Part 6: Starting From the Bottom
The next day
"Race fans, it's that time of the year again. Welcome to the Wings Around The Globe." The sports anchor announced.
"Hello, I'm Brent Mustangburger, and this is the flagship event of the world's fastest sport where only the best of the best compete. Each leg brings a new challenge, testing agility, navigation, and endurance. But when it's all said and done, speed is the name of the game." Mustangburger explained.
"OHHH, I get it. Ha, ha, ha." Pinkie giggled.
What th- PINKIE what are you doing here?!
"To watch the show of course, gotta cheer Dashie and Dusty somehow." She said pulling a bag of popcorn out of nowhere.
You're not supposed to be here Pinkie, you're breaking the fourth wall. Get back to your friends and watch the race from there.
"Oh, fine, you party pooper." Pinkie then raspberried the narrator before vanishing.
...
Moving on!
"Our very own Colin Cowling is standing by live from JFK airport with the best seat in the house. How's the view, big guy?" Brent asked the blimp standing by near the airport.
"Brent, the scene below me is absolutely electric. As you know, we have racers from all over the world, here. But the real story should be who's coming in second to three-time defender champ, Ripslinger, who is seeking to become the four-time winner in the Wings Around The Globe." Cowling said.
Meanwhile, Dusty’s and Rainbow's friends gathered around the television to see the race. They could make two, all too familiar, racers from the crowd.
"It's Dusty and Rainbow" Dottie said.
"Yeah, Rainbow. WOOHOO!" Pinkie shouted excitedly.
"All right, everybody, get your Dusty and Rainbow bobbleheads. Your oven mitts, hats, bumper stickers, and I also ordered a thousand commemorative whistles." Chug said pulling a cart full of Dusty and Rainbow Dash merchandise.
"Where did you get all that? If I may ask, darling." Rarity asked.
"From our sponsor. We're gonna be selling these things like there's no tomorrow! Hey, you think you can help me set up a website." Chug asked Sparky.
"Does a giga bite?" Sparky joked.
"Well, not if you pet him nicely." Chug winked following the joke.
They both laughed. Pinkie laughed with them.
"Oh, brother." Twilight rolled her eyes.
Back at JFK airport, Dusty and Rainbow made their way to the runway to begin the race.
"One hundred and thirty-six nations compete. Twenty-one planes selected. Folks, a step onto this field, is a step into history."
The blinding brightness subsided, Dusty and Rainbow were met with two ginormous bleachers filled to the brim with spectators on either side of the runway, almost as if it was a stadium. Both were in awe at the sheer amount of publicity.
"Holy smokes." Dusty gawked.
"That's a lot of spectators." Rainbow said in shock.
"So this is what it must be like to be a Wonderbolt." She thought to herself.
"And for the first time ever, folks, we have a crop duster and a pegasus in the race." Cowling announced.
In a bar located in Britain, the costumers had their jaws hanging open at the information.
"A crop duster and a pegasus?!" One of the costumers asked baffled.
"Aren't pegasi a myth?" Another one asked.
"Well, their gonna die." Another said.
The spectators began chanting Ripslinger’s name as he was the predicted champion of the race.
"Yeah. You're caught in the riptide!" Ripslinger yelled proudly.
Dusty and Rainbow were towed up alongside El Chupacabra, who was also taking in the cheering.
"Muchas gracias. Mío machu, no?" He said.
"Wow, look at this crowd." Dusty said.
"Stay focused, amigo. Don't let anything distract you- Yai Yai!"
El Chupacabra's advice was interrupted when his eyes fell on a pink and white V-tail Model 35 Beechcraft Bonanza airplane. You could almost feel the romantic feelings radiating from the Mexican plane. Dusty and Rainbow took notice.
"You were saying something about focus, Chu-y?" Rainbow said sarcastically.
"Who is that vision?" El Chupacabra asked still entranced in love.
"That's Rochelle, the Canadian rally champ." Dusty replied.
"She's like an angel, sent from heaven. Like a sunrise after a lifetime of darkness." El Chupacabra said.
Rainbow rolled her eyes.
"Like fresh fertilizer on a field of dying grass." Dusty tried to mimic.
Rainbow and El Chupacabra gave him weird looks.
"This is not your thing, amigo." El Chupacabra said.
"All say." Rainbow agreed.
"All right, racers. Start your engines." The announcer shouted.
Each and every racer's engines roared to life, readying themselves for takeoff. Rainbow Dash got herself into launching position, unfurling her wings, and steadying her body. She could hear the roaring engines and spinning propellers around her.
"Seven legs, over 31,000 kilometers, the world's highest mountains and the deepest oceans all stand before them just waiting to be conquered by the right competitor."
"This is it everypony." Spike said excitedly.
"Here we go. Oh, boy." Chug said.
All the preparation. It all comes down to this moment. One of these planes is about to fly off into the pages of sports history and become a champion.
Rainbow Dash looked at Dusty, who looked back at her. They both took a deep breath and locked their eyes down the runway.
”GO!”
Just like that, the racers starting down the runway and began picking up speed.
"And we are under way!" Mustangburger announced.
The crowd went ballistic. The racers tore down the tarmac, picking up speed as they neared the end. Soon they reached enough speed to take off. Each began lifting off into the sky. And just in time, too as the runway was replaced by the deep blue of the ocean. Rainbow and Dusty were already falling behind thanks to the wild winds left behind from the other racers.
"Woah, swirlies." Dusty said.
"Right, the things Skipper warned us about." Rainbow remembered.
She tried to muscle her way through to catch up, but it was no use. The winds were to strong. With no other choice, Dusty descended toward the ocean to avoid being tossed around. Rainbow followed close behind.
"Our first stage is a whopper. A dead sprint across the North Atlantic.
"That's right, Brent. This is how it works, folks. The winner of the leg today is the first to take off tomorrow"
While most of the racers were flying high through the clouds. Dusty and Rainbow stuck to flying only a couple dozen feet above the salty waters. However, the further the flew, the more frigid it got. The temperature dropped lower and lower, making flying more strenuous. Icebergs started appearing and heavy fog rolled in which made visual navigation almost impossible.
"How much further?" Rainbow groaned.
Never in her life had she needed to fly such a long distance. She felt that her wings were about the pop out of their sockets.
"It shouldn't be much farther, right?" Dusty said unsure of himself.
It only got worse. Hail began bombarding them like artillery and the icebergs became much bigger and formidable, becoming obstacles for their path. It was miserable and both were wishing it would end soon.
Eventually
The racers were enjoying the warm hangar. Protected from the Icelandic blizzard going on outside. All were enjoying oil and refreshments when the doors flew open revealing a shivering and ice-covered crop duster and pegasus. They briskly made their way inside.
"N-N-Never...a-a-a-again." Rainbow stammered.
"Ha! Hey, look who's finally here! It's that low-flying farmer boy and his pet!" Zed said mockingly.
"You do know this is a race, right?" Ripslinger asked jokingly.
This was joined with laughter from Ned and Zed.
"That's a good one boss." Zed said.
Dusty laughed half-heartedly at the half-joke, half-insult. Rainbow didn't really care at the moment. All she was focused on was getting warmed up and getting food in her stomach. Both left Ripslinger to laugh. Meanwhile, El Chupacabra was making his move on Rochelle.
"Excuse me, how much does a snow plow weigh?" He asked her.
"Je ne sais pas. I do not know." Rochelle responded.
"Enough to break the ice. I am El Chupacabra." He introduced.
"Ah, you are the snow plow, oui?" Rochelle asked playfully.
"You could say that, yes." El Chupacabra answered playing along.
"And I am the ice?" Rochelle asked.
"Yes." He simply said.
"Cold, frozen, and lifeless?" She asked sounding offended.
"No! I...It sounded better in Spanish." El Chupacabra tried to defend.
"Why don't you plow yourself, El-chu-toy." she hissed.
She smacking his propeller with her wing and then left. El Chupacabra's propeller immediately stiffened up with his face conveying a shocked look.
"She is like an angel." He said to himself.
Rainbow and Dusty were surrounded by industrial heaters. Dusty was gulping down an oil can and Rainbow was making the best out of the refreshment table, finding anything that looked good to her. She settled with the cupcakes.
"This is Propwash Junction to Dusty Crophopper and Rainbow Dash." Chug's voice sounded over the radio.
"We read you Chug." Dusty acknowledged.
"So what's it like racing with the big dogs, Duster?" Chug asked.
"Yeah, is it fun? Did you get any autographs? Are they serving cupcakes?!" Pinkie asked excitedly.
"Well, my wings froze solid." Dusty started.
"Oh, man." Chug responded.
"I had icicles hanging from my face." Rainbow complained.
"Oh, my." Fluttershy whispered.
"And we nearly smashed into a 10-story iceberg." Dusty said.
There was an audible set of gasps from the radio, presumably from the rest of the Main 6 and Spike.
"Awesome!" Chug shouted.
"Yeah, "awesome" is not quite the word I would use to describe a gruesome near-death experience." Dusty said annoyedly.
"Eh, I beg to differ." Rainbow said to herself.
"You were complaining the whole time, Rainbow." Dusty shot back.
“It wasn’t the whole time.” The pegasus countered.
"You hang in there, buddy. There's nothing better than dying while doing what you love most." Chug encouraged.
"What?!" Twilight shouted in horror.
"That's gonna make them feel a lot better." Dottie said sarcastically.
"Dusty, Rainbow, just like when the Jolly Wrenches were up in the Aleutians, the air down close to the sea has more moisture, which is why you took on ice. You gotta try to fly higher." Skipper explained.
"Great." Dusty groaned.
"Hey, you gotta get over your fears eventually, Dusty." Rainbow said.
"The good new is tomorrow's leg goes through the Bavarian obstacle course. It's all about agility, so it's your guy's chance to move up." Skipper said.
A smile began to form on Dusty's face. Finally, something more up his alley.
"Ah, yeah! Finally, I can show them what I can really do!" Rainbow said enthusiastically.
"Umm, Skipper. What is the Bavarian obstacle course?" Twilight asked.
"It's a course of large pylons that are meant to maneuver through." Skipper replied.
"Like the ones Dusty and Rainbow had to fly through back at the qualifier, except it’s located in Germany." Chug added.
The ponies and dragon looked through the map to pinpoint the country.
"There." Rarity said pointing a hoof at the small country sandwiches between two others.
"Woah, nelly. That's ah'n the other side of the ocean." Applejack said.
"And remember you two, it's not speed that wins races, it's skill.” Skipper said.
Germany
Skipper was right, it was all agility and technique for this part of the race. Dusty and Rainbow were passing planes left and right as the raced through the obstacle course. However, things were about to take a turn for the worst. Up ahead, Bulldog was holding his position when, without warning, his left engine suffered a catastrophic failure. Sparks flew everywhere and oil gushed all over his eyes. Bulldog was losing control.
"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! I'm blinded! I can't see!" He yelled.
Bulldog began to plummet down to the earth.
"We're receiving breaking news of an incident in the skies over Germany involving one of the racers. Let's check in with skycam 1 for more information." Mustangburger said.
"Bulldog, the legendary flyer from the U.K. is in tremendous danger. It looks like he's flying blind, losing speed, losing altitude..." Skycam 1 explained.
The gang watched the television with horror as the British plane continued nose-diving toward the ground. Fluttershy hid behind her mane, not wishing to see the aftermath.
"I can't look." Rarity said looking away.
"Wait! It's Racer Number 7, Cropphopper, pulling up beside him with Racer Number 20 following." Skycam 1 said.
"What are they doing?" Dottie asked.
"I think their trying to save him." Spike said.
Back with Dusty, he began giving Bulldog orders.
"Bulldog, apply you left aileron." Dusty commanded.
"Okay!" Bulldog did exactly that.
"Stop roll." Dusty said.
"Dusty, what do you think you're doing?!" Rainbow yelled.
"I'm helping him, Rainbow. Now, quick, pull up." Dusty order Bulldog
"Got it." Bulldog said.
"Harder, harder! Slight roll right." Dusty said.
The three racers flew under a bridge.
"Dusty, watch out!" Rainbow shouted.
"Woah! Big castle! Pull up! Hard roll right!" Dusty shouted to Bulldog
Dusty and Rainbow scrambled to avoid the huge spires.
"Stop roll." Dusty said.
He was met with a flag to the face. Thankfully, his propeller tore it to shreds.
"Dusty, are you okay?" Rainbow asked genuinely concerned for her friend.
"I'm okay, Rainbow, don't worry." Dusty said.
"Are you still there?" Bulldog asked.
"We're right here. We'll fly right alongside you." Dusty said.
"Yeah, you're in good hooves, buddy." Rainbow said.
"Hooves?" Bulldog asked himself.
Meanwhile, at the second stage finish line, the racers came in for landing as the announcer ordered them to clear the runway.
"Achtung! We have a mayday! Clear the runway! Achtung! Clear the runway!"
Medical personnel came rushing onto the scene for the emergency landing.
"Add power."
"Okay."
"Easy now."
"Yes."
"Dusty, we're nearing the runway." Rainbow called out.
"Good, flaps down, lock them." Dusty said to Bulldog.
The other racers looked on.
"Careful." El Chupacabra murmured.
"Landing gear down." Dusty commanded.
"Yeah, and locked." Bulldog confirmed.
They inched toward the tarmac.
"Begin your flare. Power back a little." Dusty said.
Finally, Bulldog's wheels made contact with the runway.
"Touchdown!” Dusty shout victoriously.
"Nicely done.” Rainbow said.
Bulldog come to stop. He was breathing heavily as paramedics surrounded him. One of the, began washing off the oil from his eyes.
"Thanks for your help, matey. I couldn't have done it without..." Bulldog was sayin.
As the oil was washed from his eyes, he could get a clear looked at his saviors. His eyes settled on Dusty and Rainbow.
"You? You saved me?! What did I tell you two? Every plane for himself, right?" Bulldog asked.
"Where I come from, if you see someone falling from the sky-" Dusty was explaining.
"Yes, but this is a competition. Now, you're dead last." Bulldog said.
"Well, I'm only second-to-last." Rainbow said.
"That's hardly an improvement. You sacrificed your position in the race to save me." Bulldog answered back.
But then he started to tear up.
"And I owe you me life." Bulldog chocked.
"Are you crying?" Dusty asked.
"I don't cry, I'm British! *sniffle* Thanks matey." Bulldog said.
"Sure thing, Bulldog." Dusty said.
"Good luck out there." Rainbow added.
News casters came up to Bulldog and started asking questions. Ripslinger came up behind Dusty and Rainbow.
"Well, I have to say, you two, you are nice people." Ripslinger said.
Rainbow squinted her eyes at the racer, as if to try to find the catch in his statement. Dusty wasn't as suspicious.
"Hey, thanks, Rip." He said.
"And we all know where nice people finish." Ripslinger added.
Ned and Zed laughed as the followed after their boss.
"I knew it." Rainbow growled.
She looked over to Dusty, who was looking down sadly.
"Hey, It's okay, buddy. It's not like you're stuck in last place forever." Rainbow tried to comfort her plane friend.
It didn't help much.
Later on, all the racers were at a pub talking, eating, or having fun. Dusty just sat in depression with Rainbow, who was equally put off.
"Dead...last." He sighed.
A bartender came up to them.
"You sad, you drink." She said slamming some drinking onto the table.
"Thanks, great advice." Rainbow said sarcastically.
"At least you are not last in the race for love." El Chupacabra sniffled.
"Rochelle?" Rainbow asked.
"Her passion is, sadly, not for me." The Mexican racer whimpered.
"Well, that sucks. Sorry to hear that.” Rainbow said slurping up her drink.
"Tough break, El Chu." Dusty said softly.
Suddenly, a beeping car hauling a trailer came up to them.
"Excuse me. My name is Franz, and I am a huge fan." The car said.
"We have fans?" Dusty asked.
"Well, why not? Who wouldn't want to be a fan of the Rainbow Dash...and Dusty Crophopper?” Dusty yelled enthusiastically.
"No, no, no. It's just me." Franz said.
"What?! are you kidding me." Rainbow asked angrily.
"Nope, and I would like to say danke for representing all us little planes." Franz replied.
awkward silence.
"Um, you're a car." Dusty pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, I am what you call a flugzeugauto, one of only six flying cars ever built!" Franz said.
To prove his point, the trailer he was carrying transformed into wings, a tail, and a propeller. All attaching to him.
"Woah." The two racers said in surprise.
"Guten tag, Herr Dusty and Rainbow. I am Von Fliegenhozen." The car said in a much deeper voice.
"Hold on, you just said your name was Franz." Rainbow said.
"Nì, nì, nì. Franz is a guy with no spine who is in charge when we putter about the cobblestones. In the air, I am in charge." Fliegenhozen said.
"Oh, so it's like an alter ego. I get it." Rainbow said.
"Hmm, you could say that." Von replied.
"This guy needs to get his head gasket checked. Serious identity issues." El Chupacabra said to Dusty.
"This from the one wearing a mask?" Von challenged.
El Chupacabra stared at Von intently.
"...Touché.” El Chupacabra said.
Von transformed back into his car form.
"We are both pulling for you, Herr Dusty and Rainbow."
"Thanks for the support. We need all the help we can get." Dusty said.
"I have a humble suggestion. Would you not be much faster without the pipes and tank and whatnot weighing you down?" Franz said.
"My sprayer. Again?" Dusty said sounding uneasy.
"Yeah. Why carry around the extra weight?" Franz asked.
"The little crazy car is right. Perhaps you need to start thinking like a racer." El Chupacabra said.
"They have a point, Dusty. I'm sure removing all that junk will help a lot." Rainbow added pointing at the sprayer.
Dusty was still unsure, but a part of him knew they were right. Finally, he relented.
The next morning
"This is reversible, right?" Dusty asked.
The maintenance personnel were hard at work removing Dusty's sprayer.
"Hey, you're being careful down there, right?" Dusty asked.
Rainbow, Franz, and El Chupacabra came up to the hangar to check up on Dusty.
"Oh, ahh, yep, that's cold." The crop-duster shuddered.
The hangar doors slid open with Dusty, no longer having his sprayer, rolling out.
"So *ahem. So, what do you think?" Dusty asked.
"Wunderbar, Dusty." Franz said.
"Absolutely awesome." Rainbow said.
"Fantastico. It is free, yes?" El Chupacabra.
"Yeah, you took the words right out of my mouth." Dusty said thrilligly.
Dusty tested the no-spraying flying, with impactful results.
"Oh, yeah! Bye-bye, sprayer! Thanks for everything Franz...Von Fliegenhozen." Dusty thanked.
"Guten luck, Herr Dusty and Rainbow."
"Now, let's show the other what WE can really do!" Rainbow encouraged.
"Oh, yeah! With you on that one." Dusty replied.
(To Be Continued)
Stats
Page generated in 0.013 seconds
Total duration
1,014 users online
114,765 hits today, 2,073,628 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
More good super
Spelling Errors
“Nicely Done” Rainbow Said.
“Well, Why Not? Who Wouldn’t Want To Be A Fan Of The Rainbow Dash….And Dusty Cropphopper.” Rainbow Yelled Enthusiastically
“The Good News Is Tomorrow’s Leg Goes Through The Bavarian Obstacle Course. It’s All About Agility, So It’s Your Guy’s Chance To Move Up.” Skipper Said
11470096
Spotted and fixed. Thanks for that
11470100
You’re Welcome.
11470249
I did my best for twilight to explain the situation. Considering they first meet Chug, he’s probably the most likely to roll with whatever the ponies are saying. Sure they are alien but twilight did go into detail about their mission, it may seem unnatural for them, but this IS a series where films are alternate dimension, having the vehicles roll with the idea of talking ponies isn’t too much of a stretch, at least to me. Also I did put hints that the planes universe as food for the ponies, after fall their are corn fields and other things.
11470430
I just wish there was more outside conversation into the night and lore to the world so that it just doesn't look like the movies where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory only slapped with Tom and Jerry in it. There is a cut, not showing where they would go to sleep and prepare to leave. Like I wish there was that detail when going to New York where Rainbow Dash had saddlebags or a sack attached to her filled with corn from their friends back in Propwash Junction. Rainbow Dash had no snacks on the trip, she didn't eat or drink that's why I think Rainbow has a bit of a unfair advantage here against the planes and then in this scene here before the race to Germany.
Awesome dude. Fair enough
Its a hangar with fire and oil cans. There are no cupcakes here nor anyone is eating one. There is a case that food and drink exists in the Cars Universe which planes is set in but isn't in the big city Tokyo, Japan. Hehe sorry for the little nitpicks mate. I just think that Rainbow Dash could have learned a lesson here about packing stuff or being more prepared resulting in her being more tired and exhausted than ever before. Rainbow tired, exhausted, out of breath, needing rest and then she gets her fill of food at the Pub when meeting the German Flying Car. There would be beer and other types of German Food based on the culture like Sushi being in Japan but I don't think there would be cupcakes
Overall the story is all good and I'm having fun reading this. Thanks so much for bringing this content to us. Not much Pixar Cars world Crossover here.
Nice job! The race begins and as the saying goes
11433643
Turn them into planes. Its make MORE SENSE.
And them firefighting in pony form is suicide
umm......
Being faster isn't what its about, its about being smarter.