Author's Note

This Chapter is optional and doesn't heavily contribute to the main story, however there are some key events and character development in this part.

I designed this chapter with help from Akula966 using characters that he created. Zephyr, Blue Hornet, and Special K are his Original Characters and I would like to thank him for his involvement on supporting this story, go check out his stories. He is a real nice guy.

Enjoy.

Trinity

Lightning was surprised at how quickly time passed. She glanced once more at the time, noting that it was now 6PM and the sun was starting to set. Now with the increasing risk of cops and the added risk of Rogue's bandits she needed to be careful. With her Supra now being the only car available to her, being cautious once again became a priority. She exited the garage with her freshly painted Toyota Supra and made a left onto the road. She didn't get far before she heard an engine approaching behind her. She looked at her mirror, ready for anything. She was surprised to find a familiar looking Ford Fiesta ST, one which pulled around her and slid to a stop on the side of the road. She exited her vehicle, well aware of who she was speaking with.

"Zephyr? That's a relief. What is he doing all the way out here?" She thought as the unicorn stallion exited his heavily modified Fiesta.

Lightning was unsure of what to do. Aqua wasn't here, so what was she supposed to do? His expression seemed a little more relaxed than it did the previous night. Lightning stood beside her car as he approached.

"Just the mare I was looking for."

"I thought you were leaving town. You were in quite a hurry."

"I'm a busy stallion. After all, when you're a speed demon, you kind of have to be in many places at once."

Lightning saw that flash in his eyes again, just like when they raced a few nights prior.

"Alright, so you were looking for me. May I ask why?"

"You impressed me back there. Ponies usually only beat me when I let them. I have a few friends who are looking for a race here in Wing City. I think you're just the pony to give them a good running. So, how about a little race at Eden Shores. You, Aqua, and a pony of your choice versus me…"

Suddenly. Two more cars appeared alongside Zephyr's Fiesta. One, a Subaru BRZ with a similar vinyl style as the Fiesta only with a red on blue style and blue tinted windows. The third, a Mazda RX-7 FD. This one sporting a rose red and pink set of vinyls to match and pink tinted windows.

"And my friends from Trinity. Blue Hornet, and Special K"

Lightning had to stop and process what she was told. Crew on Crew, it sounded like a good time, and it was obvious Zephyr had Lightning in high regards. Why else would he deliberately search for her to ask her in the first place?

"Alright, your on. When?"

"I like your attitude, 9PM on the shoreline."

"I'll meet you there."

"One more thing before you leave, Special K?"

The window of the RX-7 FD rolled down and Special K tossed a small device to Zephyr who caught it in his magic before tossing it to Lightning.

"Police Scanner. City is crawling with cops at night so I thought it was only fair we give you one. It monitors all of the radio traffic cops keep here in the city. That way you're never in the dark about what is heading your way. We'll see you soon."

With a final farewell Zephyr, Blue Hornet, and Special K began to speed off presumably towards Eden Shores. Lightning wasted no time dialing up both Aqua and Crimson.

"Hey, something just came up. Can you both meet me at the south bridge to Eden Shores?"

"I'll be there."

"No problem."

"Great, I think you'll both like this. I'll be there at 9."

With that business taken care of, Lightning reentered her Supra. She had a race to prepare for, and a good one for sure.

Soon after Lightning had rejoined her crew mates, she found herself on a road parallel to the east shore of Eden Shores. This part of Wing City was her home turf and she knew it well thanks to her routine practices over the last few years. She, Aqua, and Crimson managed to find Zephyr and the other members of Trinity already lined up. Zephyr in the front followed by Special K and then Blue Hornet. Lightning wasted little time and lined up next to Zephyr's Fiesta. Crimson followed in his Mustang and Aqua took up the third lane with her fellow BRZ driver. They were facing north, and the grid was all set up.

Unbeknownst to the six racers, a seventh car was watching from the shadows. A Black Mitsubishi Eclipse, with a dark red tint and dark red Skull adorning the hood and matching wings along the doors. The occupant of the vehicle brought up a phone and dialed an emergency contact.

"Yes, I would like to report an unregistered street race with multiple wanted cars. Eden Shores, right now."

Just as the stallion finished his call the cars launched off the grid.

"Let's see how you handle this."

Lightning and Zephyr might as well have been equal off the line while Special K had gotten a much better jump than Crimson behind them, however Lightning could not see what was happening in the third row with Aqua and Blue Hornet. As quickly as they had launched Zephyr had activated his nitrous, the crimson glow of the fumes lighting up the road. Lightning and Special K were quick to follow, the former with stock blue lights and the latter with pink. As the Fiesta took point the group traveled north, making a quick left to get off the shoreline. As they made another quick turn Lightning could have sworn she heard sirens in the distance. She turned on the police scanner that she had been gifted and it immediately paid off.

"Reports of a code 6 with multiple wanted vehicles in Eden Shores, sending units to respond."

That confirmed two things, for one her gift from Zephyr worked properly. The other was that this race was about to get heated.

Another right set them on course for the Bayview Park South Bridge. By this point Special K's well built RX-7 FD had taken second from Lightning and was pushing for the lead while Crimson had managed to keep pace in his Mustang and The Subaru's behind began battling. The first of the units showed up in front of the leaders causing a diversion in the road. Zephyr and Special K went around the left as Lightning shifted right. This move saved her speed as the others had to adjust for the slight misdirection.

"Code six confirmed, requesting backup."

"Confirmed, sending units your way."

"Code six, heading north towards Bayview Park. Requesting roadblock."

"Confirmed, units setting up in Bayview park."

That had Lightning slightly worried. As Zephyr maintained the lead she managed to slip into second. cruisers had began to catch up to the lead pack, some focused on Zephyr, some on Lightning. Behind her Special K took a shunt from a pursuer. Crimson who had caught up fought off the attacker before attempting to take third from the Mazda. Up ahead the lights from the road block became apparent. three vehicles had lined up to block the road while they had made a hole for traffic to pass through. Zephyr aimed his Fiesta for the gap, Lightning followed. They cleanly fit through the gap one behind the other. Behind them Special K also passed through while Crimson clipped a car on his way through, widening the gap for Aqua and Blue Hornet behind them.

"Road Block ineffective, they went right through it!"

Up ahead they had a choice between two bridges heading in the same direction. Zephyr split left, Lightning kept right as did Special K. The Supra and RX-7 sliding through the wider turn easily thanks to their rear-wheel drive. They were side by side going down the bridge. Two Rhino units were coming ahead of the trio, one for each side. Zephyr dodged his while Lightning and Special K split the difference on theirs. They reached the end of their respective bridges with Special K inheriting the lead followed by Lightning then Zephyr. They turned left at a three way junction to avoid another roadblock, Zephyr's front wheel drive making him have to take the corner slower. He used some nitrous to catch up. As they got to the next intersection they were caught off guard by none other than the back runners Aqua and Blue Hornet appearing from Bayview's west bridge. The initial front runners scrambled to avoid the cars appearing from their alternate route. Now with the group heading south together another sound became apparent. Lightning had never heard the blades of a helicopter before, until that moment.

"Helicopter unit is deployed, code six heading south southwest towards Westside."

This race had become more than just a simple night race.

Despite the brief change in lead the stronger cars of Zephyr, Special K, and Lightning were still able to inherit the lead. As the chopper focused its spotlight on the trio they took a right at the end of the road and began to follow the river south. More units converged from roads to their right. The road they followed curved around towards Downtown. at the end of the road Zephyr and Special K were leading with Lightning trailing close behind. They took a left, one more turn to go. Then on the final set of turns another rhino came towards them at a perpendicular angle. The Fiesta and RX-7 pulled a very wide ark to avoid the charging SUV while Lightning had time to take a more reliable route through the corners. It set her up perfectly for the finish. With the spotlight still shining brightly on her Supra she crossed the line for another win, behind her Zephyr beat out Special K by mere meters. Fourth went to Crimson followed by Aqua and then Blue Hornet.

Despite Lightning winning the race she still had one giant problem, an entire escort of police plus helicopter to shake off. The rest of the racers scrambled in different directions as the spotlight fixated itself on the Supra and she peeled east, crossing the bridge to Eden Shores. The only way she could think of shaking a spotlight was to find a covered road so it couldn't spot which direction she was heading. She managed to out speed the ground units behind her. Through her scanner she managed to get chatter between the chopper pilot and dispatch as they followed her into Eden Shores. She knew of an underground tunnel that went south to Mendoza Keys. That would be her escape, after she crossed the bridge she took a right at the third street. This road led her into the tunnel.

"Suspect has entered the north end of the Eden Shores tunnel."

"Roger that, units converge on the south exit to the Eden Shores tunnel."

Just what Lightning was looking for. She came to a dead stop inside the tunnel and waited. She glanced in her mirror, noticing the spotlight had left her entrance likely looking for her exit. She smiled, and pulled a 180 heading back out, finding the spotlight completely gone. She continued to head north as the scanner picked up puzzled chatter, she crossed the north bridge to Westside as she heard the dispatcher call off the pursuit. She had managed to elude a helicopter for the first time. She took the long way back to the garage, through Blackwood Heights just to make sure she didn't pick up any more attention.

She found the garage inactive, McClare was likely sleeping for once. She parked the Supra in its designated location, and shut it off. She needed to rest now, she had a big day coming up soon.