It had only taken that one win in the Wings Around the Globe Rally to launch Dusty Crophopper into infamy. I was famous to but I preferred to keep to myself. The three years after had just been an adventure. Watching Dusty race and practice was very exciting. Often when Dusty was not training of racing we would play our on little games like hide and seek and chase. Dusty always had trouble finding me because I was good at hiding but he can out fly me now.
Now, with it being the middle of summer, Dusty and I had decided to return home to Propwash for a while. The entire town was preparing for their annual Corn Fest, my favourite time of year next to winter, which was happening in a month.
"Awesome picture Dust!" Sparky said, picking up a newspaper outside the Fill N' Fly. "Except, uh, your eyes are closed."
"Nice" I answered dropping my apple that I was eating to look at the photo.
"Racin' with your eyes closed' huh?" laughed Chug as he finished filling up Dusty. "So that's your secret"
"Oh yeah." Dusty nodded. "You figured it out chug"
"I told you that you couldn't keep that as a secret for long" I laughed only to earn a thwap in the wing from Dusty. "Ouch" I yelp and turn to lick my wing.
"That was some pretty fancy flying Dusty" said Mayday. "You and Belinda make quite a team. Saw it all on my radio with pictures." Dusty, Chug, Sparky and I blink.
"You mean your TV" Dusty guessed.
"No, no, that's clearing up." Said Mayday getting the wrong idea, "My bumper was nearly corroded right though. Disgusting looking. Ah, yeah, it was all rusty and blistered."
"Charming, Mayday." I said with a not so amused tone. My ears were partly back to show that I was not amused but Mayday took no notice.
"Anyway, what else is going on?" Dusty asked, clearly hopping to change the subject.
"Dottie gave me some of that Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment. Ka-chow!" Mayday spun round, causing the boys and me to jump when he showed off. Dusty did his best to avert his eyes, Sparky hid behind the newspaper he held, Chug, oddly enough, found himself staring and I hid my head under my wing.
"How's it look now?" he asked.
"Looks great. Fine." Dusty said hurriedly.
"Take a closer look!" said Mayday.
"That's close enough!" said poor Dusty. We jumped when something fell off Mayday's undercarriage. I looked around surprised.
"What was that?" Mayday asked.
"Nothing!" I said "But you should go see Dottie."
"Didn't need to see that." Dusty muttered.
"Oh, hey, hey, guys, guys!" Sparky piped up. "Listen to this! 'After Dusty,s Red Bulldozer win, Dusty Crophopper and Belinda…."
"That's you" Chug said pointed at us.
"'Returns to Propwash Junction…'"
"That's here." Mayday said.
"' ….where they will be performing at the town's annual Corn Festival.'" Sparky finished excitedly.
"They mentioned the Corn Festival?" Mayday asked, surprised.
"Whoa!" Chug gasped. "It's national news!"
"Seriously?" Dusty asked happily. "That's great!"
"Yee-har" I cried rearing in joy.
"I'll say!" Brodi called from across the road. "The phones been ringing off the hook here at the motel! Gonna have to get out the inflatable hangars."
"Oh, yeah!" Brodi's wife agreed. "Everybody want to see you two!"
"This is awesome!" I said prancing on the spot in excitement.
"It's gonna be the biggest Corn Fest yet!" Dusty agreed. Just then Skipper turned up propeller spinning.
"Dusty! Belinda!" Skipper greeted us. "Ready to do some flying?" he asked.
"Absolutely Skipper." Dusty said.
"Yes" I yell spreading my wings.
"Don't stay out too late!" Mayday called.
"Later guys" Sparky waved.
"Remember to open your eyes!" Chug chuckled. I shook my mane and trotted after them.
"Hey, Propwash Tower! This is Crophopper Seven. Flight of three, ready for take-off." Said Dusty. "Crophopper Seven, Propwash Tower." I hear the attendant in the tower say over the radio. "Wind's calm. Runway two-seven clear for take-off. Have a great flight, fellas."
"Crophopper seven on the roll" said Dusty taking off with Skipper.
I got a running start and soon joined Dusty and Skipper in the air. I looked down at Propwash Junction and the corn fields as I flew next to Dusty. I watched as the three grain silos appeared in front of us.
"Snap into those turns!" Skipper called into the radio. Dusty was doing well as we weaved through the silos.
"Tighten it up! There you go!" called Skipped as he kept close behind us as we flew. The bridge was coming up fast and we had to go under it vertically.
"Now let's work that vertical!" barked Skipper.
I watched as Dusty went under perfectly. I was rather sloppy when it came to working vertical turns as it was not one of my strong points. I have ended up in the river before when trying to work that vertical.
"Going up" I called laughing as I flew next to Dusty. Good thing that Dusty is not scared of heights anymore I thought. Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted as a clanking and beeping sound came from Dusty. I looked over at him just in time to see his propeller stop spinning and Dusty flipped and started falling.
"Dusty!" I screamed flipping and diving after him with Skipper right behind me.
"Dusty" I called coming up beside him. "Pull up."
"I can't" gasped Dusty who was terrified just like me. Skipper dived after us.
"Dusty? Belinda? Are you okay?" Suddenly Dusty's propeller started spinning again.
"My…my engine!" Dusty gasped.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Steady there." Skipper called as Dusty regained balance next to me. I panted trying to get my heart rate back.
"Propwash Tower, this is Jolly Wrench Seven" Skipper radioed the tower. "We're a flight of three five miles north of the airport inbound for precautionary landing." I heard the tower give us the all clear as we landed. I was so badly shaken that I fell over, rolled a couple of times and lay there panting. I staggered to my feet and shakily joined the others. What happed up there I thought as we made our way over to Dottie's work shop.
Sparky checked me over to make sure that I didn't hurt myself too badly. I was still shaken so I didn't complain. I watched as Dottie worked on Dusty and checked his engine.
"I don't know what it was." Dusty said as Sparky went to help Dottie work on him. "We weren't doing anything different. Pylon turns, a vertical, like we do every day. I mean, I feel great… now, but-"
"I've got a love hate relationship with you, Dusty." I heard Dottie sigh. "Love that you're my best customer, hate what you're doing to yourself."
"Come on Dot." Dusty scoffed. "You saw me and Belinda at the Red Bulldozer race. We kicked Aston Martin out there!"
"You're not even listening to what I'm saying." I heard Dottie mutter. I looked up to see her testing some sort of substance.
"And hey, Speed City Airfest is just a few weeks away!" Dusty continued. "And Belinda, I think that if we manage to get a little more speed coming out of those, really work that radial-G, we can definitely improve our time. Yeah! I'm feeling good about our next race. What about you Belinda?" he finished.
"I still trying to get over a shock pulse an almost heart attack" I answered grinning. "Besides we only just got back from the last one two days ago."
"Maybe, but racing is fun!" Dusty said excitedly to me. I sighed and shook my head at Dusty. I laughed at Dusty's expression.
"I guess I can't deny that." I replied.
"Well, no damage to the casing or compressor blades." Dottie reported as she came around to face Dusty.
"See? I told you." Dusty said confidently. "Just a hiccup. Which explains why everything went wonky?"
"That doesn't make sense to me, sorry" I said confused. Suddenly Chug tore in honking his horn making me jump slightly.
"Dusty! Belinda!" Chug cried. "What happened? Are you guys okay?"
"It's okay." Dusty assured.
"I am okay now" I answered looking at the worried truck.
"Was it your fuel, Dusty?" Chug asked it worriedly. "I tested it this morning! I always take a little sip. Gets me going."
"I swear that is not good for you" I said shaking my head and flicking my tail.
"It's okay." Dusty repeated. "Belinda and I got quite scared up there-"
"Him more than me." I teased even though I was sure that I was more scared. Dusty smirked at me.
"But it's all good news. Dottie gave me the all-clear." He said.
"Dusty" Dottie suddenly spoke up. "Your reduction gearbox is failing." I gasped when I heard that.
Dusty paused. "My gear box?"
"Your chip detector had a cluster of steel shavings on it." Dottie explained. "Flakes from the gears. That's what caused the trouble."
"Ha, I knew there was something more to it than a hiccup" I said in triumph staring at Dottie till I raised my eyes to meet Dusty's eyes.
"As if." Dusty laughed.
I grinned "But in all seriousness, Dottie now has to get you fixed."
"Don't worry. A gearbox can be replaced." Dusty assured me. I just smiled and looked at Dottie.
"We'll just order a new one by the end of the week." Dusty looked at Dottie "Right?" But Dottie was looking at anything but Dusty. I looked at her and saw the sadness in her eyes.
"This can't be good" I thought.
"What?" asked Dusty who was not smiling anymore.
"Your gearbox…. It's out of production. Long since discontinued. I can't even remember the last time is saw one." Dottie answered sadly.
"Well that blows it" I growled from where I was standing next to Skipper.
"But Dottie….come on. Can't you just build Dust a new one?" Chug asked Dottie worried.
"No, it's too complex" Dottie answered. "It has to factory." I looked at Dusty and dropped my head.
Dusty could see this wasn't going in a good direction. "Well, I mean, there has-"
"From now on you have to back off the torque. Keep it under Eighty precent." answered Dottie sadly. My head snapped up.
"WHAT?" I yelped.
Dusty jolted. "What?! Eighty precent? Dottie you've got me cranked up to one-forty. I need that to race!"
"If Dusty holds back he's mincemeat." I chimed in just to get my point through.
"If you push yourself into the red, your gearbox will fail." Dottie said. Dusty kept shaking his nose auguring with Dottie.
"Dusty, listen!" yelled Dottie.
"But I have got a race coming up" backfired Dusty.
"YOU'LL CRASH!" shouted Dottie. Everything went silent. I lifted my head to look at Dottie.
"If you push yourself into the read you'll crash." Dottie repeated sadly. I thought about it for two seconds.
"What if I can help? My powers might help" I said hopefully.
"No" said Dottie turning to me. "You said that you powers could stabilize someone who is badly injured so that won't help and you won't put your life in danger." I frowned and dropped my head knowing that she was right.
"I'm gonna install a warning light on your panel" said Dottie.
"A warning light" repeated Dusty.
"If it comes on, you'll need to pull power. Slow down." Dottie instructed.
"You mean that I can't race anymore?" asked Dusty.
"I'm so sorry." said Dottie sadly.
It was the end. No more racing for us. It's over.