MLP-Kiss Me Slowly

We lined up on the starting line, side by side. I was in the middle, between Emerald’s Integra and Storm’s RX-7. I stepped out of my car for a moment, as did the others. We all assembled in a circle and faced each other.

“Well, this is it,” I said. “For all the glory.”

“Yeah,” Emerald said. “And I don’t plan on losing.”

“Well, neither do I,” Storm said.

“Nor do I,” I said. We all then looked at Vector, who looked a bit on edge. He seemed to be sweating a bit. “You alright, Vector? You don’t look so good…”

“…There’s something wrong here,” he said, looking around. “I’ve just got this awful feeling that somethin’s gonna happen, and it ain’t gonna end well…”

“Ah, it’s just your first day jitters,” I told him. “I had the same thing my first day out. Maybe it was Uri’s wreck.”

“Nah, couldn’t have been. I only just got this feeling. It’s like… like every time the cops got me. Like a feeling that there’s just no escape, no matter how hard I try.” He shook his head. “Agh, dang it! Why did I have to mess up my life?”

“We’ve all made bad choices,” Emerald said, hoofing him on the back. “I mean, I’ve made bad choices, and I ended up in the joint for them. So did you. Silver probably hasn’t but I’ve heard that his S13 has a bit of a record… And Storm’s just… Storm.” Storm snorted, but Vector seemed to calm down a bit. “But you’ve just gotta put all of that behind you. This is now. Sure, you’ve got a bad rep, but you can outweigh it with a good rep that you’ll build here.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I’m just worried that even though I’m here the fuzz is gonna get me for something no matter where I go. But they don’t have anything on me as of late. Ever since I got out of jail two years ago, I’ve been fine. No reasons to get arrested again.” The starter stepped out onto the track, and we all looked at him.

“Are you four ready to race?” he asked.

“Yeah,” we all answered in unison.

“Then start up your engines and get ready to go. This is the last race of the day; a three lap circuit. No foul play, you four; you know the consequences.” We all nodded and stepped back into our cars and started up our engines, revving them like there was no tomorrow. The starter raised the flag. We all waited for him to drop it.

“And it looks like the final race of today is about to get underway!” W’s voice said, coming from the loudspeaker. “The three new racers here, and then our very own King, Silver Flare, pitted into a race to see who is truly the best racer at Import Knights today! Come on, mares and gentlecolts, make some noise for ‘em out there! This race is going to be absolutely off the hook!” I kept revving my engine, focusing only on the starter. I blocked out all other noise, and just focused on that flag.

It dropped.

I immediately slammed on the gas, jumping ahead of my opponents and speeding away down the straight, making an instant breakaway. I drifted around the first corner, and then looked in my rearview to see Emerald do the same, followed by Storm and finally Vector. Emerald slowly started gaining on me as I slowed down quite a bit to go around a full U turn, then slammed back down on the accelerator to make another breakaway. However, Emerald came up on me as I started pulling away, and I kept her right behind me as we went through the next set of turns. Vector was pulling up on Emerald, and Storm was lost behind all of us, just chasing our taillights. I then drifted around another corner and sped away from Emerald, losing her from my vision as I came up on a small jump. I hit the jump and then landed perfectly back on four wheels, losing no speed in the process. I laughed as I then turned the final corner to the straight that we had started on. I hit the NOS, going all the way up to my top speed of 227 MPH and then sped past the starting line, beginning lap two. I sped and drifted around the first corner again, but this time I had to slow down a lot more due to my insanely high speed. Because of this, Emerald and Vector pulled up on me slowly as I kept going around the turns heading towards the jump again, and I hit it going as fast as I could without using another bottle of NOS, but this time I didn’t land so well; my car bounced about for a few moments and I had to slow to 90 to get it under control.

This setback allowed Emerald and Vector to gain a lot of distance on me, to the point where we were lined up neck and neck. We all turned the final corner, and I nailed the NOS again, accelerating at an insane rate away from my competition. I then saw Storm’s RX-7 slip through the small gap where I had used to be as I crossed the finish line, beginning the third and final lap.

I drifted around the first corner again, doing it perfectly and losing no speed. Emerald, Storm and Vector all did the same, and I sped around the next corner as well. They followed suit. I thought it was amazing how three ponies, fresh off the streets, could be racing so well on their first day out. To some, it probably seemed like they were prodigies like myself. I thought that it probably just came natural to them, like it did me. But one thing was for sure.

These three were giving me a run for my money. I sped around the next two turns and nailed the jump, landing it perfect. But then the other three began pulling up on me, getting to the point where we were all bumper to bumper, lined up as we all sped around the final corner towards the finish.

I wanted nothing more than to win. But I didn’t know if I should have. After all, these three were newbies. I could let them taste their first race day victory ever on their first day.

I don’t know what went wrong right then, but suddenly Vector’s Lancer lost grip on the tarmac and slid out of control. He didn’t stub it into the wall, thankfully, but he had to drop back. That’s when I noticed that the track was wet there.

Next came Storm’s RX-7. The front left tire suddenly went flat, and I think Storm recognized this, as he slowed down and dropped back next to Vector.

It was just Emerald and I. Two drivers. Two cars. Only one winner.

But then her car spun completely out of control as something sparked off of the driver’s side door. It bounced off of the wall, crumpling the front end slightly and scratching up the front left quarter panel and front bumper, as well as shattering the headlight. She also dropped back, and I slowed down as I came up to the line, nearly stopping before it. I simply rolled over the line.

Then I heard them.

Sirens. Loud sirens.

Police sirens.

I saw Vector frantically jump out of his car and immediately make a break for the main arena, but then the police force showed up, blocking his path. He then looked around for a moment, and then dashed back to his car, starting it up again and peeling out, speeding towards me. Emerald was already heading in my direction, as was Storm. I then saw cop cars speeding onto the track, and though I had no idea what in Celestia’s name this was all about, I sure wasn’t sticking around to find out. As Emerald and Vector shot past me, I began spinning my car around in a burnout, doing donuts to throw up a smokescreen. I then shot straight ahead, following Storm as he flew by me.

The cops were everywhere. I hadn’t even known where they’d come from, but it didn’t matter. It looked like there were here to bust us. I sped past Storm, then drifted around Emerald and was just about to pass Vector when I saw a cop car coming straight for us. I threw out the clutch and dropped a gear, using the slight loss of grip to drift around the cop car. It missed Vector and I, and it then stopped, blocking the road behind us and nearly causing Storm and Emerald to slam their rides into it. I saw the driver get out of the car and go to Emerald and Storm, who remained in their cars. I then looked forward and saw three more cops headed right at Vector and I. I slammed on the brakes and pulled off of the road, but Vector tried to stop his car in front of theirs by turning it right and blocking the track.

He didn’t get done soon enough. The cops, though I heard their brakes and tires screeching, slammed into his car. The entire left side caved in, sending pieces of shattered glass all over the track. The car then rocketed backwards and hit a bump in the track, flipping it onto its side. I saw this and immediately jumped out of my car, running towards the wreckage as it kept sliding, sending sparks flying everywhere. It finally stopped sliding, but by then the car was practically unrecognizable.

Then the engine started smoking. I started running faster towards the car, and I heard the cops yelling at me from behind to stop.

I didn’t stop. Though I hardly knew Vector at all, I wasn’t going to leave him trapped in his car while it could burst into flames at any given moment. I stopped next to the car and stood on my rear legs, trying to see if he was alright.

He was knocked unconscious. I yelled his name, but he didn’t respond. I then went over to the other side of his car and began applying force to try and flip it back onto the wheels. Storm, Emerald and two cops ran up from behind me to help flip the car, and we managed to get it on the wheels again. I then pulled the handle to open the door but the door simply fell off. Emerald, Storm and the cops all stepped back as I dragged Vector’s unmoving, unconscious body out of the car. I could tell he was hurt.

“Get a medic down here,” I told one of the cops. He didn’t move. “MOVE IT!” He then got the message and ran to his car, driving it past the smoking wreckage of Vector’s Lancer and towards the main arena. I laid him on his side, taking off my hoodie and laying it under his head to keep it level. I steadied him the best I could on my own as the cops came up and looked at Vector.

“Step away from this stallion,” one cop said.

“Give me one good reason,” I growled.

“He’s a criminal,” the cop said. “Vector Kayten has a record that could stretch all the way through Princess Celestia’s castle.”

“That isn’t good enough,” I said, staying by Vector’s side.

“Defending this stallion is an offense in its own,” the cop stated. “You could be charged with a crime, Mr. Flare.”

“I don’t care. What are you guys even here for?!” I turned around, facing the cops behind me. “You totaled Vector’s car, caused Emerald to damage hers, and you damaged Storm’s car as well! You guys are dang lucky you didn’t put a single scratch on my car, ‘cause if you had you’d be dealing with a lot more that this right now!”

“Calm down,” the cop said. “A pony matching Vector Kayten’s description was reported two months ago by a store owner in Manehattan. He stated that Kayten robbed the store and used this vehicle as his getaway. He has since been reported doing various other crimes in several places throughout Equestria; Canterlot, Apploosa, the Crystal Empire, and finally here in Ponyville. We’ve been on his trail for two months and we’ve finally nailed him.”

“Oh, you nailed him alright. And now he’s probably gonna end up in hospital care because of you dumb, ignorant, stupid pigs!” I spat the last four words out with such hatred and anger that the cop backed up. “That’s right, you better get back, or you’ll be sorry!” I then turned back to Vector and knelt beside him. “Stay with me Vector, stay with me.” I placed my hoof under his head, lifting it slightly. “Come on, don’t do this, Vector. You’re gonna be fine. Just stay with me, stay with me…”

Suddenly, I saw Vector’s eyelids twitch. He then groaned loudly, and I heard hoofsteps behind me. I knew it was that same cop. “STAY BACK THERE OR YOU’RE GONNA GET IT, I SWEAR!!” I heard the hoofsteps then head in the other direction. “Storm, Emerald, get over here!” The other two trotted up and knelt beside me as Vector weakly open his eyes.

“Wha…” he choked out. “What… happened?”

“The cops,” I said. “Everything’s gonna be okay, Vector. You’re gonna be fine.” I heard more hoofsteps behind me.

“We came as fast as we could, mate,” I heard W say, breathing hard. “I saw everything and I was already getting a medic when that policepony came looking for one.”

“It’s okay, step aside,” I heard another voice say. I stood and went to Vector’s other side, kneeling down once more.

“Vector,” I said.

“Yeah?” he replied weakly as the medic pulled out his supplies and began fiddling with Vector’s body, checking for any serious injuries.

“You have to be honest with me here,” I said. “Is it true you robbed a store in Manehattan a few months ago?”

“Of course not,” he said, chuckling a bit. “Like I told you earlier-“ He coughed for a moment- “I’ve been staying away from crime for the last two years. I haven’t even been in Manehattan in over a year.” I stood and turned to the cops.

“So what do you idiots have to say about that?” I said to them. They all looked dumbfounded.

“That’s impossible,” one said. “We know that he did that crime!”

“Well, evidently he didn’t,” I said. “Now get out of here before I personally kick your lousy flanks back to Manehattan myself!” The cops got the message and galloped back to their cars, then sped away into the distance.

“Alright, it’s done,” the medic said, standing back up and putting away his equipment. “He has a slight head injury but that’s about it. There’s no serious damage, he’ll just have a major headache for the rest of the day, and maybe for tomorrow. If he isn’t getting any better or if any other problems arise, just give me a call.”

“Thanks,” I said to him as Emerald and Storm helped Vector to his hooves and I picked up my hoodie and slipped it back on. “We’ll take it from here.” I then felt a presence next to me, and I looked over and saw a portal snap away, revealing Shadow. Gold then came flying down at an insane speed. Takashi was currently the only one who wasn’t present.

“What the hay happened?!” Gold said. “We didn’t see anything happen, but we saw the cops and we decided to wait it out for a few minutes!”

“It’s okay,” I said. “The cops just had the wrong pony.” I sighed. “You guys get back to the arena. I’ve gotta take Vector back there too, so I’ll be along. W, get the tow truck and cleanup crew out here as fast as you can.”

“Right, mate,” W said, running back towards the main arena. I then took Vector and helped him into my car before I roared back towards the main arena.

A couple hours later, everything had been sorted out with the police; it turned out that a pony with a very similar description had committed the crimes that Vector had been blamed for. I was still very, VERY cross with the cops, and they left as soon as they saw me eyeing them. Vector’s car was totaled; it was fixable, but it would take a day or two. I guess now Vector and Uri could spend some time getting to know each other. The race day was over, and I had won as usual. My prize today had been three gems and 10,000 bits, so I got some major cash. But it wasn’t over yet.

My friends had already set up all of the equipment for the show, but as it was getting dark we decided to set it up on the stage, but towards the back where it couldn’t be seen easily. We developed a playlist of sorts, and I then went out to make the announcement as I took the mic from W, who had gotten the crowd a bit excited.