East Crawford Drive/Angus Wharf Intersection
Paradise City
A few minutes later...

Moments after their encounter with the Legion of Doom, Twilight and Akula were proceeding towards Twilight's next event. Passing under the Coastguard HQ, Akula started to explain the event type.

The event we are approaching, and the one you are going to start, is known as a Marked Mare event. It follows the premise of a Race, but the rules are different. The objective is to get to the specified finish location. There's no opponents to race against and there's no time limit, so you can take as much time as you need to get there. But there's a catch. When you start a Marked Mare event, other drivers in the area are alerted to your presence and are tasked with totaling your car before you can get to your destination. You have to survive the drive and get to the finish before the drivers hunting you total your car. It's much harder than it looks,

"Then why are we doing one of those events first?" Twilight asked, concerned with the way he was explaining the difficulty of the event.

Because when you progress through the licences, the events get tougher and tougher, Akula explained, If you take on a Marked Mare event at my level, you will face upwards of four highly-aggressive hunters, who become a real pain, no matter what car you're driving. But if you take on a Marked Mare event at your level, you'll most likely face only one or two hunters, who are not that overly aggressive,

Twilight and Spike both let out an 'Oh!', realizing what he meant. No more words were exchanged between the two as they proceeded up East Crawford, passing the point where Dash picked up the alicorn and the baby drake when they first arrived. Eventually, they got to an intersection where the event was to start. The two pulled to a stop at the lights.

Akula spoke through the radio. Okay. This is the starting location. Just drive as fast as you can, and if you need to, slam your hunters into the traffic or introduce them to a couple of walls. There's no rules saying that you can't fight back against the hunters. Just know this, There was a pregnant pause, before Akula then said, The moment you complete this event and you earn your D-Class Licence, it's over. I can't help you anymore. From then on, it's everypony for themselves. I wish I could help you, but I can't,

There was a huge moment of silence. Then, Twilight picked up her microphone and said, "No, it's ok. You've helped us enough,"

Spike just looked at Twilight in shock, and started to complain, "But, Twilight-"

"No, Spike. If he can't help us, we can't force him to do so. We'll just have to learn more as we go," Twilight said, cutting the dragon off. After a few minutes of hesitation, Spike just made the most adorable pouty face, nodded and hung his head down in acceptance.

Twilight continued, "Thank you for all you have done for us. I will never forget it,"

Unbeknownst to Twilight, Akula was smiling at her. He then said his final words to Twilight, It was my pleasure, Twilight. I hope to see you again on the roads soon, And with that, Akula then slammed on the gas, and threw the wheel to the right, sending the Ikusa GT into a 180o lateral skid and sped back the way the two had come, eventually disappearing from view. Twilight and Spike just watched him go.

Twilight fixed her eyes forward, took a deep breath out and, once again, asked Spike if he was ready.

"Ready... I guess," Was the reply.

"Oh, come on, Spike!" Twilight said, "I need your superb eyesight in order to 'Survive the Drive',"

"Well, when you put it that way..." Spike finally said.

Twilight just smiled at him and put her hooves down on the accelerator and the brake, causing the back wheels to spin.

They were ready.

Twilight eased her hoof onto the throttle, making the car start to pick up speed. Moments earlier, Twilight was told by Akula that Marked Mare events require a rolling start, rather than a stopped start from the lights. As Twilight increased the Cavalry's speed, a map appeared on her dashboard GPS. Then, DJ-P0N3's voice came through the radio again. It's time to be the Marked Mare. You are here. Survive the drive West to the Crystal Summit Observatory before the drivers chasing you smash up your car. If you arrive at the finish in one piece, you'll get a mark on your license. Ready? Here they come!

Once the final line had left Vinyl's mouth, Twilight and Spike immediately started looking around, checking for threats. But something was off.

Nopony was approaching them. Everything was quiet (Apart from the obvious roaring of the Cavalry's engine).

Spike and Twilight kept their heads on a swivel, constantly looking around for any car that approached them. "Something's not right, Twi. It's too quiet,"

"I know, Spike. Just keep your eyes open and we won't get jumped," Twilight told him.

But they never saw a blue-and-silver Hunter Mesquite Custom approach them fast from behind...

Twilight continued down East Crawford at a relatively steady pace, as the Mesquite Custom got closer and closer, and shunted the Cavalry at high speed!

Twilight and Spike were thrown forward under the impact, their seatbelts stopping them from flying through the front windshield. They looked behind them, and saw the Mesquite Custom hammering at their tail, constantly taking aggressive swipes at it.

Twilight turned to Spike, annoyance written all over her face. "SPIKE!! I told you to keep an eye out!" She snapped at him.

"Oh, come on, Twilight! I thought you were looking behind us!" Spike snapped back. The arguing was interupped when the Mesquite Custom shunted them again. Twilight looked in her mirror, and she swore she saw a unicorn pony in a magician's hat and cape behind the tinted windows.

Then, a very recognizable voice came in through her CB. Hello, Princess,

Twilight gasped at the voice. It was Trixie Lunamoon.

It is such a great pleasure for the Great and Powerful Trixie to be dismantling your car today! Trixie announced, moving for another shunt. But Twilight saw her move, and stomped on the gas. The Hunter leaped forward and charged into the small tunnel ahead, Trixie in hot pursuit.

As quick as they had entered the tunnel, they exited out the other side, with Trixie still right behind Twilight. Then, as they approached the road that led towards the Country Club, Trixie took another swipe at the Hunter's bumper. The Mesquite made contact with the Cavalry's rear, sending out a loud crunch. The Cavalry jolted forward, and Twilight quickly snapped the Cavalry right to avoid a van in front of her. Trixie followed her line, as the two started onto West Crawford Drive. And for Twilight, there was nothing she could do shake her first hunter.

As Twilight took the hard right towards the hairpin, she hit her boost. Green flames erupted from the Cavalry's exhausts. But Trixie anticipated the move, and hit her boost. But instead of green flames, red flames erupted from the Mesquite Custom. This was because the Mesquite Custom had Aggression-class Boost, which is identifiable by its red colour. Aggression Boost is also a bit more powerful than Stunt Boost.

Trixie began to close on Twilight again, but by that time, they had reached the hairpin at the end of the long straight. Seeing the corner ahead, Twilight disengaged her boost, tapped the brakes and turned into the corner. The back end of the Cavalry kicked out, and Twilight started to drift the hairpin. Trixie, however, in her determination to nail the alicorn, wasn't expecting her to drift, which ended up with Trixie attempting to drift as well.

But the takedown-specialized Mesquite Custom wasn't as suited to drifting as the stunt-specialized Cavalry. Which meant that while Twilight was able to exit her drift perfectly, Trixie overshot and slid into the side girders. Although Trixie didn't wreck, it severely slowed her down, allowing Twilight to pull away a bit.

Spike looked at the shrinking image of the Mesquite Custom falling behind, and chuckled. "You need to learn how to drift, Trixie!" The baby dragon joked, to which both he and Twilight laughed at. But as they went around the two right corners that led to the tunnel next to the abandoned railway (I'll nickname it the 'tabletop'), Trixie had managed to catch up, and shunted her yet again!

I'm back! Did you forget about me?, was the message she was delivering.

Then, Twilight turned the Cavalry into the huge tunnel just ahead, with Trixie still hot on her hooves. Then, things when from bad to worse for Twilight's run.

As the two cars raced down the tunnel, with Trixie trying to get alongside Twilight, the alicorn spotted a traffic car approaching them from head-on. But something was off about it. It was driving right on the double-yellow line in the middle of the road instead of in its lane. And the engine of the car was too loud to be an ordinary car.

Then, a realization hit Twilight. And she gasped.

It was the second hunter!

That's when a country-style voice spoke through her CB. But it wasn't Applejack. Well, howdy Princess! I'm sorry, but you ain't going any further than this!

It was Braeburn! Spike also heard the voice, and exclaimed, "WHAT?! What is Braeburn doing here?!"

As Braeburn got closer, Twilight managed to get a visual on his car. It was a yellow-and-black Hunter Oval Champ 69. The heavier, more powerful upgraded version of Twilight's Cavalry. Gazing at Braeburn's Oval Champ had distracted her...

...allowing Trixie to sneak alongside Twilight, and shove her car right into the path of Bareburn's incoming Oval Champ!

Well, then Brae. Trixie says she's all yours! Trixie said to Braeburn.

Much obliged, Trix! He replied, increasing his speed.

Spike was even more surprised at what was just said between the two of them. How do they know each other?! Spike thought to himself, getting more confused each minute.

Twilight however, wasn't confused. Instead, she was scared for her perfect run in this event. The Oval Champ 69 was way heavier than her Cavalry, so trying to take the hit would result in her being wrecked. And she couldn't move away, as Trixie was blocking her from doing so. Unless...

Then, the line Akula said at the start of the event kept repeating in her head. There's no rules saying that you can't fight back against the hunters. And it gave Twilight an idea...

Twilight then slammed on her brakes. The Cavalry locked its brakes, instantly letting the Mesquite Custom pull ahead of her. But when the rear quarter was in line with the Cavalry's front, Twilight released the brake, got back on the throttle and swung the wheel right, towards Trixie's rear end.

Contact.

Twilight's Cavalry started to spin Trixie. The Mesquite Custom started to shift sideways, taking up the whole tunnel. Then, Braeburn careened right into Trixie! Trixie's Mesquite was flung right into the air, allowing Twilight to race right under the flying wreck and pull away from her hunters!

As Spike looks back in the rear-view mirror, he sees the Mesquite Custom rolling down the tunnel, with the Oval Champ 69 nowhere in sight. Spike just turned to Twilight and said, "Nice driving, Twilight! That should be the last we hear of them!"

"I sure hope so! Whoop-whoop!" Twilight replied, honking her horn twice.

Twilight stomped on the gas, hoping to put as much ground between the hunters and herself. After catching some air hitting the hill at the end of the tunnel, the two continue down West Crawford, when they took a tight right onto Nelson Way. But as soon as they got onto Nelson, they turned off, onto Lewis Pass. But as they zoomed up towards Crystal Summit, Spike looked back in the rear-view, and saw something worrying.

"Twilight, they're back!" Spike told her, a hint of shock in his voice. Twilight looked behind, and saw that Trixie and Braeburn had caught up with them again!

Did you forget about us, Twilight? Braeburn rhetorically asked her, stomping on his throttle. But Twilight almost forgot that she was heading to the mountains, where hairpins reign supreme. And she was one heck of a drifter despite being behind the wheel of a car for only a few minutes.

Pretty soon, they got to the first hairpin, and Twi tapped the brakes, kicking the back out and sending the lavender Cavalry into another drift, and again, Trixie's determination to nail her proved her undoing, as she overshot the corner again and went careening into the fence on the side. But Braeburn, despite having a heavier version of the Cavalry, he was able to match Twilight's move. And upon exiting the turn, and racing under the Paradise National Park sign, he gave her a shunt for her trouble.

Did ya' think ya' could lose me doin' that? Think again! Braeburn remarked, shunting her again. And shunted her a third time, before trying to get alongside her on the left. Say goodbye, Twi! He remarked, moving to PIT Twilight's lavender Cavalry. But Akula's line for the start rang in her head again, and she got another idea.

She flicked the wheel left, and collided with the Oval Champ 69, sending it bumper-first into the guard-rail. The car wrecked instantly, giving Twilight some breathing room. "Goodbye!" Twilight joked, tapping the brake and sending the Cavalry into a drift around the next hairpin.

Igniting her boost, she raced up a small hill, gaining some air time, when she turned left, onto North Rouse Drive, with Trixie and Braeburn in hot pursuit. And drifting around what corners she can, she quickly makes it onto North Mountain Drive.

Trix, we gotta' go somethin', or Twilight'll make it to the finish! Braeburn frantically said, trying to speed up and catch Twilight.

I'll just give it one more go! She is not winning! Trixie growled, hitting her boost.

Trixie's Mesquite Custom closed fast, heading right for Twilight's rear bumper. But Trixie forgot that there was one more sharp turn between Twilight and victory. Twilight hit the brakes, and drifted the corner. Trixie overshot again, ruining her final attempt at stopping Twilight.

No. NOOOOOO!!!!!!! Trixie screamed in defeat, slamming her hooves on the steering wheel.

Twilight, now unopposed, just hit her boost and blasted past the finish line. Rolling the Cavalry to a stop on the side of the road, punching her hooves into the sky and shouting for joy.

That's when Trixie came in over her CB. Well played, Twilight. But next time, The Great and Powerful Trixie will stop you! I can assure that! As she said this, the two bashed up cars that were Trixie's Mesquite Custom and Braeburn's Oval Champ 69. Twilight giggles as the two beaten-up cars raced past, now probably looking for an Auto-Repair.

But as she giggled at the two passers-by, she failed to notice that her licence was glowing...

Author's Note

Announcement: Due to a lack of ideas for characters, I'm allowing my readers to have their OCs feature in my story. If you wish to see your OC(s) make a guest appearance in my story, just leave a comment stating your character's name, looks and species, along with the car they drive and the colour scheme their car uses.

I will DM you if I think that your character is good enough.

If you want your OC to feature in this story, but you don't know of any of the cars, that's ok. Just click on this link, pick the car you want and I'll come up with the paint job for you (if you don't have access to the game).

Paint Schemes:

Trixie's Mesquite Custom: Finish 1, metallic dark blue
Braeburn's Oval Champ 69: Finish 2, gloss yellow

Also, I hid a reference to NFS Carbon in this chapter. See if you can spot it!

Thanks so much for getting this far in my story and...

Twilight is now one step closer to getting home...