Spike wiped the forming sweat from his forehead as the countdown neared zero. He put his foot down preparing for the take-off as the robot finished the countdown. "2...1....Go!"

Spike kicked off in a burst of speed about 2 seconds earlier than Lindsey and Korbin. Thinking he made the perfect start, he turned back to see the two who just now kicked off. He smiled at his success which would soon become horror as he turned back in front of him to witness the electric barrier still partially raised and in the act of going down. He jerked around in a fit of pain as the current nailed him and his board to just before the starting line allowing both Korbin and Lindsey to pass him up. The current finally stopped and allowed spike movement again. "Ok ow, what in Celestia's name was that?!"

Nicole partially formed in front of him. "Oh dear, my circuits definitely felt that one. I thought Rotor taught about the countdown line which is meant to stop people from starting too early, or they'll get a shock to their system. Do me a favor and at least remember that one, I don't like being glitched out like that."

Spike slightly twitched as he responded. "Oh yea, r-right?" Spike kicked off down the street, the road beginning to curve downward towards a gigantic ramp. Up ahead, Korbin and Lindsey had just jumped the ramp and were in the motion of landing on the rest of the road ahead. Spike gave himself one good push off with his foot as he headed down the ramp and started bending his legs. "Alright, I can do this. Bend the legs, remember to choose your moves wisely depending on how much air I get, timing is key." Spike let out a breath to relax his body as the ramp quickly rushed towards him. As his board began to angle up, he launched himself with great precision. Upon catching major air, he leaned down, grabbed the middle of his board and spun 360 degrees in an inverted fashion putting himself upside and right side up again. As he ended his trick and looked in front of him he noticed the road much higher than usual. "Alright bring the knees in." Without an issue, he safely landed and continued down the path. The road continued straight for quite a while until another small ramp at the end of it said otherwise. Spike quickly Ollied off the ramp into a front 180. As he landed, he felt a sudden boost of speed. "Hey what happened?"

Nicole's voice rang out of his armpad. "After successfully landing a trick, the air inside your board is increased with a burst of speed. I can see Korbin and Lindsey up ahead but like this, you won't be able to catch them. Do you see those rings in the air over there with the arrows pointing to them?"

The straight road seemed to split in two and down the middle, a ramp and set of high flying rings. "Yea what about them?"

"We're going for a ride, jump off the board when I say so." An effort could be heard as Nicole grunted to do something. Suddenly Spike heard the sound of rings being collected. "Jump now!"

Spike took one quick hop as his board transformed in a flash of yellow. He landed back on it with shock. "Hey, you made it transform."

"Now hit that ramp and ride the wind." Spike did just that airing off the ramp and boosting off through one of the rings. "Keep going through them until you see no more Spike."

Each ring seemed to give him a small boost of air as he soared over what seemed to be a gigantic drop. He hit the last ring and came to speedy landing on the ground ahead. Korbin and Lindsey looked behind them to see Spike only feet away. "Hey Lindsey, he finally caught up."

"Indeed he did." Spike's modification returned back to his original board as he slowly made his way in between the two ladies. "You're doing pretty good Spike. Catching up was the first test."

"I'm sorry did you say test?"

Korbin laughed. "Yea silly. Now it's time for test two."

Lindsey pointed up ahead. "The course is pretty basic. One straight part of the road from the start leading up to a turn up ahead than another straight road leading to a curve which the finish line is after. You got a straight shot and a curve to beat before the finish line and just to make sure you don't think we let everyone join, you got to beat us there."

Spike jaw dropped in horror. "You mean I actually have to race...for real?"

Lindsey giggled. "What were expecting darling. The first curve's coming up so keep your EX-Gear in check, we won't be going easy anymore. Korbin let's show him what we can do."

"Oh sweet, I get to show off."

All three of them made the turn easily but as Spike's view came upon the straightened road, he began to have a moment of deja vu, lots of cars barreling down the road towards. From the start about halfway down the road, Korbin and Lindsey were having no issue weaving through the traffic but for Spike, the experience was all too familiar. He frantically moved his board through the cars watching as each one passing him got closer and closer intent on trading paint with his board and trading death with him. He closed his eyes and sighed as one car, sure enough, made its way straight at him. Spike attempted a jump only to have his board knocked completely from under him and into the air alongside him. His hearing and conscience seemed to fade away time slowed down as he flew through the air, dead set was his mind on crashing into an oncoming car. But there it was again, the feeling of absolute calm and collected mind. The feeling of someone's fingers at his temples. He looked up to see Nicole massaging the sides of his head but just as it seemed she was there, suddenly there was no one, the feeling he had was completely in his head. He turned back towards the cars to see their now slowed pace. "I'm calm?... I doing it by myself?... I remember her words now... Doubt is your sole enemy. Those who doubt will often imagine and create things are not."

Spike closed his eyes for a mere second and turned straight towards the ground before opening them again as his pupils dilated to that of small slits. He flipped over seconds before a car could have his face for dinner, sliding off the top of the car and jumping up to grab his board out of mid-air. He planted it under his feet and landed weaving in and out of traffic with no problem. He dilated pupils focused on Korbin and Lindsey up ahead with a determination like no other. He found a moment of peace within the cars and immediately planted his foot on the ground. He pushed off like a rocket, gaining enough speed to reach in front of his competition and even knock some of the cars off their course. Both of them gasped in amazement as Spike appeared in front of them with ease. He looked back with a smile upon his face as Korbin threw her arms up in shock. "How did you do that?! We were sure you were toast for a second."

"I'm here to join the team, aren't I? Gotta show off these draconic skills at some point." As the two process his answer, he took off in a burst of speed. "What are you guys doing? You're falling behind." Lindsey shook her head to come back reality and angrily but jokingly glared at him. "Hey, that's our line."

Both Lindsey and Korbin caught up but somehow Spike maintained a constant speed locking his position in front of them. He crossed the finish line first hopping off as Korbin and Lindsey crossed after him. It was then that Lindsey stopped and stared directly into Spike's eyes as he unknowingly reverted them back to normal size. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Your eyes..."

"Um...what about them."

Lindsey eventually realized how serious she was being and reverted to touching her fingers together nervously. "Oh nothing! Just a little curious you know."

"Oh...so like...am I in or--"

Korbin appeared behind and jumped on him like a piggyback ride. "You're so in, that was so cool how you were almost toast then suddenly flipped over and rode the top of that car!"

Spike rubbed the back of his neck, knowing all too well what had occurred. "It was just a bit of luck is all."

"With that kind of skill, bad luck is just afraid of you mister! And I say." Korbin said bouncing from side to side happily. "We go out a celebrate our newest member."

Lindsey took hold of Korbin's leotard and yanked her off of Spike's back. "Let's not also forget about the sign-up sheet. We'll need to make our way over there before we do anything else."

"Awww! Can't we get food first? Please?"

"Afterwards Korbin."

She crossed her arms scowling at the response. "Fine..."

"Spike if you have other things to do, I suppose you can meet us at the sign-up sheet right?"

"Oh no, I'm perfectly fine, not like I had things to do in the first place."

Lindsey and Korbin hopped on their gear and motioned Spike to follow as they took off. Spike followed far behind as they made their way back towards Hyper Tower. Nicole popped out of Spike's wrist on a much smaller scale, able to sit casually upon his wrist. They were far enough that their conversations would be more private. "So did that draconian power introduce itself again?"

"Yes and no, I mean I felt it, but at the same time, I was in control. I think the first time it happened, it sort of became a natural instinct."

"Instinct? I see."

"I can't tell you what happened in detail but I do know that in this world, something about the energy that flows through everything has boosted my natural abilities."

"All the more reason for me to eventually get to your world, I can't wait to study it. Lindsey and Korbin seemed to have noticed you, I'll talk to later."

Spike looked up and covered his wrist as Korbin and Lindsey began to look back. They motioned to catch up in which he did so, pretty soon they finally reached the tower where three separate teams of 3 were sitting around. Spike nervously avoided eye contact as they made their way towards the sign-up sheet. Lindsey picked up the electronic pencil provided and began signing the team's names on a pad in the wall. "Give me a sec to sign our names. Alright, let's see, who's our competition this time? , A team called Chaos, a team called Spade, and Bab--Of course team Babylon is joining the race."

Korbin tapped Lindsey on the shoulder. "And what's our downright awesome team name?"

"Um...we never decided actually, any ideas?"

All three put the fingers to their chin in thought. Spike was first to fire away. "Team...Ex?"

They all shook their heads. Korbin was next. "That's too vague, what about Team Draco, you know cause awesome dragon?" They once again all shook their heads. Lindsey gasped with a smile. "Team Terror."

Spike gave an immediate thumbs down. "Who exactly are we terrorizing? Oh wait, I got it, Team lynx?" Once again, that was met with a thumbs down. "Ok, then I got nothing else. What are we supposed to do, combine them? Team Terrilynx sounds pretty..." Everyone slowly raised their heads in realization. "Pretty Awesome..." The three of them high fived with smiles on their faces, Lindsey penciling down the name.

As they began to walk away, however, Spike was suddenly shoulder checked losing balance and falling flat on his butt. A voice sarcastically responded, "Sorry didn't see ya there pint size."

Spike looked up to his attacker only to see a vixen of a canary standing above him and staring intently. Spike the blood rush to face as he stared back. "Holy crap..." Why is everyone in this world so. freaking. cute!

"Yo pint you ok?

"F-fine..."

"Then get up would ya." Spike raced to his feet like a spring and stood stiff as a board as the girl continued to look at him. Her face soon became annoyed at his stillness. "Hey, you got a screw loose or something?"

Spike realized his stupidity and dropped his nervous expression. "Um...sorry..I...you're just so..."

Another mobian's voice echoed from nearby obviously in enraged tone. "Neon would you get your butt over here?!"

"Oh man, I'm so sorry baby."

"Stop calling me that! My name is Jet got it?"

The green hawk stopped a couple of feet away from Spike and his team with no other mission besides retrieving his teammate. "I'm so sorry Jet, I just wanted to check the other teams."

"Stop acting like a kid would ya? We got training to do."

"I didn't think it would cost us so much time, please forgive me!"

The Canary latched onto Jet's arm with no thought letting go anytime soon. Jet frantically yelled and shook his arm up and down as if in some kind of cartoon. After about a minute of this, Jet sighed and snapped his fingers. Storm removed Jet's issue, tossed her over his shoulder, and carried her off to bench nearby holding onto her with no intention of letting go. Jet dusted himself off and pointed to Spike. "So you guys are our new competition huh?" Spike nodded. "What's your name dragon?"

"Spike."

Jet smirked and began to walk around Spike observing him. "Why ya so nervous Spike? Did something spook you or do you already know who I am?"

Korbin shot to Spike's side as jet returned to his original position. "Leave him alone Jet. He's new here and the last thing I want is for him to pick up any bad habits."

"Bad habits? Ha! If anything he should be idolizing me and the Babylon Rouges considering that we're the best team on the market. Better, you wanna join the rogues rookie?"

"I will politely decline that offer for him Jet," Lindsey said strolling over Spike's side.

"Besides, I kinda already signed up with them so..."

"Your loss kid, we're the number 1 team out there, Babylon rogues know all over the world."

"Yea, for losing three Grand Prix in a row and causing a black hole to form in the middle of the city," Lindsey said with a smirk.

This pushed a bit of anger to Jet's face but he cast it aside with another smirk. "No thanks to Sonic the Hedgehog. That blue nuisance has been a thorn in my side for too long. But do you see that joke anywhere? I didn't think so, the one person who could possibly save your unskillful butts is nowhere to be seen and that means that the usual second-place winner which is us, by the way, is taking the race all the way to Sonic's big fat ego."

Neon could be heard in the distance struggling against Storm. "Let me go Storm! You tell 'em, Honey!"

"Would you be quiet Neon, Storm hold her better!"

Lindsey laughed as Jet sighed and turned back towards them. "Seems someone is interested in you. Where's your tech nerd Wave?"

"N-none of your business. Forget this I'm out, you losers watch your back."

Jet walked off motioning storm to follow with Neon in tow. Spike let out a sigh of relief. "Who in Equestria were those guys?"

Lindsey laughed and patted Spike on the back. "That my young dragon friend was team Babylon. The self-proclaimed, fastest team on EX-gear ever."

"Well, shouldn't that mean that they're the fastest?"

"When I said self-proclaimed I meant it, their skill is worth as much as Jet's ego so don't you worry about it."

"I feel like I should."

Spike was instantly knocked off balance by Korbin once again jumping on his back. "Can we please go eat now?! I'm so hungry!"

Lindsey once again removed Korbin from Spike and smiled. "I know just the place."

One hour later, all three emerged from a small fish restaurant rubbing their bellies and stretching while Spike took his forked tongue and licked his lips in joy. "Wow, I never knew fish were this good."

Korbin patted her belly and smiled. "I never knew that big cat could cook. What was his name again?"

Lindsey sighed. "Big the cat Korbin. His name was Big the cat."

"Oh.,.um.." She stuck out her tongue and rubbed the back of her head. She looked up as the light began to dim beyond the horizon. "Looks like it's getting dark, we should rest up for tomorrow."

Lindsey chuckled and hopped on her board. "Sounds like a reasonable plan, since I know you Korbin are gonna sleep like a rock with all that food in your belly."

"Like a baby," Korbin replied. "Caio Spike."

A voice rang out before they could take off stopping mid boost. "Please wait!" Nicole shot out Spike's wrist and digitized herself to her full form. "May I ask a request on behalf of Spike?" Spike attempted to slowly back away as he nervously pushed his fingers together and stared at the floor. As he turned to slip around a corner, Nicole took hold of his tail and held him as he attempted to run. His actions only led him to run in place as Nicole smiled and spoke. "It would take too much time to explain to you the details of his situation but I can say this. Spike here is from another world and this has led him to have no funds as to do much of anything. If it's not too much to ask, may he spend the night at your home?"

Lindsey put her finger to her chin for a few moments then smiled. "A different world huh? Like how so?"

"Nothing like this exists there..." Spike chimed in. "Technology is brand new, everyone's a pony, the works..."

Lindsey happily hummed with a smile. "Certainly."

"R-really?" Spike uttered.

"What kind of mobian would I be If I let you sleep out here in this metal jungle. Korbin, are you fine with a bit of company?"

"Sweeeeet, fresh meat."

Spike tensed up at the response. "What is she talking about?"

Lindsey nervously chuckled and waved away the question. "She means nothing by it believe me. Word of advice though, when you're in the same room as her, make sure to watch your tail."

"My tail?"

"Just remember that and you'll be fine, come along, let's get going."

All three hopped on their boards and drifted into traffic heading west into suburbs of the city. Spike slowed down as Nicole sat on his wrist again. "Nicole I...don't know what to say. I would've been way too nervous to say anything had it not been for you."

"Spike, there was no way I was just going to let you stay here homeless, I'd be a heartless mobian if I just sat back and watched."

"Thank you but uh...I still have one issue."

"Hmm?"

"Well, you see the thing is...This is a very different world..."

"Yes?"

"And everything here looks so different..."

"I'm listening."

"Well...um...every female should I say...is kinda..."

"Hot."

"W-well I-I w-wouldn't say that...it's just that...um..."

"You can't fool me, Spike. I've seen you drooling over Lindsey, that Neon girl, even me when we first met. It's no crime if you're attracted to us."

"Oh crap, you noticed that? Wait you noticed that and you didn't tell me."

"It's often beneficial not scold children for a crush but let them grow out it."

"Wow, I've never seen someone so chill ab--hey did you just call me a child?"

"Haha, I'm joking spike. Besides, I've had a lot of males look at me that way Spike, I just never have time for it, that and I learned how to deter them should they get too close."

"Well, I have no idea how to handle this situation."

"But aren't you friends with a bunch of females back in Equestria."

"Yea but I know them too well, they're like family to me. This is different, I don't know anyone here. Every girl here seems to get my heart pumping at every turn and now you're sticking me in a house alone with two attractive ones, I'll be blushing all over the place."

"Oh is the little Spike a little anxious, can't control your urges can you?" she cooed in a tone you would only see done to a dog or baby.

"Hey hey hey, none of that, I can control myself, it just...screws me up inside."

"Well let's hope you get a separate room then."

With that, Nicole vanished back into Spike's wrist. He sighed and caught back up to Lindsey and Korbin. After a few blocks and turns, they finally emerged within a gigantic neighborhood with houses as far as the eye can see. One block seemed to go on forever until a left turn led them to a cul-de-sac where they stopped in front of one of the houses. Spike made his observations as he rested his eyes on the home. Light blue paint, window with beige curtains next to the front door, garage on the side of it all. Lindsey shrugged and opened a small hatch on the side of the garage revealing a keypad. "Just your typical everyday home...on the outside anyway."

Spike raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

Korbin rushed beside the garage door as Lindsey inputted the code to open it. "Well Spike, your typical home interior would be bland and tasteless but we're not your typical homeowners." The garage began to open slowly as Lindsey and Korbin acted out a pose as if to present something behind a curtain. Lindsey and Korbin both shouted simultaneously, "Welcome to home sweet home!"

Spike's jaw instantly hit the floor as he feasted his eyes upon the beautiful sight. "No way....."