Oh feel that wind!
He was one of several ponies, racing for the finish line. Red Bull Race, in the heart of Appleloosa.
They tried to get ahead of him, but he proved to be the fast opponent.
Dusty pushed ahead performing a turn, diving for the finish line as he skidded to a halt.
"And Dusty wins the gold!" An announcer yelled, as the crowd went wild, chanting his name.
"DUSTY! DUSTY! DUSTY! DUSTY!"
The stallion closed his eyes savoring the moment before trotting up to receive his medal, as photographers gathered around him.
He struck a view poses, winking at the camera a few times, earning cheers from the crowd.
Post race was almost as fun for him as racing itself. Getting to meet his fans, talk about his experiences with the reporters. He didn't get a swelled head however like the other racers.
He was just happy to be able to fly as fast as he wanted.
Nothing better than this… I can't think of a better life.
When it was all said and done, he was glad to be able to return home to Propwash Junction and rest. He smiled remembering, the race.
Yeah… I feel truly blessed…
Dusty cringed a bit feeling some pain in his back as he shifted. "Now if my back would just quit doing that…"
The only downside, was he was getting aches and pains in his back along his spine. It was more annoying than anything else, but he didn't say anything. Figured it was because he had his wings on longer than he had before. They were attached to him nearly 24/7 during racing season.
I'll just need to remember to take breaks while I'm home… he thought. He smiled as he saw Propwash Junction come into view. He was greeted by all his friends as he landed on the runway. They were all excited to see him and even more so with what was going on in Propwash Junction.
Dusty looked around seeing decorations all about Propwash that were all corn themed.
The annual Corn Festival… Glad I get to be around for it.
It was the biggest celebration in Propwash, the town was busiest this time of year and it was a good chance to spend time with family and friends.
And see who'll win Corn Colonel this year.
Sparky hurried over to Dusty with Chug right behind him.
"Dusty! Have you seen the newspaper?!" he asked, levitating it in front of him. "You're on the front page!"
Dusty grinned. "Well I'll be!" And right next to the land racer Lightning McQueen's picture… AWESOME!
"Yeah, though your eyes are closed." The medic chuckled, lowering it.
Chug grinned, nudging his friend a little. "So that's your secret, racing with your eyes closed!"
Dusty laughed. "Oh yeah, you totally figured it out Chug."
"And and! This is going to be our biggest Corn Festival ever thanks to you! Everyone's coming to see you perform!"
"Aw shucks…" Dusty grinned sheepishly. "Glad we'll have a big turn out this year… To think just because a crazy Earth Pony chased the clouds."
They laughed. "This is gonna be great!"
Chug jumped a little. "And it gets better, guess who's coming to visit?"
"Who?" Dusty asked, tilting his head a little.
"Rainbow Dash!"
Dusty grinned. "Awesome! I haven't seen her in awhile… I can't wait." He and Dash had kept in close contact after they met on Flysenhower Island. The ponies who knew them joked that they were siblings separated. Both loved racing and speed and got along like they had known each other for years.
If I remember right, she should be finishing up her own competitions back in her hometown… Hope she hasn't gotten rusty with the stuff we learned with the Wrenches…
… Her tail would be doomed.
"Yeah she should be arriving later today, just in time!"
He smiled. "I'm glad… Say Sparky, where's Skipper?"
"He's waiting out by the fields for you, so you can get some practice in."
Dusty nodded before trotting off. "Right, c'ya!"
"Remember to keep your eyes open!" Chug called.
Dusty chuckled, shaking his head but cringed as he felt another pang shoot down his back. I really need to take five minutes at least… But he's waiting… He hated the idea of leaving his mentor waiting, while he took a nap or something.
It's just a cramp… I'll be fine… He reasoned, if it had been acting up already, it couldn't get worse. After practice I'll take it easy and rest… No flying unless absolutely necessary.
With this resolve, he broke into a trot, passing hangars and other ponies who greeted him and welcomed him back, as he passed.
Dusty skidded to a stop as he came upon his mentor, who was looking up at the sky. "Hey Skip."
The dragon looked over to him and grinned. "Welcome back Dusty. Ready to do some flying?"
Dusty grinned. "Aw yeah."
"Alright, let's go."
Dusty nodded, leading the way towards the runway with Skipper behind him. After doing a quick check with the control tower the two flew off, heading straight for their practice course. Dusty maneuvered his way through the course with ease. After so many runs through it, it just came naturally.
"Looking good on your turns Dusty, let's see your dives." Skipper said as he watched his student go through the course.
"Roger that."
Dusty started his climb into the sky. He closed his eyes, grinning as he felt the wind in his mane. Before he would've been terrified of flying so high and now… he loved it.
Alright let's do this-
SCREECH!
Dusty gasped at the sound. He looked to see his wings had completely stopped and the pain from earlier was back. Only this time, it was much much worse. It was shooting down his whole spine now.
He went straight into a free fall, screaming in agony. Skipper reacted quickly, swooping up and catching Dusty in his front claws.
"Dusty? What's wrong?" he asked, worry in his eyes. What the heck just happened up there?
"My wings… they… they stopped moving… and my back.. it hurts… IT HURTS!" Dusty cried out.
Skipper narrowed his eyes. "Hang in there, we're gonna get you some help, I'll take you straight to Dottie and Sparky."
"Hurry… please…"
Skipper nodded, heading back to Propwash, hurrying into Dottie's workshop.
"Dottie!"
Dottie looked up from the book she was reading. "Skipper?" She trotted over to him. "What's-" She stopped short when she saw who was holding in his right front leg.
"What happened?"
"I don't know, his wings gave out on him and he's complaining about pain in his back."
"Oh no… Get Sparky, I'll start doing some treatment."
"Got it."
Skipper set Dusty down on a bed before heading off to find Sparky. Dottie undid the harness on Dusty, quickly casting a spell on his back.
"That should numb it… How does it feel now?" she asked.
"B-Better… Dottie… what's happening to me…?" he replied, whimpering a little.
"I don't know, but I'm gonna figure it out." She nuzzled him gently. "You're gonna be okay."
Dusty nuzzled back. "O-Okay."
"Atta boy…"
Sparky soon hurried in. "Skipper told me what's going on, how is he so far?"
"No more pain, used a spell to numb it… But it's strange…" Dottie replied looking over the wings. "The harness wasn't too tight, so it wasn't adding pressure… and the wings seem to be in okay shape… Few feathers wearing down but that's pretty normal for him."
"I see… let me examine his back then."
Sparky trotted over to Dusty, casting a spell on his back to check his spine and implants. He looked closely… a frown spreading across his face.
"Well…?" Dottie asked.
Sparky, stopped the spell before going over to Dottie, whispering something to her so Dusty didn't hear. Dusty gulped.
When the whispering starts, you know something is very wrong.
"Guys…?" Dusty started. "I… I am gonna be okay right? I haven't been pushing myself, I haven't done anything different, what's wrong with me? This hasn't happened before."
Sparky narrowed his eyes. "You sure this hasn't happened? I swore I saw you cringing earlier."
Dusty lowered his head a little. "I just figured it was soreness from wearing my wings too long, that's not new."
Dottie frowned worry in her eyes. "Dusty… Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"
"I didn't think it was serious…"
Dottie shook her head. "I have a love hate relationship with you Dusty… you're my best customer but I hate what you do to yourself…"
"Well, what did I do this time?"
She sighed. "Your implants… A part of it known as the gear box is damaged really bad… It's not working right anymore…"
Dusty's eyes went wide. "I've had it since I was a colt… can't it be fixed?" he looked at Sparky. "Isn't there a spell?"
Sparky shook his head. "No, you know very well that these kind of things require surgery in order for things to be fixed, spells can't fix everything."
"T-Then can't you find someone who can? Do I need the gearbox?"
"Yes you need it, it's what allows your implants to make the wing movements when you're flying and as for someone who can operate… I don't think I know anypony who has done a gearbox replacement."
"But… I'm not the only Artificial Pegasus out there, there are plenty who get the implants, you can't be serious that no pony knows how to fix one that is malfunctioning."
"I am serious. Dusty, remember, most Artificial Pegasi get the implants for the purpose of crop dusting, what you used to do… Ponies are trained for those kind of malfunctions… not this. No pony has been trained to replace malfunctioning gearboxes."
Dusty shook his head. "No… No… I… I need that to race, if I can't move my wings I won't be able to fly." Tears stung his eyes. "Please! There's gotta be a way to fix it!"
Dottie went over to his side, gently nuzzling him. "I'm sorry Dusty… Even if there was somepony who knew how… You may even be too old for it… The implants are placed when a pony is young, as young as possible because the growth plates haven't fused yet. Your body grew around the implants… It's complicated…"
Sparky frowned. "We wish we could do something… but we can't."
Dusty swallowed hard. "So… I… I can never fly again…?"
"You can… but at a limit. You need to cut back on the power use by 60%."
"6-60%?! Dottie has me going up to 180! I won't be able to race without-"
"Dusty, please-"
"NO! I CAN'T-"
Dottie stood back stomping her front hooves, snorting. "DUSTY IF YOU GO OVER THE LIMIT YOU'LL CRASH!"
Dusty immediately went quiet, shock and horror in his eyes.
Dottie lowered her head. "You heard me… you'll crash if you push it too far… I'm sorry Dusty… but it's over."
Dusty lowered his head, a few tears escaping his eyes. "So… I really am just a crop duster… Everything was just an illusion… Useless…" I can't race anymore…. I...I can't… My dream… He thought back to the first race he ever flew, the feeling of utter joy… He couldn't believe he would never get to experience anything like it again.
"Dusty I never said-"
Dusty got off the bed, heading out. "I need some air…"
Dottie sighed watching him go. "Oh Dusty…" she looked over to Sparky. "There has to be something we can do…"
"We can try Dottie… I don't like seeing him sad either… just I don't want us to get our hopes up in thinking we'll find a cure."
"We have to try…"
Dusty headed out to the pasture, ignoring anyone who tried greeting him. He sat down in the grass on all fours, bringing his front hooves over his head.
That's all it was… it… it was just a dream… an illusion… all I ever worked for… I'm only just a crop duster... He closed his eyes, sobbing a little. I was such an idiot…
A shadow crept over him, as his mentor came up to him. "Dusty…?" The dragon was worried for his student, it didn't feel right to leave him alone when that was the last thing anyone needed.
Dusty didn't look up. "Did Dottie and Sparky tell you?"
"Yes…"
"I'll never race again… I got my dream and now it… it just fell to pieces."
Skipper sat down beside Dusty, bringing a wing around him.
"Don't give up just yet… Dottie and Sparky told me they're going to try and find a way… They're the best ponies I know when it comes to this technical know how… they'll find a way to fix it."
Dusty curled up to Skipper a little, taking in his warmth. "If they could… I… I'd like that…"
He smiled gently. "I know they will… But there's one thing you have to do as part of this… Don't lose hope… Don't give up… I didn't train a Jolly Wrench who gives up now did I?"
"No… you didn't…"
"Good… Everything will work out Dusty." He nuzzled him gently. "I know it will…"
Dusty nuzzled back. "Right…"
Skipper got up, Dusty standing with him. "Come on, how about we get you some cider down at The Stable to get your mind off things? Don't want Rainbow Dash seeing you like this when she arrives."
"Yeah… good idea."
"Then let's go."