Chapter 2: The Race
'It was simple," Storm Chaser told himself,'Just make it to Fluttershy's cottage from Sweet Apple Acres. That and beat a pony who I'm told should be a Wonderbolt.' Then Storm Chaser realized,'These ponies won't exclude me just because I lost a race. Nopony could be that harsh. I won't lose my chance even if I do lose really badly. It's just a race... just a-'
"Are yah okay there?" asked a voice. He looked up from his place in front of many stands full of spectators (There were even a few stands up in the clouds) to watch Storm Chaser lose to Rainbow Dash. He himself sat on a small stool in front of the starting line, which was marked with white pavement. Storm Chaser looked to his right to see an orange Earth pony in a brown cowboy hat.
"Applejack," said Storm Chaser, proud that he had remembered her name.
"Yah look more nervous than cockerel in an oil barrel," said Applejack in a southern accent.
"How does that even make any sense," questioned Storm Chaser.
"Beats me! Well ah see that ya'll real nervous 'bout losing to Rainbow."
Storm Chaser sighed, "Yes."
"Well, ah can tell you pretty much 'bout her strategy."
"Her strategy? What do you mean?" asked Storm Chaser intently.
"As in, she ain't got no strategy. She just accelerates till nopony can catch up. As in, her speed sacrifices somethin'," she said grinning as if trying to give him a hint..
Then it hit Storm Chaser. Hard. He knew how he could beat Rainbow Dash. As quickly as possible, the stormy grey pegasus flew towards the pony in question, on the other side of the starting line.
"Rainbow Dash," he called out to a familiar rainbow-maned pony.
"Yep," Rainbow Dash said, turning around. Apparently she had to stop a conversation with and an obsessed fan., "What's the problem, want some tips from a pro before the race." She smiled smugly.
"Uh... No. I would just like to make a request," asked Storm Chaser.
"Sure thing."
"Do you think if it would be easier, if the race was to Fluttershy's cottage and back?"
"Hm.." the rainbow-maned pony thought. She could see the logic. The audience was here and it would be fitting if they saw how awesomely she would win. But why would Storm Chaser care. But her own logic gave her a hint. 'Ahaha! That confident pony think he'll win and show off to the audience. It'll be funny when the exact opposite happens.'
"Fine then Storm Chaser, but you know, your plan may not work," she warned with a mischievous grin.
'What! How does she know my plan? Or maybe she's just bluffing.' Storm Chaser cleared his mind and replied, "Thank you, but I assure you my plan will work."
As Storm Chaser trotted away, Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself, "He's not gonna win. He's just bluffing."
At that, she heard a loud horn signalling the beginning of the race. All of Ponyville had gathered just to watch her beat another challenger. She swaggered to starting line where Storm Chaser was nervously waiting..
"Ready," Spike began to announce,"Set, Go!"
Both Ponies flew forward at incredible speeds. Rainbow Dash and Storm Chaser rose off the ground and into the clouds. The two pegasi were sailing next to each other. That, Rainbow Dash did not like. She began to accelerate faster and faster. Storm Chaser tried to catch up but Rainbow was going too fast. Clouds now began to become blurs as Storm Chaser tried to catch up. Then he suddenly heard a loud "CRACK" and huge rainbow wave almost hit him in the face and his own stormy grey trail was engulfed by the multicolor waves. Storm Chaser smiled, exactly what he wanted. He could see the bakery below him which signified the half-way point of the race. Rainbow Dash looked behind to see her Grey competitor grinning. 'WHAT! She had broken the sound barrier and was going twice as fast as Storm Chaser! Why-' She looked down to see her answer. She had already passed overhead Fluttershy's cottage. Storm Chaser, behind her, was already on his way back. Rainbow Dash tried to turn herself around but was going too fast. Her body flew horizontal and her wings stoped flapping as she flew forward with pure momentum. It took a few seconds for her to come to a complete stop and she began to accelerate towards Storm Chaser. 'Oh he was going to get it! That cheater is going to ge-'
Rainbow Dash smashed right into a surprised Storm Chaser. The momentum caused them fly strait onto a huge cloud that served as the spectator stands for pegasi. A few gasps and one snicker was heard as the two pony's tumbled and rolled onto the cloud.
"NOPONY CHEATS IN A RACE I'M SUPPOSED TO WIN!" Rainbow Dash screamed trying to untangle herself from Storm Chaser.
"Hey, I'm pretty sure I won, fair and square," said Storm Chaser but was met with a hoof in the face. This was followed by a couple of "ooohs" from the spectators and a "Go Rainbow Dash" from the same orange filly who had snickered earlier. Rainbow Dash jumped at Storm Chaser and the duo rolled dangerously close to the edge. Storm Chaser tried to knock the cyan pegasus away, but was instead kicked in the crown jewels. He groaned loudly and pushed upwards knocking Rainbow Dash into the air. She responded by flying down like a speeding bullet and Storm Chaser rolled to the side. Rainbow Dash, predicting his maneuver, sharply turned right, barely touching the cloudy floor and smashed into Storm Chaser, grabbing around the neck and started to fly up. Now trapped in a headlock in mid-air, Storm Chaser did the only thing that made sense, bite the closest thing to him. He twisted to the left in order bite her arm, but instead chomped on her left wing drawing blood. With an out-of-character feminine scream, she sailed down to the ground below.
Rarity was bored. As she sat in the spectators with all her friends she masked Pinkie Pie's random babble with thoughts about that grey pegasus.
"That Storm Chaser was really quite a character," she said trying to start a new conversation.
"He was a bit shy," said Fluttershy softly.
"But then again, he was new to Ponyville," said Twilight.
"Rather, I think he is new to Ponies!," said Rarity disapprovingly,"Did you see that awkward moment he caused when he attempted a joke?"
"I know, awkward moments are the worst," piped up a random pony who had just decided to join the conversation from his seat a few yards away. Because a random pony had randomly entered the conversation, an awkward moment ensued. The silence was broken when Rarity asked,"Do I know you?"
"No, no you don't," said the random pony. With that he trotted away to let each pony form their on thoughts on the random pony. Spike broke the second silence by announcing, "Is that Rainbow Dash?" and the mane six looked up to see a blue blob falling from the sky above the finish line. Fluttershy "eeped" and group of friends could only gasp as they say their friend falling to the ground.
