Top Wings

by Outlaw Quadrant

10 - Top Wings

Trouble, big trouble.

Swift could hardly believe his eyes. The mud-colored lizard unleashed a massive aerial torrent, obliterating the tunnel’s inner lining, which tossed blinding white all over the air. The moment the wave hit its first victim, McPecks, it send him spinning right into an eagle, who then collided into a hawk. At the same time, two further down the pack crashed into the walls, while a third flier flipped upwards, bounced off the ceiling, and collided with two pelicans, scattering feathers. Even those who survived the initial wave found themselves blind, unable to spot any hazards until it was too late. In the middle of the fog, Rainbow kept going forward, but then, a whirling shadowy figure grazed her wingtip, sending her heart rate to its absolute limits. A panicked screech made her ear twitch, but she didn’t know where it was coming from. The noise reached its apex below her hooves, and then tapered off, as daylight broke through the fog. However, it disappeared just as fast, as a large body blocked it. Rainbow banked hard right, but she was out of time. All she could do is brace her body for the painful knockout.

Instead, two hooves wrapped around her chest, and yanked the mare left. There was no need to ask who it was; the pony’s soft, gray coat gave it away. Ahead came the exit, but there was one tumbling seagull in their path, ready to doom the rescue effort. Swift aimed down and left, but his weaker wing didn’t respond, despite his desperate grunts for power.

“No! Rainbow! Hold—”

With a roll, she swapped positions, and with a strong wing flap, took Swift down with her. Their momentum sent them out of the tunnel, and right into the soft cloud layer below, where they slid across the surface before coming to a stop. Yellow flags flew around them, while the sun above dried up the moisture in their eyes. Even though the crowds were gasping in terror, neither could hear much of anything, as they were in a zone between consciousness and sleep. It was only when Rainbow started groaning, that Swift snapped back into reality, and dragged himself in her direction.

“Rainbow? Rainbow!” He waved his hoof across her half-opened eyes. “Oh, shoot! Please tell me you’re—”

“Darnit,” she chuckled with a low voice. “You really didn’t need to save me, you know.” The mare took her time getting up, favoring her back once upright. “I had everything under control.”

“Really?” Swift responded flatly.

Rainbow tussled his forelock, “Ok, ok, maybe not, but you gotta admit I saved your behind too.” A realization came to her, making her stand back. “Whoa!” She scanned him over, stunned that he appeared as though the stallion had combated a thunderstorm. “What in Equestria happened to you?”

He grabbed onto his mane with a nervous laugh. “Well, I had some… trouble catching up to ya.” Swift could already see worry building up in her friend’s conscience. “N–no worries, Rainbow! I’m just,” He shook his body to make a point “, really, really sore.”

Before he could continue, the track’s medical descended upon them. Only then did it dawn on the pegasi the devastation that was all around them. A few feet away, an eagle with a lump on the head fought to get up, but surrendered to gravity, while a small pelican next to him had all the feathers on his wing bent in acute angles. Nearby were more competitors writhing in agony, and a golden goose limping his way around the corner, ignoring the staff that tried to stop him. By the speedway’s wall, a solitary flaming orange wolf laid motionless.

“Wolfmacher!” Rainbow yelled, pushing away a nurse.

She ran toward him, but to her surprise, the flying wolf came to life with a subtle growl. With a flip, he got up, but had trouble keeping steady. Swift lent him support, which he accepted without a fight.

“Holy smokes!” said Rainbow. “Are you all right?”

His head moved, although she couldn’t tell if that was a yes or no. “My wolves…” he mumbles. Wolfmacher picked up faint whimpers, so he blinked his eyes until they came into focus. They were a few feet away, moving, but only because they reacted to medical ponies adding ointments on their bodies. “…they surrounded me… when everything went wrong.”

Swift asked, “They were protecting you?”

“Ja, young stallion,” Wolfmacher replied, removing his paw from Swift’s body. The leader wolf walked up to his teammates, who did their best to hide their faces, expecting a scolding. Instead, Wolfmacher flashed a smile, while banging his chest once. “Your actions have done me and the Flying Wolf Squadron proud! Rest now, for I will finish this race on my own, for my honor, your honor, and for the squadron’s!”

His subordinates responded with a chest bump of their own.

“You’re getting soft, Wolfmacher,” said an approaching voice.

The wolf turned around, finding McPecks on a stretcher, carried by two burly pegasus. No one had to ask whether he would be flying again, given all the bandages around his body, but the pelican informed them anyway, along with some more bad news.

“My team’s done for, kaput.” Despite his condition, he managed to let out a genuine laugh. “Too bad. I was looking forward to battling all of you at the end, and put on a good show. Just do a favor.” McPecks lifted his head with a furrowed brow. “Get… Gecks!”

With a nod, the workers carried him away, while others told the remaining three they had to stop by the platform for an evaluation. Rainbow wanted to protest, but with an ailing back, she had little choice, but to follow Swift and Wolfmacher around the third turn, much to the relief of their biggest fans.

“Heavens to Besty!” Applejack exclaimed, using her Stetson to whisk her nerves away. “I haven’t seen that type of calamity since that bull got loose at the rodeo last year!”

Twilight shook her head, frowning as the medical staff carried off the injured competitors one-by-one. “They were all doing so well. I wonder exactly what happened.”

“I think I have the answer,” said Spike, pulling a picture out of his camera.

The bookworm levitated it above their heads for all to see. The dragon had taken a shot of the tunnel exit, where in the middle was something swirling. Blaze snatched it from the air for a closer look. After a few seconds, he put it down, with his head boiling red.

“That devious lizard,” he said in a soft, but scornful way. “Does he have no respect for his fellow racer?”

Pinkie yanked the picture away, and ripped it into shreds. “Why that no-good meany pants! That’s it! I didn’t want to do this, but he’s really going to get it now!” She pulled out a parchment out of nowhere along with a quill. With a swipe, she crossed off Gecks Lizaurus from the list. “There! No birthday party for him this year!”

“That’s really showing him, dear” said Rarity, shaking her head. “Maybe you shouldn’t invite him to the post-race party as well.”

“Good idea!” the pink pony replied, oblivious to the fashionista sarcasm. “Well, that might be too harsh. Maybe he can come for just an hour?”

The Crusaders facehoofed.

Below the bleachers, Fluttershy continued covering her eyes. “Is it safe to come out now?”

Twilight checked the crash site once again. “Maybe a few more minutes.”

The yellows stayed out, as the nurses assisted the last few injured racers out of the tunnel. Its exit had lost much of its form, as clouds bits fell off the roof like snow melting in the spring. On her right, the open platform had become a makeshift triage center, a place where doctors decided the outcome for every injured competitor. For most, the news meant that they went inside the Cloudiseum with their heads hung long, their hopes of victory dashed. The fortunate few that got the all clear returned to the track the second they got the okay, rejoining the fortunate few that got through the fracas unscathed. The one that started it all made his appearance at the third turn to universal disapproval.

“Boo all you want,” yelled Gecks, taunting the spectators with his slimy tongue. “This race has already been—” He sensed someone coming fast, and when he saw who it was, his joy vanished. “Oh, it’s you, Gilda.”

Indeed, the griffon had survived the big crash, but rather than feel lucky, her eyes sprouted fire, as she grabbed the lizard by the neck. “You tried taking me out, didn’t you? Didn’t you!”

For the less courageous, angering a half lion-half eagle would make them plead for mercy. Gecks, however, was either brave or nuts, as he had the nerve to smile. “Like I told you, I was waiting for the right opportunity, and it just so happened that that traitorous Gooseens and his pests put you in a… unfortunate position. Look around you. I took care of them, and most of our competition. Besides, survival of the fittest, isn’t that right, Gilda?”

Her grip loosened, as she recognized that saying. Was he spying on me?

“Admit it. You would’ve done the same thing if you were in my position.” He slipped away from her claw. “Since you made it through, then I suggest we continue working together. That way, we can pull away from all these pests, and that way, you can… settle the score, and whatever happens, we’ll both finish on top. What do you say?”

Gilda thought the plan tasted bitter as a lemon, but then again, based on his somewhat labored breathing, she got the impression that Gecks couldn’t pull off the same powerful move again. Also, with all the damage to the tunnel, she didn’t expect the green to appear anytime soon, which would allow everyone a long rest for the final run. There was no telling who’s been hiding their true speed until now. When she looked down the field at the remaining competitors, there were more than she had expected. Both the harriers had assumed third and fourth positions, while a hawk, eagle, and four seagulls made up the rest of the top ten. After that were the two Wonderbolts, followed by what had been Swift’s group at the race start, now with Sir Lionheart and Thunderlane at the helm. Catching up to the pack was Swift, Rainbow, and Fangs Wolfmacher, with no more than five others trailing them.

I bet none of these dweebs are gonna hook up with me!

She wanted nothing more than to tear the lizard to shreds, but even an unreliable ally was better than having none. Besides, she was confident she could take Gecks out whenever that time came.

“You got a deal,” Gilda replied, shaking his hand. But I’ll be watching you.

---

Thirty-four laps to go.

With the tunnel repairs nearing completion, Swift was wrapping up recanting his adventures going through the field with those around him. Rainbow already had eaten up much of the time embellishing her battles for the lead, not allowing Lionheart or Wolfmacher to interrupt with inconvenient truths. She had no qualms interjecting others, so she could somehow squeeze in another one of her personal feats. When Swift reached the part about the seagulls, she had no counter, except for one.

“That’s a bunch of baloney!” said Rainbow with a dismissive hoof.

“But he did,” Thunderlane answered. “Lionheart and I were far away, but Swift did… something and…” The mohawk stallion rolled around. “… the seagull went just like that! C’mon, dude! Show her the move!”

All eyes shifted to the agile pony, anticipating something remarkable. Instead, they saw a somewhat nervous Swift swat his right wing like it was a tennis racket, blowing some unwelcome blow-dryer air on everyone’s faces. His efforts futile, he shrugged, as his mind worked on an explanation.

After a sigh, “I remember now. My mom kept wanting to teach me this thing, said it would help me”, He did aerial quotes, “clear clouds faster. Every time I tried, though,” he repeated the motions, “nothing happened.”

Lionheart snapped his claw. “Then there must be a trigger, lad!”

“Or he’s just making this whole story up,” said Rainbow, delivering a noogie to her stallion friend. “I’ll give you points for originality, but there’s no way you did that.”

Swift moaned, annoyed that she wouldn’t believe him.

“If you two pegasi are done,” Wolfmacher interrupted. “, we have a race to worry about.”

Thunderlane’s head swiveled between Rainbow, and Swift, “So who’s leading now?”

“That’s right!” added Echo. “We’re finally together now!” He gave a wing slap to one of the owls.

Wolfmacher crossed his arms, while turning away. “I”ve already made my intentions clear before the race, ja? Once we get this far, I’m on my own,” he raised his paw, “but…” He faced the entire group. “…but we all have a common foe. If anyone can join me up front, then we can still… cooperate.”

“All right, I’ll be there way before you,” Rainbow chided with a sly smirk.

The wolf howled a laugh. “Such confidence for a pony with a back problem. We shall see if you have the mettle to go one-on-one against me, Fangs Wolfmacher!”

“Don’t forget me,” said Thunderlane, combing through his Mohawk, and then stretching out his body. “I feel so charged it! It’s like I haven’t done much racing at all!”

“That’s because you’ve been lazy as usual, Thunderlane,” Rainbow replied, poking him. “You would’ve quit a long time ago if you didn’t have Swift and Lionheart around to carry most of the load.”

Lionheart gave the smallest of nods. Yes, he was more eager to draft me than the other way around. He kept that criticism to himself, however. “I wish I could be part of the scrap for the lead, but my feathers don’t come back in hours. I’ll help you the best I can, but I can’t guarantee that I can keep up.” He acknowledged the slower creatures, including the owls, bats, and gargoyle clan. “I suggest that all of you continue working together. Oh, and Swift, it would seem a waste to ask, but what do you intend on doing, lad?”

Swift tapped his nose, “I go where she goes.”

“So it’s settled then,” added Rainbow. “Time to show a lizard and griffon who’s the best.”

With impeccable timing, the flag pony held up the yellow flag wrapped around its pole, signaling there was one more caution lap. By the time the field reached the first turn, the competitors found their restart positions, although Rainbow wasn’t enjoying the view.

“So far back,” she moaned. “Even that lazy Thunderlane’s ahead of us. They just had to make us pull over! They couldn’t even do anything for me!” Rainbow rubbed the area between her wings, sore when flat, but crippling if she tried arching it. Not even Applejack’s pretzel chiropractic services would help her, only rest, but that wasn’t an option. At the least, she had her most trusted ally the next row forward. “Hey, how’s that wing feeling, Swift?”

He gave his feathered appendage a few flexes. A long yellow was proving a better medicine than some nurse tapping his wing with a rubber hammer, but even so, his muscles felt like rusted gears. “It still doesn’t feel right.”

“Is that fear I smell from the young stallion?” Wolfmacher sneered at the pony to his left. “My head throbs uncontrollably, but that won’t stop me!” His paw then pointed at empty air on both Swift’s sides. “And why are there suddenly two of you? Is this a trick you’ve saved for last?”

“Eh?”

There was no time for ask. The field was going through the last turn, with competitors falling back so they can practice timing their acceleration. It then dawned on him on whether his initial burst would even work given his deteriorating condition, let alone if he had enough maneuverability to pass. Rainbow urged him to, since she planned to have him guide her toward the front. Despite Swift’s warning that the turbulent air would be too much to handle, she had her eyes trained at the light blue tail, ready for whatever would come.

“Give me all you got!” she encouraged him.

Sputter.

His boost gave out in less than a second, but even so, Rainbow’s mane wanted to leave her head. Fortunately, she survived the disruptive wake, and better yet, Swift had timed the restart well. By Turn One, the duo cleared most of their slower, but friendly racers, so she used that time to use her top speed advantage, and swap positions. Wolfmacher joined in behind them, while the upcoming Thundelane and Lionheart waited until the second turn, before merging with the line. With a head turn, the noble griffon checked on the group he had led for a part of the race, now headed by a gargoyle.

They should be all right now.

What was troubling, however, was Lionheart’s speed, hampered by excessive drag on his wings. Little by little, his companions were pulling away, save for Thunderlane, who had the throttles beyond his limits just so he could limit the time loss to Wolfmacher. The wolf had his own troubles, his vision making him see either a blurry world or four pegasi. Swift’s body temperature gauge was already heading towards red, triggering searing sweat that the tunnel’s mist couldn’t cool off fast enough. His biggest worry, though, was that he had to occasionally lift off the gas, less he’d run right into Rainbow. She was having a fight of her own, clawing for more speed that her pain tolerance rejected. Already, she could tell Gecks and Gilda had continued their alliance, and had pulled themselves away from everyone else, much to the disdain of Rainbow’s friends.

“Is she that daft?” said Rarity, her sights set on the female griffon. “Why would Gilda even cooperate with someone so untrustworthy?”

“Because they’re two seconds ahead of the harriers,” replied Spike, reading off his portable stopwatch. “If they keep this up, no one can stop them.” He watched an eagle and hawk behind the harriers line up, and make a pass below them. “Or maybe those two can.”

“I don’t know about that,” Scootaloo compared the competitor’s chart with those on the racetrack, “that eagle, Talonson, and... um…” She had trouble finding the hawk.

Sweetie Ball pointed at the racer’s picture, “Jet Beakington.”

“Right. Yeah, their stats aren’t that great. There’s no way—”

Blaze squawked as Chicane came back on.

“Talonson and Beakington have a head of steam as they go down the front stretch! They’ve tucked in behind Gilda, getting that valuable draft heading into Turn One! Talonson tries going up but the griffon blocks! She goes for a strike but misses! Who saw this coming?”

The falcon struck his head, groaning. Grabbing the sheet, he tore it into small pieces. “My apologies, everyone, fillies, but it appears that my chart may not be that accurate after all. I should’ve have known that it was a fool’s errand.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Twilight chimed. “Nobody’s perfect. Besides, this might not be such a bad thing. Maybe those two can slow Gilda and Gecks down.”

Sure enough, the lead spot was coming under heavy fire, thanks to some crafty maneuvering from the eagle-hawk combination. While neither could snatch the top spot, they stayed away from Gilda’s talons and Gecks’ wing gusts, forcing them to move in and out of formation. While the harriers were now three seconds behind, the gap had frozen, while at the same time, Rainbow and her line was coming up to the Wonderbolts, trailing the four seagulls by a cloud hoop. Their biggest fan wanted to ask them about how their race had been so far, but this was the wrong time and place, so she went straight to business.

“Hey, Spitfire! Are those birds up ahead giving you trouble?”

She replied with a headshake, “Not exactly, but,” She gestured at Swift, “I know he did! Playing it safe until there’s an opening, I guess!”

Rainbow smiled like a cool customer. Here was a golden opportunity to impress her idols, but she had to be quick about it. “Oh, really? How about we help you get past them? I got a plan!”

“So you say!” said Spitfire, smirking. “Let’s hear it, rookie!”

“Okay! We got the numbers advantage, and these seagulls usually go after just one racer! All we need is a decoy, and guess what? We got the perfect one!”

Swift found himself on the other side of Rainbow’s pointing hoof. His eyes twitched at the thought, “What!?”

Rainbow winked, “Don’t worry about it! I’ll keep those birds away until we’re clear! Everyone else, sneak on by! No, no! I don’t need any help! I totally got this!”

For a strategy, it was simple, but likely to succeed, which made it popular within the group, except with the grey stallion. All he could do is moan, as Rainbow told him to swap places, so he could draw the gulls in, like bait on a fishing rod. The moment he closed the margin to a cloud hoop, the fishes came for a tasty bite of Swift Flying, but the rainbow shark charged in their direction. With a yawn, she shoved one aside, and then with the second aggressor, she went with a shoulder thrust. As she went after the third seagull, Rainbow kept an eye on her idols and companions passing through, hoping they were watching her awesomeness on the track.

“Take this!” she yelled.

The instant Rainbow moved for the hit, her back rendered her immobile as though someone had cast a net over her body, making her an easy target for a face full of webbed feet. Her pupils ballooned at an imminent, teeth-shattering blow, but within inches of her snout, an energy wave came from her left faster than she could blink, and delivered a haymaker that sent the seagull into a nasty spin cycle. Moments later, she saw her savior, a slender, agile pony named Swift Flying, except her mind short-circuited, not believing that’s who it was. She loosened her jaw to say his name, but the sight of the last seagull coming in fast snapped her out of her stupor. Before she could warn him, another rescuer flicked off the bird, and when the others came for a second round, they retreated once hearing a long, deep roar.

“Away, you stinkin’ birds!” shouted Lionheart. When he faced the two pegasi, he cleared his throat, realizing he rattled them. “Sorry about that, but even a griffon like me has limits! No time to dawdle! Let’s go!”

With the laps down to less than twenty-five, neither Rainbow nor Swift could pause to think on what just unfolded. In half a lap, they caught up to Thunderlane, who just decoupled from the Wolfmacher-Wonderbolt train.

“Guess I am lazy and slow,” said Thunderlane with a cheeky grin.

Lionheart slipped in behind the pony, “You two go on ahead! I’ll just slow you down! Go! GO!”

Rainbow and Swift continued on, with the latter looking back with an overbearing feeling that he wouldn’t see them again until they crossed the checkers. Thunderlane believed the same, so he shouted some parting words, just in case.

“You better win, Swift!”

The mare’s instinct told her to counter that statement, except something else had made its unwelcome return to her conscience, a phrase that played like a broken record.

I’ll do whatever it takes to win. I’ll do whatever it takes to win. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.

Rainbow yanked the needle away, unwilling to hear it anymore. The last thing she needed was another distraction, like with what was becoming an iron-hot cattle prod jammed into her spine, even with her body straight like a ruler. Swift continued backing off even more to the point that their combined speed was no longer getting them closer to the Wonderbolts. He had no choice, but to tell her words he never thought he’d say to Rainbow in his lifetime.

“You’re too slow!”

Before she could react, he took over the lead spot with surprising ease. She mumbled, not appreciating such an abrupt action, but Swift sliced the air with such efficiency that the stress on her injury receded to minimum levels. With great care, she added more speed until her snout was all but touching his tail. The new arrangement produced immediate results, catching up to within two lengths of their allies at Turn One, as they were reaching the harriers. It was a given they would block, but as their biggest threat was only nudging their opponents, they would only prove a roadblock for a lap at most, troubling for the lizard that spent half his time looking over his shoulder. For the first time in this race, real panic spread through his long, striped body.

This can’t be! How are they still on the track? I’m having— He swiped at Beakington, keeping him at bay —enough trouble with these pests! I need to swat them away for good. He glanced at Gilda with a venomous smile. And if I can, you along with them.

Gilda had similar thoughts, as she checked the pylon. Fourteen laps, that’s how much was left before she could rub that massive trophy on everyone’s faces, especially Rainbow Dash, the one she saw as a traitor for changing into somepony else that hangs out with the lamer crowds. Then again, she admitted that she would be a more reliable racing partner right now than the trickster lizard, someone that she kept an eye on at all times, less he tries selling her down the river. While she had to applaud him for his cunning, it was time to repay the favor with her ace in the sleeve. Gecks might have disruptive wings, but his actual strength paled in comparison to her massive muscles. All she needed was to catch the lizard by its tail, preferably when he wasn’t paying attention, and toss him away. Gilda had scrutinized all his moves, so there would be no slip-ups, no surprises, only success. She even knew when to pounce, right at the tunnel exit where the sun’s gleam disrupted the senses long enough to give her the window of opportunity. The next time she approached it, Gecks was busy fending off Talonson and Beakington, perfect timing for the griffon that was ready to claim her spot at the top. Feet from the exit, she lunged at the swinging tail.

Survival of the fittest, Gecks!

Her claws caught air, harmless warm air, while the sun became her worst enemy, bombarding her with painful white. In desperation, she grabbed around her surroundings for the lizard, only for his scaly face to cross her sights, his venom yellow eyes sending her a message that needed no translation.

Checkmate.

Gecks spun around the griffon, creating a vortex that pulled in the eagle and hawk, a bonus the lizard hadn’t expected. However, this move only had enough power to toss one in the air, not three, and he could already feel the turbulence beginning to affect his movements. An ingenious idea floated to the top of his consciousness, so he trained his crosshairs onto the harriers, and those trying to pass them.

“Eat this, suckers!”

Twisting his body, Gecks ejected his three spinning victims in the wrong direction. Swift and Rainbow stayed on the throttle, missing the out-of-control trio by inches, while Wolfmacher saw targets coming his way. In a panic, he slammed the brakes, and went into a three sixty, forcing the trailing Wonderbolts to come to an emergency stop on opposite sides of the track. Beakington and Talonson all but regained control, but they touched wingtips, pushing them apart and right through a cloud hoop, which disintegrated. The griffon’s wings pushed against the air, until it propelled her forward just as the yellows flew around the track.

“Unacceptable!” Gecks slithered with a long hiss. “That’s the last thing I needed!”

A unicorn watching from the stands thought otherwise. “That exactly what they needed,” said Twilight. “Looks like everyone’s okay too.”

Blaze believed the same thing, although he kept his arms crossed. “I will have a lengthy discussion with race officials after this competition is over. I cannot believe they turn a blind eye to these kinds of tactics.”

“Is the race over now?” muttered Fluttershy as she got out from her hiding spot below the bleachers. “Please tell me it’s over.”

Pinkie brought her closer, “No, silly! You’re just in time for the best part!”

“The best part?” Much of what the shy pony had seen or heard made her spend her time counting the number of patrons within eyesight that were wearing hats. She lost count at seventy-three. “Please tell me your Pinkie Sense is telling you no one else is getting hurt.”

It hadn’t, but Pinkie wasn’t above telling a little white lie, so her friend would relax. “Don’t you worry! It’s gonna be an uber duper fun finish! So, who are you rooting for?”

A few months ago, the answer was simple, Rainbow Dash. Even with Swift in the picture, she had to go with the pony she had been around since Flight School. Of course, she wasn’t going to say it aloud to spare everyone’s feelings. “Oh, I… just hope everyone finishes safe and sound.”

Scootaloo shouted Rainbow’s name, but her two companions went with the stallion. Not surprisingly, they started bickering with each other.

“Well, I gotta back Rainbow here,” Applejack interrupted, “but I’ll be just as happy if Swift takes the win. Heck, I won’t complain as long as it ain’t that varmint, or Gilda.”

“Speaking of Gilda,” added Rarity, “I wonder what she’ll do now.”

They all watched the griffon shake her claw in Gecks’ direction. Apparently, her tirade made Rainbow slap her sides.

“Hey, I thought you’d be cool with it if he tried to take you out,” Rainbow snickered.

“Buzz off!” Gilda growled. “And you better get out of my way on the restart! I’m going to take care of Gecks myself and then take the win!”

Wolfmacher guffawed, which earned him a face full of griffon asking him what was so funny. “You did such a great job last time. Be my guest and get yourself taken out again. That will just be one less I have to deal with.”

Gilda shoved the wolf, “Go eat a bone, dog!”

He replied in kind, “Drink some milk, kitty cat!”

Spitfire pushed the two apart. “Cut it out,” she yelled with authority. Once both backed off, she returned to her cool, slick voice. “Look, we’re not going to get anywhere by arguing with one another.”

“I must agree,” interjected Lionheart. “I think it’s safe to say that we’d rather race without Gecks in the picture, but alas, I don’t have the speed to catch up to him.”

Thunderlane looked away, “Yeah, I’m kinda in the same boat too. Sorry.”

“Spitfire and I promised Princess Celestia that we would race everyone clean,” added Soarin.

“You’re all a bunch of lame-o’s!” Gilda snapped. “Are all of you that scared of taking him on?”

Wolfmacher pointed at the lizard, staying one cloud hoop away, “He just handled three competitors at once! Charging in without a plan would be foolish! Did you even have one?”

Gilda engaged the wolf in a growling war. “Of course I did. Just need to think of another one.”

“I have a plan,” Swift said, raising his hoof.

“Pu-lease, scrawny!” Gilda scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Like a rookie racer can come up with something!”

Rainbow barked, “Back off, G! You’ve had your chance and you blew it!” She nodded at Swift. “So, what do you have in mind?”

Swift organized his thoughts into a neat stack, making it easy to connect the dots. His mind projected an image of the spinning lizard, with the swirling air around him. For a casual observer, it would register as a jumbled mess, but in his eyes, he could spot the flowing currents, thanks to having a mother that both demonstrated and tutored him on aerodynamics. While he found her persistence in teaching it to him to be annoying, it was paying dividends in the here and now. “What Gecks did just now isn’t as easy as it looks. One slip-up and,” His hoof imitated a flier losing control. “All we need to do is for someone to use that attack against him, and I believe I can do it. I just need everyone to stay behind, until I send him flying, so no one else gets pulled in.”

Wolfmacher responded with an approving nod. “It would be appropriate justice for that lizard but can you actually pull it off?”

Rainbow responded for him, while rubbing his forelock, “I know he can! He won’t let us down!”

“Hold up, kid,” Spitfire interrupted. “That’s a big risk you’re taking. Won’t you get taken out as well?”

His ears folded, knowing he hadn’t disclosed the big downside. “With the way my wing is right now, probably. That’s why I need someone to pull me back on track if I do.” He faced Rainbow, pairing up his eyes to hers. “You got my back if that happens, right?”

Rainbow remained silent, as it dawned on her the unequivocal trust her friend had in her, while at the same time, the needle moved back onto the record and played that phrase that she wanted gone. Why now, she asked. She represented the element of loyalty, and yet, with a scant few laps to go, despicable thoughts made their presence known. Again, she pushed them aside, and replied with a small nod.

“Gotcha!” Swift replied with a wink. “I knew I could count on you!”

Her heart panged, as though she had already stabbed him in the back. More conversations broke out around her, but her ears went deaf, too distracted trying to silence her mind. It wasn’t until they began lining up for the restart when Gilda, on her outside, drifted right into her ear.

“Hey, listen, Dash,” she whispered, “I know we’re not on the same page, but let me level with you.”

She replied with a snort. “I don’t want to hear it.”

Gilda ignored the request, “Even if that friend of your pulls it off, if you trying bailing him out, I’ll just fly right by you two. I bet you they won’t throw a yellow, and guess what, you won’t catch back up to me in time.”

“I’m not ditching him,” she snarled.

“Who said anything about that?” Gilda replied, her beak curving slyly.

Finally, Rainbow’s contemplations came in crystal clear, and the color on her face faded off. With only ten laps left, any delay on the track could prove to be the race-losing move. She hated losing, while Swift came to have fun, so she could imagine a scenario where he would understand putting her interests ahead of his. After all, this wasn’t a life-or-death situation, only a competition that he wouldn’t be in if it wasn’t for her. However, her friends, the crowds, the Wonderbolts, Princess Celestia, they would all be witness to her actions, and she couldn’t imagine how they would react. They could turn their noses on her, or maybe they would still hand her over that golden, ten-foot trophy with smiles on their faces.

“That’s right, Rainbow,” said Gilda, nodding her head. “I’ll do whatever it takes to win. That’s what you said. We’ll see about that.”

Rainbow stared into space, her mind torn between two choices, while Gilda snickered about the mare’s conundrum.

Heh! All I need is for this dweeb to pull his little plan off! Ugh, just listen to me! I actually don’t want him to screw up. Barf!

She then noticed the lizard on his inside had distracted Swift for the last minute in conversation.

“So you think you can beat me?” Gecks slithered.

Swift had wriggled his way under the lizard’s scaly skin. He had to, so Gecks would waste no time in using his move against him. “Gotcha. Just like back in Speedsters.”

Gecks’ frills flapped open, as did that wound of his defeat. Swift poured in the salt.

“That’s right. You thought it was so clever to nudge the hoops with your wings during your first run through the obstacle course. That way, you could break the record the second time, and then move them back on the last go-around, so no one would notice. You thought no one could beat your time, but guess what? I did, and I didn’t even have to cheat.” He paused for a relaxed sigh. “But I didn’t beat you because I wanted to win. I just wanted you to lose, Gecks, because you didn’t deserve that record, just like you don’t deserve to win today.”

By now, Gecks trembled, his tongue slithering all over the place. “Swift Flying,” he yelled, pointing with his long finger. “You will not deny me again! If you try even think of passing me, I will not be responsible for what happens to you!”

“Whatever,” Swift replied with a smirk. “I’d like to see you try.” After facing forward, a large lump fell down his throat. What in Equestria am I doing? Rainbow’s rubbing off on me a little too much.

Everyone in attendance rose from their seats, as Chicane held the microphone with sweaty hooves.

“We’ll have ten laps to go in the inaugural Equestrian Grand Prix,” he spoke. “Gecks Lizaurus will lead on this restart. Swift Flying, Rainbow Dash, Fangs Wolfmacher, Spitfire, Soarin, Gray Talonson, Sir Lionheart, Jet Beakington, and Thunderlane make up the top ten!”

“Oh, I can’t watch!” Fluttershy said, trying to get away from Pinkie’s grasp in vain.

Applejack raised her Stetson high, “Yee haw! You should, Fluttershy, ‘cause it’s gonna get wild!”

The Crusaders held up their sign, which Rarity was busy adding or Swift Flying below it with fancy handwriting, a compromise they reached to demonstrate they had two ponies in this race. Meanwhile, Spike was working with Twilight on camera positioning, so they could capture the finish without the patrons in the row below them blocking the view. The dragon gave thumbs up as the field approached the final turn.

“Good job, Spike,” said Twilight. “Oh, I just can’t wait!”

Spike looked all over the speedway grandstands, which made his heart bang against his chest. “Whoa! Do you feel that?”

Blaze nodded. “Yes, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for, the moment when the champions rise above the rest and compete for the ultimate glory!” He paused, turning down his joy a notch. “How I wish I was down there, but my friend, he has exceeded all of my expectations. Fly,” he chuckled, “or Swift, onwards, and Rainbow as well!”

Pinkie pulled out some pom poms, and started shaking them. “Raise your hooves, and make some noise! Green flag’s coming! Here we go!”

On cue, the flagpony waved the flag, and without resisting, she allowed all the turbulence to spin her world around until she collapsed facedown. Chicane was on top of the action, despite the PA system becoming indecipherable background noise.

“Gecks and Swift with an excellent restart! Gilda tries taking third but Rainbow closes the door going into one! Swift is now in Gecks’ draft and is picking up speed fast!”

Swift was now in his aerodynamic profile at full power. With Rainbow lagging behind as planned, he had no one to push him along, so he would only have one chance for an overtake maneuver. All he needed was to that lizard to blow his top off, and attack with that one move.

“You can’t hit me!” he taunted the instant Swift entered the tunnel. “I’m more agile than you are!”

Gecks’ frills turned bright orange. “Sssssilence! You shall regret the day you crossed Gecks Lizaurus!”

Leaving the tunnel, Swift aimed at the lizard’s inside. Right away, Gecks charged at him with his body ready for his move, triggering Swift’s eyes to sparkle. This was it, the make or break point of his plan. Everything banked on him to initiate a spin of his own at just the right time, lest for the lizard to capture and toss him away like yesterday’s news. His heart beat echoed, as the airwaves around Gecks made their expected appearance.

Not yet!

Gecks tongue wagged in the air, while his wings shook at a ferocious rate. The trap cage over Swift was coming down fast. There was no turning back now.

Not yet!

The air around Swift swirled, which tugged on his body like a vacuum cleaner. All his indicator lights turned green.

Now!

Swift revved his wings to full, and then twisted in the same direction as the attacking reptilian. His body instantly shuddered as the growing vortex wobbled in mid-air, thanks to his appendages disputing the flow. Gecks found his attitude control slipping by the second, so he lowered the wing power, hoping he could correct it. However, the violent, jerking motions threw off his concentration more and more, putting him in a bigger bind.

“Stoppppp!” Gecks fought to reach Swift, who was in the middle but the centrifugal forces within tightened their hold on him. “You’re going to—”

Gecks took off like a rocket, stunning the crowd into a collective gasp. Swift immediately backed off his rotation, but the phenomenon was taking its time dying out, and his left wing was cramping up. He too was losing the battle, but he held on for dear life.

“Can’t…” he huffed “… hold—”

His inertia proved too much, as he spun upwards around the last turn’s exit. Even with a spiraling world, Swift could tell that he still had a chance to rejoin the track, but someone needed to put a brakes on his rotation now or there was no chance he could slip through the approaching cloud hoop, and his race would effectively be over. He stretched out his hoof, and waited, and then waited some more, as time sped down. Into the water his hopes fell, with the currents pulling it deep down, its air cut off until unconsciousness was at its doorstep.

Help… me.

“I got you!”

Blazing through the open skies, Rainbow snatched onto her friend, and then yanked him downwards, eliciting a deafening roar from the spectators.

“Incredible,” shouted Chicane, now standing on the announcing table. “Rainbow not only saves Swift, they get back in line just ahead of Wolfmacher in third! However, Gilda took advantage and is four seconds ahead with nine laps to go!”

“Full power!” Wolfmacher commanded the two pegasi in front.

Rainbow already was going past her pain limits, her tear ducts opened wide, her teeth chomping on her lips, but alas, the gains on Gilda were inches when she needed miles. Whatever hopes she had of catching up in the head of the line disappeared the moment she chose her friend, but she wasn’t quitting this hand, not when she had a wild card. She waved her hoof, repeating the word switch to the trailing pony.

Recognizing the command, Swift became the engine that powered the formation that had three pegasi and a wolf. At every cloud hoop, their speeds picked up, chipping away at the lead with every flap.

Eight to go.

Again, Wolfmacher howled for maximum power, but suddenly, his head whacked him with a throb painful enough that he veered off the line, making the two Wonderbolts scatter.

“Oh no,” Chicane exclaimed.

His headache backed off, allowing him to correct his flight path, but the three competitors paid a heavy price. They could only catch a whiff of Rainbow’s draft, but could get no closer. Swift instantly sensed the subtle drop-off in their speed.

“Oh shoot! Should be let them catch up?”

Rainbow looked at him as though he was insane, “Of course we can’t! If we do, we’ll never catch up to Gilda! They’ll be fine! Keep going!”

Meanwhile, Gilda performed a head check, which made her mouth out a curse word. She hadn’t expected Swift to be around, let alone tugging Rainbow along for the ride. The griffon checked all her instruments, confirming she had everything at one hundred percent. All she had left is ignore her limits, and over-rev the wings. While that had narrowed the loss in time to half a second, there was no denying it. Two ponies flying together were faster than a solitary griffon.

Seven to go.

From the grandstands, Blaze worked overtime crunching numbers in his head, while those around him chased around their two pegasi friends around the track with their eyes. Only the massive Cloudiseum broke their concentrative effort.

“One hundred ninety seven!” said Blaze, pounding his claws together.

Applejack scratched her head, “What are you getting at?”

“That’s the lap they will reach Gilda, that’s if the next interval we hear is less than two seconds. Please tell me I’m correct!”

They kept their ears open, while Chicane went on about what was going behind the leaders.

“Lionheart has pulled ahead of the battle between Beakington and Thunderlane. Talonson is falling way behind to a group of about ten currently headed by the gargoyles. Gilda crosses the stripe once again, and she’s only six laps away from the checkers! The Swift-Rainbow train is now only one point seven seconds behind! They might actually … oh!”

At the first turn, Swift wiggled, causing the air behind to rock Rainbow sideways. The stallion composed himself, only for his body to shift left.

“What’s wrong?” Rainbow panted.

Swift could sense the smaller gears jamming within his left wing, while his fuel gauge indicated he was running on fumes. “It’s, ow! Shoot! I can’t hold it!”

“Tough it out!” Her voice cracked, “My back, oh, darnit!” Through the tear-induced waterfall, she could see the leader going through the last cloud hoop before the tunnel’s entry. Gilda was within reach, but she had nary a scratch on her, while her injury crippled her in both speed and strength. If she went one-on-one with Gilda in her condition, the griffon would come out on top, while Swift would suffer the same disappointing result. This convinced her that one would have to make the ultimate sacrifice, and she had already chosen whom that would be.

“Hey, Swift!”

Swift paused to take in some misty water into his mouth. “Yeah?”

“When we reach Gilda, I’ll, distract her! You, get by!”

His eyes almost left its sockets, “What did you say?”

She rubbed off the pain-induced tears, “ You’re you’re faster than me right now, all right? Just, leave me behind. I’ll be—”

“No way!” he responded with conviction. “We do this together, got it?”

Rainbow gazed into his blue pupils, hopeful that she could find the truth, but it came out to find her as a ribbon that tied itself to her inner core. To her, it was a sign of loyalty that she’d never experienced from anyone else, and it finally gave her the courage to say what she should’ve told her friend all this time. “All right! Whatever you want to do, I got your back!”

Hearing that infused him with so much adrenaline, that he could battle a leviathan. With Rainbow Dash on his side, he believed that anything was possible. “Follow me!”

Five to go.

Wolfmacher searched everywhere for the toggle that would turn off the jackhammer drilling into his cranium, but he couldn’t find it. His path continued its erratic path, making Soarin sweat beads.

“Hey, Spitfire? Don’t you think we should pass him now?”

The Wonderbolt leader groaned his direction. “I already told you when it’s time, we’ll go! Just be patient!”

He nodded, recalling a plan they formulated during the last caution. “Um, are you sure this thing you’re going to do is safe?”

She flashed a smile, along with a wink, a signal that made him squirm.

Three seconds behind the Wonderbolts, Beakington had just whizzed ahead of Lionheart, while Thunderlane tucked in behind the noble griffon.

“That hawk,” Thuderlane gulped in some air, “he’s too—”

Lionheart smiled, “Then let’s chase him together!”

They soldiered on ahead, but not without Lionheart glancing further down the field. The harriers were clashing with the seagulls, while the group he had commanded demonstrated that indeed, there was such a thing as hard, but clean racing. That yellow wasn’t coming out again.

Four to go.

Watching from the press box was Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, sitting on some floor pillows. The former was drinking some tea, while Luna was preoccupied jotting down something.

“Come now, sister” said Celestia. “Put down that notepad, or you’re going to miss the exciting finish!”

She continued working the quill, “One more minute, then thou shall partake in viewing the culmination of this event.”

Celestia moved her head in for a peek, but Luna moved the pad away. “What have you’ve been working on, anyway?”

“Oh,” Luna’s eyes moved sideways, “ideas for… the next time Equestria or another nation hosts such an event. One should always annotate on areas for improvement.”

“They you don’t mind if I take a look?”

She levitated the notes behind her back, “Oh, no, no, my fair sister! I… refuse to… bore you with minutia. I’ll present a more concise summary to you and the delegation after the race.” Luna forced her mouth to smile.

Celestia replied with a nod, “Very well. I look forward to hearing it.”

Luna wiped her brow. Close call. She must not be aware of my plans for humorous retribution. Thou should have all pieces in place before her birthday. She rubbed her chin, But where do I get a cake that large?

Three to go.

Swift’s speedometer climbed as he encountered Gilda’s draft, but every nut and bolt in his body rattled, while his body went in every direction except straight. This made his slipstream go from silky to a rock-laden road, poor conditions for a mare with a discolored bruise between her wings. She wasn’t complaining, not when the finish line was less than eight miles away, not when Wolfmacher and the Wonderbolts pulled to within a second behind them, and especially not when they were going to make the move of the race. These were the moments Rainbow lived for, but to share it with somepony else made her giddy like a filly.

“Are you ready?” yelled Swift, as they went through the first turn.

Excitement flooded throughout her system, making her voice an octave higher, “Let’s goooooo!”

Through the second turn, they travelled, their every movement tracked by Gilda’s scrupulous eye. As her two foes exited the turn, they began weaving left to right in a slow, predictable pattern. Immediately, the griffon suspected the pegasi were up to something, and the instant she entered the darkened tunnel, Gilda figured it out. They were hypnotizing her with their moves, so they could go in the opposite direction the second the spring sun rendered her blind. It was shrewd, just like her earlier plan, except she wasn’t going to fall for it. No, she was much smarter than that. Gilda would do to them what Gecks did to her, only her solution would be more permanent, a finishing blow with her body. Her might and mind would bring the trophy onto her claws.

Nearing the exit, she continued her watch. Left-right, left-right, and finally, going all the way to the wall’s edge. They started going up and outside, but she was confident they were going to pass down and inside, confirmed with the stallion’s eyes peering in that direction. Of course, she thought, it was the shortest distance to travel, so Gilda closed her eyes, ready to deliver a nasty surprise.

You’re finished!

Back in the open world, Gilda swerved port with a mighty growl, but instead of smacking into a body, she only pushed warm air. Something had gone terribly wrong, so she flipped her eyelids open, but the pegasi were not within her sights. Only when her head swiveled to the right was when she realized the horrible truth. With all her might, she veered toward their true path, her target set on Rainbow Dash’s ribs.

“You’re not getting away!”

At the last moment, the two pegasi rolled up into a corkscrew, letting Gilda slide through and toward the wall. Gilda cranked the wheel left, but her wingtips scraped along the barrier. The speedway became a madhouse, as the blaring crowd noise sheared off loose pieces from the Cloudiseum, while Chicane’s frantic jumping broke his announcing cloud desk.

“Gilda’s can’t get off the wall!” he hollered amongst the splintered remains. “There goes Wolfmacher! There goes the Wonderbolts! Swift and Rainbow, one-two as they come around Turn Four!”

The new heads of the pack ripped out joyous howls, but Rainbow suddenly stopped, sensing a disturbance from the rear. It wasn’t from the wolf, or the griffon struggling to escape the wall’s clutches, but from the two from the organization she worshiped.

“You ready, Soarin? ” Spitfire said with a cocky smile.

Her teammate chattered his teeth, “No!”

Her heads-up-display projected a path around the speedway, while her voice became gruffer. “So, those kids think they’re hot stuff! Time for us to show them who’s the best fliers in the world! For the Wonderbolts!” Flames erupted from her eyes, as her mane spat sparks.

Soarin grabbed onto her tail, “In the name of Celestia, please don’t let me get singed!”

“Engage!”

With a shattering boom, Spitfire’s afterburners fired up, emitting searing smoke from her wings, while jerking her passenger forward at a speed that made his cheeks flap. Chicane dropped his microphone at the sight of what looked like a missile going down the straightaway, while the spectators froze in disbelief. Wolfmacher moved out of their path, too scared out of his wits to attempt a block. Rainbow had to push her jaw closed.

“Push it all the way!” she said with the most urgent tone possible.

Swift turned back, introducing him to a sight that frightened him almost as much as his initial encounter with a real tornado years ago. “What… what is…?” His mind slapped him back into sanity, but also reminded him of something else. “Rainbow, shouldn’t you be ahead of me now?”

“Darnit!” she snapped. “I said I had your back and I meant it!” She tapped her muzzle, “Swift Flying, I’m helping you win, so release it now! Release everything you’ve got!”

He believed Rainbow really wanted him to win, and in his mind, the same was true with his absent parents, his friends back at Brayside, and every one of his friends watching from the stands. This wouldn’t be the first time in a situation like this, but unlike before, the craving for victory was inside of him. Pegasus pride, this supposed trait that all ponies with wings had, had made its appearance, and not only did it make sense to him, he accepted it. Swift needed to know if he could actually win, or he might regret it for the rest of his life.

With a flip of a switch, he turned off the safeties, so he could push every inch of his body beyond its specs. Every second, his speedometer ticked up, while Rainbow did all she could to stay right behind his tail. She bent her back, triggering the most horrendous sensation since she injured her wing a month ago, but she muffled her agony, unwilling to distract her partner. Into the tunnel they went, leaving behind a rainbow trail interweaved with bluish streaks that disintegrated the moment the Wonderbolts touched them.

“Fifteen seconds to deactivation!” Spitfire announced.

Soarin continued his girlish scream.

The four left the tunnel to spectators that were going bonkers, sending tremors that registered as an earthquake in nearby Canterlot and Ponyville. On the penultimate lap, they no longer saw racers, but gladiators charging into each corner without regards to their own welfare, and they rewarded them with all the decibels they could muster, from the burliest hawk to the smallest bat. Even meek Fluttershy released her support into the heavens, as Spitfire caught up to Rainbow’s tail just as her afterburners died out. Soarin’ let go of the pony rocket and became the pusher. Chicane continued his duty, even though he had trouble hearing his own voice from the enclosed press box.

“Onto the straight! Spitfire swings outside with Soarin as the white flag comes out! One more lap to go! We might have a photo finish!”

Klaxons rang all over Swift’s cockpit, as smoke billowed out of every console. Gears within his left wing were falling off its spindles, while his muscles leaked vital fluids, but even all his might was falling short as Spitfire was on his right, her nose edging ahead of his. More, he begged of his body, and his body used his fighting spirit as an additive to add a sliver more energy. Rainbow backed off from his tail, and then moved forward, pushing Swift ahead with a puff of air, but Soarin did the same, negating the miniscule advantage. Both battled with the wheel, as the turbulence caused by dual slipstreams threated to pull them together toward unmitigated disaster. At the corner exit, Swift’s flank yawed right, spooking Spitfire to move away, but she kept throttles on full, and she quickly resumed her position within inches of his wing. The tunnel’s mist moved aside in fear of approximately sixty wing power with its shrill blare. Popping sounds then came from the agile stallion, accompanied by Swift’s muffled groaning.

Please! Just… a few more seconds!

For the last time, the quartet approached the third turn, with no one having a visible advantage. The two pushers again struggled with the roller-coaster air, which made them sway like a pendulum, until finally, Rainbow and Soarin bumped tips.

“They’re sliding!” Chicane broadcasted.

Every light bulb in the vicinity went off, as two checkered flags waved in the air. Swift could see the goal, but he also sensed his partner had detached from him. To his right, Spitfire was in the same situation, but she was losing a tad more speed than he was. Neither dared check their position, for even the slightest wasteful movement could drag them down. They only looked forwards to the banner that would decide their destinies.

“Final turn! They’re coming home to the line!”

Swift applied all the pressure he could on the gas, cracking the pedal. The massive gear controlling his left wing juddered under all the stress, trying to keep moving for the pony’s sake, but with a long groan, it finally jammed. Full power on the right wing, none of the left.

“He’s out of control!” Chicane shouted as golden blur and a gray blob zoomed across the line.

All of Swift’s systems crashed, leaving him with only rudimentary inputs. With some body jerks, he slowed his rotation, but the inside wall was coming in too fast. By instinct, his wings folded back in right before he rebounded off the soft surface, and headed toward the cloud layer below. His descent was too fast, too steep, so he pulled up, but all it did was straighten his profile. With options running out, he spread wide for a belly landing.

Oh, this is gonna hurt!

At high speed, his stomach scraped across the clouds, while his left hoof stuck halfway in, until its momentum suddenly stopped. Instantly, he flipped onto his back, and kept going a few hundred more feet, until his journey ended with his face facing the scoring pylon. However, he couldn’t see it, his eyes flooded with water, coupled with the afternoon sun shining down on his scuffed up body. Every breath proved a challenge, as his lungs ached after all the work it went through. He released his wings, but only his right would wriggle, while the left’s muscles had caught on fire. When he turned the key, his engine made a lethargic effort to fire before it stopped making a sound.

Moments later, he sensed someone tapping his cheeks, followed by what was large, magenta eyes staring into what was left of his cockpit.

“Swift!” Rainbow pleaded. “C’mon! Please tell me you’re okay!”

Somehow, all that worry for his welfare made him feel better, but even so, he’d rather not see her like this. Therefore, he tried sweeping it away with some humor. “Did I… did I win?”

The answer came as a surprise, but a good one, enough that she snickered. “Just when I think I figured you out.” Two nurses came by to check over the stallion. “Well—”

Both Wonderbolts walked right up to the pegasi, “Actually, we don’t know yet,” said Spitfire. “All—”

“Oh no! Cousin Swiffy!” Soarin grabbed onto Swift’s limp body and rattled him, much to the dismay of the medical staff. Once Swift eked out a yes, he put him back upright. However, with his hooves buckling, he used his distant relative’s body as support.

Spitfire facehoofed, mumbling how daft his teammate can be. “As I was saying, they’re probably checking the photos rights now, but whatever the result is, that was some real gutsy flying, kid. I thought that with my special move, Soarin and I had it in the bag, but you two really know how to work together as a team. As the leader of the Wonderbolts,” she gave both a salute, “I commend both of you for an exemplary performance.”

Rainbow and Swift returned the gesture, thrilled for receiving a high compliment, but Soarin found himself sweating under Spitfire’s glare. The drill sergeant had returned.

“But as for you, coming in fourth? If Fleetfoot were here, she would’ve easily gone around all of us. Five hundred laps, every day, next week at oh six hundred!”

Soarin moaned aloud, while Swift turned to Rainbow. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! You mean—”

She grinned from ear to ear, “Well, duh! Podium, Swift! Too easy! Beat him by a mile!”

An approaching wolf snickered. “You make it sound like pup’s play! More like third by the tip of your nose from what I saw!”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, “Well, you’re quite happy for someone that finished fifth.”

Wolfmacher continued chuckling, “Ja. That was not the position I wanted, but l just saw something on the platform that pleased me.”

With all the crowd noise, they couldn’t hear Chicane’s futile effort to inform everyone what was going on near the start-finish line. “Looks like Gilda’s having quite a heated conversation with Gecks, and… oh, here comes the injured Goossens with some choice words of his own.” Then the trio came together, forming a cloud a dust, causing track marshals to run in their direction. “And there’s a fight!”

“That was worth the trip,” said the wolf.

“You mean the scuffle?” replied Lionheart, landing on the cloud along with Thunderlane. “I don’t usually approve such a thing, but I won’t stand in their way, either.”

Thunderlane was pumping his hoof, although it was because of something else. “I can’t believe I got seventh!”

Soon, many others joined the group, including the gargoyles, Echo, Hoots, and the rest of the gang. Each one had finished all two hundred laps, all had great tales about their clean battles to the line, and they wasted no time in telling anyone that lent them an ear. However, one question remained unanswered, but Spike believed he had the answer within his camera.

Pulling out the picture, “All right, fillies, gentlecolts, and falcon! The winner of the Equestrian Grand Prix is…”

Everyone around him pushed their way for the best view of a pretzel wrapper floating past the lens.

“Well, that’s just the bee’s knees,” Applejack muttered, crossing her hooves.

At the same time, Chicane poked his microphone, making an ear-splitting sound. “Sorry about that, race fans, but I wanted to direct your attention to the scoring pylon! I’m getting word that the track officials have completed their review of the finish!”

A lone pony went up to the tall, thin structure’s top with two numbers by her side, Swift’s thirty-seven and Spitfire’s twenty-one. The two contestants could hear their hearts rattling with anticipation.

“Isn’t this exciting?” Rainbow trembled.

Spitfire ran her hoof through her mane, “We Wonderbolts have a saying when we race against each other. Every time you win, act like you’ve done it many time before. Of course, you’re free to go nuts, kid.”

“Eh?” muttered Swift. “Oh, I won’t go that far.”

“Yes you will!” Rainbow corrected.

Again, Chicane came on the PA system, “I now have the official results along with… quite an interesting photo in my hooves! Race fans! The winner, by the margin of zero point zero zero four seconds, is—”

In front of thousands, the scoreboard operator plastered the winning number in the first position.

Twenty-one.

Right away, the winning Wonderbolt pranced on the cloud, squealing like many of her adoring fans. “I won! I won! I can’t believe I—” She halted her jig mid-step, while her cheeks had the faintest pink blush. “Oh. Ahem. I’m, um, really sorry about that. I—”

Swift guffawed, his eyes dripping liquid. It wasn’t every day that a revered figure would act in such a matter, and it tickled him quite hard. “It’s… it’s all good. No, really. I… just… I wasn’t ready for that.” Once he cured himself of his fit, he stuck out his hoof, “Congrats. Guess I can’t complain finishing second to a Wonderbolt. After all, I’m just a rookie at this.”

Spitfire went for a shake, but at the last second, gave Swift a bump. “Kid, you had the skills to win today. Maybe next time, you’ll be lucky too. C’mon. They’re having the podium ceremony within the Cloudiseum. They should have your trophy up there by now.”

“Eh?”

Soarin nodded with a grin. “That’s right! The Princess didn’t want to spoil it, but actually, everyone’s getting a trophy just for being here! Most get the small one, but yours is a five-foot silver, Swiffy! Isn’t that great?”

Swift let his head drop. Why does he have to keep calling me that?

“And you get the bronze one, Rainbow!”

The mare found herself acting like her idol just minutes ago. Once she calmed herself down, she helped Swift on his way toward the Cloudiseum, his left wing intact, but nonoperational. Her back persisted with its pain, but the image of a large, shiny award proved an effective distraction, as did a question she had for her friend.

“So tell me, Swift. How do you feel about coming in second?”

He let out a content sigh. “I’m, um, I’m cool with it, really. I mean, it’s not like Gilda or Gecks won, right?”

She drew closer to him with a sly smile, “C’mon, be honest. You feel a little bummed out, aren’t ya?”

He looked downwards “Well, I’m… maybe a little bit. I mean, I actually wanted to win for once but, um, I couldn’t do it. Did I let you down?”

Rainbow diffused his anxiety by tapping on his muzzle, “That’s all I wanted from you.” Then it was her turn to muse, “As for me, yeah, it stinks I couldn’t win, but hey, I got to race against the Wonderbolts! Do you know how awesome that is?” Her joy fizzled out, “I just wish I could’ve done more for you at the end.”

“You had my back,” he replied, beaming. “That’s all I needed.”

With a nod, “And you had mine,” her spine gave her a painful jolt “, well, what’s left of it anyways.”

They shared a laugh as the two pegasi along with the other contestants entered the Cloudiseum’s hallways to a mass of reporters, and photographers capturing every single moment. These racers dripped sweat, had battle scars all over their bodies, fought for every aching step, but when they saw the thousands applauding their arrival at the open center, that’s when they realized it was worth all their sacrifices. The results may have said one thing, but the adoration these warriors of the speedway received sent a different message, one that had more meaning than their name on a trophy.

They were all winners.

---

Monday afternoon.

Other than the partially dismantled racetrack, the only other sign within Cloudsdale that there had been a major event the day before was in the newspapers circulating around the city. Stories from just about every competitor adorned the multiple pages along with the amazing pictures that had tales of their own, from Derpy’s strikeout of troublesome crows, to Gecks unwanted trip into the Equestrian skies. However, the most iconic was that of the finish, an image frozen in time, as Spitfire’s hoof edged Swift’s wingtip. The stallion in the image scrutinized it at the Ponyville train station, where he would soon leave for Brayside Beach along with his falcon friend, who chose to spend some extra time with him before returning to Falconia. His aching left wing would’ve made it hard enough to make the journey by air; impossible with what he found out was a heavy trophy.

With a moan, Swift tossed the paper into his saddlebag. “I still can’t believe I crossed the line sideways. I wanted some wicked pictures to show my friends, but that one wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Spike was going through an envelope, “I think I gave you all the good ones. Ugh, most of these were out of focus.”

“I got some from the after-race party last night,” Pinkie interrupted. She pulled one out and started giggling, “Oooh, here’s Twilight with punch all over her—”

The bookworm ripped apart the picture, “Yes, well, I couldn’t help it if I got carried away with my dancing and fell onto the table.”

“Eh?” Swift mumbled. “When did that happen?”

Rainbow facehoofed. She remembered the prior night’s happenings with pinpoint accuracy. Sir Lionheart was adept at ballroom dancing, McPecks revealed that his first name was Steve, Wolfmacher had a younger brother named Howls, and Thunderlane bragged to every mare about his finish. However, what stuck out the most was a slender stallion who could only muster basic conversation with his teammates before nodding off. “Geez, I didn’t think anypony could ever fall asleep in the middle of a Pinkie Pie party!”

“I was tired,” Swift retorted. “You got to take a nap, but I—”

“Wah, wah, wah. Blaze, make sure he trains hard the whole week you’re with him. He really needs some more muscle, so he can do even better next time.”

Swift’s eye twitched. “Next… time?”

“Don’t listen to her, dear,” Rarity said with a wink. “You’re fine just the way you are.” She then levitated a comb into his pouch. “But please, do something about that mane, so that you’re at least presentable to the photographers.”

Fluttershy had another item for Swift, a bag with a strange aroma. “Now you take that two times a day for your wing.”

Rainbow made a gag motion. “I remember you made that the first night after my big crash! Worst thing I’ve ever tasted!”

The reserved pegasus took the criticism with a warm smile, “I know, but I added some extra ingredients so that it tastes better. I still think you should’ve taken it along with the medicine. Maybe it could’ve helped with all those problems you had.”

Rainbow’s face turned pale, knowing that other than Swift, nopony else was aware what actually happened one month ago. That, in turn, forced her to keep the curtains on that whole situation closed. “Oh, yeah, well, I… I got all better once you girls left. Yep. Just like that.”

Applejack scrutinized over her sweating friend, “I hear ya, but it’s a might peculiar that you haven’t told us much about what you did while we were in Manehattan.” Her brow made a suggestive movement, while she turned toward Swift. “Delivery weather reports to Rainbow, huh? C’mon, you two. No shame in telling us everything.”

Swift pulled on his coat as though he was inside a boiling pot, but he then found the valve to extinguish the flames. “Well, only if you first tell Rainbow and I everything that happened to you guys down in Manehattan?”

The cowpony was now in the hot stove, along with those that partook in what they referred to, in the nicest terms, a big city misadventure. Fortunately, an all aboard call saved their hides from embarrassment. “Oh, consarn it,” Applejack said, feigning disappointment. “We’re out of time.” Rarity snuck by her ear for a whisper. “You… you come back anytime, Swift. We’ll… um, leave you and Rainbow alone to say your farewells…” She took a step back, while Rarity pushed Blaze onto the train. “…alone, together.” Everyone else made a hasty retreat, so Applejack tipped her hat, “Bye!”

Suddenly, it was only two pegasi on a train platform amongst random strangers.

“What was that about?” Rainbow said, scratching her head.

Swift shrugged, “Beats me. So, you sure you can handle the Stallihorn gig without me for a while?”

Rainbow tapped her back, now with a patch over the bruise. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll just have to catch up on my naps when you get back.”

He snorted with a sarcastic eye roll. “Thanks a lot, Rainbow.”

She rubbed his head, giggling. “Oh, lighten up. I’m just having fun with ya.”

“Yeah, I know,” he answered, pulling himself away from her grasp. “You’re fun to be around too,” he flexed his sore appendage, “sorta dangerous, but fun!”

While she understood he was being lighthearted about the whole situation, that didn’t remove the weight of responsibility off her shoulders. “Yeah, I do kinda put you on the spot a lot. Listen, maybe we’ll take it a little easier next time we do something together. You know, keep you in one piece for once.”

Swift nodded, “My body likes the sound of that. Just… just don’t be changing on me overnight, okay? I want to hang with Rainbow Dash, not Rainbow Crawl.”

“Back at you, Swift,” she answered with a play punch. “Yeah, I suppose you’re not as strong, or as fast, or even as brave as I am, but I—” Rainbow had hit a roadblock put up by emotions coming from within her chest. Whatever these were, they were ticklish. “I… well, you know, the way you are, I… I like who you are, so… just, stay true to yourself, okay?”

He blinked a few times, wondering if she had actually said such complimentary words. When he confirmed them, his spirits reached a state of bliss. “Gotcha. I will.”

“Final call!” shouted the train conductor. “All aboard that’s coming aboard!”

Swift swiveled toward the closest door, where Blaze was urging him to step onto the train. “Shoot. Guess I’m off, then! See ya in about a week, right?”

“Mhm,” Rainbow replied.

“Later, then!”

The second he stepped onto the train, Swift accompanied Blaze to the nearest window for a goodbye wave. Rainbow delivered one in return, along with her friends, who came by to bid adieus until the locomotive pulled out into the station. Everything appeared normal until the ponies on the platform could only see the smoke disappearing into the horizon. Then, Rarity walked up to Rainbow as though she had just ripped one of her dresses.

“That’s it?” she said, raising one hoof in the air. “You mean after all this time, that’s all you have to say to him?”

Rainbow shrugged, “Well, yeah. I mean, I’ll see him again sometime next week. It’s not like he’s gone forever.”

“That’s not what I meant!” Rarity snapped. With a deep breath, the fashionista settled her nerves. “Ahem, I just meant that maybe you forgot to tell him something, something very important, hmmm?”

She thought about it a moment. “Nope. I took care of everything.”

Rarity trembled like a volcano ready to erupt, but she put the lid on the top with a smile. “Yes, of course. My apologies. If you excuse me, there’s some… clothes that need hemming.” She trotted around the station to the rear where Spike was fluffing the red chaise lounger’s pillows. The unicorn laid flat on the couch, and proceeded to pound it, her noisy tantrum muffled by the cushions.

Applejack moved her jaw for some words, but Twilight held her shoulder, shaking her head.

“Let’s not push her, okay?” Twilight whispered.

“Oopsie,” said Pinkie, holding a sheet that said Recipe on the top. “I actually forgot to give Fly-Fly my recipe for that special raspberry drink I made last night. He said that it almost as good as what he had at Wild Blue Yonder.”

That triggered an itch in Rainbow’s conscience, which kept her distracted from the emerging conversation.

“Pfft,” Applejack gestured at Pinkie. “That was pretty good stuff but it ain’t no cider. Just you gals wait until next season! Granny says it’s gonna be extra tangy!”

Fluttershy frowned, “That’s sounds really nice and all, but then Rainbow will wake me up even earlier to get in line.”

“Not to worry,” Twilight chimed. “I already proposed some ideas on how to resolve that. We’ll have a ticket system, so that everypony can wait until they hear their number. We’ll also have a per day limit. That way, somepony doesn’t hog it all.”

The usually peppy Pinkie crossed her hooves. “Hmmmffff!”

“I think we can get better production too, but we’ll need a new—”

Rainbow released a panicked yell. “Oh my gosh! I totally forgot! Sorry, girls! Gotta dash!”

The fastest pony in Equestria blasted off into the Ponyville skies, leaving behind a few confused mares and Pinkie Pie, who nodded at nopony in particular.

---

Inside the train, Swift pulled out of his saddlebag Fluttershy’s small satchel. Sitting next to him, Blaze took a whiff, which made him slink away.

“Such a foul stench!” said the falcon.

Once the stallion removed the rope, he found a few small bottles inside, all with an evergreen color substance. He snatched one, and popped open the cap.

Blaze’s pupils retracted, “Please do not tell me you will drink that!”

“Shoot, Blaze. Fluttershy worked hard to make this for me. It smells wicked bad, but I gotta take a sip, at least.”

His tongue pulled back, anticipating something foul. Swift held onto the glass container for a few seconds, until finding the courage to take the liquid in with one go. All his taste buds wailed their displeasure, while his face twisted in ways that weren’t physically possible. He grabbed a nearby cup filled with bubbly soda, and drank every drop. Then he stuck his tongue outside for some vigorous scrubbing. When he was done, he pulled his head inside, shuddering.

“I suspected as much,” Blaze replied.

Swift opened his left appendage a nudge, “Well, I think it’s working, but not worth it. Yeck!”

“I am still amazed that your wing propelled you for such a long time after the initial injury.”

The stallion began chewing on some gum, “I’m still racking my head on how I did those moves against the seagulls. I’ll have to ask my mom next time I see her.”

Blaze rubbed on his beak, “My current theory is that it is triggered when you absolutely need to protect yourself, or in the other instance, when someone close to you needs protection.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Swift tapped his chin, “but why now?”

The intelligent falcon had no clear answer. “I suppose it’s just part of your development into becoming a full aged stallion. Even in these few days, I’ve seen you mature in front my eyes, and you’re well aware of some changes, but on others, not so much.”

Swift scratched his head. Usually, he could understand the gist of what Blaze would tell him, but when he got cryptic, he had to press him. “Um, okay. What do you mean?”

Blaze smiled wide, “That’s for you to find out.” He stood up, and shook himself. “If you’ll excuse me, I want to see if I can enter the locomotive. We don’t have such a machine back home, and I do desire a closer inspection!”

Now alone, Swift continued pondering on the falcon’s words for about half a minute before shrugging.

I just don’t understand you sometimes, Blaze.

After flicking his gum through the window, he made his way all the way to the back of the train, where he could get some fresh air, stretch out his limbs, and enjoy the scenery. Green, flower-laden plans were on his left, while on the right, the Stallihorn Mountains ascended into the heavens, its peaks draped in frosted white. All across the sky, the sunrays painted it warm orange, which faded as the sun receded into the horizon. If there was something he tried catching every day to enjoy and study, it was sunsets. After all, he was the weather patrol leader for a beach town, so doing all in his power to make it memorable for the townsfolk was part of the job description.

Suddenly, he noticed something that didn’t belong in his periphery, a rainbow stripe following the railroad tracks. His initial confusion became total surprise, once the streak’s creator landed right in front of him, gasping for air.

“Rainbow?” he said, his pupils contracting. “What… what’s going on? Did something happen?”

She wiped her forehead, “No, nothing…” She took a few more breaths. “Nothing’s wrong. I just completely zoned out about something.”

“What is it?”

“I forgot to give you this to you.” She took out a strip with images on it. “I thought you might want to have this now, instead of waiting a whole week.”

He grabbed the object in question like a fragile egg. On the laminated paper were four moments frozen in time inside a photo booth. All the memories from that fateful night rushed back, his nerves tingling as though somepony was giving him a massage. “Shoot. How could I just forget asking you for this?”

“It’s okay,” Rainbow replied, sweeping her front hoof on the floor. “We had that big race to worry about, so you forget stuff that’s not important.”

Swift shook his head, “Don’t say that, Rainbow. That was one wicked night for me.”

“It was?”

He nodded, before securing the strip in his bag. “I had as much fun that night as I did with the whole race,” He nudged his left wing, “and I didn’t have to work as hard.”

Rainbow snickered, “Yeah, right. You could hardly fly when you carried me on your back.”

“Whatever,” Swift chuckled with an eye roll.

Her body heat ticked upward, “But thanks for the ride. Actually, thanks… for everything you do for me.” Rainbow wrapped a hoof around him, embracing him with a gentle touch.

There it was, a wonderful citrus aroma that triggered Swift’s heart to sprout wings and fly around his chest. “No prob, Rainbow. No prob.”

She released him, but instead of stepping back, she became spellbound in Swift’s windows to his soul, bathed in a smooth, honest blue, as it mixed with her vibrant, sparkling magenta energy. The result was a subtle magnetic force that nudged their faces ever closer to a new world full of possibilities, ones neither could comprehend, but they allowed their instincts to take over, who promised that once their lips touched, everything would make sense. Closer, closer, their heartbeats came in synch, their minds keeping silent, Rainbow and Swift lifted the page to reach the next chapter.

Slam, went the book’s cover, thanks to the locomotive sounding its deafening horn. Eyes opened, jaws shuddered, and two pegasi took a step away, wondering what in the world was happening. They rummaged for words, but they continued fumbling them out of their mouths, with none making any sense. Finally, Rainbow’s mind tossed her something she could latch onto.

“What…” She shook her head, “…what are we doing?”

Swift hyperventilated. “I don’t, I don’t know!”

“We can’t,” Her turbulent seas began to subside, “we can’t do this!”

He mumbled something, but it was unintelligible gibberish.

“Swift, I…” She tapped her chest “… I’m not into that!”

He motioned no with urgency, “I wasn’t… I mean, you know I hate that stuff!”

Rainbow wiped her face, “Yeah, I… I know you do. It’s just that… look, let’s just… um—”

Out of the library in her mind, something fell onto the floor, a guide she used every time a stallion approached her regarding anything related to romance. Perfect, she thought. Rainbow wanted nothing more than to get away, so there was no time to think. She wanted action, finality, the punctuation mark at the end of the sentence.

She waited a few more seconds for some more breaths, each one more relaxed. When she was ready, she released a long sigh, and then found a conciliatory tone, so that she wouldn’t make it worse than it already was. “Ok, ok. Listen, Swift. I’ll just spell it out, so that… so that we’re all clear on this. You and I as friends? That’s totally cool, and it totally works for us, but… I… I… I want to keep it that way. You understand, right?”

Within, all communications with his heart ceased except for broken static, as though it wasn’t even there anymore. In a panic, his brain took over in formulating his answer. “Gotcha,” he said nodding with a forced smile. “I’ve… always thought of you as my friend. Uh, huh. I’m… not into romance. That’s… not who I am, and… that will never change, ever. So… we’re good?”

Rainbow froze in place, her body jammed as though someone was wrestling control away from her. Whoever it was, they suddenly lost their grip on the go lever. “Mhm,” she responded. “That’s great!” She took another step back. “I really should get going! Long trip back!” Cya!”

At maximum power, she made a beeline toward Ponyville, not even craning her head back to check on the young stallion that stood expressionless at the back of the train for a whole minute. The clacking of train wheels riding the rail was his only company until Blaze swung the door open.

“There you are,” said the falcon with a grin. “I cannot tell you how exhilarated I was just now! The conductor was courteous enough to show me how to operate the locomotive! He even allowed me to sound the horn! Oh, I felt like an eyass all over again! How is—”

Swift had no reaction at all. Blaze looked around, pondering if he had missed something. He found his answer lying on the floor, a solitary cyan feather.

“Was Rainbow here, Swift?”

Finally, he broke his silence with a noise that Blaze presumed was a yes.

Raising his eye, “Did something happen between you two?”

Keeping his sights at the horizon, “She forgot to give me something. We said a few things, and then she left. That’s all.”

Blaze could hear the monotone in his friend’s voice, unsettling his spirits. “Are you all right?”

Swift falsified some positive emotion, “Oh, yeah, yeah. I’m good. No worries. I just… need a nap.”

The stallion went inside the caboose, and with him, the main source of clues for the smart falcon. However, it didn’t take him long to figure out what transpired. Swift might be of a different species, but his mannerisms were a universal code that he’d seen from others in his lifetime, a sign that he reacted to in the same way each time. He put head down as if he was mourning a loss, left the area, but rather than find his friend, went to have some food. Blaze had the feeling Swift wasn’t in the mood for talking.

---

Somehow, Rainbow’s feather survived all the train’s bumps well into the night, when a gray pony walked outside, and rested on the railing. On his hooves were three pictures of a stallion and a mare having fun, but Swift couldn’t get his eyes off the one on the bottom. There, he recognized who the two ponies were, except they appeared different in some way, but he couldn’t understand how or why. Neither could he explain why his chest had gone numb, or why he didn’t even have the energy to smile. This was a puzzle with a million pieces, but he had no idea what the final image should be, so Swift turned to the celestial points in the cool, lavender sky to search for answers there, just like another pony looking through her window within her floating abode. Rainbow had the same pictures, and she too, had similar questions. The words she said, they resolved situations in the past but now, they left a tear that she patched up the best she could, but it was still there, making her ache in a different way than the ones coming from her healing back. Swift’s response, what should’ve been the round peg for the circular hole wouldn’t fit. New emotions had arrived, except they came with no label, and no return address. They were now a part of her, no matter how hard she tried kicking them out.

After a few minutes, both gave up their one-sided inquiry with the stars, and retreated to their souls, where all they could do is condense all they knew into one simple question, the one they would have to leave blank, so they can move forward into tomorrow, or they would be stuck in today forever.

What’s wrong with me?

Author's Note:

If you enjoyed this story, continue on to the next story in the series, Brayside Crush!

Comments

[Shaleclaw]

Slam, went the book’s cover, thanks to the locomotive sounding its deafening horn.

Dangit, Outlaw! You're killing me, playing with mah feels like that! I wanted so bad to see the two of them finally get together!
That's twice now that you've got me with those scenes!

Very good conclusion though. I loved it (even though that train whistle totally trolled me)! Well done, man! Hopefully this isn't the last we've seen of Swift and Rainbow! Even if not in text, they're a fun pair to watch.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2098694
I'm going to have an explanation for the ending, but I'll wait a while for others to finish reading.

[Rubiks]

Oh man, that ending. It's tearing me in two! Though I have to agree with Shaleclaw, great conclusion!

Hope to see more of these two, and keep up the good work!

[SaxPon3]

Bro. I am am both very pissed at you for that ending and happy for it! Too damn close!!!! I guess I'm too mushy for my own good......

But you simply must write another one with those Swift and Rainbow! You must make their ship reach the shore!!!!

Toodledoo!

Quillin Words

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2099895
Even if I ever write part three, who says I'll actually keep the ship afloat?

[SaxPon3]

2100332 YOU WOULDN'T!!!!!

[Shaleclaw]

Gonna comment on the Authors Note here since more comments here=more publicity for the story.

I have to say, giving Spitfire's number a meaning like you did was genius. I never would have caught it had you not mentioned it, but that's the type of trivia I like dropping in my own works! Same with Rainbow and Swift's numbering. That was leet, if you'll excuse the pun!

I thought your ending sounded like a setup for a sequel. I'm actually rather glad you went with your original approach and left the option open. You never know when that itch to keep going will strike you between the shoulder blades and you'll need to scratch. I know the amount of traffic this story received had to have been disappointing, but I for one would wholeheartedly support you if you were to decide to go through with a sequel to this story. Judging from the other comments, I can think of at least a couple more who would endorse the idea as well.

I mean, you did say you wanted to do a trilogy, right? *nose tap* I think you've got a little pegasus spirit in there.
To quote Rainbow, I said I had your back and I meant it! The checkered flag for that completed trilogy is one story away, Outlaw. The white flag is out! Don't let nasty Gecks and Gilda ruin your race now! We've got your back! Fly on, Outlaw! Fly on to claim that victory that you've worked so hard for already!

[Shaleclaw]

2100512 *gasp* Don't tempt him!

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2100512
I can't deny it's a direction I've thought about. Like I said, I'm not sure there's enough readership to support a part three, but I know for certain that if I do go ahead, the fic would take place at least two months after Top Wings. Based on what happened on the train, there's plenty of enough time for feelings to change...

...or not. It's a decision that even now, I haven't made. Whether I ever will, I really don't know.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2100553
I want to say that Gilda and Gecks' numbers also have some meaning, but I honestly forgot what that was.

At the very least, I want to fix up Return to Flight to fix any inconsistencies, and make it a more polished product. Maybe that will get more interest.

If there's another obstacle in the way, it's time. I'm not sure I'll have it to put out something up to my standards. My writing gets uneven when I have to stop and go all the time.

[SaxPon3]

2100571 On the matter of publicity, have you tried submitting this series (including "Return to Flight") to EqD? I mean, they said they don't accept main character/OC ship unless it's really good, and I thinking most of your readers will agree with me when I say you did an amazing job at it.

Of course, you've probably already tried submitting this, but if you haven't, there's something you could do.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2101871
Already went that route with Core of the Apple. While it did get on the site, all that happened was the readers trashed my story, so yeah, I guess my fics just aren't that popular, or up to their standards. Fair enough.

[SaxPon3]

2102432 I think you should try again with this story. As much as I liked Core of the Apple, I'll admit there was room for some improvement. With this series,your writing improved greatly, and is near impeccable towards the end. I highly suggest trying for another submission.

[RadBunny]

So I've read both of your fics following Sky and Rainbow...
Amazing, honestly. With only few very very minor errors (small enough that they escape recollection at the moment.) The descriptions and characters were believable and dynamic, and everything flowed nicely, making the entire read quite an enjoyable experience.
Then I finished Top Wings.

You sir, have rustled my jimmies. An amazing story like that, to be left at such an end....without any sort of closure, or eventual promise of such...
I am disappoint.
I do hope you decide to continue with it as a trilogy. I'd say due to the dynamics you've crafted between the characters, there is certainly enough for a sequel.

Well done on writing a story so immersive, that I was genuinely saddened and angered at the outcome. To involve a reader to that level is a sign of a truly well-written story.

-Radbunny.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2173427
Thanks for the comment.

To be honest, I was a little worried that there would be a big backlash for the way I ended Top Wings. I think nine out of ten writers would've put the bow and tie together and end it in a predictable matter. Then again, those fics usually are focused on the romance, while in my story, there's other things going on. Had I gone in a different direction, then I believed it would've been a tacked-on ending, something that stuck out from everything else. I actually tried keeping the shipping parts to a minimum, other than a few select areas, since I wanted to keep the focus on the race itself.

At the minimum, I do want to polish up Return to Flight in order to fix any inconsistencies, and to bring its quality a step up from where it is now. Also, I am trying to bring more awareness to my story via artwork. Maybe if I get enough people hooked, that will motivate me to get the ball rolling again. I'm mainly worried how many seemed to enjoy the first fic, yet, that hasn't translated to readers for its sequel. It is possible that I just have follow my plan, and simply wait it out.

[RadBunny]

2176347

Hmm. Well that makes sense at least.
For my stories, I write them for the sake of enjoyment. I plan on publishing other works someday, FimFiction is just filling in a temporary gap.
Does that always attract readers? Perhaps not. I'm happy for the thumbs-up I get on my fics, but I don't let that drive my writing style or ideas.

What I would humbly request is, that if your plan is to not write a sequel, perhaps an alternate ending? Not even something major, but hinting at a positive outlook.
While you may not have focused on the romantic aspect (a slight pity, being the hopeless romantic I am) I must say you had it interwoven enough to really cause the reader's heart to break at the end, compounded moreso by the lack of any sort of closure. Add to that the fact I'm a sucker for romance....and hence my rather chilly view at the ending.

I could see it going many ways. Perhaps a sequel, or an alternate ending? Or, you could leave it here. I share your disappointment at the lack of views it has, because it surely deserves more.
'tis my two cents.
-Radbunny

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2176378
It did seem a little cold-hearted to end it that way, especially considering that I released the last chapter right before Valentine's Day. Then again, I'll have to admit that when I was writing Return to Flight, there was actually not supposed to be any romance at all. If anything, one of my goals was that, yes, you can write an Stallion OC + RD story without going into that area. That was the only time I allowed readers to have a major influence in plot direction. Even today, I'm surprised at where that has taken me.

The idea of an alternative ending has floated around my head. Then again, my fic is no Great Expectations, and I get the sense that there would be some contradictions that would be hard to properly rectify. In the end, do I want to eventually finish what I started? Yes, but the few basic ideas I have are big, and I'm having trouble fleshing them out.

[RadBunny]

2176536

Well....I think the fact you didn't intend any romance, but it happened anyway, is exactly what made it so amazing, because that's how love works sometimes.

and wait, you released it right before....wow...
that's pretty cruel...like....not just cold-heart cruel...
thefitcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/mr-freeze1.jpg
^that cruel.

Well, an alternative ending could satisfy both ends- it is optional, therefore it can contradict, and yet allows for some leeway.
I'd be more than happy to be a wall to bounce ideas off of, if you ever want some help =)

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2176551
At least I didn't have any bad puns every other paragraph.

I might send you a message in the next few days. If I can get something basic down, then at least I'll have an idea of which direction I want to go. You'll be surprised that I had close to nothing in terms of an outline, and that made the writing a lot more time-consuming.

[RadBunny]

2176577
Fair enough XD

I'd love to see whatever you churn up!

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2366475
Thanks. I wanted any romance to be interwoven with both Top Wings and Return to Flight, rather than be the dominant, driving force. It feels more natural that way.

[Framerate]

very nice story, PLEASE write a 3rd
also i love the way you have both swifts and rainbows personality that work so well, hope they actually confess their feelings to each other

[Iamadargon]

Great fanfic, you actually didn't kill the personalities of Dash and Swift. And by that, I mean that Dash and Swift were actually real ponies by the end of the story, not cardboard cutouts. Tremendously impressive, I've read far too many romance stories about Dash where she gains the personality of Rarity or Fluttershy and loses that of a tomboy. Might be a bit difficult for you to keep their personalities in check if you decide that Dash and Swift should get more intimate later on...
I hope you find the inspiration to continue your series soon, otherwise...

[Outlaw Quadrant]

2845578
The last part's coming... eventually.

[Hash1996]

Woop, awesome fic! You stayed true with rainbow's personality too which makes me want her and swift to get together even more :P can't wait sequel, you've hooked me now!

[MaruTheWonderbolt]

Please, please, please
WRIGHT THE THIRD PART!!!

This is one of the things I love about fimfiction, you can find these hidden gems of wonderful wrighting.
You deserve so many more views than you have.
Only thing I want is Rainbow and Swift's relationship to develop more.(but you should know that I'll always want more)

I now present to you out of moustaches, you have definitely earned them.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

3592165
The third part's coming... eventually. Keep checking the blog for updates.

[DannyKay4561]

Now this is one absolutely long and well written story.Great job on this one!

[Bast]

So glad they beat Gilda and geckos! What a story <3

[Outlaw Quadrant]

4145135
Glad you enjoyed it. I hope you'll like the third installment.

[BabySkittleMonster]

This and the prequel are one of the few times I actually like an OC. Well done, man, well done. Normally I ignore stories with OC's simply on principle (what, with them almost always being Mary-Sue's or Gary-Stu's) but this one piqued my interest and I loved it! A bit slow at times, but I digress... Can't wait to read the next instalment!

[Outlaw Quadrant]

4472025 Thanks. One of my goals was avoiding the pitfalls other writers make on their OCs. I wasn't perfect but I got a better reception than expected.

Yes, I know the pace is on the slow side. Some of that will be fixed when I update both RTF and TW. Crush will be more difficult to manage just because it's loaded with characters but I'll see what I can do.

Just an FYI: Top Wings is technically a sequel to Return to Flight. However, Let Byhooves be Byhooves is a spiritual predecessor to both. A bit confusing, yes.

[The Flash]

This story screams for a sequel.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

4645259 I'm the master of making up words.

[OBSIDI4N_DR4G0N]

4645259 I'm kinda mad that you actually looked that up, lol

[Outlaw Quadrant]

5663850 If griffons can talk, then why not falcons and whatever other species comes to mind? This is an international event, after all.

[Just Defender]

So much denial! I love it and hate it!

[Dustmane]

Wow, I can't believe I've read about a race that was exciting without actually seeing it. You Sir, have a very rare talent.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6152176 Thanks! Being a racing fan helps on knowing what would excite someone watching or in this case, reading what's happening on track. Regrettably, I didn't have the time to rewrite Top Wings like I did with Return to Flight. The side characters needed more depth and I wanted a second announcer as well.

[Dustmane]

6152529
I wouldn't worry about the side characters, they are interesting as they were. Blaze was a very good supporting character, sort of leading the new reader in to the world of racing with his professionalism. I was kinda' sad that he had almost no part in the actual race - it would have been nice if he could have worked at some place like a pit lane, giving short analyses and advices to his teammates during the yellow flags, maybe sabotage an ongoing plot by Geck's non-racer allies to undermine the racers, or something. Thus improving his share of action and influence of the race without him being present out there.

The other racers were also nicely played, maybe a bit too stereotypical, but it helped us concentrate on the complex personalities of the main two characters. They were easy to memorize and place their role and rank in the race. Big fan of Wolfmacher by the way - it took me some time to figure out that he was kind of representing the Germans and M. Schumacher. Hey, I wonder how many other F1 references did I miss?

The only characters I felt out of place was the other members of the mane six. Except to play their on overly-used role (Fluttershy taking cover, Rarity whining) they did little to influence the actual storyline. I liked the synergy between Twilight and Blaze, both of them being strict professionals though. But I think the rest of them could have been left out. That's just my opinion of course.

Can't wait to start the sequel tomorrow! Loving your work right now mate!

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6153688
The original idea was to implement some type of pit road system with Blaze being a pseudo crew chief. I dropped it because it proved difficult to justify its existence.

I'm going off my memory here but here's some parallels:
Wolfmacher: Michael Schumacher
Sir Lionheart: Jackie Stewart
Hermes Goossens: Marc Goossens
Gecks Lizaurus: Flying Lizard Motorsports
Tanner Howls: Tanner Faust
Steve McPecks: Steve McQueen
Burning "Mike" Chicane: Mike Joy who does NASCAR play-by-play

Given how important the race was to Rainbow, I couldn't leave out the Mane 6. Conversely, I wish I could've come up with valid excuses to leave a few of them out or outline the story better so that they're not just window dressing. It's something I tried to improve on with Brayside Crush.

[Dustchu]

Man oh man... ahhhh I love this story man, it is awesome saucy!
It is frigging awesome work well done, and I loved it!

Good show, good show!
Methinks in he sequel, things will be changing a bit 8D

Keep it up!

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6456572 All but a requisite to fully enjoy this chapter!

[Scarlet Storm]

“You’re too slow!”

DAMNIT SANIC!

Welp.

Time for Brayside Crush

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6709871 That level of awfulness? Probably. I might have even had that movie in mind when I wrote this chapter.

[Dragon Eye]

Ow, I know first-hand how it feels to be friend-zoned

[Eraya silverwind]

sooooo ... sooooooo ... I don't even know how to express how I felt about that ending. I mean ... on one hand you ruined me! Seriously though, come on! I cant believe you pulled that. But at the same time my heart wont stop making me think I'm having an adrenaline rush cause it was well done, and now I don't know if i wanna read the next one cause I'm positive I'll be super angry when I cant finish it. *sigh* First I need to calm down and not let my heart explode before I decide anything though.

Have a good one!

[Outlaw Quadrant]

6724577 I'm so bad with that ending, aren't it? XD

I like to think there's so much new material in Brayside Crush that it's worth reading now rather than when I finish the series. My comics start making a lot more sense as well.

[Outlaw Quadrant]

7336677 I had him drawn a few times:
http://fav.me/da1p8br
http://fav.me/d90uo0c

Basically, he's a larger version of an actual flying lizard.

[redmar]

This was a great story with an awesome race. Spitfire's victory wasn't dissapointing, she is a professional after all.