open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

Shadow's eyes widened in horror. Some strange paper things came out and covered the tracks. She realized no only Kronos is here to sabotage the race, but also somepony. That means the negative magic she felt until is from a pony who is also trying to sabotage the race! She glanced at the crowd, looking for whoever put those things on the tracks, carefully looking at everypony she saw. 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

1 hour ago, Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 said:

 

The lead racers, Samurai and Kronos soon notice that it won't be long before the course leads just outside the city limits of Friendshire, where they'll have the perfect view of the entire town. Samurai looks in his rear-view mirror and sees Kronos catching up to him. In no time, it quickly becomes a neck-and-neck dog race, the both of them trying to secure the lead. Samurai smirks at the challenge, until he sees the course ahead is covered in shurikens, and there's no time to activate his jumping jacks. "NO!" And now Samurai is fighting to control his cart. He's doing his best to weave between each shuriken, but doing so is the same as trying to make sure he doesn't spin out of control.

If any pony had a personal mission against him, now would be a good chance to take advantage of his distraction. Likewise, other racers now have a chance to catch up to him.

@Astral Vision @Pastel Heart @ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Kronos the Revenant
As the race continued, the course soon lead to the outskirts of Friendshire. Dynamo was in awe as the corse allowed him and Pastel to get a good view of the entire town. “I can’t believe thisiswhatFriensahireactually looks like. Win or lose, I’m glad I got to participate in this. I haven’t been able to get a good tour of the town.” He chuckled, before taking his attention back towards the race.

He saw that Samurai and Kronos were neck and neck, while vying for the lead. He thought he had seen Pencil crash earlier, it he couldn’t tell for sure. His ears perked as he heard someone shouting. Squinting his eyes, he took notice of shuriken littering the entire ground. The fireball in Dynamo’s hoof dissipated as he glanced back to Pastel. “Oh, no. This isn’t good. I don’t think a spring will give us bough if a jump, Pastel-Chan.” He didn’t think his fireballs would be able to destroy the shuriken either. As he neared the shuriken, a sudden thought came to the gamer pony’s mind. Taking a deep breath, his horn flowed once more as he tried to envision his plan. ‘Think of the cold. Form it upon the ground. Make the track freeze.’ He thought as he launched the spell upon the track. A beam of ice launched from his unicorn horn, while the ground began to become solid ice upon the ground. As his spell ceased, Dynamo gasped at what he had done. “W-Woah. Even ice?” As he looked at his work, the shuriken were even covered over by the icy terrain. Anyone who drove over the course now would have a difficult time with driving. Unless they wanted to slip, slide or spin out. “Hang on, Pastel-Chan. This race is about to get icy.” He would say, before using his magic upon the cart tired to gain some traction.

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Dynamo Pad

Kronos noticed the shurikens littering the track and gave a bewildered grunt. 
 

“Activating massacre chariot mode.” he declared. With the push of a button, his iron slabs transformed with spikes jutting out of them and turning sideways to completely surround his kart with spikes. He plowed through some of the stars that were scattered on the ground, but also started to inch closer to Samurai as he saw the unicorn bobbing and weaving through the hazard. He gave a sinister chuckle as he inched ever closer to Samurai’s kart.
 

His item finally was selected. About time. 
 

He pulled out a squid-looking thing and it went away from his claw. 
 

“Oh,” he said in slight shock, “oh well, it’s outta my hands now.” 
 

His tone changed from neutral to sadistic glee as he declared, “Now then, let’s get to the POINT.” He laughed maniacally as his spikes got closer and closer to Samurai’s kart. 

[Astral Vision 286]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @ExplosionMare @Dynamo Pad @Pastel Heart @Kronos the Revenant

Astral was shocked as the cloaked figure dashed away, nearly as quick as the Sonic Rainboom, though the unicorn's true fear rose once he saw what the figure had done to the track. Luckily, Dynamo had somehow managed to cover the origami-like obstacles with an icy terrain, it seemed as though his magic had greatly improved. Though the track was still dangerous, and Astral worried for Pencil's safety. He spotted their cart nearing alongside Dynamo, and quickly teleported back on board. Even though it was risky, Astral didn't want anyone to be harmed.

"Pencil, sorry for ditching you before, but I'm going to have to use magic again. It takes more out of me when my magic is focused on multiple objects, so I can't keep this up forever! Get Ready!"

Astral's appeared to be using a different spell, as the entire cart soon began to glow the same turquoise hue as his own horn. The cart began to float in the air, close to the ground while above the ice, allowing the unicorn team to momentarily take the lead!

"We're getting close to the town outskirts! Once we memorize the town in this first lap, the other two should be-" Astral stuttered as a pain winced through his forehead, and the glow that held the cart afloat soon dissipated, and it fell to the ground.

"Sorry, Pencil. Just keep focusing on the race." Astral said with a smile, though a closer inspection would tell anyone that he looked slightly pale, even his eyes were beginning to droop. How much more magic could this unicorn perform?

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Astral Vision @Dynamo Pad

Pastel instantly became a tourist as they came upon the outskirts of Friendshire. She smiled, eyes sparkling as she gazed at the scenery. This was like, OutRun quality backdrop!

"Look at this! Our slice of paradise away from the rest of Equestria. How romantic~"

...Her jaw then dropped as Astral and Pencil swung past them. She was impressed to see Dynamo's magic in full force, he's definitely an ideal party member for any situation, she thought. But Astral and Pencil totally just used their trick to get ahead! 

"Woah heeyy! They're getting ahead, we gotta like, blast off at sonic spe- funya!"

She couldn't even get another ramble out as she had to literally hold on to her seat. Ice was super slippery!

[Samurai Equine 51,643]

@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad, @Pastel Heart, @Astral Vision, @ExplosionMare, @Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

Kronos' gambit works; too well. Much to Samurai's shock, his car gets impaled by the spikes on Kronos' cart, but said spikes also become jammed.
The result?
Both carts crash out off the course. Neither of their machines will be able to continue the race.

Samurai hops out of the wreckage that was once his cart. Sadly, he takes off his helmet, bows his head, and mutters a Japonese prayer to himself in honor of his fallen cart.
Looking up, he sees Astral and Dynamo have cleared the obstacles he couldn't avoid. "Good luck, my friends. Please, let one of you be the winner instead." Samurai says, tossing his helmet aside. The course will lead them back into the town where they'll face a shuttle loop and a ramp to help them jump over a large gap, all before crossing the checkered line and starting over again for Lap 2.

Still, Samurai is not done yet. He turns to see Kronos exiting his cart a well. He grits his teeth. "Temee... Naze sore o shimashita?! Why did you do that?! You may have dishonorably taken me out of the race, but you'll be disqualified as well! Why throw the race like that?" Samurai asks, unaware that the white mystery figure is about to approach them both.

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Kronos the Revenant

When Shadow saw both Samurai and Kronos crashed, she immediately came to Samurai before the mystery figure could “A-Are you okay, Samurai? A-Are you hurt?” she asked with concern before looking at Kronos's kart with absolute anger he could have atleast finish the race she thought bitterly, waiting for the cyborg to come out of his car so she can release her rage at him. 

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@Astral Vision

Astral popped into the kart almost as quickly as he left, causing Pencil to skid side-to-side for a couple of seconds.

“Whoah, okay! Uh, glad you’re back?” Pencil reacted sheepishly. She was unable to completely process everything that just happened and had to put her hooves on her head just to think straight. She left the steering to her magic and let the kart continue to lap two.

Pencil was once again very shocked when a faint turquoise glow enveloped the kart and sent it soaring above the track. Pencil had merely stared into the distance and let the action pass until she got a good look at the ground.

Ice! Glad we avoided that. Astral had a pretty good idea there!

She began to cheer for Astral out loud instead of just in her mind, but she quickly stopped upon looking at the pony’s face. It was sunken and tired looking, like he hadn’t been sleeping for weeks.

“Hey, uh, are you okay? S-Should I pull over?” Pencil asked quietly. Her hooves fidgeted on the wheel as she waited for him to respond. Hopefully, whatever was happening to him wasn’t too serious.

[Astral Vision 286]

10 minutes ago, ExplosionMare said:

@Astral Vision

Astral popped into the kart almost as quickly as he left, causing Pencil to skid side-to-side for a couple of seconds.

“Whoah, okay! Uh, glad you’re back?” Pencil reacted sheepishly. She was unable to completely process everything that just happened and had to put her hooves on her head just to think straight. She left the steering to her magic and let the kart continue to lap two.

Pencil was once again very shocked when a faint turquoise glow enveloped the kart and sent it soaring above the track. Pencil had merely stared into the distance and let the action pass until she got a good look at the ground.

Ice! Glad we avoided that. Astral had a pretty good idea there!

She began to cheer for Astral out loud instead of just in her mind, but she quickly stopped upon looking at the pony’s face. It was sunken and tired looking, like he hadn’t been sleeping for weeks.

“Hey, uh, are you okay? S-Should I pull over?” Pencil asked quietly. Her hooves fidgeted on the wheel as she waited for him to respond. Hopefully, whatever was happening to him wasn’t too serious.

@ExplosionMare

Astral didn't want Pencil to worry; panic was the last thing they needed in an intense race like this. Astral quickly pulled himself together, and his health seemed to improve.

"I'm fine Pencil, don't worry. Just focus on the road." Astral didn't want the purple unicorn to worry, but he knew he couldn't keep the act up forever. While he was magically gifted, Astral had a limit like any unicorn, but he had to hold on just a little longer.

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

12 hours ago, Kronos the Revenant said:

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Dynamo Pad

Kronos noticed the shurikens littering the track and gave a bewildered grunt. 
 

“Activating massacre chariot mode.” he declared. With the push of a button, his iron slabs transformed with spikes jutting out of them and turning sideways to completely surround his kart with spikes. He plowed through some of the stars that were scattered on the ground, but also started to inch closer to Samurai as he saw the unicorn bobbing and weaving through the hazard. He gave a sinister chuckle as he inched ever closer to Samurai’s kart.
 

His item finally was selected. About time. 
 

He pulled out a squid-looking thing and it went away from his claw. 
 

“Oh,” he said in slight shock, “oh well, it’s outta my hands now.” 
 

His tone changed from neutral to sadistic glee as he declared, “Now then, let’s get to the POINT.” He laughed maniacally as his spikes got closer and closer to Samurai’s kart. 

Dynamo watched as a squid flew away from Kronos's claw, before giving a sigh in relief. "Well, that's not too bad. If we were ahead of Kronos, then we would have been hit by squid ink. That would have obstructed our vision and then we'd be in trouble with driving. I guess being close to the pack of racers, while staying a little behind has it's advantages. I've learned too many lessons when playing different races. It'll all end up with everyone ganging up on your and throwing you out of the race." He would say with a shudder.

9 hours ago, Pastel Heart said:

@Astral Vision @Dynamo Pad

Pastel instantly became a tourist as they came upon the outskirts of Friendshire. She smiled, eyes sparkling as she gazed at the scenery. This was like, OutRun quality backdrop!

"Look at this! Our slice of paradise away from the rest of Equestria. How romantic~"

...Her jaw then dropped as Astral and Pencil swung past them. She was impressed to see Dynamo's magic in full force, he's definitely an ideal party member for any situation, she thought. But Astral and Pencil totally just used their trick to get ahead! 

"Woah heeyy! They're getting ahead, we gotta like, blast off at sonic spe- funya!"

She couldn't even get another ramble out as she had to literally hold on to her seat. Ice was super slippery!

12 hours ago, Astral Vision said:

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @ExplosionMare @Dynamo Pad @Pastel Heart @Kronos the Revenant

Astral was shocked as the cloaked figure dashed away, nearly as quick as the Sonic Rainboom, though the unicorn's true fear rose once he saw what the figure had done to the track. Luckily, Dynamo had somehow managed to cover the origami-like obstacles with an icy terrain, it seemed as though his magic had greatly improved. Though the track was still dangerous, and Astral worried for Pencil's safety. He spotted their cart nearing alongside Dynamo, and quickly teleported back on board. Even though it was risky, Astral didn't want anyone to be harmed.

"Pencil, sorry for ditching you before, but I'm going to have to use magic again. It takes more out of me when my magic is focused on multiple objects, so I can't keep this up forever! Get Ready!"

Astral's appeared to be using a different spell, as the entire cart soon began to glow the same turquoise hue as his own horn. The cart began to float in the air, close to the ground while above the ice, allowing the unicorn team to momentarily take the lead!

"We're getting close to the town outskirts! Once we memorize the town in this first lap, the other two should be-" Astral stuttered as a pain winced through his forehead, and the glow that held the cart afloat soon dissipated, and it fell to the ground.

"Sorry, Pencil. Just keep focusing on the race." Astral said with a smile, though a closer inspection would tell anyone that he looked slightly pale, even his eyes were beginning to droop. How much more magic could this unicorn perform?

 

As they continued to drive, Dynamo glanced behind him and chuckled as Pastel's remark. "Our paradise shall return. If this whole track makes a loop back into town, of course. I guess it is pretty romantic when you think about it. I wonder if there are any places around town that would be seen as romantic." He wondered, before tilting his head in confusion. "Wait, what? What does sonic spe-funya mean, Pastel-chan?" He was genuinely surprised to see Astral had finally made his reappearance. "Astral's back? I didn't even know he had left before. I hope everything was okay. Can you even leave and come back into the race?" He blinked a few times, before Astral and Pencil floated into the lead. "Hey! They just took the lead. We can't let them get too far ahead." He would say, before thinking that he had seen sweat trickling down the side of Astral's face. It didn't help that the cart that was floating had suddenly dropped back onto the ground. 'That's it.' He thought as realization dawned upon him. "His magic is starting to run low. He won't be able to keep up any sort of defense or offense for much longer. Which means we might have a chance to take back the lead." He knew he had to watch his magic as he had his own supply of magic. 

5 hours ago, Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 said:

@Kronos the Revenant, @Dynamo Pad, @Pastel Heart, @Astral Vision, @ExplosionMare, @Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

Kronos' gambit works; too well. Much to Samurai's shock, his car gets impaled by the spikes on Kronos' cart, but said spikes also become jammed.
The result?
Both carts crash out off the course. Neither of their machines will be able to continue the race.

Samurai hops out of the wreckage that was once his cart. Sadly, he takes off his helmet, bows his head, and mutters a Japonese prayer to himself in honor of his fallen cart.
Looking up, he sees Astral and Dynamo have cleared the obstacles he couldn't avoid. "Good luck, my friends. Please, let one of you be the winner instead." Samurai says, tossing his helmet aside. The course will lead them back into the town where they'll face a shuttle loop and a ramp to help them jump over a large gap, all before crossing the checkered line and starting over again for Lap 2.

Still, Samurai is not done yet. He turns to see Kronos exiting his cart a well. He grits his teeth. "Temee... Naze sore o shimashita?! Why did you do that?! You may have dishonorably taken me out of the race, but you'll be disqualified as well! Why throw the race like that?" Samurai asks, unaware that the white mystery figure is about to approach them both.

Dynamo's eyes trailed off to see Samurai and Kronos had crashed off course and looked tore out of the race. "Samurai! Are you okay!?" He asked in alarm, while feeling saddened at the destruction of the Mach 5. As he and Pastel passed the two by, the gamer pony nodded as he understood that he'd do the best he could for both himself and his driving companion. "Thank you and we'll keep going for you, Sam! See you at the finish line!" He called out as he continued to try and catch up to Astral and Pencil. He tapped the steering wheel with his hoof as he lowered their cart back on the iceless road. "What do you think, Pastel-chan? Astral seems to be running out of magic, while Pencil still has all of her magic. Do you know if there's a way for us to take the lead?"

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Kronos the Revenant

Pastel couldn't do anything but watch the carnage as they drove by... What the heck? Why did he do that? Lotsa questions but no time to ask them. Pastel hit her seat in frustration and focused on the task at hand.

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision @ExplosionMare

"Ugghh, that jerk! Okay! Now we gotta win for both us and Samurai~! Let's see... I think I got something, somewhere..."

Pastel dug around, tail wagging in the air like she was doing her best Tails impression, before pulling out something very dangerous.

...A freakin' flamethrower. Pastel holding a flamethrower was a surreal sight; she smiled like she was the yandere in an anime.

"I KNEW this would come in handy! Leave it to Magical Flame Pastel-chan, Dyny~!"

Pastel started blowing the flamethrower back away from the kart. The output was too much for her, sending the filly back against Dynamo's seat, but the flamethrower kept blowing. The racing ponies in the tail who haven't crashed are utterly dumbfounded by this sight. This served almost as a rocket, speeding up their kart considerably to tail up on Astral and Pencil... But this speed was difficult to manage, hopefully Dynamo was a good driver!

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

Several minutes earlier. 

Keen Fan was not having a good day.

She got seperated from her friend, and now, she lost her bits while being chased by a wild animal. She was very hungry, and she was lucky to stumble upon the town of Friendshire. 

“Ooh, I really miss my bits now” Keen muttered to herself, dragging her hindleg on the dirt path she decided to follow, hoping she could return home or atleast find her friend. Looking at the houses, and the empty street, she said in whispered tone “Nopony's around. Maybe they went somewhere?”

She then noticed a building. An ice cream parlor! But how could she buy one? She has no bits! Atleast she still has her saddlebag.

She slowly open the door, and she was greeted by a voice of a young stallion “Oh, we have costumers? Well, hello their ma'a- oh my, are you okay!?”

Keen looked up at the stallion with a pleading expression “I'm hungry”

Time skip brought to you by @Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️... 

“Thanks for letting me eat” Keen said. She sat on a couch, holding a Sundae ice cream.

“Well, i couldn't say no to a hungry mare” Clean Scoops said.

“There was nopony outside” she told him before gulping down the ice cream in her mouth before looking at the outside world through the glass window.

“There was an event going in town, but I couldn't attend because my boss is not here yet” he said “You should take a rest. You look very tired”

“Yeah. Thanks for the hospitality” she said. 

“You're welcome” 

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

9 hours ago, Pastel Heart said:

"Ugghh, that jerk! Okay! Now we gotta win for both us and Samurai~! Let's see... I think I got something, somewhere..."

Pastel dug around, tail wagging in the air like she was doing her best Tails impression, before pulling out something very dangerous.

...A freakin' flamethrower. Pastel holding a flamethrower was a surreal sight; she smiled like she was the yandere in an anime.

"I KNEW this would come in handy! Leave it to Magical Flame Pastel-chan, Dyny~!"

Pastel started blowing the flamethrower back away from the kart. The output was too much for her, sending the filly back against Dynamo's seat, but the flamethrower kept blowing. The racing ponies in the tail who haven't crashed are utterly dumbfounded by this sight. This served almost as a rocket, speeding up their kart considerably to tail up on Astral and Pencil... But this speed was difficult to manage, hopefully Dynamo was a good driver!

@Pastel Heart @Astral Vision @ExplosionMare 

"Are you talking about the one who crashed with Samurai? I think his name was Kronos, but I could be wrong. If so, then yeah. That was a bit of a low blow, but I wonder why he would go that far?" Dynamo questioned, but he shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't think of a reason, but he knew they still had a race to continue. "You're right. Let's see if we can win this." As Pastel dug around in the cart, Dynamo raised an eyebrow as he wondered what she was up to. It was then his question was answered as she brought out a flamethrower. His eyes widened as he kept his eyes on the road. "Uh...Magical Flame Girl Pastel-chan? Are you sure a flamethrower is such a good idea?" He would ask, feeling a little worried at seeing the look upon Pastel's face.

Whatever he asked had fallen on deaf ears as Pastel launched the flamethrower behind him. The gamer pony could feel a great gust of wind press against his face as he sunk back into his seat. While he almost wanted to feel sick, he soon realized the purpose of the flamethrower. It wasn't to attack, but to give them a speed boost. "WAHOO! THIS IS EPIC!!" He hit the guard rail once or twice, but he was managing the best that he could. The output of speed was difficult to control, but they were catching up to Astral and Pencil. 

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

Kronos emerged from his kart, lifting it over his back, both he and the kart were broken but still functional.

Kronos gave a low growl at Samurai before answering in a speech pattern of a broken piece of machinery, "C-c-c-classified."

He saw the other mare tending to Samurai and stated, "Th-th-this is none-none of your co-concern-n-n, civil-l-l-lian."

"Engaging auto-repair sequence." he declared as he absorbed the giant iron slabs of his wreck of a kart. He slowly but surely repaired his systems, readying for further questioning, however futile such actions may be.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Kronos the Revenant

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Kronos the Revenant @Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

Well, Rip black pegasus mare.

Hearing what Kronos said was enough to snap her, and make her more angry. In Kronos' vision, her eyes would appear to be either violet or blue due to the curse Nightmare Moon gave her. Shadow didn't care the fact he's cyborg taller than her.

She decided to approach her with a scowl, lifted one of her forelegs and slapped him... Ouch.

“For you knowledge; Samurai is the first pony to help me when I first arrived to this town. I have concerns for him, and you have no right to command me!” She yelled at him before walking back to Samurai. She could feel searing pain from her hoof which she used to slap the Kronos' metal cheek, but she decided not show. 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ @Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

Kronos simply stared into Shadow's eyes.

This one is stubbornly resilient, a voice told him, I like her.

She reminds us of Mother. another voice added.

She's also brave, one more replied, Foolish and brash, but brave nonetheless.

Kronos faced forward and announced, "Repairs complete." and shook his head back into focus.

He came to seeing Samurai being tended to by a mare.

"Oh, crap, Samurai-san," Kronos interjected with concern, "I didn't go too far, did I?"

Shit, he thought, I can't really tell either of them what's going on, but these two seem like nice ponies. How can I explain this delicately to them?

He also clutched at his chest, hiding the emblem that his new client uses to contact him.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Kronos the Revenant

[ExplosionMare 18,063]

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision @Pastel Heart

Pencil could hear the roaring of another engine nearby. She quickly turned her neck and saw Dynamo and Pastel charging ahead. Pencil turned back around and let out a sly smirk. She then whispered to Astral,

“Hey, I got a plan for those two! Watch!”

She drove into a gigantic cube with a question mark decal and ended up with three green shells circling around the kart. Pencil pumped the brakes and allowed herself to fall back.

“Help me get close to those two! We can get them with these shells!” Pencil whispered to Astral once again.

[Samurai Equine 51,643]

@Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️

Samurai was quite surprised when Shadow descended from above to check on him. "Oh, I remember you! Thank you, but I'm fine. Really." Samurai says.
However, he is rendered breathless when he sees Shadow trying to defend him like that.
And when it doesn't work, he pulls her back and puts an arm between her and Kronos. "Shadow Trail, wait! I am honored, but please..." He turns and looks at her with a warm, sparkling smile that could melt icebergs and the confidence of a million ponies. "...Let me protect you. It's what I'm here for."

@Kronos the Revenant

Samurai turns his attention back to Kronos, gritting his teeth and getting ready. The image him emerging from the wreckage, growling and glitching would be intimidating. ... For any other pony.
But Samurai has years of experience at his hooves! And just as he's about to demand an explanation, just as he is about to get ready for whatever aggressive action Kronos might take...!!
...He calls him 'Samurai-san', acts concerned, and COMPLETELY deflates the tension in the air...
Samurai lowers his guard and looks at him wide-eyed with surprise. This was not at all what he expected. "Uhh... Kronos? Buddy? I mean, you sort of did. We're both out of the race now, there's no pit crew on this part of the course, and..." Samurai remembers something.

The paper shurikens! "Quick, we gotta get these off the course before the racers come back for the second lap! Flaming Horn EXTEND!" Summoning his magic fire powers to his horn, Samurai lowers his head, and his horn extend ala Power Pole style (Dragon Ball). Each time it extends, it hits a shuriken, burning it to ash. Samurai is so busy trying to clear the road, he almost misses it when someone approaches them...

It's him. The white mystery figure that wondered into town...
It's a gazelle. But not just any gazelle. It's a pony-sized, white gazelle made COMPLETELY out of folded paper! His eyes are glowing purple, and he discards his hoodie jacket to reveal paper ninja clothes underneath.
This reveal is enough to make Samurai's eyes go wide. "No... It can't be... Not here! Not now!"

The stranger points at them and screams a ghastly roar. It sounds like a composite sound of many different animals, cries of terror, and ghastly moans. His roar could easily compete against the sound of any kaiju. "Extend!!" Taking aim, Samurai makes his fire-covered horn shoot out towards the strange creature. With quick reflexes, the paper ninja leaps into the air and tries to throw more shurikens. However, Samurai's horn rapidly retracts and extends like a machine gun, burning each shuriken before they can hit the ground. "I know who your master is, and I won't let you tell him where to find Friendshire! I'll protect this place with EVERYTHING I have... Origami Shinobi!!" Samurai declares, revealing the name of the assailant.

@Pastel Heart, @Dynamo Pad, @ExplosionMare, @Astral Vision

Meanwhile, the race is carrying on like nothing has happened.

A lot of competition still remains.
There is a crazy stallion that has made a kart that looks, and operates, like a giant hamster wheel!
There is a furniture-selling stallion in a red, white, and blue, star-spangled kart that is promoting some kind of furniture store. "That right! Shop at Daring Decor! Forget all about that other lame shop! Eehahaha~!"
There is still that group of construction kart racers.
There is even a stallion that has kart that looks like a repurposed ice cream truck. "Ice Cream?! Candy?! Magic Restoring Elixirs?! TAKE THEM ALL!! Dump the payload, Sangria!!" He says to his assistant. "Right away, sir!" His teenage mare assistant says and begins tossing random treats and elixirs in various directions from the back of the kart, laughing maniacally all the while.

But while these racers and more compete for different spots, it's still Dynamo/Pastel and Astral/Pencil that have the best chances of winning so far.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

[Kronos the Revenant 1,971]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

Origami Shinobi? Kronos thought to himself.

He then remembered that Samurai mentioned the paper shurikens littering the track, rendering everyone in the race in danger. While Samurai was busy with the assailant, he went up to the track, took out a flask and took a big sip from it. He then took a stick and a rock, struck the rock against his arm towards the stick and made a fire. He proceeded to breathe into the fire onto the track to burn the paper and ice on it. When he finished clearing up the road, he turned his attention back to Samurai and the attacker. 

Was this guy sent by the mayor? he thought to himself. But it didn’t matter to him at the moment, his friend is fighting whatever the heck this thing was. He has to help. 

Kronos proceeded to pull out a halberd. He expertly twirled it around him and created a vertical wind tunnel, trapping the assailant inside. Normally, this technique would tear his target to shreds, but his friend was in the fray and it appeared as if he wanted this thing subdued alive, if it even is alive; however, he only made the wind tunnel disruptive rather than destructive by using less force. At worst, both Samurai and the assailant would go off balance and fall. At best, only the projectiles get deflected randomly. 

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 @Kronos the Revenant

“Origami Shinoobi?” Shadow parroted, mispelling Origami's last name. She was clutching her hoof she used to hit Kronos. Now she was confused, and possibly angry, though she's not showing it. Her anger towards Kronos ceased when he asked Samurai if he's okay. She shocked to see a pony made out of her paper was actually responsible for the shoorikens? She opened her saddlebag, and brought out a pair of blue scissors just in case the situation becomes dire. 

[Dynamo Pad 11,328]

2 hours ago, Samurai Equine 🔥🔥 said:

 

Meanwhile, the race is carrying on like nothing has happened.

A lot of competition still remains.
There is a crazy stallion that has made a kart that looks, and operates, like a giant hamster wheel!
There is a furniture-selling stallion in a red, white, and blue, star-spangled kart that is promoting some kind of furniture store. "That right! Shop at Daring Decor! Forget all about that other lame shop! Eehahaha~!"
There is still that group of construction kart racers.
There is even a stallion that has kart that looks like a repurposed ice cream truck. "Ice Cream?! Candy?! Magic Restoring Elixirs?! TAKE THEM ALL!! Dump the payload, Sangria!!" He says to his assistant. "Right away, sir!" His teenage mare assistant says and begins tossing random treats and elixirs in various directions from the back of the kart, laughing maniacally all the while.

But while these racers and more compete for different spots, it's still Dynamo/Pastel and Astral/Pencil that have the best chances of winning so far.

16 hours ago, ExplosionMare said:

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision @Pastel Heart

Pencil could hear the roaring of another engine nearby. She quickly turned her neck and saw Dynamo and Pastel charging ahead. Pencil turned back around and let out a sly smirk. She then whispered to Astral,

“Hey, I got a plan for those two! Watch!”

She drove into a gigantic cube with a question mark decal and ended up with three green shells circling around the kart. Pencil pumped the brakes and allowed herself to fall back.

“Help me get close to those two! We can get them with these shells!” Pencil whispered to Astral once again.

 

@Pastel Heart @Astral Vision @ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

As the race continued to carry on, Dynamo and Pastel's cart had zipped past a couple of racer's. Some of the construction kart racer's from earlier, while some carts were shaped like hamster wheels and an ice cream truck. As they flew past Astral and Pencil, Dynamo was having trouble with seeing the track. He thought he had seen the duo pass through a gigantic question mark cube, but due to the flamethrower he couldn’t say for certain. H-Hey, Pastel-chan!? How much firepower is left in that flamethrower!? Are you able to turn it off!? I think we gained a bit of a lead and I don't want to be turned into a pancake!" He exclaimed as he wanted to slow down to gather his bearings. 'I have a bad feeling, but we need to gain some distance, or build a defense.' He thought, hoping to run into the same question mark cubes to gain an item.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Dynamo Pad

[Astral Vision 286]

18 hours ago, ExplosionMare said:

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision @Pastel Heart

Pencil could hear the roaring of another engine nearby. She quickly turned her neck and saw Dynamo and Pastel charging ahead. Pencil turned back around and let out a sly smirk. She then whispered to Astral,

“Hey, I got a plan for those two! Watch!”

She drove into a gigantic cube with a question mark decal and ended up with three green shells circling around the kart. Pencil pumped the brakes and allowed herself to fall back.

“Help me get close to those two! We can get them with these shells!” Pencil whispered to Astral once again.

Astral was surprised to see Pencil's competitive side. Even though he didn't want to hurt Dynamo or Pastel, it was important for them to stay in the lead.

"Very well Pencil, keep the cart steady. I'll let you know when we have a perfect shot."

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision @ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

Pastel couldn't even hold onto the flamethrower properly, and it was still going! This thing had way too much literal firepower.

"Aahh horseshoes horseshoes horseshoes I don't know HOW to stop it!"

Pastel was panicking, still sending the kart in a rapid shot forward, before Pastel was able to force herself up again and decided...

"Funyaaa, screw it!!"

She carelessly kicked the flamethrower off the kart, slowing the forced acceleration, however this also made the overcharged flamethrower a hazard to other racers. The flamethrower spun rapidly, spinning aboug on the track like a ring of firey death.

....If that fire interacted with those potions that the one kart was throwing there may be an explosive outcome. Oh no.

[Samurai Equine 51,643]

@Windy Breeze ☁️ ☁️ ☁️, @Kronos the Revenant

This wind tunnel effect was incredibly strong, despite only being disruptive in nature. The origami shinobi gives a haunted shriek, feeling itself being pulled down as if in a gravity well. Samurai himself is almost knocked off balance, but he sees how it is effecting the shinobi much worse.

With quick reflexes, Samurai removes one of his gloves and teleports behind the shinobi while he is confused and practically immobile, a little higher up though to compensate for the wind tunnel's effect. "Flaming PUNCH!!!" With his magic focused, flames appear over Samurai's exposed hoof, and lands a direct punch on the shinobi! The Origami Shinobi's eyes stop glowing seconds before he instantly implode into ash. Not a shred of him left.

@Pastel Heart, @Dynamo Pad, @ExplosionMare, @Astral Vision

For a moment, there is so much junk on the course, it looks like anything could happen! And thankfully, at the last second, just when it looks like that flamethrower Pastel discarded was about to hit an elixir... The elixir just narrowly avoid it, and the flamethrower get covers in a huge pile of popsicles instead. Looks like one hazard canceled out another.

Speaking of, that magic restoring elixir is headed for Astral and Pencil's kart. Astral could probably use it. They'll have to slow down a little if they want to get it, and there is a narrow window too. If they don't act fast, it'll crash and spill over somewhere else. What are they to do?

Meanwhile, the starting line for the 2nd lap was fast approaching, and Daring Decor is about to catch up to whoever is in the lead. "Hey! Stranger!! I'll let you have free furniture in your next visit to my store if you let me win~!" ...Is this pony out of his mind? On second thought, look at his crazy, disheveled face. He might be.

[Windy Breeze 15,190]

@Kronos the Revenant @Samurai Equine 🔥🔥

“What in Moon's name?” Shadow was surprised how powerful Samurai was. He burned that thing alive! She didn't want to get to his bad side if they ever had a bad confrontation in the future.

“I don't want to be in your bad side, Sam” she muttered.