Chapters Prologue
The sound of engines and gunfire roared around the track as Luna's moon reflected on the prision course. On the course a black Shelby Mustang was barreling down the track as a brown Dodge Ram was close behind. The machine guns behind the trucks plow like bumper hit the back shield of the Mustang leaving large dents in it. The car's driver then sped away from the truck leaving a large oil slick.
The driver of the Mustang wore a charred black race suit with two red stripes along a side. The suit was also equipped with a hood and a metal mask that covered the drivers burnt face. He looked over to his passenger, a light brown earth mare wearing a red top and had a short black mane.
“Cut the tombstone” the driver said as he slid around a turn. The mare pulled a switch on the dashboard and the car's shield bounced off, into the truck trying to swerve away to late. The tombstone tore off some of the truck's cab exposing the driver, a big dark brown earth stallion wearing a blue shirt and a black hat.
The stallion then launched a rocket off his truck aimed at the back of the exposed Mustang. The mare looked over at the car's driver and grabbed a lever between them. “Sorry Frank” she said as she pulled the lever ejecting her from the car.
The rocket hit the Mustangs exposed gas tank and sent the car up in flames into the air. The car landed on it's roof and skidded to a stop before the checkered finish line the truck drove over. The mare walked up to the burning car wreck then walked back into the prison.
Meanwhile in Canterlot, Princess Celestia was in her personal chambers when she saw a message arrive for her. She grabbed the letter with her magic and read the message to herself.
Princess Celestia. I am glad to report the ratings for this weeks race are as high as usual. Unfortunately with this came a big cost to us. Frankenstein was critically injured and pronounced dead in the prison infirmary a little before this letter was sent.
For our ratings to continue to be high and profitable we need a replacement driver for Frank and so far we have nopony to be him. I was hoping you could find somepony who can take Frank's place in the race. After all…..Frankenstein is just a mask.
Your grateful business partner, Warden Venom.
Celestia rolled up the message and burned it in her fireplace. ‘third pony this year’ Celestia thought to herself ‘I need to find somepony who can do this without any problems.’ Celestia then laid herself into her bed and started to doze off hoping to find a solution to this problem soon.
In Ponyville Princess Twilight Sparkle was just finishing reading her book when her assistant Spike came in with a worried look on his face. “Spike what's wrong?” Twilight said worried to the dragon. Spike just grabbed Twilight's hoof and pulled her to her computer in her room.
Twilight was confused until Spike logged into some kind of secret website which showed video clips of different events. “Spike what have you been doing?” Twilight said with a touch of anger in her voice.
“just watch this Twi” Spike said back “somepony in town told me about this.” Twilight rolled her eyes and clicked on the video. The screen then changed to a video of armored cars racing and shooting each other with one blowing up behind them. Twilight looked in shock at the video and saw that the rest of them were of similar things.
“How is this possible?! Who would do such a thing like this?!” Twilight said horrified at what she just witnessed. Spike looked more at the video's links but soon stopped searching.
“I don't know Twilight. But maybe we can find somepony who could help.” Spike said to the alicorn. Twilight thought this through and decided to go visit Princess Celestia the next day and ask for her help.
The next day Twilight explained to her friends about what she and Spike found and they all went with her to Canterlot to see if Celestia had anything to help with this. Twilight hoped that there would be something she could do about this and if there was a way to stop it.
Once the group arrived at Canterlot Castle they all went to see Celestia, whom greeted the group with a warm smile. “Hello girls” Celestia said “what brings you to my castle on such short notice?”
Twilight stepped forward to speak “Well princess…..Spike and I found last night videos of what appears to be some kind of vehicular gladiator fights but we were unfortunately unable to trace its source. We were hoping you would be able to help us find them.” Twilight said with a hopeful smile.
As soon as Twilight finished talking Celestia's smile instantly disappeared leaving a unhappy frown on her muzzle. She then walked down her throne and draped a wing over the young alicorn prompting her to follow. “Twilight. There is something I have to tell you.” Celestia said as she walked both of them down the hallway from the throne room and her friends.
“Around half a century ago Twilight, I had a place built to accommodate those who are not worthy of Tartarus. This place is a secret location only I and a select few know about and has been that way since. When the use of television and Internet became popular we decided to start hosting gladiator fights to help keep the location prosperous. Among doing this we eventually decided to go to vehicular combat which got it more attention.
“It also is not to be discussed among others as those who break that rule will have their fate decided. So unfortunately dear Twilight you have broken that rule. I now must decide a proper punishment for you.”
Twilight then tried to escape her mentor when she was suddenly put unconscious by a sleeping spell from Celestia. As she slept a group of guards took her and teleported away to the island with Celestia preparing to find a way to conceal Twilight's friends.
Twilight slowly awoke and looked around through blurry vision to see she was in some kind of small room. As her vision cleared she then realized it was a jail cell with equipped with a bed and bathroom accommodations. Twilight started to panic about why she was here until her memory came back to her about what happened. She remembered finding the videos, meeting Celestia and being told about the island and what happens to ponies who mention it.
As she tried to calm herself the cell door opened revealing a blonde earth mare wearing a business suit and a pegasus stallion wearing a brown officer uniform. “Hello Twilight Sparkle” the mare said with a evil smile “welcome to the island.”
Twilight looked at the mare nervously “who are you?”
The stallion then walked up to Twilight and smacked her across the face “you don't talk to her unless she says so!”
The mare then placed a hoof on the stallions shoulder “Easy Ulrich. She's new here and doesn't know much” she said while Twilight rubbed her cheek. “I'm Venom Hennessey, warden of the island and this is my Chief Officer Ulrich. My business has a deal with Princess Celestia for exchange for funding towards Canterlot that she gives us criminals to help with our funding.”
Twilight just sat rubbing her face as Venom walked closer towards her. “Now in your case Twilight we do actually need you here. As of a day or two ago our star driver Frankenstein died while racing against Gunner Jerry, our second popular driver. Now we needed a pony who could show skills and learn quickly and when I heard of you…..I thought ‘she's perfect’.”
“You will take Frankenstein's place behind the wheel and race in our death race. If not then you could say goodbye to your old life and suffer under Ulrich until you die then we'll continue with the rest of your family and friends. If you do agree to race then you just have to win the next race and you're free to go. Frankenstein already won four races and he just needs one more to win. So…..what's your choice Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight thought of refusing the offer but then thought about her friends and family being hurt and tortured. She then lowered her head and slowly nodded in agreement. Venom smiled at Twilight and patted her head “Good little mare. Now Frank was originally a unicorn so the suit will have to cover your wings. As for your face you'll wear a metal mask to hide your real face.”
“You'll meet your team tomorrow” Venom said walking out of the cell “You will see first hoof what we do here. Also you might see some old…..acquaintances in here as well.” Venom chuckled as she walked away from Twilight as another guard walked up to her. “Sorry to bother you ma'am…..but he disobeyed orders…..again.” the guard said
Venom groaned “Fifth time this month…...send him to my office…..again” as she kept walking as the guard went back to his rounds.
Back in Canterlot Celestia paced back and forth in her throne room worried and agitated. When she returned without Twilight the other elements asked questions on where she was, until Pinkie Pie said in detail what she did before. To make sure nothing was revealed she ordered the guards to lock each one up in solitary confinement until she can find a solution.
Celestia started to wonder if what she did was right. ‘what if she messes up or not do something?’ Celestia thought ‘what if she even…...no. Don't think like that Tia. Twilight will be alright……..I hope. Maybe some cake will calm my nerves. Yeah cake…...good idea .’
Celestia then left her throne room and walked towards her personal chambers while asking a guard to fetch her a large cake. She tried hard to drown out the thought of Twilight inside the island but to no avail as it kept reminding her of what she did.
The next day Twilight was escorted into the island's cafeteria by some of the prison workers. She looked around and seen that almost all of the prisoners were ponies and some changelings and the occasional zebras and griffons. The guards then pushed her in and shut the barred door behind her leaving her in the room with all the other criminals.
Walking nervously to the counter where food is served when she was forcefully shoved to the ground. Twilight tried to stand back up when a familiar voice spoke to her. “Well well well…… surprise to see you here Twilight Sparkle.” Twilights ear twitched as she looked up at the voice. It was a tall, bug like pony with light green chitin and dark green eyes looking down at her.
“Chysalis?” Twilight said to the former changeling queen “What are you doing here?”
Chrysalis looked down at the alicorn and gave her a evil frown “After your precious student and her friends defeated me I was soon captured and placed here. Now I stay here and compete in the competition so I can get my freedom back and take over Equestria!” she said practically yelling at the last part.
Soon guards came in and dragged the changeling away while Twilight got back up and quickly walked away. Soon she got her food and sat down at a open table and looked at her food, which was some kind of brown goo with a side of poorly made mashed potatoes and water in a metal cup.
As she picked at her food three stallions sat down next to and across from her. Across from her sat a light brown stallion with short facial hair and some tattoos on his neck while the other was a smaller cream colored stallion who was quickly looking around and shuddering. The stallion next to Twilight had a dark blue coat with darker blue mane with a gray stripe and had a metal prosthetic foreleg on his left side. He looked at Twilight then looked at her food and spoke “give it a couple days. You'll get used to the taste.”
Twilight looked at him with some nervousness and curiosity and decided she could probably talk to him. “Who are you three?” she said to them.
The blue stallion spoke up “I'm Vanderhoof. The light brown is Gunners and the cream one is Checklist. Gunners is in for starting a city riot in Manehatten and blowing up five police precincts killing half the city's law enforcement. Checklist is in here cause he killed and dismembered his mom. I'm in here for…. raping a pony.”
Twilight moved away from Vanderhoof and picked at her food while noticing him being uncomfortable. Vanderhoof knew all too well who he was talking to about what he and the others did to get in there, he was nervous if she knew or not what happened to Celestia that got him in here.
“Look” Vanderhoof said “I don't like it as much as you do, but Frank was my driver and Venom said you're the newbie. Unfortunately I have to train you how to drive in the race so you won't get yourself killed. Now like it or not we are working together for now on. Okay?”
Twilight didn't say anything at first but then sighed and nodded her head. Vanderhoof gave a small grin and turned back to talk to the other two. Twilight couldn't think how things can get worse than it already has been until she remembered Chrysalis is in the race as well.
Back in Canterlot Celestia sat uncomfortably in her throne room thinking about all she has done. Since locking them away she had to add more security to the Element bearers cells and send letters to Shining Armor and Cadence lying about why they are in there. As much as she didn't like lying to her niece and guard captain she knew it was for their own safety.
Celestia then decided to send Venom a letter in hoping that she might reconsider having Twilight there. She retreated to her personal chambers and started writing a letter to the Island's warden.
To Warden Venom,
I'm starting to reconsider sending Twilight Sparkle to the Island and worrying if something will happen to her. I wasn't thinking rationally at the time and didn't see the mistakes I caused. She was my prized pupil and I treat her like she is my daughter, but my decisions is now causing suspicions due to the fact her friends are now missing in which are secretly locked away in the castle dungeons.
Please reconsider having Twilight there and please send her back to Canterlot.
Your business partner/ruler of Equestria
Princess Celestia.
Celestia’s horn then glowed and the letter was sent to Venom. She then lied down on her bed and hoped that she sent that letter in time before Twilight was hurt.
Or worse…..
Author's Note
Part 2 of 3 of "First Impressions ". Hope it sheds a little more light on the situation.
Yeah I'm gonna put Death Race on Hiatus for now. I kinda loss interest writing this. If annyone wants to write the rest of the chapters send me a PM and I'll give you a shout out each chapter.
That's all.
The next afternoon Vanderhoof and Checklist walked from their cells towards the car garages. “Y-you su-ure she c-can drive…..like him V-Van?” Checklist said to his boss and crew chief. Van simply looked at the stuttering pony next to him and nodded with a smile.
“Don't worry so much Checks” Van said “she'll learn how to drive…..I hope” soon the two entered the garages. The garages were just a warehouse on the island that had large fences separating the pits where the cars are worked on while the catwalks above had guards watching all the inmates. They walked into their pit to see Gunners underneath the car on the lift and Twilight taking notes behind him.
“Good to see you're both busy.” Van said to the two ponies, which caused Twilight to jump and Gunners to laugh. “Twilight may I see those notes please?” Van said to Twilight, who cautiously floated them to him with her magic. Van skimmed through them quickly “notes on car racing?”
Twilight smiled at Van “I read almost every book possible on automotive racing in this place and took notes on how to win without causing harm to the others.” The three just looked at her then started laughing. Twilight then went from happy to confused “huh? What's so funny?”
Van calmed down first and walked over to the metal cutting torches. Twilight watched in shock as he turned the gas tanks on and burned her notes right in front of her. “Notes are not gonna help you Twilight. In this game it's kill to win. Even if you hate it or are against it.”
Twilight zoned out as Van was talking to her until the sound of a engine snapped her to reality. She saw that Van was in the driver's seat of the Mustang and that Gunners had the passenger door open. “Come on” Van said to the alicorn “gotta teach you Death Race 101.”
Author's Note
Yeah it's been awhile. I figured I just post this half finished and complete it next chapter. Might be awhile since I have other stories I'm behind on.