//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: Plans 
// Story: Equestria Girls: Racers 
// by Gapeagle 
//------------------------------//

"I can't believe ya talked with Torque himself," Billy said, flabbergasted.

"Can't you get over it?" Sunset told him harshly. "We need to start practicing! I need to become a racer now!"

"Fine, fine. Guess this Mazda will be yours," Billy shrugged at the car they found in the Graveyard. 

Sunset walked over to the red Mazda. Her long fingers stoked her chin thoughtfully. It was time to start taking this world seriously and she knew it. They all knew it. 

Twilight looked up at Sunset with her morning coffee in hand. Pinkie was still sleeping on the floor and Maud was looking at a muffin with her usual emotionless stare. The older Pie sister then pulled a small rock from her pocket and stuffed it into the muffin in the slowest manner possible.

"Don't mind me," she said to them when they stared at her, "Boulder just needs breakfast."

"Yup, nothing different in any world we're in," Twilight shuddered. 

"Guys!" Sunset got their attention. "We need to focus! I want out of this world, pronto! We're gonna get this car ready and kick Torque's rich butt."

Billy sighed and then nodded his head. "Seems to be that way. Listen here, gals, this Mazda probably needs some more clean up before we can drive her about. A car is like a person and needs to be warmed up before competing like an athlete needs training camp before he gets into the season. We ain't gonna be able to just get into a race by tomorrow. Why join a race if we're unable to win it?"

Sunset folded her arms and sat on the hood of the Mazda. Her eyes glanced down at the vehicle, seeing it as an opportunity for their escape from this dimension. The car seemed depressed and worn from its horrible neglect for the past years. Sunset pitied it and ran a loving hand on the side above the front tire.

"Then how do we start training?" Sunset asked with a sigh.

"Well, there's a place I know on the west side of the city where hardly anyone goes. It's a poor area, but that's because hardly any businesses set up there. We could drive around there, letting ya feel how she steers."

"Sounds like a plan," Sunset nodded. "Let's get to it."

Billy stopped her. "Not so fast, this car is a beast. It's too much for ya to handle. I'll give it touch ups, remove some of its power. Give me some time with her. Racing isn't about going 200 miles per hour. It's about handling your car to perfection. This car was probably left to rot cause it was too much for its job, but I know how to fix that. Ya can be patient?"

Sunset nodded. "Yeah, I can be. Do whatever you think is necessary."

"And some advice for when ya get behind the wheel," he added, "take it very easy. Very. Easy."





"You were right about this place being a dump," Twilight said when she got out of Billy's truck.

The girls and the mechanic inspected their surroundings. In the dark shadows of the skyscrapers, almost no direct sunlight reached them. Bottles, wrappers, and other trash littered the lonely streets. There were some people around them, sitting on the street corners or leaning on the graffiti-ed walls, but all were quiet and hardly noticeable.

"I was expecting we would train on some dirt track or something, you know, like they do in the movies," Sunset sighed. 

"Pfft, dirt racing is for...dirt racers," Billy spat. "We're street racers. If ya can't handle the pavement or the blacktop, then ya have no business driving in this city. Trust me, this is the best place. You'll jus' drive three blocks and make a big rectangle. Even though most tracks aren't this darn simple, it'll get you feeling the speed and acceleration of ya new baby."

As he said this, Pinkie and Maud were already unloading the Mazda from the truck's trailer. After all the touch ups, the car was practically sparkling. There was no doubt the vehicle was happy to be back on the road and out of the its grave. 

Sunset walked over to it. She had no fire suit like all the racers she had seen, but she did have a helmet that Billy had given her. With her red and yellow hair up in a bun, she put the helmet on and opened the car's door. When she slipped inside, her heart started to beat harder. It had been awhile since she had last driven and now she was behind the wheel of a supposed mechanical beast.

Billy grumbled something under his breath when he made his over to her. He leaned on the rolled down window and spat on the pavement before pointing a knowing finger her direction.

"Since this is ya first time, take it easy. Feel this car's shifts and balance. A car is an extension of yaself, so ya better get used to how it feels when ya near things. In these races, you're not only gonna be goin' fast, but fast with crazy drivers goin' fast right next to ya. This is racing, not some demolition derby nonsense. I rather have ya come in last than get paint scratches, ya hear? Actually no, if ya win with scratches, that's fine, just don't damage the car! Ya so keen on taking on Torque and talking with RD, this little car of yours is your only ticket. Take care of her like she is ya kid. Got that?"

Sunset nodded after his speech. "Um, yes sir!"

"Alright then. Give her gas and get out of here."

"Nothing else? No preparation or anything?" Sunset asked.

"Put ya seat belt on, how 'bout that?" Billy snickered.


"Oh yeah, thanks!" Sunset smiled at him as she put the seat belt on. "Um? Now I go?"

"Go for it."

Sunset started the engine, letting the Mazda come to life. Turning the wheel, she guided it to the right lane and started giving it some gas. She was careful as the vehicle start to zoom and reach high speeds easily. Before she knew it, she was going 60 and flying across the empty street. It was so smooth and the wheel felt right in her gloved hands. She touched the brake when she arrived at the first turn. 

"Gotta take it easy..." she said to herself. 

She slowed down and turned hard to the right. The car responded immediately and the sensitive turn was almost too tight and Sunset barely avoided hitting the street corner's street light. The car bumped into the air as the tires hit the curb. Sunset's heart leaped in her chest and sweat starting to go down her brows. This was not some minivan or old sedan she controlled, but a racing car with power she had never felt before. 

The engine roared once more as she accelerated at the next straightaway. Plastic bags and over light trash flew into the air behind her. The few people that dotted the sidewalks watched her with keen eyes, seeing if this was the making of a new champion. 

Another turn approached. With her ounce of experience acquired from the previous turn, she went out  to the left before easing to the right, making an easier turn. However, she lost her momentum and the car began to slow considerably. Too much off the gas, got it.  She hit the accelerator once more and regained the speed, but she knew that in a race, she would have been passed by more experienced drivers. 

With the long stretch of road, she decided to see how fast she could go before reaching the next turn. She pressed harder on the pedal. The speedometer's hand went up and up, going over 100 without effort. Her hands began to shake and her heart beat as fast. She felt herself sinking into the car seat. This machine in her hands was hardly breaking a sweat and it felt terrifying to the young driver. She had reached 105, 110, and then to 120 before she decided to start slowing down. And when she had done so, her body relaxed.

She turned the third turn patiently. Remembering the past two times, she corrected herself and the turn felt smooth. With the final turn coming up, she simply cruised down the street, holding the speed at 85. It was a long stretch still, but she reached the final turn quickly and slowed down greatly, knowing that her friends were just around the corner.

Once this turn was completed, she slowed down as Twilight and Billy watched her. Twilight clapped her hands excitedly. Billy just stood there with his arms cross, trying to decide to give praise or criticize. Sunset smiled back at them until she made her stop at where she began.

"Good job, Sunset! Woo!" Twilight cheered. "That looked so amazing. Now I wish I knew how to drive."

"Thanks Twi, but I'm sure you'd be terrified if you were behind this thing," Sunset laughed.

Billy walked over and stroked his large chin. "Ya got a lot of work to do, but ya did good. Maybe there's somethin' in ya yet, heh. So, how was the rollercoaster ride?"

"It was awesome!" Sunset answered him enthusiastically. "This car is something else. It felt alive. I felt alive! I wouldn't have it better."

"Sure, sure," Billy chuckled. "Ya pretty lucky to have a beauty like that as ya first racer. If we keep practicing, we'll have a chance against them Dirt Leaguers. But I'll leave the schedule details to Pinkie and Maud since they basically own our new team."

"You really want to leave Pinkie with that kind of thing?" Twilight asked, concerned.

"It'll be fine!" Pinkie called to them from afar. "I know how to bake; I'm used to lots of details."

"She'll be fine, sweetie," Billy reassured them both. "As long as we get the sponsor money and the promotions, we'll be alright. You two just focus on being a team. Sunset is the racer, I'm the mechanic, and Twilgiht here will be our....I don't know, secretary?"

"Well, I am good with all forms of logistics. I can do accounting. I did it for my family when I was little," Twilight said. "You can leave all the finances to me. I'll make sure every piece of money is never wasted!"

Billy nodded. "Like the sound of that. Money'll be tight, even with Pinkie's help. Even one big loss can hurt us big time. If we enter a race, we enter to win. Every single time."

"And we will!" Sunset pointed at him. "Twilight and I have never been ones to accept losing. We make plans and we achieve goals. Torque and the rest of them have no idea who they are dealing with. Twilight became an alicorn princess and I could have been one if I actually cared. Racing cars? Heck yeah we can do it!"

Billy simply blinked at her. "I ain't got no clue what you meant, but I'll take your word for it."


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