"Gate 7 ... Cart number 7 ... Moonlight!"
The mocking crowd was mostly making jokes rather than applauding as the embarrassed ponygirl advanced to get inside her gate. Her recent incident, having rammed her gate before it had opened, had left an indelible mark in the public opinion.
"Don't listen to them, Moonlight. They are just having fun. We will show them something different this time around."
The ponygirl took a deep breath and focused on her next task, racing. After her humiliating way-too-early crash, Sophie changed her tone and became much bossier and severe. It was not so much to assert her power over Moonlight rather than acknowledging her responsibility in the debacle.
Sure, Sophie had explained Moonlight exactly how the start of the race would occur and what to do technically, she was certain of it, but she had failed to prepare her pony mentally for the excitement of the race and the side effects that came with it. It was a well-known fact that fear and anxiety could affect memory and judgment; therefore, remaining calm before a race was mandatory to avoid mistakes. Perhaps Sophie got too used to race with Morning Star, who was generally in absolute control of her emotions. Obviously, this excluded her recent mood swings due to her injuries.
Adopting a more severe tone toward Moonlight was the right thing to do. It was the best way to separate what had happened before from what would happen next. Racing a ponygirl who just wanted to go home would guarantee a catastrophic result. Imposing a strict course of action and revoking her freedom of choice would ensure such irrelevant thought wouldn't surface again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, hold on to your hats for the last race of the evening. Can Electra, winner of the first race, manage to surprise everybody again? Hopefully, our newcomer Moonlight will have better luck this time. Please encourage all our participants, and let's get this race going!"
"Alright, Moonlight! Stay calm, and don't move a hair until I say go! Got it? We don't need a good start. Trust me. Let me take care of the strategy, and you just run as I tell you too."
Moonlight gave a little nod and let her shoulder drop a couple of times to evacuate the stress the way Sophie showed her. She dug her horseshoes in the dirt in a much less aggressive manner this time around. Her focus was on Sophie and no longer on the gate.
"Ready! IN THREE ... TWO ... ONE..."
The ponygirl's head was slightly turned to the left to hear the small driver better, and her eyes were closed... Then, the metal gates slammed open, and Sophie yelled at her...
"GO! GO! GO!"
This time it was a successful start. Moonlight strong legs engaged and the cart got moving nicely. Right off the bat, they were last, behind everybody else on top of having the outer corridor; that was the worst combination to overcome.
"Great start for most ponies. Silver Sword and Red Pearl in the lead. Electra in 3rd followed by Lady Wallenstein and Private Grin. Moonlight is last, two lengths behind Last Moment."
"Good start, Moon! Don't worry about being last. It's all good. Just focus on running and follow the reins."
Moonlight battled with the thought of being on a real racetrack and competing with other ponygirls for the first time. Sophie had asked her not to push right at the start and to stay behind everybody to avoid all traffic.
She felt a little tug on her left rein and obeyed by slowly moving toward the rail.
"Great! Now we just need to catch up to them and wait for opportunities."
"Silver Sword still in 1st. Electra aggressively passed Red Pearl and is going after the leader. Lady Wallenstein and Private Grin are battling for the 4th. Moonlight moved to the inside and passed Last Moment, which is now last."
"See, we already gained a position without even working hard. Those two in front of us are burning each other out. Pay attention to your breathing, Moon. save your strength."
To Moonlight, racing without unleashing all her power was a strange concept. Following the pack so casually gave her a wasted opportunity feeling since she knew she could go much faster. But she promised to follow Sophie's instruction by the letter this time around; after what she had done during the first race, she intended to stick to that promise.
A little tug to her bit's right side directed Moonlight to go back to the outer lane. As soon as she did, the cart that was in front of her slowed down for another easy pass. The pony wondered how Sophie anticipated this to happen.
"Keep going, Moonlight. You are doing fantastic. Keep that pace. And keep those wrists to your waist... You are moving them too much to my taste. If you disconnect a cuff, we will get disqualified."
"As the ponies are about to enter the second turn of the first lap, Electra and Silver Sword are neck to neck, battling for the lead. Lady Wallenstein passed Red Pearl, who is now fourth. NICE SURPRISE! Moonlight is now fifth after passing Private Grin. The newbie seems to have some fresh legs after abandoning her first race."
"Alright, Moon. We are about to enter the final lap. I know you want to go faster, but keep listening to me, okay. You are doing just fine. Once we pass Red Pearl, get very close to Lady Wallenstein but don't try to pass her just yet, you'll see. Relax as much as you can right now. Don't think about anything else than your running technique and breathing."
Sophie navigated carefully around Red Pearl, who seemed to have made the critical mistake to keep up with the best ponies right at the beginning of the race and was now running out of fuel. She knew moonlight was far from being at her limit just yet, so she crafted a strategy based on that fact.
Moonlight her was growing impatient, though. She knew she could catch up with the leading ponies, but she had to listen to her driver, no matter what. Making another mistake tonight would be catastrophic on so many levels. All she needed was a good racing experience, and Sophie had promised to deliver that in exchange for blind obedience.
"Moonlight passed Red Pearl to get in fourth position. She is now right behind Lady Wallenstein, who hasn't slowed down since the beginning of the race. As they come out of the first turn, Electra and Silver Sword are still battling each other, refusing to concede the first position. I'm wondering if the two carts touched just now. They will have to be careful not to get disqualified."
Dirt was flying from Lady Wallenstein's horseshoes and kept hitting Moonlight's legs. She wanted to go around her, but she had not received any command to do that; she was not even a meter away from that cart.
Lady's driver kept looking behind herself and even threw some invectives at Moonlight, who frankly didn't know how to react. It wasn't her fault... It was Sophie's odd decision to tail her like that.
"Come on, newbie! Are you going to climb in my cart too? Why don't you go back to your stall and play with some toys! Leave the racetrack to the adults."
Sophie heard every single word, and this reaction was exactly what she had hoped, putting pressure on Wallenstein's team. Racing was not solely about physical prowess; some mind games were going on at all times. Sophie had raced against the Elites and was used to this kind of behavior, but the other amateur contestants in this race were not as familiar with it.
Brittany's terrible attitude during the NRPA races had been good training for Sophie. Enduring that crazy girl successfully meant that she could easily cope with anything else. It was a bit dirty to apply some of those nasty strategies during an amateur race, but it was legal, even if not ethical.
"Hey, whatever your name is, if you don't want us to pull your hair while we are riding your ass, you should try to pick up the pace. Or is it that your ponygirl can't do it?"
"Screw you, newbie! Come on Lady Wallenstein! Show her what you can do!"
And the bait worked like a charm. Lady Wallenstein started to sprint as they entered the last turn, increasing the distance separating her from moonlight, who was more confused than ever. Sophie had not told her to go faster yet and didn't seem worried that they were falling behind.
"Lady Wallenstein started an early sprint, trying to catch up with Electra and Silver Sword, who seem to be slowing down now. Moonlight is still in fourth position keeping her nice pace as we are about to enter the final straight of the race."
"Alright Moon, get ready, as soon as we exit that turn and I say go, you'll sprint with all you've got. Don't leave anything in those legs of yours."
Moonlight was still feeling great. She was more than ready for a sprint and wanted to start it right now. Just the thought filled her blood with adrenaline, and she only needed to hear one single word to release all her energy, a tiny two-letter word that meant so many things... In this case, it could mean victory.
"GO!"
The ponygirl leaned forward, glued her wrists to the small of her waist not to make a costly mistake, and pulled the cart like never before. Sophie gently guided her to the outside lane, where there wouldn't be any traffic to worry about.
"Lady Wallenstein just passed Silver Sword and Electra, who have nothing left in the tank... but ... Oh, my! Moonlight picked up some incredible speed and is passing them too. She is dangerously catching up to Lady Wallenstein who will maybe regret having started an early sprint. WHAT A SPEED! Only three lengths away... Two .... Will Moonlight have time to pass her before crossing the finishing line ... ONE! It's going to be a very close one... CAN SHE MAKE IT?!"
***
