> Race to the Finish > by DGJabberwocky > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Recruitment Drive > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- He remembered it so vividly, sitting on his butt right on the tarmac. About a 100 feet away, lay his bike, wheels spinning uselessly in the air. There was a loud ringing in his ears, as the sound of the roaring crowd faded. His mind instantly replayed what had happened a few seconds earlier and he felt like kicking himself. He thought to himself, 'You twit! You had this in the bag! Nearly 30 seconds ahead of the pack on the final lap. Haven't put a foot wrong all weekend. But noooo!!! You just had to get cocky, squeeze the throttle too early and highside, didn't you?' After mentally berating himself, he blinked a couple of times as a new thought filled his still ringing head. The bike didn't look too badly damaged, so maybe he could salvage something from the race. Slowly and gingerly, he picked himself up and took a step towards his stricken bike. Suddenly, his side exploded in excruciating pain, and the last thing he remembered was the feeling of weightlessness. Then his back smashed into something hard and he blacked out. Suddenly, he woke up with a start, and it took a few moments to get his bearings. He was seated at a small table and had been leaning his head on the window of his mobile motorhome as it weaved in and out of traffic. They had just passed a snow-covered sign reading, "WELCOME! You are now entering Canterlot City!" A familiar voice broke his thoughts, "Hey Slipstream, you okay? You look a little freaked out. Bad dream? I'm not judging, cause everyone gets that from time to time." He turned towards a young woman in her early 20s, looking at him in concern. Slipstream shook his head and massaged his temples, "I'm fine, Countess. Just memories of that stupid crash. Gods above! I was such an idiot!" Countess Coloratura took a seat across him and rolled her eyes, "Slipstream... How many times have I told you? Call me Rara." He shot back, "Let's compromise! How about Boss? I mean... It was your idea to start a racing team and you approached me to be the team principal." She tugged at her woollen sweater and shrugged, "What can I say... I've been a big fan of yours, and you have one of the best strategic minds. I still think you could have been a 2-time champion, if not for that crash, four years ago. In my mind, you were the perfect candidate for team principal. Now all we need is someone to ride the bike." He steepled his fingers, "You mentioned an old friend of yours. Applejack, right? You think she's good enough to handle the bike?" "If not her, then maybe she knows someone who can help. Any luck convincing the officials to allow us to field a second bike?" Slipstream shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Firstly, all the slots are full, and secondly, I'm not sure if we have the budget for it. Remember... We're starting this team from scratch. I tried asking if we could bump up Hitch Trailblazer or Zipp Storm from 250cc, straight to 1000cc. Those two have the most potential, but the officials said that they didn't want to risk it, because they are too young and inexperienced." Rara smiled, "I'm glad that you established that rider's academy last year. Who knows... Maybe some day one of them will be a future champion." Suddenly, there was an odd sound that slowly faded in. Slipstream craned his head and saw a stunning-looking jet black Suzuki GSX-R1000, half a mile ahead them. It was getting closer and louder, before it rocketed past them, going in the other direction. He also could have sworn that he caught a glimpse of red as well. Rara stood up and pointed, "I see it! It's pulling into the driveway of that diner! Fetlock! Can you take a U-turn and head to that diner?" One of Rara's backup dancers, was driving the motorhome, and he promptly obeyed. Two minutes later, they pulled into the driveway, and sure enough, the bike was there, sans the rider. Rara eyed him, "Do you want to handle it or do you want me to come too?" He shifted a little in his seat, "I can handle it. Can you pass me my wheelchair?" She dutifully wheeled it over to him and eased him onto the wheelchair. Then, she and Fetlock helped him down and he wheeled himself inside the diner. It was around 8 in the morning on Christmas Eve, so the diner was fairly empty, except for a teenager in a black leather jacket. She sported red hair and blonde vertical highlights, and had yellow skin. The girl was also hunched over the countertop and her shoulders were shaking. Not wanting to come off like a creep, Slipstream rolled up and parked a couple of seats to her left before ordering an espresso. They stayed silent for a while and then he softly spoke, "Rough day, pal? Boyfriend broke up or you caught him with another girl? Gotta tell you, that sort of thing sucks, so close to Christmas." The girl let out a strangled laugh, "N-no! I'm happily single. Its just... I had a big fight with my friends about Anon-A-Miss." He stayed silent for a beat and then, "Right... I have no idea who that is." She munched on a bagel and grunted, "Basically, someone set up a MyStable profile called Anon-A-Miss and started posting embarrassing secrets about the students. Starting with my friends. They all suspected me, because I used to be a big bully, but I've changed and they won't believe that I'm innocent!" He gestured, "May I?" She shrugged and he moved his wheelchair closer. The girl showed him her cell phone which was opened to this mysterious Anon-A-Miss page. Looking at the profile picture, it was red and gold. He murmured, "Well it kind of matches your color scheme, so I guess that's what prompted folks to point fingers." The girl glared and he raised his arms in surrender, "Hey, I'm a neutral party in all this, kid. I'm just saying it like it is. I don't even know you." She sighed, "Like I said, I used to be a bully. A real queen b***h. But I was subtle about it. Never made it look like I was the culprit." Slipstream hummed, "Right... So this is a frame job and a sloppy one too. No offence to your school mates, but they're all morons." An idea struck him, "Hey kid, I have an idea. Want to disappear for a while?" The girl raised an eyebrow, "That your idea of a pickup line? Because it sucks." Slipstream snorted, "Get your head out of the gutter, kid. Look, I'll admit that I have a thing for redheads, but you're too young for me. I'm 22, and you're what? 16?" "Be turning 16 in a couple of months. Is that why you keep calling me, 'kid'? First off, my name is Sunset Shimmer." He grinned, "Glad to put a name to the face! Call me Slipstream. Also, I have a job for you. That's why I was asking if you wanted to disappear for a while. Don't worry, we'll return you unharmed. Hopefully by then, these schoolmates of yours would have wised up or caught the culprits." A small smile played on her lips, "You know... That sounds like a good idea. What do you have in mind?" He glanced outside and gestured, "That your bike? She's a beauty! Ridden one myself and I love the way it handles." Her smile grew wider, "Yeah... It's actually a guilty pleasure of mine. Also, I have a license, and my frien- former friends don't know about it." Slipstream grinned, "You're fast too. Now... for the REAL reason why I'm here. I was a former motorcycle racer and did win a championship. But I'm now forcibly retired, for obvious reasons. Recently, I was approached to be the team principal for a brand new racing team. They're also on the hunt for a rider. That's where I'm hoping that you could factor in. We're willing to offer you a one-year contract." Sunset was a little taken aback, "Wait... You want ME to race for you guys! Why me? I'm a girl?! I'll get my butt kicked!" He snorted, "Sunset, I've known plenty of female racers, and they're not afraid to play with the big boys. Sure, they're all retired now, but you get my point." The girl felt hope bloom in her chest, but then another thought struck her. She said, "Wait, what about school? I'll be away for a year. I've been a straight A student, and I'm not planning to repeat a year." He smiled, "Ahh yes... I was wondering when we would address the elephant in the room. Tell you what, I'd like to meet your school principal and negotiate with her. Come on, I'll get some of our guys to load your bike into my motorhome. I'll also take you to meet the boss. She's the one who owns the team and is sponsoring us for now." Slipstream paid for their meal and led Sunset back to the motorhome, while Fetlock and two others loaded her black Suzuki in the back. Inside, the former champion definitely enjoyed Sunset Shimmer's poleaxed expression at seeing Countess Coloratura. He entered behind Sunset and grinned, "Hey Boss! As you can tell, mission accomplished." Sunset stammered, "C-c-c-Countess Coloratura?! What are you doing here?" She had a wry smile, "Dramatic effect, mostly. Also, I own the team. Hey Sunset, haven't seen you in a while. How's Applejack?" Slipstream left the two to talk while he wheeled up front to the driver's seat. He spoke, "Hey Fetlock, can you set the GPS to..." Sunset hollered, "Canterlot High School!" The burly man punched in the coordinates and the motorhome roared to life. > Negotiations > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- About an hour later, they pulled up to a large imposing building with a horse statue in front of it. The school was empty and Slipstream frowned, "Hey Sunset, are you sure your principal will be in the school? Isn't it the Christmas vacation? Surely she would have gone home by now and the school should be empty." The girl replied, "Actually, it's relatively well-known that she and her sister Luna do stay in the school for a week after it lets out. Something about last minute paperwork, I know this because I used to help her out often. Today is supposed to be her last day in the office." He shrugged, "If you say so. Why don't you stay here in the motorhome and make yourself comfortable. Rara and I will take care of everything." Soon enough, Rara wheeled him up a ramp, mostly because the ramp was icy. Her footsteps echoed through the empty halls and eventually they happened upon the Principal's Office. Rara took a deep breath and then knocked on the door. A gentle voice called out, "Come in!" Rara opened the door and wheeled him in. At a desk, sat a tall woman with alabaster skin and multi-coloured hair. Her moderate heliotrope eyes lit up in recognition, "Coloratura! What a pleasant surprise! It has been ages! You graduated, what? Three years ago? Who's your friend?" Rara smiled, "Hello Principal Celestia, it has been a while. Gosh! I missed this place. I actually came here because I need a favor. This is my business associate, Slipstream. He's a former motorcycle racer before an accident ended his career. We have a small situation..." Celestia leaned forward and threaded her fingers, "Go ahead, I'm listening." Slipstream spoke up, "Ma'am, the basic premise is that Coloratura here, is establishing her own racing team. She's probably going to be the first celebrity race team owner. She hired me to be the team principal, so Coloratura is basically my boss. We came to Canterlot to look for a potential rider and we think we found them. She's one of your students, a Sunset Shimmer." Celestia smiled, "Oh that's wonderful!" Then her smile froze, "I... don't suppose you heard about what's been happening lately, with this Anon-a-Miss business. She has been getting some of the blame for it. I personally don't think its her, though. She's changed a lot, and even at her worst, this seemed too on the nose. Unfortunately, mine and my sister Luna's hands, are tied." Slipstream nodded gravely, "I heard about that, straight from the source. I guessed that she could use some time away from this environment, which could be potentially toxic. I figured that if she's not there and secrets are still being posted, it should eliminate her from the suspect list. Hopefully by then, the culprit slips up or the students are smart enough to put two and two together." Celestia leaned back and asked, "So you wish to keep Sunset away until the situation is resolved?" His cheeks reddened and he rubbed his dark brown hair sheepishly, "Um... Yeah... About that- We were planning to sign her for a one-year contract for our team." Her posture changed instantly. She sat up straight and peered him carefully with her eyes narrowed, "A one-year contract? But that would mean that she would miss a year and possibly repeat it. Also, she's 15 years old. Should she really be competing in such a dangerous sport at such a young age." "That's why I was hoping to talk to you. My idea is that you or the faculty forward me the lesson plans and I can teach her. As for exams and tests, just let me know the schedule and we can set up a conference call so that the invigilator can supervise her during her paper. Just a heads up though, Fridays till Sundays are usually the race weekends, so she will be racing at the time. Also, I completely understand your concern. I've been competing at the top level of motorsport since I was 16. Won the championship at 17, and then had my career-ending accident at 18. But many of us riders have been competing since we were very young. I knew some ladies who began go-kart racing when they were just four years old, just like I did. Don't worry, this is just a one-year contract. If she wanted to continue racing, that choice will be up to her." Celestia leaned back and cupped her chin. She thought about it for a really long time. Finally she sighed, "Very well... I'm going against my better judgement here, but I trust you because Coloratura vouches for you. Please do not make me regret this decision. My only fear is that if she stays here, this Anon-a-Miss situation will spiral out of control and the students will be very vindictive. Please give her my best." He handed her his business card and said, "My cell phone number is on that, along with my email address." She tucked the card away in her breast pocket. Celestia smiled, "It was a pleasure to meet you. Between you and me, I hope this situation resolves itself. By the way, how will I be able to watch the races? I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie when I was little, and I like sports." Slipstream replied, "If I'm not mistaken, the Cloud Sports Network is picking up the broadcast for this season. The first race of the season is in March. Before that, I'll need to prepare Sunset. Get her registered as a rider, get her a Superlicense, sign the contract officially, unveil the bike, and then testing begins in February." Celestia raised an eyebrow, "A Superlicense? What's that?" "It's a special license that ensures a racer is eligible to compete in an officially sanctioned racing series. Of course, you do have to have a regular license as well." After a while, they rejoined Sunset in the motorhome. Rara called out, "Hey Sunset! Can you share your home address? We'll need to help you pack up ASAP. I mean, you're probably not going to be home for a while. Don't worry, we've sorted out everything with Celestia. She will be forwarding the lesson plans to Slipstream and he'll be teaching you during the off days. As for your exams, you'll write them remotely and email your answers to her." Sunset gave them directions to a relatively ordinary apartment complex. She waved to a cheery woman with light cerise skin and freckles, and the woman also had moderate and light purple curly hair. Sunset said, "Hi Mrs Petunia Petals! How are you this morning? How's the husband? Anything in the mail for me?" Petunia Petals waved back and spoke, "Hello dearie! Currently, there's nothing yet in the mail. You've paid your rent last week, if I'm not mistaken. Also, Sunny Skies is pretty hard at work running for mayor of Canterlot City." Sunset smiled, "Mrs Petals, I wanted to let you know that I will be out of town for a while. Probably a year, at most. If you want, you can rent my apartment to someone else who needs it." Her eyebrows raised, "Oh... Does it have to do with that young man in the wheelchair there?" "Yeah... He's technically my boss. Turns out, he is a team principal of a motorcycle racing team and I've just been recruited on a one-year contract." The woman's eyes lit up, "Oh dearie! That's wonderful! Well I certainly wish you all the very best. I'll miss you terribly. Now, why don't you pop upstairs and clear out your room. When you're done, just hand me the keys and I'll take care of the rest. When you do return, I'll be sure to save a room just for you." Over the next few days, Slipstream and Sunset got a lot of paperwork done. She underwent medical checks, physical training, simulator work and he gave her a crash course in understanding data. Apparently, Physics was one of her best subjects, so she took to the information like a duck to water. Two days after the New Year, they booked a flight to Spain because he managed to get her entered in the Rookie test. Their team was officially called Countess Racing and was powered by Aprilia. He explained to her, "We've got a bunch of different manufacturers competing. Ducati has some of the fastest bikes, but we're not far behind in speed, along with KTM. I also know that Yamaha and Honda have been struggling, and there are talks of Suzuki, Kawasaki and BMW joining next year." She tilted her head curiously, "BMW? I thought they only manufactured cars?" "They do both", came the reply. Then an idea struck him and he called out to a group of teenagers hanging out by reception, "Hey Pipp! Could I borrow you and your friends for a sec?" A teenager with pale light grayish fuchsia skin and violet hair falling over one moderate spring bud green eye, came over. There were four others with her, three girls and one boy. She waved and spoke in a posh accent, "Hi Slipstream! What do you need me for?" "You're on social media, a lot, aren't you? I know that racing's not your thing, unlike your sister and Hitch. How would you like to be Sunset's social media manager?" Her eyes sparkled as a big smile plastered itself on her face, "Really?! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!" A girl with light gray skin and brilliant rose-colour spiky hair with moderate cyan highlights drawled, "What about us?" Slipstream replied, "I know that Sunny Starscout and Izzy Moonbow aren't that big on racing either. I'd hate to split you guys apart, so I'll find something for you guys to do as well, within the team." He turned to a girl with grayish mulberry skin and moderate cornflower blue and cobalt blue frizzy hair. She was pretty much bouncing in place, "Izzy, how would you like to be Sunset's PR officer. Zipp and Hitch, I've managed to convince the officials to let us have four wildcard entries. Zipp, you will run two wildcard races, Hitch, you'll run the other two." Then he turned to the last girl, "As for Sunny... I'm not sure of what you've got an aptitude towards. For now, I want you to just be Sunset's umbrella girl until I find something else useful for you. That alright?" All five nodded and he said, "Okay, all you, except for Pipp, may go. Pipp I'm gonna need your help. Sunset, can you tell her about Anon-a-Miss? In case those vultures that call themselves the media, start snooping, she can fix your reputation. If you need me, I'll be looking for accomodation." Sunset explained about Anon-a-Miss, and to her relief, Pipp Petals was very sympathetic. Then the girl made up her mind and extended a hand, "Okay, could you give me your phone?" Sunset eyed her carefully, "Uhh... why? We're sticking together for most of the year, right? My phone's switched off, because I'm not in the mood to be bombarded with hate mail." She gestured slightly impatiently, "Just give it. I'm going to deactivate your MyStable profile." Pipp Petals switched the phone on and ignored the constant pinging from the messages app. She visited Sunset's profile and then handed her the phone, "Here, just download all the images and videos from your profile and save them somewhere." She did so and Pipp promptly deactivated her account and then turned off the phone. She pocketed it, "I'll ask Slipstream to buy you another phone and change your number. I have a feeling that the heat will still be on. Give it about a week and I'll switch your phone on. Oh, and my advice would be to save all your friends contacts. Sure, you may be persona non grata at the moment, but once your innocence is proven, would you be willing to forgive them?" Sunset thought about it, "Hmm... Maybe not immediately. The girls really hurt me badly. After they apologize, I'll let you know when I'm ready to forgive them." > Testing > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two weeks later, the team travelled to Valencia, Spain for the rookie test. That was also the first time Sunset had ridden an Aprilia, and it took some getting used to. Fortunately, they had the whole day to test and she was the only rookie that season. With permission, Hitch Trailblazer and Zipp Storm were also allowed to test with her, just to give her a sense of how to ride while competing with other bikes, and get some extra data. The best part was that Sunset was a quick learner. February began and in the first week, they launched their bike. The primary scheme was light aquamarine gray and her number was #19, the secondary scheme was dark grayish indigo with dark indigo and moderate opal highlights and light orchidish gray with moderate purple streaks. Zipp would be running the #26 and Hitch was going to use the #8 number. The launch ceremony was relatively bombastic, as Coloratura came on stage and performed a few songs before the unveiling. Three weeks later, the entire team, consisting of nearly 60 people, travelled to the country of Qatar for the first pre-season test. When it began, Sunset took about five laps to learn the circuit, which also included finding the right braking points. Though at one point, she almost got into a scrape with another rider called Powerslide. As she rode back into the pits, she was fuming. Sunset got off the bike and stormed in. Slipstream sensed trouble and moved inside the garage. He guided her to the back and let her vent. She raged, "What the hell was that moron thinking! I was just backing off to try and warm up my tires! He came out of f***ing nowhere and almost wiped me out. I'm gonna go and give him a piece of my mind." He grabbed her arm before she could flounce away, "Don't even think about it, kid. First off, I had no idea that you had a bit of a temper. Thank God I found out now, instead of mid-season. Second, I had a look at a replay, and you were riding slowly on the racing line. Had this been the official race weekend, you would have been penalised. If you have to slow down to warm up your tires, make sure that you are off the racing line. Powerslide was on a timed lap, and you got in his way." She glared at him, but he was unmoved and poked a finger to her chest, "Hey! Don't you dare give me attitude, kid! I'm still your boss! Look, it's not gonna get any easier, but you gotta keep a lid on that temper of yours. You're only gonna make Pipp and Izzy's jobs a lot harder if you blow up like that. The fans also detest someone like that because it makes them unapproachable and unlikeable." Sunset glared once more for a few seconds before deflating, "You're right... I-I'm sorry... I should have told you about the anger issues. That's on me. I guess that's why it was so easy for me to go into 'b***h mode'. I promise I'll work on it. I'll also apologise to Powerslide." He patted her cheek gently, "You do that... I'll get the mechanics to make some setup changes. I want you back out there in 5 minutes. We're currently on the edge of the Top 10. Apart from that little spat, you're doing good." They parted ways and she went and apologised to the older rider. Fortunately, Powerslide was very understanding. As he put it, "Hey, we were all rookies once. You're lucky that I'm a nice guy. There are some riders on the grid, who won't be so understanding. Also, I think your boss would have told you already, but had this been a race weekend, that would have been a slam-dunk penalty. If I'm not mistaken that kind of offence nets you a 3-place grid penalty. Do it too often, and the penalty increases to 5, then 10, then back of the grid. Worst case scenario is a one-race ban." Sunset smiled softly, "Thanks Powerslide. I appreciate it. This is all pretty new to me." The 31-year-old South African rider pat her back, "No worries, my friend. I heard paddock rumours that your path here was pretty unconventional. You're the first one who was literally picked off the streets, so the journey's gonna be tougher for you. A lot of us, like myself grew up racing on minibikes before slowly moving up to higher division, and that gave us experience. I think a couple of people entered the sport thanks to a video game background. " He leaned over and whispered, "Here's my advice. Watch out for those chaps. they can get pretty aggressive on the track. They have a tendency to crash a lot, because that's what some of them did in the games. In front of your TV/computer screen, there's no danger. If you crash, you can just reset. Out here in the real world... there are consequences." Powerslide held out his left hand and moved his sleeve back to reveal his bare arm. That arm had the remnants of a number of staples, and Sunset winced. He gruffly said, "Injuries are part and parcel of the game. There's no preventing an accident. The best way is to learn how to crash." She tilted her head in confusion, "How do you learn how to crash? Don't crashes just... happen?" He chuckled, "That they do kiddo. The worst type of crash is the high-side. That's where you lose the rear end of the bike and then it pitches you in the air before a painful landing. I've had a few of those in my time, and your boss has had them too. The trick is to angle your body while airborne in such a way that it minimises the damage. Tell you what... Why don't you do some research and look up videos of motorcycle racing crashes on the internet. Focus on how the riders react in the accident." Powerslide walked away, leaving her in a pensive mood. Soon afterwards, she was back on the bike with a different setup. This carried on for a while, until an hour before the session ended, she had her first crash. Sunset was on the second-to-last corner, which was a long sweeping left-hander, which tightened up into another left-hander which led to the front straight. She leaned a little too far left and her bike slid off from under her. She was sent rolling into the gravel, where she lay winded for a minute. Marshals were quickly on the scene and checked on her and the bike. Fortunately, the pit lane was about a 100 meters away, so she was able to re-mount and ride slowly back. Entering the garage, she hopped off the bike and gingerly trudged to the back and sat down. Team medic Red Cross immediately checked on the girl as she undid her helmet with her right hand. After setting it aside, she cradled her left hand, which was badly bruised. Slipstream came to check on her and be on standby in case Red Cross needed some help. Sunset yelped as Red Cross swabbed the bruise with cotton soaked in steriliser. She moaned, "Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts!" Slipstream rolled his eyes, "Oh come off it, you big baby! It's just a bruise! Damn thing will heal in no time flat! Bruises will happen all the time, pal. You got to tough it out." She spat, "Easy for you to say! You're not the one who's arm is on fire!" He scoffed, "You think bruises hurt? Kid, you don't know pain until you've broken a bone or two. In the mildest case, you can simply ride with a few painkillers. Races aren't too long, just about between 25-30 laps depending on the track, maximum, lasting around 45 minutes." Cross replied from her position, "He's right, Sunset. Bruises happen every day. We do have an infield medical care centre at every track, but you would just be wasting their time if you go to them with a simple bruise or two. They only deal with serious stuff, like broken bones, concussions, illnesses, and more. Otherwise, all teams have someone like me, who has basic first-aid knowledge to treat bruises and scrapes. Ahh! There we go! All done, sweetie." Sure enough, the bleeding had stopped and Red Cross had applied some ointment. Sunset turned to her team principal, "Anything else for me to do?" He looked at the TV screens, "Well... We have 50 minutes left. I want you back out there in two minutes. We're going to do some long runs." Two minutes later, the #19 bike was back out on track, and Sunset was being more careful this time. She carried out her programme, and when the chequered flag waved, she stopped on the grid. Several other riders had the same idea and also stopped. They all watched the lights, which were off. Then, the lights blinked red and everyone tensed. A couple of beats later, the lights went out and turned green. Everyone reacted instantly, though Sunset was a little late in her reaction. By the pit wall, Slipstream mused, "She's a bit green around the gills. I got to buy her one of those devices with the lights. Improve her reactions a bit better. Else she's going to get her butt kicked at the race starts." > Left in the Dust > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Around the second week of March, and it was officially race week. That Monday though, she had other things on her mind. Slipstream noted her downcast mood, "You alright, buddy?" She mused, "I'm just thinking... It's now been three weeks since school began. If I hadn't met you and Rara, my life would have been miserable. By now, Anon-A-Miss would have been wreaking havoc in the school. If I'd been there, I would have probably endured a lot of abuse. Maybe it would have targeted the rest of my former friends or expanded to the whole school. My life would have been ruined forever." He wheeled over and rubbed her back, "Best not to think about it too much. I'm just glad that luck or fate allowed our paths to cross. By the way, I had a brief glance at your phone the other day. You're still getting a lot of hate, because your messages have been blowing up like crazy. Some of the insults are a little creative, let's just leave it at that." Sunset whistled softly, "I still can't believe you're going through all my hate mail for me?" He waved her off nonchalantly, "Nah, this is nothing! You should have seen me in my championship-winning season. We were at Mexico, which is sadly not on the calendar this year. The year before, I dove down the inside of this fellow, Slick Shifter at one particular corner. Lost the front end of the bike, and he happened to get caught up on the outside with nowhere to go. No hard feelings between us and the bloke was very understanding, but the fans... were a different story. Got death threats from all my social media, because he was a local boy. Fast-forward a year later, the Thursday before we were supposed to leave for the track, bunch of crazy fans actually kidnapped me." Her eyes widened, "Seriously!" He laughed, "Dead serious! Was ransomed for 10 million dollars and some of them even ordered me to deliberately lose the race. Luckily, my team called the cops and launched a massive rescue operation. Got back in time for the race weekend, and since then, I never travelled without bodyguards, and neither does anyone else. Heck, why do you think Fetlock sticks close to you? Did you think he was merely one of Rara's backup dancers?" She changed the subject, "By the way, I checked the race timings, and it starts at 10:30 at night." Slipstream slapped his forehead, "Damnit! I knew I forgot something! Yeah, Qatar is the calendar's only night race, and its pretty self-explanatory. So far, you've only been riding in the afternoon, where the temperature is pretty high. So at night, the temperature drops dramatically, and that lowers the on-track grip. Oh, by the way, if you want, you can also come early on Sunday and watch Hitch and Zipp's race. It'll give you an idea of what to expect." Friday arrived, and the first practice session wrapped up. Most of the Ducatis were in top form, but the big surprise for everyone was Sunset Shimmer ending the session in P3! She did get a small scare when she leaned a little too far to the inside of Turn 1. She overbalanced and her left leg dangled briefly before she got a foothold. Admittedly, Gearwrench, her engineer, was not too thrilled when she lost one of her brake protectors. Sometime later, Slipstream was called to the media pen. He said with a broad smile, "I gotta tell you! She just jumped on the bike and rode it almost like a natural. I'm still pinching myself, wondering how we managed to luck out with her. Look, no disrespect to the other riders, they are all top talents and world champions. You may call me biased, but I firmly believe that there is something special about Sunset Shimmer." The second practice session saw a lot more eyeballs on Sunset, and she delivered with another third place finish. The next day, during the qualifying session, a bunch of teams turned up the wick. In the last five minutes of the session, Sunset found herself 9th fastest, around seven tenths slower than the fastest lap. Her final lap saw her jump up, to fifth, but a few other riders were going quicker still. In the end, she was classified in eighth place for Sunday's race. Sunset trundled back into the pits and walked inside, very downcast. Gearwrench and Slipstream surrounded her and pat her back comfortingly. The latter asked, "You okay, buddy?" She mumbled, "I don't understand it! Yesterday, we ran so well! Could have even stuck it on pole! I don't know, the lap felt decent. Nothing seemed wrong with the bike. So, why are we so far down the pack?" Gearwrench calmly said, "Shimmer, I'll give it to you straight. We're still a small team. No one is expecting miracles from you. Maybe the conditions yesterday, suited your bike better. I can't control the weather, kid. Just cause you got two Top 3 finishes, it kind of made you a touch overconfident, didn't it?" Slipstream nodded sagely, "He's right. The silver lining is that we are in the Top 10. So there is a shot for a good points haul. Listen, it's too early to think about gunning for the championship, and a little bit arrogant. Let's just take everything one step at a time. We might not challenge for the title, but we can still prove to be a nuisance for the front-runners. Now, chin up... We've got a long race ahead of us tomorrow. I'm sure Hitch and Zipp would appreciate it, if you watched their races." Finally, it was race day, and Sunset woke up with butterflies in her stomach. As she sat up in the bed of her hotel room, she heard a knock, "Sunset? Rise and shine kid! It's Slipstream! You decent?" She called back a little shakily, "I'm up! You can come in!" Sunset heard the sound of a key card being inserted and the door opened. Slipstream wheeled inside, "Morning! Thought I'd let you know, a bunch of us are going sight-seeing for a while. We won't be needed at the track until around 4 o'clock. You game? Powerslide and a few others are tagging along. I believe he heard from another rider, that the lamb kebabs are to die for!" The group enjoyed themselves for a while, until they all turned back at around four in the afternoon. Powerslide explained that there would be a 10 minute warm up session at ten past 6, followed by media appearances. Then at seven thirty, the junior-most division, where Hitch and Zipp would be competing, would kick off. The warmup ended with Sunset in fifth place. Just before that race began, Powerslide dragged Sunset to the pit wall, where they all leaned out. She asked, "So, what are we doing here?" He grinned, "Well, there are three big reasons for this. Firstly, the 250cc division is easily the most entertaining class. Since these guys are rookies, the battles are pretty much no holds barred. The second reason is that everyone is watching to see how the lights work. It helps us time our starts better. Lastly, much like your boss, Slipstream, there are some riders who own a race team and want to monitor their progress." He pointed, "Look! They're off on their final sighting lap before the race! Now the fun starts." About half an hour later, Sunset Shimmer's eyes were wide, "Holy crap! That was freaking intense!" Powerslide smirked, "Told you so! Unfortunately, we can't watch the whole of the second race because we have to get ready. Good luck and I hope you give us a good fight!" At around 10PM, Sunset rode out onto the track and gauged the conditions. She spoke to Slipstream, "Can you let the guys know that I want a medium front and medium rear tire combination." He glanced at her, "Are you sure? Wouldn't a medium-hard combo last longer?" She firmly nodded, "I'm sure! If I'm wrong, so be it. At least we would do our best in this race." Slipstream smiled, "Cool, I'll let the guys know." As Sunset waited on the grid, Slipstream was back, with a pensive expression on his face. He casually sidled up next to her in his wheelchair. He spoke, "Hey kid, does the name Flash Sentry ring any bells?" She frowned a little and murmured, "Ex boyfriend. We parted on pretty bad terms, back when I was still a bully. But after my change of heart, we're back as tentative friends. Why do you ask?" He shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh nothing... Your old phone has been frantically blowing up for the past few minutes, thanks to him. I checked the messages, and it seems that he's figured out that you're innocent. I'm betting that he's either finally noticed your absence or he's seen you on TV. I think he also tried to call, a couple of times. Do you want a quick word and hear his apology, or do you want to focus on the race? Just so you know, I believe it is 12:15 in the afternoon back in Canterlot, thanks to the timezones." Sunset Shimmer agonised for a couple of minutes, "I just want to focus on the race, for now. I'll talk to him after the race. Any word from the girls?" He winced, "Most of them are still angry at you, sorry kid. Though I think some Fluttershy lass is starting to have doubts. Do you want to call her too?" "No. They hurt me the most. I'll probably take some more time to work up the nerve to talk to her. And that's only after she apologises and knows that I'm innocent." Slipstream smiled softly, "Okay then. Good luck, kid. Stay safe. Remember, no heroics into turn one. I don't want to have to deal with an angry principal Celestia. As I often say-" "To finish first, first you have to finish" "To finish first, first you have to finish" The two of them spoken in unison, though Sunset sounded more robotic, as though she had heard this a thousand times already. Slipstream mock-scowled at her grinning face under the helmet, "Cheeky brat... Just do your best and bring us a nice points haul, though we certainly won't complain about any silverware." He patted her helmet, where her cheek was, before leaving the grid. From there, Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes and began to focus. As the non-essential personnel cleared the grid, she tuned out all the noise and focused on the lights. The lights turned and they set off for the final sighting lap. She had been told that there was no need to worry about overtaking during this phase, as long as she found her correct grid slot after the lap. She and the other riders rode slowly, occasionally weaving to get some temperature into their tires. As soon as the lights went green, Sunset Shimmer got an average start and immediately swerved to the right to fend off an attack from the inside. Unfortunately, she got bundled down a position, heading into the first turn. She lost a few more, finding herself down in 10th by the end of the first lap. The good news was that, at the start of the next lap, a rider ahead of her, fell off the bike, promoting her up a place. She soon followed that by by overtaking another and snatching 8th place. Two laps later, Sunset began a steady climb up the order, and was up to 6th place by the end of lap 4. The best part was that she was two-tenths faster than the race leader. During her next tour of the track, Sunny Starscout and Zipp Storm relayed some information, and egged her on. With 17 laps remaining, Sunset was up to 5th place on the track, and marching up the pack. On the pit wall, Slipstream pumped his fist with a big smile on his face. Unfortunately, five laps later, Sunset Shimmer made her first big mistake. She was at the back of a 4-bike battle for 2nd, when the 4th-placed rider ran wide, and she ran wide as well. Fortunately, she held her position, and on the next lap, Sunny and Hitch urged her to calm down. 10 Laps remaining, and Sunset dove down the inside to snatch 4th place. Unfortunately, she botched up a couple of laps later, when she ran wide and dropped to fifth. Things got worse when she started losing ground and slipping back into the clutches of P6 and 7. Later on, she ran wide for the second time, and dropped down to 7th. The red and blonde-haired girl shook her helmet in frustration. By the pit wall, the mood was much the same, with Slipstream clutching his head in disbelief. As the laps ticked by, it was clear that Sunset Shimmer was struggling. Slipstream moaned, "Ayeyeyeye! I warned her about tire wear! She's dropping like a stone." Sure enough, her pace continued to drop, and she fell down to 9th place. The good news was that the torture was not going to last much longer, as there were two laps left. What made it even better was that P10 was too far behind to make an impression. Finally on the last lap, the final message to Sunset was "P9, OK. Bring it home." Soon, Sunset Shimmer saw the chequered flag and ended the day in 9th place. On the cooldown lap, she made sure to congratulate the winner and podium finishers, which also included a delighted Powerslide in 2nd. Sunset trundled back into the pits and walked to the back of the garage. Inside, Sunny, Pipp, Zipp and Izzy hugged her, while Hitch squeezed a shoulder. Then Slipstream wheeled inside and smiled, "It was a good run kid, but at least we salvaged some points. We're off to a good start. Don't worry about the result too much, you did good, for a rookie. Come on, we can bounce back from this. Now I believe you have a call to make." Sunset looked up at him, with a morose expression. Then she took a deep breath and exhaled, "Okay... I can do this." They exited the garage, fielded a few questions from the media, and returned to the motorhome. The first thing she did was pick up her old cell phone. She was about to open her messages, when a thought struck her, did she really want to do this? Was Flash being genuine? Did he really believe her? Or was it all a ruse to accuse her again. Slipstream, Pipp and Izzy also waited, as her internal debate raged. Finally, Sunset took a deep breath and fished out her new phone. FS: "Hey... uh... Sunset... Are you free to talk? I just want to say that I believe that you're innocent." SS: "Hey, it's Sunset here. I changed my number because I didn't want to get bombarded with hate messages or death threats. Sorry, I was a little caught up with something. I'm free now." FS: "That was a smart move, to be honest. I was there during that dramatic little showdown with the girls at the Sweet Shoppe. I'll be frank, I didn't know what to think about the accusation. I doubted that you would suddenly change back into that mean girl you used to be. Unfortunately, that blow-up spread like wildfire, and everyone in school is at each other's throats, and some are out for your blood. In a way, I'm kind of glad that you're not here." SS: "I just had to get away from it all. By the way, how did. you come to the conclusion that I was innocent?" FS: "Like I said, I doubted that you would throw away that friendship so quickly. So you can imagine my surprise and vindication when I'm just flipping channels and suddenly I see your name and face on TV. Participating in a motorbike race... You've been holding out on me, Shimmer. ;)" SS: "That's a long story. Are you the only one who's figured it out?" FS: "Immediately after I saw your face, I got a text from Bulk Biceps, Micro Chips, Derpy and someone called Wallflower Blush. I was a bit surprised about that last one. That girl's quieter than Fluttershy, I almost forgot she existed. Anyway, Bulk and Micro also just happened to see your face on TV and tuned in for the race. Derpy and Wallflower, are apparently closet motorcycle racing fans. In Micro's words, 'There's no way Sunset Shimmer can be Anon-A-Miss, if she's halfway across the other side of the freaking globe!'" SS: "I just hope that my name gets cleared, by the time I finish the season. I'm on a one-year contract." FS: "Micro Chips has a plan. He's going to talk to VP Luna so that he can 'legally' hack into Anon-A-Miss and expose the culprit. Your former friends are convinced that it is you, though Fluttershy and Pinkie are a looking a little iffy. I think when you didn't turn up to school on the first day after vacations, a lot of them chalked it up to you being too chicken to own up. That day itself, some more secrets were exposed. I think that's raised Fluttershy's suspicions, because how can you post someone's secret, if you're not showing up in school. Took a week for Pinkie Pie to also catch on. It's been three weeks since school has begun, and no one else seems to have figured it out. Of course, Pinkie and Fluttershy are too scared of airing those suspicions to Applejack, Rarity or Rainbow Dash. Those three are on a warpath" SS: "I'll wait for Shy and Pinkie to apologise. I'm not making the first move. Anyway... Changing the subject, do you want to catch one of the races, live? I can talk to my boss and ask if he can hook you up with some tickets. If you're not up to travelling abroad, Round three is at Texas in April." FS: "Awesome! I'd love to be there! I'll be rooting for you, Sunset. Man, you were so close." SS: "Yeah... my tires ran out of grip, so I was struggling towards the end. Listen, I've got to go. We have to pack up and leave the track shortly. Good night, Flash." FS: "Night? It's 1:45 in the afternoon." SS: "11:45 in the night, here in Qatar." FS: "Oh right... time zones. I'll text you later." > Rollercoasting By > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After the opening round in Qatar, there was a two week gap to the next race. During that time, Slipstream brought Sunset, Hitch, Zipp, Pipp, Sunny and Izzy, to Spain. They spent a couple of days relaxing, before one morning, Sunset was awoken by a knock on her hotel door. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she opened the door to see Slipstream dressed in a skin-tight suit that was made from polyester. She looked out of the window, and the sun had only just peeped on the horizon. Slipstream grinned, "You up for some early morning cycling? The others are just getting ready. I've rented out cycles for all of us, including a specially modified for myself. I may have lost the use of my legs, but I still like to keep fit." Sunset got ready and joined the others downstairs for a light breakfast. Then, she and Izzy carefully lifted Slipstream and transferred him to the hand cycle. From there, the seven of them cycled through the picturesque city of Andorra la Vella. Sunset whistled lowly as they rode through the city, "Wow! This place is gorgeous!" Hitch grinned and called out, "You think this is pretty? Just wait until we reach the mountain roads! Luckily, Pipp always brings her camera with her." Pipp blew him a raspberry and primly said, "Obviously! I never leave home without it! The countryside selfie is going to be gorgeeeeoussss!" The last word was uttered in a high-pitched sing-song voice. At that moment, Sunset Shimmer fought down a brief pang that spiked in her heart. Pipp reminded her so much of Rarity, that it was almost scary. After an hour, they finally left the city and were cruising down winding roads in the countryside. Seeing Sunset's awestruck face at the beautiful landscape before her, was totally worth the trip. The group cycled for a while longer, before returning back to the city. However, instead of going back to the hotel, Sunset was steered away and inside a gym. Hitch grinned, "Alright! Time for some training! Next week's race is going to be tough because we're off to Portugal. I love that circuit because it is like a freaking rollercoaster." Sunset tilted her head curiously, "What do you mean?" Zipp explained, "Right, so this track is well-known for having a lot of uphill and downhill sections, and its like a rollercoaster. It's super fun to ride and just as fun to watch on TV." Sunny Starscout interrupted, "To be able to handle that, you're going to have to build up your leg muscles. Also, don't think we didn't catch you twisting your back a few times. You're going to have to do a bunch of back exercises because riding will take a huge strain on your back. Izzy, can you spot her?" Izzy grinned cheesily, "You got it!" Sunset once again ignored the pang in her heart, because Izzy reminded her of Pinkie Pie, only less random. A slight shiver ran down her spine at the thought of both of them meeting, if ever. All the way back at Canterlot High, Pinkie Pie sat up ramrod straight at her desk. She mused aloud, "Why do I get the feeling that I have a soul sister somewhere out there?" Back with Sunset and her new friends, Izzy explained, "So these back exercises are you help you approach the best way to brake on the bikes. The first turn has a downhill approach, so it would be easy to overbalance and fall in front of your bike." Sunset got changed into a sports bra and track pants, before getting started on the first exercise. She struggled initially, but soon got the hang of it. After performing a few sets, she went to the lumbars, and that was when Izzy really came in handy. At one point, she nearly exerted herself, but Izzy managed to get her under control. Exercise number three saw Sunset at a rowing machine, and finally she ended her routine on a stationary cycle. Next, Hitch helped her work on her upper trunk and abdomen and then guided her to a machine that worked on her thighs. He explained that this would allow her to use her legs to grip the sides of the bike better. Sunny took over with her balance exercises. Finally, Zipp led her back to the changing rooms, "This next bit of training can't be done in a gym. We're going to take you to a motocross track, because that place has a lot of jumps and dips, and it'll be perfect to prepare for Portugal. Just... try not to ride too rashly. Lots of injuries can happen during a motocross race." As they all exited, they spotted Fetlock inside a van that was waiting for them. He called out, "There are a couple of motocross bikes in the back! We'll head to the track from here! It's just a 15 minute drive!" Inside the van, Sunset asked, "We can just go to this motocross track, just like that? No questions asked? No membership?" Slipstream grinned, "There is a membership fee, but we can get in easily. I own the track. I set up a rider's academy, a few years ago, and had a motocross track built. Zipp and Hitch have been there several times. So what we're gonna do is, let them have a run first, and then you can have a turn after you see how it's done." Sunset watched a couple of races, before she had a turn on the motocross bikes. In the first few races, she was a little timid on the jumps, but eventually decided to take the plunge. Sunset admitted afterwards, that that first jump was pretty exhilarating. Two weeks flew by quickly, and Sunset filled up that time with lots of training. Sunny Starscout finally decided to take on the role of her dietician. The Wednesday before the race weekend, they all flew in and checked into a hotel. That day itself, the group decided to cycle to the track and do a track walk. Sunset finally realised what Hitch meant by a rollercoaster. Thursday media duties passed quickly, and then it was time for practice. Just before the session, Slipstream called her away and took her to the back of the trailer. He told her, "I've got a good exercise for you, to test your reflexes." He leaned forward and held out both hands. Clutched in each hand, was a tennis ball. The former rider instructed her, "Place your hands over mine and look me in the eyes. Don't look at the tennis balls. Eyes on me, only." She obeyed him and he started the exercise. Nothing happened for a few seconds, and she waited in anticipation. Moderate cyan eyes locked onto deep brown eyes, and then he released both balls unexpectedly. Caught a little off guard, she fumbled and dropped them. Sunny was nearby and collected the balls before tossing them back. Slipstream and Sunset assumed the same pose. He dropped the right ball and she managed to catch it. He took the ball and they assumed the position again. Once again, he dropped the right ball, and she caught it. Then he switched up and dropped both, and she caught them. He repeated it once more, before dropping the right, then the left, the left again, both, left, both. Each time, she improved her reactions. He grinned, "You're good, kid. I won't keep you any longer, get out on the track." Soon, she was out on the track, just exploring each and every inch of it on her bike. By the time the session ended, Sunset was down in 15th, but there was no need to panic. In the second session, she turned things around completely, by finishing 2nd. Then it was time for qualifying, and Sunset was right on the pace. The last five minutes were really frantic, and Sunset's initial best lap put her in 5th on the grid. However, some faster lap times saw her drop down to 7th, and heading the third row. Then race day arrived bright and early. Sunset and the gang arrived bright and early for the warm-up session and making last minute adjustments. Like before, she watched Hitch and Zipp race, and the quality of racing didn't disappoint. Zipp came ever so close to the podium, while Hitch was in the tail of the Top 10. In the build-up to the main race, Sunset and Slipstream disappeared to the back of the garage with Hitch and Zipp. Once again, they performed the tennis ball reflexes ritual, and Sunset nailed it immediately. Out on the grid, Sunset suddenly decided to hop off the bike and utter a small prayer. Slipstream nodded approvingly at the gesture and folded his own hands in prayer. Just as he was about to leave the grid, he cupped Sunset's helmet and leaned in, "Alright kid, we've worked hard for this. Have a good race, and stay on the bike. No heroics into Turn 1. This track is tricky, so watch out for any bumps. Let's go, full gas!" One final sighting lap later, Sunset Shimmer was awaiting the lights and focused. Her start was normal, but she got bumped down to eighth by the first turn. Fortunately, she managed to snatch seventh place back. About two laps later, she made a play for 6th, but overshot the corner and lost another position to Powerslide. With 21 laps left, Powerslide was right behind his teammate and lined up a move into the first corner. He nudged his teammate wide, and Sunset was not about to deny an open invitation. For two laps, Sunset stalked her new friend, and then pounced while heading down the hill into the first corner, taking P6. On the very next lap, she managed to catch and pass another rider to enter the Top 5. Her next target was a rider called Slick Shifter, who happened to be the defending champion. With 14 laps to go, she made her move, but Shifter performed a switchback and took the place back. His move was also aided by Sunset getting a big wobble, while entering the first corner, which was quickly becoming her favorite overtaking spot. By the pit wall, Slipstream was close to having a heart attack. Then the mistakes started to slowly creep in, by lap 10. Fortunately, she did not lose a position, but instead changed tactics to settle down and save her tyres. She was not about to make the same mistake like two weeks ago. Sunset played the waiting game until there were five laps to go, and she dove down the inside to seize fourth from Slick Shifter. He attempted a switchback again and stuck a nose down the inside, but she crowded him out. From there, she eked out a gap and was trying to hunt down a podium. Next to Slipstream, he was busy wincing as Pipp and Izzy were grabbing his hands and squeezing very tightly. Then on the last lap, it happened. Sunset was just entering the first corner for the last time, when she noticed something in the corner of her eye. Someone had crashed over there, and she didn't think much of it. So one could only imagine her surprise and joy, when she got on the front straight and saw the chequered flag. Then her attention went to her pit board, which read, "SHIMMER P3!" It hit her like a brick... Sunset Shimmer was on the podium in just her second race. She whooped underneath her helmet and fist-pumped several times. Meanwhile in the garage, they all erupted in cheers and there were hugs all around. All the way back in Canterlot, Flash Sentry, Bulk Biceps, Micro Chips, Wallflower Blush and Derpy Doo were all cheering wildly as they gathered at Flash's house for a watch party. Elsewhere, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were also dancing around their living room in joy. Back in Portugal, Sunset did her slowing down lap, accepting congratulations and back slaps from other riders. As she entered the pitlane, she was directed towards the podium circle with the winner and second place. Once she stopped the bike on its marker, Sunset leaped off it and charged towards her team with a flying hug. Slipstream grabbed her and pressed his forehead to her helmet and began vigorously shaking her. The wheelchair-bound man practically blubbered, "YES!!! GET IN THERE, YOU BEAUTY! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!" Pipp clambered over the divider with her cell phone in her hands. Sunset got the idea, and then reached over to grab the cardboard sign that depicted 3rd place. She held it aloft and posed with it, as the team gathered around her and celebrated. Then she was guided to a cool-down room by race officials with the other two riders. They made some small talk as they watched the race and reacted. Sunset saw the incident that got her promoted to the podium, and blurted, "I knew I saw someone crash! What happened to him?" Race winner Apex mused, "Looks like Velocity had some issue on his bike. Look! He's suddenly slowed on the straight, and that's how Bullet overtook him. And there! He's gone wide and then high-sided. What a shame... He's been on a winless streak for three years now." Then, they were led out to the podium, with Sunset being brought out first. She took her place on the third position on the podium. Bullet took second and Apex stood in the middle, and next to Sunset was one of Apex's crew members to collect the constructors trophy. The redhead gracefully accepted her trophy and held it aloft, to the cheers and hoots of the Countess Racing Team. Then, two ladies stepped out and handed Apex and Bullet two glass bottles. They looked at each other a little weirdly, as well as Sunset. She was confused, "What?" Bullet hesitantly explained, "Yeah, this is a little awkward. The thing is, its a tradition for the podium finishers to spray champaign on each other to celebrate. The thing is... You're underage, kid. Gotta be 18 or above to be able to drink alcohol, sorry, kid." She waved them off, "Don't stop on my account, you can spray each other." Suddenly, she heard a shrill whistle and turned just in time to catch something that Slipstream tossed towards her from below. It was a soda bottle. Apex grinned, "Ahh... That'll work! Soda's fair game." The two men sprayed each other and then caught a soda bottle each, before Sunset joined in. Apex and Bullet even teamed up to dump soda onto Sunset. Bullet explained that it's an unofficial tradition to do it to any new visitor to the podium. A while later, a deliriously happy Sunset Shimmer rejoined the team after the press conference. They hoisted her on their shoulders and carried her back to the garage to continue the party.