoid being smothered by the crowd. “So you’re from another world? What’s it like? Are you a pony or a human? Has the crystal helped? Is that your wife?” the crystal ponies had a number of questions, so many that my mind kind of shut down on me. Help me... I thought casting a desperate look at Twilight. Thankfully she picked up on my distress and came to intervene. “Let’s not crowd them too much everypony. They’ve never seen a kingdom like yours before, just like you’ve never seen something like them before.” Twilight said, bringing a bit of order to the crowd of curious ponies. They complied, backing away slowly. It almost made me feel guilty, they were just excited and curious, they had just gone about it in a way I doubt any being would have found comfortable. I had been worried that they would be super skittish, but they were the exact opposite instead. It put my mind at ease that the only explaining I would have to do would be of a few things here and there of my life, and not touch on all of the points on why humans weren’t as scary as we looked. “I see you make friends quickly.” I heard Shining Armor say as the crowd parted for him and a few guards who were also shiny…damn, now I really wanted that pokeball. “Only on Mondays.” I replied nonchalantly. “It’s Saturday…” Shining said with a cough. “Oh…well…it’s good to see you again. I don’t think we’ve had a chance to talk sin-“ “Shining!” Twilight interrupted me with a shout, nearly bowling her brother over in a hug. The siblings cut their hug short when they realized all eyes were on them now. Shining cleared his throat as Twilight sheepishly stepped back towards her friends; it was good to see a princess let her feelings shine through every now and then. “Cadance asked me to bring you guys to the castle.” Shining said, as if suddenly remembering why he had come here in the first place after getting a bit side tracked. “Lead the way boss.” Isabella chirped, our welcoming party thinning ever so slightly as we followed the guards back to the large crystallized structure. "Never thought you'd be here, did ya?" Mike asked, nudging my leg. "No, this place is incredible...Earth has nothing like this, except in books and fairy tales." I said, admiring the buildings. They looked like they had been built a thousand years ago, but their condition was as if they had been untouched by time. A glow seemed to emanate from the homes and stores of the crystal ponies. A part of me dreaded the thought of other humans seeing such a city. I reminded myself that there was no chance of that happening now. The source of travel to my world was locked away for good. There didn't seem to be any classes in the crystal empire, which struck me as odd. If what Twilight had told me was true, there should be a more primitive social structure, like that of Canterlot. Of course, I would never make that comparison out loud. It still amazed me that these ponies got along in such a luxurious place with equality, save for Cadance of course. There had to be nobles, but so far everypony seemed to have their own well-kept respective house. It was then that I noticed something; all the houses and buildings had distinct markings on them. It didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that they were crest, which explained things pretty clearly. "They use family." I mumbled aloud. "Say what?" Isabella asked. "He's talking about the crystal ponies," Twilight spoke up. "I'll admit it was a bit strange at first too, but it's actually pretty interesting. There's always a head family that changes periodically, and answers directly to the throne on behalf of the others." "It's also where most of the guard recruits come from at the time. Since it shifts, it guarantees that one particular family isn't favored above the others." Shining added. "That's....not a bad idea actually." Isabella said, taking me by surprise. The houses and shops came to an abrupt end, giving way to a rather spacious court. There were several hedge designs and other structures, one being a crystal statue of Spike. "Somepony's popular, I bet he gets all the ladies." Isabella laughed. "You'd think that," Spike shrugged. "But I've got eyes for only one." I rolled my eyes, Spike’s Achilles heel was pretty easy to pinpoint. Next to diamonds, Rarity was what the object of his affections, even if the little guy was a bit too young to really grasp the finer concepts of what all went into a relationship. Hard work, patience, devotion- "My wings are tired." Cloudchaser said as she sloppily landed against my back, throwing her forelegs over my shoulders. -doubling as a taxi was now on the list. I would have assumed it might seem awkward to the crystal ponies to see our relationship on display, but they didn't seem to mind. In fact, it was as if I had stumbled into opposite land, where everypony was pretty accepting of things. Two large doors served as the entrance to Cadance’s castle, the guards stepping aside to grant us access. The inside of the castle was huge, and shiny, much like a majority of the houses. The floors gave off an almost perfect reflection upon looking down at them which was pretty cool. It was also made me worried that I would break the floor if I jumped on it. “You could probably get in some pretty decent waxed floor races…” Isabella said. I noticed two of the guards suddenly take on expressions of unease at my sister’s comment. I managed to bite back a laugh; Cloudchaser couldn’t help but snicker lightly. It was pretty obvious these guards weren’t as uptight as their Canterlot counterparts if they were willing to actually try that. “I’m glad to see you’re both in one piece.” I heard a somewhat bubbly voice say. “Cadance!” Twilight and her friends cried in unison, bringing her into their own group hug. “It's good to see all of you too.” the bubble gum alicorn laughed. Their group hug came to an end, the semi waist high alicorn approaching us with a friendly smile. “I hope you like it here in the Crystal Empire.” “This place is pretty incredible.” I said. Cloudchaser chose now to descend from my back, bringing an end to her free ride. Her sudden appearance caught the alicorn by surprise, a shocked expression crossing her muzzle for a split second. “It looks like you two are still together, and perhaps a bit more from what I’ve been told.” Cadance’s smile seemed to brighten as her eyes focused on Cloudchaser. “Somepony has to keep him in line. I’ve got a little helper for that now too.” Cloudchaser giggled as Scootaloo joined her. “I see, well I won’t keep you from your rooms. I’m sure you’d all like to rest a bit before tonight.” Cadance said. “We get to stay here?” Star Sprint asked in wide eyed wonder. “Yes, the finalist and their teams have access to the castle.” Cadance replied. “But…I’m not part of his team…” Star Sprint mumbled in confusion. “Sure you are, Cloudchaser appointed you to be my body guard, remember?” I asked as we followed a maid up the stairs. --- “Cloudchaser,” Cadance called out, gaining the mare’s attention. “Can I see you for a second?” Cloudchaser nodded towards her mate to go on without her. A tinge of unease crept along her spine as she approached the alicorn hesitantly. What could she possibly want with a common pony like her? “Yes, your majesty?” Cloudchaser asked bowing slightly. “I was just curious how things were, and if he took the news well?” Cadance smiled giddily. “Uh…what?” Cloudchaser looked stunned. “You know, don’t tell me he asked you to keep it a secret. That’d be lame, he strikes me as a family oriented stallion, I wouldn’t expect him to be quiet about something like this.” Cadance said, only adding to the poor pegasus’ confusion. “Not to be rude princess, but I genuinely have no idea what you’re talking about.” Cloudchaser frowned. “You mean…but how could you not know?” Cadance tilted her head. “I’m sorry to disappoint you?” Cloudchaser shrugged nervously. “Well, umm...guess there's no going back now that I’ve brought it to your attention…you're pregnant.” Cadance blushed. Cloudchaser’s muzzle remained expressionless for a long time. Seconds passed at an alarmingly slow rate as she processed what she had just heard the alicorn tell her. There must be some mistake, she couldn’t be pregnant. Sure, she had been a bit weak lately, and her stomach hadn’t been kind to her, but she knew that pregnancy was an impossibility…right? “Um, princess, I –I can’t be pregnant. Daniel is…well…he can’t have foals. Luna showed me in his memories when he was still….human.” Cloudchaser slowly trailed off as it occurred to her how the princess’ words might have a bit of truth to them. “Even if he was human Cloudchaser, he would still be able to have children with you. If Twilight’s studies of Isabella apply to him as well,” Cadance explained. “There’s magic flowing through them as well. It’s weak, but it’s definitely there.” Cadance could tell from the look on Cloudchaser’s muzzle that she was still having trouble believing her. It was an understandable doubt, she had been told, and shown, that he was incapable of giving her children. To suddenly be told she had been blessed with one of her own was probably quite the shock. She had probably dismissed it as nothing but nerves or illness. “If I may?” Cadance asked stepping closer to the mare. When Cloudchaser didn't move, either too stunned or too afraid to object, she took this as a sign to continue. The alicorn lowered her horn to her stomach, a soft glow surrounding it. Cloudchaser remained motionless as she watched Cadance's horn glow near her body, a strange noise suddenly occupied her ears. It sounded like....a heartbeat. The mare quickly realized what exactly her magic was doing, but it still seemed impossible. "I'm pretty sure this one is going to be a colt." Cadance said drawing away from the pegasus. Cloudchaser felt her right hoof slowly come to rest on her stomach of its own accord. A part of her wanted to ask how she could tell, but the overwhelming sense of realization kept her from doing so. Even though Cadance's magic had ceased to allow her to hear the heartbeat of the foal she was now carrying, it was burned into her mind and memory. "Thank you...." Cloudchaser said in a hushed voice. "I believe there's somepony that would love to hear the news." Cadance said before leaving Cloudchaser to her thoughts. The pegasus slowly flew through the halls, occasionally remembering to ask a guard or servant where Daniel had wandered off to. He wasn't hard to miss as long as he had that trinket around his neck which made the task of describing him a bit easier. She eventually found the room he was staying in and slowly opened the door. Instead of finding a human, she found the familiar blue stallion she had come to love. A pile of clothes were beside the bed, which gave her an idea for later, but right now there were more important matters to deal with. Cloudchaser slowly approached Daniel, but paused before she disturbed him. How am I going to convince him that this is real? I'm still having a hard time coming to terms with this. Cloudchaser thought to herself. Slowly, Cloudchaser climbed up onto the bed, laying down next to her soon to be husband. Ever so gently, she kissed him on the nose, slowly dragging him out of the depths of his slumber. --- "Cloudchaser?" I dumbly asked surprised to see her looking down at me. "What time is it?" "Beats me," Cloudchaser shrugged. "Look on the bright side though, I didn't wake you up using my other method." "Other meth-oh, that," I blushed. "Yeah, let's save those wake ups for when Scootaloo isn't around to walk in and get traumatized for life." "All jokes aside, there's something we need to talk about." Cloudchaser said, her expression displaying the importance of whatever was on her mind. "Okay, what's on your mind?" I asked. "Well, remember when we got a little intimate during my season?" Cloudchaser asked, to which I nodded for her to continue. "It turns out the magic in you doesn't really care what you had wrong with you as a human." I cocked an eyebrow at her odd statement. What did her season and magic have to do with anything at all? "Ugh, you can be dense at times," Cloudchaser facehoofed. "I'm pregnant." Well, that makes a bit mor- BREAKING NEWS! THE THOUGHT TRAIN HAS BEEN DERAILED TODAY AFTER AN UNEXPECTED INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE LIFE TRACKS, RESULTING IN A GIANT MUSHROOM LIKE EXPLOSION. IT WAS REALLY COOL. "....Daniel?" Cloudchaser poked my forehead with her hoof. "Sorry, I blanked out there for a second. Something about tracks and mushrooms." I confessed. "I said I'm pregnant." Cloudchaser deadpanned. "Uh, wait what....wait....WHAT!?" my voice echoed off the walls, making the mare beside me flinch. "Oh, sorry..." "It's fine, I thought the same thing, just with a little less volume," Cloudchaser commented as she rubbed one of her ears. "So what are we going to do?" "Babe, I don't understand. How can I get you pregnant? I mean, it's impossible." I said. "Well, when an alicorn breaks the news to you that you've got something growing inside you, and lets you hear the heartbeat, you're inclined to believe her." Cloudchaser smiled nervously. "You heard the heartbeat?" I asked, to which Cloudchaser nodded. "I kind of thought something might be up, but I didn't tell you because the odds were stacked against something like this. I'm sorry, even I didn't know for sure, but please trust me. I would never lie about something like this to you." Cloudchaser said as she snuggled close to me. "I know you wouldn't, it's just hard to believe." I said, draping a wing over her. "Daniel...are you still going to stay with me?" Cloudchaser asked, looking up at me with genuine concern. "I know we adopted Scootaloo, but I didn't know we would have another foal...I’m scared now" "I promise you, I won't let anything bad happen to you, Scootaloo, or whoever this turns out to be," I said, nuzzling her barrel. "I'm never leaving you guys behind." "I hope he turns out like you." Cloudchaser said resting her head against me as a tear escaped her eye. It was a struggle to hold mine back, both out of fear and joy. I had been here once befo- "Wait, he? How do you know already?" I asked. "I guess Cadance used her magic to tell. She told me she's pretty sure it's a colt." Cloudchaser replied. The mare slowly burrowed her way beneath the covers beckoning me to join her. Whether it truly was the temperature, or my mind playing tricks on me, it did feel a bit cool in here, and the thought of some added body heat was rather appealing now. I rolled onto my side once I was beneath the sheets. Cloudchaser wasted little time in scooting up against me, turning her back towards me as our bodies made contact. I found my foreleg wrapping around her barrel by itself, earning a happy sigh from the mare. --- “Fillies and gentle colts, the next guest entering tonight will be Daniel, accompanied by his fiancé Cloudchaser.” an announcers voice proclaimed over a set of speakers. “I thought they did things the old fashioned way here.” I commented to Cloudchaser as we entered the large ballroom. “Just smile and nod, and you’ll do fine.” Cloudchaser held her head high with a calm, dignified grace that was seldom displayed. She looked absolutely stunning tonight. The blue dress she had on reminded me of Luna’s mane, the way it sparkled against the light and crystal surface of the walls. Our table was set apart from the others, up front for all to see. I had never had this type of experience back on Earth, always existing in the background. I was just glad I had somepony beside me to face it with. Thunderlane was seated across from us, casting a death glare in my direction. My attention was diverted from it however; as Cloudchaser leaned against me. Her gentle reminder that she was still by my side chased away the tension in my body, a strange ability that she seemed to have over me. “I think that’s Alabaster, he’s the one that beat out your friend Whitefire, right?” Cloudchaser asked, as a rather proud looking stallion strode through the doors upon hearing his name. “Yeah, he barely beat him. I was really hoping to have that rematch with Whitefire.” I sulked. “You’re getting the next best thing.” Cloudchaser smiled brightly, causing Thunderlane’s gaze to falter at being subtly referred to as second best. Ouch….gonna need a wet towel for that one. said the small voice in the back of my mind. I’m not sure a towel could sooth that. I thought back. --- Isabella watched from her table as a rather elderly stallion approached a microphone. He pulled out a pair of small glasses and two sheets of paper before beginning his speech. Blah blah blah racing, blah blah blah history, blah blah blah kingdom…. Isabella hardly registered these types of events. She had been to them before on Earth, what was one more here in Equestria to her? Her brother was the main reason she was here, not in a bad way. She just wanted tomorrow to hurry up and get here to she could watch him fly. “You seem to be enjoying yourself.” Blueblood said, almost making her jump. How could something with noisy hooves move so quietly? She thought only Big Mac could do that. “I’m never one for speeches, unless it’s delivered by Liam Neeson.” Isabella shrugged. “I…don’t have a response for that, who is this Lime Knee Son?” Blueblood asked. “Some guy from my world,” Isabella replied. “Addressing the elephant in the room, what are you doing here?” “Tomorrow is a rather historic moment in Equestria, it’s the first time the championship race has been held in the Crystal Empire, for obvious reasons,” Blueblood said turning his attention briefly to a guard that huffed at him before moving on. “I can’t think of a reason why I wouldn’t be here.” Isabella had seen tons of people in her time on Earth. From all walks of life, great and small. Knowing when there was more to someone, or pony, was a trait she had picked up in her travels, and it had helped her on multiple occasions. It seemed the prince was no exception to this rule. "Hmm, so you just decided to come chat with me? Rarity and Twilight are over there. A hero and a princess, they would probably enjoy your company." Isabella was trying to sound genuine, but knew why he wouldn't show his muzzle around them. Rarity despised the unicorn and Twilight would side with her friends on most issues. "Well, that is to say-" Blueblood tried to think of some way to redirect the topic. "Heck, I'm sure my brother would like to chat with you. I never did understand why you didn't talk to him much." Isabella said. "Well...that's because I was fearful of him at the time....he was still relatively new after all. How was one to know if he would eat a pony when things settle down?" Blueblood asked. "Now when you say eat...you know what, never mind, a topic for another day. Blueblood, you can't smooth talk everypony you see," Isabella said, stopping him. "I've matched wits with the best of them, so your best bet is cutting to the chase. Now, try again." Blueblood wasn't sure if he should be flustered at Isabella, or disappointed in himself as she danced past his game. Humans didn't work like ponies at all, which made this all the more confusing to the prince. Why did he even have a sliver of interest in her? She talked to him as if he were a normal stallion, her aunts as well. She was an oddly frustrating individual. "Very well, tomorrow would you be my guest in the VIP section?" Blueblood asked. "I already promised I'd sit with Cloudchaser and Scootaloo tomorrow." Isabella replied, taking note of the ever so subtle sulk, before the unicorn recovered. For coming off as being a bit wimpy, he held it together nicely after being turned down. "I apologize then, I'll leave you to your evening." Blueblood said puffing out his chest slightly to keep his regal aura about him. "....a quick look before the race never hurt though," Isabella said, causing the stallion to pause. "For next time." Blueblood's signature smile etched its way onto his muzzle as he walked away. His confidence was restored once more to borderline arrogance, until he realized that somepony other than himself had just set forth terms. As quickly as his smile had appeared it faded into an expression of deep reflection on this new concept. Luna had taken note of the strange interaction between the two and smirked as she watched young Blueblood's reaction after speaking with the human mare. It was humorous to say the least, but what she couldn't understand was why he would talk to her, but shy away from her brother. "Funny, isn't it?" Celestia asked. "While we do find mild humor in our nephew's attempt to reach out to Isabella, we fail to find the level of hilarity you see, sister." Luna replied. "It's just karma working its magic, hopefully for the better." Celestia giggled to herself. --- “You’re not nervous are you?” Cloudchaser asked as the music started to play. “No, it’s just we’ve only danced once….in private.” I mumbled. “Just relax, and follow the music.” The mare said as the slow and steady tempo swept across the room. She leaned against me, resting her head against my neck as we moved. I was a bit to tense to relax and enjoy the moment, watching other stallions and how they moved. I was thankful that there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of moving involved with this song….until I heard the cellist begin to play a little faster. Ah crap I thought myself as Cloudchaser smiled at me expectantly. I glanced to my right to try and mirror the stallion’s movements. I was a pegasus though, not a chameleon, and nearly lost my balance as I had to catch and dip Cloudchaser. How something so random was placed in a dance was beyond me, but until roughly a year ago I wouldn’t have believed that dragons were real. Oh please let this disaster of a dance end quickly! --- Isabella noticed the painful performance unfolding and a few whispers started to rise up, as ponies pointed at the two lovers on the dance floor. Her mind worked quickly to formulate a solution as the music began to slow down in its conclusion. That’s when an idea occurred to her. She quickly maneuvered past the ponies that were in her way, to reach the band. Isabella knew just the song to get things back on track, one that she hoped existed in this world. So far, there had been a counter part for just about everything else from there world. She was inclined to believe the song she had in mind was a reality here. “Hey.” Isabella whispered to the cellist, gaining her attention before whispering something in her ear. “So long as you keep that one a good distance from the band, consider this one on the house. I like number forty three.” the earth pony said, pointing towards Pinkie Pie who had just finished off three cupcakes in one gulp. “Consider it done.” Isabella replied. --- I was grateful that the dance was over. Cloudchaser was doing her best to hide her disappointment, but I could tell that I had let her down. I wasn’t much better at dancing as a human as I was a pony. Going to two legs right now wasn’t an option. Suddenly a familiar tune started to play. It was one I hadn’t heard since I was a kid, and I was impressed it was even a thing in here. That applied to a lot of things in this world though, not just music. I felt a bit more confident with my movements as the song played, taking Cloudchaser by surprise. Her smile turned into a genuine one, as she leaned against me from the front. We slowly swayed to the music, occasionally parting for a few seconds, only to return to each other once. I was surprised to discover that I was actually enjoying myself. I was really starting to get into the motions of the music, feeling at ease with each step I took. All too soon, the song started to wind down before I realized how much time had actually passed. I had been so caught up in the moment with her that I completely forgot about the song’s length. “Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme…” I quietly sang along as the song neared its end. “Beauty and the beast.” Cloudchaser whispered before kissing my cheek. I looked at her confused, which only made her smile grow. I had been ready to dismiss this as just another one of those coincidences, but if there was really a story, and song, that matched ones from my world it sent my mind into a tail spin. Cloudchaser pressed her muzzle against mine to get my attention, her rose colored eyes holding my focus. All those pesky thoughts about different worlds and circumstances left my mind as she stared into my eyes. Her eyelids slowly sank over the two beautiful orbs that captivated me, creating the familiar bedroom eyes that made my heart beat a bit faster. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” I asked. “All the way from our room,” Cloudchaser replied, resting a hoof against my chest. “But I never get tired of hearing you say it.” “C’mon, let’s get out of here.” I said, gesturing my head towards the large double doors. --- Warning-you know what, if you've read this far into the story you know the drill, not safe for work, blah blah blah. I'm not responsible if you lose your job for clicking this link at the office. (enjoy) --- I awoke to the warm sun’s rays gently gracing me with subtle strands of extra heat as they danced of the crystal like structures of the room. Cloudchaser was still curled up beside me, reminding me once again that all of this was real, and that she was mine, just like I was hers. Today wasn’t meant to be a heartwarming occasion though; there was one more trial I had to confront. My friends had supported me as much as they could, but now the challenge was mine to finish. This conflict with Thunderlane was going to end in one of two ways today; the peace of victory, or the silence of defeat. I quietly started to get ready, wanting to let her get as much sleep as possible. She deserved a bit of rest, and I didn’t want her to see me like this, rattled before the biggest race of my life, so far anyways. It was still hard to imagine that this was really happening. I stepped into the shower with a sigh as the warm water washed away any damning evidence of our activities last night. I had considered waiting until after the race, the argument of getting hot and sweaty all over again would only earn me another shower at Cloudchaser’s request. Having to take another bath was better than explaining, or catching crap from the others, about last night. “My turn.” Cloudchaser said nonchalantly, startling me. “Jeez, when did you wake up?” I asked. “Oh, I’ve been awake. I was just watching you.” Cloudchaser confessed as her messy morning mane became flattened by the running water. “Here I thought I was being a pretty good ninja.” I mused. “You make more noise than I do when-“I quickly silenced her next words with a kiss, assuming they were about last night. “You’re fun.” “You’re a bigger perv than my sister sometimes.” I rolled my eyes before hopping out of the shower to get dressed. “I can’t argue with a view like that.” Cloudchaser laughed, making me realize she was staring at my flanks. At least she was in a playful mood this morning and not one of her ill ones. “I think I need an adult.” I chuckled. “I am an adult.” the mare replied in a husky tone. No! Down boner! We have work to do… I thought to myself. Okay…. --- “This is it, the moment of truth.” Rainbow Dash said as gave both of my wings the once over. The noise from the crowd briefly filled the small stadium room as Mike entered, quickly closing the door behind him. “You’ve got five minutes left on the clock. Not to add to your pressured audience, but Sky Mark is here…he’s sitting pretty close to Cloudchaser and the others.” Both Ike and I looked at each other with concerned expressions before Ike turned to his brother. “Mike, go be a buffer, if him or his goons so much as look at them funny, clobber them.” Ike said. With a nod, Mike left us, presumably heading off into the stands to become a deterrent. I didn’t trust Sky Mark at all after our last little encounter, and it would be a cold day in hell before I would let him anywhere near my family. “All the manager nonsense aside, just remember to go out strong. You won't beat Thunderlane by hanging back, it's all or nothing." Ike ominously reminded me. "I know." I said taking in a deep breath to calm myself down. "Come on, let's get you out there before you get any jumpier." Rainbow Dash said. "In a second guys..." I sighed, as both of them exited the room. I let my mind drift for a few seconds over the events leading me here. I had experienced monumental moments in my life before, but this was on an entirely new level. I had never had anything worth fighting for, worth getting out of bed each day other than the requirement to survive. Now I had friends that cared, a family that loved me, and if what Cadance said was true, I had a son on the way. I closed my eyes in thought, a smile spread across my muzzle as I dwelt on these events for as long as I could. "Let me be fast and strong." I silently prayed before opening my eyes. A feeling of calm washed over me, win or lose I was certain of one thing; that there would be no question about if I was at my best or not. This would be as fair a race as it could be. With that in mind, I opened the door and joined Rainbow Dash and Ike. The noise from the crowd was growing louder by the second as time ticked away. It was the same at every track, even with a part of Equestria that had been out of the loop for a while. The sun seemed to be unusually bright, as a few rays reflected off the crystal track. Thankfully, the part beneath our flight path was soft dirt. Though, if it was hit at top speed it felt more like concrete. Rainbow Dash and Ike followed me to the boundary. They couldn't follow me past that point, no matter their social status. I would be left to face Thunderlane alone. Some ponies had their hopes placed in me; one that came to mind was my trainer. Lean Streak made a little more sense now. Arguably, so did Thunderlane. I wasn't supposed to be here, but I was. I shouldn't even be able to fly, having never been born with the instinct or drive to do so, but I could. It was all strange and foreign to me once, but now it was a way of life. "Hey," Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on my back. "You've got this, prove 'em all wrong." I nodded before crossing the point of no return. There waiting for me at the starting line was a familiar charcoal coated stallion. There was no cocky remark, no villainous threat, just a cold stare that traveled straight to my core. "May the best stallion win." I said, swallowing my pride. "I plan to." and just like that Thunderlane ruined what could have been a pretty well-mannered race. I was on the outside this time, Thunderlane had the inside lane once more, being the crowd favorite. I watched, as the timer reached the five second marker, it was almost time to start. I closed my eyes, my breathing steady as all of my muscles tensed in preparation, like a gun ready to fire. Tick, tick, tick, tick, Bang! I took off from the starting point, Thunderlane was already ahead of me and the others. If I wanted that golden inside spot, I was going to have to fight him for it, and that's exactly what I intended to do today. --- "Thunderlane surges from the starting line with amazing speed, tailed closely by Blue Bullet from the outside. Followed by Alabaster holding a steady third with Valiant Wing in fourth-" the announcer spoke at a pace that was almost too quick to keep up with. "Come on Daniel!" Applejack shouted. "Put it all on the line!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "Come on Fluttershy, get in the spirit." "Um, go team?" Fluttershy cheered nervously. Cloudchaser's eyes never left her stallion. She wasn't as close as she was before, and she couldn't stand the thought of something bad happening like last time. The mare silently prayed for his safety within the privacy of her own mind, while pushing horrible outcomes and what ifs away. "Keep on charging Thunderlane. Send these push overs home!" Sky Mark cheered, smirking as Cloudchaser tore her eyes away from her lover for a few seconds to see who was calling out her ex by name. The mare had restraint, something that Scootaloo did not have. She turned to the older pegasus and looked up at him with the most sincere expression she could muster. "My dad's going to kick your stallion's flank." Sky Mark cocked his eyebrow at the filly who was accompanied by Track Pace's colt. The stallion took a long drag of his cigar before turning his attention back to the race with a halfhearted chuckle. There's my filly. Cloudchaser smiled to herself. "He can win, right?" Flitter asked. "I hope so." Cloudchaser replied. --- I flew up alongside Thunderlane as we entered the first turn, pressing him to go a little faster. He looked over at me and grinned, picking up his speed. I smirked as I matched his pace, not feeling the pain of fatigue like I had last time. Thunderlane scowled at this realization and tried to go a little faster, hoping I would give up. Even if my body had wanted me to, I wasn't; my spirit wouldn't let me this time. I had already resolved to see this race through to the bitter end if it somehow came to that. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder, taking note of the distance we had put between the other racers. It was shaping up to be just like the last race, only I was better prepared to go up against somepony like Thunderlane. We had both been trained by the best fliers in Equestria, though his was much more formal than mine. So far, Rainbow Dash's methods seemed to be holding up nicely against the stallion. I pressed on, still fighting him for the inner spot. "Come on Daniel, is that all you've got?" Thunderlane asked. "You can't keep playing the same game forever." I shook my head as we entered the second turn. The race was quickly nearing the halfway point, and neither one of us was willing to yield. He hadn’t taken me seriously until I matched speeds with him, holding steady without showing signs of fatigue, yet. I could feel my mind start to play tricks on me, when I knew I could hold this speed for a while without losing control. Thunderlane tried to outdo me once more, only to be met with the same result. As his frustration visibly mounted on his brow, I got an idea and decided to speed up myself, forcing him to match me. This was a big risk, using too much energy now could cost me later, but if it worked it would be worth it. It was Thunderlane who had to put forth more effort to keep in line with me this time. I could tell he didn’t like being put in such a position with his alpha male complex. It wasn’t enough though; even as I pressed him to go faster again nothing seemed to faze him. I was starting to lose confidence as we exited the second turn, flying into the long stretch towards the third. This was my chance to put an end to this. I had to get around him now, or it would never happen. Come on, let it all go! You’ve got one thing he doesn’t have, something to fight for! a small voice reminded me. I heeded the voice’s words, digging deep into the pits of my strength and energy. I ordered my wings to push forward, ignoring Thunderlane’s position if I had to. I might be a pegasus, but I had the heart of a human. “With a little less than half of the track left to go, Blue Bullet is breaking away, he’s got it by about a length and half right now…three…five…seven…” the announcers voice boomed. --- “Yes! Come on, don’t let up!” Mike shouted excitedly as he watched Daniel begin to pull away from Thunderlane. The cheering of the crowd seemed to grow as more and more distance was put between the two racers from Ponyville. As the crowds stood from their seats in anticipation, their height blocked the foals’ view, much to their disappointment. “Hey, a little help?” Diamond Tiara asked, poking Mike in the foreleg. Not missing a beat, the large Earth pony hoisted the trio onto his back. He had carried heavier things than a few lightweight foals. “Come on dad!” Scootaloo shouted. “The lead is now twelve lengths, and growing, he's moving with frightening speed!” the announcer exclaimed excitedly. A chill crept along Sky Mark’s spine as he watched the other racers catch up to Thunderlane. His gaze turned to the stallion that was entering the third turn, the racer he could have had. The old stallion's mind flashed back to the day he put forth the deal that had been turned down. "Exiting the third turn, the lead is now twenty lengths!" the announcer's voice snapped him out of his vision from the past. "That's impossible....no stallion can take that pace." Sky Mark said bewildered by what he was seeing. "That's not your average stallion, that's my brother." Isabella smirked at the business pony, who lowered his hat slightly. Celestia and Luna were on the edge of their seats as they watched their friend rocket ahead of the others. He still had one obstacle to overcome, the last turn. They had seen plenty of stallions reach this speed before, only to unintentionally kill themselves as they crashed into the wall, unable to turn and adjust to the speed in time. "He's going to make it, right?" Cadance asked. "It's hard to tell at this rate, I can only hope those lessons with Rainbow Dash worked.....I can't watch." Twilight covered her eyes with her wings as Daniel neared the final turn. The crowd was now focused on this one crucial event. Today would end with a celebration, or be met with a horrifying conclusion. --- I turned as best as I could, starting early in order to compensate for the speed I had picked up. I kept telling myself that this was how Rainbow Dash and I had practiced. The only difference being the life ending hard wall that encased the track. I held my breath as I flew into the turn, I was cutting it close with my speed and timing. I could only hope that I had gotten it right; that Rainbow Dash understood enough math-crap, I was going to die. I braced myself for the worst, the roar of the crowd growing silent to me as my mind focused on the life or death situation. I watched as my wing came close to the wall, my body turning to the side in order to aid in my rapid turn. The very tip of my right wing rubbed against the wall for a split second...... "The lead is now twenty five lengths!" --- Cloudchaser stood up and let out a loud cheer. She felt a few tears leave her eyes as she watched her mate fly towards the finish line, his flight trail seeming brighter than usual from all of the speed he had gained. "He did it! He really did it!" Fluttershy shouted, shaking Pinkie Pie excitedly. "O-oh, sorry..." Twilight lowered one of her wings and peeked out from it. She quickly broke her calm front with a loud cheer as she watched Daniel near the finish line. The crowd became deafening as they watched the first flash at the finish line occur. The only ones not lifting their voices were Sky Mark and his employees. The stallion pulled the cigar from his mouth, putting it out against his seat. He scowled at Thunderlane who had stopped just short of the finish line. "Blue Bullet wins it by twenty eight lengths and a half!" the announcer exclaimed excitedly. "Hey, Sky Mark," Track Pace called out. "He's just a pushover from Ponyville, right?" The baby blue pegasus' face turned red with anger and embarrassment. He spat against the floor before walking away from the unicorn. "Fire him...I want that washed up cadet off my books." --- I felt a bit dizzy as I landed, trying to gain my balance on wobbly legs. My wings refused to aid in helping me cool down, clamping to my sides in protest against the marathon I had just put them through. "I've got you," Alabaster said, catching me before I fell. "That was pretty crazy to fly that fast." "I live a pretty crazy life..." I tiredly replied. "Daddy!" I registered that voice loud and clear, as I was joined by a little orange filly. "Hey squirt...." I halfheartedly laughed as she hugged my foreleg. I felt stable enough to sit down on my own and did so without a moment's hesitation. That was quite the experience, one that I didn't plan on repeating any time soon. "You did it you crazy bastaaaa...ster, you crazy baster." Ike said, quickly censoring himself upon noticing Scootaloo. "Now THAT was a race!" Rainbow Dash slugged me in the shoulder, sending me to the ground. "Opps..." "It's fine..." I mumbled as I pulled my mask off, receiving a face full of water. Ike had poked a hole in the lid of a normal plastic bottle and made an improvised squirt bottle. It was better than dumping the entire thing on me at once. "Hey, do you know what you've done today?" Ike asked as I saw Cloudchaser land beside him. "....win?" I dumbly asked in return. "You're the first champion from Ponyville. You won the crystal crown." Ike gently shook me. "Heh...yea..." I mumbled, my enthusiasm was lacking due to my exhausted state. Thankfully Ike and Rainbow Dash were understanding enough to not mistake it for a lack of caring. I did care; I was just too tired to show it. "I'm so proud of you," Cloudchaser said, pulling me into a hug. "But if you ever go that fast again I'll glue your wings to your sides." "Yes ma'am." I replied. "Good luck to the stallion that tries to beat that time..." Ike commented as he looked up at the board. "Yeah, hey, where's Thunderlane?" Rainbow Dash asked, glancing around. I spotted the stallion halfway from the finish line on the final stretch. He had just stopped and was sitting on the track; wings drooped down at his sides. I thought that beating him would make me feel good, but now that I saw him like this....I felt sad. Nopony was coming to check on him, lift him up after taking a pretty big loss. He fought for nothing. I had a family, friends, everything that meant something to me had been my driving force. "Give me a second guys..." I said slowly walking towards the defeated stallion. I looked up towards the VIP section, noting that the princesses were missing. I assumed they would be down shortly, which meant I had a few moments with my rival. I only hoped he was in the mood to listen now. "What do you want?" Thunderlane asked, turning his head from me, his ears flattening slightly. "Why'd you quit?" I asked. "What was the point in finishing? You'd won; I couldn't keep up, so why bother? You were faster." Thunderlane snorted. "I didn't get that way all on my own Thunderlane, and speed only took me so far," I said finally getting him to at least face me. "It was a group effort, each of my friends played a part in helping me....they gave me something to fight for. I wasn't just racing for myself. Other ponies put their hope and faith in me to pull through." "You actually believe all that garbage?" Thunderlane asked. "Kind of, yeah." I replied. "Hopes and dreams are nothing but feel good exercises to distract you from life." Thunderlane scoffed. "...a pretty grumpy, but wise stallion told me, that the only dream that's stupid is the one you never chase. Sometimes, ponies see their dreams realized through others." I said, my mind drifting to Lean Streak. Thundedrlane looked down at the dirt track, refusing to make eye contact now. "I've got nothing left." he said solemnly. "You've got a brother that loves you, a decent community in Ponyville. I'm pretty sure your brother's name is Rumble, not Nothing," I said. "Sometimes it takes falling down to see what's really important....I learned that lesson the hard way." I extended a hoof to the charcoal stallion. He looked at it as if he was unsure what to do with it at first. Eventually he took it with a sigh, allowing himself to be hoisted back onto his hooves. His gaze remained cast towards the ground despite our talk. At least he had accepted the help off the track; it would probably take baby steps to get him to come around. I wanted to say more, but I felt like any addition would have been in vain. Thunderlane obviously needed some time to think about some things. I knew that if I was in his position, I would want space now, which I was happy to give him as I heard my name called. I noticed that Princess Celestia and Luna were on the track with Cadance now. I broke out into a trot, having recovered a little bit of my energy and will to move faster. I noticed that Flicker had placed third, while Alabaster had come in second. The Canterlot pegasus turned his head from me with a snort, clearly upset with today's results. I climbed up onto the first place position, the small effort of doing so taking a great amount of effort to keep a cool front up. I let out a tired sigh once I was in position, vowing to never push myself that far again. "It is with great pride that we bring the first championship race within the Crystal Empire, and the last race of this season, to a close by honoring those who have strived to go above and beyond, setting themselves apart as champions." Celestia said, her speech earning another round of cheers and applause. A bronze medal was placed around Flickers neck by Cadance, while a silver one was given to Alabaster by Luna. I bowed as best as I could as Celestia approached me, afraid that if I went too far I might fall off. "A moment in eternity, cherish this day for as long as you live." Celestia said quietly, as something heavy was placed on my head. I did my best to focus on what now rested on my head. From what I could tell, it looked like a small band with a crest and wings at the very front. The band was white gold, lined with beautiful crystals that sparkled brilliantly in the sun. The crest was what I assumed to be the racing insignia, adorned by two crystal pegasus wings, one on each side that seemed to be in midflight. I joined Flicker and Alabaster in waving once the princesses had stepped away. I smiled as my eyes fell on Cloudchaser and Scootaloo. We had yet to tell the filly the news, I had a feeling she would be excited about it. There was just one more thing on my to-do list. ---Two weeks later--- “I like this one.” Cloudchaser said holding up a group picture of our wedding party. Flitter was beside Cloudchaser as her mare of honor, while Discord stood beside me in a mismatched suit. I smiled, remembering Cloudchaser’s reaction when I had told her who I picked to be my best stallion...well, more along the lines of best draconequus. I was surprised he had agreed. “This one’s funny.” Scootaloo said pulling one of the photos towards her to hold up to us. Cloudchaser giggled once she saw which one she had picked out. I sighed as I saw that it was us during the primary feather exchange. It was my turn to give Cloudchaser one of my primary feathers and I had one picked out that was almost the same size as the one she had given me. Discord thought it would be better if I gave her a bigger one, and decided to “help” with the selection. “That really hurt.” I mumbled. “I thought it was sweet.” Cloudchaser said, reclining against me. I smiled as we sat on the couch looking over the wedding photos that had been developed. I was impressed Scootaloo found this sort of thing interesting at all. I watched a bright smile form on her face as she found the one that had Luna getting a bit too excited with the proceedings, her voice slipping up a little. The tangerine filly leaned against her mother, her ear shifting towards Cloudchaser’s stomach. Scootaloo smiled as she closed her eyes, presumably listening to her baby brother’s heartbeat. She had been excited when we told her, getting the chance to be a big sister was something she never gave much thought to, but she liked the idea of not being an only foal. “It’s pretty cool,” Scootaloo said, opening her eyes to look at the crystal crown that was up on a shelf. “I bet that was the best day of your life huh?” “Nope,” I shook my head. “The best day of my life was when we became a family. That’s just a piece of jewelry, you three are irreplaceable.” “Sappy.” Cloudchaser said, resting her head beneath mine. “Don’t ever change.” “I never will.” I replied, wrapping my wing protectively around her and Scootaloo.