Burning Rubber

"Well, Sunset, now i'm gonna introduce you to the girls. Let's see if you can make some new friends!" Twilight said as She and Sunset walked together through one big room. They had long since left the bar behind

Turns out there was a reason why the place smelled like a garage.

It was one.

The room was just one big parking space surrounded by a box of metal. Everywhere she walked, Sunset could hear the echo of her shoes in the distance. It made her feel like a little kid again, and the whole experience was making her feel a little giddy.

"But what about Rainbow Dash? She didn't seem to like me too much." Sunset asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh, please. Don't worry about her. She's like that with everyone she doesn't know."

"But she does know me, remember? Back in the bar? I'm the girl who blew up the school?" Sunset said, giving her a fist bump.

"That was the old you, Sunset. You've changed since then. Right?" Twilight stopped walking, turning around to stop Sunset in her tracks.

Sunset could see the slight distrust in her eyes. It wasn't there before, but it was now. "Y-yeah, of course I have."

"Good, then there should be no problems." Twilight smiled.

"I'll...take your word on it. Ehehehe..." Sunset laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head.

"So...why do you suppose Celestia wanted me to get involved in Magi-Cycle Racing?" Sunset asked Twilight as they walked.

“I don't know. Perhaps she thought that getting you involved in something popular would allow you to open up and make friends?”

"Maybe. She could be thinking that joining up with you girls could help me in some way." Sunset gave a small smile.

"So what do you all do? What are the rules to this 'Racing'?" Sunset asked. "To be honest i'm a little scared for how well i'll do."

“Trust me. You’ll have it all down in no time, I guarantee it. Now, let’s go meet the girls, shall we?” Twilight said with a smile.

“Right!” Sunset smiled back, and the two make their further into the room.

“So, let me get this straight. You’re saying you think Celestia wants her to join our team?” Rainbow Dash asked, still eyeing the bacon haired girl.

“Yep!” Was all the purple girl responded with.

“And what makes you think we’re just gonna let her on just like that?” Rainbow challenged.

“Rainbow Dash, come on!” Twilight begged. “It doesn’t matter what she did in the past. What matters is that she’s trying to change, right?”

Rainbow Dash seemed to be deep in thought at that.

“Please let her stay. Look, if you’re still so upset by it, then... I’ll watch over her for you, how’s that? I already volunteered to train her anyway.” Twilight said, pleading with her friend.

Rainbow Dash seemed to have finished thinking, as she, groaning and crossing her arms, said,

“Ugh...Fine!” But if she gets any funny ideas...” Rainbow Dash rolled up her sleeves to indicate her point.

"I won't! I swear!" Sunset quickly says, sweating a little at the thought of Rainbow Dash hurting her.

"You'd better not..." Rainbow Dash, said, still glaring at her.

The two walked away, opting to move on to the next member of their team.

“Well she was...friendly.” Sunset said, surprising Twilight with how sudden it was.

“She’s just like that. She turned it up to eleven because...well, you know. She’ll get used to you in no time, don’t worry.” Twilight said, hugging Sunset as they walked

“I hope you’re right...” Sunset said, looking down.

“I hope so, too. But enough about her. Come on! I see Apple Jack!”

The two made their way over to a wooden work stall with a copious amount of Apple juice on the counter. Behind all of that, Apple Jack stood sweating. A quick look behind the counter revealed several well used and well taken care of tools. And there seemed to be a set up for even more tools placed on the wall behind her. Sunset was a little surprised to hear the orange girl say,

“Howdy, partner, what can I do ya for?”

“I’m hoping to have her join our team, so i’m introducing her to the girls!” Twilight said, catching the country girl’s attention.

“Well i’ll be!” She looked over to sunset and held out a hand. “Welcome aboard, Sunset! I'm the teams mechanic! I'm also plenty good with other things besides cars, so if ya ever need somethin' fixed, ya know who to call.”

Sunset accepted the handshake “Thanks! I'll keep that in mind.” She smiled a happy, genuine smile.

Soon the two girls left AJ’s stand and went over to Pinkie, where sunset could see her...tying balloons to her Magi-Cycle?

“Hi there, Sunset!” She called out, causing the girl to jump from fright.

Pinkie seemed to sober up at that. “Um....sorry. I can get a little over-excited sometimes.”

Sunset recovered and smiled at her. “It’s fine. I just...wasn’t expecting it, is all. So, what do you do?”

Pinkie smiled and proudly puffed out her chest. "I'm one of the teams main riders! Also, you know that bar you walked into when you first got here? I own it! Or, my foster family does. This little place is just our garage though. Nothing too big."

"Nothing too big?" Sunset suddenly blurted. "Look at all the space around here!" She gestured to how big the place actually was. "You could fit thirty different Magi-Cycles in here and still have space! And this is your family's personal garage?"

"Yep!" Was all Pinkie said.

Sunset nearly fainted.

Then she remembered something Pinkie said, "Wait. What do you mean, main rider?"

Twilight spoke up in Pinkie's place. "You see, Sunset, every Magi-Cycle team has five main riders, or people who race on the track, and out of those five only one can race at a time.. Our main riders are Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie, and Myself. There is a rule that allows for a reserve rider, in case someone gets hurt, though."

"Wait. I thought you said that only five riders could participate in the races? Where's your fifth?"

"We don't have a fifth rider." Twilight said. "We're still looking. We're the only Magi-Cycle Racer team without another rider."

Pinkie suddenly gasped. "Hey! Maybe you could be our fifth rider!" she screamed, causing sunset to take a step back.

"Uh...no, I don't think I could do that. I'm a newbie. There's no way I could-"

"Don't sell yourself short, Sunset. You very well could be a great Racer. All you have to do is put in the effort." Twilight said.

Sunset looked over at Twilight with a shocked expression. "You...You really think i could do it?"

"Of course I do!" Twilight grinned wide. Sunset stood in shocked silence for a moment before shaking her head to clear it of distraction.

"Wow. Thanks, Twilight. That means a lot." Sunset said with a grin of her own.

"You're welcome!" Twilight giggled.

“So, if you guys are the main riders, then what do they do?” Sunset pointed to Rarity and Fluttershy off in the distance, one of which was looking at tools, the other at what looked to be a roll of medical gauze.

"Well, why don't we go see for ourselves?” Twilight said, walking over to the two girls and leaving Sunset behind.

"Hey, wait!" Sunset ran off to catch up to her.

“Why hello, there darlings!” Rarity said when she saw who was coming. “To whatever do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m thinking of making Sunset a member of our team, so i’m going around making introductions. Why don’t you introduce yourself, Rarity?”

“Oh, i’d be more than happy to do so She lookedd at Sunset with that sexy, seductive smile again. She was even blushing this time. Sunset had to wonder what was going on in that girl’s head whenever she looked at her. It couldn’t be anything good.

“Did you see those vehicles behind you, dear?” Rarity asked, her expression finally going back to normal, to the relief of Sunset. But she could swear she still heard her voice take on a more sultry tone when she said dear.

“Y-yes.” Sunset answered, her nervousness causing her to stutter.

“Well, I'm proud to say I'm the one who did their paint jobs! There is a certain art, a certain style that comes with making each vehicle match their rider in every way. See for yourself!"

Sunset turned as Rarity gestured toward all of her creations. Sunset was once again assaulted by a sea of color. Six Magi-Cycles, covered from front to rear and down in the most dazzlings displays of color combination skills imaginable.

The one that caught Sunset’s eye however, was the lead one, awah with purple in two different shades that were so well put together that she was sure it would win an award if a judge saw it.

It was so pretty, with little splashes of white here and there to accentuate its form.

Combine that with the six pointed star on either side of the great vehicle, and it would be an aesthetic masterpiece. A feast for the eyes if there ever was one.

Sunset walked up to it and moved to touch it...

But she was broken out of her thoughts by a single sentence. “You like it?”

Sunset jumped in fright again, but recovered soon after, placing her hand over her heart and breathing heavily.

Twilight saw this and immediately apologized. "Oh! Did I scare you? Oh, Sunset i'm so sorry!"

Sunset looked over at Twilight with a smile, surprising the purple girl. "No, it's alright. It's fine. It was only an accident, after all. So, who's Magi-Cycle is this?"

"It's mine!" Twilight said, puffing out her chest as she beamed with pride. "I call her Hyperia."

"Hyperia..." Sunset parroted. "Nice name. I like it."

"I know right! Rainbow Dash said it sounded too nerdy."

"Well, what does she know?" Sunset said. The two locked eyes for a moment, then turned away, blushing

“Um...” Twilight said, trying and failing to figure out what to say in this situation. When she finally mamaged to think of something she said, “Let’s go see Fluttershy?”

"Yes, let's!" Sunset quickly agreed, eager to stop the awkwardness of this situation.

The two made their way over to the manila skinned girl, who smiled at them. It was the most sincere, pure, gentle, and genuine smile Sunset had ever seen, and her heart melted just looking at it.

“Hi, Twilight! Hi, Sunset! How may I help you?” Fluttershy said, in a voice that would make angels cry tears of joy.

“Hi, Fluttershy!” Twilight said. "I'm introducing Sunset to the team in the hopes of getting her to join us." Would you like to introduce yourself?"

“Introduce myself? Well, let's see, um...oh right!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she seemed to remember something. “Well, I’m the team medic. And my job is to patch everyone up when they get hurt or injured!”

Fluttershy’s smile widened into a grin, and Sunset found herself clutching her heart as tight as she could. She had to look away.

When she did, something on Twilight’s motorcycle caught her attention. A big purple button placed just in the center of the hood of her vehicle. She went over to it.

“Hey, Twilight? What’s this do?” She asked, pointing to it.

When Twilight saw what she was pointing to however, she bolted towards her and grabbed her hand before she could press it.

“You aren’t ready for that button. Please, don’t press it.” she said, her tone serious.

“Why? What’s it do?” Sunset asked, giving Twilight a questioning look.

“There’s a reason why we call them Magi-Cycles, you know? Magic isn’t just used to power these things. Along with the use of magic gems, now, there’s actual magic in them. Pressing that button, will release it.”

Sunset’s eyes widened at that, and she stared at the button for a long moment. Then she turned to Twilight and said,

“Understood. I won’t press it.”

Twilight smiled. “Good. Now, Let’s get you some practice, shall we? Follow me.”

The two girls returned to where their friends were, Sunset thinking of all the things this new way of life could mean for her along the way.