//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: High Fire 
// by CossackFox 
//------------------------------//

Out in Ponyville, it was sunset for Celestias warm and beautiful sun. Rainbow Dash and Soarin were walking to the Castle of Friendship, along with Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie bounced up and down and looked at Soarin "Sooooooooo, Rainbow invited you over?"

Soarin nodded keeping his pie and cake on his back "I can't believe I'm being allowed inside The Castle of Friendship! Though, I really hope I don't feel intrusive on you guys, especially since I'm the only stallion here"

Rainbow laughed "Ha! You're not going to be the only one"

Soarin looked confused "Really?"

Rainbow chuckled "Twilights got Spike and has Flash Sentry for a castle guard!"

Soarin looked even more confused "A guard for a powerful princess? When did that happen?

Pinkie gasped "You don't know!?"

Rainbow sighed "He doesn't Pinkie"

Pinkie smiled slowly "Weeeeeeeellllllllll, basicallyafterthewholesituationwithTartarusandCozyGlowShiningArmorandPrincessCadancegrewconcernedwithTwilightandworriedaboutustoo! Soooooooooo, thetwosentFlashSentryovertoTwilightsCastleandtheysaidthathewillbewatchingoverherandescorthertoandscouttheSchoolofFriendship!"

Pinkie gasped and smiled again. Rainbow looked at the confused Soarin "Ya got that?"

Soarin simply said "Nope"

Rainbow gave a head shake "Neither did I when she told me and Twilights other friends"

They arrived at the castle, Flash Sentry, in a purple and pink armor, was standing guard at the door. He realized Twilights friends as well as Soarin, and opened the door for them. They walked in and Flash followed, shutting the door behind the four.

Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike, and Rarity saw the four. Twilight smiled "Pinkie! Rainbow! You're finally here!" she smirked at Flash a bit "Also nice to meet you again Flash"

Flash blushed while he began standing to guard the door. Applejack was confused at the sight of Soarin "Uhhhhhh? What's Soarin doing here?"

Rainbow saw the disapproving looks of her friends and flew in the air "Relax girls, and guys. I invited him"

Rarity shook her head "Darling, you should of told us. This is just completely out of the blue"

Fluttershy spoke in her soft voice "Its um, kinda strange when someone you don't know comes in"

Rarity smiled "But he can stay with us"

Rainbow smiled "Thanks girls"

Soarin nodded "Yeah, thanks. Appreciate it very much"

Soarin took a seat "Well what did you girls and guys do today?"

The Mane Six, aside from Rainbow Dash, spoke all at once "Taught at the School of Friendship"

Spike simply blurted "Same"

Flash spoke last "Watched over the Princess and the school"

His helmet fell off his head and he quickly picked it up and laughed "Um...just ignore that"

Rainbow explained her absence "I had practice today, so Applejack had to double teach. Sorry AJ"

Applejack gave a look of unimpressed look "No problem" she said sarcastically.

Soarin placed the pie and cake down "Well, here you all go. I was going to save this in my fridge, but you guys seem to like"

Twilight smiled "Thanks Soarin. Much appreciated"

Flash licked his lips "Chocolate cake! My favorite!"

Spike patted Flash on the back "Whoah! Whoah! Easy!"

Applejack smelt the pie "Mmmmmmmm, Apple! Mah favorite!"

Soarin rubbed his head "I originally had a pie and a cake, but someone stole it"

Applejack rubbed her head after taking her hat off "Who would be so ridiculous to steal a pie and a cake? It's not like they needed it"

Pinkie smiled "I made him fresh and even better ones! Hehe"

Soarin smiled "Yeah, one pie that I didn't need to fight for!"

Everyone laughed and chuckled, as the sky was now Nighttime.


Meanwhile in Manehattan....
The loud city with bright lights was still awake, carriages and cars zooming in the city, ponies walking on the sidewalks of the city. In one lonely area, was a Bar. With blue and lightened up words: FOAMCUPS

Inside this bar was wooden tables, video games, and a bar. The only one in the bar so far, was an elderly pony. This pony was Wind Rider. A retired Wonderbolt stripped of his identity, he had a mug of beer and was jugging it down. He sighed and spoke to the bartender "Another round Mr. Foamcups!"

The bartender and owner of the bar Foamcups approached and took the mug away from him, ready to refill it "Man buddy, you are quite the drinker"

Wind Rider smirked "I learned from the best"

The Wonderbolts were also known to be quite the drinkers, when they're off duty of course, and Wind Rider was known as one of the best drinkers of the Wonderbolts.

Foamcups spoke back while refilling his mug "So how've you been doing buddy? Any fights or lash-outs with other ponies?"

Wind Rider kept smirking "Yeah, a few, but guess what? I took them down, no problem"

Meanwhile, outside the bar, three cars drove up and parked next to the bar. Each of the cars had glowing green lights underneath them. Cars are VERY expensive for ponies, which is why they are not commonly seen. Only in cities. Three ponies walked out of them.

Back in the bar, Wind Rider was bragging "This guy called me out on that little incident with the Wonderbolts, so when he tried to punch me, I grabbed him smacked his face into a wall and broke his nose!"

The two laughed together, Foamcups continued smirking "Call me if you want another round"

Wind Rider nodded and started drinking his beer. The door softly opened up, so soft that he couldn't hear it. He heard hoofsteps, two sounded normal, but one sounded like something massive stomping the floor. Wind Rider looked behind him and saw a tall and towering stallion with nearly his entire body covered, except his tail and eyes.
The same pale-green with his fedora that appeared at the Wonderbolts Base along with Lightning Dust appeared, the pale green pegasus sat down next to Wind Rider and tapped his hoof on the bar table "Hey bartender!"

Mr. Foamcups walked back to Wind Rider and stared in shock at the three new arrivals "What the!? When did you three get here!?"

The pegasus smirked "Just now, buddy"

Lightning Dust gave a sly look "Two beers please!"

Mr. Foamcups looked at the towering stallion resting on a wall and shivered, the near sight of him was uncomfortable, the pale-green stallion spoke "Oh! None for him. He's driving"

Mr. Foamcups quickly filled two mugs of beer up and placed them to Lightning Dust and her "friend"

Wind Rider gave a look of annoyance at Lightning Dust "Well, if it ain't the rookie that got kicked out of the academy! Ha!"

Lightning Dust growled in anger, then the tall stallion was right behind Wind Rider, he bent his head down and growled "Ya got something to say old boy?"

The fedora pegasus glared "Three against one, disgraceful Wonderbolt!"

Wind Rider sipped his beer "Touché. Well what do you three young ones want? I don't have all day"

The fedora pegasus grinned "Listen her old timer, we got an offer you're not gonna want to refuse"

Wind Rider sat back in his chair "Alright, enlighten me"

Lightning Dust rested back in her chair with her beer mug and crossed her hind legs "I made a team called The Washouts, recruits that got kicked out for being reckless, like me"

The aquamarine pegasus began drinking her beer. Wind Rider looked around him "Anything else"

Lightning Dust smirked "These two are my brothers, they're new recruits for my team. I first had Rolling Thunder and Short Fuse. But after that" She spat out some of her beer "STUPID RAINBOW DASH CAME IN AND LEFT THAT STUPID FILLY IN MY HOOVES!"

Wind Rider became terrified of her, the tall brother of the pegasus enjoyed seeing his sister scare others. Lightning Dust calmed down and continued "I've been lacking fans lately. So we're gonna have a family meeting!"

The pale-green brother grinned "We heard that you got your Wonderbolt rank taken away from that Rainbow gal too. So we're letting you in. We want YOU to be a model for our group. Help us train better"

Wind Rider chuckled a bit "Getting back on that pegasus huh? I'm in"

Lightning Dust sat back and smirked "Sweet! Meet my two brothers. fedora lover on your side is Steel Deal and the big guy is Timber Hammer, we call him Big Timmy"

Timber snorted and tapped his hoof on the ground "I make Short Fuse cry around me" he laughed as if he enjoyed it.

Lightning Dust took another sip of her beer again sighed "You know me, everypony knows me"

Wind Rider laughed "Well, I don't work for free you know, in fact, I made plenty at the fish market today"

He dropped a small bag of bit on the table. The three pegasi laughed at the money. Timber laughed "That's your pay!?" He continued laughing.

Steel Deal put a steel briefcase on the table and spoke "Our dad is one of the richest businessmen in Manehattan old timer, owns one of the biggest buildings" he clicked open the locks "Soooooo......how would you like to work for a Team that does his shows and make, some real money?"

The briefcase reveals huge bags of bits, the gold literally shined at Wind Riders eyes "You're gonna love me young ones"

Steel Deal and Lightning Dust finished their beer and sighed happily "Well then, let's go do business then"

Mr. Foamcups was about to speak but then, Timber placed a gold block right on the table, Wind, Lightning, and Steel stood up and walked out, Wind Rider holding the briefcase. Timber followed shortly after.

Timber pulled out keys and turned on his car. Wind Rider stared at the three black, bright green, and glowing cars "Wow! You're able to own vehicles!?"

Timber smirked underneath his bandanna "We're rich old timer, and rich equals cars!"

The car doors opened upwards, Lightning smiled while pointing her hooves at the car "Legends first Mr. Rider"

Wind Rider went into the first car and sat down, Lightning went in next and Timber went in the drivers seat. Lightning smirked at her brother "Crank up the speed big bro. Full blast"

Timber chuckled after the doors closed and pressed on the gas pedal. The speeding car let out green and glowing smoke as it took off, with the other two cars following as well. Steel Deal laughed in the passenger seat of the second car.