Chapter 33: Slug Run

Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Sorry about the wait, this one took a while to figure out but after binging both Slugterra and MLP and the help of my friend kival737101 I managed to finally update. Also I'm thrilled to say this story now has over 200 followers and favorites! Thanks for all your support. Please Review and Enjoy.

We find ourselves at the Shane base as a commercial played on the TV.

"Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! It's the Slug Run! As always, a new deadly course with new deadly challenges! And a new deadly, awesome Fireanzer slug for the winner! So deadly it could kill you! Death by awesome! So expect the most ruthless, wild racers on a course so dangerous it's insane!" The announcer said.

Zooming out we see Rainbow with big stars in her eyes.

"That is so…awesome." Rainbow squeals trying to keep it together.

"I don't know, all that death stuff was terrifying," Fluttershy said.

"Honestly, they seemed like they were overreacting with that," Twilight said.

"Well the Slug Run can get crazy," Starlight said.

"But to answer your question yes, they do go overboard with all the deadly and awesome parts." Sunburst shudders.

"Luke, Starlight, Finn, and I raced in it last year," Aerrow said.

"It was fun." Finn grins.

"Luke can we please go?! This event was made for me!" Rainbow pleads.

"I don't know Rainbow Dash, that event looked pretty crazy. Plus you barely know how to ride a Mechabeast." Applejack said.

"Honestly darling, there is no shame in just watching it." Rarity said.

Looking at Luke, Rarity puckers her lips and cups her hands together.

"Oh…alright you can compete with us," Luke said making her squeal.

"I love you so much right now!" Hugging him tightly, Rainbow gives Luke a big kiss on the cheek.

Seeing this Starlight narrows her eyes, ever since she learned that every member of his new team was going out with him, Starlight was still trying to figure out how to react to this.

Especially since she used to be his girlfriend before they broke it off.

'Luke's allowed to date whoever he wants. Not my problem, right?' Starlight pauses.

"Hey, Starlight. You gonna compete like last year?" Piper asks.

"Uh…not sure just yet," Starlight said snapping out of her thoughts.

Soon the day of the Slug Run came, and the stands were packed with viewers ready to watch the show.

"So Luke, how's it feel to be back and competing?" Aerrow asks.

"Feels good." Luke smiles before turning to the Rainbooms. "So besides Rainbow Dash do any of you feel up for joining?"

They were about to answer when the announcer turned on his mic.

"Welcome racers, please fill out your death and dismemberment forms before the race, and remember if you lose a limb it is up to you to pick it up! Unless of course, you lose both your arms." He announces making Fluttershy turn pale.

"No thank you," Fluttershy said.

"I'm good." Rarity said.

"I would prefer to watch for my first Slug Run," Twilight said nervously.

"They were joking about the arms thing right?" Spike gulps but Sunburst just shakes his head.

"Applejack?" Luke asks looking at her.

"No thanks, but I'll be here cheering you on." Applejack smiles.

"What about you girls?" Sunset asks looking at Pinkie and Sonata who were already hanging with Piper, Junko, and Stork.

"Sorry about the wait. Who would have guessed Extreme Chocolate Slug Run cupcakes would take an extremely long time to bake." Pinkie said showing a tray of extreme-looking cupcakes.

"No worries at all." Junko grins happily taking one.

"I guess it's just me joining in," Sunset said when Radarr chatters. "Right sorry, 7 of us."

"Radarr is always my copilot and backup shooter." Aerrow smiles.

"So any rules we need to know?" Rainbow asks.

"Just that you can't use your blaster on the other racers," Starlight said.

"Okay that's understandable," Sunset said.

Looking around Burpy notices a crowd gathered near the front.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Luke asks noticing some green and black banners.

"Oh no, not them." Aerrow groans facepalming.

"Them?" Luke raises an eyebrow.

"They started up shortly after you left." Starlight sighs.

"Alright, racers! Big news! This race has some special guests! The wildest, baddest, craziest riders in all of Slugterra! It's the Washouts!" The announcer said as three riders came in on cheetah mecha beasts and confetti shot out of cannons behind them.

Sticking her tongue out, Pinkie catches some confetti and tastes it.

"Hmm quality confetti cannon work," Pinkie said impressed.

"Who are these people?" Twilight asks.

"They're this new group of extreme racers and stunt riders. They do crazy stuff like this all the time with no regard for their safety whatsoever." Starlight explains.

"I gotta talk to these guys. I'll be right back." Rainbow said running over to meet them.

As the Washouts stopped to grab some water, two took off their helmets revealing a girl with dark purple skin and white hair and a scar on her left eye while the other was a short guy with red skin and blonde hair.

"Hey there, as a fellow racer, I gotta say you guys got style," Rainbow said but the two of them were unimpressed. "I'm gonna be competing against you and I think you'll find me to be a challenge." Rainbow brags.

"Oh yeah, why's that?" The tall one asks.

"Because I was recruited to join the Shane Gang." Rainbow declares but they just laughed.

"Join the club." She chuckles.

"Okay?" Rainbow asks unsure what they meant.

"No, really join the club. We're called the Washouts because we wanted to be part of the Shane Gang too until we washed out." She said doing air quotes for the last part.

"No way," Rainbow said in disbelief.

"Yep, name's Rolling Thunder. Got the boot for flagrant disregard for hazardous conditions. I mean if going 95 mph through the Storm Caverns during a thunderstorm is wrong then I don't want to be right." Rolling Thunder grins.

"Whoa. Cool." Rainbow said impressed.

"This here is Short Fuse." Rolling Thunder introduces.

"Hey, nice to meet you." Short Fuse said shaking her hand.

"So what's your story?" Rainbow asks.

"ANGER ISSUES! GET OFF MY BACK!" Short Fuse yells angrily in her face.

"Uh ok," Rainbow said less impressed by this one. "So who's the third member of your group?"

"Only the most ruthless girl to ever get rejected from the Shane Gang." Rolling Thunder starts as the third takes off their helmet revealing a girl the same age as Rainbow Dash with green skin and blonde hair. This was Lightning Dust.

"Well, what do we have here?" Lightning Dust said walking over.

"Hey, I just wanted to say—" Rainbow held out her hand to shake but Lightning walked right past her to Luke.

"Hey, Lukie. Long time no see." Lightning Dust flirts sneaking up to Luke making a shiver run down his spine. "Did you miss me?"

"L-Lightning Dust? What are you doing here?" Luke asks before seeing her uniform.

"You've been gone a while. I'm surprised you never heard about me." Lightning Dust smirks.

"Well, we kinda hoped you guys would get lost after we made sure you were kicked out." Starlight glares.

"Oh, Starlight. Always gotta be the party pooper." Lightning Dust groans.

"Uh, Luke who is she?" Sunset asks.

"Sunset, this is Lightning Dust, these guys tried to be on our team but it didn't work out." Aerrow glares.

"Hey Aerrow, Finn. What's up, fellas?" Rolling Thunder waves but they just glared at them.

"So uh…I'm sensing some tension between y'all." Applejack said.

"Which I don't get. I mean come on guys; we weren't that bad." Lightning Dust assures.

"Are you kidding me? Short Fuse set a sandwich shop on fire because he didn't like how they prepared his Tomato Sandwich." Luke points.

"That sandwich was an abomination!" Short Fuse snaps not denying it in the slightest.

"And your recklessness almost got us run over by a train, buried under a rockslide, and had dozens of Grenuke slugs rain down on us. You nearly killed us all." Luke lists looking at Lightning Dust.

"You guys didn't care about helping Slugterra. You just wanted to get into crazy, dangerous, situations." Starling said.

"Not to mention, Lightning Dust also tried to make Luke her boyfriend," Sunburst adds getting the girl's attention.

"I'm sorry what?" Twilight asks.

"He said tried. I could never date a girl who puts the lives of everyone else at risk for fun." Luke glares.

"Yeah, I remember…and it was the best thing that could have happened to me." Lightning Dust smiles confusing them.

"Come again?" Rainbow asks.

"Now I only endanger these knuckleheads." Lightning Dust said gesturing to her teammates.

"So I guess we'll be racing against you guys," Sunset said.

"Yep but don't worry, we'll try not to make you lose too many limbs." Lightning Dust mocks before she and the Washouts make their way to the starting line.

"Wow I didn't realize you were such a lady's man down here," Sunset said.

"Are you kidding? Luke was the second coolest guy in Slugterra. Second only to me." Finn smirks clicking his tongue.

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in her in the slightest," Luke assures.

"Well, I guess that's good to hear," Sunset said.

Soon all the racers were at the starting line, along with the Shane Gang and the Washouts, we saw some other mecha riders in it as well.

"Are you racers ready?!" The announcer asks aiming his blaster at the sky.

"Remember our motto guys. Leap before you look." Lightning grins as the Washouts grin ready for something.

"GO!" The announcer yells shooting a Flaringo into the air and all the racers take off.

As they entered the first stretch Luke and his slugs were excited.

"Yeah, Burpy it is good to be back." Luke chuckles when Aerrow races by.

"Too slow Luke!" Aerrow grins.

"Oh no you don't!" Luke said as he gained on him.

Up in front of them, Short Fuse noticed a large bull mecha.

Grinning, he loaded a Jellyish slug into her blaster and fired it into the sky.

Transforming, the slug spit slime onto the course and the other racer slipped on causing him to swerve uncontrollably.

"Oh yeah! Opening stunt!" Activating a thruster, Short Fuse raced forward and did an aerial flip over the racer causing the viewers to go wild, well almost all of them.

"Hold on a second." Quickly running from her seat, Pinkie came back with a glass of water so she could do a spit-take.

"Oh my goodness," Fluttershy said horrified.

"She nearly caused an accident for a stunt?" Rarity asks.

"Yep, and something tells me the others think that way too." Sunburst gulps.

"Wait, the rules say you can't fire slugs at another slinger," Sonata said.

"Technically they didn't fire at the racer, they fired at the course." Piper corrects.

"Still sounds like dirty racing to me," Applejack said.

"I think that's what the Washouts are going for," Junko said.

On the race course, the Washouts were turning this whole Slug Run into a stunt show and the racers were the obstacles.

Entering the giant mushroom cave, we see Finn leaping across a mushroom past a large mud pit.

"Oh yeah, I'm in the lead!" Finn grins.

"Not for long!" Sunset said as she raced past him with Starlight following close behind.

"Aw, man." Finn groans speaking too soon.

Behind him, Rolling Thunder raced up to another rider on a Snake Mecha before ramming into them.

"Hey!" The other racer said but Rolling Thunder kept doing it until she flew into the large mud pool face first.

"Oh yeah! Here it comes!" Running up the snake's body Rolling Thunder used her opponent like a ramp before firing a Flaringo Slug.

Transforming the slug made a ring of fire for her to jump through making the viewers go crazy.

When Rainbow makes the jump she turns around to see the other racer struggle to climb out of the mud.

Exiting the cave, the racers ran alongside a canyon where they had two paths to choose from. One was a long straight path, but another was a path of small rocks for you and your mecha to hop across.

On the long path, Sunset and Starlight were neck and neck when Rainbow began sprinting past them.

As one person on a Hyena mecha tried the hopping path, Lightning Dust was coming in.

Firing a Hop Rock the base of a rock, he began leaping across as several explosions went off behind him to make his stunt more epic.

"Out of the way slowpoke!" Lightning Dust said bumping the other racer causing him to struggle to maintain balance, but when he noticed the explosions, he panicked to try and outrun it but ended up plummeting to the bottom.

As Lightning Dust nears the end, she fires a Phosphoro slug making a cool firework display as she makes her big jump to join the other racers.

"Are these guys insane?!" Luke asks looking at his friends as he and Aerrow catch up with them.

"Clearly." Starlight gestures.

"I'm starting to see why you guys kicked them out of the Shane Gang," Sunset said.

Having enough of this, Rainbow raced ahead to catch up with Lightning Dust. "Hey, you know this is supposed to be race right?"

"Yeah but where's the fun in that?" Lightning Dust brushes off.

"You're making everyone crash and hurt themselves just to make your group look great," Rainbow said.

"I don't hear the screaming fans having a problem with it." Lightning Dust gestures. "Listen newbie here's a lesson, all that matters is winning and looking awesome while doing it. Everything else is just in the way."

Eyes widening, Rainbow couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sure Rainbow knew the feeling about wanting to be the best but was too much.

"Listen, there's a difference between being awesome and just being reckless," Rainbow said.

"Ugh, you sound like Luke." Lightning Dust rolls her eyes. "Why don't you do us all a favor and get lost!" Ramming against Rainbow, she skidded back while the Washouts took the lead.

"Rainbow are you okay?" Luke asks catching up to her.

"Get ready folks! The Washouts are about to begin our grand finale! Hopefully, you losers don't get caught in it!" Lightning Dust said looking at them.

"We need to stop them. If they keep this up, everyone will get hurt or worse." Rainbow said surprising them.

"Uh Rainbow that's kinda the point of this race," Finn said.

"No, these guys hurt people to make themselves look good. I know this is a race but we can't just let them use the other racers as stunt props. There's a difference between being awesome and pushing yourself and just being reckless. And if she thinks being reckless is more important than anything else, then we need to stop her from hurting anyone else." Rainbow said.

Hearing this Sunset and Finn couldn't help but be impressed by that while Starlight chuckles.

"You're alright Rainbow," Starlight said as Radarr clapped his paws.

"Well, what do you say, Luke?" Aerrow asks as they look to their leader.

"Who's up for a temporary truce?" Luke suggests.

"Until we deal with them," Finn adds.

"So what's the plan?' Rainbow asks as they exited the canyon and approached a cave full of crystal arches and the Washouts were eager for their big showstopper performance.

"We can't hit them directly, so we just need to take them out creatively," Luke said looking at them. "Starlight, you and Aerrow deal with Rolling Thunder. Sunset, Finn, get rid of Short Fuse, Rainbow you're with me on Lightning Dust."

Nodding the 6 of them spread out.

"And remember! Don't touch the crystals!" Starlight warns.

"Why?" Rainbow asks but touching them was the only thing on the Washout's mind.

As they all loaded Speedstinger slugs they fired hitting 3 arches causing the arches to move revealing them to be giant Crystal Worms.

"Does that answer your question?" Sunset said with big fearful eyes.

"Yep." Rainbow gulps. "We need to move fast and now!"

With Rolling Thunder, she was racing towards a Crystal Slug as it charged at her.

"Oh yeah, here it comes." Loading a Frostcrawler, she fires it making an ice ramp. "Time for the big jump!"

But just as she was about to do her stunt a Rammstone flew in and destroyed her ice ramp making Rolling Thunder swerve.

"Oops. Did I do that?" Starlight mocks racing alongside her.

"That was supposed to be my big stunt!" Rolling Thunder said as the Crystal Worm lunged at her. "Whoa!"

However, before it could hit an Arachnet flew in and tied it up in a web.

"Next time focus on your racing instead of your stunts," Finn said moving in from the other side boxing Rolling Thunder in.

As Rolling Thunder was so focused on her controls she wasn't paying attention to Starlight and Finn.

Loading a Flatulorinkus, Finn fires it front creating a cloud of stinking smoke.

"Ugh crikey, that stinks!" Rolling Thunder said covering her mouth as Starlight fired a Polero slug which wrapped between two large rocks causing Rolling Thunder to trip over it and fly off her mecha.

"One down!" Finn said as he and Starlight high-fived.

Up ahead, Short Fuse was out running his Crystal Worm when Sunset pulled up.

"Hey, Short Fuse was it? I gotta say it's really impressive that you're doing this." Sunset said.

"Oh really?" Short Fuse said looking at her.

"Yeah, it's really impressive that with such a small body you can touch the pedals on your mecha." Sunset mocks enraging him.

"I'm not small! It's a delayed growth spurt!" Short Fuse snaps as Aerrow runs on a ledge above them.

"You know what to do buddy." Aerrow smirks as Radarr jumps off and lands on Short Fuse's mecha

"What are you looking at?" Short Fuse asks as Radarr smacks him in the face. "Ow! Quit it!" But Radarr hit him again. "Quit it!"

As Radarr jumped on Short Fuse he pulled his hair, smacked him, and just did everything he could to distract.

"I SAID STOP!" Short Fuse yells slamming on the brakes and sending Radarr flying forward only for Sunset to catch him.

"Thanks, loud mouth," Sunset said pointing behind him.

Gasping Short Fuse turned around to see he was directly behind the Crystal Worm.

But before it could attack Sunset and Aerrow fired a Tazerling and a Hop Rock zapping the worm before the explosion knocked it out cold making it collapse right on Short Fuse.

Chattering with joy, Radarr hugs Sunset.

"Aw thanks, little guy." Sunset smiled as they raced ahead.

Finally, we see Luke and Sunset closing in on Lightning Dust who was doing a series of cool flips and jumps while avoiding the Crystal Worm's attacks.

"Ugh, I see she hasn't changed." Luke rolls his eyes.

"Really starting to see why you never wanted to go out with her," Rainbow said loading in a Tormato slug.

"You ready Burpy?" Luke asks as Burpy nods.

Loading Burpy into his blaster, Luke fires Burpy alongside Rainbow's Tormato creating a flaming tornado attack that slams into the Crystal Worm knocking it into the wall.

"What the?" Before Lightning Dust could react, Rainbow charged in and rammed into her.

"You again?!" Lightning Dust glares.

"The name's Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow said ramming against her again.

As they entered a downhill narrow cave both their speeds increased drastically meaning they were in the final stretch.

"You know, you ain't half bad. Why don't you ditch the Shane Gang and join the Washouts? We might have an opening." Lightning Dust said.

"Join you? No way." Rainbow glares.

"Fine then. If you want to keep getting in our way." Reaching to her side, Lightning Dust pulled out her blaster and aimed it right at Rainbow Dash startling her.

"Hey, what are you doing?! You can't slug another racer!" Rainbow said

"I haven't slugged you yet and unless you want a Rammstone to the face you'll stop and let me win." Lightning Dust threatens.

"I got a better." Using her soccer skills, Rainbow spins around and kicks the blaster out of Lightning Dust's hands surprising her. "How about you lose?!" Rainbow said ramming against her but this time Lightning Dust flew off and landed face-first in a puddle of mud.

Racing out to the end, Rainbow Dash exits the cave and crosses the finish line.

"And the winner of the Slug Run is…Rainbow Dash!" The announcer declares as the crowd goes wild.

"She did it!" Pinkie cheered as she and the others stood up and cheered.

"Whoo!" Applejack cheers as the other racers come out.

"Aw man, we lost." Finn groans.

"Well, Rainbow was the one who suggested we stop the Washouts from causing all that trouble." Sunset points out.

"As much as I hate to admit it, she definitely deserves this win." Starlight smiles.

"Hey guys! I did it!" Rainbow cheers.

"Yeah you did and that also means you get the prize slug," Aerrow said as a red and yellow slug climbed onto her mecha beast.

"Whoa, what are you?" Rainbow asks interested.

"A Fireanzer slug, they're really rare," Luke explains picking it up for her. "You earned this Rainbow," Luke said holding out the Fireanzer slug to her.

"Wait what?" Rainbow said completely forgetting about the slug prize.

"The fact that you were the one who chose us to stop the Washouts over winning proved to us that you deserve this slug the most." Luke smiles.

"Yeah, that was pretty awesome of you Rainbow," Finn smirks.

"So what are you gonna name your new slug?" Starlight asks.

Looking at her slug, Rainbow pauses. "Champ. I'm gonna name you Champ. What do you think buddy?"

Pausing Champ nods liking that name.

Slowly emerging from the cave, Lightning Dust was covered in bruises as she saw Rainbow Dash holding the slug she wanted to win.

"Rainbow Dash. You think you're better than me? Well, guess what? You're now my rival for life." Lightning Dust declares as Short Fuse and Rolling Thunder slowly limp out behind her.

"Mate…I need a break." Rolling Thunder groans.

"Me too. And a tomato sandwich." Short Temper said before they collapsed.

Growling Lightning Dust looked to see Rainbow Dash getting a victory kiss from Luke and snarls hoping to meet her again really soon.