The Fast, Dangerous and the Furious

Chapter Twenty Nine: Touge

Air slowly filled my lungs with each passing second. I exhaled just as slow. My eyes were glued to the glass windows that made up the elevator. This was the night I had been waiting for. The only thing standing in my way now is King Sombra.

Daring placed a hoof on my shoulder. I faced her. “Listen, Daring. When we get to Bolt Action something heavy will be going down. You sure you want to do this?” Her response was to cock her pistol. The look in her eyes reassured me that she was all the backup I needed.

However there was still the matter of bits that scared me. Daring was a mare that had a lot of bits, but she could always use more. After coming out of her medicated state she made sure to mention that she was going for the bits should she pass the finish line first, that just told me I needed to be faster, by the time we got to Bolt Action I was sure his remaining Reapers would be there to greet us.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing though. Daring and I were the only other fliers racing Sombra in this portion of the Cannonball Run. Part of me was glad I had the scales tipped in my favor. With Daring ready to get revenge on that former tyrant I’m more than positive we’ll have what it takes to bring him down during the race.

“Any advice,” I asked her rhetorically.

“Don’t get shot,” she said flatly.

I walked out of the elevator giving her a very mixed look. Daring sighed. “Don’t get shot.” She kissed the side of my muzzle. “I’m getting some extra supplies.” Once I registered what was going on she trotted away.

Oh. OH! Don’t get shot.

“I won’t,” I said to no pony specific. I kept walking through the bar. Lucky Clover and Vin folded out of a poker game giving me concerned looks. I mentioned earlier to them that I was going to cross the finish line with Daring. No pony else.

Yes, it was a crazy plan. But I honestly don’t expect to be back with the army Bolt Action has waiting at his command. Not to mention if the cops catch wind of the race’s finish line they’ll be more than I can handle. There was literally no out if things went bad. The only thing I knew for sure was that Daring Adventure would make it out alive even if I didn’t.

She’s family to. I will put my life on the line for family.

Glider walked up next to me. Concern was written all over her face. She argued with me. So did Diesel Fuel, but I stood firm against them both until they realized I wouldn’t put anymore family members in danger, least of all Glider, who I knew for a fact was a target if Bolt Action got away. “I’m sorry,” Glider muttered to me. “I wanted to cross that finish line with you.” I wanted her to cross it with me to, but her wings had been shot during the second part of the race. Plus her glider wasn’t running the way it desperately needed to be.

Lucky Clover gave me a shove. “Hey, good luck out there. You do what you have to do.” A hoof pointed at his eyes, then pointed at me. I smiled at that.

Vin put his arm around me. “Never would have thought we’d be here with you. You’ve come a long way since the train robbery.” That warmed my heart. If I somehow survived this then I was ready to relax with my entire family.

I left them by the hotel, heading straight for the Supra Mark IV left out by my brother. No matter how many times I say that it never gets old. O’Conner gave me a wave from across the road. The keys were left in the trunk. Once I was good to go I strapped myself to it, sliding the key in the ignition to start the easy lift system, everything around me hummed to life.

Approaching me without a comforting smile was Diesel Fuel. His muscles blocked my view from the rest of the family. A low beeping from the computer screen pulled our attentions to it. The race went through the sky then through some cave ending at the Crystal Empire. Ending where it all started. It’s almost poetic, but I don’t believe in that bull shit! I do believe in vengeance though.

Diesel Fuel tapped the edge of the glider gaining my attention once again. His necklace was noticeably not around his neck. That wasn’t usual. “Runner,” he said deeply his eyes looking at the screen, “when this is over, no matter what happens, we’ll meet in the Badlands.” Understood. I gave him an understanding nod. He reached his hoof out to me. I reached mine out to his and he wrapped his necklace around my hoof. “You better return this.” I didn’t have time to say anything, he just turned and walked away.

The necklace found its way around my neck. It somehow looked nice hanging near my chest. “I’ll return it,” I muttered so low only I could hear myself speaking. “Promise.” A loud grumble from what I recognized as the unmarked glider drew me out of my prayer to Celestia and Luna. King Sombra pulled up next to me not even once batting an eye my direction. The poor bastard would get what was coming to him as well. At least if Daring Adventure had anything to say about it.

Speaking of Daring, where was the embodiment of adventure anyway?

As I turned my head, said mare walked passed me with three glowing pills. NOS pills. I’d seen them once or twice before that night in Fillydelphia, but this time I could see them up close. Daring showed them to me. Each one glistened blue looking pale on the inside. According to Glider those types of pills worked like a NOS system for a glider. Best part was there was no negative side effects to using them as long as you use them one at a time.

All three of us approached the starting line. A drop dead gorgeous mare with a blindingly yellow coat stepped out from behind us holding a checkered flag in her mouth. She held it out. I revved the engine so loudly I got O’Conner to smile. On the other side of the street Diesel Fuel had the faintest grin tugging at the side of his face. My eyes fell back to the gorgeous mare.

BRIGHT LIGHTS!

Autowagon lights flashed on with red and blue flashes all around us. The mare threw down the flag which was all the incentive I needed to gallop. King Sombra galloped past me with his loud rumbling glider. Something tapped the back bumper sending me into a blinding tail spin. Daring galloped past me, biting down on a NOS pill, before lifting off into the air.

Lucky Clover shoved Glider into the hotel while he shouted out to every pony. “Oh man, we got cops, cops, cops, cops, cops! GO!”

Fireworks went off into the air lighting up the area around the starting line. Cops were everywhere. My hooves reacted. I bolted past the checkered flag on the ground, shifting into first then hitting the gas pedal to lift me right off the ground. Before I knew it I was scrapping the edges of clouds.

*** ***

So that’s how you want to play it Sombra, game on.

The feeling of flying a fully tuned Supra was fantastic. My reaction time was better than ever. So much so that I narrowed the gap between me and the tyrant faster than he would have liked. Lucky for me, we were too high up for his crystals to do anything.

My computer screen beeped. I looked down seeing a pink marker appear. My gaze turned to a pink racing marker in the sky telling us where to go. I’ll be the first to admit that this is the first time I’ve seen a race use markers. It wasn’t long before the turbos started kicking in. Sombra’s glider might be unmarked with no tradition name, but he still needs the same parts every glider needs.

I’ve never dealt with three turbos before, in fact my only encounter with that kind was the day in the glider factory. From what I could tell. The longer Sombra stays in the lead the harder it will be to pass him. My hoof hit the NOS button. I had three boosts. Now two.

My vision blurred while I inched my way past King Sombra. His look of disgust was all I needed to see to put a smug smile on my face. I shifted into third, then fourth. The speedometer kept a steady pace going on up to one hundred ten miles an hour.

From the sound of the engine behind me, Sombra was rapidly closing in while we passed through another check point. Several hundred yards ahead of us another marker appeared. Daring somehow managed to put a huge lead on both of us. Not that I was rooting for her or anything, but that was amazing.

Inching my way forward with blurred vision I slowly began to feel the spray wearing off. By the time it wore off I was neck and neck with Daring Adventure. She smiled at me, at least I thought she did, with her head kept tucked. Her helmet was missing. Most likely stashed in her bags. “What took you so long?” There was a hint of coy teasing in her voice. I just rolled my eyes while inching the gas pedal back.

A flash in the rear view mirror drew my gaze. CRAP! “A SPELL!” Daring and I dove down, both of us dropping speed, in an attempt to avoid being hit. The red light screeched past us both without doing any harm. Thank Celestia we weren’t hit! In the midst of our recovery I caught a glimpse of my speedometer dropping down to sixty wing power. Overheard, Sombra was flying right over us, the turbos from his glider roaring out at us.

With a careful use of my transparency spell I could see four turbos. My jaw dropped. A muscle glider with four turbos. That was something I wasn’t expecting to race any time soon. He must have supped it up a hell of a lot more! I slid out of my transparency spell shaking off the slight amazement I felt seeing that much power under one hood.

Daring got ready to pop another pill. I put my hoof on her shaking my ahead with disapproval. With a light groan she let the pill fall back into place around her neck. We passed through the next checkpoint raising up higher into the air. I shielded my eyes as we busted through the cloud cover.

As I moved my hoof away I felt my heart nearly stop beating. Sweet Celestia the sun was a beautiful sight to behold. I had only ever seen rays ever so often, but not this. Daring had a bright smile on her face. It had been a while since she had experienced it to. Inside my rearview mirror I could see clouds filling up the space we had busted open.

My hoof struck the gear shifter sending me into fourth while I slowly picked up enough speed to close in on Sombra. He attempted to fire another spell, but I was quick on my flying hooves, just in the nick of time I conjured up a protection spell to take the entire hit. Daring seemed a little impressed by that! Then we both spied where the race was taking us. The reason the race took us above the clouds.

Moving away from us, with check points following it, was the floating cloud city known as Cloudsdale. Daring’s home. It was beautiful. From a distance I could see amazing architecture built from the clouds themselves. This was crazy. Something tells me that DJ-Pon3 picked this portion of the race. That mare has taste and style.

We drew closer and closer to it. My eyes kept stealing glances at Daring. She looked to be okay with hints of a smile tugging at her face. It was nice to see her smile. With my focus back on the race we both began closing in on Sombra as he galloped along the puffy cloud road.

Daring flew past a cop standing guard by the weather making factory, the moment they looked at each other it was on, sirens began going off all around us. I caught up to Daring again after falling behind a little. My hooves touched down on the cloudy road, and I’ll be damned, the horseshoes actually kept me on the cloud! By the time I looked up we passed through another checkpoint.

King Sombra wasted no time busting through the cloud, leaving a giant hole where he had gone through, in an attempt to reach the next checkpoint first. Daring had a pained look on her face. I could tell she wanted to race here just a bit more, but as it would turn out we weren’t staying here long.

We dove down the hole Sombra had made, hearing sirens wail behind us, as the tyrant passed through another checkpoint. My hoof hovered over the red button. “Daring, grab on.” She looked at me then barrel rolled over to the ‘oh shit’ bar. Her hoof wrapped firmly around it while I pushed the button.

With blurred vision I listened to the sounds of sirens slowly slip behind us, little by little, until they were no longer close enough for us to hear them. A spell flew straight for us. I dove down under it, my vision still blurred, the only thing I could hear was the sound of cops being shot out of the sky. By the time my vision returned to normal I could see the pegasi returning to their floating city.

Sadly, leaving Cloudsdale meant leaving behind the sunshine. In the moments after using the spray, the clouds had built back up over the hole keeping Equestria in dark cloud cover. Daring pushed off of the Supra, biting down on her second of three NOS pills, before shooting off past me. As she passed Sombra she unintentionally made him loose his balance. That gave me a brief moment to catch up.

I shifted into fifth while the speedometer slowly approached one hundred thirty wing power. The moment I passed through the next checkpoint I put Sombra in my rear view mirror. Once his balance had been regained his four turbos started giving him more than enough power to reach us again.

All three of us started flying down, straight to the ground, where the next checkpoint was. With the speed we were flying at it felt like going straight down on a rollercoaster! My eyes twitched a little almost to the point of closing. I pulled up just in time to hit the check point and miss the ground. For a brief moment I passed Daring, only to be passed by her and then Sombra in the next second. That forced a groan out of me.

The next checkpoint hovered in front of a narrow cave entrance only big enough for one pony to fit through at a time. Sombra went in first, I followed right behind him putting myself ahead of Daring, and then Daring followed through behind me. My headlights flashed on giving us enough light to at least see where the turns were. Lucky for us they weren’t very wide.

O’Conner’s words rang through my head. Bring the Supra back in one piece he had said to me. With that in mind my eyes slowly turned to the wingspan keeping an eye out for how close I was getting to the rugged walls.

Sombra’s glider scrapped the wall sending sparks flying all around us. Both Daring and I covered out eyes from the failed firework show in front of us. I eased off the gas putting a bit more distance between us and him. All three of us exploded out from the cave’s mouth.

My heart stopped.

Toxin as far as the eye could see sloshed around in what was now a giant bowl. Buildings over two hundred years old sat half submerged with protection spells that had faded quite some time ago. Cranes were toppled over, some shoved into buildings, while toxin ate away at their metal structures. Daring grabbed me tightly, barrel rolling us out of a buildings path. “Runner, pay attention!” I hummed while she let go me, letting us both regain our balance. A crane snapped under stress, it’s long neck crashing down on top of a building while we both flew underneath it.

I down shifted, seeing a building buckle under pressure, Daring followed me into a loop around the crane’s neck while the building splashed up a large bubble of toxin. As we came out from our stunt we immediately shot up and over the contaminated substance. By the time my eyes got a layout of the land I could make out Sombra having just as difficult a time as we were.

We locked eyes with the tyrant long enough for him to fire a spell at a building we started to fly by. The entire structure moaned loudly collapsing down towards us. Both Daring and I barrel rolled to the right while I conjured a protection spell around us. Toxin splashed up all around us, covering the spell like wildfire, Daring moved closer to me. My magic exploded sending the toxin back where it came from.

I started to levitate up my pistol. Daring put a hoof on my shoulder. “Let the environment be the weapon.” I could unload a clip right at him. Daring’s determined look convinced me otherwise. The pistol floated back into my holster.

My hoof struck the gear shifter putting me back in fifth. I took off towards Sombra while Daring got ready to bite down on another pill. There as a moment of hesitation before she let her final pill fall back into place around her neck. We swerved around a few different cranes before they collapsed into a building knocking the cement structure down into the rocky wall.

Toxin continued to slosh around us, bubbles popping up everywhere, buildings began collapsing while two hundred year old protection spells gave way to the acid. Daring slipped in behind Sombra using his slip stream to slowly pull herself closer to him. As she got within striking distance a huge bubble, sending ripples in the acid, rose up from the deepest depths of the toxin looking more disgusting than a giant snot bubble.

Daring Adventure couldn’t stop. My horn lit up, sending pain through my head before engulfing Daring in the largest most dense protection spell I could conjure up. Her body shot forward, using the protection spell to burst through the goo like it was nothing but a cloud ready to be busted. Toxin flew everywhere forcing me to rise up and over a building.

With my gaze slowly going up I felt my heart rate pick up. A building came crashing down towards me. The wingspan collapsed inside while it broke open a pair of double doors. My hooves galloped along a fancy room leading me to another balcony. The Supra let out a mighty hum while I busted through the balcony doors right as the building hit the toxin sending a wave of it towards me. The wingspan ejected back out as fast as it could. I struck the gas pedal back sending me flying at one hundred thirty wing power.

Toxin smashed down around me, burning through every structure as I fled the scene, everything groaned in my ears before it all came crashing down. Daring shoved King Sombra towards me, I ducked under him, looking into my rear view mirror with a terrified look on my face. His horn lit up getting ready to fire. Every structure I had passed under came crashing down on the tyrant pushing him down into the toxins depths.

Daring and I flew through the next check point right into another cave. Two sticky bombs dropped out of her saddle bags blinking bright red. “Heads up!” It took us less than a minute to put ourselves far enough away from the bombs while they tore apart the entrance. Even if the tyrant did some how come back again, he wouldn’t be getting out anytime soon.

*** ***

Daring’s wings were aching now, I was beginning to get to her, she looked at me while biting down on her last NOS pill. I used the last of my spray the moment I spied her doing that. We both shot forward with our visions blurred, lake water parted underneath us while our hooves traced the top of the water, our bodies rose up passing through another check point.

“Is that the best you’ve got,” Daring questioned brimming with determination.

“Not even close,” I shot back full of confidence.

We passed two large crystals shining in the cold leading us straight to the Crystal Empire’s castle. The last check point was sitting on top of the castle itself. It looked like a dump. Like an explosion had ripped the entire tip of the castle into a platform of junk.

I shifted into sixth, the last and final gear. The Supra hummed loudly as I passed Daring Adventure. Somehow, with great speed, she passed me heading straight up the castle. I followed after her trying to close in.

“This is what racing is all about,” DJ-Pon3’s voice called out from my radio, “Two ponies determined to win it all, pushing each other to where no other pony could push you!”

The radio cut out while Daring folded her wings in at the top. I flew up over the edge, retracting the wingspan as I landed on my hooves, sliding towards the finish line with Daring. Her neck stretched out, breaking the tape that served as the line, while we both slid to a stop near two pedestals.

Our breathing became fast pants. My heart beating faster than it ever had before. Second place. I made it in second place. “Good race,” I muttered to her hiding my joy. Daring smiled at me.

“You totally had me,” she wheezed between pants.

Nah. She beat me fair and square. Although this wouldn’t be the last time I raced her, not by a long shot. Put her in second place next time we race. I chuckled at her while she placed her pith helmet on her head. The edge of a crumbled wall chipped off while I stared down at the bottom. My head spun a little forcing me to turn away. I unstrapped myself from the Supra, letting the kick stands eject out to keep its balance.

The sound of clapping hooves drew mine and Daring’s attention to the stallion I hadn’t been able to track for the past several days. There he was. Standing there in his snake skin jacket with a contagious charismatic smile going ear to ear. On Daring’s face I could see that she desperately wanted the sack of bits sitting on a pedestal so small we were both surprised the bits didn’t spill over. Next to it was a tarp covering the prize I wanted. Bolt Action looked at me then at Daring. “Congratulations Daring Adventure, you have won the Cannonball Run. Please, pick your prize.”

I tensed up. Seeing Daring look at the two prizes with sparkles in her eyes. It was beginning to scare me. We had a mission after all. Well. No. I had a mission. Daring was free to choose whatever she wanted.

Bolt Action approached his beautiful prize, pulling the tarp down, letting the Alicorn Sphere pulse bright blue light. Seeing it in person was truly a sight to behold. Not in an amazement sort of way, but in a terrified sort of way. What that stallion’s family had created was an abuse of power. It affects the weather permanently. It could more than likely let you use age spells or any spells that were ethically wrong.

I watched Daring approach the sphere. Her eyes were practically sparkling like a constellation in the night sky. At least they looked bright in the books I had read. “So this will really turn me into an Alicorn?” My heart start pumping faster at her question.

“Just push the metal sphere halves together.”

Taking the sphere in her hooves, Daring sat back on her haunches. Oh sweet Celestia please don’t let Daring use that cursed device. She turned to the bits. Daring Adventure turn faced me. Her hooves traced the sphere halves several times. I swallowed.

Daring tossed the sphere to me.

I caught it in my levitation field telekinetically floating it next to my head. No words could describe the look on Bolt Action’s face while Daring pointed my sawed off shotgun at him. She tossed it over his head while I caught it in my hooves. “You thought I was going to fight fair?” I cracked the gun open. Slid one shell inside it. Snapped it shut.

It didn’t take him long to figure out what I knew.

The Alicorn Sphere replaced the shotgun in my hooves. I gripped the metal halves tightly, feeling them slide a little. They slid a little more. The power of an Alicorn should remain that. Power for only an Alicorn. No pony should abuse it.

Click.

“Runner.”

I looked up from the sphere. Daring was surrounded by guards armed to the teeth with weapons. So was I. No way out. Bolt Action’s smug smile was aimed directly at me. “You thought I was going to be here alone?” No. Actually I was kind of counting on it. “Yes. I knew you weren’t going to fight fair. If I’m not then why should you?”

One of the guards shoved my head with a shotgun. He looked dazed, crazy even. Doctor Psychotic! Mine levitated down to the ground. I gave the psychopath the sphere watching him toss his gun to one of the other dozen armed ponies. They all had bullet proof vests on to. Bolt Action cleared his throat. “Miss Adventure, Runner. I want you both to witness the birth of a new Alicorn.” The stallion I knew as Doctor Psychotic slammed the metal halves together. My horn lit up.

Daring and I were engulfed in two protection spells that made my head hurt like hell. I won’t let us get hurt by that thing. I’ve seen what it can do. Discord’s seen what it can do. Anyone that has seen what it can do knows what’s coming next.

Magic swirled around mixed with screaming from the guards. The pale light grew bright and brighter. So much so that I had to close my eyes with my hoof blocking the view. I could still picture it. Inside all of that light was a stallion no longer holding a sphere, because it had begun floating on its own accord, everything around us became so bright I was ready to bury my head inside of my saddle bags, all I knew was that this was going to be big.

Light exploded out in every direction, screams filling my ears, thankfully Daring’s wasn’t one of them. Somehow amongst all the mayhem I could sense Daring Adventure was safely protected behind my spell. I opened my eyes, but then snapped them shut. Blindingly bright blue magic followed with another explosion of bombastic sounds.

*** ***

I cautiously opened my eyes to what lay ahead of me. My protection spell was torn to bits, but it served its purpose. From the smile on Daring’s face she had made it out without a scratch. Bolt Action had a spell of his own protecting him, but no matter how strong it had been it was in the same state mine was. As I dropped the remaining spell around me I took in the sight of just the two of them.

Every guard that had been around me was now nothing more than a pile of ash being blown away in the wind. Whether it was good or bad the sphere had done exactly what I assumed it would do. The schematics and memory jewel showed me that the magic in every nearby unicorn or pegasus would get drawn into the pony using the sphere. With the sphere only being near completion during its first real use it didn’t work the way it was supposed to so instead it created the infected.

“What did you do?” Bolt Action looked at every pile of ash one by one. There was no charismatic smile on his face. No joy. Nothing. Our gazes both turned to the Alicorn Sphere still floating in the air. Cracks began forming around it until it hit the ground shattering into a dozen pieces.

With my horn fully aglow I telekinetically ripped the rest of the machine apart before tossing the pieces off the castle. Bolt Action’s jaw slowly opened. His entire work just gone. He shook his head. “That was my family’s legacy you runt!” Daring got ready to use her pistol, but I shot her a look demanding her not to do anything. I nudged my head at the staircase near Bolt Action. She quietly walked over to it, keeping an eye out for more guards. This guy was all mine.

My hoof wrapped around a metal shard that had fallen from a wall after the explosion. I looked Bolt Action dead in the eyes. “You turned this into a goddess damned street fight!” Bolt Action picked up a metal shard near his hoof, wrapping it tightly in his grip.

We galloped towards each other, my saddle bags dropping to the ground behind me, each one of us with revenge in our eyes. Both my hooves pushed my shard forward while he swung his into mine. The edge slapped me in the face putting me down against the ground. Bolt Action swung his shard down at me. I rolled to the right passing the shot gun. Bits of cement flung up from the ground while Bolt Action went for another swing.

My telekinesis swung my shard forward, blocking his attack, but also being bent into that of a metal boomerang. I rolled again hearing the loud clang of Bolt Action’s shard an inch from me. My hoof wrapped around the nearest thing it could find. I swung an extra-long wrench, smacking Bolt Action right in his smug charismatic face! The loud clang coming from the shard and wrench afterward was the most satisfying sound I had ever heard.

Bolt Action stood up, eating another wrench swing to the muzzle. I swung again and missed. With his horn lit up, Bolt Action fired a spell that I rolled away from only having my mane singed a little. The bastard tackled me, making me drop my wrench near the Supra, right into the bit bag pedestal sending the bag toppling over with gems spilling out everywhere.

My head hit the pedestal just in time for me to see Bolt Action swing in my direction. I rolled to the left hearing the shard smash the pedestal down. My hooves pushed off against the ground, throwing me right into the stallion, knocking him across the ground over to the Supra. His metal shard flung back into my wrench near the front bumper.

My hooves smashed into the stallion’s face OVER and OVER again! His back hoof bucked my stomach, knocking me away from him. Bolt Action grabbed the nearest thing he could find. His horn lit up, pulling the trigger on my shotgun while I dove out of its range. I landed against the ground rolling away from him in the process.

Someone yelped.

Bolt Action began panting faster than I was, but he wasn’t staring at me. I traced is gaze all the way back to Daring Adventure. Her body lying against the wall. My jaw dropped.

No. No. Not her!

I gritted my teeth together. With one swift swing of my hoof, I knocked Bolt Action to the ground. His horn lit up firing a spell into my stomach that threw me into a pile of debris near the Supra. Bolt Action charged at me again while I looked down at the front bumper. His shard and my wrench were lying right next to each other only a few feet away.

I slid across the Supra’s blocks while Bolt Action galloped around to the front bumper. Galloping at full speed I met him at the front bumper, crouching low to the ground. My right hoof wrapped around both the wrench and shard as I stood up.

WHACK!

I swung them right into Bolt Action’s jaw sending him falling back to the ground. My hoof threw them to the side while I leapt toward him. He tried to roll, but I pulled him back over by the end of his mane. I slammed my hoof into his face again. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN!

Bolt Action bucked me off, with his jacket being torn in the process, his anger ready to explode. I rolled back over to the sawed off shotgun he had used. My horn glowed brightly while I levitated the weapon over to my hooves. With what little focus I had not on Bolt Action, I levitated one more shell over. I cracked the gun open. Then snapped it shut.

Anger coursed through my veins, revenge fueling me even more than it ever had before. I looked back at Daring Adventure then at Bolt Action. My hooves brought the gun up aiming it at Bolt Action’s chest.

“ENOUGH!” A regal voice froze both of us where we stood.

Bolt Action stared at me and I stared back at him. That wasn’t Daring Adventure’s voice no matter how much I prayed it was. Our gazes reminded locked on each other while a white pegasus … no … an Alicorn with a sun cutie mark landed between us, her horn pointed fully glowing, her gaze locked on Bolt Action.

Next to me was an Alicorn black as night with a moon on her flank. I felt my jaw wanting to drop but it didn’t. Her horn glowed brightly in my direction while I took a few steps closer to the Supra.

“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna,” I found myself saying quietly. They were just as regal as I had read. Even more so this close up. My heart pounded like a drum.

Something out of the corner of my eye made me turn to Daring Adventure. Standing next to her with her horn glowing brightly was Princess Cadence. My heart wanted to explode with joy. Discord should be getting all of his abilities back by now if those three are up and moving.

My heart began to slow down. I couldn’t take my eyes away from Daring’s … moving fore hoof. She slowly got up staring at her vest.

“What,” Daring shouted at me. “You thought I’d really show up to this without bullet proof armor.” Lifting up part of her vest, she revealed a nearly ruined piece of bullet proof armor keeping her body safe from gunfire. My heart rate began to pick up. Daring looked at Cadence with her fore hooves up in defense.

Cadence’s horn slowly stopped glowing once she checked Daring Adventure for any wounds. Thankfully there wasn’t any wounds to be had. “Are you sure you’re okay?” The pink Alicorn looked Daring over again while being given a confident brimming smile.

With a look of complete confusion on her face, Princess Celestia had Luna take over watching both of us while she tried to piece together what was going on. The sky was still cloudy, but off in the distance it looked sunny. I mean it actually looked like there wasn’t a cloud in the sky near Ponyville. At least it was in that general area. “What is going on here,” Celestia asked turning to me.

It was an honor having her speak to me. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever pictured myself running into the one and only Princess Celestia. There was a brief pause between my jaw opening and words coming out. “I don’t even know where to being, Princess Celestia. You’ve been encased in stone for over two hundred years and Discord has taken over your job.” Her eyes widened. Obviously it was going to take some convincing, which I didn’t have time for as Bolt Action was trying to slip away.

“Why are you two fighting?”

Luna stepped in front of his path, keeping her horn pointed at him threateningly. I smiled at that. “Princess Celestia, Luna.” I looked at Cadence. “Cadence. That is Autumnal Den’s many great grandson. He killed my mother, blew up a safe zone called District Twelve and slaughtered hundreds of innocent ponies inside that same place all for the sake of fixing the Alicorn Sphere.” The second I mentioned the Alicorn Sphere all three of them were fully aware of what was going on. At the very least they knew they were picking up where they had left off over two hundred years ago.

It pained me to say this to them, but if it weren’t for Bolt Action the Princesses wouldn’t be here. “He managed to find the sphere and fix it, but thanks to a friend of mine I found the means to reverse everything it did. Just in case things went to worse I gave Discord the plans to finish it.” Princess Cadence looked at me curiously. I gave her a look that told her to talk to Discord for more answers. After all he was probably eavesdropping on us right now.

I cracked open my shotgun once again. This time however, I let the shell pop out. I wouldn’t be needing it anymore. Not when the Princesses were here to put this son of a bitch away for good.

Cops ran up the staircase and out into the open with their guns all pointed at us. It took them all a minute to register that the Princesses had all returned to them. Not just to them but to Equestria. My job was done. Princess Celestia pointed at Bolt Action. “Arrest that stallion for murder and treason.”

Bolt Action shot a charismatic smile my way while the cops surrounded him. In all the confusion I was the only one to notice Daring Adventure sliding a few spilled over bits into her saddle bags. That’s my mare. My gaze went to Bolt Action. “This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.” His horn lit up. His entire body exploded into magic.

NO! Damn it.

My teeth grinded together a bit, but then stopped. There was still one thing I could do. My horn lit up while I carefully looked over the edge. With my transparency spell working at fully capacity I could see through the ground. Subway tunnels were set up everywhere, one of which stood out to me, one of them lead right out of the city.

Bolt Action was cunning. Smart. Charismatic. Everything I wasn’t. I might not be the smartest pony in the world, but being a thief meant I could spot an escape plan a mile away. That was his escape plan.

“Hey, that’s the stallion that killed Summer Breeze!”

I looked at the cops. My hooves sprinted forward while I levitated Daring with me. Sliding underneath the Supra, I strapped myself to it before throwing the machine off the edge with my body going right with it. Daring held tightly to the hood, her hoof wrapped in the ‘oh shit’ bar.

*** ***

My hooves frantically shook the closed bars along the entrance to the subway system. Daring rammed her shoulder into the gate causing it to rattle loudly in the darkness. We took a few steps back then flung our bodies into it only to fall back on our hooves. I could make out Bolt Action slowly walking by, his smile irritating both of us.

“I’ll make sure to make Showering Stone’s death a slow and painful one just for you.” Bolt Action shook his head at me. That smug bastard had magical locks on all the doors. I could not do a thing to him. My hooves slammed the bars making them all rattle. Light shown down into the subway letting me catch a glimpse of Bolt Action’s charismatic smile.

Lights flashed on further down the tunnel.

Daring and I turned our heads away while Bolt Action put his hoof up in defense. His glider rattled a little. Hidden in the pitch black tunnel ahead I couldn’t tell what was there. Just light. It wasn’t a train. I know for a fact Bolt Action would have used it to escape if it was an option. “What is this?” Bolt Action started up his glider with a low hum. The wingspan slowly ejected out. His back hoof revved the engine slowly. It hummed unimpressively. I slowly turned my gaze to the lights being shown in our direction.

VEEEEEEEEERMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

VEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

The windows from a nearby train rattled loudly with the bars in front of me. My heart began to slow its pace dramatically. I didn’t want to look away, but I had to see the look on Daring’s face. With a slow turn to her, I could see the same facial expression on her face. It sounded like nine hundred horses of power. All being aimed at Bolt Action.

Bolt Action slammed the gas pedal back, fire exploding out the blocks, his entire glider accelerated forward. He wasn’t playing a game of chicken though. This stallion wasn’t the type to gamble. He was going to dodge!

The lights down the tunnel got brighter and brighter as the vehicle behind it all sped out towards us. As Bolt Action moved to the right everything, even time itself, felt like it was slowing down to a standstill.

The front wheels of the Dodge Charger, now fully visible, lifted up off the ground roaring louder than I could have ever imagined.

VEEEEEEEERUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

As the wheels came crashing back down to the ground the Charger ripped off half of Bolt Action’s wing span, sparks flying in every direction, with a loud metallic crunch. The stallion was sent into a tailspin putting him right into the wall at fifty wing power, the other part of the wingspan being ripped off against the cement, before several boulders came down to crush the rest of it. Then, as if on que, time resumed its flow.

With all four wheels back on the ground the Charger came to a stop, its engine roaring loudly again, before Diesel Fuel bucked open the door. Sludge hammer in hoof.

Bolt Action pushed himself up off the ground, shakily getting on all four hooves. His glider was demolished. There wasn’t any more escape routes now. No running. Diesel Fuel took several threatening steps towards him. His voice was gruff. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you never mess with a stallion’s family?” I learned that lesson a long time ago. My father taught it to me.

With anger and hatred in his eyes, Bolt Action faced Diesel Fuel, nearly being dwarfed by his muscles. His hoof slowly pointed in my direction. “I told your little runt the same thing.”

Diesel Fuel looked at me. Then met Bolt Action’s gaze. His charisma wouldn’t ever work on this stallion. Unlike a lot of other stallions out there this silver tongued bastard couldn’t talk his way through Diesel Fuel. The only way to do that was with a sludge hammer or a good race. “A legacy doesn’t make a family. You should know that.” Bolt Action felt his muzzle. Blood ran down a cut while a few shards of glass fell from his mane. “You thought Runner had a mean streak, well stick around, mine’s about to get a lot meaner.” Diesel Fuel tossed the sledge hammer up catching it with one hoof.

Bolt Action lit up his horn. Only to have it slowly fade. His magic had limits to. After what we went through it was about time I saw just how far his magic could reach before it crapped out. Celestia knows I found my limits.

“On the ground now!” “Everybody stay where you are!” Cops burst through the remaining openings armed to the teeth. I frantically looked around noticing there was far too many of them to fight off. Daring bit down on my ear tugging me away from the tunnel.

Diesel Fuel threw the sludge hammer inside the Charger before peeling off down the tunnel he came in from.

*** ***

I circled around the Crystal Empire’s castle one more time taking in all the sights. As I rounded the ruined portion, aiming myself towards Ponyville, my radio began acting up again. Daring fiddled with it for a moment until it came to life. “Runner,” DJ-Pon3 said slowly. “I know this isn’t what you had in mind, but here’s a consolation prize. Look at the tower ahead of you.”

With nothing to lose I focused my attention on the radio tower I was flying towards. In the window. Was a mare with layered blue hair and a brimming smile almost as nice as O’Conner’s. “Daring,” she said softly. “I know this isn’t worth a bag of bits, but ask any radio station to put you in contact with Broken Record. She’s … well she’ll do you any one favor for winning the race. Anything you want.” The radio cut out while the mare waved to us. There was a smile on my face while we passed the tower.

I think I know who that was. Master of the wubs.

*** ***

It had been a while since I saw my mother’s grave site, but I figured that Daring deserved to see the place Silver Shoe and I used to hang out at. The place hadn’t changed at all. At least I don’t think it had. Other than the second story practically sliding out like a loose shelf in a book case this bar was still in decent rickety shape.

The Supra was on the ground waiting for us to return. I didn’t have much time to get back to Ponyville before the Princesses did. With my record I had a feeling they would be gunning for my ass the second I was debriefed by Discord. I still wanted to show Daring Adventure this place though. She nuzzled my neck a little. “So what the hell did you do back there?” Of course she noticed.

“Remember the night we were tortured?” That night still burned in my head. Dead Eye was probably even smarter than Bolt Action. They were equally terrifying, but Dead Eye met his challenges head on no matter who or what it was. Even if that meant his challenge needed to know how to beat another challenge. Daring hummed impatiently. “Well after he knocked you out for the second time he made me focus on a memory jewel. Interesting thing about it was that it wasn’t the same one you saw me use in his room.” Daring stopped nuzzling my neck and pushed me away. Her eyes looked at mine.

That memory jewel he showed me though … that can’t be right.

That night was still fresh in my head. Every little detail. Even the memory jewel that reveled things to me that I couldn’t out right say to any pony no matter how crucial the information was. I sighed. “That memory jewel showed me that Autumnal Den’s assistant put a reverse switch in the sphere. Once triggered it would do exactly what it normally did but in reverse.” Daring nodded slowly, making sense of what I had done.

She punched me in the fore hoof. “You jerk I thought we were going to die because of that!”

“I thought you were dead when you got shot,” I countered. Daring giggled a little seductively. “So when did you put body armor on?”

Daring smiled at me almost like she was debating on keeping that little secret all to herself. I nudged her. She took her pith helmet off staring at it intently. “Just before the race started when I went to get supplies. I guess we both had some insurance to keep ourselves alive.” I nodded, lying back on the roof of the bar.

My head turned slightly so I could see the dirt track a couple yards out. There was an autowagon parked near the same place that stallion had drawn a line. I chuckled slightly clearing my throat. “So now what?” It was time for that conversation. The one that declared what Daring and I were to one another. She was … well she was a lot of things for me. Motivation was something that she and my family were for me.

Daring sighed looking off into the distance. It was then that I realized her and Silver Shoe had a lot in common. The look on her face said it all. I waited for her response though, just to be on the safe side. “Well now that Equestria is cured of its infection I want to visit every well-known city and just explore.” Yeah. I figured as much, but that was to be expected of a Daring Do descendant. “Are you going to come with me?”

I declined, shaking my head. “Daring, you are the most amazing mare I have ever met. No lie.” I paused. It wasn’t a lie. Deep down I wanted to fly around all of Equestria with her, but a stronger part of me told me where to go now. Home. Where I always belonged. “I can’t go with you, because I’m going to stay with my family. Even if I wanted to, I can’t, I’m wanted.” There was a slight cringe in her expression. That wasn’t the answer she was expecting to hear. It was the only option though. “But I will be in the Badlands for the foreseeable future. I’ll be there for you no matter what, but how do I know I’ll see you after this?” I won’t tie her down though. She’s a pegasus, she’s meant to be free as bird.

Even if we weren’t anything more than friends I wouldn’t turn my back on her. Not now. Not ever. Daring took in a deep breath. Her tail pushed her pith helmet over to me. Carefully, Daring Adventure picked up the helmet and placed it on top of my head. “I’ll come back for that. Maybe then we can continue whatever this is.”

“I’d like that,” I muttered softly.

Daring gave me one more long kiss before getting on all fours. She stretched aiming herself in the position of the wind. With one mighty heave she pushed herself into the air, flapping her wings faster and faster, just before she did a loop past me. I watched her fly off into the distance until she was no longer in sight. “I can’t wait to see you again.” I looked up at my pith helmet wondering if any descendant of Daring Do had ever given their special hand-me-down to anyone not related to them.

*** ***

With O’Conner’s Supra Mark IV strapped to my back there was only one thing I could think of doing right now besides getting to Ponyville as fast as possible. There was one racer I wanted to race more than anything else. The driver behind the glider that was nothing but pure white.

As I stepped up to the drawn line I could see a stallion working hard on an autowagon. It was a Pontiac, but not just any Pontiac, this one was highly customized. With one quick glance at it using my transparency spell I could see custom built twin turbos with an engine that could put out a high amount of horse power. The owner looked up at me. “You race for pinks?” I intoned curiously.

“Depends. Are you putting that up? Couldn’t get mine just right, but yours looks pretty good, put that one up for grabs then we’ll talk.” The owner carefully walked around the Supra taking in everything it had to offer. He was interested and so was I. That autowagon wasn’t just any autowagon. It was the ghost of a glider turned into an autowagon. It was going to be mine.

“Let’s do it,” I said brimming with full confidence. “Quarter mile run. Winner gets the loser’s ride.”

We shook hooves and lined up at the starting line together. The stallion revved the engine several times trying to intimidate me. I looked down at my NOS gauge. Just before arriving here I got O’Conner’s tanks refueled. I looked at the driver. “You want it come and get it,” he said to me. We revved our engines together.