On Your Mark

“Although I love this job, I really don’t love this part of it.” Pinkie spoke with a sigh as she lazily looked around Sugarcube Corner. Although the eatery was normally packed full of happy hungry ponies, it always seemed to become a ghost town between the lunch and dinner hours. Walking through the store, Pinkie once again went through the checklist of responsibilities that needed to be finished before the arrival of the afternoon crowd. “Floors are clean; tables are organized; and the kitchen has been restocked. All there is left to do is wait for the customers to arrive. They should be here in-” Pinkie said as she glanced over at the clock optimistically, paying close attention to the slow creeping speed of the second hand, “three more hours.”

Sighing once again, Pinkie walked back to the lone chair sitting behind the counter. Upon it, laid a copy of the newest issue of the Foal Free Press, a newspaper that had helped her pass times like this on multiple occasions. Although the paper wasn’t as exciting since Ms. Cheerilee was forced to put a stop to the gossip section, it was still a good source of information on upcoming town events.

Flipping through the pages, bypassing the typical stories of town hall being repaired again and the weather schedule, Pinkie landed on a colorful article that had instantly caught her attention. As she read, a grin began to slowly form across her face and her mind became filled with ideas. When she finished, the grin had spread from ear to ear and she began emitting a high pitch squeal due to the excitement she could no longer control.

Stuffing the paper into her saddlebag, she knew she had to tell somepony before the excitement became too much for her to bear. Rainbow Dash was busy with the weather team, planning out next week’s forecast. Rarity had a client to speak with and was told not to be disturbed. Applejack was brewing apples for this year’s cider season. And Fluttershy was making sure the Cutie Mark Crusaders didn’t try to earn their cutie marks in cider making or business marketing. That left Twilight to become the target of Pinkie’s excitement. With a destination now in mind, Pinkie flipped the hanging sign inside the window to ‘Will be back soon’ and darted across Ponyville toward the town library.

“And that’s the last one.” Twilight smiled as she placed the final book into its proper place among the others. Checking the book off the list of books scheduled to be returned today, Twilight smiled as thoughts of closing the library early filled her mind. Trotting happily over to the door with thoughts of an evening filled with tea, books, and silence, Twilight placed a single hoof over the lock, anxiously waiting for the click that would signal the library’s closure.

“Twilight, I have just found out the most incredible thing!” Pinkie shouted as she threw open the door, slamming Twilight between the door and the connecting wall.

“Twilight?” Pinkie called out when no answer had followed her entrance. Looking around the empty room, Pinkie called out her friend’s name a few more times, still only getting silence in return. “I guess she must be out at the moment, I’ll come back later.” Pinkie said to herself as she turned back to the door to leave.

“Hey Pinkie, is that you?” came a voice from the kitchen.

“Oh. Hi, Spike. Have you seen Twilight?” asked Pinkie as she watched the small dragon enter the room with a bucket of ice cream.

Placing his free hand onto his chin, Spike began examining the room. When his eyes fell upon the open door, he instantly knew Twilight’s location.

“Have you tried looking behind door number one?” Spike chucked to himself, recalling Twilight's reputation with doors.

Looking back at the entrance in confusion, Pinkie shrugged and closed the door, causing Twilight to fall to the floor with a loud thud, generating a small laugh from Spike.

“Silly Twilight, this is no time for hide-and-seek.” Pinkie laughed.

“Nice to see you too, Pinkie.” Twilight rose back to her hooves, taking this as just another Pinkie moment. “You said you found something interesting?”

“Yeah!” Pinkie pulled out the paper from her saddlebag and dropped it on the floor. “There is this really neat competition coming up and I’m planning on entering.”

“Competition?” Twilight asked in confusion as she levitated the paper and began reading the details, her eyes widened as the realization of what Pinkie said hit her. “Pinkie, this sounds extremely dangerous. Driving self-built vehicles at high speeds across Equestria? I can’t imagine what horrors would come from you, much less anypony, participating in something like this. Plus, this says ‘each team’; you would have to find somepony who would be willing to race with you.” Looking up from the paper, Twilight found Pinkie’s smiling face mere inches from her own.

“Oh no, I refuse to be of any part of this mayhem. Try someone a little more reckless. How about Rainbow Dash?” Twilight protested.

“I guess it would make sense to have a pony that knows everything about speed to be partners with, thanks for the idea, Twilight. I’ll go see if I can find her after work.” Pinkie waved and bounced her way out of the library, heading back toward Sugarcube Corner.

“At least that is over with.” Twilight locked the door soon after Pinkie’s exit, relieved that the visit went better than she had feared. Turning from the door, Twilight was greeted with the face of a smiling dragon.

“I know what you are thinking and no, you cannot enter that race.” Twilight ordered before Spike had the chance to speak.

“But Twilight, something like this would be fun, and you always say how you want to take part in more of Ponyville’s events and traditions.” Spike said, hoping he would be able to convince Twilight into letting him do something exciting for a change.

“The answer is still no.” Twilight responded sternly and began her way to the upstairs sleeping quarters, but before a single hoof landed on the first stair, Spike brought up a topic that caused her breathing to momentarily stop.

“Twilight, remember that promise you made me a few weeks ago?” Spike said knowingly as he stuffed a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He secretly wished he didn’t have to bring it up, but it was time to get desperate.

Flinching as the words entered her ears, Twilight recalled the promise he spoke of. Wanting to make it up to Spike for all the times he was left behind when an adventure or important event came up, she promised to let Spike participate in the next Ponyville or Canterlot festival that came up that interested him. Twilight never would have thought such a dangerous event as this even existed, let alone expecting Spike to desire to participate in such a thing.

“There is no talking you out of this is there?” Twilight asked is an almost pleading voice.

“Sorry Twi, but I really want to do this, and I think you would enjoy it too if you gave it a chance.” Spike said smiling, knowing victory was his.

“Alright Spike, I guess the first thing we need is a car, will you retrieve my copy of ‘Motorized Monstrosities: Vol. 1’ for me please?” Twilight requested, “According to the paper, the race is in three weeks so we’ll have to start planning now.”