> My name is Barry Allen and I'm the fastest pegasus alive
>  by Kaliann25
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Race 0
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 0: New Mission, New World, New Look


Barry Allen was running.

He was running to escape the pain of betrayal.  His erstwhile mentor, Doctor Harrison Wells, revealed himself as Allen's arch nemesis from the distant future.  His purported predecessor, Jay Garrick from Earth 2, was revealed to actually be the psychotic killer known as Zoom.

He was running to escape the pain of loss.  His mother had been murdered when he was a child.  His father had been framed for the crime and had distanced himself from his son to allow Barry a fresh start.  His adoptive father had nearly been killed by one of Barry's enemies.

Barry Allen was running to escape himself and the nightmare that was his life.  Barry Allen was running because it was what he did best.  Barry Allen was the Flash, the fastest man alive.

Soon enough, the world around the Flash slowly dissolved into a shapeless blur.  Only then did he smile.  Now he had entered to the very source of his power: the Speed Force.  Now, all he had to do was to run fast enough to break the time barrier.  Now, he could prevent his mother's death. Now, he could undo everything in his life that had gone wrong.

“Where do you think you’re going, Barry?” asked a sweet voice beside him.

The Flash turned.  As the voice had hinted, it was what appeared to be his adoptive adoptive sister and dearest friend, Iris West.  She was running beside him, stride for stride, looking at the speedster with a mix of kindness and sorrow.  Flash accelerated even though he knew it was futile.  He was being paced by a projection of the Speed Force.

“You know all-to-well where I’m going, Speed Force.  Do not get in my way!”

“I cannot let you do this, Barry,” said the Speed Force as it took the form of Joe, Flash’s adoptive father.

“Why not?!” shouted Barry.

“Because the consequences of changing history lead only to disaster.  That’s why my ghosts are constantly on guard for anyone approaching the time barrier.  Iris promised she'd been there for you when you return home, remember?  But, if you alter the timeline, she won't be able to keep her promise.  Stop while you still can, Barry”

“Why should I?  You are the one empowering the monsters claiming to be my friends, the ones who have taken the ones I love the most.  First it was Reverse Flash.  Then, it was Zoom.  I am not losing Iris to the next super-fast psychopath I run into.  I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!”

Barry accelerated even more although he knew there was no way he could use the Speed Force to escape the Speed Force.  The Speed Force reappeared directly in front of him, this time in the guise of his mother.  That was almost enough to make Flash slow down, but he managed to keep his composure and keep running.

“I know how much all the other speedsters have hurt you, Barry.  However, I know your heart remains pure and noble.  You were tempted to do this once before, and still you decided to do the right thing and save Central City.  Zoom tried to force you to take the easy path, but you chose to stay loyal to your ideals.  That’s why I’m asking you to stop Barry; that's the real you.  Don't let Zoom and Reverse Flash win; be who you are meant to be."

“Then what is it I’m supposed to do, Speed Force?  Is there any speedster I can trust?”

“Yes, Barry, there is one.  I’m looking at him right now.”

The Flash processed what the Speed Force said in a fraction of a heartbeat.

“What do you want me to do?”

“In a faraway world, there’s a young speedster whose powers are soon to be awakened.  Become her mentor; show her what it means to be a hero; show her that there are speedsters she can trust.  Zoom and the Reverse Flash tried to mold you in their own images by force.  You must teach by the example.  Guide her to become as she should, Barry!”

“Are you sure?” asked Barry.

“I trust you Barry; only you can teach this young speedster to develop her true potential”

“How do I do it?”

“When you enter to this world, your nature will change in order for her to see you as a rival at first.  But, when the right time comes, she’ll start looking at you as a teacher.  Become the mentor you deserve, Barry”

The Flash nodded thoughtfully and slowed down as the world reappeared before him. 

Canterlot Castle:

Cadence collapsed onto a couch after spending an entire afternoon helping her cousin Blue Blood move into his new dwelling.  It was a relief that he had finally shown some responsibility.  He had spent his entire life as a bratty freeloader, up to his return from that deserted island.  However, this could scarcely be considered a change.  All he had done since his miraculous return from his four-year exile was to invest his fortune into a successful chain of nightclubs and, from the profits, repay Auntie Celestia for all her years of support.  In the end, though, he was still just the bratty and pretentious pony he always was.  Cadence sighed in frustration.

“Is something on your mind, dear?” asked Princess Celestia as she approached Cadence.

Cadence nodded angrily.

“It's Blue Blood.  Since he returned from that island, I can’t stop thinking about him”

Princess Celestia sighed too.

“At least he changed a little”

“It's not enough”

“Maybe, but what seems like foal steps are a huge change for him.  And between us, I think I’m going to miss having him around”

Cadence raised an eyebrow.

“Why?  He does nothing but party all day and annoy others”

“Blue Blood lost his parents and siblings long ago, my dear niece, and he’s the kind of pony who laughs so won't cry.  I know that doesn’t justify his actions and attitudes over the years, but also that’s also why you haven’t seen any obvious change after his four years of isolation.  Why do you think he moved?  He's a time bomb and doesn't want us to see him crying"

Cadence didn't say anything.  She didn’t want to contradict her beloved aunt, but, this time she felt that she was wrong and that Celestia's love for Blue Blood was unjustified. 

Fancy Pant’s mansion, Canterlot:

Fleur De Liz looked at the clock, pleased.  It was barely eleven o’clock, and her husband wouldn’t be around in another two hours.  She had more than enough time for her to take care of her own business, her "slightly" illicit business.  Fleur calmly opened her desk’s drawer to get her secret records.  She then noticed some of her documents were out of place. Apparently, somepony had been examining her personal papers and had taken everything incriminating.  Records of extortion, drug dealing, pony trafficking, and large-scale fraud were gone.

“Oh, no, no, no, NO!!” shouted Fleur.

Somepony pounded on the front door.  An amplified voice shouted, “Fleur De Liz!  Open in the name of Princess Celestia!  You are under arrest for crimes against ponykind!”

“WHAT? NO!!” shrieked Fleur.  A contingent of bodyguards braced the front door while she beat a hasty retreat to the service entrance.  She screamed, "Pepper Pot! Let's go! Now!"  Her driver sat mutely at the table.  She turned on the lamp, only to discover an arrow with blue fletching protruding from his body.

A menacing voice growled behind her, "Fleur De Liz!" 

Shacking in fear, Fleur turned and found herself facing the creature of her nightmares.  It was a white-furred unicorn wearing a hooded blue cloak and a blue domino mask. In his magic, he held a drawn bow, with an arrow aimed directly at her forehead.  He said, "You ignored my warning.  You have failed Equestria."

The arrow penetrated her skull, killing her instantly.  Without her bodyguards, she was easy prey to the hunter of the corrupt, the scourge of criminals who thought they were beyond the law.

When the Royal Guard finally broke through the barricade, they found only incapacitated bodyguards and Fleur's corpse.

“It looks like the Arrow got her first,” said one of the guards.

"What are you talking about?  She was clearly the victim of a rival gang.  Make sure that goes into the report," replied the leader.

It was official policy bring the masked vigilante known as the Arrow to justice.  It was unofficial policy to let him handle the criminals that were beyond the reach of the proper authorities.  The soldiers quietly cleaned the crime scene.

From the rooftop of a nearby mansion, the Arrow looked on with satisfaction as the soldiers removed Fleur's dead body.  Seeing that his mission was finished, the Arrow vanished into the shadows as he returned to his lair.

The lair was an abandoned factory that was once owned by Grandpa Blood.  Years of neglect had left it decrepit and uninhabitable.  Blue Blood had kept the facade, but he refurbished the interior.  In addition to the normal comforts of home, the lair also boasted with a training room and surveillance room filled with the latest magical equipment.

Once inside, the vigilante confirmed that nopony had followed him before he removed his hood.  He smiled to himself as he mused.

The prince-cum-vigilante checked his list of ponies who had failed Equestria.  His magic equipment projected the image of the residence of a certain earth pony who was there only once every two months.  Most ponies thought he was just a humble antiques dealer, but Blue Blood have found that he was much more.  His birth name was Moldy Gold, but in the underworld, he was known as Lord Caballeron.

“So, he’ll be home really soon, right?  Good, because he will now pay the price for failing Equestria.”

As he started target practice, the lair suddenly began to shake.

“What in Tartarus?  Have I been followed?”

One of the walls crackled with electricity. Blue Blood frowned as he nocked an arrow, waiting to break the horn of the intruding unicorn.  The bolts of electricity coalesced into some sort of portal, and an orange pegasus in a red suit came tumbling through.

“Who in Tartarus?” asked Blue Blood as he aimed the arrow at the stallion's forehead.

The Pegasus shook his head, completely disoriented, and then smiled to the white unicorn.

“Hi there!  Sorry for the intrusion. My name is Barry Allen and . . .”

He took a good look of himself.

“And?” asked Blue Blood.

“And, apparently, I’m the fastest pegasus alive!”
> Race 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 1: the Arrow and the Streak


Blue Blood couldn’t stop looking at the strange pony who had come from nowhere straight to his lair.  Who had sent this unwanted guest?  Had the untouchable criminals learned of his lair and sent this stranger to fight him?  That was a strong possibility, but the Arrow couldn't sense any kind of hostility from this guy. So, the archer lowered his bow and arrow.

In the meantime, Barry was still processing what had just happened to him. He understood he had changed species, but there was something tantalizingly familiar about the masked pony.  "Ollie? Oliver Queen?  It's me, your best bud, Barry."

Blue Blood snarled as he swapped out of his normal broadhead for a special Zebrican tranquilizer arrow.  He let fly as the intruder made his preposterous introduction.  Before the fastest pegasus alive could react, the arrow was almost at his neck.  Four years trapped on that hell of an island had turned Blue Blood into one hell of an archer.

Blue Blood's eyes widened as the arrow clattered onto the floor, well behind the pegasus.

"Impossible!" he exclaimed.

In a blur of motion, he unleashed a salvo of broadheads, left, right, and center.  This time, he barely made out the red streak that dodged his projectiles with no apparent effort.

"How did you do that?" asked Blue Blood.

“I told you, I’m the fastest pegasus alive.  But before I turned into this, I was the fastest man alive.”

Blue wasn’t in the mood for this.  The prince screamed as he launched himself at the intruder.  As he slammed onto the loo, he could have sworn that he went through the pegasus as if it were a ghost.  From directly behind, the pegasus said:

"What's with the attitude, Ollie?  Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Blue Blood whipped the bow at the voice as he regained his feet.  Again, his blow met with only air.  With a frustrated scream, Blue Blood bucked at the intruder, only to find the scarlet speedster five meters away just before his hooves could make contact. 

Readying his bow, Blue Blood said, “I must admit it, you have some small skill.  Who are you?  Who sent you to stop the Arrow?”

Barry pulled down his cowl, revealing the blond mane that had been trapped underneath.  Blue Blood continued to glare at him.

"You aren't Ollie, are you.  I swear I mean you no harm.  I don't even know where I am.  The Speed Force just dumped me here."

Blue Blood nodded as he shot.  Barry tilted his head to avoid the arrow, just as Blue Blood had hoped.  Barry silently cursed as the arrow's payload activated, unleashing an ultrasonic assault.  He should have expected this Arrow to use the same tactics as the Arrow from his home world.  As Barry collapsed from the resulting loss of balance, Blue Blood shot him with a tranquilizer arrow.

“That was interesting, to say the least.  Who in Tartarus is this?” 

When Barry opened his eyes, he found that his neck and all his limbs were shacked to a stretcher.

“You woke up earlier than expected, but, no matter.  It’s time for answers, Barry Allen.  Who are you?  Who sent you?”

“I already told you; I’m the fastest pegasus alive, and I was sent by the Speed Force.”

“If that’s how you want it, fine,” said Blue Blood.  He took a bodkin arrow from his quiver and jabbed it into Barry's flank.

The Flash grimaced, but he made no sound.

"Do you need more help remembering?" prompted Blue Blood. 

Barry sighed.  “Look, I've already told you everything.  The Speed Force dumped me here after it transformed me into this." Barry coughed.  He then rasped, "What do you know?  I'm a little horse."

Blue Blood groaned.  “I guess you’ll need a little more convincing.”  He twisted the arrow as he pulled it from Barry's body.

“Come on, Ollie!  This doesn’t have to be this way!”

“Ollie?”

“An old friend of mine, you’re just like him . . . except for being a unicorn.”

Blue Blood rolled his eyes.  As he was about to stab the pegasus again, it became blurry.  He gasped as the Flash seemed to bleed through his bonds.

“Since the Speed Force sent me here, you're probably just like Ollie.  I know you'll be a great ally, but we should wait until you're not in the mood to break things and hurt people before we talk again," said Barry as he stretched.

Blue Blood stared at Allen in disbelief.  How could he escape so easily?  How could such a wound heal right in front of his eyes?  How could a pegasus just vanish in a streak of red and gold

Confused the prince asked, “Seriously, what in Tartarus just happened?”

As the Flash emerged from the lair, he was greeted by the sight of the beautiful city of Canterlot.

"Where have you brought me, Speed Force?" he asked.

He canvassed the city at super speed, memorizing every street and building as he passed.  He finished his run at main branch of the public library.  It seemed like the best place to find answers. 

Two days later, Canterlot suburbs:

Caballeron returned from an unsatisfying victory.  He had more than enough to turn a tidy profit with the stolen artifacts from the Mesoponymian era.  The priest's headdress was made of pure gold, and sported aquamarine accents.  The battle axe had intricate engravings in its head, and its handle was decorated with jewels.  The pick of the hoard was a gold statue of an ancient deity; even if its magical properties were pure fiction, the piece was priceless.

As he headed upstairs to assume the guise of the clean-shaven, gray-maned antiques dealer Moldy Gold, he said to his closest henchponies, "You know, guys, the only thing missing is getting to rub this in Daring Do's face.  She may be a nuisance, but she makes my life interesting."

While his henchponies grumbled, Caballeron continued.  "I can just hear her now, 'Do you know this is patrimony of Ponykind?  How can you sell something that belongs to everypony?  If you're going to plunder tombs, at least donate the irreplaceable items to the museum.'"

Caballeron sighed. "It's just not the same without her there, being a pain in the flank.  How I miss her"

"I told you she was right.  What do you think you are doing?" said a cold voice behind him.

Caballeron and his henchponies looked about, frantically searching for the source of the voice.  Heightened senses caught the twang of a released bowstring.  Years of evading booby traps had everypony's reflexes horned to a razor's edge.  A blue arrow flew where a thug's heart had been just an instant earlier.

"What?"

The arrow exploded, filling the room with a cloud of blue smoke.

The henchponies reacted reflexively, charging at the stranger, but the newcomer was faster.  In a blur of bow and hooves, he mowed down his attackers.  The first received a forehoof that shattered his muzzle.  A thug leaping from behind was dropped by a solid blow from the bow.  A powerful buck slammed yet another attacker into the wall.  The Arrow used his magic to grab a burly henchpony by the neck, swinging him into the path of a blast from a rogue unicorn.  The Arrow dropped his shield before dispatching the unicorn with an arrow to the neck.

After he dispatched the last thug in the room, the Arrow turned to the feeing stallion.

"Doctor Caballeron, you have failed Equestria!!" shouted the Arrow.

Without breaking stride, Caballeron replied, "And you have pissed me off.  Go get him!"

More ponies flooded the chamber as Caballeron made his escape.  The Arrow was not fazed by the two dozen who stood between him and his quarry.  The thugs were puzzled as they watched an arrow hit the ceiling . . . until it exploded in a dazzling ball of light.  The Arrow used every weapon at his disposal, be it on hoof, bow, or magic.  He mowed down his opposition before their vision cleared.

The sound of violence spurred Caballeron to unheard of speeds.  It seemed like a lifetime had passed before he finally collapsed into a hansom pulled by two of the most trusted bodyguards.

The bodyguards took off like a shot, only to be pulled short as the wheels fell off the cab.

"What?  What is this? asked Caballeron as he watched thug after thug fall to a red and golden streak that wound around his mansion.

He watched in horror as the streak approached and dispatched the two harnessed to his cab.

The streak resolved into an orange pegasus wearing a red body suit.  He dropped the nuts that had secured the cab's wheels in front of an astonished Caballeron.  "I also do weddings and bar mitzvahs."

"Don't hurt me!  Don't hurt me!  Take care of the Arrow and I'll pay anything you want!" Caballeron begged.

The Flash gave a confident smile.  Caballeron relaxed, right before the Flash stunned him with a jab that was too fast for the doctor to see.

It was a bedraggled Arrow who approached the cab a few minutes later.

“Hi there, Ollie! I took the liberty of getting the bad guy for you,” said the Flash as he gestured toward the unconscious earth pony.

The vigilante aimed an arrow at the Flash.

“Come on!” said Flash. 

The Arrow growled, "How did you find me?"

“I ran all over Canterlot until I heard your party"

“Is that so?” asked the Arrow uninterested.

“Is that arrow you’re holding special?” asked Flash.

“I prepared it especially for you; I won’t be caught off-guard again, Barry Allen,” answered the Arrow coldly.

“Wait.  If I really wanted to get you, I could have done it at any time.”

“You may have a point, but you’ll need more than fancy words to convince me.”

Blue Blood flinched at a sudden gust of wind.  The odd lump on the Flash's neck was gone.

"You're just like Ollie.  Listen, you're the only one I know in all of Equestria.  Even though we didn't meet under the best of circumstances, I promise, I mean you no harm.  Just to show there are no hard feelings, here's your wallet . . . Ollie," said Barry as he held up a forehoof with the item in question.

“Stop calling me Ollie!” complained the Arrow as he returned his wallet to his pocket.

“Old habits die hard.”

The Arrow lowered his weapon.

"I don't like smartflanks, but I guess we can help each other"

Flash smiled gratefully as he pulled down his cowl.

"Thank you.  Given the situation, I really need a friend"

The Arrow shrugged as he lifted the unconscious Caballeron with his magic.

"Doctor Caballeron, you have failed Equestria."

Without a second thought, he broke the doctor's neck.


The Flash shivered, this guy was exactly like Oliver Queen, the old Oliver.

"What?" asked the Arrow as he noted the Flash's disapproval.  "Not even Celestia herself could reform this one.  I'd already tried; this was the only way to stop his crime spree."

"Forget it," sighed the speedster.

“Fine.  Go to where we first met in two hours, and I'll tell you what, if anything, I will do.  Try anything funny, and I promise it'll be the last thing you do."

"Fair enough," the Flash replied with a relieved smile.

As the two started separate paths, the Flash asked, "Just out of curiosity, where are you going now?"

"Let's just say there's somepony who needs to know her biggest enemy is dead.  Don't worry; she hasn't failed Equestria . . . yet.

The Flash shrugged and disappeared again in a red and golden blur. 

Canterlot Hotel:

A. K. Yearling was plotting to recover the recently-stolen artifacts from Caballeron's mansion.  She cursed at her own stupidity; there was no way he should have been able to find that ziggurat that much sooner!  Instead of having to deal with centuries-old booby traps, now she had to take on an army of thugs in their lair.  She was deep in thought when an arrow removed her cloche hat and pinned it to the wall.

“What?”

The pegasus ignored her fear as she scanned the room with her whip at the ready.

“Who is it?”

The Arrow levitated the stolen artifacts over her.  "Caballeron has failed Equestria. Go do what is right."

Daring frowned.  “I don’t know where you trapped him, but he’ll escape.”

“I freed him from his life of crime.  However, he'll be spending the rest of time in a wooden box.  Underground."

Then the author/adventurer paled as she realized what he meant.  She had heard rumors about Canterlot's masked vigilante and his brutality, but having him murder someone so close to her drove home the reality of the situation.

“What do you want for me?” asked Daring Do.

The Arrow shrugged.  “Not much, really. I’m a huge fan of your books.  I’m convinced that you are the type of pony who lives for the thrill of a challenge.  But, let's be honest.  The one constant in your career was Caballeron; he was your complement, your equal, intellectually and physically.  The one who made your life interesting is now gone"

The Arrow's eyes narrowed.  "What I want from you is to stay as a force for what is right.  Who's to say if the lack of challenge will lead you astray?"

Daring frowned.  “I’ll never be like him”

“Of course not, because if you do and fail Equestria, I’ll make sure you join him.”

On that note, the Arrow left, leaving Daring Do with mixed feelings.
> Race 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 2: A Atrange Mission from the Cutie Map


At Blue Blood's hideout, Barry had spent the last half hour explaining how he came to be in Equestria. He told of coming from Earth, and of how the Speed Force, a sapient cosmic entity, had gifted him, and a select few, with super speed. He told of how all of his speedster mentors had betrayed him, driving him to despair. He told of how the Speed Force had sent him to Equestria to save himself by having him become a mentor to a speedster whose powers had yet to be awaken. Blue Blood listened carefully during the whole explanation, interrupting only when further clarification was needed.

“So, after our little tiff I went to the library to learn everything I needed about Equestrian customs. I think I have the basics, but I still need help with the details. There has to be a reason the Speed Force sent me to you."

Blue Blood raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like a speedster to you?”

“No, but you’re someone I can trust, especially because you have a secret to hide from those you care about, right?”

Blue Blood simply shook his head, sighing.

“Normally, I would have sent you to the nearest shrink, but I believe you. Maybe the one who needs a shrink is me. After seeing you in action, I have no choice but trust you."

“You should see the other meta-humans, and ordinary humans as well, like my friend Oliver. Have I mentioned that you remind me him? . . . only without the backing of Felicity or the shadow organization A.R.G.U.S.”

“I know; I know. The guy stole my origin story; I get it. Now back to the point, what do you want from me? Yes, you mentioned that you wanted me to be your guide at this world, but what does that entail?”

“Like I said, I’ve learned a few things in the library, such as the history of the principality and the explanation of the few pony races; I even spared a few hours to master my flying. But, I still have to find the speedster. So, I was hoping we could help each other. I help you with your crime-fighting, and, in exchange, you let me use your equipment to detect any anomaly.”

Blue Blood just looked at Barry in disbelief. “You’re telling me that you actually learned how to fly in two days? And you did that thing during your breaks from studying Equestrian history?”

“I'm not just a fast runner; I'm also a fast learner,” explained Barry with half a smile.

Blue Blood frowned as he considered Flash’s offer. Having a little help didn’t sound bad, actually. That night, he been able to retire Caballeron only because of the Flash’s intervention. The Arrow had always worked alone; those four years on that island had required that he be self-reliant, but, during the last few weeks, the criminals had become better. They had been hiring more security, moving their operating bases more often, or even setting traps for the masked vigilante. So, the Arrow’s work had been getting more and more difficult.

“Did you actually learn how to fly in less than a day?” asked Blue Blood again.

Barry winked an eye to the prince and extended his new wings. Tiny lightings bolts arced from one part of his his body to another before he disappeared in a red and golden streak, only to appear right on the adjacent rooftop, waving at Blue Blood.

As Blue Blood's eyes widened, Barry reappeared right in front of him. The speedster grinned. “I told you, I’m the fastest pegasus alive!”

“Indeed, you are. Tell me, can you handle the ledgers for a few businesses?”

“Sure, but why?”

“Because I need somepony I can trust to help with the accounting of my night club chain and my other businesses. I can't hire just anypony without the risk of exposing myself. And, considering your situation, you're in need of a job; am I right?"

“I used to be a forensic scientist, so I should be able to handle a few numbers,” replied Barry.

“So, you’ll be working for me as your cover during the day, and, at night you can help me with those who failed Equestria and also look for your speedster student.”

“Sounds great, but when I find the speedster . . .”

“You’ll quit; I already know that, and I don’t care. You know that somepony like me can’t associate with others for long.” 

Ponyville, Castle of Friendship:

Spike grumbled as he left his breakfast to answer the chime for the service entrance. “Yes?”

To his surprise, a bespectacled figure in a gray cloche hat and purple cloak pushed her way past the stunned dragon and shut the door. Spike picked himself up and took a closer look at the visitor. "A. K. Yearling?" he gasped.

The author nodded. Shakily, she said, "I . . . I need to see the princess."

"Follow me," said Spike.

As they entered to the dining nook, Spike said, "Hey Twilight! You'll never guess . . ."

Twilight cut him off. "Miss Yearling? What brings you here?"

Ignoring Starlight and Spike, the author walked straight to Twilight and too her by the withers. "Call your friends; you all know who I really am. I don't know who else I can talk to."

Twilight felt the trembling in the author's hooves. The princess said as she guided Yearling to the table, "Please, sit and have a cup of tea. You're among friends here." She then turned to the others and said, "Bright the girls here; it's urgent."

As Starlight and Spike brought the balance of the former Element Bearers to the nook, they found the author staring morosely at her cup of tea.

Rainbow Dash gave voice to what the others were thinking. "A. K. Yearling? What happened to you?"

Yearling reached under her cloak and winged over the bejeweled headdress. "This is the Helm of Mare-dock. It's part of the treasure Caballeron beat me to. As always, he was going to sell it to the highest bidder, but . . ."

“So, you took it from him?” asked Rarity, confused.

Yearling shook her head. “Have you seen today’s paper?”

“No, but I have it here,” said Twilight as she levitated it from under her wing.

“Any specific new yer interested in?” asked Applejack 

Yearling opened the paper ito the editorial section. She pointed the headline that whispered, 'ARROW'S LATEST VICTIM?'

“What’s with that?” Asked Spike.

“Read it” said Yearling, dryly.

Twilight obeyed: “Yet another of Canterlot's rich and famous was found murdered at home in what the Royal Guard has described as underwolrd retribution. This time,. the famous antiques dealer Moldy Gold was the victim"

Twilight looked at Miss Yearling, who nodded.

“Yes, Moldy Gold was his true name. Keep reading”

The Princess of Friendship gulped and continued:

"The Royal Guard had recieved a packet of evidence proving that Gold was actually known as Doctor Caballeron among the criminal element, the same as the iconic villain from the 'Daring Do' series of novels. The evidence showed that Gold had been engaging in the same criminal activities as his famous namesake. The crimes included multiple counts of burglary and sale of stolen property. If convicted, Gold would have served multiple life sentences"

“The Royal Guard would neither confirm nor deny that the Arrow was responsible for this murder spree. They further refused to acknowledge the existence of the vigilante" 

"The artifact I brought was given to me by the Arrow after he took care of Caballeron. He said he would kill me if I were to become like Caballeron."

“What? But that’s insane!” said Rainbow. “How could he say such thing?”

Daring punched the wall in anger. “I don’t care about that! He killed Caballeron, damn it! He had no right to do that! He . . . he took away the only thing that was keeping my life interesting."

She began to cry. “Ancient temples, death traps, angry aborigines, all the things that were exciting to Daring Do just got monotonous after a while. Caballeron was the only thing left that truly challenged me. Each meeting forced me to improve. Although he was my enemy, I truly appreciated him, and now he's gone"

Yearling looked up. "I'm afraid! I don't want to be killed by the Arrow!"

Twilight frowned. “It’s only natural to be afraid when you're threatened by a serial killer. This Arrow is a menace; he may have brought corruption among the Canterlot elite to light, but he's murdered time and time again."

“So, he kills corrupt ponies?” asked Pinkie Pie, who was unfamiliar with the Arrow.

“Only if they don’t reform,” explained Applejack, who followed the news about the vigilante with interest from the first report. “First, he tries to intimidate them into going straight. If he fails, they're bucked."

Twilight frown deepened. “This nonsense had gone too far.” 

Between the tea and the company, Yearling was finally able to regain her composure. “Thank you. I really needed to talk to somepony. I'd heard about the Arrow, but I never thought he'd be this frightening in person. I'm sorry to bother you, but you're the only ones who know I'm Daring Do."

Fluttershy replied as she gave Yearling a gentle hug, "It's no bother; that's what friends are for. Besides, everypony deserves a little kindness, especially after a scare like that."

Yearling returned the hug. "Thank you. Thank you all. I know I shouldn't be afraid because I'm not a criminal. But, I can't help but feel empty. I never realized how big a part of my life Caballeron was until he was taken away."

The others silently crowded around Yearling, showing their support. Suddenly Rarity's and Rainbow Dash's Cutie Marks started flashing.

"What is that?" asked Yearling.

“Come on, girls! To the Cutie Map!" Twilight replied. 

Yearling followed as the others rushed to the Throne Room. An icon of three blue diamonds, and an icon of a cloud with a tri-colored lightning bolt orbited over a familiar castle on the map.

"You're being summoned to Canterlot," said the purple alicorn.

"Awesome, so I can have a word with the Arrow!" Rainbow Dash grinned in anticipation.

The others looked at her with concern, but they kept their fears silent. Rarity and Rainbow Dash escorted Yearling to the next train to Canterlot. Though she would vehemently deny it, Yearling was relieved to have the company.

The conductor trotted down the aisle, magically projecting his voice as he announced, "Canterlot! Canterlot station!"

“Do you want us to walk you to the hotel?” asked Rainbow as she joined her fellow passengers in preparing to disembark.

Yearling shook her head. “No. You have to go to the Castle, right? You've already helped me enough. This isn't the first time I've been threatened; I'll let you know if anything happens."

Rainbow nodded. “Okay. If we beat the Arrow, I’ll let you know!”

Yearling winked an eye to the cyan mare and flew back to her hotel. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash hovered by Rarity as they made their way to the Castle. As always, they checked in with Princess Celestia, who personally guided them into their usual rooms.

“As always thank you for receiving us” said Rarity bowing to the Princess of the Sun.

“It's my pleasure.” The diarch smiled. "So, do you have any idea what friendship problem you have to solve?"

"I don't know, but I seriously want to kick the Arrow's flank." Rainbow Dash punctuate her statement with a few punches to the air.

Celestia frowned. “Don’t you dare even thinking about him! Do you realize how dangerous he is? Do you realize how important you are? He may only attack corrupt ponies, but he won't hesitate to hurt you if you get in his way."

Rarity agreed. “The Arrow is the second worst person whom you could encounter in Canterlot! The first is . . ."

While she was distracted, she and Blue Blood ran into each other. She groaned, "Speaking of Tartarus . . ."

"What are you doing here, nephew? I thought you had already moved out?" asked Celestia.

Blue Blood aimed a hoof to the orange pegasus with blond mane who was staggering under the two boxes on his back. "As you can see, I still had a couple of boxes."

The pegasus grumbled, "What do you have in there, Ollie? Rocks?" 

The prince rolled his eyes, annoyed. "I've told you a thousand times to stop calling me like that! I'm not the pony you think I am! And be careful! You're carrying my collection of priceless tie pins."

“Nephew, you're welcome to visit the royal residence, but I really prefer you notify me of such things in advance," said the white alicorn.

“I did, or at least I thought my assistant sent you a note this morning."

The Princess shook her head. "I didn't receive any note."

Blue Blood glared to the orange pegasus. “Barry . . .”

“Don’t look at me! That was the first thing I did this morning before doing the shopping for that new diet of yours. I gave the note to one of the guards of the entrance."

“Barry, I told you to . . .”

Celestia silenced him with a nod of understanding. "These things happen, nephew. I'm sure my guards will give me the note before I need to lower the sun. Since we're all together, would you and your friend like to join us for lunch?"

Rarity had to bite her tongue to contain her indignation, but luckily, neither Celestia nor Blue Blood paid attention to her.

"How's my schedule, Barry?"

"Full. We barely have time to leave these rocks of yours at your place before going to the club."

Indignantly, Blue Blood lectured.

"These 'rocks' are valuable pieces of art made with gold, diamonds, rubies, topazes, sapphires . . ."

Barry interrupted him with a smile. "Still rocks, only shiny."

The reactions were as varied as the personalities in the room. Blue Blood brought a forehoof to his face in exasperation. Celestia chuckled softly. Rarity silently swallowed her indignation for a second time. Rainbow Dash, however, was lying her back on the floor, wings spread, clutching her sides with her forehooves as she laughed. She winked an eye to the orange pegasus.

“Anyway, you’re too busy for today, boss Blood.”

“Thank you, Barry. I'm sorry, Aunt Celestia. As much as I'd like to join you and these lovely mares, duty calls. As always, it's been a pleasure. Toodles!”

He strode off purposefully while Barry staggered drunkenly behind, shifting the boxes from side to side.

“Do you think the friendship problem has anything to do with him?” asked Rarity, distraught.

Princess Celestia smiled. “Of course not! Don’t you see? He has a friend now! My poor nephew is finally starting to live again." 

That night:

The day had been especially unproductive for the two friends. They found not even a hint of a friendship problem; everything in Canterlot seemed to be perfectly in order.

“Rarity I’m telling you. This mission has something to do with the vigilante!”

“Rainbow, please, whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it.”

The cyan pegasus gently put a forehoof in Rarity's mouth.

Rarity disdainfully plucked it away with her magic. “Rainbow!”

Rainbow Dash whispered urgently, "Psst! Listen!"

Rarity stayed quiet and looked around; she could hear somepony running. She finally spotted a pony whom she recognized as the Castle’s head butler; he was running to a dark alley. It seemed suspicious, so Rainbow began to follow him.

“Rainbow, don’t you dare look for the Arrow!” whispered a very scared Rarity.

The warning was too late; Rainbow Dash was already charging at full speed towards the butler.

Meanwhile, the servant bumped into a shadowy beaked figure.

"This letter was supposed to be sent to Prince Rutherford" said the butler as he hoofed it to the figure.

“Perfect, switch it with this one,” said the figure as he gave the butler an identical-looking envelope in return.

The butler nodded and went back toward the castle as cautiously as he could. Once he was out of the figure's sight, Rainbow Dash tackled him from behind.

“What do you think you’re doing? Princess Celestia trusted you!!” asked the cyan mare.

“Please, I’m innocent! If I don't do this, my mother is dead! She's very sick and they said they’ll pay for her treatment as long as I do as they say!"

“Princess Celestia could help you,” said Rainbow as she took the exchanged letter.

Rarity came to a screeching halt behind her friend. “Rainbow! Stop!”

“He's just a victim of the circumstance! said a new voice from above them. It was a strange sound, almost as if five people were saying exactly the same thing at the same time.

The two mares took stock of their surroundings; it was in a seedier part of the city, full of dark nooks where a criminal could lurk. They then took a closer look at the stranger. He was dressed in a red body suit that exposed his wings and his muzzle. Where his cutie mark should be, he had a yellow lightning bolt extending somewhat beyond a white circle.

“Who are you?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Me? I am the Flash, the fastest pegasus alive”

Rainbow and Rarity exchanged a look and giggled.

“Ahahahahahaha! You? The fastest pegasus alive? Hahahaha, you’re kidding! You’re kidding, right?” mocked Rainbow Dash.

Rarity smiled at the stranger. “Please my good sir, everypony knows that the fastest pony alive is . . .”

Their conversation was interrupted by a muffled thud that followed by a scream of pain. An authoritative voice shouted, “Gustave Le Grand! You have failed Equestria!”

“Damn it! I must go before he hurts somepony else!” said the Flash. He vanished in a red and gold blur before Rarity or Rainbow Dash could respond.

Rainbow whined as she mantled her wings in frustration. “No, no, no, no! This guy is almost as fast as me!”

Rarity put a reassuring forehoof on the butler as she spoke. "Rainbow Dash, I think we're done here. I'm pretty sure our friendship mission was to help this poor pony. Let's leave before . . ."

“Rarity, don’t you see? I have to prove this Flash guy I’m the fastest pegasus alive!” With that, she zoomed after the Flash.

“I swear you’re going to pay for this Rainbow Dash!!”

In the meantime, the famous gryphon chef was shaking in fear as the masked vigilante aimed an arrow at his face. As soon as the butler had left the scene, the Arrow had come from out of nowhere, breaking both of the chef's hind legs with his bow. The masked pony proceeded to question the terrified gryphon.

Two unicorn bodyguards appeared from the shadows to help Le Grand. The Arrow shot an arrow through the chef's wing and rapidly reloaded. As the gryphon screamed in agony, the Arrow sneered. "Take another step and your paycheck is gone."

“Please forgive me!” begged the gryphon.

“Why should I? You betrayed the principality that adopted you as their own.”

“I have money! Tons of money!”

“Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to sabotage the treaty with the yaks?"

“My family relies on the export business. If those new trade routes open, we'll be ruined!”

“So, it’s all about money. You’re an idiot! Your family could still make a good living handling the logistics and the warehouses! You had to be greedy and take it all! YOU HAVE FAILED EQUESTRIA!

Rainbow Dash stumbled onto the scene. "Where are you? Show yourself, Flash!" She groaned. "I can't believe I just said that."

The bodyguards pounced, grabbing Rainbow Dash in their unicorn magic and dragging her to them. The leader said, "Just in time! Who we have here? An Element of Harmony herself! Let the boss go, or she's dead."

“The tables have turned, right?” mocked the other bodyguard.

Rainbow Dash struggled to break the magic hold, but it was too powerful. She cursed both her pride and her stupidity.

“What are you waiting for? Let our boss go!”

The Arrow shrugged and shot an arrow into Le Grand's other wing. The chef screamed at the new source of agony.

“You asked for it,” said the thug.

He drew a knife with a forehoof. A red and gold streak casually batted it from his grasp. Rainbow Dash shot skyward as she was suddenly released. She watched in amazement as the streak battered the thugs and left them tied together, hanging upside down from a lamp post with magic suppression rings on their horns. Her pegasus senses allowed her to see the actions that would have been too fast for another tribe to perceive.

“What in Tartarus just happened?” asked the thug who had threatened Rainbow Dash.

Then the streak came to stop and resolved into a strange pegasus in a red body suit.

“What can I say? I’m the fastest pegasus alive.”

The Flash turned to the Arrow.

“Let him live. The Royal Guard can handle things from here.”

“He has failed Equestria! There's not enough evidence to convict him!”

The Flash held up the envelope in a wing tip. "There is now"

Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped; when did he take the letter?

“You really are something. Okay, I'll spare his life but I need to show him the error of his ways."

The Arrow broke the chef's left foreleg with his bow. As the chef's screams filled the air, the Flash sighed. This guy was exactly like Ollie.

"I think we still need more evidence," said the Arrow.

“Leave that to me,” said Flash as he disappeared in a red and gold blur, only to reappear a half second later, wearing a saddlebag stuffed with papers. "I got all the incriminating documents from his home."

The Arrow nodded and aimed his bow at Rainbow Dash.

“Stay out of my way." Contemptuously, he let the arrow fly.

Instinctively, she soared high and to her left. A red and gold blur blocked her view of both the projectile and her assailant. The blur resolved into the strange pegasus, who held the arrow in his mouth.

The speedster spat out the arrow and asked, "Are you okay?" He offered his right forehoof.

Dash rejected the hoof with a frown. “Go to Tartarus.”

“As you wish”

The Flash flew away as fast as he could, using his normal powers. Rainbow Dash screamed in frustration as accelerated toward him. The Flash looked over as the cyan mare caught up.

“Don’t you have something better to do than follow me?”

“I am the fastest flyer in Equestria, Celestia damn it! I won't’ allow you to take away my title!”

“I’m not interested in your title; I’m only looking for a speedster like me, a true speedster”

Before Rainbow could ask, the Flash accelerated away. Rainbow Dash followed, eyes watering as the Mach cone began to form around her. She was still too slow to catch him. Then, it happened. An explosion of rainbow light filled the night sky as pegasus magic filled the vapor cone. Even at supersonic speed, Rainbow Dash was too slow to catch him. How could he go so fast without generating a Rainboom?

Rainbow Dash felt her speed bleed off as she glided in a giant spiral. When she finally touched down a rooftop, she was trembling like a leaf. Everything she thought was true, everything she thought she was, had just been taken away. She gasped, "A speedster. A true speedster."

She collapsed bonelessly, so dispirited that she didn't notice her cutie mark flashing, signaling that her mission had been accomplished.

In the meantime, Rarity stopped to gain her bearings. She had tried to follow Rainbow Dash, but a ground bound unicorn had no chance of keeping up with a pegasus at full speed. Looking around, she found that she was still in a dangerous part of the city. A sudden noise startled her; she dove into the nearest cover, a dumpster. Though the gap between the lid and the lip, she saw a familiar shadow. She risked putting her eye closer and looked up. On the rooftop, the masked vigilante had pushed back his hood. The domino mask did nothing to hide his identity from Rarity.

“Is this some kind of joke?”

Rarity’s cutie mark flashed; her mission was accomplished.
> Race 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 3: A Speed Demon’s pride


In the Castle of Friendship, five friends sat on their thrones around the Cutie Map. Loyalty was conspicuously absent.

“Two days! I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her in two days! What happened out there, Rarity?” said Applejack.

“I don’t know, darling. I don’t know what that horrid Arrow shot at her, but he missed. She did go chasing after that Flash fellow. I just don’t know what went wrong.”

“I tried talking to her, but she just yells at me to go away,” added Fluttershy.

Tapping her chin with a forehoof, the alicorn in the room mused.

“You know, this sounds awfully familiar.” Her eyes shot wide open. “I got it! This is just like the time we ruined Rarity’s fashion show!”

“Don’t remind me!” groaned Rarity.

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Oh no! Dashie’s gotten all mopey. Next, she’s going to go around dressed in all black. She’s going to become a crazy turtle lady”

“She only has one tortoise,” argued Twilight.

“Give it time,” replied Pinkie.

Applejack said, “We gotta do something. I gotta do something, but I can’t even stand on her doorstep.”

Twilight Sparkle replied, “My cloud-walking spell can help with that. Then, we can all take my balloon!”

“Sugar, I appreciate the thought, but I really should go in first. No offense, Fluttershy, but if she gets upset . . .”

“None taken,” replied the yellow pegasus.

“Gather ‘round so I cast the spell.” The others complied. “Not you, Fluttershy.” The pegasus laughed nervously and backed away.

Rainbow Dash’s house:

Wisps of cloud wall trailed behind as Applejack broke into her friend’s room. “Rainbow! Dang it, what the hay happened to ya back in Canterlot?”

Morosely, Rainbow Dash replied as she curled on her bed in a fetal position, “Go away.” A few seconds later, she sat bolt upright and asked, “Applejack?! How?! I must be going nuts!”

The farm pony rolled her eyes. “Cloud walking spell, remember? Twilight brought us in her balloon; the rest are waiting outside. I figured ya might wanna talk to me first.”

 “Let them in; I don’t really care. I don’t care about anything anymore.”

With a worried frown, Applejack yelled, “C’mon in, y’all.”

Once everypony was in the room, Rainbow Dash said, “I’m sorry, girls. This isn’t a good time”

“Everypony is worried about you. What happened to you in Canterlot?” asked Fluttershy as she approached her oldest friend. “You haven’t been yourself since you and Rarity came back from your mission in Canterlot”

With an uncharacteristic tenderness, Pinkie Pie slowly approached her friend and gave her a gentle hug. Rainbow Dash accepted the embrace, so the others joined as well. That helped, a little.

 “Oh Dashie, we were so worried!” cried Pinkie.

“When Rarity told us you ran into the Arrow, we thought he scared you as he scared Yearling!” said Twilight frowning.

 “Let me guess; this has something to do with that pegasus who helped the Arrow,” said the white unicorn.

“Yeah,” mumbled the cyan pegasus.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she tried to hold back her tears of frustration. Rarity noticed it and offered Dash a box of chocolates she brought for the occasion. “Eat; when I am depressed, chocolate always cheers me up”

Twilight said, “There’s a scientific explanation for . . .” She stopped when she caught the expressions from the others. She laughed nervously. “I mean, Rarity is right. One piece won’t hurt your training regimen.”

Applejack’s ear perked at the mention of the pegasus. “What d’ya mean the pegasus who helped the Arrow? Is there another crazy vigilante in Canterlot y’all didn’t tell us about?”

The fashionista exchanged a look with her friend, and since Rainbow wasn’t in the mood to talk, she began to explain. “Yes, there’s more to our story. It’s just that there’s been so much on our minds after that mission.”

“So, what happened?” asked Fluttershy, clearly worried.

Rainbow slammed a forehoof onto her mattress in frustration. “Let’s put it this way. The Arrow has a partner now, and he's no normal pony. Sweet Celestia, you should see how this guy can move.”

“It was a pegasus in a red bodysuit; hideous, but aerodynamic,” added Rarity.

Rainbow nodded slowly.

“He introduced himself as the Flash, the fastest pegasus alive. And no, Twilight, he doesn’t have anything to do with your friend in the Crystal Empire. The thing is, at first, I thought he was just bragging, but then we saw him move.”

“He is almost as fast as Rainbow Dash; when he moves, all you can see is a red and golden blur,” continued Rarity. “I only saw him for a moment, but then we heard the Arrow attacking somepony, and he flew to assist him. Rainbow went after him.”

“HE’S FASTER!” screamed Rainbow Dash as she put her forehoof through the side of her night table in frustration. The cloud surface let her hoof though. Rainbow Dash removed her hoof and started to sob. “He is the faster pegasus alive, not me.”

The others yelled, “WHAT?!” in unison as their jaws dropped.

Rainbow sniffed as she nodded. “I tried to follow him. I . . . I messed up, and he saved me. He tied up those unicorns so fast I could barely follow his moves. And the worse part was that he didn’t need to take time to accelerate; he instantly moved at that speed, and, and, he wasn’t even tired! I thought I could catch him, but he was too fast, even after I did a Sonic Rainboom! He literally turned into a streak of light!”

Twilight frowned. “That can’t be. There’s no way a pegasus can fly that fast; that requires more energy than any pony can handle.”

Rainbow ground her teeth. “I know what I saw. He even told me he didn’t want anything to do with me, that he was looking for a true speedster.”

Pinkie Pie pouted. “Hey, that wasn’t very nice! You are a true speedster, Dashie! Don’t let that Flash guy to get you down!”

Rainbow furiously shook her head. “Pinkie you don’t understand! It was like watching speed itself. I thought I was the fastest flyer in Equestria, but I’m not; I’m not even on the top ten . . . even top hundred! If I’m not the fastest, who am I?!”

Applejack took Rainbow Dash’s face in her forehooves and forced her to look at her. “Don’t be such a crybaby. Do ya really think Ah’ll sit here to see ma’ best friend getting depressed all because somepony is faster than her?”

“But Applejack, he’s a monster!”

“What happened to ya is simple. Ya grew overconfident and somepony surpassed ya when ya weren’t looking. What’re ya gonna do about it?”

Rainbow Dash draped her blanket over her head. “You don’t understand, none of you do! It’s impossible for a normal pegasus to even get close to that speed!”

Fluttershy nodded to Applejack. When the farmer tore away the blanket, Fluttershy caught Rainbow Dash with the Stare.

“Oh no, missy, you won’t stay here feeling sorry for yourself. Wake up already Rainbow Dash! You did the Sonic Rainboom! That was supposed to be impossible. You are already the stuff of legends.” More softly, she said, “You are the friend who stood up for me when nopony else would. You’ll always be my hero.”

The others nodded in agreement. Rainbow Dash sighed. There was no way she could match the Flash’s speed, but her friends had a point.

“You are Loyalty, Rainbow Dash. Be loyal to yourself,” said Twilight Sparkle.

Rainbow Dash watched as her friends walked through her wall. She continued to stare, lost in her thoughts, until Tank approached and landed beside her. She turned to her tortoise and smiled. “You know what? They’re right, Tank! If I was able to do the Sonic Rainboom, there’s no reason I can’t become as fast as Flash, or faster. I won’t stay here while he steals all the glory of being the fastest flyer in the world! I swear I’ll do everything in my power, no matter what!”

Tank slowly nodded and then looked at the kitchen.

“Oh, you’re right; I forgot to feed you. I’ll do it right away and then I’ll report to Spit Fire. Let’s hope she isn’t too upset!”

Canterlot, one of many of Blue Blood’s nightclubs:

The prince was reading on his favorite couch, relaxing after several meetings with suppliers that Barry arranged for him. After consider all the permutations in less than five seconds, Barry decided that the easiest thing to do was to schedule all the meetings for the same day. Blue Blood agreed. Having someone who could think a thousand times faster than the average pony was quite useful.

It had been a very stressful day, and Blue still had to do the night patrol, so his down time was very important for him. Unfortunately, Barry had to interrupt him.

“Hey, Ollie, sorry for bothering you, but a couple of ponies are here to ask you if you have time to attend them before the club opens.”

Blue Blood frowned and checked his watch. “They’re five minutes late. The values of propriety and punctuality are dying, don’t you think, Allen? And stop calling me Ollie!”

“What? Did you actually have another appointment for today?”

“Yes. Let’s just say that in my former life, I associated with some not-so-right ponies,” explained Blood. “Let them in.”

“As you wish.” Barry walked to the door. “This way, gentlecolts!”

Two ponies dressed in fedoras and trench coats walked in. They nervously looked about, never dwelling on one spot for more than one second. Blue Blood looked at them sternly and said, “Gentlemen, I’ve already explained to you that I will not distribute illegal drugs in any of my clubs. You may go back from where you came”

 “Now you’re playing saint? You were a great client before getting lost on the island for four years. Or have you forgot, Blood?” complained one of the thugs.

The other added, “Most of the other clubs doesn’t sell those anymore. You can make millions, and you don’t have to do it in all of your clubs, just a couple!”

Blue Blood rolled his eyes. “Tell me idiots, why did the other clubs stopped selling your products? Oh right! Because you’ve been unable to stop a clown in a blue cloak. Sorry, but I won’t risk my flank as long as that damn vigilante is around. Is nothing personal, is just that is too risky for now.”

The thugs groaned. “We’re working on it. That damned Arrow’s cost us too many clients.”

One hoofed over a business card and placed it on the desk.

“If you change your mind, you know where to find us.”

Blue Blood shrugged and went back to his book as the drug dealers left, defeated.

“Did you actually set an appointment just to say ‘no’? What was that really about?” asked Barry in disbelief.

Blue Blood levitated the card to Barry. “We have ten minutes until the club opens. Care to check on an address in the meantime?”

Barry smiled. “Is just me or criminals are dumber in this world?”

“Don’t know; don’t care”

Barry studied the business card and disappeared in a red and golden streak. Blue Blood waited patiently until Barry returned with a list. “I didn’t find much: a meth lab, some drug packages ready to deliver, and such. I was about to give up when I found this, a distribution list.”

“Nice job, Allen. I would prefer the big fish’s head, but I guess I can start with this.”

“You know I don’t like you to kill people. If it wasn’t for my last intervention that griffin…”

“I wasn’t going to kill Le Grand. He was just a moron who needed a good scare. But, I know a lost cause when I see one, Barry.”

Barry sighed. "I just wish you would see the light, like Ollie did."

Blue Blood ignored him and concentrated on the list. “This operation seems big; it’ll take some time to set everything ready,” said the prince.

“Okay, so when do we attack?”

“Tomorrow night. In the meantime, have some fun in the club or whatever. Just don’t interrupt me for the night, understood?”

“Sure!”

Cloudsdale, at next day:

Princess Celestia had just raised the sun when Spit Fire arrived at Wonderbolts Stadium to train before everyone else arrived.  To her surprise, Rainbow Dash was already at the starting line for the obstacle course.  The chromatic mare was a mess; her suit was soaked in sweat, and her mane and tail were both matted.  Spitfire sighed.  She muttered, "That girl disappears for two days, and now she's trying to kill herself with training.  What is wrong with her?"

A small timer emitted two low-pitched beeps, followed by a high-pitched one.  Rainbow Dash rocketed out of the starting blocks, hurtling toward the first obstacle.  The course had been set for combat training.  Everything along the way was set to knock a flyer out of the sky.  Rainbow Dash evaded them with ease, but on the last lightning cannon, she tried to turn too sharply and stalled.

Spit Fire approached as Rainbow Dash picked herself off the ground. “Stop” she ordered. “You’re too exhausted to do anyone any good”

Rainbow Dash looked at Spit Fire, panting. “I spent three hours training”

“I can see that. What happened with you?”

Rainbow Dash smiled weakly. “Yeah, sorry about not showing up. My last friendship mission really shook me up. I know that’s no excuse; I’m making up for lost time”

Spit Fire grinned. “That’s the spirit recruit! But, next time, let me know before pull a stunt like that, either stunt. You’ve got to let me know if something comes up.”

“Understood!”

“Very well then. You’ll be working late the rest of the week. No problems with that, right Dash?”

Rainbow nodded. “That was my plan anyway”

Spit Fire seemed confused but didn’t care. “Okay, for now go to the showers and rest until the others arrive. You won’t be of any use to us if you kill yourself training.”

Rainbow Dash obeyed, knowing that Spitfire was right; she wanted to keep training, but there was no point in hurting herself.  She promised her friends; she promised herself that she'd work as hard as she could to retain the title of fastest pony in Equestria.

“You’ll see Flash. No matter how long it takes, I’ll become a true speedster as well. There can be only one Number One, and that’s me!”
> Race 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 4: Rarity Investigates (again)!


Morgue, "Canterlot Daily Sun"

The dusky gray of Rarity's normally white coat bore mute testimony to the fact that the preservation spells on the old newspapers did nothing to dispel the dust.  On one end of the table, there were a month's worth of newspapers, neatly stacked.  A larger stack was on the other end.  Rarity took the front section from the top of the larger stack with her telekinesis and spread it around her like the blocks of an igloo.  She grumbled, "I wish I could have asked Twilight to help.  This is more her cup of tea."  As she skimmed the paper in the dingy light, she muttered, "Where is it?  Where is it?"

The notepad on the table lay next to a quill and an inkpot.  The notepad was open to a page with three questions:  When was Blue Blood lost at sea?  When did Blue Blood return?  When did the Arrow make his first appearance?  There was date written under the first one.  For the last half hour, Rarity had been scouring through the archives, searching for the answers to the others.  “But seriously, how can everypony be so stupid? How could I be so stupid?” said Rarity as she found the first article that speculated about the theory of the vigilante.

Rarity muttered to herself as she continued her search.  "How is this even possible?  That mask doesn't hide anything.  Why is he even doing this?"

"Aha!" exclaimed Rarity.  She carefully reassembled the paper and opened it to the article of interest.  "So, this is when he first appeared.  Is this what they really think about the Arrow?  How can they be so wrong?  How could I be so wrong?  Why did he raid his own nightclub?"

Sometime later, Rarity located the final answer she sought.  As she jotted down the information, she glanced up at the clock.  "It's almost five.  I'd better hurry; I don't want to spend the night with a bunch of dead newspapers."

As she hurriedly re-shelved the newspapers she said, "Blue Blood, what happened to you on that island?  How could you become such a cold-blooded killer?"

Rarity trotted to her Canterlot boutique.  That would give her a chance to freshen up, and it would help establish her alibi.  She had told her friends that she had business with Sassy, and with this visit, Sassy could vouch for her.

She frowned as she made her way through the streets.  She had let everyone believe that rescuing the butler had been their mission's objective.  It was a convincing fiction, given the state Rainbow Dash had been in afterward.  She didn't like misleading her friends, but her instincts screamed for her to keep things quiet for now.

"I really need to see Blue Blood in person."  Rarity shivered at the thought.  "The society page said that he normally likes to grab a quick snack at The Draught House; almost everyone in the city drops by as some point.  First, I have to pay Sassy a visit."

Later:

After a couple of hours, Rarity had excused herself.  The Draught House was a few blocks away.  As she waded through the crowd in that famous cafeteria, she spotted her quarry.  Blue Blood was sipping a cappuccino as his assistant, that orange pegasus, trailed behind with a drink of his own.

“I’m telling you Barry, this coffee is not only the best in Equestria, it's the best in all the worlds.”

"I wouldn't know, boss," replied Barry.  "You unicorns are lucky you can walk and drink at the same time.  My favorite coffee comes from good old Jitters; it's where I hang out with my friends.  Everyone loves its coffee, even Ollie!"

Blue Blood groaned, annoyed.

“Not him again!  What is he?  Your coltfriend?”

Barry laughed.  Blue Blood soon joined in.  Barry said, "Seriously, they actually have a coffee in my honor, I mean, Flash's honor.  It's quadruple-strength espresso."

"So, you don't drink it for its flavor; you drink it for your ego."

As the two continued, deep in conversation, Blue Blood came to a sudden stop -- against Rarity.

Her glass of iced tea exploded on the floor as she reached up with a forehoof to brush off the brown stain on her coat.  "Hot!" she shrieked. "Hey!  Watch it, Blue!"

Blue Blood shrugged and started to walk away.  He stopped when he felt the weight of the glares from the other customers.  He dropped some coins at Rarity's hooves.  "Here.  Buy yourself another drink and leave me alone.  Let's go, Barry!"

Barry frowned at him. "Aren't you going to apologize?" he asked as he looked at Rarity sympathetically.

“You should learn something from your assistant, Blood; he knows what it means to be a gentlecolt,” scolded Rarity.

Blue Blood groaned again, and said mechanically, “Sorry for accidentally bumping into you.  Can I go now?”

Rarity sighed.  "I see you've changed after the Gala -- from the rude prince of Canterlot to Prince Charmless."

With barely-contained rage, Blue Blood said, "I am truly sorry!  How many times do I have to say that!"  He levitated two tickets to her.  "Here, as compensation for my behavior, you can have these VIP passes; they're good at any of my clubs.  Good luck in finding any pony who can stand you!"  With that, Blue Blood stormed off with Barry in tow.

Rarity trembled as she watched the two leave.  Once they were gone, she shakily made her way out of the cafeteria.  As she moved out of view of the patrons, her demeanor returned to normal.  She smiled to herself; this had worked better than she had dreamed.





Sassy Saddles gawked as she looked up at the marquee for The Verdant, the first and the largest of Blue Blood's clubs.  She then looked at the head of the line, a block away.  She said, "Thank you for inviting me Rarity!  I never thought you were the kind who goes to clubs."

"Well, darling, you've been working so hard these last few days that I thought you use a change of pace."

Sassy sighed.  "At this rate, it'll be morning before we get in."

"Nonsense," replied Rarity.  "I just have to call in a favor."

The VIP area was everything Sassy had hoped for.  The room was on the second level, and it featured a transparent dance floor with an unobstructed view of the stage.  As she drank in the atmosphere, she couldn't help but think how odd the situation was.  The Rarity she knew would never go to a place like this; the Rarity she knew would have been more engaged with the discussions about the boutiques.  There was something off about Rarity; was she hiding something?

A familiar stallion wearing a white dinner jacket broke her away from her musing.  As he exited his private room, Blue Blood had pasted on his best "Prince Charming" smile before he turned to the crowd.  “Hey Canterlot!  Are you having a good time?” he asked with a magically amplified voice.

The crowd shrieked in approval.  Blue Blood turned to the featured performer DJ PON-3.  The DJ worked her magic with her decks, and the crowd shrieked even more loudly.  The volume in the VIP section a little quieter than in the main area, but it was still too loud to carry on a conversation comfortably.  Sassy gave a half smile; she had appreciated the gesture, but judging from the audience below, it took a much younger pony to truly enjoy the experience.  Rarity was not moving with the music.  She seemed to be watching for something, or someone.  Sassy looked up with a start when a waiter set a glass next to her.  Rarity smiled and highlighted a placard on their table; drinks were on the house.

Rarity sipped her drink as she tracked the white-suited figure moving in the sea of color below.  It meandered toward the kitchen entrance.  Rarity was about to excuse herself to follow him when a voice from behind surprised her.

"Good evening, ladies.  Miss Rarity Belle, boss Blood offers his sincere apologies.  If there's anything we can do to make your night more enjoyable, you need only to ask."

Rarity smiled at the kind stallion.  "Thank you, Berry, is it?"  The stallion nodded.  Rarity continued, "You really show all of the compassion your boss doesn't."

Barry shrugged.  "There's a lot more to him that he lets on.  Anyhow, I hope you two are enjoying your night.  Again, if there's anything you need, just let any of the staff know."

"Does that include your personal services, you fine gentlecolt?"  Sassy blushed slightly at the question.  The pegasus did have a boyish charm.

“I’m sorry.  Boss Blood needs me for some private business, but if you need something before I go . . .”

“We’re fine, thank you,” said Sassy winking an eye at him.

“So, tell me again; how did you get the tickets, Rarity?”

"It's a long story, darling.  Let's just say I got lucky."  The white unicorn touched her glass to Sassy's.  Rarity now had no doubt about Blue Blood's alter ego.  She was especially grateful that she didn't need to watch him take another life to get her proof.

Streets of Canterlot:

In the shadows of a dank alley, the leader of the thugs who had visited Blue Blood scanned the street anxiously, desperately hoping for customers.  He ducked between the dumpsters, trying to avoid what was politely called "garbage".  He shuddered at the thought of the penalty for failing to make his quota.  He groused, "Come on!  Somepony must need a fix tonight."

A bit of movement in the shadows caught his attention.  He stared intently.  It was a pony in a black hoodie, nervously looking here and there, stopping every few paces.  The thug hissed, "Psst!  Over here buddy!"

“Want something?” asked the dealer as he slowly approached the pony.

Noticing the thug, the pony in the hoodie nodded nervously, trembling.  He fumbled under his jacket and withdrew a bag.  The thug smiled as he saw the tremors; he recognized the withdrawal symptoms.

The thug took the bag in a forehoof and took a quick peek; there were enough bits for a healthy sale.  He dropped the bag into a pocket and took a small bag of pills from another.

"Here you go, the best of the best."

The trembling pony pushed back the black hood, revealing a red cowl with gold ear cups.  A single lightning bolt decorated each cup.  Before the thug could even think, the strange pony embraced him with his forehooves, and in a blur, everything was gone.  The thug blinked, trying to regain his bearings as things suddenly became much windier, and much fresher.  The blur resolved into a figure in a blue cloak, levitating a bow and arrow.  To its side was an orange pegasus dressed in a red bodysuit.  Instinctively, the thug began to back away.

The pegasus yelled, "Stop!"  The thug complied, confused.  The pegasus continued.  "Look down."

The thug obeyed and quickly looked back up, shivering.  He was standing on a plank barely wide enough to accommodate his width.  Below him, the dumpsters looked to be the size of a pillow mint.

The thug asked, "Wait; what?"

The Arrow asked calmly, "Where is your boss?"

The thug replied, "You don't seriously expect me to answer, do you?"

"That depends on whether you want to be the first earth pony to fly."

The thug started to take a step forward.  The Arrow shot right in front of his hoof, forcing the thug back.  The thug said, "If I tell you, he'll kill me."

"You'll die if you don't," answered the Arrow, coldly.

The Flash looked at the Arrow with concern.  "Don't do it, Arrow!  He's not worth it!"

The Arrow growled, "Stop telling me what to do!"  He released the arrow.  It struck directly under the thug and detonated.  Reflexively, the thug jumped back.  He screamed as gravity took hold.

From that height, a stallion would need four seconds to reach the ground in a freefall.  In four seconds, the pony mind can work at an incredible pace when properly motivated.  In four seconds, the thug decided he wasn't ready to meet his maker.  In four seconds, the thug found himself at ground level, surprisingly intact.  A red blur resolved itself into the Flash and the air cushion collapsed.  The Arrow appeared beside him.  The Arrow said, "That was your only warning.  Where is he?"

"He's . . . Fourth Avenue, PRINCESS STREET!  ABANDONED FACTORY!"

As the thug shakily rose to his hooves, the Arrow shot.  The thug felt the projectile brush him just before it flew between his hind legs and parted his tail.  The Arrow growled, "You have until dawn to abandon Canterlot!"  With that, he melted into the darkness.  The Flash gave the thug a goodbye nod and vanished.

There was only one place on Princess Street that fit the thug's description.  It wasn't abandoned, but it had been under construction for over two years.  The ground floor had been gutted, with structural members and utility lines exposed.  The second floor, however, was fully finished.  The largest room held the opulently-furnished office of the drug lord of Canterlot.  There, he met with his subordinates.  He swapped the proceeds from their sales with fresh drugs for distribution.

"Where are Grumpy and Smiley?" he asked.  The others looked at each other and then back at the boss.  "Let me guess.  They didn't make their quota and they won't own up to it.  I guess it's time to make an example of them."

Everypony chuckled at this.  Suddenly, a salvo of two arrows zoomed into the room, pinning first the right shoulder of the boss' suit to the chair, and then the left.  The subordinates stared in silence for a moment before the boss yelled, "He's here!"

The subordinates dove this way and that as arrow after arrow flew through the air and stuck to the floors and the walls.  A final arrow struck the ceiling and erupted with a burst of magic.  The other arrows detonated, flooding the room with blue smoke.

As the boss struggled to free himself using telekinesis, he heard the meaty thump of punches, the crash of breaking furniture, screams of agony, and the thud of falling bodies.  He had almost worked the second arrow out when he screamed in pain.

The smoke dispelled, revealing that the boss now sported an arrow in each of his withers, pinning him to his chair.  Before him, all the thugs in the room lay unconscious.  The Arrow had his bow aimed directly between the boss' eyes.

“You have failed Equestria”

 “Do you think they were the only ones in this building?  HEY I AM IN DANGER!  KILL HIM!”

The Arrow looked behind and shrugged.  “And?”

The drug dealer looked around waiting for his henchponies, but no one answered his call.  “What do you think you’re doing?  WHERE ARE MY PONIES? KILL HIM OR . . .”

A red and gold streak of light moved into and out of the room.  With each appearance, two more henchponies lay on the floor, bound and gagged.  When the streak finally stopped, it resolved into an orange pegasus in a red body suit.  He said, "Here are your reinforcements."

Three unicorn assassins appeared at the top of the stairs.  After exchanging confused looks, they fired blasts of their magic at the Flash.  They watched in anticipation as the blasts reached him, only to blink in amazement as he vanished in a streak of red.  They didn't quite mimic Newton's cradle as the Flash struck one of them on the side of the head, knocking that thug's head onto the head of the thug in the center, whose head in turn struck the head of the thug at the end.  The three collapsed, unconscious.

Two more hitponies appeared.  The Arrow shattered the horn on one with a blunt tip.  As the thug screamed in agony, his partner froze.

The Flash touched his friend's wither.  "Wait.  I've been wanting to try this one ever since I got here."

The Arrow nodded as he lowered his bow.  The scarlet speedster began to shuffle around the carpet in circles, burning his path as the charged his body with static electricity.  He then stopped and brought a forehoof to each thug's muzzle.  There was a loud crackle as a small bolt of lightning leapt from each hoof.  The thugs screamed in pain before collapsing.

The Arrow aimed a broadhead at the boss.  The Flash cried out, "Don't kill him!  He's helpless!"

The Arrow rolled his eyes.  “Of course not, you moron!  This big fish is the bait for the bigger fish.”

The Arrow shot out the window, activating the burglar alarm.  He faded back into the shadows.  The Flash waited patiently until the Royal Guard arrived.  As they looked on at the pile of unconscious thugs and the boss pinned to the chair, the Flash gave the lead officer a packet of evidence.

Tapping his hind legs impatiently, he said, "This is more than enough evidence to put him away for life.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go!"  With that, he disappeared in a red and gold streak.

The lead officer looked at his aide.  "Who it Tartarus was that?"

The streak re-appeared.  It resolved into an orange pegasus in a red body suit.  "I'm the Flash; I'm the fastest pegasus alive!"  Once more, he vanished in a red and gold streak.

Ponyville:

In the bright and airy breakfast nook in the Castle of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle and her de facto son read the morning paper with their breakfast.  Her brow was knit in worry as she absently stirred her oatmeal.

Spike said, "That's interesting.  It looks like Rainbow Dash has some serious competition."

Twilight snapped, "Don't even joke about that!  She was so torn up, we thought she had given up!"

"Calm down, Twilight.  It's here on the front page."

Twilight levitated the paper over and quickly skimmed the article in question.  "Come on, Spike.  This was a drug ring that they think the Arrow busted.  They must have been on something serious to think anypony could move that fast.  I bet that was just somepony with Trixie's talent, casting a giant illusion."

The two looked up when the chime from the service entrance rang.  Twilight said, "I'll get it.  A growing dragon needs a good breakfast."  She opened the door to find a familiar yellow pegasus with an orange mane.  "Spit Fire?"

The captain of the Wonderbolts nodded.  "Can I come in?  We need to talk."

"Of course.  You can join us for breakfast."

Once Spit Fire had settled down with toast and tea, she said, "I'm worried about Rainbow Dash.  I get that something bad happened on her last mission; everyone needs a break from time to time.  But, she's now pushing herself like there's no tomorrow.  She trains until she drops, literally.  When I try to get her to slow down, she says she can't if she wants to be the fastest pony alive.  She's going to kill herself if we can't get her to stop."

Spit Fire pulled a newspaper from under her wing and dropped it onto the table.  "This morning, I saw this story.  He's the one causing all the trouble, isn't he?"

Twilight sighed.  "I'm afraid so.  She ran into this Flash guy, and it all went downhill from there.  But, I'm glad she recovered so quickly."

"This isn't a recovery!  She's obsessed!  You're her friend; you have to do something while you still have a chance.”

Twilight nodded.  "I know.  I will, but I'll need some help as well.  Anyway, it should be simple; all we have to do is to show her that the Flash is a fraud."

"Whatever you have in mind, count me in."

The Princess of Friendship smiled, "I'm glad I can count on your support."

"She's a good kid, and a good friend.  We can't let her throw everything away."
> Race 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 5: Close encounters in the ‘Big House’


Celestia had barely raised the sun when Spit Fire entered the Wonderbolts' practice field for her normal morning training.  She gave an exasperated sigh when she spotted a rainbow-maned pegasus spread-eagled in the middle of the field, at the end of a pony-wide furrow.  The captain grabbed a passing cloud and emptied it onto the cyan pegasus.

Rainbow Dash woke with a start, dizzy and completely disoriented.  Her eyes came into focus on Spit Fire's stern visage.  "Huh?  Spit Fire?  Is it already 0400?" the cyan mare asked with a shy smile.

The captain scowled for a moment.  She then said, "Tell me, Dash, what time did you go home last night?  Did you even take a break?"

Rainbow lowered her eyes.  “I’m sorry.”

"Dang it, Dash!  This isn't about the Wonderbolts!  This isn't about me!  This is about you!  I already warned you that you'll kill yourself at this rate!  That bastard in Canterlot isn't worth your life!  What's with this obsession for the impossible?"

Rainbow Dash kicked at a clod she had dislodged.  "You don't understand!  Nobody can, not until you see him!  Sure, I can do the Sonic Rainboom and all, but that's nothing compared to him!  That's nothing compared to real speed!  That's why I have to . . ."

"You have to take care of yourself, that's an order!  You have no proof of this mystery pony, or this super speed you claim you saw.  Forget this nonsense for a bit.  Your body is a temple, and you're grinding it into dust.  You're not giving yourself a chance to recover; it won't be long before you'll say goodbye to your speed forever."

Rainbow Dash didn’t say anything; she just shamefully lowered her gaze.

"You know what?" continued Spit Fire.  "I've had enough.  You're suspended from the team, understand?!  I don't want you here for two weeks -- two full weeks!  NOW GO HOME REST BEFORE YOUR BODY FALLS APART!"

Rainbow Dash dragged her hooves as she made her way to the exit.  She knew Spit Fire was right, but it hurt to just give up.  Spit Fire's expression softened as she walked beside her.  She showed the newspaper article to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash groaned as she tucked the paper under a wing.  “So what?  What do I care about who and when the Arrow attacks?”

"This Flash guy is a criminal aiding and abetting a serial killer.  He can't be real.  There's no way a pegasus can move like lightning!"

"I saw him do it."

Spit Fire opened the paper and began reading.  “'The pegasus in the red suit began to run in circles, so fast that he burned a track in the carpet.  He then threw lightning at us.  The next thing I know, I was trapped by a red and gold blur, and then I was tied up along with the rest of my partners.'  See?  This is a trick!  An illusion, Rainbow Dash, nothing more, nothing less.”

The cyan pegasus groaned.  "I know what I saw.  If that was an illusion, then I prefer to be fooled.  It's like Applejack said.  I became complacent and overconfident.  Things were just too easy, too boring.  I have to defeat the Flash!  Life's not worth living if we can't reach for the impossible."

Spit Fire shook her head in annoyance.  "There’s a thin line between motivation and stupidity.  You didn't just cross it; you flew on by!  Give your body a chance to catch up with your ambition."

Rainbow Dash shuffled away.  As Spit Fire watched her leave, she muttered under her breath, "Unbelievable what I have to deal with.  At least she'll have friends at home to keep an eye on her."

It was high noon when a purple lighter-than-air balloon floated up beside Rainbow Dash's house.  Five friends hopped onto the cloud foundation and rang the chime.  There was no answer.  The sound of panting caught their attention.  Looking up, the spotted Rainbow Dash standing on a cloud ten meters above the top spire of her home.

“RAINBOW DASH!” yelled Pinkie Pie, looking upwards.  “ARE YOU AVAILABLE, RAINBOW DASH?!”

From the cloud she was standing, Rainbow Dash looked down.  “GIIIIIRLS!  I’LL BE WITH YOU IN NO TIME!”

“WHAAAAAT?” Pinkie Pie yelled as she backed up for a better view.

Applejack’s eyes widened, and she pulled Pinkie Pie back by the tail before it was too late.  She spat and then yelled, “Dang it Rainbow! Get down here before you get hurt!”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t hear that.  Still, she was going to be with her friends in less than a second.  Without further consideration, she jumped, flapping her wings at full strength for a full power dive.

Rainbow Dash thought, "Faster, faster, FASTER!"  The Mach cone began to form around her body.  Sharp pegasus senses told her she had started her dive too close to the ground.  She continued to accelerate as she leveled off at ground level.  Just before she broke the sound barrier, a purple aura redirected her upward and then forced her into a series of vertical loops, gradually bleeding off her speed.  When she came to a full stop, the aura turned her.  Five friends looked at her with varying degrees of worry and disappointment.

“Twilight!” Rainbow complained.

Twilight Sparkle shook off the sweat from the exertion of bringing her friend to a safe stop.  She said softy, "Turn around, Rainbow.  Look at where you were headed."

Rainbow Dash turned around.  She gulped when she saw the massive oak tree in front of her.  At that speed, no pegasus could have survived a collision, even with their resilience.  She laughed nervously.  "I'm sorry, girls.  I've been practicing for two hours, and I guess the wind shifted or something.  At those speeds, the slightest change can have huge effects."

“For Celestia’s sake, Rainbow!  No wonder Spit Fire suspended you!” exclaimed Rarity.

Rainbow Dash sighed.  “I guess you’re right.  I know I’m acting stupid and reckless.  But, hey!  I followed your advice, and I didn’t let the new speedster get me down.  He's motivated me to get faster.  Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Not if you kill yourself with this insane training!” scolded Twilight.  “I’m glad you’re motivated, but this is too much.  Your natural speed is amazing by any standard.”

“You didn’t see the Flash.  And I’m sure that I cannot surpass him by any normal means.  The more I think about it, the more I want to go beyond the possible.”

Twilight Sparkle face-hoofed.  “This is ridiculous!” complained the alicorn.  “I really wanted to avoid this, but you’re leaving us no choice.  We’re going to Canterlot, and we'll show you what this Flash really is!”

“It's the best way to find what’s really going on,” added Fluttershy softly.

“Because there’s no way somepony is that fast!” finished Applejack.

Rainbow smiled.  “Okay, let’s go to Canterlot.  But what if it's not an illusion?  What if there’s a whole new level of speed I must reach?”

“Let's find the truth, first.  Then, we can talk about it,” said Rarity.





Six friends shared a booth on the Canterlot Express when it shrieked in protest in the mile-long skid required for an emergency stop.  Rarity delicately levitated a fan.  "That's odd.  We're fifteen minutes from the capitol."

Pinkie Pie asked, "This isn't normal?"

Rarity shook her head.  "Hardly, darling.  It's usually just a forty-five-minute ride, non-stop."

A conductor walked down the aisle, using a magically-amplified voice.  "Please remain calm.  There's been a disturbance at Iron Gate, the Canterlot Federal Prison.  We will remain outside the buffer zone while the authorities handle the situation.  Feel free to visit the dining car while we wait.  Once again, please remain calm.  Thank you for your patience."

Speculation raised anxiety to a fever pitch among some of the passengers as conductors and brakeponies went from car to car, giving what information they had.  After twenty agonizing minutes, a spokespony from the Royal Guard made an appearance, giving a short briefing in each car.  Even with the reassurance, Rarity and Fluttershy were among those skeptical about the situation.

Twilight Sparkle responded to a firm nudge from Pinkie Pie.  She looked over to where Rarity and Fluttershy were huddled together and said, "Girls, relax!  We're three miles away from the prison.  The Royal Guard trains for just this scenario.  They'll handle any problem long before it can reach us."

“A-a-aare you su-su-sure, Twilight?" stuttered Fluttershy.

“Very sure,” replied the purple alicorn, with as much reassurance as she could muster.

Although Rarity and Fluttershy visibly relaxed, Applejack noticed that Rainbow Dash seemed more agitated than before. “Don’t tell me yer worried to about a prisoner coming here!” said the cowgirl.

Everypony turned to Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight, which way is the prison?” asked the cyan Pegasus.

“South, why?”

Rainbow Dash casually opened the window and flexed her wings.

“RAINBOW DASH, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

“If there’s a riot, I’m sure the Arrow will intervene.  And where the Arrow is, I’m sure Flash would join him!”

“WAIT!”

Before they could react, Rainbow Dash rocketed out of the window.  She soared southward, getting her bearings.  As she accelerated toward the prison, she muttered, "Come Tartarus or tsunami, there's no way I'm missing out on a chance to see the Flash.  I'll make him show me how he does it."

Inside the train, the girls gathered around Twilight, who nodded.  “We're going after her.”

“If we survive this, remind me to kill Dash!” groaned Applejack.

“Deal!”

In a crack of displaced air, five friends teleported away.





The former drug lord of Canterlot was abnormally calm as he lounged on the pallet in his cell.  It wasn't normal for someone in his situation.  He could feel the hatred from the other prisoners as they shot glares at him.  Still, he seemed to be completely at peace.

Street Junk was no fool; he knew that the only reason he was alive was that the Arrow wanted live bait as he trolled for the big boss, the brains behind the whole operation.  That damned Arrow had to let him live, didn't he?  The die had been cast; all that was left was the inevitable.

A resounding clang reverberated through the cell block as his cell door was unlocked.  It opened outward, revealing two muscular unicorn ponies dressed in ill-fitting prison guard uniforms.  One of them said, "On your hooves.  It's time for your last walk."

“So, the boss finally sent you after me.  He took long enough.  Can you make it quick, please?  After all, I’ve been loyal since the very beginning.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that the whole operation in Canterlot is suspended because of you messed up,” said the other thug.  With sympathy, he continued, “But take it easy, we'll make it as quick and painless as we can.”

The two thugs escorted him to a side entrance to the building.  The first gave two short knocks and then a long knock.  A guard on the other side opened the door and asked, "The usual fee?"

The other thug replied, "Double.  This one's special.  Quadruple if you don't let him suffer."  He nodded to Street Junk.  "This is where you attempt to escape."

Street Junk closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.  He took in a deep breath and looked at the guard, who readied a crossbow with his magic.  The guard nodded.  Street Junk purposefully strode toward the main entrance to the prison.

Time slowed to a crawl as he took step after step.  Three paces from the door, he stopped and turned back to look at the guard.  He heard the twang of the bow as the bolt was released.  A red blur blocked his view.  It resolved into an orange pegasus in a red body suit who held the crossbow bolt in his mouth.  Street Junk's eyes opened in astonishment as the pegasus took a picture of the two, side-by-side, with a tripod mounted camera.

The Flash asked, "Is it just me, or are you in serious trouble?"

The two thugs screamed in rage and charged while their accomplice readied another bolt.  A red blur wound around the three, knocking the bolt away from the guard, and streaked to the prison office.  It returned to the three.  When the blur resolved itself back into a pegasus, the thugs and guard were handcuffed to each other, unconscious, with magic nullifier rings on their horns.  The bolt that the Flash had batted away clattered on the ground.

“See you!”  The Flash smiled as he disappeared again.

From the guard tower, another thug in an ill-fitting prison guard uniform turned to the guard on duty.  "It's time for Plan B."

The guard nodded and unlocked all the cells.  Over the public address system, he screamed, “RIOT, RIOT, RIOT!”

Pure pandemonium ensued as the prisoners overwhelmed the guards with sheer numbers.  Shots flew wildly, targeting guards and inmates alike.  The legitimate guards slowly succumbed to the combined onslaught of prisoners and the corrupt guards.  The ringleaders of the riot were about to unlock the main gate when a crimson blur evacuated the control room.  The ringleaders found themselves welded into their cells.  Prisoner and guard alike found themselves relocated by the blur, until the prisoners found themselves herded into the center of the courtyard.  They couldn't help but wonder, "What magic was this?"  The two groups watched in amazement as a red wall formed around the prisoners, creating a vortex that took their breath away.  Minutes later, the wall resolved itself into an orange pegasus in a red body suit.  The prisoners now all lay unconscious from hypoxia.

The Flash turned to the astonished guards and asked, “Are you okay?”

A brave soul answered, “Ahem, yes.  I think so.”

“Good.”  The scarlet speedster smiled.  “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take care of the rest of the prisoners and stop my friend before he kills somepony else.”

“Wait!  Who are you?”

“I am the Flash, the fastest pegasus alive.”

The Flash streaked to the cafeteria.  A barricade made of table and chairs was in the middle of the room, where a large number of prisoners huddled as the guards shot at them.  The prisoners were keeping the guards at bay with an occasional potshot, but heavier firepower was being wheeled in to reinforce the guards.  A bloodbath was moments away.  He accelerated away, looking for something to de-escalate the situation before anyone else came to harm.

The defiant prisoners felt a sudden gust of wind.  When they turned to look, they saw an orange pegasus in a red body suit, carrying a large spool of wire from the prison workshop.  The ringleader asked, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"The Flash.  This would be a good time to surrender."

“Not a chance," snarled the ringleader.

The Flash disappeared in a red streak.  One by one, the prisoners toppled over with hooves bound.  As the last inmate fell, the Flash cleared the barricade and stopped beside the lead guard.  He said, "Gentlecolts, the rest is up to you."  With that, he vanished.

In the meantime, Street Junk had no idea how he managed to get outside the prison walls.  He ran through the forest.  Perhaps he could actually escape.  He had to get away from Canterlot.  He had to get away from Equestria.  He found himself flung into the air as he stepped in a snare.  He came to a stop, trapped in a net, hanging upside down from a tree branch.

“WHAT NOW?” he screamed.  He looked around, coming to a stop when he spotted a familiar blue-cloaked figure.  “NO, NOT YOU!”

“Do you really think it would be that easy?” asked the Arrow.

A thug who had been quietly pursuing Street Junk froze when he saw that his quarry had been captured.  He slowly backed away when he spotted the Arrow; that was more trouble than he wanted to handle.  He screamed as he found himself in the same predicament as Street Junk.  He tried not to throw up as he bounced in the net.

The Arrow stalked off to confront the thug.  “So, the bigger fish took the bait.  Are you willing to tell me where can I find him?”

“Never!  He would kill me!”

“I think this calls for a change of perspective,” answered the Arrow coldly.

Each watched helplessly as the Arrow struck with his bow.  Everything went dark.

The two woke to find themselves bound to railroad tracks.  The Arrow said, "Now that the riot is over, the Canterlot Express will be along in a minute.  Think about it, gentlecolts.  You have one minute to decide."





A crack of displaced air distracted Rainbow Dash.  As she turned her head, she found herself trapped in a web of purple magic.  “Twilight!” complained Rainbow Dash as she was lowered to the ground.

The other Element Bearers sided with Twilight Sparkle as they glared at Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow, don’t make me lock you up!” said Twilight sternly.

“Would you dare?” snarled Rainbow Dash.

“Yes, in order to protect you from yourself,” said Twilight, frowning.  “Now, stop this nonsense!”

“Sorry Twi, but I gotta see the Flash, no matter what!”

“Rainbow Dash, please, think of the ponies who love you,” cried Fluttershy.

“Exactly, if something happened to you, we don't know what we would do without you,” sobbed Pinkie Pie.

“So, ya ran straight to a riot in prison; what were ya thinking?” scolded Applejack.

“Risking your life by training to exhaustion is stupid, but this is a whole new level of idiocy,” said Rarity.

 “Yeah, what was I thinking?  The Arrow probably would have shot me when I wasn't looking.  Sorry girls, I was just obsessed with the Flash!”

“No kidding,” said Applejack.  “Seriously, Ah almost prefer ya depressed rather than doing this stuff!  And ya owe us each a jar of cider!”

Rainbow Dash's ears twitched.  She took to the skies and then landed abruptly.  She said, "There are a couple of ponies tied to the track about half a mile that way."

Twilight Sparkle replied, "Show me."  The pair ascended.  In a thrice, the four on the ground found themselves levitating beside Twilight.  In a crack of displaced air, the six friends were gone.





The interrogation continued beside the railroad tracks.

“He would kill us if we tell you.”

“And you will die here and now if you don’t tell me,” answered the Arrow.  “But if you tell me, you’ll live.  I promise”

“But how can you be that sure?”

The Arrow shrugged.  “Because he has failed Equestria”

“We don’t know his name, but . . .”

In the distance, they all heard the train’s engines beginning to start.  It was approaching.  The Arrow nodded.  “You're out of time.  There are others I can ask.”

The Arrow walked away, ignoring the pleas of the thugs.  He could hear the train approaching.  A crack of displaced air caught his attention.  He whirled and fired at the sound.

Twilight Sparkle faced the Arrow as she carefully levitated his projectile into a saddlebag.  “So, you are the famous vigilante.  What do you think you’re doing?”

The Arrow slowly backed away.  "The system is corrupt.  I'm doing Equestria a favor, removing this cancer from society before it spreads."

Pinkie Pie's mane and tail started to deflate.  "The cure is worse than the disease."

The Arrow slightly shook his head.  “I disagree.”

Twilight frowned.  "Tell it to Princess Celestia."  As she wrapped him in her magic, she continued, "Now, let's see who's under the hood."

The Arrow grinned.  “It's not that easy, Princess.  It’s enchanted to prevent any moron from removing it.”

“Then who takes it off for you?!” shouted Rainbow.

The Arrow kept silent as he contemplated Rarity's glare.  The train's whistle caught everyone's attention; they had forgotten about the train in all the excitement.  In unison, everypony screamed, "NO!"  The Arrow was the loudest of all.

Just before the cow catcher touched the criminals on the track, a streak of red moved them a safe distance away.  It then zipped up next to the Arrow.

“Hi there!  New friends of yours, Arrow?” asked the Flash.

“Care to help me, Flash?”

They all were looking at the strange pony, his face was strangely blur, making impossible to see it clearly. And his voice sounded strange, as though it were coming from multiple ponies at the same time.  But, they knew his speed was no illusion.  The proof was staring them in the face.

As for Rainbow Dash, she smiled in delight.  He was real.  She knew it, and now her friends knew it as well.  “Flash!” she exclaimed.

“The fastest pegasus, alive,” confirmed the scarlet speedster.

Twilight couldn’t believe it; her jaw was almost on the ground, but she was still holding the Arrow and had almost removed his cloak.  “No, it doesn’t have any sense!  How can you move like that?  This has to be a trick.”

“What can I say?  Speed Force”

The Flash whirled like a dervish before appearing right in front of Twilight in a streak of light.  A lightning bolt leapt from his wingtip and struck the ground at her forehooves.  Reflexively, she screamed and reared up.  For the barest fraction of a second, her hold on the Arrow weakened.  When she looked again, the Arrow was astride the Flash, several meters away.

“Arrow, hold”

“Wait, what?”

Flash accelerated, and when the Arrow could finally see clearly again, they were back at his home.  The Arrow staggered from Flash’s back, and pinballed into the bathroom.  He was violently ill.

After he rinsed out his mouth, he said, “Damn it Allen!  Don’t ever do that again!”

“Sorry, but hey, it worked.  Now, if you excuse me, I must take those two back to prison.”

He went back to the train tracks, where the Element Bearers were still wondering what just happened.  The Flash smiled gently at the mares.

“Sorry, I forgot to take those two back to prison.”  He took the two thugs on his back, and in a fraction of a second, he deposited them into a holding cell.

“I told you this guy really exists,” said Dash as she smiled widely.

Applejack was the first one to recover.  “Ah still cannot believe it!”

“He really made Dashie look like a turtle,” said Pinkie Pie, equally astonished.  “Did you see how he moved?  Because I couldn’t!”

Twilight was the one most shocked.  “He threw lighting at me!  And he made it just by running in circles!  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!”

“That’s right!  He tried to attack you!” said Fluttershy.

“Not exactly, I think he only tried to scare her to release the Arrow,” said Rarity.

“And I was startled for a fraction of a second,” said Twilight.  “That’s all he needed.  Rainbow, is this the guy you’re trying to beat?  That’s impossible, he's . . . he's . . .”

“The fastest pegasus alive, I know!  But trust me, I will”

“Rainbow, Ah don’t know what is Flash’s secret, but please don’t try to figure it out.  Ah'd rather have a live friend than a dead hero!”

“I don’t care!  I’ll keep trying!”

Rarity walked away from the others as they kept bickering.  As she contemplated the situation, it became increasingly clear that the key to the Arrow and to the Flash was Blue Blood.  She would need to confront him, even if it were the last thing she wanted to do.  The only way to get her answers was to get to the heart of the problem.
> Race 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 6: Face to face with the Speed Force

The dark alicorn carefully scrutinized her sister as they dined on their elaborate meals in the cozy, private dining room.  There had been a time, millennia ago, when the two had been inseparable as foals, but with their complementary responsibilities, they were forced to spend much of their time apart.  Luna was the moon, as Celestia was the sun, and twilight was the only thing that consistently brought them together.

Luna broke the silence.  "Sister, what vexes you so?  Has the bureaucracy made even more inane demands?"

The elder sealed the room and encased it in a sphere of silence.  He body sagged to match her mood.  "If only it were something so mundane.  No, Luna, two hours ago, I deployed an elite squadron of Royal Guard to quell a riot at our maximum security prison.  There's been no word of their progress."

"What of your emergency signaling system?" asked Luna, puzzled.  "Can they not just launch a flare?"

Celestia shook her head.  "We'd have no way of knowing whether friend or foe sent the flare.  This has to be done by trusted courier."

The lights in the room flashed.  Celestia said, "We'll have to continue this later."  She put up her calm facade and dropped the privacy spells.  She said, "Please come in."

The door opened, revealing a pegasus from the elite squadron.  He was dressed in full armor.  Sweat pooled beneath him as he stood at attention.  He said, "Polaris is dim tonight."

Luna was about to protest when her sister silenced her with a raised hoof.  The elder replied, "Does not the pole star know its place?"

The guard replied, "It goes where its heart leads."

Celestia said, "Private Willow, please join us at the table and give your report."

Willow sat at the open bench and drank the glass of tonic that had been set before him.  Refreshed, he spoke.  "Iron Gate Prison is secure.  There were no fatalities among either inmates or guards; all casualties were minor."

"What of your squadron?" asked Celestia.

"The riot had been mostly quelled when we engaged.  A costumed pegasus who introduced himself as 'the Flash' had subdued all the inmates in the yard.  We were about to fire on the inmates who had barricaded themselves inside the cafeteria when we found he had subdued them as well."

"Subdued?" asked Luna.  "Please elaborate."

"Those in the yard were all unconscious.  We found those in the cafeteria with their hooves bound together."

"And what of the Flash?"

"He moved too fast for anyone to get a clear look.  He's an orange pegasus, and he wears a red bodysuit with gold hoof coverings and gold ear cups, each with a protruding lightning bolt.  His suit's cutie mark is a lightning bolt impaling a white circle.  He moves faster than I had thought possible.  I've seen the Sonic Rainboom firsthand; he makes that pegasus look like a snail."

Luna tapped the table impatiently.  "And what of the Arrow?"

Willow replied, "There was no sign of him."

Celestia asked, "When might we expect the rest of your squadron to return?"

"That is unclear.  We discovered that a significant percentage of the prison guards were proven to have been compromised.  My commander requests the support of Moonraker Squadron so that we can sort things out."

Luna conjured a scroll imprinted with the orders.  She said, "Have them all take the loyalty oath.  Dismiss anyone who refuses."  She levitated the scroll to the pegasus.

Celestia telekinetically packed a bindle with Willow's favorites.  "You are dismissed.  Deliver the orders, but please eat before you join your squadron."

Willow tucked the orders and the bindle under a wing.  He saluted and left the room.

Once the private had left, Celestia raised the privacy spells.  Luna waited for her to finish before she asked, "What think you now, sister?  Is the Arrow behind this foul deed?"

Celestia shook her head.  "No, not the riot.  But, I fear his hoofprints are somewhere in this whole affair.  He's as ruthless as he is cunning, but he has yet to harm an innocent.  What bothers me more is that our trust has been violated.  If there are prison guards who are corrupt, who is to say how many of our soldiers have been compromised?"

Luna gave a wintery smile.  "The oath in the orders is special.  Trust, but verify."

The lights flashed again.  Celestia rolled her eyes as she again put up her facade and dropped her privacy spells.

A page entered and bowed.  Celestia said, "Please rise, Cornflower.  There is no need for formalities in here."

Cornflower nervously looked at the diarchs.  She said, "Princess Twilight and friends await in the throne room."

Celestia smiled.  "Please let them know we will be joining them shortly."

"They said to tell you they had confronted the Arrow."

Celestia's smile fell imperceptibly while Luna rose to her feet.  Luna said, "Lead on, Cornflower.  I shall accompany you."

Celestia also stood.  "We shall accompany you."

The blare of trumpets filled the air as Cornflower entered the throne room.  She said, "Announcing Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."  She then stepped to one side and bowed.

The princesses walked in.  They smiled when they saw that Twilight had joined her friends, bowing.  The sisters walked to her and bowed so that their horns touched.  Startled, Twilight exclaimed, "What?  Why are you bowing to me?"

Celestia answered, "I have no idea, Princess Twilight."

Twilight laughed nervously and rose.  Everyone else followed suit.

Celestia said, "It is a pleasure to see you, all of you.  Now, why don't you tell me what happened?"

Twilight said, "We almost had the Arrow.  This is really more of Rainbow Dash's story, though".

Luna replied, "Loyalty, pray tell what transpired."

Rainbow Dash said, "I met the fastest pegasus alive.  It kind of all went downhill from there.  It's so crazy; I don't even know where to begin."

Luna said, "Begin at the beginning."

Rainbow Dash sighed.  "It all started when me and Rarity got a mission from the Cutie Map.  I caught up with the Arrow when he was torturing that griffon.  I was stupid; one of the thugs caught me, and the Flash saved me.  When I found out how fast he could really move, I . . . I almost gave up on everything; that guy is impossibly fast."  Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy leaned against their friend in support.

Rainbow Dash continued.  "My friends inspired me to keep fighting.  Ever since, I've been trying everything to go that fast.  I don't care what anyone says!  If you can't follow your dreams, you might as well be dead!"

While Rainbow Dash composed herself, Twilight picked up the story. "She's nearly killed herself training. We all wanted to take her to Canterlot to show her what the Flash really was. -- a phony, or at least that's what we thought at the beginning."

Pinkie Pie jumped in.  "And then we all got this train and the Royal Guard stopped us because of the riot thingy and Dashie went 'zoom' out the window so Twilight teleported me and the girls to stop her and Dashie saw someone on the tracks and Twilight teleported us and caught the Arrow but the train almost ran over the two and the Flash rescued them and threw lightning at Twilight and took the Arrow away."

Luna said, "I believe I understood most of that."

Twilight resumed.  "The Flash is just impossible.  By everything we know, he's impossible.  The sheer amount of energy he'd need to move the Arrow so far away in so short of time should have burned him to a crisp.  Also, there should be no way he should be able to store enough charge to throw lightning!  I could run in circles for years without gathering nearly enough!"

Princess Luna nodded thoughtfully.  "It would appear that this 'Flash' has a moderating influence on the Arrow.  Heretofore, the Arrow has killed on each of his appearances.  Since we've learned about the Flash, there have been no murders attributed to the Arrow."

Celestia added, "You might also like to know that the Flash has been credited with quelling the riot without bloodshed.  There may be something good to be said for him working with the Arrow."

Rarity tuned out the conversation as she tried to formulate a plan to confront Blue Blood.  She had truly despised him.  However, now that she knew he was a serial murderer, she feared for her life.  Would confronting him lead to her death?  There had to be some way to do this while maintaining her safety.

Princess Celestia visibly stifled a yawn.  Luna said, "It looks like it has been a long day for all of you.  Please, get some sleep, and we can reconvene at your breakfast." 

Dream Realm:

mages went into and out of focus as Princess Luna traversed the dream realm.  Children from around the world screamed for help from their nightmares, but the scourge of nightmares had a more urgent task.  Casting her senses about, she located her goal.  She would ensure the Flash would bring Rainbow Dash no nightmares this night.

The reality of the dream warped around her as she entered.  The scene stabilized, and Luna found herself standing in midair.  A red and gold streak zipped past her.  Far behind, a cyan blur followed.  Luna could see the Mach cone as the pursuing pegasus fell further behind.

As she outraced her voice, Rainbow Dash shouted, "Flash!  I'll learn your secret!  Just wait and see, Flash!"

The scarlet streak came to an abrupt stop, resolving into a costumed, orange pegasus with a blurred face.  It gave a distorted smile and waved Rainbow Dash over.  The cyan mare screamed in rage and pushed herself to fly even faster.  She went silent when another figure materialized beside the Flash.  It was the splitting image of her dead grandmother.  In her grandmother's voice, it said, "Come on, darling!  You can do it!  You're almost there!  Go get him!"

Rainbow Dash came to a sudden stop.  "Granny!?  Granny, what are you doing here?"

The elderly cyan mare shook her head, showing off her now-silver mane as she rematerialized right in front of Rainbow Dash.  "Sorry, Dash.  I'm not really your Granny."

Rainbow Dash scoffed, "Well, duh!  No offense, but who are you?"

Princess Luna tensed, ready to defend her friend.

“I’m waiting.  Who are you?  Why do you look like my Granny?” asked Dash.

"I'm not of this world, Rainbow Dash.  I wanted to talk to you, and this is the best form for you to perceive me."

"Alien?"

The older mare shook her head.  "I bring you word of what you are going to do, who you are going to become.  Are you truly ready to meet your destiny?  Are you truly ready to know true speed, like the Flash?"

Rainbow Dash's eye's narrowed.  "What is this going to cost me?  If you want to hurt my friends . . ."

The elderly figure held up her forehooves.  "Peace, young one.  Your goal is within your reach.  All you have to do is grab it."

“What do I have to do?”

The image of Granny Dash pointed at the scarlet speedster.  “Get him.”  The Flash zipped away in a blur.

Rainbow Dash watched as the blur receded into the distance.  It was as if she had truly seen for the first time.  Everything now was so clear.  “Easy enough.”  A cyan streak caught the one of red and gold.

Once she started pacing the Flash, he turned to her.  His sharp features softened from masculine to feminine.  His fur color shifted from orange to cyan while his suit shifted from red to a cobalt blue.  Parts of the suit opened to expose a rainbow-hued mane and similarly-colored tail, and sky-blue goggles covered his eyes.  The lightning bolt in the cutie mark changed shifted to the tri-color version that graced Dash's flanks.

“Are you ready to become the best version of yourself?” asked Granny Dash.  “To become a true speedster?

“Before I answer, tell me.  Who are you really?”

“We’ve been called so many things during the years.  Many things by countless beings who have come to know us over the eons.  We were there before the universe was born, and we will be there after it dies. However, you can call us . . . Speed Force”

Rainbow Dash remembered Flash’s words, and smiled.  Of course, it was the Speed Force, just like he told her.

Luna raised an eyebrow.  She had seen stranger dreams.  However, Rainbow Dash seemed fine.  She felt the tug of the terror of children who truly needed her help.

As she faded out of Dash's dream, another figure faded in.  It was a teenager in a red and black outfit.  Goggles with horizontal blue chevrons on its rectangular lenses covered his eyes.  He was clearly Hispanic, and his long black hair fluttered in the non-existent wind.  He shouted, "BARRY!  BARRY!  WHERE ARE YOU?  I CAN FEEL YOU BARRY! 

Central City, S.T.A.R. labs:

Doctor Caitlin Snow looked at her friend, who was suddenly trembling like a Parkinson's victim.  “Cisco! Cisco!  Are you okay?”

Cisco "Vibe" Ramón, was breathing heavily as he leaned against a wall for support.

“What happened, Cisco?”

“I don’t know.  I located a disturbance in the Speed Force, but I couldn’t find Barry anywhere.”

Caitlin nodded.  It had been a month since Barry disappeared, but both Iris and Caitlin seemed oddly unconcerned.

“You don’t seem too troubled about it,” observed Cisco.

“No, because Iris is sure he’ll be back, and I believe her.  I mean, I’m pretty sure that Barry just needs some time.  He’s the embodiment of loyalty, after all” 

Ponyville, two days later:  

A small red balloon lay atop a pony-sized cloud as the both ascended at a steady pace.  The balloon was the last of a set in the colors of the rainbow, and it expanded as altitude increased.  It was the last of a set of pegasus poppers, each color was set to explode as a specific altitude.  The last was set for the maximum safe altitude for a pegasus.  It gave a sharp pop as it succumbed to the pressure difference.

A cyan-colored pegasus appeared from underneath the cloud and stood on top.  She said, "I was so stupid!  How could I even think I could just go out and do this?  Applejack was right.  Twilight was right.  Rarity was right.  All of them were right!"  She stretched her wings and fluffed the feathers before retracting them.  "No more trusting blind luck.  This time, I have plenty of altitude.  This time, I filed a flight plan so nopony will be in the way.  This time, I even marked the course."

She looked out and saw the pairs of large orange balloons leading from her cloud down toward Ponyville."  She planted her forehooves and raised her hindquarters like a sprinter.  "Ready!  Set!  Nap time!"  Rainbow Dash settled down to recover her strength.

In the Castle of Friendship, experiments were normally performed in a subbasement, where shielding would protect the town from any stray magic.  Layer upon layer of special filtering scrubbed any potential toxins from its exhaust.  Today, however, activity was in a special laboratory.  Atop the tallest spire was what appeared to be a solarium to the casual observer.  The frame was built of strong, but light, material, and the walls were a single layer of enchanted canvas with polymer sheets for windows.  The ceiling was made of the same transparent material.  What truly made this room special, though, was the master safety enchantment.  At the first hint of excessive overpressure, the walls, ceiling, and frame would all disintegrate, and the emergency cushioning system would activate.  This was the explosives laboratory, and it offered the maximum safety for experimenter and townspony alike.

A pink unicorn with a purple mane streaked with aqua-green grumbled. She was dressed in a lab coat, and she wore a pair of safety goggles. "Come on, Twilight! This is a routine experiment. Everything here is supposed to be perfectly safe!"

The Princess of Friendship was similarly attired.  "Now, Starlight, there's never a good excuse to ignore safety protocols when you have time to prepare."

A labored voice came over the sound of mechanical breathing.  "Yeah, Starlight.  Just look at what I'm stuck with."

Starlight Glimmer looked over and tried to stifle a laugh.  Spike, Twilight's baby dragon assistant, was in a full EOD suit.  His body was fully covered with purple ballistic fabric.  A stiff green collar made of several layers of the same material funneled down to his neck.  A purple helmet with a green stripe where his ruff should be covered his head, hiding his face behind a bronzed panel.  A green impact plate covered the front, over where he had similarly-colored scales.  Boots and gloves completed the ensemble.

Spike grumbled, "At least you can use the magic in your lab coat for protection."

The three shared a laugh before returning to the experiment.  Looking at the thermometer suspended inside a beaker, Starlight asked, "How hot are we supposed to get this elixir, Twilight?"

The alicorn referenced a notebook on her desk.  "Thirty-seven degrees, Starlight.  I'm so glad you could help me out with this."

Starlight tried to wipe the sweat from her brow, but a glowing from her lab coat blocked her hoof.  She groused, "This place is like a greenhouse.  How can you stand being cooped up inside that thing, Spike?"

"Dragon, remember?  I swim in lava."

Starlight shook the sweat off her brow.  "Could you please open the windows?"

As the dragon moved to comply, he replied, "Sure!  Let me get you a cooling pack, too."

Rainbow Dash stood atop her cloud.  She took a small button from under her wing and bit down on it.  She spat it out as she watched a bright orange flag with a diagonal green stripe unfurl from each of her marker balloons with a loud bang.  She studied each flag, gauging wind speed and direction at each checkpoint along the route.  She looked down, smiling as she saw ponies crowding along the route.  She once again assumed the sprinter's position.  "You heard the Speed Force.  Let's do this!"  With that, she launched herself.  Gravity boosted her descent as the traded potential energy to kinetic.  The crown oohed and aahed as a rainbow-hued vapor cone marked where she broke the sound barrier.

Rainbow Dash laughed in sheer joy as she pushed herself faster than she had gone before.  For the first time since she had seen the Flash, she felt truly alive.  As she leveled off well above normal traffic, she yelled, "Look out, Speed Force!  Here I come!"

Suddenly, a panicked squawk from an errant seagull forced her to pitch up.  The cries from another forced her down again.  Something clipped her along the way, sending her tumbling out of control.

Inside the special laboratory in the Castle of Friendship, things seemed to move in slow motion.  Spike was opening the refrigerator.  Starlight was using her telekinesis to tweak the flame on the Bunsen burner as she monitored the temperature.  Twilight was consulting her notebook, reading ahead to the next step.  A cyan blur tumbled through an open window; its shock wave triggered the emergency protocols, disintegrating the walls and roof.  Starlight fell back as she lost her footing and tilted the table toward Twilight, who stumbled forward as the blur bounced off her emergency shield, sending the blur crashing onto the table, laden with both Starlight's experiment and an assortment of other potions and chemicals.  As the floor swallowed the table and the blur, static electricity built up on the enchanted cloud that made up the emergency cushion, and it discharged as lightning onto what was now recognizable as a pegasus.  As time went back to normal, Rainbow Dash's scream finally caught up.

The intrepid experimenters turned to the center of the lab as they struggled to keep their balance on the now-exposed emergency cushion.  Remnants of floor and roof fluttered down around them like snowflakes.  "What just happened?" asked Starlight, shakily.

The table slowly floated back to the surface of the cloud cum cushion, revealing the unconscious body of Rainbow Dash lying on a bed of crystal shards in a pool of potions and chemicals.  As she lay twitching, her friends could see burns all over her body.

“RAINBOW DASH!” they all shouted.

There was no response.

Coldly, Twilight said, "Spike.  Emergency protocol gamma, just like we practiced."

Spike groaned as he moved one hand to the other.  "Stupid gloves!"  Holding his right hand out, he said, "Starlight!  Pull my finger!"  Too shocked to do anything else, the unicorn bit down and complied.

Pinkie Pie's patented pneumatics activated.  The face plate popped off Spike's helmet.  He exhaled, burning the ready-made scroll that was held in front of his face.  Forthwith, five flares flatulently fired from fabricated fissures.  Bright red flowers burned as they slowly descended on their parachutes.

“No, NO!” cried Twilight as the reality of the situation sank in. “Why did you do it?  We told you that kind of training would kill you.  I hit you with my shield.  I . . . I . . . I ki --”

Spike held back a sob.  “It’s not your fault Twilight, I was the one who opened the window.  I allowed this to happen!”

Even Starlight was crying.  "N . . . no, Spike.  If you hadn't, she . . . she would have crashed into a closed window."

Twilight scanned her injured friend with her magic.  "She's alive?  She's alive!  Starlight!  Hold her in a stasis field!  Hang on everyone!  Ponyville General is expecting customers."  With a crack of displaced air, Twilight teleported everyone to the emergency room.





In the meantime, at Blue Blood’s mansion, Barry Allen stood frozen in the middle of the living room, much to Blue Blood’s surprise.

“What happened?” asked the prince.

Barry smiled.  “A feeling.  No, a message.  The Speed Force just told me that the speedster I was looking for has finally arrived.”
> Race 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 7: A speedster’s awakening


he waiting room of Ponyville General stank of disinfectant and disappointment as Twilight Sparkle and her friends sobbed quietly, waiting for an update from the doctors.  Spike's message had done its job; Celestia had teleported the top trauma team in Equestria to the beacon in the hospital.  They were ready to work almost as soon Rainbow Dash's broken body was teleported in.  They were the best of the best.  Rainbow Dash had often joked that Twilight's extensive emergency preparations would ensure that the daredevil flyer would live forever.  Twilight prayed that her friend was at least partially right.

The flares had brought most of the other Element Bearers running.  Starlight had teleported Spike over to Carousel Boutique to break Rarity out the zone, and to allow Twilight a chance to get over the shock of the moment.  It had been a half hour since Rainbow had been brought in, and Twilight's mane became more frazzled with each passing minute.

Applejack's frown deepened as she saw another of Twilight's hairs spring out of place.  The farmer said as she nuzzled the alicorn, “It wasn’t yer fault, Twilight.  Ya didn't make Rainbow crash at full speed.  All ya did was turn on the emergency spells, right?”

Twilight sobbed.  “Well, yeah, but, why?  Why did she have to get hurt?  What have I done?  What have I done?!”

Pinkie Pie hugged Twilight carefully, stroking the alicorn's mane with her chin.  As the pink pony looked up, she saw the yearning in Spike's and Starlight's eyes.  "Come here, you two," she said.  When they neared, her forelegs stretched impossibly to embrace them as well.

“She lives for speed,” said Pinkie, trying to comfort the trio.  “That's who she is; that's what she wants.  And what you did to her actually saved her life.  Imagine what would have happened if she had crashed into a real floor, or a real wall.  It wasn’t your fault.”

“Why Rainbow Dash, why?” cried Fluttershy.  “We warned you that this obsession with Flash would hurt you!  Why didn’t you listen to us, Rainbow Dash?”

A grim-faced doctor entered the room.  His scrubs were heavily stained, and his mask was pulled down under his chin.  He said softly, "We've done everything we can."

Twilight gulped as she asked, “What's the prognosis, doctor?”

The doctor said, "Physically, she's stable.  We got to her just in time, thank Celestia.  Mentally, we just don't know.  She's in a coma, and it's too soon to tell when she'll wake."

The group walked at rapid pace to Rainbow Dash's room.  It was hard to tell where the bandages ended and the casts began.  The leads for the various sensors stood out in stark contrast against the white.  Rainbow Dash was set up with an IV and an oxygen mask.  The display above her head displayed her vital signs in real time.  The cardiac monitor gave a soothing hypnotic beat.  Twilight and her friends relaxed a little; as the doctor said, Rainbow as out of immediate danger, but she was a long way from recovery.

 “Can we stay with our friend?  Please?” asked Twilight.

The doctor softly shook his head.  “Sorry, but we can only allow two visitors per room without a doctor present.”

“Can’t you bend the rule a little?  It’s for the Princess of Friendship after all!” complained Spike.

“No, no, he’s right!” said Twilight.  “As a princess, I must set a good example.”

The girls nodded in silence.

“Would you like to stay with her for the night?” asked Rarity, after a moment of silence.

Twilight shook her head.  “No . . . sorry . . . not yet . . . not ready . . . oh, Dash . . .

“I’ll stay,” volunteered Fluttershy, taking Rainbow’s forehoof.  “Get some rest, Twilight.  This wasn’t your fault, stop punishing yourself!”

“Ah’ll stay, too,” said Applejack taking Rainbow Dash’s other forehoof.  “Dang it, Dash!  This is what you get for this stupid obsession!  We warned you to this would kill you!”

The orange mare slumped to the floor, crying.  “Just look at yerself!  WAKE UP AND LOOK AT YERSELF!”

Rainbow Dash's good wing twitched, but the monitor showed no change in her vital signs.

“This is a good sign,” assured the doctor.  “Talk to her as much as you can.  I've seen some remarkable recoveries, and they all said that what they heard brought them back.”

Fluttershy and Applejack watched as the doctor led Spike and the girls out of the room.  The two had a long night ahead them, but they weren't about to quit.

As the doctor walked off, Pinkie Pie seemed dematerialize and rematerialize from one position to another around the group, looking each pony in the eye before moving to the next location.  She muttered, "And Spike makes three."  Aloud, she said, “Hey, has anypony seen Rarity?”

“Huh? She was right here just a minute ago!” observed Starlight.

“I guess this was too much for her to handle,” said Twilight with a sigh.





Seeing Rainbow Dash looking so small, so fragile, so broken had been too much for Rarity.  Shock gave way to sorrow.  Sorrow gave way to anger.  Anger gave way to action.  The rhythm of the rails gave her something to think about, something to keep her mind off Rainbow Dash.  If only she had acted sooner.  If only she had tried tracking down the Flash.  Those forty-five minutes on the Canterlot Express were the longest of her life.

Decked out in a gaudy hat and sunglasses, Rarity did her best to look the part of a tourist as she cross-checked the reports in the gossip magazines against the location shown in the brand-new celebrity tour map.  Discreetly, she checked the help wanted ads from the "Daily Sun".  The address matched.  She would have time to arrive during the interview period.

As she approached the path to the service entrance at Blue Blood's mansion, a well-dressed mare ran past, screaming, "Run!  Run while you still have a chance!"  The mare's copy of the advertisement fluttered in the air as she fled.  The trail of litter leading from the door showed that she wasn't the first to try.

Rarity stowed the other papers in her satchel, but she kept the advertisement out.  She frowned as she kept her disguise on and knocked on Blue Blood’s door.

The prince opened the door to yet another unqualified job applicant.  “What in Tartarus do you want?” he snarled.

Rarity screamed in anger as her telekinetic blast blew off her disguise and plastered it onto Blue Blood's face.  With uncharacteristic strength, the blast slammed him back first onto the floor.  Rarity straddled him and pinned him with her body.

Blue Blood shook off the hat, only to catch the full glare of Rarity's rage.  Blue sparks were dancing from her horn as she readied another blast.  Blue Blood felt the heat as half the thickness of the fur on his cheek was incinerated.

"Hey!  I told the magazines I'm looking for a demure mare!  AND WHAT THE HAY IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”

Rarity looked Blue Blood straight in the eyes, so angry that her horn was shooting sparks like a fountain.  And once again, before he could react, she released her magic, clamping his mouth shut.  “Prince Blue Blood,” Rarity said coldly, “you have failed Equestria.”

Blue Blood’s eyes widened for a split second, and then narrowed.  Rarity's horn had gone dark.  He threw Rarity off with his forelegs and rolled to his hooves.

“Lady, and I use the term loosely, you are crazy.  Now leave before I call the Royal Guard!"

Rarity kept glaring at him.  “Tell me, Blue Blood, do you really think your alter ego is a secret?  Who just happened to crash the party during the grand opening of your smelly club, the Verdant?  Who just happened to disappear before all the excitement started?  Who just happens to act so drunk and disorderly when there isn't even a hint of booze on his breath?  Who just happens to skip out of his night club every night just before the party peaks?  WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU ON THAT ISLAND THAT MADE YOU LOSE YOUR MIND?!”

"You're the one who's crazy!  You're chasing ghosts!"  He stormed toward her until they were nose to nose.  "What is wrong with you?!"

Rarity sagged as her anger burned out.  "My friend . . . my friend Rainbow Dash is in a coma because of you.  You were the one who brought the Flash!  She . . . she just had to be faster than him.  She's in the hospital, helpless, and I can’t just sit and watch.  YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!”  Rarity sobbed as she sank to the floor.

Blue Blood stepped back and looked away.  He reined in his anger; the Arrow wasn't the appropriate one to deal with Rarity.  "Just for the sake of argument, what if you're right and my nights are so boring that I run around like a refugee from the circus?  What do I have to do with this?  You said it yourself; it's the Flash who got your friend in trouble, not the Arrow."

Rarity sobbed a couple of times, but she still looked directly at Blue Blood’s eyes.  "The Arrow knows where to find the Flash.  I know I’m being foalish, but Rainbow Dash is in a coma, and if there’s a voice that can reach her now, it’s his.  So please, Blue Blood!  STOP PRETENDING!  I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!  I KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE!  I KNOW THE ARROW CAN HELP!”

"And how exactly does that concern me?"

“DON’T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!”

Blue Blood shook his head.  “Sorry, but you’re confusing me with somepony else.”

Rarity lay her head on the floor as she continued to sob.  She truly wanted to shout at him, to hurt him, to make him see reason, but she couldn't.  Her last outburst had sapped the last of her strength.

Blue Blood stared at the prostrate mare.  He wanted to kick her out, to get her out of his house, to get her out of his life, but he couldn't.  His old self would have, but he was not that pony any more.  Sighing, he called his assistant.  “Barry!”

The orange pegasus entered to find Rarity crying on the floor.  He looked over to the prince and asked, “What can I do for you, Boss Blood?”

Blue Blood sneered. "I'm fine, but this pathetic excuse for a pony is having a breakdown because her friend is in a coma.  Damned mare has the most ridiculous sob story.  Clean her up and get rid of her."  With that, he stormed off.

Barry offered a helping hoof to Rarity.  The white unicorn accepted it and let Barry guide her to the kitchen table.  As he set a kettle on the stove, he said, "Let's get you some tea.  I always find it helps when I'm feeling down."

Rarity sat in silence as Barry prepared a tray with snacks.  When the water boiled, he pre-heated the teapot before brewing the tea.  Rarity telekinetically arranged the plates and saucers and poured a cup for each of them.  Once they each had taken a sip, Rarity sighed.  “How could I have been so stupid?  I actually believed that Blue Blood would help me."

Barry nodded softly.  “He’s not as bad as you think, but I can’t tell you more”

Rarity sighed again.  “Don’t bother.  Even a blind pony could tell who the Arrow really is.  The Arrow only knows how to take lives; I was an idiot for thinking he would help me to save one.”

Barry moved to sit beside Rarity.  Although she was looking better, her tremors showed that she was still devastated.  There was something decidedly familiar about her story.  Could it be?

“Poor Rainbow Dash,” sobbed Rarity, interrupting the pegasus’ thoughts.

“What happened?” asked Barry.  “Sorry, you don’t have to tell me, of course.  After all, I’m just a stranger.”

Rarity shook her head as she finished her tea.  “It doesn’t matter anymore.  She was training hard to surpass that new hero.  The hero who works with the damned Arrow!”  She made sure to emphasize the last part so Blue Blood could hear her.  “And then, in her madness, Rainbow Dash suffered a horrible accident.  When she crashed, she was struck by lightning and . . .”

“. . .and ended up falling on a puddle of chemicals!” said Barry as his eyes widened.

Rarity froze as she looked up to Barry.  “How do you know?”

Barry pushed away from the table.  “I should have known it!  It was the exact same accident I had . . .”  Right before Rarity, Barry dissolved into a red and gold blur, only to reappear in his trademark red bodysuit.  “. . .before I got my powers.”

The fashionista couldn’t believe it.  “You!  You are . . . you are . . .”

“The Flash,” finished the pegasus.

Rarity screamed in renewed anger and began to punch his chest.  Barry stoically let her work out her anger.

“This is your fault!  YOUR FAULT!  Rainbow Dash is in a coma because of you! She . . . she . . . she did every crazy thing she could think of to fly as fast as you.”

The Flash lowered his gaze.  “I’m so sorry; I didn't know.  I never meant to hurt anyone,” he said softly.

“No, NO!” Rarity’s strength faded as she started crying again.  “Being the fastest meant everything to Rainbow Dash!  And you had to come along and take everything away from her.  She went crazy trying to surpass you!  Now . . . now, she may never wake up."

The Flash pulled down his cowl and hugged Rarity.  "She'll be better than before, better, stronger, faster.  I know; I've been there.  Tell me she has friends with her; it'll help her out of the darkness."

Rarity's jaw dropped in disbelief.  When she finally regained control of her mouth, she asked, “What happened to you exactly?”

“It’s a long story”

Rarity sat and waited patiently.

Back on the living room, Blue Blood sighed in annoyance.  Not only did this irritating mare know the truth about him, but now she also knew the truth about Allen.  He should have known this was going to be a long day.





At Ponyville General, it had been an even longer day for Twilight Sparkle and her friends.  Word of her accident had spread like wildfire.  After receiving the visitors from Ponyville, they had to host well-wishers from all over the principality.  Both solar and lunar princesses had paid their respects to the Element of Loyalty.  Flying fans from near and far had flocked to offer their encouragement to their hero.

The Wonderbolts came, squadron by squadron, to support their comrade.  Of their group, Spit Fire was affected the most.  “Damn it!  Damn it!  DAMN IT!  I should have known this would happen!  Why you didn’t you listen to us?  Why couldn't you see reason?  Why do you had to be so insistent about this!  Why couldn’t you accept that the Flash was nothing but an illusionist?”

Twilight bit her tongue.  This wasn't the time for the truth.  However, she could console Spit Fire.  She walked beside the captain and said, “Don’t blame yourself.  This was her choice, hers alone.  We all did all we could to make her see reason.”  She looked down.  "Every dream has its price."

The Wonderbolts' captain just stared at Dash.  “Wake up Rainbow Dash!  You're not in this fight alone!”





Back in Canterlot, Rarity listened to the story about the mission from the Speed Force, and how Barry was really an alien from another dimension.  At the end, she just looked at Barry in disapproval.  “I wish you would have stayed in your dimension instead of coming here to upset Dash.  But, I would be a poor excuse for Generosity if I could not give a wounded soul a chance at redemption.”

“She’ll recover and improve,” assured Barry.

“She better!”

Barry then smiled.  “You know, since the very first time I met her, back in the palace, I had the feeling she was the one I should train.”

As both Rarity and Barry silently pondered their fates, Blue Blood came into the kitchen to fix himself something to drink.  Again, Rarity glared at him, but he continued to ignore her and he gestured with his head, pointing toward the exit. Still, Rarity kept glaring.

“Don’t you even think for a second that I've forgotten about you and your nightly hobby, Blood.”

“Have I told you how irritating you are?” asked the prince.  “Want to know what I do when I leave my club? I go straight to the red light district to pick up certain mares to go to my clubs for a little night labor.  Sue me.”

Rarity’s face turned red as she visualized the scene, but she remained firm.  "I saw you with your hood down.  That mask hides absolutely nothing.  I know what you do; I know what you are; it's a lot worse than the twit you pretend to be."

Blue Blood sighed.  “And what I am?”

“A murderer!  A murderer many times over.”

“Yeah, right.  A pony like me is risking his life for a bunch of good-for-nothing commoners, annoying the decent one-percenters.”

“Four years on a deserted island can change anypony’s perspective, right?  What happened to you?  I've always wondered what a night without your beloved luxuries would do to you.  I mean, an entire day of having to do your own chores would be a living nightmare for somepony as pampered as you, to say nothing of four years.  So, how long was it before you lost your mind?  Three hours?  Or half of a day?”

That was it.  Blue Blood’s left eye twitched.  Grinding his teeth, he advanced toward Rarity, as tall and threatening as he could be.  “Fine, want to know what happened, you stupid filly?  Pay attention since I’ll only say it once.  There’s something I haven’t told anypony.  I wasn’t actually alone on that island”

Rarity gulped.  “But when you returned . . . you swore to everypony that you were alone and . . .”

“Not only had I had to learn how to defend myself from all the monsters who lived in the island, but also, about two months after my arrival, I realized the worst ones look like you and me.  There was a terrorist group who planned to start a war between Equestria and her nearest neighbors.  They wanted to destroy the principality, and then claim the ashes.  It was a very elaborate plan, and since I was in their way, they couldn’t just let me go -- especially since I was royalty.  Every single pony on that island wanted to kill me, and in a situation like that, I had no choice but to kill or be killed.”

Rarity shivered.  “What happened to the terrorist group?”

A dark smile appeared on Blue Blood’s face.  “I killed them all, of course, with only my hooves and my bow.”

“Why didn’t you say anything when you came back?”

“Because, when I returned, I realized three things.  First, my aunt wouldn’t approve of my brand of justice.  Second, every single day, criminals from all social classes take advantage of my aunts' good will.  They know the system better than my aunts, who worked so hard to make it as fair as possible, and they use it to their own favor to increase their fortunes and power.  Don’t you see?  I'm the only one keeping them at bay.”

“But there has to be another way!” cried Rarity.

“Really?  Corruption is a cancer, and to cure cancer you must remove every last bit from the body.  The problem is, that nopony else has the guts to do something.  As for my aunts, their hooves are tied by the laws they created; they can't do what is really necessary, not without plunging Equestria into tyranny.  And that’s where the Arrow comes in.  Since I have no rules, I can stain my hooves with blood to clean society.  And, at the same time, my aunts’ reputations are perfectly clean.  It’s a win-win situation.”

Rarity looked at Blue Blood as if it were the first time.  For the first time in a long time, she realized there was still some good deep inside him; it was just that when she first met him, he needed a dose of reality.  He had taken it, but the dose was so big that it damaged him permanently.  Although he now was broken inside, he was, somehow, still fighting to make it up for all his years of selfishness.  That was the truth behind the vigilante.

Looking at Rarity’s expression, Blue Blood frowned.  “Take away that look of compassion,” he commanded.  "There's nothing here worth caring about."

Rarity sighed.  “Finally, I understand why the Cutie Map sent me with you.  There’s still some good inside you, and as long there is good, there is hope.  But, you’re about to cross the line, Blue Blood; you need the proper guidance.  You need to trust in harmony.”

“I have enough lectures with Allen, thank you very much,” Blue Blood said coldly.

Rarity shook her head, but suddenly she remembered.  “You said you realized three things.  What is the third one?”

And for the first time, Rarity noticed a trace of sadness on the prince’s expression.

“I realized that the nobles who selfishly look away from the injustice are those who have failed Equestria the most.  Starting with me.”





The hypnotic rhythm of the cardiac monitor filled the room as Applejack decided to spend another night with her best friend.  She had only left her side for a quick shower, much to the dismay of the orderlies.  Propriety be damned.  She was going to see Rainbow Dash wake through sheer force of will, no matter how long it took.

Since the accident, there had been at least one Element Bearer attending Rainbow Dash at all times.  This time, Pinkie Pie had taken up the baton.  On a serving cart was her bribe, an entire Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness.  Gently, she fanned the potpourri of confectionary perfection toward Rainbow Dash.  "Come on, Dashie," she said.  "I have MMMM here, all for you.  All you have to do is take it."

Applejack gave a wan smile.  Their hope was childish, but false hope was better than none at all.  The steady beat of the monitor reminded them of their fatigue, and they slowly began to drift off.  The cadence began to speed up, slowly at first, until it accelerated into a scream.

It was Applejack was who reacted first.  “Oh no!  Her heart's stopped!  DOCTOR!  NURSE!  SOMEPONY!”

Pinkie tore the door open, only to find doctors running with a crash cart.  The ponies looked at the monitor; her heart hadn't flatlined, it was showing extreme tachycardia.  The pitch was going into the ultrasonic range, and the ponies collapsed as their balance was destroyed.  This was impossible! No pony's heart could beat that fast!

Unseen, Rainbow Dash's body began vibrating, shedding bandages, casts, and sensors like a cocoon.  The monitor gave a puff of smoke and went silent.  The ponies slowly picked themselves up.  Finally, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes.  “Huh? Pinkie Pie?  Applejack?  Where I am?”

Applejack rushed to hug her friend.  “Rainbow Dash!  Rainbow Dash!”

Pinkie joined as well, much to Rainbow’s confusion, but she accepted the embrace in silence.  Suddenly, tiny multi-colored lightning bolts coursed around her body, forcing her friends to let go.

“Dashie?  What happened?” asked Pinkie.

“I . . . I don’t know . . .” said Rainbow looking around.  “What happened?  Why I am on the hospital?  Dibs on the MMMM!”

The doctor approached.  “How are you feeling, Miss Dash?  Can you move your legs?  Or flap your wings?”

Rainbow Dash flexed her limbs gingerly before rolling off the bed.  "Let's try a little step."  She stumbled, but as she tried to catch herself, she realized everything around her had turned into a blur.  By the time she came to a stop, she found herself in the middle of the Everfree Forest.

“Huh?”

Rainbow Dash spun to face the roar that had come from behind her.  A ravenous manticore licked its lips at the prospect of an easy meal.  As it leapt, Dash noticed something wrong.  The beast was moving more slowly than gravity should allow.  A casual flap of her wings brought her several meters behind her attacker.  When she looked again at the manticore, time returned to normal.

The manticore landed, confused.  How could a pony disappear like that?  It looked around, finally spotting the pegasus when it turned around.  This time, it attacked with its scorpion tail.  As Rainbow Dash watched the attack, she again saw things in slow motion.  She looked about; it wasn't just the manticore.  She could even see a mosquito's wings move languidly as it hovered.

"Wait a minute," she said.  "They aren't moving slow; I'm moving fast."  She slumped to the ground with her forehooves over her head.  "No!  No!  It can't be!  I'm as fast as . . ."  The world spun as she relived the moments leading up to her crash.  She had hit the table after losing control, and then everything went black.

 “What happened to me?”

Then, she looked back at the hungry manticore.  The tail was halfway to her.  With a grin, she sauntered to the beast and gave it a kiss on the lips.  "See ya 'round, slowpoke!"  In a cyan blur, she returned to Ponyville.   Screaming in excitement, Rainbow began to fly all over the town, ringing doorbell after doorbell.  Everypony had to know about this!

The townsponies looked toward the Sonic Rainboom that blossomed above the middle of the town. A familiar cyan pegasus descended from the center of the vapor cone. 

“I MADE IT!  I FINALLY MADE IT!  MY NAME IS RAINBOW DASH, AND I’M THE FASTEST FLYER IN EQUESTRIA!  THE FASTEST!  DO YOU HEAR ME, FLASH?  EVERYPONY?  I AM THE FASTEST PEGASUS ALIVE!”
> Race 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 8: My name is Barry Allen, and I’m the fastest man alive


Nopony could believe it; they simply couldn’t.  Just a few hours ago, everyone in town was worried about Rainbow Dash, knowing that she was in a coma, and it wasn’t certain whether she would survive. But there they were, after somepony woke them in the middle of the night, only to see the cyan pegasus completely recovered, and moving at impossible speeds.

“I MADE IT!  I FINALLY MADE IT!  MY NAME IS RAINBOW DASH, AND I’M THE FASTEST FLYER IN EQUESTRIA!  THE FASTEST!  DO YOU HEAR ME, FLASH?  EVERYPONY?  I AM THE FASTEST PEGASUS ALIVE!”

Nopony questioned the burst of confetti that accompanied her landing, or the party that seemed to spring out of nowhere. A multi-tiered mélange of confections kicked off the celebration, as all in town gladly gave up a bit of sleep to welcome back one whom they had thought lost.  True to her claim, Rainbow Dash took the first piece, the muzzle of the chocolate mousse moose.

But despite their relief, the other Element Bearers present discreetly whisked the pegasus away while Starlight and Spike entertained the crowd.  Once she discovered that the Castle of Friendship was their destination, Rainbow Dash blazed the trail, leaving a rainbow streak as she rushed to the main entrance to persuade her friends to hurry and then rushed back to join them so quickly that she almost appeared to be in two places at once.

By the time the entire group had entered the private sitting room, a crack of displaced air announced Starlight's and Spike's arrival as the unicorn teleported in after handing the festivities off to the mayor.  They joined the others as they watched the rainbow blur zip into, around, and out of the room.

Twilight Sparkle cried out, "Rainbow Dash!  Stop!  Please!"

The pegasus seemed to materialize beside her.  "C'mon, Twilight!  It feels great to move again!"

Twilight continued, "I know you're excited, but we really need to talk.  We're happy for you, but we don't know what happened to you.  All this speed stuff could be dangerous."

“Oh, come on Twilight!  It’s me, Rainbow Dash.  Speed in my life, and you know that.  Besides, the Flash moves like this, right?”

“Flutters’ is right, Rainbow Dash!” joined Applejack. “We don’t know if this speed would last forever.  We don't know what this lightning is doing to you.”

“Exactly, Dashie!” said Pinkie.  “And even if these powers are permanent, don’t you realize you can hurt yourself, or others, if you keep moving like that?”

Rainbow Dash finally sighed and sat.  "You can't believe how alive I feel right now.  Staying still like this just feels wrong, but I'll do it for you, all of you."

Twilight said, "That's what has us worried so much.  You can't believe how happy we are to see you up and about, but this just isn't normal.

“Come on girls, you just don’t understand,” said Rainbow.  "I don't just move fast; I see fast; I hear fast; I think fast; I do everything fast.  To me, everything else seems to be going in slow motion; I don't have to worry about crashing into anything anymore.  I know this is all new, but I'm still me."

"Listen to yourself, Rainbow Dash."  Twilight looked at her friend with concern.  "What would you do if one of us suddenly went from being almost dead to being better than alive?  Wouldn't you wonder if there were something not so nice behind it?"

Exasperated, Rainbow Dash replied, "What would it take to convince you?"

"Spike just sent a letter to Princess Celestia.  Come daybreak, they should be here to help us evaluate you.  Until then, let's just all get some sleep; it's been a long day for all of us."

Rainbow made an exasperated groan.  "Daybreak?  Lame!"

Spike said, "Come on, Rainbow Dash.  Celestia's asleep by now, and Luna's probably up to her ears in Night Court."

Rainbow Dash pouted before smiling evilly.  "That means Princess Celestia is free."

“RAINBOW!  DON’T!” shouted the others in unison.

It was too late.  The rainbow-hued streak had passed through the skylight before the first syllable had been uttered. "





Celestia tossed and turned as she fitfully dozed on her princess-sized mattress, just as Spike had predicted.  Millenia of experience had taught her to compartmentalize her emotions, but that did little to lighten the true weight of her crown.  Regardless, once she was in this state, it took an extraordinary stimulus to wake her -- like a horribly out of tune rendition of "Sunrise Serenade".

Muzzily, the solar princess launched pillow after pillow at the annoyance to no effect.  When she finally ran out of ammunition, she managed to focus somewhat on the annoyance.  "Huh?  Who is this?"

“Princess Celestia, it’s me!” said Rainbow Dash happily.

Celestia shook her head as she tried to understand.  “What?  Rainbow Dash?  Are you okay?   What are you doing here?”

Rainbow Dash grinned as multi-colored lightning bolts coursed around her body.  "I'm better than okay, but you know Twilight and the others; they’re worried, blah, blah, blah.  You know, the usual.  Anyway, can you please come to Ponyville and tell them that I’m okay?”

Celestia slowly processed that Rainbow Dash had just vanished in a rainbow-hued streak.  “What in Tartarus?  Am I dreaming?”

The princess shrugged and retrieved her pillows.  Just as she was about to fall asleep, Luna burst into the room.  The lunar princess said, "Tia, the Element of Loyalty just vanished after telling me you'd vouch for her.  Did I really just see her move like that?"

Both sisters exchanged a look.  “We should go to Ponyville!” they said in unison.  





In the Castle of Friendship, everypony and Spike were experiencing first-hand Rainbow Dash's enhanced perception of time.  The seconds dragged on interminably as they anxiously awaited the speedster's return.  When the multi-colored streak  returned through the skylight, it had seemed as though hours had elapsed even though less than a minute had passed since Rainbow Dash had left.

“Ha!  If that took a minute, I'll eat my hoof!”

Twilight face-hoofed.  “Tell me you didn't disturb the princesses.”

"Nah, it was just a nice, friendly visit."

Twilight groaned.  "That's just perfect.  If they were worried before, they must be frantic now."

“Did you seriously just get back from Canterlot?” asked Pinkie Pie.

“Of course!  That trip's nothing with this speed.  I can't wait to show the Flash who's the fastest!”

The crack of displaced air heralded the appearance of the avatars of night and day.  As the princesses looked toward Twilight, the elder said with forced civility, "My most faithful friend, would you be so kind as to explain what is going on?"

Twilight sighed.  "We weren't expecting anypony to summon you quite so soon."  She glared at the new speedster.  "Someone here just couldn't wait for daybreak."  She turned her head back toward the visitors.  "We're glad you're here.  Spike had sent you a letter with the details.  You may have noticed that Rainbow Dash has gained some new abilities.  We were hoping you might help us analyze what happened, how she could have recovered like this."

Celestia mused for a moment as Luna scanned Rainbow Dash.  The elder said, "This is new to me; it's definitely not normal."

Luna added, "There appears to be something new integrated into her aura.  It is as though someone took her essence and made it even more of what it was.  I know that does not make sense, but, Rainbow Dash, you are now ever more you."

Celestia asked, "How does harmony fit into this?  Have you seen how she feels elementally?"

Luna looked around.  "Sister, I believe we are one Element short for that."

Starlight frowned. “Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen Rarity in a while”

“Well, she wasn’t home,” said Rainbow as she streaked back from Carousel Boutique to join in the conversation. “Anypony know where she went?”

“I left a note at her door an hour ago,” said Spike with a yawn.  “I'm sure she'd have responded if she were here.”

Somepony knocked at the sitting room door, and Twilight opened it with her magic.

"I do hope I'm not intruding," said Rarity.  "I apologize for being so late, but I just had to step away to clear my mind."

"I understand," said Twilight, "but where did you go?"

"I took the express to Canterlot.  I had to go back where everything started.  I just had to . . . Well, that's not really important now.  Let's just say I got some unexpected help."

Applejack's eyes narrowed at the explanation.  "Ah don't suppose you could tell us a bit more, sugar cube."

Sweat started to bead on Rarity's brow when another pony appeared beside her.  It was an orange pegasus with a blond mane.  He said, "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I had insisted on seeing that Miss Rarity arrived safely.

The princesses smiled.  Twilight said, "Oh, hello there.  You must be the help that Rarity mentioned.

Barry nodded happily.

“Why did you bring him here?” asked Starlight frowning.  “This is a personal problem, Rarity.”

Rainbow Dash said, "Don't be such a sourpuss, Starlight.  Remember the train schedule?  He must have given her a ride from Canterlot."  She turned to the newcomer and offered her hoof.  "I remember you.  You're Blue Blood's cool friend, Berry, right?"

The stallion returned her smile and bumped hooves.  "Actually, it's 'Barry'."  Tiny gold lightning bolts coursed around his body.  "My name is Barry Allen, and I'm the fastest pegasus alive."  

Rainbow’s eyes widened as her jaw dropped.  Just as suddenly, her eyes narrowed and she grit her teeth in determination.

Flash winked an eye at her, and dissolved into a red and gold blur, only to reappear dressed in his red bodysuit with golden hooves.

“FLASH!” shouted Rainbow.  “Get ready to prove it!”

“You have been given a great gift, Rainbow Dash,” said Barry patiently.  “Being connected to the Speed Force opens a whole world of possibilities, but this is just like being born again.  There's so much you have to learn to truly control it.  I can help you with that; that's why I'm here.”

Rainbow frowned.  “I know how to fly fast; that’s my thing, you know?”

“Mere speed means nothing without control.  With the proper guidance, the impossible becomes possible."  With that, he phased a foreleg through the coffee table, picked up a pencil that had rolled underneath, and brought the pencil back through the tabletop.

“Are you telling me that you’re the one who’ll teach me?” asked Rainbow Dash angrily.

But then, Twilight intervened.  "Stop!  Both of you!  Tell me, Barry Allen, Flash, or whoever you really are, why should we trust you?  Who are you really?  And, Rarity, how exactly did you find him?"

“I told you darling, I ran into trouble and Barry saved me.  When I told him what had happened to Rainbow Dash, he insisted on helping.”

“But he’s responsible for what happened to Dash!” protested Applejack.

“To be fair, that was Rainbow’s fault,” said Starlight.  “But, I’m with you girls.  We know nothing of you Barry Allen, if that’s your real name.”

“Not to mention that he attacked Twilight!” said Pinkie Pie angrily.

“I didn’t do anything to hurt her, I just had to persuade her to release my friend.  Besides, I came to this land just to find Rainbow Dash,” explained the scarlet speedster.

“To find me?” exclaimed Rainbow.  “Why?  Wanna fight?”

As the Element Bearers and their friends started to bicker with the Flash, the Royal Canterlot Voice stopped them.  " EVERYPONY CALM DOWN!”  The blue alicorn looked the stallion in the eye.  “Young Allen, you have confessed to consorting with a known felon.  What is your business with Rainbow Dash?”

“I was sent here on a mission, to find a true speedster whose powers were about to awaken, to guide her to become the hero she is destined to be.  I’ve found her.  Now, it's my turn to be a mentor.”  

Luna was about to give a rebuttal when her sister put a calming forehoof on her withers.  “Peace, Luna.”  She, too, turned to the stallion.  “We have a way to establish the truth.  Tell us, Barry Allen.  Will you allow us to view your memories?

Barry glanced over to Rarity, who gave a subtle nod.  She had warned him of this possibility.  He looked back to the princesses and nodded.  “You may look, but I must warn you that my story is not a happy one.

Celestia looked over to her former student.  “Twilight, this is Marigold’s Memory Mirror Multiplier.”

Twilight protested.  “That's purely theoretical!  That would take the power of . . . three alicorns.”  She laughed weakly at the realization.

The alicorns stood together and their horns glowed as one.  The room dimmed as a dome was projected, filling the room.  The crash of a dropped planter drew everyone’s attention to the image projected.  The scene moved at a perspective well below the height of the doorframe.  The door swung inward, revealing a novel creature under attack by a yellow streak.

Twilight exclaimed, “A human?!”

The woman uttered her last words.  “Run, Barry!  Run!”

The yellow streak approached as the woman collapsed.  A red and gold streak suddenly appeared, and in a blur, the scene changed to a playground.  Views of a suburban neighborhood played until it stopped in front of a house with emergency vehicles in front.  Rapidly, it moved to show a form covered in a blanket and a man being led away in handcuffs.  A reedy voice screamed, "Let Dad go!  He didn't do it!"

The scene shifted to a dining room.  A policeman in uniform sat on one chair while a young girl sat to his right.  The policeman said, “I'm sorry, Barry.  Your father's going to be locked up for a long time."

Young Barry's voice screamed, "He didn't do it!  Why won't anyone believe me, Uncle Joe?"

Joe replied, "I believe, Barry.  I've known your folks for a long time.  Your father is doing this because he loves you.  We know he's protecting you from all this.  This is the best he could do for you."

Barry grumbled.  Joe continued.  "I know this is hard, but, but we'll see it through.  Say hello to your new sister, Iris."

The girl gave a friendly smile.

“The poor dear,” mumbled Fluttershy, wiping away her tears.

The scene jumped from highlight to highlight.  There was a moment at college commencement.  Briefly, it went to a view of reading a signed autobiography of Dr. Harrison Wells.  Then, there was a scene inside a police laboratory.  The desk held a nameplate that read, "Barry Allen, Scientist".  The next jump went to an evidence wall, pinned with newspaper clippings, photos, hand-written notes, and bits of yarn to show the connections.

There was a pause before the next jump.  This time, the scene was a dinner party, where he was nervously explaining his life's story to a man with a close-cropped beard and moustache and an attractive woman who had introduced him as Oliver Queen. The scene shifted again, to the inside of a bunker, where a man in a green costume lying on the table who had the same distinctive facial hair.  Under his breath, Barry muttered, "The Arrow."  Barry called out results of tests as he looked at various test tubes before he shouted out the name of a poison, and its antidote.

“You have to be kidding me,” mumbled Luna.  "There's another one?” 

The scene returned to the police laboratory.  The television was tuned to a live feed at S.T.A.R. laboratories.  The reporter explained the significance of the particle accelerator that was about to come on line.  Dr. Wells attempted to answer questions in terms most people could understand.  The television came into full view as the countdown reached five seconds.  The view shrank back as it showed the accelerator exploding.  An even louder crash came into the lab, whiting out the view.  There was a softer crash.  As vision returned, everything looked sideways, and broken beakers and vials could be seen on either side before things went completely black.

“NO WAY!” everypony shouted in unison.

After another pause, the scene shifted to a sideways view of a newspaper.  The date was several months after the one shown during the news feed.  As the view corrected the orientation of the newspaper, it came down, revealing a woman in a lab coat who introduced herself as Dr. Caitlin Snow.  She explained that he was in S.T.A.R. Labs and introduced Cisco Ramón and Doctor Harrison Wells after she called them in.  They explained the changes that the accident had made to his body, and of how he was not the only one to be affected by the accelerator's explosion.  With a hint of disgust, Caitlin and Cisco explained how the other meta-humans were using their powers for evil, and how Dr. Wells had refused to even allow research on reversing the meta-human effect.

From there, the jumps went through multiple incidences of crime fighting against the meta-humans.  Caitlin and Cisco played a prominent part behind the scene.  Eventually, Dr. Wells joined in.  The series ended with a view of a banner behind a stage the read, "Welcome Flash, Hero of Central City".

The ponies watched as they were treated to the Flash's view of his battles with members of his rogues' gallery.  Team-ups with Green Arrow were not infrequent.  Ironically, it seemed the one who posed the greatest challenge was an exceptionally clever normal human in a parka, who Barry introduced as Leonard "Captain Cold" Snart. 

Barry frowned as the next set of scenes played out.  The yellow streak resolved into a true nemesis, a true speedster, just like him.  Chillingly, he said, "Oh, I'm not like the Flash at all.  Some would say I'm the Reverse."  With each encounter, Barry came closer to capturing him, but each time, the encounter ended through either superior skill from his opponent, or blunders by Barry as the Flash struggled to improve to his opponent's level.

“COOL!” shouted Rainbow Dash when she saw one accident send him back in time.

“Impossible, impossible!” said Twilight.  “This is so impossible that it's absurd!”

The other ponies looked on in shock when the scene shifted to Reverse Flash's revelation.  The villain unmasked himself, showing that was no other the Dr. Wells whom Barry had befriended.  The doctor revealed that he had been proverbially fattening Barry for the slaughter, increasing the Flash's powers to the point where the Reverse Flash could steal them.  They watched the time shift as Flash chased down his nemesis, only to return to the beginning as it became apparent that the Flash was the one who saved Barry, at the cost of the Reverse Flash taking his mother's life.

Barry warned the others.  "It gets worse."   

The next scenes started with a new speedster who introduced himself as Jay Garrik, native of an alternate Earth.  Barry called it "Earth 2" to reduce confusion.  Garrik warned of the coming of another dangerous speedster, Professor Zoom, who was on his way to kill the Flash.  This time, the scenes showed Garrik mentoring Barry, imparting a multitude of techniques, and developing both speed and strength.  There was yet another collective gasp as Garrik revealed that he was actually Professor Zoom.  The ponies could feel the panic as the Flash's desperate escape brought him to a completely alien setting.  A voice there explained he was within the Speed Force, the source of his super powers.  The next jump brought them back to Earth, to the epic struggle that vanquished Zoom.  It cost the Flash the life of his biologial father, and nearly cost that of his adoptive father as well.  

“I will say, if anything, Barry sure has an ample number of fathers to kill”, said Zoom as he was about to kill Joe. The ponies gasped. They exhaled in relief as Joe was rescued. 

The scene jumped again; they could feel Barry's depression as he spoke with Iris.  His sister promised she would be waiting for his return.  Finally, the scene shifted to within the dimension of the Speed Force.

Then, the images continued, showing Barry’s last conversation with Iris West, and finally with the Speed Force.

“In a faraway world, there’s a young speedster whose powers are soon to be awakened.  Become her mentor; show her what it means to be a hero; show her that there are speedsters she can trust.  Zoom and the Reverse Flash tried to mold you in their own images by force.  You must teach by the example.  Guide her to become as she should, Barry!” 

The room returned to normal as the spell ended.  Barry dried his tears.  He was suddenly aware of the warmth as Rainbow Dash led the Element Bearers in embracing him.

“How could you?” asked Celestia as millennia of practice let her hold back her tears.  “How could you live through all of that, and still always do what is right?”

Barry shook his head.  “ I couldn't, not always.  I was about to do something really stupid.  That’s why the Speed Force sent me here in the first place” 

Rainbow Dash smiled sadly.

“Still, you tolerated more than anypony could.  That’s why I admire you, Barry.  First time I met you, I wanted to be like you and beat you on your own game.  But now . . .”  She raised her gaze proudly.  “If I get as half as good as you are, I’ll consider it a success.  Barry Allen, you are the most loyal pony I ever met.”

Barry smiled shyly. “You’re giving me too much credit."

Dash shook her head.  “Dude, if you were born in Equestria, you would be the Element of Loyalty.  And it would be a privilege, and my greatest honor, to become the personal student of the Flash.”  She paused for a fraction of a second, lost in thought.  "No, it would be my greatest honor to be the personal student of Barry Allen.”

“Again, I think you’re giving me too much credit, but . . .”

“Nay,” said Luna.  “I’ve never seen a pony who has sacrificed so much yet still remain intact.  Sometimes you almost let your powers get the better of you, Barry Allen, but your heart is always in the right place. That’s why I bow to you.”

With that, the Princess of the Night bowed to the hero.  One by one, the others followed her example, bowing deeply in honor to the Flash.  Celestia spoke for all.  "You are a true hero, Barry Allen.  That come not in winning, but in always doing the right thing even when it's the hardest thing to do."

Barry felt slightly uncomfortable, but luckily Rainbow interrupted the moment.  “Ha!  See, Twi?  You’re not the one with the coolest teacher, not anymore.  So, Barry, when do we start my training?”

Flash smiled as the energy coursed all over his body. “Catch me if you can!”

As he zoomed out the main door, Rainbow blinked surprised, but soon enough she grinned and flew after him.  “FLAAAAAAAASH!”
> Race 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 9: The little mishaps with being a speedster


0400, Wonderbolts HQ:

A distinct funeral pall filled the ready room as Spit Fire looked around.  Bleary-eyed Wonderbolts in duty uniforms filled every seat, except for one in the center of the front row.  A neatly-folded uniform lay on that seat.

Standing behind the podium, she shouted, "Attention!"  The background chatter evaporated.  She continued.  "I know why you're all here.  I know how you all feel.  One of our own is in the hospital, fighting for her life, and there's nothing we can do to help."  She rubbed the bridge of her muzzle before continuing.  "Regardless, we are professionals, and professionals have to get the job done, no matter what.  We have a show in Whinneypeg in two days, and we need to be ready.  Are you with me?"

Silence.

"I said, 'Are you with me?'"

A half-hearted, "boo-rah" came in response.

"Come on!  I know Dash would want us to . . ."

A muffled explosion interrupted the captain.  She froze for a split-second.  She then yelled, "Wonderbolts!  Scramble!"  The room emptied with due haste.

0400, Wonderbolts Practice Field:

Rainbow Dash waited by the starting blocks on the runway as the Flash drank in the surroundings.  The scarlet speedster said, "Back home, we can barely touch clouds, let alone stand on them."

Rainbow Dash replied, "Well, I gave you the quick tour of the outside.  Do you think this will work?"

The Flash smiled.  "The real question is, 'Are you ready?'"

"I was born ready!" replied Dash as she enthusiastically stretched her wings before settling into a starting position.  "Show me what you got, Flash!"

The Flash grinned before streaking to a small harpoon cannon.  This was a training aid for fast starts.  Normally, the challenge was to chase the projectile and catch it before it returned to ground level; the higher the recovery point, the better the speed.  This time, however, the Flash loaded it with its maximum charge.

The sound of the explosion was Rainbow Dash's cue.  She rocketed in the air, flying parallel to the expected trajectory.  Multi-colored lightning bolts coursed around her body before she even left the ground.  The Flash smiled as his red streak joined her blue.

They flew beyond the 500 meters of the tether's range before turning back.  The harpoon had barely left the barrel when they returned to the cannon and relaunched.  Fifteen laps later, the harpoon reached the end of its rope.  Gleefully, Rainbow Dash flew up and caught it before it started to fall.

A sea of blue-uniformed bodies looked up in amazement.  "Rainbow Dash?  For real?" gasped Soarin.

Fleet Foot exclaimed, "Yipe!" as she spat out one of her feathers.  "Well, I'm not dreaming."

“No, no, no, no!” said Spit Fire.  “This isn’t happening!  She can’t be Rainbow Dash!”

The Wonderbolts stood in amazement as the watched their formerly missing comrade touch down.  Spit Fire snarled when she saw the red-clad pegasus with golden hooves.  This was the cause of all of Rainbow Dash's problems!

Unaware of the arrival of the others, the two reviewed their lesson.  “I can see you’re used to great speeds,” laughed Flash.  “You know?  Before I was hit by the lighting, I was always late.”

“Well, I was a top athlete!  Still, I can’t believe I was proud of what I used to think was fast flying.  Now I feel like I have no limits.”  Rainbow smiled proudly, but suddenly, she had an idea.  “Say Barry, what do you think that would happen if I try to make a Sonic Rainboom at this new speed?”

“I wouldn’t do it if I were you,” said Flash frowning.  “The Speed Force protects us from a lot of thing.  You'd have to turn off its shielding to do that, and we have no idea what would happen to you then.  It’s extremely dangerous, Rainbow Dash; as you could see in my memories, you have to learn your limits; respect them before trying to surpass them.”

“I agree!” said Spit Fire, joining to the conversation.  “Now, care to explain what in Tartarus is going on?  First, Cadet Dash is in a coma, and now she’s here completely fine, and moving like this!”  The captain then turned to the Flash.  “And you!  All this started because of you!”

Rainbow Dash then stood between Flash and Spit Fire.  “Take it easy Spit Fire!  It was all a misunderstanding!” explained the new speedster.  “I didn't know it then, but he's a really cool guy!  He came all the way out here just to teach me.”

“Yeah, I never intended to hurt Rainbow or something, I promise. And when I finish training her, I can go back where I came from, and become the fastest man alive again.” He offered a hoof to Spit Fire, “I’m the Flash by the way”

Spit Fire gave a small nod and accepted the hoof. “Spit Fire”

The Flash smiled and turned to his student. “That’s all for today Rainbow, if you excuse me, I’ll have to go back to my day job.  See you tomorrow!”

Before Rainbow Dash could say anything, he disappeared in a red and golden streak.

“So, it wasn’t a trick after all,” mumbled Spit Fire.  She looked up at Rainbow Dash and asked, “But, how did you get that power as well, Dash?”

The pegasus smiled proudly.  “Oh, you wouldn’t believe it, but instead of killing me, the lighting I received actually connected me with a cosmic power known as the Speed Force.  Now, I can move faster than ever!”

“I can see that, but this is not normal! You can hurt yourself or worse!”

Dash sighed with patience, but she didn’t want to have this conversation all over again.  “I’m fine, Spit Fire!  Princess Luna and Princess Celestia even took the time to evaluate me, and they say I’m okay.  If anything, I'm now twenty percent cooler!”

“I see . . .”

Once the other Wonderbolts crowded around, Rainbow Dash recapped her story.  Her mentor, the Flash, had gained his powers in an accident similar to hers.  He volunteered to mentor her after learning of her plight.

When she finished, the other Wonderbolts looked at her in astonishment.  Spit Fire nodded.  "It looks like you're okay now.  Tell me, Dash, are you ready to fly with us again?”

“But, wasn’t I suspended?”

“Yeah, but I’m relieved that you survived, so . . .”

Before Spit Fire could finish, Rainbow Dash disappeared in a multi-colored streak, only to return half a minute after, dressed in her Wonderbolts flight suit.

“Ready!”

Everypony gasped at this, but at the captain’s sign, they muttered and prepared for practice.

“Wonderbolts!  Take your positions!” commanded Spit Fire.

The Wonderbolts lined up for a synchronized takeoff.  Spit Fire called out, "Arrowhead Loop to Delta Burst!  Go!"

The Wonderbolts were like a well-oiled machine, moving as one . . . except for a cyan blur that moved too fast for anyone to perceive her moves.

“DASH!” shouted Fleet Foot.

Rainbow stopped.  “What happened?” she asked, but then realized that she was three kilometers away from her team, who were now looking at her.

As Rainbow Dash rejoined the group, Spit Fire shouted, “Concentrate, Dash!”

“Sorry, sorry,” said Rainbow Dash as she returned to her position within the team.  “But at least the maneuver was perfectly executed.”

“It doesn’t count if no one can see what you’re doing,” protested Soarin.

“Whatever, let’s start over again.”

With an exasperated groan, the Wonderbolts returned to the initial position.

Spit Fire called, “Ready?  Go!”

Rainbow was being as careful as she could, trying to slow down and execute the moves perfectly, something really easy for her now that she had enhanced senses.  But when she landed, the speedster noticed that the rest of the Wonderbolts were still halfway through the first move.

“This is going to be a problem, right?” asked Soarin.

“Think so?” asked Fleet Foot.  “Dash!  What do you think you’re doing?”

“I swear I tried to slow down as much as possible!” apologized Dash.

“We know; we saw you,” sighed Spit Fire.  “Okay guys, let’s do it all over again.  Hopefully, the third will be the charm!”

One more time, they groaned in annoyance, but returned to their positions.  This time, everypony was looking at Dash carefully as she prepared.  She had a small grin on her face, and her body generated multi-colored lightning bolts.  They all prepared to go.  Spit Fire took her position downfield.  On her signal, the cannon fired.

Dash launched herself through the field.  The others were about to follow her, but at Spit Fire’s indication, they stopped and watched the cyan pegasus to fly all over.  It was like the first time; all they could see was a cyan blur moving at great speed, and landing at the other side.

Then Dash turned.  “Hey?” she asked, joining the rest of the team. “What happened?  Where were you guys?”

“The good news is you set a new record.  The chronometer couldn’t even mark your time,” said Soarin as he showed her the little stopwatch.

“But the bad news is that, Dash, you are a speed demon, now more than ever.  Not even we can keep up with you,” explained Fleet Foot.

Rainbow Dash screamed in frustration.  "We're a team!  I have to do this!"

“Dash, I said you’re not suspended anymore,” said Spit Fire placing a hoof on Dash’s withers.  “And I'll make sure there's a place for you on the team -- after you get your powers under control.  Until then, we can't practice with you; no normal pegasus can.”

Dash sighed. “I guess I should have seen that coming.  That’s fine, I guess.  I promise I’ll get things under control; I won't leave you hanging.”

Spit Fire nodded, and Dash sighed again.  She remembered that, back when she was looking into Barry’s memories, she saw how much he struggled to rein in his abilities on the daily basis, and how long it took before he could consistently move at normal speed.

“But, hey, you can still practice here with your new teacher when nopony’s using the field.”

“I guess that would help,” said Dash, shrugging.  “I am sorry for worrying you . . . and don’t worry, soon enough I’ll be ready to work with the team.  I’ll ask my teacher first thing!”

Then, she disappeared into another demonstration of pure speed.

“Seriously, what in Equestria?” asked Soarin when she left.

“Do I look like I know?” answered the captain.  “Let’s just go to practice, and hope that Dash can take her place again.”





Floating above Ponyville, Dash entered her home.  After setting aside a portion for her tortoise, Tank, she proceeded to empty her refrigerator.  She frowned.  She had eaten what was supposed to be a week's worth of food, but she was still hungry.  Barry had warned her that her metabolism was now so fast that she'd have to eat at least ten times as much as normal just to keep up.

She groaned.  "It'll be hours before the market opens.  Come on, Dash, it's only time; you can handle it."

Patiently, she lounged on a cloud sofa.  She played with her paddle ball.  She went through all of her junk mail.  She read all the back issues of the "Foal Free Press".  Looking up at the clock, she saw that all of five seconds had elapsed.  "I really wish I could make time go faster.  I wonder why Barry insists on keeping his day job."

Since sharing his memories, Barry had received offers from everyone present to stay with them.  All three of the princesses had offered room in their castles.  He insisted on staying with Blue Blood.  Rainbow Dash still couldn't understand why Barry had refused her offer.  She said, "I really wish he were here so we could talk."

Looking again at the clock, Rainbow Dash sighed.  "I guess it's just me and Daring Do until the market opens."

Rainbow Dash took her time reliving the first adventure of her heroine.  Greedily, she drank in every detail and savored every nuance.  With each page, her mood improved.  She laughed aloud at the comedy, and she gasped at the suspense.  She smiled broadly when she finally closed the back cover.  Looking again at the clock, she saw that only five minutes had elapsed.

“Oh, come on!”

Rainbow Dash took the next volume.  This time, she deliberately slowed her pace, reading aloud, and acting out all the parts.  She even took time to make poses and change her voice to match the character.  As she said the last word, she closed the book and again consulted the clock.  The second volume had been twice as long as the first, but only one minute had elapsed.

“Super-fast reading!  This is just what I need!” groaned the cyan mare.

After finishing the third book, this time in a minute and a half, she decided to go to raid Twilight's library.  With a little luck, the egghead would be awake already.

Rainbow stretched her wings, and she flew to her friend’s home in half of a heartbeat.

“Twilight!  Spike!  Starlight!  Are you awake?” asked Rainbow Dash as she banged at the door to the residence area.

Spike opened the door happily.  “Hi, Rainbow Dash, we were about have breakfast.  Wanna join us?”

Rainbow’s stomach growled.  “Sure! I’m starving!”

Twilight was making coffee while Starlight was setting the table, and both of them smiled at their friend.

“Good morning Rainbow Dash!  What are you doing here so early?”

Dash sighed.  “Let’s just say I this super-speed thing takes a lot of getting used to.  I want to speak with Barry about it, but, you know, he’s currently working for Blue Blood.  So, I decided to kill a bit of time by reading my Daring Do collection, and, well, I finished the first trilogy in less than ten minutes.”

“You what?” asked Twilight.

“Are you telling us, that you don't just fly fast, but you read fast as well?” asked Starlight.

“It's not just fast; it's super-fast.  I can’t help it; I start doing things normally, and before I know it, I’m doing everything at super speed.  Just watch!”

Rainbow disappeared in a blur, going into the library, and returned with a series of mystery novels.  Then, she began to read. And if the three residents of the Palace hadn't witnessed Rainbow’s eyes moving left to right at insane speed, and felt the wind caused by the movement of the pages, they would have sworn that she wasn’t actually reading.

“The butler did it,” announced Rainbow Dash, finishing the first one.  Then she took another one, and read it as well.  “The phantom was just a cover-up for an opium operation.”  Then she took a third one, and read it at great speed, too. “This one, the victim’s step-brother poisoned him!”

And she was about to take a fourth book, but Twilight stopped her.

“We get it, you can read fast.  Unbelievable.  I never thought that the power of going fast could be this fascinating!” said Twilight excitedly.  “Do you think you can help me with some experiments, Dash?”

“Do not bore her already, Twilight,” complained Spike.  “Still, I guess you can wait for Barry here with us.  Twilight invited him for lunch, right?”

Rainbow nodded.  “I know.  It's not like I have a choice.  Still, I guess I can go to the market, and then hang out with Rarity”

“Why Rarity?” asked Starlight”

Rainbow Dash smiled, remembering the night she met the Speed Force in her dreams, the day before her accident.

“Because I want her to make me my own superhero suit.  If she could make the Mare-Do-Well uniforms, then she surely can make me a suit for me.”

They all nodded, but Starlight seemed still somehow skeptical.  “Well, that’s kind of pointless, Rainbow. We usually don’t wear any clothes, and the entire town knows you can move at super speed.  Why do you need a costume?”

Rainbow Dash blushed.

“Come on, Rainbow, you can tell us” smiled Twilight.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I don’t know; it's just that I want to show Flash, I mean Barry, that I really appreciate him.  Especially since I was so awful to him, when all he wanted was to regain his faith in others.”

“Aw,” cooed Starlight and Twilight.

“Yeah, whatever” sighed Dash. “Can we eat? I’m starving!”

They broke their fast without another word.  As they ate, Rainbow Dash considered what to do to kill time until her teacher came.  She could fly wherever she wanted, but that would entertain her for how long?  A few minutes?

“You know?  I’m wondering how fast a human has to run to switch dimensions,” observed Starlight.  “It doesn’t make any sense; there has to more to it than just speed.”

“Nothing about Flash makes sense,” said Twilight.  “But, also, the most interesting part of his story was that thing about Earths Two and Three.  All that multiverse stuff has always been really interesting to me.”

Spike nodded. “Like that time when Starlight . . .”

The pink unicorn groaned. “Can you stop reminding me about that?”

Spike apologized.  “I’m sorry.  What I meant was that during that time, we learned that with a minor change in the past, the future could become completely different.  Remember?  Each time Starlight altered the past, an alternate Equestria cropped up.”

Twilight nodded.  “Yeah, you’re right Spike!  That experience allowed us to visit what we could call Equestrias Two, Three, Four . . .”

Rainbow interrupted Twilight's count.  “Hey, do you think I could turn into a true speedster in any of those Equestrias?”

“Who knows?  Between infinite probabilities, anything could happen.”  Twilight smiled.

“Yeah, that would be interesting,” admitted Starlight.

Equestria 4, Nightmare’s Moon Realm:

Nightmare Moon, the absolute Queen of the Night, was sitting in her throne room, contemplating her moon with malice.  She could feel her sister’s feeble attempts to escape, as she did so many years ago.  She laughed; the tables had turned and she had enjoyed every second of it.  Gone was every trace of the sun; torchlight played on the obsidian walls of the room; all the furnishings were in shades of black.

“There’s nothing better than being the Queen!” laughed the dark alicorn.  “Now, where are my midnight snacks?”

Nightmare’s butler, Rarity, approached holding with a tray with her magic.

“Your cucumber sandwiches, your Highness, just as you like them.”

“Perfect.” Nightmare Moon smiled, with fangs glinting in the moonlight.  “You are dismissed now”

Rarity bowed and was about to leave when both mares heard a strange sound coming from the hallways.  A small chill on her spine made Nightmare to stand, her instincts warned of impending danger.  “What?”

The doors of the throne room burst open, and the corpse of one of her most loyal guards was thrown to the Queen’s hooves.  Rarity shrieked and went into hiding as Nightmare screamed in anger, “WHO DARES?”

Then, she looked into the hallway, where the corpses of her honor guard lay, with the same serious expressions on their faces, as though they hadn't realized that they were dead.

“SHOW YOURSELF!” shouted Nightmare Moon.

Nopony answered, but she did feel cold wind coming from her back.  She then turned, to see who did this.  It was nothing but a blur, a cyan blur, surrounded by multi-colored lightning bolts.

“What?” asked Nightmare.

The blur then took the form of a pegasus mare, a muscular mare with cyan fur, rainbow-colored mane, mohawk style.

“Hi there my queen!  We haven’t see each other since you, I don’t know, tried to kill me?”

Nightmare Moon gasped; it was true.  Not so long ago, this mare was one of her soldiers, a rebellious soldier who always talked back to her, who continuously complained of how awful her reign was, and how wonderful were things back when Celestia ruled.  In the end Nightmare had enough of the soldier, and decided to dismiss her from her duties.  So, she simply terminated her by shooting a powerful lightning bolt that sent her crashing into a chemical storeroom deep in the dungeon.  Strangely enough, the soldier was still alive when Nightmare left her, but she just left her to die in that room.

“How is this possible?  How is that you’re still alive?” asked Nightmare Moon.

Rainbow Dash, the soldier, laughed hysterically, generating some sort of multi-colored lightning bolts from her body.  “To be honest, I have no idea.  But, hey, I came to thank you for throwing that lighting at me.  It changed my life, my queen.”

A new regiment of guards charged at Rainbow Dash, surrounding her.  The pegasus just took a look around, and continued with her hysterical laughing.  The soldiers frowned at this, they didn’t want to hurt one of their own, but they had to obey their queen.  So, a dozen of unicorns shot magic beams at Rainbow, who simply yawned and disappeared in a streak. Then she reappeared right in front of the regiment leader, and placed her forehooves on his withers.

Less than a heartbeat later, while her supporters looked on, aghast, Nightmare Moon laughed.  The queen said, "Finally!  Somepony who appreciates the finer things.  A pity this night is your last."

“Anypony else?” asked the pegasus with a sadistic smile, taking a step toward the crowd.

The soldiers moved backwards in fear, making Rainbow grin.  Rainbow said, "It looks like it's just you and me, queen."

Nightmare Moon shrugged and fired a magic blast faster than the eye could see.  Rainbow Dash barely ducked out the way.  The guard behind her crumpled to the ground in charcoal chunks.  Rainbow Dash casually moved to another position.  "Think you can do better than . . ."  The queen interrupted with an even more powerful blast.  Again, it came tantalizingly close; again, another ally fell.  Rainbow Dash quipped, "With a friend like this, who needs enemies?"

This time, Nightmare Moon launched a spell that was as bright as a small sun.  Rainbow Dash again dodged, but this time, after striking another soldier, the spell doubled back and homed in on the pegasus, gaining speed.  The queen launched another copy of the spell.  Now, there were two in hot pursuit of the pegasus.  Nightmare Moon launched copy after copy, watching as each spell grew faster.  Finally, they all joined in one huge ball and screamed at nearly the speed of light as the pegasus stood in the middle of the room, transfixed, and panting.

Nightmare Moon smiled.  There was no escape.  Suddenly, the Rainbow Dash vanished in a rainbow-hued blur.  The combined spell was going too fast to change direction in the confined space.  There was rather little left after it met its maker.

Rainbow Dash contemptuously kicked at the remains of the former queen.  She then addressed the survivors.  “Attention everypony!” shouted Dash.  “This Kingdom is under new administration.  Those in favor, bow to your Speed Queen.  Those against it, well, let’s just say speak now, and then forever hold your peace!”  She glanced at the fallen queen.  "Or, maybe that should be 'pieces'."

Everypony in the room, including the terrified Rarity, bowed to her.  Everypony except half a dozen soldiers, who stood defiantly.

“As you wish” said Dash shrugging.

She streaked toward them, and a few moments later, they were all lying on the floor with their necks broken.

“Anypony else who feels brave?” asked Dash.  This time, nopony dared to defy the new Queen. “Good!”

Then, the speedster noticed Rarity cowering behind the throne.  “Oh, my childhood friend!  Why are you so afraid?  As far as I remember, you were as much against this Nightmare’s rule as me!”

“Please don’t hurt me Rainbow Dash!” was all that the unicorn mare was able to say.

“That was never my intention.  I know you well, Rarity; since we were little, you liked to make your own designs for dresses and such, right?”

Rarity nodded.

“Good!” approved Rainbow.  “Then go and design me a new uniform!  Something that fits my newfound powers and tells everypony, that I am the fastest in the world!  That I am the new Queen of Speed!”

Rarity nodded again, but still shaking, she asked, “What happened to you, Rainbow Dash?”

The pegasus smiled.  “As I told the former Queen, I have no idea.  She threw me a lightning bolt, and left me for dead.  That gave me these powers . . . and I am forever thankful for that.  However, the old Dash was weak and pathetic, with her stupid head full of dreams.  No, I don’t have anything to do with the Dash I used to be anymore.  From now on, I’m the Reverse!”
> Race 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 10: My name is Blue Blood, and I’m not the pony I used to be. Not any more.


My name is Blue Blood. I spent four years, trapped on an island of Tartarus, with only one goal: survival. During that time, I realized I couldn’t go back to my old ways; I couldn't in good conscience go back to who I was. But, in order to protect the ones I love, during the day, I have to pretend, pretend to be the pony I'm not, the pony I used to be, the pony I've grown to hate. When darkness falls, I become myself again, trading the mask of respectability for the mask of my true self as I take care of the illnesses of society. My prey are those who lay beyond the reach of the law, those protected by influence, by wealth, by power, those who abuse their position to take advantage of the weakest among us. In order to defeat them, I have to be more than a pony. I have to be everything this bit of cloth has come to symbolize. I have to become the Arrow.

The Arrow was jumping between roofs in silence, always in silence, as he followed the frightened hoof falls of a certain drug dealer. Below, in the grimy alley, the dealer was checking in every direction before making any step, every direction except up. He darted from shadow to shadow, avoiding the pools of lights cast by the dim streetlamps. Was he really that frightened? Maybe this was a trap. The Arrow grinned. A trap would be a welcomed diversion. The chase, however, was getting boring. He shot an arrow at the dealer's forehooves, prompting the criminal to stop.

"I'll admit you've given me a pleasant evening, but I find myself in a bit of a rush," said the masked vigilante. "Your boss is rotting in jail, your regional boss, at least. But, the drugs still keep flowing into Canterlot. Who is your new boss?"

“I rather be dead than rat out!” shouted the drug dealer.

"Perhaps I can change your mind," said the Arrow, shooting at the drug dealer. The projectile pierced the criminal's right forehoof. "To be blunt, you're small potatoes. If I intercept the shipments before they reach Canterlot, I couldn't care less what you do." The Arrow shot again, piercing the thug's left forehoof. "Where are the drugs coming from?"

The drug dealer gave a forced grin. "This is going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me. Did you really think you could just waltz in here and push us around? You fell right into our trap. GET HIM! NOW!!"

The Arrow waited patiently as the dealer concentrated on a spot above and behind the Arrow. The crickets serenaded the ponies as the moments ticked by. The dealer shouted, "NOW!! I SAID, 'GET HIM NOW'"

A look of horror came to the dealers' face as a red and gold streak appeared beside the vigilante. The Arrow's hood did nothing to hide the predatory grin that came to his face.

The red and gold streak materialized into the Flash. The speedster looked at the thug and said, "You know, I thought you'd set a better trap than this, especially now that you know about me."

The dealer opened and closed his mouth like a stunned mullet.

The Arrow calmly stood, shifting his aim to the drug dealer's heart. "You were saying?"

The criminal gulped. “Crystal Empire! The operations center is on the Crystal Empire! That’s all I know!” he cried.

“I think you're holding out on me,” said the Arrow, shooting again.

“NOOOO! WAIT! DON’T KILL HIM, PLEASE!” shrieked a voice.

Everyone turned to the voice; it was Rarity Belle, the Element of Generosity herself. The drug dealer wasted no time, grabbing her with his magic and putting her between the Arrow and himself. As he levitated a dagger to her throat, a cyan blur surrounded the two. A moment later, the drug dealer was lying on the ground, nursing a cracked horn, while Rarity and Rainbow Dash stood beside the Flash.

“Miss me?” asked Rainbow Dash.

The Arrow face-hoofed and glared at Flash. “Did you actually have to bring your student?”

“What? No!” said the scarlet speedster. “She must have come, following her friend.”

The Arrow ground his teeth in annoyance as he drew another arrow, shooting it into the ground in front of the drug dealer. A cloud of blue smoke blanketed the area. When it cleared, the drug dealer found himself bound and hanging upside down from a lamppost. The vigilante and his companions were nowhere to be seen.

Blood family’s abandoned factory/Arrow’s headquarters:

Despite the decrepit facade, the Arrow's headquarters was comfortably appointed. Baffles kept light from escaping while allowing air to flow through. Rarity and Rainbow Dash sat on the floor facing the Arrow while the Flash sat between Rainbow Dash and the Arrow.

The Arrow glared at the mares as he pushed back his hood. Rainbow Dash gasped in recognition as Blue Blood looked at her. "You, I understand. I knew after you got your powers, it was only a matter of time until you followed Allen to me." He turned to Rarity and glowered. "But you! You are just an idiot! What in Tartarus were you even thinking! Are you begging for someone to kill you?!"

Rainbow Dash returned Blue Blood's glare. "Hey! Nopony threatens my friends!"

Blue Blood shot back, "If she's your friend, then you keep her out of my way! I can't have some helpless mare throwing herself at dangerous criminals. If it hadn't been for you or Allen, I don't know if I could have saved her."

Rarity’s gaze moved to the ground as Rainbow Dash looked at her.

“Well, I hate to admit it, but Blood has a point, Rares, and not just his horn. Why did you come, anyway?”

“Because, when the Cutie Map guided you to Flash, it guided me to the Arrow. That means I have a mission with Blue Blood; and I have a feeling that it’s to make sure he doesn't kill, not anymore.”

Blue Blood groaned. "You all know who the Arrow really is. Tell me, do you really want to dive into this cesspool I'm trying to clean?"

Rarity flicked back her mane. "I wasn't sent here to save Equestria. I was sent here to save you from yourself."

Blue Blood sighed. “You are the most annoying pony I've ever met. But fine, if you want to play with fire so much, come to see me tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I'm going to sleep. It's been a long night.”

“Fine!” said Dash, then she turned to Flash. “So, that mean I can join your crime-fighting?”

“If you want to.” Flash smiled.

“And also, I’ll make sure, the Arrow doesn’t kill any more.”

Blue Blood sighed. “I have enough super-fast babysitters, thank you very much."

“But I won’t be with you for much longer, Arrow,” reminded Flash. “I have to go back to Central City.”

“Whatever,” groaned Blue Blood, heading upstairs.

“You know?” asked Dash, as she watched Blue Blood retire. “Of all ponies, I’m surprised that he is the vigilante who protects the innocents.”

“Being on that island really changed his life,” said Rarity softly. “He had done awful and selfish things in the past, but he didn’t deserve that punishment.”

Flash shrugged. “God knows why he does things. Remember my friend Oliver Queen, Green Arrow? He had the exact same experiences as Blue Blood, and the result was exactly the same. It was hard, and he still has much to learn. But have faith; with the right guidance, he’ll change soon enough.”

The two mares nodded in silence, when Blue Blood stuck his head through the doorway of his bedroom. “Hey, new speedster!”

“My name is Rainbow Dash!”

“Fine, Rainbow Dash. If your friend doesn’t stay me tomorrow, you make sure to keep her as far as possible from me.”

“Why me?”

“Because you are her friend, and all I’m trying to do is to keep her alive,” he said before disappearing again.

Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow . . .”

“Huh, sorry Rares, but I’ll listen to him this time. Now, we better go back to Ponyville. Bye, Barry!”

“See you tomorrow Rainbow Dash!”

“Okay. Rarity, hold!”

Rarity jumped onto Rainbow’s back, and everything around her turned into a blur. Her mind could not keep up with what her eyes were showing her. Her stomach roiled at the overwhelming sense of wrongness. When things snapped back into focus mere moments later, they were already inside Carousel Boutique. Sporting a greenish tinge, Rarity staggered to the bathroom and shut the door. The wooden panel hid nothing. Moments later, she came out and glared at the speedster. "By Celestia, Rainbow Dash, please be more careful when you're carrying passengers."

Sheepishly, the pegasus replied, “Sorry, my mistake”

The white unicorn sighed. “Anyway, why were you in Canterlot tonight?”

“Well, first, because I saw you getting on the last train to Canterlot, and I had the feeling you’d run into trouble. Second, because I kind of wanted to help him.”

“Help Flash?”

“Yeah, don’t you see? Flash is great, he's been through a lot, but still he remains loyal to his friends and to himself. So yeah, I want to help him, to be like him. I’ve never admired nopony so much before. Or human, or meta-human. You get it, right?”

Rarity smiled at her warmly. “What a big change in so little time. However, I think I understand.”

Rainbow nodded. “Hey, do you think you can help me with something?”

“Sure, with what?”

Rainbow Dash disappeared in a multi-colored streak, mostly cyan, and returned with a drawing of a uniform. It looked like the Wonderbolts', but this one was of a darker blue, and it had a stylized version Dash’s cutie mark on the flanks. “Help me with this, my own speedster suit!”

Rarity giggled. “You really want to be like him, right?”

“More than anything.”

“Fine! I’ll take your measurements tomorrow evening. But right now, I must rest. I have a feeling that I have a long day ahead of me.”

Rainbow agreed, and flew back to her home. She muttered to herself. "I still don't get it. Why does the Flash stick around ponies as dangerous as the Arrow -- the Arrows? I don't know if I'll ever understand.

Next day:

Blue Blood woke to soaked sheets. There were fates worse than death; he could attest to that personally. He had relived a particularly traumatic interrogation at the hooves of the terrorists. As he sat up, he casually ran a forehoof over the tapestry of scars hidden under his fur. Each was a souvenir of the four years that had torn his life apart and rebuilt it.

He snorted as he dismissed the nightmare. There was nothing to be gained in brooding. After a quick shower, he went to his gym to start his morning training. Hanging on a bar by his hind legs, he did fifty sit-ups while holding his weight in tungsten between his forelegs. After he finished his strength training, he turned on a modified tennis ball launcher and shot the balls out of the air. He then moved to the next exercise.

Two hours later, Blue Blood heard Barry receiving someone at the door while Blue Blood was cooling down in the shower. As he toweled himself dry, he heard Barry say, "I see you two came!"

Blue Blood groaned. "You fools," he muttered. "Why couldn't you just stay where in your own world, where it's safe?"

Rainbow Dash said, "I did my best to keep Rarity out of this, but . . . "

“What I do with my life is my own business Rainbow Dash. If the Cutie Map sent me to the Arrow, then I need to see this through to the end.”

Blue Blood groaned again. But still, he walked out of the shower, and took a quiver of arrows; and waited.

“Good morning, Blue Blood! I came just as you asked!” said Rarity as she went downstairs to his gym.

“Good!” said Blood, shooting several arrows at her.

Rarity shrieked and tried to duck. A cyan blur obscured her vision. It resolved into Rainbow Dash, holding a mouthful of arrows. She spat them out and said, "Are you crazy? Is that your problem?"

“I may be crazy, but your friend is an idiot!” said Blue as he released another arrow.

Dash caught the arrow again. Her eyes widened as she felt the shock wave approach. Startled, she let it push her onto the wall. Blue Blood turned back to Rarity and unleashed a barrage of concussion arrows.

Rarity winced with each explosion. Near misses left painful burns. Her once-white fur was being painted a sooty black. “Ouch! What are you doing?!” shouted Rarity.

Blue Blood lowered his bow and looked to the doorway. Rarity turned to see Barry holding Rainbow Dash back. Rarity shrieked, "Why are you two just standing there? Aren't you going to do anything?"

With sadness in his voice, Barry replied, “No, because I know what is he trying to do.”

Blue Blood nodded and put aside his bow, only to kick Rarity on the gut. The fashionista bent in pain, and looked at Blue Blood with tears streaming from her eyes.

Blue Blood just gave a small shrug. “Unless you find the way to turn all your shrieking in an actual superpower, I have no choice but teach you to defend yourself.”

Then, the prince offered a hoof to Rarity. “This is your last chance to decline,” said Blood.

The white unicorn accepted the hoof and nodded. “No, you’re right; I’ve been so careless the last days. So, I think a little training won’t be such a bad idea. After all, who better to teach me than somepony who knows what it's really like to fight.”

Blue Blood nodded, and then threw Rarity to the other side of the room. He pounced on her and held her in a full nelson. “First lesson, don’t EVER let your guard down.”

Rarity screamed in pain.

“I told you! Screaming won’t help you. Find the way to get free!” commanded Blue Blood. "Don't surrender to pain! Take its strength!"

Rainbow Dash made a move toward the pair, but Barry placed a forehoof on her withers. He slowly shook his head when she turned to look. Gesturing toward the stairs with his head, he said, “So, tell me Dash, want to practice how to do your daily activities, without your speed getting on your way?”

“I suppose. But, I don’t know; I don’t like to see Rarity like that.”

“This is what she wanted. Boss Blood did warn her.”.

“I know; I know; so, what should we do first?” asked Dash.

“Let’s go easy first, a short trip to the library,” suggested Barry.

Rainbow nodded and followed him, but not before sending Rarity and Blood one last worried look.

In the meantime, Rarity still struggled to break free from Blue Blood’s hold, but she could not. Finally, the prince released her, and kicked her in the ribs.

“I was defeated already!” cried Rarity.

“Be thankful it was a kick and not a knife,” said Blue Blood, as he traced the frog on one of her forehooves on a horrid scar he had under his fur. “Compared with that happened to me, I’m being gentle.”

Rarity gulped, “Sweet Celestia!”

“This is no game! If you’re going to get in my way, at least try to consider what's at stake.”

The white mare nodded. “You really don’t want me near you. Do you really hate me that much, Blue Blood?”

“On the contrary, I don’t want you to get hurt because of me. Why is that so hard to understand? The Arrow is doomed to stain his hooves with the blood of those who have failed Equestria. Why does an Element of Harmony, a symbol of hope, want to get involved with a pony like me?”

Rarity grinned. “So, you actually care about others. And all this time I thought you were trying to prove something to yourself, to erase your mistakes from the past.”

“That is part of it. I’ve hurt so much people, and, as much I try, I cannot go back to my old ways. I simply can’t pretend I don't care.” Then he reconsidered for a few seconds. “Or maybe I haven’t changed as much as I want to believe; after all, here I am, teaching you how to fight instead of doing the right thing, and forcing you out of my life.”

“Blue Blood, you answered your own question. I am here because there is hope for you.”

“Forget what I said, and let’s continue this!”

Blue Blood lunged, but Rarity dodged. And so, they continued training.
> Race 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 11: Future threats


Equestria 4:

In her formless form, Princess Celestia probed the spaces in between for some weakness in the featureless void that was her lunar prison.  She had spent a decade in a fruitless search.  Every time she tried something, her sister's magic was there to thwart her.  This time, however, there was no counter to her move.  Celestia froze, feeling for the slightest hint of a response.  Hyperaware, she could detect nothing.  Her non-corporeal form didn't even have a heartbeat.  Could it be a trap?  Celestia decided to wait, just to be certain.

Weeks passed.  There was no response.  Boldly, Celestia used the last of her stored energy to shatter the Nightmare's shield and vault to the Forbidden Forest, well away from the castle.  As she became reacquainted with a physical body, she scented the ambient magic.  There was something seriously wrong.  An alicorn should have left a trace.  Could it be that Nightmare Moon, her corrupted sister, was dead?

“This doesn’t make any sense” said Celestia, extending her wings, and flying to her old Palace.

Bold as brass, Celestia strode into the main entrance.  In addition to the expected fields of black and purple, the walls and decorations now sported defiant streaks of rainbow hues.  There was a muted hue and cry among the servants as she made her way to the throne room.  "Princess Celestia?  Oh, Princess Celestia!" they cried in despair.

Celestia nodded in acknowledgement.  "Be at peace, my little ponies.  All will be well."  She exuded confidence as she entered the chamber.

She shrank back for a moment as the Nightmare glared at her from a gilded perch.  Seeing no reaction from her sister, Celestia moved for a closer look.  There was no trace of life in the display.  In fact, it appeared to be cobbled together from bits of charcoal and cinder.  A small plaque hung from the horn.  It read, "Present, but not voting."

Rarity, the palace's majordomo, rushed to the Celestia's side with fear in her eyes.  "You must leave, quietly!  Don't wake her; she hates to have her nap interrupted!  Please, princess, it's your only hope!"

 Celestia was about to reply when she felt a disturbance in the ambient magic.  There was a powerful pegasus nearby, but there was something else, too, something not of Equestria.  She spun around.  A blur of black with cyan and rainbow-hued streaks sped by.  It resolved into a cyan pegasus in a black body suit.  Her short-cropped rainbow mane and tail stuck out through openings in the suit.  Tiny, multi-colored lightning bolts coursed around her body.  She wore magenta goggles, and on her flanks were stylized tri-colored lightning bolts.

 With a tone that matched her annoyed expression, the pegasus said, "Who dares disturb your beloved Queen of Speed during her mid-morning nap?!"

Celestia could feel the evil glare burning through the magenta lenses.  The queen's scowl twisted into leering grin.  "Well, well, well!  Look who finally decided to show up and steal all the glory!  Where were you when we needed you the most, your highness?" asked Reverse Dash.  "I took care of your useless sister; you're not even half the pony she was."

Celestia shivered at the eerie laugh.  With her magic spent, the Princess of the Sun looked like the avatar of famine.  Centuries of experience hid any further hint of fear.  She looked Dash in the eye and said, "Who are you?"

"I'm the new queen, the Speed Queen.  Bow to me and swear your loyalty, or you can be my new bookend."

Celestia frowned.  "You killed my baby sister.  YOU KILLED MY BABY SISTER!?"

Reverse Dash shrugged.  "Yeah, and now I'll have to kill you, too."

For a moment, the chamber glowed as brightly as the sun as Celestia called on the last of her power.

When her eyes cleared, she found Dash in front of her wearing a bored expression.  "Are you stupid or what?  These goggles aren't for show!"

Panting, Celestia replied, "Kill me, and you'll seal your own fate."

The others in the throne room fled as a black blur with cyan and rainbow streaks surrounded the weakened alicorn.  Pegasus magic could be felt for kilometers around.  The blur stopped, revealing Celestia frozen in a block of ice.  Dash said, "You know, I had this big speech all worked out for this.  But, you're just not worth the effort."  She picked up a sledgehammer with her mouth and swung with super speed.  She shouted around the handle.  "I!"  Smash.  "HATE!"  Smash.  "ALICORNS!" SMASH.

Reverse Dash yelled, "Rarity!  Call up that griffon taxidermist!  Find someone who can do puzzles!

Rarity and the other servant trembled as they re-entered the throne room.

Rarity gulped, but still bowed to her Queen.  “As you wish, you Highness!”

 “Cool!  Now, is my lunch ready?  Your Speed Queen is starving!”

The servants didn’t say anything about the mess; they still had to work hard to please their queen.  She didn’t tolerate delays at all.

Equestria 1, Blue Blood’s mansion:

The stench of sweat hung heavy in the air as Rarity failed to riposte with her forehoof.  Blue Blood's blow caught her solidly on the jaw, sending her reeling.  Her matted coat hid innumerable bruises, and her left foreleg could barely take any weight.  She slowly rose to her hooves and defiantly said, "Bring it.  I didn't come here to give up."

 “I think that’s enough for today” said the prince helping her to stand.  “You’re progressing really fast, but we don't want to take you past your limits.”

Rarity smiled shyly as she looked at their reflections in the mirrors that lined the walls of the private gymnasium.  “I suppose you're right.  Still, I must thank you; I've only been able to go so far because I have the best of teachers."

 “The best teachers are Mother Nature, and your own survival instincts,” said Blue Blood coldly.  “Do not ever forget it.”

Rarity nodded.  "Of course.  I'm just blessed to learn what you have in a safe environment."

Blue Blood watched with concern as Rarity limped up the stairs.  They entered a sitting room where Rainbow Dash was surrounded by a battalion of origami figures.  They ranged from the simple, like a frog or a crane, to the elaborate, like a scorpion that took three sheets of paper.  The pegasus wrinkled her nose and turned to face them.  "No offense, guys, but you stink."

Blue Blood groaned.  "The guest bathroom is five doors down, to the right."

Rarity marveled at the assortment.  "My, someone has busy wings.  When did you learn to do this, Rainbow Dash?"

With a shrug, Rainbow Dash replied, "“I don’t know, like, five minutes ago.”  She hoofed over a book.  "This is cool!  I memorized this thing in a second, and I mastered it in a minute!"

“Basic speedster powers,” explained Barry.  “So, are you going back to Ponyville now?”

"We're done for today," said Blue Blood as he used his telekinesis to pick up an apple from the table.  He sat on his haunches and savored a bite of apple.  Swallowing, he turned to Rarity.  "I don't want to see you for two days, okay?  I'm going to be busy!"

Rarity looked at him sharply.  "You're not going to kill anypony?"

Blue Blood rolled his eyes, annoyed.  “Barry is my designated babysitter.  Satisfied?”

Rarity growled, "Blue Blood . . ."

"Look, I've already agreed to teach you to defend yourself.  The least you could do is stay out of my way until you can hold your own.  Besides, you need to let your body recover."

Rarity lowered her head.  "You do have a point, darling.  I'll sit this one out."

 “Don’t worry about it, Rarity!  I’ll be watching him, too!” assured Rainbow Dash.  “As long as I’m at his side, I’ll make sure that he doesn’t kill anyone.”

Blue Blood glared at the chromatic pegasus.  "Do not get overconfident; that could be your last mistake.  You saw what happened to Allen when he thought he had mastered his powers.  That should be ample warning."  Without saying another word, he stormed off to his room and locked the door.

"The boss sure is a character, isn't he," said Barry, jovially.  The smile ran from his face.  "He is right about overconfidence, Rainbow Dash.  That lesson cost me my father, and it nearly cost me my adoptive father, Joe, as well.

 “I’ll do my best, Barry” said Rainbow Dash.

Rarity couldn’t help but giggle at this.  After obsessing with the Flash, in a negative way, Rainbow now seemed very close to him.  However, there was something that Rarity needed from the Flash.  She said, “Barry, darling, would you mind stopping by Carrousel Boutique with your suit?”

 “Huh?  Sure, but, why?”

"Because Rainbow Dash asked me to make her a speed suit, but I'm afraid that nothing I know how to do can stand up to that sort of stress.  I was hoping to get some ideas from one that works."

Barry smiled kindly. “I would love to, Rarity, but the suit was designed by my scientist friend, and . . .”

 “I know, Cisco Ramón.  I saw him on your memories.  I'm not a scientist like him or Caitlin, but we use magic where you use science.  Fabrics are my life; I'm sure I'll be able to see what he did."

 “Okay then.  Hey Rainbow, wanna race up to Ponyville?”

"Just a sec; there's something I have to do first."

Rarity didn't even have time to shriek when she was assaulted by a cyan blur with rainbow streaks.  Grinning, Rainbow Dash held up a mirror.  Rarity's jaw dropped; she was now clean as a whistle, but her fur, mane, and tail stuck out, making her look like a puff ball.  Rarity took the mirror in her magic and continued to examine the disaster of a hairdo.

 “Now I'm ready!  But you're the one who gives Rarity a ride, okay?”  With that, she disappeared in a multi-colored streak.

Barry smiled. “Shall we go to Ponyville, then?”

Rarity groaned.  "Let me make myself presentable, first."

"I've got that covered."  An orange and blond streak surrounded Rarity.  This time, when Rarity looked in the mirror, her fur was back to normal, but her mane and tail were done up in elaborate bouffants.  Barry laughed nervously.  "Maybe I overdid the curls a bit.  So, are you ready?"

Rarity gulped as she nodded.  She had seen enough of her lunch after the first two rides from speedsters.  Perhaps the third time would be the charm.  Gingerly, she mounted Barry's back.

Barry trotted outside before taking off, accelerating at reasonable pace.  It took some time, but after a few minutes, they were travelling much faster than the Canterlot Express.  The deceleration was equally gradual, including a few circuits of Ponyville to bleed off speed.

Rarity ignored the wolf whistles as they landed in front of Carousel Boutique.  She said, "Thank you, Barry.  You really know how to treat a lady."

"After that session with Boss Blood, the last thing you needed was a full-speed ride."

"Thank you for your concern, darling."

Rainbow Dash pulled the door open.  "What took you guys so long?  I've been waiting for ten minutes!  Ten whole minutes!  This was supposed to be a race!  I thought I was going to die of old age!"

Barry shrugged innocently as Rarity dismounted.  She said, "He conceded when he saw what shape I was in.  I think I would have had a heart attack if he had flown as fast as you."

"Besides, Rainbow, the toughest part is control, not speed," explained Barry patiently.  "That's the most important lesson you can learn."

Rarity noticed something missing.  “Oh, Barry, your suit!”

 “Oh, I forgot!  I’ll be right back!”  He was well away before his image could fade.

Just as Rarity and Rainbow Dash were about to settle down in the showroom, the Flash joined them.  Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped.  Could she really go that fast?  She'd never admit it, but Barry had managed to go to Canterlot and back in less time than it had taken her to fly from Canterlot.

In a thrice, Barry stood in front of his student, carrying his suit neatly folded on his back.  Noting the pensive look on her face, he said, "Take it easy, Rainbow.  You're doing great!  Remember, you have to crawl before you walk."

Rainbow Dash pouted.  “You're only saying that to make me happy."

“No, I mean it.  You’re progressing really fast.  In no time, you'll know everything I can teach.”

“For real?”

 “Yeah, you’ll become the fastest pegasus alive, and I’ll go back home to Central City.”

Rainbow Dash froze at the statement.  She was lost in thought for half a second, more than an hour in speedster terms.  She knew it was only a matter of time before Barry would go back to his home, but before, that time had seemed so far away.  The full weight of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks.  It wouldn't be long before it was Barry's time to leave for home.

Suddenly, Rarity interrupted her thoughts.  “As I suspected, it will take a while to replicate this material, but I think I could do something with a couple of spells.”

 “Cool!”  Barry smiled.  “If you manage to copy this suit, I’ll tell Cisco.  I’m sure he’ll love the idea of his creation being replicated with magic.”

Crystal Empire, that night: 

Steel-shod hoofbeats reverberated and echoed down the long crystal passageway as Prince Shining Armor wrapped up his nightly inspection.  Despite his new-found nobility, he insisted on having his former duties as captain of the guard transferred with him to the Crystal Empire.  He made of point of greeting every guard he passed, regardless of their duty assignment.  It warmed his heart to see that centuries in magical exile had not dampened their enthusiasm or their devotion.

This final stretch was his favorite.  It was the Hall of Heroes, where fallen greats were immortalized in stone.  The door behind him closed with a distinct click, and he smiled inwardly at the thought of his wife Cadence waiting for him in their private study.  Although she was sure to have finished her paperwork long before he arrived, she always watched patiently as the tied the red tape that was necessary to keep a bureaucracy running.

As was his habit, he came to a complete stop and saluted the guard at the door.  The guard continued staring straight ahead; a small blue dart protruded from his neck.  Shining Armor dove to his left, evading an arrow that embedded itself in the door at what had been head height.

He yelled, "Guards!" as he telekinetically yanked on the bell pull.  Muffled cries of frustration came from each end of the hallway.  A synchronize thud came from the doors as the guards tried to break their way in.

Shining Armor scanned the hallway, but the lights all went dark.  A distorted voice seemed to come from all directions.  "I mean you no harm.  We need to talk."

Shining Armor sent stun blasts in either direction of the hallway; they splattered harmlessly on the doors.

The voice continued, "Please.  Canterlot is suffering."

Cadence opened the door.  The pale blue aura of her shield was a counterpoint to the magenta of her husband's.  "What's going on?" she asked.

The voice replied, "Corruption.  Look at your door."

Cadence extended her shield and unwrapped the scroll tied to the shaft.  "I don't get it.  What are kilos?  Why would anyone bother moving things through the Yakyakistan frontier?  The train's a lot faster."

The sound of simultaneous facehooves echoed through the hallway.  Shining Armor extended his shield around Cadence.  "Maybe you should let me see that, dear."  He pored over the scroll.  "Wait a minute.  Are you trying to tell me that most of the illegal drugs in Equestria are coming through here?  How?"

A second arrow slid to a stop against Shining Armor's shield.  Again, he extended his shield and examined the attached scroll.  "This is just one of my routine requisition requests for replacement armor.  That stuff doesn't last long in extreme cold."

Cadence touched a forehoof to the wall.  The hall suddenly came alive with a soft glow.  She and her husband caught a glimpse of a blue-hooded figure just as he released another arrow.  Instinctively, Shining Armor pushed Cadence to safety.  The arrow shattered against the shield, leaving an opaque film.  Shining Armor sent the film flying down the hall and erected another shield.  When his vision had cleared, the figure was nowhere to be seen.

Cadence re-entered his shield, looking somewhat shaken.  She asked, "Do you know who is behind this?"

The Arrow's voice again seemed to come from all directions.  "There are rats in the frontier patrol.  Prince Armor, what do you do with the broken equipment, the armor that wears out?"

Frowning, Shining Armor answered, "It's sent to the foundry for recycling."

 “Where is that located?!” asked the Arrow.

 “In Canterlot!  Why?”

"Because that's how they're smuggling the drugs into Canterlot.  Who would expect a few hundred kilos of drugs hidden under a ton of scrap metal?  They're hiding their shipments in plain sight."

"How did you get this information?"

"I've interrogated dozens of drug dealers.  They all say that someone untouchable in the Crystal Empire is behind all this."

Shocked, Cadence said, "We can't go around questioning the aristocracy and the nobility.  They'd have the citizens up in arms."

The Arrow replied, "I know.  But now that we know how they're moving the drugs, you can keep them from going any further.  That'll hit them where it hurts the most, their pocketbooks.  That might flush them out into the open."

Shining Armor's frown deepened.  "What makes you so sure this will work?”

"If we act alone, they'll outmaneuver us.  If we work together, we can stop this operation for good.  Cut off the shipments, and I can take care of the rest."

The tinkle of shattered glass filled the chamber as the Arrow shot a grapnel arrow through a skylight.  As he attached an ascender rig to his bow, Cadence shouted, "Why should we trust the masked vigilante of Canterlot?  What's in it for you, Arrow?"

The Arrow sighed.  "Redemption.  Four years of Tartarus were more than enough for me to realize just how badly I failed Equestria."  With that, he activated the ascender.  A mechanical whir filled the hallway as he was whisked away.

Confused, the co-regents of the Crystal Empire looked at each other.  Cadence's eyes opened wide.  She whispered, "Blue Blood?"
> Race 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 12: Crystal clear


The monotony of white was broken by the steel gray sky. Puffs of condensation could be seen as the sentries exhaled while they marched behind the parapets behind the bulwarks of the icy fortress. Occasionally, the guards would spit, just to hear the crack as their saliva froze before it touched the ground.

This was the stark reality of the icy frontier of the Crystal Empire. This was a typical summer day; it took a practiced eye to pick out the details in the sea of white that extended for kilometers in all direction. Stones and boulders slumbered under a blanket of ice and snow. It was rumored that wendigos lurked about to eat the unwary, dumping surprise snowstorms from clear gray skies

It took a special type of pony to operate in these conditions, even with the warming enchantments built into the extreme weather equipment. The Crystal Garrison was made of such ponies, and it was no exaggeration when they claimed to be the best of the best. Even the Crown considered surviving a single tour in these conditions to be a mark of honor.

“Brrrr,” complained one of the sentries as he saw the snow clouds in the distance. “It looks like tonight is going to be colder than Blue Blood's heart.”

“I know, but look at the bright side!” said his partner. “Today we have the armor exchange!”

The first soldier replied, "That's a relief! I swear if we don't switch out the old gear, we'll turn into snowponies on patrol."

The second soldier scanned the horizon. "Hey, is that a red banner?"

His partner confirmed the observation. He trotted to a turret and pulled the bell rope. The second soldier yelled, "Assemble! Assemble! Armor exchange!"

The ten unicorn guard mares pulling the supply wagon were greeted by the entirety of the Crystal Garrison standing in formation. They unhitched themselves as the quartermaster stepped down from the driver's bench to greet his crystal counterpart. With hungry expressions, they circled around the garrison for a personal inspection. The crystal soldiers did their best to signal their interest while staying at attention.

Once the mares covered the sides and rear of the formation, the side panel fell away from the wagon, revealing a squadron of elite guards with weapons at the ready, with Prince Armor taking the lead. The guard mares stood ready with stun spells. With horn glowing, he shouted, "Nopony move a muscle! Keep your hooves on the ground. NOW!"

One by one, each member of the garrison was led away to be stripped and hobbled as camouflaged prisoner transports were brought in. Unicorns had nullifier rings put on their horns while pegasi had their wings bound. Once the garrison was secured, Shining Armor went to inspect the wagon with the scrap. Casting a scanning spell, he saw a false bottom. Bundle upon bundle was neatly wrapped and stacked within the secret compartment.

“Packaged and ready for distribution, right?” said Shining Armor with undisguised disgust. “Take them to the Crystal Dungeons for interrogation immediately! The Crystal Garrison is on restriction until further notice. Understood?”

“Sir, yes sir!” shouted the new guards Shining Armor had brought. They were all members of his former commands, ponies he trusted with his life. Somehow, Cadence hadn't been thrilled to learn about the Black Widow squadron.

The interrogation yielded what might have been considered a pyrrhic victory. They had torn the throat from the narcotics distribution network, but the Crystal Garrison had been indelibly tainted.

“Unbelievable!” said Shining, after one of the longest days of his career. “Sixty percent! Sixty percent of our best were in on the smuggling! We're going to be conducting court martials for a month! What a day!”

“And we just received a letter from my aunts via dragon fire,” said Cadence. “They want to see us tomorrow.”

Shining nodded. “Perfect, a trip to Canterlot is just what I need.”

“Was that sarcasm?”

“No, I seriously want to go to Canterlot. I need to have a word with your cousin.”

Cadence looked at him, and nodded. She wanted answers even more than her husband. What really happened on that island? And why did he reveal himself to them?

Canterlot, at the next day:

The castle's war room was the best place in Equestria for a private conversation. Located deep within the dungeon, it was completely hidden from the outside. Soundproofing on the walls swallowed conversation before it could travel further. Interlocking privacy wards thwarted all known means of eavesdropping.

The foam dragon's teeth on the walls and ceiling added an atmosphere of menace as the Princesses of Sun and Moon sat across a table from the Crystal Regents. Celestia sighed. "Let me get straight to the point. Did you get the information on the smuggling ring from him?"

There was no need to clarify. The Crystal Regents looked at their hosts with a degree of discomfort.

Luna said, "We're not accusing you of anything. We know that the Arrow has provided the Royal Guard the locations of several drug distribution centers. While he has been of great service to Equestria, he also has murdered time and time again."

Cadence sighed. “Yes, I know what the Arrow has done, both good and ill. He was the one who provided the information on the garrison.”

Shining nodded slowly. “Yes, the Guard is well aware of his interrogation methods.”

“He contacted directly with you?” asked Luna.

One more time Shining and Cadence shared a look, but in the end Cadence shook her head. “Yes and no, auntie; the information was delivered on a scroll attached to an arrow; the archer disguised his voice and hid in the shadows. He shot at us when we tried to approach him; there's been no sign of him in the Empire since."

“How long ago was that?’” asked Celestia.

“Four nights ago, that's when we started planning our operation,” said Shining.

The Canterlot princesses sighed.

Celestia said, “Thank you for your candor. Won't you join us for lunch?”

“No, sorry auntie, we only have enough time to pay my cousin a quick visit before going back to the Empire,” answered Cadence.

The Canterlot princesses nodded and then bid the Crystal Regents farewell.

Blue Blood’s mansion:

Cadence stepped back in surprise as a stranger answered the door.

“Yes?” asked an orange pegasus with blonde mane.

“Hi, we need to speak with Blue Blood,” said Princess Cadence. “My name is Cadence; I’m his cousin.”

“It’s urgent,” added Shining Armor.

Barry looked toward the stairs to the basement, where Blue Blood and Rarity were training. He winced at the sound of body meeting wall. "I'm sorry, he's indisposed."

“It’s important,” insisted Cadence.

“He left orders that he was not to be disturbed,” said Barry.

“Lives are at stake!” said Cadence,

Rainbow Dash poked her head into the doorway. “Shining Armor! Cadence! What are you doing here?” she asked happily

“What are you doing here?” asked Shining Armor genuinely surprised.

“You know, the usual, visiting my pal Barry,” said Dash.

Cadence looked at Rainbow Dash. "I'm sorry, Rainbow, he's not the one." Looking over to Barry, she said, "No offense, Berry, but I don't believe we've met. What's your connection to Blue Blood?"

"I'm his assistant. He's busy now, but I can set an appointment for you for later."

At that moment, Blue Blood walked into the hallway with mane and fur matted and a towel draped over his withers. Noting the identities of his guests, he said, “It’s okay Barry, let them in.”

“What? For real?” asked Barry in disbelief.

Blue Blood telekinetically closed the door after his guests entered.

“They know,” explained Blood.

“What?!” said Barry and Dash in unison.

“Don’t make a fuss about it,” complained Blue Blood. “Just bring us some drinks. My cousin likes ice wine, and Armor . . .”

“Smoked whiskey,” mumbled Shining, unsure how to react.

“Make it two,” said Blue Blood. “Please, Barry.”

Still confused, Barry shrugged. To the Crystal Regents' surprise, he seemed to spontaneously appear dressed in a red body suit and had the drinks on a tray balanced between his wings. As Blue Blood took the tray in his telekinesis, the speedster looked at the expressions on the guests' faces and said, "What? Haven't you heard about the fastest pegasus alive?" He looked back to the kitchen and said, 'Rainbow, are you coming?"

The cyan pegasus seemed to materialize beside the Flash. "Ready when you are." With that, the Flash disappeared in a red and gold blur. Rainbow Dash followed, leaving a multicolored streak.

Again, the two Crystal Regents were speechless and looked at Blue Blood in astonishment. Blood just took a sip of his drink. “You’ll get used to it; now, let’s get to business.”

Blue Blood levitated a newspaper with his magic:


MAJOR DRUG BUST -- CRYSTAL GARRISON IMPLICATED



Heroic intervention from Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence rooted out corruption from within the best of the best.



“Thank you; the Solar Guard took longer to learn to trust in me.”

“What happened with you on that island, Blue Blood?” asked Cadence with concern.

"Sorry, cousin, but it hurts too much to tell. It was a crucible that burned away who I was and left who I should be." Blue Blood sadly shook his head. "Now, I live only for redemption. Our aunts are immortals; they seem stuck in more innocent times. They don't seem to realize that some ponies are just beyond hope of reform."

“But here you are, protecting the innocent,” said Shining.

Blue Blood considered his words for a moment before nodding. “Yes, but I had to go through Tartarus in order to see the light. And every time I see those who have failed Equestria, I am reminded of my old self, of what I might have become.”

“And why did you reveal yourself to us?” continued Cadence.

The prince looked at the window deep in his thoughts. “Because I can’t do this on my own, not anymore. I need some support from the Crown. You two have seen how deeply this drug empire is entrenched. And without your help, I won’t be able to stop all this, not even with the Flash’s help. I can’t get help from our aunts. If I were to ask, I would certainly end up in a psychiatric hospital for the rest of my life. So, I decided to take a risk, and ask for your help. I know I’ve been a jerk most of my life, and I don’t deserve your help. But don’t do this for me, do this for Equestria.”

Cadence and Shining Armor remained silent as they pondered his words.

“Maybe you’re not a jerk anymore, Blood,” said Shining, “but you’re still a murderer!”

“I know.”

“And do you want us to help you from inside the system? To betray our aunts?” questioned Cadence.

“Lots of people does it on the daily basis. I'm not asking you to do anything to harm them. I'm asking you to help save our people.” said Blue Blood calmly.

In the end, Cadence offered him a hoof. “I’ll help you, Blue Blood, but on one condition,” said Cadence sternly. “I need you to stop killing.”

Shining Armor added, "Unless it's to save the life of another."

Blue Blood groaned, annoyed. “Always the same! Don’t worry about it; with Allen in my team, and two possible additions, I haven’t killed in a while.”

“Allen?”

“Barry, Barry Allen” explained Blue Blood.

“'Berry' I can understand. What kind of pony name is Allen?”

“You don’t want to know,” sighed Blood.

The sound of heavy hoofbeats caught their attention. A mare who had a passing resemblance to the prim and proper proprietress of Carousel Boutique dragged her way up the stairs and down the hallway. Sweat matted down every last hair, and her breathing was heavy and ragged.

“Blue Blood! How could you leave me behind like that?” she asked angrily.

Cadence hurried to help her. “What happened to you?”

Rarity glared at the prince. “This individual came, and after beat me in my self-defense classes, he tied me up and left me and in pain. He left me!”

Blue Blood looked at her indifferently. “Oh, excuse me! I was going cut you and leave you hanging upside down in chains. Stop complaining! And, if you haven’t noticed, you managed to free yourself, even after getting beaten up; that’s progress.”

Rarity froze for a little while, and then she smiled broadly. “You’re right!”

Blue Blood rolled his eyes, and turned to his guests. “This mare here is one of the possible additions to the team.”

But Cadence cared about something else. “Tell me, Blue Blood, that thing you said to Rarity, is that what happened to you on the island?”

“I think I already said I don’t want to talk about it,” said Blue Blood coldly.

Cadence gulped. After she gave her cousin a gentle hug, she and her husband said their goodbyes.

“What do you think, Shiny?” asked Cadence as they walked away from the mansion.

“He needs professional help. But, he has done a lot for Equestria. I really don’t know what to do.”

“Well, at least with Rainbow Dash and Rarity Belle at his side, he won’t kill again so easily,” said Cadence as she mused.

Shining nodded, at least the Arrow was making some progress.

Looking at them from inside his house, Blue Blood sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if I should get a new hobby.”
> Race 13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 13: Suiting up! 


My name is Rainbow Dash.  Not so long ago, I thought I was a great athlete and was proud of my speed.  But it was nothing out of the ordinary; I know that now.  After I was hit by a lighting, I could move too fast for the pony eye to detect me, but I’m far for being the fastest pegasus in the world.  That’s my friend Barry, my mentor.  The day we met, I focused on defeating him, no matter what.  But now, that changed.  Now, all I want is to show him that I’m a worthy student of the Flash -- no, of Barry Allen.

Spit Fire and the rest of the Wonderbolts were on their way to the training field, ready to start a new day of hard training.  But this time, the field was being used by two streaks of light, a red and gold one, and a multi-colored, but mostly cyan, one. The streaks cast a single faint shadow that waxed and waned in the early-morning sun.  The Wonderbolts were not surprised; this had been a common sight over the last few days.

The two speedsters stopped their training when they saw the team; it was time to turn the field over to its rightful owners.  Rainbow Dash’s mane was messier than usual, but she was smiling proudly.  The other pegasus was wearing his trademark red bodysuit with golden hooves.

“Hi guys, is six thirty already?” asked Rainbow Dash happily.  “The time flies faster than we do when you're having fun.”

Flash smiled happily and placed a wing on Rainbow Dash’s back.  “Rainbow is doing a great job.”

“That sounds great,” said Fleet Foot calmly.  “But how’s your control, Dash?  When will you be able to train with us again?”

“I’m working on it!” assured Rainbow.  “I can move at normal speeds now, but maintaining it is tough.  I really have to concentrate, or I'll accelerate without realizing it.”

“Try to not worry about it; you’ll get used to it soon,” said the scarlet speedster with a shrug.  “So, why don’t you stay and watch your team train?  Maybe it can help you.”

“Yeah, that's a great idea,” said Spit Fire.  “You can even use the background music to help you coordinate with us.”

“Sounds perfect; are you ready to join us again, Dash?” asked Soarin.

Rainbow Dash looked skeptically at her teacher.  Barry just nodded with a smile, and Rainbow turned back to her team.

“You know what?  Let’s do it!” said Dash excitedly.

“But hey!” interjected Thunder Lane. “She hasn’t practiced with us for a while.  She doesn’t even know the choreography. Just saying.”

“Well, he’s right,” said Soarin.  “But . . .”

“Don’t worry; I also learn fast,” explained Dash. … “Come on! …Just run through your new choreography once, and you’ll see.”

Thunder Lane and Fleet Foot were about to protest, but Spit Fire noticed the smirk on the Flash’s face.  She nodded.  “Okay, you heard her.  Let’s go!”

At her signal, the Wonderbolts lined up and prepared to go. Spit Fire cued the pegasus in charge of the music, who began to play the track they prepared for the occasion.  At the introduction of the electric guitar, the team took off line abreast, but when the bass made its appearance, they split into three diamond formations.  The groups to the outside performed counter-rotating partial barrel rolls. Now, the three groups formed the points of an equilateral triangle, pointing downward.

Then, when the keyboard joined in, the groups simultaneously did a third of a barrel roll, clockwise.  Once they had re-formed the triangle, everyone did three snap rolls simultaneously.  They repeated the maneuver until the original center group was back at the center.

The outside groups performed counter-rotating barrel rolls to form up with the center group.  Then, everyone returned to line abreast and performed a simultaneous landing.

“So, what now, Dash?” asked Fleet Foot.  “Think you can be Tail-End Charlie to the center group?”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “Sure!  Put that song again and re-assemble!”

The Wonderbolts smirked, and formed up with Rainbow Dash in the center of their line.  The cyan pegasus extended her wings, allowing the tiny multi-colored lightning bolts to run all over her body.  The music began, and they took off in formation.  Dash’s enhanced senses allowed her to follow her partners step by step, and with the music background setting the tempo, it was easier to coordinate her speed with the others'.

The maneuver went perfectly, and Rainbow Dash landed proudly alongside her astonished teammates.

“So, how was it?” asked Dash.

“How could you learn that by just watching us?!” said Thunder Lane.  “We took a full week just to learn the basics!”

Rainbow shrugged happily.  “What can I say?  Fast learning is one of my new-found powers.”

“Also, you’re getting more control now,” said the Flash happily. “I’ll leave you here so you can practice; I have to get to my day job.”

Wait!” called Spit Fire.  “Don’t you wanna join us too?  With your skill, you would be a great addition to the team.”

The Flash shook his head, smiling.   “Thanks, but no thanks.  Now that Rainbow is progressing, it won't be long before I can return home.  Now, if you excuse me, I really must get going.”

With that, he disappeared in a red and golden streak.  Rainbow Dash watched him leave.  Her smile slipped off her face.

“Dash, are you okay?” asked Soarin.

“Yeah.  It's just that I’ll miss him, like a lot,” sighed the cyan pegasus.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with your training, miss him all you want,” said Spit Fire with a shrug.

Rainbow nodded, and the Wonderbolts continued with their training.

Practicing the routine was routine, until the the pegasus at the PA system accidentally cut power to the stereo. Suddenly deprived of her cue, Rainbow Dash maneuvered too tightly and stalled just above ground level, bouncing into a wall.

“Dash!  Dash!  Are you okay?” asked Spit Fire, flying to the fallen athlete.

“Dang it, what just happened?” asked Rainbow, rubbing a wing that hung at an awkward angle.

“My bad!” apologized the music pony.

“How bad it is?” asked Fleet Foot, frowning.

“We’ll figure it out soon,” said Spit Fire, biting her lip.  “Medic!”

A minty-blue pegasus, with white mane and a stethoscope around his neck, came to examine Rainbow Dash.  He probed the injured wing, taking careful note of Rainbow Dash's reactions. The other Wonderbolts cringed at the cries of pain.  The medic shook his head as he encased the wing an an inflatable splint and wrapped it against her body.

“The wing is broken.  Sorry”

“This is just what we needed!” said Thunder Lane with a frown.  “She just re-started today!”

“It's no big deal!” assured Rainbow, standing when the medic finished wrapping her broken wing.  “Let’s grab a snack or three, and continue training after quesadillas.”

“Dash, you’ll need to rest at least for a week,” said the medic.  "You won't be ready to fly for at least six."

“Don’t worry; I heal fast, too.  It's one of my many powers,” replied the cyan speedster, with a smirk.

“If you say so,” said Spit Fire, sighing.  “Okay then, let’s go eat something.  But if you haven’t healed by the time we're done, you’re going home!”

Rainbow Dash simply grinned at this and nodded.  The team then went to the mess hall, where an assortment of high-protein snacks awaited, along with fresh fruits and vegetables.  As they ate, they review their performance, with Spit Fire going through the fine details with each member.

Refueled and refreshed, they returned to the training field.  Rainbow Dash smirked as she offered the side of her body to Soarin.  "Do you want to do honors?"

Soarin shrugged and gently unwound the bandages. Rainbow Dash gingerly flexed her injured wing before moving it with confidence.  It was completely healed.  It was truly unbelievable; how could an almost-fatal accident give her such a great gift?  That wasn't important; the Wonderbolts were just happy that she had fully recovered.

“It’s a shame that the guy in red wouldn’t like to join us.” said Soarin with a smile.

“Yeah, but he knows what he wants,” said Spit Fire.  “Anyway, let’s continue with our training!”

After training, Rainbow Dash took a leisurely flight back to Ponyville. As she completed her fifth hypersonic circuit around the town, she heard a familiar voice call out, “Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash homed in on the voice and landed before Rarity.  “Hey Rares, what’s up?!”

The white unicorn simply smiled mischievously.  “Well, let’s just say that I have something for you, but it is in my boutique.  Care to see it?”

“Sure!” said Dash excitedly, before disappearing in a cyan blur.

Rarity arrived to her boutique a couple of minutes later, where Rainbow Dash was tapping a forehoof impatiently on the doorstep.

“Come on Rarity! I’ve been waiting for, like ages!” complained the cyan pegasus.

“Next time, wait for me to open the business, okay?” sighed Rarity as she opened the door.  “Come on, your new suit is right here.”

Rarity guided Rainbow to her showroom, where a mannequin was dressed with the same suit Rainbow Dash saw in her dreams.  It was blue, almost the same shade as her Wonderbolt’s uniform, but a little darker.  A stylized version of Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark was emblazoned on each flank, and holes that exposed the mane, tail, and wings allowed for unfettered flight.  As a finishing touch, sky-blue goggles were perched on the head.

Rarity smiled proudly.   “Creating a material strong enough to resist Barry’s speed was a bigger challenge that I thought.  You have no idea all the trouble I got through, and all the spells I had to combine.”

“But you made it!” said Rainbow Dash excitedly.

Rarity nodded.   “And to be extra sure, Barry helped me to test the prototypes!”

“Wait!  Seriously?!”

“Uh-huh,” said Rarity with a smile.  “He really wanted you to have a quality suit; he cares a lot about you, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash sighed heavily.  “If he really cared, he wouldn’t leave”

“Rainbow, you know his friends need him at Central City,” said Rarity in a soothing tone.

“I know; just forget what I said, okay?” asked Rainbow.  “And now let’s try this new outfit!”

The multi-colored streak surrounded the mannequin, and half of a second later, Rainbow reappeared wearing her brand-new suit. “Whoa, this feels amazing, Rarity”

“So, you like it?”

Rainbow Dash grinned, and went to do a test lap around Ponyville.

“I love it!  Thank you Rares!” cheered the cyan pegasus when she returned.

“I’m glad you liked it, darling.  This is just my second time making a super-hero suit; I think there’s a market there.  And this new material is great; I even made brand-new outfits for Blue Blood and myself!” said Rarity dreamily.

“He asked you to make him a new suit?  Wait, and you said your suit?” asked Rainbow Dash in disbelief.

Rarity shrugged.  “Yes, if I’m going to join Blue Blood, I’ll make sure to do it right.  And as for him, I respected his original design, with the hoodie and all, but this version gives him more freedom of movement.  I hope he likes it.”

Rainbow chuckled.   “You really care about him, don’t you?”

“Of course, even if I can’t explain why.  But it's not what you think!” Rarity added when she saw Rainbow’s face.  “It's just that I have a feeling that if we leave him alone, he’ll start killing again, giving the Princesses no choice but lock him away.  He says he has failed Equestria, but if I don’t help him, the one who has failed Equestria would be me.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t say anything; she understood.  After all, the Cutie Map sent Rarity to the Arrow the same day it guided her to the Flash.

 Iron Gate Prison, Solitary Confinement :

The former drug lord, Street Junk, was in a constant state of paranoia.  Any sound alerted him, making him jump away each time he heard hooves approaching.  It wasn’t that he was afraid to die; he knew his sentence was settled, but why couldn't he die when they first came for him?  Damned Arrow, damned Flash.  Junk barely ate, barely slept, as he waited for his death. The boss would get him, of course; it didn’t matter that he was under custody of Celestia’s prized Guards.  But he wished they would hurry and put him out of his misery.

And then, it happened; the door opened violently, and before Junk could react, an arrow pierced his shoulder.  Junk fell, and looked up, seeing not the Arrow, not the guards who were supposed to watch him, but a threatening-looking unicorn, muscular and all covered in scars.

“What do you think?” asked the unicorn, aiming a bow with his magic.  Junk looked at the arrow, the same that the vigilante used.  “I got a bunch of these after he showed up to mess with our business again.”

Street Junk closed his eyes. “Do it quickly. Just do it.”





“So, what now?” asked the thug as he walked out of the prison to join his partner.

“Do you still have some of those arrows, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Because there’s somepony else the Arrow is going to kill.”





Blue Blood was exercising as he meditated about the current situation.  He was stuck; all he knew was that a noble from the Crystal Empire was the head of all this, but he had no more information.  It was frustrating; there had to be something he was overlooking.  Maybe if he cleared his mind by pushing his body to the limit, it would guide him to some neglected detail. What he really needed was a miracle.

Somepony knocked at the door.

“Coming!” groaned Blue Blood. Barry went shopping not so long ago, but super speed was no match for slow cashiers.

When Blue Blood opened the door, several ponies jumped over him as another bunch began to ransack his house, destroying his furniture, and leaving some papers.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Blue Blood asked calmly.

The thug in charge walked calmly, and kicked Blood on the gut.  The prince bent in pain, but didn’t say anything.  A second thug came in, and aimed an arrow to him, and, one of his arrows?  He grinned.

“So, you’re telling me that the masked vigilante is just a bunch of morons?  What do you want with me?”

The leader kicked him again as he smiled. “You don’t need to know, but the Arrow is about to kill again. You see, apparently you are the new leader of Canterlot drug dealers.”

Blue Blood grinned again; this was just the miracle that he needed.

“I have nothing to do with that,” he said, trembling in mock fear.

“I know, and you used to be a great costumer Blood, but we need a little help from the Crown to get rid of the Arrow. And there’s nothing better to make Celestia react than killing somepony close to her.”

Blue Blood nodded silently.  Not only did these ponies want to use him to harm his aunts, but also, they planned to blame him for their recent operations in Canterlot.  He laughed.

“Why don’t you tell us the joke as your last words, Blood?” said the leader.

Blue Blood grinned.  “Of course. What was it that masked fool was always saying? You have failed Equestria.”

“Huh?”

Blue Blood performed a quick backflip, escaping the two ponies holding him.  One of them tried to attack Blue from the back, but the prince knocked him out with a solid buck.  Then, the white unicorn grabbed his latest victim with his magic and used it as a living shield, blocking the arrow the leader shot at him.  Blue Blood released the injured pony, and faced the group, who went speechless.

“You have got to be kidding me . . .” mumbled the leader.

Blue Blood smirked, and made his horn glow to blind his attackers.  The leader groaned, covering his eyes, and Blue Blood took the chance to take the bow and arrows from him.  When the leader could see again, he saw the prince aiming the weapon at his head.

“Talk, if you don't want to get the point.”

A pair of unicorns charged through the door, hitting the prince with stun blasts just as their boss dropped to the floor.

As his minions moved to unpin his tail, their leader said, “We’re not going to kill this one; the boss would be pleased to have a little conversation with him.”

They kicked the unconscious Blue Blood again, and dragged him away.
> Race 14
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 14: The first song of the Canary, and the first race of The Dash


Barry returned from his grocery shopping to find the mansion in complete disarray.  Everything was broken, torn, ruined.  Arrows stuck out of walls, floors, and ceilings. The living room was strewn with papers.  It took less than a heartbeat for Barry to deduce what had happened.  This was a job for not just the Flash, but all of the Arrow's allies.

“Rainbow Dash!  Rarity!” called the Flash as he canvassed the sleepy town of Ponyville.

From her cloud house, the cyan pegasus landed in front of Carousel Boutique.

“Flash! What’s going on?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Yes, did something happen?” asked Rarity, joining them.

Flash nodded.  “I’m afraid boss Blood had been ambushed.  He needs our help.”

Rainbow Dash grinned.  “You can count me in.”

She disappeared in the multi-colored streak, and reappeared with her new speedster outfit.

“Cute suit,” said Flash approvingly.

Rarity reappeared in her new uniform.  It was a deceptively simple black body suit with a black domino mask and black buccaneer boots for the rear hooves. A telescoping bo staff was held in a holster on her left foreleg. The real disguise lay in what she did with her body. Her mane and tail were both straight and blond, while her fur was now peach-colored.

Rarity asked, “So, do you think they figured out who the Arrow is?”

“I’m not quite sure, but if we don’t hurry, all bets are off.”

Unknown location:

At first, he barely felt it, but, slowly, the headache began to annoy him.  It gradually grew in intensity until it woke him up.  Then, he noticed the other source of pain, on his back hooves. He opened his eyes and looked around. Harsh lights and exposed rafters greeted him as he looked down.  He looked around and saw stacks of crates on the ceiling. He closed his eyes for a moment and looked again.  He was in a warehouse, hanging upside down from his back-hooves, tied with a heavy chain and shackles.  He sighed, more annoyed than afraid.

“This is just great.”

Blue Blood began to swing to one side to another, gaining more height with each swing.  It was painful; the shackles were pressing his hooves, but he let the pain sharpen his focus.  Each move from his body stressed the chain a bit further until the weakest link broke.

Blue Blood rolled to break his fall.  He came to his hooves and faced the door, waiting.

As the prince expected, a bunch of thugs walked into the warehouse to see what was going on.  They looked at the prince crouching on the floor, smiling.

“Please don’t mind me.  It didn't feel right just hanging around.”

The thugs looked to each other, unsure of what to do. A commotion came from the back of the pack.  The thugs stepped aside, allowing the boss to pass. The boss looked curiously at Blue Blood, through his round, thick-framed glasses, and smiled.  The prince raised an eyebrow as he recognized this pony. Of all the nobles in the Crystal Empire, this one was the last he would have suspected.

“You know?” asked Blue Blood coldly. “I never would have guessed it was you.”

“Same here, Mr. Blood, or do you prefer Arrow?” the pony said, with his high-pitched voice as he combed his long, messy beard.  “At first, I thought my employees made a huge mistake. Seriously, her Royal Highness Cadence’s bratty cousin? But just now, you convinced me.  It takes a special pony to break that chain.”

“Well, is not the first time I've found myself in chains,” explained Blue Blood.

The boss smirked. “I can’t wait to hear all of your wildly exciting stories, Mr. Arrow, but, thanks to you, we’ve been having a lot of trouble making our deliveries into Equestria, and I’m really busy at the moment. We’ll have a ‘nice talk’ later.  I’m looking forward for it.”

Blue Blood sighed. “You’ll regret this.”

The boss chuckled. “What exactly, Mister Arrow?”

“Not killing me, now that you have the chance.”

Canterlot, Blue Blood’s mansion:

Rarity did all she could to evaluate the documents the thugs planted in Blue Blood’s home. They were fake, but they had to have some real information to be plausible.

Two gusts of air announced the arrival of the two speedsters. “Hey, did you find something?” asked the fashionista.

“Yeah, the guy Barry and Blue Blood arrested the other day, Street Junk, was killed in jail,” said Rainbow Dash, frowning. “And you won’t believe this; they found one of the Arrow’s arrows at the crime scene.”

Rarity gulped. “So, the Crown thinks the Arrow did it.”

“Exactly,” confirmed Rainbow Dash. “We must find Blood before something really bad actually happens.  Dang it, I never thought I would have to save him, of all ponies.”

“It happens; everyone needs help from time to time,” said Barry calmly.  “But first things first, we must see where the evidence leads us.”

The red and golden streak disappeared through the front door, only to reappear, two seconds later, with two portable cork boards and a small box of tacks.  He put them in the center of the living room, and began to pick through the disaster the thugs left, pinning the incriminating documents to the boards.  Once everything was posted, he organized the papers by the type of information each provided.  Then, he turned to the two confused mares.

“What?  I’m a forensic scientist.  This is child's play compared to my real job,” he said with a smile.

“Oh, I see.”  Rarity smiled.   “So, tell us, Barry, do you see something we can use?”

“Not at the moment,” said Barry as he bit his lip.   “But, now that I think about it, they may have planted evidence at his clubs as well.  Rainbow Dash, can you check it out, please?”

“Sure thing!” said Rainbow Dash, disappearing into a streak of light.  A few seconds later, she came back with a cardboard box on her back, and another portable cork board.   “Well, they were sure trying to frame Blood.  I found a lot.”

“Unbelievable!  Nopony would doubt that Blue Blood is the ringleader,” said Rarity, examining a couple of documents.  The papers were forged correspondences from Street Junk, reporting each day's transactions to Blue Blood.  “So, they want that the Crown to think that Street Junk was just Blue Blood's lackey.”

“Luckily for Blood, I got all this before anyone else could see it,” said Rainbow Dash proudly.

Flash nodded in silence as he examined all the forged papers.  “And the best part is that we finally have a solid clue,” he said as he showed the mares what he had circled on each document.   “According to this, Blood have received all the merchandise at this address.  Now, we just have to find out who owns it.”

Rarity frowned thoughtfully and then smiled.   “Easy enough, dear.  We can just go to the registrar's office and look it up.”

Barry raised an eyebrow; Rarity reminded him someone back at his world, but he didn’t say anything.  He then nodded.  “What are we waiting for, then?”

Rarity jumped onto Barry’s back. "Do be gentle, dear." With that, the group went to City Hall.

When they arrived, Rarity dismounted and said, “Leave me here; I think I would be more useful as a lookout.”

Flash and Rainbow agreed, and charged into the building at full speed.  Meanwhile, Rarity melted into the shadows, as Blue Blood had taught her.

The two speedsters entered the building through an open third-floor window, moving too fast for the alarm spells to detect them.  They quickly found the room they were looking for, but the door was locked.  Barry grinned.  “Hey Rainbow, check this out.  You’ll like this!”

Barry started to vibrate, and, to Rainbow Dash's surprise, he phased through the door. He unlocked the door from the inside.

“Whoa!  How long until I can do that?” asked Rainbow Dash, using all her self-control to avoid yelling in excitement.

“With time, Rainbow.  Everything is mostly empty space.  It's just a matter of moving your molecules to fit between those of what you're trying to move through.  Once you can feel each molecule, it's easy.”

Rainbow smiled. Between the two of them, it took only a few seconds to locate the information they wanted.

As Rarity waited for her friends, she heard a couple of guards coming to their direction.  The disguised unicorn closed her eyes; this was her first real battle.  She held her breath until she heard the two pass in front of her.  Silently, she sprang out behind them and dispatched each with a sharp blow from her bo staff.

Inside the registrar's office, the cyan pegasus called her mentor.

“Hey, Flash!”

“Did you find something?” asked the scarlet speedster.

Rainbow nodded.  “Yes, but it doesn’t make any sense.  This house is registered under the name of . . . Sunset Shimmer.”

“Do you know her?” asked Flash.

“Not so much, but a little, yes.  She’s Princess Celestia’s former student, but she's been living on the other side of the mirror for years.”

Flash scratched his head.

“The mirror?”

“Forget it; what matters is that Sunset Shimmer is living outside of Equestria, and, as far as I know, she’s not coming back any time soon.  So, who is maintaining her home?”

Flash pondered for a second.   “Does she have any living relatives?  Parents?  Siblings?”

“I have no idea. Shall we go to Vital Records?”

The two speedsters ran to the office on the next level.   Flash again phased through the door.

“You know?” he asked Rainbow Dash.   “It was easier when I could do these things legally on the job.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, as she began looking for the Shimmer family.  “You’ll return home soon, city boy.”

This time, it was easy; all they had to do was to find the last name Shimmer. Apparently, Sunset had only one living relative, a younger brother.  Once more, Rainbow couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Rainbow, what is it?” asked Flash.

“The name,” explained Dash, showing the sheet to her teacher.   “Dang it, Starlight won’t like this, won’t like this at all.”

Flash tilted his head.  “Starlight?  The one living with Twilight?” he asked.

Rainbow nodded.   “We must go to the Crystal Empire.  Right now.”

Crystal Empire:

Sun Burst, Princess Flurry Heart’s Crystallizer, and one of the newest members of Crystal Nobility, was returning home after a strangely satisfactory day.  He was looking forward to ending the night with a nice cup of tea and a good book.  But, when he returned home, he noticed something was wrong: the door was open.

“What?  Thieves?” asked Sun Burst, bursting into the room.

Once he was inside, he didn’t find thieves.  Instead, an old friend was waiting impatiently.  She was one of the Elements of Harmony, Loyalty to be more precise.

“Rainbow Dash?  What are you doing here?” asked Sun Burst.   “As much as I would love for having you as my guest tonight, entering without permission is beyond rude.”

Rainbow Dash glared at him.   “Is that so?  And what about foalnapping ponies?”

Sun Burst frowned at this, but remained calm.   “What are you talking about?”

Before Sun Burst could react, Rainbow Dash dissolved into a cyan blur, and appeared right before him, with both forehooves on the collar of his cape.  “I’m not in the mood, Sun Burst.  Where is Blue Blood?”

The light orange unicorn grinned.  “So, it was true; somehow you gained that Flash guy abilities.”

Rainbow Dash slowly cinched down the collar.  "Where is he?"

Sun Burst created a smokescreen, and teleported to the alley near his home.  As he started running he caught a blur of motion from above.  He stopped and looked up, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

“What?”

When he looked forward again, he realized a pegasus in a red bodysuit was standing before him.

“There’s no escape, Sun Burst.”

One more time, Sun Burst created a smokescreen, and again, he was planning to teleport away.  However his plans were cut short when a bo staff struck him from behind. A mare in black subdued him when he tried to get up.

“Great job dealing with him,” congratulated Rainbow Dash, appearing behind Rarity.

“It was nothing darling, we were lucky that he wasn’t expecting us,” said the unicorn in black.  She pinned his neck to the ground with her staff.  “Now, where’s Blue Blood?!”

“Hey, watch it!” said Rainbow, stopping her friend from putting her full weight on the staff.  “Are you influencing Blood, or is he influencing you?”

“Sorry, okay?  But I’m worried about him!” said the new vigilante.

Sun Burst looked over his shoulder, silently calling his thugs to deal with the group of heroes, but Flash spotted them on time, and in a fraction of a second, he left them all unconscious.

“No more tricks,” warned the scarlet speedster.  “Tell us where the Arrow is.”

Sun Burst let out a defeated sigh.   “I guess he was right.  I should have killed him when I had the chance.”





Sun Burst’s dealers were having the time of their lives.  Now that they captured the Arrow, they could have their revenge.  So long as they left him able to talk to Boss Burst, they were free to do as they please.  Try as they might, they could not get Blue Blood to make a sound.

The thugs were experts in inflicting pain. They tried every weapon in their arsenal.  Blue Blood was clearly suffering, but refused to give them any satisfaction.

“This dude is making me nervous.”

“Then, what shall we do?”

“What about . . .”

A commotion outside the warehouse caught everypony’s attention.  Blue Blood grinned.

“As I thought, this was the miracle I was expecting.”

Outside the warehouse, Sun Burst’s thugs were trying to defend themselves with magic, weapons, and even hooves.  Their assailant was simply moving too fast for them to see, let alone touch.  Each thug the cyan blur passed fell unconscious.

In the meantime, Flash and Rarity watched, enjoying the show.

“Tell me, Flash, aren’t you going to help your student?” asked the unicorn in black.

“Nope, she has to learn.  Seeing her like this proves to me that she is ready.”

Rarity nodded.   “Okay, but for me, I must go rescue Blue Blood.  Excuse me, darling.”

Flash nodded, and Rarity began walking to the warehouse door.  Some thugs tried to block her way, advancing menacingly, holding knives with their magic.  However, this time Rarity was ready.  She extended her bo staff with her magic, and prepared to fight.  However, the cyan blur disposed of them before she could even strike a single blow.

With a small shrug, Rarity advanced toward the door.  It was locked, but she broke through with a simple blast of magic to the lock.

The thugs surrounding Blue Blood suddenly turned and aimed their knives at the newcomer.  Rarity smiled, and invited them to attack her.  They ran toward Rarity, but stopped when she made her horn glow.  However, instead of going to manipulate her staff, or attacking the thugs, the blue light concentrated on Rarity’s throat.

The thugs exchanged a few confused looks, and ran toward the stranger once again.  Then, Rarity grinned, and shrieked.  It was no normal shriek; it was a powerful, ultrasonic shriek that made everypony bend in pain, Blue Blood included.

Once the thugs were incapacitated, Rarity used her bo staff to strike the nearest on the jaw, making him fall.  She bucked him, sending him into one of his partners, still incapacitated by the ultrasonic shriek.

Blue Blood had a splitting headache, but still he managed to concentrate, and he noticed that one of his enemies had dropped his hatchet.  He grabbed the weapon with his magic and smashed open the lock securing his chains.  The chains dropped just in time for him to cover his ears before Rarity's next sonic attack.

Sun Burst’s thugs again doubled over in pain.  While Rarity bucked one unconscious, another went to grab her.  To his surprise, he was spun around. Held in Blue Blood's magic, he saw the prince's grin.

“It’s my turn now,” said the prince, as he smashed the thug against the wall.  “If there’s one thing I had learn back at the island, it's patience.”

Then he grabbed another one, who was trying to slip away.  “Going somewhere, fool?”

Blue Blood simply kicked him on the face repeatedly.

“Blood, stop it!” warned him Rarity.

“This guy's been having fun with me all day; it's my turn.,” said Blue Blood coldly.

“We just dismantled their little operation; that’s enough revenge for today,” replied Rarity.

Blue Blood looked around.  He nodded calmly when he noticed none of the thugs were left standing.

“I guess you’re right.  By the way, when I told you to weaponize your screaming, I was just being sarcastic.”

Rarity giggled.  “I know, but, since I learned that spell for the Pony Tones, I thought it was a good idea.”

“Nice trick, I must admit.  But, who are you supposed to be?”

Rarity thought about it for a minute, and smiled.  “Call me, the Canary.”

Rainbow Dash entered, and smiled at Blue Blood.   “Hey, is nice to see you in once piece.”

“I am lucky by having you three at my side, I guess.”

Rainbow grinned, and disappeared in a streak of light, only to return, and surrounded Blue Blood.  When she was finished, he was dressed in his Arrow outfit again.

“Thank you, Dash,” said the Arrow with a smile.  “But, this suit feels different.  Is it new?”

“You’re welcome,” said the Canary.

Blue Blood just gave an approving nod to the newest vigilante, and took a look around.  A red and golden streak was going all over the warehouse, making sure to neutralize all the ponies, and putting all the evidence on display until the Royal Guard arrived.

The Arrow smiled, satisfied.   “Thanks to you, guys, we’ve stopped this operation once and for all.  But, where’s that moron, Sun Burst?”

“Right here!” said the Flash, coming with the bound unicorn on his back.

The Arrow bumped hooves with everypony.   “Once again, thank you.  I could never do this without you.”

The Dash winked an eye at him.   “Hey, what are friends for?”

Blue Blood raised an eyebrow, but he nodded.  “Yeah, what are friends for?”
> Race 15
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Race 15: Rainbow Dash, now you are the fastest pegasus alive



My name is Barry Allen, and I’m the fastest pegasus alive.  I have dedicated my life to fighting crime on the streets of Equestria, along with my friends:  the Arrow, the Canary, and my student, the Dash.  But before that, I was the fastest man alive, and I had been just that sort of crimefighter.  Along with my friends, Cisco and Caitlin, I protected the streets of my hometown, Central City.  All of that changed after each of my two speedster mentors betrayed me.  I was about to give up; I was about to change history so I would never lose another loved one to the madness that is the life of a superhero.  The Speed Force stopped me before I destroyed history with my selfishness.  It decided to give me another chance, and sent me to this strange world so that I could become a mentor.  In teaching another, I learned to live again.  And now, after some patience and hard work, I can feel she’s ready.  It is almost time for me to go back home and again become the fastest man alive.

In the pre-dawn darkness two familiar streaks of light flew around the Wondebolts' practice field.  Despite the excitement of the Crystal Empire raid mere hours before, Rainbow Dash was determined to keep training.  She was decided to continually improve her skills.

And for Flash, he felt truly proud of his student.  He had to thank the Speed Force for this second chance.  He had almost given up on everything that made him a true hero.  Mentoring Rainbow Dash had restored his faith. Her dedication to her training and to furthering the common good had proven to him that there were other speedsters whom he could trust.

“Excellent as always, Rainbow Dash,” congratulated Flash.  “You’ve progressed faster that I’d imagined possible.  You’re really amazing.”

Rainbow Dash blushed as she adjusted her goggles.  “Thank you Flash; it’s all thanks to you. If it weren't for your lessons, I would have really hurt myself already.  I mean, again.”

Flash giggled.  “Don’t worry about it.  Hey, what if we get the others and go somewhere tonight?  You know, to celebrate.”

Rainbow Dash smiled.  “Sure!  At one of Blood’s clubs?”

“Yeah; I get fifteen percent off since I work for boss Blood.”

"This is gonna be awesome! I haven't gotten together with all the girls in a while." Rainbow Dash's smile faded a bit. "Yeah, it sounds great, but I don't think Starlight or Twilight will be in the mood to celebrate."

Flash sighed. “I forgot about that.  Do you think they've seen the headlines already?”

“I don’t know, but it would be a good idea to check it out.  So, are we done for today?”

“Yes, at least for morning training.  See you later, Rainbow!” said Flash, extending his wings, and disappearing in a streak of light.

Rainbow Dash watched him leaving, and sighed.  There was something important she had to do, and nopony would be happy about it. Especially Starlight.

Extending her wings, Rainbow headed to Twilight’s castle, arriving in less than a heartbeat.  She stood outside the service entrance and sighed.  Steeling her nerves, she knocked on the door.

The door swung open.  “Oh, good morning, Rainbow Dash.  What are you doing here so early?” greeted Spike, with his usual cheerfulness.

Rainbow Dash smiled sadly.  “Morning, Spike, I came to see Starlight.  I’m a little worried about her, and I thought she could use a friend.  Is she home?”

Spike scratched his head confusedly. “Yes. We're all about to have breakfast, but why are you worried about her?”

Rainbow frowned; so, the kid didn’t know yet.

“Anyway.” said the dragon with a shrug. “Why don't you join us for breakfast?  I made my famous ruby and hay pancakes.”

Rainbow’s stomach growled, damned speedster metabolism.  Despite her hunger, she shook her head sadly.  “Not today Spike.  Today is a bad idea.”

The dragon shrugged again, and guided the guest to the breakfast nook, where Starlight was already pouring coffee into the cups.

“Oh, good morning Rainbow Dash.  What brings you here so early?” asked the pink unicorn.

Rainbow frowned.  “Hi, Starlight.  I . . . I, you know, I came to see if you needed something, you know, support or something?”

“Support?  For what?” asked Starlight, raising an eyebrow.

“So, you haven’t see the newspaper?” asked Rainbow Dash worriedly.

“Not yet; I usually read it while having breakfast.  Why?”

Spike read the headlines as he retrieved the paper. Hastily, he tucked in under his arm. "Starlight, you might want to sit down."

"What is it, Spike?"

"You don't want to know."

Exasperated, Starlight grabbed the paper with her telekinesis.  She gulped when she read the banner headline.


LARGE-SCALE DRUG OPERATION FALLS.  COURT MAGICIAN SUN BURST FOUND GUILTY OF DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER, CONSPIRACY, AND TREASON


“I’m sorry, Starlight,” mumbled Rainbow Dash.

Under the headline was a full-page photograph showing all of the capture drug runners, hobbled. Sun Burst was front and center, glaring daggers at the camera.

“No, it can’t be!  IT CAN’T!” cried Starlight.  “Somepony must have framed Sun Burst!  He would never do something like this!”

Rainbow shook her head sadly as she placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Starlight, but I was there when he confessed.  He was behind the whole operation.”

Starlight glared at Rainbow.  “What you mean, you were there?”

Spike opened the newspaper and read out loud.

“The Crystal Guard credited exposure and capture of the drug ring and its ringleader to the Arrow, a masked vigilante from Canterlot. On condition of anonymity, an inside source has reported that the Arrow was assisted by two super-fast pegasi, identified as the 'Flash' and the 'Dash', as well as another pony identified as the 'Canary'."

Starlight looked at Rainbow, with sparks coming from her horn.  “So, this is YOUR fault, right Rainbow Dash?”

The cyan pegasus was about to answer, when she dodged a magic blast from Starlight's horn. A hole opened where it struck a sideboard.

“Starlight, try to understand; what Sun Burst was doing was wrong!”

Starlight shot two more magic beams at Rainbow Dash, who dodged them without effort. The sideboard gained two more holes.

“STAY STILL!  YOU AND THE DAMNED ARROW WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY FRIEND!!”

Starlight continued shooting at the pegasus, who continued to dodge effortlessly. The front of the sideboard began to resemble Swiss cheese.

“Starlight, please!  Calm down!” begged Spike, hugging his friend in order to stop her.  The pink unicorn was too angry to listen to reason; she was determined to keep shooting until she hit Rainbow Dash.

Twilight ran downstairs to see the cause of the commotion.

“Starlight!  Rainbow Dash!  Stop this already!” cried the Princess.

Starlight was blinded by her rage.  Nothing mattered, except stopping Rainbow Dash.  As the sideboard caught fire, the cyan speedster decided to end the stalemate.  Starlight was suddenly blinded by a bucket of ice cold water.  The unicorn blasted the bucket into the ceiling. She blinked when she saw Spike, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash looking at her from the other side of a magenta force field.

Calmly, Rainbow Dash said, “Starlight, I know he is your friend, and this whole thing has to be shocking for you, but all the evidence against him is solid.  And, again, I was there.  You have no idea what your friend has done.”

“YOU’RE LYING!” shouted Starlight. “SUN BURST WOULD NEVER HURT A FLY!”

“I don't know about flies, but he poisoned a lot of ponies, and he ordered the murders of many others,” said Rainbow Dash.  “He tried to frame the Arrow for some of those murders.”

“AND HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WAS ACTUALLY THE ARROW, HUH?”

Rainbow Dash sighed.   “Believe me, I know the Arrow.  I know what he's done, and I know what he hasn’t.”

Twilight was about to ask what was going on when Spike gave her the newspaper.  Twilight began to read it, and gasped.

“Is this some kind of joke?” asked the lavender alicorn.  “Sun Burst, a drug lord?  But this makes no sense!!”

“Twilight, we caught him in the act,” explained Rainbow Dash.  “Money can make ponies do strange things.  Once you have the motive, everything starts to make sense.  He had the means, a direct connection to the Crown and direct access to the frontier patrol.  I got to look through his notes.  He was converting Yakyakistanian ceremonial drugs into something new and highly addictive.  He built his empire on that poison.  I’m sorry girls, but he wasn’t the pony we thought he was.”

Spike frowned as he continued reading the article.  “And, I’m afraid Shining Armor totally supports this operation.  He even thanked the Arrow for helping him clear his Empire of involvement in this mess.”

“But this can’t be!!” exclaimed Twilight.

“No, it can’t, right?” asked Starlight, shaking herself dry.  “This is nothing but a sick joke!!”

Twilight sighed.  “Sorry, Starlight, but if what Rainbow says is true, I cannot close my eyes to the evidence.  What I really can’t understand is why you joined forces with the Arrow, Dash?”

“Barry is on his side, and I want to be like Barry.”

“But, as an outlaw vigilante?  The Arrow is a very dangerous pony, Rainbow Dash!”

“I know, but I know how to take care of myself,” explained Dash, “especially now that I have super speed.  Also, thanks to Barry, and Canary, the Arrow has stopped killing.  He’s a new pony now.  Besides, we stopped the largest drug operation in Equestrian history.”

Starlight just glared at Rainbow, and the speedster prepared in case she tried to attack her again, despite the force field that was still in place.

Twilight just frowned.  “Rainbow, I don’t like where this is going.  You must hand him over to the Crown.”

Rainbow lowered her head, ashamed. “Twilight, I’m sorry.  You're my dearest friend.  I know you are a Princess and all, but first and foremost, I’m the Element of Loyalty, and I won’t betray a friend.”

“Oh, yeah?!  What about me!  You have betrayed me, Rainbow Dash!” cried Starlight.

“This is different, Starlight,” said Rainbow Dash sighing.  “I had to do what was best for Equestria.  Besides, that’s why I came, to tell you the truth about what happened last night.  Do you think I liked to find out that our friend was a drug lord?  Do you think I would do something like this without a good reason?  Do you think I enjoy hurting a friend?”

Starlight's posture slumped as she realized what Rainbow Dash was trying to tell her.  Heavy tears dropped from the unicorn's eyes.  Twilight signaled her understanding, but still shook her head worriedly.

“Rainbow Dash, I know you don’t want to betray your friend the vigilante, but, if you refuse to talk, I will have to use my authority as a Princess and . . .”

Rainbow allowed the tiny lightning bolts to run all over her body, and disappeared in a streak of light.  Twilight sighed again; this outcome was hardly unexpected.

“I’m so sorry Starlight, but Sun Burst is in a lot of trouble.  I’ll do what I can to get you an appointment to talk to him.”

“And what about Rainbow Dash?”

“She did the right thing by telling you, but to be honest with you, I’m starting to question her choice of acquaintances.  We’ll have to discuss this with the rest of the girls.”

Starlight nodded, and sobbed.

In the meantime, Rainbow Dash tried to clear her mind by flying around and inviting the rest of the girls for her little reunion at the Verdant.  Of course, they all agreed, with Pinkie being the most enthusiastic about it.  It was going to be nice to have some time to hang out with the others, especially since Rainbow barely had time to hang out with her other friends since she started her training with the Flash, with the obvious exception of Rarity.

Crystal Palace:

Princesses Celestia and Luna had been trying to reason with Cadence and Shining for four hours, but the two were adamant.  They wouldn’t let them question Sun Burst or any of his dealers.

“But niece, be reasonable.  They may have some vital information for us.  Why don’t you let us talk to them?” asked Celestia.

“Auntie, Sun Burst and his gang have committed high crimes against the Empire, and we have the right to process them here, in the Empire.”

“Yes, that is only reasonable,” agreed Luna.   “However, why don’t let us question them about their operations in Canterlot?”

“We've already sent you all the documentation detailing their operations in Canterlot. That, plus the information from our interrogations should be more than enough!” said Shining.  “Besides, you have custody of all the ponies in Canterlot who are involved.”

Celestia frowned.  “Captain Armor, you know all too well what we’re looking for.  They may have some valuable information about the vigilante.”

“No sister, considering what’s going on, I’m pretty sure that they have it.  Am I wrong, Princess Cadence?  Captain Armor?”

Neither of the co-regents knew how to answer that.  They wanted to protect Blue Blood, of course, but if they couldn’t risk the sake of their family just for him.

After much deliberation, Cadence decided to speak with the truth.

“Yes aunties, we do have information about the Arrow.  But you must understand, we got the information about this drug ring from him.  We managed to stop this drug smuggling operation because of him.  We owe him a debt of gratitude, and the least we can do to return the favor is to protect his anonymity.  Sorry, but I can’t think of another way to honor the friend who took the effort to help us and asked nothing in exchange.”

The elder princesses nodded, signaling their reluctant agreement.

“Do you realize you’re protecting a murderer?” asked Luna.

“Are you choosing a masked criminal over your own family?” questioned Celestia.

“I’m sorry, but it’s a matter of honor,” explained Shining.

“And, Sun Burst is also a murderer,” said Cadence.  “Unlike the Arrow, Sun Burst killed for his own benefit, not for that of Equestria.”

“Cadence . . .”

“It is our last word, aunties.”

The two Princesses left in silence, but, obviously, their relationship with their niece would never be the same.

“What do you think, sister?”

“I can understand Cadence and Shining Armor.  I don’t want to sacrifice the good relationship we have because of this.  Thankfully, there’s another pony we can question about his identity.”

Luna frowned.  “I don’t like this, you know how much he has sacrificed.”

“That’s why we’re going to ask him nicely.  The last thing I want to do is to hurt Barry Allen again,” said Celestia grimly.

Blue Blood’s club, Verdant:

Except for Twilight and Starlight, the entire group of Harmony had reunited in the club.  As with Rarity's last visit, Blue Blood reserved the VIP area just for them.  And, to everypony's surprise, Barry had convinced Blood to join them, even if he didn’t take part in the conversation.

“I’m glad you could make it girls,” said Rainbow happily. "You, too, Spike." The dragon snored from the corner.

Applejack chuckled as she took a sip from her appletini. “Well, Ah’m glad ya’ decided to spend some time with yer’ old friends, Rainbow.

“Yeah, I’m sorry I haven’t had the time to hang out with you guys,” sighed Rainbow Dash.  “But, this whole Speed Force thing is a life changer.”

They all nodded in agreement.

“Ironically, now that you move faster than before, you barely have time to share with us.  Have you noticed that, darling?” joked Rarity.

“You know?  You’re right!” said Rainbow Dash, laughing.

The group continued partying for a while when suddenly, Rainbow Dash noticed something was wrong.  At her third glass of hard cider, she realized something crucial.

“That’s odd,” mumbled the cyan pegasus.

“What is it, Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy.

Rainbow emptied the glass, and served herself a little more.

“Easy Dashie!” warned her Pinkie Pie.  “You know how you get when you drink too much.”

“Believe it or not, Pinkie, I’m not even a little tipsy!” said Dash.

She emptied the glass again, and then she refilled it.

Barry just laughed uncomfortably at this.

“Ehem, I’m sorry Dash.  Accelerated metabolism, remember?”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped.   “What?!  I can’t get drunk?”

“Yeah, but it's no big deal.  I mean, it won’t kill you,” said Barry with a shrug.

Rainbow groaned in annoyance, but in the end, she smirked.

“Okay, whatever.”

They continued partying without further incident.  However, Blue Blood was sitting by himself, uncomfortably.  Rarity tried to draw him into the conversation.

“Oh, by the way!  Do you know that Blue Blood is thinking in opening new clubs in the Crystal Empire and Manehattan?”

“My goal is to open some in all other nations,” said Blue.

That broke the ice.  The group soon started to ask about his clubs, and how did he get involved in the business.  He explained how he transformed a couple of storehouse owned by his grandpa into the hottest club of Canterlot.

In the end, everypony was having fun together, including Blue Blood.

Finally, Rainbow Dash turned to Barry and smiled at him

“Hey, thank you,” she said softly.  “Thank you for everything, Barry.”

Barry smiled back.  “No, thanks to you Rainbow Dash, I know there are speedster whom I can trust.  I regained my faith because of you, Rainbow.”

Rainbow shook her head.  “No, Barry, first you became my motivation to get faster, even if I only wanted to defeat you.  Now that I know you, you are my motivation to always become a better pony.”

Then, she blushed.

“The thing is, Barry, that, that . . . well, thank you.  You have taught me so much, and I . . .”

And then, to everypony’s surprise, except for Rarity, Rainbow approached to kiss Barry, but the Flash moved backwards at great speed.

“Barry?” asked Rainbow, hurt.

Barry smiled sadly.   “I’m sorry Rainbow, but I can’t.”

“But, but!  But, I’m a speedster!  I’m the right choice! Teacher and student, doesn’t that sound . . . well, romantic?”

Flash sighed.

“No Rainbow.  I’m sorry.  You know Iris is waiting in Central City.”

The cyan pegasus nodded slowly.   “No, I’m sorry Barry.  I was being selfish.  Iris is a lucky girl.”

Barry smiled, and hugged Rainbow.  “You are one of my best friends, Rainbow Dash, and, also, my very first student.  Nothing will change that.  But, do you know why I’m throwing this party?”

“Because everything went fine last night?” asked Rainbow, gulping.

“Well, yes, but mostly because you are ready.  I trust you to move on your own, and, knowing you, you’ll achieve great things.”

The rest of the girls had approached, ready to comfort Rainbow Dash, but didn’t say anything yet, knowing it was a private moment between teacher and student.

“Barry, don’t go! I need you here!” cried Rainbow Dash.

“No, not anymore, Rainbow Dash.”  Barry smiled.  “I am proud of what you’ve done in so little time, but if I stay, you won’t be able to grow as a speedster.  You need to face your own challenges, learn your own techniques and such!”

Rainbow nodded.  “I’ll try.”

“Trust in yourself, since I trust in you.”

Rainbow Dash began to cry, and hugged her teacher, who returned the hug and gave a small nod to the rest of the gang.  The girls were holding back their own tears.  Barry then released Dash, and hugged the girls one by one, at super speed.

“Thank you for everything!” said Dash.

Then, Blue Blood bumped hooves with him.

“Hey, say 'hi' to Oliver Queen for me.”

“Sure thing, boss Blood!  Tell the Arrow to take care of my student.”

Blood nodded.   “I promise.”

Barry looked at the group one more time, and waved a hoof at them.  They returned the gesture, and then, he disappeared in a streak of light.  He stopped by Blue Blood’s mansion to recover his suit, and then, he ran away.

Like the last time, the world around Barry turned into a blur, and he finally disappeared.  The Flash left Equestria.

S.T.A.R. Labs:

Cisco Ramón, Caitlin Snow, Joe and Iris West, were killing time in silence, as they had been doing since Barry left, but only one person remained optimistic, and that was Iris.  She knew Barry only needed a little break.  When he was ready, he would go back to her.

Suddenly, the whole labs began to vibrate at great speed, and soon enough, a figure in a red suit materialized before them.  They all were speechless, looking at the young man in the red suit, who only opened his arms.

“Hey guys, I’m back!” the scarlet speedster said, smiling.

They all went to embrace him.

His adoptive father, Joe West, slowly stood.  “Barry?  Is that really you?”

Barry smiled shyly.   “Hi Joe, sorry I’ve worried you.”

The cop hugged his son.   “Oh Barry!”

“Man!  Where were you?” asked Cisco.

“Yes, we were worried sick!” added Caitlin, slightly annoyed.

“Huh guys, you wouldn’t believe it if I tell you.” said Barry with a shrug. As he pulled down his cowl, a single cyan feather and a single orange feather fluttered down.

Only one person hadn’t joined the group hug, a young woman in a beige suit.

“Iris, I’m back.”

She smiled.

“I knew you would be, Barry.”

The two of them kissed passionately.

“I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, but now we’re together.  That’s all that matters.”

“Forever.”
> Race 16
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 16: Sonic Rainboom!


Fluttershy was flying, slowly and sadly, going back home from her job at the cloud factory, alongside her brother.  The never-ending night mirrored her mood.  The siblings were grateful that their father had gotten them the job, but neither Zephyr nor Fluttershy took any joy in it.  They were more than qualified, and the money was decent, but nothing could ease the overwhelming feeling of wrongness they felt every time they set hoof within.  It was as though destiny were calling -- elsewhere.

The coronation of Queen Nightmare Mood had marked the end of happiness.  There was no joy to be found in night eternal.  It mattered not where she went; depression followed with the tenacity of a pit bull.

A sickeningly familiar voice called, “Hey, it’s Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy, as always, held her tears.  As they had done every night since the queen's coronation, her childhood bullies had come to torment her.

“Fluttershy, Fluttershy!  Fluttershy can’t really fly!”

Fluttershy hurried to her home in order to escape.  It was always the same chant, and no matter how many times she heard it, still hurt.  This night, as she had on more than she cared to remember, she wept in her solitary apartment, alone, unloved.  Such was her life.

This time, something different happened.  A very familiar voice came out of nowhere, and called the bullies.

“Hey you!  How many times do I have to tell you?!  Leave my friend alone!”

One by one, the bullies turned around.  Rainbow Dash?  They haven’t seen her since the emissaries from the new queen came to recruit all the strong pegasi.  Nopony thought they would see her again, especially after they heard the rumors about how she killed the dark alicorn.  They didn’t believe the story; in fact, they though it was Nightmare Moon who had killed Rainbow Dash.  Now that they saw the pegasus in question, their faith wavered.

“Ehem, hi Rainbow Dash,” said Hoops with a smile.  “This . . . this is not what it seems!”

“So, you weren’t upsetting my friend?” asked the Reverse Dash, with a devilish grin.

“No, this is just fun between old friends, right Fluttershy?” asked the bully, looking at the crying pegasus.

Before Fluttershy could say a word, a multi-colored streak of light surrounded him, and before anypony could respond, he was lying dead, in front of his friends.  The Speed Queen’s grin grew wider.

“Now is time for you to escape, right?” mocked the speedster.

The bullies flew away as fast as they could in opposite directions.  Reverse Dash yawned, and counted:  one second, two seconds, three, four, five.

“READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!”

Fluttershy cried in fear as she watched the streak of light surround the two pegasi.  The yellow pegasus covered her eyes, but she still heard the screams of fear and pain from the two bullies.  Finally, Fluttershy felt a gust of air right behind her, followed by a kind voice.

“Hey, are you okay, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy turned to see her friend.  “What happened to you, Rainbow Dash?  What did Nightmare do to you?!”

Reverse Dash’s eyes sparkled in anger, but the Speed Queen managed to control herself for her friend’s sake.  “Well, let’s just say that when she tried to kill me, she gave me these amazing powers.  I just had to return the favor, except for the powers part.  An experience like this can mark you for life, turning you into the reverse of your former self.”

The Speed Queen cackled evilly.  Fluttershy shrank in fear, making Reverse Dash to stop.

“What are you doing here, Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy weakly.

Reverse shrugged.  “Well, now that I've consolidated my Kingdom, it's time for me to lay these rumors to rest.  I’ve erased all the alicorns from existence, and Equestria now belongs to the Speed Queen.  Still, I need someone I can trust.  I need my best friend by my side.  I know how hard it’s been for you, Fluttershy.  We can go back to how we used to be, partners, best friends, forever and ever.  What do you say?  Want to come to live with me, away from the life you hate, in my new castle?  It's the least I can do for you, the only one who always stood with me, before Nightmare Moon tore us apart.”

Reverse’s tone was kind.  Right now, the Reverse Dash sounded almost like the Rainbow Dash Fluttershy remembered.  Fluttershy was no fool, though; she knew that her friend turned into something truly dangerous.  She knew if she upset the Speed Queen, she would share the bullies' fate.

“I would love to, Rainbow Dash!  Oh, I have so much to tell you, old friend!” said Fluttershy with a fake smile.

“Same here, Flutters, same here.”

Fluttershy was uneasy at her front-row seat to history in the making.  True to her word, she stayed at the Speed Queen's side, offering comfort and support as Reverse Dash conducted her victory tour of Equestria.





Official reports of Nightmare Moon's defeat had initially been met with cheers.  However, the lingering darkness quashed any hope that Celestia had returned triumphant.  Rumors of a murderous, super-fast pegasus spread like wildfire.

Ponies came to Canterlot from all corners of Equestria in response to the summons.  The entire city was decked out for a party.  At the appointed hour, a grand military review began.  Legions of soldiers marched in formation, displaying their gloss black armor emblazoned with a cyan lightning bolt.  The motif was present on barding, helmets and shields.  The crowd could not help but wonder: whose symbol was that?

The answer came when a golden sky chariot appeared, pulled by six pegasi.  The sun and moon emblems had been forcibly removed.  A gasp rose from the crowd when they saw the remains of Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon within.  Above it all was a cyan pegasus in a black body suit, wearing magenta goggles.  They were sickened as the horrendous sight, and the sadistic smile of the pegasus.

Triumphant, Reverse Dash alighted on a tall platform, especially built for the event, and spread her wings, using them as a sounding board.

“ATTENTION, EVERYPONY!  I AM THE ONE WHO KILLED THE MIGHTY ALICORNS!  THIS IS A NEW ERA FOR US PONIES, THE ERA OF THE SPEED QUEEN!”

The crowd began to mumble among themselves, terrified of this pony.

But there were also brave ponies who tried to confront the pegasus.

“Celestia brought us the sun, what will you do for us?” asked a unicorn.

Reverse’s ears twitched slightly, and she disappeared in a streak of light.  Before the horrified crowd, the unicorn lay dead at the evil speedster’s hooves, back at the platform.

“Anypony else?”

Nopony dared to say anything.  The Reverse Dash grinned.

“That’s what I thought, but, hey, WEREN’T YOU PARTYING?!”

The crowd half-heartedly resumed their party to please the psychopathic new Queen.  Reverse smiled, satisfied, and turned to her soldiers.

“You continue parading those poor excuses for ponies,” said the speedster, kicking the remaining of both alicorns.  “I’m going back home.  You guys are too slow for me!”

The soldiers saluted their Queen, and she flew back her new Castle, where Fluttershy was waiting for her.

“Hi Flutters, are you finished unpacking?” asked the pegasus, kindly.

“Ahem, yes Rainbow Dash.  How was your parade?”

“Too slow for my taste.”  Reverse shrugged.  “But, the message is already delivered, and I even got to give a demonstration what happens to those who dare to defy me.”

Fluttershy shivered, and shrank in fear.  Reverse's expression softened as she gave Fluttershy a kind smile.

“Sorry, sometimes I forgot you don’t like this new side of me.”

“What happened to you, Rainbow Dash?” cried Fluttershy.

Reverse Dash sighed.  “Well, as I said, after Nightmare tried to kill me, I’ve become the reverse of my former self.  All my problems started when that stupid alicorn came, brought us the eternal night, and forced me to join her army.  Am I forgetting something?  Oh, yeah, when she fired me, she threw me out like a piece of garbage and tried to kill me.  I've hated alicorns since then.”

“But why?” asked Fluttershy.  "Why would she do such a thing?"

“I made one little mistake, and the Nightmare decided she'd had enough of me.  She fried me with lightning, throwing me into a shelf full of potions.  She left me to die alone."

Fluttershy sobbed.

“I’m so sorry Rainbow Dash!  If only, I was a better flyer, she would have recruited me as well, and we could have taken her on together!  But now, you’re just . . .”

Rainbow Dash hugged her friend.  “No, don’t blame yourself.  We’re together now, and I won’t allow anything to get in the way of our friendship, not my resentment, not my new powers.  Whatever happens, I will be the same for you, Fluttershy.  I failed you the day I allowed the alicorn to take us apart, but now that I have the power, I swear, in the name of the deceased Celestia, we'll be together forever.”

That made Fluttershy shiver again, and Reverse mentally kicked herself.  Regardless, now that her best friend was with her, Reverse felt that she could do anything.

Fluttershy was thankful that a little of the old Rainbow Dash still remained.  The yellow pegasus changed the subject, trying to reach what was left of her old friend.

“Rainbow, now that you're this fast, I’m sure you would achieve great things, right?  Like the Sonic Rainboom?”

Reverse Dash giggled.   “Yeah, when we were kids I always said I would do that one day.”

Fluttershy nodded.  “But we both know that’s impossible, right?”

Reverse remained silent, as she considered her alternatives.  A millisecond later, she shrugged.

“Oh, the good old times.  Now that we're together again, we can make tons of new memories together.”

The two of them reminisced on their days as Junior Speedsters.  Rainbow Dash had always hated bullies, and Fluttershy had often found herself to be an easy target.  Rainbow Dash was quick to protect weak, even if it got her into trouble.  She made her point; nopony messed with her friends.  How then, could she become the very thing she hated?

“So, remember the day you almost raced for my honor?” asked Fluttershy.

“Yes, we were about to solve things the good old way, but a grownup prevented that we end up fighting.”  Reverse Dash sighed.  “That day was pretty confusing, but what I do remember, is that I wanted to try an actual Sonic Rainboom.”

Fluttershy nodded as Reverse grinned.

“What is it?” asked Fluttershy.

“I’m gonna do it!  For the good times, I’ll try again.  Maybe all that stuff of about the Sonic Rainboom is just a myth, but it'll be fun to try.  Since I’m the Speed Queen, maybe I can do it.”

Fluttershy smiled, and nodded shyly.

“I would like to see it!”

“Then let’s go!  It sounds like fun!”

The two pegasi moved to the roof.  Lately, Reverse Dash was impatient, and pressed her new staff to move as fast as they could, even though they had no hope of keeping up with a speedster.  Still, she had a soft spot in her heart for Fluttershy, her dearest and only friend, and Reverse would do anything to keep her.  Not even Nightmare Moon, who turned her into a super-fast murderer, would change that.

“We’re here.  Are you ready?”  asked Reverse.

“Sure!  Whenever you want, Rainbow Dash,” said the yellow pegasus shyly.

The Reverse Dash smiled at her friend, and extended her wings, allowing tiny multi-colored lightning bolts to run all over her body.  Fluttershy smiled, relieved to see Rainbow Dash like that.  The more of her former self was there, the more relaxed Fluttershy felt.  And, like in the old times, she began to cheer for her friend.

Reverse turned into a streak of light, allowing the wind to run around her, and enjoying how the world around her began to move in slow motion.  Part of her newfound powers were to instantly adjust her perceptions to her new speed.

Then, Rainbow Dash moved faster than she had thought possible.  She felt herself slipping past the sound barrier, refracting the light around her in multi-colored waves.  SHE HAD MADE IT!

The Reverse Dash slowed down, realizing she was over Canterlot.  Moving at such speed, it was only logical to find herself into a place like that without noticing.  Something was . . . off.  Why was the sun still in the sky?  Okay, it was true that she hired a very smart unicorn to research the old spell the unicorns used to raise the sun during the pre-alicorn-era, but she couldn’t figure the spell that fast, right?

And there it was, Celestia’s old Palace.  Odd, the first thing that Nightmare did when she banished Celestia to the moon, was to destroy it all by herself.

“What’s going on?”

The Reverse Dash hid behind a cloud, and watched the palace carefully.  It seemed like there was some activity there.  Why?

It was when a blue alicorn, with a mane just like Nightmare’s walked onto a balcony, followed by . . . Celestia?

“What in Tartarus is going on in here?”

At the balcony, Princess Luna examined the sky.

“Sister, is something wrong?” asked Celestia.

“No, I just . . . nothing, I felt somepony staring at me.  I must be imagining things.”

“Well, tea is ready.  Care to join me, sister?”

“Sure! Dibs on the scones!”

The two retired, much to Reverse’s confusion.

“I think I’ve seen enough.”

The Reverse Dash extended her wings, and disappeared into a streak of light, trying to perform the Rainboom again.  She had to concentrate in order to get her maximum speed, but seeing the dead Princesses back on fours had shocked her.  Still, she managed to do it; the world around her turned into a blur again.

When she slowed down, she was back at her palace, standing above everything, in the middle of the eternal night.

“Rainbow Dash!” called Fluttershy.  “What happened?”

“I can’t really tell.  What did you see, Fluttershy?” asked the Reverse Dash.

“I don’t know, you accelerated so fast, and disappeared into a . . . I guess that was a Sonic Rainboom but I’m not quite sure; there was a small ring of rainbow light, but no sound.  But, I thought I had lost you!  Where were you?”

Reverse Dash looked at the sky and grinned.

“I have no idea.  Another world?  Another time?  I can’t really tell, but now I know, that my playground has expanded. Things just got twenty percent cooler."  Reverse Dash cackled evilly.
> Race 17
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 17: My name is Rainbow Dash, and I’m the Element of Loyalty


Since reaching the age of majority, Blue Blood had been a night owl.  In his days as a bona fide bon vivant, he would party into the wee hours of the morning.  He thought nothing of rising at 11 o'clock and having breakfast when normal ponies would be enjoying an early lunch.  Now that his nights had taken on a more serious tenor, he valued his sleep even more.

Groggily, he arose to the repeated, melodic chime of his doorbell.  With much irritation, he noted that he should have another two hours in bed as he used his telekinesis to run a comb through his mane and tail.  He pulled on a simple housecoat and called out.

“Dang it, I’m coming!”

The doorbell continued cycling until Blood opened the door, revealing a complete squad of Solar Guards in front of his door.

“What’s going on?  Isn't it too early to sell tickets to the Celestial Ball?” asked the prince.

The soldiers stood, stone-faced.

In a serious tone, the prince asked, "Am I under arrest?"

The soldiers slowly moved apart, clearing a path for Princess Celestia.

“No, nephew, but if you try to shield your employee, I’m afraid you’ll have to spend your day in the dungeons,” explained the Princess of the Sun.  “Now, where’s Barry Allen?  We have a few questions for him about the Arrow."

Blue Blood frowned.  “I don’t know, auntie.  Maybe at S.T.A.R. Labs, or back at Central City police station?  Or most likely, at Iris West’s home.  I’m sorry; he left last night.”

Celestia sighed patiently.  It was good to see her nephew risking everything he had for a friend, but right now she had higher priorities.  She nodded to the soldiers.  A burly earth pony hobbled the prince while an equally muscular unicorn slammed a magic suppressor on the prince's horn.  Blue Blood rolled his eyes.  There was nothing to be gained in fighting.

“I have witnesses,” the prince explained calmly.

One of the guards smirked and mocked Blue Blood.  “Yeah, right.  Who?  The same bunch of jerks who always cover for you?”

Blue Blood gave a forced laugh.  “I don't think the Element Bearers would appreciate you calling them that.  Go ahead, ask them.  Rarity Belle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkemena Pie, Rainbow Dash, Spike the Dragon.  They were all there when he left.”

“Likely story; since when were you close to them?” asked another soldier.

I’m not.  Allen is,” explained Blood.  “He organized a farewell-party at the Verdant, and he invited all his friends -- the Element Bearers and me.  And, in the end, Allen told Dash that she would have to continue on her own.  Ask any of them; they'll tell you.”

The guards looked to Celestia, who nodded.  They took Blue Blood into custody and frog-marched him through the streets of Canterlot to the dungeons.  Celestia frowned as she watched them leave; much as she wanted to believe her nephew, she had to perform due diligence.

Blue Blood did not resist as he was shoved into the tiny windowless cell.  As the door was slammed shut, shutting off the light, he gathered the straw strewn on the floor into a pile and went to sleep.  With any luck, he would make up for lost time before his aunt confirmed his story.

It seemed as though he had barely drifted off when the door opened.  Celestia stood tall, framed by the light.

“It seems that what you said was true.  Barry Allen has left Equestria,” said the white alicorn.

Blue Blood yawned.  “Oh, right.  I'm sorry that the masked vigilante is still causing you problems.”

Celestia nodded.  “What do you know about this, nephew?  Barry Allen was your employee, and, more importantly, your friend.  What do you know about his nightly activities?”

“Nothing.  He said that having to tolerate me the whole day was more than enough, so I gave him his space.  Besides, the less you know, the better off you'll be.”

Celestia’s eye twitched.

“You haven’t change a bit, have you?  We have a delicate situation on our hooves, and all you care about is you.  I thought being trapped for four years on that island would have straightened you out, at least a little.”

“I did change, auntie” said Blue Blood calmly.  “Instead of mistreating ponies and giving myself a bad reputation, I keep to myself and avoid others.  Isn’t that better?  I don’t see anything; I don’t hear anything; I don’t say anything.  That way, I stay out of trouble.”

Celestia sighed, and glared at Blue Blood.  “Get out of my sight.  Now!”

The prince left calmly as the guards and the Princess watched him.

“We can arrest him again, if you want,” suggested a soldier.

“No.  As annoying he is, he’s harmless.  Also, we have higher priorities.  Prepare a division to deploy to Ponyville immediately.”

“Your Highness?” asked the soldier.

“We’re going to interrogate the Element of Loyalty.  Prepare to arrest her if she refuses to cooperate.”

The soldier wavered, but Celestia was resolute.

“Nopony is above the law.  And, as much as we owe her and the other Bearers, we cannot ignore this situation any longer.”





As she had done since becoming Barry Allen's student, Rainbow Dash rose in the pre-dawn hours; the night's party had done nothing to upset her routine; she awoke as refreshed as ever.  Barry Allen might be gone, but Rainbow Dash was still committed to constantly improving herself.  Knowing that the Wonderbolts' training field would be available, she flew over to do some laps and to clear her mind.

She completed several laps around the field, broke her old record on the obstacle course, and even tidied the grounds.  She was on her second set of exercises when she realized she wasn't alone.  A familiar orange pegasus was looking at her.

“No matter how fast you fly, you can’t escape yourself,” said Spit Fire.

Rainbow located the voice and landed in front of her commander.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you think I’m doing?  Barry told me that you might feel depressed after he left, so he asked me to keep an eye you.”

Rainbow Dash sighed.   “What can I say?  I miss my friend.”

“You liked him, right?” asked Spit Fire.

Rainbow Dash nodded weakly.   “Yes, but he rejected me.  He said I was a friend, nothing more.  Iris West is the one for him.  I get it, but, I don’t know.  That makes him more . . . attractive?”

Rainbow Dash blushed, and then looked away.  Spit Fire chuckled.  Rainbow Dash glared at her for a moment before she gave up with a long sigh.  Spit Fire then put a hoof on her withers.

“I understand, Dash.  You need to live with what you have, though, not what might have been,” said the captain.

“I know, and I wouldn’t be worthy of Barry if I let this get the better of me.”

Spit Fire smiled.  “That’s the spirit!  So, what now?  Do you want to keep training?”

“No, I think I had enough for the day.  All this mushy stuff is just not me.”  Rainbow Dash sighed.

“Okay.  But be sure to be here tomorrow for the regular training!  You ran out of days off!”

“I know.  I know.  See you, Spit Fire!”

Spit Fire gave her a nod and left.  Rainbow Dash completed a few more laps before going back home.  Now that she was a speedster, she had all the time in the world, especially now that she wasn't training with Barry anymore.

“I don’t know, maybe I can try dal bhat, fresh from Neighpal.  Breakfast, here I come!”

With that, she vanished in a streak of light.

Ponyville:  

Princess Celestia’s carriage landed at the main entrance to the Castle of Friendship. Twilight Sparkle scurried to greet her mentor.

“Princess Celestia?  What brings you here?” asked the lavender alicorn.

“Unfortunately, a very unpleasant matter.  Twilight Sparkle, I need to interrogate Rainbow Dash immediately.”

Twilight groaned.  She had hoped to persuade Rainbow Dash before Celestia caught wind of what was happening. She said, "Why don't we talk over a cup of tea?" With that, she led the senior princess to the breakfast nook.

“I came to get the counsel of a fellow princess first,” said Celestia as she settled onto her chair.  “What do you think of arresting Rainbow Dash if she refuses to cooperate?”

Twilight sighed sadly.

“I understand the situation.  I don’t like Rainbow’s new acquaintances.  Besides, she has to learn she can’t do whatever she wants just because she’s a metapony now.”

Celestia gave a faint smile.

“I’m glad you understand, and I trust that Rainbow Dash will understand as well.”

One of the guards entered the room.

“Princess, we went to her home, and apparently nopony is there.  According with the townsponies, she trains on the Wonderbolts’ practice field every morning.”

“We will wait for her to return,” said Celestica calmly.  “Lead the way, Lieutenant Hylian Shield.”

Twilight said sadly, "I should be there, too."  She joined her mentor, leaving Starlight and Spike alone in the castle.

“I hope she gets arrested!” snarled Starlight.

“Hey!  How can you say that?” whined Spike.

“She arrested my friend,” said Starlight coldly.

“That was the Arrow, and even if it's true that Rainbow helped him, you cannot blame her for what Sun Burst was doing!”

Starlight groaned.  “I know Spike!  But I’m still mad, okay?  But you’re right; the one I hope gets arrested is the Arrow -- not Rainbow, the Arrow!”

Spike gave Starlight a hug when he saw her tears.  It was true that Sun Burst was a dangerous criminal, but he was also Starlight’s long lost, and recently recovered, childhood friend, and he meant a lot to her.  It didn’t matter what he did, he still meant a lot to Starlight.

In the meantime, Twilight had finished gathering the other Bearers, and they stood outside Rainbow’s home, waiting for her to appear.

“Why is she taking that long?” complained Applejack.

“Well, darling, considering Barry has just left, she might need some time to gather her thoughts,” said Rarity.

Nopony said another word.  They waited for half an hour before the cyan pegasus finally showed up in the middle of a multi-colored lightning bolt.  The speedster suddenly stopped when she saw the welcome committee waiting for her.

“Okay, what did I miss?” asked the speedster.

Princess Celestia walked toward Rainbow Dash, unusually serious, making Rainbow gulp,

“Ahem, Princess?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Danger Dash, in the name of the Crown, I command you to tell me everything you know about the masked vigilante known as the Arrow.”

They all stayed in uncomfortable silence, as Rainbow looked around.  Looking at her friends, she saw Rarity was looking away while everypony else nodded at her, encouraging her to talk.

Rainbow Dash sighed.

“But Princess . . .”

“No Rainbow Dash, we must end this whole affair with the Arrow now.  Normally I wouldn’t bother you, but I just learned that Barry Allen is no longer in Equestria.  The witnesses saw two speedsters fighting side by side with the vigilante.  Flash is missing, but we still have you, Rainbow Dash.  Now tell me, where’s the Arrow?”

Rainbow lowered her head.

“Princess Celestia, don’t you think you’re overreacting?  I mean, the Arrow has stopped killing, Flash made sure of that.  Please, don’t make me do this.”

“So, are choosing to protect the masked vigilante?  Is he more important to you than Equestria’s security?  Do you realize how much blood he has on his hooves?” asked Celestia sternly.

Rainbow shook her head.  “Princess, you know I am the Element Loyalty!  I can’t just betray Barry; he asked me to watch over the Arrow!”

Twilight looked at her friend worriedly.  “Don’t you get it? Rainbow Dash, they’re ready to arrest you!!”

Two soldiers approached, and Rainbow Dash moved backwards.

“Hey!  I didn’t do anything wrong!” complained the pegasus.   “Yes, I helped the Arrow, but only to push away some criminals, literally, just pushing them away!”

“You are under arrest for obstruction of justice, Rainbow Dash,” said the Princess of the Sun.  “I really wanted to avoid this, but maybe a night in jail will remind you where your loyalties should lie.  Hookshot, Master Sword, arrest her.”

Two soldiers approached to Rainbow Dash, but she vanished in a streak of light and reappeared over her home.

“Not everything is black and white, Princess!” yelled Rainbow Dash from above.  “The Arrow is not our enemy!”

“Maybe not, but he has done enough damage, and even if his methods did help Equestria, he must answer for his crimes.  My decision is made, Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow Dash looked down, at her friends, who slowly nodded.

“Girls!  Come on!”

“Rainbow, we know we support ya’ in everything, but this time we can't interfere!” said Applejack.

“It's not that complicated; all you have to do is tell the princess who’s hiding under the hood!” said Twilight.

Rainbow Dash then looked at Rarity, who had a worried expression on her face.  She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t.  Rainbow looked at the elder princess to the eye.

“I can’t.  Sorry, but I will not betray a friend.  What I can do is talk to him.  We’ll find a solution together, I promise!”

“Rainbow Dash!” called the Celestia, but it was too late.  The speedster vanished in a streak of light before the princess uttered the first syllable.  Celestia sighed.   “So, she chose to defy me”

Applejack face-hoofed. “Great.”

“I should have known it would end like this.”  Twilight sighed.  “I’m glad she’s still the Element of Loyalty after the accident, but I’m worried about the choices she’s making.”

“She simply won’t betray anypony.  That’s who she is,” said Applejack in resignation.

“Not to mention Barry asked her to take care of the Arrow,” added Fluttershy.  “And she would do anything for her teacher.”

They nodded in silence.

“But princess, why don’t we let her talk to the Arrow first?” suggested Rarity.

They all turned to the fashionista.

“What?” asked Twilight and Celestia in unison.

“Since Barry asked her to take care of the Arrow, Rainbow Dash feels compelled to support him,” explained Rarity.  “So, why don’t we let her talk to him?  Maybe she’ll make the right choice after that.”

Princess Celestia nodded, frowning.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Rarity Belle, but Rainbow Dash has until midnight to make a decision.  Give us the Arrow, or become a fugitive.”

Rainbow arrived at Blue Blood’s mansion in less than a minute and rapidly knocked on the door.  Blue Blood came to open it.

“I was wondering when would you show up,” said the prince calmly.   “I guess that my aunt already talked to you.”

The speedster only came into the house and sat on one of Blood’s couches.

“My only question is, why haven’t you just told her who I am?  Unlike me, you have everything to lose,” said the prince offering Dash a glass of water.

Rainbow couldn’t believe what she heard. “Are you out of your mind?  Do you really think I'd betray a friend for anything?  First of all, Barry asked me to watch over you.  And, second, you have too much to lose, Blood.”

Blue Blood only gave a small shrug.   “Money, influence, a life full of luxuries.  I have news for you, Dash, I spent four years of my life without all that, and it’s not that bad.  Besides, you have true friends.”

“You too, moron!” complained Rainbow.   “What about Barry?  What about Rarity?  What about me?  Come on Blood, you know we're friends!”

The prince rolled his eyes.  “Of course, we are friends, Dash.  I can’t believe I’m the one telling you this, but yes, we are.  I haven't forgotten that you saved me from the idiot of Sun Burst.  That's the least important reason I can’t let you sacrifice everything for me.  I’m not worth it.”

Rainbow Dash face-hoofed.  “Blue Blood, listen to me . . .”

“No, you listen to me; most of my life I’ve been nothing but a jerk, the other part, a murderer.  Do you really think I’m worth your freedom?”

“But Blood . . .”

“Do it, Dash.  I beg you, let me own up to my deeds.”

Blue Blood’s expression was cold, much to Rainbow’s dismay.  What was he thinking?  Would this bring him penitence?  Well, knowing him, that was certainly a possibility.  But still, Rainbow Dash couldn’t understand how somepony could be that stubborn.

“Don’t make me do this Blood, please.  There must be another way.”

Blue Blood turned his back to Rainbow Dash, and walked to his gym as he sighed.   “Dash, remember you’re more than a vigilante.  You are an Element Bearer, the kind of hero Equestria needs.”

“Yeah, but thanks to ponies like Sun Burst, you are the hero Equestria deserves,” answered Rainbow Dash, as she walked to the front door.  “But, I won’t betray you.  You can’t make me do it.”

“Suit yourself!”





That night, the Royal Guard hid their unease under a stoic facade.  Seeing their princesses in bad mood was always a bad sign; there surely was a crisis somewhere in the principality.  True to their duty, they stayed quiet and waited for instructions.

After what seemed to be an interminable wait, a multi-colored streak of light, mostly cyan, entered Canterlot Castle through an open window.

“So, your friends told you your decision is now due,” said Princess Luna calmly.

Rainbow Dash nodded.  “Sorry, but no.  I am the Element of Loyalty.  I know the Arrow is insane, but that’s precisely why he needs a trustworthy friend, and that’s me.”

The Princesses nodded, and the Royal Guard approached to arrest Rainbow Dash.  An arrow flew through the air.  Rainbow Dash reacted reflexively, catching it with her mouth.  The arrow exploded, surprising Dash just long enough for a second arrow to pierce her right forehoof.  Rainbow pulled it out, but she suddenly felt dizzy, and fell unconscious.

The soldiers prepared for battle, but they fell like dominos to the onslaught of tranquilizer arrows.  Finally, when the last guard lay unconscious before of the princesses, a mysterious hooded figure jumped in.

“So, you decided to take the bait,” said Celestia coldly.

The Arrow gave a single nod.  “Loyalty must be paid with loyalty.  This girl was willing to sacrifice everything for my sake.  I can’t let her do that.  If you promise me she won’t be punished for trying to protect me, I’ll turn myself in, here and now.”

Luna raised an eyebrow.  “You’re already here, exposed right before us.  Why would we listen to you?”

The Arrow prepared his bow.   “I have more than enough tricks to escape you, let alone every single guard you send after me.  But, if you guarantee Rainbow Dash’s safety, I will surrender without a fight.”

The two alicorns nodded.

“Fine.  After all, her only crime was trying to protect you,” agreed Celestia.  “I’m curious Arrow, what did you do to her?”

“I gave her a big dose of sedatives, enough to drug a battalion.  That bought us, perhaps, five minutes.”

Luna frowned.  “Tell me, why are you doing this?”

“Because while having friends may bring trouble, the idea of not having to be on my own any more is comforting.”

“No, I meant, why did you start this war against criminals?”

The Arrow groaned.   “How many times do I have to repeat myself?  Because most of my life, I have failed Equestria.  Four years trapped in Tartarus were the dose of reality I needed to realize what I must do to atone.”

And, finally, the Arrow revealed his face.
> Race 18
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 18: Vigilantes


The moment of truth had come.  With a foreleg, the Arrow swept back his hood.  There was a collective gasp from the princesses; the domino mask he wore did nothing to hide his identity from them.

Celestia was devastated.  How could she have failed so completely?  Blue Blood's family had served her with honor for generation upon generation, putting duty and honor above all else, even their own lives.  It was just that devotion that led to Blue Blood becoming Celestia's ward at the tender age of twelve.  Both parents and all of his sibling had given their lives in support of the Crown and its ideals.

Celestia had tried her best to be a good mother, but having to micromanage the principality took almost all of her time; only the recent return of her sister had let her schedule revert to something that would not kill an ordinary pony.  In her absence, a revolving door of tutors and caretakers had attempted to raise the recalcitrant colt, but none lasted long.  When the colt grew into a stallion, he showed none of the drive or passion for which his family was famous.  Instead, he chose to party like there was no tomorrow.  Celestia was not fooled; she knew how much he hurt inside.  She could have helped, if only there were time.

And, when he vanished, she had spared no expense trying to locate him.  In her heart, she had truly believed that he had died.  She truly believed she had completely failed his family.

His miraculous return had brought relief that she had not felt in centuries.  However, despite superficial similarities, Blue Blood had returned a much different pony.  He exhibited independence and self-reliance that had never been exhibited before.  He moved out of the palace and into his family's estate.  After buying a string of nightclubs, he began to repay Celestia all of the borrowed money that he had squandered on the previous lifestyle.  As his profits grew, so did the size of each payment.

There was now no doubt how much he had changed.  There was now no doubt how much she had failed.  The pony she had tried to raise as a son was a murderer.

“Blue Blood?!” gasped Celestia.

“This is impossible,” mumbled Luna.

Blue Blood sighed, resigned to his fate, and waited.  Celestia regained her composure, and called:

"SQUAD BRAVO!  TO ME!"

The guards entered in formation and formed a defensive perimeter around the princesses.  Only years of training preventing them from showing shock at the state of their comrades or Blue Blood's choice of clothing.

In a more normal tone, Celestia said, "Prince Blue Blood is under arrest.  Secure him in solitary and await further orders."

As the soldiers moved forward, Blue Blood sprang backward and cried, "WAIT!"

With barely-concealed contempt, Celestia asked, "What is it, Arrow?"

Pointing at the unconscious Dash, he said, "Let her leave, and I'll go with them willingly.  Move now, and you’ll never hear of me again."

Luna said, "Surely, you jest."

Celestia replied, "Trust in Harmony.  Very well."

Ten minutes later, a casual observer would have sworn someone had thrown a switch when Rainbow Dash went from completely unconscious to fully alert in the blink of an eye.  In even less time, she saw that the Arrow had revealed himself to the princesses and that a full squad of Celestia's elite guard stood at the ready.

“No, NO!” shouted Dash.  “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, BLOOD?!”

The vigilante turned to his friend and said calmly, "I truly appreciate what you did, Dash.  This is my choice; I'm not worth your sacrifice, not as the Arrow, and especially not as Blue Blood.  Go back to Ponyville and forget about me."

Rainbow Dash ground her teeth.  “I promised Barry I’d take care of you!”

“I’m a grown pony; I don’t need a super-fast babysitter.  Besides, you have to make sure I don’t kill anymore.  I'm not about to hurt anyone from inside a tiny cell.”

“But . . .”

“GET THE HAY OUT, DASH!”

The cyan pegasus glared at Blue Blood, and sighed.  “You're an idiot, Blood.”  With that, she vanished in a streak of light.

Blue Blood watched as the light faded.  He then nodded to the guards, who restrained him and led him away.





Ten minutes later, an armored prisoner transport left Canterlot Palace.  Blue Blood settled in for what should be a short ride.  He smiled at the guards who gawked at him through the windows.

"Gentlecolts, I gave my word I would cooperate."

The nearest guard said, "We know.  We have to ask.  Are you really him?  Are you really the Arrow?"

Blue Blood rolled his eyes.  “Yes I am.”

"I'm sorry we have to take you in; the princesses would kill us if we let you escape."

"Don't worry. I don’t really care"

“So, that island wasn't really a tropical paradise?” another guard asked nervously.

“You don’t say!” Blue Blood snarked as he turned back to the window.  “Hey, we just missed the turn to Iron Gate.”

“Actually, the Princesses think a padded cell would be better for you,” explained one of the guards.

Blue Blood face-hoofed.

“Of course!”





Gray skies in morning, ponies take warning.  The dawn ushered in what promised to be a bad day.  It was a sure sign that Princess Celestia was upset.  The headline on the morning papers left no doubt as to the cause.


ARROW CAPTURED


Prince Blue Blood revealed as the Masked Vigilante


The headline and the story were absolutely incredible.  There was no way the self-centered prince could be the Arrow.  Since when did he think of anyone but himself?  There was no way he would have sacrificed himself to protect anyone, let alone the Element of Loyalty.  This had to be a mistake.  Then again, he was away doing who knows what for four years, and the princesses refused to comment on the situation.

The underworld was particularly cautious.  The streets were teeming with henchponies out to confirm the truth.  If the Arrow were truly in custody, it would only be a matter of time before he was found.  Once he was found, he would no longer be a problem.

The friends of the Arrow took the news the hardest.  That morning, they gathered with their fellow Elements Bearers in the cozy breakfast nook in the Castle of Friendship.  To Rarity's relief, Rainbow Dash drew the others' attention with her antics.

“That moron!” complained Rainbow Dash as she threw away the paper.   “Why didn’t he trust me?  I had a plan, for Faust sake!”

“Were you planning on running away until the Princesses get tired of chasing ya?” asked Applejack sarcastically.

Rainbow frowned. “Of course not!  Er, yes, but, I mean.  All right, I didn't really have a plan, but you know me!  I would never betray a friend!”

Twilight nodded, sighing.  “We know, Rainbow Dash. We know.”

“What reminds me,” said Dash glaring at the lavender alicorn.  “Why did you back Celestia and not me?”

“Because I never expected you to actually defy the Princess the way you did!” explained Twilight. “Besides, she promised me that she'd only hold you for a night.”

Rainbow nodded.  "I'm just upset with myself.  I promised Barry I'd keep the Arrow out of trouble.  Now, there's no way I can keep that promise."

The speedster sat back in her chair and sighed.  "I'll admit, I should have thought things out before defying the princess.  Blue Blood really deserves our help, though.  There's something rotten in Equestria, and since he stopped killing, the Arrow became more of a solution that a problem.  With all the stuff he'd cleaned up, I don't get why Celestia was so anxious to capture him."

The girls argued among themselves, trying to discern the truth of the matter.  They concluded that there had to be more than the deaths of criminals to draw Celestia's ire.  Were the gray skies only the beginning?

“Well,” said Twilight, thoughtful, “I’m pretty sure something good will come from all of this.”

She didn’t even have time to blink when Rainbow Dash was right before her, glaring.  “What did you say?”

“What I mean, Rainbow, is that, for all practical purposes, Blue Blood is Princess Celestia’s child.  When she realizes what her son has been fighting, she might change the justice system so there won't need to be an Arrow to bring that kind of pony to justice.”

Rainbow separated with Twilight with a sigh.  Her friend was right, and, now that she thought about it, wasn’t this what Blue Blood was aiming for when he revealed himself?  She grinned.

“You're an idiot Blue Blood, a brilliant idiot.”

The discussion continued, with Rainbow Dash fielding questions about the Arrow and his origins.  No one noticed that Rarity had slipped away.

Afternoon, Canterlot outskirts, old industrial zone:

The bones of dying buildings creaked and groaned in the non-existent wind.  The occasional crash of a gangrenous extremity echoed through the deserted streets.  Some thirty years ago, this had been a boom town, bringing carpetbaggers from far and wide hoping to make a quick bit.  When reality finally prevailed, only the truly prepared were left to limp along.  Such was the case with the factory that Blue Blood's grandfather had owned, which towered above the remains of its peers, like the last tombstone standing in a graveyard.

Only a practiced eye had any chance of perceiving the solitary figure that flowed from shadow to shadow. Her black outfit helped her blend it, despite the blond of her long, straight mane and tail.

The mare held her breath as she observed the abandoned factory.  She could see the pair of guards at the main entrance, and heard three, or perhaps four others noisily cursing their fate.  The light from powerful lanterns painted halos on the grimy windows.

The Canary continued to observe the building from multiple angles as she revised her plan.  She had hoped that the guards would ignore this innocuous-looking property, but now that everyone knew the Arrow's secret, all available hooves had been summoned to root out his lair.

"Doesn't look like they're putting any real effort into this.  Perhaps we'll be fortunate and they won't find it."  The Canary grimaced a crash coming from within.  "Then again, we shouldn't leave anything to chance."

As she had been taught by the Arrow, the Canary sought high ground, settling on the roof of the factory.  "Minotaur or snake?" she mused as she peered into a skylight.  "I could easily take out that small a detachment without them noticing."  She drew her bo-staff and extended it.  "But, when they wake up, they're sure to send for reinforcements."  She retracted and holstered the staff.  "Think, Canary, think."

A black-clad figure slithered through a surprisingly well-maintained doorway on the roof. Silently, it shut the exterior door before opening the interior door and settling on a catwalk.  Moving between sweeps of the lanterns, it made its way over to tall, rusty hydraulic press.  Draping her hood over her work, she removed the bolts securing the old machine.  Gravity did the rest.

As the Canary went about her skullduggery, the soldiers put on a brave face as eerie sounds echoed throughout the dark interior.  They would later swear adamantly that they did not hear a ghost padding about.

One soldier grumbled, "What a complete waste of time!  What do they expect us to find in this heap of junk?"

Another replied, "You never know; after all, who'd have guessed Blue Blood was the Arrow?"

A third said, "What do you think guys?"  A rat scurried out of the wandering light.  "Tetanus or rabies?"

A loud, groaning screech caught their attention.  "RUN!!!"

The soldiers beat a hasty retreat as the ancient press came crashing down.  When the dust settled, the leader looked inside, skeptically.  He said, "This place is falling apart.  We'll tell them that search was cancelled due to unsafe conditions."

“We told Commander Skyward Sword this was a deathtrap, but she never listens!”

“She's not here; I am.  I say it's not safe.  We nearly got squashed.  Move out!”

A half hour after the last hoofbeat faded, the Canary emerged from the shadows, removing the dust mask from her face.  With a satisfied smile, she made her way to an old baling machine and opened an access panel away from the factory's main entrance.  She climbed onto its conveyor belt and crawled into the adjacent room.  She felt along the floor for specific tiles.  When she pressed them in sequence, a secret door swung open.  She now had access to the Arrow's lair.

Shutting the door behind her, she turned on the light.  Everything was as she remembered.  From an equipment locker, she retrieved a spare set of the Arrow's equipment, including costume and weapons.  From the medicine cabinet, she retrieved a supply of her special throat tonic; it was half of the secret behind the Canary's cry.  Now, all she had to do was break into one of the most secure facilities in all Equestria -- the Canterlot ward for the criminally insane.

Canterlot psychiatric hospital, maximum security wing:

The padding muffled the knocks from the nurse.  She frowned.  She'd always suspected there was something a bit off about Prince Blue Blood, but, surely, he couldn't be the Arrow.

When the door swung open, the nurse gasped.  An empty straightjacket lay on the padded floor.  The patient was gone!

Rhythmic grunts drew her attention upward.  Blue Blood was hanging upside down from the lamp, doing ab crunches.

“What — is — it?” asked Blood without interrupting his exercise.

The nurse gulped, and backed out the room cautiously

“What?” asked Blue Blood, as he stopped, and glared to the nurse.

“Ahem . . . your personal psychiatrist just arrived.  Are you decent?” asked the nurse nervously.

“I don’t care,” said the prince, resuming his exercise.

The nurse gulped again, and closed the door.  Turning around, she jumped, startled when she saw the doctor.  She said, "I don't mean to question your judgement, but I think we should medicate this one first."

The doctor calmly shook her head.   “No.  I'll handle everything.”

Then, she entered.  Physical exercise was the last thing she expected from the prince.  She said, "A bit of therapy would be much better for you than just hanging around."

Blue Blood just glared at her, pausing his exercise.  “Get out of here, auntie.  I’m waiting for my shrink.”

With a sad smile, Celestia replied, "You're looking at her.  I don't mean to brag, but over the years, I've earned doctorates in every subject under the sun; psychiatry is just one of many.

Blue Blood jumped from the lamp, landing on the raised pad that served as his mattress.  With a bored look he glanced at his aunt and said, "I never asked for your résumé.

The princess said, "As hard as it might be to believe, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

"Is that so? Where were you when I needed you?"

Looking downcast, Celestia replied, "I admit, I failed you.  I should have taken more time when you were growing up.  I should have been firmer when you started acting out.  I should have made sure you were truly all right when we finally got you back from that island."

Looking Blue Blood in the eye, she said, "I love you like a son, Blue Blood; let me help you now."

“I'm beyond the point where mere words will do any good.”

“Blue Blood, I want to evaluate you personally,” explained Celestia.

Blue Blood shook his head in disappointment. “What's the point?  You already said the Arrow represented everything that was wrong in Equestria.”

Celestia ignored the comment an asked, "What happened on that island?"

Coldly, Blue Blood replied, "Blue Blood died.  The Arrow was born. Nothing I want to talk about."

Celestia nodded sadly.  “Okay, this is your session, nephew.  What would you like to talk about?”

Blue Blood shrugged.   “I don’t know; why are you even bothering with me?  As I told Dash, the Arrow's not worth the bother; I'm not worth the bother.”

"You're wrong," insisted Celestia.  "I care.  I remember the colt who was going to save the world.  I see before me the stallion I tried to raise in my own image.  Do you have any idea how much it hurts to know I've raised a murderer?"  Celestia paused.  "As long as you live, there is still hope."

Blue Blood glared at his aunt.  "I only killed criminals who were beyond the law.  They could do anything they wanted, kill anypony they wanted.  Why did you allow such monsters to have free rein?"

Celestia closed her eyes, hurt by Blue Blood’s words.

“Do you realize that was the kind of monster you were becoming?”

“I do. That's why I hate them so much,” explained Blue Blood.

Again, Celestia nodded, hurt.

The dam finally burst.  Blue Blood started talking.

"As much a monster as I was before the island, I never intentionally hurt anyone.  I never took advantage of ponies' weaknesses, spreading poison to addicts.  I never foalnapped the vulnerable and forced them into prostitution.  I never killed witnesses to cover my crimes.  The monsters I now hunt do that and more.  They shield themselves with your rules, your laws.  You made it possible; with enough money, with the right connections, anypony can game the system and get away with murder, and worse.

“Well, but that . . .”

“You already knew that, right?” interrupted Blue Blood, as an epiphany suddenly came to him.  "I always knew something wasn't quite right, but it all makes sense now.  You know your beloved system doesn't work the way it should.  It's stayed the same; you've stayed the same while over the generations, the unscrupulous have learned to use all your rules to their advantage.  I have news for you; times have changed; your precious system must change, or your precious little ponies will be at the mercy of those monsters your rules protect.

Celestia just stood there, looking at her nephew, unsure of what to say.

Blue Blood grinned.  “That’s why you hated the Arrow, isn't it?  With all those crimes in the shadows, you could pretend there was nothing wrong.  I brought all your failings to light.  I showed the world that your system had failed to the point where it took someone outside the law to protect ponies from the evil that lay within.  I showed the world you refused to do anything about it.  I showed you what a failure you've become!"

Celestia’s expression darkened. “Don’t you dare to call me that!”

“We both know the truth,” said Blue Blood coldly. “Nothing you say or do will change what has happened. You have failed Equestria.”

Celestia’s eye twitched, and she grabbed her nephew with her magic.

“Don’t ever talk to me that way!”

“I’ll talk to you the way you deserve, no more, no less,” said Blue Blood.

“Stop it!  Or I'll . . .”

“You'll what?” asked Blue Blood, looking at her in the eye.   “I'm not like the Dash; she's a true hero; she has everything to lose.   I have nothing.  That's why I became a vigilante.  That's why I turned myself in.”

Finally, Celestia released him.

“There is still some good inside you.  We can talk more during your next session.”

Blue Blood shrugged.  “You're ignoring the problem again.  Putting me here, I'm good as dead.”

Celestia replied, "You're perfectly safe.  I have my best guarding this place."

“That didn't help Street Junk.”

Celestia backed out of the room.  "We'll speak more tomorrow, nephew.  Sleep well."  With that, she closed the door.





Troubled by Blue Blood's last assertion, Celestia cast a scrying spell on the corridor before leaving.  As the evening wore on, there was no activity until a blond orderly wheeled a cleaning cart up to the door.  She entered briefly and left.  A few minutes later, a brunette orderly wheeled a cleaning cart up to the door.  She entered briefly and left.

"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Celestia.  She teleported herself to the door.  Noxious black smoke seeped out from the bottom of the doorway.  Casting a shield spell around the room, she opened the door.  When she vanished the smoke, she found there was nothing but ash, leaving behind a grotesque parody of what was within.

Celestia magically projected her voice throughout the building.  "Code Tangerine.  Code Tangerine.  This is not a drill."





From the bottom of the cleaning cart, Blue Blood said, "It's a lockdown!"

The Canary hissed, "What do we do?"

"The doors will be sealed with magic.  Act natural and go to the doctor's lounge on the top floor."

Inside the lounge, the Arrow donned his costume while the Canary sealed the door.  Once he finished, he pointed to the window as asked, "If you'd do honors?"

The Canary found the resonant frequency of the safety glass, reducing it to fragments.  The Arrow shot a line down to the balcony of an adjacent building.  Anchoring the other end in the lounge, he said, "Hop on!"  With that, the vigilantes made their escape.

Once they were on the street, the Canary asked, “Is the suit really necessary?  Your identity is public knowledge.”

The Arrow nodded.  “Blue Blood died when the Arrow was born.  Let the prince rest in peace.”

The Canary asked, “How did you know I'd come to rescue you?”

“I didn't; I just had a gut feeling.  I'd already planned my escape, regardless of whether I got any help.  To be honest, I never thought that you, of all ponies, would risk everything just to save me.”

“I can’t really explain it myself, but I believe in what you do as the Arrow.  Now that you’ve stopped killing, I want to help you.  We make a great team.”

Blue Blood shook his head.

“Not happening, sorry.”

“What?  But Blue Blood!”

“No.  I knew from the beginning that it was only a matter of time before my aunt captured me.  I'd prepared for that, and for every other contingency.  If you want to keep fighting crime on your own, go ahead, but I’ll be on my own from now on.”

“But . . .”

“I won’t kill again, isn’t that enough?” asked Blue Blood.

The Canary had no choice but lower her head, and give a small nod.

“I guess so.”

Blue Blood smiled at her.

“Thank you, for everything.”

“No, thank you.  You gave me a new perspective on life, Blue Blood.  I guess you’ll take the Arrow’s identity exclusively now, right?”

“Until he's no longer needed,” assured the prince.

The two went their separate ways.





The next weeks were strange for Equestria.

The corrupt nobles were in constant fear.  Everyone knew that Blue Blood had been assassinated, but the nobles knew he was never the Arrow; it had all been a ploy by Celestia to throw them off guard.  Rumors of a new vigilantespread like wildfire.  Whoever really was under the mantle of the Arrow was working with a partner, the Canary.  To make matters worse, Celestia was changing the laws, destroying the sanctuaries they had used to shield themselves from justice.  A task force was actively pursuing them.  Their money and influence meant nothing now.  Nopony wanted to risk the wrath of Celestia.  However, to the evil, the greatest threat came from the Arrow and the Canary.

Also, there were also rumors about a multi-colored (but mostly blue) streak of light that ran all over Equestria, doing good deeds.  Criminals found themselves inexplicably bound.  Those in need of rescue found themselves suddenly brought to safety.  Nopony stayed around to take credit.

Yes, the streak, or the Dash as she liked to be called, took full advantage of her speed, and covered the whole of Equestria.  The media gravitated to her light, ignoring the darkness of the Arrow and the Canary.

“Say, Arrow,” asked the Canary as they found themselves working together to take down a drug gang, “don’t you find annoying that now that the media is ignoring us and giving Dash all the attention?”

“Why would I?  I work best from the shadows.”

And, just like that, life continued.

As an earth pony was putting a fresh coat of paint on Celestia's throne room, his scaffolding collapsed.  He screamed, but the sudden stop he expected never materialized.  The Dash had eased him to the ground.  Then, with her super speed, she finished the job, topping it off with a quick drying using her wings.

“How about that?” asked the Dash, winking an eye at the solar princesses.

“Well . . .”

The speedster disappeared in a streak of light.

“Well, this is a new era of heroes,” sighed Celestia, “The era of the masked vigilantes, and boastful metaponies.”

The painter, however, had something else in mind.

“I’m still getting paid, right?”
> Race 19
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 19: I have nothing to do with this poor excuse of Rainbow Dash. Let’s just say, I’m the Reverse


“Okay, that’s it for today!” said Spit Fire looking, over her command. "Be extra careful and make sure you get home safely. Okay?”

The few intelligible responses were drowned out by a chorus of exhausted groans. Spit Fire gave a satisfied smile as she brushed the sweat-matted mane out of her eyes. There was some work left to do, but at this rate, they would be ready long before the next show.

One Wonderbolt was unfazed by the long day of practice. A certain cyan mare was fresh as a daisy as she began stretching in preparation for her real workout.

"Are you going on your daily patrol of Canterlot?” asked Spit Fire.

Rainbow Dash grinned. “What? No! What do you take me for, just another vigilante, like the Arrow or the Canary? My patrol covers all of Equestria!”

“Are you serious?” asked the Wonderbolt captain.

“Hay yes! I can't think of a better way to spend a half hour,” said Dash, winking, as she extended her wings, releasing the multi-colored lightning bolts across her body.

“Please, don’t push yourself too hard,” said Spit Fire, sighing.

Rainbow Dash nodded. The last time she went too far, only the Speed Force had stood between her and certain death. Although the incident had granted her super speed, she knew better than to push her luck.

Still, she couldn't resist adding a bit of flair to her deeds. For example, a skyscraper fire in Manehatten was just a little over the top. She had evacuated the building before setting off a snowstorm inside to quench the flames. Seeing that the fire department was still fifteen minutes away, she raided the local university library to learn enough structural engineering to assess and repair the worst of the damage. She left the cosmetic repairs for the owners. After all, they did need the show some self-reliance. Besides, decorating was Rarity's specialty. When the fireponies finally arrived, they were shocked to find the building safe and ready for remodeling.

Unlike the mare she once was, the new Rainbow Dash had adopted Barry Allen's ethos. Her deeds as a hero were done with neither fame nor fortune desired or solicited. What motivated her now was the challenge, and the need to constantly improve without taking unnecessary risks.

Ironically, she was now more famous than any Wonderbolt, albeit in the guise of the Dash. The nature of her deeds drew unwanted attention from the darkness of the Arrow and the Canary. With a healthy buck in the flank from the Crown, the newspapers were all too happy to keep the metapony in the headlines while burying the deeds of her darker counterparts.





In the Castle of Friendship, the cozy breakfast nook was a perfect place for eight friends to share a quiet supper. Starlight Glimmer asked, "Let me get this straight, the five of you pretended to be a superhero just to knock Rainbow Dash down a peg or two?"

Rainbow Dash sighed. "I know it's hard to believe, but the first time I tried to be a hero, I ended up being a stuck-up jerk."

Spike dead-panned, "No. Say it isn't so, Dash."

Rarity said, "I'm glad there's no need for the Mare-Do-Well any more. That costume was hideous."

"Seriously, girls -- and Spike -- if you think I'm messing up, just tell me to my face, no matter how bad it is." Rainbow Dash giggled. "I mean, with the Speed Force on my side, there's no way the Mare-Do-Well could keep up with me these days."

Applejack groaned. "Don't tempt me. If things got out of hoof, we'd find a way."

Bouncing excitedly, Pinkie Pie said, "Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know! We could get Twilight to recreate her lab's explosion and turn us all into super speedy metaponies."

The girls laughed.

Twilight composed herself. "I think I'll pass. After what Barry showed us, I'm not about to turn any place in Equestria, let alone Ponyville, into a mess like Central City.

"But it would be fun!" Rainbow Dash grinned. "You know, having a metapony rival to push me to improve."

Aghast, Fluttershy admonished, "Rainbow Dash, don't you remember what Barry's so-called mentors almost made him do? I wouldn't wish that on anypony!"

Rainbow Dash gently laid a reassuring wing on the back of her oldest friend. "I know, Fluttershy. I know that's a terrible idea. It's just fun to imagine what could be if everything went right." Looking around the table, she continued. "Enough about me. Spike, tell us what the guys have been up to."

Spike buffed his claws on his chest. "I don't like to brag, but I just scored the super-ultra-rare Mousca Obscura card. You see . . ."

As Spike started to elaborate on his latest triumph, the others prompted him whenever he slowed, keeping him in the conversation. Rarity, however, was an exception. She leaned back with eyes closed, drifting away. The others let her be; she'd explained how strenuous micromanaging her boutique in Manehatten was, and they knew she was exhausted.

Rainbow Dash gently draped a blanket over her fashionista friend and said, "Don't push yourself too hard." Of those in the room, Dash was the only other who knew what was actually taking most of Rarity's time.

Yawning, Rarity replied, "Don't worry, darling. I'm doing well by doing good. The economy has been roaring since all those corrupted nobles have been rooted out."

Rainbow Dash nodded in silence. As Rarity had pointed out, although they had never intended it, by improving things for Equestria, they had improved things for themselves as well.

Canterlot Castle:

All of Equestria was familiar with the throne rooms in Canterlot Castle. What most did not realize was that the bulk of the work of government took place behind the scenes. Even more important than the throne rooms was the princess's study. Unlike the showy throne rooms, this chamber was strictly functional. It held a desk, a cushion, and precious little other furniture. It was here that the princesses would reconvene after their shared meals, after dawn and after dusk.

This time, it was early evening when the royal sisters entered the spartan chamber. Four Solar Guards stood watch within the room. To the younger's dismay, the pile of paper in the "in" box towered from the desk to the top of the vaulted ceiling. In the grand tradition of political pragmatism, she procrastinated. Stifling a yawn, she said, "So, sister, what is the latest news on the corrupted nobles?"

Frowning, Celestia telekinetically grabbed a document from the desktop. "Fifteen more have been identified. At this rate, it'll be easier to name those who haven't been tainted."

"Power corrupts, dear sister." Looking away she said softly, "I was luckier than I deserved." Looking back, Luna continued. "So, our task force found fifteen more?"

Celestia shook her head. “Two out of fifteen."

"Thirteen in a month, and with irrefutable evidence?!" said Luna, genuinely surprised. "Even you must admit our nephew truly knows what he is doing."

Celestia glared at her sister. "Blue Blood died in that shipwreck. We have no nephew. Now, there's only the Arrow."

Luna frowned. After her return from the moon and her purification by the Elements of Harmony, she was surprised to find that, for all practical purposes, Celestia had adopted a son with no redeeming qualities. Even after hearing her sister's explanation, she still disagreed with the decision, but she let the matter drop. Luna knew that, eventually, the matter would come to a head, and Celestia would be forced to confront it.

Recent events proved her right more spectacularly than she could have dreamed. Celestia wasted no opportunity to express her hatred for the Arrow. At the same time, she continued to spread the fiction that Blue Blood had no connection to the vigilante. More telling, she took no action against the Arrow; instead, she complimented her troops on their (nonexistent) efforts to capture him and instructed them to continue as they had.

Celestia brought her sister back to reality. "Stop wasting time Luna. The pile of paperwork is not getting any smaller."

Luna rolled her eyes. "Are you certain that no one else can handle this chore?"

The elder sister shook her head. "Until we find a system we can trust, it's up to us."

Suddenly, a shock wave rocked all of Canterlot. The sisters looked at each other confused. Luna said, "I thought you told her to stay above 5000 meters when she was doing that."

"I did. Remind me to give her the safety lecture again before I leave."

The study window exploded inward in front of a cyan blur. With a dramatic thump, the blur resolved itself into a familiar mare. However, her costume had changed to a black suit with magenta goggles, and her mane was cropped short, much like a zebra's mohawk.

The intruder cackled evilly. "Attention everypony! The day of the alicorn is gone! Make way for the Speed Queen!"

The alicorn sisters looked at each other and then back at the pegasus. Luna said, "So, you think you have what it takes to do the job of an alicorn."

The pegasus scoffed, "I've bested those better than you."

Celestia said, "Do you expect us to believe you're qualified to rule this land?"

The intruder mantled her wings and said, "I already rule one kingdom."

The sisters looked at each other and nodded. Luna telekinetically moved the contents of "in" box over to the pegasus, forming a wall around her. "Process all of this, and if we find it's mostly correct, you're our new regent pro tempore."

Celestia smiled warmly. "It is good to see you are willing to take on such responsibility, Rainbow Dash."

The wall of paper disappeared in a blizzard of confetti. "What is wrong with you ponies?! Why does everypony act like they know me?! I am the Speed Queen!"

One of the guards asked, "Does this mean I have to wear black bodysuit for our date this Friday?"

Behind the magenta lenses, Reverse Dash's eye twitched. She glared at the guard before giving him a twisted grin. In less than a blink of an eye she snapped his neck. She said, "I don't date losers."

The remaining soldiers looked on in horror for a fraction of a second. True to their training, that was all the time the needed to recover. They drew their swords and attacked, each from a different direction.

Reverse Dash froze. In mock terror, she said, "Oh no!" As the three closed in, she vanished in a streak of light. The guards collapsed in a pile. Reverse casually wiped the blade of sword she'd taken from the first guard and spat it out.

"You guys have no staying power."

The princesses stared at Reverse Dash in disbelief.

The princesses' eyes narrowed. Celestia demanded, "Who are you? Rainbow Dash would never kill, not in cold blood."

The speedster snarled, "Don't call me that!" Pointing at Luna, she said, "I am Reverse Dash. You murdered Rainbow Dash. Prepare to die."

Reflexively, the princesses shot paralysis spells at the crazed speedster. At the last second, she vanished in a streak of light, only to reappear behind the desk, wearing both crowns.

Coldly, Celestia said, "Those crowns are heavier that you can possibly imagine."

Meanwhile, in the castle, Luna's voice was magically projected. "Code Gamma! Code Gamma! Evacuate tower and maintain defensive perimeter!"

Reverse Dash shrugged. "Well, now that I have the crowns, I guess all that's left is to get rid of you two." In a streak of light, Reverse vanished. She then charged at Luna. The lunar princess reflexively cast a shield spell before suddenly jerking her flank away. The sword Reverse had thrown flashed by where her cutie mark had been.

“Oh, you have good reflexes!” complimented the Reverse Dash. “All right, your move.”

The Princesses glared at her, and then flattened themselves onto the floor. The door burst open, and six unicorn guards peppered the room with stun blasts. Reverse was staggered by two of them, but shook them off in a fraction of a second.

Reverse's smile twisted into a vengeful snarl. "Typical alicorns, shielding themselves with better ponies! Fine, I'll dispose of them while you watch."

Multi-colored lightning bolts circulated across Reverse's body, and she streaked out the window. Turning back, she charged. The Speed Force let her slip through the air with only a hint of a disturbance. A multi-colored ring of light, barely larger than her body, exploded around her and suddenly doubled her speed. She streaked back into the room, pinballing off walls, floor, and ceiling, leaving broken bodies behind with each pass.

Reverse landed in the middle of the room with full force, cracking the marble floor, just as her speed boost wore off.

“What have you done?” gasped Luna.

“You killed them,” growled Celestia.

“No, you did; you hid behind them instead of facing me yourselves like real ponies.”

"What sort of monster are you?" snarled Celestia.

Reverse continued glaring. Pointing at Luna, she said, "I'm the pony she left to die after throwing me into a bunch of potions with a lightning bolt, you damned dirty alicorns. Sow the wind? Reap the whirlwind."

Defiantly, the sisters nodded. The walls trembled with their battle auras. As one, they said, "Be careful what you ask for."

Reverse stifled a yawn. Faster than a thought, she vanished in a streak of light.

A cyan streak came through the window and intercepted Reverse, sending her tumbling into a wall.

Rainbow Dash turned to the shocked Princesses, and then back to the stranger.

“What’s going on?” asked the cyan speedster.

The Reverse got back on her four legs, and stared at her other self.

“Huh, is just me, or did this timeline just get twenty percent cooler?”

The Dash took a look around, shivering at the sight of the bodies littered on the ground.

“You did all this?” asked Rainbow.

The Reverse Dash nodded proudly. “Of course, I did!” Puzzled by her other self’s expression, she raised an eyebrow. “Why are you looking at me like that? This is what you wanted, right? Why are you so upset?”

Aghast, the Dash replied, "Do you really have to ask? WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO DO?”

Reverse shrugged, "Exterminate the alicorn menace, of course." After studying Dash's expression, Reverse said, "Oh, I get it. This is your world; these two are yours to kill. Go ahead, they're no match for your speed. I know; I've eliminated the two in my timeline."

Rainbow's jaw dropped. "Are you crazy?! Is that your problem?!"

"Well, you had your chance." Reverse darted toward the sisters, only to be stopped by a flying kick. She rolled with the blow and came up in a fighting stance. The two combatants were a blur of motion. Six-limbed karate was not an easy form to master, and both pegasi were black belts.

As they traded blows, the both adopted a snarling smile. It didn't matter which Rainbow Dash one examined; competition was in her blood, regardless of her world of origin. Once the gauntlet was thrown, she became twenty percent better, twenty percent more dangerous.

To her surprise, Reverse suddenly felt her speed bleeding away, and Rainbow took full advantage, striking with all six limbs in unison.

“Do not turn your backs to an opponent,” said Celestia coldly.

“Especially when you’re facing an alicorn,” added Luna.

Reverse picked herself up from the floor and cackled. "Finally! A challenge! Hey, other self, I bet you can’t stop me from killing anyone else!” With that, she streaked out the window.

Rainbow asked, the sisters, "Are you all right?"

Luna ordered, "Go get her!"

“But . . .”

“GO NOW!” commanded Celestia.

As the cyan speedster streaked in pursuit, the royal sisters surveyed the mess. The second set of guards dissolved into dust; Code Gamma called for sending in golems. With the precision of a microsurgeon, Luna worked around the stasis spell Celestia had cast on her real guards. Cell by cell, the lunar princess repaired the damage Reverse had wrought. Alicorns could work miracles, given time.





Rainbow Dash circled high above Canterlot, homing in on the disturbance in the Speed Force that had drawn her attention in the first place. To her surprise, it led her to a newsstand in the main plaza. Gliding down, she saw Reverse reading a paper, ignoring the wolf whistles from stallions and mares alike.

As she touched down, Reverse said, "It says the Dash saved seventeen ponies from and out-of-control train and then repaired its brakes and throttle in less than a minute. You're a do-gooder, aren't you? What a waste of talent! You could be queen!"

Rainbow frowned. "A true ruler is responsible for her subjects. It's more that a full-time job." Scrutinizing her doppelganger, she asked, "Not that I mind, but didn't you say you were going to kill somepony?"

“Of course, but if you’re not there to watch me, what’s the point?”

Laughing maniacally, Reverse sped away with Rainbow in hot pursuit. This was a contest of sheer speed, and the two were evenly matched. Suddenly, Reverse turned. Rainbow stayed on her tail. Reverse asked, "Question, did an alicorn hit you with a lightning bolt, too?"

Glaring at her rival, the Dash replied, "Yeah, why?"

"Just checking. Why don't you hate them?"

"It was an accident! If we didn't have the emergency facilities because she's a complete butterhooves, I wouldn't have survived!"

“Yeah, right.”

Abruptly, Reverse turned to attack, but, as before, the two combatants were equally matched in both speed and skill.

The stalemate raged on for minutes before a melodic voice caught their attention.

“Hey other me, do you know what’s the problem with being a hero?” asked the evil speedster, as she accelerated toward the voice.

Rainbow screamed in anger, and flew after this twisted parody of her.

The Reverse Dash cackled evilly. “By trying to save everypony, in the end, THEY CANNOT SAVE ANYPONY!”

In the forest, Fluttershy was happily taking care of an injured bunny when the familiar whine of a speedster's flight caught her attention. She smiled happily, looking up at the expanding speck that surely was her oldest friend, Rainbow Dash.

Reverse Dash sped downward, planning to kill the oblivious pony, but slowed to gently touch down when she recognized her.

“Fluttershy?”

The yellow pegasus tilted her head. “Rainbow Dash? You're not actually modelling for Prim Hemline, are you?”

Then, Rainbow Dash arrived, interposing herself between Fluttershy and Reverse.

Confused, Fluttershy look first at the familiar and then over to the unfamiliar. “Rainbow Dash? And, Rainbow Dash?”

The Reverse Dash looked at Fluttershy. Instantly knew she couldn’t kill her; it didn't matter which world she was in; this was still her oldest friend. Everypony but Fluttershy was fair game. Still, she managed to put on an evil grin.

“Rainbow Dash? No, I haven’t used that name since the alicorn tried to kill me. I have nothing to do with this poor excuse of Rainbow Dash. Let’s just say, I’m the Reverse.”

With that, she disappeared in a streak of light, and what it seemed like a strange version of the Sonic Rainboom.

Fluttershy gulped. “The Reverse Dash?”

“We have to get the others.” said Dash, frowning as she analyzed the fading rainbow ring.
> Race 20
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 20: Who are you going to save, Dash?


Skepticism hung heavy in the air in the Map Room in the Castle of Friendship.  Spike and the Element Bearers sat on their thrones while Starlight sat beside Twilight, using a comfortable cushion instead.  Those who had not been eyewitnesses looked at Rainbow Dash, astonished, as the speedster relayed the news.

“Let me see if Ah got this straight; y’all have a reverse?!” asked Applejack, scratching her head.

“That's what she claimed,” said Rainbow Dash.  “I didn’t believe it either, but that’s how she introduced herself, right, Flutters?”

The yellow pegasus nodded softly, confused.

Rainbow had spared the timid pegasus the gory details of the fight in Canterlot, saying only that Reverse had attacked the princesses.  Blissfully unaware of Reverse's foul, equicidal deeds, Fluttershy was more surprised than scared of her friend's doppelganger.

"That doesn't make any sense!" protested Twilight.  "You're saying that your reverse attacked the princesses directly?  The guards I can believe, but the princesses are alicorns!  Even you wouldn't be foolish enough to risk that!"

Rainbow Dash groaned.  "Imagine someone as fast as me with a grudge.  If she didn't like bragging so much, Celestia and Luna would have been dead before they even knew they were being attacked.  I know I could have done it."

Twilight frowned. “I know your new powers are great, but don't you think you're exaggerating just a little?”

“You're already super; you don't need to impress us, Dashie,” said Pinkie Pie.

“You should be more careful; ponies might take it as a threat if you say you can defeat two alicorns at the same time,” said Fluttershy softly.

“Yer asking for the return of the Mare-Do-Well,” warned her Applejack.

“I'm not exaggerating.  She'd taken out all of the guards, and she was going to tell me how she had killed the alicorns in her timeline."  Rainbow Dash frowned.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Timeline?  What now?”

Rainbow shrugged.  “I didn’t understand that either.”

“Can’t you tell us some more?” asked Rarity.

“Sorry, I’ve told you everything I know.”

“It seems like we have to question this so-called Reverse Dash when she comes again,” said Twilight, frowning.   “Now, I wonder if she is really capable of defeating Celestia and Luna.”

Rainbow smiled at her friend. “What about a test?  Spar with me, Twilight!”

Twilight’s expression darkened.  “Rainbow, no.  It's not that I don’t believe you; I do.  But, there’s a chance that your other self was just bragging.”

The speedster nodded, and, for a split second, appeared to be in her throne and hovering in front of Twilight simultaneously.  "I know; that's why I want you to try.  The more we understand the Reverse Dash, the better chance we have of defeating her."

Twilight sobbed.  “I know you’re right, Rainbow Dash.  I almost killed you once!  I won’t risk that again!”

“What if we try with a harmless spell?” suggested Spike. “Something fast and fun, like a tickle spell?”

Rainbow smiled approvingly at the baby dragon.  “See? Spike knows what he’s talking about!  Come on, Twi; just one hit of this tickle spell.  Let’s see if you can get me.”

“NO!”  Twilight blew Rainbow Dash back with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

Rainbow Dash dropped the subject and sat back on her throne.

Starlight looked at Rainbow.   “I’ll do it.  I’m not an alicorn, but you saw what I could do to an alicorn -- twice.”

Rainbow looked at Starlight, smiling.

“Okay, let’s do it!”

“Wait!” said Rarity, jumping out of her throne.  “You’re not doing this just because you’re still mad about what happened with Sun Burst, right?”

Starlight put a forehoof to her chest and said dramatically, "Rarity!  I'm shocked you would even think of something like that!  Besides, to avenge my friend, I need to put my hooves on the Arrow or the Canary.”  Starlight shrugged.  “And, Rainbow Dash is still my friend.”

“Not to mention Sun Burst kind of deserved that,” mumbled Spike.

“Starlight, don’t you dare!” said Twilight, glaring at her student.

“Come on, Twilight; it's for the greater good.  A tickle spell, one single hit, I promise it won't hurt her.”

Twilight gulped, but, reluctantly, she nodded.  Starlight grinned.

“Okay, avoid this, DASH!!”

She shot a beam of green magic at Rainbow Dash, but when it hit her, the pegasus evaporated, and the real Dash whistled from right above Starlight.

“Do you like it?  Speed illusion!”

“Shut up and take this!” shouted Starlight, shooting again.

Rainbow turned into a streak of light, and appeared right beside Starlight.

“Hahahahaha, that, hahahaha, doesn’t . . . hahahaha, doesn’t count!” protested Starlight as Rainbow Dash tickled her with a wingtip.

Rainbow stopped her tickling.

“What? …Why?”

“Because I warned you first.”

“Okay, surprise me,” said Dash, turning her back on Starlight.

Starlight didn’t attack immediately.  She knew Dash would be expecting that.  She cast a silence spell on herself and crept up slowly until she was right behind Rainbow Dash.

The tickle spell hadn't even traversed half the distance when Rainbow began tickling her from behind again.

“Nice try!” mocked the speedster.

Starlight tried to protest, but Rainbow increased her tickling speed, and it was too much for Starlight to handle.

“Hahahahahahahahaha!  STOP, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Rainbow Dash complied while Spike and the rest of the ponies joined in the laughter.

Spike then grinned, and poked Twilight.

“What?” asked Twilight.

The baby dragon just aimed his head toward Rainbow.

Twilight gasped.

“What?  I told you I won’t do it!” whispered the alicorn.

“Come on!” insisted Spike.   “A tickle spell!  Just a small one!”

Twilight frowned, worrying.  But, this time, she decided to attack.

Rainbow’s ears twitched, and the mare disappeared in a streak of light.  Just like with Starlight, the spell hadn't even covered half the distance when Rainbow began to tickle the alicorn from behind.  Starlight found herself the victim of friendly fire.





The super-fast tickle ended up making Twilight fell on her knees.

“Bow before me, little alicorn!” mocked Rainbow, laughing happily.

The main door burst open, and Celestia and Luna charged in, each one shooting a powerful beam at Rainbow Dash.  The speedster turned, and disappeared in a streak of light, carrying Twilight out of the line of fire.

From above the royal sisters, Rainbow Dash called out, "Real me!  Real me!"

The two Princesses relaxed.

“For Faust sake, do not scare us like that!!” protested Luna.  “For a second, we thought that your reverse was trying to kill Twilight Sparkle!”

“Sorry . . .” mumbled Rainbow Dash.

“What were you trying to do, anyway?” questioned Celestia.

“Trying to prove if it was possible for a speedster to defeat an alicorn.  You see, we were speculating if Reverse could actually have . . .”

“Killed us back in her timeline; I get it,” sighed Celestia.  “That means that you didn’t stop her.”

“I’m sorry; she disappeared into the Speed Force,” apologized Dash.

“I'm not surprised.”  The Solar Princess sighed.  "We should have expected her to slip away as easily as she slipped in.  We must prepare for her return."

Rainbow nodded sadly.

Twilight got back on her hooves.  “First things first, what are you two doing here?”

Luna gave a small frown.  “Obviously, to check if Loyalty was able to capture her reverse.”

“Unbelievable,” said Rarity.  “Apparently, this reverse-thing is part of being a speedster.”

“It may be the case,” agreed Rainbow Dash.  “But, what I don’t get is how this Reverse Dash is me.  I mean, she dresses funny, but she really is Rainbow Dash, or at least some twisted version of me.”

“It’s true,” said Fluttershy. “At first, I thought she was actually our Rainbow Dash, but then Rainbow showed up.”

“We were also misled by their resemblance,” confessed Celestia.  “I think that may have irritated her.”

“So, you thought the Reverse Dash was Rainbow Dash?” asked Twilight.

“Until four of our most trusted guards were mercilessly killed,” said Luna, frowning.

The girls turned to Rainbow, who nodded slowly.

“Yes, but when I arrived, there were more than just four dead guards.”

“Unfortunately, an elite squad came to help us, and she killed them too,” said Celestia, frowning.  “Luna and I were about to fight her when Rainbow Dash came in.”

Twilight frowned, thoughtful.  It was too much information to process at once.

“Kill?  She killed the guards?” asked Twilight.

“Slaughtered, they didn't stand a chance,” said Dash.  “Sorry I didn’t tell you, but I wanted the princesses to vouch for me.”

Celestia and Luna nodded in agreement.

“In the meantime, it would be a good idea to study Rainbow Dash’s powers more thoroughly," said Celestia.  "It may give us some idea of how to handle this threat.”

“Ask for the Arrow’s help wouldn’t be a bad idea, either,” suggested Rarity.  “He lived with Barry for a while; he may know a thing or two about speedsters.”

The fashionista gulped, wilting under Celestia's glare.

Equestria 4:

The Speed Castle, named in honor of the new queen, was suddenly shaken by a shock wave, but none of the servants cared; that just signaled that their regent had come home.

The Reverse Dash ignored the servants bowing in the throne room, and went directly to the library.

The old room was filled with towers of documents that Nightmare Moon have taken from the Canterlot Archives, back when she defeated Celestia.  The room had been empty during the first two days that Reverse had been in power, but the Speed Queen quickly accumulated so much material that she needed to hire a librarian.

The post had seemed trivial at first.  After all, the new queen hated reading.  However, it soon became clear that the librarian’s true job was going to determine how to raise the sun as had been done in the pre-alicorn era.  The deadline was quite real; it was a matter of weeks before only a narrow band was habitable.  Luckily, the new librarian was an overly enthusiastic egghead.  The Reverse Dash truly disliked this pony, but knew she was perfect for this job.  The librarian was a dead pony walking; it was only a question as to whether it would be slow and painful due to failure or quick and painful when the queen had what she wanted.

Reverse got into the library, looking for the egghead she hired.  She found her in the corner, concentrating on her studies.

“Are you so busy that you forgot to bow to your queen?” asked Reverse, with a threatening tone.

Startled, the young librarian gulped, and bowed nervously.

“I’m terribly, sorry, my queen!  I didn’t see you, but only because I was researching what you told me to last night!” cried the librarian.

The Reverse Dash looked at her, with lightning bolts coursing around her body.  The librarian shrank in fear, but Reverse relaxed, and nodded.

“Okay, I’ll let that pass, for now, just because your little theory ended up being right.  What I saw the other day was indeed another universe, totally different from here.  It was a sunny day, can you imagine?  A sunny day!”

That jogged the librarian's memory.  “Oh, about that! I’ve just found the spell we were looking for! Unfortunately, it’s in ancient Unicornian, so I’ll need a little more time to translate it!”

The Reverse Dash rolled her eyes under her goggles.  “I don’t care!  All right?  What about the research on the multiverse?  What can you tell me about other selves?”

The librarian tilted her head.  “Other selves?  What do you mean?”

The Reverse Dash raised a hoof.  “Okay, I’ll ask another, more capable pony.”

“WAIT!” shouted the librarian.  “I think you mean the doppelganger theory, right?  The belief that, no matter what, we’ll always exist in the multiple versions of our world, with different lives, experiences, and circumstances, but, in the end, our essence will remain the same.”

The Reverse Dash nodded slowly.   “Is that so?  Well, that makes sense.  She was as fast as me, but she used her gift to play hero.  Interesting, really interesting.  That means, that just like me, you’re always up for a challenge, right Rainbow?”

“My queen?” asked the librarian.

“Just keep working, okay?” asked the Reverse Dash, leaving, but she stopped halfway through the door.

“My queen?” asked the librarian again.

“Nothing, it's just, that you remind me of somepony, but I can’t remember who exactly.”

With that, she left.

The librarian stood there, in silence.  It wasn’t the first time the Queen had said that, so she really didn’t mind.  She was about to go back to work when Rarity approached, sighing, relieved that the librarian was still alive.

“Oh, thanks Faust!  For a moment, I thought I’ll have to mop blood again!” said the butler-lady, shivering.

The young librarian shrugged.  “I guess I was lucky.”

Rarity smiled at the lavender unicorn.   “Yes, we all are.  She’s really frightening from time to time.  But, believe it or not, I prefer working for her over Nightmare.”

“Seriously?  I never knew Nightmare Moon, so I can’t really tell.”

“Believe it or not, she killed even more ponies than Rain . . . I mean Reverse Dash.”   Rarity sighed.  “And, I know my friend is still there, somewhere.  During the rule of Nightmare Moon, she tried to be strong for the sake of her friends, but all she did was to get Nightmare’s attention, and not in a good way.  She never lost a chance to torture Dash, leaving her of guard shifts of twenty hours each, kicking her every time she saw her, or even leaving her humiliating tasks like polishing her armor with her tongue.  But Rainbow remained strong for way too long, defying Nightmare over and over, until the Nightmare had enough of her, and tried to kill her.”

The librarian frowned.  “Oh, I’ve heard of that. That attempt at murder gave the queen her new speed.”

Rarity nodded.  “More importantly, it broke her, turning my friend into this.  Oh!  Where are my manners?  My name is Rarity!”

“Twilight, Twilight Sparkle.”

Equestria 1:

One thing that became patently obvious over the course of the week was that, despite her ability to learn at super speed, there were things for which Rainbow Dash was just not suited.  Her skill and dedication as guardian were never in question.  In addition to her normal routine, she had added extra patrols in the Canterlot area.  Barry's training had burnished her talents in that regard.  Her aptitude in basic research however, was what one would expect from a star athlete.  Barry was the scientist, not she.  Beyond what she had learned from Barry, she could offer no insight into the Speed Force.

As Rainbow Dash flew through the skylight in the solarium in the Castle of Friendship, it was painfully clear to all there what else had been going on over the past week.  Bags had formed under her eyes, and her mane and tail were completely unkempt.

"Y'all gotta take better care o' yourself," said Applejack.

Rainbow Dash groaned.  "I haven't been able to relax since Reverse Dash showed up.  Every time I go to sleep, it's another nightmare."

Rarity said with concern, "Surely Princess Luna is helping you with that."

"I'm not sure I'd call it 'help'.  She says I have to take control.  I have to decide how each nightmare plays out."

"You really need a good night's sleep; you're hardly in shape to face Reverse like this."

"I know, Rarity, I know!"  Rainbow Dash huffed, annoyed.

"I'm so sorry, darling.  You know you can count on us.  Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have the support of both the Arrow and the Canary, whether or not they want it."

Rainbow Dash smiled.  She'd forgotten that Blue Blood had a stake in the fight.  After all the time he'd spent with Barry, he must have developed something to use against speedsters.

The speedster sighed.  "Maybe you're right.  Maybe I can relax a little."

Twilight smiled at her.  "If she shows up here, we'll all fight at your side."

“Of course!” agreed Pinkie Pie.  “We have faced worse things, remember?  Worse things and worse baddies.  We'll figure this out together.”

Rainbow Dash gave a wan smile.  "You're right.  I know how powerful friendship is."

Fluttershy slowly approached and took Rainbow in a tight embrace.  One by one, the other ponies joined in.  Starlight hesitated at first, before she decided that Rainbow wasn't to blame for Sun Burst's fate.

“Cookies are ready!” announced Spike, waddling into the room with a tray.  “Who’s hungry?”

Rainbow Dash's ears twitched, but before she could safely separate from her friends, an eerily familiar voice shouted, "I AM!"

A streak of multi-colored light entered the room and surrounded Spike.

The dragon gasped in surprise.  Not only was his tray empty, but also Reverse Dash was right in front of him, messily finishing off the last cookie.

“Oh, these are great, kiddo!  Wanna work for me?  I have an opening for a pastry chef.  Why can't those morons remember I hate pies?"  She looked at Spike hungrily.  "I do have to admit, they were surprisingly good with a side of lentils and a good glass of spiced wine."

Reverse grinned evilly as the others backed away from her and Twilight snatched Spike away with her telekinesis, setting him behind a wall of mares.  The others could feel the aura of menace that Reverse projected.

“Is that a no, then?” asked the Reverse Dash.  As Spike was being whisked away, Reverse said, "Your momma looks familiar."

Rainbow Dash stepped forward with her friends following in support.

"Bad move, Reverse.  With my friends at my side, there’s no way you can win!”

The Reverse Dash grinned. “You see friends?  I see targets!”

Starlight and the Element Bearers girded their loins.  Rarity awkwardly wielded a mop with her telekinesis while Starlight and Twilight prepared offensive spells.  Pinkie Pie pointed her party cannon as she donned rose-colored safety goggles while Applejack prepared her lasso.  Fluttershy looked at Reverse with concern; the timid pegasus was unwilling to fight, but she was also unwilling to flee.

“Last chance, Reverse!!” warned Rainbow.  “Give up, NOW!”

Reverse’s grin grew wider, and she gave a rude gesture with her wing.  She then scowled now that she had a clear view of Twilight.  "An alicorn?! Oh, right! I knew my book-slave reminded me of somepony. You’re the one who came to piss off Nightmare the other night!”

Twilight glared at the Reverse Dash. “What are you talking about? I’ve just met you!”

“Your kind put me through Tartarus.  I'll send you all there!" answered Reverse, ignoring Twilight.

Starlight and Twilight shot first.  The Reverse grinned, and disappeared in a streak of light, just as Rainbow Dash entered the fray.  The two spells impacted harmlessly on the wall as Rainbow began to chase Reverse Dash around the celling.

Pinkie aimed her cannon upwards, but after a few seconds, she aimed the cannon away.

“Come on Pinkie!  Can´t you use your Pinkie-Sense to see which streak is the Reverse Dash?!” asked Rarity.

“I know where Reverse is, but the cannon is too slow to hit her!” answered Pinkie.

Twilight and Starlight had a more serious issue; not only could not cast fast enough to hit either streak, but also, they could not tell friend from foe.

On the air, Rainbow and her Reverse were chasing each other, as the Reverse Dash laughed all the way.

“IS THIS A JOKE FOR YOU?” shouted Rainbow Dash.

“Chillax!” answered the Reverse.  “I have to let your little friends think they have a chance before I completely crush them.”

On the ground, Spike ran beside Twilight, looking at the two streaks of light crashing over and over on the celling.

“Oh no,” said Spike.  “I think I’ve met her before!”

“Are y'all crazy?!” asked Applejack.

“No, and she knows us too Twilight!  Remember Starlight’s time manipulation?  The future where Nightmare Moon ruled Equestria, we did meet another Rarity, and . . .”

Twilight shivered as she understood. “. . . another Rainbow Dash.”

Starlight gasped.

“What have I done?”

In the air, Reverse’s ears twitched.  She screamed, "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!  YOU RUINED MY TIMELINE!"

Reverse ricocheted off the wall and shoved Rainbow Dash aside as she streaked past.  The demented speedster scooped Spike up in her forelegs and streaked out the skylight.

Rainbow Dash quickly was on the fiend's tail.  She shouted, "Let him go!  He's just a kid!"

Evilly, Reverse grinned.  "You asked for it!"  She pulled into an Immelmann turn, launching Spike on her way up.  The rainbow ring of her speed boost flared when she was pointed at the skylight.

Rainbow Dash caught up with the terrified Spike before he began his descent.  She stuffed him into the pouch of a passing mailmare before speeding back to the castle.

As super speed, Rainbow Dash took in the horror of the scene inside.  Applejack was being hanged by her own lasso, while Pinkie Pie was trussed up in front of the party cannon.  The speedster cut the farm pony down with a pulse of super compressed air, and, on the way down, pointed the cannon in a safe direction.

In normal time, Starlight and Twilight looked on in horror from opposite sides of the room as Reverse held Rarity with a wing while using a forehoof to press a dagger to the fashionista's throat.  Reverse taunted the pair.  "Do you feel lucky!  Well, do you?!"

Falling to the floor, Applejack move to free Pinkie Pie.  Rainbow Dash touched down and glared at Reverse, panting heavily.

Reverse smirked.  "Took you long enough, slowpoke.  Just to show you how stupid it is to count on friends, I'm going to kill them, one by one, while you watch."

Rarity's nose twitched.  Frosting?  She looked at Twilight and winked.  She then did the same for Rainbow Dash.

Reverse asked, "Any last words?"

As she slashed, Rarity bucked, throwing the speedster into the air.  Rainbow Dash charged while Twilight shot a tri-colored lightning bolt.

At super speed, Reverse cursed her carelessness.  Somehow her dagger had changed into a butter knife.  She dropped it as she turned to grapple Rainbow.  The fatigued hero was no match for the fresh fiend.  Reverse threw her into Twilight's attack.

Rainbow screamed, "NO!!"  Blue, yellow, and red lightning bolts circulated around her body.  She looked up at Reverse.

To Reverse's horror, Rainbow Dash now radiated an aura of vigor.  It was time to go.  From hidden pockets, Reverse drew a dagger with each wing.  Simultaneously, she threw one at Starlight and the other at Twilight.  Cackling madly, she zoomed out the skylight and warped back home.

This was the stuff of nightmares.  As fast as she was, there was only enough time to deal with one threat.  This was the very thing that had tormented her sleep for the past week.  This was the sort of thing Luna had forced her to work out.  A lesser mare would have been indecisive when faced with this horrible choice.  Rainbow Dash bore the Element of Loyalty.  Over those sleepless nights, she had decided that her first loyalty was to ponykind.  There was no hesitation.

At the speeds at which the daggers were travelling, the results of the transfer of kinetic energy were spectacularly gruesome.  Gravity drew what remained of Starlight's corpse to the floor as Rainbow landed beside Twilight, carrying the other dagger in her mouth.

 “No . . .NO, NO, NO, NO!  DANG IT, NO!!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

Fluttershy covered her eyes as she sobbed, but she was the only one.  The rest of them, were looking at what was left of Starlight, too shocked to move.

“What have I done?  WHAT HAVE I DONE?”

“Rainbow, it wasn’t yer fault!” said Applejack.

“I led you into danger!  I made you all targets!”

Pinkie Pie spat the dagger she'd switched with Reverse out of her mouth.  "No, Rainbow Dash!  It's not your fault!  You did all you could!  None of us were truly ready for a crazy speedster!"

Rainbow, nodded as she flapped her wings.

“You’re right Pinkie, none of us is ready to face an evil speedster.  I know someone who has faced them, twice.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Twilight.

"Go look for my teacher's help!  What else? I won't allow anypony else to die."

Rainbow removed her goggles to clean away her tears, allowing the others to see the determined look in her eyes.  “I've been analyzing Reverse's moves.  Every time she does something special, it looks like there's a ring from a mini sonic rainboom.  I saw how she did that; it's probably the key to get into the Speed Force."

She knelt beside Starlight's corpse as she covered it with a tarp.  "You always will be my friend.  Reverse will answer for her crimes."

She approached to the window.

“Sorry I can't stay for the funeral; I need to get help before Reverse comes again.”

The girls looked at Rainbow and each gave a sad smile.

“Don’t forget bring us a souvenir!” said Pinkie Pie.  Holding up a pair of magenta goggles, she said, "I swapped with Reverse."

Rainbow Dash smiled back at her friends.  As she accelerated, the air around her warped.  She vanished into a small rainbow ring.
> Race 21
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 21: The Magic of Speed, and the Force of Friendship


Rainbow Dash cursed as she tried once again to replicate Reverse's move.  One thing that Barry had hammered into his student was that speed without control is nothing, and this exercise was proving him right.  Rainbow Dash struggled to find the Goldilocks zone.  If she accelerated to slowly, she would do an ordinary Sonic Rainboom.  If she accelerated too quickly, the Speed Force would erect a bubble around her and insulate her from ordinary physical phenomena.

It seemed like an eternity before it happened.  Just as the shock collar was forming, the Speed Force bubble enveloped her.  Rainbow Dash vanished from the face of Equestria.

For Rainbow Dash, the world disappeared in a tunnel of blue light.  All sensation of speed and acceleration disappeared.  Rainbow Dash smiled.  She could feel it; she was inside the Speed Force.

“Speed Force!  Speed Force!  Are you there?  Help me!  I need you!”

The image of the long-deceased Grandma Dash appeared right beside Rainbow.

“Our help?  To do what, exactly?  You know it is too late to save your friend.  You know trying to change history brings nothing but trouble.”

Rainbow looked at the figure of her grandma and sighed.

“I know that.  As much as it hurts to lose my friend Starlight, she showed me how dangerous changing the past can be.  She is responsible for my reverse, isn't she?  I'm begging you, lead me to my mentor, please."

“This is your battle, Rainbow Dash.  Are you telling me that you don’t trust your abilities?”

“I do trust in my abilities, but this goes beyond just me.  Barry told me what happened to Thawne, his reverse.  If I try this alone, the same will happen to my reverse."

The projection of Grandma Dash shrugged.  "That is the way of the Speed Force."

"You don't get it, do you?  I wouldn't just be killing a version of myself; I'd be dooming her entire planet!  She killed the ones who can control their sun.  If I stop her like this, her planet dies.  If I fail, every Equestria in every timeline dies."

The projection asked, "If I grant you desire, what difference would that make?"


"Barry can protect my friends while I defeat my reverse.  My friends and I can reform her; we can use the powers of Harmony.  But, to do that, they must be safe.  To do that, I need to be able to defeat my reverse without having to worry about them.  Please, I need to see my teacher; more than that, I need to see my friend."

The projection tapped her chin with a forehoof, deep in thought.  It then turned to Rainbow Dash and gave her a soft smile and a nod.

The sensation of speed returned with a vengeance.  Rainbow Dash spread her limbs instinctively as the advertisement for analgesics loomed.  No wings!  Her flailing slowed her just enough to make a solid impact on the billboard.  Friction against the surface resulted in a rude squeak as she slid to platform.

Slowly, Rainbow Dash used the billboard for support as she stood unsteadily.  Balance on two legs was a lot tougher than it was on four.  Rolling to face the street, she found she was atop a concrete jungle.  This was Manehatten on steroids -- louder, taller, brighter.

Looking out, she saw a sea of skyscrapers.  The bright lights were in stark contrast to the darkness of night.  In the distance, one building seemed to have a moat of empty space around it. Along its roofline were the words "S.T.A.R. Labs".

Smiling, Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "I'm here!  I'm actually here!"

Unsteadily, she descended the ladder and stepped onto the roof.  Looking out, she could see she was atop a twenty-story building.  The Flash would have no problem running straight down the side and then continuing along the sidewalk.  Unfamiliar with her new body, the Dash took the stairs.

It didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to acclimate to her new body.  Baby steps led to a tentative walk.  A bit more practice led to a respectable trot.  Before she reached the ground floor, she was running with confidence.

Things looked much different at ground level.  Wait, was that Jitters?  She looked at her reflection in the window.  The magenta eyes and scruffy rainbow-colored mane were still there, but it was definitely not a pony looking back at her.  She was conflicted about the alien body in which she now resided.  Barry must have gone through the same thing when he first arrived in Equestria.

A human observer would have described her as having a gymnast's build, petite and modestly-proportioned.  Although a chill on her back told her she still had the wing slits, her suit had transformed to a conventional human costume. Her boots and gloves were a pearlescent white, and the suit was still the familiar cyan. However, instead of cutie marks, her chest now sported her cloud and lightning bolt in a gold-rimmed white circle. A rainbow belt ran around her waist, and her goggles were now scaled for her human form.





Flash was running at full speed as he touched the earcup that contained his commlink.

“What do you have for me, Cisco?”

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, a young Hispanic man with shoulder-length black hair chewed on a red licorice stick as the hunched over his computer display.  His fingers flew over the user interface as the display cycled through status reports from security systems around the city.

“Everything seems completely normal. Oh, wait! There a disturbance at a mall around three klicks on your seven.”

The Flash grinned; he knew exactly which mall Cisco meant.  He flip-turned on a wall and sped off.

At S.T.A.R. Labs, a young woman in her early thirties with curly brown hair and brown eyes sat beside Cisco.  Caitlin Snow was not as quick as the youngster, but her analyses were no less valuable.

“Barry! You better hurry!” exclaimed Caitlin.  “I'm detecting the transmissions of a remote detonator in that mall!”

“On it!” answered Barry, speeding up.

The Flash darted into the mall through a revolving door.  A sudden drop in temperature signaled that something was amiss.  It was too late; as slipped on the ice-coated floor.

When he finally reached a dry patch, he looked up at a figure in a parka.  Although the eyes were covered by goggles, the cold gun he wielded was a dead giveaway.  It was Leonard Snart, or "Captain Cold" as Cisco had dubbed him.

Snart deliberately aimed the cold gun at Flash and fired.

Evading the attack, Flash sprang to his feet. He said, "What do you think you’re doing, Snart?  We had a deal!”

"We still do," Captain Cold replied with a slight Southern drawl.  "Someone paid be good money to keep you busy for the next five minutes.  Nothing personal, Barry.  Just business."

Flash frowned.  “I know, it's always the same with you.”

Snart smiled ironically, and shot Flash with his cold gun.

Barry tried to elude the attack, but he couldn't get enough traction on the ice.  He shivered under the ice that now coated his body.

Snart grinned.  “Easier than I thought.  You’re losing your touch, Barry.”

“We had a deal, Snart!” protested Flash.

Captain Cold took a small transmitter from his parka.  Holding it up in front of the Flash, he deliberately pressed down of the button.  Somewhere in the mall, the bomb's timer activated, counting down from five minutes.

“We still have a deal; I’m not killing anyone.  You know how good I am at timing things.  There's just enough time for you to evacuate everyone in here to safety.  You have five minutes; use them well, Barry.”

The Flash watch Snart calmly walk away.  Pursuing him would have to wait until all of the innocents were safe.

“Cisco, Caitlin!  Tell me, where’s the bomb!” urged Flash.

“We’re trying to locate it, but there's too much interference!” Cisco replied.  “It could be anywhere in there!”

“Sorry, but you knew I'd make sure you'd be busy,” said Snart, looking at the Flash’s worried expression.  "Get going.  Time's a wasting."

Snart smiled at the Flash and turned to leave.  Suddenly, a multi-colored streak of light raced along a wall.  Snart felt the wind get knocked out of him as it caught him.

As he struggled to regain his breath, he reached for the transmitter.  He quickly discovered it was no longer in his pocket.  He also found he was hanging on a light fixture by the back of his pants.

As he flailed about, a girl in a blue bodysuit held up the transmitter and asked, "Looking for this?"

Captain Cold snarled, and aimed his cold gun at the new nuisance.  He pulled the trigger.  Nothing happened.

The Flash stood beside the new speedster and held up the power cell from the gun.  "Looking for this?"

The two speedsters looked at each other.  The younger beamed while the older looked confused.  The younger pointed at her hair.  "It's not a dye job."  At last, the Flash smiled.

“Hi there, Flash.” said the girl, extending her fist to the hero in red.

The Flash gently touched his knuckles to hers.  "Dash?!  I don't believe it!"

“Flash!  Flash!” called Cisco’s voice through Flash’s earpiece.  “There's another speedster in the area.  Look out!”

The Flash put a hand on his earpiece.  “She's a friend, Cisco; she's right in front of me.”

From the other side of the transmitter, Cisco, Caitlin, and other Team Flash member at S.T.A.R. Labs shouted, “WHAT?!”

From ceiling, Snart called out, "Hey, cradle-robber!  You're down to four minutes, thirty seconds."

The Flash replied, "Now that you're just hanging around, why don't you tell us where the bomb is?"

Snart sniffed.  "Professional, remember?  When I give my word, I mean it.  Four minutes, twenty seconds."

The Flash briefed Dash at super speed.  "So, I'll evacuate the mall while you search for the bomb."

Rainbow Dash asked, "What happened to your speed earlier?"

Flash shrugged.  "I got hit with his cold ray.  Let's get going!"

"Give me a second; there's one thing I've been wanting to try."

At normal speed, it looked like Captain Cold was surrounded by a multi-colored streak for a fraction of a second and hoisted to the top of the atrium.  When the streak vanished, he found himself cocooned in duct tape and attached to the ceiling. His gun was lightly taped to his side.

Rainbow Dash critically eyed her handiwork from ground level.  "Somehow, Pinkie always make it look better."  She turned back to the Flash.  "Let's do this!"

The Flash triggered the fire alarm and started rushing the bystanders out in ones and twos.  Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash scoured every millimeter of the mall. Looking for a device with a timer; Barry's memories had shown there was a lot of variation, but a timer was the constant among this type of device.  On the rooftop, Dash's sharp eyes spotted a ventilation cover that had been moved recently.  Peering through the grate, she saw a bright red display counting down from one minute, thirty seconds.

The timer had barely reached one minute, twenty-nine seconds when she returned with the Flash.  After checking for booby traps, he gently removed the grate and pressed the "cancel" button on the detonator.  Gingerly, he removed the device and had a closer look.  The timer and detonator were quite real, but the squib and the explosive were obvious fakes.

The Flash activated his commlink.  "Cisco, the bomb's a diversion.  What's the real crime?"

Cisco frowned as the answer popped up on his screen.  "Dr. McGee triggered her silent alarm.  Her security feed shows she's being held hostage at Mercury Labs.  I count six hostiles, including a hacker."

The Flash sighed.  "Dash, can I get your help for a bit?"

"Sure!"

"Great!  Let me take care of one quick thing, and then it's to the rescue!"

Back in the atrium, the Flash lowered Captain Cold so that he was only one meter off the ground.  He said, "Hey, Leonard, I saw your bomb.  The deal is still on."

With that, the Flash sped away with his protégé in tow.

At super speed, Rainbow Dash still found running on two legs awkward.  She marveled at how easy her mentor made it look.

At Mercury Labs, the hacker kept one eye on the timer as he monitored the progress of his software.  There was still a comfortable safety margin, assuming he got the full five minutes he requested.  The whoosh of a passing speedster told him his time was up.  The hacker cursed, but after the red and yellow streak passed, he breathed a sigh of relief.  With the Flash rescuing the hostage, he had a few precious seconds to make his escape.

As he turned to flee, he found himself being pulled away as his vision blurred.  When he could see clearly again, he found himself looking down at the floor.  Looking about, he found the reason his limbs refused to obey; he was cocooned in duct tape.

Elsewhere, Dr. McGee smiled as the Flash piled the unconscious thugs together.  Thanks again, Mister Allen.  I'm sorry I keep causing such a bother."

"It's all in a day's work.  If you'll excuse me, I need to introduce someone to my friends."

At that moment, a girl in a cyan body suit walked in, dragging a tape-wrapped bundle.  Dr. McGee tensed.  Urgently, she whispered, "Look out!  It's another one!"

The Flash laughed.  "This is my student, Dash."

Skeptically, Dr. McGee said, "I don't know about this."

Dash replied, "Hey!  I'm Loyalty; and the Flash is a friend."

Dr. McGee shrugged.  “If you're sure about this Flash, go on, but don't forget what your so-called mentors did to you."

The Flash nodded.  “Thank you for the advice; it's good to know you have my back.”

With that, he disappeared in a streak of light, followed by Rainbow Dash.

As the two headed to S.T.A.R. Labs, the Flash said, “You’re getting better Rainbow!  You’re faster than the last time we met!”

“You have to be kidding!  This whole thing of balancing on only two legs is messing with my speed!” complained Rainbow.

“But you're learning fast, and your pace is good,” replied the Flash, shrugging.  “Now, come on!  I can’t wait to introduce you to my friends!”

Unfortunately, the reception at S.T.A.R. Labs was not what the Flash was expecting.  The doors were barricaded, and Team Flash was waiting behind cover with weapons at the ready, glaring at the newcomer.

Dash smiled nervously as she studied the hostile expressions.

Joe said, "Blockhouse."

The Flash led the way. "Come on Dash, let's get out of the open."

The blockhouse was an underground facility isolated from the main building.  With its rugged construction, it could easily double as a bomb shelter.  Once everyone was inside, the Flash looked at the weapons his friends were carrying; they were variations of the cold gun.

Angrily, Iris said, "Okay, you owe us an explanation.  Let's hear it."

Rainbow Dash removed her goggles.  "Um, I'm a friend of Barry's. My name is Rainbow Dash."

Barry also removed lowered his hood.  "Relax, guys. I vouch for her."

Caitlin growled.  "Barry, the last time we welcomed someone new at the lab, he turned out to be a homicidal maniac."

“We’re not going to make the same mistake all over again, son," Joe added.  "You say you know her, but how can you be so sure?”

“Yeah, dude, I’m pretty sure there’s more you can tell us,” insisted Cisco.

Barry sighed, but still, he smiled.  “Where do I begin?  After I defeated Zoom, I hurt so much I wanted to run away from everything.  I thought I could stop the pain if I made everything right, so I got into the Speed Force, and I, er… tried to go back in time to rescue my mom."

“Barry . . .” said Iris with a mixture of sorrow and disappointment.

“Yes, I was being an idiot, but, I’d just lost my biological father, and almost lost Joe, too.  I couldn’t take it anymore!” explained the Flash.

Joe slowly embraced his son. “I get it.  But then, what happened?”

“The Speed Force talked me out of it.  It told me there were good speedsters out there, and that I shouldn't let Reverse Flash and Zoom break me.  To prove there were other speedsters I could trust, it led me to a new speedster.  That was Rainbow Dash."

The girl with the multi-colored hair waved a hand, shyly.

“So, she’s another of your mentors?” asked Caitlin, suspiciously.

Barry shook his head, and proudly put his hand on Rainbow’s shoulder.  “Not at all; this time, I was the mentor.  Rainbow Dash is my student.”

“WHAT?!” shouted Team Flash in unison.

Rainbow Dash smiled happily and gave a small bow with her right forearm across her stomach.  “It’s an honor to finally meet you all.  Back in my world, Barry told me a lot about you.”

“Your world?  What do you mean ‘your world’?” asked Iris.

Rainbow smiled proudly.  “Another dimension, other plane of existence.  You know what I mean; you're the eggheads.”

“Is this for real?” asked Cisco.

“Yes, but you'd think I was crazy if I told you,” explained Barry.  "That's why I kept it a secret."

“So, all that time you were lost, you were training this girl?” asked Iris, suspiciously.  "She looks like a high school freshman."

Rainbow Dash snapped, "Hey!  I'm not a filly anymore."

Barry gestured for Rainbow Dash to hold her tongue.  "It's a little more complicated than that.  She didn't have her powers at first.  While I was waiting, I moonlighted as a crimefighter with their version of the Arrow.  After she recovered from her transformation, I started tutoring her, and she graduated to fighting crime with us."

Joe nodded.  “Fine then, but, do you mind if we see for ourselves, Rainbow Dash?”

“How can you do that?” asked Rainbow.

“Easy,” replied the cop.  “Cisco?”

Cisco Ramón put on some high-tech goggles and then put a hand on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder.  Soon, he saw the story from her perspective, starting with the call of the Cutie Map.  Her encounter with LeGrand's thugs introduced her to the scarlet speedster and crushed her confidence.  Her obsession with speed led to the accident in Twilight's lab.  Waking up in the hospital, she discovered her new power.  Finally, she became Barry's student, and, after coming into her own, she had to bid Barry farewell."

Soon enough, the metahuman released Rainbow, and he began to laugh uncontrollably, rolling on the floor.

“Cisco, Cisco!  What happened, Cisco?!” asked Caitlin, shaking the laughing boy.

But he continued laughing uncontrollably.

“What did you do to him?!” asked Iris angrily.

“Nothing, I promise!” said Rainbow.

Barry rolled his eyes, face-palming.  “It’s okay, she didn’t do anything.”

“But Cisco . . .” said Joe.

“Really, just let him finish.” said Barry, resigned; he knew what was coming.

Cisco continued laughing hysterically for a few minutes, until he finally got back on his feet, still giggling.  He looked at Barry, with a mocking smile.

“So, hahahaha, that’s where you were all this time?  God, hahahaha, it looks like a kids’ cartoon!  Hahahaha, that’s a good one, the fastest pegasus alive?”

“What?” asked the rest of Team Dash in disbelief.

Cisco began to laugh again, until he finally calmed down.

“It’s okay; it’s okay, really.  It's just . . . too weird; that’s really funny . . . but she’s an okay gal.”  He turned to Rainbow Dash.  “Sorry for mistrusting you, Fruityloos, but we every other speedster Barry has met has been big trouble.”

Rainbow nodded.  “I get it; I get it.  Wait, how did you call me?”

“Fruityloos.  From now on, it’ll be your new metapony name!” announced Cisco, proudly.

“So, we can trust her?” asked Iris, cautiously.

“Metapony?” asked Caitlin.

Cisco giggled.  “Hahaha, oh God! Sorry if I offended you, Fruityloos, but I can’t help myself!  This is so rich!”

Rainbow groaned.   “Fine, fine.  But, I already have a metapony name.  It's the Dash!”

Cisco shook his head, as he took a package of Fruityloos candies from a pocket, and throwing them to Rainbow.  “Nope, it doesn’t count if is your real name.  Besides, these are one of my favorite treats in the world; you should be flattered!  Go on, try it!  It's a rainbow of more or less fruit flavors.”

Rainbow groaned, but she tried the candy.  She raised an eyebrow in astonishment.  The real artificial fruit flavors were surprisingly good.

Caitlin visibly relaxed.  “Okay, if Cisco says you’re good, I trust you.  But, seriously, what are you talking about?  Pegasus?”

“I really wish these goggles could project,” said Cisco, trying to hold back his laugh.  “It's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.  That world looks like it was made for six-year-old girls."  Grinning, he added, "You were absolutely adorable as a pony, Barry. If I had a niece, she'd ask for you for Christmas."

Barry sighed.  “Yes, the Speed Force is full of surprises.  But, Rainbow, why are you here?  I can't believe the Speed Force sent you for a friendly visit.”

Rainbow Dash nodded slowly.

“You're right; I need your help Barry.  I have a serious problem.”

“What kind of problem?”

“Her name is the Reverse Dash.”

Barry’s expression darkened.   “WHAT?!”

“Please Barry, I need your help.  I know I can beat her by myself, but that would mean that her world dies, and I probably lose most of my friends.  She's not like Thawne; she's me.  There's still good in her; my friends and I can save her, but there's no way I can slow her down enough for that by myself.  I need you to help me to protect my friends while I take care of her.”

Barry nodded firmly.  He knew how she felt.

“Of course, I’ll help you.”

Cisco said, "Wait a minute? What are you going to do? Talk her to death?"

Barry replied, "Before Dash became a speedster, she was a national hero.  She and her friends reformed an insane ruler. And a deity of chaos, and a full kingdom of love-hungry creatures."

Dash added, "That's exactly what I want to do with my reverse."

Cisco ginned.  “I’ll join as well.  If there’s a chance to see that little world of yours in person, I really want to participate.”

“Okay, I don’t really get what’s going on, but you can count me in, too,” said Caitlin.

Iris and Joe nodded in agreement.

“If they trust you, so do I,” said Iris.  “After all, made Barry whole again.”

“Team Flash has your back,” finished Joe.
> Race 22
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 22: Welcome to Equestria Team Flash!


Rainbow Dash's sense of wonder was palpable as Team Flash finally relented and welcomed her into S.T.A.R. Labs.  Barry had often talked about the importance of his support network, and his memories had given her brief glimpses into his home away from home.  The reverence with which he had described his team had only served fuel Dash's desire to experience the life that her mentor, her idol, loved so much.  She could finally feel what it was that was so special.

She had a million questions, but she had to be content to talk at a pace the others could follow.  This was a place straight out of Spike's comic books; never in a thousand years would she have imagined a world with so many metapeople.  As her questions were answered, she could scarcely believe this was a world without magic; compared to ordinary ponies, the poor humans were practically crippled.

Despite Cisco's reassurances, Caitlin, Iris, and Joe had a hard time believing that Rainbow Dash's native form was a pegasus pony that came up to their waists.  Such creatures were the stuff of children's cartoons, not the dark vigilantes who were the scourges of the underworld.  Hearing of the ills of the human world manifesting in what should be an idyllic setting was more than a little disconcerting.  Had it not been for Cisco's reassurances, they would have suspected that the speedsters had broken a few too many falls with their heads.

Barry smiled as he watched Rainbow Dash bouncing off the walls . . . and the floor . . . and the ceiling.  "Rainbow, I know you're excited, but I need you to stay still for a bit.  We to have you take a few tests before we can go to Equestria."

"Tests?!  You know how much I hate studying!"

Caitlin laughed.  "Not that kind of test.  We need to learn more about you to figure out how to get to your world.  We need to see what sort of shape you're in to make sure you're ready for a trip back.  We need to capture and analyze your energy signature at speed to figure out how to steer the portal back to Equestria."

Rainbow Dash groaned.  "You lost me at 'test'."

Caitlin sighed, and showed her a treadmill.  “Just let us connect a few sensors to you.  Then, we'll have you run on this treadmill.  It can withstand Barry's top speed, so you should do just fine."

“Okay!”  Rainbow eagerly hopped onto the treadmill.  She tried not to giggle as Iris and Caitlin inadvertently tickled her as they stuck the sensors in place.

Cisco studied the information being relayed to his computer monitor.  "Biorhythm readings are go.  Vital signs are go.  Energy spectrum and vectors are go.  We're all set."

Caitlin nodded. “When you’re ready, Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow smiled, and began to run as fast as she could with this new body.  Magnetic bearings easily withstood the stress as she accelerated to super speed.  Cisco, Barry and Caitlin monitored the displays in real time as the data was automatically recorded.

“She’s running at the same speed we'd expect for a rookie; she's about where you were in the first couple of months,” said Cisco.

“I'd say she's a bit slower," said Caitlin, hesitantly.  "Do you suppose it's because she's not quite familiar with a human body?"

“I'd say it's because she's a lot more comfortable flying,” explained Barry.  “In her base form, I've seen her go a lot faster than this, but it's always been out in the open.  Unfortunately, we won’t be able to measure her true abilities until we get to her world.

“Speaking of that, it may take a longer than I thought,” said Cisco as he scrutinized the girl's energy signature.

Caitlin quirked an eyebrow.  "Do you mean you can't do it?  Why can't you use your glasses like you did when you opened the portal to Earth 2?"

Cisco huffed.  Irritably, he said, "Of course I can do it.  It's just a lot more complicated that I had thought.  Earth 2 is in our dimension, but on a different timeline.  She comes from a completely different plane of existence.  In terms of effort, it's like comparing picking up a feather to giving Vandal Savage an atomic wedgie.  It'll take a bit of time for me to calibrate my glasses."

“How long are we talking about?” asked Iris, looking at Rainbow Dash with concern.

"I don't know, but I won't rest until I've solved it," said Cisco.  "All I need is time alone with my systems, and a few liters of caffeine."  Suddenly, he looked up and smiled.  "Speaking of caffeine, why don't you follow the tradition and take her to Jitters?  While you're at it, bring me back a party pack of Flashes."

Barry smiled at his friend.  "Don't push yourself too hard, Cisco.  Don't forget that more haste means less speed."

“Barry is right, Cisco,” said Joe, placing a hand on the scientist’s shoulder.  “Just upload the data to the mainframe computer and rest for tonight.  We'll all start this fresh after breakfast.”

“We'll have breakfast at Jitters -- all of us,” added Barry.

Caitlin grinned. “I didn’t know you were into that stuff, Cisco.  Should I pick up a bridle and saddle for you?”

Iris added, "I know!  What about a little pony plush?"  She eyed Rainbow Dash critically.  "It might be hard getting one in her colors, though."

“Hahahaha.  Come on, you two know what I mean.  It’s a whole new universe with its own physics, logic, and even magic!  Aren’t you even a little bit curious?”

“Maybe a little,” admitted Caitlin. “Honestly, what you told us makes absolutely no sense to me.  I don't think it'll make any sense until I see it for myself.”

Barry smiled at his friends, and then he looked at Rainbow.  “Okay, you can stop now, Rainbow Dash.  We have all the data we need!”

The young speedster leapt from the treadmill.  Joe would have sworn she was flying as she did a somersault and twist before landing right behind Caitlin.  Eagerly, Rainbow Dash stared over her shoulder, reading the results.

“And how is it?  Awesome, right?” asked Rainbow Dash, proudly.  “After all, I was the best of the best, even before Twilight hit me with that lighting.

“Not bad for a speedster, but, as Barry said, in order to see your full potential, we must see you performing in the air," explained Caitlin calmly.

Cisco stretched lazily over his chair as he started the data upload to the mainframe.

“And, with this, we’re done for tonight.  As Barry said, we need our rest. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Huh, guys, just one thing,” said Rainbow Dash.  “Where I’m going to sleep?  Sorry . . .”

Iris glanced over at Joe, who shrugged.  She said, “I guess you can stay with Barry and dad, right?  You can use my old bedroom”

Joe nodded. “I don’t mind.  What about you, Barry?”

“Sure.  You can tell me how everyone is doing, you know, beside your reverse.”

Rainbow forced a smile.  There was no avoiding it now.  She would have to tell Barry she'd failed to keep her promise; she'd failed to protect Blue Blood.

The back seat of the nondescript SUV should have been roomy for the young speedster, but she was clearly uncomfortable as she fidgeted.  "So, this is a car," she grumbled.  “I don’t know if I can get used to it.”

“Why? Too slow for you?” asked Barry, from the shotgun seat.

Joe frowned, and looked sternly at Barry.  “Come on, it's paid for.  It runs just fine, and no one would give it a second glance.  Besides, it'll go as fast as any production car in the city.”

Barry chuckled at this, but Rainbow shook her head.

“No, it's too small!  I’m used to the open sky!”

“Never thought you were claustrophobic.”

Rainbow Dash looked around.  Traffic was bumper to bumper in all directions.  She groaned.  "This is slower than the line on Cider Day.  How often do you have to deal with this?"

"This is normal," replied Joe.  "You'll get used to it."

"How?!  It's so hot and stuffy I can hardly breathe!"

Barry smiled as he turned on the air conditioner.

“Better?”

“Think so . . .” said Rainbow.  “Whoa, are you sure you don’t have magic in your world?”

“Nope, just some good old human inventions,” explained Joe calmly.  “And, what about your world?  You don’t have any vehicles?”

“Not like this one.  Just about everything runs on pony power.  Usually, we walk, or fly, if you're a pegasus.  We have ponies who pull carriages and trains for the short trips.  We use steam for trains for the long ones.”

“Yeah, pegasus, and magic?” said Joe scratching his head.  “I still don’t get it.  How does that even work?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Beats me; I'm no good at the egghead stuff.  Besides, magic is more my friend Twilight’s field.”

“Your friend the princess,” said Joe, skeptically.

“Eeyup, the Princess of Friendship herself,” assured Dash.

“Right . . .”

Traffic continued at a crawl until they got out of the downtown area.  The further away they went, the lighter traffic became.  Finally, they made it home, where Iris was already waiting for them.

“Iris? What are you doing here?” asked Joe.   “And how did you get here that fast?”

“I took the long route, less traffic,” she explained as she handed Rainbow Dash a bag of clothes.  “I thought you may need some normal clothes.  I don’t know if my high school stuff fits you, but, it's the best we can do.”

Rainbow took a look of her suit and blushed. “I guess we don't want to draw too much attention, right?”

“Let’s just go inside,” said Joe.  “Are you joining us for dinner, Iris?”

“Sure, thank you dad.”

Barry showed Rainbow the bathroom, where she could change.  Two seconds later, Rainbow Dash walked out, looking every bit like a teenager -- from ten years ago.  The clothes hung loosely on her; the embroidered white blouse with puffy sleeves and the embellished ripped blue jeans showed just a hint of rebelliousness.

Nervously, she asked, “Okay, how do I look?”

“Pretty nice,” complimented Iris. “How does it feel?”

“It's just like a Nightmare Night costume, loose enough to hide something underneath."  Pulling out the chest, she asked, "What are you supposed to put in here, anyways, a cat?"

The others laughed heartily.

Rainbow Dash shifted uncomfortably.  “It just feels weird all covered up like this on such a nice night.  How can you humans live like that?”

Joe shrugged.  “Lack of fur I guess.  Now, let’s sit.  The pizzas should be here any minute now.”

As the conversation over pizza wore on, Joe and Iris felt progressively more disoriented by Rainbow Dash's answers to their questions.  It seemed that every time they asked an innocuous question, the response from their guest was something out of a fairy tale, or a hallucination.

“So, you’re telling us that there’s a magical princess who raises the sun, and another one who raises the moon?  What?  How’s that supposed to work?” asked Iris.

Rainbow shrugged.  “According to Twilight, is some kind of gravity manipulation spell, a really strong one.”

“Huh, that makes sense . . . kind of.” said Barry, thoughtful.

“Right, all the sense in the world,” mocked Joe, rolling his eyes.

Iris said, "It sounds like you and your friends are quite the adventurers.  Was there any time that you actually lost?"

Rainbow Dash slumped.  "The changelings beat us, twice; they're shapeshifters who feed on love.  Their queen impersonated the Princess of Love before her wedding, and she stuck her and my friends in the throne room, just so she could gloat."

"How did you guys get out of that?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged.  "Twilight freed the princess and her fiancé.  They gave the changelings what they asked for -- all at once.  I never would have guessed love could be a lethal weapon. Then, the next time they got us by surprise, and captured us all. It was our friend Starlight who got together a rescue party to help us all."

Joe stifled a yawn.  "I think it's time to hit the hay.  Tomorrow's going to be a long one."





Jitters was bustling with customers as was normal for that early hour.  In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a time of day when the shop wasn't at or near capacity.  Despite the shop's popularity, there always seemed to be enough room for everyone, and it seemed that everyone dropped by at some point.  The diversity of the crowd was underscored by the fact that Barry's group wasn't even close to being the most unusual.

Although Rainbow Dash's mane was on full display, her appearance was tempered by her choice of clothing.  She still wore the same jeans, but for her top, she selected a white T-shirt sporting the logo of a long-defunct band.  A beige denim jacket with riveted metal buttons and decorative stitching completed her outfit.  A casual observer would have dismissed her as a more or less normal teenager who was forced to wear hand me downs.

Rainbow Dash grumbled as she stripped off her jacket and draped it on the back of her chair. "Three layers of clothing in the summer?!  What is wrong with you humans?

“Take it easy; you can change to your speedster suit when we’re at the lab,” replied Caitlin.

Cisco walked up to the table, laden with shipping bags.  He set two on the floor and gently emptied the third onto the table.  "Let's get the breakfast stuff out of the way.  I went with oatmeal and scones for everyone."  Once the food was distributed, he took trays of drinks out of the second bag.

Rainbow Dash asked, "What's in the third bag?"

Cisco replied, "It's the Flash Party Pack, enough Flash coffee and doughnuts to keep me going for a whole day."

Cisco then started to distribute the drinks.  "Caitlin, here's your latte and oatmeal cookie."  Pulling out two tiny cups, he continued.  "Espresso for Joe, espresso for Iris."  Three half-liter cups remained.  "For Barry and me, the good old Flash!"

“What about me?” asked Rainbow.

"Decaf."  The others looked at him in shock.  “Psych!  I got you another Flash," said Cisco, putting a cardboard cup in front of Rainbow.  “You cannot leave Central City without trying the drink named in honor to your teacher.”

Rainbow quirked an eyebrow at this, and then took a sip of the drink.  A smile came to her face as the bouquet danced around her mouth.  Double strength coffee mixed with cream and foamy milk.  Just enough sugar countered the bitterness and acidity.  Hints of caramel, hazelnut, and nutmeg tantalized the senses.  More importantly, she felt the jolt of caffeine.  This was now officially her favorite energy drink.

“Whoa! This is in a league of its own.”

“I know, right?” asked Cisco.  “A couple of these, and I bet I could make it to your world without the Speed Force.”

“Speaking of that, what’s going to be the plan when we arrive?” asked Iris.

Rainbow shrugged, as she took a sip from her Flash. “Introducing you to my friends and the princesses would be a good start.  But, after that, I have no idea.  Normally, I wing it.”

“You seriously need help.” groaned Iris.

Joe said, "Wait a minute.  If Reverse Dash is a version of you, we can work with this!  We can figure out how to make her do what we want her to do without her realizing it."

Team Dash briskly walked from Jitters to S.T.A.R. Labs, where Cisco immediately went to work.

“Don't worry about a thing; you have the awesome Vibe at your side, Fruityloos,” Cisco bragged.  “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do.”

Rainbow Dash watched irritably as he locked everyone else out of his workshop.

"Great," she grumbled.  "What are we supposed to do in the mean time?"

Caitlin said, "I'll work on strategies we can use to counter your reverse."  With that, she left the others.

Rainbow looked back at those left behind.  Joe's smile was particularly disquieting.  "What?" asked Dash.

Joe said, "Today, you are going to learn all about the OODA Loop.  Then, we're going to figure out exactly what makes you tick."

Rainbow Dash's scream of anguish echoed through the halls.

After many mind-numbing hours, Rainbow Dash found herself thinking about facial hair.  How in the world could some stallions manage to grow whiskers while the majority failed?  Her keen eyes noted that both Joe and Barry were growing stubble while she and Iris were not.  The sound of a door slamming broke her out of her reverie.

“Sorry for make you wait, Fruityloos.  It’s ready. I told you; you can trust good old Vibe.”

Rainbow smiled.

“Thank you, guys.  You don’t know how much this means for me.”

“Hey, you’re my student, and I’ll help you in whatever way I can.”

“And, most important, you brought us the old Barry back,” said Iris.  “We’re going to be with you until the end.”

Rainbow smiled. “Thank you. And, now, shall we go?”

The team nodded, and everyone, except for Cisco, took a step back.

Cisco took a deep breath and activated his goggles.  As the field they projected synchronized with that of the other world, he slowly began to visualize the colorful world from which Rainbow Dash had come.  He saw all the ponies gathering at Twilight’s castle.  It took every last bit of self-control he had not to laugh.

Much to Rainbow’s surprise, she visualized a distortion right in front of her, a distortion that slowly became . . . Equestria!  Rainbow was about to shriek in excitement when suddenly, the distortion swallowed Cisco, followed by her and the rest of Team Flash.

Only Joe stayed behind, vigilant against any metahuman threats while Flash was on the other world.

Equestria 1:

Starlight's funeral had been an elaborate affair, befitting the nation hero that she was.  All of the princesses had been in attendance, and Spit Fire herself had insisted on flying in the missing mare formation.  Now that the ceremony was over, six friends sat around a table in the foyer of the Castle of Friendship.  On the middle of the table lay an urn to which was affixed the Order of Harmony, the highest honor that Twilight could bestow.

It had been an incredibly depressing day for everypony.  Starlight had died purely for the amusement of a deranged pony, just to hurt Rainbow Dash.  What hurt the most was that everypony had agreed that at least one pony had to die in that situation; everypony agreed that Rainbow Dash had made the right choice.  Nopony was happy about it.

“Why?” asked Twilight.  “Just why did somepony have to die?”

But nopony answered, they were lost in their own thoughts.

Rarity furtively looked about for a way to gracefully exit.  She just had to find the Arrow.  Where harmony failed, they must prevail, lest somepony else pay the price.

A preternatural distortion appeared in one of the walls.  Its gentle roar drew everypony's attention.  Blurred shapes resolved into familiar objects as they entered the room.  Cubicle walls, laboratory furniture, and transit cases were deposited on the floor.  Shortly thereafter, six figures came through the portal.  Two of those were known all the ponies present.

“Rainbow Dash! Barry!”

Rainbow smiled at her friends.

“Hi girls.  I made it; I brought my teacher with me . . . along with some friends.

Cisco, now a brown unicorn with long mane and very long tail, smiled at them.

“And, we’re ready for everything.”

“We brought more than enough equipment to build a small S.T.A.R. Labs in here,” asserted a light purple unicorn with curly brown mane and a matching tail.  "It’s a pleasure, by the way.  My name is Caitlin Snow.”

“Oh right, sorry,” apologized the first unicorn.   “The name is Cisco, Cisco Ramón.”

“Iris West,” announced a beige earth pony with dark brown mane and a blonde tail.

Twilight recovered from the shock first and greeted the newcomers.

“It’s an honor.  Welcome to Equestria, Team Flash.”

“Pssst, Fruityloos, is that the Princess?” asked Cisco.

“One of them.”

Team Flash bowed to her.

“It’s an honor princess.” said Iris.

Cisco grinned. “Now, who’s ready to play ‘catch the evil speedster’?”

Caitlin eyed the equipment critically.  "Say, Cisco.  How are we supposed to use this stuff with hooves?  And where's the electrical outlet?"

Cisco facehooved.  He packed a generator, but, somehow, he'd forgotten about fingers.

Twilight smiled brightly.  "Do you believe in magic?"
> Race 23
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 23: Unlike you, I had a teacher. Reverse Dash, this is the Flash


Canterlot Castle was not a happy place, and Princess Celestia was relieved to be in her private dining room where she could let her calm facade drop.  As usual, Princess Luna joined her for a shared meal after they had performed their celestial duties.  It had been a long day for both of them, albeit in different ways.

Starlight Glimmer's funeral had dominated the day's news, and everypony of consequence had made an effort to be there.  Although it had meant staying up extra late, Luna had made a point to be there with the other princesses as a show of solidarity.  Despite the numerous times she and Celestia had gone through the ritual, saying good-bye to a friend was always difficult.  Starlight had been particularly dear to both, having rescued them from Chrysalis and also acting as a mediator for their disputes.

Wearily, Celestia said, "You wouldn't believe how glad I am that this day is over."

Stifling a yawn, Luna replied, "You're lucky; my day is just starting."

Celestia turned to leave.  As she reached the door, she turned back.  "I almost forgot.  I have a favor to ask.  Could you please monitor the dreams of Twilight and the other Element Bearers?  They must be devastated at losing a friend like that."

"Certainly."  Luna nodded.

Suddenly, a scroll materialized between them.  Celestia caught it in her magic and read it.  Her eyes shot wide open.

"Sister?" asked Luna.

“It’s Twilight Sparkle.  She wants us to go to her castle as soon as possible.”

They both exchanged a look and teleported.

The two Princesses appeared at the door, and knocked.

Unknown to most ponies, teleportation zones had been established at strategic locations around Equestria to facilitate rapid transport for a unicorn unfamiliar with the area.  The Princesses had established their own private zones to allow them to move discreetly.  Given the urgency in Twilight's missive, the sisters decided on the zone closest to the throne room in the Castle of Friendship.  Wasting no time, they strode to the door and knocked.

The Twilight who opened the door was very much different than the distraught mare they had left behind mere hours ago. Gone were any signs of despair.  She was energetic, motivated, focused.  She almost seemed optimistic.

“My most faithful friend, we got as fast as we could.” said Celestia.

“Even if we cannot go as fast as Barry Allen, or Rainbow Dash,” joked Luna.

Twilight beamed.  “Please come on in.  Barry Allen is back!”

“What?!” exclaimed Celestia.

"Surely, you jest," added Luna.

Twilight said, "Rainbow Dash wasn't trying to avoid the funeral; she was going to get help.  She brought Barry, and Barry brought his friends.  Come on in!"

Their attention was drawn to the Throne of Loyalty, where the other Element Bearers gathered.  Barry was seated on the throne while they related what happened during their first encounter with Reverse Dash.  The scarlet speedster was both worried and thoughtful.

Fluttershy said quietly, "I really thought it was our Rainbow Dash.  Her fashion choice was different, but, at first, she acted just like my friend."

Rarity shivered as she recalled how her friend's doppelganger had threatened to kill her.  She said, "It was something out of a horror story.  Can you imagine your best friend suddenly becoming your worst enemy?  Seeing that expression on Rainbow Dash's face was . . . was . . . unnerving."

Barry frowned.  "I've been betrayed by more speedsters that I care to remember.  This reminds me of my travels to Earth Two.  It was like looking at a funhouse mirror.  There was a version of me with a completely different life.  He wasn't evil, just different.”

"Indeed, that must have been disorienting," said Princess Celestia as she and her fellow Princesses walked to the throne.  "I assume you know the origin of Reverse Dash?"

Barry gave a respectful bow before he answered.  "I learned about Starlight's time mishap and the alternate timeline she created, the one where you were defeated by someone called 'Nightmare Moon'."

“I told him that!” said Spike, proudly.

Princess Luna looked away in shame, but her sister laid a comforting wing over her.  The dark princess looked at the speedster and said, "We, too, were confounded by this Reverse, but now is not the time to dwell on that.  We must focus on stopping her.  If Nightmare Moon can be reformed, so can the so called Reverse Dash."

“Don’t worry, my friends are working on that.” said Barry, aiming a hoof to the Cutie Map.

For the first time, the celestial princesses noticed three strangers -- two unicorns and an earth pony -- working with strange equipment and connecting it to the map.  Strangely enough, the three all used their mouths for the precision work.  The trio was so focused on their work that they did not notice the two figures looming over them.

It would have come as no surprise that the strange unicorns had little experience with magic; their efforts at levitation were as clumsy as a toddler's.  The sophistication of their equipment, however, was another matter.  Their levitation was good enough to set up the tables and get the equipment into place, but Spikes fingers had proven invaluable in configuring the systems to allow for hoof controls.

Rarity's help had been a godsend as she attached sensors, communications, and telemetry equipment to Rainbow Dash's speedster suit.  Barry pitched in by manipulating things during the calibration procedure.

The most difficult feat was Cisco's work, integrating the electronics with the magic of the Cutie Map.  It was a completely foreign interface, and it took every last bit of ingenuity to get the two working together correctly.

The princesses watched as Cisco finally finished.

“It’s done, Fruityloos.  When you’re ready!” said Cisco, checking the data on his laptop.

“Finally!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, disappearing in a streak of light, and reappearing with her suit on.   “Huh, it feels the same.  What did you add?”

Caitlin waved Rainbow Dash over so she could see the computer display.  "Your suit has the same sort of equipment as Barry's.  We can monitor your vital signs, track your speed and location, and we also can talk with you over the two-way radio."

"This is amazing!" exclaimed Twilight.  "I can't believe all the stuff you can do without magic."  Twilight moved to look over Caitlin's withers.  "This data is really easy to follow."

“Speak for yourself!” complained Spike, as he struggled to make sense of the numbers.

Giggling at the youngster’s comment, Caitlin gestured for Twilight to come closer.  Once the princess was in front of the user interface, Caitlin said, “With this, you can help your friend wherever she is, whatever situation she gets into.”

“All this is spare equipment we had at the lab, so you can keep it when we return home,” explained Barry.

“Really?!” asked Twilight.  “Oh, thank you!”

“Hey, after all you did for Barry, this is the least we can do for you.”  Iris smiled.

“Well, it was mostly Rainbow Dash and Blue Blood,” said Twilight shyly.

Barry sighed at the mention of his former employer.  Celestia hid her anger at mention of the name; her eyebrow barely twitched

“Anyway! Are you ready of the test flight, Fruityloos?”  Cisco smiled at the private joke.

“Let’s do this!” said Rainbow, extending her wings.  “Hey Flash, wanna race me?”

“I’ll give you a head start!” answered Barry, extending his wings as well.

Rainbow pouted at this comment, but she let the miniature lightning bolts course all over her body, and she disappeared into a multi-colored streak of light.  Barry's red and golden one followed an instant later.

Iris turned to the map and smiled.

“Guys, look!  It works!”

Over the map, a projection of Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark appeared.  This version, however, was modelled after the cutie mark on her suit, showing that this was not a Cutie Map summoning.  The icon tracked position in three dimensions, changing altitude as Rainbow Dash did.

“How could you harmonize your technology with the magic of this map?” asked Twilight in astonishment.

“Through the Speed Force,” explained Caitlin.  “Since Rainbow told us that she was guided to Flash by this thing, we assumed that they were connected somehow.  We were right; our earlier work taught us a lot about how to work with the Speed Force.”  She smiled at the Princess. “Your explanation of Equestrian magic told us what to look for to get the two to work with each other.”

“Now, I really of want to build a map like this of Central City.  It would be a huge help!” added Cisco, with a grin.

The princesses watched in awe.  Magic was familiar to them; this was completely foreign.  While it was beyond their understanding, it was comforting to see it working so smoothly.

Cisco activated a microphone.

“Fruity!  Hey, Fruityloos!  Do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear, Cisco!” answered Rainbow’s voice from the laptop’s speaker.   “And I told you, stop calling me that!!”

“I told you, it’s one of my favorite treats in the world!” replied Cisco, muting the speaker as he turned to the Element Bearers.   “Okay, the transmitter works.”

Caitlin checked on Rainbow’s speed on her computer.  “Huh.  Her speed on the ground is nothing compared to this.”

“Pretty impressive.  She clearly is Barry’s student,” said Iris, happily.

Princess Luna approached.

“Ahem, excuse me for interrupting you; are you Barry Allen’s friends?”

The trio gasped, and turned.

“Oh, we’re terribly sorry!” apologized Caitlin.  “We were so focused our work that we didn’t notice you.  My name is Caitlin Snow.”

“Iris West.”

“Cisco Ramón, but you can call me Vibe,” said the youngest of the three.

The sisters gave a small nod.

“It is our pleasure.  I am Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria,” greeted the white alicorn.

“I am Princess Luna, also co-Ruler,” added the blue one.

Cisco smiled happily. “Ha!  You’re the ones who are gravitationally-challenged, right?”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Celestia nodded. “You must be more discreet when talking to a lady about her weight.  You should, however, not tell anyone what we do with gravity.  How did you even know, Mister Ramón?”

"I'm afraid that's my fault," confessed Twilight.  "I should have been more explicit with the girls that this information was not to be shared."

Celestia's eyes narrowed.  "We will talk about this later."  She then turned to Team Flash.  "I take it you're here to help with our rogue speedster."

Caitlin nodded.   “Yes, Princess; we’re aware how dangerous evil speedsters can be, and, just like with Zoom and Reverse Flash, together we’ll stop the Reverse Dash.”

Luna's warm smile faded to a grim line.   “Your assistance is appreciated.  The Reverse Dash has cost us far too many lives.”

Team Flash nodded with concern.

Suddenly, Cisco chuckled.

Caitlin rolled her eyes.  “Come on, not again!”

“Do you find this funny, Cisco Ramón?” asked Luna, with a frown.

“I’m terribly sorry, your Highnesses,” said the young colt, unable to control his grin.  “It's just that your world looks looks like a little girl's wonderland, and your expression, and all your troubles seem so out of place."

“Forgive him, he’s not bad, just a bit childish,” apologized Iris.

“Cisco!  We came here to help them, not insult them,” scolded Caitlin.

“I can’t help myself!  Sorry!”

“We understand; don’t worry,” said Celestia patiently.  “Tell me, young Ramón, did you see yourself on the mirror when you came here?”

“Of course, I did!”

“And he laughed for a full five minutes afterward,” explained Flash, entering the room into a streak of light, followed by Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, Cisco, the joke is getting old!” added Rainbow Dash, a little annoyed.

“Eventually, it will,” answered the scientist with a shrug.  “The important thing is that it doesn’t interfere with my work.  Right now, the Reverse Fruityloos can’t take us by surprise.”

“Is that so?” asked Luna, impressed.  “What did you do?”

“As we told you, this map is somehow connected with the Speed Force.  We already know how to detect disturbances in the Speed Force, so all we had to do is ask the map to show what our sensors detected."

“I'm amazed at what human technology can do without magic,” said Celestia, in awe.  “One thing puzzles, me, though.  What does ‘Fruityloos’ mean?”

“It's the name of one of my favorite treats, a candy with all the colors of the rainbow.  It's just perfect for Dash's metapony name," explained Cisco.  Clumsily he levitated a package over to the princess.  "I know I just had to share them with you.  Want to try your friend's namesake?"

It was with great reluctance that Celestia sampled the treat.  Acute pony senses picked up on the scents of the real artificial colors and flavors.  However, after one taste, she became a convert.  The other ponies followed her lead.

“I don’t see what you're complaining about, Dashie.  This is great!  You should be flattered to be compared with something as sweet and awesome as this!” giggled Pinkie Pie.  The rest of Rainbow Dash's friends nodded in agreement.

“Thanks a lot, Cisco!” groaned Dash.  "Remind me to feed you some rainbow juice."

Luna cleared her throat.  The chatter stopped as the other ponies turned toward her.  “While this is a delightful confection, what does it have to do with stopping Reverse Fruityloos?” asked Luna, making Rainbow roll her eyes in annoyance.

Twilight replied, "You're right, Princess Luna.  We should get back on topic."  The purple alicorn levitated a a bit-sized crystal in front of the celestial sisters.  "This is a big part of the plan.  I've infused it with a freezing spell you can shoot like a beam or use like a bomb.  We just need to get Reverse Dash to hold still long enough for us to use the Elements on her."

Celestia examined it, and nodded approvingly. “Clever.  Extreme cold to sap her speed.”

“I got the idea from the freezing gun Cisco created,” explained Twilight.

“. . . that Snart stole from me,” mumbled the young scientist.  “There won't be any crime spree using the crystals; the spell is good for only one attack.”

"I've made enough prototypes to give each of us a few shots," added Twilight.

“How do you activate it?” asked Luna.  “With magic?”

"That's an option for unicorns, but if you bite it, it will shoot the beam away from your tongue.  If you break it, it'll act like a bomb.  I'm still adjusting the triggers so they work only when you want them to."

“It sounds like you're almost ready to take on the Reverse,” observed Celestia.

“Friendship makes it all possible,” said the Flash.  “That reminds me; I still need to pay Boss Blood a visit.”

Celestia’s gaze turned cold.  “Good luck. Your friend the Arrow hasn’t show his face in a while.”

Flash nodded, but didn’t say anything.  There was obviously more to the story, and Rainbow Dash had neglected to tell him any of it.  With all of the questions that Joe and Iris asked, the topic never came up, and Rainbow Dash didn't volunteer any information.

As the night wore into the wee hours, both Barry and Rainbow Dash noticed that Rarity had quietly slipped away.

Smiling, Barry whispered in Cisco's ear.  The young scientist smiled as he redoubled his efforts.

Cantelot, abandoned industrial zone:

Manehattan never slept, but the same could not be said about Ponyville.  The last passenger train for the night to Canterlot had left long before Rarity could make her escape.  Making the trip via express mail had been an unpleasant experience, but it did get her to Canterlot well before the first commuter train arrived.

The first rays of dawn cast long shadows on the graveyard of factories.  Rarity casually melted into the darkness, practically imperceptible as she made her way to a specific building.  Being careful to leave no tracks, she entered and then waited in the darkness.

A cloaked figure slipped into what was left of the Blood family's abandoned factory.  A lone arrow was in the quiver slung alongside the bow on his back, mute testimony to the intensity of his fight.  Natural selection had left only the most difficult of the corrupted nobles to pursue, the ones who could best protect themselves.  The night had been a long one.  It was now time to rest, rearm, and regroup.

A harsh call came from the shadows. "Blue Blood!"

The Arrow quickly rolled to his right as he shot his last arrow at the voice.

The Canary simply sighed, catching the arrow with her magic.

“Is just me, Blue Blood.  Can’t you recognize my voice?”

“Sorry, too much echo,” apologized the other vigilante.  “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you, of course.  Rainbow Dash needs our help.  I don't know if you've heard, but she has a reverse; a murderous speedster who is out to kill every alicorn.”

The Arrow lowered his hood and walked toward Rarity.   “Yes, I know.  I have some contacts in the Royal Guard.  What do you expect me to do?  This is a metapony you're talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Blue Blood.  I know you have several ways to stop a speedster.  We need your expertise, and you know it.”

Blue Blood sighed.  “I want to help; I really do.  But, you know how bad my situation is.  Half of my pursuers want me dead, and the other half want me in a padded cell.”

Rarity sighed.  She knew it was a long shot.  There was one last card to play.  “Blue Blood, Barry is back.”

The Arrow raised an eyebrow.  “What?”

“He just came a few hours ago, and he brought some of his friends as well.  Knowing him, he wants to see you.”

Blue Blood nodded.  “I would like to see him as well.  Where is he?”

“At Twilight’s castle.” said Rarity.

“Are my aunts there as well?”

Rarity nodded sadly.

Blue Blood sighed.   “Then, for now, I can’t go with you.  Besides, I’m really busy.”

“Is that so?  What are you working on?”

“Remember that two months ago, Filthy and Spoiled Rich were murdered in front of their daughter?”

The Canary nodded sadly.  “Yes, the poor dear. As far as I know, her butler, Randolph, became her legal guardian.  According to my sister, Diamond Tiara stopped going to school.”

“Well, I may have a lead on the case.”  He sighed.  “I'll see what I can do, but, until my aunts leave, I won’t be able to approach.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them for you,” promised the Canary.

“Thank you.  And, I’m sorry.”

“Not as much as I am,” sighed Rarity, walking away.  "You deserve to be treated like the hero you are."

“Hey!”

“What?” asked the Canary.

“Did he bring Oliver Queen?”

Rarity frowned.  “No, Blue Blood, no!  Besides, it is you who Rainbow needs, not Green Arrow!”

The Arrow smiled briefly.  “Come on, I just wanted to meet my counterpart, nothing more.”

“Good bye, Blue Blood.”

The Arrow followed her into the lair, rearming while she went to change.  He watched as she walked toward the train station.  Before his cover had been blown, he would have thrown himself headlong into the fight.  Now that he was a fugitive, he had to be careful with every move; it would do him no good if he were caught.

Rarity sadly walked between the graves of dead businesses.  A sudden flash of multicolored light caught her attention.  She shivered.

“Oh, no!”

She wanted to hide, but it was too late.  The Reverse Dash appeared before Rarity, grinning maniacally.

“Hi there!  What are you doing in a place like this?  Slumming?”

Rarity prepared to shriek, but the Reverse Dash touched the point of a sword to her neck.

“Tell me, where is your friend?  I want to see her!”

“She . . . would never . . .”

“Oh, shut up already!  I have a message for her.  Care to deliver it for me?”

She traced the sword down to Rarity's breast.  “Last time, you got lucky.  This time, I’ll finish the job.”





Back at the Castle of Friendship, it had not quite been an all-nighter.  Luna had insisted that the others take nap breaks throughout the night; she had used her magic to make their sleep more refreshing than normal.  With the coming of the dawn, they had the equivalent of a full night's sleep.

Over a simple breakfast of hay and toast, Team Flash and the princesses discussed the advantages and disadvantages of Equestrian magic versus human technology.  The other ponies and Spike watched, confused, as the discussion went far beyond their understanding.  Although Twilight was active in the discussion, she seemed distracted.

Fluttershy stood next to the purple alicorn and lay a wing over her withers.  "What's wrong, Twilight?"

Softly, Twilight leaned against her friend and replied, "Starlight should be here.  She loved this sort of thing."

A piercing alarm sounded, drawing everyone's attention to the Cutie Map.  A black lightning bolt appeared over Canterlot.

“She’s here!” said Cisco.

Flash exchanged a look with Dash, and the speedsters extended their wings.

“We’ll lead her here!” announced Flash.  “Prepare the freezing crystals!”

“But they’re not ready yet!” cried Twilight.

“Doesn’t matter, we don’t have the time!” said Rainbow.  “Are you ready, Barry?”

“Yes!  You?”

“Ready!”

There was the briefest pulse of wind as they accelerated to full speed.  The battle was about to be joined.





Rarity warily eyed Reverse Dash, desperately looking for an opening.  With the villain's full attention on her, there was no way she could escape.

Reverse snorted around the handle of the sword, spreading her wings to look more intimidating.  "This is lame!  You're that goody four-shoe's friend.  A quick death is too good for you; I want to hear you scream."

Rarity took in a sudden breath and stepped back.  Reverse followed her with the tip of the sword in constant contact.  Reverse pushed just enough to draw blood.

Rarity screamed.  A lifetime ago, this would have been an exercise in futility.  A day ago, this would have been a brute force attack.  Rarity had studied the goggles that Pinkie Pie had taken from Reverse Dash.  The fashionista had an eye for detail, and now, she applied what she had learned.

The magically amplified voice took Reverse by surprise.  A single clear note resonated on the lenses of her goggles, shattering them.  The overpressure ruptured her eardrums and pushed her away.  Instinctively, she covered her ears as she screamed in anger and agony.  Super-fast healing restored both her vision and her hearing in a matter of seconds.

When her vision cleared, she could see Rarity galloping away, holding her sword in her magic.  Snorting, she scraped the ground with a forehoof, preparing to charge.  A voice from above caught her attention.

“Hey!”

She looked up.

“You have failed Equestria!”

A salvo of arrows sped toward Reverse Dash.  To her, they moved in slow motion.  She launched herself into the air, intent on dodging them and killing the nuisance who shot them, but she dropped to the ground.  She looked back at her wings.  Her primaries had been clipped!

The arrows exploded, blanketing Reverse Dash in smoke.  Unseen, the second salvo came as a surprise; the concussion arrows detonated, throwing Reverse back.  As she recovered, she turned toward Rarity.  The fashionista was nearing one of the derelict factories.

Disappearing in a streak of light, the Reverse Dash tackled Rarity.  She grinned as she pinned the white mare to the ground.

“Got you!”

As Rarity squirmed, Reverse continued.  "No more talk.  It's time to . . ."

The voice was cut off by a sickening thud.  Rainbow Dash now stood where Reverse had been.  The transfer of momentum had sent the villain through the wall of a factory.  The groan of toppling machinery was follow by a crash; Reverse had made contact.

“Sorry about the delay.”

“Don’t worry, the Arrow had my back.”

The Dash smiled, and disappeared in a streak of light, going into Blue Blood’s hideout, and returning, surrounding Rarity.  When she finished, Rarity was dressed back in her black suit, and her telescopic bo staff was at the ready.

“I don’t think this is the right time for this, but it is appreciated, dear,” said the unicorn, using the camouflage spell to change her fur and mane as the Reverse Dash walked out of the factory.

The evil speedster spat out her clipped feathers and raised an eyebrow. “I've heard blondes have more fun, but we already know what you look like.”

“I am a masked vigilante.  Don’t tell anypony.”

“These friends of yours are more interesting than the other ones.”

“Get out, Reverse!” commanded Rainbow Dash.

“Not until I kill another one of your friends.  The archer will do nicely."

Before Rainbow Dash could react, she received a kick on the nose from Reverse, sending her back.  The villain taunted, "See ya, slowpoke!"

Then, the Reverse charged toward the Arrow, who was nocking another concussion arrow as he grinned.

“What?” asked the Reverse Dash, confused by his confident expression.

A red and golden streak of light came out of nowhere, and shoved the Reverse Dash to the ground.

“WHAT?”

“Wow, you’re right Dash.  She is you!” said the Flash.

The Arrow smiled at his friend.   “Nice you see you, Flash.”

“Nice to see you too, Arrow.”

The Reverse Dash got back on fours and looked up.

“What?  Who’s this?”

The Dash grinned.

“Oh, haven’t you heard?  In this timeline, I’m not the fastest pegasus alive.  He is.”

Reverse Dash gasped, taking a good look of the pegasus in red.

The Dash grinned.  “You know what’s the main difference between you and me, Reverse?”

The evil speedster turned to her other self.

“Unlike you, I had a teacher.  Reverse Dash, this is the Flash.”

“And this ends now!” said the Flash, preparing to fight.

Reverse Dash took a look around.  She was surrounded by dangerous enemies, especially the two other speedsters.  She laughed maniacally.

“Hahahahaha!  This just got twenty percent cooler!”
> Race 24
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 24: Reverse to your old self!


Reverse Dash looked up from the grimy streets of the abandoned industrial section of Canterlot. It was one versus four, the hard way. Reverse didn't care about the odds; the object of her hatred was literally staring her in the face. She couldn't kill this one; making her suffer would be much more satisfying.

Forged in the crucible of Nightmare Moon's cruelty, it was hard for Reverse to remember when exactly she stopped actively resisting and just stopped caring. The Nightmare had used any reason, real or imaginary to justify her tormenting Reverse Dash. Somewhere along the line, the pegasus had stopped even trying to play along. Little things like uniform violations graduated to bigger things like following orders literally, until the Nightmare finally decided that the abuse no longer amused her.

Reverse would never forget her rebirth. The Nightmare started with her ridiculous speech.

 "First you question my legitimate right to the throne, then you prove to be worse than useless.  You serve at my pleasure, and I am not longer pleased.  Allow me to grant you early retirement.  Your service, and you, are hereby terminated." 

With those words, Nightmare electrocuted Reverse with near-divine lightning and left the broken pegasus to die in a puddle of potions and chemicals.  With that act, the mare who had been Rainbow Dash had been reborn as Reverse Dash.

Reverse had been so full of hope when she first met Rainbow Dash.  She thought she'd finally met the kindred spirt she had so fervently prayed for, a mare broken at the hooves of an insane alicorn.  Surely, this was a fellow penitent, earning absolution by eradicating the multiverse of the alicorn menace.

She was sickened to discover that her counterpart was not only a protector of those abominations, but also a close friend.  This version believed in the fiction of good versus evil.  This version had friends she could rely on.  This version was the pathetic weakling that Reverse knew she had to destroy.  This version had to learn the same harsh lesson that had been beaten into Reverse; the only one she could count on, the only one she could care about, was herself.  This version now revised Reverse's life mission.  Elimination of alicorns was priority one; molding all her alternates in her own image was priority two. 

Reverse fumed as she eyed her opposition. The archer and the screamer posed as much threat to her as did a ponyquin. Her doppelganger could be easily distracted. The one in red was the real threat. As new as she was to her powers, she could easily tell that he was too fast to outrun, too smart to outwit, too strong to break.

"YOU CHEATER!!" shouted Reverse to Rainbow. "THIS ISN'T FAIR! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO HAVE A TEACHER LIKE THAT! HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO HAVE SOMEPONY ELSE LIKE US?!"

The Dash glared at her reverse. "It doesn't matter, Reverse. What matters is that this ends now!"

Reverse Dash screamed in anger and launched herself at Rainbow Dash. The latter hooked her foreleg around Reverse's outstretched limb and spun her toward the Flash. The scarlet speedster slammed the tumbling pegasus to the ground.

As she wiped the blood from her mouth, Reverse Dash expressed her displeasure in terms that would have dismayed her parents.

She glared at her opponents: two masked vigilantes, two speedsters. She fumed, "This can't be happening! Heroes are always too busy protecting everyone to actually help each other! What is going on!?"

"You don't get it, do you?" asked Dash. "There are a lot of things more powerful than the Speed Force. I am loyal to my friends; my friends are loyal to me."

Coldly, the Flash added. "Rainbow Dash would never leave a friend hanging; we're returning the favor."

Reverse's eyes flashed red with anger, and she launched herself at the two speedsters.

Flash and Dash flew line abreast, twenty-five meters apart, forcing Reverse to choose between the two of them as they charged toward her.

Reverse continued flying toward the two until the broke toward her. She dove into a split-S, screaming toward the Canary, who was ascending via fire escape to join the Arrow on the rooftop. She knew she only had a fraction of a second to kill the Canary; it would take that long for her opponents to recover from their near-collision.

To Reverse's surprise, the Canary stepped onto a balcony and waited with her bo staff at the ready.

Heretofore unnoticed, concussion arrows detonated beside her head, temporarily blinding and deafening her. The Canary's cry slammed her to the ground.

Reverse bounced once before Rainbow Dash bucked her onto the wall of a building. Rainbow shouted, "That was for Starlight!"

Reverse spread her wings to break her fall. They were then pinned by a pair of arrows. "That was for my friends in the Solar Guard," said the Arrow, calmly.

As the evil speedster tried to free herself, another sonic blast slammed into her, forcing her back onto the wall while destroying her sense of balance.  The Flash and the Dash hovered ten meters away when another concussion arrow detonated on the ground at Reverse's hind hooves. 

“And that, was for my friends from the Lunar Guard." said the Arrow, again, calmly.

The Reverse Dash tore herself from the wall. The humiliation of her defeat hurt far worse than her rapidly-healing wounds.

"YOU CHEATERS!" raged Reverse. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO WIN!!"

The Dash looked calmly at her reverse. "We told you; this ends today."

Reverse glared at her opponents, sizing them up. There was nothing she could use to distract them. There was no avenue of retreat they could not block. There was no way to attack them without leaving herself vulnerable. There was only one move left.

Reverse Dash closed her wings and looked down. "You win. I'll go back where I came from."

The Dash nodded. "And don't ever come back."

Reverse glared at her counterpart. Multi-colored, miniature lightning bolts coursed around her body. She lauched herself straight upward; the tiny, rainbow-colored, shock collar marked the portal through which she escaped.

"She gave up? Just like that?" asked the Arrow.

"Of course not," said the Dash, frowning. "Knowing me, it'll only take a few seconds to get over this defeat and attack again."

"We'd better hurry, then," said the Flash.

Dash nodded as she touched her earpiece, activating the transmitter. "Twilight, Cisco, do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Rainbow!"

"She'll show up any second now. I need you to be ready."

"Understood. Everypony, to your positions, NOW!"

Dash cut the transmission and nodded to her friends.

"This was the easy part. Are you ready for the real fight?"

The Canary nodded and then mounted Rainbow's back.

"I am. Be gentle, please"

The Arrow groaned as he did the same to the Flash. "I know I'm going to regret this.”

The Flash winked an eye at his old friend. "I'm glad you can join us."

"When this finishes, you must help me to get away from my aunts."

Flash nodded, and then, he turned to the Canary.

"Hey! I asked Cisco to make you a machine like he made from our friend Laurel, my world's Black Canary."

"Thank you, darling. My throat will appreciate it." Rarity smiled, closing her eyes. "I'm ready, Rainbow Dash."

The two speedsters exchanged a quick look before flying to the Castle of Friendship, accelerating at a slow but steady rate, hoping to arrive before the Reverse Dash, hoping their masked companions would keep their lunches.


…


Reverse Dash streaked through the sky like a meteor; her aura was red hot with anger. This was impossible! Her super speed let her do whatever she wanted. There was nothing, nopony, fast enough to stop her until now. There was no way she could forgive or forget this humiliation. How could these pathetic excuses for ponies defeat her?

To care was to be weak. Friends were just an avenue of attack, a distraction from what really mattered. How dare her other self to use these so-called bonds of friendship to save the ponies she cared about?

The ghost of her past again haunted her. This damned mare was what she used to be, back before the Nightmare came. This was not the way life was supposed to work. This weak, pathetic excuse for a pony did not deserve success, did not deserve friends, did not deserve happiness!

Reverse located her objective, the skylight in the Castle of Friendship. Gritting her teeth, she performed her speed boost.

"This is not over, yet. THIS ISN'T OVER!!"


…


In the throne room in the Castle of Friendship, where Starlight Glimmer had fallen, the trap had been set. Two streaks of color entered through the skylight, resolving themselves into the Dash and the Flash. Their masked passengers seemed none the worse for wear as they turned to the sudden source of heat.

"What are you two doing here?" demanded Celestia, glaring at the vigilantes at the speedsters' backs.

The Arrow rolled his eyes, as he dismounted and returned his aunt's glare.

"Are you really that petty? The fate of Equestria is on the line; Reverse Dash will be here any second now."

The Cutie Map showed a black lightning bolt speeding toward the Castle of Friendship.

"He's right; she's about to get here!" announced Cisco.

"Huh, that was fast!” mumbled Dash.

Flash grinned grimly. "Good one!"

The Reverse Dash came through the skylight as before, looking around furiously as she landed.

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie called.

The Reverse Dash glared at her. So that's where her other goggles went!

"What?!"

"Smile Dashie!!” said the cheerful pink mare, taking a picture with a portrait camera.

The flash blinded the Reverse Dash, who groaned in annoyance. She backed away as she attempted to blink away the spots in her eyes.

Twilight telekinetically launched a crystal at Reverse's hooves. The Arrow shot it with a broadhead, releasing the freezing spell within. Reverse Dash was now standing on a sheet of ice, as she discover to her dismay. She slipped, uncontrollably sliding into a wall. The bookshelf over her head was jarred loose by the impact and deposited its contents on her.

In the ensuing half second, the Reverse Dash shook her head to recover her senses. Looking arounds, she saw the group from before, less one baby dragon and one dead unicorn. Grimly, she also noted there were two more alicorns, the source of all her problems, including the dark one whom she hated more than anything else.

"You can't win this, Reverse Dash. We're ready for you!"

Twilight shot a magic beam toward the evil speedster. The Reverse Dash grinned as she simply tilted her head to let it pass harmlessly. Twilight returned the grin as the beam struck what looked like a fancy crystal sculpture. The crystal exploded in a cloud that rapidly sucked away the heat.

Reverse gasped in surprise when she felt her feathers develop a thin coat of ice. Dash tackled her, pinning her against a wall.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt any of my friends!"

Pegasus resistance to the elements came to the fore as Reverse shivered at super speed to shatter the ice that threatened to sap her strength. Planting her rear hooves against Rainbow's belly, she bucked her nemesis away.

"We will see about that!"

She escaped through the skylight in a streak of light.

"She's going to do the speed boost!" warned Dash as she went to pursue her other self.

"I'll cover you!" said Flash, going after his student.

As the other combatants caught their breaths, Cisco's voice came over the loudspeaker hidden in the throne room. "That sounded pretty intense. I'm going to patch in Flash's and Dash's audio."





The Reverse Dash zoom climbed, trading speed for altitude, making her Immelmann turn easier. As she turned toward the castle, she saw two streaks of light coming straight at her, blocking her way. She tried to move around, but whichever way she went, one would follow, denying her a clear path to her objective.

"Fine then!"

She charged toward the red and golden streak, determined to punch through.

"YOU!"

The Flash had faced down more experienced speedsters, more determined speedsters. A brute force attack like this was easily countered. Instead of dodging, he grappled with the other pegasus, doing a pair spin like a skater.

Reverse Dash raged at the hero in red.

"It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, I'd have killed another one of her friends easily!"

"Why? Why do you need to beat her so badly? What are you really after, Reverse Dash?"

"I'm gonna erase my past. What's it to you?"

The Flash frowned. "Nothing good comes from trying to change the past. I've tried before."

As Reverse struggled against the hold, she noticed something; the Flash wasn't using his wings in the fight. She braked the spin by opening her wings and flung the Flash into the oncoming Dash. The two collided with a dull thud as Reverse made her escape.

"DAMN!" complained Dash.

"Urgh,'" said Flash, rubbing his nose.

They looked down. A small rainbow ring marked where Reverse had used her speed boost.

"Oh, no, you don't!" said Flash, flying after her.

The Reverse Dash looked back. She gasped when she realized that Flash was closing the gap.

"WHAT?"

"Rainbow already told you. I'm the fastest pegasus alive." smiled the Flash.

Then, she looked at a small rainbow-colored explosion behind the Flash, and she saw her other self, instantly getting a speed boost as well.

"No!!" shouted the Reverse Dash.

"Anything you can do, I can do better." said the Dash.

The evil speedster frowned, but then, she got an idea.

"Fine then!"

Reverse dove into a screaming split-S. A rainbow ring marked where she used her speed boost on the recovery.

"No, wait!" shouted the Flash.

But it was too late; she turned into a blur, even for the speedsters.

"No, I won't let you hurt anypony!" shouted Dash, trying to do the same move.

"NO!!" screamed the Flash as he held the Dash back.

"But Barry!"

"Look at her lightning!" shouted Flash.

The tiny bolts coursing through Reverse's body were no longer multi-colored; they were now entirely blue. Rainbow Dash shivered as the relived Barry's memories. This was the sign of an overboost.

"One more of those, and she'll be history."

Dash gulped as she watched the blur enter the castle. She exchanged a look with the Flash, and the two of them went after Reverse.

Reverse was now travelling faster than she had ever gone. Once inside the castle, everypony looked like a statue to her. She had time for one, or perhaps two victims before her speed boost wore off. She had to choose wisely.

The choice was obvious.

Celestia and Luna suddenly felt a powerful impact that sent them into the wall. The only thing that saved them from certain death was the shield spell they had specially modified to resist a high speed attack. The force of the blow, however, was enough to leave them stunned.

With a maniacal grin, Reverse took two knives from her wings, and she threw them at the princesses.

This time, Dash appeared right on time, easily catching the handles in her mouth.

Reverse cackled maniacally, as tiny blue lightning bolts coursed around her body. She prepared for one more boost.

A sudden, loud voice caught Reverse’s attention.  It was a shock to everypony; rarely was it louder than a whisper.  "Rainbow Danger Dash!"

Reverse looked at the source of the voice.  Her gaze locked with Fluttershy's.  The speedster hovered, unable to do anything else.

Fluttershy commanded.  "You stay right there!"  Reverse complied, compelled by the Stare.

Applejack bucked a pile of crystals around the speedster.  Twilight and the Canary detonated them with their magic, encasing Reverse in ice. 

"It's over!" said Rainbow. "GIRLS, NOW!"

"But we can't do it without Rarity!" called Twilight.

"I'm right here, darling." said the Rarity.

Everypony turned to the voice. The fashionista stood beside a neatly folded stack of clothing.

"HOW?" the others Bearers shouted in unison.

Rainbow repeated. "NOW!!"

Reverse Dash used to think that the Speed Force was the most powerful thing in the multiverse. She now witnessed the full power of Harmony. The rainbow beam ravaged her mercilessly as it hid her from view. Nopony witnessing the event would ever forget her scream.
> Race 25
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Race 25: the end and the beginning


Memory of pain is a strange thing.  Accurately describing it to someone who hasn't experienced it is impossible.  In the glare of the rainbow light, Reverse had felt her self being torn apart atom by atom.  Each moment of separation was another bit of agony, both with the pain of being pecked apart and the anguish at the loss of another part of one's self.  Being reassembled was no better; while it seemed there was more added in, there still seemed to be something missing.

The new part added was torture unto itself.  The once-cavalier pony had once again gained a conscience.  It finally dawned upon her that she had caused pain to others for no good reason.  She had destroyed friends and families just to stoke her already-inflated ego.  She had become what she had hated in others.  No more!  Her path was now clear.

The last part was the worst of all.  It seemed as though she were now subject to judgement and had been found wanting.  Everything she had done was being replayed in merciless accuracy and detail.  After she had gained her new powers, it seemed there was no end to the evil she did.  She cried out for justice.  The pain built to a crescendo that climaxed in an explosion of white-hot agony.  The, mercifully there was only darkness.

Sense of touch came back first.  It was soft, warm, safe.  Next, came the sense of smell.  Something familiar was with her, a friend?  Taste was next.  What was inside her mouth was best left to the imagination.  Then came hearing.  It was an ancient pegasus lullabye, sung in the voice of an angel.  Finally, there was sight.  A curtain of soft pink blocked everything else.

The pieces all came together.  Reverse turned.  She croaked, "Fluttershy?"

The yellow pegasus beside her hugged her more closely.  "I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  You were going to kill yourself; I couldn't let you do that."

Groaning, Reverse replied, "You should have let me die."

Her own voice voiced disapproval.  "Hey!  Dash does not give up!  Dash does not give in!  Who are you, an impostor?"

Reverse sat bolt upright.  Fluttershy gave a soft "eep" as she was thrown off.  Reverse now saw that she was in a bedchamber along with all the ponies whom she had been fighting in this timeline.

Rainbow Dash said, "You've been given a second chance, Dash.  How do you feel?"

Reverse frowned.  "Broken."  She glared at Luna.  "You did things to me that can never be fixed."  She looked down.  "I've killed them all, haven't I.  My timeline is doomed."

Barry asked, "Is that what you want?"

Reverse growled.  "Of course not!  They're my responsibility."  Distraught, she looked down.  "Mine."

Rainbow Dash asked, "So, do you understand what I mean?  You killed your alicorns.  You have to take over their jobs." 

Angrily, Reverse replied, "I know! And I killed your stupid unicorn friend, too, and now I have to clean up all the timelines she messed up, too!"

“Do you mean that?” asked Twilight.

“Yeah, I’ll take care of the bad guys, just like I did in my own timeline.”

Fluttershy drew away, shocked.  Reverse extended a wing and touched her gently.  "I'll figure this all out, somehow.  Fluttershy, I promise I won't hurt any innocents."

Rainbow Dash glared at her.  "But you won’t stop killing.” 

Reverse shot back, "Hey!  If they have failed Equestria, someone has to make them pay." She looked down again.  "Please, Fluttershy, don't make me promise about them."

The yellow pegasus said nothing, but she extended her own wing to touch Reverse.

Applejack said, "Do y'all really mean to take care of the sun, the moon, and all the ponies like a real princess should."

"Are you deaf, you hick!  I just said that.  Not as a princess, but as a queen, the Speed Queen." 

Celestia stepped forward, only to retreat at Reverse's growl.

"What is wrong with you ponies?!  That rainbow beam didn't fix anything!  I still hate alicorns!!"

Twilight spoke up. "I'm so, so sorry, Dash.  Won't you accept this gift from me?" A scroll floated in front of the pegasus.

Reverse snarled. "What's this?"

"It's the spell ancient Unicornia used to move the sun and the moon.  I translated it to modern Equestrian for my thesis."

Reverse's expression softened as she accepted the scroll. "Maybe I can work with my librarian.  But, how can I convince her?  How can I convince anypony to help?"

Twilight smiled.  "The best way to make a friend is to be a friend.  Why don't you start with that?"

A bubbly voice interrupted. "Oooh!  Oooh!  Let me show her!  Let me show her!"

Suddenly, Reverse's vision was filled with a rapidly bouncing Pinkie Pie. The pink party pony, paused, proffering a pane of polished platinum pointed at pegasus posterior.

The cloud with the tri-colored lightning bolt was now framed by the crescent moon inset in the sun.

Somewhere in Yakyakistan, a distant cry triggered a minor avalanche.

Castle of Friendship, one of the Guests Rooms: 

Rarity winced at the soundtrack that Cisco had chosen to mask their conversation.  "Really, darling, could you not have found something that would be less damaging to my reputation?”

Cisco continued to talk as he made the final adjustments.  "Your princesses said that they wanted us to have closer relations.  Besides, this way, they won't suspect what we're really doing."

Cisco levitated the necklace he'd been fabricating over to Rarity.  “Okay, it’s all set!”

Rarity eyed it critically.  "Might I make some alterations? This clashes with my fashion sense."

Cisco shrugged.  "Leave the capsule inside the cameo alone.  The rest is just decoration."

Rarity used her telekinesis to widen the cameo to proportions more suited for a pony. She switched out the choker's band to match, and the cameo now featured a canary with Starlight Glimmer's cutie mark coming from its beak.

Once she was satisfied with her handiwork, she put the necklace on. She could feel a slight tingle from the control interface.

Cisco smiled at the effect; it was quietly tasteful on the white unicorn.  He then said, "You control it with your magic, like you now do with your throat.  It both disguises your voice and allows you to shriek without straining your vocal cords."

“Well, thank you darling,” said Rarity, admiring her new acquisition.  “I’m surprised how you managed to make it work so perfectly with pony magic.”

Cisco shrugged, and then smiled at Rarity.  “Well, after spending that much time with the map, this was a piece of cake, but it was more fun to make that the one I gave Laurel.”

The two shared a gentle hug before Cisco mercifully ended the soundtrack. The walked back to the throne room where they found Caitlin, Iris, and Barry saying their goodbyes.

“We cannot thank you guys enough,” said Twilight, looking at the equipment they lent her to keep track of Rainbow Dash.  “Are you sure there isn’t anything we can do for you?”

“Hey, if it wasn’t for you, I would have lost more of my friends, and I would have lost my other self,” said Rainbow, smiling at Barry.  “Thank you, thank you for everything!  I owe you big time, Barry.”

Barry bumped hooves with Rainbow Dash.  “You don’t owe me anything, Rainbow.  You would not believe how close I was to destroying myself like Reverse was about to do.  You were the one who helped me get back on my feet, er, hooves, er . . . You know what I mean, right?”

“And we can’t thank you enough for that,” said Iris, happily hugging Barry.  “You brought us back the real Barry, the one we love.”

Rainbow blushed at this, and she blushed even harder when Barry and Iris hugged her.

“Hey, guys!  We’re ready when you are!” called Cisco, who had his goggles tuned to Earth One.

They both separated from Rainbow, and gathered around Cisco and Caitlin.

The metahuman then focused, and created the portal in front of them.  Caitlin and Iris stepped in first.  Barry was about to follow them, when he turned to Rainbow.

“Hey Dash, can I count on you to help defeat my next super-fast enemy?”

“Are you kidding me?!  I wouldn’t miss it for anything!”

He smiled, and disappeared into the portal, followed by Cisco, who smiled at Twilight before closing the portal after him.

“So, it is over now?” asked Rarity.

“Not yet” said Twilight, looking upstairs, to the room where the Reverse Dash had been placed to recover.

“Hey, what will happen with her when she wakes up? Will you punish her for what she did?” asked Rainbow Dash as she looked at the celestial sisters.

Celestia and Luna exchanged a look, and then shook their heads.

“No, her conscience will do a more thorough job than we could,” explained Luna.

“Despite what she's done here, she still needs to return to her own world to make amends.  It is up to her ponies to decide her fate,” added Celestia.

The girls nodded in silence, and waited.

Half an hour later, the Reverse Dash walked out of the room, with her suit ready.

“Hey!” called Rainbow Dash. “Are you okay?”

The other speedster glared at her other self.

“I’m not, obviously.  My damned cutie mark keeps reminding me that I now have a world to save -- mine.”

Princess Celestia approached, and gently placed a wing on the speedster’s head.

“The path of redemption can be overwhelming at first, but I assure you, you’re on the right path.  Owning up to your mistakes and correcting them is only the first step.”

The Reverse Dash pushed the wing away.

“Don’t touch me!”

“My sister is only trying to help you!” said Luna.

“I don’t need any help!  Not from alicorns.”

“Oh, come on!” said Dash. “I thought you were over this!”

The Reverse Dash glared at Luna.   “I told you!  She worked really hard to break me beyond repair, so, even with your help, there are some things I can’t change back!”

The Reverse Dash grinned.  “And, to be honest with you, I’m glad I killed her!”  She turned to Twilight.  “And your friend.  They both deserved it!”

She extended her wings; multi-colored, miniature lightning bolts coursed around them.

“We will meet again, Dash, as allies.”

Dash frowned. “I don’t think we can be allies anytime soon.”

“Don’t worry; I swore that from now on, I will never harm another innocent!”

Fluttershy looked at Reverse. "Dash, I am, and always will be, your friend."

Reverse gave a wistful smile. "I know."  With that, she disappeared in a streak of light, and a small rainbow-colored explosion marked the portal back to her timeline.

“This is good, right?   She became good again,” mumbled Fluttershy.

Twilight looked at Rainbow.  “But, I thought that Harmony would be enough to reform her.”

“As Reverse said, there are some things that can never be made whole,” explained Rarity.  “She was like Starlight; there are no easy solutions for what happened to her.  Nightmare Moon did break her beyond repair.”

Luna looked away, ashamed.

“That wasn’t really you, remember that,” said Celestia.

“I know,” sighed Luna.  “But it still hurts.”

Twilight hurried to change the subject.

“Well, with Dash, the Canary, and the Arrow, it seems that it's time for a new kind of hero.”

“I know what you mean!” said Dash.  “And, in case somepony like her comes again, we must be prepared.”

“Uh huh!  Like a group of super friends!!” cheered Pinkie Pie.

“I was thinking more of a league,” said Dash.


…


Randolph, the Rich family's butler, was worried about his little miss.

Since her parents were almost always away on business trips or social meetings, he was the one who raised Diamond Tiara.  After their tragic deaths, he continued watching over Diamond, even if that turn of events turned her into a completely different pony.

She used to hang out a lot with Silver Spoon and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  Her meetings with them were more rare, more focused.  Silver Spoon would be her companion for formal parties, setting her up with contacts among the rich and powerful.  Apple Bloom was now her karate instructor and sparring partner.  Scootaloo would do acrobatics with her and teach her the insane maneuvers on the scooter.  Sweetie Belle would practice acting with her, working on costumes and voices.

Her travels took most of her time as she treked to different points in Equestria and beyond, picking up myriad skills and eclectic combat techniques.  For some reason, she hadn't put any of her education to work.  She claimed something was missing, but what?

“Little miss?  I brought your tea,” said the butler, entering Diamond Tiara’s room.

Diamond was looking at the window, with a blank expression.

“Little miss?” asked Randolph again.

Diamond Tiara simply aimed a hoof at her window.

Without a word, Randolph turned.  A large bat was silhouetted in the moonlight.  He hurried to comfort his little miss, knowing how afraid she was of the creatures.

But this time, something was different; this time, Diamond Tiara was smiling.

“That’s it!  Don’t you see it, Randolph?”

“Little miss?”

“Bats!  This is just what I needed!”

“It is? Why?”

“Randolph, I have technique; I have the methods, the weapons.  But, something is missing, a symbol.  Without a symbol, everything I will do would seem meaningless and random.”

“That I understand.  But why bats?  Aren’t you afraid of them?”

“Yes, I am.  And soon, all the criminals in Equestria will share my fear.”


…


Spike had decided to take an evening walk to calm down before going to bed.  The day had been too exciting for the young dragon.  He had met the Flash, the Dash, the Arrow and the Canary, and all in the very same day!  It was really great, like comics and reality were merging, and he really wanted to be a part of it.
But how?

As he looked up, he found himself at the edge of the Everfree Forest.  It was time to turn back.  A giant green meteor streaked overhead and crashed in the forest with a thump that he felt more than he heard.  This was a job for Twilight and the other Element Bearers.  As he turned to get them, he heard a cry for help.  He turned toward the plea, looking indecisively.

The second cry made up his mind; and the dragon ran into the forest.

A green glow led him to his objective.  “Help me!  Help me, please!” a voice called.  This was not the voice that had called him into the forest.

He ran with more urgency until he found himself on the lip of a crater.  A metallic capsule lay at the bottom, glowing brightly, with the green that had drawn his attention to the meteor.  Through its canopy, he could see a vague figure waving weakly.

“Down here!  Please, hurry!”

Spike scrambled down and approached the capsule.  The figure within glowed green and the canopy opened, revealing a giant, a strange chicken-like creature, covered in red scales instead of feathers.

“Oh!”

“Don’t be afraid.  Come closer, please!” called the creature.

Spike gulped, but still he approached, again guided by a strange force.

“Are you all right?”

The being smiled at Spike.  “No, it’s already too late for me, little one.  But, you can do me one last favor.  Tell me, what is your name?”

Spike gulped again, but answered.  “Spike, Spike the dragon.”

The creature then extended a claw toward the baby dragon.  A glowing green ring flew from his talon and resized itself as it seated itself on one of Spike's fingers.

“Spike the dragon, you have learned to conquer fear.  The ring has chosen you.  You are now responsible for this sector.”

“What?!”

“You are now one of us; you are . . .”

The creature expired with a startling death rattle.

“Wait!” called Spike.  “What were you trying to tell me?”

Hesitantly, Spike laid a hand on the creature; it was already growing cold.

“What I’m supposed to do with this?”

A rectangular outline glowed on the bulkhead beside the creature's head.  It opened to reveal a compartment with a bullseye lantern that housed a green flame.

Spike felt compelled to touch his new ring to the lantern.  His eyes shot open wide.  He recited the words that came to him, his new purpose.

“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight.  Let those who worship evils might, beware my power:  GREEN LANTERN’S LIGHT!”


…


Scootaloo had no idea of what she was doing in the hour before dawn.  She had been making deliveries along her paper route when a strange pony approached her from out of nowhere.  In spite of all her training, she accepted his invitation to follow; there was just something about him that made her feel like that was the right thing to do.

No one else at the orphanage would be awake so early, and she was not particularly enthused at the prospect of returning.  It really wasn't a bad place, but it always made her feel a bit depressed.  Somehow, following this stranger seemed like what she was destined to do this morning.

The stranger guided Scoots to a train that sat on ethereal tracks.  The black train was decorated with view of the cosmos; the familiar sun and moon around Equus were prominently featured, but stars, planets, and other celestial bodies were also shown.  As Scootaloo followed the stranger into the observation car, the stranger evaporated like mist.

Looking through the windows, it was unclear to Scootaloo whether she were travelling through time, space, or both.  There was no landscape to be seen, only the vast expanse of outer space was visible.

Scootaloo had no idea how long the ride had taken when the window all went black, signifying that the train had reached its destination.  The doors opened, revealing a hallway.  As she walked down, she passed seven grotesque statues in turn.  She read the inscription on each as she passed. "Lust . . . Gluttony . . . Greed . . . Sloth . . . Wrath . . . Envy . . . Pride."

At the end of the hallway she looked up. An old unicorn sat atop a throne.  His smile was clearly visible through his large moustache.

“Welcome, Scootaloo.”

The filly gulped.

“It’s a pleasure . . . ahem . . . Mr. the Bearded?”

The old pony frowned.  “What?  NO!   Look at me!  My distinctive feature is my beloved moustache.  My name isn’t as well-known as his, but, believe it or not, I’ve spent the last few centuries fighting evil.”

Scootaloo nodded.  “Uh-huh.  Why did you bring me here?”

The unicorn shrugged.  “Because I’ve been watching you, little one.  And let me say, I haven’t seen a soul as pure, as adventurous as yours.  That’s why I’ve chosen you to continue my legacy.  Scootaloo, I offer you the strength, the wisdom, and the speed of the gods themselves.  Tell me Scootaloo, do you want to become a hero?  Do you want to dedicate your life to protecting Equestria from evil?”

The filly smiled.

“Sure!  What do I have to do?”

The unicorn smiled.  “Say my name, and all the power will be yours.”

Big golden letters appeared over the unicorn.  Scootaloo took a deep breath, and shouted:

“SHAZAM!”